“I am a Christian woman, and I do my best to live that way. Others don't always, but I do.”

“Yes, ma'am. I believe that's so.”

“I do owe them at the store five dollars.”

“It would be further kindness if you was to allow me to take that debt from you.” He dug through his pockets and brought out five damp ones.

“I know who you are.”

That froze Tom for a second or two.

“You're those Powers boys. The ones that shot the officers.”

“‘Power,’ ma'am. Not ‘Powers,’ ‘Power.’” He could kill her right now. It seemed what the situation called for. It would be an easy kill. There were lots of options. It wouldn't do to shoot her, not this close to the town, though that might work anyway. But a good blow from a pistol butt should take her down, or he could slice her throat with the knife in his back pocket. Or he could just reach out, grab her, and snap her neck. She was old and brittle. It would be no difficult task. She had only a short way to go to death anyway. “You're going to turn us in, then?”

“It seems that's what's right.” There was a set to her jaw that reminded him of Granny Jane, who, having made up her mind about a thing, held on to it like a fox held a rat.

“Yes, ma'am. I suppose it does.” He did not want to kill her. He had not wanted to kill the lawmen back at the mine. That was so much foolishness. But when someone tried to kill you, you did what it took to stay alive. He still found it difficult to believe that the business of yesterday had actually come down, since it was such a small thing that got it started. But that was the way of the world. Just a small shove got things started, then they went their own way. He considered taking her into the house and tying her up so that she could not tell until they were long gone.

That was better than killing her, but not much. It was a terrible thing to do to an old woman who was just doing what she thought was right, the way she had been brought up, believing all was good and evil. Tom just couldn't get himself to see things that clear.