by Al Lacy
The people had been told that there were volunteers down in the mine who had gone down to attempt rescuing the men trapped in the last collapse of the tunnel where the dynamite had exploded. They had also been told that Dr. Dane Logan was among those who were trapped. No announcement had been made naming any men who were known to be dead.
Pastor Mark and Peggy flanked Tharyn.
Soon, Art Berman was brought up in a cage. People began shouting, asking about their loved ones. Art raised his hands to quiet them. “Mr. Holton sent me up to tell you that all of the men who went down to help rescue those men trapped in the tunnel where the dynamite exploded are all right. As the owner of the mine, he will be up soon to give you word about the others.”
Moans and cries swept across the crowd.
Cassandra Wheatley left her aunt’s side and ran up to Berman. Her voice showed the horror she felt. “Mr. Berman, I have to know! Is Greg alive?”
Everyone in the crowd watched and listened.
Art said, “Little lady, Mr. Holton wants to be the one to tell everybody here who is dead and who is alive.”
Cassandra grasped his shirt and shook him. “I want to know right now if Greg is alive!”
Art’s features sagged. “All right. I may get into trouble with the boss for this, but I’ll tell you. Dr. Logan went down with us to try to save the lives of as many men as possible, but he couldn’t save Greg.”
Horror settled over Cassandra like a dark veil. Her flesh went cold. She felt as though her body had turned to stone. With a strangled cry, she pivoted and ran back to her aunt, screaming, “He’s dead, Aunt Mabel! Greg’s dead!”
Mabel gathered Cassandra in her arms as the girl broke down and sobbed.
Art Berman climbed back into the cage and told the man who led the mules at the wheel to lower him back down into the mine.
Tharyn wanted to cry out and ask Berman if Dr. Dane was still alive, but refrained. Other wives wanted to know about their husbands, too. Like them, she would have to wait.
At this point, Pastor Mark Shane stepped away from the crowd to an open spot, then turned to face them. Peggy and Tharyn, holding hands, joined him.
Above the moans and cries in the crowd, the pastor said, “I want all the members of our church who are here, and anyone else who wants to join with us, to gather around for prayer.”
Most of the citizens—men, women, and children—began gathering around Pastor Shane, his wife, and Tharyn Logan.
At the spot where Mabel Downing stood with her arms around her niece, she eased back so she could look into Cassandra’s tear-filled eyes. “I’m going to join them. Will you come with me?”
Cassandra shook her head and wiped tears from her cheeks. “There’s no sense praying to a God who doesn’t exist. But if you want to, go ahead.”
Mabel sighed, let go of Cassandra, and headed for the crowd that was gathering before the pastor, Peggy, and Tharyn.
Pastor Shane called for everyone to bow their heads and prayed for those who were still alive down in the mine to be brought out safely He also prayed for strength and comfort for those in the crowd who would soon learn that their loved ones had not survived the disaster.
Many tears were shed as he was praying.
Cassandra stood with eyes open and looked at the crowd with disdain, her eyes filled with contempt.
TWENTY-THREE
Shortly after the time of prayer, the men who handled the mules at the cage shafts heard voices down below, calling for the cages to be lifted.
The crowd gathered close and waited breathlessly to see who was still alive.
The Shanes stayed with Tharyn Logan, wanting to be close so they could help her if it turned out that Dr. Dane had been killed.
When the cages reached the top, all three spotted Dr. Dane at the same time, and the Shanes let her run ahead of them so she could reach her husband first. Dr. Dane stepped out of the cage, saw her coming, and hurried to meet her.
Bursting into tears as she dashed into his arms, Tharyn sobbed, “Oh, darling, I’m so glad you’re alive! Thank You, Lord! Thank You!”
Other family members were hurrying to those men who were getting out of the cages, while others, who did not see their loved ones, began weeping.
Kirby Holton was answering questions being put to him by people whose loved ones had not been in the cages. He was telling them how sorry he was that their sons, husbands, and fathers had been killed in the mine disaster, adding that his own son had been killed.
Cassandra Wheatley dashed up to Dr. Dane, weeping. “What happened? Why couldn’t you save Greg?”
