"Lucky" Reynard Hackling
† 6 October 1888
† 6 October 1888
It is with great sadness I have to report the death of “Lucky” Reynard Hackling. Of all the travelling companions I’ve had the greatest of pleasure in getting to know, Reynard was the very first. We met when we were both asked to go search for a mining magnate’s missing son (as immortalised in my dime novel, The Devil’s Flaming Contract, available from all respectable general stores). We have been great friends ever since.
There are so many things we have been through together, and some which could have been but now never will, and I’m deeply disappointed that the man who is so lucky he can escape certain death by the mere blink of an eye finally met his end. Reynard would always carry a deck of cards with him, and he was a very skilled poker player. Where he went, destruction came in his wake – for the enemies, that is. For his allies, he was always a wonderfully skilled combatant, even if no one could see it coming.
Thank you, Reynard, but this is not good bye, but rather another hello. I hope you, and your dog, will continue to be great friends and companions, even if your legendary luck finally ran out. Should your soul ever be thoroughly tainted, rest assured that I will kindly despatch you to the loving bosom of Heaven and take loving care of Scraps. Maybe he could be a deputy to Big Joe. I’m sure you’d both like that.
-- Mary Murphy
