Chapter Seventeen
February 3, Evening
While they were approaching the camp, Fredericks, who was on guard duty, spotted them and went to meet them. “We’ve moved to another campsite,” he reported and started to lead them there. “You missed a dustup this morning,” he eagerly told the captain.
“What happened?” snapped Drew anxiously.
“Shaw and Zabronski had a fight. Well, it wasn’t much of a fight, Shaw knocked Zabronski down and Zabronski had enough.” He shook his head in wonder, “I knew the corporal was tough, but I didn’t realize how tough.” Drew went to the camp with a worried furrow between his brows. When they reached the camp, Dane hurried to meet them, “Are you all right?” he asked anxiously, and if he looked at Angelique first, well, that was understandable. “I had this intense feeling a couple of times that I needed to pray for you,” as he searched their faces. Drew looked at Dane’s face, but saw only concern. He glanced over at Zabronski and saw nothing there either.
“We met the local Gestapo chief but not our contact. I’ll have to go back tomorrow,” Drew answered easily, and then added, “I need to talk to you.” The two men moved off. “What happened between you and Zabronski?” the captain demanded. The corporal looked at him, “Fredericks told you.” He took a deep breath, “Zabronski refused a direct order, I convinced him to obey it.” Dane frowned and mused out loud, “I don’t know if I’m going to have trouble with him in the future or not.” Drew still wasn’t satisfied, “Who threw the first punch?”
“He did.”
Drew studied the smaller man, but saw no marks. “Where did he hit you at?”
“He didn’t.” Drew looked surprised, but said nothing more.
Dane waited a second, “Are both of you going back tomorrow?”
Drew looked over at Angelique, “I don’t think so; she had quite a shock today.”
They wandered back to the group, and Drew told them about the encounter in the café. He looked at Dane, “You said you had an intense desire to pray for us a couple of times, when were they?”
Dane thought a minute, “The first time was late in the morning.” Everyone heard Angelique draw in her breath. She leaned forward, “When did you say?”
Dane frowned in concentration, “Late morning, must have been about eleven.”
Angelique leaned backward, wonder showing on her face. “That was about the time I was in the shop,” and she told about her experience. The other listeners stirred uneasily at her story.
It was Drew’s turn to lean forward. “When was the second time?”
“It was at lunch time.”
Drew and Angelique looked at each other in amazement. Drew said, “That was when Major Lindisl was questioning us.” Angelique added, “And that was when I prayed to your God, and I was able to answer the Boche’s question.” They all looked at each other.
Tielson moved uncomfortably, “I’ll start fixing supper if someone will round up some firewood.”
“I’ll get it,” Dane volunteered, and gracefully rose to his feet. Angelique remembered her promise, and with the strange happenings of the day in her mind, went and got the Bible and started thumbing through it. Drew reached over and turned the pages to John, and both of their heads bent over the book. Dane smiled to himself when he brought some wood in and saw them.
When Tielson called, “Come and get it,” the others joined him at the fire. Angelique hesitated only a second before resuming her place between Drew and Dane. Dane smiled at her. When they were finished eating, Dane glanced at Zabronski, “Go relieve Fredericks so he can eat.” Zabronski looked at the corporal from under his bushy eyebrows, but obediently picked up his rifle and left. When he turned his head, Drew saw the bruise on the other man’s throat.
Angelique cleaned up from the meal, and while Fredericks was eating she retrieved the Bible, “Dane, I don’t understand this.” She pointed to John chapter three. “What is this being born again?”
Dane took the Bible, “Everyone is born into a physical family, right? Everyone has an earthly mother and father.”
“Oui,” Angelique agreed and Drew nodded.
“To be born into God’s spiritual family, you need to be born spiritually. That is the second birth. Here in verse 14: ‘And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.’ The Son of man is Jesus Christ, and the lifting up is His death on the cross. Verse 15 says ‘That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ This is not talking about physical death, but spiritual death, or eternal separation from God. Every single person that believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will have eternal life. Verses 16 through 18 explain how this happens. ‘For God so loved the world’, this is talking about everyone: you, me, Drew, even Major Lindisl. God loves each one of us so much, and equally.” At this Angelique’s eyes grew big. ”‘That he gave his only begotten Son’. God the Father sent God the Son to die on the cross. ‘That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ will not die spiritually but live forever with him.
‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ God didn’t send Jesus to send people to hell, but to save people from going to hell. Verse 18 ‘He that believeth on him is not condemned.’ Anyone that believes in Jesus is not condemned to go to hell when they physically die. ‘He that believeth not is condemned already.’ Everyone that does not believe is already condemned to spend eternity in hell. ‘Because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ They are condemned because they don’t believe in Jesus Christ.” Dane looked at them beseechingly, “Can’t you see how simple this is?”
