Friendship

by Suzanne                               

Heath discovers understanding, compassion, and friendship where he expected only scorn and rejection.

 "Boys, before you leave the table, your sister has some very interesting news to share with you."

Victoria Barkley addressed her three sons from her position at the head of the table.  

All three men looked at Audra expectantly.  

"Thank you, Mother," she began. "If you will all remember, Mother and I told you several weeks ago that we were joining the new woman's club here in Stockton, the Stockton Ladies' Literary Society."  

"Oh, yeah, that," muttered Nick to Heath, "a fancy name for a hen party, if you ask me." Heath just grinned, while Victoria and Jarrod glared at him.  

"Continue, Audra, dear. There will be no more interruptions," Victoria promised.  

"Yes, little sister. I, for one, am all ears," said Jarrod.  

"Well, at yesterday's meeting the chairman read a letter from the General Federation of Women's Clubs about a new program called a "traveling library"." 

"Well, now I have heard of everything," interrupted Nick. He was immediately silenced by a look from his mother.  

"As I said, a traveling library. It's a way that small communities, such as farming towns and mining camps, can share books. The books are shipped to each town in turn by the railroad. That way there is a constant supply of new books, but there is no need to buy copies of every book for every town."  

"Well, Audra, that sounds like a splendid idea to me," remarked Jarrod. "I suppose you're about to tell us that such libraries are going to be established here, and that you would like us to contribute to the cause."  

"Yes, Mister Smarty Pants. That's just what I was about to tell you. But I was also going to tell you that I volunteered to be head of the traveling library committee. The first thing to do is to organize a drive to collect used books from the people around Stockton."  

"I told Audra that I was sure that you had some books you could contribute to get the drive started, Jarrod," added Victoria.  

"Well, young lady, I would just like to say that I am very proud of you for taking on this responsibility. It is important for the Barkleys to uphold the American tradition of community service. And I would be proud to be the first to contribute to the cause."  

"Now hold on just a minute," demanded Nick. "You're trying to tell us that books are going to be shipped to mining camps? What for? Most of those men can't read anyway, and those who can aren't interested. They have other ways of spending their free time. Reading isn't exactly their favorite form of recreation. You know what the people in those camps are like."  

"Well, Nick, I think that Heath would know more about it than you would," retorted Audra.

"What do you think, Heath? Would the people living in mining camps have any interest in a traveling library?"  

"Well," responded Heath slowly, "I don't rightly know, but I reckon it kind of depends on the kind of books that would be sent."  

"Oh, come on Heath!" shouted Nick. "You know what those people are like! The last thing any of them is interested in is reading."  

Nick looked around, puzzled by the sudden silence which had fallen on the table. Heath stared down at his plate as though the few remains of his breakfast had suddenly taken on a cosmic significance. After several moments of strained silence, he addressed his brother without raising his head.  

"Uh, yeah, Nick, I reckon I do know what they are like, seein' as how I was one of those people not so long ago," answered Heath calmly.  

"You! Not you .. well, I didn't mean ...  I mean, you were different ... you were just a kid," muttered Nick.  

"I don't reckon I was all that different. The only books we had to read when I was growing up were the Bible and a couple of old books the school threw away. I remember one was about King Arthur and his knights and the other was about Robin Hood. My mother would read me stories from them sometimes, when she wasn't too tired from work. Then when I got old enough, I'd read them to myself. I even kind of made up stories in my own head, like I was one of those knights or one of Robin Hood's men. That way, I could pretend that I was someplace besides Strawberry, and somebody besides, ... well, .... besides who I was." There was silence around the table. Heath seemed very interested in the arrangement of food on his plate. Nick reached over and squeezed his arm without saying anything.  

Heath looked up. "I reckon books for kids would be the most important. Kind of give them the idea that there's more to the world than just the camps. Wouldn't hurt for some of the older people to get the same idea, too."  

"Well, when you put it like that," Nick put in, "I guess I'd have to agree with you. Books can be pretty important when you're a kid. In fact, I seem to remember that you, Jarrod, had a fondness for playing King Arthur and his knights, too. And it also seems to me that you always had to play the part of King Arthur." He glared at Jarrod across the table.  

"Hold on just a minute, little brother," responded Jarrod. "It seems to me that I wasn't left much choice since you insisted on the role of the Black Knight."  

"Boys, that will be enough," said Victoria lightly.  

"Jarrod interrupted me before I could finish," exclaimed Audra. "Children's books will be included in the library, lots of them. But we already know what kinds of books to send for the children, and for the women, too. What we need are recommendations of books for the men.

What kind of books do you think that the men would like to read, Heath?"  

"Well, beggin' your pardon Jarrod, but I don't think that too many of them fancy books you got in your library would be all that interestin'. Some of the adventure stories, but none of those essays or poetry books. I've looked at a couple of them, and, boy howdy, I couldn't make head nor tail of 'em."  

"So, Heath, you think that adventure stories would be read by the miners?", asked Victoria.

"What other genres of literature do you imagine would attract their interest?"

Heath stared at her blankly.  

"Would you say biographies of famous men, for example? Or some of those new mysteries that Mr. Poe is writing? Or perhaps some of the lighter novels of Mr. Dickens?" suggested Victoria.  

"Well, yes, just about anything that has a good story to it," answered Heath.  

"I think I can find a few of those, little brother," smiled Jarrod. "I suggest that we start in the old nursery."  

"Oh, yes, that's a fine idea," agreed Audra. "There are some wonderful books in there. Why, there are some collections of nursery rhymes, and those books of fairy tales."  

"And it seems to me that I recall reading  "Pilgrim's Progress" and "Gulliver's Travels" as I got too old for those books", added Jarrod.  

"Hey, don't forget Robinson Crusoe," exclaimed Nick. He turned to Heath, "It's a great story about a man marooned on a desert island. He gets to fight head hunters. You'll have to read when you get the chance."  

"Sounds good to me," replied Heath.  

"Don't forget Robert Louis Stevenson," added Jarrod, "and Rudyard Kipling. Do you like Kipling, Heath?"  

"Well, I don't rightly know," drawled Heath, "I've never kippled."  

There was silence for a moment, then laughter as the rest of the family saw the corner of his mouth twitch in a sly grin.  

"I still say that it's a waste of time and paper to send books up to those camps for the miners to read, " insisted Nick, "But you've convinced me about the kids' books."  

"I'll change you're mind about the adults, too. " said Audra. "For now, I'll settle for your help with the children's books. When can we bring them down?"  

Well, there's no time like the present," declared Nick, "What say we head upstairs right now?"  

The others agreed and rose from the table.   

"Don't be too long about it," said Victoria. "We don't want to be late for church."  

"No, Mother, I just want the boys to help bring the books down here. We can sort them this evening," replied Audra.   

The four of them left the dining room and started up the stairs, Audra leading the way. She spoke over her shoulder.  

"Oh, I forgot to mention, I'll also be needing help with the arrangements for a special bazaar that we're going to hold to raise money for the library. We'll need to buy the cases for the books, and probably some more books for the adults."

"If that doesn't just beat all!!" said Nick, coming to a halt on the landing. "You know neither Heath nor I can spare the time from the ranch. And I'm not about to give up my free time to waste it on raising money that's just going to go to be thrown away on people who won't appreciate it. Don't think that you can sweet talk me into giving any of the hands the time off to help you either."

"Now, Nick. Don't you think you're being just the slightest bit judgmental?" asked Jarrod. "After all, who's to say how the miners will react? Think of it as an experiment. It will be interesting to see exactly what does happen."  

Turning to Audra, he added, "While I won't be able to offer you much in terms of time, you can count on me for any reasonable financial assistance."  

