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U is for UNCROSSING
The Moonbeam Chronicles:
Book Twenty-One
Carolina Mac
Copyright © 2023 by Carolina Mac
U is for UNCROSSING - 1st ed.
ISBN 978-1-990882-05-0
All rights reserved

The moral right of the author has been asserted.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used
fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior
written permission of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and
without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the author is illegal
and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of
copyrighted materials.
Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.

Book Layout © 2017 BookDesignTemplates.com
To: The true believers.
Uncrossing involves removing a curse or any form of negative magic. Most effective when
performed during the waning of the moon.
―The Free Dictionary.
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter One
Monday, March 7th.
High Mountain. West Virginia.

Ardal crossed the yard from the house to the barn thinking the days were getting a little longer. The
strengthening sun as it neared the Solstice had melted a lot of the snow around his cottage. Soon there
would be buds on the trees and fresh grass for Mirabelle to munch on.
Spring would be welcome on High Mountain. The winters at that high elevation were long and
brutal.
Mirabelle nickered as Ardal opened the barn doors and left them wide open while he did the
morning chores. While he had this down time between assignments, he intended to build a corral at
the side of the barn so Mirabelle could spend the summer outside.
With unlimited space at his new residence, Ardal could make the new corral as large as he
wanted. There were no property boundaries on High Mountain.
Since the completion of the last mission, there had been no communication from Jerome, the head
gnome, or from the Green Man himself, and Ardal was grateful to be given a rest period between
tasks. His powers had to be replenished and several of his magick skills needed practice.
In his own mind, Ardal thought of himself as an ordinary nineteen-year-old young adult. He had
never considered himself to be a special person, and he didn’t want others to think of him in that way.
It would be embarrassing to him.
Now that he’d had time to adjust, he was content with his life in service of the Green Man. A
defender of Nature was his calling, and he had accepted it as the correct path for him to follow.
The only thing lacking in his mountain paradise was a dog, or perhaps more than one. He missed
Lulu so much and desperately needed a replacement.
“How far would I have to go to get a dog, Mirabelle?”
Mirabelle nickered loudly in response to his question and kicked the side of her stall.
Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

I opened my eyes and the pain in my chest took my breath away. I gasped for air and Frank came
running with a glass of water. He grabbed my pain meds off the nightstand and shook two into his
hand.
He’d brought me home from the hospital the day before and was trying to take care of me on his
own. He propped pillows up behind me and held my head up a little so I could drink the water and
get the pills down.
“Lie back and let the pain subside.” Frank looked as pale as I felt. I loved him so much.
“Your mother has been calling. She’d feel better if you were at her house where she had eyes on
you, and you’d be with the baby.” Frank sat down on the side of the bed and held my hand. “Do you
want me to drive you up the mountain?”
“I’m not strong enough to go there yet and have her and Daddy fussing over me. Besides, with the
two babies in the second bedroom, there’s no place for me to sleep.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want you way up the mountain, Gilly. I want you here with me. I get a
little crazy when you’re out of my sight.” He leaned down and kissed me. “Try to rest while I make
breakfast and then we’ll eat together.”
“I can’t get up.”
Frank laughed. “I can see that. I’ll eat in here with you.”
Frank went into the kitchen and I was left to deal with the overwhelming pain on my own. Tears
filled my eyes and I couldn’t stop them from gushing down my cheeks. The last thing I wanted to do
was cry in front of Frank and let him know what a terrible mess I was in. He was so sensitive and I
couldn’t stand for him to see me hurting.
There had been several times in the hospital when all the drugs they gave me weren’t enough and I
begged the nurses hovering around me to let me die.
Was I happy that they didn’t? That hadn’t been confirmed and wouldn’t be until I went through the
rigors of recovery.
At breakfast, Frank sat on the bed beside me with his plate in his hand and we talked a little more
about getting a house in town and moving out of the apartment when I was fully recovered.
“Can we afford a house, Gilly? I have a few thousand saved for a new truck but it wouldn’t go far
towards the down payment on a house.”
“Sonny caused me a lot of grief, but one thing he did do for me was leave me without money
worries. Because of the monthly casino money and the income from the carnival, we never have to
worry about money, Frankie. Not ever.”
Frank’s brown eyes widened as he absorbed that information. “I’m happy you are financially
solid, Gilly, but I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t hold up my end.”
“You are holding up your end, Frankie.” I reached over and patted his arm. You work like a dog in
the pool hall and you take care of me and Saffron, and you keep me happy in many other ways.”
“I want to do those things,” said Frank. “None of that is an effort for me. When you’re better and
you feel like it, you can start looking for a house if you want to. Saffron will soon be toddling and
she’ll want to play outside. We don’t have a yard here.”
“Lulu is cooped up in the apartment too,” I said. “We need a fenced yard. Perhaps a place with
some property a little ways out of town.”
Frank rolled his eyes. “Sounds more expensive.”
I held up my hand. Too tired for more talking.
“No more money talks. You throw in what you can and I’ll throw in what I can—our contributions
to the household budget will be based strictly on what we can afford. If you can afford three hundred
a month and I can afford three thousand, then that’s what we’ll toss into the household money pot.”
“Doesn’t seem fair to me,” said Frank.
“It’s exactly fair,” I said. “No more discussion. Move on to the next topic on the breakfast meeting
agenda. I’m almost out of energy and I have to sleep.”
Frank laughed. “Is this a breakfast meeting?”
“Yep. Next on the list is Daddy’s retirement. He wants out of the sheriff’s office to spend more
time with Mama, and you want in. That means we have to get busy and get you elected sheriff of
Shadow County.”
“Your father made me a deputy and I’m helping him a little in my spare time but I miss police work
so much. I do want to be sheriff.”
“More drugs equals more crime and the druggies are moving into the county. The citizens need
you.”
“Thing is, I’m not from Shadow Valley,” said Frank. “I’m from Hinton and that might be a strike
against me with the local voters.”
“But your dynamic wife is from this town and everybody knows me. I’m going to campaign my ass
off for you, sugar pop.”
“What about the pool hall?” asked Frank.
“You talk to Johnny today about being the full-time manager and I’ll move one of the other boys up
to part-time manager to help him out.”
Frank nodded. “Yep, that would work.” Frank sat quietly for a moment and seemed to be deep in
thought. “Do you think we should get married before the election and make it official?”
“Umm… one step at a time, Frankie-boy. First, I have to get out of this bed. Step one. Then comes
step two: I haven’t met your mother yet. You keep putting her off and we have to get past that obstacle
before we can go any further. If she hates me, we have to find out. I’m not going to bring stress down
on you. That’s the last thing I’m going to do.”
“Who I’m going to marry has nothing to do with my mother,” said Frank.
“I think it does. Let’s test the waters. Tell her we’re coming for dinner. I should be good for a pot
roast in about two weeks.”
Frank sighed. “Okay, I’ll call her this morning.”
“Next item on the list is my increasing psychic powers. I don’t know how to handle the images I’m
seeing and it’s scaring me.”
“Isn’t there someone you can talk to about it? Like somebody who is a psychic and knows how to
deal with it.”
“Bingo. Your smarts are showing, Frank Oakley. I’ll call Misty and ask her to help me get a handle
on it.”
Frank gathered up the plates and I was anxious for him to leave me alone and let me sleep. All that
talking left me exhausted.
He smiled as he headed for the door and I heard him say, “We’re going to have a great life
together, Gilly.”
If only that were true.
Sheriff’s Office. Shadow Valley.

After breakfast, Frank cleaned up the dishes and the kitchen and wandered across the street to talk to
Cade about the coming election. “Morning, Sheriff.”
“Morning, Frank. Coffee is on.”
“Thanks, Cade. Do you mind if we talk a bit about the election?”
“Don’t mind at all. I’m happy you decided to run, Frank. Time for me to pack it in and spend more
time with Glenny. It’s what she wants and I could use the down time.”
Frank poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down in front of Cade’s desk. “Tell me how you got
yourself elected.”
Cade chuckled. “Pretty easy. I tossed my name in the ring and nobody ran against me. That was it.”
“Huh,” said Frank. “Do you think I’ll have a lot of competition this time?”
“I only heard one rumor,” said Cade.
Frank raised an eyebrow. “Who’s going to run?”
“Isabel Greene.”
“What? Your old girlfriend?”
“Umm… I’d rather not refer to her in those terms, but from what I heard, she got a taste for law
enforcement when she was hanging around the office with me and she wants to try it on her own.”
“Jeeze,” said Frank. “She might get a lot of votes.”
“Don’t see why she would,” said Cade. “She don’t have a lick of experience.”
“I guess I’d prefer to be unopposed,” said Frank.
“Hell, Frank. You’ve got all your years at the Hinton shop. You were a detective, for chrissakes.
Why wouldn’t the citizens pick you? Course they will.”
“Gilly said she’s going to run my campaign.”
“Then she’d better get out of bed,” said Cade, “and we both know she can’t do that. It will take her
weeks to recover and I’ve seen a couple of signs for Isabel already. One at the grocery store and
another one in the post office.”
“I don’t even have any posters made yet,” said Frank.
“Like I said, you’d better get busy and you’ll have to do it on your own. Clover can’t help you.”
“No, she can’t. I’ll ask her what she wants me to do, and I’ll do it myself.”
Cade stood up with his mug in his hand. “I haven’t checked the landline for messages this morning.
I plain forgot. I’ll be right back.”
Frank picked up his coffee and followed Cade into the squad room where the landline was
located. The phone was at a desk that was designated for a dispatcher if the county could have
afforded one. They didn’t have the budget for it yet.
Cade listened and then hung the phone up. “We’ve got trouble.”
“What is it?”
“There’s a dead body hanging in a tree out on Poke Creek Road. Old Herman Cassels spotted it
when he was cutting fiddleheads this morning.”
“A hanging?” said Frank. “That’s unusual. We’d better get out there. Is it far?”
“Far enough. Other side of the county.”
“Gilly is asleep. I can go for an hour or so.”
Poke Creek Road. Shadow County.

Cade drove out of town with Frank in the passenger seat. Frank figured he’d better tell Gilly what had
happened, because she’d be expecting him back in a few minutes.
“Hey, Gilly. I’m with your father and we got a call.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s going on?”
“A hanging on Poke Creek Road. We’re not there yet.”
“Far end of the county. Let me know when you get a minute. Sounds interesting.”
“Uh huh. I’ll call in a while.”
“I’ll sleep until you call me.”
“We won’t be able to drive to it,” said Cade. “We’ll go to Herman’s farm and he can show us the
way.”
Cade turned at the Cassells’ mailbox and drove in the narrow lane to a century farmhouse in need
of paint.
Herman was standing on the porch steps smoking a pipe, two dogs close by anxious to get going.
Herman waved to them in greeting and came down the steps towards the Bronco.
“Morning, Sheriff.”
“Morning, Herman. This is Deputy Oakley, and he’ll soon be the new sheriff when I retire at
month’s end.”
Herman shook Frank’s hand. Firm handshake for an old guy. “I thought Jethro was gonna run.”
Cade ignored him and asked, “Where did you see the body, Herman?”
“Down the back lane a piece. Don’t know how in hell anybody would pick that spot. Ain’t
convenient by any means.”
They all trudged down the back lane, then through a gate and across a pasture field full of
Herefords.
“Watch yourselves near any of the cows with a calf. They can be testy.”
“I’ve heard that about Herefords with calves,” said Cade.
“I’m short on cow knowledge,” said Frank.
“Happens when you’re raised in town,” said Cade. “But on the other hand you might know a
helluva lot more about cracks in the sidewalk, and parking meters, and such.”
Frank smiled. Cade did have a sense of humor—when he was sober.
They kept trudging along until the woods sprung up at the end of the pasture field, and the sound of
water running close by became louder.
“Creek gets high and a bit turbulent in the spring,” said Herman. “Right up and over the banks
when there’s a heavy rain.” He walked on a little further and stopped dead. “Over there.” Herman
pointed and Cade squinted to see better.
Frank nodded his head. “Uh huh. A hanging tree.”
“Yep, I see him,” said Cade. “That your land, Herman?”
“Nope. My farm stops right here at the creek. That property over there belongs to Bernadette
Calarook.”
“A woman?” asked Frank.
“Never seen her since high school,” said Cade, “but I guess I’m about to get reacquainted with her.
Heard she was a witch and I’m sure I heard Glenny and Wenda talking about her a couple times. You
know her well, Herman?”
“Not well. Mabel might know her a little better than me, but Bernadette ain’t the social kind.”
“Long way for Doc Munson to walk way out here,” said Cade. “You walk back to the house,
Frank, and wait for him. Drive the Bronco down the lane. You’ll have to use the four-wheel gear,
son.”
“Yeah, I’ll go get him, Cade.”
Frank jogged most of the way back to the farmhouse to wait for Doctor Munson and it was all uphill.
The Cassells’ farm sloped down from where the house sat close to the road, to Poke Creek at the back
of the hundred acres.
A little out of breath and his bad leg giving him a bit of grief, Frank slid behind the wheel of the
Bronco and lit up a smoke while he waited. His thoughts were on the election campaign and how he
would convince the citizens of Shadow County to vote for him.
“The only problem for the local people, is they don’t know me because I’m from Hinton. If Gilly
was with me, everybody would know her and that would help a lot. She won’t be up walking around
for a couple of weeks so she won’t be out knocking on doors for me. I’ll talk to Jethro and see if he
would consider backing me. That would help. Everybody in the county wants Jethro for sheriff. At
best, I’ll be second best in their eyes. They love Jethro.”
The doctor’s van pulled in and he parked near the garage. The old doctor got out with his bag in
his hand.
Frank hopped out and gave him a holler, “Over here, Doctor. I’m gonna drive you to the scene. It’s
way back in the bush at the fence line.”
“Appreciate the transportation, son. Is the body a long ways away?”
“Yep. Felt like a mile but maybe a little less.”
“Did Cade know who it was?”
“I don’t think so. We didn’t get that close. The body is on the other side of Poke Creek.”
“Shallow enough to get across?”
“Yep, pretty shallow. Mister Cassells said the body is on the farm next to his.”
Doc Munson frowned. “On Bernadette’s property?”
“Yep. That’s what he said.”
“That ain’t the best, son. Glad I don’t have to go over there and pay her a call.”
Frank chuckled. “Never met her but I guess I shouldn’t be happy about it either.”
As they drove along the bumpy lane littered with cowpies that had dried out and hardened into shit
Frisbees, Doctor Munson turned to Frank and asked, “Who in their right mind would haul another
person way back here to hang them?”
“Seems like a lot of work, doesn’t it?” said Frank. “Maybe the killer wasn’t in his right mind. I
wonder if he came in through this farm or the one next door.”
“Bernadette has dogs that aren’t meant to be friendly. This would be the easier way in.”
“Huh,” said Frank. “The killer must have had a vehicle. Mister Cassells didn’t mention hearing
anything.”
“Old Herman is practically deaf,” said the doctor. “He doesn’t hear much unless you shout at him.”
Frank parked the Bronco and escorted Doctor Munson through the trees to where Cade and
Herman were waiting.
They had crossed the creek and were looking up at the noose. Probably trying to figure out how to
get up into the tree and detach the rope.
“Looks like they’re ready to get started,” said Frank. “I bet I’m going to have to climb that tree.”
Doctor Munson laughed. “You being the youngest one here, son, you get the nomination.”
Frank got a soaker crossing the creek and with one wet foot he grabbed onto the lowest branch and
hauled his ass up the tree.
By the time the doctor had finished his initial examination of the swinging corpse, Frank had
studied the knots the killer had used and he was ready to untie the rope.
Whoever made the noose seemed to be pretty adept at rope work. No cowboys in West Virginia.
“When I get the rope off the tree branch, the body is gonna fall,” hollered Frank.
“We’ll grab him,” said Cade, and moved directly underneath the corpse to get into position.
Frank worked on the rope, untied the knots with a fair degree of difficulty and the body dropped.
Cade was ready when the weight was released, and he eased the corpse to the ground. Doctor
Munson recorded the body temperature and figured the body had been hung in the tree sometime the
day before.
By the time Frank climbed out of the tree, Cade had identified the dead man.
“He’s blue in the face,” said Cade, “and his eyes are a bit bulgy, but I still recognize him. This is
Charlie Fry. Used to buy shine from me for years before he got religion and gave up the booze. He
lives way up the mountain past my place. No reason he’d be here to get dead.”
“But he is here,” said Frank. “That means somebody put him here.”
“You solve it, son,” said Cade. “Be good practice for you coming in and taking over the sheriff’s
office. Might help to get you elected.”
“I’ll try,” said Frank. “Let’s get him bagged and back to the doctor’s van. I’ve got a wet foot and I
need to change my socks.”

