Part 56
"Dr. Quinn, Mr.. Sully" the judge greeted them. Then to the soldiers, "Untie this man". Tanner looked as if he might protest, but thought better of it, as one of his men moved to comply. The judge continued, "It is true I am retired, as I am sure you must have heard. Actually, semi-retired" he amended. "I do like to finish what I start and I had a number of cased pending around the territory. I came back a bit early so I could inspect Mr. Sully’s work prior to concluding this case. It appears there’s some other little business that needs clearing up, as well" He glanced at Matthew who spoke up.

"We heard about the fire" he said, "Is everyone all right?"

Michaela found her voice first. "I believe so, Matthew. We really didn’t have a chance to find out. We happened on the remnants of the fire on our way home and the soldiers appeared and forced us back to town before we could really take in what happened."

Preston, who had been standing with the soldiers, watching in astonishment as events transpired, pushed forward saying, "I’ll tell you what happened ..."

But Judge Winthrop intervened, saying, "Save it for tomorrow, Mr.. Lodge. Mr. Sully has wounds that appear to need treatment and Dr. Quinn has, herself, been ill. Let’s allow them to get back to their children for the rest of today and we’ll meet at the church tomorrow at 10:00 to try to get to the bottom of this. Sheriff Cooper, will you be sure to notify all interested parties about this meeting? It will only be an informal inquiry, but I feel we must get this out of the way before we tackle the other business at hand."

"Yes sir!" Matthew grinned.

Preston was sputtering, barely able to articulate, "You ... you can’t mean you’re just letting him go! What if he tries to run off again! He has already ..."

"Save it for tomorrow, Mr. Lodge" the judge advised. "10:00. All interested parties will be given a chance to speak".

"But ..."

"Tomorrow!" the judge silenced Preston with a look.

"Excuse me, sir," Sgt. Tanner stepped forward with an ingratiating smile, "but the Army felt it was necessary, under the circumstances, to take over law-enforcement at this time, and it seemed best to us to take the suspect into custody in order that ..."

"Sergeant ... what is your name?" the judge queried.

"Tanner, sir"

"Sergeant Tanner. For now and the immediate future, I will be handling law enforcement in this town and what I say goes, is that clear?"

"Y...yes, sir"

"Good. We will meet tomorrow at 10:00 in the church. But right now I am worn out from my travels and would like to repair to my room. Dr. Quinn, Mr. Sully, Sheriff Cooper, I shall see you tomorrow!" and Judge Winthrop picked up his hat and strode out of the building.

With baleful glances at the Sully/Cooper trio, Preston and the soldiers followed. Once they had left, Matthew turned to the couple. "You folks all right?" he asked with concern.

" ‘s all right ‘s can be expected" Sully answered.

"I’m doing much better, Matthew" Michaela reassured him. "That time away was just what I needed and I appreciate your allowing Sully to leave town to take me. As far as the fire, what do you know about it?"

Matthew looked uncomfortable. "Far as we know, it happened sometime late last night. Trevor Lodge came stumblin’ inta town ‘bout 4:00 this mornin’, accordin’ ta Hank. He was real upset an’ all Hank could get outta him was that he saw Preston’s homestead on fire. He took Trevor out ta th’ Chateau ta tell Preston an’ that’s when he got th’ soldiers t’ go out there with him an’ investigate."

"We got there just ‘fore they did" Sully told him. "We were on our way back t’ town when we smelled th’ smoke an’ saw the fire".

"Why in the world did Preston accuse Sully of setting the fire?" Michaela wondered. "We were just as surprised as he was!"

"I think he figures it was your way o’ hidin’ that th’ homestead wasn’t complete" Matthew explained.

"That’s ridiculous!" Michaela exclaimed hotly. "Sully would never ..."

"He ain’t exactly sayin’ Sully done it" Matthew broke in. He took a deep breath, then went on, not quite daring to look at Sully and Michaela. "Trevor says he saw someone runnin’ from the fire" He dropped his eyes and bit his lip. "He says it was Brian".

An astounded silence greeted that remark then Michaela said, "That is almost as ridiculous as saying that Sully did it! You cant possibly believe that Brian ..."

Sully looked at Matthew’s face and put a hand on Michaela’s arm to silence her. "What’s Brian say about this, Matthew?" he asked.

Matthew looked up, his eyes pools of misery. "I haven’t asked him" he said. "Brian’s missing."

The crowd outside the sheriff’s office had thickened by the time Judge Winthrop exited, followed by Preston and the Army. The people had pressed up close to the building, but with the door closed, had been unable to hear much. Horace, who was closest, reported to those standing behind him. "Th’ judge is talkin’ -- said somethin’ ‘bout ‘untie’ -- no wait--re - tie -- he said he re - tied somethin’ ..." The crowd murmured and pressed forward as Horace cupped a hand to his ear trying to hear. "He’s sayin’ somethin’ ‘bout inspectin’ Sully’s work ... now they’re talking ‘bout th’ fire ..."

"But what’re they sayin’, Horace?" Loren cried.

"Shh-shh ... with you folks talkin’ so much, I can’t hear!" Horace said, filled with the importance and frustration of being the one to listen and report. "Now Preston is yellin’" he reported excitedly, ‘but th’ judge won’t let ‘im talk ..." Suddenly he turned to the crowd with round eyes, "Th’ judge is callin’ a meetin’ at the church for tomorra at 10:00!"

"That’s what I like" Jake remarked, "swift justice!"

"What’d they say?" a woman standing a ways down from Jake wanted to know.

The woman standing next to her leaned over and whispered, "They’re havin’ a trial tomorrow at 10:00 in th’ church!"

"Oh my!" the first woman exclaimed and she turned and whispered to her husband. Word began to filter down to the far reaches of the crowd.

Horace jumped back as the judge strode from the sheriff’s office, pausing for a moment to look askance at the large crowd that had gathered. Then he shrugged. In his line of work he was used to small towns and the inhabitants’ hunger for excitement. The soldiers came next, Sgt. Tanner barking orders as they marched off to their encampment. No one dared question them. But when Preston followed them out to the street, he was bombarded with questions. Testily he shook himself free of the grasping hands and shouted loudly enough to be heard over the crowd, "I have nothing to say. Nothing except that tomorrow justice will prevail and I will see to it that Byron Sully gets what is coming to him!"

On the very outskirts of the crowd, Sam Taylor jumped up and down trying to see over numerous heads. He’d come to town to pick up some supplies for his mother and was surprised to see a crowd in front of the sheriff’s office and folks running from all directions to join it. He continued jumping until the man standing in front of him looked around in annoyance. Sam grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. Do you know what’s going on?"

The man shook his head. "Can’t hear a blame thing. Some big important-lookin’ man just left the sheriff’s office an’ now there’s some soldiers comin’ out ..." he leaned forward to listen to the conversation of some of the people in front of him and Sam took the opportunity to squeeze farther into the crowd. He was just in time to hear Preston’s little speech and he turned to a woman in the crowd.

"Excuse me, do you know what Mr. Lodge was talking about?"

"Why, ain’t you heard, honey?" the woman exclaimed, "Word’s all over town that Byron Sully put his son Brian up ta burnin’ down th’ banker’s homestead an’ now th’ judge has ordered a trial tomorrow mornin’ at 10:00!"

"Sure don’t seem like the Sully I know!" another woman remarked.

"I dunno" said a man standing nearby, "ever since he got all tied up with them Injuns I don’t think he’s been right in his head ..."

"It’s Dr. Mike and them poor children I’m worried about" remarked the first woman. "If somethin’ happens ta Sully, how’s she gonna manage ..."

But Sam wasn’t waiting around to hear more. He quickly weaseled out of the crowd and took off running.

"Missing!" Michaela cried, "what do you mean, missing?"

"He’s not exactly missing ..." Matthew stammered, "I just don’t know where he is ..."

"Don’t know where he is? Matthew, I thought you were looking after him! What about the children -- Gordon and Katie? What about ..."

"Michaela ..." Sully put a calming hand on her arm once again. She shook it off.

"How can you remain so calm when our son is out goodness-knows-where doing goodness-knows-what ..."

