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Page 238

| great bolt of lightning streaked the heavens white above her. |

| "You ain't afraid, huh?" Stanford said, laughing. "Then why'd a mere streak of lightning almost scare the pants off you?" His laughter faded and his eyes narrowed. "Sasha, you're choosin' the wrong things to be afraid of. Now take me for example . . ." |

| Tired of bantering with him and wanting to get to her reason for coming, Sasha interrupted, "I have come to see Bianca," she said. "I'm worried about her." |

| Rage suddenly lit Stanford's eyes. He doubled a fist to his side. "How do you know about Bianca being here?" he growled. |

| "Is it supposed to be some sort of deep, dark secret?" Sasha taunted bravely. |

| "How did you know she was here?" Stanford demanded again, glancing at the cabin, then back at Sasha. |

| "If you insist, Bianca and I met one day while bathing in the river," Sasha said, awash again with a feeling of uneasiness. "But I saw her only that one day. Is she ill?" |

| "No, she ain't ill," Stanford said, frustration setting in. How was he to know what Bianca had said to Sasha? He was beginning to realize that it had been a mistake to bring her to the outback with him. She could cause his plans to get his hands on the chest of riches to go awry. |

| "Then perhaps you don't mind if Bianca and I talk for a while," Sasha said, boldly swinging herself out of the saddle. She looked again at the bunkhouse as men began to amble from the dwelling. |

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