The Secret Promise

Chapter Twelve

"We should go see if we can find any pretty rocks in the mine," Susan said. They'd been sitting on the porch swing at her house for over an hour and neither of them could think of anything to do. It was too hot to just walk around town for no reason, but it was always nice and cool inside the old abandoned iron mine outside of town.

"Do you think your pa will let us borrow his lantern?" Allie asked.

"I'll go ask him." Susan heaved herself off the swing and went inside, coming out a few minutes later with said lantern in her hand. "Pa says we'd better be careful and not to go too far inside."

Allie stood up, fanning herself with her bonnet, and the two girls slowly wandered down the porch steps and along the road until they reached the old, overgrown road that led to the mine in the side of a nearby hill. "What I wouldn't give for five minutes in the river right now."

Susan laughed softly. "I'm sure if Lucas was around, he'd be happy to throw you in."

"I meant a peaceful and quiet five minutes. Not five minutes of chaos and destruction." Allie laughed.

"Arthur thinks he should apologize for what he did."

"He should," Allie replied. "But I don't know if it would do any good at this point. Maybe ease his guilt, but that's about it."

"You wouldn't forgive him?"

"I don't know. I think he'd be getting off far too easy if I did."

"Yeah, I guess so. So what would he have to do to prove that he was really, truly sorry?"

"Why are you so interested?" Allie glanced at her.

"Because I like Arthur."

"And-?"

"And they're friends, and you're my best friend. And it would be nice if I could spend time with Arthur without having to worry if you'll stay or if you're going to up and leave because Lucas decided to come around."

"I didn't realize you even noticed when I left," Allie laughed softly.

"I did."

"Sorry. I didn't know it meant that much to you for me to stick around."

"I don't ever want you to feel like you can't be around us, even when we're together," Susan said. They had reached the mine and she ducked under one of the beams that lay across the entrance. "But I understand why maybe you couldn't."

"I suppose I could put in a tiny bit more effort to put up with Lucas if he's around. It's not like I have to enjoy his company. I could probably just ignore him."

"See? That's all I really want!" Susan laughed, holding up the newly lit lantern as Allie ducked under the same beam. "Where should we look first?"

Allie opened her eyes. They burned and she blinked, but it felt like there was dust in them. Everything was dark and her head hurt. She couldn't move her left arm and she was pretty sure it was pinned under something heavy.  "Susan!" she called, coughing hard from the dust in the air. "Susan!" There was no answer and she drifted back into unconsciousness.

"Hand me the lantern!" she heard a man's voice say. A moment later there was light but she was drifting in and out and couldn't make out what else he was saying, or who it was.

"I think her arm might be broken," she heard. She realized  she was being carried into Dr. Carlton's clinic and she opened her eyes. "Susan!" she gasped. "Is Susan alright?"

"I'm here, Allie," Susan replied beside her. "You got caught in a cave in. Do you remember?"

Dr. Carlton looked up from his desk and realized that Lucas Dillan had just kicked his clinic door open, carrying an unconscious woman in his arms. "What happened?" he asked, jumping to his feet.