The Fiery Ring (15 page)

“Well, you meant well, but he was a lot more than ‘spirited.’ Joy, go out and round up Chase for dinner. I think he’s out back with the animals.”

Caleb gave the young woman a curious glance as she went out the back door. “Pretty girl,” he said. “Who’s this fella Chase?” He listened as his grandmother told him briefly what she knew of the pair. She ended by saying, “Her brother’s gone off on a ship, and he don’t know where she is. She’s gotta get to Galveston before he returns there.”

“I’m only goin’ as far as Fort Worth.”

“I know that, Caleb, but if you can get ’em that far, Chase says they can get the rest of the way on their own.”

They were still talking when Chase and Joy entered. Hannah stood up to introduce the men. “Caleb, this here is Chase Hardin. And, Chase, this is my grandson Caleb Smith.”

The men shook hands. Caleb was taller and bulkier than Hardin, and the two made quite a contrast.

“It was Chase what tamed that dog,” Hannah said. “I never seen anythin’ like it. Nobody could get near that devil, but he’s just like a pet now.”

“Well, I appreciate that, Chase,” Caleb said. “How’d you do it?”

Hannah didn’t give Chase a chance to answer. “He says he just shows the animal respect.” She went on, “Whatever he’s
done, I’ve gotten pretty fond of that big dog. Well,” she said, changing the subject, “I know you must be hungry, Caleb.”

“I gotta be on my way pretty soon, Grandma.”

“Well, you gotta eat.”

“All right. Are you two all packed and ready to roll?” he asked.

“Sure are,” Joy said. “As soon as we eat, we can be on our way.”

The two men sat down at the table while the women put the food on. Caleb, without appearing to do so, studied Chase carefully. He was trying to put together the facts that his grandmother had given him, but he was still puzzled about the relationship between the man and this girl. He did not ask anything specific but tried to get Chase to talk about his past. Caleb soon saw that Chase Hardin was not proud of his past, and he couldn’t get much out of him.

“My grandma tells me you been laid up lately, Chase.”

“Sure have. I got me a few cracked ribs, and your grandma patched up this eye. The stitches are out now, but I’ll probably always have a scar.” He touched the eyebrow and looked over at Joy. “Guess you might say your grandma and Joy have made a patient out of me.”

The table was soon loaded with chicken fried steak, boiled potatoes, golden corn, and freshly made biscuits. The milk was rich and creamy, and Caleb ate as though he had not seen food in a week. His grandmother kept urging him on, and finally when she set a wedge of cherry pie in front of him, he grinned at her. “Still the best cook in the world, Grandma.”

“You don’t eat right bein’ out on the road like you are.”

“Well, cookin’s not as good as yours, but I make out.”

Joy had said little during the meal. Although she was excited about meeting up with her brother again, she was also quite sad at leaving the haven that had provided such a time of peace for her.

After the meal was over, Caleb got up and announced, “Well, if you two are ready, we’ll be on our way.”

“I’ll get my suitcase,” Joy said and went upstairs.

Chase left to get his few belongings as well. When they returned, Caleb said, “Well, Grandma, thanks for the meal. I’ll stop and see you next time I come by.”

Hannah took his kiss and patted his cheek. “You take care of yourself, boy. I pray every day for you while you’re in that truck.”

“You keep it up, Grandma. I need all the prayers I can get.”

Caleb took the suitcase from Joy, saying, “Here, let me tote that,” and led the way out to the large truck. Caleb opened the back gate of the truck, wedged the suitcase in, and took Chase’s canvas bag as well. Shutting the door, he nodded. “We’re on our way.”

Joy walked to the front of the truck, climbed in the cab, and slid to the middle of the seat. Chase got in beside her, still moving cautiously, and then Caleb plopped himself down and slammed the door. “Bye, Grandma,” he shouted as the engine broke into a roar. Joy waved at Sister Hannah, keeping her eyes on her until the truck had pulled out into the road and, making a wide, sweeping turn, headed out. A sense of loneliness settled over Joy, and she said, “I’ll miss your grandmother, Caleb.”

“So will I,” Chase said. “You’re a lucky guy to have someone like that in your family.”

