reached the trees, and on the return, with the crowd yelling, Cody led by two lengths. When they were a hundred feet away from the finish line, Laurie screamed and threw herself backward. Her cry reached Cody, as did the sudden yells of the cowboys, and when he turned and saw the girl thrown backward, her head only inches away from the razor-sharp edges of Star’s hooves, he drew up his big stallion, turning him to make a grab for Star’s reins.
As soon as Laurie saw Cody stop and turn his horse, she pulled herself back into the saddle by the strap, dug her heels into Star’s sides, and the astonished Cody watched her cross the finish line and turn to wave at him.
A loud cheer went up from the cowboys, and the Sioux were babbling with delight. Cody’s face turned red—and then he threw his head back and roared with laughter. He spurred his big gray forward and put his hand out. “You win,” he smiled. He looked around and saw the Indians collecting their bets. “You fellows got took as bad as I did.” Then he turned to face Laurie. “I never was a welcher, Miss Laurie, but I sure would like to take you to supper after the show. Now, what is it you want me to think about?”
Laurie stared at the showman and said as firmly as she could, “I want to go with the show as a trick rider.”
Cody was a hard man to surprise, but shock ran over his tanned face when he heard her request. His mouth opened, but he couldn’t seem to find anything to say. Finally he shook his head and said, “Well, by gum—I’ll do it!” Admiration shaded his glance, and he smiled, a handsome man, well aware of his success with women. “If you can do a few more tricks like that last one, I’ll make a star of you, Laurie Winslow!”
At once she said, “I won’t argue about salary, but this will be a business agreement and nothing more.”
Cody’s face fell, for her meaning was unmistakable. But he needed a novel act such as this. Some of his men were fine trick riders—but none were as pretty as this one. She had thenerve and the looks—and he regretfully put other ideas out of his head. He was a showman, this man, and yet he knew when to fold his cards.
“Why, of course!” he said, allowing shock to tinge his voice. “The daughter of my old friend, Captain Tom Winslow? I’ll look after you just as though you were my own daughter!” He caught her slight smile but ignored it. “Come now, we’ll go over the terms. This will be acceptable with your father, I take it? I can’t have you if he doesn’t agree.”
“He will agree, Mr. Cody,” she assured him.
“Fine! But you do understand, these men of mine are the finest in the world, but they’re a little rough. Their language—things like that.”
“Their language is probably as refined as the troopers in my father’s command, and I got along fine with them.”
Laurie was happy at this sudden change of events, more so than she’d ever hoped, and her eyes shone with excitement. I don’t have to go home! she thought. And then she remembered the words of her friend Mac McGonigal: He’ll give you the desires of your heart.
****
Late that night, McGonigal was rudely awakened by a pounding on the door. Throwing the cover back, he stumbled across the room, stubbing his toe on a box, and then throwing the lock, shouted, “Who’s there?”
McGonigal was driven backward as Laurie Winslow came through the door like a small whirlwind. She was babbling something as the door slammed back, leaving Mac standing there in an agony of embarrassment. “Will ye get out of here and let a man get his pants on?” he demanded.
“Oh, forget your pants!” Laurie laughed, but she turned her back while he hastily lit a lamp and found a pair of pants to put on. Whirling around again, the words spilled out of her as she related her adventure. “And I’m leaving with theWild West Show Saturday, Mac! Isn’t it wonderful—and it’s the desire of my heart, just like you said! The
As soon as Laurie saw Cody stop and turn his horse, she pulled herself back into the saddle by the strap, dug her heels into Star’s sides, and the astonished Cody watched her cross the finish line and turn to wave at him.
A loud cheer went up from the cowboys, and the Sioux were babbling with delight. Cody’s face turned red—and then he threw his head back and roared with laughter. He spurred his big gray forward and put his hand out. “You win,” he smiled. He looked around and saw the Indians collecting their bets. “You fellows got took as bad as I did.” Then he turned to face Laurie. “I never was a welcher, Miss Laurie, but I sure would like to take you to supper after the show. Now, what is it you want me to think about?”
Laurie stared at the showman and said as firmly as she could, “I want to go with the show as a trick rider.”
Cody was a hard man to surprise, but shock ran over his tanned face when he heard her request. His mouth opened, but he couldn’t seem to find anything to say. Finally he shook his head and said, “Well, by gum—I’ll do it!” Admiration shaded his glance, and he smiled, a handsome man, well aware of his success with women. “If you can do a few more tricks like that last one, I’ll make a star of you, Laurie Winslow!”
At once she said, “I won’t argue about salary, but this will be a business agreement and nothing more.”
Cody’s face fell, for her meaning was unmistakable. But he needed a novel act such as this. Some of his men were fine trick riders—but none were as pretty as this one. She had thenerve and the looks—and he regretfully put other ideas out of his head. He was a showman, this man, and yet he knew when to fold his cards.
“Why, of course!” he said, allowing shock to tinge his voice. “The daughter of my old friend, Captain Tom Winslow? I’ll look after you just as though you were my own daughter!” He caught her slight smile but ignored it. “Come now, we’ll go over the terms. This will be acceptable with your father, I take it? I can’t have you if he doesn’t agree.”
“He will agree, Mr. Cody,” she assured him.
“Fine! But you do understand, these men of mine are the finest in the world, but they’re a little rough. Their language—things like that.”
“Their language is probably as refined as the troopers in my father’s command, and I got along fine with them.”
Laurie was happy at this sudden change of events, more so than she’d ever hoped, and her eyes shone with excitement. I don’t have to go home! she thought. And then she remembered the words of her friend Mac McGonigal: He’ll give you the desires of your heart.
****
Late that night, McGonigal was rudely awakened by a pounding on the door. Throwing the cover back, he stumbled across the room, stubbing his toe on a box, and then throwing the lock, shouted, “Who’s there?”
McGonigal was driven backward as Laurie Winslow came through the door like a small whirlwind. She was babbling something as the door slammed back, leaving Mac standing there in an agony of embarrassment. “Will ye get out of here and let a man get his pants on?” he demanded.
“Oh, forget your pants!” Laurie laughed, but she turned her back while he hastily lit a lamp and found a pair of pants to put on. Whirling around again, the words spilled out of her as she related her adventure. “And I’m leaving with theWild West Show Saturday, Mac! Isn’t it wonderful—and it’s the desire of my heart, just like you said! The
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