Mark and I was putting in some fencing on the south section of our ranch when we noticed someone approaching us.  I couldn't tell in the distance who it was so I went and got my rifle out of the buckboard and told Mark to go and check the rest of the fence.  It was Willard Prescott; he had been trying to get me to sell my land for sometime now.  I wasn't interested in selling, I told him that before.  "Good morning McCain.....now is that anyway to greet a neighbor?" Asked Prescott, referring to my rifle.  "Well in my book Prescott, a neighbor is someone who lives on the land, not someone who speculates with it."  "Buying and selling land just happens to be my business, that's all," said Prescott.  "And working the land just happens to be mine."  "With the money you'd get from the railroad you could buy a better piece of land to work," said Prescott.  "I'm perfectly satisfied with the piece of land I already have."  He told me my neighbors were willing to sell.  He said I should be worried about them because he comes and goes; I've got to live with them.  I told him that my neighbors and I have had our differences in the past and we worked them out and we can do that again.  But he thought they would feel different this time because I would be taking money out of their pockets and they wouldn't like that.  I told him if I did sell to him then the ranches on the alternate route wouldn't like it either.  You can't please everybody.  He then pulled out an envelope with a large sum of money in it.  I asked him if it was a bride.  He said it wasn't, it was just a business proposition, like protecting his investment and he'd be glad to share some anticipated profits with me.  I told him I wasn't interested.  He said he'd wait in town for me to change my mind.  I didn't know at the time he had already decided he was going to try and make me sell my land, even by force if he had to.

That evening after supper, I went out onto the porch.  When Mark finished doing the dishes he came out on the porch too.  I told him he better get to bed and that we had a lot of work to do tomorrow fencing the south section.  He asked me how much money was in the envelope that Prescott had.  I told him I didn't know, I hadn't counted it.  I asked him why did he ask.  I was surprised when Mark said maybe we should sell.  I asked him if I heard him right.  He said there was a lot of good land around North Fork and that only last month I had been saying that we could use some extra money.  "Mark.....this is our home!"  "I know but....." "But what?" I asked.  He said it was nothing.  I asked him again.  "Now son we've always had this understanding that we would always speak out on what we think."  "I didn't want to come running to you.....complaining like a kid. Your always saying that a man should fight his own battles," said Mark.  I asked him what battle was he talkin' about.  "Yesterday with Kenny Wheeler.....we use to be good friends but.....but I wasn't gonna let him get away with saying what he did about ya'," said Mark.  He said that Kenny kept calling me names because I wouldn't sell my land and that he probably got it from his father.  He told me that Mr. Wheeler wanted to sell and I was in his way.  "And that's why Mark McCain wants to give in!" I said.  "It's not givin' in Pa.....I just don't want people turnin' against ya'!"  "We can't help what other people do son. We have to stand up for what we believe in. It's just a matter of principle."  "Principle.....sometimes that seems to be nothing more then just a word. Maybe I shouldn't have said that," said Mark.  "Sure you should have. Because you're right. Sometimes it is just a word. It has to be something we live and feel, not just something we talk about."  "Mark.....when your mother passed away, I took you away from Oklahoma because.....well I.....I couldn't stand the ranch there anymore. I couldn't stay yet I really couldn't leave.....I kind of carried it in my heart. I didn't know it at the time, but.....I was looking for a place just like it. Well I found it here in North Fork. Same land, same valleys, same hills. This house we built.....same house.....barn.....same barn. That hill Mark.....that's the way it use to look in the moonlight, kinda like a soft blanket of silver on it. The only thing missing is the cross at the crest that marks your mother's resting place. Otherwise it's the same hill."  He looked at me and I knew he understood.  It didn't matter how many Kenny's or town folks there were to call me names.  I told him he better get off to bed.  He started for the door and then turned to me, wanting to say something, but he didn't, we  understood each other.  I just sat back and enjoyed the land, the valleys, the hills, the house and the barn in the blanket of silver from the moon that shone down on everything.

