The Swindler's Treasure (19 page)

Later that evening Libby heard Dr. Brown talking to Caleb. “If you and Jordan suddenly need my horses, take them,” the doctor said. “Horse flesh has little value compared to a human life.”

“Thank you, sir,” Caleb answered. “I'll have a look at them now.”

As Caleb slipped out of the house, Libby saw Jordan sitting on the stairs, listening.

“I don't understand what happened,” she told Dr. Brown. “Why didn't the magistrate arrest you?”

“Mr. Gilson knows me well,” the doctor answered. “He believes in what I'm doing.”

“And he's supposed to uphold a fugitive slave law that goes against everything he believes?”

Dr. Brown nodded. “He's in a hard place. When a law made by man goes against the ways of God, it brings all kinds of trouble.”

Having Pa caught with a fugitive was the nightmare Libby dreaded. “If you're thrown in jail, what will your family do?” she asked Dr. Brown. “When you know what might happen, how can you keep on helping fugitives?”

“How can I
not
help them?” he answered. “God's law is higher than that of men.”

God's law is higher?
Libby thought.
That's what Mrs. Hunter said. What does it mean?

Standing up, the doctor crossed to where a large Bible lay on a table. “Come here, Libby.”

The pages were open to the twenty-third chapter of the book of Deuteronomy. Dr. Brown pointed to the words. “Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee.”

Libby thought for a moment. “‘If a slave runs away and comes to you for protection, don't turn him over to his owner.' Am I saying it right?”

Dr. Brown nodded. His gaze met hers. “And should I obey someone who sees a fellow human being as a piece of property? Or should I obey God? He loves every slave exactly the way He loves me.”

As though wanting to make sure Libby didn't misunderstand, Dr. Brown explained it again. “When two laws are in conflict with each other, God's law is more important—more to be followed.”

Turning, the doctor saw Jordan listening from the stairs. When the doctor walked over and rested his hand on the boy's shoulder, Jordan flinched.

Dr. Brown stepped back. “You must find it hard to trust anyone right now. I cannot tell you how sorry I am about your father. When it's safe, we'll take you to the next place.”

“I can't go on.” Jordan's voice broke. “I can't leave my daddy behind.”

“We'll do what we can to help him,” the doctor promised. “But when it's time, you must go, like your daddy said. You can't let his sacrifice be wasted.”

Soon after Jordan returned to the attic, Frances picked up the large Bible. As she started up the stairs, Libby followed her.

“Mama and the rest of our family are gone right now,” Frances explained. “Whenever I get a chance, I read Bible stories to fugitives. They love to hear them.”

When Frances opened the carefully hidden door, Libby followed her into the attic room.

To Libby's surprise she found other fugitives there besides Jordan. When they had arrived, Libby didn't know. But a mother and father and their two young children sat on blankets on the floor.

Pulling a lamp close, Frances opened the Bible to the story of Daniel's three friends. Because they believed in the living God, they refused to bow down and worship an image made of gold.

As Frances read the story of how the three young men stood against the king's orders, Jordan and the other fugitives sat without moving or making a sound. When the young men were thrown into the fiery furnace, the eyes of the children grew large. When God delivered the men from the flames, the children clapped their hands and giggled.

They know what it means
, Libby thought.
Even the small ones have felt the heat of the furnace
.

Like the others, Jordan seemed to find comfort. But when Frances finished reading, a thoughtful look remained in Jordan's eyes.

That night Libby slept in the same room as Frances, while Caleb, Jordan, and Peter stayed in the upper floor of the shed. The moment Libby lay down, she remembered all that had happened to Micah Parker. The more she thought about him, the more upset she felt.

Again she seemed to hear the father's warning cry to his son. Again she saw Jordan's terror, his grieving for his daddy. Knowing she must, Libby tried to sort things out.

I'm scared that Pa might lose his boat
, she thought.
But Elijah Lovejoy lost his life. Jordan's father gave up his freedom for his son
.

Libby's thoughts became a prayer.
I want something worth living for, Lord. Something real—something worthwhile
.

But that seems so big, God—so hard—even impossible. Can You help me choose what counts most?

Then the long days without much sleep caught up to Libby, and she drifted off.

She woke to the sound of a light tapping on the bedroom door. Three even knocks, a space, then three raps again.
Caleb's signal! But it's still night
.

Then as she came awake, she knew.
Something is wrong!

She had no way of knowing how long she had slept. Through the window she saw the moon riding high in the sky. Softly she rapped back. Long, short, long. Then she fumbled in the dark to find her clothes.

Quickly Libby changed into her dress, snatched up her shoes, and tiptoed to the door. Out in the hall, she closed the door again without making a sound.

Caleb waited there, a shape darker than the night. Walking at one side of the steps to avoid any creak, he and Libby clung to the railing to find their way down. At the bottom of the steps, Caleb led her into the parlor.

“Jordan is gone!” Caleb whispered when it was safe.

“Gone?”

“Disappeared!” Caleb sounded as upset as Libby had ever heard him. “He's nowhere to be found!”

CHAPTER 15

B
ut why?” Libby forgot to whisper. “How could Jordan disappear?”

“I don't know. He slipped away while I was sleeping.

There's a door in the shed that leads outside. It would have been easy for him to leave.”

In that moment there was something Libby remembered. “It's what you said. The place where Jordan doesn't have good judgment. When he's scared about his family.”

Caleb agreed. “I think he's hunting for his father. If he is, he's risking his own freedom. And maybe his life.”

“What can we do?” Libby asked.

“Try to follow Jordan.” In the darkness Caleb fumbled for a match. When he lit a lamp, he kept the flame low. Taking a quill pen, he scratched a note.

As Caleb turned down the flame, it flickered, then died. In the darkness he and Libby waited, listening. In that moment a clock started chiming.

Libby counted the strokes. “Eleven o'clock,” she whispered at last. “Jordan can't have been gone more than an hour.”

In the silence Libby and Caleb crept through the kitchen. The side door swung open on well-oiled hinges. Again they stopped to listen and peer into the darkness.

After a moment they slipped outside. Keeping to the deepest shadows, Caleb led Libby to the barn. The top half of the door was open. Caleb opened the bottom half, and they crept in, again without sound.

Standing just inside the door, Libby waited for her eyes to adjust to the even deeper darkness. When she saw the first stall was empty, she remembered Dr. Brown's words.
If you and Jordan need my horses, use them
.

At the time Libby had wondered how he could be so free with such valuable property. Now she understood. Jordan must have taken the doctor at his word.

Through the open door, the moon gave little light. Yet within a moment Caleb moved forward. As if he had been there earlier and memorized where things were, he felt along the wall.

When he passed where Libby stood, she saw only the dark outline of a bridle in his hand. Yet without hesitating, Caleb walked into the second stall. Talking quietly to the horse, he slipped on the bridle. When the saddle was in place, Caleb led the horse out of the stall.

“That's the way, Annie.” Where there was more light, Caleb checked to be sure he had everything right. “We're just going for a ride.” Grabbing a lead rope, Caleb wrapped it around his waist.

Outside the barn, he stayed on the grass to deaden the sound of hooves. Leading Annie, he walked quickly to the woods with Libby following. Under the covering of trees, the night was even darker. Again Libby had the feeling that Caleb had memorized the way. Before long her feet felt the smoothness of packed dirt.

The Indian path
, Libby thought, remembering the trail she had seen when searching for Jordan.

Caleb swung up on the horse, then reached down to help Libby up. The moment she was seated behind him, Caleb lifted the reins. Annie moved out in a steady trot. With her arms around Caleb's waist, Libby hung on.