Read Online The Sheriff (Historical Romance) by Nan Ryan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nan Ryan
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Adult, Western, California, Native American, Law Enforcement, 19th century, Bachelor, sheriff, Protection, stranger, Forever Love, Single Woman, Hearts Desire, American West, Love Possibility, Frontier & Pioneer, Victorian Mansion, Gold Mine, Miners, Lawman, Gentleman, Suspicious Interest
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his life.”
Kate narrowed her eyes. “And you promptly informed the rest of Fortune.”
Looking sheepish, Doc Ledet said, “I might have mentioned it to a couple of people.” When she didn’t scold him, he smiled, offered her a chair and said, “Some of the miners are saying maybe Marshal Mc-Cloud should deputize you.”
At the mention of the marshal, Kate frowned, but made no comment. She sat down and carefully spread her billowing skirts around her feet. “Doctor, why were those men beating Chang Li? What had he done to deserve such brutality?”
“He did nothing to provoke them,” the doctor said, stepping behind the desk and dropping wearily into his high-backed chair. “Coolies are hated and reviled because they will work harder and longer for less, and that brings wages down.”
The doctor knew a great deal about Chang Li, ashe did about everyone in Fortune. And he was more than happy to share the information. Kate listened attentively.
“Chang Li has been in Fortune for three years while his family is back in China. He’s longing for a better life, hoping to make enough money in California to bring his wife and children here one day.
“He lives alone in the tent city at the southern edge of town.”
“Those two bullies must be properly punished,” Kate replied. “They should stand trial. Chang Li must testify against them and—”
The doctor interrupted. “Kate, Chang Li can’t testify. And even if he could, no one would believe his word against theirs.”
“But why? Surely…”
“The Foreign Miners License Tax Law of 1850 prohibits Indians and Chinamen from testifying in court.”
“That’s unfair.”
“It’s the law,” said Doc Ledet.
Kate sighed wearily. “It’s getting late, Doctor. I’d better go.”
“Yes, you shouldn’t be out on the streets after dark,” he stated, rising from his chair. “The sheriff wouldn’t like it.”
Kate frowned. “I don’t give a fig what the sheriff would like.”
“Now, now, you don’t want to get crossways with Marshal McCloud.”
Kate bit her tongue, but did not reply. She rose and moved toward the door, then stopped and turned back. “Dr. Ledet, have you ever heard the expression ‘seeing the elephant’?”
He chuckled. “Where’d you hear it?”
“Sheriff McCloud accused me of that.”
“Child, it’s a well-known term that best characterizes the forty-niners and the gold rush.”
“It makes no sense.”
“Yes, it does. When gold was found in these mountains, people planning to come out West announced they were ‘going to see the elephant.’ Those who turned back claimed they had seen the ‘elephant’s tracks’ or the ‘elephant’s tail’ and swore they’d seen more than enough of the animal.” Eyes twinkling, he rubbed his chin, warming to the story, one he’d told many times before.
“But what does seeing an elephant have to do with hunting for gold?” she asked.
“It’s a phrase that arose from the time circus parades first featured the giant elephants. A farmer, so the story goes, hearing that the circus was in town, loaded his wagon with vegetables for the market. He had never seen an elephant and very much wished to do so. On the way to town, he encountered the circus parade, which was led by the elephant.
“The farmer was thrilled to death. But his horses were terrified, so they bolted, overturned the wagonand ruined all the vegetables. ‘I don’t give a hang,’ the farmer said, ‘for I have seen the elephant!’”
Dr. Ledet laughed then, a deep belly laugh that brought tears to his eyes and caused his face to grow beet-red.
Kate frowned. “Perhaps a metaphor.”
“Kate, Kate,” he continued, wiping his eyes, “don’t you see? For gold rushers, the elephant symbolized the high cost of their endeavor—the myriad possibilities for misfortune along the way or once they got out here. But, like the farmer’s circus elephant, it’s an unequaled experience, the grand adventure
Kate narrowed her eyes. “And you promptly informed the rest of Fortune.”
Looking sheepish, Doc Ledet said, “I might have mentioned it to a couple of people.” When she didn’t scold him, he smiled, offered her a chair and said, “Some of the miners are saying maybe Marshal Mc-Cloud should deputize you.”
At the mention of the marshal, Kate frowned, but made no comment. She sat down and carefully spread her billowing skirts around her feet. “Doctor, why were those men beating Chang Li? What had he done to deserve such brutality?”
“He did nothing to provoke them,” the doctor said, stepping behind the desk and dropping wearily into his high-backed chair. “Coolies are hated and reviled because they will work harder and longer for less, and that brings wages down.”
The doctor knew a great deal about Chang Li, ashe did about everyone in Fortune. And he was more than happy to share the information. Kate listened attentively.
“Chang Li has been in Fortune for three years while his family is back in China. He’s longing for a better life, hoping to make enough money in California to bring his wife and children here one day.
“He lives alone in the tent city at the southern edge of town.”
“Those two bullies must be properly punished,” Kate replied. “They should stand trial. Chang Li must testify against them and—”
The doctor interrupted. “Kate, Chang Li can’t testify. And even if he could, no one would believe his word against theirs.”
“But why? Surely…”
“The Foreign Miners License Tax Law of 1850 prohibits Indians and Chinamen from testifying in court.”
“That’s unfair.”
“It’s the law,” said Doc Ledet.
Kate sighed wearily. “It’s getting late, Doctor. I’d better go.”
“Yes, you shouldn’t be out on the streets after dark,” he stated, rising from his chair. “The sheriff wouldn’t like it.”
Kate frowned. “I don’t give a fig what the sheriff would like.”
“Now, now, you don’t want to get crossways with Marshal McCloud.”
Kate bit her tongue, but did not reply. She rose and moved toward the door, then stopped and turned back. “Dr. Ledet, have you ever heard the expression ‘seeing the elephant’?”
He chuckled. “Where’d you hear it?”
“Sheriff McCloud accused me of that.”
“Child, it’s a well-known term that best characterizes the forty-niners and the gold rush.”
“It makes no sense.”
“Yes, it does. When gold was found in these mountains, people planning to come out West announced they were ‘going to see the elephant.’ Those who turned back claimed they had seen the ‘elephant’s tracks’ or the ‘elephant’s tail’ and swore they’d seen more than enough of the animal.” Eyes twinkling, he rubbed his chin, warming to the story, one he’d told many times before.
“But what does seeing an elephant have to do with hunting for gold?” she asked.
“It’s a phrase that arose from the time circus parades first featured the giant elephants. A farmer, so the story goes, hearing that the circus was in town, loaded his wagon with vegetables for the market. He had never seen an elephant and very much wished to do so. On the way to town, he encountered the circus parade, which was led by the elephant.
“The farmer was thrilled to death. But his horses were terrified, so they bolted, overturned the wagonand ruined all the vegetables. ‘I don’t give a hang,’ the farmer said, ‘for I have seen the elephant!’”
Dr. Ledet laughed then, a deep belly laugh that brought tears to his eyes and caused his face to grow beet-red.
Kate frowned. “Perhaps a metaphor.”
“Kate, Kate,” he continued, wiping his eyes, “don’t you see? For gold rushers, the elephant symbolized the high cost of their endeavor—the myriad possibilities for misfortune along the way or once they got out here. But, like the farmer’s circus elephant, it’s an unequaled experience, the grand adventure
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