"I know Abby, but we're here in Antelope Hill. You gotta get off. I'll see you next week on my way back through town." said Gavin. He helped Abby with her luggage and left her on the train platform.
The train pulled away across the prairie and Abby was left all alone in a strange town where she knew no one. She knew she'd have to get things done by surviving on her own grit. She walked up the street looking for someone to speak too.
Halfway up the street she met a man. "Hello I'm Abigail Green, Gavin Lake sent me. He said this town was looking for a teacher. Well, I'm your lady. I can teach kids from kindergarten through eighth grade. I don't suppose you'd know someone I could speak to about the position or a place to stay in town until Gavin gets back from his job next week?
The rough looking man stared at this strange woman for awhile. Why would a lady like this come to a small irrelevant town in the middle of Wyoming? She must be out of her mind. Still she was very pretty, he could do something with her. He knew Gavin, didn't like him and knew that Gavin was out of town working as a conductor a lot. This lady would need a friend in town. Someone she could rely on. A man who could take care of her because she surely was incapable of taking care of herself. Just look at how she had struggled with her luggage. All women needed a real man to take care of them especially on the frontier like this. He was a real man who could do that.
"I'm Shane Ross, I own the saloon. I live right next to the school house and for $2 a month, I'd be more than happy to let you board with me. Gavin lives on the opposite end of town from the schoolhouse...right on the edge of the prairie. It gets very cold there and there's no protection from wild animals and Indians...it's not safe for a lady like you, especially since he's always gone. Stay with me and I'll speak to the school board about you being our teacher." Shane said to Abigail.
"Well, that's very kind of you Shane. I'll stay with you for now." Abby struggled to pick up her bags and followed Shane to his house.
Shane showed her around his bar before he took her into the house. He said he could "use a woman to help out about the place." Abby hoped he didn't want her to work at his bar. She wanted to be a teacher to the children of Antelope Hill...not a barmaid. Abby hoped that Gavin would be back soon. Even though they had only spent a few days together she missed him.
Her destiny in this new westward place lay before her...for better or worse.
