Her hand moved toward the small revolver tucked beneath her belt.
Elias noticed.
He also noticed the fear she tried not to show.
He stopped his horse several yards away and raised both hands.
"I'm not looking for trouble."
The woman studied him.
"You lost?"
"No."
"Then why are you here?"
Elias glanced toward the broken fence.
"That explains why your horses keep wandering."
The younger woman looked toward the opening.
One of the horses had indeed slipped through and was grazing near the creek.
She sighed.
"We know."
Elias dismounted.
He tied Ranger to a nearby post.
"You need help."
The older woman crossed her arms.
"We can manage."
Elias looked at the broken beam.
Then at the two women.
Then back at the beam.
"You've been trying to move that thing for twenty minutes."
The younger woman frowned.
"How do you know?"
"Because the mud is disturbed where you've been standing."
For the first time, Elias saw a flicker of amusement in her eyes.
The older woman didn't smile.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing."
"No one works for nothing."
Elias shrugged.
"I do."
That answer seemed to make her more suspicious.
He walked toward the fence.
The older woman stepped forward.
"Don't touch anything."
Elias stopped.
He nodded.
"All right."
There was a silence.
Then the younger woman whispered something to her sister.
The older woman looked at the fence again.
Finally, she said, "If you're willing to help, we could use another pair of hands."
Elias walked over.
He lifted the cedar beam as though it weighed half as much as it did.
The younger woman's eyes widened.
"You're stronger than you look."
"Most people are."
He positioned the beam against the damaged posts.
For the next hour, he worked almost without speaking.
He examined the ground.
Replaced two posts.
Straightened another.
Repaired the gate.
And when the sun began sinking toward the western ridge, the broken section had begun to look like a fence again.
The older woman finally introduced herself.
"I'm Aiona."
She pointed toward her sister.
"That's Nielli."
Elias nodded.
"Elias."
"Just Elias?"
"Usually enough."
Nielli smiled.
Aiona didn't.
She was still studying him.
"You passing through?"
"Probably."
"Where are you headed?"
"South."
"Where exactly?"
Elias looked toward the horizon.
"Wherever the road goes."
Aiona shook her head.
"That's not an answer."
"It is when you don't have a destination."
Nielli watched him carefully.
"You look tired."
Elias paused.
Then he smiled faintly.
"That obvious?"
"Very."
The wind grew colder.
Dark clouds gathered beyond the ridge.