Rimfire Bride (8 page)

At the back of the building, Jana saw an upright cabinet with wires hanging from it. A telephone with three oak boxes was attached to the wall beside the cabinet.

She turned her attention back to the telegrapher
until the instrument quit clicking. Draper put his own hand on the key, sent a brief message, then turned toward Drew and Jana.

“Mr. Malone, what can I do for you, sir?”

“Charley, this young lady is Jana Hartmann, and she just arrived in Bismarck. She’s well educated, and she’s looking for employment.”

“Can you jerk lightning?” Draper asked.

“I beg your pardon?”

Draper smiled. “I asked if you knew telegraphy. Since you didn’t understand the term, I can only assume that you don’t.”

“No, I’m not a telegrapher.”

“I thought perhaps you might hire her to help with the new telephone exchange. Back East, a lot of women are handling the calls, and from what I’ve read, they’re doing a good job,” Drew suggested.

Draper shook his head. “I’d love to help you out, miss, but I just told Lucy Griffin she could start working a day or two a week. That is, if we ever get all the wires in place.”

“Are you getting a lot of subscribers?” Drew asked.

“I’ll say. I got so many I’m going to have to start giving ’em numbers just to keep track of ’em all.”

“You should do that right from the start anyway, because I know that’s how it’s done in bigger cities,” Drew said.

“That’s what old Troy Laundry said, but he just said that ’cause he was the first one to sign up and he wants to be number one. Are you and that partner of yours going to subscribe anytime soon?”

“I think we’ll have to, don’t you? As a law office, we should have all the modern conveniences.”

“Do you want to sign up now?”

“I’d be willing to, but Frank wants to wait a couple of weeks, just to make sure everything works right. Maybe you’ll get so many customers you’ll need to keep the exchange open at night. Then you could hire Miss Hartmann.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Charley said.

“That’s all we can ask. Come on, Miss Hartmann, I know a couple of other places we can try.”

“Wait,” Jana said. “I’d like to send a telegram. What does it cost?”

“Ten cents a word,” Draper said.

“Oh, my. That is quite dear.” Jana had never sent nor received a telegram before, so she had no idea of the cost. However, she did need to let the Reverend Kling know that she and her sister would be wintering in Bismarck.

“Do you still want to send it?”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

Draper gave her a pencil and a piece of paper. “You write out your message, and I’ll send it on.”

Jana began to write:
My sister and I have arrived safely in Bismarck. When you come to New Salem, please contact us. Jana and Greta Hartmann.

Draper counted the words. “If you send it like it’s written, it’ll cost you two dollars and twenty cents. Would you like me to save you some money on your message?”

“Oh, yes, please do.”

Draper rewrote the message:
Contact me Bismarck when you reach DT. Jana Hartmann.

“There you are, miss. The same information for ninety cents instead of two twenty.”

Jana read the message and smiled. “Yes. Thank you very much.”

“Who is the recipient?”

“Pastor G. L. Kling of the German Evangelical Synod of North America, in Chicago.

“And now if you don’t mind, I’d like to send another one. This one is to Mr. Dewey Gehrig in Highland, Illinois.”

“Would you like me to write the message for you?”

“No, thank you, I think I got the idea.” Jana wrote a second message.

Tell mama safe in Bismarck DT. Jana.

Draper counted the words, then smiled. “That’ll do it, and you can send both telegrams for less than the first one would’ve cost you.”

“I do appreciate your help,” Jana said, smiling at the kindly telegraph man.

Jana and Drew waited as Draper sent the two messages. After each one, the telegraph key clacked on its own.

“Both messages got through,” Draper said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Jana said. Then she turned to Drew. “You said you knew some other places we could try?”

“Yes, and I have a good idea where to start.”

Greta, Tom McGowan,
and the bartender, whose name Greta learned was Carl Meunch, were in a small storeroom just off the saloon.

“I think this would work fine as a kitchen,” Tom said. “What about you, Greta?”

“I think it will be fine, as soon as we can get a cookstove in here.”

“Oh, that’s no problem. We can go see Ollie Beal,” Tom said. “He’ll give us a good price on a stove, and he’ll even deliver it and put it up for us.”

“Good,” Greta said. “That’s the most important thing we’ll have to get.”

