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Page 354

| The vendor was not to be dissuaded. He rambled on. "I can fix up one real nice for you, lady," he said, lifting one of the stones and carrying it with him back to the porch. "I know verses that are right pretty." He paused, then continued, his eyes never leaving Sasha. "You look like an educated lady. Perhaps you even write poetry? I could engrave your own poem on the stone, miss, if you like." |

| Anger welling up in her, Sasha turned her eyes back to the man and glared down at him. "Sir, if you don't leave my premises now, I shall be forced to show you how educated I am with a firearm," she threatened. She placed her hands on her hips. "Now take your stones with you and sell them to someone else. I've other things in mind today besidesbesides death." |

| "Ma'am, during these times of drought and desolation, death never leaves one's mind for long," the vendor said solemnly. "And with death comes the proper way to identify one's burial spot. That is with a stone, ma'am. And I sell the best stones in Australia." |

| Ashton came riding in a hard gallop toward the cabin. Sasha sighed with relief when he wheeled his horse to a stop next to the vendor. She rushed down the steps and stood beside Ashton as he quickly dismounted. |

| "Tell this man to leave, Ashton," she said, her voice trembling. "He does not seem to understand that I do not want toto be bothered by him any longer." |

| Ashton's hands resting on his holstered revolvers was all the message that the vendor needed. He swallowed hard and marched back to his wagon to |

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