And the Winners Are...
Brittany Schlorff
2nd Place,
Young Writers Category - International
Divison
CHAPTER 3
We skip six months, and go on with our history. The arrival of the mysterious man awakened sleepy Deer Lick for the first time since the invention of a horse drawn plow. The winter storm and fever robbed all of the man's memory and strength. The Grays cared for him while he was sick, and now he lived with them. Hugh was out of the picture indefinitely. And as far as John Gray knew, Dave was still on his South Fork property.
One spring morning, John Gray plowed his field, a smile of satisfaction creeping across his face at what was developing in his house at that very moment.
In the Gray's small, yet neat parlor, Sarah and Mary sat, entranced by the stranger's tales of exotic lands, though he couldn't remember how or why he got there. Sarah listened eagerly because something fresh and exciting had come to Deer Lick. Mary listened because the strange man's stories fascinated her; but more likely, it was his wavy chestnut hair. They called him William Langhrey, a name he often murmured during the feverish spells. The Grays embraced William into their home and Deer Lick embraced him into their lives.
While he plowed, John thought about this situation and chuckled:
"Now this Langhrey fellow seems settled enough. I think he's taking quite a liking to my Mary these days. If I could manage to figure his real name, I could make a pretty little match between him and Mary. Yes, that's just what I'll do! Goodness knows he's got far more money than Dave and Gregory put together! Just look at those jewels! And that fur coat! Plus, Mary'll still get Dave's money! All I have to do is get Mary to like him back and find a way to get him started all over again, with his money, of course, so I can live with a settled mind."
For the next few days, Gray did everything he could to put Mary and William together. He sent them on errands to town together, had them do chores in the barn together, and even set them up in the parlor to talk while the rest sat, staring into the fireplace. Will grew to like Mary. Mary started calling him Will. Eventually, Will's feelings evolved from being forced to being genuine. Mary did not dislike this new relationship. She found him nice enough, and the wavy chestnut hair helped more than a little.
All the while, Mr. Gray sent notices out to fred any of Langhrey's connections. He wrote to far off newspapers and placed inquiries about the name William Langhrey. He tackled this project with such gusto, to the point where Mrs. Gray could hardly recognize her husband.
"Why, sometimes I believe John is a new man. I do believe that the arrival of Will has made him new. Made the whole town new!" she once remarked to Mrs. Sykes.
One evening, several weeks after Gray began his search, a letter arrived. A letter from St. Louis. Now, in the whole history of Deer Lick, never had a letter from the big city of St. Louis been mailed to a farmer in such a secluded place. When it arrived, the whole town flocked to the general store.
"Who's it from?" varied voices cried out. "Who's it to?" "What does St. Louis want with a Deer Lick farmer?"
"Now hold on just a cotton pickin' minute!" a voice boomed. It was Dave Gray, back from the South Fork. "What in tamation is going on here?"
"Your brother has a letter from St. Louis," Rev. Hurley said.
Dave harumphed and walked out, mumbling to himself, just in time to miss John Gray's entrance.
"So I finally got a response from them newspapers. Well hand it over, parsons!" he yelled.
The minister handed him the envelope. The whole town grew quiet as he opened the letter.
"Ahem. Ahem. Cough. Cough." Gray made a big show out of clearing his throat before reading aloud the note.
"My, my, my! It's from Wiliiam Langhrey himself! He says here that his boy, James, was supposed to return from the train nigh eight months ago and never came home. He tells me that he's a business tycoon and James was coming from E-your-o-pee to take over the business. Well I'll be darned! Son of a business tycoon!" Gray read.
"I best be getting home to that son of a business tycoon and remind him where he come from! See y'all later." He chuckled as he left the store, but the letter slipped through his fingers. A woman picked it up.
When Gray returned home, Will's, er, James's face lit up, when John told him of the letter.
"Well boy, how do feel, knowing who your daddy is?" Gray exclaimed, slapping James on the back. "No wonder you talk in so many strange tongues. Sail all over the world to places like E-your-o-pee and Ahfr-ee-ka. Your pap had to get you educated!"
