by Janette Oke
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he saw a real opportunity to open the Word of God to them.
Marty sat with Missie and her family on one of the new pews, Nathan tucked in between them and Josiah snuggled on his mother's lap. I love the smell of new wood, thought Marty as she looked around at the ones nearby and sensed their joyful anticipation. While we've been here, her thoughts moved on, God has provided a doctor for their bodies' needs and a church for their spiritual needs. Thank Ya, Lord!
Clark was pleased to see quite a few of the new people continue to come as the Sundays passed one by one. The church members made it a point to keep in contact with all who had visited the church.
Nathan and Josiah now spent much of their time outside during the lovely spring weather. They had planted, with the help of their grandfather, their own small garden and daily checked it for progress, then would run with reports to their grandmother.
"It's growin'!" cried Nathan one day as he burst in upon Marty.
"What's growin'?" she asked innocently.
"My garden! Come see. Come see."
Marty hurried after him. Nathan fell on his knees and pointed to some small, green plants just beginning to poke their heads out of the soil. Marty didn't have the heart to tell him just then that they were weeds. Wait until some real garden begins to grow, she told herself, and then we'll care fer the weeds.
But Josiah cared for many of them. He pulled them up to see how they were doing, then pushed them awkwardly into the ground again and pounded them on their tender tops with his pudgy palm--even the hardy weeds did not survive his "tender" care.
Eventually the "real gardens" did begin to grow. Marty was not sure who was the most excited with their growing plants--the two small boys or Missie. Marty understood. She wished she were home planting her own garden. She missed it and wondered if Ellie and the boys would be taking care of it. Marty took another horseback ride out with Missie and the
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boys to view the herds. Hundreds of spring calves scampered around their bawling mothers. Marty had never seen such a sight.
Nathan climbed down off his pony to pick wild flowers for his two favorite ladies. Marty's smile swept from him to Missie who sat on her horse with the young Josiah astraddle the saddle in front of her. Missie's face was flushed, her figure gently rounding with the new life growing inside her, and her hair, teased loose by the prairie wind, fanned about her. Behind her, the hills rolled on and on like a gently dipping brownish-green sea. Beyond them, friendly mountains lifted silver peaks to play secret games with the fluffy clouds that hung low in the sky. The scene was lovely, full of life and warmth and love, and a memory that Marty would cherish for many years to come.
She was thankful that Missie and Willie had come west. She was glad that she and Clark had been able to visit; she was even glad for the extra time that Clark's accident had allowed them. Missie was happy here. As Marty looked at her contented daughter, she realized that Missie really belonged here. She was a gentle part of Willie's West. Marty looked about her with new appreciation for the ever-present hills and the openness--even the wind. This land spoke of freedom, of independence and of strength. Marty was proud that her daughter was a part of it.
They rode home in silence . . . each one thinking thoughts that belonged to herself. Nathan cantered on ahead on his Spider, manfully "breaking trail" for his mother and grandmother. Josiah, his head resting against his mother, nodded off to sleep.
Clark was waiting for them when they returned. He had spent the day putting new legs on Cookie's worktable.
"How did you an' Cookie make out?" asked Missie, knowing that Clark had been looking for an opportunity for a heartto-heart talk with Cookie about his relationship with God.
Clark shook his head. "We had a good talk--nice an' open--but Cookie is still hesitant. He says thet he wants to be sure he is acceptin' Jesus Christ--not Clark Davis."
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"I don't understand," said Missie.
Marty thought about the statement for a moment. "I think maybe I do," she said slowly.
"Well," said Clark modestly, "Cookie says thet he admires me . . . guess 'cause we both of us had the same kind of accident. Not much to admire a man fer, but Cookie reasons a little different than some men do. Anyway, he listens to the Word as I give it Sunday by Sunday; he sees me able to make do with one leg. . . . I don't know. He's got it all mixed up as to what I can do as a man and what I can do with the Lord's help. He's not sure yet where the difference lies. Cookie's right, ya know. I don't want him to be a follower of Clark Davis. Iffen he can't find the difference here, then he should wait until he does. No good followin' a man. Nothin' thet I can give to Cookie thet he can't find in hisself."
