overlapping branches of spruce and pine.
It was close to sunset when they entered a clearing. Chase looked over his shoulder and frowned. Through the gloom of approaching twilight, a falling sheet of rain was coming toward them.
"Make that mare run, Raegan," he called, giving his mount a thump of his heel. "The post is just beyond that line of trees. Maybe we can out-run the rain."
Chapter Four
Big plops of rain were peppering Chase's and Raegan's head and shoulders as the two horses thundered up to a long, barracks-like building of unpeeled logs. "There's a shed of sorts in the back where we can stable the mounts," Chase called over his shoulder as he turned the stallion toward the rear of the post.
By the time Chase opened the door to the lean-to and led Sampson inside, the rain was coming down in earnest. Raegan dipped her head to avoid banging it against the top of the door frame as she urged Beauty to follow behind the stallion. There were three other horses already in occupancy and Chase tethered Sampson in a far corner away from them.
"He'll fight the others," he explained to Raegan who looked up questioningly from snubbing the mare next to a small pinto.
Tufts of hay hung from a half-loft and Chase forked down some for the mare and stallion. He and Raegan stood ready to go then, but before they made a dash through the rain to the dry warmth of the post, Chase cautioned, "Raegan, whatever I say or do in there, play along with me. All right?"
Raegan gave him a puzzled look, but with a nod of her head agreed that she would. Then Lobo shoved his nose in her hand and she exclaimed, "What about Lobo? Someone inside might shoot him."
"That is a poser." Chase ran slim fingers through his wet hair. "I'm so used to him now I forget that he's a wolf."
"I'll stay out here with him." Raegan turned to walk back into the dark interior of the small, drafty room.
"You can't do that!" Chase caught her arm. "You'd catch your death out here under this leaky roof."
"Well I'm not going to take a chance on him being killed. Can you think of anything else?"
"Maybe." Chase looked thoughtful. "Does he know the feel of a rope around his neck?"
"Yes." Raegan nodded. "Ever since he was little. Papa braided him a leather collar with a lead rope attached to it. We kept him tied to a tree out in the yard until he was grown and could take care of himself."
"Do you have it with you?" When Raegan nodded that she did, Chase added, "Put it on him and keep him beside you until I can get us a room. We'll put him in there then."
"You're sure no one will harm him in the meantime?" Raegan looked doubtful.
Chase patted the Bowie at his waist. "No one will lift a finger against him."
"Well, all right," Raegan agreed, though reluctantly, and went to her gear to fetch the collar and leather rope. She was saddened as she rummaged around for it, remembering her father fashioning the leash in the evenings as the wolf cub scampered around the shack. Those were such happy times, she and Mama and Papa together.
Lobo looked askance at his old leather ring, but stood quietly, allowing Raegan to fasten it around his thick muscular throat. When she picked up the lead rope and moved to the door, he walked at her heels. Raegan gave Chase a strained smile and said, "We're ready."
"Let's go then." He smiled back at her, and grasping her arm, they sprinted through the pelting rain.
The raucous din inside the dimly lit tavern room faded to silence when Chase opened the door and pushed Raegan ahead of him. The men stared at her water-soaked beauty, the wet dress clinging to her body, molding all her curves. It took a full minute before their gaze moved to the wolf standing protectively at her side, his ruff raised. There came a dark muttering and uneasy hands hovered over knives and guns.
"Hey, Donlin," a tall, bone-thin trapper called out, "What the hell you doin', bringin' a damn wolf in here?"
"Don't fret about it, Tom," Chase
It was close to sunset when they entered a clearing. Chase looked over his shoulder and frowned. Through the gloom of approaching twilight, a falling sheet of rain was coming toward them.
"Make that mare run, Raegan," he called, giving his mount a thump of his heel. "The post is just beyond that line of trees. Maybe we can out-run the rain."
Chapter Four
Big plops of rain were peppering Chase's and Raegan's head and shoulders as the two horses thundered up to a long, barracks-like building of unpeeled logs. "There's a shed of sorts in the back where we can stable the mounts," Chase called over his shoulder as he turned the stallion toward the rear of the post.
By the time Chase opened the door to the lean-to and led Sampson inside, the rain was coming down in earnest. Raegan dipped her head to avoid banging it against the top of the door frame as she urged Beauty to follow behind the stallion. There were three other horses already in occupancy and Chase tethered Sampson in a far corner away from them.
"He'll fight the others," he explained to Raegan who looked up questioningly from snubbing the mare next to a small pinto.
Tufts of hay hung from a half-loft and Chase forked down some for the mare and stallion. He and Raegan stood ready to go then, but before they made a dash through the rain to the dry warmth of the post, Chase cautioned, "Raegan, whatever I say or do in there, play along with me. All right?"
Raegan gave him a puzzled look, but with a nod of her head agreed that she would. Then Lobo shoved his nose in her hand and she exclaimed, "What about Lobo? Someone inside might shoot him."
"That is a poser." Chase ran slim fingers through his wet hair. "I'm so used to him now I forget that he's a wolf."
"I'll stay out here with him." Raegan turned to walk back into the dark interior of the small, drafty room.
"You can't do that!" Chase caught her arm. "You'd catch your death out here under this leaky roof."
"Well I'm not going to take a chance on him being killed. Can you think of anything else?"
"Maybe." Chase looked thoughtful. "Does he know the feel of a rope around his neck?"
"Yes." Raegan nodded. "Ever since he was little. Papa braided him a leather collar with a lead rope attached to it. We kept him tied to a tree out in the yard until he was grown and could take care of himself."
"Do you have it with you?" When Raegan nodded that she did, Chase added, "Put it on him and keep him beside you until I can get us a room. We'll put him in there then."
"You're sure no one will harm him in the meantime?" Raegan looked doubtful.
Chase patted the Bowie at his waist. "No one will lift a finger against him."
"Well, all right," Raegan agreed, though reluctantly, and went to her gear to fetch the collar and leather rope. She was saddened as she rummaged around for it, remembering her father fashioning the leash in the evenings as the wolf cub scampered around the shack. Those were such happy times, she and Mama and Papa together.
Lobo looked askance at his old leather ring, but stood quietly, allowing Raegan to fasten it around his thick muscular throat. When she picked up the lead rope and moved to the door, he walked at her heels. Raegan gave Chase a strained smile and said, "We're ready."
"Let's go then." He smiled back at her, and grasping her arm, they sprinted through the pelting rain.
The raucous din inside the dimly lit tavern room faded to silence when Chase opened the door and pushed Raegan ahead of him. The men stared at her water-soaked beauty, the wet dress clinging to her body, molding all her curves. It took a full minute before their gaze moved to the wolf standing protectively at her side, his ruff raised. There came a dark muttering and uneasy hands hovered over knives and guns.
"Hey, Donlin," a tall, bone-thin trapper called out, "What the hell you doin', bringin' a damn wolf in here?"
"Don't fret about it, Tom," Chase
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