Dr. Dane swallowed hard. “Cassandra, Greg’s chest was crushed by the heavy beam that fell on him when the dynamite exploded. There was nothing I could do to keep him from dying.”
Cassandra ejected a heavy sob, wheeled and ran away.
Mabel followed her, asking God to give her wisdom in dealing with her niece.
At that moment, Kirby Holton—having talked with each family who had lost a loved one in the disaster—stepped up beside Dr. Dane, laid a hand on his shoulder, and ran his gaze over the teary-eyed crowd. “Folks, I want all of you to know that Dr. Logan came to me and volunteered to go down into the mine. He knew the danger he would face, but he was willing to risk his own life in order to save any lives that he could.”
Though broken-hearted over the disaster, everyone in the crowd applauded the young physician.
During the next few days, the bodies of all the miners who had been killed in the explosion were found and brought up. Funerals were held for each one.
Though short-handed due to the loss of those men, Kirby Holton paid his miners extra to work overtime each day, and soon had the mine producing coal on a regular basis once again. Though there was a huge hole in Kirby’s heart over the loss of his son, he knew that so many of Central City’s citizens depended heavily on the work at the mine. Laying his own sorrow aside, he concentrated on keeping the mine in full operation.
During that week, Pastor Mark Shane and Dr. Dane Logan went to the Holton mansion and talked with Kirby about salvation, making it clear that Greg had become a child of God just before he died and was now in heaven. Kirby told them he wanted to see his son again in eternity, but that he didn’t want to make this momentous decision while in such a state of grief. They could understand that to press him further would turn him completely the other way, so they backed off.
On Sunday morning, Mabel Downing was in her kitchen preparing breakfast for Cassandra and herself, expecting the girl to appear at any moment. When breakfast was ready and Cassandra still had not shown up, Mabel went upstairs to her niece’s room and tapped on the door.
There was a five-second delay, then Mabel heard: “Yes, Aunt Mabel?”
Mabel opened the door and saw her niece still in the bed. “Breakfast is ready, honey. I thought you’d be up by now.”
Tears misted the girls eyes. “I don’t feel like getting up. Greg is gone. My life is so empty.”
Mabel moved in, sat down on the side of the bed, and took Cassandra’s hand in her own. “I’m sorry for what has happened, dear, but may I remind you that Dr. Logan came here to see us last Monday night and told us he had been able to lead Greg to the Lord down in the mine just before he died. Greg is in heaven now. That should give you some measure of comfort.”
Cassandra clamped her mouth shut and made her lips a thin line.
Mabel was unaware that her niece’s grief was not in the loss of Greg, but in the loss of the wealth she would have gained as Greg’s wife.
Cassandra opened her mouth and said, “I don’t want to get up yet.”
Mabel squeezed her hand. “Honey, I want you to get up, eat breakfast with me, and go to church with me.”
Cassandra jutted her jaw and shook her head. “I don’t want to go to church. Even if there was a God, like you claim, why would He be so cruel? Why would He take Greg from me?”
“Honey, I—”
“There is no G
od, Aunt Mabel! I’m sure there isn’t! Please leave me alone!”
Mabel let go of her hand and headed for the door. Her voice cracked as she paused, looked over her shoulder, and said, “I’ll see you when I get back from church.”
Cassandra lay in the bed, thinking about her loss. She had come so close to being wealthy. Now the opportunity was gone.
She contemplated her situation. She had to do something. Living with her fanatical aunt was becoming more difficult every day. Suddenly an idea came to her. Maybe the opportunity wasn’t gone, after all. Kirby Holton had to be grieving heavily over Greg’s death. His heart was tender. Now was the time to go to him and ask him to set her up financially as if she had been married to his son when he was killed.
After all, they were engaged. Maybe, just maybe, he would feel sorry for her as if she were his widowed daughter-in-law.
Cassandra hopped out of bed. She would go to the Holton mansion and talk to Kirby this morning.
It was just after ten o’clock when Cassandra knocked on the front door of the Holton mansion. When Kirby opened the door, she was surprised. His features were drawn and weary-looking. It was obvious that he was still shaken by Greg’s death.
