Read The Brides Of Tombstone 01 Mail Order Outlaw for Free Online Page B

pitchforks from the tools hanging on one of the walls.
    “Here you go, get one of those wheelbarrows and start loading it.”
    “Loading it with what? The straw?”
    “Yes, the straw and all the manure in it.”
    “Oh,what a smell. Now I know why Jamie would rather peel potatoes. So would I.” But he began pitching the straw and waste from the stall into the wheelbarrow until it was heaping. “What do I do with it now?”
    “Take it outside and tip over in the manure pile. You filled it kind of full, so be careful not to tip it over before you get there or you’ll have to clean it up again.”
    “Now you tell me.” Rather than take the chance of having to clean it up twice, Ed removed some of the straw back into the pen. “What do I do after I get all the straw out of the stall?”
    “Once you have all the dirty stuff out, you put new bedding in. The straw is in the end stall.” She pointed toward the stall on the left at the back of the barn. “Make sure it’s thick and even. The idea is to provide a cushion for the horse when they lay down, and also to absorb their urine so it doesn’t soak into the dirt. If that happens then we have to shovel out the dirt and replace it before replacing the straw. So you can see why the layer of straw needs to be nice and thick.”
    “Okay. I got it.” Ed went back to cleaning the stalls. Lizzie was faster and had done three to his two before they stopped for a break.
    She put her pitchfork against the hay in one of the stalls and then sat on a bale. “You still think you want to run a ranch?”
    “A little hard work won’t change my mind. I like working with my hands and body. It sure beats the dry goods business and wearing a suit every day.” Ed didn’t know anything about the dry goods business. He’d been in a fancy store once in Tucson and the man there had worn a suit, so he figured maybe Malcolm had, too.
    “Yeah, I guess it would. I wouldn’t want to wear a dress every day either.”
    He ran his gaze over her. “You look good in those pants but I’d still like to see you in a dress.”
    Lizzie picked at the hay next to her until she got out a long piece. “About the only time I wear one is to go to church. During branding season, like we’ve been doing for the last month, I don’t attend services. We’ll go next Sunday, and then you’ll see me in my dress. Trust me, it’s not all that spectacular.”
    “Dress? As in you only have one?”
    She shrugged. “Only ever needed one. But having a second one will be nice. So I have a choice. That yellow silk sure is pretty and I do thank you for buying it for me.” She popped one end of the piece of hay into her mouth.
    Ed did the same thing and chewed. It was an earthy flavor, not unpleasant.
    “Well, we’ve still got three more stalls to do, and then we can move on to rounding up some of the strays. I sent the boys out to the south range where most of the cattle are. You and I will go north in case any went that way. I don’t expect to find any but you never know.”
    “Sounds like a plan.”
    “Do you know how to use that six-shooter you have on your hip?”
    “Yes.” I answered too quickly. I’m supposed to be a green horn . “I…um…learned as a hobby. Have to do something for fun. And when I decided to come out here I thought shooting a gun would be a useful skill to know, especially if I ever got the chance to own a ranch.”
    “You’re right about that. You need one in this country. Never know when you’ll see a sidewinder.”
    Ed pretended not to know what it was. “Sidewinder?”
    “It’s a rattlesnake. It’s a varmint you don’t want to mess with.”
    He nodded. “I’ve read about rattlesnakes. Dangerous critters.”
    She flashed her gaze to him and furrowed her eyebrows. “You say some strange things for a green horn, city slicker.”
    He realized he’d made a mistake saying critters. That wasn’t a word Malcolm would use. He tried to smooth it over. “What other