Tennessee smiled behind his coffee mug as he watched Beatrice wolf down her eggs which had run together with the syrup from her pancakes. "Those aren't the only eggs of the world you know."

Beatrice shot him a look as she finished off the last bit. Wiping her mouth with her napkin she looked around the inn. It was divided once my stairs with the eating area on one side and the information desk on the other. Then the eating area was divided by a braided rope with the whites on one side and the coloreds on the other. She silently scoffed at this when she thought of mixed race people. Where were they supposed to sit?

"I'll telegram your sisters to let them know you are all right," Tennessee said.

"You don't need to do that," Beatrice said.

"I feel I do," Tennessee said. "Our train is in three hours. We could see the town before we leave."

Beatrice finished off her juice. "You'd show me around the town?" she asked and he nodded. "What if I try to run away?"

"You won't," Tennessee said. "Besides I know New Orleans like the back of my hand. You'd have no place to hide." He leaned back proudly in his chair.

Beatrice pursed her lips and bounced her knees. "You must know a lot of towns, being a rogue. What's it like traveling all the time?"

"It's not for everyone," Tennessee said. "I'm often on my own. I usually serve as a messenger for my clan."

"Clan?" Beatrice questioned. "That sounds scary."

Tennessee laughed. "I know, but it's not. Honest. We only do good." He looked down. "I've been trying to prove myself lately so I can get on the front lines and not be a messenger anymore."

"You're looking for a promotion?" Beatrice questioned. "You want to prove yourself to your boss?"

"Something like that." Tennessee shrugged not really wanting to explain everything in detail to her.

"So let me see if I understand," Beatrice said. "You run around delivering messages for some top man who could do it himself?"

"Hold your horses," Tennessee said. "It's not that way at all. And I have you know that our second in command is a woman."

"Really?" Beatrice asked. "I'm impressed. So what do you do exactly? Do you rescue damsels in distress? Feed the hungry? Save orphans trapped in fires?"

Tennessee had to smile at her humor making her smile too. "It's a long story."

Beatrice leaned forward in the chair. "We have three hours," she said.

Tennessee rubbed his neck as he stared into her eager eyes. "Well it started before either of us were born," he began. "Long ago in a sleepy little town on the rock coast of South Carolina..."

/

Ladybird roused to someone tapping lightly on her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open lightly and she sat up wiping the drool from her face.

"Good morning," Silas said snapping her out of her tired trance. "Wysteria brought me up; we didn't know you would be sleeping up here."

Ladybird looked from Silas to her sister.

Silas stepped back and whistled as he looked around. "You weren't kidding what you said about when inspiration strikes."

Ladybird looked around and gasped. Getting to her feet she went over to the painted wall. Finished. She had finished it! "It's the map."

"But you said you only looked at it that once, how did you—"

"My father has been painting this map for a long time," Ladybird said. "The house where I was raised was filled with paintings of dancers and sentinels. Combined together they make this map."

Silas nodded. "I asked Reuben and he said you didn't stop by last night. I suppose you were busy with this but I wasn't home anyways. I had to explain to Mr. Hurston why I had his daughter out so late and without giving all the details."

"How long could that have taken?" Ladybird asked.

"Well you know I like to talk," Silas said with his hands behind his back. "Mr. Hurston is a very nice man. We talked about the future and my plans...my dreams..."

Ladybird smiled. "Silas Candlewood, are you thinking about courting Samantha Hurston?" she asked and laughed when his face turned red.

Silas couldn't stop a smile from coming to his face at the sound of her musical laugh. "I didn't want to mention matrimonial things with your present situation."

Ladybird waved her hand. "If you build your life around me, Silas you will never get anywhere."

"Samantha says the horses will be ready when you need them," Silas said. "How soon do you plan to leave?"

Ladybird looked at Wysteria who was looking at the mural. "Is tomorrow too soon?"

"Tomorrow?" Silas asked. "I suppose not. Oh and I've brought the things I wanted you to have."

"Thank you," Ladybird said. "Let me just change out of this smock and we can discuss it over breakfast." She led them out of the attic, glancing once more at the mural before she went.

