A Slice of Humble Pie

Rosemary sighed and stepped out into the yard. It was unusually warm for June, and the night seemed oppressively still. Too still.

"Is everythin' alright?" A deep, almost gravely voice asked from the shadows.

Rosemary jumped, whirled around, and placed a hand on her chest. "James, don't do that!" she admonished.

James Butler Hickok smiled and stepped from the shadows off the porch of the main house. "Sorry, but when you didn't come back inside, I started to wonder."

"I was just thinkin' about that Confederate. What if he comes back while the runaways are here?"

Hickok crossed over and embraced her. "Wilkinson won't find nothin'. They'll only be here for a couple of days."

"Yeah, well I hope so."

Lone Tree Valley, Nebraska Territory.

Kid came out of the bank, a look of pure frustration on his face. Mrs. Collins, the bank manager's wife, didn't approve of he and Lou taking in Lydia Mitchell, the new teacher, in so now she had her husband taking in out on the Kid. And his family. Sighing, he mounted Katie and headed for their horse ranch, two miles out of town.

Lou was sitting on the veranda watching baby Ike, listlessly fanning herself with one hand and caressing her belly with the other. The pregnancy was wearing her down and she still had three months to go. Emily Metcalfe, Ike's mother, said it was just the heat. Lou sure hoped so.

Lou looked up as her husband tore in on Katie. "It's a bit warm to be ridin' like that, isn't it?"

Kid muttered something as he dismounted, and Lou could see the frown on his face and frustration in his eyes.

Lou stood. "What's wrong?" she asked. "What'd the bank say?"

"Is Buck around?" Kid evaded Lou's question.

Lou shook her head. "What'd the bank say?" she repeated. "What'd Collins say?"

Kid kissed her lips to stop her questions. "We'll talk about later, when Buck gets back. It concerns him, and Emily, too."

Lou frowned herself then, for she knew whatever it was, it was serious. Before she could say anything, however, Ike began to whimper. "I guess it's time for dinner, huh," she said, picking him up. Holding Ike in one arm, she held her other hand out to Kid. "Come on, let's get somethin' to eat."

Kid took her hand and squeezed it, grateful that she didn't press the subject. He only wanted to say this once.

Hickok and his sister, Celinda walked out of the apothecary, Hickok scowling at the questions posed at them over the supplies they were buying. It was basic stuff really - bandages and medicines the runaways needed, but Celinda wasn't used to coming up with inventive, evasive answers.

Not for the first time he found himself wishing that Rosemary was with him instead of Celinda. But Rosemary was too recognisable as Isaiah Burke's widow to risk coming out, even in this remote Missouri town. It was hard enough to keep suspicions down about what they were doing.

"Ah, Mr. Hickok, Ma'am."

Hickok and Celinda turned around to see the Confederate captain, Wilkinson, astride a bay gelding tipping his hat at Celinda. He was nothing, if not a gentleman.

Hickok nodded curtly. "Wilkinson."

"Now, Mr. Hickok, you're not gonna hold the other night against me, are you?"

"You did come harass us for no reason."

"I was just followin' a lead. You of all people should understand that."

"Are you gonna leave now that you turned up nothin'?"

"We know those slaves will be here soon. We'll stick around until we find them. Good day." Wilkinson tipped his hat again as he rode off.

Hickok and Celinda exchange a hooded glance. "Damn," Hickok said softly.

The arrangement Lou, Kid, Buck and Emily have at the horse ranch may not have been unique, but it was unusual. Lou and Kid borrowed from the bank and bought the ranch, complete with wild horses, six months before, and settled there with Lou's brother and sister. Then Buck Cross, former Pony Express rider and "family" turned up in Lone Tree, aimless, needing something to do. After much discussion, Buck finally agreed to buy a third share in the ranch. Lou and Kid offered half, but he insisted a third was enough. Enter Emily Metcalfe, whom Lou met at the doctors. They had met Emily before, when she had fallen for another rider, Ike McSwain. Emily was heavily pregnant, and the baby, she said, was Ike's. Having nowhere to go, they took her in. When Buck approached Kid, saying that he wanted to put part of his share in the ranch in trust for the baby, named Ike, Kid and Lou decided to put half their share in trust for Ike instead, with Emily making the decisions until Ike came of age. So Lou and Kid, Buck, and Emily each owned a third of the ranch, an arrangement which has worked perfectly well. Until now.

