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“Better get some coffee,” he advised

When she glanced to see if Mary was coht and straight to keep the leg bone in position Lorna felt helpless She thought she had learned to cope with everything that could possibly be thrown at her, yet she’d never had to handle an injury before

She wandered to the fire, not really wanting any coffee, but she poured a cup anyway Cupping it in her hands, she drifted to the edge of the circle, away froroup of cowboys It wasn’t her intention to eavesdrop, but when they started talking quietly a

“I’ll bet Spanish never knehat hit him,” Bob Vernon murmured

“They say the hair stands up on the back of your neck just before lightning hits you,” Vince Garvey offered, and Lorna felt her blood run cold A bolt of l

ightning had killed Spanish

“Yeah, well, there’s one consolation,” Shorty muttered “Spanish hated the cold I never liked the idea of bein’ fried hta been the way he’d a-chose”

“I sure e’d a-found somethin’ of the kid to bury” Zeke Taylor shook his head “It don’t seeht”

“Theround” Shorty bolted down a swig of coffee as if it were liquor

Lorna felt sick to her sto the side and leaning weakly against it Her hand covered hernausea or stifle the sobs choking her throat She kept re the time Joe Dollarhide had told her about the ranch he wanted to have soer he had been to beco way frorave to mark where he lay

“Lorna” It was Benteen

She sed hard “I was … just thinking about Joe … and how much he wanted to be a cowboy”

“Drink your coffee”

She hadn’t realized it was still in her hand until he carried the cup to her th stiffened her She brought her gaze up to his face, so lacking in emotion

“He was so young, Benteen,” sheto you? Or Spanish?”