Sister Ruth and Sully stopped into town the next morning. One of the horses needed to be reshoed, so while Sully went to Robert E's, Sister Ruth went to get a new Bible.

The Bibles in stock were simple, black bound Bibles reminiscent of her own except that they were a lot newer.

"You buying a Bible for somebody?" Loren asked her when she took one up to pay for it.

"Yeah, myself," she said with a wry smile, as she pulled out the needed cash.

He cocked his head. "What happened to yours?"

"It met with a little accident," she said, not wishing to go into detail.

It was plain to see that he'd surmised the accident involved the Indians somehow, although he didn't prod any further on that account. "Was it a family Bible?" he asked in a low voice.

"It was, but when I remember that not so long ago in history, a regular person couldn't openly own a Bible without dying for it, I count myself blessed that I live in a place and time when I can go right out and buy one."

He pulled out his catalogue. "I can order you a real nice Bible with gold lettering on the cover, a clasp, fine pictures, just about anything you could want." He was obviously sorry about it and was trying to make up for it in some small way.

"I don't need a fancy covering. I only want the words. This suits me just dandy."

He put the catalogue away, and as he accepted the money, he told her with a smile, "I'll be at the service Sunday."

"Wonderful, I'll be sure to save you a place," she said warmly.

A grubby man in his 40s, who from appearances rarely came into town, was browsing the store. The man looked at her on her way out, and though he didn't speak a word to her, the contempt in his expression labeled her as a fallen woman without the need for words. It was a look she was getting used to since the message had been painted on the church wall.

She figured on stopping by the Gazette on her way to the livery to ask Dorothy if she was going to be printing a reminder of the service and picnic. However, a group of 5 children of 2 girls and 3 boys ranging from the ages of 4 to 10 enclosed her in a circle on her way there, and they studied her as if they had caught themselves a rare creature.

It was easy to see they were all from the same family. They were dressed in worn material and their unkempt hair and skin looked as if it hadn't seen a bath in quite awhile.

"Why aren't ya'll in school?" she asked immediately in a pleasant but curious tone.

"We don't go to school. Our pa's just getting some supplies from Mr. Bray," answered the oldest boy.

She had a feeling their pa was the man she'd met on her way out. "I see. Any particular reason you've got me surrounded? Are ya'll practicing your herding skills or something?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with humor.

"Is it true you're turning Indian? That's what Pa says," commented the youngest boy abruptly.

"She don't look Indian to me," said the middle boy.

"There'd be nothing wrong if I was," Sister Ruth said. "God made them the same as He made us. He looks at the heart, not what you look like on the outside. He don't care if you're fat or thin, tall or short, rich or poor."

That seemed to stun them momentarily as they regarded her comment as a strange notion.

"Well, excuse me, kids. I have to go see some people," she said, getting ready to break through the circle they had formed.

"Our big brother says you're going to be sorry," said the youngest boy, pelting sharp words at her, showing they were not at all comfortable with her kind persona. They wanted a rise out of her to see that bad person come out that they'd been led to believe she was.

That caught Sister Ruth's attention and she took a step back, so she could see his face. "Sorry?"

"He and his friends going to bust the windows in the black people's house next," chimed in the youngest, before sticking her dirty thumb in her mouth.

"Cindy," said the oldest boy admonishingly, "you weren't supposed to tell anybody that."

"What black people?" Sister Ruth asked. "Grace and Robert E, the ones who live in town?"

"They've been running their mouths, sticking up for you and the Indians. It ain't right. People should stick with their own kind and leave others be," defended the middle boy, quoting words he'd heard from his father most likely.

"When are they planning this?" Sister Ruth asked.

"Like we're going to tell you that," sneered the oldest.

"You kids go wait for your pa in front of the store and behave yourselves or I'll see to it that my friend, the sheriff, helps you find him."

The threat of having to be escorted to their father by the sheriff was enough, and the kids flew apart and scattered like a seeds on a dandelion. They were more bark than bite, but it appeared the same couldn't be said for their brother and his friends.

Deciding to skip seeing Dorothy, she went straight to Robert E and Sully. "I just had an interesting talk with some kids," Sister Ruth announced to them, who having finished with the horse had been talking together while Robert E worked on mending a plow. Robert E stopped to give her his full attention. "They tell me their oldest brother and his buddies are behind the window damage and plan to go after yours and Grace's windows next."

Robert E's face went from placid to angry. "What are their names? I'll go talk to their parents right now."

"Given how some parents are and the high tensions running in town, I think it'd be better if we caught them in the act," Sully advised.

"How we going to do that?" Robert E asked. "They could strike anytime."

"No, from the two previous incidents, they really don't want to be caught. They'd wait for another town event to distract attention or wait for when they knew you wouldn't be home." An idea suddenly came to Sully. "Wouldn't it just be convenient if word got around that you and Grace were going to spend the night in Shanty Town tonight with some friends, leaving the house as abandoned as it can be in the middle of town."

Robert E smiled. "I see what you mean. Better go alert the sheriff to what we got planned."

Sister Ruth gave a sigh of relief. "I've been asking for Him to reveal the ones behind it before they do any more damage. It looks like He's seen fit to answer."

sss

Having worked out the details with Daniel, Sully and Robert E lay in wait inside the house that evening with the sheriff. They'd spread the news about Robert E and Grace being gone by making sure some of the key gossips were informed, and they'd closed the café and livery down early. They weren't disappointed with the results. Just as a blanket of darkness had started spreading its way across the sky, 4 shadowy figures approached the house.

