Measure of Grace by Al Lacy

right,” said Vic.
    “He has to be,” said William. “Would you boys mind unsaddling our horses and putting them in the corral for us?”
    “Be glad to, boss,” said Shorty.
    William and Knight thanked them, and as the horses were being led away, William sighed. “Well, I wish we had good news to carry in there.”
    “Me too,” said Knight.
    As they started across the porch, the door swung open, and three female faces appeared.
    Looking past them into the fading light of day, Sylvia said, “Y-you didn’t find him?”
    “No,” William said heavily. “We checked on every ranch where Jordan has friends, and at every friend’s house in town, but no one has seen him.”
    Sylvia burst into tears.
    Annie Colburn wrapped her arms around her. “Now, honey, don’t despair. Jordan’s a loner in some ways. He’s probably holed up somewhere by himself.”
    “Right, Mama,” said Lorene, taking hold of her mother’s hand. Then she said to her father and Knight: “We’ve got supper cooking. Get washed up, and we’ll be ready to eat in a few minutes.”
    Whenever Annie and Knight ate with the Shaws, William always asked Knight to pray over the food. Though the Shaws were not Christians, Annie and her son appreciated the respect they gave them.
    After Knight had prayed, and the food was being passed around, Sylvia said, “William, do you suppose Jordan has gone into the mountains? He really loves it up there.”
    “I was about to tell you, Knight and I were talking about that very thing while riding back from town. Remember last winter—what was it?—November or December, when Jordan went hunting alone and told us about finding an old abandoned cabin up there? Said he stayed in it a couple of nights.”
    “I remember that, Papa,” said Lorene. “Did he say where it was?”
    “Only that it was south of Castle Peak and west of the east fork of the Salmon River.”
    “That takes in a lot of territory,” said Sylvia.
    “Yes, but it also narrows it down a great deal, when you consider the entire Sawtooth range,” said William.
    Sylvia nodded.
    Looking at Annie, Knight said, “Mr. Shaw is going into the mountains to look for the cabin tomorrow, Mom. He said I could go with him if you gave me permission. May I go?”
    Annie smiled. “Your grades are excellent, and I know how much you want to go, Knight. I’m sure you can catch up on your schoolwork. Yes, you may go with him.”
    “Thank you,” said the sixteen-year-old with a smile. “I want to be with him when he finds Jordan.”
    Being afoot, travel was slow for Jordan Shaw, but by noon, he had made his way through the thick forest of the foothills, and by the time the sun was setting, he was in the high country with the granite mountains towering over him on all sides. Just north of him stood majestic Castle Peak, with the brilliant, golden light of sunset adorning its summit.
    Jordan was following a familiar ridge of blue granite as the air cooled with the elevation, and he spotted the old abandoned cabin in the deep shade of the surrounding pines.
    His heart quickened pace as he drew near the cabin. “Nobody here,” he told himself aloud. “Sure hope that jerky and dried fruit are still in the cupboard.”
    Eyeing the stack of uncut logs at the side of the house, he was glad to see that its supply had not been diminished.
    The rusty latch resisted his thumb pressure but gave way after a few seconds, and the hinges complained loudly as he opened the door. Looking around by what little light was left, the interior of the cabin appeared exactly as it had when he last saw it. Hurrying to the cupboard, he smiled when he found the packages of beef jerky and dried fruit intact. He was also glad to find the box of matches untouched.
    “Yes!” he said with elation. “Nobody’s been in this old cabin at all since I stayed here!”
    At the fireplace, Jordan found enough wood to do him for the night. The old ax he had used before still leaned against the