"No, you just lay there. Don't try getting up. You gotta rest more. If'n you move too much that head of yours will start bleed'n again." Tilly covered the injured girl.

Lou looked at her but everything appeared blurry. "Where am I?" she mumbled. "What happened to me? I can't remember."

"Now don't you fret." Tilly said calmly. "You got a bad bump to your head. That's why you gotta stay in bed. Mr. Stevens and the police brought you here after you saved his life from that sign."

Lou looked perplexed and none of this made any sense to her. She had no idea what the lady was talking about and barely heard her question.

"What did you say?" Lou asked.

"I just asked what your name was. I hate to just call you, You." the young girl said to her patient. "My father's the doctor. He said I was to ask your name."

"I don't know. I don't remember anything."

"Well, you rest now. It'll come back after you rest some more. Good night."Tilly walked quietly out of the room and down the hall to her parents sitting in the parlor. "She woke up," she announced to them.

Dr. Simon got up quickly and started to go to the patient's room, but his daughter grabbed his arm and said, "She's sleeping again."

"Well, did she say anything? Who is she?" the doctor asked impatiently.

"She doesn't remember anything yet, not even her name. She's really mixed up. I hope she'll be clearer later. Do you want me to sleep in there with her in case she wakes up again?"

"No," replied her father, "I don't trust her. She has too many secrets for me to trust you to stay in there. She should be alright until morning. Good night child."

The next morning Thomas Stevens walked to Dr. Simon's office/home after breakfast, feeling better than he had in a long time. He also wasn't sure what caused this uplifting feeling but he didn't want it to go away either. "Good morning, Mrs. Simon. How's the girl today?" he asked the doctor's wife as she was leaving the house to do her shopping for the day.

"Mr. Stevens, so nice to see you so early in the day. Got to get my shopping done. Tilly's inside.She'll show you to the room." Mrs. Simon lost no time in hurrying down the walk and away from Thomas.

"Come in Mr. Stevens. Mother told me you'd be by early." Tilly said friendly.

"How is the lass?" Thomas questioned.

"She was awake for a short time last night. But she couldn't remember anything, not even her name. Last time I looked in on her she was still sleeping."

Thomas quietly entered the room and saw Lou asleep on the bed. Gladly he saw that someone put a nightdress on the girl and the dried blood on her face had been washed away. "When does your father think she'll come to again?"

"Father left to deliver a baby and said he doubted she'd ever remember much. He thinks she is unsafe and that he should call on the sheriff. Father doesn't have much time for 'gold-brickers'."

"Why does he think that she is that? She was just a poor girl on the street that saw that sign and pushed me out of the way before it injuried me." Thomas said in the girl's defense.

"I believe you, but my father doesn't have much time for those with no money. To him that says all there is to know about someone. If you have no money you are lazy, a gold-bricker, or an outlaw. He wants her out of the house today. He won't even give her a chance defend herself. He thinks that she is a gold-bricker because she was wearing those pants; that rag of a dress and a rich lady's address prove she was trouble. He said that she was probably doing a scam that backfired when she found out that Mrs. Hurston was already dead. Can't be much of a life with nothing in your pocket but 32 cents." Tilly shook her head.

"Don't feel bad, Tilly. There are lots of people who feel that way. They never lived on nothing and can't understand others that do. I would like to move her," he nodded at the sleeping girl,"to my hotel as soon as she wakes up. I would like to repay her for saving my life."

"Take her now." the doctor spoke gruffly. "She's not welcome here. I hate liars. It won't hurt to move her."

Thomas was angry inside but he tried to not let it show. He'd heard that Dr. Simon was a good doctor but he didn't know the man was so prejudice about people with nothing. "I'll go arrange for a coach immediately, Dr. Simon. How much do I owe you?"

"Welcome back to the world of the living. No, don't say anything, just take your time to look around. We can talk later. You are safe here and can rest as long as you want. My name is Thomas Stevens and you saved my life. You are in a hotel room that has been paid for so you can take your time getting well." Thomas leaned back in his chair and smiled at the girl."Could you at least tell me your name? I don't want to have to call you 'girl'."

