Read Online One True Love by Lori Copeland - Free Book Online Page A

built every hundred miles or so, but I’d think you could be in a heap of trouble if you were on one of those stages and ran into a band of Comanches or Kiowas.”
    â€œNow Sadie, didn’t you hear my lesson about fear?”
    â€œShore did, and sorry but I can’t agree. I don’t fancy seeing my scalp dangling from one of those redskins’ belts. If one approaches this gal, she’s heading in the opposite direction just as fast as she can run.”
    Copper chuckled, recalling her childhood encounter and the fright of seeing those braves staring down at her from horses that looked to be tall as pine trees.
    â€œThem savages don’t fight like us,” Sadie said. “They swoop in on their ponies and the arrows fly, then they turn tail and gallop off for all they’re worth and outrun the gunshots. They won’t stand and fight, though I’d have to say I can’t much blame them.”
    â€œSome of them have guns, don’t they, like we do?”
    Sadie made a poosh sound with her mouth. “Stolen, usually. From what I hear they ain’t much danger with a gun. They carry G.D. caps—cheap ammunition. The caps will shoot all right in dry weather, but they aren’t worth a lick in wet weather. There’s been many a red man picked off before he could reload.”
    Copper took note of the dark cloud bank that hung low in the northern sky when the wagon train pulled into evening camp. The past couple of days Indian summer held with mild and even warm temperatures.
    Today Sadie’s was the first wagon in line. Redlin put his horse into a stiff gallop and rode in a large circle. Sadie fell in behind, and the camping ritual began. As soon as the other rigs formed a circle the teams were brought to a stop. Wagons were drawn up with the front wheels beside the hind wheels of the rig in front. The ritual served two purposes; to know how to group if attacked, and to form a stock corral. A space about a wagon length formed a gate. As soon as stock was unhitched, the herders took them out to graze until sundown, then they were driven back inside the wagon corral for the night. Precautionary ropes were tied from wagon to wagon so that the stock couldn’t escape or be stolen by the Indians. Redlin’s train had about twenty extra horses and fifteen additional mules.
    Men dug the nightly trench and a fire was started. Sometimes wood was available; if not, buffalo chips were used. By sundown the air had filled with scents of beans seasoned with a big hunk of fat pork, bread cooking in a Dutch oven, and pots of sauce made from dried fruit.
    Tonight the wagons were camped within seeing distanceof a stage station. After supper Mike announced that he was taking the mail. He glanced at Copper, who had just made it back from the small stream where she’d taken a sponge bath. “Would you like to come along, Miss Wilson?”
    She would love to come along, but she knew that even the short walk was beyond her capacity.
    â€œI’ll put you sidesaddle on a horse and lead the animal,” he offered.
    â€œYou would?” Her heart quickened. The outing would be delightful. The mild night air made it a perfect evening to do something at least a little entertaining. It would be a much welcome respite from the dreary routine.
    Redlin glanced up with a frown when Copper passed him, assisted by Mike. She thought it might be nice to explain, to allay his curiosity, but then realized that she didn’t want to be nice. Not to him.
    Mike lifted her onto the horse and took her crutches, carrying them with the mail sack.
    Moonlight drenched the path as the young lad led the animal to the outpost. As they drew near, she noted the activity. A group of soldiers, evidently the ones who accompanied the stages, loitered in front of the outpost. When Mike led the animal to the railing, the entire group of men stood to their feet and removed their hats.
    Copper smiled. The men