I woke up in a lot of pain. Two immediate problems. I needed meds and I had to go to the bathroom. I
hollered for Frank and he didn’t come, then I remembered he was with Daddy at a murder scene.
It took me five whole minutes of fighting with my body to get into a sitting position on the side of
the bed. Once I was sitting upright with my feet on the floor, I had to rest and catch my breath.
The weakness had already caught me off guard and my head was swimming, but I had to pee and
there was no turning back. One room away. I was sure I could make it to the bathroom once I got to
my feet.
Lulu heard me thrashing around and padded into the bedroom thinking I was up and I might take her
out for a run. She was sadly mistaken, and I hated to disappoint my beautiful bloodhound, but the
bathroom was as far as I was going.
Right behind Lulu was Tarn with a word of warning. “Don’t try to get up, babe. Please wait for
Frank to come home. Where is that dumb fucker anyway?”
“He’s with Daddy at a murder.”
“What kind of man leaves a shot woman alone? Get rid of the stupid bastard.”
“He’s a good man, Tarn, and I’m not getting rid of him. He’s here to stay and he has to work.”
I rested for another long minute then I went for it.
With a grunt I pushed myself up off the bed and tried to stand on my own two feet. Excited that I
was out of bed, Lulu brushed against me in her hurry to get to the door and that was all it took.
I fell to the floor with a crash and Tarn let out a long ghostly wail loud enough to wake his asshole
father. He flew around the room like Casper on crack and didn’t accomplish a thing. Nothing he could
do no matter how much he wanted to help me.
I called Lulu to see if I could lean on her and get myself up and she thought it was a game. She ran
into the bedroom, licked my face, and ran back to the door whining to get going.
The pain in my chest was so overwhelming, it was going to make me pass out. I sobbed for Ardal.
I needed my brother so badly at that moment.
“Ardal.”
High Mountain.
Ardal was in the kitchen of his mountain cottage making a sandwich when he heard Gilly crying. The
image was clear. She was in her room on the floor and only Lulu was there.
She fell and she can’t get up.
He set the knife on the counter and transported.

I opened my eyes and Ardal was lifting me up off the floor and placing me gently back on the bed.
“I… I fell.”
“You shouldn’t be out of bed, Gilly. You are pale as a ghost and you are so weak you can’t stand
up on your own.”
“Bathroom.”
“Sure. I can take you to the bathroom.” Ardal carried me to the bathroom and carried me back to
my bed when I was finished. What a relief.
“I’m so happy you’re here. Can you stay for a while?”
“I’ll stay until Frank comes back. Where is he?”
“He and Daddy are at a murder someplace in the county.”
“Is Frank going to be the next sheriff?”
“He wants to be.”
“I think he’d be a great sheriff,” said Ardal. “We can help him.”
“I want him to win. He wants it so badly.”
Ardal covered me up with one of the quilts Mama made and strode to the kitchen to make fresh
coffee.
I cried with happiness, I was so thankful my brother was with me in my apartment.
Bernadette Calarook’s Residence.

Once Charlie Fry was loaded into the back of Doctor Munson’s van, Cade and Frank left Herman
Cassells on his front porch and moved on to the farm next door.
“What about the dogs, Cade?” Frank was nervous to get out of the Bronco.
“I wouldn’t worry about the dogs too much.”
“Have you been there before?”
“Maybe once, but I can’t remember the dogs being a problem. You afraid of dogs, son?”
“Not like a phobia or anything, but I’ve been bit a few times when I was a cop in Hinton, and I’m
cautious.”
Bernadette came out the door and yelled at them to get off her property.
“Here we go,” said Cade. He hopped out and tried to calm the waters. “Found a dead body on
your property, way at the back, Bernadette.”
“Who’s dead? Herman Cassells, I hope.”
“Not him. Charlie Fry.”
Bernadette was a tall witch with long dark hair streaked with gray. She had the same pretty face
that she’d had in high school, but now she had a few wrinkles from too much smoking and moonshine.
A hard partying witch and she liked men. Lots of men. That’s what people in Shadow Valley said.
Cade didn’t doubt it was true—he’d heard the stories.
“No, not my Charlie.” She ran down the steps and growled at Cade. “Better not be Charlie. If
Charlie’s dead, Stan Gerrits will be dead within the hour.”
“Why do you say that?” asked Frank. He’d been brave enough to walk past the two growling
Bouvier’s.
“The way it is. That’s why.”
Frank glanced at Cade to see if he knew what Bernadette was saying and he shrugged and shook
his head.
Back in the Bronco, Cade said, “I know Stan Gerrits, but I don’t know what he’s got to do with
this.”
“We’d better see what he knows,” said Frank. “Does he live around here?”
“Stan has a pig farm up the dead-end sideroad. His property butts up against the county line and
he’s almost off our turf.”
“But not quite,” said Frank.
“Nope, he’s just inside the county line and he’s one of our voters. Not a bad guy. I’ve bought a
couple of hogs off him in the past for a fair price. You should introduce yourself.”
“I’ll do that,” said Frank. “I need votes.”
Checking out Stan Gerrits took even more time and the pig farmer wasn’t home. They’d have to go
back later to question him.
When they got back to the sheriff’s office, Frank ran across the road fearing he’d been gone too
long. He ran up the stairs and blasted through the door with a knot in the pit of his stomach.
Frank called out as he took off his muddy boots at the door, “Gilly, I’m so sorry I was gone way
too long. Did you make it to the bathroom?”
Ardal walked out of the bedroom, his face like a thunder cloud and Frank was suddenly afraid of
the power Ardal possessed.
“You left her alone,” Ardal whispered. He raised a hand to Frank and then lowered it. Right in
front of Frank’s eyes, Ardal disappeared.
Frank stood staring at the spot where Ardal had been standing. “He actually disappeared.”
Swallowing his fear, Frank ran into the bedroom to see if Gilly was okay. “I’m so sorry I was gone
so long.”
“Ardal came to help me.”
“I saw him for a minute and then he up and disappeared. I don’t believe anybody can do that, Gilly.
What’s up with you brother?”
“He’s been chosen.”
“By who… or is it whom?”
“The Green Man.”
“There is no Green Man, Gilly. You’re delirious, sweetheart. Try to sleep.”
Chapter Two
Tuesday, March 8th.

Frank got out of bed feeling bad about the previous day. He shouldn’t have left Gilly alone. He only
intended to be gone for a few minutes but it didn’t matter—Gilly needed him and he wasn’t there. Bad
shit happened and Ardal came.
Where did Ardal come from? Frank couldn’t figure it out. There was no Jeep in the parking lot and
how far did he have to come? Where did the guy live?
The force around Ardal was palpable. Frank could feel the power emanating from Ardal’s body.
Like something from a science fiction movie, Ardal was almost humming with energy.
Frank had met Ardal lots of times before and the kid never scared him like he did yesterday. The
look on Ardal’s face was murderous. He was pissed at Frank for leaving Gilly alone and Frank was
pissed at himself.
“I need a nurse for her if I’m working this case.”
Frank made coffee and took a mug in to Gillette. He propped her up so she could drink and sat on
the edge of the bed to talk to her.
“I want to hire a nurse for you for a few days. We have a murder case and I’m not leaving you
alone again like I did yesterday.”
Gilly made a face. “I don’t want a nurse hovering over me, Frankie. I can manage. Yesterday was a
bad day. That’s all it was.”
“Nope, that wasn’t all it was and Ardal is pissed at me.”
“He’s emotional.”
“That what you call it?” Frank shook his head. “Your brother is closer to possessed in my book.
And he disappeared right out of the living room. Never went near the fucking door. How did he do
that?”
“He has gifts. He can transport.”
Frank laughed. “Nobody can do that.”
“I can.”
“Okay, you and Ardal can both do it,” said Frank. “I’ll take your word for it.” He changed the
subject. “Your mother is coming with the baby later and I’m going to ask her about the nurse idea. She
might know a lady who can come during the day when I’m not here.”
“Damn it, Frank, I want out of this bed.”
Frank leaned down and held Gilly in his arms.
Breakfast was over and Frank was cleaning up the kitchen when Glenda arrived with Saffron.
Already after nine-thirty, but Frank couldn’t—wouldn’t leave for work and have a repeat of the day
before.
He let Glenda in and took the baby from her. “I missed you so much, baby girl. Have you been
good for your Gran?”
Saffron smiled up at him. She was smiling a lot now. He carried the baby into the bedroom and put
her on the bed next to Gilly.
“Oh, my baby girl is here. I’m so lucky.”
“Anything you can do to help her?” Frank whispered to Glenda.
“I’ll try a healing spell. You go ahead to the office, Frank. Cade needs you. He told me about poor
Charlie Fry.”
“We’ve got a lot of people to talk to today,” said Frank. “No leads on the case yet.”
“He was on Bernadette’s property,” said Glenda. “That should tell you something.”
“Do you think she had something to do with the hanging?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she did—or at least knew something about it. She and Charlie were
close and if Bernadette knows who killed Charlie, they won’t be around long.”
“She mentioned Stan Gerrits,” said Frank. “You know him?”
“Pig farmer out by the county line,” said Glenda. “Don’t know him. Seen him a few times at the
grocery store and he always smells like pigs.” Glenda made a face.
“Huh. We’re going to talk to him today about Charlie.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks, Glenda, and thanks for staying for the morning. If you can recommend a suitable nurse,
I’d appreciate it.”
“Let me think about that, Frank.”
After Frank left, Mama came into the bedroom to put a healing spell on me and I was ready for it.
Ardal had put one on yesterday and I was definitely stronger, but another one wouldn’t hurt.
“Go ahead, Mama.”
“This is going to be sticky.” Mama lifted my nightshirt, removed the bandage long enough to rub
honey into the wound and then she put me back together.
“Bees will be coming for me, Mama.”
She laughed. “Lie still, Clover.” She raised her arms and chanted out the spell three times.
Aceso lend me your healing power

Honey heal within the hour
Pain and suffering set Clover free
Thankful are we for the fruit of the bee
So mote it be.
I opened my eyes and I could feel the gooey warmth of the honey and the spell working. “Thanks,
Mama. I can feel it already. Some of the pain is gone.”

Frank fixed Gilly up and made sure she was comfortable before he left. She said she was good for a
couple of hours. “I won’t be that long, I swear. I don’t want Ardal coming down on me again. That kid
has got a scary side I don’t particularly like.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“You haven’t seen it, Gilly, but it’s there.”
Frank kissed her, left her with her mother, and ran across the road to see if the sheriff had anything
new on the hanging case.
Cade was in the squad room listening to the land line, a funny look on his face.
Frank sat down at one of the vacant desks and waited until Cade hung up the phone and told him
what the message was.
Frowning, Cade said, “Anonymous caller, son. Never know whether to believe those. People
should leave a name so you can check back with them.”
“What were they talking about?” asked Frank.
“A bit hard to figure out.” Cade pointed to the phone. “Take a listen.”
Frank picked up the receiver and listened to the message.
“Sheriff, you’d be well advised to take a closer look at Jinx Dowling.”
Frank hung the phone up. “Who’s Jinx Dowling? Somebody local?”
“Nope. Not anymore. Jinx moved away about ten years ago and as far as I know, he never came
back.”
“He could have come back for a visit and knocked off Charlie Fry,” said Frank.
“That don’t make any sense. What’s his motive?”
“Once we find the motive, we’re close to grabbing the killer,” said Frank.
“Before we worry about Jinx, let’s get out to Stan Gerrits’ place and run that lead down. One
suspect at a time.”
“I’ve only got an hour,” said Frank. “Gilly said she was okay for two, but I’m not cutting it that
close.”
“Glenny is over there, ain’t she?”
“Yes, but I’m still worried.”
“Don’t be. Glenny can take care of anything that comes up. Let’s move it. We’ve got to make
headway today on Charlie’s murder.”
Gerrit’s Farm. Shadow Valley County Line.

The hogs were raising one helluva racket when Cade and Frank jumped out of the Bronco. Frank
pointed at the frenzy in the pig pen. Heavy duty rooting and pushing and snorting going on. “What’s up
with the porkers?”
“Looks like they’re fighting over something.”
They moved closer to the pen and all Frank could see was mud and muck and the pig smell was
something else. So strong it almost made him heave up his breakfast.
“Jeeze, do they eat their food when the pen is all mucky like that?”
“If they’re hungry, they’ll eat anything.”
Frank leaned over the fence and peered into the slop to see what two of the fat hogs were fighting
over. “That’s a human foot, Cade. That pig has a human foot in its mouth.”
“Where the hell is Stan?” hollered Cade. “That ain’t him is it? Think his pigs got him?”
“Pigs don’t kill people,” said Frank. “I’ll check the house and see if he’s in there.”
Cade went the other way. “I’ll look in the barn.”
They went searching in opposite directions and neither one of them found Stan Gerrits.
“If those are human parts,” said Cade, “I gotta call Doc Munson.” He reached for his phone. “Get
those pigs away from the remains.”
Frank was a city boy and not too familiar with the ways of the barnyard. “How the hell am I gonna
keep them away? That hog has a hand in his mouth and he’s running with it.”
“That’s a sow,” said Cade. Then he connected with the doctor and started telling him the problem.
Once Cade got off the phone, he opened the gate and went into the mucky pen. He herded the pigs
back into the barn through the door they used to come outside from their indoor pen. Piggy door.
As soon as he got them all inside, Cade shut the door and hollered to Frank. “Help me sort through
the muck and find what parts are left.”
Frank made a face. “I’ll get a shovel.”

