Wildest Dreams - By Rosanne Bittner Page 0,44

He's on his way to Oregon from down by Sheridan. Figures to find out about the rumor that there's lots of cattle to be had cheap out there. I thought you might be interested in him findin' out what you can get a good herd for."

Luke nodded. "I'd like that just fine." He shook hands with Ward, a tall, gangly man with dark hair and eyes. Although he was clean-shaven, he had an unkempt look about him. His pants and jacket hung loosely, and his wide-brimmed leather hat looked as though it had had a lot of use. His smile was friendly, but his teeth terribly crooked. "You got family back in Sheridan?" Luke asked.

"Oh, no. Never been married." The man actually looked embarrassed at the remark, and he seemed very shy of women, reddened when he nodded quickly to Lettie in greeting, then looked away immediately. "I guarantee you, Mr. Fontaine, that I do know cattle," the man drawled, apparently anxious to change the subject. "Worked on cattle ranches in Texas for years, mostly with longhorns, of course. I hear there's a little bit different stock in Oregon. I'm lookin' to buy for several other ranchers—get a commission, if that's okay with you. I'll get you the lowest price possible, then you pay the cost of hirin' men to get them back here, plus ten cents a head extra to me for doin' all the footwork. 'Course, all I can do this year is see what kind of deal I can come up with, then let you know next spring and go back to get the beef."

"Sounds fine to me. I'll be too busy here this summer building a cabin and barn and fencing, getting in more wood for next winter and all. Takes a lot of time and work to get a place into shape, and I won't have my wife and a new baby living in that drafty shack next winter."

Ward looked past Luke at the valley beyond. "You picked a good spot, Mr. Fontaine. You can fatten beef up real good here, and I agree with what you told Will about how there's gonna' be an even bigger demand for beef soon as the war is over, especially once they complete the transcontinental railroad."

"I think so," Luke answered. He put out his hand to the other man, who shook it vigorously.

"I'm Jim Calahan," the young man spoke up. His eyes had not stopped shining with awe since he heard Luke had faced eight outlaws and survived the encounter. He removed his hat before nodding to Lettie. "Ma'am."

"Hello, Mr. Calahan," Lettie answered. He was a pleasant-looking man, with sandy hair and brown eyes. He only came to Luke's shoulder in height, but he was well built and looked clean.

"Will brought me out here because he thought you might need an extra hand," he was saying to Luke. "Both my folks died down in Colorado, and I came up here lookin' for gold, but didn't have any luck. I just kind of wandered into Billings last fall lookin' for work, been livin' with Will here most of the winter."

Will laughed. "Henny says we've got to quit takin' in strays." He put a hand on young Jim's shoulder. "He's proved to be a good kid, Luke, hard working, willin' to do his share. For room and board, he'd be a big help to you. He needs the work."

Luke studied the young man. "As long as I can trust him. I need somebody who can keep a watch over Lettie and the stock when I have to be gone."

Jim glanced at the eight graves. "I don't think I'd care to cross you, Mr. Fontaine," he answered with a nervous smile.

Lettie caught the slight bitterness to Luke's smile. "Well, I don't want to get a reputation for killing a man for no reason." He held Jim's eyes with warning in his own. "Just don't give me reason." He grinned then, and Jim smiled in return. The two men shook hands again.

"Put on the coffee, honey," Luke said to Lettie. "You've finally got the company you've been longing for all winter."

"I'll bring Henny out sometime soon," Will promised.

"Oh, I'd like that so much," Lettie told him fervently. She felt uplifted by the unexpected visit. Will couldn't have chosen a better time to come. Luke needed the conversation and support more than ever right now. She headed inside to get more coffee going.

Luke turned and pointed to the valley, where a herd of