The Heart Remembers (33 page)

That night at bedtime, with both sets of parents and Melinda Kenyon staying in guest rooms at the Logan house, Dane and Tharyn entered their own bedroom, again holding hands.

Tharyn’s eyes went to the spot where the cradle once stood.

It was gone.

She looked up into her husband’s eyes questioningly.

He laid his hands on both her shoulders. “Honey, when you were in the parlor with our mothers just before we went to the funeral, I took the cradle and put it in the attic. Both of our dads were with me. They agreed that the sight of it would just tear at your wounded heart every time you looked at it. If God wills, that cradle will one day hold another child. Do you understand?”

Tharyn wrapped her arms around him. “Yes, darling, I understand. You did the right thing. Thank you for being so thoughtful and kind. No one will ever take baby Dane’s place, but with this mother’s heart beating in my breast, I do pray for more children in this family.”

Dane kissed her cheek. “I know you know the verse that says, ‘As for God, his way is perfect.’ We will trust Him to have His way concerning our future children.”

“Yes, we will,” she agreed softly.

“I need to talk to you about my trip to Chicago.”

“Yes?”

“I want you to go with me. It will help occupy your mind.”

She smiled. “Always thinking of me, aren’t you? Of course I’ll go with you.”

The Tabors, the Logans, and Melinda Kenyon stayed for another day, then headed for their homes.

On Monday, May 1, the new clinic was opened with Mayor Mike Anderson presiding over the opening ceremony.

The newlyweds arrived in Central City on Monday, May 8. Melinda was a real comfort to Tharyn over the loss of the baby.

Dr. Tim and Melinda moved into their new house with Kirby Holton there to help them. On Tuesday, Dr. Tim started work in the clinic. He was very much liked by Susan and Mary.

On Saturday morning, May 27, Dane and Tharyn were at Chicago’s railroad station, waiting for their train to arrive from New York that would carry them to Denver. Tharyn was still talking about what a great speech Dane had made at the commencement ceremony, and how so many people had come to him to comment on it.

Soon the train pulled in, and as it rolled to a stop, both of them saw that the last two coaches were filled with children—boys in the last one, girls in the one just ahead.

Tharyn said, “Dane, it’s an orphan train!”

“Doesn’t that bring back some memories. We’re going to ride an orphan train again!”

When the orphans and their Children’s Aid Society sponsors, including the nurse who was traveling with them, got off the train to stretch their legs, the Logans approached the sponsors and introduced themselves. They told them how they had both gone out West on different orphan trains when they were teenagers.

The sponsors were pleased to meet them, and the nurse said she was always glad to know when there was a doctor aboard their train. Dr. Dane told them that his wife was a certified medical nurse.

One of the sponsors told the Logans that in Topeka, the orphans would be on display for the first time before prospective foster parents.

The train arrived in Topeka on Sunday afternoon. Dr. Dane and Tharyn got off to watch the orphans line up, and memories flooded their minds.

Tharyn’s attention was drawn to one little girl with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Pointing to her, she said, “Honey, look at that little girl. Her hair and eyes are exactly the same color as yours.”

Dane smiled. “She’s a pretty little thing, isn’t she?”

“I’d guess she’s about five years old. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, I think you’re right.”

Suddenly Tharyn thought of Elizabeth Ann in her recurring dream. She had dreamed it again while in the hotel in Chicago the night before. This little girl very much resembled Elizabeth Ann.

When it was time for the children to get back on the train, only two teenage boys had been chosen.

Soon the train pulled out.

During the night, one of the Children’s Aid Society women entered the coach where the Logans were riding in a seat near the front. As with most of the passengers in the coach, they were both asleep. Lanterns burned low at both ends and in the center of the coach. Cora Stevens awakened Dr. Dane, who was seated on the aisle. Tharyn woke up also. Cora told Dr. Dane they had a little girl with a fever. She explained that the nurse was in the boys’ coach tending to a very sick little boy, and asked if he would come and look at the little girl. He picked up his medical bag and followed her.

Tharyn was about to fall asleep again when she felt Dane sit down beside her. When she opened her eyes, she was astonished to see that he had in his arms the girl she had pointed out to Dane in Topeka. She could see that the child was feverish. The child opened her eyes briefly, set them on Tharyn, then closed them again.

Keeping his voice low, Dane said, “I gave her some powders. The fever isn’t dangerously high. Her name’s Beth Martin, and she is indeed five years old.”

The child opened her eyes again and set them on Tharyn. Tharyn patted the top of her head. “Hello, Beth. I’m Dr. Logan’s wife.”

Beth let a weak smile curve her lips and closed her eyes again.

Dane explained that Beth’s father was killed in a New York City riot before she was born. Her mother died of pneumonia last winter. Cora told him that since awaking with the fever, Beth kept calling for her mommy. Cora thought if Mrs. Logan would hold her, it would help.

Tharyn smiled. “Of course.”

She took the child into her arms and kissed her cheek. For a few seconds, she thought of her dead little boy.

Beth opened her eyes, looked up at Tharyn, and this time her smile was stronger. “Mrs. Logan …”

“Yes, honey?”

“My mommy died. I miss her. Will you be my new mommy?”