I dozed off after Frank went to work with Daddy. Mama was watching over me and I felt safe. Don’t
remember how long I slept, but I woke later when I heard Lulu running around the apartment like she
was excited about something.
Then Ardal was beside my bed. “Hi, sugar.”
“I’m here, Gilly. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just sleeping. That’s all I do.”
“How is the healing spell working?”
“Great. I’m better.”
“Not better enough to suit me.” Ardal called out to somebody, “Juniper, bring one of those muffins
in here and put some butter on it. They can be dry, you put so much oatmeal in them.”
A small girl with red hair brought me a huge oatmeal muffin on a plate and said, “Eat this.” I felt
like Alice when she was down the rabbit hole.
“Thank you.”
“This is Juniper, my assistant, Gilly. She’s going to stay here for a few days with you. I don’t want
you left alone.”
“Frank is here with me.”
“He’s not paying enough attention to you, and I don’t like the way he’s taking care of you.”
“He’s trying to work. He and Daddy have a murder case. I’m okay alone for an hour or two—until
I have to go to the bathroom or take my meds.”
Juniper spoke up. “Ardal said you’re not to be left alone. I’ll be with you until you improve. Have
you spoken to the Great One about your newly acquired psychic ability?”
“How did you know about that?” I asked.
“I live with Ardal and we talk about what’s going on with him. I’m his P.A.” she giggled. “That’s
what he calls me.”
“I wasn’t aware Ardal had an assistant. I wouldn’t mind having one myself.”
“I’ll see if I can get you one, Gillette,” said Juniper. “Most of the gnomes are quite busy at the
moment. They are very much in demand.”
Ardal came into the bedroom and took my hand. “I have to leave for a while, but Juniper will stay
with you.”
“Thanks, sugar. I love you.”
Ardal leaned down and kissed me, then he disappeared. He’d become quite adept at doing that.
“Your brother loves you, Gillette. I don’t have a brother.”
“Are you an only child?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“I used to be an only child too, until I found Ardal. You should try to find a brother.”
“I think I will,” said Juniper. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
Lulu barked and ran for the door.
“Frank’s home,” I said.
“I’ll go greet him,” said Juniper.
Frank had been gone close to two hours by the time he got back from the Gerrits’ pig farm. He entered
the apartment and came face to face with a little red-haired girl wearing oven mitts.
“Hello Frank. I’m putting a casserole in the oven for lunch.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Juniper and I’m taking care of Ardal’s sister for him. I’m Ardal’s assistant.”
“Uh huh. Interesting. I’m filthy. I have to get cleaned up.”
“You carry a strong odor of pigs, Frank. Not my favorite animal, but all of the faunae serve a
useful purpose in Nature’s vast assortment of species.”
“I’m sure they do,” said Frank, “but I’ve had my fill of pigs for today. They can fulfill their
purpose without me.”
Before stripping down in the bathroom, Frank stuck his head in the bedroom to tell Gilly he was
home.
“You stink, Frankie.” Gilly made a face. “Where have you been?”
“Mucking around in Stan Gerrits’ pig pen. He was in the mix too, chopped up in pieces.”
“Wow, that’s something. I wish I could get up and help you guys. Your case is really taking off.”
“You could say that. I prefer to say it’s getting worse by the minute. And you can’t get up to help us
—not today and not for a long while yet—but I feel better knowing Ardal’s assistant is here taking
care of you.”
Frank headed for the door and added one more thought, “I don’t understand why Ardal would have
an assistant, but I’m grateful for the loan of her all the same.”
Frank showered and put clean clothes on, then came and sat on the bed to talk to me. “I want you to
call Jethro and invite him over here to talk to us about the campaign. We need a meeting.”
“Good idea. You need the voters to see that Jethro is behind you because he’s their first choice to
replace Daddy.”
“Right,” said Frank. “Also, I want to talk to him about coming back on staff as my deputy. He
knows the ropes and here’s the biggy—he knows all the people living in this county and I don’t. They
regard me as some kind of alien because I grew up in Hinton.”
“Hinton is only ten miles away.”
“To the people in Shadow Valley, it might as well be on the moon.”
“Yep, Jethro’s support would be a huge advantage to you, sugar, but he might not want to be a
deputy again. That part might not be easy because Jethro is stubborn and he’s not going to change his
mind easily. He got fed up when he was held prisoner by Jed Quick.”
“We can talk to him together, Gilly. I need Jethro in my corner and if I am elected it would be ideal
not to have to train somebody new.”
Jethro arrived right after lunch to talk to Frank about his campaign. He was more than willing to
support Frank in his run for sheriff.
“I’ll support you, no problem there, but coming back to work in the sheriff's office is something I’ll
have to think about. When I quit a while back, I was hating the day to day grind a lot. I’m not sure I
wouldn’t hate it all over again.”
“You can think about it, Jethro. It would be just you and me most days and sometimes Gilly if we
needed her. You would never be on your own.”
“Yeah, I hated working alone, but it’s the prisoners I hate the worst,” said Jethro. “Always wanting
stuff and hollering in the run and trying their damndest to get out every time you bring them a Coke or
a sandwich.”
“If that’s the part you hate, then I could take care of the prisoners—if we had any. They don’t
bother me much. In Hinton we always had a jail full of them—drunks and druggies.”
“My back has been bothering me lately,” said Jethro. “Lifting those hundred pound bags of feed
every day at the mill is getting to me. I have to consider changing jobs.”
“Good,” said Frank. “Consider coming back to where you’re needed. If I win, I’m definitely going
to need you.”
“I’ve got another problem that I have to talk to Clover about,” said Jethro. “Not a job-related
problem.”
“Sure, go ahead. She’s sitting up in bed and doing better today. You can go in and talk to her.”
Jethro stepped into the bedroom and closed the door behind him, shutting Frank and Juniper out.
“Hey, sugar. I’m so happy to see you.”
“Hate seeing you like this, Clover. If I’d been a bit quicker chasing Ransom down, this wouldn’t
have happened.”
“Not your fault. I should have pulled the trigger quicker. One second of hesitation and this is what
you get. You have to shoot first in order to stay alive.”
Jethro nodded. “I need to talk to you about a personal problem.”
“Sure. Is that why you closed the door?”
“Yep. Arlene ain’t getting pregnant and we’ve been trying for a while. She and her Gran think
she’s got a spell on her.”
“Has she had a checkup with Doctor Munson?”
“Yep. Did that a while ago and she’s in perfect health and so am I. It’s something else.”
“Everybody in Shadow Valley loves Arlene. They all know her at the Credit Union. Who would be
mean enough to put an infertility spell on her?”
“I’ve been trying to figure that out,” said Jethro, “and the only person I came up with is this girl
who was hot for me in high school. She wanted me to take her to the prom and I wasn’t into stuff like
that. I only went to school for the sports.”
“A girl from high school is old news and doesn’t seem like a very strong motive. Have you had a
run-in with that girl lately or something?”
Jethro shook his head. “Never seen her for ages. I heard she was a witch living up the dark side of
the mountain. I think it might be her doing this to Arlene.”
“I doubt it. She’d be over the prom thing by now.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. She was pretty keen at the time.”
“What’s her name? I don’t know the girls you went to high school with. I was long gone by then.”
“Suzette Davis. Remember her? Tall, dark hair and a bit of a crooked nose. Story is her husband
went missing and he was never found. Remember Ted Walker?”
“Maybe. Was he a tall, blond guy?”
“No. Suzette lived way out Foggy Lane and then you turned down a dead end road to get to her
house. Her parents were kind of hippies and they had one o’them painted-up vans. Remember that?”
“No. I didn’t go to high school for very long before I ran away. I don’t think I know her.”
“Anyway, Arlene wants you to take the spell off her when you’re feeling better. We’re not making
a bit of progress and she’s getting a bit down.”
“I can try to uncross it for y’all. I’ll look in my Book of Shadows for the best uncrossing ritual and
I’ll ask Mama too. She and Aunt Wenda might know of a good one we could try.”
“Thanks, Clover.”
“Will you help Frank, sugar?”
“Sure, I’ll help him get elected. Has he got any posters or hand-outs yet?”
“Give me a minute. I meant to do that but I’ve been pretty weak and I figured they’d turn out shitty.
Let me try.”
I concentrated hard, waved my arm, and produced a box of hand-outs with Frank’s bio on them and
a nice picture of his handsome face. Then I made a stack of big shiny posters. And lastly, a hundred
lawn signs.
“I put the lawn signs in the back of Frank’s truck. Too many for my bedroom.”
Jethro smiled as he picked up the two boxes. “We’re all set.”
“How did they turn out?”
Jethro held up a poster and I was pleased. “Not bad. He looks good in full color, doesn’t he?”
“Sure does. I’ll go show him.”
Jethro carried the boxes to the living room and set them down on the coffee table.
“What’s all that?” asked Frank.
“Clover made you some election stuff.”
“How? She can’t get out of bed.”
Jethro shrugged. He opened one of the boxes and pulled out a glossy poster with Frank’s smiling
face on it.
“Jeeze,” said Frank. “Look at that. Wait until my mom sees it.”
Chapter Three
Wednesday, March 9th.
High Mountain.
Ardal had only been home a few minutes from Gillette’s apartment when there was a knock on his
door. With no road and no access to his home deep in the forest, visitors were few and Ardal knew
them all.
He opened the door and Jerome stepped into the foyer. “Nice to see you again, Ardal.”
“Jerome, come in. I have coffee on.”
“I’d love a cup.”
Ardal went to the kitchen and fetched Jerome a mug of coffee, all the while eyeing the Manilla
envelope in Jerome’s hand.
The new assignment.
After refilling his own mug, Ardal plunked down at the kitchen table wondering if he should call
Kylo and invite him over. It would be beneficial if Kylo was in on any and all discussions of the new
mission from the beginning.
Ardal pushed the cream and sugar towards Jerome waiting for the head gnome to mention why he
had been sent by the Green Man.
Ardal had been on the verge of going out to search for a dog when Jerome arrived on his doorstep,
but the task took priority and the search for a dog would have to wait for a while.
Jerome sipped his coffee thoughtfully and tapped the envelope with his index finger. “This
assignment will be difficult, Ardal, but the Green Man has every confidence in you.”
“Whatever he wants done, I’ll do my best to complete the assignment.”
“You always do, and the gods are well pleased with you. Since Juniper is otherwise engaged,
perhaps Kylo would join us to go over the details.”
“I’ll call him. He’s been helpful to me in the past.”
“Kylo is intelligent and he has life experience to call upon when needed,” said Jerome.
Holding the phone to his ear, Ardal nodded at Jerome as he waited for Kylo to answer. Kylo had
been in seclusion since Rowan had disappointed him so greatly. His heart was broken and needed
time to heal.
Finally he answered. “Ardal?”
“Jerome is here, Kylo. Could you come over for a coffee?”
“Umm… I don’t go out much anymore in the daylight hours. It’s better if I don’t.”
“Leave it until tonight then and we’ll go out for a run.”
“Thanks, Ardal. That would be better.”
Ardal ended the call and shook his head. “He’s not coming.”
“That’s okay,” said Jerome. “We don’t need him to go over the basics. You will need time on your
own to study the project and determine how you will do what needs to be done.”
“Sure. I’ll need time to work it out. Let’s see what he wants me to accomplish.”
Jerome opened the envelope and spread a map out on the table. He pointed to a highlighted area.
“If you look right here, Ardal, this is a trouble spot.”
“North Dakota?”

“Good morning, Frank. I made you a big bowl of porridge. Do you like brown sugar and cream on
it?”
“Umm… I don’t like porridge, Juniper. Gilly makes me eggs—fried or scrambled. I can also make
my own breakfast without much trouble. You don’t have to wait on me.”
“Porridge is a staple, Frank. Everyone needs oatmeal to start their day.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“My father told me.”
“Your father must be pushing oats,” said Frank with humor in his voice.
“He’s definitely pro-grain. One of his main focuses is the success of crops around the world.”
Frank laughed. “Pro-grain? That’s funny.”
“My father doesn’t find humor in crop discussions, Frank. As a matter of fact, he can be quite
radical with the weather when he’s annoyed.”
“What does your father have to do with the weather?”
Juniper shrugged. “Everything.” She steered the subject back to the oatmeal. “Gillette is improving
rapidly since starting each day with one of my big oatmeal muffins.”
Frank wondered what kind of looney Ardal had unleashed on him. “Where do you call home,
Juniper? I don’t recognize your accent.” He took a couple of bites of the porridge to be polite and
waited for her answer.
“I come from a place not many people have been,” she said. “Not near West Virginia.”
“Did you fly here?”
“In a way.”
He took one more bite of porridge then went into the bedroom to see Gilly before he left for the
sheriff’s office.
Frank sat down on the side of the bed and picked up Gilly’s hand. “We’re starting on the election
campaign today. Thanks for the posters and the pamphlets.”
“No problem. I’m happy to help, sugar. I want you to be sheriff. It would be best for you and for
the whole of Shadow County.”
Frank smiled. “Thanks, Gilly.”
“The signs are in the back of your truck. You need to get them on people’s lawns as soon as you
can.”
“When did you order the signs, babe?”
“Umm… it was a few days ago.”
“When you were in the hospital?”
“I forget exactly when.”
“Are you teasing me? It had to be before you got shot and I don’t think I’d made up my mind to run
before that.”
“I knew you were going to run. I’m psychic.”
“Right. Your new power. I’m not sure I’m in sync with all of your powers.” He flashed her a
mundane smile.
“Did you tell your mother you were running for sheriff?”
“Not yet.”
“Call and tell her. She’s still waiting for us to come for dinner.”
“I told her you were shot, Gilly. She’s not holding her breath or anything.”
“She’s probably hoping I don’t make it. I bet she has some perfect princess in Hinton picked out
for you. How many years has she been match-making?”
Frank scowled. “My mother doesn’t get dates for me and she would never wish ill on anyone.
She’s not that kind of person. She’s going to love you and Saffron.”
“Saffron, maybe, but I’m pretty sure she won’t love me, Frankie-boy.”
“Stop worrying about it. Once we’re married, she’ll have to learn to love you like I do.”
“You’re marrying a witch, Frank. She’s going to buck hard against it.”
“I’m an adult,” said Frank, “and I’m marrying you.”
Frank kissed Gilly goodbye, still thoroughly confused by the timing. When had she ordered the
election stuff and when did she have time to go to the printer in Hinton and pick it all up? Why hadn’t
he noticed the boxes in their bedroom? He couldn’t figure it out.
Sheriff’s Office.
Cade was talking on the phone to Doc Munson when Frank walked into the office. He put the call on
speaker so Frank could hear what Doc was saying.
“How will we know the parts belong to Stan Gerrits?”
“A DNA test is the only way,” said the doctor.
“County can’t afford to pay for a test like that,” said Cade.
“Then we’ll never know for sure,” said the doctor. “But if Stan is missing and doesn’t turn up and
we have body parts from his pig pen you can put two and two together, Cade.”
“Yeah, I can do that much. It must be Stan.” Cade ended the call and let out a sigh.
“How are we going to find Jinx Dowling?” asked Frank. “Is that what we’re doing this morning?”
“Benson Motel.” Cade drained his coffee mug and stood up. “We’ll start at the motel. If there’s a
visitor from out of state, there’s only one place for them to stay.”
Benson Motel. Shadow Valley.

“Howdy, Sheriff,” said Mrs. Benson. “Isabel not with you today? I heard she was going to be your
replacement in the sheriff’s office.”
“Neither one of those things is true, Maggie. Isabel Greene was never with me.”
She laughed. “I could argue that point, Cade. The walls in this old motel are thin. Damned good
thing Glenda wasn’t here at the time you and Isabel were getting it on.”
“Yeah, it was,” Cade said under his breath. “I’m looking for Jinx Dowling, Maggie. Tell me which
room he’s in.”
“One-eleven, but he’s not here at the moment. Y’all will have to catch him later.”
“Where did he go?” asked Frank.
“Can’t say.” She shrugged. “I respect the privacy of my guests.”
“Bullshit you do,” hollered Cade. “You know where Jinx went.” Cade leaned over the counter and
grabbed Maggie’s arm. “Tell me where he is.”
“I’m not a gossip.”
“Yes, you are. You know everything that goes on in this whole county. Where did Jinx go?”
“He left here in a big hurry, Cade. Could have been Bernadette Calarook Jinx was itching to see.
Of course, I can’t be sure.”
“Let’s go, Frank.” Cade was out the door.
Bernadette’s Calarook’s Residence.

They drove all the way out to Bernadette’s place only to find she wouldn’t let them in. With a broom
in her hand, she stood with her back to the door shaking her head and laughing.
Wearing a clingy black jumpsuit, Bernadette was looking hot. Poking and swiping her broom at
them, she challenged them to come up the porch steps.
“Come on, Bernadette, this ain’t a game. I’m looking for Jinx Dowling and I know he’s here. Just
want to talk to him. Won’t take long.”
“Get a warrant, Cade, you old bastard. Putting you on notice—I ain’t voting for you.”
“I’m not running.”
“Good. We need new blood in the sheriff’s office.”
“Shit,” said Frank. “She’s not being helpful.”
“Ain’t in her nature,” said Cade. “She’s contrary.”
They got back into the truck and Frank ran the tag on the pickup sitting in Bernadette’s yard.
“Jinx Dowling has a sheet, Cade.”
“Not surprised. He raised a lot of hell in this county when he lived here. What did they arrest him
for?”
Frank read it to Cade. “Drunk and disorderly. Disturbing the peace. Threatening an officer.
Assaulting an officer. Public drunkenness. The list is long, but nothing huge. All these charges were
incurred in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He’s got an address there.”
“Guess he moved from here to Kentucky to raise hell,” mumbled Cade. “Never did know where he
went to. Kentucky can have him. Just glad he’s up and gone.”
“We need a warrant for this Jinx guy. He’s here in Shadow Valley for a reason.”
“Yeah, he’s here for Bernadette. That’s his reason.”
Cade stepped out of the Bronco, faced the house, and waved his wand in a circular motion. A lot
of sparks flew followed by a creaking noise.
Crash.
The front door of Bernadette’s house blew right off its hinges and Jinx Dowling came running out
and down the steps towards them.
“Grab him, Frank,” hollered Cade.
Frank tackled Jinx. Rolled him in the dirt and cuffed his hands behind his back.
“Throw him in the back of the truck. We need to get him away from Bernadette and talk to him at
the shop.”
Frank was breathing hard as he secured Jinx Dowling in the back seat of the Bronco.
“I’ll get you for this, Cade. I ain’t done nothing.”

