Free Sourdough Creek by Caroline Fyffe Page A

dreaming about.
    When his horse neighed, Cassie opened her eyes. For a moment, she looked confused, but as realization dawned, her eyes took on the smile that was still on her soft-looking lips.
    “Good morning.” She pushed the hair from her face and sat up on her elbow.
    “Did you sleep at all last night?” he asked, completely thrown off by her dazzling green eyes. What a dim-witted question. How could she be waking up if she hadn’t fallen asleep?
    “Yes. It took me a while to settle down though.” She sighed and pulled the blanket up under her chin, warding off the morning chill.
    “You?”
    “Sure. But, I never get used to sleeping on the ground.”
    She stretched her legs, a soft groan escaping her lips. “Oh, I know what you mean. It is hard. And bumpy. I think I was dreaming about a goose-feather stuffed mattress as tall as a barn.” She lifted up the blanket and peeked at her little sister. “Josephine doesn’t seem to mind.”
    He’d never met anyone like Cassie Angel before. So open and honest. Well, that is, aside from her ruse to protect her sister and herself from the Sherman brothers.
    “Sam?”
    She was gazing at him now with her heart in her eyes. “You never said why you were going to Coloma. Why you’re traveling there. Is it family?”
    Now! His mind screamed. Tell her ! Now was the time to speak up. Even if it tore them apart, and she hated him for it, he should disclose the truth and have it out. He opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it.
    “Sam?”
    “No. Not family.”
    That statement gave her pause.
    “Do you have any family?”
    He rolled to his back so he didn’t have to look at her anymore. “I do. A brother. He’s working punching cattle and I’m not sure where he is exactly.”
    “What about parents?
    “My mother has passed on and I haven’t seen my father for years.”
    “Why not?”
    “You ask a lot of questions, you know that?”
    “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
    “Good. Because I don’t. Give a man a chance to wake up.” He rolled out of his blanket and stood. “We best get moving. I hope we can make it all the way to the next town before nightfall. If you’ll get something out for breakfast, I’ll saddle the horses.”
     
    The horses walked along briskly, single file, following the deserted road. Every once in a while Sam, with Blu ponied by his side, would break into a trot, slowing only when the horses were slightly winded. Josephine had awakened cranky and Cassie had a hard time getting her up and fed. Now the younger girl rode behind on Pepper, with Ashes buckled in her saddlebag.
    When they stopped for a quick bite to eat at noontime, Josephine mainly kept to herself and her animals. They ate quickly and continued on, agreeing to give the horses a longer rest in the afternoon.
    Sam pulled up and waited for Cassie to catch up. He pointed to the ground. “Look.” He ran his hand over the growing beard on his square jaw as he glanced back at Josephine. “Get on up here. Stay up with us.”
    “What is it?”
    “Our friend from last night.”
    He dismounted and squatted, looking intently at the tracks in the dirt. He followed them a short way before returning to Cassie. “His right paw has been mangled. Could have got it caught in a trap.”
    “How can you tell?”
    “He only uses it every other stride. And when he does, he doesn’t put much weight on it.” He glanced about. “After seeing this I’m really glad you woke up last night.”
    Josephine had stopped ten paces back. She sat listlessly in the saddle. “Come on,” Cassie called to her. “That mountain lion is still around. We have to stay close together.”
    When Josephine didn’t respond, Cassie rode back. One look at her sister’s flushed face and uncharacteristically drowsy eyes and Cassie knew something was wrong. She placed the back of her hand on her moist forehead.
    “Sam!”
    In the time it took to dismounted, Sam was by her side. He