“We can’t seem to do it without getting close to being burned anymore,” said Jim.

“It was an experimental process to begin with,” said Artemus, “Maybe it only worked for us before, because Loveless had enabled it for himself. He might have changed the properties of the painting at some point.”

“I don’t see when he would have had the chance,” said Jim, “We’ll just have to tell Grant that Loveless escaped us once more, though this time I don’t think he’ll be back.”

What neither of them knew was that Victoria and Audra had immediately removed the painting and thrown it into the fireplace, started a roaring fire, which consumed the painting slowly as its thick sturdy frame was burned through for most of the night. James West and Artemus Gordon returned to other duties, occasionally resorting to the speed formula, but never again attempting time travel.

On Abraham Lincoln’s earth, Miguelito Loveless married Victoria Barkley and established himself as a legitimate scientist. He earned vast sums of money rapidly and took Victoria to live with him in a house of his own, leaving Audra the sole resident of the Barkley Ranch, which was run by a hired manager employed by Heath before his departure. The manager lived in the bunk house, which kept good employee relations up between him and the many hard working employees who worked the land.

One day, Audra Barkley finished her teaching schedule for the day, and asked her favourite student named Zeb a question which she had never posed to another student before.

“Would you like to go for a picnic with me on Sunday?”

“Yes, Miss Barkley,” said Zeb.

“Can you get out of home and meet me here?” she asked, counting on the boy’s desire to keep his obvious crush on her unknown to his family.

“Yes Miss. I’ll just say I’m coming to school to get something I left here. I’ll leave something here today, so that it’s true. I won’t tell anyone that I’m meeting you for a picnic.”

“Good boy, Zeb,” said Audra.

Sunday came around and she was the only teacher to turn up to the school that day. Zeb was waiting for her, when she arrived with a picnic basket, and led Zeb out into a field behind the school. She spread the picnic rug and they sat down and began to eat their lunch together and then drank the water that Audra had prepared in small flasks. When Zeb had finished his drink, he suddenly shrank to tiny size.

“Miss Barkley, look what’s happened to me!” said Zeb.

“I know. I put some of my stepfather’s formula into your drink,” said Audra, picking the boy up, so that he found himself looking into her wide round cheeks, sparkling eyes and smiling lips, “I’ve given you a nice lunch today. I’m going to take you home with me, so that you can be a nice dinner for me to eat, Zeb. I’m going to gobble you down whole.”

“Miss Barkley! You’re my teacher. Are you sure it won’t hurt?”

“I’ll make sure that it won’t hurt you, but you’ll have to enjoy the afternoon while you can, little boy. I’m going to eat you all up.”