To Reap and to Sow by J. R. Roberts Page A

finish a fight. Where’s this goddamn farm?”

THIRTEEN
    If Clint had been looking for some peace and quiet, he certainly found it on the Petrowski farm. There was just something different about being on that much property owned and maintained by a man who cared about it. The rest of the world might seem wild, untamed and harsh, but the acres surrounded by such a meticulously tended fence were anything but.
    Every patch of dirt had been turned over.
    Every tree was in a row.
    Not one weed could be seen.
    Even the buildings in middle all looked as if they’d been painted on a canvas rather than pieced together using hammer and nails. As he followed Wes and Lynn around the place, Clint took in the sights and pulled in the air.
    It was more than enough to bring a contented smile to his face.
    â€œYou can put that horse right in there,” Wes said as he pointed to a building that was about half the size of the barn. “Take whatever stall you like and help yourself to anything else you need.”
    For a moment, Clint had forgotten he was leading Eclipse. The reins simply hung from his fist, and the Darley Arabian followed behind as if he’d been lulled into the same contented daze as Clint. Shaking himself awake, Clint nodded and turned toward the stable.
    â€œSo where’s Tina?” Lynn asked anxiously. “I thought I would’ve seen her by now.”
    â€œShe should be back in an hour or so,” Wes replied. “She went into town to get a new dress and Lord only knows what else. Once she gets to the store, she just loses track of everything else.”
    Lynn laughed and said something, but Clint couldn’t make out what it was. He’d reached the stable by now, and even though the main doors were open, the sturdy wooden structure was built well enough to keep out most sound as well as the wind.
    There were a few horses and a pair of mules in there, which left five empty stalls. All Clint needed to do was walk down the middle of the stable and wait for Eclipse to drift toward one stall. The stallion wasn’t about to break free, but he did look toward one stall instead of any of the others.
    â€œNot too often you get your pick like that, huh, boy?” Clint said as he took Eclipse into the stall and began unhitching the saddle. “Looks like you’ll be eating well for a while. Don’t get too used to it. I don’t have much use for a fat horse.”
    Eclipse settled in right away and started drinking from the trough before even looking at the hay beside it. After closing the stall’s gate, Clint took a slow walk around to get a look at the rest of the animals in there.
    All the horses were well cared for and strong. Even the mules seemed to be from fine stock, but that was surely because they saw plenty of work. By the time he got back to the main doors, Clint had a better idea of what Wes Petrowski was like as a person. A lot could be learned about a man by seeing how he treated his horses. So far, Wes seemed just as hospitable as he looked.
    Clint took a few steps outside and found Wes and Lynn leaning against a hitching post and talking. While he didn’t have anything against some leisurely conversation, Clint was enjoying his relaxing walk. Soon, he found himself wandering toward the barn and taking a look inside.
    The barn looked like most others, although it was as well kept as the rest of the place. Clint had to smirk at the meticulous way every tool was in its spot and gleaming, as if every pitchfork’s tong and every ax blade had just been polished. If not for all the care that had been shown to every little thing in there, Clint might have overlooked the messy pile of rags in the back corner.
    Walking with his hands in his pockets, Clint made his way to the rags like a hound dog following an intriguing scent. As he stepped up to the pile, Clint looked around the wall above it for any lanterns or hooks where a lantern might hang. The last