Faith of the Heart Read Online Free

ranchers got their hands so full they can’t keep track of their men. These cowboys get to havin’ too much time on their hands with not enough to do, then I gotta spend my time makin’ sure they find somethin ’ useful to do and don’t get somebody hurt in the process. Got enough to do myself as it is.   S imonson , just remember that if you take out the guy in charge the rest of the gang will usually crumble. These bums aren’t part of a pack because they’re bright, ya know.” Percy chuckled at the familiar lecture and nodded in agreement.               “I’ll be sure to remember that boss.”  
                  The sheriff and deputy strolled out of the High Times and headed in opposite directions to do their nightly rounds. Omaha was a bustling town so the two lawmen always had their hands full. Businesses were springing up along the newly surveyed Dodge and Farnam Streets. Houses were being constructed in the beautiful H appy Hollow area just west of downtown. Proud homeowners boasted of two-story homes with as many as four or five rooms. Churches and schools were evidence of families settling down. Omaha was growing and Tom was proud to be a part of its success.    
     
    * **
                                             
                  Feeling a bit better after a good, long cry, Claire stood up and looked around.
    Spying the washstand and pitcher, she poured water into the flowered basin and dabbed at her face and hands with a nearby linen towel. The compact kitchen held a table and two chairs, a stove, a few cupboards and shelves, and a wooden food box.
                  Bright red geraniums flourished on the windowsill and cheery red plaid curtains matched a cloth on the table. With a sigh of pleasure , Claire noticed a china teapot on a shelf.
    T hat’s what will perk me up. A nice cup of tea . She suddenly realized that she was very hungry. She’d not had breakfast and the clock on the wall showed she had missed lunch as well.
                  First things first. She had to find the necessary. Stepping out into the backyard she spied the small building discreetly hidden behind a tall elm. As she walked back to the kitchen door she noticed the tiny shoots of a newly planted garden. Lettuce, mint, and onions had just begun to sprout. She remembered with a catch in her throat that her uncle had loved to garden. She vowed to make his garden thrive and add new plants as the season progressed. Besides, she no longer lived in the Buckley household, where the comfort of having her meals provided was part of her board. She was going to have to learn to cook, otherwise she’d quickly tire of the few things she could prepare.
                  Claire filled the kettle from the well and set it on the stove. A few minutes’ search produced matches. In no time the fire was burning merrily and the kettle began humming. A canister above the stove was nearly full of tea leaves and soon Claire held a fragrant cup of her favorite brew in her hands. The stove warmed up the room nicely and Claire began to relax a bit. The rumble of her stomach reminded her she still needed to eat something, so she began prying through the cupboards and came up with a half loaf of bread and a jar of strawberry preserves.
    Well, I won’t go hungry anyway. Then she laughed at the absurdity of her thought. You fool, you own a store. It’ll have plenty of foodstuffs.
                  Claire enjoyed her simple meal and decided to take a look at the rest of her living quarters and her new store. Dusk was beginning to fall, so she lit a whale oil lamp and moved through a doorway int o the adjoining room. The parlor held a horsehair sofa and chairs. Two large ferns sat in decorative pots and kindling was neatly s tacked in the fireplace. Claire lit the fire and noticed a sturdy door on the far wall. Testing it, she found it