The Witnesses by Linda Byler

Author:Linda Byler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Good Books
Published: 2015-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

MICHAEL LANVIN WAS RELEASED ON BAIL, HIS court appearance not yet announced. He maintained his innocence, and since there was no proof and no one willing to testify, the case was left undecided, likely to be placed on the back burner. For one thing, Michael had no money. He was assigned a public defender, rendered helpless for lack of prosecution.

David Beiler, one in a group of ministers, stayed true to his convictions, despite the visitors who entered the house on many week nights, quietly assuming Levi and the girls would be in bed or at least out of ear shot. One late-night group of visitors accused Davey of being hard-hearted, unfeeling. How could he stand to see his daughter injured so badly? If he’d use some common sense, they’d be glad to testify and get these fires stopped. Levi had all the information they needed.

Davey argued quietly, sensibly.

This situation could be resolved with forgiveness, he felt—so strongly, in fact, that he quoted Scripture to justify his actions. And that was something he did not condone, depending on the circumstances.

Davey’s eyes became weary, underlined by dark circles, as he lay sleepless night after night, endlessly pondering the viewpoints of his distraught laymen.

Sarah moved through the remainder of the summer on wings, her feet skimming the ground as she ran to the barn, skipped across the yard, or swung on the tire swing attached to a limb of the maple tree. She was full of life, nearly fully recovered despite her lasting scars.

Matthew began to show up at the most inopportune times, cheekily rapping on the screen door and asking for Sarah. Sometimes, he simply spent time with Levi, who promptly produced a checker board, proud that his English friend Matthew wanted to stay.

One evening, the leaves on the maple tree stirred restlessly as an east wind bore smells of an oncoming rain. Dat asked if all the girls could help unload the remaining bales of hay stacked on the wagons by the barn.

Mam said she’d clear the table and do the dishes, so the girls went out to the barn and watched as Dat started the engine on the elevator. It would carry the bales to the bay already stacked high with hay for the horses and cows.

When it popped to life, the belt on the long elevator began to move. Sarah hopped up, grabbed a heavy bale, and heaved it onto the moving belt. She watched as it righted itself and began its slow ascent to the top, where Suzie and Priscilla helped Dat stack the bales tightly, making a good solid pile.

Steadily throwing the bales, she stopped to scratch her shoulder, the healing places itchy so much of the time. Shrugging her shoulder, she shifted her apron strap into place, bent to lift another bale, and looked up to find Matthew staring at her, his face uplifted, a half smile playing around his mouth.

Sarah could feel the heat rise in her face, but she kept working. The noise

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