Rivers of Gold Read Free

and now that hundreds poured into her land on a daily basis, her feelings were only confirmed.
    Teddy had won her over by first winning over her son Little Charley, so called not because of his physical size but to distinguish him from Big Charley, his father. Unable to speak their native language, Teddy had been greatly relieved to find many of the natives spoke a fair amount of English. Teddy explained his situation and offered to hire on several of the English-speaking natives to guide him and assist him in identifying the vegetation they found.
    Five years of honorable relations had forged a bond between Teddy and Nellie. She now stayed with him from the breakup of the ice until the first heavy snows. She seemed to know when Teddy would return without his even telling her. The day or so before he was ready to head out, Nellie would be packed and ready to leave the cabin. Then when he returned in May, he would find her already sweeping out the musty cabin. They had a companionable relationship, and Teddy knew that part of this was due to his contentment with solitude, as well as his respect for the land.
    Nellie put the refilled bowl in front of the stranger, then left the men to their meal. Teddy wondered if Nellie sensed something dangerous about the man. He eyed Buckley with a steady gaze, hoping that, should the man be more than he appeared, God would give Teddy clarity to know the truth. But Buckley had eyes only for the meal and scarcely drew a breath while devouring the stew.
    Well, God always has a purpose for allowing circumstances in our lives , Teddy thought. He hadn’t yet figured out the reason for the unconscious woman’s appearance or the stranger’s, but Teddy was content to leave the matter to God. Leaving the details of life to his heavenly Father left Teddy free to concentrate on what really mattered. Not that the woman didn’t intrigue him, but he couldn’t afford to let himself get carried away. His work came first. His work would honor his father and bring glory to God.

—[CHAPTER TWO]—
    “IT JUST DOESN’T seem like Christmas should be only days away,” Karen Ivankov said as she hung up a pair of her husband’s trousers to dry. “I figured we’d be in a cabin by now.”
    Grace Colton, now swollen in the latter months of pregnancy, nodded. Her brown eyes were edged with dark circles. “I’d hoped so as well. I hate the thought of bringing a baby into this world with nothing more than a tent to offer for a home.”
    Karen’s strawberry blond hair curled tight from the humidity of the washtub. She pushed back an errant strand, regretting that she hadn’t taken the time to pin it up. The heat felt good, however, and Karen cared little for her appearance, given their setting. Living through the Yukon winter in a tent hardly allowed for niceties such as fancy hairstyles and pretty clothes. In this country everything needed to be functional and useful. Otherwise it was just extra baggage.
    Her husband, Adrik, had tried hard to find them a home. He’d hoped to stake a claim and build them a house, but the pickings were slim and most of the good land was taken. Those who wanted to sell out and leave before the winter charged exorbitant prices. One man sold his claim, complete with cabin, for thirty thousand dollars before catching the last boat out of Dawson. For a family who had barely managed to hang on to the smallest amount of money, thirty thousand dollars was nothing more than a dream.
    “We’ll just have to make the best of it,” Karen finally replied. “I know Adrik doesn’t want us here any more than we want to be here.”
    “Of course not,” Grace agreed.
    “Don’t worry, Grace,” thirteen-year-old Leah Barringer encouraged. “We can make things real nice for you and the baby. You’ll see. Jacob said he’d build you a cradle. He remembers when Pa made one.”
    “Your brother has his hands full, chopping enough wood to keep us warm,” Grace said with a smile. “But I