Free Glory by Lori Copeland Page A

checked the perimeter of the rolling terrain where he’d tethered the stock to give them access to the lush grass. However, he saw no signs of Glory or anyone else for that matter. Bidding the girls good night, he turned in early. If Glory decided to join them, it was going to have to be on her own terms.

    Several days later, Jackson saddled the mare instead of tying her behind the wagon. They’d crossed Dragoon Creek late yesterday; about a mile up was Second Dragoon. After the girls had broken camp and climbed into the wagon, he handed the reins to Ruth. “Think you can handle the team by yourself?” he asked.
    She smiled. “Yes.”
    He returned the smile, grateful for her quiet competence. “Good girl.”
    “Ladies,” he announced a moment later.
    The girls poked their heads out of the wagon behind Ruth, who was sitting on the driver’s seat.
    “Up ahead, we’ll encounter another stream. Usually hasa rapid flow over a sandy, level bottom. But with recent rains, it could be out of its banks. It might be a tough crossing. I’ll ride beside the team to steer them to solid footing. Ruth will drive. Harper, be ready if she needs a hand. Everybody stay in the wagon and do as I say.”
    “We’re ready,” Ruth called cheerily. “I’ve yet to see the righteous forsaken, and I’m fully confident that the Lord will see us safely to the other side.”
    “Yes, ma’am! He’s never failed me yet.” Jackson scanned the group, and every head nodded.
    “Yes, sir,” Harper added with a trace of mockery in her tone. “Like Ruth said.”
    “Let’s move out!”
    Jackson glanced around, hoping he’d made his announcement loudly enough for Glory to hear. He’d seen no sign of her this morning, but he’d felt compelled to leave their scraps behind in a small bundle beside the campfire before dousing it. He couldn’t let the girl starve.
    When they reached the stream, Jackson studied the swollen waters and swift current. It was worse than he’d imagined. The girls watched in silence as he reined his horse up and down, studying the bank. At one point, he clucked to the mare and tapped her with his heels. The horse responded, leaping into the water that swiftly rose to her shoulders. He maneuvered her against the current as he carefully threaded their way across and up the opposite bank.
    “We’ll cross here,” he shouted from the other side, a distance upstream.
    Ruth sawed the reins and clucked to the team of oxen, guiding them upriver as Jackson made his way back across to them. In a few minutes, he helped her line up the wagon.
    “Got everything secured in there?” he called.
    “Got everything tied down,” Lily shouted.
    “And knotted twice,” Patience added, poking her head out between the canvas.
    “Could get bumpy, ladies, so find something solid to hold on to.”
    Ruth glanced back over her shoulder and then bobbed her head. “Ready,” she announced.
    “Let’s move out,” Jackson called as he took a position close to the team. The animals slid down the bank into the river, the wagon wobbling behind.
    Jackson kept an eye on the wagon as the oxen stretched their necks to keep their heads above water and dug their hooves into the sandy bottom. Slowly they worked their way across, Jackson reining his mare and pulling on the oxen’s harness, and Ruth sawing the reins to support their direction.
    As they approached the other side, Ruth slapped the reins and Jackson hauled on the oxen as they scrambled up the muddy bank. Safely across on dry ground, the wagon master turned to face Ruth. “Everybody okay?”
    “Everybody’s okay here.” Ruth glanced overhead and added, “And we thank our Lord.”
    Jackson bowed his head respectfully and sat back in his saddle for a moment. When he looked up, his heart leapt inhis chest. “Oh no,” he muttered, kicking his horse into action.
    In a flash, the mare bolted back into the water and under Jackson’s urging swam toward the center of the swollen stream,