Chapter 6

It was still dark outside as Melody and her father made their way to the Coopers' house. The sun wouldn't be up for nearly an hour, yet the town was already coming to life. Melody was grateful for Da walking her over since she noted a few odd characters milling about.

"Are you sure you're going to be all right without me there to watch over you?" Melody asked her father. "I know your back is still bothering you, and you admitted you didn't sleep well last night."

"Me back is just fine. Gives me grief now and then, but it's of no bother. I'll catch me a nap later on."

Melody nodded and continued walking. "I heard at church that most of the undesirables are heading west today. The railroad is giving them free rides to the next camp and hauling over their temporary buildings and tents at a discount."

"Probably won't charge 'em a cent," Da replied. "The UP likes keepin' the workers close to home. If they had to take the train back here on payday in order to be spendin' their money, they might not be makin' it back to work. You know how it's been all along."

"Yes, and I'll be glad to see them all go. It's been a relief to know they'll soon be gone. Although I also heard some of the brothels are staying, along with some saloons and gambling houses. I suppose it would be too much to hope they'd all leave."

"Don't be frettin' too much," her father said, waiting to cross the street until a six-horse team pulling a large freight wagon passed them. "The men in charge of Cheyenne have made some of that business illegal. They'll be clearin' 'em out and makin' life difficult for them that stay, chargin' 'em license fees with fines and jail time. I've seen it happen before. Only the most stalwart will remain. The rest will be goin' elsewhere, seekin' a place where no one cares what they do."

"Do you really suppose Cheyenne will grow to be a big and civilized city?" she asked, trying to imagine it all.

"I do. The railroad will be seein' to that growth continuin'. Railroads hold a lot of power back east, and it won't be long before the West is crisscrossed with iron rails. It'll no doubt be a sight to behold."

"Well, here we are." Melody turned. "Thanks again for walking with me. I've enjoyed our time together with everything still quiet. I love this time of morning." She kissed Da on the cheek. "I'll see you this afternoon. Maybe sooner. Mrs. Cooper said I could come home and tend to my own chores in between meals if there wasn't anything else to do. Don't forget to keep the fire in the stove going. Otherwise, the roast won't get done."

"I'll see to it, but ya shouldn't have worried about it since we're going out to eat tonight."

"That's quite all right. It will be ready for us to eat tomorrow."

She headed up the front porch steps and turned at the top to wave good-bye. Da had already headed back toward home. Melody watched him for a moment. His stride bore evidence of the pain he tried to hide. She would have to check in with his doctor and see if there was something he could take for the pain.

She turned back to the house and knocked at the front door. In a moment, Faith Cooper opened it and welcomed her inside.

"I was just putting on my apron, glad to see you're here. I hate that you must come in the dark."

"It's fine, really. Da walked me over. Soon enough it will be light earlier, and we'll have no worries."

Mrs. Cooper showed her where to hang her shawl, then handed her an apron. "We're having biscuits and gravy for breakfast. How are you with making lard biscuits?"

Melody smiled. "Da says mine are light as fairies' dust. I'm quite at home making them."

"Good. I'll let you get started on that. There are eight of us to eat. No, nine counting you. I usually figure on four for the men, and there are seven of them. So with you and me, I'd say make three dozen. No, go ahead and make four dozen, and that way we'll have some left over for lunch."

"Sounds good." Melody went to work.

Mrs. Cooper had a well-ordered kitchen, and Melody found it easy to find everything she needed. Within a very short time she had her first two trays in the oven. While the biscuits baked, Melody prepared the next batch. She mixed the dry ingredients and cut in the cold lard. Last, she put in the milk. Mrs. Cooper hadn't any buttermilk, so Melody added white vinegar to the milk before putting it into the rest of the mixture. When the ingredients were combined and the dough sufficiently worked, it was time to check the oven.

While Melody did this, Mrs. Cooper very expertly fried up sausage, then added flour, salt, and milk to the pan. The aroma of breakfast filled the air along with the coffee that had been put on before Melody arrived.

"We work so well together," Mrs. Cooper declared, "you would have thought we'd done it all of our lives."

Melody chuckled. "I was thinking the same. You've a beautiful kitchen with all the necessary ingredients, and they're easy to find. I couldn't have ordered it better myself."

