Richie Woods. The conductor and the engineer were holding up the departure of the train at the depot while the search was being made.
The town had been covered, and the searchers were standing in the dusty street in front of the sheriff’s office as Dale and Royce were thanking the sheriff and his deputies for their help.
Johnny Smith had suggested that Richie might have headed for the Selby farm, but Dale, Royce, and the sheriff agreed that the boy would have no way of knowing where the Selby farm was located.
The sheriff said, “Gentlemen, I know the train has to move on, but my men and I will keep searching. We’ll cover every road and every farm until we find him. We’ll wire the depots ahead of you and let you know when we have him.”
“All right, Sheriff,” said Dale. “We’ll have you put him on the next train through, and we’ll—”
“There he is!” cried Johnny Smith, pointing down the street.
Every eye in the group followed Johnny’s finger to see Tom Selby on his saddle horse with Richie Woods riding in front of him. A smile the size of Texas gleamed from Richie’s freckled face as Tom drew rein.
Dale and Royce stepped up with the sheriff on their heels.
“Where did you find him, Mr. Selby?” asked Dale.
Tom grinned. “In my front yard. He was walking the direction he saw us go when he hurried out of the terminal. A couple of teenage boys from a farm near mine picked him up and gave him a ride.”
Dale frowned at the boy. “Richie, you shouldn’t have left the terminal. We’ve been looking all over town for you. The sheriff and his deputies have been helping us. Come on. We’ve got to get back to the train so it can leave.”
Tom’s saddle squeaked as he leaned closer to Dale. “We’ve decided to take Richie too, Mr. Radcliff. He’s really a special boy. We’ll just tighten our belts. Even though we don’t have another bedroom, Richie has agreed to sleep on the floor in Katie’s room.”
Dale smiled, as did Royce. “Well, I’m glad for this. It’s good to know that Richie and Katie won’t be separated.”
Tom nodded and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Richie has something to say to you, Mr. Radcliff.”
Richie’s face crimsoned as he looked down at Dale from the saddle. Tears formed in his eyes. “M-Mr. R-Radcliff, I … I’m sorry I ran away. I’m sorry I caused so much trouble. But … look how good it turned out. I’m gonna have a new home and be with my sister!”
The men and boys all laughed, thankful that the situation had turned out so well.
Dale let a grin curve his lips. “You’re forgiven, son. I can imagine how hard it was for you to think of being separated fromKatie. You’ve got a lot of pluck, I’ll say that for you. I hope you have a wonderful life. You be good now and mind the Selbys.”
“Oh, I will, sir,” said Richie, turning to look up into Tom’s eyes.
Tom smiled and tweaked his new foster son’s nose.
Richie giggled.
“Let’s get back to the depot, Mr. Selby,” said Dale. “We’ll get your signature on the official papers, and you can take Katie’s brother home.”
Chapter Seven
I n Colorado Springs, Colorado, on that same morning of April 6, El Paso County Sheriff Clay Bostin stood at the kitchen window finishing his final cup of coffee while his wife, Mary, was putting the breakfast dishes in the dishpan.
Bostin looked up at the Rocky Mountains to the west of the house and marveled at God’s handiwork. The sun tipped the apex of Pike’s Peak rosy red. A deepening rose color reflected on the adjoining mountain tops and this magnificent glow crept down the shadowed slopes. The gray dawn that had been there when the Bostins sat down to breakfast had now changed to a radiant morning with a golden red hue.
Bostin finished the last drop of coffee and placed the cup in the hot, soapy water in the dishpan. He smiled at Mary, who was wiping the table with a wet cloth, and pointed with his chin at yesterday’s
The town had been covered, and the searchers were standing in the dusty street in front of the sheriff’s office as Dale and Royce were thanking the sheriff and his deputies for their help.
Johnny Smith had suggested that Richie might have headed for the Selby farm, but Dale, Royce, and the sheriff agreed that the boy would have no way of knowing where the Selby farm was located.
The sheriff said, “Gentlemen, I know the train has to move on, but my men and I will keep searching. We’ll cover every road and every farm until we find him. We’ll wire the depots ahead of you and let you know when we have him.”
“All right, Sheriff,” said Dale. “We’ll have you put him on the next train through, and we’ll—”
“There he is!” cried Johnny Smith, pointing down the street.
Every eye in the group followed Johnny’s finger to see Tom Selby on his saddle horse with Richie Woods riding in front of him. A smile the size of Texas gleamed from Richie’s freckled face as Tom drew rein.
Dale and Royce stepped up with the sheriff on their heels.
“Where did you find him, Mr. Selby?” asked Dale.
Tom grinned. “In my front yard. He was walking the direction he saw us go when he hurried out of the terminal. A couple of teenage boys from a farm near mine picked him up and gave him a ride.”
Dale frowned at the boy. “Richie, you shouldn’t have left the terminal. We’ve been looking all over town for you. The sheriff and his deputies have been helping us. Come on. We’ve got to get back to the train so it can leave.”
Tom’s saddle squeaked as he leaned closer to Dale. “We’ve decided to take Richie too, Mr. Radcliff. He’s really a special boy. We’ll just tighten our belts. Even though we don’t have another bedroom, Richie has agreed to sleep on the floor in Katie’s room.”
Dale smiled, as did Royce. “Well, I’m glad for this. It’s good to know that Richie and Katie won’t be separated.”
Tom nodded and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Richie has something to say to you, Mr. Radcliff.”
Richie’s face crimsoned as he looked down at Dale from the saddle. Tears formed in his eyes. “M-Mr. R-Radcliff, I … I’m sorry I ran away. I’m sorry I caused so much trouble. But … look how good it turned out. I’m gonna have a new home and be with my sister!”
The men and boys all laughed, thankful that the situation had turned out so well.
Dale let a grin curve his lips. “You’re forgiven, son. I can imagine how hard it was for you to think of being separated fromKatie. You’ve got a lot of pluck, I’ll say that for you. I hope you have a wonderful life. You be good now and mind the Selbys.”
“Oh, I will, sir,” said Richie, turning to look up into Tom’s eyes.
Tom smiled and tweaked his new foster son’s nose.
Richie giggled.
“Let’s get back to the depot, Mr. Selby,” said Dale. “We’ll get your signature on the official papers, and you can take Katie’s brother home.”
Chapter Seven
I n Colorado Springs, Colorado, on that same morning of April 6, El Paso County Sheriff Clay Bostin stood at the kitchen window finishing his final cup of coffee while his wife, Mary, was putting the breakfast dishes in the dishpan.
Bostin looked up at the Rocky Mountains to the west of the house and marveled at God’s handiwork. The sun tipped the apex of Pike’s Peak rosy red. A deepening rose color reflected on the adjoining mountain tops and this magnificent glow crept down the shadowed slopes. The gray dawn that had been there when the Bostins sat down to breakfast had now changed to a radiant morning with a golden red hue.
Bostin finished the last drop of coffee and placed the cup in the hot, soapy water in the dishpan. He smiled at Mary, who was wiping the table with a wet cloth, and pointed with his chin at yesterday’s
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