Measure of Grace (43 page)

Even while Diana was speaking, there was a knock at the door. She opened the door to find her smiling fiancé.

“Come in, darling,” said Diana. “There’s someone I want you to meet. Papa is here.”

Knight’s smile drained away as he stepped in and laid eyes on the big man, who was now on his feet.

Feeling the rush of a need to protect Diana from the cruel man, Knight put a strong arm around her waist, set steely eyes on Stu
and said, “What are you doing here?”

“It’s all right,” Diana said, taking hold of his arm. “Papa isn’t here to hurt me or to try to take me back home. He was coming here for that purpose, but a preacher led him to Jesus on the train. He’s a new creature in Christ, just like Pastor Steele preached about on Sunday night. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Still holding Diana close against his side, Knight took a good look at her father for the first time. He saw, not an angry, hate-filled man, but a humbled man with soft, gentle eyes.

“Let’s sit down, darling,” said Diana. “I want you to hear the story from Papa. It all started when the pastor who lead Mama to the Lord visited Papa in the jail.”

They sat down, and Stu told Knight the whole story. When he finished, Knight leaned forward, shook his hand and said, “This is wonderful, Mr. Morrow. Praise the Lord for answered prayer.”

“Amen,” said Stu. “Amen.”

Diana informed Knight that she had just told her father about Jordan’s death, and how the Lord had led the two of them together.

Stu told Knight he was glad the Lord had given his daughter such a fine Christian man, and he was also a successful newspaperman. He asked about the
Sentinel
’s growth, and Knight explained that with Elkton growing, it was helping, but the paper was getting circulation in towns all around, including Boise. Stu said he was glad to hear it.

“Mr. Morrow, I have an idea. How about you and your family moving here? I’m at the place where I need to hire a man to run the printing press full time. Right now, my assistant Dan Tyler works the press, but more and more I need him out gathering news.”

Diana’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Papa, you should consider it. Since the farm is only rented, you wouldn’t have to be concerned about selling it.”

The excitement she felt at such a prospect caused her words to almost tumble out as she said, “Shamus would buy your livestock, I’m sure. And … and … the money from that would no doubt cover the cost of travel expenses for the family. And Elkton has a wonderful church and a great pastor.”

Stu set loving eyes on his daughter. He was dumbfounded. Not only had she so freely and willingly forgiven him, but now she wanted him to live near her. “Precious Diana,” he said, tears surfacing once again, “it sounds very appealing. And I would love to learn how to run a printing press and to work for my new son-in-law, but I owe the hospital and the doctor for what I did to Tom Wymore. I also owe the hospital and doctor for your mother’s bill. I’m paying them a little at a time, but I have a long way to go.”

Knight asked, “How much do you owe, Mr. Morrow?”

Stu cleared his throat. “A total of almost four hundred dollars.”

“Tell you what,” said Knight, “Dan can teach you how to run the press in no time. If you’ll take the pressman’s job, I’ll cover those bills for you as a bonus. There is a two-story house for rent in Elkton that I just learned about today. I’ll rent the house for you and your family, and pay the first two months.”

Diana stared at him, eyes wide, mouth open. “Knight Colburn, you are the most wonderful and generous man I know!”

Knight smiled at her. “Thank you, sweetheart, but should I be any less generous since God gave His only begotten Son on Calvary’s cross for me?”

Diana leaned close and kissed his cheek. “Like your mother, you always know just what to say.”

Stu shook his head in wonderment. “I feel so unworthy of your generosity, son, and of yours, too, sweet daughter. Only God could give both of you the grace to forgive me for what I’ve done, and only God could give both of you such charitable hearts.”

Suddenly Knight snapped his fingers. “Oh! Diana! I have something for you.”

While she looked at him in astonishment, Knight reached into his inside coat pocket. “I picked up my mail at the post office a while ago, and the clerk handed me a letter for you from your mother.”

W
ITH TREMBLING FINGERS
, Diana opened the envelope, took out the letter, and said, “Excuse me, Knight, Papa. I’ll read it through, then I’ll tell you what Mama says.”

Both men nodded, then watched Diana while she read her mother’s letter.

When she finished, she smiled at them and said, “Mama says she got both letters I sent her. She’s very happy to know the Lord has led you and me together, Knight, and she’s putting her blessing on our upcoming marriage. She wishes that she and my siblings could be here for the wedding.”

Knight smiled.

Tears filmed Diana’s eyes as she looked at her father and said, “Papa, they can be here if you will take Knight up on his offer. You haven’t actually said you will.”

“Oh, honey,” said Stu, “I’ve just been so overwhelmed at his offer, I can hardly think straight.” Then to Knight: “Son, I accept your most generous offer!”

Diana rushed to her father, wrapped her arms around him, and hugged him tight. “Thank You, Lord! Thank You for going above and beyond my greatest expectations. And thank you, Papa, for accepting Knight’s offer.”

Stu kissed her cheek and said, “Sweet daughter, I’d be a fool not to. Of course, it’s not final until your mother says she is in agreement with moving here.”

