Barlow withdrew from his active pursuit of Martha after that day in July but he kept a patient and watchful eye. He wasn't willing to risk the public humiliation and subsequent negative effect on his business that could come from everyone knowing what had transpired between he and Martha. More importantly, he did not want anyone to know that Walt had been able to take him down in that hallway. Still, Barlow's buried anger and resentment grew whenever he saw Martha in town and it only worsened after Walt returned to Durant.

Barlow had believed Martha was the perfect woman with whom he could produce an heir. He wanted a son he could mold into a copy of himself: someone worthy of taking over for him after he was gone and who would carry on the Connally legacy with pride. After his conversation with Walt and the threats the younger man made, Barlow felt he could no longer afford to wait in this endeavor. He wasn't immediately seeking a wife but accepted that he needed to find someone other than Martha to eventually be the mother of his child. When a woman from Gillette ended up pregnant after a few dates with Barlow, he decided to marry her. Their only child, a son he named Branch, was born the next September. While Barlow said it was exactly what he wanted he remained distant from both his wife and son. They were a distraction to him at best and neither ever quite met his expectations for them. With his abrasive personality, it was really no surprise to anyone that his marriage did not last. His wife never felt Barlow was fully invested in their relationship and she grew tired of playing second fiddle to his work. Barlow also had a roving eye and was never what you would call faithful.

Martha started working full time at the drugstore after she finished high school. Barlow left her alone through the summer and she was glad he didn't start coming back to the drugstore after Walt returned to California in the fall. She happily agreed to marry Walt before he left and they took the next two years to plan for their future together. Martha continued living with her parents and saved every penny she could while Walt was finishing his education. Her saving was not only for nursing school but also to give Walt and her a solid start when they got married. She wanted Walt to be able to concentrate on his schooling and with his schedule, it was really too difficult for him to work during football season. Walt was not completely comfortable with Martha bearing the early financial burden of their relationship but he worked over the summer and other breaks from school to help contribute as much as he could to their nest egg. He admired her tenacity and knew she loved her work at the drugstore. Once he finished school, he would provide whatever else they needed so she could concentrate on her own schooling and continue to work only as long as she wanted to. He never wanted it to be a case of her working because she had to. Martha and Walt were married shortly after he graduated from USC in a simple outdoor ceremony surrounded by their family and close friends. She set her dreams of nursing school aside when she and Walt discovered they were expecting their first child. Being a wife and mother brought her immense joy and she never regretted her decision to stay home and care for Cady.

Walt had gone to work for Lucian as a deputy not long before his daughter was born. Seeking a job from Barlow's brother after having turned down an offer from him years before was another blow to Barlow's ego. Added to that was the fact that Lucian and Walt became close friends. Walt watched Barlow's marriage fail and saw firsthand the tense and damaged relationship he had with his older brother and later with his son. As an adult, Branch, upon whom Barlow had hung all his hopes and dreams, would also walk away from his father by choosing to work for Walt over joining him in the family business. It was yet another affront to a man who already felt abandoned by everyone important to him.

Walt grew to feel sorry for Barlow. It seemed Barlow was looking for the kind of unconditional love and acceptance he had experienced from his parents, but no one was capable of offering to him at the level he demanded. Walt understood what had drawn Barlow to Martha. She was warm and loving, funny and smart and loyal beyond belief. She was everything Barlow needed to help him heal his fractured soul but Walt knew Barlow hadn't loved her. It was more that Barlow loved the idea of her. Walt was so thankful Martha had chosen him; she was the light of his life and he knew he was blessed to have her as a wife and mother to their child. He could imagine how he would feel if he lost her and thought it might be similar to what Barlow may have felt at Martha's rejection. He thought it sad that Barlow seemed unable to experience a life full of love and happiness such as the one he and Martha had together. His feelings of empathy increased and helped him to temper his reactions to the older man's barbs and contentious behaviors. He couldn't have known that one day Barlow would act on his deep seeded anger and rage with deadly results.

Whew! There it is.

Thank you Auntieoaty for sharing your ideas and helping sort things out when they got bogged down.

To the readers, thank you so much for going on this journey into Barlow and Walt's history. It has been a challenge unlike I expected but I think it came together well. I have enjoyed exploring Martha and young Walt, so much so that I am tempted to write more about those two in their early years. For now, however, I look forward to getting back to continuing In my arms in the present time with our favorite couple! #LongLiveLongmire