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They both moved quickly and she folded the blanket and gave it to him. She didn’t look him in the eyes now. And she didn’t flirt with him again.
He was secretly glad.
Nothing else was said all the way to town and Lee was silently thankful for it. He wasn’t sure what he was doing with these two, but he had little choice. They were both children.
It was still raining, and miserably cold.
By the time he got into town, the only thing open was a saloon and he stopped there. He jumped down and found both of them nearly asleep. He took Sam first and put him on his shoulder. He helped Hattie down and when she almost fell against him he struggled to balance Sam without knocking her into the muddy street. The contact had him aware again though and he scolded himself silently for even noticing she was a female. They were both tired out of their minds, and he reckoned scared more than anything.
As he trudged into the saloon with Sam on his shoulder and Hattie by his side, the dance hall girls looked at him strangely, all gathering about him. There was an assortment of youn
g and old in loudly colored dresses and more makeup than a woman would ever need.
“What in the world have you got here?” the oldest one of the bunch asked, eyeing the children with disbelief.
Lee shrugged. “Not sure myself. Look, their folks was killed and I need to find them a place to stay.”
The bartender came around and looked at them. Tall, thin, and well-seasoned, he nodded. “Well, I could use some help about here, sweepin’ the floors and cleaning the bar and spitoons.”
Lee sized the man before him up quickly. He was a big man, probably forty-ish, and had a huge mustache that covered his face.
“I didn’t bring them here to work. They’re kids. I wanted to find them a home,” Lee said, aggravated that he cared so much about what happened to these two.
How he had let them get into his craw he wasn’t sure, but they had both worked their way into his heart.
“We’ll work,” Hattie offered, looking at the kind older woman who came up to them.
“I’m not leavin’ you in some saloon to work…” Lee grumbled.
The older woman pulled Lee to the side; she watched the girl fidget then looked him in the eye. “I expect you got plans of your own. You go on. I’ll take care of them. See after them,” she began but seeing the stubborn look on Lee’s face, she frowned at him. “Look mister, there ain’t but two or three black families in this town, and all of them have ten or twelve kids a piece. You think they would have room for two more? Ain’t likely. The girl can do laundry for her keep and the boy can sweep the floors at night when everyone leaves. They won’t be exposed to the drinkin’ and gamblin’ that way. It ain’t a perfect life, but it’s the best chance they got here. Unless you want to take them with you. I’ll see to them just like I said.”
“I’ve already joined the army and need to get to my post in Texas…I can’t take them with me,” Lee protested.
“Then I’m your best bet. Look, honey, the black people in this town stay to themselves, they don’t cause no trouble. But these two, they’d be eaten alive by the townsfolk here. You’d best leave them with me. I won’t make slaves of them…I promise. And you can check back after the war if you don’t believe me.”
“The girl…she’s too young to work the saloons. I don’t want to come back and find her in one of those fancy dresses and sellin’ herself to the highest bidder,” Lee informed her quickly. He needed to be on his way, he couldn’t take them with him. But he’d be damned if he’d be the ruination of the girl. He couldn’t do anything but leave them here. It bothered him to do so, but the woman did look him in the eyes when she spoke and the way she kept looking at them, he figured she was right. He prided himself in sizing up a situation, and the old woman looked as though she had a soft spot for kids.
“Sure, honey. That’s fine. Not much call for black girls here, anyway…” She smiled.
“Do I have your word, that you’ll take care of them, like your own?” he asked.
“Sure. Don’t you worry any at all. But, you’re young to be goin’ off to war like this. Why don’t you stay here with me, we could take care of them together?” She moved toward him with a smile.
He smiled back, knowing what she meant but not interested in her proposition. “Just take care of them. I’ll leave ya some money…What’s your name?”
“Gloria Newcomb…and yours?”
“Lee, Lee Nelson.”
The woman seemed stunned. “You kin to them or somethin’?”
“No…just don’t want to see kids mistreated, is all. Given half the chance most kids can grow up good. I’d like to think they will.”
She smiled again. “Oooh, if I was younger I wouldn’t let you ride off.” She kissed his cheek. “But you goin’ off to fight in the army…that’s a sad thing.”
“Reckon someone’s gotta do it. Got some place I can lay him down?” Lee asked suddenly realizing the weight on his shoulders.
“Sure, in the back there. There’s a bed.” She showed him the room.
