Title: Haunting Feelings
Author: Renee M. (coolhorse@zdnetonebox.com)

This is my first fanfic, and I hope you all like it.  I’m always open
to suggestions, so if you see something that’s wrong, feel free to tell
me.
I guess to make my story flow better, I took some things from the book
and pretended that they happened in the series.  (For example, I don’t
think Christy knew Mrs. Tatum existed in the series, but boarded at her
house in the book).

Disclaimer:  Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned
by the LeSourd Family.  I am in no way seeking profit or credit for her
story.  I am continuing the story of Christy for my own amusement only.

Originality Disclaimer:  Any text, dialogue, or other context that is
similar to others’ fanfic or the new Christy movies is entirely coincidental
and unintentional.  I have read a lot of the fanfic and seen the movies,
but I never meant to copy any of it.  My small 14-year old mind tried
its best to come up with its own good ideas, but no promises.  ;)

Now, for all my friends who have been asking when they can read my story
and have had to bear with me at school speaking Gaelic words, saying
that I wanted to name my child Fairlight, and talking like the mountain
people, read this:

Over 30 years ago, Catherine Marshall wrote a wonderful story called
Christy.  It’s about a 19-year old girl who leaves her comfortable life
to teach at a mission in the Smoky Mountains of Cutter Gap, Tennessee.
 In the process, she fell in love with two men and became wise beyond
her years.  The saga of Christy is what I just said and more.  I suggest
to all of you that you read it.  About 6 years ago, CBS made Christy
into a series.  It was very short-lived and ended with Christy standing
between the two men she loved.  I have written this fanfiction in an
attempt to resolve the cliff-hanger.  And if you’re wondering who Margaret
is, she is the unfaithful wife to Dr. Neil MacNeill, one of the men Christy
loves.  Margaret ran away from the doctor, letting him think she was
dead.  Then she came back, twice, and the second time, she wanted to
stay with Neil.  This hurt Christy, and it became a tangled mess.  Other
characters are David, the preacher that she also loves (well, she thought
she did ;) ); Miss Alice, the head of the mission and Christy’s mentor
and the mother of Margaret; Ruby Mae, the chatterbox who lives at the
mission; Dan Scott, the black man who came from Kentucky to be an apprentice
to Dr. MacNeill; Fairlight, Christy’s best friend; and Bird’s Eye Taylor,
a moonshiner and feuder of the Cove.  The Cove is the valley and mountainside
in which everyone lives.

The book Christy is a vague biography of Catherine Marshall’s own mother,
but the content of the
series is only based on the book.  Well, now for some reading.  Enjoy!

Haunting Feelings

Chapter 1

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     Christy stood between the two men, Neil and David, looking down
at the beautiful ring.  David loved her, he had said so.  But she didn’t
love him, at least not in that way.  She loved him as a brother of Christ,
as if he were a member of her family, but not romantically.  At one time,
Christy thought that she had loved David, but she had only loved his
kisses, his gentle touch upon her face as they stood in the moonlight.
 She looked up into his eyes.  She saw urgency, loneliness.  Yes, there
was love, but it was a love like that of a schoolboy.  David had a lot
of growing up to do.  One day, he would make a wonderful husband, but
that day had yet to come.
     Then Christy looked to Neil.  He sat mounted on his horse just a
few feet away from her and David.  He had that strange, immeasurable
expression on his face that always met Christy’s eyes for a moment when
she was with him.  She wondered what it meant, and why he was there.
 Did he care for her?  Despite Christy’s denial of feelings for him,
Dr. MacNeill meant more to her than she wanted to admit.  It was those
feelings that she had wanted to express, until she found him and Margaret
embracing by the river.
     Looking back to David, Christy stepped up to him and softly said,
 “I—I need more time, David.”
     “That is always what you need, Christy, more time.  Haven’t you
had enough?  Answer me!!  Why the hesitation?” David asked exasperatingly,
stepping away from her.
     “David...  Please...  I just need time to—to think.” Christy said
with difficulty.
     “Don’t do it, Christy!” Neil shouted.  This made Christy look up.
 But she was too late, the doctor had already spurred his horse into
a hasty retreat.  “Neil!  Please!  Please don’t leave!  I--”  Christy
could not finish her sentence, for she did not know what to say. 
     “Let him go,” David said smugly.  With that comment, he received
a glare from Christy, who ran off towards the mission.
Christy stormed inside and went up to her room.  She laid the ring box
on her dresser and threw herself on the bed and began to cry.  Part of
her was angry with herself for allowing feelings, no, more than feelings,
to develop for a married man, and another part of her seemed to be tearing
apart from emotional pain and turmoil.
     Because Christy had left Fairlight rather hastily during their talk,
Fairlight had determined that Christy was going to do something impetuous.
 Thus, Fairlight had headed to straight to the mission.  Upon arriving
there, Fairlight had wandered into the mission parlor, only to hear Christy’s
loud footsteps falling across the floor as she ran to her room.  Fairlight
followed.
     “Miz Christy?  Canna I come in and talk with ye?”
     “Yes, come in,” Christy said wearily and sat up.  “Fairlight, why
are you here?”
     “I come to see how you was doing after our talk,” she said as she
sat down beside Christy.  “What’s ailin’ ya?  Did my questions help 
ye?” she asked with motherly concern.
     “Yes, Fairlight, but none of that matters now.  David asked me to
marry him, again, but I can’t.  Oh, this is so terrible.  What should
I 
do?  I have hurt David terribly with my refusal to his proposal the other
time.  I don’t want to hurt him any more, but I don’t love him.,”  Christy
sobbed, her words pouring out along with her tears.
     “Now Miz Christy.  As I told to ma John boy, you can’t help who
ye love, and you love Dr. MacNeill—“
     “Oh, Fairlight, I don’t know about that—“ Christy said, hoping to
hide her true feelings for Neil from Fairlight. 
     “Christy, I know it mightnt seem to you that way, but deep in ya,
ye do.  And he too.  I can see it in his eyes.”
     Suddenly Christy thought about the unfathomable looks Neil always
gave her.  Were they were looks of love and longing?  Or were they looks
of pity and compassion, nothing more?  Despite Christy’s own doubts,
she knew the looks were of deep origin inside Neil’s heart.  When he
had told her and Becky the story of the lonely Selkie on that stormy
night, he had looked at her like that.  When she had come down from his
room wearing Margaret’s lavender dress, his eye’s had burned with feeling.
 Even when they argued, that look was there.
     “I told ye so.” Fairlight said, snapping her back to the present.
     “Fairlight, how did you—“
     “Christy, them eyes of yours are like a pair a blue mirrors to yer
soul, that allow anyone to see whats yer a thinkin’ bout.  I reckon Neil
sees hit, too,” Fairlight said gently, handing Christy a handkerchief.
 “It was Neil’s cabin that you went to taday after our talk, weren’t
it,” she stated.
     “Yes, Fairlight.  I saw him with Margaret!  That’s why I came back.
 I ran into David’s arms and that’s when he asked me to marry him.”
     “Christy, he don’t care none for Miz Margaret.  He has forgotten
all ‘bout her.  He only cares for you.”
     “But he’s a married man, Fairlight!  I can’t lov—be involved with
a married man!”
     “I know Miz Christy.  But don’t you fret bout this.  God’ll work
it out, just you follow yer heart.”  And with that, Fairlight got up
and left the room.  As soon as Fairlight had left, Miss Alice entered.
 Christy stiffened, wondering if Miss Alice would ask her about how she
felt about Neil now.  Christy remembered the other time Miss Alice had
shunned her when she had seen Christy and Neil growing close.
     “Christy, I heard what happened today.  Is thee all right?” she
asked as she sat down beside Christy.
     “Yes, Miss Alice.  But this is so confusing!  What should I do?
 I don’t love David like he wants me to, and...I...” this was hard for
Christy to say.  She had barely admitted her feelings to herself.  “I...I
have feelings for Neil, and...more.”
     Miss Alice smiled and placed her hand upon Christy’s face.  “I know.
 I know.  But, thee must realize that Neil is a married man.  Not by
love, but by duty.  Both your reputations could be at stake.  However,
God does not see thee at fault for thy feelings for Neil.  In fact, God
put them there, for a reason.  You are not at fault.  Thee did not know
Neil was married when thee came here.”
     “I just sincerely hoped that he and Margaret could be happy.”  At
the mention of Margaret, Miss Alice became rigid.  “Miss Alice, you have
to forgive Margaret.  I don’t think she has much time left.”
     “Christy, I don’t think I can do that.  The night when she came
parading into the church, she said she wished that she had not been born
to me.  And I granted that wish.  She is no longer my daughter.  There
is no room left in me to forgive her.  She has taken all my hope for
her out of me.  There is nothing left.”
     “Miss Alice, I know Margaret has been so terrible to you, but I
went to the Teahouse, and I saw the locket that you gave Margaret.  I

know, I shouldn’t have went through her things, but...” she trailed off,
waiting for Miss Alice to say something.  Miss Alice just sat there patiently,
so Christy continued, “You and Neil were in the locket.  Margaret caught
me.  I asked if she missed you.  She said it didn’t matter.  But she
does miss you.  I know that.  If you can give her one more chance.”
     “She misses us?”  Miss Alice asked, surprised.
     “Yes, she does.  Please, give her a chance.  She is at Neil’s right
now, because...because I told her that...that Neil was worth fighting
for.”
     “Thee told her to come back?”
     “Yes.”
     “Oh, child, you are truly remarkable,” Miss Alice said, hugging
Christy.  “I am leaving on a retreat tomorrow for a couple of days to
sort everything in my mind out with God.  Christy, I think it would be
best if thee went on thy own retreat.  Not to the mountains, but to thy
home.”
     “That sounds fine, Miss Alice.  Is it possible for David to take
over school for me?  I shouldn’t be gone long.”  In her mind, Christy
was wondering if she could ever return.
     “Thy wish shall be granted,” Miss Alice said with a shaky smile
as she got up.
     “Miss Alice, before you go on your own retreat, you should go talk
to Margaret.”
     “Thee should also.  I will keep thee in my prayers.”  Miss Alice
was just about to leave when she thought of something else she could
tell Christy,  “This verse is one of my favorites, may you carry it with
you always:  Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything;
tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers.^”
 With that, Miss Alice walked out of the room, leaving Christy with her
thoughts.

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        Neil was lost in deep thought while riding away from the schoolhouse,
and Christy.  What had he expected?  That she would immediately run to
him and declare her love for him?  Neil had never even declared his own
feelings for her.  He didn’t even know how she felt.  He would never
know.  He was a married man.  With the thought of Margaret, he wished
that she would not be there when he returned to his cabin.  Immediately,
he cursed himself for thinking such a thought.  He remembered Christy
saying that he could not just “wish away Margaret”.  She was right, but
how could he commit his life to someone that he did not even care for?
     Not wanting to go back to Margaret, Neil headed toward his own secret
place, that no one else knew about.  He had hoped to share it with Christy,
but that dream was shattered now.
     Back at Neil MacNeill’s cabin, Margaret was thinking about how she
had almost won Mac back.  She thought that she had sensed a little reconciliation
when they were embracing.  But now, all that was demolished.  He only
cared for the schoolteacher.
     Margaret knew that she was not welcome here, not now, and probably
never would be.  Her only hope was that “Pollyanna” would up and decide
to leave the Cove.  Only then would she perhaps have one more chance
with Mac.

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     The next day, Christy packed all of her things and headed to El
Pano.  She would ride Prince there, and then have Ben Pentland, the mailman,
bring him back to Cutter Gap.  Just before she mounted up, Miss Alice
came up riding Goldie.
     “I see that we are both leaving today, Miss Huddleston.  Are thee
sure thee would not like some company?”
     “I think it’s best I go alone.  I’ll be all right.  Are you going
up to God’s Fist?”
     “I am indeed.  Christy, before I leave, I wanted to give this to
you.”  She pushed a piece of folded blue paper into Christy’s hand. 
Christy looked up at her with tear-filled eyes and Alice knew it was
time for them to part.
     “Thank you for everything, Miss Alice.”  Christy didn’t know what
else to say, so she squeezed Miss Alice’s hand and mounted Prince.
     As she trotted away from the mission, Christy willed herself not
to look back.  She knew that if she did, she would see Miss Alice’s compassionate
gaze drilling into her.  Christy knew Miss Alice could see right through
her; she knew Christy was leaving, for good.  One lone tear fell down
Christy’s cheek.  She wiped it away and patted Prince’s neck.  Then she
picked up the note Miss Alice had given her and read:

Dearest Christy,
I know thee has faced many challenges, and I don’t blame or judge thee
for going home.  Please, if you decide to stay, remember us always. 
I love thee as my own daughter.  Always hold on to joy.

Miss Alice

        “Oh Prince, what am I going to do?  I can’t face this place again.
 I have already hurt everyone around me.”  She was so concentrated on
her thoughts that she did not hear another horse approaching.
        “Why, Miss Huddleston, I did not know that you found such interest
in talking to a horse.”  
     Christy did not need to look back to know who was behind her.  She
would recognize, and remember, that Scottish brogue anywhere.  It was
Neil.  It surprised her, for knowing Neil, after what had happened, he
would be avoiding her, not confronting her.
     “Of course, Neil.  Didn’t you know that Prince understands every
word that is said to him?”  Christy said in a choked voice.  She could
not turn to face him.
Sensing Christy’s discomfort, he asked, “Where are you headed to on this
fine day?”
     “I—ah—I’m going on a bit of a retreat.”  Christy said uncomfortably.
 Neil said nothing.  “Why Neil MacNeill, you have never been one to be
at a loss for words,” she said, finally bringing her horse even with
his.
     “I was just thinking about Margaret, Miss Huddleston.  Don’t ever
think that I’m at a loss for words,” he said teasingly, but tensely.
Christy felt a wave of disappointment wash over her at the mention of
him thinking of Margaret.  She rebuked herself for such feelings.  After
all, Neil and Margaret were married.  “Neil, is something wrong?”
     “I don’t know.  I have a strange feeling, that something is going
to happen.  It is not a bad feeling, but not a good one either.  Have
you ever felt that way?  It is quite haunting that most of the time,
the feelings prove themselves to be true.  Haunting feelings.”
     “It isn’t haunting, Neil.”
     “Now why is that?”  He said, looking at her with a measured expression.
     “Have you ever even considered that it’s God who puts those feelings
in you?  To try and tell you something?”  This time, Dr. MacNeill really
*was* at a loss for words.
     “Ah, so I have finally knocked you speechless.”  Christy said triumphantly.
 She suddenly decided to go see Margaret before she left.  “Do you mind
if I pay Margaret a visit?”
     “Uh, sure,” he said, and under his breath, “Maybe you can knock
some sense into her.”
        Soon, they were at his cabin.  While the doctor took his horse
to the barn , Christy called out for Margaret.  She tethered Prince’s
reins to the hitching post and proceeded up the flight of steps.  Christy
knocked on the door.  Margaret answered.  Christy had to stifle a gasp,
for Margaret was wearing the same lavender dress that Christy had borrowed
the day she had fallen in the river.  Margaret’s tuberculosis had made
her become sickly thin, and the dress hung loosely upon her.  Her beautiful
hair was matted and it had lost its shine.  Christy had envied Margaret’s
beauty since the first day they met, and despite Christy’s anger, she
felt sorry for Margaret.
        “Well, if it isn’t Miss Pollyanna,” she said mockingly.
        “Margaret, I have to come to talk with you, before I leave the
Cove.  May I come in?”
        “You’re leaving the Cove?” Margaret said hopefully.
         “Yes.  I now see that I can’t remain here anymore.”
        “I see.  Well come in.” 
        As Christy entered, she saw that Neil’s cabin had been made immaculate.
 “Your cabin looks very nice, Mrs. MacNeill.”
        “Miss Huddleston, would you please not call me that.  You are
more Mrs. MacNeill than I am,” Margaret said as she sat down and offered
Christy a chair.
        Flustered, Christy did not know how to answer that.  For a few
minutes, they sat in silence, until the gracious side of Margaret said,

“Would you like something to drink?”
“Yes, I would.  Thank you.”  Margaret nodded and went about preparing
a mild juice from the deliciously sweet late berries that were falling
all over the Cove.  When they were both seated and sipping the juice,
Christy broke the silence,
“Margaret, I have come to offer my apologies and forgiveness to you.
 I am sorry that we could not have been friends.  I am also sorry for
butting into your possessions at the Teahouse.  It was wrong of me.”
 Margaret was obviously knocked off guard by Christy’s words, and said
nothing, so Christy continued, “I also came here to tell you that I forgive
you.  I forgive you for the sorrow that you caused your mother, and Dr.
MacNeill.  I not only forgive you for these things, I thank you for unknowingly
revealing things to me that I had not seen until you came back.  I hope
you can reconcile with Miss Alice and Dr. MacNeill.”
Margaret sat utterly stunned.  Christy’s words somewhat angered her and
befuddled her.  Before Margaret could give a nasty remark, Christy said,
“Thank you so much for the juice.  It was lovely.  I shall be going now.”
 With that, Christy patted Margaret’s hand and left the cabin 
for Prince.  She mounted him, took one last look at Neil’s cabin and
then spurred him away.  For the second time, she was riding away because
of Margaret.
In a blur of tears Christy did not hear hoof beats behind her.
“Christy!  Wait!” Neil shouted.  This only made Christy spur Prince on
faster.  *I will have to become more aware of hoof beats behind me,*
she thought.  Finally, when she reached the point where she should turn
for El Pano, she slowed Prince, who was glad for a rest from his breakneck
pace.  Christy was not surprised that Neil was still behind her.  “Christy,
please.”
“Neil, I just had to talk to Margaret.  Please, I want to get on to my
retreat.”
“Christy, I—“ he wanted to know what she had wanted when she came to
his cabin, and why she had quickly ridden off at the sight of Margaret.
 He knew he faced the chance of getting hurt, but he was hurt so much
already, what was a little more pain?  On the other hand, he could be
healed.  Actually, he only dreamed of getting healed.  He knew, that
at this moment, any possibility of that was impossible, for Christy would
never go against what she believed.
“Neil!  Please!” Christy cried out, not trying to stop the tears coming
down her face.
Neil sensed that something was desperately wrong.  He wouldn’t have been
surprised if Margaret had said something terrible.  Not wanting to fight
with her, he asked, “How long will you be gone?”
“I—I’m not sure, Doctor.  I must be going now.  Good bye.”
Neil didn’t want to have to bear the hurt of knowing that she had accepted
the Reverend’s proposal, but he knew beyond a doubt that she was making
a mistake.  “Christy, don’t marry someone you don’t love!  It won’t work!
 If you do, you will be forever haunted.  Don’t do it, don’t!” he shouted.
 “Take it from someone who knows.”
Christy said nothing.  She could not look at him.  He would see straight
through her.  Sighing, Neil said, “Good bye.”  Christy turned Prince
towards El Pano, but before she could urge him into a gallop, Neil shouted,
“Christy!  Wait!”  Wondering (and hoping) at Neil’s words, she quickly
wheeled Prince back around to face him.  *What could he possibly have
to say now?* she wondered.  “Christy, I just wanted to say that I am
sorry, sorry for all that’s happened.”
“So am I Neil, so am I.”

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        At the train station in El Pano, Christy went to the ticket window,
not sure if she could do what had to be done.  “One way ticket to Asheville,
please.”
        “Yes, ma’am, here you go.”
        “Thank you.”
        Christy’s train would not arrive until the next morning, so she
went to the general store.  Compared to Asheville’s stores, The El Pano
General Store was quite drab.  But, oh!  There was so much here that
the mountain people could use.  Though she had very little money left
after buying her ticket, Christy couldn’t resist wandering over to the
books and picking one out.  As she thumbed through the books, she came
upon a poetry book.  *I bet Rob Allen would love this!* she thought.
 She picked it up and kept looking.  Suddenly, she wondered why she had
gotten the book if she was not going back to Cutter Gap.  *Must be a
reflex,* she thought.   The next book she came upon was called  “The
Old Flame.”   *I shall get this for my journey.*  After purchasing her
items, she went to Mrs. Tatum’s house to see if she could stay the night.
 It was late-afternoon. 
        When Christy knocked on the door,  Mrs. Tatum opened it immediately.
        “Christy, dear child!  How good it is to see you!  How is everything
going?”  Seeing Christy’s weary look, Mrs. Tatum asked, “Dear child.
 Whatever is wrong?”
        Though Christy knew she would be bombarded by endless questions,
she asked it she could stay the night.
        “Of course.  Where are you going?”
        With a choked voice, Christy blurted our, “I am going home. 
I would stay if I could.  It is my one and only home, but I can’t.  I
will never be able to go back!”  Christy poured out her whole story to
the older lady, and for once, Mrs. Tatum didn’t get a word in edgewise.
 As the sun set, Mrs. Tatum sent her up to her room to freshen up.
        As Christy splashed water on her face, she recalled Mrs. Tatum’s
last words, “If Cutter Gap is your one and only home, you will find a
way back there.  It you are *really, truly* bound there, God will guide
you there, no matter what happens.  As for your two men, if one of them
is to be your soul-mate, then you will also find a way back to him, no
matter what.  I believe that two special people are bonded together unknowingly
at birth, and nothing will ever come in their way.”  That was sure something
to think about.
        After dinner, Christy retreated to her room and fell into a dreamless,
fitful sleep.  Arising early the next morning to Mrs. Tatum’s puttering
around the kitchen, she gathered her things and prepared to leave.
        “Good morning.  Are you ready to leave?”
        “I hope so.  Mrs. Tatum, I thank you so much for helping me.
 To listen to my poor excuses for problems is probably quite an annoyance
to you.  Thank you for putting up with me.  I shall come visit you as
much as I can.”
        “Dear Christy, it is my pleasure to be able to help you.  I truly
thought you would never survive in Cutter Gap, but now I see that it
has had to survive *you.*  Here is some breakfast.  Have a good train
ride.”
        “Thank you so much.  By the way, where is your husband?  I guess
I just now noticed that he was gone.”
“Oh, he went on some hunting trip.  Men!”  The two women smiled and shared
a long embrace and then Christy left for her train.
        As she boarded on the train, she felt terribly lonely.  She opened
her book and began to read.  Before she knew it, she had drifted off
into dreamland...
        “Neil, where are we going?”
        “Just wait and see,” he said, and turned around and gave her
a blinding smile.
        Christy’s beautiful lavender lace wedding dress flowed out behind
her as she hugged Neil’s waist.  He urged Charlie on at full speed  until
they reached a beautiful spot with bright green grass and a wonderful
smell.  There was a light mist and a large waterfall.  Neil lifted her
off and they strolled hand in hand towards the waterfall.  As quick as
a deer, Neil jumped through it, pulling Christy with him.  She laughed
with delight and came out with her hair plastered to her face.  Neil
gently kissed her and led her through the cave that was behind the waterfall.
 Christy looked around to see the walls sparkling with pyrite and quartz.
 It was incredibly beautiful.  Down the cave even further, there was
a light.  It appeared to be blue.  When they reached the light, they
came upon a large circular cave with a large hole in the middle, in both
the ceiling and the ground.  The hole in the ground was filled with a
sparkling water and the hole in the middle of the ceiling revealed that
the room was covered with a kind of blue quartz.
        “Sapphire,” Neil said, “just like your eyes.”  Then...
        She awoke with a start as her book hit the floor.  “Neil,” she
cried out, still not fully out of her dream.  Christy was shocked when
she saw who was sitting across from her, and immediately blushed...

^Philippians 4:6 TLB


Chapter 2

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        “Margaret, what on earth are you doing here?”
        “I am going to Asheville,” she replied.
        “Whatever for?”
        “I am going to get annulment papers.  When Mac and I have cleared
it all up, I am going for more treatment, with Mother.”
        “But, I don’t understand—“
        “No, Christy.  I *am not* running away this time.  I left letters
for Neil and Mother.  I asked Mother to meet me in Knoxville in a week,
for treatment.”  Christy noticed that this time, Margaret did not call
her “Pollyanna.”
        “They do not know you are here?”
        “No.  Christy, when you came to Neil’s cabin and talked to me,
I realized how cruel and spiteful I was.  Right now, I am going to say
that I am sorry.  I am still quite angry with Mother and Mac, but I will
not run this time.  Forgive me if I go off on you.”
        Christy was doubly shocked at the change in Margaret, and asked,
“What changed you attitude Margaret?  Was it God?”  Margaret laughed
in her old malicious manner, but said only slightly sarcastically,
        “No, Christy.  I simply kept hearing your words in my ear and
I thought how I would feel if some of my Teahouse friends were treated
even half as bad as I have treated Mother and Neil.  I still feel that
they are greatly at fault and I still blame them,”
        Christy cringed at the mention of the Teahouse and saw that Margaret
was still herself, but her slight change in attitude was a step in the
right direction, and Christy was happy for her.  “Margaret, you can’t
get a annulment.  I know you love Neil, and he will stand by you.”
        “I am doing this for the two of you—“
        “Margaret, no.  There is nothing between us.  But what I meant
when I said that you couldn’t get a annulment is this:  the Cove does
not believe in divorce or annulment of any kind.  Even if you legally
break all ties with him, the Cove will still see him as married.  Married
to you.  You need to stay by him, as his wife,” Christy said matter-of-factly.
        “No, Christy.  I can’t and won’t stay.  This is my fault.  I
want to fix it.  I can’t come between your love.”
        “Margaret.  I do not love him!  Don’t go through with the annulment.
 As I said at your cabin, I’m not going back to the Cove.”
        “Ever?”
        “At this point, no.”
        “You won’t change your mind?”
        “No.”
        “I am so sorry, but I still aim to set Mac free.  I was never
his wife, the entire Cove saw that.  I didn’t stay around.  The Cove
must certainly realize that we were never really married.  Won’t they
understand?”
        “I don’t know Margaret.  But this is not your fault.  Please.
 It is mainly mine, for allowing myself to care for someone lik—“ Christy
stopped, realizing what she had just said.
        “You don’t have to hide it, Christy.  I heard you call his name
when you were waking up awhile ago.”  Christy blushed ferociously, again,
and turned her cheek to the cool glass of the window.  Right then the
conductor called out,
        “Now in Asheville, North Carolina.  Please exit on the north
end, and thank you for riding.”
        “Margaret,” Christy said politely as she stood up, “you must
stay with us.”
        “No, Christy, I think it would be best if I didn’t.  I am going
to the courthouse and then to the TB clinic here, to see if there are
any medications that they can send with me to Knoxville.  I will stay
at the clinic.  I’m leaving for Knoxville tomorrow evening.”
        “Are you sure?”
        “Yes.  Good bye, Christy.”
        “Good bye.”

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        At about the same time that Margaret and Christy were getting
off their train in Asheville, Neil MacNeill was returning to his cabin
after a morning of fishing.  As he entered, he found that Margaret was
nowhere to be seen, and that there was an envelope on the table.  Half-knowing
what he was about to find, he picked it up and began to read it:


        September 19
Dear Mac,

By the time you read this, I will probably be in Asheville.  Are you
surprised to be reading this?  I know our marriage has failed, and I
have gone to Asheville to acquire some annulment papers.  I will send
them to you and all you have to do is sign them and send them back to
the Asheville courthouse, along with a letter telling of our marriage,
that you accept the papers, etc.  Then you will be free to love who you
are meant to love, and I think you know whom I’m talking about.  Do not
worry about my medical status, for I am going to Knoxville to get treatment.
 The doctors at the Asheville clinic told me that I would receive the
best of treatment in Knoxville.  I have asked Mother to meet me there
in a week.  I will always love you, Mac, and I will forever regret the
part that I played in our marriage.  I am not sure where I will go or
what I will do after my treatment, but I know that I cannot come back
there.  I have an interest in theater and singing, so maybe that is where
I am headed.  I have decided to try and fix my life because of Christy.
 You will never know how great she truly is.  Good-bye, my Mac.

Yours forever,
Margaret

        Neil could not believe that Margaret had written to him and apologized.
 He also wondered what in the world Christy could have said to her. 
Christy never ceased to amaze him.  He shook his head in wonderment and
placed the letter up on the mantle beside the clock.  Christy’s earlier
words regarding his strange feelings came back to him, “Have you ever
even considered that it’s God who puts those feelings in you?  To try
and tell you something?”  The strange feeling that something was going
to happen had come true.  Margaret had begun to turn over a new leaf.
 Was it really God who, through Christy, had helped Margaret?  Neil mocked
himself for asking such questions.  But his thoughts turned to Christy
once more.  It was she who challenged him to ask himself these questions.
 
Neil knew it would be best if he and Margaret were annulled.  When the
annulment was cleared, he would be free to love Christy, but would she
let him?  After all that had happened?  Would he himself be able to?
 What would the Cove think?  He sighed and stepped onto the porch to
look at the river.  Memories came back to him.  This was *their* river.
 He remembered their chance meeting in the moonlight that Bessie had
seen.  He remembered the day Christy had come to tell him about Dan Scott,
when she had burned their chicken dinner.  Then a bad memory came; Margaret,
and how Christy had ran away when she saw them.
        Neil was walking back inside when he heard a branch snap, followed
by footsteps.  “Who goes there?” he called out.  A moment later, a woman
leading her horse appeared.  Her horse was wearing a strange saddle;
it appeared to be western, and had a beautiful design on the shiny, black
leather.  
The woman was even more striking.  She had longest, most beautiful red,
almost orange hair that he had ever seen.  It was highlighted with streaks
of blond and flowed gently in the breeze.  Her eyes were as big as Christy’s
and were a bright green that sparkled and crackled with darker green
specks.  In fact, she looked a bit like Ruby Mae.  She wasn’t wearing
a traditional woman’s dress, not even a riding skirt, but what looked
to be men’s trousers!  
Her horse, which appeared to be finely bred, was stocky and muscular.
 He was the most beautiful shade of a strawberry roan that Neil had ever
seen.  His mane was strangely almost the exact same color as his owner’s.
 Realizing that he had been staring, he reddened and asked, “What can
I do for ya?”
        She replied, “My name is Keri Abilene Loving, and I have been
riding through these parts.  My horse has thrown a shoe.  Can you help
me?”
        “Of course.  My name is Neil MacNeill, the physician here in
Cutter Gap.  Give me a minute, and I will fetch my tools.”  Still struck
by the Keri’s beauty and her horse, he slipped down to the barn and retrieved
his blacksmith tools.  When he returned to the front of his cabin, he
said to Keri, “Actually, why don’t you bring your horse down to the barn.
 I can work better there.”
        “All right.”
        As they walked to the barn together, Neil wondered what a woman
was doing riding in these parts with such a fine horse and tack.  “If
you don’t mind my asking, what are you, a woman, doing riding out here,
with such a fine horse?”
        “I don’t know Doctor.  Are women not allowed to ride horses out
here?” 
        “I didn’t mean it like that.  People just don’t see a fine woman
wearing men’s clothing riding a fine horse with a saddle like yours every
day,” he smiled.
        “I see.  Well, I am from Colorado.  I wanted to move to a place
where I could raise horses, and Tennessee seemed like a good a place
as any.  I have been scouting the area around here for a while.  There
is a wonderful clearing around here.”
        “Yes, that is owned by the mission.  And might I add, if you
raise horses as fine as the one you have now, they won’t be around for
long.  But why Tennessee?  There must be a thousand places to raise horses
between here and Colorado.”
        “I...ah...I just wanted to get out on my own.  I have always
been drawn to Tennessee,” she said uncomfortably.
        Neil was puzzled at her hesitation.  “I see.  Where did you get
this horse?” he queried, motioning to the beautiful animal.
        “This is my foundation stud, Bonnie Prince Charlie III,” Keri
said proudly.
        “What a name for a horse!  Bonnie Prince Charlie was quite a
man.  It is he who is the mountain people’s ancestor.  My horse is named
Charlie, also.  Are you Scottish?”
        “I was born in Scotland, but I am actually Irish.  My parents
died when I was young, so I was taken to America.  My father used to
tell me about Bonnie Prince Charlie when I was just a baby.  That’s all
I remember about them.”
        “I’m sorry,” Neil paused, thinking about his own parents.  “How
long are you going to stay here?”
        “Well, I really like the land by the mission.  Do you think I
would be able to buy it?”
        “I don’t know.  You know, over in Low Gap there is a whole meadow
of unowned land that is just as good as that of the mission’s.”
        “Oh, is Low Gap very far from here?”
        “Not too far.  Ah, here we are,” Neil said as they entered the
barn.  “Why don’t you tie him up over there,” he said pointing a long,
worn rail.  “Do you have the shoe?” Neil paused, admiring the saddle
once more, “By the way, where did you ever get such a fine saddle?”
        “Yes, I have the shoe.  The saddle was my adoptive father’s grandfather’s.
 I was told never to sell it, that the saddle had been there when my
great-grandfather had first settled in Colorado.  I guard it with my
life all of the time,” Keri said with a homesick look on her face.  A
moment later she said, “I really appreciate this.  I do fear, though,
that when Charlie threw his shoe and stumbled, he hurt himself.”  She
bent down and ran her hand along his foreleg.  “Yes, it feels quite warm.
 I’m afraid he’ll be out of commission for about a week though.  Is there
anywhere that I could stay?”
        “I’m sure the mission would take you in.  There we go, Charlie.
 What a good boy,” he said as he finished, stroking Charlie’s neck. 
“I can take you there today, if you’d like.  It isn’t too terribly far,
and I have a poultice that you can use for Charlie.  Will he be able
to make it?”
        “That would be great.  Thank you.  I’m sure he will be all right.”
        “You can ride with me and lead your horse.  There is no sense
you walking to the mission.  I can see that you are quite exhausted.”
        “That is all right, I am fine, really.”
        “No, you are riding with me.  I am a doctor, Miss Loving.  I
am trained to see everything, and you are quite tired.”
        “All right,” Keri said, giving up.
Neil saddled  up*his* Charlie and led him out of the barn and up to the
cabin.  Neil quickly went into his laboratory to fill his saddlebags
with medicine to refill the mission medicine cabinet.
Keri led *her* Charlie up beside Neil and he gave her a lift up behind
him.  “I can hold Charlie, Doctor, while we ride to the mission.”
        They rode in silence with Charlie limping slightly behind.  “Dr.
MacNeill, you never said where you grew up.  One would think that you
moved from Scotland, the way you talk.
        “I was born in my cabin.  I wanted to be a doctor, and I was
very fortunate when three professors asked me to go along with them on
their hunting trip.  It was by them that I became the doctor that I am
now.  I attended medical school in Scotland, but decided to come back
here.”
        “You really love these people don’t you?”
        “Yes.  I have devoted my life trying to help them.  Sometimes
I wonder if I am doing any good.” 
“I’m sure you are.  I believe that when you are around the people a lot,
you do not see sudden changes in them.”
“Thank you.  Not much more farther, now,” he said as they rode into the
mission clearing.
“Is there any way that I can repay you for this?  The way some stories
go, if I had asked just anyone to help me, I would have been mugged or
shot.”
“There is no need to repay me, Miss Loving.  And yes, some of the people
here are quite violent, mostly a result of the moonshine.  However, though
you probably wouldn’t have received any help from some of the people,
they usually don’t harm women.  You’ll find that there are some very
good people here.”
“Yes, there are some good people here,” she said with an engaging smile.
 “But, no, Doctor, I insist, let my pay you back.”
“My, you are just as stubborn as some of the mountain people.  But if
you insist, I will think of something.”  He looked up to see her bright
green eyes sparkling, and he smiled.
They approached the mission and David came out to greet them.  When he
saw that it was MacNeill, he scowled.  But when he saw the woman behind
him in the saddle, he smiled smugly.
*The little scamp,* Neil thought, for her knew exactly what David was
thinking.  “Hello, Reverend,” he said as politely as he could.  “This
is Miss Keri Loving.  She was riding through when her horse threw a shoe
and injured himself.  She needs a place to stay, and I was wondering
if she’d be able to stay here.  Where’s Alice?”
“Hello, Doctor, Miss Loving, my name is Reverend David Grantland.  Yes,
you can stay here.  I’m sure Ruby Mae would be delighted to have someone
to talk to,” he paused. “Alice went up to God’s Fist.  She should be
back tomorrow morning,” David said.   At Keri’s puzzled look he explained,
“Alice Henderson is the head of the mission, and Ruby Mae is a young
lady who lives here at the mission.  She has been very lonely lately.
 I’m sure she would enjoy your company.  Please come in, let me take
your belongings,” he said.  Keri dismounted and grabbed her bags from
off of *her* Charlie’s saddle.
“I must be going, Reverend.  I’m going over to Low Gap and will be back
in three days.  If you run into trouble, find Dan Scott. Here’s supplies
and medicine to replenish your stock,” Dr. MacNeill said, handing David
the items.
“All right.  Good bye, Dr. MacNeill.”
“Good bye, Doctor, thanks for everything!” Keri shouted after him.  “Where
can I put my horse?” she asked David.  He motioned to the barn below
the mission and Keri excused herself to unsaddle Charlie.  Once he was
tended to, she went inside, and a strange smell immediately met her.
 “What in the world is that, Mr. Grantland?” Keri called out.
“That, Miss Loving, is Ruby Mae’s possum surprise.  And please, call
me David,” he said, coming up behind her, holding her bags.  “Where would
you like me to put these?”
“Possum?  I—ah—“ she stammered, oblivious to the question of her bags.
“Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as you think, just don’t each too much
at once.”
“All right, David.  I am too hungry to care, anyway.  And, you can call
me Keri.”
“Preacher!  Preacher!  It’s ready!” Ruby Mae called, as she ran out of
the kitchen.  “Who’s this, Preacher?  My name’s Ruby Mae Morrison, and
I live and cook here at this here mission,” she said, sticking out a
grubby hand.  “Lordy!  Them are some mite strange clothes.  Here, Preacher,
let me take her bags, she can stay with me in my room.  I hope ya like
it.  It ain’t nuttin much, but Miz Christy made it real purty and made
it smell nice.  But first you just gotta try my possum surprise!”
Keri looked at David overwhelmingly, who just smiled.  “Don’t mind her,”
he said, “she’s just lonely.  ‘Miz Christy,’ or Christy Huddleston went
to her home in Asheville day before yesterday.  Christy’s the teacher
here.  She usually gets bombarded with the majority of Ruby Mae’s chatter.
 Christy didn’t say when she would be back, so I guess you’re designated
to listen to Ruby Mae. However, I think you might get a better sleep
if you stayed in Christy’s room, for I do fear that Ruby Mae could ‘talk
water up a hill’ even in her sleep!”
“Thank you, David.  Well, let’s go eat some possum surprise!”

