Chapter 1 The start of a great trip
It was a wonderful summer day. The sun was shining, the grass was green, the trees stood tall and strong against the backdrop of Bridal veil Mountain. In the town of Seattle, people were beginning to stir. Mr. Stemple had just arrived in his office, he expected Harve and Clark to show up in about 15 minutes. Jason Bolt and Joshua Bolt had the job of taking the two teams up to the North Ridge to cut some timber. The teams were hand-picked and ready to work. Jeremy was not with them that day, nor would he be for about a week. He and Candy had decided to take a little camping trip up to the South Side of Mount Ranier.
To that end, they left Seattle, that morning, on their horses. Brownie, Jeremy's horse was a tall dark chestnut, while Candy's horse was cream colored. Jeremy had the camping tools and supplies while Candy had the blankets and food supplies.
"Candy, Have you ever had fresh trout? Or Salmon, cooked like the Nisqually cook their fish?" Asked Jeremy as they trotted side by side towards Tacoma.
"No, I don't think I have. We had some fish, cod and tuna and of course lobster, but no, trout and Salmon I never had it. Well, I have had it here in Seattle, but never anywhere else!" Candy said as she smiled at her husband. He smiled back and said:
"Well, just wait until I catch a trout and a salmon for you for breakfast or dinner!" He had a very happy smile on his face. Candy smiled as well. Then she asked a question:
"Who is going to clean the fish?" Candy asked Jeremy while they were riding the horses. Jeremy just smiled but did not say anything. They rode on for a little while longer when Jeremy pointed to a hill just beyond a stand of trees. Candy followed on her horse as Jeremy led them up the hill and over just slightly to the right. He waited for her to look up from the top of the hill. As she came over, she stopped her horse and sat there for just a moment. The surprise on her face and the look of wonder and amazement that Jeremy saw was enough for him to get off his horse. Help her off her horse and take her arm and walk with her to the edge of the cliff. Candy just had no words to say to exclaim how she felt about what she saw.
"Oh, Jeremy! Why haven't you brought me here sooner!" Jeremy looked at her, love in his eyes and he said:
"We weren't married yet!" She looked at him and again at the beauty. Then she said to him:
"The trees are so tall, the grass so green, the sky so blue…!" She put her hand over her eyes to shade herself from the sun.
"The water, the ocean, the Pacific Ocean! Oh, Jeremy, what can I say? I don't know how to describe this wonderful world!" Jeremy smiled at her and said:
"I wrote a poem, actually a song about this just for you, Candy!' He said as he spread the picnic blanket out on the hill. Then he took his guitar and started to play the instrument. He did not sing right away but as she sat down next to him, he played a chord or two and then he started:
"Oh, how beautiful the world we live in, how wonderful this all is, without you my darling, it would not be as lovely nor inspire me. My world is alive, because you are in it, my world is now your world, the colors of the trees, the grass, the sky, the sun are sharper, clearer than they have ever been before!..."
He sang a few more lines, putting a chorus in then he stopped and kissed her gently she did not resist. They lay down holding each other, secure in the arms of love. He was still humming his tune and she was humming as well. There was a sound that came to them while they were in an embrace. The sound of two doves, cooing, up in the tree.
"coo-ah, coo coo coo" Candy looked up in the tree and saw two mourning doves nestling together. She looked at Jeremy who was looking at her with much love in his heart and eyes. She whispered to him:
"There are two doves, a male and female. Did you know that they are a sign of love and hope!" He smiled when she said that and he said:
"Those two doves are the descendants of two doves that showed up when my mother and father first came over here. That is why they settled on this place, this mountain!" Jeremy said as he reached over to hold Candy and kiss her once again. She sighed and smiled at him and looked into his eyes intently. She saw nothing but love in those eyes, love, honesty and hope. Suddenly there was a loud 'PLOP!' Candy sat up and looked up at the mourning doves with a frown. Jeremy laughed a little and said:
"Well, I guess you have been accepted by Homer and Myrtle!" Candy looked at Jeremy a little angry at him, then she laughed as she saw where the mess had landed. Jeremy wondered what she was looking at. She noticed his face turning from contentment to frustration and so she pointed to his hair. He reached up and put his hand quickly down on the grass and tried to clean it up. But he had looked at Candy's hair and he pointed to her hair as well. She took a cloth and gently wiped her hair and then wiped his as well.
