The Jewel of His Heart

by Maggie Brendan

  He had noticed that Juliana, though fiercely independent, was always willing to help others, and she had readily agreed to go with them to the mine. This was something he really liked about her. He hoped they could talk and work out their problems. Could it be she really cared deeply for him? He worried about the age difference. Though he found her to be wise and mature beyond her years, what if she thought the age gap too wide?

  Chaos met them at the mine, and through thick, heavy smoke, it was apparent to Josh that something terrible had occurred. Something not planned. People were running, some yelling out to others in fear. The ground was littered with rocky debris and bodies. Two men were bent over a miner who appeared to be dead. Several of the miners seemed unable to hear because of the loud blast. Josh and his friends hurried forward to aid the wounded.

  Josh rushed past the men’s tents and picked his way through muck and smoke and over ore carts to find someone in charge. He saw a man barking orders to others around him. “Sir, please, what can we do to help?”

  “And who are you?” The man jerked around to look at Josh but continued striding through the wounded. Josh knew there was no time to waste.

  “I’m Josh, and this is Andy. I live nearby and heard the blast. Looks like you have some seriously injured men.”

  “That we do—it was a terrible accident. Is that your wagon?” He nodded to where Juliana had parked the wagon. Josh and Andy followed him through the crowd of men who were pulling others out from the scattered debris.

  “It’s my friend’s, but you have permission to use it.”

  “We could use it to put the injured in to be looked at. We already have one wagon loaded with three seriously injured men. We’ll transport them to Great Falls by train when it arrives.” The man bent down to place his arms under a miner’s shoulder. “Help me lift this man—he’s badly hurt.”

  “Let me do that for you,” Andy said, reaching down to help.

  By the looks of his injuries, Josh figured the man would not see the end of the day.

  “I appreciate it,” the man said over his shoulder. He walked about, checking to see how many were killed or hurt.

  Juliana and Nellie were already in the midst of the injured, seeing the extent of their wounds. The odor of blood and death, mixed with the smell of smoldering powder from the blast, was nauseating, and the cries and moans from the injured were alarming.

  Richard, the foreman, handed them a first-aid kit for emergency use. Juliana pulled up her skirt and ripped her petticoat into ribbons to use as a tourniquet for one man’s leg, winding it as tightly as she could. She watched two men lift a dead miner and carry him away. Nellie cradled a man who had suffered an awful injury to his head and one side of his face.

  Both women were heedless of the blood and grime that covered their clothes as they went about offering what help they could. Richard returned with a clipboard and pencil, then proceeded to record every man’s name and whether he was injured or dead.

  An injured man cried out to Juliana. It appeared he had suffered extensive injury, and he was blood-soaked from his chest to his abdomen. “Please,” the man gasped, his head sagging forward vainly in his struggle to move, “could you . . . help . . . me?”

  Through the grime and blood, Juliana recognized him as the miner who had interrupted Wes’s advances. Small world—now I can help him in his time of need. She bent down, placed her arms under his, and tugged, but she wasn’t strong enough to move him.

  “Juliana . . . thank . . . God,” he gasped. “Please . . . I need to talk . . . to you.”

  “Shh, this is not the time for talking. Wait here, and I’ll get help.” Juliana turned, but Josh was already there by her side and immediately lifted the man with his strong, muscular arms. The miner didn’t let go of Juliana’s hand as Josh carried him to their wagon.

  Josh felt so sorry for the man. It was obvious to him that he wouldn’t make it, as a few others hadn’t already. He’d found out they thought a man named Frank was thawing the powder, got too close with his candle, and ignited about thirty sticks of the gunpowder, causing the explosion. That set off a box of dynamite, and he was thrown twenty feet from the magazine. The miners had just finished their meal and were heading back into the mine, and they walked right past the magazine when it exploded with deadly force.

  Josh laid the man in the wagon as gently as he could, and the man started shivering.

  “Don’t leave me, Juliana . . . please . . .”

  Josh was mystified. How did the miner know her name?

