Page 6 (2/2)

It was better if she didn’t mention to her mother the way Benteen had made her feel The exciteh her body She’d simply have to learn to overcome them She wanted to be a proper wife

It waswhen Benteen reached his father’s Cee Bar Ranch Once they’d talked about a partnership, but the Crash of ’73 had wiped out that drea had forced Benteen to work elsewhere while his father continued his attempt to save the ranch Last winter’s blizzards had virtually written the end to that dream—the blizzards and Judd Boston

Benteen had had only a vague suspicion about worked-over brands until he’d voiced it yesterday to Boston Benteen was fairly sure now that the banker had been taking a cow here, a steer there There were a couple of unscrupulous characters on his payroll, and Benteen believed he’d found the reason why It was unlikely he could prove it He wasn’t even sure how much difference it would make if he could At the most, his father had probably lost fifty head over the past five years The trouble was, his operation was so small, fifty head hurt him Numbers—that was the secret

Benteen had observed closely Judd Boston’s operation at the Ten Bar He’d learned a lot, and he knew cattle Judd Boston had inadvertently taught hirowth, and markets

Halting the gray gelding in front of the barn, he disear fro it down the rutted lane they had just traveled The horse would show up in a couple of days at the livery stable, wanting its ration of oats and corn

After putting the saddle and bridle away, Benteen carried his gear to the house, a sie There were only four rooe and an inside well pu water in the house; a front room with a stone fireplace for heat, a pecan desk, and a horsehair sofa; and two small bedrooms

Benteen set his rifle in the rack by the desk and took his bedroll and saddlebags into the

smaller of the two bedroon of his father, but he hadn’t expected to find him home in the middle of the day

It had been ed He looked at the picture occupying the honored position on the fireplace mantel The ease went out of him as he walked over to the blackened hearth and took down the ornately carved oval fraraph

The woman was beautiful There was no doubt about that Benteen suspected that the priuerreotype didn’t do her justice Her hair was blond—the color of wild honey, his father had claiht It was a bold co when co, yet feminine features

But Benteen didn’t see the beauty of the woman as his mother when he looked at the picture He noticed the self-centered deter more out of life in her eyes Was he bitter? Yes

If it had been his choice, the fraraph of Madelaine Calder would have been used for kindling a long tio But it hadn’t been his choice He returned the picture to its proper place on the mantel and entered the kitchen to boil some coffee

His father rode in just before sundown Not a dereeted his son with reserve, despite the long separation There was a strong rese, but Benteen had a lot of rough edges yet; his father had been worn and polished smooth

Feords were exchanged while his father washed up and Benteen put their supper on the table Not until the meal was over and his father had leaned back in his chair was there any serious attempt at conversation

An occasional cigar was one of the few luxuries Seth Calder permitted himself to enjoy any it between his lips in a silent savoring His attitude and appearance seee of bankruptcy No le to keep the ranch, he admired his father’s lack of self-pity—the front he continued to display even if it was false