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        Dan Scott had spent the days since his almost-murder-of-Bird’s
Eye Taylor in deep thought.  He had been tormented and tortured by his
thoughts.  Every single thing around him seemed a grave reminder of his
near tragic actions.  Finally, he had decided that he would think best
away from it all.  So, Dan was going to find his very own place in the
Cove.  A place only he knew about, where he could think.
        Though it was dark, he mounted his borrowed horse and started
to ride away from the remains of his cabin.  Dan rode through the trees
for quite a while and came upon a small ravine.  Slowly, he dismounted
and led his horse down into it.  Amidst the huge boulders near the walls
of the gorge, Dan came upon a large cave opening.
        Daniel Scott would be the last person to be afraid of ghosts
or goblins, but the dark cave scared him a bit.  Granny Barclay’s stories
didn’t help that matter much, either.  Lighting a torch, he carefully
and cautiously unsaddled, fed, and tied his horse up and entered the
cave.  Inside, the cave had rocks arranged in such a way that it looked
livable, so Dan lit a couple more torches and began to arrange his items.
 He would stay there until he had his thoughts sorted out.  It was so
peaceful, dark, and mind soothing.
        As he ate his meager dinner, Dan thought about Bird’s Eye.  
Dan knew he had to apologize to Bird’s Eye, but he didn’t exactly want
to get shot.  Into the wee hours of the night, Dan stayed up.  His problem
kept bothering him.  Though Dan had said a few silent prayers to God
to help him, he had not fully asked for the Almighty’s help.  But now,
almost delirious from lack of sleep, Dan prayed out to God for the first
time in days.  He was angry with God for making him who he was, angry
with God for bringing him to Cutter Gap, and angry with God for bringing
such heathen people into his life.  Dan didn’t want anything to do with
the likes of Bird’s Eye Taylor, but just dismissing him did not convince
Dan’s conscience that it was right.  He spoke into the darkness of the
night:
        “God, why did you do this to me?  Why did you bring me hear?
 I can see that I will never be accepted, or respected.  Especially since
I have made a breech between Bird’s Eye and myself.  I have to fix it.
 Please God, forgive me for my stubbornness towards you and help me to
learn to love Bird’s Eye.  Please, make my wrenching soul peaceful.”
 Tears of relief and exasperation were running down his face by the time
he had finished.  A wonderful feeling of cool peacefulness mixed with
warm reassurance circled his heart and held, and Dan knew God was with
him, and would help him.
        Finally, Dan fell asleep.

Chapter 3


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        The next morning, Christy awoke in her room to the very inviting
sounds of bacon, eggs, sausage, and toast.  It smelled *so* good to her.
 It beat possum any day.  Christy got dressed and looked around her room;
it was quite messy.  She tidied it up and unpacked her valise.  Then,
the inviting smells overwhelmed her and she went down for breakfast.
        The very sun itself couldn’t have made Christy’s mother’s face
glow more.  Julia was overjoyed at her daughter’s return.  When Christy
had said that she was coming back to stay,  William literally had to
restrain his wife from enclosing Christy in a bear hug.  Though Julia
was usually quite, reserved, and very proper by society standards, her
action towards Christy had not surprised William.  He had been the one
who got bombarded with the majority of his wife’s worries about their
daughter.  So, of course, he knew better than anyone how happy Julia
was.
        Christy sat down at the table to her father reading his paper.
 She missed George, who was off at a pre-college clinic for the week.
 He only had one more year in high school before he graduated.  Christy
suddenly felt old, for her little brother was about to start college!
        “Good, morning, Mother, Daddy.”
        “Did you have a good sleep?” Julia asked, as she put a heaping
plate of sausage on the table and sat down.
        “Yes, I certainly did.  May I say the blessing?”
        “Of course.”
        “Dear God, I thank you for letting me be here back with my family
and for letting me have such memories in Cutter Gap.  Bless this food
and help our family to have a wonderful day.  Amen.”  When Christy mentioned
Cutter Gap, her eyes filled with tears.  She kept seeing Mountie’s big
blue eyes and Ruby Mae’s bright red hair.
        *Why am I acting like this?*  She thought.  *I did what was best.
 The children would not be done justice with a teacher who was tortured
by personal matters!*
        “Amen.”
        “Amen,” her parents said, interrupting her thoughts.  Christy
helped herself and began to eat.  She was famished, for her last meal
had been a small lunch on the train yesterday.  Last night, Christy had
been so exhausted upon arriving in Asheville that she merely told her
parents that she was there to stay, headed up to her room, and then fell
asleep in her bed barely before changing into her nightgown.  Christy
had thought nothing of dinner.
        “Christy, Thomas Livingston is having a grand party tomorrow
tonight, and I would like to take you shopping for a dress today.  You
remember Lance Livingston, don’t you?” Julia inquired of her daughter.
        Christy groaned, for she was really in no mood for a party. 
After thinking about it for a few moments, she reconsidered.  Christy
had not been to a party for a long time.  It might turn out to be fun.
 “All right, Mother.  That would be nice.”
        “Good, then we will leave before lunch.”
        Christy turned her thoughts to Lance.  He was her longtime friend
and an accomplished horseman.  She would try and remember to ask him
if he could coach her.  While living in Cutter Gap, she had needed horsemanship
skills badly.  Even though Christy thought it would be pointless to learn,
since she wouldn’t be returning to Cutter Gap, she had enjoyed riding
while there.
        Other memories of Lance flooded Christy’s mind.  She remembered
when they were in the eighth grade how he had escorted her to her first
dance.  However, Christy was so nervous that when she tried to dance,
she had stepped on her dress and ripped it.  She ran off in tears.  Lance
had followed her and said, trying to comfort her, “It’s all right, Christy.
 Don’t cry.  I think that you are a great dancer.  Your dress was probably
too long, anyway.  That’s why you stepped on it.”  Christy smiled.  She
had always thought that she would one day marry Lance.  How things had
changed!
        A few hours later, Christy changed into one of her more elegant
dresses and left with her mother to find the perfect dress for the party.
        “Christy, you only told your father and I that you were back
for good this time, but you never told us why.  I am so overjoyed to
have you back, but I cannot see someone as determined as you are just
deciding to come home, especially after making it clear that you wanted
to stay the last time we visited you.  What is it Christy?  Why did you
come back?”
        “Mother, I just decided that Cutter Gap was not working out for
me,” Christy said, not being able to look her mother in the eye.
        “It’s because of Neil and David, isn’t it?  You have still not
decided?”
        “Mother, it’s nothing like that, I just—“
        “Christy, dear.  Please, I know what it’s like to be torn between
two men.  Just listen, all right?”  Christy nodded, intrigued about what
her mother was going to tell her.
        “Before I met your father, I had two suitors that I could not
chose over.  I was young, your age, and in what would now be your high
school.  I know it may surprise you, but yes, even I wanted higher learning.
 In those days, women did not often go into that high of learning, but
I so desperately wanted to.  Anyway, in my elevated math class, I met
a very smart and charming young man.  We soon started courting.  I enjoyed
being with him and he was from a wealthy family, which satisfied my parents.
 At the same time, I became good friends with another young man in my
drama class who had a great passion for theater.  He was from a very
poor family and was only at ‘finishing school’ because of his wealthy
cousins.  We shared everything on our minds.  I never thought of him
as more than a good friend, but he stirred things deep inside me that
the other young man never did,” Christy looked at her mother, marveling
at how her mother’s struggle fit her own so well.  Julia continued, 
        “It frightened me, and I didn’t know what to think, for the wealthy
young man never made me feel that way.  I started avoiding them both,
and when the semester was up, I transferred to another school.  In my
parting words, I told them that the other school had more things to offer
me.  I have regretted that day often.  However, I met your father and
was given the most wonderful daughter ever,” she smiled.  “I have always
wondered what might have happened if I had stayed.”
        “Mother, how come you never told me this?”
        “I felt that I never needed to.” Julia stopped in front of a
dress shop.  “Well, let’s go in this store.  You can tell me your story
later.”
        Still thinking about what her mother had just told her, Christy
stepped into a store of blinding colors and wonderful smells.  She looked
at each dress, finally coming upon a deeply colored cerulean dress that
was made of the softest silk.  It was very beautiful, and she knew that
it was the one.  After paying for it, with much protesting from Christy
when she found out the price, they left for their favorite restaurant
to eat lunch.
        “Mother, thank you so much for the dress.  I have forgotten how
much fun it can be to shop,” Christy said as they left the restaurant,
feeling very full.  “Of course, one day is enough.  In Cutter Gap, the
only ‘shopping’ I do—did, was usually done in the woods, looking for
materials to teach the children with.”
        “You miss them very much, don’t you?” Julia inquired as they
strolled down the streets.
        “Yes, I suppose I do, but it was for the best.”
        “Why is that?  Christy, you must tell me, or I will fear forever
that something very bad and deadly happened to someone.”
        Christy took a deep breath and smiled a little, “It was nothing
like that Mother.  Well, you know that David proposed to me, and Neil
and I had become very good friends.  It was like you said, and Neil has
stirred many feelings in me that I do not have with David,” Christy faltered,
“like—like the young man that you regarded as your good friend, and only
your good friend,” she said, trying to cover up.  “Sometimes, those feelings
were ones of anger.  Neil has made me so angry sometimes that I was literally
shaking,” she said, smiling as she remembered their encounters.  “On
the other hand, he has not always made me angry.  He has opened my eyes
to so many things.  It was through him that I truly found my faith. 
He challenged me in what I believed, which I soon found out that I did
not know.  It was through those challenges that I became closer to God.
 Much as I wanted to bring Neil closer to God, it was just the other
way around.”  Christy stopped, wondering if she could go on.
        “It’s all right, Christy.  Keep going,” Julia said softly.
        “Well, David bought me a hard-earned ring and again asked me
to marry him.  I was more doubtful this time, because of Neil.  I confronted
my dearest friend, Fairlight, and she asked me these questions:  ‘Who
do you think of when you first get up in the morning?’  I answered David.
‘Who is the last person you think of before you go to sleep?’  I answered
David.  ‘Who makes your blood boil?’  It was this question that I answered,
‘Neil, MacNeill, but he has nothing to do with this,’ I had said hastily.
 Finally she asked me, ‘Who’s your best friend, Christy?  Who do you
tell your deepest thoughts to?’  It was to that question also that I
answered Neil, and I knew that I could not marry David.  I knew that
I never told David my deepest thoughts, and even though I did love him,
it was not enough.  We did not have the friendship that Neil and I did.
        “But—I—I do not love Neil; I just don’t love David enough.  I
rode over to Neil’s cabin, because I wanted to tell him how much I respected
him and how much I cherished our friendship.  I saw him and his wife,
Margaret, who had come back for a second time, embracing by the river.
 I immediately took off and went back to the schoolhouse, I ran into
David’s arms and he held out the ring and asked me to marry him.  Neil
had followed me, and it was there that I stood, between the two of them.
 I decided to leave.”  Christy knew she had said too much about her real
feelings, but by the time she had finished, they had reached the steps
of their beautiful home.  It felt good to be able to unload her bottled
up feelings to someone that cared.
        “Oh, Christy, I am so sorry.  You love Neil, don’t you?  I simply
cannot bear the thought of my daughter in love with a mountain man, but
I think that I truly did love John, even if he was poor.”
        “No, Mother, I don’t love Neil.  He is my good friend.  I was—ah
just startled seeing him and his wife together, since she had been gone
all this time.  I merely ran off because I didn’t want to interrupt them,
and I knew if Margaret saw us talking, she would get the wrong idea,”
Christy finished lamely. 
        “Christy, it is not a sin to be in love.”
        “I am not in love!”
        “Only you will know this Christy.  We will discuss this later,”
Julia looked levelly at her daughter.
        Christy sighed, and went to talk to her father.  She guessed
that he was in the library, reading.  Her guess proved to be right, and
she said, “Hello, Daddy.  I’m sorry that I have not been able to talk
to you and see how you have been doing since my last visit.”
        “That’s all right, Little Miss,” William said affectionately,
looking up from his newspaper.  “I am doing quite well.  I owe my life
to Doctor Neil MacNeill.  I don’t know how you convinced your mother
to let him treat me,” he chuckled.  “Tell me, exactly how did you convince
your mother?”
        “Well,” Christy said, taking a seat beside him, “it was not exactly
me who did.  You see, I took mother over to see Swannie O’Teale.  Mother
wanted to help me convince Swannie to take the food that we were giving
her.  Neil—Doctor MacNeill came with some gingerbread for the children.
 He had successfully treated Becky O’Teale’s trachoma, and she gave him
a beautiful picture of the first thing she saw when she had been able
to see again.   It was then that Mother decided to let Doctor MacNeill
examine you, and I am so glad that he did.”
        “Yes, I am glad to be here, but even more glad to see you.  But
Christy, I can see that this is no longer your home anymore.  You are
not happy here.”
        “Daddy, it just wasn’t working out there for me.  This is my
home,” Christy said, hiding her eyes.
        “I know it might not seem to you this way, but I can see it in
you that you are bound to Cutter Gap, even if you don’t see it yourself.
 By the way,” he asked with a sly smile, “how is Doctor MacNeill doing?”
        Christy’s head snapped up, “He—uh—is doing fine.”  Changing the
subject, she asked, “Have you been able to walk without your cane yet?”
        “Yes, I am almost able to.  I know heaven is to be a wonderful
place, but I don’t know what I would have done if I went to heaven knowing
that I had hurt my Little Miss.”
        “Oh, Daddy, I’m so glad you are still here.  You have to give
me away at my wedding.”
        “And whom would I have to give you away to?  Would it be Ne—“
        “William, Christy!  Dinner is ready.”
        “May I escort you, Christy Huddleston, to the finest dinner in
Asheville?” he asked courtly-like, standing up.
        Christy, still blushing from her father’s almost made comment,
replied, “Of course,” and she took his arm and they went off to dinner.

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        Back at the mission, Miss Alice was cooking dinner, since she
didn’t want all of Keri’s meals to consist of possum.
        “Miss Alice, David said that there was a schoolteacher, Christy
Huddleston who went away for awhile.  Do you know when she will be back?
 I’d like to meet her,” Keri asked, coming up beside her with some potatoes.
        Miss Alice turned and smiled at the young woman.  She knew Keri
was buzzing with curiosity after all that she had heard about the teacher
  “She went back to her home in Asheville for good, or so she thought.
 I do think she will be back, though.  I believe that God has bound her
forever to this place.”
        “Why in the world did she leave?  How could anyone leave this
place?” Keri asked as she peeled her potato.
        “Ah, Miss Loving, there is a fair amount of things that are not
good in these mountains.”
        “Yes, I have seen places like this, and I fear that I have not
seen the worst yet, either.  However, I would not describe this place
as ‘God forsaken,’ as many people say, for I think that God has only
been shut out by the fear and pride of these people.  He is here.  He
just has yet to be accepted by the people as a kind, merciful, loving
God.”
        Miss Alice brightened, “I could have not said it better myself,
Miss Loving.  It is our job here at the mission to open the people’s
eyes to the true God.”
        “If you don’t mind my asking, then why did Miss Huddleston leave?”
Keri queried once more.
        “Miss Huddleston had some very overwhelming personal matters
that she needed to sort out.”  Suddenly, an idea dawned on Miss Alice,
“Miss Loving, does thee have any experience in teaching children?  I
know that thou art merely passing through, but would thee mind teaching
the children part time?  Until Christy returns?  I know they would love
to have you.  If desired, I would be happy to assist thee.”
        “Why yes, Miss Alice!  I taught my sister’s schoolchildren while
she went on her honeymoon for a month.  She went to Ireland.  That is
where our roots are,” Keri said with a dreamy look on her face. “I would
love to go there one day.  But, yes, Miss Alice, I would be happy to.
 When would you like me to start?”
        “It would probably be best if thee started the day after tomorrow.
 Do you have knowledge of higher math or science?  There are a few students
that are quite proficient in those areas.”
        “Yes, I know a bit about Earth Science, you know, the study of
rocks and such.”
        Miss Alice nodded, “Good, I will have David tell the children
tomorrow.  Keri, I don’t know how to thank thee; I know David will be
glad to have some of the strain taken off of him.”
        “What will David be glad about?” David asked as he entered the
mission house.
        “Oh, David!  Miss Loving has agreed to help teach the children.
 She knows of some higher science, and will be helping the older children,”
Miss Alice bubbled with a smile.
        “You are a godsend, Keri.  The students like Zady Spencer have
been thirsting for more ever since Christy left for her retreat,” David
said, coming to stand beside her.
        “I am delighted, too, David.  Well, shall we eat?  And, by the
way, where is Ruby Mae?
        David replied, “I sent her over to Bessie’s house for dinner.”
        As they sat down, there was a knock on the door.
        “I’ll get it,” David said standing up.  He opened the door to
find Uncle Bogg.  “What can I do for you, Bogg?”
        “Howdy, Preacher.  I was in El Pano today and saw that good ol’
Prince was in the Livery Stable.  I figgered that Miz Christy had rode
him there and would be wantin’ someone to bring ‘im back.  So that’s
just what I done.”
        “Why, thank you.  Would you want to join us for dinner?”  David
asked, taking Prince’s reins.
        “I cain’t tonight, but ya think I could take somethin’ with me?”
        “Sure, wait right here,” and David went back into the mission
house.  Bogg stood there waiting, wondering if the Preacher would get
him a pie.  David then emerged with a large blueberry pie.  “Here you
go.  Miss Alice just made this today.”  Bogg took the pie eagerly and
handed Prince over to David.
        “Thank ye kindly.  I’ll be seein’ ya.”
        “Bye, Bogg.  Thank you.”
        As Miss Alice and Keri waited for David to put Prince up, Miss
Alice suddenly remembered the letter that she had found in her cabin
when she had woken up that morning.  “Will you excuse me?  I will be
right back.  I have an important letter that I need to read.”
        “Of course, but hurry back.  You don’t want to miss the food
that is not possum, do you?” Keri said with a smile.
        “I will indeed hurry back, Miss Loving!”
        “Say, Keri,” David said as he came back into the mission, pondering
something, “did Miss Alice happen to mention where Christy went for her
retreat?”
        “Yes, she did.  Christy went to her home, to Asheville.” 
        As Alice made her way to the piano bench in the parlor, she took
out the letter and partially expected to find Christy’s handwriting.
 However, this script was rather different.  Quite puzzled, Miss Alice
sat down on the piano bench and began to read:

September 19
Dear Mother,

By the time you read this, I will probably be in Knoxville.  The Asheville
clinic said I would receive good treatment there.  Don’t worry, I am
not running away this time.  In fact, I am asking you to meet me in Knoxville
in a week to accompany me as I seek treatment for my tuberculosis.  I
know we exchanged hateful words at our last meeting.  Please, find it
in yourself to give me one more chance.  What I need to say cannot be
expressed in this letter.  Please come.  I hope we can talk a bit.
  
It was Christy who made me decide to stop running.  I know that I am
your only daughter, but I am grateful that there is someone like Christy
for you.  She is the daughter you should have had.  I know this will
sadden you, but I have sent annulment papers to Neil.  He should not
be burdened by me when he is in love with someone else.  There is no
other way.  Please, if you will, meet me in Knoxville in a week.

Your daughter,
Margaret

        Miss Alice sat stunned.  She was very shocked at Margaret’s sudden
change in the letter.  After her talk with Christy, Miss Alice had been
willing to give her daughter another chance, and had almost visited Margaret
before going on her retreat.  However, something had held her back. 
Fear, dread maybe?  It had haunted Miss Alice during her retreat.  But
as always, God had comforted her.  This letter was the answer to Miss
Alice’s prayers.  “Thank thee, Lord.  Thank thee so much.”
        Miss Alice read the letter again.  She knew Margaret had a long
ways to go before she would be completely new in spirit, but Christy
had planted a seed.  For that, Alice was eternally grateful.  She was
glad for the five days that she had before she would go to Margaret.
 It would take that long to get things in order.  How she wished Christy
was here!  Alice sighed and then headed back to the table, to find Keri
and David laughing.  “What is so funny?”
        “Oh, Miss Alice!” Keri said laughingly, “When I was peeling potatoes
for the stew, I accidentally placed the peels in the pie.  Oh, you should
taste this pie!  Cherries and potato peels do not exactly mix.”
        Miss Alice laughed joyously, partly because of the funny mistake
and partly because of her newfound joy that Margaret wanted to sort things
out.  “That is quite an interesting mixture, but I have a more serious
announcement to make.”  Keri and David immediately sobered and Miss Alice
continued, “I have a letter that Margaret left for me.  She has gone
to Knoxville for treatment and I must meet her there in five days.  I
am sorry to burden thee, David, but I must go.  I will ask Fairlight
to come back and help, and Christy should return before, if not soon,
after I leave.”
        David’s face was a mixture of joy and relief for Miss Alice and
Margaret.  He was so happy that Margaret had given Miss Alice another
chance.  Keri looked quite puzzled and turned to Miss Alice with questions
written all over her face.  The Quaker briefly explained, and when she
had finished, Keri sat there, shocked.  “I—ah—I will be happy to help
while you are away.  My horse’s injury will probably take its own sweet
time to heal, so I will be here for awhile.”
        “Thou art a great relief, Keri.  Is there anything the mission
can do for you in return?”
        “Actually, there is.  Could I talk to you after dinner?”
        “Of course.  Well, I think now is a good time to eat the dinner,
potato-cherry pie and all!”  They all smiled and started to eat.  After
the dishes were cleared and everything cleaned up, Keri told Miss Alice
of her dream to raise prize horses in the Smokey Mountains.  After finishing,
Keri said worriedly,
        “I know this is probably not the right time to ask but...”
        “No, thee are right.  This is very good horse country.  I have
an idea.  This mission is not owned by myself, but by Dr. Jacob Ferrand.
 I don’t think that he would be willing to sell the land.  But, there
is a fair amount of land over by Low Gap.  I would be willing to see
if thee would be able to claim that.”
        “Yes, Dr. MacNeill said the same thing.  I think it would be
great.  I would love to stay in this area, and help with the mission,
if that would be of any help to you.”
        “Oh, yes, Keri, it would.  As soon as I have seen to it that
my daughter is receiving treatment and I have reconciled with her, I
would be happy to get the land for thee.”
        “Oh, thank you!  I don’t know how I could ever repay you!”  Keri
stood up and flung her arms around Miss Alice.
        “Well, could you repay us by maybe playing a tune or two on the
piano?  I heard you playing this morning when I came up for breakfast.”
        Keri blushed.  “Of course.  It’s the least that I can do.”  She
sat down and began to play Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”.  Through the night,
the joyous playing of a piano accompanied by happy voices rang through
the Cove.
        Miss Alice only wished that Christy could be there to share the
happy moment.  David’s mind was also on Christy...

Chapter 4

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        “Mother, can you help me?  I cannot find a necklace to go with
this dress,” Christy called out the next evening from her room.
        “Of course, I have the perfect thing.  Hold on,” Julia replied
from down the hall.
        Christy turned and looked in the mirror, admiring the beautiful
dress that twirled around her.  She had piled up her hair in braids,
just like Miss Alice, on the very top of her head, with curls cascading
down the sides of her face.
        “Ah, here we go.  Oh, Christy, you look stunning.  I am so glad
that you decided to come tonight.  Here, let me put this on you.”  Julia
drew the five jewel sapphire necklace around Christy’s neck and hooked
it.  “There we go.  Are you ready?”
        Christy nodded, “Yes, I suppose so.  Tonight should be quite
fun.  Only there will be violins that replace Jeb Spencer’s dulcimer
for music.”
        “And other young men instead of Neil, only he can’t be replaced,”
Julia finished.
        Christy sighed, “Mother, I—“
        “I will have none of that now.  I said yesterday that we would
finish this conversation and I intend to keep my word, so spit it out.
 As much as you would like me to believe that this is your home, and
as much as I want it to be, your heart is elsewhere.  You cannot deny
it forever.  So, tell me,” Julia softly stipulated, pulling her daughter
to sit beside her on the bed.
        Dazed by her mother’s words, Christy began to cry.  “Oh Mother,
when Fairlight asked me who I told me deepest thoughts to and made me
realize that I loved Neil, I wanted to shout out to the world.  I knew
that I couldn’t have him, because he was married.  It broke my heart
so badly.  I did not think that I could bear it.  Cutter Gap is my home,
but I just can’t go back.  I can’t love a married man!  I’m surprised
you have not shunned me.”
        “Christy, dear, from what you have told me, it seems as if your
feelings for Neil developed before you knew Margaret existed.  Do not
curse yourself for this.  Love will find a way.”
        “Oh Mother, even though Margaret has sent annulment papers to
Neil, I just can’t go back and face him.  I know I have hurt David clear
to his soul, and I just cannot bear causing him pain every day that I
see him.  I just simply cannot!”  Christy allowed her mother to hold
her while all of her tears washed her soul of the burdens she had been
holding.  Christy didn’t think she had the strength to do what was right,
but bible verses started playing through her mind:  “I can do all things
through Christy who strengthens me,^” and  “Casting all your care upon
Him, for He cares for you.^”  Christy said a silent prayer, “Dear God,
please take my burdens from me and allow me to face what I must.  Let
it be your will.  Amen.”  And with that prayer, Christy knew that she
had to go home.  She knew that she had to make things right, and no matter
how ugly they got, God would be with her.
        “I am going home, Mother,” was all Christy said.
        “Christy,” William knocked on her door, “you have a very special
visitor here to see you.  You had better come down this instant.”
        Looking at her mother in surprise, Christy wondered who it could
be.  Just for a second, she allowed herself to think it was Neil, but
he didn’t even know where she was.  Could it be Lance?  *Most likely,*
she reasoned.  Christy straightened her dress and fixed her hair and
then descended the stairs.  She was shocked at the sight that met her
at the bottom of the stairs...
        “David?!  What in the world are you doing here?  I thought—I
mean—How did you know I was here?”
        “A visitor at the mission told me you were here.  I just knew
I had to come and make things right,” he said uncertainly. 
        “A visitor?”
        “Yes, she is very interesting.  I’ll tell you about her later,”
he paused.  “Christy I’m so glad to see you.”
        “I am glad to see you, too.  As you can see,” she said, beckoning
blushingly to her fancy outfit, “I am about ready to attend a party.
 Would you like to go with me?  I would certainly be happy to have a
friend from home,” Christy said, looking at her mother and stressing
the word ‘home’, “accompany me there.”
        “As friends, Christy?” David said with quietly with determination.
        Surprised, Christy said, “Yes, David, as friends.”
        Julia, standing with her husband, looked proudly at her daughter.
 How she wished that she would marry the Reverend!  But Julia knew what
a wonder the heart was, and smiled.  “Well, William,” she whispered,
“Christy will be leaving us once again.”
        “Yes, but she misses her home.”  They smiled at each other and
William said to David and Christy, “Shall we go?”
        “Yes, let’s,” Christy said, looking forward to an evening of
dancing.  Whispering to David, she said, “Can we talk when we get back?”
        “Of course, Christy, I have so much to say.”
        “As do I.” 
        At the Livingston’s lavish house, Christy was greeted by Lance,
who swept her into his arms the moment she got down from the carriage.
 Christy noticed that not one trace of jealously could be read on David’s
face, and she was glad.  When Lance released her, David stepped up and
extended his hand.
        “I don’t believe that we have met.  My name’s David Grantland.
 I am the minister from Cutter Gap.  Christy and I live and work at the
mission there.”
        Lance shook hands with David, “Name’s Lance Livingston.  I’ve
known Christy since we were born!  Good to have her back for good in
her real home.”
        David looked at Christy in surprise.  She mouthed, “Tell you
later.”  He nodded and turned back to Lance.  “Well, shall we escort
this young lady in?”
        Lance looked at David dubiously, and said, “Certainly.”  Much
to Christy’s astonishment, they both took one of her arms and led her
into the house.  Christy giggled and looked at the two men who were having
a time embarrassing her.  David knew he was going to like Lance.
        “Looks like Christy will have three men to choose from,” William
said jokingly.
        “William!  That is not even funny!” Julia chuckled and allowed
her husband to escort her inside.
        William looked at Julia with happiness.  He was so glad that
his wife had finally found peace about her daughter.
        Inside the Livingston’s home, Christy looked around with awe.
 She had not been in the house for a long time, and it seemed more beautiful
than ever.  David and Lance escorted her over to Lance’s father, where
he greeted her with a hearty smile,
        “Christy, how glad to see you!  How are things back at your mission?”
        “They are great.  It’s been a good visit home, but I miss it.”
        “Tis good.  Enjoy the night!”  At that moment, the orchestra
struck up a classical tune, and before anyone else could ask, David bowed
to Christy and asked, “May I have this dance?”
        “Of course, Reverend.”  Christy curtsied and then was pulled
into the whirling nature of the dance.  A bit into the dance David asked,
        “Christy, I thought you were only going a retreat home.  Lance
said you are staying, is that true?” He looked questioningly into her
eyes.
        “No, David.  I left the mission thinking that I would never come
back.  I thought that I wouldn’t be able to face you, or Neil.  But God
has once again shown me that I am meant to be in Cutter Gap, no matter
what has happened or what may happen in the future.”  Because of the
tears welling up in her eyes, David only said,
        “I am glad that you will be going back.”  A few moments later
the dance ended, and the next one began.  Lance walked out onto the floor
and asked,
        “Christy?  May I have the honor of this dance?”
        “Of course,” she said as they began to dance.
        “Christy, I am so very glad to have you back here.  I’ve missed
you.  Did you miss me?” he asked hopefully.
        “Lance—I—I’m not here to stay.  God has showed me that my place
is in Cutter Gap.  I will be returning in a few days.  In reply to your
question, I have missed you yourself, and our friendship, but I have
not missed Asheville.”
        “Oh, I see,” he paused.  Well, I am glad that you have found
your place.  I have found mine, also.  I want to become a minister. 
Do you think David would be willing to talk to me?”
        “Yes, Lance, I’m sure that he would.”  Pausing a moment, considering,
she asked,  “Can I ask you a favor?”  For added convincing, Christy teasingly
batted her eyelashes up at him.
        Lance laughed, “Certainly.”
        “Well, you see, back in Cutter Gap, a horse is almost the most
valuable thing there is, and I would like to go back to Cutter Gap with
some better skills.  I would also like to buy a horse to take back. 
Would you be willing to help me?”
        “I’d be delighted, Christy!  That would be fun.  How about we
meet at the stables in a couple of days.  Would Wednesday be all right?
 I’ll give you some pointers and then we can look for a horse.  I know
of a wonderful horse ranch just about a mile out of town.  We could take
my father’s motorcar, if you’d like.”
        “I would like that very much.  Thank you.”  The rest of the night,
David and Lance talked about what becoming a minister meant and Christy
talked with a few of her friends.  As the last dance was being played,
a waltz, she wished Neil were there.  Her unhappy thoughts were interrupted
by David, who said knowingly,
        “Christy, I know that I am no substitute when it comes to Dr.
MacNeill and his dancing, but would you dance this waltz with me?”
        Blushing, Christy accepted.  At the end of the dance, tears were
streaming down her face and she said,
        “I can’t wait to go home, David, but will you stay at our house
tonight?  There are so many things we have to talk about.”
        “Yes, I will.  I just want you to know Christy, I cherish our
friendship so very much.  I hope you will agree with me.”
        “Oh, I do, David!” she said as they headed back to Christy’s
home.

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        Dan Scott, after having spent a day in his cave had returned
to his home and had been relentlessly working on it ever since.  He had
been trying to gather up the courage to go apologize to Bird’s Eye during
the past few days, and had only become more and more doubtful.  But as
he finished the outline of his house, Dan knew it was now or never, so
he put aside his work and headed to the Taylor’s home.  On the way, he
shot an especially large rabbit and decided to take it with him.  *Maybe
Bird’s Eye will like this for supper tonight,* he reasoned.  As Dan neared
the Taylors’ home, he called out,
        “Bird’s Eye Taylor?  I’ve come to talk to you.”  Bird’s Eye emerged
from behind his cabin, shotgun in hand.
        “Whada you want?” He asked, coming down the rise to meet Dan.
        “I’ve just come to say I was sorry for accusing you.”
        “Don’t want no ‘pologies from no black ‘un.  Get out,” Bird’s
Eye said, raising his gun.
        “Please, Mr. Taylor.  I was very wrong and I wouldn’t blame you
if you shot me right hear and now, but I just want you to know that I’m
very sorry, more than you’ll ever know,” Dan said, standing his ground.
        “Waal, I should shoot ya, but seein’ you can’t defend yerself,
you bein’ just a poor black ‘un, I ain’t gonna,” he said mockingly. 
Dan chose to ignore this and said shakingly,
        “While I was walking over here, I shot this rabbit, and since
I don’t need it, I thought you might want it.
        “Yep, heard ya shoot it.  Sounded like it was on my land.” 
        “Guess so.  Since I, ah, shot it on your land, guess it’s yours,”
Dan said, offering him the rabbit.  As Bird’s Eye took it, Dan turned
and walked away as quickly and calmly as he could.
Bird’s Eye stood there for a long while and watched Dan leave, thinking
about how he didn’t seem so different than the mission folks.  And they
were white.

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        Back at the Huddleston’s home, Christy changed out of her elegant
dress and met David in the parlor.  She didn’t know how to start so she
simply said,
        “David, I—I love Neil MacNeill.  I have loved him for a long
time, but I have been sightless to it.  It was Fairlight who opened my
eyes.  I have been foolish not to see it.  And it was my foolishness
that hurt you.  I am so, so sorry David.  I cannot marry you.  It would
not be fair.  I only hope that you will find someone to love you as you
ought to be loved.”
        “I am sorry, too Christy.  I tried to blind myself from the love
I saw that you and Neil had.  I was jealous and befuddled as to what
you would see in him.  I hurt myself more than you did by doing that
to myself.  I kept pressuring you, trying to make you love me.  I am
sorry for doing that to you.  I would be honored if you still considered
my your brother and your friend.”
        “Of course, David.  I have your ring in my room.  Let me go get
it.” When she returned, she handed him the box and said, “I know you
will find someone one day who returns your love.”
        “I hope so.”  There was a moment of silence before David said,
“Ah, yes.  About our newest mission visitor.  Her name is Keri Loving.
 She is looking to start a horse ranch in the mountains, and her horse
cast a shoe while she was passing through.  Luckily, she was near Dr.
MacNeill’s and he rode her to the mission.  As it turns out, she is advanced
in science and is teaching the children a bit.”  
        “I can’t wait to meet her.”
        “Yes, she is nice.  Also, Miss Alice received a letter from Margaret.
 She is going to Knoxville with Margaret, probably as soon as you return.”
        “I know.  Margaret and I met on the train.”  They talked awhile
longer, and when Christy felt her eyelids drooping, she said, “I am so
glad we have been able to work this out.  Well, it is late, so I’ll see
you in the morning.  Lance and I are going to go look for a horse for
me on Wednesday.  I am going to buy it and bring it back to the mission.”
        “Christy!  A horse is expensive.  How are you going to pay for
it?”
        “I have some money in the bank.  The mission needs another horse,
David.  You know that as well as I.”
        “Yes, but still.  It is a lot of money!”
        “David, it is with my money that I want to use to buy my horse.
 Don’t worry!  Good night.”
        “Sleep well, and don’t dream too much about Neil.”
        “David Grantland!  Why, I—“
        “Goodnight, Christy.”

