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Mirrorsin Magick: Book 1 - The Crystal Tower
Mirrorsin Magick: Book 1 - The Crystal Tower
Mirrorsin Magick: Book 1 - The Crystal Tower
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Mirrorsin Magick: Book 1 - The Crystal Tower

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It's 1884 in Northern Arizona when Billy McGraw is led into a mine, which in reality turns out to be an underground building where magic and science technology are at their ultimate. Billy obtains them and uses both as he sets out to recover a treasure stolen from him by the Apaches. In this tale, John Northern describes Billy and Annie's adventures as they encounter outlaws and Indians, who become their enemies. When they finally catch up with the Apaches, who took his treasure, Billy finds much more than he had planned for.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherJohn Northern
Release dateJun 29, 2013
ISBN9781301860975
Mirrorsin Magick: Book 1 - The Crystal Tower
Author

John Northern

Doctor of Chiropractic

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    Mirrorsin Magick - John Northern

    Mirrorsin Magick - Book 1

    The Crystal Tower

    Published by John Northern at Smashwords

    Copyright 2013 by John Northern

    All rights reserved

    Table of Contents

    Chapter 1 - Earthquake

    Chapter 2 - The Orphan

    Chapter 3 - The Getaway

    Chapter 4 - Into the Mouth of Danger

    Chapter 5 - Insidious Bouncing Marbles

    Chapter 6 - The Silver Tube

    Chapter 7 - Plans of Escape

    Chapter 8 - The Crystal Tower

    Chapter 9 - Magic Bestowed

    Chapter 10 - The Secret of Sam's Mine

    Chapter 11 - Ancient Knowledge

    Chapter 12 - The Shadow Kid

    Chapter 13 - The Leather Bag

    Chapter 14 - Shillelagh

    Chapter 15 - Blue Diamonds

    Chapter 16 - Danger in the Forest

    Chapter 17 - The Oak Creek Miracle

    Chapter 18 - Four Riders

    Chapter 19 - Tracks in the Night

    Chapter 20 - The Unexpected Incident

    Chapter 21 - Congregation

    Chapter 22 - The Infamous Outlaw

    Chapter 23 - Indian Fighter

    Chapter 24 - Voice from the Shadows

    Chapter 25 - Ghost in the Forest

    Chapter 26 - Jlin Litzoque

    Chapter 27 - The Lost Treasure

    Chapter 28 - Again, the Ghost

    Chapter 1

    Earthquake

    There was a blood-red, half-moon with dark clouds swirling around it like a misty maelstrom in the night. The wind was howling and blowing up a tantrum causing the shutters to bang and the barn door to rattle—most annoying. Over the mountain in the distance, bright flashes of lightning lit up the forests, and thunder shook the night and exploded into the valleys and tunneled down into the plains wracking the night.

    Annie kept tossing and turning—back and forth trying to get into a more comfortable position so she could go to sleep. She kept pushing away the insomnia and shutting down her mind—lower and lower, and just when she was about to doze off, Mrs. Greenwood, the teacher of the one-room schoolhouse, popped into Annie's mind, rudely intruding upon her promise of a good night's slumber. Mrs. Greenwood would be there in the morning ringing her brass bell and calling the students to class for the first day of school. All the kids would be there. It would be a time to talk about their summers—a time to find out what was new with the homesteaders—a time to find out more news concerning the vile Apaches.

    The shutter banged.

    With an annoyed sigh, Annie turned on her other side. Why can't I go to sleep, she asked herself. Then, without warning, she started thinking about little, thirteen year old Billy McGraw, . . . well, maybe not so little since he was three inches taller than her at five foot eight—even though she was a year older. She tried to picture him with his slender build, his freckled face, and his red mop of hair, but the harder she tried the fuzzier his image became, until finally sleep started to overtake her. Much to her pleasure she passed into sleep-heaven.

