The Jewel of His Heart

by Maggie Brendan

  “I see.” Josh felt his excitement quell with Will’s comment. “I’d like to contact him. Maybe I can find out if he’s looking to add another mine. Since my land is situated between his and the Judith River, it’d interfere with his access and his ability to haul water to the bench lands for mine-site washing and tailing disposal. He might be interested to find out I discovered Yogos on my property. Do you know where I can find him?”

  “I can give you the name of his partner, and you can contact him.” Will scrawled a name and address on a piece of paper, then handed it to Josh. After placing the stones back into the leather pouch, Josh tucked the folded piece of paper into his pocket along with the pouch.

  “I’d like to stake a claim on my property where I found these.”

  Will pushed a paper form toward him on the counter. “Just complete this form and sign it, and I’ll file it for you.”

  Josh filled out the form, signed it, and dated it. “Thanks for the information, Will,” he said, shaking his hand.

  “Come back again. I’ll look forward to doing business with you for the Yogos, whenever you’re ready.”

  Josh stepped back outside and whistled as he headed down the street. He’d have to think about mining Yogos. He hadn’t come here to do that. But it could be a possibility. Maybe he could become rich and show his father a thing or two. Then he’d have money to give Juliana anything her heart desired . . . Now what made him think of that? He barely knew Juliana. But he wanted to know her better.

  Cold pellets of a passing rain cloud stung his face, and he lowered his head, thankful for his hat. He needed to pick up a few supplies, but he’d do that tomorrow. Right now he was going to shop for a new shirt and a pair of britches. If he ran into Juliana again, he didn’t want her to see him in worn Levis and a frayed shirt. A haircut wouldn’t hurt him either.

  6

  The cold, hard emptiness of the hotel room hit Juliana as she entered. She had slipped away from dinner early and knew Marion had watched her with concern. She ironed her new work dress, clean stockings, and underwear before getting ready for bed.

  Juliana looked down at her hands, which were dry and scratchy from doing miners’ wash. The delicate undergarments had caught on the rough skin of her fingers. Thoughts of an indoor job away from the cold and wind provided a glimmer of hope for the future. She had never had it easy, and neither had her dear mother, God rest her soul. All they ever knew was working long hours—six days a week to pay the rent—and the little that was left over was used for purchasing meager food staples.

  Juliana wondered where her father was, why he’d never sent for them, and why he’d sent them money in his letters only in the first months after he’d left. Had he forgotten them altogether? She had been only ten years old when he left, but she still remembered her mother clinging to him with such fierceness that he literally took both her arms and pried her off him. Words of promises— promises that her father would return—never kept.

  A soft knocking at her bedroom door brought Juliana back to the present. Sighing, she opened the door to see Marion’s face etched in the glow of the moonlight.

  “I see you’re all ready for bed. Are you all right?”

  “I’m just getting my things ready for tomorrow.” Juliana invited her in, and the bed squeaked as they both sat on its edge. “I want to make a good impression.”

  “And you will. Otherwise he wouldn’t have hired you in the first place.”

  “Just think, Marion, I’ll have a decent wage. I’ll be able to pay for my room and board in just a few weeks, hopefully.” Juliana was excited and nervous all at the same time, and giggled. What if she wasn’t able to do the work expected of her?

  “It’s nice to hear you laugh again, friend. We’re not worried about your paying your way just yet. Besides, the hotel isn’t full, and we don’t have need of this room.”

  “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank all of you enough. I’m glad I’m not alone in that rented cabin at the edge of town.” Juliana’s voice quivered.

  “I know this is hard for you to be without any family, but you have us, and we will see you through, with God’s help. I promise.”

  At the mention of God, Juliana frowned. Where was He when her mother became ill? Taking a deep breath and exhaling to calm herself, she admitted her fear to Marion. “What if I fail?”

