I’m posting this a day early so that the final installment can post tomorrow, because CERTAIN PEOPLE are finding it hard to wait for the regular schedule, especially over a weekend. 🙂

The Secret of Blueberry Hill

By Rosa Lee Lloyd

Previous Chapter

Chapter 4-C

Johnny was on the floor near the mantle. He must have been searching through the rubble for the letter when the chimney brick toppled over him. He was unconscious.

“Look – his hand!” Elizabeth was frightened. “Steven, that old beam he fell on had a nail in it. an old rusty nail. It’s gone through his right hand!”

“Get me some water and a clean cloth,” Steven ordered. “Casey, get dressed. Ride your bike to Scott Harrington’s apartment. He’ll be able to contact the druggist. We must sterilize this at once. His hand is swelling. Elizabeth – hold him. Put both arms around him while I pull this nail out. He’s still unconscious but it might wake him up. Lila, put the candle here on the floor while you get the water.”

By the time Lila returned with the water and cloths Steven was examining the nail in the dim candle light.

“Not much blood,” he commented. “The wound should bleed to cleanse itself. Has Casey left yet”

“He’s on his way,” Lila answered. “It’s so dark out there. No street lights. No moonlight.”

“He’s a good boy,” Steven said. “He’ll find his way. Aunt Lucinda gave him that bike. I’ll bet it has a battery light on it.”

He bathed Johnny’s swollen hand. It looked dark and ugly.

“That his drawing hand,” Elizabeth said in a low voice. “Nothing must happen to that hand – here, let me draw out the blood – it’s poison.”

Lila turned away. She felt sick all over.

“I’ll get the bed ready,” she said.

A few minutes later Steven and Elizabeth carried Johnny down the narrow stairway, feet first. They put him on the bed. His hand was bandaged but Steven watched it carefully.

Johnny’s eyes flickered open. Closed, then opened again.

It was dawn outside. The sun was a pink mist against the cellar windows. Lila blew out the candle. “We haven’t many left,” she explained.

“I hope we get out of here today,” Steven said, grimly. “I don’t trust that ceiling.”

Johnny groaned and moved his arm.

“Stay quiet, Johnny,” Steven said close to his ear.

What – happened?” Johnny asked.

“The chimney tumbled on you. A rusty nail went through your hand.”

“Rusty!” Johnny repeated. “Is it bad, Steven?”

“Your sister took care of that. I think it’s all right.”

Johnny looked at each of them, then his eyes came back to Elizabeth. He grinned at her. “Remind me to kiss you when I can get up.”

Elizabeth gave him a kiss and a tight little hug.

“I should give you a big kick for prowling round up there in the middle of the night,” she scolded.

“Now, listen,” he protested. “We need that letter. It was Aunt Lucinda’s last word to us. We’ve got to find it.”

“It’s like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack,” Steven muttered. “Maybe Orson Ketchum knows what she wrote. We’ll contact him as soon as possible.”

“I don’t think he knows,” Lila said. “He told me not to lose it, to put it in a safe place.”

“You did!” Elizabeth agreed. “No one is to blame because a tornado struck the house.”

She got to her feet, pacing back and forth. “Steven and I should be out there searching – someone might need us …”

“We’ve been needed here,” Steven cut in. “We’ll go later, after Lila gets our breakfast.”

Elizabeth helped her. Everything hd to be served cold. Lila had used the last of the canned heat for the milk gravy the night before.

“What’s wrong with cheese for breakfast?” Elizabeth laughed. “And the milk is still sweet.”

“And strawberries!” LIla exclaimed, lifting two boxes from one of the sacks Scott had brought in. “He didn’t mention strawberries last night.”

“He was looking at our sister,” Johnny teased.

“Don’t be silly, Johnny,” Elizabeth scoffed. But Lila noticed that her eyes were very bright.

They ate their breakfast, each occupied with his own thoughts. Johnny went to sleep again and Steven bathed his swollen hand several times.

Lila noticed the swelling was subsiding but there were still angry red marks around the wound.

“This whole thing is a lesson in patience,” Steven said, walking toward the window. “We are accustomed to telephones, giving orders, pushing buttons. Getting what we need on the spot!”

Elizabeth shrugged. “Think of the pioneers. This gives us a faint idea of what other people have gone through to survive. We take all our comfort and luxury for granted.”

“I wish they would bring that medicine,” Steven demanded. “Then I would feel better.”

Elizabeth unwound the bandage and looked carefully at Johnny’s hand.

“No worse,” she told them.

“There comes a car,” Steven called. “Wait a minute. It’s not Scott’s. Hey, Lila Bob! Here’s your tall lanky Norman. He has his arm in a sling and he looks all scooped out, but he’s on both feet!”

Lila ran to the stairs. “It is Norman,” she breathed.

He was standing beside the car, surveying the ruins of the old house. His face was drawn and pale and his eyes were haggard. But he was able to stride toward them with that familiar swing in his walk.

Norman had come back to her! She went up the stairs, walking on air. he was already halfway across the floor.

“Norman – oh, Norman,” she breathed is name and held his free hand in both of her own. “You’re hurt,” he murmured.

