by Al Lacy
Rosemary shifted sideways on the sofa so she could look at Cassandra, glanced at Mabel, and said, “Mother and I were at the general store early this morning, and we got to talking to a couple of ladies from Mrs. Downing’s church, Beulah Franks and Opal Domire. The subject went to you, Cassandra.”
Cassandra’s brow furrowed. “Me?”
“Mm-hmm. The ladies informed Mother and me that Mrs. Downing had told them Cassandra had come to live with her because her parents had put her out of their home.”
Cassandra’s features reddened. She looked at her aunt, then turned to face Rosemary.
“Why did you tell me that your parents had died?” said Rosemary.
Flustered, Cassandra sent another hot glance toward her aunt, then silently looked at the floor for a few seconds. She nervously ran her tongue over her lips, cleared her throat, looked up at Rosemary, and said, “Well, in a way, my parents are dead to me, since they want nothing to do with me. I told you they were dead, Rosemary, because I didn’t want you or anyone else to know that my parents had put me out.”
Mabel’s head bobbed. “Cassandra! That’s a terrible thing to do! How would your parents feel if they knew you were telling people they were dead?”
Cassandra burst into tears and threw her hands to her face.
She sobbed hard for a minute, while Rosemary and Mabel looked at each other in consternation, then left the sofa and knelt in front of her aunt. “I’m sorry, Aunt Mabel! Please forgive me!”
Mabel’s lower lip quivered as she reached out and patted her niece’s cheek. “I forgive you, dear.”
Cassandra turned her tear-filled eyes on Rosemary. “Will you forgive me, too?”
“Of course I will.”
Secretly, Cassandra could not have cared less whether her aunt or Rosemary forgave her, but in order to stay in her aunt’s good graces, she told herself she must play the penitent part.
Mabel set steady eyes on her niece. “Who else have you told this lie to?”
Cassandra blinked. “I—I told it to Greg Holton.”
“Anyone else?” pressed Mabel.
“No. Just Rosemary and Greg.”
Rosemary rose from the sofa and moved to Cassandra, who was now standing. She laid a hand on Cassandra’s arm. “You should tell Greg the truth about this next time you talk to him. It is best to clear it up right away so he doesn’t hear it from someone else like Mother and I did from Mrs. Franks and Mrs. Domire at the general store.”
Cassandra wiped tears. “Yes. You’re right. I’ll tell Greg next time I see him.” In her heart, she dreaded having to come clean with Greg about the lie, but because she most certainly wanted to get to know him better, she would do it.
Rosemary embraced Cassandra. “Well, I need to get back over to the house. Mother and I have a lot of washing and ironing to do.”
Both Mabel and Cassandra knew that since Rosemary’s father drove a freight wagon between Central City and Denver, and his income was sometimes sporadic, she and her mother took in washing and ironing from many of the single men who worked in the Holton Coal Mine.
Mabel left her rocker and moved up to Rosemary. “Thank you, dear, for forgiving Cassandra. I know it hurt you to learn that she had lied to you.”
Rosemary bit down on her lower lip, looked at Cassandra, then back to Mabel. “It did, Mrs. Downing, but if I remember correctly, your Bible says that a friend loves at all times. I have come to love Cassandra in this short time, and even though she lied to me, I still love her.”
Cassandra smiled. “Thank you, Rosemary.”
Mabel stepped closer to Rosemary. “The verse you’re referring to is Proverbs 17:17. In the very next chapter, it says, ‘There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.’ You know who that is?”
Rosemary grinned. “I’m sure it must be Jesus Christ.”
“You’re so right, and—”
“I really do have to go, Mrs. Downing,” Rosemary cut in, heading for the parlor door. “Thanks for the lemonade and the cookies.”
Mabel and Cassandra walked Rosemary to the front door, and when she had gone, Cassandra said, “Aunt Mabel, why is it you bring up Jesus so often?”
“Because He is my Saviour, dear. He is my everything. If only you would give Him a chance to be your Saviour.”
