— —
Three months later, the federal marshals arrived.
The register brought investigators.
Investigators have brought in judges.
Sheriff Mercer confessed in exchange for his life.
Abram Weller survived the wound and spent the rest of his years in prison.
Silas Creed has been tried.
He's never preached before.
Mercy Ridge has changed.
Not overnight.
Nothing real did.
But the stolen land was returned to the families.
The debts are gone.
The council was dissolved.
The silver mine has become common property.
Thomas has testified.
Then he left.
He didn't ask Elias to forgive him.
Maybe this was the first decent thing he did.
David stayed.
Same and so is Samuel.
The truth about Mara and David was less romantic than they liked old stories.
They loved each other once.
But suffering had changed them.
They didn't claim anything else.
David became the father of Rose and Ruth.
Mara let him slowly get into their lives.