    Time passed. It was early morning with just a hint of the rising sun coming from behind the mountains. Light started penetrating the dark clouds giving the sky an ethereal look. The wind continued gusting and banging the shudder. Half asleep Annie wondered if it would rain on the first day of school. And would the skies be gloomy trying to dampen the excitement of the students? She didn't want to think about it; instead she wanted to remain in a peaceful sleep.

    And that's when the trouble began.

    The bed started shaking. Her bedroom door flew open. Something made of glass fell on the floor and broke into a million pieces sending shards flying across the wooden planks and making noises like drops of rain on a tin roof. Annie awoke with a start and sat up in bed. Oh no! She thought, evil Sam is coming to town. It was silly to be thinking of Sam in the middle of a terrible earthquake. She watched for a moment as her old chest of drawers went scooting across the room, more objects fell off the shelves, making a loud, crashing noise, her bed bounced up and down, and shook back and forth. She knew it was time to get out of the house—just in case the old, wooden roof came crashing down. Without taking the time to put on her slippers or her nightgown, she jumped up and ran to the bedroom doorway where she stood for a moment fighting to keep her balance.

    Fran, Annie's mother, was trying to steady herself against the doorframe of her bedroom as it shook violently with everything else in the house.

    Her mother was being flung back and forth and looked like a rag doll nailed to a post in a hurricane. She was still half asleep, as she was being tossed about, which proved she could sleep through almost anything. Just then Annie's father ran out of the bedroom, swooped up Annie's mother under one arm, and ran for the front door while calling out. Come on, Annie. We have to get out of the house.

    A real feat for my feet, she thought,—she liked to think of clever sayings, but it was silly to do it during a dangerous earthquake. She let go of the door frame. She took one step and found it was too difficult to keep from falling to her knees. She remembered what she did the last time, which prevented skinned knees and sore hands. She rose up on her tiptoes like a ballerina and started running across the boiling floor. The boards were rising and falling like waves in the ocean. Even on her toes she lost her balance and started to go down. At the last second she put a foot to the side and managed to regain her balance. She kept running. She landed on her toes with light steps and finally succeeded in moving rather quickly to the other side of the living room. She ran out the front door, across the wooden porch, and down the steps. She didn't stop running until she was in the front yard next to her parents. She was rather exhausted as she was huffing and puffing. Another earthquake, she blurted out—a rather silly statement considering they all knew what it was. But she didn't care, she was most annoyed.

    The wind was tousling her hair, and the ground beneath her feet was shaking causing her to lean against the fence post to keep from falling. These earthquakes always lasted exactly ten minutes, which Annie believed was longer than most earthquakes, like the ones in California. And why exactly ten minutes? And why no aftershocks? Annie knew why—it had to do with Miner Sam—a strange and evil man. Why was it that no one knew he was evil, except her? Why could no one figure out that he was the cause of these earthquakes?

    Annie looked at her father standing a few feet away. His legs were shaking with the ground, and he was still clutching Fran under his arm, around her stomach with her feet and head drooping toward the grass. She was bent in the middle like a horizontal question mark. Her eyes were closed, but not for long. Her eyes blinked several times, and then they opened wide.

    Fran had finally come to her senses, and she was completely awake. Put me down, Frank, she said in an irritated tone as she turned her head and looked up at him.

    Annie's father was watching the house as the shaking subsided, then he looked down when he heard his wife's voice and realized he was still holding her. Oh, right, he said as he gingerly set her feet first on the ground. Then he looked at the house again, and said in a voice of disgust. What a way to start the day. It looks like I'm going to have a lot of work to do before I go to work.

    And you think I won't? snapped Fran. She put her arm around Annie and pulled her close. Today we're all going to have extra work.