“H-hello, Cassandra.”
“Good morning, Dad—uh, I mean, Mr. Holton. Excuse me. I—ah—had already thought of you as my father-in-law.”
He formed a thin smile. “Nothing to be excused for. What can I do for you?”
“I—ah, I need to talk to you about something very important.”
“Of course. Please come in.”
As Cassandra stepped inside, she looked around. “I expected Edith Linden to answer my knock.”
“Well, I gave Edith the day off. Some friends of hers from Georgetown picked her up a few minutes ago. She’s spending the day with them.”
“Oh. I see.”
Kirby guided Cassandra down the hall to the library, where the two of them sat down on overstuffed chairs.
“Now,” he said, widening his smile. “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”
Cassandra presented her request as planned.
Her hopes were dashed when Kirby ran his fingers through his hair and said, “Cassandra, I don’t mean to be unkind, but since you and Greg were not actually married, I am not obligated to treat you as an heir. There is nothing further to discuss on this matter.”
Cassandra slid hopelessly into panic. All the blood seeped out of her face, leaving a colorless mask. Inside a fiery rage was welling up. Though her anger was just below skin level, ready to explode, she turned on the tears. “Please, Mr. Holton! I’m desperate! I need to get away from my aunt, who is a religious fanatic. She makes my life miserable, and I’m living in near poverty.” She let her tears stream down her cheeks. “Please! Please help me!”
Kirby shook his head. “I’m sorry about your misery, Cassandra, but I have no obligation to you. Like I said, there’s nothing further to discuss on this matter.”
With that, Kirby rose from his chair. Cassandra stood up, wiped tears, and nodded. She wanted to claw his eyes out, but walked silently beside him as he accompanied her to the front door.
As she was walking home, the anger inside her turned to wrath. The farther she walked, the hotter her wrath became. Shaking her fists, she said with a throbbing passion, “I’ll get even with you, Mr. Kirby Holton! You’re gonna be sorry for this!”
When Mabel Downing arrived home from church and there was no sign of her niece on the first floor, she went upstairs and knocked on Cassandra’s door.
A pitiful, shaky voice called, “Come in.”
Mabel opened the door and stepped in. She was shocked when she saw Cassandra lying facedown on her bed with her bare back exposed. The girl’s white flesh was crisscrossed with glaring reddish purple welts from her shoulders all the way down to her waist.
Mabel gasped and dashed to her. “Cassandra! What happened to you?”
Without moving, Cassandra looked up at her aunt, tears flowing. “Auntie Mabel, I’ve been needing money of my own. I felt guilty with you spending your money to feed me and keep me in your home, so I went to see Kirby Holton. I thought that because I was engaged to marry Greg, he might treat me as if I was Greg’s widow and share some of the Holton money with me.”
Mabel looked down at her welts. “He did this to you?”
Cassandra swallowed hard and squeaked, “Yes.” She drew a shuddering breath. “When I presented my case to him in his library, he became angry and told me that I wasn’t getting a penny from him. I—I began to cry and begged him for just a little money. This infuriated him. His face was beet red when he ordered me to get out of his house. This frightened me, Auntie Mabel.”
Mabel’s body was trembling as she wrung her hands.
Cassandra went on. “I was so scared, Auntie Mabel. When I started to leave, my knees gave way, and I fell. He stood over me like a madman, screaming at me to get up and get out. Afraid he was going to hurt me, I cried out for help to his housekeeper, Edith Linden. By this time, Kirby was breathing heavily. He laughed and told me Edith wasn’t home.
“I was trying to get up when he went absolutely insane, Auntie Mabel! He took off his belt and pushed me flat on the floor, facedown. He lashed me repeatedly with the belt across my back, calling me a greedy money monger! Still acting like a madman, he began pacing the floor, muttering to himself. While he was doing this, I managed to get to my feet and run out of the house.”
Mabel was stunned. “I—I can’t even imagine what you were going through, Cassandra.”
Pointing to her blouse on a nearby chair, Cassandra said, “Take a look at that.”