"Can Collins do that? Just double a loan repayment like that?" Buck asked. It was night, the children and Lydia were in bed, and Lou, Kid, Buck and Emily were in the study.

"Normally, no, but I suspect that Mrs. Collins wants us run out of town," Kid replied.

"Because of Lydia?" Buck was incredulous and rather sweet on the new schoolteacher.

"And because of me. She wanted to take Ike. I'm sorry." Emily looked down.

"Not your fault. The problem is, what to do now."

"We don't have enough, do we?" Lou asked.

Kid shook his head. "Not unless Patterson buys the horses now, instead of in September. And I don't know where he is."

Buck narrowed his eyes. "Tony Patterson?" Kid nods. "He's an army agent."

"How do you know?" Kid frowned.

"Cody mentioned him in a letter. I thought we were gonna stay out of the War."

"If possible. Anyway we can't afford to back out now."

"But how can we sell the horses to him if we don't know where he is?" Emily asked.

"We can't. And we can't get an extension, I already asked."

"I can't believe this," Buck shook his head. "After all we've worked for."

"Wait a minute," Lou held her hand up. "What if we found Patterson?"

"How?" Emily asked.

"I think Jimmy knows him. He mentioned a Tony Patterson in his letter, that he made a deal for horses. He asked if it was with us." Lou looked at her husband's face closely. He and Jimmy Hickok had not parted on good terms, although he knew Lou corresponded with him.

"And you think we should ask Jimmy to help us?" Kid asked, half-sarcastically.

Lou ignored his tone. "It's worth a try."

"Do you know where he is?"

"He was headed to a small town, Rock Port. It's north Missouri, near the Nebraska border."

"Want me to talk to him, Kid?" Buck asked.

Kid shook his head. "I need to talk to him. I need to apologise."

"But he might not listen."

"I have to try."

"You sure you want to do this?" Lou asked Kid the next morning as he saddled Katie.

"Lou, I realised when we were lookin' after Jesse that Rosemary wasn't really to blame for Noah's death, any more that he was. I need to tell Jimmy that, and if he's still with Rosemary, I need to tell her too."

"You realise he might not listen."

"If he won't do it for me, he'll help you."

Lou frowned a little at the slight bitterness in Kid's words, remembering that bone of contention between them. "You're not gonna bring that up, are you?"

Kid shook his head.

"Good." She stepped forward and hugged him long and hard. "Ride safe, Kid."

Kid kissed her tenderly, then mounted Katie. "I'll see you later."

Lou walked out of the barn, watching Kid disappear on the horizon.

"Do you think this will work?" Buck appeared at Lou's side.

"I hope so," Lou replies. "I really hope so."

Rock Port, Missouri. One week later.

Rosemary was in town, against Hickok's better judgement, to have her bay mare re-shod. While she was waiting for the blacksmith, Campbell, to check her out, she saw Kid ride up on Katie. He dismounted and walked into the Marshal's office. What is he doing here? Rosemary wondered, eyes widening in surprise. With the runaways at the ranch now, it was the last time he should show up to see Hickok, which was about the only reason she'd expect Kid to come to Rock Port.

Campbell asked her a question.

Rosemary blinked. "I'm sorry, Mr. Campbell, what did you say?"

"She'll be ready in a couple of hours," Campbell patted the horse's flank.

"Uh, right. I'll be back." Rosemary went to the livery stables, borrowed a horse and rode back to the ranch.

Celinda looked up in consternation as Rosemary rode up at breakneck speed. "Rosemary, what is it?"

Rosemary dismounted. "Where's James?"

"In the bunkhouse with Nathan. Is there trouble?"

"Could be." Rosemary walked over to the bunkhouse. Celinda sighed and went back to hanging the washing. She was used to not being told what was going on.

Hickok and Nathan looked up from where they were talking with Caleb, the leader of the runaways. "What is it Rosemary?" Nathan asked.

Rosemary indicated the veranda, so the two men followed her out. "We've got trouble."

"What?"

"The Kid's in town."

Frowning, Kid walked out of the Marshal's office. The marshal, knew of James Hickok alright. He also knew that Jimmy was an Abolitionist, and was quite vocal in his opinion on that. But he told Kid where Jimmy and Celinda bought a ranch.

"You tell Hickok when you see him that I want no slave stealin' in my town!" The Marshal yelled after Kid as he left. "If you're his friend you'll tell him that."

Kid shook his head as he mounted Katie. What have you gotten yourself into this time, Jimmy?

