Dorothy Garlock Read Online Free Page B

“Shut your lyin’ mouth.”
    “I ain’t lyin’ ’n’ ya know it, Charlie Frank. Pa purely hates critters that ain’t useful.”
    “He is too useful.” Charlie stood over the dog protectively.
    “What’s he good for? Just what’s he good for, Mister Smarty?”
    “He’d warn us if Indians or varmits come around.”
    “Ha, ha, ha! He didn’t warn her. They hung that ugly, warty old man and fired the house right under her nose. That old dog didn’t let out a squeak.”
    “He would’ve, but somebody knocked him in the head,” Charlie shouted angrily.
    “See there. All a body has to do is give him a little old tap on the noggin. Charlie . . . stop that,” Jo Bell screeched when Charlie pushed her.
    “Shut yore mouth about him.”
    “I’ll tell Papa.” Jo Bell flounced away.
    Willa realized there was a certain amount of rivalry between siblings, but these two seemed to have an intense dislike for each other. Charlie appeared to be more mature than his sister even though he was younger.
    “Don’t pay her no mind, ma’am. Papa’s spoiled her rotten. ”
    “I can see that somebody has. Buddy won’t be any trouble, Charlie. He’ll hunt for his food. At the next town, I’ll have to find work.”
    “Then what will you do, ma’am?”
    “Well . . . I don’t know. I have friends I could write to, but it would take time for an answer and I . . . well . . . I just don’t know,” she said again.
    “We’re going to my Uncle Oliver’s. He’s my mama’s brother. We’re goin’ to live with him on his ranch. Him and Mama come into some money. Uncle Oliver took his part and come west. He’d always had a hankerin’ to have a ranch.” Charlie’s serious young face creased with a smile. “Papa said he’s got horses and cattle. He said I could be a cowboy. Uncle Oliver ain’t got no boys that Pa knows of.”
    “You’ll be a good cowboy. You have a way with animals. Buddy doesn’t let many people touch him. He seems to know that you like him and want to help him.”
    “I like him a lot. I sure do wish he was my dog,” Charlie said wistfully.
    “While we’re with you, I’d appreciate it if you’d help me look out for him. After he gets his strength back, he’ll be able to look out for himself.”
    “I’ll do that. I’ll get the bucket we use for the mules andget him some water. Look, ma’am, his paw is bleedin’. I’ll put tar on it too.”
    “Thank you, Charlie.” Willa begin to feel a strong liking for the boy as well as dislike for his sister.
    “Papa’s comin
’,”
Jo Bell yelled. “Papa’ll put a end to all this tomfoolery.”
    Willa stood. Buddy leaned against her legs as if sensing her distress and not wanting to be parted from her. She straightened her shoulders and held her head erect. Although grief, frustration and weariness were tearing her apart, she was determined to keep what dignity she had left and to make it clear to this man that she was not, as his daughter had hinted, a replacement for Starr.
    Furthermore, she thought irrationally, if Buddy was not allowed to travel with them, the two of them would strike out on their own.

CHAPTER
    3
    T
he rider coming across the open prairie toward them rode a handsome sorrel horse and sat the saddle easily. He was a thin man and, according to the length of his stirrups, not very tall. He eyed Willa as he approached. When he stopped the horse within a few yards of her, she could see that he was not as old as she had expected. His eyes, so light a gray that they appeared to be almost colorless, studied her. Coal-black hair covered his ears. Dark sideburns framed his face and a neatly trimmed mustache drooped on either side of his mouth. He was smiling at her in open admiration.
    Papa Igor would have called him a dandy. Willa did not like the smile on his face.
    “Well, well, well—” he said and threw his leg over the saddle horn and continued his lazy inspection of her.
    “My name is Willa Hammer. I want to thank you