Hamelton (Dr. Paul) (15 page)

I saw the course of the things that had already happened, like William avoiding the king for me, and how I saved Maggie's ancestor‟s life. These events were history before I was born. All I was doing was living out my destiny. Does this mean that the answer to the age old question “do we control our own life or is it already written for us?”, if this example is the norm, is that we have no control over what will happen?

When I last left William, he was preparing to overthrow the town of Hamelton, however, there is no record of this attempt, only isolated incidents of theft and destruction. Why did they give up on their desire for revenge? Why did the rogues disappear again? Why did they continue to travel through time? In the visit of the rogues, they seemed to be more interested in stealing livestock and killing those that got in there way than preparing for revenge, why? Did they spend the years between appearances in that hell William created which he calls the Garden of Eden or did they jump around in time as I did? If they returned to the Garden of Eden, why didn't they return with a wealth of gold and buy the mansion instead of resorting to stealing? If Handy spent about 87 years in the Garden of Eden would he be sane?

As far as wondering if I would go back or not, I realized that William's short sword as a dagger was on his belt for eternity. Sitting on my bed and hanging on my bedroom wall was also it twice. There were three of them. I must go back again and leave my sword or it could never end up on my wall. What of Handy? He was carrying William's sword, where is that sword? I turned to Daniel and said, "William Hamelton had a custom made sword for him at his birth, see if we can find a record of it. I need two men armed with guns." I sent the two armed men to the Hidden Six with orders. "Don't enter the large room but keep your eyes on it from the hall until relieved."

Later I found that the rogue, who was killed, died in 1824 and was buried in the far corner of the cemetery. I had decided to take a break from the library for awhile anyway, so I went with one of the men to the church cemetery.

The head stones were all interesting to me. Remember in California when they talk about ancient history they mean a hundred years ago. In England six hundred years ago is still referred to as recent. Seeing the headstones of men who lived and died hundreds of years ago can give a person the feeling of unimportance.

We found the headstone we were looking for. On it were the words, "May God have mercy on this man gone bad. Handy 1824". I fell uncontrollably to the ground into the overgrown ivy that covered the grave of my best friend. I cried without stopping. Something about the surprise of seeing the one hundred and fifty year old marker of the man I talked to yesterday caught me off guard. The driver, who I did not really know who drove me there, knelt beside me and held me. He could not know why I was crying, but apparently knowing that I needed help was enough for these good people of the town of Hamelton. Once I composed myself, we drove back to Hamelton mansion.

I thought of Handy's headstone. It was mentioned to me before I ever traveled that there was a dead rogue in the cemetery. That means that Handy's death was history before we ever arrived. Now I wondered if I could indeed change history. Could I go back with knowledge of what happened and change something and possibly save Handy's life? Maybe even get him home?

I decided that I would go back by myself the next time. There were several reasons for that decision. First, Hanna, Cindy and Jeff did not want to go, they were willing, but they were scared for their lives. I had no need to watch over others anyway. Second, I thought that one person, well armed with history and weapons, could be elusive and more effective. If the first attempt did not work, I could probably get a large volunteer army to go with me next time from these good people that were helping me.

I realized that the rogues would be coming to 1974 soon and I wanted to get back to either the last time I was in or the time that Handy was to die so I could change things before it was too late. I told Jeff that I would travel tomorrow morning. I had ordered a small gun and a holster to be made for me that could be hidden within my shirt. A backpack had been set up with provisions so I would be equipped this time. No news had come about William's sword that was being carried by Handy last time I saw him. The patrol of the Hidden Six was ordered continued until further notice. It was time for me to get a good night‟s sleep. I walked around the library and shook hands with the men that were still studying late into the night.

XVI

I woke up and sat in bed for awhile. I felt like the boxer who's team of trainers had prepared him to fight, and now was the time to do or die. I took my time getting ready. The clothes that had been brought for me the day before were simple and acceptable servants clothes in 1737, 1824, or 1903. The clothes were dark brown because the rogues appeared in the fall of 1824. I had hoped that I would go to 1824 because that was the next time the rogues would attack and that was when I could save Handy.

