Interference

Chapter 7

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Harv Miller stepped off the train in St. Louis. It had been a long ride and he was anxious to stretch his legs. St. Louis was intimidating to a farmer from Sleepy Eye. Carriages, people and wagons all moved faster in a city that size.

Harv walked along the platform and decided he should find somewhere to spend the night. He walked up to the conductor and asked him if he knew a good place to stay.

"I grew up here," the conductor said. "I lived on the corner of Main Street and First. Great place, St. Louis. There's two hotels on Main Street and the saloon is in between them, if you're interested."

"I was thinkin maybe somethin a little quieter," said Harv.

"Well then, Mrs. Masters has a boarding house halfway down Third Street. She's a wonderful woman, widowed. My brother and I used to hang out with her two boys when we were young."

"Thank ya kindly," said Harv as he nodded his head.

The conductor tipped his hat and went about his business.

Harv walked down Main Street. There were people everywhere – laughing, talking, and some fighting. A man was thrown out of the saloon onto the ground by Harv's feet. Harv helped the man up and continued along his way. He heard glass shattering behind him, but he didn't turn around to see what it was.

As Harv turned the corner onto Third Street the noise seemed to die down. He was thankful when he found the boarding house. He opened the gate and walked up to the front door. He removed his hat and then rapped on the door.

An elderly woman answered. "May I help you?"

"I was wonderin if ya had any rooms available, Ma'am."

"You're in luck. I do have one room left. Would you like to see it?"

"Please," said Harv.

The woman led Harv upstairs and showed him a modest but clean room. Harv told the woman it would be fine.

"Supper will be in an hour," she told him.

"Thank you Ma'am, but I havta go out for a while. I'll be back in a few hours."

"All right then. Just remember I lock the door at nine o'clock."

"I'll remember," said Harv with a tip of his hat.

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Harv walked back down Third Street towards Main. He figured he would ask around about Eliza Jane before settling in for the night. He stopped by the General Store, but the owner said he hadn't seen anyone fitting her description. He asked the group of men sitting outside finishing up their game of checkers, but they had not seen her either.

As Harv continued his walk up and down Main Street asking local business owners if they had seen the tall, red-headed Eliza Jane, he realized for the first time how daunting his task was.

After three hours of searching, Harv decided to make his way back to the boarding house. The gas lamps were being lit as he turned off of Main Street. He prayed that he would find Eliza Jane soon. It seemed like St. Louis was big enough to swallow up anyone and make them disappear.

Mrs. Masters greeted him when he returned. "Are you hungry? There are some leftovers in the kitchen I could whip up for you?"

"Don't worry bout me. I'll be fine til mornin."

"Don't be silly. Why don't you go sit down in the parlor and I'll fix you something nice."

"All right."

Harv sat alone in the parlor thinking about what he needed to do tomorrow. He should rent himself a wagon so that he could travel farther out of the city. Who knew where Eliza Jane might have gone, especially if she didn't want to be found.

"Here we go," Mrs. Masters said as she entered the parlor. "Now you eat up."

"Thank ya Ma'am."

Harv enjoyed the meal and the woman's company. He told her about running into the conductor who grew up with her boys. She talked about how her sons had moved out west and how much she missed them. They had promised to visit, but she hadn't seen them in four years.

"I'm sure they will come for a visit soon," Harv encouraged her.

"You look tired," said Mrs. Masters.

"I am kinda bushed. All day on the train and then lookin around town."

"Well, I'll clean up. Why don't you get yourself to bed. Breakfast will be at six tomorrow morning. You'll get to meet some of the other boarders then too."

"Thanks for supper. I'll see ya in the mornin."

Harv walked up the stairs towards his room. As he walked along the hallway he heard the turning of a door knob. He hoped he wouldn't see anyone. He was too tired to be friendly. Harv turned the corner and saw a tall, red-headed woman walking down the hallway. 'It couldn't be,' he thought.

"Excuse me," he called out to the person.

The woman turned around and stood frozen as she recognized Harv Miller's face.

"Eliza Jane…"

"Harv…what are you doing here?"

His first thoughts were to tell her how angry he was that she ran off and worried her family so, but he knew that wouldn't accomplish anything. He took a deep breath before answering.

"I came to find you," Harv whispered.

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Harv and Eliza Jane stood there for a few minutes in uncomfortable silence, neither one of them sure what to say next. Eliza Jane looked down at her trembling hands.

"How did you find me?" she asked.

"Willie saw ya headin out of town. Almanzo and Charles went to the train station, but they missed ya. The stationmaster told em where you were headed and I decided it was best for me to come find ya." Harv paused and swallowed hard. "Why Eliza?"

"I want to start over."

"You coulda done that without runnin off."

Eliza Jane shook her head. "Almanzo would never let me go off to live alone. But with Almanzo and Laura getting married in a few months, it's time for us to live our own lives."

"That ain't it and you know it."

"What do you mean?"

"You left cuz of me, didn't ya?"

"Harv, I don't know what…"

"Eliza…" interrupted Harv. "Laura told me."

Eliza Jane blushed. There was no hiding her secret now. Her face took on a sour expression.

"Don't be angry with Laura. She was worried about ya. She thought it was her fault you run off." Harv paused. "But you know that ain't true."

Mrs. Masters appeared in the upstairs hallway. "Oh, I see you've met Miss Wilder."

Harv smiled. "Yes I have."

"I'm going to bed. See you two in the morning."

"Good night," Harv and Eliza Jane said in unison.

After Mrs. Masters shut her door, Harv walked over to Eliza Jane. "Why don't we go down to the parlor. No one is awake now."

Eliza Jane didn't respond or move. Harv put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't ya think it's time we talked?"

Eliza Jane nodded and followed Harv downstairs.

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Harv and Eliza Jane sat next to one another on the couch. She thought Harv looked as nervous as she was.

"Why didn't ya tell me how ya felt?" Harv asked.

Eliza Jane put her head down and looked into her lap. "I was waiting for you. She stopped for a moment. "I thought we felt the same way…but when I found out you didn't, I felt foolish."

"What makes ya think ya know how I feel?"

"You told me it was Mannie's idea for you to take me to supper."

"I also told ya how much I enjoy your company."

"Harv, I feel more than that. I love you."

"I know…well, at least I know now. Ya gotta understand Eliza, I never gave no thought to marryin. Saw myself as livin alone my whole life."

Eliza Jane frowned and she turned her head away so Harv couldn't see the tears that were forming. Harv cupped her chin in his left hand and turned her head towards him.

"But that don't mean I couldn't give it a thought." Harv smiled. "I don't know what it's like to be in love. Heck, maybe I am in love with ya and I don't know it."

Eliza Jane laughed at Harv's confusion.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Loving you has always been so simple for me."

"That was real nice Eliza, real nice."

"So what are we going to do now?" she asked.

"Well first thing tomorrow I'm gonna call Manzo and tell him we're headin back to Walnut Grove. I'll ask him to meet us in Sleepy Eye."

Harv stood up and extended his hand to Eliza Jane. "As for the rest of it, we'll just havta wait and see."