He didn't keep his promise. A few days before Olive returned, two unknown refined ladies arrived in Colorado Springs.


"Denver Philanthropist Society", Loren looked at the writting on the stagecoach as the ladies set their feet on the muddy ground with great disgust.


"Do you know who they are?" Loren asked, smirking and rocking on his heels.


Hank and Jake, who were standing on the store porch, shook their heads.


"They're from the Charity society of Denver. They are sponsoring the orphanage there. I've read about it in the DENVER POST, and sent them a telegram…Let them see if Sully is able to raise up those kids…"


Meanwhile, the ladies approached the store, and one of them said:


"Morning, gentlemen…Would you please tell me, where I can find Mr.… ", she looked at the small sheet of paper in her hand, "Mr. Byron Sully?"


"Sully? Just a minute." Loren answered "An Injun reservation," Hank laughed, "That's the best place for him."


He puffed his cigar and the ladies coughed. "In a reservation?!" They raised their eyebrows


"He lived with the Indians for a few years." Loren explained


"He's one of them anyway." Hank interrupted him again.


"Nobody asked you!" Loren said angrily, then turned to the ladies, "This man, Sully, he wants to adopt three children, as I wrote, but they have a godmother, my sister…she's a good woman."


"Don't worry," one of the ladies told him, "we'll watch very attentively and if Mr.Sully is unable to take care of them in a proper way, we'll take them to the Denver orphanage, or to your sister, if she wants to adopt them."


The ladies from the charity society spent a few days in Colorado Springs, talking with the townsfolk. The next day they visited Sully's homestead…


"Good evening, children." Said one of the ladies coming in, "we're from Denver, and want to know how Mr.Sully takes care of you."


"Just fine!" Brian exclaimed,


"Sorry…evening, Ma-am," he added.


"Where is he?"


"At the reservation." Brian sighed, "without me today…"


"What do you mean, he takes you to the Indian Reservation?!"


"Sure he has!" Brian answered


. Colleen kicked his leg under the table, and he stopped.


"But…that's very dangerous!"


"No...." Matthew objected, "The soldiers, they're the dangerous ones, you oughta ask in town how they behaved. Just look at the saloon, there's fights and shooting every day…The reservation is much safer place, believe me."


"I 'm not interested in the saloon." said the lady, turning now to Colleen:


"As I could see, you have a lot of work to do here. Please, tell me about your daily chores."


"I cook, sew, milk the cow, feed the animals, clean the room, watch out for Brian…"


"Have you any time to play, or visit your friends?"


"Sure, I have! Sully and Matthew often help me."


"You're growing up, Colleen," another lady told her, "so you could ah, have…some special questions, that Mr.Sully is unable to answer."


Colleen shrugged, "I can ask Snowbird, she speaks English…"


Matthew rolled his eyes and waved his hand behind the ladies backs.


"…or Miss Olive, I can ask her," Colleen quickly added, "she's our godmother."


"Perhaps, you'd be better living with her?"


"We'd be better stay here with Sully!!!" Brian insisted.


"What's the matter?" they heard Sully's voice from the door.


"Good evening, Mr.Sully," the ladies said, "We're from the Charity Society of Denver and this town invited us to watch how these children are being raised since their mother's passing and now it's clear to us."


They walked to the door, but Sully stopped them,


"Wait! Tell me the truth, you're here to take them from me?!"


"Mr.Sully…it's very uncommon, when a single man tries to adopt children…especially, a man of your style of life…We appreciate your efforts…but it's very difficult for you to raise them…There is a good orphanage in Denver, and with time, they could be adopted by a giving and proper family."


"I'll never let you, or anyone else, send them to an orphanage!" Sully interrupted, "Don't even think about it!"


"We understand how you feel," they said, "There will be a meeting in town and we will then make our decision tomorrow. They have the final decision."


"I don't care what they say!" Sully raised his voice, "I just told you, I'll never let you take them from me! And I don't want you to spy here behind my back!"


"We'll see you at the meeting Mr. Sully." The ladies smiled politely, as they walked away…….