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STILES WENT TO the barn and found Larry shoveling out stalls. It was the first time he’d had a chance to talk to the young man alone.
“Do you know which horse Mr. Beare intended for me to ride?”
Larry looked up and studied Stiles for a moment. He stepped away from the pile of hay at his feet and walked to a stall at the end of the walkway. Opening the gate, Larry went in and came out with a bay mare, saddled and ready to ride. She was a lovely brown with a black mane and tail.
“This here is Sally. She’s a sweetheart, but don’t let that fool you. She’s fast. Really fast.”
Stiles took some time and got acquainted with Sally so the horse would feel comfortable with him. She nuzzled his hand and snorted softly when no treat was found.
Patting her forward flank, he cooed. “I’ll remember to bring a treat with me tomorrow. I promise. How long have you worked at the ranch, Larry?” Stiles continued to pat and rub Sally’s nose as he spoke.
“Oh, last summer was my first ride. Drew said I was too young, but I showed him. Showed all of them I was good at herding the cattle. Mr. Beare had to let me come on as a full ranch hand after that.” Larry was smiling broadly and clearly proud of his position.
“So, you like working here?” Stiles asked.
“Don’t think I’d want to do anything else.”
Stiles could see that Larry Largo was a simple person who had a job to do and did it well. He didn’t seem to be anything like his brother, Drew. Stiles had a feeling that was a good thing.
Mounting Sally, Stiles spurred her on and thrilled to the feel of her as she strutted out of the main yard into the wild prairie. Once away from the prying eyes of those folks still at the ranch, he let Sally have her head. As she raced past the fields of prairie grass, Stiles felt the wind on his face and enjoyed the simple pounding of her hoofs on the solid ground. It set a rhythm that lulled Stiles into a sense of peace and contentment. He hadn’t realized just how much he had missed this. The last time he sat a horse was in England before he’d left for America. He decided that once he was back in St. Louis and in his own home again, he would definitely be looking into purchasing a horse for his own personal use.
He’d taken off due west from the ranch, in the same direction that mysterious rider had gone the night before and Gus had gone this morning. The sun had risen high in the sky as Stiles rode along. He estimated two hours had passed and he still hadn’t seen any signs of the station shack or any cattle. Seeing a grove of trees up ahead growing beside a small stream, he pulled on the reins and led Sally toward them. After he dismounted, he let her drink from the stream while he took his canteen and quenched his own thirst. He sat in the shade for some time and watched Sally munch on the green grass growing beside the water.
A half hour or so passed when Stiles noticed a rider coming his way. He was fairly sure it would be one of the hands from the ranch, but as the rider grew closer, Stiles realized he’d never seen this person before. He felt for his automatic Colt and held it by his thigh as he stood to meet the incoming rider.
The man wore a bowler hat low on his forehead, hiding his face until his horse stopped a few feet from Sally. Once the man dismounted and led his horse to drink from the brook, he turned his face to Stiles.
He was older, possible in his fifties, and overweight. He huffed and puffed as he moved toward Stiles. His face was ruddy and sweat dripped from him.
“Hello.” He offered his hand to Stiles. “I’m Doc Johnson.”
Stiles shook the offered hand. “Stiles Long.”
“Ah, the man who is looking to buy the Circle W.”
Stiles noticed Johnson didn’t try to sit down but leaned against one of the nearby trees. He assumed it was because he would have a difficult time rising from the ground.
“Actually, I’m employed by the person interested in purchasing the ranch,” Stiles added. He remained standing as well. “Is someone ill at the ranch?”
“Oh, I’m not a people doctor. My specialty is animals. Horses, dogs, pigs....”
“Cattle?” Stiles queried.
“Yes and cattle. Actually, that’s why I’m here. I’ve been out to Circle W’s station one where the last cattle were found dead. I took a sample of the well water there and I need to talk to Savage. Do you know if he’s at the ranch?”
Stiles studied the man carefully. There was something he wasn’t saying. That vision of a mask floated at the back of his mind once again. Stiles hoped he wasn’t becoming paranoid. It seemed he was looking for a hidden meaning behind every word and action.
