A Simple Change (28 page)

Nathan!

He'd returned and was safe. I continued to watch as he raced through the shroud of smoke. What was he doing? I jumped to my feet and moved several paces to the right, hoping to gain a better view.

Was he? Could he be? Oh, surely not! I couldn't believe my eyes.

Nathan was running headlong toward the burning mill!

Even from this distance, I knew I wasn't mistaken. Frantic shouts rang out, but Nathan didn't pay heed. I glanced over my shoulder. Sister Bertha and the other women were a short distance
from me. Without further hesitation, I raced down the hillock, willing my feet to traverse the uneven ground through the moonlit semidarkness. What was Nathan doing? Why would he act in such a reckless manner? I needed to stop him!

My feet pounded the hard ground. With each step a heavy thud rang in my ears. Once I'd drawn closer, I inhaled a giant gulp of air and cupped my hands to my lips. “Nathan! Stop!”

He didn't turn. Instead he raced headlong into the burning mill. I continued running toward the fire. Suddenly strong arms encircled me, and I was pulled against a man's solid chest. “Jancey,” Ritt barked, “what do you think you're doing? Even if you love Nathan, you can't chase him into a burning building.”

I gasped for air. “I'm not in love with him, but I can't watch a friend burn.” I struggled to free myself from his arms.

“Quit fighting. The men will get him out.”

I watched as two men with handkerchiefs covering their mouths entered the mill through a door not yet in flames.

I sank against Ritt's chest. “Don't you know the only man I love is you?”

Ritt stroked my hair, then released me. “To hear this from your lips makes me very happy.” He shook his head as another cloud of smoke billowed from the mill. “Even in these terrible circumstances, you have made me happy.”

Ritt moved back to my side and I looked up at him. “What would make Nathan do such a thing?”

“I do not wish for anything bad to happen to Nathan, either. I do not consider him such a gut friend, but he is one of God's children, and I don't want to see harm come his way.” He shook his head. “But why he would run into the mill is strange, for sure.”

We watched and waited for what seemed a very long time,
though in truth it was far less. As three men emerged from the mill, I leaned forward and wiped my watering eyes. The men on either side of Nathan were dragging him from the building. His head hung low against his chest, and from my vantage point, it appeared he was either unconscious or . . . dead.

Several men gathered around Nathan, my father among them.

I tugged on Ritt's sleeve. “Should we go for the doctor?”

He gestured toward a running man. “There's Brother Rudolf.” Ritt held me in place. “We should stay out of the way so the doctor can help him.” I nodded, knowing he was right, but it didn't quench my desire to know what had happened. “I need to go back to the pumper, but you should stay at least this far away.” He arched his brows. “Promise?”

“I promise.” He started to walk away, but I grasped his hand. “We need to talk when this is over. I have much to tell you.”

His lips lifted in a half smile. “That would be gut.” He trotted away, back to the pump along the side of the mill.

Moments later my father stood and waved me forward. “Come here, Jancey! Hurry!”

Terror shot through me as I closed the distance between us. Had Nathan died? My father pulled me close. “He's going to live, but . . .”

I followed his gaze to the canvas bag that lay on the ground beside Nathan. My breath caught and I thought I might faint.

Chapter 28

My father tightened his hold around my waist. “The men had a terrible time trying to get him out of there. He kept shouting he had to get his money. I don't know how much is in that bag, but it looks to be bulging. I can't imagine how Nathan managed to save all that money.”

My father's assumption didn't surprise me. Even though the money had been stuffed into a sack belonging to the National Commerce Bank of Kansas City, my father wouldn't imagine Nathan was a thief. He would believe Nathan had acquired the bag from the bank before leaving Kansas City. After all, Father had kept at least one or two of those money bags in his office for use when making large business deposits.

I swallowed hard and glanced around the group that had gathered close to Nathan's unconscious form. A chill raced down my
spine when I looked up. Thomas stood directly across from me with rage flashing in his eyes. I squeezed closer to my father. Thomas looked at the money bag and then back at me. He likely believed Nathan and I had conspired to take his money. My father seemed to believe Nathan had saved the money. I, however, believed Thomas had stolen the money. Right now, only one thing was certain: That money didn't belong to anyone in the colonies.

