Anna sat dejectedly in her room. She was surprised a guard hadn't been posted outside her door. A peck on the glass interrupted her isolation and she saw that it was Samuel. She pushed the window outward and latched it with the hook, so she could hear him better.

"Your daddy just told me I'm not allowed to see you. What's going on?"

"They just think I'm a criminal. That's all," she said bitterly. "I got caught taking down a scarecrow that looks like Ruth. Some sick person hung it from a tree. They even got a hold of one of her dresses and they all assumed it was me." Concern suddenly replaced the bitterness. "You don't think it was me, do you?"

His gray eyes studied her sharply for a moment and then he ran a hand through his thick brown hair that always seemed unruly and always made Anna want to run her hands through it too. "I believe you. It's that sister of yours' fault. She's been nothing but trouble since she got here."

"Well, I wouldn't say that. Say what you like about her, she does help heal people."

He looked at her tenderly. "She's no you. You help people too but in a much more ladylike way without calling attention to yourself."

Anna colored but she smiled at the compliment.

"And because she is calling attention to herself, your family is suffering because of it. Adam told me she stood right up in front of the church with a fancy speech and healed somebody for everybody to see."

"She did it for us not herself. She's simply trying to calm people's fears." Anna surprised herself that she was taking up for Ruth as she certainly hadn't been before but Samuel had never spoken so openly against her.

"Let's stop talking about her and talk about us. Have you even told your family we're engaged yet?"

"No, I haven't had a chance to what with everything that's been going on, but I will."

"You should elope with me now and to heck with them. You don't have to stay under this roof and suffer this indignity. It's disgraceful that they're treating you like a wayward child and believing that rebellious sister over you."

She shook her head. "That's not how it is and I wouldn't feel right running off. I want this mess straightened out first and eloping would make it look like we had something to hide. That's not how I want to start out married life."

He looked angry for a second and then he seemed to will himself to calm down. "If that's how you want it." He reached through the window to take her hand, which she gave to him. "It will be straightened out soon and you will be my wife."

"Of course it will and I will, but you better go. You won't be doing me any favors if you're caught at my window."

"I'll see you later," he promised.

Anna was just drawing the window closed when there was a knock at her door. "Yeah?"

"I have your dinner. Can I come in?" Ruth called.

Anna hesitated for a moment and then said, "I guess you better if I want to eat."

Ruth opened the door with her free hand and shut it behind her. "I'm not here to play martyr or whatever it is you think I do. I just want to talk." She set the lunch of fried fish and potatoes down on Anna's hope chest along with a cup of goat's milk.

"The bright spot in a prisoner's day, a meal to break up the monotony," Anna said sarcastically.

"Prisoners don't get to eat Momma's cooking," Ruth said with a smile, trying to soften the situation.

"I guess that's so. I reckon I should be grateful that bread and water's not part of my punishment."

"It may seem like a punishment and I guess it is, but it'll also prove your innocence too." Ruth shivered. "There's a draft in here." She went over to build the fire higher.

"You just can't help yourself, can you? You always have to be taking care of people," she said with a shake of her head. "Do you really believe in my innocence or are you just saying that?"

"I don't know what to believe, but I want to believe you."

"That's something, I guess," she said as she shifted around her sliced potatoes, trying to work up an appetite. "I'm sorry I snapped at you last night. I know you were just trying to help, but it was infuriating that everyone was accusing me either silently or otherwise. I was afraid it'd be more of the same from you or pity which would be worse, I think."

Ruth finished with the fire came and sat down on the edge of the bed with her. "I would be surer of your innocence if we hadn't had that talk about how embarrassing I am to you."

Anna cringed. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I guess…it's just that I haven't felt in your shadow since you left. Did you know I've started singing in church?"

"That's wonderful. I've always thought you have a voice like an angel. To tell you the truth, I envied it. I had to pray about that sin quite a few times, but I'm so happy you're sharing it and using it for God."

"It's funny you envying me. I envied you. You were practically perfect."

"Me? Perfect? I'm quite sure that it was me that got my hind end switched a good deal more than yours."

That brought a smile to her face. "Maybe, but I didn't grow up to be a minister, dedicating my life to the Lord, did I? Momma and Daddy are proud of you despite their protests. Besides, I might not have been the prankster you were, but I was the brat who always wanted my own way."

"And got it often as not with your sweet curls and dimples and your big green eyes. It's a wonder you've turned out as good as you have," she said with a chuckle. "Remember when you used to follow me and Laura around like a shadow. It used to drive us crazy most times because we'd have to watch out after you and you could get into some scrapes."

"Well, I adored you both. You were always so comfortable around people, strangers even, and you could make them laugh without even trying and pray their illnesses away. I wanted to be just like you."

"The past tense being the key. I still adore you though and I wish I had the grace you do. I've had so many embarrassing foot-in-the-mouth moments, I can't count them."

"I've had those lately myself, and I don't hate you. I love you, in fact. It's just that you came home married right as I was going to announce my engagement. It felt like I was living in your shadow again, but I realize that was my fault not yours. Then with this witch business, I selfishly believed Samuel would rethink about getting married into this family. It doesn't justify my behavior, but I want you to understand."

Ruth drew her into a hug. "I do and I had no idea you felt that way, but I'm glad you told me. Just remember that God always sees us. There is nobody you have to live up to; He's the source of our self-worth."

"It wasn't me and I'm frightened for you, Ruth," Anna whispered still wrapped in her embrace and sounding very much like the scared girl who had crawled into bed with Ruth during thunder storms.

Released from the hug, Anna wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve. "Maybe you should leave now. You've only got about a week left to go. Why risk it being you they hang up from the tree?"

"Because they may take out that anger on one of you when we're gone. I'm not going off and leaving any of you like this."

"You are stubborn," Anna said with a sigh of frustration.

"It's the McKenzie way," Ruth teased. "Congratulations on the engagement by the way. I've got to go eat my dinner, but I'll be back to get your dishes and keep you company."

Alone again, Anna looked out the window. The tree branches scraped against each other ominously and she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that the worst was yet to come.