Wild Side of the River
Page 20
“You drink it.”
“I’ve already had some.” She came over and set the cup on the desk beside him. “Now what will you do?” She tried to ask it casually, but couldn’t keep the wariness out of her words.
“What do you mean?”
“Will you go back to the Bar-Five?”
“I expect I will, soon as I can ride.”
Rachel nodded and started to turn away. Ethan grabbed her hand, pulled her back. She stood at his side but refused to look at him.
“Of course,” he said, “I wouldn’t want to leave town until the minister got here. If I’m not mistaken, there’s a circuit preacher due this Sunday from Fort Shaw.”
Rachel looked at him uncertainly. “And you wish to confess your many sins?”
“No,” he replied, struggling to his feet to take her into his arms. “I wish to marry the prettiest girl on the Marias. That is, if you’ll have me.”
She put her arms gently around his neck, and her eyes grew moist. “Yes, Ethan Wilder, I will have you. Forever.”
THE END
About the Author
Michael Zimmer grew up on a small Colorado horse ranch, and began to break and train horses for spending money while still in high school. An American history enthusiast from a very early age, he has done extensive research on the Old West. His personal library contains over two thousand volumes covering that area west of the Mississippi from the late 1700s to the early decades of the twentieth century. In addition to perusing first-hand accounts from the period, Zimmer is also a firm believer in field interpretation. He’s made it a point to master many of the skills used by our forefathers, and can start a campfire with flint and steel, gather, prepare, and survive on natural foods found in the wilderness, and has built and slept in shelters as diverse as bark lodges and snow caves. He owns and shoots a number of Old West firearms, and has done horseback treks using nineteenth century tack, gear, and guidelines. Zimmer lives in Utah with his wife, Vanessa, and two dogs. His website is www.michael-zimmer.com.