By the Way of the Silverthorns

by Grace Livingston Hill

  There was so much eager welcome in the girl’s voice that Curlin’s heart lost a beat before he sat down. She really seemed glad to see him. But likely she only wanted to ask something about Steve.

  “I’ve been hoping you would come over. Curlin, did I do wrong to let that girl come over to your house? You see, first she seemed to think Steve was here, lived her, or something. Then she insisted I send for him at once. Of course I recognized her voice at once as the girl who telephoned to him that night over here. And I didn’t know just what to do about it. It didn’t seem the right thing to send her over there if Steve was there, but I hadn’t seen him around all day, and I didn’t know what else to do. Has Steve really gone away?”

  “Yes,” said Curlin, gravely. “He went this morning, and I’m not sure where he finally brought up. You see he’s been taking flying lessons for sometime now, and he’s off for a job. He thinks he’s got a real one. The telegram came late last night. I don’t know how it’ll turn out, and mother is all jittery about it of course. She feels it is an awful thing to fly.”

  “Oh, Curlin! Of course she’ll feel that! But maybe it will be good for Steve.”

  “Yes,” said Curlin thoughtfully, “I hope so. Of course dad thinks it’s all right or mother never would hear to it. And I got almost to the point where I was willing to see him take up anything, just so he had a job and a little responsibility. You know he’s always been babied a lot at home, and maybe this will sort of steady him. He’s always loved taking risks and all that too. Anyway it will get him away from this dumb bunny of a girl for the time being. But say, I’m terribly sorry you had to get in on the scene of the afternoon. I’m sorry you saw Bruce go for her. It would have been better for me to have dealt with her. There are a few things I could have told her that might have frightened her.”

  “Well, I wasn’t sure whether anybody was at home over there and I didn’t know but Bruce might decide to eat her up, so, as I had sent her over there I thought I was responsible to some extent, and I just flew. I certainly never expected a girl like that to get frightened over a dog. She acted as if she had all kinds of courage beforehand. To hear her talk you’d think she was really tough.”

  “Well, you know there’s something about that dog,” grinned the dog’s owner, “that puts the fear of death into timid souls, no matter how tough they may appear. I’ve seen a mean tramp or two just fairly wither up and turn green when Bruce came out and gave ’em a sample of his voice. And that dog has discernment. He knows a mean nature when he sees one, and he gives ’em plenty.”

  “Yes,” said McRae giggling, “he certainly does. If I hadn’t been so excited I would have laughed. I wished I had a camera. But Curlin, was there anything to be alarmed about in what that girl said about Steve? Could she possibly tell lies enough to get him into trouble? Is she really in with the gangsters, do you think?”

  “Well, I don’t know much about her except that she’s been a hostess or something at one of the night clubs in the city. Can’t be much of a night club to have a girl like that working for them of course, but she doesn’t look to me like one who would stop at anything if she thought she could make a little money. I have no doubt she’ll do all she can if she gets in touch with Steve. I think perhaps she only wants to scare us and win him back. But it may be she is a gold digger and wants to get him into some kind of trouble so she can ask him for money. However, that’s something that time will have to show. Just now there’s some praying to be done. I’m sure about that, and I hope you’ll help. That’s what I really came over to ask.”

  “Of course,” said McRae softly, “you knew I would be doing that.”

  “Yes, I knew it,” said Curlin. “You’re a wonderful friend!”

  Curlin laid his hand for an instant on McRae’s with a quick warm pressure, and then as swiftly drew back. If this should turn out to be Steve’s girl he must not let his own feelings carry him away.

  In the soft darkness he could see dimly the outline of McRae’s lovely face. The tender smile that quivered over her sweet lips. If she had been caring for Steve it must have been dreadful for her to hear the coarse taunts of that girl this afternoon. He longed to put his arm about her and draw her head down on his shoulder and comfort her the way he did his mother sometimes. But perhaps McRae wouldn’t understand. What was there to say? She was just McRae Silverthorn, the good true friend she had always been. She wouldn’t understand why he felt all this so keenly, and he mustn’t let her know that his feelings were more than ordinary. She might be Steve’s girl, in her heart, and he must just act as if that were true until he knew beyond a doubt whether it was or not.

