Worthy of Riches (7 page)

“I will, and probably sooner than you think.” Adam leaned against a tree. “Did you hear about the calves killed at the Prosser place?”

Jean had started to sit but stopped. “The Prossers? No. What happened?”

“Looks like that same grizzly. Killed three calves and mauled his bull so badly they had to put him down. From the looks of it, though, the bull got the bear pretty good. His horns were bloodied.”

Jean's face had gone pale. “Everyone's all right?”

“Yeah.” Adam shook his head. “But now we've got an injured grizzly roaming about. Hope he stays away from our place.”

“Sounds like a bad bear,” Will said.

“Townsend's putting together a hunting party. He said it shouldn't be too hard to track him.”

“I'd like to go along. 'Specially since it was probably the same animal that made a call at our place.”

“You can't be sure, Will. It might be a different bear,” Jean said. “Let Ray Townsend take care of it.”

Will settled serious eyes on Jean. “God placed me as guardian over my family and my farm, and that includes taking care of marauding bears. It doesn't seem right to let someone else take care of my responsibilities.” He pulled off his hat. “Besides, I've never tracked a bear. It would be a real Alaskan adventure and would give me a chance to use some of what Alex has taught me about hunting and tracking.” He scanned the crowd. “Where did Ray go? I saw him a minute ago.”

“He's over there,” Adam said, pointing at a small band of men standing close to the largest fire.

“I think I'll talk to him.”

“Will, no. Please.” Jean rested a hand on her husband's arm. “Your hand's not even completely healed.”

“It's good enough.” He watched Mr. Townsend. “It's not up to Ray Townsend to watch out for my family.”

Jean's eyes moved to Susie, who was sprinting toward the lake. “Oh, that little scamp. She's heading straight for the water.”

“I'll get her, Mama,” Laurel said and ran after her sister.

“I'll be back in a few minutes,” Will said.

“You mind if I come along?” Adam asked.

“No. Come right ahead.” Will kissed Jean and headed toward Ray.

When Will and Adam approached Ray, he was glaring at his daughter and Robert Lundeen as they walked along the lakeshore. He ignored the newcomers. Three of the men with Ray nodded. The fourth, a stocky man with dark hair and a friendly smile, said, “Howdy, Will. How you been keepin'?”

“I'm doin' all right. How about you, Frank?”

“Good. Been thinkin' about doin' some minin' this summer.”

“Thought you had a good trapping season.”

“I did, but the pelts won't see me through the year. Prices are down.”

Ray cut in. “So, Hasper, what is it you want?”

Will faced the big man. He wasn't small himself, but beside Ray Townsend he felt puny. Ray's shoulders and chest were broad; he stood a good two inches taller than Will and outweighed him by twenty or thirty pounds. A tangle of curls had fallen onto his forehead. Glaring at Will, he swiped them back. Pulling himself up to his full height, Will met the man's angry eyes. “Heard you were putting together a hunting party for that bear.”

“Yeah. So?”

“Well, he made a visit to my place awhile back. Tore apart my pump house and scared my family good. I figure I owe him something. I'd like to go along.”

“You?” Ray sneered and shook his head in disbelief. “We don't need farmers along to botch things up.” He looked at his buddies and snickered.

Will wasn't about to be put off so easily. He took a step toward Ray. “I mean to go. That animal threatened my family; he could have killed our livestock. I have a right to hunt him.”

“Hunt him then. Just not with us.” Ray grinned. “You'd be smart to stay put and watch out for your family.”

Smelling a fight, onlookers encircled the men. Robert, with Celeste on his arm, joined Will.

Ray glared at the young man, then turned and picked up a piece of wood and chucked it into the fire. Refocusing on Will, he said, “You're a farmer, not a hunter or tracker. You try to hunt that bear, and he'll end up hunting you. Leave this to people who know what they're doing.”

“I'm not as ignorant as you think. I know some about tracking.”

“Why not let him go?” Frank asked. “He's a good man. We could use him.”

Ray glowered at Frank, then turned a hate-filled glare on Will. “You're not needed, and you won't be coming with us.”

Anger and resentment burned through Will. He fought to control his rage. He said nothing for a long moment, then took a steadying breath and said, “Have it your way. I'll pray for you and the rest of the men.”

