Chapter 37

"Everyone is a hero in their own story

if you only look."

~Maeve Binchy

It was a beautiful Sunday morning as the congregation was gathered among the trees for Sunday service. They were singing "... and grace will lead me home," the last line of "Amazing Grace," as the service concluded.

"May God's blessings be on you and your families. Have a blessed week," Reverend Anderson shared as he dismissed them.

Everyone stood. Some lingered, enjoying fellowship time with friends, while others hurried on their way.

"I better start my rounds," Jack told Elizabeth.

Elizabeth nodded. "You'll be back for dinner?"

Jack smiled. "Of course." He kissed her on the cheek before he walked to his horse tied at the back of the log pews. Elizabeth watched him as he mounted his horse, gave her a nod, and headed away from the glen.

"Elizabeth?" Aunt Olivia called to get her attention. When her niece didn't respond, she called louder. "Elizabeth?!"

Elizabeth turned quickly to face her aunt, a bit embarrassed to be caught staring at Jack. "Yes ma'am? I'm sorry. What did you want?"

"It's such a nice morning! I think I'll take a long walk before heading back to the café. I'll be back in time to help you and Abigail prepare Sunday dinner." She gave Elizabeth an anemic smile before heading off for her walk.

Elizabeth watched her aunt walk away, her forehead furrowed with worry.

Abigail walked up next to Elizabeth and saw Olivia walking down the path into the woods. "Olivia's going for another walk?" she asked.

Elizabeth sighed, watching Olivia disappear around the curve. "Yes. Another walk." She and Abigail exchanged worried looks as they started walking back to the café. "I want to help her. She seems to be just getting sadder by the day," Elizabeth stated, her own voice quite sad.

"I know," Abigail agreed, "but there really isn't anything we can do but offer her support. And, of course, pray."

"I wish Mother would hurry up and get here!" Elizabeth declared in frustration.

They started walking back to town. "So, did you tell Jack about your mother's visit?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes." She sighed. "I'm afraid we're both nervous about Mother's visit."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Abigail reassured Elizabeth. "Jack is a good man. Your mother will see that."

Elizabeth shrugged. "Well, I guess worrying about it isn't going to do any good. And, as Jack pointed out last night, the stagecoach isn't due for a couple of days. So, we have a little time before Mother gets here. Nothing's going to happen today. So, let's just enjoy it."

Abigail smiled. "Absolutely. Now, there's a chicken at the café waiting to become our dinner. Let's not keep him waiting!"

That afternoon, Main Street wasn't as busy as it was during the week, but there were people taking Sunday walks, visiting friends, and heading to the saloon. Gabe Montgomery and some other schoolboys were heading out of town with their baseballs, bats, and mitts. As they were about to turn the corner to head out of town, a man riding a horse came hurtling around the corner and almost ran them over. The boys leapt out of the way, sports equipment falling to the dirt road. Gabe watched the horse gallop off down the street as people in its path jumped to safety. The man on the horse turned to the right and out of sight.

Gabe turned back to his buddies. "That man is crazy!" he announced to his friends, shaking his head.

"No kidding!" Caleb Dunbar agreed.

The boys picked up their equipment and started back on their way to the field for their game. However, before they could round the corner, once again the man on the horse came flying around it. The boys jumped out of the way, again. The horse came so close to Gabe that he had to leap up on the porch of the building they were passing.

"I'm so sorry, young men!" the man on the horse called back to the boys as he held tight to the reins. The horse was traveling faster than the first time it had come through town. Once again, the horse and the man took a right turn and out of sight.

Gabe jumped off the porch and walked over to pick up his mitt and baseball. As they headed on to the field, the boys were startled once again, but this time it was Jack rounding the corner. He stopped his horse to speak with the boys.

"Good afternoon, boys," he called to them. Then, noticing Gabe was carrying a ball and a mitt, he asked, "Heading to play a game of baseball?"

"Well, we were til this crazy man on a horse ran us down twice!" Gabe answered.

