Gift of Restitution: A Story for Christmas

Ling Loi, originally from Canton, China, fled to Minnesota with Luke McDaniels. While still in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain, they both escaped two scoundrels, Canadian-born Charley Jardine and American-born Tex Wilson, who trapped Luke into helping them abduct Ling Loi from a stagecoach. Luke abducted her again to free her from the Chinatown On Yick tong that owned her and Ah Chin, the On Yick hatchet man who imprisoned her in the Lundy brothel.
A year later, one aspect of their escape still plagues Luke’s conscience. Even though he made a point to take only what was owed him, and he left sufficient funds to cover the cost of anything he took from others without the owners’ knowledge or consent, there had been one exception. The second horse he planned to “buy” to assure a successful early winter escape was snatched away before his gaze. Another was left in its place. The ten gold half-eagles he allowed was less than the value of the horse available to him. He hated short-changing the owner, but Loi, now known as Joy, had been his first priority.
Joy, grateful she has been restored to the way of decency, senses that Luke needs his own restoration. Can she convince him to do what he must to enjoy peace at Christmas?