"No."

Jonah looked at Abigail.

"I'm investigating a federal land fraud case."

He looked back at Gideon.

"And you're at the center of it."

Gideon laughed.

"You have no warrant."

Jonah reached into his coat.

"I do now."

He unfolded a document.

The crowd moved closer.

Gideon looked around.

For the first time, he seemed uncertain.

Then Caleb Rusk appeared at the far end of the street.

He had arrived with three men.

His face was bruised.

His coat was torn.

He looked exhausted.

Gideon saw him.

"Caleb."

Caleb dismounted.

"You left us."

Gideon's expression hardened.

"You failed."

"You promised protection."

"I promised payment."

"You promised we were partners."

Gideon looked away.

Caleb understood.

He had never been a partner.

He had been disposable.

Something inside him broke.

He reached for his revolver.

Every weapon in the street seemed to move at once.

Silas stepped forward.

"Caleb."

Caleb looked at him.

The street went silent.

"You remember me?"

Caleb's face tightened.

"I remember."

Silas nodded.

"Good."

Caleb's hand remained near his gun.

"I don't want to fight you."

"Then don't."

Caleb looked toward Gideon.

"He hired us."

Gideon shouted.

"He's lying."

Caleb laughed bitterly.

"He told us to take the girl."

The crowd murmured.

"He told us to kill anyone who got in the way."

Gideon turned pale.

Caleb continued.

"He said the sheriff would protect him."

The sheriff stepped backward.

Jonah looked at him.

"Interesting."

Caleb removed a folded paper from his coat.

"He paid us."

He threw it onto the ground.

A receipt.

Gideon's signature.

Everything changed.

The sheriff tried to run.

Jonah stopped him.

Two ranchers grabbed the sheriff.

Gideon reached for his revolver.

Silas moved.

He did not draw.

He simply stepped between Gideon and Abigail.

Gideon's hand stopped.

The two men stared at each other.

Gideon finally understood.

The old cowboy was not afraid.

Not even slightly.

"You're the Ghost," Gideon whispered.

Silas said nothing.

Gideon looked around.

The crowd had moved away from him.

Even his own men were uncertain.

Gideon slowly lowered his hand.

But Caleb wasn't finished.

"There are more papers."

Everyone looked at him.

Caleb swallowed.

"Strake has a safe at the ranch."

Gideon lunged.

Silas caught him.

The fight lasted only seconds.

Gideon was strong.

Silas was faster.

He twisted Gideon's arm behind his back and forced him to his knees.

Jonah placed handcuffs around his wrists.

The crowd watched in silence.

The great ranch owner was finally powerless.

But Jonah wasn't smiling.

"There is still one problem."

Abigail looked at him.

"What?"

"The papers you've got prove fraud."

"Isn't that enough?"

"Not if they're declared stolen or forged."

Silas understood.

Gideon could still fight.

He could claim the papers were fabricated.

They needed witnesses.

They needed the originals.

They needed the safe.

And to reach the Strake ranch, they would have to ride directly into the place where Gideon's remaining men were waiting.

They left Medicine Bow before sunset.

Jonah took four honest ranchers with him.

Silas rode beside Abigail.

Caleb was under guard.

Gideon traveled in chains.

The road to Strake's ranch crossed twenty miles of open country.

Nobody spoke much.

Finally, Abigail asked Silas:

"Why did you become the South Pass Ghost?"

Silas stared ahead.

"I didn't."

"You said the stories weren't accurate."

"They aren't."

"Then tell me the truth."

Silas sighed.

"Seventeen years ago, I worked as a deputy."

Jonah glanced toward him.

"You never told me she didn't know."

Silas continued.

"There was an outlaw gang operating near South Pass. They robbed travelers and ranches. One night, they attacked a family."

Abigail listened.

"I arrived too late to save the parents. But I found the children alive."

Silas's voice became quiet.

"I tracked the gang for three days."

"And?"

"I found them."

"How many?"

"Seven."

Abigail waited.

"What happened?"

"I killed six."

She looked at him.

"And the seventh?"

"I let him go."

"Why?"

"Because I was tired of killing."

Silence followed.

Silas looked at his hands.

"I thought walking away would end it."

"But it didn't."

"No."

Jonah spoke.

"Stories grew."

Silas nodded.

"People called me the Ghost."

"And you disappeared."

"I changed my name."

Abigail looked at him.

"Why did you agree to escort me?"

Silas smiled faintly.

"Because you reminded me of someone."

"Who?"

"My sister."

Abigail said nothing.

Silas had never mentioned a sister.

"My sister died young," he said. "She believed people were better than they were."

"Was she wrong?"

"Sometimes."

"And you?"

Silas looked at her.

"I believe people can become better than they were."

They reached the ranch after dark.

The Strake property was enormous.

A large ranch house stood beneath the stars.

Barns stretched behind it.

Several armed men waited near the entrance.

Jonah raised his hand.

Everyone stopped.

Silas studied the ranch.

"Six men."

Jonah counted.

"I see four."

"Two on the roof."

Jonah looked up.

Silas was right.

A rifle flashed.

Silas shouted.

"Down!"

The shot struck the ground.

The ranch erupted.

Gunfire cracked across the night.