As the Sparks Fly Upward (28 page)

“Why—very well.” He knew his face had turned red and tried to cover his embarrassment by saying, “I don't think this is serious. Don't worry. Dr. Teague and I will get you through.” He waited for her to answer, but she turned her face away.

He got up and left the room and found Teague. “I don't like this. These sicknesses are hard to pin down. We'll have to stay close.”

Two days went by and Colin was miserable. Twyla had steadily grown worse. For a time he thought it was the sweating sickness, but as the illness continued Colin realized it was something else. The pain in her abdomen had increased and the fever kept spiking. She had no appetite and sweated profusely. Colin spent much of his time beside her, but finally he decided to take a walk. He didn't know when, but at some point he began praying. Colin had said prayers before, but he'd never had a great deal of confidence in his ability to pray. He suddenly thought of Charles Evans, and a fierce desire rose in him for the assurance the man had even in the face of the gallows. He cried out to God aloud, something he had rarely done. “Oh God! You've got to heal this young woman!”

Colin stopped dead-still in the snow-covered landscape and noticed the world was white and pristine. He found a fallen tree
and sat down on it. He began to search his mind for a medical treatment for Twyla, but he knew that he and Teague had done everything they could. He was very afraid their treatments would not be enough. He had seen death hovering over Twyla.

He began to speak to God aloud again. He spoke haltingly, not knowing how to put his desire into words. He finally cried, “Oh, God, I've run from you all my life—but if you'll only let Twyla live, I promise I'll serve you as best I can!”

He waited, but nothing came. No voice from heaven, no sense of comforting peace. He spent an hour praying before he decided it was time to go back into the house.

When he opened the door, he saw Teague drinking ale in front of the fire. He admitted, “I'm afraid for Twyla, Teague.”

“You have good reason to be. She isn't getting better.”

“I've been praying, something I don't do a lot of, but I promised God I would serve him if he let her live.”

“That's a fool thing to do!”

“What are you talking about? I promised to serve God!”

“You promised to serve him
if
he did something for you. God's not like that. I thought you knew that, boy! He's a sovereign God. He demands everything a man has. You're selfish to try to bargain with God. You're saying, ‘God, if you give me what I want, I'll give you part of myself.'”

“I didn't say that! Not exactly.”

“That's what you meant, though.” Teague stood up, walked over, and grabbed Colin by the front of his coat. “The only deal God will make with you is this: you give him
all
of yourself. You tell God that even if the woman dies, you'll still serve him. That may get God's attention. You're not going to back him into a corner, so don't be a fool!”

Colin stared at his friend. He knew there was a great deal of wisdom in this old man, even though he didn't say much about God. He waited until Teague left the room, then threw himself down in the chair in front of the fire. His mind was swarming
with disjointed thoughts, but after a long time it began to clear.
Teague's right. I can't force God to bargain.
He sat there until finally calm began to envelop him. He began to murmur a prayer. “God, I ask you to save Twyla. But whether she lives or dies, I'm going to serve you the rest of my life!”

For another thirty minutes Colin sat wondering what had happened to him. He knew the decision had brought to him a peace he had never known before. He continued to pray, “Lord, show me what to do. I'll do anything you ask of me.” Almost immediately a thought came to his mind and he got up and said aloud, “It doesn't sound logical, but if this is what you want, I'll do it.”

He went to Teague's room and knocked on the door, then entered without an invitation. Teague was wrapped up in the warmest clothes he had and was covered with blankets. He was lying in the bed, reading a book. “What do you want now?”

“I think God has spoken to me. I'm not sure about this, but let me tell you. You know that organ, that little thing that we kept noticing in people who had the same symptoms but then died?”

Instantly, Teague jumped out of the bed, throwing the covers back. “What are you saying, boy?”

“I think God is telling us we need to cut that organ out. It's crazy, I know. We don't know what it is or what it's for. I don't think anyone knows, but I believe it's what kills people sometimes. We have seen three people who died with symptoms like Twyla's, and when we did the autopsies, the organ had burst!” Colin took a deep breath, then said evenly, “We've got to operate
now
.”

“I'm with you, Colin Winslow. I think she will die if we don't.” Phineas came over and put his hand on Colin's shoulder, and his eyes grew soft. “Wouldn't it be something if God spoke to a pair of fumbling doctors like you and me?”

Colin said, “I'm going to ask Twyla if she'll let us operate.”

“Go, boy! Go!”

Colin went into Twyla's room. She looked up at him with feverish eyes. He took her hand. “Twyla, I've not been a praying man, but I've been afraid for you. God has given me an answer. There's an operation that I believe will save you. I won't go into the details, but if we do it, I think you'll be all right.”