Lou looked at him as he had spoken and was finally starting to put together what happened. She remembered coming to this town to see someone but that they were dead. A sign was about to fall and someone got hurt. What was her name? It wasn't clear. There was something special about the name that she used. Why should her name matter? She looked at the older man who talked to her. She said nothing, shut her eyes and tried to take inventory of herself.

Her legs seemed ok and so were her arms. Her head seemed heavy and it hurt. Is that why she couldn't remember anything? More and more thoughts rushed into her head. Her name came and that she remembered using a boy's name, masquerading as a boy. Well this man must know that she was a girl, but she didn't want to give him her real name.

Opening her eyes she looked at him again. He was sitting in a chair not far from her bed. He looked tired, but he looked up when he heard her stirring again. A tired smile crossed his face. "Feeling better?" he asked.

Taking a deep breath she said, "I think my name is Billie."

"That's a most unusual name for a girl. Is it a nickname?"

Pausing to think before she spoke, she finally said, "It's short for Willamenia, but I prefer Billie."

He looked down at her and said, "Well, it doesn't matter what your name is as long as I can call you by something, Billie."

"What is yours', and why am I here?I don't remember much after I saw the sign falling." She looked at him daring to hear the truth.

"Yes, I owed you that much and I hope we can get to know each other better. My name is Thomas Stevens. You pushed me out of the way of the falling sign for which I owe you my life. I was hurt during the war and don't get around very well. I spend a lot of time watching where my feet are going and I never saw or heard that sign. Thank you. Thank you for saving me." Thomas hung his head. "I owe you forever."

"Where am I? Are we alone?" Lou looked at him puzzled.

"Yes, this is my hotel room and we are alone. I first took you to a well-known doctor but he threw you out when it was discovered that you were a girl dressed like a boy. That was this morning, the sign fell yesterday. So no, you didn't spend the night here alone with me. I prayed you'd wake up before nightfall so your reputation will be saved. I'm in the room next door."

"Why did you bring me here? I know you said you owed me, but there's more to it than what you've said so far."Lou replied, with more than a little fear and trepidation in her mind.

"Your right, Billie. I want to make you an offer but it's late. Are you hungry? I can have them send up some food. We'll talk about my idea later after you rest some more."

Lou smiled and said, "I'm hungry but then I've been hungry for a long time."

Thomas laughed and smiled, "I bet you are hungry. I know that you haven't eaten for twenty-four hours and from the looks of you, your last meal was a while before that. Am I correct? Would you like a sandwich?"

"Yeah, that sounds fine."

The next day Thomas presented his offer to Louise and she couldn't believe her ears. "Well, I want to travel around the West, but it is hard for me to get around. I need a helper and I think you would be perfect for me. Besides you need work and I think we'll get along fine together. Well, what do you think about my little plan?"

Lou couldn't believe she heard right. He wanted her to help him tour the West? "You don't know a thing about me. How can you ask that when you didn't even know who I am?"

"I learned to be a good judge of character. I do know about you. You have no money except 32 cents and a rag of a dress. You had piece of paper in your bag with the address of a lady that died over a year ago. You just purchased the pants and shirt you were wearing at the Milton General Store a few minutes before you saved my life. For some reason you were asking about the now bankrupt firm of Russell, Majors and Waddel. You rode the stage from Independence, Kansas, to St. Joe the day before. I don't know why your back is scarred or what caused the recent, horrible scar around your neck, but I do recognize the white scars on your back and head as bullet wounds. Do you want me to continue?"

Lou looked at him, her eyes round in amazement and mortification. She didn't know what to say to this man. What happened to her while she lay unconscious? How did he know so much about her? She hadn't been out that long. "I don't like people meddling in my business. I don't trust you," she honestly said. "Do you really expect me to believe that you want a traveling companion? What else do you require in this arrangement?" Lou challenged him.

