Thurston House Read Free Page A

below him. He glanced at them, recognizing each one, nodding as their eyes met, and then he saw Jeremiah at the end of the line, and he stopped and looked at him, as Jeremiah approached and held out a hand. And something in his eyes said that he understood the other man's pain. The others seemed to move back, so as to leave the two men alone, and Jeremiah held out a hand to him.
    'I'm sorry about your wife, John ' I ' I lost someone I cared about a great deal a long time ago ' the epidemic of '68' . They were jumbled words, but John Harte knew that Jeremiah understood. He looked up at him with eyes bright with tears. He was a fine-looking young man, and he was almost as tall as Jeremiah was as they stood facing each other. He had raven black hair and eyes that were almost as black as coal, and he had huge gentle hands, in some ways, the two men were oddly alike, despite the gap of almost twenty years.
    Thank you for coming, man. His voice was deep and jagged with grief as two tears ran unashamedly down the younger man's cheeks, and Jeremiah could feel an echo of the old pain in his own heart as he saw them.
    Is there anything I can do? He remembered the food he had brought. Perhaps someone in the house could make use of it.
    John Harte looked deep into his eyes. I lost seven men today, and Matilda ' Jane. ' His voice broke on the words. Barnaby's ' He couldn't finish what he started to say, at the mention of his son. He looked up at Jeremiah again. The doctor said he won't live through the night. And three of the other men have lost their wives ' five children' . You shouldn't even be here. He suddenly realized the risk Jeremiah had run, and was touched by that too.
    I've lived through it before, and I wanted to see if there was anything I could do for you. He noticed that the younger man was deathly pale, but he suspected that it was grief and not the dread flu. You look as though you could use a drink. He pulled a silver flask from the saddlebag he had brought and extended it to John.
    He hesitated, took it, and then nodded toward the door of his home. Do you want to come in? He wondered if he was afraid, he should have been, but Jeremiah nodded his head.
    Sure. I brought you some food, if you think you can eat. John looked at him, both surprised and touched, particularly since the last time Jeremiah had offered his help, John had almost thrown him out. He didn't want any help from him. But this was different. It was a different kind of disaster than a fire or a flood at the mines. He sat down heavily on the tufted green velvet couch in his living room, and took a long drink from Jeremiah's flask and then handed it back to him, staring at Jeremiah with unseeing eyes.
    I can't believe they're gone' . Last night ' He started to gulp, fighting back his own tears' . Last night' Jane came running downstairs to kiss me good night even with her fever ' and this morning Matilda said ' Matilda said ' He couldn't hold the flood back anymore, and it came, as Jeremiah held his shoulders in both hands and held him there as he cried. There was nothing he or anyone could do, except be there for him. He looked up at Jeremiah at last, and Jeremiah's eyes were damp too. How can I go on without them? How? ' Mattie ' and my little girl' and if Barnaby ' Thurston, I'll die. I can't live without them. Jeremiah silently prayed that he wouldn't lose the boy, but he knew that there was a good chance that he would. He had heard as he stood outside that the boy was pretty bad off, or at least that was what the men said. But he looked hard into John Harte's eyes now.
    You're young yet, John, there's a long life ahead, and it's a terrible thing to say to you tonight but you may marry again, have other children. Right now, this is the worst thing that's ever happened to you, but you'll go on ' you have to ' and you will. He handed him the flask again, and John took another sip, shaking his head, as the tears coursed down his cheeks.
    And it was less than