Part 17 (1/2)

Kyle asked the question Cynthie had been asking herself.

”What can he do here?”

Cynthie sipped the coffee thoughtfully. He had to make his own life

somewhere. She was sure he had family he hadn't told her about. Maybe nowhe was ready to tell someone about the accident and would let her write to them. It wasn't reasonable to hope that he would find a life here.

When she gave no answer, Kyle continued, ”You could pay the man's train fareto get him home, wherever that is.

I'd even be willing to get him as far as the station in Abilene. ” He saw the resistance on her face and added, ” If he doesn't want it from you, wecould get the church to raise it.

Would he object to that, do you think? The reverend would love a cause. ”

Cynthie smiled. He was right about the last, at least.

”I don't know. I don't want to rush him into a decision.”

Kyle felt a surge of anger and knew he had to move carefully.

”Waiting too long to make a decision might be a mistake, too. You've done your part, honey. You took care of him. Now he's well. He needs to move on.”

Cynthie tried to control her indignation at his words because she saw thetruth in them. She didn't want Winn to go but she had to let him.

She studied Kyle for a moment through the steam from her coffee. He was quite handsome and had always been kind to her. Why did she have to keepreminding herself of these things?

Maybe she wasn't really in love with Winn. Maybe it was just an attractionto a handsome stranger. Maybe she felt sorry for him and wanted to motherhim, or maybe she wanted to replace her father. Could it be just a fantasyor a game, a way of reliving the old girlish longings that her more matureheart now knew to be no thing more than dreams? And maybe she was head overheels in love and was angry at Kyle for coming and ruining her whole day.She didn't know.

She sighed and set the coffee cup in its saucer. Kyle reached across thetable and took her hand.

”I've missed you lately. You take too much on yourself, you know. This man is responsible for his own future.” He trapped her hand between both of hisand rubbed her wrist with his thumb as he added, ”And you're responsible formine.” He looked up to watch her face.

”You know it's true,” he added softly.

Cynthie wanted to pull her hand away and laughed to cover her panic.

”Now you're putting too much on me.” She got up to get him a saucer for hiscigar. It was an excuse to slip her hand free.

Kyle smiled and removed a cigar from his pocket. The faraway look on herface had concerned him but now he relaxed, feeling like he had just beeninvited to stay.

Winn and Greg walked toward the sorrel mare. Winn spoke softly and shetossed her head.

Greg didn't seem to be afraid of the horse; it must have been Dempsey thatworried him. Winn didn't like the man himself and had been glad to hear thespurs jingle away from him. Then he realized that Dempsey had gone into thehouse with Cynthie, and he had wanted, for a moment, to go after them.

He was confused about many things and he didn't feel competent to make anyclear judgments. He decided to take one thing at a time.

Lullaby flickered to get Winn's attention. He approached her carefully andshe stretched her neck for ward to nuzzle his shoulder. He realized with a

little surprise that he was glad to have her with him again.

”Lullaby, what have you been up to?” He rubbed the soft head and when his hand found the bridle, he curled his fingers around it.

”Yours?” Peter had come from the barn to join them. His voice came from about Greg's height and Winn guessed he was checking the mare's hooves.

”Yeah,” Winn answered.

”I should blame her in part for my accident but I guess I don't.””Let's get her inside.” Peter waited for Winn to let the bridle go beforeleading the horse toward the barn . Greg took Winn's hand now that it wasfree again.

”Can I ride her?””No!” Winn bent down to the boy and tried to soften the sharp reply.”She likes to buck. I can't let you ride her.”They followed Peter to the barn. Greg left Winn by Lullaby's new stall and ran to visit Sorry. Winn listened to the sounds of the horse breathing asPeter removed the saddle. In a few minutes Peter was beside him placingsomething in his hand.

”Want to brush her down?”Winn grinned and let Peter lead him forward. The boy knew more than horses,he decided. Brus.h.i.+ng a horse he couldn't see seemed less strange than he would have thought. Often, at the end of a day's work, he had tended hishorse in near darkness.Greg joined them in a few minutes.”Does she bite?” he asked.Winn was glad the boy had enough sense to stay back a little.”I've never known her to,” he said. Peter brought some oats and the mare moved toward

them. Winn was momentarily startled. He hadn't seen it coming.

”Why does she like to buck?” persisted the boy.”I don't know. I guess I kind of liked the challenge and never tried toohard to break her of it.”

Greg climbed halfway up the ladder to the loft and tried to turn around and sit down on a rung.

”Whee!” he yelled as Peter swung him to the floor.”I could break her,” Peter said confidently. Winn wasn't so sure, but heleft his doubts unspoken.

”Let's go back to the house,” he suggested instead, and then returned the brush to Peter.

”No,” responded Greg cheerfully and scampered up the ladder again.

Peter spoke softly near Winn.

”Dempsey's still there.”

So Peter had noticed the same fear in the child. Winn wanted to ask what he knew about Dempsey but Peter had already moved away.

”I'll go back to the well and finish that pumping.” Maybe the sound of thepump would remind Dempsey that Cynthie had things to do. He didn't likeDempsey, and he especially didn't like him spending so much time withCynthie. He hadn't gone three steps before Greg joined him and they walkedto the well together.

Chapter Eight.

Q^zns^Q Diack clouds boiled up on the horizon, filling the skyand blocking out the sun. Sharp flashes of lightning stabbed the darkness,sending waves of thunder rolling across the plains and shaking the earth.