Flames licked their way across the top of the barn. As the roof began to collapse, sparks ignited the hay bales below.
The wind began to pick up and the fire quickly spread to the attached tack room where Teaspoon usually slept.
Luckily for everyone, the horses had alerted Teaspoon early on of the disturbance and he, in turn, roused everyone from their sleep to rescue the horses. The barn and tack room were beyond saving.
Just as the wind threatened to start a prairie fire, rain came down.
“Boys!” Teaspoon shouted over the roar of the rain, “This has all the makings of a gully-washer! Fire’s already goin’ down. Take the horses and tether ‘em behind the bunkhouse then get inside before ya’ll float away.”
Once inside the bunkhouse, the riders were all busy changing out of their wet long-johns. Everyone except Lou. Teaspoon, noticing Lou, said, “What in tarnation are ya’ waitin’ on, Lou? Ya’ need to get outta them wet clothes before ya’ catch yer death.”
The boys, knowing Lou’s predicament, didn’t know what to do.
Cody offered, “He’s shy.”
Kid then spoke up, “Yeah, he never changes in front of us.” At least that much was true.
Lou, thankful for her bindings so no one could see through her wet shirt, began to pull the blanket around her. She just numbly nodded at Teaspoon.
“Why son, there’s no need to be as shy as an old maid in her bloomers. Get them wet things off.”
Lou began to shiver even with the wool blanket wrapped tightly around her.
Seeing her distress, Jimmy grabbed his blanket and with the help of Buck held it up as a makeshift screen so she could change.
Lou quickly changed her wet bottoms for dry ones and quickly doffed the top. Just as she reached for her clean shirt, the blanket Jimmy and Buck were holding began to slip and Teaspoon caught a glimpse of her bindings.
“Uh, Lou, did you crack your ribs or something? I don’t remember Emma sayin’ anything about ya’ gettin’ hurt.” Teaspoon asked her. Without further ado, he swept the blanket “screen” out of the way and walked toward Lou, concern etched all over his face.
“Better unwrap ‘em so’s I can take a look.”
When she began to refuse, Teaspoon reached for the tapes holding the binding together.
“No!” The riders shouted and Ike was signing furiously. Lou cowered away and frantically tried to put the top of her long-johns on.
“Now wait just a danged minute. If one of my riders is hurt, it’s my job as stationmaster to make sure they’re fit to ride.” The instant Teaspoon brushed his hand against the front of her bindings, his eyebrows raised and he stared Lou in the eye. “Lou, ya’ got somethin’ to tell me?” He said with humor in his voice.
“Aw, Teaspoon, don’t fire her.” This from Cody.
*She rides better than all of us.* Ike signed.
“I ain’t gonna fire him…uh… her. I just can’t see how I didn’t see it sooner. Jimmy, Buck, put that blanket back up there so she can finish changin’ in private.” He sighed. “Well, this explains some things. I always thought you was a spry little thing, now I know why.”
“So she can stay?” Kid asked, visibly worried.
“’Course she can. She’s already proved she can do the job. And since you boys are all alright with it, don’t see no reason to change anything.” Then Teaspoon thought of something. “Does Emma know? Wait, don’t answer that one. ‘Course she knows. Swear that woman is more perceptive than Solomon.”
Lou cleared her throat as a sign for Jimmy and Buck to move the blanket. She awkwardly looked at Teaspoon, not knowing what to say. She quickly moved to give him a hug and told him, “Thanks for keepin’ me on, Teaspoon. Sorry for keepin’ ya’ in the dark about…well, you know. We were all afraid you’d fire me when ya’ found out I was a girl.”
“Don’t worry ‘bout a thing, Lou. But I’ve gotta ask ya’ one thing. Since you’re not really a Lou, what’s your real name?” Teaspoon asked her.
“Louise. But I like Lou. It kind of grew on me.” She told him.
Teaspoon hooked his thumbs in his suspenders and in his infinite wisdom, yawned and said, “Well, time for some shut-eye, don’t cha think, boys? Lou?” Without waiting for an answer, he bedded down in the lone empty bunk. “Gotta lotta work ta’ take care of in the mornin’.”
Cody groaned aloud, wishing he had a ride in the morning.
Teaspoon smiled to himself. ‘The more things change, the more they stay the same’, he thought to himself.
As Lou climbed into her bunk, she was glad. A night that had started off as a disaster and had only continued to get worse, had ended up alright. The barn was destroyed, but they’d rebuild. Her true identity had been found out by Teaspoon, but he’d accepted her for who she was and seemed undisturbed by her being a girl. Now she truly felt at home.
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