  But it was McRae who broke the sweet silence.

  “Curlin,” she said gently, laying her hand on his arm, “what’s the idea of Steve going off? Do you think he’s aiming to get into the war?”

  Curlin looked at her startled.

  “Why do you ask that?” he said, his voice deeply troubled. “Did Steve ever say anything like that to you?”

  “Why yes, several months ago. I thought he was just fooling, at the time, but it came to me how he had always wanted to be a flyer, and how he said he’d like to get into that war and do something real. Do you think he has that in mind, Curlin?”

  “I’m afraid he has, Rae,” said Curlin with a note of sadness in his voice. “I’m afraid that’s just his idea.”

  “Afraid?” said the girl. “Why do you say afraid? Don’t you think perhaps it might be something that would help Steve to grow up? If I were only sure that Steve is a real Christian I would think that it might be good for him.”

  There was a clear ring to her voice. Not the kind of sound that would come from an anguish or soul if she loved Steve. Or was it?

  “Yes,” said Curlin thoughtfully. “We had thought that, father and I. Of course mother doesn’t know what kind of things Steve has been dipping into lately. Or—at least—does she? I can’t be sure. Mother has a lot more insight into things than we sometimes give her credit for. But dad and I have talked a bit, and it was dad who wanted him to go. Thought it might be the making of him. It was dad who took him up to the airstrip this morning.”

  “That’s good!” said McRae. “Whatever comes you’ll feel glad your father knew about it and was in favor of letting him try. Has he gone to Canada? Don’t worry, I’m not scouting for Mysie,” and she laughed a sad little trill of a laugh.

  “Yes, he’s gone up to get a tryout, or whatever they call it. Some man he met at the flying school told him about it and got him all worked up wanting to go. This man is going to pull some wires to get him in. Of course he has to have a certain amount of training before he gets sent over to the other side, weeks or months or maybe only days, I really don’t know, but by that time you know it might be all over.”

  “That’s true,” said Rae with a cheerful tone, “though of course it doesn’t look much like it now. But at least it gives an interval, and changes the course of Steve’s thoughts. And it gets him away from Mysie’s vicinity. Though she isn’t the only one of that kind in the world.”

  “No,” said Curlin sadly, “Satan has his enemies everywhere. However, I don’t think just that form of temptation is so likely to strike my brother again. He has always seemed to have rather decent tendencies.”

  “Yes, of course,” said McRae. “And I ought to know him pretty well. We’ve practically played together since we were babies. I guess we can trust him with God, can’t we? I think I understand him almost as well as if he were my own brother.”

  “You should,” said Curlin, his mind still trying to solve the problem of whether Rae was caring a great deal for his young renegade brother, and he just couldn’t tell.

  But her voice was almost cheerful now.

  “Well, Curlin, you aren’t going to tell anybody just yet where he is, are you?”

  “Not if I can help it,” said Curlin. “It will be some little time before he knows whether he’ll be accepted or not, and it’s just as well to
keep that piece of dynamite from finding out anything about it, the ways he talked this afternoon.”

  “Yes,” said McRae. “Well, of course you know I won’t tell anybody. But we’d better have some answer ready for the crowd if they ask where he is. Luther might ask, or Paul, or one of the girls when they’re out here. But I should think we could easily put them off. Not that they couldn’t be trusted. But of course what a few know gets to be common knowledge without intention. Does Link know?”

  “Not yet. That’s one thing I came over for tonight, to talk it over with him, that is, if there wasn’t a whole raft of people here. He knows about that girl of course, and he’ll be able to appreciate why I felt it might be a good thing. There’s one thing about Link, anything you tell Link never goes any farther.”

