"If ec leck tic means interesting, you got that in spades," Caroline grinned, "I'm not complainin' though, I'm sure my life is worse than some but better than many. Play the hand yer dealt I guess."

Once more her sentiments were exactly like the stage driver's, a lot of folk lived dull boring lives and Caroline could never be one of those folks. She honestly doubted she would live to be an old woman but so be it. She was determined to live life on her terms.

"I'd not be able ta sleep with all th' noise, though," the driver added, "one thing listenin' ta horses munchin' an' stompin' now an' then, but shoutin' an' chairs movin' an' boots stompin'...that'd keep me awake all night!"

"When I was a kid I could pretty much sleep thru anything. Though I will never forget one night. Some jasper drew his pistol and fired a few shots into the saloon ceiling. One bullet went thru the floor where I was sleeping upstairs. Now that was a bit of a fright. My father threw the man out though," Caroline smiled at the incident now.

"Actually we do close down various times in the early morning and then we can sleep til close to noon when we open up again. That's pretty normal for saloons, not sure how the Star Dust does it. Guess I'll find out. Though I expect most all my performances will be in the evenin's,".

"Yep, most folks'er workin' durin' th' daylight hours, come in after fer some libation an' relaxation before goin' home fer th' night ta start all over again." She chuckled. "Me, some mornin's I'm up before th Sun, right about th' time you'd be goin' ta bed. Still an' all, ya work when's best, eh? An' times I'd be more'n happy ta be out when most folks are in bed or bein' entertained in th' saloons...just somethin' nice about bein' on th' streets alone...'less, a'course, it's th' dead of Winter with twenty foot drifts an' everything froze!"

Laughing, she shook her head. "I gotta notion that th' big ol' bears got things right, hunker down in a nice warm cave fer th' Winter, sleep th' cold away."

There just weren't enough furs and mittens in the whole of the world to warm you on a bitter Montana night, but sometimes there was no avoiding it. "Good, though, that ya already got arrangements made, so ya don't gotta ask around. You'll like it there, I think, but just steer clear'a th' Steelegraves...bad news, that lot, 'cept maybe th' daughter, Miz Leah."

"Well, being on the streets all by yer lonesome really depends on where those streets are. The part of Chicago I lived in, no sane woman wanted to be out there alone late at night or early in the mornin," Caroline pointed out. She'd heard it was even more dangerous in places like New York.

"Ahh yeah, I never look forward to winter, part of me thinks I'd be happier in Texas or maybe California," she shrugged. If this job search worked out, she would actually like to settle in for a long spell though.

"Ohh, right, hibernation I think it's called. That's too much sleep for me though," she shook her head.

"Actually I don't have the job yet. An acquaintance of mine sent me a telegram saying the Stardust was looking for an entertainer and thought I would be a good fit. Hope yer right about the place but I try to be optimistic. I mean most people like me...well, cept for the Emdens of course," she grinned.

"Steelgraves huh? What do they do or own in town? Rival saloon or somethin'?"

"Yer quite likable," Addy declared, "an' so long as ya can sing half-ways decent, I think ya'll do just fine. There's always jobs ta be had, an' I don't think as how th' Stardust couldn't use another talented entertainer. I attend fer th' drink on occasion, but a good song makes it more pleasant." She chuckled. "An' th' gents aren't obtuse ta a pretty face, makes 'em more liberal with th' drink!"

Then came the more serious business. "Elias Steelgrave owns th' Evergreen Ranch, wants ta own most everything, I reckon. Got him sons that hold th' same morals...Case was Marshal in Whitefish before a blizzard took it this past winter an' damaged him real bad." There was a lot to the family that Addy wasn't complete on, she tried not to get too involved if she could help it. "Do know that they got somethin' against Shade Thorton...he owns th' Lost Lake Ranch...dunno, just mind yerself around them Steelgraves."

Of course, if she could keep politics out of it, there could be good gain in catering to the likes of the Steelgraves, and she didn't see that Miz Caroline was an ignorant who would get herself into trouble.

"Coming from someone like you, I gotta believe you mean it. I don't think yer one to varnish your opinions," Caroline appreciated Addy's validation.

Addy stated she did go into the saloon on occasion for a drink. Caroline was glad to hear it.

"Well then, next time you show up, first drink is on the house. I'll see to that," she had mentioned this promise earlier but just wanted to reinforce it so there would be no doubt. If management objected to such gestures on her part, Caroline would just pay for it then herself. Cuz a promise was a promise. Well, actually it depended who you made the promise to. She'd lied to people before and not kept her word but there had always been good reasons, having to do with the individual promised. Some people were scum and she had no qualms about lying to that sort.

