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for your years of service.”
    “Ain’t that nice,” T-Bone said. Suddenly overcome, he buried his eyes in his napkin. His shoulders shook silently as Frank laid a rough hand on his shoulder.
    “She didn’t have to do that,” Frank’s eyes brimmed with tears. “We would have done anything for her.”
    “I’m sure she knew that,” she said.
    T-Bone wiped his nose on the linen napkin. “Sorry, Miss Cami. I just ain’t had time to take it all in yet.”
    “Don’t you worry none, Miss Cami,” Frank said. “We’ll do a good job for you, too.”
    “That’s what I want to discuss with you. I can’t keep the ranch.” She took a breath and plunged into her carefully rehearsed story. “You see I have to follow my lifelong dream and accept the fellowship.” She finished brightly, gazing at them with an expectant expression.
    They exchanged another knowing glance.
    T-Bone cleared his throat. “Miss Cami, I’m sure that your aunt would have wanted you to follow your heart, but this ranch meant an awful lot to her. Can’t you just give it a chance?”
    “I know Mr. Ryan’s a good man,” Frank said, “and he’d never sell out to Kincaid, but it wouldn’t be the same.”
    “What’s wrong with selling to Kincaid? Isn’t it good business to try and increase your land holdings? Aren’t a lot of small ranches going under?” She thought that playing the devil’s advocate might get them to open up.
    “That’s a fact,” T-Bone said, leaning his elbows on the table. “But the way Kincaid’s pressuring the small ranchers is a crying shame. He tried his dirty tricks on Miss Silky and she was madder’n a wet hen.”
    “Dirty tricks?” The cold tingle kissed her neck.
    T-Bone nodded. “They cut barbed wire fences and let cattle wander off. Then it got worse, slaughtered stock and poisoned tanks. Kincaid’s bunch is mean.”
    “None of the hands go to town alone for fear of getting run off the road or beat up.” Frank’s expression was grim.
    Her heart stirred with indignation. “Surely the police can do something?” Cami ached to fight back, to make things right.
    “The Sheriff’s just a toady for Kincaid. He didn’t even investigate Silky’s death.” T-Bone stopped short his tirade. He stared at her nervously.
    Her breath caught in her throat. “So you don’t think her death was an accident either?”
     
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
    Cami tossed and turned in her bed. A strong north wind howled like a mournful spirit as it blew branches against the eaves and rattled window panes.
    Shadow whined softly outside her door and she admitted him. He curled up on the room-size Aubusson rug that left only a foot of golden oak floor showing around the circumference of the room.
    She felt a wave of empathy, recognizing Shadow’s grieving behavior. She started to close the door and caught a glimpse of something else in the hallway. Moon stood a few feet away, waiting for an invitation to enter.
    “By all means .” She stood aside for the cat to pass. With a regal grace, Moon leapt upon the bed and settled herself comfortably.
    Cami curled back under the covers and heard the cat purring softly in the darkness. It was a comforting sound and the presence of the animals, her Aunt Silky’s pets, made her feel less alone in the huge empty house.
    The next morning , she sipped coffee and spread jam on the toast she’d made from Cora Lee’s home-made bread.
    Somet ime during the night the wind had died down and quit howling. The sky was a lighter shade of gray. Cami peered out the beveled glass oval inset into the front door. She saw Frank trudging through the snow, on his way to the stables.
    She ran lightly up stairs and into Aunt Silky’s room. She dug around in Silky’s closet and found a well-worn leather jacket lined with curly lambs wool. Tugging it on, she felt a lump in the pocket and was rewarded with the discovery of a pair of lined sheepskin gloves.
    She flew down the stairs and out the door with