Cassandra only looked at her, but did not reply.
Mabel said, “Well, dear, we need to go to the general store and buy some groceries.”
“All right.”
“I’ve made a list. It’s in the kitchen. Anything special you want? I’ll add it to the list.”
Cassandra made a smile. “Whatever you cook is good, Aunt Mabel. You fix it, I’ll eat it.”
“Well, that makes me feel good. Let’s go.”
Together, the aunt and the niece headed for Main Street with Mabel pushing the small cart she used for shopping.
When they reached Main and headed toward the business district, Cassandra looked up at the big white mansion on the hill. I hope Greg will come and see me soon. I’m not looking forward to admitting that I lied to him, but I sure want to get closer to him. If I could only think of some reason to ask his help for something, I would do it. So far, I haven’t been able to come up with something that sounds reasonable. I need to concentrate on this.
Meanwhile, at the Holton Coal Mine just west of town, assistant foreman Art Berman had written a list of articles to be purchased in town at Central City Hardware. He left his desk in the outer office and moved to the open door of Kirby Holton’s office. “Boss, I’ve got the list all made up that you wanted. Think of anything else since we talked?”
Kirby looked up from the paperwork on his desk. “Nope. That oughtta do it. You’re sending Greg, aren’t you?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve got to get down into the mine and give instructions to those new men at level three. Greg’s at the water pump washing up right now.”
“Good. See you later.”
Art left the office and made his way down the slope to the water pump where Greg was washing coal dust from his face and hands. He noted that Greg had already hitched a team of horses to a nearby wagon.
As he drew up, Greg took towel in hand and smiled at him with water dripping from his face.
While Greg was drying his face and hands, Art said, “Here’s the list.”
Greg took it. “Be back in a little while.”
Art headed back for the office and when he was about to open the door, he looked over his shoulder to see Greg snapping the reins, putting the team into motion.
SIX
Mabel Downing and her niece were within a half-block of the general store when suddenly Cassandra pointed up the street. “Aunt Mabel, look!”
Mabel turned to her, then followed the direction of her finger with her eyes and saw only the busy traffic moving both ways on the broad, dusty street. “What, honey?”
“Up there at the nearest intersection. It’s Greg Holton in one of the mine’s wagons! He’s right behind that stagecoach. See him?”
Mabel squinted, moved a step closer to her niece, and focused her attention just behind the stagecoach. “Oh. Yes. Now I see him.”
Cassandra stopped quickly and turned toward the large window of a boot and shoe store. She looked at her reflection and dabbed at her hair, trying to make herself look presentable. Then turning back toward her aunt who had stopped and backed up with the shopping cart, she looked down at the dress she was wearing and tried to brush out the wrinkles in the skirt. “Oh, Aunt Mabel,” she said, doing what she could to smooth the fabric over her slim hips, “Greg’s going to see me in this awful dress! It’s so old. Can’t we do something soon so I can have some decent clothes? This is embarrassing.”
Mabel looked her up and down. “My dear, you look lovely. After all, clothes don’t make the person.”
Cassandra frowned. “Well, they may not, but it sure doesn’t hurt to look one’s best. Especially when the son of the richest man in town is coming our way.”
“You just don’t understand.” Cassandra put on a smile while she waved to get Greg’s attention.
A smile spread over Greg’s face when he spotted the lovely brunette waving at him. He waved in return.
Greg quickly guided the wagon up to the side of the street, set the brake, and hopped out. “Hello, Mrs. Downing. Nice to see you.”
Mabel warmed him with a smile. “Hello, Greg. Nice to see you, too.”
Greg set adoring eyes on Cassandra. “And hello to you, young lady. My, don’t you look gorgeous!”
Cassandra’s face tinted. “Thank you, Greg.”
Mabel ran her gaze between them. “Tell you what, children, I’m sure you’d like to chat for a few minutes. I’ll go on to the general store and start shopping. Cassandra, you can come when you and Greg have had a few moments to get better acquainted.”
Cassandra nodded and smiled.
