Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles Volume 3, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in 1831 and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. This is the third in a three-book trilogy. Volume 1 was Amelia Changes Her Tune, while Volume II was Isaac and Wolf Paw Find Their Home.

Autumn came home to a quiet Inn. Emily was at her farm, Katherine and John were home. Isaac and Wolf Paw had traveled to the Wyandot reserve on the upper Sandusky, where Wolf Paw’s tribe and family lived.

Mother and Elizabeth had gone with Joshua and other neighbors to Mrs. Holstein’s farm to help clean it up for the funeral.

The Inn was empty.

Father, helping the girls get down, suggested they let Amelia rest and excused himself to head for the Holstein Farm.

The girls just sat.

“This is so strange. Nothing going on. No guests even,” Amelia said.

“Actually, this is more the way things are when they are normal, at least when we don’t have any guests,” Autumn said. “And things have not been normal here.

“Not that I mind,” she quickly added.

“Quiet is something I like, too, but it doesn’t seem to happen much in Boston, either,” Amelia said. “Even when I am home by myself there always seem to be horses and carts and ship workers making noise, all right outside our windows. This is nice, because it is completely quiet, and we are all alone, with no cares in the world.”

“M-m-m,” Autumn remembered saying, as she felt herself drifting off to a nice afternoon nap.

Suddenly, Amelia was shaking her awake.

“Autumn, Autumn wake up,” she was whispering loudly. “Something is out there. I saw some fur. It’s shaking the bushes. I think it’s a bear!”

Autumn shot up.

A bear? In the middle of the day?

“Where?”

“Over there, I see a claw under that bush!”

“Get up, slowly, back up toward the Inn.”

“Oh Autumn, I’m scared.”

I’m not leaving you behind this time.

The bushes started shaking. The girls started backing up. More shaking. They heard a growl, then a “Moo…”

Moo?

Suddenly they heard muffled laughter, then loud laughter, and out of the shaking bushes came Isaac and Wolf Paw, back from the reserve.

“You buzzards! What do you think you were doing, scaring us like that?” Autumn said.

“Scared? A couple of brave maidens like you?” Isaac said. “We’re just lucky you didn’t come after us with sticks or something.”

I still might.

“So, where is everyone?” Isaac asked.

Autumn could see he was disappointed.

“We’re it,” Autumn said, and she explained where everyone was.

She told him about Mrs. Holstein, but nothing about the runaways, as much as she wanted to. Then she asked about his trip to the reserve. Isaac smiled and held out a bloody piece of fur.

It’s what Amelia had seen under the bush.

“What is that?”

“Just a paw from the bear that I killed,” Isaac said.

“You killed a bear?” Autumn said, looking at Wolf Paw to see if this was a real story, or just “a story.”

Wolf Paw was nodding.

Suddenly Isaac was regaling the girls with his story of being on a deer hunt at the reserve, then being confronted by a bear. He shot three times while running from the charging bear, finally killing it with the third shot.

“Wait, you shot a bear while running away, and you loaded three times?” Autumn said.

Isaac smiled.

“Well, twice actually,” then he mentioned the other part of his trip — traveling to western Ohio to meet a 109-year-old Shawnee Indian chief, and then Simon Kenton, a famous old frontiersman who helped settle Ohio back when it was really unsettled, and who knew how to load his gun while running.

Wolf Paw verified it all. It was becoming obvious that Isaac was a bit of a hero at the reserve.

Busy week for the Zeiters cousins.

It was not long before family started returning to prepare supper, and with each arrival, Isaac retold the story. Wolf Paw even joined in with his experiences and it was obvious to everyone that the boys had returned a lot more grown up than when they had left a week earlier.

Jacob was boasting to everyone. Mother was shaking her head in amazement. Uncle John was obviously worried about what could have happened, and Aunt Katherine just seemed glad to have him back.

Everyone thought the bear claw was disgusting looking, but couldn’t resist examining it up close.

As guests arrived, it became the main topic of discussion, especially when they learned that Simon Kenton and Chief Black Hoof were involved. That brought in many stories of 40 or more years ago. Everyone claimed to have something they knew about one or the other and the bragging and stories flowed freely.

Autumn served the meals, helped with kitchen chores and greeted guests, most of whom wanted to know how she knew Isaac.

It was fun at first, but soon she felt a tug of jealousy.

We both have had some pretty exciting adventures. Isaac gets to tell everyone about his, and they are all dancing about it. I get to keep quiet about the runaways and tell them how proud I am of Isaac!

Autumn thought she was being discreet, but even Father saw that she was being rather short with customers, especially those who suggested that she must be pretty impressed with her cousin.

I am proud of him, but what about me?

“Is my lovely dove upset about something,” Father asked as Autumn was storming toward the kitchen.

He knows. It shows.

Autumn stopped, took a deep breath and motioned for her father to step outside with her.

“Isaac is a real hero. What he did was remarkable and I am very proud of him,” Autumn said.

“I know,” Father said,

“But…”

“But what about me? I mean, I know I’m not supposed to want it, but…”

“But Isaac is getting all the attention and no one knows about what you did.”

Autumn nodded.

“But I know, and Mother knows, and the Days know, and some very grateful runaways know, too.” Autumn sighed.

“Am I bad for wanting praise?”

Autumn saw her Father smile. She wrapped her arms around him.

“Little blossom, you have the glory. Remember, whatever you do in secret, your Heavenly Father will…”

“Reward you,” Autumn said.

“Come on, let’s go serve some guests… in secret.”