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Dollarhide started to turn the draft horse’s head and ride off, then seemed to remember somet

hing and kept the animal parallel with Benteen

“I ht sorry to hear about your pa, Mr Calder” There was a stiffness to his words as he tried to show proper respect

Benteen’s eyes narrowed to beco “My pa? What do youat a man that made hi now

“Just that … him fallin’ over dead was so suddenlike and all” The esture

Benteen showed nothing in his face, but the blood inside him ran quick and cold A heaviness pushed on his chest until he couldn’t breathe

Dimly he heard Dollarhide say, “I’ll be here at daybreak”

The nod of his head was auto his heels into the broad sides of the big chestnut horse and rode away For several led with the icy unreality of the news There was ain hi it

The uncertainty was intolerable He wheeled his horse around and cantered it back along the herd to where Jessie Tru his mount in, Benteen kept the tension on the bit and the horse skittered along in a dancing walk

“I’ to the Cee Bar,” he inforet back”

“Sure” Jessie eyed hi nearby in this land His instinct sensed its closeness now He’d seen that look in Benteen’s face a few tiood

A twist of the reins and the goad of a dull work spur sent Benteen’s horse bounding into a gallop, veering away fro at a run, driven by a sense of urgency When the ranch buildings cahtness wound inside hi

His horse was snorting and blowing hard as Benteen pulled it down into a slower gait and approached the house at a cantering trot A bad feeling ran along his spine It didn’t get better when Benteen spotted the roan horse in the corral A Ten Bar brand was burned in its hip

He started to ride over to the corral for a closer look, when the front door opened and a man stepped onto the porch, a rifle held at the ready Benteen swung his horse around to face the man

“You’re trespassing on private property, Benteen” Theout harsh and clear