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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3020996" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Sixty-eight, “The Dedication Ceremony”, Friday, June 2nd , 1882, Chester wakes up the next morning and goes to the Marshal’s Office. Berg is there with Helen Barker. “Morning, Helen, Mitch. Any ideas on who killed those ranch hands? Garvin dropped his rifle. He wasn't going to shoot. It's probably the same guy who killed Buckley.” Berg says, “I was thinking the same thing. I stopped by to see Fisk, he was Buckley's attorney so I thought I'd find out who the Crazy-8 was left to. He wouldn't talk, said that was none of my business, as the Crazy-8 is outside of my jurisdiction. He basically told me to back off the investigation, that he'd take it up with the County Sheriff's men. This shows how much we really need this Incorporation, we can't have two different overlapping groups of lawman with different agendas.” Chester says, "I hear you boss. With their links to the Cowboys, the Sheriff'll sweep this under the rug. I guess we'll just have to look into Buckley's death on our end. You're still the Marshall, so the town's your responsibility."Jake finally drags himself out of bed after hiding his head from the sun for an hour or so. He has a leisurely breakfast of Mrs. Smith's cooking and then spends the time registering to vote. Afterwards he relaxes on the porch of his house hoping for Chester Martin to pass by on his rounds.  When the Deputy Marshall finally walks by, Jake stands and moves to walk along side him, "Good morning Chet, mind if I join you?" "Sure Jake. You're up early this morning," Chet replies  "Yes," the gambler replies almost scowling at the sun. "Do not get used to it."  Chet laughs at that. "There must be a reason you are up so early?"  "Naturally." Jake walks with him another few paces before he says, "Let me make it clear that what I am going to say is to my friend Chet Martin, not to the Deputy Marshall. What Chet does with that information is up to him but I will not be admitting to it to any lawman or in court."  Chester puts his hand over his badge for a second. He looks around before saying, "I catch your drift, Jake. The lawman's taking a break. What's on your mind."  "A little bird told me..." Jake chuckles, "gods what a stupid expression. Anyway, this bird gave me some information. Fisk has enlisted Thayer and his men to do his dirty work. There appear to be at least two factions still of the Cowboy gang. Fisk and Thayer are part of one, and the Circle 8 ranch seems to be part of another. For some reason, Thayer's men are watching Pete's ranch. I have not told Katherine that yet, but I will when I see her today. The desperado who shot the men at the Circle 8 while you were there did it only to save you and Berg from them. That desperado did not cut Buckley's throat. The little bird did suggest that you and Berg stay away from the Circle 8 and other outlying areas. The bird seems to believe that these Cowboy gang factions are fighting among themselves and that it would be beneficial to let them kill each other off. I think that is about it." Chester answers, "Your little bird knows quite a bit. If he still talks to this 'desperado,' tell him thanks from me and the Marshall for saving our necks. We completely misread the lay of the land. Did you tell Berg this, too?"  "No. If I see him today I will likely tell him some of it but not all. Stop by the Lucky Lady tonight if you have time. Enjoy you day, Deputy."  Chester gets up and says, "I should have time. Have yourself a good day, too."Despite their wishes Kate had spent another night dreaming odd dreams. She still felt refreshed in the morning and went smiling in to the schoolroom to start her day. Kate is momentarily surprised when the students and teachers begin to arrive all wearing their best Church clothes. Meghan says to Kate, “It wouldn't do to have them dressed in any less for the dedication ceremony at noon. I'm thinking that we should perhaps dispense with regular afternoon lessons, have the children go home to eat and change into play clothes, then spend the remainder of the afternoon with educational outdoor games.” Kate says, “I was thinking something similar. It's going to be difficult enough to keep their attention this morning, although the ceremony is probably not as exciting to them as the eclipse. I still have all the toys and equipment I bought for the festival and since we're right at the edge of town we have plenty of room. I feel I owe you an apology. I've been so distracted this week that my mind hasn't been here where it belongs. You've done everything for the ceremony, done so much here. I truly appreciate everything.” Meghan replies, “You're being silly. Your family has been visiting for the last week, that's where you've needed to focus. Mollie and I have done fine. Between my helping professors at the University