Chapter 1: The Children: Carolyn, Harry, and Percy Carlson.

It had been almost a year since their father had been killed and their mother had died of a heart attack soon after. The brothers were living with Mr. Duncan Bolt and their sister was still in the dormitory. She had learned to cook, sew, and basically act and talk like a lady. But during that time, she was nursing a hatred toward all the Bolts, including Molly and Christopher! They were not officially Bolts, but they were associated with them. Carolyn Carlson had been plotting for some time a way to get revenge on them. She had been very close to her father and was still hurting.

She did not show her emotions, so no one knew what she kept inside of her. At 13, she acted as if she had the maturity of a 19-year-old. Candy saw this as well as Biddie and the other ladies and they all worried for her.

"I don't know if going to the dance next week will be proper for her?" Franny said to Candy. Candy thought about it and asked Biddie and Eleanor, who was with the latest arrivals of 'brides' coming from some of the Midwest towns by train.

"Candy, I think that she needs at least another year to mature. She may act like she is older, but I have seen her sometimes, playing and not attending to her chores!" Eleanor said.

"I have noticed that she has not even, you know…" Biddie said.

"Know what Biddie?" Candy asked. Biddie started to blush and said:

"She has not asked about her monthly visitor!" Biddie said quietly in almost a whisper. Candy smiled, she did not laugh, she knew the embarrassing details and had been laughed at when it had happened to her.

"Has anyone asked her?" Asked Eleanor. The other women standing around kind of muttered a collective 'no'.

"Well, I suppose it should be done. That girl needs to have some kind of information, especially since she is still young. If her mother had been here, I am sure she would have said something!" Eleanor said. She looked around at the ladies, just at that moment, Carolyn had come in and knew immediately that they were talking about her. She stood with her hands on her hips and yelled!"

"Dammit, what have I done now!" All the ladies just fluttered and went the other way out of the room. Candy, Biddie, and Eleanor all stood there.

"Carrie, dear, yes we have been talking about you. We are worried that things may be happening to you that you don't understand and I for one, would like to help!" Eleanor said looking to Candy and Biddie for some support.

"Yes, Eleanor is right, it seems as if you have had some rough days and we wondered if you haven't started your monthly visit lately?" Candy said. Biddie was still blushing a bit but supported Candy and Eleanor. Carolyn stood there, she was very conflicted, instead of being told that she could not say that word, ( she said it just to see what people would do) they were asking her about something that she did not remember hearing from her mother or her father. She looked around at the three and decided to talk to Eleanor.

"Miss Elly?"

"Yes Carrie?"

"Could we speak in private?" Eleanor said yes and took her up the stairs and they sat on the balcony and began their talk.

"Well, I am glad that is settled!" Biddie said as she went out the door. Candy thought about it and was glad it was settled as well. Or so she thought. There was another outburst from Carolyn, who came flying down the stair and was headed out the door. Eleanor was following closely behind. Candy reached out and took hold of Carolyn's sleeve and prevented her from leaving the dormitory.

"Carrie, what is the matter?" Candy asked. Carrie looked at Candy and then at Eleanor and asked:

"Is it true that I am turning into a 'woman'?" She looked up at Candy with tears in her eyes. Candy looked at Eleanor for an explanation.

"I swear Candy, I only told her about that monthly visitor and then she started to ask about her bosom as well which seems to have developed overnight and I said we can get her a corset soon and that is when she started to scream at me!" Candy assessed the situation and was about to say something when the door opened, and Jeremy and Jason came in without knocking.

"We heard a scream, so we came running!" Jason said.

"Well, I am sorry that you thought something happened, but it didn't we were having a little woman talk…" When Candy said it that way, both Jason and Jeremy quickly excused themselves and left. Candy and Eleanor started to laugh and soon Carolyn was laughing as well.

Harry was now 11 and Percy was 9. They had lived at Mr. Bolt's house with his family. They felt safe and secure. Harry though missed his mother and his father. They received a letter monthly from their sister and Harry did most of the letter writing. Although Percy could read and write a little, he was unable to understand beyond a rudimentary knowledge of reading and writing. However, whenever Harry needed help with his arithmetic and other mathematics, Percy seemed to possess the ability to work with numbers.

They had come home from school with James, the second oldest in the family. He was most like his father in that he was a bit stodgy for a 12-year-old boy but he was kind and compassionate and did his best to help Harry and Percy. James kind of liked Percy better because his math homework was always easier because Percy helped him.

"James, the numbers 4 and 6 add up to 10 and then when you multiply 10 you just add a '0' and it becomes 60!"" Percy showed him on the paper and then showed him drawing sticks and having him count. James was excited so much that he had to show his dad. When Duncan saw that his son understood his math, he was happy that Percy had come to live with them.

Harry on the other hand had not made a good impression on Duncan, it seems that Harry took after his older brothers and was more interested in scheming and trying to find ways to not have to work to make money. He was caught once using a bartering system to get his friends to do his work for him while he went to the local swimming hole on a Saturday. Harry was just waiting until he heard from his sister as to what their plans were. She would write the letter and tell him when to meet her. Their plans had included Percy, but Harry having observed how well Percy was doing did not want to take him along. He loved his little brother and saw that this was good for him. He decided that he would leave when he received the letter from Carolyn.

"Hey what's that you got Harry?" asked James.

