Blessed are the Merciful

by Al Lacy

  “No, ma’am.” He stepped into the aisle. “May I put your bag in the overhead rack for you?”

  “Why, thank you.”

  Adam took the overnight bag from her and placed it in the rack above the seat, then said, “Would you like to sit by the window, ma’am?”

  “Why … yes. If you don’t mind.”

  “I don’t mind at all. I’ve been alone on this seat since Philadelphia. It’ll be nice to have some company. My name is Adam Burke, Miss …”

  “Lila Scott. You’re from Philadelphia, I take it?”

  The train began rolling out of the station.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And what do you do in Philadelphia, Mr. Burke?”

  “Well, up until this past Friday I was with the law firm of Benson, Smith, and Walters.”

  Lila’s eyebrows raised. “You’re an attorney?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “What law school did you attend?”

  “I graduated from Harvard, ma’am.”

  “Harvard! Well, I am impressed! So if you’re no longer with the firm in Philadelphia, what now?”

  “Well, I’m heading west to establish my own firm.”

  “Oh? Where in the West?”

  “North Platte, Nebraska.”

  “North Platte … that should be a nice place to settle down.”

  “I’m excited about it, I’ll tell you that much.”

  “Have you been there?”

  “I took a trip west with my uncle right after I graduated from Harvard, all the way to California. The train stopped in North Platte, and though I didn’t get to leave the train and see more of the town, I was impressed with what I saw. Actually, I didn’t pick the town because I had seen it before. I recently learned that North Platte doesn’t have a law firm. So, they’re about to get one, Miss Scott!”

  Lila glanced at the countryside rushing by and said, “Mr. Burke, I hate to ask you to move to let me out, but I haven’t had any breakfast. I believe I’ll go to the dining car.”

  “Tell you what, ma’am. I haven’t had breakfast, either. Would you do me the honor of allowing me to buy your breakfast?”

  “But you hardly know me, sir.”

  “That’s true, but I’d still be honored if you’d join me for breakfast. And while we’re eating I can get to know you better.”

  Lila laughed. “All right. How can I turn down a gentleman’s offer that is so well put?”

  Soon they were sitting across from one another at a small table in the dining car.

  “All the talk so far has been about me,” Adam said. “You haven’t told me yet where you’re from or where you’re going.”

  “Oh. Well, I guess I owe you that. I’m from Cuyahoga Falls, just south of Cleveland. Born and raised there.”

  “I see. And where are you headed on this trip?”

  “Well, it’s not just a trip. I’m going to be living on a cattle ranch a few miles west of Sterling, Colorado.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Mm-hmm. I’ll probably be on the same train as you tomorrow. I know it stops in North Platte. It goes all the way to Cheyenne City.”

  “That’s the one,” Adam said.

  “I’m getting off at Sidney, Nebraska, and taking a stagecoach south to Sterling.”

  “I seem to remember stopping at Sidney on my California trip. Sterling can’t be too awfully far from North Platte.”

  “No, I don’t suppose it would be.” Lila glanced at the people at both ends of the dining car waiting for a table. “We’d better let someone else have this table.”

  “Guess so,” Adam said. He held her chair as she stood up.

  When they reached their seats, Adam was about to ask her about the cattle ranch, but she covered a yawn and said, “Excuse me, Mr. Burke. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I think I’ll put my head back and take a nap.”

  He grinned and said, “Far be it from me to keep a lady from getting her rest. Let me get you a pillow from the rack.”

  When Lila was comfortable, she closed her eyes and soon was asleep.

  The conductor came through the coach some time later announcing they would be in Chicago in twenty minutes. Lila sat up and rubbed her eyes, then looked at Adam and said, “Please forgive me for being such boring company, Mr. Burke.”

  “Nothing to forgive, Miss Scott. You could never be boring.”

  “Will you excuse me? I need to go freshen up.”

  By the time Lila returned, the train was rolling into Chicago. It chugged to a halt in the large depot, and Adam left his seat and reached up for Lila’s overnight bag.

