by Alan Black
Susanne watched LillieBeth and her mules pull the cart over to the side of the meadow. The girl turned the mules loose. The girl carried much of the mule cart tack back toward the house, but instead of turning to the house, she carried the tack to a small open sided lean-to set back in the rocks.
The lean-to only had one wall along the north side to block the coldest winter winds. It was nestled next to a couple of large boulders on the west side. There was gear, tools and tack in every corner and hung on pegs on the walls. Odd items hung from the ceiling in no order.
Susanne walked over to LillieBeth and asked. “Is this where Hoffman lived?”
LillieBeth nodded. “He and his old three-legged dog shared it. I guess he slept in this hammock hanging over the fire. It might be smoky but it would sure be warm in the winter.”
Susanne said, “I wonder why he didn’t just move into the house.”
LillieBeth said, “Miss Harbowe, I am not sure. I think he built the house and all around it as punishment for himself. He did not lead a Christian life and did not know about God’s forgiveness for sin. I believe he regretted the things he had done, so he kept to himself, not out of shame but as a way to imprison himself. When that was not punishment enough he built this house, painted it, made it as pretty as he could and kept it clean. But, all he could do would be to look at it as a reminder that it was something he denied to himself, something he could have had if he had lived a different life, something as a reminder that he was not a good man and did not deserve good things.”
Susanne looked surprised. “Did you figure that out for yourself or did your mother help you?”
LillieBeth said, “You helped me, Miss Harbowe. Remember you borrowed me-”
Susanne interrupted, “Loaned you.”
“Yes, Miss Harbowe, loaned me a book over Christmas?”
“I loaned you more than one book. Which one are we talking about?”
“Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky.”
“That is a hard book for such a young girl.”
LillieBeth laughed. “It is not any harder to read than the books of Numbers or Revelation in the Bible. But, it is about this bad man who punishes himself harder than the law would have. I think Mr. Hoffman was much the same. At least, he was that way up until the end.”
“Oh?”
LillieBeth looked down at her shoes. “I did not get the chance to talk much to him, but I did get to share some of the Bible with him. I think God was helping him ease his mind. It is easy for God to forgive us our sins, but it is hard for us to forgive ourselves.”
Susanne hugged the girl. “Ain’t that the truth!”
LillieBeth laughed, “Isn’t, not ain’t; shame on you, being my school teacher and all.”
Susanne shook her head. “I am not your school teacher right now. I am just your roommate, at least until your father says otherwise.”
“Do not worry,” LillieBeth said with confidence. “He will not let you leave even if you want to go.”
The young girl reached up into the rafters of the lean-to. Stuck up on pegs was Hoffman’s 1894 Winchester Short lever action rifle. It was a .30-.30 and shorter than most rifles, not much longer than the little .22 she used to hunt. She checked the chamber and the safety, making sure it was clear and safe to handle.
LillieBeth said, “Daddy bought this place lock, stock and barrel. I guess this is his rifle now.”
Susanne reached up and pulled down a box of .30-.30 cartridges. “I don’t guess it is any good without these.”
“No, Miss Harbowe…Susanne…it might make a good club in a pinch.”
The two looked at the assortment of items in the lean-to. In one big pile were all of the goods from the Hazkit mule shed back at Mrs. Bailey’s place. It was not stacked neatly, just piled in a big rushed jumble as Art and Clayton had been in a hurry to get Mr. Hoffman in the ground and get the Braunawalls to Galena.
Susanne was not surprised Art would be in a hurry. After a quick glance at this place, he would be on fire to get back to it, to start making plans, to grab onto his land and make it his own, feeling the dirt beneath his feet, smelling his own grassland and hearing the wind through his own trees. She had only seen a few acres of the Hazkit’s amazing new home. The Hazkit’s new place and her place for as long as they let her stay, had 420 acres to explore, examine and exploit.
