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her story: "Silas was supposed to teach me reading and ciphering but we never got no time for it. But. . .it's a note, and I think he'd want me to know what all it has to say-if you can help me, sir."

Endicott scanned around the camp. "You here with no other men, Ma'am-just you and these young'uns?"

"Well. . .no. . . Enoch, Silas' brother is over with the heard at the lil'o creek that-away, he's feeble-minded but works good. Them two Messikins what Silas hired to bring us out from San Antonio let out soon as we filled in the hole-good riddance you ask me."

The ranger nodded and let no expression show on his weathered features. "This here is a deed of rights, says the bearer holds claim to the land and agrees to follow the laws attaining to such rights; build a house more or less, farm or raise cattle, contribute to the welfare of the state economy." He turned it over to the scratch marks left behind by the man he assumed was buried in the grave. "This here says. . .well, I'll just read it to you like he wrote it:"

My dearest Nora,
It is with the greatest of sorrow that I put down these words.
Having gotten myself broke up by the mule whilst digging this well
for you I now face my maker and wish that you understand that
this land I now lay myself down to rest for all times is ours, now yours
to do with as you see fit. As I lay here in agony"

"That's about all there is, ma'am, looks like he died whilst he was writing it." The ranger wore a sorrowful mask as he handed the paper back to the large woman who looked at it like it was a treasure of sorts; folding it neatly and tucking it back into the apron.

"WellI'll be," The woman said, tears beginning to form in the fatty tucks that surrounded her eyes. "What ever will we do now?"

The ranger smiled: "You have a good-sized parcel of land here, ma'am, I think he meant for you to make a go of it right here."

Nora Tuck looked around the awful landscape again and shook her head in dismay. "What on earth will we do with it?"

"Farm. . .ranch-already got a small herd you told me. Could even start you up a town like some others have done. Anything's possible, ma'am-this is Texas."

"A town!" The woman looked up at Del Endicott as if he'd lost his mind. "A town out here? Who would wanna live in it? What would it even be named?"

The ranger pointed to the pocket she'd placed the note into. "According to what your husband says it already has a name."

"It does?" She looked as bewildered as a moron.

"Sure," Endicott said. He placed his hat on his head before spurring his big horse and leaving. "He said it himself! Called it Agony." The ranger laughed hard and deep as he rode off adding: "Agony Texas!"

~

Learn more about this author, S Bond Herndon.
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