Second Harvest - Page 121/146

Dix emptied one gun at Roy with bullets hitting his torso and dust flying off Roy's clothes where he was shot. Roy arrived at the place where he dropped the Winchester, so he fell down as if he were shot dead and grabbed the Rifle. As he rolled to the ground, Roy ratcheted the handle while keeping his finger on the trigger. Rounds pumped out with each ratchet of the handle in rapid succession hitting Dix in critical areas. Dix staggered backward, stumbling, and then fell to the ground. Roy jumped to his feet and continued pumping rounds into Dix as Roy staggered toward the man bleeding on the ground. As Dix attempted to sit up, Roy continued the pumps rounds in Dix.

Dix was holding his guns in each hand but his arms were outstretched. Weak, he was unable to lift his arms any further. When Roy ran out of ammunition, he pulled out his six-shooter and pointed it at Dix's head as he towered over the man's fallen body. Dix was struggling to breathe.

"Where'd you learn to shoot like that, farmer?"

"In the war, I killed a lot of Germans. But I made a promise to myself that I would never kill another man as long as I lived."

"I guess you'll have to finish me off then." Dix lowered the weapon in his right hand and pulled the trigger clumsily missing Roy's head.

Roy flinched but fired his gun at Dix, ending the man's life. The round struck Dix in the center of his chest, exploding his heart. Adrenalin had spread like wildfire within Roy's body, but when the Dixon war was finished, Roy dropped to his knees absorbing the pain from his own wounds. Finally, Roy rolled over and flopped to the ground. Sara got up and ran over to Roy scooping him into her arms.

"Roy Folsom, don't you die on me, you said you were going to marry me."

Roy struggled to focus on Sarah.

Sarah was both mad and deeply concerned because she loved Roy like no other.

"As crazy as this sounds, you're either the dumbest man I know or the bravest; perhaps both."

Roy smiled and said, "I love you, Sara Johansson. Will you still marry me?"

Sara fought back tears and looked down and saw Roy was bleeding in several areas. "Roy, you've been hit."

Roy tilted his head down and observed his wounds. Grinning, he looked up at Sara. "Ah, shucks Sara, this ain't nothing. I've been shot before. I'll live."

Through her tears, Sara said, "You better live Roy Folsom. You made me a promise."

"Oh, Sara, I don't think a wedding is going to happen this week?"