Mail Order Bride - Westward Justice: Historical Cowboy Romance (Montana Mail Order Brides Book 6) Read Online Free Page A

did.  To that end, I have been appointed Sheriff.  I’ll never fill Travis’ shoes, but I promise to do my best to keep the peace and protect the citizens of Dawson.  Thank you.”
                  The crowd gathered clapped quietly in response to his speech.  Some of them came forward to offer condolences to Mitch because they knew how close he had been with Travis.  He nodded and said the right words, but inside Mitch felt numb with grief.  As soon as he could, Mitch left the square and went to the office.
     

Chapter Three
     
                  Beth the coach driver was a woman after Sammi’s own heart.  She was tough, independent, and funny.  Instead of riding inside the coach all the time, Sammi sat up on the driver’s seat with her so they could talk.  By the time they arrived in Dawson, they had become fast friends.
                  When Sammi disembarked from the coach, she and Beth shook hands before Sammi grabbed her bags.  She had a large tan suitcase that was quite heavy.  It was packed with all of her guns and another smaller suitcase held her knives.  The third suitcase carried her clothes.  She also had a bedroll and a slicker. 
                  As she waited at the depot, she noticed the stares she drew from men and women alike and smiled.  She tipped her hat to some of them.  A few of the men smiled but the women looked unsure as to whether they should greet her or not.  It always amused Sammi to see the different reactions to her mode of dress.
                  She waited for a half hour and then decided that maybe the good deputy had gotten tied up with something.  Taking her suitcases inside the depot, she found the clerk.
                  “Hi there,” she said.
                  Bart Watson looked her up and down and said, “Yeah?”
                  Sammi read the disapproval on his face but ignored it.  “I think my ride got tied up somewhere.  I need to go find them and can’t take all of my bags with me.  Can I leave them here to pick up after a while?”
                  Bart nodded.  “It’s two dollars to store them,” he said.
                  Sammi counted off the bills.  “Now, I know everything that’s in them.  When I come back, if there’s anything missing, there’ll be trouble,” she said as she patted her gun.
                  Bart followed her hand movement and his eyebrows rose almost to his hairline.  He’d never seen a woman wear a gun before.  “No one will bother your things, miss.  I’ll see to it.”
                  Sammi handed over the money and asked, “Now, where’s the sheriff’s office?”
                  Bart gave her the directions and Sammi left the depot.  Her long legs carried her quickly down the street.  She saw the building Bart had described to her and went in the door.  The place was a little plain but it was clean and orderly.  Two desks faced each other and there were a couple of tables with lanterns sitting on them.  A coat rack stood in a corner.
                  A man sat at one of the desks and Sammi assumed that this was Mitch.  He was engrossed in something and said, “I’ll be right with you.”
                  Sammi didn’t say anything.  She took the opportunity to check him out.  His sandy hair was cropped close and neatly combed.  Sammi liked his broad shoulders and strong arms.  He finished what he was doing and looked up at her.
                  “Hello, Deputy Taylor,” she said with a smile.
                  Mitch’s eyes grew big as he looked at her.  His gaze travelled over her from head to toe.  Her cowboy boots and form fitting trousers emphasized her long legs and shapely hips.  She wore a blue western shirt that she filled out quite nicely.  She had a strong jaw for a woman but it didn’t