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Washington by train. Someday, though, people will be able to travel in style and comfort all the way to California! I can see it already.” He took a deep breath. “It’s going to cost millions, but with the right backing I know we can convince the president and Congress to support us. Why, only two months ago I was talking with several senators who seem sold on the idea. It’s not an easy thing to talk men who have no imagination into an idea they think is impossible. That’s the trouble with most men, Colt. They don’t think big enough. They give up too easily. I believe in a transcontinental railroad, and, by God, it’s going to happen!” The man rose then, beaming. “Sunny! Come and sit. We’ll eat soon.”
    Sunny approached them, her hair still wet but pulled into a thick tail at the back of her neck. She was fresh and clean and beautiful, and Colt wanted to leave so he wouldn’t have to look at her. She walked up and kissed her father’s cheek, then sat down across from Colt, journal and pen in hand.
    Men began cleaning up Sunny’s bathing area, and Miss Putnam hurried to Sunny’s side, setting a bottle of ink in front of her. Colt thought the woman looked a little frazzled. Apparently, it was Sunny who got to clean up and relax first. Miss Putnam wore the same dress she had on earlier in the day, and the hemline was still damp. She looked pale and unhappy, and Colt could have felt sorry for her if it were not for the strange looks she had been giving him the last few days, as though he were something detestable. She nodded to him curtly. “Mr. Travis, how nice that you can join us.” The words were spoken sarcastically, and her narrow gray eyes moved over him scathingly.
    â€œThank you,” Colt answered guardedly. He wondered how the bony Miss Putnam kept from blowing away in the wind, and what it took to make the woman smile. The only thing he had found likable about her was her apparent loyalty to Sunny. It was obvious the woman had not wanted to come along on this trip, and she had been physically ill the first few days, but she seemed to be better now. Her hair, a mousy brown streaked with gray, was escaping from its normally neat bun, and she had apparently not had a chance to rest or change since the river crossing; yet she continued to fuss over Sunny.
    Stuart and Bo talked business for a while, and Colt had never felt more uncomfortable or out of place. The few times he had eaten with families of other wagon trains, the people had been ordinary and down to earth, people with whom he could carry on a normal conversation and with whom he could feel welcome. To go to so much trouble to set a proper table out in the wilderness seemed to him absurd, let alone listening to talk of stocks and bonds and banking investments. He could not help staring when one of the cooks placed a candelabrum in the center of the table and lit the candles.
    â€œIsn’t this nice, Daddy,” Sunny said. “Why didn’t we use the candles before?”
    â€œWe would have if it weren’t always so windy out here. This is the first evening that it’s been still enough to light them.”
    Colt struggled not to laugh, realizing that Sunny actually thought this was absolutely wonderful. The food was served at the makeshift table first, after which the rest of Landers’s men were fed. The others also ate from china plates, just like those at the table, but they and the cooks sat in their own little group. Only Bo and Stuart Landers, Sunny, Miss Putnam, and Colt sat at the table, and Colt found himself hoping they did not expect him to sit here every night. Father and son were friendly enough, but between bites they continued to talk about politics and investments. Colt ate quietly while Bo talked about his friends who had already agreed to back his idea for the railroad, men who were willing to put up thousands of dollars, more money in a single