Sully said quietly, "I just think we oughtta let Matthew explain"

Michaela took a deep breath. "You’re right. Why don’t we go over to the clinic so I can bandage Sully’s wrists while we talk"

Ignoring the stares and curious glances of the remnants of the crowd, they made their way to the clinic and once there, Michaela got the supplies she needed while Sully sat on the examining table and Matthew seated himself in the desk chair. "First of all" he said, "Gordon and Katie are fine. Roberta’s takin’ care of ‘em so ya can rest easy. Said she’d look after ‘em long as we need. As ta Brian, well, he left me a note -- th’ day you an’ Sully left, guess it was. Said he wanted ta get ready for a vision quest and that he was goin’ inta th’ woods to pray for a way ta help Sully. I figured he’d be all right for a few days -- he’s gone out on huntin’ trips before. Thought I’d go look for him today if he hadn’t come back - - then all this happened ..."

"Do you think it really could have been Brian Trevor saw?" Michaela looked up from cleaning Sully’s wrists, rubbed raw by the rope with which the soldiers had tied him.

Matthew rubbed the back of his head. "I dunno. But I can’t believe he started th’ fire. Trevor told Hank there was an explosion."

"Well, I think you should go and look for him right away!" Michaela exclaimed. "Get some of the men to help you! Bring him back so we can ask him what he knows about ..."

"Michaela, no" Sully said firmly.

"What are you talking about, Sully? We have to know if Brian was involved in this in any way! We have to ..."

"Michaela, I know Brian an’ so do you. If he’s involved somehow, ya gotta trust that he’ll come back an’ own up to it!"

"And if he doesn’t?" Michaela’s voice trembled with emotion.

"He will" Sully said simply.

Matthew rose and gave Michaela a peck on the cheek. "Don’t worry, Ma. Sully’s right. Brian’ll be all right. He knows how ta take care of himself and he knows what’s right. He’ll be back. Meanwhile, I got work ta do. Gotta keep an eye on what th’ soldiers’re up to, for one thing. Sully ..." He nodded and moved toward the door.

"Matthew" Sully rose to shake his hand. "Sorry ‘f I was hard on ya earlier"

"No problem" Matthew grinned.

"Will you come to supper tonight?" Michaela asked.

"Sure" Matthew replied. "How ‘bout I bring some fried chicken from Grace’s so ya won’t have ta cook your first night back?"

"That would be wonderful!" Michaela told him.

"See ya later, then" and Matthew left the clinic.

Michaela finished bandaging Sully’s wrists and he reached up an brushed a tear from her cheek. "I’m sorry, Sully" she said.

"Hey, what for?" He hopped down from the table and took her into his arms.

"If I hadn’t had the breakdown you wouldn’t have taken me away and if we hadn’t been away all this might not have happened"

"Shh" he said. "I wouldn’t trade that time away with you for all the homesteads in th’ world"

"But what if the judge ..."

Sully put his finger on her lips. "Judge Winthrop is a fair man. We already seen that."

"But Sully -- all your hard work -- all the time you put into the building. You’ve been Sully covered her mouth with his, effectively cutting off her speech. When he broke it off, working for months now, day and night ..."

there were tears in his eyes as well as in Michaela’s. "I can’t say I don’t feel somethin’ ..." he admitted. "It ain’t easy ta see somethin’ I worked so hard on go up in smoke. But I gotta say I feel easier now I know It’s Judge Winthrop here. My first thought when I saw th’ fire was that if that Indian-hatin’ judge came, it would be th’ end and I just couldn’t bear ta think of leavin’ you an ‘ the kids, Michaela ..."

"Oh, Sully" Michaela had trouble finding her voice. "But Preston is a very powerful man. If he uses his influence ..."

"Let’s not worry about that, now" Sully said. "Let’s go get Katie and Gordon an’ then go home." He bent to kiss her again, then drew back, raising his eyebrows and offering his arm.

With a watery smile, Michaela took it and together they exited the clinic.

Part 57
In the midst of the fog that had descended over him, Brian heard someone calling his name. He sat up suddenly, banging his head on an overhanging rock. "Ooow!" he cried, rubbing the spot.

"You okay, Brian?" a concerned voice asked.

Brian took a moment to come fully awake and to recover from the blow to his head. "Oh, it’s you, Sam" he said at last. "How’d ya find me?"

"Well, I went by the homestead and you weren’t there and you weren’t at Matthew’s so I thought I’d try here next!"

"I guess ya ... ya know what happened?" Brian searched his friend’s face. Sam nodded sympathetically. "It’s all my fault" Brian told Sam. "I should never have gone out there..."

"How’d it happen?" Sam asked, then added, "if you don’t mind talking about it?"

Brian shrugged. It didn’t matter now. Nothing much mattered. He told Sam everything beginning with his desire to help Sully and finding the owl carving and ending with the spectacular blaze at Preston’s homestead.

Sam shook his head. "That’s not the way they’re telling it in town!"

"What d’ ya mean?"

"I was just there to get some stuff for Mother and all these people were gathered outside the sheriff’s office. They said the Army had just found Sully and Dr. Mike out at Preston’s homestead and arrested Sully for making you set the fire. There’s going to be a trial tomorrow and everything!"

"A ... trial!" Brian’s already wan face paled further at this news.

"That’s what I heard" Sam told him with a trace of importance. "Tomorrow morning at 10:00 in the church"

Brian leaned back against the wall of the cave to absorb this news. "What’d they do ta Sully?" he asked at last.

Sam shrugged. "Don’t know. I couldn’t get near enough to see and when I heard about the trial I ran to find you. What are you going to do?"

Brian bit his lip. "I dunno. Guess I’ll have ta go to th’ trial. I hope the judge’ll let me speak. When Ma and Sully were tryin’ t’ adopt me an’ Colleen, th’ judge said children couldn’t speak in court .." He drew himself up. "Well, I ain’t a kid anymore. He’ll have ta let me speak!"

Sam reached out and patted his friend’s shoulder. "It’ll all work out" he assured him. "I gotta go. I still gotta go back to town to get the things Mother wanted and I’m already late. Do you want me to give a message to anyone?"

Brian shook his head. "No, I gotta go home. Can’t hide out forever"

Sam nodded. "I’ll see you, then" he said, and ran out of the cave.

Outside the homestead that evening, rain poured down and wind blew, but inside it was warm and cozy. Michaela looked about her, glad to be home and with the children again, but she couldn’t help casting anxious glances toward the window when the wind howled.

"He’ll be fine" Sully comforted, sensing her concern. "He knows how ta take care of himself".

Katie, sitting in her father’s lap put her head back and reached up a hand to pat her father’s cheek. "You talkin’ ‘bout Brine, Papa?"

Sully smiled, bending over to kiss Katie’s nose. "That’s right, Kates" he said.

Katie twisted around so she could look at her father right side up. "Where Brine is?"

Sully flicked a brief look at Michaela then turned back to his daughter. "He’s out campin’, Sweetheart" he explained.

"In the rain!" Katie was incredulous.

"It’s good ta know how ta get along in all kindsa weather" Matthew told Katie.

Sully, seeing that the conversation was beginning to upset Michaela, turned to Matthew. "When’d the judge get here?"

"First train this mornin’. I wasn’t even expectin’ any judge t’day, let alone Judge Winthrop -- things was all in an uproar causa the fire an’ all ... ‘course he wanted ta know all about it, an’ where you were an’ why, an’ everything that’d happened here over the last coupla years. We had a good talk".

Michaela sat with a dozing Gordon in her lap, filled with worry for her son and her husband. Being a woman of action, she liked to be able to do things -- in her doctoring she diagnosed and then worked to cure an illness, doing everything in her power to save her patient. But now she was confronted with situations over which she had no control whatsoever -- the fire, her missing son, the arrival of the judge and whatever that might mean for Sully ... Unbidden, a tear slipped down her cheek.

Carefully setting Katie down, Sully was at her side in a moment, his arms around her. "Michaela, what is it?"

"I’m ... I’m sorry, Sully" Michaela tried to smile through her tears. "I just feel so ... so helpless, so out of control. Things are happening and there is nothing I can do to affect the outcome!"

"Sure ya can" Sully reassured her. "Ya can just keep being your strong, beautiful self -- just keep on bein’ here for me, an’ for Matthew an’ the kids ..."

"But I don’t even know where one of them is!" Michaela protested, "nor do I know what is going to happen with you ..."

"Shhh ... don’t go gettin’ yourself all upset again. Sometimes ya got no say in what happens" He grinned. "I know ya hate it, but that’s just th’ way it is. It’s good for ya -- builds character!"

As Michaela looked at him, unsure whether to kiss him or smack him, Katie came over an leaned on her mother’s knees. "It’s all right, Mama" she comforted, "Everything gonna be o-kay".

