When Scott pulled up near to the front of the school house, he and Charlie sat for a moment in quiet, as other children were rushing

by.

"Glad that it's over?" Scott asked Charlie.

"Yes," Charlie said. Then, she added, "Mr. Johnson was nice."

"That's good. I'm glad about that." Scott gave her a half-smile. He reached to the floor of the buggy, and handed

Charlie her lunch pail.

"Tell Miss Susan that you will be absent tomorrow," Scott said then. "See if she can give you your school work, so you don't get

behind."

For a long, full moment, Charlie stared at Scott, daring to hope.

"I get to go with you?" she asked.

"You can go," Scott said.

Charlie gave him one of her dimpled smiles. She'd thought for sure that Scott wouldn't take her along to Stockton on his trip,

after what she'd confessed about John. She wasn't going to say that, though. Not when he'd given her such a happy surprise.

"I'll ask Miss Susan for the school work," she said, in promise.

"Alright. Somebody will be in town to pick you up today after school lets out," Scott said.

Charlie nodded in response, and prepared to hop down from the buggy. At the last moment, she turned back in her seat,

and gave Scott a ferocious hug.

L

Teresa came to collect Charlie that afternoon when school was dismissed. After Jelly met them and said he would

unhitch the buggy, and tend to the horse, they went inside. A surprise, a shock actually, awaited them there, in the kitchen.

Burl sat at the kitchen table, with Murdoch, and the two men were doing something with what looked to Charlie like walnut shells. Maria

stood at the stove, stirring something in a big pot.

Teresa exchanged a glance with Charlie, but gave a welcome as though Burl came to the ranch every day to visit.

"Hello," she told Murdoch, going to give him a kiss on his forehead.

"Good afternoon," Teresa said, then, in greeting to Burl.

"Good day to you," Burl responded.

Charlie felt a second burst of pleasure. Not only was Burl sitting here, in the Lancer kitchen, but he was speaking

in his 'leprechaun' persona.

"Hello, darling," Murdoch told Charlie, as she stepped closer to the table.

Charlie said hello, and wanted to ask Burl why he'd decided to come to Lancer, how he'd gotten here, was he going to stay

for supper, all of those things. But, she didn't.

Instead, she watched as Murdoch and Burl played a 'shell game'. Then Burl went along to the library, where he and Murdoch poured

over maps. Charlie wanted to stay and listen, and would have, but Teresa came to the doorway and told Charlie to come

along and help with some things.

When Charlie hesitated, Murdoch told her to run along, and help Teresa.

"Burl will stay and have supper with us," he told Charlie.

So, Charlie went, albeit reluctantly. She helped Teresa carry in the dried wash off the clothesline, and then to set the table. She was

brimming with excitement when Scott and Johnny appeared.

"Burl's here!" she said, pulling at Scott's arm.

"How about that?" Scott said, and Charlie knew then, that Scott had already known.

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Supper was a prepared stew that Burl had brought, and Maria had reheated. There was Maria's bread to go with it, and

sliced peaches.

"Is it squirrel stew?" Charlie asked Burl.

"Ah, it's rabbit, lass," Burl answered.

Charlie had never eaten rabbit, either, and found that she liked it just as well as the squirrel.

Burl had walked out from town, to bring the already cleaned rabbit for their supper.

Once supper was over, Teresa told Charlie to go on along to the library, to listen to the conversation.

"I know you want to," the older girl said, with a smile at Charlie. "I'll clear and do up the dishes."

"Thanks," Charlie said, gratefully. "I'll do for you sometime."

"I'll remind you of that," Teresa said.

Charlie followed the men happily to Murdoch's library. She was excited to hear Burl tell stories. High on her list of hopeful

stories was if he was descended from royalty, as he had once suggested.

In the library, Burl and Murdoch looked over a large map that Murdoch unrolled and spread out over the desk.

They discussed Scotland, and Charlie was surprised by how learned that Burl seemed to be.

And then, to Charlie's joy, Burl sat back in one of Murdoch's easy chairs, with a drink of whiskey in his hand, and told

them that he came from a small village in Ireland called Kerry.

