"Mara."
"No."
She pointed toward the floor near the fireplace.
"I sleep there."
"You can barely walk."
"I can still argue."
Elias stared at her.
Then nodded.
"I'm beginning to understand that."
He brought blankets.
She slept near the fireplace with the knife beneath her hand.
Elias slept poorly in the bedroom.
Shortly before dawn, Cooper began making noise in the corral.
Then the cattle started.
Elias opened his eyes.
Something was wrong.
He heard a horse.
Then another.
Then dozens.
He grabbed his rifle and walked onto the porch.
For several seconds, his mind refused to understand what his eyes were seeing.
The ridge east of his ranch was covered with riders.
They stood against the pale morning sky in long silent lines.
Scores of them.
Then hundreds.
Elias slowly lowered the rifle.
"Lord."
More riders stood along the southern rise.
Others near the wash.
His ranch was almost completely surrounded.
Behind him the door opened.
Mara stepped outside.
She looked exhausted but calm.
Elias stared at her.
"Friends of yours?"
Mara walked past him.
"Some."
"Some?"
Elias pointed toward the ridge.
"There are enough men up there to invade Mexico."
She almost smiled.
"Not men only."
Elias looked again.
She was right.
Women rode among them.
Older riders too.
Several teenagers.
This was not a raiding party.
But it was certainly not a social call.
An older man separated from the eastern group.
He rode slowly toward the ranch.
Behind him came six others.
Elias glanced at Mara.
"Should I be worried?"
"Do you plan to shoot?"
"No."
"Then less worried."
"Less isn't very comforting."
The older rider stopped near the well.
His gray hair hung in two long braids.
He looked at Mara.
Something passed between them.
Relief.
Then anger.
Then relief again.
He dismounted.
Mara walked toward him.
The old man placed both hands on her shoulders.
They spoke rapidly in Apache.
Elias understood none of it.
The old man looked at Mara's injuries.
Then toward Elias.
Mara said something.
The old man's expression changed.
He faced Elias.
"You gave her water."
His English was deliberate.