"Thank you, Jarrod," said Audra gratefully.  

"I guess I can spare a few hours on my day off, if you can use me," murmured Heath, avoiding Nick's eye.  

"Trying to make me look bad, are you?" grumbled Nick to the other two men. "Fine. I still say it's a waste of time, but I guess the Barkleys have to stick together. Just let me know what you want me to do." Audra smiled at him. "But that's it, do you understand?! Don't even ask me about the ranch hands!"  

"Of course not, Nick. I wouldn't dream of it," Audra replied, smiling.  

They continued on up to the nursery. 

*************************

The sun was nearing the horizon as Audra stopped the wagon in front of the Barkley house.

There were half a dozen boxes in the back of the buckboard, filled with books and magazines. She jumped down and ran into the house, calling "Is anyone home?" 

Male voices responded from the direction of the study, "We're in here." She ran through the house to find Nick and Heath playing pool together.  

"I need some big, strong men to move some more boxes of books into the barn," she said coyly.  

Nick sighed and put down the pool cue. "I guess that means me," he said.  

"I guess it does, BIG brother," responded Heath with a sly grin.  

They both laughed, and followed Audra out to the wagon. After the books had been safely stored with the others she had collected in the past week, they all went in to get ready for dinner.  On the way into the house, Audra began to chatter excitedly, "I can't wait to tell everyone! The bazaar is going to be such a success. Nearly everyone that I've asked has agreed to help. It's just so wonderful!"  

"Why don't you save it until we're all together?" asked Nick. "That way you'll only have to tell it once." 

"You'll only have to hear it once, you mean," retorted Audra. "Alright, I will." She stuck her nose in the air and pretended to be offended. However, her high spirits soon won out and she challenged the two men to a race, springing ahead just before she issued the challenge.  

They arrived at the house breathless and laughing. Victoria met them as they entered the house.  

"It's good to see you three in such good spirits," she remarked, smiling.  

"Oh, Mother! Wait until I tell you! The bazaar is going to be the best ever!" exclaimed Audra. "But I've promised Nick that I won't say any more until we are all at the table."  

"In that case, you had better all hurry and get cleaned up. Silas has dinner ready as soon as we sit down. Jarrod is waiting in the study."  

The three of hurried upstairs to wash and change work-stained clothes. They entered the dining room at almost the same time and took their accustomed seats. After the food had been served, Victoria turned to Audra.  

"Young lady, it is obvious that you are not going to be able to eat a thing until you tell us your news, so why don't you do so now?"  

"Oh, yes! Thank you, Mother. Well, first I went to talk to Mrs. Simpson, the chairman of the Literary Society. When I told her what I want to do, she said that instead of a bazaar we should hold a kermis." Audra stopped and waited for someone to ask her to define kermis. Nick looked bored, Heath looked embarrassed, and Jarrod looked smug.  

"For those of you who don't know," began Jarrod, "a kermis is a fair held for charitable purposes.

If more people in this house read the newspaper, Audra and I wouldn't be the only two who would know that. And you, of course, Mother." Victoria inclined her head at the compliment.  

"I should have known you would know," sighed Audra. "Anyway, the kermis is going to be held a week from Saturday, beginning at three o'clock in the afternoon, and will have activities for the whole family. The ladies of the Literary Society have agreed to bake pies and donuts to sell, and they are going to hold a cake walk and sell lemonade. Sally and Susie Johnson are going to organize the games for the children. Mr. McCleod from the general store is going to sell sarsaparilla and cider and promised to donate the profits. And Mr. Martin at the saloon said that he will do the same for beer."  

"You got Martin to agree to donate his profits?" Nick asked in shock. "And just how did you get the old tightwad to do that?"  

"Why, it was no trouble at all. I just asked very politely and smiled nicely, the way I always do." Audra gave Nick the same smile.  

"I'll just bet you did," he muttered.  

"Some of the other girls are going to have booths selling penwipers and slippers and hand-painted china. And Charlie Hansen promised to be in charge of the horseshoe pitching contest."  

"Old Charlie?! Old Charlie Hansen is going to get up off that chair in front of the general store and ride all the way out here?" Nick looked even more astounded. "That must have been some smile!"  

Audra ignored him. "The broadsides are ready at the newspaper office. I'm going in tomorrow to post them around town, and I'd appreciate it if one of you could accompany me."  

"I'd be glad to, sis," responded Heath quickly. "I have some business in town anyway."  

"And feel free to call on me at my office," added Jarrod. "If I can spare the time, I certainly will."  

"Now, I just need you three to organize one game or contest each, and everything will be set." Audra smiled beguilingly at each of them.  

Nick just stared at her without saying anything. Heath stared at his plate without saying anything. Jarrod leaned back and smiled.  

"Well, since neither of my brothers seems inclined to state a preference, little sister," he said, "I guess I'll just volunteer right now to be responsible for the horse race. The sport of kings, you know."  

"Oh, you would volunteer for that, wouldn't you, Pappy," muttered Nick. "You don't actually have to do anything except mark off the course and collect the entry fee. Then stand there and watch while the riders do all the work."  

Jarrod bristled, but before he could comment, Victoria interrupted. "Nick, you had the same chance to volunteer. I suggest you stop sulking and begin thinking about a contest that you can organize. Now, let's eat our dinner."  

They all ate in silence for several minutes. Suddenly, Nick began to smile and nod his head.

"Alright, Audra. I will organize a contest, but I won't tell you what it is. You'll all just have to wait and see. But I want both Heath and Jarrod to promise right now that they will participate in anything I design." He glared at Jarrod.  

Jarrod smiled and nodded. "Whatever you say, brother Nick." Heath just nodded his consent and continued to eat.  

"That's good, big brother, that's real good," responded Nick. "Just be sure not to wear your best suit that day." He refused to explain what he meant by that statement.  

After the meal was finished, all but Victoria rose to leave. She held up a hand to stop them.

"Heath, I need to speak to you for a moment. The rest of you go on into the living room and have coffee. Don't wait for us; we will join you shortly." Audra and the two men filed out. Heath sat back down in his chair, hunched and anxious.  

Victoria stared at her newest and, in so many ways, youngest child. She sighed deeply. "Heath, I am going to speak frankly. I hope that my bluntness won't hurt or embarrass you. However, I cannot think of any other way to address the issue, and I have learned that you are unlikely to speak openly of these things." She paused. Heath sat very still and stared straight ahead of him at a small spot of gravy on the tablecloth.'  

"Have you ever been to a bazaar or a fair or a kermis?" She asked and then waited for him to respond. After an uncomfortable interval, he shook his head. "I thought not. So, do you have any idea of the kind of contest that Audra wants you to plan?" Again, he shook his head, after a much shorter interval this time. "Well, it shouldn't be too difficult for you. These are all games of skill or speed or endurance or strength. You heard Jarrod say that he is organizing the horse race; Charlie Hansen is in charge of the horseshoe pitching contest. Heaven alone knows what Nick is planning." She paused again and sighed. Then she spoke briskly, "I am quite certain that knowing the guidelines you will be able to think of something appropriate. Just remember that many of the men competing will be from the town." She stopped.

Heath was smiling wryly to himself.

He looked over at her. "A game of skill? And this is to raise money for a good cause, isn't it?" He smiled much too innocently.  

"No, Heath. You may not organize a poker game. Not even for a good cause. The ladies would be scandalized. Besides, I doubt that any Stockton native would agree to play with you, no matter what the reason." She smiled at him in relief. "Shall we join the others?"  

