Providence Read Free

are here! Jonathan’s
home!” Before Kate could even react, Jo was out the door and barreling toward
the wagon approaching from the north.
    ***
    Kate stood and walked to the open
door. The men were indeed home. A deep sigh of relief escaped her before she
even realized how tense she had been anticipating their arrival. Jake Insley’s buckboard
drawn by his two large blonde draft mares approached the main yard of the
ranch. Her mare, still standing patiently at the corral gate whinnied a
greeting, answered by the lead mare of the team. Jo had climbed the garden
fence to gain a better view of the proceedings. Jonathan’s faithful cow dog,
Smokey, followed the wagon at a brisk trot with his tongue lolling to the side
and a happy grin on his face.
     “Whoa, easy there Rosey;
hold up there now, Ginny.” The wagon rolled to a stop between the house and the
barn under the competent hands and gentle voice of Jake Insley. Jonathan jumped
down from the high rough seat, as his grandfather set the hand brake. He held
his jacket close to his side and a bit awkwardly, but Kate didn’t notice that.
She was busy going over the stores and provisions visible in the wagon with a
quick and calculating eye. Jake noticed her inventory, but remained quiet as he
tended to the team.
    “What did you see, Jon? What did
you do? Was it fun? What’s Guthrie like? Did you bring me any candy this time?”
Jo was relentless as she approached her only playmate. Though Jon was ten years
her senior, he was patient and caring with her, and always had time for the
little girl he thought of as his baby sister.
    “Well, I s’pose you could call
her Candy if you like,” he said slowly. “Hadn’t rightly thought of a name for
her yet.” Jon shyly held out his faded gray coat to the little girl who looked
at him curiously. Just then the coat wiggled, nearly jumping from the boy’s
hands.
    With a delighted squeal, Jo
grabbed for the now squirming bundle and discovered a small fawn colored pup
with four white feet. “Oh, Jonathan!” Jo gasped. Then she and the pup were
sprawled together on the new spring grass, a jumble of flying paws and
petticoats.
    “Jolene Rose Shaughnessey!” rang
out a stern warning from the back porch.
     Jo and the pup both froze
instinctively, and turned toward the voice. Jo’s face broke into a dazzling
smile as she held up her new-found treasure. “Oh, Nana, look! Isn’t she
wonderful? Jon brought her for me.” The sheer delight shining from the girl’s
eyes was enough to melt a heart of ice.
    “Well, I s’pose it can stay then.
But on the porch, not in the house.”
    “Oh, Nana, you’re going to love
her. She’s the most wonderful gift ever.” With that Jo scooped up the pup and
headed directly to her room in the loft followed closely by Jonathan and
Smokey, leaving Mrs. Insley shaking her head and muttering under her breath
about dogs in the house.
    ***
    “It’s most all here, ma’am. What
with prices risin’ like they are in Guthrie, and such, I had to do some sure
bargaining and all to get what we did.” Jake spoke without apology, though his
eyes held hers.
    “I know you did right, Jake. You
know I trust you.” Kate sighed as she looked over the meager supply of stores
that would have to see them through the seasons ahead until they could send the
steers to market properly this year.
    “Did you get the seed you’ll need
for planting this spring?”
     “Yes’m. Me and Jon, we
figgered we could do that same forty in wheat again, produced pretty well last
time. And I was going to do ten acres in corn, and at least ten in oats again
this year. You think we did all right on the oats this last time?”
    “I do. There’s still a few
bushels left in the granary.”
    “Um-hmm, I thought so as well.”
    Kate hesitated, then asked the
question that had been on her mind since they left, “Did Mr. Johnson give you
the rest of the money from last fall’s steers?”
    The older man looked at the
ground,