“What about dishes and such? What ya gonna cook in?” Carl asked.

“Greta says we won’t need very many,” said Tom.

“That’s right,” Greta said. “If we’re only going to serve one thing, all we’ll need is a couple of pots, a frying pan, some serving bowls, and an equal number of spoons.”

“Don’t forget a dishpan, and a water pail. You can’t use mine.”

“Oh, Carl, since I’m here, maybe I’ll wash your glasses, too. Would you mind that?”

Carl smiled. “All right, I’ll get the storeroom ready for you.”

“I know just the place to buy our supplies,” Tom said. “Greta, you go out the front door of the hotel and turn right. About three doors down you’ll find a place called Cheap Jake’s. Pick out everything you need and have Jake deliver it for us. If we can get everything put together in time, do you think you can fix something for tonight’s supper?”

“I’m sure I can. I used to put something on the table in just an hour when my mama was out in the field. I was best at putting together a soup when it
seemed like there was nothing in the house to eat. Even my father didn’t complain about that.”

“That’s good to know, because if this harebrained idea you and Hank cooked up about givin’ the food away doesn’t work, we may have to resort to stone soup.”

I
t’s
too bad Charley already hired Lucy. That would’ve been a great job for you,” Drew said as he and Jana left the Western Union office.

“Maybe it’s for the best. Did you hear him say she was only going to work a couple of days a week? I really need more than that.”

Drew smiled at Jana. Somehow this smile, no more than a friendly smile, connected as it was to the confident, almost possessive way he had held her arm, caused her pulse to race.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find something for you to do.” Drew unconsciously took her hand in his, then immediately dropped it. “Oh! I’m sorry.”

Jana didn’t respond. The feel of his hand felt intimate, if only for a moment. She thought that it might have been the first time any man had taken her hand in his, other than in a handshake. In college, she had been determined to get a degree
as quickly as the school would allow it, so all her time was spent in study. Her responsibilities had always come first, so she had never taken the time to be interested in a man.

“You said you had an idea of where to start looking?” Jana asked so as to break the disquieting connection she was feeling toward this man

“Yes, I do. How about working in a shop? Would you be willing to do something like that?”

“Oh, I don’t . . .” Jana started, thinking of the butcher shop where she had worked in Chicago. But no shop in Bismarck could be as bad as that place. “I don’t know why not.”

“Then I know just the place. I’ve done some work for Walter Watson, and he’s an honest man. He might be a little peculiar though.” Drew again flashed a broad smile.

The two walked down Main Street, with Drew speaking to almost everyone they met, until they reached a brick building with a large green sign, upon which, painted in gold, was the name of the establishment:
W. B. WATSON, LADIES’ EMPORIUM.

The building had a rather large, three-sided bay window in front that projected out onto the boardwalk. A platform was built to elevate a dress form that was draped in a beautiful green silk dress.

“Oh, my.” Jana stopped for a moment to look through the window. “I’ve never seen a dress like that. It’s so beautiful.”

“It is pretty. Let’s go see what Mr. Watson has to say.” As Drew opened the door for Jana, a small bell dinged to announce their entry.

“I’ll be right with you,” a man’s voice called out.

“That’s all right, Walt, we’ll come to you,” Drew replied.

In all her life, Jana had never seen so many ready-made women’s clothes in one place. Highland had fewer than two thousand people in the whole area, and the one store that handled ready-made clothing never had more than a dozen dresses at any time. Everyone usually stitched her own.

When Drew and Jana found Walter Watson, he was bent over a counter writing something.

“Hello, Drew.”

“What are you doing, adding up all your money?” Drew teased.

“No, I’m trying to come up with an advertisement to run in tomorrow’s paper. You see all this merchandise?” Walt swept his hand in an arc. “You can barely walk now, and the missus keeps ordering more and more stuff. She says I’ll sell it by Christmas, but nobody can find anything in this place.”

“Well, I’ve got the answer for you,” Drew said.

“Unless you want to be a hawker on the street corner, I don’t know what that answer would be.”

“Miss Hartmann, meet Walter Watson. This young lady, who has just arrived from the East, has the answer.”

“And what would that be, madam?”

