too, Father, have a big mouth, even if you are a man of the cloth! Karl had been raised to have great respect for the clergy. It was natural for him to radiate toward the friendship of the only cleric within a hundred miles, no matter what denomination he was.
"Do I brag, Father?" Karl inquired.
"Oh, do not look so worried, Karl. I enjoy teasing you." Eyeing James, the priest next asked, "And who might this young man be?"
"James, sir," the boy replied, "James Reardon."
"He's my brother," Anna declared forthrightly.
"Your brother ... mmm ... Karl neglected to tell me you had a brother. This is good news.
Minnesota
can use strong young settlers like you, James. It is not a bad place for a boy to grow into a man either. Do you think you will like it here, James?"
"Yes, sir," James quickly answered, "but I have lots to learn."
Father raised his head and laughed. "Well, you pick a good man to come to, son. If you have any doubts about
Minnesota
, this big Swede will soon put them out of your head."
Karl suddenly cleared his throat and said, "I must tend my horses, Father. You will perhaps like to talk to Anna and James about Boston and the East."
"Can I help you?" James asked immediately.
Karl looked at the lad, so stringy, so lean, so young, so eager. Karl found himself not wanting to have the tug of the boy's willingness influencing his decision regarding Anna. "You go with Father and your sister. You have had a long trip, and it is not over yet. You rest." The look in the boy's eyes seemed to ask, but will the rest of my trip take me back to Boston or forward to your place? Karl looked away, for he did not yet know the answer.
Watching his broad shoulders going through the door, Anna felt a sudden longing to please him for James' sake. James had never known a father, and this man would be the best influence a boy of his age could possibly have. When Karl was gone, the image of his sturdy back lingered in Anna's mind.
An Indian woman served a delicious mixture of corn and meat. Anna and James fairly wolfed supper down. From across the table Karl now studied Anna more thoroughly. Her face was appealing enough, but he truly disliked her dress, and her hair seemed wild and disorderly, nothing like the neat coronets of braids he was used to on Swedish women.
Anna looked up unexpectedly and caught him watching her. Immediately, she slowed her eating.
But the word "hungry" stayed in his mind, just as she'd said it earlier. Her shoulders were peaked beneath her dress, and her knuckles were large on otherwise thin hands, making him wonder just how hungry she had been in Boston . The boy, too, was painfully thin, with eyes that looked too large for their sockets. Karl tried to dismiss these thoughts as he ate his meal, but again and again they forced their way upon him.
After dinner, Father Pierrot asked the Indian woman to prepare pallets for his three guests on the floor of the schoolroom.
This done, the woman returned and led Anna and James to their beds, while Karl stayed behind to talk to Father Pierrot.
Brother and sister found comfortable makeshift beds of straw and buffalo robes, and they settled down drearily to worry about what was to become of them. It was quiet and dark, the night rampant with unspoken thoughts.
Finally, James asked, "Do you think he'll send us back?"
"I don't know," Anna admitted. He could tell by her voice that she was really worried.
"I'm scared, Anna," he confessed.
"So am I," she confessed.
"But he seems like a fair man," James put in, needing some hope.
"We'll know in the morning."
Again silence fell, but neither of them was remotely sleepy.
"Anna?" came James' small, worried voice.
"What now?"
"You shouldn't have lied to him about the other things. You should've admitted them when he asked."
"About what other things?" she asked, holding her breath for fear he knew her worst, most unforgivable secret.
But he only listed the others. "About
"Do I brag, Father?" Karl inquired.
"Oh, do not look so worried, Karl. I enjoy teasing you." Eyeing James, the priest next asked, "And who might this young man be?"
"James, sir," the boy replied, "James Reardon."
"He's my brother," Anna declared forthrightly.
"Your brother ... mmm ... Karl neglected to tell me you had a brother. This is good news.
Minnesota
can use strong young settlers like you, James. It is not a bad place for a boy to grow into a man either. Do you think you will like it here, James?"
"Yes, sir," James quickly answered, "but I have lots to learn."
Father raised his head and laughed. "Well, you pick a good man to come to, son. If you have any doubts about
Minnesota
, this big Swede will soon put them out of your head."
Karl suddenly cleared his throat and said, "I must tend my horses, Father. You will perhaps like to talk to Anna and James about Boston and the East."
"Can I help you?" James asked immediately.
Karl looked at the lad, so stringy, so lean, so young, so eager. Karl found himself not wanting to have the tug of the boy's willingness influencing his decision regarding Anna. "You go with Father and your sister. You have had a long trip, and it is not over yet. You rest." The look in the boy's eyes seemed to ask, but will the rest of my trip take me back to Boston or forward to your place? Karl looked away, for he did not yet know the answer.
Watching his broad shoulders going through the door, Anna felt a sudden longing to please him for James' sake. James had never known a father, and this man would be the best influence a boy of his age could possibly have. When Karl was gone, the image of his sturdy back lingered in Anna's mind.
An Indian woman served a delicious mixture of corn and meat. Anna and James fairly wolfed supper down. From across the table Karl now studied Anna more thoroughly. Her face was appealing enough, but he truly disliked her dress, and her hair seemed wild and disorderly, nothing like the neat coronets of braids he was used to on Swedish women.
Anna looked up unexpectedly and caught him watching her. Immediately, she slowed her eating.
But the word "hungry" stayed in his mind, just as she'd said it earlier. Her shoulders were peaked beneath her dress, and her knuckles were large on otherwise thin hands, making him wonder just how hungry she had been in Boston . The boy, too, was painfully thin, with eyes that looked too large for their sockets. Karl tried to dismiss these thoughts as he ate his meal, but again and again they forced their way upon him.
After dinner, Father Pierrot asked the Indian woman to prepare pallets for his three guests on the floor of the schoolroom.
This done, the woman returned and led Anna and James to their beds, while Karl stayed behind to talk to Father Pierrot.
Brother and sister found comfortable makeshift beds of straw and buffalo robes, and they settled down drearily to worry about what was to become of them. It was quiet and dark, the night rampant with unspoken thoughts.
Finally, James asked, "Do you think he'll send us back?"
"I don't know," Anna admitted. He could tell by her voice that she was really worried.
"I'm scared, Anna," he confessed.
"So am I," she confessed.
"But he seems like a fair man," James put in, needing some hope.
"We'll know in the morning."
Again silence fell, but neither of them was remotely sleepy.
"Anna?" came James' small, worried voice.
"What now?"
"You shouldn't have lied to him about the other things. You should've admitted them when he asked."
"About what other things?" she asked, holding her breath for fear he knew her worst, most unforgivable secret.
But he only listed the others. "About
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