"No," Henry replied. "The West still has need of me. But I will certainly come to New York to visit friends from time to time. And on that note, Miss Consuelo, you should investigate this incident. Those two outlaw gangs knew your exact itinerary and the strength of your guard. Their ambush was a targeted attack."
"Thank you for the warning, Henry. I will," she said. "Will you be transferring directly to New York when you arrive in Chicago?"
"We will. Richard and Madeline are staying in Chicago for a few days, but the rest of us will continue on."
"Wonderful," Consuelo said sincerely. "I would be honored if you and your party would join us in our private car for the journey back to New York. I have another Pullman car waiting at the Chicago station."
"The honor would be all ours. Linda, Edith, what do you think?" Henry asked.
The two women, seated at the next table, both expressed their thanks to Consuelo.
"Thank you, Consuelo. We would be grateful for your hospitality," Henry said.
"It would be my pleasure. And I would also like to formally invite you to my eighteenth birthday ball, six days from now, on the 29th."
"I would be honored to witness such an important moment," Henry said with a smile.
"Excellent!" Consuelo beamed. "I'll have my man send a formal invitation. Do you have an address in New York yet?"
"Not yet. After I've seen Linda and her children settled, Pete, Mary, and I will find a hotel."
"Allow me to arrange it," Kaylee Astor chimed in from the next table. "You will stay at my family's hotel, the Astor House."
"Of course. Thank you, Kaylee. You're too kind," Henry replied. He knew it was improper to refuse such gestures. He had to give them a way to express their gratitude. It was how connections were forged.
"Henry," Amanda asked, changing the subject, "aside from practicing your marksmanship and catching outlaws, what do you enjoy doing?"
"A great many things," he replied. "Reading, music, dancing, boxing, fencing, archery, riding… And you?"
"Wow, are you truly a master of all those things? I enjoy music, dancing, flower arranging, and painting."
The dinner lasted for over an hour. The conversation was lively, and by the end of it, everyone felt they had a much deeper understanding of Henry. He was not just a warrior; he possessed a profound knowledge of a vast range of subjects and had sharp, insightful opinions on politics and current events. Though he spoke little, every word he uttered was precise and intelligent.
They couldn't understand how such a man could have come from a remote mountain town. But under the blinding aura of his incredible power, it seemed anything was possible. Perhaps, they concluded, such is a genius.
Linda simply assumed Henry had been hiding his true talents all these years. Pete, who had only known him for six years, now felt as if he had never known his friend at all. But his optimistic nature didn't let him dwell on it. The stronger his friend was, the better.
If Mark, Consuelo, and the others had initially been merely grateful for their rescue, they now fully accepted Henry as one of their own, a true member of their elite circle.
Edith, in particular, looked at him with a tender, proprietary pride. She could feel from the way he looked at her that she was different from the others.
Henry, for his part, was making a conscious effort. He knew that if he divided his attention among all the beautiful women, he would win none of them. He had to make his true target feel special. And with Edith set to leave for London in ten days, he had to act fast.
At 9:40 PM, the train arrived in Chicago. After saying their goodbyes, Richard and Madeline entrusted Edith to Henry's care and left the station. Richard, as Henry's "comrade-in-arms," had become a minor celebrity in his own right, having been interviewed by both the Sun and the Tribune.
The Erie Railroad was controlled by the Vanderbilt family, so the transfer was seamless. A new guard car and a new train were waiting for them. At 10:35 PM, they were on their way to New York, a thirty-one-hour journey.
The next morning, the Saturday editions of the New York Sun and the Chicago Tribune hit the streets.
The newsboys in New York had new headlines to shout.
"LONE SHERIFF ANNIHILATES NEARLY A HUNDRED OUTLAWS TO DEFEND WESTERN TOWN!"
"THE SECRET TO SHERIFF HENRY'S SUPERHUMAN STRENGTH AND HANDSOME LOOKS REVEALED!"
"THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO FOR 'THE BLUE DEATH'! THE RISE OF A NEW HERO!"
With the confirmation of Barrett Hicks's death, a fact many older readers could verify, more people began to believe the incredible story. The editor of the Sun, Charles, had taken a gamble and printed 250,000 copies.
And with the story also appearing in the venerable and highly respected Chicago Tribune, the name of the "Gun God" Henry was now becoming known across the nation.