Philippians 4:13 NKJV
1 Peter 5:7 NKJV



Chapter 5


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        For the next two days, Christy spent her time going to a party
and trying to fit back in with her friends.  However, she just could
not spring back into the life that had once consumed her.  She felt as
if a part of her were missing.  Though she was happy to see her friends,
Christy was glad when Wednesday finally approached.
        On Wednesday morning, Christy awoke early, ready to learn more
about horses and horsemanship.  She would rather do something else, but
at this point anything was better than hearing endless strings of gossip.
 Her services were needed at the mission, and if that included knowing
how to ride a horse, she was determined to do the best she possibly could.
 Christy put on her riding skirt and went downstairs.
        "Good morning, Miss Huddleston, and how did you dream-I mean
sleep?"  David asked with a cunning grin.
        "David!  If you don't-"
        "David and Christy!  If I didn't know better, I'd say that you
were brother and sister!"  William said with a laugh as he came down
the stairs.
        "We are Daddy, we are."
        "I see.  Well, are you ready for a day of riding?  I would come,
but of course have a case today.  Say, Reverend, would you like to come
to court and witness some law action?"
        "I'd be delighted," David said with a smile.
        "Good."
        "Daddy, where is Mother?" Christy asked.
        "She is still sleeping.  Apparently, the party was quite tiring
for her last night."
        "I see," Christy said.  "Well, I guess I'll make some bacon and
eggs."
        "No, this is your last day here; I'll make breakfast," David
said firmly.
        "Thank you, David," Christy and her father both said at the same
time.
        By the time Christy had eaten pancakes, sausage, and grape juice,
she was full to the brim.  "Thank you, David.  I'd best be going.  Have
fun in the courthouse."
        "Have fun riding."
        As Christy walked to the bank to get some money for her horse,
she could just see herself sailing over the horse's head.  She pushed
out that thought and continued her walk.  After going to the bank, she
started for the town stables.  When Christy got there, Lance was waiting
with two horses; a dappled gray and a bay.
        "Hello, Lance.  How are you?"
        "I'm fine and dandy.  Are you ready?"  Christy walked around
the horses and saw that the gray was wearing a sidesaddle.
        "I'm sorry, but I meant to tell you that I want to ride astride.
 It's not your fault.  I'll just go get another saddle," she said as
she headed to the tackroom.
        Lance just stood there, shaking his head at the amazing person
he was going to ride with.
        When Christy had the right saddle on the gray she asked his name.
        "It's Skeeter."
        "That is an unusual name," Christy mused.
        "Yes, it is.  Ok, now, I know that you have had a bit of riding
instruction, so concentrate on what you know and try to do it.  All right?"
        "Sure."  *Easier said than done,* Christy thought.  She straightened
her back and pushed her heels down.  She then shortened the reins a little
bit and made sure her seat bones were resting comfortably in the saddle.
        "Good.  Now make him walk.  And remember to relax," Lance instructed
as he rode along beside her.
        Christy urged him on, making sure that she stayed relaxed; the
most important thing.  She looked to Lance, who nodded.  Christy then
put Skeeter into a smooth trot.
        "That is good.  Sit to it at first, then start to post.  Do you
know what that is?"
        "Yes.  David showed me.  He has taught me almost everything that
I know."
        "I see," Lance said thoughtfully as they trotted along.  "Christy,
are you and David...well..."
        "No, at one time we were, but-I am in love with someone else.
 For a while, David was terribly hurt because of it, but we have repaired
our friendship."
        "Yes, you seemed at peace last night.  But tell me, who are you
in love with?"
        "Doctor Neil MacNeill," she said, blushing.  "He is the doctor
in the Cove.  It has been almost year since we met, and I just discovered
my feelings for him."
        Lance felt just a bit saddened at her confession of being in
love.  He had hoped that he would have been a prospect for her.  But,
in a sense, Lance was quite happy for her, for they had always been as
close as siblings.  "I am very happy for you.  Does he feel the same
for you?"
        It was this comment that completely saddened Christy.  "I really
don't know.  I thought he did, but I must have been mistaken."
        "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you sad," Lance said guiltily.
        "That's all right.  As my mentor and friend, Alice Henderson
says, 'Thee came to Cutter Gap to teach, not to get a husband.'  I guess
she was right."
        "Don't be so sure.  Life surprises you quite often."
        "That it does, Lance.  How am I doing?"
        "Great, ready to try a canter?"
        "You bet.  Let's go!"  The two friends took off, laughing joyously.
 Christy sat deep in the saddle and rocked gently with the rhythm of
the horse.  As they came to a straight clearing in the park, she looked
over at Lance and asked him before she lost her nerve, "Can we gallop?"
        "Are you up to it?"
        "There's only one way to find out!"  Christy leaned forward as
she had seen the men do and pushed the reins further up on Skeeter's
neck.  Skeeter's instinct to run took over and he shot out from under
Christy.  She laughed with delight and leaned into the horse's neck.
 By the time they had reached the end of the straight, their horses were
tired from their run and slowed immediately.
        "Wow, Christy!  That was some ride.  And you say that you needed
pointers.  You were great."
        Christy blushed.  "Thank you, Lance.  I just wanted to make sure
I was doing everything right.  I guess I have learned a bit in Cutter
Gap."
        "I'd say so," Lance said as they dismounted.
        "Thanks for taking the time with me.  I really appreciate it.
Well, shall we go and look for a horse?" Christy asked.
        "Let's go."  After their horses were put away, they climbed into
Lance's father's motorcar and were off.  The five-minute trip was uneventful,
with Christy looking out at the beautiful countryside.  However, nothing
could compare with the beauty of her mountains.  
        "Well, here we are, Christy.  Edelweiss Farm.  The finest horses
around."
        "Great," she replied, admiring the sweeping green pastures that
were filled with baby foals.
        The owner met them at the barns and introduced himself as Mike
McKimby.  "I'm pleased to have you here today.  I hope you'll be able
to find a horse.  Tell me, what are you looking for?"
        Christy looked at Lance, for she had no idea what she was talking
about.
        "Well, Mr. McKimby, Christy would probably do best with a gentler
horse.  The horse would need to be surefooted and strong, for it will
be going to the Smokey Mountains."
        "Ah, I think I have just the horse for you.  She's a five-year-old
Arabian mare.  Her name's 'Sheik's Bonita'," Mike said, leading them
to her stall. 
        "That is a very interesting name," Christy said.  "May I try
her out?"
        "Of course.  Can you saddle her yourself?  I need to go fix the
arena gate real quick."  Mike walked off towards the large circular arena,
leaving Christy and Lance with the mare.
        "She sure is a pretty thing," Christy mused as she saddled the
horse up, admiring her beautiful dark gray color.  "Is her dished, dainty
face a characteristic of her, uh, breed?" Christy asked, not knowing
if "breed" was the right horseman's jargon.
        Lance laughed.  "Yes, it is.  The Arabian is a tough, surefooted
horse from the middle east.  Most people believe they came from Saudi
Arabia.   Arabians are characterized by their dished faces, highly carried
tails, and their loyalty, especially the mares.  Once she makes friends
with you, she will never desert you.  I hope she'll be a good one for
you, if you decide to get her."
        "So do I."  Mike, having finished with the gate, offered to take
        "Bonita" to the arena for Christy.  
        "Thank you, Mr. McKimby.  I'd appreciate that."  In the arena,
Christy mounted up and began to ride Bonita around the ring.  *If I buy
you, I'll have to think of a different name*, Christy told the horse
silently.  Bonita seemed very calm, but she never seemed like an old
plug.  Her gaits were smooth and sure.  Christy rode over to Lance and
Mr. McKimby.  "I like her a lot.  How is she out in a field?"
        "Why don't you find out?  For me, she has been quite good.  Here
I'll open the gate for you."
        "Thank you, Mr. McKimby."  Christy rode Bonita out of the gate
and into the grassy clearing.  Christy paid close attention to Bonita,
for she was not in the mood to get thrown.  "Well, girl, how about a
trot?"  Christy put Bonita into a trot, then a canter.  Bonita seemed
to be doing fine, so Christy let her out a bit more.  What speed Bonita
had!
        They flew across the field as one, never missing a step or a
turn.  Finally, Christy slowed Bonita and brought her back to where Lance
and Mr. McKimby were standing.  "I like her very much!  How much are
you asking?"
        "I would like $300 for her, $350 including the saddle."
        "Oh", Christy replied thoughtfully.  She had only withdrawn $320
out of the bank, but she wanted Bonita very much.  "Yes," she said determinedly,
 "I'll take her.  Could I get her with the saddle for $320?"
        "No, I'm sorry, it's $350," Mr. McKimby said, standing firm.
        "All right.  Then I'll just take her without the saddle."
        "That's fine," Mr. McKimby answered.  "Do you have the money
with you now?"
        "Yes, I do."  Christy pulled the bills out her jacket pocket
and hesitantly handed them to Mr. McKimby.  "Thank you so much.  Do you
happen to have any cheaper saddles on hand?"
        "No, I'm afraid I do not.  I'm sorry."
        "That is all right.  Do you think that you could keep her here
until tomorrow?  I will be leaving for El Pano on the train tomorrow
morning."
        "I would even be happy to bring her to the station tomorrow for
you, free of charge."
        "Thank you, Mr. McKimby.  I'd appreciate that very much.  Well,
I shall see you tomorrow.  Thank you once again."
        Lance quickly walked over to Christy after she had handed over
Bonita to Mr. McKimby and, grasping her arm, said, "Christy, why didn't
you ask me?  I would have gladly paid for a saddle for you."
        "Thank you, Lance, but I could not have done that.  A saddle
is a very expensive thing.  I just couldn't do that."
        "You could pay me back, you know."
        "No, I will not be in debt to anyone."
        Lance chuckled, "Is it just me, or have you grown more stubborn
since you went to your Cutter Gap?"
        "Well," Christy smiled, "you could say that."
        "You really are a good rider, and Bonita is a wonderful horse.
 You got quite a deal there; that horse is probably worth more than $500,"
Lance said as they walked away from the arena.
        As Christy climbed into the motorcar, she wondered how David
had gotten along with her father that day.  She grinned at the thought
of her father putting David to work with loads of paperwork.  Then she
thought of Lance.  He had been so generous to her and had helped her
so much.  How could she repay him?
        "Lance, would you be willing to drop me off at shopping area
of Asheville?  There are some things that I would like to do."
        "Of course.  Do you want me to go with you?"
        Christy smiled at his brotherly protectiveness.  "No, that is
all right.  I'll be fine."  Once in front of the stores, Christy said,
"I don't know how I can thank you, Lance, for helping me while I was
here.  Would you care to join us for dinner tonight?"
        "I'd be delighted.  Well, I guess I will let you out here.  I'll
see you tonight."
        Christy leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek and said,
"That sounds good.  Don't be late now," she put on her treacherly voice
and grinned.
        "All right, Miss Huddleston."
        "Good-bye."  As Christy browsed through the stores, she found
many things to take home to her friends; a novel for Fairlight, a bunch
of hair ribbons for Ruby Mae, a new tie for David, a small wooden carved
cross for Miss Alice, and a leather bible for Lance, which she would
give to him that night.
        After paying for everything with what she had left, Christy headed
home, thinking that she needed to get cleaned up after a day of riding.

        Suddenly, she gasped, thinking of what a sight she must have
been strolling the streets of Asheville in her riding skirt.  Christy's
gasp quickly turned to a smile when she realized how much less appearance
mattered to her since she had been living in Cutter Gap.
        Once at home, Christy picked out a deep green skirt and a white
shirtwaist.  She could hardly wait to give her gifts to David and Lance.
        "Well, Christy how was your day today?  Your appearance sure
made the impression that you had a 'good ol' time'," her father teased
as she came down the stairs.
        "Yes, Daddy, I sure did.  I even bought a horse by the name of
Bonita.  I am going to take her back to Cutter Gap with me.  By the way,
where is David?"
        "You bought a horse!  What about the money?"
        "Don't worry, I had plenty.  She cost $300, but was well worth
the purchase.  I sure hate to spend that much money, though.  But Lance
said she was worth much more.  Where's David?"
        "I sent David to purchase your train tickets.  Christy, darling,
$300 is a lot of money.  I'm not so sure-"
        "Daddy, trust me, I made sure everything was all right when I
took the money out of my account.  Please don't worry.  A horse is essential
in the mountains."
        "That is true.  It's just my Little Miss is growing up so fast.
 I'm glad you found a good horse."
        "Yes.  Oh, I asked Lance to come for dinner tonight.  I would
like to give him something in return for his taking time with me.  I
also have something for David."
        "That is good.  Lance is a good man.  He will make a fine husband
for a woman someday.  Speaking of husbands-"
        "Oh my, look at the time!  I haven't even had lunch today.  Would
you like anything to eat, Daddy?"  Christy asked hastily.
        "Sure.  Why don't you get a little snack to take out to the garden.
 I need a bit of walking.  Will you join me?"
        "Of course, you go on ahead, I'll get some food."
        Once out in the garden, William motioned for Christy to join
him at the pond.  "Now Christy, darling, don't say a word until I have
finished, all right?"
        Knowing that she could not argue with a lawyer very well, Christy
curiously agreed, "All right."
        "Now, from my last visit to Cutter Gap, I have seen that two
men have their eyes on you, and I know David has proposed.  What are
your feelings for them?  I would like to know if I will be getting another
son here soon."
        Christy blushed deeply and said, "Yes, David proposed.  I said
no, because...because I love Dr. MacNeill!"  There, she had said it.
        "I suspected that, Christy.  How does he feel about you?"
        "I honestly don't know, Daddy.  I left Cutter Gap to sort my
feelings out, but now that I have, I don't know if I can go back and
face the heartbreak if he does not care for me," she said, throwing a
stone into the pond.
        "Little Miss, a father does not miss much.  I do believe Dr.
MacNeill cares for you very much.  I would be proud to call him my son."
        "Thank you, Daddy.  I will write you and Mother a letter as soon
as I get back in Cutter Gap."
        "I will miss you very much."  They were both silent, enjoying
the peacefulness of the pond and each other's company.  William broke
the silence by proposing an idea.  "Would you like it if we spent Christmas
with you and your friends in Cutter Gap?"
        "Really?!  I would like that very much!  Do you think Mother
will agree?"
        "Oh, she already has," Julia said, coming out to join the rest
of her family.
        "Mama, are you sure?"
        "Yes, I am.  I would very much like to celebrate Christmas with
your 'other family'."
        "Oh, Mother, you, Daddy, and George are my only true family.
 It would be the best Christmas ever!"  Christy threw her arms around
her mother's neck, nearly knocking her over.
        "Now, Christy, what shall we fix for dinner?"  Julia asked as
she and her family strolled back into the house.
        "Well, how about..."  Christy and her mother talked animatedly
while they prepared dinner that night.  When it was almost ready, David
finally walked in.
        "David, wherever have you been?  I thought you just went for
some train tickets."  Christy asked, puzzled.
        "I was at the library.  Come here, I have something I want to
give you."
        "Oh, David, you didn't have to do that.  But I have something
for you, also.  I'll be right back."  Christy excitedly went up to her
room to retrieve the new tie she had bought for David.  In the parlor,
she said to him, "Now, David, if you do not like this, I will understand,
but..."
        "I'm sure I will like it.  Don't worry.  But here, open yours
first," he said nervously.  Christy took the package and began to open
it.  What she found was so beautiful that she nearly burst into tears.
        "David, it is so beautiful.  But, this is really too expensive.
 I cannot except it," she said, staring down into the beautiful aquamarine
set of earrings and silver cross pen.
        "Don't worry, Christy.  I found it a very good price.  Do you
like it?"
        "I love it.  I've never seen anything so beautiful.  Now here,
open yours."  When David opened his gift, his face immediately lit up
with appreciation.
        "Christy, how in the world did you know that I needed this? 
It is perfect."  He once again admired the small bow-tie and gave Christy
a hug.
        "I just have always thought that you would look good in a tie,
and besides, maybe some special girl will take notice of that," she said
with a wink.
        "It's perfect, thank you so much.  May I escort you to dinner?"
        "Of course," she replied with a smile.  Just as they were sitting
down to dinner a disheveled Lance finally arrived.  "Where have you been?"
Christy asked.
        "Oh, nowhere special," he said with a sly grin.
        "Lance, it's so nice that you are here.  Please, do sit down.
 We are glad that you could have come," Julia said with a smile.
        "I'm sorry that I was late.  I-I, ah, had something to take care
of," he said sheepishly. 
        "And what did you have to take care of," Christy said with an
equally sly grin.
        He blushed and said nothing more.  To his relief, David said,
"Shall we say grace?"  Everyone bowed their heads and William expressed
his thanks the Lord.
        "Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this wonderful day and
for the people that we may share our happiness with.  We also thank you
for Christy, and may she have a safe trip home, to Cutter Gap."
        When at last dinner was finished, they all moved into the parlor
to discuss the next day's plans.  When everyone was seated, both Lance
and Christy stood up,
        "Lance-"
        "Christy-" they both said at the same time and.  Lance smiled
and nodded.  Christy started once again, "Lance, I am so grateful that
you took your time to help me with Bonita.  I thank you very much, and
I have a little gift for you."  She handed it to him and he carefully
began to open it.
        "Oh," he exclaimed, "it's beautiful.  Thank you very much."
        "You're quite welcome.  I wish you the best of luck as you prepare
to enter into ministry."
        "I do, also," David said.  "If you ever need a place to go, Cutter
Gap is always looking for volunteers.  We would be happy to have you,
but make sure that when you are in seminary school you feel certain that
ministry is your calling."  David said this with only a hint of wistfulness.
 Christy reasoned that he must have been thinking about his own experiences
at seminary school, and why he had become a minister.
        "Now Christy, I have something for you.  I know you did not want
me to get you anything, but..."
        "Lance, you didn't-" Christy said worriedly, for if Lance had
went ahead and bought her a saddle, she knew that she could not accept
it, but she didn't want to hurt him.  The package was not very big, but
Christy had learned that all packages were deceiving of their gifts inside.
        "Just open it, Christy.  Here."  Christy tentatively took the
package and began to unwrap it.  She gasped at the beauty that was enclosed
inside.  She lifted the soft, dark brown bridle and turned it over in
her hands.
        "Lance, this is so beautiful.  Where did you ever find such a
thing?"
        "I...I made it."
        "You made this?  This is remarkable!"  Christy exclaimed.
        "In my spare time, my hobby is leatherworking.  I made it about
a year ago, but I had no idea what to do with it.  You seemed like a
very deserving person of this.  Do you like it?"
        "Oh, Lance, this is one of the best presents that I have ever
received.  Thank you.  I'm sure that Bonita will like this very much."
        "It's the least I can do.  You have been such a great friend
to me over the years.  I wish you the best of luck when you return to
Cutter Gap."
        *Return to Cutter Gap.  That has a nice ring to it,* Christy
thought with a beam.  "Thank you, Lance.  I hope you can come to Cutter
Gap one day for a visit."
        The rest of the evening was spent talking about times past and
what lied ahead.  When it was past 10 o'clock, Lance reluctantly said
good-bye and headed home.  "I'll miss you, Christy.  And don't worry
about Dr. MacNeill, your heart will not go wrong."
        Christy blushed.  "Thank, you, Lance.  I hope I will be receiving
letters from you."
        "So do I.  Good-bye, Christy."  He strode out the door, thinking
how lucky he was to know such a remarkable young woman.
        "Well, Mother, Father, David.  I shall be turning in.  I'll see
you all bright and early tomorrow morning."
        "Goodnight, Little Miss.  Sleep well," William said.  Julia and
David only mumbled a goodnight, for they were almost asleep in their
chairs.
        As Christy brushed out her hair, she wondered how Miss Alice
would welcome her.  Would Miss Alice think of her as a coward for leaving,
with intentions of never returning?  Surely not.  Christy then turned
her thoughts to Neil.  She wondered how he was doing, if he missed her
at all.  Christy smiled, *I am acting just like a lovesick schoolgirl.*
        Her dreams that night were not pleasant.  She saw Neil entwined
in another's arms, and when she called to him, he merely moved farther
and farther away.  When she went crying to Miss Alice to talk to her,
Miss Alice angrily said that the mission could not use those who were
cowards.  Then Christy turned to her mountain friends, but they were
as cold as they had been when she had first come to Cutter Gap.  Christy
turned her eyes to the mountains, but was met with a coldness that blinded
her...
        Christy opened her eyes to a bright sun.  It had blinded her
in her dreams.  *What a terrible dream,* she thought.  It was early morning,
and time for Christy to get ready to go back to Cutter Gap.  The dream
made her hesitate before she got ready.  Would it really be like that
when Christy returned?

Chapter 6

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        As Christy said good-bye to her parents the next morning, she
wondered what she would have to tell them the next time they visited,
at Christmas.  For one moment...
        “Miss Christy Huddleston?”  Christy spun around to see Mike McKimby
holding Bonita.  “Here’s your horse.  I know that you will give her a
good home, but I will sure miss her.”
        “I am very glad that I bought her.  It took almost all my money,
but she was worth it,” Christy said, admiring Mr. McKimby’s meticulous
grooming job.  He obviously cared a lot about Bonita.
        “Yes, she is a valuable animal.  But if it’s money you’re looking
for, I would suggest that you breed her.  She’d throw you a fine colt
that you could sell and probably get a lot of money for.”
        “Ah—yes, that is quite a good idea.  Thank you very much for
getting her here.  I really appreciate it.  David arranged it for her
to have her own stall.  It is just over there, if you would be so kind
as to load her,” Christy said, pointing to a boxcar that had been made
into horse stalls.
        “Certainly.  Have a good trip, miss.”
        “Thank you.”  Turning to David, she asked, “David, I hate to
ask you, but could you take my bags and get us settled?  I have something
that I need to tend to.”
        “Of course.  Anything I can help you with?”
        “No...I’ll be back in a bit,” she said with an urgent expression
on her face.
        “Hurry back!”
        Throwing a smile over her shoulder, Christy scurried off to the
station.  She had to make a phone call to determine a thought that had
been bugging her ever since she had met Margaret on the train.  “Excuse
me, may I use the telephone here?”
        “Yes, but it’ll cost you a nickel,” the handsome young attendant
said with a smile.  She flipped him a dime and headed to the telephone.
        “Hello?  Is this the Asheville Courthouse?  This is Christy Huddleston,
the daughter of William Huddleston.  Yes, his last case was indeed remarkable.
 I was wondering, was there a recent annulment filed between Margaret
Henderson MacNeill and Neil MacNeill.  Yes, I realize that is confidential
information, but my father, ah, needs to know.”  Christy had hardly ever
lied in her life, and she didn’t know what had possessed her to do so
at the moment, but she had to find out if Neil and Margaret had legally
separated.  “There was.  Did it go through?  Thank you very much.  Good-bye
now.  Yes, I’ll tell my father.  Good-bye.”  Christy hung up, smiling
at the fact that her father was admired so.
        Then a wave of confusion swept over her.  Neil had signed the
annulment papers.  But what did that mean?  She heard the train whistle
and quickly told the boy “thank you” and then headed to her train.  Her
mother and father were talking to David as he was getting on the train,
        “...take good care of my Little Miss.  I trust you will be a
good chaperone for—“
        “Daddy!” Christy exclaimed, beet red.  Then she softened, “I
love you.  Take care of yourself, and I can’t wait ‘til Christmas.”
        “I love you too.  Be careful, now.”
        “I will.”  Turning, she embraced her mother, “Mama, thank you
for helping me see my true feelings.  Please, watch over Daddy.  I love
you.”
        “I love you, too, Christy.  I promise to be there for Christmas,
with your father and George.  Give Miss Alice my regards.”
        “Of course.  Good-bye.”  With tears in her eyes, Christy allowed
David to escort her up the train steps.
On the ride home, she and David talked endlessly about their dreams for
the mission, and for themselves.  Christy was eternally grateful for
her repaired friendship with David.
        Meanwhile, back at the mission...

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        Dr. MacNeill rode quickly to the mission.  He wondered if Christy
was back, and how Keri was.  He smiled, remembering the fiery young woman.
 That day, Neil planned to show her some of the more beautiful places
of Cutter Gap.  For the last couple of days, he had been introducing
her to the people.  The mountain people were of course wary of Keri,
but that was to be expected.  The two of them had become quite good friends,
but Neil missed Christy.
        He wondered where Christy was.  Neil guessed that Christy had
taken her retreat to her home in Asheville, but he hadn’t expected her
to be gone this long; not while school was still in session.  The gossip
around the Cove was that she had left for good, but that was just gossip.
        As he approached, he saw that Keri was giving “her” Charlie a
bath in the unusually warm autumn afternoon sun.  “Hello,” he called
out.  Keri looked up with delight on her face.
        “Dr. MacNeill!  How are you?  I had been meaning to ask you if
you ever found out anything about the land in Low Gap.  Did you?”  She
blurted out as she finished with Charlie’s bath.
        “Whoa, there,” he said with a chuckle.  “I found out that a man
by the name of Stephen A. Branson owns the 150 acres of flatland in Low
Gap.  However, the man lives in Asheville, and I honestly doubt if he
even knows that he owns the land.”
        “Oh,” Keri said with a frown.  *How am I ever going to get the
land now?* she wondered.
        “Don’t look so disappointed.  If the man doesn’t know he has
the land, then you might be able to weasel a fair price out of him.”
        Keri’s face lit up with the idea.  Neil held up a hand in protest,
for he knew that her thoughts were going to run into a million words.
 “Miss Loving, would you like to see some of the more beautiful spots
of Cutter Gap?  So far I have just introduced you to the families around
here, but there are some very remarkable viewpoints, too.”
        “I would love to!  Just let me pack us a picnic.  I’ll be right
back.  Would you mind saddling up Prince for me?  And take Charlie to
the barn?”
        “Certainly.”  As soon as she was in the mission, Neil roared
with laughter.  She was like an older Ruby Mae.
        In the mission, Keri found Ruby Mae.  “Would you mind telling
Miss Alice and that Dr. MacNeill took me for a tour of Cutter Gap?  I
know she was planning to leave today, but she told me that she was waiting
to see if—“  Keri stopped, for no one knew that Christy Huddleston had
supposedly left for good.  “—for the school week to let out.”
        “Certainly, Miss Loving.  I see yer a takin’ a passel ‘a food.
 I have just the perfectest thing for a ‘nic.  Be right back!” and she
sprinted off into the kitchen.  Keri chuckled and began preparing the
food.  Once that was ready, she walked out the door to see Neil waiting
with Prince and “his” Charlie.
        “Just follow me, Miss Loving.”  She mounted up on the spirited
stallion and rode up beside Dr. MacNeill.
        “Just to warn you, Ruby Mae put ‘the perfectest thing for a ‘nic’
in here.”
        Neil grinned.  “Not to worry, I can detect possum from a mile
away.”
        “Well, then, what is in this picnic basket, Doctor?”
        “I see in there a wonderful picnic with a charming young woman,”
he teased, hoping to flatter her and make her blush.  She did, and he
was barely able to contain his laughter.
        “Well, there are quite a few places with a breathtaking view...”

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        As David and Christy made their way from El Pano on a rented
horse, Christy took in every beautiful detail of the mountains, *her
mountains.*  Even though she had only been away for about a week, she
had missed the incredible beauty that now surrounded her.  
        Since Christy didn’t have a saddle for Bonita, she rode double
with David and led Bonita behind.  It was not much farther, and Christy
wanted to kick David’s horse into a gallop when he read her mind and
said,
        “Would you like to stop by the schoolhouse?  Before we settle
you back in the mission?”
        “Oh, David, you read my mind!  I would like that very much.”
 In no time, Christy could see the mission house.  She nearly cried out
with joy.
        “Miz Alice, Miz Alice!”  Creed Allen shouted out.  “Look, it’s
Teacher and Preacher.  Thay’re back!  Please, can we go out an’ meet
um?”
        Miss Alice snapped her head up with joy.  “Yes, children.  Christy!
 Child!  Thee has returned!”  Miss Alice rushed out to meet Christy and
David just as fast as the children did.
        “Miss Alice!  I am so glad to see you!”  Christy said as she
jumped off of the horse.  She was greeting the children when Creed Allen
piped up,
        “Is that yer horse, Miz Christy, that purty gray one?”
        “Yes, it is, Creed.  Her name is Sheik’s Bonita.  I call her
Bonita, but can you think of another name that I could call her?”
        “Wal, Miz Christy.  Lemme think.  How ‘bout Bonnie?”  
        Christy had been thinking of the same name herself, but she had
wanted to give her children the pleasure of naming the mare.  “Creed,
that is absolutely perfect.”
        “Miz Christy, how you gonna ride her without a saddle?”  Creed
asked.  Christy had not give much thought to this problem, but she knew
that she would have to figure out something soon.
        Creed quickly turned to Miss Alice and whispered in her ear.
 She asked him, “Are you sure?  Did Billy Longfeather agree to this before?”
 Creed nodded solemnly and said,
        “Yes’m.  I made sure.  Please, I’d really like to do this.”
        “All right, but hurry.”  And with that, Creed rushed off to the
mission.
        “Miss Alice, what was that all about?”  Christy asked.
        “Just wait and see, Miss Huddleston,” Miss Alice said with a
chuckle.  A minute later, Creed returned, carrying the saddle that he
and Billy Longfeather had won in the turkey shoot last Thanksgiving.
 “Miz Christy, you don’t have a saddle for Bonnie here, and seein’ that
Billy Longfeather don’t need the saddle that me an’ him won, an’ since
I don’t have no horse, I want you to have this here saddle.”
        Christy gasped.  Creed had worked so hard for this.  “Creed,
this is yours, I can’t possibly take this.”
        “You gotta, Miz Christy.  All it’s gonna do is set and rot ‘way
if’n no one uses it.  Please, I want you to have it,” he said with pleading
eyes.
        “All right, Creed, but you let me pay you back now.  How do some
pies and white sugar and candy sound?  The candy is clear from Asheville.”
        “Really, Miz Christy?  That sounds mighty fine.”
        “Yes, Creed.  How about I bring it to your house tomorrow?”
        “It’s a deal,” and he stuck out his hand.  “Why don’t you put
the saddle on Bonnie an’ go fer a little ride?  I’m sure yer wantin’
to see everyone ‘gin.”
        “That sounds like a fine idea.”  Christy took the saddle blanket
David offered her and saddled “Bonnie” up.  Then, she reached in her
valise and pulled out the package that contained Lance’s bridle.  She
carefully put it on and mounted Bonnie.  “How do I look children?”
        “Like a queen.”
        “You look might purty.”
        “Yer horse is sure purty.”
        “Ya look like a angel.”
        “Does she go fast?”  The children’s responses all ran together,
and Christy smiled, glad to be back home.
        “Thank you, children.  Yes, she does go fast.  Now you be good
for Miss Alice, and tomorrow I will have a surprise for you.”  Christy
rode away at the excited chatter of the children as Miss Alice led them
back inside.  She had not gotten far when David came riding up,
        “Christy, would you like me to go with you?”
        “Thank you, David, but I need to get my thoughts completely back
in sync with the mountains, on my own.”
        “All right.  Are you going to see Dr. MacNeill?”  He said this
with no contempt in his voice, and Christy was quite relieved.
        “I—ah—I’m not sure.  I really want to go to all my favorite places.
 I should not be too long, so don’t worry.”
        “All right.  Have a good time,” David said as he turned his horse
towards the mission.

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        Meanwhile, Neil and Keri were sharing a picnic on a flat rock
near the river.
        “Well, Miss Loving, we are back near the mission now.  You have
seen almost every spot in the Cove that can make you forget about all
the problems here.”
        *Those spots aren’t the only things that make you forget things,*
she thought.  “Almost?  Are there more?”
        Neil smiled.  “You will have to find that out for yourself.”
        “Yes, and hopefully I will be able to.  I am planning on going
to Asheville to see Mr. Branson as soon as Charlie is healed.”
        “I wish you luck.”
        “I will probably need it.  I haven’t lived in a city for a long
time, so I don’t fit in; I won’t know how to deal with him,” she said.
Without her own realization, a lone tear slid down her cheek.
        “Keri, what is wrong?”  Neil handed her a handkerchief.
        “Oh...I was just...remembering,” with that, more tears came.
 “I didn’t just come here to raise horses.  I grew up on a small ranch
on the eastern plains of Colorado, not far from Kansas.  My family raised
Angus cattle on a river by the name of ‘Arickaree.’  I had always loved
horses, and was given my own little pony when I was eight.  Though not
much taller than a cow, she was a ball of fire,” Keri smiled a little.
        Neil was puzzled where this conversation had come from, and why
she was pouring her heart out to him.  But he listened patiently.
        “When I decided to retire her from her work, I decided to breed
her.  I was 16 years old.  I bred her to a tall strawberry roan stud.
 It was a stupid thing to do.  She died in birth, but left me with a
wonderful colt.  The colt was just like his father, which surprised me,
because usually the foal takes after its mother.  That colt is Charlie.
        “I wanted him to be the best horse ever, so I left my home for
Denver, which has one of the best horse facilities in the country.  I
met there a wonderful young man, who shared my passion for horses.  We
were to be married, when,” Keri took a deep breath to control her shaking,
“when he was at the racetrack one morning.  He was racing, and his horse
stumbled, and he was thrown on to the track.  He was trampled.  I left
not much later.  For a few yeas, I stayed at home, helping with the ranch.
 But, then, God called me elsewhere.  I didn’t know where, so Charlie
and me started traveling.  I guess this is where God wanted me.”
        Neil was looking into Keri’s eyes, but his thoughts were elsewhere;
thinking how much she was like Christy, and how much he missed Christy.
 How could they both have such faith in God?  The next thing he knew,
Keri had thrown herself around his neck and was kissing him.  He was
so stunned that he didn’t know what to do.  Keri pulled away, for she
was deeply embarrassed, and hurt, that Neil had not responded to her.
 What had she just done?

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        Christy had been leading Bonnie to the woods near the river.
 How she had missed that river.  Coming around a bend, she saw Charlie
and Prince tethered to a tree.  *I wonder what Prince is doing here?
 Did something terrible happen that someone had to use Prince that Miss
Alice did not tell me about?*  She tied Bonnie a few feet away from Prince
and Charlie and walked along the path.  She was just about to call out
when she heard a voice.  It sounded like it was crying.  
        As Christy peeked around a tree she could barely contain her
scream at what she saw.  Neil in another woman’s arms!  Just like the
dream.  Christy felt like she had been punched in the stomach, and she
revolted back into a tree.  As quickly and quietly as she could, Christy
spun around and started to run back to where Bonnie was tethered.

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        “I...ah...I’m so sorry.  I...just—“
        Neil cupped Keri’s chin in his hand and said softly to her, “It’s
all right.  I didn’t realize I was staring so intently at you.  My thoughts
were elsewhere.  I’m sorry.” he gently kissed her forehead.  “I know
what it’s like to lose someone you love.  Did Alice tell you about my
wife?”
        Keri nodded silently.
        “When she left me, I thought she had drowned in the river.  I
mourned her for years.  I had never known such a loss.  It gets better,
and love can, and will enter your life again.”  Under his breath, he
said to himself, “It already has for me.”  Keri hadn’t meant to hear
his last words, but she had.  Who in the world could he be talking about?
 
        Neil was shocked at himself.  Where had those words come from?
 From beneath what he thought to be his toughened heart?
        They were both startled when a woman’s scream pierced the air.
 It was Christy’s.  While running away from the horrible scene, she had
tripped in a hole.  Only Neil knew that it was her voice.  “Christy!”
 He wondered what she had seen.
        Christy heard his call and struggled to get up.  Barely getting
to her feet, she ran over to where Bonnie was tethered.  Christy mounted
her and pounded off to...she didn’t know and she didn’t care.
        “Christy, wait!  Neil called.  He finally reached his horse and
jumped on him.  Keri was not far behind, and not knowing what to do,
simply mounted “her” Charlie and rode off to the mission.
        Neil could just see Christy quickly disappearing over a rise
on a gray horse.  *Where did she get that horse?*
        Christy knew that Neil would follow her, but she pressed Bonnie
on anyway.  She decided she would head to her and Fairlight’s lookout.
 Christy was glad for Bonnie’s speed and surefootedness.  On any other
horse, they both would have gone down.
        Neil knew that it would do no good trying to talk to her now,
so he slowed Charlie up and headed to the mission to talk to Keri.  
        When he got there, he found her on the porch, pacing back and
forth.  Neil dismounted and stopped her pacing by standing in her way.
 She smiled up at him and said,
        “I just feel so awful.  Christy Huddleston has never even met
me and she already hates me.  I know she saw us.  I am so sorry, I just
don’t know what came over me.”
        “It’s all right, Keri.  Do not beat yourself down.  Just let
it go.   I need to tend to something, but just let it go.  Let it go.”
 Neil mounted Charlie and headed off to find Christy.  He figured that
by now, she would have stopped her mad dash and would be lying somewhere
looking up and the clouds and thinking.

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        Christy was lying on her back at the lookout gazing up at the
sky.  She tried to focus her thoughts on pleasant thoughts and how beautiful
the clouds were, but every cloud looked like Neil and another woman.
 The setting sun made the clouds red, like the woman’s hair.  Christy
hadn’t given much thought to who the woman was, but now the name Keri
Loving came to her mind.  Could the Keri Loving staying at the mission
be the one that was in Neil’s arms?  Christy sighed and sat up.  She
felt defeated, hurt beyond belief, and that life was not worth living.
 No!  She could not think like that.
        What angered her the most was that both she *and* Margaret had
been gone not more than a week when Neil became practically engaged with
another woman!  But what did she have to do with Neil’s decisions as
to whom he sees?  Nothing.  Christy wanted nothing more than to go back
to Asheville to the safety of her home.  But she remembered her prayer
to God, that she had to come back here to make things right.  With a
deep breath, she stood up and began to descend from the small cliff that
had become her special place.
        Christy was shocked to see that Bonnie was not where she had
been tied.  *Where in the world could she have gone?*  Christy got her
answer when she turned to her left at the sound of footsteps...


Chapter 7

Note:  Beginning when Christy and Keri talk before breakfast (read on
below), the events throughout the rest of chapter 7, chapter 8, and part
of chapter 9, all take place on the same day.

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        “Christy, please, I need to talk to ya.”  It was Neil.  Christy
couldn’t face him, and wanted nothing more than to run away from him,
but he had her horse.  Christy turned so that she was squarely facing
him and said as calmly and firmly as she could,
        “Doctor MacNeill, please give me my horse.”
        “And just where did you get this fine horse?”
        “I...ah... bought her in Asheville,” she said reaching for the
reins.
        Neil pulled them further from her, momentarily laughing to himself
at the look of disgust on her face.  He then turned serious at the situation
before him.  “Is that where you’ve been.  I expect that you have come
back only to gather your things.”
        “No, not at all.  I came back because...because these people
need me, and I them...” she said, her voice trailing off.  Under her
breath, she muttered, “However, it looks as if I’ve been long since forgotten.”
 Neil heard this, and half his heart leapt while the other half fell.
 Would she leave again?
        “Christy, I had just taken Miss Loving on a picnic and she kissed
me.  I was stunned.  Why are you so concerned about this?  Why did you
run away?” he blurted out.
        So it *had* been Keri Loving she had seen him with.  “Neil, please,
what you do is your own business.  I do not wish to know.”
        Neil plunged on, ripping the tender subject open, “Why?  Why
did you run away?  Why?” he almost shouted, grabbing her shoulders. 
He had to know.  Christy looked away,
        “I was just startled to see you in another woman’s arms only
a week after Margaret had left.  I hadn’t expected it, that’s all.”
        “I was over Margaret many years ago.  This Cove knows that,”
he said softly.  Then he realized what he had said.  He had been referring
to Christy, not Keri.
        “So you—“ she stopped what she was saying and lunged for her
horse’s reins.  Now she couldn’t talk to him at all.  Christy knew that
if she even looked at him that he would peer straight into her heart.
 She had been going to say, “So you admit it.”
        “No, Christy, don’t.  Tell me why.  I’m am just as stubborn as
you; I won’t leave without an answer.  Why.  Why did you leave that day
when Margaret and I were by the river?” 
        “I was...startled.  I had not known Margaret was back.  Please,
I need to get back to the mission.”  Neil wasn’t satisfied, but then
again, he never was.
        “Doctor MacNeill, give me my horse,” she said with fire in her
eyes.  With equal fire in his eyes, he said softly, “I considered you
my friend, Christy, but why do you resort to lying?”  Then he mounted
Charlie and left.
        “I could say the same of you, Neil MacNeill!” she shouted after
him with all the strength and ire she could muster.  He merely looked
back and smiled.  “Neil!” she yelled once more.  Oh, how he could make
her so mad!  Her mother must have been wrong.  She did not love that
man, not at all!
        Christy mounted Bonnie and with a sharp kick headed back to the
mission.  She knew Keri would be there, so she put Bonnie in the barn,
next to a gorgeous red horse that Christy had not seen before.
        Though Christy was quite hungry, she could not go to the mission
house for dinner and face everyone.  So, she stayed with Bonnie, and
when she was sure everyone was asleep, she snuck up to one of the many
guest rooms.  Christy knew she would have a lot of explaining to do the
next morning, but she was too tired, and sad, to care.

