“Mehitabel and Samuel had seven children of their own, three daughters and four sons. After Mehitabel died, their oldest, also called Samuel, inherited. He died within a week. Run over by a mail carriage. The next oldest son, fourteen when he inherited, fell down a well a little way down the street. Then the next—fire, I think, out in the barn. And finally the youngest boy, only six, trampled by a herd of cows being driven to slaughter.” Reid rubbed his hands together. “Then there’s the girls. Samuel’s daughters died in reverse order. The youngest died right after that little boy, as in the next day. The cause of death isn’t recorded. It probably wouldn’t have been, then. They buried her in the same grave, because they could. The middle daughter was shot in a freak accident as she was walk
