Runabout (17 page)

}Doc Odie cleared his throat nervously. "Anybody you specifically have in mind?" he asked.

}Giving the doctor a long look, Willie grinned broadly, showing the missing space of two teeth on the left side. "Well, that Briggs boy that's got the autobuggy shop seems a likely choice."

}"Luther Briggs?"

}Willie nodded. "He's right sweet on her, I understand."

}Doc Odie was surprised at the news. He also found that it didn't sit well with him. "Luther's rather young," the doctor protested.

}"He's old enough," Willie said. "Old as my Emma, at least. I think he'd make a decent husband when he takes it to himself to settle."

}"Well, perhaps so, but—"

}"I think she's more than a bit fond of him too. Else I wouldn't be going that way."

}"If they are already interested in each other, I don't see that there is anything that I need to do."

}"Interested is one thing, wed is another," Willie stated emphatically. "I want you to see that they get hitched up good and proper. And I'd really like to see you do it before I'm six feet under."

}Doc Odie opened his mouth to answer, but the words froze on his lips as Emma reentered the room.

}"Here we are, Papa," she said, as she walked in from the kitchen. "This will break up the tightness in your chest in no time."

}The hot aromatic poultice was wrapped in thin cotton toweling. The doctor pulled back the bedclothes as Emma carefully laid the plaster on her father's bare chest.

}The old man made one painful gasp and tensed up rigidly as the heat blanched his skin. A moment later, Willie lay back with a sigh to allow the home remedy to work its magic.

}"Oh, Emma," the old man said gratefully. "You are a good daughter to take such fine care of me."

}The young woman didn't answer but only smiled warmly at her father.

}"You'll be feeling better in no time," Doc Odie said, for Emma's benefit.

}She looked at him quickly, as if testing the honesty in his words. Doc Odie nodded assurance, and she sighed as deeply as if she'd been holding her breath for hours.

}"Thank you for coming by, Doc Odie," she said. "Can I fix you a cup of coffee or tea?"

}The doctor politely shook his head. "Don't trouble yourself, Miss Emma," he said formally. "I'll be back to check on your father first thing in the morning."

}MILLION HOGS IN SINGLE YEAR

}Growth Is Steady, Future Bright

}Experts at the stockyard report that they will soon reach the point of one million hogs slaughtered per year. Growth in hog production within the county has been steady and the outlook for the future has been most encouraging indeed. Stockyard and slaughterhouse jobs comprise the largest single industry within the limits of the city, and according to the stockyard's fore-

}Chapter 9

}Monday morning, bright and early, Luther Briggs was using the acetylene torch to build a head gasket for Erwin Willers's Packard. Welding was one of those things that Arthel did better and he usually left it up to him. It was noisy and smoky and required strong concentration. But this morning it seemed like a perfect occupation.

}His brother had been determined to talk about yesterday's trip to church and dinner with Tulsa May. Normally he would have been glad to share his visit with Arthel. About yesterday, however, Luther didn't have a word to say.

}As far as he was concerned, it was one of the longest days he'd ever spent. From the time he'd come to pick her up, he had felt clumsy and tongue-tied and not himself at all. He had been afraid to even look at Tulsa May. Every time he did, the memory of that dream returned. He was ashamed, but he couldn't seem to dispel his imaginings. And after that unbelievable kiss on the porch, he was definitely on shaky ground. So he'd tried to keep his eyes on Rev and Miz Constance. Anybody but the woman he wanted to look at. The woman whose breasts he'd seen through her underclothes.

}Just thinking about that made his hands tremble and upset his concentration. So much so that when Luther felt a tap on his shoulder, he jumped as if a shot had been fired.

}"Crenshaw wants to see you," Arthel yelled to him over the sound of the welding torch.

}Luther nodded and began turning off the spigot that supplied the acetylene to the welding wand. Within seconds, the flame fizzled and died. Luther carefully laid the hot wand across a cool metal surface and removed his goggles. He looked up and tipped his head in greeting at Ross Crenshaw who was standing on the threshold of the front door.

}"Morning, Mr. Crenshaw," Luther said. He moved to a small table at the far side of the shop. Throwing his heavy leather gloves on the rickety worktable, he grabbed a worn cotton rag and wiped his hands before stepping forward to accept the older man's handshake.

}"Luther." Crenshaw glanced curiously around the shop. "Looks like you've got plenty of work to keep you busy these days."

}Luther was very proud of his business. People came all the way from Guthrie to be treated right by a mechanic whom they trusted, but he would never say that to Crenshaw. "We're making a living," he admitted modestly. "Times are clearly getting better, I think."

}"It's a miracle if they are," Crenshaw replied in a bit of a huff. Being head of the county's Republican Party, the older man had a disenchantment to maintain.

}Luther wiped the sweat from his brow with the rag he held and used the opportunity to smile to himself.

}"If we get Wilson for another term, we'll be sure to throw off the last of this little panic."

}It was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Crenshaw immediately took the bait, lambasting the President's domestic policy. "It's war that's on the voters' minds now," he said firmly. "If Wilson gets in again, we are sure to stay neutral and never get a chance at the Kaiser."

}"Most folks don't want a chance at the Kaiser," Luther answered quietly. "That's Europe and clearly none of our business."

}The older man shook his head. "If we ever hope to be an equal in the world of nations," he said, "we're going to have to make the whole world our business."

