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"He's hurt bad, lost a lot of blood, but with the attention you'll give him I am sure he'll probably recover."
"Good," Moon sighed with a slight smile.
"Moon, that isn't any White Dove, that's Melissa Carter, isn't it?"
Moon stopped the wagon, "You know her?"
"Yep, known her for some time now. I also seen her poster up at the Sheriff's office." The Doc told him. "Not that I believe a word of it. Melissa was a fine schoolteacher, and she'll be missed on the mountain, but I reckon with her troubles it would be impossible for her to return to teaching."
"Doc she didn't kill Earl. I did!" Moon told him.
The Doc glanced at Moon, seeing how upset he was.
"What happened?"
"This Earl was trying to… to take her Doc. I was sleeping in their barn, came in from a storm the night before. I heard her tell him to leave her alone. I saw he ripped her dress, and he was bending her over a saddle on a gate. She was fisting him, but he was so much bigger. So, I came out and we scuffled. I stabbed him."
The doc nodded. "Earl Blithe was a no-account. That's for sure. How did you and her hook up?"
Moon sighed heavily, "I told her they'd hang me for what he tried to do, and that I had to leave. She wanted to come with me. She was scared of her father. I didn't think it wise, but she followed and finally after she told me the real reason, I took her with me. When we got to Jack's, we dressed her like a man and told everyone Jack had hired her to do the cooking and cleaning. That worked for a while, but it frustrated her. She ran off and I tracked her down and told her we had to stick together. That we were the only two that knew what happened."
"But your claiming her as your half-breed wife?" The Doc twisted his head in question.
"I thought since we fell in love, I could take care of her and no one would know."
"You're in love with her?" The doc asked.
"Very much. So, I dressed her like an Indian, married her at St. Christopher's Catholic Church and here we are. Are you going to turn her in?"
The Doc seemed to absorb the information for some time then shook his head. "It's none of my business and I believe every word you told me. I knew her dad too, son. He was a sonofabitch, I was afraid for her for some time too. I'm the one that encouraged her to get a gun."
Moon stared, then grinned, "I'm glad you did."
"I also know that a little thing like her couldn't have stabbed Earl, first off, she wouldn't know where to do it, to be effective and I don't think she'd have the strength to do it."
"I thought when I heard about it, that her daddy did it, he had a really bad temper and he took it out on her mostly. I can't tell you how many times I came to nurse him through a hungover stupor, and she had a black eye, or marks on her legs and arms. Your secret is safe with me, Moon. And I'm glad she finally found someone that is decent."
Moon was flabbergasted. The doc believed him!
"We've been running ever since it happened, Doc. But I'll tell you one thing. I'm in love with her. She's the sweetest, nicest, most decent person I know."
The Doc turned to look him in the eye. "Then be good to her Moon, as she's had a rough time the last few years."
"I know, and I aim to." Moon smiled now. "How does most of the town feel about her?"
"No one believes it, that knew her, Moon. She slaved for that daddy of hers for years. And I knew he drank all the time. It worried me some, I can tell you. She'd have left if she'd had anywhere to go, but her Ma died when she was twelve and well, no one knew her relatives. A couple of concerned citizens offered her a home, but she had too mu
ch pride to accept. That damned daddy of hers would take her money she earned as a schoolteacher and go buy more whiskey. She didn't have much of a chance. I thought when she grew up, she'd move on, but I guess she was afraid too. Her mother is buried up there on that property, I figured that was why she stayed. After her mother died, she just kind of shut down for a while. She's turned into a beautiful young woman. Just go on about your life the way you are doing boy, as no one here will say a word about it. We all know what she put up with. She's one of us and we won't turn her in. I'm just glad she's got someone taking care of her for a change."
"I'd die for her Doc. She took the blame for Earl's death, when it was me that did it. But she wouldn’t let me turn myself in or take the blame. She said they'd hang me without a trial."
"She's probably right. Earl's got a lot of drinking buddies, that hang out in the saloon, so they'd be eager to put a rope around your neck. No, you just keep doing what you are doing. And God bless you son."
"Thanks Doc. I owe you in more ways than one."
"Jack struck a gold vein in that mine of his. You're likely to have some trouble over that, especially if Jack don't make it."
"I hadn't given the gold much thought."
