Secrets of the Heart

by Al Lacy

  The boy’s body was trembling, but he seemed to grow calmer as he laid his head on her shoulder.

  Kathleen wished she could believe what she’d just told Caleb.

  Inside the mine, Tom Harned lay on his back with the fallen beam across his pelvis. The darkness was so thick he could feel it. He moved his arms and found dirt and rocks piled on both sides of him. He’d tried to move the beam, but it wouldn’t budge.

  After the cave-in, Tom called out to the other men who were in the mine with him but got no response. Dale Roy, Ed Harris, Stedman Stewart, and Darrold Manley all were young men with wives and small children. He hoped they were still alive.

  One thing he knew: he was trapped in a small enclosure, and there was no air getting in.

  He was sweating profusely, and hot pain wrenched at his muscles. Inability to move his body was bad enough, but the stygian darkness was almost unbearable. And then there was the silence—the eerie dead silence that hung in the black hole like a pall.

  Tom strained to push away panic and suppress his ragged breathing to conserve oxygen.

  He wondered if someone had gone after Kathleen and Caleb. Or did they even know yet about the cave-in? And what about the wives and children of the other four men?

  Time seemed to drag, yet there was no way to know how much time had passed. Maybe it’s night already. Maybe—

  It was getting harder to breathe.

  He listened for any sound of voices or scraping of shovels. Nothing but silence except for the sound of his own labored breathing.

  Tom wished he could tell Kathleen and Caleb just one more time that he loved them.

  It was getting harder to fill his lungs with air. He strained against the weight that held him to the tunnel floor, but the huge beam was not about to budge.

  His thoughts flashed to Pastor Bruce Humberts sermon the day they had visited the church, and the times Hank Mitchell had tried to get him to open his heart to Jesus. He had not listened to Hank, either.

  And now Thomas Harned was about to die. He would go into eternity to face the God who had sent His Son to die for sinners. Tom had foolishly and stubbornly rejected Jesus Christ, thinking that to become a born-again Christian was to become a wild-eyed fanatic.

  Even Caleb’s questions at supper one night floated to the forefront of his mind. “What’s hell?” Hell is where I’m going! Tom thought, his throat going dry. How wild-eyed would he be when he dropped into that awful place?

  He clenched his fists in helpless terror and rolled his head back and forth on the floor of the tunnel. “O God! O God!” he gasped. “Don’t let me die and go to hell!”

  Suddenly he thought of the passage that both Hank and Pastor Humbert had shown him in the Bible:

  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

  With his fists still clenched, Tom Harned laid claim to the Scripture promises and called on the Lord Jesus to save him. He asked to be forgiven all his sins. Admitting that he was a sinner, he threw himself on the mercy of the One who had said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

  On the other side of the heap of rock and dirt—some thirty to forty feet thick—the miners labored frantically, calling out to the trapped men as they shoveled their way deeper into the mountain.

  At the mouth of the mine, Kathleen was trying for all she was worth to put on a brave front for Caleb and for the other wives and children.

  While they huddled with their children, the wives of Ed Harris and Stedman Stewart were audibly praying to God for the lives of the trapped men.

  In his hopeless position inside the mine, Tom Harned sucked hard for air and said, “Thank You, Lord Jesus, that Your Word is true. I know I’ve been forgiven. I know You have saved me. Death is close, but I know You will take me to heaven when I take my last breath. Thank You! Please…please take care of Kathleen and Caleb. Work on Kathleen’s heart and bring her to You…and Caleb, too. He understands more than I’ve given him credit for, Lord. Please keep Your hand on them, and—”

  Suddenly Tom heard faint thumping sounds. Then the sounds grew slightly louder.

  Picks and shovels! The rescuers were working their way toward him!

  “Thank You, Lord!” he gasped.

  Tom breathed as shallowly as he could. After several minutes, he could make out the sound of voices, and abruptly a tiny ray of light appeared above him in the direction of the mine’s mouth.

  Air! He was getting air!

