"Why?"

"Because Brogan said God was sure to choose the one who was the worst sinner 272among us. We never reckoned on God choosing whom he did. I 'll never forget the look on his face." She lowered her head. "Oh, there was a heap of crying for days afterward, and none of it was for Laochailand Kai, though he died the very night the sin eater was named. And the boy came and did like he was supposed to do. And it's been that way ever since."

She was silent a moment, grieving, I guessed, though I didn't know the depth of it. "That was twenty years ago, twenty long years."

More than twice the years I 'd been alive that poor man had been alone on Dead Man's Mountain. "At least Bletsung Macleod's been his friend.""And there's the worst of it," she murmered softly.

She would not tell me more, and we sat upon her porch watching the sun go down and the stars come out. We listened to the crickets and the old hoot owl.

The night wind rustled the trees, raising gooseflesh on me. Time passes terrible slow sometimes, especially if you've someplace you want to go.

Where was Fagan? What was taking him so long?

I longed to go down into the valley and cross the river again to the man of God, for 273his words delighted me more than the savory dish Miz Elda had made for me. Everything within me blessed the Lord, who had redeemed my life. As far as the heavens were above the earth, so great was the mercy God had shown me. For as far as the east is from the west, so far had he removed my burdens. I was dust and the Lord God Almighty himself had made me his own child.

"I canna wait longer," I said. "Fagan knows the way."

As I hurried down the mountainside, I felt a strange foreboding. I t was as though there were evil forcesgathering in the darkness, watching me as I hastened to hear the word of the Lord. I paused at the edge of the forest, catching my breath. I was sure no one was following me, and I ran on, careless now in my haste.

Shoving vines back, I pushed my way through the leafy curtain near the river.

Someone grabbed hold of me, clamping a hand over my mouth to cut off my scream. When I tried to bite the hand, Fagan hissed in my ear. "I t's me! Now, hush, will ye? Y e've made enough noise coming down here to rouse the dead. Y e gonna be quiet?" When I nodded, he released me.

"Where've ye been?" I said, furious with him for scaring me so. "I waited for you!"

274"I 'm here, ain't I? I f I could've come to Miz Elda's, I would've. Y e ought to know me well enow by now."

"What happened?"

"I ain't wasting the time to tell ye. Come on. But be quiet about it!"

The man of God was waiting. He laid hands upon both of us in warm greeting. As we sat on the groundtogether, he spoke to us the words Jesus had said to his disciples. He told us the Lord had gone up on a mountainside near a great lake and talked to a multitude. "Blessed ' are the poor in spirit.... " I t was there also that he fed five thousand people with a few loaves of bread and fishes.

We heard the story of a son who took his inheritance and left his father to live an unrighteous life. When he realized his sins and turned from them, his father was waiting to embrace him and celebrate. And I knew in my heart that the man was telling us what God was like.

He told us, too, of a farmer who sowed wheat and of the enemy who sowed tares among the wheat. He spoke of a mustard seed and how even a little faith is enough, for God will make it grow. Best of all, he told us Jesus would return. Y et mingled with the joy of that thought was fear, for the sun would be darkened and the moon 275would not give light and the stars would fall from the heavens. Everyone would see Jesus coming in the clouds with great power and glory. Everyone. Even those who had never believed he existed at all.

"When will Jesus come back?" Fagan said. "Will itbe soon?"

"Verily, I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but the word of the Lord shall not pass away: Y et, the hour and the day knoweth no man, no, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son. Only the Father. T ake ye heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is. Be ready."

"Would that it were now," Fagan said grimly, gazing up toward his mountainside. The man of God bowed his head, looking weary. His hands rested, palms up on his knees as he sat Indian fashion. "I t is done, Lord.

May thy word be a lamp unto these small feet and a light unto these great mountains."

Fagan and I looked at one another and then back at him. "Done? Y ou've only just started teaching us. Y ou aren't leaving now, are you?" I was distressed at the thought of his going. There was still so much I wanted to know. "Where will we go to hear the word?"

