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God has sent this woman to help me find the Lapps.” She went on to tell them of the pastor’s visit and her own trip to the jail.
    “When will you be leaving?” Hulda asked, her eyes not leaving the dark, strong face of the stranger, who revealed not a flicker of emotion.
    “We’ll go to buy the equipment we’ll need first thing tomorrow morning, that is, if you don’t mind. Is it okay if Orva stays in my room with me tonight?”
    Norman and Hulda exchanged a look, and Mallory saw Norman give Hulda the slightest nod.
    “Yes, of course that’s fine,” Hulda answered.
    Mallory took Orva into her room, where she quickly packed her bags. Orva watched silently and finally asked, “How are you going to carry those?”
    The thought had not even occurred to Mallory. “Why, I don’t know.”
    “You can’t carry them on your back, can you?”
    “No, I can’t, but—”
    “You’ll need a tent. Do you have one?”
    “No, but I’ll buy one tomorrow.”
    Orva snorted with disgust. “You’ll never make it out there.”
    ****
    The next morning Hulda fixed them a hearty meal to break their two-day fast, and then Orva and Mallory set out to buy supplies for the trip. Orva took Mallory to a shack on the outskirts of Narvik where an old Lapp man lived who was some distant relation to Orva. Apparently, he had given up the wandering life, preferring the warmth of four strong walls around him. After a suitable amount of haggling in their native tongue, they agreed on a price for a sled and one reindeer.
    Orva turned to Mallory and told her the amount they had agreed on. After a moment’s hesitation, Mallory pulled some bills out of her purse. Orva grabbed them and separated out several for the old man, who grinned at them toothlessly and nodded. She put the rest in her pocket.
    “I’m going into town to buy something to drink,” she said, smirking at Mallory’s uncomfortable expression. “Just as soon as I hitch up this reindeer.”
    When the sled was ready, Orva motioned to Mallory. “Come on, let’s go.”
    Mallory smiled her thanks to the old man, and they began walking back toward town, with the reindeer plodding along behind them, pulling the small sled that would serve to carry their provisions.
    The wind made a shrill, keening whistle, and the cold bit at Mallory’s face as the two women leaned directly into it. Every now and then, Mallory turned to make sure the reindeer was still following, even though Orva held the reins. It was a strange-looking animal and much smaller than Mallory had imagined a reindeer to be, but it seemed strong enough, and the wooden sled trundled after as the animal obediently followed the woman.
    At the general store in town, Orva made most of the decisions. They left with a tent, cooking supplies, some canned and dried food, and warmer clothes and thicker boots for Mallory. Orva also bought two gallons of whiskey. Mallorystarted to protest at this waste of money, but Orva immediately snapped, “I get the whiskey or I don’t go.”
    Mallory bit her tongue, knowing this was one problem she wasn’t going to solve right away.
    The two women loaded the sled down and then went back to the Bjellands’ to pick up Mallory’s things.
    The older couple accompanied the two young women outside and watched as Orva made sure the reindeer was secured firmly in its harness. Mallory thanked the couple repeatedly for taking her in, and they assured her it had been no trouble and they would be praying for her. When Orva indicated that she was ready, Mallory waved to the Bjellands as she trudged along after the sled. She turned around and gave one last wave before turning a corner.
    Norman shook his head. “We shouldn’t have let her go, Hulda.”
    “We couldn’t have stopped her. That young woman’s got a mighty stubborn streak in her. My, how I’m going to miss her!”

CHAPTER FOUR
    Living With the Lapps
    “I’m afraid I can’t go any farther, Orva.”
    A moaning wind almost drowned