No obvious box.
The cowboy wore coat.
He was pale.
The woman watched.
“If you fall, I’m leaving you.”
“Cruel.”
“I mean it.”
“You dragged me once.”
“I learned.”
They rode.
Halfway, hoofbeats.
The foreman.
Three riders this time.
The woman and cowboy cut through timber.
His wound reopened.
She saw stain.
“Stop.”
“No.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“Later.”
Shots behind.
They reached narrow bridge across creek.
The cowboy turned.
“What are you doing?”
“Go.”
“No.”
“Take papers.”
He held reins out.
She stared.
“No.”
“They want me too.”
“Then they get both.”
The foreman emerged.
The cowboy pulled revolver.
The woman pulled hers.
Three against two.
One wounded.
Foreman shouted:
“You don’t know what you’re holding, woman.”
She answered:
“I know enough.”
“Your brother was a thief.”
“My brother was murdered.”
“You cannot prove.”
The cowboy said:
“She can.”
Foreman aimed.
Before anyone fired, a rifle crack came from ridge.
Foreman’s hat flew off.
Everyone froze.
Another voice:
“Next one lowers your opinion of hats permanently.”
A man stood above.
Old trapper? Better town blacksmith and freight clerk? Let's say the freight clerk, who had been warned by her brother years ago and saw riders. But how? He was coming toward cabin? Maybe he was checking after seeing the mare riderless? Actually her mare returned to cabin, not town. Better rescuer could be an older ranch widow neighbor? Let's keep maybe local mail rider. Need plausible.
An older homesteader from nearby valley stood with rifle and two sons.
He had seen cattle-company men ride toward her place and followed.
The woman knew him.
He called:
“Ma’am, you need help?”
Foreman cursed.
More witnesses changed balance.
He lowered gun.
The woman said:
“Yes.”
The homesteader and sons escorted them to town.
The foreman followed at distance but did not attack.
At freight office, clerk recognized cowboy.
“You’re alive.”
“Disappointing some people.”
They barred door.
Telegraph line worked.
The clerk sent coded message to territorial marshal and land office.
The old homesteader took copies to newspaper editor.
The woman hesitated.
Public exposure could help.
Also dangerous.
The editor printed next morning:
HOMESTEAD RECORDS DISPUTED — FEDERAL REVIEW REQUESTED
No names of witnesses.
Enough.
The cattle company could not quietly erase everything now.
The sheriff arrived at freight office.
Not corrupt? Let's make sheriff honest but deputy implicated.
He demanded evidence.
The woman said:
“Not until federal man.”
Sheriff bristled.
“This is my county.”
Cowboy said:
“Your deputy’s name is in ledger.”
Sheriff went still.
“Which?”
They showed copy.
The sheriff’s face changed.
He turned to his deputy.
The deputy ran.
Actually tried.
The old homesteader’s sons blocked door.
The sheriff disarmed him.