By six thirty the food was on the table, and the men were seated, awaiting their meal. Mr. Cooper offered grace, and then the meal was quickly passed around the table until each man had what he wanted. Melody poured the coffee while Mrs. Cooper introduced her to the men.

"This is Melody Doyle. Some of you might already know her."

Melody glanced at Charlie and smiled. She wasn't familiar with the other men, with the exception of her brief introduction to Will Porter. Charlie smiled back at her, then turned his attention to the large bowl of gravy coming his way.

"Melody will be helping fix meals, do laundry, and clean. She'll also help with the garden and other odd jobs. You will treat her with respect. I'll not have her molested in any way," Mrs. Cooper admonished. "Not that we really need to tell you that. You seem reliable and honest men."

Mr. Cooper added his own thoughts on the matter. "Still, it doesn't hurt to stress the point. Miss Doyle is a fine young lady with an impeccable reputation, and we won't have it damaged by any nonsense. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Charlie replied loud and clear. This prompted the others to murmur their assurances as well.

Melody brought the coffee to Charlie and poured the steaming liquid without a word. He glanced up and once again offered her a smile. "I'm glad you could come to help. Mrs. Cooper has more than her share to do."

"I'm glad to be here. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper are dear friends of mine. It's nice to be useful to them."

"We will certainly appreciate your work, Melody," Mrs. Cooper added.

Mr. Cooper went around the table and introduced Melody to each man, adding what he did for a living and which room was his upstairs.

"We're only upstairs one day a week," Mrs. Cooper told her later as they did up the breakfast dishes. "We women do not go upstairs otherwise, nor are they allowed to have women on the second floor."

"Seems like a good rule." Melody finished with the drying and began to put away the dishes.

"We'll clean each room and change the bedding on Wednesdays. We'll also attend to the bathroom and put in new towels. Mr. Cooper takes care of the outhouse and its needs. He also gathers up the laundry for me and brings it down to the back porch."

"So, with breakfast cleaned up, do we immediately start working on supper?"

"I generally do. Especially if I'm putting in a roast or making pies and bread."

"And what would you like me to do?"

Mrs. Cooper smiled. "I'd just as soon you get to work on the laundry. There's a cauldron of hot water that Mr. Cooper prepared for us before breakfast. The water should be perfect to work with. I'll show you around the back porch so you can see how I have things set up."

By lunchtime, Melody had filled the lines, including the two new ones, with a variety of clothes and kitchen towels. Once these were dry in the afternoon, she would iron what needed to be ironed and fold up the rest. For the time being, however, she made a quick trip home to see how her father was doing.

She was surprised to find him sleeping quite soundly. He didn't even stir when she came in. The poor man had been so restless through the night that his movements had woken Melody more than once. She decided against waking him. Instead, she checked on the roast. It looked perfect. She sliced off a piece and sampled it. It was delicious. She closed the oven door and left it to rest there.

Deciding she needed to tell Da not to add any more wood to the fire, Melody went to the table and took up a pencil and piece of paper. She noted an envelope on the table. It was addressed to her father, and the return address was from Ireland. Her uncle David had written. She couldn't help but wonder what had prompted that. Her father's relatives seldom wrote.

She considered reading the letter but decided against it. She wasn't one to pry, and besides, Da would tell her about it if she needed to know what was said. She ignored the letter and jotted a note to her father regarding the roast. She added that she was excited for their night out, then placed the note in plain sight. She took one last longing glance at the letter. What if it was bad news? Maybe some family member had passed away.

"If you need to know, he'll tell you," she whispered to herself. Then, grabbing up her gardening gloves, she hurried out before accidentally waking her father.

Thoughts of her new job quickly replaced the mysterious letter. There was a lot of work to do in keeping up with eight people, but she really didn't mind at all. She thought of Charlie and his sweet smile. He seemed quite at ease with his newfound family. The other men seemed equally content. The Coopers were good at making a home for strangers.

"Are you heading to lunch somewhere?"

She looked up to find Charlie had materialized before her very eyes. "I was just thinking about you," she admitted. Then wished she'd said nothing. How brash that must seem to him.

"You were? Whatever prompted that?" His eyes seemed to twinkle as if genuinely amused at her announcement.

"Uh, well, I was just thinking of my new job and seeing you there. I thought you seemed quite content."

