Jack and Clive were sitting on the steps of the detachment having their morning coffee and watching the town come to life. At the far end of the street Archie was opening the big double doors of the livery stable in anticipation of a new day.
"Looks like he's on time fer a change Clive" the marshal observed sarcastically.

"Good morning Marie" Clive yelled across the street to Dr. Dumont who was setting up her wares on the boardwalk in front of her store.

Jack dumped out his remaining coffee, sat his cup on the bench and proceeded to join her, "Anythin' I can do to help Marie?" he asked as he approached. Not to be shown up, corporal Bennett hurried towards her, passing Craddock in the middle of the street.

"No thank you boys, I can do it myself." she said smiling. She loved the way they fussed over her and was flattered by their competative desire to win her affection.

In a few moments they heard the sound of Bordertown's first school bell summoning the children. There were loud shouts of excited laughter as the students piled into the school room, and then silence. "Sorta feel bad fer them young 'uns bein' locked up all day," Jack commented.

"They aren't locked up Jack," Marie responded, "They are learning, it's an adventure."

"Uhuh..sure it is Marie." he sounded unconvinced.

At lunch time the doors flew open and a dozen children of all ages poured out. They had one hour of freedom and then it was back to the classroom. As Mabel sat at her desk talking to one of her younger students, Jack looked in the doorway. He had never been to school himself and could only guess at what might have gone on in this room. He had heard that school teachers were real nasty ombres and couldn't imagine why folks would send their young 'uns to a place he had heard was like a prison.
He smiled to himself as he recalled the day Mabel came to Bordertown, it turned out that his idea of a school marm had been wrong. She wasn't on old spinster and she didn't look like a chicken. He decided she wasn't much older than his daughter Sarah Ann would be if she where still alive. Jack felt a twinge in his heart as he thought about his daughter and wondered what her life might have been like. Maybe she'd be a school teacher like Mabel.

"Hello marshal", the teacher spoke to him in the formal manner which was appropriate in the presence of her students, "Please, come in."

"Uhm, no...I don't mean ta bother ya none, I was just lookin'."

"M...mmornin' m...marshal" the little boy spoke as he ran past.

"That's Jeb Duncan's boy ain't it?" Jack asked as he approached the teachers desk.

Mabel nodded. "His name is Sam."

"Can't say's I ever heard 'im speak before. He talks sorta funny don't he?"

"It's called a stutter Jack, and he can't help it" she said impatiently. "I have spent most of the morning trying to protect him from the cruelty of the other children."

"Oh" Jack replied. "Can't ya make 'im stop?"

"Jack! I just told you he can't help it." Mabel put her hands over her face.

"Ah...yah...well I'll leave ya to it then."

Mabel watched him as he left, what was it about that man that made her heart beat faster? She had seen men who were better looking, Clive Bennett for instance. But Clive didn't have that effect on her, why?

As the afternoon class was about to start, Mabel settled the children, then turning her back to the class she wrote the lesson on the blackboard, she heard a few snickers and one or two giggles, but ignored what she thought was an attempt to unfray her nerves, after all, children were supposed to enjoy school.
Suddenly she felt a frantic tug on the back of her skirt, looking down she saw the little sandy haired boy looking back at her with big brown eyes.

"Yes Sam, what is it?"

"MMmm..iss Nn..nestor," he stuttered, "sssss..." he said pointing to her desk drawer.

Heeding his warning, the teacher crouched down and whispered, "Is it a snake?"

"Yes," he whispered back perfectly.

"Thank you Sam, you can go back to your seat."

The little boy did as he was told. Mabel waited for almost half an hour before deciding to open the drawer. She didn't want the other students to know that Sam had told on them.

"You've all done wonderfully with your arithmatics today students, I think you each deserve a special treat." Opening the drawer carefully she spotted the snake, curled up comfortably on the bag of candy. She reached in and gently picked it up, "Well look what I found!" She said, holding it up high so they could all see the large reptile.

There were loud screams from the girls, even some of the younger boys could not control their fear. Most of the older boys shouted in laughter as the girls ran crying for the exit.

Corporal Bennett heard the commotion and ran from his desk to see what the fuss was about. As he stepped outside he saw five or six children running from the school in terror. Unholstering his gun he bolted towards the school, "Get off the street!" he yelled at everyone in his path. As he reached the building he was met in the doorway by Mabel who was carrying a long brown snake.

"No need to shoot corporal, it's completely harmless." Rounding the school she released it in a small patch of grass near the woods.

Later that evening as the teacher sat on Mrs. Duffield's stoop drinking a cold glass of lemonade, she spotted a rider heading towards town, a moment later she realized it was Jack Craddock. "Good evening marshal" she called out.

"Evenin' ma'am. How was yer first day 'a school?" he removed his hat and combed his hair with his fingers.

"I think I'd rather be a saloon girl Jack," she frowned.

"If yer offerin' a coffee I'll let ya bend my ear fer a spell.'

Now that sounded like the cure she needed. "I'll put on a fresh pot, it'll only take a minute." she promised as she hurried inside.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next few days passed without much incident, but she discovered she had one problem child. Kyle Radway Jr. He took great pleasure in disrupting the class and seemed to thrive on humiliating little Sam Duncan every time he spoke. The fact that his mother was Joanna Radway only added to her inability to tolerate him. He was just like Joanna, pompous and opinionated. She had heard him refer to his teacher as 'the squaw' but chose to ignore it. She knew it wasn't the child's fault, it was how he was raised. If she was ever going to win him over Mabel would have to be patient.

Buy by the end of the week her patience was running out and she decided it was time to have a word with Joanna. As she sat at her desk waiting for the dreaded encounter, Mabel braced herself for the wrath of Mrs. Radway's fury.

Hearing Joanna enter the room, she looked up from her work and greeted her, "Good afternoon Mrs. Radway," she forced a smile. "I'm sorry to take you away from your family so close to meal time but this will only take a few minutes."

"Get on with it", the woman scowled. "What is he being accused of?"

Taking a deep breath Mabel continued. "Kyle isn't being accused of anything Mrs. Radway. I was hoping you would have a word with him on my behalf."

"On YOUR behalf? You want ME to help YOU?"

" I was hoping you would talk to him about bullying. I've tried to speak to him about it, but he doesn't listen, something must be done about it."

"MY Kyle bullying? Nonsense. You are the bully Miss Nestor, picking on my son because of your differences with me!"

"No Mrs. Radway. Your son has been picking on a number of students, but one in particular is Sam Duncan. Kyle is being very cruel to him and it must stop or I will be forced to take further action."

"We'll see who takes further action!" she yelled. Joanna Radway seemed to take pleasure in making Mabel's life a living hell.

"Very well then," Mabel said as she got to her feet and began placing her books in their leather binding. "But I warn you Mrs. Radway, if you do not see fit to speak with your son about his behavior then I WILL do something about it myself." With her nose in the air Mabel walked through the door that adjoined her yet-unfinished room to the schoolhouse and slammed it behind her.