“Well…tell us,” Kathy said from behind her.
“It’s a little scary,” Jake said. “I thought for a moment they were taking Mr. Brunson off in shackles. It made me feel pretty bad about the advice we gave him. But that didn’t happen.”
“So what are they doing with him?” Hannah asked, her concern still not abated.
“The game warden’s talking about a big fine at the least. He said there’s no excuse for this kind of thing.”
“Even with what happened?” Hannah felt indignation fill her.
“Grizzlies come first, I guess,” Jake shrugged. “You can’t shoot them unless they threaten life and limb. The game warden said he would have taken care of it.”
“Mr. Brunson already spoke to him about it.” Hannah felt her feelings grow stronger. “Did you tell the others that?”
“Yes,” Jake said. “I said it several times. I don’t think the warden wanted it said, especially in front of the other officers, but I did anyway.”
“Well, maybe it helped,” Kathy offered.
“Maybe,” Jake allowed. “We can’t help with the fine, though. It sounds big.”
“How much?” Hannah wondered, thinking of their small bank account.
“Thousands of dollars from what it sounds like. I guess a judge will decide,” Jake said.
Roy and Mr. Brunson were walking toward the cabin. The older man looked grim as Roy said, “I feel bad about this. It’s partly our fault. You wanted to bury the bear. I wasn’t expecting…this reaction. I figured they’d take it seriously but not quite this seriously.”
“I’ll live through it,” Mr. Brunson said. “Don’t worry about it.”
“So how are you?” Kathy asked. “It looked bad enough from here.”
“Our friendly government at work,” Mr. Brunson said, but he smiled. “They think grizzlies are a big concern.”
“No jail, though?” Kathy asked.
“No.” Mr. Brunson laughed. “But I will have to go before the judge.”
“That’s too bad,” Kathy offered.
“Oh, I suppose it’s better this way,” Mr. Brunson said, trying to put them all at ease. “It wouldn’t have been good doing this my way.”
“It’s still hard,” Kathy said.
“Yes, as I’m learning,” Mr. Brunson agreed. “Yet hard is better sometimes.”
Again Hannah got the distinct feeling Mr. Brunson was speaking of something more than just the decision to confess to the grizzly shooting.
“I expect these folks will stay around awhile,” Mr. Brunson said, shaking his head. “What a fuss they make.”
As if to accent his words, a large county dump truck rumbled past the cabin and started to climb the grade toward Mr. Brunson’s place. Moments later a tractor trailer with a backhoe on it followed.
Mr. Brunson shook his head again. “They do take it seriously.”
“I guess they don’t have too many grizzlies,” Roy said.
“I guess not,” Mr. Brunson agreed. “Well…I must be going. I guess they’ll let me go back to the house.”
“Surely,” Kathy said, sounding sorry.
“Now, don’t you folks worry. I’ll take care of this,” he said, taking an official-looking piece of paper from his pocket.
“His citation,” Roy said drily.
“Lots of money…just gone,” he said with a snap of his fingers.
“Well, at least you’re not going to jail,” Kathy spoke up.
“Of that I’m thankful,” Mr. Brunson agreed. “Enough excitement for one day, don’t you think?”
“I should say so,” Kathy agreed.
“Your springhouse,” Mr. Brunson said, nodding toward Jake. “They are fixing it, aren’t they?”
Jake nodded. “Sounds like they’ll pay for it.”
“Good. Let me know if they don’t. Like that would do any good.” Mr. Brunson chuckled at his own joke. “See you all later.”
“What a morning,” Kathy sighed when Mr. Brunson was out of earshot. “Poor fellow. Brave too, making the hard choice like he did.”
“I’m glad we didn’t help bury the bear. Especially after this,” Roy said, motioning toward the mountain and the dozen or so vehicles that were still up at Mr. Brunson’s.
“What was this about paying for the springhouse?” Hannah asked. “Who are they?”