"Sounds strange to me," mused Missie. "I never thought of anyone getting mixed up on man-followin' before. Seems to me it should be plain as can be that Jesus is the only way to heaven."
"I left Cookie my Bible and marked some verses for 'im to read. I hope thet he will be able to understand their meanin'."
"We're gonna have to do some prayin'," Missie said simply as Clark and Nathan moved away with the horses and she and Marty walked on to the house, the sleeping Josiah in her arms. "Iffen Pa can't make Cookie see the difference, how will Willie or Henry ever do it?"
It was Lane who showed Cookie the difference. He walked into the cookshack and found Cookie frowning over Clark's Bible.
"I still don't figure it," mumbled Cookie.
"Don't figure what?" asked Lane, reaching for the ever- ready coffeepot.
"Iffen I take on this here religion, will I be doin' it to try to become a man like Clark Davis?"
"What's wrong with being' a man like Clark Davis?"
"Nothin'. Nothin' thet I can see. Only he says thet tryin' to be like 'im ain't gonna git me one step closer to those pearly gates yer always talkin"bout."
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"Oh, thet," said Lane, understanding Cookie's dilemma. "He's right."
"But how can I be like Jesus?" asked Cookie in frustration. "I don't even know Him."
"Forgit 'bout being' like Him fer now," said Lane. "Yer tryin' to start too far ahead of yerself." Cookie looked doubtful but let Lane continue.
"You've heard it preached an' read many times thet all men are sinners?"
"Yah," grunted Cookie.
"Are ya a-doubtin' thet ya fit in thet category?"
"Shucks, no," said Cookie. "I know myself better'n thet."
"Okay," said Lane, "thet's where ya start. Now ya know thet yer a sinner, an' I guess iffen yer wantin' to copy after Davis, ya don't really want to stay one."
Cookie nodded his agreement.
o "Well, how ya try to clean up yer act ain't gonna make a whole lot of difference. You'll never measure up, no matter how hard ya try. Oh, ya might even git to act as good as Clark
Davis himself, but thet won't really impress God none. He still sees deeper than the skin.
"Bible says thet man looks on the outside but God looks on the heart. Also says thet the heart of man is 'desperately
wicked.' But the good news is thet our hearts can be changed. Now, thet there's the startin' place.
"Jesus, holy an' pure, died fer every dirty, wicked heart thet ever beat. All we gotta do is see what we are, an' who He is, an' accept fer ourselves what He did. Thet's all there is to it. From there on, He does the workin' on makin' ya a follower."
Cookie's eyes opened wide at the simplicity of it. Lane gulped the last of his coffee, placed his cup on the table, and headed for the door.
When he reached the door he hesitated, turned to Cookie, and said softly, "All ya gotta do is ask Him."
to. After Lane was gone, Cookie did.
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Chapter Thirty
Plans
Clark and Marty began to make plans for going home, talking quietly together in the privacy of the little soddy. At first it was like a dream to be thinking of boarding the slow- moving train again and leaving behind the West that they h
ad come to respect and the family that they loved so deeply. Marty wished there was a way that she could bundle them all up and take them home with her. But then she thought of Willie and his love for his spread, Missie and the sun reflecting in her eyes, and Nathan and Josiah as they rushed about their beloved hills with the wind whipping at their hair; and she knew that she would not want to pick them up by their roots and try to transplant them--not really.
Marty's thoughts turned more and more to her farm-home family. How's Clare and his young Kate doin' in the little log house? Is Arnie still seem' the preacher's daughter? What is the girl really like? Is Ellie entertainin' any gentleman callers? Which of the neighborhood young men will be the first one to notice our pretty young daughter who is now a woman? She
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wondered if Luke still nursed his dream of going off to train as a doctor and how Dr. Watkins and the boy were getting along. Marty was anxious to get home again and have some of her questions answered.
