Page 53 of The Heart of Bennet Hollow

Reaching the train as it crawled beneath the spilling hopper, Lizbeth ran the length of it to the nearest stock car. Before she even reached the door, she spied a padlock fastened into place. She hurried to the second stock car and reached up for the door latch. It didn’t budge.

Lowering her hand, she rose onto her tiptoes but could only see barred metal. With the train still inching forward, she was forced to step back from the ever-moving stock car. “Pa, I don’t know which one he’s on!”

He lumbered her way and cupped his hands to the side of his mouth. “Hello? Anyone here?” he hollered over the rattle of dumping coal.

The whistle blew.

“Pa, the train’s leaving.”

“Can I help you folks?” A worker hurried toward them with a ring of keys at his belt.

“We’re looking for a mule that was brought here by mistake.

” Lizbeth nearly tripped over a railroad tie.

“He may already be on one of these cars.” She patted a hand to the side of the stock car but it was moving, inch by agonizing inch, and once the final hopper was filled to the brim with coal, the train—and Eugene—would be gone.

The man shook his head. “Sorry, miss. All set to head off. I saw a man load a mule onto this car just a few minutes ago but the train’s pulling out any moment. I can’t stop it now.”

“Do you know where the man is?”

“Already on board. He worked for a mine out in Kentucky. There’s a heap of passenger cars but you can try and find him.”

“Do you have any way to open this door? The mule wasn’t supposed to be sold.”

The man grimaced beneath a wiry black beard. “No, ma’am.” He touched the brim of his hat. “If you still have the cash, you might be able to board and make arrangements at the next depot.” He shrugged. “All I can offer ya.”

Lizbeth’s heart slowed along with her steps, spirit now as empty as her pockets. She looked to Pa whose face was as drawn as she felt. Neither of them had the money for Eugene. It was gone, along with West, to who knew where.

All around, miners flipped on lanterns with the darkening light of evening.

Some pushed wheelbarrows into the mouth of the nearby tunnel.

Others lugged sacks of materials into carts.

Lantern light slanted this way and that as they worked.

Overhead, a star winked at her. To her right, the massive hopper cars brimmed with coal now and stood ready for distant lands.

She had to do something. Could she be brave and face the unknown?

This time with dignity instead of doubt?

“Pa. If we can get on board, we might be able to get someone to help us release Eugene at the next depot.” Even as she said it, the idea sounded mad.

She had no money to offer and people didn’t give away livestock for free.

Slowly, Pa shook his head. “I don’t know how we’d—”

“Lizbeth!” A familiar voice pierced the air. Reached her heart. “Mr. Bennet!”

She turned to see William.

He strode their way as he pulled off his coat. A gun holster spanned his shoulders, and his white shirt caught the light of a dozen bouncing lanterns from miners.

“How can I help?” he hollered over the noise of clattering coal. Within steps, he was at her side.

“I’d say this lady needs a train ticket.” The man with the beard tugged off his hat. “And some cash at the other end.”

Slowly Lizbeth shook her head. There was no way she could pay William back.

But he was already opening his billfold. “Which way?” he asked.

All at once, the noise settled as the last nugget of coal clattered into place and the hopper operator held the signal.

William touched her elbow. “I’d like to come with you.”

Overwhelmed, she turned. “I—I don’t have a plan.” Maybe William had been right, all those months ago. Maybe she had no part in trying to help. What difference could she make?

The whistle blew again.

“We can come up with one together?” William asked, his tone so different than it had been the day he’d refused her idea in the mine office. “I can buy us some time, and we’ll figure out the next step. But—”

“We’ll need to get on that train.”

“The pair of you better hurry,” the man said.

Lizbeth started toward the passenger car. They’d have to move quickly if Pa was to clamber aboard with his struggling steps. “Pa, I think we’ll be able to make it!” she called.

“Lizzy.” Pa’s somber voice brought her back to reality.

“Pa. Somehow we need to—”

“I know what we need to do, Lizzy girl. And so do you.” His voice was resolute even as his steps started to slow. “And you need to go on ahead. You and William.”

“But—” Her gaze swung to William, who nodded his willingness.

Pa surveyed the distance to the passenger car even as he stumbled several more steps. Limp intensifying. “One of us needs to stay behind to wire the next station.”

Lizbeth’s chin trembling, she nodded.

“And you’ll stay with her?” Pa asked William.

“Absolutely, sir.”

Pa finally caught up with them. Gravel clattered under his steps. “You two better git, then. I’ll go over to the depot and get a wire through to the next station. Let them know what’s happening and buy some time.”

William flagged down the nearest porter. Steam hissed. Lizbeth nearly stumbled again, torn between her past and her future and what she needed to do. The massive wheels of the train continued to churn forward, leaving without her if she didn’t hurry. It was now or never.

Pa pulled Lizbeth close, his voice low. “I’ll send that wire and do all I can from here. We’ll find him.”

She nodded, fighting tears. “And the money?”

“We’ll have to sort that out later.” His voice lowered for her ears alone even as he helped her forward, along with the train that was slowly gaining speed.

“He’s a good man and he’ll look after you.

” Pa brushed the side of Lizbeth’s cheek with his thumb.

“I wouldn’t be able to part with you, my Lizzy. .. to any man less worthy.”

Nodding, she squeezed his hand then pulled away to catch up with William. Her hand gripped his own as he braced her to climb up the moving train steps. A feat Pa would have never managed. Struggling, she found her footing and William climbed up, right behind.

“Where do I go?” she asked over the noise.

