Sarah's Choice

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Carolyn had also mentioned that she’d suggested to Sarah the idea of opening a bakery in town, but Sarah had said she didn’t have the money for that. Elias felt bad that Sarah had to work so hard and struggle financially. If she married Patrick, she wouldn’t have to worry about either of those things anymore.

  “Ya look like you’re a million miles from here,” Ned said, joining Elias at the bow of the boat. “Whatcha thinkin’ about anyway?”

  “Nothing much.” Nothing I wish to talk about.

  Ned tipped his head back and sniffed the air. “Fall’s definitely here. Can ya smell the musty odor from the leaves that have fallen on the ground?”

  Elias gave a quick nod.

  “Won’t be long, and the canal will be closin’ down for the season. Got any idea what you’ll do durin’ the winter months?”

  “I haven’t figured that out yet.”

  “Well, you’d better figure somethin’ out soon, ‘cause both of the boardin’ houses in town fill up real quick with the boatmen who’ve got no homes of their own, and word has it that one of the boardin’ houses might be up for sale, so that one could be gone by winter.”

  “I hear that some of the canalers live on their boats during the winter months.”

  “Yep, that’s true. Think ya might do that?”

  Elias shrugged. “Right now my plan is to stop at Cooper’s store as soon as we get to Walnutport so I can pick up some supplies. Then we’ll push on and get our load of coal picked up in Mauch Chunk before the end of the day.”

  “Ya still want me to steer the boat when we head into the lock at Walnutport?”

  “Yes, I’ll stay below until we get through, and then, unless you need something from the store, you can stay on the boat and keep an eye on things while I go in.”

  “Don’t need a thing this time.” Ned clicked his tongue noisily as he shook his head. “Sure don’t make sense to me the way ya hide out below every time we go through that lock. Ya don’t do it at the other locks we go through.”

  Elias gripped the tiller until his fingers ached. He wished Ned would stop plying him with questions—especially questions he’d rather not answer.

  When Elias entered Cooper’s store, he found Mike sweeping up some broken glass near the front window.

  “What happened?” Elias asked.

  Mike frowned. “Sometime during the night, someone broke into the store again. This time, they took even more items than before.”

  “That’s a shame. Do you think it was done by the same person who broke in the other time?”

  “I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”

  “Several weeks ago someone stole something from me, too.”

  “Really? What’d they steal?”

  “A can of money I had hidden in my cabin.”

  “Did they leave any clues?”

  Elias shook his head.

  “Well, they left one here.” Mike reached under the front counter and produced a faded piece of blue material. “I found this stuck to a chunk of the glass that was still in the store window. I’m guessin’ it came off the thief’s shirt when he crawled through the window.”

  Elias pursed his lips. “Hmm… There’s nothing unusual about the color of the material. I suppose it could belong to most anyone.”

  “But here’s something interesting. Look at this.” Mike pointed to a blotch of blood on the material. “Whoever came in through the window must have cut his arm on the broken glass.”

  Elias studied the material. “That’s definitely a clue—or at least it would be if we knew who in the area had a cut on his arm.” Whew! At least he knew for sure that it hadn’t been Frank or Ned. They were definitely not here last night, and neither of them had a cut on their arm. “Have you looked around outside for any clues? It rained yesterday, so maybe the thief left some footprints.”

  “No, I haven’t looked. Let’s go see.”

  Elias followed Mike out the door. Sure enough, a pair of large footprints led to the window of the store.

  “So we know it was a man,” Mike said as they returned to the store. “Only trouble is there are a lot of men in the area with big feet.”

  “Have you notified the sheriff?”

  “Not yet. I was going to do that as soon as Kelly had time to mind the store for me so I could go to town.”

  Elias was about to say that he would tell the sheriff, when the door opened and burly Bart Jarmon stepped in.

  “Came to get a few supplies I didn’t realize I still needed,” he said, looking at Mike.

  “That’s fine,” Mike replied. “Look around the store and get whatever you need.”

