The Librarian of Boone's Hollow - Kim Vogel Sawyer Page 0,19

only cared about Emmett understanding how old Bettina was. When Emmett had left for that college in the city, she’d been nothing more than a little girl, still climbing trees and taking aim at squirrels with a slingshot. But that hadn’t kept her from giving her heart to him. Now she was eighteen, a full-growed woman. And she needed him to see her as more than the bothersome little girl who’d tagged after him and his friends.

She folded her arms over her chest and tossed her head again. “Emmett’ll likely be home tomorrow. Day after at the latest. I gotta be ready. Wanna help me wash my hair?”

Glory’s blue eyes sparkled. “An’ rinse it with your lily-o’-the-valley toilet water so it smells all good?”

Guilt tried to grab Bettina. In actuality, the toilet water belonged to her maw, given to her by Pap their last Christmas together. But Maw was dead and buried. She didn’t need it no more, and she’d want Bettina to use it for something as important as Emmett coming home again. She nodded. “Been savin’ it up special, just for him.”

Glory grabbed Bettina’s hand. “Let’s hurry. In case he gets home tonight already.”

Bettina didn’t figure he’d make it all the way from Lexington on the same day as his graduation, but she didn’t mind hurrying. Maybe her hurrying would hurry him.

Lynch

Emmett

THANK GOODNESS THE Louisville and Nashville Railroad sent two passenger trains on a line through the coal-mining towns every day, including Sunday. Emmett caught the midmorning train and arrived at the red-painted Lynch depot a little after one o’clock, right on schedule. With it being Sunday, he hadn’t expected a lot of activity in town. The coal miners were likely enjoying their single day off by relaxing. Not to mention the biblical admonition most folks honored about keeping the Lord’s day holy. But after the constant bustle of activity on the college campus, the stillness was almost unsettling.

He fetched his battered carpetbag from the deck, nodded hello to an elderly woman sitting on a trunk, fanning herself, then set off on the main street, heading west. If he were a crow, he could fly straight north about a thousand feet and light in Boone’s Hollow. But no way a man toting a heavy bag could walk that uphill climb through all the trees and undergrowth. Even without the encumbrance of a carpetbag, a fellow would be taxed by the climb. He’d take the mile-long dirt road that wound its way up Black Mountain to the little town where he’d been born and raised.

The sun beat down, making him drip sweat under his suit coat. He considered taking the jacket off, but then he’d have to carry it. Toting the bag that held his textbooks, diploma, and a few articles of clothing was enough. Besides, when he came walking into Boone’s Hollow, he wanted to be dressed like a gentleman. Paw might say he was putting on airs, but he wanted Maw to be proud of him. He’d put up with the heat.

He left the main road and started up the mountain road carved out of the forest more than fifty years ago. Beech and hemlock trees grew thick on both sides and blocked most of the sun. They couldn’t block the humidity, though. Perspiration ran in rivulets down his face. He used his handkerchief to wipe it away and blinked hard against the sting in his eyes. He squinted at the trees—at their trunks and leaves—and calculated his distance by what was growing. The tall beech and shaggy hemlock gave way to birch, hickory, magnolias already showy with pink or white blooms, and an abundance of maple. Paw used to tease when they walked up this road that if they stumbled onto chestnut or oak trees, they’d know they’d gone too far. Emmett didn’t intend to reach the oaks and chestnuts today. Getting to Boone’s Hollow would be distance enough.

Dust rose with every step. When had it last rained in these parts? Reddish-brown powder coated his shoes and the hem of his britches. Maw could smack the dust out, but she might have a time getting the sweat stains from the underarms of his suit coat. His roommate’s half of the closet had held three or four suits, plus stacks of button-up shirts, sweaters, vests, and trousers. Emmett had only the one suit, his present from Maw and Paw when he graduated from the local school. After four years of wear, it was getting some