Gilmer & Salisbury stage lines Special out of Helena was the biweely run to Milligan Stage Line's first way station, where they would drop the passengers for the Milligan line to take them to Kalispell and beyond. However, it was risky business from the first thaw whenever that occurred. Such was the trip that Carson Tyndall and Bradley Fairchild had embarked on.

Bradley had met with some trouble in Helena at the opera house when he was accosted by several thugs, of which he could recall four, but said there were others. They had beat him mercilessly, and he blamed Elinor Steelgrave who had been seen by one of his informants. He could not prove it, but why else would he have been so savagely attacked?

The injuries, four cracked ribs, a sore knee, and facial bruises including a broken nose and a black eye had him bedridden until the doctor released him. By then Elinor had left Helena, bound for Kalispell and well ahead of them.

Now, here they were stuck in Drummond a wide spot in the road that at least had lodging, a saloon and a cafe, all in one building due to a surprise blizzard. There was nothing they could do but wait out the weather. Neither man was happy about the turn of events. They sat waiting as the winds howled outside blowing the fallen snow to the point a man could not see his hand in front of his face.

"I'll kill her with my bare hands." Fairchild hissed. "The bitch! She's going to pay by God, don't think she won't!"

"Yes, yes, she needs to pay, but it's Elias we're out to see. He needs to know about her. As far as Elinor is concerned, you can do as you wish with her, just don't let Elias know what you plan to do I have no idea what his feelings are concerning her." Tyndall warned. "If there is a speck of fondness, he'll see us killed and you can be sure it will be done."

And so, there they were, stranded in Drummond, snow and cold blowing in, within the gaps in between the boards that served a wall.

"Well, hell! I mean, we need to be on our way, there are things to be done when we get back to Helena. There are things that I need to verify about Elinor and her dealings, not just in New Oar'linz and Saint Lou. There's a couple of other contacts that she made that I need to follow up on. But, we can be sure she has those fingers of hers deep into-" Bradley was cut off.

"Quiet, no sense spreading anything we haven't cemented as fact as yet, but we can and must inform Elias of what she's been doing, and I understand, it's not just carousing about those cities, it's about the contacts and what came of them, although, I believe that the conniving witch had her way, and got whatever she was after."

Bradly laughed, "Yes sir, no sense in getting anything out there that isn't verified completely. In fact, we can see if any of the replies I had forwarded to the Kalispell telegrapher are there when we arrive."

Cason nodded, "And I hope to Christ that's soon, this place is not much better than being outside in the weather!" He lowered his voice then and continued, "And the food, my God, bearly edible. I can't take much more of this. I've thought to possibly hire  horses and head on that way." Both men looked at one another. "It may well be faster than waiting on the slide to be cleared."

"You may well be correct about that. Anything beats sitting here freezing to death. We'll need foodstuffs, and most certainly some better clothes to continue by horseback, not to mention a couple bottles of whiskey!" Fairchild responded. Both men laughed.

Three horses were hired, not the best weather to be traveling in, and bundled up in buffalo robes, under which were heavy cotton duck range clothes. Packed away on a pack mule were their city clothes, hats, and shoes, replaced by fur caps and sturdy boots. Quite the investment, but Elias would be good for it.

In an hour they had passed the slide area, and from what they could discern, little to no progress was being made. Granted, they had made a late start, but they were not sitting in Drummond bemoaning their fate, like men of the time, they made do and did what was necessary, and both men had bneen on a cold wet trail before, so it was nothing new, and they had the proper outfits for the trek, including a shelter.

They were making decent time alternating between the hoses walking and trotting. They had agreed to push until near dark before making camp. Hopefully, they would find a likely spot out of the weather to set up the shelter and be able to have a fire. That meant finding fuel to burn, though they had some with them, both knew that they may only have a small fire to heat coffee come the morning. Basically, they would have a cold camp.

Food for the trip was hard tack and jerked meat, plus some cans of beans and fruit. This was not about to be a pleasant trip, but they knew they were going to beat the stagecoach which was stuck back in that excuse for a rest stop. And, they would be able to stop and rest at any of the stage stops along the route they were taking, so all was not left to chance.