in Belfast and her fifteen-years of marriage to a schoolteacher we've both seen how to organize and run things. It's nice to finally be able to do that for ourselves.” “Alright,” Kate smiled. “Things fell out better than I could have hoped. I'm very lucky to have both of you here. And now since we all seem to be in our best clothes, I should run upstairs and put on a fancier dress. Oh, I nearly forgot. My family will be leaving on the ten o'clock coach this morning. I hope you won't mind if I run out to see them off. I shouldn't be gone long.” Meghan smiled and waved her off. “What did I just say? Go get changed, the rest of the students will be here soon.” Kate followed orders and ran upstairs. She put the green dress Ruby had given her, noticing once again that it was getting tight. She had started out so small that just the few pounds she had added were quickly making her wardrobe obsolete. But for today she was still alright. Kate hurried back downstairs, and was just in time to see the last students arriving and get started for the day. The morning's lessons go by quickly. Meghan and Mollie relieve Kate at a quarter-to-ten so that she can head up the street to Drover's Livery to say goodbye to her family before the stagecoach departs. Kate excused Ginnie from her lessons for the moment and they both dashed over to Drover's to find her family just arriving there as well. Henry had shed the sling he'd worn during his stay, and Phil was looking a bit forlorn. “I'd say I thought you were actually going to miss me, but I think I'd be closer to the mark if I said you were going to miss Promise City and Shannon O'Hara,” Kate teased him. Phillip teases back saying, “Yes, I wish I had met her at the beginning of my visit here instead of the end of it.” Each member of the family give both Kate and Ginnie a long hug. Zack Morand and the half-elf Julio O'Grady have the luggage all secured and are ready to depart. Kate gave another round of hugs, kissing everyone on the cheek. She lingered a bit with Henry and then her father. “I'll see you here again in December,” she said finally, swallowing back tears. Her father squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead one more time saying, “I love you, Katie. Be so very careful,” before he climbed into the coach with the others. “J'taime, Maman,” Kate called as the coach started forward. “I love you.” They all waved for a few moments until the coach was well on its way. Ginnie silently handed her a handkerchief to wipe the tears she hadn't realized were falling. Kate took her girl's hand as they walked back to the school. The morning classes go by rather quickly and it is soon noontime. A large crowd has gathered outside of the school for the ceremony. Not surprisingly, many of them are the same people who were at the El Parador the night before. All of the employees of the Lucky Lady are also present, the saloon apparently being closed due to the occasion. The five members of the Committee for Racial Equality step forward. Neil Cassidy says “Ladies, gentlemen, youngsters, I welcome you all here today for the dedication of the Niles Hoover Memorial School. Niles was a brave man who just a week ago shared in our company. He was instrumental in the founding of our Committee to promote all races. This school is a testament to what he believed in and shows that he did not die in vain. Children will be educated here for generations, getting a chance to learn that everybody, regardless of race and gender, should have the opportunity for an education.” Roger Fly and Rufus Davis each move ladders up to the front of the building on either side of the main doorway. Travis Calhoun and Cole Rixton then climb up the ladders while the other two men continue to hold them steady. Neil Cassidy then takes the large wooden sign, five feet long by fifteen-inches high and still covered with a sheet and hands it up to the construction worker and the carpenter. Calhoun and Rixton slip the sheet over the back and side while making sure that the center is still covered and nail it onto the building above the door. They climb down, and Neil Cassidy calls Kate forward. He hands her the bottom of the sheet and says “As Headmaster of the school and owner of the building we invite you to do the unveiling.” There was a bright flush to Kate's cheeks as she stepped forward and took hold of the sheet. “I have not Mr. Cassidy's eloquence so I will simply say thank you to all of you who have helped and supported this school from it's earliest inception to this moment. What began as a solitary project has quickly become a community effort and something Mr. Hoover would be proud of. And I am proud to dedicate this school and its philosophies to his memory.” With that Kate tugged on the sheet. It slipped away from the sign in ripples reminding her of the unveiling of the sign for the Lucky Lady. She looked up at the beautiful sign that now adorned the front door of their