    Annie squirmed to get away. She loved her mother and all, but at the moment she was a little irritated. Every time one of those horrible earthquakes shook their house it more than doubled their chores. Her father would have to pick up the wooden planks from the ground and nail them back in the gaping holes in the walls of the house. He would have to reposition the wood stove, which, at the time of the earthquake, always jumped out of its metal shoes and ran across the floor. And the little tin pipe that went through the roof would have to be put back together. Annie and her mother would have to clean the black soot that got all over the floor and just about everything else in the kitchen and living room. After cleaning up the soot, they would be picking up pots and pans, sweeping the floor, replacing knick-knacks on the shelves, and putting the furniture back in its place. And then, the hard part—they would have to clean the black soot off their faces, hands and arms, and out from underneath their fingernails. It would take at least two and a half hours.

    Annie knew that by the time they finished the extra chores, they would only have time for a quick breakfast, and then it would be off to school for her, and off to work for her father. They were going to be sleepy all day. She knew she wouldn't have any trouble going to sleep tonight.

    Annie was really starting to get annoyed with that miner Sam. She would like to give him a good kick in the rear, but more than that she wished he would move to another state and never come back. But since she knew he wouldn't, she wished she could prove that somehow he caused the earthquakes. They were entirely his fault (no pun intended).

    She took a step toward the house, then turned and with a voice of resignation mixed with annoyance she said, Well, let's get to it. Usually her mother said that, but this time Annie beat her to it.

    Her mother laughed. Yes, let's, she agreed.

    Annie couldn't understand how her mother could laugh at a time like this. She and Fran went into the house, while Frank went to the barn to get his tools.

    It seemed like a very long two and a half hours—time moves like a three-legged turtle when you have to work hard, but even as Annie had predicted, they had finished putting the place back together, and she was just finishing her breakfast of toast and fried eggs. Her father, a few minutes before, had saddled the horse and headed for the logger's camp, many miles up in the forest where he would cut down trees,—because that's what loggers do.

    The miner is coming to town today, said Annie in a voice of intuitive irritation.

    Fran didn't say anything.

    Don't you think that's strange? asked Annie. He always comes to town on the same day we have an earthquake. There's something very weird about that man. In fact, I think he's an evil magician.

    Annie's mother had an incredulous smile on her face. An evil magician? What do you mean—you think he causes the earthquakes? Don't be silly. It's just a coincidence, or, more likely he comes to town to see if everyone is alright and to see if all the buildings are still standing, after all he does depend on the general store for his supplies.

    You're wrong, said Annie. If that's all there was to it, then I would agree that it could be a coincidence, or that he was coming to check everything out, but what about that strange hood he wears, it shimmers in the light. Sometimes his head looks like a kerosene lamp lighting up the room. And I'll bet if he wasn't wearing a coat, we would see that the hood is attached to a cloak and that the whole thing shimmers. I know he says he bought it from a traveling salesman who said it's the new rage in Paris, France, but I think he's lying—like a bear skin rug. There's no such thing in Paris, France. There's no such thing in the whole world. Someday you and everyone else will find out that what I'm saying is true. I just hope you don't find out the hard way.

    Fran put the frying pan in a bucket of water. Annie, you know they're inventing new things all the time. It's not so impossible to believe that this new material was invented in France. I'm sure that many French men and women are wearing the new fabric at this very moment.

