DISCLAIMER: The story of “Christy” is owned by the LeSourd family. I am writing this for 
my own enjoyment, and I hope for yours as well. I am NOT making a profit from this story. 
Any similarities between this and other Fan-Fiction is purely coincidental. 

Title: Perfect Help-Mates
Author: Anne B. 
e-mail address: momscountry@lycos.com



Summary: This story takes place just after Neil and Christy celebrate their first wedding 
anniversary.  I’ve included parts from RTCG, COTH and the CBS Series.  I’ve tried to tie 
everything together as best I can.  This is my first attempt at fan fiction, so please 
be patient!  I’m trying to work out all the mistakes! I’m not an English major, so there 
are probably a lot of errors. 


Part/Chapter: Part One

   It was a beautiful morning in April 1915 very warm and sunny for this time of the year! 
Christy Rudd Huddleston MacNeill roused from her sleep by the eager rooster perched outside 
of their window. She gazed lovingly over her shoulder at the handsome man sleeping with his 
arms wrapped tightly around her. She loved that face, but even more so the man behind it, her 
husband Neil. They had celebrated their first wedding anniversary just six weeks ago. It was 
a special day with folks from all over the cove coming to wish them well and give their 
blessings. Christy thought about that day with much joy in her heart. She remembered the 
pride on Neil’s face, not only then but on their wedding day as well. She allowed herself 
to snuggle into Neil’s muscular chest one last time, as his arms wrapped even more securely 
around her. 
   As she sighed at the feel of his embrace, she heard the rooster crow once more, at which 
Neil reached for his pillow and held it over his ear. He had been up most of the night with 
Mountie O’Teale who had not been feeling well for days and last night Neil discovered it was 
her appendix. “It wasn’t giving up without a fight” was Neil’s favorite saying after taking 
out an appendix. He had made sure that Mountie was resting comfortably before he left for 
home. When he slid into bed an hour ago Neil had told Christy that Mountie was doing well and 
that he would be checking back with her often. Christy wanted to go with him to visit this 
fragile little girl who was one of her favorites. 
   But that would have to wait until after school…she would leave a note for Neil that she 
wanted to go along with him this afternoon and ask if he would stop by the school on his way 
to the O’Teale’s to pick her up. She slid silently out of bed when she felt Neil’s arm relax 
around her signaling her that he was now falling sound asleep. She closed the window so that 
the persistent crowing of the rooster would not awaken him again. 
    Walking over to a chair she slipped on the robe that had been a gift from her parents. 
It was more than she needed, but seeing it reminded her of her parents. There was nothing 
about life in the city that Christy missed, except her parents. Here she had Neil, Miss Alice,
the children and the people of the cove. They were her family now. But her parents were 
special to her. She missed them terribly at times. Neil knew this and had invited them for 
their anniversary. It was wonderful to see them again; she didn’t realize how much she had 
missed them until they showed up at the mission the day of their celebration! 
   Christy had not seen Neil in over a month. He had been making his rounds of the mountain 
folk. Sometimes it was the ones that Neil *didn’t* hear from that needed him the most. He 
often found people in a sorry state when he made his rounds. These people were proud and 
poverty-stricken. Some did not want help, others wouldn’t ask for help, while others felt 
that if they could not pay, they were not going to accept charity from Dr. MacNeill. When 
he showed up at the door often all of the troubles poured out at once. She was anxious to 
hear what he had seen and heard this time around.  He had gotten home yesterday while she 
was in school and was at the O’Teale cabin before she arrived home last night.
   She could now, more than ever, feel for Margaret. How lonely she must have been when Neil 
was away. Christy had her mountain family to watch over her and to keep her company while 
Neil was gone. Margaret had been unwilling to reach out to anyone but Neil and she wanted 
him to be there for her and only her all the time. Which Dr. Neil MacNeill could never do! 
He had studied in Scotland to become a doctor just so that he could return to these mountains 
and help these people that he loved so much.
   Neil would now come back from these trips spiritually refreshed. He told Christy that 
being on the road it was just he and the Lord. He could hear God speak to him in ways that 
he didn’t hear otherwise. He enjoyed that time, but would have to admit that he loved to 
return home to the sight of his beautiful young wife!!
   Christy walked toward the stairs that would lead to the Living Room of their cabin. 
Christy paused at the top of the stairs. She turned toward Neil who was now asleep on his 
back with the pillow on the floor. Christy had to admire the strength in this man that she 
loved so much!! His compassion for his patients was without limits!! It always had been 
and always would be. She longed to return to their bed and snuggle up against Neil, but 
until the mission could find a new teacher she had to be there to teach the children.
   Christy descended the stairs. First she had to light a fire in the cook-stove. “I can’t 
fix breakfast without a fire.” Christy smiled to herself. As she rose from her position 
by the stove she felt faint and sick to her stomach at the same time. She balanced herself 
on the furniture as she made her way to the front door and down the stairs. Why was this 
happening again!! Was she dying, she wondered? She’d been sick now for a few weeks and 
any sickness that lasted this long had to mean trouble!! She was tired all the time also; 
yesterday she had fallen asleep at her desk in the middle of a lesson!!!! The children 
had to wake her! She was mortified!! The children were very concerned about her, but she 
assured them that it was nothing more than not getting enough sleep! But now she was 
worried herself. But after her stomach emptied itself she felt better. She usually did. 
But why was this happening!! 
   She leaned back against the side of the porch and saw the sunrise on the mountains!! 
It was awe-inspiring! She wished Neil could be there to share it with her! The mountain 
sunrise was a time that was like no other. Everything seemed fresh and new! There were 
scents and sounds and amazing colors that seemed to come alive only at sunrise. Christy 
loved to watch it from the porch of their cabin. But the most precious sunrises were the 
ones that she shared in Neil’s arms. But that pleasure would have to wait until at least 
tomorrow! Because Neil needed to sleep. Although Christy knew her husband would go 
forward with only an hour of sleep and not complain a bit, she knew that he always thought 
of others before himself…that job now came to rest on her…she needed to watch over him 
and be sure that he got whatever rest he could, as well as making sure that he was well 
fed. She loved to care for Neil, which was a pleasure that she would never tire of!! 
   “Father God, I pray that you would give me strength! Don’t let me fail you or Neil 
now. Please make me healthy again! I can’t stand the thought of leaving Neil alone again 
if I’m dying. Who would take care of him? I know that you would, but I also promised to 
do that on our wedding day. Please allow me to fulfill that promise Lord. If it be your 
will. In Jesus name, Amen!”
   Now back to the business at hand. She needed to get her chores done, make breakfast 
and get to school. Today she wanted to arrive extra early so that she could speak with 
Miss Alice first. This sickness she had was something that she needed to know more about. 
But before she would approach Neil with this she wanted to get Miss Alice’s opinion as 
a Registered Nurse. She may not be able to cure it, but she could tell Christy if it 
was something serious, something that she needed to approach ‘Doctor’ MacNeill with. 
What worried her most was not dying, but that of leaving Neil alone again!! That thought 
broke her heart!! Neil had been hurt so many times in the past! By Margaret, by the people 
of the cove when he returned as a Doctor to help them and they wouldn’t accept him, by 
Miss Alice when she blamed him for Margaret’s death (which turned out to be her 
disappearance), by David when he tried so hard to win Christy from Neil…but most of all 
he had been crushed by Christy herself! Christy could name a dozen times at least when 
she had hurt Neil!! How could she have been so horrid to such a sweet man! The thought 
of her dying and leaving him to fend for himself again made her dizzy and lightheaded 
again. She once again felt that familiar sick feeling and after cover up the evidence 
with dirty she knew that seeing Miss Alice today was the most important thing she had 
to do.
   Christy went into the house and started a pot of coffee, knowing Neil would need it 
when he awakened. Then she went up to change her clothes. After finishing she set about 
doing her chores. She fed the chickens, even the rooster with the big mouth! She 
gathered the eggs, milked the goat and fed her. The horse was Neil’s job; he had most 
likely taken care of his horse before he climbed into bed this morning. The beautiful 
horse was always happy to see Christy; she couldn’t resist bringing Charlie a carrot 
every morning, when they had some. This morning they had carrots in the house. “Hmm, 
Neil must have gotten paid in carrots somewhere,” Christy thought out loud, with a 
smile on her face as she observed the bundle of carots.  They may not have a lot of 
money, but they didn’t go hungry either!
   Christy couldn’t help but marvel at these animals! Every one, but Charlie was a 
wedding gift from a family on the mountain, families that could barely put food on 
their own tables gave them the best that they had! It surprised Christy and Neil to 
think that they meant so much to these people that they would give as they had. But 
to refuse a gift even for the right reason was unthinkable in these mountains, so she 
took extra special care of each and every animal. 
   Next was Breakfast…was she hungry? Not really, but she knew Neil would make her eat 
if he were awake. He had not yet noticed that she had been picky about eating, she had 
been able to hide it pretty well at first, and then Neil had been gone on his rounds 
for over a month. She knew she owed it to Neil to have a plate of food waiting for him 
in the warmer when he rose later. 
   Eggs, Bacon, Potatoes, Coffee…A Breakfast Neil would love, but Christy just couldn’t 
look at food this morning. Not only did she feel sick, but she was also worried-sick 
about Neil. The thought of this special man being hurt again was more than she could bear!!
   Christy’s thoughts wondered to Mountie, how was she doing this morning? Would she be 
all right? These thoughts reminded her that she meant to leave Neil a note asking him to 
take her along when he went to check in on Mountie this afternoon. Christy sat at the 
table her thoughts on Mountie; and then they turned back to Neil…She had to write something 
to him about how much he meant to her…how much she missed him…how much she wanted to be 
with him…ALONE!! She wrote what she could in the time she had left. She could not leave 
with out one last peek upstairs to see her ‘rugged mountain man’ (as a city friend of hers 
referred to Neil). Her heart, her arms, her body, her whole being ached for him as she 
watched him sleeping. If only a new teacher could be found…she turned ever so slowly and 
left for the mission.
   She loved to walk from their cabin to the mission each morning, she looked forward to 
seeing the children each day, but being with Neil was what she wanted more than anything 
now…it was her duty to be by his side, helping him in his work as he saw fit. That was her 
hearts desire now. She came here to teach, but God led her down a different path…the path 
of true love. The love that she shared with Neil. It was now time for someone else to take 
over the teaching at the mission school. As much as she hated to leave, she hated not being 
with Neil that much more.
   As Christy came over the last ridge she looked down at the mission that had been her 
home. Coming over this ridge as she had with Mr. Pentland that first night, in the storm. 
This always reminded her of the first day she came to the mountain. But that was behind her 
now…the future was before her…Neil first, only God new what would come next…
  
 “Good mornin’ Mrs. MacNeill!!” It was Ruby Mae, always happy to see her beloved teacher. 
“How are you this fine day?” 
   “I’m just fine Ruby Mae!! How are you?” Christy lied so she wouldn’t upset Ruby Mae.
   “I’m just plum tuckered out ma’am!! I’ve been helping tend to Mountie O’Teale at night 
‘cuz it’s ma duty handed down to me from my great, great, great grandma-Carrot-Top!! I got 
to help look out for the O’Teale’s!” Christy was impressed with how Ruby Mae had taken the 
O’Teale’s under wing after finding that diary in the cave. “But then I got ma schoolwork to 
do and ma chores here at the mission! Ifin I don’t do my chores here I’m ‘fraid Reverend 
Grantland or Miss Alice gonna throw me out!! I don’t want that tah happen!! No way!!” 
   “I’m sorry you have so much to do Ruby Mae!! I wish I could help you! If you want to 
bring your schoolwork in late that’s fine with me. I won’t mark down your grade because 
it’s late.” Christy offered. 
   “I had heard that Mountie was sick for a few days before Dr. MacNeill returned. I do hope 
everything will work out well, for you and for them.” She gently touched Ruby Mae’s arm and 
said, “I need to see Miss Alice, is she inside?”
   “Yes ma’am she is. She’s a havin’ breakfast with Rev. Grantland.” Ruby Mae replied.
   “Thank you Ruby Mae!!” Christy forced a smile for the girl. Ruby Mae didn’t need to know 
what was going through her mind. 
   “Why good morning, Mrs. MacNeill!! We did not expect to see thee this early in the 
morning!” Miss Alice greeted Christy with a warm smile. 
   “Good morning Mrs. MacNeill,” David said cordially. David was trying hard. He just 
wasn’t sure how to approach Christy anymore, he didn’t even know if he should. It had 
been nearly two years since Neil and Christy had gotten engaged. David had been hurt, 
even resentful at first. But Miss Alice had recommended that he go on a retreat like she 
did every year; so he took a vow of silence and spent a week alone in the woods praying, 
and listening to God speak to him. He had come back from the retreat a changed man. No 
longer bitter and angry, but refreshed and on fire to do the work of the Lord. He now had 
a burning desire to serve the people of Cutter Gap. The Lord had shown him that it was not 
Christy that he had come to the mission to serve, but the people. His ‘love’ for Christy 
was not the kind of love that lasting relationships are built upon. The Lord showed him 
that the right woman for him was still out there somewhere…who she was or where she was 
he did not know. But that decision he now left in God’s hands. His mission was to serve 
the people and as the Bible says, “…all these things shall be added unto thee.” 
   David now had a deep love for these people, stiff-necked though they maybe. David 
always smiled when he thought that. One man stood out in his mind whenever he heard the 
words, stiff-necked-Bird’s-Eye Taylor. 
   Bird’s Eye Taylor had come a long way since his son’s death over two years ago. He 
needed to know in his heart where his son was now. If Lundy had made it to heaven…where 
was he going to go when he died? Although he had not prayed and given his life to the Lord, 
yet, David felt that it was very close. He prayed almost continually for Bird’s Eyes 
salvation. It was David’s deepest desire at this moment. Bird’s Eye came almost daily to 
speak to someone at the mission about his thoughts and his troubles that were weighing 
heaviest on his heart.
   “Good Morning Miss Alice…David.” Christy started. “Miss Alice may I talk with you in 
private please?” 
   “Yes of course. Please excuse us David.” Miss Alice answered as she backed her chair 
away from the table. “We can speak in my room if thee would like.”
   “That would be wonderful.” Christy agreed. The troubled look on Christy’s face had made 
both Miss Alice and David worried. But David knew that getting in the middle of the 
MacNeill’s argument (if that’s what it was), was not his place unless they came to him, 
as their pastor, for guidance. 
   As they ascended the stairs to Miss Alice’s room Christy felt a wave of nausea, as 
she once again thought of Neil alone. That would have to be dealt with in it’s own time, 
she would pray for guidance, for healing, for whatever it was that she and Neil would need.
“With God all things are possible to them that believe” she and Neil were both believers. 
Then all things were possible to them. 
   Miss Alice offered Christy a chair and she sat on the edge of her bed. “Now what is it 
that is troubling thee so my dear Mrs. MacNeill? I do hope that all is well between thee 
and thy husband?” 
“Oh, our marriage couldn’t be better Miss Alice!!” Christy paused. “I just wanted to speak 
with you about a health issue.”
   “But thee art married to a physician Mrs. MacNeill. What could I tell thee that he could 
not?” Alice wondered.
   “It involves me and I just want to talk with you first. I wanted to get your opinion as 
a nurse, whether you feel I should discuss this with Neil or if you think it will go away 
and I don’t need to discuss anything with him.”
   “Although I believe thee shouldst discuss everything with thy husband, I will listen to 
what thee feel the need to say to me. Please proceed and I will do my best to help thee.” 
Alice offered. 
   “Well, a few weeks ago, at least 5, I started feeling ill. To the point where I am 
physically ill. I get dizzy, I feel faint, yesterday I fell asleep in school during a 
lesson, I’ve been trying my best to cover this up, but it isn’t getting any better. 
And it hasn‘t gone away.”
   “And when exactly does thou feel ill most often?” Alice asked.
   “Usually when I rise in the morning, or when I try to make Breakfast.” Christy answered.
   “I have a few more personal questions to ask thee, if thee do not mind me asking them 
Christy?” Alice went on.
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       
   Back at the cabin Neil was dreaming of a little red-haired girl who was asking him to 
teach her how to dance. He watched as her tiny stocking feet rested lightly atop his tall 
riding boots, as he held her tiny little hands in his own, afraid that he might break 
them if he weren’t careful! She watched her feet glide across the floor on top of his, 
and then she looked up at him with a huge smile that spread from ear to ear. She was so 
happy to be dancing! Neil smiled back at her and when he tried to speak with the little 
girl he woke himself up. 
   He stretched and yawned, reaching for Christy, but she wasn’t there. He glanced out 
the window and noticed that it was much later than he had at first thought. He sat up in 
bed. Looking up to heaven he gave a prayer of thanks for the beautiful day, then he prayed 
that Christy’s, as well as his own day would go well, finally he prayed for Mountie, that 
her recovery from this surgery would be uneventful. With the poverty and filth that 
surround her on all sides Neil knew that it would take a miracle to pull Mountie through. 
So that is exactly what he prayed for.
   When he had finished his prayers he ambled his way down to the kitchen. He could smell 
the coffee and the food that Christy had made that morning. It was wonderful to have a 
wife that cared for him. How he had missed not having a caring wife. As he had once told 
Christy long ago when they danced outside his cabin, he had forgotten how much he missed 
his phonograph, ‘how much he missed so many of things. ’ He never dreamed of having someone 
that understood him almost as well as he understood himself. Someone that cared if he got 
enough sleep, if he were eating well, if his clothes were washed, if their cabin was neat 
and tidy, someone who just wanted to be with *him* not a rebellious child who only cared 
for herself, as Margaret had been. 
   Neil chided himself for thinking this way again. He had promised himself that he would 
stop comparing Christy to Margaret. They were two totally different people, and now, thanks 
to Jesus, he was a totally different person as well!! 
   He spied the breakfast that Christy had left for him. He needed nourishment. He hadn’t 
eaten anything since yesterday at this time, probably earlier!! He looked around at the 
beautiful table in their cabin, Christy had made this cabin a home. Before it was just a 
place for Neil to sleep. Now he found himself longing to be there. He loved to watch Christy 
as she prepared a meal. That was one of the things he loved the most, although why he did 
he wasn’t exactly sure! It must have had something to do with ‘the way to a man’s heart 
is through his stomach’ or something like that. The tablecloth on the table Christy had 
made herself. He admired the work she had so carefully done on it. He moved his hand across 
it and just then saw the note that Christy had left for him that morning.  He read out loud 
to himself.  

