Whispers in the Wind (28 page)

“Oh, wonderful!” exclaimed Julie, pushing her chair back. She rounded the table, leaned over and hugged Breanna’s neck. “When’s the baby due?”

“Well, I’m two months along, so the baby should be born in mid-May.”

Mike popped his hands together. “That’s great! So what do you want—a boy or a girl?”

“A boy!” spoke up Jerry in his thick-tongued manner. “Girls is good, bud you need a boy.”

John laughed. “Tell you what, Jerry, I’ll gladly take whichever the Lord gives me!”

Breanna giggled. “Guess you’ll have to, won’t you, darling?”

Mike, John, and Jerry helped carry the dishes to the kitchen, then went to the parlor. Julie, Breanna, Theresa, and Mandy teamed up to do the dishes, with Theresa employing a dish towel while sitting in her wheelchair.

The new Brockman baby was still the topic of conversation when at nine-thirty that evening, John and Breanna climbed into their buggy and headed for home.

The next morning in Manhattan, New York, Charles Loring Brace entered his office at the Children’s Aid Society building to find his secretary, Myra Hinson, placing a telegram on his desk.

“Good morning, Myra,” he said cheerfully, hanging hat and coat on pegs next to the door.

Myra turned, then picked the yellow envelope back up and handed it to him with a smile. “Good morning, Mr. Brace. This came in a few minutes ago. The Western Union deliveryman said it’s from that couple in Denver—the Rosses.”

“Oh yes! Concerning Leanne Ladd.”

Eager to see if the Rosses wanted Leanne, Brace took a letter opener from the top of his desk and slit the envelope open. Taking out the telegram, he quickly read it.

A smile broke over his face. “Praise the Lord! The Rosses want Leanne. Will you go get her and bring her to me so I can tell her, please?”

“Of course,” said Myra, heading for the door. “Be right back.”

Ten minutes later, Brace looked up from his desk to see Myra come into his office, leading the pretty girl by the hand. Still the gentleman even though Leanne could not see him, Brace rose to his feet as they moved up to the desk. “Good morning, Leanne.”

The thirteen-year-old was a little gangly, being at the stage in life when she was no longer a little child, but not quite a young lady. Her dark brown hair was shot through with reddish highlights and was worn in two long braids that hung over her slender shoulders.

Pointing her sightless brown eyes toward the sound of the voice, Leanne said, “Good morning, Mr. Brace. Mrs. Hinson said you wanted to see me.”

“That I do, dear. I have good news for you. Please be seated.”

Myra took hold of the blind girls shoulders and helped her to ease on to one of the chairs in front of the desk. She remained beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

Brace sat down, looked across the desk at her, and said, “Leanne, I have good news for you. I have been in correspondence with a fine Christian couple in Denver, Colorado, who have taken three other handicapped children from the Society in the past few years and given them a wonderful home. We have sent each one to this couple by the orphan trains.”

Leanne’s face brightened. “And they want me, sir?”

“They sure do. Their names are Mike and Julie Ross. They are in their midthirties, and are very active in one of Denver’s fine Bible-believing churches. I sent them a letter several days ago. A telegram came from them this morning. Mr. Ross is a prominent attorney in Denver and makes a very good living. Both of them are kind and loving people.”

Brace went on to tell Leanne about Jerry, Theresa, and Mandy, explaining their ages and their handicaps.

As he was describing the three children already in the Ross home, a smile touched Leanne’s lips. Even though she had no physical sight, she was picturing the Rosses and the other children in her mind’s eye.

“So you see, honey,” Brace concluded, “I’m happy to learn that the Rosses want you to come live with them.”

“Ah, Mr. Brace,” she said haltingly, “they—they do know I’m—I’m blind, don’t they?”

“Yes, my dear. They know all about you. My letter explained about your parents and how the Lord took them home to heaven when they were in Mexico.”

Leanne nodded.

“Let me explain something else, Leanne. The Rosses have gone beyond the foster stage with these children. They have adopted all three of them, and stated in the telegram that they will adopt you too. They also want one more child, so they will have a total of five adopted children—which they believe is the Lord’s will for them.”

Another smile curved the girl’s lips.

