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have.”
    “I best be asking your pardon again,” the girl said, blushing rosily herself. “Pay no attention to me spiteful words. It just be jealousy that I don’t look like you, though I know there be no clothes this side of heaven that could turn a peahen like me into a beautiful lady like you.”
    “Thank you,” Carrie replied, feeling more embarrassed than ever. “And you don’t have to apologize for not having the courage to face Mr. Riggins. If I had known about him, I doubt I’d have gotten off the stage.”
    “For sure you would. Some people just naturally step up to the line when there’s trouble, and you be one of them.”
    “The courage of desperation,” Carrie said with an embarrassed laugh.
    “’Tis possible, but I doubt it. Anyhow, I’m glad you’re here. Now maybe I’ll be getting something to eat without being afraid of what those wicked creatures had a mind to do if only they weren’t so scared of Mr. Barrow. Ah, I be forgetting me manners. I’m Katie O’Malley, and you can tell from me accent I’ve only just come from Ireland.”
    “How long have you been here?” Carrie asked, skipping over the mention of Lucas, but making a mental note to get back to it as soon as possible.
    “I be waiting for me husband-to-be to come for me. I’m wondering whether he has got himself held up or if I got the date wrong. I have been here six days already, and I can tell you I was hard set to get through six days of Baca Riggins. Besides,” she said, gathering in a little slack in the waist of her dress, I’m naturally plump, and if I don’t start getting something to eat, I’ll soon be a withered twig like you.”
    “Come on inside,” Carrie said. “I’ve got to find something for dinner. I’m sure I can find something for you, too.” Carrie picked up her suitcase and started toward the station.
    “I’ll be there afore ye,” Katie said. I’m nigh unto starving. I been staying in the cabin up the road, that’s your cabin by the by, because I couldn’t trust that Mr. Riggins and his friends not to go getting ideas in the middle of the night.”
    “Didn’t they offer to feed you?”
    For certain they did, anytime I was hungry enough to come down to the station, but I couldn’t eat much, not after the first mouthful, and I was frightful of being in the room alone with those three. No matter, I would watch for the stage and hurry down while the passengers were here.”
    “But that’s awful.”
    “I’ve no doubt, but ‘twas safer.”
    They had reached the steps and Carrie stood staring at the dilapidated station.
    “I might as well warn you. Most likely you never saw anything like the inside of this place, so don’t be overset. Though it’ll be small blame if ye are. ‘Tis enough to make your stomach turn.”
    They stepped inside and Carrie stared about her in shock. The dishes from the previous meal were still on the table, but more dirty plates were stacked on a table against the wall, several pots covered with the leavings of what had been cooked in them were piled against a corner of the stove, and the cabinet doors stood ajar, their contents haphazardly left open to the ravages of flies and spoilage. The room itself hadn’t been cleaned in months and every surface was caked with grease. Carrie had no idea how she was going to get everything cleaned in time to get dinner ready.
    “Here, let me lend you a hand,” Katie offered.
    “No,” Carrie said with sudden resolution, “this is my job, and I have to do it myself.”
    “Then you’d best be changing your dress, or you’ll never wear it again. There be rooms in the back, probably as filthy as this, but you’ll have some privacy.” Carrie found two rooms, both incredibly grimy, but she made herself ignore the debris for the time being. First things first, and the first thing she had to do was to get dinner ready for the passengers she was expecting.
    “There be a stage coming through at half past six,” Katie