A woman works a small plot of ground. She wears a modest, worn out dress and a wide brimmed hat covers her head and face from the hot sun. Her name is Sarah. She's tired but she's hoeing a newly planted garden next to a small, weathered gray, two room farm house. Sarah's eight year old son Ethan pretends to help but is spending more time throwing dirt clods at an invisible target. "Ethan, stop yer playin an fetch me some water." Ethan answers, "aw, okay Ma."
Ethan runs to the well, grabs a wooden bucket and runs back to his Ma. Sarah pulls the dipper out of the bucket and closes her eyes as she takes thirsty a sip.
As Ethan goes back to tossing dirt clods, he looks up and in the distance he sees a riderless horse walking along as it drags something along in the dirt. Excited, Ethan shouts out, "Ma, look, look over there." A Ethan points at the horse in the distance. Sarah starts to take another drink but stops to look where Ethan is pointing. Sarah quickly spots the riderless horse and sees that it's dragging something on the ground. Alarmed, Sarah calls out to her son, "Ethan, go in the house an fetch the rifle." Ethan senses his Ma's worry and asks, "What is it Ma?" Sarah answers quickly, "Never you mind, just get me the rife, and be quick about it." As Ethan runs toward the house, Sarah keeps a cautious eye on the horse.
A moment later, an out of breath Ethan returns and quickly hands the rifle to his Ma. Sarah tells Ethan, "You stay here." With that, Sarah starts walking cautiously toward the horse, her rifle is ready. Ethan stays behind. His eyes are wide and fixed on his Ma and the riderless horse.
As Sarah comes up to the horse, she grabs the reins and pulls the horse to a stop. Then she looks down to see that the horse has been dragging a man who's foot is caught in the stirrup. The man is Gus Baxter and he's now covered in dust, dirt and scratches. His right arm and hand are soaked in blood. Sarah bends down to see if he's breathing. He is, barely. Ethan can't stand it any longer so he runs to his Ma.
As he runs up behind her, he looks down. Surprised to see the battered man, Ethan asks "Ma, who is he?" Sarah continues looking things over and says, "Can't say Ethan, I never seen him before." Ethan tries to get a better look and asks, "Is he alive?" Sarah answers, "Yea, but he's hurt real bad. We best git him inside." A still wide-eyed Ethan is in a bit of shock and asks. "What's wrong with him Ma?" Sarah moves Gus's right arm. "Looks like he's been shot and I recon his horse musta bolted and he fell outa the saddle. But his boot got caught in the stirrup and his horse drug him fer a spell. Come on, clear his boot outa the stirrup, then you git hold of his legs an we'll take him up to the house."