Jinx Dowling was locked in a cell and he wasn’t happy about it. Every once in a while he’d holler
and Frank and Cade could hear him all the way to the office.
“He’s had time to cool down,” said Cade. “You go on in there and brace him hard. Take him a
Coke.”
“See what I can do.”
Frank got a can of Coke from the small fridge in the tiny kitchen and took it with him into the run.
He stood outside Jinx’s cell and offered him the soda.
“Brought you a Coke.”
Frank handed Jinx the can through the bars and Jinx took it. He popped the top and took a long
swallow.
“Tell me why you’re here in Shadow Valley.”
“Vacation. Came to do some visiting. No crime in that.”
“Nope. None. But coincidental as it may be, since you arrived in this county, two men have been
murdered.”
Jinx shrugged. “Ain’t my problem. I didn’t do it.”
“You’re telling me you had nothing to do with Charlie Fry hanging in a tree on Bernadette’s
property and Stan Gerrits all chewed up in his pig pen. That right?”
“Don’t you law enforcement people need proof? Think I saw on TV that you need evidence. Hard
evidence before you go off half-cocked and arrest some innocent bastard.”
“Uh huh. We do need proof, Jinx. Even a motive would help us understand what’s going on. But
you’re just here visiting Bernadette Calarook?”
“She invited me.”
“Okay, let’s go with that,” said Frank. “Bernadette calls you up in Kentucky and invites you for a
visit to your old home town. Did she give you a reason for wanting to see you?”
“Yep, sure did.” A wide grin spread across his face. “She missed me. We didn’t part on the best of
terms when I moved away and both of us ended up feeling bad about it. We both wanted to fix the way
things were left hanging between us and we didn’t want bad feelings no more. Time to mend fences.”
“Okay. Kind of a patching-things-up visit. She didn’t invite you to come and knock off men who
were bothering her in some way?”
“Why would she do that? Bernadette is a sweet person. She’s very loving.”
“I’m sure she is,” said Frank, “but until I find somebody I like better for the murders, I’m going
with you.”
“Do what you gotta do, Deputy. Mind telling me when my arraignment is?”
“Friday morning at the Hinton courthouse.”
“Fair enough. Mind getting me my lawyer? There’s a fellow in Hinton I used to use—Jeff Barnes.
Be best if I talk to him before the arraignment.”
“Sure,” said Frank. “I can call Mister Barnes for you, Jinx. You have the right to legal advice. I’ll
do that right away.”
“Thanks, Deputy.”

I was feeling considerably better when Juniper took my porridge dish away. It was time to call Misty.
I’d been putting it off, but I had to talk to Misty about my oncoming psychic powers. Since I was
shot and had come dangerously close to passing through the veil, I’d been receiving visions that made
no sense to me whatsoever. I had to find out how to sort out the images and how to figure out what
they meant.
I didn’t want this new power, but it had arrived and there was nothing I could do but learn how to
use it.
Misty was happy to hear from me, and we had a long talk about being a psychic, motherhood, and
a few other important things that concerned both of us.
“I’m your mentor, Gillette. You should check in with me whenever you have a question or a
problem. I’m here for you.”
“Thanks, Misty. I’ll remember that.”

During Jethro’s lunch hour, he left the mill and stopped by the sheriff’s office to pick Frank up.
Together they went campaigning through Shadow Valley.
Putting up posters on the bulletin board at the post office, they happened to see Isabel Greene
talking to people on the street. She was doing a lot of smiling and handing them buttons.
“She’s giving out buttons,” said Frank. “Gilly didn’t order me any of those to give out.”
“Piss on buttons,” said Jethro. “I’ve got a drawer full of them. How many days have you got left?”
“Twelve altogether. On election day I can’t campaign.”
“You’d better go hard for a week,” said Jethro. “People in this county have to recognize your face
before they’re gonna vote for you. They don’t vote for strangers around here. Just the way they are.”
“I’ll put it in high gear,” said Frank, “and talk to as many voters as I can.”
“You being from Hinton ain’t gonna sit well with the voters,” said Jethro. “These are mountain
folks and they trust other mountain folks more than they trust city people.”
“That’s an obstacle to overcome,” said Frank. “I’ll give it my best shot and tell them I live in
Shadow Valley now and I’m one of them.”
Jethro nodded. “Good luck with that.”
High Mountain.
Jerome stayed the day with Ardal and they talked about the mission in detail. Sometimes things got
lonely on High Mountain. No roads, no neighbors. Only Mirabelle in the barn. And the Green Man’s
flora and fauna.
They had gone over the task once while they waited for Kylo and Sylvan to join them. Ardal didn’t
want to start the actual planning until everyone was present.
“Kylo might not come,” said Ardal. “He’s in a dark depression over Rowan.”
“Such a shame,” said Jerome. “We had such high hopes for the Huntress.”
“I did too,” said Ardal.
“You and Kylo aren’t the only ones not pleased with her,” said Jerome.
Ardal raised an eyebrow wondering if Rowan would be chastised in… some unforgiving way by
the higher power.

Frank came home after a grueling day at the sheriff’s office and told me all about the murder case and
their new suspect, Jinx Dowling. Jinx wasn’t admitting to the murders and Frank and Daddy had no
proof that he’d done anything but visit Bernadette.
“We’ve got a suspect, but that’s all we’ve got.”
“I kind of remembered Jinx from years ago. When I was a teen starting high school—before I gave
up on my parents and ran away—all of us girls were crazy over Jinx Dowling.”
Frank frowned. “I’m not sure he looks that good now, Gilly. Hard living and all that.”
“He was about five or six years older than us, tanned with long dark hair and we drooled over him
at the ballpark. He was the pitcher on the Shadow Valley Hornets at that time and we’d go to the park
and stare at him while he worked up a sweat pitching balls to the catcher.”
“Nice memory,” said Frank. “Doesn’t help my case.”
“Sorry.”
Frank leaned in closer and whispered to me, “That girl Juniper is in the kitchen making dinner. I’m
not comfortable with her here, Gilly. She’s a little… different.”
“You be polite and respectful of her, Frank. Do not upset her in any way. Her father is powerful in
ways you do not understand and I don’t want him annoyed with you.”
Frank laughed. “Her father? He doesn’t even know me.”
“I’m warning you, Frank. Be nice and polite.”
“Okay, I will be.”
Chapter Four
Thursday, March 10th.

Taking Gilly’s words to heart, Frank was polite to Juniper at breakfast and he made every effort to eat
more of his porridge. He only wished she wouldn’t give him so much. No matter what Juniper
claimed, nobody needed that much oatmeal in the morning.
“You will make an excellent sheriff, Frank.”
“I guess I’ll get to prove myself if I’m elected. The people in this county don’t know me well, but I
do have years of law enforcement experience behind me.”
Juniper smiled. “I’m sure the voters will come to trust you and look up to you, Frank. I’ve heard
you are the best person for the job.”
“Thank you, Juniper.”
High Mountain.
Ardal was sleeping when the sound of faraway knocking made him open his eyes. At first he thought
he was dreaming. Who could be knocking on his door in the middle of the night?
He sat up and listened. Definite knocking.
He yanked on a pair of jeans and zipped up as he hurried to the door. Opening it a crack, he thought
the only person it could be was his father.
Nope, not his father.
Standing in front of him was a tall, dark-haired girl with sparkling violet eyes. She was dressed all
in black with leather wrist bands and a sheathed knife on her belt.
In her hand she held a leash and at the end of the leash sat a big bloodhound.
“Valeria is my name. I am sent to assist you, Ardal.” Her accent was unfamiliar to Ardal although
he didn’t find it offensive.
She offered him the leash. “A gift to you from the Green Man. Her name is Rosita.”
Ardal took the leash and stroked Rosita’s big head. “A beautiful dog. Please come in. You must
have come a long way.”
She laughed. “You could say that. Got a beer?”
“Sure. Come into the kitchen and I’ll get you one.” He got Valeria a beer from the fridge and a
glass from the cupboard. Then he took a moment to get acquainted with the gorgeous bloodhound. She
was bigger than Lulu with a shiny black and tan coat.
“Thank you for the dog. I was about to go out looking for one today.”
“Uh huh. The Green Man anticipated your need for a canine companion.” She chugged down the
first beer and pushed the empty towards Ardal.
“I have been assigned to you, Ardal, as your new assistant and bodyguard. The new task you’ve
been charged with is going to be dangerous and Juniper won’t be allowed to go with you. She’s only
a child in her father’s estimation and light years away from being a warrior.”
“I understand.”
After starting a pot of coffee, Ardal sat down across from Valeria. “I haven’t made a plan for the
mission yet. I’m waiting for my father to arrive from the bayou. He should be here later this morning.”
“Is he essential to the task?” she asked.
“Umm… not physically, but I like to have him with me for advice and general emotional stability.”
“Then he is an essential part of your team.”
Ardal hopped up and got Valeria another cold beer and she drank it down just as fast as the first
one. “When do you think we’ll be leaving for North Dakota?”
“A couple more days. My Daddy has to get here, Kylo has to come from his home nearby, and we
all have to become familiar with the mission. Then we’ll go.”
“I’ve got your back, Ardal.”
“Thank you.”
She peered at him through those violet eyes and made him a bit nervous. “I wasn’t told how good
looking you were.” She smiled at him. “You’re a big turn-on.”
“Appreciate it,” said Ardal, a little embarrassed.

A little weighed down by too much porridge, Frank ran across the street after breakfast to find that
Cade had the office up and running.
“What are we starting on this morning?”
“Nothing yet. We’ll have to wait until the attorney from Hinton comes to confer with Jinx. Can’t
leave the shop until we get that over with.”
“I guess not,” said Frank. “I’ll get coffee.”
Frank was in the cramped little kitchen when the back door of the station burst open and
Bernadette Calarook came running in looking fairly voluptuous in tight jeans and a black sweater.
One wave of her wand and the door blew off the run. “I’m coming, Jinx,” she hollered as she ran
down the row of cells with Frank right behind her.
She tapped the door of Jinx’s cell and the door squeaked open. “Come on out of there, darlin.
Bernie is here to rescue your sweet ass.”
Cade had caught up and he was right behind Frank hollering out a spell to keep Jinx in his cell.
Just as fast as Cade cast his spell, Bernadette uncrossed it and made it useless.
She waved her wand and knocked both Frank and Cade to the concrete. Another flick of her wrist
and she wound them up with yards and yards of rope. She made them into two hemp sausages and
rolled them into the cell Jinx had been locked up in.
“See ya, Cade,” Bernadette cackled. “You are so far out of practice, you are a joke. Damned good
thing Glenny didn’t see what a sloppy mess your spells are. She’d be laughing all the way to divorce
court.”
The door to the cell slammed and the lock clicked with finality. Bernadette and Jinx were gone.
A couple of hours later, Glenda dropped in with Saffron before she went across the road to visit
Clover. At first she couldn’t find Cade, but she noticed the door to the run was standing open and it
wasn’t supposed to be.
“Cade are you in the run?”
Carrying the baby, she entered warily and took a look.
Glenda laughed when she saw them. “What happened to you two?” More laughing. “I can’t believe
the mess y’all are in.”
“Bernadette came and broke Jinx out.” Cade was a rope mummy with just his head sticking out.
“Help us, Glenny.”
With a few deft strokes of her wand, Glenda untangled the ropes and freed Cade and Frank. They
scrambled to their feet and the ropes vanished.
“Thanks, Glenny. I’m so happy you showed up.” Cade gave her a hug.
“You’re out of practice, Cade. Don’t make me say it.”
“Yep, I know what you’re going to say, and you’re right. I need hours of practice to get back to
where I should be. I promise I’ll work on it.”
“I’m going to take the baby over to Clover and then I’m going to see Bernadette.”
“Don’t do it, Glenny. Stay away from that woman. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Won’t be me getting hurt, Cade. You know better.”

Glenda dropped Saffron and her diaper bag off to Juniper with a brief explanation. “There’s
something I have to do, then I’ll be back for a visit with my daughter. Can you watch the baby for an
hour?”
“Of course, I can. I’ll take care of the baby and Gillette will be delighted to see her baby girl.”
“Thanks. I shouldn’t be too long. Something that needs to be taken care of and it can’t wait.”
Bernadette Calarook’s Residence.

Glenda was no stranger to Bernadette’s wily ways and her reputation for manipulating most of the
men in the county to do her bidding. She’d bedded most of them at one time or another. Several times
the wily witch had come close to getting her hands on Cade, and Glenda didn’t forget about incidents
like that.
She parked the shine van next to Jinx Dowling’s pickup truck, made sure her wand was in her
pocket and marched up to Bernadette’s front door.
For some reason, the door was broken and standing wide open and Glenda could see right into the
kitchen. “I’ve come for you, Bernie. Show yourself, you old hoe. Don’t make me look for you. It will
only piss me off that much more and I’m pretty ticked at you already.”
“A visitor, Jinx,” shouted Bernadette up the stairs. “Glenda Thornheart has come to call.” Laughing
and tossing her long silver-streaked hair, Bernadette ran across the kitchen with her wand at the
ready.
“I always wanted to face off against you, Glenda.”
“Don’t you try to out-power me,” hollered Glenda. “You’ll be sorry if you do.”
“I have more power than you’ll ever have, Glenda Thornheart. Run, run away now while you have
the chance.”
Glenda yelled out a couple of witchy words, flicked her wrist and with an ear-splitting crash, she
brought the kitchen ceiling down on Bernadette.
Glenda buried Bernadette under plaster and floor joists and bedroom furniture from the second
storey.
Coincidentally, Jinx Dowling happened to be in Bernadette’s bed when the floor gave way. He
came tumbling down with the bed, a surprised look on his face.
“What have you done with Bernadette?” Jinx brushed debris off himself and tried to get untangled
from the sheets.
Glenda blew out a blue breath and wrapped Jinx Dowling up like a mummy in a white sheet. She
rolled him out the door and down the steps.
Frank jumped out of the driver’s seat of the Bronco as the second floor of Bernadette’s house crashed
down onto the first. They could hear yelling and hollering and a helluva skirmish inside as he and
Cade ran towards the house.
After the shouting stopped, a body rolled up in a white sheet, came scooting down the steps and
landed at Frank’s feet.
Glenda walked out through the broken door kicking detritus out of her way with her shiny black
boots. She pointed at the sheet. “There’s your prisoner, Cade. Take him back to jail.”
“Where’s Bernadette?” asked Cade.
Glenda shrugged. “She’s in the kitchen.”
“Find Bernadette, Frank,” said Cade. “Arrest her for breaking a prisoner out of jail.”
Frank made his way through the debris piled high in the kitchen. He began moving lumber and
furniture and chunks of plaster. “Bernadette, where are you?”
He heard a groan and dug deeper. One of Bernadette’s arms was sticking out from under a four-
drawer dresser. Frank hefted the dresser off of the woman and pulled her out the mess.
“You’re under arrest, Miss Calarook. I’ll have Doctor Munson take a look at you when you get to
your cell.”
Bernadette hollered out threats the entire time Frank was securing her in the back of the Bronco.
“Glenda is going to pay for this, Cade. You better start looking for a new wife.”
Cade chuckled. “You got Glenny’s back up, Bernadette. You ought not to do that.”
High Mountain.
After a restful nights’ sleep with Rosita sleeping next to him, Ardal made coffee and breakfast for
himself, Valeria, and Jerome. Valeria didn’t offer to cook the way Juniper did and Ardal figured her
talents lay in other areas of expertise.
He was cleaning up the kitchen when Sylvan arrived from the bayou. “Daddy, I’m so happy you
could come.”
“I’m always available when you need me, son.”
Ardal introduced Valeria. “This is my new assistant, Daddy. Juniper is busy taking care of Gilly so
I could be freed up for the assignment.”
A concerned look swept across Sylvan’s face. “How is your sister doing? I’ve been so worried.”
“She’s not up and around yet, Daddy, but I’m sure she will be this week. Lying in bed isn’t easy for
her.”
“It wouldn’t be,” said Sylvan. “I’m anxious to hear what the new task is, son. Will we be visiting
another exotic venue?”
“Not this time, Daddy. We’re going to North Dakota.”
Kylo was next to arrive and he wasn’t looking his best. Since Rowan had moved to the bayou with
Bobo Belliveau, Kylo had become a hermit. He’d lost weight and was pale as paper.
“Come in, Kylo,” said Ardal. “We were waiting for you. This is Valeria, my new assistant.”
Kylo nodded.
When everyone was seated around the table and had coffee, Jerome began. “Most of the fracking
companies conform to environmental guidelines set out by the governments—state and federal—but
one company in particular is driven wholly by greed. That company is taking shortcuts and breaking
rules and doing damage to the land. They have angered the Green Man and he has singled them out for
elimination.”
Ardal shuffled through the documents in front of him. “This is the name of the company in question.
Wade Cameron and Company: Environmentally Friendly Fracking. The two principals are Wade
Cameron and his partner, Joe Lemoine.”
“How many people are involved in their project?” asked Sylvan.
“Easily fifty,” said Jerome, “plus more part-time help when they need it. The Green Man feels if
the partners are removed, the company will shut down and your part in the task will be complete.”
“Okay,” said Ardal. “Doesn’t sound too difficult.”
“There may be roadblocks,” said Jerome. “Both of the partners have bodyguards. The company
has received threats from the locals and there have been angry protests staged outside of their
compound. The two partners are protecting themselves in case things become more volatile.”
“After extracting the oil and burning off the natural gas by-product,” said Jerome, “they have been
leaving the natural terrain in a shambles. It will take years to restore it to the Green Man’s standards.”
“I thought the natural gas burn-off was part of the process of extracting the oil,” said Sylvan.
“It is,” said Jerome, “but that doesn’t quell the fury the Green Man feels. He cannot abide the
intentional waste of his natural gifts.”
“I can see how that would upset him,” said Ardal. “Tomorrow we’ll arrive in North Dakota. We’ll
set up in a hotel or motel near the target operation. A day or two to analyze the daily routine of Joe
Lemoine and Wade Cameron and learn their habits and their schedule and I’ll take them out.”
“I’ll neutralize the bodyguards,” said Valeria. “Don’t forget to take them into consideration. They
might give us trouble.”
Ardal nodded. “We won’t miss anything, Valeria. Careful planning goes into the success of every
mission. I’ll take Mirabelle.”
“You’re taking your mount,” said Valeria. “I will also take my horse. I brought Storm with me and
we’ll ride together.”
“Is your horse outside?” asked Ardal.
“When I arrived last night, I put Storm in your corral,” said Valeria.
Ardal smiled. “I’m anxious to meet him.”

