M r. Matthews slowed the horses as they approached the police station. “Whoa!” He climbed down and walked to the back of the wagon. Fay sat with her eyes closed covered with the tarp for warmth. Mr. Matthews assumed her mother slept beneath it.

“Wake up Fay.”

Fay opened her eyes. “Are we in town?” she asked.

“Yes. Get your Ma up.”

“Oh Ma isn’t here. She jumped out of the wagon a while back.”

“What!” Mr. Matthews threw back the tarp revealing nothing but supplies below. “When did she jump?”

“’Bout half way here.”

Mr. Matthews looked at the darkening sky and ran his fingers through his hair. A storm would be hitting soon. “Get out of the wagon.”

Fay leaped down from the wagon and twirled around slowly taking in the sights. “Wow!”

Jacob watched the clueless girl in fascination.

“Let’s go ” Mr. Matthews said leading the way to the police station.

Fay’s eyes filled with wonder as she entered.

“Hey!” a thin man shouted once they were inside. “That’s the Matthews fellow.”

An officer rushed over to Mr. Matthews. “We were just getting ready to come over to your place.”

“Well I saved you the trouble. But first a woman who was involved in a crime is stranded in treacherous terrain.” He told the officer where he had last seen Mrs. Renard and the officer sent two men to rescue her.

“Is this the girl who was in your shop?” the officer asked the shopkeeper once the tumult died down.

The thin man shook his head vehemently. “Nope that isn’t her.”

Mr. Matthews’s eyes focused on the police officer. “What girl?”

“The one who’s traveling with her little sister. Did you see her?”

“No but two police officers visited my farm this morning looking for two such girls.”

“Was one man tall and the other medium and both with brown hair?” the shopkeeper asked.

“Yes.”

“They weren’t police officers! They’re kidnappers!”

“Kidnappers?” Mr. Matthews said. “How do kidnappers fit into the picture? Do you know anything about this?” he asked Fay.

“I don’t know about any kidnappers but I also saw two men with brown hair. They’re the ones that brought the little kid to our farm. She had a fancy pink blanket and I wanted it but Ma wouldn’t let.”

“Did you say pink blanket?” The shopkeeper hopped up and down. “The two girls in my store… the little one had a pink blanket. She left it behind and the kidnappers took it.”

“Officer ” Mr. Matthews said. “Has there been a kidnapping?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” He turned to face Fay. “Maybe this young lady can help us put some of the pieces together.”

“Young lady!” Fay’s eyes sparkled. “Who me?”

The police officer leaned against the desk. “Why don’t you sit down?”

Fay smoothed her hair with both hands then sat down on the chair offered to her.

“What can you tell me about the men who brought the little girl to your farm?” (Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr. Issue 676)