Love's Abiding Joy

by Janette Oke

  The man was not responding. He stared off into space and now and then mumbled or cursed as the warmth of the room increased the pain in his frozen limbs. Clark continued to speak to him, rubbing his hand as he spoke, careful not to touch the frostbitten fingers.

  “Jedd, Nandry and Clae still worry ’bout ya. Still pray fer ya daily. They want ya back, Jedd. They want to share with ya their love, their family, their God. Remember, Jedd? Tina found peace with God before she died. Well, yer girls are servin’ their mother’s God, too, Jedd. There’s nothin’ they would like better than fer you to know God, too. Ya hear me, Jedd? Yer girls love ya. Nandry an’ Clae—they love ya. Tina loved ya, an’ God loves ya, too, Jedd.

  “Ya gotta keep holdin’ on,” Clark continued, speaking softly but with urgency. “Ya can’t jest go an’ give up now. Hang in there, Jedd.”

  There was hardly a pause in the low murmur of Clark’s voice until Lane and the doctor arrived. Dr. de la Rosa examined Jedd carefully and gave him some medication. He shook his head as he turned to Clark and the waiting ranch hands.

  “He is in bad shape. He was not well even before he was caught in the storm.”

  “Will he make it?” asked Clark.

  “I do not know.”

  “Please, Doc,” said Clark, “iffen there’s anything at all you can do fer ’im—anything to bring him through—I’ll stand the bill. This here is the father of two girls Marty an’ me raised as our own. He’s been bullheaded and stubborn, thoughtless and sometimes cruel, but his girls love ’im. If only Jedd can live long enough fer someone to tell ’im of God’s love an’ fergiveness. Thet would mean so much to his girls … to us. Ya think you can bring him round, Doc? I jest can’t bear the thought of ’im dyin’ without my bein’ able to talk with him ’bout his girls and ’bout God’s love for ’im.”

  Dr. de la Rosa looked very solemn. “I can only try,” he said. “You pray that God might work a miracle.”

  The doctor no doubt thought Clark would go to his little soddy and kneel in prayer, but Clark saw the need as imminent. He immediately knelt beside the bed on which Jedd lay and began to pray fervently for a miracle. Around him feet shuffled as cowboys, uncertain of what to do, shifted position. But Lane knew. He crossed to the bunk and knelt down beside Clark, joining him in his prayer.

  “Dear God,” began Clark, “you know this here man before us. He’s been sinful, God, but so have we all. He’s made some bad judgments, but so have we. He needs ya, Lord, just as we all do. He has never recognized you as God an’ Savior, an’ he needs thet chance, Lord. He can’t hear or respond in his present condition, so we need ya to do a miracle, Lord, an’ help the doc bring him round so we can talk with him and read yer Word so he might have the chance to decide fer himself. We are askin’ this, Lord, in the name of Jesus, yer Son, who died so each one of us—includin’ Jedd here—could have life eternal. Thank ya, Lord, for hearin’ the prayer of those of us who bow before ya. Amen.”

  Clark stood up, adjusting his crutch to support himself. The man before him still lay unconscious.

  Lane reached out and touched the whiskered cheek. Then he turned to the doctor. “What’s next, Doc?”

  Juan looked back at the man on the bed. “I think I should take him to my home. I can put him on the cot in the office.”

  All eyes looked at the doctor, questioning.

  The doctor continued. “He is going to need much care. We can watch him there. It will make my mother feel needed. She wishes to do something for someone, and this will be her chance. If I am able to help this man …” Juan hesitated, then continued. “I think it is too late to save many of his fingers and toes. Perhaps he will lose them all.”

  It was sobering news. Clark noticed some of the hands in the room unconsciously curl up into fists, as though defying fate to try to take their own.

  Lane moved first. “Ya want me to git a team?” he asked the doctor.

  “Yes. Put lots of hay in the bottom of a wagon. We’ll need to make him a bed.”

  For the second time that Christmas Eve, Lane made the trip to the doctor’s, this time driving the team that carried a critically ill man. His saddle horse tied to the rear, Dr. de la Rosa rode in the wagon with them, watching Jedd to be sure he stayed well covered in the bitter winter wind.

