Heart Of Texas (Historical Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page B

hands."
    "I didn't quite get your name," Sam said, stepping closer, and asserting his authority.
    Casey knew by the set of his shoulders that he
was tired of people pushing them around. First it
had been the wagon master who tried to send
them home, then the man at the river, and now
this woman.
    "Well, young man, my name is Kathryn Eldridge. Folks hereabout just call me Kate."
    Casey had a million questions to ask the
woman. "Mrs. Eldridge-"
    "Not Mrs. I ain't never been married. Never
found a man I could stand to be 'round for more
than a week at a time. Just call me Kate."

    "Kate, what happened here? My mother had
wonderful memories of growing up on the Spanish Spur. This looks nothing like the place she
described to us."
    "Honey, this house has been sitting vacant for
more'n two years. Thieves took most of the furniture, 'cept the few things I managed to lock in
the storage shed. All your uncle's papers are
there, and a few family things you might be interested in."
    Casey glanced about her in distress. "I don't
even know where to start cleaning."
    "Now that ain't your biggest worry. Your worry
is going to be Cyrus Slaughter, the meanest, orneriest, most cantankerous old man you'll ever
meet up with. He owns half of Texas and won't
be satisfied until he gets the rest. Now, this here
ranch stands between his Casa Mesa ranch and
the Brazos. He's had his eye on this spread for
quite a spell. Your uncle always let him water his
herd at the river, but that wasn't good enough for
Cyrus-he won't stop until he drives you off or
buries you."
    "No one can be that mean," Sam said in disbelief.
    "Well, you may think different when you get to
know him. I have a notion he's been driving off
some of your cattle, and I suspect, although I
can't prove it, he's been sticking his own brand
on some of 'em."
    It was too much for Casey to absorb all at once.

    "If he's that bad, he should be arrested."

    "Hell, gal, ain't no lawman going to go up
against him. He'll do whatever it takes to drive
you away." She cradled her rifle in her arms.
Your uncle wanted you to know about Cyrus, so
I told you right off. And, honey, he's going to run
right over you three youngsters like you weren't
even there."
    Sam slid his arm around Casey's waist to comfort her and to find comfort for himself. "This is
our home now, and we'll do whatever we have to
do to protect it."
    Kate looked as if she would like to say more,
but she turned away and called over her shoulder,
"After you've tended the horses, come on up to
the house, and IT feed you. I got a big garden
behind my house, and my guess is you three ain't
had any fresh vegetables in a spell. You look like
you could use a good meal."
    Sam and jenny had been asleep for over an hour,
but Casey had too much on her mind to sleep.
And with her shoulder hurting, it was hard to find
a comfortable position.
    She tried to find a bright side to their situation,
but there didn't seem to be one. If it had been
Kate's intention to frighten her with talk about
Cyrus Slaughter, she had certainly succeeded.
Should she take the initiative-visit the rancher
and introduce herself-or should she wait for
him to make the first move? She wondered how much repair work would be necessary before they
could move into the house.

    Casey recalled her mother mentioning the
fierce weather in this part of Texas. They had to
make the house livable before winter set in. According to Kate, they had about two months before the weather turned bad.
    And how were they going to live in the meantime? They hadn't much money. Maybe the best
thing to do would be to sell the Spanish Spur to
Mr. Slaughter, if he wanted it so badly. But that
would leave them without a home, and she wasn't
ready to admit defeat-not yet. And perhaps Mr.
Slaughter wasn't as bad as Kate had said.
    Casey pushed the covers aside and felt around
in the dark until she found a shawl to throw over
her nightgown. There was