“It sounds like you have things in better order now. What’s stopping you from picking up where you left off,” Scotty asked.
Daniel repositioned himself on a crate. “One big reason. The owner of the bank has been calling on her.”
The sound of the door opening caught their attention. “All right, men get ready to teach a few bandits this train is not easy pickings. I’m headed to cover the engineer. As we start to slow, take your best aim and shoot. May God be with us,” the detective called.
Scotty broke out in a cold sweat as he raised his Winchester to his shoulder.
Chapter 13
November 3, 1876
Seth said Tennessee is a strange name for a woman. I like it.
The whistle blew, and the train picked up speed, a signal all was clear. The smell of gunpowder rampant, Scotty used his hat to clear the smoke. “If I never have to go through something like that again, it will be too soon.”
Daniel grinned. “I’ll remind you of your statement the next time you talk me into coming with you on another mission.”
Scotty rubbed the back of his neck. “I made up my mind. If I live through this, I’ll risk disappointing my pa and tell him how I feel about continuing in this kind of work. No more special assignments, and as soon as we can find a reputable replacement, I’m resigning as deputy.”
“Believe I have heard you make a similar statement this time last year.” Daniel slapped Scotty’s back.
He winced, then placed his hand on his upper arm. Pain seared at his touch. “Tarnation, Daniel, they winged me.”
Feeling light-headed, Scotty sat on a hay bale, which moments ago shielded him from flying bullets. He reached for his timepiece. Had the exchange only lasted a few minutes?
Once the locomotive passed into the tricky portion of the journey through the mountains, it would be difficult for horseback riders to board. Just as predicted, the gang appeared about three miles from the pass.
Six masked men had ridden out firing at the train, demanding it stop. Another half dozen with raised guns followed. As planned, the undercover agents dispersed throughout the train fired in retaliation. The bandits were caught off guard and successfully driven off.
Daniel pulled his bandana from his neck. “I sure hope one of the detective’s recruits is a doctor.” He ripped Scotty’s sleeve to gain access to the wound, then used his neckerchief as a bandage. “Stay put. I’m going for help.”
Fighting off dizziness, Scotty applied pressure to the wound as he waited. His arm throbbed, and he fought to remain conscious. His thoughts turned to Emma. Up until about a year ago, he always thought of her as his best friend’s annoying little sister.
His mouth twitched as he recalled an eight-year-old, snaggletooth girl who liked nothing better than to tag along with him and her brother, Seth. He’d been relieved when her best friend’s health improved enough to join them. As Emma’s focus turned toward others, he relaxed and over the years enjoyed her friendship.
After returning home from a two-year stint with the Texas Rangers, he saw a beautiful young woman at church who made his heart hammer. She was surrounded by several bachelors all trying to impress her. Seth’s back was rigid, and he scowled everytime someone spoke. He had to force his jaw shut when he recognized his former antagonist. It took him a full month before he got the nerve to visit.
Scotty closed his eyes. He recognized Detective Moore’s voice as he entered the room. The detective immediately adjusted the tourniquet. “You boys did a great job. We sure surprised them. A couple of the men on the far side of the train barely got off a shot.”
Scotty felt a tug on his sleeve. The detective continued, “I brought some fresh cloth. Gonna tie the wound up again until the doctor has a chance to get here. It doesn’t look too bad. Might only need a few stitches.”
“ I’ll be the judge of that, Detective,” another voice said.
“My apologies, Doctor. Let me step aside.”
A swishing sound passed by. It reminded Scotty of something. He tried to open his eyes.
“Just let me look before you tie it off again,” the voice said.
Something about her speech seemed strange. Not what he expected. Her. Soft and calm so like… He opened his eyes. Scotty gulped, “Emma?”
A small cool hand touched his brow. “Hello, I am Doctor Lane. I’m a recent graduate of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. I’ve spent countless hours training with my father who is also a physician on the train attending to another patient. Will you permit me to treat your arm?”
