Chapter 10

Harv picked himself off the porch floor and ran back into the restaurant. A frightened Eliza Jane followed him. She found numerous overturned tables and piles of broken dinnerware scattered on the floor. Mort and Harv were battling in the middle of the room.

"What's the meaning of this?" she exclaimed.

The men stopped when they heard her voice and turned in her direction. They released their holds on each other and tried in vain to adjust their clothes and make themselves more presentable.

"Uh…this isn't what it looks like Eliza Jane?" explained Mort.

"Really? Then what is it?"

"Harv and I were just having a friendly discussion." Mort scanned the floor for his eyeglasses.

"It didn't seem too friendly when I walked in."

"Well, it did get a little out of hand." Mort chuckled nervously.

"I'll say." Eliza Jane shook her head in disgust. "I can't believe I thought either one of you could be a likely suitor."

Eliza Jane stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Harv picked Mort's now crooked eyeglasses off the floor and extended his hand. Wary, Mort stared at Harv while his right hand grabbed the glasses from him.

"Why didn't ya tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"That I hit ya first?"

"What does it matter?"

"Don't I guess. Was just wonderin why ya covered for me."

Mort snickered. "I wasn't covering for you Harv. I didn't want to seem like a jealous idiot, that's all. When are you going to learn that Eliza Jane is the only one who will decide who she's going to be with?"

He brushed off his hat and headed out the door, leaving an angry and unsure Harv behind him.

Mort found Eliza Jane sitting on her trunk crying. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it to her. She yanked it out of his hand without looking at him. The sound of wagon wheels made them turn around. The stage stopped in front of Nellie's and the driver whistled when he saw the damage.

"What happened in there?"

Mort glanced at Eliza Jane before answering. "A couple of jerks were fighting in there." She had to stifle a laugh.

"Once I get that trunk loaded it'll be about ten minutes before I'm ready to go. Ya might want to step inside."

"It isn't a whole lot warmer in there," replied Mort pointing at the broken window.

Eliza Jane's mood softened after Mort's comments, but she wasn't ready to talk. She climbed into the stage, ignoring his offer of help and wrapped herself up with the bear skins from the floor. Mort went back inside to talk to Percival about the damages and appeared behind the driver several moments later.

They traveled in silence for some time before Mort tried to apologize. "I'm sorry about what happened. It was inexcusable."

"Yes it was," she admonished.

"Harv feels bad about it too."

"Oh, are you two good friends now, because it didn't look that way to me."

"I'm sorry you saw that."

"Are you going to tell me what it was all about?" she asked, knowing full well it was about her.

"It's not that interesting really."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?"

Harv sat in his room concerned about what Mort was telling Eliza Jane on the ride home. He wished he hadn't told Manzo he would stay a few more days to help him finish repairs on the barn. He could have traveled part of the way home with the two of them to keep Mort from badmouthing him.

He thought about what Mort had said before leaving. Eliza Jane was the one in control and Harv didn't like it at all. Was this the way she had felt after Harv moved back to Walnut Grove? Did Eliza Jane feel as helpless as he did when she sat there day after day waiting for him to decide if he had feelings for her? He felt sorry just then. Sitting and waiting weren't any fun.

Eliza Jane stared at Mort over the rim of her glasses. When he wasn't forthcoming she prompted him. "I'm waiting."

"Well…um…you see…" Mort hoped she wouldn't think she was speaking ill of his rival. "Harv thinks I'm the reason you haven't accepted his proposal."

"I know. Is that what the fight was about?"

"Yes. We were talking and it got a bit out of hand."

"To put it mildly."

"I really am sorry." He gazed into her eyes, pleading for forgiveness.

"It's not all your fault." She sighed. "I owe you an explanation."

Intrigued Mort leaned in closer wondering what Eliza Jane could possibly have to tell him.

"When Harv first came to Walnut Grove we started having supper together. I fell in love with him and I thought he felt the same way. When I found out he didn't, I ran away to St. Louis." The corners of Eliza Jane's eyes got moist.

"I didn't know that," said Mort.

"There's more." She blinked away the tears so she could continue. "Harv found me in St. Louis and he agreed to come back to Walnut Grove to see how things would turn out between us. I was sure we would start courting...but Harv told me he could never care for me the way I wanted him to, so he packed up and moved to Minneapolis. I was devastated."