Matthew rose from the table. "I got an apple pie for dessert. Everybody want some?"

Michaela gave a teary smile. "That sounds wonderful, Matthew. I’ll get the coffee". She rose, handing the still snoozing Gordon to Sully, as Matthew got a knife and plates and began serving the pie. Katie carefully placed each plate on the table as Michaela poured three steaming cups of coffee. "Would you like more milk, Katie?" she asked.

"Yes, please" Katie answered politely. "I get".

"Ya better let me help ya, little sister" Matthew cautioned, "jug’s kinda full". He put his hands over Katie’s and together they lifted the jug and poured a mug of milk.

"Thanks, Matt’ew" Katie said as she carried the mug to the table.

Suddenly there was a bang and a blast of cold, damp air and everyone froze in place, eyes turned to the door where a sodden figure stood, dripping on the threshold. The tableau remained constant for but a moment, then Gordon began to wiggle and fuss, wakened by the chill breeze. "Brine!" Katie cried, nearly dropping her mug in her eagerness to get to her brother and fling her arms around him.

Matthew reached out a hand to keep Katie’s mug from toppling, his eyes still on the door. "Brian!"

Michaela stood, stunned into silence, the towel she’d been using as a pot-holder still in her hand. She glanced quickly at Sully whose blue eyes blazed with a mixture of emotions she could not fathom. It was she who finally broke the silence. Hanging up the towel, she said briskly, "Go upstairs and get out of those wet things right away, Brian. You don’t want to get sick again. Come on, Katie, you’ll see Brian in a few minutes". She walked over, disengaging Katie from Brian, looking into his eyes for a moment and realizing with a start that she had to look up to do so. "Go on, Brian" she said gently. "Come down when you’re ready and we’ll talk". She nodded encouragement and Brian ducked his head and ran up the stairs, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind him.

"Brine drippin’" Katie observed.

Sully put Gordon down in the crib they kept for him in the living room. He covered him snugly with a warm knit blanket, then walked over to Michaela, who was staring up the stairs after Brian, and put his arm around her. He gave her shoulders a little squeeze, sensing her relief, mingled with the worry over the still unanswered questions concerning their son. Still holding her close, Sully said, "Brian an’ me are gonna need some time alone when he comes down".

"Sully ..."

"Just ta talk, Michaela" Sully kissed her. "We need a little father/son time, then we can all talk".

Michaela nodded, struggling to understand. "I ... I guess I can put the children to bed" she said nervously.

"Thanks" he said, kissing her again.

Michaela picked up Gordon and taking Katie by the hand, headed upstairs, accompanied by Katie’s childish prattle. "Why Brine is wet, Mama? When I can see him? Can I go camping? Is Papa angry? Can Brian tell me a story ..." Sully watched and listened as his daughter’s small piping voice faded overhead.

Michaela was awakened by Sully gently disengaging Gordon from her arms. To her chagrin, she saw that she and the children had all fallen asleep together on the big bed. Sleepily she began to rise but Sully put a hand on her shoulder. "Lie still" he said, "I’ll take care of ‘em" Soon he had Gordon settled snugly in his cradle and then carried Katie to her room. When he returned, he shed his buckskins and crawled into be beside his wife.

"What happened with Brian?" Michaela inquired through a yawn.

"Says he went there to see if he could help finish the homestead" Sully sighed. "He says he knocked over a lantern and the fire got out of control before he could stop it. Then he got scared and ran away."

"But Matthew said something about an explosion ...?"

Sully shrugged. "That’s what Trevor told Hank. When I asked Brian about it, he clammed up. He might be coverin’ for someone ..."

"Who?" Michaela wondered.

Again Sully shrugged. "Says he’ll talk ta th’ judge tomorrow if he’ll hear him. He claims full responsibility and wants to be sure the judge knows I didn’t put him up to it ... Michaela, we gotta let him work through this himself. All we can do is be there for him, let him know we love him and want him to tell the truth -- and that we’ll go on lovin’ him no matter what the truth is. He wants ta be a man, so tomorrow he’ll fact the judge like a man and after that we’ll hafta decide what consequences he’ll hafta face here" Sully frowned. "Brian thought it was gonna be a trial tomorrow, not just a meetin’ ta get to th’ bottom of things. Can’t imagine what gave him that idea".

Michaela yawned again. "Boys do tend to exaggerate things. Brian’s upset so I imagine he’s thinking the worst. You’re right, I suppose".

Sully feigned surprise. "Really? About what?"

Michaela gave him a half-hearted shove. "About letting Brian stand for himself and just being there for him. Loving him. But not interfering. It won’t be easy."

"Nothin’ worthwhile ever is" Sully told her as he drew her close for a goodnight kiss.

Part 58
The wagon ride to town the next morning was a quiet one. Even Katie seemed subdued and did not engage in her usual chatter. As they rode past the meadow they stared at the crowds of people already gathered there, as if for a Sunday picnic.

"Told ya" Brian remarked almost in an undertone. "Folks think it’s a trial". Michaela shook her head at the way such events seemed to lead to a holiday atmosphere for those not involved.

As they pulled up before the church, their wagon joining several others, Hank walked over, accompanied by a pretty young woman. "Michaela, Sully" he greeted them as he reached up to help Michaela, holding Gordon in his sling, down from the wagon. Next he lifted a giggling Katie down, swinging her high into the air. "Hiya, Sweetie!" Setting Katie down he brushed a lock of hair from his face and turned to Michaela. Inclining his head toward his companion he said, "You remember Daisy, don’t ya?"

"Of course" Michaela smiled doubtfully. She had treated Daisy from time to time as she had most of Hank’s "girls". She hoped he wasn’t going to ask her to ply her trade on this morning of all mornings. She looked a question at Hank who appeared embarrassed.

"Yeah, well ... thought maybe you’d wanta let her look after the kids this mornin’, seein’s how ya got yer mind on other things. Got that little play area over at th’ clinic. They could go there or if it’s warm enough she could take ‘em over t’ the schoolyard an’ let Katie play around there for awhile ..." Hank stared off into the distance.

Michaela was touched. She chose her words carefully, not wishing to embarrass Hank further. "Thank you Hank, Daisy. That would be lovely. Katie, would you like to go with Miss Daisy and Gordon over to the clinic to play for awhile?" Katie put her hands behind her back and cast a wary glance at the young woman who was smiling at her." I have some supplies here" Michaela said, turning back to the wagon and lifting out a basket. "There are some snacks and a bottle for Gordon, fresh diapers and some books and toys".

Daisy bent to speak to Katie. "We could go read a story, Katie and then if we can get Gordon to nap, maybe we can play a game".

Katie eyed her up and down. Finally she spoke. "Hide an’ seek?" Daisy looked to Michaela for affirmation.

Smiling, Michaela nodded saying, "You know which places are ‘off limits’, Katie, don’t you?"

Katie nodded. "Yes, Mama" and watched as her mother gave Daisy the key to the clinic and showed her how Gordon’s sling worked. Mama often told her how Papa had made the sling for her to rest in but it was hard to believe she was ever that small.

After Michaela had settled Gordon she bent to give Katie a kiss. "Be good, sweetheart and help Miss Daisy look after Gordon."

As she stood, Sully came up beside her and put his arm around her. "Thanks, Hank" he said with a nod. They exchanged a brief look and then with a nod of his own, Hank strode away.

Katie ran over to give Sully a hug and he picked her up and nuzzled her until she dissolved in giggles. Then he went over and stroked his son’s cheek. "Be good, kids" he said softly, then to Daisy, "Thanks a lot -- this is a real help."

Daisy smiled acknowledgment then led the children away. Sully and Michaela walked hand-in-hand past the curious onlookers and into the church.

Over at the mercantile Dorothy slipped her notebook and its cord around her neck and made sure she had a good supply of sharp pencils. "I thought you’d given up on th’ Eagle," Loren groused as he watched her.

"I had" Dorothy said primly, "but there’s nothin’ ta say I can’t start it up again. What with Preston havin’ so much at stake in all this I’m not sure we can rely on him an’ his people at th’ Gazette t’ report fairly. I’d just like t’ be sure the whole truth gets told, is all".

"Well...ya look pretty good with yer old ‘necklace’ on" Loren admitted. "I kinda missed it".

Dorothy smiled her thanks then glanced out the window. "Oh my word, look at all the people headin’ for th’ church!"

