Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“…love is patient…”

1 Corinthians 13:4

Clark Lewis Dangerpride rode his horse as the sun rose in the sky. He spotted the small town center of Sunshine Salvation Valley in Abundance County Oregon. The rising sun shone brightly in his eyes, and he used his hands to shade them as he looked at the place he had spent the years of his boyhood. He saw the mountains, and also the prairie, in the distance, and was surprised to feel a sense of relief and peace seeing the familiar landscape. The town had grown some since he had left seven years earlier; a few more buildings had gone up, and another road into town had been added. Clark had decided early on in his journey back that he would come in as a stranger, stay long enough to see that his mother, sister, and Agatha and her father were okay, and then head back to the range. He wondered what he would find here, after all these years, after he had changed so much from the young boy who had run away. Little did Clark know that the potential love of his life and the God he had deserted had been waiting for some time for this son of Prodigal, Wyoming to come back home.

Agatha had rode into town early that morning to attend to some business. Before setting off, she had taken care of Papa, who had shown little improvement over the past several weeks. Dr. Elton’s last visit had brought more bad news—he suspected that Isaac might have permanently lost his eyesight. Agatha grew increasingly angry with God as the plot of her story continued to exhaust the list of possible tragedies in her life. Yesterday, she had tried to read Grandfather’s journal, and had quickly stowed it away in her dresser drawer. The words that had so often brought her comfort from the man who had left everything to bring the word of God to the Western settlers, only chafed at her stone cold heart.

She wore a dress into town, the first one she had worn in over three weeks. Her father’s pants and work shirts had become a much more practical uniform for the generalized farm chores that she performed daily, in addition to her normal duties of tending to the house, and the added responsibility of caring for her feverish father. Earlier this week she had resolved to get help, but not the kind people were offering. She would not accept their handouts or pity offers to volunteer at the farm. She intended on hiring a young man for the farm, one of the one’s that came into town looking for work, a stranger. She wanted someone who would work, and wouldn’t get in her business or offer her guidance.

Even in her dress, Agatha felt plain and ugly, things she had been formerly unused to feeling. Earlier, as she got ready to go into town, she had examined herself in the mirror. Her beautiful blonde hair had grown dull and tangled from being tied up under her calico kerchief, and her porcelain face was tanned like that of a common work boy. She combed out her hair, plaiting it in a long braid down her back and put on her mother’s locket, the one she used to wear everyday. She took a wet rag and wiped some of the dirt smudges off of her face. It was no use; she felt as plain as ever, a faded beauty, a faded dream, a faded faith.

Clark walked into the Mr. Serendipity’s general store, he chuckled to see the candy jars lined up behind the counter, remembering days with Agatha—her father would give them each a penny to pick out a sweet treat. They had taken so long to decide, not wanting to waste their penny. Clark wondered where she was now, and his stomach tightened at the thought of seeing her again. She was probably long married off; he could only imagine the beautiful woman she had grown up to be. He heard the screen door swing open as another customer entered the store. He continued to look around the store as he heard the chime of the small bell Mr. Serendipity kept on the counter to summon him from the stock room.

“Well, if it isn’t Agatha Tabitha Freegrace!” Mr. Serendipity’s voice filled the store as he greeted the customer that had just entered. “We’ve all been so worried about you and your father since the barn fire and then Isaac coming down with scarlet fever! How do you do it all by yourself? I wish you’d accept Mrs. Serendipity’s offer to come and stay with you for a while.”

Clark’s heart stopped in his chest. He hadn’t expected to see her so soon on his visit, he’d expected having to track her down on his own terms, but here she was, yards away from him. After he processed the reality of her presence, he began to realize that the Freegrace family was not well—their barn burned down and Mr. Freegrace ill? How could such awful things happen to such a wonderful family?

“We’re fine Mr. Serendipity. The only help I’m interested in is hired help. That’s why I’ve come. I want to put up this sign advertising the opening for a worker at our farm. And if we can’t find someone, I’ll be fine continuing on my own, like I’ve been doing.” Clark was practically paralyzed by the sound of her voice. The trials of life had taken some of the joy out of it, but the tone was still there, that beautiful tone, it was like receiving streams of living water after years in the desert. After soaking in the reality of being in the same room as Aggie’s voice, the wheels in his head began to turn as he began to see the obvious direction the plot was going. Aggie wanted to hire a man to work at the farm, a stranger, and he wanted nothing more than to help the Freegrace family. He may have to stay in town a little longer, but he hadn’t expected to find his dear Aggie in so much trouble. He approached the counter, hoping words would come out of his mouth when he got there.

“You’re looking for some help Miss?” Agatha turned around to see who spoke behind her, as if in slow motion. As she turned to face Clark, he found himself face to face with a young woman, no longer a girl. He saw past her tanned skin and dull blonde hair and was overcome by her beauty. It took everything in him not to immediately spill his cover and take Agatha up in his arms. He thought her tanned skin even made her more beautiful, showing the long days of labor she had endured for the lover of her family.

“I am looking for someone to help out around the farm. The pay isn’t spectacular, but you can lodge with me…and my father.” Agatha’s voice got caught in her throat as she took in the man that inquired about the job. He was tall and handsome, with chiseled features and a strong frame. Something about him looked so familiar, as if he were…no, it couldn’t be. This man was a stranger, just the kind of man she had been looking for to help around the farm.

“When can I start?” Clark’s deep voice immediately soothed Agatha. If she still believed in God, this would have seemed like an answer to prayer. No one in town would even have to see her want ad for help. The only issue was that she could quickly feel herself becoming interested in this tall dark stranger, who didn’t seem so strange after all. She quickly checked herself, resolving to put a “do not disturb” sign over her heart. She didn’t have time to fall in love, and not with some common worker helping out at the farm. She would keep things professional.

“You can start right now.” Agatha extended her hand to shake on the deal. Clark reached out, holding her small, calloused hand in his. He couldn’t resist holding her hand just a little bit longer. Agatha looked up, and their eyes met for a second, electricity (which had not been really discovered) passed between them. This was going to be harder than Agatha thought.

“By the way, I’m…Clay…Clay Rangerguide.”

Alright, Clay Rangerguide, she thought, we’ll see how this goes.

There was something so familiar in his face. Her earlier train of thought returned. It was almost as if… no it couldn’t be. She had thought for a second, just a split second, that he reminded her of her dear Clarky, gone for these past seven years, but ever present in her mind and heart. Agatha shook off these silly notions, thankful to have found an out of towner to help her with the duties on their farm