The Prettiest Girl in the Land (The Traherns #3) by Nancy Radke Page B

I next saw him. He didn’t want me to go
back working there, but I told him I felt obliged to put in a few weeks to fill
out my agreement. Two weeks later I went in and found that Mr. Debras had sold
the company to Wells Fargo.
    His brother explained that Henry figured with the railroad being
pushed through that freight companies would go out of existence, except for the
side routes. He sold while the price was still there and invested it in the
railroad.
    I lined up with the rest of the workers as the foreman sat next
to a man with a money box, paying everyone their weeks’ wages, plus a full day
for this day even though we hadn’t worked. He was also giving out letters to us
all, recommending each as a good worker. He had the letters all written, and
just put the person’s name at the top.
    Most of the men figured to rehire with Wells Fargo. They asked
me what I was going to do.
    “I don’t know. I figure an outfit as big as Wells Fargo will already
have a person to keep their records.”
    “You could try a bank.”
    “Maybe. I got me some thinking to do. If I hire back on, I won’t
be free to go see more of California.”
    “That’s what you want to do?” one asked.
    “That’s my intention.”
    “Good luck then.” They all wished me well. They were a fine
bunch of workers.
    I put my wages and my letter inside my purse and then took me a
long walk to do me some ponderin.
    Wages were high here and I’d just been paid more for a week than
I could earn in a month elsewhere. I knew how fast money could leave when none
was coming in, but I also knew that if I didn’t live in San Francisco, my money
would last me a whole lot longer. I could go see Gage’s folks and look at those
trees, see something of California, and then go back to work.
    I hadn’t forgot I was looking for my Boaz. I didn’t see how I
could find him here. Everyone was in such a hurry, you didn’t get a chance to
really know anyone. I remembered the ladies at home setting down and making
quilts together. Y’all learned all the news and then some that really shouldn’t
have been repeated. But long walks and serious-like talk didn’t seem to be a
part of city life.
    I just plain missed the mountains and the mountain folks.
    It was time for me to move on. I’d look the rest of the country
over. If’n I didn’t find Boaz, I’d go back to the mountains. Just not to Jonas.
Maybe to one of the settlements.
    I’d been walking a long way and realized I was headed towards
the company where Gage worked. So I continued walking and got there an hour
before he was due in. I picked me a spot in the shade where I could see down
the street, sat down in a chair placed in front of the building, and enjoyed
watching the people pass by. This warn’t the best part of town, but it was
probably the busiest.
    I wondered if Gage would want to go north with me. I’d gotten
used to traveling with him and really wasn’t looking forward to going it alone
anymore. In fact, I’d really miss him.
    Then I wondered if Travers would stay with Gage or go with me?
Without either one, the trip sounded lonely and not inviting at all. If I had
to do it alone, I’m not sure I wanted to.
    I had come to enjoy Gage’s companionship. Yet, even if he didn’t
want to leave San Francisco, perhaps I should leave. I didn’t want to make
myself dependent on him. When he found the girl he was looking for, he’d settle
down and I’d still be needing to find my Boaz. I doubted I’d find him here in
this town. I should set my course and get myself going. Maybe my company being
sold was God’s way of moving me on. How was a person supposed to know? It were
a puzzlement. “God help me find my Boaz.”
    “Are you all right, Miss?”
    I looked up at the man standing there. Where had he come from? A
well-dressed stranger, but concerned with someone looking sad and a little
lost. I’d been praying silently, but moving my lips, so maybe I looked strange
to him.
    “Yes, thank you.