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."My feelings were half hurt because I always thought of him as a friend since that business in school.I'd smile at him when I saw him in town, and he'd always tip his hat or nod at me or something, but the fuss everyone made about that walk through town made me realize he was just smarter than I was.I mean it was broad daylight, we were in the middle of town, and he just carried some packages for me, but the town busybodiescouldn't tell Mother and Father about it fast enough."Leona said, "My goodness, I do remember that.Your father was very upset, and he was already worried about Elroy Turrell.Frank ignored Edward Wells' worries and Elroy Turrell."So what was the othertime?" he asked.Into the spirit of the story telling now, Anne made a wry face and continued with the final encounter with Cord before last October.It was the only time she didn't get in trouble, because no one ever knew."I took a shortcut through that same alley again, and there was a half grown kitten just huddling back there.He didn't even try to get away when I picked him up.One hind leg had a horrible wound that looked all infected, and he seemed just sick and dull.I knew I couldn't take him home.Father doesn't believe in pets.I couldn't think of anyone in town who might help, and I was really upset, when all of a sudden there was Cord, wanting to know if I was hurt.""He probably lurked in that alley ever since the first time, waiting to knock you over again," Rob said."Don't be silly.This was years later.After I got back from Chicago.He'd been gone for years too."Cord had examined the little cat with gentle hands and then told her he would take it home and fix it.She gave the kitten to him, not knowing anything better to do.She often wondered in the years since if he had lied to her, told her he would fix it when he couldn't or wasn't going to bother just to make her feel better - had wondered until last fall, when she saw the same cat in the barn, easy to recognize by the unique white mark on its face."I call him Paddy because he's orange and looks sort of Irish to me," she told them seriously."Cord said he thought about trying to tell me Paddy healed and was fine, but he knew if he talked to me and anybody saw it would cause trouble again.He knew aboutthe other times, you see.There's so much gossip in the town."Frank pressed for more information."Do you know where he was those years he was gone from here? What he did?""Yes, I do, but those are his stories.If you want to hear them, you'll have to ask him yourself.""He'd never tell us a word, you know.We didn't know he'd been in Utah or Texas until that day Noah was here after the fight.""Maybe you never asked him nicely."Frank started to argue, but right then Luke came in, wanting hot water for cleaningRed's wound.Anne rose from her chair."I'll come help."Luke gave her his engaging, teasing grin."No you won't.Cord says if you don't stay here and mind your own business, he'll tell Uncle Eph how to keep a hold of you."She shot right back, "You tell him if he tells Ephraim anything of the sort, it will be the last time he keeps a hold of me," but she sat down.It was not, Luke assured her, a bad or dangerous wound, just ugly from neglect, andthe horse seemed quite happy to be rescued from Lennie's care.A short while later, Cord and Anne started for home in the buggy, Red trailing along behind with no fuss at all.The Bennetts discussed what they had learned about their brother.Frank felt hisattitude was vindicated."I knew he'd never have invited her in or tried to help her that day Wells found her there unless there was a reason.Even then, he figured he owed her -from way back when they were kids."Ephraim looked at it differently."It sounds like he liked her - from way back when they were kids."Frank said cynically, "As much as he likes anyone maybe.You hear the way he talks to her.Does it sound affectionate to you?"Shaking his head, Ephraim had to concede the point."No, it sure doesn't soundaffectionate, but I don't know, Frank, that woman is.Would she stay with him unless he's being decent to her?"Frank had a ready answer to that, one which Ephraim conceded had merit."Thinkabout how she grew up with Wells for a father.She probably has no idea of how a decent man acts."* * *CHAPTER 29EVEN THOUGH THE VERY THOUGHT of the race made her stomach clench, Anne admitted to herself she was looking forward to the weekend of the race like a child does a birthday.Frank had agreed to send a young cowboy who could milk cows to stay at their house and care for the stock from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening.Billy James showed up right on time, leaving Cord and Anne free for a leisurely ride to town.Anne rode Red.Cord rode Keeper and led Lady, packed with everything they'd needfor the weekend, including Anne's dress for the post-race dance.When Martha showedthem to a spare bedroom with two narrow beds, both freshly made up, Anne winkedwickedly at Cord.It was a good thing they were both thin, or they'd never fit together in one of those skinny beds.The next morning, Cord ate no breakfast, drank only one cup of coffee.As Annerefilled her own coffee cup at the stove, Martha whispered her amazement."Nothing ever affects his appetite.Surely he's not nervous about this, is he?"Anne didn't answer but intended her pat on Martha's arm to reassure the older woman.It didn't.Martha began to look nervous herself
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