Robin by Julane Hiebert Page A

without stumblin’ in the dark. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, the Feather has never been ruffled like this before. What I wouldn’t give for a little peace and quiet again.”
                  A knot gathered in Robin’s stomach as Ty joined her. He hadn’t planned to come until morning. Was there news of Jacob’s pa?
                  Ty took her arm. “John seems a bit irritated. Is there trouble?”
                  “Jacob locked him in the necessary. He’s quite angry. Before you rode in, he threatened to take the boy behind the barn to have a tal k .”
                  Ty chuckled. “Any other time I’d side with your uncle. But I think we might have a bigger problem.” He helped her onto the porch and patted the space beside him as he sat in the swing.
                  “Was it bad at your place?” She reached for the rope to let herself down easy.
                  “About like here. Shingles from the barn scattered across the prairie, and one building lost part of its roof, but no one hurt. The fellas checked the line shacks this morning, and all were accounted for—men and animals alike. But there was one bit of disturbing news.”
                  “And it concerns Jacob?” Robin’s stomach fluttered, and she used her good foot to still the sway of the swing.
                  “I don’t know. It might. Rusty, my foreman, said a stranger rode in a little ahead of the storm. He asked how far it was to town and if they knew of anyone needing a hand.”
                  “Did he say anything about a wife or child?
                  Ty put his arm across the back of the swing and shook his head. “He said the man never let on like there was anyone but him, but he seemed real agitated. Rusty told him how to get to Cedar Bluff and warned him about the storm. He offered to give him shelter in the root cellar and told him he could wait until I got home to see about working, but he mumbled something about not being a snake or a beggar and rode off to the north.”
                  “Do you think there’s some connection? What if Jacob is lying about not having a pa? Did the man look mean? Maybe that’s why Jacob seems to be afraid of you.” Robin turned to face him. “What shall we do?”
                  “That’s a lot of questions to answer, Miss Wenghold. I don’t think we should do anything until we pray.”
                  Robin shook her head. “You go ahead.” She fiddled with a loose thread on her cuff. When she raised her head she met his gaze. “You’re staring, Mr. Morgan. I get most uncomfortable when someone stares at me.”
                  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. By staring. Or by suggesting we pray."
                  He sat so close his breath tickled her ear.             
                  “Just so you know . . . I believe ther e i s a God, Mr. Morgan. But I think He’s tired of me asking Him the same questions over and over again. I’m not sure He even hears me when I pray. He never answers.”
                  “Oh, Robin . . .” Ty leaned closer. “God never tires of His children talking to Him, and He always listens. But sometimes, for our own good, He doesn’t grant us the answer we want.”
                  Robin bristled. “Oh really, Mr. Morgan? It wouldn’t have been for my good to be born with two good legs? And what about that little boy? Don’t you believe his poor mama prayed when that storm bore down on them?”
                  Ty moved to the wicker chair and reached for her hands, stilling the swing. “I can’t give you an answer why God chose to allow you to be born with a bad leg. And for the life of me, I’ll never have the answer why He would allow a little child to lose his mama right before his