Leppard, Lois Gladys - [Mandie 03] (9 page)

Dimar came up and took the mask from Joe. “We did not find this mask when we went inside last time, because everything was broken and thrown around. But the railroad must have come since then and taken all the broken baggage out. All that is left is trash,” he told the girls.

Uncle John and Uncle Wirt joined them in their discussion.

“That mask proves the bandits were in the baggage car,” Uncle John reasoned.

Uncle Wirt nodded. “We trace hoof prints,” he said.

Uncle John started for the horses. “We’re going to see if we can follow their trail,” he told the young people. “Coming?”

No one had to be asked twice. Back at the riverbank, they began the tedious job of tracking the bandits’ horses.

The closer they got to the gold, the more danger awaited them.

Chapter 10 - A Visit to Charley Gap

Uncle Wirt managed to pick up enough tracks in the dirt to follow the bandits’ trail. Slowly and carefully, he led the way over the mountain.

The trail ride was fun for the young people. And, as Mandie had expected, Liza turned out to be the life of the search party.

“I ain’t never been outside Franklin,” Liza told them. “I thought the whole world was a city with lots of houses and people, but we ain’t seen a soul ’cept us since we left the road. I wouldn’t wanta live out heah.” Her eyes opened wide. “I’d be askeered them bears and panthers and things would come and git me.”

“When we see one, we’ll let you know, Liza,” Joe teased.

The black girl looked startled. “You mean we might come close to some of them things?”

“We might see anything in a forest like this,” Dimar answered. “But I brought my bow and arrows. So did Tsa’ni and his grandfather. You are well protected. We will not let anything harm you.”

Joe patted the rifle slung over his pony. “And Mr. Shaw and I are carrying rifles,” he assured her.

Tsa’ni sat up taller in his saddle. “I also have a rifle, as well as my bow and arrows,” he said.

“So you double smart,” Liza told him. She turned to Mandie. “Missy, don’t you think we oughta brought us a gun, too?”

Mandie laughed. “No, Liza, we might shoot somebody.”

“But we could shoot the bandits,” Liza said.

“No, no,” Sallie protested. “We only want to capture them and turn them over to the law.”

Polly gradually maneuvered her pony through the group until she was riding ahead next to Joe.

Seeing this, Liza leaned over to Mandie and whispered, “You better watch Miss Sweet Thing. She be after your Mister Joe.”

Mandie laughed and then strained her neck to watch the two ahead. They seemed to be joking and talking as they rode along together. A pang of jealousy cut through her, but she could not let Liza know it.

“Oh, Liza, he’s not my Mister Joe,” Mandie told her. “He can talk to anybody he wants to.”

“It ain’t him, Missy, that I’m a’talkin’ ’bout. It’s that Miss Sweet Thing. She shore is tryin’ to latch onto him,” Liza warned.

“Polly is my friend, and she’s also Joe’s friend,” Mandie replied.

“You jest watch what I’m a’sayin’,” Liza insisted. “She layin’ it on so thick the bees git drownded in it.”

Mandie smiled but did not answer. Adjusting Snowball to a higher position on her shoulder, she petted the kitten thoughtfully. She knew Polly was interested in Joe, but she wasn’t worried. She had known Joe all her life. Of course, Mandie was jealous when Polly flirted with Joe,
but she tried not to let it bother her. She was sure Polly would eventually find someone else to “latch onto,” as Liza called it.

Up ahead, the men stopped, and the young people hurried to catch up. John and Uncle Wirt dismounted and stood in a grassy spot, by a sparkling spring where the horses could drink.

“Eat now!” Uncle Wirt announced. “Must water ponies.”

Taking their food bags from their ponies, the young people tethered the animals where they could graze near the water. Sitting on the rocks by the spring, they enjoyed the ham and biscuits, boiled eggs, and apples that Jenny had packed for them.

Uncle John came to sit by Mandie. “Uncle Wirt has tracked them this far, but we thought we’d better stop to rest and eat.” He paused, then looked directly at her. “Do you know where we are?” he asked.

Mandie glanced at him and then around the forest, trying to find a familiar landmark.

“Uncle John!” she cried, grabbing his big hand. A tear trickled down her cheek.

Her uncle took out a big handkerchief. “Don’t cry, dear,” he said, wiping her tears. “You do know where we are, don’t you?”

