Robert and Louis went down to the lodge and sat down at the counter where they waited to be served.  A girl and two boys came in and joined them.

"I see you're still out, Louis," a kid from school said.  "I thought they'd have you locked up in Prince Albert."

The corners of his mouth tightened and he looked quickly away.

"Think they'll let you pray in jail?" he continued.

Louis turned to Robert.  "Let's get out of here."

"No way!  You haven't done anything and we're not running out of here as though you have."

"You can stay if you want to, but I'm getting out of here." He would have gotten to his feet, but Robert grasped his arm and pulled him back to the stool.

"Maybe the RCMP will let the Band Council banish you, Louis," the other taunted.  "That'd be great, wouldn't it?  Spending six months out on an island alone.  You ought to have plenty of time to think over what you've done."

"You can talk all you want to," Robert retorted loyally, "but Louis didn't steal that ring."

"That's not what Mrs. McDonald says.  She's been telling everyone that your little brother snitched that ring and has it hidden somewhere.  Everybody's talking about it."

"Everybody isn't talking about it.  I'm not because it isn't true and when the RCMP finish asking people questions and sorting out the truth, they'll find out."

"You can talk.  I suppose you were in on it, too."

Robert turned and started eating his ice cream.

"No wonder you don't want anyone to talk to you about it. You must have helped him." He paused, laughing.  "And everybody says you're such good Christians!"

Louis finished his ice cream and left quickly.  Robert was half a step behind him as they went out the door.

"Robert!" Louis whispered tautly.  "Did you see that sweater?"

"What sweater?"

"A guy just went around the corner wearing the sweater I've been telling you about."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know for sure.  I know I've seen those colors together before." He paused, taking a deep breath.  "As I remember, I just barely saw them, and that was all.  I had the strangest feeling when I saw that sweater just now.  I shook all over and almost turned and ran away."

"From a sweater?" Robert echoed.  "Are you sure there isn't something wrong with you?"

"I know it sounds stupid, but that's exactly what happened."

"Did you see who was wearing it?"

He shook his head.  "I didn't get a chance, but I'm going to."

"When are you going to do that?" his older brother asked.

"How about right now?"

Robert stared at him.  "You are serious, aren't you?" "I've got to be.  It might help prove I didn't steal that ring."

Robert couldn't see how that would help, but he didn't argue with Louis.  He knew how he would feel if the RCMP came to question him about anything, and especially stealing something as valuable as Mrs. McDonald's diamond ring.

They started up the path that would take them to the trailer and had covered a short distance when Louis stopped.  He grabbed his brother's arm suddenly.

"Robert!" he exclaimed.  "I remember where I saw that sweater!"

"At the store?"

"Don't be stupid!  I saw it there, but I've seen it other places, too."

Robert waited, but Louis remained silent.

"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to guess?"

"I was just thinking.  One of the guys in the boat Mrs. McDonald and I saw was wearing it."

"When was that?"

"Just before we stopped at the place where she lost her coin purse.  They zipped into a little bay on the other side.  Mrs. McDonald thought they were fishing."

"But they could have been watching the two of you!"

Louis nodded.  "That's right.  I remember not wanting to get too far from our boat.  I was afraid they might slip over and cut our gas line or put water in the tank."

Robert picked up a stick and appeared to be studying it thoughtfully, but he scarcely realized he had it in his hand.  "They might have planned something like that," he said at last, "but they could have seen Mrs. McDonald drop the coin purse."

A smile burst across Louis' smooth young features.  "I'll bet that's what happened!" he exclaimed.  Then his smile faded.  "But who's going to believe us?  I know what Corporal Starr will say if I go to him and tell him that.  He'll start asking all kinds of questions and end up by asking me if I couldn't think up a better story than that."

"But it gives us something to work on, Louis," Robert replied.  "When we find out who owns that sweater, we may be able to get more proof that the owner of the sweater is the guilty one."

Louis shook his head.  "Nobody's going to believe us if we do find out who owns that sweater ... There's no use trying to do anything.  I'm a dead duck!"