276Truth be told, I could've sat there forever listening, but God had other work inmind. "God set you apart, even from your mothers' wombs, and called you boththrough his grace to be his own. He has given you the Holy Spirit. God himself is your teacher, not I . My time with you is at an end."

T ears came quick as fear, and "the aloneness gripped me. "But I can't hear God the way I hear you!"

"Listen."

"But how?"

"Be still. Know the Lord. He is God and there is no other."

"What of me?" Fagan said solemnly. "Nobody cares what Cadi does, but my pa would have my hide if he knew -"

"Do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful.

Delight in the Lord your God. Be like a tree planted by the river that brings forth fruit in season. Those who despise the Word of the Lord will not stand in the day of judgment, for the breath of the Lord will blow them away like chaff."

Fagan was shaken. "My father . . . my brothers . . .""Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart, Fagan Kai. For all the laws and the prophets were summoned 277up in Christ when he said, `Love the Lord your God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy might.

And love one another as you love yourself.' "

I clambered to my knees, beseeching him. "Y ou can't go. We need you!"

"I am not the Lord, child. Do not lean upon me. Lean upon the one who called you out, for they who wait upon the Lord shall gain new strength. They shall mount up on wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not grow faint."

I was no eagle. I was a grounded sparrow, shuddering in fear. I looked at Fagan for help, but none was forthcoming. He had his own troubles.

He edged closer, looking disturbed. "Sir, we came.

We listened. We accepted everything you've told us as the truth. What's going to happen to us now?"

"Satan will come against you."Agitated, we both began speaking at once. "Satan!

How do we fight against him?" "Why dinna ye tell us before?"

The man held his hands up to quiet us. "They that trust in the Lord shall be like these mountains which cannot be removed," he said calmly. "As they are round about us, so the Lord surrounds you. He 278will go out before you and stand as your rear guard."

"I can't fight my father!" Fagan said. "I 'm but a child!" I looked fearfully out into the darkness.

"The Lord is God."

I wished at that moment I had not come back after the first night, when relief and happiness had spilled over me. All the goodness and mercy were forgotten.

The exhilaration I had felt evaporated. The Lord had drawn me out of a black pit, and now it seemed the devil himself was coming up after me. I was sore afraid. And angry.

Jumping to my feet, I stood with my fists clenched.

"Why did ye come here at all? Why did ye make methink everything was turned to rights?"

"Be warned, Cadi Forbes," he said in a tone that made me feel God himself was speaking to me.

"Satan wants to sift you. Do not think that because you have given your life to Jesus and been saved that the battle is over. The Lord himself went out into the wilderness, remember? And so it has begun. Satan will prey upon your doubts and fears and try to drive you away from the Lord your God, for it is your heart he wants and your mind he will attack. Remember that he is the father of lies and a murderer."

280Shivering, I looked out into the darkness. "I will hide."

"He will seek you out wherever you are." "I wish I 'd never come here! I t's gonna be worse than it was before. I wish I 'd never listened to ye!"

"Be quiet, Cadi!" Fagan said, disgusted. "Y ou're such a coward."

"Y ou don't have to be scared," I said, turning on him.

"Y ou've got the Kai to fight your battles."

The man of God looked between us with sorrowfuleyes. He stood slowly, looking out across the river.

"They come."

Turning, I saw three flickering spots of fire on the riverbank opposite us. Men were crossing over.

"I t's my father!" Fagan said. "Y e've got to run, sir!

Y e've got to hide!"

Unmoved by Fagan's plea, the man stood with grave dignity, waiting.

"Don't ye hear me?" Fagan said, grasping his arm and pulling at him. "Y ou've got to go. I 'm telling you.He'll kill you!"

"Do not fear the one who can kill my body, but the one who can destroy the soul.""Fa ... gan!!"came a deep voice filled with wrath. "I warned ye, dinna I?"

T error filled me and I fled into the darkness, hiding among some shrubs where 279.

Brogan Kai and his sons could not see me. Fagan stood his ground, putting himself in front of the man ofGod.