    Okay, then why does he wear it in the summer, when it's hot? And don't tell me he has an allergy to the sun just because he says he does. He's a miner. Annie paused in pensive consideration, then said, And even if everything he says is true, what about the horseshoe nails? It's incredibly ridiculous. He buys thirty kegs of horseshoe nails every time he comes to town. Why would anyone need thirty kegs of horseshoe nails every couple of months? I know he says he melts them down to build structural supports for the mineshaft. But again—he's lying. Miners don't do that. And why does he buy so much food? He practically wipes out the General Store every time he comes to town. The owner of the general store, Mr. Cooper, keeps twenty, twenty-five pound bags of pinto beans in stock for him when he comes to town. He couldn't possibly eat that much food in two months. Hey, maybe he's the one who kidnapped the three teenage girls. You know—I bet he is. And that's why he needs so much food. Annie reflected on the last teenager who had disappeared—sixteen-year-old Ann Miller. Her parents were devastated. After a trapper reported a Comanche war party was in the area at the same time she was abducted, the sheriff formed a posse which consisted of most of the ranchers and some of the town's men. They searched for the war party for several days, but they never found them. But after that the sheriff concluded that it was the Comanche's, who, over a span of fourteen years, had kidnapped the three teenage girls. But Annie knew it was evil Miner Sam. Yeah, she said. It's probably miner Sam who kidnapped the teenagers. But even if it isn't him, I'm telling you there's something very strange about that man. And something else, now that I think about it, this Summer I heard two old prospectors talking to the store keeper, and they said they were camped high in the woods, and one day when they looked down through binoculars at the little mountain in the desert, they saw Sam go into his mineshaft with his entire pack train of mules. They believed it was strange—miners never take mules into a mine, but it was even stranger that they were there for three days, and he never brought the mules out! They said that a few minutes after he entered the mineshaft some men came out and unloaded the kegs of nails, and all the other supplies from the wagons, and took them into the mine. They couldn't get a good look at the men, even with the binoculars, because they were too far away. You know—they were up on Promontory Point several miles away.

    Fran clucked her tongue, which sounded to Annie like a frustrated chicken. Honey, said Fran, your imagination is getting the best of you. Instead of spending your time thinking such nonsense you should be thinking about Jed Smith.

    Annie could feel her face becoming warm, almost hot, under a bright-red blush. Mother, are you trying to get rid of me!? she asked. Well?

    Of course not. Don't be silly. I just think you have a great opportunity for a good life with a good-looking, young man who has a rich father.

    Annie got up from the table and left the kitchen. She crossed the living room floor and opened the front door. I'm going to school, she said, and slammed the door on her way out.

    Chapter 2

    The Orphan

    Annie did a balancing act as she stood on a rickety, old stool and carefully climbed onto Winnie—her horse. With a lot of effort she could get into the saddle without using the stool, but it was easier this way, especially since she sat sidesaddle—she always rode sidesaddle because she had seen too many bow-legged cowboys, and she didn't want to end up looking like them. Bowlegged is ugly! Not to mention you can't run very fast.

    She gave Winnie, her beautiful little pinto, which was smaller than most horses, a light but commanding tap in the flank. Come on, girl. Let's go to school, she said.

    As they rode out of the barn and up the stone-lined path Annie leaned over and said to Winnie, Today is going to be a day for meeting old friends and new acquaintances and hearing stories of how their summers went. It's going to be great. And most of all, I'll get to see Billy again.

    The wind tugged at Annie's hair, and she looked up. The sky was clear—but not for long. Dark clouds could be seen gathering in the north making ready to deluge the earth with a bombardment of raindrops. I hope we get to school before it starts to rain. I know you don't mind it, because you have a nice, thick coat, but I don't want my clothes to get soaked.

    Without a hint of understanding, Winnie trotted through the open gate, which was ajar because of last night's horrible earthquake, and onto the dirt roadway. The gate would have to be fixed once her father got the time.

    Turning right would take her up a torturous, rocky road into the mountains, the way her father went to work, but turning left would take her toward the small town of Flagstaff.

    No logging for me. Not now—not ever. I'm a young lady destined for housework, but not right away, of course, first I have other things to do—like travel to Europe and other countries. I have people to meet and places to go. I need adventure before I settle down to raise a family.

    As she turned her horse toward Flagstaff she saw Rebecca walking nonchalantly up the road toward Annie's house. Usually, Annie picked Rebecca up at her house, which was on the way to school, but today Rebecca must have gotten up early, probably because of the earthquake. Rebecca approached the gate. She looked up and smiled.

    Annie smiled back and sidled Winnie in closer to the fence. Hi Rebecca, she called out. Ready for another year of school? she asked.