  “No, of course not!” said Link’s sister proudly. “Link never lets you down. Even though I’m his sister, he never let me down.”

  “No, he wouldn’t. He’s been a great brother and a great friend.”

  There was a sweet silence for a moment and then McRae spoke.

  “You’ve all been great, you and Steve too. It’s been like having three wonderful brothers! You’ve all looked after me so carefully, made me have such a nice time growing up. If one of you wasn’t there when I needed you, there were always the other two! I shall never forget that! Do you remember the time the bees were swarming and I got into them and ran screaming away, and you came and helped me to get out of them, and put mud on the stings, and wiped my tears away? I’ll never forget that!”

  “Yes, I remember!” said Curlin gently, “and you were so brave, holding up your little frightened stinging face, and your poor little hands. I remember feeling that I was crying inside with you. I wouldn’t have let anybody know I felt like crying of course, not for the world, but my heart was crying for you, because I knew those stings hurt.”

  Curlin’s hand stole over in the darkness and found hers, and gave it a warm pleasant pressure, holding it close.

  And then they heard Link driving in the gate, and Curlin drew away, more moved than he wanted her to know. It had been hard to say all these things and make them just casual, because his heart was suddenly overflowing with a warmer deeper feeling than he had ever experienced, although for sometime he had known that she was the only girl in the world for him.

  Link came out and sat down with them for a little while. Their mother had made frozen custard for dinner that night, and there was some left in the freezer. McRae excused herself and went after it, and they sat there eating ice cream and sponge cake, and telling Link about the girl and what a time they had had with her.

  Then Curlin told more in detail of Steve’s going to Canada, and the possibilities for him, and how Mysie was threatening all sorts of things. Then McRae said good night and went to talk with her mother about some things they were going to do on the morrow, and Link and Curlin sat some time on the porch and talked it all over again.

  “What do you think I ought to do about the girl, Link? About that threat of hers? Report it to the police? I’d hate to have it get back to mother, and dad. They wouldn’t understand it, and it would give them great pain and humiliation.”

  “I wouldn’t yet, Curl,” advised Link. “You let me make some inquiries about that girl first. I’ve got a few contacts down there in the mission where I go with Lute sometimes that might throw some light on her companions and habits, and my inquiries could never connect the matter with you. There’s a Christian policeman down there that we trust a lot. I’ll see what I can find out and let you know as soon as possible. I believe that girl is only a silly fool with a nice line of baloney that she thinks will get her somewhere. I hope that’s what it turns out to be. But it’s just as well to be sure before we make any rash starts.”

  “Thanks a lot, Link. That eases my mind mightily. There’s nobody on earth I would as soon trust with my perplexities. And I know Steve means something to you too.”

  “I should say he does! But I think it’s fortunate that he was away already when that girl turned up. Sorry to lose his company, and I know how your mother must feel about the flying, but it may turn out to be a great thing for Steve, especially now since this girl is in the picture. Cheer up, Curl! I think Steve is saved, don’t you? And you know the Lord is caring for His own, even though He may not always do it in the way we think it should be done!”

  “Yes, I know,” said Curlin. “I hope he is saved. You know you can’t always tell those things about your own brother. He certainly isn’t as fully surrendered as some I know. You wouldn’t have a question like that about your sister, or Luther Waite, for instance!”

  “No,” said Link thoughtfully, “nor some of the others of course. Curlin, had you been noticing Paul Redfern lately?”

  “No, I hadn’t,” said Curlin, and there was a sudden coolness in his voice.

  “Well, you ought to have a talk with him. He’s really out and out for the Lord. He was down at the mission last night, and had Carey with him. I was surprised about that for she isn’t keen on missions, but she seemed really interested.”

  “Yes?” said Curlin with a rising inflection. And then with sudden interest, “Did McRae go too? She didn’t say anything about it.”