“Yes, yes, Uncle John.” Mandie’s voice trembled. “My father’s grave is right over the hill up there and—and—his—house is not far away.”

“I wanted you to know before we got there. I didn’t want it to be a sudden shock,” Uncle John said. “We’ll stop when we get there, and I’ll help you find some flowers to put on his grave.”

Mandie buried her face on his chest as he hugged her to him.

Joe overheard the conversation, but had already realized where they were. He passed the word to the others, and they all became silent.

Uncle John got up and spoke to Joe. “We’re planning to spend the night at your father’s house tonight.”

“Great!” Joe exclaimed.

When the others began to talk among themselves, Joe slipped away from the crowd and went to Mandie, who was sitting alone now, except for Snowball. He took her hand in his and squeezed it.

“Mind if I ride beside you?” he asked. “I know you’ve been trying to stay with Liza to make her feel comfortable. But if you don’t mind, I’d like to be with you when we ride up over that hill,” he said gently.

Mandie leaned forward and took his other hand in hers. “Of course, Joe. I want you to,” she said with a smile.

After they mounted again, Joe and Mandie rode directly behind Uncle John. At the top of the hill, when the cemetery came into sight, the others stopped and waited. They knew Mandie wanted to be alone.

Mandie slid down from her pony, handed Snowball to Uncle Wirt, and took Joe and Uncle John by the hand. Together they walked among the graves until they came to the one with a homemade marker reading: “James Alexander Shaw; Born April 3, 1863; Died April 13, 1900.” The mound had flattened some, and it was covered with grass. A handful of wilted flowers stuck out of a clay pot next to the marker.

Mandie let go of their hands and fell on her knees by her father’s grave. Tears blurred her vision.

“Daddy, I still love you. I haven’t forgotten you. I never will!” she cried softly.

Uncle John knelt by her side and put his arm around her. “Just remember that he’s in heaven, darling. And one day you can see him there,” he assured her.

“I know, I know! But I miss him! I loved him so much!” she said between sobs.

“I loved him, too, dear. He was the only brother I had.” Uncle John stood up to pull a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes.

Joe squatted next to Mandie. “I’m sorry those flowers are dead,” he apologized. “I know I promised you I would keep flowers on the grave, but I haven’t been home for a long time. Want to look for some now?”

Mandie nodded, wiping her tears on her apron as Joe helped her up. “Yes, let’s find some pretty flowers,” she said, taking their hands.

Strolling around the edge of the cemetery, they picked several bunches of Indian Paintbrush and carried them back to replenish the clay pot.

Uncle John stared at the grave with its crude marker. “Mandie, we’re going to have a real tombstone put on your father’s grave, a granite one,” he said.

Mandie smiled up at her uncle with tears glistening in her eyes. “One with a flower pot attached, so we can keep lots of flowers here?”

“Anything you want, darling. As soon as we can get time we’ll go to Asheville and look at some,” he promised. “Now I think we’d better go back and join the others. We have to pass awfully close to your father’s house in order to get to Dr. Woodard’s.”

“We do?” She looked surprised and then added, “I
suppose you do have to go down that road to get to Dr. Woodard’s house.”

“Yes,” Uncle John replied. “But I know how much trouble your stepmother has caused. We’re going to try to stay out of sight.”

Joe helped Mandie mount her pony. “I haven’t forgotten, Mandie,” he said. “I’ll get your father’s house back for you when we grow up. Remember, I promised I would?”

“Oh, I hope you can, Joe,” the girl answered.

Joe stayed close to Mandie from then on.

In her mind, Mandie relived the day their old horse, Molly, had pulled the wagon bearing her father’s coffin up the hill to the cemetery. She also painfully remembered the empty ride back down. Silently, she thanked God for sending Uncle Ned to her. He had promised her father to watch over her and he kept his promise. He always turned up just when she needed him. Mandie wished he could have come with them, but Uncle John had insisted he was not well enough for the rough journey.

“Ps-s-st!” Joe leaned over and pointed. Her father’s house was barely visible through the trees. They stopped their ponies and those behind them waited. The men looked back and slowed down.

“Just think,” Mandie sighed, “all my life, I grew up believing that woman living there was my mother. Then my father died, and Uncle John showed me the truth. But I will always wonder why my father didn’t tell me,” she said sadly.

Joe’s pony snickered and bumped into Mandie’s pony, giving it a jolt. Snowball didn’t like being jostled around on Mandie’s shoulder, and he jumped down.

