When You Were Young

They gathered in the reverend's tent after the sun went down and all the others had gone to sleep. "How long will this take? If my wife wakes up-"

"Do not worry, Mark. I can deal with your wife," Reverend Crane said. "I am sorry about the accommodations, but try to find a place to sit down." The four settlers sat on logs dragged into the tent while Pryde remained standing, picking his fingernails with the end of his knife.

"Now, my friends, we have come here because tomorrow Mr. Gooddell and his supporters will set out to make a compact with the savages. This we cannot allow if we aim to survive. The moment our backs are turned, the savages will murder all of us and enslave your wives to do their bidding."

The other men bristled at this. "No savage is going to lay a hand on my Helena," John said.

"Nor my Beatrice," Paul said.

"What do you propose we do, Reverend? The elders have given their permission. We can't go against them," David said.

"The elders have no authority here in the New World. The only law here is God's law," Reverend Crane said. "He will damn us all if we associate with these heathens."

The reverend waited for the murmurs of assent to settle down before he continued, "If we aim to carry out His will then we must intercept Mr. Gooddell and his party before they reach the savage village. We set upon them, kill them, and blame their deaths on the savages. Then no one-not even the elders-will disagree with the need to dispose of these vermin."

"Kill them?" Mark said. "You want us to kill Mr. Gooddell and the others? I can't do that. I've known Mr. Gooddell a good many years now and he's always been a kind man."

"I've also known Mr. Gooddell for several years now. He's a God-fearing man for sure. And that wife of his is in bad enough shape without making her a widow too," Paul said.

"Reverend, I fear this has gone too far. Perhaps there is some other way," David said.

"My friends, we cannot lose heart now. Mr. Gooddell may be a good man. He may be a God-fearing man, but he is doing Satan's work by negotiating with heathens. It is our duty as Christian men to do what we must to oppose this evil. He and any who follow him must be slain so that we do not stray from God's path." The four men shifted uncomfortably on their seats. "The Lord sacrificed his own son for our sins. How can we refuse to make this sacrifice for Him?"