Minutes later, when Pete Doubell and Vance Carter had been carried from the yard, Christine composed herself and listened to Durant explain what it would be like on a small farm close to town. He spoke of the value of independence, of work helping to stave off loneliness, of happiness coming in time ...
Christine asked, shyly, “‘Will you stay on and help?’”
“For a while, Christine.”
“Only for a while …?”
Blake bit his lip and looked into the distance. Memories came flooding back, whirling about, hurting him. He didn’t want to hurt her. Like he, she had much to forget. And, also like he, she had to make a new life for herself.
He said, “I’ll stay as long as it takes to set you right. Your uncle asked that of me.”
“Did he have to ask, Blake?” Her eyes were wet with tears again.
Blake took her face in his hands and kissed her lightly on the forehead. He said, “He didn’t have to ask. I’d have stayed anyway.”
He left her then and went to fetch Sundown. Riding the big black into the main street, he gave Twoomey a wave and told him to look after the girl for a few days. Then he rode to where Bodie and his men waited. They rode into the night, heading for the river camp.
About the Author
Sheldon B. Cole was one of many pseudonyms used by prolific Australian writer Desmond Robert Dunn (6 November 1929-5 May 2003). In addition to four crime novels published under his own name, Des was a tireless western writer whose career spanned more than fifty years and well in excess of 400 oaters. These quick-moving, vivid and always compelling stories appeared under such pen-names as Shad Denver, Gunn Halliday, Adam Brady, Brett Iverson, Matt Cregan, Walt Renwick and Morgan Culp. He is also said to have written a number of the ever-popular Larry Kent P.I. novels, but at this late date author attribution is almost impossible. He married and divorced twice, and had three children. He died at the age of 73 in Brisbane, Queensland.
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