“You know they’ll probably take every board, nail, and poker chip. There was hardly a building left in Julesburg after they loaded everything up and moved it here. I expect we’ll suffer some of the same fate.”
“As long as they take the west end with them, we’ll be all right,” Edward said. The thought of how things would be after the railroad moved out was actually exciting to him. He knew it was to Fred as well. In fact, all three men were probably anxious to see if the departure of the worst of their society would leave them with less crime and troubles. Surely it would.
“Another thing, I’m sure you’ve noticed that construction of homes is starting to go on pretty much around the clock. With the temperatures warming up, those folks who are of a mind to remain in Cheyenne are going to want to live in real houses,” Sweeney continued. “Not only houses are being built either. Reverend Cook and the Episcopalians are off and running as well. They’ve got a sister church in Philadelphia who pledged a thousand dollars to help them build, and the reverend has been getting his parishioners to donate on a regular basis. The UP was quite impressed and donated them two lots at Nineteenth and Dodge in order to build, and they plan to start as soon as possible.”
Edward thought of his desires to build. They’d been waiting for money to come from George, but so far there’d been no word from them, and frankly, he was getting worried. It wasn’t like Inga not to write.
“Edward here plans to be one of those who build.” Fred gave him a nudge.
He glanced at Fred and then at Sweeney. “It’s true. We’re anxious to get moved into a real house.”
“Well, the next few months are going to really and trulyestablish Cheyenne. I’m sure we’ll see a lot of change. Let’s hope it will all be for the better.”
Once Sweeney left, Fred and Edward headed out to start the first of their see-and-be-seen walks, as Fred called them. They wanted to let the good folks know that they were on the job and that nothing bad would happen on their watch. And they wanted to let the bad folks know the same.
“Sometimes,”Fred had said when Edward first came to town,“it’s enough to makea troublemaker think twice when he sees the law making special effort to walk the town.”
They both knew, however, there were those men who wouldn’t care either way. They weren’t bound by the law nor afraid of those who were. They were desperate men with desperate ways, and inevitably someone would suffer because of it.
“You seem a little less downcast these last couple of days. Things going better for you?” Fred asked as they turned onto Ferguson Street.
“I’m readin’ the Bible and prayin’ more, that’s for sure. But, yeah, I’m workin’ through it. Marybeth and I are speakin’ a little more. I confessed my anger toward God, and she admitted she’d had her moments too.”
“It’s always better when you let someone bear your miseries with you. Eve has helped me get through some of the worst times. Like when I came back from the war. She was there at my side to reassure me and help me when the nightmares came.”
“I didn’t know you had them. I figured that, being the top man, you probably didn’t have that kind of trouble.”
Fred laughed. “Edward, the top man often suffers the most. He holds the lives of all the other men in his hands. I forced men—boys—to their deaths. There were times whenI knew there would be no good result from what we had to do, and yet I had no choice. I had to follow the orders of my superiors.”
“I guess we all have our cross to carry.”
“It’s one thing to carry our cross and another to carry the weight of the world.”
Edward looked at him for a moment. “What’s the difference?”
“I always figured takin’ up my cross was me carrying the mission God had given me. Willingly accepting that mission or task without grumbling. There’s a job God has for each of us to spread the truth about Jesus and help our fellow man. For me, that’s my cross. Problems and troubles are those things that try to interfere with me serving God. Those are the things Satan throws my way and expects me to pick up and carry. That’s the weight of the world—remember who is prince of this place.”
Edward nodded. That made sense, although he’d never thought of it that way before now.
“Jesus told those of us who are labored and heavy laden to come to Him, and He’ll give us rest.”
“Matthew eleven,” Edward interjected. “I know it well. ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.’”
Fred nodded. “‘For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ Can’t say it any better than that.”
“I’ve been worried about you,” Melody admitted as she helped Marybeth wring out the clean clothes she’d just washed.
“You really shouldn’t worry about me. How’s your fatherdoing? Is he going to be ready to get back to work when the railroad pushes west?”
“I think he will be. He loves the adventure and the constant change. Not so much for me. I’m getting weary of moving all the time. I told Granny Taylor that I’m thinking hard about staying behind when the railroad moves on. Of course, Da would have to approve.”
Marybeth looked up in surprise. “Would your father stay too?”
Melody laughed. “No, he wouldn’t want to. I know him too well. He isn’t happy sitting still. I’m not sure what he’ll do when all of the railroads are built. But what’s going on with you? You’re so much quieter. Are you still fretting over what happened to Edward?”
“Well, it was a terrifying matter. I can’t say that it’s easy to set it aside. I keep praying for him to be protected, but I prayed for him that night as well.”
“And he’s still here,” Melody reminded her.
