Read Ralph Helfer for Free Online Page A

was bringing in the stock for the night, so Bram introduced Gertie to his father. The kids pitched in to help with the feeding and cleaning chores, until Josef wondered if Gertie’s parents might be getting worried about her. He offered to drive her home, and when she and Bram promised to see each other the following Sunday for a picnic, Josef saw a look in Bram’s eyes that he sensed would be there for a long, long time to come.

6
    “N OW YOU KIDS BE CAREFUL and I don’t want you back too late,” Katrina said as she handed the picnic basket filled with cheeses, fresh bread, and sausages to Modoc, who raised it up to Bram.
    “Bye, Mama. Bye Papa.”
    “If you go by the flower field,” Josef added, “give Mo about an hour and she can eat enough to have a good lunch, too.” He gave Mo’s rump an affectionate whack as Bram, with Gertie hanging on behind him, headed out the back way of the farm toward Cryer Lake.
    It was a lovely day. Summer was stealing some extra time while fall slept. White puffs of clouds hung in the sky with seemingly no interest in moving on. The rains had turned the countryside into a sea of green covering the hilltops. The slopes, spotted with groves of sycamore and spruce trees, caught the runoff and were a deeper green, with splashes of purple sage, the essence ofthe lush valley. The rain waters slowed and settled into the rich loam, and from it grew the emerald grass that carpeted God’s house, grass where the regal stag grazed.
    Modoc walked proudly. She carried herself with a conservative grace that comes from the heritage of one’s birthright. A thick woven mat of rope lay across her back, its outer edges strengthened by a bamboo frame that held it flat rather than letting it conform to her curves. Several nooses of rope were attached to the bottom edge so the picnic basket, water jug, camera, utensils, and other paraphernalia could be carried. A large handmade comforter padded most of the mat, making Modoc’s broad back comfortable and roomy enough for both youngsters to stretch out.
    Bram wore a pair of corduroy shorts his mother had trimmed down from his old school pants. A bright red piece of twine held them up. He was barefoot, having tied his shoes to the mat. A baggy collared shirt hung loosely from his shoulders. Gertie’s plain white cotton dress flared at the bottom and was bordered with a frail lace trim. Small embroidered flowers graced the neckline. Her silken hair was long and fine, and the slightest breeze caused it to swirl up as though caught in a miniature storm. As soon as it passed, each obedient golden strand floated back down to exactly where it had been.
    Bram followed Heinker Ridge until it started to slope up into the peaks, then headed down into a valley lined with giant mimosa pines. A small stream ran directly through the middle of the glen. Mo followed it, occasionally dipping her trunk in the cool water for a quick gulp, then misting the residue over Bram and Gertie, who giggled with delight. As the stream widened, it got deeper. When the dark waterline reached Mo’s dry, tan belly, Bram moved her out and up onto the bank. Gertie had scooted back and was kneeling on the mat.
    “Look, Bram, I’m a circus girl.”
    Rocking back and forth, she threw her hands up in the air, imitating the girl performers wearing their glittering costumes in the grand finale. Bram, rolling up one end of the comforter for a pillow,lay back as he watched Gertie’s mimicry. Her eyes half-closed, she lost herself in imaginary circus music. Her young flexible body swayed and moved, her hips undulated to silent rhythm; slowly she rose, never hesitating for a second. Modoc seemed to sense the moment and slowed her movement to smooth the bounce in her gait. Gertie began to hum one of the calliope tunes.
    Bram was so fascinated by her apparent abandonment of their reality that he forgot to breathe until his body reminded him, and he gasped to take a deep, fulfilling breath. God,