Old Man

"No, you don't know what happened. I saw two of the rancher's sons, the Wheelers, stealing from your home while your father was fishing. Your mother was washing clothes at the river with your sister, and I thought you were with them. 

I heard noises coming from your house, believed it was that pesky raccoon that kept breaking into our places and went to investigate. 

I caught the men red-handed, carrying a feed sack bulging with stuff--your mother's treasured silver candle holders and a silver tray that I could see.

"I should have gotten out of there before they saw me. But I was so shocked it wasn't the raccoon that I hesitated. They shot me a couple of times, and I cried out." She looked down at the floor and brushed away more tears.

Tears streaked Cassie's face, too. She hadn't known what had preceded the fire, only what she'd seen at the end.