“I know it,” Caleb said. “There ain’t nobody like her. Never has been, I don’t reckon. One of these days I hope I’ll believe in God just about a hundredth as much as she does.” He pulled off the dirt road onto the main highway and stepped on the gas. The engine responded, and the big truck lumbered down the road. Joy was tossed back and forth against Caleb and Chase. “Sorry,” she murmured.

“It’s all right. These roads are pretty bad. It’ll get better, though, a few miles up the way.”

“How long will it take to get to Fort Worth, Caleb?” Chase asked.

“Well, let’s see. I reckon we’ll stay at Russell, Kansas,
tonight and then maybe we can make Ardmore, Oklahoma, tomorrow night. We’ll be pullin’ into Fort Worth the day after that, I reckon.”

****

“Well, here’s where I deliver my load,” Caleb announced as they crossed the Fort Worth city line. “Been a pretty good trip.”

“It sure has, Caleb.” Joy smiled up at the big young man. “I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your giving us a ride.”

“Why, shore, no trouble at all, Joy. You and Chase have been good company. It gets lonesome bein’ by myself all the time. Maybe someday they’ll figure out a way to put a radio in a truck. Be mighty nice.”

The trip had been pleasant enough. They had left on March eighteenth and now after three days on the road were finally in Fort Worth. Texas was a different kind of country—flat with low hills in places, and the mesquite trees were ugly, at least to Joy. They made twisted forms as if they were in pain, she thought. Now as Caleb pulled the truck up in front of a large warehouse, she turned to Chase. “Well, we’re here.”

“Yes, and not too far to go.”

“It’s too late to head to Galveston tonight,” Caleb said. He backed the truck up carefully, watching the mirrors on each side, pulled the emergency break on, and cut the engine. “Tell you what. Let me ask around, and I’ll see if I can find you a place to stay tonight.”

“That would be nice of you,” Joy said. She waited until Chase had climbed out, then got out herself. She looked around curiously at her surroundings and said, “Somehow I thought there’d be cowboys here.”

Chase laughed. “I think you’re about fifty years too late for that, but at one time you would have seen plenty of them.”

The two waited for no more than five minutes before Caleb came back, smiling. “I had some good luck,” he said, “or maybe you did. I talked to the guy that manages this place.
He says he has a room with some cots in there you two can stay in tonight.” He grinned at Joy. “When I told him you were a young lady he kind of balked, but I sweet-talked him into finding you a place where you could have a little privacy.”

“Thank you, Caleb. That’ll help a lot.” Joy smiled up at him.

“C’mon. I’ll introduce you to the manager, and you can get your stuff stashed. Tell you what. I’ll buy you some dinner and show you a little bit of the town.”

****

Caleb was as good as his word. He took them out to a café close to the terminal called Ma’s, and Ma herself served them the specialty, barbecued ribs. Ma was a small, sprightly woman with gray hair and a face lined with many years. Apparently Caleb knew her well, and she stopped by their table more than once to inquire if the food was good.

“It’s great, Ma, as always. How’s that no-good son of yours?”

“Which one? They’re all pretty worthless.”

“Why, you don’t believe that, Ma. I mean Denny.”

“Got him a good job over at Abilene. Gettin’ married too. About time. About time for you too, Caleb.”

“You hustle me up a fine-lookin’ young blonde that comes from a rich family, then I can retire.”

Ma laughed. “You’d do it too, wouldn’t you?”

As she moved away, Caleb continued his stories of his adventures on the road. He had an easy way about him, and his stories were amusing. Finally, he said, “Guess I’d better get you back. I expect you’ll want to leave early in the mornin’.”

“I’d like to,” Joy said. She sipped her coffee and nodded. “I’m anxious to find out if there’s any news of my brother.”

“Well, let me make a call before we go.” He got up, and as soon as he disappeared, Joy said, “He’s such a nice guy.”

“Yes, he is. Of course, he’s got good blood in him from Sister Hannah.”

“To tell the truth, I miss Sister Hannah already.”

“I know; so do I.”

They talked idly until Caleb returned, and they saw he had a satisfied smile on his face. “Had good luck,” he said. “A friend of mine makes a run down to the coast three times a week. He’s leavin’ tomorrow. He owes me a favor. He said he’d haul you all the way down to Galveston.”

“How wonderful!” Joy said. “I don’t know what we would have done without you, Caleb.”

“That’s right.” Chase nodded. “You’ve been a good friend.”

