Free Lesia's Dream by Laura Langston Page B

to put money away for her passage.
    â€œHave you heard news of Papa?” she finally managed to ask Andrew. “Or Ivan?”
    â€œYour father stayed on with the Icelandic fellow. Wasyl decided to go with Ivan and look for work inWinnipeg. The two of them stopped in on their way to town a few days ago.” Andrew pulled a handful of bills from his pocket and held them out. “Your Papa sent this.”
    Baba’s letter disappeared into her apron. Lesia took the bills and carefully counted them. Her eyes widened. Bozhe, she was holding thirty Canadian dollars.
    Stunned, she looked up at Andrew. “This is worth seventy-five rynskys,” she said breathlessly.
    â€œYour father earned it over the last six weeks.” Andrew fiddled with his hat. “Ivan gave it to me on behalf of Papa with … er … certain instructions.”
    Lesia’s eyes narrowed. She knew her Papa all too well. “He told you to keep five dollars for Mama’s doctor bill and give me the rest, didn’t he?”
    Two spots of bright pink flushed his cheeks. “Not… not exactly.”
    â€œThen what?”
    â€œHe told me to keep five dollars and spend the other twenty-five on supplies for you. But I didn’t know what to buy so I thought I’d ask you first.”
    Carefully she counted off five one-dollar bills and held them out. “Here,” she said.
    Andrew took a step backward. “I won’t take them.”
    â€œYou must.” She held her head proudly. “The Magus family pays its debts.”
    â€œYou don’t have to pay debts off all at once. That’s why they call them debts.” His eyes twinkled. “You have other debts to pay. You said so yourself. And your mama looks terrible. She needs to eat more potatoes.”
    Papa would kill her if she didn’t pay Andrew. “You must take something.”
    â€œOne dollar, then.” He accepted the bill from Lesia’s hand.
    â€œTwo.” She shoved another at his fist.
    â€œAll right, two.” He grinned. “Now what about the store?”
    â€œThe store?” But she wasn’t really listening.
Twenty-eight dollars!
She could send twenty to Master Stryk, save a little for Baba’s passage, maybe buy a bushel of potatoes or a sack of flour.
    â€œLesia?”
    She snapped back. “I’ll need to make a list,” she said,” and think about how much to send to the master. I’ll go to the store myself.”
    â€œThe trail’s rough in spots. It’ll take you the better part of a day to walk to Hazelridge.”
    â€œIt’s summer. I can manage.”
    And Minnie said they’d never make it in Canada. The girl was crazy. Papa had already made it. She had twenty-eight Canadian dollars. Life was good!

Chapter Eight
    Lesia settled herself near the small window near the corner of the burdei, reached for the family Bible and removed the pencil she’d hidden in its crease. Slowly, she pulled back the small square of muslin that covered the window and let the light from the full moon stream over the blank page.
    Taking one of the cream sheets of paper Andrew had given her, Lesia laid it on top of the closed Bible and clutched the pencil between her fingers.
    Dearest Baba, she wrote. It is now July 23. Yes, we arrived safely. I am well. Mama and Sonia are well. Papa and Ivan are well. They have gone out to work.
    Sonia cried out softly in her sleep. Lesia’s pencil skidded off the page. When the child had settled, Lesia resumed writing.
    We have much land and a river filled with fish. Our house is very large with a great oven and many windows. We have two cows, six chickens and a hog. Soon we will have oxen and a plough. Canada is a special land. Its people are very kind. When you come, you will see. Your ever-loving Lesia.
    By the time she was finished, the moon had moved and she was sitting in virtual darkness. But there was still one more letter