Angel In The Saloon (Brides of Glory Gulch) (5 page)

Dogs!

Her heart pounded profusely; her palms began to sweat;
her breathing became deep and irregular; and she felt almost dizzy. She had met
many warm, friendly, approachable dogs in her lifetime, but her initial
reaction to unknown canines was always the same---total, gripping fear!

The barking continued. She stood as still as she
could, her arms brought up to her chest, clutching the now empty glass with
both hands as she whispered a fervent prayer.

“Toby! Mike!” A masculine voice called sharply from
the other side of the saloon. “Heel, boys! Heel!”

Suddenly both the dogs and the man were upon her, in
that order. The animals jumped up on her, knocking her backward into the tree.
She raised her hands to try to ward off any further attacks.

“Sorry, miss, if my dogs here gave you a fright. They
won’t bite or nothing like that. They’re just checking you out, I reckon.”

Amelia had barely taken a breath as she stood still.

The man caught must have caught the dogs and commenced
calming them down, and they no longer jumped up on her. She exhaled.

“Really, miss, you got nothing to be frettin' about. These
here dogs are the friendliest in town, I reckon. Oh, they do their share of
fussing all right, but that don’t...” He stopped a moment. “Say there, missy. What’s
a fine, little, blind girl like yourself doing back here all alone? And I
reckon you’re a stranger to these here parts, no doubt. You’re gonna go getting
yourself lost if you don’t watch yourself.”

“I’m in Glory Gulch to see my aunt---Corrin Dannon---here
at the saloon. My name is Amelia Jackson.” She composed herself after realizing
the dogs hadn’t actually attacked her.

“How do you do?” The man grabbed her right hand and shook
it heartily. “So, you’re kin to Miss Corrin, huh? Well I’ll be! I don’t
recollect her ever talking about no kinfolk of hers. I’m right pleased to be
making your acquaintance, miss. Folks around here just call me Beau. I’m the
smithy in these parts. Yessiree, I reckon I can take care of all your smithing
needs better ‘n anybody for hundreds of miles around. Just ask anybody.”

“I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance, Beau.”

“These here are my dogs. They like you; I can tell.” Without
warning or permission from Amelia he grabbed her right hand and placed it upon
the head of one of his dogs. She quickly withdrew.

“Now, missy, like I told you, these dogs won’t be
harming you none. They’re mostly just for the company. Just touch them and you’ll
see. It’s all right.”

After further coaxing Amelia yielded her hand back to
him and he gently placed it on the head of one of the dogs. As she suspected
from the barking upon his approach he was quite a big fellow. She began to stroke
his long, silky fur and she smiled at the big, wiggly animal.

“Now this one here’s Toby. Ain’t his fur soft? And he’s
so friendly and kind to folks. Why, everyone around here likes Toby.”

“Why, I don’t think I have ever met such a sweet dog
in my life! I had a bad experience with a dog when I was a child, and that’s
why I’m so fearful around them now. But you’re right; he certainly is a
good-natured fellow.” Amelia could sense the pride Beau took in his dogs and
was envisioning this big, lighthearted man living off the land somewhere deep
in the woods with very few possessions, of which his dogs were likely to be his
most treasured.

“Now this one here’s Mike.” He withdrew her hand from
Toby and placed it upon the other dog’s head. “Now he’s a might smaller ‘n
Toby, and I reckon Toby pretty well gets his say so because of that. Mike here’s
older than Toby too. So old Mike, well he’s agreeable most of the time just on
account of him being so old. Shoot, ain’t nobody yet not liked old Mike here.”

“Hello, Mike.” Amelia bent over and rubbed his short,
curly coat of fur. “How are you doing today, fellow?” Mike licked her on the
face. She stood erect and wiped her face with the back of her hand, but quickly
remembering Beau’s feelings, she laughed. “You’re right. He does like me.”

“See, missy. I told you.”  

Amelia petted both dogs again.

“I’m right pleased you like my dogs. Miss, is there
any place I can take you to, you being blind and all? We gotta be getting along
to work now, but I’d be right proud to take you wherever you might be wanting
to go.”