Loren peered out the glass. "Folks’ll come ta gawk at anythin’" he remarked. " ‘course Charlie Spenser was in here first thing this mornin’ an’ he seemed ta think it was gonna be a trial".

"A trial!" Dorothy was shocked. "But you said th’ judge was just callin’ a meetin’!"

"Aw, you know how folks are" Loren said as he removed his apron, "always exaggeratin’" He pulled on a jacket.

"An’ just what’re you up to, Loren Bray?" Dorothy raised her eyebrows.

Loren’s mouth twitched and he avoided looking Dorothy in the eye. "Well, I figgered I’d just wander over with ya for awhile, take a look at what’s goin’ on is all" He chewed on his lower lip assumed a look of innocence.

Dorothy nodded sagely, looking at Loren with narrowed eyes, but she said nothing as he accompanied her out to the street, flipping the sign on the door to ‘Closed’ as he went.

Part 59
Judge Winthrop sat at the small table that had been set up for him at the front of the room and looked out at the small group of people seated in he pews before him. "Now" he said, with almost a sigh, "do we have here only people directly involved with this incident?"

The judge had been unable to believe his eyes when he and Matthew walked over to the church together. Throngs of people along the road, in the meadow and in front of the church watched them expectantly as they made their way through town. Jake had approached them hurriedly saying, "Mr ... Judge ... Winthrop, sir. I have some men who’ve already agreed to serve as a jury ... that is if you want that kinda trial..." he broke off at the looks he was receiving from the judge and Matthew.

Winthrop looked to Matthew to do the explaining. "This ain’t a trial, Jake, it’s just a meetin’ - ta find out about the fire. We won’t be needin’ no jury!"

As the judge and Matthew turned to depart, Jake muttered, "Sure. I knew that".

Winthrop turned back. "Mayor Slicker ..."

"Yes sir"

"You tell these people this is not an open meeting. Only the parties directly involved may attend. Tell the rest of them to go on about their business or to go home!"

"Excuse me" Dorothy and Loren had come upon the end of the conversation, "but may reporters attend?" She looked the judge directly in the eyes. "That would be ‘goin’ about my business’" she put in.

"I suppose" Judge Winthrop allowed grudgingly. He glanced around at the crowds of townsfolk. "I’d rather have these people read about it in the newspaper than be crowding around to find out what happened. That’s how rumors get started in the first place".

So now Dorothy was seated in a corner of the room, trying to remain unobtrusive. Nearby was one of Preston’s reporters, looking important and wearing a fancy badge proclaiming "Colorado Springs Gazette Official Reporter". Dorothy gave him a withering glance before turning back to her pad and beginning to write.

Trevor and Preston sat on a bench near the front, their heads together. They appeared to be arguing. Michaela sat with Sully beside her and Brian next to him. She leaned forward to peer worriedly past Sully at her son who had spoken hardly a word all morning. Sully clasped her hand in his large, warm one and squeezed it encouragingly. He turned his loving smile on her and his blue eyes spoke volumes. Almost imperceptibly she leaned a little closer to his quiet strength. Back by the door, one of the two soldiers who had stationed themselves there noticed and leaned over to whisper something to his companion. Both chuckled quietly, watching derisively as Matthew came to sit with his family after conferring with the judge. Other soldiers stood about the room, taking up strategic posts near windows and at the end of rows. Sergeant Tanner stood ostentatiously at the front, arms folded, surveying the room with an air of authority. One more uniformed man sat near him in a front pew, nervously fingering a sack he held in his lap. Hank sat in the rear, called by the judge who wanted to hear his version of what happened the night of the fire. At the last minute, Peter Taylor slid into the room. The soldiers at the door made as if to stop him, but the judge intervened. It was not a legal procedure, but the judge had agreed to allow the attorney to be present. He moved forward to sit near the Sully family.

Having ascertained that all was as it should be, Judge Winthrop began. "The purpose of this inquiry is, essentially, threefold. First and foremost to find out who, and/or what was responsible for the fire that destroyed Mr. Lodge’s homestead; secondly, for me to receive an explanation of why the Army was summoned, and in such force, and last, but not least, to set a date for the completion of Mr. Sully’s case which began two years ago". Glancing up and around at the uniformed men dominating the room, he cleared his throat. "Actually, I’d like to begin with the Army presence here. Mr. Lodge, I understand you are the one who summoned them?"

Preston rose, smiling obsequiously. "That is correct, your honor. As a concerned citizen, I felt that their presence might keep things from getting out of hand with your honor’s imminent return. I was also afraid that Byron Sully might attempt to escape, which, indeed, he did. It is no wonder, since it was obvious he would not complete my homestead in time for your review. By the time Sgt. Tanner and his men arrived, Mr. Sully had taken to the woods and the Army was immediately deployed to bring him back". He turned a contemptuous look on the Sully family.

Michaela opened her mouth as if to protest but Sully laid a restraining hand on her arm. Judge Winthrop looked at Preston over the tops of his spectacles. "Mr. Lodge, it would appear to me that you and the Army are the only ones ‘out of hand’ at the moment - dragging Mr. Sully back to town at the end of a rope when, from what I understand, he was on his way back to town, anyway. Did it not occur to you to check with the local authority, in this case Sheriff Cooper, about why Mr. Sully was away? It is my understanding that the Sheriff gave his permission for Mr. Sully to take his wife, who had been ill, away for a much-needed rest. It was not up to you, or anyone else for that matter," he glanced at Tanner, "to question that authority appointed by me".

Tanner cleared his throat. "Excuse me, sir, but when I arrived and assessed the situation I felt it was necessary to take the authority ..." He broke off as Judge Tanner made an impatient noise.

"Sgt. Tanner, martial law is to be applied only in times of extreme danger or disaster and was not indicated in this case. And even when it is, it is not up to a mere Sergeant to make that decision." The words ‘mere Sergeant’ rankled, but Tanner kept his peace as Judge Winthrop continued. "Sgt. Tanner, I will allow you to remain in the room so long as you stay seated and quiet throughout the inquiry. I understand that one of your men who investigated the scene of the fire has some evidence to present, so he, too, may remain until called upon. The rest of you are not needed here. Go back to your camp, take a day off, or whatever you do. You are not needed here" the judge repeated and dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

Uncomfortable, the soldiers looked from Judge Winthrop to the Sergeant, unsure where the ultimate authority lay. With a baleful look at Judge Winthrop, Tanner growled, "You men go back to camp. You can spend the time cleaning and polishing your weapons and straightening up camp. There will be an inspection when I return". Seeing that they still hesitated, her barked, "Dismissed!" and the soldiers, all but Tanner and the one sitting in the pew holding the sack, marched from the room in ragged formation.

Part 60
After the soldiers had left, Winthrop called on Sully who briefly explained how he had obtained permission to leave town for a few days with Michaela and how, on their return they had discovered the burned homestead and had there been accosted by Preston and the soldiers. Before he could it down, the judge surprised Sully by asking about other, prior damage to the construction. After a quick glance at Matthew (he and the judge must have had quite a talk) Sully told about the spilled paint and ruined brushes, the porch supports that had been cut and the missing and damaged supplies. The judge questioned him as to times and dates and Sully answered to the best of his ability. When asked if he had reported the damage, Sully replied shortly, "Not right away."

Matthew followed Sully, telling about how he had come to give Sully permission for his ‘get-away’ with Michaela. He also told about the thwarted plans to help out with Preston’s homestead and how he and the other men had been chased off for trespassing.

Next, a scrupulously polite Trevor told the judge pretty much the same story he had told Hank and Preston only this time he firmly implicated Brian, showing no hesitation whatsoever.

Hank, who was called on next, was not going to let this pass by. " ‘told me pretty much the same story" he acknowledged, " ‘cept when he said he saw someone runnin’ away, said he couldn’t see who it was. Later, told his uncle he thought it was Brian."

"I wasn’t sure at first, now I am" Trevor protested feebly but was hushed by the judge.

Hank also admitted to giving Trevor whiskey that night adding with a grin and a lift of his eyebrows, " ‘wasn’t th’ first time -- he’d become a regular at th’ Nugget."

