Katherine was relieved to see the fort at last. Seeing the soldiers milling around the high walls made her feel safe at once. Unfortunately the same could not be said for Jack. He saw the look that passed between the welcoming Captain and Bill, and he didn't like it one bit. He saw the Captain tense up when Bill introduced himself, and it worried him. The Captain was gracious enough, but the way he looked at Katherine made Jack uneasy too. He finally figured he must have gotten a case of wagon-crazies and decided to turn in before he went completely mad.

Katherine took the Captain's interest in her in stride. The Captain was an intense man who took his duties at the fort seriously. She noticed the Captain giving her approving glances, but she didn't think it as strange as all that. When he showed them to their quarters and offered her a tour of the fort, she accepted immediately. Jack was road-weary and begged off some time to rest, so she linked her arm in the Captain's and went for a walk. The Captain struck her as a soldier to the core. He told her that it was a real treat to have a lady at the fort, but it was also a treat to have someone come along who reminded him of Emmet. He said he found it difficult to find stimulating conversation in the wilds, and her appearance was a rare treat. She smiled her sweetest smile and let the Captain revel in his good fortune. The Captain told her that when Emmet left the post, it was a sad day for the entire fort, how vital a member he had been, and it was disheartening to see him go. When Katherine asked if he had said goodbye to Emmet, the Captain said no. Emmet had gone to see the Governor and had not returned. His escorts said it was because the Governor had found another post for Emmet and they had paperwork to support it. With the speedy changes in the ever-growing West, the Captain never thought it untoward.

They had an early dinner with the Captain that night, all of them complaining mightily about the trip thusfar. The Captain had offered to show Katherine some of her brother's handiwork in the morning, and Katherine accepted. When she closed the wooden door of her quarters that night she heard footsteps on the wooden sidewalk outside her door. She was frightened at first, but found the courage to peek out the door and see Jack and Bill talking together in the moonlight. They seemed almost conspiratory to her and she held her breath and watched them for a few moments more before they parted ways, Jack heading out to the barns and Bill heading towards the barracks.