admonished sternly, “even if I happen to
agree with you,” she added under her breath too quietly for her daughter to
hear. Jake glanced in her direction. He was the only one close enough to hear
her last comment.
The conversation between
Nana and the children in the bed of the wagon turned to the prospect of the
meeting and the picnic following. They gleefully discussed who would be there,
and what the preacher might be like. Kate smiled listening for a moment before Jake’s
question took her attention. “How was the colt? You saw him, din’t you?”
“I did,” she sighed.
“And?”
“I don’t know, Jake. I didn’t see
any cuts or obvious wounds on him. He was thin, and rough looking - I don’t know - it was like the spirit had just
left him.”
“Um-hmmm.”
“That colt doesn’t belong to me
anymore!”
“I know.”
For a long moment there was
nothing but the sounds of the horses clopping, harness jingling and the
carefree conversation drifting from the back of the buckboard.
Kate sighed. “When Matt Johnson
rode through our place the other day, Jake, it was as if he were appraising
something he already owned!” A cold fear grabbed the pit of her stomach. “What
if I can’t do this, Jake? What if I can’t make a go of this? I can’t bear to
see someone like Johnson just walk in and take over our dream!”
Jake gave a slight flick of his
wrists, and the team picked up their pace as they came to the main road. He was
silent for a few moments before he looked at her pointedly and said, “of course you can’t do it.”
“Oh, I know I have you and
Jonathan, but....”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Kate stared straight ahead. Jake
was getting older. He knew it, and so did she. As strong as he was, he tired
easily, and last winter he had had a mild heart attack. She worried about him
every time he was out. Jonathan was a boy. He was a hard and diligent worker,
but he was shy and slow mentally. He simply didn’t have the mind or the
aptitude to run a full ranch operation. “So you think I should marry again?”
She asked quietly, not daring to meet his eyes.
“For someone who spends so much
time reading that little Bible there, you sure seem to miss the point
sometimes!” Jake sounded both amused and exasperated. “Isn’t there a place in
there somewhere that says sumthin about, ‘I can do all things through Jesus?’
Well, why wouldn’t that apply to runnin’ a ranch as much as it would to
anything else? Have you tried asking Him for a little help?”
“Oh, Jake!” Kate laughed, “every
day! And you know, I think I’ll just keep on asking!”
***
The rest of the trip passed
uneventfully. As they approached the growing town of Fallis, the sense of
anticipation grew. Kate felt a gnawing angst that she didn’t understand. Was it
the prospect of seeing Matt Johnson again, or was there something in the air?
Whatever it was, she tried to put it from her mind as Jake pulled up before the
General Mercantile. A small, plain woman with dark hair was sweeping the
boardwalk in front of the store. As the wagon approached, her face was
transformed by a radiant smile and sparkling eyes. Placing the broom against
the wall, she wiped her hands on her crisp white apron as Kate stepped down
from the buckboard.
“Kate!”
“Martha!”
“It is so good to see you. I’ve
missed you these last months.” Kate was enveloped in a perfumed hug from her
friend. “Jo, come up here. I have some horehound in the jar, go get yourself a
piece.”
“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Jansen. Can
I get one for Jon, too?”
“Certainly, dear.” Martha took
Kate by the hand and led her into the cool, dark store as Jo scampered ahead.
Finding the candy as promised, she grabbed the treasure and fairly flew down
the steps to find Jonathan. “She hasn’t changed any, has she?” laughed Martha.
“Not a whit!” agreed Kate.
Standing in the dim interior of the large mercantile, Kate felt a sense of
agree with you,” she added under her breath too quietly for her daughter to
hear. Jake glanced in her direction. He was the only one close enough to hear
her last comment.
The conversation between
Nana and the children in the bed of the wagon turned to the prospect of the
meeting and the picnic following. They gleefully discussed who would be there,
and what the preacher might be like. Kate smiled listening for a moment before Jake’s
question took her attention. “How was the colt? You saw him, din’t you?”
“I did,” she sighed.
“And?”
“I don’t know, Jake. I didn’t see
any cuts or obvious wounds on him. He was thin, and rough looking - I don’t know - it was like the spirit had just
left him.”
“Um-hmmm.”
“That colt doesn’t belong to me
anymore!”
“I know.”
For a long moment there was
nothing but the sounds of the horses clopping, harness jingling and the
carefree conversation drifting from the back of the buckboard.
Kate sighed. “When Matt Johnson
rode through our place the other day, Jake, it was as if he were appraising
something he already owned!” A cold fear grabbed the pit of her stomach. “What
if I can’t do this, Jake? What if I can’t make a go of this? I can’t bear to
see someone like Johnson just walk in and take over our dream!”
Jake gave a slight flick of his
wrists, and the team picked up their pace as they came to the main road. He was
silent for a few moments before he looked at her pointedly and said, “of course you can’t do it.”
“Oh, I know I have you and
Jonathan, but....”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Kate stared straight ahead. Jake
was getting older. He knew it, and so did she. As strong as he was, he tired
easily, and last winter he had had a mild heart attack. She worried about him
every time he was out. Jonathan was a boy. He was a hard and diligent worker,
but he was shy and slow mentally. He simply didn’t have the mind or the
aptitude to run a full ranch operation. “So you think I should marry again?”
She asked quietly, not daring to meet his eyes.
“For someone who spends so much
time reading that little Bible there, you sure seem to miss the point
sometimes!” Jake sounded both amused and exasperated. “Isn’t there a place in
there somewhere that says sumthin about, ‘I can do all things through Jesus?’
Well, why wouldn’t that apply to runnin’ a ranch as much as it would to
anything else? Have you tried asking Him for a little help?”
“Oh, Jake!” Kate laughed, “every
day! And you know, I think I’ll just keep on asking!”
***
The rest of the trip passed
uneventfully. As they approached the growing town of Fallis, the sense of
anticipation grew. Kate felt a gnawing angst that she didn’t understand. Was it
the prospect of seeing Matt Johnson again, or was there something in the air?
Whatever it was, she tried to put it from her mind as Jake pulled up before the
General Mercantile. A small, plain woman with dark hair was sweeping the
boardwalk in front of the store. As the wagon approached, her face was
transformed by a radiant smile and sparkling eyes. Placing the broom against
the wall, she wiped her hands on her crisp white apron as Kate stepped down
from the buckboard.
“Kate!”
“Martha!”
“It is so good to see you. I’ve
missed you these last months.” Kate was enveloped in a perfumed hug from her
friend. “Jo, come up here. I have some horehound in the jar, go get yourself a
piece.”
“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Jansen. Can
I get one for Jon, too?”
“Certainly, dear.” Martha took
Kate by the hand and led her into the cool, dark store as Jo scampered ahead.
Finding the candy as promised, she grabbed the treasure and fairly flew down
the steps to find Jonathan. “She hasn’t changed any, has she?” laughed Martha.
“Not a whit!” agreed Kate.
Standing in the dim interior of the large mercantile, Kate felt a sense of
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