She paced the hallway and chewed on her thumbnail.
After several passes, the only solution stared her straight in the face.
She’d have to do it.
It was the only way she could leave with the gold. She wasn’t about to give up now.
What was one more death to achieve her dream?
MONDAY, AUGUST14, 1916•DINOSAURNATIONALMONUMENT
Finally. The quarry was open to visitors again, one day a week.
Eliza was excited to get back out there and speak to people. Much easier out there at the monument, which people really wanted to see. And if anyone asked her about the newspaper article and the papers she wrote, God would help her handle it. As He’d helped her when a man in town stopped her at the hardware store to point out that scientists were always arguing with one another so why should anyone believe them?
His logic pained her.
She’d worked with other paleontologists for years. Yes, she disagreed with several of them on different issues. But they’d all agreed to disagree and focus on the work.
However ... now that she thought about it, her family’s wealth was well known. As was the fact that their money often funded whatever dig she’d been on.
Could that have kept people from saying anything negative in front of her until the chaos this summer? Had someone been jealous of her and over the years formed a plan against her?
She hated to even think it, but that was the way of the world, wasn’t it?
It was a wonder Mr. Carnegie had believed in her like he did.
With a deep breath and a prayer for wisdom and strength, she went to the visitor tent.
Time to put on her best smile and welcome them.
“Good morning.” She prayed no one would be divisive or argumentative. But as the group moved toward her, she noticed there were two young girls present. Dressed in their finest, even in the hot landscape of the quarry. Their eyes sparkled.
Nowtherewas a look she knew well. Eagerness to learn.
A fresh wave of energy rushed through her.
It didn’t matter what mean-minded people said, there were so many others passionate to discover the truth. And if she could point some to the Creator, that’s what it was all about, right?
She motioned the two young girls forward and gave them each a fossil to hold.
Mesmerized, the girls stared, eyes glowing.
Smiles lit the adults’ faces.
“Thank you for coming out to Carnegie’s quarry at Dinosaur National Monument. Who’s ready to talk about dinosaurs?”
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST16, 1916•MEYERRANCH
“Miss Mills?”
Eliza started. The young kid from the telegraph office was beside her.
Wow, she must have really been focused on the fossil she’d been attempting to pull from the rock for the last hour. She hadn’t even heard him approach. “Good morning.” She smiled and got to her feet.
“I’ve got another telegram for you. Mr. Clarence wanted me to apologize. It should have been delivered a while back. Somehow it fell behind the counter.”
“Oh, thank you for bringing it to me.” She took it and smiled at him, handing him a coin. Hopefully it wasn’t anything of great consequence.
