Blessed are the Merciful

by Al Lacy

  Adam was superbly happy that night, lying in bed. He even breathed a prayer, thanking God that he had found the girl of his dreams. He was glad he hadn’t given in to Philipa and stayed in Philadelphia. Sooner or later their marriage would have fallen apart. But he would always be happy with his wonderful Rachel, and he was living in the West where he belonged.

  The next morning Adam went to the Western Union office and sent a wire to Seth and Bettieann Coleman in Omaha telling them of their wedding plans. Four hours later, a Western Union messenger came to Adam’s office with a telegram informing him that Deputy Coleman was tracking outlaws in western Nebraska and was not expected to return for some time. The chief U.S. marshal had contacted Mrs. Coleman, and she sent her congratulations, saying that she would advise her husband of the wedding upon his return.

  July 17 was a glorious summer day in Nebraska. Wayfaring breezes tufted the tall grass on the prairie and made the leaves in the trees dance jauntily. The cobalt blue sky stretched endlessly in every direction.

  Adam drove his buggy toward the hotel to pick up Rachel. He looked resplendent in his best black suit, white shirt and black tie, and shoes so well polished he could see his reflection in them.

  Rachel was no less than dazzling in her soft butter-yellow dress of fine cotton broadcloth sprigged with tiny green leaves. A wide sash of the same green cinched her slender waist and tied in a graceful bow in back. White eyelet lace trimmed the modest rounded neck and elbow length sleeves. A natural straw hat nestled atop her glossy hair.

  At four o’clock, the bright-eyed couple stood before Justice of the Peace James Waldron radiating happiness. Witnessing the ceremony were Mrs. Waldron and Olivia Dahl.

  When the justice pronounced them husband and wife, Adam sweetly kissed Rachel’s lips. The Waldrons congratulated them with a smile and a handshake, but Olivia hugged them both and kissed Rachel on the cheek.

  Rachel tucked her hand in the crook of Adam’s arm and he escorted her toward the door, then stopped to look back and say with a mock frown, “Back to work, Miss Dahl.”

  “Slave driver!” she said, laughing.

  Adam had made a reservation at the hotel’s café for the one room they had for private occasions. He and Rachel had an hour before dinner and decided to take a drive outside of town and just enjoy each other’s company.

  Rachel held on to her husband’s arm as the horse trotted west along the south bank of the North Platte River. A few months ago she had thought she would never be happy again. But now, here she was, sitting beside her husband … the love of her life. A wondrous future awaited her.

  She leaned close to Adam and whispered, “I love you.”

  He took the reins in his left hand, put his arm around her, and pulled her against him. “I love you too, beautiful lady.”

  God has been so good to me, Rachel thought.

  They sat down at the table in their private dining room, almost too excited to eat. When dinner was over and they left the café arm in arm, Adam and Rachel looked toward the spectacular sunset. The lowering sun was painting the broad prairie a brilliant red that stretched as far as the eye could see.

  Rachel’s hand found Adam’s as she said, “What a perfect ending to a perfect day.”

  Adam helped her into the buggy, kissed her softly, and said, “Perfect because today Adam Burke became the most blessed man on the face of the earth.”

  He climbed in beside her and put the horse in motion. They drove through the dusty streets of North Platte toward their little rented home and their new life together.

  On Friday, when Adam came home from work, a pleasant aroma met him at the door. It hadn’t taken long for him to learn that Rachel was an excellent cook. Now he tiptoed to the kitchen door and peeked in. Rachel was sitting at the kitchen table, reading a letter.

  Her hands were trembling, and she was sniffling.

  He went to her quickly and said, “Honey, what’s the matter?”

  She looked up at him through a film of tears. “I’m crying happy tears, darling. Look here.” She took out a check from Aunt Esther’s envelope. “My precious aunt sent us a hundred dollars as a wedding gift.”

  “Well, that was awfully nice of her. We’ll have to write and thank her.”

  Rachel laid the check back on top of the envelope and picked up a second letter. “And this is from Daddy.”

