Nelson’s,” Katie corrected. “Bo and Boone said those men didn’t think the kids had any gold.”
“I’m scared they’ll come back.” Annie’s chin started to quiver.
Clint hugged them tighter. “You don’t have to be afraid now. I’m here.”
“But they had big guns like yours,” Annie told him as tears slid down her cheeks.
“Don’t cry, honey. I’m here. No one is going to hurt you,” Clint promised.
“I’m glad you came back,” Annie whispered in his ear.
“But where’s Ma? In the wagon?” Katie asked.
“I’m taking you home to her. She’s much better and she’s resting at the ranch with my ma. Folks are going back home now and your ma wanted me to bring you home.”
“Are you sure she’s better?” Annie asked.
“I promise, and she can’t wait to see you.”
“You wouldn’t just say that so we won’t cry, would you?” Katie asked.
Clint reached in his pocket and pulled out a small velvet pouch. “I brought this with me so you could give it to her for Christmas.”
Katie took the pouch and pulled out the locket her mother had seen in the mercantile. She held it for Annie to see. “It’s the Christmas present we wanted to buy Ma.”
Annie wiped her tears away and examined the locket. “It’s so pretty. Ma will love that.”
They wrapped their arms around Clint’s neck, giving him the best hug he had ever received.
“Thank you. Ma will be so excited,” Katie said.
“I bet she will wear it every day,” Annie added.
“Is Miss Ingrid okay?” Katie asked Clint.
“Yes, she’s just fine, and she’s looking forward to seeing you two. Now, let’s go talk to Whitt and the boys and tell them the news.”
* * *
Clint and Whitt panned for more gold until darkness descended. Fortunately, they both found several more nuggets.
“I think you’re a good luck charm,” Whitt told Clint. “I didn’t find this much gold the whole time you were gone.”
Clint chuckled. “That’s the first time anyone ever called me a good luck charm.”
Whitt arched his brow. “I don’t know about that, I’d say Amelia thinks you are her lucky charm.”
Clint hoped Whitt was right about that. He wanted to be more than her good luck charm.
Whitt looked at the gold in his hand. “At least I replaced some of what those men stole. I was going to pay on my mortgage to prevent the bank from foreclosing on my land. If those men hadn’t threatened to harm the children, I would have put up a fight. They were the same three men who rode into camp that night before you left.”
Clint knew if he had been there, the situation would have been different. “You couldn’t take a chance with the children. One day the odds will not be in their favor.” Clint figured he had a score to settle with those men for scaring the girls.
* * *
Later that night, after the women and children were asleep, Whitt, Tom Nelson, Ben Wilburn and Clint sat around the fire, discussing returning to La Grange. After everyone agreed to go back home, Clint told them about his run-in with the three robbers on the way to La Grange. “I shot one of them in the hand, and Amelia shot one in the foot.”
Whitt laughed. “I noticed one of those varmints had his hand wrapped, and one was limping. I’d like to run into them one day when the women and children aren’t with us.”
* * *
The next morning the wagons were loaded by daybreak and they were on their way to La Grange. The children were so excited to be going home that they asked dozens of times when they would arrive.
“I’m planning to get there by Christmas Eve,” Clint told them when he rode next to the wagon. Whitt and the boys were riding by his side. “Everyone can spend Christmas Eve with us and have dinner. On Christmas morning we’ll all go to church, and then we’ll go to the hotel to have dinner with all the folks in town.”
“That’ll be like a party,” Annie exclaimed.
“That does sound like a nice way to celebrate Christmas.” Whitt looked at his boys. “Don’t you two think that sounds like fun?”
Bo and Boone both nodded their agreement.
“Will we have a real Christmas dinner?” Bo asked.
“Son, your mind is always on food,” Whitt teased.
Clint laughed, thinking about the first night he met the boys. Bo had asked him for food then. “We’ll have a big dinner.”
* * *
The first night they made camp, Clint was talking with the girls when Katie asked