Page 29 of Montana Lawman Rescuer
The trail was two ruts the width of the wagon wheels. They’d gone a short distance when she made out a house, a barn, and a few outbuildings. Smoke came from the chimney. As they drew closer, she made out three horses, a cow in the pasture, and chickens running free.
Her heart clenched. Her chest hurt. She didn’t remember reaching for Jesse’s hand, but she squeezed it rather hard.
She and Mikey were about to start a new chapter in their lives.
The chickens scattered as the wagon entered the yard. Jesse pulled to a halt. “Hello, the house,” he called.
A woman opened the door. The first thing Emily noticed was the baby in her arms and the toddler at her side. She’d expected Mrs. Newman to be childless. Why else would she be seeking to adopt?
A man stepped out of the barn. “Howdy, strangers. What can I do for you?”
“Are you the Newmans?” Jesse said.
“’Fraid not,” the man said.
“You know of anyone hereabouts with that name?”
The man scratched his head. “Well, now. This here place used to belong to John Newman. He and his wife sold it to us. They be the folks you’re looking for?”
“That’s the people,” Jesse said. “Mind telling me where they went?”
“Sure thing. They packed up and headed for Oregon. Said they was meeting some other folks to make the journey. That’s about all I can tell you, except they said to send anycorrespondence that came for them to Oregon City. Hope it weren’t important what you wanted them for.”
Emily could hardly swallow. One hand clung to Jesse, the other clutched Mikey tight. Of all the things she thought this trip would bring to pass, news of the Newmans moving away had never entered her head.
“Thanks for your help.” Jesse touched the brim of his hat and reined the horses in a circle. Not until they were several yards down the trail did either of them speak.
“What now?” he asked.
“I simply don’t know. I’m no closer to knowing who I am. Mikey is without a family and—” She couldn’t finish.
They reached the road, and he turned back in the direction from which they’d come.
“I’ll take you back to Bella Creek, and you can send a letter to them.”
“How long before they get there, do you suppose?”
“I can’t rightly say, but I suppose a month, more or less, depending on circumstances.”
“They might be there already. I’ll write as soon as we get back. But?—”
“But how are you going to get him to them now that they are in Oregon?”
She nodded. “I can’t see them making the return journey this year. They’d end up crossing the mountain passes after the snows came.” She couldn’t send Mikey with strangers making the journey. She couldn’t think what she should do.
“You can only do what is humanly possible. The results are in God’s hands.”
“I know.” She sounded as uncertain as she felt. “I counted on this leading me to my past so I could learn who I am.”
“Don’t despair. God will provide another way.”
She didn’t answer. It felt to her like all possible avenues led nowhere.
They rattled along on the trail back to Bella Creek.
Mikey squirmed and fussed. She gave him a drink of water. He continued to squirm. She put him by her feet, but he wasn’t happy.
“He’s tired of being confined. We’ll stop over there and take a break.” Jesse turned off the road toward a little clump of trees. “It’s a good thing Gram was so generous with the food,” he said as they shared the last of the picnic lunch. Mikey was the only one unaffected by the results of their trip and ran around with abandon.
