Chapter 6
Thanks to Harold and eventually
Cassandra, everyone healed within three days. Paul returned, thankful to see
that his family was doing well. He kissed Lillian and his son then turned to
Lillian again.
“I read
the paper today,” he said. “I reckon we owe Harold Wiggins you and the girls’
lives!”
“What!”
Lillian burst out. She seized the paper and glanced at it. “ ‘Harold Wiggins
saves the O’Neal family’s lives’,” she read. “I can’t believe he lied! He didn’t
save our lives. He helped us until Cassandra came back and then Dr. Young
arrived.”
“Are you
sure? Harold said you were quite delusional.”
“You
believe Harold over me?” Lillian said sinking down to the
couch.
“No…I just
spoke with him…” Paul paused. “Lillian, what do you have against the man?” He
sat down beside his wife.
“I don’t
really like talking about it…” Lillian said slowly. She took a deep breath, “But
it is something you ought to know. Before you came to
Fairburn, my step-mother and father played matchmaker for me. They hoped
that the rich Harold Wiggins and I would fall desperately in love and we would
be rich beyond anyone’s dreams. Well it didn’t work out that way. I never liked
Harold. He was a rude boy in school, he thought he owned the town, and he was
spoiled terribly. My parents invited him to dinner and supper all the time. If
he wasn’t at my house watching me sew or studying to become a teacher, I was at
his house listening to him drone on and on about his wealth and his
things. I tried to explain to my parents how I dreaded being with him but they
kept telling me, ‘You’ll fall in love sooner or later.’
“One day,
when I was at his house, he and his friends decided to go help my grandfather
out at his place. My grandfather was around fifty at the time and they knew
needed help at his big house. They helped him out and got on his good side. He
signed all their names to his will. He had saved a part for my siblings
and I—he was my birth mother’s father—but he had given Harold and the others a
bigger share than we did.
“A few
weeks later, I heard a friend of his speaking about how he wanted ‘old man
Herrmann’s wealth now’. Then I heard Harold laugh and say he ‘can take
care of Herrmann.’ I was scared and asked Harold what he meant. He told me
they were joking and I stupidly believed him because I thought he wouldn’t lie
to me because he was obviously in love with me.
“That
week, my grandfather was found dead in his sitting chair. His one servant had
the day off and had no idea what happened. I knew what happened, but no one
believed me; here was no proof. I did get the town stirred up. Some believed
me, others defended Harold. Harold left Fairburn a few months later.
People were threatening to kill him so he was forced to leave. The
following month, I met you and I hadn’t seen him until now.”
Lillian folded her hand in her lap and concluded the story.
“Oh,
Lillian…I’m so sorry…I had no idea,” Paul said putting his arm around
her.
Lillian wiped her eyes. ”I just am so angry that he got away with murder!”
~~~
Cassandra left the house late the
following morning to meet Charles again. She managed to slip away
without anyone noticing. She placed the horse in the pasture beside
Charles’ house and entered the house. Charles and his uncle were in deep
conversation.
“Hello,
Mr. Wiggins. Hello, Charles.” Cassandra walked in and stood beside
Charles.
“Hi,
Cassie!” Charles greeted her with a warm hug.
“Hello,
Cassandra,” Harold greeted stiffly. “Have a seat.” Cassandra sat down on a big
chair and the men took seats across from her. “I’d like to speak with you.”
“Uncle…”
Charles interrupted.
“No,”
Cassandra said, “let him talk, Charles.”
“Charles
and you will go to the bank this afternoon and…” Harold proceeded with a long
lecture on what he wanted Cassandra to do.
“But I can’t
do that!” Cassandra cried out in alarm when Harold had finished. “I’d be
helping you rob the bank!”
“Precisely,”
Harold said impatiently.
“Well I
won’t do it,” Cassandra said standing up to leave.
Charles blocked Cassandra’s way. “Now
Cassie, think it over a little. It won’t be that bad—”
“Shut up, Charles. You can’t waste
time sweet talking her.” Harold pushed Cassandra roughly down
and pointed a shiny revolver at her. “You will help us,” he said firmly. “Is
that clear?”
“Yes…”
Cassandra stammered.
~~~
At noon, Charles and Cassandra went
to the bank. The banker—Mr. Kimm—left for an hour break and left his
son in charge. Charles met the son and called out to him.
“Hello,
Jack! Cassandra and I are going out to lunch, care to join us?”
“Sorry
Charles,” Jack said with a shake of his head, “I have to watch the bank for
Father.”
“We’ll
only be gone a half hour or so,” Charles continued. “No one comes to the
bank during lunch anyway. Just lock her up and join us!”
“Well…alright,”
Jack locked the bank and went out to join them. Cassandra walked in between
them. She glanced at Jack’s coat pocket. A key ring stuck out plainly. She
deftly snatched the key ring and silently slipped it to Charles.
Suddenly
Charles cried out, “Dear me! I forgot my wallet. I’ll just run back and fetch
it. I’ll be along soon; go on without me,” he said jogging back to his
house.
Jack smiled at Cassandra. “Men
are forgetful aren’t we?” he said.
“I suppose
they are,” Cassandra said timidly, following him to the restaurant.
~~~
Charles jogged speedily back to the
bank. He clutched the keys in his hand. He saw his uncle waiting for
him.
“There you are, boy!” Harold said
as Charles passed him the key.
“We don’t
have much time, Uncle Harold,” Charles said following him into the bank.
They
both pulled masks over their faces and broke into the safe and began pulling
bills out and stuffing them in sacks.
~~~
Meanwhile, Cassandra and Jack sat
down at a table in the restaurant. The two were about to order when
Jack jumped up.
