HERE, IN THIS PLACE

"He's got to have more clothes," Joimus stated, stirring the scrambled eggs with cheese the next morning, "and personal items."

"I know," Maximus agreed. "I have already thought of taking him into the mercantile today."

Cort appeared in the kitchen entrance. Again the air smelled delicious. "Eggs?"

"Eggs," Joimus smiled, scooping them out into a large bowl. On the table already were a platter of bacon, two kinds of muffins,hash browns, orange juice and coffee.

Cort took his seat, hungry again after a good night's sleep. As the last of the coffee was being drunk, Maximus broached the subject of outfitting Cort somewhat more completely. "There is a small town not far away. We should be able to find everything you need."

"I don't have any cash, Maximus," Cort protested, "nothing to pay for things with."

"You let me handle that for now, all right," Maximus smiled.

"But...."

"It is my good pleasure," Maximus insisted, "and no burden on me, I assure you."

"Well, soon as I'm able, I'll be paying you back."  How that might be, he had no idea, but it was how he felt and he knew it was the right thing.

Maximus led the way out to their roadster and opened its door for himself. Cort stood staring at it. "How's that thing work? Don't see any place to hitch the horses."

"The horses are under the hood," Maximus chuckled. "It has an internal combustion engine."  He turned the ignition and the vehicle roared to life.

Startled, Cort stumbled backwards, almost falling. "You...you...ride...in that?"

Maximus nodded. "I know it takes a bit of getting used to." He remembered that himself.

Cort saw some horses out of the corner of his eye. "You suspect I could ride one of them?" he asked hopefully.

Maximus turned off the engine. "I suspect that could be arranged." He got out of the car. "Come along this way."

Gratefully Cort followed Maximus toward a large barn, was introduced to East, and was soon astride a dark bay gelding. Maximus had noted the ease with which Cort swung himself into the saddle, though he made no comment. East opened the gate for them and they rode side by side down the country lane toward the Glen.

"Mighty pretty country," Cort ventured. "Nice and green."

"Yes, this part of Australia is quite beautiful. I like it better than the Outback by far."

"Outback?"

"Most of Australia is desert, empty desert. But here there is enough rain for trees and grass."

"Australia," Cort murmured wonderingly. "How in the name of all that's holy did I...?"

"You are here, Cort," Maximus said seriously. "Let us deal with the immediate fact of that and the needs it presents. The rest will come when and if it comes."

Cort studied Maximus' profile as they continued to ride. There was something very composed about the man, almost extraordinarily so. "Have you been here long?"

"In the Glen? Only a few months. My wife and I left southern England to come here at the invitation of her cousin. I have been quite pleased with how everything has worked out." He smiled. "I am, you see, a farmer by nature."

Cort, though, somehow felt there was a lot more to him than just a farmer. Since there was no way right now to find out about himself, he set out to find out what he could about his host. "Were you always a farmer?"

"No, not always. I spent many years in...in the military."

"Ah, you were a soldier then?" That seemed to fit.

"Cavalry," Maximus volunteered.

"English cavalry?" he asked.

Maximus sighed. "Not English, no." How to put this? "I was in the...Italian...army."

"You're from Italy?"

"Spain," Maximus smiled. "I am from Spain."

Cort was puzzled. "I thought...."

"Ah, here we are!" Maximus interrupted, more gratefully than Cort had any idea. "The Glen. Small but growing quite rapidly." As they dismounted, he explained, "The entire town has been built from scratch within a few months. Everything is new, just getting started." He looked meaningfully at Cort. "It has proven a good place in which to find a new start."

Entering the mercantile, he greeted Kim and Cindy, introducing Cort to them as his guest, and then set about guiding Cort to areas where he could choose several sets of clothing as well as grooming supplies. "This...all this...it's too much," Cort protested.

"You have need of it, my friend," Maximus replied.

It took both Cort's and his own saddle bags to hold it all. Cort eyed the different vehicles parked along the street with a wary eye. His and Maximus' were the only horses in town right then and it made him feel rather uncomfortable. This Australia place was terribly different. Different from...what? All he knew was that the vehicles were not something he was in the least familiar with. It didn't dawn on him to ask what the year was. He simply presumed
it was due to the foreign culture.

On the way home, Maximus stopped by the church. Alistair was sweeping off the front steps and stopped, leaning on the broom and smiling at their approach. "We have been shopping," Maximus announced, dismounting.

"Good morning, Maximus, Cort," Alistair greeted. "I see the clothes fit."

"Yes, thank you kindly, Reverend Harris."

"Alistair. I'm not much on formality."  He caught Maximus' eye, realizing the General had brought Cort by for a reason. "Come in, please. I'd like to show you our little church."

Inside, it was cooler, darker, with a quiet peace that always lingered in the air. Cort turned his head as he walked down the aisle, looking at the ceiling, the windows, the simple front altar with its plain cross. He stood there, quite still, at the front staring a long time, then closed his eyes, feeling...something...some pull he could not name but which lay very strongly just out of his grasp. Finally he looked at Alistair. "Would...would it be...all right...if I came back here sometime?"

Alistair smiled. "The door is always open, Cort. You come whenever you like."

"Thank you," Cort sighed. He felt strangely...comfortable...here, in this place.

Behind him, Maximus' lips curved into a small smile.