Things were busy in Doctor Henry Jones’ office the past few days. Fred Dover was still unconscious, but Lucas was able to get up with only a concussion. It seems like Miles was forever busy with his duties–duties of life as well as an officer of the law. Let’s go back to those thrilling days of yesteryear and see what is up with Miles.
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As I stepped out of the diner I glanced toward Doc Jones’ office. Lucas was in there, sleeping with a concussion. The Parson was at the bedside of Fred Dover who was still unconscious when I left. Sighing at the events that had recently taken place I started walking up the street to see what Darnelle wanted. I walked straight to the jail first to peer inside. Alejo was leaning against a broom listening to his father, Mateo. I nodded at them, which Mateo returned with a slight wave of hand. I was pleased that Alejo, young as he was, had been sweeping up the glass.
Turning up the boardwalk towards Foster’s Mercantile I went to see Darnelle. She was waiting on Mrs. Jansen as I walked in. Taking off my hat, I looked in her direction to get her attention. She nodded at me, “Let me finish up with Mrs. Jansen and I’ll be right with you.”
I stood by the counter, just perusing at items in the glass case. Mrs. Blackstone was with another customer at the back of the store. It looked as if she was measuring off material for the lady whom I couldn’t make out from this distance with her back turned toward me. A few minutes later, Darnelle and Mrs. Jansen moved up to the counter to pay for her goods.
Since my hat was already off, I nodded greetings to Mrs. Jansen who was holding a pair of braces in her hands along with a pair of pants. “They’re for Ollie’s birthday,” she declared smiling. “I know he can make the braces, but he deserves a store-bought pair. And his pants get so dirty, and covered with grim and glue working in the shop.”
Ollie was the only cobbler in town and he kept himself quite busy. “Cornelia, he’ll be delighted,” cheered Darnelle, as she received the money for the purchase. “Now when is his birthday again?”
Cornelia Jansen was a good-natured, plump individual. Not overly heavy, but she was not skinny by any means. When I saw her and Ollie together I always thought of the nursery rhyme, Jack Sprat and his wife and reckoned that they must have looked like Cornelia and Ollie Jansen.
When she left, Darnelle gave me an ominous look. “Daddy’s getting worse,” she said stoically, then sighed. “Doc Jones came over to visit and check on him last week, and told me that he only had a short time left.”
“How’s Elizabeth takin’ the news?” I questioned.
Darnelle shook her head. “Not well,” she replied, with tears now forming in her eyes. “I want to keep the store, but mother wants to move to Denver to live near her sister.”
“What else?” I asked sensing that there was more to her story.
“Jessie has been such a dear and great help, but she told me that when school was out that she and Connor were going with her husband, Frank, to California,” she paused to take a breath. “I don’t know if I can keep the store open by myself, and I really don’t want to move with mother to Denver.”
I placed my hand on her shoulder. “That’s almost two months, I’m sure you can find someone to help you by then.”
She nodded reaching up to touch my hand with hers. “That’s not what I wanted to see you about,” she hesitated, sniffling. “Would you go see daddy? I know you two had your outs, but he respects you, and I believe it would do him a world of good.”
Wilson Foster was a good man, antagonistic at times when he was on the town council, but he was solid. He had a stroke some months back which laid him up, but the last time I saw him…oh my, a good two months ago, he was doing better. Two months, a person shouldn’t wait that long to speak to a friend in some fashion. We were not close, we went to different churches, but I considered him a friend.
I started to answer when Alejo peeked in the door. “Uh, excuse me, Senor Marshal, the Senora needs you quickly!”
Before I left to follow Alejo, I pulled Darnelle into a hug. “It will be alright. I’ll go see your daddy tomorrow.”
Releasing her, I went to the entrance and stepped out. I looked up, breathing a little prayer, “Lord, be with me….” Alejo was standing outside the jail with his hands on his hips as if to say, “Hurry!”