Outcasts of River Falls Read Online Free PDF

for carrying the delicious package. He was older than she’d first thought; perhaps her age. It was the ridiculous hat that made him seem like a child playing dress-up.
    With a wink, he turned and whistling a lively tune, strode back down the path.
    “ Mon Dieu !” The old woman gasped. “That trail gets longer every time I come here.” She carefully stepped over the threshold, nodding at the parcel in Kathryn’s hands. “This gateau is for the tea I know Belle is making. My name is Madame Ducharme. You may call me Kokum.” Her voice was strong and clear.
    Kathryn checked the path to see if there were any stragglers, then took the cake inside. She saw the men were already busily constructing two inside walls in the far corner where her room would be and from the framework, it would be a very small room indeed.
    The old woman stabbed her cane in their direction. “She will need a proper door. Every young girl needs privacy.”
    “Francis is bringing one later, Kokum. He’ll make sure it’s hung before tonight.” Joseph answered. “I would have done it myself except Giselle keeps me busy riding all over the countryside for the special herbs and spices she uses in her baking. Some weeks, I’m lucky to make it to Sunday mass.” He chuckled. “At the rate they’re ordering from us, the ladies of Hopeful will forget how to make a loaf of bread soon.”
    “And the whitewash? When is that to be done?” the bossy elder demanded of Aunt Belle.
    “In its turn, Kokum. The clay and straw are mixed and Katy and I are about to begin. I’ll leave the tea to you.”
    “I need milk. Kathryn, fetch some from the well, girl!”
    Kathryn jumped. If the two builders were Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, then this tiny tyrant had to be the Queen of Hearts. All that was needed was the command, Off with her head! The Mad Hatter’s tea party was already in full swing: dead deer and a crazy woodsman, workers marching around swinging boards and hammers, old ladies who commanded everyone like they owned the place, and now, milk from a well?
    Aunt Belle, seeing her confusion, came to her rescue. “We keep dairy goods like milk and butter in the well so they won’t spoil. It’s cool down there.”
    “I thought your water came from the river? If you have a well nearby, why not use it?” Kathryn was even more confounded.
    “Because the well is nearly dry. There’s enough water so it stays damp and that keeps everything cool.”
    Kathryn started for the door and then stopped. “And this Métis ice-box is where?”
    “On the other side of the lean-to. You’ll see the pump handle.” Her aunt instructed.
    Kathryn did as she was bid. Rounding the corner of the shed, she stopped, reeling back at a sight that made her stomach twist. She’d forgotten that Mr. Remy was dressing the deer. From what she could see, it was more like undressing the poor creature.
    Hurrying past the bloody carnage, she retrieved the milk and raced back to the cabin, ready for a needed rest.
    Instead, she’d barely set the quart sealer down when her aunt thrust a bucket mixed with mud and straw at her.
    “Enough dawdling, Katy. Time to get started.”

Chapter 4
    The Three Little Pigs , Robin Hood and the Big Bad Wolf
    Kathryn took the bucket from her aunt wondering what she was in for next. One peek and her stomach lurched for the second time that day as the dank, fetid smell overwhelmed her.
    Glumly, she followed her aunt to the corner of the log cabin where her bedroom was soon to be. “Aunt Belle, what on earth am I supposed to do with this muck?” She held the mud mixture as far from her body as possible.
    “This.” Her aunt reached into her own bucket with a wooden trowel, scooped out a large gob of the mixture, and then plastered it onto the outer log walls across from the plank ones Tweedle Dee and Dum were busily beavering away at. She did it with so much gusto, you’d have thought she was icing a cake. “We’ll put a coat of the straw mix