“I fell in love with you too.”
Jonah touched her cheek.
They kissed.
It was not the kiss of two strangers pretending to be married.
It was the kiss of two people who had chosen each other.
Outside, the wind moved across the burned fields.
For once, Jonah did not fear it.
The Court of Willow Creek
The territorial hearing began three days later.
Rusk arrived with lawyers.
Jonah arrived with Mara.
The courtroom was packed.
Rusk's attorney argued that Blackstone was unstable.
Jonah was inexperienced.
The land was poorly maintained.
The water claim was questionable.
Then Mara stood.
She presented Bellamy's survey.
Then Elias's journal.
Then the original boundary maps.
The judge studied them.
Rusk's attorney objected.
“These documents cannot be authenticated.”
Sheriff Hart stepped forward.
“I can authenticate the original case file.”
He placed the missing pages on the table.
Everyone stared.
“Where did you get those?” Rusk demanded.
Hart looked at him.
“They were found in a locked drawer in the old sheriff's office.”
Mara understood immediately.
Someone had hidden them.
Rusk had not controlled every person in town.
One witness after another came forward.
Samuel Price testified.
Then the surveyor who had replaced Bellamy.
Finally, an elderly clerk admitted that Rusk had paid him to alter county records.
The courtroom erupted.
Rusk stood.
“This is a conspiracy.”
The judge struck the desk.
“Enough.”
The evidence was overwhelming.
The court suspended Rusk's water claim pending a full investigation.
Blackstone's original boundary was restored.
But Rusk was not finished.
As Jonah and Mara left the courthouse, Cal Vickers waited outside.
He pulled a gun.
Jonah saw him.
“Run!”
Vickers fired.
Sheriff Hart shot back.
Vickers fell.
Rusk watched from the courthouse steps.
For the first time, the powerful rancher looked uncertain.
Jonah turned toward him.
Rusk stared back.
Neither man spoke.
The battle for Blackstone was nearly over.
But Jonah knew men like Rusk did not surrender easily.
The Last Ride of Gideon Rusk
Rusk disappeared that night.
He took two horses and rode west.
By morning, Jonah received word that Rusk had kidnapped Samuel Price.
Jonah wanted to go after him.
Mara refused to stay behind.
“I am coming.”
“No.”
“You've learned nothing.”
“What?”
“You can't decide my life for me.”
Jonah stared at her.
Then he smiled.
“You're right.”
They rode west.
The trail led toward the canyon.
They found Samuel tied beside an abandoned mine.
Rusk was waiting.
“You've caused me a great deal of trouble, Mercer.”
Jonah dismounted.
“You caused your own trouble.”
Rusk laughed.
“You think the court changes anything?”
“It changed the land.”
“Land can be taken again.”
Mara stepped forward.
“You're finished.”
Rusk looked at her.
“You're your father's daughter.”
“Yes.”
“He should have stayed quiet.”
“He should have fought.”
Rusk raised his gun.
Jonah moved between them.
Rusk fired.
The bullet struck Jonah's shoulder.
Mara screamed.
Jonah fell.
Rusk ran toward his horse.
Mara picked up Jonah's revolver.
“Stop!”
Rusk turned.
She aimed.
She could have fired.
But she didn't.
Sheriff Hart and two deputies appeared behind him.
Rusk slowly dropped his gun.
As they arrested him, Mara ran to Jonah.
He was conscious.
“You didn't shoot.”
“No.”
“Why?”
She looked at Rusk.
“Because I don't want to become him.”
Jonah smiled.
“That may be the bravest thing I've ever seen.”
She knelt beside him.
“You're going to be all right.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I'm not finished arguing with you.”
He laughed despite the pain.
A New Blackstone
Spring came slowly.
The barn was rebuilt.
The fences were repaired.
The cattle returned to the northern pasture.
Willow Creek ran clear again.
Blackstone survived.
More importantly, it changed.
Jonah changed with it.
He no longer avoided town.
He attended meetings.
He spoke in court.
He hired two ranch hands.
He even learned bookkeeping.
Mara handled the accounts.
Together, they rebuilt the house.
One evening, Jonah found her sitting on the porch.
She held a letter.
“What is it?”
“A newspaper in Santa Fe.”
“What does it say?”
“They want to print our story.”
Jonah groaned.
“No.”
She laughed.
“You're famous.”
“I don't want to be famous.”
“You saved a ranch.”
“You did.”
“And you fought Rusk.”
“So did you.”
She folded the letter.
“They called us the couple who saved Willow Creek.”
Jonah sat beside her.
“That sounds embarrassing.”
“It does.”
They watched the sunset.
After a while, Mara leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Do you regret the advertisement?”
Jonah thought about it.
“No.”
“Even though it brought you trouble?”
“Yes.”
“Even though it wasn't love when I arrived?”
“No.”
She smiled.
“What would you have done differently?”
He looked at her.
“I would have written a different letter.”
“What would it say?”
Jonah took her hand.
“That I wasn't looking for a wife.”