22 year old Amanda (Mandie) Rose Tanner lay on her bed twisting and turning.She heard Jim ans Sara's soft breathing across the room . Her mothers had died six months ago. She had gotten over the worst of her mourning, even though the memories she held close to her heart, would live on forever. Her mother had married again, shortly after their fathers death eight years ago. Now the man was trying to take Jim and Sara away from her. The looks he had gave her at her mothers gravesite, made her blood run cold through her veins. She knew they need to get out of Illinois but how she didn't know. She knew she owned a little bit of land in Texas Some where around Larson because her mother had passed that and the document saying she had full rights to keep the kids. She knew her friend Lucy lived out there. She had gotten a letter from Lucy asking her to come for a visit. Put that didn't seem to stop her step-father from wanting them. She knew he would beat and starve them if he had them. She got up and began packing she had little money left maybe enough for three train tickets. there was a train leaving at 4 am in and they where going to be on-it she deiced. She packed everything the owned into one trunk and two carpet bags and that was counting the quilts and books. She slipped over to where Jim and Sara laid. "Jim dear wake up." He rolled over and looked up at her. Though he was only 13 he looked just like their father He had their father dirty blond her and brown eyes. Sara looked like their mom and dad. She had the blond hair but she had viloet eys. And Mandie had icy blue eyes and jet black hair.. "What is it Mandie?" She smiled at him. "i have decided we are going to leave for Texas on the 4 am train so get up and dress." He jumped out of bed and hurried into his cloths. He went out back to hitch up the horse and buggy. She gentle shook 7 year old Sara awake. Sara was up and hopping when she heard the news. They all quickly dressed and Mandie and Jim loaded their stuff. She climbed in the drive seat and off they went. Silently Mandie prayed that their step-father wouldn't find out where they went. They reached the train station at 3:15. mandie hurried and bought their tickets. AS they board the train Mandie looked back at the town that had been her home since she was 14. Before her father died, they had lived on a ranch in kentucky. She shock her head and climbed on the train. They sat down in the front of the train car. Sara blink sleeply. "mandie cani go back to sleep?" Mandie had to smile. "Yes you can sweetheart." Sara and Jim both fell back asleep.Final Mandie gave in and let a restless sleep over take her. When she woke again a young man about 24 she guess and taken the seat acros from them. He smiled at her. "You been sleeping a long time." He said. She sat up a little straight and ran a hand along her face. "I guess we have." She looked over at Jim and Sara. "Your kids?" He ask, She look at him in surprise. "How old do i look?" He laughed. "I guess that was a silly question you look no older the 20." She smiled. "I am 22. Jim here is 13 and Sara is 7." He smiled. "Mind telling me your name?" She kept her smile on but she looked at him funny. "My step-father didn't send you did he?" The man looked puzzled. "No Mama i am on my way to Texas." Relief washed over her. "I am Amanda Tanner." He smiled, "I'm Roger Stanton." She looked at him with a question in her eyes, "Did i say something wrong?" He ask. She smiled. "No just my good friend Lucy Married a Nate Stanton." Rogers eyes laughed. "Well now Nate just happens to be my brother." He could see the surprise cross her face. "Well now from what Lucy ha told me in her letters you have been gone for a while and had told your brother that you'd probably never return." A sad smile ran across his face. "Me and my father never got along. I like ranching but my father made me feeling like i had to do it the way he wanted. I just couldn't take it so i left." She smiled. "I understand. I grew up on a horse ranch in Kentucky my father pushed very hard for me to learn everything. i loved my father very much so i did every thing he ask. when i turn 12 i started getting tired of the ranch. and when i was 13 he died and we moved to Illinois. And we have lived there for 8 years. Sara hasn't been out of Illinios since she was born." He smiled. "Sounds like you have had a exciting life." She smiled. "Yea i guess." Suddenly Sara sat up and rubbed her eyes. "mandie are we there yet." Mandie pulled the little girl to her. "NO darling we're not there yet." She looked over at Roger who was smiling at the little girl. "SO i here your name was Sara." He said smiling at her. Sara nodded. "That's my name whats your?" He smiled again. "Well it is Roger Stanton But you can call my Roger." Sara