Chaparral Range War (9781101619049) by Richards Dusty

Author:Richards, Dusty
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin USA
Published: 2012-12-14T05:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

PETE AND COMPANY arrived the next evening. Estevan and Enrico had come with him. All three rode in on burros, which they must have had to beat a thousand times on the butt to keep up with Noble and his pack train. They could not have gotten any more “stuff” on the ranch horses. Noble’d borrowed four more packsaddles to move them.

The “boys” swept the ground with their sombreros when Guthrey introduced Cally to them. Pete, too, was impressed with her. They’d never met before. She served a spicy pork dish and the Mexicans thought they were at home. Guthrey was pleased. He had learned about the good, fresh-faced men from Mexico who came to work at any job they could find—very different from the hard-faced, lazy hombres that caused trouble and were really banditos.

The old man looked tired, but Noble never let on how weary he might be. They all slept out under the stars, and they were up when Guthrey went to milk the cow in the predawn. Enrico asked to milk the cow and Guthrey let him.

A short while after breakfast, they loaded up again, and Noble took Pete and the two Mexicans to the canyon. In the buckboard, Guthrey and Cally headed for Soda Springs to see about Dan. It was a cooler morning. The spring daytime heat had been warming more with each passing day. The northern breath was not cold, simply milder than the days before. The team even acted spirited. Lobo was saddled and tied on the back in case Guthrey needed a horse while they were in town. They made good time and were at Doc’s a little past noon. Guthrey bought their lunch in the small café and they went back across the street to see about Dan.

They found him sitting at a table eating some of Kathryn’s soup. She greeted them and made a fuss. “He’s walking,” Kathryn announced, like she had done the whole thing.

Dan was pleased and acted ready to go home. “How are things?”

“Fine, waiting for you to get back so Noble and I can sleep a few days,” Guthrey told him. On the ride over, Cally and Guthrey had decided not to say much about the rock outcropping and hiring Pete. The less that was out about that, the better, until they knew more. Gossip would get around fast enough.

Cally spoke to Kathryn about the doctor’s bill they owed and she said the doctor would mail them one. Guthrey could tell the matter bothered Cally, but they would do something about it later. He excused himself and went over to the county offices to check on things. He slipped into the telegraph office and Tommy frowned at him. “You back with more prisoners?” he asked in a whisper.

Guthrey shook his head. “They all still here?”

“Yeah, and the sheriff has to have guards around the clock to watch and feed them. He really cussed you out over that the other day in the hall.”

“Too bad. Just thought I’d check on them.

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