Read Online Slocum 421 by Jake Logan - Free Book Online Page A

their horse breaking.”
    â€œI will do my best.”
    â€œMy boys know about our affair. I won’t hide it from them unless you feel uncomfortable about it.”
    â€œI don’t feel uncomfortable ever with you.”
    â€œGood. Let’s put your animals up. What have you been up to?”
    While they stowed his panniers and tack in the harness room, Slocum told her about shooting Hampton in Fort Hayes and the results. He left the treasure part out but told her about his hearing, the plan to send him to Leavenworth Prison, and his eventual escape.
    â€œOh well, you are no stranger to being on the run, are you?”
    He kissed her and held her tight to his body in the barn alleyway. “Hell, no.”
    â€œIf it was warm enough, I’d take you up in the hayloft like we did years ago.”
    â€œI have some fond memories of that loft and you.”
    â€œSo do I, Slocum.”
    â€œI am surprised you haven’t found a man by now.”
    â€œSome came by. But they wanted to rule my boys like some stern schoolteacher. I couldn’t stand that.” She frowned and in a harsh mimicking voice said, “‘Them boys need their asses busted twice a day.’” Then she shook her head. “I didn’t need them.”
    â€œNo. And I’ll be careful not to be that bad.”
    She gave him a shove. He knew he could not stay there long, but he aimed to enjoy some time doing things around her ranch.
    The boys were coming back from feeding hay to the herd, driving a hayrack with two big black Percheron horses jogging in the jingling harness for the home place.
    â€œHey, Slocum!” Tom shouted from beside his older brother, who was driving the empty hayrack.
    â€œOur man is back. See her smiling, Tom?”
    â€œYeah, so am I.”
    They stopped at the barn and jumped down to hug him and shake his hand. The reunion was good, and the boys were certainly in top physical shape.
    â€œSay,” Vance said. “We need to fork on some hay for tomorrow. Join us and we can talk.”
    â€œHe just got here,” their mother said, looking hard at them for wanting to work him so soon.
    â€œWe won’t kill him, we promise,” Tom said, and they all laughed. Tom turned away and went for another pitchfork for Slocum to use.
    Slocum scrambled up on the bed, and Tom was back, handing him a fork. And then they were all on board with the big horses headed for the remaining stacks.
    â€œWe had a great summer stacking this hay,” Vance said.
    â€œAnd we’ve worked our asses off this winter feeding it back. We had hoped to have four stacks left for next year, but the way this year is going, we will only have two.”
    â€œYou guys are doing a man’s job here.”
    â€œWe have money in the bank, and we’ll have a good bunch to sell next summer.”
    â€œThat’s super.”
    â€œWe are breaking some horses. Two are teams and three are saddle horses. These two wasn’t very well broke when we bought them, and they are dandies now.”
    â€œGreat horses.”
    Pulled in broadside to the stack, Tom tossed Slocum the fork and went off the side. “We have a ladder out back. Vance can stack it on the wagon as fast as we can fork it down.”
    They fell in trying to cover Vance up, but he was a handy at his job and the rig soon was piled high and loaded. They jumped aboard and rode back to the headquarters. The boys laughed and teased Slocum about coming to see their mom instead of them.
    â€œThat isn’t even hard to answer. Hell yes.”
    The big horses were stalled, and they showed him the other teams they had and were breaking.
    â€œThat buckskin pair we wanted for her buckboard, but man, they were tough to break. They’re still rowdy.”
    Slocum nodded. “Vance, they will be the toughest team you ever own and the best. Mark my words.”
    â€œWe almost sold them, but we had a vote and when Mom said