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        The next morning, Keri was in Christy’s room, gathering her things,
for she knew that Christy would want her room back.
        “Miss Loving is it?”  Christy said with forced politeness as
she entered her room.  Christy had gone up to the guest room, where her
bag was, to retrieve the hair ribbons that she had bought for Ruby Mae
in Asheville.  While up there, she had heard sounds coming from her room
and had decided to see who was in there.
        When Christy saw Keri gathering her things she said, “Please,
I want you to stay.  I don’t mind staying in one of the guest rooms.”
        “Miss Huddleston?  How...uh...nice to meet you,” Keri said nervously.
        “Yes, you too.  Breakfast will be ready in a bit,” Christy turned
around and was ready to leave when Keri said,
        “Please, don’t go.  I need to apologize to you.  Let me start
at the beginning, please.”
        “All right, I’m listening,” Christy said as she turned back around.
        “Well, I have been traveling through these parts for months.
 I was looking for a place to raise horses here.  My horse, Charlie,
lost a shoe, and I came upon Dr. MacNeill’s place.  He put Charlie’s
shoe back on, but Charlie was lame, so he took me to the mission.  For
the past few days, he has been taking me on tours of Cutter Gap.  
        "Yesterday, Dr. MacNeill offered to show me some of the more
beautiful spots, the beauty amidst this troubled place.”  Together, Keri
and Christy smiled, for they had both found the beauty and splendor of
the Cove.  “I guess I became infatuated with him; I don’t know what came
over me.  The soft gaze of his eyes, his compassionate tone, it was just
too much.  I...I’m sorry, I did not know,” Keri said with misty eyes.
        "Christy smiled, remembering.  “I know what it’s like to feel
like that for someone.  David Grantland.  Whenever he was near me, his
gaze, his kisses, I could not think at all.  He proposed to me.  At the
time, I knew I was not ready, so I waited.  I thought it might have been
love, and I did indeed almost marry him.  In time, it might have become
love, but now I know that if it were meant to be, I would not have hesitated.”
        “Why did you?”
        “I...ah...I was so confused, about life, about love, about many
things.”
        Sensing Christy was deeply troubled about this Keri changed the
subject by saying, “I really hope that we can be friends.  I am going
to Asheville to talk to a Mr. Stephen A. Branson about selling some land
he owns in Low Gap, as soon as Charlie is healed.  Maybe I can stay here,
for good.  I love this place.  I have never felt so at ease,” she said
with a sigh.
        “Miss Loving, I am sorry for being so spiteful to you, I should
have been more understanding.  The heart is...ah...an erratical thing.”
        “Yes, it is.  Please, call me Keri.”
        “All right, Keri, and you can call me Christy.”
        “By the way, Christy, you own a very fine horse,” Keri smiled.
        “Thank you.”  They shook hands and went down to breakfast.  Once
down there, Christy approached Ruby Mae, “Ruby Mae, I have something
for you...”

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        Neil MacNeill, after eating a cold breakfast, paced about the
house.  What should he do?  Christy would never talk to him again.  How
he had valued their friendship.  He had been able to tell her things
that had been locked away in his spirit for a long time.  “ARRRGGG!”
he shouted at the top of his lungs.  Neil was on the verge of going crazy,
and he knew it.  A walk always calmed him, so he rushed out of the cabin.
        He followed the path that led up to the peaceful heights.  He
was lost in thought as he walked.  Did Christy care for him?  Would she
leave?  What about the Reverend Grantland?  Neil smiled.  Since when
did he let any woman see into his soul like Christy had?
        Neil was so busy with his thoughts that he did not see the crevice
that he was approaching.  It was much like the one Little Burl had fallen
into.  In fact, it may have been the same one.  But, before Neil could
back away from the large crack, he found himself slipping and sliding
down the sides of the wall.  “Help!!!” he cried in distress.  Neil had
grabbed onto what seemed to be the only graspable thing on the crevice
walls.  It was a very thin tree root, which looked like it might not
hold much longer.
        Neil looked slowly around and felt for a foothold.  Nothing.
 What was he going to do?  He evaluated everything around him, to see
if there was just one thing he might be able to use to pull himself up.
 There was nothing.  Neil looked down at the leafy floor below him. 
He might be able to land on his feet if he let go, but all was wet and
slick from the morning dew, including the walls, and the tree root. 
He was slipping.
        There seemed to be nothing more that he could do except let go,
but then a voice, plain as day, rang out in his head.  “God loves you,
Neil, so very much.”  It was his mother’s voice.  His dear mother.  He
remembered her reading to him every night before he went to bed from
her worn bible.  “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we
will remember the name of the Lord our God.  Trust in God, Neil.  He
is always there for you.^” 
        Then he heard Christy’s fiery voice, “With God all things are
possible,^ Neil MacNeill!  Everything!”  Was all really possible with
God?  Neil certainly believed it was his skill, not God’s power, that
helped him perform operations.  Yet not his skill, or anyone else’s,
would get him off this cliff.
        His hands were slipping quickly.  Neil shouted, “Please, God!
 Help me!  Help this stubborn fool!  Please.  I cannot get myself out
of this situation without someone else’s help, *your* help.  Please,
help me.”  Neil felt a warm glow start at his toes, and the next thing
he knew, he was out of the crevice, and about four feet away from the
edge!  He got up, slowly so that he wouldn’t fall over from the shock,
and walked as close to the edge of the crevice as he dared.  He looked
down, examining every crack, every indention in the walls.  There was
absolutely no way that he could have crawled up the walls!
        For the next hour, Neil examined every spot around the crevice,
from above and below.  His scientific mind could not grasp the fact that
there was no logical explanation as to how he had been saved.  He remembered
the stories from the bible about Jesus’ miracles.  Neil did not believe
in miracles, only things that had explanations.  He had to talk to someone.
 But the one person who could help him with the questions swirling around
in his head was no longer speaking to him.

~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^
~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^

        After breakfast, Christy went up to her room to unpack her valise.
 Keri wasn’t there; she was already at the school.  Christy had been
amazed at how much she knew about higher science, Earth Science, and
was grateful for the schooling that she could provide the older students,
especially Zady Spencer.
        During breakfast, Keri and Christy had shakily retained a conversation.
 Everyone could feel the tension, and tried their best to break it.
        Miss Alice seemed very joyful, as did David.  David seemed glad
to be home, and not teaching the children.  He had said to her once,
“They know I’m not as good as you Christy, and they take advantage of
that.”  However, Christy had not had a chance to talk to Miss Alice,
for she had left for her cabin as soon as breakfast was finished.
        Christy smiled and pulled out all of her clothes and then the
sack that contained all of the gifts she had brought in Asheville:  the
novel for Fairlight, the wooden cross for Miss Alice, and the hair ribbons
for Ruby Mae.  Suddenly she realized that she hadn’t gotten Neil anything.
 What did it matter, the way she had treated him, she wouldn’t be surprised
if he never talked to her again.
        At the bottom of her satchel, Christy found two thick books.
 One was titled, “Beethoven’s Simplest and Greatest.”  The other was
“Pieces are Fun:  Piano Technique and Teaching Guide.”  A pink piece
of paper fell out from one of them.  It read:

Dearest Daughter Christy,

I know that deep in you somewhere, you have a musical talent.  I remember
when you took piano lessons how much you enjoyed them.  I don’t know
why you stopped, but I hope you will enjoy these.

        Your mother

        “Oh, Mother!”  Christy exclaimed, laughing.  She was quite glad
that her mother had gotten the books.  Christy gathered all of her gifts
and descended the stairs.  She was met by Fairlight, who was cleaning
up.
        “Fairlight, whatever are you doing here?  I didn’t see you here
at breakfast.”
        “I done just got here.  Since Miz Alice is goin’ to see her daughter,
she said you’d be needin’ some help around here, so I came.”
        “What does Jeb think of this, Fairlight?”
        “Jeb ain’t none too happy, but I aim to work here for ya, and
I’m gonna do it,” she said with determination.
        “Thank you so much, Fairlight.  Do you know where Miss Alice
is?”
        “She’s at her cabin, gettin' ready to leave.”
        “All right, I had best talk to her.  I haven’t been able to talk
to her since I got back.”
        “Aye, I’m glad your back, Christy.  I shorely did miss ye.”
        “I missed you, too, Fairlight.  Oh!  I saw something in Asheville
that I thought you would enjoy.”  Christy pulled out the novel, titled
“A Mountain of Mist.”
        “Oh, Christy, I canna accept this,” Fairlight said, in awe of
the book.
        “Please, Fairlight.  If you would like, this could be your weeks
pay, instead of the money and food you usually get.”
        “Really?  I’ll certainly enjoy this.  Thank ye, from the bottom
of my heart.”
        “You’re welcome, Fairlight.”  Christy left Fairlight thumbing
through the pages of the new novel and headed to Miss Alice’s cabin.
 Christy hadn’t even knocked when Miss Alice opened the door and said,
        “Christy!  Please, come in.”  Christy entered Miss Alice’s lovely
cabin and sat down.  “I am so glad thee is back, Christy.  As you probably
know, I will be going to Margaret in Knoxville.  I was to have left yesterday,
but considering the circumstances, I am going to leave today.”  Christy
smiled slightly.
        “Yes, I know.  David told me, and Margaret and I met on the train.
 She told me that she was going to ask you to accompany her.  She also
told me about her and Neil.”
        “Christy, I am forever grateful for what thee did for Margaret.
 I’m so, so overjoyed that you convinced me to give Margaret one more
chance.”
        “I’m glad I could help.  Before I left, I went to see her.  I
told her that I was sorry and that I forgave her for the hurt she caused.
 Then I left.”
        “I thank you, Christy,” Miss Alice said with tears in her eyes.
 After a long pause, Christy said,
        “I’m sorry I did not come to dinner last night, but I couldn’t.”
        “Why did thee not, Christy?  We missed you, and we were about
to go looking for thee, but David said that we should not worry.  Is
that correct?”  Miss Alice asked as she packed.
        “Yes, Miss Alice.  I’m really sorry if I worried you. I stayed
in the barn until everyone was asleep, then I went to my room,” Christy
said guiltily. 
        “Oh, child.  I was not mad at thee.  Why did thee stay in the
barn?  Is everything all right?”
        “I just couldn’t face everyone.  I needed some time to myself.
 Has...ah...Keri said anything about yesterday?”
        “No,” she paused, “Christy, there is something wrong.  Please,
tell me.”
        “Oh, Miss Alice, when I rode off from the school yesterday, I
stopped by the river.  I heard voices, and I saw Doctor MacNeill’s horse
tethered to a tree.  Since there was more than one voice, and since Prince
was there also, I thought something might be wrong, so I walked on. 
Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw Miss Alice,” Christy said,
tears rolling down her cheek.  “I saw Keri and Doctor MacNeill kissing.
 I felt like I had been kicked.  I ran away, but Neil found me, and we
had a fight.  I have never felt so awful in my life, Miss Alice.  I went
home to clear my mind, and I did.  I intended to stay.  God told me that
I needed to come back here and straighten things out, but now everything
is worse.”
        “Christy, has thee talked to Keri?  I assure you that she feels
awful also.  She would not eat anything, and retreated to her room immediately
after supper.”
        “Yes, I have talked to her.  She told me everything.  She feels
bad, I can tell, but what about Neil?  I don’t see why he would want
to talk to me again.”
        “Christy, he will listen.  I know he will,” Alice said with a
knowing smile.  “The two of thee share a great friendship, maybe more.”
        “Thank you, Miss Alice.  Please give Margaret my regards.”
        “I will indeed.”  Miss Alice had finished packing, and she started
towards her horse.
        “Miss Alice?  How long will you be gone?’
        “I don’t know, Christy.  I need to be with Margaret, until...until
she fully recovers.  It may be awhile, but David and Miss Loving will
be here.  Everything will be all right.”
        “I know, but...” Christy knew and respected that fact that Miss
Alice had to be with her daughter, but Christy had always relied on Miss
Alice to help her through times of confusion, and sadness.  This was
one of those times.
        “But what child?”
        “I will miss you.  To talk to, to confide in.”
        “Miss Huddleston, thee will never be short of someone to talk
to.  God is always there.  He understands.  Always.”
        “I know, but—“
        “Thee means human companionship.  You have many good friends
here.”  Miss Alice finished readying her horse and was leading her to
the path.
        “Yes, but—“  Christy said, following.
        “Christy, listen with thy heart.  You are in my prayers.  Good-bye.”
        Christy sighed.  Sometimes Miss Alice left her with the strangest
words, even angering words.  What did they mean?  “Good-bye, Miss Alice.”
 Miss Alice looked back, waved, and cantered off.

~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^
~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^
        
        Bird’s Eye made his way quickly to Dan Scott’s cabin.  Over the
few days since Dan had offered his forgiveness, Bird’s Eye had been thinking
about the colored man.  Though Bird’s Eye would never let anyone know
it, he was grateful for the rabbit that Dan had given him.  Despite the
fact that Bird’s Eye still regarded Dan as a no good black outsider,
he knew a mountain man always paid his debts.  So, Bird’s Eye was going
to help Dan out.
        “Mr. Scott?” he called out in a burly voice.  Dan looked up from
where he was sawing a tree.
        “Yes, Mr. Taylor?”
        “Waal, since you brung me that rabbit, even if hit was off my
own property, I thought I’d repay ya,” Bird’s Eye said abruptly.  Dan
was startled.
        “Well, Mr. Taylor, if you’d like,  you could help me cut the
logs up.”  Without a protest, Bird’s Eye walked over to where Dan was
 standing with a two-person saw and started to help him.  They worked
as a team, and for once, Bird’s Eye didn’t think of Dan as anything but
an ordinary man.
 
^Psalm 20:7 NKJV
^Mark 10:27 NKJV


Chapter 8

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        Doctor MacNeill sprinted back to his cabin, stopping three times
to steady his convulsive body.  Once on Charlie, he galloped for the
mission.  If he could not talk to Christy, He could go to Alice Henderson.
 Though their relationship was strained, Neil knew he could trust Alice
to help him see some answers to such great questions as the ones he had
on his mind.  As Neil rode up, he saw Christy standing right in the middle
of the trail just staring at the mission, or beyond it.
        “Christy, whatever are you doing out here?”  Christy spun around,
        “Doctor MacNeill, I...ah...what are *you* doing here?”
        “Is Alice here?”
        “Noo,” she said slowly, “she left for Knoxville, to meet Margaret.”
        “I see.  Did she say when she was going to be back?”
        “No,” Christy said, puzzled.  Why would Neil want to see Miss
Alice?
        “Is David here?”  This surprised Christy even more, for she knew
Neil wanted nothing, on a personal note, to do with David.
        “He’s not here either, he went to visit Hattie.  Is something
wrong?” Putting aside her own doubts, Christy kindly asked, “Can I help
you with anything?”
        Doctor MacNeill was surprised at this question, and his faced
showed it.  Christy was amused, so he quickly recovered and said, “Nothing’s
wrong.  Maybe you *can* help me.  Care to take a walk?”  What had Christy
gotten herself into?  Would he have nasty remarks waiting for her?  She
looked at Neil.  No, he looked sincere.
        “Of course.  Where would you like to go?”
        Neil pondered on this.  Was it the right time?  Yes, he decided,
it was.  “Nowhere special,” he said casually.  “Let’s just walk.”
        “All right.”  They started off in the direction of the schoolhouse.
 As they walked by, Christy could see the students swarming around Keri,
        “Miz Loving?  Now what about this here ocean stuff?”
        “Could ya holp me with them thar rocks?”
        “I’d be obleeged if y’d holp me with my volcano, Miz Loving.”
        Christy smiled.  It looked like Keri was having fun.  In a few
hours, Christy would be back to teaching her children once more.  She
watched Neil’s face as he waved at Keri.  Christy admitted it, she was
jealous.  Neil smiled at Keri, as if nothing had happened the day before.
 The rest of his face was expressionless, but when he turned towards
Christy, his eyes burned.  Christy looked away.  After a few minutes
had passed and they were nearing the river, Christy broke the silence
by saying,
        “Neil, I am sorry for yesterday.  I hope you can forgive me.”
 There, she had said it.  Would he accept her apology? 
        “I’m sorry, too, Christy.  I did not mean what I said about you.
 I still consider you my friend.  But, please, tell me.  Why did you
run away?”
        Not wanting to answer, she changed the subject, “Why did you
come here today?  Is there something on your mind?”
        Neil took a deep breath and began, “Yes, there is, but you did
not answer *my* question.”
        “I...ah...tell me your thoughts first.”
        He smiled.  “All right.  Today, I...” Neil didn’t want to tell
her the reason of his mad dash out of his cabin, so he said, “I...ah...I
took a walk today.  I was deep in thought, and I accidentally slipped
down a crevice,” he shuddered with the memory.  “I was caught, no way
up, no way down.  I looked for every possible way out, Christy, and I
was just about to let go when I heard a voice.”
        Christy let out a long breath and half-smiled, wondering, and
hoping, at what he would say next.  They had stopped by the river, where
one shaft of sunlight, as if positioned by God for just the two of them,
was shining through the trees.  “It was my mother, telling me about God,”
he continued.  “Then I heard you, Christy.  I heard you telling me in
your stubborn way about God.”  He stopped.  This was not easy for Neil
to say, the obstinate Scot who was always right.
        “Go on,” Christy said softly, placing her soft hand upon his
face.
        “I shouted out to God to help me.  And something happened!  It
was remarkable.  The next thing I knew I was about four feet away from
the edge of the crevice.  I was safe.  For an hour, I examined everything.
 I could not find a logical explanation.  Nothing.  Was it really a miracle
of God, Christy?”  Neil’s voice was pleading, his eyes painful and searching.
        Now Christy knew why Neil had been looking for Miss Alice and
David.
        “Neil, I—“she said softly, turning around.
        Neil gently took her chin in his hand and turned her face.  “I
do not doubt your knowledge of God, Christy.  True, you are no Alice
Henderson, but tell me, how would *you* answer this question?”
        “Are you sure you want me to attempt this?  I will probably just
end up quoting Miss Alice,” she said with a touch of annoyance.
        For just a moment, Neil’s eyes were dancing.  “Just speak your
mind, like you did at the schoolhouse,” he encouraged.
        “Well, I do believe in God’s prompting of the mind.  I do believe
that it was Him telling me to come to Cutter Gap.  Yes, I confess, when
I read my Bible, I wonder about His miracles.  I am not as deep-faithed
as you think, Neil.  I, too, like logical explanations about things like
that.  But as I have been here in Cutter Gap, I have come to believe
more and more in His miracles.  Some of the things that have happened
here are beyond my mind.  Like Creed Allen during the scarlet fever epidemic.
 He was gone, but I believe God brought him back.  You know as well as
I how he was.”  Christy stopped, watching Neil’s reaction to her words.
 He looked intrigued, and for once, didn’t pose an argument when given
the chance.  She continued,
        “I mean, this land and the mountains are living miracles.  Beautiful
miracles.  These mountains, how could God have created them without some
superb power?  And if God can create mountains, then He should most certainly
be able to perform small miracles such as your rescue.  So, yes, I do
think that it was a miracle of God.  And if it had happened to me, I
would be running around praising the Lord!”  Christy finished, and realized
that she had hardly taken a breath.  She felt charged, refreshed.  Christy
waited for Neil to speak.  He contemplated this for a long while, and
finally said,
        “Yes, Christy, you prove a good point.  I do believe in a supreme
being.  A God.  And if that God created the mountains, It must be able
to perform miracles.  But why would your God want to save me?”
        “Because He loves you, Neil!  More than you will ever know. 
He loved you so much that he sent his *only* son to *die,* to **die**
a horrible death, so that we might be saved and have eternal happiness,
if we believe and accept.  Imagine it, loving someone so much that you
would give up your beloved wife, or your only child, who is so precious
to you, to save the person you loved.  Imagine God’s love being a million
more times than that.
        “Look around at all the beauty.  Why would it all be here if
God didn’t love us so much that he wanted to create a world of beauty
for us to live in?”
        *I would do absolutely anything for Christy.  I have never loved
anyone more deeply.  Is God’s love for me even more powerful than that?*
he wondered.
        “If God didn’t love you so much, Neil, he wouldn’t save you,”
 Christy started to walk, leaving that thought for Neil to ponder.
        *Could this be true?  It sounds too good,* Neil thought.  Neil
couldn’t take it all in at that moment, but what Christy said had started
him thinking about God again.  He once again remembered his mother reading
from her bible.  It was time to open it up again.  Neil came up behind
Christy and took her arm.
        “This way,” he said as he led her down the river in a different
direction.  He was silent for a long time.  Then he stopped.  “Thank
you, Christy.  We should head back, but I want to show you something.
 Come on.  It will take a while to get there, but you will love it.”
        Christy was puzzled.  Wherever could he be taking her?  This
was unfamiliar territory to her.  They walked for a long time, Neil still
guiding her, until they could hear a waterfall.
        “Have you ever been here?” Neil asked.
        “No, I haven’t.  Where are we going?”
        “Just wait and see.”  Where had Christy heard those exact words
before?  Then Christy saw it; the waterfall.  It was beautiful, and had
a wonderful smell.  Though it was autumn, there was a patch of bright
green grass.  As they entered the asylum, a great mist enveloped them.
        “Neil,” Christy breathed, “it’s absolutely beautiful.  But just
exactly where are we?  I got lost quite a while back.”
        Neil smiled, “You’ll never know.  Come on.”  They neared the
waterfall.  A sparkling pool surrounded it, and Neil led Christy to a
line of stones in the pond.  “Here, take my arm,” and together they walked
across the stones to the backside of the waterfall.  Once there, Christy
just stood staring through the waterfall.  The light reflecting through
the water and the mist sent an array of colored illumination to the walls
behind.  Christy did not know how long she stood there, and jumped when
Neil touched her arm.
        “There is something even more beautiful I must show you,” and
he turned her around so that she was facing a narrow cave.  As they stepped
inside, Christy could not believe her eyes.  The walls were lined with
quartz and pyrite.  Christy now knew why everything had seemed so familiar.
 She was reliving her fantasy dream.  Neil led her further down, towards
a blue light.
        They entered a large room, which had light streaming through
the ceiling down to a small pool of water in the floor.  Christy looked
around; the room was covered in blue crystal.  Just like her dream. 
Sapphire was rare, but Miss Alice said it could be found in these mountains.
        Once again, Christy was oblivious to the man who was standing
beside her.  “Looks just like your eyes, Christy.  Star blue quartz.”
 Christy turned to him, her eyes wide.  “Christy, what is it?  You look
like you’ve seen a ghost?”
        “I have,” she said weakly.  Finally, she could take the de ja
vu no longer and sank to the floor.
        “Christy!  Lass, are you all right?  What is it?”
        *Lass,* had it been a slip?  “This is a dream, isn’t it?”
        “Christy you’re not making sense,” he said, sinking to the floor
beside her.
        “No, I have had almost this exact same dream before,” she said
with a secluded look in her eyes.
        Neil was amused; he wondered what Christy’s exact dream had been.
 “You said almost; what exactly was your dream?”
        Christy blushed, she could not tell Neil of her real dream. 
“Just...ah...not much different than this.”  She got up and walked away
from him, towards the light in the center of the room.  Christy studied
the identical holes in the ceiling and floor.  She whirled around to
ask Neil how he had found this place, and ended up hitting him with her
arms.  “I...I’m sorry.  I...”
        He took her hands in his.  “Tis all right.  Now, I have told
you my story.  It’s your turn.  Please, Christy.  I am your friend. 
Tell me why you ran away.  Please.” 
        “Neil, I...” how could she tell him how she really felt?
        Neil waited patiently.  Together they stood, battling with their
emotions, beneath the blue light.  Christy took a deep breath.  “The
day I rode to your cabin and I saw you and Margaret, I had come to tell
you how much I valued our friendship, that I could tell you anything,
and that I trusted and respected you more than anyone I knew.”
        Neil was stunned, and confused.  “What about Grantland?  A fiancée
should be your soulmate,” he blurted out, surprised with his own comment.
        Christy laughed.  “David and I share nothing more than sibling-like
friendship.”  Of course, this stunned Neil more than ever.  “Don’t look
so shocked,” Christy was having fun now.  “You know,” she said softly,
“it was you who showed me I could not marry David.  You knew first-hand
what happened when two people who didn’t love or respect each other got
married.  And you made sure I knew it, Neil MacNeill!  I realized I could
not marry David.  I could have made the biggest mistake of my life.”
        Neil was flummoxed; he didn’t know what to say.  Tenderly, he
touched her face.  “Aye, my marriage with Margaret was dreadful.  I will
always regret it, not only because I chose wrong, but because I was never
free from our vows.”  Christy was held by his eyes, and the world seemed
to stop as she stood there.  Neil was about to say something else when
Christy interrupted him by saying, 
        “Now it’s my time to question you again:  Why did you come to
the schoolhouse that day?  Leaving Margaret?”
        Neil sighed and softly said, “Christy, I came because I care
very much for you.  Margaret told me that you were going to ‘marry the
preacher,’ and I couldn’t let you do that.  I knew deep in my heart he
wasn’t right for you.  He didn’t respect you as you should be respected.”
        The tender moment was interrupted when Christy suddenly realized
that she was alone with the man she loved, in a secluded cave, and unchaperoned.
 Glancing at her watch fob on her waist she said, “Oh my!  I should be
getting back to the school.  I’m sure Keri would enjoy some time to herself,
or,” she said with as much fake anger as she could put in her voice without
smiling, “some time with someone else.”
        Neil sighed, “Christy, there is nothing between us, we only mis—“
Christy laughed and ran out of the cave.  Neil chuckled and followed
her.

~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^
~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^

        Back at his cabin, after saying good-bye to Christy, Neil decided
to go fishing.  The previous week he’d hardly had any time to fish at
all, so he gathered his gear and was just about to head down to the river
when Ben Pentland called out,
        “U-nited States Maaaill!”
        “Why, hello, Ben.  What brings you out her today?  Saturday’s
not ‘til tomorrow.”
        “Waal, Doc, I have a letter here for ye.  Come clear from Scotland.
 Thought ye might want it as soon as hit’d come in.  Magine that, a little
old letter all t’way from Scotland.  I wonder what’s in that letter...”
he trailed off with a roguish look on his face as he handed Neil the
letter.
        Neil chuckled, “I wonder that myself Ben, but don’t you have
other letters?”
        “Yep, shore do.  Seven whole letters this week!  I’ll be seein
ya, Doc,” and Ben Pentland rode off on his mule whistling a mountain
tune.
        “Ben!” Neil called after the mailman, “Will you be back here
tomorrow?  I might have a letter for you.”  Neil had a feeling that this
letter would require a reply.
        “Yep, I’m a stayin’ at the Holcombe’s tanight,” he said, stopping
his mule.
        “All right, just stop by then.”
        “Bye, Doc,” and Ben was off again.
        Neil decided to take the letter down to the river with him. 
If it was from Scotland, it must be quite important.  He sat down close
to the foamy water and opened the letter.  He read the good news:

September 5, 1913 

Dear Mr. Neil MacNeill,

As of May 2, 1913, the Scotland National Revenue Exchange shut down and
all trading was stopped.  We are sorry to inform you that your stocks
will not be able to gain in value anymore.  The value of your stocks
as of May 2, 1913 will be sent to you in United States currency as soon
as you reply to this letter.  Their value is estimated to be around $7,000.
 We’re sorry for any inconvenience or trouble.

Sincerely,

Emil Frederiksborg
President

        Neil was dumfounded.  Seven thousand dollars!?  Yes, he remembered
investing in the Stock Market in Scotland, but after he left, he had
never thought about it again.  And Neil certainly never thought he would
get this kind of money back!  What would he do with it all?  For starters,
he could of course buy more supplies, new equipment, maybe fix up his
cabin...
        He had been right, this letter *would* require a reply!  As Neil
tucked the letter in his pocket, ideas of what to do with the money began
ramparting through his head...

Chapter 9

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        Back at the mission, Christy gathered a newspaper and the poem
book from her room and headed to the schoolhouse to relieve Keri of her
duties.
        “Oh, Christy, I’m so glad you are here,” Keri said, coming out
of the schoolhouse.
        “Why Keri, is everything all right?”  Christy asked worriedly.
        “Yes, but they are just so hyper!  It’s a good thing David teaches
part of the day, or else I don’t think I could do it,” she said with
an exasperated look on her face.
        “Has Creed Allen been pestering you?”  Christy asked, barely
able to contain her amusement.
        “Why, yes, but how did you know?”  Keri said with surprise.
        “I remember my first week or so of teaching here, they were terrors,”
Christy smiled.
        With a more serious look on her face, Keri asked, “Christy, I
want to say again that I am terribly sorry for what I did.  I still feel
awful.”
        “Keri, I forgive you.  As someone once told me, ‘If you flog
yourself over it, you’re no good to anyone.’”
        “Thank you Christy.  Is there anything that I can do for you?”
Keri asked.
        “Just teaching the children helps me so much.  Thank you.”
        “You’re welcome.  I enjoy doing it.”
        “Miz Christy?  Are you goin’ to teach us?” yelled Little Burl
from the schoolhouse steps.
        “I’m coming!” Christy shouted back.  “Well, Keri, I guess I’ll
be going.”
        “All right.  I’ll see you later!”  Keri threw over her shoulder.
        “Thank you!”  Christy shouted.  She walked up the steps of the
schoolhouse and went to her desk.
        “Hello, children.  It’s so good to be back.  But before I show
you your surprise,” she winked at them, “and we continue with our lessons,
I want each of you to start thinking of something that you could make
for Miss Loving, to show your appreciation of her teaching you while
I was gone.”
        A buzz went through the room.  Apparently, the children were
excited by this new project.  “Can it be anythang?”  Creed Allen piped
up.
        “Yes...”  Christy stopped and thought for a moment.  This was
Creed she was talking to, “but it has to be something that you made,
like a picture, book, or poem.  I’m afraid she wouldn’t like any animals.”
        Creed’s face fell, for he had wanted to give her a baby rabbit,
but then he lit up with another idea, and started to write it down. 
Christy smiled.
        “If you finish your work early today, I want you to work on this.
 I also want you to take it home.  Now, for your surprise.”  She pulled
the book from her desk and presented it to the class.  “This is a poem
book that I got for our school.  There are some wonderful poems that
I think you will all enjoy.  Would you like me to read you some?”
        “Oh, yes’m!”  Rob said with excitement, just like Christy had
thought he would.  The other students who weren’t as interested in literature
were not as excited, but a brand new book was intriguing to them, too.
        “All right.  Let me see...”  Christy picked a spot about three-fourths
of the way through the book and opened it.  She started to read as she
walked about the classroom:

        “Alada Baskin

        I am the dolphin
        of the dunes,
        the dhow of sunshine
        steed of fire.

        At once the courser
        and the shallop,
        the charger
        who on each surge
        of wind
        will gallop.

        With proudly arched
        and copper neck
        and dark
        and fiery eye,
        I long to roam
        the desert now,
        with all
        my winged speed,
        borne
        with the swiftness
        of Nasim,
        for I'm
        of
        the Bedu breed.

        I soar,
        I am a hawk.
        I trot the air.
        The earth sings when I touch it.
        The basest horn
        of my hoof
        is more musical
        than the dulcimer
        of Abora.

        The falcon circles high,
        a shadow in my desert eye.
        What Meccan vision
        halts my gliding dance
        to catch me in
        this Bedu trance?

        Alada Baskin's Song^”  Christy finished, entranced by the words
she had just read.  

        “Wow, Miz Christy.  Them are some might fancified words,”  Zady
said.
        “Can anyone tell me what they think this poem is about?”  Christy
inquired of her students.  Rob Allen’s hand was the first in the air.
 “Yes, Rob?”
        “Waal, I think the poet was a talkin’ about a horse.  A horse
from a far-off place.  From the desert.”
        “I think you’re right Rob.  Now, can someone tell me what this
phrase means; ‘The basest horn of my hoof is more musical than the dulcimer
of Abora.’”  Zady raised her hand this time,
        “I think, Teacher, that it means that the lowest-soundin’ horn,
or mebbe sound, of  ‘is, hoof is more sing-songy than a dulcimer of some
farway place.”  Christy was astounded every day by her students’ bright
minds, but this was by far the most impressive.
        “Why, Zady.  That was absolutely perfect.  Good job.  All right,
who would like to find a poem and read it to the class?”  Normally, no
one would have raised their hand, but the poem book had created quite
a stir.
        Amidst all her students, Christy’s eyes fell on Mountie.  Timidly,
she had raised her hand and her blue eyes were looked steadily at their
Teacher.  “Mountie, would you like to find a poem?”  Christy softly asked.
 Quietly, Mountie nodded, stood up, and carefully took the book from
Christy.  For a minute, Mountie just ran her hands over the soft pages.
 Then she began vigilantly turning the pages until she found a poem.
 Christy stepped to her desk and Mountie began to read:

        Mustangs

        Running with the wind,
        Flying through the rain with grace,
        The streams watch in awe,
        The mountains observe the chase.
        Mustangs’ spirits’ flow today.^

        Before Christy could comment, Mountie spoke to the class,
        “I chose this poem ‘cause that’s a how I feel in the Spring-time.”
 Then Mountie handed the book to Christy and took her seat once more.
        “That was beautiful, Mountie.”  Though Christy knew she, as well
as her students, could spend the whole day reading poems, there were
other things she wanted to do.
        “Ok, class,” she said as she sat the book on her desk, “what
we’re going to do next is I’m going to read a newspaper article to you
and then I want each of you to write something about how it makes you
feel or what you would do if you were that person.  So, take out your
chalkboards and I’ll read the article to you.” 
        Christy retrieved the paper from her chair and read the headline
of the article she had marked:

Lady Workers killed in Triangle Fire Two Years Ago Finally Honored with
Memorial at Elmwood Park in Chicago

        When Christy finished, she let the children work on their stories
and Keri’s gifts until it was time to dismiss them.  Most of them had
finished when she said, “All right, you’re dismissed!  Have a good weekend!
 If you can, get your presents ready to give to Miss Loving on Sunday!”
 
        Everyone charged out the doors and Christy was just about to
head to the mission, to gather some food to take to the Allen’s like
she had promised Creed, when the sound of pounding hooves met her ears.
 She walked down the steps and into the schoolyard to find Dr. MacNeill
galloping Charlie all out to the mission.  He slid to a stop beside her
and jumped off of his horse.
        “Christy!  You’ll never guess what just happened,” he said, trying
to catch his breath.
        “Neil, is everything all right?” she asked with concern.
        “Oh, Christy, you wouldn’t believe...” he trailed off, enjoying
keeping her on edge.
        “What is it?” she asked again.
        “Oh...”
        “Neil MacNeill, will you just tell me?!” she raised her voice,
now on the verge of getting angry.  Neil laughed.  He leaned in and spoke
to her softly, as if not wanting anyone, even the birds, to hear.
        “After our walk, Ben Pentland dropped by with a letter, from
Scotland.  Well, when I was in school there, I invested a small bit of
money in their Stock Market.  It seems that the exchange has shut down,
and investors are now getting the money that their stocks were worth.”
 Neil waited for her response.
        “Did you receive any money?” Christy asked apprehensively.
        “The letter said that I would receive my money as soon as I sent
a reply.”
        “Did you send a reply?”
        “No, I’m not quite sure what to put in it,” Neil said, walking
back to Charlie’s saddlebags to retrieve the letter.
        Christy was still not satisfied with the news.  How much had
he gotten?  He wouldn’t tell her.  “Do you enjoy torturing me?” she asked.
 Neil looked up.
        “What do you mean?” he said with a crafty smile.
        “Well...how much did the letter say you would be receiving?”
        “Oh, just about, let’s see if I can remember...”  he said, staring
off into space.  Christy sighed.  This was getting nowhere.  So, since
Neil wasn’t looking, she reached out and took the letter from him.  His
head snapped down to look at her, holding the letter with a victorious
smile on her face.
        “Since you can’t seem to remember how much, then I shall just
have to find out for myself.”  Christy trotted up the schoolhouse steps
and stopped to lean against the door.  She pulled out the letter and
read what was inside. 
        Neil followed her up the steps and waited until she was finished
reading.  When she was, she looked up at him with large eyes.  “$7,000?!
 Neil!  That is so wonderful!  What are you going to do with it?  You
could start up a clinic or you could purchase more supplies or you could...”
she ranted on.  Neil just stood there, letting her talk nineteen to the
dozen.  Finally, when she was out of breath, he said,
        “Don’t wear yourself out, Miss Huddleston.  I don’t know what
I’m going to do with it.  Of course, I’m going to buy more supplies and
more trachoma research material, but what about the rest of it?”
        “I don’t know.  But this is too good to be true!  Think of all
the good we—you can do for the Cove,” Christy said, trying to recover
from her slip.  Just what had it meant?
        “We, Christy?” he asked taking a step closer to her.  Locking
her gaze on him, she said softly,
        “Well, I was just thinking, since we both want so much to help
the people that we could work together.”
        “I like that idea very much,” he said, smiling.  Christy so wanted
to tell him how she felt, and almost had in the cave.  The words were
in her mouth when Neil said, “Christy, I can’t tell you how much our
walk and our talk meant to me yesterday.  You helped me see the light,
and I decided it was time for me to open my mother’s bible once more.
 Thank you.”
        Christy eyes were misted over, and she clasped his hand.  “Neil,
I am so, so very happy that you are on your way to finding God.”
        “Aye, lass, so am I.”  Christy smiled.  Did he know what he did
to her when he called her lass?  Breaking away from his gaze, she looked
to the mission.
        “I must be getting back to the mission.  Will I see you in church
on Sunday?”
        “You can count on it.”

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        As Christy walked back from the Allen’s bathed in the glow of
the setting sun, she felt as if she were on top of the world.  Seeing
Mary Allen’s happy face as she set out the sugar, preserves, and precious
candy made Christy feel as if she could accomplish anything.  That night,
Christy relived the whole wonderful day; her talks with Keri, her walk
with Neil, his news of the money he had inhibited, her first day back
at school.  What a day it had been!

