The Witch of Sawtooth Mountain

Ann sank down gratefully on an old hickory log and gazed out through the blue haze of Pine Ridge. Easing back against the trunk of a red gum tree, she savored its pungent aroma.  A raccoon watched her from behind the branches of a sassafras bush, his beady, black eyes never wavering. The Ozarks were beautiful in the fall, but their beauty hardly eased the hardships of living in the crude cabin she and her husband John shared.

Suddenly she doubled up her fist and beat on the log, frightening the raccoon into flight. Why did she leave her comfortable life in Denver? This is a backward place, and it is full of stupid people who don''t give a damn about us. She must be insane.  Aunt Cora had tried to talk her out of it, but love won out.  Her eyes burned with tears as she pounded the log again.

Small and dark, of French parents, Ann had a million dollar shape. Why hadn''t she taken the modeling job, or sung with the dance band in Denver?  She had been raised by her mother''s sister after her parents were killed in their plane. Aunt Cora had told her sister she was flirting with death riding in that crazy machine. Ann remembered begging to go along... sometimes now she wished she had.

She remembered the parties, the beautiful gowns she wore, and the admiring glances from all the boys. Aunt Cora tried to make a lady of her by taking her to all of the social events, and exposing her to all of the right people. Later on, when she met Bill at a charity ball, all of her training was forgotten.

Her aunt almost had a heart attack when she learned Ann was staying with him on weekends.  After a few weeks, however, the arrangement had become permanent.  Even now when she thought of Bill, his dark charm seemed to invade and envelop her.  How could she have left the life she had shared with Bill?  He had treated her like a doll and had always tried to please her. Why hadn''t she married him instead?

Aunt Cora thought it was a blessing when Ann met a handsome seminary student, John, at one of the charity affairs.

"Ann, I would like you to meet one of our fine young men from the seminary," her aunt''s friend had said. Then she found herself drowning in smiling blue eyes, and her hands imprisoned in his strong, vibrant hands.

"My name is John Nilson," his mouth was saying, but his eyes were holding hers and saying much more.  Miracles seemed to happy as they sat on the patio drinking in each other''s words. "Ann," he told her finally, "I have been looking for someone like you all of my life."

"But, John, you don''t know me," she protested in alarm.

"I know you," he smiled.  And in that moment she somehow knew he was her future.

After that day, she started planning how she could break off with Bill. She knew it would be hard.  He would not want to give up anything he considered his property. Little by little she began taking her personal treasures out of his apartment.  Most of her clothes however were still there.  She still remembered the ugly scene the day she finally told him.

"I''ll get you back," he threatened. "No man can love you like I do!"  His dark face flushed with anger.  "Don''t worry, I''ll find you too!" he vowed as he smashed an expensive vase against the door. Trembling, she ran out without her things and hailed a cab.

Because of John''s appointment to Gentry here in the Ozarks, their marriage had been hurried. He had been more than honest with her.