        “My Dearest Darling Neil, (he smiled with a chuckle)
                 I wanted to write and ask you to join me for lunch at school today. 
                We could have a picnic on the grass…”
                
Neil read on silently…After a time, he laughed Lustily.  As he read of Christy’s feelings 
for him.
                Then ended with:

                        “I was wondering if you would allow me to ride with you to visit
                        Mountie this afternoon?
                        I wait with breathless anticipation to see you again!!
                                        Yours always and forever,
                                                Christy”
   “Would I allow her ride with me to visit Mountie!  I would prefer it!!” To have her 
seated in the saddle in front of him. To ride home with his arms around her. To smell the 
sweetness that was ‘his’ Christy. That was his dream, to have her along on all of his calls, 
not just to help, but also to keep him company as he rode along…

   Neil cleaned his dishes from the table and looking around at himself he said, “Next I 
need a bath.”  Then he reviewed the note Christy had left.  He smiled and fanned himself 
with the note.  “I hope the water in the river is cold this morning!” 
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       
   Christy was so nervous after Miss Alice was finished that she could hardly breathe, that 
did not help matters any, because now she felt faint again!! 
   “Well, Miss Alice. What do you think? Am I going to die? You can tell me! I’m not afraid 
to die, I know I’ll be with the Lord, but I’m afraid of what losing me would do to Neil!! 
I don’t want to inflict any more pain on him!! Oh, Miss Alice! What am I going to do?!” 
Christy was sobbing in Miss Alice’s arms now.
   “Well, to start off with, thee must relax. There is nothing wrong with thee that a little 
‘time’ will not cure. Thee are NOT going to die my dear!!”  She directed Christy to a chair.  
“There now, may I discuss my observations with thee? That is what thee came here for, is it 
not, Mrs. MacNeill?”
   “Yes, it is,” Christy, sighed a deep sad sigh, “And, yes, you may continue. I will try to 
keep my wits about me as best I can.” Christy was no longer sobbing; the pain was still in 
her eyes.
   “Thee are a healthy, strong, young woman. Thee need not worry about dying, at least not 
yet.” Miss Alice looked into Christy’s eyes to see if this was some relief to her but she 
only saw a small trace of relief. 
   “Then what IS wrong with me Miss Alice?” Christy said anxiously.
   “I see that thee are greatly concerned about thy husband’s welfare. That is as it should 
be. It is a mark of an excellent wife. Of which thee are fast becoming Christy MacNeill. 
But I think that if thee had not been so concerned for thy husband’s welfare thee may have 
discovered for thyself what is troubling thee.” Miss Alice took Christy’s hand. “Thee are 
going to have a baby Mrs. MacNeill!” Christy gasped so loudly that she was sure the children 
could hear her as they waited for school to begin. 
   “That thought never occurred to me!! This is wonderful news!!  I was so worried about 
Neil that my mind was clouded from anything else.” Christy looked truly shocked!! She 
could hardly believe it; she and Neil were going to have a baby!!  A new addition to the 
MacNeill Clan!! She was so happy she felt as though she were floating on air!!
   “Now Christy, as to thy first questions, yes I do believe that this is something that 
thee should definitely discuss with Dr. MacNeill and as to thy second question, yes this 
is something that will go away in time-the sickness, I mean!”
   Miss Alice could hardly contain herself she was so happy!! “The sickness that thee feel 
is only thy bodies reactions to the changes going on inside of thee. Do not be alarmed by 
them. The dizziness, nausea, faintness, fatigue, are all quite normal I assure you! If 
there are other questions that thee have, I am always grateful to answer them for thee, 
but thy husband could answer them far better then I ever could.”
   “I can hardly wait to tell Neil!! He will be so pleased!! This is something that he 
has been hoping and praying for!” Christy felt like doing cartwheels, handstands…anything!! 
This was cause for celebration!!
   “Now my dear Mrs. MacNeill, the privilege of telling others about this wondrous event 
is for thee and thy husband. I will tell no one unless thee tell me to. Your secret is 
safe with me.” Alice had to chuckle!!
   “Thank-you Miss Alice, Thank-You!!” Christy wanted to keep repeating it! 
   “It is not I that thou shouldst be thanking, but the Lord! And, may I add, your husband 
as well.” She grinned a shy grin at Christy. They both knelt down on the floor right then 
and said a prayer of thanksgiving for the new little MacNeill that God had created in his 
infinite mercy and had seen fit to present to Neil and Christy…
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
   The morning’s lessons went well, but Christy found it increasingly difficult to 
concentrate on the subjects they covered. Between feeling nauseated and excited she could 
hardly keep up with the children. They knew that something was different, maybe something 
was wrong, with their teacher. They tried everything they could think of to try and coax 
the secret from her. But all she would tell them was that it was indeed a secret and she 
couldn’t tell them until tomorrow.  
   As it grew closer to  noon Christy heart began to race, she kept looking out the door 
for Neil. It wasn’t long before she spied him riding up toward the schoolhouse. She was 
waiting with breathless anticipation all right, just seeing Neil riding up to the school 
at a canter she was breathless, just thinking of seeing him in a few moments. She loved 
the way he rode Charlie with his hair blowing in the breeze. Watching his muscular frame 
as he moved to and fro in the saddle. 
   “Teacher? Did I do this right?” Zady Spencer broke into her thoughts.
   “Let me see Zady. “ Christy said holding out her hand for Zady’s slate. “Yes, Zady 
you did very well!!”
   “And now it’s lunch time children” Christy called out. 
   “But it hain’t time yet teacher” replied Little Burl.
   “Well, you children have worked so hard on your studies this morning and have been 
extra good, that I thought I would give you an extra long lunch break, how does that 
sound?” The cheers that arose from the children around her told her everything she needed 
to know. 
   She glanced out the door and saw Neil tether Charlie out front. As he started UP the 
stairs the mass of children started DOWN the stairs! Christy closed her eyes hoping there 
would be no collision! She didn’t want to pick her husband up off the ground after he had 
been stampeded by a herd of school children! 
   As each child passed she heard him or her say “afternoon Doc” or “Afternoon Doc MacNeill”. 
Neil knew every child by name. Some of them he had brought into the world, nearly every 
one of them had needed his services on one occasion or another. But mostly they felt the 
love that he had for each and every one of them. Christy was so glad that Neil was finally 
going to have a child of his own!! Sam Houston stopped in front of Dr. MacNeill.  Looking 
up at the Doctor he said, “Teacher’s got a secret, but she hain’t telling us till tomara!” 
Neil smiled at the boy then without lifting his head; only his eyes looked up at Christy, 
he replied, “She has, has she? Need I be worried?” With a sly smile on his face and a 
raised eyebrow.
   Christy felt her heart skip a beat as she watched Neil. His bright blue eyes, his wavy 
reddish-blond hair, with the wisp of a curl that never wanted to stay in place! He was 
wearing her favorite tartan vest and Azure blue shirt that matched the color of his 
eyes perfectly. 
   As the last child left, Neil closed the door behind him. He leaned against it and 
sighed a deep sigh as he moved his gaze slowly from Christy’s feet to her eyes. “You are 
the most beautiful sight I have ever seen!!” He smiled that special smile that he always 
had for her. The one that made her melt. She wondered if he knew what he did to her every 
time he looked at her like that!! She felt weak in the knees and wondered if it were Neil 
that made her feel that way or the baby? She knew Neil had always done that to her! So 
Neil it would be that made her swoon. She refused to believe that after not seeing her 
husband for more than a month that he would not make her feel weak when he looked at her 
in ‘that way’!! 
   As badly as she wanted to tell him, she had decided to wait to tell Neil about the 
baby until they would be alone tonight. She had to tell him in the most special way she 
could think of.
   Neil crossed his arms in front of him and crossed his feet at the ankles; Christy 
could hear the squeak of the leather boots as his feet crossed. But she wondered what 
he was doing and why he was doing it. He tried to fake a look of concern on his face 
but he was failing miserably!! “You know my love, the water in the river wasn’t nearly 
cold enough to do away with the effects of that note you left me this morning!!” Then 
he smiled again, “I put the note in my pocket and it burned a hole in it!” Neil uncrossed 
his arms and feet and sauntered over to Christy. She felt as though she were in the 
clouds and all she could see was Neil making his way toward her. Oh how she wished they 
were at home and not in the schoolhouse!! It was as if they were in slow motion, it 
seemed to take Neil an eternity to reach her. As he approached he opened his arms wide 
and drew her into him. Their lips hungry for each other! They shared a long rapturous 
kiss that was the kiss of a couple that had not been together for a long time. Christy 
felt weak. But Neil’s arms were strong. He pulled her in and held her as tight as he 
dared to with his massive arms. Neil rested his chin on the top of her head and then 
kissed the top of her head so that he could smell that sweet smell of rosewater that 
he loved so much!! She felt complete again. Her Neil was back. There they stood for 
what wasn’t nearly long enough for either of them, but the giggles they heard from 
outside the window told them that enough was enough for the middle of the schoolhouse!! 
They would have to wait until they were at home for more. 
   Neil looked slyly at Christy and whispered.  “Which window are they in?”
   Christy grinned.  “North side middle window.  Why?”
   “Watch and see!”  Neil got down on all four’s and crept over to the window. He sat 
down under the window.  “Oh Christy!  I missed you so much!”  Neil said, while suppressing 
a laugh.  
   When he heard giggling again outside the window Neil jumped up from his hiding place 
and yelled “Boo!”  out the window to the startled faces of at least half a dozen children!  
Christy and Neil laughed until their sides ached picturing the astonished faces of the 
children as they ran away screaming!
   Neil fell back down to the floor he was laughing so hard.  Christy came over and 
joined him there on the floor as they laughed together.
  “Oh that was funny Neil!”  Christy said through gasps for air when she was finally 
able to speak.
   “Are you hungry Dr. MacNeill?” Christy offered.
   Neil cupped her chin in his hand and touched his lips to her ear and whispered 
tenderly, “Yes, for you!”
   Christy whispered, “Me too, for you. But, are you hungry for some ‘food’ Doctor MacNeill?”
   “Ravenous, Mrs. MacNeill!!” Neil responded.
   “Well, then, let’s have our picnic!! I have the basket and blanket in the storeroom. 
I’ll be right back.” Christy rose from there spot on the floor and strode to the storage 
room, on the other side of the wall behind her desk. As she stooped to pick-up the basket 
and blanket she felt a strong arm slip around her waist and turn her gently around to 
face him. “I’ve missed you so much Neil!!” It was barely above a whisper. 
   “And I’ve missed you Christy my lass!” Then he kissed her passionately. Her knees 
buckled under her, Neil held her up wondering what was the matter with his precious 
wife. “Christy, are you alright?” Neil said anxiously.
   “I’m fine Neil! Now you’ve seen the kind of effect you can have on me when I haven‘t 
seen you in so long!!” She knew the real reason, but this was neither the time nor the 
place to reveal that most important news to him. Neil left things alone, but he couldn’t 
forget what had happened. The concerned look on his face spoke volumes. He would keep 
an eye on her for a while to see if this happened again.
   Neil carried the basket and blanket outside for Christy. They unfolded the blanket 
and lay it on the ground. Christy got out the food. Neil watched her, and the children. 
He loved to watch the children; he had once told Christy that he wanted to have a 
dozen children!! To which she replied, “Oh! Is that all!?!” Neil smiled sheepishly as 
he thought. Christy noticed the smile. “OK, what’s going through your mind Neil MacNeill!! 
I know that smile!!”
   “I was looking at the children and thinking of the time we discussed how many children 
we wanted to have. When I said a dozen I was testing you. I was thrilled down to the 
toes of my boots when you said, ‘Is that all!?!’”  He reached for Christy’s hand. 
“Thank-you Christy for being the perfect helpmate for me!!” Neil’s voice caught in his 
throat. “Margaret never wanted children…or maybe she just didn’t want ‘my’ children.” 
A look of sadness came over him.
   “Oh Neil!! I know how much children mean to you. As you know how much they mean to me. 
I would never deprive you of having children of your own!! I would never deprive you of 
*ANYTHING*!! * I* want your children Neil.  Isn‘t that what matters now?” Then she leaned 
down to give Neil a gentle kiss that told him he meant the world to her. 
   “Yes, it tis!”  Neil said cheerily.  “Thank-you so much!”