Preston, when called upon, looked as if he were about to explode. He wasted no time in reciting a long list of grievances against Sully. "Mr. Sully never wanted to build my homestead" he declared. "I asked him when I first came to town and he refused point blank" Preston spoke in the tone on one unaccustomed to the word ‘No’. Smugly he continued, "Eventually the state of his finances forced him to reconsider, but even then he quit before he was half done." He looked at Sully with a sneer. "His rich friend had paid off his loan to me so I guess he had no more interest in real work. He felt free to go gallivanting about, stirring up trouble, the only thing he’s truly good at, the only task he ever manages to complete. And now, even when he is working under sentence for a federal crime, he dilly-dallies, leaving my homestead until last, taking his time about completing it, doing slip-shod work, leaving materials carelessly about so anyone can come along and take them or ruin them. Ever since I came to this town he has tried to thwart me in one way or another, turning the town against me, ruining all my plans. Getting a child to do his dirty work for him -- burning down my homestead to mask his poor workmanship, is typical of something he would do!"

"Pa didn’t, he would never!" Brian, unable to listen to any more of Preston’s tirade, jumped to his feet.

"Young man, you’ll get your chance to speak next" the judge told Brian sternly. Then turning to Preston with tired eyes, he asked, "Have you finished, Mr. Lodge?"

Taken aback, Preston stammered, "I ... I suppose so. I really have nothing to add -- my nephew told me the same story he told you ..."

"Very well. You may be seated."

Brian was called next and nervously approached the judge’s desk. He told the judge what he had told Sully the night before -- that he had gone to the homestead to work on it and that he’d knocked over the lamp and been unable to control the spread of the fire. "I went there on my own" he said in his strong, new baritone. "Pa didn’t know I was going. No one did. He didn’t tell me to set the fire -- it was an accident."

The judge looked at Brian solemnly. "Young Mr. Lodge said he saw an explosion. Would you care to shed any light on that?" Brian remained silent, but color crept up his neck and flooded his cheeks. "Son" the judge’s voice was compassionate, "I’m not trying to trap you here, I’m simply trying to get at the truth. If you are holding back some of that truth, to protect yourself or someone else, it just makes my task more difficult. Now, I don’t believe a knocked-over lamp would, by itself, cause a fire of the magnitude of the one that burned Mr. Lodge’s homestead." He looked up at the soldier seated in the pew and beckoned. "Private Howe, I think you had better show us what you brought."

The young soldier turned in his seat, his eyes seeking his superior. Tanner nodded impatiently and the private slid out of his seat and strode forward, handing his sack to the judge.

Winthrop accepted it, saying, "You inspected the site of the fire, after the fact, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir" Howe stood very straight, his hands clasped behind his back.

"What did you find?"

"There was nothing to find, sir. Everything was pretty much burned to the ground. All we got were the items in that bag and they were in the yard, pretty far off from where the house was."

"Thank you, Private, you may go."

Once more, Howe looked to Tanner for direction. The Sergeant gave a jerk of his head toward the door and Howe strode quickly towards it, stopping to salute the sergeant who growled, "Go join the others!"

Meanwhile, Winthrop reached into the bag and withdrew an item. He held it up for Brian’s inspection. "Do you recognize this?"

"Y...yes sir" Brian replied. "It’s mine. Sully carved that owl for me when I was little. I just found it again recently and I thought ..." He broke off.

"You thought what, son?"

Brian shook his head. "Nothin’".

The judge seemed to accept this and setting the little carving down on his desk, he reached into the bag once more. Silently he withdrew a second item, long and tubular, holding it up so all in the room could see. Preston half rose crying, "What’s one of my ..." before catching himself and sitting down abruptly, his mouth firmly closed. He allowed himself a quick glance at Trevor, who was sitting staring straight ahead, the color rising in his cheeks.

Placing the firework next to the owl on his desk, Judge Winthrop folded his hands and looked hard at Preston. "One of your what, Mr. Lodge?"

"Nothing." Preston said shortly. "It ... it must belong to someone else. It is almost July 4th, you know!" he remarked with a flash of teeth.

"Brian, why don’t you sit down for now" Winthrop said, then picking up the tube-like device, he turned it over in his hands before addressing himself once more to Preston. "After I arrived in town, yesterday, Mr. Lodge, I was approached by your mayor with a rather unusual request. At the time I rebuffed him, having more important things on my agenda. Now I believe his request had achieved some pertinence in light of the current situation." Placing the firework once more beside the owl, the judge continued, "Mayor Slicker told me that you, Mr. Lodge, had managed to amass all the fireworks to be had for miles around and that you planned to use them all for a grand celebration at your hotel. The mayor hoped to get me to use some of my judiciary power to persuade you to share with the town of Colorado Springs so that they, too, could enjoy a display on July 4th. At the time I refused to be drawn into what I believed to be a local matter. However, it interests me that you are supposedly the only one in town with any fireworks and yet a firework turns up at the site of a fire and ‘explosion’." He paused, looking at Preston expectantly.

Discomfited, Preston opened and closed his mouth a few times without emitting a sound. Beside him, Trevor rose. "I can explain" he said smoothly. Turning to Preston he continued, "I’m sorry, uncle. It’s my fault. When I went out for my walk I took some of your fireworks to set off, just for fun. It was wrong of me, I know. In the excitement of the fire and explosion I must have dropped one." Trevor’s voice dripped with remorse.

To everyone’s surprise, Judge Winthrop began to clap. "A fine performance, young Mr. Lodge." He stopped clapping and fixed Trevor with a stare. "Actually, I believe part of what you say, but I am also convinced that you, like young Mr. Cooper, are withholding part of the truth, truth I had hoped would be told by the main witnesses to the incident. Brian, would you step up here again, please?"

With a glance at Sully and Michaela, who nodded encouragingly, Brian made his way nervously to the front of the room and stood once more before the judge. "Now Brian," the judge began, "yesterday I was at the library visiting the office of Mr. Taylor, there" he indicated Peter with a nod of his head, "talking with him about the completion of Mr. Sully’s case, when his son, Samuel, stopped by. He’s a good friend of yours, isn’t he?"

"Y...yes sir" Brian stammered.

"There was some concern in town as to your whereabouts and his father asked if he knew where you were. Young Sam reluctantly admitted to having seen you and then impulsively begged me not to put you or Mr. Sully in jail since the fire was not really your fault. When pressed by his father, Samuel told us the story he says you told him -- a story I believe to be the true one. It is the story you told us here this morning, with a few added details which make the picture much clearer -- and more believable. Would you like to share the story you told him -- the whole story -- now?"

Brian felt trapped. This man was a judge -- the judge who had power of life and death, imprisonment or freedom over Sully. Suddenly his reasons for telling the whole story became more compelling than his reasons for holding back. Haltingly at first, then gaining momentum as he spoke, he told of how he and Trevor had become friends and how he had begun drinking and smoking with him. He told how he had become increasingly more uncomfortable with these activities and had managed to avoid Trevor until the fateful night at Preston’s homestead. He talked about wanting to help Sully and about how he thought the little carved owl was showing him the way. Here he felt himself blushing as the notion now seemed ridiculous to him. He told how Trevor had surprised him at the homestead and spoke briefly of his taunts about being sent away to school. Then finally he told about the spilled whiskey, the fireworks and the knocked-over lantern. "It was my fault" he finished, tears spilling down his cheeks. "If I hadn’t gone out there ..." He was unable to finish.

The judge waited a moment for Brian to compose himself the said, "Can you tell me, Brian, why you were so reluctant to tell the whole truth?"

Brian was silent for a moment, then he said very quietly, "It was mostly my fault. I didn’t want to seem to be blaming someone else. And besides ..." Brian glanced quickly behind him then lowered his voice. "I ... I was afraid if I talked about Trevor it might make Mr. Lodge madder at Pa."

The judge nodded. "I see. Do you have anything more to add about what happened that night?"

"No sir" Brian replied. "Only that I’m sorry. I know now that it was a bad idea for me to go out there at night without telling anyone. But it wasn’t Sully’s fault. Or Ma’s. They take good care of all of us and I shouldn’t have disobeyed and snuck off like that. Please don’t blame them, sir!"

"Why shouldn’t they be blamed?" It was Preston, on his feet again. "Where were they when Brian was sneaking around at night? Why were they off gallivanting through the woods instead of watching their ‘son’? Whatever happens as a result of their neglect is their responsibility!"

"Brian, go ahead and sit back down. And Mr. Lodge, you sit down too." The judge waited for everyone to be seated and for the general rustle in the room to quiet before he resumed. "Brian, I appreciate and respect your desire to take full responsibility for the fire, but under the circumstances, I don’t believe you can do so. No, what Mr. Lodge said does, indeed, have some merit." At this Brian’s face fell, while Preston puffed up like a peacock. Winthrop continued, "Which is why, Mr. Lodge, I would like you to explain to me where you were when your nephew was lurking about your homestead at 3:00 in the morning?"

