Free Colin's Quest by Shirleen Davies

his face. “I understand you want to help them, Colin, but hell, they aren’t our problem. I’ll go along with taking them to Mindell and either leave them with the law or the church, but that’s where it ends.”
    Colin and Brodie knew he was right. There was a reason for their trip, and it didn’t include being responsible for three young girls.
    “All right,” Colin responded. “We’re agreed then. They ride with us to Mindell. We’ll start with the church and hope that’s the end of it.”

    “Are you living around here, Mr. Stewart?” Bessie set a slice of cake in front of him, along with a cup of coffee.
    “Please, Mrs. Olford. I’d appreciate it if you and Miss MacGregor would call me Caleb.”
    Bessie nodded as Sarah leaned forward.
    “Then you’ll have to call me Sarah.”
    His mouth curved up at the corners. “To answer your question, my family has a ranch a little bit north of here.”
    “How come we’ve never seen you in church?”
    Caleb chuckled. “Oh, we go to church. Ma would have our hide if we didn’t, but it’s the one in Slade. We get most of our supplies and Pa conducts his business there. It’s closer than riding to River City.”
    “What brings you here, Caleb?” Sarah picked at her slice of cake. The presence of a person who experienced the same hardships as her family during the trip west reminded her of Colin. Without thinking, her hand fingered the brooch. The feel of it always gave her comfort.
    He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “It was time I headed out. I waited until my brothers and sisters were able to help our folks. If I didn’t leave now, I worried I might end up staying in Slade the rest of my life.” He pushed his empty plate away. The Stewarts had been in this country several years before the MacLarens made the journey. He’d always had a strong urge to see more of it. “I was born shortly before my family came to America. When they decided to move west, I wanted to stay behind, see more of the country. I couldn’t then, but now…”
    Sarah cocked her head. Most people she knew stayed close to where they were raised, preferring what they knew to the unknown.
    “Where do you plan to go?” Sarah let go of the brooch, dropping her hand to her lap.
    “I thought I’d work here for a spell, maybe through winter, then move on. The next town south is Mindell, but I’m not quite ready to start for it yet.”
    “Well, you speaking of finding work reminded me of my morning. In truth, I may have good news for both of you.” Bessie had already made up her mind she liked Caleb. Maybe if he got a good job, he’d stay. They could use people such as him.
    “What news, Mrs. Olford?”
    “Well, I spoke with the head of our town council this morning. He confirmed our teacher is leaving and we’ll need a replacement.”
    Sarah’s heart beat so hard, she thought it would burst from her chest. “And what did he say?”
    “He’s asked to meet with you. I believe he might offer you the position.”
    No longer able to contain her excitement, Sarah jumped up, hugging Bessie. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough, Mrs. Olford.” She swung her gaze to Caleb. “It’s always been my dream to teach. I can scarcely believe it.”
    “Now, Sarah, you still must meet with the men who will make the decision. Although, I do believe you have an excellent chance.”
    “When would they like to meet with me?”
    “Tomorrow morning. They’d like you to be there right after breakfast.”
    Sarah’s heart began to slow. Settling herself back in her chair, she took a large bite of cake, following it with a swallow of lukewarm coffee. Looking at Caleb, she smiled, then set down her fork.
    “And what news might you have for Caleb?”
    Bessie shifted in her seat, turning toward him. “You may not have heard of Fergus Bell, but he owns the largest ranch in River City. Hundreds of acres. He’s always looking for men and made it a point to mention it to my