   Christy handed Neil a plate of food. He looked starved. “Neil when was the last time, 
other than Breakfast, that you ate?”
   “I have to admit that it was yesterday morning my love. I made myself something when 
I first got home while you were at school.  I didn’t have time after that, I was at the 
O’Teale’s until 4:30 this morning.  Before the meal I made when I got home yesterday I 
cannot remember when I had eaten last.” He looked like a schoolboy who had just been 
found doing something wrong! Christy’s heart ached for him! He cared so much for others 
that he never gave a second thought to himself. How she wished she could care for him 
at all times. 
   “Neil MacNeill!! Are you trying to make a widow out of me!”? She chided him. “I need 
you my love! I can’t bear it when I see that you’re not taking care of yourself! You are 
the most important thing in my life after the Lord; I don’t want to lose you! You work so 
hard with so little concern for yourself! ” As she strained against the lump that rose 
in her throat. Trying to suppress the cry rising from within her.
   “I’ll try to do better Mrs. MacNeill.” Neil felt like a boy. 
   “I’m sorry Neil. I know you’re not a child, I just care so much for you, that’s all. 
Please forgive me!” Christy felt terrible for treating Neil that way. “I wish I could 
be there all the time to care for you, to cook for you, to be with you. I love you so 
much!!” Christy and Neil exchanged a look that was theirs alone. A look that was meant 
to convey all of the joys and concerns that they had for each other, without saying a word.

   “How is Mountie today Neil?” Christy needed to know.
   “I’d say she’s doing as well as can be expected considering what she’s been through, 
and with a father that ‘won’t abide no fussin over gals’ she’s doing quite well. I’m 
still looking for signs of infection. Considering how long they waited to get help, 
I’m amazed that she is still alive. That appendix could have ruptured and then there 
would have been nothing that I could do for her. I thank God that he is answering my 
prayers to keep a close guard on the people of this cove, and to protect them. I’m 
praying that Mountie will be protected from infection as well, but considering everything, 
it will take a miracle for her to get better.”
   Christy knew all too well what the O’Teale’s cabin was like, the filth, and the smell, 
besides having a father that they hardly ever saw. She wrinkled her nose at the thought. 
Neil grinned recognizing that familiar wrinkle that appeared each time she thought of 
the O‘Teale cabin. “I’ll add my prayers to yours Neil. Shall we pray?” She reached for 
Neil’s hands and they prayed together. 
   One by one the children stopped by to talk with ‘Doc and Teacher’. Christy was proud 
of how far these children had come in the short time that they had been allowed to 
attend school here at the mission. She prayed that their new teacher would be a 
compassionate person that cared for them as much as each of them deserved. They were 
all precious to her, and to Neil. The thought of someone else teaching them was hard 
for Christy to fathom, but the time had come for her to move on. With a husband and 
soon a new baby her days of teaching needed to come to an end. Maybe she could help out 
as time permitted, but full time was getting more and more difficult. Taking care of 
the cabin, the meals, washing the clothes, feeding the animals, helping Neil in his lab, 
going on calls with him, there wasn’t enough time for everything and every area of her 
life was suffering for it, though she tried hard to keep up. Knowing that she was 
expecting she realized that keeping up would become increasingly difficult. Neil had 
his work and couldn’t help her with everything; David had his work and couldn’t take 
over as full-time schoolteacher for long either.
   The picnic was over much too soon! Christy started to pack everything back into the 
picnic basket. Neil stretched out on the blanket and yawned loud and long! Christy had 
to smile. She knew how very tired he must to be. “You haven’t yet told me if you would 
allow me to come with you to visit Mountie this afternoon?”
   “Of course I will! You know that I would like nothing better than the pleasure of 
your company Mrs. MacNeill!” 
   “When will you be returning Dr. MacNeill?”  Christy smiled and asked.
   “I have no intention of leaving! I’m going to stay right here and take a nap! You may 
wake me whenever you are ready to go!” Neil smiled up at his wife.
   “I’d love to have the sight of you right outside the window all afternoon! It will be 
a more breathtaking sight to me than the majesty of these mountains!” Christy replied 
poetically. And they both laughed.
   “You will probably be to busy to even notice!” Neil added. Christy faked a frown.
   “I will *never* be too busy to notice the handsome love of my life! No matter how old 
I, or you, may be! You make me complete Neil MacNeill! I’ll find plenty of reasons to 
glance out of that window just to see you!” Christy smiled shyly.
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
   Christy rang the school bell to call the children in from their lunchtime activities. 
One after another they all came tumbling in. It was quite a sight to see all these children 
so eager to learn!
   On her way back to her desk Christy just had to stop to open the window…Neil was out 
there, but as of this moment, he was not asleep, but on his side, leaning on one elbow, 
looking back through the window to see if Christy would actually make up an excuse to 
look at him. They smiled at each other and Neil winked at Christy, then he lie down on 
his back and placed his hands behind his head. Breathing a deep sigh as he closed his 
eyes to sleep. Christy felt a warmth inside that she only felt when Neil was near, even 
if he was in the grass outside the school, at least he was here in Cutter Gap. She knew 
he was safe and sound. 
   “Teacher, is everything alright?” One of the children asked.
   “Yes, it is! I am very sorry to be distracted children.” Christy was somewhat 
embarrassed. 
   “Don’t you know Doc MacNeill’s outside? Teacher can’t keep her eyes offin him!!” 
Creed Allen teased.  Everyone giggled.
   “Alright class that will be quite enough! We need to return to our studies now. 
Let’s review our multiplication table.  She turned toward her desk with one last peek,
for not, out the window.
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
   Neil was awake by the time class was over for the day. He was helping present the 
science lesson.   Christy had to laugh as he came up with questions (and the answers 
of course) that even the children didn’t think of! She was glad that she had saved 
Science for last today.  It was a fun time for them all. The children loved to have 
‘Doc’ MacNeill in the classroom.
   After the children left, Christy cleaned up the classroom with Neil’s help. When the 
last bench was placed on the last table for the night and as Christy swept the floor,  
Neil saddled up Charlie. 
   “Are you ready malady? Your chariot awaits, such as it is!!” Neil bowed low as Christy 
came near. Charlie looked back at Neil and he said, “No offense meant!”
   Christy laughed. Neil took her hand in his and helped her down the stairs and onto 
the horse. He mounted the horse behind her. As Neil felt Christy’s body close to him 
and smelled the scent of her he nuzzled her neck and made her giggle, he realized that 
this ride was going to be much more difficult than he had imagined. He had to take his
mind off of the beautiful woman before him and onto the patient that they were about to see. 
   Christy leaned into Neil’s muscular chest and he put his huge arm around her waist 
she knew she would enjoy the ride…
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
   The O’Teale cabin loomed in the distance. It looked just as bad, if not worse than it 
did the last time Christy had visited. The smell was still the same. How Neil could have 
spent hours here was beyond Christy’s realm of reasoning! But she knew that his love for 
the people of this mountain far outweighed any smell, or bugs, or snakes or storm or 
anything else that he had to endure just to help them. Whether it was to stitch-up a wound, 
set a broken limb, deliver a baby (although it was usually Miss Alice who got that job), 
remove an appendix, or do major surgery because of an emergency. It didn’t matter to Neil, 
*his* people needed him. He was an excellent Doctor and he would serve these people in 
any way that he could. In any way that they would allow him.  More and more Christy felt 
as though these were their people, not just Neil’s.
   Mountie was lying on a bed near the door. Christy could see that she was in pain. She 
had brought a small gift for the little girl. A bouquet of flowers that she and Neil had 
picked on the way and a pin that had once belonged to Christy’s mother. It was a cameo 
pin the same blue color as Mountie’s eyes, that Mountie had always admired whenever 
Christy had worn it to school. 
   Neil looked concerned as he examined Mountie. As he changed Mountie’s bandage he 
looked at Christy and said, “Do you see what I see?” Christy looked. There were bugs 
crawling on the incision. Christy was suddenly nauseated again. She fled from the house 
to the woods where she got sick. How could people live like this she cried softly!?! 
How could a mother allow her little girl to endure this? After she had cried softly 
and prayed silently for a while she rose from her place on the ground and rejoined Neil 
in the cabin. He had cleaned up Mountie’s incision and was now telling her mother, 
Swannie, how to do the same, though he doubted that anything would be done about it. 
Swannie was a loving mother, but her husband wouldn‘t like it if she were caught 
‘fussing‘ over Mountie‘s incision. She had no idea how to keep things clean and didn’t 
intent to learn.
   Neil was glad when they could finally be on their way home. The scene that Neil had 
just witnessed was still fresh in his mind. He had a tear in his eye for Mountie, and 
he had Christy join him in a prayer for both her and her family. For the Lord to guard 
and protect her and deliver them, somehow, from the filth. 
   Christy was quiet on the ride to their cabin. What could she find to say to Neil? 
She knew he had seen more cases like this, and worse. But the children were the worst 
for him, and for her, they didn’t know any better. Their parents didn’t try, and Neil 
wanted desperately to help them, to save their lives!! Christy felt how stiffly he held 
the reins. She knew he was upset. He didn’t talk all the way home. She was anxious to 
bring a look of excitement back to Neil's unhappy face.
   Neil brought Charlie to a stop in front of their cabin. He dismounted and tethered 
Charlie to the rail. Then he turned to Christy who had not seen Neil like this in a 
long time. As he helped her down she looked into his face, with the sun almost set, 
it was hard to read what was going through his mind. “I’m sorry Neil, if you’re upset 
with me about running out on you!” 
   “It isn’t that at all my love!! I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel that way!" as he 
touched her cheek tenderly with his big strong hand. "I am upset about the fact that 
no matter what I tell these people about good hygiene and cleanliness they don’t seem 
to listen! They believe that if you can’t see germs that they don’t exist! I’m surprised 
that they believe in God as they do!…But don’t misunderstand me I don’t want to compare 
God to a germ!!” Christy smiled!
   “Is there anything you want me to do to help you, Neil?” Christy offered. “I try to 
teach the children hygiene in school. I teach them about germs and diseases. But just 
like you said, if they can’t see it, they don’t want to believe it exists!” 
   “I think I’ll pray about it for awhile before I give you my answer, Christy. I’m 
just not sure what to tell you at this point. But God does.” Neil looked despondent 
as he turned away. “I’ll go take care Charlie.”
   “I’ll start supper. Take your time, if you want the time alone to pray. It will 
take me awhile to get supper on the table. I can call you when it’s ready if you 
like.” Somehow their desires for each other didn’t seem as important as they had 
before their visit to the O’Teale cabin. Although Christy was sure that they would 
return.
   Christy started a fire in the stove. Then readied the things she would need to 
make the meal. Meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.!! How could she make tonight something 
special for Neil? Then a thought came to her, of the time that she was riding with 
David to Lufty Branch and her mule, Theo, had gotten stuck in a hole in the middle 
of the stream. Neil had been fishing nearby and when she called out for help, Neil 
had come and rescued her from the water. He carried her back to his cabin and had 
given her a lavender dress that had once belonged to Margaret.     
   Seeing in her mind how Neil looked at her in that dress made her heart sing! She 
was sorry to say that, at the time, see hardly noticed to loving look in Neil’s eyes. 
   She knew exactly where Neil had stored Margaret’s belongings. She was sure she 
could find that dress again. She would look as soon as she had the food cooking on 
the stove, and hopefully she would not start anything on fire as she did when she 
cooked Neil supper one night! That was a confession she needed to make to Neil! She 
never told him ‘why’ she almost burned this cabin down that day!! She’d have to tell 
him that later, he’d get a laugh out of it, and Neil could use a good laugh right now. 
   With Supper cooking Christy set about the task of finding the lavender dress. Neil 
had since packed it up tight and stored it far in the back of the storage room but 
Christy knew exactly where the box was. As she pulled out the box the cover dropped 
to the floor with a crash. Along with the dresses she found a journal in which Neil 
had written of his feelings for her since the day he first admired her in his cabin 
wearing Margaret’s dress. Oh!! The feelings he had held inside for her all that time! 
Being married but having no wife was torment!! It meant that he was not free at all. 
He could neither marry nor even look at another woman because of his marriage, but yet 
he didn’t know where his wife was and she never contacted him. What torture that had to
be for a man as full of life and emotion, and passion, as Neil MacNeill. She also 
learned to what extent she had hurt Neil by being unmindful of the hints that he was 
dropping about his love for her… 

                The Dinner where she nearly burned the cabin down started out to be a special
                night for Neil. He thought after long last that Christy was finally showing 
                an interest in *him*, but she was not. She only wanted a favor. 

                The time that Neil had come to exchange his life for Christy when she was 
                being held hostage. He wrote that there was no comparison between her life 
                and his!! He would have given his life for her, and when she had turned to 
                David and held him lovingly Neil had been crushed again. When she didn’t 
                have so much as a thank-you for Neil.

