Parson Graves listened to Sheriff Claiborne’s explanation why he brought Nellie-Rae Sparks to his house next to the church in Hollow Springs, Georgia so late in the evening. Sixteen-year-old Nellie-Rae shifted uncomfortably on the high wagon seat gripping her coat around herself as she watched the men discussing her fate on the front porch. The bodies of her parents still lay in the bed of the wagon, victims of a brutal attack by a gold seeking robber at their mountain cabin homestead in the woods.

The only reason she survived was because she spent the day hunting in the woods bringing home deer meat for the coming winter trying to help out her ailing father. Now her father and her mother were gone along with the only home she ever knew claimed by her mother’s brother, Ray, according to a ten-year-old will he suddenly produced upon his unexpected arrival.

It made her sick to her stomach to be around this unknown uncle because the stench of gold was so strong in his presence. She suspected he murdered her parents for the gold hidden beneath the floorboards in their bedroom where he claimed he found them slain when he arrived unannounced. The small bags of gold dust in various clothing pockets on herself she sneaked away from the homestead in her hasty retreat down the mountain with the sheriff were beginning to take their toll on her well-being.

When the parson ducked back into the house to consult his wife the sheriff returned and reached up to help her down. She immediately ran to a nearby bush and heaved.

He handed her a kerchief. “You poor dear. Of course, it’s been upsetting to ride all this way with your parents right here in the wagon. I’ll get them to the undertaker. The Graves will be happy to welcome you to their home for a few days until after the funeral.”

Mrs. Graves rushed to her, “Come, Child. You must be freezing. Let’s get you inside and warm you up. Thank you, Sheriff, for bringing this grieving child to us. We’ll be pleased to help in any way. Such a horrible tragedy!”

Inside the generous couple bustled about trying to make Nellie feel welcomed and comfortable. “Let me take your coat.” “Sit here by the fire.” Wrap up in this blanket.” “Here, have something to eat.” “You must be starved.” “You need to eat something.”

“Thank you so much for your kindness but, really, I’m exhausted and only want to sleep for a little while.”

“The guest room is right this way. There’s a nightgown on the bed. Let me know if you need anything else.” Mrs Graves realized Nellie was already sound asleep on top of the covers fully dressed. She placed a blanket over the shivering orphan and eased the door shut.

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Nellie awaken to impossibly bright sunshine streaming in impossibly gleaming windows. It took her a few moments to collect her impossibly scattered thoughts to remember where she was and why. Even surrounded by soft colors, fluffy textures and lace awash in glorious morning light she was overcome by an anguishing sense of loss. She wasn’t in her cozy cocoon of warm wooden walls and beams in her loft bedroom ladder steps away from her loving parents preparing a farm fresh aromatic breakfast over an open fire.

Those magical loving moments were gone forever. Reality set in once more as she recalled the horror of the day before. Her parents murdered. Even her home stripped away from her by an uncle she couldn’t remember. Whatever else happened, she could never live with the conniving conman. What was she to do now? Three days. Three days to figure it all out.

For now, she changed out of her wrinkled clothing, washed her face using the pitcher of water and bowl on the washstand, brushed her matted dark hair, said a quick prayer and headed toward voices and aromas coming from what must be the kitchen. After so much nauseousness yesterday she discovered she was hungry. Her gold was safely tucked away off her person for the time being. Four bags holding about fifty dollars each meant she somehow needed to start her new life with $200. Could she manage?

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Three days. In a blink of an eye three days were gone. She stood at the grave site as her parents were laid to rest. Comforting Christian words spoken by the parson failed to soften the blow. The many consoling wishes by members of the community failed to lessen the lost feelings. Her parents and her whole world as she knew it were gone forever. Kindly Mrs. Graves took Nellie under her arm and led her back to the parsonage.

All afternoon church members brought food and offered platitudes, “If there is anything I can do, let me know.”; “So sorry for your loss.”; “They’re in the Lord’s arms now in a much better place.”; and on and on. None of it helped with her decision. What was she to do now?

Oh, sure, during my time in town I talked to the sheriff more than once to see if any progress was made on discovering who was responsible. I tried my best to make him see my long lost Uncle Ray was the guilty party. But without proof nothing could be done and it would give away my secret if I told him I could sense stolen gold reeking from him. The fact I don’t trust the slick, fancy dressing gold thief makes no difference to the lawman.

And the men. Whenever I ventured out men approached offering to marry me. The bachelor in his fifties with scraggly hair, dirty clothes and tobacco stained teeth; the widower with six needy children; the lonely, overly obese, mentally challenged fellow I was sure would crush me if he crawled atop me; then, of course, the county drunk, Otis Crawford, repeated his comment from the day he found me on his property dressing the deer I wounded and followed across the creek. Something about I wasn’t much but he hadn’t had a woman in a long time…E-EWE!

Exhausted and trying to avoid all the visitors, she sank down on a back porch step and smoothed out her new black dress Mrs. Graves helped her make. She gritted her teeth but the tears came anyway.

“Ya never seem to have a kerchief when ya need one. Here.” Cody Crawford, her neighbor and friend and Otis’s abused teen-age son, offered his to her.

“Thank you. I never needed one so often before losing my family.”

“Mind if I sit beside ya?”

“Oh, please do. All these people mean well but none of them will be around to really help me solve my problems.”

“It’s hard to believe this happened to ya folks. I’m so sorry for y’all’s loss. What can I do for ya?”

“Did you hear about my mother’s brother, Ray, come to save the day? Never knew anything about his existence but he has what he claims is a will made by my folks ten years ago saying he inherits the homestead, mine, and guardianship of me. I don’t trust him one iota. But there’s nothing I can legally do. The sheriff doesn’t believe me when I insist he’s the guilty murderer. No way can I live with him but I don’t see any other option.

“It’s too dangerous for me to travel alone looking for a safe place. Guess I could disguise myself as a boy and hire on to some wagon train traveling west. I know I don’t want any plans that cheat has for me. Besides, he may hunt me down where ever I go. I’m getting sick simply thinking about it.”

Cody looked around making sure they weren’t being watched and no one was within hearing range before whispering to her, “Nellie, I have something to show you.”

He pulled out a bag of small stones and poured a few into her hand, “I’ve been panning in the creek where you told me to. These are a few of what I found so far. They look like the one ya gave me the other day. I want you to marry me if you’ll have me and we can escape together to where ever you say. I love you. Will ya become my wife?”

“Oh, Cody! I’d be pleased to be your wife. Looks like you have at least $500 dollars of gold nuggets here and you say you have more? It’s enough to give us a good start. If you don’t mind your bride wearing black let’s go find the parson and do it now before Uncle Ray becomes suspicious why I don’t return home. I love you, too, ever since we chased each other in the creek as kids.” She threw her arms around his neck and they kissed making sparks fly.

“Come, now,” he helped her stand. “We have plans to make.”