    Rebecca was fifteen, a year older than Annie, but an inch shorter. She was a pretty girl, just as pretty as Annie. She had dark brown—almost black hair, which fell in waves down her back, and she had a nice figure, which attracted the attention of the boys. She always wore an air of confidence, and quite often, during the course of a conversation, it would show when a self-assured, knowing look crossed her face. It was almost as if she felt superior to those around her—but probably in a good way, if that was possible. And she never took crap off anyone, not even boys.

    Rebecca looked up at Annie. Well, I don't think I'm quite as ready as you. With her left hand she leaned against Winnie while placing her foot on the middle railing of the fence. With a heave, she vaulted herself onto Winnie's back, behind Annie. She didn't sit side-saddle, because she didn't care. As Annie put it, when she was talking to other people, 'Rebecca is a free-spirited young woman and nothing bothers her.'

    Giddy up, yelled Rebecca, and she kicked Winnie in the flanks—probably a little too hard for Winnie's liking. Annie was sure, if Winnie could have, she would have turned her head and given Rebecca a dirty look; instead, she reared up and started at a fast trot down the road toward Flagstaff.

    Rebecca leaned forward and asked, What did you think of that awful earthquake last night? I bet you didn't like it. I know I didn't. It nearly shook our house apart—board by board. And it caused us a lot of extra work—just like every other time we've had an earthquake.

    Annie wasn't thinking about what it did to her house. She had more important things on her mind. She said, I think creepy miner-Sam is coming to town—no, let me rephrase that, 'evil' miner-Sam.

    You're right about that. It's strange that he comes to town after every earthquake. It's almost like he has an unearthly connection to them. Rebecca added, But I'm sure he has a reason.

    Annie said quickly, My mother thinks my imagination is too big because I think he's an evil magician, and because I think he's the one who kidnapped the teenage girls.

    An evil magician? She's probably right about your imagination. He is strange, but he's nothing more than a miner. Think about it—in truth there's no such thing as magic—it's only found in fictional books and stories. And as far as evil, I've never heard of him doing anything bad to anyone. Have you?

    No, but he causes the earthquakes, and he's evil alright, and someday we're going to find it out. I just hope we don't find out the hard way. I've been thinking that maybe I should carry a gun—and maybe you should too. It's too bad they cost so much money. I bet my parents would get me one, anyway, if they thought I could better protect myself.

    I wouldn't mind carrying a gun, Rebecca responded. In fact the idea appeals to me, but I won't be carrying it because I think Sam is a magician. But I would be carrying it because of the outlaws and the Indians in this territory.

    The girls held on as Winnie trotted down the dirt road, which consisted of nothing more than two deep, dirty ruts with grass growing in the middle and on each side. Sometimes the road was used to bring logs down the mountain on wagons, but mostly it was used by settlers bringing supplies to their homes.

    After they had ridden half a mile on the road, still talking about this and that, Annie turned Winnie in a westerly direction and headed into the forest. They followed a slightly-worn path which would take them to the school house. It was situated in a meadow about a half mile to the north of Flagstaff. It was a fairly big cabin that once belonged to a pioneer, who moved on after people started settling the area. Evidently, he didn't like people all that much, but that was a common trait of the pioneers and the adventurers. Before the man took off for places unknown, the people of Flagstaff bought the cabin from him, then they remodeled it and turned it into a school house.

    Annie reflected on the Apaches. Recently she overheard her father telling her mother that because of the newest incidents with the renegade Apaches, there would be two armed guards stationed at the school.

    So, have you seen Jed lately? asked Rebecca.

    Annie grimaced. She was tired of hearing about Jed and it was starting to irritate her. She said, rather quickly, Not since he came by the house a couple of weeks ago. And I already told you about that.