  “Juliana, I believe in you. Besides, you read very well, and you’re eager to learn. That’s half the battle right there.” Marion patted her hand. “I’m going to let you get to bed now. I just wanted to wish you good luck and tell you not to worry. There’s someone who cares for you more than I.”

  Then where was He when my mama lay dying on the edge of the road? Juliana wanted to shout. Instead, she said, “That’s easy for you to say, Marion. At least you still have your father.”

  I can do it, I can do it, I can do it. Juliana’s heels beat out the cadence in her head as she marched down the busy sidewalk for her first day at the newspaper. Peering from under the brim of her bonnet, she looked this way and that before crossing the street. Men lounged against hitching posts dressed in cowboy garb, procrastinating the day’s work, but to her, the day was a new, fresh start.

  Her heart thumped in her chest with anticipation. Just think. I have a job with a newspaper! Mama would be so proud . . . Well, hold on, I haven’t even started. I might not be able to handle it. She paused in front of the general store, glancing at her reflection in the storefront glass and adjusting the ribbons of her bonnet under her chin. The new dress with its row of tiny tucks at the bodice flattered her figure, and she felt quite professional. The last bit of the money after funeral expenses had gone to purchase the dress. Once she received a wage, it would be cheaper for her to buy material and make a couple of skirts and blouses. The clothes she used to wear for doing laundry had long since faded and were threadbare.

  Thinking of her clothes made her think of Marion’s finery. What in the world did Marion see in her? Marion had many other friends in her social circle who had money and standing in the community. Juliana felt a familiar pang. In every camp she and her mother had worked in, she had seen the stares from the womenfolk who thought they were above her.

  The tinkling of a bell above the door sounded as Juliana entered the newspaper office. Mr. Spencer rose from an ink-stained work counter and removed his spectacles.

  “Good morning. My, but you are punctual. I like that.”

  “Good morning, Mr. Spencer.” Juliana stood before him, suddenly feeling helpless. Where had her confidence flown?

  “Juliana, I want you to call me Albert. I don’t stand on formality around here. Besides, that makes me feel sooo old.” He quickly added, “And I am, but don’t tell anybody.”

  She liked his sense of humor. That could make working fun— and anything was better than what she was used to doing. “All right, Albert it is.”

  Albert walked over to a small desk cluttered with paper and books, and Juliana followed. “First we need to clean a space on this desk for you to work. I’ve sharpened some pencils.” He motioned to the tin can holding them. “And here’s a tablet and Noah Webster’s dictionary. Any other reference material you need, just ask me.”

  Juliana pulled out the chair and took a seat, untying her bonnet and laying it aside on the desk that was old and scarred, but a desk nonetheless. She had always wanted one, but of course that was a luxury she could never dream of. “What exactly would you like me to do, Albert?”

  “First thing I’d like is for you to proofread an article I’ve just finished about the town council meeting last night. I’ll be setting the printing press for tomorrow’s paper that I will put together tonight. But with you helping to proof what has already been written, it’ll save me a lot of time. Then I’d like you to tackle that stack of papers on my desk and alphabetize them according to the title.”

  He handed her a sheaf of papers to read just as the tinkling of the bell above the door sounded again, and a ta
ll cowboy entered, spurs jingling against his boot heels. Over his long legs he wore leather chaps. Juliana noticed the gun strapped to his hip. He smelled of outdoors, leather, and stale tobacco. His light brown hair was long under his Stetson hat.

  “Wes, what can I do for you so early this morning?” There was no trace of the friendliness in Albert’s face that she’d seen earlier.

  “Well now. What do we have here?” Without waiting for an answer, the man said, “And where have you been all my life, beautiful?”

  Juliana felt her face flush, and she stayed seated at her desk.

  “Cut it out, Wes. This is a lady, in case you missed that little detail,” Albert said.

  “A lady? Someone told me she’s a washer woman who washes men’s drawers,” Wes said. His long mustache curled up into a big S on either side of his mouth. Juliana didn’t like the glint in his hazel eyes or the way he referred to her previous job.

