The Jewel of His Heart (29 page)

“I believe you’re right. She has perked up a lot. I just hope that leg and thigh heal nicely.”

“Why don’t you take her to see Doc Mark, just to make sure no infection sets in and that she doesn’t get rabies?” Andy said.

“Good thinking, Andy. We’ll need to watch out for any signs of redness, if we can see any through that thick coat of hair she has.”

They sat around the fire talking about the wolf and the past few weeks’ events. “Have you made up your mind about going into the mining business?” Andy asked.

Josh tilted his head and looked at Andy. “I have. It just doesn’t seem like the thing to do. It’s too uncertain, and it takes money to invest to even start mining. I want to see if Hoover is interested in buying my section of the land where I found the Yogos. Then hopefully I wouldn’t need to borrow from the bank again or from Marion. I could restock what sheep we’ve lost and at some point start on the house again.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” Andy nodded.

“Would you be willing to stay on? I’d like to keep you, Andy. You could be my cook at the ranch house, and I could find another sheepherder to take your place. I’ll buy you the best stove out there.”

“Are you serious? Nothing could make me happier. I like it here and hope to marry Nellie.” Even in the campfire light Josh could see the animation on Andy’s face at this new proposition.

“I’ll extend that offer to Nellie as well if you two wed. We’ll build a bigger house so there’s room for everyone.”

“What about your wife, Boss? She may not like that arrangement. She may want to do her own cooking.”

“Juliana? She can’t cook, and I’m not sure she wants to learn.” Josh chuckled, trying to envision Juliana in the kitchen.

“So you
do
plan on asking her to marry you.” It was more of a statement than a question.

Josh sighed and yawned. “If I can convince her.”

“Why don’t you get some sleep, and I’ll take first watch.” Hopping up, Andy lifted his rifle.

Josh felt dead on his feet after nursing Shebe, and a little shuteye wouldn’t hurt him any. “You’ve twisted my arm. I can hardly keep my eyes open. I think I’ll just crawl into my bedroll and catch a catnap.”

31

Juliana did her laundry first thing on Saturday morning so later she would be free to go riding and visit Josh. When she carried her basket of clothes out to the backyard, she looked at the remnants of Miss Margaret’s vegetable and flower garden, now withered and dry after the winter. Soon Miss Margaret would plant for a spring garden. That woman never ceased to amaze her. She seemed to know a little bit about how to do everything. Juliana had become quite fond of Miss Margaret and her daughters.

Today Juliana was in a wonderful mood and could hardly finish her chore fast enough. She hung her clothes on the clothesline and stood back, watching them flap in the breeze. She loved the smell the outdoors gave her clothes.

“Yoo-hoo! Are you back there?” Nellie called out as she came through the white picket garden gate. “I was on my way to work and thought I’d drop by.”

“I’m here, Nellie.” Juliana walked toward her with her empty laundry basket. “I was going to walk over to your house when I got finished to see if you’d be interested in riding with me out to Josh’s place as soon as you’re through with work today. I want to go see him.”

“I’d like that. Then I can see Andy too. I know they’ve been busy since the fire. He rode over last week to see me and told me they’d been going through the rubble of the house, trying to clear up the mess. Everything was lost.” A flicker of sadness crossed Nellie’s face.

“Yes, I know . . . Will you be free later?”

“Yes. I work half days on Saturdays, but I don’t have a horse.”

Juliana thought for a moment. “I’m sure we can borrow the wagon from the boardinghouse, but I’ll have to ask first.”

They walked in the back kitchen door and saw Miss Margaret going over her dinner menu. “I don’t want to disturb you, Miss Margaret, but would it be all right if I borrowed the wagon and team this morning?”

Miss Margaret looked up with a twinkle in her eye. “Where are you going?”

“Nellie and I are going to ride out to Josh’s place and see how things are going. I haven’t seen him in a few weeks, and I’m kind of concerned.”

“Well, in that case, yes, you may.” She turned to Nellie, who stood quietly with her hands behind her back. “How are you today?”

Nellie bobbed on one knee. “Fine, thank you, mum.”

Miss Margaret giggled. “Dear me, you don’t have to curtsy, Nellie.”

“Sorry, mum. I guess it’s my English upbringing.” She smiled at the old lady.

