Maggie got directions to the general store and went in search of supplies.
A cheery bell rang on the door of the store as Maggie entered. She was greeted by an elderly woman who eyed every stranger suspiciously.
“Where did you come from?” the woman questioned rudely.
“I’m from Topeka,” Maggie answered, hoping her honesty would quell the woman’s curiosity.
“Topeka? You came here from Topeka? When?”
“I came in last night, and now I’m getting ready to leave. I have a few things I need, and if you don’t mind, I need to hurry,” Maggie retorted rather harshly.
“You running from the law, Girl?” the woman continued to pry.
“Absolutely not!” Maggie exclaimed.
Quickly, Maggie located the things she needed for the walk. She was grateful she’d had the sense to wear walking shoes. She located a canteen and some dried fruit and placed them on the counter.
“I figure you must be planning on walking somewhere. I’d be mindful of the weather if I was you,” the older woman said, seeming to soften a bit. “My big toe has been aching all night from the chill in the air. I figure a powerful storm is brewing, and we’ll be due for rain tonight.” Maggie nodded and paid the woman.
“You aren’t going to walk far in that outfit are you?” the woman asked, smoothing back a strand of gray hair.
“It’ll take me as far as I need to go,” Maggie replied and walked out of the store.
Maggie knew following the train tracks would be the wisest thing to do. She also knew it would be the first place Garrett would look for her. She walked several yards before deciding to parallel the tracks as best she could without being seen. The prairie stretched out endlessly before her. Only an occasional stand of trees broke the monotony.
Remembering the old woman’s warning, Maggie looked to the skies. Clouds were building to the west. Probably the same storm that had flooded the Arkansas River, Maggie surmised.
For a moment, she thought better of her decision to walk to Florence. She turned to survey Newton once again. Surely, it couldn’t be that hard to find a hiding place.
She looked skyward again, and her mind turned to thoughts of God. Where was He in all this? Maggie couldn’t help but wonder what God would want her to do. She’d spent so much of her life ignoring God’s direction that now she felt ridiculous for her concern.
But maybe God wanted to use something in this to help her find her way. A place where Maggie could finally belong. She sighed. Why would God care about her? After all, she’d done nothing but turn her back on Him. No, Maggie decided, God certainly wouldn’t listen to her now.
Calling upon every ounce of courage she possessed, Maggie moved north, away from the tracks. She knew she’d be able to see the telegraph wires from quite a distance, and the added space gave her a slight feeling of security. When Maggie felt confident she was far enough away from the tracks to be hidden by the tall prairie grass, she turned east. Determined to reach Florence as soon as possible, Maggie quickened her steps.
“Soon I’ll be back where I belong,” Maggie said aloud, trying desperately to bolster her sagging spirits. But in truth, Maggie wasn’t sure where she belonged.
Chapter 7
B y ten o’clock, Maggie knew leaving Newton had been a mistake. Her feet hurt and her back ached. Sitting down, Maggie took off her shoes and surveyed the terrain around her. It was pretty enough, she thought as she rubbed her blistered feet. The fields were covered with tall, thick prairie grass. In the distance, rolling hills were covered with soft greens and purples.
Returning her shoes to her feet, Maggie stood and brushed the grass from her skirt. If only it were as easy to brush off the emptiness that filled her heart!
The air felt heavy and sticky. The farther Maggie walked, the more desperate she felt.
“But I had to leave,” she reasoned aloud. “I couldn’t go on with him—with
A cheery bell rang on the door of the store as Maggie entered. She was greeted by an elderly woman who eyed every stranger suspiciously.
“Where did you come from?” the woman questioned rudely.
“I’m from Topeka,” Maggie answered, hoping her honesty would quell the woman’s curiosity.
“Topeka? You came here from Topeka? When?”
“I came in last night, and now I’m getting ready to leave. I have a few things I need, and if you don’t mind, I need to hurry,” Maggie retorted rather harshly.
“You running from the law, Girl?” the woman continued to pry.
“Absolutely not!” Maggie exclaimed.
Quickly, Maggie located the things she needed for the walk. She was grateful she’d had the sense to wear walking shoes. She located a canteen and some dried fruit and placed them on the counter.
“I figure you must be planning on walking somewhere. I’d be mindful of the weather if I was you,” the older woman said, seeming to soften a bit. “My big toe has been aching all night from the chill in the air. I figure a powerful storm is brewing, and we’ll be due for rain tonight.” Maggie nodded and paid the woman.
“You aren’t going to walk far in that outfit are you?” the woman asked, smoothing back a strand of gray hair.
“It’ll take me as far as I need to go,” Maggie replied and walked out of the store.
Maggie knew following the train tracks would be the wisest thing to do. She also knew it would be the first place Garrett would look for her. She walked several yards before deciding to parallel the tracks as best she could without being seen. The prairie stretched out endlessly before her. Only an occasional stand of trees broke the monotony.
Remembering the old woman’s warning, Maggie looked to the skies. Clouds were building to the west. Probably the same storm that had flooded the Arkansas River, Maggie surmised.
For a moment, she thought better of her decision to walk to Florence. She turned to survey Newton once again. Surely, it couldn’t be that hard to find a hiding place.
She looked skyward again, and her mind turned to thoughts of God. Where was He in all this? Maggie couldn’t help but wonder what God would want her to do. She’d spent so much of her life ignoring God’s direction that now she felt ridiculous for her concern.
But maybe God wanted to use something in this to help her find her way. A place where Maggie could finally belong. She sighed. Why would God care about her? After all, she’d done nothing but turn her back on Him. No, Maggie decided, God certainly wouldn’t listen to her now.
Calling upon every ounce of courage she possessed, Maggie moved north, away from the tracks. She knew she’d be able to see the telegraph wires from quite a distance, and the added space gave her a slight feeling of security. When Maggie felt confident she was far enough away from the tracks to be hidden by the tall prairie grass, she turned east. Determined to reach Florence as soon as possible, Maggie quickened her steps.
“Soon I’ll be back where I belong,” Maggie said aloud, trying desperately to bolster her sagging spirits. But in truth, Maggie wasn’t sure where she belonged.
Chapter 7
B y ten o’clock, Maggie knew leaving Newton had been a mistake. Her feet hurt and her back ached. Sitting down, Maggie took off her shoes and surveyed the terrain around her. It was pretty enough, she thought as she rubbed her blistered feet. The fields were covered with tall, thick prairie grass. In the distance, rolling hills were covered with soft greens and purples.
Returning her shoes to her feet, Maggie stood and brushed the grass from her skirt. If only it were as easy to brush off the emptiness that filled her heart!
The air felt heavy and sticky. The farther Maggie walked, the more desperate she felt.
“But I had to leave,” she reasoned aloud. “I couldn’t go on with him—with
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