A long letter from Ellie arrived. She told about the new grass and leaves on the flowering shrubs. She spoke of the songbirds that were back and the new colt in the pasture. She reported that Clare had plowed the garden spot and she and Kate had planted the garden--more than they would ever be using themselves, she was sure, but they just couldn't seem to get stopped once they had started. She told of Nandry's tears of joy and sorrow upon receiving the news of her father. She wrote that Nandry had immediately sat down and penned a long letter to Clae and Joe. Ellie gave news about the neighbors, the church, and the school. But she did not say how Clare and Kate were doing in the little house, nor if Arnie was still seeing the preacher's daughter, nor if she, Ellie, was receiving gentleman callers, nor how Luke was doing in his quest of becoming a doctor. Marty's heart yearned to know all the answers.
"Clark," she said, folding up the letter for the third time, "I think thet it be time we got us some tickets."
Clark ran a hand over the rope that he was braiding for Nathan and agreed. "Yah," he said, "I think thet it be. We best have us a chat with Willie an' Missie tonight."
That evening Marty expected some protests when they voiced their decision. Missie set down the cup of coffee she had just poured and took a deep breath.
"No use pretendin' that we didn't know it had to come," she said quietly. "No use fussin"bout it. You must be powerful lonesome for the ones at home. I marvel that you were able to stay away this long." She poured another cup of coffee and handed it to Willie. "'Course I wish you could just stay on here forever. I know better. Truth is, I'm thankful for every day we have already had."
Willie cleared his throat and ran a hand through his heavy head of hair. "Don't know as how I'm gonna git along without yer pair of hands," he said to Clark. "Can't believe the number of little things thet you've seen to over the winter
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months--things thet none of us ever seemed to find time fer."
Clark smiled. "Got a good idea," he said. "Why don't I see iffen I can talk yer pa into comin' out fer a spell? He's awful handy 'round a place. Never seed a man thet could make things look better in short order than yer pa. How 'bout it?"
Willie grinned. "I'd like thet," he said sincerely. "Seems to have been a long time since I seen my pa."
"When do you plan on goin'?" asked Missie.
"I'll be a-ridin' into town tomarra and checkin' out the trains. No use waitin' 'til it gits so hot thet one can hardly stand the ride. It was pretty hot at times when we came out last year. Thought thet it might be a little cooler iffen we go right away."
Missie was silent.
Marty looked at her daughter and caught her blinking away tears.
"We've loved havin' you," Missie finally managed. "You know that. Just sorry we have to send you back to the rest of the family different than you came, Pa. Hope that they won't hold it against us and the West."
"Why should they?" asked Clark. "Accidents aren't confined to one place. Jest before we left home, a neighbor farmer got drug by a team of horses and lost both of his legs."
"Still," said Missie, "it's gonna be a shock for them."
"We're gonna miss ya at the church," put in Willie. "Can't believe how much interest there is since we started to have real services."
"Thet won't stop," Clark answered. "Henry is all prepared to give ya Bible lessons jest as I was doin'. He'll do a fine job. I already wrote to Joe to send Henry out some good Bible books fer studyin'. I expect Henry to really git into 'em. He loves studyin' the Word and will bring to the people everything thet he can find. I think thet Henry is gonna make a fine lay preacher."
"We're glad for Henry," Missie said. "He's been a great help and a good friend ever since we left home."
"Ya have some very fine neighbors here," Marty said with feeling. "I'm so relieved, Missie, to know that ya have ladies to
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visit and share with and a good doctor close by so thet ya won't need to go way up to Tettsford Junction fer this next little one."
"So am I," Missie agreed, reaching out to take Willie's hand. "That was what I hated most 'bout havin' Nathan an' Josiah--the long months of being' away from Willie."
"Well, iffen I'm gonna make thet ride into town tomarra, I guess I should be gittin' to bed. Thet's a long way fer a slow rider to be a travelin'." Clark stood and lifted his crutch into position.
"Would ya prefer the team to a saddle horse?" asked Willie.