   Time and time again there were entries of this type! Christy’s heart ached for Neil!! 
No wonder he had been so passionate toward her in his proposal!! All the heartache and 
pain that was held inside for so very long!!! She knew things were different now, but 
never did she realize the pain that she had caused the man she now loved more than life 
itself! The man that she longed for! The man she needed!! Tears came to her eyes and ran 
down her face! As she held the journal tightly to her chest. She wanted to sob, but knew 
she had better keep control of her emotions at least for the moment she had too many things 
to do. She placed the journal in her dresser drawer. It would be a constant reminder to her 
to live her life for Neil. She owed him so very much!! She owed him her very life!! She 
would spend a lifetime trying to make this up to him! Starting tonight by telling him of 
their baby and giving herself to him. 
   Christy returned to the storage room and retrieved the lavender dress. She carefully 
returned the box containing Margaret’s things to its proper place. Then she closed the 
door to the storage room. As she passed by the window she looked toward the stable and 
saw the lantern glowing brightly. She could also see Neil on his knees in prayer. She 
hurried quickly to their bedroom and slipped into the dress. She fixed her hair the way 
she knew Neil liked it. Pinning  it loosely knowing that Neil loved to remove the combs, 
and watch her hair flow down over her shoulders. 
   She brought out the kilt that Neil had worn for their wedding, his grandfather’s kilt. 
She hung it lovingly on the wall near the fireplace. She ran her fingers over the MacNeill 
tartan fabric. Knowing it belonged to the MacNeill's alone. Proud that they were soon going 
to be adding to the MacNeill Clan.

   In the kitchen Christy set the table and placed candles in her mothers silver candlesticks 
and set them on the lace tablecloth that had been a wedding gift from Neil’s Aunt Hattie. 
The table looked beautiful! Supper was ready.     
   Christy lit the candles and put out the lamp. As she set the meal on the table she could 
hear Neil’s footsteps on the porch. Her heart leaped for joy! 
   Neil opened the door to the cabin. He was taken aback  by the sight that met his eyes. 
Christy looked ravishing in that dress! His mind wandered ever so slightly back to the 
first time he had seen her wear it! She stood in the glow of the candlelight. He stood 
there motionless trying to catch his breath! He slowly closed the door behind him. 
   “I thought I’d try to surprise you Dr. MacNeill!” Christy almost sang. 
   “You’ve succeeded Mrs. MacNeill!” Neil said haltingly.
   “By the way, when was the last time you had a good home-cooked meal?” Christy asked 
remembering from the journal when she had said that to him before. 
   “Too long, I’m sure!” Neil finally mustered enough composure to reply. His eyes were 
filled with love. Christy slowly approached him. Her small hands reaching out for his large, 
work-callused hands. The hands of a man who worked hard, but also the hands of a surgeon. 
She loved these hands that had done so much to help others!  She kissed one hand and then 
the other, turned them over and kissed each finger and the palms of his hands. The soft 
satin of the dress brushing softly against the back of his hands. “Oh! Christy!” Neil 
whispered.  She held his hands to her heart as she led Neil to the table. 
   “You work too hard Neil MacNeill.” Christy said tenderly. Before he sat down he pulled 
the love of his life close to him. Looking deeply into her sparkling blue eyes. He gazed 
at her face lovingly placing his hand on her cheek stroking it softly. And he repeated 
what he had said to her on their wedding night, “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever 
think that you would be mine!!” The words were just above a whisper and filled with 
emotion. Thinking of how she had made him complete. “I love you more than any words 
can say.” Then he kissed her gently, a lingering kiss of which she joyously reciprocated. 

   Neil held the chair out for Christy. Then he sat around the corner from her and 
leaned forward to give her a soft kiss.    
   “Everything looks wonderful Christy!  And I do mean everything!”   Neil said softly 
as his eyes lovingly gazed scanned Christy.

   They both enjoyed the meal. 

   Christy began to giggle. Neil looked puzzled, but he just couldn’t help but laugh 
himself. “What is so funny?” He wondered aloud.
   “I have a confession to make to you Neil.” Christy began.
   “Oh really! What could that be?” Neil asked.
   “Do you remember the day I nearly burned this cabin down while I was making you a 
meal?” Christy asked.
   “Yes, but that’s not one of my favorite things to remember.” Neil said, remembering 
the pain again.  He found nothing humorous in that day.
   “I have to confession to make, that the reason I burned the meal was because I was 
distracted watching you take a bath in the river...” Christy finished a little shyly.
   “You little pixy! I never thought that the prim and proper Miss Huddleston could do 
such a thing as that!” Neil added as he tweaked her cheek lovingly! “You know that by 
mountain standards that you were bound to marry me after that?”
   Christy gave a small giggle and added, “I always was Neil! I always was!!” 

   Suddenly Neil got a surprised look on his face.  “What is it Neil?”  Christy asked.
   “It just came to me, I was praying for Mountie in the stable, and now it just came 
to me!  I know what to do!!!”  Neil added excitedly.
   “What Neil, What?”  Christy asked anxiously.
   “Ruby Mae!”  Neil declared.
   “You’ve lost me.  What about Ruby Mae?”  Christy looked puzzled.
   “I’ll take Ruby Mae to the O’Teale’s cabin and show her how to care for Mountie’s 
incision.  She’s over there all the time helping out anyway and she practices good hygiene.  
She’s perfect for the job!!”
   “You know Neil I believe you’re right!!  Ruby Mae *is* perfect for the job!”  
Christy agreed happily
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       * 
   As Christy cleared the table Neil build a lovely fire in the fireplace. 
   When Christy returned to Neil she noticed he was wearing the kilt! And he had the 
phonograph playing. 
   “Why Neil MacNeill, don’t you look debonair!” Christy said approvingly.
   Over coffee and Blackberry Cobbler by the fireplace Christy decided that the time 
was right. “Neil, my Love…” Christy started sweetly. “I have something important that 
I must ask you.”  Christy noticed a strange look on his face, “Don’t look so troubled 
my dear!” 
    “Who did you say was born in this cabin?” Christy began as she walked over to the 
mantle and smoothed her hands over it. 
   “I was born here, as was my father, and my Grandfather. Why do you ask?” Neil 
looked confused. He had told Christy this before. “The MacNeill’s have lived in this 
area since 1740.” 
   “So,  how many generations would you say have been born in this very cabin?”
   “Three generations were born in *this* cabin.  I thought I just told you that?” 
Neil still looked perplexed! “Why do you want to know all this?”
   Christy sat back down beside Neil. Taking his hands once again in her own and holding 
them to her heart.    
   “Well,” she paused, “I’d say that about the middle of December we’re going to make 
that number *4* generations of MacNeill’s who were born in this cabin.” Christy smoothed 
the sash and kilt that Neil was wearing, “There’s going to be a new addition to the 
MacNeill Clan!” Christy watched Neil’s face as it lit-up with pure joy. The excitement 
that she saw in his eyes was unmistakable! He leapt from his seat and scooped Christy 
up into his arms, swinging her around and around. Softly kissing her over and over again 
until he thought he couldn’t stand anymore. He set Christy down on the seat by the fire. 
He let out ‘a whoop and a holler’ as they say in the mountains. Christy had never seen 
Neil this ecstatic since she had accepted his marriage proposal!! “Thank-You Lord!!” Neil 
yelled. Then with a small tear in his eye he knelt before Christy and said, “This past 
year, God has shown me in innumerable ways how much he really loves me!! Starting with 
blessing me with you, as my wife. And now, a baby!!”  He jumped up to his feet again.  
“I have to pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming! No wait! If I am dreaming I want to stay 
sleeping, because I don’t want this to end!!” 
   Christy giggled. She wore a broad grin on her face. Neil was as giddy as a schoolboy! 
“You’re not dreaming Neil! I promise you this is real! I’m not a mirage or a figment of 
your imagination! I spoke with Miss Alice this morning because I was worried. I’ve been 
sick every morning now for weeks, I’ve been feeling light-headed, *even when you aren’t 
around*, I’ve been exhausted even when I get enough sleep…I have to tell you this…I was 
teaching English the other day and right in the middle of the lesson I fell asleep! Laid 
my head right on my desk and took a nap! The children all wondered what was wrong! They 
had to wake me up!! I was so embarrassed!!”
   “Does this have anything to do with the ‘surprise’ that Sam Houston told me about this 
morning?”
Christy held her hands to her mouth, suppressing a giggle while nodding her head vigorously. 
They laughed and Neil swung her around some more, enjoying their shared happiness in this 
new life that God had seen fit to blessed them with!!! 

   Neil reset the phonograph, then he bowed at the waist with his left arm extended toward 
Christy and his right arm poised at his waist, he asked, “May I have the pleasure of this 
dance ma’am?” faking a southern accent.
   “Why it would be a pure pleasure!” Christy tried to sound like a southern belle. “You do 
waltz divinely Dr. MacNeill!”
   “You ought to see my slow-dance.” Neil whispered.
   Christy sighed passionately.  “I am *dying* to see your slow-dance Doctor.” she said 
ever so slowly and seductively. Christy would never allow that opportunity to slip by 
again! As she had before. 
   Neil put on a slow song. He drew near to Christy; her heart was pounding so hard that 
she was sure he could see it! He reached up and pulled the combs from her hair and watched 
lovingly as her hair fell gracefully down the sides of her face and then down over her 
shoulders. He gathered his lass in his arms; she put her arms around his neck and ran her 
fingers through his hair. He pulled her as close as he possibly could. They danced slowly 
swaying rhythmically to the music. Neil put his lips next to Christy’s and she eagerly 
accepted them with her own. Neil held her even closer as though she could never be close 
enough to him. They danced and kissed until the song was through.
   Neil looked deeply into her eyes once more then kissed her in a way that was somehow 
more passionate then Christy had ever dreamed possible!!  Almost before Christy knew what 
he was doing, Neil had picked her up in his arms and bounded up the stairs to their 
bedroom where he gently placed her on the bed and lay down beside her…
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
   In the faint light of morning, Christy looked over at Neil, remembering the night 
of love that they had shared. She sighed deeply closing her eyes dreamily as she did 
so. Neil made her feel in a way that she never thought she could! How could she have 
been so blind to this handsome, passionate Doctor who loved her so very much! And whom 
she loved the same way. 
   She leaned over him, kissing him softly. “Good Morning my love!” Christy whispered 
softly.
   Neil reached out and pulled her close. “Thank-you for last night lass!” He said 
huskily. “You have once again made me the happiest man alive! I would be nothing without 
you, I would have become a miserable, crotchety old man that despises everything! 
You have given me a life filled with beauty, purpose, and desires far beyond my wildest 
imaginations!!” 
   Christy kissed him passionately! They shared their love again before rising that 
morning. Christy was afraid she’d be late for school. 
   Neil teased her as he held her tightly by the stove. “Would it help if you brought 
a note from your husband explaining why you were late my love?”
   “Neil MacNeill don’t you dare!!” Christy blushed.
   “Christy my dear, in a few short months it will be no secret to anyone what we 
did this morning! You don’t get in your condition for no reason!!” Neil chuckled. 
   “Neil please!” Christy begged him to stop. As she felt the wave of nausea that was 
becoming so familiar! But only this time it brought her great joy, knowing that their 
baby was growing inside of her! 
   Neil knelt beside her on the ground outside supporting her, rubbing her back.  “I’m 
sorry Christy!”  He said over and over.
   When she sat up Christy asked.  “Sorry for what Neil?” 
   “For putting you through this!”  Neil said, feeling terrible that he had caused his 
precious wife to endure this.
   “Neil my love!  I wouldn’t change a thing!  I think it’s wonderful!”  Christy hugged 
her worried husbands neck.
   “I’ll take you to school this morning on Charlie and you won’t be late. I promise.” 
Neil was overjoyed at the baby that Christy was carrying inside, but seeing how she felt 
struck his heart. “Is there anything you would like me to do for you Christy?” 
   Christy smiled coyly. “You already have my love!!” she giggled. 
   When they were back in the house.  Christy said, “There is one thing you can do for 
me. Since I promised the children I would tell them today about our ‘secret‘, I was 
wondering if you could be there *as a Doctor of course* to help, umm, ‘explain’ the 
inevitable questions that are going to surface because of this!”
   “I’d be delighted!” Neil agreed. “After all I helped to make this occur I shouldn’t 
be ashamed to explain how it happened!”
   “You could stick around and barring any emergencies you could help with Science and 
Mathematics?  I think I could pull together another picnic, if you don’t mind?”  
   “I think fishing can wait for another day!”  Neil admitted.  “This offer is sounding 
better all the time!”
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       



Part Two 


Perfect Help-Mates/The Incident

5 Months Later  
 
   Christy sat on the porch with Neil, watching the sunrise.  She sat with her back to Neil; 
he had his arms around her with his hands on her baby-filled tummy!  He was stroking 
Christy’s tummy and talking to the baby telling ‘baby’ about the white buck that had saved 
his life as a child.  She loved these times!  Christy closed her eyes dreamily thinking 
about the kind of Daddy Neil was becoming even now.  He was so wonderful with the children 
at the school and with the baby still in her tummy.

   A boy suddenly interrupted their solitude; Christy guessed his age to be about 9 or 10 
as he came running up to their cabin.  “Doctor, Doctor!!  You gotta come to our place!  
My Ma’s painin’ somethin awful!  My Pa sunt me to git cha!  You gotta come right now!!  
Hurry!!!”  The boy was frantic.
   Neil jumped up and raced for his medical bag.  Christy didn’t recognize the boy.  
But there were many people from these mountains that she didn’t know.  Only when there 
was an extreme emergency did some of them ever call on anyone.  This must be one of those 
families.
   Something about this boy didn’t seem right to Christy.  He said the words that sounded 
as though he were very worried, but his face did not show it.  He looked almost amused by 
the situation.  Especially after he noticed Neil leap up to fetch his medical bag.  
But then, if his mother was in a lot of pain he could be acting strangely because of that.  
   Neil returned.  “I’ll be home as soon as I can lass!!”  He gave Christy a kiss.   
   “Hurry Doctor, Hurry!” the boy cried.
   “We’ll be on our way in a few moments, I just need to saddle my horse.”  Neil called 
out to the boy as he ran for the stable.    
   After they had gone Christy went into the house and knelt down before a chair and 
started to pray earnestly for Neil and for his safety.  Something inside of her was 
screaming that this whole situation was wrong!  That Neil was in terrible danger.  
She needed to send up fervent prayer on Neil’s behalf!
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
   On the way Neil passed the mission and called out to Alice who was sweeping the 
porch, “I’ve got an emergency!  Would you look in on Christy later?”
   “I’ll do that Neil.  Thee need not worry!”  Alice replied.  “Godspeed Neil!”
  Neil yelled, “Thank-you Alice!”  And galloped off with the boy riding behind him.  
  
