"Maisy, I can't walk anymore, I'm too tired."
"We'll stop when we get over that ridge. Now hurry up! It'll be dark soon and we need to set up camp."
The exhausted five year old winced, but obeyed his sister. He picked up the bag he had been dragging for the past fifteen minutes and hurried to catch up to his older sister who was strides ahead of him.
"Maisy, yer goin' too fast!" he said trying to catch his breath.
"I'm not too fast Jake, you're too slow!"
"Please Maisy!" his voice now quivered as though holding back tears.
Maisy stopped. Her frustration level was at an all-time high, maybe due to the fact that Jake had been complaining about his state of fatigue since the last ride they had hitched dropped them off. Or perhaps it was due to the guilt that weighed so heavily on her conscience for dragging him away from a structured environment into one of danger and uncertainty? When she finally turned to glance at her brother, Maisy realized it was the latter of the two. Maybe she was going a little too fast, but the further away from Carson City they were, the better. Walking back, she scooped up his bag and slung it over her shoulder along with her own. "Come on Jakey, it's just a bit further," she said as she took his hand, her voice more composed.
It took another twenty minutes to get over the small ridge. In no time Maisy had a fire going and both were settled and eating.
"Why'd ya have to bring pickled onions? Ya didn't bring nothin' good!" Jake said with a look of disgust at the jar handed to him.
"Because Sister Bernadine was comin' and...why am I tellin' you anythin'? Be glad I could git my hands on anythin' at all!" she barked. When the jar was passed backed to her, Maisy grimaced; she was just as thrilled to see it as Jake. "I'll git more food when we git to Virginia City, but for now its onions and crackers."
"We ain't got no money Maisy. How ya gonna buy food?"
"I have some money Jake, so just shut your yap about it!"
"Where'd ya git money?"
"Didn't I just tell you to shut your yap?"
Jake became quiet; you could almost see the wheels turning in his head. He gasped and sat up quickly when he realized what had happened. "That's how come ya didn't get nothin' good to eat. You was stealin' money!"
"So what if I was. It wasn't like it was a lot, and we needed it."
"You gotta take it back Maisy. I don't wanna go to hell!" Jake squealed, tears running down his plump, dirty cheeks.
"Who said you was goin' to hell?"
"Sister Bernadine, Sister Theresa, and Sister Simeon. They said if ya sin then ya go to hell, and stealin's a sin Maisy!" They boy was now sobbing. Picturing one's eternal damnation was not a pretty sight, and Jake had a very vivid imagination.
Maisy scooted over to where Jake sat, curled up tight like a turtle scared into its shell. She put her arms around him and held him tight. "It ain't a sin if you just borrow, right?"
Jake nodded his head in agreement.
"Then right after I get a job in Virginia City, I'll pay back the sisters. I'll send it in the mail with a letter saying I just borrowed it. OK?"
"Then I won't go down there?" Jake said pointing downwards.
"Nope, besides you're too sweet Jakey. The Devil would kick you out for being too good. Now lie down and git some sleep, we got a lot of walkin' to do tomorrow"
Jake laid down on the ratty tarp that they managed to carry with them. A tiny smile crept onto his face as he fell asleep. His soul was safe and all was well. Maisy on the other hand stirred as she gazed at the dying fire. At 10 years old she had bitten off more than she could chew. How am I going to get a job at my age? Where we gonna live? Would the Sisters send the law after us? These questions and many more raced through her mind. "I just need to git to Virginia City," she whispered to herself, "Everythin' will be better in Virginia City." And with that little pep talk, she lay down beside Jake, closed her eyes and went to sleep.
"Lizzie, come on! We need to get home," Luke bellowed.
"Hold your horses, will ya!" she yelled back, "Ma wanted to pick up some more thread at the store."
Luke always became anxious to go home after school was over, especially on Fridays. Book-learning and sitting still for long periods of time had never been his forte. Lizzie rolled her eyes at him before skipping up the steps to the mercantile. Along with the money for the thread, her mother had given a little extra for some horehound candy for her and her siblings. If Luke kept up his impatient behaviour she just may 'forget' to buy any for him.
