Read Online The Calling of Emily Evans by Janette Oke - Free Book Online

commotion outside and Emily realized it was coming from where the horses were tethered.
    She scrambled out of the buggy and ran to the door of the old barn. Shadow was causing the stir. He had exhausted the supply of grasses that he could reach on his short tether. In his greediness to feed on the rain-drenched grasses, he had managed to break the post and was now doing battle with a rickety fence. His halter rope still held him prisoner, for which Emily was thankful, but he had entangled himself in broken rails and rusty wire.
    Emily ran forward, wondering how she was going to get the frantic horse and the broken fence free from each other.
    “You think you’re hungry,” she scolded in frustration.“You’ve been feeding most of the night, but I’ve had nothing and—” But Shadow, still stomping and blowing, was in no mood to sympathize.
    The horse needed to be quieted and the harness removed. Emily found this task most difficult, for the horse would not cooperate. At last she was able to pull the harness free and hang it on a portion of still-standing fence. Then she set to work trying to get the gelding to step through the broken rails and boards while she coaxed and urged him with tugs on the halter rope. He balked and snorted and dug in his hooves with each tug, finally backing up to the place where he had started.
    Through the whole process Emily couldn’t help but notice Star. She stood apart, head up, eyes alert and ears forward. Now and then she gave a quick snort as if to tell Shadow that life had played some cruel trick on him and she was in total sympathy.
    Emily wished she could voice her own opinion about the circumstance. At last she did, speaking directly to the mare.“It’s his own stupidity that got him where he is. I don’t feel one bit sorry for him—and you needn’t, either!”
    “Oh, I don’t. I don’t,” a male voice responded, and Emily whirled around, her face red with exertion. She had been so engrossed that she hadn’t heard anyone approach.
    The man who stood there was big and burly and roughly dressed. His beard—not trim and well kept but bushy—seemed to be there simply because the wearer felt it too bothersome to be rid of it. His clothing hung haphazardly on his oversized frame, and his trouser legs were tucked carelessly into the tops of his boots as protection against the wetness of the morning.
    As Emily’s eyes took in the appearance of her unexpected visitor, he leaned slightly to the side and spat on the ground.
    “Whatcha doin’ here?” he asked gruffly. Emily realized he had not moved an inch toward helping her.
    “I’m—I’m trying to get my horse,” she answered defensively, her eyes flashing as she spoke.
    “Thet I can see,” the man threw back, “but what’s yer horse doin’ on my property?”
    His comment sobered Emily as she quickly surveyed the damage that Shadow had done and was still doing to the fence. At once she became contrite.
    “I—I’m sorry,” she began lamely.“I—certainly didn’t mean to damage your—”
    But he cut in sharply.“I never suspected ya set out to tear down my fence. But ya still ain’t answered my question.”
    Emily’s attention went back to Shadow, whose head was jerking up and down against the rein. Emily didn’t really blame him. He was standing in an awkward position, his legs sprawled over broken rail poles while two people who could help him continued to chatter. Emily tried once more to lead him to better ground.
    Again he balked and snorted; then Emily felt herself being jostled to one side as the halter rope was grabbed out of her hand and the big man took charge.
    Emily was glad to move out of the reach of both of them. She scrambled across the broken boards just as Shadow made a giant lunge and sent pieces of wood scattering as he headed for clear ground.
    “Whoa-a,” called the big man. Shadow obediently whoaed.
    Without a word to Emily he tossed the halter rope her way and began to throw the