 McSween's wife, Susan, leaves the house to plead with Colonel Dudley. But Dudley says he has come only to evacuate the women and children, and that Sheriff Pepin is doing his lawful duty and trying to serve the warrants. Susan returns to the house, but leaves for a final time in the early evening. By nightfall, the fire is roaring and has consumed all of the McSween house but the kitchen, where the regulators are huddled.