Heart Of Texas (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon

Reynolds
could have lived to meet his kin, because he
would have been proud of them, but he would
also have worried about what Slaughter would do
to them. "Then that's the way it'll be. If you don't
have any objections, your uncle wanted me to
guide you financially."
    "Yes, please," Casey said. "Our uncle trusted
you, and so do we."
    "I'll introduce you around town today. I'll take
you first to Finnegan's General Store so you can
set up credit. Since you are the oldest, Cassandra,
I'll make arrangements for you to have access to
the bank account. I'm sure there are many things
you need." He cleared his throat. "I have just one
other matter concerning the will. Your uncle has
asked that you allow Kathryn Eldridge to live out
her days in comfort in the house he had built for
her."
    Casey and Sam smiled at each other. "I don't
know what we would have done without Kate. I'm
glad my uncle left her the house," Casey said.
"And I want to tell you," she added, "just so you
won't worry so much about us, Mr. Murdock, that
we've hired a man to help us. And he isn't the only help we have. There will be two more arriving any day now."

    Murdock was suddenly suspicious. He wouldn't
put it past Slaughter to plant some of his own
cowhands on the Spanish Spur so he could keep
an eye on the Hamiltons. "Do you know anything
about the man you hired? Maybe I need to ride
out to the ranch and meet him for myself."
    "Kate says we should trust him, although he
didn't give us his last name. He goes by the name
Gabe. Do you know him?" She looked into his
clear brown eyes expectantly.
    Murdock frowned and rubbed his chin. "This
Gabe you speak of wouldn't tell you his last
name?"
    "No, sir," Sam said. "I don't think he has one."
    "Then tell me this-the men he has coming to
help you... would they, by chance, be Indians?"
    Sam shifted in his seat so he could keep an eye
on jenny. "Yes, sir, they are."
    "Did he happen to mention whether the Indians were Comanche?"
    "Yes, they are," Casey said. "Is it usual in Texas
to hire Indians to help out on a ranch?"
    Murdock glanced down at his desk as he digested the information. "No, not usual at all.
There's only one man I know of who could entice
an Indian to work for white folk. If it's who I think
it is, I wonder what he's doing back here? I
haven't seen him since he left several years ago."

    Casey leaned forward and folded her hands on
his desk. "Then you know him?"
    "I think so. I haven't seen him in years." He
looked thoughtful and then met her gaze. If Gabe
wanted to keep silent about his past, then Murdock would honor his wishes until he did some
checking around. "He was only a young man the
last time I saw him. He'd be full-grown now."
    "And the Indians are harmless?"
    Murdock checked his pocket watch. "They will
be to you. What better watchdogs could you have
than the Comanche? They can be fearsome warriors if the need arises. Now," he said, standing,
"I have just enough time to introduce you around
before my next appointment arrives."
    Casey took jenny's hand, and they walked out
into the sunshine. There had been a lot of sadness in their lives lately, but because of their uncle
Bob's generous nature, they would get by just
fine. Things might be hard for a while, but they
were Hamiltons, and they would come through
this as they had so many other difficulties in their
lives.
    At least they had a home that was free of debt,
and to Casey's way of thinking, they had a lot of
money.
    Sam touched her shoulder; he knew she was
still worried about Cyrus Slaughter, especially
since Mr. Murdock had warned them against him.
"It's better than we expected, Casey."
    "Yes," she said, her mind on Gabe. "Much better."

     

Gabe dismounted with a sick feeling in his gut
because he already knew what he would find. He
had followed the circling buzzards to the place
where he and Sam had driven fifty head of cattle
only yesterday. When he dismounted, he swore