The Mandie Collection (37 page)

As Liza helped the girl get undressed, Mandie gave a big sigh. “I could just curl up in bed. I'm so tired,” she told Liza.

“Now you finish takin' off dem clothes whilst I fix de water fo' you,” said Liza. “And don't you go to sleep. Git dem other things off.” She hurried into the bathroom to prepare the bath.

As Mandie limply finished undressing, Liza rushed back, snatched a robe from a hanger, put it around Mandie, and hurried her into the bathroom.

The warm water revived Mandie, and she agreed to let Liza wash her dirty, tangled hair.

Liza helped her into clean clothes and sat her down by the fireplace. Then while Liza gently brushed Mandie's long blonde hair, Mandie began to talk. She told the girl everything that had happened since she and Joe had left that morning.

Liza related the day's events at the house. “Yo' ma, and dat doctuh's wife, dey been wringin' der hands all dis day long,” she told Mandie. “And everybody else been sittin' 'round like somebody died. After de men went to de Hadleys and come back wid dat Hilda girl and no sign of y'all, things been awful here.”

“Liza, isn't my hair dry enough to go downstairs?” Mandie asked impatiently. “I'm starving to death. We haven't had a bite to eat since breakfast.”

“I 'spect so, Missy, if we don't braid it up. Let's jest tie it back wid a ribbon so's it kin finish dryin,' ” she suggested, reaching for a ribbon and tying the heavy, long blonde hair back.

Mandie went downstairs and as she entered the parlor, Joe called to her from the settee. “Come over here,” Mandie. He patted the seat next to him. The young people were all hovering around Joe, asking him questions.

“Ah, Mandie,” Celia said, “Joe has told us what happened. You must be exhausted.”

Mandie looked around the room. Hilda was huddled in a corner, watching and listening, Sallie sat in a plush chair nearby, and Jake and his wife seemed to be in serious conversation with Uncle John and the other adults.

As Mandie sat down, Elizabeth came over to them. “Aunt Lou has food on the table for you two,” she said. “Everyone else has already eaten. Go on in to the dining room. I'll be in before you get finished.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Mandie and Joe replied together. They rose and did as they were told.

Aunt Lou hovered over them, making sure that they ate a hearty meal. “My chile, you got to eat up. You gonna be sick if you don't after all dat trouble out on dat river, gittin' wet and cold and all dat,” the big old Negro woman told Mandie. “And you, too, young man. I don't want no sick people on my hands.”

Mandie swallowed a mouthful of mashed potatoes and laughed at her concern. “Aunt Lou, Joe's father is a doctor, remember? If we get sick, he will doctor us. You won't have to worry about it.”

“Now, my chile, you know I hafta look after you. I took you for my chile dat fust day when you come here, all poor and hungry from
dat cabin out in de country.” Aunt Lou walked around behind the girl and reached to put more potatoes on her plate.

Mandie protested. “Aunt Lou, I can't eat any more potatoes. Please don't stuff me. I'll have nightmares.”

The Negro woman turned to Joe and put the spoonful of potatoes on his plate. “You gotta eat, too,” she told him. “Git some mo' of dat beefstew. Jenny made it jest right.” She pulled the big bowl closer to Joe and stood there while he spooned a big helping onto his plate.

Joe looked up at her mischievously. “Is that enough?”

“Maybe fo' now,” Aunt Lou said. “Both of you drink up dat milk. It'll make you sleep good.”

Mandie sighed and picked up her glass. “I'd really rather go to bed than eat,” she said.

“Too early to go to bed,” the old woman said. “Git yo' sleepin' hours all mixed up and git up too early. 'Sides, you got guests to see to.”

“I think we've already entertained them enough today,” Joe spoke up. “With all that's happened, it's time to rest.”

Mandie laid down her fork. “Aunt Lou, I just can't eat any more,” she said with a quiver in her voice. “I've been thinking about Snowball. He's lost somewhere, and he's probably hungry.”

Aunt Lou immediately put her big arm around the girl, and Mandie buried her face in the woman's apron, bursting into tears.

Joe jumped up and came around the table to take Mandie's hand in his. “Don't cry, Mandie. I know how much Snowball means to you. We'll find him somehow,” he assured her.

