He Built the House Before He Sent for a Mail Order Bride — She Walked In and Called It Home
Chapter 8
Samuel woke to Clara screaming.
“Fire!”
The barn was already burning.
Samuel ran outside.
Flames climbed into the night.
The horses screamed inside.
He rushed toward the doors.
Clara grabbed his arm.
“Samuel!”
He pulled away.
“They’re trapped.”
He disappeared into the smoke.
Clara ran toward the well.
Neighbors began arriving.
Buckets passed from hand to hand.
Then Samuel emerged with one horse.
Then another.
Clara helped guide them away.
The roof collapsed.
Samuel stumbled out.
His arm was burned.
Clara grabbed him.
“You could have died.”
He looked toward the burning barn.
“So could they.”
She wanted to shout at him.
Instead, she pulled him toward the house.
The fire destroyed half their supplies.
But it also destroyed Carter’s final advantage.
The town had seen enough.
The sheriff investigated.
A witness came forward.
One of Carter’s own hired men admitted he had been paid to set the fire.
Carter was arrested.
The mortgage was suspended.
And the county court began investigating the entire Carter family.
But the ranch still faced a problem.
The barn was gone.
Samuel had lost equipment.
The money Clara earned was nearly gone.
They sat outside the house in silence.
Clara leaned against him.
“I thought we won.”
Samuel looked toward the ruins.
“We’re still here.”
Clara nodded.
Then she smiled.
“What?”
“You built this house once.”
Samuel looked at her.
“Don’t.”
She smiled wider.
“We can build again.”
