The Princess Club / Family Secrets / Mountain Madness (7 page)

“Fine and dandy,” Ruby Mae reported. “Sure am glad you two happened along, though.”

“We were looking for violets,” Christy said. Her blue eyes were shimmering with tears. “We almost headed in the other direction, toward Stony Peak. When I think what might have happened if we hadn't been here . . .”

“We'd have figured somethin' out, Miz Christy,” Ruby Mae said reassuringly.

Bessie sniffled loudly. “I ain't so sure about that, Ruby Mae.”

“What's that?” Christy asked, pointing to the white handkerchief Ruby Mae was still clutching.

“This?” Ruby Mae stuffed the handkerchief in her pocket. “Nothin'. Just some ol' scrap of fabric we found by the bank.”

Christy sighed. “I still can't get over how lucky it is we were in the right place at the right time.”

“Well, it's over now,” Ruby Mae said lightly. “The doc sure scared the daylights outa Lundy. He won't be botherin' us again. His bark's worse than his bite, anyhow.”

Doctor MacNeill was gazing off in the direction Lundy had run. “Don't be too sure about Lundy Taylor, Ruby Mae. Gold can do strange things to people.”

Ruby Mae started to argue, but the look on the doctor's face made her fall silent. She'd never seen that look before, not on the doc. Doc MacNeill wasn't afraid of anything.

And yet, right now, if she didn't know better, she'd have sworn he looked awfully worried. Maybe even scared.

Twelve

G
rady Halliday,” Christy said, “I'd like you to meet my dear friend, Fairlight Spencer, and her husband, Jeb.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Mr. Halliday shook hands with the Spencers. “Lovely morning for a church service. If a little on the hot side.”

“I think you'll enjoy David's sermon,” Christy said. “Church here in Cutter Gap isn't quite like anything you've ever seen before.”

Mr. Halliday smiled. “I'm looking forward to it.”

Christy surveyed the area outside the church. Knots of people stood here and there, chatting. Children and dogs chased each other in crazy circles. A group of men hovered near the entrance, chewing tobacco. Still, she couldn't help but notice there were a lot of faces missing.

“This is an unusually small turnout,” Christy commented. “I wonder why?”

“Perhaps the fine weather is proving too tempting,” Mr. Halliday suggested. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his brow.

“Something's temptin' them, all right,” Fairlight said. Her lovely eyes sparkled. “But I'm guessin' it's not the weather.”

“We passed Ozias Holt and Nathan O'Teale on the way here,” Jeb said. “Both of 'em with shovels and picks. Said they didn't have time to look for the Lord.” He shook his head. “Lookin' for gold instead.”

“This gold discovery certainly seems to have had an effect on the community,” Mr. Halliday said.

Fairlight sighed. “It's startin' to seem like a blessin'
and
a curse. Poor Clara ain't slept the last two nights, since Lundy Taylor went after the girls up by the creek. At first, I had such hopes about the gold . . . fixin' up the cabin, maybe. Or savin' for the children's schoolin'. But if it means my little Clara has to live in fear . . .”

“If I get my hands on Lundy, I'll show him a thing or two about fear,” Jeb said gruffly, his hands clenched in anger.

Christy gazed at him sadly. It was only natural for Jeb to want to protect his children. Still, he was usually such a gentle man. It hurt to see him so angry.

“I think Neil did a pretty good job of scaring Lundy Taylor, Jeb,” she said, trying to sound reassuring. But she could see from his worried expression that he wasn't convinced.

They headed into the church. Even though the simple building served as Christy's schoolroom all week, it always felt fresh to her on Sunday. Maybe it was the hushed anticipation in the room. Maybe it was seeing David, dressed in his Sunday best—a dark suit, white shirt, and black tie. Maybe it was seeing the scrubbed faces and combed hair of her students, who were generally on their best behavior.

But Christy knew it was more than just those obvious things. The real reason the room felt changed was the feeling of joy and hope that filled the dusty, rough room like summer sunshine.

Today, though, as she settled into a pew with her friends, something was missing. The usual happy mood had been replaced by something much darker. People were grumbling, whispering, and pointing. Much of the attention seemed to focus on Ruby Mae, Bessie, and Clara, who were sitting together in a front pew.

