“I doubt that it will come to that. After all, we have the army here at Fort Russell and at Fort Laramie as well.”
“Fort Laramie is over one hundred miles away. It would take days for the soldiers posted there to get here.”
“Even so, Fort Russell provides a strong army presence that will deter the Indians from attacking, and they’re just a few miles away. Not only that, but I believe most of the Indians in this area are peaceful. They may not be fully content with the reservation system and treaties, but they’ve proven to be less hostile than other tribes.”
“I hope you’re right. It’s still a frightful thing to imagine them attacking Cheyenne. We aren’t that big, and there’s absolutely no place for us to seek safety if they burn down the town, given the fort is a good three miles away.”
Will wasn’t sure what to say. He knew there were plenty of folks who felt just as Mrs. Cooper did. But he had grown up surrounded by people who held positive opinions of the native peoples. It only seemed reasonable to think the best of the local tribes.
“We will continue to pray that God puts peace in their hearts and in the hearts of the white men in charge. I believe we can all learn to get along.”
Mrs. Cooper looked skeptical. “I hope you’re right, Will. I truly hope you’re right.”
Two weeks later, Will was relieved to find that Friday dawned clear and bright. In fact, for the middle of January, it was quite mild. He ate his breakfast at the boardinghouse and then made his way to the stage office to wait for the weary passengers to arrive.
The Denver stage was an overnight route where the passengers had to sleep on board. They usually left Denver at eight in the morning and arrived in Cheyenne around seven the next morning. There were stops along the way for meals and to change out the horses, but no overnight accommodations. Will didn’t like the idea of his mother and sister having to ride with strangers and sleep on the stage, but it seemed there was nothing else to be done if they were to get to Cheyenne.
“Sorry, but the stage is running late,” the stationmaster, Jim Haggarty, told Will. “We had a telegram. Apparently,there was some sort of trouble with one of the axles, and it slowed down their progress. It was repaired, and they’re supposed to be back up and moving at full speed.”
“Guess I’ll go check on their room at the hotel and then come back.” He gave a sigh and headed back out into the chilly morning air. He checked his watch. It was nearly seven thirty.
At the Rollins Hotel, the clerk assured him that the room was ready and waiting. Furthermore, he added, it was the very best he had to offer with a separate bedroom and two beds instead of one. The suite was quite expensive, but Will knew it would be worth the extra money. His mother and sister would no doubt be surprised at the luxury of it, especially after Will had reported all that he had endured in the early days of his own arrival in Cheyenne.
He left the hotel and checked his watch again. It was only seven forty-five. He let out a heavy breath and walked slowly back to the stage office, where he took a seat outside. He figured when the cold became unbearable, he’d head in and warm himself by the stove. An hour later, he did just that.
“Still no word?” Will asked the stationmaster.
“None. I telegraphed the last stop before Cheyenne. They told me the stage should have arrived by now. I’ve sent my boy to fetch the sheriff. Guess they could have had more trouble with that axle, but it’s not likely.”
“Why send for the sheriff?”
“When there’s trouble, he’s been the one to go and find them.”
“Does this kind of thing happen often?”
Jim shrugged. “From time to time.”
Will frowned. Sending for the sheriff caused a feeling of uneasiness. Maybe he should just rent a horse himself andhead out to the south. The road was well marked, and it shouldn’t be that difficult to locate the stage. He hated the thought of them stranded along the road waiting for someone to bring help.
The sheriff arrived just then, along with a couple of deputies. He gave Will a nod, then went to the stationmaster. “What’s the trouble, Jim?”
“Stage should have been in some time ago. They had axle difficulties, but the repairs were made. Should have come straight on in.”
“Where’d they stop last?”
“The twenty-mile marker. They were fine then. I telegraphed the Carr Station and was told they should have reached us by now.”
The sheriff nodded. “We’ll head out. The axle job was probably rushed and fell apart on them.”
“Could be,” Jim replied.
“I could rent a horse and ride along,” Will offered. “My mother and sister are on that stage.”
The sheriff shook his head. “No, stay put. It’s probably nothing, but if there is trouble, I’d just as soon not have to look out for you.” With that he moved out, pulling the door shut rather hard behind him.
Will felt the uneasiness return. What kind of trouble might the sheriff be anticipating? He looked at Jim Haggarty, who was busy winding his watch. When Jim glanced up, his worried expression did nothing to make Will feel any better. Twenty miles away might as well have been twenty thousand if there had been trouble.
It was nearly eleven when Edward Vogel came to check in with Jim. They spoke in hushed tones for several minutes before Edward came to speak to Will. “You doing all right?”
