[Canadian West 02] - When Comes the Spring by Janette Oke Page B

he placed it on the table, Wynn, hardly moving, stood
slowly, leaned over and removed it. Four pairs of eyes turned to look
at him.
    "We've got a long trip ahead of us tomorrow. I want some sober
bargemen. Charlie, you can drink if you want to. It's your liquor, but
don't pass your bottle around."

    There was authority in Wynn's voice; and, though there were some
grumbles around the table, no one challenged him.
    The card game went on, but it was clear that much of the "fun"
had gone out of it.
    At length, the men decided they'd had enough. They pushed back
their makeshift seats, cleared a little space around the stove, and
stretched out on the floor to sleep. For a few moments, it was blessedly
silent. Then, one by one, they filled the room with a chorus of snores.
    The snoring seemed even louder and more vulgar than the conversation had been. Resigned, I turned my face to the wall and tried to
get some sleep in the little time that was left.
    Once or twice I heard stirring as the fire in the stove was replenished. I knew without even looking that it was Wynn.
    When morning came, I was still bone-weary. But at least the effort
of trying to sleep was over. The rain was still falling, but the wind
seemed to have died down. I was thankful for small mercies.
    At my first stirring, Wynn was beside me.
    "How do you feel, Elizabeth?" he whispered.
    I ached all over, and my sore leg throbbed with each beat of my
heart. I managed a faltering smile. "Okay," I answered. "Can you help
me up?"
    Wynn's strong arms helped me to my feet and shielded me with
the blanket while I fumblingly got into my clothes. They were thoroughly dry now and felt much softer than the blankets had.
    The men were still scattered around on the floor, sleeping off their
binge of the night before.
    "I need to go out, Wynn," I whispered. "Where do I go?"
    Wynn nodded toward the one door.
    "Anyplace in the woods," he answered me.
    At my troubled look, he glanced back to the men. "Don't worry
about any of them. They wouldn't wake up until next week if they
were left alone. I'll watch them."
    I was relieved but still apprehensive about the whole outdoors as a
facility.
    "Do you need help walking?" Wynn asked.

    I tried my weight on my poor leg to be sure before I answered,
"I'll be all right."
    "Are you sure?"
    I took an _ unsteady step. "I'll hang onto the cabin if I need support," I told him.
    He helped me over to the door and opened it for me. Then he
reached for his jacket. "Here," he said, "youd better use this. It's still
raining."
    I wrapped the jacket tightly about me and stepped out into the
misty morning. The nearby river was almost hidden by the fog that
clung to it. Water from the trees dripped on the soggy ground beneath.
Every step I took was in water. I was glad the wind was not blowing.
    I took no longer out-of-doors than was necessary. Even then, by
the time I hobbled back into the little, smelly, over-crowded cabin, my
shoes were soaked through and the hem of my dress wet for several
inches. I longed for the stove's warmth, but I hesitated to step over the
sleeping men. Wynn helped me around them, and I took my place in
the one chair and stretched my feet out toward the glow.
    "Not very nice out there, is it?" Wynn commented.
    "It's wet and cool, but the wind, isn't blowing like yesterday."
    Wynn seemed to approve of my healthy attitude. He gave me a
smile and placed a hand on my shoulder as he handed me a cup of hot
coffee.
    "Now that you've seen the day, what do you think? Would you like
to get back on the journey or wait out the storm here in the cabin?"
    I looked at the four sodden men on the floor. The liquor from the
night before mingled with the other smells. Snores still came forth from
half-open mouths, sometimes catching in their throats in a rugged
growl which snorted to a finish.
    I glanced back at the makeshift bed in the corner. It was so narrow
one could scarcely rum over and so lumpy I wondered how