第10章一路爱相送（10）
到了门口，那个人静静地站了几秒钟，然后慢慢地转过身。“孩子们，马戏团的狗是永远不会忘记那顶大帐篷的，”他说着，“你们最好把他锁在屋子里，直至明天早晨，我不希望看到你们失去他。”
我们依照他的话做了。杰基和我们在一起生活了很多年，尽管他是我们曾经养过的小狗中最聪明的一只，但我们再也没有劝说他表演马戏团的绝技了。我们认为最好还是将那个流浪汉的话记在心里，让他永远忘却在马戏团的日子。
鸽子的奇迹
Abigail'sDove
卡伦·马约里·加里é KarenMajarrison
Itbadbeesnowstormintenyears，andI'dbeenit。Afterheariosedtoshenight，Ihadvoluourchurchtotakegrodmedicalpresstoelderlymembersinneed。Sincemyhusbandwasawayonbusiness，Icalledmymotheraelyyhousetowatchmythree-year-olddaughter，Abigail。
"eohosepeople？"shehadaskedme，edformysafety。"Ihaveabadfeelingaboutthis，anditlookslikeitmightsnowata;
Iglahewindowandhadtoadmitthattheskyl。Ibegaain。
"Mamawillbeokay，"mydaughtersmiled，takinghergrandmother'shand。"Shelikeshelpingpeople。Besides，I'llbeprayi;
&swelledatherwords。WehadsuchacloserelationshipthatsometimeswhewasasthoughAbigailexhaled。IdethatIhadtoawhatI'dbeeninstillinginmydaughter：thatsometimeswejusthavetostepoutinfaithaGodwillkeepussafe。Kissingmymhtergood-bye，Isetouttomakemyrounds。Onmylaststop，thesofall。
"Youshouldn'thaveehere。"BillWatkiwo-year-oldmemberation，scolded。Hecetoutofbed，buttheeffortprovedtootaxing。Giviledba-tothepillows。"ItoldthepastorthatIdidn'texpeetothebooniesforme。"
";Igriioningsnaddrinksbyhisbed。Behhisgruffexterior，Billwassweetasdy。Hisheartmedihadtobetakeneveryday，andlivingoianysurvivingfamilymembers，heneededasmuchhelpaspossible。
"Well，lookwhatyourstubbhtyou。"hesaid，pointingtothesnow-coveredroadoutsidethewindow。Hisfingersclaspedmyhand。"Stayhere，Karen。Iwantyousafe。"
Ikissedthetopofhisheadbutdecidedtobravetheroads。Itwouldbeworselater，Ireasoned。
"I'llbeokay。"Itoldhim，rememberier'swordsbeforeIleft。ThoughtsofAbigailmadememoredetermihome。Imissedheralready。
IgotintomyVolkswagenandgraduallytriedmakingitdoweephill。Rememberingoldinstrusabintheshepasedgear。Thewindiingwavesofblindingwhite。AsIsquihroughthewindshield，holdih，Isdjerkedthewheel，narrowlymissioodfrozes。
TheVolkswagenhittheemba，plummetedoffthesideoftheroad，ahebottomofaravinebelow。Whentherollingmotionfinallystopped，IopenedmyeyesaIhadbeenunsetime。Nighthadarrived—andwithittheforecastedacofsnow。Panig，Itriedopeningthedoor，butitwouldn'tbudgeagaiingsnow。Slidihepassenger'sdoor，Irealizedthatthedoorhadbeebyatree。Iturarttheehebatteryesdostocrawloutvahoutheataeg，Icurleduponthebadwaitedforhelp。
Thefrigidairenvelopedme。Shivering，Ichastisedmyselffforacelikethis。Mytoesandfingerswerealreadyyseemedtopass，andasIlistehewindandsnowhittingagainstthecar，Iprayedformyfamily，whowouldbesickwithworrybynow。AbigailwouldprobablybedrawingpiewhenIarrivedhome。Sinceshe'dbeeoholda，she'ddrawhtenthedaysofherlovedones。
Tocalmmygrowimysafety，Iyeyesaedohintosleep，IsawAbigail。Abigailinthewarmsunlight，laughiabeautifulwhitedovetome。Thedove'sgraceful，sereheloveshininginmydaughter'seyesfilledme>
&grewdasIfloatedinandoutofess，IfixedmymindontheimageofAbigailaogether，theykeptmepanythroughoutthenight。Hourslater，asthefirstraysofdaybreakappeared，Iheardtappingonmywioseeanemergeeam，mystifflipstriedtosmileastheyhoistedmeodintoanambulahehospital，IwastreatedformildfrostbiteandaheadwtoldI'dhavetostayhtforobservation。Anxioustoseemyfamily，Iproppedmyselfuponthebedpilloatiently。
Bef，thedooropenedandmymotherburstintotheroom。"orriedaboutyou！"shecried，rushiohugme。"Ikrouble！Motherssehesekindsofthings。"Hermaternalinstinctssurfacedassheappraisedthefoodtraynearby。"Yourteaiscold！I'llberightback。"
&heopportunitytohavemealltoherself，Abigailtothebedandburiedherfaeck。Iscoopedhercloser。"I'vemissedyousomuuredsasilkystrandofhairfromherface。"AndwhathaveyoubeendoingwhileI'vebeenaway？"