Preston looked startled. "What? Me? Surely you can’t expect me to keep track of a 16-year-old ... I mean, he’s only visiting me, it’s not like I’m his father ..." He cleared his throat nervously. "Surely you’re not blaming him -- or me -- for the fire! I mean, that wasn’t the only night he was out -- there were a number of times since he came that I returned quite late to the Chateau at night to find him not ..." Preston trailed off when he realized what he was saying.

Judge Winthrop stared at him, waiting for him to go on. When he didn’t, Winthrop finished for him, "You returned to the Chateau to find him not there, is that right, Mr. Lodge?" Preston nodded grimly as the judge continued. "Mr. Lawson told us that your nephew had become a ‘regular’ at the saloon, Brian mentioned that he introduced him and his friend Sam to whiskey and cigarettes. Now you say that he was frequently out at night with you, I’m assuming, not cognizant of his whereabouts. Can you tell me, Mr. Lodge, which nights your nephew was out when you arrived home?"

"Well, no, not really" Preston sputtered. "I didn’t keep track. It was shortly after he arrived ... I assumed he was restless ... unused to a new place and all."

"What time did he get in on those nights?" the judge questioned.

"I ... I don’t know" Preston admitted. "I was asleep."

"Weren’t you worried? Weren’t you curious?" Winthrop persisted.

"It wasn’t my business. He’s old enough to keep track of himself. I’m a busy man, with two businesses to run ..."

Trevor had had enough and jumped to his feet. "He’s right, Judge. It was none of his business. I’m almost 17 -- I’ll be going to University in September. I know what you’re driving at -- you think because I was involved in the fire that I was somehow involved in the other damage as well. Well, you’re right" he sneered, "I was. When I first came here, all I heard about was Sully this and Sully that -- how he kept ruining my uncle’s plans and getting in his way. How he’d committed treason and let the savages loose to burn and rob the town and had gotten away with it. He said his only hope of ever getting rid of Sully was if he didn’t complete the lenient sentence he got. Then I met little Mr. Goody-two-shoes there," he indicated Brian with a lift of his chin, "and thought I’d have a little fun." He grinned. "He was mad at Sully, too, even if he wouldn’t admit it. He wasn’t getting enough attention from his ‘Pa’. Uncle Preston was always going on about how weird the family was and how sappy they were over each other. ‘The cultured Boston doctor and the ignorant mountain man’, he’d say. ‘Throw a few stray kids into the mix and you have instant family.’ Brian even called Sully ‘Pa’." Trevor’s voice had taken on a bitter tone. "I thought it would be fun if I could prove they weren’t the fairy-tale family they looked like. I thought if I messed up the homestead, maybe Sully would get in trouble and my uncle would be pleased and ... and would like me more ..." his voice trailed off.

Judge Winthrop, who had allowed Trevor to speak without interruption, now cleared his throat. "Thank you for your admission, young Mr. Lodge. That does make things clearer." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Mr. Lodge, Mr. Preston Lodge ..." Preston, who had been staring at his nephew incredulously, had now yanked him into a sitting position and was whispering furiously into his ear. When the judge called his name, his head jerked up and he pasted on an apologetic smile.

"I’m so sorry, your honor, for my nephew’s behavior. I’m sure if he had not fallen in with bad company upon his arrival here he ..."

"Quiet, Mr. Lodge," the judge ordered. "In the past I have put up with your attitude of obvious animosity toward the Sully family, Mr. Sully in particular, although I found it puzzling, at best. I know that there are people who are just not meant to get along. But I find the fact that you have infected your nephew with this bad feeling to the point that he would play with a man’s life, reprehensible. You have been spending every ounce of your energy, Mr. Lodge, trying to see to it that things do not go well for Mr. Sully. Calling in the Army was an unnecessary waste of our country’s resources and, yes, Mr. Lodge, I know about your little scheme to have Judge Roland appointed to complete Mr. Sully’s case, knowing his dislike of the Indian peoples and those who are advocates for them. For shame, Mr. Lodge, for shame! Your time would have been much better spent with your nephew, showing him around this glorious country, showing him how you run your businesses, rather than poisoning his mind against a family to whom you have taken an unreasonable and disproportionate dislike." The judge sighed. "I called this inquiry in order to get the question of the fire out of the way before the conclusion of Mr. Sully’s case. This incident does impact directly on the case since building Mr. Lodge’s homestead was part of the sentence he was required to complete. However, no one was on trial here today and I feel that I really have no jurisdiction over this, a local matter, except as it pertains to Mr. Sully’s case which will be discussed when we resume in a day or two. However, once the trial is completed, I would be willing to sit down with the local authority in the persons of Sheriff Cooper and Mayor Slicker, as well as Mr. Sully, Mr. Lodge, and the two young men here, to try to reach an agreement as to how to work out culpability and restitution in this matter. Is that agreeable to all concerned?"

Jake, Matthew, Sully and Brian exchanged glances then nodded mutual assent. "Sounds fine, your honor." Jake spoke for all.

"Messieurs Lodge, what say you?"

Preston and Trevor had their heads together again, whispering furiously. At the judge’s question Preston looked up, a sullen look on his face. "I guess that will have to do, your honor" he muttered. "Pending, of course, the outcome of Sully’s trial."

Ignoring Preston’s tone of voice, Judge Winthrop nodded. "Good. Tomorrow I have some inquiries to make, so if it would be agreeable to the parties concerned, we will set the date for the completion of Mr. Sully’s trial for the day after tomorrow, Friday, June 26 at 10:00 in the morning."

This time, Peter Taylor spoke for his client. "That would be fine with us, your honor."

"Then, unless anyone else has anything to day, we are adjourned until Friday." Judge Winthrop rose, stopping to speak to Jake. The others rose, too, happy to be leaving the stuffy church for the clear air and sunshine outside. Matthew leaned over to speak with Peter as Sully rose, putting one arm around Michaela, the other around Brian. He gave Brian’s shoulders a squeeze before dropping his arm. "Let’s go home," he said.

Across the room, Sgt. Tanner’s gaze met Preston’s and his face hardened. Preston shook his head and lowered his eyes, then roughly saying "Come on" to Trevor, he swiftly exited the church, speaking to no one.

Part 61
Horace perused the lengthy article Dorothy had asked him to wire and his eyes widened. He looked up at her, his finger poised over the telegraph. "Ya sure ya want me ta send this, Miss Dorothy?" Inwardly he cringed at his own question. It was really none of his business.

" ‘course I’m sure, Horace" Dorothy said stoutly. "Don’t you change a word of it!"

"Oh, no, Ma’am" Horace assured her. "I took an oath!" He began laboriously tapping out the words of a story that was sure to make Preston mad if he ever got wind of it. Well, that wasn’t likely with the telegram going all the way to Boston. He thought of his buggy, repossessed from right under his nose with only a few more payments due, and began tapping away with more enthusiasm. After all, wasn’t Preston always complaining that he didn’t get his name in the paper often enough?

Michaela and Sully stood together in the sunshine of the churchyard. Sully looked as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders. "What will you do now, Sully?" Michaela asked him.

"Nothin’ much to do, until day after tomorrow" he answered. Seeing her face he asked, "Ya worried?"

"No!" she replied, then, "Yes!" then, "I don’t know!"

"Well, I guess that about covers it" Sully said with a grin.

"You’re not out of the woods, yet" Michaela warned with a frown.

Sully nuzzled her neck. "Don’t mind bein’ in the woods, ‘ long as you’re there with me" he whispered in her ear.

"Be serious!" Michaela batted him away, but had to smile. "Let’s go get the children. Poor Daisy must be quite worn out by now."

Hank had strolled up in time to hear the end of the conversation. "I sure hope not" he declared, blowing smoke rings. "Her work day ain’t even begun, yet!"

Michaela’s lips thinned disapprovingly. "Well, perhaps you would consider giving her the evening off" she said primly.

"I got a better idea" Hank drawled. " ‘Perhaps you would consider’ fillin’ in for her. Seein’s how she done ya a big favor an’ all ..."

Michaela was about to retort when she saw the twinkle in Hank’s eye and had to laugh. Sully put his arm around her, steering her away from Hank and toward their wagon. "Sorry, Hank. This lady’s spoken for. Permanently." There was steel behind the brief look he flashed at the bartender.