  Clark returned to the little soddy and found that Marty had not gone to bed.

  “I’ve been frettin’ an’ thinkin’ all kinds of things,” she said.

  “You’ll never believe this,” said Clark, “but maybe you should sit down fer this. Thet man Scottie brought in off the range is Jedd Larson.”

  “Jedd?”

  “Shore ain’t in very good shape.”

  “Oh, Clark. Did ya tell ’im ’bout his girls? Did he say—?”

  “Jedd didn’t say much ’ceptin’ a few cuss words, Marty. He is plumb outta his head. No, thet’s not right. He did say one thing. Over an’ over. He said ‘Tina.’ ” “Tina … then he remembers.”

  “Somehow thet one name gave me hope, Marty. Somehow it helped me to believe this wasn’t jest fate thet sent Jedd this way, but God givin’ him a chance to find Him.”

  “Oh, Clark, I pray it might be so,” said Marty, tears filling her eyes.

  “If only I could have talked to him—made him understand me somehow.”

  “Can I see ’im?” asked Marty.

  “He’s gone.”

  “Gone? But how could—”

  “Lane went fer Dr. de la Rosa, an’ the doc decided when he checked Jedd out it would be better fer ’im to have Jedd at his house so he could watch over ’im. Lane took ’im on over in the wagon. They left jest a few minutes ago.”

  “Oh, Clark. I hope he makes it. I hope ya have a chance to talk to him. Was he really bad, Clark?”

  Clark nodded his head solemnly.

  “Oh, Clark!” cried Marty again. “Let’s pray.” The two knelt beside the bed and prayed long and fervently for this one from the past with such strong ties to their family.

  “Please, Lord, bring him round enough to understand ya love him in spite of what he’s done to his wife, to his girls,” Marty prayed. “Help us know how to show him thet love.”

  In spite of their shock and anxiety over Jedd, Christmas Day was a time of thanksgiving and joy. With two small boys in the house, it was impossible not to feel the excitement and pleasure of this celebration of Jesus’ birth. Even though they had retired late the night before and had had difficulty getting to sleep, Clark and Marty were up early and over in the big house. Nathan and Josiah were already up and filling the house with cries of happiness as they looked at the gifts under the tree that had arrived sometime during the night. They did not seem very interested in their breakfast that morning.

  Nathan was thrilled with the sled that Clark had made and begged to go out and try it even before he had eaten. Clark laughed and promised the boys he would take them out on the sled just as soon as their mother approved. Missie, smiling, shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

  Nathan’s favorite gift from his parents was a new halter for Spider, his pony. Willie finally gave in to his pleadings and told him they would go to the barn and make sure the halter fit. Nathan soon reappeared, bundled to his eyebrows with Marty’s gift of socks, mittens, and carelessly looped scarf. Willie laughed at the sight.

  “Ya shore enough look well cared fer weatherwise, ’cept fer yer feet. Ain’t ya plannin’ to wear any boots?”

  “They won’t go over my big socks,” replied Nathan, which brought more laughs.

  Josiah soon rounded the corner, too. Still in his nightclothes, he also had looped his long scarf over it all. One eye was hidden and he peeked out from the other one, his head tipped to give him better vision. His mittens had been pulled onto the wrong hands, and the empty thumbs stuck out to the sides like two misplaced horns. The socks, partly on but mostly off, gave Josiah the appearance of duck feet. He waddled forward, pleased with himself and ready to join his brother and pa for the t
rip to the barn.

  Now Willie really laughed. He led the two boys back to their room, properly dressed Josiah and helped Nathan to find socks and boots that worked together. Then, with the small Josiah on his pa’s shoulders and Nathan trudging along at his side with the cherished new halter, Clark joined them and they all started out for the barn.

  “They do make some sight, don’t they?” said Missie at the window, her voice full of emotion.

  “Don’t know how many times I’ve stood at my window an’ watched yer pa an’ his sons crossin’ the yard,” Marty responded. “If I had no other reason to love yer pa than thet single one— the seein’ of his care fer his young’uns—it would be enough to make me love him as long as God grants me breath,” she continued softly.