  “I won’t leave, I promise.” She turned to Josh. “In the kit over there with Nellie, there are some bandages and some laudanum. He’s going to need something for pain. Please hurry and bring it to me.” She scrambled to the front of the wagon, found an old quilt that was used as a coverlet during cold days, and quickly covered the man.

  Richard hurried over as another miner, with Andy’s help, carried another injured man and placed him on the wagon bed. Richard looked at the miner holding tightly to Juliana’s hand. “I didn’t get his name.” He turned to the other miner. “Do you know him, Douglas?”

  “Yes, sir, I do. His name is Davin Brady.”

  Juliana froze. Shock flashed throughout her entire body. Had she heard him right? Had he said Davin Brady? That just couldn’t be! She tried to pull her hand from the man’s, but he continued to clasp it as hard as his waning strength would allow.

  “Excuse me, did you say Davin Brady?” she asked Douglas, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

  “Yes, ma’am. He’s only worked for us a short time. Nice guy. He came from the gold fields in Colorado, as I recall.” Douglas paused a moment, looking at Davin with sadness. He shook his head sadly and said, “Poor fellow,” then followed his foreman.

  Juliana looked at Josh, whose eyes were full of sympathy, then back to the man again. Her heart constricted as if someone had just reached inside her chest and given it a hard squeeze. Oh, no, please, Lord. This can’t be happening. This can’t be my father!

  32

  Juliana swallowed hard and glared at the man lying in the wagon. Her father. Not exactly the way she’d hoped she’d find him again. She felt Josh watching her closely, but she couldn’t meet his gaze. She didn’t know whether to run or stay. Stay, she heard in her heart. Stay.

  She bent close to the man’s face, now covered with dirt and powder residue from the blast. As she looked closer, she wondered why she hadn’t seen the resemblance that day in the woods.

  “Are you really Davin Brady?” she whispered.

  He nodded.

  “How do you know who I am?”

  “I’ve watched you from afar.” His breathing was ragged. “I didn’t know that Grace, your mother . . . had . . . passed on.”

  Juliana struggled, a million thoughts assaulting her. “Why did you wait eight years to return? Didn’t you care about us?” She felt helpless as she watched Josh try to staunch the flow of blood from her father’s abdomen. Josh looked at her and shook his head. Juliana understood what he was trying to convey.

  “I had . . . nothing to offer you and your mother. I was”—he jerked in pain—“flat broke. After all those years, I couldn’t come back to you like that. I just kept trying to hit pay dirt . . . I’m sorry. Please forgive a dying father . . . beautiful little Juliana,” he pleaded between winces of pain.

  “But eight years is a long time . . .” She finally pulled her hand from his.

  “I wronged you and your mother. I . . . know that. I’m not worth forgiving.”

  Juliana didn’t say anything but stared as his dark brown eyes pleaded with her. He lifted his hand, motioning for Josh to come near. “I’m sorry for hitting you on the head . . . I was after the sapphires so I wouldn’t be empty-handed when I saw my daughter.”

  Josh’s eyes glinted, and Juliana wished she knew what he was thinking.

  Her father continued. “There’s more . . . I was the one who robbed the bank that day. The money is hidden u
nderneath a tree near the railroad . . . You’ll find every dollar . . . I just couldn’t bring myself to spend it . . .”

  “But why did you steal it?” Juliana felt like screaming at him.

  “Pride . . . I guess. I didn’t want you to see me with nothing. I wanted to give you so much. When I struck gold, I’d gamble it away, thinking I could double my money every time, but time got away from me more than once . . . and I lost everything.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” Juliana felt tears coursing down her cheeks. “All I wanted was a family.”

  Her father glanced at Josh. “I need to confess again. I accidentally started the fire that day with a cigarette.” He stopped again and closed his eyes. Juliana and Josh locked eyes for a moment, and she felt nauseated. This is my father confessing to these terrible things. What kind of man has he become? What will Josh think of my family now? Oh, Lord . . .

