The Princess Club / Family Secrets / Mountain Madness Page 5

  “Start over,” Bessie said, scratching her head. “That’s one ‘thinkin’ too many.”

  “What Clara means, Bessie,” Ruby Mae said, dropping onto the mossy bank, “is that our gold may really be Mr. Halliday’s gold.”

  “It’s like one of them mystery stories Miz Christy reads us,” Clara explained. “We’ve got us some clues, see. We know Mr. Halliday said he was lookin’ for somethin’ out here. We know he and Clancy were by a creek when Clancy slipped. We know Mr. Halliday’s handkerchief was here. That’s a lot o’ clues, no matter how you look at it.”

  “’Ceptin’ for one,” Ruby Mae shot back. “Like I said already—how come he doesn’t just claim the gold then?”

  Clara shook her head. “I don’t know why. I admit it don’t make a whit of sense. But flatlanders ain’t always as sensible as regular people. Them that comes from the city don’t always know which way’s up and which way’s down.”

  “Maybe we should say somethin’ to somebody,” Bessie said.

  “Why?” Ruby Mae demanded. “Mr. Halliday had his chance to claim the gold.”

  Bessie shrugged. “I don’t know. It just sort of feels a little like stealin’, Ruby Mae. And the preacher always says, ‘Thou shalt not steal.’”

  “He also says, ‘finders, keepers.’”

  “I ain’t never heard him say that,” Clara said.

  “Well, if’n we asked him, he would say it,

  I’m pretty sure.” Ruby Mae fingered the handkerchief. She didn’t like this ugly feeling inside her, not one little bit. “Look,” she pleaded, “even if’n it is Mr. Halliday’s gold— and I ain’t sayin’ it is—I got to talkin’ to him this mornin’. He’s got plenty of cash-money. He told me he’s met real, live princesses his own self. And presidents and rich folks. A few nuggets of gold won’t matter to him one way or the other.” She sighed. “Not the way they can matter to us. With that gold, we can make somethin’ of ourselves.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” Bessie said.

  “It’s true he ain’t said the gold’s his,” Clara conceded.

  Ruby Mae slapped her thigh and stood up. “Exactly! Now, no more disagreein’. The Princess Club has got to stick together.”

  Clara held up her hand. “Here’s the spot where we found Prince Egbert.” She opened the box she’d been carrying and gently set it on its side. Prince Egbert hopped out, blinked, and looked up at the girls.

  “Without you, we might never have found the gold,” Clara said. “Thanks, Prince Egbert.”

  Just then, the trees behind them rustled.

  “That ain’t no breeze,” Clara whispered darkly.

  A branch cracked. A bush shook.

  “There’s somebody comin’!” Ruby Mae cried.

  Out of the trees leapt Lundy Taylor. In his hand was a heavy rock.

  “Well,” he sneered, “if’n it ain’t The Princess Club. Fancy the luck. Just so happens I’m lookin’ to join up.”

  Eleven

  Lundy took a step closer.

  Standing higher up on the bank, he seemed to tower over the girls. He lifted the rock over his head. His black eyes gleamed.

  “Tell me where you found the gold,” he growled. “Right now.”

  Ruby Mae glanced at her friends. Both stood frozen in place. Bessie looked as if she were about to cry. Clara’s eyes were darting here and there, searching for a way to escape. But Ruby Mae knew there was nowhere to run.

  “I said, tell me where you found the gold, Ruby Mae!” Lundy shouted.

  Ruby Mae could feel her heart thudding in her chest. She’d known Lundy Taylor her whole life. She’d listened to him sass Miz Christy. She’d watched him beat up boys half his size. She’d even seen him throw a rock at little Mountie O’Teale.

  Lundy had done those things out of pure spite. There was no telling what he’d do for a chance to get rich.

  “Ain’t no more gold to be found, Lundy,” Ruby Mae said. She barely recognized her own squeaking voice. “We done found it all.”

  “Liar!”

  Lundy lurched down the bank toward Ruby Mae. She stumbled and fell in the shallow water at the edge of the creek.

  “You tell me or I’ll knock your head clean in two!” Lundy cried. He waved the big rock in front of Ruby Mae’s face. “I’ll do it, too!

  You know I will!”

  “Stop it, Lundy!” Clara said. “Ruby Mae’s tellin’ the truth. We found the gold in this here creek, only there ain’t no more to be had. We looked and looked ourselves already.”

  Lundy lowered the rock, taking in this new information. “Right here, in Dead Man’s Creek?”

  “Up there, just a few feet,” Ruby Mae said, slowly getting to her feet.

  “How do you know there ain’t no more gold?”

  “W—we don’t,” Ruby Mae stammered. “Not for sure and certain.”

  Lundy dipped in a bare foot at the creek’s edge and stirred up the rocks on the bottom. Then he bent down and scooped some into his palm, still clutching the big rock in his other hand.

