The installation

Ethan opened the door of his cabin, "Welcome my children!" He said.

The interior was typical Ethan! Small but functional and warm, everything was tidy and quickly accessible.

At the entrance there was a coat rack. In the kitchen area, a table with four chairs, lots of canned goods on the well-designed shelves. Each object was in its place. In the living room, a fireplace, a small desk where the man stored his papers, and a carpet on which was placed an armchair furnishing the center of the room. Two beige curtains separated his bedroom, revealing a double bed, a dresser with five drawers and a chiffarobe.

"It's perfect!" Said Claire.

"It's so like you!" Joseph continued.

"It's beautiful Papa!" Said Ben and George.

Once the goods were unloaded, Ethan quickly emptied the chest of drawers from his room, saying that each child could have their drawer to store their things. Claire the top, and so on by age, Tess would have the bottom.

"You'll all sleep in my bed tonight, but in the width direction, Tess, you'll put yourself between Claire and Joseph. I'm going to sleep on the chair. Claire, Joseph, I'm going to leave for a moment and leave you in control. I know that you can't wait to visit the town, but I ask you to stay here. It's been almost two months since I left town. I must first check that everything is fine before letting you out to explore. Give me an hour and I promise to come back."

"Oh come on Pa, let us come! What do you think to happen to us in this nothing town, apart from a cat stuck in a tree?" Joseph asked scornfully.

"Watch your tone Joseph!" You be respectful!"

"Let me put it another way,. Look at me kids! IF one of you even puts a toe out of the cabin, it's a guaranteed spanking on your naked bottom! Is that clear? There is a chamber pot under my bed to be used if necessary. Do not leave this cabin!"

"Yes sir" they said.

Ethan first went to the bank. James and Amelia Lawson who ran it were good friends.

"Hello Amelia!"

"Ethan? How was your trip?" She asked politely, greeting him from the main desk.

"What's going on Amelia? Where's James? He is usually the one here."

"Oh Ethan, while you were away, the day after you left actually, the bank was attacked, James...,

he is ... dead " she sobbed.

"I'm sorry Amelia!" He said hugging her. "What about Adam and the twins?"

"The children are fine Ethan, they were at school."

"My sister also died. It happened before I arrived in St Louis. My nephews and nieces were left to their own devices. I am now the proud father of five children from three to twelve years old!"

"Did you bring them to Paradise with you?"

"Yes, they are my children now and live with me."

"Uncle Ethan!" Called three children suddenly appearing from a back room. Throwing themselves on him all at one time.

Sitting down, Ethan puts Amelia's three children in front of him, hugging them.

"I know it's hard losing your father. I also lost my father when I was a child. I want you to know that I will be here for you, as I have been since your birth. Your Papa was my best friend! I am your uncle forever!"

"Adam, look at me," waiting as the twelve-year-old boy looked up, "You too," he said to the eight-year-old twins, Jason and Jessie.

"Do you know that I love you? So if you want a hug, a kiss, attention, ... or a spanking," he says teasingly, "come to see me! Even if I am now the father of the five children of my deceased sister, that doesn't change the love I have for the three of you! I promise to be your Uncle Ethan forever, okay?"

"Yes, Uncle Ethan! We love you!" Said the three children, throwing themselves in his arms.

Ethan hugged the children again, thinking they must have needed comfort.

"Ethan, do you want some coffee?"

"No thanks, Amelia, I have to go, I don't want to leave my children alone too long and I still have to see Tim. If you need something, you come to see me! Promise?"

"Yes, I promise. Thank you."

"We will see you soon, to introduce everyone, I promise, children. Let's go out for a minute Amelia, please."

Ethan opened the door to let Amelia pass.

"Amelia, are you well financially?"

"Yes Ethan, for now, we have a little money set aside."

"Okay. If you need it, you can use my account, I give you permission."

"Oh Ethan ! No, I can't do this!"

"Amelia, stop and listen. James was my best friend! If my sister had arrived unexpectedly and I was on a mission, what would he have done?"

"He would have been her."

"I know it, and you know it, now let me help you. You know my accounts, it's okay, as long as you don't buy a hotel in France!" He teased.

"Okay, thank you Ethan, but for the moment I'm fine, I promise you."

"In fact, I came to ask you to look for a farm or ranch for sale in the region. My cabin will be small for six people!"

"There is the Dawson ranch for sale, they left last month. There will be a lot of work to do at the level of the house, which makes it affordable, but it's huge and there is a lot of land. I will show it to you if you want? Tomorrow afternoon, two o'clock?"

"Okay, see you tomorrow, thank you Amelia."

"Thank you as well, for your friendship, Ethan."

Ethan then went to the mayor's office.

"Hello Tim!"

"Ethan! Did you bring your sister back?"

