Free Riders Of the Dawn (1980) by Louis L'amour Page A

beating together, our blood moving together, feelin g the newness of love discovered. The cottonwood leaves brushe d their pale green hands together, and their muted whisperin g seemed in tune with our own thoughts. This was my woman , the one I would walk down the years with. The leaves sai d that and my blood said it, and I knew the same thoughts wer e in her, reluctant as she might be to admit it.
    "This trouble will pass," I said softly, "as the night wil l pass, and when it has gone, and the winds have blown th e dust away, then I shall take you to Cottonwood Wash--t o live." Her hand stayed in mine, and I continued. "We'll buil d something there to last down the years until this will all see m a bad dream, a nightmare dissipated by the morning sunlight."
    "But could you ever settle down? Could you stay?"
    "Of course. Men don't wander for the love only o f wandering, they wander because they are in search of something. A place of one's own, a girl, a job accomplished. It i s only you who has mattered since the day I rode into th e streets of Hattan's Point and saw you there."
    Turning toward her, I took her by the elbows. He r breath caught and then came quickly and deeply. Her lip s parted slightly as she came into my arms, and I felt her war m body melt against mine, and her lips were warm and seeking , urgent, passionate. My fingers ran into her hair and along he r scalp, and her kisses hurt my lips as mine must have hur t hers. All the fighting, all the waiting, melted into nothingnes s then.
    She pulled back suddenly, frightened yet excited, he r breasts rising and falling as she fought for control. "This isn' t good! We're--we're too violent. We've got to be more calm."
    I laughed then, full of the zest of living and loving an d seeing the glory of her there in the moonlight. I laughed an d took her arms again. "You're not exactly a calm person."
    "I?" A flush darkened her face. "Well, all right then.
    Neither of us is calm."
    "Need we be?" My hands reached for her, and then I h eard someone whistling. Irritably, I looked up to hear fee t grating on the gravel path.
    It was Canaval. "Better ride," he said. "I wouldn't put i t past Park to drygulch a man."
    "Canaval!' Olga protested. "How can you say that?"
    His slow eyes, turned to her. "You think so too, ma'am.
    You always was an uncommon smart girl. You've known hi m for what he was for a mighty long time." He turned back t o me. "Mean what you said back there? About peace and all?"
    "You bet I did. What can we gain by fighting?"
    "You're right," Canaval agreed; "but there'll be bloodshed before it's over. Pinder won't quit. He hated Ru d Maclaren, and now he hates you. He won't back up or quit."
    Canaval turned to Olga. "Let me talk to Sabre alone, wil l you? There's something he should know."
    "All right." She gave me her hand. "Be careful. An d goodnight.'
    We watched her walk back up the path, and when m y eyes turned back to him, his were surprisingly soft. I coul d see his expression even in the moonlight. "Reminds me o f her mother," he said quietly.
    "You knew her?" I was surprised.
    "She was my sister."
    That was something I could never have guessed. "Sh e doesn't know," he explained. "Rud and I used to ride together. I was too fast with a gun and killed a man with to o many relatives. I left and Rud married my sister. From tim e to time we wrote, and when Rud was having trouble wit h rustlers, I came out to lend a hand. He persuaded me t o stay.
    He looked around at me. "One thing more. What di d you mean about the Slades?"
    So I told him in detail of my trip to Silver Reef, th e killing of Lyell and the conversation I'd overheard betwee n Park and Booker. Where I had heard the conversation I di d not tell him. I only said there was some deal between the tw o of them that depended upon results to be obtained by Morgan Park.
    It was after midnight when I finally left the Bar M , turning off the main trail and cutting across country for th e head of Gypsum