The Course of True Love - Book l

Beaver Hollow - Our Best Selves

Returning to Beaver Hollow, the camp had no sign of the only warm welcome the outlaws were ever used to. Dismounting their horses, the couple decided to freshen up in the river before testing their luck at retiring for the night. "Minnie, can I talk to you?" Mary-Beth panted as she approached the older woman.

"Why sure," Minnie nodded, taking note at the young woman's concerned face as young Tilly trailed close behind. "Is everything okay?"

"I think it's time that we leave," Tilly immediately said. "This has all gotten out of hand and we just feel like it's time we need to move on."

"Okay..."

"Can you help us?"

"Sure, but I'm not exactly sure how I can. I mean, my best advice is to get the first train out of Annesburg to Saint Denis and go from there. You two have no bounty on your heads, so you should be fine."

"Saint Denis was where we were planning to go anyway." Tilly added.

Minnie looked over at Arthur as he sat on his cot, both palms bracing against his knees, feeling a harsh cough brewing at the base of his chest. He nodded at her in reassurance, letting her know that her decision to help them flee was a good choice. "I'll tell Uncle and have him escort you down there. He's not wanted either-"

"That we know of." Arthur reminded.

"And he'll be able to come back no problem." Minnie continued to explain.

"I-I'm ready to go, too." Pearson said as he had been eavesdropping.

"Really? You?" Arthur asked, shocked.

"I-Yeah... You know as well as I do that this is all done." Pearson shrugged.

Arthur nodded, coughing briefly, "Yeah. Well, you can leave with them and help Uncle if he needs it."

"I think you should leave tonight. The next couple of days are going to be Hell." Minnie warned.

"What about Karen? Where's she?"

"I-I don't know, Arthur. She had been drinking too much and I'm afraid she's in Van Horn drinking her life away."

"We'll send for her," Minnie advised. "Where's Molly?"

"Nobody knows," Tilly shrugged. "Her and Dutch got in a big fight days ago and she just disappeared."

"Wow."

"I left enough food to last the rest of you all for a couple of days," Pearson noted. "It's been a pleasure, but I just can't do it anymore."

"Thank you. All the best to you." Minnie smiled as she embraced Tilly and Mary-Beth.

"Thank you. I hope to hear from you after that baby is born!" Mary-Beth smiled. "He or she will be so beautiful."

"According to Arthur, I'll be having a boy."

"Guarantee it's a boy! Look at that belly!" Arthur chuckled.

"I ain't even into my third trimester! Ain't no way of tellin'!" She scoffed as she playfully slapped his arm. "We'll write to you, Mary-Beth. You'll be in Saint Denis, right?"

"I'll start there, but if I end up going somewhere else, I'll write to you first."

"Okay. We're going to go to West Elizabeth to a place called Hanging Dog Ranch. It's remote and quiet up there. We're hoping to buy the land straight out with no payments."

Mary-Beth's lip quivered as she embraced Minnie for another hug before hugging Arthur, "I wish you both well, truly. Please take care of yourselves."