John was absent from school the next day. And, the next. When other kids asked Monte where John was, Monte replied that

John was sick. Or thought that he was sick.

Since he'd gotten taken to task by his father for hurling rocks, Monte had been less abrasive. At least it seemed that

way to Charlie. He even, on occasion, asked Charlie to join in on a game at recess, or things such as that.

Therefore, Charlie wasn't totally shocked when Monte approached her one day at lunch, while Charlie sat with Rebecca.

"You sure have John scared about somethin'," Monte told Charlie.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked, though she feared she knew the answer already.

"He says he can't come to school or somethin' bad will happen to him."

"And he's says that's because of me?" Charlie asked, dreading the answer.

"He didn't say that, exactly."

"What did he say, exactly?"

"He said he's scared you'll make him disappear."

Charlie lost what appetite that she'd still had. She stuffed what was left of Maria's tortillas back into her lunch pail.

This was it, she thought. She might as well face it.

"How does he think I would do that?" Charlie asked, fishing for just what answers John had given.

"I dunno. He doesn't say that part."

"What did your father say?" Charlie asked.

"Pa's not to home. He's been gone to buy cattle. John just complains to my Ma."

"Oh." Charlie thought about that for a long moment. "Well, what does your mother say?"

"She doesn't say much," Monte said, and then gave Charlie a questioning look. "How'd you get John to believe that, anyways?"

Even though Monte had been a lot nicer of late, Charlie wasn't tempted to tell him the truth of the matter.

She shrugged, pretending no knowledge.

"Pa will make him come to school, that's for certain," Monte said.

When Monte had gone on his way, to join some of the other boys in a game, Rebecca asked Charlie if she was worried

about John's father.

Because Rebecca was a real, true friend, Charlie answered honestly, "Yes."

"Maybe if you told Scott about it first, that would be the best thing," Rebecca suggested. "My Pa always tell us kids that if

we tell him the truth, it'll go better for us."

Remembering that Scott had alluded to something similar, commending Charlie for coming to him on her own about something, she

knew that Rebecca spoke the truth. Still...

That evening she did her chores, and then helped Maria to prepare supper. She found that she enjoyed learning to work the stove, and

to prepare different foods. Maria was a patient teacher, and participating in the meal preparation helped Charlie to forget about John

for a bit.

That was, until Teresa arrived home. She'd been in town, Maria had said. Charlie had assumed that Teresa had gone

shopping, or to visit a friend in town.

And, indeed, Teresa was carrying packages when she came into the kitchen. She and Maria conversed for a few minutes,

and then Teresa paused beside where Charlie sat, her arms still full of several packages.

"I got you some more Levis," Teresa said.

"Oh, thank you," Charlie said.

"You're welcome. Scott gave me the money. I also got you some new stockings. Your others are getting really worn."

Instead of heading upstairs with her purchases, Teresa stood there still, and Charlie thought she had a strange expression on her

face.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked her.

"I heard something odd today, while I was at the sewing group with some of the other ladies."

"What?"

"It's silly, really. Something about that little Johnson boy thinking you've cast a spell onto him, or something."

Charlie tried to school her expression into one of non-reaction.

"Who said that?" she asked.

"His mother. She said John hasn't been to school this week because he's got the notion that you have some sort of

power." Teresa shook her head.

"What did you say?" Charlie asked, hoping that the other ladies at the sewing group hadn't been rude to Teresa about

this whole matter.

"I told her that I couldn't imagine what would make John think such a thing," Teresa said. "She's a typical mother, though. Thinks

that her child can do no wrong. So, she just kept maintaining that John truly believes it."

"Oh," Charlie said.

"It was ridiculous, really," Teresa went on. "I finally told her that it has to be some sort of misunderstanding. I told her that there

was no way that you would have deliberately given John that idea."

Charlie was silent, trying to calm her thoughts. She felt badly. Here Teresa was, defending her in a room full of

women that way.