"Drop the rocks, boys," Daniel ordered as he opened the front door, Sully and Robert E right behind him.

Bandanas covered their faces, but Daniel recognized all but one or two of the boys. Although they immediately dropped the rocks, he pulled out his gun to be sure they wouldn't try to run as he told them his next words. "You boys are going to be spending some time in jail, so let's get moving. You know the direction."

"Jail?" gasped one of the boys as if he wasn't sure he'd heard right.

"Yes, son," Daniel answered. "What did you think was going to happen when you destroyed private property? You're not children anymore. You're all young men and boys younger than you have hung for a whole lot less."

"We was just trying to scare some sense into that crazy preacher woman. We weren't going to hurt anybody," said another of the boys in a whining tone that sounded more fit for a 3 year old than the 15 or 16 year old boy that he was.

"But you did hurt people emotionally and financially. You broke the law, boys, and now it's time to see what happens when you do."

They reluctantly began shuffling in the direction of the jail. Sully followed just to ensure things went smoothly even though it seemed all the fight had left the boys with the mention of jail.

Robert E went to inform Michaela, Sister Ruth, and Grace of the event, who were all waiting at the clinic for news.

"We can all sleep a little easier. They're behind bars," Robert E announced.

Grace went over and hugged him, not that she'd been too worried he'd get hurt, but it was a relief to see him just the same.

"Such a shame. They probably ain't even started shaving yet," Sister Ruth said. "We can hope and pray that this shakes them up a little bit, so they don't try nothing like this again."

"Well, I hope the entire town gets shaken up from this," Michaela said. "It was their hatred as a whole that motivated them."

"Hatred is a vicious cycle," Grace agreed. "Parents pass their hate onto their kids the same way they pass on their looks, and it happens that people break out of it but not too often." She placed a protective hand over her middle. "This baby ain't going to learn it from me."

"Or me," he said, putting a hand over hers.

sss

Sister Ruth brought the prisoners muffins she had baked the following morning and saw a crowd was clustered around the jail, demonstrating the town's healthy curiosity over such matters.

Daniel must have caught sight of her, Sully, and Michaela in the crowd, as he helped them through the people and into the jail where the boys were still asleep.

"They almost look angelic asleep," Sister Ruth said with a quiet chuckle. "I brought them a basket of muffins for their breakfast." She passed the basket to Daniel.

"They had a rough night," Daniel explained. "They may be out for awhile, but I'll make sure they know who brought them the muffins." He set the basket down on the bench.

"Have you talked to their parents?" Michaela asked.

"I have. One of the fathers was pretty angry about it all. He didn't want his son spending time in jail, but I impressed on him the wisdom of them seeing where breaking the law makes you end up. They're going to squirm in there for about a week before they get their true punishment. The reverend's not going to press charges against them, and I assume you all aren't either." He paused and they all nodded their agreement. "Their parents are going to pool all the money they can together to go toward the replacement costs, which the boys are going to work towards paying back, and they're also going to work to repay the rest of the amount."

"Well, I just wanted to show them that I forgive for what they done," Sister Ruth said. "I might come by another time to see them."

The three went back out to face the crowd after saying bye to Daniel, needing to get to work. Sister Ruth spotted Henry in the crowd.

She went over to him. "What are you doing in town?"

"I need to get some things before tomorrow," he answered. "What's going on here?"

"They caught a group of boys that were behind breaking the windows. To tell you the truth, I had my suspicions that you might've had something to do with it."

Henry looked offended. "As if I don't have better things to do with my time. You aren't on my mind so much that I would bother with lashing out in such a childish way."

"I know that now, and I kind of figured you weren't the sort to cause any kind of defacement to the House of the Lord, but well, you'd said the same thing almost word for word the day before, and you have to admit that you ain't been the easiest person to get along with."

"And I suppose you have?" he retorted.

"Surely, brother, can't you see my halo?" she asked with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

The corners of his lips twitched like they wanted to smile but had forgotten how. Then his expression grew more somber. "I might have unwittingly had something to do with it. I seem to recall having a chat with a young man on the day it happened, and I admit he might have heard my grumblings about you and your Indian friend before I noticed he was there, but it wasn't intentional. It was done in ignorance."

It was about the closest to an apology from him as she was going to get. "You said it. I didn't."

He left for his errands in a huff, and Sister Ruth began to wonder if they could have a conversation that didn't end with him storming away. She had lost track of Sully and Michaela in the ever-thickening crowd. The murmurings in the crowd had accordingly grown louder as more people discussed the jailing. More comments against Sister Ruth and the Indians were flying through the air than ones against the boys. She spotted Sully and Michaela still by the door, looking most displeased.

Using persistent calling, Michaela finally got the crowd's attention. "It was not Sister Ruth and it was not the Indians that sparked this problem. It was hatred that spread through this town like an epidemic, a hatred that originated with the adults. You're worried these people will make your community less than perfect, but you're making it ugly yourselves with your attitudes and behavior. Why should we be surprised when that hatred breeds violence?

"It all boils down to this. What kind of town do you want to live in? The picnic at the reservation is tomorrow, and I think everyone of you should be there. You've come a long way as a whole in accepting Robert E and Grace and the immigrants into the community. I think it's time that we begin to accept the native people too, don't you?"

The crowd was mostly silenced after the small speech, but Hank could be heard grumbling in disgust, "Typical Michaela on her soapbox. Thinking she can change us all with a fancy speech."

The crowd began to break up, and Sister Ruth wondered if she'd see any of their faces at the reservation tomorrow or if they were at least thinking about putting an end to their hostility.