Jack's expression grew serious. "Crazy man on a horse?" he asked.

"Yeah! He was driving his horse awful fast!" Caleb confirmed.

"I'm not sure if he was driving the horse or if that horse was driving him!" James corrected.

"Here he comes again!" Caleb yelled, pointing down the road at the man and his horse rushing back into town.

The horse was indeed traveling way too fast. Jack managed to pulled his horse out of the way as the man and his runaway horse rounded the corner.

"I'm so sorry!" the man on the horse called back to Jack.

Jack watched as the horse rushed down the street, frowning. The horse again disappeared after turning to the right.

Jack turned back to Gabe and the boys. "You say he's been through here before?"

Gabe nodded. "Yeah. That was the third time!"

Jack nodded and thought for a moment before telling the boys, "All of you, get up on the porch and stay there until I tell you otherwise."

None of the boys questioned Jack's order. As the last boy finally made it on to the porch, Jack spotted the man and horse coming back towards them. It was clear the man was not controlling the horse. The horse was a runaway. Even from this distance, Jack could tell that the man was just barely staying in the saddle.

He studied the horse's approach carefully. Then, he gently guided his horse to the other side of the street. He turned, watched and waited, as did just about everyone else who was out on Main Street.

The horse rounded the corner to make its run down the street again. Jack responded by prodding his horse into a run. "Let's go, boy," he urged the horse. Then, he called to the man, "Mister! You need to sit back!"

Jack's call seemed to startle the man as he nearly fell out of the saddle. He was hanging around the horse's neck and was holding tight to the reins. After managing to right himself in saddle, he swiveled his head back and his eyes widened when he saw Jack approaching him.

"Sit back in the saddle!" Jack ordered.

The man nodded and did as instructed, scooting toward the back of the saddle.

Jack noted that this move had the effect he'd hoped it would: the horse slowed down, a bit. It didn't stop but its speed was obviously slowing. Jack was now gaining on the man and the runaway horse.

"Now," Jack yelled his next order. "Ease up on the reins. Don't pull on them so tightly!"

Once again the man nodded and Jack could see him ease his grip on the reins.

"Come on, boy! You can catch him!" Jack urged his horse. Jack's horse responded and quickly they were riding in tandem with the runaway horse and man. Jack coaxed his horse closer and reached out to grab the runaway horse's bridle. As he got hold of it, the man nearly fell off the horse, again, and yanked on the reins in an effort to stay in the saddle. That caused the runaway horse to lurch forward and Jack was almost pulled off his horse. With great effort, Jack managed to stay in his saddle and hold on to the other horse's bridle. He yelled back at the man, "Don't jerk the reins!"

The man loosened his grip on the reins a bit and grabbed the saddle horn with one hand, desperately trying to stay in the horse. Jack gently pulled on the bridle and slowed the horse down to a slow walk. By this time, they were out of town and halfway to the row houses. Jack turned both horses back toward town. He looked over at the man, noting that his head was down and his eyes were closed. "You okay, mister?" he asked, concerned.

The man didn't answer.

"Sir!" Jack called, alarmed that the man hadn't answered.

Finally, the man's eyes jerked open. "I'm sorry. What was that, young man?" the man asked.

"I just asked if you were alright," Jack told him as they approached the jailhouse.

"Yes, yes, of course. I am now!" the man answered.

Gabe and the boys were waiting in front of the jailhouse. "That was amazing! I've never seen anything like that before!" Gabe exclaimed.

Caleb asked Jack, "Did they teach you how to do that at the academy?"

Jack smiled at the boys. "Thank you. I think this gentleman could use some rest after the ride he just had. Maybe you boys should head on for your game."

The boys nodded and headed out of town, each of them occasionally looking back over his shoulder to check out Jack and the runaway horse rider.

Jack dismounted his horse and tied both horses to the rope between the posts at the jailhouse. He turned back to the man. "What happened?"