His voice reached her ear. “To the right. We’ll get seats and I’ll secure our passage.”

With wind pulling at her hair, she ducked into the nearest car. William followed close behind. Inside, she worked her way down the center aisle. The train was crowded but finally she came to an empty seat. Lizbeth sat and William joined her on the plush velvet.

Outside, the air was darkening. A distant sunset burned pink as the train reached open land. She wanted to strain to catch sight of the stock car, but had to rest in the assurance that Eugene was here on this train, as was she, and they would be together again soon.

Passengers cast them curious glances. Lizbeth smoothed her hair and then her skirt front. She was still dressed from her chores with blackberry sauce on her apron and a spool of thread in her pocket.

“Tickets, sir?” A man in a black cap halted in the aisleway.

William pulled his billfold from his vest. “This is en route to D.C., correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

William calculated that. “We’ll disembark before then, but I’ll pay for the full passage to be safe.”

“I thought the mules were heading to Kentucky,” Lizbeth said.

“Train’s gotta go north, miss, before it can go west,” the porter explained.

Lizbeth watched as William retrieved several dollars. She hadn’t expected the passage to be so much. “Thank you,” she whispered as he handed over the money.

William nodded gently.

The porter tipped his cap. “Very good, sir.”

William angled his pocket watch to the overhead lighting and spoke to Lizbeth.

“Once this train hits D.C., some of the cars will head down to Charlottesville and on to Kentucky. Others will continue to Baltimore. We’ll try and intercept Eugene before then.

It’ll be a few hours of waiting until we get to a stop long enough to do anything. ”

“When will that be?”

“Hopefully Alexandria, if I recall correctly. That break at that depot is usually around forty minutes. In the meantime, can I get you something to eat or anything else?”

Lizbeth shook her head. She didn’t want to owe him any more than she already did. This kind man who was going well out of his way to help her. A man who had done so much more than she’d ever realized before. “I—I have nothing with me.”

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that. You had a fair dose of courage back there. You’re the first woman in my acquaintance who has boarded a moving train.”

She’d hardly noticed.

When he offered his coat for warmth, Lizbeth draped it across her lap. “And now here we are.”

A small furrow tugged at his brow when he glanced at her.

She went on, “I was actually about to send you a telegram before all of this happened.”

“You were?”

“I wanted to thank you for the letter you gave me. The one you tucked into the book. I’ve thought on it ever since.” She couldn’t quite look at him now. “And there’s so much I’ve needed to say.” Her heart was beating faster now. “But...”

“Sometimes it’s easier to put it into writing than to say it out loud?”

She nodded. How did he understand her so well?

“Well, then if I had my briefcase with me, I’d slide you a piece of paper and a pen.”

She smiled. “No need. I—I was going to ask about our farm.” She finally looked at him and there was an assurance in his expression that helped her say more. “I overheard you talking about electricity with Mr. Jorgensen—that day that we were at the Coburns’.”

“I was wondering if you might have caught that.”

“I did. And also what you said about the farm and finding a use for it.” She drew in a steadying breath.

“If it’s true, I thought we might be able to help stable some of the mine mules who need extra care.

I’d like to offer Bennet Hollow. And I could do all the work.

As a business arrangement.” She felt strange saying such along with the implication that she was coming to him for money twice in the same day. “I would mean to earn every penny.”

His gaze, as soft as ever now, filtered over her face.

“I know it’s a long shot and you’re not even certain if you’re going to be the owner of the mine. But if you are...”

William shifted his feet when a woman stuffed a carpetbag under the seat. “May I confide in you a secret? Well, two.”

“Of course.”

“First, you’re sitting here with the new owner of the New River Coal Company.”

She had to stifle a gasp.

“And second...” His sideways glance was tentative. Humble. “That owner has a lot of work to do and he’s realized it can’t be done alone.”

Did he see the hope she felt? “You need my help?”

With a corner of his coat still on his lap, William brushed the collar with his thumb. “You have a lot to offer, Lizbeth, and I was wrong to make you feel otherwise.”

Her chest tightened.

“I was wrong to not give you the opportunities you were asking for to help with the mules of the mine. You’re as capable as anyone else with new ideas. For that, I owe you an apology. You have a special grace and care that those animals deserve. That New River needs.”

She searched his gaze and the sincerity there. A sincerity she no longer doubted and hadn’t for some time now.

“Along the lines of what you overheard that day, I’ve been researching a way to bring electricity to the mine,” he explained.

“To New River itself. Electric lighting and even electric carts. All by underground rail. No more need for mules to pull carts along the tunnels. Along with that, the mine stock would need the home you’re referring to. ”

Was she hearing him correctly? It seemed too good to be true, but sitting with him now, she knew beyond any shock or doubts that this was a man of integrity and if he saw a way to make this possible, she trusted him.

He nodded soberly. “I’d pay for their stabling with the intent of selling them back to nearby farmers so they could live out the rest of their days.

They’d become an integral part of the community again.

This time, above ground. I have other ideas for more changes—with schools and for the boys of New River. ”

Her lap was beginning to warm beneath the offering of his coat and her heart even more so with each word that landed.

“You know this place as well as anyone else and I want your advice.”

Tears stinging, she swallowed hard. “I’d be—I’d be honored.”

The side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “When we return to New River, we can sort out a plan. For now, I’m grateful for us to be on the same side.”

She gave him a small smile as she tried to hold on to the possibility that this could work out somehow, someway. “To be honest... I think we’ve been on the same side for quite some time.”