The Mandie Collection by Lois Gladys Leppard

Sallie replied.
    Mandie sighed. “I know, but I wish I could do something.”
    â€œWould you like to pick some wild flowers?” Sallie asked.
    â€œSure.” Mandie stood. “But I’ll have to ask Mother first.”
    They ran for the cabin and found Elizabeth peeling potatoes. Morning Star was stirring several pots over the fire in the fireplace.
    â€œMother, why are you cooking so much food?” Mandie asked. “We don’t know when the men will return, Amanda,” Elizabeth replied, “or how many there will be, so we have to cook a lot of food and have it ready for them.”
    â€œYou don’t need us, do you?” Mandie asked.
    â€œNo, dear. Morning Star and I have everything under control,” her mother said.
    â€œThen could Sallie and I go out and pick some wild flowers?” Mandie asked.
    â€œIf you promise not to be gone too long,” Elizabeth consented. “It’s not long till suppertime.”
    â€œWe won’t,” Mandie promised.
    â€œCome on, Mandie,” Sallie said after talking to Morning Star. “I have permission to go.”
    As the girls hurried outdoors and started down the road, Snowball followed.
    â€œWe can go to the woods,” Sallie suggested. “It is not very far.” “Are there a lot of flowers there?” Mandie asked.
    â€œYes, everywhere. All kinds,” Sallie told her.
    At the bend in the road, the girls walked off into the woods. Sallie was right. As they went along, they found more and more flowers.Pulling their aprons up to hold the flowers, they kept going, not realizing how late it was getting.
    Then Sallie stopped suddenly and looked around. “Mandie, we are a long way into the woods. We are almost to the hospital,” Sallie said.
    â€œWe are?” said Mandie. “But it took a long time to get there on the road.”
    â€œIt is much shorter through the woods,” Sallie said. “But since we—” she paused, listening. “Mandie, do you hear something?”
    Mandie held her breath to listen for a moment. “I hear pounding,” she said.
    â€œYes, it sounds like someone chopping wood,” Sallie added.
    â€œChopping wood? And we are near the hospital? Could it be the workmen who are building the hospital?” Mandie asked.
    â€œWe will go find out,” Sallie replied.
    The two girls hurried on through the woods, still holding their flowers in their aprons. The noise grew louder, and then it suddenly ceased. The girls stopped and looked at each other. The sound of footsteps came toward them through the brush.
    â€œQuick! Behind those big trees!” said Sallie, running for cover.
    Mandie followed. Together they stood there, holding their breath, waiting to see who came along. Mandie’s heart beat wildly. The footsteps grew louder. Three men carrying axes passed in front of them, then walked on out of sight.
    The girls, shaking with fright, came out from behind the trees.
    â€œWho was that?” Mandie asked.
    â€œThat was the Catawba man, Running Fire, and his sons. He is the husband of Moongo, the old Cherokee woman who came back not long ago. She had been gone many, many years, but they now live in an old barn near here,” Sallie explained.
    â€œOh, yes,” Mandie replied. “Uncle Ned told us about them. But they were all three carrying axes, and the chopping noise stopped just before they came by here,” Mandie observed. “Come on! Hurry! Let’s check the hospital.”
    â€œThis way,” Sallie told her, quickly running ahead.
    When they came to the hospital clearing, they were panting for breath. They stared at the hospital, then at each other. The workmen were gone, and the walls had all been chopped down.
    â€œSallie, let’s follow them!” Mandie urged her friend. Turning back the way they had come, Mandie held Snowball tightly as they ran. Since the men weren’t walking very fast,