by Dani Larsen
George helped Anna as much as he could as did Helen and John. The house was so quiet that it was like a morgue in there. When the mortician and Father Phillips came by with Joe's casket, the family stood at the door sobbing for their lost son and brother. After they left, the family all went to their beds and cried their hearts out.
A few days later, Bert hobbled over to his father on his crutches and started speaking.
"Pa, I hope I will not upset you by saying this, but I want to change my name."
"Why, Bert? Why would you want to change your name?"
"I want to honor my brother, Pa. Since I really go by Bert and not Albert anyway, I would like to change my name to Bert Joseph Hempe. Is that okay with you, Pa?"
"I think that would be very nice, Bert, if that is what you want to do. I will talk to your mother, I'm sure she will be fine with it. I don't think you have to do anything but start using that name." George's tears flowed again, as Bert turned around on his crutches and limped back to the sofa to sit down.
The day before the quarantine was lifted, George heard a horse out by the front door. Anna was lying down as she had been doing almost every day since Joe had died. George went to the back door and was shocked to see Jude Burden when he opened the door. He didn't want Anna to see him so he stepped out on the porch and closed the door quietly behind him.
"Hi, George, I came to surprise you, but what is with the quarantine sign?"
"Hi, Jude. Don't come any closer. We have all had diphtheria. In fact, we lost our son, Joe, last week to the disease."
"That is terrible news, George. You have my deepest condolences. When your quarantine is over, I would like to talk to you. I just got into town. The new guy, Fred, who took your place on the police department told me where you had moved to, and since things were really slow over there, I thought I would head this way and see what was so good about the area you had moved to."
"The quarantine is over tomorrow, Jude. Why don't I meet you at the restaurant in the hotel for a cup of coffee about ten in the morning, and we can talk then."
"I'll be there. I'm so sorry about your son, George."
"Thanks, Jude. See you tomorrow." George went back inside and quietly closed the door. He knew Anna didn't like Jude, and she didn't need any new reasons to be upset. He wondered why the police department would have told him where he had moved to, since he had told them not to tell anyone. Now he began to worry that they would tell anyone who asked. What if they told the man who broke into the Troy Ranch? He would have to write to them to make sure they hadn't told anyone else where the family had relocated to.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
"An Unknown Danger"
The children all went back to school the next day, including Bert on his crutches. It was a difficult time for all of them. The news about their brother's death had gotten around and everyone knew about their loss. Bert got into his classroom and got to his desk and put the crutches on the floor beside his seat. A girl he liked sat down next to him and politely spoke to him.
"I'm very sorry to hear about your brother, Bert." She said.
Bert tried to speak, but he was suddenly choked up and tears welled up in his eyes. He wanted to run from the room, race all the way home, and cry his eyes out, but since he could hardly walk he knew that wasn't happening, and he just looked at her and nodded his head.
The other children were having the same problem. None of them could talk about the loss of their brother without breaking into tears. It was hard enough to have to go back to school so soon after their loss, and none of them wanted to leave their mother alone, as they knew that she was almost sick with grief.
It was a terrible time for the family, and the children just struggled to get through each day. They planned on going to the cemetery the next weekend to finally visit their brother's grave.
Anna went through the motions of doing the chores she was expected to do, but she walked around as if she were in a daze. George was afraid she would hurt herself as she wasn't paying attention most of the time. He found himself helping her in the kitchen and whenever she had scissors or another dangerous implement in her hands. He didn't like leaving her at all, but he had to take care of the cows and the deliveries.
The day the quarantine was lifted he made his deliveries, then drove into Sandy and went to the restaurant in the hotel where Jude was waiting for him.
He ordered a cup of coffee and sat down across from the man.
"Hi, George. I'm so sorry about your boy. It looks like I came at a bad time. I didn't know."
"What are you doing here, Jude? I thought things were going well there at the hotel in Baker City. Who told you where we were living?"
"I asked that new cop to find out where you had gone. I thought we were good friends, and I was really surprised to hear you had moved and not even told me you were going. I wasn't making hardly enough to get by there at the hotel, and I heard you said that this town was booming and that there were plenty of good jobs here in Sandy, and well, I thought I would come and see for myself. Hope I didn't offend you, George. I just thought we went way back. When I got here, I just asked around and everyone knew where the Hempe Dairy was."
"That's okay, Jude, my family is just going through a rough time right now. I'm really worried about Anna, and how long it is going to take her to get back to some kind of normal. And I think you know that for some reason Anna is not fond of you, and well, I just don't want anything upsetting her right now."
"I'm sorry to hear that George. I don't know why Anna doesn't like me, I have always thought she was a fine lady, and I don't know what I did to make her not like me."
"Don't worry about it, Jude. It's probably just best if you don't come around right now. Hopefully time will heal, but right now everything is really raw for all of us."
"So I guess you don't need any help on your dairy, right now?"
