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thePeople's LZOEOL SSGZILLZZ 6 06°6$ ZN ‘0S'°6$ NV Friend DC THOMSON “The People’s Friend” Puzzles book is the very best collection of top-quality brainteasers. From fun wordsearches and kriss krosses to more challenging logic problems, Sudoku and cryptic crosswords, they’re all here. thePeople'’s Friend As well as the Straight Talking and cryptics, crossword fans will enjoy the Missing Links, which are a great test of word association skills, and if you fancy yourself as a general knowledge expert, don’t miss the Quiz Crosswords. Or course, even the keenest puzzlers need to take a moment to reflect and recharge their solving batteries, and the Set the Scene puzzles are perfect for relaxing and taking in the beautiful images while enjoying a cuppa. PFPLE £5.99 FREEPHONE: 0800 318 846 Please quote appropriate code. Lines open 8am - 6pm Mon - Fri. Please have your credit/debit card details to hand. LJ www.dcthomsonshop.co.uk DC Thomson & Co Ltd and its group companies would like to contact you about new products, services and offers we think may be of interest to you. If you'd like to hear from us by post, please tick here J telephone, please tick here FJ or email, please tick here (J. From time to time, carefully chosen partner businesses would like to contact you with relevant offers. If you'd like to hear from partner businesses for this purpose please tick here (J. Available while stocks last. ©DC Thomson & Co Ltd 2021 THE COWBOY'’S TREASURE by Jill Barry A New Challenge KATIE WELBURN glanced at the schoolroom clock. In five minutes she’d hand her pupils over to their nursemaid and take her letter from Aunt Ginny into the garden to reread. My dearest niece, [t is a while since we corresponded and | trust you are in good health and are enjoying your duties. | also hope the children in your charge are progressing to your satisfaction. Katie, | intend to retire from teaching here 4 in Pine Springs and to move into a cabin | purchased. | shall live there as soon as the school semester finishes for the summer. | recollect you telling me you weren't entirely comfortable in your position and intended to search for new employment. If you were to take over from me here you'd have full use of the schoolhouse. | cannot quote salary details as the governors will need to confirm that on the basis of my recommendation. My good friend, Mr Curtis Johnson, whom I’ve known for many years in his role as chairman, is confident the other governors will be agreeable to your taking over at the beginning of the new school year this Fall. | wish you to give this proposal serious consideration. | think you'd enjoy life out here and the arrival of a kinswoman would please me greatly. If you are happy with my suggestion please inform your employers of your decision immediately. | will contact an agent in Liverpool who can organise your steamship ticket and send you instructions regarding your departure. | will, of course pay for your passage. ! look forward to receiving your response. Your loving aunt, GINNY. Katie hadn’t taken long to reach her 5 decision. Her aunt had visited England only once since emigrating to Jessamine in the USA and had paid particular attention to the little girl with the same vibrant, copper mop of curls as her own. Her aunt’s curls would have lost their lustre over the years but Katie still carried an image in her mind’s eye of the smiling lady who had told her tales of life in a strange- sounding land across the ocean. Aunt Ginny's description of the school where she taught had encouraged Katie to take her own studies seriously and to find a place as a governess once she became eighteen. Having lost both parents, she'd longed to find a place within a tamily. Now she pulled her thoughts back to the present. In a few years they would be in the 20th century. If life was throwing her a challenge, a chance to find real contentment, she must keep a clear head. The children’s mother would return soon. Dr Sawyer’s day was unpredictable but Katie had written a note and left it on the hall table requesting to see Mrs Sawyer as soon as possible. She helped her charges clear away their books and slates and looked up as Beatrice, the children’s nursemaid, tapped and entered the room. Beatrice, as usual, ignored her and 6 clapped her hands. “Come, children, your mother has instructed me to take you for a walk while the sun’s still shining.” She turned and finally graced Katie with a condescending smile. “I'm sure you won't mind tidying up, Miss Welburn?” “It will be my pleasure, Mrs Cuthbert,” Katie replied, relieved she had an escape from this cold and unwelcoming household. The only person who looked out for the governess was Jack