THE IMPERIAL ENGINEER (2 page)

"You wouldn't need to go to college. I've got enough money put aside so we could
live comfortably while I attend Harvard. Or you could stay here, with your folks, if you
don't want to go to Boston with me."

Shocked, she stepped away from him. "Not attend college? What do you mean?
Why wouldn't I?"

"Hell, Lulu, a married woman doesn't need a college education. Look at your ma.
Soomey. Aunt Hattie. They're all intelligent and well-read, and none of them has much
formal schooling. I doubt if Soomey's had any." He got to his feet and seemed to loom
over her. "Marry me, Lulu. Please."

She didn't know him at all. Tears clogged her throat as she stared up at the boy
she'd loved since first sight. But he was no longer a boy. He'd become a man, a stranger,
with ideas and beliefs so foreign, so frightening, she felt her heart shatter in her breast.

And yet he was Tao Ni, whom she loved.

"No," she said, holding the tears back as best she could. "No, Tao Ni, I can't...I
won't marry you."

The next morning he rode away at dawn.

He didn't say goodbye.

THE LAST SPIKE

At exactly half-past 10 o'clock this morning the last spike was driven at the Hailey end
of the Wood River Branch Railroad.

Wood River Times

~~~

Tony Dewitt stepped down from the stage in the small town of Hailey on the first
day of May in 1883. Idaho Territory was experiencing another mining boom, only this
time lead and silver were the minerals prospectors sought, not gold. Hailey was one of the
new towns to grow up around the mines. It had a great future, everyone said, and there
were fortunes to be made.

He sure hoped so.

The downtown was a busy place, with plenty of foot and vehicle traffic. Big
freight wagons fought for street room with carriages and bicycles. The sidewalks were
narrow and folks dodged one another as they hurried along. He checked the address of the
man he was supposed to see. On the corner of Main and Croy. "Pretty much the center of
town," his friend's father had told him. That way then. He turned left and strolled along the
block, looking into the storefronts and saloon doors.

The office occupied the lower floor of a wood frame building on the corner. Gold
lettering proclaimed its proprietor's business to all and sundry.
Abner C. Eagleton
& Co., Real Estate and Investments.
He swiped his shoetops against the backs of
his pantlegs, checked to make sure he'd brushed the last of the travel dust from his
clothing, and went inside.

"Help you?" The fellow behind the paper-strewn desk was broad but not fat,
clean-shaven except for extravagantly bushy sideburns, and dressed in clothing that
showed its fine tailoring in how it fit.

"Mr. Eagleton? I'm Tony Dewitt." He held out his letter of introduction. "Mr. J.P.
Winter sent me."

"Old Jamie? How is he? I haven't seen him for a coon's age." He leaned forward to
accept the papers. "Sit down, boy." With total concentration, he read the letter, making all
but inaudible comments to himself as he did so.

Tony wished he'd speak a little louder.

"Well, now, he writes that you're about as good an engineer as anybody he can
send me. But I'm not looking for some high-falutin' expert. What I want is an all-round
man who can turn his hand to pretty much anything I need him to do." He eyed Tony's suit,
the expensive bowler he'd bought to celebrate the completion of his first major project.
"Can you dig a ditch? Drive a team? Are you afraid of getting your hands dirty?"

"No sir, I am not. I was raised on a farm and know what hard work is." Tony
dreaded the next question, for he would not lie.

"Well, then we ought to get along just fine. Now, tell me, what do you know about
telephones?"

"Only what I've read, I'm afraid," he said hesitantly, surprised--and relieved--that
Mr. Eagleton had not asked him about his prior engineering experience. "I do know a bit
about electrical systems, though. I supervised the installation of one at a dam site back
East."

Eagleton rubbed his hands together. "Good. Good! I don't reckon anybody knows
much about telephones. They ain't been around all that long. Tell you what. We'll learn
together. Now here's what I plan..."

In the next hour Tony sat speechless as Abner Eagleton built an empire with
words. The man's dreams had no limit. And somehow he was convincing enough that Tony
believed he'd accomplish all he dreamed of.

"But say," Eagleton said, finally, "you just got to town, didn't you? I'll bet you
ain't had dinner or anything. Why didn't you say something instead of letting me jabber on?
Got a place to stay yet?"