************************

Audra was up at sunrise on the day of the kermis. She rushed her brothers through breakfast and hurried them down to the pasture where the fair was being held. There they met townsfolk and Barkley ranch hands who were there to set up the stalls, booths, contests, and games. They had barely finished their work when the ladies and others arrived to set up their goods in the booths and stalls provided. The young ladies in charge of the children's games set stacks of potato sacks and hanks of rope along one edge of a large clear grassy space. Jarrod had roped off a long section of the road that ran along the southern end of the pasture for a race track.  

Heath rode out to the entrance to the ranch and set up a large placard that read in large red letters "Kermis to Benefit the Library Today Three O'Clock until Six O'Clock; Admission Free. Bring the Family." In smaller print at the bottom was the announcement, "Dance Tonight from Eight O'Clock until Midnight; Admission One Book or Fifty Cents per Person." Written around the sides at different angles in bright colors were the various events and items for sale at the kermis.  

He also closed and locked the entrance gate to prevent any guests from entering the grounds before the appointed time.  

After doing his share to set up the booths, Nick had disappeared toward the southwestern end of the pasture. He had steadfastly refused to answer any questions about his contest, and merely repeated that Jarrod shouldn't wear any of his good clothes to the kermis. The family had eventually stopped asking him, knowing that once he had made up his mind it would not be changed.  

Heath had been even more closed mouthed than Nick. Other than assuring Audra that he had planned and event, he refused to say more. He also disappeared after having done all he could to help with the setting up.  

Just about noon, the last booth was erected. Audra called everyone to the center of the field and thanked them for all of their help and hard work over the past ten days. Just as she was finishing, Victoria drove up in the buckboard.   

"I want to add my thanks to Audra's for your all helping to make this event the success I know it will be," she began. "If it were possible to accommodate all of you, I would invite you up to the house for lunch. Since it is not, I have brought lunch to you." She indicated the rear of the wagon, which was filled with boxes holding sandwiches, cold fried chicken, fruit, and jugs of ginger beer and lemonade. "Please help yourselves to as much as you want. I'm afraid you'll have to find seats on the ground, but there are napkins, utensils, and tin cups in the wagon as well."  

The workers crowded around and handed out the food and drink, then moved off in small groups to eat and talk. Victoria turned to Audra and Jarrod.  

"Where are Nick and Heath?" she asked.  

"I don't know, Mother. I haven't seen either of them for some time. I suppose they are both doing whatever they need to for their contests." Audra smiled brightly at her mother. "Thank you so much for thinking of this. It would have been so ungrateful of me to have sent them away with no reward other than my thanks. I should have thought of it."  

"Now, dear. Don't be silly. You have done so much in this past week to organize all of this, it would be unreasonable to expect you to remember every detail." She hugged her daughter. "Shall we take some sandwiches and find a place to eat?"  

"Yes, little sister. You have done a wonderful job," added Jarrod. "All of the success of this event will be due to your planning and hard work."  

Just as the three of them were preparing to sit down, they saw Heath and Nick approaching from opposite sides of the far end of the field. They waved to the men, and waited for them to reach the wagon. Both were grinning widely, and both were slightly damp around the wrists and ankles.  

"I'm not even going to ask where you were," pouted Audra, "I'm just glad you got here in time to eat." The two men grabbed some food for themselves, and the five of them found a place to sit and eat their lunch in the shade of a large tree.  

"Audra," began Nick, "I've been meaning to ask you a favor. I'd like my contest to be the last one held."  

"Oh, I'm sorry, Nick. I already promised Heath that his could be last. But, yours could be the next-to-the last, just before his, if that will do."  

Nick glared at Heath, who managed to look both innocent and guilty at the same time. "I guess it'll have to do. First Jarrod beats me to the horse race, now Heath took the time that I wanted."  

"You'll just have to learn to stop dragging your feet when it comes to volunteering," responded Jarrod.  

Nick muttered, "Just you want until this afternoon, Pappy, just you wait."  

At ten minutes to three, Heath rode out to open the entrance gate, only to find a large crowd of people already gathered. He opened the gate and they poured through, following the main road down to the pasture. He followed them, leaving the gate open for others who would come later.  

By a quarter after three, the pasture was a hive of activity as townspeople and ranch hands from the Barkley and other ranches in the area greeted each other, haggled over wares, and began to buy food and drink. More than one cowboy bought and ate an entire pie by himself. Two young women were leading the children in three-legged races, sack races, and other games. Parents and siblings were cheering the winners and comforting the losers.  

Heath and Nick wandered around the area, watching for any trouble and offering any needed assistance. Heath stopped at the booth where three older teenaged girls were selling hand-painted china.  

"I think this is real nice of you girls to help out this way," he said to them.  

They all giggled and blushed in reply. The most daring simpered, "Oh, Mr. Barkley. You do say the nicest things." She looked up at him demurely.  

Heath coughed slightly and looked around. "Oh, uh, I ... uh, I hear my brother calling me." He hurried away across the pasture.  

Behind him, the girls giggled once more. The daring one sighed expressively. "He's so handsome. And so rich."  

One of the others replied, "Yeah. It's just too bad he's ... well, you know .... My ma says blood will always tell."  

The three nodded and attempted to look worldly-wise and doleful, but only succeeded in looking vapid and foolish. They were so intent on following his progress across the field that their next customer had to speak to them three times.  

Heath caught up with Nick just as  Jarrod announced the men's three-legged race. Nick clapped Heath on the back and said, "What say you and I enter that race? Show 'em what the Barkley men can do when they stick together."  

Heath stammered, "Uh, well ... I don't know ..."  

"What's the matter, boy? Think I'm not good enough to race with you? Think I'll hold you back?"  

"Uh, no, that's not it, Nick. Fact is, I've never been in one of these whatever races. I can't recall that I've ever even seen one."  

"You've never been in a three-legged race! You don't know what you've been missing!" exclaimed Nick loudly. "Consider yourself lucky that you get to learn from a master."  

"Three-legged race, huh?" Heath glanced down swiftly then back up. It couldn't mean that.  

"Allow me to enlighten you." Nick  herded Heath over to the games area where the children had been competing earlier, explaining the concept as they walked. They arrived too late for the first heat, but were in line for the second. Heath watched the first group of racers intently.  

"That don't look too hard," he said.  

"No, it's not hard," assured Nick. "Just follow my lead and do what I tell you! Now, remember, there will be five heats, then the winners of each of those compete in the final round for champion team. And that team will be you and me, little brother."  

Heath smiled broadly. How hard could it be?  

Jarrod tied Nick's left leg to Heath's right, making certain that the rawhide string wasn't too tight. They lined up with the rest of the teams at the starting line.  

"Remember," muttered Nick. "Follow my lead. Whatever leg I move, you move the opposite one.  If you feel me pull with my left leg, you step forward on your right leg. Got that?"  

"Yep. I learned to walk some time ago, Nick. And I was always real good at tellin' my left from my right," whispered Heath in return. Nick shot him a glance, but was prevent from replying by the starter's pistol.  

A crowd gathered around, clapping and cheering. The other teams had moved several paces from the starting line, but Nick and Heath, although both were rocking forward and back, were standing in the same place.   

"I'm moving my left leg, you move your right," bellowed Nick.  

"That is my right," shouted Heath nearly as loudly.   

"Your other right, then," replied Nick, even more loudly if possible.  

They managed to move their middle "leg" forward one pace.   

"Now the right leg," directed Nick, intending for Heath to move the opposite leg. He lifted his right leg and thrust it forward in order to take a step. Unfortunately, Heath also attempted to lift his right leg, pulling Nick off balance. They both flailed their arms wildly about, as they slowly tilted in one direction and then the other, Nick hollering all the while. They managed to regain their balance as they fell forward, but with all four feet finally on the ground. By this time, most of the crowd was paying more attention to the two Barkley men who were stuck at the starting line than they were to the actual race. Male voices shouted encouragement and directions, to the accompaniment of loud laughter.   