“Only a broken arm,” he told her. “And a few bruises. We were lucky. We got out of the way of the tornado at take-off but the pilot lost his way up there. We landed in a wheat field in the middle of the night. When we got back to town and heard where the tornado had struck, I was half crazy. You might have been blown away forever!”

“I know.” Her voice was a caress. “Norman, I prayed you would come back … You mean the world to me. I know that now.”

A little muscle jerked in his jaw and his strong mouth curved into a wondrous smile. “Say that again!”he whispered, holding her hands against his breast. “Tell me I mean something special to you. Tell me again.”

“Oh, you do, Norman, you do!” she whispered back.

“There never has been anyone else, Lila Bob. I’d walk on nails to get to you.”

“Don’t you dare!” she said fiercely. “Speaking of nails –” her voice grew serious – “Johnny had an accident.”

Quickly she explained about the rusty nail and that they were waiting for medicine.

“I’ll go for it,” he offered. “Johnny’s hand means his life work. I’ll say hello downstairs first.”

Scott arrived while Norman was greeting the others. He had brought a package of medical supplies.

“I’m late – but I had to go to the mortuary with Casey. The Relief Society sisters are with him.” His eyes went to Steven and Elizabeth taking care of Johnny’s hand.

“As soon as you can leave Johnny with Lila and Norman I’ll take you to some people who are in desperate need of your attention. Old Dr. Hartford is almost worn out.”

Elizabeth lifted her head and looked directly at Scott. Her eyes challenged him. “We need a hospital in this town, Scott,” she said in a firm, steady voice. “We need a good one with a safety cellar full of medical supplies ready for emergencies. It will cost money. Steven and I will give what we have saved to start the project. What can your bank do to help us?”

His steel gray eyes met the challenge in her own. They are a match for each other, Lila thought. No other woman that she knew of had ever demanded anything of Scott Harrington.

“I am only the president of the bank,” he told her. His voice tightened. “But I promise you I will do everything I can to help. I’ll even give of my own money. You have my word, Elizabeth.”

“That’s all I ask,” she said as her eyes went back to Johnny.

“You have my word, too,” Johnny teased her. “And the thirty bucks I’ve saved.”

“He’s all right now,” Steven said. “We can leave him here with Norman and Lila. Keep the bandage wet with this solution.”

“The trailers will be here today,” Scott told Lila. “Electricians are on the job. So we’ll be back for you when they get here. Tonight you’ll all sleep and eat in style.”

“In two-by-four style,” Johnny smiled. “Get us a couple of trailers, Scott. There are six of us now Norman is back.”

Scott turned at the stairway. His hair was still neatly combed, his clothes were immaculately clean, but there was a smudge of dark soot across his cheek.

Elizabeth lifted her hand and wiped it off with a clean cloth.

“Make it seven,” he said and his mouth quirked. “I’d like to be asked to dinner.”

Lila walked up the cellar stairs and watched them drive away in Scott’s car. She turned back to Norman and Johnny with a little tremble in her voice. “Steven and Elizabeth are so wonderful. They never say they are too tired – they never complain – no job is too hard for them. I wish I could be in their places.”

“You’ve got a couple of wounded guys right here,” Johnny told her. “Norm and I only have two good hands between us. And listen, little sister,” he sat up, “while we’re passing out bouquets don’t forget a few flowers for Scott. That man really came through when the chips were down. He took care of Casey at the mortuary, he’s been at our beck and call and other people’s, too. Who brought the milk and the strawberries and the cheese?”

“And the medicine,” Norman added. “He’s been up all night.”

“I thought he was a stuffed shirt,” Johnny said. “How wrong I was.”

“Me, too,” Norman agreed contritely. “It goes to show that we don’t really know people until we see them in a crisis.”

His eyes went over Lila tenderly. “Look at your little sister, Johnny. Taking care of everybody down here in the grime and rubble. Fixing meals, washing dishes in cold water, worrying about us.”

Johnny reached over and poked his fingers through Lila’s hair. “Oh, this little Goldie Locks,” he winked at Norman. “She looks like a dainty pink rosebud but she’s a workhorse when the going gets tough. I rather like the kid.”

“A pink rosebud,” Norman repeated, looking at Lila. Their eyes held a moment. A little sigh parted Lila’s lips. Those two were wonderful guys. They had a language all their own.

Johnny lay back on the pillow. Then he suddenly bolted upright and pointed toward the ceiling.”Look! Up there! Don’t tell me I’m dreaming. Isn’t that white paper sticking out of the plaster the tip of an envelope. It’s the letter! Where is the ladder, Lila?”

Norman and Lila stared up at the ceiling. They saw the white tip of paper. It might be the letter.

Norman said in his quiet way. “Cool down, Johnny. We might pull the ceiling loose if we tug at it. Let’s take it easy.”

“I’ll get the ladder myself,” Johnny called out stubbornly as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Wow! I’m dizzy!”

“Let’s wait for Steven,” Lila said. “Norman has only one hand to use. He can’t hold up a ceiling if it starts to crumble. Now listen, Johnny. Try to figure it out. That letter is near the back wall where the piano is.”

She looked at Johnny and Norman with shiny little glints in her blue eyes. “I’ll bet it was blown under the piano and something snagged it and held it there. Everything else was ripped out into space but the old piano wouldn’t budge. Bless that old thing. Wait until Elizabeth hears this.”

(To be concluded)