Charlie sat next to Scott on the sofa, listening, enthralled, as Burl talked of the Great Famine of the 1840s, in Ireland.

"It ravaged our country," Burl said, sounding as though he was far away, his eyes on the whiskey in his glass. "Food became

so scarce, people were starving. Dying."

"I've read it was a terrible time," Murdoch said, when there had been silence for more than a few moments.

"A terror that I still think of," Burl said.

Charlie had never heard of the 'Great Famine'. She wondered all sorts of things. How it had began. How it had ended.

She kept still, though, worried that if she spoke out, it might stop Burl from his recollections and musings.

Burl went on to say that his family had been one of the wealthiest in the area. With noble ties. He talked of his sisters,

and parents, and how thousands, or more, Irish emigrants boarded boats bound for American shores.

The clock struck seven, and the stories went on. It struck eight, and Burl said he must be getting home.

"I'll drive you home," Johnny said, and though Burl protested, Johnny was insistent, coupled with Murdoch's agreement.

Scott said he would go along, as well, and that he would hitch up the wagon.

"Can I ride along?" Charlie asked, as they all stood up.

She amended it quickly to 'may I', before Scott could respond, and then he said, "No. You head on to up to bed."

Charlie kept her protest to herself.

So, it was Murdoch who came later to tuck her into bed.

He offered to read, but Charlie said no, that she would rather talk.

Murdoch sat down on the edge of the bed, and Charlie sat close to him, feeling a bit emotional.

"What caused that 'Great Famine'?" she asked him.

"Potatoes were the main food product grown there at that time. There was a blight on the potatoes, so there wasn't

enough food. People starved. Or died of disease," Murdoch said.

"What's a blight?" Charlie asked.

"It's a disease of a plant. It destroys the leaves and the roots both."

"Oh." Charlie considered that. "So the potato plants got the blight, and there wasn't enough food. Did the people get

the same disease that the potatoes had?"

"No. They got typhus and dysentery. And relapsing fever."

"So they all wanted to come to America?"

"They had hopes of a better life, I'm sure."

"I wonder what made Burl decide to come out to visit us today?" Charlie mused.

"I don't know, darling."

"Well, but I'm awfully glad that he did, aren't you?" Charlie asked him.

"Yes. I'm glad."

L

The next morning Charlie was awake and up earlier than was usual. She dressed quickly in her denims and shirt, and braided her

hair. She thrust a change of clothes into a valise, and laid her hairbrush on top. Downstairs before Maria had even finished cooking the breakfast, she helped, chattering with excitement.

Finally, during breakfast, Scott told her to eat her breakfast, and slow down her talking.

Charlie did her best to comply, finishing her eggs and toasted bread.

"Gather some things in a bag," Scott began to tell her, as they finished their meal.

"I'm all finished," Charlie reported. "My bag's by the front door, ready to go."

"Oh, it is, huh?" Scott asked, looking amused, and pushing in his chair.

"Is there a dress in that bag?" he asked then, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Charlie said, honestly. "I didn't think I would need a dress."

"Charlie, that's silly," Teresa reproved, stacking the plates. "Of course you need to take a dress."

"Do I?" Charlie asked, looking up at Scott, hopeful he would say that she did not.

"I think it would be a good idea," he said.

"You might go somewhere nice for dinner," Teresa added.

"Alright," Charlie said, trying to be gracious.

She went upstairs and pulled out the plainest dress she could find, adding stockings and going back down to

stuff them into the bag.

When she went out, carrying her bag, she found Scott saddling both of their horses, his own valise setting on the

ground nearby. Maria followed Charlie out, with a wrapped parcel that no doubt held food.

Murdoch came out from the house, to see them off.

"Be safe," he said, and then to Charlie, he said, "Have a fine time."

Charlie hugged his waist.

"We'll see you when you get home, then," Murdoch said, giving Scott's shoulder a pat.

"Alright," Scott said.

"Oh, jumping Jupiter," Charlie said. "I'll be right back!"

"Where are you going?" Scott asked as she tore to the house.

"I forgot something!" Charlie hollered back.