After concluding her business with Horace, Dorothy headed for the mercantile to set up her press for the special edition of the Eagle she intended to put out. The press would probably need oiling after weeks of disuse and she sighed as she thought of the heavy work ahead of her. She saw the Sully wagon bearing Michaela, Sully and Brian towards the clinic and ran to apprehend them as they pulled up before the medical facility. "Oh, Michaela!" she cried as Sully was lifting her down, "I wonder if I might borrow Brian for the afternoon, to help me put out the paper?"

"You’re starting up the Eagle again?" Michaela looked at her friend in surprise.

"I just want ta be sure the truth is printed, not just from Preston’s point of view." Dorothy explained. "Considerin’ how things went, I wonder if he’ll publish th’ Gazette at all! Anyway, th’ press needs oilin’ an’ I wanta get th’ paper out while th’ news is fresh so an extra pair of hands would sure come in handy!"

Michaela exchanged a look of silent communication with her husband, then turned to her son. "Brian, would you be willing to help Miss Dorothy out with the Eagle this afternoon?"

Brian, who had been very subdued since the inquiry, said quietly, "Sure. If it’s all right with you an’ Pa."

Sully and Michaela nodded and Dorothy said, "Wonderful! We’ll get th’ paper out an’ then I’ll take him on over t’ Grace’s for supper. After that I’ll bring him back out t’ th’ homestead. Or are ya still stayin’ with Matthew?"

Brian looked at his parents who exchanged another look. "Think it’s best if ya move back home for awhile, Brian," Sully said. "We really haven’t spent much time t’gether lately an’ we need ta do some talkin’."

Brian nodded. "All right. See ya t’night."

"I’ll have him home by dark" Dorothy promised.

"Mama! Papa!" Katie cried when she saw her parents enter the clinic. Running to meet them she fell headlong. Before she could cry, Sully scooped her up into his arms.

"How’s my Kates?"

Katie was silent for a moment, deciding whether or not to cry anyway, then gave a small smile. "Fine, Papa. Gordon’s asleep. We had fun. Gordy used all his diapers." She giggled. "We hadta wrap him up in bandages!"

Daisy stepped forward, red-faced. "I’m sorry, Dr. Mike, it was all I could think of at the moment."

Michaela smiled. "It was very ingenious of you. I wondered when I saw all the wet ones hanging over the railing."

"I rinsed them out as best I could" Daisy explained. "Seems as soon’s I pinned a new one on, he’d laugh and fill it right up again!"

"Some days are like that" Michaela smiled sympathetically.

"Mama! Mama!" Katie reached out and Sully handed her over to her mother.

"So what did you do today, Katherine Elizabeth?" Michaela smiled as she took her.

"You mad, Mama?"

"Mad? Why, no, Sweetheart, what gave you that idea?"

"You call me Kat’rine ‘liz’beth" Katie pouted.

"But that’s your name!" Michaela was mystified.

Sully, meanwhile, was stifling a laugh. "It is what ya call her when you’re angry" he said in her ear.

Shaking her head, Michaela tried again. "What did you and Gordon and Miss Daisy do today?"

Satisfied that she was not in trouble, Katie began a long-winded account of her morning. "We builded with blocks an’ we singed an’ we played hide ‘n’ seek, an’ Miss Daisy never finded me an’ she gived up but I found her an’ we ate cookies an’ we changed an’ changed an’ changed Gordy’s diaper ..." Katie ran out of breath at last. She put her head on Michaela’s shoulder and sighed.

"I think we’d better get these children home" Michaela remarked. Sully had already begun collecting odds and ends left around the clinic, then went to get Gordon ready to go. Michaela turned to Daisy. "Thank you so much. Why don’t we make your next two check-ups ‘on the house’, all right?"

Daisy smiled and lowered her eyes. "Thanks, Dr. Mike. I ... I really enjoyed lookin’ after ‘em. I’da liked to’ve had a buncha kids, if things had been different ..."

Michaela squeezed her hand and Sully smiled his thanks as the carried their children and paraphernalia out of the clinic. As they loaded the wagon, Matthew strolled over. He removed his hat, rubbing the back of his head. "Judge Winthrop wants me an’ Jake ta go with him t’morrow t’ look at th’ work Sully did for his sentence" he told them. "I won’t be around for meals or chores so it might be better if Brian moved back with you for awhile."

"Sully already told Brian he wants him home" Michaela told him.

Matthew nodded and placed his hat back on his head, adjusting the brim to his satisfaction. "I’m sorry ‘bout all that happened. Maybe if I’d paid more attention to him ..."

" ‘s all right, Matthew" Sully said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He just has a lotta growin’ up ta do an’ he’s tryin’ out different ways tat get where he’s goin. No sense goin’ over all the ‘what ifs’."

Matthew grinned his thanks. "Yeah, well. Guess I’ll see you folks on Friday. It’s gonna be okay, y’know. Peter says everything’s gonna be fine." He stepped forward to kiss Michaela’s cheek, then tickled Katie’s chin. "Take care o’ your ma an’ pa, little sister."

"I will, Mat’ew" Katie promised solemnly.

Matthew shook hands with Sully, brushed the top of Gordon’s head and headed off to the sheriff’s office. Sully helped Michaela and the children into the wagon, then hopping up himself, took the reins, clucked to the horses and headed home.

Part 62
As Preston hurried briskly way from the church building, Trevor struggled to keep up with his long-legged strides. "Uncle Preston, please!" he whined.

Preston stopped abruptly and whirled around, almost causing his nephew to crash into him. "You have totally humiliated me" he hissed. "Tell me one good reason why I shouldn’t send you home!"

"Because you’ll have to tell Father why and he’ll tell Grandfather?" Trevor said slyly.

Preston stared at him for a moment, then in spite of himself, a smile began to play about his lips. "Well, I suppose that’s as good a reason as any" he acknowledged. Then he grew serious again. "But things are going to have to change. No more running about on your own. No more hooking up with bad company. You’re going to come with me and help me out wherever I need you. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Uncle. I understand. That’s fine with me" Trevor smirked.

"Good" Preston nodded. "The first thing we need to do is go get our horses. I have something I want to show you!"

Some time later Preston reined his horse to a halt as Trevor trotted up beside him. "What is this place?" Trevor inquired. Before him lay a tumbled down gateway, beside which was a sign or, more accurately, part of a sign. "Palmer Cr ... Reserv ... Bureau of Ind ..." read the part he could decipher. Beyond that all he could see was a bunch of burnt-out buildings.

"This" Preston said expansively, "is the future site of ‘Lodge Lumber’, a business guaranteed to make me rich!"

"Lodge ... Lumber?" Trevor raised his eyebrows.

"Correct. Formerly the Palmer Creek Indian Reservation, finally offered up for bids by the U.S. Government. Any day now I will be hearing from my investors. With their help I will be the only one around here with the interest and the means to purchase this land." His eyes took on a faraway look. "This place is a veritable gold mine -- figuratively speaking, of course. With the building boom around here demand for good lumber far outweighs the supply. I can ask any price I want!" He turned to Trevor with a huge grin. "Once I am awarded the bid, we can work together for the rest of the summer to set up operations. What do you say?"

"Sounds ... sounds great. But Uncle Preston?"

"What is it?"

"Well ... what happens when you run out of trees?"

Preston waved this away as a frivolous question. "By the time that happens, I’ll have more money than I’ll know what to do with! It won’t matter, then." He looked once more out over the land he hoped to own, a smile of eager anticipation on his face. Trevor looked, too, trying to envision his uncle’s dream, wondering what part he might have in the work -- and the profits.

Michaela had gone into the house with the children and Sully was in the barn seeing to the horse when he heard someone clearing his throat behind him. Turning, he saw Andrew standing in the doorway.

"H’lo, Andrew" Sully nodded as he ran a curry comb over the horse’s sleek flanks.

"H ... hello, Sully" Andrew seemed decidedly nervous. "H ... how is Michaela doing?"

"She’s doin’ fine, now" Sully looked at Andrew curiously. "She’s inside ‘f ya need ta talk to her."

"No!" Andrew burst out, then, "No" he said in a quieter voice. "Actually, you are the one I came to speak to" Andrew’s color alternated from red to pale, then back to red again.

Still brushing the horse, Sully nodded for Andrew to go on, looking at him expectantly.

