CHAPTER 4
The next day Sarah walked into town to speak to Hugh. Hugh was sitting at his desk when she knocked.
"Come on in."
"Good morning Hugh. I came to discuss wedding arrangements."
"Oh, very well. Where would Mary be?" "She does not have to be here." Sarah replied. "But, it is her wedding. I think-"
"Alright. The wedding is not all I wanted to talk about. Tomorrow is the wedding and I think your cousin, Jacque might try and stop it." Sarah warned.
"I knew I should have killed him while he was staying at your house." Hugh said, annoyed with himself.
"Yes, I know. But, isn't one death enough? Anyway, he shouldn't have been snooping around there that night in the first place."
"Well, I thought I had killed him, but that pesky foreigner must be as tough as a pirate. We're lucky he can't remember a thing from that night."
"But, oh, Hugh, what if he does remember!?" cried Sarah.
"By the time the amnesia wears off, if it ever does, Mary and I will already be married and it will be too late for Jacque. Don't worry mother."
"Alright Hugh. But if anyone finds out what happened. We're finished. We might as well sell the farm and move away. Or worse, can they put a women in jail?"
"Mother! Mother! I will take care of everything. Don't worry. Now where should the reception be tomorrow?" Hugh and Sarah discussed the wedding for a few minutes before Sarah left and went back to the prairie.

CHAPTER 5
Mary tried on her mother's old wedding dress that she would be wearing the next day.
''Mary, it looks beautiful. I'm so happy that you and Hugh are finally marrying."
Mary's expression saddened and she looked away from her mother. She had, for a few minutes, been pretending that it was Jacque she would be marrying the next day. ''Mother, have you ever loved someone that you knew you couldn't have?" Sarah looked at her daughter and wanted to tell her, "Yes Mary, I have! Your Uncle David. I have loved him since the day I met him." But Sarah knew that if she told her that, she would have to tell her everything.
"No Mary. I have only loved your father. Why do you ask?"
''Never mind. I did not mean to ask that." Mary and Sarah began baking the wedding cake in silence.
That night Sarah and John Gray went to bed anticipating a grand wedding the next day. John Gray's thoughts consisted of money and resting easy on the farm until he died of old age. Sarah's were far more complicated. She wanted nothing more than for her daughter to be happy. She also knew that if the truth about everything came out, Mary would never be happy.
In town, Jacque laid in a fit-full sleep, upset about Mary and knowing he had to do something but not knowing what. He awoke with a start realizing someone was in the room.
"Who's there!?"
Suddenly a slab of wood came down on Jacque's head knocking him unconscious. Hugh stepped back and then checked to see if Jacque was dead. He appeared to be and Hugh chuckled, happy that tomorrow the wedding would go on without any pesky interruptions. He thought to himself, "I will finally get David Gray's money. That guy should have never tried to cheat my father out of his farm."

