White Pine Read Free Page B

hair.
    “Hel-lo,” I called out. Still they didn’t
hear me.
    Using some long clamps, Mr. Jaegar pulled the
red hot shoe out of the fire and pressed it onto the horse’s hoof.
The hoof sizzled. Smoke rose up around them.
    Hugh picked that moment to try to push past
me through the door. Not thinking, I pushed back. Somehow our legs
got tangled up. I pulled one way. He jerked the other. Then we were
both face down on the ground.
    That got the Jaegers’ attention. Big Mr.
Jaeger turned his head to the side and spit, then eyed us
suspiciously. Adelaide Jaegar stared at us. Both Hugh and I
scrambled to our feet and I felt the blush creeping up my cheeks.
Thankfully, we hadn’t spooked the Perchie.
    “Was ist los ?” Jaeger spoke in his
native German first, then, seeing who it was, asked, “What do you
want?”
    I dusted the dirt, hay and straw off my
clothes. Then, I picked up my packages, which were, thankfully,
wrapped. Hugh still had the peavey, which he had somehow managed
not to stab me with when we fell.
    “Afternoon, Mr. J-Jaeger,” I stuttered.
“Adelaide.”
    She had some soot on her face and a piece of
straw in her hair, but when she smiled at me, it was like seeing an
angel. Now, ordinarily, I would never have had the nerve to do what
I was about to do, but I didn’t know when I’d be back in Eau
Claire, and I wasn’t going to waste this chance.
    “You boys are needing something?” Jaeger
asked. Mr. Jaegar had a deep voice and a definite accent but he
spoke English well, as did his daughter.
    “We were just doing some shopping,” Hugh
explained grandly, like it was something we did every day, “saw the
smoke and decided to stop in.”
    I glared at him and shook my head.
    Adelaide rattled something off in German and
I only caught the word “ Schule .” Jaeger grunted and turned
back to his work.
    Standing there, my arms full of packages, I
felt foolish. I hadn’t really thought this out. I had just wanted
to see her once before I left.
    “Let’s go.” Hugh elbowed me.
    “No.”
    “The candy store.” He wiggled his eyebrows
expressively.
    “In a minute.”
    He groaned but still I didn’t move.
    “Well, are you going to talk to her?”
    But I wasn’t paying any attention to him. My
eyes were on Adelaide. Now that her Pa’s back was turned and he was
bent over with a horse’s hoof in his huge hands, she shyly met my
glance. My heart pounded.
    “I’m leaving Eau Claire. I’m going up to a
logging camp near Siren,” I said it loud enough so that she could
hear me— the most words I’d ever said to her.
    She nodded, just looking at me.
    “Well, goodbye then.”
    “ Auf wiedersehen , Sevy.
Goodbye.”
    There was nothing else to say, so I turned
and headed out of that barn, walking tall. She’d spoken to
me.
    “What was that all about?” Hugh demanded once
we were outside. “You got a shine in your eye for the blacksmith’s
daughter?” When I didn’t respond, he was quiet for a moment,
mulling things over. Then, he went on, “If you like her, then why’d
you up and leave like that? You could of talked her up some more.
You aren’t going to see her again until summer.”
    He was right. I wouldn’t see her again for
months. Suddenly, I didn’t feel so smart anymore. But it had taken
all my nerve just to walk into that barn and say “hello.” I hadn’t
really thought the whole thing out. Adelaide probably thought I was
some kind of fool.
    “Come on, Sevy.” Hugh took mercy on me by
letting it drop. “Let’s go get some taffy and a root beer.” He took
off down the sidewalk.
    Feeling kind of downhearted, I followed
him.
    * * * *
    I was busy that night, getting ready to leave
early the next morning. Though it was just October, early days for
the log camps, there was work to be had for those who were willing
to help set up. While packing my bag and doing some final chores,
my head was going in ten different directions. Peter and Marta were
all worked up, too, so it was hard