It seemed to Christobel as at last she watched the great silver bird of a plane come floating down onto the airstrip that her heart would burst with joy. Her two wonderful men, Rannie and Philip, coming back to her again. And Rannie had found the Lord Jesus. That was best of all.
In spite of Mr. Kershaw’s best efforts, somehow the secret had leaked out, and a great crowd of friends and strangers and newspapermen and cameramen and small boys and girls and businessmen and everybody was down on the airstrip to greet them when they landed.
Rannie got out looking white and thin but still with his same old twisted grin, and there arose such a shout as it seemed to Christobel that the whole earth could hear. Then the reporters rushed up with their notebooks, and the cameramen dashed in circles all about the plane, taking pictures of Rannie and Philip and the plane and the other flier. Finally they all got away and Mr. Kershaw led them to the car.
Rannie paused and looked at it with admiration.
“Oh, boy! That’s some car!” he said. “Somebody loan it to ya? Whose is it, Dad?”
“Yours, Rannie, that’s the one you are going to take back to school with you!”
Rannie grinned. He thought it was a joke.
“You forget, Dad, I’m expelled from school,” he said.
“No, you’re not expelled any longer,” said his father, smiling. “Your dean has rescinded the action, and they want you to come back and take another try. They have forgiven the whole class for your sake. They’ve been great, Son. They even wanted to give a large sum toward your ransom.”
“Say, that’s great,” said Rannie thoughtfully, “but all the same, Dad, I can’t go. I’m gonta get a job an’ help you out, and you’re not gonta go any further inta debt gettin’ me cars, that’s a cinch. You failing in business and all!”
“That’s all right, Rannie,” said his father. “The business is holding its own, and we’ll make out. You’re going back, and you’re going to have this car. And as for you, Philip—” He half turned around in the seat and looked back where Philip and Christobel sat hand in hand, without seeming to be in the least embarrassed. “You may ask what you will to the whole of my kingdom, for all you have done for me and my boy.”
“Well,” said Philip, with a twinkle in his eye and a glance at Christobel, “I certainly appreciate that. It’s too soon to ask what I want, I know, but I’m serving you notice that someday I’m going to ask you for Christobel to be my wife.”
The father cast a quick, happy, surprised look at the two in the backseat, saw the starriness of his daughter’s eyes, and smiled with a great sigh of relief.
“It’s all right with me,” he said, with a tender look at Christobel. “If you can make her see it that way, go ahead.”
“She does,” said Philip joyously. “We haven’t said much about it to each other. There hasn’t been any chance, but she does!”
Then Rannie, who had been driving and hadn’t paid much attention, suddenly burst into the conversation.
“Say, Dad, what about no ransom? Get onta that? Isn’t that great? You won’t havta pay any ransom at all.”
“But I don’t understand. How did Philip work that?”
“Oh, he didn’t work that part. God did that, I guess.”
“But how? I don’t understand,” said the father.
“Well, ya see, I found that little piece of the Bible, an’ I read it, and it said ya only had ta believe ta be saved. I heard the men talkin’ about shovin’ me off a cliff when they got scared, an’ I figured it was time ta get ready fer the next world, an’ when I read that little book I found it was dead easy, Dad. Just accept what Christ has done. So I just believed. And then I asked Him ta look out fer the rest an’ He did, that’s all. Didn’t ya read my telegram?”
Why, yes,” said the puzzled father, “but I didn’t quite understand.”
“Well, ya see, I promised Him ef He got me outta there, I’d b’long ta Him always after, an’ I’d let everybody know right off the bat, so I wanted you ta understand before I got home. He ransomed me. You didn’t havta. Ever read John three sixteen, Dad? Ya oughtta read it. It’s wonderful! Say, Dad, this car is great. Gee, I’m glad I’m home! You all look good ta me. But I’m gladdest of all you don’t have ta pay any ransom for a poor old wreck like me.”
GRACE LIVINGSTON HILL (1865–1947) is known as the pioneer of Christian romance. Grace wrote over one hundred faith-inspired books during her lifetime. When her first husband died, leaving her with two daughters to raise, writing became a way to make a living, but she always recognized storytelling as a way to share her faith in God. She has touched countless lives through the years and continues to touch lives today. Her books feature moving stories, delightful characters, and love in its purest form.
Grace Livingston Hill began writing stories in 1877 at the tender age of twelve and didn’t stop until her death in 1947. But what may be more amazing is that she has sold over 84 million copies and is still loved by young and old alike.
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