"No, Jude, the kids are big enough to help out now, and we can't afford to hire anyone. But there are a lot of good jobs here and on the mountain right now. You are good with horses; I heard the fellers who are laying the new water pipelines are looking for someone to drive their wagon hauling pipe up and down the mountains and on the passes that circle the mountain. I think you could find out about that at the post office. I heard they were paying workers real well, and it doesn't sound like too hard a job. There are lots of lumber companies hiring right now too, but those jobs are hard and dangerous."
"Thanks, George, I will look into the pipeline thing. That sounds like something I would be interested in."
"Good, well sorry, but I've got to go, this is the first day Anna has been by herself since we lost Joseph. The children all went back to school, so I need to go and check on her, besides I've got lots of work to catch up on at the farm, since I've been off work due to the quarantine."
"Okay, George, well good luck with that. Maybe I'll see you around."
"Yeah, take care, Jude."
George picked up his hat off of the table and walked out the door.
Jude stayed there and ate his breakfast and thought about what his options were. All he really wanted was to get that saddle, but he wanted to do it right. He didn't want to get caught in the act like they had at the Troy Ranch. Maybe he should get a job and bide his time for a while before he went looking for it. He knew Anna didn't like him, and he didn't know how he would overcome that, but he needed to figure out how to get that saddle without anyone knowing it was him and sending the law after him. He had been lucky so far and gotten away with everything he did, and he wanted to get away with this one too. The last thing he wanted was someone like Charlie Siringo on his trail. Obviously, the guy had quit looking for him as he hadn't seen or heard about him at all in the last few years. What he wanted was to find out where the saddle was, and to get it and leave no trace of him being there, and to get out of town before anyone knew it was missing. It must be hidden somewhere on their land so that should be easy to do. I think I'll just get me a job and h
ang around until I find out what I need to know. I've waited this long I can wait a little longer.
When he finished his breakfast, he went over to the Post Office to find out where to go and apply for a job with the water company. The man behind the counter told him that the guy who did the hiring came in a couple of times a week for his mail, and that if he wanted to leave his name and where he was staying that he would tell the man to come over and find him. He also told him where the lumber yard was where he could apply for a job with the logging industry, which paid really good money. Jude thought it wouldn't hurt to apply for a job there too. He didn't really want to work that hard, but just in case he didn't get the job with the Pipeline Company he might get an easier job at the lumber yard, like sales or driving or something that wasn't that dangerous.
Jude left the post office and headed down the street toward where the lumber company was and saw a group of young people crossing Bluff Road just down the street by the high school. Several of them came his way and he realized they were going to catch the school bus on the corner. For some reason, they were getting out of school early today. They were laughing and talking and it made Jude angry as he had never gone to a regular school, and certainly not a high school, and he had never had friends like these young people were enjoying. He stood on the corner envying their happiness. As he stood there, he noticed one boy looked very familiar, and it suddenly occurred to him why. The boy was John Hempe, George's oldest son. He would know him anywhere. He was talking to a couple of other kids when he looked up and saw Jude.
"Hey, aren't you Jude Burden that used to work on my grandpa's ranch?"
"Yes, you're John Hempe, aren't you?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I heard this was a booming town with lots of jobs available, so I thought I might find a good place to work here. So you go to school here?"
"Yes, this is where I go to high school. I'm the only one in my family who goes to high school, my brothers and sisters are still in elementary school."
"You seem to be getting off school early today. What's up?"
"We get out early every other Friday because the teachers have some kind of meetings. Here comes my bus so I gotta go. Nice to see you, Mr. Burden."
"Yes, you too, John. Maybe I'll see you again."
The boy turned to get on the school bus that had just pulled up to the corner, and Jude turned the other way toward the lumber yard. A memory flashed into his mind of John sitting at the Troy lunch table a long time ago talking about the saddle, and Jude thought maybe he had found his way to find out where that saddle was. He knew he would have to be careful how he approached the subject, but if he made friends with the boy, he could eventually find out what he wanted to know.
He applied for a job at the lumber yard and was told to come in early on Monday morning, but the man from the Pipeline Company came to his hotel that afternoon and sent the clerk up to get him. His name was Mike Streetman, and he took Jude into the restaurant to talk to him.
"What are you qualified for, Jude?"
"I have worked with horses all my life, and I was told you needed a wagon driver to deliver the pipes. I can handle any horse."
"Sometimes these horses are pretty hard to handle when we take them on unfinished roads."
"Like I said, I'm good with horses, I can handle them."
"Okay, I'll give you a try. We have an office east about two miles up Highway 26 on the right. Why don't you meet me there Monday morning at six thirty? Can you work that out?"
"Sure, I will ride my horse up there, but is there somewhere he can stay while I'm working?"
"Yes, there is a stable on the property. You will have to harness and get the team of horses hitched up to the wagon there. Then two men will load the pipe on the wagon and give you directions on where to take them. When you get there some other men will unload the wagon, and you will return for another load. Do you think you can handle that?"