"Another letter from my sister. Do you mind if I read it first?" Harry said. James said no, and he sat on a rock to wait for him to finish the letter. When Harry finished, he let out a 'Whoopee!'

"What is it Harry?" James asked him. Harry looked at James, he wondered if he could trust James and asked him:
"Can I trust you?" James looked at him and nodded yes.

"My sister says my brother and I need to meet her in a fortnight at our old place! Except I am not taking Percy!"
"Why aren't you taking Percy?"

"He is doing well here, and in a way I want him to have a chance at a better life than what Carolyn and I will have!" James stood up and said:

"Well, you have a good time then, but meanwhile, let's head over to the swimming hole!"

"Okay! I'll race you! Last one there has to strip naked!" said Harry as he ran before James could get started but once James was going he quickly caught up with Harry.

Chapter 2: Carolyn's Trip

Eleanor read the letter in front of Candy, Jeremy, and the rest of the Bolt brothers. When she had finished she sat down. Aaron Stemple walked in late.

"What happened?" He asked Jason.

"Oh, nothing much, Carolyn ran away!" Jason said as quietly as possible. Aaron looked at him and then said:

"Well, I am glad it is 'your' problem Bolt, not mine!" Jason looked at him and then explained to Aaron how it was his problem as well! Aaron had a worried look on his face after Jason's explanation.

"You mean to tell me that because I as the mayor of Seattle have not done anything to find those children a home, that it is my responsibility? I think not, Mr. Bolt!" Aaron began to walk out of the saloon when Candy said:

"Mr. Stemple, it may not be your responsibility for finding those children a home, but it is your responsibility to protect the citizens of Seattle!" She looked at him and then at Jermey. He was holding their baby boy, Jasper Jonathan, who was now 1 year old and wiggling his way out of his father's arms.

"Why do you say that Mrs. Bolt?" Aaron stopped and turned around and looked at Candy.

"I say that because those children have older siblings who are now out of jail and could be in harms way if those older siblings decide to come and take them away." Aaron took a more serious tone then and said:

"How do you know this?" Jason answered Aaron this time.

"I received a letter from our lawyer in Olympia who said that there had been some people asking around about the children. It seems that these are the older brothers of the children and…" Jason was cut off by someone walking in and saying:

"You are right sir, Those children need their family and I have come to take them home to their family!" He was a tall wiry man, he looked a lot like his father and if Jason had not had the presence of mind to thing rapidly he would have thought he was seeing Reverend Carlson in the flesh again.

"I am Charles Carlson, but everyone calls me Butch. I am the oldest, my other two brothers, Stan and Thomas are over there by the door. We have come for our sister and two brothers!" Butch said to Jason putting his hand out to shake hands with Jason who reluctantly shook hands with Butch. Aaron was watching and asked:

"So, you have just gotten out of jail?"

"Yes sir we have, and we are planning to make amends to our lives by helping our sister and two younger brothers. We appreciate you taking care of them until we were able to arrive and take over." Butch said. Stan and Thomas stood by the door holding their rifles. Jasper was getting rather cranky, and Candy decided it was time to take the baby home. She took Jasper from Jeremy and then went towards the door. Stan and Thomas blocked her way. She looked at Butch and he said:

"I am sorry ma'am, but I can't let you leave until we have our sister and brother!" Both Stan and Thomas pointed the rifles to Candy.

Jeremy stood up and was about to say something when Jason took hold of his shoulder and kept him from saying anything.

"Mr. Carlson, I am sure that if you want your sister and brothers, that you will have them, but there is no need to threaten anyone. In fact. If you all could stay here for a minute, Jeremy will be back with your sister." As he said this he slipped the letter into Jeremy's pocket and sent him and Candy to the door. Butch looked at Stan and Thomas and nodded. They opened the door and went to the dormitory. Jason asked them if they would like something to drink while they waited. They said okay. Jason and Aaron served them and waited.

When Candy and Jeremy made it to the dormitory, they looked at the letter, on the back Jason had written a note:

"Don't tell them of this letter or where she might have gone, just come back and tell them that she is gone!"

"Jeremy, we cant leave Jasper alone!" Candy said as she held the struggling child in her arms.

"I know, go ahead, and go home. I will go back and tell them. The worst is that they will want to see for themselves and come over to the dormitory to look!" Jeremy said as Candy left from the back. Biddie was just coming back from picking some fruit when she saw Candy and the baby.

"Oh, Candy, have they found out where Carolyn is yet?" Candy was close enough to shush Biddie and told her to come with her since she was taking the baby home.

"Okay, but I have to put this fruit inside. I will be just a minute!" Candy used her free hand and grabbed Biddie by the sleeve and dragged her back towards her home. When she arrived, she explained everything to Biddie.

"So, you and I will have to stay here for a while. At least until Jeremy gets home."

"Oh, my, but Candy, what about the fruit?" Asked Biddie, who was worried that the fruit would spoil before she could make her pie!

"After I put Jasper down for his nap, we can make the pie together!" She said as she went upstairs to put him to bed. Jasper was very sleepy but like all small children he needed to keep going until he couldn't go anymore. Candy was upstairs for quite some time. She finally had the baby asleep and went back down the stairs.

"Biddie, I was thinking why we don't make…." She stopped as she entered the main room. There on the chair Biddie was gagged and tied up. Two men were standing near her and Butch was standing with Jeremy tied up as well.