“My key
ring!” He shot an accusing look at Cassandra, “You took it when you brushed up
against my coat! What did you—?” He broke off. “Someone is about to rob the
bank!” he cried realizing the trap he had been placed in. He ran out of the
restaurant while deputies grabbed Cassandra who miserably followed them to the
prison. She sadly explained the whole story and when she was finished, Harold
and Charles were led inside.
“You
caused this!” Harold roared angrily as he was shoved into a cell.
“We will
have to see if your story is true,” Sheriff Dawson said.
Charles
called out when he was shoved into the same cell as Harold, “She has nothing to
with do it!”
“Shut your
mouth, Charles!” Harold roared again lunging for Charles and grabbing his
throat.
“He’s
going to kill him!” Cassandra shrieked. Two men raced in and brought Charles
out.
“Speak,” Sheriff
Dawson ordered.
“Harold
forced us to do it. He pointed a gun at us and
made us do it.” Charles dropped his head.
“That’s
believable,” the sheriff nodded. “Mr. Wiggins, do you agree with your nephew?”
“He helped
me force her,” Harold murmured. That was all he would say.
After some
more interrogation, Sheriff Dawson came to a conclusion. “Release
her.”
Cassandra
was released and led outside. “Sir,” she asked Deputy Hobbs, “what will happen
to them?”
“Harold
will be hanged tonight, I’m sure. Charles…he might hang too. He has been into
mischief lately.”
Cassandra stared
at the deputy in shock. She opened her mouth but she couldn’t speak. She
ran off down the street toward the edge of town.
~~~
Paul walked out from the barn with
Danielle following. Lillian and the girls walked out of the house.
“Why is
the Fairburn church bell ringing on a Saturday?” Lillian
called.
“They only
ring it when there is an emergency,” Paul called back. “We better go see what’s
wrong.” He returned to the barn and hitched up the team. The girls grabbed
their bonnets and shawls and hurried to the wagon.
When they reached Fairburn,
everyone was gathered in the center of town. Out of nowhere, Cassandra came
running to them. She was sobbing into her hands. Lillian and Paul ran to
her.
“Cassandra!”
Paul yelled.
“What’s
wrong?” Lillian said.
Cassandra
ran into Lillian’s arms and cried onto her shoulder. “I’m so sorry! If
I only would have listened to you none of this would have happened.
It’s all my fault!”
Lillian
held onto Cassandra and asked, “What happened?”
Suddenly,
Danielle tapped Lillian on the shoulder, “Look.”
Lillian turned to see what Danielle
was pointing at. A group of men were leading two handcuffed men to the center
of town where a gallows stood. The two men were Harold and
Charles Wiggins.
“Paul,”
Lillian said urgently.
Paul turned and looked.
Harold
glanced at Lillian as he passed, “If you would have married me, this wouldn’t
have happened!”
 |
| Harold being marched to the gallows |
Lillian
stared back with sadness in her eyes.
Harold was
marched way and Charles walked by next. Charles glanced up as he passed
but turned away when he saw the O’Neals.
“Girls,
let’s go,” Paul said strongly so no one would argue. “This is not a show to be
seen.” The girls solemnly followed. The ride home was quiet as well. The only
sound was muffled sobs coming from Cassandra.
~~~
When the family returned
home, Cassandra shut herself in Paul and Lillian’s bedroom where
she could be alone. Danielle took Hannah, Jinger, and Megan fishing; Elsie and
Faith took Lynn and Nadia on a ride through the woods. Paul was in the barn
doing some work and Lillian and Belle enjoyed some free time.
Around
five, the sheriff rode up to the O’Neal house. Lillian, Belle, and Paul walked
out to meet him.
“Have you
heard what happened from your daughter?” the sheriff asked.
“No. She
hasn’t spoken since town,” Paul said.
“You ought
to know what happened. If you have a few minutes, I’ll tell you folks.”
Lillian
invited him inside for some coffee and the sheriff began the story.
“According
to Charles Wiggins, he said that Cassandra came to his house late that morning.
His uncle told Cassandra that she and Charles would go out to eat
that day. He said that they would invite Jack Kimm—the bank owner’s son who
looks after the bank every day at noon—to join them. After they persuaded him
to join them, Cassandra would have to reach over and snatch the key ring out of
Jack’s pocket. She would then pass it to Charles who would make an excuse to
double back where he would meet his uncle, use the key, get into the bank, and
steal a large sum of money.
“Cassandra
refused and Charles claimed that his uncle pointed a gun at her and Harold
forced her. Well, everything went fine until Jack happened to check his pocket
once he and Cassandra were inside the restaurant. He started hollering and
accused Cassandra of stealing his key ring because he felt her bump into him.
My deputies brought her in and she told us that very thing. Then Charles was
brought in and he gave the same story. The two men didn’t have an excuse for
being inside the bank with bags of money so we knew that what Cassandra said would
be mostly correct. Cassandra is free of any charges.”
“The men
were hanged?” Paul asked.
“Harold was.
He was wanted in another state for robbery and we believe he had something
to do with Mr. Herrmann’s death.” The sheriff glanced over at Lillian. “I’m
sorry that we let him go ma’am. There just wasn’t enough proof to hold him.”
“I
understand,” Lillian said quietly.
“Charles got off with a few
months jail sentence. He just escaped the gallows.” The sheriff stood
up. “I better go before it gets too dark.” The sheriff rode out and
Lillian and Belle went to prepare supper.
“Lillian…”
Belle said as she placed a pan in the stove.
“Yes?”
Lillian looked up from where she was mixing ingredients together.
“After
what happened between Charles and Cassandra…I think you and Paul should meet
the Carter family.”
“I think
that’s a wonderful idea! We can invite them over for lunch next week and they
can spend the day here.”
No comments:
Post a Comment