LillieBeth said, “I did not see much more of Mr. Hoffman’s place than what you have seen. I did walk through the woods back up behind the house. I do not think he had a tool shed or a barn of any kind. Maybe Daddy will have to build one this summer.”
Susanne said, “This lean-to might make a good shed if you were to put up three sides with a door.”
“Well, maybe if it were back around behind the house.”
Grace called from the front door of the house. “You two come in here. I got a basket of ham sandwiches I brought along today.”
Susanne put away her school teacher-ladylike attitude and raced LillieBeth to the front door.
Clare blocked the doorway with her hands on her hips. “Elizabeth O’Brien Hazkit, you can’t come dashing into this house like a wild indian. Why you are looking more and more like Fletcher Hoffman than my daughter.”
Susanne said, “I think she is becoming a bit of both.”
Clare said, “Maybe so, but you leave that rifle and your handgun by the door and go bring me my comb. Your hair is a bird’s nest; we have to untangle it before either of us eats.”
Clare grabbed Susanne by the hand and dragged her into the kitchen. “Look. We have water right in our kitchen.” She grabbed the pump handle and water flowed with the first push. “Grace was right. It just took a little priming the pump.” She hugged Susanne. “This is all so wonderful. See the water? What we don’t use just goes down that hole.”
Susanne said, “Where does it go?”
Clare shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t have to haul it out and throw it away, so I don’t care. Oh, I am so glad you are here. I mean…I am sorry for your troubles. I don’t mean that. I know you loved teaching and it is horrible that they sent you away, but having you here is like having my own sister come to stay.” Clare broke down and began crying.
LillieBeth came into the room with her brush. “Mama? What’s wrong?”
Clare laughed through the tears. “Not a thing, honey. I am just so happy. I don’t see how there could be a wrong thing in the world.”
Grace said, “Women having babies tend to be a bit moody at times. Seems like Clare is not beyond a few out of control emotions.”
Clare laughed. “Out of control? Why you are some bit of a peach to talk. I seen you get so mad you took a pole to a horse who done nothing more than step on your toes.”
Grace laughed. “I wasn’t trying to hit the horse. I was aiming for the man who owned the horse. I thought he should have taught his animal better manners and he aught not to have laughed when I got stepped on.”
Susanne was happy with her friends. Maybe it would all work out. The worst was past and it could only get better. It did not take long before she realized how wrong she was.
MONDAY - EVENING
The knock on the door startled them all. They could see Reverend James at the door through the glass. Susanne shrank back into the kitchen. She did not want to see him or be seen by him.
Clare grabbed her arm and dragged her to the front door. She felt Clare’s grip tighten as the woman opened the door, stepped back and gestured for the man to enter.
“Reverend James, thank you for stopping by.” Clare said. “Art is not back from Galena yet. He should be home later this evening.”
James nodded to everyone in the room. He looked carefully at Susanne. He smiled tentatively, but he stepped over to Grace Grissom and took her hand.
Grace was as tall as James was and just as broad across the shoulders. She could have pulled away, but she did not. It was entirely inappropriate for a married woman to be holding hands with another man. The big woman
just looked at James in confusion.
James looked at Grace with sad eyes. “Mr. Rail Howerbach rode by your place looking for you. The County Sheriff over in Galena called the post office in Oasis with a message for you. I told him I thought I knew where you had gone. Mrs. Bailey directed me on to here. I would not have found you except for the sign on the gatepost announcing this was the Hazkit place.”
Grace froze. “The message was from Clayton?”
James shook his head. “No. I am so sorry. It was about Sheriff Grissom.” He looked at Clare and LillieBeth. “And about Art.”
Grace said, “Spit it out, Preacher.”
“Clayton Grissom was shot and killed on the road to Galena.”
Grace collapsed on the floor, falling in a heap as if her bones had lost their strength.
Clare cried out, “Art? What about my Art?”
James said, “Art is alive. He was shot, but they got him to the doctors in Galena. He is hurt bad. I do not know how bad. The message did not say.”
Clare sat on the floor, wrapped her arms around Grace and cried as the other woman lay still and quiet.