"I am. The Coopers are amazing people. I love that they are devoted to God and each other, as well as their boarders. I feel like part of their family."

"As do I. Mrs. Cooper is quite motherly, and I welcome it. My own mother died years ago."

"I am sorry to hear that." His expression bore compassion, but it was the tenderness in his voice that caught her attention.

"I especially miss her today. She always made me feel so special. Da does as well. In fact, we're going out to eat tonight."

"What's special about today, if I might pry?"

Melody laughed and shook her head. "Sorry, that must have sounded confusing. It's not a pry at all. It's my birthday. I'm twenty-six."

"I thought ladies never admitted their age," he said, raising a brow.

"Well, I certainly have nothing to hide. Goodness, but my father just advertised to get me a husband. I certainly have no pride." She laughed again, but only to cover up her embarrassment at rambling on.

"I like that you're so open about it—your age and the situation created by your father. It's refreshing to find that kind of confidence in a woman. Happy birthday, Melody Doyle."

"Thank you." She glanced to make sure the street was safe to cross. "And now I must get back to work. I have laundry to iron and a garden to plant."

"Perhaps I'll see you later tonight when I get home from work."

"I doubt it. Mrs. Cooper said I won't be needed for supper work. And I'll be wanting to get home so I can clean up for my big night out."

"Of course."

She smiled. "Well, it was very nice running into you, Charlie. I hope you have a blessed day."

"And you as well, Miss Melody."

Charlie watched her cross the street with a spring in her step. The young woman seemed perpetually happy. Every time he encountered her, she was smiling or laughing and never seemed wont to gossip or speak negatively about any topic.

He thought of her father's request for suitors just the night before. It seemed crude and uncalled for. Melody Doyle was quite lovely—beautiful, in fact. Her dark blue eyes and sandy-brown hair were a perfect complement to her peaches-and-cream complexion. Why in the world did she need help finding a mate?

"Charles Decker, how opportune to run into you."

Charlie looked up and found Dr. Scott. "Good to see you again, sir. I enjoyed all that you had to say at our services last night."

"Thank you. Easter is one of my favorite celebrations. Nothing quite so thrilling as the resurrection of our Lord. Not to mention the benefit given to us in His death."

"Very true. I'm certainly glad that Miss Doyle and Mrs. Cooper invited me to come."

"They are quite vocal in their beliefs. I've never known two women to live their faith more evidently for the world to see. They've both been good to encourage believers to join our ranks, and it won't be long before we have raised enough money to build our own place of worship."

"That will be wonderful for everyone, I'm sure. It feels rather awkward having church services at night in the local school," Charlie admitted.

"Yes, well, at least we have a place where we can come together. Some people of faith are meeting in homes. I suppose we can't all be as industrious and prosperous as the Episcopalians. They have been hard at work to raise the money and build their own house of worship. The UP donated two city lots, and many of the congregants have donated their time and skills. It's said they'll have the church built by August. They're calling it St. Mark's, after their sister church in Philadelphia."

"I had heard that the Union Pacific was generous to donate land to the churches. I suppose it supports and encourages morally sound growth in the community."

"Yes, and they have promised us land as well. We just need to raise more money to build on it. The Episcopalians have Reverend Cook, and he seems to know just what to say to motivate his people. They raised more than five thousand dollars. It will be quite the church once it's completed. They even plan to have a bell tower."

"I'm sure ours will be just as lovely. I might even speak to my father about donating to the cause. I know I will be happy to support the project."

"That's most generous of you, Mr. Decker. The Methodists were the first organized church in Cheyenne, but we're slow to build our own place. I am certain, however, that God is in charge of our plans. We will trust Him to show us when and where to build."

"I'm glad you entrust the project to God, Dr. Scott. I've never had much confidence in projects that came at the sole discretion of man. We always seem to have a way of messing things up."

"True enough," the older man agreed. "We've definitely not accounted in a realistic way for our school system. No sooner is the school in place than it's already bursting at the seams with students. We are going to have to add on to accommodate the one hundred-or-so students. And then there's the need for teachers."

"Teaching is my first passion. My heart has been to open my own school for boys. One based on strong Christian principles."

"We could definitely use men such as yourself in that capacity. Perhaps when your brother recovers and returns to Cheyenne, you could consider taking up that role."

