Read Third-Time Lucky for Free Online Page B

in the barn. We had a big problem which didn’t work out too good. Tough, eh?”
    Lucky snorted and pressed for more affection, almost making Kirstie overbalance in his eagerness.
    “Listen, you got a day off, didn’t you?” Hooking both arms around his neck, she laid her head against him. “And tomorrow’s Monday, but I don’t have to leave the ranch. It’s vacation. School’s out for summer!”
    The palomino turned his head to look up at the black horizon, his nostrils flared, ears pricked.
    “Yeah, you got it! We can ride all day, go where we want. What do you think? Should we try Eden Lake or Miners’ Ridge? If we go to the lake you can take a swim!”
    Giving another toss of his head, Lucky nickered.
    “Yeah, I know; you like swimming. Me, too. But maybe Eden Lake’s too far. You looked a little slow coming across the meadow just now, like you could do with taking things easy for a day or two.”
    Taking a step back from her horse, Kirstie cast a critical eye over him. She noticed he wasn’t standing square on all four feet, but resting his left hind leg off the ground. Maybe he had a stone in his foot that was giving him a problem. So she went to lift and inspect the hoof in what was by now almost total darkness. “Nope, it looks fine!” she muttered, easing it back down. She went back around to his head and took hold of his head collar. “Hey, you’re not kidding me, are you?”
    Lucky shook himself, sending his whole body quivering. Then he gave a short, sharp cough.
    It’s nothing,
Kirstie told herself.
Nothing! Lucky’s fooling around, that’s all.
She patted him and told him to quit, said she would go straight back to the ranch for her chicken and fries if he didn’t behave. But that was on the surface. Deep down, she was growing afraid.
    Take a proper look,
an inner voice insisted.
It’s not like Lucky to stand uneven. And he’s low in energy. When did he last trot across the meadow to see you instead of lope?
    Take a look tomorrow!
Another, high-pitched voice inside her head argued.
Leave it for tonight.
    Tomorrow could be too late. If there’s something wrong with the horse, he needs proper attention now!

    What could be wrong? Lucky’s a strong, healthy horse.
The whining voice wanted to be right.
    Caught between the two, Kirstie couldn’t move. She stood in Red Fox Meadow in the dark, with the rain coming down hard. Lucky had hung his head and was waiting quietly, but still the battle inside her head continued.
    If it hadn’t been for Matt coming up to the fence and seeing her there, she might have stayed all night. He stood silently for a few seconds, hat pulled down, jacket collar turned up, hands in pockets. “You OK?” he said at last.
    “Fine.” She shivered as the rain soaked through her shirt. The hand clutching the head collar shook with cold.
    “How about Lucky?”
    “Fine, too. Why shouldn’t he be?” That was the whining, practically hysterical voice taking over.
    “No, he’s not.” Matt climbed the fence to join them. He put his hand on the horse’s shivering shoulder and looked him over from head to foot. “The horse is sick. C’mon, Kirstie, let’s get him out of here!”

5
    “Try not to let it get to you,” Sandy told Kirstie, holding her hand hard. “I can see in your face you’re thinking the worst already. But don’t, honey. Think positive for Lucky’s sake!”
    Kirstie had walked her palomino out of the meadow to the barn. Cold rain and hot tears had trickled down her face as she led him slowly across the footbridge over Five Mile Creek, and she’d met her mom clearing up the rapidly removed remains of the Sunday evening barbecue. Reluctantly she’d handed Lucky over to Matt, who was bedding him down in a clean stall right this minute.
    Sandy made her go into the house to dry off. She gave her a towel for her hair and fresh clothes from the closet. Kirstie went through the motions without saying a word.
    “Hey, listen!” her mom insisted