“No trouble at all,” Caleb said cheerfully. “Well, if you’re ready, we’ll go catch some shut-eye.”

****

Hack Wilson, their ride for the next day, was a rough fellow. A big, burly man of some thirty years, he had obviously been in a few fights in his life. His nose was crooked from having been broken, and there was scar tissue around his eyes. Despite his rough appearance and coarse language, Joy and Chase enjoyed his company. As he told it, he had done just about every kind of job there was to do, and as he steered the big truck down the highway, he told them about every one of those jobs.

He kept up his storytelling almost without a break from the time they left Fort Worth early Monday morning until they arrived in Galveston late in the afternoon. As they approached the city Hack asked where they wanted to be dropped off and agreed to take them to the main post office. When he stopped in front of the building, he said, “This is it. Hope you find your brother, miss.” He jumped out and got their luggage, and Chase shook hands with him. They both thanked him, and he waved his big hand, saying, “Good luck to you both.”

“Well, we’re here,” Chase said, looking around. “Let’s see if there’s anything from Travis.”

“Yes, I can hardly wait! Say, would you mind staying out here with our bags while I go check for a letter?” Joy had
suddenly realized she would have to inquire about a letter for Joy Winslow, and she was still reluctant for Chase to learn her real name.

“Sure. I guess that’s easier than hauling them into the building.”

Joy’s expectation turned to disappointment when she found there was no mail for her. She turned away sadly and rejoined Chase outside.

“Well, we’ll just have to find a place to stay until his ship comes in.”

“All right,” she agreed with a sigh, “and we’ll have to find jobs.”

They started down the street. “I don’t know what to do, Chase. We don’t have enough money to go to a hotel.”

“I know. We’ll have to be hobos, I guess. Maybe we can find an empty building to sleep in tonight, and tomorrow we can look for jobs.”

They headed for the outskirts of town, thinking there might be an abandoned warehouse to spend the night in. They passed by a small grocery store, and Chase stopped and looked in the window. Joy saw that he was staring at a poster advertising the circus. “The Carter Brothers Circus,” Chase read. “It says they’ll be here on the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth. That’s just four days from now.”

“You still like to go to circuses?” Joy asked, curious. “Didn’t you tell me you worked in one once?”

Chase did not answer the question. Instead, he said, “We’d better go in here and get somethin’ we can cook up tonight. Maybe some beans and sausages and a pot to cook them in.”

After buying their groceries, they continued out of town and reached the far outskirts as the sun was nearing the horizon. A few factories were scattered along the highway, but they couldn’t see any abandoned warehouses. Joy had about given up when Chase shouted, “Hey, look over there!”

Joy turned to follow his gesture and saw a burned-out house. “What is it, Chase?”

“Look, the barn didn’t burn down with the house. I bet we could hole up there tonight. Come on, let’s take a look.”

They found that the barn, although in poor condition, was good enough to sleep in. There was even some hay in the loft, and although they had no blankets, Chase said, “This should be okay, I think. Might be a little chilly during the night, but it’s a lot warmer down here than it was up north.”

“This’ll be fine. Maybe we can do better tomorrow.”

Chase started gathering firewood, and out behind the barn he coaxed up a small fire. By the time darkness settled in, the two had hot beans and sausages ready to eat.

“Not as good as Sister Hannah’s cooking, or yours either,” Chase said. “But it’s filling.”

Joy took a spoonful of the beans and sausage pieces from the small saucepan they had bought and asked, “Do you think we can find work here?”

“Well, it might be a bit tough. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble, though. You can always be a waitress or a cook. Might be harder for me.”

“You won’t be able to do any heavy work yet, Chase. Your ribs are still too tender.”

Chase did not answer. He took a sip from the bottle of soda pop they had bought at the store and looked up at the stars. “There’s Orion.”

“You know the stars, Chase?”

“Not many of them. I know that one, though. You see, it’s supposed to be a big hunter.” He pointed out the four stars that made the shoulders and then the lower part of the shape of a man. “Those stars across the middle are called Orion’s Belt.”

“They’re so far away.”

“When I was a kid I used to wonder who lived there.”

“Do you think anybody does?”

“I don’t know. We’re not likely to find out.”

Chase shivered and said, “It’s gettin’ kind of cold. We should have gotten a couple of blankets.”

“We can do that tomorrow, or maybe if we get jobs, we can find rooms.”