"You think I'm made ofmoney?"
"I can't leave withouthim. Frenchie does terrible things to him."
Li Sung stopped beside them,his glance going from Jane's face to Patrick's. "I am going?"
Jane gazed pleadingly atPatrick.
"Dammit to hell."Patrick whirled and started down the platform toward the uniformed conductorwho was talking to the engineer in his cab. "Only as far as Omaha. I'll bedamned if I tote him with me any farther."
Jane's breath escaped in alittle rush. "It's all right. Get on the train, Li Sung." "Whereis this Omaha?"
"A long way, Ithink." Jane was a bit vague about that too. "And by that time I'llthink of a way to make him keep you with us all the way. He's not a hardman."
Li Sung smiled bitterly."But he is Irish and the Irish do not like my race."
"I'll find a way,"Jane repeated. "Just stay out of his sight for a while."
As she opened the door to thepassenger coach, she felt the floor suddenly vibrate beneath her feet and frozein alarm. The motion felt... odd. Though she could not remember a time when shehad not been dragged with her mother from tent city to tent city as Frenchiefollowed the construction crews who laid the tracks, she had never actuallybeen on a train before.
Li Sung nodded understandinglyas he met her gaze. "Much power. I can see why they call it the ironhorse."
She shook her head. "It'smore like the dragons you told me about, breathing fire and smoke and swishingtheir tails." She went on down the aisle ahead of him. "We'll getused to it."
Li Sung nodded as he set theknapsacks on the rack above her head and the carpet bag beside her. "If itis possible to become used to dragons."
"It's possible." Shesat down and folded her hands in her lap. The air smelled of stale cigars andthe fresh-cut wood and coal in the fuel box by the stove at the front of thecar. She must become accustomed to the vibration, the scents, the noise thatwas to make up this new life. "It's going to be all right, Li Sung. You'llsee, we're going to be—"
A mournful whimper suddenlyissued from the carpet bag.
"Oh, damn, I hoped he'dstay asleep." Jane glanced furtively out the window and saw Patrick stillarguing with the conductor. She quickly opened the carpet bag. Immediately abrown and white muzzle poked into view. She gently stroked the soft fur on thehead of the scrawny beagle pup. "Hush, not now. No noise."
"I told you not to bringthe stray."
Her head lifted and she glaredfiercely at Li Sung. "Sam's only six weeks old. Frenchie would have lethim starve like he did his mother and the other pups. I had to bring him."
A small smile lit Li Sung'ssallow face as he nodded resignedly. "I know, it is your nature. Still,your father will not be pleased."
"He doesn't know...yet." She quickly closed the carpet bag and thrust it at Li Sung."You'd better take him up to the front of the car and stay there until Icome for you."
Li Sung shrugged and took thecarpet bag. "He will probably throw me and the pup off the train."
"No, he won't. I won'tlet him. I'll just convince him we'll need a guard dog in—" She paused aminute, trying to remember the name of the town for which they were destined."Salisbury."
"And how will you dothat?"
"I'll just keep at himand never give up." She set her jaw. "If you want something badenough, you can make it happen. You just keep on going until everybody elsegets tired of fighting."
"Let us hope he growsweary before we reach this Omaha." Li Sung limped down the aisle towardthe far end of the car.
Her father had finished hisdiscussion with the conductor and was striding down the platform, hisexpression distinctly displeased.
Father. She must remember notto call him that, she thought wistfully. He would not acknowledge her as kin,and it would only anger him. Perhaps, if she worked very hard, if she madeherself useful enough, someday he would let her use the word.
The piercing blast of thewhistle made her jump and then grab hold of the wooden seat as the trainlurched forward.
She heard Patrick's obsceneexclamation as he loped the last few yards, jumped for the steps, and pulledhimself on the train.
Steam frosted the cold airoutside the window as the black dragon began to glide slowly away from thehastily erected shacks and weather-stained tents that was Promontory Point.
