Lord, you could plainly see that they were reminding Him
of all the promises He had made to take care of people, comfort those
in trouble, and heal the broken-hearted.

One thing was so curious, I asked May if she noticed, and she had.
When they had made such a fuss about money only a short while before,
and worked so hard to get our share together, and when they would have
to pay back all that belonged to the county and church, neither of them
ever even mentioned money then. Every minute I expected father to ask
where I'd put the piece I found, and when he opened right at it, in the
Bible, he turned on past, exactly as if it were an obituary, or a piece
of Sally's wedding dress, or baby hair from some of our heads. He went
on hunting places where the Lord said sure and strong that He'd help
people who loved Him. When either of them prayed, they asked the Lord
to help those near them who were in trouble, as often and earnestly as
they begged Him to help them. There were no people near us who were in
trouble that we knew of, excepting Pryors. Hard as father and mother
worked, you'd have thought the Lord wouldn't have minded if they asked
only once to get the money back, or if they forgot the neighbours, but
they did neither one.

May said because they were big like that was why all of us loved them
so.

I would almost freeze in the catalpa, but as I could see far in all
directions there, I went back, and watched the roads, and when I
remembered what Laddie had said, I kept an eye on the fields too. At
almost dusk, and frozen so stiff I could scarcely hang to the limb, I
heard the bulldogs at Pryors' begin to rave. They kept on steadily,
and I thought Gypsies must be passing. Then from the woods came a
queer party that started across the cornfield toward the Big Meadow in
front of the house, and I thought they were hunters. I stood in the
tree and watched until they climbed the meadow fence, and by that time
I could see plainly.

The traveller man got over first, then Leon and the dogs, and then Mr.
Pryor handed Leon the gun, leaped over, and took it. I looked again,
and then fell from the tree and almost bursted. As soon as I could get
up, and breathe, I ran to the front door, screaming: "Father! Father!
Come open the Big Gate. Leon's got him, but he's so tired Mr. Pryor is
carrying the gun, and helping him walk!"

Just like one, all of us ran; father crossed the road, and opened the
gate. The travel