smiled. "I like you Mr. Roger." Roger rubbed her hand. "I like you too Sara." Sara went back to sleep. Roger smiled at Mandie. "She is a lovely creature." Mandie smiled at Sara's sleeping form. "That she is." Suddenly some one else boarded the train. Her face went white as she looked at her step-father. He hadn't seen her so she leaned down in her seat till he passed. Roger saw her white face. "Whats wrong and who was that?" She looked at him. "That was my step-father. He wants to take Jim and Sara away from me. i have the document saying i have full right to them but my step-father say i f i don't get married he can take them. I'm afraid that hes got his fancy set on having me too. I cant stand him!" Roger looked at her. "And when are you planning on getting married don't look like you have much time." She whiten even more. "I know." HE bit his lip then went down on one knee before her and said. "Mrs Tanner seeing under the circumstances would you mind marring me??" She looked at him with a dump look on her face. "What?" He frown. "Listen you have to get married fast it won't take long for him to find you on this train.." She nodded. "I guess your right but i don't want to burden you and i don't even know you." He looked at her. "I don't know you either for all know you could be lying but i don't like the looks of the man.But this will have to work. We will marry but just for the kids ok?'' Relief washed over her. "OK Yes i'll marry you and once we settle even if we are married you can go back to doing what ever you do ." Roger went back to his seat. "I think there is a preacher on he train, shall i fetch him?' She almost laughed. "Being married on a train was the last thing in the world i ever expect to do but here i go. I'll meet you in the baggage car." He nodded and left. She went to wake Jim and Sara but to her surprise the where already awake. "We heard the news your getting married." Jim said in a funny and serious voice. "Are you sure Mandie?" She nodded. "Any thing to keep you safe." The hurried forward towards the baggage car keeping their faces low. When they reached the baggage car Roger was already there with what looked like preacher. The wedding went quickly. There had also been to Marshall on the train to be witnesses. They made their way back to their seat carefully. "so we Will be leaving this train in about 30 minutes." Roger said. Mandie smiled at her knew husband. "Well at least he is handsome!' She thought.
Roger stared across at his new wife the realization started to come to him about what he had done. Now he would have to work on the ranch.Even if she had given him permission to go back to do what he was doing. Which was not much. He had a wife and a brother and sister to care for. Man was his brother going to laugh but at least he had gotten to at least meet his bride before they married, poor Nate had not but Nate and Lucy had seam to have been made for each other since they got to know each other. Maybe that would be him and Amanda. Soon the train stopped and they climbed off and went to claim their baggage's. Roger was surprised to see they only had one trunk and two carpet bags. they load them onto a wagon Roger rented. "So i wonder what your brother is going to think about this." MAndie said almost as to herself as him. Roger laughed. "Well he'll probaly think i have gone crazy." He helped her into the wagon and swung Sara in the back with Jim. "Hang on kids we are headed to our new home," Soon they reached the Stanton ranch. There where two house there was the big house that was his fathers and there was the cabin out of sight on the west side that was Nate's. He wondered what his father would say when he saw him. But instead of his father coming out of the house Percy the old cook and Nate did. "Well i'll be i can't believe its you Roger." Nate called. Roger jumped out of the wagon and walked over to his brother. "It's good to see you nate. Where's pa?" He saw Nate face go white. "You didn't get the letter?" Roger shook his head. "No." Nate clearded his throat. "Roger pa died two springs ago." Roger felt like he was going to faint right there. He took of out toward the north just walking. Nate called to him but he kept going. NAte watch as his brother walk off. He turned to the women and kids in the wagon. "And who are you?' The women didn't smile but said. "I am Amanda Tanner your wife is my best friend." A light lit Nate's eyes. "She'll be glad to see you. With having to watch little Ava and with another one almost ready to come." She smiled. "Would you watch the children please? i need to go check on my husband." Nate stared after her. Did she say husband? No she couldn't have he must have been hearing things. He took the kids inside where Lucy was delighted to see them as where jeb and Beth.