Cade decided to stay and watch the office and he nominated Frank to take Jinx Dowling to his
arraignment in Hinton.
“If he makes bail,” said Cade, “he won’t be coming back to our run.”
“But if he’s not here,” said Frank, “we won’t know what he’s up to.”
Cade shrugged. “While he’s out stirring up new shit, we’ll find the evidence we need to send him
to prison for the rest of his life.”
“What if he didn’t kill Charlie Fry and Stan Gerrits?” asked Frank. “What if we’re looking at the
wrong guy?”
Cade shrugged. “I like Jinx for the murders.”
“I did at first,” said Frank, “but now that I’ve braced him, I have my doubts. I don’t think he’s a
killer.”
“You going with your gut, Frank?”
“Yeah, I am on Jinx Dowling. I don’t think he’s our guy. A definite trouble maker, but not a killer.”
“Then find us the right guy, Frank. And prove it with hard evidence. That’s what the county is
paying us for.”
Hinton County Courthouse.

Jinx Dowling’s lawyer was front and center when Frank delivered his prisoner to the holding cells at
the courthouse.
Frank went upstairs, found a seat, and waited for Dowling’s case to be called. Jinx was granted
bail and Frank was pissed off that they wouldn’t know where he was and what he was up to.
A killer, maybe not, but Jinx Dowling was trouble.
In a foul mood, Frank stomped out of the courthouse and decided on a whim to visit his mother
while he was in Hinton.
Oakley Residence. Hinton.

Frank’s mother lived in the same white bungalow he’d grown up in on Hawthorne Court. He glanced
around at the neighbors’ houses and nothing much had changed. All the kids he grew up with had
moved away. His mother kept track and knew where most of his old friends lived if he asked about
them.
He barged in the side door and called out, “Hi, Mom. Got any coffee?”
“Frankie, I didn’t know you were coming.” His mother hugged him and the perfume she wore
repelled him. He was used to Gilly’s perfume and he loved it. He pulled away from his mother and
sat down at the kitchen table.
She poured him a coffee and asked if he wanted a sandwich. “No thanks, Mom. I’m still full of
porridge from breakfast.”
“Porridge? Is that what that girl is feeding you? You hate porridge, Frank.”
“Gilly didn’t make the porridge, Mom. She can’t get out of bed yet. I told you she got shot.”
“Guess that slipped my mind. I don’t give a hoot if your girlfriend got shot, honey boy, I just don’t
want you getting shot.”
“That’s not nice, Mom. You’ll love Gilly when you meet her and get to know her. She’s a
wonderful person.”
“How old is she, Frank? The way you refer to her, I’m getting the impression she’s young. You’re
not running around with some teeny-bopper are you?”
“Course not, Mom. When have I ever dated a teenager?” He laughed. “Except when I was a
teenager.” Frank laughed at his own joke and his mother didn’t crack a smile. “Gilly is twenty, and
she’s a responsible person. A business owner, a cop, and a mother.”
“She’s only twenty, Frankie? That’s a dangerous age, and are you telling me she already has a
child? That means you got her pregnant when she was nineteen. Oh, Frankie, has your maturity gone
out the window?”
“No, Mom. I’m as mature as I ever was.”
“I’m not convinced you’re mature at all, Frankie, if you have a child you’re hiding from me.”
“Not hiding, Mom. You just haven’t met our baby yet.” Frank smiled, thinking of how cute Saffron
was.
“Oh, Frank Oakley, what kind of mess have you got yourself into?”
“No mess, Mom. I love Gilly, and I’m going to marry her as soon as she’s up to it.”
“That will never happen, Frank. I’ll choose the girl my son will marry and she won’t be a
wayward teen with an infant.”
Frank left the coffee in his cup and stood up. “Time to go, Mom. I’ve got to get back to work.”

I felt pretty good after Juniper made me chicken noodle soup for lunch and when she came into the
bedroom to collect my bowl, I asked her to help me get out of bed.
“Do you think you should be getting up, Gillette?”
“It’s time, Juniper. I called my friend, Arlene, and she’s coming over to talk about the infertility
curse that someone put on her.”
“Ooh, that sounds exciting. Shall I bake something delicious for a snack?”
“Lemon squares will do it for me if you know how to make them, Juniper. You’ll love Arlene.
She’s a sweetheart.”
Juniper was taking the squares out of the oven when Arlene arrived at the apartment.
We sat in the living room and Arlene told us everything she knew about Jethro’s old flame, Suzette
Davis.
“Do you really think she’d act on a grudge that old?” I asked Arlene.
“Jethro thinks so.”
“I’m not convinced it’s some old crush from Jethro’s high school days. Who else could it be?”
“I can’t think of another person it could be,” said Arlene. “That’s the only reason I’m going with
Jethro’s suggestion.”
“Has to be someone he knows… in the present,” I said. “Who has the hots for Jethro—like right
now?”
“Umm… let me think about that for a minute,” said Arlene.
Juniper passed the lemon squares and we thought about it.
Chapter Five
Friday, March 11th.
High Mountain.
Up at dawn, Ardal started the coffee then headed for the barn to take care of the horses before they
left for North Dakota. He opened the barn door and jumped when he saw Valeria mucking out the
stalls.
“I was going to do that before we left,” he said.
“Almost done. You can feed them.”
“Sure. I didn’t hear you get up.” He took a good look at Valeria’s horse—a big black beauty like
Farrell’s gelding, Diablo.
“You’re a sound sleeper,” she said.
“Not usually.”
The silence between them was awkward and Ardal tried to make conversation. “What do you do
for the Green Man… normally?”
She shrugged. “This and that. You know… the regular.”
Ardal was no farther ahead.
“I wasn’t told you were so young,” she said. “Don’t you go to school?”
“Never went to school. My sister taught me everything I know.”
Valeria topped up the wheelbarrow with another shovelful of horse shit and pushed it outside to
dump it.
Ardal caught a quick glimpse of her arms as she passed by him and she had a lot of muscle.
I wonder what she regularly does for the Green Man.
After the horses were fed, they readied them for the trip and went in for breakfast. Sylvan was up
and dressed and had things rolling in the kitchen. Pans of bacon and eggs on the stove. Stacks of toast
already buttered.
Ardal’s stomach rumbled at the smell of food. He was starving. “Thanks for cooking, Daddy.”
Kylo arrived right after everyone had eaten and he had a duffel in his hand ready to depart. Still
depressed and down in the mouth over Rowan, Ardal was concerned for his friend.
Jerome was in high spirits as they made their way to the barn for the departure. “I’ve never been to
North Dakota,” he said. “A new experience for me.”
“I think that holds true for all of us,” said Sylvan.
Ardal and Valeria mounted up and the others held onto the horses for the quick trip.
Seconds later they touched down in Windy Bluffs, North Dakota.

Still in my pajama pants and a faded t-shirt, I got out of bed and managed to eat a bowl of Juniper’s
porridge at the kitchen table. A huge step forward and Juniper was well pleased with me.
So was Frank. He was all smiles, so happy I had been able to join him at the table. “I’m so happy
you’re on your feet again, sweetheart, but don’t overdo it today. Just because you’re out of bed,
doesn’t mean you’re healed.”
“I won’t do much, sugar. I’ll work on Arlene’s problem with Juniper and that’s about all I have
planned. I can’t wait to get the baby back from Mama, but I’m not able to look after her yet.”
“I visited my mother yesterday while I was in Hinton at the courthouse,” said Frank, “and she was
asking about you.”
“I can imagine what she was saying, Frankie. Don’t try to gloss it over, punkin. Sometimes you
forget I’m psychic.”
Frank laughed. “I don’t believe in that stuff, Gilly.”
“You should soon start, Frankie-boy, because you are cohabiting with a witch.”
Juniper giggled.
Frank laughed again. “You are so funny, Gilly.”
After Frank left for the sheriff's office, I tried meditating on Arlene’s problem like Misty suggested
and I got images of a girl who worked with Jethro at the feed mill.
The girl had been watching Jethro ever since he started working there and she wanted to break up
his marriage to Arlene. She was definitely the one who had cast the infertility spell on Arlene.
The girl had a name. Dawn Ridell.
I came out of the trance and told Juniper what the vision had revealed to me. “Her name is Dawn
Ridell, Junie. She works at the mill and she’s after Jethro.”
“Oh, my, we’ll have to do something about her.”
“Now that I know who she is, all I have to do is cast an uncrossing spell on Dawn Ridell, remove
the negativity of the spell from Arlene, and Arlene will get pregnant.”
“Before you can do that,” said Juniper, “you’ll have to be well enough to leave the apartment.”
“You are so wise.”
She giggled.
“I’m going to call Jethro and tell him who it is,” I said. “He might as well be aware of her.”
“Perhaps he noticed her already,” said Juniper. “Some people have stalkers obsessing on them.
People they haven’t even met.”
“That’s true, and my cousin, Jethro, is a big hunk of a guy. I can see that happening in Shadow
Valley—a town of limited hunks to watch.” I scrolled to my cousin’s number and called him.
“Clover, are you better today? Arlene said you were out of bed yesterday when she visited you.”
“I’m up and might get dressed, but I called for another reason. Calling on my psychic powers that
recently came my way, and I think I’ve figured out who put the spell on Arlene.”
“Who?”
“Dawn Ridell.”
“Who’s she?”
“According to my vision, she works at the cash in the retail part of the mill and she’s been
watching you.”
“Fuck that,” hollered Jethro. “I don’t even know her.”
“That’s what I thought. Keep an eye on her today. As soon as I can get to the mill, I’ll zap her with
an uncrossing spell.”
“Fantastic. I’ll watch out for her today. Honest, Clover, I don’t know who she is. I had no idea.”
Windy Bluffs. North Dakota.

North Dakota in March was a bone-chiller. Ardal realized the moment he got there that he wasn’t
wearing the proper clothes. They all needed parkas and snow boots, gloves, and scarves.
Sylvan shivered. “That north wind is nasty. I should’ve worn a warmer coat.”
“You don’t have a warmer coat, Daddy. You live in the bayou and even the winter in Louisiana
isn’t like winter up here.”
Ardal waved an arm and dressed them all in appropriate attire.
Valeria snuggled into the thick red scarf around her neck. “Thanks, Ardal.”
Windy Bluffs was a small town with construction going on everywhere you looked. Most of the
new builds were tarped over to keep the blowing snow out while the men worked.
Workers were flooding into the area to fill the demands for labor and there wasn’t enough housing.
Windy Bluffs had no big hotels. Three small motels and they all sported neon no-vacancy signs in
their office windows. Every room filled with fracking workers and construction laborers.
Sylvan did some quick research on his phone and came up with a hotel with vacancies fifty miles
away.
“That’s no good,” said Ardal. “We need a place closer than that. Something with room for the
horses and pet-friendly, for Rosita.”
“Let’s try outside of town,” said Jerome. “There might be a house for rent.”
“There won’t be anything vacant,” said Sylvan. “This is a boomtown because of the fracking and
all housing is full.”
“Hang on,” said Ardal, “I have an idea.” He mounted Mirabelle and Valeria hopped on her horse,
Storm. The others hung on and Ardal transported them to a vacant field on the easterly edge of Windy
Bluffs.
The field they were standing in was vacant land for sale. A big real estate sign on the fence faced
the road.
“This will have to do.” Ardal waved his arm and conjured up a huge RV roomy enough to
accommodate the five of them.
Off to the side, he constructed a corral for the horses with a shelter to keep the snow off them.
The road running in front of the empty field was unpaved—a county road—so traffic would be
sparse. Not many of the locals would notice them camped out in the snowy field.
With the flick of his wrist, Ardal made an Escalade appear on the frozen two-track leading into the
field from the road.
After securing the horses in their temporary home and giving them hay to munch on, Ardal was
ready to begin the task.
“Pile into the truck. I want to recon the Wade Cameron fracking site.”
Wade Cameron and Company.

The entrance to the large acreage owned by the fracking company was guarded by an eight-foot high
chain link fence topped with barbed wire.
Kylo spotted the cameras and pointed them out.
The front gate was pasted with yellow triangular caution signs warning of danger and telling
people to keep out. A big burly guard wearing a parka stood on watch outside the gate.
“Guards on the outside,” said Valeria, “and security cameras on the fence. We won’t get in without
being seen. The partners will be in the office or out troubleshooting. We need a visual on them and on
the bodyguards they have for protection. Ardal needs to be able to identify them when the time
comes.”
Kylo spoke and startled the others. His deep voice came out in a low wolf growl. “Or Ardal could
wait until the targets came out of the compound to go home for the night. We need to get a location on
where they live.”
“I have my laptop with me,” said Ardal. “I can look up their current addresses.”
“They might stay in trailers on site,” said Valeria. “Too many unanswered questions. We need
more information and a lot more preparation time before we can proceed.”
“We’ll go into town and eat at a popular diner,” said Ardal. “Lots of locals will be there and we
can ask some questions. Not too many questions that we get noticed. I don’t want that to happen. I
want to blend in so no one remembers us when we leave.”
Valeria shook her head. “I can’t see you blending, Ardal. You are too…”
Ardal frowned. “Too… what?”
“Forget it,” said Valeria. “Just keep the hood of your parka up so people don’t see your face.”
“Why? I don’t see the problem.”
“The problem is—you are so damned good looking every woman in this butt-fuck town is going to
remember seeing your face.”
Ardal laughed. “Don’t think so.”
“Uh huh.” Sylvan had a big grin on his face, “He gets his looks from me.”
“Let’s get serious,” said Ardal. “The local people will have the goods on all the strangers who
have invaded their town and turned it upside down. A lot of people who grew up here will be on
edge.”
“An informed person we could contact,” said Jerome, “would be the leader of the protest group.
I’m sure all the members of that group have dug up everything they could find on Wade Cameron and
Joe Lemoine.”
“Good one, Jerome,” said Ardal. “As soon as we eat, we’ll go back to the RV and do some in-
depth research.”
Maggie’s Grill. Main Street. Windy Bluffs.

