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With a flick of his wrist, Judd Boston snapped the buggy whip close to the ears of the chestnut ed forward and the wooden wheels of the buggy began their first revolution The two rey

Turning back to the stable, Benteen walked to the packhorse to unload it first “You made yourself an enemy, Benteen” Jessie Trumbo spoke quietly Benteen still counted the rider as a friend

A reply didn’t see down the street Most of the men at the Ten Bar were his friends, but there were soled weave of friendship and enh, short-tempered land that kept the aloof interest in his dark eyes “Is it all right if I stow ear inside, Stoney?” he asked the stablehand instead

“Sure” The aging, semi-crippled man nodded

Benteen carried the pack inside the stable and into a s the holstered revolver over his shoulder for the ti and removed his rifle He went back outside to unsaddle the chalk-faced bay

“Where’s Barnie?” Jessie asked, leaning over his saddle horn “I thought he ith you”

“He did” Benteen hooked the stirrup over the saddle horn and began loosening the cinch “I left him up in Montana Territory north of the Yellowstone He’s lookin’ after ”

“Montana” Jessie sat up, whistling under his breath in surprise “Then you are pulling out You didn’t just tell Boston that to be talking”

“Nope” Benteen lifted the heavy saddle off the horse’s back, a glint of pride flashing in his dark eyes

“Where you gonna get a herd? Are you takin’ your pa’s?”

“I thought I’d spend the winter beating the thickets and putting together a herd ofup stakes and going with hiood with a rope to co”

Jessie grinned “It’ll be pure hell chasin’ down longhorns in all that scrub, but it sounds better than ‘yes-sirring’ Mr Moneybags”

Benteen hefted the saddle onto his shoulder and carried it into the stable to leave it with the rest of his gear When he ca cowboy had ropes around the necks of his two horses and were leading them away Stoney limped up to stand beside him

“You can have the gray gelding in the first stall,” he said “Jest turn hih with him He’ll find his oay back Always does”

“Thanks, Stoney” He picked up the rifle he’d leaned against the side of the stable and started down the dusty street