Read Online THE IMPERIAL ENGINEER by Judith B. Glad - Free Book Online Page A

until she banished all thoughts of Tony Dewitt. Completely and
permanently.
    If she could.
    "You said it, though. It's not fair to a child, to put one's self deliberately in
dangerous situations. I would make the same choice you did, and I would resent having to
do so." She smiled down at the baby. "Just the same, I have a yearning, sometimes. May I
hold him?"
    Imajean handed her the child, carefully. Lulu took him just as carefully, but old
skills came back. She cradled him in one arm and took his tiny hand. "I have a few cousins,
but was seldom around when they were babies. One forgets how very small they are. And
how perfect."
    "I hadn't realized-- Do you come from a large family?"
    "Yes, but they're not all relatives." At Imajean's puzzled look, she said, "I have
only two brothers, but my godparents are like second parents, and I think of their children
as my cousins. If you count them all, it's a pretty big family. I've never added them all up,
but when we all get together, it's a mob."
    She didn't mention that Tony Dewitt was one of the mob. She was doing her best
not to think about him at all.
    Later that evening she found herself thinking about Imajean and her ready
adaptation to motherhood. How unfortunate she had chosen to set her ideals aside and take
on a purely domestic role.
    What a tragic waste of talent!
    "An intelligent woman should be able to balance her maternal duties and her
obligations to society," Imajean had told Lulu on the occasion of their first meeting. "I do
not intend to become one of those terribly foolish women who lives only for her children.
Can you imagine anything more ridiculous?"
    Lulu had always known such a choice would be difficult. She could not fault
Imajean for choosing motherhood. Trying to be both an effective reformer and a devoted
mother was more than any woman should have to do.
    Yes, Lulu told herself, she had definitely made the right decision when she made
up her mind to remain single and childless.
    * * * *
    After taking Miss Hathaway home, Tony went to his room above the Kansas
Headquarters Saloon with relief. He'd forgotten how tiring conversation could be with
someone who agreed with everything he said.
    Well, not everything. She had ventured a rather strong opinion on the topic of
women who stepped out of their womanly role. Lulu, it was plain, was not someone she
admired.
    He removed his spectacles and rubbed the bridge of his nose. If only he didn't
have to wear them. But here in the west, the feelings against people of his race were strong.
Spectacles were an inexpensive and easy disguise, hiding the most obvious evidence of his
ancestry. He knew some people in town thought him to be part Indian, but as far as he
knew, no one suspected he was Chinese.
    Except Mr. Eagleton, and Tony still wasn't sure what he thought.
    The night was warm for the end of September, so he left the window open. By
now he was accustomed to falling asleep to the noise from downstairs. As he stripped off
his collar, he heard heavy footsteps going past his door. The tobacco store owner,
probably, coming in from his weekly poker game. The wall vibrated as a door opened and
closed nearby.
    Instead of folding his shirt, he hung it on the back of the chair and laid his britches
neatly across the seat. Tomorrow he'd be up early, finishing all the tasks on his long list.
Clad only in his drawers, he crawled into bed.
    The old dream came that night. He heard the roar of the flames as they rushed up
the canyon, heard the screams of trapped miners. Smelled the acrid, suffocating
smoke.
    Someone pounded on his door, yelling, "Fire! Everybody out! Fire!"
    On his door?
    Tao Ni huddled into a ball of terror, knowing the fire would find him, no matter
how well hidden he was.
    More pounding.
    No! He would not crawl from under the sluice box. He was safe here. His father
had said so. He curled even more tightly, making himself as small as possible.
    "Dewitt! Get out of there. The fire's spreading!"
    Dewitt?