/

Beatrice danced over the lines in the sidewalk as they walked to the train station. Hearing Tennessee's story had excited her. There was a whole world that she didn't even know existed. She looked up at the train as they walked alongside it. It would take her back north, and back to her sisters. It would take her back to the same life she lived before and she wouldn't have any answers to her questions. There I shall speak with you one last time. "I'm sorry, Pa," sighed. She suddenly felt a hand around her arm and someone yank her behind some luggage.

"Shhh," Tennessee said when she frowned up at him. He peaked over the luggage and Beatrice did the same.

"Who are we hiding from?"

Tennessee pointed. "You see those men with the white scarves?" he asked indicating two men standing close together trying to look inconspicuous.

"The really big ones?"

"Yes," Tennessee said. "They are called, Alfred and Willard. They are runners for January Frost-Weeping Eyed Jack."

"January...Weeping...Frost...what?"

"Did anyone see the map you have?"

Beatrice shook her head. "I never opened my bags on the train except for money," she said. "Oh but I did look at it at the station when I switched trains in Carolina."

Tennessee nodded slowly. "Someone must have seen you," he said and Beatrice crossed her arms at the accusation of being careless. "We had better get out of here while they are not looking." He took the reins in one hand and Beatrice by her sleeve in the other. They hurried away from the station and it wasn't until they got a safe distance that he let her go.

"What's happening?" Beatrice asked. "What do those men want? Who is Weeping Eyed Jack?"

Tennessee caught his breath. "January Frost, also known as Weeping Eyed Jack leads a clan called Windstalkers."

"Windstalkers?" Beatrice said her eyes getting big. "Are they one of the splinters you told me about at breakfast?"

Tennessee nodded. "Tell is they are merciless and violent. Most likely they turned up down here looking for you."

Beatrice felt she would faint. "What do we do? We have to get another train north now."

"We'd lead them straight to your sisters. They must be looking for the treasure too." He pounded his fist. "The scoundrels. We can't let them have your father's treasure."

Beatrice looked at him. "It means that much to you?"

Tennessee looked back at her. He must have missed an important part in the story. "Beatrice..."

"What's wrong?"

"It was..." Tennessee looked down. He could feel his horse's large presence behind him. "It was men like these that went after your family." He watched her face wax in shock. "It was men like these that killed Mr. Winters, your father. Your father was one of us. An End After Knight."

Beatrice put her hands to her head as it spun. "No."

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I'm sorry," Tennessee said again. "But that's just how serious these people take this treasure hunting business. That's why the EAK was formed." He flipped up his collar and showed her his pin.

"It isn't right," Beatrice said. "Why didn't the EAK protect my father? Why doesn't any one of them but you believe his treasure exist if he died for it?"

"I'm sorry," Tennessee said. "I wish there was a way I could make it up to you." He watched her turn her back to him.

"I want to go home," she said.

"No," Tennessee said. "You can't."

"I have to." Beatrice tried to walk off but he grabbed her.

"They'll be following you," Tennessee said. "I'll take the map and throw them off your trail."

Beatrice stepped back from him. "It's my father's map," she said. "If you're going to fight them then I am too."

"You're mad."

"Not yet I'm not," Beatrice said. "Just think. You knew my father but not as much as me. I know how he thought. You said you needed our help to find the treasure, well here I am."

Tennessee snorted. "You expect me to take you on my journey with me?" he laughed. "You ran away from home. You're more of a liability then an asset."

"No," Beatrice said. "I'm the only one who believes you about the treasure." She looked him square in the eye. "I'm going with you."

Tennessee smacked his forehead. She was good. He had to admit it. "You'll have to do what I say," he said. "Your father may have made a harmless map but with people after us it won't be that way."

Beatrice swung her bag over her shoulder. "I promise to be careful," she said.

"And..."

She sighed. "And to do what you say. So now what do we do?"

"I say we get out of town immediately," Tennessee said. "Which means we'll have to start walking to the next station. From there we can catch a train heading west."

Beatrice grinned. "I can't believe it," she said. "I feel like a real treasure hunter. Do I get to ride your Dalmatian?"

"He's a horse and no," Tennessee said. "He only lets me ride him."

Beatrice crossed her arms.

"Fine," Tennessee sighed. "Get on. But don't expect me to treat you all like a lady and stuff. When you're on a mission everyone has to be tough."

Beatrice rolled her eyes as she mounted the horse. She didn't care about being a lady right now. She just wanted more than anything to find her father's treasure and be close to him once again.