"Hard right, Jimmy?" Buck asked as Jimmy dismounted.
Jimmy snorted. "Hard isn't the word for it. A certain band of Indians decide that I would make excellent fuel for their cook fires last night. I had to explain otherwise."
"You okay?" Buck asked with concern, his dark eyes raking over Jimmy, searching for any signs of tears or holes in Jimmy's coat that would alert him to an injury as he waited for Hickok's response.
"Yeah. I made it to Ft. Laramie all right. I just made the mistake of letting the commanding officer overhear me telling some boys in the saloon about the fight I had with them. He wasn't going to let me leave, until I told him that I would give a full report to my employers about his involvement with trying to delay outgoing mail. He decided that he had made a serious mistake and told me I could go. 'Course, the fact that I had drawn one of my guns might have made his decision easier." Jimmy told him.
"One of these days, Jimmy, that anger of yours is going to get you into some serious trouble." Buck laughed wryly.
"But today, it's going to get me to bed sooner. Take care of my horse for me." Jimmy said, handing his horse's reins to Buck. Buck nodded and led the horse into the barn.
Jimmy moved slowly toward the bunkhouse, every muscle in body aching with exhaustion. Wearily he climbed the bunkhouse steps and entered the bunkhouse. He paused beside the door to remove his gun belt and hang it up on the pegs beside the door. Not wearing their guns in the bunkhouse was a rule that had been started when Emma had been the housekeeper and Rachel continued to enforce it. He moved to his bunk, sat down on it and began struggling to remove his boots. He had barely lay down on his bunk and closed his eyes, when the bunkhouse door opened and he recognized the sound of Rachel's footsteps on the floor.
"Jimmy, can I talk to you for a minute?"
He opened his eyes and sat up. Rachel stood beside the table looking over at him with a hesitant expression on her face. The look on her face puzzled him and made him wonder what it was she wanted to know. Jimmy nodded reluctantly. More than anything he wanted to be left alone so he could sleep, but obviously what Rachel wanted to talk to him was more important. When another minute or so went by and Rachel didn't say anything, he grew increasingly alarmed.
"Is something wrong Rachel? Do you want me to get Teaspoon and the boys? Is it Lou?" he asked quickly.
It was the last three words that Jimmy spoke that caught Rachel's attention. "No, nothing's wrong Jimmy. You know that I would never try to but into your business Jimmy, don't you? And you know that you can tell me anything, don't you?" Rachel said quickly.
"I know that. Why do you ask?" Jimmy questioned her. He had a feeling Rachel's questions were going to lead to conversation he didn't want to get into. His feelings towards Lou were no one else's business, but his own. He was not about to discuss them with Rachel or anyone else. At least not right now. "I'm really tired Rachel. Could we talk later?"
A pained look crossed Rachel's face. "Sure, Jimmy." She said and left the bunkhouse.
(Damn!) Jimmy thought as he lay back down on the bunk and closed his eyes again. (I really didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but I don't want to talk about Lou right now. I just want to go to sleep.) He made a note to himself to apologize to Rachel for brushing her off and then concentrated on going to sleep. He'd feel so much better once had some sleep.
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