The authorities find Buck Scales on his way to retrieve his wife, and jail him at Mora. Magdalena fears to stay near him, and Latour shares her fear. He and the notary stand armed guard over her all night. Kit Carson comes and offers her refuge as an old friend of her family's. Latour is surprised to find that the legendary Carson is of slight build, but admires his humanity in wishing to take care of Magdalena.
On the way back to Taos, Carson tells Latour how he feels about becoming a Catholic. When he was sick in California, the priests took care of him. Although he was brought up to see priests as "rascals" and nuns as "bad women," Carson sees there is something in Catholicism after all. Carson cannot read or write, but he knows more geography than anyone. He takes Magdalena home to be taken care of by his wife. Investigators find the bodies of the people murdered by Buck Scales, who is hanged.
When Latour returns from a trip to St. Louis, he brings five Sisters of Loretto to found a girls' school. Magdalena works for them, and regains her beauty and serenity.
