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more trees. You might even see one or two herd of buffalo before we’re through. That’s something you’ll for sure want to write about.”
    â€œI’ve never seen such country. Except for along the river, there are no trees.” She looked over at him. “Do you still think my father is crazy to think he can build a railroad out here?”
    â€œI never said I thought he was crazy.”
    â€œNo, but I could tell you were thinking it.”
    Colt laughed lightly, and Sunny thought she had never met a more handsome or more mysterious man. She was surprised at the feelings he stirred in her. Until she had made this trip with her father, she had not given fond thoughts to any young man. All the ones she knew back in Chicago were so empty, and so obviously interested in the wealth she would one day inherit. Somehow she suspected this young man didn’t care about those things. Colt was the first young man who had actually drawn her attention from her father.
    â€œIt’s really best if you go back,” he told her.
    How could she tell him she loved riding beside him? How could she ever explain to him or anyone how her heart pounded so that it hurt when he was near? Was she too young to feel this way? Would he laugh at her if he knew? Worse, was she being disloyal to her father and her responsibilities? Someday she would be one of the richest women in the country. What would someone like Colt Travis think of that? She had learned enough about him to know that he would hate the kind of life she led back in Chicago, and she carried too many obligations to ever leave that life. She was being silly and irresponsible to think of being anything but passing friends with this man; but even that much was exciting.
    Colt turned to meet her gaze, and she reddened, wondering if he realized what she was thinking. Maybe he thought the same. “You will take supper with us tonight, won’t you?” she asked. “We’re having steak, boiled potatoes, biscuits, and peas. We’ll even have a little wine.”
    Colt snickered and shook his head. “Your father sure knows how to travel.” He took another drag on his cigarette. “I’ll join you, but don’t ask me too often. A man like me feels kind of out of place doing that sort of thing. I sure never thought I’d see the day when people ate off fancy plates out here. I can’t even imagine the way you must live back in Chicago.”
    â€œWell, it’s the only life I’ve ever known, so I suppose it isn’t as grand to me as it might be to others. Our house is three stories high, and has twenty-five rooms. The third floor has a wonderful ballroom. Daddy loves to throw parties. We have ten servants and two cooks. You should come and visit us sometime when this trip is over. We could take you to the theater, and you could ride a train. Maybe you could come to my sixteenth birthday party. There will even be senators and congressmen there.”
    Colt kept the cigarette between his lips. “No, thanks. You can have your fancy life. Me and cities and wealth don’t mix very well.”
    Her smile faded slightly. Of course not , she thought. How strange that she felt almost embarrassed about her wealth. “My father and his father before him worked very hard for what we have today, Colt.” Suddenly she felt she had to explain. “You might think we live in the lap of luxury and lie around all day, but it isn’t that way. I travel everywhere with Daddy. I’ve seen how hard he works. It isn’t easy running several big companies, and when you have sons who don’t help the way they should, well, it’s even harder. My brothers have disappointed my father in a lot of ways. I’m the only one who understands him, the only one who knows how he hurts inside sometimes. I’m as excited about building this railroad as he is, and I pray every night that it will come to be.”
    Colt