Love's Abiding Joy (Love Comes Softly #4)(11)

Clark offered his arm, checked his safe-in-hand watch, and chuckled again.



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Chapter Six




The Journey Begins



At the train station, Marty was sure she had never seen so many people all in one place. Her eyes and ears were busy picking up the new sights and sounds all around her. Clark found a bench on which she could wait and went to make final arrangements for their journey. Marty was content to sit and watch. She had never seen such an array of strange and colorful dress. Why, even the menfolk looked like they belonged on the pages of some storybook!

Even though they still had lots of time before the train was due to leave the station, Clark had been right: Marty would not really rest easy until she was actually seated on the train and assured that its engine was pulling them westward. So, in spite of her interest in the crowd, she fidgeted and was glad when she saw Clark moving back across the room.

A rather bold-looking woman with bright copper hair and a broad-brimmed, scarlet-plumed hat sat across from Marty. To Marty's surprise, the red-haired woman also noticed Clark. The woman peeked out at his approach from under long, kohl



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darkened lashes and watched Clark approach. Then Marty saw the woman slyly and deliberately drop a glove at her own feet and pretend to again busy herself with the book that she held before her face. As Clark reached the "lost" glove, he bent, gentleman-like, recovered it, and then glanced around to see who its owner might be. Marty saw the redhead steal a very small peek, and then her eyelashes began to flutter; Marty knew that she was about to make her presence known to Clark in some cute little speech.

Marty stood up quickly and spoke before the lady in the hat had time to open her mouth. "Everythin' set, Clark? Oh, a glove. Perhaps it belongs to you, ma'am." Marty turned to the redhead with a very sweet and winning smile. "It matches your hat perfectly."

The lady accepted her glove without comment. Marty moved away, taking Clark's arm and steering him to a seat nearer the exit door. I can't imagine the brazenness of these city women, she was declaring inwardly. They'd steal a woman's husband right out from under her very nose. Why, thet's even worse than takin' a watch! Clark remained unaware of the small commotion.

Someone finally called, "All aboard for points west," and Marty quickly stood and shook the wrinkles from her skirt and straightened her hat. Clark gave her arm a reassuring squeeze and they moved with the crowd toward the waiting train.

Marty, having never been on a train before, was both excited and apprehensive. She found the high steps awkward to maneuver with her long skirts and was glad for Clark's helping hand as she climbed up.

Inside the train car, the rows and rows of seats were not as elegant as Marty had imagined they would be. The plush fabric was faded and even a little frayed in spots. Marty assumed that the fancier trains would run between the large eastern cities.

They were jostled a bit as they sought for a seat. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry to find a place, as though they were afraid the train might leave without them. Clark and Marty found a seat quickly enough. They settled themselves and



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tucked their carry-along luggage under the seat. Marty sighed deeply. They had made it. Now if only she could get a glimpse of the sun to make sure that this train was pointed in the right direction.

Gradually the commotion around them began to subside as other passengers selected seats as well. Marty noticed that they were in very mixed company, though not too many women had boarded the train. The men appeared to be of every type and class--from businessmen to cattlemen, from miners to farmers like themselves, drifters and youngsters running away from home.

Marty shuddered inwardly as the scarlet plumes moved down the aisle and the redheaded woman, with skirts hoisted and eyelashes fluttering, took a seat. She had selected a spot far from the other womenfolk in the car, among the men who had already pulled out a deck of cards and made themselves a makeshift table. Great drifts of cigar and cigarette smoke already blurred the air around them. Marty hoped there would be no smokers in her area, but it was a vain hope. Not being used to smoke at all, Marty found it particularly trying. Were they to endure this all the way to Missie's? Already she felt about ready to choke, and they hadn't even left the station yet.

The train gave a long, low sound like an anguished groan, and the squeaking wheels began to revolve slowly. They were on the way at last. To Marty's chagrin, she still couldn't tell if they were headed in the right direction.

Gradually the train began to pick up momentum. The rough-looking buildings on the back streets of the town moved past them hurriedly now. Marty watched carriages and horsemen pulled up on side streets waiting for the train to pass by. Some of the horses stomped and reared, not liking one bit the angry-sounding, smoke-blowing engine. Children called and waved, and dogs barked; but the train moved on, unresponsive to it all.

They left the town behind and moved out into the open countryside. Marty could not draw her gaze away from the window. Trees swished by them; cattle lifted tails and ran off



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bawling; horses snorted and swung away, blowing angrily, tails and manes flying. Still the train pounded on, wheels clickity-clacking and smokestack spewing forth great billows.



It's a wonder, thet's what it is, thought Marty. Why, I bet we're goin"bout as fast as a horse can gallop, an' nobody needs to lift a finger fer the doin' of it.