Page 3 of Ellen Found
“Not so fast, Miss Found.” Newspaper Man glared at the interviewer. “We’re hiring her, and Plato too.”
“Me? You are?”
“Heavens, yes,” the man said. “I’m Harry Child, president of the Yellowstone Park Company, and you’re working for me.”
“But that lady . . .”
“I sent her on her way.” He turned to the interviewer, who stared back. “Hopkins, not one job seeker out of ten will tell you the truth. That’s all we have heard from Miss Found.”
“But . . .”
“That other woman? Don’t you know when someone’s lying?” He turned to Ellie. “Well? Are you in?”
Ellie nodded, too shy to speak.
“Room, board, and thirty dollars a month.” He laughed. “And five dollars for Plato, plus kitchen scraps. Welcome to Yellowstone Park.”
Ellie signed a contract for the winter. “Sir, how long is a season?”
“As long as I say it is,” he replied. “Now, head over to Hotel Bozeman.”
“We can stay in the depot,” Ellie assured him. “I wouldn’t want to ...”Spend any more of my money, she thought.Suppose a season is really short?
Mr. Child held up one finger. “Miss Found, let us come to a right understanding.Allmy hires stay there.” He glanced at the interviewer, who seemed to wilt before Ellie’s eyes. “Hopkins, I’ll handle this.” The door closed quietly.
Mr. Child handed her a voucher for a room and meals. “The Bozeman is around the corner. Settle in and be ready for an early start.”
She hesitated; he noticed. “Yes?”
“Why didn’t you hire that lady? She was dressed so nicely, and I know what I look like.” Might as well be honest. “I told Mr. Hopkins I was a found baby and he wasn’t impressed.”
“Mr. Hopkins is a new hire, too, and he lacks experience.”
“Yes, but—”
“I’ve eaten in a few Mercury Street Cafés. I hire determined people wanting to do better.” He touched the contract. “I saw your determination.”
She nodded, too overcome to speak because he was right.
“Alice Knight sings at the Bonanza Casino. I, uh, planted her to teach Hopkins something about hiring people.” He chuckled. “And maybe learn to look inside people, and not just at nice clothes.”
“I wish I had better clothes,” Ellie admitted.
“No worry. Mrs. Child is creating uniforms for the Old Faithful Inn staff. She’ll have something soon. It comes with the job.”
“All I want is a chance.”
“You have one.”
I can’t discard this journal. Gwen might want to read it someday to know more about her dear mother. Also, I want to write about this construction, as Mr. Child’s lead carpenter. We’ve been building the Old Faithful hotel since June. This was my chance to retrieve Gwen from Clare’s sister in Helena. She didn’t relinquish my child willingly, but Gwen is mine. Gwen has attached herself to Ellen Found, a quiet woman Mr. Child hired to assist Mrs. Quincy in the kitchen. She has a fearsome cat and a sweet smile. (Hers, not the cat’s.)
THREE DAYS LATER, traveling in a yellow tourist stagecoach from Mr. Child’s transportation company, Ellie arrived at the construction site.They spent one night at a hotel in Gardiner, and another night at a soldiers’ station inside Yellowstone Park. Even better, Ellie made an acquaintance.
Two acquaintances. She noticed the man and child in The Bozeman’s lobby after breakfast. Mr. Child knew them, so she assumed he was one of the workers. That was that, at first.
It was a short walk to the depot from The Bozeman. To her delight, Ellie found an empty seat that contained a discarded newspaper. The porter offered to take her carpetbag, but stepped back when he heard Plato’s rumbling growl from within.
She admired the scenery as they clacked along, reveling in unheard-of leisure, then opened the newspaper. She was deep in an article titled “American Renegade Killed. Desperate Fighting in Small Boat with Filipinos” when someone cleared his throat and Plato hissed.
