Lou checked carefully to make sure Kid was out of sight of the hotel before she ventured out to the streets of Davenport. She had seen a dress shop when they'd arrived. Not anxious to be spotted by Kid, she all but ran across the street. Safely inside, she stopped to catch her breath.

She carefully took in her surroundings. Yes, she thought, this will be perfect.

"Can I help you, young man?" the shop's proprietoress asked politely. Lou took off her hat and gave the woman an embarrassed smile.

"Well, um..." Lou stammered.

The woman recognized her mistake immediately. One thing she knew for certain--men didn't blush!

"Pardon me, miss!" To her credit, the saleswoman did her best to recover. "My name is Sally, and I'll be happy to help you in any way I can. I suppose you'd like to look at some dresses?"

Lou nodded her head eagerly and with relief. She was anxious to find something more becoming to wear on her evening out with Kid.

Sally showed Lou some exquisite gowns -- just in from St. Louis! But Lou knew she had limited funds with which to buy a dress. She wistfully fingered the delicate silks and muslins, and asked to be shown something a little more modest.

Sally complied graciously, and escorted Lou to some more moderately priced dresses. Lou knew she could make up for the less delicate gown with some well-chosen jewelry and gloves. She could style her hair -- pull it up so she would look like a real lady. Her pulse suddenly raced with excitement! She couldn't wait to look her finest for Kid...

An hour later, Lou was soaking in a divine bubble bath in her hotel room. The rose-scented soap was a heavenly luxury for her. It wouldn't be good for a sweet-smelling "boy" to be caught on an Express run, and she had to avoid such feminine risks. But here... now... she could relax and be herself. She sighed in lazy contentment. She carefully shampooed her hair, scrubbed her dusty neck and back. She knew this would be a special night.

Shortly after she emerged from her bath, she dried herself, slipped into her undergarments, and donned her new dress. As she struggled to fasten the buttons in the back, she suddenly imagined Kid's hands at her back... strong and capable, performing this "husbandly" duty. She blushed as her mind shifted to images of Kid unbuttoning, rather than buttoning her dress. Better not get ahead of myself. She couldn't hold back the grin that spread across her face.

Lou glanced at the clock, and could barely contain her excitement. She had just enough time to fix her hair. Lou struggled to be patient as she combed her short hair and pulled it in an upswept knot that set off her large eyes perfectly.

Watching herself in the mirror, Lou fastened the delicate pearls on her ears and around her neck, amazed at the accent they added. At last she donned the shoes and gloves that made her outfit complete. She gave her reflection a timid smile. She wasn't vain, but couldn't help feeling pleased with her efforts. She only hoped Kid would be as well...

Pinching her cheeks and biting her lips till they turned a rosy color, she left her room and descended the stairs to meet Kid. Her hand trembled on the balustrade and she took several deep breaths to steady her nerves.

She stopped suddenly when she got to the entryway. There was Kid--pacing back and forth! He looked as nervous as she felt! Her heart filled with love and tenderness at his unconscious display. All her anxiety fled in this moment as a calm warmth filled her heart. She knew tonight was what she had been waiting for. All day... all her life. Tonight would be special because they were finally together.

Louise stepped outside the hotel and onto the sidewalk and cleared her throat slightly. Kid turned and saw her. And everything was perfect in his eyes.