Read Online Sarah's Choice by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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strawberry jelly Maria had made before her eyesight had gotten so bad. “I was eight years old when I started leadin’ the mules that pulled Pappy’s boat.”
Sarah cringed. She wouldn’t even think of taking Sammy out of school so he could walk the rutted towpath for hours on end, the way she and Kelly had done when they were girls. “Didn’t you go to school at all after you began walking the mules?” she questioned.
“Went durin’ the colder months when the canal was shut down, but by the time I was twelve, I’d begun cuttin’ ice with Pappy during the winter. Then in the spring when the boats started up again, I’d quit school and start walkin’ the mules.” Ned puffed out his chest. “Got pretty good at it, too, I might add.”
Sarah was glad she and Kelly had been allowed to attend school during the winter months. Mama had taught them some on the boat before bedtime, too, so at least they’d gotten a fairly good education.
Turning her thoughts aside, Sarah ladled some stew into three bowls and set them on the table. She was about to tell the children to bow their heads for prayer when the back door opened. Betsy and Pastor William stepped in. The solemn look on Betsy’s face sent a chill up Sarah’s spine.
“What’s wrong?” she asked fearfully. “Didn’t you find Sammy?”
Pastor William shook his head. “No, but we know where he is.”
“Wh–where is he?”
“He’s with Elias—leading his mules.”
Sarah gasped and grabbed the back of a chair for support. “But how can that be? This morning I specifically told him that he couldn’t lead those mules, and Elias heard me say it, too.” She looked at Pastor William. “When Elias’s boat disappeared, I thought you must have found a mule driver for him in town.”
He shook his head. “I couldn’t find anyone, and when I went to the place where Elias had tied up his boat, he was gone. So I figured he must have found someone on his own.”
White-hot anger boiled inside Sarah, and she clenched her fists in frustration, until her nails dug into her palms. “How could that man have taken my son when he knew I didn’t want Sammy to go?”
Betsy shook her head. “That’s not how it happened, Sarah. William and I just spoke to Mike, and he heard what Sammy said to Elias at the store this morning.”
Sarah’s eyebrows squeezed together. “What are you talking about? I sent Sammy to school, and Elias was going to wait until Pastor William found someone to lead his mules. How could Mike have heard Sammy talking to Elias at the store?”
Betsy explained about the conversation that had taken place between Elias and Sammy. “Apparently, Sammy never went to school. Instead, he convinced Elias that you’d changed your mind and had given your permission for Sammy to go with him.”
Sarah stomped her foot, and winced when a jolt of pain shot through her ribs. “I never changed my mind, and I can’t imagine that Sammy would lie and say that I had.”
“So what are you sayin’?” Ned spoke up. “Are you sayin’ that the storekeeper was lyin’?”
“I’m not saying that at all. What I think is that Elias was so desperate for someone to lead his mules that he talked Sammy into going with him. Who knows, maybe he even told Sammy that he’d spoken with me again, and that I’d said it was all right for him to go.”
Ned shook his head. “Elias would never do nothin’ like that. He’s a good man—and an honest one, to boot.”
Sarah clasped Pastor William’s arm. “Would you go after my boy and bring him home?”
Pastor William slowly shook his head. “They left hours ago, Sarah. They’re probably halfway to Easton by now. I think the best thing we can do is trust God to take care of Sammy and wait for him to come home.”
Sarah blinked back tears that were stinging her eyes and sank into a chair at the table with a moan.
“Not to worry,” Ned said. “Elias will take good care of your boy.”
Sarah couldn’t
Sarah cringed. She wouldn’t even think of taking Sammy out of school so he could walk the rutted towpath for hours on end, the way she and Kelly had done when they were girls. “Didn’t you go to school at all after you began walking the mules?” she questioned.
“Went durin’ the colder months when the canal was shut down, but by the time I was twelve, I’d begun cuttin’ ice with Pappy during the winter. Then in the spring when the boats started up again, I’d quit school and start walkin’ the mules.” Ned puffed out his chest. “Got pretty good at it, too, I might add.”
Sarah was glad she and Kelly had been allowed to attend school during the winter months. Mama had taught them some on the boat before bedtime, too, so at least they’d gotten a fairly good education.
Turning her thoughts aside, Sarah ladled some stew into three bowls and set them on the table. She was about to tell the children to bow their heads for prayer when the back door opened. Betsy and Pastor William stepped in. The solemn look on Betsy’s face sent a chill up Sarah’s spine.
“What’s wrong?” she asked fearfully. “Didn’t you find Sammy?”
Pastor William shook his head. “No, but we know where he is.”
“Wh–where is he?”
“He’s with Elias—leading his mules.”
Sarah gasped and grabbed the back of a chair for support. “But how can that be? This morning I specifically told him that he couldn’t lead those mules, and Elias heard me say it, too.” She looked at Pastor William. “When Elias’s boat disappeared, I thought you must have found a mule driver for him in town.”
He shook his head. “I couldn’t find anyone, and when I went to the place where Elias had tied up his boat, he was gone. So I figured he must have found someone on his own.”
White-hot anger boiled inside Sarah, and she clenched her fists in frustration, until her nails dug into her palms. “How could that man have taken my son when he knew I didn’t want Sammy to go?”
Betsy shook her head. “That’s not how it happened, Sarah. William and I just spoke to Mike, and he heard what Sammy said to Elias at the store this morning.”
Sarah’s eyebrows squeezed together. “What are you talking about? I sent Sammy to school, and Elias was going to wait until Pastor William found someone to lead his mules. How could Mike have heard Sammy talking to Elias at the store?”
Betsy explained about the conversation that had taken place between Elias and Sammy. “Apparently, Sammy never went to school. Instead, he convinced Elias that you’d changed your mind and had given your permission for Sammy to go with him.”
Sarah stomped her foot, and winced when a jolt of pain shot through her ribs. “I never changed my mind, and I can’t imagine that Sammy would lie and say that I had.”
“So what are you sayin’?” Ned spoke up. “Are you sayin’ that the storekeeper was lyin’?”
“I’m not saying that at all. What I think is that Elias was so desperate for someone to lead his mules that he talked Sammy into going with him. Who knows, maybe he even told Sammy that he’d spoken with me again, and that I’d said it was all right for him to go.”
Ned shook his head. “Elias would never do nothin’ like that. He’s a good man—and an honest one, to boot.”
Sarah clasped Pastor William’s arm. “Would you go after my boy and bring him home?”
Pastor William slowly shook his head. “They left hours ago, Sarah. They’re probably halfway to Easton by now. I think the best thing we can do is trust God to take care of Sammy and wait for him to come home.”
Sarah blinked back tears that were stinging her eyes and sank into a chair at the table with a moan.
“Not to worry,” Ned said. “Elias will take good care of your boy.”
Sarah couldn’t
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