May 13, 1876
Bismark Dakota Territory
Falcon was sitting in the waiting room of the Bismarck depot, drinking coffee with his sister, Rosanna. Andrew had gone out onto the depot platform to see about their luggage.
“I appreciate the two of you coming out here to perform for the men,” Falcon said. “I know they really enjoyed it.”
“Andrew and I enjoyed doing it,” Rosanna said. “You know how much we like to come out West.”
“When are you going to come back?” Falcon asked.
“I don’t know. I suppose when we get another invitation.”
“No, I mean when are you coming back to stay.”
Rosanna put her hand out to touch Falcon. “Darling, I thought you knew. Andrew and I are never coming back to stay,” she said. “Why, New York is our home now.”
Falcon nodded. “I thought as much,” he said. “But from time to time, the family wonders about you.”
“Ha,” Rosanna said. “Mama and Papa left on their own while they were still practically children. Believe me, if there is anyone who would understand why Andrew and I have chosen to go our own way, it would be Mama and Papa.”
Falcon chuckled. “You’ve got that right,” he said. “But as long as you are out here, you could run down there now, couldn’t you? When is the last time you’ve seen anyone from the family?”
Rosanna smiled. “We’ve seen you twice in the last two months.”
“I mean other than me.”
“I don’t know. It’s been a while,” Rosanna admitted.
“Then a visit is due, don’t you think?”
“Oh, Falcon, it would be impossible to go down to MacCallister now,” Rosanna said. “Andrew and I must start rehearsal for a new show soon. In fact, we were barely able to make the time to come out here to do this.”
“I understand,” Falcon said.
“I didn’t want to tell you this, because I didn’t want to spoil the surprise, but we are coming out to spend Christmas in the Valley,” Rosanna said. “In fact, we have cleared away our schedule so we can spend at least two months there, visiting everyone.”
Falcon smiled broadly, and shook his head. “They will like that,” he said. “They will like that very much.”
“What about you? When are you going to settle down?” Rosanna asked.
“Settle down? What do you mean settle down?”
“I mean get married.”
“I did get married.”
“Yes, and tragically, she was taken from you. But you are still a young man, Falcon. Somewhere there is a woman for you.” Rosanna smiled. “And she may be right here.”
“Here?”
“You aren’t blind, Falcon. I know you have seen the way Lorena Wood looks at you.”
“I’ve also seen the way she looks at Tom Custer.”
“Have you ever thought she might just be trying to make you jealous?”
“Uh, huh,” Falcon replied. “Or maybe she is trying to make Tom Custer jealous.”
Rosanna laughed out loud. “Well, I never thought about that,” she said. “It could be that you are right. I know that she has decided to stay out here with Libbie until the regiment returns.”
Andrew came back then. “I’ve got the luggage all taken care of,” he said. “We won’t even have to see it again until we reach New York.”
In the distance could be heard a train whistle.
“Is that our train?” Rosanna asked.
“It has to be,” Andrew said. “There is nothing else due right now.”
Rosanna stood up, and Falcon picked up the suitcase that would be going on the train with her. The three then walked out onto the wooden platform and from there, could see the train approaching from the west. A sense of anticipation spread through the others who were also standing out on the platform. Some began weeping at the prospect of telling a loved one good-bye, while others grew excited as they were eagerly awaiting the arrival of loved ones. The daily arrival and departure of the trains kept Bismarck connected, in a real and physical way, with the rest of the world. Nobody ever treated the occasion with indifference.
“When will you be coming back to New York?” Rosanna asked.
“I don’t know,” Falcon said. “Next time business takes me that way, I suppose.”
“You could come just to visit, you know.”
“Don’t knock it, Rosanna. He’s the only one who ever comes as it is,” Andrew said.
Rosanna chuckled. “I guess you are right at that,” she said. “Sometimes I could almost believe that Falcon is the only brother I have.”
“What about me?” Andrew asked, his face screwed up in response to her question. “Don’t you count me as your brother?”
“You are my twin,” Rosanna said, as if that answered Andrew’s question.
“Yeah, I guess I see what you mean,” Andrew replied, understanding perfectly Rosanna’s convoluted logic.
Falcon chuckled. Sometimes, he believed that Andrew and Rosanna shared not only the same birthday, but the same brain as well.
By now the train had reached the edge of the town and could be seen visibly slowing. A moment later, it rolled into the station, the bell clanging, steam spewing, and glowing sparks falling from the firebox.
Rosanna put her arms around Falcon’s neck, then kissed him. “Give everyone my love,” she said.
Andrew reached out to shake his brother’s hand. “It’s been wonderful seeing you,” he said. “Do keep in touch, will you, little brother?”
Falcon smiled as he watched them board the train; then he stood on the platform until the train pulled away. It seemed funny for Andrew to call Falcon his little brother, even though he was. It was not only that Falcon was a much larger man than Andrew. His experiences so far exceeded anything Andrew had ever done that he could never think of Andrew as his elder.
June 25, 1927
MacCallister, Colorado
Once more the ringing telephone interrupted Falcon’s recitation of the story. Falcon took a swallow of his coffee as Rosie answered the phone.
“Hello?”
Again, those present in the room could hear a tinny voice over the telephone line, but they couldn’t understand what the voice was saying.
“Just a minute, I’ll ask him,” Rosie said. She reached up to put her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone, then turned toward Falcon.
“Big Grandpa, this is Mayor Presnell. He wants to know if the town can count on you as a guest of honor on the reviewing platform for the Fourth of July parade.”
Falcon nodded. “I’ll be there,” he promised.
Rosie relayed the message, then hung up.
“The phone has been busy today,” Zane Grey said.
“Yes,” Falcon agreed. “Sometimes, I think it was better before we had telephones. Telephones, radio, motion pictures, automobiles, flying machines.”
“Aeroplanes,” Rosie said with a little laugh.
“What?”
“You said flying machines. They are called aeroplanes,” Rosie said.
“Well, whatever they are called, they are aggravating,” Falcon replied. He was quiet for a long moment. “It certainly makes one wonder, though, how different things would have been different on Custer’s last scout if there had been such a thing as flying”—he paused and looked at his great-granddaughter—“aeroplanes”—he smiled—“and all the other modern contraptions.”
“Are you tired, Falcon?” Zane Grey asked. “Do you want to pause for a while to maybe take a nap?”
“No, no, I’m fine,” Falcon said. “What about you, Libbie?”
“I’m doing fine,” Libbie said. “As you know, I have written about this story, and lectured about it for years. I must confess that I’m enjoying hearing you tell it from your perspective.”
“Did your brother and sister get back that Christmas?” Grey asked.
Falcon nodded. “They did,” he said.
“What about the lady, Big Grandpa?” Rosie asked.
“What lady?”
“What lady? Big Grandpa, you know what lady,” Rosie said. “The one who came all the way out here to see you. Miss Wood. Did she go back to New York with Uncle Andrew and Aunt Rosanna?”
“No,” Falcon said. “She stayed at Ft. Lincoln.”
“Yes,” Libbie said. “When Autie asked if she would like to stay on as our houseguest, to keep me company until the regiment returned from the field, she agreed. In fact, when we made camp out on the Missouri flats, she came out with us. Do you remember that, Falcon?”
“Oh, yes, I remember,” Falcon said. “And we knew, even before the regiment left, where Miss Wood’s heart was.”
“Where?” Rosie asked.
“Rosie, do you want me to tell this story or not?” Falcon asked.
“Oh, yes!” Rosie replied eagerly.
“Then, don’t get ahead of me child.” Falcon finished his coffee, then went on with his story.