They got out of the cellar fine after Reverend Paulson and John came home, but Annie was going to have it out with Matilda Ward.

Annie walked up the steps to the store and met Mr. Ward at the counter.

“Hello, Mr. Ward,” she smiled. “Is Matilda home?”

“Yes, she is,” Mr. Ward nodded. “Just resting her feet.”

“May I speak with her?” Annie requested.

“Of course,” Mr. Ward nodded. Then he dropped his voice, “I tried to get her to print a retraction but she won’t. You can use the storage room.”

Annie nodded and Mr. Ward went to get Matilda. Annie slipped into the storage room and pulled out her Bible.

Father in heaven, she prayed, I need help. Please give me the words to say. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Just then, the door opened and Annie opened her eyes.

“You wanted to speak with me?” Matilda flashed a toothy smile as Mr. Ward closed the door.

Annie sighed and walked forward. “It’s about my girls and that newspaper article.”

Matilda tried to use excuses. Every excuse in the book she used, and some she just flat-out made up! But Annie knew her stuff and refuted everything with the power of a lion and the force of a tsunami.

“I can call the circuit judge to settle this,” Matilda finally growled.

“Go ahead, do it! For ‘I have prepared my case, and I know that I am right.’ Can you even begin to claim that, Matilda?” Annie questioned, then strode out of the room. “When will the circuit judge be here?”

“I’ll check and you’ll know when he’s here,” Matilda snarled.

Annie walked away and went back to the room. Annie’s war was won, for Matilda knew her case wasn’t a good one.

Wednesday came and with it came the circuit judge. Bright Sun’s hands were sweaty but Bright Star was quite calm. She knew that, from her former “training,” if she went to the reservation, one, she could trust in God, and two, she could more then likely escape. Bright Sun didn’t know how to do the second thing.

That morning, they went to the schoolhouse. School had been stalled and children outside gawked at Bright Star and Bright Sun as they trotted up the steps. Except for a few boys inside and Erica, all the kids were there.

The judge’s name was Judge Ebbs, and he was old and grizzly. He went through the usual interrogations, with Bright Star not even batting an eye. She knew she was perfectly safe in God. Only he could’ve helped her survive so far! How many times had people tried to kill her? Mrs. Ward wasn’t the first, and certainly was not the last!

“Miss Bright Star Paulson, if you’d please stand,” Judge Ebbs finally commanded and Bright Star stood. “Let’s hear it, how do you plead?”

“Innocent.”

“I think so too,” Judge Ebbs smiled.

They walked away and school started again, Bright Star and Bright Sun still free.