  “This is Juliana, my new assistant. Now state your business.”

  “Boy howdy! Assistant? Well, you sure can assist me. I’m Wes Owen.” He bent downward, extending his hand toward Juliana. “Glad to meet such a gorgeous woman today.”

  Juliana squirmed in her chair. She did not shake his hand and spoke in a businesslike manner. “What can we do for you?” she asked, not knowing how to respond to his overt flirtations.

  Wes pulled his hand back with a frown. “I want to run an ad in the paper for horse wranglers. I know a lot of the miners do a bit of both around these parts.”

  “Juliana, will you write up his ad? I’ll see to it that it gets in the paper tomorrow.” Albert nodded at Wes, leaving Juliana to take care of the matter.

  Juliana swallowed hard, opened her tablet, and took a pencil from the tin can. “Tell me exactly how you would like the ad to read.”

  “Now, hold on a minute. We need to get acquainted, don’t you think? Are you from these parts? I don’t recall ever seeing you.” She swallowed hard and said, “I lived here awhile . . .”

  “Well, your mama must have kept you under lock and key, or I would’ve come calling.”

  “Is that so?” Her heart lurched at the mention of her mama. “Now, tell me what kind of pay and experience you want placed in the ad,” she said briskly, hoping he would drop the subject.

  “Not so quick, missy. How about I drop by and take you to dinner at the hotel tonight? They have good food, and I’m not such bad company.”

  “Thank you, but no.” She stared at the paper and started coming up with the verbiage for the ad. She could feel his eyes boring down on her. “Why don’t you take a seat, and I’ll write this up.”

  “Okay, have it your way.” Reluctantly, he pulled up a chair and gave her the particulars for the ad. “You have beautiful handwriting, Juliana.”

  “Thank you. I’ll read it back to you now.” When she was through, she noticed Albert out of the corner of her eye appraising the situation but continuing to work. “How much do we charge for that, Albert?”

  “Two bits for the week. Then if you need to run it again, you’ll have to stop by and let me know.”

  Wes agreed on her short write-up and flipped two bits down onto the desk, all the while never taking his eyes off Juliana. He strode toward the door, opened it, and did a half turn. “I’m not giving up on that date, you know. I’ll be back, rest assured.” He tipped his hat without even looking at Albert.

  “Good day, Mr. Owen,” she replied. Relieved that he was finally gone, Juliana carried the write-up to her boss for inspection.

  “Never did care for him much. Not exactly sure why,” Albert said, taking the paper from her.

  “He certainly is forward, and he made me feel a bit uncomfortable.”

  “I was watching and listening. You handled yourself very well, very businesslike. I think we will get along just fine.” He read over the write-up. “I approve. You have a natural writing style.”

  His words warmed her heart. The rest of the morning flew by with few interruptions. Earl, the general store owner, wanted to run an ad of the newest sewing machine available, and a young boy of about twelve dropped by to see Albert about delivering papers.

  Juliana left them alone to talk and went about tidying up the desk and surrounding area. Staying busy was best for her. It took her mind off her troubles and the future.

  When Marion came by at noon, Juliana was surprised at how quickly the time had passed.

  “I brought you some fried chicken and fruit because I know you wouldn’t stop to eat otherwise.” Marion opened the basket and started laying out lunch. “Mr. Spencer, I’ve enough for both of you.”

  “Thanks, Marion, but I promised my wife I would be home for lunch.” Albert paused. “I didn’t know you and Juliana were friends.”

  Marion glanced at Juliana. “Yes, good friends. You’ll find Juliana is a hard worker,” she said while she spread a napkin across Juliana’s desk.

  Juliana felt pleased her friend would endorse her.

  “I’ll take your word on that, Marion.” He winked, then lifted his coat off the peg by the front door. “You ladies have a nice lunch.” He went out the door and disappeared down the sidewalk.

