Nathan Needs A Miracle

 Pa rushed over to the tiny woman who lay on the dirt floor of the shanty he used to house his horse. She was barely breathing. "Who in the world are you, woman? What do I do with you now? How am I going to feed six of us when I can barely feed  five? Well, there is nothing to it but to take you to the house to thaw you out and get something hot in your belly." He put his coat over her thin one and put her over his shoulder. He then grabbed the rope and made his way back to his cabin.

When Marlee Ada's pa came stumbling into the house the children scattered. He carried the woman over to his bed and started telling the children what to do. He told the boys to put more wood on the fire. He told Marlee Ada to put some ground corn  into some hot water. Even Marlee's sister brought over her cat and quilt to curl up to the lady to help warm her. Pa started rubbing the lady's hands and instructed Marlee Ada to take off the lady's shoes. He needed to warm her hands and feet up as quickly as possible so she wouldn't suffer frost bite.

After the shock of seeing their pa bringing in an almost dead woman they started asking question after question. Of course, their pa had no answers. It seemed that with some coaxing and soft words the lady was able to take some sips of the bitter brew. She started to open her eyes and look around her. She saw a picture on the wall. It was of a lady and her four children. 

Oh she hurt all over. When you get your hands and feet too cold they start to hurt when you get warmer. Pa told the children to help rub her feet and hands as he looked on.

He told Marlee Ada to go get a pair of her ma's socks for the woman. Marlee said, "You want her to wear my ma's socks?" He pa looked sternly at her and said, "You heard what I said. Go"

 He started a pot of soup. He had some canned vegetables and a hock of pork he had been saving for Thanksgiving. He figured he was thankful he had saved a life and the children would enjoy it. After that he just didn't know. He only had enough food to last a little over a week. He would make this pot of soup big enough to last as long as possible. Maybe just maybe he could spot a jackrabbit for more stew if he was lucky. But the first thing he had to do was find out who this lady was and where she came from. He was sure folks would be looking for her.

What pa didn't know was that most of the people that Nell, had been traveling with had fled the area because of an Indian massacre just twenty miles or so from where he and his children lived. The Banister colony had dispersed, Mr. Banister and the women and children had moved to join others in another settlement called Old Cherokee. He needed a miracle.