Susanne dropped to her knees next to Clare. She wrapped her arms around her friends and prayed. She did not see LillieBeth go out the front door or hear the door slam behind the girl.
Reverend James knelt beside Susanne. “Miss Harbowe, I know that you are angry with me. I know that all of you ladies are still angry with me. But, Art is my friend and Clayton was a good and godly man. May I pray with you?”
Clare grabbed his hand and nodded through the tears.
Reverend James prayed quietly, softly and cried along with the women. He prayed aloud and after a short while began quoting comforting parts of the Bible from memory. He was halfway through Psalms 23 when LillieBeth kicked the door open.
The girl grabbed the Winchester off the floor, picked up the box of cartridges and began feeding the rifle. When it was full, she checked her revolver and slid it back in its shoulder holster. She put the box of cartridges in her pockets.
“Grace’s Belgians are back in harness and the wagon is by the front door. Susanne, please grab some blankets from Mama’s bedroom. Reverend James, if you would help Mama and Mrs. Grissom into the back of the wagon.”
Clare glanced up. “What?” The confusion was obvious in her voice.
LillieBeth said, “Susanne, I said go get the blankets. We can pray on the road. We are going to Galena to get Daddy and Mr. Grissom.”
Grace grunted, “My Clayton is gone?”
LillieBeth said, “I am sorry, Mrs. Grissom. We are going to take your wagon to Galena and bring Mr. Grissom home, too. We will not leave his body in the hands of strangers any longer than we can help it.”
Susanne ran to the bedroom. There were not that many blankets. The Hazkits did not have more than they could use at any one time. She grabbed all of their blankets. She pulled her blanket out of the box of her goods and carried them all to the wagon.
James was helping Clare get Grace into the back of the wagon. Susanne tossed the blankets into the back with Clare and Grace. She climbed up onto the seat next to LillieBeth.
Susanne looked down at Reverend James. She did not know what to say to the man. She liked him so much, but he had hurt her so badly. It was obvious he wanted to help, but LillieBeth was not going to budge an inch to give him any consolation.
James said, “What can I do?”
LillieBeth looked down at the man. “You are my Daddy’s friend. I will give you credit for that. You are an ordained minister of God. God grants you credit for that, so I will too. I will bring my Daddy back to his new home. But, Clayton Grissom has already gone to his new home. Mrs. Grissom will need help with his earthly remains. Perhaps you can start by helping there.”
Reverend James nodded.
LillieBeth said, “As my Daddy’s friend, you are welcome to stay here as long as you like, but when you go, make sure you shut the gate behind you.”
The young girl had the team halfway down the lane to the gate before Susanne broke the silence.
She said, “LillieBeth, do you know how to get to Galena?”
LillieBeth shook her head. “Susanne, I have never been there before. But I know we will not find it unless we start looking.”
TUESDAY – BEFORE DAWN
It was a short while before sunrise when LillieBeth reined the Grissom team down Fourth Street towards Maple Street. Susanne had tried to spell the young girl, but she had refused the respite. Susanne had slept fitfully sitting upright in the bouncing wagon. She tried to stay awake for LillieBeth’s sake if nothing else, but sleep caught her unaware more than once.
She was awake now. The town around her held her attention. She glanced into the back. Clare and Grace were bundled up against the cool night air. Both were asleep. Neither had stirred even when LillieBeth stopped to ask for directions. They had stopped every time LillieBeth saw a light or met a stranger on the road.
Clare had cried through much of the trip, whether it was for Art or Clayton, she did not say. Grace had been quiet and unmoving as if stunned.
There was a light on over the door to the big brick building housing the county offices, including the County Sheriff’s office. Stone County, Missouri was not a rich county and the building looked strong and hard without fancy columns or ornamental trim just like most of its residents.
LillieBeth looked at Susanne and back at the building. “Are you coming, Miss Harbowe?”
Susanne nodded. “I am right with you, Miss Hazkit.”
