CHAPTER 4

At that time the door to the police station opened, a frowning Bill walked in.

- I see Abgail, that you met Philip the policeman, but don't worry, my friend, I also thought the same.

At that time, the policeman, Philip, gave a strange laugh, a mixture of anger, disdain, mockery, I don't know what that was.

- Well, I don't know if I'm flattered or offended, but I'll say it's a joke. All of you looking at me, but I'm not going to say it wasn't nice months ago when I came here and I had a beautiful young widow in my arms, it was a nice feeling to have her in my arms, and to see that love so great, that pain contained in his eyes, well that at that moment awakened a feeling of protection in me. Bill sharply cut in and said:

- Shut up, honor your coat and your police uniform. Don't you dare look at, touch, or hurt Elizabeth, I say to Mrs. Thorton.

Abgail was more than red with anger, and even angrier than Bill. The policeman laughed out loud and amidst the laughter he said:

- I see that everyone here defends her tooth and nail. You had to see that day, an old Mancueba man, but he was brave, I have to admit. He defended her, he really was right, because that insolent policeman insulted the poor thing. But it was hilarious, at first there were nine policemen, trying to hold the old man, but the man was too angry, with the insinuations under the young woman. Of course, I was going to arrest him, but then I saw her rearing up and she was going to get in the middle of the fight, so I could only put my arms around her and hold her, because she ignored the danger and went to help the old man. She was so stubborn... And she laughed out loud..., but then after everything was resolved, she passed out in my arms. I could only ask the old man to take care of her, I ended up not even arresting him for contempt that day.

Abgail noticed at that moment a cloud passing over Officer Philip's eyes. "It will be? Did I see a certain concern in that look?

"No, really I must not have been mistaken, he is too blunt for that. He's so different from Jack, who just cared about everyone and loved everyone, and this man, he may even be a good mountie, he can do what he's supposed to, but he doesn't have any feelings.

- Well, officer, she is our young lady, we took care of her, before and after her husband left, she did for us what no one else would do. We love that young lady. We'll always protect her, and besides, in this town, everyone looks out for each other, we're one big family, and with that, Abgail slammed the door without saying anything or looking back.

Philip, looked at Bill, and had a good laugh and said:

- It seems that here the women are all decided and brave.

- Yes, they are and we like them that way, replied Bill.

Abgail marched into the cafe, she had never been so angry with anyone.

- What hatred, that man! Who does he think he is to talk about her like that. If he says or does anything to her... He'll deal with me. Let him hurt that girl, and I'll break his face. And punched the air.

- Abgail Stanton, what is this? Pastor Frank yelled as he entered the cafe and laughed at Abgail's anger.

- It's that mountie, what a hate Frank... And so he was telling everything that happened in that police station and as he spoke of Elizabeth, Frank was already walking from one side to the other, in a fury that if he found that mountie Philip himself, he would even break his face.

The next morning, a young girl was at the top of the school stairs, ringing a bell.

- For! Is that a cowbell? And had a laugh...

He saw countless children appear from all over, of different ages, all smiling and hugging the young teacher. It was incredible to see, but all the children were excited and wanted to go to school, and they really were full of joy. As soon as the hubbub around the smiling young woman subsided, he could notice her body.

- Pregnant! She was pregnant!

He watched her walk to the door and close it without ever losing the smile on her face. It even looked like she liked it.

He went on his rounds and from there when he realized he was close to that school again, he was on top of the hill, and he noticed the movement of the church, the children were playing near the trees, and that's when Philip remembered that the church was also a weekday school, he had completely forgotten about that. He noticed the young woman at the back carrying logs, she carried them into the church and came back for another shipment. He had seen the smoke in the chimney as he walked past it several mornings, but he hadn't expected to see a woman carrying firewood. Philip was about to go down and offer help, when he saw Bill coming running, they greeted each other, he removed his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves, and soon went to cut wood and help carry it to school. He couldn't see the girl's features since she was facing away from him, but he could see that she and Bill were talking excitedly and laughing. Bill, on the other hand, realized that he would have to spend a few days there earlier, Elizabeth was very stubborn and would not give up on lighting the fire to warm her students, she was a great mother to all of them. Philip stayed there for some time and seeing that Bill had everything under control decided to go ahead and do his work in the city, there was a lot of paperwork behind and he needed to make some reports to send to the headquarters in Hamilton.

Later in the afternoon, when she realized he was returning from his rounds, he once again came along the school path. "Gee, why did I come this way? Why did I go the opposite way of my route? It was at that moment that he saw the girl opening the school door, and ringing the cow bell, and it was that pregnant girl, she greeted all her students and raising her head she waved to them, that's when Philip saw that it was that young woman, who fell in your arms crying and declaring your love months ago. It was the same young woman, the widow and now PREGNANT...

He looked disdainfully at the young woman, he didn't know why, but he was angry that she was pregnant, how could she have done that to her late husband? What kind of little woman was that? She had no value, how could parents accept her as their children's teacher, what morals did she have?