Chapter 21: Emmett Returns)
I hear someone knocking on the front door, Jamie. I'll be right back. Alright, Josie. May I help you, mister? I'm looking for the Virginian? Is he around? He's out on the range right now. And who might you be? My name's Emmett Ryker, miss. If you'll come in, my Uncle Henry might be able to help you. Judge Garth's back? Yes, he is. We came back just a little while ago. I don't believe I got your name, miss. It's Josie, Josie Dawson. My uncle was an old friend of Uncle Henry's. If you'll wait here, I'll go tell him you're here. Alright, Miss Josie. Uncle Henry, there's a gentleman here named Emmett Ryker and he's looking for the Virginian. Emmett's back? It seems so, Uncle Henry. Hello, Emmett. It's good to see you again. Good to see you,too, Judge Garth. Well, I'd better go check on Jamie, Uncle Henry. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Ryker. Call me Emmett, Josie. Everybody does. And you call me Josie. Who was that, Josie? Just an old friend of the Virginian's, Jamie. That was a really good breakfast, Josie. I'm glad you enjoyed it, Jamie. Would you like to take a walk outside, Jamie? I sure would. It sure is pretty outside today, Jamie. Look at those puffy clouds there. That one kinda looks like a horse. It certainly does, Jamie. You've got a good eye for things. What do you like to do for hobbies, Jamie? I can play the harmonica and I like to whittle things. What about you, Josie? I like to sew and read. I read just about anything I can get my hands on. And I've always loved horses and dogs. Maybe you should ask your uncle if he'll let you have a dog. I think I'll do that, Jamie. What do you think of cats? Well, I like them. They're good for catchin the mice and they're friendly most of the time. When I was young we had a cat named Miss Kitty and she was very friendly. When someone would try to milk our cow, she'd get up on her hind legs and try to drink out of the bucket. That's funny, Josie. On the ranch there was a dog that would chase his tail every time Cookie rang the dinner bell. His name was Old Blue. That's really funny, Jamie. And there was a hand that just loved to play practical jokes on all of us. Once he glued Pa's hat to the kitchen table in the bunkhouse. And what did your pa do when he found out who glued his hat there? Well, he laughed first, and then he chased him all over creation. I'm really glad it was me that found you, and not someone else, Jamie. I hope you stay for a long time. I definitely won't be leavin any time soon,Josie. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I'm glad I was there to be that, Jamie. I guess we better get back before my uncle wonders what happened to us. I guess we better, Josie. Do you see those dark clouds in the distance, Jamie? I sure do, Josie. We'd best get inside before something happens.
I hear someone knocking on the front door, Jamie. I'll be right back. Alright, Josie. May I help you, mister? I'm looking for the Virginian? Is he around? He's out on the range right now. And who might you be? My name's Emmett Ryker, miss. If you'll come in, my Uncle Henry might be able to help you. Judge Garth's back? Yes, he is. We came back just a little while ago. I don't believe I got your name, miss. It's Josie, Josie Dawson. My uncle was an old friend of Uncle Henry's. If you'll wait here, I'll go tell him you're here. Alright, Miss Josie. Uncle Henry, there's a gentleman here named Emmett Ryker and he's looking for the Virginian. Emmett's back? It seems so, Uncle Henry. Hello, Emmett. It's good to see you again. Good to see you,too, Judge Garth. Well, I'd better go check on Jamie, Uncle Henry. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Ryker. Call me Emmett, Josie. Everybody does. And you call me Josie. Who was that, Josie? Just an old friend of the Virginian's, Jamie. That was a really good breakfast, Josie. I'm glad you enjoyed it, Jamie. Would you like to take a walk outside, Jamie? I sure would. It sure is pretty outside today, Jamie. Look at those puffy clouds there. That one kinda looks like a horse. It certainly does, Jamie. You've got a good eye for things. What do you like to do for hobbies, Jamie? I can play the harmonica and I like to whittle things. What about you, Josie? I like to sew and read. I read just about anything I can get my hands on. And I've always loved horses and dogs. Maybe you should ask your uncle if he'll let you have a dog. I think I'll do that, Jamie. What do you think of cats? Well, I like them. They're good for catchin the mice and they're friendly most of the time. When I was young we had a cat named Miss Kitty and she was very friendly. When someone would try to milk our cow, she'd get up on her hind legs and try to drink out of the bucket. That's funny, Josie. On the ranch there was a dog that would chase his tail every time Cookie rang the dinner bell. His name was Old Blue. That's really funny, Jamie. And there was a hand that just loved to play practical jokes on all of us. Once he glued Pa's hat to the kitchen table in the bunkhouse. And what did your pa do when he found out who glued his hat there? Well, he laughed first, and then he chased him all over creation. I'm really glad it was me that found you, and not someone else, Jamie. I hope you stay for a long time. I definitely won't be leavin any time soon,Josie. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I'm glad I was there to be that, Jamie. I guess we better get back before my uncle wonders what happened to us. I guess we better, Josie. Do you see those dark clouds in the distance, Jamie? I sure do, Josie. We'd best get inside before something happens.