Summary

Winona begins to tremble when she learns that Jas is dead. She feels sorrow briefly before she wonders why the Colonel traveled to tell her this news. She throws up. Colonel Purty asks to speak to Winona alone and asks her if she stabbed Jas. John and Thomas are intensely fearful that Winona will be blamed for Jas’ death. Winona sits down with them to try and come up with a plan.

In Chapter 21, a huge storm hits the farm, and Winona instructs her family not to take any action on her behalf despite the accusations. Winona decides to seek advice from Briscoe. When she explains that she had no longer wanted to marry Jas at the time of his death, and that John Cole seemed to think there was a confession within the letter he sent imploring her to marry him, Winona...