"Cole!"
"I'm fine."
"You are not fine!"
He lifted the beam enough for her to crawl beneath it.
She escaped.
Cole followed seconds later.
The barn collapsed behind them.
Clara grabbed his shirt.
"You could have died."
Cole looked at her.
"So could you."
"I wasn't the one under the beam."
He smiled.
"That's true."
She stared at him.
"You smile?"
"Sometimes."
"Not often."
"No."
She touched the blood on his shoulder.
"You need a doctor."
"I've had worse."
"I don't care."
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Cole looked at her.
Neither spoke.
The flames reflected in Clara's eyes.
For the first time, Cole wondered what it would be like to stop somewhere.
To belong.
He immediately pushed the thought away.
A Woman's Choice
The next morning, Clara insisted on cleaning Cole's wound.
"You have a terrible attitude about injuries."
Cole sat at the kitchen table.
"I have a terrible attitude about most things."
"I noticed."
She wrapped his shoulder.
"You should leave."
Cole looked at her.
"You don't mean that."
"No."
"Then why say it?"
"Because everyone who gets close to me gets hurt."
Cole was silent.
Clara looked down.
"My husband died because he stood between Vane and this land."
Cole reached for her hand.
She froze.
"I am not your husband."
"I know."
"I'm not asking you to replace him."
"I know."
"Then what are you saying?"
Cole looked into her eyes.
"That you don't have to stand alone."
She swallowed.
"Neither do you."
For a moment, the room became very quiet.
Then Rose burst through the door.
"They're coming."
Cole stood.
"How many?"
"Twenty."
Evelyn appeared behind her.
"Vane brought the sheriff."
Cole picked up his revolver.
Clara reached for hers.
Rose checked her rifle.
Evelyn loaded another cartridge.
Cole looked at all three women.
"You don't have to fight."
Clara smiled.
"We've been fighting longer than you've known us."
Cole nodded.
"Then let's finish it."
The Siege
Twenty riders surrounded Bennett Ranch.
Silas Vane rode at the front.
Sheriff Reed stood beside him.
Vane called out.
"Mrs. Bennett! Come outside!"
Clara stepped onto the porch.
"No."
Vane laughed.
"You have no chance."
Cole stood beside her.
"Then why bring twenty men?"
Vane's smile faded.
The shooting began.
Bullets struck the barn.
The women fired from windows.
Cole moved between positions.
Rose shot two riders from the loft.
Evelyn protected the well.
Clara stood beside Cole.
"You ever regret coming here?"
Cole reloaded.
"Not yet."
A bullet struck the porch.
Clara flinched.
Cole grabbed her arm.
"You hurt?"
"No."
He looked at her.
"Good."
Then the sheriff shouted.
"Burn the house!"
Cole's eyes went cold.
"Now I'm angry."
The Tunnel
The fire forced them underground.
Evelyn led them through an old storage cellar.
At the back was a stone wall.
"There."
She pointed to a hidden door.
Cole pushed it open.
A narrow tunnel descended into darkness.
Rose stared.
"You knew about this?"
"My husband found it."
They followed the passage.
Water dripped from the ceiling.
After nearly half an hour, the tunnel opened into a cavern.
And there it was.
A vast underground reservoir.
Clear water filled a natural stone basin.
Cole stared.
"This is what Vane wants."
Evelyn nodded.
"Not just the ranches."
"The water."
Rose looked at the ceiling.
"How much?"
"Enough to change the whole county."
Clara saw something on the far wall.
A carving.
Three names.
BENNETT. HART. MERCER.
Beneath them was another.
VANE.
Cole touched the carving.
"This was known generations ago."
Evelyn nodded.
"And someone buried the evidence."
Cole turned.
"Then we bring it back."
The Betrayal
Sheriff Reed found them underground.
Cole raised his revolver.
Reed dropped his weapon.
"I'm not here to fight."
Cole frowned.