  The digging sounds, mixed with the sound of voices, quickly grew louder. After a few more minutes, Tom recognized Hank Mitchells voice calling, “Hey! Can anybody hear me! Tom? Dale? Sted—”

  “Hank!” came a loud reply. “It’s Darrold! Dale, Stedman, and Ed are here with me! We’re right in front of you, and we’re okay! I don’t know about Tom. He’s farther back!”

  “Hold on!” called Hank. “We’ll get you out!”

  Tom drew a deep breath and shouted, “Hey, can you hear me?”

  “Its Tom!” cried Ed Harris. “Yeah, boss, we can hear you! Hank, Toms alive! We just heard him!”

  Tom could hear muffled cheers. “Hey, Hank!” he yelled. “Can you hear me?”

  “Just barely!” came the reply.

  Tom took another deep breath and shouted, “If Kathleen’s out there, tell her I’m all right! I’m pinned beneath a beam, but I’m all right!”

  The wives and children of the trapped men were collected at one spot outside the mine. Kathleen was doing her best to keep the others optimistic while fighting her own inward fears.

  Suddenly Jack Wilmot ran toward them, waving his arms and shouting, “They’re all right, ladies! All five of them! Tom’s trapped a little deeper than the others, but we heard every one of them, including Tom! We’ll have them out shortly!”

  The women broke down and wept with relief, thanking God that their husbands were alive. They had to wait nearly a half hour before the rescuers came out with four of the men.

  Jack Wilmot came back to assure Kathleen and Caleb that they would have Tom out in a few more minutes.

  The reunion of the Roys, Harrises, Stewarts, and Manleys was a sweet one, and Kathleen and Caleb rejoiced with them. Shortly thereafter, Tom appeared with Hank at his side.

  She and Caleb rushed to Tom, and the three of them wept with relief and joy as they clung to each other. Miraculously, the heavy beam that had fallen on Tom had broken neither bone nor skin. He was a bit shaky but assured his family and the rescuers that he was fine.

  Hank, who had ridden to the mine that day with another employee, volunteered to drive the Harned wagon back to Virginia City so Tom wouldn’t have to drive. All three Harneds crowded onto the wagon seat with Hank, Kathleen between Hank and Tom, and Caleb on Tom’s lap.

  Kathleen kept telling Tom how much she loved him and thanking God that he was alive.

  “Honey,” Tom said, giving Kathleen’s shoulder a squeeze, “something big happened to me when I was trapped in the darkness and thought I was going to die.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I got saved.”

  Caleb looked up at his father and blinked. Kathleen stared at him blankly, and Hank shouted, “Praise God! Hallelujah! Tell us all about it, Tom.”

  Tom told his story in detail. When he finished, Hank started his shouting all over again.

  Kathleen was quiet for a few minutes, then said, “Hank…”

  “Yes’m?”

  “Will Jesus save a man who waits to turn to Him till he’s at the edge of death?”

  “He sure will. Have you read the story of the repentant thief who was nailed to a cross beside Jesus at Calvary?”

  “Well, I’ve heard about it.”

  “That thief was like all of us, Kathleen
—a wicked sinner all his life. When he was dying, he turned to Jesus and asked Him to save him. Jesus saved him right then and there, and promised him they would be together in paradise that very day.”

  Kathleen nodded. She was quiet another moment, then turned to Tom and said, “I love you, darling. I’m so thankful you’re alive.”

  The next Sunday the Harneds went to church, and Tom went forward at the altar call to present himself for baptism. Many tears of joy were shed as he gave his testimony before the people, and Pastor Bruce Humbert baptized him.

  After church as the Harneds walked home, Tom put an arm around Kathleen and said, “Kathleen, I love you now more than I ever did. Somehow having Jesus in my heart and life has made that possible.”

  Kathleen smiled at him and said, “I’m very glad that you love me more. And having come close to losing you, I love you more, too.”

  “Do both of you love me more?” Caleb asked.

  Happy laughter filled the air as both parents assured the seven-year-old that they loved him more than ever.

