Free Blessed are the Merciful by Al Lacy Page B

his fiancée. Welles greeted Philipa warmly, saying he always knew Adam would find a beautiful and charming young woman to marry. He was also impressed when Adam told him that Philipa was the daughter of Philip Conrad III.
    “Sir,” Adam said, “I notice that Mrs. Welles isn’t with you. I hope she’s not ill.”
    “Oh, no. Martha would’ve come with me, but our youngest daughter, Patricia, is about to give birth, and Martha felt she should stay with her.”
    “I don’t blame her. Please greet her for me when you get home, sir.”
    “I’ll do that.”
    “So when are you putting the ball and chain on this young man?” Welles said, looking at Philipa.
    “October, sir.”
    “We sure would be honored if you and Mrs. Welles could come,” Adam said.
    “We’d love to come, Adam, but it might not be possible.”
    “Oh?”
    “Mmm-hmm. Say, my train doesn’t leave until late afternoon tomorrow. I’m staying at the Pennsylvania Hotel. Could you meet me at the hotel dining room at noon? I’d sure like to spend a little time with you.”
    “I’ve got a court date in the morning, sir, but the judges in this city like to eat at noon, so I’m sure there’ll be an adjournment at about eleven-thirty. I’ll look forward to having lunch with you.”
    “Wonderful!” Welles shook hands with Adam, told Philipa how glad he was to have met her, and turned to other people who were waiting to talk to him.
    At noon the next day, Adam Burke and Manfred Welles sat at lunch, enjoying their time together. After talking about Adam’s days at Harvard, Welles said, “Last night when you said you would like for Martha and me to come to your wedding, I said it might not be possible. I’d like to explain what I meant.”
    “Good. You’ve had me wondering about that.”
    “I haven’t told anyone here about it, Adam, but I recently resigned my position at Harvard.”
    “You … you resigned your professorship, sir?”
    “That’s right.”
    “But you’re too young to retire.”
    “I turned fifty-one in May, Adam, but my resigning at Harvard doesn’t mean I’m retiring.”
    “Well, good, I’m glad to hear that. What are you planning to do, sir?”
    “Let me preface my answer by first telling you that several years ago I took Martha on a trip to Cheyenne City, Wyoming. We had some friends who moved there, and they asked us to come visit them. Well, we did … and I fell in love with the West.”
    Adam inched forward on his chair. “Really, sir?”
    “I’ve had a hankering to move out to the wide open spaces ever since.”
    Adam smiled. “So you’re going out west?”
    “That’s right … to Grand Island, Nebraska. We had to cross Nebraska to get to Cheyenne City, and that big sky and the openness of it captured me. I have a lawyer friend who has been in Grand Island for some fifteen years. The town has grown steadily, and so has my friend’s practice. He wrote me a couple of months ago, asking if I would come out and become his partner. I took him up on it. This is why I couldn’t commit to coming to your wedding.”
    Welles looked closely at Adam and said, “You seem excited about something I’ve said. What is it?”
    “Well, sir, right after I graduated from Harvard, my uncle in Boston took me with him on a trip to California. Those wide open spaces captured me, too. I see the western frontier as a place where a man can breathe free. I’ve made up my mind that I’m taking Philipa out there to start our married life. I’m going to find a growing town and establish my own law firm. The way people are moving west, I’m sure if I choose the right town, I can build a successful firm. It’s my dream.”
    “I have no doubt you’ll do fine, Adam. At my age I’m glad I don’t have to start from scratch. The partnership sounds great to me. But you’re just the one to build your business from the ground up.”
    “Dr. Welles, how about your wife? Is she as excited about moving to Grand Island as you