The younger man limped heavily.
Gideon supported him.
Rusk saw them.
For a moment, he froze.
Then his face became gray.
“Matthew?”
The younger man stopped.
He looked directly at the cattle broker.
“Yes.”
Rusk stared as though he were seeing a dead man rise from the snow.
Matthew continued.
“You remember me.”
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Rusk whispered, “That's impossible.”
Matthew gave a bitter laugh.
“You should've checked the grave before telling my brother I was in it.”
Gideon's expression hardened.
Rusk stepped backward.
His companions looked confused.
Matthew continued.
“I remember Crow's Landing.”
Rusk swallowed.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“I remember Voss telling me my name was Will Hart.”
The cattle broker shook his head.
Matthew took another difficult step forward.
“And I remember the letters you kept from reaching Gideon.”
Rusk's eyes moved toward the road.
Then toward his men.
For the first time, he seemed uncertain whether his authority would protect him.
Gideon spoke quietly.
“You took ten years from us.”
Rusk turned sharply.
“Hale, I had nothing to do with your brother's accident.”
Gideon's hands clenched.
Matthew immediately caught his arm.
“Don't.”
The older man looked toward him.
His brother's eyes were wet.
“Please.”
For several seconds, Gideon stared.
Then slowly relaxed his hands.
He looked back toward Rusk.
“We'll let the evidence speak.”
The cattle broker's face twisted.
“You think some old invoices will destroy everything I've built?”
Gideon didn't answer.
Then Elena's voice rang from the wagon near the creek.
“Not the invoices alone!”
Everyone turned.
She pointed toward the road beyond the ridge.
A group of riders was approaching.
At their head was Deputy Samuel Pierce.
Beside him rode a county officer and two men from the ranching association.
Gideon stared.
Elena smiled faintly.
“I asked Rose to send a message yesterday.”
The deputy approached.
He dismounted and studied the men in the yard.
Then looked toward Gideon.
“Mr. Hale.”
Gideon nodded.
“Deputy.”
Pierce glanced toward Matthew.
His expression changed.
He looked again.
Then whispered, “Good Lord.”
Matthew gave a tired smile.
“Hello, Samuel.”
The deputy stared.
He remembered Matthew from childhood.
They had attended school together.
Ridden horses along the creek.
And once broken a fence while attempting to race across a pasture.
For several seconds, Pierce seemed unable to speak.
Then he looked toward Rusk.
The cattle broker's expression hardened.