 David was gone on his retreat.  He had been hearing God so clearly on his retreat.  
He wanted to follow God’s guidance for his life.  He wouldn’t do anything anymore 
without God’s leading.  He was silent and prayerful.  When suddenly God told him that 
he needed to leave immediately.  David wanted to question whether it was God or not, 
but the leading was so very strong that he felt as though God were lifting him up 
and giving him a push!  David packed up his things and saddled his horse.

   The boy told Neil which direction to travel.  When they came to a bend in the 
path that went left the boy told Neil to go to the right.  Neil followed his instruction.  
When they were in denser woods the boy told Neil to slow down, so he did.  
   Suddenly the boy jumped off and Neil heard a gunshot.  A pain pierced the center 
of his back and shot right through his chest like a hot knife.  As he called out in 
pain and fell to the ground.  As a Physician he knew he was shot in the back, but 
seeing the hole in his chest, he knew the bullet went straight through.  After that 
brief observation he lost consciousness.  
   A man came up to Neil to see if he was dead.  The boy that had been on Neil’s 
horse followed close behind him.   “Is he dead pa?”  The boy asked.
   “Not yet he ain’t.”  The man growled, “But we cain’t waste no more bullets on him.  
He didn’t care if yur ma lived or died, so why should I care if he dies a painful 
death!  Boy, do as I say now; go git the Doc’s horse.  We can sell it for a pretty 
penny at the auction in El Pano this week.”  
   “We just gonna leave the Doc lie there like that?”  The boy asked.
   “Yes we is now git!” 
*********************************************************************************

David was rounding the top of a ridge when he heard a gunshot.  He jumped down 
from Prince and laid low behind some bushes.  He sneaked to the top of the ridge 
and peered over.  The sight he saw made him want to cry out, but he knew better 
than to do that.  Some of these mountain men had a quick trigger-finger.  He might 
not be able to get away himself.  
   What he saw was Neil lying on the ground bleeding from a hole in his chest.  
‘Was he still alive?’  David couldn’t tell from this distance.  It looked like he 
was shot near the heart!  David hoped the man and the boy would leave soon so he 
could tend to Neil if there was any hope left.  

   They rode away!  David’s heart leapt for joy.  He thought about Christy.  She 
would be heartbroken if anything happened to Neil.   Neil should be there to help 
raise his family.  He had to save Neil if there was any way to do so.  Christy 
needed him.
   As David raced down the ridge as fast as he could he said a prayer that Neil 
would still be alive and that the Lord would keep him that way.  Not for his sake 
but for Christy and Neil and their baby.  Neil was still alive; David could hear 
his labored breathing.  He stooped down over Neil.  He pulled off his jacket and 
placed it under Neil’s head.  Then he removed his shirt and compressed it on Neil’s 
chest to try to slow the bleeding.  David said a quick prayer to ask for help in 
getting Neil home and to keep him alive.  “Neil, Neil can you hear me?”  David tried 
to rouse him.  He had to have some help from Neil to get him onto Prince.  “Neil!  
You need to try Neil!  I need you to push with your legs so I can get you onto my 
horse!”  His only response was a moan.  David prayed, “Dear God, please help me!!  
I have to get him to Miss Alice some how!  Please show me how!”  
   Just then Jeb and John Spencer came running through the woods.  Jeb said, “We 
heard the shot!  My wagons on the other side of this ridge, I’ll bring it!”  He 
turned to his son,  “John, you run to the mission and have Ruby Mae call for that 
Doctor in El Pano!  Tell him it’s an emergency that the Docs been shot and it 
looks real bad!  Hurry now as fast as you can!!”  
   David yelled, “Take Prince it will be faster!”  
   David pressed the bloodstained shirt down onto Neil’s chest.  He had to slow 
the bleeding.  He prayed for God to give him wisdom.  He had to have wisdom from 
God to deal with this situation.  He wasn’t a Doctor, Neil was! 
   Jeb came speeding around the ridge.  David stood as Jeb jumped down and they 
lifted Neil and set him in the back of the wagon.  They noticed the blood on the 
ground.  Looking at Neil’s back Jeb said, “Lord Almighty!  He’s been shot clean 
through!  It’ll take a miracle to save him.”
   “That’s what I’m praying for Jeb.”  David called out.  Jeb gave David some cloths 
that were in his wagon to place under Neil against hole in his back.  
   Jeb jumped aboard and took off as fast as his horses could possibly run.  Back 
to the mission at Cutter Gap.
*************************************************************************************
   Alice left shortly after Neil had left.  She needed to speak with Christy.  Now 
that she knew Christy was alone she would not be interrupting the young couple.  
   Alice knocked on the MacNeill cabin door.  She heard Christy crying and praying 
inside.  Alice pushed the door open and found Christy on her knees very distraught 
about something.  She caught the words ‘Neil’ and ‘safety‘.  Miss Alice didn’t need 
to hear anymore to know that Christy felt something had happened, or would happen, 
to Neil.  Alice knelt down next to Christy and added her prayers to Christy’s for 
Neil’s safety.  After a time Christy noticed Alice.  “Oh Miss Alice!!  You’re here!”  
Christy was shocked.  “I didn’t hear you come in!”  
   “That is alright Christy.  Thee are worried about thy husband.  I understand.  
There is no better way to deal with thy problems then on thy knees in prayer.”  
Alice smiled, then she got a concerned look on her face,  “Christy, thee and I must 
go quickly to the mission!  Hurry!  Come with me!”  
   Christy was confused but knew that if Miss Alice was so sure about something then 
she had better go and go quickly!  
   Alice mounted her horse and Christy got on behind her.  They headed straight for 
the mission.  

   John Spencer was just leaving when Alice and Christy arrived.  Inside Ruby Mae 
was frantic!  She kept saying, “Oh Lordy, Lordy!”  Over and over again!  Christy 
stopped the girl.  “What’s the matter Ruby Mae, what happened?”
   “You don’t want tah know Miz Christy!!”  Ruby Mae cried.  “I cain’t tell yah!!”  
Ruby Mae ran to the kitchen.  She put a pot of water on to boil.  Alice followed 
the girl.  
   “What has happened child?”  Miss Alice asked.  
   Ruby Mae slammed the door shut so Christy couldn’t hear what she had to say.  
“Miss Alice!  It’s awful!  Doc MacNeill’s been shot!  They think it’s his heart!”  
Ruby Mae cried out.  Alice gasped loudly.  “John Spencer had me call the Dr. 
Davis over in El Pano!  Told him Doc was shot and he had to come as quickly as 
he could.  Said he’d be coming by automobile!  He’d be here in maybe 30 to 45 
minutes… John Spencer said his pa and Rev. Grantland was bringin’ ‘im here.  
What ‘er we gonna do Miss Alice!?!  What ‘er we gonna do!?!”
   “First thee must stop panicking!”  Alice said. “Ruby Mae go clear everything 
off of the Dining Room table.  We shall need that to operate on.  I will get 
out the towels and things that we shall need.”

*************************************************************************************
David was praying, Jeb was driving, and Neil was moaning loudly.  The pain of 
the bumpy ride was excruciating!  But there was no other way.  
   David was elated when he at last spied the mission up ahead.  

   Christy heard the wagon out in front and went to greet whomever it was.  When 
she spied Neil in the back of the wagon covered with blood, his own blood 
Christy screamed!  Alice came running!  
   Jeb, David and Alice carried Neil into the mission!  They laid him on the 
table.  Christy was nearly hysterical!  Alice placed her hands on Christy shoulders 
and told her firmly-”Stop that this instant!  Thee can not help Neil in this state!!”  
Christy immediately calmed her raw nerves.  Alice was right.  She had to think of 
what was best for Neil, not herself!  
   “Miss Alice what do you want me to do?”  Christy tried to stay calm.  
   “What thee can do most is pray!”  Miss Alice said, “But what Neil would want 
would be to know that thee are right here giving him thy strength.  Let him hear 
you.  Talk to him, pray with him, touch him, but don’t and I repeat, DON’T cry 
over him!  He needs to think that everything will be all right.  He doesn’t need 
to know how badly it looks, he feels badly enough already.”
   Christy nodded.  She composed herself and walked over to Neil who was awake but 
writhing in pain.  She smoothed back his hair.  “I’m here Neil.  I’m right here 
with you!  I won’t leave Neil!  I promise!  I’ll stay right here by your side all 
the while.”  
   “Christy?”  Neil could hardly speak the word.
   “Yes Neil!  It’s me.  Don’t worry!  I’m not going to leave you!”  He reached 
up with his bloodstained hand and held tightly to her hand.  So tightly that she 
thought he might break it.  But that didn’t matter right now.  What mattered was 
what Neil wanted, what he needed.  “That’s right Neil!  Hang on to me!  I’ll be 
strong for both of us.”
   “I…can’t…Christy…”  Neil tried to speak.  He was struggling to breathe.  
  
   Alice was cleaning the wounds waiting for the Dr. Davis to arrive.  As Alice 
cleansed the wound Christy’s whole being went into the ‘bloodcurdling’ scream 
that erupted from Neil.  It tore at her heart.  His grip on her hand was like that 
of a vise.  If only she could hold on tight enough to take the pain away!  How she 
wished she could remove this horrible deed!!  
   Alice examined Neil.  She didn’t 
like what she saw.  There could be no way that the bullet could have missed Neil’s 
heart, but he was still alive.  How could that be?  Alice wouldn’t question why 
or how.  She would only rejoice in the fact that it did miss Neil’s heart, if in 
fact it had truly done so.  

   The sound of an automobile outside signaled Dr. Davis’s arrival.  He race 
inside the mission.  “Where is he?”  He called out.
   “In here!”  David cried out.  

   “Alice how does the situation look?”
   “I see one bullet hole in the back exiting through the front.”  Alice started.  
“There is quite a lot of bleeding but not enough for there to be a severed artery.”
   “Boil these for me.”  Dr. Davis told Ruby Mae.  “Alice you will be in charge 
of ether.  Who is this?”  Dr. Davis asked of Christy.
   “I’m Mrs. MacNeill, Dr. Davis.” Christy answered.  
   “You may stay until he is unconscious, but then I will have to ask you to leave.”   
   “I understand.”  Christy agreed.  She had helped Neil enough to know that 
she didn’t want to be in the same room as the surgery.  She wanted to be with 
Neil, but seeing them operate on her own husband was something she would never 
be able to tolerate! 
   “Neil they’re going to put you to sleep sweetheart.  I’ll have to leave 
while they operate, but I’ll be back with you as soon as Dr. Davis will let me, 
OK?”  Neil nodded slightly.  “I love you so much!  I’ll be praying for you all 
the while the operation is going on!  I can’t be your strength then, but God can!  
He’s with you Neil.  ‘He’ll never leave us nor forsake us, even to the end of 
the age.’ Remember that Neil, please!”  She kissed him softly on the forehead.  
   Alice came around to Neil’s head and placed the mask over his face.  Before long 
Christy could feel Neil’s hand relax and finally let go of her hand altogether.  
Then she knew she should go.  She set Neil’s hand down next to him on the edge of 
the table and kissed his forehead one last time.
   Christy went into the sitting room and knelt by a chair.  Praying fervently and 
without ceasing throughout the entire operation!  
*************************************************************************************
   John Spencer went traveling throughout the cove to alert everyone to Doctor 
MacNeill’s plight.  People came from all around to post a silent vigil for their 
‘Doc’ MacNeill.  Their campfires could be seen through the front windows.  Everyone
from the cove must have been there tonight!
   
The time dragged on and on into the night…Christy had moved from her knees to a 
sitting position, but she was still praying just as fervently as ever.  Christy 
could have seen them working in the dining room, but she made no move to go and 
see what was going on.  David and Jeb were helping Dr. Davis hold Neil up and 
turn him over so he could operate on both the back and the chest wounds.  The 
clock ticked mercilessly as the Doctor worked on.  
   Ruby Mae offered Christy some food, but she couldn’t eat, not now.  She had 
promised Neil that she would pray all the while they operated.  So she could take 
no time out to eat.  She wasn’t hungry anyway!  
    Oh how Christy yearned to hear that Scottish brogue again!  Neil just had to 
be all right.  She felt a peace inside of her that was hard to explain.  She would 
find out later how God had, had His hand on Neil that day.  

   Finally Dr. Davis was finished with the surgery.  David, Jeb, Tom McHone and 
Bob Allen carried Doctor MacNeill upstairs to a bed.  Christy wanted to be with 
Neil, but she had to know how the surgery went first.  
   “He’s a very lucky man!”  Dr. Davis started out.  “The bullet nicked his lung, 
but not much else.  Your husband was born with a very rare condition Mrs. MacNeill.  
His heart is on the right side of his body, not the left as the rest of ours are.  
If it had been, we would have been planning his funeral right now.  I’ve never seen 
anything like it!” 
   “Thank-you Lord!!”  Christy said out loud.  “Yes my husband is a very *blessed* 
man Dr. Davis!!  I thank-you so much for coming to help!  I owe you so much!  
Thank-you for saving my husband’s life.”
   “I didn’t save his life, Mrs. MacNeill.  God did, when He placed Neil’s heart 
on the opposite side-before he was born!  I will make sure that your husband is 
comfortable and I will be back tomorrow to check on him.  And if I know Neil 
MacNeill, he’ll probably be demanding to be let go by then!”   Dr. Davis said.
   “I wouldn’t be so sure about that Dr. Davis.  My husband is a changed man.”  
Christy added.  “But I thank-you again for all that you’ve done.”
   “He must stay in bed.  I had to do a lot of fancy knitting to put the muscles 
and other tissue back together again.  I don’t want him tearing out all my nice 
needlework.  He‘s lost a lot of blood and he needs rest now more than anything.” 
Dr. Davis warned Christy.  
  *     *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       
    “You may go in now Mrs. MacNeill.”  Dr. Davis told Christy after he was done 
getting Neil settled into the room at the mission.  The room that had once belonged 
to Christy when she lived there.
   Christy was so grateful to see ‘her’ Neil sleeping peacefully after the dreadful 
pain he had before.  She pulled a chair along side of his bed and took his hand in 
her own.  Giving a prayer of thanksgiving to God for sparing Neil’s life.  She 
kissed him on his forehead and placed her cheek next to his.  Whispering “I love 
you.”  Softly in his ear.   Then she leaned back in the chair still holding Neil’s hand.  

