Free A Horse Called Mogollon (Floating Outfit Book 3) by J.T. Edson Page A

man
answered, shaking hands with every indication of
pleasure.
    ‘ And
you’re as big a liar,’ Libby smiled, clearly delighted by the
compliment. ‘Tam, this young feller you helped’s Big Rance
Counter’s boy, Mark. Mark, get acquainted with Tam
Breda.’
    ‘ Howdy,
Tam,’ greeted Mark as the man reluctantly released Libby’s hand to
take his. ‘Say, you’re Colin Farquharson’s kinsman.’
    ‘ Aye,’
agreed Breda. ‘I heard he was working for you, Libby.’
    ‘ Yes,’
the blonde replied. ‘Colin’s with us. He’s engaged to marry
Jeanie.’
    ‘ Bueno!’ enthused Breda. ‘Are they in town the now?’
    ‘ Nope.
They stayed behind to move camp on to the Upper Guadalupe. We’re
headed out to join them as soon’s we’re loaded.’
    ‘ I
heard about Colin’s run-in with the Flores bunch, Libby,’ Breda
said, sounding a trifle defensive. ‘Trouble being that I was on
business in Austin and he’d handed them their needings before I
could come back.’
    ‘ Ole
Colin sure did that,’ Mark put in, taking a liking to the stocky
man. ‘Hey! I didn’t thank you for cutting in and helping me,
Tam.’
    ‘ Any
friend of Libby’s can count on my help every time,’ Breda replied,
showing his relief at finding the blonde and Mark did not hold it
against him that he had failed to come to his kinsman’s assistance.
‘I’m going up to Kerrville, Libby. I’d admire to ride along with
you.’
    ‘ Feel
free,’ offered Libby. ‘We’ll be pulling out after we’ve ate at
noon.’
    ‘ Why
don’t you both come down to the Grand Hotel and eat with me?’ Breda
suggested.
    ‘ That’ll suit us fine,’ confirmed Libby and Mark nodded his
agreement.
    ‘ Say,
Mark,’ Breda remarked. ‘Why did those fellers jump you? I’d reckon
they was waiting for you to come out of the store.’
    ‘ I
couldn’t say,’ Mark answered truthfully, for he would not lie to
Breda nor explain the reason. ‘Just ornery, likely.’
    ‘ Likely,’ grunted Breda. ‘I’ve a few things to tend to, so
I’ll see you at the Grand around noon.’
    ‘ He’s a
nice feller,’ Mark commented as Breda strolled off along the
sidewalk.
    ‘ Real
nice,’ Libby agreed, then a slight flush came to her cheeks as she
saw her companion’s smile. ‘Shucks, he grew up with Trader and me
back around San Antonio. Went mustanging with us a few times. Then
he up and rode off to join Captain Jack Cureton’s Rangers just
afore the War.’
    ‘ They
did good work,’ Mark admitted.
    ‘ Tam
couldn’t help being away on business while Colin was facing up to
the Flores boys,’ Libby declared.
    ‘ I
didn’t reckon he could,’ Mark assured her. ‘Like I said, he’s a
real nice feller and he’d do to ride the river with.’
    ‘ Come
on,’ Libby said hurriedly. ‘Let’s go get the wagon
loaded.’
    Watching the blonde return to the
store, Mark grinned. If he read the signs correctly, she had not
been averse to meeting Breda again and looked forward to having his
company during the journey to Kerr County. Maybe she even hoped
that he could extend the period of accompanying her. Not that Mark
considered that to be any of his business. Libby was mature enough
to know what she was doing.
    For all that, Mark felt puzzled
by Breda. He owed the stocky Scot his life and liked what he had
seen of the other; but he could not help wondering why that
bow-necked young Yankee lieutenant had so readily accepted
Breda ’s— a
Texan’s— version of the incident and made little attempt to disprove
it.

Chapter Six
    ‘ Can’t
you-call just count on old Mark to pull the easy chores?’ demanded
the Ysabel Kid indignantly. ‘There’s him a-whooping and
a-womanizing down to Fort Sawyer while we’re working like there’s
only one day left to do it.’
    If the Indian-dark youngster expected
his comment to produce any sympathy, he was to meet with a
disappointment.
    ‘ Yah!’
Jeanie Schell scoffed. ‘You’re all riled ’n’ ornery ’cause