AUGUST 6, 1861

Walter walked over to the PEG. He peeked inside. Jacy was there, so he went inside. "Good morning, Miss Jacy."

Jacy turned her head to the right and smiled as she saw Walter. "Good morning, Walter. What can I do for you?" She started to stand, but Walter waved her down, so she stayed seated.

"It's not a business call. This is a social visit." He walked over and sat down on the other side of Jacy's desk. "We haven't seen much of each other. I've been busy. You've been busy. How you been doing?"

"I'm alright. Just trying to keep the newspaper going." She smiled at Walter.

Delving deeper, Walter asked, "How are you and Cody doing? And how are you and your sister, Jewel, getting along?"

"We're all doing fine."

He could tell that she wasn't telling him something. "Are you sure? You know if there's anything that I can do, I'd be more than happy to do it. Besides I have to look after my two biggest investor's sister and granddaughter, don't I?" He lightly kidded.

"I just don't understand men."

"Well, I'm a man, maybe I can help." Walter suggested.

Jacy thought for a few seconds. Maybe he could help her. She sure couldn't come up with a logical explanation for Cody's behavior lately, so maybe Walter had a good explanation. "Well, Cody has been acting different. He had Kid take me to the wedding, and he seems like he doesn't, well, he doesn't . . . act towards me like he used to."

"I'm sure it's because of the accident and not because of you." Walter said. He watched as she frowned and tilted her head down to stare at the desk. "You don't think Cody blames you for the accident, do you?"

Jacy didn't answer at first, but she knew that Walter was waiting for her to say something. "If it hadn't been for me, he would still be walking."

"Has he come right out and said that it was your fault?" Walter couldn't believe that Cody would say something like that. He knew how much Cody loved Jacy. Jacy shook her head. "But you think he blames you. Well, I know one way to set this straight. I'll just ride out there and ask him if he does." Walter stood up.

Startled by what Walter was going to do, Jacy jumped out. "No, NO! I don't want you to do that."

"But Jacy you can't keep thinking that Cody is blaming you if he isn't. You need to get this out in the open. Because if he does blame you, then he's wrong. It wasn't your fault. He needs to understand that, and if he doesn't blame you, then you need to know that he doesn't. Now come on Jacy lets go out and talk to Cody." Jacy shook her head.

"No, please Walter, I don't want to. Just let it be." Jacy watched as a frown crossed his face. She thought he wasn't going to back down. What would she do if he insisted?

Walter could see that Jacy feared that he was going to go and confront Cody. "Alright, I won't go to see Cody, but if you haven't worked it out in a week then I am going to see him." He stated. Jacy calmed down and a little smile flitted across her face, and she nodded her head to let him know that she understood. She sat back down.

"Well, you're going to the Square Dance Party in a couple of weeks, aren't you?" Walter inquired.

Jacy really didn't want to attend the party because the one person who she wanted to take her was in a wheelchair, so she knew if she went alone or with another man then she wouldn't have a very good time. She shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Oh, you have to go. We need you. You liven up the party, and you're such a great square dancer. I need you for my corner, so please come." Walter eagerly enticed.

Jacy hated to say no, especially to her friends, so she compromised. "I'll think about it."

"Well, if that's the best answer I can get from you then I'll take it for now. Now don't be a stranger, come on over to the hotel for lunch later. I'm buying, all right. If I'm not there just let Marta know that lunch is my treat, but if I'm there I'll have lunch with you."