Crockett Archer is on his way to interview for the preaching position at a church in Piney Woods, Texas but he doesn't quite make it there. Silas Robbins, notorious for holding up trains but never harming anyone or taking large amounts of money, decides to hold up the train that Crockett is on after 16 years of laying low. It isn't money he's after this time though, it's the preacher! His daughter, Joanna, told him that she wants a preacher for her birthday the next day and he will do anything to make his daughter happy, yet again no one was harmed and this time no money at all was taken.
When Silas returns with a preacher Joanna can't believe her father actually kidnapped a man after he'd promised her mother that he'd quit robbing trains. Joanna and Crockett go for a walk so she can explain what this is all about, along the way being confronted by someone who claims to be her suitor pulls a gun on Crockett. They return to the ranch house and Joanna loans Crockett her horse so he can go into Deanville and catch a train and move on to Piney Woods.
Crockett gets to town and sends a telegram explaining he is safe and will catch the next train to Piney Woods. In the mean time the Sheriff finds out he's in town and tries to get him to press charges, Crockett refuses, and then he gets a wire telling him to meet one of the elders in Caldwell where he finds out they gave the position to the other applicant. Now what to do?
This is a novel but Crockett is one of the brothers from Short-Straw Bride and does find himself in some strange predicaments, some funny and some more serious. I liked this one even better than Short-Straw Bride, so much so, that I stayed 'awake' one night (morning) till 4:00 A.M. to finish it! You can't go wrong with a Karen Witemeyer book! !
I'm looking forward to reading this book. When a book keeps you up at night, it must be good!
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