She was surprised after almost ten years that the Bid a bit Auction House was not only still in business, but online. She googled Moose County and read about this northrnmost rural county. She read about towns called Pickax, Brrr, Dimsdale, and she read of abandoned mines with historal markers and about the vacation town of Mooseville, across the great lake from Canada. It sounded like a fantasy, almost like Mayberry........she went to several sites and read about this far away land and decided trhen and there it sounded like a good place for a vacation.

Emma Kate Kanton was ready for a vacation. After a long marriage of 27 years, and retirement from a long teaching career she found herself at loose ends. She had not taken time to have a vacation in so long, themore she thought about it, the more it appealed to her. She went back online and made reservations for a rental cabin on the lake near the town of Mooseville. She called her children and informed them of her intentions. She took her car in for a check up the next day and began shopping for supplies. Before the week was over she was packed and ready to go. The only problem was...what to do about her cat. She had a blac and white tuxedo cat, a female named Mrs. Slocomb, from the British comedy on BBC, Are You Being Served. She came to the conclusion the cat would just have to travel with her. She cleaned the cat carreir and added fresh litter to the litter box. It was a crisp spring morning when Emma Kate headed out for her adventure. Her children were not crazy about her going alone, but she did not have a friend available to go with her. Mrs. Slocomb yeowed and meowed the first fiftenn miles, and then seemed to go to sleep. To put the boredom at bay, Emma talked to Mrs. Slocomb as they sped down the interstatae. The soon lost this highway for a two lane state road as the proceeded northward.

A radio announcer was SINGING the weather report....she stopped her work and stared at the radio. It made her chuckle to herself. After the car was unloaded and she had unpacked she decided to drive back into Mooseville to get some food supplies. She stocked up on ingredients to make salads, some fresh fish, staples and food for the cat. She was leaving Main street when the sign for the shop "Elizabeth's Magic" caught her eye. She parked and went in. A very tall young man asked if he could help her and she said no, looking up to find his face, she would browse. The store was filled with interesting items and she purchased some herbal bubble bath for herself and wind chines that appeared to be hand made with a metal sculpture of a cat. A lovely young lady rang up her purchases and asked, are you on vacation? Yes, I am, replied Emma. I will slip in osone brochures of area interests in your bag she said. What sort of things do you like to do? Emma replied, I love used book stores and thrift shops and I paint and love to grow things. I also love good resturaunts. The young woman introduced herself as Elizabeth hart and the man as Derrek Cuttlebrink. Elizabeth told her she must visit the used book store int he basement of "The Pirate's Chest" in Pickax, as well as Onoosh's Resturant, The Old Grist Mill, The McIntosh Inn to eat. She also mentioned a new Nursery in Pickax. I wll have to visit this Pickax while here then, Emma Kate answered. Elizabeth told her of the Old Goodwinter Museum, the Art Center, and a Theater club. Emma Kate told her she was not particularly interestd in boating or sailing. When Emma got home she went through some of the brochures with great interest. One of them was for, of all things, The Bid a Bit Auction house that had brought her to Moose County.

"To Kill a Mockingbird". Qwill said in his smoothest voice, "That is a good American classic story." She turned and looked bright green/hazel eyes with a fleck of yellow in the corners on him. "Yes, she said, in a low musical voice, it is. She smiled a grand smile at him and he felt the edges of his mustache tingle and a pleasant warmth spread over him. She walked out the bookstore and he looked after her. Attractive woman, Lisa Compton said. "Yes", Qwill answered, she is.

By the time Qwill go to the street, the "attractive woman was getting in a silver compact car. He noticed an out of town license plate.

Emma Kate Kanton drove from the book store to Toodles Market. She said to herself, what a quaint little store. She went in and browsed the food aisle. She decided on red leaf lettuce, mushrooms, onion, some herbs, potato, tomato, some chicken breasts and a steak. She got to the cash register and looked out the store windows. The man who had been behind her in line at the bookstore was entering the market.

Qwilleran walked into Toodles Market just in time to see the attractive lady from the bookstore leaving. He thought about approaching her again, but could not think of a thing to say that would not appear as if he was following her.

He hesitated and she was gone.

He picked up some can shrimp and sliced turkey for the cats and drove home to his condo. The cats greeted him my raising their heads from the most comfortable chair in the room, where they had been sleeping. Koko opened one eye and then closed it. Good Day Koko, I have been to the ends of the county and back to purchase your dinner. How are you old boy? At this Yumyum opened one eye and closed it. It was almost noon so he got out the kabibbles they like for their noon treat and put their dishes, making as much noise as he could. Yumyum bounded in the kitchen, but Koko stretched and yawned and slowly ambled in.

