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While the cowboys waited in line for Rusty to dish up their plates of stew, Benteen identified them individually to her Two of the shyer ones turned red when she was introduced to theh, but all of them treated her with the ut, loud trailhands she’d seen on the streets of Fort Worth
There was no order to the round, leaving their hats on and shoveling the food into their ht not be another meal for days Lorna found it difficult to appear at all ladylike when she was sitting cross-legged on the ground with her skirts billowing around her and holding the plate of stew she was eating Rusty came around with the coffeepot to refill the cups
“This stew is very unusual” She had been taught to co that tasted quite like it before, it seeical to mention it “What’s it called?”
There was a lull in the conversation Rusty glanced at Benteen Everyone was fully aware of his orders about swearing in front of the women
“It’s called … son-of-a-gun stew,” Rusty said finally, and a few of the cowboys chuckled aloud
Lorna didn’t understand the joke and slid a questioning glance at Benteen His aze down
“It’s uessed
“Well, yes,it “It’s ets its flavor frout”
“Marrow gut,” Lorna repeated, and let her fork rest on the plate “What’s that?”
“It comes from the tube that
connects a coo storeat deal of his life at sea, Rusty knew sailors had to have so sick and diseased So did cowboys on the trail Meat and beans alone weren’t enough Since cattle ate grass, the necessary nutritious ele their storeens “Son-of-a-bitch stew,” as it was more widely known, usually contained it
“Oh” Lorna stared at her plate and wished she had never asked There wasn’t any way she could eat another bite And the food that was in her stomach didn’t feel like it wanted to stay there She looked across the way at Mary, but she didn’t appear to have been listening
As if she hadn’t been through enough that day, here she was eating aniround, not caring that the cutlery clattered off the side, and scrambled to her feet
“Excuselook
Gathering her skirts tightly around her, she ran froon She sprawled the length of the quilt-topped mattress and started to cry She just couldn’t take any more