the end

if you had to bury some one, you couldn't ask for a prettier day. the little cemetery in the papago village of queens well was on a little rise of ground with a net wire fence strung around it hung on mesquite posts. to this lonely little spot the  procession came from  the villages community building. the service for Ralston Allen had been brief. he had no known family, but a bunch of good people attended, friends that he had spent his brief life with .Eppie Moreno stood at the head of the grave , head bowed. he had been Ralstons best friend and boss. they had been close in the army while in viet nam.  to one side of the grave were a group of queens well elders. on the other side was coaly, his ribs wrapped and weak and pale, recovering from the knife wound inflicted by the bullit headed Mexican gangster he had choked to death. next to him Sam Bender leaned on a wooden cane, his ankle wrapped in a cast where the farmer had shot him, breaking his ankle. Sissy stood in front of them her head bowed with moist eyes.  her coarse black hair hung on each side of her damp face. the solom group hadn't uttered a word as Ralstons coffin was lowered into the sandy soil. SISSY STEPPED UP AS IT WAS LOWERED AND PLACING HER HAND ON THE TOP OF THE BOX WHISPERED A  SOBBING GOOD BY. Sam Bender nodded a word of thanks to the man who had saved coalies life. in the shoot out at the cozy spot.  Coalys shoulders shook in a silent sob. when the box reached the bottom of the grave everyone turned and walked back down the little rise, back to the village.  all the time through out the day sams hand held sissies hand in his. people assumed it was she who was supporting him, as she had fussed over him and coalie when they had been released from the hospital. but it was sam who was supporting her. the investigation into the shooting was still ongoing but it had become painfully clear that the bullit head had opened the ball when seeing coaly and had pulled his knife. the farmers activities had become spread  out to the public eye in the local news paper as the investigation continued.the FBI had taken over the investigation exposing the people in the local police force and the politicins on the farmers payroll. the crooked buyer of stolen cattle and fence for the counterfit money had disappeared into mexico just a hour before the FBI had raided his offices.
   Sam , coaly, and Sissy had returned to the ranch on the vekhol and were trying settle into a a quiet life. no longer were there large groups of illegal immegints tramping north. the desert wolves patrolled the papago, Mexican border. the united states border patrol patrolled the area on a regular basis.  after Ralstons services Eppi had given Sissy a envelope. in it was ralstons last wishes, giving his worldly posestions to his " sister". it amounted to 40 head of cattle that ran in the desert  around queens well.  Sissy had become more open with her affections toward sam. the silent unspoken word that existed between them now was now gone. the horror of the trip from Altar with the coyote,  the loss of her family there and her friends, tho not forgotten, had seemed to be dealt with.  she seemed at peace  with the world and content to spend her nights in Benders arms. and in turn Bender smiled more, and laughed with coaly at the little things that transpired around the ranch daily. what life had in store for the three people on the banks of the vekhol no one knew, but today it was a good life.