East of Outback (33 page)

With the remainder of the sale, Colin was able to pay back Dr. Newsome, who only protested mildly. They also cleared the hospital debt, and had enough left to purchase cheap canned goods for their trek—vegetables, fruit, and corned beef. One more night in a city inn and they would be off again.

Hannah packed her traveling bag in the dim light of a bare electric bulb. She grew up with the convenience of electricity in Sydney, and she had it here in town. It was only one of many things she missed while at the Colfaxes’. That and interior plumbing. And dependable water without sand in it. She shouldered her bag, closed the door of her inn room, and took her key down to the desk. They were leaving Griffith at last, and with it the hard memories of illness and separation.

And Max’s Lady. Everything they cared for was being stripped away from them. Colin had less money now than when Hannah first joined him east of Kalgoorlie.

They started out southeast of town and ambled slowly along the track—Colin could muster nothing faster than a casual stroll—and watched for a ride east.

“Thought maybe you’d be wearing your fancy trousers out here on the track,” Colin said, managing a slight smile.

“I was going to, but I was embarrassed to be seen in them in town. Maybe farther out I’ll change.”

Colin was huffing and puffing already. “We’ll rest here.”

“We’ve come less than a mile! We’ll never get anywhere at this rate.”

“There’re trees here, Hannah. And shade. Can’t count on that farther down the track.” He flopped beneath a thorn tree.

With a sigh, Hannah found her own shady spot. She dug her Bible out of her bag, dropping it open to Haggai again. She began to read.

Colin was dozing off. She watched him a moment as he fought sleep and lost. He looked unnaturally pale. Somehow, subtly, in the last fortnight their roles had changed. When they’d arrived at the Colfax place, Colin was determined to take Hannah home. Now Hannah was determined to get Colin home. He didn’t seem to realize how drastically ill he had been, or how weak he still was. He seemed to be scrambling for enough money to make a jingle in his pocket when they arrived at Papa’s. But he’d lost all his eagerness, his spontaneity, in the process, and Hannah missed that. He had changed, and she hated the change.

She returned her concentration to Haggai.

“Colin! This is it! I see it now.”

“What?” He blinked and squirmed toward a sitting position.

“It’s Haggai. Listen to this: ‘Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe yourselves, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.’”

Colin smirked. “That’s us alright. Holes in our pockets.”

“Sister John at the school teaches that Scripture says two things: what it literally says, and the larger, sometimes hidden meaning. It’s the church’s responsibility to interpret the larger meaning. Now here in Haggai, God is talking about how the Jews should be building His house, but the larger meaning—”

“You aren’t the church, Hannah. How can you think you’re capable of interpreting the Scriptures?”

“Mrs. Slotemaker says I’m the church. All believers together are the church; that’s what the church is,” she stated matter-of-factly, and went on, “The larger meaning is, that unless you do what God wants. He doesn’t bless anything you’re doing. We haven’t been doing what God wants, so He’s not blessing what we do. See? It’s all right here.”

“What does He want us to be doing, Miss Preacher?”

“I know what He wants you to be doing. He wants you to forget this nonsense that He doesn’t even exist, ask Him to forgive your sins, and become a Christian. And until you do that part right, we’re not going to get anywhere.”

“Really?”

She folded her hands on the Bible on her lap. “Yes, Colin, really. We’ve been making all manner of mistakes. It’s time we started learning from them.”

“Yair. I’ve heard that before somewhere—” He stopped suddenly and stared blankly, trying to recall.

“Colin?”

“Sake Tamemoto. He said it’s wise to learn from your mistakes, but better yet to learn without making them. We dragged his body up the beach so it wouldn’t wash away.”

Her heart lurched as she read the pain in his face. She’d never realized until this moment that her gentle, innocent brother had faced death before—not just Uncle Edgar in the Colfax side room, but violent death in faraway places. “You could have died then, too,” she whispered. “And you could have died of the influenza. What if, the next time—I mean—. You could die without ever having made peace with God.”

“Hannah, it’s not that easy. You’re just a very young girl and you don’t question things. You’re too accepting. I simply can’t be sure He even exists.”

