Introduction

After promising a town he'd find them water and then failing, Sullivan Harris is on the run; but he grows uneasy when one success makes folks ask him to find other things--like missing items or sons. When men are killed digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel, Sully is compelled to help, and it becomes the catalyst for finding what even he has forgotten--hope.

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Excerpt

One

Kline, West Virginia

Late May 1932

Sulley tore a rag into strips and wrapped each coin before tucking it into the bib pocket of his overalls. Wouldn’t do to jingle as he made his way out of Kline after the sun went down. Was it his fault this place hadn’t had a good rain since Noah started rounding up all the animals two by two? It’d take a miracle to find water around here.

But he’d made the effort. Put on a good show. The second well they’d dug had even produced a little wet down in the bottom. But it was just a seep—not enough to matter. Still, his time and effort oughta be worth what he was tucking away with such care. Of course, not everyone would see it his way. Which was why he’d promised to give dowsing one more try in the morning.

Except he wouldn’t be here come morning. He’d written out instructions for them to dig a well near a snowball bush heavy with powder puff blooms. It was a long shot, but who knew? Maybe they would hit water and he’d be a hero.

A long-gone hero. He tucked the last coin away and settled back to wait for the moonless night to hide his leaving.

Jeremiah Weber was pretty sure Sullivan Harris couldn’t find his own belly button with both hands. But his neighbors had gone and hired the self-proclaimed water witcher, believing he was going to transform Kline by finding wells up on the hills and ridges. Currently, most everyone lived within water-toting distance of Mill Run, which was the only reliable source of water. Even Jeremiah’s well—one of the best around—typically ran dry a couple of times each year. But he always managed—there were springs for drinking and cooking. As for bathing, well, that could wait when necessary.

As if finding a few wells would suddenly bring folks rushing in from the cities. For pity’s sake, did they even want that? He’d read about Hoovervilles popping up around the country, and they sounded terrible. But the deacons at church had this wild notion they could attract businessmen who’d lost almost everything in that stock market mess two years ago. They argued Kline could capitalize on a return to the land and farming— especially with the drought out west—if they could ensure a steady water supply.

Jeremiah shook his head as he stepped up onto Meredith’s front porch. Why they wanted strangers and hoboes moving here and causing trouble, Jeremiah did not know. But then he’d never been one to rock the boat. As a matter of fact, he’d long been the one they looked to when the boat needed hauling to shore, so the hole in the bottom could be patched.

“Meri? You ready?” he called through the screen door. Arnold and Wendy tumbled out, each one grabbing ahold of a leg. The boy was four and the girl almost three. They giggled and grinned up at him. “Alright then,” he said. “Got a good grip?”

“Yes sir,” Arnold crowed, latching on like a baby possum in a storm. Wendy just giggled some more and planted her little bare feet more firmly on top of his right boot. He began to walk around the porch, stepping wide and high as the children clung and laughed so hard tears ran down their cheeks.

“Jeremiah, you don’t have to do that.” Meredith appeared, wrapping a shawl around her shoulders and cinching it at her waist.

He shrugged. It wasn’t any trouble, and young’uns in Kline had little enough to entertain them. Of course, lately, they’d had a water dowser putting on a show. And Jeremiah had a suspicion that’s all it was. “Why they’re giving that man another chance, I don’t know,” he said.

Meredith patted his arm. “Hope springs eternal,” she said. “I think today’s the day!”

“Hope so,” he grunted. Meredith was forever an optimist, which was a wonder when she’d married young, had two babies lickety-split, and then lost her husband to typhus. “Now if I can pry this pair of possums off my legs, we’ll go see if the third time really is the charm.”

They started down the road toward the church, enjoying the warmth of a bright spring day. Jeremiah was well familiar with the church building since it served as their schoolhouse during the week and he served as the teacher. It wasn’t something he’d set out to do, but while he looked like a lumberman, he’d actually gone to college and studied history. He’d meant to be a professor, until his widowed father took sick and he’d come home to look after him. It’d been twenty-five years now since Dad died and the locals asked him to teach their kids so they didn’t have to go so far for schooling. He always had been a soft touch when someone needed help.

Which was why he’d tried to help by suggesting they run Sullivan Harris off. Advice that fell on deaf ears. Just the day before, Sulley said he thought there was a likely spot for water out back of the one-room church, much to the delight of the deacons. Having a good source of water there would be a boon.

The dowser had slept on the ground the night before, claiming it helped put him in “synchronicity” with the water. Jeremiah thought it was all blather and said so, but he’d been outvoted when he suggested they ask for their money back and run Sulley out of the country.

As they approached the church, Jeremiah could see a tight knot of people out front. When Joe Randolph—head deacon— looked up, he saw him blanch.

“Found water already?” he called as they drew closer.

Joe pulled away from the group, his eyes darting all around. “Well, no. It would seem Mr. Harris has left us instructions on where to dig.”

