Rachel Dunne reached down into the basket beside her and grabbed a crisp white sheet. Clipping both ends of it to the clothesline, it swayed gently in the light spring air. She could hear the soft pounding of distant hooves and looked up to see a figure approaching. “Rider comin’!” She hollered back toward the ranchhouse. Two of the Express station riders, Jimmy Hickok and Buck Cross stepped out onto the porch.

     “Who’s up?” Buck asked.

     Jimmy leaned into the railing “Alls I know is it ain’t me.” He smiled. “ After that two week stint in Red Rock, I figure I got at least one week vacation rest to look forward to.”

     “Lou or Kid.” Buck answered.

     “What about them?” Jimmy quipped. Leaning back he sank his thumbs into the pockets of his black slacks. Aside from his heavy tan colored leather jacket and brown belt, he was dressed all in black, from his Stetson hat to his boots. He looked like a dime store hero with his rugged good looks and fancy Colt Navy revolvers hanging on his hips in a silver adorned holster.

     “One of them I figure, is up to ride next.” Buck concluded.

     “Oh” was all Jimmy could think to say. He paused, brushing a loose strand of long chestnut hair behind his ear.

     “How’s she doing anyways?” Jimmy tried to make it sound as though he was no more than just a friend concerned about another friend’s well- being, but Buck knew better.

     “Here she comes now, why don’t you ask her.” Buck smiled. His black eyes twinkled in mirth. He and every one of the other riders knew the secret feelings Jimmy had for Lou, and her for him, even Kid. Buck didn’t understand why they danced around it, and went to such extremes to try to deney their affection for each other. Buck had learned from his mother, who was full blooded Kiowa Indian, that if you wanted something you go get it, and if you like someone you set out after winning their heart, no games about it. Although he had to admit the whole charade amused him.

     Lou came out from the stables with Ike behind her leading her tacked horse. Lou’s usual horse, a strong stallion she had named ‘Lightning’, had picked up a stone the previous day and was still nursing a tender foot. Kid, always eager to help Lou out, had let her use his mount, a pinto mare, he named ‘Katy’.

     Jimmy looked over at Buck “ I’ll be right back.”

     Buck nodded.

     “Thanks Ike.” Lou smiled as he handed her Katy’s reins.

     “Hey.” Jimmy greeted her.

     “Hey yourself.” Lou greeted him back.

     “Be careful out there.” Jimmy’s tone sounded almost fatherly.

     “I’m always careful” smiled Lou. Her brown eyes twinkled behind the thin metal framed glasses. She turned her head away quickly, realizing she had been staring at him. Flustered, she turned to mount her horse.

     “Ride safe, Louise.” Kid’s voice broke the nervous silence. Her head spun around to see him standing behind Jimmy. She sighed in frustration. Ever since the Riders had discovered she was a woman, nothing had been the same. They would follow her around and open doors for her, curb their swearing when she entered a room, they had even moved her out of the bunkhouse and into the ranchhouse with Rachel. Most of all what bothered her was the way that they looked at her and the feelings behind that, and the feelings behind the way she would now look back. It was a new phase in her life and like it or not it was something she would have no choice but to get used to.

     Lou kicked the horse and sped off. Leaving the other riders in a cloud of red dust.

     “She’s feisty today. Must be in season.” Jimmy commented aside.

     “What!?” Kid glared at Jimmy.

     “Your horse. She’s feisty today.” Jimmy repeated walking away.

     “Oh.” Kid’s face dropped, and he stood watching as Jimmy made his way back to the house.

     Catching his friend and fellow rider, Cody on the front porch, Jimmy grabbed him by the arm of his fringed buckskin jacket that seemed to be as much a part of Cody as his own skin. “Hey we got a few hours before any chores are needing to be done, let’s go for a ride.”

     Cody nodded anxiously.

     “Seein’ as though things round here are done, why don’t you make a day of it? I got a few things I need picked up in town. If you don’t mind of course.” Teaspoon cut in.

     Teaspoon Hunter was a graying man with a disheveled appearance. He never really looked clean, and was beginning to nurse a good sized paunch. He usually wore his trademark black bowler hat and bright red suspenders over a shirt that could have been white at one point in time. Despite his dull appearance, he was a very smart and clever man, also a crack shot. He may not have the physique he had when he served his duty as a Texas Ranger, many years earlier, but that didn’t keep him down. He not only served as guardian and overseer of the Pony Express station, but also as the county appointed marshal.

     “Sure” Jimmy nodded. “Just make me up a list.”

     Teaspoon scratched his head and worked his brow into a frenzy. “Now where’d I put that pencil?”

     “Here I got it.” Noah cut in, pulling out a pencil and a scrap of writing paper. Noah Dixon always seemed to be organized. He was also very literate and well read, his stubbornness would suggest he pushed himself to learn so much just to spite the perceptions of what a ‘darky’ should be.

     “Why thank you Noah.” Teaspoon raised a surprised eyebrow. Noah waited as Teaspoon scrawled a few things down. He then looked up at the three men standing around him. He paused for a second, not sure anymore who to hand the list to.

     Noah took the pencil and the paper back from him and tucked them into his vest pocket. Tipping his hat to Teaspoon he then turned to Jimmy. “Well what are you waiting for let’s go!”

