The Jeweled Spur by Gilbert Morris Read Free Book Online Page A

God wanted, and now she could only say, “There’s one I’ve thought about, but I don’t think God told me to go there.”
    “If it’s in your mind, there might be a reason for it,” Faith said. “I hope you don’t expect a flaming angel to come and stand in front of you and bellow out the name of the school God wants you to attend.”
    Despite herself, Laurie laughed at the image. “No, I don’t have to have that. But how can I know if what I think is what God is saying, or just what I’m thinking?”
    “The scripture says, ‘They that seek me early, will find me,’ ” Faith said quietly. “But God’s not a servant you can summon up and demand things from.” She hesitated, and her voice grew very soft indeed. “He will come—when youhave waited until all other things are put out of your mind.” It was her own method, and both her hearers knew well how at times this woman would separate herself from everything, go into seclusion, and would not be seen until she emerged with a peaceful look on her face.
    “What school have you been thinking of?” asked her father.
    “There’s a school in Omaha, a new school. I read about it in the newspaper last year.”
    “Omaha? That’s not as far away as I’d feared,” Tom nodded. “What sort of a school is it? Can women attend?”
    “Oh yes, they take women,” Laurie nodded. “The president is a graduate of Oberlin College, and he’s brought their methods to this new school.” Laurie’s face grew warm and her eyes sparkled as she explained the new venture. “It’s going to be a school for artists, painters, and writers. And one of the teachers is going to be Barton Sturgis!”
    “And who is he?” Faith asked.
    “Why, he’s a writer, Mother!” Laurie was shocked that neither of her parents had ever even heard of Sturgis. “He’s written the two best novels ever published in America. All the critics say so!”
    After thirty minutes of listening to Laurie talk excidedly about college and this Mr. Sturgis, Tom finally interrupted her and said, “Well, reveille comes early. Let’s go to bed, Faith.” He kissed Laurie and held her a moment, saying, “I’ll miss you, you know.”
    Faith kissed the excited girl and gave one word of caution: “Be very careful about this, Laurie. I can’t do it for you.” She smiled. “God doesn’t have grandchildren, you know—only children. So you must meet with God about this decision on your own. But you’ll be guided, I know that very well.”
    When Laurie finally got into bed, she had never in all her life been less inclined to sleep. For what seemed like the entire night she lay there, trying to fall asleep, but the excitement was too much. Finally she drifted off—and dreamed of Ugly! But it was not the same—for in the dream, it was she whowas tied by a rope around her neck! And it was Ugly who was sitting just out of reach—with a train ticket for Omaha in his enormous mouth! Over and over he would come close, but when Laurie would reach out for the ticket, he would step back out of reach. Finally he ate the ticket—and Laurie found herself weeping bitterly into her pillow.

CHAPTER FOUR
    Journey to Omaha
    On the day Laurie received the letter of acceptance to Wilson College, she set a goal of taking Star with her. It would not be an easy battle, but she threw herself into convincing her parents that it had to be done. “I’ll be gone for at least two years,” she’d told them in her opening salvo. “It’s too far to come home, and you can’t visit me. I’ll be lonesome for all of you—but if I just had Star with me, it’d be a little bit like being home. . . .”
    She had lost the initial battles, but like a good general, she had not given up. Her mother was adamant, but Laurie quickly saw a chink in her father’s armor. He himself loved horses, and she had used every tactic known to young women to convince her father to give her what she wanted most. She knew her father well enough