Chapter 20
The Telegram
Over at the mercantile Bill is pacing. Ned chuckles and says, Bill you're going to wear a hole in my floor. Bill just glared at him, about that time the telegram machine started clicking. Ned went back to write it down. He had a strange look on his face when he brought the telegram back out. He handed it to Bill. Bill looked at him and said, that bad? Ned swallowed and shook his head yes.
Bill took the telegram and read it, crumbled it up and said, not a word, understood? Yes sir. Bill took the telegram back to Jack. Jack was just coming down the stairs when Bill came through the door. He handed it to him. Jack took it knowing it was bad just by the crumbled paper. He straightened it and read to himself,
To: Constable Jack Thornton, Coal Valley
Please be advised said person is dangerous…stop…watch…stop…do not approach…stop…backup on the way…stop…real name is Alvin Roark not O'Roark…stop
From: Deputy Commissioner Delaney, Calgary
Jack folds it up and puts it in his serge pocket. Ok Rosie let's go. I'll walk you home and then I'll go see Lee. He ask Bill to stay close. Bill agreed.
Jack walks Rosemary home but runs into Lee. He tell Lee that he needs to have a word with him once they get home. Lee sees the concern on Jack's face and just nods. He notices that Rosie is quiet all the way home.
At their home Lee unlocks the door and ushered them inside. He closed the door and invites Jack to sit. Rosie goes and puts a pot of coffee on and goes upstairs. Lee watches her and then asks, Jack, what is going on? I've never seen her speechless before. What happened in town today? Jack clears his throat and says, I'll tell you but first I have a few questions and I need as honest as you know. Jack I've never lied to you. I know Lee but I need you to think before you answer my questions. Ok he says.
Now, when did you hire Alvin O'Roarke? That's easy, two weeks ago. Ok that's what Bill said too. Was he in town long before you hired him? Lee thinks a minute and says, I think he was here a few days before but I can't swear to exactly when he came to town. What is his job? He works in the woods falling trees. He's a fantastic worker Jack. I wish all my workers worked that hard. Ok, where does he eat his lunch? Does he eat with everyone else or does he leave during lunchtime? Most of the time he leaves but there was a few day in the beginning that he had lunch with the rest of the men out in the woods. I guess the first of this week he started leaving during lunch. Do you know where he goes? No I didn't think anything about it. I don't care what they do on their lunchtime as long as they are back in time to go back to work. Ok one more question. Do you know where he lives or stays? He has a room at the saloon, room 8. All the way at the end of the hall. Ok thanks Lee.
Now Jack you need to tell me what is going on. Jack hands him the telegram and proceeds to tell him what was going on at the pond today.
Lee stands up and goes to his desk and pulls out a file. He opens it and read it. He hands the file to Jack. Is there anything you need from there?
Lee gets up and walks to the window. He stars out and asks, Jack, what do you think is going on here? I know you have thoughts about it. I need to know if I've put everybody in danger? Truly Lee I'm not sure yet. Today he was either watching Elizabeth and Rosie or he was watching the children playing at the school. I wasn't close enough to see for sure. Lee you didn't know. I always follow my gut and when he walked into the saloon I had a bad feeling in my gut.
Jack? Yeah Lee. What do I do? Just keep doing what you've been doing. Don't let on you know. Like the telegram says, we just watch and nothing else. I don't know how many Mounties are being sent. Have Hickum and the foreman give daily reports as to what who was doing. Don't single him out. Bill and I will be keeping an eye out for him once he clocks out.
Bill says he get drunk every night and goes to work every day and is on time. Has he ever been late, Lee? Never, he's usually a little early. Lee how many men do you know that get drunk every night and is early to work every day? Lee thinks, come to think about it there's none. They come in just as the whistle blows and looks like crap and are slow all day. My point exactly.
I'm going to get out of here and get back to Elizabeth. This has shook her up pretty bad. It hasn't been that long ago that she had a bad experience that left her so scared for months. It took Abigail getting her out of it. So I don't want her to be alone right now. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Come have lunch with Bill and I at the cafe. We'll see about making a plan. Ok Jack thanks. Oh and Lee? Yeah Jack. Reassure Rosie that everything is going to be okay. You're the only one who can calm her. She's just scared right now. She get quiet when she's scared, she always has. Ok thanks Jack, I'll do my best. They shake hands and Jack leaves.