}Luther refrained from comment. He hated the idea of war, but he hated the Kaiser too. Why couldn't the Europeans take care of their own problems? He didn't have the answer. Crenshaw didn't have it either, he was sure. Maybe there wasn't any answer.

}"Politics and business are clearly two subjects that do not mix," Luther said finally. "And I'm enough of a businessman to be more concerned with the latter than the former."

}Crenshaw nodded, accepting the truce. "You've always been quite a go-getter," he said.

}Luther felt no need to comment on that. "Saw you in church yesterday," Luther said instead. "Your family's looking well."

}"Yes, sir, we're fine. I saw you in church too. I suspect I'm there about every Sunday. We don't get to see much of you, though."

}"Maybe that'll change."

}Crenshaw nodded. "Rumor is that you're calling on the preacher's daughter."

}He raised one dark eyebrow. "Is that the rumor?"

}"She's a real kind girl," Crenshaw replied. "Kind and decent, that's what matters in a woman over the long run."

}Luther was not ready to discuss the long run with Ross Crenshaw. "So what brings you to the shop today? Are you having trouble with that new Ford of yours?"

}He shook his head. "No, no, it runs like a sewing machine. The Ford's the best car ever made," he stated baldly. "I know you've always seemed partial to those Billy Durant cars, but I swear that Henry Ford is a national treasure to this country."

}"He makes a good car," Luther agreed halfheartedly, not even tempted to get back onto the subject of politics and national treasures.

}When the younger man didn't take the bait, Crenshaw reluctantly moved on to the business at hand. "No, what I came to talk to you about, boy, is that Henniger property you've bought on Main Street."

}"Oh?"

}"Nearly everybody in town is wondering what you're planning to do with it. I thought I'd just ask outright."

}Luther smiled. "Well, asking outright is exactly the thing to do, Mr. Crenshaw," he said. "But, truth to tell, I haven't decided what to do with it."

}"Oh, come now," Crenshaw said, disbelieving. "You can level with me, boy, I ain't the preacher come calling."

}"It's the truth, I'm telling you. And I'd tell the preacher the same. I bought the building because the price was right and I was looking for a warehouse."

}"A warehouse?"

}Luther shrugged. "I guess I wasn't thinking too clear. It wasn't until after I'd signed the papers that I decided that a warehouse on Main Street just wasn't the thing."

}Crenshaw's expression was closed and disapproving. "That story won't wash, boy. Some say you are about the sharpest knife in the drawer. You don't go putting down good money by accident."

}Actually, that was exactly what had happened. As soon as Luther heard about the building being for sale, he felt almost compelled to purchase it. He even surprised himself at how adamant he'd been. Once it was his, he wasn't sure why he'd even wanted it.

}"The rumor is," Crenshaw continued, "that you're going to open up another beer and billiards joint like the one you own in Lowtown."

}Luther wiped his hands on the rag again thoughtfully.

}Crenshaw's visage was stern. "I just wanted you ,to know that the good people of this town will not approve of that."

}"Oh?" Luther felt the ire rising inside him. "Which good people are those?"

}"I was talking to Fanny Penny just this morning and she is downright worried about what might happen to the businesses downtown if some kind of immoral
joint
were to move in."

}Luther's smile was decidedly cool. "Mrs. Penny should spend more time working at the Emporium and less time in idle talk. That probably would have a more positive effect on her business."

}Crenshaw shook his head. "I'm not about to be telling Fanny how to run her business."

}"But you'd like to tell me how to run mine." Luther's jaw was set tightly and his eyes were narrowed.

}The older man opened his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm not telling you nothing, Luther. Just giving a bit of fatherly advice."

}"And what is that 'fatherly advice'?"

}"I know your place down in Lowtown is well run and clean. I've been by there myself a time or two. Not a lot of bad elements hanging around there."

}"It's Ruggy's place," Luther pointed out. "I only own an interest in it."

}He nodded agreement. "True, but folks here tolerate it more 'cause it's yours than because it's his."

}Luther couldn't argue that. Oklahoma was no more equal in its treatment of the races than anyplace else in the country.

}"We all think
that
place is fine. You just leave it there. Don't be thinking to bringing such a place up to Main Street."

}His arms folded across his chest, Luther looked distinctly displeased. "We?" he asked. "Who is asking here?"

}Crenshaw shrugged. "I guess I am."

}"Do you want to buy my building?" Luther deliberately held his temper in check.

}"No," Crenshaw replied easily. "I ain't got more than a couple of nickels to rub together with prices being what they are."

}"Then if you don't want the building for yourself, what I do with it is strictly my own concern."

}"I'm just telling you what I think," Crenshaw said. "I'm telling you what the whole town thinks."

}"Well, I thank you for that, but please tell the whole town that I'll be doing what
I
think," Luther answered.

}Crenshaw shook his head. "That's what I was afraid of. I was afraid you'd be thick-headed. All the Briggs folks are. You know, boy, thwarting the propriety of the community is what got your father into trouble. And look how you and your brother have paid."

}The blood drained from Luther's face and then came back pounding with bright red fury. But when he spoke his voice was as soft as a whisper and deadly. "Anything that me, my brother, or my father might have owed to this community has been paid in full," he stated flatly. "I think, sir, that you can see yourself out."

}