There were not many people travelling alone on the train over such a long distance across the country. There were whole families with mothers, fathers and curious little children looking out the window when they weren't sleeping. Marjorie had sat alone right from when she had left Masterton and after a while she decided that she could not look at another magazine so she had been thinking that she might be bored for most of the long journey after she would get weary from taking in the endless passing scenery. Mrs Renshaw had become a wonderful companion and she had made Marjorie come to grips about how she might react upon her unannounced arrival in Hope Valley. She had never considered that her sudden arrival may imply the wrong impression and an awkward situation, "My goodness Mrs Renshaw, that was never my intention at all."

"My dear, I can see that you are very vulnerable now after meeting the captain from the sea and you might think that all love encounters are just like the one that he has with Christine. Some people think that they have fallen madly in love with someone when all it was, well, they had nothing else to do." The young nurse all the way from Masterton was sitting and listening very intently but she thought that this was completely ridiculous, she smiled as she growled back at her, "Mrs Renshaw, you are ruining my vision of true love and I surely couldn't imagine it being any other way for us all." She loved everything about Peter, his strength and poise and also his frailty and she had seen it all. "My dear, it is all so complicated and you might fall in love and you won't even know it. What if you are attracted to someone and your love is not returned and what if it's the other way round. You have to be careful what you wish for Marjorie. This is something that none of us can completely understand."

The miles were passing by quite quickly on the journey and they were hardly taking any notice as they were enjoying each other's company, they knew that they had to link up with a stage and it wouldn't do to miss the connection when they would get there. Mrs Renshaw was so interesting to listen to and she was really quite cheeky, "Marjorie, I don't want you getting off the stage at Hope Valley and seeing the first man you see and say, ah ha, I have found my true love at last." Marjorie laughed and scoffed at her, "I'm sure I haven't lost all my faculties just yet Mrs Renshaw." The elderly lady shook her head and still had some advice to pass on, "my son has a lasso that you can borrow if you like." Marjorie was disgusted and in disbelief but she couldn't help seeing the funny side, "Mrs Renshaw, you can stop right now but I'm wondering, is that how it was for you, did you have to tackle your man to the ground and make him see reason."

"Any man who I knew never had a romantic bone in their body, if I ever had the inclination and perish the thought, I was just asked if there was anything wrong with me. I didn't care anyway. I did knock around with one guy for a while just for fun and one day he showed me an engagement ring that he said that he had bought just for me. He just looked at me and I was supposed to know what was going on." Marjorie was hanging on every word and now she was getting impatient, "well, come on, tell me what you said to him." An eternity seemed to pass until she got around to giving her terse reply, "I asked him if he kept the receipt." Marjorie was just having a drink of water and she nearly choked, "Mrs Renshaw, you are a total and complete disgrace, I don't believe a word of it, how cruel you are." She grinned as she thought that she actually could have said something like that.

"It was strange how he reacted, he was not offended in any way and he was completely unperturbed. He went and told all his friends and mine that he was going to take me duck hunting for our honeymoon." Marjorie could hardly stand any more as her side was splitting from laughing, "Mrs Renshaw, you can look as serious as you like but you know that I don't believe a word that you say." After a while and more discussion, it seemed that there was definitely some substance to the preposterous turn of events, "Well, Marjorie, I'm afraid that I can tell you that the whole sorry tale is all true, my idiotic friends looked so silly wagging their tooshies and tail feathers at me and going quack, quack." I had to put up with all this ridicule from everyone and all he did was give me that nonplus look as if he was completely innocent."

There was no more air left in Marjorie's sails and she begged Mrs Renshaw for mercy as she was starting to cry as there was no laughter left in her body, there was more to come however, "My dear, can you imagine anything more romantic than this, he offered to lend me a pair of rubber boots and he told everyone how we would be sloshing around in the swamp and the mud and what a wonderful honeymoon it was going to be, he said, never mind the mosquitoes." Marjorie's head was spinning from horror thinking that all this actually happened, "I would have run for my life but not before I wrapped the rubber boots around his neck. I hate mosquitoes and little animals in the mud that I can't see. Mrs Renshaw, tell me that none of this actually happened and it was all just a nightmare."