Love how beth described the cats, content and happy.

The sun rose and a bright beam pierced through the slit in the bedroom curtain. It landed right in Emma's eyes. She stirred and stretched. It was going to be a glorius late spring day, sun shining and endless time stretched before her. She decided to take an early morning walk on the beach. She turned left and walked down the beach, breathing in the fresh air and gazing out at the lake. She passed a house that was painted yellow with white trim. A tuxedo cat was in the window. A woman was coming down the stairs toward her. Hello, the woman called. Hello Emma said, smiling. I'm Mildred Hanstable, I think you might be my new neighbor. I am renting the A frame house, Emma replied, for the summer. We call that the Dunsfield house Mildred answered. Would you like some company Mildred said? Yes, that would be fine. The two woman walked side by side down the beach for at least a half mile, then turned and walked back again. By the time they arrived back at Mildred's house, Emma had learned that she was a retired teacher, food editor for a local paper, crafter, loved to cook and enjoyed service projects for the community. She told Mildred that she too was a retired teacher, loved to thrift shop, and liked reading and crafts. As Mildred turned to leave, she said to Emma, I am giving a little "welcome summer" party in two weeks, for the summer residents of Mooseville, won't you come? I would love to , Emma replied, can I bring my famous blueberry cobbler? That would be delightful, Mildred clapped her hands and said with enthusiasm. At that they parted ways. When Emma got back to the house she fed Mrs. Slocomb and prepared some cereal with fruit for her breakfast. Then she settled down for a read. She picked up To Kill a Mockingbird and was soon lost in the story.

Throughout the next week, Qwilleran kept running into the tall green eyed tourist as he went about his daily routine. He passed her on the road. He saw her getting into her car in front of Exbridge and Cobb Fine Antiques. He saw her wallking on the beach in front of his cabin. On Thursday, he ran into Mildred Huxtable at the Moose County Something, the newspaper that was managed by Mildred's husband and his lifelong friend, Arch Riker. They chatted and Mildred mentioned the upcoming dinner. She mentioned Lisa and Lyle Compton, and then she metnioned her new friend Emma who had rented Buck Dunsfield's old house two doors down from her on the beach. She is a lovely woman, Mildred said, a retired teacher and she has the most glorious Auburn hair and bright green eyes. Qwill perked up at this statement, and said, I think I have seen her around, is she tall? Yes said Mildred. She is tall.

The following week he dressed for Mildred's dinner party with care. A crisp light blue button down shirt with thin almost unseen white stripes, a navy sports jacket and khaki pants with his deck shoes, brown leather he polished to a high gleam. He had been for a hair cut at the Cannary Mall and a mushtache trim. He talked to the cats as he left. Now be good and don't do anything I wouldn't do. I am going to Uncle Arch's and Aunt Mildred's house. I will bring home something interesting. He decided to drive instead of walk and arrived right on time. Mildred had cavier and cream cheese with thin crackers out on the deck table and Lisa and Lyle Compton were there talking to a couple he did not recognize.

Emma Kate Kanton woke up early on Saturday morning. She had set her alarm clock to check on Mrs. Slocomb. She put on her robe and went in search of the cat. She looked in several places before finding her on the dryer, asleep on some clean clothes. She seemed to be resting well. She had given Emma a scare the night before. Emma was so glad Moose County had an emergency clinic. They had given her fluids and some medicine and observed her for a coupld of hours. They did not think it was serious. Emma stepped out on the deck in her robe and stretched. She was disappointed to have missed the dinner party last night. She was ready to be a little more social. Her first week in Moose County had gone quicklly, her second week a little more slowly and she was beginning to tire of her own company. She thought she might like to drive out to the Bitd a Bit Auction house and inquire about the beautiful indian dress she had purchased a decade before. She shook her head at the thought, they would have no idea what she was talking about, so much time had passed. But it was an idea. She also had not visited the Goodwinter Museum or the Nursery. She loved to browse among plants and bushes. She might by a rosemary plant to put on the deck and use for cooking. As she turned to go indoors, she caught site of a man walking down the beach with the strangest thing she had seen in quite awhile. He had a cat, a siamese cat on a leash. He caught sight of her and threw up his hand to wave. She recognized the mustache. She had seen him around town. She waved back and since she was in her robe, quickly turned and went inside to put out a little light breakfast for Mrs. Slocomb.

