Free The Believer by Ann H. Gabhart Page B

the right direction"
    "That you are, but it's a good way yet on foot,' Brother Issachar said as he climbed down off the wagon. "My name is Issachar and this is Ethan:" He picked up his packet of food and handed it toward not the woman but the boy. "Here, take this, my children. I can share with Brother Ethan. The sisters always pack an overabundance for us:"
    The boy hesitated but only for a bare second before he took the food. "Thank you," he said.
    "Yes, thank you,' the woman echoed. She looked near tears at Brother Issachar's kindness, but then she mashed her mouth together and blinked them away.
    Brother Issachar smiled at them. "Brother Ethan and I must go get supplies in the town, but if you wish to rest here by the road, we will travel back this way in a few hours. You can ride on our wagon into the village with us then"
    Ethan spoke up again. "Brother Issachar, you should tell them that we do not have dogs in our village:"
    Brother Issachar petted the dog's head, setting the dog's tail to wagging so fiercely that his whole body was shaking. "He seems a fine animal. Aristotle, did you say?" Brother Issachar looked at the little girl. "Quite a name for a dog"
    "Our father named him such," the woman named Elizabeth said as her own hand fell down to stroke the dog's back affectionately. `And we do know the Shakers have no pets. Our father told us as much after he visited your village last year. We were hoping to find someone in need of a good dog on the way, but we've been staying in the trees and haven't met anyone to inquire about a home for him as yet:'
    "We have to stay in the trees so Mr. Linley won't find us;' the little girl said.
    Her sister tightened her hand on the child's shoulder to stop her words.
    "Mr. Linley? Is that who you fear might be coming up the road?" Brother Issachar said mildly as he looked at Elizabeth.
    She looked reluctant to answer. "I do not wish to see him;' she admitted.
    "Have you done him some wrong?" Brother Issachar asked.
    "He might think so:" Elizabeth's voice wasn't much more than a whisper and the boy shifted uneasily on his feet as if he wanted to run away.
    The child spoke up, ignoring her sister's tightening grip on her shoulder. "He has thoughts of wedding my sister without caring what she desires. We only fear him for that reason:"
    "Hannah;' the sister said sharply. "These men aren't interested in our troubles"
    "But, my sister;" Brother Issachar said. "If you become one of us, then your troubles are ours" Suddenly Brother Issachar laughed. "But if it is only matrimony you fear, then the Shaker village is the place for you. There's no problem with matrimony there. Isn't that right, Brother Ethan?"
    Ethan nodded his agreement, but at the same time he wished they hadn't come upon these three on the road. The young woman's eyes seemed to reach into him and demand a response that was unsettling. It was just as Brother Martin had warned him often enough. Each time a man stepped closer to the perfect life of a Believer, the devil pushed some worldly temptation in front of him. At next meeting, Ethan would have to labor a special dance to shake this odd feeling off of him.

    The men took Aristotle with them. The older man, the kind one named Issachar, said he knew a storekeeper who would appreciate a dog with such a fine name. They each told the dog goodbye in their own way. Payton ruffled the dog's ears and scratched his chest before he buried his face in Aristotle's fur to hide the tears in his eyes. Hannah let the dog jump up with his paws on her shoulders and danced a circle with him. Then she gazed deep into his dog eyes without saying a word. It was obvious there was no need of spoken words between the girl and the dog.
    Last, Elizabeth knelt in front of Aristotle. She had to remind herself yet again as tears gathered in behind her eyes that she could not sacrifice herself to a man she could not abide in order to keep a dog. "I am sorry to lose you. You have been a faithful