Luke picked up his satchel and made his way outside and down the street to the judge’s office. He had met Judge Prescott at church originally, and while they weren’t yet well acquainted, Luke felt he was just the man to help him with Sally’s adoption.

“Good day.” Luke smiled at the clerk seated in the outer office. “I have an appointment with Judge Prescott. I’m Lucas Carson.”

The clerk nodded. “I’ll let the judge know you’re here. Please have a seat.”

Luke did as the man bid and pulled off his gloves. Archie had been right about his needing better gloves than these. Luke had already ordered some with fur lining. An old man down on Third Street was making several pairs for Luke, in fact. Gloriana had promised him new scarves and perhaps even another sweater. The one she’d given him for Christmas was just as JT had promised—warm enough that when he wore it, he never felt the bite of the wind.

“Lucas Carson. It’s good to see you again,” the judge declared from the open doorway to his office. “Please come in.”

“Judge Prescott. Thank you for making time to see me.” Luke followed him into the office, closing the door behind him.

“I hope you’re doing well. Duluth can be daunting in the winter.”

“So everyone says, and I’m starting to learn for myself.” Luke glanced around the room and thoroughly approved of the book-lined shelves.

“I see you’ve spied my library. I have more books than Solomon had wives.” The judge laughed and sat down at his desk. “Please have a seat and tell me how it goes with the railroad.”

Luke did as he asked, but he wasn’t ready yet to speak about the problems Archie had uncovered. “Overall, we’re on schedule, no thanks to the difficult landscape. We aren’t contending with mountainous terrain or deserts, but what we have is difficult and requires specialized care.”

“I can well imagine. There’s a lot of water to be mastered.”

“Exactly.”

“But the railroad didn’t bring you here today. Tell me what has.”

Luke began his story. “My brother was a crew member on the Ana Eileen. He was killed with the others when she went down last September.”

“My condolences. We lost a great many good men that day.”

“Yes.” Luke paused a moment in reverence. “My sister-in-law was expecting their first child. She had no family save my brother and this unborn child. The night I arrived in town, she was giving birth. Weakness and a broken heart caused her to give up the will to live. On her deathbed, with the midwife as a witness, she asked me and Gloriana Womack to raise her child. Being the baby’s uncle, I realized there would be no conflict in this, save the possibility of my father’s interference.”

“Your father? Tell me about him.”