Set Texas Back on Her Feet by J. T. Edson

Author:J. T. Edson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: C429, Extratorrents, Kat
ISBN: 9781850573326
Publisher: Magna Large Print Books
Published: 1973-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

I Don’t Want Any Trouble

‘Have you wondered if perhaps Goo-Colonel Goodnight and his friends might have an ulterior motive for persuading other ranchers to try and reach Kansas with their herds?’ Marlene Viridian inquired, sitting on the decorative stone wall of the porch and looking up at the blond giant.

After finishing the dance with Mark Counter, Marlene had continued with her plan to cultivate his acquaintance. Disregarding her hostess’s thinly-veiled and obvious disapproval, she had remained in his company and contrived to carry on being his partner. She had made herself very pleasant, without openly flirting, and believed she had suggested to him that she was willing to go farther at a more suitable time.

While dancing and talking, Marlene had formed an assessment that was much in the big Texan’s favour. He drank sparingly, which might prove a mixed blessing in view of what she had planned for him, and he struck her as being intelligent. Certainly he was anything but a naive, fairly wealthy, small town bumpkin. Nor would he, unfortunately, be an easily controlled tool. However, she was even more certain that he would be suitable for her needs.

With her decision reached, Marlene had suggested that they should step outside for a breath of fresh air. She had done so in such a way that she implied there might be more than that in store for him. Going through the open set of French windows at the right side of the dining-room, she had moved along the porch into the shadows. Halting where they could not be seen by the other people attending the ball, she had sat on the wall and steered the conversation to the topic which was uppermost in practically everybodys’ thoughts in Fort Worth.

‘What would that be?’ Mark inquired, remaining on his feet and at a decorous distance.

‘If enough of them try it, there will be a shortage of cattle at the hide and tallow factories,’ Marlene explained, trying to read some evidence in his face of how he was taking the words. He seemed interested, so she continued, ‘The prices will go up and that would be to the advantage of anybody who hasn’t taken herds to the railroad.’

‘Do you reckon that’s what Goodnight has in mind?’ the blond giant growled and, to the woman’s delight, he sounded indignant.

‘It’s possible,’ Marlene stated. ‘Do you believe that anybody could drive a herd all that way?’

Before Mark could make a reply, a shadow fell in the lighted area beyond the French windows. Glancing by the big Texan, Marlene frowned as she recognized the person who was emerging from the dining-room. Turning his head, Mark also looked. What he saw caused him to swing around slowly and face the newcomer. While he did not know the young man, or connect him with the Fitt family, Mark drew some fairly accurate-and a few erroneous- conclusions regarding him. One was that it might be advisable to keep him under observation.

Some people might have mistaken Garvin Fitt for a cowhand, but the blond giant would not be one of them.

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