Winter Run by Robert Ashcom Read Free Book Online

second looked like he would use it. He threw it to a deputy and motioned for Clarence to get in the car.
    “Now you boys listen to me and listen good,” said the sheriff to Clarence’s sons. “You take them horses down to the barn and get the harness off them and clean up that mare’s eye. Stay there until the veterinary comes. And do what he says. And God Almighty help you if you run off. Because if you do I will hunt you down like dogs …” He struggled for composure. He said later that never before in his life as sheriff had he wanted to hurt someone. He said the picture of that mare with her head hanging down to the ground would stay with him for the rest of his life. And Shirley Cook had seen some pretty awful things in his day.
    The deputies stayed in the car with Clarence while Sheriff Cook and Matthew went back into the house to talk to the professor and call Doc White, the veterinarian. Gretchen and Charlie were still there. Mrs. James and Sally had made tea. The professor had put a little brandy in the tea—for Charlie, too. Matthew said they looked like ghosts they were so pale. Mr. Lewis wouldn’t be home till Friday night. Maybe they should spend the night at Silver Hill.
    Shirley Cook called the vet and told his assistant what was needed. She said Dr. White would leave town right away, be there in thirty minutes.
    Matthew and Professor James and the sheriff stood on the front porch. “You know the law, Professor, you teach it. All I can do is take him down to the court house and yell at him,” said the sheriff. “I can’t lock him up for knocking his own mare’s eye out. Anyway, he would say that it was an accident and the two boys would back him up. He might even try to get Charlie for assault.” He shook his head in disgust. “I swear to God, it was about the cruelest thing I ever seen. What can we do with the mare?”
    “Send her to Miss Alice Jackson,” said the professor. “You know how she loves animals, and now that she has let her cow go, she has room. Matthew can arrange it. I’ll take care of the feed and vet.” He paused. “But I still have the problem of getting that damn timber sold …”
    The way they worked it out—law or no law—was that the Flints would go back to work the next day. An off-duty deputy would check on them twice a day. The boys would be all right because, curiously, they were more scared of the law than they were of Clarence. Matthew would supervise the feeding of the three remaining horses, morning and evening. Clarence agreed to the plan because he knew that if he didn’t, he’d never get another day’s worth of work in that county. His sullen baby face never changed, though; he just spat out yes. And as planned, Molly would be sent to Miss Alice who was lonely and would be happy to nurse her back to health.
    • • •
    Matthew returned to the house to tell Gretchen and Charlie what was going to happen. While he was explaining, the sheriff left and the professor started in the front door. Mrs. James was waiting for him. Matthew said that for the first time in his life he saw them have sharp words. The professor even raised his voice a little and Matthew heard him say, “Yes, damn it, we’ll get the money in time.”
    Gretchen and Charlie went home the next morning after spending the night in the big house. Sally made a wonderful dinner and Mrs. James was kind. Charlie didn’t go near the barn or the woods. He spent a lot of time with the old mule. He was seen staring at her face. For a week he hardly spoke. Everyone worried. Charlie talking nonstop was sometimes a nuisance, but Charlie silent was unsettling. The skid-der arrived in time to get the timber out, so the professor would get his money by Labor Day.
    Molly slowly recovered. Doc White eventually took out the eye and sewed her eyelid shut, and she was fine—just like old Bat, except she didn’t have any eyeball at all. She stayed with Miss Alice because no one wanted her to go back to