The man worked his way off the horse and on to the ground. His legs appeared quite unsteady. "I haven't been able to stop that horse since I got him in Didsbury," the man explained.

Jack was shocked. "Have you been riding that horse straight through from Didsbury?"

The man shook his head. "Oh, no. No," the man quickly answered. "No, I guess I should've said that I couldn't slow him down to stop."

"What? Well, how did you get him to stop?" Jack was intrigued.

The man exhaled. "Well... since he wouldn't slow down when I pulled on the reins, no matter how hard I pulled, the only thing I could think of to do was run him into a bush or hedge."

"Really?" Jack was incredulous. "You ran him into a bush?"

The man nodded as he walked slowly in a circle, his legs becoming steadier.

"Well, how did that work out for you?" Jack asked, though he was pretty sure of the answer.

"Not so good. I have the bruises and cuts to show for the past two days!" the man declared.

"Sir, have you ever ridden a horse before?" Jack asked.

"Yes," the man answered. "I was never a very good horseman, though. Truth be told, I never really cared for horses. My brother is much better than I. I'm afraid I tried the groom's patience when I was a boy."

"If you don't like horses, why would you get one to ride all the way from Didsbury?"Jack asked, clearly perplexed. "You can take the train to Lacombe and then the stagecoach. It's due to come through here in a couple of days."

The man shook his head emphatically. "No, the train broke down in Didsbury and I couldn't wait. I had to get here as fast as I could."

"Why?" Jack didn't understand.

"My wife is ill," the man answered matter-of-factly.

Jack looked around. "Where is she? Was she traveling with you?"

"Oh, no," the man quickly answered. "She's here."

"Where?" Jack asked. He felt like this man was talking in circles.

"Here," the man answered emphatically, "in Coal Valley."

"Oh," Jack was beginning to understand, but it was still not completely clear. "She's in Coal Valley? Why?"

"She came to visit my niece and became ill."

Jack was finally putting the puzzle pieces together. "Wait... are you Elizabeth's uncle?"

Charles looked sharply at Jack. "You know my niece?"

"Oh, yes, sir, I know her very well," Jack explained proudly.

Charles' eyebrows raised in question and Jack suddenly realized how that sounded. "We are good friends, sir," he quickly explained.

Charles nodded. "Okay, young man, then where can I find Elizabeth and my wife?"

Jack pointed toward Abigail's Cafe. "I'll be happy to show you to the café where they're staying. But, would you like me to carry your bag?" He motioned to the bag still hanging behind the saddle on the horse.

The man looked at the bag and nodded. "Okay. Yes, please."

As Jack unhooked the bag from the saddle, he looked back at Charles and told him, "We weren't expecting you, sir. Elizabeth's mother wrote that you couldn't make the trip but she was coming in your place."

Charles nodded, "Yes. I know."

Jack nodded and started walking toward the café. He still didn't quite understand this man. Charles fell in step behind Jack as they headed to Abigail's Cafe. "So, how ill is she?"

Jack looked back at Charles. "I'm sorry?"

Charles spoke again to clarify his question. "Elizabeth wrote to her mother that Olivia had been sick. Do you know how sick she is? What the doctor is saying?"

Jack frowned and considered his reply before speaking. Charles' arrival and his concern for his wife certainly didn't make sense after Elizabeth had told him her aunt and uncle were having marital problems. "Let's just get to the café and you'll see for yourself, sir."

Charles nodded and followed as Jack continued on to Abigail's. They climbed the stairs to the porch and Jack was reaching for the door when Charles grabbed his arm. "Wait!" Charles called to Jack. "I... uh... I just need a moment before we go in."

Jack stood back from the door and studied Charles.

"It's been a few months since I last saw Livy... Olivia," he explained to Jack.

Jack nodded, still having trouble making sense of this situation.

Charles took a couple of deep breaths and then finally told Jack, "Okay. I'm ready to go in, now."

Jack reached again for the door and pulled it open. He motioned for Charles to enter first. Charles swallowed hard and tentatively stepped through the doorway.