The Mountain Girl (Chapt. 1)

The Names, Places, Dates, and Events in this story are fiction: I
invented them! Any similarity is hereby coincidental!

The Mountain Girl
Ch. (1)

There was a girl a young, and a beautiful thing she, was. Her hair was,
golden brown her eyes were as blue as the sky, on a clear day. She
lived in the mountains, all alone in an old cabin.

Angel never had much, but an old sewing machine, bed, and a dresser
that she found in an old shack. She had run up on, when she, was out
hunting one afternoon.

In the corner was a dishpan, pots, pans a wooden pail; that sit on an
old wooden crate. She had her, mama's rocking chair, and an old rickety
chair.

But with only her there, she never really needed much. She had her,
pa's bible to read, and her, journal that she wrote in to keep her
company.

A chill ran down Angel's back, as she set there looking into the fire.
She got up out of the old rocking chair, and tossed another log on the
hot ambers.

She started to yawn, and glanced over at the clock. "Oh, it's late I,
should get to bed," she, said aloud.

Angel got her nightgown out, and thought to herself, "What, I would
give to have some new material to make myself some new clothes." She
tossed, the quilts back on the bed, and climbed in.

She was awakening, by a loud noise outside. Angel jumped out of bed,
grabbed her gun. She was so scared she, could feel her nerves jumping
in her body. The gun in her hand was trembling. Angel knew she would
shoot whatever, came through that door!

All of a sudden the door flew open, and there in her floor was the most
handsome man she had seen in her 22 years. Angel looked down at him
she, could see the blood flowing out of his side. "Oh, my," she
mumbled.

Angel laid the gun aside, grabbed a quilt off the bed, and spread it
on the floor next to him. She checked his wounds; he had tangled with a
bear. It had bitten him several times in the ribs. But, with a little
fixing, he would be as good as new in a few weeks.

But for now, she had to get him on the bed. Angel carefully rolled him
onto the quilt, and dragged him over to the bed. She placed her arms
underneath his armpits, and laid him face down. She, than grabbed his
belt, and legs, and scooted him on the bed, Angel carefully turned him
over on his back.

Angel walked over to the sewing machine. She took out a needle, and
some catgut fishing line, an old trapper had given her a little while
back. He told her, "you know that line can be useful in other things
too"! Angel muttered, "Well, I would have never dream, I would be using
it for stitches."

Angel reached up on the self, and took a bottle of whiskey down. "This
would help kill any germs," she, thought. She mumbled, "get to work old
girl I can see this is going to be a long night." Angel set down next
to him on the bed, and with scissors in hand. She cut away most of what
was left of his shirt.

The stranger did not move, as she sewed up each gapping hole. He had
been, clawed time, and time again on his chest. Angel once again,
poured the whiskey over each slash to keep any infection from setting
up. He seemed to be out cold; he wasn't moving at all. But yet, Angel
could see him breathing. She bent over him to check his head, and at
that moment, a foul odor hit her nostrils. He was drunk; no wonder he
never flinched a muscle.

Angel set there, and looked down into his face. She wanted to kiss him.
She said, "How could you even think of doing such a thing? You don't,
even know him he's, a stranger! She jumped up, as if she was shot, and
quickly started cleaning up the mess. Her, fingers were sore, and stiff
from all the stitches. Angel rubbed them slightly. Her back ached, like
she had been crawling in a hole.

Angel looked over, at the clock standing in the corner. It was 3:00 in
the morning. She got herself, an extra quilt out of the dresser drawer,
and lay down on the floor, next to him.

Angel awoke, to the birds singing their cheerful songs as every
morning. She remembered, the stranger in the house. Angel quickly
jumped up, and peered over at bed. He was, still sleeping. She bent
down, retrieved the quilts from the floor folded them neatly. She
placed them into the dresser drawer.

Angel grabbed, her shirt, and pants she had worn the day before. She
slipped outside, to the barn. There she could, get dressed in
private.

The morning air was brisk for spring. Angel knew warmer weather, was
just around the corner. She hurried a long, and got dressed.

Angel started back to the house; she noticed, his horse in the meadow.
She said, "I'll fetch you in a little while, I have chores to do now."
Angel laughed, to herself as if that horse realized, what she was
talking about.

Angel opened the door, and stepped in. He was, sitting by the fire in
her old rocking chair. He turned, and looked her way. He said, "thank
you ma'am for fixing me up."

Angel muttered, "Your welcome, but you should be in bed!" He just waved
her off, and said, "He was much better!" But, he felt as though, his
belly burnt like wild fire. Angel said, "Yes, I'm sure! You were pretty
well intoxicated!" He replied, "I only drank it for the pain! I hope
ma'am; I didn't say or do anything to offend you." "Not at all," Angel,
stated!

He mumbled, "I hope you don't mind but, I fixed us some coffee while
you were out." Angel said, "how nice but, I could have done that!" He
told her, "You have done enough my friend!" A big smile came across his
face.

Angel thought, "She would melt her cheeks felt as though she, had her
face to close to the fire." Angel quickly dropped her gaze to the
floor.

