Chapter 3

Melody made her way into the Cheyenne Savings and Loan, where her father had arranged a joint account. Since he wasn't able to work, they were pulling out a little of their savings each week to pay rent and buy food.

"Good morning, Jefferson," she said, greeting the teller. "I've come for our weekly stipend." She pushed a piece of paper across the counter to the smiling man. She'd always thought Jefferson handsome. Unfortunately, he knew he was good-looking and was rather full of himself to boot.

"Miss Melody Doyle, aren't you a ray of sunlight." He gave her a lingering gaze. "I haven't seen anyone half as pretty as you all morning."

She laughed. "Well, the day is early."

To her left, someone cleared their throat. She looked over and found a tall man with brilliant blue eyes and dark brown hair. His hair was combed back off his forehead, and he was clean-shaven—something Melody preferred. He was impeccably dressed, but there was still something almost casual about him. He gave her a smile that seemed to light up his eyes.

"Jefferson, are you going to introduce me to our customer?"

Melody didn't wait for Jefferson but stepped to where the man stood. "I'm Melody Doyle. My father and I have an account here. And you are?"

"I'm Charles Decker. This is my father's bank, and I've come to take over for my brother Jacob until he can return."

"That's right, I heard from Jefferson that he was ill. I do hope he's doing better."

Mr. Decker's gaze never left hers. "He is, thank you."

"I'm so glad," Melody replied. "He is such a nice man, and I enjoyed hearing about his family."

"Jacob told you about his family?"

His question took Melody aback. "Why yes. He was quite sad to have left them behind in Chicago, but he said his wife was fearful of bringing the children west, where wild Indians were still known to raid. He seemed to miss them a great deal."

"Jacob has always been very private. I'm just surprised that he would say a word about his family."

"Melody has a way about getting folks to talk," Jefferson interjected. "It's her pretty face and kind spirit."

"I can see that possibility."

"So, Mr. Decker," Melody began, only to be interrupted.

"Call me Charlie. All my friends do."

Charlie was a much friendlier name than Charles and far less formal than Mr. Decker. "Charlie, I'm very glad to meet you. I hope you'll enjoy Cheyenne and stay for a good long time."

"I hope so too. I find the location quite beautiful and the people very friendly, Miss Doyle."

"Melody. Like a song. That's my name," she said, laughing.

"Things are calming down now that the railroad is moving out. You will still need to watch out for undesirable characters, however. Cheyenne seems likely to always contend with a few hoodlums," Jefferson said. "Miss Doyle, I have your money all counted out."

She glanced over at him and found his expression a bit pinched. "Are you having a bad day, Jefferson?"

His frown deepened. "Why do you ask?"

"You look a tad miserable. I just wondered if there was something I could pray about on your behalf."

Jefferson shook his head. "No, I'm just preoccupied with business."

Melody looked back at Charlie. "You have a very dedicated associate, Charlie."

"I have heard as much and am just now learning that for myself. He was here this morning seeing to bank operations before I even arrived."

"Are you planning to make Cheyenne your home, Charlie, or are you just here temporarily?" Melody went to the teller's window, where Jefferson stood waiting. She reached out to take the money, but Jefferson pulled it back.

"I have to count it out to you," he snapped.

"Of course. Go ahead." She held out her hand again but glanced back at Charlie. "All the regulations must be a hardship at times."

"Yes, but adhering to them, just as with keeping God's commandments, offers better benefits than ignoring them. Oh, and the answer is yes. If there's a reason to stick around. I've long been ready for a change, and I've been seeking God to show me the direction He'd like me to go."

Melody smiled. "So you're a man of God, Charlie?"

"I am. And you? I mean, are you a woman of God?"

"Of course. God has seen me through so many bad times that I would have to be completely ignorant to ignore Him now. He is my mainstay."

"Melody, I need you to pay attention," Jefferson protested.

She turned back to him. "Go ahead."

He counted out the money to her and had her sign a slip of paper. "Are you satisfied with your transaction? Is there anything else I might do for you today?"

"I'm completely satisfied, Jefferson, and I don't need anything else."

She put the money in her little purse and turned back to Charlie. "Do you have a church yet? If not, I would love to extend the invitation for you to come and join the Methodist services. We meet at the public school since we don't yet have a building of our own. The services are at seven in the evening because another congregation uses it in the morning."

"Mrs. Cooper invited me to the Methodist services as well. I intend to be there on Sunday. Perhaps I'll see you. Unless, of course, there is more than one Methodist church in Cheyenne."

"No, it's the same one. I know the Coopers well. It will be nice to see you there. We have a wonderful service. Dr. Scott is our fearless leader, and he's so knowledgeable about the Bible, as well as being a talented physician. I must say I've learned a great deal under his instruction."