  Bart headed down one of the aisles and returned a few minutes later with several items, which he placed on the counter.

  “That’ll be ten dollars,” Mike said after he’d added up Bart’s purchases.

  Bart reached into his pants pocket. As he fumbled, trying to get his money, a gold pocket watch fell out and landed on the floor.

  Elias gasped. It was his missing watch—the one Grandpa had given him.

  “Where’d you get that?” he asked Bart.

  Bart’s face colored as he bent to pick it up. “Found it. Can’t remember where, though.”

  “Can I take a look at it?”

  “What for?”

  “I had a pocket watch like that, but it’s missing.”

  Bart quickly stuck the watch back in his pocket. “What are ya sayin’? Are ya accusin’ me of takin’ your watch?” He squinted his beady eyes and glared at Elias.

  Mike moved closer to Bart and pointed to the bandage sticking out from under the man’s rolled-up shirtsleeve. Elias hadn’t noticed it until now.

  “What happened to your arm?” Mike asked.

  The crimson color in Bart’s face darkened, and rivulets of sweat beaded up on his forehead. “I…uh…cut myself on a piece of metal.”

  Mike looked over at Elias, then back at Bart. “Someone broke into my store last night, and I’m sure whoever did it cut their arm on the broken glass in the front window. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

  Bart’s eyes narrowed as he shook his head. “And you’ve got no proof that I do.”

  “Maybe we ought to take a look around your boat,” Elias spoke up. “Just to be sure you’re telling the truth.”

  “I think that’s an excellent idea,” Mike agreed.

  Bart shifted nervously and pulled his fingers through the sides of his dark, bushy hair. “There’s no need for that—no need a’tall.”

  “Why’s that, Bart?” Mike questioned.

  Bart started edging toward the door, but Mike moved quickly to block it. Elias, his heart hammering in his chest, jumped in front of the door, too.

  Bart scowled at them. “Get outa my way! Ya can’t keep me here, ya know!”

  Mike planted his hands on his hips and stared at Bart. “Then tell us what you know about the break-in here at my store.”

  Bart put up his fists like he was ready for a fight, but Mike didn’t back down.

  Elias had never been one for violence and didn’t know what he’d do if Bart started swinging. He sure couldn’t let Mike, who was several inches shorter and weighed a lot less than Bart, do battle with the brute alone. On the other hand, Elias wasn’t sure how successful he and Mike would be, even if they both took Bart on. A man like Bart, whose breath smelled of liquor, might be a lot stronger than the two of them put together.

  “All right, I’m the one,” Bart blurted, staring at Mike with a look of defiance. “I broke into your store twice and woulda done it again if I’d run outa money.” His gaze swung to Elias. “And yes, I came aboard your boat when you were docked here so you could attend one of them Bible-thumpin’ preacher’s meetings, and I stole your pocket watch and a bar of that white soap that floats. Then later, when you was docked near one of the stores in Mauch Chunk, I took the can of money.”

  White-hot anger welled in Elias’s chest, and he had to take a
couple of deep breaths to calm down. “Why, Bart?

  What made you do such a terrible thing?”

  “I’d like to know that myself,” Mike put in.

  Bart took a step back and leaned against the counter. “Things have been bad for me lately, and I was afraid I might lose my boat.”

  “How come? What’s happened?” Mike wanted to know.

  “I spent most of my money on liquor and gambling, and if I hadn’t done somethin’ quick, I’da been headed for the poorhouse.”

  “Stealing other people’s property is not the answer,” Elias said. “ ‘Thou shalt not steal’ is one of God’s commandments.”

  Bart slammed his left fist into his right hand. “I don’t give a hoot nor a holler ‘bout God’s commandments! I live by my own rules. Have ever since I was a boy and my old man ran off and left me, Ma, and my three sisters alone to fend for ourselves.”

  “I understand you’ve had a hard life,” Mike said, “but stealing’s against the law, and now you’ll have to go with us to see the sheriff.”