Myers, the young man who ran the doctor's stables as well as helping in many other ways. Luckily, she found her pupils eager to learn, so she focused on making lessons as challenging yet enjoyable as possible. “Mistress says, once you're finished here, she'll see you in the drawing-room.” “Thank you, Mrs Cuthbert. Good work today, children. I'll make sure your mother knows how industrious you've both been. Enjoy your walk.” “Can't you come, too, miss?” Amelia Sawyer turned her wide-eyed gaze on her governess. Katie dropped to her level and smoothed back a lock of the child’s hair. “I'm afraid not today, Amelia. You can tell me all about it in the morning.” Katie didn’t miss the malevolent glance from the nursemaid but she was accustomed to ignoring these slights. “Edward, that includes you, of course.” The older boy nodded, an improvement on his normally uncaring manner. Fleetingly she wondered what their next governess would make of things. Her predecessor had lasted only six months before returning to her home intent, so Jack the stableman said, upon finding herself a husband or another governess position. It didn’t matter which as long as she escaped! Katie had been amused at the time, not yet used to the ways of this household. With everything in order she hurried to her poky room, splashed cold water on her face then tidied her rebellious red curls. She fancied her hazel eyes sparkled at her from the looking-glass as though sharing some secret knowledge. Katie sent up a little prayer for courage, took a deep breath and headed downstairs. She tapped on the drawing-room door and obeyed the command to enter. Her Only Friend RELIEVED to have her resignation taken care of Katie slipped through the kitchen door to find Jack Myers. She always enjoyed visiting the stables, which in previous times doubtless would have contained several horses. Now Jack took charge of only two. He looked up as she approached and smiled a welcome. At once she told him about her aunt's letter. “I'd no idea you were so unhappy, Katie. This is a shock.” Jack tapped the rump of the chestnut gelding he’d been grooming and sent the horse trotting into the paddock. Katie could see he was upset, as her employer had been. But what was she Supposed to do? She had no idea whether she had any relations living in the British Isles. If she did she didn’t know how to find them and any attempt might end in tears. Her aunt was offering her not only a home and a job but also kinship. Her parents had lived in rented accommodation and had left very little money. What remained was hidden in a modest treasure box entrusted to Mrs Sawyer for safekeeping. _inere really was nothing to keep Katie ere. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, Jack, and I'd be foolish to miss it.” He nodded and sighed. “| did wonder If, maybe, you and me...” He reddened and cleared his throat. “If maybe we could begin courting, like. “I've been trying to pluck up courage to ask you for weeks now, and then this happens!” Katie hadn’t expected such a declaration from the young man she thought of as her only friend in the Sawyer household. “Oh, my word, that’s so kind, Jack. You're always so cheerful and seem happy to talk to me whereas | don’t think the doctor and his wife or the indoor staff care tuppence about me.” “More fool them! Is the mistress happy to let you go, then? Pardon me for saying so, but that don’t seem right. “Couldn't you come to some kind of agreement? | know you feel you're neither fish nor fowl here.” “It's true. | think the domestic staff tear that I'll tell tales to the mistress, even though, as you know, | see as little of Mrs Sawyer as | can get away with. 10 “Once, | overheard the doctor telling her it was time to hire a male tutor for Edward, but no-one for poor Amelia. “No, | don’t feel | owe this family anything. To be fair, Mrs Sawyer did try to make me change my mind. She even offered me a little more money. “When | told her what an opportunity it was I'm certain she could see |’d made up my mind. “| imagine Doctor Sawyer will want to have a talk with me later. Or maybe he'll be rubbing his hands at getting rid of me! I'll send off my acceptance to my aunt as soon as | can get to the post office. Then | will just have to wait patiently for my travel Instructions.” Jack nodded glumly. “If that’s what you want, then I’m happy for you, Katie.” “There will be a girl waiting for you somewhere along the line, Jack. You mark my words.” Even that didn’t raise a smile. “| need to Tinish up here now. The doctor should be back soon and it won't do for him to catch us talking.” Katie sighed. “Yes, even though it’s such a little thing that makes life bearable. Our employers have no idea how to keep their staff happy.