"I shall look forward to seeing you there."

"How come you've never invited me to church, Melody?" Jefferson asked.

She looked back at him. "I could have sworn I had ... back last year. I do apologize if I was remiss. Of course you are welcome to join us. Speaking of the school, have you heard that the school board is already looking to expand and trying to figure out how to accommodate the ever-growing number of children? I heard that no fewer than ten private schools have been formed."

"Ten?" Charlie asked.

Melody nodded. "Apparently with all of the new families arriving, the school is overflowing. At last count, there were nearly one hundred thirty children who wished to attend but hardly the room for half that many."

"What are the requirements for opening a private school?" Charlie seemed quite interested in the topic.

"I have no idea," Melody replied. "I can't imagine it's much more difficult than to just announce that you're willing to teach and have a location. One young lady in our church has opened a private school in her parents' house on O'Neill Street. I believe her students are all quite young, but of school age."

"Fascinating." Charlie rubbed his chin. "Teaching was always my first love."

"And yet you're here."

"My father and grandfather were bankers. They felt it was a family duty to continue. My brothers took right to it, but I ... well, not so much." His eyes seemed to twinkle. "Yet here I am, as you pointed out."

"There's always the opportunity to change directions, Charlie." She glanced over at Jefferson. "And never too late to join us at our church. I shall see you gentlemen next week, if not sooner at services."

She headed outside. She rather liked Mr. Decker. He was nothing like his stuffy older brother. That man was most serious, and rarely had she seen him so much as crack a smile. Melody shrugged. She supposed happiness came in different forms for different folks.

"Miss Doyle is quite a pleasant young lady," Charlie told Jefferson after she'd gone.

"Yes, she is. I've long thought of asking to court her." Jefferson didn't particularly care for the sappy smile on his employer's face. "Her father works for the railroad. He was injured in an accident at the warehouse and is still on the mend. Soon, however, I'm sure they'll be leaving us. Folks go just as quickly as they come, it seems."

"What about you, Jefferson? Will you go as quickly as you came?"

Jefferson had stopped in Cheyenne after leaving his parents' home in Denver. Completely by chance, he had managed to intercede on Jacob Decker's behalf when a freight wagon nearly knocked him down in the middle of the street. Cheyenne was well-known for its dangerous roads.

Lady Luck had smiled upon him, and Jacob had been so grateful that he'd hired Jefferson on the spot to come work at the new savings and loan. Now, however, he had to work with Jacob's younger brother, and the man wasn't nearly as easy to manage.

Having heard so much about the new end-of-the-tracks town to the north of his parents' home, Jefferson had decided to make his way there, hoping for a chance to make his fortune. The only other place that held any interest was California, and that seemed much too far away. But he wasn't about to share his plans with Charlie.

"I don't intend to go anywhere. My parents are in Denver, and Cheyenne gives me just the right distance to be on my own yet know they're nearby. I'm on a mission to make my fortune and prove myself a capable man."

"I suppose in one way or another, we're all doing that." Charlie started for his office, then turned back around. "Do you really think starting up a school is as easy as Miss Doyle made it sound?"

He shrugged. "Cheyenne seems content to set the rules as it goes. The school is, as Melody said, overflowing. The school board has decided to build a large addition onto their new building. They're going to charge a fee per student to raise the money. They are asking for folks to volunteer time and materials to build it. Perhaps they'll hire more teachers, and you could apply."

"No, my desire is to have my own school so that I can teach from a faith-based perspective. I want my pupils to have the Bible as the foundation of their education."

"I'm sure there are enough religious folks around here to accommodate your desires, Mr. Decker."

Charlie smiled. "The possibilities seem endless. And Miss Doyle brightens thoughts of staying here in Cheyenne even more. Do you know her well?"

"Well enough."

"Is she promised to anyone?"

"Not that I know of. Of course, her father is quite the force to be reckoned with. He gets into fights all the time, and many of them are regarding Melody. I'd tread lightly."

Charlie laughed and headed once again for his office. "A beautiful and godly young woman is worth any effort to woo."

Jefferson shook his head as he glanced toward the ceiling. It sounded like Charles Decker might become a rival for Melody Doyle's affections, and that was the last thing Jefferson wanted to have to contend with. He'd long had his eye on Melody. She was a beautiful woman. Tiny and slender. He guessed he could span her waist with his hands. Her blue eyes were huge, and her sandy-brown hair, almost always plaited in a single braid, reached her waist. Jefferson liked to imagine it flowing free in the wind. And even better still, her father had a healthy balance in his savings account.

