"Perhaps Ma is already in Boston," Katie sighed and placed the dirty dishes into the basin.
"I think so," Sully nodded, "Do you miss her already?"
"A little," she confessed
"So do I."
"It doesn't mean that I don't like to stay with you", Katie hastily said, She suddenly stopped and dug
into her pocket:
"I'm sorry, Pa, Horace gave me a telegram for you, here it is."
"Thank you," Sully looked at the telegram, "this is from Brian. They need to stay in N.Y. for a while.
How about few days with Robert E. and Miss Grace?"
Katie sighed gravely. She loved her godparents, of course, but now she was dreaming about
following Sully in his trip to Wyoming.
"Poppy", she began carefully, "may I ask you something?"
"No", Sully immediately answered, "Don't even think about it."
He knew his daughter very well, and guessed what she was going to ask.
"Why?" she exclaimed, "You took Brian with you to the Red Rocks when he was just two years
older than me!"
"Remember, what we promised your Ma, you wouldn't get into trouble!."
"We'll be safe there!" Katie shrugged, "We'll travel by train, then by stagecoach…that's all. I'll help
you at the National Park, and then I'll make a report for school."
"No running everywhere, no climbing trees?" Sully asked suspiciously
"Promise! You know my word is good."
"I know," Sully said, and Katie hugged him tightly:
"Thank you! Thank you, Pa!"
"You're welcome", Sully sighed, "Now go to sleep, we need to get up before dawn."
"How about a story?" Katie glanced at him
"Katie…you're not a little kid anymore."
"So tell me a story for grown-ups", Katie smiled, and he said:
"Well, okay."
"Pa, are there any Indians there in Wyoming? I mean, free Indians", Katie asked
"Just some small groups. They are still hiding from the army."
"Are they Dog Soldiers?"
"Some of them. They are from different tribes...Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho…doesn't matter, all they
want is to fight or to die as braves."
"Mr.Bray said that they robbed the farms", Katie said
"Sometimes. They are angry at all whites, but they have a reason, you know" he sighed gravely,
"Now go to sleep. Good night, Kates."
He kissed her cheek and left the room.
"I'm so glad to see you here!" Claudette embraced her sister. " I know you've done plastic surgery
successfully.
"How do you know?" Michaela was surprised, " I wrote an article to the medical journal…but I
never thought you read such things."
"I know somebody who reads them, and you know him as well…"
"Who is he?"
"You'll see." Claudette smiled mysteriously
"It's William.. Dr.Burke," Michaela guessed.
"He's our family physician now."
"Good choice", Michaela said. "He's a good doctor."
"You know, he's going to get married this year, but his future wife looks too provincial to me."
"I'm happy for William", Michaela said certainly.
Claudette stopped.
"Are you serious?"
"Sure I am. William is a good man, and he deserves to have a good family."
"He could have had a better family once." Claudette reminded her.
"Claudette!!!" Michaela outraged, " We discussed this a lot of times. Please remember, I never felt
sorry for marrying Sully, and never will!"
Claudette changed her attention to little Josef, who was standing near Michaela, looking at the
unknown fancy lady with his big black eyes,
"Oh, Michaela, you decided to bring this little savage here?"
"HE IS MY SON, Josef Byron Sully. Stop it, Claudette!!!"
"That's just a joke, Michaela," Claudette grinned, " Don't be angry, he's really cute. Oh, where is
your Katie?"
"She stayed at home with Sully", Michaela answered coldly
"Perhaps, you should bring her here as often as possible, if you don't want her to be just like…"
"Like her father?" Michaela cut her off, "I'd be glad."
"Michaela, I respect Mr.Sully, but he's not the person who could teach his child good manners." she
sighed, " You're so different."
"I know. But for these ten years we have become used to each other, and we know each other
better than you could even imagine, Claudette. Now, stop it, or we'll go home right now."
"Michaela, I just wanted to give you some advice, as your older sister. But if you don't want my
advice, I promise to keep silent."
However , Michaela didn't believe her promises. She knew her sister very well.
Katie kept her word. She was as gentle, polite and obedient as she, it seemed, never was before,
and diligently helped Sully with the mapping of the future National Park. She was very proud of
herself.
