Woman of Courage by Wanda E. Brunstetter Read Free Book Online Page B

chest. It gave her a sense of peace to have it with her—especially when she slept. It was difficult to close her eyes at night, knowing anything could happen during those long, dark hours. So she tried something different and erected the tarp as a makeshift tent. Maybe with this little shelter overhead, she would feel safer.
    A good night’s rest is what I need
, she thought, yawning and barely able to keep her eyes open. Amanda lay listening to the hoot of an owl and the soft nicker of one of the horses and allowed the sounds to relax her. “Things will look better in the morning,” she mumbled softly as her eyes finally drifted shut.

    Amanda came off her sleeping mat as though she’d been stung by a hornet. A terrible racket outside her small shelter could have wakened the dead. She threw her covers aside, crawled out of the small enclosure, and clambered to her feet. If someone planned to kill her, it wouldn’t be while she slept. No, she would meet the intruder face-to-face, no matter what the outcome.
    Fully prepared to see a band of hostile Indians, Amanda was surprised to discover two bear cubs running through the campsite, making a shambles out of everything. They had ripped open all but one of the packs, and everything—from Amanda’s clothing to her food staples—was strewn about in the dirt.
    “Oh no!” Amanda gasped. She snatched up a piece of wood and began chasing the mischievous cubs. “Get out of here! Leave my things alone!”
    The cubs continued to frolic, which caused the horses to whinny and the mules to bray. At wits’ end, Amanda picked up some small rocks and heaved them at the bears, shouting, “Get out of here, right now!”
    As though they knew she meant business, the twin cubs ran bawling into the woods.
    With hands planted firmly on her hips, Amanda surveyed the damage. Her food supplies were nothing more than scavenger pickings. Her plain, dark dresses and Quaker bonnet were dirty. The only pack the roguish little bears had not gotten into was full of Papa’s things. Amanda knew that unless she wanted to die in the filthy black dress she presently wore, she’d have to put on one of Papa’s shirts to go with the trousers she wore hidden beneath her dress.
    Unsure of which trail to take, and with few food provisions left, Amanda was certain that unless God intervened, she wouldn’t last many more days.

    Amanda hadn’t moved from her campsite all day. She was too weary to travel, and since she was unsure of which way to go, she’d decided it was best to spend the day resting, praying, and reading her Bible. She desperately needed God’s wisdom and guidance if she was going to find the strength and courage to go on.
    Amanda had hoped that other travelers going in the same direction might find her and invite her to journey with them. But all day long, her only friends were the sky, the mountains, and the birds serenading her with melodies.
    With a lightweight blanket draped over her shoulders, Amanda placed a log on the fire. As she sat, holding her Bible, while watching the sun go down, she tried not to think about the ache in her stomach. She’d had a refreshing drink of water from a nearby stream, but thanks to those cavorting bears, she was forced to ration her remaining food.
    Dark clouds drifted across a stunning sunset, vivid with color. Even the clouds feathered the sky with oranges, reds, and purples, as the sunlight touched them. In these dangerous lands, God’s beauty could be seen in every direction. Despite her fear of the unknown, Amanda couldn’t help but take in all this grandeur.
    Back home, the maples would be coming to life. The red buds sprouting on every branch always gave an illusion of autumn instead of spring. Up here in the Rockies, she saw no leafy trees—only pines that stood massively reaching toward the heavens.
    The landscape was beautiful, and some of the animals Amanda had seen along the way were different from those she was familiar with back