Chapter 11 - Smoke Beyond the South Range
Horace Bell had escaped custody.
The former banker knew conviction would destroy him.
He also knew the ledgers proving his crimes had passed through several ranches as witnesses prepared for trial.
So he began burning evidence.
And anyone he believed possessed copies.
Brooks Ranch had one.
Margaret kept it inside an iron box beneath the kitchen floor.
The fires were not random.
Bell was coming toward them.
Nathan ordered every hand to prepare.
But Margaret's first thought wasn't the ledger.
It was people.
Families from smaller ranches were already fleeing toward Brooks.
“Open the west pasture.”
Cyrus understood immediately.
Refuge.
Wagons arrived through the afternoon.
Women.
Children.
Old men.
Injured ranch hands.
Brooks Ranch became what Margaret never imagined when she first stepped off the wagon.
Not merely profitable.
Necessary.
Nathan organized firebreaks.
Cyrus positioned water wagons.
Margaret coordinated food and shelter.
By sunset, nearly forty people were inside the property.
Smoke darkened the sky.
Then gunshots came from the south.
Nathan rode toward them.
Margaret caught his reins.
“Come back.”
He looked at her.
“I intend to.”
“That's not a promise.”
“No.”
She hated that he wouldn't lie.
So she pulled him down and kissed him.
“Come back anyway.”
Nathan rode.
The fire reached the outer grass near midnight.
Men fought it with wet sacks and shovels.
Margaret worked until her arms shook.
Children carried buckets.
Women soaked blankets.
Even Cardy arrived, still limping from his injury.
Cyrus stared at him.
“What are you doing here?”
Cardy picked up a shovel.
“Trying something new.”
“What?”
“Being useful.”
Cyrus almost smiled.
Together they fought.
Near dawn, the wind changed.
The fire turned back toward already burned ground.
The ranch survived.
Nathan returned with two deputies.
They had captured one of Bell's men.
Bell himself escaped.
Again.
The prisoner said Bell wanted the ledger.
Margaret looked toward the house.
Nathan saw her expression.
“Where is it?”
“Safe.”
“We should give it to the sheriff.”
“I made copies.”
Nathan blinked.
“How many?”
“Four.”
“Where?”
“One with the sheriff. One mailed to the territorial prosecutor. One with a lawyer in Cheyenne.”
“And the fourth?”
Margaret smiled faintly.
“Why would I tell you?”
Nathan laughed despite exhaustion.
Bell was burning ranches for evidence that no longer mattered.
The trial could proceed without the original.
But Bell didn't know that.
The sheriff suggested using the ranch as bait.
Nathan refused.
Margaret disagreed.
“If Bell believes the ledger is here, he'll come.”
“Exactly why we're leaving.”
“And then he'll keep running.”
Nathan stared.
“You want to catch him?”
“I want this finished.”
They devised a trap.
Most families were moved safely to town.
Deputies hid in the barn and bunkhouse.
The visible ranch hands left as though evacuating.
Nathan and Margaret remained in the house.
Cyrus refused to leave.
“You need somebody sensible.”
Margaret raised an eyebrow.
“Then why are you staying?”
Cyrus grinned.
Night fell.
Hours passed.
Nothing.
Then a horse.
One.
Margaret heard boots on the porch.
Nathan stood beside the kitchen door.
Cyrus waited in darkness.
The knob turned.
Horace Bell entered holding a revolver.
His clothes were filthy.
His eyes were wild.
“Ledger.”
Margaret sat at the table.
“Good evening, Horace.”
“Where is it?”
“You burned five ranches.”
“Where?”
“People could have died.”
“I don't care.”
Margaret believed him.
Bell aimed the gun.
Nathan moved slightly.
Bell swung toward him.
“Don't.”
Margaret opened the iron box on the table.
Inside lay a ledger.
Bell smiled.
“Push it over.”
Margaret did.
He grabbed it.
Opened it.
Blank pages.
Bell's face changed.
Margaret said quietly, “You should read before making decisions.”
Bell raised the revolver.
Deputies burst through both doors.
Bell fired.
Nathan knocked Margaret down.
Shots exploded.
Then silence.
Bell lay wounded.
Alive.
Nathan was on top of Margaret.
She touched his face.
“Nathan?”
“I'm fine.”
“You're bleeding.”
“Not mine.”
The deputies secured Bell.
Cyrus entered.
“Everybody alive?”
Nathan nodded.
Margaret sat up.
Bell glared at her as deputies dragged him away.
“You ruined everything.”
Margaret looked at him.
“No.”
“You think you're better than me?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
She stood.
“I read the contract.”
Bell was taken away.
The fires ended.
Weeks later, Margaret believed the worst was behind them.
Then a letter arrived from Kansas.
She recognized the handwriting on the envelope.
Her hands began trembling.
Nathan noticed.
“Who is it?”
Margaret couldn't answer.
The letter came from the bank that had taken Thomas Hayes's farm.
May you like
And written across the front were four words:
REGARDING YOUR LATE HUSBAND.
