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The Cherokee Trail: A Novel (Unabridged) by Louis L'Amour (English) Compact Disc

Description: The Cherokee Trail by Louis L'Amour A woman ahead of her time, Mary Breydon knew how to get things done. Raised on a Virginia plantation, she learned how to care for livestock, respect her workers, and keep good books. But after her husband is killed, Mary must provide for her young daughter by running a stage coach station on the Cherokee Trail. With the help of an Irish maid and a mysterious stranger, Mary faces challenges that even the men eagerly anticipating her failure would have a difficult time overcoming. After firing the previous station manager with the aid of a bullwhip, she must track down stolen horses, care for a wayward boy, and defend against Indians. If that wasnt enough, she also has to protect herself from the man who murdered her husband—and is coming for Mary next. FORMAT Compact Disc LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Excerpt from Book Chapter One WHEN THE STAGE slowed to allow the horses to walk up the long grade, Mary Breydon was the only passenger awake. Or so she believed. There was no telling about the man with the hat over his face. Several times during the night, she had seen him move, and his movements did not seem to be those of a sleeping man. Feeble yellow-gray light was filtering through the fly-specked, dust-filmed windows. She peered out. The rolling brown hills were beginning to take shape from the darkness. It seemed a harsh and barren land, this new home of hers, its monotony broken only by occasional outcroppings of craggy sandstone. Somewhere farther west lay the front range of the Rockies, of which she caught an occasional glimpse beyond the low hills. Aside from Mary and her daughter, Peg, there were four passengers caught in the awkward, uncomfortable positions of people trying to sleep on seats designed only for sitting. The man with a black hat over his eyes sat in the back of the coach beside Peg and herself. Before he had gone to sleep, she had seen him as a lean, hawk-featured young man with a level, direct gaze from eyes that never seemed to smile. He wore a dark, shabby coat, a plaid shirt, gray pants, and a pistol in a tied-down holster. When he shifted position, she glimpsed a second gun tucked behind his belt, butt forward. A new Henry rifle leaned against the wall of the coach at his side. She recognized the rifle at once, although she had little knowledge of such things. She remembered how pleased her husband had been when he had been able to purchase one, and that rifle was now wrapped in a roll of her bedding atop the stage. Opposite him sat a well-dressed young man in a checkered vest. When he was awake, he had kept trying to catch her eye, and he had a bold, insinuating expression she found difficult to avoid, for whenever she lifted her eyes he was looking right at her. The other man on the stage was stocky and powerfully built, wearing a short beard and a store-bought suit. He also carried a gun on his left side, butt forward. The only other person on the stage was an Irish girl only two or three years younger than herself. As if sensing Marys gaze, the Irish girl opened her eyes. She glanced at Peg, who was sleeping with her head on Marys shoulder. "Its a fine lass you have there, mum." "A very tired one, Im afraid." "Youve come a long way, then?" "From Virginia." "Ah? Tis where the fighting is? This War Between the States they talk of?" "Yes, it is. Weve seen some of it." Peg stirred, sat up, and rubbed her eyes. "Mother? Is it much further?" "Only a little further. Were almost there." The heavyset man glanced at her. "Dont expect much at Cherokee, maam. The stations the worst run on the route. It aint like Ben Holladay to let it get so run-down." He peered from the window, then added, "The foods scarcely fit to eat, and Scant Luther, who operates the station, is a mean, brutal man whos drunk half the time. A fine-looking woman like you shouldnt even get off the stage." The man in the checkered vest leaned toward her. "Dont I know you from some place? You sure look-" "No." Her tone was definite. "You do not know me. We have never met." "But I-" From under the brim of the black hat, the voice was abrupt, impatient. "You heard the lady, mister. She said you hadnt met. You havent." The man in the checkered vest flushed angrily. "I dont think-!" "Thats right, mister, you dont think. If I was you, Id start thinkin, right now. Think slow and careful. In this country, when a lady says she doesnt know you, she doesnt. Also, it is likely she doesnt want to know you." The mans lips parted as if to make an angry retort, but the one gray eye he could see was like looking down the barrel of a gun. His face tightened with anger, but some vague intuition of danger caused him to keep silent. The heavyset mans eyes met Marys, showing faint, shared amusement. "Scant Luther runs the roughest station on the route, maam, and he keeps a bad crowd around him. Always drinking and fighting. "Mark Stacy-hes the division agent-he told me Ben Holladay wanted Luther fired, but he was waiting for his replacement." "Did he say who the replacement was to be?" "Yes, maam, he did. Hes hired a former soldier, Major M. O. Breydon, formerly of the U.S. Cavalry. Seems the major was invalided out of the army. Hed applied for the job." Her eyes met his. "I am Mrs. Breydon. I