"Lift your right leg."   

"No, no, your left leg."  

"Stand still! Stop moving about!"  

"Shift your weight! That's it, rock back and forth. That'll do it."  

They were now standing perfectly still, having advanced one step. Nick shoved his face up to Heath's, "Alright. Now, here's what we're going to do. I'll call out right or left. You move that leg. I'll be the one who moves the opposite one. Got it?"  

Heath glared back at Nick and nodded tightly.   

"Here we go. Right leg." Heath moved his right leg forward. Unfortunately, so did Nick. They were once again flailing about widely, pulling each other off balance.  Heath was shouting, "It ain't so easy, is it!" This time they were not as lucky. The ground, although relatively smooth, was a pasture, after all. As Nick attempted to place his right leg back on the ground to gain stability, he stepped in a small depression. It was almost overgrown with grass, and so was invisible to the eye, but was deep enough to cause Nick to tip farther in that direction than he had planned.  Nick began to fall to the right, pulling Heath along with him. Although it was obvious that a fall was inevitable, the two men fought to remain upright, catching at the air for support. They continued their slow slide to the ground as Nick's right leg buckled from Heath's added weight. His boot slipped on the crushed grass, and he went down with Heath on top of him.

Victoria and Audra ran to the two men. Nick could be heard shouting, "Get off of me! Let me up!" and other assorted colorful phrases, while both he and Heath rolled around on the ground, trying to get both feet under them. Since they had two of their legs tied together, this was next to impossible. Each man would get his outside foot firmly against the ground, then try to push up using his hands and just the one foot. The other man would be trying the same thing, but not at the same time. Down they would go again, Heath on top of Nick or Nick on top of Heath.   

Victoria and Audra reached them. "Nicholas," shouted Victoria, demonstrating that Nick had come by his vocal powers honestly. "This is a family gathering. I will not have such language." There was instant silence. "Audra, we must untie their legs," instructed Victoria. However, the men were lying face down, so that they could not reach the knot to untie it.  

"Does anyone have a knife?" asked Victoria. Several pocket knives were offered. She accepted one at random, and cut through the rawhide. Nick and Heath immediately rolled over on their backs, then sat up, each avoiding looking at the other.  

"We'd better get out of here," said Victoria. "They will be wanting to start the next heat."  

"Why bother?" said a voice from the crowd. "It won't be anywhere near as entertainin' as this one was." The crowd laughed. Nick glared around.  

"Who said that?" Naturally there was no reply. "If I find out who said that," he threatened, "well, whoever you are, you'd just better not work for this ranch. That's all I can say." He stood up and looked at Heath, who had remained seated. "Just don't you forget that you and I have a date later this afternoon. When I hold my contest. It'll taste mighty sweet to get my revenge on both Jarrod and you." With that, he stalked away. Victoria stared after him.

Heath stood up and walked off the race course with the two women.  

"I wonder what Nick meant by that?" puzzled Audra.  

"Oh, I wouldn't worry none," replied Heath. "Whatever he's planning, it can't be too dangerous. And, besides, he's forgettin' that my event comes after his." Heath excused himself, and sauntered over to the stand where the pies and cakes were being sold.  

At four-thirty, the contestants lined up for the horse race. None of the Barkleys were racing, having agreed that it would be more sporting not to enter their purebred stock.  

Jarrod collected the entry fees, then stood off to one side, holding the end of a rope that was tied to a tree across the road. He had marked off a roughly circular course, so that he could judge the end of the race from the same position. As soon as all of the horses were quiet, he dropped the rope. The horses sprang forward and raced down the course. Crowds on both sides cheered them on. Jarrod calmly lit a cigar, and stood back in the shade of a tree to await the end of the race.  

Nick walked over. "I see you didn't take my advice," he said, fingering Jarrod's jacket and indicating his trousers.  

"Well, this is hardly the kind of thing I would wear into court, little brother."  

"Maybe not, but before this day is over, you'll wish you'd dressed more like a cowhand than a big city lawyer at a country picnic." Jarrod just grinned at him around the cigar.  

"If you'll excuse me, brother Nick, I have a race to judge." The first horses could be seen turning the final corner. It was going to be a close race to call, and he wanted to be at the finish line in order to judge fairly.  

The first two horses flashed by, one only a nose ahead of the other. The others followed in quick succession. All pulled up a few yards ahead. Jarrod declared the winner, a young cowhand from a neighboring farm, and presented him with the winner's purse, a share of the entry money. The young man thanked Jarrod, but was quickly distracted by the young women who crowded around the hero of the moment.  

As soon as the tumult had died down, Nick shouted from the middle of the field, "There are only two events remaining. If you'll all follow me, we'll get started on the next event. The event that I planned." He paused to grin. "We'll need two teams for this event. I'll be the captain of one team, my brother Jarrod will be the captain of the other. Now, who wants to be on my team?"

No one volunteered. Finally, someone shouted, "Don't we get to know what it is we're volunteering for, Barkley?"  

"Well, if you don't have any confidence in me," Nick paused. Still no one spoke up. "All right, then. Follow me, and when we get to the contest site, if you still need an explanation, I'll give you one." Nick lead the way to the southwestern corner of the pasture.  

"Mother, do you have any idea where Nick is taking us?" asked Audra.  

"No, dear, I don't," answered Victoria, "There's nothing down there other than the stream and that field that we allowed to lie fallow this year."  

Nick was standing at the bottom of the field, on the bank of the stream that cut through the property. He was rocking back and forth on his heels, his hands in his pockets, and a large, mischievous grin on his face.   

The crowd that gathered was smaller than it had been earlier. Most families with small children had stayed only until the end of the horse race, so now it was mostly ranch hands, a dozen or so 10- to 12-year-old boys, and several of Stockton's leading families. Since the women in these families made up the Stockton Ladies' Literary Society, they felt duty bound to remain until the end. 

As soon as the crowd had quieted, Nick pointed across the stream to the empty field that had recently been plowed under. A few yards from the far bank was a large mud hole. Lying across it was a thick rope about 30 feet long with a large knot tied in the middle.  

"Any questions?" asked Nick. Heath and Jarrod looked at each other in consternation.  

"Oh, no, Nick. Oh, no," declared Victoria. "A tug-of-war is one thing, but this is carrying things too far."  

"Now, Mother, Audra just said to plan a contest. She didn't say it had to be a neat and tidy contest." Nick protested. "Besides, brother Jarrod snapped up the one contest guaranteed to keep you clean. Now, I've spent all morning hauling buckets of water up to that field and I say we put it to the use for which it was created."  

His mother threw up her hands. "Fine. You go ahead and do what you want to. You will anyway."  

"Could I talk you into giving the starting signal?" he asked, sheepishly.  

"Oh, all right. Anything to get this filthy mess over with as soon as possible."  

"All right, men" shouted Nick, waving his arms for attention. "You heard me say that there will be two teams, one headed by my two brothers there, and one headed by me. Now, we want to win this contest fair and square," he paused as cheers erupted, "so choose your teams, but don't everyone try to choose mine. Those who want to participate, follow me to the other side of the stream. Spectators should stay here, where it's nice and clean and dry."  

He carefully laid his vest and hat on the grass under a tree. The other men followed suit, removing coats, vests, and hats. Jarrod laid his coat on the pile, and shook his head as he looked down at his trousers. Nick shouted at him, "Told you not to wear anything you'd be afraid to get dirty, big brother. But maybe that's all you have in your wardrobe." Jarrod gave him a look that prosecuting attorneys had learned to dread.   