Mrs Renshaw started to explain and it looked like she was remembering it just like as if it was yesterday. "One fine day I overheard one of his buddies talking and he let it slip that my so called fiancé had no idea which was the front or the other end of a rifle and he absolutely hated the thought of harming any defenceless animal, it had all just been a ruse and I had been completely taken in, everybody was in on it at my expense and I was wild enough to show him which one was the pointy end of the gun. Before you ask, I haven't got any rubber boots." She smiled and shook her head at Marjorie who had taken her hand in hers, "You want to know what happened after that, it took a while but we eventually got married and had the two most wonderful children that anyone could ask for. We had many years of happiness but ultimately he contracted a bad illness and it slowly got hold of him over time and he gradually deteriorated over the next two years until he died one day in my arms."

The infinite wisdom from the two men had left its indelible mark on Virgil and Bill and their mood was extremely intense as they gradually ate into the miles on the way back to Cape Fullarton. Joseph and Captain Edwards had raised their desperate concerns and their tone could not be clearer. Virgil had time now to try with difficulty and digest it all. One was a pastor and the other was a police captain. Virgil gave them their dues and his respect but neither of them knew Adrian like what he did. "Bill, I know that those men were right but I am not sure how I am going to be helpful to anyone when we get there, all I feel is disgust and contempt and I'm going to have a very hard time trying to contain any of it. My good young friend is dead because of him and that is what is uppermost in my mind. I'm more disgusted with myself because I didn't speak up when I should have."

Bill had his own reflections to deal with, "You were with me when I made a comment in the heat of the moment and it should never have been taken literally. Important decisions are supposed to be made in the cool of the day and revisited from time to time by the ones who are commissioned with such responsibility." Bill had already stipulated firmly to everyone that he accepted no responsibility at all for Captain Bedford's decision making but he had wondered whether his heated comments had been a fateful contribution to the two men's dismissal. "Virgil, we can only work out what to do and how to react once we get there. If my suspicions are correct then I would imagine that no one would be experiencing horror and disgust more than the captain himself. I don't think that it is going to be a pretty sight."

They rode along silently and now they were beginning to appreciate the gravity of the task that was before them, they were sent here for a reason and now they wondered how terrible they would feel after everything that had happened, if they had the captain's demise on their shoulders. They might have serious trouble looking the pastor or even Captain Edwards in their eyes if they fail in their task. It was going to be very hard for Virgil because he had been at Rainsford and seen the gravesite where Adrian was buried and also, the little girl in her mother's arms. He couldn't imagine that he was supposed to find forgiveness for the captain but, maybe that was what he was here for. Cape Fullarton was still some distance away and he was relieved and thankful for Bill's company.

The devastation to the countryside had been evident right from a few miles this side of Grampton right up to places about one hundred miles on the way to Buxton. There were countless numbers of workers along the track and roads and many surrounding districts and they were having good effect and soon all communications would be restored and life could go on as before. A great deal of work had already been done to prevent further disturbance to the rail line from fallen trees and possible washaways which could put the train travel out of action for an extensive period of time. Peter knew by now that the storm had played havoc with his search for Christine and he may have been able to get to Hope Valley some weeks ago if not for this. It had all ended well and he had made many good friends and met family along the way that he might never have come across. He knew that Christine would be excited to see him but also, she was now going to hear about all her family across the country.

It didn't matter where he was or what he might be doing, Bert was never far from his thoughts. Peter suddenly remembered something special that he had once said and it was that true love can be measured by who you would want to wake up next to every morning for the rest of your life. He had thought of that when he had first laid eyes upon Christine and he knew straightaway who he wanted to spend his life with. How awful it would be if the lady you married woke up next to you and all you could see was contempt in her eyes and how she only felt discontent and regret and she would never be able to hide it. Bert had said and he was very firm that it must be a lifelong true love or it would only be a poor substitute and you will know it when you see it. Bert's advice or not, he had to admit that he was a little scared.

The vision of Christine was taking precedence over the passing countryside, there was the dancing and the wedding vows at the church and then there was the heartbroken departure at the train station a few days after. She had been a solitary lone figure standing at the end of the platform and that was the last time that he saw her, a vision that he had never forgot. He regained focus and looked around as his train had stopped at a small station platform and some rowdy jubilant workers, probably from the same group, had embarked as the train then departed on its journey westward. They were noisy but quite well behaved and respectful and one young chap came and sat with Peter. He had the look of someone who was very satisfied and pleased with himself. He was exuberant and could hardly contain himself as he proceeded to introduce himself to the politely interested man in uniform.

