The final days of the Pony Express are at hand as mysteries come to light and secrets are revealed as raiders from the south cause new friendships to be questioned and old ones to resurface.

by: B L Durnell

Disclaimer

The Young Riders is a creation of Ed Spielman and is an Ogiens/Kane Production in conjunction with MGM/UA for ABC Television.

No copyright infringement is intended.

The characters have merely been borrowed for the act of creating a fan based fictional story for the enjoyment of other fans.

This work is in no way an official story and as such can not be used as a basis for other stories without the authors permission.

"Permission Granted" <grin>

Chapter 4

Lou sat up a little later to the sound of a horse and wagon pulling up to the house. Looking outside, she saw that Rachel had returned from town with the Doctor in tow. "Louise are you in here?" Rachel called out softly from the other side of the door.

"Yeah." Lou walked over to open the door, wiping tears from her eyes. "Kid's still not woke up."

"Oh Lou, Kid'll be alright. The Doctor came to check on him and determine wether or not we can move him to town where he'll be safer." Rachel wrapped her arms around a tearful Lou as she spoke and looked at the Doctor, "He will be alright won't he?"

The Doctor looked over Kid before replying, "Yes, he'll be fine, he just needs rest." Smiling at Lou, he continued with a hint of laughter in his voice, "Knowing how stubborn the both of you are, I still haven't figured out who is more so. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he was to wake up and try to get out of bed tomorrow.

"We can move him into the surgery in the back of my office, where I'll be able to keep a better eye on him. Especially when he tries to get up."

Lou smiled, "I guess you're right there. We can both be pretty stubborn at times."

Rachel smailed as she threw her two cents in, "Mule headed would be more like it."

Teaspoon looked thoughtfully at the remains of the campsite. The boys had been right, there was no telling exactly how many there were, but the evidence that they had moved to another location rather quickly was plain to see. However, they had not been in such a hurry that they left many clues.

Jimmy was searching through the remains while Buck was about a hundred yards out looking for tracks when he pulled up short. There caught on a small bush was a small scrap of paper with a drawing of a strange symbol. Looking around and not finding anything else, and not having found any tracks, he headed towards Teaspoon with his find.

"Teaspoon, I think they headed south, that direction." Buck pointed and called out as he got closer. "No tracks, but there was this piece of paper"

Looking at the piece of paper and the drawing that Buck handed him, Teaspoon grew cold and distant. "Boys, this here is called a flour-de-lice. It's a French design for something, just not quite sure what." Teaspoon turned and headed towards his horse, before continuing almost too softly for the boys to hear, "And it's something that I never thought I'd see again. I'll get the bastard this time, Michael. I promise."

Rachel and Lou helped the Doctor load Kid up into the back of the buckboard for the uneventful ride to his office. On the way there, Lou told Rachel about the dream she had had the night before. "I just don't understand it Rachel. I haven't even thought of him until last night. It just don't make no sense."

Rachel smiled at her, "Honey, sometimes the Good Lord gives us dreams that he don't want us to understand just yet, but there are reasons for them." She paused before continuing, apparently lost in thought, "You'll figure it out one of these days, if you are supposed to, that is."

Lou nodded in acceptance, "I just wish that I knew now what it meant." A few minutes passed by with nothing said as Lou wondered whether or not she should mention the jewelry box she had found.

"Rachel?"

"Hmm? What is it?

"I don't know, it may be nuthin'. But this morning when I was gathering Kid's and my stuff together in the bunkhouse after everyone had left, I found a small jewelry box that was locked in amongst all of Kid's things. Has he ever mentioned it to you before?"

"No, can't say that he has. I take it he hasn't mentioned it to you then?"

"No. It's got me curious, but I didn't open it. It was locked, and I didn't think it was my place to get into it since he hadn't showed it to me."

"Probably safer that way, especially if it is something that he is keeping as a surprise for you. Of course it could be something from his past too. Never know."

"You're right, I guess." Lou smiled her mischievous smile, "It just has me real curious, that's all."

"It is a puzzle alright." Rachel didn't say anymore as they approached the surgery. Instead, she let her imagination get away from her a little bit. No, that can't be it. Although it would be fun if it was. Smiling, and keeping her thoughts to herself, she barely registered that they had arrived when Lou stopped the buckboard.

Cody rode slowly through town heading towards the waystation, when he saw Rachel and Lou in the buckboard heading towards the Doctor's surgery. He pulled up short scared that something had happened to Kid, when he saw that the doctor was in the back leaning over something or someone.

Riding up to the group he called out, "Is something wrong with Kid?"

Lou looked over at him, "No. The Doctor gave his permission for him to be moved into town and away from the station. Easier to defend if the low lifes that shot him come back to try to finish the job."

Cody nodded, understanding what she was going through, "Are Teaspoon and the others back yet? I found out some more information about what may have happened. And it ain't all that pretty."

Lou and Rachel both shook their heads. Rachel continued, "Lou, you go on with the Doctor and get Kid inside and into bed."

Lou merely nodded and helped the Doctor get Kid out of the buckboard and into the office.

Rachel crossed her arms across her chest and looked at Cody, "What is it Billy?"

He paused and swallowed before answering, "It seems there may be a group of Southern Raiders, or possibly a Southern Militia Unit, operating in this area. The Army isn't sure. They do know that there has been some trouble but they don't know who or why."

Rachel continued to glare, "What else is there?"

"There are some rumors about who might be behind it, and the Army has gotten with the Territorial Governor to send out somebody that has some experience with who it might be." Cody paused and smiled, "They're sending the Territorial Marshall."

Rachel smiled at last. "You mean?"

"Yep. They're sending Sam Cain."