Since the driver made a point of warning her about some locals named Steelgrave, Caroline followed up with asking for a bit more about this possible issue. Addy named a few more names and indicated this family were a very greedy and ambitious lot.

"Good to know but I ain't much for local feuds, long as it doesn't involve the saloon. But if some Steelgraves wanna buy a drink or listen to my act, I will treat'em like any other valued customers. I will also make it a point to ask the owners what they make of this bunch."

"Say, what's the local law like? As you might well imagine, I've had me a few run-ins with the authorities on occasion. I mean most lawmen are just tryin' to do their jobs but sometimes there a few who just like to lord it over ya or push folk around just because they can."

"I'll surely take ya up on that drink," Addy declared, one would be a fool to turn down free liquor! "Not sure what th' policy is there, but nothin' like new talent an' free drinks ta bring in th' customers, an' once they're greased up they'll be payin' fer more."

That was the advantage of a good entertainer, she would draw in the men from the competition, and boost business.

"Law's fair...Marshal is Speed Guyer, his deputies are Mister Pronto Pike an' Miz Hannah, all good folks. 'Course, they enforce th' law, but so long as yer not committin' any egregious misdeeds. Heck, they like their time in th' saloon as much as any gent." She understood the concern, though, there were plenty of lawmen who used the badge as a means of power and intimidation, terrorizing the citizens...sort of like Case Steelgrave in Whitefish, neither of which was a concern at the moment.

"Good, lookin' forward to seeing you there then," Caroline was happy that the woman took up her invitation. Here she hadn't even set foot in the town and she had made a new friend. More than made up for the Emdens and their ilk.

She then asked about the local law, what they were like.

"Law's fair...Marshal is Speed Guyer, his deputies are Mister Pronto Pike an' Miz Hannah, all good folks. 'Course, they enforce th' law, but so long as yer not committin' any egregious misdeeds. Heck, they like their time in th' saloon as much as any gent."

"Ah, that sounds good then....did you say Miss Hannah? So they got a woman deputy?" now that surprised the saloon gal, "How on earth did she manage that?"

A woman stage driver, a woman saloon owner, and now a woman deputy? This was really a forward sorta town alright. She was all for such things of course.

"Not real sure how Miz Hannah got ta be deputy, but she's derned good, don't take nothin' off no one." Truth was, genteel ladies didn't last long out here, especially without a man to look after them. Just getting here could be an ordeal, so making it this far counted for something!

"So, do ya do other things?" Addy asked, "I mean, things ya like, when ya got free time? I dabble some at sketchin', an' I might even try paintin' one day, but time's taken up with tendin' horses, drivin', lookin' after th' boy an' learnin' my letters." She shook her head. "Mostly, if I got some time, I just like gettin' on my horse an' ridin' up to th' falls or somethin'."

"I would guess she would have to be tough because I figure she must get tested enough by men," Caroline observed. Jobs like those ...confrontations come with the territory.

Addy now asked her if she did other things? At first Caroline didn't quite catch on until the other woman gave examples then it all became clear.

"Not really. Certainly nothing to do with horses. Don't get me wrong, I think they are beautiful animals but too big for my comfort. I ride trains, stagecoaches, was on a paddlewheel steamer once but never rode a horse. City girl you see," Caroline smiled.

"I spend so much time in my place of work.....I don't know I got a lot of free time. I do like to take walks down the main streets if the weather is good. But that can be a mixed bag. Some folks turn their noses up at the sight of me or the bolder ones make nasty remarks. I'm used to it but doesn't mean I enjoy it."

"Your boy....he does go to school right?" she suddenly asked, "I never set foot in a schoolhouse but I do think children should go to school."

"He does." Addy nodded. "There's some'a it he don't like so much, but from th' start I made sure he was goin' an' doin' his lessons an' all." She shifted in the seat before adding, "Don't want him not knowin' his letters an' what not, world's changin', an' folks like me won't be able ta get on without some learnin'."

It was silly not to take the opportunity when it presented. "Gonna talk ta Miz Katherine...she's th' teacher, an' ask if she'll instruct me some. Ya oughta join me, so it won't seem so lonely, an' we can practice tagether."

It was a suggestion, of course, but she hoped the young woman might take her up on it. She was sure that she'd do better having a partner in crime, someone to help her figure out when she couldn't do the figuring herself.

"Can't hurt none."