   But Neil did not wake up the next morning.  Dr. Davis came and went each day.  
Telling them that Neil was doing well, but that he didn’t know when or if he would 
awaken.  Christy sat holding Neil’s hand, speaking softly to try and bring him 
around.  Day after long miserable day Neil lay there…
   On the third day Christy was again kneeling beside his bed, “Father in Heaven, 
You’ve brought Neil and I together.  We’ve known all along that you meant for us 
to be together.  You opened so many locked doors for us to be married!  You’ve helped 
us and blessed us so very much this first year.  
   “David told me how you called him back early from his retreat so he would be 
in that very spot when Neil was shot.  I believe that you meant for David to 
save Neil.  I believe it was no accident that Jeb and John Spencer had just finished 
fixing their wagon wheel on the other side of that very ridge.  I’m positive you 
want Neil to survive.  Lord I pray that you would wake him!  There is so much more 
that we could do; there’s so much more that we *NEED* to do!  Our baby needs his 
daddy!  Please Lord, I beg you, PLEASE wake Neil!”  She started to sob.  Moving in 
next to Neil’s ear and crying she told him, “I love you more than life itself.  
Please come back to me…to us, Neil!  I need you, our baby need you.  No one can ever 
take your place in our lives.  We’re connected to you in a way we could never be to 
anyone else.  Please come back to us!”  
   Just then the baby started to kick vigorously.  Christy placed Neil’s hand on her 
tummy.  “See Neil, even your son is anxious for Daddy to wake up and tell him some 
more stories.  Your son wants to hear about the white buck, and Bonnie Prince 
Charlie and Scotland and the history of the MacNeill clan; he wants to hear about 
Neil MacNeill of Barra-his namesake; he wants to know about you!  You’re the only 
one that can tell him those things.  I don’t understand them like you do!  Neil, 
we NEED you!!”  Christy didn’t realize that she had been raising her voice.  
Alice opened the door slightly and peered in, “Are thee alright?”
   “I’m sorry Alice!”  Christy sobbed.  
   “Thee have nothing to be sorry for Christy!  Thou art very tired.  Thou hast 
not eaten enough to keep a bird alive, let alone thyself and thy baby!”  Alice 
chided.  “Thee are under a great strain.  But thee need thy rest.  I will stay 
with Neil for thee.  David will take thee to thy cabin.  Thou wilt feel better 
after sleeping in thy own bed.  Then thee may freshen up and refresh thyself in 
thine own home.  David will be back at Suppertime to get thee and bring thee back.  
   “But first I insist that thee go to the Dining Room and eat a good breakfast.”
   After giving Neil a loving kiss on the lips and telling him she would be back 
later, Christy went downstairs.  David was waiting in the Dining Room.  Christy had 
not been in this room since the night of Neil’s surgery.  She shivered as she looked 
at the table still seeing her loving husband lying on this table bleeding!  
   David held a chair out for Christy who was dead on her feet.  “I am at your beck 
and call ma’am.”  David said.  “Miss Alice has instructed me to take care of you.  
I intend to do just that…don’t look so worried!  I only intend to watch over you 
like a big brother!
   “Now, Mrs. MacNeill I intend to sit right here and watch you eat every bite of 
this meal!  You and your baby need the nourishment.  And when Neil awakens he’s 
going to need you to be strong!”  David smiled.  
   It was nice to know that David and Neil were friends…Oh, Neil!  If only he 
would wake up!  “David, would you pray with me!  I need to have someone with a 
clear mind praying for Neil!”
   “Of course I will!”  David and Christy knelt and prayed for Neil, for the baby 
and for Christy’s strength.
   “David?  What do you think…NO, what does your heart tell you?  About Neil, 
I mean.”  Christy needed to know.
   “Well,” David started.  “I have always felt, in my heart, that Neil would 
be fine.  But we need to wait for God’s timing on this.  Maybe Neil needs the 
long rest for all the sleepless nights he’s spent caring for others.”  David 
chuckled.  Christy had to smile at that…it was true!  Neil did need a lot of rest!
   Christy felt more at ease and suddenly famished.  She finished her Breakfast 
and asked for seconds!
   David took her home in the mission wagon.  As they neared the cabin Christy 
suddenly remembered,
“The animals David!  I’ve forgotten all about them!”
   “Don’t worry Christy!  Sam Houston and the other boys have been over here 
everyday to tend to them.  You do know that Neil’s horse is gone, the attacker 
took it.  
   “I hadn’t given it much thought.  But I suppose they would have, wouldn’t they?  
I’ll miss him.  I don’t know what Neil will do without a horse…God will provide 
all of our needs according to His riches in glory.”  Christy quoted.
   “Amen.”  David added.  “I’ll be back for you before Supper.  Don’t you worry 
about a thing.  We will take good care of Neil.  Dr. Davis says that Neil’s 
doing alright if only…” David knew he had gone too far so he stopped.  “I’m sorry, 
Christy!”
   “I understand David.”  They stopped in front of the MacNeill cabin.  David 
helped Christy down from the wagon.  As he helped her up the stairs she stopped 
suddenly.  “I don’t know if I can go in David, not without Neil!”
   “Christy, I believe Neil will be fine.  You just need to wait for God’s 
timing.”  He told her.  “Have faith in God…He’s the only one that can make 
things better.
   “I’ll be back later.”  David turned to leave.
   “Thank-you David.  Please come and get me if Neil needs me. *PLEASE*!
   “I promise if you’re needed, I’ll come for you.”
   David left.  Christy felt an emptiness inside as she slowly entered their 
cabin.  Miss Alice was correct, this was home, and it felt wonderful to be 
here.  But it would be even better when Neil was here again.  She spied Neil’s 
work shirt hanging by the door.  She lifted it from the peg.  Holding it to her 
nose she took a deep breath.  Drawing in the scent that was ‘Neil’.  She slipped 
the shirt on and curled up inside of it on the chair.  It wasn’t the same, as 
having his arms around her but for the moment it would have to do.  She cried 
and prayed, then cried and prayed again.  She moved out to the porch for some 
fresh air, but the events of that fateful day kept playing over and over in her 
mind.  “NEIL!! NEIL!! PLEASE COME BACK TO US!!!”  She screamed.
   She walked to Neil’s laboratory.  She looked over the experiments that he was 
working on…would he ever work in here again?   YES!  She would not, COULD not 
allow herself to think otherwise!  Neil was in God’s hands and he would be fine!
   Christy crawled into bed.  It was cold and lonely, yet familiar and comfortable.  
She placed her head on Neil’s pillow and snuggled into his big shirt.  She could 
smell his scent and felt the familiar flannel around her.  
   When she awoke David was calling from downstairs.  She hadn’t moved an inch 
since she crawled into bed!  “I’ll be right there.”  Christy called.  “Is everything 
alright?”  
   “Yes!”  Was David’s short reply.
   As she rose she noticed she was stiff and it was hard to move because she 
hadn’t moved in at least 5 hours!
   Christy stopped at her dressing table and peered into the mirror.  “UGH!!”  
Christy gasped, “What would Neil think if he could see me now?”
   “Did you say something Christy?”  David called from downstairs.
   “It’s nothing David.  I’ll be right there.”  There just wasn’t enough time 
to do much.  “I’m just going to brush my hair and I’ll be down.”  She pulled out 
the hairpins and her braid.  Combing her hair she decided to leave it down the 
way Neil liked it.
   Christy descended the stairs forgetting that she was still wearing Neil’s flannel 
shirt over her own.
   “Interesting outfit” David teased.  
   “What?…Oh I forgot!”  Christy replied looking down at Neil’s shirt.  Removing it 
she said.  “It just made me feel closer to Neil, that’s all.”
   “I understand.”  David said smiling.  “I’m glad you got some rest.  I’ve been 
calling for nearly 10 minutes.  I knew I couldn’t go up to your bedroom, but I’ll 
have to admit that I was at a lose for what to do next!”
   “I’m sorry David!”  Christy apologized.  “I hate to think that I could sleep that 
sound with Neil unconscious at the mission!  I should have been up praying for him!  
Not sleeping and refreshing MYSELF!!”
   “Christy you need your rest too.  Alice and I have been praying for Neil in your 
place.”  David consoled.  
“Are you ready to leave?”
   “Yes I am!  I want to be with Neil again.”
   David looked down at the floor at that instance.  Christy didn’t want to believe 
that anything could possibly have happened to Neil, so she wouldn’t ask any questions.

Arriving at the mission Christy could see Dr. Davis’s automobile in front.
   Inside the mission Miss Alice said, “The Doctor would like to speak to you 
upstairs Christy.”  With her usual Quaker stance and straight face Christy could 
not read what was happening.
   Frantic, Christy raced up the stairs as fast as she could, terrified that something 
was wrong!
   Dr. Davis was in Neil’s room waiting for Christy.  “There you are Mrs. MacNeill!’  
Dr. Davis said.  “If I had to hear one more time ‘Where’s Christy?…How’s Christy?…I 
want to see my wife!’ I think I’d wish he were unconscious again!”
   “Doctor, step aside so I can see my wife!”  Neil called.  Dr. Davis stepped back 
revealing a very awake and very much alive, Neil MacNeill!
   “Neil!!”  Christy cried euphorically “You’re awake!!”  Christy charged at the 
bed, and then caught herself; she didn’t want to hurt him.  She pressed her cheek 
to his.  And kissed him softly.  “Oh I’m so glad to see you!  I love you so much!!”  
Christy nuzzled his cheek and kissed him again.
   “Christy, I’m so glad to see you!”  Neil smiled sweetly, but weakly.  “I was so 
worried about you!”
   “I was worried about you!  How are you feeling?”  Christy inquired.
   “I feel like I’ve been struck by a train!  I’ve never felt this bad in my life.  
But I’m grateful to be alive.  Everyone has told me about what happened.  God must 
have been watching over me.”
   “Indeed He was!”  Christy responded.  “He brought David home early from his 
retreat to be at that spot at the exact moment that you were shot.  He brought Jeb 
and John Spencer there as well!  Not to mention your heart! Oh Neil, it’s a true 
miracle!!”
   “You need plenty of rest now Neil.”  The Doctor warned.  “Don’t even *think* 
about getting out of bed or even sitting up at this point.  I mean it!!  I don’t 
want you tearing out my knitting!”
   “How is he Dr. Davis?”  Christy questioned.
   “Stubborn!” the Doctor laughed.  “Seriously, barring any infection, which is 
very unlikely at this point he should be just fine in a month or so.  AND…” he 
added.  “As long as he follows *this* doctors orders and *not* his own!”  He winked 
at Christy.  “I’ll leave you two alone.  I’ll be back tomorrow.  Neil, I’m serious, 
I want *lot’s* of rest for you!!”
   “I’ll watch over him.”  Christy answered.
   “I’ll make sure he stays in bed.”  Said David from the doorway.
   “Everyone’s against me.”  Neil smiled. Then winced from pain.  He gripped 
Christy’s hand tighter.  “I’m sorry lass!  I hope I didn’t hurt you.”
   “No!  I’m glad to feel you squeeze my hand again!!”  Christy smiled.
   “You rest now.  I’ll go eat supper and I’ll be back later.  I love you darling!”  
Christy turned to leave.
   “Don’t go yet Christy.”  Neil implored.  “I don’t want to leave you out of my 
sight.  I love you so much!  More every minute, every second of everyday.  Now, 
after this…I want you with me every minute!!”  
   “I feel the same about you my love!”  Christy responded.  “Should I have Ruby 
Mae bring my supper up here?”
   “Please do!”  Neil answered.  Christy could tell by his tone that he was worried 
about something.
   “What’s wrong Neil?  Is there anything you want me to do for you?”  Christy 
asked, concerned for her husband who seemed to be deeply troubled.
   “No.  I’m sorry Christy…”  Neil’s voice trailed off.  “I just missed you…I heard 
what you told me this morning…I couldn’t go on like I was I wanted to come back to 
you.  You’re the reason I came back.
   “This whole thing has me scared Christy!  At first I thought it had been you 
riding behind me!  Alice and David tried to tell me that you were at home.  That 
there *had been* a boy riding behind me, but he was obviously part of the plot to 
have me killed.  I was terrified that David and Alice weren’t telling me the truth 
because I was positive that it was you riding behind me!  I was sure you had 
gotten shot and they didn’t want to tell me!  David ran to get you but when he 
took so long to come back I thought they were waiting for me to go to sleep…When 
I heard your voice and saw your beautiful face!  I was so relieved I thought I 
would cry.
   “What if I *had* died?  What would happen to the two of you?  Maybe we should 
move to some place safer?  Somewhere, where they don’t settle every dispute with 
a gun!  I don’t want anything to happen to you or the baby!”
   “Nothing is going to happen to us Neil!”  Christy soothed.
   “You can’t be so sure Christy!  Who ever did this was after me!  They deliberately 
attacked ME!!  What if they come back here only next time they come after you!?!  They 
would hurt me more by harming you than they would if they *killed me*!!  We can’t be 
so sure that they won’t find out I’m not dead and come back to finish the job!”  
Neil was getting too agitated.  He took a labored breath and held Christy’s hand 
tightly.  “It’s just that I love you so much!  If anything happened to you I wouldn’t 
be able to live with myself.  I wouldn’t want to go on living!!”  Neil was in pain 
now from overexertion.  He was having trouble breathing because of the it.
   Christy moved quickly to the door.  “Miss Alice!!  Come quickly!!”
   Alice was in the room as fast as she could.
   “Neil’s in pain Miss Alice.  He’s having trouble breathing.  I don’t know what to 
do!”
   Alice rushed in.  “Calm down Neil!  Thee must relax.  Alice took out her stethoscope 
and listened to Neil’s lungs.  There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the lung 
the Doctor had stitched together.  “Breathe slowly Neil.”  She demonstrated how she 
wanted him to do it. Neil did his best, meanwhile Alice was giving him and injection 
for the pain that the Doctor had left for him in case something like this happened.  
Alice kept breathing slowly and evenly with Neil until the medication took the edge 
off the pain and he could breathe better without help.
   “I’m doing better now Alice.  Thank-you.”  Neil said haltingly.
   “Alright Neil.”  Alice answered.  “Next time tell me before thee feel so badly.  
Thou knowest as well as I do, that if the medication is taken at the onset it will 
work more effectively.”
   “I’m sorry Alice.  I had other things on my mind.”  Neil turned his head away 
from both Alice and Christy.  
  “I see.”  Alice looked troubled, peering over her shoulder at Christy.  “Is 
everything alright?”
   “Neil’s worried about me and the baby.  He’s afraid something bad may happen 
to us.”  Christy confided. While placing her hand on her tummy.  
   “What do you want me to do Neil?  Or would thee rather speak to David?  What 
can any of us do to help you?”
   “I don’t know Alice!”
   “Do you have any idea who may have done this to you?”
   “I only saw the boy.  I never saw anyone else.”
   “Did you hear them talk, that you might recognize the voice?”
   “All I heard was a man and a boy.  The man said ‘He didn’t care if your ma 
lived or died so why should I care…’  That’s all I heard.”
   “Is there a woman out that way that you treated recently?  One that could have 
died later?  Someone who would have a son around that age?”
   “I can’t remember Alice!”  Neil was frustrated.  “Maybe in a few days…Keep 
Christy away from the cabin!  I don’t want her near there, at least not alone!  
They know where I live.  Do you hear me Alice!?!
   “I’ve lost my instruments, my medicines, my horse!  How will I ever replace 
all that living here with hardly any income!?  I can not lose my wife and child 
as well!!”
   “I hear thee Neil, I will not let thy wife go near your cabin unattended!  
Thy wife will be safe here at the mission.  
   “Remember Neil, God will provide!  Keep your faith in God and God alone!  He 
will provide for thy every need.”  Alice soothed.  “Rest now Neil.  Thee are 
injured far worse then thee realize.”
   “I won’t leave you Neil!  I want to be here with you.  My place is here by 
your side.  Our home is too lonely without you anyway!” Christy comforted.  
“David and Alice are here…Besides Alice is the best shot around!”  Christy 
chuckled!
   Neil smiled a small weak smile, at last.  “Alright, I can rest at ease…for now!”
   Alice turned and left.
   “Neil please get some sleep now sweetheart.  I’ll stay right here by your 
side, I promise!”  Christy added.
   Neil placed his hand on Christy’s cheek.  Tears in his eyes.  Christy turned 
her face and kissed his hand.  “Sleep Neil…”  Christy said.
   Neil held tightly to Christy’s hand.  He still had a strong grip on it even 
when he was asleep.  Christy prayed and dozed while he slept.

