Free Wings of a Dove by Elaine Barbieri

someplace better tomorrow."
        It came to Delaney with a start that the girl thought he had been rejected, not the reverse! He would have laughed and set her straight, but he was afraid the truth might encourage her. Instead, only too keenly aware that it was time for Allie Pierce to learn a hard lesson, he turned away from her with great deliberation and, without a word, walked into the hotel.
        Vastly relieved to find the old Delaney Marsh was not completely lost to him, Delaney walked into the dining room and assumed his place at the table.
     
    Chapter Four
        The disagreeable sounds the harsh clicking and scraping of the wheels on the railway tracks, the jolting of the car as it sped through the darkened countryside, the whistle's screech punctuating the long night hours while Allie attempted to sleepwere finally drawing to an end. Despite the discomforts, she was not eager to reach their destination.
        The bright light of dawn had crept through the windows of their rail car almost an hour earlier, and Allie had pulled her blanket up higher on her shoulders in an attempt to shield herself from the growing light. Their accommodations on this train far surpassed those of the immigrant train that had carried them from Albany to Buffalo, but she had little thought for the comfort of the cushioned seat on which she slept. Instead, the first sliver of dawn had reawakened a familiar apprehension.
        There were thirty children left in their party, and Mr. Smith had solemnly promised them the previous night that he would not return to New York until each and every one of them had found a home. That thought brought Allie little consolation. She knew there would be countless towns where strangers would compare and assessand find her lacking. Would there be another Mr. Crosley waiting at one of those stops? More frightening still was the realization that Mr. Smith had been unaware of Mr. Crosley's manner with her. He had been too busy with other couples to see. Only Delaney had noticed. Only Delaney had come to help her.
        Feeling queasy, Allie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Shamefacedly, she realized that despite the sympathy she had expressed, she was actually glad those farmers had decided to take other boys instead of Delaney. She was being foolish, too, for he would surely be one of the first to find a new home at the next stop. Even if he was not, he had gone to great pains to impress upon her that he did not want to be bothered with her anymore.
        Maybe that was her punishment for being so selfish. Or maybe Delaney was right, and all this had nothing to do with the Lady. Maybe he had just taken pity on her and now all his pity was used up. Maybe it had just been wishful thinking that the Lady had sent her a friend.
        But Allie knew that she could not hold back the dawn of a new day and everything it would bring. When the train drew up to the next stop, she would have no choice but to follow Mr. Smith with the rest of the children.
        With that thought, Allie squeezed her eyes tightly closed and tried to sleep. For the time being, she would think no more.
        The sunlit car was screeching to a slow, grinding halt when Allie joined the other children at the windows and peered out at the crowded platform. Her heart pounding, she shot a quick glance toward Mr. Smith as he raised his voice over the eardrum-piercing din.
        ''Look, children, there is Reverend Masters." His smile broadening at his first glimpse of the group of adults standing behind the young minister on the platform, Mr. Smith continued with great conviction, "Many of you are close to finding your new homes at this very minute."
        Mr. Smith's enthusiastic words set the mood for their group and an excited buzzing ensued among the girls surrounding Allie, accompanied by many valiant attempts to smooth wrinkled clothes and tousled hair. But Allie's trembling fingers refused to