Back Trail
Copyright© 2023 by Zanski
Chapter 28
On the afternoon of the third Saturday in October, they had just come in from having a tour of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. They were a bit weary, but more from the shopping that had followed the tour. Malik had taken note of a particular suit on display at a men’s haberdashery and had ordered one in charcoal gray and another in navy blue. While he was being fitted, Gabriela had visited a neighboring bookseller, selecting two books for herself and one she thought might interest Malik. On the way back to the hotel, they stopped in a glove maker’s shop where they found soft, comfortable, but remarkably sturdy riding gloves in natural and dyed black leather. They purchased a half dozen pair for each of them.
Gabriela was in the hotel suite’s bedroom, changing into a dressing gown she would wear to the bathing room at the end of the hall. Malik was stretched out on the bed, shoes off, reading the first pages of the book Gabriela had purchased for him. It was an illustrated volume—somewhat controversial, the bookseller had confided—the recently published Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by the humorist author and lecturer, Mark Twain. Malik’s attention was drawn away from the pages, however, by Gabriela’s disrobing process.
There came a knock on the door of the outer parlor. Malik groaned, then went to answer it.
A young man in bell hop livery stood with an envelope on a silver tray. He held it toward Malik and said, “Sir, this just arrived.” Malik recognized it as a telegraph company envelope. He picked it up, reached into his pocket and dropped a dime on the tray. “Thank you, Robbie.”
“My pleasure, Mister Malik.” Smiling, the boy turned and left.
He had not received Cowboy’s routine reply by noon, as was their practice, but was not particularly concerned. Even so, its arrival was a small relief.
Hearing the door close, Gabriela called, “What was it, sweetheart?”
“Cowboy’s wire.” He tore the envelope carefully along the edge, blew into the open slit, and reached in with finger and thumb to retrieve the message.
“Anything special?”
“Just about to read it.”
A moment later he was standing in the bedroom doorway, holding the form out to Gabriela. She was startled by the grim look in his eyes and the set of his jaw. She took the paper to the window for better light.
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