Read Online Shadow on the Land by Wayne D. Overholser - Free Book Online

flour I see on your nose, girl.”
    Smiling reluctantly, Hanna came across the yard, still without greeting Lee, and he knew that the events on the Inland Belle had hurt her woman’s pride as badly as he had feared. Then there was movement under his feet, and an awakening Willie scrambled forward and stood with his forepaws on the side of the buggy. The dog yawned elaborately, and began to wag his tail, his head cocked, one ear up.
    â€œWhy, Lee Dawes! How did you get him?”
    â€œStole him,” he said amiably, “and rode all night so I could keep ahead of the lynchers and deliver him to you personally. Now that you have him, they can hang me.”
    The tension ebbing, Lee swung to the ground, and, after a moment of forced soberness, Hanna laughed. “Of course, I believe that. We hang dog stealers down here just like we hang horse thieves. Willie, we have trees, if you like junipers.” Willie had already made that discovery and dashed away. Hanna turned her gaze to Lee, her smile small and stiff. “You’ve earned your breakfast, Mister Dawes. The boys are eating, so you’ll have to put your horses away, Highpockets.” She nodded at Lee. “If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you where to wash.”
    There was a basin, a bucket of water, and a roller towel on the back porch. Hanna motioned to them, and went on into the kitchen where an Indian woman was busy at a huge range. Lee washed, and was combing his hair when Highpockets came from the barn.
    â€œHey, Hanna!” Highpockets called through the screen door. “Did you go and buy yourself one of them dad-burned autos?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThen who owns that rig in the barn?”
    The answer was drowned in a clatter of dishes. Highpockets led Lee through the door into the kitchen. Five men were seated at the long table, four of them members of Hanna’s crew.
    Lee paused just inside the door, his eyes riveted on the thick-shouldered man seated across the table from him. “Well, I’ll be damned,” Lee breathed. “I suppose you’ll be popping out of my beer next, Quinn.”

Chapter Five
    T he ranch hands paused in their eating, and Mike Quinn looked up with quick interest, a look of perverse satisfaction in his eyes. There was a moment of silence, in which somebody’s knife clattered loudly as it dropped from his hand to the table. Then Hanna, as if sensing the need to break this sharp unpredictable moment, said: “So you two know each other.”
    Quinn’s face relaxed into a sour grin. “We’d ought to.” Looking at Lee, he added: “Looks like you tangled with a grizzly, Dawes.”
    â€œSomething like that,” Lee said.
    â€œSit down.” Hanna motioned toward two empty places. “I did make biscuits, Highpockets.”
    Lee sank into the chair, glancing obliquely at Quinn, who had sobered, the old sense of frustration knifing through him. Across from him, Hanna was bending now to pour Highpockets’s coffee, the set of her finely chiseled features telling Lee that Quinn had probably gotten nowhere with her. She filled Lee’s cup, and in the steaming fragrance of the coffee was a sweeter scent that he knew was hers, and his senses stirred.
    â€œWhat did you do with your stage, Highpockets?” she asked.
    â€œTaking a week off.” Highpockets forked half a dozen sausages onto his plate. “Gonna sit right here till it’s over.”
    â€œDo you want to break the outfit?” Hanna asked with mock concern.
    â€œNope. Just get full. Eat up, Lee. Sure makes Hanna mad when a man just pecks at his grub like you’re doing.”
    â€œNot all men are as thoughtful as you,” Hanna said coolly.
    Lee’s gaze touched hers, and he felt the rebuke. He lowered his eyes to his plate, knowing that he would have to pay for his lack of gallantry on the Inland Belle .
    â€œWe’re sure losing ground this