Lois Gladys Leppard - The Mandie Collection, Volume 1

The Mandie Collection: Volume One
Copyright 1983, 1984, 1985, 2007
Lois Gladys Leppard

Previously published in five separate volumes:

Mandie and the Secret Tunnel 1983
Mandie and the Cherokee Legend 1983
Mandie and the Ghost Bandits 1984
Mandie and the Forbidden Attic 1985
Mandie and the Trunks Secret 1985

MANDIE and SNOWBALL are registered trademarks of Lois Gladys Leppard

Cover illustration by Chris Wold Dyrud

Ebook edition created 2012

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

ISBN 978-1-4412-6012-3

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

MANDIE

AND THE

SECRET TUNNEL

For My Mother,
Bessie A. Wilson Leppard,
and
In Memory of Her Sister,
Lillie Margaret Ann Wilson Frady, Orphans of North Carolina
Who Outgrew the Sufferings of Childhood

CONTENTS

The Lord is my shepherd,

I shall not want

(Psalm 23:1)

CHAPTER ONE

MANDIE

Dont get so close, Amanda. You might fall in. Her mother grasped the back of her long, dark skirt.

Mandie tried to pull free. Her tear-filled blue eyes sought a glimpse of her father through the homemade wooden coffin resting by the open grave.

I want to go with you, Daddy! she was mumbling to herself. Take me with you, Daddy! she tugged at her long, blonde braid in her grief.

Even in her sadness she was afraid of being scolded by her stern mother. She dared not cry out in anguish. Her voice trembled as she whispered, How can I live without you, Daddy? You were the only one who ever loved me. I cant bear it alone!

Preacher DeHarts deep voice echoed throughout the hills. We all know Jim Shaw was a good man. He drew his last breath talking to God. We trust his soul is at peace.

His voice grew louder and more emphatic. But, friends and loved ones, I am here to remind you of one thing! When the time comes for you to face your Maker, you will be damned to hellfire and brimstone if you have lived a sinful life!

Mandie trembled as she heard the words.

You will incur the wrath of God and your soul will burn in hell forevermore, he continued. Above all, let us remember the Ten Commandments and keep them holy, live by them and walk the straight and narrow path in preparation for the hereafter. Otherwise, I admonish you, your soul will burn in hell! Your soul will be used to feed the fires of the devil! When you have sinned and come short of the glory of God, He will forsake you. He will punish you!

The child was overcome by fear and grief as the final words were said for her father and the coffin was lowered into the ground. The clods of mountain woods dirt hit the casket with a thud. She gasped for breath and, falling on her knees beside the grave, she appealed to God, What have I done to cause you to take my daddy away, dear God? You know I cant live without my daddy, God. I love him so much, dear God!

The crowd standing nearby silently wiped away tears. The earth was smoothed into a mound and a rough marker was pounded into the soil with an axe. It read, James Alexander Shaw; Born April 3, 1863; Died April 13, 1900. Such a small remembrance for such a big-hearted man. Jim Shaw had no enemies. Everyone had been his friend.

It was April, but it was still cold in the Nantahala Mountains of North Carolina. Mandie, trembling with cold and emotion, couldnt stop shaking enough to rise from her knees, so her mother grabbed her arm and pulled her up and away from her fathers grave. Her legs would hardly carry her.

Through her blinding tears she caught a glimpse of Uncle Ned standing at the edge of the woods. Uncle Ned, the old Cherokee Indian, came often to the Shaws neighborhood selling hand-woven baskets. He and Mandies father had been good friends. He had loved her father, too. She suddenly jerked free from her mother, running to the tall Indian for comfort. Uncle Ned stooped to catch her in his arms, his necklace of shells softly brushing against her face.

Uncle Ned, God doesnt love me anymore! He took my daddy away from me! she cried.

My papoose! Fathergood man. Not gone faronly to happy hunting ground. His pronunciation was good, but his grammar was poor. He stroked her blonde hair as she buried her wet face against his deerskin jacket.

Amanda, come now. Were goin home. Right now! The plump woman shouted to the girl. Come, git in the wagon!

Uncle Ned, please come to see me. I love you. Mandie quickly kissed his redskinned cheek and turned to obey her mother.

The old Indian held her hand. I make promiseyour father. I look out for you. I keep promise. He smiled and released her hand.

Her heartbeat quickened as she heard his words. There would be someone to watch over her. But Uncle Ned could never overrule her mother; she had always bossed her father around. But then, Uncle Ned had his whole tribe behind him! He would indeed keep his word to her father.

Etta Shaw snatched the girls hand and slapped her face. Hesh up! Git in the wagon! This minute! She gave the girl a shove and called instructions to her sister.

Mandies sister, Irene, all but lifted her up as she forced the girl to climb into the waiting wagon, the same one that had brought her fathers casket to the cemetery. All the other mourners had already turned down the long hill ahead of them.

Now set down and shet up! Irene was two years older, and eleven-year-old Mandie was afraid of her rough ways. She knew she couldnt resist. She gave one last pitiful look at Uncle Ned, who stood witnessing the scene with his keen black eyes, and fixed her gaze ahead.

She would go home now, but she would come back as soon as she got the chance. Her eyes stayed on the mound of earth until they were down the side of the mountain and the row of trees blocked her view.

Sitting in the back of the wagon with her sister, Mandie suddenly realized that her mother had not shed a tear. Neither had her sister. She turned to look at her mother. Etta Shaw was busily talking and laughing with Zach as they bumped on down the rough road. She didnt love my daddy, she was thinking. She acts like shes glad hes gone. How could she laugh as though she had already forgotten he ever existed?

Her thoughts turned back to the happy times with her father. He was always laughing, always ready to take her side in any disagreement with her mother and Irene. She could see his smiling face, his red curly hair, his blue eyes twinkling with some little secret between them. He had always been there to comfort his dear Mandie through the trials and tribulations of her eleven years, and then suddenly he was gone. God had taken him away.

Mandie was beginning to realize the way things really were. She could never remember being loved by her mother. Young as she was, she knew Irene was her mothers favorite. As far back as she could recall, Irene had always been given the new dresses which were later shortened to fit her, even though the dresses were made with rows of tucks around the skirts that could have been let out as Irene grew. She had never had a brand new dress in her life. The old, dark blue frock she was wearing had been made for Irene and, although it was almost threadbare, it had been hemmed yesterday for her to wear to her fathers funeral. Mandie tugged at the faded fabric wishing she could be rid of the dress.