"Thank you, for defending me," Charlie said.

Teresa gave Charlie a nudge with her elbow. "Don't look so concerned. I set Mrs. Johnson straight."

And, with that, Teresa left the kitchen, leaving Charlie with an observant Maria.

Charlie flicked a glance towards Maria, to find the older woman eying her. Charlie would have responded with a

sassy 'what?', but knew better.

"Ese chico esta preocupado."

Chico was 'boy'. Charlie wasn't sure about the rest of it.

"Worried," Maria amended.

Ah. The boy was worried.

Charlie lifted her shoulders in a light shrug, trying to meet Maria's eyes.

Grateful that Maria said no more then, but went on with her instructions on preparing the food, Charlie tried to keep

her mind on the cooking lesson.

She was still there, perched on the high stool, rolling out a pie crust, when Johnny and Scott came in from outside,

going to the sink to wash up.

"Hey there, pequeno," Johnny said, giving Charlie a smacking kiss on the top of her head.

"How was school?" Scott asked her.

"Alright," Charlie said.

"Spelling test go well?" Scott asked her, then, picking up a piece of carrot from the table, and munching on it.

"I only missed one," Charlie told him.

"Good work," Scott said, giving her shoulder a pat.

"How long until supper?" Johnny asked, going to wrap an arm around Maria's waist. "Me muero de hombre."

"Pronto."

"Murdoch's not going to be home in time to eat," Scott told Maria.

Maria replied in Spanish, something that Charlie was fairly certain was about keeping Murdoch's plate warming.

It was while Charlie was setting the table, that Teresa came to help, carrying in a pitcher of lemonade, to set in the

center of the table. "Here," she said, reaching out to take some of the silverware from Charlie. "I'll help do that."

Charlie studied Teresa, trying not to seem obvious about it. Teresa had changed her clothes, replacing her dress

with her pants and casual blouse, and had brushed out her hair, leaving it loose around her shoulders.

"Do we have to talk about John's mother? And what she said?" Charlie ventured to ask, trying to sound casual.

"I told you about it, that's all," Teresa said, misunderstanding.

"I know. I meant-do we have to talk about it more?"

Teresa paused in her laying of the silverware, to look at Charlie. "Why? I told you I did my best to straighten her out on

things. Hopefully, it will all blow over."

"Yeah. Hopefully. But, I just meant-do we have to talk about it to Scott?"

Teresa wrinkled her forehead in question. "What difference does it make if Scott knows?"

Charlie very carefully began to continue with her plate setting, not looking at Teresa. "He might ask about it. Ask if I know why

John would think it, and all of that."

"Charlie," Teresa said, and then again, "Charlie."

Charlie looked up at the older girl.

"Do you know why John thinks it?" Teresa asked, plainly intent on an answer.

"He might have gotten the idea from me," Charlie said reluctantly, and Teresa's eyebrows lifted.

"What?" she demanded.

There were male voices coming towards the dining room. They were about to be joined by Scott and Johnny, and Charlie

gave Teresa a pleading look. "I'll explain to you. But, later, okay?"

Closer they came. Nearly to the dining room door.

"Please, Teresa?" Charlie pleaded.

"I can't believe-" Teresa began to say, sounding exasperated. She paused in her talking as the Lancer men entered

the room.

"What can't you believe?" Johnny asked Teresa.

Charlie waited, watching Teresa's face. What would Teresa say?

"I can't believe you didn't bring in some of the food," Teresa said, and Charlie felt a swoosh of relief.

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The conversation around the table included the topics of where Murdoch was at, and the promise that Scott would take

more food out to Burl in two days time.

Pleased with that news, Charlie joined in to the others, as everybody pitched in to clear the table of the dishes.

"How was your day?" Scott asked Teresa as they all made their way to the kitchen. "You had your get-together today

in town, didn't you?"

Charlie was walking along behind Scott and she looked at Teresa, again wondering.