Jana was speechless. She had no idea what Drew had in mind.

“Ah, Mr. Watson,” Drew said, holding up his hand, “at the present time, my client isn’t at liberty to tell you, but I can assure you that your stock will
be greatly reduced by Christmas if you’ll consent to hire her.”

“Oh, Drew, I don’t know. I’m spending all my money on inventory. I’m afraid I can’t afford a salesgirl.”

“It’s your loss, Walt. Come on, Jana,” Drew said, taking Jana’s arm and turning toward the door. “Let’s go down to Sig Hanauer’s establishment. I thought Mr. Watson would be more receptive to your talents, but perhaps he is not.”

“Wait just a minute. What are you telling me she can do?”

“First, will you hire the young woman?”

Walter expelled a long sigh. “I’ll hire her.”

“How much will you pay?”

“Not much, I’m afraid. Would you take ten dollars a week?”

“Walter! That’s an insult,” Drew said. “She needs at least twenty dollars a week and a percentage of whatever she sells, say two percent.”

“All right, all right, but it’s only till Christmas.”

“You won’t be sorry. She’ll start tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Mr. Watson. I appreciate the opportunity to work with such beautiful clothing.”

“Humph. Twenty dollars a week. We’ll see what you can do.”

“Good day, Walter.” Drew took Jana by the arm and escorted her out of the store.

“Whew,” Jana exclaimed when they got outside. “I’ll bet you’re a very persuasive lawyer. I feel sorry for poor Mr. Watson.”

“Why? He needs to clear that store out. He’s got so much stuff in there, no one can find anything.”

“But twenty dollars a week. That’s twice the amount I made teaching school!”

“Welcome to the frontier, my friend. We’re used to paying higher prices for everything.”

Jana’s arm was still snugly hooked over Drew’s, and she didn’t try to withdraw it as they walked along together.

“Mr. Malone, I can’t thank you enough. I couldn’t have gotten a job today without you.”

“Mr. Malone, is it? Didn’t you hear? You’re my client.” Drew flashed another devastating smile. “Please, from now on when I see you, call me Drew. Now, may I walk you to your abode?”

“That’s not necessary. I’m just around the corner at the hotel.”

“At the Sheridan House?”

“No, at the Custer.”

The expression on Drew’s face changed suddenly, as he dropped her arm. “Where are you staying?”

“At the Custer Hotel. Why? Is there something wrong with that?”

“I’ve never known a woman to stay there. That’s for railroad workers and transient army officers. It’s not a place for a woman.”

“For the rest of this week, it’s the place for two women. Mr. McGowan has gone out of his way to accommodate my sister and me. Again, I can’t thank you enough for what you have done for me today. Good day, Mr. Malone.”

Jana turned to walk away from him, but he caught her hand. “You’ve forgotten already. It’s Drew.”

He held her hand for a moment, a moment like none other Jana had ever experienced. The day was chilled, and his hand and fingers were cold.

Or were they?

Oddly, she felt a strange heat diffusing through her body. She looked at him with a questioning expression on her face, and she thought she could read something in his eyes, a sense of connection that was beyond verbal. Finally, after a time that stretched out for an eternity, but ended much too quickly, he withdrew his hand and touched his fingers to his hat as if in salute. “I’d better be going,” he said as, with a final smile, he turned to leave. “Oh, buy some gloves tomorrow. Dakota nights get pretty cold.”

“Greta, I’ve got
a . . .” Jana stopped in midsentence as she looked around the room and saw no one was there. She checked to see if Greta had left her a note, but there was no note anywhere.

“I told her to stay here,” Jana mumbled as she hurried down the stairs and across the lobby.

“Hold on there, little lady, where’re you goin’ so fast?” an older man who was sitting in the lobby called out. A couple of the others laughed.

With her cheeks flaming in embarrassment, Jana slowed down, but continued to walk purposefully and with long strides to the front desk.

No one was at the desk, but a small bell could be rung by slapping the palm of your hand against it, which she did.

“Mr. McGowan!” she called out while hitting the bell again and again.

McGowan came from a side room and, seeing her, smiled. “Miss Hartmann, have you had a pleasant day in the banner city?”

“Mr. McGowan, my sister is gone. Have you seen her?”