school. The bottom was square, but the top curved gently upward. The background was painted white, while the raised letters and intricately carved border had been carefully painted brick red. In slightly stylized letters it read “Niles Hoover Memorial School” and below that in smaller letters, “Est. May 1882.” Kate turned to Mr. Cassidy and shook his hand. “Thank you,” she said. Niles says, “One more person asked to speak today, Nile's nephew Herbert.” The boy comes forward accompanied by Stanley Barker. He takes out a sheet of paper but barely glances to it as he speaks. Up until this point he has acted shy around people but there is no hint of bashfulness today as the boy stands before the crowd and says: “Thank you all for being here. I have not had the pleasure yet of meeting many of you, but the fact that you are here today shows that you are indeed true friends of my Uncle Niles and therefore by extension a friend of mine as well. Back when I was born my Uncle Niles lived in West Branch Iowa with his two brothers. Of the three brothers he knew that life there was not for him. My father was the town blacksmith and my other Uncle took up farming, but he set off out west to make his own fame and fortune. He was my favorite relative. I last saw him eighteen-months ago at my father's funeral. I was looking forward to spending the summer here with him and am saddened that he is gone. I am honored that this school is to be named for him and am looking forward to attending classes here this summer. And I can say that he was successful in what he set out to accomplish. Having his name attached to this wonderful institution is all the fame he could have ever asked for and having all of you here to honor him is his fortune. I now invite all of you to come back with me to the Comique Variety Dance Hall and Saloon where a meal has been prepared.” Kate listened to the young man speak, certain his Uncle would have been as proud of his nephew as his nephew was proud of him. At the invitation to luncheon the crowd gave him a round of applause and began to mingle together, many coming over to the young man to speak a word and shake his hand. She spent the next few minutes chatting with members of the crowd and explaining the curriculum to interested parties. When most began to head toward the Comique Kate sought out Conrad. “Well, what do you think of our sign?”  “It looks wonderful my dear,” is Conrad's reply. Minerva sits quietly, Luna perched on her shoulder, listening to the various speakers of the dedication ceremony. When the ceremony ends she waits for an opportunity to approach Katherine, and presents her with a small 8x10 inch tapestry. Upon it is a scene of happy children. They are of many races and colors and are clasping hands as they dance in a circle. Katherine immediately recognizes the faces as children who live in town. An uncanny likeness of Ginny is among them.  In the center of the circle are the words.  "Only those who attempt the absurd...will achieve the impossible."Kate admired the lovely needlework and smiled. "Thank you, Miss Florencia, this is just beautiful. We can hang it right inside the schoolroom. The children will be thrilled to see themselves there. The likeness of Ginnie is amazing. Thank you, it really is stunning."Jake stands at the edge of the crowd, slightly hidden. He listens to the speeches, watches the sign unveiled. He listens to young Hoover. As the crowd heads to the Comique he intercepts the young Hoover and shakes his hand, “Well done. Sounds like you will be making your uncle proud young man.” Immediately after Jake blends back into the crowd to let them pass. He does not follow them to the Comique. As the onlookers vanish, heading to feast in Niles Hoover's honor, Jake instead goes back to his house. He imagines with some distaste a similar gathering for Silver Jake Cook. That thought gives him a shiver. “No, Silver Jake, you are not cut out to be a hero. Revenge has always been more your style.” They walk with the crowd and approach the door and see a hand-written sign next to it reading “Closed until 2:00 P.M. for Private Function”. Conrad Booth is normally not welcome at the Comique but no attempt is made to stop him from entering with Kate.  She sees that the place has been set up to accommodate far more than the normal number of patrons, with tables and chairs having been apparently borrowed from both the Lucky Lady and Alhambra Saloons. There is a sign on the bar reading “No Alcoholic Beverages served until 2:00 P.M.”, apparently a concession due to the number of children present. Of course, that also means that Judge Lacey is able to attend as well, him being joined by Laurie Gilson. The Comique doesn't have a kitchen but the source of the food becomes obvious as Hannah and Clay Milford come in with several containers of food, which the Comqiue's owners Al Brower, Pierre Jacquet and Warren Watson then begin serving from table to table.  