  Adam’s eyes fell on the envelope. The return address was the same as Esther Holden’s, but a gasp escaped his lips when he saw the name Joseph Mason.

  “What’s wrong?” Rachel said, frowning up at him.

  “Nothing. It just surprises me that you got a letter from your father. You know … being an alcoholic and all. What does he say?”

  “Here. I’d like you to read it.”

  Adam began reading. Joseph’s handwriting was sharp and clear as he told his daughter that within days after she left for Nebraska he came to the end of his rope, and for the first time he listened as his sister told him the gospel and they read together from the Bible. For the first time in his miserable life he saw what Jesus had done for him on the cross. Esther had led him to the Lord on June 6. Immediately after opening his heart to Jesus, he had thrown away every liquor bottle.

  He went to church with Esther the next Sunday and was baptized. He had not touched a drop of alcohol since the day he got saved. Jesus had not only saved his soul from hell but had taken away the power of alcohol over him. He was free in body and soul.

  He had been offered a job at a Memphis brokerage firm. With his years of experience as owner of American Securities Company, he felt he would do well there. He told Rachel how sorry he was for not having been a good father. He asked her to forgive him and told her he loved her. He also asked her to greet his new son-in-law for him.

  Adam’s insides were churning. Nancy Mason’s husband, Joseph, had owned the most successful brokerage firm in Philadelphia—American Securities Company.

  He handed the letter back to Rachel. “I’m glad your father found a way to overcome his drinking problem.”

  “My aunt has long been a Christian. She’s talked to me about being saved many, many times. Daddy taught me to stay away from that ‘religious fanaticism’ from the time I can remember, but now I’m wondering if there really isn’t something to it. I expected that any day Daddy would die from his drinking but … his letter sounds so wonderful. I can hardly believe the change.” Rachel left her chair and went to Adam, putting her arms around his neck. “Honey, are you all right?”

  “Yes. Yes, I’m fine. I’m just … so overwhelmed to hear this good news about your father.”

  “You go get washed up. Supper will be on in fifteen minutes.”

  “We haven’t talked about church or that sort of thing, Adam,” Rachel said while they were eating. “What do you think? Daddy’s change is really marvelous. Is there something to it? Believing in Jesus and being saved, I mean.” Adam seemed preoccupied and didn’t respond. Rachel reached across the table to grasp his hand. “Honey, are you sure you’re all right?”

  “Oh. Uh … yes. I think there just might be something to it. Pastor Gann has talked to me about it at length, and I’ve thought about Jesus on the cross a lot since then. It could be everything Pastor Gann says it is.”

  Later that night as they lay in the darkness holding each other, Rachel said, “Adam, would you like to know more about becoming a Christian? There’s been such a change in Daddy, what Aunt Esther has been telling me all these years has to be true. Why don’t we go see Pastor Gann tomorrow and let him explain it some more?”

  “Maybe we ought to go to church Sunday, like we told Pastor Gann we would.”

  “I think that would be a good thing to do.”

  Rachel awakened the next morning tired and listless from a troublesome night. She and Adam sat at the breakfast table barely picking at their food, and she could tell Adam had not slept well either.

  Rachel kissed Adam and sent him off to work, then cleared the table and did
her morning chores. All the while the words of her father’s letter kept running through her mind. She poured herself a second cup of coffee and read the letter again. She stared out the kitchen window at the white clouds drifting on the high winds, and recalled Aunt Esther’s letters and their conversations over the years.

  Suddenly, Rachel knew she couldn’t wait till Sunday. She undid her apron, tidied her hair, and hurried out the door.

  Deputy U.S. Marshal Seth Coleman guided his horse down Main Street at the west end of North Platte. His chase had led him almost to the Nebraska–Wyoming border before it came to an abrupt end. He had decided to see Adam Burke on his ride back to Omaha, and planned his route through North Platte.

  Seth spotted his friend coming toward him on the boardwalk. He put the horse to a fast trot, removed his hat and waved it, calling, “Adam! Hey, Adam!”