“I can already tell you that she will, Papa. I know she will!”

Diana then went to Knight, kissed his cheek, and embraced
him. “And thank you, darling, for being everything you are. God has truly blessed me.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Not as much as He has blessed me.”

She smiled at him, her eyes filled with love.

“We can go to the Western Union office right now and send your mother a telegram,” said Knight. “I’ll pay for it. Will the telegraph office in Richmond deliver it to your farm?”

“They will,” spoke up Stu.

“All right. Let’s go get it sent.”

As they were putting on their coats, Knight told Stu what his starting salary would be. Diana’s head bobbed in astonishment.

Stu’s eyes filled with tears. “I … I’ve never made that much money before. How can I ever thank you?”

“Just do a good job and keep your family happy, sir,” said Knight. “Then there’s only one other thing I want you to do.”

Stu buttoned his coat. “Name it.”

“Okay. I want you to walk that beautiful lady down the aisle in the wedding and give her to me officially.”

“You’ve got it.”

The three of them hurried off to the Western Union office, and a lengthy telegram was sent, advising Martha of Stu’s being saved on the train, and of Knight’s entire offer.

The next afternoon, Stu left his room at the Elkton Hotel, and walked to the boardinghouse to spend some time with Diana. He had only been there a few minutes when the Western Union deliveryman arrived with a telegram from Martha.

They read it together.

Martha was rejoicing in Stu’s salvation, and told them that Derick, Deborah, and Daniel were saved in the morning church service last Sunday and were baptized. Dennis did not understand it all yet, but was showing genuine interest. She and the children were all for the move. Martha had talked to Shamus that morning, and he would buy their livestock for the going price. He would be able to pay them half the price up front, and would have to send
the rest a little at a time until it was paid in full. There would be more than enough in the up-front money to pay the family’s travel expenses to Elkton.

Stu and Diana hurried to the
Sentinel
, and in Knight’s office, Diana let him read the telegram. Knight shed happy tears as he read it and gave praise to the Lord.

Diana hugged Knight, then hugged her father, saying, “Oh, Papa, I’m so glad you’re going to be here to walk me down the aisle and give me away to Knight.”

“Me too, sweetie,” said Stu. “God has been so good.”

After a while, they were drying their tears when Stu said, “I’ll go home as soon as possible, take care of the bills and the livestock sale, and bring the family to Elkton.”

“Let’s go over to the bank,” said Knight. “I’ll draw out the money so you can pay those hospital and doctor bills, and you can buy your tickets to get home. Then we’ll go rent that house I told you about. After that, we’ll go to the Western Union office and send a telegram to your wife so she’ll know it’s all settled, and when to expect you.”

The next day, as Knight and Diana watched the stagecoach pull away, they waved to her father, then she squeezed his arm and said, “Darling, the Lord indeed provided His measure of grace in my life—and when I needed it, He gave me more grace.”

“That’s our wonderful God,” said Knight as the stagecoach vanished from view.

Holding onto his arm as they started down the street together, Diana said, “I’m so thankful that even as a young Christian I’ve learned so many precious truths from God’s Word. I’ve been memorizing some passages since you gave me my new Bible.”

Knight smiled down at her. “Like what?”

“Like, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ Matthew 7:7 and 8.”

Knight chuckled. “Hey! That’s pretty good!”

“God taught me through these verses to never give up, darling, and never to cease praying for the desires of my heart. My greatest desire concerning my family since I got saved has been that they would be saved. Oh, Knight, the Lord is so good to His children!”

“He sure is.”

“And another one. ‘Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:6 and 7.”

Knight beamed down at her. “Sweetheart, you have certainly come a long way in your short Christian life. I love you so very much, and all that is within my power according to God’s will, I want to give you and do for you to make you happy.”

“I love you so very much too, sweetheart,” said Diana. “And the Lord helping me, I will always do my utmost to be the best wife to you that I possibly can.”

On Saturday afternoon, January 11, 1873, the small church auditorium was comfortably full. Pastor John Steele stood on the platform while the pump organ was playing the prelude to the wedding march, and smiled at Knight, who was standing on the floor.

Martha was on the second row of pews with Derick, Deborah, Daniel, and Dennis. Just across the aisle was Annie Colburn, who sent a warm smile to Martha.

Given a prearranged signal at the back of the auditorium by the pastor’s wife, the organist went into the wedding march. Martha rose to her feet and turned to look up the aisle. The rest of the crowd also rose and turned to see the bride.

Out in the vestibule, Diana was stunning in her beautiful white wedding dress. She raised her veil to plant a kiss on her father’s cheek. “All right, dear father of mine. It’s time to give me away to that wonderful man.”

Fighting tears, Stu smiled and ushered her through the door as she gripped his arm.

When they stepped into the auditorium and moved slowly
down the aisle, Diana glanced at her watery-eyed mother, her siblings, and at Annie Colburn, then set her loving gaze on the tall, handsome groom.

Knight’s face was beaming as he smiled at his beautiful bride.