Love's Enduring Promise (Love Comes Softly Series #2) (15 page)

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"It was cold in school today too," offered Clae.

"Yeah," teased Missie, "Nathan gave Clae his sweater to keep warm."

Clae flushed. "Oh, yeah, well, Willie loves you."

"Does not," Missie responded heatedly. "I hate thet Willie LaHaye."

"Well, he don't hate you."

"Does too. We hate each other--him and me."

Clae appeared to be changing the subject, but to Marty's dismay it turned out to be the same old one.

"Know what? Today we had honor time fer the two--boy an' girl--who got the best marks in sums and in spellin'. An' guess who got honored--had to go up front an' stand." Missie was shooting daggers at Clae with her eyes, but Clae ignored them and went on, "--stand right up there while everybody clapped. Guess who? Missie and Willie."

She clapped her hands together with glee and repeated again.

"Missie and Willie."

"I'm proud, Missie, thet ya got top marks," Marty cut in, hoping to divert the conversation, but it didn't work.

"Missie and Willie," Clae said again. "Bet ya get married when ya grow up."

"We will not." Missie bounded off her chair, spilling the remainder of her milk. "I'm gonna marry Tommie, Clae Larson, an' don't ya fergit it." She was in tears now and as a final vent to her anger she reached for a handful of Clae's hair and yanked hard before she ran off to her room.

Now Clae's tears flowed.

Marty's intervention was too late to stop the initial outburst. She tried to comfort Clae, at the same time admonishing her not to tease Missie so much, wiped up the spilled milk and went to talk to her daughter.

Missie was hard to convince that the hair-pulling was not in order--a just dessert for the actions of Clae. Marty firmly informed her that it was not to happen again. The hardest Part of the talking came when Marty explained, as kindly as she knew how, that Tommie was a man full grown, and he

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might have other ideas as to whom he wished to marry. This was hard for Missie to comprehend. Tommie had always been her "good pal."

"I know," said Marty, "but 'good pals' don't always grow up and git married. 'Specially when one is a grown man already and the other a little girl."

"Then I'll never, ever marry anyone," Missie vowed, "not iffen I can't marry Tommie."

Marty smoothed her hair and said she s'posed thet would be fine--but if Missie ever changed her mind, that was okay too.

Missie finally wiped away the last of her tears and at her mother's bidding went to offer her apology to Clae.

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Chapter 26

Owahteeka

Wednesday arrived. Tom appeared at Marty's door. At her bid to come in, Tom interposed.

"Would ya all mind comin' out," he asked, "back to the spring? We'd rather see ya private-like."

Marty bundled up and followed him.

Clark was away, Ellie sound asleep, and Nandry had Clare and Arnie occupied.

The air was crisp, but the wind was down, so the cold was not as penetrating.

Marty and Tom moved along the path to the spring without speaking. Marty wondered just what to expect. What would the girl at the other end of the trail be like? What was there about her to make Tommie fall so in love?

As she approached the appointed spot, a slim figure clad in beaded buckskins turned to meet her.

"She's beautiful," was Marty's first thought, and looked from the deep black eyes to the sensitive face. Her lips were slightly parted, and she stood there silently, measuring Marty, even as Marty tried in a moment's time to measure her.

"Owahteeka," said Marty softly, letting a smile warm her face, and reaching out a hand, "I'm right glad to meet ya." Owahteeka softened too.

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"And I," she spoke carefully, "I am happy to meet you-- Marty. Tom has told me much about you."

Marty's eyes widened in surprise.

"Ya speak English--very well."

"I went to a mission school when my mother still lived," she explained, showing little feeling about the matter. "An' yer mother--?"

"Is gone. I now live only with my grandfather. He did not wish me in the mission school."

"I see."

Tom had moved beside Owahteeka. His eyes shone with love. He had been sure that Marty would understand and love her, and his heart beat more quickly, willing it to be so.

"Has Tommie met yer grandfather?"

"Oh, no," she said quickly; "he must not."

"I'd like to," said Tom. "I'd like to talk to the old man, tell 'im--"

"He does not speak nor understand the white man's tongue," broke in Owahteeka.

"Well, then," said Tom, "at least I could shake his hand--could smile."

"No." Owahteeka shook her head firmly. "You must not.

My grandfather--he would not wish to meet you." "But Marty has met you. She's white an'--" Owahteeka's dark eyes flashed. "The white lady did not

lose her sons and grandsons to Indian arrows, as my grand father

lost his to the white man's bullets."

Marty stepped forward and placed her hand on the young girl's arm.

"We understand," she said. "Tom will not try to see yer grandfather--not now enyway. But can--can you
always
hide your love?" She waved a hand to include the two young people. "Can ya hide it from 'im?"

"My grandfather is very old," said Owahteeka softly. "He is very old and weak. He will soon go to his fathers--there is no need to tell him."

"I see." So her guess had been right.

As silence followed, Marty fumbled for the right words,

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and finally just blurted it out.

"An' you, Owahteeka, do you wish to--to marry Tommie?"

"Oh, yes." The dark eyes softened as Owahteeka looked at the young man beside her. Tommie's arms encircled her. Who could deny the love that passed between them?

Marty swallowed a lump in her throat and turned to walk away a few paces. She came back slowly again. Her heart ached for the young people before her--of different culture, of different religions, of different skin. Why did they make it so difficult for themselves? What could she say or do?

She found her voice.

"Owahteeka, I think I understand why Tommie loves ya. You're a beautiful, sensitive girl. I--I wish thet I could feel thet--thet life will treat ya kindly iffen ya marry. I don't know. I really don't know."

