Now Prophet said, “This is where we part, boy. Go on home.”
The stricken lad’s voice was barely audible. “Where ... where you goin’, Lou?”
“Away.” Prophet sighed. “Your ranch ... your life ... it’s no place for me. You tell your sister I love her, will you?”
“Why don’t you tell her, Lou?”
Prophet shook his head. “It’d just be hard on her. I’ve been hard enough on her. On all of you.” He jerked his head eastward down the trail. “Go on. Go home. She’s waitin’ for you.”
The boy stared at him for a long time. Then he gently heeled his horse down the trail, watching Prophet over his shoulder.
Layla was pacing on the porch and smoking a cigarette when she heard the horse. She grabbed her rifle and ran into the yard. “Who is it?”
“It’s me... Keith,” the boy said as he approached on the tall, brown horse.
“Keith!” Layla cried “Thank God!”
The boy slipped out of the saddle and ran into his sister’s open arms. Crying with joy and relief, she knelt and kissed him and hugged him, rocked him gently in her arms. “I’m so happy you’re safe! Oh, Keith!”
“I’m okay, Sis,” Keith said in a small, faraway voice.
She held him away and looked him up and down. “You’re not hurt?”
“Not too bad.”
“You’re sure?”
He nodded. “I’m sure.”
She gazed at him, smiling, unable to believe he was actually back.
“Where’s Lou?” she asked him at last, frowning down the westward trail.
The boy looked down. “He ... he’s gone.”
She snapped her head around. “What?”
“He left,” Keith said slowly. “He said ... he said ... to tell you ... he loved you.”
Layla stared at her brother for a long time. She didn’t say a word.
“I’m sorry, Layla,” Keith sobbed. “He said he couldn’t stay.”
At last, Layla swallowed and dropped her gaze. She cleared her throat. Her voice shook slightly when she said, “You better go inside and get cleaned up for bed. Charlie’s in there. He’s been worried sick, but he finally fell asleep about a half hour ago. You wake him up and show him you’re back.”
Keith just looked at her.
“Go on now. I’ll be all right.”
Silently, Keith headed for the cabin. When he’d stepped inside and let the screen door slap shut behind him, Layla climbed to her feet and walked out to where the westward trail left the yard. Crossing her arms over her breasts, she cupped her elbows in her hands and stared at the pale ribbon of trail meandering between the buttes humping darkly against a sky awash with stars.
She sobbed and sniffed, sucking back tears. Her heart was an anvil in her chest. Her throat was swollen until she almost couldn’t breathe.
“I know you’ll be back for me, Lou Prophet,” she said thinly. “Someday ... I just know you will...”
Riding through the black buttes of the badlands, threading his way southward and steering by the stars, not knowing or caring where he was going, Lou Prophet was thinking the same thing.
Lou Prophet will return in
RIDING WITH THE DEVIL’S MISTRESS
Coming Soon!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter Brandvold has written more than seventy westerns. Born and raised in North Dakota, Pete spent much of his early life riding horses, reading western novels, and watching western movies. He later attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, and graduated with a B.A. in English. He then wrote for several old west magazines such as Country Journal and True West Magazine, until 1995, when he decided to write adventure stories. Pete also writes under the name Frank Leslie (an alias that has appeared on several titles in the "Yakima Henry" series). He has also written several titles in the "Longarm" series and his writings have also appeared under the Ralph Compton by-line. He is presently working on a screenplay for his popular 2001 novel, The Romantics and co-writes DC Comics's Guns and Roses series, featuring the western character Bat Lash.
Piccadilly Publishing
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