The doctor looked about and asked for volunteers to carry Nathan to his office. My father stepped forward, and I was surprised when Ritt appeared and offered to help, as well. “I thought you needed to stay at the pumper.”

“I just finished my turn.” His breathing was labored, but I was thankful he'd agreed to help. I planned to walk alongside the men as they took Nathan to Rudolf Zedler's office. I didn't want to give Thomas any opportunity to be alone with me.

Thomas stepped close to Brother William, who had now left his firefighting position and come to check on Nathan. “I can take that bag and put it in Nathan's trunk, if you'd like, Brother William. He sleeps in the bed next to mine.”

I sucked in a breath and waited for Brother William's response. If Thomas got his hands on the money, he'd be out of the colonies within minutes. Brother William leaned down and retrieved the bag. “Nein. I think it is better we put the money in a place of safekeeping for now.” Brother William directed a pitying look at Nathan. “Sad that a man would risk his life for a bag of money.”

“Ja, and jeopardize the lives of the men who tried to save him, as well,” one of the other men said. “This is what the love of money can do to mankind.”

A hum of accord filled the air, though I noticed Thomas didn't add his voice to the murmurs of agreement. Instead, his focus
remained locked upon Brother William and the money bag. I wondered where Brother William would find a secure place within this village, but maybe he would take the money to one of the other villages for safekeeping. If so, I worried Thomas might follow him.

I needed to confide in someone before another disaster occurred. Yet, with the mill still burning and the doctor caring for Nathan, there was far too much commotion to speak with any of the elders right now. Worry and fear had become my constant companions, and I wanted to rid myself of both.

Once Nathan had been carried inside the doctor's office, Ritt and the men reappeared in the waiting area. Only my father remained with the doctor and Nathan. While the men scurried back to help at the mill, I grasped Ritt's arm. “Can you stay for a few minutes? I need to speak with you. It's very important.”

He hesitated, his gaze following the departing men. “I should—”

“Please, it's urgent that you help me.”

He stopped short. “Jancey, what's wrong? Let's sit down.” We sat side by side in the waiting room of the doctor's office. I stammered, uncertain where or how to begin. “I have much to tell you, so please withhold your anger until I finish.”

He arched his brows. “Anger? If you have something to say that will cause anger, maybe I don't want to hear. Ja?”

“No. You need to hear this.” I inhaled a deep breath. “When I first began cleaning at the dormitory, I discovered the picture of a young girl.”

Ritt listened intently while I recounted the entire story—how I'd noticed Kathleen's picture and met with Thomas. His eyes got wide when I explained I'd met Thomas in the woods, but he didn't interrupt. I told him that I'd written to Lilly Manchester
in an attempt to locate Kathleen and I'd only recently received a definitive word back from her.

Ritt leaned forward and rested his arms across his thighs. “So Thomas is pleased that you have located his sister?”

“I haven't told him yet. That's the other part of my story.”

He straightened and leaned back in the chair. “There is more?”

“Much more.” I sighed.

Astonishment shone in his eyes when I revealed what I'd discovered beneath the loose floorboards under Thomas's bed. He inhaled a gulp of air. “And you gave that money to Nathan, and he hid it in the mill, and that's why he went in there! I cannot believe you would do such a thing, Jancey.”

“No. That isn't what happened.” I shook my head with so much fervor, I became dizzy. “Please. Let me finish.” I grasped his arm, fearful he would take off before I could explain the truth. “This is the part I don't understand myself.”

“Ach! It keeps getting worse.” He drew in a deep breath, as if preparing himself.

I didn't want to leave out any of the details, but I feared Ritt might become impatient, so I did my best to quickly explain that I'd removed the newspaper clipping about the bank robbery, but I'd left the money where I'd found it.

“There was a bank robbery in Kansas City? And you think this is the money from that robbery?” His eyes were as wide as the china saucers in the kitchen house. “So Nathan robbed the bank?”

“No, not Nathan. I'm not sure, but I think Thomas helped rob the bank. I still have the newspaper clipping, but Nathan was supposed to wire Kansas City and get more information.”

Ritt massaged his forehead. “And did he?”

I shrugged. “I don't know. He hadn't told me any news, but
I'm not sure why he was in Marengo tonight, either.” I gulped a breath of air. “Are you angry with me?”