"No, I'm not expecting what you're implying. I need someone to help me navigate. Most places are not accessible to someone on crutches. Sometimes I need to use a wheelchair. I want to travel. I need someone who knows their way around the West, like you do. I admire your spunk. I'd also like to have an attractive companion with me. I'm not looking for romance. I want someone to help me, someone who can take care of themselves. That is why I choose you." Thomas looked across the room at Lou and sat down. "Please consider what I have proposed. I will provide the money that we need for travel expenses, clothes for you to wear and also some money so that if it doesn't work out you can leave and have a nestegg to start over on again. Well, enough said. I'm going downstairs to have dinner. What would you like to have? Something sent up or would you like to join me this evening?" He waited for Lou's answer.

She sat on the bed trying to decide what to do. Her mind kept saying "run away as fast as you can," but her heart and stomach told a different story. "I'd join you for dinner but I don't know what I would have to wear," she replied skeptically.

"I would be honored to have you. Your pants and shirt would be most appropriate because I registered you here as a boy. After we leave here we will let the situation and yourself dictate as to your implied gender."

"You sure are assuming that I'll be going with you on your travels."

"But of course, there is nothing else you can do. I'll leave you alone to change. Can you be ready in say, a half an hour?"

"I don't need no half hour to get dressed. I'll be ready in ten minutes."

"Good, I'll be next door waiting for you." Thomas left Lou's room feeling hopeful that this mystical woman would be joining him. He could hardly wait for the ten minutes to be over. There was something about her, something enticing, he wanted to talk with her and have her tell him all the adventures that she lived in her short lifetime. He was also anxious to begin searching the West for the boys his brother abandoned thirteen years ago in Virgina. He knew they were out West somewhere, if they hadn't returned to fight in the War. Though it was a vast expanse of space, he was sure that he would be able to track word of them too.

A knock at his door brought him out of his thoughts."I'm ready. Did I take too long?" asked the young woman, innocently in her 'boy' clothes.

"No," he replied, "I was just lost in thought.Shall we go? If you don't mind I'm going to call you Billy tonight. It wouldn't do while we are here for others to find out you're staying with me, alone. We must protect your reputation to protect mine."

After the meal, Lou looked at Thomas and then at the table. She knew what her answer to his proposal would be. There was no where else for her to go now. It might be fun to tour the West as long as he didn't want to visit any Indian villages. He said she could leave at any time. Her family was gone now somewhere. They figured her to be dead. Kid was dead, too. Where did that come from? She hadn't allowed herself to think about him in years and the reason why she never would return to Sweetwater after her rescue from captivity. Too many memories! All of those things died when he died. She shut her eyes tightly.

"Are you all right, Billie? You look like you just saw a ghost. Can I help?" Thomas looked at her concerned. "Do you want to go back up to the room and rest?"

"Yes, I think I'd better. I remembered something that I thought I'd completely forgotten. Are you coming up too?" Lou asked him thoughtfully.

"No, you go on up and go to bed. This place is easy for me to navigate. I'll be along later. Good night, Billie," he said with a smile.

She smiled back, the first she'd ever given him."Good night. See you tomorrow."

Thomas climbed the stairs slowly."I think I've got her convinced. Tomorrow we'll go shopping and get her a complete wardrobe both as a woman and for when she needs to be a boy." As he approached his door, he heard strange noises coming from the neighboring room. "Billie, are you alright?" he shouted through the closed door."Billie answer me!" The strange noises kept coming. Pushing hard on the door, he opened it. Thomas rushed into the room and to Lou's side. A nightmare gripped her causing the screams and moans. Her thrashing body fought an unseen object or person. Shaking her, he asked softly, "Willow, are you awake? Wake up."

Her eyes opened slowly. Sweat glistened on her exposed skin. At first she didn't recognize the man looking at her, but eventually the present returned and she remembered where she was. "What happened?" she asked Thomas.

"You were having a nightmare. Do you remember what it was about? Are you alright now?" he asked tenderly.

"I'm fine. I don't recall what it was about though. I'll be ok now. Good night."

"Good night." Thomas left the room and returned to his own."What demons haunted that poor girl's mind?" he thought as he went to bed.

On to Chapter Eight

Feedback is welcome!

Fan Fiction Main Page