"No Tim, she's dead." and Ethan told the story again.

"I can't go on a mission and leave the children alone, so I thought about opening a sheriff's post, here. Paradise is growing day by day, and ..."

"You don't have to convince me Ethan, in fact, since the bank was attacked, people are afraid! I placed an ad to look for someone but you have the experience and the required qualities. You will be an excellent sheriff! You have the job. I offer you what I put in the advertisement, one hundred dollars per month, bonus pay at the end of November to use for Christmas and all your work expenses paid by the city. Now we have to build the prison."

"I accept, I also want to have control. If it's my prison, it's me who decides everything that happens there. In fact, I'm looking for a farm, my cabin is too small for six, so I suggest we use it for a prison. It would be faster and less expensive than building one. It is located slightly behind the center of town, about two minutes away, it's perfect."

"Great idea Ethan! You are a businessman besides the rest! I'm going to see Amelia to estimate the price that the city will pay you."

"Was there also a search for a deputy sheriff in your ad?"

"Yes of course, are you thinking of someone in particular?"

"Dakota, you know he already accompanied me on a mission. He saved my life more than once. He is fair, honest and courageous, I trust him."

"Granted! Seventy dollars a month, the bonus pay and any work fees paid also. His wife, Marie is pregnant, do you think he will accept?"

"Sounds good, yes I think so. I will ask him myself."

"Okay, I'm preparing the contracts, Judge Williams must give his agreement but he's a friend of yours Ethan. Isn't he?"

"Yes, he will sign, he trusts me. Can you tell him to bring my children's legal adoption documents at the same time?"

"I'll take care of it early tomorrow."

"Okay, thank you Tim, other than that, is everything all right in town?"

"Yes .., Amelia's children sometimes pose disruption, play pranks, act disrespectfully ..."

"Oh? Amelia did not speak to me about it. They are lost, they need a landmark. Don't worry. I have to go, I don't want to leave my kids alone too long."

Coming out of the building, a cry resounds behind him:

"Pa! Pa?"

"Claire? What's going on?"

"We can't find George, he's gone!"

"George?" Said Ethan surprised. "Let's go look for him!" He declared, taking Claire's hand in his.

"We unpacked our things, George said he was going to bring his soldiers into the room to put them away, but we didn't see him come back, we called him, he was gone!"

They quickly found the child crying under a tree in the cemetery on the eastern outskirts of town. George had unconsciously gone to a place where he felt safe thinking about his mama.

"George, son," Ethan said softly, "all is well, I'm here, come on."

"Papa! I was so scared! I couldn't find your house anymore!"

Ethan lifted the boy and took him tightly in his arms so his legs would be around his middle and his arms around his neck, like a frightened baby koala. He hugged him to reassure him.

"We will talk about it at home, calm down, let's go home!"

Claire followed, butterflies in her stomach, she knew what her father had promised.

Arriving home, Ethan saw Joseph playing on the floor with Ben and Tess to occupy them."

"Come here, kids." Ethan ordered.

He put George on the floor.

"George, I want you to go to the bedroom and wait for me, I'll be there soon." The little boy obeys.

"Joseph, you go up the street for fifty yards. There is a school with a place to play. I trust you to go nowhere else. Take Ben and Tess with you for an hour then come home. Watch the sun for the time as I showed you."

"Okay, I'm only going to go for an hour Pa, I promise you!"

"I know it Joseph, go ahead, Claire will join you in a little while." As soon as Joseph closed the door, Ethan turned his attention back to Claire, he took out a chair and sat down.

"Come here Claire." He ordered pointing to the ground in front of him.

"Papa, I beg your pardon for disobeying you. I was so afraid for George! I know I deserve the spanking you promised." she said bravely.

"I accept your apology Claire, and I'm not going to spank you, you can relax."

At these words, the little girl threw herself into her arms crying! All the accumulated emotion disappeared in an instant. The fear for her brother, the disappointment of having to disobey, the fear of a spanking ... Ethan sat down hugging her tightly, caressing her hair as he gently pressed her head to his chest.

"Look at me darling, I'm not spanking you because I see absolutely no defiance to what I told you, just fear for George. You just reacted and followed your instincts, despite the consequences you knew could come. You were right to come find me instead of looking for him outside by yourself. I'm proud of you and of the decisions you made!"

Claire was crying and couldn't answer the praise, too much emotion was going through her, her father understood! He was a stern man, who demanded respect and obedience from his children, but he was fair.

"I love you so much Papa!" She said simply.

"I know Claire, I also love you very much! ..., but if you disobey me, you will be punished! Usually, I explain why I am going to spank, not why I don't!" teased Ethan.

"I know." said Claire with a smile.

"Well, wash your face and go join Joseph. I need a little private time with our little terror!"