am also M. O. Breydon. The major was killed by guerrillas a few weeks ago, and I am taking the job in his place." There was a moment of astonished silence, and then the Irish girl spoke. "Maam, beggin your pardon, I am, but you dont know what youre saying! You an that sweet little girl in such a place! Its not to be thought of! You cant be serious, maam!" "Indeed I am. I am very serious. Nor do I have a choice. A part of the Battle of Bull Run was fought across our plantation. Our buildings were burned and our stock run off. When the war is over, we shall go back, but now I have to make a living." "Scant Luther," the heavyset man warned, "is a very disagreeable man. Most of us respect womenfolks, but Luther is drunk half the time." "He will have no reason to stay after I dismiss him. I am sure we will have no trouble." "Youll soon know, maam," the heavyset man commented. "Thats it, right ahead!" Mary Breydon leaned forward to see better. They were racing along a road through a small but lovely green valley scattered with trees. Before them was a cluster of gray, weather-beaten buildings, a corral, and more trees. As they rolled to a stop at the station, the door banged open, and a big, slovenly man in his shirt-sleeves emerged. "Howdy, Wilbur! Get down an have a drink! Tell the folks to come right on in!" "Were runnin behind time, Scant. Wheres the team?" "Aw, dont get yourself in a sweat! Theyll be along! Come on in; grubs on the table!" Wilbur Pattishal stepped down from the box. "Scant, weve no time to spare. I want that team out here, and I want them now." Luther turned around slowly. "Well, now. If youre in such an almighty hurry, you just go get em yourself!" Two or three rough-looking men were standing about, one of them with a bottle in his hand. He laughed. Mary Breydon stepped from the coach, drawing all eyes. In her hands, she held an open letter that she handed to Wilbur. "Mr. Pattishal? Will you read that, please? Read it aloud." Wilbur glanced at the letter, then looked around and cleared his throat. To Whom It May Concern: This letter is authorization for M. O. Breydon to proceed to Cherokee Station and upon arrival to take over its operation. It also authorizes M. O. Breydon to discharge Scant Luther and such others as Breydon shall deem necessary. Mark Stacy Division Agent In the moment of startled silence that followed, Mary Breydon said, "Mr. Luther, you are discharged. You will vacate the premises immediately, removing only such articles as belong to you personally." Luther stared, then laughed. "Maam, youre makin a ruddy fool of yourself! No woman can run a station on the Cherokee Trail! Why this heres the roughest- "Theres Injuns, outlaws. Maam, you wouldnt last two days!" "We are not discussing my qualifications, Mr. Luther. You are discharged. I suggest you take what is yours and leave. And please!" She gestured toward the hangers-on. "Take these with you!" For a moment, she thought he would strike her. He took a half step forward, then glanced to the right and left. The heavyset man stood, hands on his hips, watching. So did Wilbur Pattishal. Then, for the first time, Luther seemed to see the man in the black hat standing to one side, alone. Something in his manner, in the very way he stood, warned Luther to be careful. He glanced at the man again, then his own stubbornness took control. He backed up and sat down in the doorway, blocking it. "All right, lady, if you figure you can fire me, you just go right ahead and do it! This heres betwixt you an me. If youre good enough to run this station, youre good enough to fire me. You just have at it." He gestured to his men. "These here men are out of it, an so are those who come in on the stage. If they step in, therell be some shootin, an somebody will get killed. "Now I say you aint goin in there. Not you or anybody else least I say so, and I-" She moved so quickly it caught them unawares. One step and she had the whip from Wilburs hand. It had a four-and-a-half-foot stock and an eight-foot braided lash, and the moment she took it in her hand, it was obvious she knew how to handle a whip. She struck swiftly. The whip cracked like the report of a pistol, and the buckskin popper on the end of the lash bit flesh from Scant Luthers neck. With a cry of pain and startled anger, he lunged to his feet, and the second blow of the lash took him over the shoulders, the third on his leg. He swore and lunged toward her, but she stepped quickly aside and struck again. Turning, he ran in a stumbling run, the popper ripping his shirt with one last blow. Details ISBN0593633954 Author Louis LAmour Short Title The Cherokee Trail Language English Year 2022 ISBN-10 0593633954 ISBN-13 9780593633953 Format Compact Disc Playing time 420 Publisher Random House USA Inc Imprint Random House US Audio Place of Publication NY Country of Publication United States Pages 1 Publication Date 2022-08-02 AU Release Date 2022-08-02 NZ Release Date 2022-08-02 US Release Date 2022-08-02 UK Release Date 2022-08-02 Subtitle A Novel (Unabridged) Edition Description Unabridged edition DEWEY FIC Audience General We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:136342561;

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The Cherokee Trail: A Novel (Unabridged) by Louis L

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Book Title: The Cherokee Trail

ISBN: 9780593633953

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