Emeline had been joking, but now that she thought about it, it might not be a bad idea, at least something to look into.
"No harm in checking it out, right? We'd have to find someone who knows how to train them...I've no idea how they know where to go." Sure, there would be one place that was 'home', but there would have to be two places as 'home', and she didn't know how they learned that.
"I can ask around, maybe put an ad in the paper...'Homing Pigeons and Trainer Wanted!'" She laughed. "Of course, our men might never let us be alone again if we keep coming up with such brilliant ideas!"
''Maybe we can order them," Alice said, "But then again, training. Yes how would they know where to go?" And she started laughing, "Sorry, I just tried to visualize how that's done since they wouldn't understand us talking to them. There must be someone that knows how to do that." That seemed to be a roadblock in the idea.
"An ad in the Union might do the trick, especially if it goes to Helena, it's a big town and I'll bet there is someone there who can help us out with everything. This just can't be that hard to get going. And who knows, there may be others that would want to get carrier pigeons. Like the hospital. Imagine if outlining towns could notify them that they were sending a patient, or that they needed advice for some reason." Alice speculated. "Cheaper than the telegraph."
"That's a good idea, once we figure things out! I'm not sure how far they can carry messages, but we can look into it."
Emeline grinned, then added, "We don't even have to tell the boys at first what we're up to, just innocently keeping pigeons, right? Our secret!"
There was something naughty in the thought of keeping a 'secret', not that it was really anything earth-shattering.
"It's going to be fun! I can't wait. I'll have to get started on a coop, I don't think they'd want to live with the chickens."
"Fun and helpful too, I mean I am in town most of the time and can keep you apprized of what's going on socially if that's of interest, but also the comings and goings of new folks, like Ambros Pierce, he is an assayer who came to work for the company, you know, the one you and Barnabas are a part of." Alice told her, and that would be true, staying about the Mining office, even though they had yet to marry.
I know that it sounds a lot worse than it is, we don't sleep together, and i doubt that makes any difference to this new edition of the Kalispell Ladies Association, oh, maybe you hadn't heard about them. I expect some problems from them about the Founders Day celebration. " She explained, "Leonora Lutz, Mary Wigfall, Dorthy Orr and her daughter, Elizabeth Martin, shes the President, that crowd. "I doubt that either of us are on their recruiting plans.
"Well, I've better things to do than gossip with busy-bodies, and I'm sure you do, too!" Emeline had never had any tolerance for that sort of thing. "I understand that there are things that could be better, that could be improved on, but it always seems they go about it the wrong way. Besides, we have responsibilities...Women's clubs seem to attract those with time on their hands!"
And it would be difficult to get to town. Emeline chuckled. "The last thing I want to do when I go to town is hob-nob with opinionated women! But then, it might be interesting to join just to see what they're up to."
"As much as that might be fun, I doubt that they would want either of us, well, then again, money, You and Barnabas have it and Speed and I have some, more than most I suspect, and more n the way with the mines. Than there's Leah Steelgrave and I don't think she's been recruited." Alice told her.
"But, oh my, you'll never guess who is back in town! Elinor Steelgrave has returned and is not at the Evergreen, she's staying at the hotel." How could I have forgotten the biggest piece of news?" She was surprised at how what was the biggest item had slipped her mind.
"Not sure what all if it is about, but her, Leah, and Doctor Danforth are real chummy, so I think that has something to do with the hospital. And I know that snake of an attorney Cole Latham and Postmaster Ashworth were on their way out to the evergreen so now Elias knows she' back! Lord knows what that will mean!"
"Elinor?" Emeline raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised, I hadn't thought her relationship with Leah was so close that she'd risk returning. Well, not risk so much, I don't think Elias would harm her, but from what I understand, there is no love lost."
Here she was gossiping! "I just hope none of the goings on deteriorate into a range war. I know there have been whisperings about tensions between Lost Lake and Evergreen, but at least our property is far enough separated that we shouldn't be directly involved. But if something does happen, people will take sides, tensions...and our men will get dragged in."
Chuckling, she shook her head. "If I hear anything serious about range wars, I'll get you and we'll go right to Elias Steelegrave and give him a piece of our minds!"
"Speed hasn't said anything more about this projected range war now for some time, and I doubt Elinor's return will spark anything like that. All of it seems to have simmered down. Though I'd bet money it's still there just below the surface." Alice said confidently.
"I think there's maybe something else going on. Case Steelgrave hasn't been seen in almost a month, if not more, and there's been no rustling reported from the other ranchers. So that's a mystery, but one that maybe we don't need solved." Alice suggested. "Besides, I want this Founders Day Celebration to come off without the threat of violence from those people!"
Chuckling, she shook her head. "If I hear anything serious about range wars, I'll get you, and we'll go right to Elias Steelegrave and give him a piece of our minds!"
Alioce laughed, "Not suire that wouild be a real good idea."
"As horrid as he is, I doubt even Elias would attack women," Emeline observed, then chuckled and added, "although I suppose it's best not to test that!"
And it would be nice if any reason for a range war was left behind, but when the underlying causes were greed and ego, not much would stop that.
"Maybe Case has found better hunting grounds? Kalispell is inconsequential, really, when you think about it. It's no where near St. Louis or Kansas City, and I don't think it's ever going to be." She shrugged. "But then, who knows what drives some men? Me, I'm content with a good life, a healthy family...and hard work to get what we need, not attacking others. I don't understand..."
It wasn't as if Steelegrave didn't have enough to get by on -- and then some -- so that he had to take it from others...
ALice grinned, "Let's hope not, but I think you might be right about him. Though his henchmen would do whatever he says without a thought. Oh, and another one of Elias' men has joined those that look out for Leah Steelgrave. I wonder if there aren't more men out there that won't tolerate attacking the hospital or Leah."
"It seems odd that the man just up and disappeared like that. At least, that's what Speed thinks. Everyone thought he had his own gang, and they were behind the local rustling, but they could not prove anything. And now it seems, if there was a gang, it has dispersed." She continued, "Less headaches for our men. anyway. And I, too, look forward to a quieter life without Speed wearing that badge, not that the Copper Queen Mine hasn't its own dangers."
Alice was glad she had ridden out to visit; the company of another woman, especially Emelin's, was a welcome change from the normal daily events, though there were women in town,m but most were working in the stores and shops their husbands owned, and the rest were a part of the reformed Women's Association.