Nick led the way across the small footbridge and took up a position on the south side of the mud hole. Jarrod and Heath stood on the opposite side. Men began to line up, forming two teams. The three brothers were equally admired in the community, if for different reasons, so two teams of equal size and strength were quickly formed without undue disturbance.  

Nick and Heath took the lead positions on their teams, with Jarrod just behind Heath. Each had placed the largest man on the team at the end to act as anchor and attempted to distribute weight and muscle evenly along the line. As Nick and Heath picked up the rough sisal rope, and the men followed their example, Heath spoke quietly over his shoulder to Jarrod, "Now I know why Nick always wears those gloves."  

"And why is that?" asked Jarrod.  

"'Cause he never knows when he'll have to join in an emergency tug-of-war." Heath could not see Jarrod's grin, but he heard him chuckle.  

Nick shouted across at them, "Are you two ready to begin, or do you want to stand there and chat all day?"  

"Ready when you are," replied Heath as he set himself against the rope.  

Victoria walked across just to the other side of the bridge. She shouted, "Ready. Set. GO!"  

The men began to pull. At first neither side appeared to have an advantage. On both teams, men were straining to the utmost, muscles bulging under their shirts, legs firmly planted against the ground, faces set in fierce concentration. Then Nick's team moved slowly forward, only an inch or two, but enough.  

He shouted to his team, and they increased their efforts. Where they found the strength was not clear, but the forward movement ceased. Nick dug his heels into the soft earth and pulled back with all his weight. Ever so slowly they regained the ground that they had lost, and very gradually began to pull Heath and Jarrod's team forward. One inch, then two, and Jarrod shouted encouragement to his men. Miraculously, they stopped moving. But they were unable to move backward; they stayed poised on the edge of the mud hole, only inches from defeat.  

"Dammit," muttered Heath.  

"What is it?" asked Jarrod.  

"My hands are slipping," he said. "Guess I shouldn't have made fun of Nick's gloves."  

"You and me both, brother," responded Jarrod. "But if we have to go down, let's at least go down fighting." He shouted to the men, "Give it all you've got." With a grunt collective grunt, they threw themselves into the contest and heaved on the rope. For all that, they only managed to move back half of the way. And they all knew that they could not repeat that performance.  

Nick shouted, "That's done it, men! Now it's our turn." This time the grunt and heave came from the other side of the mud hole. It did not seem to have any effect, until suddenly, the entire team on the other side gave way and fell forward into the mud, burying Heath and Jarrod underneath.  Men were rolling, scrambling, slipping in the mud. After several minutes, all of the men had crawled out onto dry ground, cursing and laughing as they did so. Both Heath and Jarrod were completely coated in mud, as though they had been rolled over and over in it, which they probably had been. Nick was laughing so hard that he couldn't speak. He just kept pointing at Jarrod and shouting, "Country picnic."   

Jarrod made no reply, other than to try to wipe the worst of the mud off of his face. Heath headed down to the stream and fell face forward into the water. Jarrod watched him, then followed his example. After they washed the mud off of their hands, they both noticed that their palms were scrapped and bleeding from the rough rope. The cold water took out some of the sting, but it would be days before the skin grew back.  

Jarrod remarked, "No, we shouldn't have made fun of Nick's gloves."  

Heath answered, "Oh, well. They'll heal. They always do."  

Nick walked across the bridge to the other side of the stream, still laughing and holding his sides.  

Victoria stood with Audra and a group of Stockton ladies. "Where will this end?" she murmured, as Nick reached her.  

************************

People began to head back to the field. Heath said something to Jarrod, who stood up and shouted, "There's one last contest, friends. My brother, Heath, here, claims that it will be the perfect foil to this debacle."  

Heath blushed and muttered, "I never said any such thing."  

Jarrod replied in the same time, "No, but you should have." In a louder voice, he said, "Just follow the stream north. You'll recognize the spot when you get there. We'll meet you there."  

He, Heath, and most of the other men who had participated in the tug of war followed along the western bank of the stream, paralleling the town folk on the eastern side. The boys ran in front, eager to see what lay ahead. They came to a place where the stream dropped down a small cascade so that the banks were more than five feet above the waterline. A large log had been place securely across the stream, both ends deep in the bank on either side, but the middle of the log sitting above about three feet above the stream.  

As the people arrived, they looked puzzled and began asking if anyone knew what this might be.  Murmured "No's", and "Not me's", and "I never's" could be heard throughout the crowd. Jarrod signaled for silence and said, "Since this is Heath's idea, I'll let him explain it." As he turned aside, he whispered to Heath, "It's almost all cowhands, Heath. You give them orders every working day."   

"Thanks for nothing," responded Heath, but what Jarrod had said was true. He focused on the familiar faces in the crowd and began. "Well, I don't know how many of you have read that book about Robin Hood," he stopped as scattered cheers broke out. Some of the boys got up a mock sword fight.  

A woman standing near Victoria murmured to her daughter, "I'm surprised that he has heard of the book. It's too much to hope that he has actually read it. Or any other."  

Victoria turned. "All of my sons read, Mrs. Keller."  

Mrs. Keller's daughter, the daring girl who had tried to flirt with Heath earlier, blushed and looked at the ground. She avoided looking at either Victoria or her mother.   

Heath was continuing, "In that book, Robin Hood and Friar Tuck meet on a footbridge sort of like this one," he indicated the log. The crowed muttered agreement.  

 "And they had a fight with poles sort of like these," he picked up two cleaned saplings, each about six feet long and three inches in diameter. There was more agreement from the crowd.  

"Well, I always thought it sounded like a lot of fun." At this, the boys broke into loud cheers and whoops.  

"So, well, that's my contest. The one who falls in the water loses. And if no one minds, I'd kind of like to challenge my brother Nick to the first contest." He finished in a rush. The crowd clapped and cheered.  

Nick strode forward. "Are you sure you want me to beat you twice in one day, little brother?"   

Heath just shrugged and tossed a pole to him across the stream. Then he sat down and removed his boots. Nick did the same. They then both approached each other across the log bridge, holding the staffs horizontally across their bodies with two hands.  

Mrs. Keller whispered to her daughter, "Of course, someone like him would come up with a cockamamie idea like this."  

Victoria bristled and turned once again. "I agree, Mrs. Keller. Few men are as imaginative and inventive as my son Heath."  

Audra quietly squeezed her mother's arm and moved a little closer to her. Mrs. Keller's daughter shifted and tried to put a bit of distance between herself and her mother.  

Nick and Heath had met in the middle of the bridge and stood facing each other, swaying slightly, using the poles for balance. Heath appeared perfectly content to remain in the position indefinitely, but Nick was already shifting, looking for an opening.  

He feinted to the left, but Heath didn't respond to the gesture. Then he tried backing up a few paces, hoping that Heath would move forward and he could catch him off-balance. But Heath merely smiled his small, crooked smile, and shook his head at the obvious ploy.  Suddenly, Nick lunged forward, sweeping upward with the pole. Heath parried and pushed Nick's pole down toward the log. Nick followed the pole forward, only just regaining his balance in time to avoid going over. Heath waited, refusing to take advantage of the situation.  

"Come on," demanded Nick. "Are we just going to stand here all day?"  

"If that's what it takes," Heath answered. "It don't bother me none. I kind of like the scenery."  

"You kind of like the scenery, do you?"  

"Yep. It's kind of pretty."  

"Well, then why don't you look over there?" Nick pointed off to the north. "It's real pretty over there."  

"Oh, but then I might miss something that's right in front of my face. Like you, big brother."  

