Chapter 5 #2
“No, ma’am. Just speakin’ the cold, hard truth.
” The man returned to his chair, and it wasn’t long before his feet had once again found his desktop.
“You might try Helena. You might find more men there who’ll have experience in them mountains.
Nice makin’ your acquaintance.” He smiled, then tipping his hat, he placed it over his eyes while he slouched back in his chair.
Effie stood aghast, hardly believing she had been dismissed so rudely. However, seeing that there was little point in making more conversation with the man, she turned and let herself out the door.
Determined that the sheriff would come to realize his mistake, Effie marched toward the general store. Within moments, she opened the door to the establishment, let herself in and walked straight to the counter.
“Excuse me,” she addressed the man there, who had been engrossed in a ledger. Absentmindedly, he looked up at her, then smiled. Effie returned the gesture.
“May I help you?” the clerk asked.
“I hope that you can,” said Effie. “I am looking to hire a guide who can lead myself and a few other people to the Gates of the Rocky Mountains country.”
“The Gates of the Rocky Mountains, you say?”
She smiled at the man. “Yes, that’s right.
My name is Effie Rutledge.” She held out a gloved hand.
“I am the person in charge of the archaeological expedition that came into town a few days back.” She added another grin when the man accepted her hand.
“Do you know of any man who would be willing to hire on as the guide for the project?”
“Clyde Herman’s my name, and I’d consider it a real pleasure to help a pretty little gal like you, ma’am, but that’s Blackfeet country, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that it is, but you see we’ve been there before, although many years ago, and—”
“Don’t reckon,” Mr. Herman interrupted, “that your task is going to be an easy one. Word has it that them Gates of the Mountains is terrible dangerous.” He scratched at his bearded face. “What happened to the guide you hired yesterday?”
“He… Hmm… He quit this morning.”
“Did he now?” The clerk shook his head. “Yep, thought I heard somethin’ about that, and I’m right sorry.”
“You heard about that already?”
“I did, miss.”
“Goodness,” she exclaimed, “news certainly gets around here.”
The clerk raised an eyebrow, then leaned over the counter, as though he were a co-conspirator. “Nothin’ else to do, I’m afeard.”
She sighed deeply. “I suppose you’re right. But to return to my original question, dangerous though it might be, do you know of anyone who would be willing to take on the position? Someone who might perhaps yearn for adventure, for risk?”
The proprietor didn’t answer at once, though he did look thoughtful. After a time, he said, “If you don’t mind my asking, ma’am, why did Jake quit? It was Jake, wasn’t it, that you hired on yesterday?”
“Yes, it was. And he quit because…well, because he is not a brave man, and when something happened last night that—”
Again, Mr. Herman leaned in close to her. “Heard tell your room was broke into.”
“Yes,” said Effie, wondering why the man’s knowledge of her personal affairs had surprised her. Apparently one had no privacy in this town. “But you see, I can explain that, and I—”
“Don’t envy you none, ma’am, poor little thing that you are. It’s gonna be awful hard to find someone to help you now.”
“But why? There are lots of men in this town, and among them I should be able to find one who—”
“You see, it’s like this,” said Mr. Herman. “When one of the fellas quits, it’s as good as sayin’ that they all quit. We’re a mining town, ma’am. Close-knit.”
“But—”
“See, there’s precious metal that’s been found in these here hills—all around Virginia City—and a man’s gotta protect his stake. If’n you want him to walk away from his means of livelihood, then…” He left the rest unsaid, as though anything else that followed were self-evident.
Effie cleared her throat. Then, strictly on the off chance the sheriff was right, she leaned over the counter, and as though seeking a tête-à-tête, she said, “Are you certain that protecting their livelihood is the real reason I might have trouble finding someone to help me? It wouldn’t be, perchance, that the men here have been told that my project is jinxed? ”
The man gulped. “It might’ve been said a time or two, but me? I don’t believe in jinxes.”
Tightening her lips, Effie nodded slowly. “I’m certain you don’t,” she said, but her meaning was clearly the opposite.
For an instant Mr. Herman appeared uncomfortable, and straightening up, he adjusted his collar. “Look, ma’am, I’d like to help you, but I can’t. I run a store, that’s all. Have you tried over at the sheriff’s office?”
“Yes, I have,” said Effie. “Most certainly.”
“Well…” The proprietor let the word trail away, as if the rest of the sentence didn’t need saying. However, as though he’d only realized this, he added brightly, “Are there more in your party?”
“I am not alone in this venture, if you think that might make a difference. There are four others traveling with me who can shoot.”
“Hmmm.” Mr. Herman hesitated, scratched his chin, then gazed at her over the rim of his spectacles. “And are all your crew female?”
“Why, no,” said Effie. “Does it matter?”
“It might.”
“Well, then, I have one male and one female student; they are a married couple. And there are two other friends, who are also married. Why do you ask?”
“More superstition, I’m afraid, miss.” The proprietor looked downright crestfallen. “The more women in a party, the more likely that party is to get wiped out.”
“What?” Effie stared at the man, uncertain she had heard that correctly. When the clerk didn’t elaborate or say anything else, she replied, “Why, that’s ridiculous. I can assure you that we have been on several expeditions throughout the States, and—”
“It’s also Blackfeet country you’re lookin’ to travel into, ma’am. Them Indians is just plain mean. Around here…” he glanced behind him, “…them Injuns is called the tigers of the plains.”
“Are they? But…sir, this expedition is not about those Indians, it’s about… I…” Effie’s voice trailed away. What was the point? Mr. Herman had made it clear that not only couldn’t he help her, he wouldn’t.
With a sigh that spoke of frustration, Effie said, “Well, I thank you anyway, but I guess I’d better be going.”
The clerk nodded, smiled and turned away to wait on another customer.
Effie spun around, one arm coming down to sweep her blue-striped silk skirt with her. Unwarranted, the swishing sound of her dress as it grazed over the hardwood floor reminded Effie of the sounds of her intruder last night.
For a moment she froze. After a short while reason returned, and picking up the front of her dress, she stepped toward the door.
Mr. Herman—at once the gentleman—met her at the entrance, and opening the door for her, he smiled a final apology. “Wish I could have given you better news.”
Effie returned the smile and was on the verge of adding a further comment, when she realized it was unproductive. Holding out her gloved hand once again, she said, “I thank you, Mr. Herman.”
She beamed up at the man, suspecting that because of the way she was dressed, because of the shapeless peplum thrown over her dress, she had identified herself as a woman of “masculine” taste.
She had heard of this before—hadn’t her mother said as much several years ago?
But perhaps the misidentification wasn’t the fault of the men in Virginia City.
Perhaps the fault, if there were one, lay in the fact that women were few in these parts, and those who were here were generally the “for hire” girls, with their curvy figures and high-combed hair.
Whatever the case, Effie was aware that she was not accomplishing anything of use. Despite what these two gentlemen had confided to her, she was still saddled with a problem: She needed to hire a guide.
Apparently, this left her with no alternative but to solicit each man’s cooperation personally. All right, so be it.
Intending to do that at once, Effie swept off down the street.