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Boston laughed silently, as if it were preposterous to think there was any cause for Benteen’s suspicions in the past or future “I have an appointment to keep You will excuse me” He formally took his leave from them and paused to add, “My best wishes to you both” The last was really directed at Lorna, a subtle atteraces and cast doubt in her mind about Benteen’s opinion of him

A gried his jaw as Benteen watched Judd Boston walk aith the slow, y springs creaked under Lorna’s shifting weight Benteen glanced sideways, reading the thinly veiled disapproval in her expression

“You weren’t very courteous, Benteen”

“His kind doesn’t listen to courtesy” His reply was abrupt

Lorna’s mother came out of the store Benteen ive her a hand into the buggy Then he was in the seat beside Lorna, turning the bay gelding toward its home stable

On his way ho, Judd Boston made a rare detour that took him out to the herd of beefs scheduled to take the trail north in two days There was an additional mission he wanted his trail boss to carry out, after the cattle were delivered to the railhead at Dodge City

One of the drovers spotted the buggy bouncing across the prairie with its escort of

riders alongside and passed the word to Bull Giles that the boss was on his way Bull Giles rode out to meet him Bull came by his nickname honestly He had the neck, shoulders, and chest of a purebred Durhaumentative as a bull on the prod, testy at the best of ti them He had the talent and the kno to be top man on any ranch, but not the ability to say “yes, sir” to the owner So he bossed trail herds, which kept enough distance between himself and the owner

The Ten Bar forey Bull Giles had no love for the nored him to speak directly to Judd Boston

“Is soe as Bull struggled to sound courteous and respectful

“Benteen Calder will be pulling out with his herd in a few days” Judd Boston went directly to the point

“Yes, and they’ll be tastin’ our dust all the way to Dodge City,” Bull announced

Boston wasn’t concerned as first or second on the trail “Just get those beefs to ht on them It isn’t a race”

“I know about trailin’ cattle,” Bull asserted

“You’d better,” he stated Bull Giles hadn’t been his choice, but Loman Janes insisted he was the besthis herd all the way to the Montana Territory I want to know if that’s where he really goes”