“No, my own reading and discussion with others did. You’ll find that I’m quite well read, Father. I read newspapers and books of every kind. I also read Godey’s for all the knowledge and wisdom a woman might need in dressing in the fashions of the day, learning a new embroidery pattern, and reading short stories and poetry. I like a wide variety of reading, and the more topics, the better.”
“Well, it’s not exactly fitting for a proper lady to be reading details about Indian living,” her father countered. “Some of their activities can be quite scandalous. Not to bring up bad memories for Mr. Porter, but the Sioux did scalp those men from the stagecoach.”
“They did indeed,” Will replied and looked to Laura. “I think it is admirable that you take an interest in the Indians. Personally, my family has a long history with them, and we’ve found most tribes to be amiable when we offered kindness and friendship.”
“Before I came here, I read all I could about Cheyenne and the territory. It’s all very fascinating to me. I believe the better educated a person is, the more solutions they will have to the problems they face.”
“And what problems are you facing?” her father asked. “I do my best to protect and shield you from having problems.”
Laura laughed. “And you do such a good job, Father. Now,tell me, what is this I hear about giving women the right to vote? Is that truly something the Cheyenne founding fathers are supporting?”
“Indeed. The word across the territory is that we don’t have enough voting males to establish statehood. Congress won’t even consider us for statehood until we reach a higher number of voters. It’s been suggested that if we allow women the right to vote, we would have our numbers.”
“I wonder if Congress will see it the same way.”
“I have my doubts,” her father admitted. “But it is worth the try.”
“So you are supportive of women voting?” Will asked.
Granite Evans shrugged. “I don’t see how it could hurt. They’ll vote the way their husbands tell them to. It’s really no different than every man having two votes.”
“And what of single women like me?” Laura asked.
Her father shrugged again. “You’ll do what I tell you to do.”
Laura thought to remark but refrained. Sometimes her father’s attitude disappointed her, but she was determined not to love him any less. No doubt he had his reasons for the things he said and did. She obviously needed to know him better to understand his comments. Even if she couldn’t agree with them.
12
“How are the boys doing?” Granite asked, looking around the small shack of a home.
Gus Synder poured a cup of coffee, then handed the mug to his boss. “Doin’ good enough. You keep them in money, and they’re happy as pigs in mud.”
Granite took a sip of the bitter brew and nodded. “You know, I pay you enough. You could live better than this.”
“Yeah, but that would raise suspicions. After all, I’m just your warehouse overseer. Living better would cause folks to wonder how I got the money to live that way. Besides, I’ve lived like this all my life. It suits me well enough.” He poured another mug of coffee, then sat down at the table where Granite was sitting.
“So everybody’s keeping their mouth shut?”
“Yeah, they know better than to talk. It’d be the last thing they ever did. Harvey keeps them in line.”
Granite knew Harvey Breckenridge was one of Gus’s cousins, and the family was loyal to each other. In fact, Granite had never seen the likes. Gus employed two of his cousins, and the men would die for him. Granite had no idea whathad instilled that kind of loyalty but knew that, besides being related, the men had gone through the war together.
The war had done strange things to men. He’d seen it on both sides, and it fascinated him. The very idea of a man giving his life for another was so very foreign. Granite himself had never been loyal to anyone but Laura’s mother. She was the reason he pursued wealth and power. Her memory was the driving force behind everything he did. Well, that and his own self-satisfaction and greed.
“Harvey say anything about the last job?”
“He outlined it for me. They waited in that hilly area just to the south. Hid in some of the rocks. It was simple enough to jump out at the last minute and take the stage down. Driver and his man didn’t know they were under attack until it was too late. Problem came with that new man, Abe Johnson. We had to let him go.”
“He started the killing?”
“Yeah. Thought he was back at Gettysburg. Totally lost his sense of where he was and what was going on. He was the one who scalped those men. The other fellas were collecting the valuables like you wanted, but Abe acted like an animal.”
Granite lifted the coffee Gus had poured for him when he first arrived. “But he won’t be a problem anymore?”
Gus shook his head. “No. He’s been dealt with.”
“What about the money? Anyone getting greedy?”
