THE VEIL OF TEARS PARTED

By Celia Jolley

Just for Fun Fiction

"Weeping may endure for a night,

But joy comes in the morning."

Psalm 30:5

Her father insisted on it.  Yet, it continued to puzzle her like a fly buzzing around her head.  Of all things, why did he see fit to send her to her New York cousins, even though they were perfect strangers.  Upon arriving, Janie was made to feel quite unwelcome indeed.   She could only hope that her nose was not as sharp as the ones her cousins sneered down upon her. 

Thus, Janie was not invited to attend any of the dinner parties, not even the ones they hosted in their own home.  She instead was relegated to her room.  Nor was she invited to attend the theater or concerts with them.  Indeed, Janie was not even included on any of their many shopping excursions.  They made it abundantly clear that her company was unwanted, that she was an embarrassment to them.  In fact, she was shortly ordered to return home since they were making plans to remove to their Hampton summer residence.  

Janie gladly packed to go home, anxious to return to her father.  She had sent plenty of letters, but was becoming alarmed because it wasn't like him not to write back.  As she folded her clothes to place in her trunk, a pert maid elbowed her away and took over the packing for her.  Then the brusque woman remarked matter of factly, "You do know they don't like you."

"I believe they made that perfectly clear," she retorted startled by the woman's frankness.

"It's just that your petty cousins are afraid you will outshine them, a pretty gal like you."

"I sincerely doubt that," Janie huffed.

"Oh, you must know you'd turn their beaus' heads.  That, I'm telling ya, is why you have been excluded.  I actually overheard them saying as much, miss.  No lie.  But, pay it no mind.  The last thing you'd want would be to find a suitor among that snooty bunch."

"Goodness," Janie blushed.  

The maid chuckled, "It just goes to show that you are smarter than the best of 'em."

Janie could not help but laugh.  "Judging by their taste in men, it is probably true."

"Good riddance, I'd say, miss.  Do like the Bible says, and shake the dust from your sandals when you leave this place.  There, it's all packed now." 

Janie sighed with relief as the maid buckled the straps on her trunk.  "Thank you for your help.  I believe I'm ready for the footman to take my trunk to the carriage."  Janie glanced at the timepiece pinned to her dress.  "It looks like I will make the train in plenty of time."

As she was about to climb in the conveyance, a man ran up waving a telegram.  "Miss Berry, Are you Miss Berry?"

"Yes, I am Miss Berry," she stated before reaching out with a shaking hand.  A chill ran down her back as she accepted the telegram.

"Your father is dead.  STOP.  Buried immediately.  STOP.  Sickness rampant.  STOP.  Advised not to return.  STOP." 

With a cry, Janie nearly buckled.  "I must go home. I must!"

"Would you like me to send a reply, miss?" the messenger asked as he helped her up inside the carriage.  "There's no time, but thank you anyway." She barely managed to tip him.

Tears spilled all the way to Philadelphia.  Once on the train, countless gentlemen offered her their handkerchiefs.  A kind elderly woman even took the seat next to her and attempted to console her.  Upon showing her the telegram, the woman clucked deep in her throat.  "You have my deepest sympathy, child.  I myself have lost too many of my loved ones and can understand your sorrow.  However, I find this indeed strange.  I have heard nothing of an epidemic such as hinted at here, nor have I read of it in the papers.  Sir?" she called to the porter.  "Have you heard of a great sickness in Philadelphia?  Is it even safe to go there?"

The man looked over his shoulder and replied in a hushed voice.  "No, ma'am, never heard tell of such a thing.  Nobody done say nothing of the kind."

The elderly lady said, "Surely, if it was not safe, the conductor would not allow anyone to disembark at the station there."

"We be arriving shortly.  I'll hop out quick-like and ask at the window just to make sure there be no truth to it." He looked over his shoulder with his finger to his mouth.  "Shh, wouldn't want to alarm the other passengers, now would we?"

They remained in their seats as others crowded in the aisle grumbling about the delay in getting off the train.  "Sorry for the wait, ladies and gentlemen," the porter called out on his return.  "Everything be fine now.  You may leave the car."

The woman patted her on the shoulder saying, "See?  I hope this puts that worry to bed, though I do wish the news of your father was not so devastating."  Janie almost wished the kind lady was getting off the train with her.

"Thank you for your condolences, ma'am."

"I'll be praying for you, dear."

Janie was not only nearly overcome by grief as she stepped out onto the train platform, but she was likewise puzzled by the strange telegram warning her to stay away.  Why?  Why did someone hurry to bury her father, not even waiting for her return for the funeral?  Why was she told not to come home?  Janie waved over a hack and instructed them to retrieve her trunk before taking her home. 

As soon as she entered the house, she knew something was wrong.  Where was the help?  Who would have dismissed them?  "George?"  "Betty?"  No one answered.  

The driver waited instructions for her trunk.  "Follow me."  Their footsteps echoed on the stairs as if in a mausoleum.  "Thank you," she said leaving the man an adequate tip, nearly depleting everything in her purse.  Upon sinking into her bed to think, Janie noticed a letter partially tucked under her pillow.

"Dearest, If anything should happen to me, you must immediately go to my Uncle  Luther's in Erie.  Do not spend a single night alone in the house.  It is not safe.  Always remember, I love you. Father."

Janie's chest squeezed not only just from grief, but now from fear as well.  Did her father know he was ill?  Or had someone threatened his life?"  Then she froze at the sound of the front door opening.  She heard someone walking around.  Before she could catch her breath, there was a knock on the front door as well.  She could clearly hear men's voices below.

"I am glad we have been able to expedite the sale of the house for you, Mr. Pittman.  It was a quick business with no heirs involved after Mr. Berry's unexpected death this week leaving everything to his business partner.  Here are the keys, and feel free to move in tomorrow."

"What!" Janie gulped back her yelp.  This was clearly suspicious. Certainly something nefarious was going on!  She knew for a fact that she was indeed the heir having seen the will herself.  Her father would never have left everything to his business associate.

As she heard the men leaving, she stepped over to carefully peek out the window.  She did not recognize either of them.  As soon as they were gone, Janie grabbed her reticule and flew down the stairs.  She entered the alley to run to her best friend's, three houses down.  Out of breath, she beat on the back door until their cook answered startled and cried out, "Miss Berry!  For heaven's sake, whatever is wrong?"

"Everything," she said choking back a sob.  "Is Annabelle home?"

"Yes, dear.  I will send someone up to get her for you directly, child.  Go on to the parlor, and I will come with a tray and coffee."

"Thank you."  Weary to the bone, Janie climbed the stairs up to the parlor and sank down onto the couch.  She bent over and buried her face in a pillow to stifle her tears.

"Janie!  How lovely you are home again.  Oh, no!  What's wrong, dear?"

"Everything!  Do you know how my father died?"

"He died?" Annabelle gasped.

"Have you heard of any rampant illness in the city?  Did you know my father's business partner sold our home out from under me?  Evidently, he altered my father's will."

Annabelle clutched her friend's hands tightly exclaiming, "This is terrible!  We have not heard a word, not even of your father's death.  I will send an urgent message for my father to come home immediately so we can sort this all out."