  They turned back to the preparations for the day. There was much to be done, for Christmas dinner for all of the hands had become a tradition on the LaHaye ranch. Though usually busy and going many different directions, on Christmas Day they took the time to all eat together and hear the reading of the Christmas story.

  Around the morning’s breakfast table, the discussion often returned to the wonder at Jedd Larson turning up on the LaHaye ranch. They had not heard of Jedd since he had left his farm back home and headed west so many years ago. Marty wished there was some way she could tell Clae and Nandry the exciting news, and then she remembered that if Jedd did not make it through this Christmas Day, the news they would have to share with their girls would be bad news, not good news. Again and again throughout the day Marty quietly prayed.

  After the trip to the barn, as promised, Clark took the boys for a sled ride.

  At first it was difficult for him to pull the sled with the two small passengers up the nearby slope, but eventually he found that his crutch, jammed into the snow, made a good replacement for the limb he did not have.

  The boys squealed with delight as Clark shoved them off and they made the short, swift trip down the hill. This time, Nathan pulled the sled back up the hill, but it was hard for little Josiah to climb back up through the deep snow on his own. Clark went to meet him and carried him up the hill piggyback. Again and again the two sped down the hill and made their slow and awkward climb back up. At last, exhausted but happy, they agreed to head back to the house and get warmed up.

  “We’ll have to do this again, huh, Grandpa?” said Nathan.

  “ ’G’in,” echoed his little brother.

  “Shore will,” puffed Clark, who had enjoyed it almost as much as the boys.

  “After dinner?” asked Nathan.

  “Well, I dunno ’bout thet. I think I might jest have to catch my breath a bit. And maybe yer pa an’ ma might have some of their own plans fer after dinner.”

  “After thet, then?”

  “We’ll see,” laughed Clark. “We’ll see.”

  About one o’clock the cowboys began to arrive, kicking the snow from their boots and slapping their wide-brimmed hats against their sides. They laughed and joked as they filed in. Marty stood back in amazement as they stopped in the large entry and removed their boots and lined them up neatly against the wall, no doubt thinking of possible damage to Missie’s fine rugs. Marty had been west only for a short while, but already she understood how important boots were to the ranch hands, how important it was not to be caught with your boots off. She smiled her appreciation for their thoughtfulness. But they seemed embarrassed and ill at ease as they stood looking down at their stockinged feet. Marty noticed that some of the socks had holes in them and wondered if she would dare offer to darn them. She said nothing now but went to the kitchen to find a worn towel. One by one she picked up the boots and carefully wiped away all traces of water and dirt. Then she handed them, pair by pair, back to the owners. The cowboys climbed back into the boots with warm grins and eloquent nods of thanks. They were now anticipating the meal that already was filling the air with delightful aromas as Wong carried dish after dish to the large dining room.

  Before the meal, Willie, as the head of the home and the owner of the ranch, read to them the story of the birth of the Christ child. Some throats were self-consciously cleared and many gazes were fastened on the tops of boots or the big leathery hands in their laps, but everyone listened carefully. Willie then asked Clark to lead them in prayer.

  The meal began in comparative silence, but it wasn’t long until hearty laughter and good-natured teasing took over. Nathan and Josiah joined in merrily, describing in detail to the ranch hands their gifts of the morning, the trip to the barn with the new halter that “Spider liked real good,” and their ride on Grandpa’s sled.

  After they all had eaten as much as they possibly could, the guests moved to the living room, where a friendly fire welcomed them. Henry was not there to lead them with his guitar, having decided to follow the LaHaye tradition and have a family Christmas dinner for his own hands. But in spite of the absence of Henry, they sang the Christmas carols under Willie’s direction. Those who did not sing seemed to enjoy listening.

  Scottie was the first who had to leave. He always took responsibility for the Christmas shift with the cattle. Usually one or two of the other hands joined him voluntarily out of respect for their boss. Today it was Jake and Charlie. Lane announced that he planned to ride over to the doctor’s to see how Jedd was doing. Clark said that he would like to go with him.