"I know I can. I will see you Monday morning."
George went home and spent the afternoon catching up on all of the things that had not been done while the family was quarantined. At least once an hour he would take a break to go inside and check on Anna. She was just going through her routine and still seemed to be in a daze. It seemed like she was spending a lot more time than usual churning the butter, as she stared straight ahead all the while. She washed clothes and hung them on the line outside with tears running down her face. When the children came home from school, he asked Helen to spend the rest of the day by her mother's side to help her, and Helen was happy to oblige.
Helen helped her prepare dinner and called everyone in when it was time. Bert hadn't been able to do too much to help, and he also seemed to be in a daze. The guilt over his brother's death was overwhelming him, as he felt responsible for bringing that dreaded disease home to his family.
When they all sat down to dinner, George tried to liven up the family by asking each child what had happened at school today. They all tried to tell something good that happened, because they realized their father was trying to raise everyone's spirits, and they wanted to please him, and help cheer up their mother.
As they went around the table and said their piece, George would then say to Anna, "Isn't that great, Anna?" or "What do you think about that, Anna?"
When it was John's turn he said, "We had a math quiz today, which I did pretty well at, and oh yeah, guess who I ran into?"
"Who?" George asked.
"That guy that used to work at Grandpa's ranch. He was in Baker City the last time I saw him. Jude Burden."
George's mouth fell open, and Anna reacted for the first time in days, by putting her hand to her face and saying, "Oh, no! How did he find us?"
"Anna, he came by here yesterday while you were napping. I met him this morning in town and told him to stay away from here as you didn't really like him very much."
"You should have told me he was here. How did he find us? I thought you didn't tell anyone where we were going?"
"The only person I told in town was the captain and I told him not to tell anyone else. I guess I should have at least told Jude we were leaving. He said he asked the policeman who took over my route to find out where we went, and I guess the captain told him. Jude said he thought we were good friends and he was shocked that I didn't tell him we were leaving. Anyway, he said he just wanted to find a good job somewhere new, that he wasn't earning a lot at the hotel, and he heard that Sandy was a growing city with lots of jobs. I'm sorry, Anna. I should have told you."
Then he turned back to John. "Where did you see him, and what did he say?"
"I saw him as I was waiting to catch the bus. He was walking west on Highway 26. I asked him why he was here, and he just said he was looking for a good job and a new place to live."
"He didn't ask you any questions about us?"
"No, he didn't ask me anything."
"Okay, no problem. See, Anna, he's just here looking for a job. There is nothing to worry about."
"I just don't want him hanging around here, George. He gives me the creeps."
"I know, Anna. I know."
The family finished eating their dinner, but the conversation seemed to wake Anna out of her daze, and George was thankful for that.
Jude went to work on the pipeline and stayed away from the Hempe place. He hoped to run into John, but since he was working while the boy was in school he didn't see him again for a long time. Working on the pipeline taught him all about the countryside and the roads, which helped him form several plans on how to get out of town, if he had to break in to get the saddle, or got caught as he went after it.
As luck would have it, the town held a parade every year on the Fourth of July, and they had a festival in Meinig Park in the middle of the town for several days after the parade. Jude had been in town for four months and hadn't seen any of the Hempes until then.
He had the Fourth off and the two days afterward, so he just hung out during the festivities
. The family came to the parade, but they didn't see him. Jude just stayed completely away from them. He thought that this would be a good time to check out their place, but he didn't have enough information yet to know the lay of their property and where to look. Maybe the next holiday he would be more prepared. He thought that when he made his move he needed to have his horse packed and ready to go with an escape route worked out, which would lead him north to Washington State where he could get away. It would take him some time to figure out what he wanted to do, but for the first time some plans were forming in his head.
The family went to the festival after the parade and spent a couple of hours there. Jude stayed far enough away that no one would see him, and he watched them. They stopped at all the booths that sold food and wares along the way, and they took some time to sit on a blanket in the open area, ate their lunch out of a basket, and listened to the music that was being presented on the stage. John ran into some of his friends, just as the family was ready to leave, and asked his father if he could stay at the park with his friends for a while.
Jude overheard their conversation as he stood by one of the booths pretending to look at the merchandise.
"Pa, can I stay for a while?"
"How will you get home, John?"
One of the boys spoke up.
"My father and mother are here, and we don't live far from you. When they are ready to go we can bring John home."
"Okay then, have fun." George took a dollar out of his wallet and gave it to his son. "Don't spend this all in one place."
The family walked right behind Jude, and they didn't even see him as they left the park. Jude wondered how he would get the boy alone to talk to him. He followed at a distance, and then after about an hour he purposely ran into him as if by accident.
"Oh, excuse me. Well, if it isn't John Hempe. How are you, Son?"
"Hi, Mr. Burden. I'm fine, how are you?"
"Fine, Son, fine. I have me a good job now, and I like it here. I'm sorry I bumped into you. Can I buy you boys a ginger ale?"