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        That Sunday, Christy wondered if Neil would really keep his word
about coming to church.  She waited on the steps until David came to
her side.
        “Christy, is something wrong?”
        “No, I’m just waiting for someone.”
        “Who?”
        “Dr. MacNeill.”  David’s eyes almost popped out of his head at
the mention of the Doctor’s name.  He said no more, just nodded and headed
back inside.  Christy smiled.  She hoped Neil would turn to David for
guidance in his new faith.  Then she saw him.  He was bringing Charlie
up the rise and waved at her.  Neil tethered Charlie to the hitching
post and headed up the steps.
        “Good morning, Miss Huddleston.  And how are you on this fine
day?” he asked happily.
        Christy was intrigued by his good spirits.  “I’m good.  What
has made you so happy?”
        “I’m just so glad to be here.”  He paused.  “Would you care to
go for a walk after the service?”  Christy was taken aback, but gladly
accepted.  As they entered the church, all eyes were on Dr. MacNeill.
 Everyone was whispering, and Christy nodded to Neil, who said,
        “Well, everyone, guess you never thought you’d see this ol’ Doc
in church, but here I am, and I have Miss Christy Huddleston partly to
thank for that.”  He beckoned to Christy, who smiled.  Everyone clapped
softly, and then conversation started up again.  As Christy sat down,
she heard snatches like,
        “Ya think Doc MacNeill got religion just ta please Miss Christy?
 Ya know they be sweet on each other.”
        “Sounds like Doc and Teacher a been courtin’, the way he be a
praisin’ her.”  It were these words that made Christy blush as she sat
down next to Keri.  Keri smiled and said to her,
        “I have wonderful news, Christy.  Charlie is healed, and I will
be going to El Pano to board the train to Asheville today.”
        “Keri, that’s wonderful!  How long will you be gone?”
        “Oh, about a week.  I really hope I can get the land,” she said
with a doubtful expression.
        “I’m sure you will.  I wish you luck.”  Then David started his
sermon by saying,
        “Good morning, everyone.  Let us sing.”  After singing all of
the mountain people’s favorite “religious-way songs,” David started his
sermon by saying,  “Today I’m going to talk to you about sin.  But first,
let me ask you something:  Would you want to sail in a boat with a large
hole in the bottom?”  Everyone shook their heads.  “What about a boat
with a smaller hole, but one that still let water in?”  Again, everyone
shook their heads, but this time, Creed Allen spoke.
        “Why, no way, Preacher.  A hole’s a hole, and I ain’t gonna sail
in no boat with a hole, no matter how big it is.  I’ll still be a sinkin’
to the bottom of the lake if’n I sail in a boat with a hole!”  Everyone
chuckled, and David said,
        “That’s right, Creed.  A hole’s a hole, and a sin’s a sin.  It
doesn’t matter how large or small it is, it’s still a sin.  And just
like a hole can make your boat sink, a sin can make your soul sink. 
A smaller hole is easier to fix than a larger hole, as well as a smaller
sin is easier to fix than a large one.  But to fix the hole, you have
to sew it up or plug it, no matter how large or small it is.  And no
matter how large or small a sin is, you have to confess it to God.  In
His eyes, all sins are the same, so no sin is ever too large for Him.
 Now, let me read to you from The Book of James, Chapter 2, verses 10
and 11:

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in *point,* he
is guilty of all.  For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said,
‘Do not murder.’  Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder,
you have become a transgressor of the law.^”

        As David explained the finer points of the scripture, Christy
looked towards Neil, who was sitting next to Kyle Coburn.  She caught
his eye and smiled.
When the service was over, Christy saw David and Neil talking outside.
 Leaning against the doorway, she watched as the two former rivals talked,
smiled and shook hands.  Neil walked up to her and asked,
        “Ready to take that walk?”
        “Certainly, Doctor.  Could you wait a bit though?  I have to
give something to Keri.”
        “Sure.”
        Christy gathered all of the children that were at the service
around her, pleased to find that they had completed Keri’s gifts.  Christy
sent little Clara Spencer to retrieve Keri.
        “Miss Loving, on behalf of your teaching the children these past
few days, they have something they want to give you,” Christy smiled.
        As each child stepped up and gave Keri their gift, she became
closer to tears.  There were drawings, carvings, homemade jewelry, and
other things.  “Thank you, everyone.  No one has ever done anything this
nice for me.  I will certainly enjoy these things as I leave for my trip.
        Everyone had gathered around the children and Keri.  Proud parents
looked on as their children presented presents that they had taught them
to make.  
        “That was a nice thing you did, Christy,” Neil said as he came
up behind her.
        Christy smiled.  “I was just showing my appreciation for her
teaching.  Now, about that walk; just where are we going today?”
        “I’m taking you to another place out of your dreams,” he said
teasingly.
        “Not even funny.”  Soon they were by the pond, and Christy decided
to ask a favor of Neil, “Neil?”
        “Yes?” he replied, stopping to look at her.
        “I know you’re busy, but I was wondering, do you think you could
find the time to teach the children a lesson or two?  Like you did before?”
        “And just what kind of lessons are you referring to?” he asked
with a smile.  Christy blushed, remembering when she had asked him to
help her with hygiene classes.
        “A science class, Neil.  Like the one you did with the volcano.”
        “What over?” he asked, getting interested.
        “Well, anything.  Perhaps anatomy.  You could use a frog as a
model and compare it to a human,” she suggested.
        “That is a very clever idea, Miss Huddleston.  I am quite busy,
but will sometime in the next week be all right?”
        “Of course, whenever you can make it will be fine.”  They continued
walking until they were at the gazebo.
        “Care to sit?” Neil asked.
        “Thank you,” Christy said as she sat down.   “Neil?” she asked.
        “What is on your mind now?”
        Christy had wanted to ask him about Margaret, but she decided
that if he wanted her to know, he would tell her.  “Ah, never mind.”
        “What is it?”  Seeing that she would have to come up with some
sort of answer, Christy asked,
        “Well, is there any particular reason for this walk today?”
        “No, I just enjoy your company,” he said, looking a bit nervous.
 Christy was amused, but said nothing more.  They sat looking out over
the pond when Neil said, “Christy, I want to thank you for what you did
for Margaret.”
        “What do you mean?”
        “In the letter she left me, she told me that she was going to
fix her life because of you.  She also said that she would send me annulment
papers.  She did, and I signed them.  Amazingly, Ben got them on their
way to Asheville in a very short amount of time,” Neil said, looking
intently at Christy.
        “I know,” she said softly.
        “What do you mean?”
        “Well, before I left to come back here, I kind of checked to
find out if it went through,” Christy said, breaking away from his gaze.
        “Why would you do that?” he asked in a quiet voice.
        “I honestly don’t know.”
        Neil was completely flummoxed by Christy’s actions.  Why had
she looked into it?  Did she care, for him?  Neil’s mind started to spin
a hundred miles an hour, and he started to feel dizzy.  *Pull yourself
together,* he said to himself.  As Neil came back to reality, he uttered
what he thought was under his breath, “Is this what love does to one?”
        Christy heard bits and pieces of this, and suddenly sat up very
straight.  “What did you say?”  Did he just say what she thought he might
have said?
        “We’d best head back,” Neil said as he stood up.  Christy was
befuddled.  Twice he had left her with strange comments that he always
covered up.  First, ‘I’m going to Low Gap for a few days.  Will you miss
me?’ and now this.  She smiled at herself for remembering his exact words.
        “This was nice, thank you,” Christy said when they were back
at the mission.
        “You’re welcome.  I guess I will see you sometime next week then.”
        As Neil started to ride away, Christy gathered up her courage
and said after him, “Yes, Neil, that is what it does to one.”  Then she
turned away, half-hoping he hadn’t heard, and jogged towards the mission.
 Christy glanced back and saw that as he looked at her a brief look of
understanding crossed his face, followed by an expression that Christy
did not understand.  It was not the look of love she thought he gave
her sometimes.  No, this one was...deeper, more unfathomable than the
other.  Then Neil merely waved and was off.

^Robert Vavra, Horses of the Sun
^Original Poem
^James 2:10, 11 NKJV

Chapter 10


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        Throughout the next week, Christy listened each day for the sound
of Dr. MacNeill’s horse.  She was excited to see what the children’s
reactions would be to his lesson, and how much they would learn.  But
truth be told, she was longing to see him again.
        It was on Thursday morning that Christy stood looking out over
the schoolyard into the foggy mist.  Once or twice she thought she had
heard hoof beats.  But no one appeared from behind the thick curtain.
 Christy knew Neil would keep his word, but no one had seen or heard
of him since Sunday.  Luckily, nobody had fallen very ill.
        Sighing, Christy turned back to her students, who were working
on their arithmetic.  She picked up a newspaper from her desk and said
to the room,
        “All right, children.  We’re going to do something different
now.  Finish the figures you’re on, and then take out your slates.” 
Christy waited until the children had finished and were ready before
she began the lesson.  “Do any of you remember when we studied the Civil
War?”  Heads nodded and a few snickers could be heard.  “I’m going to
read to you a newspaper article about a very courageous young woman who
helped set many innocent sla—people, free.”  Christy avoided talking
about slaves or blacks, for she knew it would only create an uproar,
and if it was anything like the one a few of her students had caused
when they studied the Civil War before, she knew the matter would be
best learnt if taught slowly.
        
“Her name was Harriet Tubman.  This is the headline:

Harriet Tubman, Conductor on the Underground Railroad, Dies at Home in
Auburn, New York, but will be Well Remembered

Harriet Tubman, famous woman who ventured far from home to save and free
slaves...”
        
        “Sounds like someone I know,” bellowed a deep voice from the
doorway.  It was Dr. MacNeill.
        Christy was so startled that she dropped the newspaper.  The
loose pages scattered about the floor.  A few of her students giggled,
and some of them exchanged winks.  Neil could barely contain his own
laughter.
        “Dr. MacNeill,” Christy said, stooping down to retrieve the newspaper
and its pages.  “How nice of you to come.  Children, we will finish with
our newspaper later.  Today Dr. MacNeill has come to give you another
science lesson.  Please give him your full attention.”  Stepping out
of the aisle, she said, “Doctor, they are all yours.”
        “Thank you, Miss Huddleston,” Neil said as he sat his medical
bags down on a front desk.  Then he pulled a pillowcase from his bags
and from that pulled a dead frog.  “Today, children, we are going to
learn about anatomy.  Does anyone know what that is?”  Becky O’Teale
raised her hand.
        “Ain’t that the studyin’ of the body, like lungs and such?”
        “That’s right, Becky.  I’m going to show you what’s inside of
a frog.  Gather ‘round.”  The children all scrambled from theirs desks,
trying to see what the good doctor was doing to do.  
        Christy walked to the back of the room and leaned against the
doorway, watching as her students stood in wonder around Dr. MacNeill.
There were ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ and a few ‘eewws’ as Neil dissected the
frog.  She looked at him.  His hair was as unruly as ever, and he looked
to be a bit tired, but something was different.  The way he spoke, his
eyes.  Something had happened to him, but what?
        Then Christy turned her eyes to the mountains.  There were so
beautiful, just standing there clothed in the fog.  The fog made the
mountains seem higher, more alive, and twice as mysterious.  Christy
didn’t know how long she stood there, but was brought back to the present
by a tap on the shoulder.
        “Was my lesson that boring, Miss Huddleston?”  Christy turned
to face Neil.
        “Of course not, I just got caught up in the mountains.”
        “Yes, they certainly are beautiful,” he said, staring out at
them.
        “I can’t thank you enough, Neil, for doing this.  I know you
must be very busy.  Is there anything that I can do for you?”
        “It was my pleasure.  There is something you could do for me,
though.  Would you like to take a ride with me this afternoon?” he asked,
breaking his gaze from the mountains.
        “I would love too.  After school?”
        Nodding, Neil started down the steps of the schoolhouse to his
horse.  He mounted, waved, and then headed to the mission.
        After Christy dismissed her students, she gathered up her things
and started the walk down to the mission.
        It was still quite foggy, and Christy felt herself come alive.
 As a child, she had always loved and been fascinated by the fog.  
        Picking up her skirts, and almost dropping her books, she ran
as fast as she could down to the mission.  Like a filly, she jumped the
sticks and dodged the holes.  As she neared the house, Christy was relieved
to find that Neil was not waiting for her.  With her hair plastered to
her damp face and her skirts wet and muddy, she looked more like ten
than twenty.
        As she entered the house and hurried to her room, masculine voices
could be heard in the parlor.  Christy peeked in, and saw that David
and Neil were sitting and talking.  Neil had a bible in his hands.  Christy
could barely contain her yelp of joy.  She was so deeply happy that finally,
Neil was finding his way to God.  After all that had happened in his
life, he was finally finding peace with God, and himself.
        In her room, Christy put her books down, fixed her hair, and
headed back outside to the barn to saddle Bonnie.
        When she led the horse back up to the mission, Neil was waiting
for her.
        “Ready?’ he asked.
        “Let’s go,” Christy smiled.  As she mounted up, she suddenly
realized that she had forgotten  to change into her riding skirt.  Her
leg was quite visible to Neil.
        “Um...ah...I’ll be right back,” she mumbled as she quickly got
down from Bonnie.  Neil had to chuckle.  Propriety in the Cove was fairly
downgraded from what Christy was used to.
        Minutes later, and still blushing crimson, Christy emerged from
the mission wearing her riding skirt.  Avoiding eye contact with Neil,
she mounted her horse and urged her on far ahead of Neil.
        “Where to?” she said tensely, not glancing back.
        Neil couldn’t contain himself any longer.  He let out a loud
laugh.  Christy whirled Bonnie around.
        “Just what is so funny, Doctor,” she said angrily.
        “I’m sorry, Christy, but the way you came out of the mission
and rode off a mile ahead of me was just too much.  You still cannot
see why propriety is so lowly regarded here.”
        “Well, yes, I see, but...ah—“
        “Christy,” he said, trotting Charlie to catch up with her.  “I
am a doctor.  I have treated many a cuts on a woman’s leg.”
        Changing the subject, Christy quickly asked,
        “Where are we going?”  Neil smiled, but this time kept his comments
to himself.
        “I would like to check up on Dan Scott.  I haven’t seen him around
for a while.  With the situation between him and Bird’s Eye, I hope he’s
all right.”
        “Yes, I’ve been worried about him, also.”  They rode in silence
for a moment, until Christy noticed that Neil was studying Bonnie.  “Do
you like her?” Christy asked.
        “Yes, very much.  You say you bought her in Asheville?”
        “I bought her from a farm not far out of Asheville,” Christy
said, patting Bonnie’s neck.
        “An Arab is she not?”
        “Yes.”
        “How much did you pay for her?” Neil inquired, obviously interested
in the animal.
        “Let’s see, $300.  Creed gave me his saddle.”
        “Creed gave you his saddle, that he won?” Neil asked, surprised.
        “He did.  Creed said it was ‘gonna set and rot ‘way.’”  Christy
paused, wondering if she should ask Neil where he had been during the
week.  “Neil, I know it’s none of my business, but where have you been
all week?”
        “I’ve been wanting to tell you about the past few days, that’s
why I asked you to ride with me.”
        “Oh?” Christy asked, pleased that Neil would want to confide
in her.
        “Yes.  I went on a retreat, kind of like the ones Alice goes
on.  I went to my cave.  For a long while, I thought about God, about
what had happened to me, and what you had said.
        “When I was there, there was a Great Presence there.  It was
like nothing I’d ever experienced.  I felt God calling me, pulling at
my very soul.”
        The fog surrounded them with its comforting arms as Neil pulled
Charlie up and Christy stopped beside him.  When Neil looked over to
Christy, an inner glow that pierced through the fog radiated from her
eyes; she was hoping beyond hope at his next words.
        “I went to Hattie.  She told me that indeed God was calling me,
to become his child.  Christy, with Hattie’s help, I’ve accepted Christ
as my Guide and Savior.”
        Christy could hold back her tears of joy no longer.  “Oh, Neil,
I’m so happy for you!  The peace of God has finally reached you.”
        Did Neil dare to wipe Christy’s tears away?  He leaned over with
a handkerchief and brushed them away.  Christy smiled and took his hand.
        “I have seen you struggle, Neil, against God, and his Truth;
through the hardships here, and Margaret.”
        Neil said softly with sorrow in his eyes, “Margaret drained me
of my small acknowledgement of God and who He was.  She took the life
right out of me, but with the help of the Reverend, I am beginning to
forgive her, not just forget her.”  He looked intently at Christy, who
met his gaze for a moment and then looked away.
        She urged Bonnie on, but a small smile played upon her lips.
 They rode in comfortable silence the rest of the way to Dan’s.  When
the cabin came into view, Neil called out.
        “Dan?  You here?  It’s MacNeill.”
        Neil and Christy were surprised at how far along the rebuilding
had come.  Had Dan done it all on his own?  Dan emerged from the far
side of his house and greeted the two riders as they dismounted.
        “Doctor MacNeill, Miss Christy.  What brings you here today?”
        “Hello, Dan,” Christy said.  “Doctor MacNeill invited me to go
on a ride with him, and since we haven’t seen you for awhile, we thought
we’d pay you a visit.”
        “Your cabin looks good, Dan.  Did anyone help you?”  Neil asked.
        “Bird’s Eye Taylor.”  Neil and Christy were taken aback.
        “Bird’s Eye?” They both asked.
        Dan nodded, “While you were gone, Miss Christy, I went and spoke
to Bird’s Eye,” he smiled grimly, remembering.  “Of course, it didn’t
go too well, but some days later he came and offered to help me with
my cabin, claiming he aimed to pay me for he large rabbit I left him.”
        “Bird’s Eye Taylor,” Christy said once again.
        “Tis good work Dan, but Bird’s Eye is a tricky fellow,” Neil
said as he remounted.  “We had best be off, the sun is going down.”
        Christy smiled at Dan while she tightened Bonnie’s cinch and
climbed up.  “I’m glad Bird’s Eye gave you another chance.”
        “I don’t know about that, Miss Christy, but maybe he’s at least
starting to see me as an equal.”   Dan waved and Neil and Christy were
off. 
        “God’s painting again,” Christy said, referring to the pastel
orange glow surrounded by gray pinks and blues as they rode into the
mission clearing.
        “Yes, He is.  It’s as if God painted the sunset at first with
intensity, but then decided to soften it with the fog.  Isn’t it beautiful?”
        “The most beautiful thing in the world,” Christy replied, mesmerized
by the hues.
        “Almost,” Neil said softly.  Christy looked away shyly,
        “Neil...”
        “I mean it, Christy.”  
        “So,” she said a moment later, breaking the stirring moment,
“have you decided what you are going to do with your money?”
        “I’m going to have them wire in some of the money to my bank
account in Asheville.”
        “You have a back account in Asheville?” Christy asked, taken
by surprise.  She didn’t know anyone in the Cove who had a bank account
of any kind.  Of course, Dr. MacNeill wasn’t just “anyone.”
        “Don’t look so startled, Miss Huddleston.  It’s not like I would
put nearly $7,000 in the El Pano Bank, when it barely even has that to
start with,” he smiled.  “But, to answer your question, I asked in my
reply for $5,000 to be wired to the bank in Asheville, and, for convenience,
$1,500 to be wired to El Pano.”
        “What about the other $500?” Christy asked.
        “That, I...ah, will be sent directly to me,” he stumbled.  In
truth, Neil had wanted to donate that to the mission.  But he had wanted
it to remain anonymous.  Neil knew that if a seemingly large sum of money
arrived at the mission, Christy would know it was he who had sent it.
 Others might find out, also.  And any money that someone had made others
jealous.
        Determined that the money would reach the mission, Neil had asked
that the $500 be wired anonymously to Christy’s church in Asheville,
where it would then be sent to the mission.
        Christy didn’t buy it for a minute, but had other things on her
mind, so she asked a different question.  “What will you do with the
money in the bank?
        “One day, I would like to have a building built, where I could
have an office and practice there, not in my home.”
        Christy nodded, “That is a good idea.”  Each with their own thoughts,
they rode in silence the rest of the way to the mission.  Christy wanted
to ask him about his comment on Sunday, but didn’t know if she had the
courage.
        The words were in her mouth as she dismounted from Bonnie, but
they wouldn’t be spoken.  Curious of the pensive look on her face, Neil
asked, 
        “Christy, is everything all right?”
        Swallowing, Christy nodded and said, “Yes.  Thank you for the
wonderful time today.  I enjoyed it very much.”
        “So did I.  Good-bye.”  And he rode off into the world of miasma.

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        Two days later, Keri returned.  She returned with a new horse,
and a visitor.  Christy was very relieved, for with Miss Alice gone,
the work at the mission and its surrounding components had been stretched
between David, Christy, and Fairlight.  Ruby Mae was there also, but
like always, she was more trouble than help.  It was not so much the
duties at the mission that were hard to keep up with, but Miss Alice’s
frequent riding to and from the different Coves, which David had to cover.
 
        “Keri,” Christy said as she walked out of the mission with Fairlight
to greet the riders, “I’m so glad you’re back.  We missed you here.”
        “I’m glad to be back,” Keri replied, and then nodded at Fairlight.
 “Hello, Fairlight.”  Then she motioned to the woman beside her.  “This
is my dearest friend, Lindsey Ramsey.”  Christy turned her eyes to Lindsey,
who sat atop a noble chestnut horse.
        As Lindsey took her hat off, Christy could see that her hair
was of a very light blond.  Like Miss Alice, Lindsey’s hair was braided
and wound into a tiara on the top of her head.  In fact, Christy could
picture Lindsey and Miss Alice as princess and queen in fairytale land.
 Lindsey’s blue-gray eyes were soft and kind.
        She, like Keri, wore trousers to ride in, and her light blue
shirtwaist bore a pearl cross.
        Christy introduced herself, “I’m Christy Huddleston, the teacher
here.  This is my friend, Fairlight Spencer.  Her children go to school
here, and she helps us out at the mission,” Christy said, motioning to
her awestruck friend.
        “Hello, Miss Huddleston, Mrs. Spencer.  Keri has told me much
about you, Miss Huddleston, and your horse.  You must show me her.” 
*Lindsey is surely a friend of Keri, both are completely engrossed in
horses,* Christy thought.
        Tying the three horses up, they headed inside, where Ruby Mae
had excitedly set up glasses of water upon hearing of the arrival of
“Miz Loving.”
        “That’s a might purty horse Miz Keri has,” Fairlight whispered,
referring to the new light, cream-colored horse that Keri had brought
back with her.
        “Yes, it is, Fairlight.  I’ve never seen a horse of that color.”
        At the mission door they were greeted by Ruby Mae.  “How was
yer trip, Miz Loving?  I see ye brung back another horse.”
        “Yes, I did.  Her name is Pastel Climax.  But I call her Dream.
 Ruby Mae, this is my friend, Lindsey Ramsey.”
        “Pleased ta meet ya, Miz Ramsey.”
        “Hello, Ruby Mae.  Such a pretty name,” Lindsey said, sticking
out a hand.
        “Yes’m.  No one has a name like mine,” Ruby Mae said, shaking
Lindsey’s hand.
        “Ruby Mae, would you be willing to take care of Miss Ramsey’s
and Miss Loving’s horses?” Christy asked the redhead. 
        “Honored, Miz Christy.” As Ruby Mae walked out of the door, she
said to herself, “Pastel Climax, downright princess-like.”  Keri and
Lindsey chuckled.
        “Well, Lindsey, what brings you out here to Cutter Gap?” Christy
asked as she sipped her water.
        “I’m from Colorado, also.  When Keri left her ranch and told
me that she was going to Tennessee to raise horses, I wanted to follow
and help her.  It took time to get everything settled, but, as you can
see, I made it, along with my mare that I raised back in Colorado, Sassy
B Chick.”
        “The...uh... brown one?” Christy inquired.  The color brown did
not do justice to the beautiful horse, but Christy knew of no other word.
 Keri and Lindsey sure knew how to raise wonderful horses.
        “Yes.  Her color is called chestnut, but she seems to be a bit
of bay, too...” Lindsey trailed off.  Obviously loosing Christy in her
world of horses, Lindsey said,
        “Anyway, since we were small children, we both have loved horses.”
 Lindsey smiled at Keri.  “I always loved going to Keri’s ranch.  It
was our dream to raise horses, and it is here that we can achieve that.”
        “Yes, we certainly can.”  Keri paused, barely able to keep from
shrieking, “I got the land over in Low Gap!  Stephen A. Branson had no
clue he even owned the land.  I was able to get a *very* good deal. 
He didn’t know what hit him when I walked into his office!”
        Christy chuckled.  She could just see the shock on the face of
a man such as Stephen A. Branson when a redheaded, green-eyed, young
woman waltzed into his office and offered him money for land he didn’t
know he had.  Christy knew the likes of Stephen A. Branson.  “What are
you going to do with the land, Keri?  As far as structure goes.”
        “Well, I got 75 of his 150 acres.  Most of it is flat, but I
wanted some wooded land, also.  I plan to build two barns and three fenced
pastures.  ”
        A frown crossed Christy’s face.  “That is going to be quite hard,
Keri.  You will have plenty of lumber, but how will it be built?  And
the mountain families might not take to a horse farm.  The likes of it
hasn’t been seen before in these mountains.”  Not wanting to discourage
Keri, for Christy believed anything could be achieved, she added, “I
believe you can do it, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that through living
here I have learned that the people don’t accept anything that is new
to them.  Sometimes that unaccepting attitude can produce violence and
raiding.”
        Fairlight, who had been quietly sitting there the whole time,
contemplating the idea of a horse farm, had an idea and said, “Miz Keri,
Miz Ramsey, I know the men out here real well, an’ they might be lazy
‘uns, but they’ll work fer money, iffin it’s real, good, hard, fair work.
 My Jeb and Tom McHone are real good at buildin’ cabins and such.  I
know they’d be obleeged to help ye.”
        For a few moments, Keri sat thinking.  “That is a good idea,
Fairlight.  Would the men really work for me if I paid them?”
        “Oh, yes.  With the right promtin’, they’d do a right fine job,”
Fairlight said eagerly, glad to help.
        Keri then said to Christy, “What do you propose I do about people’s
attitudes?”
        Christy answered, “Try and keep the building as quiet and unnoticeable
as possible, and use as little outside help as you can, even if it means
taking longer.”  Keri nodded, considering.  “Also, Keri, show the people
that you pose no threat to them.  Like Fairlight said, offer them jobs
and, if you can afford it, offer them low-priced horses in the future.”
        Lindsey piped up, “What if we stayed until spring and then started
to build, maybe let the people start to accept us.”
        “Yes, but where would we live during that time?” Keri asked.
        “You could stay at the mission,” Christy offered.
        “No, that is all right.  We can certainly find another place
to stay,” Keri said.
        “I doubt that you will, Keri.  Really, we don’t mind taking people
in.  We have plenty of room.”
        “All right, but only if we find no other place to go.”
        “Good, then it’s settled,” Christy said as she stood up.  “Miss
Ramsey, would you like a tour of the mission?”
        “I would enjoy that very much.  Please, Christy, Fairlight, call
me Lindsey,” she smiled.
        “I enjoyed talking with ye, Miz Keri, Miz Lindsey.  I’d best
go finish the laundry,” Fairlight said shyly.
        “It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Spencer,” Lindsey called after
Fairlight.  As they were walking up to the schoolhouse, Lindsey inquired,
“How many people live here?”
        “Four permanent residents; David, our preacher, Miss Alice, the
head of the mission, myself, and Ruby Mae, a girl who doesn’t really
have a home.  Fairlight Spencer, as you know, is staying here for a while,
until Miss Alice returns from,” Christy searched for the right words,
“visiting her daughter.”
        “When did Miss Alice leave?” Keri asked.
        “Last Sunday.”
        “I see.  Where is David?”
        “David went to Lufty Branch today.”  Lindsey had not heard a
word Christy and Keri had said.  She could only murmur in awe,
        “This is a piece of heaven...”
        Christy and Keri smiled at each other.  It looked as if Cutter
Gap had snatched yet another victim of its beauty.  At the schoolhouse,
Christy proudly announced,
        “And this is our school and church...”


Chapter 11


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        Over a month had passed since Miss Alice had left for Knoxville.
 No one had heard from her, and Christy was growing anxious.
        Meanwhile, Lindsey and Keri had been visiting everyone around
the Cove.  As people got used to seeing the two young women riding around
the Cove from cabin to cabin, they began to at least tolerate, if not
accept them.
        Lindsey and Keri also spent a fair amount of time exploring their
land in Low Gap.  Sometimes they would be gone a week.  Upon exploring
the dense forest part of their land, they discovered an old, rundown
cabin.  The cabin itself was in questionable shape, but the lean-to was
large and sturdy, for the horses of course.
        In no time at all, Lindsey, Keri, Dream, Sassy, and Charlie all
settled down in their temporary home, finally in a place to call their
own.
        David, Neil, and Christy could also be seen together quite often.
 David and Christy gently helped Neil along in his faith, and the whole
Cove and its surrounding areas took notice that their doctor, who they
greatly respected, had found happiness and peace in religion.  The congregation
in the church grew slowly, but surely.
        After school let out for the harvest, Christy spent the Indian
summer days taking long walks around the Cove.  She sometimes went with
Keri and Lindsey, but most often went with Neil or Fairlight.
        One warm Monday morning, Christy and Neil were strolling through
the meadow near the mission.  David watched from inside the schoolhouse.
 He had been repairing the windows when had he heard hoof beats approaching
the mission.  David knew it was Neil.
        David had kept his promise to Christy; to remain good friends
with her and respect her choice.  At first, it had been hard.  Sure,
he had put on a good, friendly front for Christy, but every night at
least one tear escaped from his reserve.  Time had healed David though,
for when he looked out the window, and saw Neil and Christy, the hurt
he had come to expect did not surface.  Instead a joy stole through him.
 A joy for Neil’s faith, and a joy for Christy; that the last barrier
between her and Neil had been broken.  He chuckled.
        Christy had professed her love for the good doctor to David while
in Asheville, but yet had not expressed her feelings to Neil.  David
sent a silent prayer of thanks to God, for healing him, and then continued
with his work.
        As Christy walked through the tall brome grass, speaking to Neil
and admiring the beauty around her, she noticed that Neil had a faraway
look on his face.  Concluding that he was not listening to what she was
saying, Christy said nonchalantly,
        “...and then I told David I would marry him, and...”  This comment
brought Neil back to his senses.
        “You WHAT?!”
        “I’m just teasing.  If you would have been paying attention,
you would have been saved of this shock,” she said in her treacherly
tone.  Christy then turned serious.  “What is on your mind, Neil?”
        “I was thinking about Margaret.” He paused, searching for words.
 “Yes, I’ve forgiven her, but does she know that?  Her days are limited.
 I would feel horrible if she...if she left...us, without knowing how
I felt towards her,” he stooped down to pick a few small flowers.
        “And how do you feel towards her?” Christy tried to casually
ask.
        Neil thought on this a moment.  “When I think about her, I get
a feeling of sadness and compassion inside me.  I am sad for our horrible
marriage, but I do not hate her.  I feel a kind of brotherly concern
stir in me when I think about what she has been through.”
        Through a shaky smile, Christy said, “Neil MacNeill, you are
truly amazing.  The bible tells us to ‘love thine enemy,’ yet I have
not seen many people who can do that, myself included.  But you found
it in your heart a Christian love towards Margaret.”
        “Twas not easy, though, Christy.  I have been reading my bible
a lot.  It seems the more I read it, the more I want of it,” he reached
down to pick more flowers.
        “Thirst of the Word, Neil.”
        “I just wish I understood all of it,” he said, running his fingers
through his hair.
        “Oh, Neil.  One will never be able to understand all of it. 
There is one verse about that...oh, yes:  For now we see in a mirror,
dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then shall I know
just as I also am known.^  That means that right now, we see God partially,
but one day we will see Him fully.  Pray to understand Him and His Word.”
        Neil nodded, and slipped back into deep thought.  Christy was
just about to ask him if he was all right when he said, “Christy, I need
to talk to Margaret.  Do you know where I can reach her?”
        Christy shook her head.  “No, I don’t.  I haven’t heard from
Miss Alice, and I am worried.  What if something happened to her, or
Margaret?”
        “If something had happened, we would have heard by now.  They
are all right, I’m sure.” Neil picked more flowers, along with a long
stem of grass.  “But, did Alice leave you with an address, or anything?”

        Again, Christy shook her head.  “No.”
        “If Alice knows she’s going to be gone much longer, she’ll call,
or send a letter, don’t you think?” Neil asked, trying to reassure Christy.

        “Yes, I suppose so,” Christy said, not convinced.
        Placing a comforting hand on Christy’s shoulder, Neil said, “Christy,
don’t worry.  They are fine.  Here, these will brighten your day.” He
handed her the small bouquet of flowers that he had been picking.
        “Thank you, Neil.”
        Back at the mission, after saying good-bye to Neil, Christy finished
her work.  After that had been completed, Christy retrieved the piano
books she had received from her mother and sat down at the piano.
        Since Lindsey and Keri were out riding, David was working on
the schoolhouse, Fairlight was out gathering food, and Ruby Mae had gone
to the Spencer’s for Fairlight, Christy felt safe that no one would hear
the many mistakes she knew she would make.
        She pulled out the “Pieces are Fun” book and turned to the first
page.  As Christy started to play the chords, cadences, and scales, her
long ago instruction started to come back.  Though Christy knew she made
several mistakes, the piano music was a sweet sound to her ears. 
        Deciding that she had had enough of technique playing, and that
her fingers were stretched, Christy pulled out the Beethoven book.  She
opened the book, which fell to the fourth page.  It was entitled the
“Moonlight Sonata.”  The song didn’t look too hard, so, setting the book
back on the music stand, Christy began to slowly play.  It was harder
than she expected.
        David had finished the schoolhouse repairs, and as he neared
the mission, he heard strains of piano music flowing through the windows.
 Fairlight, who had been picking late greens, had also heard the music
as she returned to the mission.  *Who could that be?* they both wondered
as they met at the stairway.
        Fairlight and David entered the house and quietly walked near
the parlor door, to find a very determined Christy playing the piano.
 
        David smiled.  Though Christy made so many mistakes that the
tune of the song could barely be heard, David listened with joy.  Christy’s
inner music made up for the mistakes she made on the exterior.  
        Fairlight stood in awe.  She had heard Miss Ida play before she
had gotten married and left the Cove, but the song that Christy was playing
was unlike anything Fairlight had ever heard before.
        Just as quietly as he came, David left, filled with joy as he
gathered more supplies to continue the mission repairs.  Fairlight retreated
to the kitchen to chop and prepare her greens.
        Christy had not noticed David or Fairlight, and had continued
playing.  After awhile, she had accomplished playing the first eight
measures quite well.  Now that the haunting melody could clearly be followed,
the song was vaguely familiar.  Christy could not remember where she
had heard it before.
        She kept playing.  Then, the realization of where the song had
been heard before hit her.  Christy’s fingers froze, and a bang could
be heard as her fingers fell on the keys.
        Theodore S. Harland had played the song when Christy had first
been introduced to Margaret!  Christy clearly remembered that introduction.
        Christy had walked down the stairs that morning to find Mr. Harland
playing.  “A vision of loveliness,” he had said when he saw her.  
        Then Miss Alice had entered and introduced her to Margaret. 
Christy remembered when Margaret had shown obvious affection towards
Mr. Harland as she sat down next to him at the piano, and the look of
disbelief on Miss Alice’s face.   
        It was when Margaret turned her back to Miss Alice and Christy
that Mr. Harland had proceeded to play the secondary movement of the
“Moonlight Sonata.”
        Christy shuddered and the memory and at the words spoken.  Suddenly,
she realized that she had been sitting at the piano motionless for several
moments.  The clattering of a pan made her jump.  Fairlight!  Had Fairlight
heard her playing?  Christy put up her books and headed to the kitchen.
 Fairlight looked up when she entered.
        “Miz Christy, that song you were playin’ was plumb mesmerizin’.”
        Christy nodded.  “It was.  If only I could play it well.  I make
too many mistakes.”
        “I think you play hit just fine.  Yer mistakes will only make
ya better.”
        “I suppose so.”
        “Christy,” Fairlight said as she put her greens aside, “I don’t
know how to rightly put this,” she paused for several moments.  “There
here have been rumors goin’ around...’bout you and the doc.”
        Christy’s head shot up.  “There have been?”
        Fairlight nodded.  “Everybody’s sayin’ that you two are a courtin’.”
        “What!?  How did they get a silly idea like that?”
        “Christy, whenever people see you takin’ a walk, yer with Neil.”
        “I am not!  I go with you and Keri and—”
        Fairlight sighed, and pulled her friend to the table to sit down.
 “You’ve admitted to yerself how ya feel fer Neil.  Ain’t it ‘bout time
he knew, too?  The both of ya ain’t gonna be around forever.”
        Christy blushed.  “But what if, what if he feels differently?”
        Fairlight smiled.  “He won’t, not now, not ever.”
        “How can you be so sure?” Christy asked negatively.
        “Me and Neil grew up tagether.  I can read what’s inside him
‘bout better than anyone.  Don’t yew worry.  I told ya ta follow yer
heart once, didn’t I?  Keep followin’ hit.”