"Can you send someone to retrieve my trunk from my bedroom, and perhaps take another along to remove the rest of my personal things to bring here? The back door is left open.  I can't go back, I can't!  Someone, a Mr. Pittman, may be moving in tomorrow."

"Unbelievable!"  Her friend shook her head vehemently declaring, "This is so difficult to take in!"  She rang the bell for the staff.  One man was sent to retrieve her father posthaste.  Then she turned to another doorman and quickly gave instructions dispatching him to Janie's home.  "Take an extra trunk and Janice with you to help pack Miss Berry's special things for her."  Turning back to Janie, Annabelle scooted closer to embrace her overwhelmed friend.

But then Janie sat up, threw her head back on the sofa and stared up unseeing at the ceiling.  "I found a letter from my father telling me that it was not safe to spend the night in our house, that I was to go immediately to his uncle in Erie.  I don't even have enough money left to buy a ticket to go there," she sighed.  "I imagine the wicked man has taken over my father's bank accounts as well.  Her tears were quickly drying up as a hot anger rose to burn in her chest.  "How dare Mr. Schmitt take everything from me, my father, my home, his business, his money,  everything!"  She stiffened her backbone all of a sudden saying, "Do you think there was foul play with my father's death?"

"It wasn't in the papers or Father would have told us," Annabelle said wringing her hands.  "I hope Father comes home quickly.  We can let him handle everything for us.  You can trust him, Janie."

"I do," she sighed.  "I just wish he could turn everything back to how it was.  I never should have left my father alone."

Just then Annabelle's father walked in and kissed Janie on the cheek.  "Now what is the emergency, dear?  What has happened to distress you so?"

At his kindness, she burst into tears again while her best friend in the world hugged her tightly and explained all she knew to her father."

"This is indeed disturbing, Janie.  You may be sure that I will have it all looked into.  We will  get to the bottom of it, I promise you," he stated with certainty patting her shoulder.  After reading her father's letter that she handed to him, he added, "I believe you should do as your father instructed and leave as soon as possible to go to this uncle.  Your life could possibly be endangered.  Did you not just come from your cousins in New York?  Does anyone else know that you have returned?"

Janie shook her head.  She handed him the telegram next and added, "I was not welcome there and thus, asked to leave."

"Oh my goodness," Annabelle exclaimed.  "How terrible!  Excuse me for saying so, Janie, but they must be awful people."

"Yes, my father sent me there for some reason I did not understand since as I had never met them before, though they were my mother's second cousins.  It was all very awkward to say the least."

"It seems your father had a premonition concerning your safety, as well as his own.  May I have the telegram and the letter to show to the police?  Getting you quietly out of the city is first on the agenda, however."

"Phillip and Janice are packing her things as we speak, Father, and will be bringing them by way of the alley.  They should be here soon."

"As soon as he returns, I will send him to the train station next to find out when the earliest train to Erie is leaving."

Annabelle hugged her moaning, "Oh, I'm so sorry, Janie.  I will miss you so very much!"

"We must not let anyone know that she came home, Annabelle.  Let them believe she is still in New York."  He continued, "As soon as you are aboard the train, I will send a telegram to your father's uncle Luther Berry, so he will have you picked up promptly upon your arrival."  

"Thank you, sir.  You have taken a load off my shoulders, but I do not wish to bring down trouble on you, nor on your household."

"That's why we must let the police investigate this.  Your father was a respected business man in our community as well as my good friend.  I am so sorry for your loss, dear," he said hugging her.  Being held in his strong arms brought her a measure of comfort, almost as if it were her father who was holding her.  "We will keep in touch, dear, and let you know of any new developments.  I must say that it reminds me of the suspicious disappearance of your brother as your father's original heir."

"Oh, but, sir, though we had no idea that he planned to leave, we believe he is still alive.  He did not take anything with him when he left so suddenly, but he did send us a note saying he was going west."

"That is odd.  Have you heard from him since?"

"No, never.  Father was a little concerned that James had been running with the wrong crowd and even had been gambling in disreputable establishments.  He surmised that my brother might have been threatened when he lost too dearly at the tables and felt he had to leave suddenly."

"Hmm.  I'm sure your father could have bailed him out of trouble rather than having him disappear like that."

"Yes, it grieved both of us terribly."

Phillip entered the parlor and said, "Your things are ready and waiting in the stable, miss."

"Phillip, I would like to prevail upon you further by going to the train station and finding out when the next train to Erie is leaving."

"Yes, sir.  I'll be back shortly."

Just then a maid came in out of breath bringing a tray of small sandwiches, petite fours and coffee.

"Did you pack her things, Janice?" Annabelle asked.

"Yes, miss.  I especially made sure to pack the photos on her dresser as well, but I could not find her jewelry."

"He must have taken that too," Janie sighed.

"Thank you, Janice," Annabelle answered for her as she began pouring the coffee.  Her friend added the right amount of cream, just the way Janie liked it.  However, Annabelle put in cream as well as two cubes of sugar into her own cup.  "I suppose this is a day for coffee rather than tea."

"Indeed," her father replied as he sipped his undoctored steaming cup.  His face showed his concern as his brows were pulled darkly over his eyes.  "I am sure I saw no notice in the paper of your father's death, which is quite troubling.  Oh, here they are," he added as a couple of police officers were ushered in and stood alert in the archway to the parlor.  "I asked them to come to the back door, dear.  No need to stir up the neighbors' curiosity.  I will call you in if they need to speak to you further, Janie.  Why don't you girls go up to your room as soon as you are finished here," he suggested before swallowing down the last of his own coffee.  "Annabelle, if your mother should arrive shortly, I'd rather she not know Janie is here.  I would ask that you only tell her that Janie is extending her visit to relatives, if asked.  We don't want any of this to leak out before the police have a chance to finish their investigation, do we?"

"No, of course not.  The least said, the better," Annabelle answered with a tight smile.  They all knew that her mother was a gossip extraordinaire.  

"The help has been warned to keep quiet if they want to retain their positions in this house, right Janice?"  He had caught the girl peeking around the doorway.

"Yes, sir.  I will remind the others for you as well.  If you young ladies are done with your tray, I can take it away now," she stammered nervously glancing up at the police officers.

"We're finished, thank you."

"You may bring more coffee for us in my study, Janice.  Officers, right this way, please," Annabelle's father said as he led the men inside and shut the door.

Phillip returned and knocked on their door to inform Janie that a train was leaving at five o'clock, and that he would have her trunks ready in the buggy to take her to the train station in ten minutes. 

"I suppose it would be better for me to leave before your mother comes home," Janie sighed.

"I wish it wasn't so, but neither do I want to keep you here any longer if it is not safe to do so," Annabelle responded.

They heard the policemen come out of her father's study, so the girls swiftly clattered down the stairs.  "Did you find anything out?" Janie could not help but ask.

"No, it is too soon yet, but I promise to keep you abreast of the situation, dear.  Did I hear Phillip return?"

"Yes, I'm on my way to the train station now," Janie said digging through her reticule in case money for her fare would magically appear .

"Wait, dear, I will see you there myself.  Don't worry, I plan to buy your ticket, but here's a little pocket money."

