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Eastern Oregon
April 1894
“We’realmostsomewhere,Scout.”Rena Burke patted the neck of her faithful mule as she stared between the slats of the stock car where she traveled on a rocking train bound for Portland, Oregon.
She’d argued with the stationmaster back in Colorado until she’d given herself a headache about riding with Scout instead of taking a seat in a passenger car. When she’d refused to defer to his commands, the man must have realized it was pointless to tell her otherwise. He’d finally relented and allowed her to stay with her mule. Once he’d elicited her promise to remain in the stock car, the stationmaster had given her a discounted fare.
If Scout hadn’t been worn out past endurance after carrying her from Amarillo to Denver, she wouldn’t have splurged on the expense of boarding the train. However, it wasn’t just Scout’s weary state that had compelled her to pay the fare. Weeks of traveling alone coupled with a handful of frightening encounters along the way due to beasts with four legs, as well as some with two, had removed any doubt about continuing the trip on a train.
The last thing Rena wanted was to sit among people who gave her curious glances or disapproving glares. Just because she chose to wear trousers and her father’s old brown hat didn’t mean people should automatically judge her. Then again, the stares might be aimed at her because of the limp she couldn’t hide no matter how hard she tried.
Thoughts of life before she’d acquired the limp made her maudlin, so she returned her attention to watching out of the stock car slats as the train entered what appeared to be a prosperous town. She’d fallen asleep last night after dark and had only awakened an hour ago. Dawn was just beginning to stretch across the sky, but it was light enough she could see houses, businesses, and wide streets as the train screeched to a stop.
She heard someone, presumably the conductor, raise his voice above the racket. “Welcome to Baker City, folks. Welcome to the queen city of the Inland Empire!”
At least the man’s loud announcement assured Rena she had arrived at her destination to disembark the train. She brushed straw from her clothes and hastily braided her hair before settling the hat on her head. She saddled Scout, adjusted the saddlebags, and hung another bag of her belongings from the saddle horn. The reins dangled from her left hand as she waited for the door to open.
Part of the trip, she and Scout had shared the stock car with a mare with no manners and a gelding that had appeared half-starved. Rena had fed the gelding a portion of the feed she’d purchased for Scout. Both horses had been led off the train yesterday afternoon, and no more had been brought to their car.
Thankful for the reprieve from being around other animals and humans, Rena had been able to relax last night and get a good night’s rest. She figured she’d need all her strength as she continued on her journey.
Finally, the door to the stock car opened. Two men in denim overalls slid a wooden ramp into place, and she walked down it with Scout’s breath blowing warmth against her back.
“Come on, boy,” she said softly, stepping out into a morning that bore a fresh, pleasant scent, along with the aroma of bacon and coffee. Her stomach rumbled in hunger, but she ignored it as she held her head high, kept her posture stiff, and led Scout away from the depot.
Rena could have boarded another train for the last segment of her trip, but she wanted to take in the surroundings of the place that was to be her new home. She didn’t want her first view of Holiday, Oregon, to be from inside the stock car.
Rather than immediately leave Baker City, she wandered through town, stopping outside a mercantile. She would need a few provisions to see her through another night or two on the trail.
Rena looped Scout’s reins around a hitching rail, leaned against it, and waited for the store to open. As the sun rose, it carried welcome heat. She tipped her hat and head back until the warm rays of the golden orb caressed her face.
Footsteps behind her drew her from her brief yet peaceful interlude. She opened her eyes and turned around to be greeted by a friendly shopkeeper with a welcoming smile.
“Morning. You waiting to get in?” the man asked, keys dangling from a leather string held between his fingers as he stood near the door.
“Yes, sir. I just need to pick up a few things before I head out.” Rena pushed away from the rail and followed him inside a well-stocked store. She breathed in the scents of leather, spices, and kerosene.
“Feel free to look around. I’m Frank Miller, owner of the mercantile.” He held his hand out to her in greeting.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Miller. Rena Burke. I’m heading up to Holiday.” She shook his hand, then stepped back. “My cousin lives there.”
“It’s a pretty little town, up in the mountains like it is. Have you been there before?”
Rena shook her head. “No, sir. What’s the best way to get there?”
He quirked a bushy eyebrow. “On Hope.”
“Hope?” she asked while doing her best to swallow her annoyance. Hope was a fine thing to have, but her well of hope had run dry two years ago. It sure wouldn’t give her feet wings and fly her and Scout to Holiday. In fact, she was certain the One who gave hope had all but forgotten about her.
Mr. Miller grinned. “Hope is the name of the engine that pulls the Holiday Express train up the mountain. Everyone around these parts refers to the train as Hope.”
“I see. I, uh … won’t be riding the train.” Or riding hope off into the sunset, for that matter. She’d learned the hard way the only person she could depend on was herself, not some fanciful notion that anyone would help her when she needed it most. “What’s the next best way to get to Holiday?”
“There’s a wagon road. You’ll head east out of town, then northwest a few miles before the trail swings around to the north. There are a few signs posted along the way. You can’t miss it if you stay on the road.”
“How long would it take to get there, do you reckon?” Rena fingered a book from a shelf filled with interesting titles. It had been ages since she’d had anything new to read, but she wouldn’t waste any of her precious pennies on the luxury of a book. Her cousin had a collection of books. She was sure she’d find plenty of reading material at his place.
“If you’re planning to ride that ol’ mule tied out there to the hitching rail, I’d say it will take you a day and a half, maybe two. The elevation gets higher as you go, and you don’t want to push him too hard. There are a few smaller towns along the way. I’d recommend spending the night in one of them. The church in Aldeen, which also serves as the school, would be a good place for a person to get in out of the dark and cold if they didn’t have other options. There’s a little shed out back where the teacher leaves her horse and buggy during school hours. As long as you didn’t disturb anything, no one would care if you stayed there.”