  In the days that followed, the mine was repaired and continued to produce well. Tom gave his men a substantial raise in pay, especially Hank Mitchell, whose salary doubled. This let Donna quit her job at the hotel and be a housewife, which had long been her desire.

  One evening a week, Pastor Humbert came to the Harned home to teach Tom from the Bible about his new life in Christ. Each time Kathleen excused herself and went to another part of the house.

  When the preacher talked to Tom in private about Kathleen, Tom told him she was carrying some kind of secret that she had refused to share with him—something she needed a great deal of money for. Humbert said he would make it a matter of prayer.

  When each Sunday came, the Harneds were in church both morning and evening, though Kathleen would rather have stayed home. As she sat under the preaching, she hardly heard what was said. Her mind was consumed with getting Meggie back and having her revenge on the Stallworths.

  Although the love between Tom and Kathleen grew deeper and stronger each day, there was a new friction between them. Tom wanted them to go to church even for the midweek services, and he established a daily Bible reading and prayer time in the home.

  Kathleen found things to do at family altar time, so Tom read the Bible to Caleb and prayed with him.

  One evening after the pastor had been at the house to teach Tom from Scripture, Caleb approached his dad and said, “Could I talk to you?”

  “Sure, son. What about?”

  “Could we go talk in my room?”

  Kathleen was in the kitchen—where she usually busied herself when the preacher was there—and heard her men move down the hall and enter Caleb’s room. A few minutes later, she headed toward the master bedroom.

  As she drew near Caleb’s open door, she heard Tom and the boy discussing salvation. She stopped at the edge of the door and listened. Tom was asking Caleb questions about sin and was getting honest answers from the child. Caleb admitted that he was a sinner and said he wanted to be saved.

  Kathleen listened to Tom lead his son to Jesus.

  After Caleb had called on the Lord to save him, Tom prayed, asking the Lord to help Caleb to grow up serving the Lord.

  Kathleen hurried to the master bedroom. She was busy at the closet when she heard small feet pounding down the hall.

  Caleb plunged into the room, smiling happily, and said, “Mommy! Guess what? I just asked Jesus to come into my heart! I’m saved and I’m going to heaven!”

  Tom stood at the door and watched Kathleen feign happiness about Caleb’s decision.

  September came with cooler weather. At midafternoon one day, Kathleen was on the porch watching for Caleb to come home from school. When he appeared with his friends and left them to turn into the yard, she noticed he was carrying his lunch pail under one arm and held something small in both hands.

  She rose from the rocking chair and stepped to the edge of the porch.

  Caleb was holding a robin that was breathing rapidly and blinking its little eyes. He held the bird so Kathleen could look. “See, Mommy,” he said, “I found him under a tree down at the end of the block. He’s injured. I think his leg is broke. Would you look at him and see? I hope he doesn’t die.”

  Kathleen took the robin into her hands and sat down in the rocking chair. She laid the bird on her lap and carefully rolled it from side to side.

  “You’re right, honey. His leg’s broken. I’ll splint it up, wrap it good, and we’ll take good care of him. I think we can keep him from dying. We’ll nurse him back to health.”

  “Oh, thank you, Mommy! I don’t want him to die!”

  Kathleen carried the injured robin into the kitchen. She left Caleb to watch over it and went out to the backyard, returning with a twig.

  Caleb watched intently as Kathleen used the twig as a splint and wrapped it with white cloth. As she finished the job, Caleb said, “He needs something for a bed, Mommy.”

  There was a knock at the front door. Kathleen laid the robin on the tabletop and said, “Watch him while I go see who it is.”

  Donna Mitchell had come by for a visit.

  “Well, just come right in, Donna!” Kathleen said. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  As Donna stepped into the parlor, Caleb’s voice came from the kitchen. “Mommy, is that Mrs. Mitchell?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Would you bring her back here so she can see my robin?”

  “His robin?” Donna said, cocking her head.

  “Mm-hmm. He found it on the ground on the way home from school. I just put a splint on its broken leg. So now we have a robin living in our house. At least until his leg is healed.”