    You told me he proposed to you, and you didn't accept. I just don't understand. He's so tall and handsome. And his father owns the biggest ranch in the county—probably in all of Northern Arizona, which means he has lots of money. You would be married to a wonderful young man, and you would be set for life.

    Money's money. Who cares? If you've got it, that's great, and if you don't, you can still be happy. Besides, he's only sixteen, and I'm only fourteen. I'm too young to jump at the first proposal to come down the road. I want to see what life has to offer, and I want to live a little. I'm sure I could fall in love with Jed, but I'm going to wait and see. I might meet a man who is better suited for me. You never know. Annie paused, then said, And what about you. You have a liking for Billy.

    What about it. I openly admit it.

    But you're two years older than him, and . . . .

    A year and eleven months, corrected Rebecca.

    It might as well be a century. He's only thirteen years old, and he doesn't even like girls. And quite often he lets it be known how he feels about girls and all that mushy stuff—as he puts it.

    Rebecca let out a soft chuckle and in a confident voice, she stated, But like you said, he's thirteen now—just turned thirteen two weeks ago, and that's not an 'only thirteen,' now he's at that age where he will soon be putting his marbles away and paying more attention to girls, and when that day comes, which will be any day now, I'll be there waiting for him.

    You'll be there alright, and someday he'll fall in love with someone else, and then you'll be in love with a memory. It's so silly, said Annie. Why aren't you interested in someone older? You're always talking about Jed, why not him or one of the Bonner boys? I know Zeke proposed to you.

    Jed's great and the Bonner boys are fun, but they're not Billy. So stop raining on my future. Rebecca squeezed Annie around the middle with a sudden jerk.

    The air left Annie's lungs with a hrumphhhhh. Once she regained her breath she said, Stop that. Do it again and you'll be walking. She started to say something about Rebecca carrying an umbrella for the rainy future, but decided she didn't want to get squeezed again—because she knew that Rebecca knew she wouldn't make her walk. Besides, they were almost to school—she could see the huge oak tree just ahead.

    Winnie carried them past the tree, around a bend, and out of the woods overlooking a meadow. Below them was the school house, which was nothing more than a large log cabin with additions. Annie looked at the schoolyard. It was full of children—more than she believed there would be. She had heard that some of the settlers of Oak Creek were going to send their kids to school this year, plus more people had moved into Flagstaff, but she never considered there would be this many. Next year they might have to build another schoolhouse.

    Here and there mothers were talking to their children—probably first-year students.

    Look, said Rebecca, There's Jed's black stallion, which means he's coming back to school for another year. She didn't pause, but kept right on with, And I bet I know why.

    I'm not going to ask, said Annie as they rode down the slope and closer to the school house. Besides, it doesn't matter. Then she quickly changed the subject. Look at all the people.

    Rebecca frowned. Yeah, she said, disgustedly. Look at all of them.

    They slid off Winnie's back and landed lightly on the ground. Annie tied the reigns to the hitching post just as Emily, a slender, blond haired, fourteen year old girl, came running up. We're going to have a large class this year. Isn't it great? I think there are twice as many kids as ever before.

    Rebecca nodded her head. Hello Emily. I see you're still wearing nice clothes—too nice to let you sit on logs.

    Somehow Annie didn't figure that was a compliment—knowing Rebecca, and recognizing the tone in her voice.

    They walked to the front of the school house. They passed a woman who was lecturing her little blond haired boy. . . . and I don't want to hear any reports from the teacher that you've been misbehaving. You understand?

    Yes, mother, said the little boy as he bowed his head and swung his right leg and foot back and forth."

    And absolutely no fighting. You play nice with the other children. If you get into any trouble, I'm going to double your chores, and your father is going to give you a whipping. Do you understand?

    Yes, mother, said the little boy as he continued to swing his leg back and forth.

    She gave him a pat on the head and told him to go play until school started. With glee written all over his face he ran off to join with the other children his age. The mother looked at Emily and gave her an exasperated smile, which prompted Emily to say, We watch out for the younger children and try to keep them out of trouble.

