Read Heart of Thunder for Free Online

undaunted. “We’re going to be richer than we ever dreamed, laddie.”
    “Then give me my share now, and you can keep all the rest. I have no interest in mines, Pat. You know my dreams. I have waited more than ten years. I will not wait any longer. I must go home to Mexico.”
    “But you don’t understand, Hank, me lad. Sit down and let me explain.”
    “There is nothing to explain. Either you have my money or you don’t.”
    “I do not. I spent nearly all of it on a smelter,” Pat said quickly, and stepped farther back.
    Hank grabbed hold of his shirt front and pulled him closer, nearly lifting him off the ground. There was murder in his eyes.
    “I think I must kill you, Patrick,” he said in a deadly calm voice. “ Sí , I must. You knew what that money meant to me. You knew how I hated what we did to get it. You knew…and you spent it anyway.”
    “But, laddie, you will have enough money to buy a dozen haciendas , two dozen,” Pat pleaded. “I tell you we will be rich.”
    “How can you know?” Hank demanded. “When you have yet to process the silver?”
    “I have had it analyzed. We have top grade ore here, the best, and so much of it! It’s only a matter of processing it as soon as the smelter gets here. Of course, that will take a little while.”
    “How long? A year—two years?”
    “I cannot say, laddie. I sent to England for the newest and best equipment.”
    Very suddenly, Hank let go of Pat and turned away. The older man sighed in relief. Hank was a much taller man, and stronger, lean yet well muscled. Angry, he could easily kill Pat with his hands.
    “How could you do this to me, Pat? I trusted you. We were amigos .” Hank’s voice was barely audible.
    “We still are,” Pat protested. “See reason, will you? I have made you a rich man.”
    “Riches that I do not see cannot help me now,” Hank growled.
    Pat eyed Hank warily. He had known Hank Chavez for a long time, but he had never seen him like this. A darkly handsome man, usually dressed in dark clothes, Hank had always looked dangerous. At first glance, he appeared to be a gunfighter. But the warmth and amusement in his eyes dispelled the image quickly. The young man could find humor in almost any situation, and his genuine love of life despite the tragedies in his past made him remarkable.
    Pat tried again. “Hank, me boy, can’t you see this from my side? This was my one chance. We had plenty of money, but you know how I am. I would have lived it up for a while and soon had nothing left.”
    “You could have bought a business or a ranch, Pat. You could have settled down.”
    “That’s not for me,” Pat replied, hope rising. At least Hank was listening. “I’m not one for workin’ at anything steady.”
    “You are working here,” Hank pointed out.
    “Work? I’m payin’ others to break their backs splittin’ rock.”
    Hank’s eyes narrowed. “With what are you paying them, Patrick?” he asked softly.

    “Well, there was a little left over. A thousand or so,” Pat admitted reluctantly, sorry he had trapped himself. “I thought I’d save time by gettin’ all the rock ready so we could get right to work once the smelter gets here.”
    “I will take what is left, Pat.”
    “Now, laddie—” Hank started toward him again, and Pat conceded quickly. “All right, all right. I suppose it won’t make any difference.” He saw Hank relax slightly and believed there would be no more trouble. “Tell me, what took you so long getting here? I expected you to be right behind me.”
    Hank tensed. “I was in jail.”
    Pat frowned. “Not…?”
    “No, it had nothing to do with our robberies,” Hank said bitterly. “I ran up a few damages after reading your note and getting drunk.”
    Pat grimaced. “I’m sorry. But you do see why I had to do it that way? I’d won this mine in a card game, and I knew how valuable it was by the way the fellow was actin’ after he lost it. Took it real bad. He had been on his way