  Donna made over the bird and bragged on Caleb for being so sensitive about God’s wonderful little creatures.

  Then the women left the kitchen to sit in the parlor and visit.

  Caleb stayed in the kitchen, gently petting the robins little head. “I’ve got to find something to use for your bed, Mr. Robin,” he said. Suddenly he remembered there were some shoe boxes in his mother’s closet. Certainly Mommy could spare one.

  Kathleen and Donna were wrapped up in their conversation when Caleb appeared at the parlor door and said, “Mommy, could I have one of your shoe boxes to make a bed for Mr. Robin?”

  “Sure, honey. Take good care of your bird.” With that, she went back to her story.

  Caleb hurried to the master bedroom.

  He opened the closet and picked out a shoe box. He took out the high-button shoes and placed them on the closet floor next to the wall. Carrying the lid in one hand and the box in the other, he moved toward the bedroom door. His attention was drawn to an envelope in the bottom of the shoe box. It was addressed to Kathleen Harned from a Hennie O’Banion in Chicago.

  Caleb laid the letter on the dresser and returned to his bird in the kitchen.

  Tom arrived home from the mine with his usual coating of dust. These days he and Hank were switching off driving their wagons. Since Hank had driven that day, Tom came through the front door and made a beeline for the kitchen to find his family. The aroma of hot food made him smile.

  Kathleen was at the stove. She left the pot she was stirring to kiss him—dust and all—and said, “How’d it go today?”

  “Real good. It’s like the Lord stuffed all that gold in the mountain just for us, way back when He created the earth.”

  Kathleen nodded. “Donna came by for a visit today.”

  “Good! Anything special?”

  “No. Just wanted to spend some time with me. She’s such a sweet person. She was here till about twenty minutes ago. We had a good time talking. When she realized how late it was she left in a hurry so she’d be home before Hank arrived.”

  Tom chuckled. He was happy that Kathleen and Donna were becoming good friends.

  “Get washed up, sweetheart,” she said. “Supper will be ready in just a few minutes.”

  “Okay.” Tom looked around. “
Where’s Caleb?”

  “Out on the back porch. He found an injured robin on the way home from school today. Picked it up and brought it home. It’s got a broken leg. I splinted the leg and bound it up. Caleb’s giving it plenty of attention.”

  “I’m proud of both of you. Well, see you in a few minutes. I’ll wash up and change into something that doesn’t smell like dust.”

  Tom walked into the bedroom, unbuttoning his shirt. His eyes immediately picked out the white envelope against the dark wood of the dresser. He stopped, glanced at it, then looked closer. He noted the postmark was a relatively recent date and then looked at the name in the corner. Who is Hennie O’Banion? Kathleen had not mentioned getting a letter from someone in Chicago.

  Knowing that he shouldn’t, but unable to resist, Tom slipped the letter from the envelope and began to read.

  ON THE SAME AFTERNOON CALEB found the injured robin, Meggie Stallworth and her nanny were in the backyard of the mansion in Chicago.

  Meggie pumped her legs as Alice Downing pushed her in the rope swing.

  “Make me swing higher, Miss Alice! I want to go higher!”

  “Meggie, you’re too little to go higher. When you get bigger, I’ll push you higher.”

  “I’m big enough. I’m five years old. Please! Push me higher.”

  “Well, maybe just a little,” said the nanny as Meggie’s momentum brought her back from a forward swing. She gave a little stronger shove, and as Meggie reached the peak of the arc, something caught her attention just outside the back fence.

  A woman was moving away from the fence. As the swing went backward and carried her down, Meggie said in a low tone, “Mommy!”

  “What did you say, honey?” asked Alice, giving her another forward shove.

  Meggie didn’t answer. Her attention was on the fence as she swung forward and reached the peak again. This time she saw the woman hurrying along the street, but her back was still toward her, and she couldn’t tell the color of the woman’s hair. The woman was about her mother’s size, and Meggie had lived every day longing for her mother to come for her. In her mind, the woman was her mother.