Under any other circumstances Amelia wouldn’t have
thought twice prior to answering with a firm no to such an idea, especially
from someone she had just met moments before. But for some reason she felt
perfectly comfortable and safe with this likable fellow. And he obviously knew
her aunt. Even though she really didn’t’ need any help, she simply couldn’t
turn down such a genuine proposition.

“Well, I would be ever so grateful if you could show
me to the front porch of the Saloon, if it wouldn’t be much trouble for you.” She
spoke in a more helpless voice than necessary, which annoyed her. It wasn’t
necessary.

“Why sure. It’d be no problem at all. I’m going that
way anyway.” Beau grabbed her by the arm and after calling to his dogs to come,
he pulled Amelia along the side of the saloon and around to the front steps
leading up to the porch.

            She struggled to keep up with the man and
to prevent her feet from getting tangled up in her petticoats. Then they
stepped onto the boardwalk in front of the building, and Amelia was able to
catch herself against the saloon to avoid toppling over.

“Here’s the bench,” he said as he placed her hand on
the backrest. “Now, are you sure you don’t want me to be fetching Miss Corrin
for you before I go? Are you locked out or something?”

“Oh no, thank you. I don’t want to bother her just yet.
I just wish to sit here and relax and listen to the sounds of Glory Gulch. You
just run along to your blacksmith shop and don’t give me another thought.”

“Bye, miss.”

“Good-by, Beau,” she said as the three slipped away
into the town.

Amelia sat in solitude on the front porch of the
Saloon feeling terribly out of place, yet trying to gain a sense of belonging. This
season of transition certainly seemed to have its ups and downs for her.

The town began to stir from its slumber as the sounds
of awakening wafted through the air to alight upon Amelia’s susceptive senses. At
first there were individual sounds of single riders and horses, most likely starting
their day in their customary manner.

Occasional greetings of friendship reached her ears,
but they weren’t directed toward her. Then an empty wagon arrived in town,
Amelia imagining the driver here to pick up much needed supplies. She had long
ago learned how to distinguish between an empty wagon and one filled with
things by the sound of the axels on the wheel.

Before long, Glory Gulch was teaming with a blend of
various sounds; voices, hoof beats, wagon wheels, the jingling of chains and
harnesses, the laughter of children, a baby crying. And Amelia absorbed as many
of them as she could.

Her spying gave her a sense of direction of the town. She
learned the approximate location of the local mercantile and was sure she could
locate Beau’s blacksmith shop by the sound of a metal hammer being beaten
against an anvil.

And the sense of sound wasn’t the only one active this
morning. She savored the enticing aroma of fresh baked breads and sweet cakes. And
whenever a welcome breeze would blow from right to left, she could sniff the
tempting smell of bacon which could be coming from either a private home or a
restaurant.

Then Amelia heard footsteps approaching the saloon. Judging
by the heavy clumping of boots and the distance the steps were apart from each
other, she quickly deduced that there were two men.

“Miss Jackson, I presume?” A masculine voice called to
her as the gentlemen approached her on the porch.

“Yes. I’m Amelia Jackson.” The voice didn’t belong to
either of the two gentlemen she had met the previous night. Who else would know
her by name? She started to rise from her comfortable perch.

“Please, don’t get up on our account. When I saw you
sitting here in front of the Silver Slipper, I knew it had to be you.  I’m
Aaron Cowan. You met my brother, Jeremiah, last night. Evidently, you made
quite an impression on him. He hasn’t stopped talking about you all morning.”

“Oh, yes. Your brother was fine company last evening. I’m
very pleased to meet you, Mr. Cowan.” Amelia extended her hand in the direction
of his voice. “I’ve felt more at ease by meeting and getting to know several of
the fine people of Glory Gulch.” Aaron gave her hand a gentle shake.

“This is our cook up at the lumber camp. All the
loggers call him Biscuit.” He dropped her hand to step aside for his companion
to move forward.

“And what would you like me to call you, sir?”

“Name’s Adam Todd, ma’am.”