The diner was packed and they had to wait at the door for several minutes for a table for five to open
up. At least they were inside out of the wind that seemed to blow constantly through the town.
Once they were seated, they listened to the conversations going on around them and tried to pick
up any scraps of information they could use.
Ardal glanced around and surmised that most of the customers were male. Big, burly workers, a
lot of them with beards, shaggy hair sticking out from under dirty ball caps. Regulation steel-toed
boots and every one of them had shed a parka while they were eating. Any of them might work for
Wade Cameron or for any of the other companies competing for the oil in the region.
The overheated air in the diner smelled strongly of man-sweat mixed with grease and coffee.
Valeria excused herself and made a trip to the ladies’ room. While she was in there, she listened for
anything useful, and soon determined the town was rife with hookers imported from cities nearby. The
girls were looking to make big bucks in a hurry from the well-paid workers far from their homes.
For the hard labor they were doing, and the long hours they were putting in, the workers were
being paid wages far above the norm. And as Valeria heard in the washroom, the ratio of men to
women was about fifty to one.
She rejoined the men at the table and ordered a beer. “I’ll save what I heard for later, Ardal, and
we’ll talk about it when we leave here.”
County Road. Windy Bluffs.
After dinner they returned to their spot on the county road and at first glance the RV looked just like
they’d left it. The only thing different was a hand-scribbled sign taped to the door.
You are trespassing on my land. Move or I’ll call the cops.
“Shit,” said Ardal as he tore the sign off and unlocked the door. “I thought we’d be okay for a few
days. What’s the phone number on that real estate sign on the fence, Kylo?”
Kylo ran out to the fence and came back with the number. He repeated it to Ardal.
“Jerome, call that number and see if we can work out a rental deal for a week or so,” said Ardal.
“The owner might let us stay in his field if he’s getting cash.”
“I’ll take care of it,” said Jerome.
“I’ll feed the horses,” said Valeria, “then I want to talk to you about an idea I have, Ardal.”
“Sure.” Ardal followed Valeria out to the snow-covered corral. The horses were huddled together
under the shelter Ardal had erected for them. Ardal realized right away that a flimsy shelter wasn’t
enough. In this weather with such a vicious wind, the horses needed a proper barn.
After the horses were fed, Valeria stood under the shelter, pulled her red scarf tighter around her
neck and related the hooker gossip to Ardal.
“Uh huh. Interesting story and good information, but I’m getting a bad feeling about what you’re
going to suggest.”
“I haven’t worked out the details yet, but if I could get friendly with guys who work for Wade
Cameron’s company, I could get information that would help us to get the job done.”
“I don’t want you getting hurt,” said Ardal. “I’m the one supposed to be taking the risks.”
Valeria laughed. “I won’t get hurt. Never happen. I’m your bodyguard. I’m here to keep you from
getting hurt. Remember?”
“Okay, recon only tonight. We’ll hit a couple of bars in town. The men will go out for drinks after
work.”
She smiled. “That’s what I was thinking. The men will be in the bars blowing off steam and they’ll
be easy marks for me.”
Ardal shook his head and snowflakes flew off his long black hair. “I’m not convinced this is the
way to go.”
Tequila Sunrise. Windy Bluffs.

Leaving the others busy in the RV, Ardal made up a story about night recon and drove into town with
Valeria.
Jerome had a meeting with the real estate agent first thing in the morning and he had to get a report
to the Green Man on their progress.
Kylo intended to shift into wolf mode and go out for a run around the area to get the lay of the land.
He said he loved to run in the fresh snow.
Sylvan hated the cold because of his Louisiana roots, and he didn’t want to go out at all.
The first bar they hit was Tequila Sunrise.
As they walked through the door, loud music blasting out of the overhead speakers greeted them.
The patrons were drunk and rowdy and it was still early. Tension was thick in the air and there would
definitely be dustups later. The animosity in the bar was palpable.
What were they pissed about? Was there competition between the different companies? What?
Ardal was more than a little nervous about Valeria’s plan because he liked her a lot and didn’t
want sex-starved laborers touching her or taking advantage of her. The crowd at the bar was a rough
one. He could feel trouble brewing.
“Stay here,” she whispered.
The last thing Ardal wanted to do was let her go into that den of testosterone on her own, but he sat
on a stool at the bar and ordered a pitcher of Bud.
He kept an eye on her as she moved around the barroom with a beer in her hand. She stopped at
random tables and booths and laughed a lot. She talked to dozens of men who had their eyes all over
her.
Taking names. Finding out who works for Cameron.
Ardal hated what was happening right in front of his eyes and he wanted to run after Valeria and
carry her out of this bar.
Am I that attached to her already?
Ardal was halfway through his pitcher of beer when Valeria stood behind him and whispered,
“I’ve got a date with one of Cameron’s men.”
“No.” Ardal swiveled around on his stool and snapped, “I don’t want you to go anywhere with a
stranger.”
Valeria turned him back around. “Don’t look at me, he’s watching. I’ll be fine. I’m going to his
motel room. Follow us.”
“No, Valeria. We’re not going to do it this way.”
“Stop worrying. I’m not going to sleep with him. He’s drunk and I’m going to get his pass code so
we can get into the site. Follow us and wait for me at the motel.”
“I hate this,” mumbled Ardal. “This is something Gilly would do.”
He tossed a bill onto the bar and beat it outside to start the Escalade and get ready to go. Keeping
an eye on the red pickup Valeria got into with a man she’d only known for five minutes, Ardal was
close to freaking out.
Windy Bluffs Inn.

Ardal wanted to jump out of the truck and break the door down the minute she went inside. As she got
out of the guy’s truck, Valeria was laughing and letting on she was intoxicated and having a great time
with the asshole. She sounded convincing, a little too convincing to suit Ardal.
He sat behind the wheel of the Escalade waiting and smoking one cigarette after the other. The
country station faded in and out, playing songs he wasn’t even listening to.
It seemed like hours before the door of the motel opened and Valeria came running out. She jumped
into the passenger seat and said, “Go. Get the hell out of here.”
“What did you do to him?”
“Nothing he’ll remember.”
Chapter Six
Saturday, March 12th.
County Road. Windy Bluffs. North Dakota.

Sylvan made breakfast in the RV so they wouldn’t have to go out in the stormy weather until the snow
let up a bit. It had snowed all night long and no sign of a let up.
The windows in the RV were frosted over with delicate ice patterns that made lacy curtains and
filtered the morning light.
“The fracking operation might not be working today because it’s Saturday or because of the
weather if they work right through the weekends,” said Jerome. “We might be on hold.”
“We don’t have to be on hold,” said Ardal. “Now that Valeria obtained the pass code for the gate,
we can go onto the property and look around even if the workers have a day off. Saturday or snow
day but having the weather as a diversion might be just what we need.”
“I came up with an address for Wade Cameron and his partner,” said Jerome. “Together they’ve
rented a house on one of the back streets in town. That may be your best chance to take them out.”
“Sure.” said Ardal, “We’ll check the house this morning to see if they are at home or if they’ve
gone out of town to the fracking site.”
“Y’all better dress warm when you go out to feed the horses,” said Sylvan. “It’s a blizzard out
there.”
“Probably Juniper fooling around with the weather,” said Ardal with a chuckle. “She knows I’m
up here and she enjoys messing around with storms.”
Jerome laughed. “You could be right, Ardal.”
Valeria and Ardal ran through the deep snow to the temporary barn Ardal had erected and inside the
horses were cozy and warm. Both Storm and Mirabelle nickered when the door squeaked open.
“Morning girls and boys.”
Ardal closed the barn door to keep the snow out and when he turned, Valeria was standing so
close to him, there was nothing he could do but kiss her.
The barn steamed up quickly and Ardal had to conjure up bales of straw and a blanket on the spur
of the moment.
It took a little longer than usual to do the morning chores but both Ardal and Valeria were in a
mellow mood when they left the barn.
As they tramped through the snow to the RV, the real estate agent pulled over to the side of the
road.
“Damn it,” said Ardal. “Give me a minute to make the barn invisible while that guy is here. I don’t
want him to see it.”
“It’s hard to believe how much power you have,” said Valeria. “It’s such a turn-on.”
“I’m not sure how I got it.” He laughed. “Sometimes it gets a bit out of control.”
“And you are a shifter too?”
“If need be.”
Valeria moved closer to him.
The real estate agent came into the RV to speak to Jerome and he seemed like a reasonable person.
He introduced himself as Carl Pefferlaw and placed a couple of his cards on the table.
Using his powers of diplomacy, Jerome wasted no time making the agent a temporary land rental
offer.
“I’ll have to approach the landowner with your proposal and get back to you. What are you people
doing up here in North Dakota in the winter? It doesn’t seem like appropriate weather for an RV.”
“We have some business to attend to in this area,” said Jerome, “and when we tried for
accommodation in town, there was none available. The RV was the best alternative we could come
up with. We’ll be finished and gone in a couple of days.”
Mister Pefferlaw drank a cup of coffee then left on his way to talk to the farmer who owned the
land.
Jerome had offered two hundred dollars per day for the right to park on the farmer’s property and
he sent the first six hundred bucks along with the agent as a gesture of good faith.
That would cover yesterday, give them today and one more day if they needed it. The farmer could
refuse and send their money back, but why would he? Money for nothing.
Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley. West Virginia.

“Frankie, before you go to work, can you lift down my Book of Shadows, sugar? It’s on my closet
shelf and it’s too heavy for me. I need it to look up an uncrossing spell for Arlene.”
“What’s a Book of Shadows?” asked Frank.
“An old book of spells that I don’t ever want to lose. Those spells and rituals and potion recipes
have been in my family since my great-great-great gran found out she was a witch.”
Frank laughed as he lifted the heavy book down.
“I’ve seen you do some amazing things, Gilly, but I wouldn’t say you were a witch.”
“What would you say I was, Frankie?”
“Umm… I’m not sure.”
“Did you forget about Jethro trapped in Jed Quick’s invisible house?”
“Nope. You did some amazing stuff up the mountain and I’m still trying to figure out how you did
it.”
Frank placed the book on the kitchen table, kissed me goodbye and went to work at the sheriff’s
office across the road.
As soon as he left, Juniper and I got to work trying to find a spell that would work on the witch at
the mill.
“We’ll also have to remove the negativity from Arlene so that she can conceive,” said Juniper.
“That might require a circle.”
“Mama can get enough people together for a circle. We’ll do it at Arlene’s house. Jethro will want
to watch. He’s going to be the father of the child.”
There was a sense of urgency pressing down on Arlene because of her grandmother’s ill health.
Arlene and Jethro wanted to have this baby while Granny Cranston was still alive and well enough to
watch the baby grow.
That put pressure on me to get this done for my cousin, Jethro. I loved him like a brother.

The minute Frank got to the station, he had to start working on breakfast for the prisoner. Bernadette
Calarook was in her cell hollering at the top of her lungs for coffee.
“Frank, can you hear that bitch screeching in there?” asked Cade. “Get her a coffee to shut her up,
then you’d better get your ass across to the diner and get her a fried egg sandwich.”
“Sure. I’m on it,” said Frank. “I can also hear the landline ringing in the squad room, Cade.”
“For chrissakes, the bloody thing never used to ring at all and now it rings every goddamned day.”
Cade struggled out of his swivel chair and started down the hall.
Frank laughed. “We’ll soon need a dispatcher, sheriff.” He took a cardboard cup of coffee into the
run and handed it through the bars to Bernadette.
“Morning, Bernadette. How did you sleep?”
“Shut your foul mouth, Deputy. Don’t talk to me unless you’re letting me out of this cell.”
“Sorry. Can’t do that, ma’am. You’ll get out for your arraignment in Hinton, but not before.”
Frank locked the run and joined Cade in the squad room. “Who was calling?”
“June Peavey,” said Cade. “She lives around on Wenda’s side of the mountain and she says her
neighbor, John T. is hanging from the beech tree in his front yard.”
“What? Another hanging?”
Cade snarled at Frank. “What do you expect? They let that bastard Jinx out on bail and now we’ve
got another dead body on our hands.”
“I don’t like Jinx for the killings,” said Frank. “I’ve talked to him enough and he’s not the killer.
Has to be somebody else with a much stronger motive.”
“Too bad what you like,” snapped Cade. “Jinx is the one suspect we’ve got and I’m bringing him
in for questioning. If he has no decent alibi, we’re locking him up.” Cade pointed at the front window.
“Get Bernadette’s breakfast so we can get up the mountain.”
“Yep. Getting it now.” Frank ran out the front door and into the street and almost got hit by a school
bus.
“Fuck, I didn’t see that coming.”
Shadow Mountain. West Side.

June Peavy had seven kids and she had no choice but to do a load of wash every morning of her life—
right after breakfast. When she was hanging the clothes on the line in a frigid March wind, she
happened to notice her neighbor, John T., swinging from his beech tree.
John T. was a bachelor and a man without much of a social life. When June’s husband, Chuck
Peavy, was away on a long haul, John T. would come over and keep June company.
June was very fond of her neighbor, John T.
June called the sheriff.
Frank and Cade drove around the west side of the mountain, sat in the Bronco, and stared at John
T. swinging in the wind for about an hour. It took that long for Doctor Munson to finish with a patient
at his office and drive up the mountain to John T’s place.
When the doctor arrived and he was satisfied with his preliminary examination of the body, Frank
climbed the beech tree to get the body down in the same manner as he’d freed Charlie Fry’s body
days earlier.
This time Frank’s hands were too cold and he had no luck untying the knots in the rope. He had to
use a blade to get the job done. He hacked through the thick rope and let John T. drop into the arms of
the doctor and the sheriff.
They laid John T. out on a body bag the doctor had brought with him. Next Doc Munson took the
temperature of John T’s liver. He made an educated guess on the time of death.
“He’s been dead a while. Since last night, I guess. Twelve or one in the morning.”
Cade gave a knowing nod. “Jinx is out on bail.”
“Doesn’t mean it was him,” argued Frank.
“Don’t mean it wasn’t neither,” Cade fired back.
“Nope,” said Frank. “We don’t have any other suspects and that’s the problem right there.”
Annoyed with Cade’s tunnel vision, Frank turned towards the road. “I’m going to talk to the
neighbors. See if they heard anything during the night.”
Cade nodded and helped Doc Munson get John T. into his body bag. Funny thing was, the victims
were all about the same age as Cade, Jinx and Bernadette. Cade didn’t know why that thought struck
him.
Cade tried to wrack his brain but he figured Charlie Fry, Stan Gerrits and now John T. were all in
the same graduating class as him, Jinx Dowling, and Bernadette.
That thought spawned another and Cade got to wondering who else was in that class. Wasn’t many
back then—maybe twelve or thirteen students at most.
I wonder if Glenny can find my yearbook. Might jog my memory if I saw the faces.
Frank returned from his canvas of the neighbors—only two of them—and he had nothing worth
knowing. June Peavey was crying over John T. and she had nothing more to offer.
On the drive back to the office, Cade ran his theory by Frank.
Frank listened to the grad class theory and nodded. “Okay, the victims have something in common
but what is the killer’s motive? What does he have to gain if y’all are dead?”
“No idea,” said Cade. “None.”
“Huh,” said Frank. “Thinking of it in that light, do you think if Jinx isn’t the killer, he’s a target?”
“He’d have to be, and so would I.”
“Huh,” said Frank. “Let’s stop into your place on the way down the mountain and get the
yearbook.”
“Might help,” said Cade. “Might not.”
Shadow Mountain. South Side.