"Hey, thet sounds like a good idea. Might be I'll even take young Nathan along with me, iffen his mother agrees."
"He'd love to go," said Missie. "He's gonna really miss you. Both of you. He won't know what to do with himself when you leave."
"Won't be long until Nathan will be needin' school. Any plans?" asked Marty.
"Willie and some of the neighbor men are meetin' at Juan's on Wednesday night. There are several families whose children are much older than Nathan, and they are most anxious to get them some learnin' before they're so old that they think they don't even need school."
"Glad to hear thet."
"The church committee is goin' to tell them they can meet in the church if they want to."
"Thet's a good idea," said Clark with enthusiasm. "I sure hope thet it all works out fer 'em. Now, we better git. I'll be by to pick up yer son 'bout eight, iffen thet's all right."
"That'll be fine. He'll be up an' ready to go. Why don't you both come on over an' have breakfast with us first?"
"Oh, no, dear, we don't want--"
"Ma," said Missie, "please. There won't be too many days for us to be a-sharin' our time together. Let's make the most of them."
Marty kissed her daughter and agreed on breakfast the next morning.
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Chapter Thirty-one
Farewells
Clark and Nathan enjoyed a leisurely drive into town. Nathan, curious about everything that he heard and saw, kept up an excited stream of questions and comments. Clark realized that the young boy was truly ready for school.
"What ya plannin' to be when ya grow up, boy?" asked Clark.
"I don't know, Grandpa. Some days I wanna be a rancher like my pa. An' sometimes I wanna be a foreman like Scottie, an' some days I wanna be a cowboy like Lane, but most of all I think I wanna be a cook like Cookie."
Clark laughed. The ranch was really all of the life that the boy knew. Clark determined to send Nathan a packet of good books.
"What do you wanna be, Grandpa?"
"Ya mean when I grow up?"
"Yer already growed."
"Oh, yah," said Clark, "I guess I am at that."
"What ya gonna be?" asked Nathan again.
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"Well," said Clark, "I'm a farmer."
"What do farmers do?"
"Much like a rancher, only they don't raise quite so many cows and horses. And they might have pigs or sheep or even goats to go with their other animals. And they plow fields, an' pick rock, an' pull stumps, an' plant grain thet they harvest every fall. Then they build
haystacks and store feed fer their animals to eat in the winter months. And they butcher an' cure meat, an' chop wood, an' doctor sick critters, an' take in garden vegetables, an' fix fence."
"Boy," said Nathan, "farmers do lots of stuff, huh, Grandpa?"
"Guess we do."
"Can ya do all thet, Grandpa?"
"Shore. Don't take nobody special to do all thet." "Boy, ya can do lots of things with only one leg, can't ya, Grandpa?"
"Well, ya see, son, when I was doin' all those things I still had me two legs. So I been thinkin' some lately of how I can still do the same things. It's gonna take some special equipment. Ya know the piece of harness that I made fer myself so I could balance and still handle the horse an' the plow?" Nathan nodded, remembering the funny contraption his grandfather had used.
"Well, I plan on buildin' a lot of things like thet. I couldn't start to work on them yet, 'cause they've got to be measured jest so, to fit the different things thet I be usin'--like the plow an' the rake an' the seeder. I'm gonna make 'em all when I git home. I got this here idea of how I'll fix the plow, see--" And Clark commenced to tell Nathan his idea, Nathan's eyes becoming big as he listened. The miles melted by as the two worked together on Clark's plans.
Clark discovered that the next suitable train left the following Tuesday. He made plans for their tickets and then took Nathan to the General Store for a treat. They also pocketed some sweets for Josiah and then headed the team for home. The news of the upcoming departure had Marty in a flurry. She felt that she had so much to do to prepare for the
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journey, but when she set about to do it she found that it wasn't so much after all--not nearly what it had been in preparing for their trip out to Missie. There was only their own luggage to care for since all of the things they had brought west for Missie and the family would be staying right there. Marty relaxed and enjoyed her last days by spending them with the boys just as much as she could.