So saying, the man slipped some bills into her reticule.  "Shall we?"

The girls hugged silently, unable to say a word without more tears.  Thus, Janie was led out the back door just as they heard Annabelle's mother arrive through the front.  

"I'm home, Annabelle.  Please ask Janice to have a tray with tea and those little cakes prepared for us.  I'm famished and can't wait till supper!"

"Yes, mother," Janie heard her friend answer before they closed the door and hurried to the carriage.  Their escape was just in time.

At the train station, Janie could not help but look over her shoulder.  She saw Annabelle's father slip money to the train porter to lead her to the car she would be taking.  Then he hugged her remarking, "If these relatives are as unwelcoming as the last, please let me know.  We will think of something else, dear.  Here is a letter along with the others for you to give him.  I know your father thought highly of his uncle."

"My father has always spoken of his uncle Luther with fondness, so I'm sure all will be well.  Thank you for everything, sir."  With that he handed her over to the porter who led her down the aisle and into an adjacent car with more plush seating, much finer than the one she had arrived on earlier in the day.   

Janie was exhausted, her head aching badly from all her tears.  She slept most of the way.  They arrived under the cloak of darkness which made her very uneasy being unsure how she would know the one picking her up.  She could not even be certain that the telegram had been sent in time for arrangements to be made to pick her up at all.  At least the extra bills in her purse would allow her to rent her own conveyance if necessary.

Standing on the platform in the glow of the streetlight, Janie looked nervously around wondering if her great uncle would be the one to meet her.  He would be quite elderly, if she remembered correctly.  She was very young the last time she saw him.   Janie watched factory workers disembarking flowing around her, followed by business men who immediately made their way to the hotel far down the street.  Families who were reunited with hugs and kisses soon left as well.  She was quite alone.  Looking around, she noticed a tall man standing in the shadows sending a quiver of fear in her stomach.

"Is someone picking you up, miss?" the porter asked making her jump.  "I wish I could stay with you, but this train will depart very soon," he wondered aloud glancing around before putting the stool back inside and swinging up himself.

"I'm sure they will come any minute, but if not I'll call a hack," she said with more assurance than she felt, especially since she did not see any handy.

As the train steamed away, she truly began to be alarmed.  Not only that, the man in the shadows began walking towards her.  He was not elderly, nor was he dressed as one of the help.  Rather, he had the look of a gentleman, though a decidedly unfriendly sort. 

"Miss Berry?" he asked.

"Y-yes," she stammered.  "I'm Miss Berry." 

"I'm your father's cousin," he said.  "I've come for you."

"Oh, thank you.  I believe my trunks are the last ones left, over there."

"I'll have someone deliver them for us, while I take you to my buggy."

She watched as he paid a youth lingering by the luggage a coin to do just that.  He walked back and offered his arm to escort her to his buggy.  But it was a longer walk than she imagined going away from the train station only to be swallowed back into the shadows with this stranger.  Janie became quite nervous wondering indeed if she was being led astray.

Finally he explained, "My horse is quite excitable if I come too close to the tracks.  Thus, I prefer to leave him in front of the hotel.  Perhaps you would allow me to buy your supper here before I take you to my home."

"Thank you.  That would be nice.  How is your father?" she asked trying to scrape something up to say.

The man paused to stare at her before bluntly saying, "He's dead, I'm afraid."  He cleared his throat before going on, "Luther has been gone for nearly a year."

"Oh!  I'm so sorry.  I'm sure my father had no idea.  He was rather fond of him, you must know," she added.

"Perhaps the notice I sent him was misdirected.  I sent it to his office, but never heard back from him.  I thought it odd at the time."

"I'm sure he never received word, for I'm positive he would have mentioned it.  In fact, lately his partner has come under suspicion, you see.  Perhaps he took it."

"I don't know if you remember that Luther Berry is my step-father.  My mother was quite a bit younger than him, you understand.  I was but a lad of ten when they married.  Luther was in need of an heir, so I am most blessed to be honored as such.  He was a good man, a very good father to me and was a gentleman in every way.  He was most considerate of my mother, for which I am forever grateful."

He led her into the hotel restaurant.   After they were seated, he went on, "I'm sure you can only imagine my surprise to receive your neighbor's telegram announcing your immediate arrival.  I'm just glad I was home to receive it."  The man lowered his voice saying, "He hinted at some possible danger you are in.  But perhaps it would be better to discuss that once when we arrive back in the privacy of my home."

"Yes, I believe you are right," she agreed while looking cautiously at the other men in the dining room.

"You may relax, miss.  I recognize nearly all of the men here, and they are upright citizens, nothing to be afraid of.  However, it sounds as if your situation is dire."

"Thank you.  It has been a grievously upsetting day.  It started with a telegram telling me that my father is dead."

"He's dead?  I am so sorry, Miss Berry.  I had no idea."

"It seems neither of us knew of each other's loss." Janie lowered her voice to a whisper.  "The circumstances of my father's death sounded quite suspicious, but I'll relate more of that to you when we have more privacy."

The food was good.  Janie found she was hungry after having only a couple of petite fours with her coffee earlier, the only food she had eaten all day.

By the time the pie was served, she found herself sneaking stolen glances at her father's much younger cousin.  If she remembered correctly, her father's cousin was nearer her brother's age, about ten years older than herself.

"Is something wrong, Miss Berry?" He caught her scowling as she tried to remember why she had taken such a dislike to him when he and Uncle Luther had come to visit several years ago.  

"I'm not quite sure what to call you, sir," was all she could manage to say.

"Why not call me Sam.  Luther liked to call me Samuel, but I much prefer to be called simply Sam."

"Simply Sam it is," she replied forcing a smile.  The name was ringing a bell now.  Sam had been a bad influence upon her brother James.  It must have been when he and Uncle Luther came to visit when this man took her brother into gambling dens and who knew where else.  This was the one she had held a grudge against all these years.  She laid the blame on him as the reason her brother had to leave, disappearing so suddenly.

"I see," she said in a flat voice as a headache threatened to come back with a vengeance.  Never had there been such a horrendous day.  "Excuse me, sir.  I find I am not feeling well.  The events of the past couple of days have been quite overwhelming."  The food was quickly turning sour in her stomach.

"Of course.  Tomorrow will be soon enough to discuss things.  Shall we go?"

"Oh, I almost forgot.  Here are letters and a strange telegram for you to read.  It will explain much." She pulled it out of her purse and handed them to him.

Sam tucked them into his jacket and pulled her chair out for her, quite mannerly.  She doubted he could continue putting on a show of good appearance for long.  Suddenly, being taken in by her father's cousin instead of Uncle Luther was very unappealing.  Perhaps the New York cousins would take her back at a later date when they returned from their summer at the shore.  Anything would be better than being under this man's roof.

Now he was the one who kept glancing down at her.  "I asked to have a room made up for you.  If you don't mind me saying, you look awful.  You need to go straight up to bed and stay there until you feel better in the morning, even if you don't get up till past noon."

Janie didn't know whether to be insulted or comforted so she only nodded.

However, her sleep was fitful, and it was a relief to get out of bed.  She found her way to the kitchen only to be scolded.  