  Bart shook his head vigorously. “Uh-uh, no way! I’d rather die than go to jail.” Bart lowered his head and barreled right between Mike and Elias, nearly knocking them off their feet. He jerked open the front door and dashed outside.

  As soon as Mike and Elias regained their balance, they ran out the door after him.

  Elias could see Bart up ahead, racing down the path in the opposite direction of town.

  A wagon pulled by two horses came out of nowhere. When Bart ran in front of it, the horses spooked and reared up. One of the horses struck Bart in the head, and he fell to the ground.

  By the time Mike and Elias caught up to the scene of the accident, the driver of the wagon was on his knees beside Bart, shaking his head.

  “He ran in front of me before I even knew what had happened,” the man said, looking at Mike.

  Blood oozed from Bart’s head, and he didn’t appear to be breathing.

  Elias knelt down and felt for a pulse, but there was none. He looked up at Mike and slowly shook his head. “Bart’s dead, and what a tragedy. Life is so short, and to waste it the way he did is a real shame.”

  “Yes,” Mike agreed, “and now Bart’s life is over, and he’ll never have a chance to make restitution for what he did. Bart’s last words to us were that he’d rather die than go to jail. It’s sad to say, but the poor lost soul got his wish.”

  As Elias and his crew headed up the canal toward Mauch Chunk, he kept thinking about Bart and everything that had transpired after he’d been killed. Mike had gone to town to get the sheriff, as well as the undertaker, while Ned and Elias had searched Bart’s boat for evidence. They’d not only found several items that had been taken from Mike’s store, but also Elias’s can, with what was left of his money. Of course, Elias had retrieved his watch from Bart’s pocket before he’d boarded the man’s boat.

  “I’m going down to my cabin to put my money away,” Elias told Ned. “Would you take over the tiller for me?”

  “Sure thing, boss.” Ned offered Elias a wide grin. “Sure am glad ya got some of your money back.”

  “So am I, but I wish it could have been under better circumstances.”

  Ned nodded solemnly. “Yeah, it’s too bad about Bart. Wish he coulda found the Lord and turned his life around before he died.”

  “There are too many like Bart in our world,” Elias said. “That’s why we, who are Christians, should take every opportunity to witness to others about the Lord—not only through our words, but by our deeds.”

  “Yep, you’re right, and that’s just what I’m aimin’ to do.”

  Elias thumped Ned’s back. “I’m going below now, but I shouldn’t be long.”

  When Elias entered his cabin, he decided that he needed to find a better hiding place for his money than under his bunk. He thought about putting it inside one of the small cabinets in the room, but figured that’d be one of the first places someone would look.

  He glanced around, taking in every detail of the small, dimly lit cabin. Finally, his gaze came to rest on the old trunk sitting at the foot of his bunk. It had been Grandpa’s trunk, where he’d kept his clothes and possibly a few other things. Elias had been meaning to go through it but just hadn’t taken the time.

  Maybe I could hide my money at the bottom of the trunk, he thought. If someone should open it, they’ll think it’s just a trunk full of clothes.

  Elias knelt on the floor and opened the lid of the trunk; then he reached inside and removed a stack of clothes—shirts, trousers, and Grandpa’s old straw hat.

  He spotted something black and reached inside again. When he pulled it out, he realized it was Grandpa’s Bible.

  A lump formed in his throat. Many an evening when Elias and Grandpa had been on the boat together, Grandpa had shared several passages from the Bible.

  Elias slid his fingers along the edge of the leather cover; then he opened the Bible to a place where a piece of paper stuck out. He quickly discovered that it was a letter that had been written to him:

  Dear Elias,

  After I’m gone, my boat will belong to you. It’s yours to do with as you choose. I love this old boat, and it’s given me many good years, but I know it won’t be long before the canal era comes to a close. So if you decide not to captain the boat yourself, you’re free to sell it, and then you can use the money to buy whatever you like.