“Well, Mr. Todd, I’m pleased to make you’re
acquaintance.”

“Likewise, Ma’am.”

“Miss Jackson, it was nice to meet you,” Mr. Cowan
said. “The way Jeremiah talked, I couldn’t tell whether he was exaggerating
about you or not. But as it turns out, he wasn’t overstating himself one bit
regarding your exceeding beauty and charm.”

“Why, thank you, Mr. Cowan.” Amelia smiled in his
direction as her face felt flush.

“We’re supposed to be getting supplies for the camp,
but after I told Biscuit who you were, he wanted to meet you.”

“Well, Ma’am,” Biscuit chuckled. “What Aaron’s trying
to say---and he’s right up to a point---well . . . I certainly am attracted to
the ladies. I’m particularly interested in---”

“Anything in a skirt.” Aaron chimed in. It sounded
like he slapped Biscuit on the back as he laughed.

“Oh, you are a funny one today, Boss-man.”

Amelia couldn’t hold her laughter and joined the gentlemen
in their merriment. “Do either of you gentlemen know what time it is?” she
asked.

“I do,” said Biscuit. “It’s definitely time to stop
chumming around with the Boss-man!”

“Very funny,” Aaron replied.

“It’s nine fifty-five,” A familiar voice said from the
street directly in front of the saloon.

“Mr. Strupel,” she said. “Thank you very much for your
courteous answer.” Amelia smiled and nodded toward the voice of the third
gentleman.

Paul Strupel stepped onto the boardwalk past the other
two and halted in front of Amelia. Gently taking her hand in his, he kissed it
and continued to hold it. “You’re most welcome, Miss Jackson. I would
customarily inquire as to how you are feeling this fine morning, but seeing the
visitors who have undoubtedly imposed themselves upon you, I will refrain from
any such inquiries until you are relieved of their disagreeable company.”

“You don’t have to be so rude, Strupel,” Aaron said,
still chuckling to himself. “You sure did spend a lot of money on those fancy
words. Did you get them at the mercantile?” Biscuit and Aaron broke out in
laughter again, and Amelia hid hers behind her hand. You’re your information,
Strupel, we were enjoying ourselves while getting to know Miss Jackson when ‘Your
Stuffiness’ arrived and spoiled our fun. We’ve got work to do. Miss Jackson, it
was very nice meeting you. Maybe next time we might be able to talk without any
impolite interruptions. Come on, Biscuit.”

“Thank you for stopping by. It was nice meeting you,
Mr. Cowan, Mr. Todd.”

“Good day, ma’am,” Biscuit returned as the two chums
made their way back into the street, and then seemed to be swallowed up by the
town.

“Those two weren’t bothering me, Mr. Strupel.”

“Oh, I’m sure they were pleasant enough. They always
are. I apologize for any rudeness I may have displayed. I must assure you than
my intentions were purely for my own selfishness. When I saw you sitting here
on the porch and beheld the brightness of your smile and listened to your
pretty laugh, I was encouraged that indeed this will truly be a fine day. And I
simply didn’t feel like sharing you for the brief moment that I have to spend
in your company this morning.”

Amelia was beginning to wonder if this gentleman was
genuine, the way he easily lavished compliments toward her. After all, he owned
and operated a sawmill in a small town in the Rocky Mountains---hardly the
finer occupation usually secured by a gentleman of true standing, grace and
gentility. But if she thought hard enough, she could probably name dozens of
men from Georgia who also used words in a similar manner. She decided not to be
so hard on him until she got to know him better.

“Are you on your way to the mill, Mr. Strupel?”

“Yes, in fact, I am. I had an appointment first thing
this morning so I haven’t been there yet. But I have a very capable number two
man whom I can trust with making sure things run smoothly whenever I’m away. As
luck would have it, Miss Jackson, I will have some free time this afternoon and
would consider it an honor if you would allow me the opportunity of showing you
around Glory Gulch.”

“Well, if it truly wouldn’t be a bother to you, I
would like that very much. I certainly relish the idea of having more freedom
and mobility.”