"You there, miss.  You shouldn't be down here.  Mr. Sam will have my hide if he finds you here.  I've laid out food for you in the breakfast room."

"I imagine he is a difficult person to work for at that," she scowled.

The cook gasped.  "Now why would you go and say something like that?  He's the best boss I could hope for, just like his father.  I get good pay, a good bed, holidays and a week's vacation to go visit my sister every year.  Just 'cause he wants to treat his company well ain't no cause to think ill of him, miss!"  

Janie found her face turning red as the woman glared and began flapping her apron at her like the woman was shooing chickens.  She turned and fled the kitchen.

Sure enough, when she found the breakfast room, Sam was sitting there.

"Would you have waited here for me if I had slept passed noon, cousin Sam?"

"I have plenty of work to do.  I might as well do it here as in my study while waiting for you to wake up.  He straightened and stacked a pile of papers and set them on his right.  Then he looked her straight in the eye and began, "After reading the letter from your neighbor, I find the circumstances much more dire than I had imagined.  I can't help but think that your father's business partner is behind all of it, as does your neighbor.  I've wired the Pinkerton's to assist the police in their investigation.  You never know which of the force might have been bribed to keep quiet.  In fact, one of the last things Luther did was to hire a Pinkerton to look into your brother's disappearance as well.  

Janie gaped at Sam.  "What!"

"Ever since I turned over a new leaf, Luther always hoped your brother had as well.  He firmly believed that Scripture about if you raise a child in the way of righteousness..." Sadly, it is my belief that sometimes it doesn't happen until someone is on their deathbed, but I think your brother would smarten up right quick if he wasn't too mired in the consequences of his bad decisions."

"And don't you think you have some responsibility for leading him astray, Samuel?"  The old anger rose up in her, all those years of missing her brother and seeing the unrelenting grief in her father's face.

"Now, I'll be the first to admit I wasn't a good influence, but..."

"Not a good influence?  I'd say you practically dragged him down the road to perdition, sir!"  Janie realized she was nearly shouting.  She hurried to fill her plate with anything she could on the buffet, not paying attention to her selection."

It wasn't until she sat and put a spoonful of chili pepper relish in her mouth, that she had a sudden fit of coughing.  Janie grabbed her glass and tried to swallow it down with water.

Sam stared at her as if she was fetched in the head.  "Careful now, missy.  Just because the cook prepares that for me doesn't mean she expects anyone else to enjoy it.  It's a Texas delicacy I taught her to make.  Didn't expect you to eat it up like it was jelly."  He was grinning now.  "How'd you like it?  It's called picante."

The heat in the relish made her face break out in a sweat in an embarrassing manner, not to mention the torment dancing on her tongue.

"Here, try putting a little salt on your hand and licking it off."

If she wasn't in such misery, she'd never have done such an impolite thing, but Janie was desperate.  There was no drowning away the fire.  The salt did help a little, she had to admit.

"I can't believe you eat that!" she finally found her voice though it was rather hoarse.  

"You see, I was raised in Texas on my pa's ranch there.  After he died in a stampede, my ma met Luther on a trip he made down on business.  He was quite taken with her, and she was more than ready to leave the dust of Texas behind.  A young boy is not asked what he wants, so with a good foreman left to see after our ranch, Luther swept us up and took us to Erie.  Since I inherited the ranch at eighteen, I've gone back and forth between here and there knowing someday I'd return to stay on the ranch for good.   You caught me at just the right time.  I will be leaving in the next few days, in fact.  I've sold Uncle Luther's holdings here and signed the sale on the house two days ago.  The new owners will take possession next week."

"But what about me?" she squeaked.  She didn't know if her tears were leftover from the hot sauce debacle or if they were due to the worsening of her situation.

"Now that is a question that kept me up most of the night, actually.  Don't you have any other kinfolk who can take you in, miss?"

"No.  I've just been sent away from my only other relatives.  They made it perfectly clear that they do not want me either.  However, my father did not feel it was safe for me to remain in Philadelphia.  You won't abandon me, will you Sam?" Her voice cracked.

He looked at her with such an intense stare that burned in her chest as badly as the hot sauce heated her mouth.  Sam rubbed his unshaven chin where his whiskers grew like a black shadow making him seem almost dangerous.  I guess I'll have to take you along.  I just hope you don't give me any trouble.  I've been looking forward to this day since I was ten years old and plan to enjoy it.  Texas leaves an aching hole for home that nothing in Erie can fill."

She scooted her food around her plate and half whispered, "Thank you."

"Now, let me see if I have the facts straight."  Her cousin then related the information correctly that Annabelle's father had written him, just the stark truth.

"Yes, that's right."  

"I took the information to the Pinkerton office early this morning.  They will be on it.  They did, however, warn me that danger might follow you.  Someone might not want you alive to come between them and the money they stole from your pa.  So, I've changed my plans and think it is best we leave on the train bound for the southwest first thing in the morning.  It'd be wise to put some miles between the person or persons who did this to a well respected businessman in order to get their hands on his company, his home, and his money.  The least I can do is to not let then get their hands on his daughter.  I think it best that you not leave the house until we are on that train."

Janie knew her eyes were like those of a startled deer.  In fact, she could barely take a deep breath and had begun to see spots.  Suddenly, Sam jerked her chair back, placed his hand on her neck and forced her head between her knees.  "Take a deep breath.  Can't have you fainting now, can I?"

She pulled his hand off her neck and swatted it away struggling to sit back up.  "Get your hands off me.  I don't faint!" 

"Of course you don't," he had the audacity to chuckle.  "Do you by chance turn white as a sheet on a regular basis then?  Best get some food in you.  You ate like a bird at the hotel last night."

Janie took a gigantic bite out of a homemade donut wishing it was the hand that had pushed her down.  However, she would not respond refusing to even look at him.  So, instead of settling here in Pennsylvania under her great Uncle Luther's care in this beautiful home, she was to leave with this varmint to live in the wild West with the rattlesnakes and mountain lions she'd read about, not to mention the outlaws and Indians. 

"By the way, if there is anything you see of Luther's that you want, go ahead and pack it to take with you.  I've already got a crate waiting to be loaded at the train station filled with the things I hold dear.  Everything else stays."

Janie stared down at the beautiful china plate in front of her.  She looked around at the silverware, silver candlesticks, pitchers, salt and pepper shakers.  Her eyes raised up to see beautiful landscape paintings and portraits.  She sighed.  "I've already lost everything back home except for the few things a maid packed for me.  Once you've lost the person who made the house a home, the things in it don't seem as important.  But thank you.  If you truly don't care, I'll wander the house to see if there is anything I could take that would remind me of Uncle Luther.  My father admired him so."

"He was admirable all right.  Not a finer, godly man could one hope to meet.  I'm proud to bear the last name he gave me when he adopted me.  Just knowing how I'd disappointed him back those years ago, made me reassess my choices.  I couldn't stand the guilt.  I couldn't even sin good and enjoy it.  I decided that I wanted to be like him, only with a cowboy hat on," Sam said grinning.  "I hope some day that people might look at me walking down the street and say, 'Now there's a fine specimen of a Christian fella.'"