At the cafe Elizabeth had come downstairs to wait for Jack to come back for dinner. Abigail had brought out a small crib she had borrowed from one of the ladies for Jarrick in the kitchen. She had set Peter's crib up in Elizabeth's old room for Jarrick to sleep in at night.
Bill was sitting at the table nursing a cup of coffee. Abigail and Elizabeth knew he was in Mountie thinking mode. Jack came in the back door a few minutes later. He kissed Elizabeth on the top of her head and went and checked on his son. He placed his large hand on his son's stomach, it covered his whole body. He just held it there for a few moments and said a short prayer. Elizabeth walks up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulder and laid her head on top of them. She whispers, are we going to be okay? He shakes his head yes. He whispered back, there will be more Mounties coming to town so everyone will be fine.
I don't….there was a knock on the back door. Bill got up and answered it. When he opened it Ned stepped in and said, I have an urgent telegram for Constable Thornton. Jack walked over and excepted it and thanked Ned. Ned said good night and took his leave. Jack opens the paper and read to himself,
To: Constable Jack Thornton, Hope Valley
8 Mounties to arrive tomorrow…stop…plainclothes…stop…on my way…stop…wait for me…stop…just watch…stop
From : Deputy Commissioner Delaney, Calgary
He hands the slip of paper to Bill. Bill reads it and says, step outside with me Jack. Jack followed him outside and around the corner to the side of the cafe. Jack, do you know what is going on here, Bill asks quietly? No Bill, I'm in the dark as much as you are but by them send 8 and the Deputy Commissioner coming then it's got to be bad. They look around to make sure no one is lurking around.
I told Lee to keep an eye on him at work and we would keep an eye on him here in town. Let's go to the jail and get a plan together before everybody gets here. Bill nods and follows Jack back inside the cafe for dinner.
Abigail had dinner on the table when they came back in. Everyone sat down and Jack was asked to say the blessing. The conversation around the table was sparse. Elizabeth was pushing her food around on her plate. Jack reached over and put his hand on hers to get her attention. She set her fork down and looked up at him. It's going to be okay Bella.
Dad is sending 8 Mounties. They will be here tomorrow. Bill just caught what Jack said. He cleared his throat and said I'll explain later Bill. Bill nods. Elizabeth relaxed a little and ate some of her dinner.
After pie and coffee Bill and Jack excused themselves. Jack kisses her and says, we are going to the jail for a bit. Lock the doors behind us. I'll be back before you go to bed Bella. I love you! I love you too Hon! Be safe. We will. We're just going over to discuss some things. We'll be fine.
At the jail Bill fix a pot of coffee and sat in the chair in front of the desk while Jack sat behind the desk. He pulled out some paper and started drawing the area. After his quick drawing he said, ok, so we have 8 Mounties plus you and I and da…Deputy Commissioner.
Bill stopped him and asked, ok, let's start with why you call our Deputy Commissioner dad? Jack tells him everything. Bill says, I didn't even know he was related to Elizabeth, Wow! Yeah well I won't be calling him dad in front of the other Mounties. It's only a private thing.
Ok, so we have eleven Mounties all together, Bill says. Yes. I think we should put three at the mill working with him. One of them try to befriend him. Find out anything he can. That's a good idea. You can talk to Lee tomorrow. About that, I told Lee to come have lunch with us at the cafe tomorrow. That works even better. Yeah it does.
Bill got up to get a cup of coffee and asked him if he wanted one too. Jack said, please. Bill brought him one and set it on the desk in front of him. He said thanks. Jack put a one, a two, and a three at the mill on the paper. Then Bill said, I think we should put one at the bar working behind the bar. Good idea. That way we can find out just how much he's actually drinking. Jack put a four at the bar in the saloon. Ok that leaves four to put around town. I think we should post one out by that tree I seen him sitting under. Ok, so Jack put a five by the tree area and how about one in the tree line in view close enough to see what he's looking at if he shows up there again. Yeah that works Bill said. Jack put a six across the pond but close enough to see his face. That leaves two to mingle at the bar watching.
Ok, what will we be doing Jack? We will be doing our usual. Having coffee at the saloon and having dinner with the ladies. We have to keep up appearances as usual. Ok I think we have a good enough plan for when the Commissioner gets here.
