A Heart So Wild by Johanna Lindsey Read Free Book Online

that. “Come on, where’d you hear that name?”
    â€œOh, he checked into the hotel this morning. I just thought you might have heard of him before, that he might have a reputation.”
    â€œAnother bad one, huh?”
    â€œHe did have that look.”
    â€œWell, if he’s older, you could ask Charley or Snub. They know all the fast guns with the worst reputations, and you know how they love to gossip.”
    â€œHe’s not that old, maybe twenty-five or -six, I guess.”
    â€œThen they prob’ly wouldn’t know, but if you just wanna know how many men he’s killed—”
    â€œMattie! I don’t want to know any such thing.”
    â€œWell, but then what do you want to know?”
    â€œNothing, nothing at all.”
    â€œWell, God sakes, why’d you ask?” A moment later, she said, “Is that him?”
    Courtney’s pulse leaped, then returned to normal. Across the street, at Reed’s saloon, leaning against a post, was one of two other gunmen recently come to town.
    â€œNo, that’s Jim Ward,” Courtney explained. “He came in yesterday with another man.”
    â€œJim Ward? Now, that name does sound familiar. Wasn’t that one of the names on those wanted posters Wild Bill sent down from Abilene last year?”
    Courtney shrugged. “I never did understand why Marshal Hickok sent us those posters. We’ve never had a town marshal.” No one in Rockley wanted that job, which was why so many outlaws, or “owlhoots” as Charley called them, felt free to travel through Rockley. “It wouldn’t matter if he is wanted. Who is there in Rockley to arrest him?”
    â€œTrue,” said Mattie, “but it helps knowin’ who to stay clear of.”
    â€œI stay clear of all of them if I can.” Courtney shivered.
    â€œWell, naturally, but you know what I meant. If Harry had known Polecat Parker was wanted, he woulda shot him instead of just runnin’ him out of town.”
    Courtney steeled herself against the mention of that name. “Don’t remind me. Sarah was in a snit for months when she heard about thethousand-dollar reward that someone in Hays City collected on that vile man.”
    Mattie laughed. “Sarah is always in a snit about somethin’.”
    The two girls crossed the street, hoping to get out of the hot sun. It was nearing the end of summer, but Kansas didn’t seem to know it. Courtney didn’t get out in the sun often, except to hang out laundry, but even that was enough to give her a light golden tan each summer. It went very well with her honey gold eyes.
    Lars Handley smiled at the girls as they entered his store. He was waiting on Berny Bixler, who acknowledged them as well. Four other customers milled around, no one in any particular hurry.
    Just about anything you wanted could be found in Handley’s store, provided it was of a practical nature. The only thing he didn’t sell was meat, but Zing Hodges, an ex-buffalo hunter, had opened a meat market next door. In the front corner of Handley’s, a man could get a shave or haircut, and if the need arose, a tooth pulled by Hector Evans. The barber rented this small corner of the store from Lars because he’d never made up his mind whether he wanted to stay in Rockley, and so he didn’t want to spend the money to build his own shop.
    Mattie pulled Courtney straightaway to the wall where the old wanted posters were hung.
    â€œThere, see?” Mattie beamed. “Three-hundred-dollar reward for Jim Ward, wanted for ‘murder, armed robbery, and other numerous crimes in New Mexico.’”
    Courtney studied the poster and its pencil sketch of a man that did in fact resemble theJim Ward staying at the hotel. “It says wanted dead or alive. Why do they do that, Mattie? It just gives all those bounty hunters a license to kill.”
    â€œThey have to, or no one would bother