“Thank you, ma’am,” said Greg. “I do want to get better acquainted with her.”
Mabel pushed the cart down the boardwalk, weaving among the people who were coming her way.
Greg looked at Cassandra. “I’ve been waiting to hear from you about something I could do for you, but so far you haven’t contacted me.”
“Well, I haven’t thought of some particular thing you could do for me, but tell you what. I would sure like to have some time with you. Maybe dinner at one of the restaurants and a buggy ride in the moonlight.”
A smile broke over his face. “Hey, I’d like that! Dad’s cook and housekeeper already has supper planned for this evening, but could I take you to dinner tomorrow evening?”
Cassandra’s features brightened. “Of course!”
“All right. Dad has two buggies at the house, so I could come and pick you up in one of them.”
“Oh, I’d love it!”
“Do you have to get your aunt’s permission to go out with me?”
She giggled. “Greg, I’m nineteen years old. I can do as I please. I’ll tell Aunt Mabel that I’m going out with you tomorrow evening.”
Greg’s heart was pounding and his eyes were dancing. “All right! I’ll pick you up at your aunt’s house at six o’clock tomorrow evening.”
“It’s a date!”
“It’s a date!” Greg echoed with exhilaration, his face beaming. “See you then.”
He returned to the wagon and climbed up onto the seat. He took the reins in hand, put the team in motion, and wove into traffic. Once he was moving down the street, he looked back at her and waved.
Smiling broadly, Cassandra waved back. She watched him until he passed from view, feeling the excitement of having a date with the young man who was no doubt richer than any other man his age in Central City.
With her heart banging her ribs, she headed down the street, walking briskly. Moments later, as she was just three doors from the general store, she halted in front of a clothing store, and looked through the window. On display were some colorful ready-made dresses. Taking a cursory glance at them, she sighed, threw her hands up in despair, and moved on to the general store.
When she stepped inside, she heard the sound of her aunt’s voice. Following the sound, she found her between two long rows of shelves, talking to a tall, thin man in his seventies. He spoke kindly to Mabel and walked away.
Mabel saw her niece coming and noted the frown on her face.
Cassandra drew up and looked in the direction the man had gone. “Who was that man you were talking to, Aunt Mabel?”
“That was Mr. Wells, the owner of the store.”
“Oh.”
Mabel studied the frown on her nieces face. “What’s wrong, dear? Did your talk with Greg not go well?”
“Oh, it couldn’t have been better. He’s going to take me out to dinner tomorrow evening. The problem is, I have nothing nice to wear for the occasion.”
Mabel took hold of her niece’s hand. “When we get home, we’ll look through your clothes. I’m sure with a little sprucing up of one of your dresses, you’ll look just lovely.”
Cassandra sighed. “Well, it’s going to take a miracle to put something presentable together by tomorrow night.”
“Well, let’s finish getting what we need and head for home so we can work on that miracle.”
The next morning, Dr. Dane Logan stood over a boy of twelve years in a cabin in the mountains. “Johnny, I really think you should heed your mother’s warning next time she tells you not to climb that birch tree out there by the front porch.”
Johnny lay with his arm in the fresh cast and sling and nodded. He looked at his parents, who stood together on one side of the bed, then at the doctor, who stood on the other side. “Yes, sir. I’m not gonna climb it again.”
“Good. I’d advise you not to climb any trees. Find some other way to have fun, okay?”
“Yes, sir.”
The doctor turned to the small table beside the bed, closed his black medical bag, and picked it up. “Like I told your parents, Johnny, I want to check on your arm in three or four days.”
“We’ll bring him in to your office, Doctor,” said Johnny’s father. “Now how much do we owe you?”
“Three dollars will do it.”
The man’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure? Seems like it ought to be more than that. After all, you came immediately when I entered your office and followed me all the way up here. You’ve done a beautiful job in setting Johnny’s arm and putting a cast and sling on it.”
“Right,” said Johnny’s mother. “We need to pay you more than three dollars. Let’s give him ten, Clyde.”
