Trail to Shasta (9781101622049) Read Free Page A

O’Neil?”
    â€œWe’re friends, ma’am.”
    â€œWell,” she said, “we told Mr. O’Neil that we wanted to see your beautiful country before my sister would marry him. Are you able to arrange that?”
    â€œI am, ma’am.”
    â€œWell, this is Bride,” she said, “she is to marry Mr. O’Neil. I am her older sister, Bridget.”
    â€œIf you don’t mind, ma’am,” Clint asked, “just how old are you?”
    â€œI am twenty-four,” she said, “and Bride is twenty-two. I do not know about your country, Mr. Adams, but in our country we are considered old maids. I hope you will not hold that against us.”
    Clint looked at the two beautiful Irish girls and said, “Not me, ma’am. Are these all your bags?”
    â€œThey are,” she said. “We left most of our belongings behind and took only what we could carry.”
    â€œJust wait here, ladies,” he said, “and I’ll get somebody to help us carry them.”
    * * * 
    Hidden among the crowd on the docks, two men watched as Clint met the two women.
    â€œYou see what I see?” one of them asked.
    â€œYeah,” the second said.
    â€œWe’re gonna have to find out who he is.”
    â€œHow we gonna do that?”
    â€œWe’re gonna follow them,” the first man said. “See where they go. Keep our ears open. We’ll find out who this man is.” His name was Jack Ahern, and his partner was Phil Kemper.
    â€œMaybe we should just grab the women,” Kemper said. “Look, he’s goin’ to find somebody to carry the bags. We can take them now.”
    â€œNot without findin’ out who he is first,” Ahern said. “We’ve gotta be careful. We mess this up, we don’t get paid.”
    â€œYeah, okay,” Kemper said. After all, getting paid was the most important part.

FIVE
    Clint got two stevedores to carry the Shaughnessy sisters’ bags to the street, where he had a cab waiting. They loaded the half a dozen bags and one trunk onto the wagon, tied them down, and then helped the ladies get in.
    â€œWill we be going to a hotel?” Bridget asked. “My sister and I are very tired.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Bridget,” he said, “but we’re headed for the railroad station.”
    â€œRailroad?” she asked. “Are we not to see New York City?”
    â€œAs much of it as you can see between here and the station,” he said. “We’re taking a train out this afternoon.”
    â€œTrain?” Bride asked. “I thought we were to see your country on horseback?”
    â€œNobody said anything about horseback, ma’am,” Clint said. “We’ll be taking the train as far as Saint Louis. From there we’ll travel the rest of the way by wagon. That’s the part of the country you want to see.”
    The two sisters exchanged a glance, and then Bridget said, “Very well, Mr. Adams. We are in your hands.”
    â€œThank you, Miss Shaughnessy.” He leaned forward and tapped the driver on the shoulder. “Train station.”
    â€œRight!”
    At Penn Station they loaded the luggage onto the train, except for one bag each that the girls wanted to keep with them. Clint had one carpetbag that he also kept. The ladies were shown to the compartment Clint had obtained for them, and then he was shown to the one right next to it. There was a connecting door that he had no intention of using. The money for the compartments, and tickets, would be reimbursed to him when they all arrived in Shasta County.
    â€œYou can rest for a few hours,” Clint told them, “and then I’ll come and get you so we can all go to the dining car.”
    â€œThat will be fine, Mr. Adams,” Bridget said.
    He touched the brim of his hat and said, “Ladies,” then went to his own compartment.
    * * * 
    On the platform