Read Online The Stafford Collection, Historical Western Romances by Lynn Hubbard - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lynn Hubbard
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at his silence, Sabrina turned and headed down the town’s boardwalk deliberately not watching him leave.
As she passed the jail, she noticed the door was ajar. She had not been inside for a while. Glancing around cautiously she entered. Seeing her picture still nailed to the wall, she quickly ripped it down and folded it up, placing it in her pocket. Feeling better, she decided to stop by the saloon, pick up some supper and walk down to the river to eat.
The Swan was slow. Inside there were just a few regulars who scraped together enough cash to play some cards and get a drink. She barely noticed them as she headed to her usual stool.
“Hey Mac, could you pack me up some food? I need some fresh air.”
Mac nodded as he moved closer, taking in her demeanor. “Why so glum?”
“I dunno, do you ever wonder why we’re here? What’s our purpose?”
Mac stared at her. “Sounds like you got the whole world on your shoulders. The world’s too heavy for a boy of your age.” He went to the back to get her food and Sabrina followed him to help. Looking at her, he spoke again. “But, yes, I think we all have a purpose---mine is to keep the drunks from busting up the place. And yours, well, you’re good with animals but I don’t think God planned on you being in a barn your whole life. I’m sure you know that too; otherwise you wouldn’t be in here pestering me and worrying. God has plans for us all; we just have to listen when he calls.”
It was Sabrina’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “I dunno Mac, maybe you missed your callin’ too.” She bade him farewell, took her poke sack and walked down to the river.
She sat in her favorite spot under the big saw tooth oak. The huge limbs offered shade as she sat eating her chicken. She watched the activity on the river. The whole town seemed to grow, as if overnight. She knew that Brock had been busy and had heard a couple of gunshots here and there at night but nothing major. Usually it was just some drunk with a chip on his shoulder. That was a bad combination. Mac had banned her from coming into the saloon after dark. Even though Mac’s saloon was tamer than some of the other ones in town, she heeded his warning. She didn’t need any more trouble.
She heard the train whistle a while before she saw it. The big black steel engine coughed its black smoke into the air as it chugged closer and closer. The whistle screamed as the locomotive came into town and stopped with a mighty wheeze. Sabrina wondered briefly about the people boarding and arriving. Her own train experience had been unpleasant. The fact was that all Warren had to do was follow the darn track down to Tulsey Town and he would find her. She wondered if he was even still looking.
The Reward poster was a couple of years old. She wondered where the heck Brock had gotten it from? She’d sent her Aunt a letter at one of the train stops just to let her know that she was safe. She used the rest of her money to buy a ticket that would take her as far away as possible. She ended up in Tulsey because that was all she could afford. The end of the line. Maybe she was meant to be here. Feeling sleepy she lay her head down for a quick nap.
Brock rode into town set on getting his last load and hitting the bed. It had been a quiet week so he felt confident he could leave early with no big disaster. He noticed Jack Swanson at the Stables feeding his horse and he frowned. Where was the boy? As if Troy was reading his mind, the horse sauntered over to the stables automatically and, sighing, Brock dismounted and greeted Jack.
“Where’s Will?” he found himself asking.
“Oh, I don’t know, haven’t seen him since this afternoon. He’s a real good helper but he wanders off from time to time. You know how young’uns are.”
Brock looked up at the sky, the sun had already set and the brilliant pinks, oranges, and blues were fading into a deeper purple as the light
As she passed the jail, she noticed the door was ajar. She had not been inside for a while. Glancing around cautiously she entered. Seeing her picture still nailed to the wall, she quickly ripped it down and folded it up, placing it in her pocket. Feeling better, she decided to stop by the saloon, pick up some supper and walk down to the river to eat.
The Swan was slow. Inside there were just a few regulars who scraped together enough cash to play some cards and get a drink. She barely noticed them as she headed to her usual stool.
“Hey Mac, could you pack me up some food? I need some fresh air.”
Mac nodded as he moved closer, taking in her demeanor. “Why so glum?”
“I dunno, do you ever wonder why we’re here? What’s our purpose?”
Mac stared at her. “Sounds like you got the whole world on your shoulders. The world’s too heavy for a boy of your age.” He went to the back to get her food and Sabrina followed him to help. Looking at her, he spoke again. “But, yes, I think we all have a purpose---mine is to keep the drunks from busting up the place. And yours, well, you’re good with animals but I don’t think God planned on you being in a barn your whole life. I’m sure you know that too; otherwise you wouldn’t be in here pestering me and worrying. God has plans for us all; we just have to listen when he calls.”
It was Sabrina’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “I dunno Mac, maybe you missed your callin’ too.” She bade him farewell, took her poke sack and walked down to the river.
She sat in her favorite spot under the big saw tooth oak. The huge limbs offered shade as she sat eating her chicken. She watched the activity on the river. The whole town seemed to grow, as if overnight. She knew that Brock had been busy and had heard a couple of gunshots here and there at night but nothing major. Usually it was just some drunk with a chip on his shoulder. That was a bad combination. Mac had banned her from coming into the saloon after dark. Even though Mac’s saloon was tamer than some of the other ones in town, she heeded his warning. She didn’t need any more trouble.
She heard the train whistle a while before she saw it. The big black steel engine coughed its black smoke into the air as it chugged closer and closer. The whistle screamed as the locomotive came into town and stopped with a mighty wheeze. Sabrina wondered briefly about the people boarding and arriving. Her own train experience had been unpleasant. The fact was that all Warren had to do was follow the darn track down to Tulsey Town and he would find her. She wondered if he was even still looking.
The Reward poster was a couple of years old. She wondered where the heck Brock had gotten it from? She’d sent her Aunt a letter at one of the train stops just to let her know that she was safe. She used the rest of her money to buy a ticket that would take her as far away as possible. She ended up in Tulsey because that was all she could afford. The end of the line. Maybe she was meant to be here. Feeling sleepy she lay her head down for a quick nap.
Brock rode into town set on getting his last load and hitting the bed. It had been a quiet week so he felt confident he could leave early with no big disaster. He noticed Jack Swanson at the Stables feeding his horse and he frowned. Where was the boy? As if Troy was reading his mind, the horse sauntered over to the stables automatically and, sighing, Brock dismounted and greeted Jack.
“Where’s Will?” he found himself asking.
“Oh, I don’t know, haven’t seen him since this afternoon. He’s a real good helper but he wanders off from time to time. You know how young’uns are.”
Brock looked up at the sky, the sun had already set and the brilliant pinks, oranges, and blues were fading into a deeper purple as the light
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