His older brother did not answer him.  He wanted to help Louis feel better, but he had to agree.  He had to be honest.  They didn't have any proof that the owner of the sweater was involved, even if he and a pal had been over in that part of the lake when Mrs. McDonald lost the coin purse and her expensive ring.  It didn't look good for his brother.  It didn't look good, at all.

The boys were on their way back to the trailer when Rita Yazzie drove past them on the way to their house and stopped.  Frank heard her and looked out the window.  She stopped on the step as though she was uncertain whether to come in.  Then she straightened and went inside.

"Well?" he exclaimed, skeptically.

"I talked to Evelyn ... We've been talking since I left here." She crossed the room and sat down, glancing at her watch.  "That was two hours ago.  I had no idea we talked so long."

He waited for her to continue.

"I didn't become a Christian, if that's what you want to know."

"What happened."

She looked up at him, tears filling her eyes.  "I wanted to, but Evelyn didn't think I should."

"What did she say?"

"She told me to go over to my folks' place tonight and think about what it means to become a Christian.  She told me I'd have to give up my job - I lied to you.  I told you I'd quit working at the bar.  I didn't quit, they fired me for drinking on the job."

"I wondered if you'd really quit on your own."

"I didn't," she admitted.  "And I'm sorry I lied to you."

His expression did not change.  "Go on."

"Evelyn told me what it would cost me to become a Christian - how I would have to give up my old friends and quit drinking and using drugs.  She told me I might have a hard time quitting and that I might even have to go into some place where doctors and people like that could help me stop doing those things.'

"I didn't have to go into a place like that," he said, more to himself than to Rita, "but then I got hurt and couldn't go out and carouse the way I used to." He paused.  "What else did she tell you?"

"She told me I shouldn't even ask you if I could stay here tonight.  That I should go to my folks' place.  She said I should think about what it meant to become a Christian and decide whether I wanted to pay the price.  And, if I did, to come back and see her tomorrow."

"What did she tell you about you and me?"

"That was the hard part.  She said you might not even want to take me back after the things I'd done.  Of course that can't really make any difference.  You'd already kicked me out."

"Have you decided what you're going to do - about becoming a Christian?"

"Not for sure.  Right now I think I want to, but it's like Evelyn said.  I've got to mean business with God." She paused, hot tears running down her cheeks.  "But I can't go on, living the way I have been, Frank."

She paused.

"I've even thought about killing myself Living the way I have been is no good!"

He put on a jacket.  "I'll drive you over to your folks," he said.

"Why can't I stay here?"

"I have the kids to think about, Rita.  All three are Christians, but it's hard enough for them to live the way a Christian should, on the reserve.  You're a bad influence on them."

"On my own kids?" she echoed.  "You know I never told them to drink."

"You haven't told them to drink and run around with other men.  You've showed them that you think those things are all right by doing them yourself.  I have to think of them."

Tears once more filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.  "And you think I don't?" she cried.  "That's a low blow, Frank."

"It's the truth!"

"I just might go to the bar and get my old job back."

"If that's what you want to do, Rita, NOW's the time to do it."

"You're not a bit of help."

"There's nothing I can do to make you receive Jesus Christ and live the way you should," he said.  "I've tried hard to make that decision for you. but you've got to make it for yourself.  You couldn't do it for me and I can't do it for you."

"I suppose you know you're making it awfully hard."

"That's just the way it is, Rita.  I can pray for you.  I can tell you how to become a Christian, but I can't do it for you."

She sat for several minutes staring at the floor.  At last she raised her head.  "If you don't want me to stay here tonight, I suppose I'd better be going."

It was a minute or more before he spoke, and when he did, his voice was so soft she had to strain to hear him.  "I don't want you out alone tonight.  I'll bring your truck to you in the morning."

"And no questions asked, no matter what I decide?" "No questions asked, no matter what you decide." "Fair enough."

They got into the truck and Frank drove his wife over to her parents' place on the reserve.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Louis asked uneasily.

Robert shook his head.  "All we can do is pray for her."