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“Since when is this Ten Bar land?” Benteen challenged He thought he knew er

“Since Mr Boston said it was” The rifle was shifted to turn its black ot orders to shoot trespassers if they won’t move on”

“More of Boston’s orders?” There was nothing reasonable in Benteen He was all cold and reckless inside as he walked his horse straight at the rifle barrel “You knoho I a”

“I was told to expect you, Calder” The s to the Ten Bar now Mr Boston felt you ht need some convincin’ of that”

“And how did he convince lance at the rifle “With that, too?”

“Can’t say” There was a sative move of the man’s head, but he didn’t take his eyes off Benteen for even a fraction of a second “No more talk I ain’t paid to talk Ride out, Calder”

Benteen felt a hard, raw desire to charge the man and ram that rifle barrel down his throat He never took kindly to a gun pointed at him He liked it even less now

But it would have been a stupid rated hard on his pride to turn his horse away and ride out of the yard But there were toohis horse onto the road to Fort Worth

5

Benteen’s herd wasn’t the only one being held outside of Fort Worth that early spring The cattle toas croith rowdy cowboys and trail outfits stocking up with supplies for the drive north when Benteen rode in

There was a leaden anger inside hi to a stop in front of the Pearce house Dis and walked to the front porch His footsteps sounded heavy as he crossed the board floor and knocked twice on the door When it opened, Benteen let his hard gaze search Lorna’s face

After an instant of startled recognition, she hite “You know,” she whispered

“Pa’s dead” His voice was flat as he read the confirmation in her expression

Lorna nodded once, her lips parting, but no words caaze to the door’s threshold, physically nu to accept the truth of the words he’d said, but protest raged inside him

“When?” The one-word question rumbled from a deep pit within himself