by Lori Wick
“Shouldn’t be long folks, but feel free to mill around town,” the conductor stuck his head off the train and called to them. “We’ll blow the whistle several times to let you know.”
“Shall we walk into town?” Chase asked, after having taken Rusty’s bag from her hand.
“I think I’d like that. I’ve never been to Makepeace.”
The two started off. Rusty tipped her head back slightly, loving the feel of the sun on her face and thinking she should probably find her poke bonnet. Before she could decide if she should fish it out of her satchel, they were at the edge of the boardwalk in town and often in the shade.
“It’s a little like Kurth, isn’t it?” commented Rusty.
“I think you’re right. The layout is similar. I always find you can learn a lot about a town by looking at its general store. Shall we give it a try?” Chase had gestured with his head, and Rusty looked up to see Ganzer’s Emporium. It was just two doors down, so Rusty nodded and they continued, passing a coffin-maker and a land office before stopping at Ganzer’s front door.
Chase held the door, and as soon as Rusty stepped in, she smiled. Mr. McCandles had been right. Not only was it a unique store with everything very orderly and clean, it was huge.
“Shall we split up, Mr. McCandles, and compare notes in, say, 30 minutes?”
Chase made no attempt to stop his smile. He should have known she would find this an adventure to be explored and conquered.
“I think that’s a fine idea. Thirty minutes, back here by the door?”
Rusty nodded, turned, and began to move away, but her companion’s voice stopped her.
“Miss Taggart?”
Rusty turned.
“If you hear the train whistle and can’t find me, go ahead to the station, but don’t board without me.”
“What if we miss the train?”
“We’ll try to catch a later one.”
Already knowing what the answer must be, she said, “You still have the schedule, don’t you?”
Chase tapped his coat pocket, and Rusty smiled hugely. She turned and started toward the back of the store with the intention of working her way out to the front. She didn’t get far. The first things she discovered were the toys. They captured her attention at once. A clown on a stick, a box that played music when the crank was turned, skates with wheels and also with blades for ice, books, stuffed animals, little toy trucks and trains. She handled nearly every toy, imagining the fun the children would have at the orphanage, and in the process, completely forgot about the time. Chase found her more than 30 minutes later, working the funny clown on the stick, her face intent, and to his eyes, very young.
“That looks fun,” he said kindly.
“Yes. I think the children would love it,” Rusty replied, replacing it with reluctance, “but I would need at least 20 of them to make it fair, so I don’t think I’ll even try.” She finally looked at him. “I take it there wasn’t much to interest you.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re early.”
“It’s been almost 40 minutes.” His voice was very soft and gentle, but Rusty blinked at him.
“Has it really?”
Chase nodded, just barely holding his smile. “Did you even get out of this aisle?”
“No.” Her look was so comical that her companion chuckled.
“I hate to interrupt, but maybe we should check on the train situation.”
“Of course,” Rusty agreed, but inside she squirmed with embarrassment. He’s a busy man, Rusty. He doesn’t have all day to waste getting you home. That the whole reason they were stranded in Makepeace was not her fault did not occur to her until she silently accompanied Mr. McCandles from the store and back to the train station. Nothing had changed; their train was still having trouble. Still, the thought of wasting Mr. McCandles’ time made Rusty feel even worse. Chase chose that moment to look down at her and mistook her rather strained expression for fatigue. She didn’t seem the type to tire easily, but leaving the children had been emotional for her, he was sure, and could easily explain why she might be tired.
“I have an idea. Why don’t we take our bags to the hotel, ask the desk manager to hold them, and have a little lunch?” Chase suggested.
It was on the tip of Rusty’s tongue to say she’d already eaten, but she remembered at the last moment that her companion had not.
“That sounds fine,” she agreed warmly and gladly fell into step as Chase started off. Just 15 minutes later they were comfortably seated at a table, hot coffee in thick mugs before them. Menus had been handed to them, and Rusty decided she could do with a piece of berry pie. She told Mr. McCandles when he asked her.
“No lunch?” her companion confirmed.
“No. I ate one of the sandwiches Jessie sent.”
“That’s right.”
“What will you have?”
“The beef sounds good.”
And indeed it was. Because it was still a little early, the hotel dining room was not yet busy, so their order came quickly. They talked about a variety of things, Chase asking Rusty many questions about the orphanage. She loved her work, so it was easy to share with him. The meal passed swiftly.
Chase declined dessert himself. After he’d finished his last cup of coffee, he paid for the food and said to Rusty, “I think I’ll walk back and check on the train. Do you want to wait here?”
“I don’t mind waiting here, but if they’re ready for us, you’ll have to come all the way back for me.”
Chase shook his head. “They haven’t blown the whistle at all, and even if they are ready, the walk will do me good. Would you like your bag so you can read?”
“Yes, please.”