"Urrrggghh!" replied Nick, and began to attack. Heath parried his blows and returned a few of his own. Now that the fight had finally started in earnest, the crowd began to cheer and shout encouragement. Men from all ranches shouted for one or both of the brothers. Victoria and Audra alternately encouraged them both.  

That crack of wood on wood could be heard throughout the crowd. First one brother would press his advantage, then he would slip or lose his balance, and the other would have the upper hand. At one point, when it seemed that Nick would force Heath off the log any second, Mrs. Keller's daughter was heard to shot, "Oh, Heath! Be careful."  

"Ophelia! You shameless hussy!" reprimanded her mother. "Have I taught you nothing? He is not our kind."  

"No. He's a much better kind of person than she could ever hope to be," whispered Audra to her mother.  

Suddenly, it became obvious that Heath had been luring Nick into making just such an attack. As Nick pressed forward, his weight shifted forward as well and set him off-balance, so that it only took the tiniest tap of the pole on his thighs to completely upset him and toss him into the river with a loud, mighty splash.  

There was shocked silence, then an eruption of cheers from the crowd. Nick himself began to applaud Heath, "Well, done, little brother. Well done! Now, give me a hand out of here." He half stood up and grabbed the hand that Heath stretched toward him. Not entirely surprisingly, rather than allowing Heath to help him out, he pulled Heath down into the water with him.  

Heath rose sputtering. Before he could say anything, he heard raucous laughter from the bank, and recognized Jarrod's voice. Working with one mind, he and Nick moved swiftly, and suddenly there were three Barkley brothers in the stream.  

Mrs. Keller sniffed. "The hooligan! I have always said that blood will tell. And that one bad apple will spoil the whole bunch! Come, Ophelia." She grabbed her daughter and dragged her away from the stream. Ophelia looked back for as long as she could. It really was too bad about that Heath Barkley, because he really was so handsome.  

Meanwhile, several of the boys, reasoning that if grown men were doing it, it must be acceptable, had jumped, been pushed, or were pulled into the water, and had begun having mock battles with small tree branches lying on the ground. Some of the Barkley hands, resenting the fun that other ranch hands were having at their bosses' expense, had shoved the offending ones into the stream as well. And, of course, the friends of those hand has returned the favor. Soon, everyone except the women and a few of the most distinguished men were down in the water, splashing, laughing, and wrestling. It was almost impossible to distinguish the men from the boys, unless it was that the men were louder.  

Audra looked on. "Why do girls have to grow up to be women?" she wondered.  

Victoria waited until the noise had died down, then called out, "Don't forget that you all have to go home to get ready for the dance tonight! We expect to see each of you there. And bring a book for the admission fee."   

The little boys giggled and punched each other.   

"Yah, you goin' to the dance, huh?"   

"Nah, not me! I'm no sissy."  

"Wonder if they'd let me give 'em my school books?"  

The Barkley men climbed up out of the stream, and were soon followed by the others. The boys ran away home, full of pies and cakes and better memories than they had imagined.

As the Barkleys reached the pasture, they were greeted by a sight at once melancholy and desolate. The field that been filled with people laughing, eating, talking, haggling, playing was empty except for scattered remnants of the day. Piles of potato sacks and rawhide string provided reminders of fateful contests. The area was ringed with booths, bare except for a piece of broken china, smashed bits of cake, and beer and cider stains, giving it the look of a ghost town. Audra stood and stared. It all felt so anticlimactic. Was this what she had spent so many hours working for, and now it was finished, over in such a short time?  

Victoria put her arm around her daughter, "Mrs. Simpson told me that the preliminary accounting indicates that we raised more than one hundred and fifty dollars today."  

"Really, Mother? Oh, that's splendid! It's almost twice as much as we hoped for! And there's still the dance tonight," Audra beamed.  

"Would you like me to help you to write thank-you letters to all of the people who contributed?"  

"Oh, yes. I know I would forget someone or say the wrong thing without your help." They hugged each other.  

Nick broke in, "It occurs to me, that in all the excitement about getting things set up, everyone forgot that it all has to be taken down."  

"Nick, you're not going to upset me tonight," declared Audra. "It won't be nearly as much work to take it down, and it doesn't have to be done immediately. Besides, I'll just bet that you didn't forget." She smiled her special smile at him. 

He stammered, "Well, yeah. I mean, no, no I didn't. Some of the hands will be around on Monday morning to clean this up."  

"Oh, thank you, Nick," Audra hugged him. "I just knew I could count on you."  

"Yeah, well  . . .  don't make it a habit," he grumbled.  

On the way back to the house, Heath lagged behind the other four. He pulled Audra back with him.  

"Uh, sis. There's just one thing," he began.  

"Yes, Heath?"  

"It's about this dance. Now, I think I did my share in settin' up,  . . .  "  

"More than your share, Heath."  

"And I did what you asked about the contest,  . . . " 

"And it was just brilliant!" 

"So, I reckon I earned the right to beg off this dance."  

"But, why Heath? I know you didn't like to dance, but you're a very good dancer now. I know that Mother and I will both be very disappointed if you aren't there to dance with us."

"Well  . . .  if you must know  . . .  it's those girls."  

"Girls? What girls, Heath?" 

"The ones selling the china." 

"Oh, those girls. But they really are girls, Heath. Ophelia Keller is the oldest one, and she's barely sixteen. I don't understand the problem."  

"They giggle."  

"That's it? They giggle?"  

"They giggle at me. I try to talk to them, and they giggle."  

"But they're not laughing at you, surely."  

"No, they don't laugh. I know what to do when people laugh. Either laugh with them or leave. They giggle. Don't ask me why. They just do. They'll be at the dance tonight. And they'll giggle at me."  

Audra wasn't giggling. She was laughing. Not loudly enough to be heard by the three ahead, but laughing nonetheless. "If that's all, don't you worry about a thing! I'll protect you. If I see any girls giggling at you, I'll come rescue you."  

"It's not funny."  

"Oh, but it is! Now, say you'll come."  

"All right, I'll come. But if I hear a giggle  . . . "  

*************************

The next two hours passed quickly, as the Barkleys rushed to get ready for that night's dance. Audra was dressed well before anyone else, and spent the remaining time running in and out of the house, checking on every detail. She asked Silas three times if the punch and cookies had been made. He finally walked her out to the back to the stable yard and showed her the tables with the punch bowl, cups, plates, and cookies set out and ready.  

"I'm sorry, Silas," apologized Audra. "I'm just so anxious for everything to come off well."  

"That's all right, Miss Audra," replied Silas. "It's good to see you so excited about something. You've done a great job so far. Everything will be just fine." He patted her on the shoulder and returned to the kitchen to make a few more cookies, just in case.  

Nick came out of the house and joined her in the stable yard. "So, how's it look, sis?" he asked proudly, "I think the men did a pretty fair job."  

"Oh, it's wonderful, Nick," answered Audra. A dance floor made of wooden planks nailed to a frame of two-by-four beams covered nearly the entire clear space between the house and the stables. "That was such a good idea of yours. It will be much nicer to dance on a wooden floor than in the dirt and gravel."  

"Well, I had some of the men test it out by bouncing and running around on it," Nick told her. "It didn't move an inch, didn't crack, didn't come apart anywhere. Your guests will be perfectly safe dancing on it."  

"I'm not worried a bit," Audra smiled at him. "And don't the Chinese lanterns look lovely? I wonder if we should light them now? No, I don't want the candles to burn out too early. I wonder when would be best to do it? Do you think we have enough punch? Will the hands be angry because we're not serving liquor? And where are that caller and the fiddler?"  