“If you don't do it, I'll die?”

“You might. But this idea is something I believe God gave me.”

Twyla put her other hand on his and smiled with her eyes. She was smiling for the first time since Colin had gotten home. “I've wanted you to be a man of God for a long time. Whatever God tells you to do for me, you do it.”

“How is it you know God, Twyla?”

“Your mother—she helped me become a Christian, Colin.”

Colin blinked with surprise, for only rarely had she called him by his given name. “You called me ‘Colin.'”

“Yes. I'm going to call you that from now on.”

“I'd like that. Well, I'll go get ready. It will hurt, but not much and only for a little while. Then, bless God, I think you'll be well.” He saw hope light a fire in her eyes, then turned and left.

He found Teague waiting for him, and said, “She's agreed to the operation, but it's got to be warm in here and I have to be quick. To help ease the pain, we'll give her all the laudanum we dare.”

“There it is,” Teague whispered hoarsely. “Look at it, Colin! It's in bad shape and about ready to burst! Take it out.”

Quickly, Colin moved his scalpel and almost at once removed the organ—whatever it was. He put it to the side quickly and began to sew the wound together. It had taken almost no time, and Twyla had not uttered a word. He put his hand on her forehead. “All done.” He whispered. “How do you feel?”

“It didn't hurt. Not much.”

Colin said, “We'll just wait, but I believe God is going to give you back to me.”

Twyla smiled then, for she liked the sound of what he said. “I'm glad you did it, then. You're a good man, Colin Winslow!”

The next day Twyla was much better. Her fever had gone down and she had almost no pain. “I feel so good, Colin!” she said. She was sitting in a chair by the fire, eating some broth. Colin was sitting across from her and noticed the color in her cheeks.

“You know, I've heard about miracles my whole life,” he said. “I always wanted to see one—and now I have!” Colin thought for a moment. “It's a miracle you're well, but just as great a miracle that Colin Winslow has found God—or at least God has found Colin Winslow. I'm going to serve him all the days of my life, Twyla. I'm never going to turn away from him.”

Twyla didn't answer. The only sound was the fire crackling in the fireplace. As the two sat looking into one another's eyes, there was a feeling of contentment that Colin Winslow had never known. He knew he had chosen the way of God in his life!

The Wind of God

(1587–1588)

19

March 20, 1587

“H
ow would you like to go to the fair over in Boxton?”

Caught by surprise by Colin's invitation, Twyla looked up from the embroidery she was doing. “Why, I think that would be nice. I haven't been to many fairs.”

“We'll go, then. We need a little relaxation, and you've been working too hard.”

Twyla felt a gush of pleasure and thought,
I think after he saved my life, he became more conscious of me as a woman.
She put the embroidery down and turned to face him. “I don't suppose I'll be able to thank you enough, Mister.”

Colin eyebrows rose in an expression of surprise. “That's what doctors do.”

“No, it was more than that. It was a miracle of God.”

“I think you're right, Twyla. It frightens me sometimes when I think of it. I might've killed you, experimenting like that.”

He smiled, and Twyla thought again of what a finely formed face he had. There was a neatness about him, and a regularity of his features that was pleasing. “You're different since you've made your peace with God.”

“I should've done it years ago.” Colin reached over to the
table and picked up a copy of his book on anatomy. “The book is doing well. You know what I'd like to do?”

“What's that?”

“I want us to do a revision of it. Put in more illustrations, more detail, and I want you to do the artwork, of course.”

“It would a pleasure for me to do it for you.”

“I've been meaning to give you something.” Colin stood up and walked over to a chest that was in a corner of the room. He opened it and took out a leather pouch, then came back. He was smiling now and said, “This is for you.”

Twyla took the bag that he gave her, opened the drawstring, and looked inside. “Why, this is money!”

“Yes.”

Twyla poured the golden sovereigns into her hand and gasped. “What's this for?”

“It's your pay for doing the illustrations on the book.”

“You don't have to do that. I was glad to do it.”

“I know you were, but it's only fair. I looked everywhere for an artist and there was one right under my nose. Shows what a thoughtless fellow I am.”

“You're not thoughtless,” Twyla said quickly. “I never let you see any of my drawings.” Twyla fingered the coins. She looked up at Colin and said, “I've never had anything like this before.”

“You'll have to be careful, Twyla.”

Twyla blinked with surprise. “Careful about what?”

“About men,” Colin replied quickly.

“What are you talking about?”

Colin laughed, reached over, took her hand, and squeezed it. “You're a woman of property now, and men are going to be after you for your money.”

Twyla tilted her chin up and stared at him. “So you think a man will only be interested in me for my money?”