“All right,” said Clyde, pulling his wallet from his hip pocket.
As Clyde opened his wallet, Dr. Dane said, “You really don’t need to pay me that much. Three dollars is fine.”
Clyde grinned as he took out a ten-dollar bill and pressed it into the doctor’s free hand. “We happen to know that Dr. Fraser was underpaid far too many times, Dr. Logan. And I’m sure it’s already happened to you. Let the extra money take the place of some you didn’t get when you should have.”
Dr. Dane smiled and shook his head. “All right, sir, if you say so.”
“I say so, and so does my missus.”
“Me too,” put in Johnny.
Dr. Dane thanked them, saying he would see them in three or fours days at the office, and moved outside. He mounted his horse, thanked them once again as they stood on the porch, and rode away.
When Dr. Dane arrived in Central City some forty-five minutes later, he found a young woman sitting in the waiting area. “You’re Mrs. Dexter, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Doctor. I made an appointment a few days ago.”
“And you’re here because you think you might be expecting a baby, if I remember correctly.”
“Yes,” she smiled. “Your wife is in the examining room right now with a boy who burned his hand. His father works for the Holton Mine, as does my husband.”
“I see. Well, I’ll get on back there and see about the boy, and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.”
“That’s fine, Doctor. I understand the boy’s problem is an emergency. I’ll wait.”
When Dr. Dane stepped into the examining room, he found Tharyn standing over one of the examining tables, where a small boy lay. The boy’s mother was standing next to Tharyn, trying to comfort him.
Both women looked up as the doctor moved toward them. Tharyn was applying salve to the boy’s right hand as he watched, his lips quivering.
“Hello,” Tharyn said as he drew up and placed his medical bag on a nearby cart. “This is Belva Matthews, and this is her son, Craig. He’s eight years old. He burned his hand earlier this morning.”
“Hello, Mrs. Matthews,” said Dr. Dane with a smile, then looked down at the boy.
Belva afforded him a thin smile. “Hello, Doctor. We’ve h
eard a lot about you lately, and we’re glad you’re here. Craig tried to help me clean up the kitchen from breakfast after his father left for the mine this morning. He grasped the handle of a skillet on the stove, not realizing that the handle was extremely hot. I tried to take care of the burns, but finally decided I should bring him to you. Mrs. Logan has put salve on them, but you can see that his palm and four fingers have big blisters on them.”
Dr. Dane could tell the boy was trying not to cry while Tharyn was applying the salve. He looked closely at Tharyn’s work. “Well, Craig, it looks like my wife has you just about fixed up. You’ll need a bandage on that hand, and we can let you go home.”
Tharyn set her eyes on her husband. “I’ll let you take over here, darling, so I can get back to the office. Is Mandy Dexter still out there?”
“Yes, she is.”
“All right. I’ll tell her it’ll only be a few minutes until you can see her.”
“Right. I’d say we’ll be finished here in about twenty minutes.”
When Tharyn entered the office, she noted that Mandy Dexter was still the only person in the waiting area. As she moved behind her desk, she said, “Mandy, Doctor said to tell you he’ll be finished with Craig in about twenty minutes.”
“That will be fine, Mrs. Logan. Is Craig’s hand going to be all right?”
“Oh yes. The burns are serious, but they will heal with no problem, I’m sure.”
“That’s good.”
Suddenly they heard pounding hooves outside, a man’s voice calling “Whoa!”, and the sound of a wagon rattling to an abrupt halt.
Both women looked out the window and saw a man in his early sixties hop down from the seat and dash toward the office door.
“Looks like another emergency of some kind,” said Mandy.
Tharyn fixed her eyes on the door just as the man came in.
He hurried to the desk, a look of surprise on his face. “Nadine isn’t here, ma’am?”
As Tharyn was shaking her head, ready to explain, he snapped his fingers and said, “Oh, of course. Dr. Logan told me a few weeks ago that he was getting married and that his wife would be taking over Nadine’s job. I’m Eric Cox. You are Mrs. Logan?”