The Rancher’s Dog Laid Flowers in Her Lap… He Said, “I Think God Is Trying to Tell Me Something”
Chapter 11
Samuel’s grave was marked only by the wooden cross.
There was no date.
No name.
Only a small carving of a horse.
Thomas knelt.
For several minutes, he said nothing.
Margaret stood beside him.
Finally Thomas whispered, “He came home.”
“What?”
“My brother came home.”
He pointed to the earth.
Freshly disturbed.
Someone had buried something beneath the grave.
They dug carefully.
Inside was a leather pouch.
A letter.
Samuel had written it.
He explained that Mercer had discovered his intention to expose the land fraud.
Samuel had fled.
He had spent years hiding among trappers in the northern mountains.
But before leaving, he had hidden copies of the documents.
One copy was in the mill.
Another was given to a traveling preacher.
The final copy was buried beneath the cross.
Thomas read the letter aloud.
At the end Samuel wrote:
“If I cannot return, tell Thomas I never blamed him for believing our father. Tell him Mother was right about the land. Tell him the truth will outlive all of us.”
Thomas lowered the letter.
Tears stood in his eyes.
Margaret had never seen him cry.
She reached for his hand.
This time, he held hers.
Gideon rested his head against Thomas’s shoulder.
Margaret smiled through tears.
The dog suddenly turned toward the meadow.
He ran.
He disappeared into the tall grass.
Then returned carrying another flower.
He placed it in Margaret’s lap.
Thomas stared.
Margaret looked at the flower.
It was white.
The same kind Gideon had brought her on the first morning.
Thomas laughed softly.
“I think God is trying to tell me something.”
Margaret looked at him.
“What?”
Thomas hesitated.
“That I shouldn’t spend the rest of my life pretending I don’t need anyone.”
She smiled.
“And what else?”
He looked at her.
“That perhaps He sent the right person to my ranch.”
Margaret’s eyes filled.
Neither of them noticed the rider approaching from the road.
A traveling preacher.
And he carried a sealed letter from Samuel.