  Adam was caught momentarily off guard, then smiled at seeing his friend and waved back. He left the boardwalk and headed into the street.

  As Seth slid from his saddle, he noted a man sitting on a horse in line with the bank’s front door. He was holding the reins of two other horses.

  Just then, Adam rushed up and slung an arm across Seth’s shoulders. “It’s so good to see you, friend. I wired you that I’d found my mail order bride and was getting married on the seventeenth. Your office said you were chasing outlaws in western Nebraska.”

  “That’s right. I left a couple of dead outlaws with the Kimball County sheriff. Thought I’d come through here and see how you were doing. I’m really glad to hear that you’re married!”

  Suddenly, gunshots came from inside the bank. Seth moved with catlike speed and grabbed the man in front of the bank, pulling him off his horse and slamming him to the ground. He shouted to Adam to take cover.

  Two men carrying smoking guns and a canvas bag bolted from the bank. Adam froze in his tracks.

  “Adam! Take care of this one!” Seth shouted.

  Adam darted to the man on the ground and drove a hard punch to his jaw. A bullet hummed past his ear. It stunned him a bit, but he managed to hit the man again with enough power to drop him cold.

  When Adam looked up, he saw the other two robbers lying on the ground with bloody shoulders. Seth was picking up their guns, and two male bank employees picked up the money bag. By the time Sheriff Ben Colter arrived, everything was under control. He holstered his gun and listened as people on the street told him what Adam Burke and the deputy U.S. marshal had done.

  While Colter was shaking hands with Seth Coleman, Adam felt something moist running down his right jaw. He put a hand to it and realized his ear was bleeding.

  “Adam, you’ve been hit!” Seth said.

  “A bullet hummed past my ear, but I didn’t feel anything.” Adam pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to his ear.

  The bank president joined them, telling Sheriff Colter that no one inside the bank was hurt. The robbers had only fired into the ceiling to frighten everyone into submission.

  “Adam,” Colter said, “you need to let Doc Holcomb have a look at that. I’m glad it isn’t worse.”

  “What about these two over here, Sheriff?” one of the bank employees asked. “They’ve both got bullets in their shoulders.”

  “I’ll need some of you men to take them to Doc. I’ll haul the one Adam laid out to the jail and lock him up.”

  Seth stayed with Adam while Dr. Harry Holcomb treated the wounded ear and put in two stitches. “Mr. Burke, you just about left this world today,” Holcomb said as he bandaged Adam’s ear. “If that bullet had been an inch and a half closer, they’d be digging your grave right now.”

  The hair bristled on Adam’s neck. “That was close, wasn’t it?”

  “Too close,” Seth said. “Your new bride came within an inch and a half of becoming a widow.”

  Adam was shaken, though he tried not to show it as he and Seth walked out of the doctor’s office. “I’d like you to meet Rachel,” Adam said. “Do you have time?”

  “I’ve got to be back on the road in a little while, but if we can go see her right away, I’d sure like to meet her.”

  “Our house isn’t far. Come on.”

  Seth led his horse as they walked, and Adam talked about the ads he had put in several newspapers. He explained about the letters that came from young ladies in several parts of the eastern United States, but how Rachel’s letter captured him the moment he read it.

  Seth tied his horse at the front porch and followed Adam to the door. When they moved inside, Adam called, “Rachel, I have somebody here I want you to meet! Where are you, sweetheart?”

  No answer came, and Adam went out to the backyard. Not finding her there, he searched the rest of the house. He then told Seth to wait in the parlor while he went to the closest neighbor. He returned in minutes.

  “The neighbors said they saw Rachel walking toward Main Street earlier this morning. She could be in any store in town. It might take some time to find her.”

  “Probably be easier just to let her come see us,” Seth said. “I can wait a little longer before riding out.”

  “Good. I hope she gets back before you have to go. In the meantime, I need your help.”

  “I’d be glad to help anyway I can.”

