Foreword

This story is part of the Anthony Carter Universe, but in Book 1, the main characters of that universe play only marginal roles early on. The bulk of Book 1 is set during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush, in South Park and in Denver, and involves a number of historical events. I have tried, with the invaluable help of Spike CO, to maintain historical accuracy wherever possible. Of course, the main characters and the plot are fictional and not based on any real people and their lives.

A Captain Tremayne and a Lance Sergeant Malone fought at the Battle of Balaclava, as part of the 13th Light Dragoons, the latter earning one of the first Victoria Crosses ever awarded. I hope that none of their descendants take offense at my use of their names for this tale. I had picked the name 'Tremayne' as a typical English name from a Leslie Charteris novel, but to my astonishment, I found that an officer of this name had indeed fought at Balaclava. Talk about coincidence! The way I have described other historical figures and their characters is purely fictional, too, and in no way reflects their characters and doings in real life.

Please note that I employed British English spelling and word usage when appropriate (Prologue, but also letters exchanged with England), but the main body of Book 1 is written in American English. Work on Book 2, set mostly in Berkshire, England, is in progress. In it, you will meet again many characters from In The Navy and Ellen Trilby.

Now for the legal stuff: This story and the characters I invented for it are my intellectual property. I post my work exclusively on SOL, and I do not wish for it to be viewable on any other websites unless I authorize such additional posting in writing. Of course, you may download the story for your personal perusing and store it on your own computer or any other personal electronic reading device owned by you or your family (e.g. E-reader, iPhone/Pad/Pod) for the sole purpose of reading it. Any distribution to third persons outside your household is a violation of my copyright. There is one exception to this rule: if you want to forward the story to a friend who resides in a country where the Internet is censored, just do it and don't even tell me.

Enjoy!