Chapter 8

"So, you are saying Mr. Bolt that there is a chance that I would not have to leave my farm? And that there is a mine on the farm?" Abby looked at Jason who had just informed her of the mine. She looked at the map and deed that had been in the box she found.

"Yes, Miss Beason. But I would advise you to seek legal counsel. In fact, my business partner Aaron Stemple can help you with that if you would like?" Jason said looking at Aaron who was also there.

"Miss Beason, I have brought my lawyer R L Segal to represent you. He is working for me so you will not have to pay for his services at this time."

"Thank you, Mr. Stemple, but why would you be doing this for me?"

Aaron looked at Jason and let Jason do the explaining. Mr. Segal stood by with all the necessary paperwork to accept her as his client. Abby listened and when Jason had finished made a decision.

"Mr. Bolt, Mr. Stemple and Mr. Segal. Have gone over my papers and feel that you are all honest. I have met your sister Mr. Stemple and also Mrs. Bolt. I will accept. I know that my parents would want me to keep the farm, they had hoped that one of my brothers had returned but alas, they must have died in the war!" she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and then composed herself.

"I thank you very much. Now, I need to get back to my home to make sure everything is in order. Mr. Segal, would you hold these papers for me since you will be representing me, they will be safe with you." R. L. Segal took the papers from her and placed them in his brief case.

"Candy, Julie, thank you for your help. Good day!" Abby left the hotel room and went downstairs. Earl saw her and decided to ask her to have lunch with him in the restaurant.

"Miss Beason, how are you?" He said as he tipped his hat.

She was surprised that he was there. She responded that she was fine and asked how he was. They chatted for a little while and then he asked if she would like some lunch. She said yes and they went to the restaurant.

His goal was to convince her to come with him on a week-long visit to Seattle. Meanwhile back in the hotel room, Jason and Aaron and the rest were discussing what to do next.

"Jason, she has a good lawyer now, she should be okay!" Aaron said as he gathered his hat and was ready to leave to go to his room for a rest.

"I am not saying she is not in good hands, but she is alone out on the farm, and no one is with her. What if that man Tack comes back, I am suspicious of why he was there, he did not seem to be too concerned about his 'partner' coming back to conclude the survey?"

Joshua was sitting on a chair playing with his niece and hearing Jason speak like he did he knew then that Jason was okay. He nodded assent to Jeremy who also had the same thought.

"Aaron," Jason said: "I have been looking into this opportunity and as your lawyers have found out, this Mr. Monroe and company seem to be trying to run a scam. Their scheme is to get control of the mine. The mine which may or may not produce anymore silver, is what they want. They planned to have Miss Beason removed from her home."

"Is that why you brought me all the way to this little town? Your brothers came to me to help them help you? We thought you were going nuts?"
Jason laughed and then he said: "I had to make it convincing. I was doing some work for my friend Matilda. She asked me to help her."

Joshua, Jeremy, Aaron and Candy and Julie stared at Jason. Joshua asked Jason:
"So, how long are you two going to remain friends? I see how you look at her, now you are doing some 'work' for her?"

Jason looked at Joshua and then said:

"I am not ready at this time to talk about that!" Then he walked out the door and went to the room that he and Joshua shared.

"Well," said Candy, with a look on her face that said she was thinking of how to get Jason married. " I see that Jason may have something to look forward to!"

Jeremy saw that look and whispered in her ear:

"Don't you dare do what I think you are thinking! Jason can take care of himself!"

Candy just looked at him and gave him a little kiss on his cheek. Julie left the room; things were getting too much for her. She decided to see Jason. After all they had pretended to be in love at one time.

When she knocked on his door he opened it ready to yell at anyone who challenged him. When he saw it was Julie he relented and invited her in.

"What are you here for?" Jason asked as she walked into the room that he and Joshua shared.

"Well, I came because we had not finished what we started !"

Jason looked at her oddly and said:
"What was that? He said worried that she may want to start something.

"A little matter of protecting Abby? Since you are working for Matilda, I wondered what more she was going to ask of you? Does she know that Abby might need protection?"
"I haven't sent the telegram but I suppose she has her own ideas!" said Jason looking out the window.

"Well, I have an idea of my own. You are not the only one that is willing to help when there is a need."

He looked at her and asked: "What do you mean?"
Well, since she found the deed and the map of the mine, she is in danger from these people who are looking to get her land. I propose that one of us stay with her. She needs help to pack if she truly wants to leave also, she needs another person there with her just for companionship. I propose that I go and stay with her until this is over."

Jason turned and looked at her and said:

"What will Aaron say? He is your brother and wants to keep you safe as well!"

"He can't say anything, I am of age and I can do what I want!" said Julie who was quite stubborn when need be.

Jason looked at her and thought about it. He had known her for a long time. The courtship had been fake, but he truly liked her a lot. But, women, these women who think they can do things like this. It was one thing with Matilda, she had proven herself, but Julie, well she was not raised like Matilda. He was also afraid of incurring Aaron's wrath, if he did not tell him about her idea. He shook his head and said:

"Well, you need to tell Aaron about this, or I will!"

"Of course, I will tell him!" she said thinking to herself all the while, when I am ready, maybe after I have been at Abby's house a while!

Jason had no reason to doubt that she would tell Aaron so he had nothing more to say on the subject. Julie knew it and was ready to broach the subject of Aaron's 'infatuation' with Matilda.

"Jason, one more thing," she came close to him and stood near him, both looking out the window

"I think that as soon as this 'little job' is completed, you should take Matilda some flowers and start to court her. As someone who was previously engaged to you, I give you my permission to court her!" she said with a sly smile. He looked at her. She was beautiful and what they had, was a friendship that seemed to blossom as time had gone by. She understood him and knew that if he did not try, he would be miserable. He looked up and out the window thinking, she was like a sister he did not have.

"Thank you, Julie, I will do just that!" She left his side and went out the door as he kept looking out the window.

In the restaurant, they sat at a small table off to the side. He had ordered the roast beef with potatoes; she ordered a simple soup and bread. They sat eating for a while and then he started to talk about visiting Seattle. She said that she would probably do that when the farm was taken care of. She would visit with her new found friends then.

"Why put it off? You can visit Seattle this week if you prefer? I can arrange a hotel room and a week-long vacation for us!" Earl said.

Abby almost choked on her bread when he said this, she replied:

"Mr. Martin, I am a lady, I may have been raised on a farm, I know many things most high class lady's don't know, but I do know that when a gentleman offers a lady a week in a hotel no less, well….he is no longer a gentleman! Good day to you sir!" She stood up and walked out on him. His proposal had not worked on her. He was to say the least surprised, most spinsters readily agreed, why didn't she? He was perplexed, but not too much as he finished his meal paid for it and left.

Candy opened the door. The baby was sleeping, and the knock came shortly after. "Abby? I thought you had gone home?" Abby came in and was near tears, she sat down and tried to calm herself.

"Oh, Candy, I thought he was a gentleman, but Mr. Martin is no gentleman! He made a proposition to me. I was so hurt and enraged that he should think that I, a woman who may not have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth would actually want to accompany him to Seattle for a week! We have only just met!"

Candy looked at Abby, she understood what happened and tried to calm Abby as best as she could. Jeremy came into the room; he had been reading some important papers and asked what happened. When they told him, he said,

"Is there something I can do?"

"Yes, please ask Julie to come here and would you mind if you stayed out for an hour? We will need that much time to talk. He said okay and went to get Julie. Then he decided to see his brother Jason about some things anyway.