Scotty took in a deep breath, and he focused on the woman’s blue eyes. Definitely not Emma. He blinked, fighting off sleep. “Yes ma’am. I mean, yes, thank you, Doctor.”
“Excellent job, gentlemen, on slowing down the bleeding. I need to flush out the wound. It’s imperative we move the patient to cleaner facilities. Detective, can you find us a spot where I can work? Perhaps a sleeper car,” the doctor asked.
For a moment he felt as though he was floating. Blinking several times, the detective came back into focus. “We can take him to the owner’s private car, but it’s all the way at the back of the train.”
Scotty took in a deep breath, trying to clear his head. There was no pain now, only numbness. “If you can give me a hand up and help keep me steady, I can walk.” His own voice seemed distant.
Chapter 14
November 4, 1876
Dear God,
Grandma Tennie told me the Bible says pox and locust are signs the end is near. I guess I won’t be here much longer…
Sadie climbed on a chair in the kitchen and reached for an apple slice. “I like it when you make things. You are a good cooker.”
“I am a good cook.” Tennessee corrected as she cut fruit into small pieces.
“That’s what I said.” Sadie reached for another slice. “How much longer is Emma going to be sick? I miss her.”
“The doctor wants her to wait two more days, then as long as her fever hasn’t come back, she can come downstairs. Hopefully, she’ll be well enough to travel with you on the train to visit Rebecca next week. I know y’all have been looking forward to the trip.” Tennessee walked to the stove and stirred the large pot of chicken soup.
“I’m excited about the train and visiting Rebecca, but not about the other part.” Sadie sighed and stared at her feet.
Placing the lid back on the pot, Tennessee raised her eyebrows. “Other part?”
“You know, we’ve got to mind our p’s and q’s. I have trouble with that.” Sadie peered into the bowl of cut apple pieces.
The screen door slammed as Grace appeared holding a large bunch of purple coneflowers. “Here you go, Grandma Tennie. I brought you a bunch of them.”
“Thank you, dear. I’ll hang them up to dry and harvest them later for medicinal purposes. Echinacea is good for many illnesses. I’ll also make some up for your pa and Uncle Adam to use when their horses or cows aren’t eating well.” Tennessee stirred the soup again and lowered the heat.
Grace climbed onto a chair beside her sister. “Grandma Tennie, how’d you get so smart?”
Tennessee laughed as she wiped her hands on her apron. “I don’t know about being smart, but I’ve learned a lot from my grandmother, my parents, my preachers—all kinds of folks.”
Sadie reached for two apple pieces and formed them into the letter S. “Look, Grandma, I made my initial. Maybe we should use these cut-up pieces and spell out Scotty’s name for Emma. That will make her feel better.”
Grace rolled her eyes at the ceiling. “She won’t quit talking about the apple peel story.”
Clucking her tongue, Tennessee turned her attention back to the stove. “I promised you I’d tell you the rest, didn’t I?” Tennessee stirred the soup, then placed it on the back burner. “Let me think. I can’t remember where I left off.”
“What happened to your friend when she threw the apple peel? Did it make the initial of her sweetheart?” Sadie leaned forward o
n the table.
“No, it didn’t. As I recall, the apple peel test was a failure for my friend too. Maude is her name.” Tennessee gave a lopsided smile.
Grace’s mouth formed a grim line. “So that’s it? There’s no more story to tell?”
Tennessee waved her hand. “Of course, there is more to tell.” Placing her finger along her cheek, she gathered her thoughts. “My grandmother gave all sorts of suggestions. But you’ll think they’re silly.”
Grace moved her chair closer to Tennessee. “I would still like to hear about them.”
Sadie reached for additional apple pieces. “I won’t think they are silly, Grandma Tennie. Please tell us.”
Tennessee scooted her chair closer to the table. “If you insist. Remember this is all in fun. You mustn’t take any of this to heart.”
