Secret of Richmond Manor by Gilbert L. Morris Page A

wind, and his teeth chattered, but there was gratitude in his voice. “I sure do thank you, ma’am.”
    As she made her way back into the house, Leah was thinking,
I guess I’m some kind of a traitor
.
    Carefully she closed the back door. She thought once of telling Uncle Silas about the fugitive she was harboring, but, as good as her uncle was, she wasn’t sure. He might decide they had to turn him in.
    Going back into her bedroom, she took off her robe and got into bed. She lay there a long time thinking about Ezra Payne.
I’ll have to get up early and fix him something to eat. Maybe I can find some medicine. I wish I were a better nurse!
    Peanuts came and snuggled against her as usual. She held onto him, smoothing his fur, and she whispered, “I’m not really a traitor, Peanuts. He’s so sick, he couldn’t do anybody any harm.”

6
Why Are You So Nervous, Leah?
    J eff found his duties at camp very light. He had become an expert drummer boy and had done good service at the Battle of Seven Days. His commanding officer, General Stonewall Jackson, commended the entire regiment, and he stopped by to meet with Jeff’s father briefly.
    â€œI remember this young man,” he said with a smile. “Are you coming to any of our revival meetings that we’ll be having this summer?”
    â€œOh, yes, sir, General Jackson, I sure will,” Jeff replied eagerly. He was convinced that Stonewall Jackson was the best general in the world. He knew also that if General Jackson was better at anything than soldiering, it was at praying and getting his men converted. “I’ll be there, right up in front, sir.”
    â€œYou got a fine son here, Captain Majors,” Stonewall said.
    The general wore his cap in a peculiar fashion, pulled down almost over his eyes, and the eyes themselves were strange. He was called “Old Blue Light” by most of his troopers. Jeff himself had seen him once during a battle, and indeed his eyes did glow almost as if there were fire behind them. Now, however, they were mild, and he nodded at the two and left.
    â€œHe’s a fine soldier, isn’t he, Pa? Best general in the whole world, I bet.”
    â€œWouldn’t be surprised,” Jeff’s father replied. He glanced at the boy and said, “What have you heard from Leah and her uncle?”
    â€œWell, not much really.”
    â€œNot much doing around camp. Why don’t you go see her? Maybe bring me back one of those apple pies she makes so well.”
    â€œYou mean it, sir?” Jeff cried, his eyes alight. “Can I really go?”
    â€œYes, Private, and don’t forget that pie!” he called loudly as Jeff dashed away.
    Leah was washing the dishes, and Jeff was drying them. They had eaten a tasty lunch, and Jeff reminded her, “Don’t forget, you’ve got to let me have a pie to take back to Pa.” He wiped a plate carefully, held it up, and examined it. “He likes your pies almost as much as I do.” He put the plate on the shelf. “My ma could make good pies. Her best was raisin. She made raisin pies like nobody I ever heard of.”
    Leah saw the expression on Jeff’s face. “You miss her a great deal, don’t you, Jeff?”
    â€œSure do. Won’t ever forget her.”
    â€œI got a letter from my ma yesterday,” Leah said. She was scrubbing a skillet, and a lock of blonde hair fell over her eyes. She pushed it back with a wrist, then said, “You know what she said?”
    â€œNo, what?”
    â€œShe said that Esther looks exactly like your mother did.”
    Jeff took a glass and dried it slowly. He was very thoughtful for a while. “You know, I guess one wayto look at it is, as long as we’ve got Esther we’ve still got Ma, in a way.”
    â€œI guess that’s right.” Leah looked at him, surprised by the thought. “I never thought of it like that, but