“So you see, dear,” said Brace, “you’ll have a ready-made family, with two sisters and a brother. I know they will love you and that you will love them. This is a wonderful opportunity for you. I only wish I had more couples like the Rosses. So many orphaned, abandoned, and neglected children need loving homes.” A deep
sigh escaped his lips as he gazed at the sightless girl.

“That’s for sure,” put in Myra, her hand still on Leanne’s shoulder.

Leanne turned and pointed her vacant eyes upward toward Myra. Her pretty features showed the joy she was feeling. “And just think, Mrs. Hinson, I’ll be in a home where they love Jesus and serve Him.”

“Yes, you will, sweetheart.”

Leanne turned her face back toward the Society’s director. “How soon will I be going to Colorado, Mr. Brace?”

“I told the Rosses in my letter that if they wanted you, we would put you on the orphan train that will leave Grand Central Station on Monday morning, November 6. Well, since they most certainly do want you, that’s the train you’ll be on.”

This time, Leanne was smiling from ear to ear. “November 6 isn’t far away. I’ll look forward to riding the train. I’ve never been on one before. But most of all, I’ll look forward to meeting the Rosses and my new brother and sisters.”

“I want you to have a very happy life, dear,” said Brace. “And I know you will.”

Myra helped Leanne off the chair and took her by the hand. “All right, honey, I’ll take you back to your room, now.”

As Myra was leading her out the office door, Leanne paused and turned toward Brace. “God bless you, sir, for caring about orphan children.”

“Jesus cares about orphan children,” said Brace, “so I do, too.”

When Myra and Leanne moved through the door and passed from view into the outer office, Charles Loring Brace wiped tears from his eyes and dived into the paperwork that lay before him.

Less than half an hour had passed when Myra came in and said, “Mr. Brace, I’m sorry to interrupt you, but there’s a police officer out here who wants to speak to you. His name is James Thornton.”

Brace frowned. “I know Officer Thornton. Did he tell you what he wants to see me about?”

“No, sir. But he emphasized that it is very important.”

Wondering what Thornton could want, Brace said, “Please bring him in, Myra.”

W
hen Myra Hinson came into the office with Officer James Thornton on her heels, Charles Loring Brace rose to his feet behind the desk, and looked past Myra at the man in blue. “Good morning, Officer Thornton.”

Thornton approached the desk and extended his hand. “Good morning, sir.”

They shook hands, then Brace gestured toward the chairs in front of the desk. “Please sit down.”

The man looked over his shoulder. “Thank you for getting me in to see him, Mrs. Hinson.”

Myra smiled. “My pleasure, Officer.”

As Myra closed the door behind her, both men sat down.

Brace met his gaze. “Now what is it you need to speak to me about?”

“Sir, you will recall that on several occasions I have expressed my appreciation to you for the marvelous work you are doing to take so many orphans off the streets and send them out West on the orphan trains.”

Brace nodded. “You certainly have, and I appreciate your appreciation.”

“Well, I’m here to tell you about a small colony of orphans on my beat who are about to starve. They live in an alley just off Broadway, and it’s getting pretty bad for them.”

Brace leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desktop. “Tell me more.”

“Do you remember a few weeks ago when you and Mrs. Brace were picking up four street children on my beat, and Dr. Lee Harris approached you and your wife, wanting to meet you?”

“I remember it clearly.”

“Do you also recall that Dr. Harris had two teenage orphans in his buggy at the time, and introduced you to them? Dane Weston and Tharyn Myers?”

Brace nodded, smiling. “Yes. I remember Dane and Tharyn. And I recall that Dane is employed at Clarkson’s Pharmacy. I also remember their stories as told by Dr. Harris.”

“Well, sir, Dane and Tharyn are from this same colony I just mentioned.”

“I see.”

“But I do have to tell you—and sadly—that Dane is no longer there, nor does he work at the pharmacy anymore.”

Brace’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“My partner and I had to arrest Dane for murdering a boy in a nearby alley.”

“What? He—he seemed like such a nice boy.”

“I know, sir, but three credible adult witnesses saw the incident and identified Dane as the killer. He stabbed an eleven-year-old boy named Benny Jackson to death in an alley not far from the one where this colony lives.”

Charles Loring Brace looked stunned.

Officer Thornton went on. “When Dane went to trial, those same witnesses testified under oath that he was the killer. He was convicted of the crime, and the judge gave him a life sentence in the Tombs.”