Janie could only stare with her mouth open.  No words could spill out since none filled her head.  Sam Berry confused her, and she didn't know what to make of him.  Perhaps he wasn't the rake she always thought him, but still she didn't know if she could trust him yet.

After Sam left to take care of business, she meandered through the house looking for something of sentimental value.  Suddenly she gasped.  There propped up on a bookcase was a small oil that matched one she had brought from her own home.  Janie picked it up to check the signature.   Sure enough, it was painted by her mother.  She had forgotten what joy felt like, but it flooded her now.  It was as if her mother spoke from the past to comfort her in her most difficult circumstances.  As she hugged it close, she continued to look for treasures.  

By supper, she'd chosen another small landscape painted by an unknown artist, a portrait of Luther when he was a young man, and his Bible.  Just to make sure, she laid them all out on the dining room table to get the approval from Sam.  "I wasn't sure if you'd mind if I kept these things.  Are you certain you don't want his Bible, Sam?"

"I have my mother's, but thank you for asking.  I'm glad you chose it.  I'm sure you could find more things.  I won't begrudge you another trunk.  Did you go in his room and see the portrait of what must be your grandparents.  I thought you might like that."

"It's rather large and fearsome.  I liked this smaller one of just Luther."

Sam said, "Luther admitted to some rough days himself as a young man working along the Erie Canal when he thought he should drink hard and swear harder in order to be a man.  Not even his mama could corral him.  It took losing one of his buddies in a senseless brawl to make him think of eternity.  He was a changed man after that."

Janie stared at Sam and asked before she could bite back the words, "Is that when you changed, when you found out my brother James disappeared?"

He sighed deeply and held her gaze.  "Yes, it had quite an impact on me.  I still feel the shame of those days, but God has forgiven me and keeps reminding me it is in the sea of His forgetfulness."

"I wish I could forget," she said under her breath not caring if he heard or not."

Just then the cook brought in their supper.  It was their last supper, at least in this home prepared by her hands.  She kept wiping her eyes with her apron and hovering over Sam.  

"Tilly, you know I've set up an account so you can enjoy the rest of your life in ease, you and your sister.  You've served Luther and I well, and I have nothing but gratitude."

"Yes, thank you, sir.  It has been my pleasure cooking for you since you were a growing boy with a hollow leg.  You know I would have followed you to Texas, if not for my sister needing me.  I would have gladly learned how to cook Armadillo, anything for you, Mr. Sam," she added making Sam laugh.

Janie could swear the food was saltier than normal, perhaps from the woman's tears.  She pushed the food around and settled for a warm yeast roll with butter.   Sam ate heartily complimenting the woman on every item on the table, which was plentiful.

The next morning, they ate a quick breakfast of bacon, sweet rolls and coffee.  The train would leave at 8:00.  Janie thought she would face this neck of her journey with dread, but instead was shocked to find herself a wee bit excited now that she had accepted the inevitable. It would be an adventure indeed.  Perhaps she'd even learn how to ride a horse.

Once again, she found the train accommodations more than adequate.  "Don't get too used to the soft seats," Sam leaned over to say.  "We'll be sitting on hard boards before we get there."

She nodded then looked back out the window as the landscape changed.  Suddenly, a man in a derby hat slid in across from them.  He tipped his hat staring unashamedly at her before leaning forward.  He was in an earnest conversation with Sam though she couldn't catch everything that was being whispered.  Once she heard her name being said, and the man looked up to stare at her again, then winked.  He wasn't as tall as Sam, but was a careful dresser.  His blond hair was slicked back with a product that smelled of limes.  When he left, she couldn't help but ask, "A friend of yours?"

Sam leaned over and she could feel his warm breath in her ear as he whispered, "Pinkerton."
She jerked her head back to carefully observe the stranger as he swayed with the train to take a seat in the back of the car.  Sam chuckled but said, "Don't be so obvious in your interest, Miss Berry."

She huffed, "I'm not interested, fascinated, but not personally interested."

"Good," Sam said staring her in the eye.  "A man in his business is good at disguises.  Sometimes they forget who they really are when all the layers are peeled back.  The idea of their line of work is romanticized, but sometimes it has a dark underbelly."  His voice was so low she could barely hear it, but a chill went up her back. 

She nodded as she said, "I understand what you are saying and will take heed."  Then it was her turn to whisper into his ear.  "Does he have any news of my brother?"

"Nothing substantiated, just bar chatter."

"Oh," she remarked sitting up straight. "I see."

Sam sucked in the deepest breath before letting it out in a long sigh.  He leaned into her shoulder as he said, "I guess you deserve to know what we are up against.  One informant says James has been riding with the Hoskin brothers."

"Who are they?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Her eyes searched his before she said weakly, "Yes."

"They are a pair of good-for-nothings who along with other disreputable bushwhackers have knocked off a couple of stage coaches and as many banks.  Word is, they may graduate to being train robbers."

Janie sucked in her breath as tears glazed her eyes, "Oh, not James, surely!"

"So far his part is to hold their horses.  He hasn't used a gun yet as far as they know."

"That's good, right?"

He smiled in a sad way.  "Yes, that's better.  The informant says your brother wants out, but it is not easy to leave once you hold the gang's secrets."

"Thank you for telling me, Sam." Janie was lost in thought staring unseeing out the window.  

At some point she must have fallen asleep for she woke to find herself slumped on Sam's shoulder.  He looked down grinning and asking, "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yes, thank you."

"We have a little time left to make it to the dining car before they stop serving.  Ready?"

She nodded and scooted out after him though he stood back allowing her to go first.  She grabbed the seats as she walked swaying with the train in front of Sam.  He only had to reach out once to steady her.

After being served, Sam said with a grin, "Never tell Tilly, but I do believe this is the best chicken and dumplings I've ever tasted." 

"It surely hasn't been salted by her tears," she quipped causing his grin to spread wider.  As she studied him, she realized he really was a handsome man, now that she was trying to forgive him for leading her brother astray.  Before, her view of him was tainted by the past.  His countenance was indeed different now that he was a Christian.

"Tell me about your ranch." 

 It was the perfect thing to say.  He relaxed with a far away peaceful look as he described it to her.  There were new words to add to her vocabulary.  It seemed a cow was not just a cow but there were yearlings, steers, bulls and long horns.  Horses came in broken and unbroken, ramudas and herds.  There were more kinds of horses than she'd ever heard of, paints, appaloosas, huge draft horses to small pintos, even pie-bald ones.  There was open range and barbed wire fences, line shacks and bunk houses.  Then Sam described the main house his father had built of logs.  It was one story but had a wrap around porch on three sides.  He described the gentle rolling hills and the bluebonnets that made a sea of blue for part of the year.

They looked around suddenly to find themselves alone and all the tables cleared.  Sam looked sheepishly at her.  "Sorry, I didn't mean to talk your ears off."

"That's alright.  I enjoyed hearing all about it.  I have a lot to learn.  Thank you for taking me there with you."

He answered with a wink, "My pleasure."

As the miles rolled by, the sunset polished the sky into a ruddy orange that faded into a gray dusk, then to a black night studded with jeweled stars.  He told her of the people on his ranch, the foreman, the cowpokes, the cooks who made dishes she'd never heard of.  Tortillas? Enchiladas? Tacos? Chile Rellanos? And of course, picante.

