Winn shook his head and Louie chuckled some more.

"You go out to the barn and holler at Peter. He'll put you to work. I got

to get some sleep."

Winn complied. As he went out the door he heard Louie whistling as he cleared the dishes from the table.

Three days after Winn moved to the bunkhouse, he stuck the picture of Cora

into his shirt pocket, gathered up his carved toys and counted the steps to

Cynthie's kitchen door. He had left Greg playing with the four growingpuppies. They would keep the boy busy enough to allow him a few minutes totalk to Cynthie.

"What's all this?" she asked as she met him at the door. He dumped hisarmload on the table and she picked up one of the little figures.

"Oh, Winn! These are wonderful!"

"I came to ask a favor." He removed the picture from his pocket and handedit to Cynthie.

The smile faded from her lips as her attention went from the fat littleracc.o.o.n in her hand to the picture in his. She felt her throat close and wasn't sure she could force her voice through it. She swallowed hard.

"Who's this?"

Winn smiled. Was there a touch of jealousy in her voice.

"Cynthie, meet Cora." She hadn't taken the picture from his hand. He extended it a little farther. "My sister."

"Oh!" Cynthie gasped, finally taking the picture. "Your sister." She studied the merry eyes and dimpled cheeks in the photograph and looked up atWinn. His face held a similar expression.

"Winn, I should have guessed," she blurted before realizing that she had justgiven away the fact that she had seen this picture before. She didn't want him to think she had gone through his things. She added quickly, "I saw thisthe day you brought me your gun." He was still smiling so she continued.

"I.

thought she was an old girlfriend, like Rosie. "

"Rosie!" Winn's expression went from amused to stunned.

Cynthie bit her tongue. She didn't really want to talk about Rosie, but nowshe had to explain where she had heard the name- She got up quickly and moved to the cupboard, gathering two cups, hoping her action would cover her embarra.s.sment.

"You called to her in your sleep once."

She set the cups on the table, unable to look at Winn. She wanted to postpone his reply, even if it meant ma king a fool of herself.

"When you first came, remember? The night of the storm."Winn listened to the voice, the sounds of her steps, the coffee being poured."Called to her in my sleep, huh?" He was trying not to laugh."Ican believe that. Rosie's shown up in more than one of my dreams. "Cynthie sank into a chair."Coffee?" she offered, trying to sound cheerful.Winn pulled out a chair and sat down."You don't have to be jealous of Rosie." He couldn't help but laugh a little."Of course I'm not jealous, and you don't have to explain." She picked up the carved racc.o.o.n and tried not to think about throwing it at Winn.

"Did you want me to send these to your sister?"

Winn was quiet, savoring the moment. Cynthie was jealous! It would last

only as long as she didn't know who Rosie was. He'd let her find out alongwith Cora. "I want my sister's children to have the toys.

Could you take down a letter, too? "

"Of course. I'll get paper and ink." Before she left, she moved the coffee cup into his hand.

He listened to her leave, smelled the coffee, enjoyed the feel of the warm smooth china and tried to think of what he would tell Cora. When Cynthie was ready, he began, "Dearest Cora, I hope this letter finds you and your family well."

Cynthie wrote the words carefully on the page and

glanced up at Winn.

His brow was drawn in concentration.

"Take your time,"

she said gently.

Winn gave a short laugh.

"This is harder than I thought it would be. Let's tell her who you are

first. She's going to know it's not my handwriting and she'll be worried.

We need to tell her right away that I'm all right."

Cynthie smiled.

"I am well," she suggested. "Cynthie Franklin is writing for me because I cannot see"

"Something like that," Winn said, raising the coffee cup to his lips.

"Then I'll explain about the accident." He listened to the pen scratch the paper.

When it was silent, he began again, speaking slowly as he chose each word.

"We were taking the herd to market in Abilene and had just left the Indian

Nation when the accident occurred." He gave her a few seconds to catch up."You will remember the young drover named Slim. He got himself into a mess and I was trying to get him out. He roped a cow he was trying to return to the herd and had her turn on him."

Out of the corner of her eye, Cynthie could see Whin's fingertip trace

patterns on the tabletop as he tried to become accustomed to writing verbally.

' "The cow had gored the horse and Slim was down before I got my rope on her,

too. I regret to add that Lullaby was no better behaved than when last Iwrote and" -- Cynthie interrupted, "Slow up a little.""Sorry." Winn fought the urge to tap his finger. When her pen was quiet he asked her to read the last sentence and then he continued, "While I succeeded

in distracting the cow, my horse threw me before we were safely away. You will be glad to hear that Slim is fine and my own injuries are all buthealed. Mike's timely arrival made short work of" -- Cynthie caught up asWinn hesitated.

"Of Rosie, which is what we named the cow."

Cynthie's pen was still poised over the paper. She was glad Winn couldn't

see how embarra.s.sed she was. After a full minute, she dipped the pen,reciting his words as she finished writing his last sentence."So Rosie was the cow."Winn grinned."Still jealous?""Don't be silly," she said quickly."What else do you want to say?""I want to say that you're probably very pretty when you're embarra.s.sed.""I mean in the letter." She tried to sound exasperated but it came out with a laugh.

"Ah, yes, the letter. Read back to me what we've written so far." She did, and he concluded, "Cora, dear, I've fallen in love with a wonderful woman.

If I can prove to her that I am worthy of her love, I plan to stay here in

Kansas. Hug the children for me. Your brother, Winn. "

It seemed to take Cynthie a long time to write what he had told her.

She was sure Cora would be able to tell that her hand was shaking as she

wrote the words. Winn loved her! He was going to stay! Finally she helpedhim sign his own name to the page and dipped the pen in the ink again. She knew he would hear the scratch of the pen on the paper but she had to add apostscript.

"He doesn't have to prove anything to me," she wrote and signed it, "CF."

"The address is on the back of the picture," Winn explained.

"I had Peter write it there for me right after Emery's funeral."

Cynthie wondered for a moment what might be inferred from that statement.

"I'll get some paper and string to wrap these," she said, rising from the

chair. Footsteps and the jingle of spurs on the front porch caught theirattention. Cynthie nearly groaned aloud.Winn stood.

"I'd be obliged," he said.

"Louie and I are going into town tomorrow, so I can mail the package then.

I'll come by for it and a list of what you might need."

They heard Dempsey knock.

Winn spoke quickly.

"I'll come back another time and we can write to Slim."

"You don't need to rush off, Winn," she said, laying a hand on his sleeve.

He didn't answer, just patted her hand and went out the door.

Dempsey knocked again.

"Coming," Cynthie called. She scooped the letter, the picture and the