Chapter 4

"Another one, Vin?" Mary asked reading through the carefully printed poem Vin had brought her.

"I's up at Baker Pass yesterday," Vin explained. "I had ta wait out a storm. When the sun broke through the clouds, it's like God spoke ta me. Had to scribble down m' thoughts."

"Oh, I wasn't complaining, Vin. I'm just amazed how you're able to create such wonderful images with your words," Mary explained. It didn't matter how often she told him she loved his poetry, she could still make him blush – which endeared him to her all the more. "You do realize when one of your poems appear in the Clarion, I have to print more papers?"

The former bounty hunter looked up at her, not sure if it was a criticism or a compliment. He opened his mouth to question her statement when the sound of the stagecoach coming down the street interrupted his thought.

"Oh, no! The stage is early!" Mary exclaimed. Reaching for a towel she wiped her hands clean and pulled off her printer's apron.

"Mary?" Vin questioned alarmed at Mary's reaction.

"The new schoolmarm's suppose to be on the stage," she explained tucking a loose lock of hair back over her ear. "JD promised he'd be back from Nettie's before it showed up to help with her luggage, but I don't think he's back yet."

"No problem. I'd be happy ta help."

"Thank goodness. Come, I don't want her to arrive without someone there to greet her."

Hannah Fuller cautiously looked out from the stagecoach.

"Can I help you, Miss?" Vin Tanner asked reach up to take her hand. Looking down at the long-haired man, Hannah smiled nervously, accepted his hand, and finally stepped out of the stage.

Her dark green dress was heavily coated with dust as was her cinnamon colored hair which threatened to escape from her matching green bonnet. In her hands she clutched her well-worn carpetbag and an equally worn leather case containing her concertina.

"Here, let me help you, miss." Vin tipped his hat toward her with one hand and took the offered carpetbag from her with the other.

"Miss Fuller, it's so good to meet you," Mary Travis gushed a wide welcoming smile on her face. "I'm Mary Travis and this," Mary gestured to the tracker, "is Vin Tanner, one of the town's peacekeepers."

Vin's blue eyes sparkled from under his brim as he again looked up at Four Corner's new teacher and a blush crept over his face. "Pleasure ta meet ya, Miss."

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you. I can't believe I'm finally here." her New England accent was clearly evident. She tried to brush away some of the dust that clung to her dress.

"Got one bag up here," the stagecoach driver called out indicating a black trunk.

Vin carefully placed her carpetbag down on the sidewalk and reached up to bring down the heavy trunk.

"Oh dear, please be careful," Hannah cautioned.

"I'll make sure nuttin inside's hurt," Vin assured her.

Hannah reached up and tried to steady the load with her free hand. "It's not the trunk I'm worried about. I don't want you to be injured."

"Aw, he..ah…shucks, Miss, this little ol' trunk's not gonna hurt me," Vin drawled.

Mary watched as the pair blushed, and it did her heart good.

"Got yer gift yet?" Nathan Jackson asked the preacher. The two friends were seated out on the balcony of Nathan's clinic.

"I certainly do, Brother."

"Whadya get?"

"You'll see when Vin does."

"Yer no fun, Josiah. Anyone ever tell ya that?"

Josiah chuckled. "Well what about you, Nathan? Did you get Vin something yet?"

"Hell, no. I jes can't figger out what ta git. You'd think idda be easy to git something for someone who don't have much." Nathan shook his head in frustration.

Hearing the approaching horses, the two friends turned to see the stagecoach come down the road followed by Mary and Vin exiting the Clarion to greet the new arrival.

"Did you see that?" Josiah elbowed the healer.

"They're blushing so hard, it's making my eyes hurt," Nathan laughed.

Josiah waggled his eyebrows.

Nathan winked.

Ezra examined the text yet again to make sure it was concise and addressed every issue the McAllister Publishing Company had mentioned in their correspondence. Then he looked at the second sheet of paper, the one he was loathe to send, but as each minute ticked by he was more certain it would be the one he'd have to wire.

Opening his pocket watch again, Ezra noted it was twenty-two minutes of four - and four o'clock was his deadline, seeing that they needed the information in New York by six o'clock. The minutes passed excruciatingly slow. At seven minutes before the hour Ezra closed the pocket watch and rising to his feet began his walk towards the telegraph office. He was about to place his hand on the door when it swung open and Ezra confronted a smiling bright-eyed Chris Larabee. Ezra crumpled up the second sheet of paper and happily instructed the telegraph operator to send the first.

TBD