When she covered a yawn, Sam sat up and told her again, "Sorry.  I must be boring you to tears."

"Oh, no, Sam.  I love hearing about it and the happiness in your voice as you describe everyone and everything.  I feel like I know them a little bit."

"Well, it's time to turn in.  I'll show you to the berths."

When she tripped over someone's foot sticking out in the aisle, Sam caught her before she fell headlong.  

"Thank you, Sam.   I just about bit the dust, as you might say in your cowboy lingo."

"Oh, so you've read a dime store novel or two before, have you?"

"I was nine, and father was none too pleased when he found it hidden under a couch cushion."

"I'll bet," he chuckled.  "I can just imagine you trying to read it under your covers with a candle close by.  You could have caught the house afire.  Here we are.  Now, no reading any of those paperback novels in bed, ya hear?"

"Yes sir," she grinned before she had to cover another yawn.  "Goodnight, Sam."

"I'm right here across from you if you need me.  Goodnight, Janie."

Early the next morning, it was somewhere between Saint Louis, Missouri and Springfield when the train screamed to a halt throwing baggage and tossing some people who were caught in the aisle to the ground. not to mention  those seated passengers who were thrown forward like rag dolls.   Sam jumped up, and for the first time she saw he was wearing a gun belt.  He yelled to the Pinkerton man who was further down the aisle.  "Watch that door.  Don't let them in.  I'll cover this one."  Then he shoved her down as he yelled, "Everyone down, they might come in blazing their weapons."

There was crying and whimpering and general carrying on.  Mothers tried to shush their children.  The moment the door at their end of the car close to them was thrown open, Sam began shooting as women screamed.  At the other end were more gun shots.  As it grew quiet, she peered up to make sure Sam was unhurt.  he was climbing out to roll over the robber who left too much blood on the floor to still be alive. Her stomach roiled as she glanced outside to avoid looking at the dead man.  Then she screamed, "James!  It's James!"  

She shoved past Sam, even stepping over the train robber who lay in a pool of his own blood and threw open the door.  It was her brother looking nervously back and forth in the trees searching for the one who called his name while holding the string of nervous horses.  One man limped towards him before another shot rang out dropping him.  Just as her brother was about to flee, he heard her call his name again, turned and saw her.  He hesitated just long enough for a bullet to catch him.  Janie jumped from the platform between cars and ran towards him, her skirt pulled up past her knees.  Sam was close behind, tackling her just before she reached him.  Somehow she managed to crawl forward as Sam tried to give her cover in case any other robbers were still trying to escape.  They would be heading towards James to get their horses for a quick get-away.   

"Janie?" her brother asked in a voice cracking with emotion.

"Oh, James, you're hurt!"  She tried to press her handkerchief on his wound.

"I'm sorry, Janie.  It's not how I wanted you to see me.  I was getting out, I promise."

"I know, I know.   We can get you to a doctor in Springfield, right Sam?"

"Sam?" James whispered weakly.

"I'm here, James."

"Take care of Susan and the baby.  Father, forgive..." he managed to say, then he was gone.

Janie had to let go of her brother.  Then she clung to Sam as he picked her up and carried her back towards the train.  She closed her eyes not wanting to see any more blood and death not realizing how she was covered in it.

The Pinkerton man ran over excited.  "I got him.  Did you see?"

"Not now," Sam growled.  Take care of the injured, will ya?  Can't you see I'm busy?"

He sank down on the ground near the train pulling Janie on his lap as she sobbed.  There was no more that he could say to take away her pain.  Men with shovels walked around them until Janie jerked her head up and shouted, "Wait!" She jumped up and ran to where men were preparing to bury the dead.  Sam caught up.  Leaning heavily on his arm, her heart sank as her brother was let down in the hole.  "Say some words, Sam.  Please."  

Sam cleared his throat and quoted from the twenty-third Psalm and reminded them all of the thief hanging on the cross beside Jesus who was forgiven.  Then he said a short prayer which comforted her and gave her hope.

"Thank you, Sam."

Later that night as she picked at her food in the dining car, the Pinkerton man came and sat down uninvited.  He blurted out, "Did you see me shoot them robbers down.  Besides the one in the car, I think I got a couple others in the trees!"

Sam growled and lurched up yelling, "Shut up!"  He jerked the man out of his seat and shoved him back until he opened the door and pushed him out onto the platform.  "I'll give you your final pay tomorrow, but stay away from Miss Berry.  That was her brother you killed, you idiot."

Janie laid her head on the table and cried until she felt comfort in Sam's arms.  "I don't think either one of us is interested in eating any more.  Why don't we go find our berths early tonight."

"How much farther to Texas, Sam?"

"Still several more days, I'm afraid.  We'll have to take a stage soon to go the rest of the way.  At least the Pinkerton fella will have to get off once we get to Springfield to make his report.  We won't see him or his derby hat again.  Luther had hired him to find your brother.  Unfortunately, we will have to wait to hear from the other Pinkertons we hired in Erie to look into the suspicious thefts and death of your father.  At least I will feel better knowing you'll be safe once we get to my ranch."

Sam was shaking her awake early the next morning.  We need to get off here in Springfield, Janie, before we go on to Texas.  I have some business to take care of here."

"Whatever you say," she answered.  "Just give me a minute to compose myself."

"Compose away!" he said grinning.

He helped her off the train and walked her to a fancy three story hotel with a balcony off every room.  "Two adjacent rooms, please."  Then he turned to her and asked, "Is it alright if we eat breakfast before we go up to our rooms?  I can have our traveling bags sent up for us."

"I find I am hungry, though I feel a little in shock still at finding and losing my brother so suddenly."

"I'm going to file a complaint with the Pinkertons about that man not following my instructions.  He should have known not to shoot James."

She bit her lip until the server brought coffee.  The hot beverage helped to bring her around.  "How long will we need to stay here?" she asked.

"I'm not sure how long it will take, but hopefully not long," he answered almost evasively.  

The waiter took their order.  The linen tablecloth, crystal glasses and fine china portended good things ahead for their meal.  

"I can take you shopping if you want or I could take you to a parson who could speak with you about the grief you suffer about your brother, if you so choose."

"I can't think of anything I need unless it's a few apples to eat on the train.  But I suppose it would be a comfort to speak with the minister.  I keep thinking that if I had not called out to James making him pause, he would not have been shot before getting away." 

"You can't blame yourself, Janie.  James made his own choices.  But, I'll ask around to locate one."

It wasn't a long walk to a simple Methodist Episcopal Church soon after with a manse near the sanctuary.  Sam introduced themselves and asked if she could speak to the preacher.   

"Why of course, dear.  Come in," the pastor's wife said with sweetness of the soul shining from her face.

"I'll be back before noon, I hope.  But I'd rather you not walk back to the hotel without me.  It might not be safe."

Janie nodded before following the lady into her parlor.

Sam wasn't back by noon.  When he wasn't back at three, Janie excused herself to leave.  The minister and his wife, though they had greatly helped her in her grief, protested her leaving on her own.

