Read Online Salvation's Secrets (The Loflin Legacy Prequel) by Catherine Wolffe - Free Book Online Page A

the courage to ask, “How is
he?”
    “He lives. Charles is resting.” The father
dropped his chin and shook his head. “I’m not sure how he still
lives except by his own determined will. His wounds are many and
he’s lost so much blood, yet he still lives.”
    “You said he’s resting – is he asleep? Can I
see him?” The rush of hope surged up Seth’s throat like a
bullet.
    “You may see him, but only for a few
minutes. Do not persist with questions which he cannot answer, do
you understand, young Seth?” The Spanish grew heavy in the father’s
words and Seth knew he should tread lightly.
    “I won’t. I just need to see for myself.
That’s all.” Snatching his Stetson off, he followed the padre into
the inner chamber where his friend and brother lay as white as
snow. The hallows under Charles’ eyes were blue-black and deep. A
bandage swathed his head and blood stained the bandage at the right
temple. His breathing was shallow and perspiration shown on his
upper lip. A night’s growth of beard already shadowed his face.
Seth had seen death before. On a ranch, a boy grew to recognize
death early on. Charles bore the image of a man teetering on the
edge of the great abyss.
    Softly stepping back, the padre left the two
alone.
    “Don’t go puttin’ dirt on my grave just
yet.” Charles’ voice sounded weak and thin.
    Seth sucked in air without realizing. He
reached out a tentative hand, laying his fingers atop his friend’s.
“They got you good, brother.” He used the reference out of respect
and love. Neither cowboy showed much affection – neither understood
how. This admission would cost him, he was sure, somewhere along
the way. Still, he didn’t care. Charles needed to know what he
meant to Seth, even if he lived. The fact he’d almost died
was enough for Seth.
    “Yea, the foreman over at the Triple M sent
me after the Injuns. I told him they weren’t the ones.” Charles
swallowed hard and opened the one eye, which wasn’t swollen shut.
“Don’t know which one drew first, but I saw Jesus’ face. His boy
shot me in the shoulder. He meant to hurt me, not kill me. It was a
trap.” The coughing broke his facade of calm as pain rippled across
his battered features. “They wanted it to look like Injuns and when
I told them I could prove otherwise, they decided to teach me a
lesson.” He finished with another coughing spell, leaving him limp
and sheet white.
    “A lesson? They’re the ones stealing
cattle?” Seth’s brow drew together in bemusement. Slumping into the
nearest chair, he worked on the ‘why’ of the ambush. “More cattle,
more money at the sale but how’d they expect to get away with a
fool stunt like this?”
    “I came up on their little branding
operation. They’re adding to the Loflin brand. Before they started
the stampede, I found several with freshly branded hide. The triple
M brand looked good enough for the stockyards.”
    Charles’ coughing started again and when
Seth recognized fresh blood, he called for Father Samuel. Lingering
in the outer room, he hunkered down in front of the slow simmering
fire. The same fire the father had used to cauterize Charles’
wounds. His brother, his friend, the best friend in the whole world
had attempted to prove the Comanche’s innocence. No one had ever
stood up for someone he cared for before. Not like this. A tense
surge of guilt washed over him. There weren’t words to describe the
sacrifice of his friend. The gratitude embedded deep in his soul
would remain forever. So caught up in his own desires, he’d managed
to forget the world around them. Unworthy of his friend’s concern
yet so grateful for his courage, Seth managed a quiet prayer for
them all.
    “Your father will be here soon.” Father
Samuel came up behind him and rested a hand on his shoulder. “He
sent someone to town looking for the two of you. Soon word of young
Charles’ deeds will travel with the survivors of this tragedy.”
    Nodding, Seth