  “This bag’s a bit heavy. May I carry it to the next train for you? I mean, since I’m taking the same train?”

  Lila smiled and said, “I would appreciate that very much. Thank you.”

  They reached the platform at the front of the coach, and Adam stepped down first, then took Lila’s hand to help her down the steps. She smiled her thanks and stayed by his side as he led her to the large schedule board. He quickly found the information they needed, and said, “It says our train will leave on time on track 9. We came in on track 21, so it’ll be this way.”

  Adam and Lila walked through the crowded depot to the area that served tracks 6 through 10. He looked around for a bit, then said, “There are a couple of eating places, and we’ve got almost two hours before departure. How about lunch?”

  “I am starting to feel hungry,” Lila said. “But I’ll buy my own meal this time.”

  “Oh no, you won’t. As long as I have this opportunity I’m taking advantage of it. Lunch is on me.”

  “You’re awfully kind, Mr. Burke. There should be more men like you in the world.”

  Soon they were seated at a table in a café. When they had placed their order, Lila said, “It must be exciting to make your living as an attorney. I assume you do court cases as well as wills and that sort of thing.”

  “Oh, yes. I do wills, corporate set-ups, handle legal documents for all kinds of businesses. I handle lawsuits and criminal cases. The one thing I never enjoy working on is a divorce case. Those are always difficult.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “I’d say the most interesting part of my work is the criminal cases.”

  “Tell me about some of them.”

  Adam told her the story of Seth Coleman and his acquittal, and that it wasn’t until Jake Wilson’s confession much later that Seth was completely cleared in everyone’s minds. “It was the most exciting and personally satisfying case I’ve experienced so far in my career,” Adam said.

  At Lila’s urging, Adam told her of other interesting cases he had worked on. When they finished lunch, they returned to the boarding area for the next leg of their journey. Adam picked a bench where no one was sitting close by and said, “How about here? This all right?”

  “Certainly,” Lila said.

  Adam placed her overnight bag next to his. “If it pleases you, I’ll sit with you as far as North Platte so I can take care of this heavy bag for you.”

  “That would please me very much, Mr. Burke.”

  “Sorry I won’t be there to take it down for you at Sidney.”

  “Maybe there’ll be another gentleman nearby who will help a lady with her bag.”

  They sat there for a moment, watching people pass by.

  “Miss Scott, I’m curious.”

  “About what?”

  “Well, I don’t mean to be nosy, but you haven’t told me why you left Cuyahoga Falls to live on a cattle ranch in Colorado.”

  “Oh, haven’t I?”

  “We’ve been talking too much about me and my career.”

  “I’m going there to marry a young cattle rancher, Mr. Burke. He recently inherited the ranch when his widowed father died. His name is Jess Powers.”

  “So I take it Jess is actually from Cuyahoga Falls but moved to Colorado when he inherited the ranch?”

  “Oh, no. Jess was born and raised on the ranch. I’ve ne
ver met him in person.” Lila smiled at Adam’s look of consternation.

  “You have never met the man, but you’re on your way to marry him?”

  “Mr. Burke, surely you’ve heard of mail order brides?”

  “Oh, sure! But I’ve never met a mail order bride. Nor have I ever met a man who sent for one.”

  “Well, you won’t be able to say that again.” She opened her purse and pulled out a small photograph. “This is Jess.”

  It was a picture of a tall, lanky cowboy. Adam forced a smile and said, “Nice-looking man, Miss Scott. I hope you will be very happy.”

  The announcement came that it was time to board the train, and Adam and Lila made their way to one of the coaches. They found two empty seats together, and Adam once again placed her overnight bag in the overhead rack.

  “And what about you, Mr. Burke?” Lila asked. “Is there a young lady in your life?”

  “Not at the moment. I was engaged once, but it didn’t work out.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  Adam shrugged. “That’s life. Maybe I’ll find the girl of my dreams in North Platte.”

  “Maybe. But don’t be surprised if you find young unmarried women scarce there. When the first letter came from Jess, he told me that in the West there are about two hundred unmarried men for every unmarried woman.”

