THE IMPERIAL ENGINEER

by Judith B. Glad

  "The maid? Great God, Lulu, this is a four room house. We have one hired horse. And you think you need three servants?"

  "Tony, did you look at her? She's a beautiful girl, just on the edge of womanhood. If she doesn't work for me, what will happen to her? How long can she work in the laundry before some man sees her?"

  "Her uncle can send her away. Or marry her off. Or something. Damn it, Lulu. This is not your concern." Brushing past her, he went to the bedroom to change his clothes.

  She followed, to stand in the doorway. "Not my concern? Were you Silas's concern? Should he have sent you away? Married you off?" Her mocking laugh sounded forced. "No, you were only a useless child, so perhaps he should have sold you."

  "It's not the same thing. That was a wide open gold camp, rough and uncivilized. There was practically no law--"

  "But there is right and wrong, no matter how rough and uncivilized a place is. And Silas knew what was right. Didn't he?"

  Tony looked back at her, saw how her body, her curly mop of hair were outlined by golden light from the lamps behind her. Even as he wanted to shake some sense into her, he knew what would happen if he put his hands on her. He bent to unlace his boots.

  "Didn't he?" she asked again, bringing him back to his senses.

  "Yes, damn it. But that was different," he insisted.

  "I don't see how. You were a child in need. So is Xi Xin. Isn't that all that matters?"

  He tossed his boots into the corner, not caring that one of them left a streak of dirt on the wall. "Lulu, you can't save the whole world."

  "I know that. But if I can save one little piece of it, I'll have done something worthwhile."

  "And what if you get yourself killed in the process?" he said, remembering what she'd told him of the reason she'd quit the relocation group.

  "'The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.'"

  "Is that the best you can do? I'd expected something better from you. We're not talking political oppression here." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized his mistake.

  "Oh, aren't we? What do you call it when one race speaks of another as little better than animals? When supposedly civilized people believe it's their God-given right to persecute, to banish, even to kill members of another race purely for economic reasons?"

  "Okay, maybe it is oppression, but damn it, Lulu, it's still not your fight."

  "Maybe it should be, since you aren't willing to stand up for your own people!" She spun around and stomped into the kitchen. The door slammed behind her.

  Then it burst open again, and she shouted, "If you want supper, you'll have to make your own arrangements. I'm leaving!"

  Furious, he took his own sweet time dressing. They both needed time to cool down before they finished this argument. She could sulk in the barn as long as she wanted. A full ten minutes later, having forced himself to count off the time, he strolled to the back door.

  The buggy was just rolling out of the gate, followed by the dog cart. He couldn't see their occupants, but he was pretty sure there were four of them. The barn was dark.

  * * * *

  As soon as they were on the road, Lulu realized what a horrible mistake she'd made. Hadn't she learned long ago never to allow a debate to degenerate into a confrontation? Now she and Tony had taken their stands and both would be loathe to back down.

  No, he would be. She was already sorry. What a mess she'd made of everything, starting with the day she'd first arrived in Hailey. If only... She almost asked Ru Nan to turn the buggy around, and then she realized that crawling back would be as big a mistake as walking out in the first place. Tony would see it as capitulation, and this was an argument neither of them should win.

  "Tomorrow," she said in a whisper, "we'll sit down and talk this through like reasonable, mature people. I'll give in on the men, but I'll find a way to convince him that we need to keep Xi Xin."

  It was certainly a good thing she hadn't given up her apartment yet. She had a place to sleep.

  * * * *

  Tony went to work on Thursday, cursing the impulse that had led him to buy a bicycle in country where it snowed half the year. Cursing the burned fingers that had resulted when he'd absently picked up the skillet without a potholder. Cursing his obsession with a woman who was the least likely candidate in the world for a wife.

  He went first to the telephone office. Jack and Eph Morton were testing the circuits to Bullion. "What's wrong?"

  "Line went out about an hour ago. It rang, then went dead," Eph said. "Now you're here, maybe you can make some sense out of it. Far as I can see, there's nothing wrong. It just ain't working." He handed Tony the tools he held. "See you tonight."

