Chapter 2

In the years since Colonel Anderson’s riders arrived, many changes have happened in and around Wilkins. Small farms and ranches started popped up all over the territory. In Wilkins itself, dozens of new shops and businesses opened up. Some were family oriented such as the candy store and ice cream emporium. Expensive treats to be enjoyed by all.

Some were much-needed services such as the laundry, which had been opened by a Mexican widow of advanced age. At first, she handled all of the required duties. But soon as time and business advanced, several other older women joined the workforce. It eventually became a center of activity. And as the prosperity of the region improved, so did the availability of disposable funds for luxuries such as clean clothes.

Surprisingly the widow, after hiring several of her friends and neighbors, continued on and opened a bakery. Of course, the first items on the menu were tortillas. Both corn and flour. But this soon expanded to various kinds of breads.

Other business ventures were intended for a more select clientele, such as Elizabeth’s Tea House. While tea could be purchased at Miss Utley’s, that wasn’t the main item on the menu. Lonely travelers from Virginia City to Flagstaff knew that a clean room could be had at Elizabeth’s Tea House by the half or full hour. Or if you were flush the entire night. Of course, the price of the room also included a willing and comely young lady. Also available were several games of chance such as faro and poker.

The tea house had caused an uproar among the respectable ladies of Wilkins. There was talk of misrepresentation and lying. The lady’s association had complained to the Mayor, Sheriff and town council that Elizabeth Utley was a woman of low and immoral character. They further complained that they had been duped into funding what was in effect a house of ill repute. When asked to comment, a meeting was had between Elizabeth and the council. No one would repeat what was said, but the matter of the tea house was dropped, and the lady’s association told to tend to their knitting. The loan for the Tea House was paid off, with interest. without comment.

Of primary importance, though, was the Wells Fargo stage line. When Colonel Anderson arrived in Wilkins, the Wells Fargo company had already scheduled the discontinuation of the Wilkins run as a regular stop. This was due in part to the lack of passengers and freight coming to Wilkins. This was originally due to disruptions caused by the Civil war. But later because of the increase in bandit activity. Both stages carrying paying passengers and freight wagons carrying ore were being robbed on the various routes. These assaults dwindled to almost nothing when riders from the Anderson Hacienda started making regular patrols throughout the territory. Those patrols also contributed to the sense of safety felt by the small ranchers and farmers. It became a rare event for banditos or Comancheros to attack isolated locations. Especially when well-armed combat-trained riders had the upsetting habit of showing up just when the fun started. Word quickly spread through the criminal community to avoid the Wilkins region.

That same bandit activity had a negative effect on the mining operations in the area. Payrolls didn’t come in. And ore wagons couldn’t get out. Before Colonel Anderson’s arrival, most of the smaller operations had let their claims lapse. The larger ones at first tried to buy up those claims. But without pay for the miners or ore going to the refineries, they too slowly choked to death.

But as with all the other recoveries, the mining operations had a resurgence. The difference was that the new owners of those claims and mines were local concerns with local owners.

But an unfortunate result of peace is a relaxation of awareness. If a visit to town was no longer considered dangerous, if the last ten visits had been pleasant adventures, why shouldn’t this visit be the same?

It was with this sense of peace and security with the world that Linda Price and Susan Gibson. Both young members of the Anderson Hacienda. Planned a trip to town.

Linda’s husband had been a member of Colonel Anderson’s troop during the war. After Appomattox and the tragedy at Ford’s theater, they had reunited. But because of his wounds, he had succumbed to infections that were untreatable at the time. As the wife of a fallen comrade, her membership with the Regiment was unquestioned.

Susan Gibson and Hans Shelton were orphans. Border raiders had murdered their parents during the early phases of the war. Susan, the older of the two, had done what was necessary for the pair to survive. It had been during the Regiments move westward that they had been found and accepted into Colonel Anderson’s family.

Orphans were not unknown in the Regiment. And everyone did what was necessary to care for them. Those too young to care for themselves were adopted to couples. Those able to care for themselves were assigned to a mentor. That person was a guiding force for those youngsters. Hans and Susan became Linda’s family, sort of. It was a relationship that was built through acceptance and trust. It may not have been parental, but it was just as strong.

The long-standing order at the Hacienda was that anybody going into Wilkins had to be accompanied by an adult. That children and minors were not allowed passage outside of the Hacienda walls without an adult supervisor. When Linda and Susan planned their trip into Wilkins, they felt that they were complying with those orders. It didn’t spoil their plans, which included a visit to the ice cream emporium when Hans heard what they had planned. They reluctantly agreed to his accompanying them. His argument that they needed a protector was light-heartedly accepted.

Now, as Susan’s younger adopted brother, he saw it not only as his right but his duty that he be included in this adventure. After all, the ladyfolk needed a protector. Besides, whoever heard of a girl driving a buckboard.

Hey, give him a break. He was young, and it’s the 1880’s.

When they arrived in town, everything seemed quiet and peaceful. Hans drove the team over to Clive’s Livery Stable and with the watchful amused and tolerant eye of Linda. Negotiated the stabling of their horse and buckboard for the day.

Linda knew that any offer from Clive would be honest and fair. After all, he was a good friend of the Regiment.

What followed was an enjoyable adventure for the ladies. They spent hours picking through the selections in Gumble’s Emporium. Picking and choosing and asking each other for their opinion. Hans bored and regretting his insistence on accompanying the ladies was also asked his opinion for fabric color texture cost and a dozen other aspects of what to Hans, was just cloth. Nothing more, nothing less.

Finally, to Hans’ relief, the ladies decided that the day’s adventure was concluded. That they needed to get back home. It was as they walked down the boardwalk that life took a tragic and unexpected turn.