Gift Horse Read Online Free Page B

her imagination.“Or he could be used for clearing brush, or someone might be looking for a heavy hunter…”
    â€œOr a circus horse,” Dad said sarcastically. “But that’s all pretty unlikely, hon.”
    A slapping sound made the three of them look at the man with the shaved head. Sam had forgotten all about him, but he’d closed his notebook and fallen into step with Mr. Fairchild as they headed toward the small arena where the horses would be displayed for auction.
    â€œHow about a private bid of three thousand dollars to take the whole lot off your hands?” he asked Mr. Fairchild. “It’ll save you time trying to get them down the chute and into the ring. You could be home having dinner before you know it.”
    Mr. Fairchild shook his head and Sam almost applauded. She was just a kid, but even she could see that the man had no concern for Mr. Fairchild’s dinner.
    â€œDon’t be greedy, Baldy,” Mr. Fairchild said. “I’ve got to give folks their fair chance to bid on these animals.”
    The bald man glanced pointedly at the men striding toward the parking lot and the trucks driving away from the auction yards. Dusk was falling and it looked like most people were on their way home.
    Why wasn’t “Baldy” going home? Sam wondered. And why would he bid on a show horse, a draft horse, a pony, and two old ranch horses? They were all sodifferent. She supposed he might have a riding stable near Reno, where tourists rented horses by the hour. At least, that’s what she hoped.
    â€œHow about six hundred on the big boy?” Baldy jerked his thumb toward Tinkerbell.
    â€œSounds mighty appealing,” Mr. Fairchild said. “You might try that bid again in the ring.”
    The bald man was looking smug, as if he’d already won, when Mr. Fairchild introduced him to Sam and her dad.
    â€œThis is Baldy Harris,” Mr. Fairchild said. “He buys for Dagdown Packing Company.”
    If Dad had straightened in shock or Baldy had looked self-conscious, Sam might have known immediately what that meant. In fact, it took a few seconds for her to realize Baldy bought horses for a slaughterhouse. And he wanted Tinkerbell.
    As a microphone-magnified voice boomed over the auction yards, announcing the horse sale was about to begin, Sam grabbed Dad’s hand. She clung to it as they found a seat in the almost empty bleachers. She held tighter still when the fat dun pony trotted into the ring with a rider.
    When Baldy plopped himself onto a bench two rows behind them, Sam squeezed Dad’s hand as she hadn’t done since she was a little kid. But then, she hadn’t felt this scared and helpless for a long, long time.
    Baldy bid a hundred dollars for the pony.
    â€œOne hundred dollars,” the auctioneer repeated. “Anyone plan to give Baldy a little competition? One hundred dollars, but say, folks, you do understand how an auction works, don’t ya?”
    A few men chuckled and Sam realized that if the auctioneer called Baldy by name, he must do a lot of business here. The idea made her sick. She couldn’t help remembering what Dad had said about mustangs being sold for a nickel to fifty cents per pound.
    â€œOne-ten,” a woman’s voice called out, and Sam turned to look. She was a middle-aged ranch woman. A mother, Sam would bet, trying to get that pony for her kids. Sam flashed her a supportive smile.
    As the woman grinned back, Baldy raised the bid to one hundred twenty-five dollars.
    How much did that pony weigh? Sam bit her bottom lip and shook her head. For once, she was glad to be bad in math. She didn’t want to think like Baldy.
    That lady was taking a long time to counter Baldy’s bid. Sam twisted to look at her, but she’d bent to look inside her purse.
    Have enough , Sam thought. Please have enough.
    When the woman sat up, her lips were set in a hard line.
    â€œOne hundred thirty-eight