  Marion couldn’t wait to find out about Juliana’s first day. “How’d it go?”

  Flashing her friend a big smile, Juliana answered, “Wonderful, really.” She decided it was best not to mention her encounter with Wes.

  After work, Juliana walked outside and tied her bonnet while Albert locked the door behind them. When she turned around, she saw Wes watching them, but she looked away and fell into step with Albert down the boardwalk. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wes untie his horse from the hitching post and lift his hat in greeting. She didn’t want to encourage him with even so much as a look, but she could feel his eyes on her.

  7

  Josh glanced around the dining room after being seated, unconsciously looking for the dark-haired young girl with the big blue eyes. She had told him she was staying at the hotel since her mother died, hadn’t she? He unfolded his napkin and placed it in his lap, thinking it would be nice to have dinner with her. He should have already headed back to camp to check on Andy, but he halfheartedly hoped he could connect with the girl. She made him feel something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. The deep sadness in her large eyes conveyed a longing he felt an urge to respond to. He figured she was quite a bit younger than him, unless he missed his guess. What would she possibly see in a short, stocky sheepherder and a man several years older in the first place?

  He did get his hair trimmed, but not as short as he kept it while on his father’s ranch. His hands were a lot rougher now from hours spent building his cabin, shearing sheep, and mending fences. He’d never worked so hard in his life before he moved to Montana.

  On his father’s big ranch, most of the really hard labor was carried out by hired hands. But doing most of his own work gave Josh a feeling of accomplishment and worth. He couldn’t afford any hired help other than Andy.

  A waiter came and took his order, promising to bring him a fresh cup of coffee, and Josh settled back in his chair, keeping an eye on the front door for Juliana. He was halfway through his meal of steak and potatoes when he looked up and saw her making her way down the stairs into the foyer, looking so young and innocent. He put his fork down, pushed his chair back, and hurried into the foyer. She was heading toward the front desk away from him, and he watched her from the back, admiring the gliding way she moved. She was light on her feet, and her skirts created a gentle whisper from the swaying of her hips. Her thick hair fell in lush, dark curls down her shoulders.

  “Juliana,” Josh called out.

  Juliana paused, turning halfway. “Hello, Mr. McBride. It’s good to see you again.”

  “Please, could you call me Josh?”

  She smiled back at him. “I believe I can do that . . . Josh.”

  “Have you had dinner?”

  “Matter of fact, I have.” Juliana stood primly, holding her hands tog
ether.

  “Too bad. I was going to ask you to join me.” Josh couldn’t believe those words had just tumbled out of his mouth. She didn’t really know him. Why would she have dinner with him?

  “Another time, perhaps?” Her lips curved in such a sweet way that he could only stare at her pink, upturned mouth. She seemed in no hurry to leave.

  “I’m sorry. I guess I should have asked if you were on your way somewhere.”

  “Actually, no. I was just going to go sit in the parlor to get out of my room for a spell. There are a few books in there I’d enjoy reading.”

  Josh liked the fact that she was a reader. Many a night he’d sit by the fire after a long, cold day and read before going to bed. A hazy vision of Juliana sitting beside him reading, firelight illuminating her face, popped into his mind. He blinked his eyes and mentally shook his head.

  “Well, then how about dessert? I hear the apple pie is excellent.”

  She gave him a lopsided grin. “You are persistent, aren’t you?”

  Josh cleared his throat. “Only when I need to be.”

  “And is this one of those times?”

  Her blue eyes twinkled with delight at teasing him, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to do, making her seem older than her youthful face indicated.

  “I eat alone all the time, except when I’m at the camp with Andy. So how about it? We could ask if they have ice cream to put on top of the pie.” He hoped that might tempt her to come sit with him awhile.

  Her eyes widened. “Now you’re talking.”

  “Must be my lucky day!” Josh took a step forward, offered his arm, and guided her to his table, where the half-eaten steak lay waiting. He wondered what he would say to her now that she had accepted.