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Walker stepped off the train in West Glacier, a small community near the entrance to Glacier National Park and searched the depot landing. His eyes alighted on a middle-aged man who was missing an arm and he knew he was looking at Joy's father. The man's serious expression did not soften when Walker lifted a hand in greeting. The gentleman nodded his head in acknowledgment. Walker approached him. "Mr. Ryder, sir, I'm Walker Flemming. It's a pleasure making your acquaintance."
"Dr. Flemming, please call me Ryder and I'll call you Walker. Under the circumstances, I don't think formality is necessary." He stretched his one arm out to shake Walker's hand.
Walker immediately liked Ryder, although Ryder's opinion of him was not discernable in the older man's eyes. He knew Joy's father had every reason to dislike him, and once again, he berated himself for not being sensitive to Joy and sending his aunt away sooner. However, recriminations would not solve their problem—finding Joy.
Ryder said, "I'm lodging at the Belton Chalet and I've taken the liberty of asking them to hold a room for you."
"Thank you, sir. That is most appreciated."
"Do you have baggage to claim?"
"No, sir. Everything is in this valise."
"I hope you brought clothing for roughing it."
"I did, just as you instructed."
"Good."
Walker stopped beside a Model T. "I've rented this automobile. Driving my own would have taken too long. I traveled here on the rails just as you did." He motioned for Walker to climb inside the car.
Ryder started the vehicle with the hand crank, jumped in the driver's side, and sped away from the depot. After navigating around a slow moving buckboard pulled by two swayback horses, he said, "I'll take you to the hotel to get settled in and then we need to talk. There's a nice dining room across from the hotel with private seating. We'll order supper and discuss this strange turn of events."
"Yes, sir."
An hour later Walker and Ryder had placed their orders with a solicitous waiter and Walker decided the time had come to clear the air. He said, "Sir, I need to explain some things."
Ryder placed his napkin in his lap and inclined his head slightly, indicating that Walker should continue.
Walker said, "First off, I want you to know that I desperately love your daughter. My wife only died a year ago, and so my feelings for Joy came as a surprise." He thought he saw a slight tic in one of Ryder's eyes. "And this whole mess is partly because of a misunderstanding, but mostly because of my stupidity." This time Ryder raised his brows in a questioning response.
The waiter returned and poured coffees.
Thus far Ryder's facial expressions were his only communication. Walker forged on, getting to the heart of his explanation. "My departed wife's aunt, for reasons unknown and unfathomable, has not accepted Joy. She is adamant that I not marry her, and my stupidity stems from the fact that I have allowed my aunt to remain in my home." He nervously drummed his fingers on the table. "I should have insisted she leave when she vocalized her objections to Joy, but after the death of my wife, she was invaluable to my family. I kept thinking she would have a change of heart."
Ryder sipped his coffee.
Walker inhaled and continued, "On the day Joy left, she overheard my aunt denigrating her. I had no notion that Joy was in the hallway and I fear that she only heard a portion of my response and took it to mean that I agreed with the woman. I have no doubt that if she had heard my complete reply, she would not have left." Walker suddenly felt deflated and his shoulders sagged. "All I want is to find Joy and make things right. I can't imagine my life without her."
The waiter brought their salads and Ryder didn't speak until he'd forked a lettuce leaf, chewed and swallowed. Then he said, "First off, please stop calling me 'sir.' I prefer Ryder. Secondly, you have convinced me of your love for my daughter. Thirdly, I understand how misunderstandings can separate people. I experienced something similar with Joy's mother. And lastly, I believe I know where Joy is headed. In her telegram she said she would return home after completing a painting. I know the place she want to paint, but to get there we'll have to travel on horseback."
Walker heaved a sigh of relief. He had expected Joy's father to lambast him with accusations, so his quiet words and indication that he knew where Joy was headed, soothed his tortured soul.
By the time supper was over, Walker had learned the sad circumstances of Ryder's first family and was convinced that Joy was indeed seeking to locate the meadow where young Ryder had painted and met his Blackfoot first wife.