Will's compliance made Ray angrier, and Ray turned his ire on Robert. “I told you to stay away from my daughter,” he growled. Glancing at Celeste, he said, “She can do better.”

Robert looked squarely at Ray. “Maybe she's made up her own mind about us. Seems to me a twenty-year-old woman ought to be able to choose who she spends time with.”

“She does what I say!” Ray bellowed, his face turning crimson. “And she ain't wasting time on no outsider!”

Celeste stepped between the two. “Daddy! Stop it! I told you how I feel. You have no say in this.”

The red hue in Ray's face deepened. “You don't talk to me that way, girl! And you'll do as I say!”

Celeste's blue eyes blazed. “I won't. I'm a grown woman, and I'll make my own decisions.”

Knitting his heavy brows, Ray compressed his lips, then said stonily, “Then it's time you found somewhere else to live.” He turned and walked away.

Celeste stared after her father, her chin quivering. Robert placed an arm around her shoulders. “I'm sorry,” he said.

“You don't have anything to be sorry about.” Celeste wiped at tears and sniffed. “It's him.” Her eyes refilled. “I don't know him anymore. I… I don't know what's happened to him.”

“We should have stayed away from him,” Robert said.

“No. He has to face up to this—you and me. I'm not going to hide from him. And he's not going to control my life anymore.” With a shuddering sigh, she added, “I'll need help getting my stuff moved.” Fresh tears emerged. “I don't know where to go.”

“You can stay with us,” Adam said. “We have plenty of room.”

“Are you sure? I hate to impose.”

“Are you kidding? Laurel will love having you.”

“All right. If you're sure?”

“I'm sure.”

“I'll help you move,” Robert offered.

“No. You better stay clear of my place. I'll get someone else.” She turned to go, then stopped. “I'm sorry, Robert.” Without another word, Celeste walked to the road.

Robert watched her until she disappeared. “How can her father be like that?”

“I'm done trying to figure him out,” Will said. “You have my sympathy. If you and Celeste stay together, you'll have a rough road.”

“She's a special girl. I guess I'll have to put up with her father.”

“Good luck,” Will said with a grin and patted Robert on the back.

“I'm going to need it,” Robert said glumly.

When Will returned to his family, Jean immediately asked, “Are you going along?”

“Where are you going?” Luke asked, walking up to his parents with Alex beside him.

Will looked at his son. “You have any luck?”

“Nope. Too early.”

Alex grinned, his bright smile lighting up his face. “Next time, maybe.”

When it was quiet, Jean asked again, “Are you going with them?”

“Nope. Seems they've got enough help.”

She rested a hand on her chest. “Thank goodness. I don't want you traipsing off after a crazed bear, especially with your hand still weak. You need to keep close to home for a while, and you have lots of work to do anyway.” She sat on the blanket. “It looked like Celeste and her father had words. What happened?”

“Ray doesn't want her seeing Robert. She took a stand, and he kicked her out of the house.”

“Oh, no. That poor girl. What's wrong with that man?”

“I don't know. If he's not careful, he'll lose his daughter for good.” Will gave Jean a small smile. “Let's talk about something else.”

“All right. But where will she stay?”

“With us,” Adam said. He looked at Laurel. “I told her you wouldn't mind.”

“Of course I don't. I'm glad you asked her.”

Jean looked at Will. “You hungry?”

“Always,” Will said, sitting beside his wife.

Jean opened the picnic basket and took out a sandwich. “You want potato salad?”

“You have to ask? You make the best I've tasted.”

“I made some too,” Laurel said, taking out a bowl of salad. “It's Mama's recipe, but I doubt it will taste as good as hers. It's my first try.” She looked at the road where her friend had disappeared a few moments earlier. “I hope Celeste's all right. Maybe I should go and help her.”

“No. It would only cause more trouble,” Will said. “Her father doesn't like you anymore than he likes the rest of us.”

“I know. I just feel so sorry for her.”

Jean scooped out a spoonful of salad and dropped it onto a plate. “We need to start praying in earnest for them every day. God has a way of working these things out.”

“He has his work cut out for him with this mess,” Robert said.

“I can't argue with you, but we've seen him do some amazing things.” Jean scratched a welt from a mosquito bite. “I remember the day I stepped off the train and got my first look at the valley—and the mosquitoes.” She looked up at the gray sky. “It's hard to believe it's been two years since we arrived.”

