Chapter 24

“Did the scalawag die of his snakebite?”

“Likely not, else James would have heard of it and told me. But they were looking for the buckboard and the body of their accomplice.”

“This puts another face on the thing. I think we should change our plans and start back to the Mead.”

“I agree. Perhaps you should leave now.”

He scanned the sky. “No, we’re tired. We’ll start back tomorrow morning after we get the rafters in place. We can push hard and make it home by nightfall.”

“Leave early on the morrow. Rock and I can handle the rafters.”

“You can, but it will be done more quickly if I help. We won’t tarry long. We started to bring a wagon because of the girls but decided it would be faster to go horseback and cut across the prairie. I’m glad we made that decision.”