The Blacksmith’s Bravery (24 page)

The pastor smiled regretfully. “I'm afraid a lot of people have that misconception.”

“But isn't that what real religion is? Obeying God?”

“Yes, in one sense. But you can't truly obey God if you don't believe in Him first.”

Griffin squeezed up his eyes and looked that one over. “Yup Reckon that's right.”

“And you do believe in God, don't you?”

“Of course.” It was almost insulting that the preacher would ask.

“How could anyone not believe in God?” Even the miners who used to come to town Saturday night and shoot up the saloons believed there was a God. They just weren't acquainted with Him.

“And do you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior? That He died for your sins?”

“Well… sure.”

Pastor Benton looked as happy as a pup with a hock bone. “What about Justin? I'm delighted that you've been bringing your nephew to church and Sunday school. Do you think he knows the Lord?”

Griffin puzzled over that one. “Well…” He had no answer.

“Griffin, since you're responsible for Justin now, it's your duty to
consider his spiritual education.”

“Ah…” Griffin wasn't quite sure what that meant. “We pray before we eat.”

“That's good. Have you talked to him about God and sin and right and wrong?”

“Maybe some. Right and wrong, I mean.” Griffin winced and glanced toward the kitchen. “Justin was in some trouble back in Pennsylvania.”

“I see. And his mother hopes he'll behave better out here?”

Griffin scratched his chin through his beard. “I'm not really sure what she hopes. Sometimes I think she just doesn't want to hear if he gets into any more scrapes.”

“So she's transferred her obligations as a parent to you.”

That didn't sound very complimentary of his sister. “Evelyn was having a hard time after her husband died, and she's got other young'uns to consider.”

The pastor nodded gravely. “I want you to know that I'm praying for you, and I'll be here to help you in any way that I can.”

“Well, Justin likes you. That's good. Oh, and if he asks you about the Indians…”

Phineas Benton's eyebrows rose. “Indians?”

“Yeah. Whether reservations are right or wrong and such.”

“Ah. I see the boy is a thinker.”

“You might say that.”

“Well, as I said, I'm here to assist you anytime you need it.”

“Good. I appreciate that. And if you hear about Justin sneaking into the Nugget or smoking behind the schoolhouse, or anything like that, you tell me, all right?”

“I surely will, but it's my hope that you won't have to deal with such things.”

“Oh, I've already dealt with one of them.”

The pastor's eyes flared, but Mrs. Benton and Justin came in from the kitchen just then.

“There, the dishes are all clean until the next meal,” Apphia said with a bright smile. “Justin was a big help.”

“That's wonderful,” said the pastor.

The boy plopped down on a chair. “Reverend, I heard that they don't let Mormons vote in Idaho Territory. What do you think of that?”

The glance Benton threw at Griffin was near panicky. Griffin almost laughed.

On Monday morning, Vashti bundled up and walked over to the Bentons' house. She didn't go to the door but walked around back in the crunchy snow, to the stable behind the house. She came every morning that Bitsy didn't need her help. Augie had rigged up a little box stove so she could have some heat while she practiced her driving. She didn't like to burn much fuel, as firewood and coal were expensive. But Bitsy said it was an investment in her future and a better job, so she kept coming.

She rolled the door open and jumped back. Three figures huddled together on the board floor near the stove. Cautiously, she poked her head back inside and eyed the young men critically.

“What are you boys doing here?”

“Uh…” Ben Nash stared at her, clearly groping for a believable explanation.

Justin, on the other hand, just looked at her with his jaw set in a determined frown.

Will Ingram spoke up. “We're meeting here for a clubhouse, ma'am.”

“A clubhouse?” Vashti focused on Will. “Shouldn't you be in school?”

“I ain't going anymore. Justin doesn't go to school, and he's my age, so I told my pa I'd had enough learning.”

“Oh really.” She turned her gaze on Justin. No sense blaming him. It wasn't his fault that Griffin hadn't enrolled him in school.

“How about you, Ben? Has your father let you quit school, too?”

“Uh… no, ma'am. I just ran over here on recess, and…” He trailed off, his face flushing.

“Mighty long recess.” Vashti stepped forward and closed the rolling door, then held her hands to the stove. “Thanks for making
my fire up for me. What are you doing?”

“Uh…” Ben seemed to be stuck on that syllable. It didn't matter. She'd seen them shove cards and coins into their pockets when she'd arrived.

“Well, let me tell you something,” she said, looking around sternly at the three. “Mr. and Mrs. Benton are friends of mine. They let me use this stable to practice my driving.” She nodded toward the rig hanging from the rafters and the reins threaded from it to her wagon seat. “I'm pretty sure they wouldn't like it if someone else came in here without their permission. Especially not if those people were doing something they would consider immoral.”

“Like what?” Will asked with a smirk.

“Oh, like drinking, or smoking, or… gambling.”

“Huh. You should talk.”

