Beatrice rose well before dawn and prepared a breakfast feast. There were sticky buns freshly baked and dripping with cinnamon and butter; thick slices of smoked ham covered in a honey glaze, of which Clark had always been particularly fond; eggs scrambled with onions and cheese; perfectly cooked strips of bacon; and she even made bread pudding, which was Howard’s favorite. The family sat down to the farewell feast, for once allowing the chores to wait.

“Clark, will you say grace?” Bea asked after she finished setting out the serving dishes.

“Be honored to,” he answered. He reached for the boys’ hands and bowed his head. “Dear Lord, watch over Nathan, Bea, and the boys as they tend the homestead. Be merciful, O Lord, and bring them rain and sun for the crops. Watch over Howard and me as we begin our new journey and guide our steps.”

“Lord,” Howard interjected, “Keep our trigger fingers well oiled, our wits sharp, and our horses sound.”

“Amen,” Clark finished, casting a sharp look at Howard.

“Amen,” everyone else echoed.

The boys leapt into the meal, each going straight for the cinnamon rolls.

It was a quiet meal, with Howard and Clark focused on their coming journey and Bea still brooding over their destination. Nathan, normally a quiet man to begin with, was more reserved than usual. Only the boys seemed to really enjoy the feast, filled with excitement and fueled by sugar, they were loud and boisterous. When he had finished eating, Nathan excused himself to go and see to the chores. When the rest were done, the boys went with Howard and Clark to go and saddle the horses while Beatrice saw to the cleaning up.

Beatrice entered the barn as they finished tying the last of the gear onto the saddles. She gave each of her brothers a little paper wrapped bundle of food for their journey. The Franklin brothers led the horses, fine quarter horse stock, out into the barnyard.

“We left the documents signing the homestead over to Nathan in the family Bible.” Clark said as he crouched to perform one last check of his buckskin’s legs.

“Are you really sure about this?” Beatrice asked. Her hands clenched at her waist, fingers twined tightly.

“We’re sure, Bea. We have to.”

“Whatever the Lord calls on you to do, I reckon I shouldn’t try to talk you out of it. Do promise to be careful.”

“Of course, Bea, we will.” Clark said. He turned to the boys. “Take care of your mother, you hear?” He said sternly, ruffling James’ hair.

“We will, Uncle Clark.”

“Listen to your Ma and Pa.” Howard said as he squeezed Charles’ shoulder.

“We will, Uncle Howard.”

Howard nodded his head and turned to his sister. “I’d tell Nathan to take care of you and the boys, but I know you’ll do just fine by yourself. Look out for the rest of the girls as well, would you?”

“Do you even have to ask?” Clark said with a smile as he stepped up to Beatrice. “We’ll be fine, Bea. Don’t you go worrying about us.”

Beatrice’s smile trembled at the edges and her eyes were wet with unshed tears. “Don’t worry about you?” Her laugh was humorless. “You’re headed West and you want me not to worry about you.” She shook her head. “I’ll try to keep the worry to a minimum. Remember you promised to write.” She hugged each of her brothers fiercely, then watched them with a searching look, as though she were memorizing their faces, a feat made easier since the faces were nearly identical.

Howard’s dark bay horse snorted as he climbed astride. “Reckon we’ll be alright, so long God has a purpose for us and not a moment longer.”

“Well that’s a lovely thought, Howard.” Clark said dryly as he climbed into the saddle. He frowned, scanning the barnyard. “Where’s Nathan?”

“Out in the field near the road. You’ll see him on your way.” Beatrice answered. “Take care of yourselves.” She admonished one final time. “I love you both.”

After their final goodbyes, Howard and Clark turned once more away from the place they had always called home and trotted their horses toward the road. As Beatrice had said, they ran into Nathan in one of the far fields near the road. Instead of working, as they had expected, Nathan leaned against the fence surrounding the field and was obviously waiting for them.

His square face was especially dour and he didn’t smile as he hailed the brothers. “Can I stop you for a few minutes or are you in a hurry to be off?”

“We can stop for a while.” Clark answered as he dismounted. “Right, Howard?”

“Yep.”

“When you came back from the war, I was ready to step back and try to find a way to make another place for Bea and the boys. I hated the thought of it, but this is your place and I knew it. When you said you were going to leave it to us and head West. Well, I almost didn’t believe it. It means a lot that you would put your inheritance in my hands. Give it to me to pass down to my sons. It’s the kind of legacy that I might never have been able to give them. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. Me and the family. I am in your debt, more deeply than I can express.”

“It ain’t about debt, Nathan. It’s about family. You’re family. This place is yours now and we don’t want to hear anymore about debt. Right, Howard?” Clark said.

“Yep.”

“Gratitude then. You have my gratitude. And don’t say you don’t need that either, you have it regardless.”

“Then we’ll take it, brother.” Clark said, reaching out to clasp Nathan’s hand. “And be glad of it.”

“God bless you both and watch over you.”

“And you as well.” Clark said as he climbed back into the saddle.

It was two determined men who turned onto the road toward Sioux City. It would be a long ride, but they had been on long rides before.