As Anna is seeking out her flock, she comes upon some of the villagers. What state are they in? what are they doing to Mem Gowdie? How does Anna try to defend Mem Gowdie?

One day, Anna hears a mob some distance down the road. She approaches and sees Mem Gowdie on the ground. She has been tied up and is being beaten by a number of drunk villagers. They are accusing her of witchcraft, saying that she cursed the village, causing it to suffer from the plague. Anna interrupts the mob and begs the townspeople to reconsider their actions, but the mob is too agitated to listen to reason. Anna is pushed to the ground and knocked unconscious for a short time.