The Man from Stone Creek. Linda Lael Miller

barely get a bite down her throat. The whole place felt like one giant tinderbox ready to explode into flames at a spark.

      Garrett appeared comfortable enough, filling and emptying his plate more than once and stealing the occasional telling glance at Undine. And Sam seemed impervious to the sullen hostility coming his way from Mungo, Landry and Rex. He listened to Undine’s relentless chatter as though it had been written on a sacred scroll and carried down from Mount Olympus on a platter, and by the time the peach cobbler went around the table, Maddie’s stomach was clenched tight as a fist.

      Would this night never end?

      It was nearly nine-thirty, by the fancy clock on the sideboard, when Sam declined a third cup of coffee from a devoted Undine, and announced that he and Miss Chancelor had better be getting back to town. After all, he said, he had work to do in the morning, and Maddie liked to open the store for business right on time. She kept it open every day except Sunday.

      Maddie fairly knocked her chair over backward getting to her feet.

      “Landry, Rex,” Mungo said gruffly, “you go out and hitch up that team.” It was the first full sentence he’d spoken since they’d all sat at the table. “Garrett, help Undine clear the table. I’m sure Anna’s gone out to her cabin and turned in by now.”

      Maddie felt regret. She liked Anna, and rarely got to see her.

      “Sure thing, Pa,” Garrett said, and waited until his father had risen and turned his back before dragging his eyes slowly over Undine.

      Sam and Maddie took their leave. They had gone a mile up the river road before Sam stopped the team, got down and inspected the rigging. Up until then, he and Maddie hadn’t spoken.

      “What are you doing?” Maddie asked. She was fitful, anxious to get home to Terran, lock the doors behind her and forget she’d ever gone to supper at the Donagher ranch.

      Sam didn’t answer. He just tightened everything and climbed back up to take the reins. Maddie figured he hadn’t trusted the Donaghers’ hitching job, and didn’t pursue the subject.

      “You know them,” she said when they’d been rolling again for several minutes. “Rex and Landry, I mean.”

      Sam chuckled. “Not as well as I plan to,” he replied, and left Maddie to go right on wondering who Sam O’Ballivan really was, and what he wanted with Mungo Donagher’s outlaw sons.