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        A few days later, Christy stood in her room staring at her reflection
in the mirror.  She then turned to face Fairlight, who was with her.
 “How do I look?”
        “Yew look as purty as an angel.  Betcha Neil will think so, too.”
        Christy turned back to the mirror.  Today was the day.  She was
going to tell Neil her true feelings.  The light blue satin summer lawn
dress flowed about her ankles and set Christy’s face aglow.  She had
even left her hair down and worn the earrings and pin that David had
given her in Asheville.  “All right, I’m ready.”
        “Good.  Yer basket of food is on the table.”
        “Thank you, Fairlight.”
        “All right!  And don’t you be a kissin’ him too much!”
        Christy grabbed the basket and quickly headed out the door. 
Her face was no longer aglow; it was a burning flame!
        Christy’s emotions a mixture of excitement and fear, she started
for Neil’s cabin.  As she walked, Christy found herself lost in the beautiful
fall colors of the forest.  She stooped down to pick up a bright orange
leaf, and marveled at its vibrancy.
        Meanwhile, at his cabin, Neil was just stepping out of the river
from a bath and into his clothes when he heard a voice calling out down
the path from his cabin.  He listened carefully.  Yes, it was Christy.
 Hurriedly, Neil got dressed and started up to his cabin.
         Coming up behind her, and noticing how nicely she was dressed,
Neil asked,
        “Miss Huddleston, what brings you here today?”  She jumped and
spun around, almost hitting him with her basket.
        “Neil!  You scared me!  I, ah...I thought you might like some
company, and” she quickly added, “some good food.”
        Neil chuckled.  Something sure had her flustered.  “What?  Are
you saying that I cannot cook myself a good meal?”
        Christy smiled, “I don’t doubt that you can *cook*, Dr. MacNeill,
I just doubt that you can cook a *complete and wholesome* meal.”
        “Well, when you put it that way, I guess you are right.  But
why else did you come here today?  Is there someone new at the mission
who wants to become a doctor?”
        “Noo...I...ahh...” she looked away.
        “Christy, is there something you need to talk to me about?” he
asked with concern.
        Gathering up her courage, she looked up at him and said, “Yes,
Neil, there is.  But could we eat first?”
        Neil was puzzled.  “Of course.”
        Throughout the meal, Christy forgot about her nervousness and
just enjoyed Neil’s company.  They talked of the detailed plans Neil
had for his money, and of the children.
        Both pleasantly stuffed, Neil said, “Thank you very much for
the lunch, Christy.”
        “You should thank Fairlight; she made it,” Christy smiled.
        Neil chuckled.  “Well, you can tell her she did a very good job.
 Now, is there something you wanted to tell me?”  Christy’s intentions
of coming to his cabin that day had bothered Neil a bit throughout their
meal.  He was quite curious.
        Christy’s smile disappeared.  “Ah...yes, I do.  Let’s go down
by the river.”
        “Neil, do you remember when I had wanted to send Rob Allen to
college?” Christy asked as they were walking by the river.
        “Ah, yes.  I also remember quite well the religious debate David,
you, and I had.”
        Christy smiled at the memory.  “I remember I came to your cabin
to ask you to help, and the argument we had.  When I said that my coming
here ‘doesn’t hold me back, it pushes me forward,’” she paused, “you
said, ‘into the unknown.’”
        “I do remember that argument.”  They had stopped at Neil’s fishing
spot.
        “Neil, that ‘unknown’ was you.  I didn’t like you at first; in
fact, I resented you.  But that resentment grew to tolerance, that tolerance
to respect, that respect to friendship, that friendship to, to love,”
she said softly.
        Had Neil heard her right?
        “Neil, I love you!  I love you more than I thought I could ever
love anyone!” she exclaimed, tears running down her face.
        He had heard her right!  In one step, Neil enclosed Christy in
a tight hug.  “Oh, Christy, lass, do you know how long I have waited
to hear you say that?  I love you, too.  So much.”
        They embraced beside the river that had brought each of them
wonderful memories, and sorrows.  Finally, Neil said,
        “Come on, I’ll ride you back to the mission.  They will be starting
to worry about you.”  Stepping back from their embrace, Neil gently leaned
down and gave Christy the softest of kisses; their first kiss.
        Christy was speechless.  David’s kisses had been...well, pleasant
kisses, nothing more, but Neil’s were...they spoke volumes; of his respect
and love for Christy, of his desire to be with her and protect her.
        Suddenly, Christy remembered the last comment Fairlight had made
to her, and pulled away from Neil, blushing.
        Seeing her red face, Neil asked worriedly, “Is something wrong,
Christy?  Have I done anything?”
        “Oh, no!  That was...wonderful,” she said, reassuring him.
        “Then why the red face?” Neil asked, slightly amused.
        “I...ah, I was just remembering something Fairlight told me.”
        “And what might that be?”
        Smiling, and still blushing, Christy whispered what had been
said in his ear.  Neil laughed uproariously,
        “I suppose she is right.  I’ll go saddle up Charlie.”
        “Neil,” Christy said as they were riding back, “this has to be
the happiest day of my life.”
        “I could make it happier,” he said nervously over his shoulder.
        Christy was taken aback.  What could he mean?  “Is that so?”
        “Christy, I’m asking your permission to court you.”
        “Oh, Neil.  Yes, you may!” Christy shouted.  She couldn’t believe
it.
        “I’m glad that you are so happy, Miss Huddleston,” he teased.
        Christy didn’t know what to say.  She couldn’t stop smiling.
 Only in her dreams had she been this happy.  A certain dream, and part-reality
came to mind; the cave.  She laughed inwardly. 
        “Christy?” Neil asked.  “Are you going back to your home for
Thanksgiving?”
        “This is my home.”
        Neil smiled.  “I mean to your family.”
        “Yes, I suppose so.  Since they are coming here for Christmas.”
        “They are?” Neil asked, surprised, and worried.  How would they
feel about Neil and Christy, together?
        Christy sensed his worry hugged him tighter.  “Yes, but don’t
worry.  They will approve of us.  Remember, I am as stubborn as you when
it comes to getting my way.”
        “Your way?” he asked with a smile.
        “You are my way,” Christy said softly.
        All too soon they were at the mission.  Christy and Neil’s glowing
faces were all Fairlight needed to know when she stepped out of the mission
kitchen.
        “Miss Christy, Doc MacNeill.  Did ye have a good lunch?” she
asked with a smile.
        “The best ever, Fairlight.  Christy tells me I have you to thank
for that.”
        “Weren’t nothin’.  I figgered Christy had other...” Fairlight
looked mischievously at Christy, “things to tend to instead of makin’
up a basket of food.”
         “Well, thank you, Fairlight.  Christy, I’ll see you tomorrow
at church.”
        “Yes, of course.  Good-bye, Neil.”
        Fairlight smiled at the wistful look on the schoolteacher’s face.
 “Christy, I hate ta interrupt yer dreams, but you got some letters.”
        At the word “letters,’ Christy pulled out of her trance.  “Thank
you, Fairlight.  Where are they?”
        “Thay’re in on the table.”
        Christy walked quickly to the table.  Would there be a letter
from Miss Alice?  Ruby Mae, who was washing dishes, said as her teacher
walked in,
        “Howdy, Miz Christy.  Did ya have a good visit with the doc?”
        Christy looked up.  “Hello, Ruby Mae.  I did have a good visit.”
        “Are ya gonna go courtin’ ‘gin?”  Christy’s face must have turned
red when she glanced up, for Ruby Mae shouted, “Lordy, Miz Christy! 
Are ya gonna get hitched?  This is purely the most excitin’ thing ever!
 Mrs. Spencer!  Mrs. Spencer...”
        Christy didn’t bother to try to get in a word edgewise.  She
was more concerned about the letters.  Now, where were they?  She searched
the table for them, and was just about to give up when she saw three
white items shadowed by the flowers that Neil had given her a few days
ago.
        Christy grabbed them and sat down.  The first one was from her
parents.  She smiled as she read that her brother had a black eye from
a recent fight.  Over a girl, no less.  Then Christy’s eyes widened at
what she read next,

...and why don’t you bring Dr. MacNeill with you to celebrate Thanksgiving?
 He has no one to celebrate with, and besides, I’m sure your father will
want to talk to him...

        Bring Neil with her?  Christy liked the idea, but would Neil
accept?  Christy sighed and opened the next letter.  It was from Miss
Alice!  It read:

Dearest Christy,

How is everything at the mission?  I am terribly sorry to have been gone
this long.

This past month has been wonderful for Margaret and I.  She has landed
the lead role in a local play and is quite a good actress.  Margaret’s
tuberculosis is also doing quite well; no complications.  Her main treatment
plan is a little more than two months long.  One month has passed, and
I would like to remain with her for the remaining treatment.  Margaret
is planning to stay in Knoxville for quite sometime and will be able
to keep to her long-term treatment plan.

We plan to celebrate Thanksgiving together, and then I should be back.
 We have so much to be thankful for.  Please, give everyone my regards
and have David send me his report for the surrounding missions and schools.
 God keep thee.

Alice Henderson

        Miss Alice not coming home for another month?  How would they
manage?  But Christy was so happy for Miss Alice and Margaret.  They
were finally becoming a real family.
        The next letter in Christy’s hand was from her church in Asheville:

Dear Mission at Cutter Gap,

An anonymous donation of money was sent to us and with it, a note asking
that we forward it to you.  May this money bless your mission and your
work.

Sincerely,
The Asheville Presbyterian Church

        Enclosed was $500!  Christy was breathless.  Who had sent the
money to her church?  She was overjoyed, but who would be this generous?
        Christy quickly gathered up her letters and went down to David’s
bunkhouse, where he was working on his sermon.  “David?  David, come
quick!”
        David’s heavy footsteps could be heard as he ran to the door.
 “What is it?” he asked worriedly
        “David, read this letter,” Christy said excitedly as she handed
him the letter with the money.  When David saw the check, his eyes  nearly
popped out of his head.
        “Who—What—Where...”
        “I have no idea, David.  Isn’t it wonderful?  What are we going
to do with it?”
        “Oh, Christy.  This is amazing!  There are so many things to
be done...”  They talked for quite sometime, until another idea popped
in Christy’s head.
        “David, I have something I need to tend to.”
        “Anything I can help with?”
Christy shook her head.  “No.  Where should we keep the check?”
        “I have a safe under my bed,” David offered.
        “Thank you, David.  I will see you at supper,” she said as she
gave him the check.
        Christy retreated to her room and placed the letters on her dresser.
 How she wished Neil was there, so that she could discuss her ideas with
him.  Well, she would see him tomorrow at church...

^1 Corinthians 13:12 NKJV


Chapter 12

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        “That was a good sermon,” Neil commented as he and Christy took
a stroll after the service the next day.  “I particularly liked the verse:
 Have we not all one Father?  Has not one God created us?^”
        Christy nodded, “Malachi 2:10.  Miss Alice recited that for Fairlight
during one of her reading lessons.”
        “David delivered it well,” Neil said.
        “He did.  I think his intentions were for everyone to see that
in God’s eyes, we are all equal.”
        Neil nodded, “Dan Scott.”
        “Yes.  He hasn’t been to a service yet,” Christy said sadly.
        “If David keeps indirectly showing them that we are all equal,
they will come around.”
        “It just breaks my heart to see him treated like that.” Christy
nodded her head towards the gazebo.  “Let’s go sit there.”
        “But people have started to warm up to Dan.  Jeb and Fairlight,
the Allens.”
         “Yes, progress is being made, but ever so slowly.”
        Neil took her hand.  “Everything will be all right.  Now, you
said you had something to discuss with me?”
        Christy nodded.  “But, first off, we need to get my parents’
permission for you to court me.  Why don’t you call them?”
        “Ah...I don’t know...”
        “Neil, you have nothing to worry about.  My parents look favorably
upon you, because of what you did for my Father.”
        “Is that the only reason they respect me?”
        “Of course not.  They respect you for your sacrifices to these
people, what you have done for them, and what you’ve done for me,” Christy
said softly.  “You have helped me grow in so many ways.  My mother has
seen that; she knows.”
        Neil smiled down at her, “Lass, you have no idea what *you’ve*
done for *me.*”
        “Oh, I might,” Christy said teasingly.  “But, yesterday, an idea
came to me.  I got a letter from Miss Alice, and my parents.”
        “You did?” Neil asked anxiously as they sat down under the gazebo.
        “Yes.  Miss Alice said that Margaret was in remission and doing
fine.  She also said that she would not be back to Cutter Gap until after
Thanksgiving.
        “My parents’ letter said they were expecting me for Thanksgiving.
 They invited you to come with me, Neil.”
        “Me?” Neil was surprised.
        “Yes; don’t look so astonished.  I told you, they respect and
admire you very much.  Besides, even if they hadn’t invited you, I would
have.  Please, come with me.  I really want you to.”
        Neil was shocked, and delighted at Christy and her parents’ offer.
 Did he really deserve to have someone like her?
        “Well, I guess that I gladly accept.”
        Christy’s face lit up.  “Good!  But that’s not my idea that I
wanted to discuss with you.  You see, Margaret’s treatment will end before
Thanksgiving, but Miss Alice wants to celebrate with her.  What if Miss
Alice and Margaret joined all of us?  Then you would be able to talk
to Margaret.” She waited apprehensively for Neil’s response.
        Though Neil had wanted to talk to Margaret, this was asking a
lot of him.  Neil closed his eyes and said a silent prayer before responding,
“It will be hard, Christy, but it has to be done.  I will do it.  God
will guide me.”
        “Oh, Neil.  I am so proud of you.  I will write my parents, and
Miss Alice.”  Christy flung her arms around him, never wanting to let
go.
        Back at the mission, Christy dialed her home in Asheville and
then handed the telephone receiver to Neil.  As it rang, she mouthed
to him, “I love you.”
        He smiled and waited tensely for someone to answer.  Christy
then headed to the kitchen to ensue that Ruby Mae didn’t interrupt Neil.
        “Ruby Mae, are you fixing lunch today?”
        “Yes’m.  Mrs. Spencer showed me how ta make chicken an’ onion
casserole.”
        Christy smiled.  “And she is the best teacher.  That sounds wonderful.
 By the way, did Fairlight go home after the service?”
        “Shore did.”
        Christy was relieved.  Sunday was Fairlight’s day off.  Christy
knew Fairlight would live at the mission if needed, but her husband and
children needed her more.
        “Christy,” Neil said, stepping into the kitchen, “you’re father
wants to talk to you.”
        Walking over to him and dropping her voice, Christy asked, “What
did they say?”
        “Why don’t you find out for yourself?” he smiled.  As Christy
walked to the telephone, she could hear Ruby Mae questioning Neil,
        “You and Miz Christy gonna go a’ courting and...”
        Christy chuckled and picked up the receiver.
        “Hello, Daddy?  Yes, I’m doing fine.  Really?  Oh, thank you!”
 Christy and Neil had her parents’ approval to court! “Yes, of course.
 You don’t know how happy I am!  Well, yes, I suppose you do.  Yes, Neil
is quite the gentleman.  I have a favor to ask.”  Christy took a deep
breath and plunged in,
        “You see, Miss Alice has been with Margaret in Knoxville during
Margaret’s treatment.  Miss Alice won’t be coming back to Cutter Gap
until after Thanksgiving.  I would like to invite both Miss Alice and
Margaret to celebrate with us.” There was a long pause.  “Yes, Neil has
agreed.  In fact, he is in favor of it because he wants to talk to Margaret.
 It’s really important to him.  Yes.  Oh, thank you!  Yes, I will contact
Miss Alice as soon as I can.  All right.  I love you, too.  Good-bye.”
        Christy couldn’t believe it.  Her parents had agreed to let her
and Neil court, and had liked the idea of Miss Alice and Margaret spending
Thanksgiving with them.
        Christy half-jogged back to the kitchen in excitement.  “Oh,
Neil, they agreed to let Miss Alice and Margaret celebrate with us!”
        Neil was relieved.  But could he trust that Margaret was a new
person when he saw her again?  After how he had been treated, could he
face her?  And, vice versa.
        “Miz Alice and Miz Margaret are celebratin’ somethin’?” Ruby
Mae asked from the counter.
        Christy had forgotten that Ruby Mae was there.  “Yes, Ruby Mae,
they are celebrating Thanksgiving.”  She motioned to the door and headed
outside.
        “You’re parents agreed, Christy, but have you written to Alice
about this?” Neil asked as they gazed out at the mountains from the deck.
        “No, I plan to do that today.”
        “Christy, do you think she will accept?”
        “Yes, I think Miss Alice will agree it is a wonderful idea.”
        “I mean Margaret.”
        Christy didn’t answer this right away.  Would the old Margaret
reappear and refuse to talk to Neil?  No, Christy honestly believed Margaret
had changed.  “Yes, I think she will come.”
        “Christy, I don’t know if I can trust her.  I don’t want to be
just thrown around and mocked,” Neil said in doubt.
        “Neil,” Christy said, taking his hand, “you feel that you and
Margaret should talk, right?”
        He nodded.
        “If it is God’s will, it will happen.  I’ve found that whenever
in doubt, pray.”
        Neil smiled and pulled Christy close.  “Thank you, lass.”  Then
they both heard footsteps and broke away from each other.  It was David.
        “Oh, I’m sorry, Doctor, Christy, was I interrupting?”
        “No, not at all,” Christy smiled.
        “So, Reverend, where are you headed for Thanksgiving?” Neil asked.
        “Back home, to Boston.  I just talked to Keri and Lindsey, too.
 They have decided to stay here,” David said.
        Christy was shocked.  “They are staying here, alone?”
        “Oh, no.  The McHones  invited them to spend Thanksgiving over
there.”
        “Really?  I’m happy to hear that,” Christy said.  Suddenly, another
problem hit Christy; Ruby Mae.
        “David, where is Ruby Mae spending Thanksgiving.”
        David’s face fell, “Nowhere.”
        “Christy, why don’t we take Ruby Mae with us when we leave?”
Neil suggested.
        Christy hesitated.  She didn’t want to have to put up with Ruby
Mae’s incessant chatter and tagging along.  Then Christy thought how
she would feel if she had no family.
        “That is a good idea, Neil.  I’m sure my mother and father won’t
mind.”
        David grinned, “I wish you luck.  It should be interesting.”
        “I just hope I don’t regret it,” Christy said.
        Neil looked at her admiringly, “You won’t, I’ll make sure.”
        David chuckled, “Won’t you join us for lunch, doctor?”
        “Certainly, thank you.” He offered Christy his arm.  “May I escort
you to lunch, Miss Huddleston?”
        “Of course.”  As they entered the kitchen, they were greeted
by an enticing smell.  *Thank goodness for Fairlight’s cooking instruction,*
Christy thought.
        “Ruby Mae, that smells wonderful,” David said.
        She blushed, “Thank ye, Preacher.”
        “Ruby Mae, Doctor MacNeill and I are going to my home in Asheville
for Thanksgiving.  Miss Alice and Margaret will be joining us,” Christy
said to the redhead.
        Ruby Mae looked back at Christy quizzically.  “Uhh...that’s right
nice,” she said, turning back to her casserole.
        “Ruby Mae, would you like to come with us?”
        Ruby Mae dropped the fork she was holding in shock.
        “Really, Miz Christy?  Ya mean I could go with ye and see all
them fancified stores with them purty dresses—“
        “Yes, Ruby Mae,” Christy interrupted.
        Ruby Mae ran from the counter and grabbed Christy in a hug. 
Neil and David chuckled.  “Oh, I won’t be no trouble at all!  I’ll even
holp ye ‘round the house and—”
        “Ruby Mae,” Neil broke in, “I am hungry as a bear, and can’t
wait to try your casserole.  Is it ready yet?”
        “Shore is, Doc.  Come an’ set down.  I got it all ready,” Ruby
Mae answered, momentarily forgetting about her trip to Asheville.
        “Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful Sunday day that you have
given us.  Thank you for this wonderful, wholesome food that Ruby Mae
has prepared for us.  Let each one of us find joy in this day, and each
other,” David prayed.
        “Amen,” everyone murmured.
        David took the first bite of Ruby Mae’s anticipated casserole.
 “Ruby Mae, this is the best thing you have ever cooked.”
        “Thank ye.  Mrs. Spencer told me how ta make it.”
        Throughout the rest of the meal, they discussed the crops of
the Cove and what was happening in the surrounding areas, with Ruby Mae’s
occasional addition of Cove gossip.
        Suddenly Christy piped in, “David, where are Lindsey and Keri?
 They could have joined us for lunch.”
        “They are at the Spencers’.”
        “Looks like people are starting to accept them,” Neil said.
        “Yes, I hope that when they start building that people will want
to help.” Christy looked at her clean plate and said to Ruby Mae, “Ruby
Mae, that was excellent.  Thank you very much.”
        “Yer welcome,” Ruby Mae said shyly.
        “Yes, thank you,” Neil said as he stood up.  “Well, I’d best
be going.  Good sermon, Reverend.”
        “Thank you, doctor.  I expect I will be seeing you again very
soon,” David teased.
        “I suppose so,” Neil said, gazing at Christy.  Christy followed
him out the door and to his horse.
        “I’ll write Miss Alice right now.  Don’t worry, it will all work
out.”
        “Thank you, Christy.”  Neil leaned down and kissed her, only
to hear giggling in the background.  “Ruby Mae,” he growled softly.
        Christy laughed.  “Good bye, Neil.  I love you.”
        “I love you, too, lass.”
        Up in her room, Christy sat down with paper and pen and wrote
Miss Alice:

        Dear Miss Alice,

        I was so delighted to read your letter.  So much has happened
since you left.  Keri traveled to Asheville to buy the land in Low Gap
and returned with a deed, as well as a friend; Lindsey Ramsey.  Come
spring, they plan to build their buildings, and are temporarily living
in a cabin they discovered on their land.
        We also received a large donation sent by an anonymous donor
to my church in Asheville.  They then sent the money to us.  We received
$500!  David is keeping it in a safe under his bed.
        But perhaps the happiest thing that has happened is that Neil
has been saved.  He was caught in a dangerous situation that caused him
to turn to God, and a miracle took place.  With the help of Aunt Hattie,
Neil was saved.  Neil and I have also professed our feelings to each
other.  We have gotten my parents’ permission to court and will be happily
doing so soon.
        I am eternally glad that you and Margaret are having a wonderful
time together, and that she is in remission.  I am also happy to know
that you are planning to celebrate Thanksgiving together.  Neil, Ruby
Mae, and I will be going to my home in Asheville, and I would like to
invite you and Margaret to join us.  Neil feels that he should talk to
Margaret as soon as he can.  My parents would be glad to have you.  Please,
respond quickly.  I know Neil will be waiting anxiously, as will I. 
God be with you.

        Christy Huddleston

        As Christy folded and sealed the letter, she hoped beyond hope
that Miss Alice would receive the letter in time and Margaret would agree
to come, and talk to Neil.

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        As the days to Thanksgiving narrowed, Neil and Christy spent
them in happy courtship.  They frequently went to Neil’s cave and spent
hours talking and exploring every inch of it.  Neil and Christy also
went on many walks and rides while the weather was still warm.
        The days only started to get cold during the last few weeks before
Neil, Christy, and Ruby Mae were to leave.  It was on these cold days
that Neil and Christy “courted” inside.  Sometimes they read, listened
(and danced) to music, or planned for things to come.
        One especially cold day, only three days before they were to
leave for Asheville, Christy sat at the piano playing the “Moonlight
Sonata.  During the cold days, Christy had practiced the song and had
become quite accomplished in playing it.  The fact that Mr. Harland had
played the very same song that fateful day so long ago no longer tormented
Christy.
        As she struck the final notes (which, by now had been memorized)
Christy glanced out the window to see snow falling in huge, fat flakes.
 She smiled.  *The song sure fits this day.*
        A knock on the door startled Christy and caused her to miss a
note.  She opened the door to find a certain doctor coated in snowflakes.
        “Hello, lass,” Neil said.
        Christy put on a straight face.  “Good afternoon, Dr. MacNeill,
and what can I do for you today?”
        “Well...” Neil said causing Christy to blush.
        “Neil, aren’t you cold?” She asked, adverting her eyes from him.
        “I hadn’t noticed.”
        Christy smiled.  “Come, have a cup of tea by the fire with me.”
        “Certainly.”
        “Neil,” Christy said as they sat down with the steaming cups,
“are we going to make it to El Pano?”
        Neil nodded as he took a sip.  “Yes, ‘tis only a light snowfall,
at the moment.”
        “Good,” Christy breathed.
        “By the way, where are David and Fairlight?” Neil inquired.
        “David left yesterday, and I sent Fairlight home, since it’s
now  only Ruby Mae and I.”
        “Miz Christy,” Ruby Mae said as she popped in the doorway, “I
got a letter that come for ya ‘bout nigh a week ago.  I kinda fergot
ta give it ta ye.”
        Christy was just about to yell at Ruby Mae when she thought of
what might have happened if the letter had been forgotten altogether.
        Christy took a deep breath.  “Thank you, Ruby Mae.  Now why don’t
you go and finish your packing for our trip.”
        “Shore,” and then she disappeared to her room.
        Neil waited anxiously as Christy opened the letter.  “It’s from
Miss Alice,” she said.  Then she started to read the letter aloud:

        “Dearest Christy,

        Margaret and I would be overjoyed to celebrate with you, your
family, and Neil.  And, of course, Ruby Mae.  We will be arriving at
the Asheville station the afternoon before Thanksgiving.  I hope we will
be able to meet there.
        Christy, thee is like a daughter to me, and Neil a son.   I am
happy beyond words about Neil’s newfound faith, and about thy love for
each other.
        I am sorry this was so short; we will have much to discuss when
we meet.  God Bless.

        Alice Henderson”

        “Oh, thank You, Lord,” Neil said, relieved to tears.  “I am so
glad they agreed.  The fact that Margaret alone agreed shows me that
she is making a sincere effort to try and sort things out.”
        Christy went over to Neil and hugged him.  Words could not express
how happy she was for him.  Neil had changed so much.  And she had never
loved him more for it.  They broke their embrace and gazed outside. 
It was no longer snowing.
        “Lass, let’s go for a little ride; just up to the hill overlooking
the mission.”
        “That sounds wonderful, Neil.”
        Minutes later, they sat atop Charlie overlooking the mission.
 Everything was thinly coated in a beautiful silver white.
        As Neil rested his chin upon Christy’s head, his eyes were drawn
like a magnet to the rolling peaks.  Apparently, the storm had taken
to the distant mountains and had turned their smoky blue to gray.
        Christy was also looking at the mountains.  “Isn’t it beautiful?
 The snow that mists the mountains reminds me of our ride in the fog
that one day.”
        Neil nodded.  “And some ride it was.  The fog didn’t fade you
out Christy, it just illuminated your beauty all the more.”
        Christy inhaled sharply.  What a beautiful thing he had said
to her.  No matter how many times he wooed her in his poetic way, the
rush of love she felt for him only got stronger.
        For many beautiful moments, the two lovers were lost in the mountains.

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        The morning dimness caused Christy to trip over her bag as she
shifted out of bed.  She fell with a thud, only to have a bodacious redhead
pop into her room and say,
        “Lordy, Teacher!  Are ya hurt?”
        “No, Ruby Mae.  Would you mind fixing us something warm to eat
before we leave?”
        “Shore.  It’ll be ready in not time a’tall.
        Christy groaned and struggled to get up.  Today was the day they
left for Asheville, and what a way to start it.
        She silently got dressed and picked up her bag to set next to
Ruby Mae’s.  Apparently, Ruby Mae had been up for quite sometime.  Christy
headed to the kitchen and was greeted by the smell of burnt bacon and
coffee.
        Christy sat down.  “Ruby Mae, are you sure you have all your
things packed and ready?”
        “Yes’m.  I checked ever’thing over three whole times.
        Christy nodded, suppressing a grin.  A moment later, the wonderful
coffee appeared in front of her accompanied by some charred bacon.  Ruby
Mae sat down across from Christy with her own food.
        “Sorry hit’s burnt,” she said guiltily.
        “Oh, no.  It’s fine.”
        Ruby Mae glanced around the table.  “Shore is lonely, with the
Preacher and Mrs. Spencer bein’ gone an’ all.”
        “It is.  But that will all change once we are in Asheville.”
        “I cain’t hardly wait!  Tell me, what are them...”
        “Good morning, ladies,” Neil said as he entered the kitchen.
 Christy jumped.
        “Neil, you scared me!  I didn’t hear you come in.”
        “Well, maybe this will un-scare you,” he said as he gave her
a kiss on the cheek.  Ruby Mae giggled.
        “Neil...” Christy hissed.
        He chuckled.  “Are we all ready to leave?”
        “I believe so,” Christy said.
        “The horses are outside.  Do you think you can ride Prince, Ruby
Mae?” Neil asked.
        “Shore.  Me an’ Prince git along right good.”
        “That’s fine.  We’d best be leavin’ now, though,” Neil said,
anxious to start out.
        “Neil, don’t you want anything warm to eat before we leave? 
It looks to be pretty cold out there,” Christy said as she stood up and
looked out at the window, where miniature snowflakes could be seen falling
to the ground.
        “I’ll be fine,” he winked.
        Christy smiled as she picked up her bag.  “Well, all right.”
        As they rode through the brisk air, Christy turned her thoughts
to Dan Scott.  Neil told her he would be spending the holiday with Aunt
Hattie, but Christy wished Dan had been invited by another family to
celebrate with them, as Lindsey and Keri had.  Christy knew how long
it had taken her to be accepted by at least a few of the mountain families.
 She couldn’t imagine how hard it was for Dan.  Christy’s thoughts were
interrupted by Ruby Mae’s voice,
        “Miz Christy, Miz Christy!”
        “What’s wrong Ruby Mae?” Christy asked with alarm as she brought
herself back to reality.
        “I jest noticed somethin’.  Lookee here; yer a ridin’ in the
back, me in the middle an’ the doc in the front.”       
        Christy was puzzled.  “Yes...and what did you notice?”
        “Wall, yer horse is Bonnie, mine is Prince, and Doc MacNeill’s
is Charlie.  Ya see?  Bonnie Prince Charlie!”
        Christy smiled,  “Ruby Mae, you are amazing.  I never realized
that.”
        Neil chuckled.  “That is a very good observation.”
        The rest of the way to El Pano, Ruby Mae talked frenziedly. 
As they boarded the train, Christy felt like curling up in a ball and
disappearing.  Neil noticed this with concern as he sat down beside her.
        “Christy, you look pale.  Are you all right?”
        “Yes, I’m fine.  But, please, remind me next time to bring cotton
balls to put in my ears.”
        Neil grinned.  “That Ruby Mae is a talker.  When she was born,
I had never heard such a holler.”
        “Did ye say my name?” Ruby Mae asked as she sat down across from
Neil and Christy.
        “I was just telling Dr. MacNeill how much I thought you would
enjoy the Asheville stores,” Christy said.
        Ruby Mae looked out the window dreamily.  “It jest plumb mesmerizes
me...”
        For a while, Ruby Mae avidly chatted about what a wonder the
train was.  But after an hour, she quieted down and nodded off.
        Neil smiled.  “Looks like you won’t be needing the cotton right
now.”
        “At least for a few seconds.”  Christy paused, gazing at some
boxes in the back of the car.  “Neil, have you used any of your money?”
        Neil winced.  “Actually, I have forgotten about it.  Just the
other day, I had to send a patient away without any medicine because
I was almost out, and knew I couldn’t afford to order more for quite
sometime.”
        Christy laughed.  “I had also forgot about the mission having...”
Suddenly she remembered that in having forgot the mission had money to
spend, she had also forgotten to tell Neil the wonderful news.
        “What did you forget, Christy?”
        “Well, you remember the day we declared our love for each other.”
        Neil took Christy’s hand in his.  “How could I ever forget?”
        “When I got back to the mission, I had three letters.  Two of
those were from Miss Alice and my parents, but the other one was from
my church in Asheville.  Someone had anonymously sent money to my church,
asking that it be forwarded to the mission.”
        “Really?” Neil answered.  “With $500, you could sure do a lot,”
he said absently, oblivious to the fact that he had given himself away.
        “Wait...Neil, how did you know how much money the mission received?”
Christy asked curiously.
        “I ah...I just took a lucky guess,” Neil stumbled, just then
realizing what he had said.
        “Neil, did someone tell you about this?  Does anyone else know?”
Christy asked, a bit worriedly.  If anyone knew about the money, jealously
that involved bloodshed would eventually surface.
        “Oh, no.  No one else knows.”
        “Then how did you know?”
        “Like I said, a lucky guess.”
        Ruby Mae stirred in her sleep, and Christy lowered her voice,
“Did you have anything to do with this?  Did you donate the money?”
        “What!?  Of course not.  Why do you think that?”
        “Neil, you told me the exact amounts you were placing in the
bank, and you left $500 out.  You hesitated when you said that it would
be sent to you.  Why would you need $500 for yourself when there is nowhere
to spend it?  It doesn’t make sense.”
        Neil laughed at her determined expression.  “All, right, Miss
Huddleston, you caught me.  I *did* donate the money.”
        “But why did you not want anyone to know you had donated it?”
Christy asked.
        “If people knew that *I* had donated that much money to the mission,
they would become suspicious, and that would result in raids of my cabin,
along with my laboratory.  People would probably think that my laboratory
was piled high with silver and gold,” he laughed.
        “So you anonymously donated it so no one would know,” Christy
finished.
        “Right.  Christy, did you tell anyone else about the money?”
        “No, I didn’t.  I kind of figured you wanted it kept secret.”
        Neil heaved a sigh of relief.  “Thank you, lass.”
        Christy turned her head to the window and her eyes to the gorgeous
scenery.  The sun had set the hundreds of bare trees that were coated
with ice to sparkling.  It took Christy’s breath away.  Where the trees
were at didn’t matter; as long as the sun was able to reach them, they
could shine. 
        Neil was also gazing out the window.  He whispered to Christy,
“You are like those trees, lass.  No matter where you are placed, the
sun can shine on you and make you shimmer.”

^Malachi 2:10 NKJV


Chapter 13

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        As the train pulled into the Asheville station, Christy searched
for familiar faces in the crowd.  Finally, she saw her family, and, to
her relief, Miss Alice and Margaret.  Margaret had kept her word.
        Once off the train, Christy, Neil and Ruby Mae made their way
through the crowd to Christy’s parents, Miss Alice, and Margaret.  Christy
literally had to drag Ruby Mae along, who was in complete awe of her
surroundings.
        “Christy?  Child, is that you?” Miss Alice called out as they
approached.
        Christy ran to Miss Alice’s embrace, disregarding any thoughts
of propriety.  “Oh, Miss Alice!  I have missed you so much.  I am so
glad you could meet us here.  We were lucky to get trains that arrived
here at the same time.”
        “We certainly were.  God’s hand was in this.  It should be a
joyous holiday,” Miss Alice said as she released Christy.
        Turning from Miss Alice, Christy greeted her parents.  “Mother,
Daddy, I’m so happy to see you!  How have you been?  Where’s George?”
        “We have been quite well, Christy.  George is at home.  How are
you doing?” Julia asked, giving her daughter a gentle hug.
        “Wonderfully.  You remember Ruby Mae, don’t you?”
        “Why, of course.  She’s that beautiful young woman with the red
hair,” William said, winking at Christy.  Ruby Mae, who was standing
beside Christy, blushed and said,
        “Pleased ta see ye again, Mr. Huddleston.”
        Margaret, who had been watching everyone else greet each other,
walked up to Neil and stuck out her hand.       
        “Mac, ah, Neil, how have you been?”
        Neil turned towards her.  With a deep breath, and a silent prayer,
he shakily put out his own hand.  “Margaret.  I’m fine.  How are you?”
        “In remission.  I feel quite well.”
        “That is good.”  They stood several moments in awkward silence
until Margaret said,
        “Ma—Neil, we have to talk.  I have so much to say.”
        Neil nodded and said softly to her, “So do I.  Margaret, you
may call me Mac.  I don’t mind.  It reminds me of happy times,” Neil
surprised himself with this comment.  But, Margaret’s pet name truly
did remind him of happy times. 
        Margaret smiled.  “All right.”
        At the Huddleston’s home, George greeted his sister with a warm
hug and introduced himself to Miss Alice and Margaret.  When he saw Ruby
Mae, he was dumbfounded.
        “Ah...hello,” he said. “I’m George.  George Huddleston.”
        Ruby Mae smiled.  “I’m Ruby Mae Morrison.”
        Christy grinned at her brother’s interest in Ruby Mae.  “Ruby
Mae, you will be sharing my room with me.  Why don’t we take your things
up there?”
        “Shore, Miz Christy.”  As they trekked through the house and
up to Christy’s room, Ruby Mae was speechless.  “Miz Christy, this is
the purtiest house I ever did see.”
        “Thank you, Ruby Mae.  But our house is far from the fanciest
in Asheville.  My friend Lance’s house is...is...” Christy searched for
the right words to describe it.
        “Jest the most wondrous, awesomeable thing ye ever seen?” Ruby
Mae finished.
        Christy smiled.  “Yes, Ruby Mae.  It is that.”  They had now
reached Christy’s room.  Ruby Mae set her things down and wandered over
to the window looking out over the garden.  Though everything was covered
with frost, it was still quite breathtaking.  Ruby Mae sighed.
        “Miz Christy, I ain’t got no words ta ‘scribe the beauty here.
 Why’d ye leave this ta come ta Cutter Gap?”
        Christy wasn’t prepared to answer this question.  She thought
for a long while before she haltingly tried to explain.  “Well, have
you ever wanted to sing like a bird?”
        “Shore.  I love them ones that sing at night, when the other
birds are a sleepin’.”
        “But you can’t sing like it, can you?”  Ruby Mae shook her head.
 Christy continued, “You can buy all sorts of whistles and make your
own to try and sound like the bird, but no matter how hard you try, you
just can’t sing like the bird.  You can make some pretty tunes, but nothing
compares to the bird’s song.  Its song comes straight from its soul.”
        “What er ye gittin’ at, Miz Christy?”
        “I’m saying that life in Cutter Gap is like the bird’s song.
 Yes, it is hard, but the good there sings strong and true.  Like friendship,
true happiness, and love.”
        “You be talkin’ ‘bout the doc?” Ruby Mae asked, giving a little
giggle.
        Christy smiled.  “Yes.”
        “Waal, you said Cutter Gap life was like the singin’ of the bird,
but what ‘bout life here in Asheville?”
        “Life here is nice and pretty, but the things like friendship
are not as complete and meaningful as they are in Cutter Gap.  Don’t
get me wrong; there are many good things here.  People do a lot everyday
to help others and make them happy.  Do you get what I’m saying?”
        “I think so.  I love livin’ in the Cove, but I shore do get ta
hankerin’ fer some of the pretty things you have.”
        “Well,” Christy smiled, “I think we can get you a few pretty
things to take back.  In fact, I might have some nice dresses you could
wear to dinner that may just fit you.”
        Ruby Mae gave a shining smile.  “Really?  I would shorely like
that.”
        “Christy, Ruby Mae,” Julia Huddleston said as she entered the
room, “before we start dinner, William would like to take everyone on
a walk through the garden and pond.
        “Isn’t it a little cold for that?”
        “Well, yes, but you know your father.”
        “All right.  Ruby Mae, would you like to see our pond?”
        “I would be right honored, Miz Christy.”
        “Good, let’s go.”
        In the garden, Neil and Christy walked side-by-side, talking
of things that were only of interest to themselves.  Miss Alice brightly
told Julia how proud she was of Christy, for upholding the mission while
she was gone.  George and Ruby Mae talked of what the city of Asheville
was really like and Margaret trailed behind Neil and Christy.
        She looked at the two lovers with sadness and longing for what
might have been.  Christy noticed Margaret’s gloom and excused herself
to talk with her.  Neil nodded and headed to catch up with William, who
was at the front of the group.
        “Margaret, I haven’t had the chance to ask about you.  How are
you doing?” Christy asked
        “Oh, just fine.  Did mother tell you of the play I am in?” Margaret
smiled.
        “Just that you had landed the lead role.  What is the play about?”
        “It’s about a young women who ventures out west where the cowboys
and cattle rule.  She falls in love with a handsome cowboy, only to discover
that he is wanted for murder.  The young woman reminds me you, Christy.”
        Christy chuckled, “I guess if I could survive Cutter Gap, I could
survive the Wild West.”
        “You are quite happy with Neil, are you not?” Margaret sighed.
        “I am, happier than I ever have been,” Christy said honestly.
        “Some days I desperately wish I would have stayed with him. 
I wonder if things would have ever worked out.”
        “Oh, Margaret, they have.  Just maybe in not the way you wished.
 Would you have wanted to stay in Cutter Gap forever?  If you had known
that theater was your calling?  There are not many theater opportunities
in Cutter Gap.”
        “No,” Margaret laughed, “there are not.”
        “Margaret, if there is to be someone special in your life, God
will put them there in His time.”
        Margaret took Christy’s hand.  “Yes, He will.”  Then, with a
parting smile, proceeded to catch up with Miss Alice.
        Christy was taken aback by Margaret’s last comment.  Had she
accepted Jesus Christ?  Christy deeply hoped that she had.  Margaret
needed Jesus more than anyone right now.
        A few hours later, after dinner, as Julia, Ruby Mae, and George
were cleaning up, Margaret took Neil aside.
        “Could we talk now?  Do you mind?”
        Neil smiled at his former wife.  “Now sounds like a good idea.”
 He caught Christy’s eye as they walked off into the parlor.  She gave
him a reassuring smile and nodded her agreement.
        Miss Alice, who, along with Christy, was sitting on the couch
in the living room, gazed after her daughter proudly.
        “Margaret has changed so much.  Christy, just a few days ago,
Margaret was saved,” Miss Alice said with a beaming smile.
        Christy smiled, “I thought so.”
        “Why did thee think that?” Miss Alice inquired.
        “Oh, from some comments that she made to me.  When we talked,
she had a certain Assurance about her.”
        “Ah, Miss Huddleston.  Thee are very perceptive.  Tell me, exactly
how was Neil saved?”
        Christy grew more and more joyful as she recounted to Miss Alice
the miracle Neil had witnessed, their talks, his first visit to church,
and finally, his telling Christy of his conversion.  Christy wondered
if she should also tell Miss Alice that Neil had been the one to donate
the money to the mission, but decided not to without his consent.  She
only hoped Miss Alice would not bring it up.
        “Christy, thee is so, happy.  I can tell.”
        “Yes, Miss Alice, I am.  But tell me, how did Margaret come about
to be saved?”
        Miss Alice’s face lit up.  “When I first arrived in Knoxville
to meet Margaret, I could see a change in her.  She wasn’t haughty, and
gave a sincere effort to be friends with me.  But, as much as she had
overcome, she was still stubborn about God.  Margaret could not see why
God would love her.  I believe when Margaret looked at my life, she could
not see how God could let such bad things happen to me as they did. 
But, oh, she doesn’t know the joys!
        “One day, during a play rehearsal, Margaret’s new friend, Lilly,
was practicing a stunt for the show.  Lilly Marlin.  She was such an
influence on Margaret.  They met at a local church social that Margaret
and I had decided to go to.  From then on, they were quite close.
        “But, anyway, that day, the ropes that were holding some of the
larger props up snapped when Lilly accidentally ran into them during
her stunt practice.  Lilly was crushed from her abdomen down.  Margaret
was the first one at Lilly’s side, and knew she was going to die.  Lilly’s
final words were, ‘Maggie, don’t worry about me.  I know where I’m going.
 God is waiting for me.  Promise me; promise me that you will trust Him.
 Promise me...’ and then she left, with Margaret crying by her side.”
Miss Alice paused, closing her eyes and wiping them of their tears. 
Christy herself had tears in her eyes, and retrieved her handkerchief
to dry them.
        “Oh, Miss Alice.  How sad.  Margaret must have been heartbroken.”
        “Margaret was miserable.  But the one thing that stuck in her
mind was what Lilly had told her, about trusting God.”
        Just then, William Huddleston walked into the living room.  “Christy,
would you let Dr. MacNeill know that I would like to talk to him?  I
will be in the library.”
        “Of course,” Christy replied.  Miss Alice smiled at William and
then continued with Margaret’s story.
        “As much as she wanted to blame it on God, Margaret just could
not erase that look of peace that flooded Lilly’s face before she died.
 It was a few days after the accident that Margaret came to me, asking
that I read her some passages from the bible.  I didn’t pressure her,
and it was not long until she asked me how she could have the peace that
Lilly had.  She admitted her sins and accepted God’s free gift.  Christy,
I have never seen anyone glow more or be happier when they were saved
than Margaret was that day.”
        Christy wiped a tear from her eye.  “I am overjoyed, Miss Alice.”
        Miss Alice and Christy turned at the sound of a squeaking door.
 Margaret and Neil emerged from the parlor, both with smiles, and slightly
red eyes. 
        “Neil, my father wants to see you.  He is in the library,” Christy
said, pointing towards the back of the house.  Margaret winked at him,
and he clasped her hand and squeezed it, before heading towards the library.
        Margaret moved to sit across from Miss Alice, and smiled at Christy.
 Christy returned the smile, rejoicing in the fact that Margaret was
a new person.  As Christy looked at the new Margaret, compared to the
old, she wondered what Neil’s feelings were for her now that they had
talked.  If Neil had fallen in love with Margaret long ago, could he
again?  And this time, stay in love?  Christy shook herself out of her
thoughts and started to listen to what Margaret was saying.
        “...I am so happy that Neil has come to God, and has forgiven
me.  Oh, Mother, if only it had been like this when we met...”
        Christy’s face turned white; had Margaret been thinking the same
thoughts she had?
        Margaret had seen the schoolteacher’s face turn white.  “Miss
Huddleston, are you all right?”
        “Oh, yes, I’m fine.  Just tired.”  Christy knew Margaret didn’t
buy it, but she didn’t care.  Sensing that the two women needed to talk,
Miss Alice stood up.
        “I think I’ll go see if any help is needed in the kitchen.”
        Christy smiled.  “I think that is a wise choice; Ruby Mae is
in there.”
        Alice laughed.  “Thee is right, Miss Huddleston.”
        Margaret looked to Christy and said softly, “Thank you, Christy.”
        “What for, Margaret?”
        “For everything.  For—for making me see that I did need Mother
and Neil.  For guiding me to God.”
        Christy was stunned, “Guiding you to God?  I don’t think we’ve
ever had a complete conversation that didn’t involve insults!”
        Margaret laughed.  “Quite true.  But, I think before I myself
even realized it, I was jealous of you.  Of what you stood for.  Your
innocence.  Your faith.  I guess as time went on, I wanted what you had.
 That was God.  So, yes, Christy, by setting an example, you helped guide
me to God.”
        Christy felt honored, and humbled somewhat.  She had never realized
how much her actions spoke to others.  Even if people, like the ‘old’
Margaret, had no respect whatsoever for her, they still noticed her actions.
 Christy knew she would have to set an even better example for the Cove
people.
        “Margaret, you also helped me.”  With this comment, Margaret
lit up.
        “Me?  Little old wretched me?”
        “Oh, Margaret.  You are a new person in God’s eyes.”
        “Yes, Mother has been pounding that into my head, ‘If we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us *our* sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.^’ ”
        “That is good.  Margaret, when you came back, a first and second
time, you made me realize I had feelings for Neil.  The only thing was,
you being alive, I could not pursue a relationship with Neil.  If I did,
I would no longer be living in the Cove!”
        Margaret cringed.  “I know that God forgives and forgets all
our sins when we confess them to Him and are sorry for them, but as a
human, I cannot forget the awful sins that I committed.  What I did to
Neil and Mother, what I did to my reputation...”
        “Margaret, you don’t have to go on,” Christy stopped her.
        Margaret wiped a tear from her eye and nodded.  “I know you are
wondering what Neil and I talked about—“
        “No, it’s none of my business.”
        “Oh, but it is.  We have forgiven each other and have chosen
to remain friends and correspond often, if that is all right with you,”
Margaret said with a sly smile.
        “Why would it matter if it was all right with me?” Christy asked.
        Margaret chuckled.  “Christy whatever concerns Neil concerns
you also,” she stuck up a hand to stop Christy from speaking.  “I once
said to Mac, I mean Neil, that when we were wed, I had never seen a man
so much in love.  Christy, his love for you is much, much deeper than
anything he might have felt for me.  You yourselves will wed one day.
 One day soon.”
        Christy blushed and whispered, “I do hope so.  And Margaret,
I don’t mind if you call Neil ‘Mac.’  I guess that will always be your
name for him.”  Margaret nodded, and they shared a smile between themselves
that reflected the emotions in another room...