“What a spring that was,” Adam said. “All the rain and floods.”

Laurel linked arms with Adam. “I'll never forget. Rain and more rain. What I remember most when the train pulled in was a town of tents sitting in the mud.” She laughed. “I nearly fainted.”

“Will, did you think you'd made a mistake?” Adam asked.

“No. I knew this was the place for us.”

Jean took his hand and squeezed. “He made the right decision, but I knew it was going to be harder than we'd expected, and it was.”

Brian ran into the midst of his family. “Is it time to eat?”

“You bet.” Will took a bite of salad. “Your sister and mother both brought food.”

“Oh, boy!” Brian dropped to his knees and took a sandwich his mother offered him. He bit into it. Through a mouthful, he asked, “Can I have some cake?”

“Absolutely,” Jean said, “but first eat your lunch.” She spooned salad onto his plate.

Will took a bite of Laurel's potato salad. His eyes opened slightly as he chewed. “This is good—almost as good as your mama's.” He winked at Jean.

Susie grabbed for her father's plate. “No. You wait. Mama will get you some.”

“Here, Susie,” Jean said, handing the little girl a spoon and a small plate with salad and a sandwich.

Susie sat with the dish between her legs and sloppily spooned potatoes into her mouth.

Shouting broke out along the tree line. Two boys were fighting.

“What is it?” Jean asked, standing. “Who are those boys?”

“One of them's Jonathan Reis. Abe and Jessica's son. I don't know who the other one is. Haven't seen him before,” Will said.

“Oh, that's mean old David Hirsch,” Brian said. “He's the meanest boy in school. He doesn't like anyone, 'specially outsiders. He says we should've never come here.”

Abe Reis and another man separated the boys. Abe leaned over his son. “What is this? You know fighting is wrong. What happened?”

“He called me a Kraut!” David yelled.

“That true?” Mr. Hirsch asked. “You calling my boy names?”

“No. I didn't say nothin'!” Jonathan shouted.

“Tell me what happened, Jonathan.” Abe waited for him to answer.

Jonathan prodded the ground with his toe. “I called him a Kraut, but he told me …he called me …” he hesitated. “I can't say what he said.”

Abe looked at the other boy. “Did you call him a bad name?”

David didn't answer.

“So, maybe he did,” Mr. Hirsch said. “Boys will be boys. You know how it is. And you can't exactly blame him for being upset about you people—coming in here and changing everything.” He squared his jaw.

“We just want to farm and raise our families. If you'd just leave us to our business, we'd get along fine,” Abe said. “We've done nothing wrong.”

“You don't say,” Mr. Hirsch jeered. He grabbed his son's hand. “Let's get out of here.” He gathered up his family and left. Several other homesteaders joined them.

A sick feeling replaced Will's pleasure over the celebration. All he wanted now was to go home. The hatred had been handed down to the children. What would it take to bring change to the valley?

Whatever it takes, Father, do it. I don't want my children living in a place filled with hatred.

WILL GRIPPED THE STEERING WHEEL AND STARED AT THE ROAD. JEAN SCOOTED closer. “You're awfully quiet.”

Will glanced at her, giving her a quick smile. “I'm all right. Just thinking.” They bounced through a pothole, and he tightened his hold on the steering wheel, using his good hand.

“What are you thinking about?”

Will didn't answer.

“Clashes between the boys and their fathers have been going on for generations,” Jean said. “Boys fight, and so do their fathers.”

“Hey! Look!” Brian shouted from the back of the pickup. He pointed at a goose and her goslings. Susie stood and peered around the cab. Even Luke tried to get a good look.

Will slowed, then stopped while the goose and her little ones waddled across the road. “It's more than the boys fighting. It's Ray Townsend and his friends.”

Jean rested her hand on Will's leg. “They are who they are. You can't change them.”

“I know, but sometimes it's hard to accept. I've prayed; I've been patient and considerate with them; I've been a good neighbor and still…”

“Some men are more stubborn than others. Don't give up. They may still come around. And if they don't, there's nothing we can do. All of this is in God's hands. They're in God's hands.”

“I know you're right; it's just hard to accept. And I hate to see the hatred being passed down to the children.” He looked at Jean. “We can't let that happen to us.”

“We won't,” Jean said with assurance.

Brian jumped up and down, bouncing the bed of the truck.