  Tears welled in Elias’s eyes as he stared at the letter. If Grandpa really meant what he said, then I have a decision to make. Should I keep the boat going for as long as I can, or sell it and find something else to do?

  Chapter 35

  How come we haven’t seen Elias in so long?” Sammy asked Sarah one morning in early October.

  “I’ll bet he comes by when you’re in school.” Willis poked Sammy’s arm with his bony elbow. “Besides, he don’t stop to say hi to us no more, anyhow.” He looked at Sarah. “Is Elias mad at you, Mama?”

  Sarah blinked. “Now what made you ask such a question?”

  “ ‘Cause once I heard Uncle Mike say that Ned told him Elias hides out on his boat when he comes through the lock so he don’t have to see you.”

  Sarah cringed. For some time, ever since she’d turned down Elias’s marriage proposal, Ned had been the one steering the boat whenever it came through her lock. Maybe Elias is still

  upset with me for turning down his marriage proposal. I hope Carolyn explained my reasons to him. I hope he understands.

  Willis tugged on Sarah’s sleeve. “Is Elias ever comin’ to see us again? Is he, huh?”

  “I don’t know, son.” She pointed to his bowl of mush. “Hurry now and finish your breakfast. Hortence will be here any minute, and I’d like us to have the dishes cleared away before she arrives.”

  “I hope Elias is at church this Sunday,” Sammy said. “I sure do miss him.”

  I miss him, too, Sarah thought with regret. Her gaze came to rest on the letter she’d placed on the counter. It was from Carolyn and had arrived yesterday at Mike’s store, which also served as the local post office. Carolyn had told Sarah some interesting things about Easton and mentioned how things were going with the students in her class. But she’d made no mention of Elias at all.

  Willis nudged Sarah’s arm. “Sure hope that mean blacksmith’s not at church this time. I don’t like it when he sits on the pew between us, Mama.”

  “Patrick is not mean. He’s a nice man, and you shouldn’t talk about him that way,” Sarah said with a shake of her head.

  “He’s mean to Bristle Face,” Helen spoke up. “I seen him kick at our dog once when you wasn’t lookin’.”

  Sarah flinched. Even after all these months of Patrick coming around, the children—and the dog—still didn’t care for him. She hadn’t given him an answer to his proposal yet, and with the children feeling the way they did, she didn’t know what to do. Would things be better for them if she married Patrick? Would the children learn to accept him as their st
epfather?

  Sarah took a sip of her tea and contemplated things further. If I don’t marry Patrick, how will I get my family away from the canal?

  She didn’t have near enough money saved up in order to open her own bakery and she might never have enough. With winter coming, the only money she’d make would be from the bread she planned to sell in Mike and Kelly’s store. As far as she could tell, her family’s future looked hopeless. Maybe her only choice was to marry Patrick.

  A knock sounded on the door, and a few seconds later, Hortence entered the kitchen.

  “You don’t have to knock every time you come over,” Sarah said, smiling at Hortence. “You’re like one of the family now.”

  Hortence smiled in return. “I realize that, but as Mother always says, ‘You don’t want to ever forget your manners.’ ” She motioned to the table. “I see you’re still eating breakfast. I must be early this morning.”

  Sarah shook her head. “You’re not early. We’ve just spent more time visiting than usual.”

  “We was talkin’ about Patrick and how much he hates our dog,” Willis said.

  “Before that it was Elias we was talkin’ about,” Sammy added.

  Hortence pulled out an empty chair at the table and sat down. “Speaking of Elias, did you know that he sold his boat and left the canal?”

  Sarah’s mouth opened wide. “He did?”

  “That’s right. Mother heard it from Mavis Jennings, and Mavis said she heard it from Freda Miller.”

  “Where’d Elias go?” A sense of sadness settled over Sarah like a heavy blanket of fog. “Did he move back to Easton?”

  Hortence shrugged. “I’m not sure. I just know he’s gone.”