  “Really?”

  “That’s what he said. He couldn’t find any eligible young women anywhere around Sterling. That’s why he put ads in the Mail Order Bride section of several Eastern newspapers. I won’t bore you with the details, but I needed to get away from Cuyahoga Falls because of family problems. So I answered Jess’s ad in the Cleveland paper. Everything is working out beautifully for me.”

  The miles rolled by quickly, and soon the train slowed to enter North Platte. When it chugged to a halt, Adam stood up, took his small bag down from the rack, and said, “Well, I guess this is good-bye, Miss Scott. It’s been a pleasure meeting you.”

  “Likewise. Thank you for all the meals, and for the very delightful company.”

  “It’s been a pleasure, ma’am.”

  “Mr. Burke, I hope you find the right young woman in North Platte.” She paused, then added, “Or maybe you’ll have to get your bride through the mail.”

  Adam gave her a slanted grin. “Good-bye, ma’am.”

  Adam reached the door, and he looked back and nodded. Lila gave a tiny wave, and he moved out onto the platform. As he stepped down from the train, he mumbled, “Not me, ma’am. I’d never order a bride through the mail.”

  There were only a few people moving about as Adam headed for the baggage coach. He was nearly there when he saw two men coming toward him. The short, stout man had a badge on his chest. The other man, who was tall, dark, and hollow-cheeked said, “Adam Burke?”

  “Yes, sir. And I think I must be looking at Lincoln County Sheriff Ben Colter and North Platte’s town council chairman, Mr. William Dauntt.”

  “That’s right,” said the tall man. “I’m Sheriff Colter, but William here borrowed my badge!”

  All three laughed, then shook hands.

  “I assume you have some baggage to pick up?” Dauntt said.

  “Four large trunks, sir.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Sheriff Colter said. “Be right back.”

  Colter went after a porter to bring a cart, and Adam said to Dauntt, “I know right now that you and I will become good friends.”

  “Well, I’m glad you feel that way, but why didn’t you know it before?”

  “I figured you were a good man by the spirit of your correspondence, but since you look so much like my hero, Abraham Lincoln, I know for sure you’ve got to be all right!”

  Dauntt laughed. “I guess I look more like honest Abe than I realize. So many people have told me that.”

  “It’s something to be proud of, Mr. Dauntt. Abraham Lincoln, in my estimation, was the greatest president this country’s ever had. Don’t misunderstand me. I like Hayes. He’s a good man, and I’m sure he’ll be a great president. But it was Mr. Lincoln’s influence that caused me to want to become a lawyer.”

  “Well, good for Mr. Lincoln. And I’m honored that God gave me a resemblance to him.”

  Sheriff Colter returned with the porter and his cart. The four trunks were loaded and taken to the parking lot where they were transferred to William Dauntt’s wagon.

  “We’ll take you to your office after we go to the boardinghouse,” Dauntt said. “I’ve put you with Wallace and Minnie Melroy. Their place is a little bit nicer than the other boardinghouse, and the rooms are a bit larger.”

  “Fine,” Adam said. He was all eyes as they rolled into town and up Main Street. The numerous trees along the street and in the yards were beginning to take on their autumn hues.

  Dauntt turned south on Main and pointed in a northerly direction. “Your office is back that way. Right in the heart of the business section.”

  Adam glanced that way and nodded. “Can’t wait to see it.”

  They went two blocks and turned west off Main onto a side street. Moments later, they hauled up in front of a large two-story frame building. A fresh coat of light gray paint shone in the late afternoon sunlight. The windows were trimmed in white with black shutters. Tied-back filmy curtains decorated each sparkling window. There was a wide, inviting front porch with a few tables and matching chairs scattered about, and a large porch swing.

  Adam took a deep breath. The air was clean. He smiled as he looked at the oversized house. “It’s just what I imagined, Mr. Dauntt,” he said.

