Robert and Louis stood on a small hill overlooking the lake.  The wind was still wild, blowing in from the west.  Great, deep-throated rollers broke on the beach and surged up to the grass and trees.

"There won't be much sport fishing today," Louis said.  "And the RCMP are coming tomorrow to take me out to where Mrs. McDonald lost her coin purse with the diamond ring in it." He bit his lower lip.  "If we don't do something, Robert, I'm done for!  You can take me out in the bush and bury me."

"We're not giving up yet."

"You can talk that way.  You don't have your neck in the noose the way I have."

Robert remained silent for two or three minutes.

"What did you say?" he asked at last.

"I just said they're going to hang me."

"That's it!" Robert exclaimed.

"You bet it is!  It's the end of me!"

"That's not what I meant." He lowered his voice, although there was no one else within a quarter of a mile.  "Here's what we'll do!  We'll go over to the lodge for a pop and you'll start talking about how excited you are.  Thursday, we're taking the RCMP out to where Mrs. McDonald lost her ring and they're going over the place, inch by inch - looking everywhere."

"And what happens when they find out the RCMP wind up the little excursion by taking me to jail?"

"That's not going to happen."

"We hope."

"You don't have to worry."

"If this scheme works, you won't have to worry, either."

There was a brief silence.

"All you have to do when we get in the store at the lodge is to start me talking by saying how excited you are about the trip Thursday morning.  I'll take care of the rest."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Nevertheless, they went down to the lodge and took stools at the counter in the store.

Louis blinked, swallowed hard and blurted, "Man, I'm excited about that trip on the lake with the RCMP Thursday."

"So am I. They'll find Mrs. McDonald's diamond ring for sure."

The man behind the counter set their pop cans on the counter in front of them.  "You think they'll really find it?"

"If it's there, they'll find it.  They're going out there early in the morning and will probably stay all day.  Did I tell you that Louis and I are going to be helping them."

His younger brother swallowed hard and almost choked on his pop.  By that time everyone in the store was listening.

"Louis has spent a lot of time with the RCMP and he's going to be a big help Thursday."

His younger brother choked on his pop and went into a fit of coughing.  But Robert hadn't finished.

"The only way those crooks are going to get away is to get out there tomorrow morning and get it, or they'll be in jail."

When they left the lodge Louis turned on his brother.

"You've really fixed things, you have!  Now everybody on the lake is going to be so excited about this they'll be asking around.  And when I go to jail, they'll all know it!"

"I'm trying to find out who stole that ring, Louis."

"You mean you think it's still there?  Why would any one steal something so valuable and leave it in the place where they stole it?"

"I figure they'd be afraid to take it away.  They might think somebody would find out they had it and they'd be in real trouble.  The place where they stole it is the safest place for them to leave it.  Nobody's going to look for it there."

"Nobody but you and me.  Right?"

"And the RCMP.  Don't forget.  You're supposed to go out there with them."

"You don't have to remind me.  It's the only thing I can think of"

When Frank Yazzie came home at noon Rita called him aside.  "I had a long talk with Evelyn and her husband last night," she said, "and another talk this morning."

"I see." He waited breathlessly for her to continue.

"I think I know what I want to do - what I have to do but it's like they said.  I have to do it.  But I want to be sure.  I'm going over to the reserve with Tawana and stay with my folks while I sort things through."

"That's a good idea. . ." he checked himself "If you leave," he said quietly, "you'll bring her back here, won't you?"

"I'll see that she comes here to be with you and the boys."

He watched them leave.

"What's going to happen, Dad?" Louis asked.

Frank shook his head.  "We'll just have to pray a little harder."