     The ride to Sweetwater was short and pleasant under an almost cloudless Nebraska sky. Even for a Sunday the streets were busy, with the hustle of people and wagons moving in both directions. Most of the town folk knew the riders, and were friendly towards them, there were always outsiders, business men looking to find a thriving community to strike it rich in, or cowhands from the ranches around neighboring towns taking a few days vacation from hard work under the grueling sun.

     As they passed, the riders tipped their hats at a group of young ladies walking back from Sunday church services. Cody smiled brightly at the tall red-headed freckle faced woman in the middle. Her name was Clarissa and he’d been trying for weeks to find out if she had her eye on any of the local men. She smiled back.

     “Hey Cody” Noah called to him, pulling his attention away. “I think she likes you.” He glanced over at the group of giggling young women as they turned around the corner. “Why don’t I go ask her?” Noah suggested, kicking his horse into a lope.

     “Noah!” Cody called, trying to catch up to him.

     “Noah! Don’t Noah!” He pleaded. Noah slowed down to a walk, having trouble keeping the horse at that gait while laughing so hard. Cody reached over and knocked Noah’s hat off his head. Noah managed to catch it as it got to about saddle level. Cody started laughing too, realizing Noah was just kidding him and how childish the whole thing would seem to an outsider.

     Jimmy rode up behind his two laughing friends and asked “What’s the first thing on our list?”

     “Oh yeah the list.” Noah smiled and reached into his vest pocket pulling out the scrap of paper Teaspoon had written a handful of items on. He squinted at the paper trying to decipher Teaspoon’s scribblings, “Flour.” He paused and then looked over at Cody “Not very exciting.” Cody nodded in agreement. He squinted at the list a few more seconds “Hey, here’s something we might be able to have a little fun with...”

     “What’s that?” Jimmy asked.

     “Two bottles forty ounce Texas Turkey whiskey.” Noah beamed. They all knew Teaspoon was no drunkard. He had given up most of those vices years ago. But, he did enjoy ending a day by sitting out on the ranchouse porch with a glass of whiskey, and a good cigar, watching the stars twinkle in the sky. On occasion each of the boys, and of course Lou and Rachel too, had joined him.

     Jimmy smiled. “Okay, we gotta start somewhere, and there’s as good a place as any.”

     The three men hitched their horses up outside of the Sweetwater restaurant and saloon. Cody and Noah still laughing and joking, rushed in, glad to be out of the saddle. Jimmy took his time, softly patting the palomino’s nose he scanned the street, out of habit. Even in what had now become his home town he still found he always looked over his shoulder or would stop to watch if a rider that he did not recognize rode by. He chuckled at his own paranoia and hurried to catch up to his two friends inside.

     “Help me mister.” He heard the sweet soft whisper and thought for a moment it was the wind itself. He turned around mid step, and saw there was a woman standing just a few feet away from him. She must have just come around the corner, he concluded, if she hadn’t, he surely would have noticed her sooner. Her long honey blonde hair was loose and flowing free around her shoulders. She wore a snug brown dress that clung to her shapely form. As her skirt blew lightly in the wind he noticed that she wore no bustle. She was breathing heavily as though she had been running. Her frightened green eyes searched his expectantly. Jimmy sighed to himself. He knew that no matter what this woman’s troubles were, he would find himself unable to say no.

     “Ma’am?” Jimmy started, “what seems to be the matter?”

     “The man who killed my husband. He’s followed me here.” Her eyes darted around as she spoke. She was genuinely spooked. “I think he’s going to kill me too.” With that, she burst into tears.

     Jimmy put his arm around her awkwardly, but still gentle. “There there.” He assured.

     Across the street, Jimmy caught a glimpse of a man he had not seen before in Sweetwater. He was a beefy man, with curly black hair. Jimmy could not get a good look at the man’s face, shadowed by his wide brim Stetson. He instantly spotted the butt of a Colt Peacemaker peeking out from the waistband of the man’s trousers, partly hidden by his long leather slicker. The faceless man then turned and disappeared into a crowd of people at the vegetable stand.

     Noah pushed through the wooden bat-wing doors out onto the walkway. “Well I’ll be damned.” He almost dropped the bottles he was carrying in each hand.

     “What?” asked Cody jostling up behind him. He could see Jimmy with his arm around the woman as they headed down the street. “Well that must be a record even for Jimmy.” he smirked.

     Cody and Noah came up behind Jimmy and the girl. As they turned around, it was obvious she had been crying. Cody suddenly felt bad for assuming the worst.

     “Boys,” Jimmy greeted. “This here is Miss Josephine Blackburn.”

     “Howdy” Cody and Noah said in almost perfect unison, both tipping their hats to her simultaneously. She giggled.

     Smiling she greeted back “Howdy to you both, as well.”

     “Miss Josephine is having some troubles. I’ve invited her to come back with us for dinner tonight.” Jimmy was quick to justify his intentions “so as I can help her, that is.”

     “Fine by me.” smiled Noah. “But, we still have a few more items to pick up.”

     Josephine’s face dropped. “Oh.” She looked to Jimmy. “ Have I interrupted any important business?”

     “No, no. Actually we have the day off.” He explained quickly, with an emphatic grin.

     “Would it be all right if I came along?” She turned her question to Noah.

     Noah nodded. She latched herself onto Jimmy’s arm.

     Cody, fancying himself a ladies man, came up on her other side and offered his arm to her. “William F. Cody at your service.” He beamed. “Shall we?”

     Josephine smiled brightly as she walked down the street with a good looking young man on each arm.

On to Chapter 2!