Mabel saw that the back of the blouse was in shreds. She picked it up, looked at it, then set her eyes on the girl. “Oh, honey, if it weren’t for this blouse, the belt would have cut your skin. You would be bleeding profusely. I’m going to Marshal Jake Merrell and have him arrest that beast! Then I’ll go to Dr. Logan’s house and bring him here so he can treat those horrible welts.”
Mabel dropped the blouse back on the chair and dashed out of the room.
When Cassandra heard the front door slam downstairs, she smiled to herself. She would stay on the bed just as she was so when the doctor came, he would get the impact of seeing the horrible welts when Aunt Mabel brought him into the room.
Less than an hour had passed when Mabel returned with Dr. Dane Logan at her side, medical bag in hand. When he saw the welts he frowned. “My, oh my, girl.” He turned to Mabel. “You described these stripes perfectly. I’ll have to take a close look.”
While the doctor was examining the crisscrossed wales on Cassandra’s back, Mabel said, “Honey, I went to Marshal Merrell first. He’s on his way to talk to Kirby Holton.”
Cassandra nodded.
Mabel then picked up the blouse from the chair and dangled it in front of the doctor. “Take a look at this.”
Dr. Dane glanced up momentarily, ran his gaze over the shredded blouse, then went back to his examination. A minute later, he stared at the welts and rubbed his chin as if perplexed.
Mabel’s brow furrowed. “What’s wrong, Doctor?”
“I’m thinking about treatment. I have some salve at the office that should go on these stripes. I won’t be long. I know Cassandra can’t lie on her back, but I suggest that you cover her back with a clean sheet while I’m gone.”
Cassandra gave the doctor a wary glance as he left the room, carrying his medical bag. Mabel did not notice the look in her niece’s eyes as she walked to the linen closet and took out a clean white sheet.
While Mabel was covering her, Cassandra said, “Auntie Mabel, I’m going to take that beast Kirby Holton to court and sue him for assault and battery.”
“Well, we have a good attorney here in town, honey. His name is Lawrence Pettit. He has done legal work for me on a few occasions. With Dr. Logan’s testimony in court of what that vile brute did to you, and Mr. Pettit presenting your case, the judge will no doubt sentence him t
o prison for a long time.”
Cassandra smiled, feeling a great sense of satisfaction. “Mm-hmm. And maybe the judge will give me a healthy settlement too.”
Mabel did not comment. It bothered her that money was the most important thing in her niece’s life. She was absolutely obsessed with being wealthy. Mabel drew a short breath. “You want something to eat?”
Cassandra shook her head. “No, thanks. I am thirsty, though. How about some water?”
Saying she would be right back, Mabel made her way down the hall. As she neared the staircase, she told herself it was no wonder that Cassandra’s parents gave up on her. In her whole life she had never known anyone as greedy as Cassandra.
Moving down the stairs, Mabel said aloud, “That girl has such an evil spirit about her. Nothing I say seems to penetrate it. Lord, You know I want so desperately to lead her to You, but I’m not getting anywhere.”
As she reached the bottom of the stairs and headed down the hall toward the kitchen, a heaviness seemed to press against her chest.
Moments later, Mabel entered Cassandra’s room with a pitcher of water and a tablespoon. Since Cassandra had to lie on her stomach, Mabel used the tablespoon to drop the water in her mouth. When Cassandra had taken her fill of the water, she put her head down on the pillow and sighed. “Shouldn’t Dr. Logan be back by now?”
“I’m sure he’ll be here soon,” said Mabel, setting the pitcher and spoon on the dresser. She then moved to a chair that stood close to the bed and sat down.
When another fifteen minutes had passed, Cassandra looked at her aunt. “What do you suppose is keeping him?”
Mabel was becoming concerned. “I don’t know.” She rose from the chair and walked to the window that overlooked the front yard.
While she peered through the window, Cassandra said, “Any sign of him?”
“No.” With that, she turned from the window and began pacing the floor, wringing her hands.
Time seemed to drag.
When three hours had passed since the doctor had left, Cassandra looked at her aunt, who was now back in the chair. “Auntie Mabel, I’ve had it with that doctor. I don’t want him treating me. And I sure don’t want him putting that salve on me that he supposedly went to get.”