“Just come back when you’re through working, Nellie.” Juliana gave Miss Margaret a brief hug. “Thank you, and I’ll see you at supper.” Juliana took off for the barn, and Nellie went to work at the hotel, promising to return as soon as her shift ended.

Before long they were heading away from town, and the morning couldn’t be finer.

“Have you seen Josh’s house since it burned down?” Nellie asked.

“Yes, but only for a few minutes.” Juliana glanced at her friend’s wrinkled brow. “It seemed he was a bit distracted when I returned with his wagon and lunch the next day.”

“What do you mean? Cleaning up the place? I can surely understand that—”

“No, that’s not what I mean. Marion got there first.” Juliana could feel her jealousy rearing its head. “Their heads were close together, touching.”

Nellie gasped. “You don’t say? But I thought he was courting
you
.”

Juliana snorted. “So did I. I think Marion is after him.”

“What did you say? What did he say?” Nellie talked fast, watching Juliana.

“Nothing much was said right then. He came to town later and apologized.”

“That’s good, Juliana. Is everything okay now?”

Juliana pulled back on the reins and slowed the horses as they neared Josh’s place. “No, it isn’t.” She sighed. “I told him we needed more than just passion, and I was worried I couldn’t compete with Marion.”

“Marion?” Nellie harrumphed. “She can’t hold a candle to you. Besides, Josh is in love with you. It’s obvious by the way he looks at you.”

“You can see that?” Juliana was stunned.

Nellie giggled. “Of course. Is Josh a good kisser?”

Juliana squirmed in her seat. “Uh . . . his kisses were wonderful, but of course I don’t have anything to compare to. Wes tried to kiss me once, but I didn’t let him. He tried hard, and we got into a tangle and fell. He picked on the wrong girl.”

“For goodness’ sake!” Nellie looked shocked. “I know Wes. He thinks all the girls are just dying for his attention. How did you stop him?”

“When we tumbled to the ground, a miner friend of his happened along and told him to leave me alone.”

Nellie shook her curly head. “You know, men are so different. Not that we don’t have desires, but theirs seem to be instantaneous.” She laughed. “Andy and I will wait until we’re married to become intimate, but it’s not easy. He makes me go all mush inside.”

“I know that feeling,” Juliana agreed, remembering Josh’s arms pulling her close and the taste of his kisses. “Has Andy asked you to marry him then?”

“Yes, and we’ve talked about it. We haven’t set a date, but I believe we will soon.”

“I’m very happy for you, Nellie.” Juliana let her thoughts wander back to Josh. What would it be like being married to him, waking up every day looking into the face of someone who made her heart sing? She admitted that she wanted to be Josh’s wife, but what if he decided to be a miner? Juliana didn’t want the worry that came along with that job. There was nothing wrong with sheepherding, no matter what cattle ranchers said. Sheepherding was fast becoming the biggest part of Montana’s economy, and she had faith that Josh would do well if he stuck with it.

As they neared Josh’s campsite, an earsplitting boom splintered the stillness of the morning, spooking the horses into an all-out gallop. Juliana struggled to control them, her own heart pounding from the sudden noise, and Nellie hung on to the wagon seat with white knuckles. They bounced and tumbled about wildly, hitting deep ruts in the road, as the harnesses jingled and the horses’ hooves pounded. They were close to their destination before Juliana could get the horses somewhat under control, and she flew a few hundred yards past the campsite. Already skittish from the sound of the blast, a white cloud of sheep scrambled out of the way of the oncoming wagon.

Finally the wagon stopped, rocking back and forth. The horses stomped and tossed their heads, but Juliana managed to keep control of the reins. Thank goodness she’d put on gloves this morning, or her hands would be ripped to shreds.

Juliana looked at Nellie and gasped for breath. “What was that noise?”

Nellie’s eyes were enormous. “I don’t know, but I’m not hankering to take that ride again.”

Josh and Andy sprinted to where the wagon stopped. Andy held the horses’ harnesses and talked to them as Josh checked on the ladies. “Are you two okay?” he asked.

Juliana was so happy to see his face that her heart did a somersault. “We’re fine. What was that noise—what happened?”

“I think it may have been an explosion at the Broadwater mine, but it didn’t sound like an ordinary blast. We’re about to run over there to see since it’s close by. Care to come along? If it wasn’t routine blasting, they might need some help.”