He walked to the hotel desk to get it for her, and Rusty thought, not for the first time, that he really was remarkably kind. Chase delivered her bag back to her just minutes later and took his leave. Rusty retrieved The Red Badge of Courage from her bag, and was immersed just paragraphs later.
“I’m not sure I can promise you we’ll move things out today at all,” the man told Chase, whose brows rose in surprise.
“What happened?”
“One of the drive arms broke. Sheared clean through. Still trying to track down the smith. He’s out on one of the ranches.”
“But what of other trains?”
“What other trains?”
“The ones on the schedule.”
“We’re the schedule, twice a day, if we don’t break down.” The man shrugged.
Chase thanked the man cordially, but swiftly left the platform and went directly back to the hotel desk. He booked two rooms for the night before joining Rusty.
“What did they say?” she asked as soon as he took the chair across from her.
“That we might not get out today.”
“Oh, Mr. McCandles, I’m so sorry. What does this do to your business plans?”
Chase shook his head. “It’s not me I’m worried about. You had hoped to be with your family tonight.”
Rusty shrugged. “It’s not that urgent. As soon as the children were placed, my time off started. My family wasn’t sure what day I would arrive. It’s really no trouble.”
But neither one was convinced. Chase thought Rusty wanted to get home more than she was letting on, and Rusty thought Mr. McCandles was only being polite concerning the urgency of his business dealings.
“I’ve booked two rooms for us here at the hotel,” Chase continued.
“But what if the train is able to leave?”
“We’ll still hear the whistle, but the conductor did not sound hopeful. This way, we won’t be stuck sitting up all night if they can’t get the repairs done.” Chase explained what the conductor had said and then asked Rusty if she wanted to go to her room for a time.
“I guess maybe I will,” Rusty replied, thankful that at the orphanage, where things could change with each movement of the clock, she was learning to take what came. She stood, and Chase
picked up her bag. With the manners she so enjoyed from him, he escorted her up the stairs, opened the door for her, set her bag down, checked the lock on the window, looked into the closet, and handed her the key.
“I’m in room 15 if you need me.”
“Thank you for everything, Mr. McCandles. Did you,” Rusty hesitated, “that is, do I need to go down and pay for the room?”
“I took care of it,” he assured her gently.
“I have money for travel expenses,” she reminded him.
“I wanted to take care of it.”
“You took care of the wagon in Kurth too.”
“No, Doug came for us, and we didn’t need to rent one.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
“So, we’re all set?” he asked, watching her carefully.
Rusty wasn’t sure they were, but she let the matter drop with a small nod of her head. Her uncle had anticipated every need and sent a wise amount of cash so she could see to emergencies, but he must not have communicated that to her traveling companion.
Rusty saw Chase to the door and thanked him once again. She shut the portal, made sure it was locked, and leaned against it. A quick survey of the room told her it was neat and clean, but her mind wandered elsewhere as she wondered just how long they would be stranded. It was not her own inconvenience that worried her, but Mr. McCandles’. There could be another way to get to Colorado Springs, one that she hadn’t thought of. She sat down on the edge of the bed with plans to do just that.
10
Rusty woke with a start. She hadn’t remembered lying back on the bed, but she must have. She had no idea how much time had passed, but something had woken her. The whistle! She’d heard the train whistle.
Glad that she hadn’t bothered to unpack her bag, Rusty grabbed it, picked up her key, and let herself out the door. She went straight to number 15 and knocked, but there was no answer. She knocked again, a little harder this time, and even called softly, but Mr. McCandles was not in. Figuring he’d gone on to the train station, Rusty moved down the stairs to the hotel desk.
“Is there a problem, ma’am?” the proprietor wished to know.
“No, sir. I’m one of the train passengers, and they said they would blow the whistle, so I won’t be needing my room.” Rusty placed the key in front of him on the counter.
“The whistle, ma’am?”
“Yes. I was asleep, so I don’t know if it was the first one or the last. I’d better hurry,” she added with a smile.
“Jared,” the man called to another man at the counter, “did you hear the train whistle?”
“Not me.”
The first man looked back at Rusty. “I didn’t hear it either, ma’am.”
“Oh.”
Rusty looked so perplexed that he offered a suggestion. “Maybe you should leave your bag with me and then check, or better yet, I’ll send someone to check for you.”
“Do you normally hear the whistle clearly?”
“Yes.”
Rusty looked undecided for a moment; she’d been so certain of the sound. “I will leave my bag with you,” she said at last, “and my key. If the train is ready I’ll rush back and get the satchel.”
“All right. I’ll have it right here behind the counter for you.”
“Has Mr. McCandles turned his key in? He’s in number 15.”
The man checked the box. “No, ma’am, no key.”
“All right. Thank you.”
