The Debt--Thanks to Beth and Jen who both sent this one in! Great minds think alike!
(Lou enters Teaspoon's office.)
Lou: Teaspoon, I'm getting' ready to head out now. I'll see ya in a couple days. ( Lou turns to leave.)
Teaspoon: Now hold on a minute, Lou. (Lou turns back around.) I, uh, wanted to talk to you 'bout that.
Lou: You said I could have some time off. You're not changin' your mind, are ya?
Teaspoon: No, and I haven't mentioned it to anybody like you asked. But the fact is, well, I'm…I'm curious as to where you're goin'.
Lou: (plainly) Seneca.
Teaspoon: Seneca? Any particular reason?
Lou: (somewhat defensively) Do I need one?
Teaspoon: Well, course not. How you spend your time off is nobody else's business. I mean, if you don't want to tell me, you don't have to. Of course, if you do, you can. It's all right with me.
Lou: (pauses, looked around nervously) I'm goin' to buy a weddin' dress.
Teaspoon: (surprised) Can't you get one of them in Rock Creek?
Lou: Well, I heard they had a real nice dressmaker in Seneca.
Teaspoon: Isn't the reason you're goin' there 'cause nobody knows who you are?
Lou: If I buy a dress here, everyone's gonna know I'm a girl.
Teaspoon: Lou, everybody's gonna find that out the moment you start down that aisle.
Lou: (shyly, maybe sort of scared of this thought) I know.
Teaspoon: (puts his hand on Lou's shoulder) Sweetheart, it's only natural for the doubts to get bigger as the day gets closer. Happened to me all six times. (Teaspoon wrinkled his brow at this recollection.) It's only human.
Lou: I love the Kid more than anything. I really do, but I can't help thinkin' how much I'll be givin' up by marryin' him.
Teaspoon: You mean bein' 'Lou'? (Lou nods.) Well, I know you've had some tough times trying to be 'Louise', but now you won't have to do it alone.
Lou: It's not just that. It's how people treat you when they know you're a woman. Sometimes it's…it's nice, but sometimes…(Lou pauses and sighs) Workin' for the Pony Express makes me feel like I'm doin' somethin' important. Do ya understand? (Teaspoon nods.) I just don't wanna give that up.
Teaspoon: Well, it's a tough choice, 'specially when people expect you to act like you got no doubts. (pause) You know, I think this trip might be just what the doctor ordered. It's gonna give you a chance to sort through your feelings.
Lou: Hope you're right.
Teaspoon: Well, I've been known to be from time to time. (smiles) (Lou half-smiles, but she still looks like she is full of doubts.)
(Lou is brooding by the stream during her ride to Seneca with Jimmy. Lou sits by the stream deep in thought and is playing with a piece of hay.)
Jimmy: (sarcastically) Who died?
Lou: (distracted) What?
Jimmy: I figured the way you been actin', somebody must've died on you.
Lou: Sorry.
Jimmy: (approaching Lou) Listen, Lou, if it's Matt that's worryin' you, don't. (kneels down beside Lou) I'll see that he doesn't ruin your plans. (smiles)
Lou: (looks at Jimmy confused) What do ya mean?
Jimmy: Well, he's the one that was supposed to take over when you stop ridin'. (pause) I guess you're lookin' forward to that, huh?
Lou: (gets up and starts walking away alongside the stream) Sometimes. It's a big change. (stops walking) I'm gonna miss workin' with all of you.
Jimmy: (gets up and heads to where Lou is standing) Oh, you'll probably see more of us than you did before, particularly around suppertime. (laughs)
Lou: (seriously) Better wait 'til you try my cookin' before you make any promises. Probably chase y'all away.
Jimmy: You're doin' the right thing, Lou. (looks at Lou deeply)
Lou: (looks at Jimmy) You think?
Jimmy: (nods) Yeah, and I also think that the Kid is a lucky man. (sincerely)
Lou: Thanks. (pause) Sometimes it's hard to be sure about all this.
Jimmy: Well, you two love each other right? That's all that matters. (pause, a hopeful smile crosses Jimmy's face) Who knows, maybe someday I'll get lucky, too. (Lou looks at him thankfully.)
In the Presence of Mine Enemies--Thanks to Joyce!
(Buck is trying to convince Ike not to go see Emily before the dance)
BUCK: What do you really know about Emily anyway? (IKE is undisturbed) It's just that you haven't had the best luck with women...uh, what I meant was...
(IKE glares again and slams the door)
CODY: (glances up from his book) You handled that well, Buck.
(He turns over and goes back into his book, leaving Buck standing there, trying to extract his foot from his mouth.)