Wild Is My Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

ear cocked toward the voices, Colt’s heart leaped in his chest. Brother! Sam’s partner was her kid brother. And if the unformed quality of his voice was any indication, younger by several years. But he didn’t wait around to hear any more. He had to retrieve the gold before Will returned to the line shack. He wouldn’t bother with the youngster now, for he knew exactly where to find him when he wanted him. Besides, he was just a lad. The full responsibility of the crime lay fully on Sam’s head. Leaving Thunder in the stable, he saddled Sam’s mount and kneed him forward.
    The gold was exactly where Will described. Colt located the shack easily and pried up the loose board beneath the cot. There were ten bags, each containing about three hundred dollars in twenty-dollar gold pieces. Three thousand dollars in all. Colt placed them carefully in his saddlebags, then left after putting everything back in place. He was gone a full ten minutes before Will arrived.
    Will was close to tears when he returned to the ranch. It nearly killed him to tell Sam the gold was gone. How could anyone know? How could he be so inept? He had failed his beloved sister and all was lost.
    Sam took the news stoically. Only one person could be behind this. That damn Ranger. The Mexicans were right. Texas Rangers were half-man, half devil. Then a terrible thought assailed her. If Colt Andrews knew where to find the gold, he also knew about Will. She had to protect her brother no matter what the consequences.
    “He knows, Will. Colt knows about you. Quickly, get Sanchez.” Will scurried to obey.
    “You wanted me, Senorita Sam?” Sanchez asked when he stood before the bed, a frown worrying his wrinkled brow.
    “I know I can trust you, Sanchez,” Sam began, searching for words. “Colt knows about Will. That heartless bastard will think nothing of sending a mere boy to prison. I want you to take Will away from here. You have relatives in Laredo, don’t you?”
    “Si, Senorita, a daughter and six grandchildren.”
    “Take Will to Laredo, Sanchez. Now, today, this minute! I have some money in the house. Enough to buy supplies for the trip. Just steer clear of Karlsburg.”
    To Will’s credit, he resisted violendy. “No, Sam, I won’t go. I won’t leave you to face the law alone when we both were responsible for what happened.”
    “It was my plan, Will, my idea. You merely lent your help to my dimwitted scheme. If I remember correctly, you were against it from the beginning. If you don’t want to spend years in prison, you’ll do as I say.”
    “How long do I have to stay away?” Will asked, resigned to his exile when threatened with imprisonment.
    “Until the Ranger is gone. Make a new life for yourself in Laredo,” Sam advised. “Forget the ranch, we’ve already lost it. I…I should have married Vern Logan, then the land would still be yours.”
    “It would be Vern Logan’s,” spat Will contemptuously. “We both know you wouldn’t be happy with him. Come with us, Sam. Somehow we’ll make it. We’ll take it easy and—”
    Sam shook her head regretfully. “No, Will, I’d only be a burden to you. You know I wouldn’t last a day in this heat. Besides, Colt won’t be so anxious to trail you if I remained behind. Now give me a hug and get out of here.” Her violet eyes grew misty with unshed tears.
    “I’ll be back, Sam,” Will promised, his young face contorted in agony. “When all this blows over, I’ll be back. No matter where you are I’ll find you.” His words hung in the air long after he was gone.

Chapter Three
     
    T he settlement of Karlsburg lay in the green depths of a valley in the heart of the Texas hill country. Rugged granite outcroppings showed on the bare crests of hills, glowing dull red in the face of cliffs above the timber growth of the valley floor. Colt followed a deep stream along the valley into town, amazed at the sight of farmhouses constructed of stone with loopholes built to permit