# **They Mocked the Woman Who Came to Feed Them. By Winter’s End, Every Man at Grady Ranch Would Know Who She Truly Was.**NVP
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Chapter 17 / 30
Chapter 17 - Traces in the Snow
By noon on the second day, the expedition reached the high ridge overlooking Dead Man's Pass. Patches of deep, frozen snow still covered the canyon floor. Rafe dismounted and examined the ground, pointing to fresh horse tracks and discarded shovel marks heading toward a collapsed gold mine entrance. "Vance wasn't lying," Rafe noted in a low voice, checking his rifle's chamber. "They're already down there. Looks like six men, well-armed and digging fast. We need a plan before they spot us."
