Walk by Faith Read Online Free PDF Page A

tell that little girl what happened was not her fault,” he told her. “I can’t tolerate a child being blamed for an accident.”
    Clarissa thought what a strange request that was. “All right.” She knelt down to Sophie and wiped tears from her pudgy cheeks. “It’s all right, darling. You just scared Mommy, that’s all. Sometimes when we’re scared we yell and say the wrong things.” She kissed her cheek. “Just tell this man you’re sorry you ran into the street without looking.”
    Sniffing, Sophie craned her neck to look up at the tall stranger. “I’m sowwy, Mistoo,” she told him, still having trouble with her r’s.
    He managed a smile. “It’s okay, honey. What’s your name?”
    â€œSophie. What’s yours?”
    The man looked from her to Clarissa. “Dawson Clements— Lieutenant Dawson Clements—of the Second Illinois Light Artillery Battery, now retired from the army. I, uh, I really don’t want to put you out—”
    â€œNonsense. It’s the least I can do.”
    â€œWell, ma’am, I’m afraid I’ll take you up on the offer. The leg is hurting pretty good.”
    â€œWait right here then.” Clarissa looked at Sophie. “And you stay right here by Mr. Clements.” She stepped off the curb and waved down a one-horse cab coming toward them from farther up the street, hoping Carolyn and Michael wouldn’t mind her bringing home a stranger.

Chapter Four
    C arolyn and Michael appeared almost comical as they scurried around the house following Clarissa’s orders after she arrived with a limping Dawson Clements. Because the fair-haired, brown-eyed Carolyn was actually taller and more robust than Michael, a short, slender, quiet man with black hair and deep brown eyes, they seemed mismatched physically, but Clarissa could think of no other couple more devoted to each other than these friends who’d been so good to her, especially since her divorce. If only her own marriage could have been so happy and perfect.
    Little Lena, one year older than Sophie, had her father’s dark hair and eyes, quite the contrast to Sophie’s orange-red hair and pale blue eyes. The current excitement in the house kept the girls glued nearby, staring at the tall stranger who’d come unexpectedly into their midst.
    Carolyn gave Michael orders for towels and whiskey and hot water while Dawson sat down in a kitchen chair. He winced with pain as he obeyed Clarissa’s order and let her help put his wounded right leg up on an opposite chair. She pushed up his pant leg to see the entire calf of his leg was wrapped in bandages showing stains from both old and fresh blood.
    â€œOh, my!” She looked at Dawson with a frown. “How long has it been since this was changed?”
    He shrugged. “Five, six days, something like that.”
    â€œDidn’t they tell you how important it was to keep the wound clean? If it gets infected, you could lose your leg.”
    He sighed. “I am well aware of that. I’ve seen piles of legs and arms lying outside of hospital tents at a friendly battleground called Shiloh.”
    They all gasped. “We’ve heard about Shiloh,” Carolyn said with an air of sad respect.
    â€œNevertheless, why haven’t you kept treating this wound?” Clarissa asked.
    â€œLook, Mrs.—Graham, did you say?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œYou’re the one who insisted I come here. Don’t be scolding me for not changing this thing. I don’t have a friend or relative to my name, so there’s no one to care whether I lose a leg or not. I was told at the hospital that they’d done all they could do and that it should be all right, so what more could I do? I’ve been traveling through the camps outside of town talking to families who’ve lost their homes because of this senseless war and I haven’t had time to