Tharyn felt her heart lurch in her breast. She cuddled the child close and said, “So your name is Beth Martin.”

The little girl nodded. “My real name is Elizabeth Ann, but everybody calls me Beth.”

Tharyn hugged the child tightly and felt tears well up in her eyes.

Dane’s head jerked around when he heard the little girl’s words. He saw the tears in Tharyn’s eyes.

Tharyn looked over the little orphan girl’s head directly into her husband’s eyes and gave him a smile like none he had seen since their son died.

“Darling,” she said softly, “did you hear that? Her name is Elizabeth Ann.”

Dane smiled. “Isn’t that something?”

In Central City on Monday afternoon, May 29, Pastor Mark Shane and his wife pulled up to the Wells Fargo office in their buggy at 3:15. The stage carrying the Logans was due to arrive at 3:30.

Peggy said, “Mark, Tharyn was handling little Dane Jr.’s death pretty well by the time they left for Chicago, don’t you think?”

He nodded. “The Lord was giving her peace as only He can do.”

Moments later, they saw the stage coming down the wide, dusty street, and climbed out of their buggy. When it pulled up in front of the office, Dr. Dane saw them through the window and smiled.

As the Shanes approached the stage, two men who were sitting opposite the Logans stepped out, followed by the doctor. They watched as Dr. Dane turned around, reached through the door, and picked up a little girl. He held her in one arm while he helped Tharyn down with his free hand.

The pastor and Peggy looked behind the Logans to see if the little girl’s parents were following. There was no one else inside the coach.

The Shanes moved up to them and Mark said, “Welcome home! Who’s this pretty little girl?”

“This is Elizabeth Ann Martin,” Dr. Dane said. “She’s an orphan.”

Tharyn spoke up. “The train Dane and I were on from Chicago turned out to be an orphan train. We got acquainted with Elizabeth Ann on the trip, and the Lord laid it on our hearts to bring her home with us. She’s God’s special gift to us. Before we got off the train in Denver, we signed Children’s Aid Society papers as her foster parents.”

“That’s wonderful!” Peggy said.

“Tomorrow, we’ll take her to the Gilpin County judge and
legally adopt her,” Dr. Dane said. “She wants us to call her Beth Ann, so Beth Ann, say hello to Pastor and Mrs. Shane.”

Beth Ann smiled. “Hello.”

The Shanes welcomed Beth Ann, as did everyone who met her in the days that followed, including both sets of grandparents, who came to visit shortly after they heard of her arrival.

Beth Ann and her new parents grew closer every day, and Tharyn thanked the Lord daily that though in His wisdom He took little Dane Jr. to heaven, He gave her little Elizabeth Ann, even as she had dreamed.

TWENTY-THREE
 

O
n Tuesday afternoon, September 26, the September 25 edition of the
Rocky Mountain News
arrived in Central City on the stagecoach from Denver. The paper reported that Cheyenne and Shoshone warriors were attacking white settlements, farms, and ranches in the Medicine Bow area in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming.

Mary Edwards left the Logan Clinic on an errand to the pharmacy next door for Dr. Dane Logan. She purchased a copy of the newspaper at the pharmacy, and when she returned to the clinic, she was telling Drs. Dane Logan and Tim Braden and Nurse Susan Coulter about the attacks.

The office door opened, and Western Union agent Charlie Holmes came in, carrying a yellow envelope. “Dr. Logan, I have a telegram here from a Dr. Thomas Watson in Glenwood Springs.”

Dr. Dane thanked Charlie as he handed him the envelope, and said, “Better wait till I read it, Charlie. I might need to have you send a reply for me.”

“Sure, Doctor.”

Dr. Dane took the telegram out of the envelope, and his staff watched as he read it.

When he finished, he said, “Dr. Watson has a sixty-nine-year-old female patient who needs a hip replacement as soon as possible. He wants to know if I can come to Glenwood Springs and do the surgery.”

Mary said, “I’ve heard of Glenwood Springs. Where is it?”

“A hundred miles west of here,” Dane replied.

“Can you get to Glenwood Springs by stagecoach?” Dr. Tim asked.

“I can, but I’m not going to. I can get there much faster on horseback. I’ll leave tomorrow at dawn. That’ll get me there about four o’clock in the afternoon. I can rest up and do the surgery the next morning.”

Dr. Dane dictated his message to Charlie, telling Dr. Watson he would be coming by horseback and would be in Glenwood Springs by late afternoon tomorrow. He would plan on performing the surgery Thursday morning. He added that he would bring an ivory ball and his own surgical instruments.

When Dr. Dane arrived home that evening, his little girl was waiting beside her mother at the stove, her eyes dancing. She ran to him, opening her arms, saying, “Daddy! Daddy!”

He hugged and kissed Beth Ann, then hugged and kissed Tharyn, saying that whatever they were having for supper sure smelled good.

Beth Ann helped her mother put the food on the table while Dr. Dane washed his hands at the sink.

They sat down together, held hands while Dr. Dane prayed over the food, and began eating. Dr. Dane told Tharyn about the hip replacement he would be doing in Glenwood Springs, and that he would be riding Pal and leaving at dawn tomorrow morning.