Hope had been infuriated to the point of losing her appetite For a week when she discovered that Diamond Jack's reach extended to most of the police officers in the first ward and that very little if anything was done to stop this outrageous kidnapping and rutalization of young women. Once she'd gotten past her initial fury, however, Hope's practical nature had taken over. She left the speeches and lawmaking up to her father, deciding to counteract the white slavers in her own small way.
Perhaps she couldn't save everyone, but she could save a few. or now, that had to be enough.
Unfortunately, Marvin knew her by appearance and often did is best to circumvent Hope's circumventions. Hope had taken to coming to meet the trains earlier and earlier each time, but apparently Marvin was one step ahead of her today and had arrived even earlier than she. She frowned as she studied the criminal appareled in his expensive, sleek clothing. A portly gentleman entering the station caught her attention.
"Your pardon, sir," she called out, giving the startled man her best smile. "I am new to this station and also abominably late. I wonder if you could be bothered to show me to the train shed?"
"It would be my honor, my dear," the man said, gallantly putting out his elbow for her to take.
Hope peaked over the man's shoulder as she rattled off some ridiculous story about visiting a sick aunt in St. Louis, glad to see that although Marvin had set down his paper he had not noticed her behind the man's bulk.
Her luck held strong. After she'd given her heartfelt thanks to the portly gentleman, she saw through the smoky train shed that the Milwaukee Road pulled into Chicago early.
With any luck, by the time its arrival was announced in the waiting room, Hope would have plucked a potential victim right out from beneath Marvin Ever-crumb's nose.
Minutes later Hope studied the faces of the stream of new arrivals with an expert eye. When she saw a slender, full-breasted young woman with the dark curls and expression of mixed excitement and panic on her pretty face, Hope stepped forward as decisively as if she were greeting a distant cousin on her first trip to the city.
"Good afternoon. I hope you had a smooth journey."
The woman glanced down over Hope warily but whatever she saw seemed to chase away her caution.
"That's the prettiest coat I've ever laid eyes on! My sister Eloise told me women in Chicago knew how to dress real smart."
"Thank you. I like your hat very much."
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"It's nothing compared to yours."
"My name is Hope Stillwater. I belong to the Welcoming League, a group of Christian women whose mission it is to greet new visitors and familiarize them with our beautiful city," Hope lied effortlessly. In truth, she was a one-woman army. Her attempts at getting other female social reformers to join in her efforts had thus far been unsuccessful, as the train depot was considered to be nearly as unsavory of a locale as a tavern. She was still confident in her efforts to form a future Welcoming League, however.
Hope held out her hand. "The city can be a bit overwhelming on your first visit."
"I'm Sadie Holcrum, miss, and you're right about that," Sadie said as she shook Hope's hand and looked around slack-jawed at the bustling activity of the train shed. "I used to think Kenosha was a big city but it's nothing to what I saw as we pulled into Chicago."
Out of the corner of her eye Hope saw Marvin standing on the platform of the train shed.
She gave Sadie her most winning smile.
"May I help you with your luggage, Miss Holcrum?" She grabbed a suitcase from a dubious-looking Sadie, cradled her elbow and maneuvered her to the doors furthest away from a glowering Marvin. "My goodness, you pack light," Hope exclaimed when she lifted the suitcase with ease.
Sadie's cheeks flushed. Her gaze flickered over to Hope a tad nervously. "I'm afraid I haven't got much to pack, miss. None of my family does. I come to Chicago to get a job as a typist, see. I've been practicing on my mother's Remington. I hope to be able to send
'em back a portion of my wages."
Hope nodded in understanding, having heard a similar story countless times before. Once families in monetary need had sent off their sons to bread-win in the cities, but now out of necessity they sent their daughters as well. Hope saw nothing wrong with the practice in theory, but unfortunately the city had not yet compensated for the hoards of single, friendless women or provided them with appropriate avenues for security and guidance.
And white slavers like Diamond Jack Fletcher took blatant advantage of the situation.
"Have you a place to stay while you look for a job, Miss Holcrum?" Hope asked once they'd entered the waiting area. Sadie didn't respond immediately as she was busy gaping at the three-story-high bay window that overlooked Lake Michigan.
"Oh . . . well, as to that, my sister Eloise says there's a boarding-house on near every corner in Chicago," Sadie replied stoutly.
"There are a good number, such a plethora in fact that it's far too easy to make an error and choose one of the more . .. dodgy variety," Hope explained with a significant look.
"It is part of the Welcoming League's mission to take young women to respectable boardinghouses and provide directions and contacts for employers in the Loop who are looking for workers."
Sadie's blue eyes widened in amazement. "Well, ain't it lucky I ran into you, then?"