Kate, Ginnie, and Conrad found seats near the members of the Committee for Racial Equality. The children sat with their own families, chattering gaily as the lunch was served. If this function was to go on until two there wasn't much reason to call the children back to class at all. Meghan O'Hara was nearby, and Mollie Caudell only a table away with her husband and son. As Hannah Milford came by Kate caught her and said, “Thank you so much, this is lovely. I'd like to talk to you later about lunches if you have the time.”  Hannah says, “I would be happy to Mrs. Kale.” Stanley Barker makes the rounds with young Hoover, stopping at every table and thanking the people for attending. As 2:00 P.M. rolls near everybody's wine glasses are filled with apple cider. Clay Milford stands and proposes a toast “To our dear friend Niles, may he never be forgotten.”   “To Niles,” Kate answered with the rest of the crowd and sipped the cider. She breathed a sigh then found a smile. This was not a place to be melancholy and as Headmistress of the school eyes would be on her.  As the crowd began to mingle Kate found Meghan and Mollie and said, “By the time the children went home, changed, and got back the school day would be over. Let's just release them and start fresh again on Monday.”   The other teachers agree. Nate Caudell tells his wife, “Well, I'm off now. Wish me luck.” Mollie kisses him and says, “You'll do fine. Just be yourself.” Nate hurries off. Kate watched Mr. Caudell hurry away, then looked back at Mollie. “Does he have a job opportunity?”  Mollie says, “Yes, he's off to an interview. With the new mines soon to be shipping in ore the Deputy County Assayer Joe Reiser is in need of an assistant. With Nate's math and writing skills he would do well in the job. The hardest part will be convincing Mr. Reiser that he will be impartial in regards to assaying ore from the Morand-Seawell mines, given that his best friend is the Operations Manager there. In this instance his friendship with Henry Pleasants works against him.” Kate says, “I don't know Mr. Reiser, but your husband is clever and I doubt he'll have any trouble convincing him he's honest. With both of you working you should be well settled. I was a little worried when I recommended Promise City to General Pleasants, but the move seems to be working out for you.” Mollie replies, “And for Melvin as well. Nash County North Carolina was becoming nothing but misery for him. The other children teased him terribly about....well....my exploits during the war. Nate Junior would never let anybody say a bad word about his mother, and the few boys who ever did soon regretted doing so. But once he went away to Military School his brother Melvin became a target for their cruelty.” “And Melvin isn't of a similar temperament to his brother,” Kate said. “Promise City should give him a chance to grow up and come into his own. Especially considering that the children coming to our school are more likely to admire what you did.”  “What I did? Oh, you mean the soldiering.” Mollie looks about to make sure that nobody else was listening. “Kate, that wasn't what they were talking about. Before the war, well....there weren't any opportunities down south for poor young women without families who couldn't read. I wound up...doing the only job open to me. I'd like to say that I joined up for noble reasons but the truth was that all my customers were going away so I decided to go with them.  After the war Nate made an honest woman out of me. But the men who served with him all knew what I was, many of them first hand. People talk and gossip. That's what they were after Melvin about. What could he do? It was all true.” Kate replies, “A few months ago that would have shocked me. But since I've lived here.... We all do what we have to do to get by, Mollie. It's one of the reasons I feel so strongly about education. I never want any of the children in this town to have to face that choice. I will keep my silence, and I believe Melvin will do well here. A fresh start for all of you.” Kate was quiet a moment. Here was someone who wouldn't be shocked by her own secrets and Kate desperately wanted someone to talk to. Not that she didn't have many friends, but in some ways they were too close. But this was not the place, even if she should decide to open up.  “I have more to be ashamed of than you. I spent the first three months after my husband died drunk as a Lord. And that I did not have to do that to get by. There are no saints here.” Mollie gives Kate a hug and says “Thank you.” The woman holds her embrace, and Kate senses that a huge weight has just been lifted from the woman's shoulders. Kate hears the woman crying. Mollie then recovers her voice and says, “Henry was right, this town is appropriately named.” “Yes, I've found it so. But it's a great deal what we make of it, isn't it?” Kate hesitated and discreetly slipped a handkerchief into the other woman's hand. “Maybe we could talk sometime this weekend? I have a feeling it would do us both good.”  