"I used to teach Sunday school back in Chicago and feel positive that I could design an entire curriculum around the Word of God."

"I like the way you think, Charlie. This town could use more men like you."

"I want to do God's will and feel teaching is where God has entrusted me with talent. Banking is not my desire at all."

"God often puts us in positions that we feel are uncomfortable. Yet it has also been my experience that those positions are necessary for some other purpose. They teach us something that has been missing in our life or guide us to learn something we'll need later on down the road. Don't despair, Mr. Decker. In everything, trust it to God and seek His kingdom first, as Luke twelve admonishes. Then all the rest will be added unto you."

"I am, Dr. Scott. I assure you. It's the only way I've continued to stay the course."

"I'm glad to hear it. I hope that God is settling you well enough in our town."

"He is. I have a wonderful place to live for the time being. I'm at the boardinghouse run by the Coopers. They've been so gracious and kind. And Mrs. Cooper is quite the cook."

"Yes, she's known for her kitchen abilities, to be sure. We have bake sales from time to time to raise money for the building fund. Her cakes, pies, doughnuts, and strudels are known far and wide and always bring in the highest price." Dr. Scott leaned closer, as if sharing a secret. "There's an officer at Fort Russell who has a standing order for her apple strudel. He'll pay any price."

"All this talk of food is making me hungry. Would you allow me to buy you lunch?"

"No, I'm afraid not. I have a patient to see. I was just on my way there. If you don't mind, I would enjoy taking you up on the offer another day."

"Of course, Dr. Scott. I'd like that very much."

"Thank you. I'll bid you good day." He tipped his hat, and Charlie did likewise. He liked Dr. Scott very much and appreciated his heart for God.

Thoughts of opening a boys' school came to mind again as Charlie made his way down the street.

Lord, could it be possible that You brought me here for such a thing? Could I ever manage to convince Father that this is my calling?

The tiny ember that had always burned for his dream seemed to flame up momentarily. Dare Charlie allow it to burn—to stir him to action?

"Oh, that was a wonderful meal," Melody told her father as they arrived back at their tent home. "I have to say that I love a good beef steak, and having it on my birthday with my da makes it all the better."

Da lit a match to see his way inside. Melody let her father go into the tent first and waited until he had the lamp lit before pulling the flap down behind her and tying it closed. The night was chilly, so Melody started a fire in the stove.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"No. Just come and sit a moment, and I'll give ya yar birthday present." Da disappeared behind the curtain that separated their living space from the sleeping area.

Melody sat down at their little table and looked around the room. The tent had been home for a long time now. Except for the winter months, Melody spent very little time inside. Da usually pulled the chairs outside to sit and enjoy the close of day. Often they would eat out in the open air and visit with the neighbors.

She had to admit that she was tired of tent living. There was no room for anything that didn't serve a precise and necessary purpose. She had grown so weary of this life. Enough so that it made the prospects of settling down with a stranger sound appealing. She couldn't help but smile. Da would see to it that the man wasn't a stranger. Da had a way of getting every secret and quirk out of a person. She supposed it was the way he put people at ease that caused them to divulge their hidden bits of life.

"Here ya go. I thought long and hard about this gift, and when the opportunity presented itself, I knew it was the right thing." He came to the table and sat down. He placed a large envelope in front of Melody. "And it's not like ya'd be havin' room for much else."

Melody laughed and looked at the strange gift. She opened the envelope and pulled out several pieces of paper. Scanning the first sheet, Melody realized it was a stock certificate for the Union Pacific. She fanned through the other pieces of paper and found them all to be the same.

"To be sure, these will be worth a lot in a few years," Da began. "I'm thinkin' if ya save 'em and add to 'em ya'll have a fortune and never have to struggle as we have in the past."

Melody stacked the papers together. "Oh, Da, you always give such thought to my gifts. Thank you." She got up and kissed his cheek. "This has been a wonderful birthday. My only wish is that you would soon feel completely healed and be free of pain."

"Oh, I'm not doin' that bad, darlin'. Ya needn't worry about me." He gave her a hug. "But I am gonna be headin' to bed. It's been a long day, and ya'll be needin' me in the mornin'."

She hugged him. "Goodnight, Da. I love you."

He smiled back at her. "And I love ya more than life itself, me darlin' girl."