Echoes of the Heart by Carole Webb Page A

he
also possessed the wisdom to stay cool when necessary.
    The three men
entered the back door of the house, stomping dust off boots on the porch.   They removed their hats and hung them on the
hat tree inside the door.   The outsized
kitchen area had pantries lining one wall and Cash noticed new cabinets, table
and chairs.   Crisp white curtains hanging
in the windows allowed sunlight and breezes to enter giving the room a homey
atmosphere.  
    Cash shook hands
with Chad.   “Been working hard, Chad?   I came out here to talk with you about a job
for the winter.   Do you think you might
be interested?”
    Of medium build
with long, shaggy dark hair and heavily muscled arms showed below rolled up
sleeves along with rough calloused hands.   Chad
turned his sun-browned face toward Chuck Mitchell.   Weathered lips smiled as he spoke.   “Well I guess it depends on if it’s okay with
Mitch.”
    Martha Mitchell
entered the kitchen as the men poured coffee into tall mugs.   “My goodness, Cash, it is nice to see you
again.”   Genuine pleasure glowed on her
plump rosy face.   “I’m just about to serve
a late lunch.   Of course you will stay,”
    She walked out on
the porch where a wood burning stove stood, used when the weather became hot,
to check on the meal she had prepared.   Soon she would be cooking in the house again.   The early morning temperatures had already
dropped, a prelude of what would soon come.
    The aroma of beef
stew filled the room when she removed the lid from the copper pot on the stove
and carried it into the house placing it on the wooden sideboard by the
sink.   She stepped to the stove again and
removed brown fluffy biscuits from the oven placing them in a breadbasket while
the men went to the porch to wash off in the basin.  
    They dried their
faces and hands then sat at the new pinewood table as Martha set utensils for
the men then went to the cupboard for plates.   After filling each plate abundantly with stew, she placed them in front
of the hungry men.
                Before
spooning a bite into his mouth, he looked toward Martha.   “This sure looks and smells good, Martha.”
                She
sat a glass of water beside each man.
    Placing some of
the hearty stew on a plate for herself, she sat next to her husband.   “What brings you all the way out here?”
                “I
came out to talk to Chuck about a winter job in town for Chad.   Thought I would see if he wanted to get off
his lazy behind and work for a change.”   A slight twinkle darted across his eyes as he spoke then turned his
attention toward Chad.
    “It will just be
part-time, you understand.   The Federal
office already gave me the okay and I’m meeting with the mayor tonight to
discuss the position.”   He spooned stew
into his mouth before continuing.   “You
will be able to stay at the jail with John.   I hope we will be expanding soon, but in the meantime, it may be close
quarters.   We can use one of the old
cells for you unless we get a run of drunken cowboys.   I’m going to ask for four new cell rooms
going off the back of the building, but I’ll settle for two.”
                “The
job sounds pretty good to me,” Chad
said as he began stuffing his mouth with a thick biscuit dripping with butter.
                Taking
a second biscuit for himself, Cash nodded toward Chad.   “Okay, it’s settled.   I’ll fill you in when you come in with the
herd.”  
    The meal over, he
rose from the table, “Thanks for the fine meal, Martha, your kindness never
goes unappreciated.   I need to be leaving
now but I suppose I’ll see you around town before winter.”
                “You’re
always welcome, Cash.   Don’t be such a
stranger.   Come out and see us any time.”
                Chuck
rose and walked alongside while Cash went for his horse.   He led her to the water trough and let her
take a long drink