Gulch

The Farm

Henry fetched his wife and they all three went inside.  By this time, Dorothy had guessed what was happening and followed them in, clutching Toto to her.

Almira went for the throat the moment they were all together. "That dog's a menace to the community!" She snapped, pointing at Toto, "I'm taking him to the sheriff to make sure he's destroyed!"

Dorothy's eyes got wide and she held her dog closer.  "Destroyed?  Toto?  Oh, you can't!  You mustn't!  Auntie Em!  Uncle Henry!  You won't let her, will you?"

Henry was instantly softened.  "Of course we won't, will we Em?"

Dorothy turned to her aunt.  "Please, Aunt Em," she implored, "Toto didn't mean to.  He didn't know he was doing anything wrong.  I'm the one that ought to be punished!  I let him into her garden.  You can send me to bed without any supper!"

Almira ignored the annoying little girl and continued to address Mr. Gale.  "If you don't hand over that dog, I'll bring a suit that'll take your whole farm!  There's a law protecting folks against dogs that bite!"

Emily saw her niece's crushed countenance and endeavored to come to an agreement.  "How would it be if she kept him tied up?  He's really gentle... with gentle people that is."

Almira overlooked the jab.  "Well, that's for the sherif to decide.  Here's the order allowing me to take him." 

She found time to savor her next next words before she let them drip off her tongue like poisoned honey.  "Unless you want to go against the law."

As Henry read the order, Emily spoke to her niece.  "Now, we can't go against the law Dorothy, I'm afraid poor Toto will have to go."

Triumph surged up in Almira, but she barely showed it.  "Now you're seeing reason."

Dorothy snapped and almost shouted at Miss Gulch.  "I won't let you take him! You go away, you... Oooh I'll bite you myself!"

Emily caught hold of her arm. "Dorothy!"

But her niece was not deterred.

"Uncle Henry!" she cried, "Auntie Em! Don't let her take Toto! Don't let her take him please!"

Emily didn't look at her. "Put him in the basket Henry."

Dorothy burst into tears. "Oh don't, uncle Henry! Please! Please don't!"

"We can't go against the law Dorothy," Henry said reluctantly, not meeting her gaze.

Almira gave a malignant smile. Dorothy rounded on her furiously.

"You're nothing but a wicked old witch!"

Miss Gulch was horrified, but she was not done being surprised. When Dorothy had rushed to her room, Emily stood up straight and addressed her old enemy.

"Almira Gulch!" She fumed, "just because you own half the county doesn't mean you have the power to run the rest of us!  For 23 years I've been dying to tell you what I thought of you!  And now... well... being a Christian woman, I can't say it!"

Almira wanted to strike the woman before her, then recollected that she had the dog.  She strode off with her prize, her limp miraculously gone. About to mount her bicycle, she stopped suddenly at a strange sight.

Sticking out from behind the barn, was something large and shiny. A thought occurred to her that this could be something dangerous. She may be able to attack the Gales for having it.  Walking her bike towards the thing, she saw the three ne'er do well farmhands gathered around it.

Hickory was tinkering with something on the side of a machine of some sort.  His gloves were sticking out of his pocket and the machine was spurting oil all over his hands.  The contraption consisted of a boiler, wires and various funnels.  It seemed to be made out of tin and had a windmill like thing on its top.