set aside thoughts of the Cissell children and examined her schedule. According to her list, the Donohoo cabin was next. The Donohoos lived about a half mile northeast, across a creek and beyond a boulder covered in moss. There were no street signs or numbers to direct a person on the mountain—only landmarks. But Addie’s good memory served her well. She found the Donohoo cabin, which had been built on such a sharp rise that its front half stood on stilts. If a person fell from the porch, he or she would certainly suffer broken bones.
She slipped from Russet’s back and walked the horse the final uphill yards. At the base of the rise, she cupped her hands around her mouth. “Hello in the cabin!”
A tattered white curtain shielded the single window, and the front door stood open. No one came to the doorway, but Addie was sure she saw someone lift the curtain aside, peek out, and drop it back into place.
She rose up on tiptoes for a better glimpse. “Hello? Mrs. Donohoo? It’s Addie, from the library. I’ve brought you some books.”
What sounded like a child’s wail came from somewhere in the cabin, followed by a harsh “Hush, you!” and a door slamming. Silence fell.
Addie waited a few more seconds, watching the doorway. But no one came. “Mrs. Donohoo?” She’d heard a child. What were the names of the Donohoo children? She checked the information Emmett had given her. “Darlene? Margie? I’m here with books.”
No response.
The silence unnerved her. People were inside the cabin. Why wouldn’t they come out? She thought about putting the books she’d brought on the porch, assuming she could climb up there. But she wasn’t supposed to leave more unless the previous ones were returned. And according to her paper, the Donohoos already had five books on loan.
“Git outta here or I’ll sic the hounds on you!”
Addie jolted so violently she almost lost her footing on the steep incline. The male voice had blasted from somewhere nearby, and a dog’s fierce yaps followed it. She sent startled looks right and left. She couldn’t see the person giving the threat, but she decided to take it seriously. She put her foot in the stirrup and tried to pull herself onto the saddle, but Russet turned a slow circle. Addie hopped beside her while maniacal laughter rang from the bushes.
She jerked her foot free and snagged the horse’s reins. “You dumb beast!” She started down the rise, her face flaming, embarrassment giving way to anger. Such rudeness, to holler and cackle but not let her see who menaced her. These people didn’t deserve to be on the list to receive books.
Then she remembered the child’s plaintive cry. Had it been Margie or Darlene crying for a new book? Sympathy replaced her fury.
She drew Russet to a stop and turned backward. “If you change your mind and want to swap books, please come by the library in town. I’ll make sure they’re waiting for you there.”
“You just git!” No humor graced the man’s tone.
Addie reached the creek. Several large stones lined a portion of the bank. She eyed the largest rock. If she climbed on it, she might be able to swing herself into the saddle again. But what if the awful person with the dog was following her? She’d waste less time and get to her next stop, the McCash cabin, faster by walking. With a firm grip on Russet’s reins, she sent a furtive glance over her shoulder and splashed into the creek. Frigid water soaked the bottom inches of her pant legs and filled her boots, and she sucked in a gasp. Her feet sank into the soft creek bed, and she fought for every forward step as if walking through clay. When she reached the opposite bank, her whole body was shivering.
She paused for a few minutes, panting hard and gathering her bearings. The McCashes lived in a quaint cabin in the center of a small clearing beyond a thick stand of pines, maples, and pokeberry bushes. If she remembered correctly, a split-rail fence circled their yard. The fence would make a fine ladder for getting up on Russet’s back again. If they allowed her to use it.
“Come along, Russet. A brisk walk should get me dry again.”
Russet snorted and trailed her like a faithful hound dog. While she walked, she ate the strawberry jam sandwiches Nanny Fay had sent along. The sweetness of the jam took the sour taste of