Unbeknownst to Kid, the Confederate captain, Wilkinson, overheard his conversation with the marshal with interest. A friend of Hickok's, eh? He wondered, noting Kid's accent.

"Excuse me?"

Startled, Kid looked over at Wilkinson, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw the uniform. "Sir?" he asked.

"I was wonderin' why a Southerner like yourself would have anything to do with a known Abolitionist like Hickok."

Kid sighed. He couldn't get away from it. "Look, Captain..."

"Wilkinson."

"Wilkinson, Jimmy Hickok and I rode together in the Express a while back, and I just want to catch up.

"Just don't go gettin' yourself into trouble." Wilkinson warned cryptically, before walking away. Kid stared after him a moment, before turning Katie and riding westward.

"What are we gonna do about this?" Nathan demanded. He, Hickok, Rosemary and Celinda were in the house.

"What do you think he wants?" Celinda asked.

Hickok shrugged. "Who knows, but with the slaves here... we can't risk movin' them."

"He'll turn us in," Nathan growled.

"He didn't last time," Celinda pointed out. "He helped you."

"Yeah, but he wasn't too happy with me the last time I saw him." Rosemary said.

"Has he sided with the South?"

"They're still on a ranch outside Lone Tree, accordin' to Lou's last letter, but who knows?" Hickok repeated.

Outside, they heard the thunder of hoof-beats. "Rider comin'!" somebody called.

They all looked at each other, and Hickok and Celinda went out on the porch.

Kid rode up, and was perplexed to find two riders come up behind him with guns drawn. "Hey, Jimmy, Celinda, what's goin' on?"

"What d'you want, Kid?" Jimmy asked tersely.

"To catch up."

"Yeah, right," Jimmy said sarcastically.

"It's true. We also need your help."

"Oh, you need my help." Jimmy started to get angry. "Do you think that after what you did to Rosemary I would help you? Go talk to that Confederate captain in town. Just get out."

Stung, Kid looked from the burning resentment in Jimmy's eyes to Rosemary as she came out on the porch. He looked away.

"I'm sorry about that, Rosemary. I was hurtin' and I needed to blame someone for Noah's death. It was easier to blame you than Jesse."

"Yeah, well, that may be, but that doesn't solve matters. You wouldn't have apologised if you didn't need our help."

"Maybe, but I've felt that way for a while."

"Why are you lookin' for me?"

"We made a deal to see horses to Tony Patterson, for next fall. We need to sell them now."

"So?"

"Lou said you know him. Figured you might know where he was. Buck would've come, but I wanted to talk to you. Patch things up."

Before Hickok could answer, a little girl came out of the bunkhouse. Her dark eyes were wide with fear. "Momma's dyin'."

Rosemary and Jimmy quickly went to the bunkhouse. Curious, Kid dismounts and follows. Inside, he sees the group of runaway slaves. It looked like an extended family of various ages. The woman in question had fallen to the floor, coughing, wheezing for breath. Rosemary and Jimmy help her onto a bunk.

"She'll feel better if you prop her up."

Jimmy turned and glared at Kid. The runaways all froze with fear at Kid's accent.

Rosemary noticed this. "Don't worry, he won't hurt you." She stared at Kid. "Will you?"

Kid shook his head. "I'm no Cracker."

"But you're Southern," Caleb said accusingly.

"True, but I don't like slavery. No one should have to live with what you've had to. Jimmy, could I speak with you outside?"

Scowling, Jimmy followed Kid out of the bunkhouse. "What?"

"Was this why you wanted me to leave? You know I don't like slavery, you really think I'd turn them in? You really don't trust me, do you?"

"I know you always said you'd fight for Virginia. That's fightin' for slavery."

Kid didn't rise to the bait. Before he could say anything, however...

"Riders comin'!"

Wilkinson was very suspicious when he left Kid. He found it strange that a friend of Hickok's would meet him at a place he hadn't been for long. Also, he thought it was unlikely Hickok would have a Southern friend. So he gathered his men to ride out to Hickok's ranch.

Upon arriving there, he found Hickok and Kid sitting on the veranda of the house, talking. No one else was in sight."

"There somethin' I can do for you, Captain?" Hickok asked.

"You can hand over those slaves."

"What slaves?" Kid asked, innocently.

"The one's your friend's been hidin'."

"I didn't see any slaves."

"Yeah, well, you're probably in on it." Wilkinson drew his gun. "Turn them over, or my men will fire." Jimmy glanced at Kid. If he was going to turn them in, now was the time.