“Snowball! Come back here!” Mandie called. She slid
down from the pony and tried to catch him. Joe quickly dismounted to help. But the kitten wanted to play games. Snowball ran and stopped until he thought they were going to try to pick him up. Then he ran again, too quick for them to catch him.

Everyone watched silently. Uncle Wirt had warned them that they must not be seen or heard by anyone at the log cabin in the hollow below.

“Snowball, come here!” Mandie tried to coax him. “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!”

But Snowball had a mind of his own. He turned to look at her, meowed loudly, and then bounded through the trees toward the house below. Mandie and Joe started after him, but stopped in the shelter of the bushes at the edge of the clearing. The kitten went on.

As they watched from the bushes, they could see and hear someone talking. Moving to get a better view, Mandie’s heart beat wildly. Her stepsister, Irene, and her boyfriend, Nimrod, sat on a stump by the side of the house.

“Nimrod, quit holdin’ onto me so tight. It hurts,” Irene protested.

“I jest wanna be near you,” Nimrod answered.

Mandie looked around in despair. How would she ever get her kitten back? Snowball was roaming the yard below. Glancing up the hill, she noticed Uncle John motioning for her to come.

“We’ll get Polly to go down and get Snowball,” he said. “They’ve never seen her, so they won’t know who she is.”

“Maybe she can slip down there and get him before they see her,” Mandie suggested.

“She can try, and we’ll watch from here,” Uncle John said.

Polly gladly consented, and cautiously made her way down the hill into the yard. The two on the stump had not seen the kitten. Snowball was nosing around a flower bed nearby. Polly eased up to him, but when she reached to pick him up, he let out a yowl. She quickly squeezed him in her arms so he couldn’t get down. Irene and Nimrod immediately turned around and saw Polly with the kitten.

Irene jumped up. “Who are you? What you doin’ here?”

“I just lost my cat,” Polly mumbled as Nimrod towered over her. She turned to go, but Irene grabbed her by her black braid.

“Not so fast. This jest don’t sound right to me,” Irene told her.

The group on the hill watched breathlessly. Mandie was about to go down and rescue Polly when a loud yell startled her.

“Irene! Irene, where you at?” Irene’s mother called from the back door. “Irene!”

Irene immediately let go of Polly. “Quick, Nimrod! Behind the barn!” she whispered. “Don’t let Mama see you! I’ll be back out soon as I kin git away from Mama. Wait fer me.” Her mother continued yelling as Irene ran to the house.

Quick as lightning, Polly ran up the hill and disappeared into the trees. She didn’t stop running until she reached Mandie and handed her the kitten.

Polly laughed. “Whew! That was a close call!” she said, trying to catch her breath.

Mandie put her arm around her friend. “Thank you, Polly. You don’t know how much I appreciate that,” she told her.

“That woman is your stepmother?” Polly asked.

“Yes, and that’s her daughter, Irene,” Mandie replied. “I lived in that house with them most of my life.”

The weary group continued on. By the time they passed through Charley Gap and stopped in back of Dr. Woodard’s house, the sun had disappeared beyond the mountains. When the doctor and Mrs. Woodard heard the commotion outside, they came into the yard to greet them.

“Light and come in!” Dr. Woodard called.

“Oh, Joe!” Mrs. Woodard cried, “it’s so good to have you home.”

Joe gave his mother a hug as his dog, Samantha, and her four puppies excitedly ran rings around him. Mandie had to back away from them and hold her kitten. Snowball didn’t like the dogs at all, so Mandie hurried inside.

Dr. Woodard’s house was made of logs like the others in the area, but it had two stories. Upstairs, there were four bedrooms, crammed full of huge beds with headboards that almost reached the ceiling. Mr. and Mrs. Miller, who lived in a cabin down the hill on the Woodards’ property, helped out around the house.

Before long, Mrs. Woodard and Mrs. Miller had a delicious supper cooked and on the table. The young people ate as though they hadn’t had a bite to eat for a month. Liza was still uncomfortable eating with the others, and offered to clean up the kitchen.

But Mrs. Woodard shooed all of them out.

“No, we don’t need any help,” she told them. “You young people just go out on the porch, or make yourselves comfortable somewhere, and rest. I know what you’ve been through today.”

Mandie wandered outside to sit on the porch steps in the bright moonlight. Liza sat down beside her.