Noble's Way by Dusty Richards

his head with amused laughter, then followed Noble into the store.
    â€œMr. McCurtain!” Alex called warmly. “We wondered if you were having problems. We’ve been expecting you for some time.”
    â€œNo,” Noble said, shaking the man’s hand. “No problem. The letter was late getting to me. We rode here as fast as we could after receiving it.”
    â€œAlex, I’d like you to meet Chief Spotted Horse.”
    The store keeper inclined his head slightly in greeting. “Nice to meet you, Chief.” Spotted Horse nodded his acknowledgement.
    Alex ushered them to the office in the rear of the store.
    â€œAm I too late to make an offer on the property?” Noble asked anxiously.
    â€œNo.” Alex shook his head then cleared his throat. “Father,” he addressed Cedric who was sitting at his desk engrossed in looking at invoices. “This is Chief Spotted Horse, a friend of Noble’s.”
    The elder man stood up and removed his reading glasses, He smiled broadly. “Glad to meet you Chief. Nice to see you again, Noble.”
    â€œGood store here,” the Osage said in a voice of authority that Noble couldn’t recall him using before. My Lord, Noble mused, give him a title and he’s a regular ambassador.
    â€œTell Noble about the land, Father,” Alex urged.
    â€œAb, yes. The Southern Kansas Railroad owns the property that your store is situated on. Congress awarded them that land. They will keep a right of way east and west, but they need the money badly.”
    â€œHow badly?”
    â€œWell, they weren’t certain just where your store is situated on their property, but you can buy six thousand acres for one-thousand dollars.” The elder Patterson waved his finger like a gun. “And you will have a federal guaranteed deed to your place. A fort isn’t it?”
    â€œYes.” Noble wanted to shout for joy at the news. Instead he clenched his teeth and paced around the room viewing the floor. He could hardly believe it was true—clear title to the land.
    â€œThat is good news, isn’t it?” Cedric asked, frowning at Noble’s preoccupied look.
    â€œHell, yes,” Noble lifted his head and grinned. “It’s the best damned news I’ve heard in my life. Let’s go get it done.”
    â€œTomorrow,” the senior Patterson said. “The lawyer is up at the fort on army business. Nice man, Albert Wooten, someday he’ll be governor.”
    â€œI’ll vote for him,” Noble said vehemently.
    â€œCome on, look at the new Colts we just got in,” Alex invited.
    â€œYeah.” Noble motioned for the unimpressed Osage to follow them. “Toby Evans showed me his new model.”
    â€œThey’re .44’s with side ejection. They’ll outshoot anything,” Alex explained as they went to the guncase. “The grips are larger. Samuel Colt did himself proud. I even have the short-barreled sheriff’s model.” He handed a new and well-oiled weapon to Noble.
    Noble spun the cylinder and tried the ejector. He balanced both models in his hand. “I like the longer barrel,” he decided. A smile spread across his face at the double holster set that Alex spread on the counter. Noble raised a brow when he noticed the holster even had loops for the rim fire ammunition.
    Noble watched the Osage getting the feel of a lever action rifle. “Is that the Henry rifle?”
    â€œNo. A Winchester .44/40 and it’s the rifle for the plains. That model has a cartridge that will reach out. No fizzling short shells. The lever action is improved. It has all steel working parts.”
    Spotted Horse smiled privately at Noble when he handed him the oily-smelling weapon.
    â€œDo they work good?” Noble asked.
    â€œSure do. We can hardly keep them in stock. They’re very popular.”
    â€™I’ll need four for my people at the fort.” Noble looked