Charlie was so excited by the prospect of the upcoming after-school excursion to the pond that she had difficulty in

concentrating on her lessons during the school day. She misspelled three words during the recitations that she definitely should not have.

She knew the words, absolutely. It had to be the excitement.

Charlie felt embarrassed about missing the spelling of the words, but told herself it wouldn't happen again.

Once school had been dismissed, Charlie went along with Jason and Rebecca and two other kids, Tyler and Mitchell, to

set out for the pond. They were a jolly group as they walked, laughing and talking.

As they were coming up close upon the tar papered shack, Tyler and Mitchell both began walking faster.

"Come on," they urged, and ran ahead.

"Why are they hurrying?" Charlie asked Rebecca.

"They're afraid of the man that lives there," Rebecca said.

The girls lagged behind until Jason stopped to wait for them.

"Are you afraid of the man?" Charlie asked Rebecca.

"Well," Rebecca looked considering, "It's not that I'm scared of him. But I'm not not scared, either. You know what I

mean?"

"Becca, come on," Jason said.

After that, the girls walked faster, in order to keep up with the boys. And, Charlie had so much fun with the other children that

that was all she thought about. They fished, and waded in the creek.

As they were making their way back towards town, after fishing, with the boys carrying the string of fish that

they'd caught between them all, the three boys were a considerable distance ahead.

Charlie had walked slowly, on purpose. She peppered Rebecca with questions about the mysterious man.

"How long has he lived there?" Charlie asked, as they were within sight of the shack.

"I don't know. About a year, I think. Before that, a family with five kids lived there."

"Oh, that's sad," Charlie said, thinking of how crowded it would be in that tiny shack with five children.

"Why is everyone afraid of him?" she asked Rebecca then.

"My pa says he's tetched. I guess everybody thinks that. And, so, they don't know what he might do."

"Tetched?" Charlie asked, puzzled.

"Not right," Rebecca explained. "You know, off in the head."

"Have you ever talked to him?"

"No. My pa says to stay clear of him."

"He has dogs," Charlie said.

"I know. They bark if somebody gets too close to the property."

Jason had come, walking back, and he gave Rebecca's arm a tug. "Come on, Becca. You know Pa says not to hang round, and

aggravate the old man."

"We're not," Rebecca protested, as Jason began towing her along. All three children paused again, though, as there was

a loud banging. Such as the sound of a door flapping shut. The two hounds appeared, and set up a chorus of barking at them.

"Golly," Rebecca said, as if frozen.

"Just stand still," Jason advised. "If you run, they'll chase ya."

So they stood still, as one of the hounds came into the road, towards them.

It was still barking, and sniffing the air about them.

"We smell like fish to him, most likely," Jason said, low.

And then, the man appeared from around the corner of the shack. He was carrying a rifle.

Beside her, Charlie felt Rebecca stiffen in fear. The short man, dressed shabbily as always, stood still, and raised his rifle,

though not pointing directly at the children.

"You all clear on out of here!" he hollered across to them. "And leave me be, ya hear?"

"We're goin'," Jason said, and began towing Rebecca along behind him. Charlie was standing still, and the

man made a step or two more. "Ya hearin' me, girl? Get on with ya, or I'll set my dogs on ya!"

"Come on, Charlie," Jason said, in a low voice.

Charlie began walking, keeping her eyes on the old man as she did so. This was the same man who'd been so polite

when he'd bumped into her at the edge of the alley that day? He didn't sound the same. Not at all.

"It's a public road," Charlie said, as she walked on.

"What say?" the old man hollered, coming closer.

"Charlie, keep still," Jason ordered.

None of the three spoke until they'd reached the town outskirts.

"Golly," Rebecca said, again.

"Told ya you shouldn't have been just standing there," Jason said.

Rebecca stopped walking, and looked at Jason. "Don't tell Pa, alright, Jase? Please?"

"You know to keep walking right past, comin' and goin' both," Jason went on.

"We just stopped for a couple of minutes," Charlie spoke up in Rebecca's defense.

Jason turned his gaze to Charlie. "Look, Charlie," he said, slowly, "You're new round here and all, but you ought

to listen to what folks tell ya about that old man."

"You mean that he's tetched?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know if he is or he isn't. But, you can't be stoppin' in front of his house that way, or talkin' back to him, like

you did. Tellin' him it's a public road and all."

"Well, it is, isn't it?" Charlie countered, and then regretted it, as Jason's rolled his eyes with irritation.

She wanted Jason to like her. If she got too contrary, he might not want to let her tag along with he and his friends next time.

"Yeah. Sure it is. But, it's just using your head. I mean, he's wavin' a gun around. You just don't want to rile him."

"Okay," Charlie agreed, and then saw that Rebecca was still looking nervous. Thinking of her Pa, most likely.

"It was my fault. I'm the one that stopped walking to look," Charlie told Jason. "Don't blame Rebecca."

Jason set off walking again, and the girls ran to catch up.

"You don't have to tell your father, do you?" Charlie asked him.

"I probably oughta," Jason said. "At least let Pa know he had a gun out."

"He could have been getting ready to go hunting, or something," Charlie offered. "Maybe he wasn't trying to

scare us with it. All he really said he'd do, was to set the dogs on us."

"You've got an answer for everything, don't ya?" Jason said, and headed towards the general mercantile.

