Not My Will and The Light in My Window by Francena H. Arnold Read Free Book Online Page A

planned on doing some hard work this summer. But I have no one else to turn to, and I know you’d want to help.
    Bob fell yesterday and broke his leg. A rung of the haymow ladder gave way. Mary Lou found him unconscious at the foot of it, and it almost frightened her to death. He is at the hospital now, resting as well as we can expect. But he is beginning to fret already about the work. Uncle John can’t carry on alone. He means well, but you know him. We can manage for a few weeks until school is out, but I fear you’ll have to come home for the summer’s work. You know how I dislike to ask this, and Bob and Con are heartsick over it. Only Mary Lou is pleased. All she can think of is that you’re coming home. That’s enough for her. Between sympathy for Bob and joy over the prospect of seeing you, she’s almost torn in two.
    I must hurry into town now. We will write every day. Don’t worry, for the doctor says Bob will be allright. And I know that God’s hand is in this, as in everything. It is comforting to rest in Him.
    Mother
    Chad took the letter away from Eleanor again and placed his big hand over her smaller one. “Listen, Ellen,” he said pleadingly, “I just have to go to Mother. She needs me. Old Bob is probably worrying himself into a fever over all this. But I can’t think of leaving you here alone.”
    Ellen laughed. “Why, I stayed alone last summer, and it didn’t worry you.”
    “I didn’t know you then,” he corrected her. “But somehow I remember a sort of dissatisfied feeling all last summer. That must have been why.”
    They both laughed, then Chad’s face resumed its serious expression. “Ellen, won’t you go home with me? You’d love it. They’d all love you, and in spite of Bob’s illness we would have a wonderful summer.”
    “Chad, how could I?” she cried. “We’d have to tell we’re married.”
    “I know it, honey, but that wouldn’t hurt, would it? I can’t leave you behind, and I can’t stay here when they need me.” Chad’s face brightened. “Let’s do away with this secrecy and tell the whole world,” he suggested eagerly. “If the old professor wants to fire you, we’ll struggle along somehow.”
    Eleanor was touched by the longing in Chad’s voice. But she knew a reason, of which Chad was unaware, why their marriage must remain a secret. So studying intently the pattern in the tablecloth in order not to see the pain she knew would come into her husband’s eyes,she said, “Oh, Chad, we can’t! Please don’t tempt me with any more descriptions of summer on the farm with you. I’m having an awful time trying to be wise and sane for both of us. We would enjoy the summer, but there would be a price to pay later. Remember our work, dear.”
    “Lovely lady, you’re right as usual—but what will you do here alone all summer? That’s what I don’t like.”
    Drawing a long breath, Eleanor looked up into his troubled face. “Fate seems to have taken care of that problem. Professor Nichols has decided to go East this summer to do some work and wants me to go along and help him. I don’t want to go and leave you, but now it will be all right. He really does need me.”
    Chad demurred again. “It still isn’t right,” he argued. “After all, we are married, and those weeks apart will be endless. Now if only Mother didn’t need me …” he mused.
    “But she does need you, dear, and Professor Nichols needs me. We’ll both go where duty calls us, do our work well, and look forward to a happy reunion in the fall. We can write often, and the time will pass quickly.”
    “It will drag, and you know it,” Chad said emphatically. “But you are right about duty and all that.” Then his eyes flashed as he continued, “Some day, Ellen, I’m going to take you home with me—and I hope it won’t be long.”
    “And I’ll go gladly and proudly, dear,” she replied. “But just now we have a goal—a worthwhile one—to work toward. Some day we’ll