"Well, I must say I am pleased. No wonder I felt so happy to be in America. When you said Missouri, that time in the field, I knew I was home. It's all coming back to me now.
Father sent me to the best schools and then on to all those foreign countries to get a handle on business. I can't thank you enough for helping me find my family and caring me all this time. I must get back to St. Louis as quickly as possible; but first I have some unfinished business here in Deer Lick," Langhrey said.
Later that night, Gray stood in his bedroom, ear smashed against the door.
"John, do come to bed, dear," Mrs. Gray said.
"Wait, woman. That Langhrey feller is gonna propose to our Mary! Just think of it. In-laws to the richest man in Missouri! And she still gets Dave's money in the end! Ha! I finally got him, Sally!" Then he leaped and did something no Gray ever did before. He whooped, did a little jig, giggling like a little schoolgirl.
"By golly, the girl's accepted! I believe I'll get to bed now, dear."
"Are you sure she said yes? I only hope she'll be happy," Mrs. Gray said, thinking of the worried looks on Mary's face.
"Of course she'll be happy- and she's got her father to thank her for it."
CHAPTER 4
The next day, Gray left early with James
under his wings to spread the news:
"Now Dominie," he instructed
Rev. Hurley, "I want you to perform the ceremony in my very parlor. My Mary and a
business tycoon!" he boasted with immense pride.
"Mrs. Sykes, this is the one time
you can open your big mouth, you ole gossip! I want every person, every person,
mind you, to hear the glad tidings. My Mary and a business tycoon!"
Meanwhile, at the Gray house, Mary found
herself alone, Tom and Sarah having gone to do the regular summer chores. She sat in the
kitchen, working on her wedding toilet. A familiar rap-rap sent her flying to the door,
sewing needle and all. She threw open the door - this time to the right man.
"Hello, Mary," Hugh said
warmly. "I just heard the news. So you and a business tycoon."
"Yep. I guess."
"Well, I was coming here to tell you
something, anyhow. I've got something coming up real soon. Something big. I'm on my way to
the Ozarks. Just thought you should know," he said with such meaning in his voice and
eyes.
"Hugh...wait!" she cried.
"Give me ten minutes."
When Gray and Langhrey came home, they
found chaos. Mrs. Gray was sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, clutching the cloth
scraps, in near hysterics.
"Now come on woman! What happened
here?" he shouted.
"Pop, we think Mary's gone and run
offwith the Gregory boy," Tommy said.
Gray's face turned shades of red, then
purple. "What did you say?" he said through clenched teeth, inching toward Tom,
hands ready to grab him.
"The - ther - there's a note,"
he quivered, handing him a slip of paper. It read:
Dearest family, I've decided to follow
Hugh to the Ozarks. I hate to leave him for the sake of Uncle Dave's money. We will elope
there. Please tell James I'm sorry. - ...... Mary
"Nobody leave. Not even you,"
Gray said to Langhrey, who was backing out the door. We'll just have to fix this."
CHAPTER 5
One bright summer morning, June 28th to
be exact, Mrs. Sykes passed by the Gray office building. She let out a scream when she saw
something horrifying.
By midday, the whole town had gathered at
the building. Dave Gray was dying, murmuring "...needed to fix
something...fix..." Several bumps and bruises covered his head.
The richest man in the county murdered in
his own yard.
"Who could have done this?"
several frightened voices cried out.
"Well, who else could it have been?
Hugh Gregory's the only one with keys. Just the other day I heard them arguing. Sumthin
about the rent, I reckon," one of the farmer said.
"Where is the brute? Let's go get
him!" The mob of villagers set out to hunt down Hugh and bring him to justice.
Mrs. Sykes ran to the Gray far, to break
the news.
"O Sarah, it was just awful! His
head all purple and bloody!" she shuddered at the thought.
"The poor man! O! John and Dave
never did get to mend their feud. John, what'll you do?" she said, on another verge
of hysterics.
"I'm not sure," he said
shortly. "Who do they think done it?"
"Why, Hugh Gregory, of course! I
always told Sarah that Dave would goad him into something like this. What with the teasing
and all," answered Mrs. Sykes.
