Free Bridge to Cutter Gap / Silent Superstitions / The Angry Intruder by Catherine Marshall

Mae fell silent for the first time.
    The school room smelled of varnish and wood smoke. A small potbellied stove sat in one corner. A few battered school desks were scattered across the floor.
    Slowly Christy walked to the teacher’s desk near the stove.
    This was hers. This was where she would soon be teaching. This was where her adventure really would begin.
    â€œFills ya up with excitement, don’t it, just to come inside?” Ruby Mae asked in a hushed voice. It was the same voice you would use in a church, Christy thought—then she realized that this was a church, every Sunday.
    â€œI can’t tell you how much we-all have been lookin’ forward to havin’ a real school with a real, live teacher,” Ruby Mae said sincerely.
    Christy smiled. “I hope I turn out to be a real, live teacher.”
    â€œI don’t rightly see your point,” Ruby Mae said, her face puckered up in concentration.
    â€œIt’s just—” Christy stared into the girl’s bright eyes. “Well, I’ve never taught before, you see. I suppose I’m a little nervous.”
    â€œ You , nervous? That’s a good one!” Ruby Mae laughed loudly, slapping her leg, as if she’d never heard anything funnier. Slowly she realized that Christy was serious. Her face went instantly solemn. “Oh, Miz Huddleston, I declare. I weren’t laughing at you. It’s just that I figure it’s us students who have the right to be all nervous-like. I mean, Lordamercy, you’re the teacher!”
    I’m the teacher . Christy tried out the words in her mind. She liked the sound of them.
    Sure, it had been a long and dangerous journey here. Sure, things hadn’t gone as she’d hoped so far. But what was she so worried about? Ruby Mae was right. Christy was the teacher.
    Now that she was finally here, what else could possibly go wrong?

Nine
    T hat afternoon, Christy knocked on the door of Miss Alice Henderson’s cabin. The young teacher took a deep breath to calm herself. Already, the stories about Miss Alice had impressed Christy. She wanted to do her very best to impress Miss Alice, too.
    The woman who answered the door had beautiful, clear features and deep gray eyes which looked both excited and tired at the same time. Her hair had once been blonde, but now was sprinkled with gray. She was wearing a straight blue woolen skirt and a clean, white linen blouse. Mr. Pentland had said there was something queenlike about her, and he was right.
    â€œDo come in,” she said, staring at Christy intently.
    Stepping into Miss Henderson’s cabin was almost like going home to Asheville. There was warmth and color and shine here. Firelight gleamed on the old pine and cherry furniture and the polished brass and pewter. Windows along the back of the room brought the beautiful Cutter Gap scenery indoors. The winter landscape and the towering peaks filled the room like a gigantic mural.
    Christy had not realized how homesick she was until she felt the relief pouring through her. Then there was some beauty and order here in the Cove! It wasn’t all just plainness and poverty.
    â€œCome, sit down, child,” Miss Henderson urged. “Does my cabin surprise you?”
    â€œI’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. After that nightmare scene yesterday at the Spencers’, I wasn’t sure that I . . . that I belonged here. But this is so beautiful that I want to hug it— if you could hug a room. It’s like—well, like coming home.”
    â€œThat’s the nicest compliment my cabin’s ever had. Here, sit by the fire. Got down to ten below zero this morning.”
    â€œMiss Henderson,” Christy asked, almost afraid to hear the answer, “how is Mr. Allen?”
    â€œAbout seven this morning he opened his eyes and asked about his ailing hound-dog. I think he’s going to be all right.”
    Christy felt relief wash over her like a warm