Cade and Frank ran into the house to get out of the wind and the dry heat from the woodstove was
welcoming. Glenda was baking pies and the kitchen smelled strongly of cinnamon and apples.
Frank’s stomach growled. He hadn’t eaten nearly enough of Juniper’s porridge covered in brown
sugar.
“Any idea where my yearbook is?” asked Cade.
Glenda pointed at the shed Ardal had transformed into a barn and a workshop. “Upstairs, Cade.
Ardal organized and labeled all of the old crap. Should be easy to find.”
Cade and Frank stomped to the shed and found the double doors iced over at the bottom. Those old
doors took some hard kicking to break the ice and get them loose enough to open.
Once inside, Cade turned on the lights and pointed at the ladder at the far end.
Frank climbed the ladder to the loft and Cade followed him up. “Pretty tidy up here for an old
storage shed,” said Frank.
“Ardal,” said Cade. “He cleaned up the whole shed when he put the stalls in downstairs.” Cade
chuckled. “He wouldn’t want Mirabelle getting any dust on her.”
“He did a nice job,” said Frank.
“Yep. I actually use my workshop now. All the tools are hung up nice and neat. Never could find
Another random document with
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The Project Gutenberg eBook of Maailma
pienoiskoossa
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
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you are located before using this eBook.
Title: Maailma pienoiskoossa

Hupaisia ja opettavaisia kuvauksia maista ja kansoista
Author: Friedrich Gerstäcker
Translator: Wikki Ilmoni
Release date: April 22, 2024 [eBook #73446]
Language: Finnish
Original publication: Pori: Gustav Ronelius, 1903
Credits: Juhani Kärkkäinen and Tapio Riikonen
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAAILMA

PIENOISKOOSSA ***
MAAILMA PIENOISKOOSSA
Hupaisia ja opettavaisia kuvauksia maista ja kansoista
Kirj.
FRIEDRICH GERSTÄCKER
Kotia ja koulua varten suomeksi toimitti
Wikki Ilmoni
Porissa, Gust. Ronelius, 1903.

SISÄLLYS:
1. Frits ja Maria.
2. Maa on pyöreä.
3. Maanosat ja meret.
4. Neljäs luku.
5. Pohjoinen ja etelä. Talvi ja suvi.
6. Retkeily joella ja lammella.
7. Suuret alukset ja miten niillä kuljetaan.
8. Kuinka laivat löytävät tien. — Kuu.
9. Maan eri kansat.
10. Mitkä ovat kylmät, mitkä lämpimät maat maailmassa?
ENSIMMÄINEN LUKU.
FRITS JA MARIA.
Isä kertoo heille, miltä maa näyttää.
Eräänä erittäin kauniina iltapäivänä toukokuussa läksi muuan isä

molempain lastensa, Fritsin ja Marian kera huvikävelylle kaupungin
ympäristöön.
Oli ihana ilma. Aurinko paistoi lämpimästi; taivas oli kirkas ja

sininen. Mutta siksipä kaikki, joissa henki oli, iloitsivatkin tuosta
kauniista kevätpäivästä. Eivät ainoastaan ihmiset menneet suurin
joukoin pelloille, niityille ja metsään, joka vastikään oli alkanut
Vihertää; eläimetkin näyttivät iloitsevan siitä, että ankara talvi nyt
Vihdoinkin oli ohi, ja piehtaroivat rattoisasti auringonpaisteessa.
Leivoset kohousivat räpyttelevin siivin kedoilta ja lensivät kohti

pilviä suloisesti laulaen ja iloisesti liverrellen. Pääskyset lensivät
ristiin rastiin joka suunnalla, sieppasivat kärpäsiä ja etsivät
oljenkorsia tai sammalia, laittaakseen niistä pesiänsä.
Hiehot oli tänään ensi kertaa laskettu niitylle, missä ne ilakoivat
sydämensä pohjasta, hyppivät, leikkivät ja kiistelivät keskenänsä.
Pienet lampaat, jotka paimen ajoi laitumelle, tanssivat sulasta
riemusta ja juoksivat määkien sinne tänne, niin että paimen
koirinensa tuskin kykeni pysyttämään niitä koossa tiellä.
Tekin, lapseni, tiedätte kyllä, miten suloiselta tuntuu, sittenkun

koko talvi on istuttu neljän seinän sisälle suljettuna, ja kevät
vihdoinkin tulee, tuoden mukanaan vihreyttä, puhjenneita kukkia,
leijailevia perhosia, kuoriaisia ja muita siivekkäitä, jotka täyttävät
ilman surisevalla äänellänsä.
Olimme talven aikana melkein ennättäneet unhoittaa, että on

olemassa joitakin, joita nimitetään perhosiksi ja kuoriaisiksi, kun
emme niin pitkään aikaan olleet niitä nähneet, emmekä niistä mitään
kuulleet. Sen vuoksi iloitsemme sitäkin enemmän, kun nyt yhtäkkiä
tapaamme ne taas, aivan kuin vanhat tuttavat, joita emme ole
nähneet moniin aikoihin.
Frits ja Maria olivat melkein yhtä rentomielisiä, kuin pienet karitsat.

He riensivät isän edelle, juoksivat riemuiten pitkin tietä eteenpäin ja
koettivat ottaa kiinni iloisia varpusia, jotka hiekasta olivat nokallaan
tavoittaneet jonkun jyvän, mikä sinne oli joutunut. Mutta varpuset
olivat nopeampia kuin he, lensivät oksalle ja istuivat siellä, laulaen ja
liverrellen sydämensä pohjasta. Ne tiesivät kyllä, ett’eivät nuo
molemmat pienokaiset voineet kiivetä tänne ylös heidän perässään.
Tie kulki suuren, kauniin niityn poikki, jossa oli suunnattoman

paljon kukkia ja hilpeästi loriseva puro. Puron yli johti porras, mitä
pitkin tultiin vuorelle, jolla kasvoi suuria, varjoisia puita.
Kuljettiin vuorta ylöspäin. Niin nopeasti kuin nuo molemmat lapset
juuri äsken olivat rientäneet tietä eteenpäin, niin hitaasti kulkivat he
nyt; sillä vuorta ei käy nouseminen yhtä ripeästi kuin kuljetaan
tasaista, sileätä tietä. Pienet jalat väsyvät, ja usein on pakko
pysähtyä hengähtämään.
Vihdoin toki saavuttiin vuoren huipulle. Ylhäällä oli mukava, leveä

ruohopenkki; penkin vieressä oli lähde, jossa oli erinomaisen
kirkasta, juoksevaa vettä. Lähteen partaasta riippui myös pieni pikari,
joka oli kiinnitetty kapeaan ketjuun, jott’ei se joutuisi hukkaan ja jotta
niillä, jotka nousivat vuorelle ja halusivat sammuttaa janoansa, olisi
millä noutaa vettä.
Frits olisi kernaasti tahtonut maistaa vettä heti, sillä hän oli kovasti
janoissaan. Mutta isä kielsi häntä juomasta. Fritsin oli liian lämmin ja
hän olisi tullut sairaaksi, jos olisi heti juonut kylmää vettä.
Lapset istuivat isän kanssa sohvalla, levätäkseen ja

vilvoitellakseen. Paikalta, missä he istuivat, oli lavea näköala
alapuolella sijaitsevan seudun yli.
Syvällä heidän allaan oli keto, jonka yli he äsken olivat kulkeneet.
Sen vasemmalla puolella oli kaupunki, jossa he asuivat, oikealla
suuri metsä ja kaukana metsän takana muutamia korkeita vuoria,
joille etäisyys antoi sinisen värivivahduksen.
Frits oli kahdeksan vuoden ikäinen, Maria kuusivuotias. Molemmat

olivat syntyneet kaupungissa, olivat aina asuneet siellä, eivätkä vielä
milloinkaan olleet tulleet kauvemmaksi, kuin tielle, metsään tai tälle
vuorelle, jonne isällä usein oli tapana heitä seurata.
»Tahtoisinpa sangen mielelläni kerran kulkea noiden vuorten yli,
saadakseni nähdä mitä niiden takana on», lausui Frits. »Voi, miten
siellä lieneekään kaunista!»
»Sinä et siellä saisi nähdä mitään muuta kuin täälläkään», vastasi

isä, »nimittäin niittyjä, metsiä ja toisia vuoria. Sillä kun kuljet noiden
vuorten yli, näet toisia vuoria, saman näköisiä ja aivan yhtä etäällä.»
»Onko isä ollut siellä?»
»Olen, lapseni, kyllä olen.»
»Mutta entäs jos kuljetaan noiden toisten vuorten yli?»
»Silloin on asian laita aivan samoin», vastasi isä hymyillen.

»Meidän maapallomme on hyvin suuri, ja mihin ikänänsä menetkin,
on siinä vuoria ja tasankoja, metsiä, niittyjä, peltoja ja laaksoja.»
»Laaksoja, mitä ne ovat?» kysyi Maria.
»Laaksoksi, lapseni, nimitetään paikkaa, joka on kahden vuoren

välissä. Täällä me olemme vuorella, ja tuolla, ei kovinkaan pitkän
matkan päässä, on toinen vuori, jolla näet nuo pienet, valkoisiksi
maalatut talot puutarhoinensa. Noiden molempain vuorten välillä
olevaa syvää välipaikkaa, jossa puro juoksee, nimitetään laaksoksi.
Siellä, missä ei ole vuoria, ei siis myöskään ole laaksoja.»
»Onko sellaisia maita, joissa ei ole vuoria?» kysyi Frits.
»On kyllä. On hyvin suuria maita, jotka ovat aivan tasaiset ja

lakeat, suunnattomat matkat kaikkea kasvullisuutta vailla tai sitten
ihmiskäden viljelemiä. Se merkitsee, että on muokattu ja kynnetty ja
siten saatu ehkä varsin satoisakin viljelysmaa siihen, missä ei ennen
mitään kasvanut. On myöskin olemassa suuria tasankoja, joilla
kasvaa ainoastaan metsää. Toisekseen taas on olemassa maita,
joissa esiintyy ainoastaan korkeita vuoria, joiden välillä on laaksoja.
Täällä meillä sitävastoin on vuoria, laaksoja ja tasankoja vuorotellen;
ja saman epätasaisen jaon me tapaamme kaikkialla maan päällä.»
»Mutta mistä sitten tulevat vuoret?» kysyi Maria.
»Siihen kysymykseen on vaikea vastata, lapseni, koska on vuoria,

jotka ovat keskenään hyvin erilaiset», vastasi isä. »On hyvin korkeita
vuoria, joilla lumi mitä lämpimimpänä sydänkesänäkin pysyy
sulamatta; toisilla vuorilla taasen, jotka eivät ole niin korkeat, kasvaa
mehukasta, ravitsevaa ruohoa, joka lehmille on oivallista. Useilla, ei
aivan korkeilla, vuorilla kasvaa lukuisia suuria puita, jotka antavat
maalle varjoa ja kesäkuumalla ehkäisevät auringonsäteitä, jottei maa
kuivuisi liian paljon. Puiden varjostamilta vuorilta ovat alkujansa nuo
kirkkaat lähteet, jotka sitten juoksevat alas laaksoihin ja taivaasta
lankeavan sateen kanssa pitävät niityt ja pellot kosteina, jotta karja
saapi rehua ja kasvava laiho voi kostua.»
»Ei siihen mitään lähteitä tarvita», virkkoi Frits. »Onhan meillä joki,
joka juoksee tuolla alhaalla.»
»Mistä sitten luulet joen tulevan?»
»Mistäkö joki tulee? — sitä en tiedä», vastasi Frits.
»Sano, poikani, etkö ole joskus kaupungissa huomannut, kuinka

vesi, silloin kun sataa, valuu alas katoilta? Mutta jott’ei vedeltä
puuttuisi kulkuväylää, on kaduille laitettu ojia. Kun nyt
kadunkulmassa kaksi sellaista katuojaa kohtaa toisensa, niin
juoksee kumpaisenkin vesi yhteen ainoaan katuojaan, laajenee ja
tulee yhä syvemmäksi. Mitä useamman katuojan sisällys tällä tavoin
juoksee yhteen, sitä suuremmaksi käy virta, joka siten syntyy.
Samoin on laita täällä vuoristossa. Tuolla alhaalla olevassa ahtaassa
laaksossa juoksee, kuten tiedät, puro. Jos nyt seuraat lähdettä
tännepäin, niin huomaat, että se laskee vetensä puroon. Kaikkialta
vuoristosta tulee vielä muita lähteitä, jotka kaikki yhtyvät purossa; ja
jos seuraat puroa, niin huomaat, että mitä useampia lähteitä se on
ottanut itseensä, sitä voimakkaampana ja syvempänä juoksultansa
se virtaa eteenpäin. Monet lähteet tekevät siis puron, ja kun sitten
monta puroa tulee yhteen, niin ne tekevät joen, tai, kuten sananlasku
sanoo: 'monta pientä puroa tekee suuren joen’.»
»Mutta mistä se johtuu», kysyi Frits, »että kaikki lähteet löytävät

tien puroon, ja että purot sitten juoksevat yhteen? Jos ne sen sijaan
juoksisivat vieretysten, niin eihän meillä olisi ollenkaan jokia.»
»Lähteet eivät oikeastaan virtaa puroihin», vastasi isä, »niiden

vesi kerääntyy vain syvimpiin paikkoihin. Vesi ei voi juosta vuorta
ylöspäin, sen täytyy aina virrata alaspäin, ja syvimmässä paikassa,
vasta siinä, syntyy puro. Joet virtaavat ylipäänsä vain suurissa
laaksoissa; kun ne juoksevat tasangolla, täytyy syvimmän paikan
olla jossakin siinä. Tänne kerääntyy silloin puroista tuleva vesi ja
muodostaa jokia.»
»Niin, mutta kun joki tulee syvän kolon luo, niin juokseehan se
alas koloon ja jää sinne», huomautti Frits.
»Niin», vastasi isä, »mutta ainoastaan niin kauvaksi, kunnes se on

täyttänyt kolon eli tuon syvän paikan. Jos kaadat vatiin vettä, ei se
juokse yli ennen kun vati on aivan täynnä vettä. Jos edelleen kaadat
lisää vettä, niin se valuu vadin laitojen yli maahan. Kun puro tiellään
tapaa syvän paikan, kerääntyy vesi siihen, ja nyt syntyy se, mitä me
nimitämme lammikoksi. Kohta kun lammikko on tullut täyteen,
juoksee se vesi, joka ei enään mahdu siihen, eteenpäin, aivan kuten
oli vadinkin laita. — Mutta kun joki, joka on paljoa suurempi, saapuu
sellaiseen syvennykseen ja täyttää sen vedellään, niin sitä
nimitetään järveksi. Kun taas vesi, esim. kovan sateen jälkeen, on
pysähtynyt pienempään syvennykseen, josta se ei pääse pois, vaan
jossa sen täytyy joko kuivua tai haihtua, niin nimitetään tätä lätäköksi
tai rapakoksi. Mutta sellaiset lätäköt eivät koskaan voi tulla
sanottavan suuriksi. Kun juokseva vesi tulee alas vuorilta, etsii se
aina itselleen tien, raivaa uran alempana olevaan seutuun ja kaivaa
sen vuoksi itselleen maahan vaon eli kourun, jolle on annettu
nimeksi uoma. Joen-uoma on siis suuri kouru, jossa joki sitten virtaa
eteenpäin, ja joen molemmilla puolilla olevaa maata nimitetään sen
rannoiksi.»
»Mutta, sanokaa, isä, minne joet lopuksi laskevat?» kysyi Frits.
»Samoin kuin on hyvin korkeita vuoria tässä maailmassa», vastasi

isä, »niin on myöskin olemassa hyvin suuria, syviä aloja, jotka ovat
paljon alempana, kuin se seutu, jossa me asumme. Joet juoksevat
kauvas, kauvas pois, aina kunnes ne saapuvat näihin syviin
paikkoihin. Siellä osuu kaikki vesi yhteen — sinun pitää voida ajatella
mielessäsi, miten suunnattoman suuria vesimääriä siinä täytyy olla
— ja näitä syvimpiä paikkoja maan päällä, joihin kaikki vesi
kerääntyy, nimitetään mereksi.
»Mutta jos vesi jää paikoilleen sinne, niin onhan tämäkin lätäkkö»,
huomautti Frits.
»Ei, lapseni, tästä ei voida käyttää sanaa lätäkkö», vastasi isä.