"I've just finished my first week of work and now I'm on my way home to my family." He sat there smiling with a little white envelope in his hand. "This here is my first ever pay packet and I always remember my father saying how good it was to do a good job and make a living. I listened to him for years as I grew up but I never realised just how good it would feel." He looked so proud of himself as he told Peter how he had been part of a team working to repair telegraph poles and help with the railway line after the storm. "The boss said that I did a good job and he's going to teach me everything about it and he said he was pleased to have me there." Peter would have loved to introduce him to Bert who would have given him some good solid sound advice, "Remember always how this is your first pay, spend some of it because you have earned it but make sure that you save some for something that you may want in the future."

"My name is Vance and my dad put in a good word for me and it helped me get this job, he's going to be so happy when I get home and so is my little sister. We'll go shopping in the morning and then I can buy her something nice. I'll have to get something for mum as well." Peter needed to get him to slow down and relax for a while. "We've both got something to be excited about, I've been on a ship for the last four years and now I'm finally on my way home and I get to see my wife again, it's been such a long, long time and I'll be there tomorrow. Now, that little piece of advice I just gave you, it comes all the way from my grandfather and he was the wisest man I have ever known." It was certainly good advice and Vance said that it was something that he would always remember and he thanked Peter for it. "I wish that I knew your grandfather sir, I bet you are just like him."

"I always worked hard at school but I found it difficult and I wasn't very good at it but I'm determined that I'm going to do a good job for my boss, he didn't have to hire me but, I promise you, he's not going to regret it. I'm not afraid of hard work." Peter could see that on the job training is going to be the best for this enthusiastic young man and he most probably over time, will prove to be an asset to the team. He sat there clutching his envelope just like Peter who had his copy of the 'Valley Voice' in his hand as well. Peter closed his eyes and thought of all the questions that were going to be answered very soon, there was the two Mounties and the schoolteacher who he would finally meet and, just as important, the little brown dog who he loved so much already.

The door burst open and a well-appointed lady rushed inside full of apologies, "I'm so sorry that I wasn't at the station to meet you, we've had people ask every day at the station office but they couldn't help and now you girls have just turned up out of the blue, we are ever so sorry." The two girls warmed to this lady right from the outset and insisted that they were very happy to finally meet her. "I'm Jean Campton and my husband Tony is sitting outside in the car waiting for us but we're in no hurry, I trust Julian has kept you company while you were waiting for us." She looked at him with her usual suspicion, "I bet he inflicted those accursed sticky buns on you, I can see that you are still trying to rid yourself of the syrup and the sugar, everyone complains but they always come back again for more. Whoever came up with them should never be allowed back in a church ever again." She thanked Julian warmly and hustled the two ladies into the car, "Thank you Julian warmly, I'm sure that we are going to need your services again very soon."

The two girls looked at each other and were dumbfounded, this lady appeared to know Julian very well and it sounded very much like they were going to see him again down the track. Mrs Campton looked like a lady who would need to be respected and she was probably a person well able to get things done. They started to grow in confidence and maybe all the frustration and rejection that they had experienced in the past was going to be left behind them. They were confident that they were able to put themselves in her hands after all this time. She sounded in person just like her letter. "Come on girls, you must be tired after your long trip, we are going to take you to our home and we can start to deal with your situation, for want of a better term, but not until tomorrow. We want to introduce you to my mother and we will have quite a story to relate to you." It appeared like she was not one to waste a moment of any day and she would do it in good humour.

It was quite an experience for them to travel in someone's car on a main road, in the past they might have taken a taxi but they could never afford one so most of the time they had to walk to wherever they had to be. Jean smiled as she looked them over and memories came flooding back to her which would put tears in her eyes. "There is lots to tell you girls but, for the moment, just enjoy the trip and I promise you, there won't be any awful sticky buns in our house for you to have to deal with." There had been tall buildings in other cities but they hadn't seen them from the back seat of a car. Jacksville was indeed a major city and there was many twists and turns along the way and it seemed amazing that Tony knew which way to go. After about twenty minutes they turned into a big driveway leading to double story house on, what had to be a huge estate. They had most certainly arrived.

"Welcome to the Tierney Manor ladies, our home is your home for as long as it takes. We are going to do our best for you and now , come inside and meet my mother." The girls had never seen anything like this and they were completely overcome and overwhelmed, they just stared at the stairs leading to the huge entrance. It wasn't just a front door but more like an entrance to a palace or a theatre. They looked around in awe and were speechless and as soon as they were escorted inside, they were greeted by a very playful dog who would have believed that the visitors had come to see him. "Don't mind Lachlan, he's normally very well behaved but he has very good judgement of character and he has taken an immediate liking to you. Tony, would you like to go and find mother, she will be expecting our visitors. In the meantime, we shall have some tea and some far more appropriate nibbles than what you had been subjected to at the café."

They could all hear footsteps and voices coming down the corridor but it sounded like only one set of footsteps and they soon saw why, as Mrs Tierney was wheeled in to the room in her wheelchair. She looked like she might be a very stately and reserved lady but she broke into the most welcoming smile that anyone could muster. Lachlan obediently wandered over and lay down at her feet without being told to do so, just like a family member. She met the eyes of the two young ladies and she could see in an instant the suffering and heartache that they had endured. She made a mental note to herself that she and her family and all the resources that they could access would be brought to bear to find out for the girls who they were and any family that they might have. Anything less would be unacceptable.

Jean and her mother tried their best to get the girls to relax and enjoy their tea but they could see that they were so overwhelmed with the big house and riding in the car and now they were close to tears. "Welcome ladies to our city of Jacksville and this home, I'm Mrs Tierney and I expect that you will be here for quite some time as I imagine any investigation that we undertake on your behalf will take some time, please make yourself at home and you can come and go as you please." She was holding a folded paper in her hand and her calm voice changed slightly as she was trying to find a way to provide an explanation. "I'm going to get you to read this letter that I had received some time ago, I read it every day and I still get a lump in my throat." She handed it carefully to Tony who offered it to the two young ladies, it was from a young lady named Amy.

A horse drawn stagecoach was a rickety affair on the dirt track and it was something that Marjorie was not used to but there was no alternative so she endured the bumps and potholes and eventually she and Mrs Renshaw linked up with their other awaiting train and their journey would continue. They had laughed and cried at each other with each bump and they had complained of the cramped conditions and that their backs would never be the same again. They were both used to rubber tyres and sealed roads. The noise and the dust and the smell that went with it from the stagecoach had not been any suitable venue to have a serious discussion of any sort so they just had to wait until they would be back on the train, Marjorie was used to travelling in comfort in a car on a sealed road and any bumps would usually be softened with the car's suspension and now this stagecoach was like being in a rodeo, "Marjorie, I hope your sea captain is worth it after all of this."

The train travel might be tedious but it was a huge relief after the uphill and down dale journey on the stagecoach but at least they were pleased that they had survived the ordeal and it was now behind them. Mrs Renshaw had been an angel in disguise and Marjorie felt that she now had a new auntie, she couldn't help wondering how she had been able to continue her life after losing her husband after sadly seeing him go downhill until the end. Marjorie was close to tears, "Mrs Renshaw, I can't even begin to imagine what you and your family went through, it must have been horrible." It was a calming and consoling arm that was put around her as she felt so sorry for this kindly lady who had kept her company on the trip.

"Marjorie, it was such a long time ago but sometimes it seems like yesterday and I remember that I bought him a pair of rubber boots and I made him wear them in front of all his friends. He was so embarrassed and it served him right. Some of his close buddies bought him a big rubber yellow duck and said that he could play with it in the bath, we still have it at my son's place and he would never dream of parting with it." She had a smile on her face as she was reliving all those memories from yesteryear. "I wouldn't trade all our wonderful years for anything and it is quite true how they say that time heals. Our children were in their early teens at his passing, he didn't want any grieving but he did ask them to remember him and he said that he would always be there to watch over them."

"Oh my, but what a dancer he was and I was the envy of every woman at the local dance. Nearly every Saturday night there was a dance somewhere in the district and when the weather was nice we would get there by horse and cart, rather different now with all the cars on the road. We think that we had more fun back then than the young ones do these days because life seems to be much more complicated and hectic these days. I thought that my life was over when I found myself to be on my own but my two young treasures showed the strength that they had inherited from their father. They say that when one door shuts, another one opens and that was true for us. I met Harry Renshaw who had lost his wife in similar circumstances and we grew together over time and we found out just how much we needed each other. We made quite a family with his two children and our two learning to live together as one."

Mrs Renshaw got around to saying that her destination was a little town along the railway track called Grampton where she would be visiting her son and family who owned a farm and apparently he was doing quite well on the land. The conductor came along the carriage and advised everyone that there was going to be quite an extended delay when they would arrive there, due to the intense damage from the storm and he asked everyone for the necessary understanding and patience. Marjorie was pleased about the extended stopover and she thought that she might be able to spend some time with Mrs Renshaw's family, however, her main plan was to find the lady who lived there and the one who had sent Peter to Masterton to find Sonya Radcliffe. Peter had said that she was his wife's cousin.

Nothing was any different as they slowly found their way through the main gates and past the sentry on duty. Men in the compound were pleased to see that Virgil had returned and they all recognised Judge Bill Avery. It was a very solemn and reflective occasion for all as the circumstances surrounding the loss one of their men was still very raw in their minds. Soon there was quite a gathering of most of the men on the post and they were hanging out for any information that Virgil could provide. They were surprised to see Judge Avery with him and they all hoped for some explanation. "Welcome back Virgil, we knew that you must have left in some haste but we never knew where you had gone. Have you seen Tully and how is he, we don't know anything." There were no smiles from anyone, only anxious faces.

Virgil, once he had hurriedly departed from here, had initially decided, with such anger in his heart, that he was never coming back and if he was to be held in some degree of trouble, so be it. It was different now that he was back with all these friends and comrades, he realised, with the help of others, that he had done the right thing and put his aggression aside, he could now focus on the job that he was expected to do, he knew that there was a great deal of other people who were depending on him. He had spent the entire trip trying to contemplate how he would handle it when he would finally confront the captain, he couldn't imagine what he was going to say or how he was going to react. The only compassion that he had was for Adrian and his parents and for Tully.

The men in the compound were anxiously waiting for any news about where he had been and for Gene Tully, "I'm so sorry how I left so abruptly without telling you all but I was so incensed that I really didn't care about anything or anyone. I was so frustrated and annoyed that I didn't stand up for our friends when they needed me and this is what ended up happening." He told them of his journey to Rainsford and how he saw the remains of the burned down home and the new gravesite where Adrian was buried. "I met the little girl and the mother who have survived because of the bravery of Constable Adrian Metcalfe and that is something that I will never forget for the rest of my life. That little girl is alive because of Adrian." He also added very forcefully to all that it was his intention to rebuild their home in the honour of Adrian and the Mounties.

He had been accustomed to negotiating his way out of tight situations over his years in the force and he often recalled the time about four years ago when he had rescued a young boy who had wandered away, well out of sight from his parents who had only turned away for just a fleeting moment. They were frantic after searching everywhere and calling out his name in vain to no avail and then the Mounties were called in. The neighbourhood had many derelict houses and there were open drains where even adults had to be rescued especially at nighttime when they weren't careful and one false step in the dark caused their demise. A child would have little chance if he got caught in the wrong place. The child was nowhere to be seen and the mother had soon become inconsolable at the thought of her missing son especially as it was getting late into the afternoon.

Virgil had been one of the Mounties who had arrived first and he could soon make some assumptions as there had been only one direction the boy could have gone if he had disappeared so quickly from his parent's view, so at least he had a plan to pursue. Most of the derelict houses in the area had fences and gates still intact so the boy would not have been able to access them. It had rained steadily overnight but the weather had cleared by morning and the drains had a steady stream of running water and that was something that worried Virgil. Little toddlers were easily enticed to play in water and mud and that could be dangerous. He had to be in this area somewhere as it had only been about thirty seconds before they had noticed that he was missing. These areas had to be checked and soon Virgil was wet through after sliding in the mud, he was sure that the drains were clear as he continued onwards and soon there was a derelict house in view without any fence so he entered along the overgrown path and then inside noticing that the front door was ajar.

The stench was awful and there was dust and mould and water leaking from the roof from the overnight rain. Every floorboard creaked as he walked inside very carefully and he soon made a mental note that he was going to make someone answer for the buildings around here not to be secure or even demolished. This was a safety hazard beyond comprehension. There were stairs leading up to a second floor, "Timmy, are you here, your mummy's worried about you." Soon he heard the sound of a kitten and a little voice spoke, "I want mummy." Virgil was relieved to hear the boy who strangely didn't sound frightened at all. "Just wait there son, I've come to take you back to your mum and dad, they are going to be so happy to see you." The kitten meowed again as Virgil started to traverse the stairs very carefully, "I got a kitty-cat to play with, he's my friend and I want mummy to let me keep him." It looked like the stairs had seen better days but Virgil was undeterred, he had no choice as it appeared that there was no other way up.

He had never trod on thin ice but now he knew what it must be like. He was not very confident from the outset and each step that he made only served to verify his doubts, he made it about half way up and so far so good until one of the supports virtually disintegrated right underneath him. He crashed to the floor along with the destroyed staircase, some of it landing on top of him, he sustained scrapes and bruises but it was the severe blow to his left knee that was causing him some grief. He sincerely wondered whether he would ever walk again but, for the moment, he looked up while lying on the ground and mercifully, the upper level was still intact. He was more annoyed than hurt as he felt that he had only served to make things worse when he was supposed to be conducting a rescue mission.

"Timmy, don't go anywhere, I'll come up some other way and I'll take you back to mum." Some of his cuts were bleeding but he cared little about that, trying to walk was far more of an issue to him and, for the moment, while being incapacitated he was stuck for a solution to the job of rescuing the boy who didn't seem to be at all concerned. Virgil thought that the boy might get worried if it got dark and he was still stuck there so he had to find a way to avoid that. His knee hurt like blazes as he forced himself to limp back outside and then he notice that there was a balcony at the upper level and it looked like it surrounded the house. He found the steps around the other side and, despite being out where it could be exposed to the weather, it looked in much better condition than the steps inside.

He was careful as he wished to avoid a repeat performance so he inched his way to the top and took one of his many deep breaths, he wasn't about to put his trust in the boards of the balcony without much due care so his progress was slow and painstaking. It must have been different material as there was no creaking underfoot so, despite his limited movement, he was relieved to reach the window and then he could see the little boy sitting and playing with the kitten. Timmy smiled when he saw the man who had come to get him. "Come on Timmy, come over to the window and I'll lift you through and then we go to see mummy, okay." Timmy took the kitten with him as he wandered slowly over to the window and, as Virgil hauled him through the opening, the floor suddenly collapsed without any warning. Dust billowed all around them and Virgil could barely see in front of him. He was relieved to see that there was no visible damage to the balcony so he didn't wait to see the inside of the house.

He took the boy by the hand and they headed back so very carefully to the top of the outside stairs, "What are you going to call you new little friend Timmy," Virgil was trying for his own sake to make light of the situation and it was one step at a time until they reached the ground level. He had a huge sigh of relief and he found a smile somehow but the truth was that it had been a very close call but the lad was safe. He carried Timmy and the kitten under duress all the way back and he noticed that it was twilight and the weather was starting to close in again and he could feel the drizzle on his face. His knee was still very painful but it had settled a bit as he limped along so he was able to sing some little songs as they limped along. He shuddered again at the sight of the dangerous open drains. He sang songs and left off the last word and Timmy was able to fill in the gap.

They were a sorry looking sight as they found their way slowly back to the little headquarters that had been set up earlier in the day as a command post, and now, someone had to hurriedly go and find the mother and tell her that her son had been found and that he was okay. "Timmy, my baby, I was so worried that you were lost, I've been looking everywhere for you but now you're alright thank God." as she rushed over and hugged her nonchalant little boy. He showed her the little ball of fluff, "Can I keep him mum, he's my best friend and I found him but he ran away." She needed a third arm to wipe away the tears as her other ones were clutching her little son so desperately. "The man came and got me and brought me back, he was singing some of my songs to me but now I'm hungry and I want to give my kitten some milk."

One of the nurses from the compound had come onto the site earlier to help with the search and she was now tending some of Virgil's wounds, they were well out of the way from the family reunion, "My goodness, how did all this happen to you, it looks like you got run over by a horse and cart." The cleaning and dressing of the wounds was more painful than when he sustained them in the first place but he just sat there quietly and let her do her work. She could see that he was suffering inwardly a state of from what might have been a very traumatic experience. He was very nearly close to being in shock as the realisation of how close it had been for the boy when the floor had collapsed.

This was a joyous occasion for the parents and the boy but, for another minute, things might have been vastly different. He didn't want to but he couldn't help imagining that he might have had to be the person who brought terrible news to the parents and tell them that their son didn't make it. The mother had soon found out which Mountie had rescued her son and Virgil thought that he would never forget her face for the rest of his life. She spied him as she was clutching her son and she could see, on his face, the determined stare into space as the nurse tended his injuries.

She handed the little one to her husband and ventured over to the young Mountie with her lips quivering with fright and relief. She could tell from the look on his face that her son must have been in grave danger and he might not be back with her if not for the bravery of this man. She wanted to say how thankful she was but she had started to cry and she couldn't get any words out. This young man had saved the life of her son. She cried in Virgil's arms but she could see that everything hurt him so she tried to be careful, "Sir, I don't know what happened back there and I'm too frightened to ask, I just know that I will never forget you and I can never repay you for being there for my son."