Nick laughed, "If it's not one thing, it's another, little sister! Heath and I are going to light the lanterns. There's plenty of punch. It's worth a few angry ranch hands to avoid a drunken brawl. Don't worry about the caller and the fiddler. They'll be here. Didn't you tell me they came highly recommended by some of those literary society ladies of yours?"  

Audra nodded, but continued to look worried. Nick put his arm around her shoulder and led her back into the house. As they came through into the entry way, there was a knock at the door.  

"See, what did I tell you," said Nick. "That's probably them now." He went over and opened the door. Two men were standing there, the smaller of them holding a fiddle. "Gentlemen! Come in!" He waved them toward Audra, then went to get Heath to go out and light the lanterns.  

"Miss Barkley?" asked the first man, a large, florid man with a friendly, open manner. "I'm Sam Jones, the caller. This is Tim Lewis. Guess you can tell he's the fiddler." His partner, a small, nondescript individual, merely nodded.  "Now, just where is this dance being held?"  

"Let me show you. It's right this way," said Audra. She led them out to the stable yard. "We put these chairs over here, and here's a little table to hold some punch and cookies. I hope that will be all right?"  

"Oh, yes, ma'am. More than all right. Most folks don't hardly think of us needin' a place to sit or a drink once in a while. We're much obliged to you, ma'am." Sam spoke for both of them. "We'll do ya' proud tonight, see if we don't."  

"Well, the punch and cookies are right over here. Help yourselves to all you want. And if there's anything else you need, let me know." She smiled at them and returned to the house.  

Sam and Tim took cups of punch and a plate full of cookies over to the area set aside for them. Sam took one sip of the punch, made a face, and pulled a small, flat bottle of whiskey from an inside pocket of his coat. He poured a small amount into each cup.   

"There, that's better. I never heard that the Barkleys were teetotalers. Prob'ly just tryin' to avoid trouble with the cowhands tonight. Well, us havin' a drop or two ain't goin' to upset nothin'." He and Tim sat and ate cookies and drank the spiked punch. Sam talked and Tim nodded in what seemed to be a familiar and comfortable pattern.  

The first guests began arriving soon after. Silas met them at the front of the house and directed them around to the back, after receiving their entry fee of one book per person. Several of the ranch hands were on duty to drive the carriages and buggies out to the pasture, where they tied the horses to the fence. Audra and Victoria welcomed the guests as they arrived at the dance area. They showed the ladies where to leave their wraps, and asked the occasional forgetful cowboy to remove his gun belt and leave it on the same table.  

Sally and Susie Johnson, the two girls who had organized the children's games in the afternoon, volunteered to serve the punch and cookies. They  were twins from a large family, and so felt most comfortable when working with children or performing some act of service.  

The three Barkley men were mingling with the crowd. Jarrod spent most of his time with the high society of Stockton, complimenting the ladies on their attire and inquiring after the businesses of the gentlemen. Nick was also complimenting ladies, but those of a slightly lower social class, who tried to blush and look coy. His greetings of fellow ranchers consisted of hearty slaps on the back and loud shouts of welcome. Heath had retreated alone to a shadowy corner, but gradually began to talk about horses and the weather to some of the younger ranch hands who also drifted that way. He noticed Mr. and Mrs. Keller arrive with their daughter Ophelia. She looked around as though searching for someone. He stepped further back in the shadow, behind a taller cowboy. 

As Audra approached the Kellers, she heard Mrs. Keller admonish Ophelia, "You just remember what I told you this afternoon, young lady." She gave her a hard shake.  

"Why, Ophelia, don't you look nice tonight?" Audra smiled gently at the young girl. "What a clever idea, pinning those flowers in your hair like that." The girl had created an intricate hairdo of braids and curls, and had pinned small wild flowers throughout to create a tiara-like effect. "The cornflowers just match the blue of your eyes." Ophelia smiled gratefully at Audra, then ruined the effect by giggling loudly. Audra managed not to wince.  

"Are Jane and Lucy here yet?" Ophelia asked after her companions of the afternoon.  

"Why, yes, I saw them arrive with their families," Audra looked around. "Oh, there they are." She pointed across the yard to the two girls giggling together.  

Ophelia looked at her mother for permission, then ran to join her friends. The giggling increased in both volume and frequency. Audra wondered how serious Heath had been about leaving. She also wondered if she could leave with him.  

"All right! Ladies and gentlemen," bellowed Sam Jones, "choose your partners for a Virginia Reel!" Men and women ran to form two sets of parallel lines, music started, and Sam began calling. Those who were not dancing clapped and beat their feet in time to the music. The dancers whirled and swung through the steps of the dance. Sam only allowed a few minutes for them to recover their breath before he was calling for the next set. Men and women exchanged partners, some sat out a dance or two, others seemed bent on dancing every single dance.  Audra finally dragged Heath out for one dance, waiting until the last minute to be certain that none of the giggling girls was on the floor. She insisted that he ask Victoria for the next dance, a polka. Nick and Jarrod were among those dancing every dance, but never with the same woman twice. Both considered it their duty to see that every woman danced at least once.  

Finally, Sam called for an intermission. The crowd gratefully headed en masse for the punch and cookies, chattering and laughing the entire time. Heath was waiting in line for another cup of punch when he was jostled from behind. He turned, and found himself gazing into the limpid eyes of Ophelia Keller. Her two friends were giggling behind her.  

"Why, Mr. Barkley. I beg your pardon. It's just so crowded in here. I certainly didn't mean to bump into you," she simpered.  

He grunted, "No offense" and turned away. He couldn't help but hear the increased giggling of the three girls. He felt as awkward and uncomfortable as he had when he had been a boy of sixteen. He felt an arm slipped through his, and looked down to see his sister standing next to him.  

She smiled conspiratorially, and said, "Oh, Heath. I know I shouldn't cut ahead in line, but I'm just so thirsty, I'll die if I don't get a cup of punch." In a lower voice, she threatened him gently, "Don't you dare try to leave this dance now. I've promised Susie and Sally both that you would dance with them before the evening is over. They're nice girls and have done a lot of work today."  

Heath nodded. "All right. I don't mind them. They're nice and quiet. And Sally likes horses. Just keep the gigglers away from me." They reached the head of the line, received cups of punch and joined Victoria on the sidelines.  When the dancing began again, Heath asked first Sally, then Susie to dance. As he was leading Susie back to the punch and cookie table, Ophelia once again bumped into him.  

"Why, Mr. Barkley. I do declare. It seems I just can't move without running into you tonight. As many times as we've spoken tonight, you have yet to ask me to dance." She looked at him in what she imagined was a coy and seductive manner.  

Heath started to say something, but was stopped by Mrs. Keller as she swooped down on Ophelia. "Mr. Barkley, I would appreciate it if you would stop following my daughter. We have plans for her future which certainly do not include someone like you." She grabbed Ophelia, "We are leaving this instant, young lady. Get our wraps while I get your father."  As she dragged Ophelia away, wilted flowers fell from her hair.  

Victoria called Heath over to her. "I couldn't help but overhear. Please don't let the opinion of people such as Mrs. Keller affect you."  

"I don't much care what she thinks of me," he said, with a wry smile, "I wouldn't mind so much if I really was interested in her daughter." He gave Victoria a quick squeeze.  

"Thank goodness that you are not!" exclaimed Victoria. "I simply could not bare to be related to that women, even if only by marriage! And the girl! Heath, I do not know how you tolerate that incessant giggling!" She paused. "Although I do wish that at least one of you boys. . . ." She trailed off.  

Jarrod and Nick both convinced Heath to dance with a few more of the less popular women, who seemed more than a little grateful to all of the Barkley men. There was a slight scuffle when a few of the cowboys, who had a little too much of the whiskey that they had brought with them, got into a fight over one of the women. They were too drunk to really hurt each other or anyone else, and offered little resistance to Nick when he ejected them.  