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        Neil had entered the library to find William Huddleston behind
a newspaper with the aroma of strong coffee floating through the air.
 William looked up.
        “Dr. MacNeill?  How are you doing?”
        “Just fine.  I could ask the same of you.  Any complications?”
        William smiled at the doctor’s side of Neil.  “I’m doing quite
well.  My daughter told me that I would have to give her away at her
wedding.  Any clue as to when that would be?” He chuckled.
        In one of those rare moments, Neil was speechless.  “Ah...” Neil
finally found his footing and said, “The truth is, William, I love Christy
more than life itself.  I would like to ask for her hand, if she’d have
me.  I cannot offer her much in Cutter Gap.  But, I promise, if Christy
would ever want to leave, no matter what I had to do in the Cove, I would
go with her.”
        “I do not doubt that you will make Christy happy.  But, Neil,
I must know; have you accepted Christ?”
        “Yes.  Yes, I have,” Neil said proudly.  He joyfully recounted
his saving to William, who listened with relief and happiness.
        “Neil, how long have you been courting Christy?”
        “A little over a month, I believe.”
        “That is not very long to court before approaching marriage,”
William said.
        “Aye, you are right.  I have courted her for only a little over
a month, but have loved her for a year,” Neil said softly.
        William smiled.  “I see.  When do you plan to ask for her hand?”
        “I have been thinking on this for quite sometime.  To respect
proprieties, I would like to court her until Christmas.  It would be
then that I would like to propose to her.”
        William nodded and smiled.  A Christmas Proposal.  He knew his
Little Miss would be overjoyed.  “Neil MacNeill, I give you and Christy
my blessing upon your future marriage.  And Julia agrees as well.  You
know, she and Christy had many a good talks while Christy was here a
while ago.”
        Neil clasped William’s hand.  “Thank you, William.”
        William smiled.  “May God richly bless you.”

^1 John 1:9 NKJV


Chapter 14

Summary of Chapter 13:  Christy, Neil, and Ruby Mae arrive in Asheville.
 Margaret and Christy catch up.  Later, as Margaret and Neil talk, Miss
Alice and Christy also catch up.  Margaret and Christy have a good talk
and William Huddleston has a talk with Neil. 

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        The next day, Thanksgiving, dawned crisp and bright.  The frost
from days before had been strengthened by a midnight snowfall.
        Christy was awakened from her slumber when a loud “ping” radiated
from her window.  At first, she thought it was Ruby Mae playing a trick
on her, but Ruby Mae was already up.
        That “ping,” was followed by several others.  *What in the world?*
Christy wondered.  Then she smiled.  Christy hopped out of her bed and
pulled on a robe.  She then rushed to the window and threw it open, disregarding
any thought to propriety.  She knew who was down there.
        “Oh, my bonnie lass, please come down,” Neil had positioned himself
below Christy’s window and had been tossing pebbles up at it.
        Christy chuckled, “My Bonnie Prince Neil, I will be down in a
moment.”
        Neil met her at the bottom of the stairs minutes later.  “’Bonnie
Prince Neil,’ ey?”
        “’Bonnie Lass?’ ” Christy smiled as she stepped off the stairs
and onto the plush carpet.
        “Aye.  Happy Thanksgiving.  I know I have much to be thankful
for,” he said as he offered her is arm.
        “As do I,” she said softly, taking his arm.
        The kitchen was in a flurry of excitement, though Thanksgiving
dinner had a long ways to go before it was ready.
        Christy almost burst out laughing when she saw Ruby Mae.  Poor
Ruby Mae had tried to start making some bread.  Apparently, her use of
flour had gotten out of hand, and her red hair had turned to a dusty
orange.
        “Mornin’ Miss Christy.  Ye have a good sleep?”
        “Yes, I did Ruby Mae.  That bread looks, uh, wonderful.”
        Julia Huddleston, looking a bit disgusted, motioned to the only
flour-free part of the kitchen and said to Christy, “Your breakfast is
over there.”
        “Am I the only one to have not eaten yet?” Christy asked, a bit
ashamedly as she grabbed the food.
        Julia scowled, “Yes, dear.  I understand you were dreadfully
tired and needed your *beauty rest,* but it is quite late.  I was about
to come wake you up myself.”
        “I’m sorry,” Christy said somewhat guiltily.  But Neil’s whispered
comment, “I like to be the one to wake my lass up anyway,” brought a
smile and a blush to her face.
        “Mother, where are Margaret, Miss Alice, and Daddy?” Christy
asked.
        “They went to pick out a turkey.”
        “You didn’t get one yesterday?”
        “Well, of course not!  We were too busy preparing for everyone,”
Julia said a bit defensively.
        Christy knew to back off.  Her mother was in one of “those” moods.
        Throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, Christy, Ruby
Mae, and Julia, Miss Alice, and Margaret slaved over the Thanksgiving
dinner.  In reality, Miss Alice and Christy’s mother ended up doing most
of the cooking, as Ruby Mae, Christy, and Margaret soon found that they
were more of a hindrance than help.  William and Neil happily agreed
to stay out of the kitchen.  They spent their time in the library.
        George, on the other hand, was not content to stay in the library.
 Christy caught him more than once peeking in the kitchen, staring at
Ruby Mae.
        As the final touches were put on the table, Christy sighed. 
All of the food could feed every person in the Cove, with leftovers.
 Christy knew she would never take food for granted again.
        She glanced at the mantle clock; twenty minutes until seven o’clock,
when they were to eat.
        Just then, Ruby Mae came bounding up to Christy.
        “Miz Christy!  Ain’t it wondrous!  Why, this much food could
keep everyone as fat as a pig fer months!”
        Christy was exhausted, and didn’t know if she could stand Ruby
Mae’s chatter.
        “Ruby Mae, why don’t we go find a dress for you real quick?”
        “Ya mean, I’m not gonna wear the dress I wore last night?” Ruby
Mae asked, astonished.
        Christy smiled, “No, not unless you want to.”  Somehow, though
Ruby Mae was very draining in some aspects, she was also energizing.
        Once Christy had a dress for Ruby Mae, she searched for something
for herself.  Finally deciding on a plain rose-colored dress, Christy
proceeded to see how Ruby Mae was doing.
        Ruby Mae stood in front of the mirror in Christy’s parents’ bedroom.
 The deep green cloth complimented Ruby Mae’s hair quite well.
        “Miz Christy?” Ruby Mae asked shyly.  “You think yer brother,
George, will like ma dress?”
        Christy smiled.  “Ruby Mae, he will love it.”
        As they sat down at the table, and Christy looked around at the
faces shining with love, she wondered how everything could have turned
out so well.  From the mess at the schoolhouse two months before, Christy
would have never thought it would turn out like this. 
        Christy looked at Neil; she could tell he was thinking the same
thing.
        They joined hands and bowed their heads in prayer as William
thanked the Lord,
        “Heavenly Father, we all have so much to be thankful for this
Thanksgiving Day.  We thank you for the beautiful love you have bestowed
upon Neil and Christy, and for the wonderful mending of human hearts
that you have done.  Thank you, Lord, and may this rich food that our
fellow ladies have so lovingly prepared nourish our bodies.  In Christ’s
name, Amen.”
        “Amen,” they all murmured.
        Christy raised her eyes upward and whispered another silent prayer
of thanks to God.  Just a moment ago, she had been wondering how it could
have all turned out so well, but she was not wondering any more.  She
knew.  God.  God had healed everything.
        The meal was well worth the work; everyone loved it.  Ruby Mae
also got many encouraging comments from her bread.
        But, throughout the whole meal, Christy could not rid the thought
of the surplus of food at her table compared to the meager offerings
on her friends’ tables in the Cove.  These thoughts made Christy feel
guilty, and she could no longer eat.
        Neil, who had been watching Christy’s every move, noticed that
she was toying with her food.
        “Christy?” he gently asked, “Is everything all right?”
        She looked up.  “Of course.”  But seeing his compassionate gaze
brought tears to her eyes.  “Please excuse me.”  Christy pushed her chair
back and rushed to the back door.  She needed some fresh air.
        Everyone exchanged worried glances, and Julia stood up to follow
her daughter, as did Neil.  Miss Alice stopped them.
        “I think I know what is wrong; let me talk to her.”
        They nodded, and Miss Alice briskly walked to the back door and
went out of the house.
        Christy was sitting on the back steps, crying.
        “Child, thee does not need to feel guilty about thy life here,”
Miss Alice said, placing a hand on Christy’s shoulder.
        “Miss Alice, how did you know?” Christy asked, wiping her tear-streaked
face.
        “Ah, Christy, I have spent many a nights distressing over this
myself.  I would ask God why He gave these people so little and others
so much.”
        “Why did He?  Does he care about the mountain people at all?”
Christy asked rebelliously.
        “He does indeed care for them, if they will only let Him in.
 That is our job, Christy as missionaries.  We must show the people that
God loves them.”
        “But why do they have so little?” Christy cried.
        “Christy, I cannot answer that.  But, what I can do is share
what I have with them.”
        “How do you do that?” Christy asked.  “You can’t just bring loads
of food to them; they won’t take it.”
        “No,” Miss Alice smiled, “but you can share with them in other
ways.  Like the Turkey shoot we had last year; I gave them the idea and
they were able to get a surplus of game.  Perhaps thee could share recipes
with them or traditions that would reap a multitude of goods.”
        The wheels started turning in Christy’s head.  Perhaps they could
organize other contests and...
        Miss Alice chuckled, “Thee is thinking, good.  Come now, let’s
go back before your thinking freezes out here.”
        Christy smiled and nodded, “All right.”
        All eyes were on Christy as she returned to her seat and started
to eat.  Christy stared at the food on her plate; but this time, was
not flooded with guilt or sadness.  Instead, thankfulness for what she
had and her ability to share it stole through her heart.
        An hour later, as everything was being cleaned up, Neil took
Christy aside.
        “Lass, everything has been so hectic we haven’t had a chance
to talk.  Will you take a stroll with me in the garden?”
        “I would love to.”  Christy glanced at her mother, who nodded.
        “Neil, if you don’t mind my asking, how was your talk with Margaret?”
Christy asked as they strolled about the garden.
        “I don’t mind.  It went quite well.  We both were deeply sorry
for what we did to each other, and admitted that we had no right to be
together.  There are no hard feelings, Christy.  We rejoiced in our new-found
faith, and in the fact that we are both happy with our lives.”
        “I am so glad.  I never would have even dreamed it would turn
out like this.”
        “Aye, and I thank God and give him the glory everyday for what
He has done,” Neil said softly as he leaned down and kissed her.
        They pulled apart at the sound of voices on the other side of
the garden.  Christy recognized Ruby Mae’s voice and was that...George’s,
too?
        Christy motioned for Neil to follow her and took off on a path
through the garden known only by her.
        They crouched behind some cattails, now frozen, and strained
to hear what was going on.
        “Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to eavesdrop?” Neil whispered
with a smile.
        Christy winced.  “Ah, well I...” She smiled.  “I consider it
mild revenge for all the times Ruby Mae has eavesdropped on me.”
        “Revenge, Miss Huddleston?  Now doesn’t the bible say...”
        Christy glared at him.  “Do you mind?  My brother is concerned
here.”
        Neil chuckled, “All right...”
        “...Ruby Mae, I’m glad my sister invited you to celebrate with
us,” George was saying.
        “Oh, me too, George.  I’m much obleeged ta Miss Christy fer all
she’s done fer me.”
        “Oh, yes.  She’s the best.  I’m pretty proud of my big sis.”
 George paused.  “Ruby Mae, do you have any brother or sisters?”
        “Na, jest me.”
        “What about your mother and father?’
        “Ma done went off to care for her kin, never came back.  Dunno
where Pa is.”
        “Oh, I’m sorry.  Do you ever see your father?” George gently
asked.
        “Waal, I reckon hit musta been last spring, right after my birthday,
that Pa came back, wantin’ me ta come back home.”
        Christy winced, remembering when Duggin Morrison had wanted Ruby
Mae to go back to their home.  How horrible it was for Ruby Mae.
        “Did you go back with him?”
        “For a bit.  Say, George, ain’t the moon might purty?” Ruby Mae
asked hastily, trying to advert the subject of her father to something
safer.
        George, sensing her discomfort, said, “It sure is.  Ruby Mae
you said your birthday was in the spring.  What day?”
        “On March fourth, I turned sixteen,” Ruby Mae said proudly.
        “You’re sixteen?  I thought you were older.”
        “Why would you think a thang like that?”
        “You seem to be older than the girls here, in a sense.  You’re
also prettier than some of them.” 
        “Me, prettier than a city-gal?  Na, I reckon I’m no purtier than
the possums I cook.”
        “You’re just like a princess, to me.”
        Christy winced at Ruby Mae’s possum response to George, but smiled
at her brother as he overlooked that.  Christy thought that Ruby Mae
would most certainly be blushing now.  *George is quite the charmer,*
Christy thought.
        But, he was partly right.  Ruby Mae, though she didn’t know how
to act in a world outside of Cutter Gap, had, in some aspects, grown
up quicker than any city-girl her age.  The Cove had harshly presented
and forced her to accept the dark side of life as normal, from the very
beginning of her existence on Earth.
        And, as for her physical appearance, though not the cream-skinned,
fair-haired city-girl, Ruby Mae’s red hair certainly turned heads.
        George continued, “Most girls here are so picky and fragile;
don’t do anything but go to dances and parties and fuss over this and
that.  They’re too quiet and reserved, not adventurous and honest, like
you, Ruby Mae.”
        “Don’t ya like parties?” Ruby Mae questioned.
        “Well, yeah, but I like physical activities, like horseback riding,
and baseball.
        “I like ridin’ horses, too, George.  But, a girl can’t help but
wanna be like Miz Christy, all pretty and smellin’ nice.”
        “Ruby Mae, I think you’re very pretty,” and it was this softly
spoken reply that made Christy peek through the cattails, to see George
softly kissing Ruby Mae.
        Christy had forgotten that Neil was behind her, and that was
clearly a mistake, because she suddenly felt something race up her back.
 She gave a shriek and fell back against him.  Christy could just see
Ruby Mae and George jump away from each other and head to the house before
she glanced up at Neil.
        His eyes betrayed any innocence, and for that, Christy gave him
a jab and crawled out of her spying place.
        Back in the house, Neil and Christy, both refreshed from their
excursion, followed the voices they heard into the parlor, where they
were met with many happy faces.
        Christy noticed and smiled that Ruby Mae and George’s faces were
especially glowing as they exchanged dreamy glances.
        “Christy, we were just talking about you,” Julia said as Christy
and Neil sat down.  “Ruby Mae tells us you have been playing the piano.
 Would you play us something?”
        Christy momentarily forgot that she had thought Ruby Mae was
grown up, but conceded to play a few pieces.  She received a wink and
a smile from Neil as she sat down to play on the trusty Brewster, New
York Cabinet Grand upright piano.  Luckily, Christy had memorized all
the songs she wanted to play.
        After Christy had finished performing her favorite, the “Moonlight
Sonata,” she played “Adieu to the Piano,” another favorite of hers that
had lured her to perfect it with its beautiful tune.
        She also played a song that Keri had taught her:  “The Entertainer,”
by Scott Joplin.  Christy had very hesitantly decided to play this song,
for it was harder than anything she had ever tried. 
        “The Entertainer,” though not very popular even eleven years
after it’s composition, had trapped Christy with it’s lively, vivacious
tune the minute she had heard Keri playing it.  It was this attraction
that had kept Christy going while tentatively memorizing it, though with
many mistakes.
        Christy knew it would take many more weeks of constant playing
before she could execute “The Entertainer” perfectly, if that was even
possible, but it was very exciting and exhilarating to play.
        “Oh, Christy.  That was wonderful.  I see you have made good
use of the books I sent you,” Julia said when Christy had finished.
        “Yes, Mother, thank you,” Christy smiled.  “You not only sent
me some music to share with everyone in Cutter Gap, but you also finally
awakened in me the desire to play.”  She sat back down beside Neil, who
smiled and whispered,
        “You’ll have to learn some Scottish tunes for me, lass.”
        “On one condition,” she answered, “that you’ll always call me
‘lass.’ ”
        “Of course, it’s my pleasure.”  Then, Margaret stood up and all
got quite.  She smiled shakily.
        “This Thanksgiving has been a most memorable one for me.  Thank
you, Mother, Neil, Christy,” she said, glancing at each individual, “for
giving me a second chance.  I am overjoyed that the Lord sees me anew,
not as I was but a few weeks ago.  Thank you, William, Julia, George,
for inviting me into your humble home to share with you this wonderful
holiday.  Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.”
        Miss Alice wiped a tear from her eye, and Christy looked admiringly
at Margaret.
        Neil sat there with his head down and his eyes closed, giving
thanks and glorification to the Lord.
Christy sent her own prayer of thanks upward, and caught Miss Alice’s
eye.  Christy had never seen Miss Alice so happy or so proud.


Chapter 15

Summary of Chapter 14:  Thanksgiving day is celebrated, and Christy feels
guilty over what she has.  Miss Alice talks to her and all is well. 
After dinner, Christy and Neil go on a walk, and find themselves spying
on Ruby Mae and George.  Later, Christy gives an impromptu piano concert
and Margaret expresses her thanks to everyone. 

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        As promised, Ruby Mae was taken shopping the next day.  Since
Julia, Miss Alice, and Margaret had other things to tend to, Christy
alone was designated, well, rather left, with the responsibility of Ruby
Mae.  But, Christy supposed she didn’t mind being with Ruby Mae, who’d
become the little sister Christy had always wanted. 
        Christy smiled, remembering how when George was a baby, she had
dressed him up in a dress, decorated him with jewelry, and then renamed
him Georgia.
        She was jerked out of her reminiscing when Ruby Mae pulled her
into yet another store.
        “Oh, Miz Christy!  Ain’t these the purdiest things ye ever did
see?” Ruby Mae gushed.
        Christy looked to the ball gowns that Ruby Mae was fingering.
        “They are beautiful, but don’t you think a simpler dress would
be better to buy?”
        Ruby Mae turned from the dresses, astounded.  “Ye mean you was
gonna buy me a whole brand new store-bought dress?”
        Christy smiled.  “Of course, Ruby Mae!  When you go shopping,
you buy clothes.”
        “But I got no money.”
        Christy stepped towards Ruby Mae.  “Ruby Mae, I can pay for it.
 It’s really not that much for a simple dress here, anyway.”
        Ruby Mae remained firm.  “No ma’am, I won’t be beholdin’ to ye.
 Them other leetle things ye bought me; waal them’s all right, cuz you
say they pay fer my work at the mission,” Ruby Mae said, once again reaching
out and running her coarse hands across the beads and embroidery on the
dresses.
        “Jest lookin’ at these dresses pleasures me right fine, Miss
Christy.”
        Christy sighed, defeated.  She had gotten Ruby Mae to accept
the other gifts, necessities, really, and that was satisfying enough.
 Christy would just give Ruby Mae one of her own dresses.  “All right,
Ruby Mae, we don’t have to get a dress.”
        Ruby Mae nodded with a pleased smile.  “Thank ye.  Can we still
look ‘round a spell?”
        “Of course.  There is something I have to find, anyway.”
        “What you be looking fer?” Ruby Mae asked.
        “Oh, a Christmas gift for someone,” Christy said absently, her
eyes scanning every clothes rack in the store.
        “Fer who?”
        “Ruby Mae, would you go over to the shirtwaists and look for
a dark green one?  If you find one, come and tell me, all right?”
        “Shore,” and then she bounded off.
        Christy groaned and wondered if Ruby Mae would get lost in the
large store.  She rubbed her temples; just on more gift to get.  A special
gift.  Christy’s eyes fell upon the bargain rack.  Perfect.
        There were dresses with rips, stains, and buttons missing, but
Christy didn’t care.  Then she came upon the perfect dress.  Steel-gray
and long, it had once been covered with beads.  The beads had been removed
as well as the many layers of skirts that had went beneath the dress
in order to make it elegant ballroom material.  However, the dress’s
defects did not matter at all to Christy
        She smiled, grabbed the dress, and went in search of Ruby Mae.

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        “Christy!  Whatever did you buy all that for?” Julia Huddleston
exclaimed as Christy and Ruby Mae entered the house with armloads of
bags and boxes.
        Christy sent her mother a look.  “Christmas, Mother.”
        William, George, Neil, Margaret, and Miss Alice appeared in the
doorway of the porch.  They’d heard the commotion and had come to investigate.
        “Christy, if I’d known you were going to buy that much, I would
have sent our carriage with you to carry it all!”
        Everyone chuckled, and then started laughing.  William’s comment
itself was not all that funny.  But, the fact that Christy and Ruby Mae
had planned a simple shopping trip and had returned with a large amount
of goods *was* quite entertaining.
        Christy was laughing so hard that she began to lose her balance.
 Margaret rushed over and took some of Christy’s items, as well as Ruby
Mae’s.  Still laughing, she asked, “Where do you want these?”
        “Up in my room will be fine.  Thank you,” Christy replied.  Margaret
nodded and they started up to Christy’s room. 
        After depositing her things, Ruby Mae left for a snack, parting
with,
        “Thank ye, Miz Christy.  This was shorely the best day of my
life.”
        “Your welcome.  I enjoyed it, too,” Christy smiled.
        Margaret smiled and stood up.  “Seems like...” Suddenly, she
appeared to be short of breath, and groped for something to steady herself.
 Christy rushed to her side.
        “Margaret?  Are you all right?”
        Gasping, Margaret nodded, “Just...a...bit...short of breath...from
those...stairs.  Treatment does...that to one.”
        “Do I need to get Miss Alice?” Christy asked concernedly; Margaret
was extremely pale.
        “Oh, no.  I’ll be...be fine.  Please, don’t tell Mother.  It
would only make her worry, and the she’ll never make it back to Cutter
Gap,” Margaret said, but let out a small cough.
        Christy wasn’t convinced, but Margaret’s color was slowly returning
and she seemed to be breathing easier.  Sighing, Christy nodded, “All
right, I won’t say anything.”
        Margaret grasped Christy’s hand, “Thank you.  Don’t worry, I’ll
be fine.  I just haven’t taken my medication yet today.”
        Trying to light the mood, Christy grinned, “Well, then you’d
best go down and take it.”
        Margaret smiled back.  “Yes.” 
        “Did you get everything put away?” Julia asked downstairs in
the living room as Christy and Margaret walked in.
        “Yes, of course,” Christy replied to her mother, pasting on a
smile to cover her worry for Margaret.
        “Good.  Lunch is ready.  And, in honor of your last day, Christy,
I have made your favorite meal; Great Aunt Louise’s German Potato salad,
chicken...”
        Christy’s mind wandered to her favorite mouth watering dishes.
 She smiled.  “Thank you, Mother.  Thank you very much.”

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        The good-byes at the train station the next morning were full
of tears, promises, and hugs.  Miss Alice and Margaret’s good-bye’s were
by far the most heart wrenching.
        “Margaret, thee are on the right path.  Please, please, do not
lost faith.  Rely on God in these upcoming times to bring you through
thy treatment,” Miss Alice said with firmness in her voice and tears
in her eyes.
        “Oh, Mother, thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving
me a second chance.”
        “Child, that is all I ever wanted for thee.”
        The whistle blew and Margaret stepped up to the train.  “I will
write, Mother, as soon as I get settled.”
        Miss Alice placed her clasped hands at her lips.  “As will I,
Daughter.”
        Margaret was ushered into the train where she sat down and waved.
 Then, the train pulled out of sight and Miss Alice proudly stood there,
with tears and a smile dancing across her face.
        She grasped Neil and Christy’s hands.  “Let’s go home.”
        With a final good-bye, Neil, Christy, Miss Alice, and Ruby Mae
boarded their own train.
        Ruby Mae, looking forlorn, sighed and placed her hand upon the
window, looking back one last time.
        Miss Alice, Neil, and Christy all gave a slight smile as Ruby
Mae leaned back in her seat to sleep.  It looked as if she wouldn’t have
much to say during this train ride.
        Christy herself was just about to fall asleep when she remembered
something.  She reached down into her valise and pulled out the carved
wooden cross for Miss Alice.  For a moment, Christy gazed at the cross,
allowing herself to be transported back to a time when she had been uncertain
of her decision to return to Cutter Gap, and more than a bit uncertain
of any feelings Neil harbored for her.
        Breaking her trance, Christy smiled, holding out the gift to
her mentor.
        “Miss Alice, I have something that I’ve been wanting to give
you.”
        Miss Alice looked up, reached across the aisle, and took the
cross.
        “I bought this in Asheville when I visited there during the fall.
 I never had a chance to give it to you.”
        Miss Alice, starting at the article, didn’t respond right away.
 She finally looked up.
        “Christy, this is lovely.  Thank you, thank you very much.”
        Neil, who was seated beside Christy, squeezed her hand and whispered,
        “That cross brings memories for both you and Alice.”  It was
a statement more than a question.
        Christy shouldn’t have been so shocked by this comment; Neil
could read her so well.  She gazed up at him and said softly,
        “Neil, you have no idea.”

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        Miss Alice’s long awaited return to the Cove was most certainly
a happy one.  People from everywhere around came to the mission to welcome
the Quaker missionary who had helped them in more ways than one could
count.
        Miss Alice’s homecoming soon turned into an all-out, unscheduled
jollification, complete with food, dancing, and, a jug.  But, almost
as traditional as the jollification festivities themselves, was the breakup
of the moonshine by Miss Alice.
        Christy and Neil, watching the confrontation from a distance,
listened to the quite audible flying comments.
        “Awwww, ain’t nuthin’ wrong with a leetle bit ‘a mountain dew,”
one of them said.
        “Ain’t no jollification fit without hit,” another chimed in.
        “There will be no spirits flowing at this mission.  Now, get
rid of it, or leave this party.”
        “Awwww...”
        But Miss Alice stood firm, and soon everything was peaceful once
again.
        “Ah, lass, ‘tis good to be home, Neil said, taking Christy’s
hand.
        Christy smiled.  “There is no place I’d rather be.”
        Together they stood, looking out over the people of the Cove;
their friends, their family.  Neil broke the peace by saying,
        “I’d best be getting on to my cabin, so I’ll see you later.”
        “Must you?”
        Neil smiled.  “Yes, lass, I’m afraid I must.  I need to catch
up on my medical calls, and see if Dan Scott had any difficulties.”
        “All right.”
        Neil kissed her good-bye and then headed to Charlie, who eagerly
nuzzled his master for treats.
        Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening, Neil only occupied
Christy’s thoughts for a few moments.  Everyone wanted to talk to her,
and marveled at the fantasy of Asheville.
        Ruby Mae’s friends were also mesmerized by the things that the
redhead had brought back.  Later, Christy found herself smothered by
questions as how to acquire “them play-purty thangs.”
        As the sun set and the mountains cast their shadows upon the
Cove, Christy found herself wishing for Neil to be there to share the
evening with.  The late November air was crisp and cold, but, oh, so
clear.
        That night, Christy’s head was spinning with ideas, worries,
and happy thoughts.  Christmas was just a month away.  There was so much
to be done.  School would start up again in a few days.  There would
be a Christmas play to create, a party for the children to plan for,
as well as a Christmas jollification that the mission would hold.  On
top of that, Christy’s family would, true to their promise, be coming
to the Cove to celebrate with Christy and her friends.
        Finally, her anxieties were replaced by peaceful thoughts, snowy
thoughts.  The idea of riding through the powdery mountainside with Neil
put a smiled on Christy’s face and sent her into a light slumber.

