Crockett eyed the plume of smoke coming from the stovepipe. “The stove’s going.”
Together the brothers ambled to the door, and Crockett knocked briskly. Jane opened it a moment later.
“Hello. I thought I heard someone ride up.” She looked past Crockett to his brother and nodded at him. “Chisholm.”
“Miss Jane, I hope I have some good news for you.”
“I could use some,” she said. “Come on in. I’m expecting Ben any minute for his dinner, and I’ve got coffee hot if you’d like some.”
“That sounds good.” Crockett followed her in and sat down at the small pine table the Mortensons had donated. The kitchen smelled of gingerbread. Jane poked at a skillet of sliced ham and potatoes she had frying on top of the little box stove. Its heat wasn’t overpowering, now that the weather had cooled toward fall temperatures.
“I was telling Crockett the place looks good, Jane.” Chisholm sat down and stretched out his long legs. “Looks nice in here, too.”
She smiled as she brought over the coffeepot and two mugs. “Thanks. Ben and I have been trying to make things a little better. It’s amazing what prideful feelings a spanking new house stirs up.”
Chisholm laughed. “Well, I like it. Pretty curtains, even.” He nodded toward the muslin panels embroidered with a red cross-stitch border.
“Why, thank you. Emma and Annie helped me stitch those.” Jane poured out the coffee. “Hope you don’t mind, I’ll keep on with my work.”
“Go right ahead,” Crockett said. He didn’t mind watching her at all as she flitted about the new kitchen. She looked contented. Did he dare think even happy? The house belonged to her now, and she fit into it. He could see his place here, too, if she would let him take it. They could be a family.
“Thanks.” She turned back to the stove. “What brings you out, Ranger?”
Chisholm chuckled and winked at Crockett, as if to say that girl was sharp as a tack. “It’s the money. We’ve confirmed it came from the Treasury robbery.”
Jane turned around with a long-handled fork in her hand. “You don’t say.”
He nodded. “One of our Rangers took the sample to Austin and consulted with the Treasury people. They’ve told me to recover the rest of the money. My boss will see that it gets to the right place.”
“Good,” Jane said. “I’ll be glad when it’s gone.”
“There’s something else.”
“What?” Uneasiness crept into her eyes, but Chisholm smiled as he reached inside his vest.
“The State Treasury has had a reward sitting in an account for nine years. None of the stolen money was recovered up until now, and the specie probably never will be. The coins, that is. Everyone figures they were spent long ago. But these bills could be verified as loot from the robbery. And the State sent along a part of the reward money in that account for you—a hundred dollars.”
He held out a piece of paper. Jane took it and unfolded it.
“What is this?”
“It’s a bank draft,” Chisholm said. “You can take it in town anytime you want and cash it at the bank. It’s yours.”
Tears sprang into Jane’s eyes. “I didn’t do anything.”
Crockett reached over and touched her hand. “Yes you did. You found it, and you told the authorities. A lot of people would have just kept quiet and maybe tried to spend it.”
“You deserve it, Jane,” Chisholm said. “I’m glad to see you get it.”
The door opened, and Ben came in. He looked at the Hart men and paused.
“Crockett. What’s going on?”
Quickly, Chisholm explained to him about the reward. Ben took the slip of paper in his hands and stared at it. “A hundred dollars. Jane, we can get the feed we need, and maybe a heifer calf or two.”
“Sure you can,” Crockett said.
Jane’s tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. “I didn’t expect anything like this. But I think we should keep it in the bank for you, Ben. Start a fund for you to go to college.”
“No, we can’t do that,” Ben said.
“Why not? It would be a start toward what you always wanted to do.” She set her lips in a firm line. Crockett smiled at the stubborn set of her jaw.
“But we need so many other things if we’re going to make this place pay.”
“That will take time,” Jane said.
“I know. But we can do it.” Ben laughed and swept her into a hug. “For once, I’m not the one bringing home the bacon. This is three months’ wages, Janie. More than that.”
She pulled away from him and swiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “Can we put half of it away for college?”
Ben frowned. “I don’t—”
“Maybe you two should think about it for a few days,” Crockett said. “Cash the draft and put half in the bank for now. Get what you need right away, and see where you are.”
“That sounds smart,” Ben said.
Jane glanced at Crockett. “Well, I guess.” To Chisholm, she said, “Thank you. If you’re sure it’s all right…”