  “Don’t believe you,” he pronounced at last. “These is just creek rocks. Nothin’ special about ’em.” He scowled at Ruby Mae. “You’re a-tryin’ to put one over on me.”

  “No we ain’t,” Bessie said in a quavery voice. “It was just one of them things, Lundy. We was just plumb lucky, is all.”

  Lundy stood. Angrily, he slapped the rock in his palm. “How come you all get to be plumb lucky, and I get nothin’? That seem fair to you?”

  “That’s how luck is,” Ruby Mae said with a helpless shrug. “It don’t make a whit of sense.”

  She looked over her shoulder, trying to plot an escape. They could try running for it, but Lundy would be faster. He was bound to catch one of them. Ruby Mae was one of the fastest runners in school—faster even than a lot of the boys. She’d probably be able to get away. But she couldn’t risk leaving her friends behind. If she had to stay and fight, she would. Three to one, they might just have a chance. If only they were closer to the mission, they could try calling for help. But out here, no one would hear them.

  Lundy moved close to Ruby Mae, so close she could smell the tobacco on his breath. “Tell me this, Princess Ruby Mae. What makes you so all-fired special you should get all that gold?” Again he raised the rock high. Its sharp edges glinted in the sun.

  “I . . . I have an idea,” Clara said suddenly. “S’posin’ we give you some of the gold, sort of like a reward. For not hittin’ us and all.”

  “Clara!” Ruby Mae moaned, but secretly she was relieved. After all, she wasn’t going to enjoy the gold much if her head was split in two.

  “A reward?” Lundy repeated. He stroked his stubbled chin.

  Clara nodded. “Like for instance, s’posin’ we give you a nugget of gold if’n you let us go?”

  “Or even two?” Bessie added hopefully.

  “Let’s not get carried away,” Ruby Mae muttered.

  “That’s an idea, all right,” Lundy said, sounding reasonable at last.

  “For starters,” Ruby Mae said, “how about you just toss that silly ol’ rock aside?”

  Lundy thought for a minute. His face darkened. “I got me a better idea. How about you three princesses just tell me where the gold’s hid and give it all to me? Or else I’ll bash your royal heads in!”

  Lundy grabbed a lock of Ruby Mae’s hair and yanked her closer. She let out a scream of protest. Bessie began to sob.

  With the rock inches from Ruby Mae’s temple, Lundy smiled a dangerous smile.

  “Well?” he said. “I’m gettin’ tired of your games. Just tell me where the gold is. I’d hate to have to get blood all over that pretty hair of yours.”

  “Run, Bessie! Run, Clara!” Ruby Mae screamed. “Get help!”

  “Ain’t nowhere they can run in time to save your sorry head,” Lundy said. “Now, tell me how I can get me that gold . . .”

  “Let her go, Lundy!” A booming voice filled the air. “Now!”

&n
bsp; Lundy released Ruby Mae’s hair and spun around.

  To her amazement, there on the bank stood Doctor MacNeill and Miz Christy.

  In two strides, the doctor reached Lundy. Lundy tried to resist, but he was no match. The doctor pinned Lundy’s arm behind his back. The rock fell to the ground.

  “Lemme go!” Lundy moaned. “My arm! You’re a-hurtin’ my arm!”

  “Hurts, you say?” the doctor inquired.

  “Burns like fire!”

  “I want you to remember this feeling, Lundy,” the doctor said. “Because if I ever catch you near these girls again, it’s going to hurt a whole lot worse. You get my meaning?”

  Lundy nodded.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch your answer.”

  “Yes!” Lundy squawked. “Yes!”

  Slowly the doctor released him. Lundy rubbed his arm. “Docs ain’t s’posed to go around hurtin’ people,” he muttered.

  Doctor MacNeill shrugged. “I went to a very unorthodox medical school.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Lundy demanded. “You know I don’t know no fancy words.”

  “It means,” Christy said sharply, “that you’d better watch yourself from now on, Lundy.”

  Ruby Mae blinked in disbelief. She’d never heard Miz Christy sound so riled, not even that time Lundy had hit Mountie O’Teale.

  “But they said I could have a re-ward,” Lundy murmured, pointing at the girls.

  “Well, they were mistaken,” said Christy. “They don’t have the gold in their possession.”

  “Who does?”

  “It’s safely locked away.”

  Lundy’s eyes narrowed. “I bet you got it, Teacher-gal.”

  Doctor MacNeill took a step toward Lundy, who backed up instantly. “Apparently, I didn’t make myself clear,” the doctor said with quiet rage.

  Lundy spit on the ground, glaring at Ruby Mae. “You won’t be princesses much longer,” he said. Then he turned and vanished into the trees.

  Christy rushed to Ruby Mae’s side and pulled her close. “Are you all right?”

  “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

  Grady 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 princess
es, 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.