Monday Qwill drove to downtown Mooseville to use a fax machine and send a Qwill Pen column to the Something. He had written 1000 words on the "homey" dessert known as the cobbler. He ran into Roger, a reporter for the Moose County Something and his old friend. Roger was in Mooseville reporting on the Memorial Day Plans and festivities that would be taking place the following weekend. Roger said, Qwill, Sharon is down below with the kids on a field trip. I am a bachelor tonight. Would you like to go out to eat? That sounds good Roger, Qwill answered. What about Oonoosh's? I'll meet your there at six, Roger answered. Qwill asked, what sort of festivities is Mooseville planning for Memorial day? A sailboat regatta, community picnic, bike race and a band playing patriotic t unes after the picnic. Sounds good, Qwill said. Some of the local shops will put a table of wares out on the sidewalk to sell as well. See you tonight Roger said. Roger was the son in law of Mildred Hanstable and he and his wife home schooled their children.

That night, when Qwill arrived at Onoosh's, as he pulled into the parking lot, he thought he caught sight of hair with a reddish sheen in a silver compact car.

Wednesday morning, the phone rang in Qwilleran's cabin early. So early it caught him before the automatic coffeemaker had done its job. He answered a gruff hello and Mildred Hanstable said, Qwill, oh Qwill you will never guress what happened. What, Mildred, I am not good at guessing games so early. Our neighbor,

He had no way of knowing really what animal had made the tracks, but he was in a panic and could not think of anything else to do. He trotted at a brisk pace calling Koko, and treat, where are you good boy? Let's have a read...........He was winded and panting but kept going, when suddenly the animal tracks turned toward the dry powdery sand, away from the shoreline and disappeared. He looked up to see where he was and how far down the beach he had trotted when he saw a figure standing on the deck of the old Dunsfield cottage. He held his hand to cover his eyes and squinted as the bright sun pierced his vision. It was the attractive young tourist and in her arms, craddled like a baby was a siamese cat. His mustache began to tingle and he ran up the wooden ladder to the deck. Koko old boy, there you are, good boy he coooed, fearing Koko would spring out of the womans arms and take off again. When he arrived on the deck, panting and gasping for air, he at first thought this is not Koko, this must be her siamese. The the cat closed one eye as if to wink at him and curled up tighter to the woman and purred like any ordianry cat, rathaer than the intelligent, crime solving being Qwill knew him to be who prossessed an ability to communicate with him and had sixty whiskers! That scoundrel, Qwill thought, look at him acting like an average cat. Hello the woman said, here sit down, no come inside by the fan and I will get you some water. She looked at Qwill as if she thought he was going to pass out any minute or faint. He allowed himself to be led in and sat in a comfortable chair under a ceiling fan and the woman, still holding koko purring brought him some water. He drank a long drink and put it down.. Koko looked at him and jumped down from her arms and with great regal aplomb walked away and began sniffing the room.

The woman said, My name is Emma Kate Kanten, I believe we bumped into each other at the bookstore one timel. I'm Jim Qwillern, Qwill said, I am so sorry to intrude on our vacation, but Koko got out and he is strictly an inside cat. I was frantic. How can I ever thank you for rescuing him. Emma said, well, I was sitting on the deck and he came right up to me and jumped in my lap and would not get down. I have seen you walking him on a leash and recognized you. I had planned on calling Mildred Hanstable to see how to return him.

Just then they heard a loud crash and a clatter.

Emma Kate watched Qwilleran and Koko walk down the beach until they disappeared from site. She thought, what a loving cat! She turned to the phone and called Mildred Hanstable and said, Mildred, I am so new to this area, I don't want to make a bad mistake from lack of knowledge of the area and customs. A nice man just asked me to dinner and I accepted. He said it was to thank him for my rescue of his cat. Do you think I should go? Do you think he considers it a "date"? I have not dated since my divorce. Mildred said, goodness, what was the man's name? Emma answered, Jim Qwilleran. I have seen his picture in the paper so he must work for your newspaper. I have also seen him around town. Qwill's cat? One of Qwill's cats needed to be rescued? Yes, a Siamese. Oh he must have been out of his head with worry. He loves those cats so much. Emma, yes you most certainly can go out with Qwill. You will not have to worry about him making inappropriate romantic moves on you. He is very much a gentleman and he not only works for the newspaper, but technically owns it. He is our dear friend and is very much single if you are worried he is married. Oh dear, Emma put a hand to her face, I had not thought he might be married. They hung up with Emma wondering what does "technically owns it" mean. She walked to her bedroom to pick out something to wear.