Not from fear.
From relief.
The Apache people approached slowly.
Nantan knelt beside the spring.
He dipped both hands into the water.
He drank.
Then he closed his eyes.
When he opened them, there were tears on his face.
Eli turned away to give him privacy.
One by one, the others drank.
The children laughed for the first time in days.
The sound echoed through the stone chamber.
Eli stood at the entrance.
For the first time in weeks, he felt something close to peace.
Then he heard a noise outside.
A horse.
Then another.
Eli's smile disappeared.
Harlan Voss had arrived.
Seven men appeared beyond the canyon entrance.
Harlan rode in front.
He was a broad man in a black coat, with a silver beard and a revolver hanging at his hip.
His men carried rifles.
Harlan looked at Eli.
"Mercer."
Eli did not answer.
Harlan smiled.
"So it was you."
Eli glanced at the rifles.
"You followed me."
"I followed the trail."
"Same thing."
Harlan dismounted.
"I've been looking for this place for months."
"You shouldn't have."
Harlan laughed.
"Everything has a use."
He looked past Eli.
His expression changed when he saw the spring.
"I'll be damned."
Eli stepped in front of him.
"No."
Harlan's smile disappeared.
"Move."
"No."
Behind Eli, the Apache warriors formed a defensive line.
Nantan stepped beside him.
Harlan looked from the cowboy to the old chief.
"You think you can stop me?"
Nantan answered quietly.
"We do not need to think."
Harlan's men raised their rifles.
The children were behind the adults.
Eli knew what would happen if anyone fired.
The chamber was too narrow.
One shot could become twenty.
Then everyone would lose.
He lowered his voice.
"Harlan."
"What?"
"Look at the people behind me."
"I see them."
"They're thirsty."
"So am I."
Eli stared at him.
"You have water."
Harlan's face hardened.
"Not enough."
"You have three wells."
"Two are nearly dry."
"You have money."
"Money doesn't make rain."
Eli nodded.
"No. It doesn't."
He looked toward the spring.
"But killing these people won't make more water either."
Harlan hesitated.
For a moment, Eli thought reason might work.
Then one of Harlan's men whispered something.
Harlan looked toward the spring again.
He had already made his decision.
"Take the water."
His men raised their rifles.
Eli moved.
He grabbed a lantern and threw it against the ground.
Darkness swallowed the canyon.
A shot cracked.
Someone screamed.
The horses outside panicked.
Eli dove behind a stone ledge.
The Apache warriors moved at the same time.
But they did not fire wildly.
They waited.
Listened.
Moved with the darkness.
Within seconds, Harlan's men were confused.
One stumbled.
Another dropped his rifle.
A horse kicked backward.
The canyon became chaos.
Eli crawled toward the entrance.
He reached the first rider.
The man raised his pistol.
Eli struck his wrist with the butt of his revolver.