Left to chance, that was something that Carson Tyndall was rarely, if ever guilty of. This was taking a chance, but one he felt was well worth the risk. The information they had was a good deal of speculation, but then again the woman they were dealing with was plenty capable of doing any of the things they had information on. Scant in most cases, but enough to point fingers in her direction. Names of men, most of them powerful men were well documented. As to her true relationship with any of them, it was pure guesswork for the moment, but the wheels of deeper investigation were in motion as they traveled northwest in a more direct route overland.

Yes, what they had was pure speculation at the moment, but anything that came out of the further investigation may well spell trouble for Elias in one form or another so getting the word to him as quickly as possible, bypassing the telegraph altogether, seemed the right move to make. The telegraph was a great invention and a boon to a spread-out country and its western territories. However, any information could be intercepted along the route, and that would not be good. Both men realized this.

They rode past the edge of the worst part of the weather for the time being and were making good time given the circumstances. Better than the coach they had been riding in, which could not go much faster than the horses they rode given the snow on the trails.

They paused the trip to set up camp for the night, expecting to arrive in Kalispell in the next two days, providing the weather held. They had spotted a good clearing, not too big, but not too small either. They wanted room to spread out some as well as have a fire for their supper, care had to be taken not to build up a fire too big, there were still hostiles about.

Both men had come equipped with pistols and rifles chambered to match. It made things much easier in a fight when your pistol used the same cartridge as the rifle. Each had thirty round bandoleers aside from the twenty-six rounds in their belts. Too much? Perhaps, but as Carson Tyndall would say. "Better safe than sorry." And they could sell them and get their money back.

Settled in and after a supper of bacon and beans with hot coffee, they settled back each man lighting up a cigar. They puffed away for a few minutes, enjoying the smoke when Bradley Fairchild said, "Meechan and Rose, they just don't seem the type to trust their affairs to someone the likes of Elinor Steelgrave."

"Well, they are only trusting her to do whatever they have in mind, not with their bank balance, but you do have a point. Now her connections with the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific raise an eyebrow. Rumor has it that perhaps she has shares in both."

"I thought I'd told you that she does, but I could not find out how many shares she had, or where she came by the funds to buy them. Unless, they were not bought at all, but given to her. I came up empty researching that. Though it is my thought, she could have stolen them, but how and why? They would have been difficult to use, which seems to be her purpose."

"I would agree, Bradley. I would agree. Elinor is a different animal than Elias, far different! And more dangerous. We can't forget that." Carson cautioned. "Not for a minute!"

The danger that Elias represented was real, and it was deadly; Carson Tyndal knew that very well. With a wrong move, he and Bradley Fairchild were no match for him and his henchmen, who were not just on the Evergreen; he had men seemingly everywhere. Making a wrong move would be a death sentence. Montana would be the place to do it. The city would require stealth. Montana, just gun them down!

"So we know of Elinor's connections with Meechum and Rose. We know about her railroad connections to the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific. What I'd really like to know is how those work together to benefit her and then what her plan is once whatever mission she's on is completed, if there even is one." Tyndall said,

"I've given this some thought because I believe I know her better than you do based on my time following her all over Na'lins and St. Louis. My thought is, land." He paused The right of ways are already gone, the little bitch saw to that. But, there is land on the other side of those tracks and both sides before Kalispell and beyond it."

"By the Lord Harry! Land, the farthest thing from my mind, Bradley." Came Carson's response. "Christ, how could I have not seen that? It's as plain as day, and, I guarantee you that is exactly what she's after! Land, damn it! And it's laying there dirt cheap, almost free for the taking, but we need to get to the land office in town before she has it all locked up."

"Uh, what about Elias, Carson? I mean, do you really want to cross him?" Bradley asked.

"His wife and daughter have simply had their way with him and his bank accounts, we know that to be a fact She'll have that land sewn up tight, and who's to say she won't buy up some of the choicest pieces for herself? Damn it to hell, Bradley! Real estate! A fortune awaits once the railroad makes its move." He exhaled heavily. "I doubt I'll sleep tonight because of this."

