Elizabeth Gaines was the next student to be called to speak. “I am Elizabeth Mary Gaines I was born in Pennsylvania. My father is a Baptist Minister. I have four sisters and no brothers.” Elizabeth went on to tell about her summer. She ended by saying, “This is my last year to attend school.”
The school bell rang as Ruth Meyers was talking. “What was the bell for,” Royce asked.
“That was the dinner bell,” Ruth replied.
Royce pulled out his pocket watch and opened the cover. It was twelve o’clock. “So it is,” he declared surprised that the morning had passed so quickly. “You may go,” he stated.
Four of his students went home for dinner. The remainder sat in friendly groups and opened dinner pails. Royce had not given dinner a thought. A lawman’s meals were uncertain at the best of times. At the worst they were nonexistent. Seated at his desk he took a leather wrapped package of dried beef from an inside pocket and bit off a chunk of meat. Coffee would be good but decided not to leave his classroom unattended until he knew his students better. He could remember more than a few pranks he had pulled over his school days and shuddered.
Their meal over the younger girls went outside to play. Lydia stood in the open door looking at Miss Ferguson. Her face was puckered in a frown while her eyes looked troubled. “Lydia,” Royce spoke quietly. “Is there something I can help you with,” he asked.
Lydia bowed her head and shook her head slowly.
“You did not want to come to school,” Royce said. He was rewarded by Lydia jerking her head up and looking at him. She was silently crying. “You have no reason to be afraid,” Royce declared.
“Yes Sir,” Lydia said in a soft whisper. Her tone of voice belied her statement. “Did you really wear a badge when you were seventeen,” she asked.
“Beings you are a Minister’s daughter I would think you know the importance of telling the truth,” Royce replied. Lydia’s face softened into what Royce believed was a smile. A very shy smile.
“Yes Sir,” Lydia replied.
“My father was a lawman,” Royce stated. “Like Ministers, lawmen insist the truth be spoken.” He rubbed the back of his head. Royce’s flesh was crawling. Looking up he saw Miss Ferguson watching them. Her pinched features were dark with disapproval. The woman went back into her classroom. There was something about Miss Ferguson that troubled Royce. Or was it his protective instinct. Adults could be bullies as well as children. Lydia’s fears touched his heart.
All afternoon Royce spent trying to sort out his students’ levels of learning so he could prepare class assignments. At the same time wondering when he was going to have time to investigate Marshal Dean’s murder and learn which of Junction City’s citizens was Barlow.
When Miss Ferguson rang the bell at three o’clock Royce was more than ready to call it a day. Yet, his spirit soared when Lydia told him a soft goodbye. He walked to the front door and was surprised to find Faith standing on the end of the boardwalk. He watched Lydia and her sisters until they turned the corner and disappeared from sight.
* * * * *
“How was your day,” Faith asked. Holding her breath until Lydia answered. Not sure what she expected her sister to say.
“I like Mr. Hargadon,” Lydia replied simply.
Elizabeth reported on the day’s happening. Starting with Johnny Meyers and Bobby Smith trying to pretend they were each other and how Mr. Hargadon handled the situation.
“Mr. Hargadon says lawmen expect to be told the truth just like Ministers,” Lydia said. Faith wondered why Mr. Hargadon would make such a statement. “Mr. Hargadon’s father was a sheriff. He says he once wore a Deputy’s Sheriff’s badge. Back when he was seventeen,” Lydia informed her older sister. “He says everyone deserves respect and silenced the class when they . . . when they started to laugh at me.” Tears formed in Lydia’s eyes as she recalled how humiliating she had felt until Mr. Hargadon had spoken.
Good for him, Faith thought. She could see her youngest sister was upset over the incident. She also knew Lydia was not convinced attending school was going to be pleasant. “I can talk with father,” Faith suggested. “Maybe he will agree to you studying at home.”
“You know he won’t,” Lydia replied sadly. “A Minister’s family must set a good example for the rest on the community. It is alright,” she continued. “Mr. Hargadon said I mustn’t be afraid. I will try to be brave,” she added before giving Faith a grateful look. She knew Faith worried about her when she was at school.
Elizabeth stopped in front of the millinery. In the store’s front window was displayed a straw bonnet decorated with paper flowers. “Would you believe that,” Elizabeth declared. “Mother showed me how to make crêpe paper flowers and now Mrs. Hock has copied the flowers I wore on my bonnet last Sunday.”
“Mrs. Hock has to make her living,” Lydia said softly. “You know Mr. Hock can’t keep a job.”
“Sometimes I wish we did not have to turn the other cheek,” Elizabeth declared vehemently. Not willing to forgive Mrs. Hock’s act of thievery. For that was how Elizabeth viewed the situation. Mrs. Hock had stolen her mother’s creation.
“Grandmother Stern taught mother how to make paper flowers when she was young,” Faith said. “I am sure at the time many women knew how to make paper flowers. Remember mother saying as much. Maybe the flowers on your Sunday bonnet only reminded Mrs. Hock of a skill she already knew but had forgotten,” she suggested to her younger sister.
“Humph,” Elizabeth scoffed. Not willing to be easily pacified. She