A few rows behind them sat Kyle and Lety Coburn, Bessie's parents. Next to the Coburns sat Duggin Morrison, Ruby Mae's stepfather, and his wife. Christy was surprised to see Duggin. He didn't come to church much. She imagined Ruby Mae was surprised to see him, too. She and her stepfather didn't get along well. That was one reason why Ruby Mae lived at the mission.

As soon as David cleared his throat, the room quieted. “It's nice to see all of you today,” he began, “particularly since some seem to have gotten sidetracked en route by, shall we say, more earthly
concerns—”

He was interrupted by some loud talk coming from the direction of Duggin's pew. Christy turned to see what the commotion was about. Bessie's father and Ruby Mae's stepfather seemed to be arguing about something.

“Gentlemen?” David said calmly.

“Er, sorry, Preacher,” Kyle mumbled.

Christy smiled. By now, David had grown used to such interruptions. Two weeks ago, he'd had to suspend his sermon when a skunk had decided to join the congregation.

“Today,” David continued, “I thought we'd reflect a bit on what it means to be wealthy in our society. Does it mean having a lot of material things? A nice home, perhaps even an automobile? Beautiful clothes? Money in the bank?”

“Ask them princesses, Preacher!” called a young voice. “They know all about bein' rich!”

That had to be Creed Allen, Christy thought, as the room exploded into laughter.

David laughed, too. “Thank you, Creed. You bring me to an interesting point. By now I suppose there's not a soul in Cutter Gap who hasn't heard about the intriguing discovery of some gold in these mountains. But is gold the way we measure true wealth? What about happiness? Love? What about the pride that comes from hard work? Which means more—a penny, earned by the honest sweat of your brow . . . or a dollar in ill-gotten gains?”

“Give me the dollar any ol' day!” someone cried.

Again, everyone laughed. But this time, Christy sensed tension in the air, too.

David waited until the room was perfectly still. Long moments passed. At last he spoke again.

“‘What is a man profited,'” he said softly, “‘if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?'”

His words hung in the air. Suddenly, Ruby Mae's stepfather leapt to his feet. “Is
so
more Ruby Mae's!” he screamed. “She's the one what found it!”

Bessie's father jumped up, fists raised. “Wouldn't have found it a-tall, without my Bessie's frog!”

“Bessie's frog!” Clara cried in outrage. “Weren't Bessie's frog! Prince Egbert was
mine!
I'm the one oughta get more of the gold, if anyone does!”

“Clara!” Fairlight said in embarrassment. “You sit down this instant and apologize to the preacher!”

“But Ma—”

David held up a warning hand. “I think we all need—”

Wham!
Duggin let loose with a powerful punch to Kyle's belly.

“Fight!” Creed yelped in glee, jumping onto a pew.

Kyle swung back wildly. After several tries, he connected with Duggin's nose. Blood trickled onto his dirty shirt.

Suddenly the whole room went crazy. Kyle and Duggin bumped into the benches, grunting as they threw punches at each other, most of which missed. Soon a few other men were drawn into the fight. Somebody threw a chair. Somebody else knocked over the blackboard. Two babies began to squall. In the corner, somebody was taking bets on who would win.

Into the fray ran Christy, David, Mr. Halliday, Jeb, and Fairlight. But before they could separate the combatants, Granny O'Teale appeared. The tiny, frail woman stood in front of Kyle and Duggin, her cane poised over her head.

“Stop it, you pig-headed, greedy geezers,” she commanded, “or I'll whop you both to kingdom come!”

Kyle and Duggin stopped in mid-swing. They looked at Granny and gulped. The rest of the room fell silent, too.

“Granny,” David said, giving her a hug, “I couldn't have said it better myself!”

“My, my,” Mr. Halliday whispered to Christy. “I see you weren't exaggerating before. This certainly is very different from any service I've ever attended!”

“It's usually a little calmer,” Christy said with a weak smile. “I'm sorry you had to see this.”

Mr. Halliday didn't answer. He seemed to be lost in thought. “You know, Christy,” he said at last, “I'm sorry, too.”

Thirteen

T
hat afternoon, Christy was sitting in the yard writing a letter to her parents when Ruby Mae emerged from the mission house. She was carrying a napkin full of oatmeal cookies.