"Well, um ... I guess you know that I recently attended a medical conference with my uncle in Philadelphia ."

Sully nodded. "Sorry Preston made ya come back" he said. "I know Michaela feels bad she couldn’t keep her promise to ya ..."

Andrew waved that away. "That’s quite all right. It is understandable that she was unable to handle everything while I was away. And I accomplished what I wanted to, there, anyway." He reddened again. "Um ... while I was there, I was able to spend some time with Colleen and, um, we talked about, that is we discussed the possibility, well, I raised the question of our maybe getting married" he finished in a rush, his face aflame.

"I see" Sully said, keeping his voice neutral. "And did Colleen give ya an answer?"

Andrew swallowed and managed to nod his head. "Colleen has ... has given me a tentative answer in the affirmative" he answered. "But she wished me to speak to you first."

Sully took a deep breath. "Well," he said, "I think this is the kinda thing we all need to sit down an’ discuss together. I’d like ta talk to Michaela first, then maybe after all this trial stuff is over with you can come over for supper and we’ll discuss it."

Andrew, by this time, was nearly dead of embarrassment. "Sully, I am so sorry. I never thought that this might be a bad time for you ..."

Sully held up a hand reassuringly. "It ain’t, Andrew, and as far as I’m concerned you’re both adults an’ this decision is up ta you. But I think it would be good for the three of us ta sit down an’ maybe even try ta get Colleen home for a few days before she starts up classes again ta talk about it t’gether."

Andrew sighed with relief. "That would be wonderful, Sully" he beamed. "We’ll ... we’ll talk sometime next week, then?"

"Sure" Sully held out his hand which Andrew shook.

"Sully," Andrew added, "I truly hope everything goes well for you on Friday." Sully smiled ruefully. Word had already gotten out about the date for his trial’s completion. "You can count on me to be there rooting for you." Andrew concluded.

"Thanks, Andrew" Sully watched as Andrew turned and exited, catching his sleeve on the barn door handle as he left. Sighing, he finished taking care of the animals and went inside to be with his family.

"Married!?!" Michaela cried when they were alone in their bedroom that night and he tentatively broached the subject to her, knowing her likely reaction. "But she’s just a child!"

"She’s 19. Lotsa girls get married at her age. Younger, even."

Michaela had begun to pace. "Not girls in her position. She needs to finish school, decide where she wants to practise, find a job, set up a clinic of her own ..."

Sully put his arms around her and silenced her with a kiss. Looking into her eyes he said softly, "School or not, it don’t take every girl until 35 ta find the right man."

Michaela pulled back and looked at him to see if he was serious. She caught his twinkle and smiled, but then she said, "Seriously, Sully, what do you think? Do you think Andrew is the ‘right man’ for Colleen?"

Sully stepped back and lifted his shirt over his head. "Why don’t we get ready for bed an’ talk about it when we’re comfortable."

Once they were in bed with Michaela nestled on Sully’s shoulder, she looked up at him and said, "So what do you think? Are you in favor of this? Do you think Colleen is ready for marriage?"

Sully was silent for so long, Michaela wondered if he was drifting off to sleep, but she saw his eyes were open and then his arm tightened around her before he spoke. "It ain’t so much Colleen I’m worried about."

"What do you mean?"

"I ain’t worried so much about Colleen’s age as Andrew’s character" Sully explained.

"His character?"

Sully thought a moment before answering. "You remember a couple years back when we started havin’ that trouble with Brian, an’ we talked about puttin’ up fences?"

"We wondered whether it was something Andrew had ever learned to do" Michaela remembered, thinking about how he had seemed willing to compromise his medical principles to prescribe Preston’s Springs Chateau nostrums to hypochondriac patients.

Sully nodded. "Seemed like he was more afraid o’ makin’ Preston angry or losin’ his job than he was willin’ ta stand up for what he knew was right."

"And you think that makes him wrong for Colleen? She’s always known her own mind."

"She has" Sully agreed, " ‘cept in that case she seemed more concerned with what Andrew thought of her than in standin’ up for what’s right. It’s like Andrew can do no wrong in her eyes and they were both willin’ ta compromise. Sure, love does funny things ta people, but when it blinds ya ta who ya are and what ya stand for ..."

"It was just one time, Sully" Michaela protested.

"If it was just that ..." Sully sighed.

"There’s more?"

"It was when I was buildin’ Miss Theresa’s homestead. Jake was out there payin’ a call an’ he spoke ta me. He was pretty upset. Ya know Miss Theresa’s arm got burnt in th’ fire ..." Michaela nodded. "Well, Andrew treated it at first ... You weren’t around, I guess ..." Michaela’s eyes clouded as she recalled those first frantic hours after the Indian raid, searching for Sully to ascertain just what his responsibility had been in the matter. "Anyway, he told Jake ta bring her back so he could check for infection, but when he did, Preston was there and ordered him not to treat her unless she could pay. Andrew gave in. Told her he was sure she was fine, without even checkin’."

"That’s horrible!" Michaela agreed. "But what does it have to do with Colleen?"

"Jake said she was there. Saw the whole thing an’ never said a word. Said she just kept lookin’ ‘cow eyes’ at Andrew. Didn’t call him or Preston on their meanness. Didn’t offer ta do somethin’ herself.

Michaela was silent, thinking about the girl who’d helped her nurse the influenza patients, who’d helped with a hernia operation, cared for her desperately ill older brother, stitched a bullet wound, delivered a baby, assisted at a gall bladder operation. She saw her at 14 standing up to a boy, telling him to look at her , at who she was and not just what she looked like, saw her being laughed at and excluded from the other girls’ activities because of her studiousness and her dream of being a doctor. Had it all been too much for her? Had she yearned for a conventional life all along? Or had her feelings for Andrew made her lose sight of who she really was? Surely not. Surely it was these traits that had attracted Andrew to her in the first place - he wouldn’t always be knuckling under to Preston, would he? "People can change, Sully" she said tentatively.

"I know," he told her. "I’m just afraid that it’s Colleen an’ not Andrew doin’ the changin’." Secretly he was amused. They had begun the conversation with Michaela objecting to the thought of Colleen marrying because of her age, a fact that did not bother him at all. Now they had swung around to his objecting based on Andrew’s character, with Michaela typically insisting that he might change for the better. With a sudden growl, he pounced on Michaela.

"Sully!" she cried, fending him off halfheartedly. "What about Colleen and Andrew?"

Leaning on one elbow, he became serious for a moment. "I think we gotta talk ta both of ‘em, ‘bout our concerns. You can mention how Colleen’s still got schoolin’ left, an’ we can both talk to ‘em ‘bout things like givin’ in ta pressure, an’ standin’ up for what’s right. Could be they just don’t agree with our way of thinkin’ on these matters." Michaela’s face began taking on a stubborn look which Sully recognized. "Hey," he said, cupping her chin and tilting her face toward his, "we ain’t always agreed, either."

Michaela managed a smile. "True" she said, gazing into her husband’s eyes.

"Ya know," Sully went on, "Andrew told me Colleen wanted him ta talk ta me before she’d give a definite answer. Maybe she’s lookin’ for help in her decision."

"Girls often look for men who display the best traits of their fathers" Michaela mused. "Colleen would be hard pressed to find someone like you."

Sully grinned. "Did I?"

"Did you what?"

"Did I ‘measure up’ to your pa?"

"Oh, Sully, that and so much more!"

"Y’know, speakin’ o’ stickin’ up for what’s right, that’s one thing I always admired about you -- ya always do it, even when it ain’t the popular thing, like when it gets folks mad or even gets ya thrown in jail."

"Sully, I’ve always loved that about you, too -- and the way you do it without trying to force others to think as you do. I can never seem to manage that."

Sully rolled back over her again. "That’s okay" he said, "I like when ya get up on your soapbox an’ start tellin’ folks how things oughta be."

Michaela pushed at him. "I don’t do that!" she protested.

"Oh, yes you do!" Sully refused to budge and instead, began to tickle her gently.

"All right, I do!" she cried at last.

Sully stopped tickling and held her close. "Let’s agree on one thing" he said softly.

"What’s that?" Michaela’s voice was becoming hoarse.

"That we love each other ..."

"Always ..." As Sully began to kiss and caress her, Michaela whispered, "Sully?"

"Hmmm?"

When we agree, I find it quite, well, agreeable."

"Can’t argue with that," he murmured as he pulled the sheet up over them and they gave themselves to each other in complete, mutual agreement.

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