»Ajattele ainoastaan suurta, hyvin suurta huonetta, johon useampia
satoja, jopa tuhansia vuosia sitten kaikki suuret joet ovat
vuodattaneet sisällystänsä, niin ymmärrät kyllä, että tämän täytyy
olla jotakin enempi, kuin tavallinen lätäkkö.»
»Eikö se vieläkään ole täynnä?» kysyi Maria.
»Täysi se kyllä on», vastasi isä, »mutta se ei voi juosta yli

äyräittensä, koska suuri osa vedestä uudelleen haihtuu. Olen jo
sanonut teille, että lätäkössä oleva vesi vähitellen kuivuu eli haihtuu,
ellei ole mitään kulkuväylää. Myöskin siitä suuresta vedestä, jota me
mereksi nimitämme, haihtuu paljon, mikä tietysti on varsin
luonnollista, koska sillä on niin suuri pinta. Mutta kun joet yhtämittaa
valavat siihen sisällystänsä, ei se voi vähentyä. Jumala on
viisaudessaan järjestänyt sen niin.»
»Mitenkä se tapahtuu, kun vesi haihtuu?» kysyi Frits. »Voiko sitä

nähdä?»
»Ylipäänsä ei sitä voi nähdä», vastasi isä. »Mutta ehkäpä joskus

hyvin kylmällä ilmalla olet nähnyt veden höyryävän?»
»Kyllä», ehätti Frits vahvistamaan, »sen olen nähnyt monta kertaa.

Se näyttää aivan siltä, kuin vesi kiehuisi.»
»Niin, näetkös, poikani, ne ovat nuo hienot vesihiukkaset eli

vesipartikkelit, kuten on tapana kutsua niitä vieraalla sanalla, jotka
uudelleen nousevat ilmaan. Me nimitämme tätä sumuksi eli usvaksi.
Tuolla ylhäällä ne sitten kokoutuvat ja muuttuvat pilviksi; ja kun
useampia pilviä yhtyy, lankeaa usva jälleen maan päälle ja
nimitetään silloin sateeksi. Tuuli ajaa pilvet pois sellaistenkin maiden
yltä, joissa vettä ei ole paljon; ja sade lankeaa pelloille, niityille ja
puihin, pitäen ne kosteina, niin että ne voivat kasvaa ja rehottaa. —
Katsokaa, tuolla vuorten yläpuolella nousee juuri sellaisia pilviä; ja
koska ne näyttävät synkiltä eli, toisin sanoen, ovat hyvin tiiviitä, on
luultavaa, että saamme sadetta tänä iltana. On sen vuoksi parasta,
että menemme kotiin, jott’emme kastu läpimärjiksi.»
»Se ei tee mitään», vakuutti Frits; »voimmehan ripustaa

vaatteemme keittiöön, lieden eteen, niin ne pian taas kuivuvat.»
»No, mutta ymmärrätkö nyt, mistä se johtuu, että ne kuivuvat

jälleen?» kysyi isä.
»Kyllä, isä», ehätti Frits vastaamaan, »sen tiedän — Vesi

haihtuu.»
»Aivan niin, Frits hyvä», vastasi isä hymyillen. »Nyt olet ainakin
oppinut jotakin tänä päivänä. Mutta nyt luulen ehtineemme sekä
vilvotella että huo’ata tarpeeksi. Juokaa nyt tuosta uhkeasta
lähteestä ja sammuttakaa janonne; sitten palaamme kotiin,
jott’emme tule liian myöhään illalliselle. Voisi muutoin tapahtua, että
teekin haihtuisi meiltä, ja siihenpä ette luullakseni taitaisi olla
kovinkaan tyytyväisiä.»
TOINEN LUKU.
MAA ON PYÖREÄ.
Isä oli ollut aivan oikeassa. Pilvet vetäytyivät yhä enemmän

yhteen; ja tuskin olivat huvikävelijämme ehtineet kotiin, kun alkoi
sataa, vieläpä oikein kelpo tavalla.
Sadetta kesti koko yön. Seuraavana aamuna tutki Frits hyvin

tarkkaavaisesti täyttyneitä katuojia, joissa keltainen, likainen
sadevesi nopeasti virtasi eteenpäin, vieden mukanansa oljenkorsia,
puupalasia ja muita kadulle heitetyltä esineitä.
»Näetkö, Maria», huusi hän sisarelle, »noista kattokouruista

juoksevat lähteet alas, kuten isä eilen kertoi meille. Tuolla toisella
puolella on meillä puro, tällä puolella on meillä myös sellainen, ja
siinä, missä ne yhtyvät on meillä joki. Katsohan, kuinka nopeasti se
virtaa katua alaspäin kulmauksen ympäri, joutuakseen siellä yhteen
toisen joen kanssa. Kulmauksen toisella puolella on meri.»
»Emmekö mene katsomaan merta?» kysyi Maria. »En ole vielä

milloinkaan nähnyt merta.»
»Silloinpa saisit kulkea kauvas, rakas lapsi», sanoi isä, joka nyt tuli
heidän luokseen. »Joet virtaavat usein pitkiä matkoja, ennenkun
saapuvat mereen; ja ennenkun sinne saapuisit, niin ehtisitpä kovasti
väsyä.»
»Kuulkaa nyt, isä», sanoi Frits, »kun tulen suureksi, tahdon

minäkin mennä merelle. Mutta minne on minun mentävä? Minä
seuraan vaan jokia, eikö niin, isä?»
»Niin, tietysti, poikani», vastasi isä. »Jos ulottaisit sen lähteen

luota, josta eilen joit, ja sitten yhtämittaa seuraisit vettä pitkin rantaa,
niin tulisit lopuksi meren luo. Kulkenet muuten miten tahdot, kun
vaan kuljet suoraan eteenpäin, niin saavut lopuksi aina meren
rannalle, sillä erotuksella kuitenkin, että toiseen paikkaan pääset
pikemmin perille, kuin toiseen. Jotta paremmin voisitte ymmärtää
tämän, olen tänään ottanut esille kartan, johon on kuvattu koko
meidän maapallomme ynnä meret.»
»Sepä näyttää hauskalta», sanoi Maria, joka oli rientänyt tuolia

noutamaan, heti kun isä oli saanut levittäneeksi kartan pöydälle.
»Sehän on sinistä kaikki tyynni, ja siinä on punaisia, valkoisia,
mustia ja keltaisia täpliä.»
»Nähkääs, lapseni», sanoi isä, »tämä kartta kuvailee koko maata,

Kaikki sininen, minkä näette tässä, on vesi eli meri, jota me myöskin
nimitämme valtamereksi. Kuten näette, ei meri ole yhdessä ainoassa
kohdassa, vaan useammissa eri paikoissa, maata välissä siellä
täällä. Tällä tavoin jakautuu suuri meri eli valtameri pienempiin osiin,
ja näillä on kullakin nimensä, jotta ne voidaan eroittaa toisistaan.
Tämän selitän toisella kertaa lähemmin. Myöskin punaisilla,
valkoisilla ja muun värisillä täplillä, jotka kuvaavat maita, on erityiset
nimensä.»
»Sepä mainiota!» huudahti Frits, »sehän on aivan kuten
meidänkin laitamme. Minä olen nimeltäni Frits, pikku sisareni nimi on
Maria.»
»Aivan niin», vastasi isä. »Jos teidän kumpaisenkin nimi olisi Frits,
ja minä huutaisin Fritsiä, niin ettehän voisi tietää, ketä minä
tarkoittaisin. Sen vuoksi annetaan sekä ihmisille että hengettömille
kappaleille nimet, jotta ne voidaan eroittaa toisistaan.»
»Mutta tässähän on kaksi kuvaa», huomautti Maria. »Onko siis

olemassa kaksi maata?»
»Ei, lapseni», vastasi isä. »Kumpikin kuva on ainoastaan puolet

maasta, ja ne on asetettu vieretysten, jotta te voisitte nähdä ne
samalla kertaa. Mutta se täytyy minun tehdä havaannolliseksi
toisella tapaa. Frits, mene noutamaan se omena, jonka äiti on
ottanut esille ja aikonut jakaa teidän keskenne.»
Frits tuli pian takaisin, tuoden omenan.
»Katsokaa, lapseni», sanoi isä, ottaen omenan ja näyttäen sitä

heille, »maa ei suinkaan ole litteä, kuten tällä paperilla oleva kuva
näyttää, vaan pyöreä, niinkuin tämä omena.»
»Pyöreäkö?» kysyivät lapset hämmästyneinä. »Sepä

kummallista!»
»Siinä tapauksessa olen iloinen siitä, että asumme täällä

ylhäällä», lausui Frits, »sillä sivuilta liu’utaan varmaankin alas.»
»Siten ei ole asian laita», vastasi isä. »Pyöriipä maa vielä

yhtämittaa ympäri meidän ollessamme sen päällä, niin että toisinaan
olemme ylhäällä, toisinaan alhaalla; mutta mitään ei siitä putoa.»
»Sitä en voi ymmärtää», sanoi Frits.
»Niin, rakas lapsi», Vastasi isä, »onpa olemassa monta

täysikasvuistakin, jotka eivät ymmärrä sitä asiaa; eikä se mitään
hyödyttäisi, jos koettaisin oikein selvästi selittää sen sinulle.
Vanhemmiksi tultuanne te kyllä helpommin sen ymmärrätte. En olisi
mitään virkkanut asiasta, ellei teidän olisi ollut tarpeellista ainakin
tietää, että niin on. Muuten ette olisi voineet käsittää toisia asioita.
Mutta kuunnelkaa nyt tarkoin, niin minä koetan ainakin jossain
määrin selittää teille, kuinka maa pyörii ympäri, ja mistä se johtuu,
ett’emme putoa siitä.
»Maa liikkuu, kuten jo olen sanonut teille, eikä ainoastaan itsensä

ympäri, vaan myöskin suuressa kehässä auringon ympäri. Matka,
minkä se silloin kulkee, on suurempi kuin voitte ajatellakaan, ja se
tarvitsee kokonaisen vuoden, ennenkun se on päättänyt
kiertokulkunsa. Katsokaa tuolla pöydällä olevaa kärpästä, miten
nopeasti se liikuttaa pieniä jalkojansa, ja kuitenkin liikkuu se
ainoastaan hitaasti eteenpäin. Teidän kanssanne puhuessani, on se
tuskin päässyt eteenpäin enempää, kuin muutaman tuuman. Marian
tarvitsee ottaa ainoastaan yksi askel, niin on hän kulkenut paljoa
pitemmän matkan, kuin kärpänen.»
»Niin, mutta minä voin juosta paljoa nopeampaan, kuin Maria»,

väitti
Frits.
»Tietysti voitkin, koska olet suurempi kuin hän. Mutta minä tahdon
koettaa tehdä asian kuvaannolliseksi toisella tapaa. Tässä on
minulla yksi niistä pienistä kivikuulista, joilla Fritsin usein on tapana
leikkiä. Minä panen kuulan pöydälle omenan viereen. Näetkö tuota
pientä tummaa pistettä tässä kuulassa? Asettakaamme kuula siten,
että tuo piste tulee ylöspäin. Jos minä nyt pyöritän kuulaa kerran
ympäri, kunnes piste uudelleen tulee ylös, niin ei se ole kulkenut
pitempää matkaa, kuin oman ympäryksensä. Pyörittäkäämme nyt
omenaa kerran ympäri, kunnes varsi tulee jälleen ylös. Nähkääs,
omena on tullut paljon pitemmälle. Anna minulle nyt suuri
kuttaperkkapallosi, Frits, niin pyöritämme sitäkin ympäri. Katsokaa,
pallo tuli vähintäänkin kaksi kertaa kauvemmaksi, kuin omena. Nyt
voitte helposti ymmärtää, kuinka kauvas maan on pyörittävä, kun se
vaan pyörähtää yhden ainoan kierron.»
»Niin, mutta jos maa pyörii ympäri kuin myllynratas, niin

tulemmehan me viskatuiksi kauvas pois, kun kuljetaan alaspäin»,
väitti Frits.
»Siitä on Luoja pitänyt huolen», vastasi isä. »Kaikkialla, missä

ihmisiä ja eläimiä kävelee, puita ja pensaita kasvaa, on niillä maa
allansa. Maa pitää kaiken tämän kiinni vetovoimallansa. Mutta te
olette vielä liian nuoret, voidaksenne tätä käsittää; tahdon kuitenkin
yhdellä esimerkillä koettaa jossain määrin tehdä asiaa
havaannolliseksi. Hyppää kerran, Frits.»
»Miten on minun hypättävä?»
»Hyppää suoraan ylöspäin, niin korkealle, kuin voit.»
»Minäkin tahdon hypätä», sanoi Maria.
»Hyvä, hypätkää sitten molemmat, mutta niin korkealle, kuin

mahdollista.»
Molemmat lapset hyppäsivät niin korkealle kuin voivat.
»Vielä korkeammalle!» yllytti isä.

(Download PDF) U Is For Uncrossing The A B Cs of Witchery Moonbeam Chronicles Book 21 Carolina Mac Full Chapter PDF

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(Download PDF) U Is For Uncrossing The A B Cs of Witchery Moonbeam Chronicles Book 21 Carolina Mac Full Chapter PDF

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U is for Uncrossing: The A, B, C's of

Witchery (Moonbeam Chronicles Book

Q is for Quickening: A,B,C's of Witchery (Moonbeam

M is for Magic: The A, B, C's of Witchery (Moonbeam

I is for INVOKING: The A, B C's of Witchery (Moonbeam

N is for Necromancy: The A, B, C's of Witchery

J is for Jinxed: The A, B C's of Witchery (Moonbeam

L is for Lunar: The A, B, C's of Witchery (Moonbeam

O is for Oracle: The A, B, C's of Witchery (Moonbeam

K IS FOR KARMA: The A, B, C's of Witchery (Moonbeam

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Monday, March 7th.

High Mountain. West Virginia.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Sheriff’s Office. Shadow Valley.

Poke Creek Road. Shadow County.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Bernadette Calarook’s Residence.

Tuesday, March 8th.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Aceso lend me your healing power

Sheriff’s Office. Shadow Valley.

Gerrit’s Farm. Shadow Valley County Line.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Wednesday, March 9th.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Benson Motel. Shadow Valley.

Bernadette’s Calarook’s Residence.

Sheriff’s Office. Shadow Valley.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Sheriff’s Office. Shadow Valley.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Thursday, March 10th.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Sheriff’s Office. Shadow Valley.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Bernadette Calarook’s Residence.

Sheriff’s Office. Shadow Valley.

Hinton County Courthouse.

Oakley Residence. Hinton.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Friday, March 11th.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley.

Windy Bluffs. North Dakota.

Wade Cameron and Company.

Maggie’s Grill. Main Street. Windy Bluffs.

Tequila Sunrise. Windy Bluffs.

Windy Bluffs Inn.

Saturday, March 12th.

County Road. Windy Bluffs. North Dakota.

Hart’s Pool Hall. Shadow Valley. West Virginia.

Sheriff’s Office. Shadow Valley.

Shadow Mountain. West Side.

Shadow Mountain. South Side.

Title: Maailma pienoiskoossa

Author: Friedrich Gerstäcker

Translator: Wikki Ilmoni

Release date: April 22, 2024 [eBook #73446]

Original publication: Pori: Gustav Ronelius, 1903

Credits: Juhani Kärkkäinen and Tapio Riikonen

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAAILMA