kind of songs we sang back then, Pa. Just in church now. I get asked to sing a solo every once in a while.â
âThatâs nice, Son. Real nice.â A thought crossed his mind, and he frowned. âWhat about Lylah? You had a chance to talk to her since you been here?â
âNo, but Iâm going to find time tonight. Sheâs not happy, is she, Pa?â
âNo, she ainât. Never has been, since she was a girl.â Will Stuart pulled off his hat and ran his hand through his hair, then put the hat back on. âI donât know what she wants,â he said finally. âBut whatever it is, she ainât found it yet. And I donât reckon she ever will, unlessââ
âUnless she finds the Lord. I think youâre right. But she seems a long way from God. The theaterâs not the place to find him, I donât think,â Amos said soberly. âIâll try to talk to her tonight, Pa. Maybe sheâll listen to me.â Amos silently whispered a prayer of thankfulness that his father was finally beginning to see the importance of knowing God.
A faint light of humor touched Will Stuartâs eyes. âIf she does,â he grinned slightly, âitâd be the first time she ever listened to anybody.â
Amos laughed and slapped his fatherâs thin shoulder. âYouâre right about that, Pa. But thereâs always a first time. Câmon, now, letâs you and me see if we can show these young whippersnappers how to win a Kewpie doll!â
3
A R IDE FOR G AVIN
T he Stuart clan left the fairground, the women disappearing into a large department store as soon as they reached Fort Smith.
âCâmon, fellas,â Amos said. âThey wonât stop âtil they run out of money.â He led his brothers to the Palace Hotel, saying, âIâm hungry. Letâs get something to eat.â
They entered the restaurant, and it was hard for Amos not to smile as he watched the response of Logan and Pete. Their eyes grew large, and they walked as if they were afraid a mine might go off under their feet at any moment. Gingerly they sat down at the table, gawking at the white tablecloth and the unfamiliar array of silverware. When Amos offered to order for all of them, he saw the look of relief on the faces of his younger brothers. âBring us all a steak, a baked potato, and a lettuce salad.â
As they ate, their talk turned to news of the war. It was Owen who asked, âDo you think weâre going to get into this war over in Europe, Amos?â
Amos shook his head. âWell, Paris is safe since the Allies won at the Marne, but they took 250,000 casualties.â When Logan gasped Amos turned to his younger brother. âThatâs just the beginning, Logan. Thereâs never been a war like this one.â
Owen looked down at his salad, pushed a piece of lettuce around with his fork, then turned his gaze back toward Amos. âWill America get into it?â
Amos shrugged. âBound to. The Germans have ordered total submarine warfare. Last February they sank two shipsâthe Carib , and the Evelyn âand they havenât stopped since. Even President Wilson wonât be able to keep us out now.â
Gavin slapped the table with a force that made the glasses rattle and startled the people sitting at the next table. âWe can whup âem, Amos! Just like we whupped them Yankees in the Civil War!â
Amos grinned. âWell, we didnât exactly whip them, Gavin.â
âSure we did! We just sort of played at it.â
All of them wolfed down their steaks and potatoes, and when it was time for dessert, the waiter asked each one what they wanted. By this time, Logan had gained some confidence.
âHow about some apple pie a la mode?â the waiter suggested.
Logan nodded. âYeah. And put some ice cream on top of it, too.â
At that Amos, who had taken the last bite of his steak,