"Honourable Mrs Pike being coy with Charlie Fa!  When say dear friend, mean old girlfriend?"

"Well, yes, that's a way to put it."  Emeline managed a smile.  "They were in love, yes."

"Old Chinese proverb, Mrs Pike, 'when new wife meet old wife, knife take life'. It not very clever proverb, but that not point!"

"Well, I'm afraid it's too late for Miss Dey."  She almost chuckled, but the humor was a bit dark, and flippant considering Charlie's fear of the cemetery.  But death was part of life, and remembering the dead showed honor to them.

"Hmmm, sometime child know better than parent." he took her by the arm to support her out of that place of ill omen "Charlie has pony and trap outside Cemetery, take you into town if like, get medicine for pain if like, too. Not bad Mercian medicine. Chinese medicine."

"So long as it's not harmful to the baby, I'd be happy for something to help with the pain and nausea."  She knew the Chinese had a way with herbals and teas, and while she didn't think it was the cure-all, she did think that sort of medicine had its place.  "And I appreciate the ride.  We're staying at the International Hotel.  Mr. Pike is taking care of some business."

Emeline gratefully allowed Charlie to help her onto the cart, then settled for the short ride, a hand resting on her belly.  As they passed the gates of the cemetery, she felt a small chill and glanced over her shoulder, but there was nothing, and she shook it off.

This part of town was so different that it hardly seemed like Virginia City, and she was fascinated by the ramshackle buildings and all the 'different' faces.  She'd seen Chinese, of course, but never so many in one place, and along with the lack of Anglos, made this seem like a completely different world, and she was intrigued.

"Honourable Mrs Pike wish to stay in cart or come inside, see real life Chinese opium den? It quite safe, Charlie protect. Also, dreamers of white poppy not dangerous, they usually out cold."

"Oh, yes!  That would wonderful!"  She was looking for new experiences, and this was one that had never occurred to her, and one that likely wouldn't present itself again.  And she did feel safe with Charlie.

Barnabas left Cap at the Sharon House, there was a poker game starting up that Cap was invested in. He asked Pike to sit in, but gambling, no matter how much money he had, was just not something he was willing to do these days. He had to figure out where he sat financially, with what he saw as a windfall sitting at the Wells Fargo office, or perhaps it was already transferred to Helena, but whatever the case he hoped to have some figures to study. Of course, it was no windfall at all, it was his share of the profits from the mines that Con Virginia, which was now part and parcel of the United Mining Corporation, controlled.

Trying to keep up with what was happening on the Comstock was dizzying for him. He had been away from the hill for too long, and mining was moving quickly. Cap had said the 'Kings' were seldom in town anymore, having moved to California, yet their presence was aptly represented by a team of lawyers. The enforcers of his time there were a thing of the past, 'Old Virginnyas it had been called, the town itself was no longer as wild or wooly as it had been in those early years, or up into the seventies. She was a city now with both the Sheriff and the Police Force of Virginia City maintaining the peace.

H estepped through the door and started toward the row of six tellers' cages when Avaodale stood and waved him over to his desk. That made Pike smile now he was about to learn how much he was worth.

"Mister Pike, we have completed the transfer to Helena as you requested, and," he slid a paper toward him, "Listed are the deposits and withdrawals of the past three years. You will note that from eighteen and seventy-three until this past spring, there were no withdrawals. However, as you can see, there have been quite a few since then."

Pronto looked at the numbers and suddenly sat back. Avondale stood, "Can I get you something? Water, coffee, something stronger?" 

"No, well, water, yes, some water would be good, and maybe a shot of bourbon," Pronto replied. In a moment both sat before him. He downed the water quickly, then tossed off the bourbon, which burned on the way down and made him wish he had left some water as a chaser. Yet, he was refocused.

"It is projected that at least for the next quarter, you can expect the same remuneration as the last two quarters have produced." Avondale stated. "Sir?"

"You'll have to excuse me, sir, I ah, this is all new to me. I mean I realized that I had a good deal of money, and I could do what I have done and still be able to travel as we have. But, I had not figured on what I am seeing." He admitted, totally taken aback by the figures.