Vashti glared at him. “I beg your pardon.”

Justin whirled on Will. “Hey, quit that. She's a nice lady. And she works for my uncle.”

Will scowled at Vashti. “Well, I've had enough for today, anyhow. You kids need to grow up.” He walked to the door and let himself out.

Ben gulped and edged toward the gap. “I'd best get back to the schoolhouse.”

“Yes, I'm sure Miss Fennel wonders what's keeping you,” Vashti said.

Ben scooted out. She turned to face Justin.

“Well now, it's just you and me. How'd you come to be trespassing with them?”

Justin gulped. “Are you going to tell Uncle Griff?”

“Should I?”

“No, ma'am. Because it will never happen again.”

“Here? Or anyplace?”

Justin was silent for a long moment, holding her gaze.

“You know your uncle cares about you, Justin. He wants to see you grow into a responsible man.”

Justin's chin sank, and he lowered his gaze. “I don't want to make him mad.”

Vashti considered that. Was he afraid Griffin would punish him harshly? At last she said, “Griffin treats you all right, doesn't he?”

“Yes, ma'am. And I don't want to make him sorry that he took me in.”

“Then you shouldn't sneak around places you shouldn't be, doing things you know you shouldn't do.”

Slowly Justin nodded. “I know that's right. And I'm sorry I did it. I'm sorry Ben got involved, too. He's a good kid, and his dad would be really upset if he found out Ben skipped school.”

Vashti walked over to the wagon seat and climbed onto it. She found it very important that Griffin should succeed as a father and that Justin shouldn't go astray. But would he listen to her?

“This is a very small town, Justin. Ben's father sees most of the residents several times a week. If you don't think that one of them—or Ben's younger brother or the teacher—will tell him Ben wasn't in school this morning, then you underestimate the power of the wagging tongues in a small town.”

He stood still, staring at the floor for a minute.

“Where's your uncle this morning?” Vashti asked.

“He had to drive down to the swing station to pick up a wagonload of oats. I wanted to go, but…”

“But what?”

He flicked a glance at her. “He told me to stay and clean up the barn.”

“Did you do it?”

“Partly.”

“Hmm. Do you wish you were in school with Ben and his brother?”

Justin shrugged. “I don't mind being done with it. I like helping at the livery. Didn't think I would, but I sort of do, now that I'm not afraid of the horses anymore.”

She untied the reins and laced them through her fingers. “Let me ask you something. How do think Griffin will feel if he comes home this afternoon and you haven't done the work he set you?”

“Disappointed, I guess.”

“Now imagine him coming home and finding the livery all
cleaned up, even neater than he asked you to make it. How would he feel then?”

Justin pressed his lips together. “Good, I guess.”

“Mmm. And you'd feel good, too. Griffin's not a hard man, Justin. I thought he was at first, but I was wrong. He's got a big heart, and he's got a soft spot for you.”

He took two steps toward her and looked her in the eye. “I didn't mean to do anything bad today.”

“Maybe you should tell Mr. and Mrs. Benton that.”

He sucked in a breath. “Do they have to know?”

“The way I see it, if you don't tell them and I don't tell them, and then their stable burns down or they find something broken or missing from here, that wouldn't be good, would it?”

“I won't come back. Honest.”

“No, but Will might. If not here, then somebody else's barn where they don't go very often. Will's a kid who has a nose for trouble. You don't want to be like him, Justin.” She looked him up and down. “I think you want to be a man, not a brat of a kid that folks hate to see coming.”

“Is that what people think of Will?”

“I didn't say that.”

Justin stood frowning for a moment, then went over near the stove and picked up his hat. “I guess that was your wood we burned.” “I'll make good use of what heat's left.”

He nodded and went to the door. “If you're going to tell Uncle Griff…”

Vashti smiled. “Why don't you just make things so that it won't matter whether I tell him or not?”

He eyed her suspiciously, then gave a nod and went out. He rolled the door shut behind him.

Vashti laid down the reins and hurried to the entrance. She pushed the door over an inch and squinted through the crack. Justin walked to the back door of the pastor's house and knocked. Mrs. Benton opened the door and greeted him with a wide smile. Vashti pushed the door shut and went back to her imaginary stagecoach, sending up a prayer for Griffin and Justin. Even if Griffin didn't like her, she wanted to see that family turn out all right.

CHAPTER 16

S
pring came slowly to Fergus, a gradual shrinking of the snow and a hint of red on the ends of branches as buds swelled. Mud the length of Main Street heralded the thaw, and suddenly ranchers were putting their wagon boxes back on the axles and leaving the sleigh runners in the barn.

As the bare earth appeared, ground squirrels came out, and large flocks of birds winged overhead. Vashti spent more time in the Wells Fargo office, selling tickets for the stagecoaches to the flat regions and telling folks who wanted a ride up to Silver City or Delamar that they'd have to wait a little longer.