"Your daughter looks just like you, Mr.Sully," Senator Logan told him, as they said goodbye near
the stagecoach.
"She looks like her mother as well." Sully said.
When Katie was a baby she looked more like Michaela, at least, Sully wished her to be beautiful
and gentle like her mother. But he always was excited, when Katie imitated his manner of speaking,
his facial expressions, his gestures…Now, at almost 10, she was definitely a smaller copy of her
father, with the same eyes, same hair colour, same smile.
"Poppy", Katie asked, as they settled into the stagecoach, " Do you think Ma will be angry with
me?"
Sully shrugged: "I don't know, perhaps she will. We didn't warn her."
"We left her a message. And I behaved well…"
"I'll tell her", Sully smiled at her daughter, " I'll tell her that you helped me a lot, and kept your
promise."
"You too." Katie said, "We're going home without any troubles."
There were four more passengers in the stagecoach...an aged couple, an old man with large silver
watch in his vest pocket. From time to time he withdrew it and looked at the clock face.
The last one was the young woman who introduced herself as Betsy. She said that her husband
bought a small farm 20 miles from Deadwood, and would meet her there with his wagon.
Betsy looked frightened.
"I'm travelling by myself for the first time, and I've heard about stagecoach robberies!"
"Don't worry," Sam's wife soothed her, "our gentlemen will defend us."
"There hasn't been a robbery in the last few years."
Sam said, " You know, there was a band of robbers about ten years ago , and its leader was a girl
about your age. She was a sly fox, but finally they all were caught…"
"Sam!" his wife outraged, " What are you talking about?! Poor Betsy might think you suspect her!"
"I just wanted to say that there's been no more robbery!" Sam tried to justify himself.
Meanwhile, Sully remembered this girl Sam told about, who robbed their stagecoach 10 years ago.
He gazed at Betsy, suddenly feeling some anxiety. But then he pushed those thoughts away. They
were going home without any trouble, as they promised Michaela…
The road was long and monotonous. There were no farms along the way, not even a small cabin.
Most of the passengers drifted off to sleep.
The old gentleman woke up and looked at his watch: "Looks like we're not far from Deadwood.
Lady, you need tell the coachman to stop here."
"He will stop here, I told him before." Betsy answered.
Suddenly all the passengers were startled by a gunshot. The stagecoach stopped abruptly.
Sam cautiously looked out the window: "The coachman is shot! Somebody shot him dead!"
Katie grabbed Sully's sleeve: "Poppy…will they shoot us too?"
"No, Kates," Sully tried to comfort her, " Just hide under the seat."
"And what about you?"
"I'll take care of myself, don't worry. I need to think about the ladies' safety now.."
"There's no need," Betsy straightened up with a revolver in her hand. She aimed at Sam , who was
sitting near her, and , as he hesitated for a second, grabbed him by the neck, shielding her body with
his:
"What are you blabbing about those stupid robbers? We never leave any witnesses so nobody could
catch us."
"Please let us go!" " Sam's wife pleaded, " Take our belongings and money, and let us go " we'll
never tell about you!"
"You're lying" Betsy answered coldly, " As soon as you're free, you'll rush to the nearest sheriff! As
I told you before, I'm not so stupid!"
Sam tried to release her grip, but before anybody even could react, Betsy fired, and he fell dead.
"Nooooo!!!!!" " his wife screamed and rushed to Betsy. But a gunshot stopped her.
"Hide under the seat!" Sully whispered into Katie's ear, "Now!"
Katie noiselessly slipped under the seat.
"Hey, handsome, what are you talking about?" " Betsy aimed her revolver at Sully's head
But Sully's reaction was faster that hers, and several seconds was enough for him to disarm Betsy
"Mister, help me!" Sully yelled at the old man, who sat frozen, looking at them with horror. Take her
revolver!"
An old gentleman stood up, but before he reached Betsy's colt, the door pushed opened, and two
armed men rushed in.
One of them hit Sully from behind by the butt of his rifle, while Betsy and another man dragged the
dead bodies and the old man, barely alive with fear, from the stagecoach.
Katie laid under the seat, biting her fist, trying not to scream. The heavy boots of the robbers were
right in front of her eyes, but she didn't know where Sully was, or what happened to him.