“The state,” Jake said. “The game warden said the state would pay. But we need to wait until tomorrow before we do the repairs.”
“Really?” Hannah was surprised.
“But should you?” Kathy asked. “That’s government money.”
“I think they should,” Roy said quietly. “It was their bear. It’s not like Jake would be taking anything for free.”
“I suppose so,” Kathy said, but she didn’t sound convinced.
Hannah worried about how they were to pay for the springhouse. They did need one. It was all they had to cool food items, and as her father said, they weren’t taking the money for free. “The state’s bear did tear it up,” Hannah said out loud.
“I’m glad Indiana doesn’t own any bears,” Kathy said wryly.
“They probably do,” Roy replied. “You just don’t know it.”
“At least they’re not running around my front yard and climbing on my porch,” Kathy said.
The reminder of Indiana struck Hannah as she remembered that tomorrow would be her parents’ last day with her, and that the hope of her return to Indiana was a thing of the past.
Kathy must have noticed her face. “Did I say something?”
“Just Indiana,” Hannah said, not wanting to explain further, especially in front of Jake. It would just add to his burden.
“Yes,” Kathy said, “I guess Sunday did take care of that.”
Hannah half expected Jake to comment, but he turned to Roy and said, “I need to get a list of materials together. If I take it to the lumberyard this afternoon, maybe they can drive the supplies out tomorrow. I can show the state the materials list then.”
“I’ll be glad to help,” Roy said.
Jake got a piece of paper and pen from the desk, and together they walked out to the springhouse.
“I am glad Roy came along,” Kathy said again. “Funny how he worried about what he would do while he was here.”
Two state vehicles came back down from Mr. Brunson’s, followed by the game warden’s truck. When neither stopped, Kathy and Hannah went to prepare sandwiches for lunch with what little they could pull together. Even with the morning’s excitement, people had to eat.
In the kitchen, Hannah felt an overwhelming urge to sneeze and quickly stepped outside. Several sneezes followed, and Jake, with pencil and paper still in hand, looked in her direction. When she smiled and gave a little wave, Jake continued to write. Back inside her mother glanced up.
“A cold?” she asked.
“Just excitement, I think,” Hannah said. She felt no other signs of a cold.
“A cold might be hard with your pregnancy,” Kathy said.
“But surely not serious,” Hannah said.
“Well, you can’t take the usual medicines, so you have to live through it.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I never take much anyway.”
“You always were like that,” Kathy agreed.
Hannah’s nose tingled again but quit when she rubbed it.
“I hope that’s it,” she said, sure her mother had noticed the motion.
“You will see a doctor soon, though?”
“About a cold?”
“No,” Kathy said, “about your pregnancy.”
Hannah nodded. “Betty told me about a doctor in Libby. I’ll make an appointment soon.”
“That would be good,” Kathy said as outside another state vehicle went by, followed by the lumbering dump truck. “There goes your bear.”
“It tore up my springhouse. I’m not shedding too many tears.”
“I wonder if it had a mate.”
“Grizzlies aren’t
like us,” Hannah said.
“If it would have just stayed up in the mountains, it would have been safe. Wonder why it didn’t.”
“And our springhouse would still be up. And Mr. Brunson’s hogs would still be alive.”
“Bears are awful creatures,” Kathy said.
“Especially at night,” Hannah shivered. She remembered the first night Jake’s light had found the bear at the edge of the woods.
When the sandwiches were ready, Hannah called out to her father and Jake.
After lunch the two men hitched up Mosey and left for town. They took along the grocery list for Hannah and returned a couple of hours later with the groceries and the news that the lumber would be delivered that afternoon.
Although they were under orders not to work on the springhouse till tomorrow, Roy decided that didn’t mean they couldn’t clean up around the springhouse a bit. Jake wasn’t so sure but gave in simply because he had an itch to get started.
Hannah worried that a government official would stop in and find Jake and her father at work and cause trouble.
