Read Online Jacob's Way by Gilbert Morris - Free Book Online Page A

had special food, always including two loaves of bread called challah .
    All of these elements were there, for someone had produced a bottle of wine, and each of the worshippers had taken a sip. Some of the hard bread that Reisa had brought served as the food.
    There in the dim light Reisa’s eyes rested on her grandfather constantly. She had always known he was a man who sought after God with his whole heart, and she felt unworthy, for she did not have that drive.
    Sometime during the service Reisa turned to her left, and there in the gloominess lightened by the lantern she saw the huge man named Dov. He was in the shadows, and he was watching her so steadily that her heart missed a beat. She turned quickly away and threw herself into the service, but she could not forget him.

    The day after the Shabbat service Reisa left her place below deck to get some fresh water. This was doled out in small portions, and it had to be accounted for.
    Out on deck, she noted that sundown had come, the sun sinking into the horizon in a blaze of red. She moved along toward the cook shack where the water was kept and doled out by Schultz. Suddenly a pair of arms went around her. She had the impression of a terrible smell and hands were going over her, touching her in a way that no man ever had. A guttural voice coaxed, “Come now, sweet, ’ere’s a man for you!”
    Reisa opened her mouth to scream, but a hard palm clapped over it, and she felt herself being dragged along the deck. Kicking and trying to scream, she tried to break the hold. The tin pitcher she had brought fell to the floor with a clanging noise, but there was no one to hear.
    She saw ahead of her another passageway and knew that it led down to where the sailors slept. They passed a sailor who was coming down the rat lines, and he laughed, saying quietly, “Take her below for some fun, Max—I’ll be right there.”
    â€œNow don’t be fightin’, sweetheart. You’re going to love it! You ain’t never ’ad a man the likes o’ me.”
    Reisa’s mind was blank with terror. She began to pray frantically, but the only thing she could pray was, Oh, God! Oh, God!
    Suddenly she felt herself released. The abruptness of it caught her unaware, and she fell to the deck. Turning swiftly and coming to her feet, she saw two figures. One was the huge figure of Dov. He had grabbed the sailor by the back of the neck and with a tremendous, brute strength had lifted him up. The sailor kicked and was crying out hoarsely, but Dov simply held him there as easily as Reisa held Boris.
    Dov did not speak for a long time, and the sailor began to beg. “Lemme down! You’re—breakin’ my neck!”
    Evidently Dov’s hand began to tighten, and he put his other hand on the front of the man’s throat. For the first time Reisa heard him speak. “You leave this woman alone or I will tear your head off.”
    He spoke in Russian, so the sailor had no idea what he was saying. In any case, he could not answer, for his windpipe was clamped shut. The sailor tugged futilely at Dov’s massive hand, but he might as well have been pawing at steel.
    Another sailor came up and said urgently, “Come on! Let him go, Dov—you’re killing him!”
    Suddenly Dov released his grip, and the sailor fell to the deck. He scrambled to his feet, holding his throat. He reached under his coat for a knife, but the other sailor said urgently, “Leave him alone, Max. Come on.”
    Reisa watched as the second sailor hauled her attacker off, and then she took a deep breath as relief washed through her. Turning to the big man, she said, “I—thank you.”
    Dov did not speak but simply stood watching her. He nodded but said nothing.
    â€œHe would have hurt me if you hadn’t come.”
    â€œYes. Very bad man.”
    An impulse came to Reisa. She said, “Would you come with me? I want to tell my grandfather