Free Gabriel's Atonement by Vickie Mcdonough

those things on a smooth trail, much less through tall prairie grass and over rocky ground.”
    â€œSo…did you register?”
    Lara shook her head. How could she explain that if they won a claim they’d have to pay fourteen dollars to file it? Even after she did all the mending and collected her wages it wouldn’t be enough.
    â€œWhat’s goin’ on in that pretty head of yours?”
    With a sigh, she explained her thoughts.
    â€œWell…we don’t need that money now, so God hasn’t provided it.” Grandpa patted her hand, so sure that the Lord would supply. “He gives us what we require when we need it. Right now, we should pray for a horse.”
    Lara nodded, thinking her grandpa needed quinine and they needed food supplies, but those things hadn’t been provided. She wasn’t sure if her faith was strong enough to believe God would give them a horse. Oh, she had no doubt He could do it if He wanted to, but it was the
wanting to
part she wasn’t sure of. She’d once been a young bride filled with hopes and dreams, but then her dreams died one by one, until her life became a lonely struggle to stay alive and put food on the table.
    â€œDon’t look so long in the face, punkin. Things will work out.”
    She managed to give him a wobbly smile, not wanting him to worry about her. She hated that she didn’t trust God more. In her heart, she knew that He could do anything, but it was her practical mind that was doing the arguing. It grew harder and harder to believe, when she had watched her family go hungry and live with so little for months on end.
    After covering up both Michael and Grandpa, she sat there trying to decide what to fix for supper. All of her staples were getting low, and she needed to finish up the mending in order to replenish them.
    Guilt washed over her knowing how disappointed her mother would be with her lack of faith. Oh, if only her parents hadn’t died, surely things would be different. Life had changed so much after the fire that killed her folks and burned their home to the ground. The move from their Topeka farm to their grandparents’ ranch in southern Kansas had been a blessing to Lara after all that had happened, and she was terribly relieved her siblings were able to stay together. But Jo had cried for her mama for ages, and Jack was angry. Grandpa tried to comfort and guide him, but Jack saw it as Grandpa wanting to control him.
    Crying over what-ifs didn’t change things. She mustered up a weak prayer for God to send them a horse and a stronger plea for Grandpa to have a quick recovery. He was down to his last two quinine pills. She wrung her hands together.
Please, God, help me find a way to make some money so I can purchase Grandpa’s medicine
.
    A horse nickered, and a shadow filled the open doorway. People rarely meandered out to their little acre of land, and curiosity pulled her to the door like a magnet.
    Their landlord, Herman Hancock, dismounted his horse and turned to face her. He pulled his hat from his head and held it tightly in front of him. “Good day, Mrs. Talbot.”
    â€œSame to you, Mr. Hancock.” Lara motioned him away from the soddy and toward the creek, dreading the conversation to come. She still didn’t have the money to pay their rent. “Could I offer you a drink of water?”
    He squirmed and looked toward the creek then followed her. “No thanks.” He glanced at the soddy. “Is Daniel here? I need to talk to him.”
    â€œHe’s here, but he’s having one of his episodes.”
    Mr. Hancock pursed his lips. “Right sorry to hear that, ma’am.” He glanced up at the sky for a moment then looked at her. “I—uh—have some news that I’m sure you won’t be too happy to hear.”
    Her heart dropped. Not more bad news.
    He shuffled his feet in the dirt then glanced at her. “Guess you may have heard my