"Homer and Myrtle must have had a reason for doing this!" Candy said as she stood up and went to the stream a little ways down the hill. Jeremy followed and said:
"Oh, they do all right!" He said as he helped her and she helped him with washing up their hair and hands.
"Let's get the tent set up and I will tell you the story!" He said to Candy.
"Will they do this again?" Candy asked as they set the campsite up. Jeremy did not answer, so she thought he hadn't heard.
"I asked you; will they do that again?" Jeremy smiled and said:
"Probably, but not for a while yet!" Jeremy gathered up some things to put in the tent.
"What do you mean? Why did you chose this spot if they are going to make a mess on us?" Candy stopped and stood there with her hands on her hips. Jeremy looked down at the tent and the preparations and said to Candy:
"Well, it is like this, Homer and Myrtle really live here. Their parents did the same thing to my parent's, I thought it would make it a good tradition! So, I brought you here to introduce you to Homer and Myrtle! I am glad that they accepted you!" he said as he ducked into the tent before she could do or say anything. She stood there and looked at him and said:
"Jeremy Bolt, That is the silliest thing I have ever heard of!" She stood next to the opening of the tent, they had finished most of the setting up, he reached out and grabbed her and pulled her. He closed the flap and started to kiss her.
"Mrs. Bolt…" He said in between kisses, "Mrs. Bolt, it was silly but I will tell you the rest of the story after I have had some time with you!" He kissed her and gently directed her to the cot that they would be sleeping on.
Chapter 2 Fish for breakfast
There had been a light rain that pitter pattered on the roof of the tent. In the morning, Jeremy woke first and slipped out of the tent. By the time he returned, the fire was burning and there was hot coffee in the pot. Without saying a word, Candy started to clean the fish.
"Do you know how to clean fish?" Jeremy asked her.
"I should, I lived by the ocean most of my life, we always had some kind of fish!"
"But do you know how to clean and cook Salmon?" Jeremy asked stooping over the fire to get a cup of coffee.
"It is much the same as a cod, I would think? I have cleaned and filleted cod a few times. Father would bring it home and mother and I would fillet it!" Jeremy stood up holding his coffee cup and nodded his approval and let her clean and fillet the salmon. When she was done and it was cooking they could both smell the fresh fish and Candy had made a pot of potatoes that they had brought with them. When it was ready, they sat down to eat their breakfast.
"Might a poor traveler get some of that good breakfast?" a voice said from behind the bushes. Jeremy stood up and motioned for Candy to go to the tent to get the rifle. Jeremy turned to where he had heard the voice and said:
"Come on in, friend." He said he watched as someone stepped out of the bushes. A tall man, with hair all around his face and head. He was a large man, two feet taller than Jeremy and almost as round as one of the horses, that Jeremy had seen growing up.
"My name is Frank Collins, just up here doing a little hunting! Looks like you got yourself a good meal!" Candy stood by the tent opening, she had not come near Jeremy. Jeremy looked over to the tent and understood why she couldn't get to him. In fact, she had given the rifle to someone else. Another tall heavy-set man as well.
"Come on over Will, bring the little lady with you, she can sit next to her husband!" Frank said as he took some of the fish and potatoes, placed them on a plate. There were only two plates because it was only Candy and Jeremy. They sat very still on the log that they used for sitting on. The men took their meal and ate it, drinking most of the coffee. Finally, Frank was finished and he refilled the plate and gave it to Candy as he did so he looked up at Jeremy and said:
"Ladie's first!" Jeremy just sat there silently; Candy did not want to eat.
"Go ahead C-Candy." Jeremy spoke to her. She looked at him and started to eat. Will finished his meal and then gave the plate and fork to Frank who filled the plate with the fish and potatoes and gave it to Jeremy who himself ate his 'breakfast as well. When they had finished, Will took the plates to the stream and washed them. Then he took the coffeepot and cleaned that as well. While Will was doing that, Frank had a proposal he wanted to ask Jeremy and Candy.