Eventually, Sam called, "Last dance." Every man there did his best to ensure that he danced this dance with the woman who meant the most to him. Heath asked Audra, as Jarrod had already asked Victoria. Nick gallantly requested the honor of dancing with old Mrs. Singer, the widowed dressmaker.  

After everyone had left, Audra stood with her family in the moonlight. "Oh, I can't believe how well everything went. Everyone seemed to have such a good time. I know I danced until I'm exhausted. Mr. Jones sounded rather tired himself. I wonder why? I don't think that calling takes all that much energy."  

The men looked knowingly at each other over her head, while Nick bent his elbow in imitation of someone drinking. They shook their heads in agreement. It hadn't led to any trouble, so there was no reason to mention it. They blew out the few remaining candles and walked back into the house as a family.  

"Mother, I wonder what Miss Price will say about the money we've raised and the books we've collected. Do you think it will compare favorably to other towns?" mused Audra.  

"I'm sure that she will be extremely proud of all your work, Audra. I know that we all are," replied Victoria.  

"Miss Price? Now, who's this Miss Price?" queried Nick.  

"Oh, Miss Price is the state library organizer," answered his mother. "She is the state official responsible for the establishment of public libraries, including the traveling libraries."  

"Yes," continued Audra. "And she'll be here this week to pick up the books and money that we've collected. Then she will travel around the county finding locations for the libraries and training volunteers to run the libraries. And, well,  . . .   " she turned to her mother.  

"And Audra and I have invited her to stay with us for the time that she will be here. I also told the club members that I am sure that one of you boys will be happy to volunteer to serve as her guide through the mining camps in this area. It should only take about three weeks. " Victoria smiled regally at them all. Although Nick could be heard to mutter under his breath, it was impossible to understand what he was saying, so Victoria ignored him. Jarrod grinned at the other two, knowing that his law practice would prevent him from being away from Stockton for that length of time. Heath merely looked resigned.  

************************

"Boys, would you join us in here?" called Victoria from the living room as Nick and Heath entered the house on the first Monday evening after the kermis. They went into the living room, to find their mother, oldest brother, sister and a stranger. She was a large, rawboned woman with dark hair wiry hair liberally streaked with grey, pulled back in an unbecoming bun. She wore a pair of pince nez on her rather prominent nose, and was dressed in a dark shapeless dress.  

"Here are my other two sons," Victoria addressed the woman. "Nick, Heath, this is Miss Helen Price, the library organizer." They exchanged greetings.  

"Miss Price arrived on the afternoon train. She will be staying only two or three days. She would like to get started as soon as possible," explained Victoria, "She is meeting with the ladies' society tomorrow, and would like to leave the next day, if at all possible. Which of you two will be accompanying her on her journey?"  

"Well, now, Mother. You know I can't be away from the ranch at a time like this," said Nick. He addressed Miss Price, "It's spring you know, which means calving and planting and a lot of fences to see to. Sometimes there are floods ..." 

Miss Price stared directly at him. "Yes, Mr. Barkley. I do understand. And I can see that you are extremely disappointed at being prevented by your duties here from aiding in this great cause. However, do not despair. There is work for all to do. I have here some plans for traveling bookcases." She picked up a sheaf of papers from the coffee table in front of her. "Perhaps I can prevail upon you to make yourself responsible for overseeing their construction." 

Nick grudgingly took the plans. "Look, Miss Price. I might as well be honest with you. I've gone this so far mainly to help out my sister, Audra. But I have to tell you, I think it's a waste of time and money. And I don't have either to waste."  

"Indeed, Mr Barkley? And why do you say that?" 

"Because you know as well as I do, or you should if you've been in this part of the country for any length of time, that most of those people who live in those camps are not the least bit interested in reading. They have other forms of ... recreation." He stopped, slightly embarrassed.   

"What you say is quite true, Mr. Barkley, " admitted Miss Price. "However, did not our Savior charge us to leave the ninety and nine and seek for the one sheep that was lost? If these efforts change only one life, Mr. Barkley, then I will consider them a success."  

Nick looked embarrassed and seemed to hunt for the words. Finally, he nodded. "All right. I see your point. I'll take care of getting these built. And don't worry about money for the lumber. We have some we can donate, and I'll get the other ranchers to throw in a few boards."  

"Thank you, Mr. Barkley. I knew that you would see the light."  

Victoria asked,  "So I assume this means that Heath accompany Miss Price?" 

"Well, I reckon that's up to Nick," said Heath. "He's the boss. Like he says, there's a lot of work to do, and I'd have to turn my crews over to someone else."  

"Oh, don't worry about that, my boy," Nick slapped him on the back. "This is important work, after all. I'm sure we can spare you for three weeks. We do have some fine hands who can fill in as foreman for you while you're gone."   

"Well, most of those camps are pretty high up in the mountains. I doubt that a buggy would be able to make it up there," continued Heath.  

"I do not intend to take a buggy, Mr. Barkley," said Miss Price. "I intend to ride on horseback. I am an adequate horsewoman, I can assure you." 

"Well, there you are, brother. All your problems solved," Nick grinned triumphantly. Heath glared openly at him.  

"Mr. Barkley," Miss Price addressed Heath in her flat, nasal, mid-Western voice, "I am well aware that I am not the traveling companion you would have chosen. I am also aware that this traveling library must rank quite low on your list of priorities. I cannot expect you, who grew up amidst all of this wealth and privilege, to begin to understand how truly deprived the lives of most of these miners and farmers are. If you do not care for the lives of the men and women living in near exile, think of the children who are forced to share that exile, but who were not party to the decision to take up that life. There are children in these camps, teenagers even, whose only book has been the Bible, if they are fortunate enough to have access to that. Their lives are a misery of work and sleep, struggling just to live another day. I do not know if you can possibly imagine what such a childhood would be like ... " 

As she spoke, a flush slowly climbed up Heath's face, eventually turning his face a dark red. He stared fixedly at a point on the floor about six feet in front of him.  

"Now hold on just a minute," Nick began to shout.  

"Nick, leave it," said Heath quietly. 

"Oh, no, I don't think so," said Nick. 

"Nick, Heath said to leave it," snapped Victoria. 

"But, Mother, did you hear what she said?" demanded Nick. 

"I said to drop it, Nick." 

"Fine. That's just fine," Nick turned away, "Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I need a drink." He headed for the tantalus on the sideboard. "Anyone else? Heath?" 

Heath didn't answer. Jarrod, after a swift glance at his youngest brother, said, "I believe I will have a brandy, Nick." 

"And I will have a small sherry. Miss Price, will you join us?" asked Victoria. 

"Thank you, no, ma'am. I do not indulge in strong drink of any sort," answered Miss Price.

"In that case, I believe I will have a whisky. In fact, make it a double, brother Nick," said Heath. He walked over to help Nick serve the drinks. Nick murmured sympathetically.  

"I think I'll have a sherry, too, " said Audra.  

"Mrs. Barkley, Mr. Barkley, I apologize for my strong words. I am a guest in your home and I have already insulted all of you, my hosts. I do forget myself when I am speaking of this work. I believe very strongly in its importance, particularly as it can better the lives of the children isolated in these camps. As our Lord said, of such is the kingdom of heaven."  

"Of course, Miss Price. We are all aware of the importance of the work," replied Victoria.  

Heath had quickly swallowed the double whiskey, and then helped Nick pass around the other drinks. His color had returned to something approaching normal. "Seein' that you feel that way about it, I reckon I can take a few weeks off, if it's that important, and mi