"Well sir, I can assure you that those figures are accurate to the penny, and if I might suggest, get yourself a competent attorney," Avondale advised. "In Montana, where you are. You are quite wealthy as is Mister Taylor who monitors that the deposits are made timely and accurately.

Back in control, Pike stood, offered his hand to Avondale who grasped it firmly. "Thank Mister Avondale. Thank you very much." And with that, Barnabas 'Pronto' Pike left the Wells Fargo office

Staying close to Charlie, Emeline looked around at what she could see in the dim lighting.  The stench made her stomach churn a bit, but she was so fascinated that she didn't notice much.  There was a feeling of hopelessness and despair, but also a sort of peace, that she found intriguing, and part of her wanted to explore it more deeply, but there certainly wasn't time for that.

"Dreamers of the white poppy," she repeated, "that sounds to romantic."  While she didn't know much about opium, at least in this form, she knew it was related to morphine and laudanum, and knew that those could provide relief from pain, but also could capture a user and drag them into the depths of addiction, and eventually to death.

"Have you ever tried it?" she asked Charlie.  "Is it safe to use just once?"

Barnabas stood outside the bank for a few moments to gather himself, as it were. He was suddenly in a world he had never been in before. A world that was far and away from the life of a cowboy, gunfighter, and Deputy Marshal. He had thought marriage had lifted him to another level in life, that Em' pregnancy had elevated him above anything else, yet the paper, neatly folded and placed carefully in the inside pocket of his coat had stunned him as nothing before had done. Marriage, and her pregnancy, were moments of pure joy. What her had learned set him back on his heels.

He crossed the busy street and returned to the Sharon House. What he needed was a drink and a talk with Cap Taylor. He piushed through the framed glass door to see the man he sought still seated at the bar, and that was good. He didn't need to roust him from a poker game.

"Well son, everything work out at the bank?" Cap asked.

"You never told me how things were really going, Cap."

"Hell, you never asked. I jest assumed you knew, were keeping track of things like that." Cap responded. "Guess you know now where you stand, an' that's good. Real good. We sell out here in the next year, or maybe sooner, depends. Well, you and that lovely wife of yers can do as you please, when you please." Cap stated. "We done alright with that one-third intrest you won, didn't we?"

"I can't argue that Cap, I just got floored at the news of where I really stand. I was not ready for that. Not sure why, just haven't paid much mind to the bank in Helena, livin' offa my salary till I bought the ranch and the bank said yes, and then the cattle. This trip, I thought I'd pretty much run out savings. I guess not."

"Nope. Sorry I didn't write and warn you, I should've, I know. Well, now yer set. 'course the last thing I see in you is hangin' up them guns of yers, of takin' off that badge, well, not right away."

"No, not right away, lest the Marshal up there decides he's done, then prob'ly. Em says it's my call, but I know she wants me to the ranch. I guess we'll see how she goes once I'm home again." Pike added.

Cap turned to look at Pike and said, "Well, get the hell offa this mountain, take that woman, and go live yer life!" Then he smiled. "Never can tell I might drop in on ya sometime."

Pike smiled. "You'll always be welcome Cap, you know that."

"I do, and I might jest take you up on that." Now git!"

Pike got off the stool and was out the door, down Taylor Street, crossed "C" and continued down Taylor to St. Mary's Catholic Church. Not that he was Catholic, but he felt the need to give thanks, and it was the biggest church in town.

They had electricity in 1876 in VC

'Interesting condition...'  That was an interesting way to put it, but she liked it.  "Thank you," Emeline commented, happy that the man was honest with her, and was looking out for her.  "And you are a gentleman, Mister Fa, don't let anyone tell you different!"

Gazing around, she found that she was fascinated by the variety of people strewn around the place -- all adult ages, men, women, from the type of clothing, all classes, yet all in the same seemingly euphoric state.  So different from alcohol.  Sure, some alcoholics were near-comatose, but more often, they were loud and boisterous, either in a good way or a bad way.

"How long are they like that?" she asked, then added, "what does that mean, 'close escape'?"