Why are James and Sarah forced to flee their jobs and home?

Sarah and James are forced to leave truth and Consequences after a dust storm hit, and Sarah intervenes when a foreman on a horse is about to trample an old man and little boy. When she steps in to help, the horse rears, and the foreman dies. Sarah’s punishment for her role in the accident could be execution. So, she and James run, leaving behind the money they have saved.