He thought about it.
"No."
Clara looked down.
"Then how do you keep living?"
Elias stared into the fire.
"One morning at a time."
She nodded slowly.
For a long moment, they stood together in the quiet kitchen.
Then Clara reached out and placed her hand over his.
It was a small gesture.
But Elias felt it as if the entire world had shifted.
Neither spoke.
Outside, the wind moved through the grass, and the stars shone above the dark mountains.
Somewhere in the distance, a coyote called.
And in the little cabin on the edge of the prairie, two people who had lost nearly everything began, without realizing it, to find something they had not expected.
A reason to hope.
The journey to Clara's former home began before sunrise. Elias harnessed the horses while Clara wrapped herself in a heavy coat and tucked a small knife into her boot. She had not returned to the settlement since fleeing, and every mile seemed to pull her closer to a memory she desperately wanted to forget.
The house stood near a bend in the creek, on a small piece of land that had once belonged to Thomas's family. It was little more than a wooden cabin with a leaning chimney and a garden that had been abandoned to weeds. A broken wagon stood beside the fence, and the gate hung from one hinge.
Clara stared at the house.
"I thought I would never see it again."
Elias parked the wagon behind a cluster of cottonwoods.
"We'll go in together."
They approached cautiously. The door was locked, but Clara knew where Thomas had hidden a spare key. She found it beneath a loose stone beside the steps.
Inside, the house smelled of dust and damp wood.
Clara stood in the doorway, unable to move.
The table where she had fed Rose was still there. A small wooden horse lay beneath the window. Her daughter's blanket remained folded at the foot of the bed.
She covered her mouth.
Elias stood beside her.
"You don't have to do this."
Clara wiped her eyes.
"Yes, I do."
She crossed the room and knelt beside the bed. Beneath a loose floorboard, she found a small leather book and a folded letter.
Her hands trembled as she opened the letter.
Thomas had written it shortly before his death.
He described how Crowe had demanded that he sign over the property. He explained that the original debt had already been repaid, but Crowe refused to acknowledge the payments. Thomas had discovered that several other families had been forced from their land using similar documents.
The final lines were written in a hurried hand.
If anything happens to me, Clara, do not believe what Crowe tells you. He is not interested in the money. He wants the land. He knows the railroad will come through here. He has made promises to men who have no intention of honoring them. Take Rose and leave before he finds you.
Clara pressed the letter against her chest.
Elias placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We have what we need."
A noise sounded outside.
Both turned.
Horses.
Elias moved toward the window and looked through a narrow gap in the curtains.
Three riders were approaching.
One wore a black hat and carried a rifle.
"Crowe's men," Elias whispered.
Clara's face went white.
"What do we do?"
Elias took the book and letter.
"Back door."
They hurried through the kitchen and slipped outside. The riders had dismounted near the front gate. One of them was examining the wagon tracks.
Elias led Clara through the trees toward the creek.
A shout came from behind them.
"Hey! Stop!"
Elias grabbed Clara's hand.
They ran.
Branches scratched their faces. Mud sucked at their boots. Behind them, the men shouted and mounted their horses.
Elias knew they could not outrun riders on foot.
He pushed Clara behind a fallen tree.
"Stay here."
"No!"
"Clara, listen to me."
He looked into her eyes.
"If they find you, they'll take the evidence. You have to get it to Samuel."
She shook her head.
"I'm not leaving you."
Elias took her face gently between his hands.
"Trust me."
For a moment, she could not speak.