Chapter 16 - The Trial That Divided the Town
The federal trial lasted months.
Harland was convicted on multiple charges related to conspiracy, unlawful confinement, fraud, and corruption.
Clem was convicted as well.
Others followed.
Some defendants escaped serious punishment because evidence was incomplete.
That angered Eda.
Amos reminded her justice was rarely as clean as stories made it sound.
But dozens of fraudulent contracts were voided.
Missing women were located.
Families reunited.
The freight network was dismantled.
And new scrutiny made similar schemes harder to hide.
The town changed.
Not magically.
Not completely.
But visibly.
Amos regained his badge.
The auction yard was torn down.
The platform became lumber for a schoolhouse.
Eda liked that.
Something once used to strip people of names now helped children learn to write theirs.
Silas rebuilt.
The new house had a long table.
Too many chairs.
Exactly enough noise.
Ruth eventually took work at the mercantile.
Mabel became Amos's records clerk.
Lena worked at the telegraph office.
Susanna helped the preacher establish a shelter for stranded women.
Pearl apprenticed with the town doctor.
Joelle and Margaret opened a sewing shop.
Each chose.
That was the important part.
Nobody assigned them.
Nobody sold them.
Nobody told them what gratitude required.
Eda remained at the ranch.
One evening Silas asked why.
She looked at him.
“You haven't figured it out?”
“I try not to assume things about you.”
“That's probably why.”
He smiled.
Then she kissed him.
Briefly.
Silas looked stunned.
Eda laughed.
“Still trying not to assume?”
“Very much.”
“Good.”
May you like
Because Eda had one more decision to make—and this one belonged entirely to her.
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