"No, I haven't. I came straight here from the stage depot."

"Talk to Mrs. Slossen. She runs a boarding house up the street a ways. Upstairs of
the Kansas Headquarters Saloon. Tell her I sent you," He motioned Tony out the door.

"But...but Mr. Eagleton, you haven't said you'd hire me."

"I didn't? Well, dadgummit, I guess I got so busy telling about all the work I want
you to do that it plumb slipped my mind. You're hired, boy. You and me's gonna get along
just fine."

Still speechless, Tony let Eagleton lead him along Main Street to the Nevada Chop
House. In between being introduced to half the businessmen in town, he even got to eat his
dinner.

Each time Eagleton introduced him as "My new engineer, Mr. Tony Dewitt," he
felt some of the burden of shame and guilt lift from his soul.

* * * *

"I have a letter here from Mrs. Duniway, in Oregon. She says both Idaho and
Montana Territories will be applying for statehood in a few years and reminds me that we
need to be working to get women's suffrage written into the state constitutions. She is very
optimistic about the possibility, particularly since Washington Territory's enfranchisement
of women this spring." The woman behind the desk turned to the next sheet and paused,
reading ahead. She seemed to be undergoing an internal debate, for she was silent for a full
five minutes.

Lulu forced herself to sit quietly. She desperately wanted there to be a place for
her with the American Woman Suffrage Association. Unfortunately, like most
organizations, there were few paid positions, and she simply could not afford to dip into
her investment principal for living expenses.

"Our organization is short on women who are familiar with the West," Mrs.
Ainsworth said, "women who can go there and speak to the women who haven't come East
to school, who may not understand that suffrage is as important for a farm wife or a
seamstress as it is for a single woman in a career."

Lulu had to smile. "But I came East to school, and I am single, with a career."

"Of course, but you didn't grow up here. And you still sound as if you came from
the West. Your speech will not put off women whose only schooling was in one room in
the wilderness. I'm sure they have very peculiar ideas about those of us who live in the
great cities of the East." She leaned back in her chair and gazed across the desk at Lulu.
Her expression showed some disquiet.

"I admit I have some reservations about offering you this position, Miss King. I
realize your appearance speaks nothing of your heritage, but still..." Her shoulders lifted in
a shrug that said she hoped Lulu understood her dilemma.

Lulu did. She had encountered it before. "I cannot believe I would be in any
danger. After all, I've worked in the South for the past four years, and my race was never
an issue." She wasn't about to admit the nightmares she still had of pointing fingers and
taunting voices. And worse.

"Yes, but by your own admission, your work was behind the scenes. This position
would require you to make frequent public appearances. I don't know--"

Lulu decided to push. "It seems to me that denying me a position for which I am
qualified simply because of my race goes against every principle the Association stands
for."

"Well, of course you do look as white--" Mrs. Ainsworth's cheeks flamed. "That
was thoughtless of me, wasn't it? Let me tell you what the situation is, Miss King. Perhaps
you will find it more than you want to take on."

Lulu crossed her fingers and listened.

"Apparently the woman who has been in the forefront of The Movement in Idaho
Territory is expecting a baby." A moue of disapproval clearly showed Mrs. Ainsworth's
opinion of such poor judgment. "She asks us to send someone who can assist her until such
time as she is able to resume her normal activities, a period of a year, at least. Her assistant
will be required to live in the same area as she, a rather isolated part of Idaho Territory. An
apartment will be provided, and a small travel stipend. All speaking fees will be yours to
keep. Are you still interested?"

Excitement bubbled inside while Lulu strove to appear composed.
"Absolutely."

Ever since the episode in North Carolina, when she had narrowly escaped with her
life, she had dreamed of going home, but had not admitted it to anyone. The nightmares
that tore her sleep asunder with increasing regularity were a secret she chose to keep. Now
Mrs. Ainsworth was offering her what she most wanted.

Three weeks later, on June 1, 1883, she boarded a train for Hailey. Her task was to
muster support and funds for the suffrage movement in Idaho and Montana Territories, and