  “No, she wasn’t there. Fran Ferrin came down to stay over night with her. I called up to see if she’d like to come down on the train and let me meet her, but she and Fran had some plan. By the way, there’s another who seems to be asking questions. She and Rae spent the evening studying the Bible. Rae says she had a lot of question to ask, and she started the subject herself. We must remember to pray for her, brother. Say, did it ever occur to you that Steve seemed interested in her at the time of the wedding?”

  “Why, no, Link. I never thought of that,” said Curlin in surprise. “He always enjoys her. She’s very bright, and Steve likes a good laugh.”

  “Well, perhaps I was mistaken,” said Link. “I thought they were together a lot at the time of the wedding. And again that evening here afterwards, charades and so forth, you know. But it occurred to me that if Fran was a Christian she would be a big influence the right way for Steve. However, he’s gone, and the Lord must be working out something right for him. We’ve got a lot to pray about, Curlin.”

  “We sure have!” said Curlin getting up. “Well, I guess I’d better be getting home and snatch a little sleep. We didn’t get much last night at our house, and I’m expecting Steve to call in the morning sometime. You won’t forget to make those inquiries about that girl, Link?”

  “No, I’ll not forget, and if I learn anything important I’ll call you up and let you in on it. By the way, if Steve calls in the morning keep me informed. You know I’m as interested as you are.”

  And so the two parted for the night with a warm handclasp.

  Out in the clear moonlit night Steve Grant was sailing a silver sea, and thinking more serious thoughts than he had ever thought before. Alone in a silver sky with a wide stretch of space about him, going into an unknown country, and taking a chance to be accepted as a volunteer.

  It had not been so planned that he was to fly himself alone to the Canadian airport where he was supposed to arrange for his training. His friend and instructor who had instigated this whole plan had expected to be with him, and be the pilot. But his friend had answered a hurry call from his home at the last minute and Steve, nothing daunted, agreed to go alone. With inward trepidation though outward calm he had started on his way.

  But now as he wended his way skyward into an untried heaven and saw the wideness of it, and the nearness of the stars, and the greatness of the moon, his thoughts were filled with awe. In spite of himself he began to feel as if God were quite near, and he was suddenly conscious that he hadn’t been treating God very well. Oh, he had known Him of course through his parents, through the Silverthorns, and the church services he had been expected to attend whether he liked or not, but somehow he had never considered himself in any personal relation to God. He had always fel
t that he was a pretty nice Steve, and that God of course loved him much. It hadn’t seemed strange to him that God loved him.

  But now as he considered the far empty reaches below him and the unknown sky through which he was passing, he suddenly remembered a great many things in his life that must not seem nice to Go, and a kind of shyness came over him. Perhaps God didn’t find his life so altogether satisfactory as he had thought.

  He remembered some of his actions of late, during college years, and just recently since he was through college. He remembered that girl Mysie who wasn’t at all the kind of girl a child of God should take for an intimate friend. He remembered times when he had deliberately turned away from God, and gone to places that he knew were not good for him. He knew his father and mother would be bowed with shame and sorrow if they knew he had allowed himself to visit them. And then perhaps for the first time in his life he began to realize what sin meant when it came into a life that was supposed to belong to God.

  He didn’t care for the Mysie girl. She had come after him, and it had intrigued him to have a girl so eager for him, so filled with admiration for him. He knew he was good looking, and he liked her to tell him so. He knew it was she who had coaxed him to drink. Not much. Only a few times. The habit of the years of abstinence was still upon him. But she had taught him to think of things that shamed him now. In a way he was glad to get away from her and from all the temptations that she represented. He had plenty of nice girl friends. He thought of some of them now. There were a few he would have liked to have here riding with him now. Yet up there in the silver he was so conscious of God, that other people of earth did not seem to count. It was almost as if he was on his way to God, to be judged to see if he were fit for this job he was going to seek.

  And so he sailed his silver sea in awe, while three to whom he was dear knelt at home and prayed for him, and his mother and father slept soundly, serene in the trust they had in the God to whom they had committed the care of their beloved son.