Change of Heart Read Online Free PDF

sent her toasted her insides, and all signs of a chill within
her were gone.
    “This is nice,” she whispered.
    “Yes,” he said softly.
    “It feels so warm.” She looked into the
flames. “I love the glow of a fire.”
    “It beautifies everything around it.”
    Marietta glanced around the shack. She smiled
and set her gaze on Jase. “It even makes this humble home
attractive.”
    He took her hand and stood, helping her to
her feet. “If you’ll see to those biscuits you promised, I’ll check
on Zack. I brought a bucket of fresh water in from the well.”
    “There’s a well? I thought we might have to
melt snow for our water.”
    “We use it for the livestock mostly, but it’s
good, clean water for anyone who needs it. I made sure we found
good water before I located and built the cabin.”
    “This is your cabin?”
    “Yes. It’s at the far end of my property,
near the Morgan holdings. Storms come up quickly in this land. In
both winter and summer the storms can be quite fierce, even life
threatening. I put the shack up for emergency shelter, but we also
use it to rest in when we’re moving or working cattle in this part
of the range. It’s come in handy many times.” He stopped talking
and stared at her a moment. Then he grinned and said, “Now, how
about those biscuits? I’m hungry.”
    Marietta smiled back at him. “I’ll have them
ready before you know it.”
    He nodded and went to see to Zack.
    Marietta knew her biscuits and jerky wouldn’t
compare to the previous night’s feast at the Carsons’. The
bountiful meal had rejuvenated her in one way but had disheartened
her in another. She knew she’d be leaving in a day or two for
Chicago. A long trail lay ahead of her--a path of discomfort,
meager meals, and tiring, endless days. Meals like the one Amy
Carson had served wouldn’t come her way again for a very long
time.
    After they’d eaten, Jase took his gun and
went out to find fresh game. He tied a rope to a post on the
lean-to outside the shack and held on to the rope as he went out
into the storm. It would be his lifeline to the cabin. He’d told
Marietta, men got lost in blinding snowstorms and died if they
weren’t careful.
    With Jase gone and Zack content to play with
the few toys he had in his bag, Marietta took a book from her
belongings and began to read. When an hour had passed, she went to
the one window of the cabin and peered out. Jase was nowhere in
sight, but neither was anything else. The storm was thick and
blinding, and Marietta began to worry. What if Jase got lost? What
if he never came back? Another hour passed, and Marietta’s worries
turned to extreme fear. Jase finally returned thirty minutes later
with two rabbits.
    “It looks like we’ll have something real
tasty to go with the rest of those biscuits,” he told her,
smiling.
    Thank God he was safe, but did he have to
bring rabbits for their supper? Marietta knew she should be
grateful for the food--rabbit was definitely better than jerky--but
she’d eaten so much rabbit on the trail from the Missouri River
that she was afraid she’d start to grow fur.
    “That’s wonderful, Jase,” she said, rising
from the floor where she’d been reading. “I’ll help you clean
them.”

    ~ * ~

    Over the next two days, Jase and Marietta
spent time reading and discussing the books she’d brought with her
from Chicago. Such activities helped the time to pass bearably. She
was amazed by his interest in literature. She’d never dreamed a
rancher would enjoy books as much as Jase did.
    On the afternoon of the third day, the storm
had calmed, but it was still not safe to travel. Marietta stood by
the window and gazed into the whiteness with Jase standing close
behind her.
    “Do you think we’ll ever get out of here?”
she asked drearily.
    He placed his hand on her shoulder. “It won’t
be long now, Miss Randolf. You’ll see.”
    “I don’t know,” she said hopelessly.
“Everything has gone so wrong for me. Two