Pages 63-70:

Ethan spends a long restless night in his study, trying to formulate a plan to leave Zeena and run off with Mattie. Ethan thinks that if he leaves Zeena the farm, she could simply sell it and then move in with her close relatives, and Mattie and he could head west together. But when the reality of his situation settles in Ethan realizes that it would be highly unlikey for someone (especially a woman of Zeena's health) to sell the farm. Zeena would most likely end up bankrupt or dead. And even if he was willing to take that chance, he was a poor man and couldn't afford to take both him and Mattie west, and support her. The next day Ethan hopes that Zeena may have reconsidered her hasty decision to send Mattie away, however no such luck. So, desperate, Ethan goes into Starkfield in an attempt to find his friend and client, Mr. Hale, and ask if he could pay his fifty dollars early, beacuse Zeena needs a new hired hand. But when Ethan run's into Mrs. Hale, she sympathizes with his situation, and tells him he has had a hard life, and she doesn't know how Zeena would survive without him. Her kind words stop Ethan in his tracks, and he determines that he can't go to his friend and ask for money under false pretenses, especially now knowing that they pity him.