Chapter 30Two days passed before James and I stood on the porch and spotted a line of riders in the distance. He shaded his eyes with a palm. “Not military. Militia, I’d guess. Go saddle the horses while I get the rifles and a few other things.”
“You’re expecting a battle?”
“No, but when they get here, they’ll find us leaving to take some stores to the Tillers. I want White Patch right there in front of them. Sometimes that’s the best way to hide something.”
I had the tack gear on my mount and was just heaving the heavy military saddle on his roan when James joined me and took over the job.
“They’re still too far away. I want them almost here when we come out of the barn. We’ll leave it unlocked so they can snoop like old Aunt Jenny—which is to say, as much as they want.”
When the fir
