Part 5

Joe turned in his chair and Biddy thought he looked awfully tired. Then he said, "And now if you have any doubts go out, wherever you are, and look up into the blessed skies God gave you--" Biddy watched the sadness in Joe's eyes and heard him speak as though to children. "--the skies we will take away from you unless you grow up and behave yourselves."

With that, he snapped off a switch with a quick movement and turned. He said, "Go outside and ready the ship for takeoff. You go with them, Biddy." He looked at Davey and added, "Leave the lad with me for a few minutes."

Joe's instructions were not questioned and a few moments later she was outside with the young men gazing in wonder at the sky. Everything was lighted up like the Fourth of July. But bigger--much bigger. From every horizon giant lights of all colors were shooting up to meet overhead. All the colors of the rainbow and some Biddy had never seen. "It's--it's beautiful!" she gasped.

One of the young men smiled without humor. "Let's hope a second display is never necessary." With that he hurried away with the others and there was great activity around the ship. Then Joe came out--just as the colors overhead were dying--and gave a signal and the men entered the cave. Pretty soon they came out and all the mechanism and the big shining box were floating along behind them--floating through the air--as they were pulled toward the ship by thin lines of metal rope.

In no time Joe was walking with Biddy toward the loaded ship, holding her small hand in his. He stood by the port and said, "I think maybe things will be all right, child. I hope so, because there must be many like you and Davey. There must be sane reason left on this mad planet."

"Are you going away, Joe?"

"Yes, Biddy." He smiled and kissed her and said, "Tell Buck good-bye for me. Davey is in the cave." He entered the ship and the port closed and Biddy didn't see it take off at all. It just seemed to evaporate--to vanish. But then, her eyes were misty with tears and she thought she might have missed the take off. She turned and walked slowly toward the cave. Slowly because she knew of course that Davey would be all right....

* * * * *

Davey Taber stood on two fine straight legs in the Parker living room looking out the window over a silent, subdued Sage Bend. He turned and said, "Dad will have to be very careful from now on. He will be in bed for a long time and then in a wheelchair, so I'm taking over the Circle-7."

"I'm sorry about your father," Jane said. "I'm sorry for the people, for--" she glanced at Dan Parker seated beside her and no more words would come.

"I want you to stay on, Mr. Parker. In fact I want you to take more responsibility. I'll need a wise experienced head and I'm afraid I'd be lost without you."

"Wait a minute," Dan said quietly. "There are some things I have to tell you--some things you've got to know so you'll understand why I can't stay at the Circle-7."

And while Davey listened in silence, Dan told the whole story of his fears and actions and weaknesses. He did not spare himself and the telling took quite a while. When he finished there was silence. And something more. Jane's hand had crept toward his and now she held it tight and smiled proudly as she looked into his eyes.

Davey regarded them in silence for a few moments, then spoke quietly but without smiling. "That's all you have to say?"

"That's all."

"I asked because I want it over and done with--and forgotten here and now. I'll expect you at the ranch in the morning. I have other plans, too. We'll build you a house out there so you won't have to run back and forth. Dad should have done that long ago."

Dan said, "But--"

"But nothing." Davey smiled now--at Biddy. "I've got an ulterior motive. I want Biddy around all the time because we've got a lot of talking to do."

Biddy smiled back. "About Joe."

"That's right. About Joe."

THE END