Mail Order Mix Up Read Online Free PDF Page A

about the subject then, but Ellen woke in the middle of the
     night, and when she went downstairs to get some warm milk from the kitchen, she overheard
     Harriett and Higgins talking.  “They got their letters today.  They’ll be leaving
     for Colorado on the eighteenth .  I’m going to miss them.”
    Ellen smiled as she head Harriett’s voice.  She was glad they hadn’t been a burden
     on the kind woman.   She’d been worried that Malinda would have annoyed the woman with her constant breaks,
     but it sounded as if Harriett had simply enjoyed them both. 
    “They never should have been here in the first place,” Higgins told her.  “We don’t
     want anyone here to know what happened.  It could ruin your life here if people found
     out.   What if one of them had overheard us talking? ”
    Harriett sighed heavily.  “I know it could.  It would be worse for you than for me,
     though.  I hate the idea of anyone finding out that you killed him.  Even though the
     jury found you not guilty, the stigma would be enough to cause people to treat you
     badly.”
    “I shot him in defense of you.  If I’d known it was happening sooner, I’d have killed him sooner. 
     It’s good it happened like it did, because I was able to claim I was protecting you. 
     I’d have killed him in cold blood otherwise.”   Higgins voice was loud and clear as it rang out throughout the room.
    “I appreciate your feelings.  I’m just glad you were there that day.  I think he was
     about to kill me.”   The obvious fear in Harriett’s voice sent a chill through Ellen.
    Higgins voice was bleak when he said, “He crippled you for life.  I would like to
     kill him again when I think of how I felt as you bounced down those stairs.   I promised your father I would protect you, and I didn’t. ”
    “That’s enough.  Let’s not speak of it.  I need to get to sleep.”  She yawned audibly. 
     “I know you’ll be pleased when the girls are gone, but I’ll miss them.   They’ve been good friends to me. ”
    “I wish we didn’t have to hide what happened.  Then you could have friends around
     you more often.”
    Ellen had heard enough.  She hurried up the stairs without her milk.  She stared at
     the ceiling through the night as she hurt for her friend.  She’d known Harriett was
     a widow, but when the other woman didn’t want to talk about her husband, she didn’t
     press things assuming she was still mourning him .  Now she knew why she didn’t want to talk.  Poor Harriett.  Ellen hoped that someday
     she’d find love.
     
    *****
     
    On the morning of their departure, Ellen and Malinda thanked Harriett repeatedly for
     her hospitality.  Ellen had said nothing about what she’d overheard the night they’d
     received the letters, but she found herself observing Harriett more than ever.  It
     seemed hard to believe the sweet woman had lived through the type of marriage she’d overheard her talking about.
    Harriett walked with them to the train station, providing them each with sandwiches to make it through the first day.  “You’ll
     have to buy food after today, but I can at least help with the first day’s meals.”
    “I want to tell you again how much we appreciate you helping us find husbands and
     giving us a place to stay until it was time to leave.  I don’t know what we’d have
     done if you hadn’t helped.  You were our guardian angel.”  Ellen walked slowly beside
     Harriett, making sure her stride was matched to the lame woman’s.
    Malinda smiled sweetly.  “Yes, thank you so much.  I don’t think I could ever tell
     you how much you’ve helped us.”
    At the train station, they all hugged goodbye and Malinda and Ellen promised to write as soon as they arrived in Colorado.  The worry in Harriett’s eyes
     as they left was obvious.  Ellen would have wondered why if she hadn’t overheard the
     conversation she did, but she understood now.   Harriett worried about