"I'd take you myself if I didn't have a meeting with a board member right now."  

"I'm sure I'll be alright.  I remember my way back.  Thank you anyway."

A brisk walk was just what she needed to work off all her emotions, including being peeved at Sam for not coming for her as promised.  Many men tipped their hats to her but she ignored them as much as she could until one rushed up to grab at her elbow.  

"Unhand me, sir!" she exclaimed jerking her arm away from the man's grasp, only to turn to see the Pinkerton man.


Janie had no use for anything he could say to her and quickened her steps.  He kept to her side though she refused to countinence him.  Finally, he blurted out, "Miss Berry, it's a telegram about your father from the Pinkerton Agency in Philadelphia."  

She stopped and stared down at the boardwalk.  He lifted her limp hand and put the telegram in her palm before closing her fingers over it.   Janie walked in a daze back to the hotel.  Even after entering the calm in the luxurious lobby, her heart still raced.

As soon as she unlocked her door, Janie sank down on the side of the bed and read the telegram. 

"Mr. Alfred Berry's killer apprehended.  STOP.  Mr. Schmitt confessed to murder.  STOP.  Admitted to changing will.  STOP  To stealing business and house.  STOP.  Trial next month.  STOP.  Justice will be done.  STOP.  No need to return.  STOP.  Will send bank note to Texas.  STOP. 
  

She crumpled the telegram in her hand suddenly feeling the need for a short nap to hopefully make her blazing headache go away.  However, first Janie stepped out on the small balcony for fresh air.  She gazed up the street in case she could spot the missing Sam amongst those on the crowded boardwalk.  She caught sight of the Pinkerton man's derby before he stepped into a haberdashery.  

When a woman laughed, Janie raised her eyes and was startled to find that their hotel was across the street from a fancy saloon with rooms above where a few women hung out on their own balconies indecently clad.  She gasped as she realized it to be a brothel.  But the laugh once again drew her attention to the outside curving stairway where a curvaceous woman was hanging on a man's arm, Sam's arm!  Janie was instantly sick to her stomach.

It was too much.  She could never trust the man again.  In fact, Janie realized she could not stay another second, nor could she go to Texas with him.  She threw her few things back into her carpet bag and stormed out the door, but not before slamming her key on the desk clerk's counter on her way out.

Though the church was less than a half mile away, the sticky heat of the afternoon caused her to drip with sweat.  A few strangers offered to carry her bag for her, but she refused as politely as possible and kept marching, never slowing down.  Once at the manse's door, she knocked and waited nervously.

"Miss Berry!  Are you alright?"

"No, ma'am, I'm not."  

Once settled again in the parlor, she explained her sad situation to the woman over a glass of lemonade with chipped ice to cool her off.  

"For gracious sakes!  It's better you found out now before following him into the wilderness of  Texas.  Don't worry, dear.  You may stay here until you find a proper situation.  We will ask about for a position for you as we know many in our fair city, even beyond our church congregation."

"Thank you.  Is it too much to ask to be able to take a nap before supper.  I find myself quite weary."  Janie had to blink back more tears.

"Of course, dear.  Follow me.  You may make yourself comfortable in our daughter's room.  She was married just last year.  It will be wonderful to have a young lady here again.  We have missed her so."

Janie doubted she could sleep a wink, but found herself waking from a deep sleep later on when she heard the clank of a heavy pot.  The smell of roasted chicken tantalized her.  She sat up only somewhat refreshed even though her life had taken another dizzying sharp turn.

She was in time to set the table.  Evidently, the minister's wife had told all to her husband who now looked at her with great sympathy.

After prayer, he commented as he passed the potatoes, "I'm sorry for all your tribulations, Miss Berry.  If I ever see that man at my door again, I'll..." His voice trailed off as someone pounded there.

Jerking his napkin from his collar, the minister stood fiercely, almost knocking his chair backwards.  He strode to the door and jerked it open.  Janie stiffened as she heard Sam's voice.

Though the minister did his best to stop him, Sam brushed past him and forced his way into the dinning room to stand behind her chair.

"Janie, let me explain..."

She refused to turn around doing her best to ignore him.  Instead she concentrated cutting her slice of chicken over and over again until it was minced in tiny little pieces.

The minister sputtered, "Sir, I must insist you leave or  you will have to answer to the arm of the law for forcing your way into the sacredness of our home.  The young woman wishes for you to leave her alone.  She has found shelter here with us."

"Shelter?  Wait!  Janie, do you remember what James said right before he died?"  

She could hardly breathe.  "How could I forget?  He asked God's forgiveness," she whispered.

"Remember how he asked me to take care of Susan and the baby?"

"What?" she rose so suddenly, she felt black around the edges of her vision.  Janie gripped the back of her chair with white knuckles.  "I don't remember that at all."

"I could hardly ignore your brother's dying wish, now could I?  It took me awhile, but I finally found someone across from our hotel who was willing to tell me where they lived.  Evidently, your brother is married, and his wife is with child.  But when I stopped by the hotel, they told me you had checked out.  I'm sorry I was so late, but I figured you'd want me to pursue this information.  I believe we have just enough time to ride out to see them before dark. I rented a buggy for us.  Will you go with me?"

"Please excuse me, Rev. Sherman, Mrs. Sherman.  This is important, as you can imagine."

"Are you sure he is telling the truth, Miss Berry?  Do you feel you will be safe with this man."

Janie looked Sam in the eyes and finally nodded.  "I will be back soon, I hope."

The ride was quiet, very quiet.  Finally, Sam said, "I know I was late, but..."

"Who was the woman at the brothel, the one hanging on your arm laughing.  Was she part of your delay coming back for me in time," Janie found herself sneering.

"Actually, she was."  He ignored Janie's insinuation.  "She was the lead the Pinkerton man gave me in order to find this Susan."

"Oh.  I saw him myself, but didn't want to stop to speak to the despicable man.  However, he grabbed me and shoved a telegram from back East into my hands.  Here."  She pulled it out of her pocket and let him read it.

Sam wiped his hand down his face.  "It's a crying shame about your pa, but at least they caught the murdering scoundrel."

She could only nod

"This Susan was a young thing who your brother rescued from the brothel.  That's why I had to speak to the soiled dove, the one you saw me with.  Wait!  Did you think I would spend my time in such company?"  Sam threw his head back and laughed long and hard.  "I guess I can see how it would have been easy to misconstrue the situation.  So that's why you are so mad at me, why you left the hotel and moved in with the minister and wife."

"I could hardly think otherwise," she huffed as she sat stiffly on the buggy seat.  

Sam stopped the buggy momentarily and turned her chin up gently making her look at him.  He wasn't laughing any more.  "Janie, I told you I aim to be a godly man.  Women like that don't tempt me.  I would never do that to you."

She searched his eyes and finally allowed her shoulders to relax.  "I believe you now, Sam, but you must know how it made me feel wretched watching you come out of the brothel with her on your arm."

"Yes, but I did it for James and for you." Sam urged the horse back to a walk as he looked carefully over at the houses on the edge of town where the flimsy shacks seem to lean bent by the wind.  They offered hardly any shelter at all.

Janie tensed up now that she was to meet James' bride.  "Did the woman say if their baby had been born yet?"

