Amish Country Arson by Fay Risner

long. She could walk slowly on the way back to the
house to kill a little more time while Hallie and Nora cooked. She
was wore out from the day's outing to town.
    The strong sun beamed in the west, making it
hard to see. Aunt Tootie squinted, trying to be careful where she
put her feet. She didn't want to trip over a stick or lose her
balance on unleveled ground. Plus, she'd sure hate to step in
something nasty smelling that she'd have to wash off her shoe
soles.
    Somewhere close behind her came an awful
growling noise. Aunt Tootie turned around. The new rooster, with
his head stretched out, was racing at her. Joesph meant business.
Tom wasn't the only one he didn't want around.
    Aunt Tootie trotted toward the house, making
little eeking noises. She had to stop to open the screen door. When
she did, the rooster caught up to her. He flogged the calf of her
legs with his spurs and pecked her. Aunt Tootie let out a scream as
she squeezed through the open door.
    Hal and Nora were to the mud room in a
second.
    “ What's wrong, Aunt Tootie?” Hal
asked.
    Aunt Tootie leaned against the screen door,
panting and waving her hand in front of her flushed face. The
rooster struck the back side of the screen, flogging the door. Aunt
Tootie jumped away and placed the egg bucket on the floor. She
glared at Hal. “Your old rooster chased me and pecked my legs.”
    “ Surely not,” Nora said. “He must have
thought you had some corn in the bucket to feed him.”
    “ I tell you that mean thing wasn't
interested in what was in the bucket.” Aunt Tootie twisted at the
waist, hiked up her skirt and looked at her legs. “See, I'm
bleeding. Last time I gather the old eggs at this
place.”
    “ I am so sorry,” Hal took Aunt Tootie
by the arm when the elderly woman stuck out her lower lip in a
pout. “Come sit in the kitchen and rest. I'll wash your legs and
put bandages on the wounds.”
    That evening after everyone called it a
night, Hal said softly to her husband's back, “John, are you asleep
yet?”
    He grumbled, “Almost. Was ist letz?”
    “ John, I need to buy a milk goat,” Hal
responded fast.
    John whipped over on his side. “What did you
just say?”
    “ I need to buy a milk goat,” Hal
repeated slower this time.
    John sat up in bed with his eyes opened wide.
“Where did that idea come from?”
    “ Rudy Briskey mentioned it to me at the
fellowship lunch,” Hal said quietly.
    John rubbed his forehead like he felt a
headache coming on. “I might have known. Why does Rudy think you
need a milk goat?”
    “ Rudy said I wouldn't have to bottle
feed lambs in the spring if I had a goat. If I penned her up with
her babies in the barn, she'd claim orphan lambs,” Hal explained,
looking hopeful.
    “ Let me guess. Rudy has the perfect
milk goat. He is willing to sell it to you to help you out,” John
said wearily.
    “ Jah, that's what he said,” Hal
agreed.
    John eyed her in the dark. “What did you tell
him?”
    “ That I'd have to ask you about it. If
it helps any, he says he will deliver,” Hal added as an incentive
to help John decide in her favor.
    “ You have your sheep bred already. The
milk goat will not do you any good if it is not bred yet. She has
to kid when the lambs are due,” John explained.
    “ Rudy said the goat is bred already,”
Hal assured him.
    “ I never know about Rudy and his deals.
It seems there is always a catch, but if you want to try a milk
goat who am I to say nah,” John said.
    Hal said excitedly, “Oh, denki, John.”
    “ Just one goat. No more even if Rudy
thinks you need a herd,” John ordered.
    “ Recht, I understand,” Hal
agreed.
    “ The goat has to have a sound milk bag,
or you will be feeding her kids on the bottle next spring along
with lambs. If you go through with this, I want to go with you to
inspect the goat, before you buy it. No sight unseen deals.
Especially with Rudy Briskey,” John instructed. He yawned as he
flopped back down. Groggily, he said, “Could