At just before five o’clock, the lumber was delivered and unloaded within reach of the springhouse. By nightfall, when no one from the state had stopped by, Hannah relaxed a little.
After supper the noise of gravel under tires tensed her up again. Jake opened the door and went out onto the porch before anyone could knock.
When he let out a cheery “Good evening, Mr. Brunson,” they all knew who it was.
“Would you like to come in?” Jake asked.
“No, I don’t think so,” Mr. Brunson said. “I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
“Sure,” Jake said. “Nobody else has stopped back by. Anything new on your end?”
No,” Mr. Brunson said, sticking his head in the door for a quick hi to everyone. “Nothing new. I just have the court date in a month.”
“We’ll wish you the best, then,” Roy said.
“Thanks,” Mr. Brunson said. “When are you folks leaving?”
“Wednesday morning,” Kathy said.
“A safe trip, then. Good to have met both of you.” Mr. Brunson gave a quick nod in Kathy and Roy’s direction.
“Thanks,” Roy said. “Keep an eye on the children for us.”
Mr. Brunson chuckled. “It’s more like them keeping an eye on me.” And with that Mr. Brunson excused himself.
“Nice fellow,” Roy said when he was gone, “even if he shoots bears.”
“We like him,” Jake said, taking his seat on the couch again. “He’s a good neighbor. I think that was partly why he shot the bear. He was trying to help us out.”
“You think so?” Roy asked.
“I do,” Jake said. And Hannah agreed.
Twenty
She didn’t want to oversleep on her parents’ last day, so Hannah had set the alarm for six in the morning. Even so, when she made her way into the kitchen, her mother was already there and attempting to light the stove.
“Why are you up so early?” Hannah asked. “Today’s your last day. You should have slept in.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” Kathy muttered. “How do you get this thing going? It’s been a while since we had a wood stove.”
“It has a mind of its own,” Hannah said. “One day it behaves, and the next day it doesn’t.”
“Ah, now it’s going,” Kathy said as she replaced the lid, enjoying her conquest.
“It’s your last day,” Hannah offered again, a pang of regret surging through her.
“I know,” Kathy said also with regret. “Where did the time go? At least I’m glad we came. If we hadn’t, you would have gone through this all alone.”
Hannah didn’t want to think about that or what she and Jake might have to go through in the months ahead without her parent’s help. She decided to change the subject. “Do we have to take anything to Betty’s tonight?”
“Betty didn’t say so, but I suppose we should,” Kathy said. “We’ll just make something and take it along. Do you suppose those men of ours are going to get up soon?”
“I don’t know. Jake groaned when the alarm went off.”
“I expect your dad will be up soon. Old people can’t sleep,” Kathy teased.
“I heard that,” Roy said from the living room, having approached silently in his stocking feet. “So where’s breakfast? Is there no service in this house?”
Kathy ignored him as he pulled out a kitchen chair.
“How’s the baby?” he asked Hannah.
“Okay, I guess,” she said.
“You take good care of him. Just remember that,” he said, mock sternness in his voice.
“What if the baby’s not a he?” she asked.
“Doesn’t matter,” he said with a solid smile. “Either way works. Just so he’s healthy.”
“What if he’s not?” Hannah asked, the sudden thought producing a stab of fear.
“Oh,” her father seemed unconcerned at the possibility. “They usually are. Ours all were. Your mother wouldn’t have them any other way.”
“Roy,” Kathy said from across the table.
“But I may not be like Mom,” Hannah said.
“You’re my daughter,” he said, meeting her eyes with a twinkle. “That’s good enough for me. You just trust Da Hah, and everything will work out fine.”
Like with Jake being chosen to become a minister? Hannah wanted to say, but said instead, “I’ll try.”
She knew she would indeed try, though it might be hard. Jake’s ordination had temporarily shaken her confidence in the path Da Hah chose for people. He seemed to have a very different point of view from hers.
“Is breakfast ready?” Jake asked, entering the kitchen.
“It’ll be a few more minutes,” Kathy said.