Grace’s and Sadie’s heads bobbed simultaneously. Thankfully, Emma had shared with Tennessee how she could tell the girls apart. “Grace is both practical and serious, blushes easily and almost always lugs an animal around with her. Sadie lives to have fun, is forever hopping or skipping and also loves animals. But she is generally too busy doing other things to carry one.”
Reaching for several coneflowers, Tennessee explained, “As you recall, my grandmother told us to gather all sorts of things for good luck. I didn’t tell you about the daisy test.”
Grace and Sadie stared at one another. They were the perfect mirror image—light brown hair, big blue eyes, near to impossible to tell apart except for a small scar above Grace’s lip placed there by Sadie last year. “The daisy test,” they asked at the same time.
“It’s quite simple.” Tennessee handed each girl a flower. “Pluck a petal and say, ‘he loves me.’ Pluck another and say, ‘he loves me not.’ Repeat. Whichever one you end on when you run out of petals will tell you the true feelings of the person you are interested in.”
Sadie’s eyes grew round. “Really?”
“That’s what they say.” Tennessee waved her hand. “There’s one problem with the test though. If we didn’t like the answer, we’d pick another flower and start over. Eventually, we’d get the answer we wanted.”
Grace crossed her arms across her chest. “What a waste of time.”
Tennessee shrugged. “Not really. We used the petals to make tea. Then my friend and I would sit and talk about all sorts of things.”
“I don’t care for tea.” Sadie wrinkled her nose, then broke into a smile. “Unless there’s honey in it.”
“Honey has medicinal purposes too.” Tennessee reached for the stray flowers and bundled them together.
Grace retrieved several branches and handed them to Tennessee. “What else did your grandmother tell you to do?”
“Let me think.” Tennessee broke the seeds away from the cone flowers. “These are too tiny, but she would have us do all kinds of things with larger ones.”
Sadie left her chair and hopped. “Like what? What did she tell you to do?”
Chuckling, Tennessee continued, “I can almost hear her now. She would say, ‘If you want to find out where your true love lies, squeeze a seed between your fingers and see where it flies. Whichever the seed points lay, will be your true love’s way.’”
Tennessee tapped her lips. “I remember another time when my friend and I attended a wedding. My grandmother told us to bring home a piece of the cake and put it under our pillow. She said if we did, we would dream about who we were to marry.”
Grace wrinkled her nose. “What a waste of a piece of cake.”
Tennessee nodded. “I have to agree with you, which is why I ate mine.”
“What about your friend? What did she do with her piece?’ Sadie asked.
“She put it under her pillow, of course. Sadly, not only did she not dream about the young man, she rolled on top of the cake. When she woke up, her hair and bedding were a mess. Her mother was quite put out from what I remember.
“The funniest part was when Granny instructed my friend to go out to the chicken coop on Christmas Eve and knock on the door. If she heard a rooster crow, she would marry, but if she heard a hen, she wouldn’t.” Tennessee laughed, then reached for an apple.
Sadie giggled. “But what happened? Did your friend ever marry the fellow she was in love with?”
“No, she didn’t.” Tennessee smiled slyly. “I married him instead.”
Chapter 15
November 5, 1876
Dear God,
Molly told me her mama says some strange things and to take them with a grain of salt. To be sure I gargled with salt water…
Sadie hopped up and down pointing as the locomotive slowly chugged forward, enveloping them in a cloud of steam. “Look, Emma, it’s our train.”
Placing her hand on Sadie’s head, Emma leaned close and spoke softly in her cousin’s ear. “I know you are excited, and so am I, but remember to keep your voice down, especially once we get on the train.”
Emma smiled at the twins, who looked adorable in the matching pink outfits they typically wore to church service. Their blue eyes grew round, and their ragdolls were clutched tight as they watched the conductor exit the train. Several women passengers wearing silk dresses with full bustle and matching parasols disembarked. It seemed everyone had made a special effort with their appearance.