  Wishing he could find someone who didn't have a day job to replace Eph, Tony turned to Jack. "What can you tell me?"

  "I ain't been here but a few minutes. All I know is the electrometer won't register, no matter how I connect it."

  They worked for an hour, the silence in the office punctuated occasionally by a ring for service. When another sounded about eight, Tony paid little attention until he heard Jack say, "Sure Mr. Pinnick. Hold on, I'll connect you."

  He turned to stare at Jack, who was connecting the Bullion Mine to Coffin Brothers. Once the connection was made, he said, "What the hell?"

  "I dunno, Mr. Dewitt. It rang and I answered. I never even thought about it." He shrugged. "Maybe it fixed itself."

  "Nonsense. Circuits don't repair themselves." But Tony had no explanation either. "'The total depravity of inanimate things,'" he muttered to himself. Hadn't he said that to Lulu? Yes, the day they... No, don't think about that now. You've got work to do.

  After once again testing everything and finding all in perfect working order, he went to his office, hoping there was nothing he couldn't put off until tomorrow. Wherever Lulu had gone to roost last night, he had to find her. They had to get their differences settled.

  Eagleton was waiting for him. "About time you got here. I wanted to talk to you before I leave town." He sorted through the papers he held, pulled several out of the stack and placed them into his briefcase. "I've got to go to San Francisco. You'll have to take care of things here until I get back."

  Opening and closing drawers, he pawed quickly through their contents. "I've got a deal pending and one of the backers is waffling. I've got to go down and make sure he doesn't back out. While I'm gone...where the dickens are those contracts?" The last drawer slammed shut and he turned to the glass-front bookcase behind his desk. "Tim threw his back out yesterday, so you'll need to find somebody to tend my stock. I fed 'em this morning, but... Ahhh, there they are." He stuffed a folder of papers into his briefcase and closed it. "Now, while I'm gone, you'll need to stay close to town. There's not much pending right now, but I'd not want folks to think I was not tending to business. Anything comes up you can't handle, you can send me a wire. I'll be at the Palace."

  "Mr. Eagleton, I--"

  "Not now, boy. I've got to get home and pack. I can't afford to miss today's train." He slapped his hat on his head and was gone.

  Tony stared after him. Now what? I can't wait until this evening to talk to Lulu. And I've got to find somebody to take care of Eagleton's horses?

  He sank into the leather chair behind his employer's desk. What will I do if there's more trouble with the telephones?

  Telephones? Of course! He walked to the instrument, mounted on the wall behind Eagleton's desk. When Jack answered, he said, "It's Dewitt. When you take your dinner break, can you see if Billy will stay an extra hour? I need you here in the office."

  "Sure, Mr. Dewitt. Hold on." In less than a minute, he was back. "Billy says he's glad to do it. He could stay all afternoon, if you need him to."

  Billy, the young printer's devil at the newspaper, usually served as operator for an hour each weekday. He had several times hinted he'd like a full-time job at the telephone exchange. Eagleton thought him too young, but Tony had found
him responsible and hard-working. And in this case, indispensable. "That would be handy. Tell him one of us will be here in the office if any problems arise. I'll see you about noon, then."

  Well, that took care of one problem. Now if he just knew where his wife was. Tony stared out the window, wondering if he and Lulu would ever work out their differences. So far they'd done a piss poor job of it.

  * * * *

  Mrs. Graham had insisted Lulu stay with her, rather than in the vacant apartment. This morning she'd made breakfast and had ordered Lulu to sit down and eat.

  "I know how it is with young folks," she said as she seated herself across the table. "Everything looks bigger and worse than it is. After a while you learn that your differences of opinion aren't as important as what you're building together. Why I remember how Mr. Graham and I used to brangle..."

  Lulu listened and agreed. She had let her temper get the best of her, had allowed what her mamma called her bleeding heart rule her intellect. She still believed she was in the right, but she would convince Tony with logic and reason, not with tears and emotional storms. "Could I leave Xi Xin here while I discuss this with my husband? I truly believe it is important that she be provided with a way to a better life."