  For a moment Juliana thought he was gone, then she thought he was trying to muster strength to talk. She heard the sound of a train in the background, and everything seemed to move in slow motion around her. She was faintly aware that someone was attending to the other miner lying in the wagon. But she felt numb.

  “Just hold on, Mr. Brady. The train is going to transport you to Great Falls, where you and the others will get proper care,” Josh said, trying to comfort him.

  “No.” He rallied. “I won’t make it . . . Just tell me I’m forgiven, please . . . I know you two are sweethearts . . . and I don’t want you to start out with this between you . . . these terrible things I’ve done.”

  Juliana thought he certainly knew more about her than she did him. “You should be asking God to forgive you, not me,” she said.

  Josh patted the man’s shoulder. “It’s okay. Your confession is enough.”

  Davin gazed at Juliana, tears falling. “I’ve made peace with my Maker. In my pocket . . . in my pocket I wrote exactly where I hid the money I stole.”

  “It’s okay,” she croaked, grasping his hands with her trembling ones.

  “I love you, Juliana. I always did . . . I’m sorry . . . so sorry.” His eyes never left her face but then became fixed. Josh put his fingers over her father’s eyes and pulled his lids down.

  Juliana’s shoulders started to shake, and tears came hard from somewhere deep inside her soul. She reached out and touched his face tenderly, whispering, “I’m sorry too.”

  Josh moved to her side, enveloped her in his arms, and rocked her back and forth like a child, stroking her head. It felt like a long time that he held her while she sobbed, and her nose was stuffy and red. Josh handed her his handkerchief, and she sniffed and blew into it loudly. She let Josh scoop her up out of the wagon while someone covered her father’s body. Nellie and Andy had been standing quietly in the background, and she knew they’d heard her father’s confession. Nellie ran to her as soon as Juliana’s feet touched the ground and put her arms around her shoulders. Andy and Josh walked off to find the foreman.

  “I’m so very sorry for you, Juliana. What a shock you’ve had!” Nellie’s eyes were shining with tears.

  Juliana could do little more than murmur, “Yes,” and wipe her eyes. She looked around at all the pandemonium and thought, What a tragedy! How swiftly the Maker had called the miners home—in a heartbeat. It made her wonder if her mother would see her father now . . . She wept again for the lives lost this morning.

  She lifted her head and saw Josh, Andy, and the foreman coming toward her, all with sad expressions lining their faces. Nellie held her hand.

  “I’m very sorry, Miss Brady. I wanted to speak with you about what to do with the body. Josh here said you might want to take him back to Lewistown. Whatever you want to do,” Richard said softly.

  “Thank you. Maybe that would be best. Can I count on you, Josh or Andy, to help me with that?”

  “You don’t even have to ask,” Josh said.

  “Well then, it’s settled. I have others to attend to. Once again, I’m sorry for your loss, Miss Brady.” The foreman left, making his way to the train that would carry the injured away.

  Juliana let Josh guide her back to the wagon. “I’ll ride with you and Nellie. Andy’s going back to camp.” Josh turned to Andy. “I’ll be back later on. Make sure Shebe doesn’t overdo.”

  Juliana’s brain registered something about Shebe, but she just couldn’t process it now. She would remember to ask Josh later.

  “All right, Boss. Not to worry. I’ll take good care of her.” Andy gave Nellie a brief hug and took Juliana’s hand. “Sorry for what you’re going through. I really am. I hope to see you soon.” He tipped his hat, then left.

  Josh watched Juliana on the ride back to Lewistown. Only the wheels and sound of the horses broke the quiet stillness of the warm spring day. Sadness fell over the three of them like a dark cloak. He looked over at Juliana, whose slight shoulders sagged, and his heart twisted in his chest. He felt helpless to soothe her heartache.

  Juliana looked straight ahead, blinking back tears and twisting the handkerchief in her hands. What private battle must be going through her mind? What an awful way to see her father, and more importantly, to find out the things he’d done. Josh didn’t trust himself to even say the appropriate words to Juliana. Instead, he reached over and held her hand in his. He hoped Miss Margaret would be able to take her under her wing and comfort her.