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        Christmas peeked around its corner and jumped out at Christy
sooner than she ever expected.  The month flew by, and Christy immersed
herself in school and mission work.  However, though working non-stop,
her dreams that night of riding through the snow with Neil did come true,
and quite often.  Snow in the Cove had been plentiful, but light.  Everyone
enjoyed it.
        Though the winter courting with Neil was wonderful, Christy wondered
what being a wife to Neil would mean.  They’d talked about marriage,
but had agreed that, even though they had loved each other for quite
sometime, others might look upon a sudden marriage with disdain.  Especially,
with Margaret’s reappearance and her and Neil’s annulment.  So, Neil
and Christy would remain courting until the time was right.
        The time Neil and Christy spent riding through the mountains
was now, closer to Christmas, spent at the mission.  They decorated and
decorated, and even managed to get a small tree into the mission, which
was, during recess one afternoon, decorated by the schoolchildren.
        Of course, Neil and Christy did not do all the Christmas work
themselves, but probably had the most fun doing it.
        They tried to include David as much as they could, for he seemed
more than a bit lonely.  Christy wondered if something hadn’t happened
to him in Boston over Thanksgiving.
        Finally, two days before Christmas, it was time to go pick up
Christy’s family.  The day had dawned clear, cold, and bright.  Perfect
weather, at least for December, to travel to El Pano.
        As Christy, Neil, and Jeb bumped down the roughhewn road in Jeb’s
wagon, Christy found that she was completely and totally exhausted. 
She felt as if she had literally jumped from one holiday to the next,
with nothing but a hazy blur in between.
        But, everything was done.  The decorations were up in both the
school and mission house and both buildings were squeaky clean.  The
children were able to recite their Christmas play quite smoothly and
had completely enjoyed their Christmas party on the last day before their
vacation.  And, finally, Christy had all of her presents ready.
        Neil, who had been talking with Jeb, looked with concern at Christy,
who huddling in a corner of the wagon bed.  He knew she had been working
too hard, and was too tired to be doing anything other than resting.
 But, she had insisted on coming with them to get her parents.
        “Christy, lass, you are too tired to do this.”
        Christy jolted out of her daze.  “Neil, I’m fine.”
        Neil hopped over the wagon seat to sit beside her.  “No, you
are not.  Why don’t you try and sleep on the way there?”
        “I’m not tired,” Christy grumbled.  Why did he have to treat
her like such a child?
        Neil sighed; he knew what was going through her mind.  “Christy,
I am not treating you like a child.  I am treating you like a potential
patient.  My doctor’s eyes see that you are overly tired, and are likely
to get sick.  Now, I think a good sleep would help you,” he said gently.
        Christy looked up at him and sighed, “I’m sorry, Neil.  You’re
right.  It’s just that I—”
        Neil put a finger to her lips.  “Shhh...Just sleep.”
        Christy smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder.  A deep
slumber awaited her.
        Some hours later, Christy wakened to Neil’s shaking.  She looked
around.  Everything was white.  She was white, and very cold.  The wind
was whistling loudly through the trees.
        “Christy!  Wake up!”
        “What is it, Neil?” Christy asked groggily.
        “We’re not going to make it to El Pano.”
        “WHAT?!  Christy was awake now.
        “The wagon might be able to make it, Christy but we can’t.  We
are in need of extra blankets, but we didn’t pack any—”
        “Because we assumed it was going to be a nice, relatively warm
winter day,” Christy finished, finally understanding the situation.
        Neil nodded.
        “So, what d-do we do?” Christy asked, shivering.
        “There is a family not far from here, the MacManns.  Hopefully
they will let us stay there ‘til the snow stops.”
        “Can’t we just borrow some blankets and continue on our way?”
        “No, Christy.  We’ll have to stay there.”
        “But—”
        “Christy, you are shivering like a leaf.  If you don’t get somewhere
warm you’ll catch your death.  And, I’ll wager you’ll be sick as it is.”
        Christy gave in and nodded.  Neil sighed.  Christy was too stubborn
for her own good.
        They were soon close to the MacMann’s cabin.  Jeb called out.
 No answer.  He called out again, but there was no answer.
        At the cabin, the all got out of the wagon and Jeb knocked on
the door.  Again, there was no answer, or any evidence of human inhabitance.
 Jeb tried the door.  It was open, so they went inside.  No one was there;
it was as if the MacMann family had just vanished from the cabin in the
middle of their life.  Everything was extremely dusty, and there were
several things that had been left in the middle of their use.
        Christy walked softly to the table.  There were dishes and silverware
on it, and one bowl contained little pieces of dried food that appeared
to be onions.  Christy wondered why the mice had not nibbled on this
food.
        Christy was startled by Jeb’s ringing call, “Helllooo!”  However,
she knew there would be no answer.
         “Well,” Neil said, “the MacManns aren’t here, but I don’t think
they’d mind if we stayed here.”
        “Reckon not,” Jeb said as he stepped over some discarded toys.
        “What about my family Neil?  They will have no idea where we
are.”
        “Christy,” Neil replied, “they will surely see that the snow
has delayed us.”
        “I can go fetch them, Miss Christy.  I’ll jest borrow some blankets;
look’s like they’d have some here.”
        “Oh, no, Jeb.  I didn’t mean—”
        Neil pulled Christy aside and gently said to her, “I know you
want to go, Christy, but it would be too hard on you.  Let Jeb go; he
can make it and get to your family all right.  You do want to get them
to the mission today, don’t you?
        Christy nodded slightly, looking away from him.
        “Christy, I am only suggesting that you stay behind for your
own health.  If it wasn’t snowing, we could all go.”
        “When will it stop snowing?”
        “Hopefully, before dark.”
        “What time is it now?”
        Neil glanced at his pocket watch.  “Twelve o’clock.”
        Christy sighed.  Neil was right.  Having Jeb go get her family
now was better than having them worry the whole day, perhaps even overnight.
 She didn’t even want to think about that.
        “All right, Jeb.  Go ahead,” she said.
        Jeb nodded, and went of in search of some blankets.  After gathering
three or four, he paused before heading out the door.  “Doc?  You be
stayin’ here?”
        “Yes, I’ll stay with Christy until you return.”
        Jeb grinned and winked.  “All right.  Be seein’ ya.”
        Christy turned to Neil, red-faced.  “Neil!  What will my parents
think when they find me here—”
        Neil laughed.  “Your parents, lass, will be grateful that you
are alive, well, and rested, not sick and frozen.”
        Christy smiled, despite herself.  Suddenly feeling dizzy, she
sank onto a vacant chair.
        Neil eyed her suspiciously.  “’Tis a good thing I have my medical
bags.  You look like you are getting sick, just as I expected.  Let me
start a fire, then I’ll examine you.”
        A while later, Christy felt much warmer.  Pulling the blanket
tightly about her, she sipped the grog Neil had made for her and asked,
        “How far from El Pano are we?”
        “About three miles,” Neil replied cautiously, awaiting a heated
remark from Christy.
        “Just three miles?  Neil, surely we could have made it to El
Pano!”
        “But, could you have made it back?” Neil asked.
        Christy half-glared at him.  Why was he always right?  Taking
another sip, she attempted to change the subject.
        “Where do you think the MacManns are?”
        Neil chuckled at Christy’s changing the subject.  But a warning
glance from her dared him to make a remark.  “I cannot say.  They kept
to themselves while they were here.  No one knows much about them.”
        “Did they have any children?” Christy queried.
        “Just one that I know of.  Robert E.  I treated him for pneumonia
as a small child.”
        “How long ago?”
        “Thirteen years ago.  First patient I ever had in the Cove.”
        “Was it very bad?” Christy asked, concerned for this child of
the past.
        “Not extremely.  I’m sure he wouldn’t have died from it, even
though I only made one visit to treat him.”
        “No one knows why they left?”  Christy was quite intrigued by
these MacManns.
        Neil shook his head.  “Nope, now one knows why.  Ben Pentland
just told me one day that he’d stopped in on them and they weren’t there.
 Course, no one paid attention to their disappearance, what with—” He
stopped.  Neil didn’t want to frighten Christy.
        “Neil, what happened?”
        “It’s nothing, really, Christy,” Neil said, already knowing full
well that he had said to much to keep it a secret.
        What was Neil keeping from her?  “Neil, did someone die or anything?”
        He sighed.  “It’s like this.  Two years ago, just before Grantland
arrived, many people were reporting that they had seen a giant man, about
seven feet tall, living in the woods.
        Christy half-laughed.  “That’s ridiculous.  There’s no such man,
or thing.  They probably just saw a bear or something.”
        Neil shook his head.  “Christy, I saw it myself.  I was riding
Charlie and saw a flash of white in the trees.  I got off and chased
it.  Throughout my chase, I got many good looks at the man.  He was a
giant, and he was real.”
        Christy shivered.  Neil wouldn’t lie to her.  Could this be true?
        Neil gave her a reassuring smile.  “Enough stories.  You look
considerably better after getting warm.  How do you feel?”
        “Much better, but,” Christy said, yawning, “I’m quite tired.”
        “Good, you need all the rest you can get.  I found this cot for
you to sleep on.  Not the best, but better than sleeping on the floor,”
Neil said, dragging an old cot close to the fire.”
        Christy nodded and sank onto the makeshift bed.  With one last
look out the window at the falling snowflakes, Christy fell asleep.
        Hours later, about half an hour before sundown, Christy was awakened
by the sound of a slamming door.  She sat up and looked around.  The
fire was still burning, but Neil was not there.  Jeb must have arrived!
 She got up, fixed her hair and stepped outside. 
        The faces that met her there wore the same shocked look as the
faces that had found her at Neil’s, with Becky O’Teale that stormy night
so long ago.


Chapter 16 (final)

Summary of Chapter 15:  Day after Thanksgiving, Christy and Ruby Mae
go shopping.  Margaret gets short of breath and Christy becomes worried.
 Next morning, they go their separate ways.  On the train, Christy gives
Miss Alice the carved wooden cross that Christy bought in Asheville.
(ch. 5)  Miss Alice’s long-awaited homecoming becomes a jollification.
 That night, Christy’s mind is spinning about what has to be done before
Christmas.
Christmas arrives.  Neil, Jeb, and Christy head to El Pano to pick up
Christy’s family.  Snow stops them, and Christy and Neil stay in the
abandoned MacMann cabin.

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        “Christy!  What in the world are you doing?” Julia Huddleston
exclaimed.
        “Mother, I can explain,” Christy said as calmly as she could.
 She held up her hand, preventing Julia from saying any more.  There
was quite a bit of snow all around her, and huge snowdrifts were everywhere.
 It was quite cold, and Christy almost ran back into the cabin, but she
knew she had to explain things to her mother.
        “Jeb, Neil, and I were in the wagon going to El Pano to pick
you up and I dozed off.  I was awakened by cold and snow.  Neil insisted
I get somewhere warm, so we stopped at this cabin.  Jeb offered to go
ahead and fetch you.  Neil stayed here with me to make sure that I did
not get sick from the cold.  Mother, if I hadn’t gotten shelter, I would
have gotten very sick.”
        Julia took a long, deep breath.  “Very, well.  I believe you.
 Now, why don’t you say hello to the others in the wagon.”
        Christy blushed at her impoliteness.  “Hello, Daddy, George,
Lance?  What are you doing here?”
        Lance Livingston laughed and jumped out of the wagon to hug Christy.
 “I came here to visit you, of course.  And,” he said, motioning to the
other passenger in the wagon, “this is my good friend, Hannah LeBorn.”
        Christy turned her eyes to the beautiful young woman in the wagon.
        “Hello, Miss LeBorn.  My name is Christy Huddleston.”
        Hannah smiled.  “Lance has told me much about you.  And, please,
call me Hannah.”
        Christy smiled.  “Lance, Hannah, this is Dr. Neil MacNeill, the
physician of the Cove,” she said, motioning to Neil, who stood behind
her, feeling a bit out of place.  “Neil, meet Lance Livingston.”
        Neil nodded, but a bit warily.  Who in the world was this Lance
Livingston?  And what did he mean to Christy?
        “Christy, honey, don’t you think we should be going?” Julia hurried
her daughter along.
        “Oh, yes, of course.  Just let me go tend to the fire.”  She
walked back into the cabin.  Neil excused himself and followed her.
        “Who in the world is this Lance?” Neil demanded as they extinguished
the fire.
        Christy grimaced.  What must Neil think?  “He is a friend from
Asheville, nothing more.  He helped me get Bonnie, by way.”
        “Is that so?” Neil asked a bit angrily.  Based upon what he’d
just seen, Neil wondered what was between Lance and Christy, or what
had been there a long time ago.
        Christy leaned over and kissed him.  “Neil, he knows how I feel
about you.   I will love you and you only forever.  Come, let’s get back
to the mission.” 
        “Jeb, it’s pretty late.  Did it take you quite a while driving
through the snow?” Neil asked once they were all in the wagon.
        “Like you wouldn’t believe, Doc.  Took me three hours to get
to El Pano, three to git back here.  Once ‘gin, Mr., Mrs. Huddleston,
I’m real sorry ‘bout being late.”
        “Nonsense, Mr. Spencer.  It’s not your fault.  I appreciate all
the trouble you went through to get us back to the mission,” William
said.
        Neil turned from his conversation and focused his eyes on Christy,
Hannah, Lance and George.  Lance’s blond, blond hair and blue eyes made
him quite good-looking.  Once again, Neil felt a twinge of jealousy.
        But, it was Hannah that caught his attention.  She looked exactly
like Christy!  Of course, the setting sun cast eerie shadows all about,
but there was no mistaking the resemblance.
        Christy had been somewhat like Margaret, but Hannah and Christy
could pass as identical twins if need be.  Same stature, same thick brown-blond
hair, same air of dignity and refinement.  They also had the same big,
beautiful eyes, even though Christy’s were blue and Hannah’s were hazel.
 Neil could also see in Hannah the same kind, gentle, giving spirit that
Christy had.
        “Hannah,” Christy was saying, “where are you from?”
        “I’m from Delaware,” Hannah replied with a smile.
        “Where I’m studying right now,” Lance added.
        “Studying to be what, Mr. Livingston?” Neil asked, joining their
conversation.
        “A minister,” was Lance’s reply.
        Neil nodded his satisfaction.  After getting to know David better,
Neil had found more respect for all ministers.
        Quite sometime later, the snow-covered mission clearing came
into their moonlit view.  All were captivated by the sight.
        As the drove up to the mission house, a very worried Miss Alice
rushed out.
        “Oh, I am so glad all of you are fine!  Did the snow delay you?”
        Neil explained what happened as he helped Christy out of the
wagon.  Everyone else also got out quickly, and the men began unloading
the luggage.  No one wanted to stay out in the cold weather, so introductions
waited until everyone had a cup of tea around the fire.
        David, who had also decided to stay in Cutter Gap for Christmas,
was knocked speechless when he first saw Hannah.  For fear of dropping
his tea, David handed the drink to Christy before extending his hand
to Hannah.
        “My name is Grantland, David.  I mean, David Grantland.  I am
the minister here.”
        Hannah smiled a sweet smile.  “My name is Hannah LeBorn.”
        Christy grinned.  They both seemed quite taken by each other.
 This would be an interesting Christmas.
        Then, another meeting, rather reunion, occurred.  Ruby Mae, who
had been sternly told by Miss Alice to finish the dishes, finally finished
her duty and crept into the parlor.  George let out a yelp when he saw
her.
        “Ruby Mae?  Is that you?”
        “George?  You came!”  The two of them ran into each other’s embrace.
        Christy glanced at the guests, including her parents.  Almost
all of them looked a bit uncomfortable at the display before them.  Miss
Alice and David, however, hid their smiles behind their hands.
        Ruby Mae thought nothing of her actions, and George seemed to
have thrown all caution to the wind.  Christy smiled, but wondered, *What
about Bob Allen?*  Ruby Mae had once liked him quite well, but the previous
month, had been avoiding him.
        After a hearty supper from Ruby Mae, everyone turned in.
        Christy walked with Neil out to his horse.  “Will I see you tomorrow?
 For breakfast perhaps?”
        “No, I’m afraid not, lass.  I have some work that I have to do
at my cabin.”
        “Anything I can help you with?”
        Neil winked.  “Not this time.”
        Christy grinned.  “Oh, really.  And what ‘work’ do you have to
tend to?”
        “For me to know and you to find out.” Neil chanted as he tightened
the cinch.
        “All right, then.  Will I see you tomorrow night?”
        “You can count on it.”  Neil brought Christy’s hand to his lips.
 “Good night, Miss Huddleston.”
        Christy blushed and smiled.  *Surely,* she thought, *the night
sky conceals my face.*
        But, Neil knew her too well.  He chuckled and mounted Charlie.
 “Good night.”  Then he was enveloped by the dark.
        Just then, she became aware of the freezing air.  Listening to
Neil ride away, she pulled her coat tighter and ran back into the mission.

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        Early afternoon, the next day, Christy offered to take Hannah
and Lance on a tour of the mission.  There was really nothing to tour,
but a walk sounded like a nice idea.
        Just as they were heading out, David appeared from the parlor,
where he had been helping Miss Alice straighten a few things.
        “Christy?  Mind  if I join you?”
        Christy smiled a knowing smile.  “No, not at all.”
        “Just let me get my coat.”
        As they walked to the gazebo and now frozen pond, Christy told
them all about Cutter Gap and her students.  David told them of the telephone
he had put up and how excited the whole cove had been when it was finished.
        At the gazebo, Christy was reminded of when David had first proposed
to her.  She looked at David, who was gazing intently out over the water.
 Christy hoped he would one day find someone who returned his love.
        *Then again,* she thought with a smile, *maybe that day is now.*
        She nudged Lance.  “Say, Lance, would you like to look at our
horses?”
        Lance grinned.  “I would love to.  David, Hannah, we’ll be right
back.”
        David nodded and turned nervously to Hannah.  “So, Hannah, what
brings you to Cutter Gap?”
        Hannah tore her eyes from the snowcapped mountains and met David’s
questioning gaze.
        “I felt as if I was being suffocated by college.  I needed to
get away, and Lance said he was coming here, with the Huddlestons.  They
offered to take me with them.”
        “You and Lance are quite good friends?” David asked.
        Hannah nodded.  “We met in Dover, where Lance is attending seminary
school and where I am going to college.”
        David’s heart sank.  He had been taken by Hannah the moment he’d
first seen her, and had soon discovered that she was just as beautiful
inside as she was out.
        “Do the two of you have any plans?” David asked, trying to be
casual.
        Hannah looked up at him quizzically and chuckled.  “Did you think...No,
I don’t see Lance in that way.  He has been a good friend, my confident
in difficult times.  He helped me to put my trust in God, and I will
always be grateful to him for that.  But, I think the Lord has another
special person in mind for him.”
        David smiled.  “I’m sure He does.  Now, didn’t you say that you
were going to college...”
        Down in the barn, Christy was introducing Lance to the horses.
        “...and here is Bonita, whom I have renamed Bonnie, Christy announced
proudly.  “How does she look?”
        Lance walked observantly around the mare.  “She looks good. 
Do you ride her everyday?”
        “No, but almost,” Christy replied, running her fingers through
the mare’s steel gray mane.
        Lance nodded.  “She has quite a bit more muscle tone than when
I last saw her.”
        Christy smiled.  “The horses have it quite good here, but they
sure earn their keep.”
        “I can see that.  Now, who are the others?”
        “Well,” Christy said as they walked towards the back of the barn,
“the brown one—”
        “Chestnut,” Lance corrected as he focused his eyes on the horse
Christy was pointing to.
        Christy smiled.  “The *chestnut* one is Miss Alice’s.  Her name
is Goldie.  Miss Alice rides her everywhere.”
        Lance smiled as the horse looked at him with deep, soulful eyes.
 “What a sweet mare.  How old is she?”
        “Oh...Let’s see...I...I really don’t know,” Christy struggled
for an answer.
        Lance stepped back and looked at the horse from a distance. 
Then, he examined her more closely.  Grabbing the chance to teach Christy
something about horses, Lance pointed at Goldie’s face and asked,
        “Christy, see the slight hollows above her eyes?”
        Christy looked closely and nodded, running her fingers over the
slight dips above Goldie’s eyes.
        “After horses reach past the age of about ten or eleven, those
hollows will start to get deeper.  Look at this horse over here—”
        “Prince,” Christy offered.
        “Right, look at Prince.  You can see that he has no hollows above
his eyes.  Is he about seven?”
        Christy nodded; she knew that for a fact.
        “Then Goldie is probably about thirteen or fourteen.”
        Christy smiled.  “That is remarkable, Lance.  Are there other
ways to tell the age of a horse?”
        “Oh, yes, many ways.  But, I wouldn’t want to bore you.”
        Laughing, Christy said, “I’m sure you wouldn’t bore me, we’d
just be here all day!”
        “You’re probably right!  Well, should we head back to the gazebo
and see how Hannah and David are doing?” Lance asked with a grin.
        “We probably should.  The jollification is in just a few hours!”
        As they left the warmth of the barn and stepped out onto the
snow-covered ground, Christy thought of someone that Lance would enjoy
meeting.
        “Lance, there is someone you’ll have to meet tonight,” Christy
said as they were walking back to the gazebo.
        “Really?  Who?
        “Keri Loving and Lindsey Ramsey.  They came from Colorado and
are going to start a horse farm in Low Gap, which is about ten miles
from here.  They are going to start the construction of their buildings
in the spring.”
        “Interesting.  Do they have any horses?”
        “Oh, yes!  I believe their names were Sassy, Charlie, and Dream.”
        Lance was intrigued by these women, and their horses.  “What
do the horses look like?”
        Christy wrinkled her brow in concentration.  “Well, Charlie was
a beautiful red-orange color, Sassy was a chestnut, and Dream was a gorgeous
cream.”
        Lance smiled.  Christy didn’t know what he was really asking
for.  He tried again, “I mean, how were they built?  Did they look like
Bonnie, fine boned and small?  Or were they tall like Prince?”
        “Hmmm...They were all quite tall, but Charlie and Sassy seemed
to be a lot bigger, as far as muscling went.  Does that make sense? 
I don’t really know what I’m talking about.”
        Lance nodded; he was getting a good mental picture of these horses
now.  “Quarter Horses,” he murmured to himself.
        “What?” Christy asked.
        “Oh, I was just thinking that Sassy and Charlie might be a breed
of horse called the Quarter Horse.”  At Christy’s puzzled expression,
Lance quickly explained.
        “The Quarter Horse is a smart, fast horse from out West.  They
are bred to be good with cattle, and to run in races.”
        “Why are they called Quarter Horses?”
        “Well, a Quarter horse can run a quarter mile faster than any
other horse in the world.”
        Christy’s eyes widened.  “Wow, they must be really fast.”
        Lance nodded, and turned his attention back to Miss Loving and
Miss Ramsey’s horses.  “What about their third horse, Dream?”
        Christy smiled as she remembered the pastel colored horse.  
“There was something about her...She seemed to move a bit differently
than the others and she looked to be a bit rougher around the edges than
the others.  Charlie and Sassy seemed, well, more refined I guess.”
        Lance was intrigued even more so.  What breed of horse was stocky,
moved differently, and tall?  He couldn’t wait to meet these horses,
as well as their women owners.

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        Hours later, after getting ready, Christy found herself in Ruby
Mae’s room, helping the girl with her hair.
        “There we go, Ruby Mae.  How is that?”
        Ruby Mae twirled in front of her mirror, fingering the red curls
that framed her face.  “Oh, Miz Christy!  It’s wonderful!  I’m beholdin’
to you for giving me this dress.”
        Christy smiled.  She had given Ruby Mae the dress that George
had seemed to like so much at Thanksgiving.  “It’s my pleasure.  Now,
do you know your lines for the play?”
        As they walked down the stairs, Ruby Mae recited her lines to
her teacher.
        “That’s good, Ruby Mae.  You are going to make a fine Mary.”
        “Oh, thank ye, Teacher!”
        At the bottom of the stairs, Christy found Neil and George waiting.
 The others had already headed to the church.
        George could not take his eyes off Ruby Mae.  Ever since meeting
her in November, George could not stop thinking about her.  He had never
felt this way before.
        “Ruby Mae, you look-you look very beautiful to night,” he stammered.
        “As do you,” Neil whispered with a wink as he offered Christy
his arm.
        The night air was crisp and quite cold, but not cold enough to
keep people away from the Christmas service, or the jollification.  Despite
the snow on the ground, the skies were clear and the stars and moon shone
brilliantly.  It was a beautiful night.
        Suddenly, a very unexpected face appeared in front of Neil and
Christy.
        “Dan!  Whatever are you doing here?” Christy exclaimed.
        Ruby Mae was just about to say something, also, but Christy said
first, 
        “Ruby Mae, why don’t you and George go on ahead to the church.
 Neil, Dan, and I will be there in a minute.”  It was a command more
than a question.
        Dropping his voice, Neil asked, “Is everything all right Dan?”
        Dan Scott smiled broadly.  “Everything is just fine, Dr. MacNeill.
 I aim to attend this church service tonight.”
        Christy swallowed back her tears and gave Dan a hug.  “Dan, I
am so happy you have come.”
        “Me too, Miss Christy.  Would the two of you mind walking into
the church with me?” He asked nervously.
        “Of course, Dan.  It’d be our pleasure,” Neil said.  Soon, they
were climbing the steps of the schoolhouse/church.
        Dan felt as if his heart was going to leap out of his chest.
 The past couple of months had gone quite well for Dan.  There had been
no further threats from Bird’s Eye, and Dan had even managed to become
quite a good friend to the Spencers and McHones.
        They were at the top of the steps.  Everyone became silent as
Neil, Christy, and Dan strode into the church.  No one said a word as
Neil and Dan went to sit down and Christy sat down beside Hannah.  David
smiled reassuringly at Dan as he stepped up to the pulpit.
        The whole church and its congregation were bathed in a luminous
glow that came from the many lanterns and candles that David had so painstakingly
set up.
        As David began reading the Christmas story, Christy found herself
easily transported back to that wonderful time.  Christy never tired
of hearing about Jesus’ birth.
        All too soon, Christy had to bring herself back to reality. 
It was time for the play.
        Christy gathered all her students in a corner and then sent them
into their places.
        The whole play went wonderfully, and everyone oohed and awed
over Mountie, who was the angel.  She wore a little white satin dress
that Miss Alice had lovingly constructed a while earlier.
        Every child knew just what to do and when to do it, even though
the three wise men, Creed, Sam Houston, and Little Burl, ended up tripping
over themselves and onto the children who were dressed as animals.  Everyone
got a good laugh out of that.
        As the final prayer was said, dry eyes turned to a rainbow sparkle
of tears.
        “Thank you, God.  Thank you so much for the birth of Jesus, thank
you for sending him here to save us,” Christy whispered. 
        She glanced back toward the doors, dabbing her eyes, and was
surprised to see the figure of a man in the moonlight who looked suspiciously
like Bird’s Eye.  But, it seemed as soon as Christy had blinked, he was
gone.  She looked across the aisle, and Dan caught her eye.  Had he seen
the man, too?
        While everyone was filing out of the building, Christy hung behind
and talked to Hannah, whom she hadn’t had a chance to talk to yet.  Christy
tried to start the conversation with,
        “Hannah, that is such a beautiful dress.  Wherever did you get
it?”
        Hannah shyly fingered her cream-colored satin shirtwaist and
her rosewater-colored skirt.  “I made them.”
        “You mean you designed this?  And sewed it?”  Christy was surprised.
 The shirtwaist had intricate rose embroideries on it and the skirt was
so finely constructed that Christy thought it had definitely been store-bought.
        “Yes, I did.  I am studying to design ladies clothes in college,”
Hannah smiled.
        “To sell?”  Christy had never really put much thought towards
the idea that someone had to have designed the gorgeous ball gowns that
she’d once owned and worn.
        “Oh, yes!  When I’m finished with my studies, I hope to submit
my designs to many stores.”
        Christy smiled.  “Hannah, that sounds wonderful.  You are obviously
very, very good at your profession.”
        “Thank you, Christy.”
        Hannah and Christy turned at the sound of footsteps, and music,
coming from outside and down the schoolhouse aisle.  Both Neil and David
approached the women, bowed low, and asked,
        “May I have this dance?”
        Christy and Hannah exchanged devious glances.  They both curtsied,
and then Christy took David’s arm, and Hannah took Neil’s.  Laughing,
they all began to dance.  The couples soon switched, and Christy was
back with Neil.
        “’Tis a beautiful night, lass,” Neil murmured.
        “I know,” Christy replied, gazing up at the stars.
        “I wasn’t talking about the stars.”
        As they twirled around, Christy caught glimpses of her family
and friends engaged in their activities.  Lindsey, Ruby Mae, and George
were all talking and eating something enticing, Dan was showing his beautiful
carved animals to children, William and Julia were talking to Jeb and
Fairlight, Miss Alice was overseeing the whole thing with joy, and Keri
and Lance, who were also dancing, were obviously talking horses...
        “...plan to use Charlie to refine the mountain breed, without
loosing their surefootedness and survival strength,” Keri was saying.
        “Sounds very interesting.  Is Charlie a Quarter Horse?”
Keri shook her head.  “No, just half.”
        “I see.  What about your cousin, Lindsey?”
        “We have planned that she will be doing most of the work in the
training area, while I will be dealing with the breeding.  Of course,
everything will probably pretty much be shared between us.”
        “Christy told me that you had purchased a cream horse by the
name of Dream.  Tell me about her,” Lance probed for more information.
        “Oh!  Dream, or Pastel Climax, is a Tennessee Walker mare!  I
plan to use her as one of my foundation mares for the breed.”
        “So, you are breeding a line of Walkers, along with a line of
mountain bred horses?”  
        “Yes.”
        “I would love to see Dream one day.”
        “I would like that, too,” Keri smiled.
        Christy smiled.  Dancing under the stars with her love was the
one and only place that she wanted to be.  She sighed.  All too soon,
the song was over.
        “Christy, will you come take a walk with me?” Neil asked.
        “I’d be delighted,” Christy answered.  Arm in arm, they headed
to the small bridge near the mission.  The moon made everything so beautiful
that Christy had tears in her eyes.  She was so overflowing with love
and happiness that she didn’t know what to do with it all, except enclose
Neil in a tight hug.  She sniffed.
        Pulling back from his lass’s embrace Neil asked, “Christy?  What
is wrong?”
        Christy smiled.  “Oh, Neil.  I am just so happy right now that
it brings tears to my eyes.  And, the moon, it brings back so many memories.”
        “Aye, I know what you mean.”  He smiled broadly.  “And, what
memories does this moon bring back to you?”
        Christy returned his smile.  “This moon will forever remind me
of our chance meeting at the river when Bessie saw us.  I was completely
mesmerized by the moon, and you.”
        “Oh, lass, I’ll never forget how I felt that night, when I was
with you.  And, how you were able to read me so well, when I was thinking
of Margaret.  Christy, that night, as on this one, your beauty made my
heart swell to no end.”
        “Neil...” Christy said softly.
        “Lass, I cannot live another day without you constantly with
me, to be there for me,” he pulled out a small box from his pants pocket
and opened it in front of his love, “as my wife.”  Christy put her hand
over her chest with emotion.  “Christy Rudd Huddleston, will you marry
me?”
        Tears streaming down her face, Christy threw her arms around
her beloved.  “Yes!  Oh, Neil!  I...This...Oh!”  Christy couldn’t speak,
so she expressed her love in a kiss.  Gently, she took the box and gazed
at the endless beauty inside.  The emerald and moonstones that formed
a diamond had been worn to a soft sheen, reflecting lifetimes of loves,
and losses.
        “It belonged to my grandmother.  My grandfather sent for it all
the way from Denmark.”
        “Oh, Neil.  It is beautiful.  Thank you, so much,” Christy said
as she put the ring on her finger.  It was strangely ironic that the
ring David had once given her was also an emerald.
        “Come on, let’s go tell everyone.”
        No one noticed that Neil and Christy had left, and their happy
return also went unnoticed.  They both climbed the steps of the schoolhouse,
and Neil announced in a big voice,
        “Everyone, Christy and I have an announcement to make.”
        All became quite.  Neil and Christy smiled at each other.
        “I have proposed to her, and she has accepted!  We are going
to be married!”
        Hoops and hollers like a person wouldn’t believe filled the air.
 “It’s about time!” Many of them shouted.
        Neil once again bowed low and asked, “May I have the honor of
this dance?”
        “Of course,” Christy smiled.
        “You’re not going to go off dancing with Grantland, are you?”
Neil teased.
        “I think David is quite busy at the moment,” Christy motioned
across the other dancers where David and Hannah were quietly talking.
        “Aye, I think you’re right.”
        “Doc, what would ye like ta hear?  This dance is fer you and
Miss Christy.”
        Neil looked at Christy with a gentle expression.  “’Beautiful
Dreamer.’  Know that one Jeb?”
        “Shore do.  Here goes,” and the strains of “Beautiful Dreamer”
on the dulcimer drifted through the air.
        All too soon, everyone began to leave.  Christy pulled Fairlight
aside before she and Jeb were to leave.
        “Fairlight?  Will you come to the mission house with me real
quick?”
        “Of course, Christy.  What you be needin’?” Fairlight asked.
        “I want to show you something.”  Christy pulled her friend into
the mission house and up to her room.  Once up there, Christy pulled
a brown package from under her bed.  “Fairlight, this is for you.  Merry
Christmas.”
        “Oh, Christy, I canna be takin’ this,” Fairlight stared in awe
at the package.
        “Fairlight, you have done so much for me.  You showed me the
ways of the Cove, and showed me who I really loved.  Fairlight, if it
wasn’t for you, I might be unhappily married to David right now.  I’m
greatly beholding to you for that.  Please, open it.”
        Fairlight gently took the package and untied the strings.  Then
she pulled out the beautiful gray dress that Christy had purchased in
Asheville.  “Christy, this is the most beautiful thing I ever did see.
 A real, store-bought dress...”
        “You deserve it, Fairlight.  But, I have one favor to ask of
you,” Christy smiled.
        Fairlight looked up from the shimmery dress that she was holding
to her chest.  “Oh, anythang!”
        “Would you be my maid of honor at my wedding?  Would you wear
this dress?”
        Fairlight laughed with delight.  “I’d jest love to!  And, don’t
worry, I’ll make sure you have the best shivaree ever,” she winked.
        “Shivaree?  What is that, Fairlight?  Is it some kind of party?”
Christy had never heard of a shivaree.
        Fairlight was shocked that Christy did not know this.  She took
her friend by the hand and they sat on the bed.  “Here, Mama will explain...”
        Hours later, after saying good-bye to Fairlight, and Neil, Christy
lay in bed trying to sleep.  But, she was just too wound up.  Christy
blushed as she thought of Fairlight’s explanation of the Shivaree custom.
 The very idea...
        Then Christy turned her thoughts to the future.  Mrs. Neil MacNeill.
 Christy wanted to become that more than anything in the world.  It was
an exhilarating and frightening thought.  Christy’s favorite daydream
then entered her mind; red-haired children playing lions and tigers in
front of the fire with their husband, Neil MacNeill.  Finally, Christy
fell into dreamland...
        Christy was dreaming of her wedding day.  It was summertime,
and the birds were singing.  Christy was in her room, getting ready.
 Her mother was with her, fixing her hair.  Julia held up a mirror so
Christy could see her hair.  Part of her hair was in an S-type bun, the
rest of it was down and waving.
        Christy never had had such a vivid dream.  Her wedding dress
was so real she could feel it swishing about her.  It was a simple satin
gown with a medium length train.  Though the wedding dress in Christy’s
other dream had been lavender, indicating relation to Margaret’s dress,
this one was white, with small, purple flowers sewn on the chest and
veil.  It was a true wedding gown, and it was stunning.
        Then, it was time.  Christy walked down the aisle with her father,
meeting and passing many familiar faces.  Keri, Lindsey, Lance and Hannah
were there, as well as some of Christy’s other friends from her past
life of Asheville.  Her Cove friends were there, too.  Opal, Tom, John
and Elizabeth Holocome, Bob and Mary Allen.  Then, there was Miss Alice,
dressed in her Quaker attire, looking proudly at the young woman she
had come to call a daughter.  The children were there as well, giggling
and smiling at their beautiful teacher.
        William then handed his daughter to Neil.  Christy smiled lovingly
at Neil, who was wearing his grandfather’s kilt.  He looked quite handsome.
 The beautiful silver piece that fastened the sash ends together on his
shoulder gleamed in the sunlight as they stood at the gazebo and stepped
up to take their vows.  Fairlight stood to the side, in the beautiful
gray dress, and Jeb was across from her, in his Sunday best.  Tom and
Opal also stood facing each other, as did two other people, whom Christy
didn’t recognize at the moment.  Little Mountie, dressed in her white
satin dress, held a small basket that had, moments ago, been filled with
an array of mountain flower petals.
        David smiled joyfully at the couple and began the ceremony. 
After the traditional vows were exchanged, Neil and Christy placed their
wedding bands on each other’s fingers, and Aunt Hattie began to sing
a beautiful song, but Christy did not know what the lyrics were.  Then,
Neil kissed his bride, and Christy could hear very well the hoops and
hollers of the men!
        The couple strode down the aisle as husband and wife, and Christy
was sure the sun was the brightest it had ever been.  They had their
pictures taken, and Neil even went so far as to have his beloved horse
in a picture.
        Then, Neil and Christy were dragged to a table piled with wedding
presents.  Many gifts were very practical, such as sheets, towels, and
quilts.  The most beautiful quilt, however, was a quilt of Fairlight’s.
 After spreading it out, Christy could see that Fairlight had tried to
recreate Christy’s view of the mountains from her mission bedroom.  That
way, no matter wherever Christy went, she would always be able to look
at her mountains.
        Other gifts were a bit unpractical, but too beautiful not to
appreciate.  One such thing was a beautiful lace tablecloth.  While it
would look nice on the table in their cabin, Christy could just see Neil
using it in an operation!  Another gift was a large crystal statue of
two horses, their necks intertwined and reaching towards the heavens.
 It was from Keri and Lindsey.  It was almost too beautiful to be in
Cutter Gap.
        But, perhaps the grandest present was from Christy’s parents.
 It was an upright piano and bench, which filled to the brim with books.
 It looked as if it was made of cherry wood, polished to a beautiful
sheen.  Aside from the mission’s grand piano, Christy had never seen
anything more beautiful.  It was then that she woke up.
        It was freezing, and Christy curled up in her covers, reflecting
on the dream she had just envisioned.  Christy wanted her real wedding
to be like her dream, so she grabbed a tablet and began to write everything
down.  After a while, she put the tablet down and bowed her head in prayer.
        “Dear God, I thank you for this day, and this wonderful love
that you have given Neil and myself.  Thank you for the gift of my wedding
dream, too.  Thank you for guiding us under your wing, to that day when
we will become intertwined as one, under your precious name.  Amen.”
        Christy then shivered out of bed and dressed.  Before heading
down for breakfast, she momentarily lost herself in her own special view
of the mountains.  God had written Christy’s name forever into the land,
where generations would admire and remember her life, her spirit, and
her faith. 


THE END

*******************
Michael Martin Murphey
Palomino Days

Amber skies,
Topaz eyes,
and eagles on the wind.
Reflected in your eyes when I
gave you the shining ring.
*******************


Epilogue

        Neil and Christy were married on May 2, 1914 at the mission house
gazebo.  The wedding was very much like Christy’s dream, right down to
the crystal horse gift and piano!
        They had three children.   Rebecca Fairlight, the oldest, was
born on October 16, 1917.   A beautiful tow-headed little girl, Rebecca
had the special gift known as “The Confidence of Horses.”  Even as a
very young girl, she was able to tame even the wildest of horses.  The
other two children, twin brothers, were born on December 9, 1919.  Neil
and Christy named them Delwin Thomas and Levi Joshua.  Both little rascals,
they knew every trick and practical joke in the book.  They had a good
teacher, though, Creed Allen.
        Hannah and Lance both reluctantly left the Cove after Christmas.
 However, wild horses couldn’t have dragged and kept them away forever.
 After Lance finished ministry school, he moved permanently to the Cove,
where he married Keri on December 31, 1921.  Lance put his ministry education
to work and became the preacher in Low Gap, and later, Cutter Gap.  Keri
was sadly unable to have any children, but she and Lance focused their
lives on God.
        They also played a big part in developing the modern Tennessee
Walking Horse breed.  Giovanni, the American Saddlebred stud, stood at
Wartrace, Tennessee in 1914 and greatly refined the looks of the Tennessee
Walkers with his blood.  Keri’s horse, Dream, was bred to Giovanni and
the foal was the first modern Walker.  Giovanni’s Dreamer, as the foal
was called, became very successful and gave the new, refined Walkers
a boost in their popularity.
        Hannah and David married, also.  Though they did not remain in
the Cove permanently, their life in Asheville was a happy one.  Their
only daughter, Trinity, was blessed with a beautiful voice, just like
her mother.  Hannah and David did frequently visit the Cove, and the
whole family was well loved by everyone.
        Lindsey also fell in love and married.  Justin Davis, a mountain
horseman from Cataleechie, had lived up in an isolated valley his whole
life, where he’d raised a breed of horse that was unlike any other. 
Even Lindsey, who’d researched every horse on earth, had never seen such
horses.  Justin had inbred the horses, but so carefully that only the
finest and purest horses were elected into the herd.  Lindsey had stumbled
one day upon Justin Davis and his horses, and had gradually opened up
the shy young man to the world.  Though Justin’s breed was never officially
recognized, it played a large part in the development of the Rocky Mountain
Horse breed.
        Lindsey and Sassy also had great successes.  In many local horse
races, and some not so local, Lindsey masqueraded as a man and raced
her horse.  They won many races, before Lindsey finally retired Sassy
to be a broodmare.  Lindsey bred Sassy strictly to Quarter Horses, and
the result was a foal by the name of Gossip Avenue, the grandmother of
Three Bars, one of the foundation Quarter Horse studs of the modern breed.
        Lindsey and Justin had one child, a boy by the name of Real.
 He was a very talented artist, and traveled the world when he was older.
        Dan and Cecile married in Cutter Gap, and spent a few years doctoring
and teaching the people, before they headed back to their only true home,
Freedom, Kentucky.  They were sorely missed, and even Bird’s Eye expressed
his regrets at their departure.  Dan and Bird’s Eye, though never friends,
had been in situations together where their blind trust in each other
was all they had.
        And as for Ruby Mae and George, well, they never did marry. 
They both sadly grew apart from each other.  Perhaps the different worlds
they came from prevented them from ever sharing a life together, but
they always remained good friends.
        However, Ruby Mae did marry Bob Allen, and they had two daughters,
Sondra Lee and Danielle Eve. 
        The Cove was put through wars, diseases, and politicians, but
it never lost its soul; its people and their heritage