then he had taken second place, and he did not like it. At the same time, Jackson Huddy was all that kept them going, for a good half of the Munsons wanted no part of the Kitterys. It was only the fact that Huddy would do most of the killing and take most of the risks that held them together.
Tom Kittery was supposed to be fast, but it was not Kittery who worried Ev Munson, it was Jackson Huddy. Huddy gave no man a fair chance, but Ev did not dare try to kill him, for without Huddy the Munsons would have to back up and sit down and shut up. Jackson Huddy's reputation and the fear that ringed around him gave them all a sort of courage.
Once in her room, Jessica did not take time to change. She freshened up a bit, brushed her hair, and replaced her hat. But she did take time to open her trunks and hang out some of her dresses to get the wrinkles out of them. She would have to see if she could hire somebody to do some pressing for her, and some laundry. If not, she would do it herself. She never had, but she could.
Thoughtfully, she considered Mady Coppinger. Why had she turned away so guiltily when Jessica saw her with that man? Because Jessica knew she was spoken for by Tom Kittery? Or was it something else?
She thought of how the man looked-dark, handsome in a tough, daring sort of way, but dirty, actually unclean. He had passed near her and she had seen the collar of his shirt was shiny with dirt. She shuddered. Her father had warned her that the world she was coming into was like nothing she had ever known. She had tried to learn about it, going more than once to the blacksmith down at the Corners, who had lived in Texas, and knew all about it. He came from Goliad, which was not far from this town. He had even known about the Kitterys and the Munsons. It was, he said, a bitterly fought feud.
Well, she would go to the dining room and eat . . . she had I never been so hungry.
After that she would return here and keep a watch out for Tap. She had forgotten to ask where he was coming from, but there were only two possible choices, unless he was planning to swim the cattle in. She smiled at that, for Tappan -C Duvarney was just the sort of man who might.'
She thought again of the man Mady had spoken to ... it was y- almost as if she did not want to be seen talking to him. Still, in such a country as this she must know all sorts of people. As far as -that went, Jessica herself had known all kinds. The Judge, her father, had not exactly sheltered his only daughter. Since her mother died they had been very close, and she had often ridden into the country with him when he was buying stock or was riding */ to some other town to hold court.
She picked up her purse and left the room, and found her way to the dining room.
She had been there only a few minutes when Mady Coppinger came in and joined her.
Mady looked across the table at her, enviously. "You look so ... so right. I wish I could look like that."
"It isn't that difficult," Jessica said. "And why look as I do? You're beautiful enough as you are. Mr. Kittery must think so."
"Oh . . . Tom. Tom's all right-he's a grand fellow, but he doesn't have any ambition.
He doesn't want to go anywhere."
"Go?"
"I mean he wants to stay here. In the West, that is. All he can think about is cattle.
Sometimes I think that's all he knows."
"Maybe it is, but if he's a good man and he loves you ..." Jessica paused. "And if you love him. You do, don't you?"
"I think so. I don't know. I just wish he'd take me away from here. I don't want to spend my life on a cattle ranch in Texas. Maybe . . . maybe if he loses out here he will go away. I mean if this deal falls through."
Jessica lifted her eyes slowly. "You mean his deal with Tappan? Do you think that will fail?"
"I don't know. It's just that it is such an awful gamble, driving cattle all that way. And if they do sell for a good price they will only buy more and do it all over again."
Jessica was thoughtful. She ordered a small
Tom Kittery was supposed to be fast, but it was not Kittery who worried Ev Munson, it was Jackson Huddy. Huddy gave no man a fair chance, but Ev did not dare try to kill him, for without Huddy the Munsons would have to back up and sit down and shut up. Jackson Huddy's reputation and the fear that ringed around him gave them all a sort of courage.
Once in her room, Jessica did not take time to change. She freshened up a bit, brushed her hair, and replaced her hat. But she did take time to open her trunks and hang out some of her dresses to get the wrinkles out of them. She would have to see if she could hire somebody to do some pressing for her, and some laundry. If not, she would do it herself. She never had, but she could.
Thoughtfully, she considered Mady Coppinger. Why had she turned away so guiltily when Jessica saw her with that man? Because Jessica knew she was spoken for by Tom Kittery? Or was it something else?
She thought of how the man looked-dark, handsome in a tough, daring sort of way, but dirty, actually unclean. He had passed near her and she had seen the collar of his shirt was shiny with dirt. She shuddered. Her father had warned her that the world she was coming into was like nothing she had ever known. She had tried to learn about it, going more than once to the blacksmith down at the Corners, who had lived in Texas, and knew all about it. He came from Goliad, which was not far from this town. He had even known about the Kitterys and the Munsons. It was, he said, a bitterly fought feud.
Well, she would go to the dining room and eat . . . she had I never been so hungry.
After that she would return here and keep a watch out for Tap. She had forgotten to ask where he was coming from, but there were only two possible choices, unless he was planning to swim the cattle in. She smiled at that, for Tappan -C Duvarney was just the sort of man who might.'
She thought again of the man Mady had spoken to ... it was y- almost as if she did not want to be seen talking to him. Still, in such a country as this she must know all sorts of people. As far as -that went, Jessica herself had known all kinds. The Judge, her father, had not exactly sheltered his only daughter. Since her mother died they had been very close, and she had often ridden into the country with him when he was buying stock or was riding */ to some other town to hold court.
She picked up her purse and left the room, and found her way to the dining room.
She had been there only a few minutes when Mady Coppinger came in and joined her.
Mady looked across the table at her, enviously. "You look so ... so right. I wish I could look like that."
"It isn't that difficult," Jessica said. "And why look as I do? You're beautiful enough as you are. Mr. Kittery must think so."
"Oh . . . Tom. Tom's all right-he's a grand fellow, but he doesn't have any ambition.
He doesn't want to go anywhere."
"Go?"
"I mean he wants to stay here. In the West, that is. All he can think about is cattle.
Sometimes I think that's all he knows."
"Maybe it is, but if he's a good man and he loves you ..." Jessica paused. "And if you love him. You do, don't you?"
"I think so. I don't know. I just wish he'd take me away from here. I don't want to spend my life on a cattle ranch in Texas. Maybe . . . maybe if he loses out here he will go away. I mean if this deal falls through."
Jessica lifted her eyes slowly. "You mean his deal with Tappan? Do you think that will fail?"
"I don't know. It's just that it is such an awful gamble, driving cattle all that way. And if they do sell for a good price they will only buy more and do it all over again."
Jessica was thoughtful. She ordered a small
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