in Jessie's arms.
"I'm staying too," Thomas exclaimed, having sat very quietly through this exchange.
"Of course you are!" Doug told him boisterously and scooped him into his arms. "Of course you are. I'm going to need help with the calves, and the kittens would miss you so much if you left. And, before you know it, you'll be in school too. "
"Will I have a slate?"
"Yes, you will. Your very own."
Thomas looked over at his sister. Lizzy was looking right back. The adults looked on as the two exchanged a smile of pure delight. Doug felt his throat clog all over again. He turned his face and laid his cheek against Thomas' hair. It was all too wonderful to be real.
As much as he wanted to hold this child for hours on end, it was a relief when Jessie announced just a short time later that it was bedtime. Doug carried both children on his back amid much laughter, and after they left, Rusty felt too emotional to speak. Her eyes slid shut against a rush of tears.
You did it, Father, You worked a miracle in her heart. Thank You, Lord; thank You from the bottom of my heart.
Watching her from his seat, Chase remained quiet. His own prayers were much along the same vein.
***
"I think the children and I should go with you to the train."
"Are you certain, Jessie?" Rusty questioned, concern lowering her brow. She and Doug had returned from seeing the children to bed, and she had wasted no time in telling Rusty what was on her mind.
"Yes. I've thought a lot about it, and Doug agrees." She paused for just a moment. "I have this horrible image of Doug taking the two of you off tomorrow and the children and me here on the porch watching you go. I'm so afraid that one of them will turn to me and say they want to go too. And here I'll be watching the dust of the wagon with nothing I can do about it.
"The train is more final. Doug and I will be together as we watch you leave. The children, Lizzy specifically, may have second thoughts, but the four of us can stay in town and make a day of it. We can take the children to the bank and set up savings accounts in their names, like we've always dreamed of doing. Then we'll stop at the schoolhouse on the way home and talk with Miss Kay about the best time for Lizzy to start. I don't want to bribe the children, but I honestly think it's better this way. "
Rusty found herself looking at Chase. "How can I argue with that?"
"I don't think you can," he told Rusty, complimenting Jessie at the same time. "It's an excellent idea."
"I never got that train schedule from you, Mr. McCandles," Rusty suddenly recalled. "What time do we need to leave?"
"The morning train pulls out at 8:25."
"All right. I think we should be on it. Will that work for you?" Rusty asked, turning to her hosts.
"Certainly," Doug assured her. "Whenever you need to leave."
Conversation turned to the final preparations. Rusty had documents on the children's births that she brought down from her room, as well as some papers from the orphanage for Doug and Jessie to sign. It was not late when Doug asked her if all was settled, but as soon as Rusty rechecked everything, she took herself off to bed, her heart still overflowing with thanks. Tired as she was, she did not fall right to sleep, but that was all right. The job was complete, and she knew nothing but peace. She took the next minutes to pray for each and every child still at the orphanage in Manitou. She got through the girls but fell asleep somewhere between Bradley Coffers and Jimmy Kettlesen.
***
Chase thought she might cry, but it didn't happen. She was quiet while they found their seats and stowed their bags, but she did not cry. Even after the train pulled away and she waved to the children from the window, her eyes were dry. She had not exhibited signs of being the weepy type, but for some reason Chase still expected tears.
Even having seen otherwise, he still asked, "Are you all right?"
"Yes." Her voice was soft, her eyes focused straight ahead. "It helped
"I'm staying too," Thomas exclaimed, having sat very quietly through this exchange.
"Of course you are!" Doug told him boisterously and scooped him into his arms. "Of course you are. I'm going to need help with the calves, and the kittens would miss you so much if you left. And, before you know it, you'll be in school too. "
"Will I have a slate?"
"Yes, you will. Your very own."
Thomas looked over at his sister. Lizzy was looking right back. The adults looked on as the two exchanged a smile of pure delight. Doug felt his throat clog all over again. He turned his face and laid his cheek against Thomas' hair. It was all too wonderful to be real.
As much as he wanted to hold this child for hours on end, it was a relief when Jessie announced just a short time later that it was bedtime. Doug carried both children on his back amid much laughter, and after they left, Rusty felt too emotional to speak. Her eyes slid shut against a rush of tears.
You did it, Father, You worked a miracle in her heart. Thank You, Lord; thank You from the bottom of my heart.
Watching her from his seat, Chase remained quiet. His own prayers were much along the same vein.
***
"I think the children and I should go with you to the train."
"Are you certain, Jessie?" Rusty questioned, concern lowering her brow. She and Doug had returned from seeing the children to bed, and she had wasted no time in telling Rusty what was on her mind.
"Yes. I've thought a lot about it, and Doug agrees." She paused for just a moment. "I have this horrible image of Doug taking the two of you off tomorrow and the children and me here on the porch watching you go. I'm so afraid that one of them will turn to me and say they want to go too. And here I'll be watching the dust of the wagon with nothing I can do about it.
"The train is more final. Doug and I will be together as we watch you leave. The children, Lizzy specifically, may have second thoughts, but the four of us can stay in town and make a day of it. We can take the children to the bank and set up savings accounts in their names, like we've always dreamed of doing. Then we'll stop at the schoolhouse on the way home and talk with Miss Kay about the best time for Lizzy to start. I don't want to bribe the children, but I honestly think it's better this way. "
Rusty found herself looking at Chase. "How can I argue with that?"
"I don't think you can," he told Rusty, complimenting Jessie at the same time. "It's an excellent idea."
"I never got that train schedule from you, Mr. McCandles," Rusty suddenly recalled. "What time do we need to leave?"
"The morning train pulls out at 8:25."
"All right. I think we should be on it. Will that work for you?" Rusty asked, turning to her hosts.
"Certainly," Doug assured her. "Whenever you need to leave."
Conversation turned to the final preparations. Rusty had documents on the children's births that she brought down from her room, as well as some papers from the orphanage for Doug and Jessie to sign. It was not late when Doug asked her if all was settled, but as soon as Rusty rechecked everything, she took herself off to bed, her heart still overflowing with thanks. Tired as she was, she did not fall right to sleep, but that was all right. The job was complete, and she knew nothing but peace. She took the next minutes to pray for each and every child still at the orphanage in Manitou. She got through the girls but fell asleep somewhere between Bradley Coffers and Jimmy Kettlesen.
***
Chase thought she might cry, but it didn't happen. She was quiet while they found their seats and stowed their bags, but she did not cry. Even after the train pulled away and she waved to the children from the window, her eyes were dry. She had not exhibited signs of being the weepy type, but for some reason Chase still expected tears.
Even having seen otherwise, he still asked, "Are you all right?"
"Yes." Her voice was soft, her eyes focused straight ahead. "It helped
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