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Date Posted: 00:23:33 07/13/03 Sun
Author: Wanda
Author Host/IP: 216.51.254.249
Subject: The New World - Part #79

PART #79

The next morning Bow told Catherine he felt it would be wise for him to travel to Jennings. He told her of the men coming to the saw mill, and demanding their money once again. She asked if he had explained about the money situation, and he said, “Yes, Catherine, I did explain.” “Were they not satisfied with your explanation?” she asked. “They gave me a week to get the money together,” he replied. “What happens if you don’t have the money together in a week?” asked Catherine. “They said they would be back, and it wouldn’t be pretty,” he responded.

Catherine was concerned because she knew the trip to Jennings would take three days there and three days back. What if Bow was unable to uncover the money drafts? What if Peter had not taken them with him? He would probably have been concerned about someone stealing the drafts from him. Surely a crook like Peter Dunkirk would have thought of that possibility.

Catherine paced the floor as more questions came to her mind. She thought to herself, “Where was Peter going? Had he told anyone where he was going? Surely there was someone who knew where the man was headed. Would it have been possible for him to have sent the bank drafts on ahead of him? She wondered if it would be a wasted trip for Bow to go to Jennings. She doubted if the jailer would let Bow get very close to Peter. She smiled when she visualized Bow getting inside the cell with Peter. Bow could be pretty menacing if he chose to be. She would love to be there, and see that. Nothing would please her more then to see that man sweating under the collar, and afraid of what Bow would do to him. She knew that would probably never happen, but it was a good fantasying thought.

Catherine could see Bow was set on going so she went to the kitchen, and asked Manobo to prepare some food items for Bow to take along to Jennings. Manobo asked if she would be going along, and she said, “No, I don’t believe this would be a good time for me to go with him, Manobo. He smiled knowingly; and said, “That is probably true Miss Catherine.” Catherine had decided, while Bow was gone, she would work on letting out some of the seams of her dresses to accommodate the growth in her body. If one were observant, the baby was beginning to show. She would have to get some material in Lake Charles, and make something of a looser fit to wear soon. The morning sickness was not so severe now; and other then the dizzy spell she had experienced the day before, she was feeling pretty good once again. The thing that bothered her now was her insatiable appetite. It seemed she was always hungry. Never had she been a nibbler, and it seemed she was nibbling all the time. Bow had smiled at her when she had asked about some food he had left on his plate the night before.

Catherine’s face began to flush as she saw his smile when she asked for the leftover food on his plate. He said, “Please don’t be embarrassed; I know that little fellow needs his share of food too.” Catherine said, “How do you know it is a little fellow?” “Catherine, my love, I have lived my life pretty much by hunches, and many times I am right,” he remarked. “I have a hunch this baby is going to be a boy.” Catherine laughed, “We don’t want to talk about those times when your hunches were wrong, do we?” “Ah, you wound me,” he said. “Catherine those times were few and far between.” “Sure, I believe that,” laughed Catherine.

After Manobo assembled the food for Bow, he gathered up the sack, and the water bag, kissed Catherine good-bye, climbed up on his horse, and took off for Jennings. He had told Catherine if there were any problems she was to send Manobo for the sheriff in Lake Charles. She asked, “Bow, do you anticipate problems?” He answered, “Catherine, I do not know how long I will be gone. My every intent is to be back here within the week because I believe those men will make good on their threat. I have instructed Manobo to send some trusted employees out to check on the progress of the saw mill each day. If they suspicion anything wrong, they are to tell you and Manobo, and you are to call in the sheriff. If this were not so important, I would not be making the trip to Jennings. But, I feel I must try to find out about the bank drafts. Too many people are depending on that money.”

When Bow left, Catherine stood on the porch and watched until she could see him no longer. She couldn’t help the tears that slid down her cheeks. She felt like her heart had gone with him, and she was left with a sadness that permeated the air around her. It was at that precise moment she felt the flutter of the child. She patted the little mound beneath her dress, and said, “So, you are going to miss him too, aren’t you?”

To be continued...

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