“How can I know if I should be angry?” He stared at me as though I'd lost my senses. “I don't know if I understand what has happened. You tell me all this so fast and expect me to understand, and then you ask if I am angry.” His shoulders drooped. “First I should like to know why you told all of this to Nathan instead of talking to me.” When I started to object, he held up his hand. “I know for sure you had to be the one to tell him about the money. He would never have found it on his own, because Thomas would not do something so foolish. So it had to be you. Ja?”

“Yes. I told Nathan, but that wasn't what I planned.”

Ritt didn't appear convinced, so I mentioned the times I'd been prepared to talk with him, but on each occasion we'd been interrupted. “And then you decided to maintain a distance between us.”

“Ja, because I didn't want either of us to be hurt when you left the colonies.” He sighed. “So you talked to Nathan because of what I said, and for that, I am sorry. I wish you had told me instead of him, but that cannot be changed now.” Placing his palms on his thighs, he pushed to his feet. “Thomas is going to want to get that money back. You told no one other than Nathan? Your Vater or Mutter maybe?”

I shook my head. “No. I was going to talk to my father or one of the elders, but Nathan said I shouldn't tell anyone—that he would take care of everything.”

“Ja, well it looks like he was trying to take care of himself with that money. Instead, he may die.”

I gasped. “Do you really think he's going to die? This is my fault.”

Ritt dropped back into the chair beside me. “His greed is not
your fault. Do you think if you had told me or your Vater, we would have acted in the same way as Nathan?”

“No, but—”

“Then there is no reason for you to take this blame on yourself. Nathan took money that did not belong to him. He hid it in the mill—at least that is what I am thinking he must have done. When he returned to Middle and saw the fire, he ran into the burning mill and put his life in danger, as well as that of the men who went in after him.” Ritt tapped his index finger against the side of his head. “Not so smart.”

“Do you think we should find Brother William and tell him?” I didn't relish the thought, but the elders needed to know.

The scent of smoke clung to Ritt's clothing and assailed me as he leaned close. “Ja, but only after the fire is out at the mill. Right now, there is enough to deal with.”

“Ritt.” I gripped his arm as he turned to go. “I meant what I said. I love you.”

Despite his obvious exhaustion, he smiled. “I love you, too, Jancey, but I'd never force you to stay. If you cannot live with our teaching, I understand. Your happiness is more important to me.”

“I've already chosen.” I took hold of his hand. “Amana is my home now.”

The fire was finally brought under control by seven o'clock in the morning. The haggard men went home to clean up before going to their respective kitchen houses for a late breakfast. As agreed, Ritt met me in the downstairs hallway outside our parlor door. He'd asked Brother William to meet with us before breakfast, so we headed to his house.

I hadn't slept and I doubted there had been even a few minutes for Ritt or Brother William to rest, either. Dark rings circled the elder's eyes when he answered the door to his parlor.

“Come in, children, come in.” He directed us to the sofa, while he sat opposite us in a rocking chair. He looked me in the eye. “Brother Ritt says you can shed light on Nathan Woodward and how he came to possess all of that money he had hidden in the mill.”

First I removed the newspaper article from my pocket and read it to him. Then I detailed everything, from the picture of Thomas's sister to how I found the newspaper article and the bag of money, and how I'd trusted Nathan. As I spoke, Brother William's expression changed from interested to concerned, to surprised, and then to horrified. When I finally finished my story, he rested his elbow on the arm of the rocking chair and cradled his forehead in his hand. I wasn't sure if he was praying or thinking—maybe he was doing both. Either way, I wasn't going to interrupt him. I'd said everything I could, and now he'd have to decide how to handle this whole mess.

Finally he looked up. “I spoke to Nathan a short time ago.”

His remark surprised me. My father hadn't yet returned home, and I assumed Nathan remained unconscious. “So he is alive and well?”

“I wouldn't say he is well, but he is alive. His first questions were not about whether he would live or die, but about the money.” The older man shook his head. “I asked him about it.”

I nodded. “And what did he say?”

A sad smile tugged at the elder's lips. “He said it was his life savings, that he brought it with him when he came here and had hidden it in the mill to keep it safe from the outsiders in the dormitory.”