OCR Text |
Show Nettie, Page 72 they would find. "What is it, Nettie? What's wrong?" Papa's face reflected his worry. "Stop right there. Just stand there a minute," Nettie motioned them back. She stood near the barbed wire fence, but turned toward Mama and Papa. Slowly, shuffling one foot after the other, Nettie moved toward her parents. They watched, scarcely breathing, wanting to stop her because the pain she was suffering showed plainly on her face, but not wanting to stop her because Nettie was walking--walking! Triumphantly, joyously, painfully, slowly, but actually, Nettie walked into her father's waiting arms. The fierceness of his hug told Nettie the depth of his feelings. Mama turned away to dab at her eyes with her apron. "Papa, papa, I can walk," Nettie cried through sobs of pain and joy. Papa could only hold his daughter and stroke her hair. W o r d s °f J°y could not escape the lump in his throat. At length Nettie spoke again. "You can take it back now, Papa. Take the wheelchair back." |