Gilbert Morris by The Angel of Bastogne Page B

him by the tail?”
    â€œWell, that’s what the Bible says to do.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about? Where does it say that?”
    â€œMy mother used to read me Bible stories. This was in the book of Exodus, I think. God told Moses to throw his rod down, and it became a snake. Then God told him to pick it up by the tail. I always thought that was odd. It looks like the wrong end to me. The front end’s still free to do the business.”
    â€œI remember that story. Your mother was a Christian?”
    â€œYes.”
    The plane rose when a thermal updraft caught it, and Ben waited until it leveled out again before he shrugged his shoulders. “She’s all the argument I ever need for Christianity. I have lots of doubts myself, but she didn’t. Neither does Dad.”

When she didn’t speak, he added thoughtfully, “I guess I’d be better off if some of their faith had rubbed off on me.”
    â€œWhy, it will.”
    â€œYou sure about that, Charlene?”
    â€œâ€˜Train up a child in the way that’s right, and when he grows old, he will not depart from it.’”
    â€œThat’s in the Bible, is it?”
    â€œYes, it is. I believe it, too. You’ll come home one day.” She suddenly peered down and said, “I think that’s Billings over there. Don’t get nervous when I set this crate down.”
    * * *
    While Charlene made the arrangements with the airport to keep the plane, Ben rented a car, a year-old Taurus. Ben had instructions about how to get to the Shoulders Ranch, but it turned out to be more difficult than he had thought. It was really located thirty miles out of Billings and off the main road. They stopped once at a gas station, and the owner, a tall thin man with bright blue eyes, exclaimed, “Why shore I know where Lonnie Shoulders lives! You go down that road and turn off two miles before you get to the water tower.”
    Charlene suddenly laughed. “You mean we have to go to the water tower and then come back two miles.”
    â€œWell, there ain’t much of a turnoff to mark it. You can see the water tower, and just keep your eye on your right and you’ll see a fence. Go through the gap in the fence. You have to get out and open the gate. Lonnie don’t keep it locked. Watch out for that big red bull of his though. He’s a thumper! You know Lonnie, do ya?”
    â€œNot really. He was a friend of my dad’s,” Ben said.
    â€œFine fellow. Got a good family, too.”
    Ben paid for the gas then got back in the car and started the engine. As he sped down the highway, he said, “Sounds like Lonnie Shoulders has got a good reputation.”
    â€œDon’t you know who he is?”
    â€œLonnie Shoulders? Why, he was in the army with my dad and your dad. That’s all I know.”
    â€œYou don’t keep up with rodeoing much, do you?”
    â€œNo. Not really. I often wondered why anybody would want to do it. It seems to me it’s a horrible way to make a living.”
    â€œI guess they just like it. But, anyway, Lonnie Shoulders was All-Around Cowboy for three years in a row when he got out of the army.”
    â€œThat’s good, is it?”
    â€œIt’s like winning the World Series in baseball or the Heisman Trophy in football. Lonnie won Best All-Around three years in a row. Can’t get better than that.”
    â€œHow do you know about all this?”
    â€œOh, my brother rodeoed awhile. I’d go with him. It was fun.”
    â€œWhat does your brother do now?”
    â€œWhat my husband did. He was a pilot in the navy.”
    It was the first time Charlene had mentioned her husband, and Ben had not felt like asking. “Your husband was a flyer?”
    â€œYes. Top gun or close to it.”
    â€œHow did he . . . ”
    â€œHow did I lose him? It was a flying accident, of course. Not his fault. He was training a younger pilot who made a