The next day we went out to the south section to check the cattle.  When we got there everyone of fence posts had been hacked off at the base and the barbed wire was cut.  First we needed to round up the cattle and then I was heading into town to see Prescott.

When I got to town Prescott was outside of the hotel reading the newspaper.  I picked up a chair and walked over to him, setting on the chair backwards.  I told him I got his message.  He acted like he didn't know what I was talking about.  "My fence was down and my cattle were on your land," I said.  "What's that to me?" Asked Prescott.  "You wanted me to know I had trouble.....you wanted me to know that.....you meant business," I said.  "Now if you think you have a legitimate complaint, why don't you go straight to the marshal?" Asked Prescott.  "I was going to.....but I thought it over.....I decided to keep this strictly between you and.....me. About that envelope you had yesterday....."  He pulled the envelope out of his pocket and handed it to me.  "I told you I was going to hold it for you, it's all yours McCain," said Prescott.  I took the envelope from him and started to sort thru the money.  "This twenty ought to be enough to cover the cost of the damage to my fence."  I took the twenty and put it in my pocket.  "And if you think you have a legitimate complaint, and then you can go straight.....to the marshal."  I walked away from Prescott and rode out of town.    

Prescott had hired three men to persuade me to sell my ranch.  The boss, Dave waited until I was out of sight and then went over to Prescott.  He could tell by my actions that there was no deal.  Prescott had told him before that I was stubborn, very stubborn.  Since this didn't work, they would have to try something more forceful. 

Mark and I were on our way to the south section to redo the fencin' when someone took shots at us.  We took cover, but when the shooting was done we couldn't see anyone.  Mark asked me if I knew who they were.  I told him no but I knew who sent them, Prescott.  He asked if they were sent to kill me, I told him not this time.  I told Mark we should be getting back to the ranch. 

When we got to the ranch I was surprised to see a buggy there.  I was relieved to see it was Lou, but surprised her when I came from along side of the house with my rifle ready for anything.  She said that wasn't the way I usually greeted her.  I told her I wasn't expecting her.  She wanted to know who I thought was there.  I told her it wasn't important, but she felt it was if I was ready to use my rifle, that it must be important.  She said she knew I was in town yesterday and I could have come to see her.  I told her I didn't have time and that I have a lot of things on my mind right now.  She knew all about it and she knew it was Prescott.  She warned me about him.  She said she had seen him operate in Denver and he was use to getting what he wanted.  She also told me about the men he had working for him.  She didn't like the idea of me getting hurt.  "Oh Lucas, you're not just fighting Prescott, what about Fred Wheeler and the other ranchers along this route?"  I told her if I did sell, the other ranchers on the alternative route wouldn't like it either and that I just couldn't please everybody.  "This place is a part of me.....nobody's going to take it away," I said.  "Sometimes the fight wasn't worth it. Lucas.....sell out and buy another piece of land," said Lou.  She made me angry when she said that.  "Did you ride all the way out here on your own or did Prescott send you?"  "I've never met a man like you before.....you're impossible! I hate you! You're just completely impossible!"  With her Irish temper flaring, Lou hurried over to buggy.  "I didn't mean that Lucas.....I don't hate you!"  "I know," I said.  "But you are impossible!" Said Lou as she rode off.

  That night while we were sleeping we were awakened to what sounded like a window breaking.  We rushed out to see what the noise was, the curtains were on fire.  I ripped the curtains down and threw them to the floor.  Mark threw the rug over them and put out the fire.  I told him to get dressed. 

