< previous page page_80 next page >

Page 80
When they finished eating, he said, "Let's go buy you some clothes that fit better."
"Thank you," Abby said gratefully. Wishing to repay his hospitality in some small measure, she offered, "Can I help with the horses?"
"What do you mean?"
She had done it again, although by now she was getting used to his anger. "I was joking," she said, while wondering what bothered him about her question.
She found out minutes later, when they left the cabin for the other building she had seen. There was no horse inside. Instead it contained a strange contraption that Abby guessed was a conveyance. It was a large red metal box on wheels. A sign on its side said Bronco, but it was most certainly not an untamed horse. She did not want to approach it, but Mike opened a door for her. She had to step up. She felt nervous and confined when he closed the door behind her.
"Sorry," he called out. "I forgot my wallet. Be right back." He left her sitting alone in the metal box named Bronco.
Abby looked around, fingers nervously reaching beneath her chin for bonnet ribbons that were not there. On the panel before her were all sorts of dials and gadgets, but she was afraid to touch them, not knowing what they might do. She noticed a pile of papers on the floor behind the other seat and reached back to pick them up.
They were magazines but looked very different from the Godey's Ladies Book she had read back home. The covers were colorfulmuch brighter

 
< previous page page_80 next page >