"But it couldn't be Hugh!"
Sarah cried. "He and Mary were to leave and elope!" she said before John could
interrupt. "If they catch him with her..."
"All I have to say, for Mary's sake,
that Gregory couldn't have killed him. Good day Mrs. Sykes," Gray replied curtly.
Mrs. Sykes ran back to the office, giddy
with the new information she now possessed. Soon rumors and whispers began circling.
"Perhaps it was John. They'd been
feuding and all."
"Yeah. Them Gray brothers hated each
other with a passion."
"You know Hugh was to have married
Mary; probably popped the question months ago!" This last tidbit coming from Mrs.
Sykes.
"Dave did mention he would leave
Mary all his money. If she married a Gregory, he might've cut her out of the will,"
Reverend Hurley commented. "But would that anger him enough to murder Dave?"
"'Course it would! With Dave dead,
Mary could marry Hugh, and still inherit Dave's money."
The crowd clicked their tongues at this
latest revelation. The tiny village of Deer Lick had experienced a terrible travesty. The
town's richest citizen murdered. Several men helped carry the body into the office. A
farmer announced he'd start right away on a coffin. The rest stood in the blazing summer
sun, pondering the past events, trying to find sense in the tangled cobweb that had been
woven, ever since the mysterious man collapsed on the prairie.
A farm wife broke the silence: "What
I want to know is what that young Mr. Langhrey has to say about this." Several chimed
in and nodded in agreement. A funny look passed over Mrs. Sykes face. She fumbled around
in her purse until she procured a piece of paper.
"Why, I left the Gray house this
morning, and what do you suppose I saw? Why, that young Langhrey fellow just up and
walking out of the house, fur coat and suitcase in hand!" The people perked up with
interest. "I happen to have the note Mr. Gray got from St. Louis. Says exactly what
Mr. Gray said it did. But it also asks if he's related to the Dave Gray. Apparently, this
Langhrey tycoon had a falling out with Dave over a property agreement. I think that James
came here a purpose to set Dave straight. Though Lord knows why he never put two and two
together when he learned he was staying with the Grays."
"Sounds like someone else doesn't
know how to put two and two together!" Someone shouted.
Mrs. Sykes frowned. "Well I say we
go to the Grays and just sort out this conundrum they've put us in!"
They all marched to the Gray house.
CHAPTER 6
"All right Gray! You've got some
explaining to do!" shouted the mob as they congregated at his door.
Gray came to the door. "Now what is
the meaning of this?! Our family hasn't done nothing! Hugh and Mary have come back - and
no, Mrs. Snoops, they ain't married. One of your search parties found them on Snake Creek
Road. I tell you that Gregory didn't kill Dave cuz he was gone all night, same as Mary. I
didn't do it cuz I was home all night."
"What about that business tycoon of
yours? Where was he!'
"Here the whole night."
Feet shuffled and the crowd quieted.
"If they didn't do it, then who dunnit?" they thought.
"Now just leave my family alone and
go found that snake of a tycoon. You can be sure we won't do no business with any
mysterious, foreign tycoons."
For a few days, Deer Lick returned to the
sleepy town it once was. Langhrey sent a handsome check to the Grays for their
hospitality. Reverend Hurley hastily married Mary and Hugh in the Gray's parlor. Later he
performed the burial services for Dave. The whole town attended, not because they liked
him all that much, but because they figured whoever didn't show was the killer.
When everyone, including the Grays and
Gregorys, attended, it was obvious they wouldn't solve this mystery. The doctor retold the
story of his death for any clues:
"Dave probably came out to check out
a noise in the front yard. The murderer struck him several times in the head with a blunt
object. A frying pan."
"A frying pan! Who on earth would do
such a thing? And with a frying pan?" they mused.
"Whoever he was, he must have been
pretty simple to use a pan, but he sure wanted him dead. Cuz he sure fixed him good."
Sarah Gray drew back from the crowd. She
excused herself, saying she had a pile of dishes to wash. She needed to wash her mother's
cooking ware. Her mother's prized set of pans. The frying pan.