"She wasn't sure, just knew Susan was due soon," he answered as he pulled the buggy to a stop.  Sam tied up the horse, then helped her down.  

Just as they reached the door, it jerked open as a woman almost threw a washbowl of dirty water out on them.  Sam shoved Janie behind him just in time as it slopped over nearly dousing them.   As it was, only his boots got wet.

"Ack!  I dinna know anyone was about," the wizened old woman said.  Instead, she poured the rest of the water on some straggly flowers near the stoop.  "Kin I help ye?"

"We are looking for Susan Berry.  Does she live here?"

"Well, she did, but the pour lassie died this morning, sad to say."

Just them a mewing like a kitten was heard from inside.  Sam and Janie traded wide eyed glances.  

"Come in, me fine folks.  I dinna know if yer kinfolk or no, but I hope yer be so you can take the babe wid ye.  I'm afeared it canna live unless someun' gives a care for the poor, wee thing."

"Can I see the baby?" Janie begged.

The woman waved them in.  Once the door was shut, the room dimmed, and it was difficult to see until their eyes adjusted.  Janie gasped as Sam reached and wrapped his arm around her waist.  There laid out on the bed was the sad little mother obviously dead with a living newborn weakly crying tucked up next to her.  Janie hurried over and snatched the infant up to tuck her under her chin holding her close.

"I dinna think I could keep the babe alive much longer.  Not a soul 'round about's willing to take 'em on, and I'm too old."

"No!" Janie cried out startling the baby into a little stronger cry.  "Sam, we have to do something!"

Sam took off his hat and scratched his head.  Finally he turned to the wrinkled old woman and asked, "Do you know of a freshened goat hereabouts?"  

As if a candle lit her cloudy eyes, she grinned a near toothless grin and said, "Why dinna I think of that.  Half a mile that-a-way on the left, you'll hear the goats a-bleating.  

"I'll be back in a few minutes, Janie.  You'd better stay here and gather up anything for the baby you can find."

"I knowed the little wifey said 'er man promised he would come into some money real soon and would be able to take care of 'em in fine style.  She tried to hold on, but jest couldn't keep a-breathing.  But the last thing she did say was the babe's name was James.  Yes, I believe that's what she said right afore she breathed her last."

Sam saw all the compassion spilling down Janie's face as the old woman shuffled about.  It was pitiful how little was in the shack.  He watched as Janie wiped a lock of blond hair off the young mother's cold face before he could pull the sheet over her.  

"I'll be right back, I promise."  He kissed Janie on the forehead before he knew what he was doing.  At least she didn't slap him.  Her large sad eyes followed him out before they fell on little James red face screwed up ready to wail.  

Sam ran to the horse and whipped it up into a gallop scattering skinny chickens flapping.  

The goats could be heard before he could see them.  He drove around behind the shack and found a man feeding his small flock.  When he saw Sam, he backed up as if he feared he meant him harm.  

"Hello, sir, I hope you can help me.  I need some goat milk to feed a newborn.  I'll need the goat too.  Can you help me?"

The man nodded refreshed by relief and looked over his goats.  He lifted one out leaving a kid who protested loudly sounding more like a real baby's crying than the one back at the shack.  Soon all the young ones were bleating, "Ma, mama."  It was ridiculous enough to make him chuckle hardly believing his ears.  

"I'll tie this one onto the back of your buggy, sir.  Don't you worry none, her kid will be adopted by one of the other she-goats and won't go hungry for long."

Sam was chomping at the bit, but had to go slow enough to allow for the goat tied on the back,  one with a bulging udder.  When he arrived at James' house,  Janie was standing on the stoop trying to pacify the crying babe in her arms.  

"Oh good!  You're here," she smiled tremulously.

He followed her back inside where the old woman had a bowl and a clean rag waiting.  "This'll do until you get to MacGraw's General Store where they sell baby bottles."

Sam looked down at Janie doing her best to get the milk into the thrashing baby.  Once enough nourishment was tickling inside him, he settled down to suck the rag Janie kept dipping into the bowl of milk.   Finally, the infant closed his eyes with a satiated look on his face, a drop of milk dribbling down his chin.

"Thank you, ma'am.  You've been a big help.  I would not have known what to do," Janie exclaimed.

"We'll send the undertaker back when we get to town," Sam promised, and will make sure the parson gives her a proper burial.  Here's some money for your kindness to them, ma'am."

The woman snatched the money as if it would disappear into thin air before she could get it in her arthritic fingers' grasp and tucked up into her sleeve.  "I was a-praying that our merciful Father would send someone or would take the wee one quickly up to His throne before he suffered too much on this poor sod below.  My heart was near to breaking at his poor mother dying, but a chile? It was not to be borne.  But the little beggar's cries got stronger than weaker.  He'll survive, that one."  She nodded her head.  Congratulations on your fine little man." She winked and went out the door before them.  

"Did you check to see if there was anything of baby James' here you'd want, Janie?"

"Yes, but there was pitifully little, nothing of worth, except I found a picture of James and his bride.  No wonder he felt driven to steal, not that it was right at all, but it would be hard to watch your wife and baby starve or freeze to death with winter a few months away."

Her eyes did not leave the baby's face until they stopped at the store.  She waited while Sam went in.  He came out with more blankets, gowns and nappies for the baby as well as a bottle.  Next they stopped at the undertaker's.  Finally, they pulled up in front of the manse.  Sam put his hand on her arm before letting her get down.  The baby was sleeping in her arms.

"Janie, I was hoping before we got to Texas, we might come to an understanding.  But now it is more imperative that we do so sooner, if you're willing, that is."

Her eyebrows raised up.

"You do understand that we are not truly blood relatives, don't you?"

She nodded with large eyes staring back at him.

"You do know that I've come to care for you, quite a bit actually, don't you?"

She could only meekly shrug her shoulders before asking, "Do you?"

"Yes, more than I'd dreamed possible." He dared to kiss her on the forehead again and stared down into her blushing face.  No sound came from her tempting lips opened in surprise.  "I don't know if it was when you patiently listened as I described my ranch to you or when you bravely jumped the train and ran to your brother in spite of the danger that I realized I had my first heart pangs."  He went on, "However, if you could at least admit to caring for me a tiny bit, I thought it might be best to get married now and arrive in Texas as husband and wife with little James in tow."

He grinned at Janie's sudden intake of breath.  "I won't rush you if you can think of a better plan, but I'd be proud to have you as my Mrs. Berry instead of being plain ol' Miss Berry.  Otherwise it might be a bit confusing to explain once we get to the ranch."

"Are you saying you would take on James' little orphan as your own?"

"Of course."

"And you truly wish to marry me?"

"More than any woman from Philadelphia to Erie, from Little Rock to the hill country of Texas.  I would never forsake you, Janie.  I would love you, care for you, protect you, provide for you to the best of my ability, so help me God."  Then in case she needed more convincing, he kissed her, hardly even noticing when his cowboy hat got knocked off. Now that's saying something.

When the preacher and wife opened the door, that's how they found them.  And the little mite hardly hindered them at all nicely wrapped up in their embrace.  Only the bleating goat was protesting.