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symbol of the brand and the name of the ranch at face value.
    â€œI’ll tell you the long, boring story later. Too much trail dust out here.”
    His light green eyes sparkling with anticipation, Sam looked at Matt and nodded. Nothing seemed to dim the kid’s enthusiasm. Not the heat, the flies, the boredom.
    He reminded Matt of other boys he’d known. Maybe they were the reason Matt had gone after Sam the day before.
    Because he’d reminded Matt of the friends he’d been unable to save.
    And now he reluctantly had this kid in his care. What had he been thinking to take Sam on?
    He’d thought Jake would be responsible for the young cowhand. He should have figured the task of teaching the boy would fall to him.
    He’d followed orders, was so danged good at following orders—even when he didn’t agree with them. And because of his dogged determination to obey commands during the war, the boys in his command had suffered. Many had even died.
    It was now his goal to make sure Sam didn’t join them.

CHAPTER FIVE
    The sun was directly overhead when Sam noticed the cattle starting to slow down—if beasts that barely moved could be said to slow down. She thought they’d be lucky if they covered fifteen miles today.
    All morning she and Matt had simply ridden behind the beasts, keeping a watchful eye. Every now and then, Matt would urge his horse toward an errant cow. He used his rope, coiled but dangling loosely from his hand, to shoo the animal back toward the herd. He’d shown her how to hold her own rope, how to gently flap it to direct the animals.
    The work wasn’t hard, but it was tiresome. And so dull that she couldn’t figure out why Mr. Vaughn hadn’t been willing to hire her in the first place. As far as she could tell, the greatest danger was falling asleep and toppling off her horse.
    The cattle came to a stop. Two cowboys loped toward them and brought their horses to a halt.
    â€œWe’ll take first shift,” one said.
    â€œYou’ll get no argument from me,” Matt responded. “Sam, meet Jeb and Jed.”
    Sam couldn’t tell much about them, since their hats shielded the top of their heads and their bandannas hid the lower part of their faces. She could see that they both had tawny eyes.
    â€œThey’re twins,” Matt explained. “If you can’t remember which is which, just call out, ‘Twin.’ They both answer to that.”
    â€œHow come you’re riding drag, instead of point, like you have been?” one twin asked.
    â€œGotta teach Sam the ropes , so to speak,” Matt told him tersely, “and the boss wouldn’t let him start at the front.”
    Guilt pricked Sam’s conscience. Matt had explained the various positions to her. Farther up were the cowboys who rode flank. Ahead of them, the cowboys were riding the swing position. Point was obviously a coveted spot, in front of the herd, ahead of the choking dust. Matt had been forced to give it up because he’d offered her a spot on this drive.
    She would definitely do all she could to become the best cowhand Jake Vaughn or Matthew Hart had ever seen. Or die trying.
    â€œCome on, Sam. Cookie will have set up the wagon at the front of the herd and we have about an hour before we get these little doggies moving again. And we’ll need to get back here so Jeb and Jed can have a chance to eat.”
    Following Matt’s lead, she urged her horse into a canter.She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this hungry.
    Matt had explained that the wagon started out ahead of the herd and traveled to a spot that Jake had determined the night before. When Cookie reached it, he set up and prepared lunch. The meal was usually ready by the time the slow-moving cattle caught up to him. He’d follow the same plan during the afternoon. Where Cookie stopped late in the afternoon was where they’d stay for the night.
    As