The other stood near the horses.
The standing guard kept rubbing his eyes.
The other kept drinking.
Silas watched.
He waited.
Patience had saved his life more often than speed ever had.
Finally, the guard near the fire looked away.
Silas moved.
One step.
Then another.
The guard heard something.
He turned.
Silas was already there.
One hand covered the man's mouth.
The other struck beneath his jaw.
The guard collapsed.
Silas caught him before he hit the ground.
No gunshot.
No shout.
No alarm.
He dragged the man behind the fence.
Then he crossed toward the cabin.
He unlocked the door.
Abigail looked up.
Her eyes widened.
"You came back."
Silas nodded.
"I was always here."
She almost smiled.
"Can you get us out?"
"Yes."
"Then why are you whispering?"
"Because I don't want them to hear us."
She shook her head.
"You really are strange."
Silas looked at her coat.
"Where is it?"
Abigail's expression changed.
"You know?"
"I know enough."
She pulled the coat toward herself.
"The papers are inside."
Silas nodded.
"What kind?"
"Land records."
She lowered her voice.
"My father discovered that Strake had been taking land from smaller ranchers."
Silas stared at her.
"How?"
"Forged deeds. False debts. Bribed officials."
"And you have proof?"
"Copies."
"Originals?"
"In my coat."
Silas understood immediately.
Gideon Strake wasn't afraid of Abigail.
He was afraid of those papers.
Silas reached for the coat.
"We're leaving."
Abigail stopped him.
"We can't leave without the documents."
"We won't."
Silas opened the door.
They stepped outside.
They had almost reached the horses when a voice came from behind them.
"Hey."
They froze.
A young bandit stood near the fire.
He blinked.
Then looked at Silas.
Then Abigail.
His mouth opened.
"Boss!"
The camp exploded.
"RUN!" Silas shouted.
And the night erupted with gunfire.
Men stumbled out of bedrolls.
Rifles were grabbed.
Lanterns fell.
Horses screamed and kicked against their reins.
Caleb Rusk came charging from the cabin.
"STOP THEM!"
Silas shoved Abigail toward the horses.
"Get on!"
A bullet struck the dirt beside her.
She climbed into the saddle.
Silas turned.
The old Winchester lay exactly where the bandit had thrown it earlier.
He grabbed it.
A man raised his rifle.
Silas fired.
The man's rifle flew from his hands.
He stared in disbelief.
Silas fired again.
The lantern beside the cabin shattered.
Darkness swallowed the camp.
Men shouted.
Nobody knew where Silas was.
That was the point.
The bandits fired blindly.
Silas moved through the darkness.
He didn't shoot to kill.
Not yet.
He shot weapons.
Lanterns.
Ropes.
Anything that created confusion.
Abigail kicked her horse forward.
Silas followed.
They tore across the prairie.
Behind them, Caleb screamed orders.
"After them!"
Three riders followed.
Then four.
Silas glanced over his shoulder.
The horses behind them were faster.
"We need to reach the creek," he said.
"Why?"
"Because they won't expect us to turn."
Abigail understood.
She trusted him now.
That surprised her.
Less than a day ago, she had thought he was a coward.
Now she realized something.
He had never been afraid.
He had been waiting.
They reached the creek.
Silas pulled hard on the reins.
Their horses plunged into shallow water.
Then he turned north.
The pursuing riders continued west.
For several minutes, the bandits didn't realize they had lost them.
When they finally turned, Silas and Abigail were already disappearing into the darkness.
They rode until dawn.
Neither spoke much.
The sky slowly changed from black to gray.
Then gold.
The prairie looked almost peaceful.
But Abigail knew better.
She was exhausted.
Her hands hurt.
Her shoulders ached.
Yet she felt something else.
Hope.
They stopped beside a creek shortly after sunrise.
Abigail climbed down.
Silas dismounted more slowly.
For a few moments, neither said anything.
Then Abigail turned toward him.
"Who are you?"
Silas drank from his canteen.
"A cowboy."
"That's not true."
"It is."
"Not all of it."
Silas looked away.
Abigail crossed her arms.
"I saw what you did last night."
"Most people saw the same thing."
"No."
She stepped closer.
"You didn't fire like a man who learned to shoot yesterday."
Silas said nothing.
"You knew exactly where everyone was."
Still nothing.
"You moved like you've done this before."
Silas sighed.
"More than once."
"Who taught you?"
"Nobody."
"That's impossible."
"Most useful things are."
Abigail shook her head.
"You saved me."
Silas looked at her.