I walked tall down to the kitchen; after all I was the last hope to save Handy's life. I sat and ate my morning meal without saying a word to anyone. Then I went into the library to get any last minute information that had come in. About a dozen men were either still at work or arrived early. They had just found out that the dead rogue was found on the road, but seemed dragged and could have died elsewhere. There was some kind of cover-up about it causing a conspiracy that there was some town people involved in moving him. I picked up an information pamphlet that had been prepared for me for easy reference if needed and several books I had requested. No one in the room knew exactly what I was up to, but they knew I was about to risk my life. When I left the room a small chorus of applause could be heard behind me.
My friends were in the kitchen when I returned. I put on the gun holster under my shirt. The two shot derringer was in front on my left side stomach. The shirt I was wearing appeared to have buttons but really had snaps holding it together, that way I could draw the weapon by ripping open my shirt. The information package was put into the dark brown backpack which appeared to be simply a bag of the time. Inside that backpack were several twentieth century items that I thought I could use. I was ready.

Cindy, Hanna, and Jeff agreed to take turns guarding the door to my bedroom with the help of some of the army that was helping us. They all walked me to my room. I entered the room and locked everyone outside. I put on William's dagger with its sheath. I walked to the wall and looked at the dagger that hung there. This was the same dagger /small sword that I was wearing on my side. I wished it could tell me what happened to it since I left this room. I lay on the floor, put the backpack on top of me and prepared to travel.

I no longer found the act of traveling difficult or scary. After all, I had now done it successfully several times. The trip went easily. I awoke on the floor of the room. The bed was unmade and the room was empty of persons. The walls were bare of furnishings. I looked out the window to get a good look at the time of day, it was late morning. There were many well dressed persons loading into carriages outside. I apparently arrived the day after a party, and the guests were now leaving. I noticed the type of clothes the people were wearing and checked it against some drawings in my information package on clothing styles of different times. I concluded that I did make it to 1824, the year Handy will die.
I had just started my covert operation. Next I needed to get out of the mansion and explore the Hidden Six. I put my dagger and sheath in the backpack so not to draw attention to myself. I took a towel out of my backpack and wrapped it around the backpack so I could carry it and not display the backpack itself. I walked out of the room and down the hall. The walls in the hall were plastered and painted. The staircase leading to the third floor existed.

There were several people in the unfurnished entry way. Without hesitation I walked past them as if carrying laundry. They must have assumed that I was one of the guest‟s servants. I made my way out a back door. The back garden was completely covered with well trimmed bushes and sitting areas. Once I found a secluded spot, I put my belt with the sheath on and wore the backpack. I went straight to the Hidden Six. First wanting to overlook it from the hill, I lay down out of sight. I took the binoculars out of my backpack and spied on the Hidden Six. The house had been painted since the last time I had seen it. There was a small garden in front that seemed overlooked. I concluded that the house had been used recently, but was not being used at this time. Focusing on the upstairs window I could see movement. Someone was in the house. I relocated so I could get a better view of anyone approaching the house. I did not want to be caught so I was not going to walk up to the house or walk around the fields investigating. I figured that I was in just as much danger from trying to explain myself and belongings to towns' persons as being caught by William's men.

I spotted four men approaching from the side. I kept low to avoid being seen. The men approached, each carrying a sheep. As the filthy men approached, one appeared to be Handy. They tied the sheep up in the front of the house then entered. A moment later they came out with three other men. One large man appeared to be John the Friar. Another man was limping badly. They examined the sheep. John the Friar seemed to give orders as he pointed around. The limping man started to clean the sheep. The four men that included Handy left the way they came. John the Friar and the other men went back into the house.

I followed the four men. They walked for a long time until they found a small farm. They approached it and went straight into the pens and took some chickens. The farmer and a teenage son came out, the farmer holding a crossbow. The men stopped and they all talked loudly but I was too far away to understand. Is this the man who will kill my friend? I sat behind a bush and pulled out my gun and held a steady aim at the farmer. I knew that it was doubtful I could hit the mark from there anyway. Should I try to kill a man that is protecting his property? The farmer convinced the men to put the chickens back.

