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when their cattle get into our fields and damage our crops? We must be more ready to defend what is ours. My neighbor, Stefan Reisner, stood up to them. Right was on his side and there was nothing they could do about it. We must be prepared to do as he did, or the harassment will continue." Kreuger made no effort to keep his voice down. Pieces of his remarks drifted to Webb as he helped Ruth out of the buggy, enough for him to get the gist of Page 122 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html it. It was becoming apparent that Kreuger was a troublemaker, the instigator of much of the ill will between the factions. When Webb approached the homesteaders with Ruth on his arm, his gaze was directed at Kreuger. He touched a finger to his hat in a challenging salute. "Hello, Kreuger. Gentlemen." His greeting was curt, but silence might have indicated he was intimidated. There was no response from Kreuger, not even a nod, but Webb hadn't expected one. Inside the store, he was checking out a new spool of barbed wire the clerk was touting to be the best on the market when he happened to glance out the front window just as the Reisner wagon passed by. Webb had a brief glimpse of Lilli sitting very erectly on the wagon seat; then she was gone from his view. The urge was strong to leave the store and go after her, just for a closer look, but he fought it down. Yet knowing she was in town tested his self-imposed stricture to stay away from her. After he'd made the necessary purchases at the hardware store, Webb stood on the sidewalk and watched the supplies being loaded in the wagon. Unwillingly he noticed the Reisner wagon parked at the smithy's, but neither Lilli nor her husband was in sight. It was just as well, he told himself. Ruth came up to him. "It's nearly noon. Why don't we have something to eat at the restaurant?" Tense and determined not to give in to his nerves, Webb hesitated, then agreed a little gruffly. "It sounds like a good idea." He hailed the slim cowboy sprawled on the buckboard seat with his feet propped on the kickboard. "Nate. See that everything's loaded in the wagon. I'm taking Ruth across the street to the roadhouse." "Gotcha, Webb." Nate sat up in the seat to take interest in what was being loaded behind him. With a guiding hand at Ruth's waist, he escorted her across the busy cross traffic of horse-drawn vehicles and skirted the animal droppings to the building on the opposite side of the street. The noise of people, animals, and vehicles was constant. "I think I liked this town better when there weren't so many people," Ruth murmured. Webb glanced down at her, just for a moment allowing his thoughts to be distracted. He saw her unease at so many unfamiliar and unfriendly faces. "It would never occur to you to speak to a stranger, would it?" he observed somewhat wryly, because it would have been as unnatural for Ruth as it had been natural for Lilli. "No," she replied as if any other answer were unthinkable. As he opened the door to the restaurant for Ruth, he happened to glance up the street. Lilli was just entering the general store with her husband. There was no indication that she'd noticed him. Webb was a step late following Ruth into the restaurant. They had their pick of several empty tables, and Webb chose one off by itself. He was restless with thoughts of Lilli throughout the meal, offering short responses to Ruth's attempts at conversation until she finally became silent. It was no good, he realized. He was only fooling himself if he believed he could be in the same town as Lilli without somehow managing to see her and speak to her. In the two glimpses he'd had of her, she had appeared aloof and reserved, traits not natural to her. Perhaps he was only imagining that, but-- Ruth was seated on his right. Webb set his fork down and reached over to cover her hand. "Ruth, I have a favor to ask," he declared huskily, caught in the vortex of his own wants. The intense probe of his dark gaze, as much as the touch of his roughly callused hand, made its impact on Ruth. She felt the swelling lift of her spirits, the acceleration of her pulse. If he only knew, she'd die for him if he asked her. "Anything." She ignored the tiny little voice that gave away her eagerness to please. Page 123 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html "I'd like you to arrange for me to meet privately with a ... certain young woman." He had difficulty getting the words out. Ruth looked at her plate, a shattering pain destroying that fragile bubble of hope. "Lilli," she guessed in a trembling murmur. Webb became still. He slowly removed his hand and picked up the fork he'd laid down. "Yes," he admitted in a low, flat voice. "How did you know her name?" "When ... you were unconscious, I heard you say it." It was a soft reply, filled with hesitance and hurt. "Do you know who she is?" "Yes." Ruth lowered her head. It eliminated the need for an explanation, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |