Redeeming-Love-By-Francine-Rivers

F R A N C I N E R I V E R S
Joseph laughed. “Too much to drink. You in a hurry or something?
Could you stop long enough for a talk?”
“Not this time.”
“You planning to spend everything I give you at the Palace again? It’s one
of man’s afflictions, isn’t it? Need of woman.”
Michael’s jaw stiffened. “How do you come to know so much about my
personal business?”
“It wasn’t hard when you were still in town after four days last time.”
Hochschild took one look at Michael, made a silent whistle, and changed
the subject. “There was a strike about three miles up river.” He gave details.
“With all that gold dust coming in I can raise my prices.”
Michael slammed the last crate on the counter. Angel’s price had probably
gone up, too.
Hochschild paid up. He scratched his grizzled cheek. Usually Michael
was sociable, but today he looked downright grim. “Got your herd yet?”
“Not yet.” He had invested all his hard-earned gold dust in courting
Angel last trip. He poured his payment into his belt.
“Rumor has it that Angel’s not doing business for a while,” Joseph said.
Her name was all it took. Michael felt as though he had been struck in
the chest. “Did she earn herself a rest?”
Joseph’s eyebrows rose. The remark wasn’t like Michael at all. He must
have fallen hard and been hurt bad. Shaking his head, he grimaced. “Forget
I mentioned her.”
He followed Michael outside and watched him jump up onto his wagon.
“Town got a pastor just last Wednesday. If you’ve a mind to hear him, he’s
preaching at the Gold Nugget Saloon.”
Michael was thinking about Angel. He took up the reins. “I’ll see you in a
couple of weeks.”
“You had better rest those horses awhile. Looks like you pushed them
pretty hard getting up here.”
“I’m heading for the livery stable right now.” He tipped his hat and drove
down Main Street. It was going to take bribery and fast talking to see Angel
tonight. He left the two draft horses and wagon with McPherson and went
down into the center of town to rent himself a room at the hotel across from
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