  “You told me before you left for Washington, D.C., that you had been born again.”

  Seth’s face lit up. “That’s right.”

  “The pastor here has talked to me about it, but I’ve been foolishly putting it off.”

  “Well, I think we both were reminded today that a person never knows when he might be snatched out of this life.”

  “That’s exactly why I brought it up.” Adam touched the bandage on his ear. “If I had been killed today, I’d be in hell right now. God has given me a warning, and I’m not going to reject His Son any longer. I want to be saved, Seth. Will you help me?”

  The day was getting older, and Rachel still had not come home. Finally Adam walked Seth to his horse and they embraced, pounding each other on the back. Seth mounted his horse and looked down from his perch with a grin.

  “Oh. I almost forgot to tell you. We’re putting a U.S. marshal’s office in North Platte. Be about six months. Now that I know you’re here, I’ll make application to work out of this office. I’m sure Rachel and Bettieann will become friends, just like you and me.”

  “I have no doubt of that,” Adam said.

  Seth put his horse to a trot. When he reached the corner he paused and waved. Adam wiped tears from his eyes and waved back.

  ADAM BURKE’S HEART WAS FILLED WITH JOY as he entered the house. He glanced at the clock on the mantel and realized he had been gone from the office a long time. By now Olivia had probably heard of the shooting. He must go back to the office and let her know he was all right.

  Adam left the office again a little past 3:30 and headed for home. If Rachel wasn’t home by this time, he would search through town until he found her. He felt a little nervous about telling Rachel he had become a Christian, but as he pondered their recent conversations he thought she would want to be saved, too.

  As he drew up to the house, the front door was open. He hurried across the porch and into the house, calling her name.

  “Adam, darling!” Rachel called from the kitchen. “What are you doing home this early?” She came through the kitchen door with flour on her hands and stopped when she saw the bandage on his ear. “Adam! What happened?”

  He took her in his arms and kissed her, saying, “I’m not hurt bad, honey. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m glad it’s not serious, but what happened?”

  “You haven’t heard about the bank robbery?”

  “No. I’ve been at the Gann home since this morning. Barbara and I heard some shots, but we thought it was probably someone just outside of town hunting rabbits or pheasants.”

  Adam told her about the attempted bank robbery and of the part his friend Seth Coleman played in foiling it. In the exchange of shots a b
ullet grazed his ear.

  “That bullet was too close. You could’ve been killed!”

  “I know. It was a close call.”

  She wrapped her arms around him and held him close for several minutes. Then she eased back and looked into his eyes. “Would you come into the kitchen, darling? I’m making bread, but I need to talk to you. It’s very important.”

  Adam sat down at the kitchen table. Rachel placed the dough in the oven, then wiped flour from her hands and sat down facing him.

  “Adam, I told you a moment ago that I was at the Gann home.”

  “Yes. What were you doing there?”

  “I … I had a bad night last night. Didn’t sleep much.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “The reason I couldn’t sleep was because I was so troubled about the things my aunt has talked to me about over the years. I couldn’t wait till Sunday to get right with God. I went to the parsonage to talk to Pastor Gann. He wasn’t there, but Mrs. Gann … Barbara … asked if she could help me. I told her I was there because I wanted to be saved, Adam. I hope you understand.”

  “I most certainly do.”

  Rachel sighed, a look of relief on her face. “Barbara took me through the Scriptures to make sure I understood. Adam, I took Jesus as my Saviour. I’m a Christian now.”

  “I’m happy for you, honey.” There were tears in Adam’s eyes as he reached across the table to grasp her hands. “Now, let me tell you a story.”

  The words tumbled from Adam’s mouth as he told Rachel he had brought Seth to the house to meet her, and while they were waiting, Seth had led him to the Lord.

  “Seth told me the first thing to do now is to let Pastor Gann know what happened and to tell him I want to be baptized.”

  “Adam, Pastor Gann came home while I was still there. I’m already set to be baptized Sunday morning. Oh, praise the Lord! We can be baptized together.”