No, he didn't want to deal with Charles as a rival. Already he was trying to figure out a way to keep the two separated. He supposed he'd have to start attending church services since it seemed likely that Charles would. Decker had already mentioned that it was a requirement of living at the Coopers' boardinghouse. Imagine forcing people to attend church.

Still, he knew religion was important to Melody, and if Jefferson was to have a chance with her, he'd need to at least pretend interest in God. It shouldn't be that difficult. He had grown up going to church with his parents. His father insisted that men of importance should be a part of as many prominent social organizations as possible. Church was merely one of those. The idea of boring sermons about ancient patriarchs of the Bible, however, did not interest Jefferson in the least, especially when contrasted to sleeping in on Sunday morning. However, Melody's church did meet at night. It wouldn't be that hard to participate.

And he was determined to impress his father. "When you've made your first thousand," his father had told him, "bring proof to me, and I'll double it." That was just the first step in a line of conditional promises, and Jefferson intended to meet each and every one.

Jefferson went to where he had put a stack of loans whose payments were due in the next few days. He started thumbing through to put them in date order. There was also a stack of loan requests that were now Charles Decker's problem. He gathered them and took them to the older man's office.

"I have several loan application requests for you to consider. However, two of them have no collateral to back up their requests, and I know nothing about the men and have not been able to secure references."

Charlie looked up from his desk, where he was studying one of the bankbooks from last year. "Leave them here with me, and I'll see what I think. Do you know when the customers intend to return for an answer?"

"Most will be here Friday. That's when your brother usually met with folks. That way if his answer was no, he wouldn't have to worry about seeing them again until Monday because the bank would be closed. Sometimes applicants would return to beg. If it was yes, well, then it didn't matter because they weren't complaining." Jefferson left Decker's office and glanced at the clock. It was almost eleven, and he was starving.

He stopped and headed back to Charlie's office. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take an early lunch and go now."

"Of course. That's more than fine. I've got plenty of work to keep me busy."

Jefferson couldn't imagine what was so urgent. Jacob Decker had put things in order before going, and quarterly reconciles weren't due until the end of the month. It didn't matter. As long as Jefferson could leave and maybe catch up to Melody.

He took up his hat and headed outside. The day was a bit chilly, but the sun shone without a single cloud to block its rays. When Jefferson lifted his face, he relished the warmth. It seemed like a good omen of things to come. Things that might include Miss Melody Doyle.

Charlie stretched and glanced at the clock. It was nearly noon. Surely Jefferson was due back before long. Generally, they didn't take hour-long lunches. Although, he had been here less than a week, and who could say what his employee's regular schedule was. Jacob had headed back to Chicago in early March, so Jefferson had been running things for a little less than a month. He might have gotten lax in his routine.

They would have to speak about the schedule in more detail and make certain that it was well understood. Charlie didn't mind a little late return now and then, but he definitely needed to establish himself as the one in charge. He didn't want Jefferson thinking that since he'd been in charge the last month he could do as he pleased.

Melody Doyle came to mind once again, pushing aside any worries about Jefferson. Charlie felt quite smitten. She was beautiful, to be sure, but her heart for God was even more appealing. She had invited Charlie to church without any hesitation at all, had even asked if he was a man of God. She wasn't the least bit pretentious and didn't flirt or put on airs. She fit many of Charlie's criteria for a wife on those counts. Perhaps as they got to know each other through church and banking business, Charlie could get to know her better personally.

The door opened just then, and Jefferson strolled in as if he owned the place. He had a general sense about him that seemed to suggest he was used to being in control. Perhaps Jacob had been sicker than he'd let on. Had his brother been so often out of the office that Jefferson could do as he liked?

"Glad you're back. I was beginning to worry."

Jefferson gave a look that seemed to be a cross between a smirk and annoyance. "Sorry about that."

He didn't sound that sincere. Charlie gave a nod. "Well, we need to be on top of things here."

The younger man seemed to consider Charlie for a moment, then nodded. "I lost track of time. It won't happen again."

Charlie thought about inquiring as to what he'd been doing but decided against it. Jefferson hadn't really done anything wrong.

"When do you usually take your lunch, Jefferson?"

The man shrugged, as seemed to be his common habit. "Your brother and I didn't stand on the formalities of a schedule."

"Well, I think it best if we do. I suggest that if you're given to early lunches, then perhaps you would like to take your lunch from noon to twelve thirty. I'll take mine from twelve thirty to one."

"Just a half hour?"

"Yes, unless there's something special that you must attend to. We can always make an exception. The bank will be open from nine in the morning until five in the evening. That should allow for everyone's banking needs, don't you think?"

