She dropped her head to her folded arms and bawled.Mark came back and scooped her up in his arms. He carried her out to the room he built around the n...w fire place and sat in the big comfy chair he had made and hugged her while she cried. He stroked her hair and let her cry. Jean finally stopped and just lay exhausted in his arms as he stroked her.“I love you,” he said quietly.“I know,” she replied, sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.He sighed and moved her a little to a more. ” He pulled out 6 cans of food and put it on the table. “If you are really good, this is what I will give you.” And he put another 6 cans on the table. “I will decide if you are good or not. Do we have a deal?”“I mean…is that it? You can’t give more? That is not a lot.”Troy reached for his gun again and pointed it at her. “Now you listen her missy. You are in my house now. I could just rape and kill you and nobody is going to stop me. This is a gift. Take it or leave it. I would rather you. I was not surprised to see the gunsmith scurry to the saloon to report to Jake Holbein what I had been up to. I noticed four men leave the saloon and ride out of town toward the Circle J ranch as we were loading the groceries into the wagon. I picked up the ammunition and the additional guns before we left town. I was sure, now, that we would be ambushed on our way home.As soon as we got out of town, I had Martha stop the wagon and told them what I expected to happen. Martha looked. No worse than Sue. I had no notes or prep time there." True. And you really did well." Thank you, fair lady. How many should I expect?" Me, my two blokes, maybe half a dozen from here. Let's say ten or an even dozen." Shouldn't be a problem. How shocked ought I be?" Not very. You're to be a relatively placid administrator. Not a hectoring foreman."I laughed. "I'm not certain I'm either of those." Well, we'll see tomorrow. In a few hours you'll have the dinner test." Oh, dear! And I didn't bring.