Mollie nods her head. The meal breaks up and Judge Lacey quickly makes his way out before the Comique turns back into a Saloon. Conrad approaches Kate and says, “I think I'm about to overstay my welcome here myself.” Kate's eyes flashed in annoyance, but she pulled back her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Then let us make a grand exit. We've dismissed the children for the day, so I don't have to go back to the school.”   Conrad smiles, “No schooling, no family to look after? So you're telling me you have no responsibilities for the immediate future?” “Ginnie will be off to Mary Kelley's, and I'll be helping out at the Lady tonight but that is hours away. I have no place that I must be between now and then.” Kate smiled up at him. “Are you sure you would trade Phil's company for mine?”   “Yes, I'm sure,” he laughs. “We'll have to be back for this evening anyway, after taking last night off I'll have to work if I plan to stay employed. But for now why don't we ride out to your ranch and spend some time together there, just the two of us.” She replies, “That sounds absolutely heavenly. Peace and quiet for a few hours.” They left the Comique and separated momentarily. Conrad for the El Parador to collect a basket of food from Dorita and ready the horses Kate had in the stables there, and Kate to her home to change into more appropriate clothes for riding. In her bedroom, Kate first put on the leather pants she wore for riding, but changed her mind when she felt how uncomfortably tight they had become. They had been made for her when she was not eating much, so they were even smaller than her dresses. “The first casualty of pregnancy,” Kate muttered to herself as she packed them away again. She dug far back in her wardrobe for one of the few split skirts she had and wore it with a simple, comfortable blouse instead. Her only other preparation was to let her hair out of its pins and hold it all back with a simple ribbon. She tucked her book of Shakespeare in a saddlebag and left the house. She went straight to the stables at the El Parador where Conrad was waiting with Meribel and the stallion she kept there. He kissed her hand as he helped boost her up onto Meribel, and smiling they rode out of town to the ranch. They circled around the buildings to avoid the need to stop and talk. They could stop and stay hello when they were ready to go back to civilization. They crossed the stream and went a little farther, then picketed the horses near a little collection of trees. They spent some time just walking hand in hand and talking over her family's visit. The subject drifted to their hometowns, and then to theatre and literature. The sun began its descent when they laid out a blanket to sit on and broke into Dorita's treats. As they nibbled Kate broke out her book and read bits of Shakespeare's other works aloud.  “I'm not that fond of Romeo and Juliet myself,” she said. “As a girl I loved it, but now I find it a little much. But when one only reads a play much is missing. Performance is the best way to judge. Perhaps you'll change my mind.” Conrad smiled and handed her a bit of cheese. “We'll change your mind. The key with Romeo and Juliet is not to overdo it. Overact and it becomes the worst of melodrama, and it's a thin line in a romance. Romeo is callow, fickle. Overacting him at the beginning works, but once he meets Juliet he becomes real and much more difficult.” He paused and brushed a bit of hair away from her cheek. “Are you sure I cannot convince you to audition for the play?”  Kate shook her head. “And who would I play? Juliet's mother? The nurse? No, I haven't the time to give it the attention it would deserve and while you may be a professional, I would be distracted watching you.” “Then you will just have to be my Juliet” he states. He leans towards her, cups his hand behind her head, and gives her a long passionate kiss.  Just as it had last night, Kate's body responded to Conrad's kiss in a flash. She felt warm all over  and her heart began to pound. She stopped thinking and let one hand wander to his face and the other rest against his chest, returning his ardor so there was no doubt that her passion matched his. “I believe that's a role I can play,” she finally managed to breathe.  “Yes, we will have to keep rehearsing,” he says. He gestures around and comments on the land, and how green and lush it is becoming. He says, “I hate to spoil the mood, but you asked earlier about Fisk. I know a lot about him, enough to know that I prefer to not have him at my table. He's a win-at-all-cost type of guy, and too damned smart for his own good. He wasn't nearly as powerful before the James Gang robbed the Condons and Elton Hubbard last July. Funny that the hit the house safes of both of them, and tried for mine, but didn't go for Fisks. He then bought up a lot of property that previously belonged to the Condons and Hubbard as they needed the cash.” Even as the conversation turned serious Kate kept hold of his hand. “Jake and I were talking last night, trying to figure out where the money behind the Cowboy Gang is coming from. With Frank Leslie as the County Sheriff we could be in some trouble. A couple days ago at the Cattleman's Association meeting we made it known that we had ended quite a few gang members.  