Drew and Angelique looked confused. Drew answered, “But we believe there was such a person. Doesn’t that mean that we are one of the ‘born again’?”
Dane shook his head, “The Bible says the demons know and tremble. Do you think demons are going to heaven?” They shook their heads. “The demons know there is a Jesus, they have seen Him. The difference is sin. Romans 3:23 says ‘For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.’ That means each one of us, me included, have sinned, and because we are sinners, we cannot come to God. God hates sin. Sin must be punished by death. When Jesus died on the cross, because he was the sinless God, he paid for the sins of every single man, woman and child that has ever lived or ever will. When Jesus was raised from the dead, he took His sacrifice to God the Father to pay for all sin. The blood he shed washes away all sin, but only if you accept it. He is alive right now, sitting at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for His people, those who have accepted His sacrifice for atonement for their sins. To accept the offer of salvation, you must accept the fact that you are a sinner, there is nothing you can do of your own merit to warrant salvation, and ask Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your heart.”
Dane searched for words as he prayed silently in his heart. “You see, Jesus is alive, his grave is empty. He physically rose from the dead. That is what makes all the difference in the world. When I got saved and ask Jesus to come into my heart, he did. I feel Him, I commune with Him, we communicate.” Dane clasped his hands over his heart and looked earnestly at his hearers.
Tielson, Webster, and Fredericks wore blank looks; they had not understood at all what he had just said. Drew and Angelique were plainly struggling, but they were not rejecting, just not understanding. Judging that he had said enough for now, he straightened up, “You can go ahead and read some more; I’ll get some more firewood.”
Later, as Dane dropped an armful of wood, he noticed Angelique staring into the fire, her eyes wide and her face rather white. Divining that she was remembering the frightening experiences she had had that day, he squatted down beside her. Searching his mind for some way to divert her, he gently asked, “What is your brother like?”
“Oh, Louis?” she was startled out of h
er thoughts. “He is very handsome, very charming, very funny. When he was a boy, if there was any mischief going on you could be sure he was in the middle of it.” She chuckled, “His son, Philippe, is just like him. He’ll get into mischief and then charm his way out of it. He keeps Louis and Suzanne on their toes.” She smiled again in remembrance of past misdeeds. Dane was relieved to see the strain leave her face.
“And you, mon chéri, what is your sister like?” Angelique asked with interest.
“Not much like me in temperament,” Dane chuckled. “She is a talker and will talk your arm and leg off.” Angelique frowned, not understanding the colloquialism. “It means she talks almost non-stop,” Dane explained.
”Oh, I see,” she nodded.
”She is also headstrong, but very kind hearted. Her husband, Bill, keeps her in line.” Dane smiled, thinking of them, and Angelique could hear the affection in his voice.
”Is he not in the army then?” Angelique queried.
”No, he was born with a club foot. Not terribly bad, but enough that he is ineligible for the draft, much to Amy’s relief.”
Just then Drew came up to the fire, and seeing them conversing and enjoying themselves, felt a jab of jealousy. “Corporal, the guard rotation needs to be set.” His voice came out sharper than he desired, and Dane saw the strain come back into Angelique’s face at his tone. He felt a stab of anger at the captain for causing it and, characteristically, resolved to settle the issue before it got worse. But getting into an argument would solve nothing, he realized. He was a corporal and the other was a captain and there could only be one result of that passage of arms, and besides, it would only cause Angelique more stress. “Yes, sir,” answered Dane as he rose to his feet and moved away, trying to marshal his thoughts.
Drew followed him and said in a quieter tone, “I haven’t had guard duty today; I’ll take the first watch.
Dane realized from the half ashamed look on his face that Drew was regretting his sharp tone. “Yes, sir. I’ll take the second watch, Zabronski the third, and Fredericks the last one.” Dane looked back at Angelique, who was drooping by the fire, a sad, pensive look on her face. “She had a bad time today, didn’t she?” Dane asked softly.
”Yes, yes she did.” Drew looked at her. “She was a trooper though, handled herself like…like,” words failed him.
”We need to make sure she has no more stress than is absolutely necessary, that her welfare is the most important thing, other than the mission.” Dane stared at the taller man meaningfully.
Drew caught the inflection in the look and started to feel his temper rise. But then he looked at Angelique’s slumping figure and squared his jaw. “You’re right,” he said softly, “Angelique’s wellbeing is more important than ours.” He turned and walked away.
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