Shadows already stretched out long by the time Barney galloped through the outskirts of Tuskwood, and Colt dug his heels into the stallion’s sides.
Truth be told, when Colt had left town ten years earlier to find adventure in Oregon, he thought he’d never return. Back then, Tuskwood was nothing but a podunk watering hole on the edge of the Montana frontier, and it looked like not much had changed.
Sure, the village had pushed its western boundary out a mile or so, but it was still just a cowtown.
And as Colt tore through the main street, he could see that the simple one-room schoolhouse still waited on the eastern edge of the strip. Golden evening sunlight sparkled against the slate roof.
Colt never much appreciated the subjects Ms. Anderson taught when he was a kid -- readin’, writin’, ‘rithmetic, as they said -- but she was easy enough on the eyes and always smiled real nice like.
Still, his sister’s letter had left Colt surprised -- that Ms. Anderson was just now getting hitched and that the news bothered him.
Gnawed at him for a few days until he couldn’t stand it.
Looking back, he guessed he’d always fancied the schoolteacher. And now that he was all grown up and knew she was still unwed ...
He couldn’t let it sit.
So he bolted off across the countryside with two days to make a three-day trip, pushing Barney harder than he thought the horse could stand.
They had made it, though -- maybe.
As man and horse painted the town in dust, their shadows fell across the wedding party in the schoolyard. Bride and groom turned from the altar, and Ms. Anderson flashed that nice smile at Colt, just like old times.
Seemed like he was in time, after all.
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