CHAPTER 6 The Wedding
The organ played as Mary Gray came walking down the chapel aisle. Her father, John Gray held onto her arm tightly. Rev. John Hurley was standing next to Hugh at the altar. Mary was dressed in her mother's wedding dress. Sarah's eyes glistened with tears. Mary looked at Hugh and-tried to tell herself that Hugh was whom she wanted to marry. They came to the end of the aisle and John kissed her cheek and smiled.
"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to unite Hugh Gregory and Mary Sarah Gray in Holy Matrimony." Rev. John continued on. Mary gazed around the room, looking at the people of the town fanning themselves against the hot July air. She did not see Jacque.
As the Rev. asked if there was anyone in the chapel who protested against the marriage, the church door swung open and Jaeclue limped in. "I protest !" Yelled the thick accented foreigner. "Jacque! What areyou doing!?"Mary exctaimed. "Stopping you from marrying a greedy killer!" he replied.
The people of the church gasped and Sarah moved towards Jaeque. Hugh walked forward as well. Mary and John stood in disbelief
"Jacque! I swear if you don't get out of here you will regret it!" Hugh warned.
"Oh cousin. I will not regret a thing. I might be foreign but, I know that it is against the lawin America-to kill another humanbeing. Everyone! Our friend Hugh here is a killer! He murdered David Gray in order for Mary to inherit her uncle's money. His plan was to marry Mary and inherit David's fortune. It might have worked, if I hadn't been there. I saw him that night, in David's house as I was passing through town. I saw them fighting each other and I heard the scream. I ran for help, but Hugh saw me and hit me over the head (which, I might add, he has a strange fetish for). He dragged me out to the prairie where I laid unconscious. He thought I was dead. If John Gray had not found me I would have died and I would never have met Mary." He looked at her and gave a weak smile. His head was bleeding through the white bandana. He was a sore sight.
"Now wait just a God darn minute Jacque! I have no idea what you're talking about!" said Hugh. "Mary don't believe him!"
"Hugh, how could you kill my own husband's brother?" Sarah cried.
"Sarah! What are you talking about!? We're supposed to be in this together." Hugh said to her.
Sarah turned to John and assured him that it wasn't true. Hugh stared at her in disgust.
"But that's not everything! Last night Mr. Hugh Gregory proceeded to come into my room and hit me over the head with a block of wood, yet again! Dear cousin, it seems you have had a great deal of trouble killing me lately. I'm sorry. I would help you out but it seems I have something very dear to me to live for." Jacque's sarcastic tone turned to longing as he looked over at Mary. "Mary, I remember that night so clearly now. My memory is back. It took a knock on the head to get it here but it is as sure as sugar back. I love you Mary. Come with me!" Jacque held out his hand to Mary and she took it.
"Mary! You can't go! Please just stay here. You can marry Jacque if you want, just stay with me!" Sarah began to sob.
"You pathetic woman! Mary is mine and will continue to be mine forever. But, since we're on the subject of truths, why don't you tell everyone that you were the one who wanted to kill David in the first place." Hugh sneered.
Sarah looked up, tears streaming down her face and said, "It is true. I did want him dead. But only for your happiness Mary. And for yours John. John, I know you wanted to live a good and easy life which is what you deserve. I knew that David would not give Mary the money if he knew she was going to wed Hugh so I told Hugh to kill him before he found out. I only wanted your happiness as well as Mary's. But, there is something else. I should have told you both a long time a go. The fact is, the reason David left Mary his fortune is because she is his real daughter. Twenty years a go I fell in love with David Gray. He then got into all of that trouble with Hugh's father's farm. I knew that he would be a horrible husband and a dreadful father. I also knew that his lovely brother would make a darling husband and a loving father. So you and I married, John, and I never had the heart to tell either one of you the truth. When David found out that Mary was at the age to marry, he wanted his say in the choice of husband. I told him that it was not his decision and he threatened to tell the entire town that Mary was really his daughter. That night Hugh and I killed him. I was only trying to spare everyone this unhappiness. I'm so sorry Mary. I'm so sorry John. I'm so sorry." Sarah collapsed on to the floor and sobs continued to rack her body.
Hugh tried to leave but Jacque grabbed him. Everyone was still in shock from the words that had just been spoken.
"Hugh, how could you kill my uncle!? Or, should I say, my father?" Mary said as she glared at her mother.
Hugh started to speak but Sarah's choked voice rose up from the ground.
"Its because he wanted his money! And he knew that the only way he could get it was by marrying you, Mary."
"Greed, murder, lies. I used to think this town was so perfect and cozy. Now I know it was all lies and everyone is just money-hungry? Mary cried and ran out of the church doors. Jacque was at her heels.
The church slowly filed out as the people left to go home with their families where they would slowly and painfully talk about the event that had just taken place. John remained sitting in a pew watching his wife sob uncontrollably. Hugh was taken away by the Sheriff and the Rev. had taken his leave. John knew that at that moment he had just lost everything that he had cared about. Never had he ever wanted to leave Deer Lick as bad as he did right then.
The next night, as the sun went down, John was sitting on his front porch with his son on his lap. He did not know where his daughter or Jacque was. Sarah was in bed asleep. The Sheriff did not as of then, know what to do with her. A few minutes passed and the Rev. John Hurley came walking up to John's house.
"John," he said "I am so sorry about yesterday. I have a package for you from Mary. It was left in my office earlier today." He placed the package in his hand and walked away.
John slowly opened it up and read the letter inside.
Dear Father,
I have left with Jacque to travel to Europe. By the time you read this I will be out of Deer Lick. I wish things had been different. No matter what, I would like you to know, that you are my real and only father. Please take care of Tom. I would also like for you to have all of the money that Uncle David gave me in his will. In my mind, it is rightfully yours. I will write you as often as possible. Rest easy Father.
Love Always,
Mary Gray

Enclosed in the package was David's entire fortune. John looked at it and smiled. Never again would he let money get in the way of the more important things. He set the package down and looked at his son.
"Tom, how would you like to be a farmer like your dad? It's not an easy job. But it'll keep you out of trouble. What do you think?" he got up and held on to Tom's hand. They began walking along the prairie road.
"Rest easy Father. I would love to be." Tom replied. John Gray smiled for the second time that day.