The Legends of Lake on the Mountain by Roderick Benns Page A

living?”
    He shook his head. “It’s not good for anyone’s business, Hugh, except maybe mine, eh? But I sure don’t need the adventure.”
    The constable got up to stretch. What was he supposed to tell the high constable about this? Not that he’d care, sitting in his office in Kingston, he mused. Nobody cared about what happened in the small villages of Upper Canada except the villagers themselves. He’d have to take matters into his own hands. Devil’s lake indeed.

Chapter 13

    Democracy is Coming
    Moll smoothed her dress, deep in thought, as she made her way to the general store. Her woven basket hung in the crook of her arm. The porcelain-skinned girl looked out at the bay and watched the aging sunrise leak over the water. A flock of birds lifted in unison and flew into the sun, as if propelled by an urgent request.
    There was a quiet sense of alarm in the village today. Moll could feel it. People were worried about the safety of their families and for their businesses. She was anxious, too. She didn’t want to leave Stone Mills. Like John, she believed their father would move them if business began to suffer. She wondered what it was like for John and George right now, having to meet Constable Ogden first thing this morning. She wondered what they could have possibly seen.
    As Pringle’s General Store grew closer she made a mental note to have Lou help her gather more greens from the garden before the rodents took everything. Moll glanced up at the lit, wooded mountain rising up behind their home and the mill. Strange, how whatever was living in that lake was only appearing now.
    She was also worried about her brother. Last night she had heard him through the walls of her room, obviously dreaming something terrible. She wondered if it was about little James. Or maybe the lake serpent...or both? He wouldn’t talk about it though. Boys were odd at the best of times and her brother was no different.
    Moll took in the dark, brown of the two-storey general store with its yawning porch. Out back, a long, twisted storage shed was in need of repair. Climbing the steps of the store she could see the tilted handwriting of Hannah Pringle. The note read ‘back in a moment.’
    She gathered her dress underneath her and sat on the porch and waited. Moll desperately needed a bolt of dark green cloth to finish sewing the quilts Mother had asked her to prepare for the fall. As well, they were almost out of tea and brown sugar. That wouldn’t do with the colonel here visiting.
    After five minutes had passed Moll peered into the window on the front door but didn’t see any movement. Thinking Miss Pringle might be out back, Moll set out to find her. There was no sign of anyone. She was about to return to the front when she noticed the door of the back storage shed was slightly ajar. Moll made her way to the old shed.
    For some reason her heart was racing and she tried to take longer, deeper breaths. As she reached out to push the door, she thought she could hear someone inside. “Miss Pri –?” she began.
    â€œOh!” Hannah Pringle held her arm up in self-protection seeing Moll’s outstretched hand about to push the door open. Moll jumped back and held her racing heart. “I’m sorry, Miss Pringle. You sure scared me,” said Moll.
    Hannah, looking very much like Moll, with one hand over her heart, nodded and shut the storage shed door behind her. “That makes two of us, young miss. I’m sorry if I was longer than anticipated.”
    She touched her hair, ensuring it was still in place. “What can I do for you today?” she asked. She glided back to the front porch as she spoke. Moll admired her rose-coloured, summer dress. Then she wondered if Miss Pringle would ever look for another husband or just remain a spinster.
    â€œJust a bolt of dark green cloth, Miss. Pringle,” said Moll. “And a little tea and