A Handful of Heaven

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The Science of a New Life.

Are you thinking about our kiss?

She!

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Chapter Twelve

Fresh pies, cakes, biscuits. Free tart with $10

.

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free

with a ten dollar purchase.'1"

ignore the old fart.

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My partner.

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She leaned closer, stabbing him with her eyes. "I have] every right, Midas. I'm a Yukoner now, and all I ask is to be| treated like any other Yukoner. I want to be left alone."

Midas swallowed hard, his knobby Adam's apple sliding! up and down his thin throat. His eyes wore the wary, cornered look of a schoolyard bully who'd met his match.

"She's got you dead to rights, Midas," Digger said. "That's the code of the Yukon, and you gotta live by it. We don't harass each other. Hell, if we wanted people sticking their noses in our business, we'd live in San Francisco or| Boston."

Midas jerked to his feet. Wrenching his precious jug out! of Devon's grasp, he hugged it to his gaunt chest. His eyes! flashed with unconcealed hatred. "Lady, you want to be left! alone, you got it. I wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire. And I wouldn't eat one of your tarts if I was dying of hunger." He turned to Digger and Cornstalk. "Let's go, boys."

Digger grinned, his yellowed teeth glinting gold in the) tent's early-afternoon sunlight. "Naw, I think I'll just hang | around a while."

Midas harrumphed. "Cornstalk? You comin'?"

Cornstalk stared hard at his own hands. "I ... I reckon | I'll stay, too."

"Then stay, damn you!" Midas yelled as he stormed out] of the tent.

Devon smiled giddily. Stone Man had finally stood up for I her! She chanced another glance at him. He was still staring I at her. She felt his eyes, as liquid as maple syrup, envelop her. Pride shone from their golden depths. Very, very slowly, | he nodded at her.

His silent salute touched her heart. She couldn't remember the last time someone had been proud of her. When she was a child it had been her dearest dream that someday her father | would look at her like that.

She offered him a bright smile. He smiled back, and she I felt an almost blinding sense of joy. With effort she turned her attention back to Digger and Cornstalk. "So, boys, what was it you were going to say about Bonanza Creek? I really f do want to know."