Chapter 99
Sam reined the horse to a stop, dismounted, and allowed her to drop her head and graze. They were on a small rise overlooking a large vineyard. Several men were working among the vines and it was their work Sam was to inspect. Sam stood for a while, observing the men’s progress in removing unwanted growth from the base of the vines. He looked down at his faithful Wolf, who sat by his side. Kneeling, he took Wolf’s big head in his hands and buried his face in his thick mane.
“What am I to do, my friend? What am I to do?”
* * * *
It’s my fault, Sam told himself for the twentieth time as he rode along in the late afternoon toward Sacramento. I haven’t been spending enough time with him, like a lover should.
Sam had decided to go to town to surprise Ramón. After finishing the tasks Se?ordela Vega had assigned to him, he washed, changed clothes and left for Sacramento. He now reined up in front of the cantinawhere Ramón and his friends often could be found.