“For you,” Ruby Mae said. “Miss Ida just made 'em.”

“Thank you, Ruby Mae. I could use a little pick-me-up. After that fight at the church, I didn't have much appetite at noon.”

“I brung some for Mr. Halliday, too.”

“He's in the storage shed,” Christy said. “We told him he could use it to develop his photographs.” She put down her pen and paper, then reached for a cookie. “Come on. I'll walk over with you.”

“That was quite a commotion at church today,” Ruby Mae said as they started across the lawn. She paused. “You think the preacher was mad?”

“Mad? No. But I do think David's worried about the effect this gold seems to be having on everyone.”

Ruby Mae took a bite of cookie. Christy could tell from the faraway expression on her face that something was bothering her.

“I noticed you had a long talk with your stepfather after church today,” Christy said gently.

“My step-pa asked if maybe I wanted to come back home to live.”

“Oh? What did you tell him?”

“I told him I was right happy livin' here at the mission house. And if'n I moved back home, it'd be such a long ways to school I might hardly never go.”

“And what did he say?”

“Said that was all right with him. As long as I didn't get uppity and forget to honor my pa and ma and give them what's rightfully theirs.”

“The gold?”

Ruby Mae nodded. “I told him how I maybe wanted to save the gold. You know, for the future. Told him all kinds of crazy dreams I have.” She stopped walking. Her lower lip trembled. “Then he . . . he slapped me. Said I didn't have no right to be dreamin' dreams. He wanted to know where the gold was, so I told him you was holdin' it till it could go in the bank and that was that. Then he got even madder and stormed off.”

Christy put her arm around Ruby Mae. “This has all gotten awfully complicated, hasn't it?”

“Worser than those 'rithmetic problems you gave us to figure.”

Mr. Halliday was emerging from the shed as they approached. He was wearing a black apron. In his hand was a large photograph.

“We brung you some fresh cookies,” Ruby Mae said.

“Wonderful! I'll trade you.” Mr. Halliday handed the photograph to Ruby Mae. She passed him the cookies.

“You're just in time to see my latest effort,” he said. He bit into a cookie. “Wonderful cookie. My compliments to the chef.”

Ruby Mae squinted at the photo. “It's a creek,” she said. “Looks like Dead Man's.”

“So? What do you think?”

Ruby Mae shrugged. “I don't mean to be hurtful, but it just kinda looks like a bunch of water to me.”

“I think it's lovely, Mr. Halliday,” Christy said quickly.

Mr. Halliday stroked his beard. “Thank you, Christy. But I've already appointed Ruby Mae as my primary critic. She has a wonderful eye.”

“
Two
good eyes,” Ruby Mae said.

“I stand corrected.” Mr. Halliday took the photo and held it out at arm's length, gazing at it critically. “What's wrong with it, Ruby Mae?”

She leaned against the shed, lips pursed. “I don't rightly know. I guess it's just water. Your tree picture, that had the mountain and the sky, all wrapped up together.”

“So it's the composition you have trouble with. Not the subject.”

“What do I know?” Ruby Mae said irritably. “I ain't no expert.”

“Of course you are. You know the beauty of these mountains as well as anyone. And if I'm not getting it on film, well then, I'm not really doing my job, am I?” Mr. Halliday took the photo into the shed, then returned. “Ah well, I shall have to try again. It's a hard task, capturing the riches of this place for posterity. Perhaps it can't be done.”

“Ain't no more riches,” Ruby Mae said. Christy was surprised at her angry tone. “I keep tellin' everybody, we done found all the riches there was. It was just plumb lucky, is all.”

Mr. Halliday looked at her thoughtfully. “I wasn't referring to those riches, actually.”

“What, then?”

“I was talking about the incredible beauty of the evergreen trees. The way the sun paints the garden with gold in the morning. The way the warblers argue in the woods.”

“Shucks,” Ruby Mae said. “That ain't riches. That's just the way the mountains is.”

“Exactly.” Mr. Halliday reached for another cookie. “There's something else, too. The way the people here love the mountains. And each other. You can't put a price on that.”

“You didn't see too much of that at church today,” Christy said with a rueful smile.