"Gentlemen," Elias said as he came down the stairs. Ling, moving past him with two tumblers half full of the brown liquid that had been requested. The two men had not even started for the parlor.

"You men not very fast." The Chinaman stated as everyone entered the parlor and found seats. Once the whiskey was delivered, he looked Elias' way, who shook his head negatively, and Ling disappeared.

"So, what brings you boys here? Good news, I hope. I mean the weather is shit, and the coaches are always delayed in this kind of weather."

"We took a coach out of Helena, but ended up buying horses and riding the rest of the way, with the trail blocked. I'm sure we beat the coach; of course, we were not dependent on following trails," Tyndall explained. "However, the news that we bring is regarding the proposed link from Henena to the Oregon coast, which will have one of the competing companies sending advance men here to explain the route and make arrangements for where the depot will be located per the designated route, and any other land requirements."

"So you're saying that we're close to knowing what the plan is for the railroad, here in Kalispell?" Elias asked. "Well, that's good news, isn't it?"

"Might be, but I presume you are aware that your wife is here in town, but, were you aware that she is linked to the various companies involved, and the attorneys tending to the case. Meechan and Rose?" Fairchild injected into the conversation.

Elis turned a shade of pale before the blood returned to his face, "I did not, I mean I knew she was in town with Leah, bu I had no inkling she was involved in this.

"Neither did we," Tydall stated.

"We have no idea how deeply she is involved with Meechan and Rose, but we believe deeply enough," Fairchild stated. "Now I am a cautious man when it comes to investigating people, and I have managed to get fairly close to Elinor over the past year or so. She is a double-dealer and a threat to whoever she is in business with. We came to let you know that she is up to something, and it's far more than a visit to a daughter she had not contacted for the past year. She is here on business, but whose?"

"I am well aware of her capabilities, gentlemen, remember I taught her what she didn't know, and that didn't take long at all," Elias stated. 

Tyndall smiled a knowing smile. "That sad part in all of this Elias, is that we know she had stock enough to realize she had wormed her way very close to a seat on either board of directors. What we don't know is where she is at on the third company that is talking about the route and making noise about a bid."

"So what you came all the way to tell me was, you don't know much of anything, is that it?" Elias asked, his blood pressure beginning to rise.

"No sir, we came to tell you that your estranged wife is here on business, we just don't know what or for whom!" Tyndall said.

The room was silent except for the pops and crackling from the fireplace, and even Ling had said nothing in spite of Elias' face turning a bright shade of crimson, but the color subsided close to his normal pallor. "It would be like her to align herself with all the players in whatever game this is." He said evenly, if not between his clenched teeth.

"We have tried to figure it out, but the trail, and believe me, we've followed quite a few, led us nowhere," Carson explained. "Not an excuse, fact. We have a valise full of reports for you on that very subject."

"She is very cunning, and I believe she has had people watching our every move right along," Bradley interjected. "I suspect that her interest is not exactly there's, but hers, and I have come to the conclusion she is after the real money, the land,

"Now, is it in or out of town? Does she have knowledge as to where the depot will be?" Carson asked, or, is she buying at both ends, as the town will grow in both directions, as well as both north and south? Homes and businesses will be needed as the town grows, that Elias, is a fact."

"Interesting theory. But knowing her as I do, I would lean toward a quick money-producing scheme, one where she invests and sells in rapid succession, waiting only for the price to rise just enough. And that will happen," Elias assured them. "Although I could be wrong, the woman is no spring chicken, no matter how good she might look; fast money cures all those problems she might well be facing."

"I don't know if you are following her activities at all, but she has liquid assets of over one hundred thousand dollars, and that is just in the time since she left here. We know this for sure, from verifiable sources." Carson insisted.

The room fell silent again.

Elias frowned, "Following her activities? That's what the hell I pay you two for. Anything I hear is second or third hand!" Elias said angrily, "I'm here, you two are there, especially you Faitchild, so if I am to get anything factual, it would come from either of you, not some rumor monger!"

"Alright, yes, it is up to me, because I am out in the field, when  I'm not worked over by some raiload goons for getting to close, but I'll tell you this, she's here to do something for herse;lf and my guess mis, to but up what is prime property,m or what shge thinks will be." Fairchild shot back at his employer. "And while I am recovering, she's moving fast from one meeting to another, wheeling and dealing for information and influence with the tycoons bankrolling this thing."

"Easy, Bradley. Elais, I know that he has gotten close, but like he said, the railroad men laid him up. And that's not the first time, just the worst beating. That's when we lost track of her movements until we picked up her trail here in Kalispell. And that was sheer luck, we have no eyes and ears here." Carson interrupted. "Our best guess is that she knows what the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern have planned should they move ahead with the line. Now, tghere's a third player in the game, and we know that she has wormed her way into their trust, and we all know how that works out to this point. Men are dead, and others are ruined as a result."

"Well then, it would appear that something needs to be done, but I believe that you are right, it is about property. What matters then is where the town limits are set, after that, who owns the land, if anyone. It could be that no one has claim to it, but then where are we talking about? Above where the station will be located, or below, or perhaps she is looking at both. We need to find out, unfortunately, she knows both of you on sight."

"Killing her? I have thought of that on many occasions. Indeed, I have! And I believe that with a certain connection I have that I could have while she was in N'awlins, as they love to call it. But resisted the temptation as it would be difficult to pull that off and not be incriminated, or held accountable. So she is here to double-cross Meechan and Rose." That made him laugh.

"Seriously, that is exactly who she is, and I have no doubt she will have some success in doing so. In fact, you are correct, we need to act swiftly, but you are also right about our not knowing where she will buy up lots." Elias said, beginning to see the scheme for what it was. Buy up the property and sit on it until the boom that the railroad and the mining operations will bring."

"Where would the uppercrust live? North or south of the rails, that does make a difference. I'm sure you are aware." Bradley stated as that would be true. And as the situation would have it, those pieces of property would be south of where the depot was supposed to be, at least as rumor had it. But the homes of the most prosperous citizens were to the south of the main street.

"So, my thought here would be, perhaps for you to buy up several prime lots now. Is there a land office to handle that?" Tydall asked, "Or must you deal through the local bank?"

"No land office, though one is needed. The bank is privately owned by that swindler, Charles Wentworth! Fleecing everyone who has to deal with him for storefronts, vacant lots, or homes." Elias spat, not that he was any better. "Perhaps the Clerk at the Municipal building has a map of all the lots in the town limits. Beyond that, one just needs to lay claim it."