"That has been our normal practice, but your brother liked to have a full hour for lunch."

Charlie considered that a moment. "As I said, on occasion I think that would be just fine, but let's just do a half hour lunch for now."

The door opened to admit a young cowboy, and Charlie turned his attention to him. "Welcome to Cheyenne Savings and Loan. How may I help you today?"

"Name's Bruce Cadot. Came to discuss a loan." The man took off his hat and gave Charlie a nod. "Put in my application last week."

"We don't review applications until Friday," Jefferson said, coming forward.

Charlie smiled. "That's all right, Jefferson. I like to do things my own way. Why don't you step into my office, Mr. Cadot, and we'll see what we can do."

"Yes, sir."

Charlie held out his hand to the man. "The name is Charles Decker."

"He's quite a looker," Melody said as she shared tea with Marybeth Vogel.

"Who? The new banker?"

"Yes. Who else would I be talking about?"

"I thought perhaps you were speaking of Jefferson. Since you're of a mind to find a husband, I thought maybe there was something there that had caught your attention."

"Not really. I suppose Jefferson could be a possibility. He compliments me often and always wants to discuss any variety of topics. Still, I just don't feel any connection to him. He ... well, frankly, he bores me, and there's something about him that doesn't quite seem sincere. I imagine him as the kind of guy who spends a lot of time in front of the mirror."

Marybeth nodded. "You said that your father has a gift of discernment where people are concerned. No doubt he could figure out if Jefferson is sincere. We'll keep thinking about it. What about the banker?"

"Mr. Decker could be a possibility, I suppose. Obviously, I don't know him well enough to judge his character."

Melody took a sip of her tea and pondered the man. He did seem amiable and pleasant. He was handsome, and she was very drawn to his blue eyes. Was that enough on which to base the start of a romance?

"This entire matter is so unexpected. I truly thought Da would let me stay, given you and Edward offered to let me live on your property. He's determined, however, to see me married. I suppose it has something to do with the old traditions and his desire to have some sort of hand in my courtship. Da has never been overbearing about it, though."

"My father always believed that when I found a good man, I would know if he was the right one."

"I don't know if Da believes that or not, but I know he wants to be a part of the choosing, and I won't dishonor him. His ability to figure out a man's character has always been impressive to me, and if he wants to filter through the men who are interested in me, then I support him. I feel better knowing they've passed Da's scrutiny."

"But he will let you have the final decision, won't he?" Marybeth looked more than a little worried.

"I believe he will. Da is a bit of a romantic at heart," Melody assured. "He'd never impose a husband on me."

Marybeth's expression relaxed. She poured Melody more tea, then added some to her own cup. "No matter what, I think your father has your best interests in mind. I'm sure it's worrisome to him to think of leaving you behind in a town known for its wild and reckless ways."

"But he knows from experience that sounder heads will prevail once the railroad continues west. We've seen that over and over in building the UP. Da's seen it elsewhere as well. Some of the smaller towns disappear altogether, but that won't happen to Cheyenne. Da says the Union Pacific will see to that."

"Edward says the same thing. He feels confident that Cheyenne will thrive."

"Oh goodness, just look at the time. It's gotten the best of me once again. I need to head home and see to supper. I haven't even thought about what to make."

"Why don't you and your father have supper here tonight? I've made a large pot of chicken and dumplings and have an apple pie for dessert. I know Edward would love to have the chance to play a game of checkers with him."

"Da's been hurting in a bad way. I think that fall was harder on him than he lets on. The doctor says very little about it, but I don't see Da getting any better. At least not as quickly as he used to."

Marybeth was undeterred. "Go home, then, and check on him. Ask if he'd like to come, and if not, why don't you come back with a large bowl and a plate, and I'll send some food home with you?"

"Thanks, Marybeth. That would be wonderful. It would be great not to have to worry about cooking. Maybe I'll have a chance to check on the garden plot. Those of us in the tent community had a bit of the land plowed up for planting. It's really too early for anything to be growing, but I like to check just the same."

"We've had our garden plowed as well." Marybeth put her teacup aside. "We made it quite large, and I'm excited to get it planted with all sorts of wonderful vegetables. Edward even talked about us buying some chickens. I think I'd like that a lot. You can't beat having your own eggs."

"Someday, Marybeth. Someday." Melody finished her tea and got to her feet. "I'm going to have it all someday. My own house. My own garden and even the chickens." She laughed and grabbed her shawl. "I'll be back shortly and let you know what Da says."

"Try not to despair, my friend. I know God is watching over you in all of this. He has a journey figured out for you and just the right man for you to take it with. You'll soon be just as happy as I am."