to give Mrs. Duniway whatever assistance she could in Oregon and elsewhere.

It was like a dream come true. Abigail Scott Duniway was one of her heroes.

* * * *

Tony had taken to meeting each days' train, hoping the equipment he'd ordered
would arrive. Until it did, he couldn't get a start on the telephone system. Of course,
Eagleton kept him so busy on other projects that he probably wouldn't have had time, if
he'd had the wire and the batteries.

He didn't mind. Every new task his boss set him was a challenge, and he was
enjoying it. Eagleton was talking about building a steel truss bridge across the Wood River
to replace the existing wooden structure on the Croy Creek road. He had suggested that in
his spare time Tony find a site for it and draw up some initial plans.

A far-off whistle told him the train was coming. He folded his newspaper and
tucked it into his coat pocket. Along with half a dozen others, he went to the platform to
wait. Since its official arrival three weeks ago, the coming of the daily train was an event.
He supposed eventually folks would stop coming to the depot, just to see it pull into town.
For now, though, it was the day's biggest excitement.

"Mornin', Dewitt."

Tony turned to see Frank Correy, one of the clerks at the bank he patronized,
approaching. "Morning, Correy. Meeting someone?"

"Mrs. Axminster has been down to Denver, visiting her sister. Mr. Axminster is in
a meeting with some fellows from the smelter up in Ketchum, so he asked me to meet
her."

Tony smiled. One of the more important things he'd learned in his first job was
that junior members of the firm--any firm--were expected to be messenger boys,
chauffeurs, and all-round handymen for their bosses. And their bosses' families.

He and Frank exchanged opinions on the day's news, the possibility of rain on the
weekend when the Miners' Union picnic was to be held, and the fire alarm that had
sounded in the wee hours of the previous night. "I heard it was the stovepipe at the Bon
Ton," Frank said, "but when I came by, they were open, so it couldn't have been
serious."

"A good thing it wasn't worse." A shiver stole up Tony's spine. He didn't like to
even think about fires in wooden buildings like so many of Hailey's were. "Here it
comes."

The train, its brakes squealing and steam hissing from its boiler, eased into the
station. Tony stood where he was, for he couldn't retrieve his equipment--if it had
arrived--until all baggage and freight was unloaded.

"There she is," Frank said. "I'll see you later." He went to meet the imposing
woman in black silk. Tony had never met the banker's wife, but he imagined she'd be a
force to be reckoned with, if looks were any indication.

Then his gaze was caught by the woman who was revealed as Mrs. Axminster
stepped down from the railcar. Her dress was a demure navy blue, with rich purple trim
and an extravagant bustle. A silly little feathered hat in matching colors perched on a
cluster of curls the color of old bronze. A wide mouth with full lips, a pert nose, and eyes
he knew would be the color of winter rain all fit together in a face that, while not
classically beautiful, was charmingly feminine. An old yearning flooded through him, a
yearning he'd thought long banished.

What is she doing here?

She stepped daintily to the ground, smiling at the Conductor who had lent his arm
to support her. For his own peace of mind, he wished he could pretend he hadn't seen
her.

Instead he stepped forward. "Miss King, welcome to Hailey."

Her eyes widened when she recognized him, but she said nothing. After a
moment's hesitation, she tucked her hand into his proffered elbow and let him lead her into
the depot. Only when she'd sat on one of the wooden benches did she demand. "Did
Mamma tell you I was coming?"

"I haven't heard from your mother since Christmas. I thought she was off to
Australia."

"She is, but I wrote her as soon as I knew...of course she couldn't have gotten the
letter and written to you. It's only been three weeks."

"Why would she tell me anyhow? Why not one of the Lachlans?"

"Because she's worried...oh, never mind. It was just a thought. Maybe I should ask
why
you
are here? Hailey isn't exactly the sort of place I'd expect to find an up and
coming young engineer."

Tony was rescued from making a reply by a wave from the station agent. He said,
"Excuse me a moment."

"There's a big coil of wire for you Mr. Dewitt. Looks to me like it got misshipped
to somewheres in Texas." The agent scratched his head. "Houston? That don't sound
anywheres near like Hailey, does it?"