Upstairs, in her bedroom, Charlie took her saved-up money from underneath her clothes in one of the bureau drawers. She put the

coins in a loose stocking and then ran back outside again. Scott was mounted, holding Gurth's reins in his hand.

Charlie mounted swiftly, and they set out for town, as she put the stocking filled with change into a corner of her valise, tied to the

saddlebags.

Once in town, they stabled the horses, with Scott giving the man there money to feed and care for them.

Then they walked over to the train depot, where he paid for two round trip tickets to Stockton. They didn't have to

wait long, until the train arrived, and they boarded. Once settled in their seats, Charlie next to the window, she looked about

in excitement, watching the other passengers as they boarded.

"I've only been on a train once before," she shared with Scott.

When Scott turned to look at her, Charlie wished she'd kept still. Why had she wanted to remind him of that ill-fated day

when she'd been on the train without benefit of a paid ticket, on the run from Katherine, and getting into trouble?

Charlie lifted her shoulders, just barely, in an attempt to convey to Scott that she knew she'd been in the wrong.

"This ride should be more enjoyable, that's for sure," Scott said.

"Yes," Charlie agreed. As the train began to lurch and chug forward, ready to pull out, she added, "We met that day, though, so

it was not all bad."

"That part of it was good," Scott said, in agreement. "But, from now on, you do it the way you are today. With a ticket, and with

an adult. Right?"

"Yes," Charlie said, again, wanting to bring the conversation to a finish, so they could begin enjoying themselves.

Scott said no more on that topic, and as the train journey began, Charlie amused herself by looking out the window, at

the rapidly passing terrain. Occasionally, Scott would lean across, and point out something of interest to her.

They shared some of Maria's cookies, and Charlie wished for a drink.

Scott told her about the more opulent trains, where there were dining cars, serving a variety of tasty foods.

"That would be nice," Charlie said.

"We'll take a trip to San Francisco sometime, so we can do that," Scott said, in promise.

All in all, when they got off of the train in Stockton, Charlie felt that it had been a fun, though brief, trip. They were within

walking distance to the hotel, and carried their valises. The streets were crowded with shoppers, though it was mid-week,

and Charlie was glad when they reached the hotel. Scott checked in, and they went upstairs to settle in before the meeting at the

bank.

"There's sure a lot of people on the streets," Charlie said.

"Usually there is," Scott said. "Hang up your dress, there on the hook, so it won't be so wrinkled."

"I'd sort of forgotten," Charlie said, obediently taking out the dress, and hanging it on the hook on the wall. "About how

busy the streets are in a city, I mean."

"Being away from it, that happens," Scott said.

He took a look at the large clock on the wall, and said, "We can take a slow walk to the bank. It'll be about time for the

meeting then, and after that, we'll decide what we want to do. Alright?"

Charlie agreed, and they set out, Scott locking the door as they went, and Charlie carrying the copy of 'Little Men'.

Being near the noon hour, there were even more shoppers on the sidewalks, and those intent on their lunch-time meal.

When they reached the bank building, and went in, Mr. Beets was summoned, and came out from an office, smiling

in welcome. He shook Scott's hand vigorously, and greeted Charlie in pleasure.

"I didn't know you were coming along," he said to Charlie.

"We decided it'd be a good time for a little get-away," Scott said.

"That's fine. Just fine," Beets said. "There are two other members of the board here already, in my office. Would you like to come

on back? Charlotte, are you joining us?"

Charlie looked to Scott, and Scott answered Beets. "I think she can come back and talk for a few minutes with everyone, and

then sit here in the lobby while we finish up."

Beets nodded, looking as though he approved.

They walked back to Beets' office, which was familiar to Charlie from past meetings, though it had been a long while she

she'd been here. She said hello, when greeted by the other two men, who stood up as she and Scott came into the room.

Scott shook hands as he was introduced to Mr. Wilkos, and Mr. Shane. Both men made casual conversation with Charlie,

asking her about school, and other mundane things. Charlie answered their questions, and they said they would speak with

her again before she and Scott left.

Charlie was excused to go out into the bank lobby, where she read for a scant few minutes. There was so much activity

in the bank that she finally gave up the attempt at reading, and did some people-watching.

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