“There's no way to find him,” she sobbed as Aunt Lou stroked Mandie's thick blonde hair.

When Elizabeth entered the room, she rushed to Mandie's side. Mandie released Aunt Lou, and Joe handed her his handkerchief.

“What's wrong, dear?” Elizabeth asked, putting an arm around her daughter's shaking shoulders.

Mandie took a deep breath, trying to control her voice. “I've lost Snowball for good, and it's all my fault.” she cried.

Joe stepped back, and Elizabeth pulled out a chair to sit next to Mandie. Joe quietly slipped out the door, and Aunt Lou followed.

“We'll search for him tomorrow, dear,” Elizabeth said.

“Mother, I know you're angry with me for disobeying you,” Mandie cried. “If I hadn't disobeyed, none of these terrible things would have happened. I'm so sorry. I've asked God to forgive me, too.”

“I'm not angry with you, Amanda,” Elizabeth said. “I'm hurt because you didn't keep your promise to go straight to the Hadleys and back without stopping anywhere. But hurt and anger are two different things.” Elizabeth gave her daughter a hug. “Oh, Amanda, I just love you so much, it hurts me to see you getting into trouble.”

Mandie looked into her mother's blue eyes, so much like her own. “I'm sorry, Mother. I don't want to ever hurt you. It's just that we saw some horses tied up by the mine, and I asked Joe if we could stop and see who was there. He didn't want to, but he finally agreed. I didn't know it was going to turn into such a terrible thing. Please forgive me, Mother.”

“I do forgive you, Amanda,” Elizabeth said. “But please, please try a little harder to act more mature. You must learn to think twice when you're tempted to break promises and disobey.”

“I'll really try hard,” Mandie said, reaching up to embrace her mother.

“To help you remember,” Elizabeth continued, “I have decided to confine you to the house for the rest of the holidays unless an adult is with you. You will not be going anywhere with your friends unless there is a grownup who can go with you. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Mother. I understand,” Mandie replied.

“That is rather mild punishment for what you've done, but I can guarantee you that if you disobey me again, the punishment will be much worse,” Elizabeth warned. “Those people have told us all about what happened. I'm thankful that you and Joe weren't harmed more than you were.”

Mandie looked up into her mother's face with concern. “You and Uncle John will help those people, won't you?”

Elizabeth answered slowly. “That's the Christian thing to do, of course, but they will have to prove that they are sincere about changing their way of living.”

Mandie smiled. “Thanks, Mother. I told them you would help.”

“Now, if you're finished eating, I think we should go back to the parlor. Your friends are waiting for you,” Elizabeth said, rising from her chair.

Mandie followed her mother back to the parlor. As she entered the room Uncle John called to Mandie, “Come over here for a minute, Amanda.”

Mandie walked past the group of young people to the other end of the room where the adults and Joe sat talking. “Yes, sir?” she responded.

“Sit down, Amanda. We need to talk a little while,” Uncle John told her, indicating a nearby chair. “Jake and his wife, Ludie, have been telling us what went on today,” Uncle John began as Mandie sat down.

Mandie turned to the couple sitting next to Uncle John. “Did you tell them everything?”

“Everything that was necessary,” Jake answered.

“But everything was necessary,” Mandie insisted.

“We didn't think it was necessary to tell him about our personal affairs,” Jake said.

“But you must tell him everything, Mr. Burns,” Mandie replied. “If you don't, then I will. Uncle John needs to know.”

“Amanda!” Uncle John rebuked her for her sharp words. “They told us about finding you and Joe at the mine and leaving you in that boat, and then coming back to rescue you. They said you and Joe had forgiven them, so what else could I do but forgive them. It just better not happen again.”

Dr. Woodard agreed. “I guess I feel the same way,” he said reluctantly.

“Did you tell Uncle John about the gold?” Mandie asked Ludie.

Ludie looked down at her wrinkled hands. “No, we can take care of returnin' that ourselves,” she replied.

“I know you can return it yourselves, but what are you going to do for a living?” Mandie asked.

“You don't have the money to buy the mine,” Joe reminded them.

The couple sat humbled in front of John Shaw and Dr. Woodard. Uncle Ned silently watched them with a sullen expression on his face.