  Both Melroys came to the door at William Dauntt’s knock. Introductions were made, and the bright-eyed couple welcomed Adam warmly.

  Minnie Melroy was tall and almost gaunt. Careworn lines crisscrossed her face, but she had an enchanting smile that lit up her whole countenance and the kindest brown eyes Adam had ever seen. She was dressed in blue printed calico partially covered with a stiff white apron. Wallace Melroy was a mite taller than his wife. His shoulders were a little stooped. As they moved into the foyer, Adam noticed that he walked with a slight limp.

  “Your room is on the second floor, Mr. Burke,” Wallace said. “You have luggage, I assume?”

  “Yes, sir. Out in Mr. Dauntt’s wagon.”

  “We’ll get it for you, Mr. Burke,” Colter said. “You go on up and take a look at your room.”

  Wallace reached into his pocket, handed a key on a small chain to Adam, and said, “Go ahead, son. Minnie will be right behind you. It takes me a little longer to climb the stairs. I was thrown from a horse when I was seven. Broke this left leg in three places. The limp is because there was no doctor near where we lived. Dad and Mom did the best they could, but the bones weren’t set correctly. But when I get to heaven, I’ll have a new body … no more limp!”

  Adam smiled. Key in hand, he bounded up the stairs. When the Melroys arrived at the door, Adam told them how attractive and comfortable the room was. The Melroys explained the boardinghouse procedure to him, including the meal schedule. There was a dining hall next to the kitchen on the first floor where all the tenants ate Minnie’s cooking three times a day.

  Dauntt and Colter set the last of the trunks in the parlor section of the large room. “Well, Mr. Burke,” Dauntt said, “we’ll take you to your office if you’re ready to go.”

  “Sure am!” said Adam, his eyes dancing.

  As the five of them stepped out of the room into the hall, Minnie said, “Remember, Mr. Burke, supper is at six o’clock sharp.”

  “I won’t forget, ma’am.”

  “Sure glad to have you here, son,” Wallace said.

  “You folks are the perfect example of good old Western hospitality. I found it this way when traveling through the West a few years ago. It was one of the things that made me fall in love with this part of the country.”

  “You’ll love it more the longer you’re here,” Minnie said. “I guarantee it.”

  “And I believe it! All rig
ht, gentlemen, let’s go take a look at my office.”

  Soon the wagon was entering the business district on Main Street. Adam looked from side to side on the broad thoroughfare, taking in the stores, shops, and professional offices. People on the street waved at Dauntt and Colter, calling out greetings.

  Dauntt made a sudden turn onto a side street and a quick turn a few seconds later into an alley. “We’re going to take you in the back door,” he said. “We have a special reason for it, and you’ll understand shortly.”

  “Okay,” Adam said with a grin.

  Near the next side street, Dauntt swung the wagon up behind a false-fronted clapboard building that stood on the corner. The entrance faced Main Street. They led Adam inside the building, and he saw a large room at the back and two smaller rooms up front. The place was sparkling clean and smelled of new paint.

  “You no doubt noticed,” Colter said, “that these quarters make up half the building. The other half is the Lincoln County Land Office. They’re nice neighbors; I promise.”

  “North Platte has two doctors, Mr. Burke,” Dauntt said. “Dr. Todd Hill and Dr. Darrell Brown. This side of the building was Dr. Brown’s office. His practice outgrew it, so he’s relocated in his new clinic on the west side of town. The county owns this building, but I doubt the land office will ever need this side. So you won’t have to worry about being moved out.”

  “As long as you pay the rent!” the sheriff said.

  “Yes, sir, Sheriff! Seriously, this is better than I had imagined.”

  Dauntt grinned. “I’m glad you’re happy with it. As you can tell, the entire inside has been painted since Dr. Brown left.”

  Adam ran his gaze around the interior of the building. “This setup will be perfect. I’ll hire a secretary and put her up here on this side as a front office. My office will be in the back. And I’ll use this other room for files and storage.”

  “Now,” Dauntt said, “the reason we came in the back way … just a little surprise. Come out here.”