Page 21 of Wagon Train Melody
“Didn’t you see other families and compare yourself to them?”
“Many folks took me in and fed me a meal then sent me home. I remember one time…” He grew thoughtful. Shook his head.
“One time?” she prompted.
“I’d almost forgotten about it. It was a cold winter day, and I had gone to see the animals at a nearby farm. I wanted to make sure they were taken care of and not suffering from the cold.”
It sounded sweet to think he was that concerned with animals that weren’t his. “How old were you?”
“Maybe six. Don’t rightly recall.” He gave her a crooked smile before he continued. “The farmer told me to get on home. There was a storm coming.”
She gasped. “You weren’t any older than Sissy.”
“I wasn’t known for hurrying.” His chuckle was self-derisive. “The storm caught me before I got home. It was vicious. Almostblew me off my feet. I couldn’t see more than three feet in front of me.”
“Rudy! What happened? Obviously, you survived.”
He laughed. “I did. I stumbled onward until I ran into something solid. It was my own door.” He slanted a look at her. “I was guided home. Maybe because I had gone that way so many times.”
He paused as if giving her a chance to say something.
“I think it was God protecting you.”
“I agree, though I didn’t know much about God at the time.”
“I was raised in a God-fearing home.” Her heart twisted with missing her parents and sister and brother-in-law. “Ma said it wasn’t always that way. Pa was never a heavy drinker but spent far too much time with his buddies. Then my parents went to a tent meeting and joined God’s family. Pa stopped drinking altogether and was home more. And we liked having him home. He helped Ma and played with us. It was a good way to grow up. Clint remembers Pa before he changed but the rest of us don’t.”
“I learned about God on a cattle drive if you can believe it.”
She shrugged. “Why not? I’m sure that God is there too.”
A chuckle rumbled from his lips. “You would wonder at times. But anyway, there was a Bible-totin’ cowboy on one of the cattle drives I was on. I admired that he didn’t care that he was ribbed for reading the Bible. In fact, he would read it out loud. I liked that. For some reason it made me feel…” He shrugged. “I don’t even know.”
“Maybe it made you feel safe. Loved?”
“Maybe.” He leaned close. “I’ll tell you a secret. I bought myself a little Bible after that and carry it with me. I read it from time to time. But it’s hard to understand.”
“Some parts are.”
“Then one winter Zeke and I stayed in a small town south of Fort Benton. We lived in a little house and found work enough tokeep us fed. Every Sunday we would march down the street and go to church. There was something about that I liked. It made me feel warm inside no matter what the weather was outside. That’s where I joined God’s family.”
Alice squeezed his hand. “How wonderful.”
He smiled at her then looked at her hand over his.
Self-conscious at her boldness, she clasped her fingers together in her lap.
It was soon time to stop for the noon break. Alice and Rudy worked together easily, each doing their own task.
Bo wandered around the area as if looking for something he’d lost.
Alice wished he’d find his lost mind.
Before they were ready to leave again, Bo climbed into the back of the wagon, curled up, and fell asleep. At least, Alice hoped, it was sleep that claimed him.
The girls wanted to ride in the back again. Alice was happy enough to ride on the bench.
Why wouldn’t she be grateful for someone to talk to? Even if he was vastly different. A wanderer from childhood. Running from a man who didn’t hesitate to commit murder. She shuddered. Rudy had lived on the wild side especially compared to her sheltered and safe upbringing.