They climbed down from the wagon and did not bother to tie the horses to the railing. They were tired and would not go anywhere without being led.
Susanne felt empty handed since LillieBeth still carried the Winchester and had the revolver strapped to her shoulder. The girl’s hand had never been far from either weapon. She could feel the anger coming from LillieBeth in waves.
Once inside the door, Susanne pointed to another doorway. She tried the handle but it was locked. She knocked on the door, wondering if there was anyone on duty. It was still night, but it was closer to dawn than midnight. Someone should have been up and attending to the law. There was no answer.
LillieBeth slammed the butt of the Winchester against the door time and again. She beat a solid rhythm, rattling the door and wood frame. She did not stop until a voice inside shouted back.
A disheveled man opened the door a crack and peaked through. When he saw two young women, he pushed the door open the rest of the way. It was obvious he had been asleep and was still more asleep than awake.
“What?” He asked.
Susanne said, “Good morning, sir. Are you the sheriff?”
“Just the night watchman,” the man said, shaking his head. “The county sheriff is at home, asleep with his family. That is where you ladies should be. The city deputy is out on his rounds somewhere checking doors. There ain’t nothing so important that it can’t wait until morning.”
LillieBeth said, “It is close enough to morning now. We are here about the murder of Sheriff Clayton Grissom of Oasis and the shooting of Art Hazkit.”
The man scratched his head, “I don’t suppose that is worth getting the sheriff up for. Man’s already dead and the other one already at the doctors.”
LillieBeth did not say anything. Susanne held her tongue as well.
The man looked around and cleared his throat. “Um, you ladies with the Klan auxiliary come up from Little Rock? I heard you was acoming.”
Susanne started to say no, but LillieBeth spoke first. “Yes. We heard about what was going on up here and we came up to see if we could help.”
The man nodded. “Glad you are here. Sounds like that small town sheriff from Oasis got what was coming to him. I heared that he was talking about letting some coloreds attend the school they got running up near there.”
LillieBeth looked at Susanne and shrugged.
Susanne said, “I heard that, too. I can’t imagine a teacher worth her salt
allowing decent white children to mix with coloreds.” The lie almost stuck in her throat, but LillieBeth was leading and she would follow to see where the conversation went.
LillieBeth nodded. “I heard the man was not even going to do anything about Catholic immigrants moving in.”
“You think they got immigrants moving in near Oasis? Well, if that’s so, then he don’t belong here hisself. Him nor that other feller what got shot with him.”
LillieBeth said, “I heard they were escorting a couple of fellers to the jail here. Our men folk would want us to find out what happened to them.”
The man shrugged. “I don’t know anything about them. You have to ask Sheriff Jackson when he comes in. All I know is that our jail is empty right now.”
LillieBeth asked, “Where is the doctor’s place with the wounded man?”
The man pointed up the street. “Two blocks that-a-way. Sign out front with a couple of snakes on a pole if’n you cain’t read. Dead guy is over at the undertakers across the street from the doc’s place, they got him propped up in the front window for viewing.”
Susanne said, “Thank you. You have been very helpful.”
LillieBeth turned to go, but stopped. She looked at the man. “Let me ask you bluntly, sir; are you a member of the Klan?”
The man shook his head. “Not yet, but I’m thinking about joinin’ up. Help clean up the county.” The man reached out and put a hand on LillieBeth’s shoulder.
Without warning, LillieBeth swung the barrel of the Winchester slashing the man across the side of the head. It split his cheek open to the bone. He dropped to the floor cradling his head in his hands, crying and pleading.
LillieBeth said, “You keep your hands to yourself. Let me warn you, if you ever touch me again, I will finish you. I know where to bury your body so that your great-grandchildren will not be able to find you?”
The man nodded.
Susanne was shocked at LillieBeth’s sudden violence, but she kept her face passive until they got back to the wagon. She looked at the young woman with new eyes. LillieBeth was only twelve, but she was no longer a little girl.