The men went on their way to other farms where they were more successful in their thefts. Handy seemed as willing as the others. They took their goods back to the house. Other animals and goods were showing up each time we came back seemingly from other groups out on raids. This went on all day and there was not a moment that I could find Handy alone so I could talk to him. I needed a way to get him alone. Once alone, I would have two options either convincing him to return with me or drugging him with some pills the pharmacist had put in my pack. William had said he traveled with a cat on his chest. I had thought I could travel with Handy on mine.

How could I get him alone? This was hard to think about. I couldn't walk up and ask him to take a walk. I thought about making some kind of sound that he would recognize as me. But if I did so, everyone may come looking for the sound. And I didn't know if Handy would tell them that I was there or not. If they come looking for me, I didn't want to be making noises that would lead them right to me. What about leaving a message for him, that way I could watch from a distance how he would react. That would work I thought, but what would the message be?

I knew the direction they kept leaving in, when they were at the Hidden Six. I went into the passageway and left the strap of the binocular case in plain view. I then went and hid far out of sight and watched. When they came along, one of the men picked it up without stopping then threw it off to the side as useless. Handy walked over and picked it up. He carried it for a while then stopped suddenly and started to look around with excited movement. When the other men with him noticed, he calmly walked along, still looking from side to side. My idea had worked, you see, the strap was made of plastic. Plastic did not exist in the year 1824. The men with him had no idea when something was invented and may have thought it was fine leather of the day. Handy recognized it for what it was, a clue that I was watching.

After we got back to the Hidden Six again that night, I moved my hiding position away further from the Hidden Six because I could not see in the dark if someone came up behind me. I found a new vantage point that gave me a good view. I watched as the men slaughtered one of the sheep and prepared it for cooking. Handy eventually excused himself for a walk. I watched him as he headed toward the mansion. No one seemed to follow him, so I went quietly off in his direction. I saw him in the bushes behind the mansion. He was there before me. He seemed to be about to enter the house. I could not yell because that would alert the occupants in the house. I reached in my pack and took out my flashlight and flicked a stream of light in his direction. He stopped and stayed where he was. I went over to meet him.

As we walked toward each other, his mouth was smiling. "You old dog!" he said excitedly to me. We hugged. Despite how bad my friend smelled, that was a beautiful moment in my life. His face looked sun worn as did William's men when I saw them before.

I said to him, "You knew I couldn't just leave you. How have you been?"

"Fine for a one hundred year old man. We have much to talk about, you and I," he said. We found a granite bench near some bushes for seclusion.

We talked for a long time. He told me that William and his men started to get ill after I left. The illness had something to do with having spent so long without aging that time was catching up on them. They realized that they had to return to the Garden of Eden or die. William's plan to overtake the town was discarded. William asked Handy to go back with him so Handy could help with the knowledge of science he had. Handy refused and decided to return home. After every attempt William would make to convince Handy to go with them, Handy was still determined to return home. However, when Handy tried to leave through the gate in my room, he found the gate home closed. He had no choice but to go with William. Once back into the Garden of Eden they found the place the same as they left it, the dead waste land William had already spent ninety-six years in. It seems William and the band had spent so much time there that it was engraved that each time they would return it could only be to the devastated land of 1641. Handy helped remake some simple inventions like water filters and the like, but none worked well nor made much water. John the Friar who had been William's loyal servant to the death for over a hundred years became disenchanted with William's ideas. John the Friar took charge of the band of men through fear. After ten years of John‟s dictatorship William and Handy escaped to London. While there, they enjoyed the vacant world and even stayed in an empty Buckingham Palace for a week. During their time away from the town of Hamelton, William apologized and admitted his deception about me. About twenty years passed until two of the Friar's loyal men finally tracked them down and brought them back to Hamelton mansion in chains. John the Friar cut off half of William's foot so he could never walk away again. Then lame, William became the cook and servant.