  The cowboys left, calling their thanks as they flipped their Stetsons back on their heads.

  After dinner, the two boys were tucked in for a muchneeded nap. Missie and Marty went to help Wong and Cookie clear the dishes, and the house again fell into silence.

  Clark and Lane saddled up for a visit to the doc’s house and Jedd. The ride through the crisp afternoon felt particularly cold, and Clark especially noticed it in the stump of his missing leg. He had not thought to provide extra protection for the area, not realizing how sensitive it was to the temperature. Lane, without saying anything, swung down from his horse and pulled a blanket from behind his saddle. Speaking of other things, he crossed to Clark’s horse and tucked the blanket around the stump, making sure it was fastened securely in place and would not slip with the movement of horse and rider. Still making no reference to the missing leg or the blanket, he remounted and they moved on. Clark was much more comfortable during the remainder of the ride.

  They found Jedd in much the same condition as he had been the night before. Juan’s mother sat with him. Jedd had been bathed, and his beard and hair had been neatly trimmed. His feet and hands bore large bandages, and Clark was reminded of the doctor’s concern for the fingers and toes that had been frozen. When the two visitors found Jedd unconscious, they did not stay long. Juan promised that if the man roused, he would send one of his ranch hands with the message. The doctor seemed encouraged that Jedd had held his own throughout the day. His pulse rate had improved, and this gave Juan some hope.

  Lane and Clark left for home after sharing a cup of hot coffee and some of Maria’s special Christmas goodies.

  As they mounted their horses, Clark tucked Lane’s blanket around himself. “Never knowed,” he said simply, “jest how much the cold would bother a leg like mine. Here I was pridin’ myself thet I wouldn’t suffer any cold toes on this side.”

  Lane smiled but only said, “It’ll toughen.”

  EIGHTEEN

  From Death to Life

  It was three days before a rider came from the de la Rosas’ to inform them that Jedd Larson was now awake. Clark immediately saddled a horse and prepared to go to him. He tucked his Bible inside his jacket and asked Marty for an extra blanket.

  “It’s a trick I learned from Lane,” explained Clark in answer to her unasked question. “This here short leg gets awful cold. A blanket keeps it more livable.”

  Marty spent the day knitting and praying. It seemed like Clark was gone forever, but at last Marty heard the sound of a horse approaching the barn. In the clear, crisp winter air, the sounds of the hoofbeats rang out clearly. Max left the yard on the run, always t
he first to welcome a rider.

  Marty watched from the window until Clark came in sight, and then she grabbed her shawl and ran to meet him.

  “Come to Missie’s,” she called. “She’ll want to hear all ’bout it, too.”

  Clark changed direction and headed for the big house as Marty ran down the rutted snow-packed path to meet him there.

  “Oh, I was hoping you’d come right on over here,” Missie called to them from the doorway. “I just couldn’t wait to hear all about it.”

  Missie led the way to the open fire. “We’re nearly bursting,” she spoke for both of them. “Tell us about it quick.”

  “Did Jedd know ya this time?” Marty began.

  “Oh, he knew me all right. Was almost as surprised to see me as I was to see him the other night.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He asked first thing ’bout the girls.”

  Marty felt her throat constrict with emotion. “I’m so glad he cares somethin’ fer ’em,” she said.

  “He seemed right concerned. Said he’d ’bout made up his mind to go on home. He was tryin’ to reach town an’ the train station when he got lost in the snow an’ was stranded out on the range.”

  “Did he mention Tina again?”

  “We talked ’bout Tina quite a piece.”

  Marty could wait no longer. “Clark,” she said, “were ya able to talk to ’im ’bout his need fer God?”

  “I was. We went through the main points in the Bible— from creation to redemption to Christ’s return.”

  “Did he understand?”

  “Seemed to.”

  “Did he … did he… ?”

  Clark put his arm around Marty and pulled her close. His voice sounded husky as he said, “Those girls of ours are gonna be happy to know their pa joined with their ma today.”

  “Ya mean—?”