Read Online Love Finds a Home (Anthologies) by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Love Stories, Religious, Christian, Widows, Young Women, Clergy, Teachers, Widowers, Gamblers
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fear. The man wearing the eye patch wanted his money, and he was convinced she had it. Not knowing what else to do, Glenna sent up a quick prayer. Help me, God. I need You now .
David reached into his vest pocket, drew out a gold pocket watch and flipped it open to check the time. It was a little after four. Glenna had been gone nearly half an hour. How much more time did she need to cool down? David knew it wasn’t her body that needing cooling though. Glenna had been madder than a wet hen when she’d stormed off without a word of explanation. Had he been a fool to believe he could divulge the secrets of his past and not have her react unfavorably? After being dragged from town to town all her life, never knowing the security of a real home, how else would Glenna have reacted? He thought she’d found a sense of peace when she accepted Jesus as her Savior. Had he undone all that by his untimely confession? If only she’d allowed me to explain , he fretted. I really believed I could tell my story and make Glenna see how God changed me. I’d hoped she might even see how a simple deck of cards can be used for good, to teach others about the Lord .
David rubbed his fingers along his chin, suddenly missing the beard he used to hide behind. I haven’t gambled in years and wouldn’t dream of using marked cards now, much less cheat anyone out of their money . He leaned to the left, trying to see up the aisle. He could see nothing through the small window of the door leading to the open platform. He glanced down at his timepiece again. If Glenna didn’t return to her seat in the next five minutes, he was going out there!
Held at gunpoint, up against the railing again, Glenna felt as helpless as a pitiful baby bird caught between two cats. If only she could make the man believe she had no money. Maybe then he would leave her alone. God, if You see me safely through this, I promise to go back to David and let him explain things about his past , she prayed. Perhaps David really has changed. Maybe he isn’t like Daddy at all .
Glenna leaned her head as far away from the man as possible. She could feel his hot breath against the back of her neck. She could hear his heavy, ragged breathing. “I don’t know who you are, mister, and I don’t understand why you think I have your money, but I can assure you—”
Slap! The man’s fat hand connected to the back of Glenna’s head.
Her head snapped forward. Stinging tears streamed down her burning cheeks, and she clamped her mouth shut in an effort to keep from crying out. Where was God, her Father, now? It appeared as if He had abandoned her, too.
“Garret Moore cheated me outta all my money at the gamblin’ table a few nights ago,” the man sputtered. “I seen him hand it over to you. Then I shot him.”
Glenna gasped. So this was her father’s murderer! The one David had chased. The one who’d vanished as quickly as he’d appeared. Apparently the man had followed them when they boarded the train. He’d obviously been hiding out somewhere, waiting for the chance to accost her. If she didn’t give him what he wanted, there was a good chance he would kill her, too. But how could she give him what she didn’t have? It was an impossible situation. Unless …
“My mother’s ring is made of pure gold,” she rasped. “Might I give that to you, in exchange for the money you lost?”
“I didn’t lose it,” he snarled. “It was stolen from me, plain and simple.”
“I’m sorry about your misfortune, but I have no money, and Mama’s ring …”
“Hang your mama’s ring!” he bellowed. “I didn’t kill a man or board this train for some stupid circle of gold that probably ain’t worth half what your old man took from me.” He squeezed Glenna’s arm, and she winced. “Now, what’s it gonna be, sister? Are ya ready to talk, or do you wanna join your daddy in death?”
Glenna opened her mouth
David reached into his vest pocket, drew out a gold pocket watch and flipped it open to check the time. It was a little after four. Glenna had been gone nearly half an hour. How much more time did she need to cool down? David knew it wasn’t her body that needing cooling though. Glenna had been madder than a wet hen when she’d stormed off without a word of explanation. Had he been a fool to believe he could divulge the secrets of his past and not have her react unfavorably? After being dragged from town to town all her life, never knowing the security of a real home, how else would Glenna have reacted? He thought she’d found a sense of peace when she accepted Jesus as her Savior. Had he undone all that by his untimely confession? If only she’d allowed me to explain , he fretted. I really believed I could tell my story and make Glenna see how God changed me. I’d hoped she might even see how a simple deck of cards can be used for good, to teach others about the Lord .
David rubbed his fingers along his chin, suddenly missing the beard he used to hide behind. I haven’t gambled in years and wouldn’t dream of using marked cards now, much less cheat anyone out of their money . He leaned to the left, trying to see up the aisle. He could see nothing through the small window of the door leading to the open platform. He glanced down at his timepiece again. If Glenna didn’t return to her seat in the next five minutes, he was going out there!
Held at gunpoint, up against the railing again, Glenna felt as helpless as a pitiful baby bird caught between two cats. If only she could make the man believe she had no money. Maybe then he would leave her alone. God, if You see me safely through this, I promise to go back to David and let him explain things about his past , she prayed. Perhaps David really has changed. Maybe he isn’t like Daddy at all .
Glenna leaned her head as far away from the man as possible. She could feel his hot breath against the back of her neck. She could hear his heavy, ragged breathing. “I don’t know who you are, mister, and I don’t understand why you think I have your money, but I can assure you—”
Slap! The man’s fat hand connected to the back of Glenna’s head.
Her head snapped forward. Stinging tears streamed down her burning cheeks, and she clamped her mouth shut in an effort to keep from crying out. Where was God, her Father, now? It appeared as if He had abandoned her, too.
“Garret Moore cheated me outta all my money at the gamblin’ table a few nights ago,” the man sputtered. “I seen him hand it over to you. Then I shot him.”
Glenna gasped. So this was her father’s murderer! The one David had chased. The one who’d vanished as quickly as he’d appeared. Apparently the man had followed them when they boarded the train. He’d obviously been hiding out somewhere, waiting for the chance to accost her. If she didn’t give him what he wanted, there was a good chance he would kill her, too. But how could she give him what she didn’t have? It was an impossible situation. Unless …
“My mother’s ring is made of pure gold,” she rasped. “Might I give that to you, in exchange for the money you lost?”
“I didn’t lose it,” he snarled. “It was stolen from me, plain and simple.”
“I’m sorry about your misfortune, but I have no money, and Mama’s ring …”
“Hang your mama’s ring!” he bellowed. “I didn’t kill a man or board this train for some stupid circle of gold that probably ain’t worth half what your old man took from me.” He squeezed Glenna’s arm, and she winced. “Now, what’s it gonna be, sister? Are ya ready to talk, or do you wanna join your daddy in death?”
Glenna opened her mouth
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