"Why Miss Elizabeth Cartwright, how nice to see you. It has been ages since you have been in my store," the elderly proprietor commented.
"It's nice to see you too, Mr. Guthrie. It has been a long time, almost a month. Things sure have been busy at home."
"Would it have anything to do with your uncle's new home?"
"Yes sir. Uncle Joe and his family have been staying with us at the main house while it's being built."
"Is their place far from yours?" Mr. Guthrie inquired.
"No sir, it's just less than two miles south of the ranch."
"I thought that is where Hoss and Charlotte's ranch was."
"No sir, Uncle Hoss is east, Uncle Joe is south, and Grandpa is west."
The Ponderosa ranch had adjusted well to its growing family well over the past years. It was no longer a bachelor pad for the Cartwright men. Two homesteads had already been built, with a third near completion, to accommodate the sons' growing families. Hoss and his wife Charlotte's place was the first to be constructed, three miles east of the main house. It was a fine home that Adam designed with four bedrooms and a large great room. The second home finished, surprisingly, was not for Adam and Evelyn and their five children, but for Ben. A few years back Benjamin Cartwright married for the fourth time to Millicent Vaughn, a widow from the city. After discussing matters with his sons, it was decided that Adam and his family would remain in the main house and three new homesteads would be constructed for the remaining men and families. This way everyone would be close enough for visiting and emergencies, yet far enough for a bit of privacy. Again, Adam's architectural skills were put to use in designing a cozy three bedroom home for his father, his father's new bride, and younger brother Jamie. In addition to the home, Ben had Adam design a small cottage for their cook, and family friend, Hop Sing. With Joe's homestead ready for move-in, all four men now could enjoy a home of their own.
"So how far along are they with the house?" Eli Guthrie asked his young customer.
"Oh it's pretty much finished, sir. The chimneys are working and there's glass in the windows, things like that," Lizzie replied.
"What's the holdup then?"
"Aunt Rebecca wants Uncle Joe to finish some shelves in the bedrooms and kitchen before they move everything in, and he can't right now because he's out doing roundup with Pa and the other men. He said that…"
There was a sudden crash which halted their conversation. Elizabeth turned to see a thin girl with mousy brown hair scrabble to pick up the can display she had unintentionally bumped into.
"I'm sorry sir! I didn't mean to, it was an accident," she said quickly trying to restore the display.
"No harm done my dear," assured Mr. Guthrie sweetly as he walked towards the girl and began to help. Lizzie followed his lead and in no time the three of them had restored the pyramid of canned goods.
"Hello. I'm Lizzie Cartwright," Elizabeth said extending her hand towards the girl. "I haven't seen you before, did you just move to Virginia City?"
The girl timidly reached out her limp hand and quickly shook Lizzie's welcome. "No just passing through," she reluctantly admitted. She then grabbed the few items to be purchased and rushed to the front of the store.
"Will that be all Miss?" he inquired as she placed the groceries on the counter.
"Yes sir, and sorry again 'bout your cans."
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it. That comes to thirty-four cents." Maisy handed over three dimes and a nickel, took her penny change from the merchant, then swiftly packed the grocery items into her muslin sack and headed out the door.
Lizzie came to the front of the store and looked out the window just in time to see the girl duck into the alley beside the livery across the street.
"Bit of a ragamuffin if you ask me," remarked Mr. Guthrie. "Poor thing looks like she hasn't eaten in days. Do you know her Elizabeth?"
"No sir. She said she was just passing through, but from where, I don't know. She wouldn't tell me her name either."
"Well maybe I should inform the sheriff just to be on the safe side. Can't have a child be neglected, can we?"
"No sir, we can't," agreed Lizzie.
"Now what is it you're in need of today?"
"Some black thread please and four sticks of horehound candy…better make that five sticks," she decided rolling her eyes.