“We'll jest have to trust in the Lord,” Ludie said. “He won't let us starve.”

Uncle John spoke up. “Are you not planning to buy the mine now, Jake?” he asked.

Jake shuffled his thread-worn boots on the carpet. “Ain't got no money now,” he replied, avoiding John's gaze.

“Ain't no use beatin' 'round the bush 'bout it, Jake,” Ludie said. “We've gotta be honest 'bout everythin.' ” She turned to John. “He's taken 'nuff gold from another mine to pay for your mine, Mr. Shaw. But now we's realized the sin we's committed, so we's gotta return the gold to its rightful owner.”

John looked from Jake to Ludie in surprise. “You mean you just took gold out of someone's mine?”

“That's jest what we did,” Ludie replied. “And after these here younguns showed us the error of our ways, we's decided we'd better straighten up and try to live right. So we's gonna return the gold.”

“My goodness, Jake.” Uncle John exclaimed. “I had no idea you didn't have the money to buy the mine when you asked about it.”

“And that's not all, Mr. Shaw,” Joe added. “They don't even have any money to live on or any way to make a living.”

“They've been going hungry,” Mandie added. “Joe and I thought maybe you and Dr. Woodard could figure out some way to help them.”

Dr. Woodard looked concerned. “John, there must be some way we can help.”

“Jake, why didn't you come to me and let me know you were so hard up?” John asked. “Your father was a loyal worker for my father in that ruby mine, and you helped, too, I believe. You must know I'd do anything I can for you and your wife. You don't have to go taking other people's gold as long as I'm around.”

Mandie and Joe looked at each other and smiled. Everything was working out just the way they wanted it to.

“I ain't never had to ask a favor of no man,” Jake grumbled.

“That wouldn't be asking a favor. It would be giving me a chance to return my appreciation for your father's work,” John said. He looked at Dr. Woodard. “Now, what can we arrange?”

Dr. Woodard thought for a moment. “Where do y'all live now?” he asked.

“We ain't got no home right now. We was rentin' the old Tittle farm, but we couldn't make a livin' off it, much less pay the rent,” Ludie said.

John and Dr. Woodard exchanged glances.

Mandie's eyes sparkled. “What about the old farmhouse you own, Uncle John, over near the mine—the one where we found the dress? No one lives there.”

“That's a good idea, Amanda, except we've got to find some work for these people so they can make a living,” Uncle John agreed.

“They told us the land around the mine was good farming land. That was why they wanted to buy the mine, just to get the land to farm,” Joe spoke up.

Uncle John turned to Jake. “Do you really think that land is any good to grow anything?”

“It sure is, John. It's fertile land. It oughta grow some good corn, and beans, and a few other things,” Jake replied.

“What about the mine, Uncle John?” Mandie asked. “Couldn't they work the mine for you, too, after we get through with it?”

“Is the mine worth working, Jake?” Uncle John asked. “You ought to know. You were there when it was closed.”

Uncle Ned gave a loud grunt, and Jake stirred uneasily in his chair.

“I really don't know, John. We's been going through your mine lately, but we didn't disturb nothin,' so I don't know,” Jake answered.

“Well, why don't we try it and see?” Uncle John asked. “I've already had it opened and had all the necessary repairs made.”

“We should make a list of things we need to do,” Dr. Woodard said, pulling a notepad and fountain pen from his vest pocket. “The house needs repairing.” He began to write.

“Jake can paint and repair it in place of paying rent to begin with. I'll give him the paint and whatever he needs,” Uncle John said.

“Does it have any furniture in it?” Dr. Woodard wanted to know. “They said they don't have anything.”

“No, there's not a stick of anything in it,” Mandie spoke up. “Uncle John, you've got a whole lot of furniture in the attic that you don't use. Could we take some of it to their house?”

“I'll help,” Joe volunteered.

Uncle John smiled at the young people's concern. “That's exactly what we'll do. And Jake, I'll see that you get some pigs, and chickens, and feed, and seed. Now don't protest. We'll work things out so y'all can do enough work to cover everything. Don't think this is charity.”

The old couple looked at each other, speechless, with tears in their eyes.