The girls waited outside for him, neither one of them talking, until Jason came back out.

He handed each of the girls a licorice whip, and said, "I won't say anything to Pa."

Rebecca smiled at Jason, and Charlie said, "Thanks. And thank you for the candy, too."

"You're welcome."

"What time is it?" Charlie asked, and Jason pulled out a watch on a chain from his pocket.

"Quarter to five," he said.

"Oh, golly, I've got to go," Charlie said. "See you tomorrow," she called back, as she ran towards the

stable to get Gurth.

"We'll go fishin' again day after tomorrow," Jason hollered after her.

Charlie turned, running backwards a few steps. "Okay! Bye!"

By the time she had Gurth saddled, and was on her way back to the ranch, she knew she was going to be

there past the agreed upon time of five o'clock.

Hopefully, she thought, Scott wouldn't be up near the house as yet, or Murdoch either.

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Charlie didn't dally on the way home, though she didn't run Gurth at full speed, either. She did gallop him. He seemed

to enjoy the run, after being cooped up at the stable since early morning.

When she came up to the barn, she slid down, and began to unsaddle Gurth. She'd put away her tack, and was

rubbing Gurth down, when Johnny appeared.

"Hey, pequeno," he said, in greeting. "How was the fishin'?"

"It was fun!" Charlie said with enthusiasm.

"Were the fish biting?"
"We caught a whole string between us. I didn't bring any home. The other two boys took them this time."

Johnny nodded. "I'll put Gurth up for ya. You ought to get to your chores."

"Okay. Is Scott around?" she asked.

"He's around somewhere. Why?"

Charlie shrugged, a slightly guilty smile on her face.

"You mean, because you're late gettin' home?" Johnny asked, teasingly.

"Not so very late," Charlie defended.

"Go on and do your chores," Johnny said.

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Charlie had gathered the eggs, and fed the chickens, and by the time she was washing her hands in the kitchen,

Maria was ringing the supper bell. They were walking into the dining room, when Scott asked how her afternoon

had gone.

"Have fun?" he asked her.

"Yes! So much fun," Charlie told him.

"Good. I'm glad."

During the meal, the upcoming visit of Mr. Beets was discussed. Mr. Beets had visited the ranch twice in the last

month. He would come, dressed in his bank finery, and then would change to the denim pants and work shirt, and help out

with whatever needed doing. He seemed to enjoy his time working outdoors, and would generally spend the night before returning

to Stockton on the stage.

Charlie had spent long hours talking with the banker, and found that she liked him quite well. He'd begun to come, at the onset, in order

to keep informed on how Charlie was doing at Lancer. That was part of the new arrangement between he, and Scott, and Katherine.

Though Charlie had her own opinions about that. Katherine didn't give a rat's behind about how she was doing with the Lancer family.

Mr. Beets was to check on Charlie's progress, both with the family, and in school, and then report to the board at the bank which

was in charge of Charlie's inheritance. Scott had maintained from the beginning of the guardianship that he wanted no funds

to have Charlie there with him. Charlie had come into the room to overhear enough bits of conversation to know that Scott

still maintained that. That thought made Charlie feel all warm inside.

"I'm glad Mr. Beets is coming," Teresa said. "He's such a nice man."

"He seems to enjoy his time here," Murdoch commented.

"He's a wanna-be rancher in banker's clothes," Johnny said.

"You'll be able to tell him about school, and your new friends you've made," Murdoch told Charlie, from his end of the

table.

Charlie, her mouth full of roast beef, said, "Mmm huh."

"I'll help make sure the guest room is ready for him," Teresa said. And after that, the conversation turned to the party

that the Stones were going to be hosting soon. It was to be a supper party, for all ages.

"You'll come, won't you, Johnny?" Teresa implored. "Mrs. Stone especially asked if you would."

"Aw, I don't know," Johnny said carelessly.

"Well, it's a family invitation, so we're all supposed to attend," Teresa said.

That got Charlie's attention. That meant she would have to get more dressed up than usual, and go where it would

be most likely boring.

"You should have Lucy come home with you sometime after school," Teresa said to Charlie. "Or on a Saturday."

"She doesn't like to ride. Or fish. Or do anything outside like that," Charlie said.

"Well, couldn't you do something different then? While she's here?"

"Lucy's sort of a-" Charlie hesitated. "Well, a prig."

Johnny hid his grin behind his water glass.

"That's not very kind," Murdoch said.

"Well, it's true," Charlie said, and now Johnny's laugh escaped before he contained it again.

"You don't have to say everything that comes into your head, Charlie," Teresa said.

"I just meant that Lucy's not as good a friend as Rebecca and Jason, and some of the other kids," Charlie said.

For a moment or so there was a surprised silence at the table. Charlie sensed that she'd said too much.

"Is that the wrong way to feel?" Charlie asked, to the table in general.

"Not wrong, exactly," Scott said. "You just need to remember to be kind to Lucy, even if she's not who you

prefer to spend your time with."

Charlie was somber, looking at Scott, when Teresa went on, "And remember, Lucy was your first friend here, too."

Charlie didn't see what that had to do with anything. But, she didn't say that.

"Well, anyway, I'm sure we'll all have a good time at the Stone's gathering," Teresa said, reaching for the bowl of carrots.

Charlie didn't feel sure of it.

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