She was thankful to be wearing a new day dress, designed by her friend, Lois. It was a beautiful but simple design with a stand-up collar and full skirt gathered at the waist in front and back. She patted her front pocket for the newspaper clipping her father had pressed into her hand before they left for the station. It was an article they’d read together at least a dozen times about Hereford bulls.
Emma smoothed her skirt unnecessarily, then sighed in relief at Sam’s arrival. Based on the set of his jaw, she knew the answer before asking the question. “Did I get a letter?”
“No, neither of us did.” Sam shot her an apologetic smile. “We both know how slow the mail can be. Even if he has written, he could very well arrive before his letter does.”
Emma turned back toward the train. Scotty’s mother had sent word after the sheriff received a telegram stating the mission was going well and to expect his return within a few weeks. Telegraphs were expensive. But still, surely he could have sent a note by now. After all, more than two weeks had passed.
The sound of the conductor’s “All aboard” pulled her from her thoughts. Sam picked up their bags as Emma guided the girls to their seats. Once settled, he blew out a sigh of relief. “I sure am glad you got the okay from Doc to make this trip with me.”
Sam pulled out a small brown bag and offered a peppermint to everyone before continuing. “Not only do I appreciate your help with the girls, but your pa and I are also leaning heavy on your expertise when we select the Hereford bulls for crossbreeding. Rebecca said her pa’s herd is substantial and we should have plenty to choose from. Even so, I want to make sure we select our best options.”
As the girls settled to the sounds of the train, Emma shook her head, amazed they could travel almost one hundred miles in just over two hours. She retrieved the newspaper article from her pocket. “Pa handed me this as we were leaving. I really don’t think I need to read it again as I can almost recite it from memory.”
After the severe winters accompanied by drought, her father and Sam looked for methods to protect and improve their stock. They both encouraged Emma’s interest in the ranch and urged her to study methods to help achieve their goal. Obtaining two Hereford bulls would be a monumental step to begin crossbreeding in their mission to raise quality and hardy cattle.
Emma touched the window pane, taking in the vast terrain. Soon the landscape would change as they approached Hill Country. Rebecca’s letters were descriptive, but she desired to see the rolling plains and limestone cliffs for herself.
She had looked forward to visiting with Rebecca and wanted to enjoy the trip, but her thoughts kept going to Scotty. Where was he? Was he sick or hurt? Lord, please let him be alr
ight.
“You okay over there?”
Emma turned to meet Sam’s raised eyebrows. “I’m fine.”
Sam nodded his head toward the twins who had fallen asleep. “I don’t think they slept at all last night they were so excited about riding the train and visiting Rebecca.”
“What about you? Aren’t you excited about seeing Rebecca?” Emma teased.
“Of course, I am.” Sam’s face flushed. “Not looking forward to meeting with her pa, though. Our relationship is still pretty shaky. From her letters, it sounds as though he’s trying to make up to her the best way he knows how. I’m surprised she seems happy about him converting the attic into her living quarters.” Sam fumbled in his pocket and unfolded Rebecca’s most recent letter.
Emma reached for the paper and flipped it over. “I’ve been thinking about that as well. But it sounds as though it was a healing process for them.” Scanning the letter, she pointed to the section which described how Rebecca and her father worked together on the design. It says, …The first decision was to replace the window in my former room with a door to create access to the outside. The whole process was more enjoyable than I could have imagined and it helped my father and me to get to know each other a little better. The entire attic has been converted to include a small parlor, three bedrooms, and a water closet…
Sam nodded. “She is excited about reconciling with her father. I just don’t want him to do anything to hurt her.” Sam rubbed his chin. “You worried about Scotty?”
“It’s what I don’t know that’s bothering me. Things were going along well until a few months ago when he started having to work so many extra hours in town. His visits have become fewer and far between. I honestly don’t know if I should be worried or angry that he hasn’t let me know what’s going on.” Emma glanced at her hands in her lap. “I feel horrible for being angry.”
Emma's Dream Page 5