"He's done nothing wrong, Pa! Leave him be!"

"Y e dare stand against me?" Brogan Kai strode up the bank and grabbed his son by the throat. "Who ye gonna believe? A stranger from across the mountains or your own pa?" He squeezed tighter so that Fagan clawed at his hands for release. "Y e gonna listen to someone who rants and raves like a madman about summat he says happened eighteen hundred years ago and not listen to me?" Brogan's face was wild with rage as he shook Fagan.

"Let the boy go," the man of God said quietly.

"Ahhhhh . . ."Brogan cast his son aside. "Sniveling little rat!Betrayer!"He spat on Fagan who lay choking and crying on the ground.

"The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as he, Brogan Kai."

Brogan's head turned, his eyes narrowing coldly.

"The kingdom of heaven, ye say?" He gave a mocking laugh. "Well, mon, I 'm gonna send ye to Hades thisverra night!" The first blow knocked the man back, but not off his feet. "I warned ye to leave my 281mountains or I 'd kill ye! I should've done ye in the first day. Instead, I showed yekindness. Ishowed yehospitality.And ye've turned my own kin against me."

"God made you upright, Brogan Kai," the man said straightening, blood trickling from his mouth, "but you sought out many devices!"

"These are my people!"

"The ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he watches all his paths.Repent and be saved. . .

Brogan Kai came at him in black fury. "Nooo ... !"

Fagan cried out, stumbling to his feet and trying to stop his father. "Pa, don't!" Cleet held him back.

Cowering behind the bushes in the darkness, I covered my face, hearing the poor man's grunts and groans of pain as our clan leader hammered him with his fists. When the man fell to the ground, Brogan used his boots. The sounds coming from Brogan Kai were like some wild animal.Finally, no sounds came but the rasping of breath from the Kai. "I warned ye what I 'd do, dinna I? Y e had it coming." He gave the unconscious man one last, vicious kick and turned away to look at Fagan. "So much for the power of his God." His face shone black with triumph.

282"I hate what ye are!" T ears streamed down Fagan's face. "And I hate that I 'm your son!"

Emotion flickered across the Kai's face. Pain?

Desolation? What had I seen? He strode to Fagan, whose arms were clamped tightly by his two brothers.

"Y e dare say that to me? Y er own flesh and blood?"

Cleet and Douglas let go of Fagan and drew back out of the way as their father unleashed his fury on his youngest son.

Sure the Kai was going to kill him, I scrambled over the ground frantically, finding a smooth stone. I hurled it as hard as I could, and it struck Brogan Kai on the back of the head. Shocked at what I 'd dared to do, I ducked back into my hiding place as the Kai released Fagan and stumbled. Shivering in terror, I watched as he touched the back of his head. His hand came awaybloody.

"Who's out there?"

I held my breath, cowering, praying God would hide me.

"Y e want us to go look, Pa?" Cleet said. The Kai touched the back of his head again, wincing. As he peered out into the darkness, a look I 'd never seen before came over his face. "Stay where ye are. He's a dead aim with that slingshot of his." His 283back was to the others so they didn't see what I did:Fear .I t was there just for an instant, but real and plain enough for me to see. And then his face hardened again and he swore. "This has got nothing to do with you! Y e hear me?"

"Who is it, Pa?"

"Never mind," he said, his expression shuttered.

"Let's go."

"What about that prophet? He ain't dead yet, Pa."

"He will be by morning," Douglas said, straightening."He's bleeding from his mouth, Pa. I think ye done caved in his ribs."

"Y e want I should carry Fagan, Pa?" Cleet said, eager to do his father's bidding, whatever it was.

"Leave him where he lay. He'll come home with his tail between his legs soon enough."

"He's bad hurt."

"I saidleave him."

"What're ye gonna do about Cadi Forbes?" Cleet said and my heart stopped. She was here."

"Forget her for now. She's probably still running. I 'll talk to herpaagain soon as it's daylight. I f he don't do summat about her right quick, I will."

284.