The robber threw Sully from the stagecoach, and Betsy yelled: "Hey, Tom, check inside once more!"
Within a second, Sully released the robber's grip , and Tom fell near the door with tomahawk in his
chest.
Betsy's colt immediately fired, and Sully sank to the ground."
"I shot this half-breed, Buck!" she yelled at her other brother.
Katie couldn't see this fight, but she heard the shooting and screaming, Betsy's last phrase was too
much for her, and she passed out.
Meanwhile, Buck kneeled by Tom, trying to check his pulse: "This damned half-breed killed Tom!
He killed Tom, Betsy!"
He furiously kicked Sully's motionless body with his heavy boots: "You'll pay for Tom, you damned
savage!" he yelled, kicking Sully again and again
"He's already paid for!" Betsy interrupted him, " You'd better unharness the horses and take their
luggage."
They took the horses and all the belongings, and rode away before Katie regained consciousness.
Katie awoke in a deep silence. She climbed out of the stagecoach and looked around. There were
five dead bodies near the stagecoach, but no Sully. And no robbers as well. However, one of them
lay near the door, tomahawk still in his chest.
"Poppy! Poppy!!!" Katie screamed desperately, but nobody answered her.
She sat on the ground near the wheel and burst into tears.
"Katie!" she suddenly heard Sully's voice. He stood not far from her, holding on to the tree trunk.
"Poppy!!! You're alive!" Katie rushed to him.
Sully released the trunk, but immediately fell to his knees, his face wrinkled from pain.
"Are you hurt?" Katie asked fearfully.
Sully nodded, pressing his palm to his chest.
"The bullet is still there…" he took a breath, " How..are you?"
"I'm okay. They didn't notice me."
"They killed…all of the passengers", he spoke with the great effort, " we need to think…how to get
home.."
"The old gentleman told us we're somewhere near Dead…Deadwood." Katie remembered.
"We'll wait …for the next stagecoach" " Sully coughed and blood showed up on his lips.
"You're bleeding," Katie whispered
"Ma will fix it." he managed a smile, " We'll make it, we…" his hand feebly slipped down from his
knee, and his head dropped back.
"Poppy!!!" Katie cried, but he didn't hear her…
"I think so," Sully nodded, "Do you miss her already?"
"A little," she confessed
"So do I."
"It doesn't mean that I don't like to stay with you", Katie hastily said, She suddenly stopped and dug
into her pocket:
"I'm sorry, Pa, Horace gave me a telegram for you, here it is."
"Thank you," Sully looked at the telegram, "this is from Brian. They need to stay in N.Y. for a while.
How about few days with Robert E. and Miss Grace?"
Katie sighed gravely. She loved her godparents, of course, but now she was dreaming about
following Sully in his trip to Wyoming.
"Poppy", she began carefully, "may I ask you something?"
"No", Sully immediately answered, "Don't even think about it."
He knew his daughter very well, and guessed what she was going to ask.
"Why?" she exclaimed, "You took Brian with you to the Red Rocks when he was just two years
older than me!"
"Remember, what we promised your Ma, you wouldn't get into trouble!."
"We'll be safe there!" Katie shrugged, "We'll travel by train, then by stagecoach…that's all. I'll help
you at the National Park, and then I'll make a report for school."
"No running everywhere, no climbing trees?" Sully asked suspiciously
"Promise! You know my word is good."
"I know," Sully said, and Katie hugged him tightly:
"Thank you! Thank you, Pa!"
"You're welcome", Sully sighed, "Now go to sleep, we need to get up before dawn."
"How about a story?" Katie glanced at him
"Katie…you're not a little kid anymore."
"So tell me a story for grown-ups", Katie smiled, and he said:
"Well, okay."
"Pa, are there any Indians there in Wyoming? I mean, free Indians", Katie asked
"Just some small groups. They are still hiding from the army."
"Are they Dog Soldiers?"
"Some of them. They are from different tribes...Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho…doesn't matter, all they
want is to fight or to die as braves."
"Mr.Bray said that they robbed the farms", Katie said
"Sometimes. They are angry at all whites, but they have a reason, you know" he sighed gravely,
"Now go to sleep. Good night, Kates."
He kissed her cheek and left the room.
