Northern Knights

Will Scathlock stood at the second floor window of the Church at the Corners, staring outside.  "Five automobiles just now turned off the trunk highway, probably full of more folks comin' to your wedding."

Bob Brunet looked up, but he didn’t answer.  Nervous, he smooth his thick, brown hair before digging his hand into his trouser pocket and twisting the gold wedding ring between his fingers. Will Scathlock, his best man, refused to carry it, declaring, “I don’t do good in front of folks. I’d surely lose it or drop it or something.”

Bob loved Marian Alcott, but he couldn’t stop thinking of reasons not to marry her that day.  Weather couldn’t be one of them.

That September tenth in 1932 was a perfect Saturday. No clouds marred the blue sky on that early afternoon, and soft, pine scented breezes wafted through open casement windows.  They played about the steeple of the Church at the Corners.  More properly called the First Congregational Church of Langston, the white clapboard building overlooked meadows and wood lots.  The Moose Ear River lay to the east and the trunk highway to the south.  To the north, a quarter of a mile away, the village of Langston dozed. 

At the window, Bob said, "I count five more automobiles."

Will turned to him.  “That’s what I just said.  You must’ve heard me, or why else would you’ve come over here?"

The line of automobiles labored along the dusty county road leading to the church.  They followed each other so closely that they reminded Bob of a Fourth of July parade.  With the tiny parking lot packed with flivvers and farm wagons, the new comers would have a tough time finding room to park, let alone get inside before the ceremony started.

A head taller than his squat, mustachioed best man, Bob stood next to Will while they talked.  He was especially glad to have Will to talk with. 

"Is something troublin’ you, Bob?"

Bob stared at the pine floor.  Not knowing where to begin, he simply voiced his doubts.  "I love Marian."  A wisp of a smile crossed his lips.  "But this really doesn’t seem like the right time to marry.  People have been thrown off their land by that bastard, John King, and need help.  He's probably eyeing my property.  I hope I don’t have to sell more land to come up with the dough to pay the next tax bill, let alone mortgage payments."

"You know you can count on my help," Will said

“Judging from the way John King took over running the bank, he's making the most of Richard's kidnapping to enrich himself.  It’s hard to believe John and Richard are brothers.  The only thing they have in common is they both smoke pipes."

"They were at odds even before Richard took control of the bank," Will said.  "What are you getting at?"

Bob continued to look at the floor.  "If we could ransom Richard King from his kidnappers, he could run the bank the way he did before.  That'd be swell, but a fifty thousand dollar ransom will take months to raise, and maybe his kidnappers won't wait that long.  There's so much to do.  What if I don't give Marian all the attention she deserves?  With everything else going so wrong, how can our marrying be right?"

"Your dad was fightin’ Quennel five years ago, before he died,” Will said.

"And I've blamed Gil Quennel for Dad’s death ever since.  I know he didn't cause the train accident, but I can't help feeling Dad should never have been on the train."

"But, Bob, him and your dad was fightin’ over that parcel of land for months."

"Yes, and Quennel got hold of the land and blocked good folks from their own fields.  They lost everything."

“Did you hear what happened to the parcel of land by the Moose Ear that you sold to pay the taxes?" Will said, shaking his head sadly.  "Quennel got hold of it, too.  He's got land ‘longside o' you now, but what can you do to stop him?  He's got too much money.  You think him and John King’s workin’ together?”

"It wouldn't surprise me.  I promised Dad I'd fight Quennel and his gang, and I have.  Gamwell County’d be better off without his scheming and conniving.  This depression and Quennel were bad enough, but now John King comes along."