The danger that Elias represented was real, and it was deadly, Carson Tyndal knew that very well. With a wrong move he and Bradley Fairchild were no match for him and his henchmen, who were not just on the Evergreen, he had men seemingly everywhere. Making a wrong move would be a death sentence. Montana would be the place to do it. The city would require stealth, Montana, just gun them down!

"So we know of Elinor's connections with Meechum and Rose. We know about her railroad connections top Great Northern and The Northern Pacific, What I'd really like to know is how those work together to benefit her, and then what her plan is once whatever mission she's on is completed, if there even is one." Tyndall said,

"I've given this some thought because I believe I know her better than you do based on my time following her all over Na'lins and St. Louis. My thought is, land." He paused The right of ways are already gone, the little bitch saw to that. But, there is land on the other side of those tracks and both sides before Kalispell and beyond it."

"By the Lord Harry! Land, the farthest thing from my mind, Bradley." Came Carson's response. "Christ, how could I have not seen that? It's as plain as day, and, I guarantee you that is exactly what she's after! Land, damn it! And it's laying there dirt cheap, almost free for the taking, but we need to get to the land office in town before she has it all locked up."

"Uh, what about Elias, Carson? I mean, do you really want to cross him?" Bradley asked.

"His wife and daughter have simply had their way with him and his bank accounts, we know that to be a fact She'll have that land sewn up tight, and who's to say she won't buy up some of the choicest pieces for herself? Damn it to hell, Bradley! Real estate! A fortune awaits once the railroad makes its move." He exhaled heavily. "I doubt I'll sleep tonight because of this."

March 10th,

The morning dawned cold and the air was damp with moisture and heavy clouds were passing slowly overhead. there had been flurries overnight, and their fire extinguished by them. It would have been difficult to get a fire started had it not been for the wood they had covered during the night. Dry wood and some kindling that would burn and allow them coffee and bacon before they set out on the next leg of their journey toward Kalispell. If the flurries did not turn to driving snow, or even steady snow showers, they could make good time.

There was little conversation as the weather dictated getting saddled up and riding out. The idea of setting out on their own had seemed to be a great idea, one that would get them to Kalispell and the Evergreen ahead of the delayed coach, but neither man was happy with that decision now in the constant flurries, but they were making far better time than they would have on the stagecoach which was probably still sitting with for the trail to reopen.

The information, however, was beginning to seem less important as they moved forward on their journey. But, there was an idea forming about what they might do once they were sure of what Elinolr was up to. But in the meantime, they simply continued riding west.

They pushed on through the day, lunching in the saddle on hard tack and jerked beef. They were close and they wanted to be done with life on the trail. Done with the snow, the cold and the general discomfort of it all, but then they were able to set their own pace which was well ahead of being bounced to death in the coach, as it pushed on with scheduled  stops and breaks along the way, they simply walked their horses for a spell, and then speeded up to a canter. The coach might stop to change horses, or for a meal, not them.

They were close, and Carson Tyndall, along with Bradley Fairchild, could feel the comfort of a hot bath and those comfortable beds at the Belle St. Regis Hotel. A sumptuous meal, and some fine wine awaited the end of the trail for them, even if the real end was at the Evergreen Ranch, that could wait, though neither said as much as they passed the Milligan way station, meaning they were almost home free! They pushed their mounts to a gallop for a ways, then back to a walk for a couple of miles or so, and then to a canter again.

The Goal was in reach.

Morning rolled into afternoon and then to late afternoon as they finally saw the buildings that were Kalispell, a mile or so away. They looked at one another, each smiling as they would be in town shortly, and that meant the baths, shaves, and the sumptuous dinner that awaited them.

Once they were  on Main Street, they \went to the livery to where Gumther Schmidt greeted the pair, "Gude day yentlemen. How can I be of service." He asked.

Tyndall spoke up, "We'll take our gear, and you can either buy or sell the horses, as we will return to Helena by stagecoach. We will be at the hotel."

"Und dert price?" Gunther asked.

"Get what you can, a fair price, understand?" Fairchild added ."We won't be cheated."

No sir, I vill get tope doler for dem, sure" Gunther assured them.

Hoisting their carpet bags, the men departed the livery, making their way to the hotel where they would find Walter Simpson waiting.

@JulieS