Mabel had had enough, "Kyle Radway! Come here this instance!"
The teenager approached the teachers desk as she rose to her feet. Standing in front of the class he was told to apologize to Sam Duncan.

"I'm ssssorry Sssssam." he replied to the amusement of the other children.

Grabbing him by the ear, Mabel drug him to the back of the room and out the door. "Now, Mr. Radway, you are to go straight home and inform your mother that I want to meet with her this afternoon!"
Kyle stood with a look of arrogance on his face.
"And you are not to return to this school today...do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Miss Nestor" was his smug reply.
Leaving him on the step, she returned to her students.

- - - - - - - - - -

"What time is it Clive?" the marshal asked as he stepped into the office.

" Half past one, why?"

"I got somethin' I gotta do. Think you can handle things here fer a spell?"

Looking around the quiet room Bennett chuckled, "I think so Jack."

After the marshal left, Clive wondered what he was up to. He had been very moody and quiet since Mabel had returned a few weeks ago. Clive found it amusing that Jack would feel threatened by Gabriel Couteau, when it was obvious who Mabel's heart belonged to. He had tried to approach the subject with his partner, but each time Craddock had told him to mind his business.
Whenever Couteau came to Bordertown Jack got nasty, it was unbearable. Why didn't the man just talk to Mabel? At first Clive enjoyed teasing him about it, but lately he had begun to feel sorry for his friend. Jack was in turmoil.

At his cabin, Craddock filled as many pots as he could find with water from the well. Placing them on the stove to heat, he went to the back porch and hauled out the tub, dragging it across the floor to the center of the room.
He didn't much care for having a bath, but women seemed to like it. Mabel bathed at least three times a week, sometimes four! 'Course she always smelled good, Jack liked that. He wondered if he'd have to bath that often if they were married. 'Yup, she'd probably nag me ta death'.

Reaching for the shirt that hung on the line over the stove, he sniffed it a couple of times, 'Don't smell too bad'. Laying it on the bed, he opened his wardrobe in search of clean britches, nothing. The pair lying on the floor didn't look too dirty. Decision made.
Returning to the kitchen he stuck his finger in one of the pots to test the temperature. Removing it from the stove he began filling the tub. He'd need a washcloth and a towel too, looking through the window he saw that Mrs. Duffield had a wash hung out. Perfect! Sally wouldn't mind if he borrowed them, well she'd never know, he'd borrow them and put them back before she even noticed. Now where was that cake of soap?
After searching for several minutes he found it on the floor under the wash basin.

Finally ready, he began stripping off his clothes. Jack sat on the chair to remove his boots and socks. He undid the leather straps on his chaps and pulled them off, next he yanked at the braces that held his britches on and dropped them to the floor. Unbuttoning his shirt he tossed it into the tub of water. 'No sense in wastin' good water, might as well do the wash at the same time.' His combination underwear posed a problem, they were smelly...and he couldn't find his other pair. He'd have to deal with that later.
Jack slipped into the tub and lay back with a deep sigh. Havin' a bath did sorta feel good, but he'd never admit that to anyone. He layed there for a few moments and closed his eyes, becoming dangerously close to falling asleep.Suddenly he remembered the reason for his bath and sat upright in the water, taking the washcloth he began soaping it up, scrubbing every inch of his body. He gave his armpits a good wash, sniffed, and scrubbed them again. Then Jack lathered his face and shaved. Finally he took the cake of soap and rubbed it through his wet hair, held his breath and slipped under the water. There, his hair was rinsed. Before getting out of the tub he scrubbed his shirt and wrung it out. Reaching for the towel he quickly dryed himself off and dressed, hanging up the wet shirt on his way to the washbasin. Sitting on the sideboard was a tin of bear grease, Jack opened it carefully so as not to get any on his shirt, and rubbed it into his hair with his fingers. Taking the comb, he ran it through his hair, slicking it down.
He stood back and looked into the cracked mirror that hung on the wall over the basin. He was pleased.
On his way out the door, the marshal tossed his combinations into the bath water to soak.

- - - - - - - -

As Mabel waited for Mrs. Radway she watched the clock. The longer she waited the more irritated she became. Finally, at half past three, Joanna walked through the door.

"What is the meaning of this!? Sending my Kyle home before school was finished!"

"There is a problem that needs to be addressed Mrs. Radway, I was hoping we could do it in a civilized manner." Mabel knew that wasn't about to happen. This woman was anything but civilized.

"You humiliated my son and I demand an apology!"

Choosing her words carefully and trying to keep her voice calm, Mabel explained "Mrs. Radway...Kyle is a bully. He constantly makes fun of the children when they read or when they make a mistake at problem solving. He is disruptive, and intimidating to the other students. Little Sam Duncan, who is much younger and smaller than him, seems to be his favorite target."

"Kyle tells me that you single him out in class, that you pick on him and make him do things you know he can't do so the other children will laugh at him!"

"Kyle is a liar," Mabel said calmly. "I'm going to discuss with corporal Bennett the possiblity of suspending him from school."

"We'll see about that!" Joanna spat. She spun around and stormed out the door before Mabel could say another word.

