Ширли Мерфи - The Sand Ponies

“Of course he will,” says Dan Elber. “Can break him yourself, likely.”

“Now,” says Sarah Paddyfoot, bringing coffee and drawing up boxes to sit on, “I’m about to bust, wondering what’s been going on. Last thing we knew, there was a noise like thunder, then something sounded like a wreck on the road and Mr. Tillman was out of here in a flash. Thought I heard a shot, too,” she says. “Made the children stay here. What’s been happening out there:1”

Having gotten himself settled on a nail keg, coffee balanced on his knee, the sheriff leans back against the wall. “Dan here,” he says, “had got himself some horses lost up in the hills. We were out after them, with the boys from Lindley’s. We were working down into the draw, when all of a sudden that bunch of Sand Ponies came boiling down the hills, and the next thing, Dan’s horses broke out right in front of us, the ponies on their tails, and it was getting so dark you could hardly see. All mixed up together, the whole bunch of ‘em—couldn’t tell what you were roping. Little varmints messed up the whole thing. There was someone chasing them, though. Man on foot. Must have been crazy, running down the draw swinging his rope. Finally got tired and went back to his truck.

“The horses kept on down to the beach. We got a couple roped, and the others split up, some coming on across the road. That’s when the truck came barreling down. Crazy fool! A wonder he only hit one. Had to shoot her. Got the ambulance, finally, took the man away. Dan went hunting for the colt. Mr. Tillman, too. Gave up finally; came back here to get warm.”

“You didn’t catch all your horses, then?” Karen asks, looking at Mr. Elber.

“Oh, we’ll get out in the morning, try to find them,” he says. “Got three, two still loose. Shouldn’t be any trouble, if those Sand Ponies stay out of it.”

The colt has lain down finally, full of milk, and sleepy. Mary sits beside him, rubbing his ears.

Jack Tillman watches her. “You want your bed in here tonight?” he asks.

She looks up at him and nods.

“Can we, too?” shout the twins. “Can we?”

“No,” says Mr. Tillman. “Scoot!” And he smacks the closest bottom, sending J.L. off to bed, complaining.

When they have tucked themselves in, Jana says, “We’ll go back when everyone is asleep. Miss McCamley won’t mind.”

“Are you sure?”

“I said so!”

But by the time everyone is asleep, so are the twins. Mary McCamley crawls into her bed and reaches out her hand to feel the colt’s soft neck. Abbey snuggles next to her, purring, not minding the colt at all.

CHAPTER 18

Mary wakes to find a warm muzzle in her face, and sits up to stare into gentle colt eyes. She puts on her robe and heads for the kitchen to heat some milk, but Sarah Paddyfoot is there before her, holding the bottle out.

She’s pretty in the morning, too, thinks Sarah. Well, what’s for breakfast, now? Biscuits. Biscuits and blackberry jam.

When the truck arrives from the ranch the men tie the colt inside and Karen and the boys ride with him to hold him. J.L., mutinous, are made to sit in front.

The colt is unloaded trembling from his ride, but Mr. Elber soon has him calm again, then picks him up and carries him across the yard to the stall while everyone stands back and waits. “You must be still,”

Jack Tillman tells the twins. “Very still. We don’t know what the mare will do, but if you upset her, she sure won’t take that little one.”

“Yes, sir,” they say, subdued. They are as quiet as mice.

Mr. Elber goes in and shuts the door behind him. There is not a sound. They wait a long time, crowded into the tackroom, whispering.

Finally Mr. Elber steps out, closing the door, then stands looking into the stall. “It’s all right,” whispers Karen, watching him, “but he’s waiting to make sure.”

After an eternity Dan Elber turns and comes across the stable yard to the tackroom. “That’s a good mare,” he says quietly. “Took that little colt just as if it were her own. Not many mares would do that, not many at all. Good little mare, my Tolly.”

Tom stares at him. “What did you say?”

Karen sits quite still, one hand raised.

“I said, why, I said that’s a good mare, there-she …”

Karen interrupts him, breathless. “Her name. What is her name?” She is standing now, her hand on Tom’s arm.

“Tolly,” he says, looking perplexed.

Tom has taken off like a streak for the barn, slowing down only as he gets close. Karen is behind him. Mr. Tillman has reached to stop them, but is held back by Dan Elber.

Karen stands silently beside Tom, looking into the stall. Tolly, nosing the new colt, looks up to nicker softly. Quietly, Tom lifts the latch and goes in.

Karen turns back to the tackroom, half afraid. Mr. Elber has stepped out to meet her. He takes her hand and leads her around the barn to the corral in back. She stops still, then breaks away from him, running. Then she is through the fence and standing in the middle of the corral. Tears are running down her cheeks, she can hardly see for tears.

Kippy looks at her, ears up, then comes slowly forward. He pauses, looks puzzled, takes another step, and Karen’s arms are around him.

CHAPTER 19

The sun is bright. A young girl sits astride a little buckskin horse, watching the pasture grass blow and the waves break silently far below them. Is this a dream? I am awake, Karen thinks, this time I am awake! Kippy tosses his head and wants to run. She smiles and pulls him up, scolding him.

She picks a path threading toward the sea, and down the summer hills they go, Kippy switching his tail and snorting. The air is bright and fresh, the birds call around them.

Overhead, breaking through the bird song, through the hum of crickets, comes a raucous cry. What is this in his field? The crow screams, circling, screams again, then goes on to see what else is out in his land this morning.

But only Karen is there, and Kippy, and the wild things which belong.

There are plans to make, questions to he answered, things to be decided. But not this morning. These things can wait; this morning is hers and Kippy’s.

“Well,” says Mary McCamley, pouring herself another cup of coffee, “what now, Sarah? What will Mr. Elber do? He won’t take the children’s horses home with him?”

“Not likely,” says Sarah. “Didn’t you see him, the way he looked?”

“Yes, but things have happened so fast! Sarah, I think it’s all impossible, those horses coming all that way, and the children finding them. We’re dreaming, Sarah. Must be!”

“Maybe it’s the Sand Ponies,” Sarah says. “Maybe they’ve bewitched us.”

“I think they have. I do believe we’ll wake up quite suddenly to find that none of this is real, perhaps not even ourselves.”

“I feel real enough,” says Sarah. “More likely just common magic, Sand Pony magic, made those horses and kids get together.” Sarah grins. “Twins were right all along. Fairy ponies!”

“Hmmm, Sarah?”

“Yes?”

“What’s to be done about Karen and Tom? School starts soon, and if they’re not with their uncle …”

“Guess we’ll have to help that wish a little,” says Sarah Paddyfoot.

“I can send for their records, legally, but what am I to say they are doing here? Could Mr. Tillman be another uncle?”

“They’d check, likely.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Need adopting, those two. Make someone a real nice family, they would.”

“Mr. Tillman? But a man without a, well, a …”

“What are you stammering for?”

“What I mean is, the court wouldn’t allow it, Sarah.” She is blushing.