"I'm so glad to see you here!" Claudette embraced her sister. " I know you've done plastic surgery
successfully.
"How do you know?" Michaela was surprised, " I wrote an article to the medical journal…but I
never thought you read such things."
"I know somebody who reads them, and you know him as well…"
"Who is he?"
"You'll see." Claudette smiled mysteriously
"It's William.. Dr.Burke," Michaela guessed.
"He's our family physician now."
"Good choice", Michaela said. "He's a good doctor."
"You know, he's going to get married this year, but his future wife looks too provincial to me."
"I'm happy for William", Michaela said certainly.
Claudette stopped.
"Are you serious?"
"Sure I am. William is a good man, and he deserves to have a good family."
"He could have had a better family once." Claudette reminded her.
"Claudette!!!" Michaela outraged, " We discussed this a lot of times. Please remember, I never felt
sorry for marrying Sully, and never will!"
Claudette changed her attention to little Josef, who was standing near Michaela, looking at the
unknown fancy lady with his big black eyes,
"Oh, Michaela, you decided to bring this little savage here?"
"HE IS MY SON, Josef Byron Sully. Stop it, Claudette!!!"
"That's just a joke, Michaela," Claudette grinned, " Don't be angry, he's really cute. Oh, where is
your Katie?"
"She stayed at home with Sully", Michaela answered coldly
"Perhaps, you should bring her here as often as possible, if you don't want her to be just like…"
"Like her father?" Michaela cut her off, "I'd be glad."
"Michaela, I respect Mr.Sully, but he's not the person who could teach his child good manners." she
sighed, " You're so different."
"I know. But for these ten years we have become used to each other, and we know each other
better than you could even imagine, Claudette. Now, stop it, or we'll go home right now."
"Michaela, I just wanted to give you some advice, as your older sister. But if you don't want my
advice, I promise to keep silent."
However , Michaela didn't believe her promises. She knew her sister very well.
Katie kept her word. She was as gentle, polite and obedient as she, it seemed, never was before,
and diligently helped Sully with the mapping of the future National Park. She was very proud of
herself.
"Your daughter looks just like you, Mr.Sully," Senator Logan told him, as they said goodbye near
the stagecoach.
"She looks like her mother as well." Sully said.
When Katie was a baby she looked more like Michaela, at least, Sully wished her to be beautiful
and gentle like her mother. But he always was excited, when Katie imitated his manner of speaking,
his facial expressions, his gestures…Now, at almost 10, she was definitely a smaller copy of her
father, with the same eyes, same hair colour, same smile.
"Poppy", Katie asked, as they settled into the stagecoach, " Do you think Ma will be angry with
me?"
Sully shrugged: "I don't know, perhaps she will. We didn't warn her."
"We left her a message. And I behaved well…"
"I'll tell her", Sully smiled at her daughter, " I'll tell her that you helped me a lot, and kept your
promise."
"You too." Katie said, "We're going home without any troubles."
There were four more passengers in the stagecoach...an aged couple, an old man with large silver
watch in his vest pocket. From time to time he withdrew it and looked at the clock face.
The last one was the young woman who introduced herself as Betsy. She said that her husband
bought a small farm 20 miles from Deadwood, and would meet her there with his wagon.
Betsy looked frightened.
"I'm travelling by myself for the first time, and I've heard about stagecoach robberies!"
"Don't worry," Sam's wife soothed her, "our gentlemen will defend us."
"There hasn't been a robbery in the last few years."
Sam said, " You know, there was a band of robbers about ten years ago , and its leader was a girl
about your age. She was a sly fox, but finally they all were caught…"
"Sam!" his wife outraged, " What are you talking about?! Poor Betsy might think you suspect her!"
"I just wanted to say that there's been no more robbery!" Sam tried to justify himself.
Meanwhile, Sully remembered this girl Sam told about, who robbed their stagecoach 10 years ago.
He gazed at Betsy, suddenly feeling some anxiety. But then he pushed those thoughts away. They
were going home without any trouble, as they promised Michaela…
The road was long and monotonous. There were no farms along the way, not even a small cabin.
Most of the passengers drifted off to sleep.
The old gentleman woke up and looked at his watch: "Looks like we're not far from Deadwood.
Lady, you need tell the coachman to stop here."
"He will stop here, I told him before." Betsy answered.
Suddenly all the passengers were startled by a gunshot. The stagecoach stopped abruptly.
Sam cautiously looked out the window: "The coachman is shot! Somebody shot him dead!"
Katie grabbed Sully's sleeve: "Poppy…will they shoot us too?"
"No, Kates," Sully tried to comfort her, " Just hide under the seat."
"And what about you?"
"I'll take care of myself, don't worry. I need to think about the ladies' safety now.."
"There's no need," Betsy straightened up with a revolver in her hand. She aimed at Sam , who was
sitting near her, and , as he hesitated for a second, grabbed him by the neck, shielding her body with
his:
"What are you blabbing about those stupid robbers? We never leave any witnesses so nobody could
catch us."
"Please let us go!" " Sam's wife pleaded, " Take our belongings and money, and let us go " we'll
never tell about you!"
"You're lying" Betsy answered coldly, " As soon as you're free, you'll rush to the nearest sheriff! As
I told you before, I'm not so stupid!"
Sam tried to release her grip, but before anybody even could react, Betsy fired, and he fell dead.
"Nooooo!!!!!" " his wife screamed and rushed to Betsy. But a gunshot stopped her.
"Hide under the seat!" Sully whispered into Katie's ear, "Now!"
Katie noiselessly slipped under the seat.
"Hey, handsome, what are you talking about?" " Betsy aimed her revolver at Sully's head
But Sully's reaction was faster that hers, and several seconds was enough for him to disarm Betsy
"Mister, help me!" Sully yelled at the old man, who sat frozen, looking at them with horror. Take her
revolver!"
An old gentleman stood up, but before he reached Betsy's colt, the door pushed opened, and two
armed men rushed in.
One of them hit Sully from behind by the butt of his rifle, while Betsy and another man dragged the
dead bodies and the old man, barely alive with fear, from the stagecoach.
Katie laid under the seat, biting her fist, trying not to scream. The heavy boots of the robbers were
right in front of her eyes, but she didn't know where Sully was, or what happened to him.
The robber threw Sully from the stagecoach, and Betsy yelled: "Hey, Tom, check inside once more!"
Within a second, Sully released the robber's grip , and Tom fell near the door with tomahawk in his
chest.
Betsy's colt immediately fired, and Sully sank to the ground."
"I shot this half-breed, Buck!" she yelled at her other brother.
Katie couldn't see this fight, but she heard the shooting and screaming, Betsy's last phrase was too
much for her, and she passed out.
Meanwhile, Buck kneeled by Tom, trying to check his pulse: "This damned half-breed killed Tom!
He killed Tom, Betsy!"
He furiously kicked Sully's motionless body with his heavy boots: "You'll pay for Tom, you damned
savage!" he yelled, kicking Sully again and again
"He's already paid for!" Betsy interrupted him, " You'd better unharness the horses and take their
luggage."
They took the horses and all the belongings, and rode away before Katie regained consciousness.
Katie awoke in a deep silence. She climbed out of the stagecoach and looked around. There were
five dead bodies near the stagecoach, but no Sully. And no robbers as well. However, one of them
lay near the door, tomahawk still in his chest.
"Poppy! Poppy!!!" Katie screamed desperately, but nobody answered her.
She sat on the ground near the wheel and burst into tears.
"Katie!" she suddenly heard Sully's voice. He stood not far from her, holding on to the tree trunk.
"Poppy!!! You're alive!" Katie rushed to him.
Sully released the trunk, but immediately fell to his knees, his face wrinkled from pain.
"Are you hurt?" Katie asked fearfully.
Sully nodded, pressing his palm to his chest.
"The bullet is still there…" he took a breath, " How..are you?"
"I'm okay. They didn't notice me."
"They killed…all of the passengers", he spoke with the great effort, " we need to think…how to get
home.."
"The old gentleman told us we're somewhere near Dead…Deadwood." Katie remembered.
"We'll wait …for the next stagecoach" " Sully coughed and blood showed up on his lips.
"You're bleeding," Katie whispered
"Ma will fix it." he managed a smile, " We'll make it, we…" his hand feebly slipped down from his
knee, and his head dropped back.
"Poppy!!!" Katie cried, but he didn't hear her…