Mail Order Bride: Christy by Vivi Holt Page B

streaming down her cheeks. It was as though she already knew the truth before she heard it.
    The man placed a gentle hand on Christy’s shoulder. “I don’t think you want to see what’s out there, child.”
    Christy dropped to her knees. “Noooo,” she wailed in a long cry. “Those gunshots. It couldn’t be - Ma! Pa!”
    The man knelt down besides Christy. “I’m so sorry my girl.”

CHAPTER TWO
    Christy
    Meredith Poke hurried down the train platform in Topeka, Kansas, calling out for the train to stop. She drew her hat off her head and waved it frantically at the brakeman, hoping to catch his attention, but it was too late. The engine edged forward, chugging and chuffing loudly, and soon it was on its way. Meredith ground to a halt and let out an exclamation as she realized she’d missed the train and would need to wait until the following day to visit her sister in Kansas City.
    “Darn it!” she said, catching her breath.
    Now in her late-forties, Meredith wasn’t used to exerting herself in such a way. It took her a few minutes to get her breathing back to normal and she fanned her reddened face with a hand-held fan as she gazed around the platform.
    “Well, I suppose I just wasn’t meant to get on that train today,” she said to herself. “At least Morty will be pleased to see me home again, knowing I can make him a hot dinner rather than the cold cuts and bread I had left out for him.”
    She was about to trot down the steps at the end of the platform and head back into town when she heard a wailing noise behind her.
    Why, what kind of creature is making such a wretched sound?
    Meredith turned to see a young woman, with a head of glossy red curls, doubled over on the train platform, weeping as though she had just lost everything in the world.
    Meredith hurried over to the girl. “Whatever’s happened my dear?”
    Christy was barely able to stand up straight, even with Meredith’s arm to help her. With her entire body shaking she recounted the whole sorry story to Meredith, who listened with growing alarm.
    “And what are you doing here in Topeka?” Meredith asked. “Do you know people here?”
    Christy burst into tears again. Meredith handed Christy a handkerchief to dry her eyes as she shook her head. “No. I don’t know anyone, anywhere! That’s the heart of the problem! My living relatives are all in Ireland. Only Ma, Pa and I came across to start a new life here!” Christy let out another wail, before she blew her nose.
    “All I have left of them now is a letter that my Ma sent me some months back when I was staying with a friend. It was stashed in my luggage. I keep it tucked into my sleeve so I can read it whenever I miss them. So you see, Topeka is as good a place as any for me to be. I’ve been on that miserable train for more than fifteen hours - five since Ma and Pa were killed - and I couldn’t bear to stay on board for one moment longer!”
    “Of course,” Meredith said, wrapping her arm around the girl. “So you’ve nowhere to go, no warm bed to spend the night in?”
    Christy shook her head. “I’ve got no one and nowhere to go. I’ve barely anything in the world to call my own, just a few things from Ma and Pa’s luggage. The robbers stole their pocket books, but thankfully they had a little money hidden in their bags. We gave up our home in Pennsylvania to move to California, and now I’ve nowhere to go!”
    “Well my dear, you must come home with me.”
    Christy looked up, still sniffling. “Oh, do you really mean that? That’s awful kind of you. But I don’t want to be a burden on you.”
    “Nonsense. The only burden on me would be worrying about you out here on the street! Come now, and I’ll show you my home and settle you in. My name’s Meredith,” the woman said kindly. “And my husband Morty will be pleased to have you as well!”
    ***
    Meredith and Morty had a lovely home, and they did their best to welcome her, offering her cake and sweet tea on