Hopefully we'll have a better idea as to why he's here. I just want to know why he's so dangerous, Bill says. Yeah me too. I don't like not knowing.
Lee met Bill and Jack for lunch after the lunch rush at the cafe. They discussed the plan. Lee agreed to hiring the three Mounties. He mentioned that the three biggest needed to be planted. Jack agreed.
After they got their food Jack asked how Rosie was? Lee said that she was fine now. It took a lot to convince her but he thought she was fine now. Good to hear Jack said. After lunch Lee went back to work.
Jack and Bill went back to the jail. On the way they looked out by the pond to see if O'Roark was out there. He wasn't so they went on.
That afternoon the Mounties started coming in two and three at a time from different directions. They put their horses at the livery and went in the back door of the jail.
By that evening all eight were in the jail. The plan was put into action. The three biggest would go to the sawmill as brothers looking for work. Jack put the two shortest out in the tree line during the lunch hour and after the mill closed. Jack would take one to the saloon while O'Roark was working. The other two would be at the bar and the other at a table after the mill closed. Everyone knew their place.
One of the Mounties spoke up and asked. Thornton, can I ask you something? Sure what is it? Did you really use red tablecloths to take the Tolliver gang down? Yes I did with Sargent O'Riley's help. We took them down together. That story is taught at the academy now but I had to ask if it was true.
Let me tell you all something. When you are out there, you will think of anything that will aide you in your capture as long as no one will be hurt. We needed help but help wouldn't be here soon enough so I seen the tablecloths and asked Abigail if I could borrow them. We tied twelve horses together and put the tablecloths up like they were Mounties. They fell for it and surrendered without anyone getting hurt. You have to make do with what you have around you.
Well you are someone that all the new cadets want to be like. Well I appreciate that but we were just doing our jobs that's all. If you say so one of the other Mounties said. They all chuckled. Jack couldn't say anything because they were the same rank he was. Ok enough about me.
Does everyone know what they are doing? Does anyone have any questions or suggestions? No they all said. We are only on watch duty until Deputy Commissioner Delaney gets here. Why is he coming Thornton? We don't know the answer to that question. We've been wondering the same thing. But one thing for sure is we will be given that information in due time. Ok you all can go about your business. We are done here.
If you are hungry you can eat at Abigail's, I would suggest that you don't sit together except for you three that are supposed to be brothers. Ok good idea one of them said.
The next day the plan was put into action. There was a telegram from the Commissioner. He would be here in two days. Jack past that information on to the Mounties. He thought everyone needed to know what was going on.
Jack walked into the cafe and found Elizabeth sitting on the sofa playing with Jarrick. Jarrick was giggling. Jack asked, what's all this giggling? Jarrick looked at him and reached for him. Jack took him and sat down next to her. He kissed her and asked, what have you been doing? Nothing just having some mommy son time. He's been in a really good mood today. That probably means he's all rested up from the trip.
Well I guess I should tell you that we may be here a couple more days because we can't take this guy down until dad gets here and he won't be here for another two days. That's fine, she says. The more he's rested the better he'll travel. That's true but that will put you later getting you school planner done. That's okay. I can get a couple days planned and then just add to it. You're taking this better than I thought you would, Bella. Well I'm enjoying spending time with Abigail.
I'm hoping to go to the school tomorrow and spend some time with the children. I've asked Florence to let all the mothers know. Abigail is making some sandwiches and lemonade and cookies for me to take. I'm going to read to them and just spend the day with them.
Jarrick is eating food now so I think he will be fine. I'll nurse him before I go. Then I'll nurse him when I get back. He'll only miss one nursing.
I think that will be good for you to spend time with them. I know they were upset when I got back to town after you left. They really missed you. I missed them too but it all turned out the way it was supposed to.
I'm hoping that the school board keeps me in small communities. I won't except a job in the bigger cities. Are you ready to leave Pine Springs Bella? Not right now but I know they won't keep me there permanently. Well we will enjoy the time we have then, he said. Yes we will. I've always wanted to follow in mom's footsteps, now I am. I'll enjoy it for as long as I can.
But Bella? We're not going north are we? Hon, she didn't teach up there. She went with dad because he was stationed there. Okay that makes me feel better, he says and laughs and rubs the back of his neck. She chuckles and asks, what happened to following me anywhere Hon? He says, I didn't say I wouldn't go, I was just hoping we weren't.