  "I don't know. One of my nephews belongs to the League--"

  "Of course. I understand. I will take her to her uncle." She rose and set her plate on the counter. Xi Xin immediately picked it up and washed it.

  "No! No, don't do that. What Ward believes is his business, and what I do is mine. She can stay here as long as she wants. Why, if I could afford it, I would hire her myself. Such a pretty child. And so helpful."

  "I'm sure we'll settle this today. But in case we don't, I'll let you know. Xi Xin, I promise you we will find somewhere safe for you to be. Do you understand?"

  The girl nodded.

  Lulu still believed she understood every word of English she heard, but so far Xi Xin had not spoken in any language but Chinese.

  Fortunately the weather had moderated. The outside temperature must be close to thirty degrees. Further warmed by bright sunlight, snow was melting from roofs, the drips making a musical chorus from every side. Lulu walked to town, fingers crossed that she would find her husband in his office.

  "My husband," she mused. How quickly that had come to sound natural. Right. As if all along it was meant to be.

  Hadn't Tony tried to tell her that a long time ago?

  Last night when she'd finally laid herself on the bed in Mrs. Graham's second bedroom, the baby had awakened. She had lain there, hands on her belly, and contemplated how her life had changed as a result of a few careless moments.

  Try as she might, she could not regret this pregnancy, not any more. She loved her daughter already--or her son, but she was sure the child was a girl--with a love so all-consuming, so tender and poignant, that sometimes she wanted to weep with the power of it. When a small hand or foot tickled its way along her side, she followed it with a gentle finger, wanting to touch, to hold as closely as possible, Impatient for the day when she held this wondrous creature, this part of herself and Tony, in her arms.

  The closer she got to Tony's office, the more slowly she walked. What if he wouldn't be reasonable? She didn't really know him any more. A person changed immensely between eighteen and twenty-eight, far more than at any other time of life, she was sure.

  "Good morning Miss, King."

  Startled, she looked up to see Jacob Teller smiling down at her. "Oh! Good morning, Mr. Teller. How are you? And Imajean? I hope she is well?"

  He turned to walk beside her. "She is, although this winter has been hard on her. Imajean is used to being out and about, and I believe she gets very lonely, now she is home with young Terrence much of the time."

  "I can imagine," Lulu said, wondering how she would adapt to the same circumstances. Well, I'll find out soon enough. "Perhaps I will drive out to see her next week. I've missed her."

  "Better yet, why don't you come for dinner Sunday? Miss Petersham will be there, and I could invite--"

  "Excuse me, Mr. Teller. I should tell you I am married now. My husband is Mr. Dewitt, who works for Mr. Eagleton."

  He stopped walking and regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "Tony Dewitt? The fellow at the Telephone Exchange?"

  "Yes, we've been friends since childhood. We..." She let the sentence trail off, not sure what to say.

  "I've been wanting to get to know him, so I'll extend the invitation to the two of you. Perhaps you would bring Miss Petersham with you? About one?"

  He took his leave as soon as she accepted, pleading an imminent appointment. Lulu stared after him, wondering what thoughts had passed through his mind. He'd had the strangest expression on his face for a moment there.

  Tony was sitting at Mr. Eagleton's desk when she entered the office. He looked up as the door opened, but said nothing. Nor did he smile.

  "Good morning, Tony," she said as she came to stand before the wide mahogany desk. "I hope you have time for me this morning."

  "Not now," he said, his tone neutral. "I have some things to do for Mr. Eagleton, but if you'd like to come back about four, I think I can make time."

  She stared. He sounded as if it really didn't matter whether they settled their differences or not. She had to bite her tongue to keep from speaking her thoughts. "I see."

  He grimaced. "I'm sorry, Lulu. I really am busy this morning. Eagleton is leaving town for a few days, and he handed me a pile of work to take care of. Some of it has to be done right away."