    Yeah, agreed Rebecca. We especially try to keep them away from the skunks. There are a lot of skunks in the woods around here. Last year one of the smaller boys, during recess, was trying to hit one with a stick. Wow—he smelled so bad they had to send him home, and he couldn't come back to school for three days.

    Emily nodded her head in agreement, but she had a look on her face that said, 'why would you bring that up?' Evidently she didn't know Rebecca as well as Annie did.

    Not knowing what to say, the woman finally responded, Well, I appreciate any help I can get. She turned and walked down the path. Three times she turned her head over her shoulder to look at her son playing in the schoolyard.

    Annie was not one to keep talking about a boring subject. Why let a conversation get stale? As she watched the woman turn down the path that led to Flagstaff, she said, You know what I like most about school?

    No. What? responded Emily.

    I like learning geography, and I like learning about people in faraway places. In other countries the people are so much different than we are. Well, maybe not a lot different physically—they have arms and legs and faces and noses, but they live differently. And they wear different clothes. Wouldn't it be great to get to go to other places and meet the people, and to get to know them and see how they live?

    Rebecca sat on the lower, front step of the school house. I suppose that's why you're not thinking about Jed Smith, because you want to traipse off to Europe or Africa or someplace like that—someplace that's even more dangerous than Arizona.

    Annie sat down next to Rebecca. That's right, she answered. I'm too young to be thinking about being a housewife and having babies hanging on my apron strings. I want to travel and see faraway places. And I doubt that the countries I will be going to will be dangerous.

    But you love babies, said Emily who remained standing. Emily's father owned the Flagstaff bank, and because they had lots of money, she always wore very expensive clothes. She would never dare to think about sitting on a dirty, wooden step. Rebecca had nick-named her 'Richie.'

    Just because I love babies doesn't mean I want to have them right away. I'm sure that probably sometime in the future I will be having babies, but not right now. First, I have to . . . .

    Without warning, a voice from behind them said, Hi, Annie. It was Jed. He had just stepped out of the school house and was standing behind them.

    Annie was startled and jumped almost five inches off the step.

    But Rebecca turned and said, Hi, Jed. She batted her eyes at him.

    Hello, Jed, said Emily.

    Jed politely acknowledged the two of them, then looked at Annie.

    Hello, said Annie. She didn't know what else to say, so she said, First day of school.

    Yeah, said Jed. I'm going to be in the blue group, but I'm also going to be helping Mrs. Greenwood teach the brown group.

    Annie was about to say something when Emily said, Here comes Billy.

    Annie turned, and Rebecca perked up as they watched Billy walk out of the shadows of the forest and into the sunlight. Poor, dirty, little Billy, thought Annie. He wears clothes not fit for a …. for a …. well, probably not fit for a pig in a wallow contest. His red-mop of hair was uncombed, and he had a piece of straw sticking up from the top of his head. His long-sleeved shirt was a dirty blue, and his pants had holes in the knees and in the seat. He wore old shoes with holes in the bottom. All in all he looked like a vagabond—a young vagabond, since he was only thirteen years old.

    Alas, he wasn't dirty Billy because he wanted to be, or because he was lazy. No, it was because he was an orphan.

    Annie thought back in time. It was just last year when it all happened.

    * * * * *

    It was midmorning when Sheriff Billy Bob had been alerted that a wagon train twenty miles to the east of flagstaff had been attacked by the Apaches. He immediately rounded up a posse of twelve men, and they set out to investigate the report and to find out what they could do to help. But what he saw when they came over a rise looking into the meadows of the high desert was black smoke rising from five burned wagons and bodies lying on the ground. He knew there wouldn't be much he could do except bury the corpses and notify the next of kin. From that day forth it would be known as 'the five wagon massacre.'

    They spurred their horses and galloped and trotted them the three mile distance, from

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