Free Brides of Prairie Gold by Maggie Osborne Page B

speak, Cora Thorp broke away from the group circled around the Indians and joined them, a determined look pinching her small sour features.
    "The least you could do is buy me a cup of cider too," Cora snapped, her expression daring Augusta to disagree.
    "Excuse us, will you?" she said to Bootie, then clutched Cora's elbow and drew her away from eavesdroppers. "How dare you address me in that tone!"
    Cora's chin came up. "I could buy my own cool drink if you'd pay me what I'm owed! And a trinket too if I wanted one. But I suppose that ain't going to happen, leastways not right now. So you can just give me enough for a cup of cider!"
    Icy fingers gripped Augusta's stomach. She didn't know what she was going to do. Cora was becoming more belligerent by the day, relentlessly demanding her wages. And Augusta couldn't pay them. Pride, and fear of exposure, was turning her into a nervous Nellie. She stared at Cora's cheap bonnet and jutting chin, and wondered how much time she had left before Cora started complaining about her wages in front of the other brides.
    The possibility made Augusta feel faint. She couldn't bear it that the pride of the Boyds rested on the crumbling discretion of a gravedigger's daughter. She would die, absolutely die of shame if the others discovered that she had only forty dollars to see her through to Oregon. Forty dollars was her entire fortune, all that remained after she had paid her father's debts and repaid the money he had embezzled from his own bank.
    And Cora wanted one-eighth of it. If Augusta paid Cora five dollars to clear her back wages, she would have only thirty-five dollars to last five months and two thousand miles.
    For a moment she stared into Cora's challenging eyes and she hated Cora Thorp with a passion she hadn't known she was capable of feeling. Then, tight-lipped and trembling, she opened the drawstring on the little purse dangling from her wrist and repeated the charade she had performed earlier for Bootie Glover.
    "I've spent the money I brought," she informed Cora in her most imperious tones.
    "You had money for your cider," Cora said, not believing her. "I want some too." She stamped her boot on the ground. "Damn it, I want my wages!"
    "Hush!" Panicked perspiration sprouted under Augusta's arms. "You don't need to shout. I I'll pay you a dollar when we get back to the wagon."
    "Good. But I want some cider now !"
    Horrified by Cora's rising voice, Augusta swiftly looked around to see if anyone had heard. She had to do something quickly. "Wait here, you sniveling little chippy!"
    Instead of boxing Cora's ears as she yearned to do, she made herself stroll back to Bootie's side. "My dear Bootie, I do hate to impose on your good nature, but poor Cora forgot to bring any coins with her, and you know I did tooso silly of us bothso I wonder if you might lend me another three pennies. It's hot in the sun, and the poor thing would enjoy a sip of something cool."
    Bootie leaned around her to peer at Cora, then spoke in a whisper. "She sounded so demanding. Do you permit her to speak to you in that tone very often?"
    Augusta unclenched her jaw and lifted a gloved hand in an airy gesture of forgiveness. "She's hot and tired, poor thing. One must be charitable and take circumstances into account."
    Bootie opened the drawstring on her little purse. "I swan, Augusta. You're truly a marvel of generosity."
    "How kind of you to notice," Augusta murmured, lowering her lashes modestly.
    Once she had Bootie's three pennies in her hand, she returned to Cora and slapped the coins against the palm of Cora's mended glove. "There! Are you satisfied?"
    "No," Cora said sullenly, counting the pennies. "And I won't be until I get all my back wages!"
    "Hush!" Panicked, Augusta prayed that no one had overheard. Bootie was watching, but Augusta didn't think she was close enough to hear. She fervently hoped not. A rivulet of nervous perspiration zigzagged between her breasts. Her lips trembled.
    Hands clenched