Teaser
The request came to Ben's attention a week after the night he and his sons rode into town with a badly injured Hoss. His middle son had been helping round up and brand calves in the brush land south of Ben's east pasture. An encounter with a rabid and winter-starved wolf had ended with Hoss suffering busted ribs, a broken arm and a bruise the size of his hat on his hip.
Getting Hoss to town, into the doc's house, and fixed up, had required all of his boys, and himself, and it was well past midnight when Hoss was finally settled in a room in the boarding house. The doctor insisted that the big man remain stationary for at least a week until the ribs healed up. His normally jovial son was covered in sweat and moaning in pain and Ben hadn't had the heart to leave him. He stayed with his boy through the night and into the following morning, tending to him when he was awake and watching over him while he slept.
His other two sons had gone back to the Ponderosa to finish up the branding, while also doing their own chores. Ben even hired two new hands, new men that had come into town on the stage the night Hoss was being treated by the doctor, to make up for the vacuum that Hoss left. Ben spent the week with his son, leaving only to fetch meals for him, or take care of business at the bank. He attended a town council meeting, greeted the new pastor of the Episcopal church at a banquet held in the hotel dining room. As busy as he tried to keep himself he was feeling restless and irritated when Roy Coffey came into Hoss' room at the end of the week.
They chatted for a bit with Hoss, who was recovering better than expected, before Ben invited the sheriff down to the dining room of the boarding house. Widow Hawkins served them full tea, with optional coffee, and Ben admitted for the first time out loud how much he disliked being stuck in town.
"Suppose you aren't built for it, Ben." Roy said, smiling, then cleared his throat. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. He played with it for a moment, hesitating so obviously that Ben laughed.
Roy put the envelope down in front of the oldest Cartwright and said, "Read that." He then turned to fixing another cup of coffee and tasting the sweet pastries that Mrs. Hawkins was known for.
"To Mr. Hanson Jones-" Ben started to read then stopped. "Hanson Jones. He's that trail guide that died a week ago, isn't he?"
Roy nodded. "Found that in his personal effects when I searched the body before burial."
Ben raised a brow then went back to reading.
"The following information will be most helpful to you upon the arrival of the orphan train at Virginia City. We have entrusted a bank draft of $1000 dollars to the Virginia City bank to be cashed upon their arrival. This is meant to see the children and yourself, and any you deem to employ through to...Portland, Oregon!" Ben shouted.
"Keep reading." Roy said, sipping at his coffee with a satisfied moan.
"The children are to report to the Home for Wayward Children at the Sisters of Mercy orphanage in Portland. The sisters there will take the children in care and see that their expecting parents receive them. Be assured that the children know their duties and have been taught basic skills they will need on the trail. Attached are the names and ages of each of the children. Upon your arrival a second draft may be secured from the Hartland and Jonas Trust Bank to the amount of $5000 dollars. Their wagons and teams may be sold in Portland to any reputable business person, or may be purchased by the parents. The receipts are attached. The monies gained from this transaction should be given to Hartland and Jonas Trust Bank, and will be considered proof of a completed job, after which time you and those in your employ will receive your payment. Please send any communication to the Johnson Shipping Company of New York City. Kindest regards, William P. Earnest, Owner."
Ben shuffled through the rest of the papers, found the list of names and counted. "There are thirty names on this list, Roy."
Coffey nodded. "And there are 30 kids put up around town, right now, waiting to go west to their new mommas and papas."
"How on earth was one man expected to transport thirty children to Oregon!?" Ben demanded.
Roy shrugged. "Hanson might have had a few hands lined up. None of them made themselves known at the funeral."
"New York City...you mean to tell me those children came all the way out to Nevada from New York City?"
"Ever one." Roy leaned forward and tapped the envelope. "Now I been wirin' this Mr. Earnest back and forth since Monday. He's told me that those kids was on a ship that his company owned, comin' from Europe last year when the ship went down. They managed to rescue most of the women and children, 'cept for these kids. Seven families lost their ma and pa. Five of them kids are just too young for anyone to know who their parents were. One boy is deef. Can't say a word."
"And this...this Earnest fellow has paid to send them all the way out here...they couldn't find adoptive parents in New York City? Pennsylvania? Virginia?"
"These kids and their parents were bound for Oregon when the ship went down. Paid passage all the way across the ocean and then all the way across the United States and territories."
"That must have cost a fortune." Ben breathed.
"Well…" Coffey sighed. "They didn't pay it outright. They're indentured servants, Ben."
Cartwright's head snapped up.
Roy's voice was placating as he explained. "You've seen the international news articles, Ben. People in the east are starving to death. Companies like Johnson Shipping, trade work for passage. It may not be the fairest way to treat people, but those kids will have a far better life out here than they would in Europe. And, frankly, better than they would crowded into the orphanages and workhouses in them big cities back east."
Ben's eyes had gone to his coffee cup and he was toying with it, clearly still unhappy.
"Way I figure it, Mr. Earnest is doing more than most would, getting these poor kids out to Oregon. He worked with that orphanage there to find them good homes. Made sure all the siblings stayed together. They've been able to travel by train most of the way west. They've got wagons and supplies already. They just need…guides to get them the rest of the way."
Ben picked up the paper with the list of names, ages and descriptions. He scanned through them more closely, shaking his head. "Who could we possibly trust in Virginia City to get thirty kids to Oregon? You know the men that guide those trains. With loving adults to protect them, I might have a few suggestions, but alone…"
"I know, Ben, I know. I've been thinkin' on that for days now...and I've only thought of three good men that might take the job." Coffey said.
Ben looked up to him, shaking his head, then back to the list. Then back to Coffey trying to think of who might possibly be trustworthy enough to do all the letter asked, while having the knowledge of the land west and north of Nevada to get the children through safely, and not take advantage of them.
When it sank in Ben's eyes widened. "No, Roy, no!"
"Ben, there's no one else."
"It's spring, Roy. I can't spare a single man, and already Hoss has been laid up for a week. No." Ben hastily folded the papers and stuffed them back into the envelope, sliding it back to the sheriff and shifting his chair so that he had at least one shoulder between himself and the problem.
"Ben…" Roy chided softly. "Every other responsible parent in this territory has children too young to leave. Not a one of them know anything about the mountains or the west coast. Any man who does, would leave them kids out in the wilderness for dead and make off with the money."
"I can't...spare...the men, Roy." Ben insisted.
"Can Virginia City spare myself and my deputies for three months?"
"Roy…"
"That's the only other option. That or wiring every town on the west coast and adding more to the pot to hire in a professional. That would take weeks or even months to find the right person and by the time we do, that $1000 advance money will be nothin' but pennies. Those kids can't stay here and they can't go out alone, Ben."
Ben stayed turned as he was, shaking his head. Roy sighed and sat back, finally picking up the envelope and tucking it back into his shirt pocket. He drummed his fingers on the table top for a moment or two, leaned back in his chair with his fingers laced over his belly for spell, then finally stood up. He put his hat on his head and said, "Well...Ben. I thought I'd give it a try."
He walked to the door, stood in front of it for a few minutes, then opened it slowly.
"If it comes down to me and the deputies taken them kids out...I sure would appreciate you checkin' in on the town from time to time."
Roy took a few steps into the open doorway then said, "Tell Hoss I hope he gets to feeling better."
Roy closed the door halfway.
"Thanks for the visit."
The door was nearly latched when Ben said, "Roy…"
Roy popped his head back in the door, careful to school his features.
"I'll…I'll talk to my boys."
Roy beamed. "Thank you, Ben. You're a prince amongst men."
"Oh...go away." Ben groaned.