"Now, young man, please let me know your name!" Frank said.
"Jeremy Bolt!" Jeremy answered.
"I assume this lovely lady is your wife? Mrs. Bolt" He said and Jeremy nodded yes to that.
"Good, now I have a little proposition to make. It seems as if there is a certain man in your town that needs to be taught a lesson!" Frank said to Jeremy as Will placed his knife on the side of Candy's face.
Back in Seattle, Aaron Stemple was talking to Harve who had gone over the latest contract and said that the Collins family had not paid for their services in two months.
"Let me see that! Aaron said taking the bill from Harve and looking it over.
"I thought they had paid in full when they ordered the lumber?" Aaron said as he looked through the receipts. He found the receipt and it was marked unpaid.
"Harve, did you take the order?" Aaron asked. Harve said no. Clark the other office manager said that he had taken the order. Mr. Stemple turned to him and asked:
"Why was this marked unpaid? I usually don't take such contracts unless they are paid in full?" Aaron Stemple looked at Clark, he was still a young man and learning the job. But he was also supposed to know the policy of taking the amount up front.
"Well, as I recall, they said that they talked to you and that you had said it was okay to start the work order and that they would pay you in increments of about 20 a month?" Aaron looked at Clark and said to him:
"If that was so, Mr. Franklin, I would have provided a note that would have affirmed that, and if there wasn't a note, I would have expected you to come to ask me?" Clark Franklin looked down at the floor then he said:
"Mr. Stemple, you were there! You said okay! You told me that he did not need a note or anything other than an okay from you!" Aaron looked at the man, he remembered meeting the Collins family but did not remember saying it was okay not to pay for a couple of weeks.
"Mr. Franklin, I am sorry, but I am going to have to let you go. I cannot have an office manager who does not follow instructions, Harve please see that he is given his pay. Thank you." Aaron left the office. Clark Franklin collected his pay and went out of town, immediately. He headed to where his cousins Frank and Will were. When he reached the place, he saw that Jeremy and Candy had been captured.
"Well, I see that he paid you at least!" Frank said. Taking the money and stashing it in the bag on his horse. When Clark sat down a noise in the bushes sounded again.
"Well, Lizzie how are ya!" Said Frank standing up to great the lady.
"I am fine. Came to see what my kin are up to. See you got yourself a little filly, red hair? Hmmmm, might be a bit wild, but you can tame her Frank!" At that Jeremy jumped up and was about to say something when Will grabbed him and pushed him down. They tied him to a tree and took Candy farther away from him. Lizzie placed a rope around Candy's neck and said to her:
"You can move, but if you go to far, you will have a problem, girlie!" Candy had a gag on her mouth and looked for Jeremy. She could hardly see him.
"Now, Mr. Bolt, as for what you will be doing for me. You will go back to Seattle, and destroy the mill, then you will take whatever money there is in Mr. Stemple's box and bring it back here." Jeremy was trying to protest and said:
"How do you know I will do what you want?" Will laughed and so did Clark. Frank looked seriously at Jeremy and said:
"If you don't do what we want, your pretty little lady is going to be killed! And then you will be killed just because I want you dead!" Lizzie piped in and said:
"Frank, I would like to keep her, gettin' tired of having nothin but men around. Wouldn't hurt to have a woman as well! Maybe one of you could be marryin' her!"
"Well, I' m not opposed to that idea, Lizzie but we have to get the job done and we cant do it without one on the inside and one here!" Lizzie nodded. Jeremy was watching everyone hoping to find a way to get out and rescue Candy.
"Now, young Bolt, I am sending Will with you. He has orders to shoot you if you try to escape. Clark will be with you as well and will shoot you regardless of orders or none. As long as you do what we want, you don't have to worry that your pretty little lady may become my wife!"
"Frank, he will be dead though and then we can have her?" Will said to his brother.
