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well both Abe and Lydiann were doing in their studies. "I can only hope they don't get the notion to seek after higher education like Mary Ruth did."
    71C-ke ,/ r o dig a L
    I Al'iiim wouldn't admit to worrying like an old hen some ly* nl 11 ml losing more of his family to the fancy English Mifhl. No way, nohow, did it look like Mary Ruth would ever Vi ii|> I it-1- new life, with its electricity, fast cars, and Bible wdit I;act was, she was getting herself in deeper all the nt, ^^ 11:11 with spending nearly all her free time with the Hjjet'oi':. elder son, Robert. Well, he had no intention of letfcg In:, mind wander in that direction, so he straightened MdiM'll 'ind asked Gid what he thought about asking Gid's fnlht'i in-law Sam Ebersol to join them for ice fishing on tuiday.
    Wp C iid nodded his assent.
    I "I'll ride over there and talk to Sam this afternoon, then," bruin said. "We'll have us some tasty fish to fry up for supper A|h weekend." The thought of the catch and the time of felinwship sent his spirits soaring.
    I ;ol lowing the noon meal, Sadie dried and put away the
    li.hes anckutensils, then headed to the front room, where she
    ii to finish stitching a floral design on a set of pillowcases
    i hat had arrived a month ago in the trunk containing her
    u-dding gifts and small household linens from Indiana. When
    11 ic sudden sound of knocking came at the front door, she was
    uiprised to see the mailman standing on the porch.
    "Good afternoon," the man wearing the familiar postal Ii,n said. "Sorry to bother you on this cold day, but I thought M hest to be extra careful with this letter delivery." He held iii11 to her a stained envelope with the words Return to sender .Limped across the front. "Looks like this here got lost
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    -Ly e
    somehow or other," he said, pointing out the October 1947 postmark, "nine years ago now."
    Sadie nodded her astonished thanks and stood at the door holding the letter marred and frayed by the years. Upon careful examination of its terribly faded writing, she was stunned to realize it was an unopened letter from Leah to Jonas Mast. Somehow it had found its way to the Ebersol Cottage.
    Could this be the letter I threw away?
    Turning it over, she saw the envelope was soiled, as if it had, indeed, been in a pile of rubbish at one time. Yet how on earth had it resurfaced after nearly a decade?
    Impossible, she thought, noticing the letter was still sealed shut.
    Having attempted to bury the shameful deed deep within her forgetfulness, she felt convicted as she stared at the envelope, evidence of her wrongdoing.
    What should I do now?
    She and Leah had forged a new relationship these months since Sadie's return, and she was far too hesitant to open up an old and hurtful wound. Besides, there'd been many letters flying back and forth between Leah and Jonas when this letter was written.
    She'd thrown it away once in the heat of anger; why not discard it again? Better yet. . . burn it. Coming clean about this dreadful thing would serve no purpose now. Best to leave things be, let the truth remain concealed and her sin covered up once and for all.
    Or, better still, she could simply slip the letter into the mailbox for Leah to discover on her own. No confession required. Even though Leah might wonder why Jonas had never opened the letter, or why it was being returned all these
    73T/ie "Prodigal
    til'*! lult'i, Siulic's part in its disappearance would remain
    fadlm nvciid. Besides, wasn't she already paying for past sins?
    pU1 implied Proving was proof, and she could never ever go
    MM l mill nj.;lil nil the wrongs.
    I Num,'inj; ihoughts tormented her as she paced the floor.
    Rlhr nil, I his letter was by no means her property. Leah
    li ived tn have it returned to her with a full apology.
    I What will good-hearted Leah think of me? Will she despise me?
    In crlnjvd at the prospect of the confession Leah surely
    '- i veil.
    I Vci iIk- lact Leah seemed so jovial, what with today being
    I|m ' ,