“He was out at another station when I left a couple of hours ago. But he could be back by now. I’m ready to go. We could ride back together if you like.”
Doc Johnson looked a little surprised. He pulled away from the tree he’d been leaning against and headed toward his horse. Pulling the reins into one chubby hand, he hefted his cumbersome weight up and onto the poor horse with greater ease than Stiles would have thought possible.
Stiles walked to Sally and mounted her in one smooth lift. Turning her eastward, he led the way. Doc Johnson followed at a slower pace and was too far away for them to carry on a conversation.
Stiles could hear the afternoon meal bell peeling through the air long before the two riders reached the ranch. As they entered the main yard, the three-legged cat was doing its best to chase a large white hen through the yard. He could hear Doc laughing as he came up close to Stiles at the hitching rail on the house.
“Good Lord, Tippy, you never give up and there’s no way you’ll ever catch that hen.” The man laughed joyfully as he dismounted.
“Tippy?”
“Well, yeah, look at that thing. With just three legs, he sort of tips to the side and that’s how he got his name. Tippy.”
Savage Beare appeared in the doorway leading into the kitchen. He didn’t say one word of greeting to Stiles but directed his conversation at Doc Johnson.
“Doc, what on earth are you doing here?”
“I’ve got some news about those water samples I took a couple of weeks ago,” Doc said, looking over his shoulder at Stiles. “Maybe we should talk alone.”
This time Savage Beare did look at Stiles. It was a neutral glance. No emotion. No hint of what he was feeling.
“That’s probably a good idea. We’ll talk in the office.” He turned his back to the two men and walked through the kitchen door.
Doc followed quickly after Savage and left Stiles on the porch steps, watching them go.
Stiles only stood there for a moment and then he went through to where the rest of the staff was eating the noon meal. Lizzie handed him a plate and told him to help himself to the food set up on the sideboard. When his plate was full, he found a seat at the table next to Larry Largo.
“You were right, Larry,” Stiles said as Lizzie handed him a glass of ice tea.
“I was?” Larry questioned.
“Yes. Sally is a wonderful animal. I realized that I missed riding terribly after being with her.”
Larry smiled brightly, shoveled a large spoon of potato salad into his mouth, and chewed.
“She’ll need a good brush down after riding so hard. If you don’t have time to do it, I’ll be happy to,” Stiles offered.
“That’s okay. If you don’t think you’ll be going out again anytime soon, I’ll do it.” Larry chugged from his glass of tea. “I can take her back to the barn so she can eat and rest. If you do want her for later, just let me know.”
“I think I’d like to ride her later and maybe go out a ways to watch the sunset tonight.”
“That can be a bad idea, Mr. Long,” Doc Johnson said as he entered the kitchen and headed for the food on the sidebar.
“Why would that be, Dr. Johnson?”
“It’s just Doc,” one of the other men commented.
Doc Johnson loaded his plate with several sandwiches and a mountain of potato salad. He sat down next to Stiles at the table.
“So why would that be a bad idea... Doc?”
“You never know what or who might be waiting for you out there in the dark. That’s why I ride so slow. I’m always on the lookout for snakes or other critters.”
Stiles stared at the strange man as he stuffed half a sandwich in his mouth.
Savage entered the room just as Doc finished his ominous statement. He looked at Doc and then Stiles.
“He’s right about that. You really shouldn’t go alone. I’d feel better if someone rode with you. I also wanted to let you know the rest of those journals you asked for are in your room.”
“Thank you for the journals. Would you have time for an evening ride?” Stiles watched as Savage’s eyes darkened and his body tensed.
“I’ll let you know.” Savage Beare stood at the entrance to the kitchen, staring at him..
Stiles wasn’t sure how he felt about the conversation, or Savage Beare’s reaction. He knew what he wished it meant, but he was positive that wasn’t the case. It was more likely that Savage Beare didn’t trust him and wanted to be sure to watch what he was doing. Not feeling hungry anymore, Stiles stood and made his way to the doorway where Savage was standing. He stared at the man until he moved his muscled body out of the way and Stiles could walk past.