of meat and sliced off a thin strip lengthwise.
âMakinâ jerky?â
âThatâs right. Itâs antelope meat. Papa says theyâre good this time of the year, when the grass comes green.â She glanced up from her work. âSo, you live over this way, do you?â
âI have a camp is all. Iâm a packer, so Iâm on the trail a good part of the time, when the weather allows.â
Her dark eyes looked at him again. âI think weâve met. Or seen each other. Iâm Isabel, you know.â
He took off his hat, but she didnât seem to notice the courtesy, so he dragged his cuff across his forehead. âAnd Iâm Tom, as I already mentioned.â
âSure.â She pulled the knife through the haunch and cut off a long, thin piece. âI think Bill Selby mentioned you just yesterday when he came by.â
Fielding shifted on his stool. âIt was a little thing that happened, but everyone seems to have heard of it.â
âI think Bill came over here to tell Papa just as soon as he could. He made you out to seem like the rescuer.â
âLike I say, it wasnât much.â
She paused in her work and let her eyes meet his. âDo you think those other men mean trouble? Bill seemed shaken by it.â
Fielding rotated his hat in his hands. âI donât know what all they said before or after I was there. I just saw them pushinâ him around, and I didnât think it was fair. If thereâs something bigger behind it, Iâm yet to know.â
âBut you stuck your neck out. Thatâs what Bill said. I know he appreciated it.â
âIâm glad he did. I donât think the other side did, though.â
âBut you stood up for him, see? Thatâs good.â
He felt relaxed with her, and his words came easy. âOh, I donât know. I think Iâm just innocent enough to believe that there are still things like right and wrong and that decency can come out on top. Itâs just that itâs hard to do without causing some kind of friction.â
She cut another long slice, then flipped it to the side with her knife. âYouâve got to do what you think is right. Youâve got to be your own man.â She looked across at him and smiled.
âWell, youâre right, of course. What I want is tobe left alone, free to live the way I want, but like I say, I tend to make it rough on myself.â
âMaybe you do, a little bit. But Iâd rather do that and be able to be myself, not have a lot of people hanging all over me.â Her voice changed tone as she said, âDonât worry about her.â
âHuh?â
Isabel pointed with her knife, and Fielding turned to see a young brown goat, about a yearling, with bulging yellow eyes.
âShe likes tobacco.â
âWell, I donât have any.â
The young nanny looked at Fieldingâs shirt, then at the two horses.
âGo away, Missy,â said Isabel. âNo treats today.â
The goat stood still.
Isabel spoke again as she returned to her work. âSo, do you always travel with two horses?â
âUm, no.â
âI donât mean to be inquisitive. Just something to talk about.â She looked up, and her dun complexion had a blush. âReally, I talk too much. But just at first. Hardly anyone ever comes here, and if they do, itâs like Bill Selby. They come to talk to Papa.â
âAnd give tobacco to the goat?â
Isabel laughed.
Fielding realized the girl might be a little nervous or giddy about having a visitor like him, but he felt an easy familiarity with her. He said, âAnyway, to answer your question, the reason I look like Ranger Two Ponies is that I picked up this one horse where my helper left it in town.â
âOh, I see. And youâre taking it back to your place.â Her voice was calmer now.
âUnless something comes up.â
She looked at him