"I can imagine," said Mort taking her hand in his.

She didn't pull away. It brought her comfort as she spoke of one of the most difficult times in her life.

"Almanzo was having troubles of his own. He had bought some land to build a home for Laura and him. A hailstorm ruined his first crop and they had to postpone the wedding. Laura was going to take a teaching job in Radner to help him get back on his feet, but Almanzo was so against it they broke up. Laura planned to move to Radner permanently."

"That Laura sure is a feisty one," Mort said with a smile. "But what does that have to do with Harv and you?"

"I knew Almanzo was too stubborn to change his mind so I told him Harv and I were moving to St. Louis to get married."

"I don't understand."

"My leaving meant Almanzo and Laura could have the house and she could teach in Walnut Grove." Mort nodded, realizing the sacrifice she had made. "I never told them until I found out Harv was coming this Christmas. Of course I wasn't expecting him to propose."

"I can see why this has been hard on you." Mort hesitated, wondering if he should confess too. He felt it only fair that he be honest with her. "I never would have come if I had known Harv was here."

"But you told me you had been in Sleepy Eye and decided to pay Laura a visit."

Mort felt his face go warm with embarrassment. He pulled at his collar to allow him to breathe easier. He looked at Eliza Jane with a sheepish grin before confessing.

"I knew you were there. When I got back to school they told me you had left for Walnut Grove, so right before Christmas break I hopped the train to Sleepy Eye and took the stage to Walnut Grove. I thought I would try one last time in a place where you were more comfortable. I figured you might change your mind about me."

She shook her head in astonishment. "I can't believe you lied to me."

"I didn't see it as lying Eliza Jane. I just didn't want you to know how desperate I was." He gazed into her eyes as he poured out his soul. "Gosh Eliza Jane, I've cared about you since we first met, but you never seemed to care a snit about me. And when you kept telling me I couldn't court you because of Harv I thought it might have more to do with him than me. When I found out he was in Walnut Grove I should have been a gentleman and took the first stage out of town, but I knew if I left I didn't stand a chance with you at all. I'm sorry."

Eliza Jane dabbed at her moist eyes with her handkerchief. "I guess I can forgive one little white lie, as long as you promise never to lie to me again."

"You have my word," replied Mort.

"Good," she said with a nod.

"You have my word on something else too. I want to be with you Eliza Jane, but more than that I want you to be happy. If you decide to choose Harv I'll accept it and back away." He paused for a moment, then followed up his last comment with, "Of course I hope you choose me."

Eliza Jane couldn't help but laugh.

The next morning the Ingalls and the Wilders rode into town to say goodbye to Mary and Adam. It had been a wonderful Christmas with the entire family together. Laura had already written down the happenings in her Remembrance Book. As they sat inside Nellie's restaurant waiting for the stage, Laura pulled out the Book and read from it, finishing right before the sound of the stage coming down the road could be heard.

"I always love your stories Laura," said Mary. "They are so vivid that I can see them unfolding in my mind. One day maybe you should try to get them published like Grandpa Holbrook did."

Laura blushed. "I don't think they're that good."

"I think your sister's right Beth. You should share those stories with people," said Almanzo.

"Who would be interested in some stories about growing up on the prairie?"

"People bought Papa Holbrook's book Laura," Caroline was quick to remind her.

"Your Ma's right. We've traveled quite a ways from the Big Woods of Wisconsin, Half-pint. None of us have the storytelling gift that you do. If you don't write about it who will know about the Big Woods or Dancing Grandma? Who will know that we traveled from Wisconsin to Kansas where we found friendship with the Indians and Mr. Edwards? How will anyone know about life in Walnut Grove if no one tells its story?"

"Maybe you're right Pa," replied Laura.

Charles nodded. "Pioneering has always been our way of life Laura, but this country is growing and changing. Who knows how different this land of ours will be thirty or forty years from now. Someone has to write about what life has been like for us…or it will all be forgotten."

Laura saw the passion in her father's eyes as he spoke. It made her feel like she was part of something wonderful and important; that life wasn't just working the farm. Pa had made it seem like the life of a pioneer was a sought after existence whose knowledge of its hardships could not diminish the hopes of those looking for something better. She saw for the first time the meaning in her life and the lives of the Ingalls and Quiners who had come before them to forge a new life on the wild frontier.

"I will write down those stories some day Pa. I promise."