Fifth Grade
Worksheets
The Hiding Place, Part 3
Ashes still smoked in piles, and pieces of charred wood were scattered over the ground. The smell of burning hung in the air like a curtain. John was sure that whenever he smelled smoke after that, it would remind him of this day.
Both of the cows were gone, as were their horses. John felt guilty about that. He had claimed them as his responsibility.
There was little to be salvaged from either cabin. The feather mattresses from Miguel's home had been ripped up, leaving feather down to dust the earth like snow.
Finally, they made their way with heavy hearts to the Logan place. The sun was well up when they finally approached the smoldering ruin.
Kendall Logan sat on an upturned bucket and simply stared at the ruin. A gash on the side of his head had stopped bleeding, but the dried blood still clung like paint to the side of his face. He didn't look up when they approached.
Miguel's mother put her hand on his shoulder. It was obvious he was in shock. She followed his gaze to where it rested on a heap lying on the ground near the burned out cabin.
The two women did not have to get very close before they saw what it was. Susannah Logan had not survived the raid.
John found a shovel, and his mother set Kendall to work digging a grave beside the one of a child he and his wife lost last year. Work was good to help keep him occupied. John watched him and refused to look in Susannah's direction.