In a few short days some of Neil’s questions would be answered…


   Christy heard a horse whinny and the sound of wagon wheels outside the window.  
Neil had loosened his grip on her hand.  Christy rose and opened the double doors 
to the balcony from the room that had once been hers at the mission.  Peering out 
the door just to make sure it was safe.  ‘Neil would want me to do that’ she told 
herself.  
   She looked at the man in the wagon and rubbed her eyes!  “Daddy!?!”
   William Huddleston looked up at Christy with a broad smile.  “Daddy you’ve got 
Duke!  Where did you get him!?!”
   After William was settled in a room at the mission, they visited in Neil’s room.  
   “David phoned me to tell me of the ‘accident’.  He told me the extent of the 
problem.  I thought being a lawyer I could help you better as such, then as a worried 
father.  So I traveled to El Pano.  David told me that you lost your horse.  I 
thought the best place to look for him would be at the Horse Auction.  So that’s 
where I found Duke.  I know the name of the man who sold him at the auction.  I 
thought I’d get information from you before I proceed with anything further.
   “The wagon is a present from us to you for your family.  You’ll need the room 
as your family grows.  Since Duke is not a draft horse we got the horses as well.  
Then you have a horse for Neil and a wagon for your family.  This is a present for 
our future grandchild, and grandchildren.
   “Neil I know you also lost your medical supplies.  You are our son now.  We have 
more than enough and we want to buy you whatever you need.  I know it might be hard 
for you to accept, Neil.  But I’m your father now too and I want to help you.  You 
don’t have to tell me right now, I want you to think and pray about it for awhile.”
   “William you are very generous, but…” Neil started.  “I’m not sure what I want to 
do right now.  I may have to move Christy and the baby away from here…”
   “Just think and pray about it for awhile…all of it!”  William implored.
   “I already know who had your horse.  That’s a place for me to start with my 
investigation.  I’ll go to the authorities in El Pano next.  Just to let them know 
what I’m doing.  But I’ll leave you alone for now.  I’ll be back later.”  William 
patted Neil’s shoulder, hugged Christy and left the room.
   There was silence in the bedroom.  A deafening silence.  Neil stared at the ceiling 
his jaw muscles taut.  A tear ran down from his eye to his ear.  His fists were 
clenched at his sides.  Christy knew he did not want her to say anything right now.  
Not until he spoke first.  Christy watched the tears well up and overflow one by one.  
But still he did not speak.  All this anxiety on top of everything else he had been 
through this week!  Christy’s heart broke for Neil.  She prayed silently and hoped Neil 
was doing the same.  The Baby was moving around excessively but Christy knew she 
dared not even bring that up right now…the silence went on.
   After what seemed like an eternity Neil spoke.  “Christy…I appreciate what your 
parents are trying to do.  I know they are only trying to help, but I’m beginning 
to feel like I’m being treated like a ‘hillbilly’ again!  Just a few short days ago 
I thought I could take care of you and the baby!  Now after losing so much in such 
a short period of time…I don’t know if I can!  At least not here…”
   “Neil, why don’t we just let Daddy try to find out who did this first.  That’s 
our top priority.  Keeping all of us safe.”  Christy paused.  “We can deal with the 
rest when you’re feeling better. ‘We can do all things through Christ which 
strengtheneth us’ remember that Neil, please!”  Christy reached out for Neil’s 
hand.  She kissed it tenderly.  Then she kissed him on the cheek.  He finally 
turned to look at her.  “I love you Neil.  We can do anything!  We can overcome 
anything as long as we are together!  You are the man of this, or I mean *our* 
house.  You are the head of our home.  Whatever you say we will do and be obedient.  
I just want to know if I can give my opinion on something?”
   “What is it?”  Neil inquired.
   “Remember how we wanted to make it 4 generations of MacNeill’s to be born in 
our cabin?  I really would like you to wait until you are up and about again 
before you make any final decisions.  Pray often about this, PLEASE!  As long 
as we’re together I will be happy.  I love you.  I will follow you anywhere!”
   “I love you too Christy!”  Neil was looking at her with a look of love in his 
eyes.  
   “I better go eat Breakfast and leave you rest.  I’ll be back soon with your
 breakfast.”  Christy said.  “Rest now!”
   “Rest, rest, rest!  You sound like a broken record!”  Neil winked.  “Maybe I 
should pray, pray, pray instead!”  Neil commented.
   “Whichever you decide!  I’ll be back after Breakfast!”  Christy left.
   Christy met with Alice, David and her Dad for Breakfast.
   “David,” William began.  “Tell me exactly what you saw the day of the shooting.”
   David proceeded to relate the events of that day to William as he had seen and 
heard.  
   “So we have a witness,”  William said a note of satisfaction in his voice.
   “You will also want to speak to Jeb and John Spencer.  They were working on 
fixing their wagon wheel in that area at the same time.  They may have seen 
something also.”  David added.
   “David would you take me there later?”  William asked.  “I want to gather as 
much evidence as I can.  We can only make a case against this man if we have 
enough evidence.  I’ll wait a few more days before I speak with Neil again about 
this; I’ll give him some time to recuperate.”
   “Is there anything I can do Daddy?”  Christy asked.
   “Yes!  Take care of Neil!  Love him!  Take care of that baby!”  William laughed 
softly.  “You better start by feeding Neil his breakfast!”  
   Christy gasped, “Oh my gosh!”  She jumped up and raced for the kitchen.  She 
had forgotten that Neil needed to eat yet!  How could she have forgotten!!  Leaving 
that poor wounded man lying there suffering from hunger!!
   Back upstairs…with Neil’s breakfast this time…Christy put on a huge smile as 
she entered Neil’s room.  He was awake and smiling.  “Breakfast is served my 
love!”  Christy sang.
   “I’m famished!”  Neil exclaimed.
   “I’m sorry I took so long to bring your breakfast up here.  Daddy was talking 
to David about the shooting.  David saw the man that did it!  He’ll be a witness 
for you.”  Christy started to feed Neil.  “They’re going to speak to Jeb and John 
right now.  Maybe they saw something too.”
   “Christy I want to know the name of the man who sold Duke at the auction.  
I want to know if it’s anyone I know.  I have to know who might have done this, 
if I can figure out why he might have tried to kill me.”
   “Are you sure you can handle that right now Neil?”  Christy worried.  
   “I’m worrying anyway!  I might as well have an idea in my mind of who might 
have done it and then maybe I can think of why.”  Neil replied.  
   “I’ll ask Daddy when he gets back.”  Christy added.  “For now though you 
should be getting your rest.”  Christy gave Neil a peck on the cheek.
  “Is that the best you can do?”  Neil said slyly.
   “No, but I’m afraid that’s all you can handle for now my dear!”  Christy 
giggled.  She was so happy to see a twinkle in Neil’s eyes again.  To see at 
least a glimmer of the man she loved so very much.  Christy got up to leave. 
Neil grabbed her arm.  “I love you Christy!”  He smiled, but the pain was 
getting worse again.  Christy could tell, not only in his voice, but also in 
his face and his eyes.  “I love you too Neil!  I’ll send Alice up.  I can see 
the pain in your eyes again my love.”
   “Yes, I guess it is getting pretty bad.  I hate to take medication!  It makes 
me sleep too much!”
   “Doctor’s are the worst patients!”  Christy smiled.  “Besides…sleeping more 
is the point!  You NEED TO REST!!  I’ll be back later.”
   “There she goes again with that blasted 4 letter ‘R’ word!!!”  Neil joked.

   Neil slept until after lunch.  About 6 hours.  Christy was sitting on a chair 
outside on the balcony, praying when Neil awoke.  He watched and listened as she 
prayed so fervently for him.  That the Lord would guide his decisions that he would 
be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading…that her heart would be in whatever decision 
Neil made.  “I want to stay here Lord.  You led me here, Neil loves these people!  
But if you lead us away from this mountain, please make my heart receptive to it.  
I want to look forward to what lies in our future.  I don’t want to be resentful 
or angry.  I want to be a loving obedient wife.  Help me Lord, please!  I love Neil 
more than I love my own life, I don’t want to see him hurt.  Please don’t let him 
become angry or resentful toward the man who shot him.  Neil is precious to me; I 
want to be an excellent wife to him.  Please help me to do what you would have me 
do in my marriage.  Please help Neil to forgive the people who did this to him.  
And Lord, if I have not truly forgiven them I ask you to help me do the same.”  
Neil could hear Christy crying quietly.  
   “Christy?”  Neil said softly.  
   Christy turned to face Neil.  “Good afternoon sleepyhead!!  Are you hungry?”
   “Yes, very!”  Was Neil’s anxious reply.
   “I’ll be right back with your dinner!”  Christy kissed Neil’s forehead.

*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       
   After Neil had eaten.  Christy gave him the name that her dad had given her.  
The man that had sold Duke at the auction.  Jedidiah McGlynn.  
   “Christy, I know Jed from going on my rounds, but I honestly didn’t know his 
wife was ailing!!  If they don’t fetch me, how am I supposed to know that they are 
sick!  He’s a feuding man.  He still believes in the old ways.  He’d rather shoot 
you than speak to you.  I don’t fully understand, but I could see him doing something 
like this.”
   “Neil, I feel that we should pray for Mr. McGlynn.  He needs God’s love and 
forgiveness.  I love you so very much Neil!!  I hope this doesn’t hurt you, but 
I feel sorry for Mr. McGlynn!  How would you feel if I died?  I know it wasn’t 
your fault that she died, but he’s distraught and lonely.  He’s lost the love of 
his life and he’s so desperate that he’d try to kill someone to feel he’s made 
up for that void in his life!!”  Christy’s voice caught in her throat.  
   Neil had a tear in his eye.  “I am sorry for holding on to unforgiveness!  I 
never thought to look at things from his point of view before!  I can’t imagine 
what I would do if you…I can’t even say it!!”
   “Let’s pray Neil.”  Christy offered.  They prayed for Mr. McGlynn, for 
forgiveness.  Also that the Lord would work on his heart and that he would surrender 
his life to the Lord.  They prayed that Mr. McGlynn would turn himself in.  When 
they were finished, Neil’s heart was set free from unforgiveness!  He felt free 
again.  Christy did too, and it was wonderful to see the sparkle in Neil’s eyes again!!
   “Oh Neil!!  You look so much happier now!  There’s a twinkle in your eye!!  
Unforgiveness is an awful thing isn’t it?  It takes more out of us than we ever 
realize!”  Christy said enthusiastically.
   “The pain in my chest isn’t as bad either.”  Neil commented.  “Unforgiveness 
can even make pain more intense!”
   “Neil, something you said this morning has been gnawing at me.”  Christy started.
   “What is it Christy?”  Neil asked.
   “You said you feel like you’re being treated like a ‘hillbilly’ again.  Is that 
because of my parents?  I know they don’t view you that way!  They look on you as 
a son!  I hope I’m not doing anything to make you feel that way!!  In my eyes you 
are richer then my dad.  You are a brilliant man who has sacrificed a life of 
material wealth to do the Lord’s work for the people that he loves.  People can 
be narrow-minded Neil.  Just because you live here in Cutter Gap doesn’t mean 
you aren’t a top-notch surgeon and physician!  You are, I know you are!  Even if 
I don’t have the stomach for ether, doesn’t mean I don’t think you are the very 
best at what you do!!  Living out here, you get your hands on the latest medical 
journals the latest medications as soon as you possibly can!   I know for a fact 
that you keep up on the latest techniques more readily then any city Doctor!!  
Just look at the progress you made in your Trachoma research!!  Becky would be 
blind right now!  I’m very proud of you Neil MacNeill M.D.!!  I wouldn’t exchange 
my life with you for anything!”  Christy’s voice caught in her throat.  “I love 
you more than words can say!  You are an extraordinary man Neil MacNeill!  I have 
ever confidence that you will provide for us.  Like Opal says about the other 
mountain men, ‘There ain’t nothing these men cain’t do once they set their mind 
to it’ I believe that about you with all my heart and soul!!  If it takes us 
awhile to get back on our feet, I don’t care!  As long as we are together Neil, 
that’s all that matters to me!!  Just you, our son and I!”
   “Thank-you Christy!  I wouldn’t exchange my life with you for anything either!  
I’m being stiff-necked and proud.  I think I will let your parents get the medical 
supplies that I need.  If it were my parents offering I would accept, so I must accept 
from your parents, my new parents as well.”  Neil stated.  “If you don’t mind Christy 
Rudd Huddleston MacNeill I think I’d like to stay here.”
   Christy smiled broadly at Neil.  “I love you!”
   “Did you say ‘son’!?!”  Neil exclaimed.
   “I did,” Christy started.  “I don’t think is was a revelation from God, but that’s 
how I feel.”
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
    Christy and Neil had a wonderful afternoon discussing things and Christy read 
Neil the news from a newspaper.  A knock at the door startled Christy and Neil.  
“Come in” Christy almost sang.  
   “I’m not interrupting anything am I?”  William said.  
   “No, Daddy!  Please come in!!”  Christy reached for her dad.  “Neil and I have 
talking and praying for Mr. McGlynn.  We prayed for forgiveness, even that he would 
turn himself in.  Neil is feeling much better now Daddy!  Do you see the sparkle in 
his eyes again?”  
   “As a matter of fact I do!”  William laughed.  “You look healthy and happy 
my boy!”
   “I feel more like it then I did!”  Neil chimed in.  “I will be so glad when I can 
finally sit up again!!  I’ve been on my back for so long I can’t tolerate it anymore!  
I’ve never been one to sleep on my back!  I’ll be glad to get home to my own bed!
   “William, I’m sorry I was angry with you this morning.  It’s hard to be cheerful 
lying here like this!  But it was still wrong of me.  Christy and I have decided to 
accept your generous offer of medical supplies.  I won’t be sure exactly what I need 
until I can get back home and check my stock.  But I want you to know that I am very, 
very grateful for all that you are doing for my family and I.”  Neil tried to steady 
his feelings.    “I couldn’t have asked more of my own parents.”
   “Neil, we look on you as our son, if you ever need anything don’t hesitate to come 
to us for help.  We realize that you could be practicing medicine anywhere you wanted!  
But you chose to stay here and help people that need you the most, not the people 
who can pay the most.  Think of it as our offering to God toward His people.”  
William finished.
   “I suppose that could be a way of looking at it William.  I never thought of it 
that way before.  Thank-you.  Isn’t it getting time for you two to eat?”  Neil added.
   William took out his pocket watch and looked at the time.  “By George it is 
getting to be that time again!  I’ll leave you two alone for now and I will see 
you downstairs Christy when you arrive for Supper.  Neil, my boy, I will see you 
in the morning!  Good night, Neil.”  William turned and left.
   “Oh Neil!!  I love you!  I’ll be back as quickly as I can with your supper, I 
promise!  Do you want me to bring you anything else?”  Christy inquired.  
   “Just my Bonnie Lass!  I couldn’t ask for more!!”  Neil smiled that special 
smile of his for Christy.  
   “Neil MacNeill!”  Christy chided.  “You need to rest!…I’ll be back as soon as 
I can.”  She gave Neil a peck on the cheek and left.  

