Free The Winds of Autumn by Janette Oke Page A

just a little tyke.”
    “Doc says that they were the Red measles,” Aunt Lou replied. “These are the German. One is not usually as sick with them, but occasionally there are complications.”
    “Well, you take care.” Grandpa leaned over to plant a kiss on Aunt Lou’s cheek, reached out and tussled Pixie’s ear, and then turned to me.
    “Glad about your school, Boy,” he said again with a quick pat on my shoulder.
    He turned to Uncle Nat. “Any idea when classes will start?”
    “I heard them say next Monday,” he replied.
    I was rather disappointed about that. It was Wednesday. I’d been hoping that school would take up again the next morning. I was anxious to get a look at that new teacher. I’d never had me a man teacher before.
    “Guess he needs a couple days to settle in,” Grandpa was saying.
    He placed his hand on my shoulder again and gave it a slight squeeze like he always did when we said goodbye, and then he was off. Uncle Nat went out with him.
    It was then that I finally delivered the package of pork chops to the kitchen.
    Uncle Nat turned to me good-naturedly. “You can have your pick, Josh,” he said. “You want to cook supper or haul the wood?”
    I didn’t hesitate for one minute. “I’ll haul the wood,” I responded and went to slip out of my good jacket and into my choring coat before leaving the warm kitchen.
    The wind sure enough smelled of snow.

C HAPTER 9

The New Teacher
    O VER THE NEXT FEW days there was little time for chafing over school to start. With Aunt Lou still confined to her bed and Uncle Nat busy with church duties, I had plenty to keep my hands and mind busy. The first snowstorm came sweeping in too, and that meant more wood and coal to haul. Boy, was it cold! It seemed that Old Man Winter wanted to make up for lost time, all in a day or so—thought we’d had it warm and sunshiny for quite long enough. The snow piled up overnight and the north wind whipped it into little drifts all around the corners of the house. I had to shovel my way to the coal shed and the woodpile. It did look awfully pretty out though.
    Now and then one of the fellas would drop by with the latest bit of gossip about the new teacher. I couldn’t invite anyone in because of the house being in quarantine, so we’d talk through the open window or over the front gate. You’d be surprised how many things were being passed around town about the schoolmaster.
    One story said he was running from the law, and another one said, no not the law, but the army, and still another said he wasn’t running at all but it was his wife who was on the run. Then there were those stories that said he’d been put out of his last school for beating a boy to within an inch of his life, and another that he had lost his school because of some jealous woman who falsely accused him because he wouldn’t leave his wife for her.
    There were even stories about his finances. Some said he was only a step ahead of creditors, and others said he had lost his home, his horse and his holdings to the town banker where he had last taught.
    Nobody seemed to know for sure where he had taught. Nobody seemed to know many facts at all, but the gossip kept sweeping over the gates and into the homes of the town folk. Uncle Nat was getting right put out about it all and said that someone should call a town meeting and put an end to all the foolishness. “A man is innocent until proven guilty,” he said.
    It was all rather mysterious. I could hardly wait to get my first look at the man. I felt quite confident that when I got that look, I would be able to tell right off just which one of the stories had any basis in fact.
    By the time Monday finally rolled around, the doc had let Aunt Lou out of bed. She was right anxious to take over her own house again, and I guess Uncle Nat and I were just as anxious to let her.
    My lunch pail in hand, well stocked by Aunt Lou, I left for school with a great feeling of excitement. Avery, Willie,