THE IMPERIAL ENGINEER Read Online Free PDF Page A

This is a free country, and I have the right to speak."
    "So do they, Miss King." The sheriff glanced down at the one miner who
remained, sitting slumped on the ground. He seemed unable to rise, for some reason. "So
do they. You'll want to be careful."
    The sheriff helped the miscreant to his feet and his embarrassment became
obvious. "Let's go, Elmer. Reckon you'll want to mend those britches."
    "Damn fuckin' bitch."
    Lulu grabbed Tao Ni before he could go for the man.
    "Shut your dirty mouth, Elmer," the sheriff said, giving him a shove.
    As the sheriff led the big man away, Tao Ni said, "You're lucky he didn't get his
hands on you. Elmer Mills has quite a reputation for dirty fighting."
    "I can defend myself," she said, although she wasn't sure she could. Not against a
man as big and strong as Elmer Mills. And there were others here in town, just as big and
just as strong. In fact, most of the men here seemed much larger than those she
remembered back East. Why couldn't I have inherited Pappa's size instead of
Mamma's?
    Tao Ni took her arm. "Do you want me to walk you home now?"
    She looked at him in amazement. "Why ever for? I thought there was to be ice
cream served."
    "But you...you've had a frightening experience. Shouldn't you--"
    "Tao Ni, I've had far worse experiences, believe me. Thus far I've survived them.
Only a weak ninny would retire, fainting, to her couch after such a forgettable experience."
What she was not about to admit was how shaken she had been. This was the first violence
she'd encountered since... no, don't think about that now!
    "I suppose I should thank you for your gallant rescue." As soon as the words were
out of her mouth, she realized how begrudging they sounded, so she tried again. "I do
appreciate your assistance. The situation was degenerating, wasn't it?" She tucked her
shirtwaist back in and smoothed her skirt over her hips.
    "Worse experiences? Where? When?"
    "A long time ago and far from here. They're not important." There were still dusty
streaks on her skirt, and her shirtwaist was stained with tomato juice, but otherwise she
was tidy and somewhat presentable. "Ice cream?" she said, forcing herself to smile as if
she hadn't a care in the world.
    "Are you all right, Miss King?"
    Lulu hadn't seen the two men approach. She smiled at the young man who had
assisted her in setting up a bank account when she'd first come to town. "Yes, indeed, Mr.
Correy. A little stained and wrinkled, but quite all right, thank you."
    The other man, a rather stocky fellow a bit taller than Tao Ni, was a stranger. As
she glanced at him curiously, Frank Correy said, "This is Patrick Newell. He's new in
town. Works out at the Minnie Moore. I told him I'd introduce him to the prettiest lady in
Hailey."
    Over his shoulder, she saw Tao Ni's raised eyebrow, but ignored it. "Why thank
you, Mr. Correy. How do you do, Mr. Newell?"
    He took her hand and raised it to his lips, a gesture she had always disliked
because it made her feel like a toy. As quickly as she could, she pulled free.
    "Charmed, Miss King. Absolutely charmed that a pretty lady like you should
harbor such revolutionary notions." His tone told her just what he thought of her
notions.
    Lulu was about to respond angrily when Tao Ni said, to her great surprise,
"Notions every woman should listen to."
    "What, and become dissatisfied with their lot? Come now, Dewitt, do you really
want seeds of dissention sown among the fairer sex?"
    "Any family that respects its women will not be harmed by new ideas, Mr.
Newell," Lulu said in as mild a voice as she could manage.
    "Please excuse us," Tao Ni said, before Mr. Newell could speak again. "Miss King
is distraught from her experience. I'll be taking--"
    She snatched her arm from his grasp. "I am not distraught!" Nothing infuriated her
more than being treated like a silly, helpless female.
    "Of course you aren't, "Mr. Newell said, looking down at her with a curl to his lip.
"A brave revolutionary such as you would