For eight days Abby had sequestered herself upstairs thinking of Russ. Yesterday, she had gone about in a fog of constantly worrying about Russ and whether he was all right. Teddy had commented on it and wouldn’t let her work the press for fear she would smash a finger.
She had to get back to her job. Teddy had been managing too long by himself. Besides, it would keep her mind occupied until she heard word from Russ or the sheriff. Her worries about Russ overshadowed her newspaper work, but she sat down at her desk and started making a list of people she could talk to about advertising space. This one edition of the paper would be the Gazette’s Christmas gift to the town of Oak Grove and it would be free of charge. Christmas was about giving and it was time she started doing her part.
After school, Patty stopped in the office. “I have my article. Will you check it?”
Abby sat down at her desk and read the article with a critical eye. Slipping the pencil from over her ear, she made a few minor corrections. “This is wonderful, Patty. You’ve done an excellent job.”
She grabbed the wire basket of the other articles she’d written for the special edition and walked over to the end of the counter where she spread them out. Together, they arranged and rearranged them until they were satisfied with what should be the lead article on the front page and what should be on page two, leaving spaces for advertisements.
Patty thrilled at being part of the entire process. When they were done, she clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “People are going to be so surprised! This will be the best Christmas Oak Grove has ever had!”
For the first time in days, Abby smiled. “After our regular edition goes out on Saturday morning, we’ll start pulling type for the Christmas edition. Mind you, it will take all day.” She rose and slipped on her coat.
“Where are we going?” Patty asked, following her lead and tightening the scarf around her neck.
Abby liked the way Patty jumped right in, ready to take part. It was a good quality for a reporter. “To the restaurant to mark your first officially accepted article with a celebratory piece of pie.”
Patty’s grin widened. “I like the sound of that!”
Abby laughed. “Me too. After that, we are going to round up some Christmas elves.”
That afternoon Abigail and Patty visited neighbors, bartering advertising space in the Christmas edition in return for various gifts hoped for by the townsfolk. For the articles, she had planned only inspiring news that would hopefully bring the community together. The biggest news would be the town project that would be voted on at the Community Christmas Party in two weeks.
Sheriff Baniff arrived from Colorado on the Friday train and strode into the Gazette office.
Teddy held up his hand. “Just a minute, Sheriff. Jamie. This is a personal matter. Would you mind stepping out for a few minutes?”
When Jamie had gone, Abigail and Teddy turned back to the sheriff.
“You and Carter were right about that town. Johnson has those workers tied up in knots. I did what I could to assure Carter a fair trial. They are securing a new judge to hear the evidence and I contacted that attorney in Denver.”
“It sounds like you may believe Russ is innocent too,” Abigail said.
“Innocent until proven guilty. I’ll let you know if I hear anything else. The trial is set for Monday.”
“Thank you.” Teddy shook his hand. “Guess that’s all we can do.”
“Not quite. Now that that part is done, there is the matter of you two and your involvement.”
Oh, dear. Abigail had worried there would be repercussions on her and Teddy’s part in helping Russ.
Baniff gave them both a stern look. “This had better be the first and the last time either of you harbor a wanted man in Oak Grove. The way I’m going to log it is that you and your brother were unwitting Good Samaritans. Although the two of you are the least ‘unwitting’ people I know in Oak Grove, we’ll leave it at that.”
Abigail breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Sheriff.”
Baniff settled his Stetson back on his head, nodded and left the office.
She closed the door behind him. Then, slipping the pencil from her ear, she jotted a note in her notebook. When she finished, she looked up to find Teddy observing her.
“What are you up to?”
“Oh...just keeping a record of elves and unexpected gifts.”
Saturday morning, the Gazette office was afire with activity. Jamie and Teddy arrived early to bundle the stacks of the regular edition and load them on the wagon. At eight o’clock Abby waved goodbye to Jamie as he snapped the reins and drove his mule away from town. At the same time, she welcomed Patty through the door to begin work on the Christmas edition.
After handing an apron to Patty, she instructed her how to pull the correct size and font of Hamilton type from the upper and lower cases, and how to use the composing stick to arrange the type backward and starting at the bottom of the page they would print to fit it tightly into the large frame.
After two hours of steady work, Patty gladly handed off the composing stick to Teddy, then stretched her fingers and shook out her arms. “I’m glad the edition is only two pages! How do you manage this for one of your longer regular papers!”
Teddy shared a smile with Abby. They both knew the aches and pains of typesetting well.
“Why don’t you take a short rest? Look through the Christmas etchings in the drawer and decide which ones you’d like at the top of the page beside the heading.”
A steady drizzle throughout the day against the hum of activity inside made the newspaper office feel cozy and warm. The scent of coffee and ink permeated the room. Abby was grateful for the busywork and the camaraderie of her brother, Patty and then Jamie once he returned from his early deliveries.
Still, with any lull, she wondered about Russ. Was he warm? Had the attorney from Denver arrived to help? Did he miss her?
When they were ready to print, Teddy handled the heavy press. It was too dangerous to let Patty manage it. Abby spread ink expertly on the large plate, and then Teddy turned the wheel, pressing the heavy iron plate of type against the sheet of paper. Patty then took up the newsprint and draped it to dry over the rope along the wall. Once dried, the entire process was repeated for the second page. It took the rest of the day and into the evening to finish. Finally, they were done, the papers folded, stacked and ready for distribution.
The next day, the Gazette’s Christmas edition went out as scheduled. Patty handed it out after church. Immediately, her friends and family read her article on the front page and congratulated her, which made others stop and do the same. Discussions started up among those lingering on the front steps of the church about which gift made the most sense to start on first. The fishermen argued for benches along the river and the children pestered their parents about a park with swings.
Abby stood back, enjoying the compliments that Patty received. The girl glowed, freckles, ink-stained fingers and all.
Farther down the front page, Abby had listed anonymous wishes. She’d left instructions to contact her should the Spirit of Christmas come over anyone and they wanted to become an elf. She insisted on absolute secrecy. No one was to know the elves’ identities, and the elves weren’t allowed to divulge who they helped.
By Monday, the box she had placed just inside the Gazette’s door was half-full with names of secret elves.
Monday was also the day of reckoning for Russ. The trial started at ten o’clock, and from that moment on she waited in suspense for the outcome. Would it be over in a day? Or take much longer?
At six in the evening, Teddy hung up his apron and shrugged into his coat. “Guess we won’t hear anything this late. The trial must still be going on.”
“I don’t mind waiting as long as the news is good.”
Just then the sheriff walked by the front window and entered the office. He held out a telegram to her. “This just came.”
Acquitted. Johnson arrested for murder. Back soon. Carter.
Her knees grew weak. “Oh, my!” The words came out barely a whisper. “Oh, my!” She had been afraid to hope.
Teddy took the slip of paper from her. He read it and then gave a big whoop, grabbed her up and swung her around. He set her down and took hold of her shoulders. “I can tell you he’s not coming back because of me. Sounds like he might be serious, Abby.”
Wonder filled her. How had this happened? She couldn’t stop beaming and crying with relief at the same time! The pressed-down worry and frustration of not knowing what was happening had been bottled up inside her ever since Russ had left. The pressure had increased daily. And suddenly it was over! He was a free man and he was coming back!