Jake Hoad and his daughters, Willow, Maria were riding along in their wagon when they came to an open field of grass. Willow and their Pa got out of the wagon to stretch their legs while Maria stayed in the wagon; she moved to the seat so she could get a little more fresh air. Maria wasn't liking the whole situation of their mother passing away and their abusive father who'd hit her if she didn't instantly do what he wanted her to do. The living situation was even worse since when they stopped for the night Willow would be able to sleep in the wagon while Maria had to sleep on the ground.
"Sis, you coming out?" Willow asked her older sister, who just shook her head no.
Willow shrugged and gathered some firewood and helped their pa start a fire to do some cooking on; Maria, on the other hand, just wanted to be alone at that moment. She had been really close to her mother and the death of her brought her into her own world; a world where she didn't want to speak much anymore. She would talk to Willow and her Pa once and a while, but not many people heard her soft voice.
A few moments later, after the fire was burning bright and good, Willow and Maria's pa took a stick wrapped in a piece of cloth and stuck it in the fire. Once the cloth was on fire, he started to light the dry grass on fire to burn it and whatever it would burn down.
"Pa, you shouldn't do that," Maria whispered from the wagon seat.
He just glared at her, before turning back to watch the flames.
"How far you think it'll burn, Pa?" Willow asked.
"Hundreds of miles; it'll clear us a place to build a house," Jake replied.
"What about the grass?" Willow asked.
"It'll re-grow," Jake replied.
"Pa, someone is coming," Maria said.
"I can hear; I ain't deaf," he replied.
Maria just sighed as she moved away from the young man who rode up on his horse.
"What do you think you're doing? You could burn the whole place down!" he shouted as he dismounted his horse. "People live in that valley."
The young man started to put the fire out and Jake grabbed a shot gun. "Don't do it kid," he threatened. The young man, Joe, kept putting the fire out and Jake shot at him.
"Don't try it again," Joe ordered.
Maria got out of the wagon and started to help him. She didn't want to see anyone die because of a fire.
Jake shot again at Joe and Joe fired back, in self-defence, killing Jake. Maria was shocked but continued to put the fire out.
"I told him not to; I had no choice," Joe told the girls.
Willow started to attack him and Maria just moved away from the fighting.
Joe had Willow tied up with some rope he found on the ground next to the wagon before turning back to the fire to put it out more with the help of Maria. Once it was out, Joe and Maria both cooled down using some of the water in the buckets.
"Thanks for the help, ma'am'," Joe greeted. "I'm Joe Cartwright."
"She doesn't talk much," Willow shouted and Maria rolled her eyes.
"Is that true?" Joe asked her and Maria nodded in reply.
"Now, I can't leave the two of you out here alone; let's go to my place– my Pa will know what to do," Joe said and untied Willow.
Willow started to attack him, but Maria had enough of it. "WILLOW!" Maria shouted and Willow dropped the axe, shocked Maria had spoken like that to her. "Stop."
Joe sighed and quietly thanked her for stopping her sister. However, as soon as Maria turned her back to them, Willow started attacking Joe again. Joe did the only thing he could think of and hit her to stop her. "Sorry, miss." Maria nodded and helped Joe tie Willow up with the rope again, then put her on a horse. Maria mounted her horse as Joe mounted his horse.
Joe took the reins of the horses the girls were on and led them to his house.
"Our kin folk will kill you!" Willow shouted and Maria just stayed quiet; there was no shutting her up when she was in one of her yelling moods. "I swear, they's will kill ya!"
They got to the house and Ben, Adam and Hoss came out of the house. Joe dismounted his horse Cochise and walked over to his family.
"Son, what's this?" Ben asked.
"Their pa was trying to burn some land just north of the valley. I tried putting the fire out and the oldest one here helped. Their pa shot at me and I shot back in self-defence-I killed him," Joe replied, hanging his head.
"It's okay, son," Ben started. "Well, let's get them inside. Adam, go get the sheriff, and then stop by Mrs. Shaughnessy's house and see if she has anything for the ladies; skirts, tops, dresses, those types of clothing. Hoss, go with him," Ben said, receiving a nod from Hoss and Adam. Ben watched as they got on their horses and rode off.
Maria got off her horse without a fight, while Willow was still yelling that their] kin folk would kill them. Maria sighed and looked at Willow. "Willow shut the hell up!" she yelled, getting shocked looks from Ben, Joe and Willow. "Just knock it off, please," Maria told her sister, "I'm sorry for swearing," Maria softly spoke looking back at the men.
Ben smiled. "It is all right, dear," he told her.
She then followed Ben inside the house. Ben motioned for her to sit down and she slowly sat, nervous and scared to be in the house with strangers.
Willow came in fighting and screaming. "Let me go!" she yelled but, Maria just sat there. "Maria, don't just let him grab me!"
"Willow, sit down and shut up," Maria softly told her little sister.
Willow sighed and sat down next to Maria as she was glaring at the men who had her, she wasn't doing anything wrong, or so she thought, "Our kin folk will kill you for taking us!" she shouted.
"Joe, take her to the East room; I'll put Maria in the room next to yours," Ben told his youngest son.
"Okay, come on, Willow," Joe said and took her arm.
"Git your hands offa me!" Willow shouted as Joe tried to take her upstairs. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, and Maria chuckled at the sight as Ben took her upstairs.
Ben opened the door for Maria. "Here you go dear," he said kindly.
"Thank you," she whispered back.
"PUT ME DOWN!" Willow kept yelling over and over.
Maria just rolled her eyes and closed the door.
"Willow, stop or I'll drop you!" Joe shouted back, losing his grip on the girl since she was wiggling.
"PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN!" Willow screamed, wiggling even more.
Joe got to the room and dropped her on the bed then ran out the door and locked it behind him.
Maria was standing in her door way with an upset look on her face.
"Is everything alright, Maria?" Joe asked her kindly.
She nodded in reply.
"You know, you don't have to be scared around here- no one will hurt you," Joe told her softly.
She nodded again but, still didn't say anything to him.
He smiled at her and she lightly smiled and went to her room, closing the door behind her.