“Take My Baby and Ride,” the Widow Begged the Cowboy—Then He Saw Who Was Coming Over the Ridge
“Take My Baby and Ride,” the Widow Begged the Cowboy—Then He Saw Who Was Coming Over the Ridge
Ma’am, you trying to get yourself killed? Take my baby and ride. What? Please don’t ask me anything. Just take her. I’m not riding away with a stranger’s child. Then she’ll die here with me. Who are they? Men who won’t leave witnesses. And the deputy. That’s why you can’t take me to the law.
Give me the girl. What are you doing? Get up. I told you to take Rose and leave her mother for five armed men. Not how I was raised. Clara Bennett, stop. Nobody needs to get hurt. They know your name. That’s the second thing you’ve forgotten to explain. Ride first. Hate me later. This isn’t the road.
That’s the idea. You know this country better than they do. You’re not just a rancher. Today I’m apparently a kidnapper. Hold on. Inside. Where are we? Somewhere they won’t look first. Your name really? Clara Bennett? Yes. And everything else? You want my life story now? Five armed men chase us.
My husband died 11 days ago. What happened to your husband? They said Matthew lost control of his wagon. You don’t believe him? No. Why? Because Matthew was afraid before he died. Afraid of who? The men following us. What am I looking at? I found it inside Matthew’s coat after they brought his body home.
Who’s Gideon Voss? The man those writers work for. If Voss knows you have this. That explains the writers. It doesn’t. Why not? They searched my house yesterday. They searched her room. Why would armed men be looking for a baby? I was hoping you could tell me. Think, Clara.
Did Matthew ever hide anything with Rose? He was her father. He held her, fed her, put her to sleep. That’s all. Men don’t send five riders after. That’s all. You know it. They found us. Maybe. That isn’t very reassuring. I’m not trying to reassure you. I’m trying to keep you alive. No rider. There was one.
How do you know? This horse didn’t come all this way alone. Then where’s the rider? That’s what worries me. Fort Mercer is north. I know. Ethan, Matthew Bennett. Matthews 27.
I’ve seen this before. The warning said not to go. That’s why we’re going. What? We’re not alone. Stay close. That’s Matthew’s handwriting. He knew someone was changing the land records. You know it
used to guide freight through there. Six are missing. Page six is missing. Page six. Stay here. Someone wants us to know part of
- Stone Creek. Ethan Cole. Matthew Bennett sent me. You opened locker 27. Read this before you trust anyone. The bookkeeper. What did he write, boss? He knows we found the ledger. That’s our answer.
That wasn’t there yesterday. We’re late. What was in them? He only has reliable water for miles. He wouldn’t sell. Matthew always was thorough.
Your records, my company, my records. His records don’t tell the whole story. Matthew signed this. No, he didn’t. You think that’s mine? That mark isn’t Voss freight? You’ve seen it before on telegraph orders. orders that never entered the official books. He never wrote it like this. I paid for this agreement.
From whom? Deputy Reed witnessed it. You believed me. You noticed what everyone else missed. Ethan, who sent it? No name. Looks like I arrived late. Yours? No. Where did you find this? That’s tomorrow.
Tomorrow can wait. Why are you alone? Ethan was easier that way. My brother trusted me. I couldn’t bring him home. What? Nothing. What happens when this is over? You’ll be free.
That wasn’t what I asked. Why did you stop? Because you’ve had enough men chosen for you. I won’t be another. He knew Where? You don’t have to be strong
every second. Don’t go inside together. Why? Because someone’s waiting for Ethan. You should stay here. No. No. This was Matthew’s secret. I finished it. Clara, don’t wait this time. This one’s real. Matthew hoped you’d
find it. Matthew gave me half to keep it from one man. I’ve been following the transfers. Matthew was helping me. Who used this? The transfer office. Matthew never sold the land. Then someone sold me a lie. Enough for the territorial court. Your land remains yours. What will you do now? I don’t know. I don’t know.
You could ask me to stay. You could ask me to stay. I want to. But you spent long enough with men deciding where you belonged. I won’t be another. Goodbye, Ethan. Goodbye, Clara. You said it had to be my choice. Then I’d want you here. For how long? Now I can’t imagine leaving.
Morning, cowboy. What? Nothing. feels different. We’re not running. What is it? I won’t choose your future. I just want to be in it. Yes.
