People watched Elias and Abigail enter the street.
Whispers spread quickly.
Marcus Vane stepped out of the courthouse.
He was in his fifties, dressed in a black coat and polished boots.
He smiled.
"Mr. Boone."
"Elias."
"I heard you were dead."
"You'll hear that again."
Vane's smile faded.
His eyes moved to Abigail.
"Mrs. Mercer."
"Mr. Vane."
"I am sorry about your husband."
"You didn't know him."
"That doesn't mean I can't offer sympathy."
"I don't want it."
Vane laughed softly.
"You have your father's temper."
"And you have his blood on your hands."
The street became silent.
Vane's face hardened.
"You should be careful."
Abigail stepped forward.
"I know exactly who you are."
"Do you?"
She held up the deed.
"My father knew."
Vane's eyes flicked toward the document.
For the first time, fear appeared.
It lasted less than a second.
But Elias saw it.
That was enough.
Vane turned toward the sheriff.
"Arrest them."
The sheriff reached for his gun.
Elias drew first.
"Try."
The sheriff froze.
Then a voice came from the crowd.
"Put the guns down."
Everyone turned.
A federal marshal stood at the end of the street.
Behind him were four armed deputies.
Vane stared.
"What is this?"
The marshal stepped forward.
"Your arrest."
Vane laughed.
"You have no jurisdiction."
The marshal held out a warrant.
"We do now."
Vane looked at Abigail.
Then Elias.
Then Caleb.
His expression changed.
He understood.
Someone had betrayed him.
The marshal approached.
"Marcus Vane, you're under arrest for conspiracy, fraud, attempted murder, and the murder of Samuel Mercer."
Vane suddenly pulled a hidden pistol.
He fired.
The marshal dropped behind a horse trough.
Chaos erupted.
Vane ran.
Elias chased him.
The two men disappeared into the alley behind the courthouse.
Vane fired twice.
Elias ducked.
"You should have stayed out of this!"
"You should have picked an easier victim!"
Vane turned and fired again.
Elias stumbled.
Abigail screamed from the street.
But Elias remained standing.
The bullet had only grazed his shoulder.
He raised his revolver.
"You're finished."
Vane smiled.
"No, Boone."
He pointed toward the mountains.
"You don't know what is waiting there."
Then he disappeared into the darkness.
The Night of the Burning Ranch
That night, Marcus Vane's men attacked.
They came from three directions.
Their target was not Elias.
It was Abigail.
She had become the legal owner of the Mercer land, and if she died before the court could recognize the claim, Vane believed the property could still be seized.
Elias had expected an attack.
What he hadn't expected was how many men Vane had left.
Nearly fifteen riders surrounded the cabin where Abigail, Caleb, and Elias had taken shelter.
Fire arrows struck the roof.
Flames spread rapidly.
"Get out!" Elias shouted.
Abigail grabbed the Bible and deed.
Caleb grabbed his rifle.
Elias kicked open the back door.
They escaped into the trees.
Behind them, the cabin burned.
Abigail looked back.
"Everything I had..."
Elias caught her arm.
"You're alive."
"But the cabin—"
"It's wood."
He pointed toward the forest.
"You're not."
They moved uphill.
Gunshots followed.
Elias stopped behind a fallen tree.
"Keep going."
Abigail shook her head.
"I'm not leaving you."
"You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly."
She looked at his bleeding shoulder.
"You've been protecting me since the pass."
Elias stared at her.
"I promised your husband."
Abigail froze.
"What?"
Elias looked away.
"Thomas and I knew each other."
She stared.
"When?"
"Years ago."
Elias finally told her.
Thomas Mercer had once traveled with him as a young ranch hand.
They had worked cattle together.
Thomas had been the closest thing Elias had to a brother.
Before Thomas married Abigail, he had written Elias a letter.
He told him about his new wife.
About the land.
About his dreams.
And he had asked Elias to watch over Abigail if anything ever happened to him.
"I thought he meant someday," Elias said.
Abigail's eyes filled with tears.
"He knew?"
"He knew the mountains were dangerous."
She looked at him.
"And you never told me."
"I didn't know if you'd want to hear it."
She stepped closer.
"Thank you."
A rifle cracked.
Elias pushed her down.
The bullet struck the tree.
They crawled deeper into the woods.