*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       
   While Neil ate Christy talked.  “I am so glad that you came back to us again!!  
I can’t tell you how very happy I am!!  I only wish I had been here when you opened 
your eyes!!  That would have been a glorious sight to behold!!  I’m so sorry I 
scared you!  I had no idea that you may have thought I was riding behind you that 
day!”  
   “I forgive you my love.”  Neil consoled.  “I’m glad everything is improving 
everyday.”  
   Neil was in pain again when he had finally finished his meal.  “I’ll get Miss 
Alice.”  Christy said.  
   After Christy left to get Alice, Neil prayed that things would continue to 
improve, not only for him but also for all of them. That God would lead them and 
guard them…  

   Miss Alice and Christy returned.   “I hear thee are having some discomfort
 Neil.”  Miss Alice said.  I think I should listen to thy lungs and check thy 
pulse before I give thee anything.” 
   “If you want to check my pulse you better ask Christy to step out into the 
hall!”  Neil winked at Christy!  “It will be racing like a race horse as long 
as she’s in the room!”  
    “I’ll take my chances Neil.”  Miss Alice said with a smile.  “I’ll need to 
check you temperature as well.  If you’re not a cooperative patient I will flip 
you over and take your temperature by an alternate method!!”  
   “Alice you wouldn’t!!!!!”  Neil was shocked.  
   “Just try me Neil MacNeill!!”  Alice laughed!!  “It’s the one defense I have 
against uncooperative patients!  Like you may become unless I get the upper hand 
right from the beginning!”
   “Yes, ma’am!!”  Christy thought she saw Neil blushing!!  “I think you’re 
enjoying being the one standing over me!  In fact I think you are enjoying it a 
little *too* much!!”
   Christy couldn’t help but laugh!  It was fun to see Neil more like himself 
again!  The banter between these two friends was hilarious…She was so thankful 
to be able to speak with Neil and laugh and enjoy her husband, when in all 
reality he should have been gone, if not for God’s grace and protection!
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       
   2 days later…
   The morning dawned bright and beautiful!  How wonderful it felt to be able to 
wake up having forgiven Jedidiah McGlynn!  Christy just couldn’t wait to see Neil 
this morning!!  She hopped out of bed and raced to Neil’s room.  
   The sight of his young wife at daybreak always made Neil’s heart thrill!  He 
had been awake for a while already.  Praying and thanking God for his health and 
the health of Christy and the baby, for forgiveness, for cleansing him of 
unforgiveness…for everything he could think of!!
   “You’re still the most beautiful sight I have ever seen!”  Neil told Christy.  
   “Well Good morning to you too my love!!”  Christy came over to the side of Neil’s 
bed.  She picked up his hand and kissed him gently on the lips.  “Today the 
stitches come out!!  Maybe then you’ll be able to sit-up after that!!  It’s 
going to be wonderful when you can be home with us again!!  I am so looking forward 
to our all going home again!!  Working on the baby’s room together!  Oh Neil!!  
It’s so wonderful!”  Christy was all excited about starting life over again with Neil.  
   “I’m excited too Christy, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  I haven’t 
even been allowed to sit up yet!  It will be awhile before the Doctor will allow 
me to go home Christy.”  Neil sounded sad.  “I want to go home too but I just 
don’t see that happening for awhile.”  
   “I know Neil.  I was just trying to sound hopeful!  I’m enjoying being with 
you everyday.  I’m just anxious to be home.  Your son is due in a month and a 
half and I haven’t gotten much done at home to get ready for his arrival!  I’m 
so glad that you are doing better!  I couldn’t be happier with the way things 
have been going!  I’m beginning to start thinking like a mother I guess!”  
   Neil smiled broadly! His heart skipped a beat at the thought of being a 
father soon.  “I had forgotten how long it would be!  Or should I say how 
short a time it would be!”  Neil couldn’t stop smiling when he looked at Christy 
and her growing tummy filled with the new life they had been blessed with!  “I 
only wish I could be more help to you now when you need it; just before the baby 
is born.  I know you have help from Ruby Mae, Miss Alice, David and your father, 
but I wish I could be the one to be there for you.  I’m beginning to feel like an 
invalid!  I cannot do anything for myself!  I can’t even feed myself.”  
   “Well, then you’ll have ‘bird’s-eye’ view of what our son’s life will be 
like at first!!”  Christy joked.  
Neil wasn’t greatly impressed with the joke, but he laughed anyway.  
   “I suppose I should rustle us up some grub!”  Christy teased!  “I’ll get 
dressed and then I’ll get us something to eat!”  She gave him a peck on the 
forehead.
   Neil wouldn’t let go of her hand.  “What’s going on?”  Christy looked puzzled.  
Neil pulled her close to him and said, “Kiss me like you mean it!  It’s been 
so long!!”  Christy complied, but was worried that it would hurt him.  He didn’t 
seem to mind!!  In fact the smile on his face told her otherwise.  
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *          
   “Neil my boy!”  William called cheerily as he entered his son-in-law’s room.  
“How are you on this bright beautiful morning?”
   “Anxious for the Dr. Davis to arrive!  I’m hoping after the stitches are 
removed I’ll be able sit-up at least!”  Neil confided.  “William, how is 
Christy doing?  I know she’s cheery in here and she tells me everything is 
fine, but I still worry.”
   “As far as I can tell, she’s been the same with us as she is in here.  
I haven’t noticed any change in her.  Other than the size of that baby of yours 
that is!”  William laughed.  “That has got to be a big *boy* growing in there!”
   “Is that ‘Grandpa’ wishing out loud?”  Neil teased.  
   “I guess maybe it is!”  William chuckled.  “My wife would have the ‘vapors’ 
if she heard us talking like this!!  She’s very ‘sensitive’ but such ‘delicate’ 
matters!!”  William and Neil laughed.  “My wife doesn’t know what these mountain 
women go through while they’re in the ‘motherly-way’!  In the city well-to-do 
women are pampered and treated more like babies than the babies themselves!!  I 
think the mountain women are healthier too.”
   “You know William, I think you’re right.”  Neil agreed.  “But Christy is only 
just becoming a ‘mountain woman’ she wasn’t raised here all her life.  Like the 
women that you see all around.  I pray that everything will go well for her.  
That she will have a fast, easy labor and delivery.  I pray that each morning 
and each night for Christy.  I don’t want anything to go wrong.  I don’t know 
what I’d do if…”  Neil wouldn’t leave himself say what he was thinking.
   “Neil,” William began while he looked out the balcony doors at the Mountain 
View.  “I know my daughter is from the city.  But she’s been practicing to be a 
mountain woman her whole life!  Her mother always wanted her to be a prim and 
proper young lady, dressed in frilly laces and satins!  But Christy hated it!!  
She wanted to be rough and tumble.  She wanted to play in the mud, to walk in 
the rain, to play baseball, to (and don’t tell her I told you this) to eat 
worms!  Oh I thought her mother would die of a heart attack when she caught 
Christy doing that!!  She wanted to be a boy in the worst way!  Always defying 
her mother’s orders to be a ‘lady’!  She wasn’t defying them deliberately!  She 
was just trying to be herself!…Yes, my daughter was meant to live here!  She was 
meant to live this kind of life!  Even if her mother didn’t see it that way!  I 
knew she was right to want to come here.
   “From the first time I saw you Neil, I knew that Christy was meant to be with 
you.  You have the same fire inside for these people, and these mountains, and 
this way of life that my daughter has.  You could have done anything; you could 
have been a Doctor anywhere.  But you chose to come back here.  That’s the same 
passion that my daughter has.  She can’t stand to see these people suffer, but 
yet, she can’t stand to leave them.  There’s a force, the power of God, which 
holds her here.  Your name and hers are written in this land Neil, it’s in your 
blood!  It’s a part of you!  I admire you both for that.”  William said 
expressively.  
   “I thank-you William.”  Neil answered.  “I know what you mean about Christy.  
I feel the same way.  Christy was meant to live here, I just know it.  She’s a 
mountain woman at heart.  There’s a pull for her to stay here.  Christy…”
   Christy came in to Neil’s room.  “Did I hear someone mention my name in here?”  
Christy raised an eyebrow.  “I do hope you men are being kind, while you’re 
talking behind my back!”  She teased.
   “Were we being kind, William?”  Neil winked at William.
   “No, should we have?”  William joked.
   “Alright you two!!”  Christy chided.  “What did you say about me while 
I was gone?”
   Neil took her hand.  “We were discussing how wonderful you are for me and
for the people here.  And William agrees with you that the baby is a boy…how’s 
that for truthfulness?”  
   “I suppose I believe you!  If you two are in cahoots with each other I don’t 
stand a chance anyway!  Did Daddy tell you all of my deepest darkest childhood 
secrets?”
   Neil thought about the worms, “Maybe not such deep ones, but he did cover the 
’dark’ ones!!“  William snorted trying to hold back a huge laugh.  
  “I think I had better go now.”  William said as he headed out the balcony door.  
Neil and Christy could hear him laughing hysterically outside. 
   “Neil MacNeill!  Have you been doing things behind my back that I should know 
about?”  Christy looked perturbed.  
   “I’m sorry my love!  We were just having a wee bit of fun that’s all!  He told 
me some things about you as a little girl…I miss that, not seeing you as a girl, 
a little girl.  I wish I had known you then.  To grow up with you here in the 
mountains, to have you as my sweetheart from the time we were wee ones.  I would 
have been the envy of all the boys in the cove!”  Neil said, a note of pride in 
his voice, “In some ways I am now.”
   “Come on then, let’s have breakfast.”
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
   “Is the Dr. Davis here yet?”  Neil kept asking Christy all day.  
   “For the umpteenth time Neil, ‘No’ he’s not!”   Christy felt bad for losing 
her temper.  “I’m sorry my love, I know how much you’re looking forward to his 
coming today.  But you know how it is, sometime you have an emergency and you get 
called away.  He’ll be here when he gets a chance, I’m sure!”  Christy brushed 
back the stubborn red curl that loved to lie on Neil’s face!  

   A knock at the door interrupted their conversation.  “May I come in?”  David 
asked.  
   “By all means!  Have a seat!”  Neil said.  “I need all the help I can get to 
pass the time!”
   “I have to tell you something…you’ll never guess who came to visit me today?”  
David was wearing a half-grin on his face.  
   “I can’t imagine!”  Christy said, smiling at the look on David’s face!
   “Jedidiah McGlynn!”  Neil and Christy both gasped.  “I saw him coming and I 
got my gun, told Alice to have hers ready as well.  He had his shotgun in his 
hand when he rode up.
   “He said, ‘I hear the Doc is getting better?’,  I said, yes he is, but no one 
is allowed to see him.  
   “Jedidiah said:  ‘I don’t want to see him.  I came to speak to the preacher.’
   “I told him who I was.  And He replied, ‘I come to give myself up.’  He handed 
me his gun!!  He told me to lock him up and call the authorities in Lyleton to 
come pick him up!  William is talking with him now out in the shed!  
   “Do you believe it!?!  God is so good!  He even handed Jedidiah over to the 
authority!!”  David was so excited that he practically danced around the room!  
   Christy giggled and Neil felt a weight lift off his shoulders!  Now his 
family would be safe!  If God had protected all of them this entire time He 
would certainly continue to do so.  
   “I just had to come and tell you the good news!  It’s so exciting.  William 
has been doing his investigations and I suppose McGlynn was afraid he was getting 
too close.  He’s probably one of the deep woods people who still think Doc is 
all alone in the world and therefore no one would notice or care that he was 
gone for awhile…I’m sorry Neil!  I didn’t mean that the way it sounded!”  David 
apologized.
   “That’s alright David, I know what you mean.  Before I got saved that’s the 
way life was for me.  But they don’t know the new creation that God has made 
from me…Or that I now have a family and friends who care about me.”  Neil 
squeezed Christy’s hand softly.  A tremor in his voice.  

   “Dr. Davis is here” Alice announced from the door.  
   “Alice tells me you are becoming a difficult patient Dr. MacNeill?”  The 
Doctor teased Neil.
   “Just tired of lying on my back Doc!”  Neil replied.  “Do you think I’ll 
be able to sit up today.”?
   “I’m sure you will Neil!”  Dr. Davis stated.  “But I have to warn you 
that it won’t be easy at first.  When you’ve been fl