- - - - - - -

Jack hopped the fence at Marie's, removed his knife from the pouch that hung at his side, and cut a bouquet of foxglove and flocks.

Mabel straightened her desk, bound her books in the leather strap, and headed towards the general store.
She needed to talk to someone. Marie was always good when it came to advice, and she understood the wrath of Joanna Radway, she needed some licorise twists anyway. Looking down the street she noticed Jack Craddock in the doctors yard and wondered what he was doing. He hadn't been very friendly since she returned. That was something else she wanted to talk to Marie about. Mabel entered the store in time to hear Joanna Radway voicing her opinion.

"That so-called teacher has it in for my Kyle, she picks on him incessently."

The bell that hung over the door jingled and Sally, Marie and Joanna turned their gaze towards her. "Good afternoon ladies," Mabel said politely. She was determined not to let Joanna the terrible get to her.

"Oh...good afternoon Miss Nestor." Marie replied. She hoped that Joanna would leave without causing further problems.

"I was just telling these ladies what sort of teacher you are." Joanna glared.

"Singing my praises no doubt.... Sally would you give me two cents worth of licorise twists please?"

Seeing that the teacher was in control of her temper, Joanna decided to wait for her outside. She wasn't finished yet, and she didn't want any witnesses to what she had to say.

"I bet you have your hands full with that boy." Sally commented, as she filled the bag with candy.

"I plan to meet with Clive later to discuss what needs to be done." Mabel said, as she paid Marie. "Thanks Sally"

She stood on the boardwalk for a moment and looked towards Marie's yard, Jack was gone, she couldn't see him anywhere. After dinner she would track him down and insist that he tell her what was wrong. As she stepped onto the street she heard the dreaded voice of Joanna Radway behind her. 'For someone who hated indians, she could sure sneak up on you like one, must be indian blood in her background somewhere'.

"I want a word!" She insisted.

Mabel turned to face her. "Maybe corporal Bennett should take part in this discussion,"

Joanna ignored the suggestion and continued, "That Sam Duncan that you accuse my son of bullying, is a retard! Children like him should be kept at home...away from the others!"

Mabel knew she was in trouble, her temper was getting the better of her. Gritting her teeth she decided it was time to talk with Clive. Attempting to walk away, she headed towards the mountie detachment on the other side of the street, Clive would still be in his office.

"Don't you walk away from me!" Joanna yelled as she grabbed the teachers arm and swung her around.

They were face to face. Joanna glared. 'What an ugly woman' Mabel thought. Just as ugly on the inside as she was on the outside.

"I'm going to call a council meeting and have that Duncan boy removed from school! He's the one who is disrupting your class and intimidating the children! Retards shouldn't be around other children!"

Before she realized what she was doing, Mabel raised her books and slammed them against the other woman's face knocking her to the ground. Joanna screamed and quickly got to her feet, holding on to the side of her face.

"Why you...." she hauled back her arm and swung her clenched fist at Mabel, landing a punch just below her left eye.

Now Mabel was great with a gun, and not bad with a knife, but hand to hand combat was something she had little experience with. She decided there was no better time to learn.
Dropping her books and the bag of candy, she made a lunge at Mrs. Radway, tackling her at the waist and taking her down with a thud. Joanna grabbed a handful of Mabel's hair and pulled. Thankfully it wasn't long enough for her to wrap her fingers in, but it hurt just the same. The two women rolled on the ground, Joanna was screaming. Mabel had her pinned beneath her, she made a fist and with every ounce of strength, drove it into the woman's face. Blood flew from her nose.

"What in tarnation is goin' on!?" Jack shouted as he pushed through the crowd that had gathered. Looking at the two women who were still struggling on the ground, he shouted for them to stop.

Joanna ripped her fingernails across the teachers face as Mabel hauled back her arm again and landed another punch. The crowd cheered. Jack fell backwards and landed on his backside. He had just taken an elbow.... Mabel's elbow, to the mouth. His lip was split and blood ran onto his clean shirt. Joanna attempted to get up and Mabel threw her arm around the woman's neck holding her in a headlock.

"What is going on here!?" Clive yelled as he approached the scene. What he saw as he surveyed the situation, was Jack Craddock and Joanna Radway with bloody faces.
Mabel seemed to be taking on both of them...and winning!

Jack attempted to break Mabel's hold on Joanna, who was still in a headlock and clawing frantically to get away. Clive tried to free her by pulling on Mabel's wrist in an attempt to loosen her grip. Jack held her around the waist and ordered her to release the other woman.

Mabel seethed, " Let me go Jack...she's still breathing!"

The four of them ended up on the ground, with Joanna on the bottom, still screaming. Finally the lawmen were able to take control. Jack picked Mabel up by the waist and carried her a safe distance before setting her down. Clive held on to Joanna. Mabel was out of breath, but quite pleased with herself. The sight of Joanna's bloody face made her smile. She wasn't yet aware that her own face was bloodied, or that Jack Craddock had fallen victim to one of her punches.

Nor did she notice the marshal's bouquet of flowers scattered in the street.