Jake surmises that we can kill gang member after gang member, but until the money stops there'll always be more. We've heard Fisk's name more than once from Gang members. But if most of his money is coming from crimes is there any way to cut it off?” Conrad replies, “Fisk has money coming in from many sources, his lawyer services, rent, gambling, investments, mining and from what you said, cattle rustling. No telling how much he has already but it is known that he is the Condon's top investor. I can't really think of a way to cut it off. Better to catch him doing something illegal and have Isby throw away the key.” “He's very subtle, and I'm sure we won't catch him out with the Gang doing something obviously illegal. This isn't my area of expertise and I have to be more careful than I've been in the past. I can't afford to have Gang members coming after me. I'll tell Jake what you said, but he might want to ask you a few more questions. Probably any specific businesses you know Fisk has interest in.” Conrad replies, “His main interest these days appears to be in the election. He was working with Adair on that, although they were not seeing eye-to-eye over which of them would be their Party's candidate for Mayor. Now that Adair is jailed that problem looks to be solved. As for the Cowboy Gang, it's safe to say that he's already well aware of what you and your friends have done before, so any new revelations about that would not be news to him.” Kate answers, “I don't know which of those two would be the worse Mayor. It may be horrible of me, but the thought of Adair rotting in jail gives me great pleasure. Did I ever tell you he offered Ruby and I work once? I'm sure you can guess as what. 'I'll give you the best terms in town' he said.” Kate shook her head. “The man is vile.  I would worry less about Leslie if I knew if was the vengeful sort. I always though the Cowboy's didn't know much about what we did or more than Ringo would have been after us. Maybe Ringo just instructed them to let him take care of it. I don't know.” Conrad suggests that they talk of another subject. He takes her hand and says,” Kate, things may soon become difficult for you. I've noticed that your condition is starting to become apparent, although it is safe to say that I observe you more closely than most. But at some point in June or perhaps as late as July others will start to notice. How are you planning to address the situation?” “I don't think anyone but you would have noticed so far. I was terribly thin, Conrad. I didn't eat much the first couple months I was here and now I'm not far beyond where I should have been. Most people will just look at me and think I finally look healthy.” Kate leaned against him. “But you're not wrong. I suspect, since I'm small anyway that this little one won't have anything to hide behind. I hadn't really made any plans to address it. I planned to tell Mrs. O'Hara and Mrs. Caudell before it became easily seen so they could be prepared for the parents when they notice. I might have to inform the Committee for Racial Equality for the same reasons, but otherwise.... I don't know. I can't go around telling people the truth, they'll think I'm crazy, and I won't lie. I was thinking 'None of your business' might become a phrase I use often.” ”I respect your honesty. While I consider myself a person of integrity I probably would find a way to skirt the truth when it comes to answering questions about private matters. Such as when I was confronted about my relation to John Wilkes Booth. The easy answer would have been 'No' but that would have been a lie. I was comfortable with saying 'distant relative' as I had never met the man.    Much as I would like this to continue we should be getting back, we both have jobs to get to.Kate looked toward the east and saw the first stars beginning to sparkle there even as the western sky was afire with red and orange. "Is it always going to be like this? Always running from one place to another, having to get up and go when I'm content to stay?" "Not always," Conrad answered as he slipped his arm around her. "There will be nights when we can sit and watch the moon rise." He kissed her gently, then lent her a hand to help her up. The horses weren't far, and it was less than half an hour later when they arrived back in Promise City. Conrad ran home to change for work and Kate made the short walk to the Lucky Lady, arriving at about seven-thirty.</blockquote>

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