  She studied his face for a moment. He seemed sincere, but she still felt a...a withdrawal. As if he was walling himself off from her. "I suppose there's no help for it. I'll be back... Oh, I almost forgot. I met Mr. Teller on the way here. He has invited us to dinner Sunday. Will you be free?"

  His eyes flashed, before he lowered his lids. "I'm surprised you want me to meet your friends."

  "Why on earth shouldn't I want you to meet them? You're my husband!"

  The telephone rang just then. Lost in its shrill sound was his answer. Lulu wasn't sure, but it had sounded like "Not yet."

  As he spoke into the telephone, she took a card from her reticule. Miss Luella M. King was engraved on its linenlike surface. She wouldn't need these any more. Surely he would expect her to use her married name, something she'd always thought ridiculous. Why should a woman lose her identity simply because she married? Perhaps she should suggest to Tony that they use both names, as was sometimes done in England and even occasionally Back East. What would he say if she suggested he become Mr. King-Dewitt? Dewitt-King?

  Shaking her head at the impossibility, she turned the card over and, using a pencil lying on the desk blotter, wrote, I shall return at four. Please keep your schedule open. She ended with a single letter, L for Lulu.

  Somehow she didn't feel like a Dewitt yet.

  She paused with her hand on the doorknob, listening. He was apparently speaking to Mr. Eagleton, receiving instructions about what to do during his employer's absence. He nodded in response to her small wave, then turned back to the telephone to say, "Yes, sir, I'll take care of that too."

  Lulu pulled the door closed behind her. It was scarcely eleven. What was she to do with herself until four?

  * * * *

  Tony was deep in the correspondence Eagleton had said had to go in the mail today when the door opened. Why the man couldn't have asked for this yesterday, he had no idea. Getting it all done in time would be a near thing. Eagleton wanted it to be typewritten, but Tony had convinced him of the impossibility of doing so. It would be a long time before he could type as rapidly as he could write. Or as accurately.

  He looked up. "May I help you?" he asked the roughly dressed fellow.

  "I'm lookin' for a Mr. Dewitt. Boss says he works here."

  "I'm Dewitt. What can I do for you?"

  "Well, sir, I got me a wagonload of furniture down at the store and no place to put it. I took it on out to the house I was give a map to,
but there warn't nobody to home. Mr. White, he says you're to tell me what you want done with it." He offered a flimsy, smudged sheet of yellow paper. Tony took it and tried to make out what it said. It was obviously a carbon copy of a purchase contract, but the quality was so poor he could only make out a letter here and there.

  The signature at the bottom was clear, however. L.M. King for T. Dewitt. He'd know that round, loopy hand anywhere. Dimly he remembered telling Lulu to go ahead and get them some furniture. He sure hoped she hadn't gone overboard with her purchases.

  "I can't read this," he said, trying to figure out what the total cost was, "and my wife didn't give me a list of what she'd ordered. What all are you delivering?"

  The fellow scratched his head. "There's a parlor set, and a bookcase. A big wardrobe, the kind that holds the ladies' fancy gowns-- and a couple o' crates. I don't know what all's in 'em. I don't pack. I just deliver. Oh, yeah, there's a desk there, too."

  Tony looked again at the total just above Lulu's signature. He sure hoped that was a decimal point after the third number. The last digits disappeared under a dark blue smudge.

  Rapidly he thought about what to do. They needed furniture. Hell, he needed it, even if Lulu refused to live with him. He was sick of living hand to mouth. "If I give you a key, can you just put it all in the house? I can't get away and Mrs. Dewitt is...unavailable."

  "Sure. There'll be an extra charge for another trip out there, though. Two dollars."

  Certain he was being overcharged, Tony dug into his pocketbook. "Here," he said, handing the fellow a quarter-eagle. "Just put it all in the parlor. I'll...we'll arrange it how we want it later."

  The fellow left, with a slam of the door. Tony sank into Eagleton's soft chair and buried his face in his hands. What was he going to do with a house full of furniture and no wife?

  No longer able to fight the awful, sinking feeling that had sat in his middle ever since last night, he finally admitted what it meant.

  He was scared.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Stationery,

  Fancy Goods,