She looked up then into the perceptive eyes of the girl before her. "But this I want ya to always know. Ya can count on me fer a friend."

"Thank you," whispered Owahteeka. Marty stepped forward and embraced the girl, looked deep into Tommie's eyes and turned back down the path to the house.

Tears fell as she walked. Her heart felt heavy. She'd talk with Ma. She still didn't know if it was right for her to interfere. She wouldn't try to persuade Ma that the marriage was the right thing, but she would try to make Ma see that Tommie's choice was understandable.

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Chapter 27

Bits 'n Pieces

When Clark went to town the following Saturday, he returned with the sobering news that Mrs. McDonald was gravely ill. The Doc, who had been faithfully attending her, reported her problem as a severe stroke. One side was paralyzed, her speech was gone, and she was confined to her bed in serious condition. No hope for her complete recovery was given.

Mrs. Nettles and Widow Gray, from town, took turns with Mr. McDonald in round-the-clock nursing. The store had been put up for sale.

Marty felt sick at heart upon hearing the news. She had never liked Mrs. McDonald, and the news of her illness filled her with guilt feelings.

"Maybe iffen I'd really tried," she told herself, "maybe I could have found a lovable woman behind the pryin' eyes and probin' tongue."

But there was little relief to her in the "maybes."

"God," she prayed, "please forgive me. I've been wrong. Help me in the future to see good in all people. To mine it out like, iffen it seems buried deep."

She sent a roast and a pie along with her condolences to Mr. McDonald. That was about the extent of the amends that she could make.

The winter months passed by, and the time for the coming

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of the new preacher was drawing near.

Nellie's wedding plans were progressing favorably. Shem Vickers seemed to find his tongue and was talking more than he had probably done in all his previous years on earth. He seemed to take great pleasure in spreading the word that he was soon to be a groom.

Mr. Wilbur Whittle was also making progress with his courtship, but he had given up the prospects of being the first one to the altar. He still hadn't solved his problem of where to live, so had withheld asking the fateful question. Tessie, not understanding what was holding him back, was becoming rather impatient.

Mr. Whittle finally dared to approach the committee who served as the school board, to request that a residence be acquired at the school site. He supplied them with a list of the reasons why such a move would be advantageous.

He would be there to watch the fire in the winter.

He would be available should a student require his services, apart from school hours.

It would mean less time spent on the road, et cetera.

None of the reasons that he gave was the real one, but the board after some consideration decided that a resident teacher may not be a bad idea and voted to take out logs over the next winter to construct a modest but adequate building come the next spring.

It was a step in the right direction, but it seemed so far in the future. Mr. Whittle had hoped for action a bit sooner. He deemed it wise, for the time, to hold his tongue as far as his intention toward Miss Tessie LaHaye.

And so the matter lay. Tessie didn't exactly give up--but she did become agitated.

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Chapter 28

Owahteeka and Ma

Marty bundled Ellie against the spring wind and set off for the Grahams. She felt that she must have her visit with Ma.

Nandry kept Clae and Arnie at home. Marty had suggested that they all take the air together but Nandry politely refused. "She should get out more," Marty worried. "She's getting to be a real loner," but the company of the two small children seemed to be enough for Nandry.

The Graham house seemed quiet. With a family swarming through the rooms, it was usually a bustle of activity, but now with the youngsters off to school and Tom out working round the farm buildings, only Nellie was left to keep Ma company. She laid aside the towels that she was hand-stitching and came to take the wee Ellie.

"Did ya know thet Sally Anne be expectin' another--not till fall. This time Jason is hopin' fer a boy, though he sure wouldn't trade thet Elizabeth Anne fer an army of boys."

Marty smiled. An addition to the family was always good news.

"How's Sally Anne keepin'?"

"Fine. She's busy as can be carin' fer Jason and thet girl of hers."

Nellie laid the baby in a cradle kept for little visitors, one small granddaughter in particular, and went to put on the coffee.

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Marty was then shown all of the household items that Nellie had prepared for her new home. Ma was piecing another quilt. Marty wondered who was enjoying the coming event the most, Nellie or Ma.

The coffee was ready and they each took up their sewing and prepared to visit.

They shared news from the neighborhood, expressed their concern for the McDonalds, and discussed in detail Nellie's coming wedding.

When there was a lull, Marty brought up the subject that she had really come to discuss.

"Tommie came last week--like I asked him to." Ma nodded. "Yeah, he said he'd seen ya."

"Did he also say that he brought a friend?"

"Nope."

"Owahteeka." Marty let the name drop, and waited a moment.

Ma's head jerked up in surprise and Nellie's needle stopped in midair.

"I asked 'im to," Marty went on. "I felt thet somebody should meet her an' git to know jest what kind of a girl she be. I knew thet it was awkward-like fer her to come here, but no matter to my place."

Ma's eyes were asking Marty to hurry on--to tell her what the girl was like. Nellie asked it.

"What's she like?"

"She's beautiful. It ain't a wonder thet young Tom fell so hard. She's tiny and straight as a willow. She's slim and brown, with big black eyes an' long black braids. She's edjecated, too; speaks English real good. She's polite--an'--"

"Oh, God!" whispered Ma, laying aside her sewing and bowing her head. "What are we gonna do?"

Marty stopped at the interruption and the three sat in Silence, each nursing her own thoughts; then Marty went on. "But she's hurtin', too. She loves Tommie--I'm sure o' thet. But I think--I think maybe thet be the only white man thet she loves--or trusts either. Her grandfather--he--he hates the white and with good cause, maybe. He took her from