Much as Rusty wanted to believe the whistle hadn’t sounded, she still felt her heart beat a little faster as she left the hotel and started toward the train station. Things looked calm enough. Maybe she had dreamed the sound of the whistle. With a stride as long as she could manage, Rusty covered the distance rather swiftly, only to see long before she reached the platform that things were just as she’d left them. The train was still being worked on, and the platform was nearly empty. Rusty nearly shook her head. She had dreamed that whistle. With a wry smile at her own antics, she turned and bumped into someone who must have been standing directly behind her.
“Excuse me,” Rusty spoke, stepping back. She tipped her head to see a large, bearded man in front of her, his eyes fierce as they glowered out at her from under bushy brows. Rusty tried a small smile, but the man was so harsh-looking that she decided against speaking again. With subtle movements she scooted around him and back toward the hotel. It was a good reminder. She was a stranger in this town, not a local orphanage worker or the daughter of the school administrator. She had best get back to the hotel and stay there.
Chase finished the small errand he’d set out to do and headed back through the hotel lobby toward the stairs. If the train couldn’t leave, he’d found a nice spot for him and Rusty to have dinner that night. It was a small place with simple decor and would make a nice change from the hotel.
“Mr. McCandles?” The desk manager’s voice stopped him.
Chase turned and approached.
“Did the lady find you?”
“Miss Taggart?”
“Yes, the one in the other room you reserved. She thought she heard the whistle and went to check on the train.”
“No, I haven’t seen her. You say she’s left the hotel and not returned?”
“That’s right. Her key’s still in the box.”
“Thank you. Should she come back and miss me again, please ask her to wait here at the hotel.”
“I’ll do that, sir.”
His heart pounding a bit harder in his chest, Chase went back through the elaborate double doors and onto the street. He made a beeline for the train station, wondering what had made Rusty think she heard the whistle. Makepeace wasn’t that big. He was sure the train whistle could be heard all over town.
There was no sign of her at the station. Chase wandered around for a time and then started slowly back to the hotel, watching for her all the way. Makepeace was quiet and peaceful from all indications, but if that was the case, then why was Chase’s heartrate increasing with nearly every step? He prayed, working to trust the Lord for Rusty’s safety as well as use his head, and all the while hoping that she was already safely back at the hotel.
Rusty’s intentions were good. She had started to go swiftly back to the hotel, but she hadn’t reckoned with the interesting things she would see in town. Partway to the hotel she had got it into her head to see if Makepeace had an orphanage. It would be such fun to visit. She inquired at the reading room, and was disappointed to discover that the town did not have a place for orphans. But she quickly became fascinated by the lovely window displays of the shops. Before she knew it, she had dawdled almost an hour away. When she suddenly realized how long she’d been gone, she felt a twinge of guilt. She knew the hotel was a block over, so rather than go around, she opted to cut between the buildings. There was a small path between a shoe store and the hat shop, so Rusty took it. The hotel would be in sight as soon as she came around the corner. What she didn’t plan on was a group of young men gathered at the rear of the building. Rusty spotted them and stopped short, but they had already seen her.
Chase gained his room, shut the door, and just stood in the middle of the rug. Rusty hadn’t come back, and he certainly wasn’t going to find her in here, but he had to gather his thoughts. He didn’t know Rusty very well, but it wasn’t hard to figure that she must have become sidetracked. She must have gone to check on the train but then decided to do something else. After all, they hadn’t made any plans to meet; neither had they promised to stay in their rooms. She must have felt free to have a look around town if she wanted.
Chase asked himself why that was so little comfort. The likelihood of her being harmed was not great, but there was a chance, and for this reason he couldn’t rest until he’d checked on her. Should he look around town or simply sit in the lobby and watch for her? Feeling restless and uncertain, he moved to the window. His heart jolted in his chest when he saw a bright red head. It didn’t take long for him to identify the owner. Not even bothering t
o lock his door, Chase made for the hall, raced down the stairs, and gained the outside, his stride just short of a run.
“Well, hello,” one of the young men greeted Rusty as they all turned in a group.
Knowing that just about anything would encourage them, Rusty nodded with a regal air and began to move past them, keeping her right shoulder close to the building. She didn’t get far. One of them stepped in front of her, and she came to a stop.
“Excuse me.” Rusty’s voice was soft but determined. “I would like to pass.”
“What’s your hurry?”
Rusty’s chin rose in the air. She made a move to step around him but suddenly found someone at her shoulder.
“We don’t see hair like this too often.” The man in front of her was speaking again.
Rusty felt someone else move in behind her and thought it the better part of valor to put her own back against the building. Rusty’s gaze encompassed the group. She saw that there were four of them, all standing too close and staring down at her as if they’d never seen a woman. They were all young and well-dressed, probably Rusty’s own age, but Rusty was too frightened to say much. Rusty’s cheeks paled, causing her eyes to look huge and vulnerable.
“Please don’t stand so close,” she whispered. “You’re scaring me.”
To her utter surprise they all backed up a few inches.