“I thought we’d get an early start on the springhouse,” Jake said to Roy.
“It’s too cold for an early start. I haven’t even had coffee yet,” Roy said in mock grumpiness. “There’s no service around here.”
“Maybe they’d make some for me,” Jake said with a grin.
“I’m sure they would,” Roy said, chuckling at his own joke.
“Oh, you’re both spoiled,” Hannah said.
“You can say that again,” Kathy quickly added.
“We could get started right now and come back in for breakfast when it’s ready,” Jake volunteered.
“I’m not moving without my coffee,” Roy stated, pretending he was fastened to his seat.
For a moment everyone was silent, and then Jake said, “We sure are glad you came when you did. Your being here helped in ways you can’t imagine.”
“That’s nice of you to say, Jake,” Kathy said. “We want you to know we’ll be thinking of you often when we’re home in Indiana.”
“And praying too,” Roy said.
“Now, about breakfast,” Kathy said. “Did you put the meat outside, Hannah?”
“Yes, it’s on the shelf outside.”
Kathy stepped out onto the porch and returned quickly with the bacon and eggs. Hannah started pancake batter. She knew her father would appreciate the gesture on his last morning in Montana.
“Now, if we just had some blueberries for the pancakes,” Roy said while Hannah stirred the bowl.
“Talk about being spoiled,” Kathy chided.
“I wasn’t serious,” Roy said quickly, but Hannah knew he was.
In a few minutes, the meal was ready. They all ate eagerly and enjoyed it when Roy led a short devotion afterward to start the day. Normally Hannah and Jake moved into the living room to start the day with a word of prayer, but today it was Jake who suggested they stay at the table. For some reason Hannah couldn’t figure out, Jake was acting more serious than he had before. It was good, she supposed, but it was a change, and just now Hannah wasn’t sure she wanted any more changes. The few recent ones had been quite enough. It was as though the foundations of her world were being tested.
Jake and Roy left to work on
the springhouse. Roy wore an extra coat Jake had loaned him. Hannah watched them for a moment as they began work. Then she returned to the kitchen to help Kathy clean up.
Kathy suggested they make cherry pie for the supper at Betty’s, but Hannah thought donuts would be better. So they made both. The donuts were more time-consuming, but Hannah wanted to stay busy. It would take her mind off her worries and the realization that in less than twenty-four hours her parents would be gone.
Around four that afternoon, a little earlier than expected, Betty arrived in the surrey buggy. The men were back in the house, relaxing, the springhouse in fresh repair. Kathy and Hannah walked out to meet Betty in the yard.
“So you believe in entertaining your visitors with drama, I hear,” Betty teased before she had even stepped down from her buggy.
“What are you talking about?” Hannah asked.
“Shooting bears,” Betty said. “Your parents will never come west again!”
“How did you find out about that?” Hannah asked.
“You expect news like that to stay quiet? The whole town’s talking,” Betty replied.
“Oh, no,” Hannah groaned.
“It’ll blow over,” Betty assured her. “Everything does around here. It’s just a little excitement to tide us over until the next little excitement. And, of course, there’s the little excitement that happened Sunday too. That was sure something! Hannah, did you and Jake have any idea?”
“No, we didn’t,” she said. “I still don’t understand how it all happened. Why Jake? He’s so young.”
“I’ve seen it like this before,” Betty said. “So has your mother. A call to the ministry is often a great surprise to the person who receives it, young or not.”
“You wouldn’t have been wishing it was Steve?” Kathy asked skeptically.
“Oh, of course not!” Betty said emphatically. “I was a little worried about it. I shouldn’t have been, I know, but I did lay awake the night before thinking about it. I could never handle such a thing.”
“You could have if it was the will of Da Hah,” Kathy said.
“Well, I suppose,” Betty replied, but she didn’t sound convinced. “So how are you holding up?” she asked Hannah.
Hannah shrugged, “It’s a load for Jake. He took it pretty hard.”
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