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Back The Orchard Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Books by Beverly Lewis
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. Epigraph
  8. Prologue
  9. 1
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 4
  13. 5
  14. 6
  15. 7
  16. 8
  17. 9
  18. 10
  19. 11
  20. 12
  21. 13
  22. 14
  23. 15
  24. 16
  25. 17
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. 36
  45. 37
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. Epilogue
  53. Author’s Note
  54. About the Author
  55. Back Ads
  56. Cover Flaps
  57. Back Cover

“Well, I’m so glad you’re home safe now.” She sighed. “It was nice and quiet here ’cept for the children runnin’ around and playing. Oh, and Pete and Sammy had fun in the haymow. Sammy finally got brave enough to try the rope swing,” she said, trying to change the subject.

“It’s about time he got some courage. Too many cowards in the world right now.”

She sensed he was talking about something completely different. “Little Sammy’s not a coward, Evan.”

“Nee, but a lot my age are. . . . Yankee guys talking ’bout driving up to Canada to avoid the draft. Get this: The day of the lottery, Chuck yelled at me for not seeking CO status—called me plain stupid. He did it again tonight. Said he’d be quick to sign up for it if he were in my place. I was tempted to shout back at him that he and his friends are nothin’ but scared chickens.”

Ellie shook her head. Did Evan think the peacemaker Amish were chickens? “I just wonder why ya went with Chuck tonight . . . if ya didn’t want to. Ya would have had more fun here.”

“I told you, he twisted my arm. Sure, it’s gut for any war to end—or never start—but I’m not protesting this one. It’s not won yet.” Evan got up from the step. “Well, it’s late, and I need to be up early tomorrow.”

“Jah,” she said, rising to follow him into the house. “What’ll ya tell Dat and Mamm ’bout where ya went?”

“As little as possible.”

Again, Ellie was at a loss for words. Baffled, really.

Sure ain’t the brother I used to know.

10

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Following Preaching service and the fellowship meal the next day, Ellie sat near one of her open bedroom windows at the small desk Dat had built for her years ago. She was trying to decide how to start her latest letter to Leah. A house wren perched conspicuously on a nearby tree branch, and Ellie paused to listen to its familiar chatter. Peering through the window screen, she heard a similar bird calling back and smiled wistfully, remembering once more how she and Leah would always look across the meadow to see each other’s bedroom windows lit up at night.

Birds of a feather, she thought fondly of her friend as she fanned herself with a spare piece of stationery, then started to write.