"Now, Will that ain't right, can't go around sharing my possessions can I?" He laughed and sent Clark, Will and Jeremy back to Seattle. Before they left, Jeremy glanced back towards Candy. She was gagged so she could not say anything but her eyes spoke volumes. He could not say anything either, his eyes spoke to her as well.
Chapter 3
An Almost Rescue
Jeremy knew Seattle like the back of his hand, he was hoping to attract attention once they arrived. Clark and Will stopped near a shed behind the mill. They put Jeremy in the shed and put the horses in the livery stable. It was early and dark outside. Clark and Will went around the town to find out the best ways to get to the mill to destroy it.
Back at the camp, Candy was ungagged and untied so that she could eat and drink. Lizzie sat there with her gun on Candy.
"You know, if I had been brought up in a nice home like yours, I would surely have liked that, but seein's as how, I never got the chance, I guess I am going to be livin' this way for quite some time."
"You can change!" Candy said in between bites of beans and bread.
"No, I can't, besides mostly don't want to. Like my life the way it is!" Lizzie sat there, she had a pipe and took it out to smoke it.
"My I go to relieve my self and wash up?" Candy asked. Lizzie looked at her in between puffs of smoke and said:
"There is a pot right by that tree over there. I can watch if you start going away, I will raise this gun and shoot you!" Lizzie said to her. Candy was trying to find a way to escape. She thought about just outright running, but either Frank or Lizzie would capture and kill her. So, she relieved herself, while Lizzie was watching. Then she came back and sat down. Lizzie was still smoking and did not get up right away to tie her up again. Candy sat still waiting and thinking. she heard some noise behind her…
"Don't turn around, Candy. When I say run, run towards the lake!" She listened and did not move her head. She sat silently, Lizzie had finished her pipe and was coming over to tie her up. At that moment, Joshua jumped out of the bushes and shouted "RUN!" Candy ran to the lake and hid behind a tree. Joshua had taken Lizzie down and tied her up. Big Swede had taken Frank and had him tied up as well. Once they were placed on the ground in the middle of the camp. Josh asked Candy if she was okay.
"I am thank you, How did you know to come up here? Is Jeremy with you?"
"No, we were coming up to talk to Jeremy about a stand of trees on the north side, but when we saw what was happening, we figured that we were needed." Joshua said
"Mrs. Bolt, where is Jeremy?" Big Swede asked Joshua looked at Candy and she said:
"They took him to Seattle to destroy Mr. Stemple's mill and then steal money from him." Candy said as she was about to cry, realizing that Jeremy was still in danger.
"it's all right Candy; we will get Jeremy!" Joshua said
"Oh, but you don't realize that they are going to kill him when they are done!" Candy told Joshua and Big Swede.
"Where are the horses?" Josh asked
"They took them! How do you think they were going to get back?" Lizzie said
Joshua looked at Lizzie with a look of disdain.
"Joshua, we can get back to the camp and let Jason know and there are a couple of horses there already." Big Swede said.
"But you can't leave me here with them?" Candy said suddenly afraid to be left with her captors. Joshua looked at Candy and Big Swede and made a decision:
"I am going back to get Jason. Big Swede, stay here with Candy and keep them tied for now!" Swede nodded and Candy did not dispute Joshua's decision.
Joshua left the camp and headed back toward where Jason and the crews were setting up for the day.
After Joshua had left, there was a commotion and Big Swede was hit from behind. Candy screamed and Lizzie grabbed her and held her at gun point.
"You see 'little filly' there ain't no way for me to change and soon there won't be for you either!" Lizzie laughed. As soon as Joshua had left, the rest of the Collins family came and rescued Frank and Lizzie.
"Charlie, get me some rope and a gag for her!" Lizzie said. Then one of the other men, took and tied Big Swede to a tree.
"We are going to leave him here for the wolves. He is out so he won't wake up until we are long gone from here!" Said Roger who was almost as big and tall as Big Swede. Let's get away from here before anyone comes looking for them! Lizzie took hold of Candy and forced her to walk ahead of her. She had a rope tied to her waist so that Candy could not go far. Candy was crying and wondered if Jeremy was going to be okay and if he would be able to find her.