“Rubbish! James Otis knows Him. Mum and Papa know Him and pray for us. Mr. and Mrs. Slotemaker are Christians. And so am I. You could be if you wanted to. You’re just making excuses, and I can’t imagine why you’re working so hard to avoid Him.”

He studied her a few moments and lunged suddenly to his feet. “We have to get going.”

She took her time tucking her Bible away. She could catch up to the slowpoke anytime she wished. She glanced behind them at the sound of an approaching vehicle. “Colin! Here comes an auto. Perhaps it’s a ride, do you think?” She hopped to her feet.

An awesomely large touring car came rumbling up from the direction of town. It chugged to a halt and trembled as the motor idled. The portly business man at the wheel called, “Get in.”

Colin stuffed his swag and Hannah’s traveling bag in the trunk. “Hannah, this is the gentleman who gave me a lift to the hospital when the mare collapsed.”

Hannah scrambled up into the seat. “Colin has spoken most highly of you, sir. I’m pleased to meet you.”

“And I’ m pleased to meet you, young lady.”

Colin crawled in beside Hannah. They jerked into motion, and were on their way. Hannah had to admit to herself that it was a lot easier getting a ride without the horse.

Beyond the trees the driver left the track, swinging around in a wide circle across the flats. Another hundred yards, and he regained the track, heading toward town.

“Where are we going?” Hannah demanded.

“I’m obeying instructions to return you to Griffith,” the man replied simply.

Hannah looked at Colin, searching for an answer in his perplexed face. She was certain they had paid all their bills. They had left nothing behind. Who would instruct this gentleman to bring two innocent travelers back to town? Sure enough, they rumbled down the main street of Griffith, the very street they’d left little more than an hour ago.

Hannah commented on the number of horses and cars parked at the School of Arts. She liked the humble little building. It was nothing more than a single library room with an adjoining meeting hall, but it offered some good books, and a comprehensive atlas. Hannah loved to peruse elaborate maps of exotic places. Their driver parked at its front door.

He hopped out and motioned for the two to follow him.

Hannah was afraid not to. Colin directed questions to the man’s back, and tried a feeble protest to no avail. The man ushered them brusquely into the hall.

At least forty townspeople were gathered. They all turned in the direction of Colin and Hannah as they entered the room. ‘They’re here,” someone announced abruptly. Hannah felt an intense desire to hide somewhere. Of the whole crowd she recognized only Dr. Newsome and the sisters from the hospital. There was one more familiar face—the new owner of the bay mare, Steve Haynes-standing meekly on the fringe of the crowd. Hannah pressed close to Colin. For some reason she was more frightened than she’d ever been on this whole long, grueling adventure.

They stopped at the very front of the hall, the people crowded behind them. The portly businessman put on a top hat, adjusted it, and stepped up to a red gum lectern. He unrolled a sheet of foolscap and started to read.

“Whereas,” he began, “this young man here present, Colin Sloan, a stranger to the town, desperately ill himself, risked life and limb to bring help to our stricken neighbors, sacrificing the health of his only horse in the process; and whereas this young lady, Hannah Sloan, at absolutely no recompense to herself, served tirelessly and ably in the Colfax home, risking her health to restore that of others; and whereas this town seeks wherever possible to reward those who provide the sort of fine example we would want all our own young people to emulate; I, John Stoecker, mayor of this town, hereby proclaim Mr. Colin Sloan and Miss Hannah Sloan honorary citizens of the town, with all the benefits which accrue thereby.”

Amid general applause, Hannah felt herself blushing. What benefits accrued? It didn’t matter. It was a lovely gesture.

“Colin and Hannah.” The top-hatted mayor turned to them. “Both of you quite meticulously cleared your every debt, to the point of selling your horse to pay what was owed. Your sense of responsibility is both exemplary and gratifying. Would that certain adults were so responsible.”

Colin mumbled something, a bit embarrassed at the display of honor.

Imperiously, the man raised an arm for quiet and attention. “Bring forth the horse, please.”

With a boyish grin Steve Haynes led the bay mare, saddle and all, through a side door. Colin’s swag and Hannah’s bag hung from the pommel.