Brace moved his head back and forth slowly. “I’m sorry to hear this.”

“Of course, Dane declares he is innocent.” He chuckled. “But
aren’t all the criminals innocent, according to them?”

“Seems that’s usually the case. But I’m really surprised about Dane. He very much struck me as being one fine boy.”

Thornton sighed. “Well, sir, he had me fooled, too. The sad thing is that the colony—which still has ten children—was very dependent on the income Dane produced by working at the pharmacy. Without it, they’re in real trouble.” He paused. “Are you aware that Dr. Harris has retired and left New York?”

“No.”

“Mm-hmm. A young doctor bought his practice. Dr. Stanley Norris. Dr. Norris has been keeping an eye on the street children as Dr. Harris did. It was Dr. Norris who alerted me just yesterday to the awful condition of the children in Dane’s colony. I was just there earlier this morning to see for myself, and he’s right.

“Those children are bringing in very little from begging of late, and they’re eating what little they can scrounge from the garbage cans behind a nearby café.”

Brace shook his head and sighed. “Poor kids.”

Thornton cleared his throat gently. “I’m here to ask if it would be possible for you to put all ten of those children on an orphan train and send them out West to find foster homes.”

Brace nodded. “It most certainly is possible. I have an orphan train scheduled to leave on November 6, and I still have room for a little more than ten children. Mrs. Brace and I were going to go out on the streets tomorrow to find some more orphans for that train. We’ll just make those ten the greater part of that group. I’ll take one of my staff men with me right now, pick them up, and bring them here. We’ll get some square meals in their stomachs these next several days.”

Relief was obvious on the officer’s features. “Oh, marvelous! Thank you, Mr. Brace. Since you’re going right away, I’ll lead you to the alley.”

“Fine. I appreciate that.”

Brace then looked toward the door and called for Myra. When she came in, he said, “Will you tell E. P. I need him right now?”

“Certainly, sir.”

Less than three minutes had passed when the door opened and a man stepped in. Brace introduced E. P. Smith to Officer Thornton, told him about the ten hungry children in the colony, and that they were going to go pick them up and keep them at the Society’s headquarters until November 6, when they would be put on the orphan train.

Smith was glad to hear it. He hurried away to hitch up a team to one of the wagons, and Thornton went with him. Brace stopped at Myras desk and explained what was happening. He asked her to advise his wife, so she could make sure there was enough food cooked for the noon meal to provide for the ten extra mouths, and plans could be made to accommodate five new girls and five new boys.

A cold wind was whipping down the alley, pushing debris in front of it. The ten children stood huddled around the fire in the metal trash can, their coat collars turned up.

It was Billy Johnson who first noticed movement at the nearest end of the alley and pointed. “Look! It’s Officer Thornton. There’s a wagon behind him.”

Everyone in the group turned to see Officer James Thornton aboard his horse and looking straight at them. The team that pulled the wagon—as well as Thornton’s horse—was sending billows of vapor into the wind from their nostrils.

Russell Mims greeted Thornton as he dismounted.

Bessie Evans’s eyes widened as she ran her gaze from the unfamiliar face of the driver to the man in the seat beside him. “It’s Mr. Brace!”

Other young eyes widened instantly.

As E. P. Smith drew rein, Officer Thornton stepped up close. “Hello, boys and girls. I’ve got some very good news for you. Seems you all know who Mr. Brace is.”

“We sure do!” said Bessie.

“Well, he wants to talk to all of you.”

By this time, Charles Loring Brace and E. P. Smith were out of the wagon. It was immediately obvious to them that the children were undernourished. They stepped up beside the officer, and Brace said, “Children, Officer Thornton came to my office this morning and told me about your lack of food. This gentleman with me is one of my staff members at the Children’s Aid Society. His name is Mr. Smith. He and I are here to take you to the Society’s headquarters, if you will go with us.”

A wide grin spread over Russell’s young face. “Sure we will, Mr. Brace! Right, kids?”

There was instant unanimous agreement.

Brace smiled. “I thought you’d all agree. This is the plan. We’ll give you all the food you can eat, and nice clean beds to sleep in. We will also see that you all get new clothes. You will be cared for until November 6, when we will put you on an orphan train that will take you out West so all of you can be taken into foster homes.”