Orphan Hero by John Babb

Author:John Babb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2014-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Six

I Figured I Kilt Ye

Placerville, California 1853

Mary hired Lester Purdy to run the general store portion of her establishment. Yukon had introduced him as a man who knew something about the business, having worked in a store in San Francisco. And he certainly seemed to know what he was doing. She caught him looking at her every few days and gradually came to realize that it didn’t displease her.

He was taller than most men and sported a short beard. His hair was black but flecked with plenty of gray. He arrived at work on time and never left early. Although she couldn’t be certain, she was fairly sure that he stayed away from the liquor and the ladies at the other end of town.

On three different occasions she had nicked silver dollars along the edge and then got Ethan to use them to buy something in the store right before closing time. The marked money was always still in the cash box when Lester left. Of course, that didn’t prove anything, but all the same it gave her a level of comfort with the man. Very soon they had a good working relationship. She even heard herself laughing at some of his remarks, and realized she hadn’t heard that sound for a long time.

My Story October 20, 1853

Something is just not right about Lester Purdy. He acts nice to Mary and Jane, but has no use for me and Ethan. Maybe I’m comparing him to Mr. Fitzwater. I know that’s not fair, but it’s hard not to when you’re accustomed to the genuine article.

This morning Lester came to work with a boy around sixteen. The son was almost as tall as his father and had a chin full of pimples, an adam’s apple that seemed ready to pop out of his throat, and a flaming chock of red hair sticking up in the middle of his head.

Lester introduced him as his boy, Roger, but admitted that everybody called him Rooster. You couldn’t help but hear the giggle from Ethan’s direction, and Mary shot him a glare. I just wish she hadn’t been looking in the wrong direction to catch sight of the purely evil look Rooster shot toward little Ethan.

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