Three Godfathers

As the snowflakes began to swirl through the crisp winter air, Bob Sangster (a man with a heart as cold as the stone walls of his hometown) returned to New Jerusalem, his eyes fixed on the local bank. Accompanying him were an unlikely quartet: James "Doc" Underwood (a tubercular outcast whose philosophical soul was as worn as the soles of his boots), Sam "Gus" Bartow (an illiterate wanderer with a heart as rough as the desert landscape he traversed), and Pedro, a troubadour with a voice as smooth as honey. The group's presence in town was met with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, particularly when Bob ran into Molly, the object of his long-forgotten affections, who was now engaged to the very banker Bob had come to rob.

As tensions simmered beneath the surface, Bob's offer of a wedding present - his mother's treasured watch - only served to ignite the flames of passion and resentment. When he accused Molly of marrying Frank Benson for sentimental reasons rather than true love, her anger was as swift and merciless as a winter storm. The next morning, while the townsfolk were busy with their charity pie sale, Bob and his cohorts made off with the bank's contents, only to be pursued by an angry mob into the unforgiving desert landscape.

As they fled across the sandy dunes, Pedro fell victim to the hail of bullets, and Doc was left wounded and struggling to stay alive. In the blistering heat, the trio stumbled upon a poisoned water hole, its toxic waters as deadly as a viper's venom. With their horses succumbing to the poisonous liquid, Bob, Gus, and Doc found themselves forced to confront the harsh realities of their situation.

Their journey took an unexpected turn when they chanced upon the lifeless body of a man and later, at a dried-up water hole, a half-dead woman - Mrs. George Marshall - clutching her infant son. As she drew her final breath, she begged them to care for her child, but Bob's resolve was as unyielding as the desert rocks. Doc, however, refused to leave the baby behind, his compassion and loyalty as strong as the bonds that held the group together.

As they set out once more, only to discover that their horses had perished overnight from drinking the poisoned water, Bob, Gus, and Doc were faced with an impossible choice: turn back to New Jerusalem or risk everything by continuing on to the next water hole. In a last-ditch effort to conserve what little water remained, Bob divided up the last three cans of milk meant for the baby's sustenance, only to have Doc offer to buy back his share from the bank loot. Despite his weakened state, Doc took it upon himself to carry the infant, his determination as unshakeable as the desert sand beneath their feet. Gus, torn between loyalty and duty, ultimately chose to press on with the child, leaving Doc to succumb to his injuries, his spirit as indomitable as the desert itself.

As Doc takes his final breath, he bestows upon Gus one of his treasured books, a poignant reminder of their arduous journey. The desert silence is shattered by the haunting words "out, out, sweet candle" from Macbeth, as if the very spirits of the land were mourning the loss of this peculiar trio's leader. With Doc's passing, Gus and Bob are left to navigate the scorching expanse back to New Jerusalem, their footsteps heavy with grief and fatigue.

As they trudge along, Gus's sanity begins to unravel like a threadbare cloak, his thirst and heat-crazed mind causing him to stray into the desert, clutching Doc's book like a lifeline. Bob awakens from a brief respite, only to find himself face-to-face with a plea from Doc, imploring him to care for Gus as he would have wanted. Yet, Bob chooses to ignore this solemn duty, instead succumbing to his own selfish desires and abandoning the infant behind. However, when a rattlesnake slithers menacingly towards the child, Bob's conscience awakens, and he takes aim, saving the baby from certain doom before returning the precious drop of water to its rightful owner.

As they near their destination, Bob's physical strength wanes, his body wracked with exhaustion. He collapses mere miles from New Jerusalem, praying fervently for divine intervention on behalf of the innocent child. It is as if God has heard his plea, for soon Bob espies the treacherous poisoned water hole, its deadly effects guaranteed to claim his life within the hour. Undaunted, he drinks deeply, knowing that this mortal reprieve will grant him just enough time to stumble into town.

The sounds of Christmas hymns wafting from the church congregation serve as a mournful accompaniment to Bob's arrival in New Jerusalem. Staggering through the doors, he deposits the infant in Molly's waiting arms before succumbing to his own mortality. As the townsfolk gather around the lifeless form, the baby's tiny fist closes around Bob's watch, a poignant reminder of this man's selfless sacrifice. When a curious onlooker queries where Bob obtained this treasured timepiece, Molly's reply is a simple yet powerful truth: it belonged to his mother, a testament to the enduring bonds of family and the indelible mark left by those who have passed on.