“Of course. We’ll follow you. Are you okay with that, Nellie?”

Nellie nodded, and they followed the men on their horses in the direction of the mine.

On the short ride, Josh was thinking how lovely Juliana looked as she flew into camp, her cheeks flushed, her hair tousled by the wind, and her blue eyes filled with fear. He’d avoided her since their confrontation, but seeing her now, he wondered how he could have let this go on for a few weeks. He desired her as his wife even more than ever, and he had missed that petulant look she gave him when he pressed her for kisses, knowing that she surely wanted them as much as he. It gave him a good feeling that she had come to see him.

He had noticed that Juliana, though fiercely independent, was always willing to help others, and she had readily agreed to go with them to the mine. This was something he really liked about her. He hoped they could talk and work out their problems. Could it be she really cared deeply for him? He worried about the age difference. Though he found her to be wise and mature beyond her years, what if she thought the age gap too wide?

Chaos met them at the mine, and through thick, heavy smoke, it was apparent to Josh that something terrible had occurred. Something not planned. People were running, some yelling out to others in fear. The ground was littered with rocky debris and bodies. Two men were bent over a miner who appeared to be dead. Several of the miners seemed unable to hear because of the loud blast. Josh and his friends hurried forward to aid the wounded.

Josh rushed past the men’s tents and picked his way through muck and smoke and over ore carts to find someone in charge. He saw a man barking orders to others around him. “Sir, please, what can we do to help?”

“And who are you?” The man jerked around to look at Josh but continued striding through the wounded. Josh knew there was no time to waste.

“I’m Josh, and this is Andy. I live nearby and heard the blast. Looks like you have some seriously injured men.”

“That we do—it was a terrible accident. Is that your wagon?” He nodded to where Juliana had parked the wagon. Josh and Andy followed him through the crowd of men who were pulling others out from the scattered debris.

“It’s my friend’s, but you have permission to use it.”

“We could use it to put the injured in to be looked at. We already have one wagon loaded with three seriously injured men. We’ll transport them to Great Falls by train when it arrives.” The man bent down to place his arms under a miner’s shoulder. “Help me lift this man—he’s badly hurt.”

“Let me do that for you,” Andy said, reaching down to help.

By the looks of his injuries, Josh figured the man would not see the end of the day.

“I appreciate it,” the man said over his shoulder. He walked about, checking to see how many were killed or hurt.

Juliana and Nellie were already in the midst of the injured, seeing the extent of their wounds. The odor of blood and death, mixed with the smell of smoldering powder from the blast, was nauseating, and the cries and moans from the injured were alarming.

Richard, the foreman, handed them a first-aid kit for emergency use. Juliana pulled up her skirt and ripped her petticoat into ribbons to use as a tourniquet for one man’s leg, winding it as tightly as she could. She watched two men lift a dead miner and carry him away. Nellie cradled a man who had suffered an awful injury to his head and one side of his face.

Both women were heedless of the blood and grime that covered their clothes as they went about offering what help they could. Richard returned with a clipboard and pencil, then proceeded to record every man’s name and whether he was injured or dead.

An injured man cried out to Juliana. It appeared he had suffered extensive injury, and he was blood-soaked from his chest to his abdomen. “Please,” the man gasped, his head sagging forward vainly in his struggle to move, “could you . . . help . . . me?”

Through the grime and blood, Juliana recognized him as the miner who had interrupted Wes’s advances.
Small world—now I can
help him in his time of need.
She bent down, placed her arms under his, and tugged, but she wasn’t strong enough to move him.

“Juliana . . . thank . . . God,” he gasped. “Please . . . I need to talk . . . to you.”

“Shh, this is not the time for talking. Wait here, and I’ll get help.” Juliana turned, but Josh was already there by her side and immediately lifted the man with his strong, muscular arms. The miner didn’t let go of Juliana’s hand as Josh carried him to their wagon.

Josh felt so sorry for the man. It was obvious to him that he wouldn’t make it, as a few others hadn’t already. He’d found out they thought a man named Frank was thawing the powder, got too close with his candle, and ignited about thirty sticks of the gunpowder, causing the explosion. That set off a box of dynamite, and he was thrown twenty feet from the magazine. The miners had just finished their meal and were heading back into the mine, and they walked right past the magazine when it exploded with deadly force.