Red River of the North - 05 - Tender Mercies by Lauraine Snelling

Author:Lauraine Snelling [Snelling, Lauraine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical, Romance, ebook, book
ISBN: 9780764201950
Google: FG7ai9fgCF4C
Amazon: 0764201956
Goodreads: 13768
Publisher: Bethany House
Published: 1999-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

Before noon the next day, Goodie knocked at Penny’s door, pies in hand. “Sorry I couldn’t get any bread done yet, but after dinner I can go put it in the oven. You need anything else?”

“I don’t think so. Thank you.”

“You want I should set the tables then?”

Penny nodded while at the same time handing Goodie a spoonful of soup. “Taste that. I think it needs something more.”

“Salt and some of that bay leaf, if you got any left from making headcheese. Might taste good in that.”

“Sure do.” When she really looked at Goodie, Penny shook her head. “Are my eyes as red as yours?”

Goodie nodded. “No doubt. That was some scare last night. And all because the man had to have his cigar and liquor. I keep asking the Lord to forgive me for thinking it serves him right, but the idea sure keeps popping back in my head. But we’re the ones who suffer too, and those whose grain was destroyed. Why, what if those buyers won’t pay premium price because of the smoke smell? You know how they use any little excuse to dock the prices.”

“I been thinking the same but keep reminding myself to be grateful it wasn’t any worse. Who’s going to notify the man’s family?”

“How? All he had was a letter in his pocket with no address. He had twenty-five dollars, five of it in gold and some change, a gold watch, and a Colt six-shooter in his bag.”

“I sure don’t know how, but someone around here might have an idea or two.”

Goodie shook her head. “His poor wife and children, if he’s got any. ’Twere me, I’d sure want to know.”

The two worked side by side as they had so many times before, both of them knowing what had to be done and taking each task as it came. Between getting dinner ready, minding the store, and answering a million questions from those who came in, the morning flew by.

Even the railroad men knew about the fire, so it was the prime topic of conversation around the tables, but when Goodie tried to describe the dead man, no one had any idea who he might be.

“We’re having a meeting at the church after school is out,” Hjelmer told Olaf as they and the women ate dinner when the customers had all gone, “to discuss what to do with the body. There’s no ice left in the icehouse, so we can’t keep him for folks to identify later. Just wish we had someone who could draw a picture of him in case anyone coming through might be able to recognize him.”

“I ’spose I can do that,” Olaf said, laying his knife down across his empty plate. “Leastways, I could give it a try.”

“You can draw?” Goodie looked at her husband, astonishment arching her eyebrows.

“Some.”

“People’s faces?”

“Um. Haven’t done it for a long time. Not much call for that workin’ your way around the country.”

“Well, I never . . .” Goodie shook her head again, a small smile lifting just the corners of her mouth.

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