Lucinda always tried not to laugh at everything Wyatt said, because sometimes he didn't mean to be funny. Like now, when his humorous statement was only because he hadn't been paying attention. But she couldn't help laughing now. Thankfully Jacob had been paying a little more attention -- you wouldn't have known it -- and was able to straighten things out.

Jacob also congratulated her and Aurelian, which she hadn't expected. Men Jacob's age weren't always known for their manners.

"Thank you, Jacob," she said, giving him a grateful smile. "Even if we're only half as happy as you and Clara, we won't have anything to complain about." It was nice to see the young couple so happy, especially taking into consideration the circumstances of their marriage (which weren't widely broadcast, but she'd put bits and pieces of conversations with Clara and Aurelian together and had a pretty good idea of what had happened).

Seeing that the announcement had broken up the checker game, she suggested, "How about we eat now and the men can resume their game after supper?" Wyatt would probably appreciate being grouped in with the men, she thought.

@ [Flip Evergreen may swoop in whenever real life allows!

There were some of Case's men in the saloon along with a few of the Evergreen hands, drinking and playing poker, penny ante poker, just to keep it friendly. With Case gone, some were allowed into town, no more than three or four at a time with strict instructions as to their behavior, no drunkeness, no fighting nor gunplay. Toole had made that clear, and should anyone break the rules,  they could ride or or face Case whenever he returned.

Now the Evergreen hands had the same restrictions, not that Elias cared much, but Arlen Granger had laid down the law, it was not the time to be starting any trouble for any reason. There would be a plan soon enough about what they were going to do and how it was to be done. Elias would only make a decision, Grangers and Boone along with Bo Harker would be the ones to devise a plan of action once Elias made his wishes clear.

Though, on this evening the men were restless for some action, nothing that they would have to answer for there in town, but maybe some fun with some sod busting clod hopper on their way to their respective homes. So they spilled out into the street gathering up their horses and mounting up. There was little talk until they were outside of town a way when they stopped to discuss just what they might do and to whom, as there were several farms close at hand.

It was big Hosteen Grothe from the Evergreen who spoke up first; "There's a farm in the way of gettin' things done for my boss. Maybe we pay 'em a little visit. You know shake 'em up some, give 'em something to think about." There were eight of them and that would be more than enough for a little fun.

"Alright then, the big announcement has been made. I join my husband in congratulating you, father, and Lucinda of course. I think you both deserve all the happiness you can get," Clara declared.

"Now, shall we eat? Everything is ready. And that silly checkers match can always wait," Clara looked mostly at her brother when she said that part.

"Sure! I'm hungry anyhow," actually Wyatt was happy to quit the game, he knew he was losing not that he would admit it, "Better luck, next time, Jacob!" He grinned.

Once everyone was seated at the table, Aurelian spoke up, "Let's bow our heads in prayer. Lord, thank you for your bounty. Bless this family seated here. May your will be done."    A pause.      "Amen!"

Wyatt whispered to Jacob, "I like Pa's prayers better than the minister. His are nice n' short."

It didn't take long to reach the turn-off to the Redmon farm. Grothe raised a hand to halt the group. "How about we ride on, come up on the fields, maybe we set fire to 'em, oughtta burn."

"They've likely harvested, so they ain't no crops ta destroy." Leroy Logan said.

"No they ain't, but them dried stacks an' such'll burn right nice, an' then there's the barn, you know that'll go up right quick." Grothe replied.

"And the house?" Nate Vernon asked.

"Well now, the house." Knox asked. "Shoot the rats as they scurry out!" That caused a chuckle to ripple through the group.

"Hell, why not? I mean once we get things goin' good, all that'd be left would be the house." Pecos stated, "Best be careful, that Redmon can shoot, leastways that's what I heard."

Grothe smiled, daylight had already faded to dust, might as well do the job right, he was thinking. Crops, barn, house, in that order.

"You boys all got hoods? We circle out around to the back of the fields, half rides for the barn, the rest set the stalks and such a blaze while the other half tends to the barn." He ordered, "Then the house!"

After Aurelian's prayer, Lucinda began serving herself and passing dishes on so everyone else could have access to the food.

"I bet your grandmother makes your life very exciting," she commented as she passed a dish Jacob's way. That was a nice way of putting it. Nellie Miggins would make life unbearable for most people. "I ought to stop by and see her and Leonora every once in a while."

She hadn't spent much time around Leonora, who seemed to be -- no, it had to be her imagination -- Leonora wouldn't avoid her, would she? Surely not. There was no reason for her to. No matter. She should start spending more time with Leonora, who would end up being a relative by marriage very soon.

She beamed at the thought, directing her smile at Aurelian. Everything was perfect.

"You should hear my Granny say grace" Jacob told the lad "She takes the opportunity to snitch up all the sinners in the community to the Lord, and suggest imaginative ways He might want to punish them in Hades!"

Clara only winced but kept quiet. She did not like Granny but out of respect for her husband she would refrain venting any opinions on the old bitty at the table.

"I bet your grandmother makes your life very exciting," Lucinda commented as she passed a dish Jacob's way. That was a nice way of putting it. Nellie Miggins would make life unbearable for most people. "I ought to stop by and see her and Leonora every once in a while."

Now none of the Redmonds had seen Lenora in quite a long spell, well Wyatt didn't really even know her all that well.

"How is Lenora? I do recall hearing she was feeling very poorly but that was quite some time ago? Is she feeling better now?" Aurelian asked Jacob.

If the outlaws, and they surely were outlaws, were even aware of stealth they exhibited a great deal of it as they moved into their positions, the alcohol fueled quest to destroy overtaking common sense. Not that common sense was a strong point of any of them. But they were inventive enough to come up with makeshift torches for the crops as well as the barn.

For a moment they all focused on the farmhouse and the target it would provide for them when the field and the barn were ablaze, killing any and all inside, much as some of their number had done to other farms, but those farm attacks had happened in the middle of the night or the early morning hours before the sun rose.

Logan and Veron lit their makeshift torches and charged the bar,

It was Grothe who tossed the first 'torch' into the crops and watched as they caught fire, in moments the field was ablaze!

Knox and Pecos charged right after them, tossing their 'torches' after the others into the hay loft which caught immediately and spread quickly licking at the dry wood of the barn walls, as well as the loft floor as it burned through the ample supply of hay.

They spun their horse and drew their Winchesters from the saddle scabbard as Grothe and the others rode to the opposite side putting the farmhouse in the middle. In moments the field was fully engulfed, as was the barn, it was almost as bright as daylight save the light was an orange and yellow hue

.

It was the noises of the animals in the barn, the horses and the family's milk cow which first alerted the family at the table that something was wrong. As usual, the excitable young Wyatt was first out of his seat, opening the front door and looking wide-eyed at the barn beginning to burn!

"PA! Barn's on fire! Gotta save the animals!" the boy didn't wait for an answer but rushed out and straight toward the barn doors. The cow might  be a hard one to get her out of her stall, cows didn't like to vary any routines and it wasn't time for going outside to pasture. But the whinnying horses would be much more eager to bolt out.

Wyatt had just reached the door and was opening it when Aurelian was at the farmhouse doorway, only he had his Sharp's carbine in hand. Looking out the side kitchen window, Clara saw flames licking upward from the harvested corn stalks. This could be no accident.

"There's fire everywhere!" she cried out.

Aurelian knew this was no natural accident, what he'd always feared had happened, someone was attacking their homestead.