  Josh glanced back over his shoulder at Nellie, who gave him a feeble smile. She was such a sweet person, and he understood what it was Andy liked about her. He was grateful for her friendship with Juliana.

  Grateful. How could he not be grateful after many misfortunes? He’d barely escaped the fire, and the blow to his head could have killed him. What if the mine had belonged to him? He sent up a brief prayer for the families of the seven men who had perished. He was beginning to get a clearer picture of reasons not to go into mining. What would he gain? Money? Probably. But at what risks? He had seen all he wanted to see about mining today, about how it affected lives.

  He made up his mind. He would sell his claim to Hoover, if he was interested. Being a sheepherder suited Josh, and apparently it suited Juliana. When the time was right, he would tell her his decision. But for now, his focus was on her broken heart.

  “Land sakes!” Miss Margaret declared when the wagon rolled into the front yard while she sat in her favorite rocker. She dropped her needlepoint in the chair and hurried down the porch steps as fast as she could, leaning on her cane. “What are you doing here, Josh?” Then her eyes flitted to Juliana’s bloodstained dress.

  Juliana clapped her hand to her mouth, stifling a sob, and collapsed into Miss Margaret’s arms. “Oh, Miss Margaret . . .” She choked on her words.

  Miss Margaret held her tightly and looked at Josh in surprise, questions showing in her gray eyes.

  He gestured to the back of the wagon as Nellie hopped down to assist Juliana. “There’s been a terrible mining accident, Miss Margaret. We need to get Juliana inside. Then we can tell you what happened.”

  “Of course! Nellie, please go find Natalie and Louise, and tell them to come to the parlor immediately.” Miss Margaret kept her arm around Juliana and walked her to the house, with Josh close behind.

  “Yes, mum. I’ll find them.” Nellie scurried up the broad steps leading to the porch.

  Juliana let them take over and numbly did what they told her to do. Miss Margaret had her lie back on the settee. She loosened the collar at Juliana’s throat, then tucked a pillow under her feet. Juliana didn’t care what they made her do, she would not feel any better. First my mother, and now my father. It was too much to bear.

  Josh motioned for Miss Margaret to meet him in the foyer, and she left the room, shutting the door. Momentarily she returned and reached down, stroking Juliana’s forehead. “Oh, you poor dear. I’m so sorry to hear this news of your father, Juliana. Josh told me what happened.” This brought a fresh round of tears, and Juliana buried her face in her hands.

  The doo
r flew open, and Miss Margaret’s daughters and Nellie hurried in. Natalie knelt next to Juliana, and Louise reached down and grabbed Juliana’s hand. They murmured words of sympathy, trying to console their friend who was in a disheveled state.

  “I’m okay.” Juliana shivered. “No, I lied. I’m not okay. I’m very sad. Please stay with me awhile,” she pleaded.

  Natalie handed her a fresh handkerchief. “We want you to know we will be right here by your side.” Louise sat on the edge of the settee, patting Juliana’s hand.

  Nellie leaned over, whispering, “I’m truly sorry for your heartache. I’m going home for now. You know where to find me if you need me. You’re in good hands.”

  Juliana pressed her hand. “Thank you,” she whispered. Even in her grief, Juliana sensed their concern was genuine. “Where’s Josh?” she asked, scanning the room.

  “He’s taken your father to the undertaker’s to start the arrangements for you, if that’s all right,” Miss Margaret answered.

  “Yes. I’m so grateful to have Josh.” She blew her nose into the fine linen hanky Miss Margaret handed her. “I’m still in disbelief. Life isn’t supposed to be this way, Miss Margaret.”

  “I know, dear. It’s hard to lose someone we love.”

  “I’m not sure I loved him. I didn’t really know him. I hadn’t seen him since I was ten years old.” She fingered the lace workings on the handkerchief.

  “But you’ve had God’s love in your heart for him as his daughter and little girl since you were born. That’s why you were so affected now, despite what he’s done. You’ve just lost something you hoped to have again, and that hurts. Your pain is very real. You’ll get through this, we’ll see to it.”