He broke the silence, and said, "My name is, Jay!" "Nice to meet you,
Jay! My name is, "Angel" she, replied! Jay nodded, and smiled. He
poured them, a cup of coffee, and started telling her about the bear
attacking him."

She; sure liked this guy named Jay! Angel said under her breath, "if
you're not married I'm going to marry you." She settled back into her
old rigged chair. She began to listen, with a smile on her face. Angel
set there quietly, as he explained how he, came upon the bear. She
noticed he; was rubbing his side. She asked him, "If the wound was
bothering him?" He replied, "ma'am" I have been in worse things than
this pointing, to his side.

Angel knew it was, pride talking, she could tell he was in a lot of
pain by the look on his face. She asked him, "If he would like to lye
back down while she made breakfast?" He replied, "I'm Fine!"

Angel said, "there is not enough room in here for me to cook, and I'm
hungry! What about, you?"

Jay said in a different tone, "of course ma'am, "Sorry ma'am!"

"Excuse me"! But, would you please call me, "Angel!" "You make me feel
so old," she, stated! Jay stood and said, "that you are not Angel." He
told her, "may be I, will lye back down." Angel noticed it didn't take
him long to fall back to sleep.

Angel set down, and had another cup of coffee. She thought, "What am I
going to do?" This place is too small for the both of us. I'll think of
something! But, right now, I got to fix us something to eat.

Angel went out to the smokehouse, and picked out two nice deer steaks
from a big buck. She had shot it a few weeks ago. What a nice hunting
trip that turned out to be! Angel remembered, how she got so lucky that
day. She had tied; her horse to an old rotten tree, and walked out to
the end of the woods. When all of a sudden, her horse came charging
through the trees!

That old buck was right on old Gal's heels. She was, startled at first!
Angel could see herself once again, taking a bead on that old buck.
When he ran out into the clearing; she got him with the first
shot.

Angel chuckled, and walked into the barn. She went over to her, horse,
and gave her a pat. I'm still wondering old Gal, "why that buck was
chasing you?" She laughed aloud, and said, "Maybe he thought you had
nice lips to!"

Angel reached in the barrel, and gave her some grain. She gathered a
few eggs, and walked back towards the cabin.

Jay watched her; get the pots, and pans down from the shelf. He
wondered, "what a beautiful girl was doing out in the mountains alone".
Jay reminded himself, "Don't even think about her!" I am not ready to
take on no wife. He thought, "wife"! I don't even no her.

Her old man is probably out on a hunting trip! She is frying some big
deer steaks. I'm sure; she never killed it as tiny as she is. "She
wouldn't be able to hang it, and dress it out," Jay, thought. He shut
his eyes, as she glanced his way.

Angel felt like he, was watching her. She turned, and looked over at
him; he was still sleeping. She fried the last of the bread, and put
the food into their plates. Angel set them down, on the old wooden
crate.

Angel debated, whether to wake him or let him sleep. But, she knew; it
would be greasy once it got cold. She walked over to the bed, and
gently said, "Jay".

Jay could feel, her breath on his neck she was so close to him. He
opened his eyes, and there she stood her golden brown hair, and those
lovely eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms, and kiss her. But, he
pushed those thoughts away, and asked, "What is it?"

Angel almost jumped, out of her wits. I just thought, "You might want
to eat while it was hot." Jay said, "I'm sorry Angel, if I startled
you."

Angel muttered, "That's ok, I understand!" But, she wondered, "why" he
acted like that, almost like he was mad at her for some reason.

Jay, ate quickly, and told her, "He had to leave!" Angel, was
disappointed but thought, "it was for the best he moves on." She asked
him, "If he was sure he could ride?" Jay assured her, "he was in good
shape, and not to worry!" He didn't have far to go, his family would
look after him.

"Her heart sank, he is married, and has a family," Angel thought. She
sort of laughed to herself, and said, "I didn't think a handsome man
like that, would be running around loose."

Jay reached for his coat, hat, and asked, "How much do I owe you
Angel?" She told him, "You don't owe me for anything, I'm just glad I
was here to help you, Jay!"

Angel walked, outside with him. His horse was still in the meadow
grazing. Jay gave a loud whistle, and she came running to him. Angel
said, "You have a smart horse!" He said her name is, "Gabby." Angel
"giggled."

"She has such a pretty laugh," Jay, thought. He reached out, and shook
her hand. "Angel", I want to thank you once again, for everything you
have done for me.

Angel said, "Your more than welcome!" I'm just glad I was here to help
you. He muttered, "Maybe I will see you again perhaps." Angel said,
"Take care of yourself!" Jay nodded, and tipped the rim of his
hat.

A silence fell between them, as they stared at each other. Jay had a
sudden urge to kiss her. But thought, "best of it, and mounted his
horse, and rode off."

Angel was sorry to see him go. She sighed, and thought, "I wonder what
his last name is". "Jay, who?"

Angel felt the loneness rush back into her life. She reached up, and
wiped the tears from her cheeks. She turned, and walked back in the
cabin, and slowly closed the door.
(To be continued)

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