"Yes, that was today," Teresa said, in answer.

"And how are all the upstandin' ladies of town?" Johnny asked, in a teasing way.

"Some of them are more upstanding than others," Teresa said, and Johnny laughed.

Marie shooed them all out of the kitchen, reminding Charlie that her pie would be done soon, and to keep an eye

on it so that it didn't burn.

The rest of the evening passed without further incident, and when eight o'clock came, and Charlie was sent upstairs to

prepare for bed, Teresa gave her a pointed look.

Thus, Charlie was not surprised when she was just pulling her nightgown over her head, and there was a tap on the door.

The door opened before Charlie could say 'come in', and Teresa entered and then closed the door behind her.

She had the look of someone who was intent on getting an answer. She sat down on the edge of Charlie's bed.

"Alright, missy, tell me what's going on with you and John," she said.

Charlie eyed Teresa, trying to gauge the extent of her irritation. She took her time in answering, buttoning up

her nightgown, and loosening her hair from the braid that contained it.

"Stop stalling," Teresa said.

Charlie went over to sit next to Teresa on the bed. "Promise you won't say anything?"

"No. I'm not going to promise that," Teresa refused.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know what exactly has happened. So, I don't know if it's something I should keep to myself or not."

"It's just a misunderstanding, that's all," Charlie defended.

"Explain it to me, then."

Charlie sighed. "John wouldn't leave me be, and the teacher wouldn't do anything about it."

"And?" Teresa prompted.

"And-John got the idea that I might have powers, or something like that."

"And, he got this idea from you?"

"I only wanted to make him stop being such a nuisance."

"What is it that you did, exactly?" Teresa asked.

"I did that apple trick that Johnny showed me, and I told him I could do magic. And, that I could probably make

other things disappear."

"Oh, my goodness, Charlie," Teresa said, with a look heavenward.

"It was only meant to make him-"

"I know. I know," Teresa said, holding up a hand to forestall Charlie's words.

Teresa was quiet then, surveying Charlie with a serious expression. "The way that his mother talks, he's really

frightened, though."

"He's pigeon-livered," Charlie said.

"That's not very nice."

"Calling him pigeon-livered? That's what he is."

"Calling him that, and also telling him you're going to make him disappear. That's not right, Charlie."

"I didn't tell him I would make him disappear. I just told him I could make other things disappear. He jumped to the conclusion-"

"He jumped to the exact conclusion that you wanted him to jump to," Teresa said. She sounded really exasperated and

Charlie again tried to gauge her reaction.

"And, I stood up for you," Teresa said. "I told her that you wouldn't have let John think that."

"I'm sorry about that part of it," Charlie said, meaning it.

"So am I," Teresa said, and Charlie felt her stomach knot. Hearing Teresa say that, about being sorry that she'd defended her, well,

that was worse than facing the music on this whole thing.

"Don't say that, Teresa. I don't want you to be sorry that you stood up for me. Until I came here, with all of you, I never had

anybody defend me before," Charlie said.

Teresa sighed, and her expression softened. "I didn't mean that I was sorry I defended you. I just meant that I'm sorry-about

all of it."

"Me, too. I didn't know John was going to take on so about it."

"You wanted him to believe it, didn't you? Well, now he does. I don't know what else you could really expect."

"I didn't think he'd take me so seriously-" Charlie began.

A tap at the door, and both of them stopped talking. "Come in," Teresa said.

Scott opened the door. He had the current nightly reading book in one hand.

"Everything alright up here?" he asked.

"We're chatting," Teresa said.

"Am I interrupting, then?" Scott asked, smiling.

"No. We're finished talking for tonight." Teresa stood up, and gave Charlie a measured look. "We'll talk some

more tomorrow, alright?"

There was no mistaking her meaning, and Charlie nodded. "Night, Teresa."

"Goodnight."

Passing by Scott, Teresa patted his arm. "Goodnight, Scott."

"Goodnight."

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