“Instructions? What kind of nonsense is that? Where is he?”

Joe swallowed hard and stuttered, “I-it would s-seem he’s not about.”

Jeremiah knew his face had turned stormy. Joe held both hands up. “Now, the note said he’d stayed for as long as he could. Probably has family eager to see him.”

“Then why in tarnation wouldn’t he have mentioned that before?” Stomping around back, Jeremiah sized up the situation. There was no camp. No bedding laid out by a fire ring. No signs of someone spending the night. “Couldn’t find water so he ran off with your money,” he announced to the group trickling around the corner of the building. “Nothing but a swindler. I told you we needed to ask for that money back!”

Joe licked his lips and looked nervously around the group.

“Let’s not jump to conclusions. He left us information about where to dig.” He held up a piece of paper. “It seems to me we shouldn’t call the man a swindler until we’re certain of the facts.”

“Horsefeathers!” Jeremiah hollered. “When did you get to be so doggone trusting of strangers?”

“But what can we do?” This from another deacon who was wringing his hands. “We borrowed some of that money we gave him from the General Conference. We have to pay it back in a year. Getting a well was supposed to bring more folks in. Help fill the collection plate.” His eyes were wide, and he looked like he might be sick.

“We’ve got our tools ready,” Joe said, sounding like he was gaining confidence. “Best thing is to dig where he said, see if we hit water, and go from there.”

“You’re wasting your time,” Jeremiah said. “Go after him is what I’d do. And quick, too, before he has a chance to get very far.” As soon as he spoke, he realized his mistake. Hope dawned in several eyes, and Meredith stepped closer to curl a hand around his arm and bat her eyelashes at him. “You’d do that for us?”

“I wasn’t . . . what I meant to say was . . .” He looked at the expectant faces around him. These folks scrimped and saved to be able to pay someone to find them water. Never mind that he thought they’d been taken for fools. He let his shoulders fall. “Alright then, dig your well. Here’s hoping I’m wrong.”

By dinnertime, Jeremiah felt pretty sure he hadn’t been wrong. And by suppertime everyone else was in agreement. The well started dry and stayed that way, hope fading with the day’s light. Jeremiah might have enjoyed feeling vindicated if it weren’t for the hopeful looks everyone kept throwing his way. Last thing he wanted to do was light out after some charlatan with a good head start.

Joe, who had stripped to his undershirt and was now covered in grime, hoisted another bucket of dirt from the well and added it to the mound. Jeremiah had taken his turn down in the hole and was now leaning against the side of the church, watching. Joe sighed and ambled over.

“I’m afraid you might have been right about Sullivan Harris.” He wiped his face with a dirty handkerchief. “Thing is, we’re stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea here. Did you mean it when you said you’d go after him?”

Jeremiah felt a knot forming in the pit of his stomach. “I was just saying what I’d do if it were my money. Wasn’t exactly offering.”

“Even so.” Several other folks gathered around, hope shining through the dirt and weariness of the day. Meri and the kids had gone home, but he could still see their woeful faces in his mind’s eye.

“We’ll look after your place for ye.” This from Able Stevens, his eighty-two-year-old neighbor who could outwork most men half his age. “School’s about done, and we’ll help out with gasoline.”

Jeremiah closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, then let the air out like he was rationing it. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” He’d often thought that verse was extra hard. “Alright then.” He let his shoulders drop low. “Too late to start today. I’ll head out come morning.” He was pretty sure he was going to regret this. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

1. Were you familiar with water dowsing before reading the book? Not everyone believes dowsing really works—including Sulley. What do you put your faith in that can’t be proven?
2. When Sulley finds water for the Fridleys and wins their praise, it makes him uncomfortable. Why do you think he was uneasy? Have you ever felt uncomfortable being praised? If so, why?
3. Sulley finds a button that Luisa had completely forgotten about. Have you ever found something you’d forgotten? An old photo, a ticket stub, a child’s drawing—what sorts of emotions did that stir for you?
4. Sulley has been a wanderer for a long time. Why do you think he’s drawn to the men who are suffering at Hawks Nest? Why would a man who tries hard to avoid honest work offer to help dig graves?
5. Gainey lives a simple, quiet life. Why do you think she’s suddenly willing to give that up to help the men at Hawks Nest? What would you have done?
6. Jeremiah could have gone back home, gotten married, and settled down to a comfortable life. What do you think drew him to Gainey enough for him to upend his own life?
7. Did Gainey’s confession that she’d had a child before getting married change your opinion of her? In what way?
8. Jeremiah accidentally spills the beans about Gainey having an illegitimate child. Have you ever revealed a secret without meaning to? What were the repercussions?
9. Why do you think Sulley felt compelled to stick around and try to mark those anonymous graves? Do you think it would really matter if those men were named?
10. Had you ever heard about the Hawks Nest tunnel disaster? Why do you think tragedies like this one are so often forgotten? Why is it important for us to remember?

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