When we got in town I told Mark to wait for me in front of Micah's office while I went to see Prescott.  I went to the hotel and went up to his room.  I knocked on his door.  When he opened the door I was ready to confront him, I had my rifle pointed straight at him.  I told him about my house being set on fire.  He said he had nothing to do with it.  "I could blow your head off Prescott.....I could blow your head off and not give it a second thought."  He tried to tell me he was downstairs in the lobby all night.  He told me to relax and put the gun down.  He was relieved when I put my rifle down until I grabbed a hold of him.  "On the ride in I kept thinking, what should I do to him and how should I handle this? Well killing you isn't going to get me what I want. Taking you to the law still needs more proof.  It's still between you and me. Now I've been getting your messages but you don't seem to be getting mine. So now you listen and you listen good. You can tear down all my fences; I'll put up new ones. You can burn my house to the ground; I'll build a new one. You can try to scare me off with an arsenal, I won't scare. So you give up Prescott, you give up because I won't!"  I shoved him and he fell onto the bed.  I then walked out and went to get Mark and we headed home.          

  The next morning Prescott rode into my ranch.  I was ready for him.  I had my rifle in hand and cocked.  "I thought over what you said last night McCain," said Prescott.  I told him to turn that buggy around and get out of here.  "You know I can't help but admire you," said Prescott.  "You hear what I said Prescott?"   "I'm gonna get what I want, one way or another," said Prescott.  I started again to tell him to get off my land when he said....."Isn't that right Dave?"  "That's right Mr. Prescott," said Dave as he came from the side of the house.  Mark and I was surprised to see Dave.  "Your covered from the other side too, and from behind," said Prescott.  Just then, two more of Prescott's men approached us, one from the side of the barn, and the other one from the opposite side of the house. They were all holding their guns on us.  "Throw that rifle away McCain," said Dave.  "Now you can put up a fight if you want to but your son's liable to get hit in the cross fire," said Prescott.  I threw my rifle on the ground.  He wanted to talk business, but I told him no deal.  He then asked me to set a price.  Again I told him....."No deal!"  Prescott told Mark to go in the shed.  Mark just stood there until I told him to do what Prescott had said.  After Carver put Mark in the shed, Prescott gave me one last chance.  I didn't respond but I did throw the first punch.  I hit Dave, and then Spencer hit me from behind.  Spencer then picked me up and held me while Carver started to beat on me.  I manager to kick Dave while the others held me.  This just angered him more and he continued hitting me.  I could hear Mark in the background calling to me and pounding on the door to the shed.  Dave kept hitting me until I fell to the ground.  "Change your mind McCain!" said Prescott.  They kept hitting me and I managed to get a kick in again at Dave.  Again I fell to the ground.  "McCain! What do you say?" Asked Prescott.  I slowly started  to get up when I managed to hit Dave.  This made him mad.  He drew his gun on me and was going to shoot.  "Hold it Dave!" Yelled Prescott.  "I'm gonna make him pay!" Yelled Dave.  "I said hold it!" Said Prescott.  Prescott started to help me up but I wouldn't let him.  "He doesn't know the meaning of the word beg. He knows the meaning of the word fight," said Prescott.  "Well sometimes you make a bad investment. What do you do? You take your losses and you try something else, that's business," said Prescott.  He winked at me and said so long.  As he started to get into the buggy I stopped him.  I told him he owed me five dollars for the fire damage to my house.  He gave me the five dollars and Prescott and his men rode off.  I then went and left Mark out of the shed.  He rushed to me asking me if I was alright. 

That evening I was setting on the steps of the porch looking at the land and all I owned and thought how all this was worth standing up for.  It was our land, Mark's and mine and no one was going to take it from us, no matter what.  Just then Mark came out and sat on the steps with me with a big smile on his face.  I asked him what he was thinking.  "I'm not thinking, I'm looking."  "Looking at what?" I asked.  "The hills, the valley, the herd, every rock.....every blade of grass.....and all of it ours."  "Looks good to you, huh?" I asked.  "Especially now.....before I only saw it with my eyes."  "And now you see it with your heart," I said.  "Yup.....just can't explain it tho," said Mark. 
"Nobody can son, it's a deep warm feeling, a comfort we just happen to call home."