The mayor had begun the ceremony duly appearing as a town authority, now he dissolved into pure glee. He was enjoying the gesture immensely. “We took up a public donation to buy the animal back from Mr. Haynes. Citizenship in the town, of course, provides you with the same hospital and health benefits any other citizen enjoys. We’re pleased to return to you the payment you made for medical care.” The mayor pressed a wad of cash into Colin’s hand.

Colin stammered something unintelligible. Hannah could not force herself to do anything but stand there flabbergasted.
What splendid people!

“Perhaps you’ve something to say.” The mayor gave Colin a nudge forward.

“Yes. I mean—we can’t. This is all very generous of you. But we can’t accept. We didn’t earn it.”

“You both most certainly earned it—more than you know. Of course you can accept it,” the mayor insisted.

“But we, er—very well, thank you. Thank you very much.”

“Hannah?” The mayor’s eyes were on the young girl as well as everyone’s in the room.

“But we didn’t do it for the—the, uh, recognition. We did it because, uh, it ought be done. We don’t deserve this.” What had she said? She wasn’t sure it was the right thing. Maybe they’d agree and retract the offer!

“Of course you didn’t do it for the praise of men. That is precisely the sort of example we seek most to set before our youth. And that is why it pleases this town to be able to reward you.”

“Uh-huh. . . .” Hannah felt the warmth rise in her face and ears. “Thank you all.”

Despite the hostler’s warnings about double dink, Colin and Hannah were set upon the horse and sent on their way, down the main aisle and out the front doors. The gathered townspeople cheered and clapped.

Hannah clung to her brother as the mare negotiated the wooden steps off the front porch. They continued down the main street. A few little knots of people clapped as they rode by. They felt like celebrities.

“Colin, I can’t believe this.”

“It’s not what I would have expected in a thousand years.”

They rode in silence to the edge of town and onward, out into the flats and rolling hills and woods and bright sun.

“Hannah?” Colin asked eventually. “What was going through your mind when they were—you know, honoring us?”

“I was stunned; of course, I hadn’t expected any such thing. I guess the thing I thought about most with all those people staring at us, was how glad I was I hadn’t put on those trousers yet!”

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY-SIX

O
N THE
T
RACK
A
GAIN

Mary Aileen sat on the front stoop and worked at her needlepoint, vaguely aware of the pattern. Her mind kept flying to other things.

There was Papa, pulling to the curb in front of the house. By the time he’d gathered his business papers and the daily newspaper from the front seat, Mary Aileen had stuffed her needlepoint away in its bag. She hastened down the steps to greet him.

“What’s all the excitement?”

“You received a telegram an hour ago. We can’t wait for you to open it.”

“Why didn’t Mum open it?” Papa jogged up the steps and held the door for Mary Aileen. It made her feel quite lady-like.

“She never opens things addressed to you.”

“Is it about Colin and Hannah, you think?”

“We’re hoping so.”

Papa greeted Mum in the foyer with the usual kiss. He’d barely put his papers down before she stuffed the yellow envelope into his hand.

He strode to the kitchen window where there was more light, peeking into the pot on the stove on the way. “Beef stew. Smells wonderful!” He ripped the envelope off and studied the paper.

“Well?” Mum prompted him.

“However they came east, it apparently wasn’t by train. They’re on this side. This is from the constable in Eagle-hawk. Colin and Hannah left town right after the blue Mrs. Horvath mentioned, and he has no idea where they went from there.”

“That puts them near the Murray during that flu outbreak.”

He reached out and gave her a squeeze. “You worry too much. But just to put your mind at ease, I also queried the health officials in both Victoria and New South Wales, asking for the vital statistics. No Sloans among the fatalities. They have estimates of the total number taken ill, but no names.”

“To put
my
mind at ease, indeed! You galah!” Mum gave him a playful shove, laughing.

Papa was laughing, too. He nodded. “So they’re on this side. I should not have glibly assumed they were still in Westralia, particularly when authorities there heard nothing of them. I’m in the process of sending letters to police magistrates ’round about, for possible word.”

“What will you do when you locate them?”