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Chapter 5 - The girl on the train

NB:-I here denote a woman named Nicholas , with this character the story is described.

"Settle down, everyone! Please, settle down!" Sheriff Bowman's words didn't travel far. The church that doubled as a schoolhouse during the week was small and sat forty people at best. He addressed the man behind the pulpit. "Reverend, you take it from here."

Reverend Mark Wilcox nodded and searched the crowd, looking for someone, anyone, to raise their hand and volunteer to help.

I fiddled with the seam of my cuff to help keep my eyes down as the townspeople began arguing again. Aunt Gwen always told me not to make eye contact when my elders minced words. I didn't want to look at them anyway. The urge to run warred within me, to head out far away from where I sat, but the bitter cold that awaited me outside held me to my seat. I was at the mercy of the community of people who claimed this town as their home, who couldn't agree on much of anything, nevertheless what to do with the orphan who arrived in town on the train early this morning and was now seated next to the minister in the front of the room. I just wanted to go home.

I chanced a glance up. A man wearing overalls and a dirt smudge on his cheek stood, straw hat in hand, and pointed to an older woman more finely dressed than the others. "Mrs. Carlson, you can take her, can't ya?"

Pressing her hand to the carved ivory handle of the wooden cane, she stood leaning heavily on its support. "No. I cannot." Her lips pursed, and she sat back down with a violent gasp as she shot an angry glance my way. My presence had disrupted the town she controlled with her money, which did not set well with her.

Lowering my eyes which now leaked the heartache I felt, I wrestled with the images of Aunt Gwen's face when she had placed me on the orphan train heading west with the Children's Aid Society. "It's for the best, Child. You must live elsewhere, understand?" No, I didn't understand. With so many rooms in her beautiful home, why would she not have room for me? Her house was so large she would never know I was there.

The reverend spoke again. "The train left the station hours ago, and it's cold outside. We need a family to step forward and take her in, even for only a little while, until I have a chance to send the Children's Aid Society a telegram tomorrow letting them know about the sudden passing of their agent."

(NB:-to be continued in the girl on the train part2)