"Now wait a minute, Wilkinson. Do you have any proof that the slaves are here?" Kid asked.

"No."

"And since Missouri's still a state of the Union, you can't search this place without the marshal, can you?"

Again, Wilkinson had to say no.

"Why don't you come back when you have a warrant to search the place."

Fuming, Wilkinson had to order his men to leave. Kid was right, and he couldn't risk a gunfight with Hickok's men when he didn't know if they were lying in wait.

"You're not gonna let them get away with it, are you?" one of Wilkinson's men asked, low.

"No, but we can ambush them tonight and get the slaves."

"Why'd you tell them to come back with a warrant?" Jimmy asked as they watched the Confederates leave.

"If they could get a warrant, they'd of had it by now."

"We can't risk movin' them with Wilkinson snoopin' around." Nathan said. He Jimmy, Rosemary and Kid were sitting in the kitchen discussing the runaways. Rosemary and Nathan had not wanted Kid there, but in Jimmy's mind Kid had acquitted himself that afternoon.

"We can't let them stay, either," Rosemary pointed out. "The Confederates are bound to be back."

"What do we do then?"

"We have to move them tonight," Jimmy stated.

"What about Wilkinson?"

"I'll lead him in the opposite direction, buy you some time." Kid spoke up.

"What?"

"A marshal Jimmy and me knew did this once. You take the slaves out tonight, and just before dawn, I'll go to Wilkinson and tell him that you did have the slaves and lead him the other way. You'll be long gone when he realises that I've lied."

"Think he'll believe you after today?"

Kid shrugged. "I don't know, but if Nathan comes with me, we might convince him. Wilkinson doesn't know you, does he?" Kid asked Nathan, who shook his head.

"Right then, Nathan and I will get things ready. You two need to talk." Rosemary stood and motioned for Nathan to follow her out.

"So..." Jimmy said awkwardly.

"So, I guess Lou's told you what's been goin' on with us."

"Yeah, her letters are pretty thorough. I couldn't believe it when she wrote about Emily and her baby. I never pictured Ike bein' a father."

"Well, that's what they get for sneakin' outta dances." They chuckled.

"So when are you two gonna have a family?"

Kid stared at him. "You mean she didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Lou's pregnant. She's due in September." Kid grinned with pride.

"Congratulations." Jimmy grinned broadly. "I wonder why Lou never mentioned it."

"Probably because she lost the baby last fall. It shook her up."

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to leave her after that."

Kid gave Jimmy a strange look. "What are you gettin' at?"

"Are you gonna fight?" Jimmy finally got it off his chest.

"For Virginia?" Jimmy nodded.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I've seen the guilt Jesse's livin' with over what happened to Noah. I couldn't live with that. Cody's like a brother and if I killed him..."

Jimmy understood. He, too, saw Jesse's torment. Before Jimmy could answer, they heard a commotion outside. "What the..."

There was pandemonium as Jimmy and Kid emerged from the house. The runaways were fleeing the bunkhouse as Wilkinson's men herded them into a cramped wagon. The soldier's fired on Kid and Jimmy as soon as they saw them.

The resulting gunfight was drawn out. While the Confederates were evenly matched with Jimmy's men, they were ready for a fight. Jimmy's men were not.

It probably would have been an all-out massacre if it wasn't for the runaways themselves. Freedom was so close, they weren't about to let it slip away. They fought the only way they knew how, and after a while, they and the Abolitionists wore the Confederates down.

"Where's Wilkinson?" Kid asked after the shooting stopped.

"I'm right here," Wilkinson called from the bunkhouse. He approached them, holding the little girl Kid saw earlier as a shield.

"When you started talkin' about warrants, I got suspicious." Wilkinson told Kid. "So we came back and look what we found. Drop your guns or the girl dies!"

Jimmy and Kid do so, looking around. The other men were too far away to help, and Wilkinson knew it. "What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna show you what happens to people who harbour runaway slaves. Starting with her." Wilkinson aimed his gun at a startled Rosemary, who just came around the bunkhouse.

"No!" Jimmy yelled as he and Kid dove for their guns. Kid was just a shade quicker, he picked up his guns and shot Wilkinson in the head. The little girl fell from his limp arms screaming. Kid ran to her while Jimmy ran to embrace Rosemary.

Kid walked over to them after handing the girl to her relatives. "Is everything alright now?"

Jimmy nodded. "Should be when we get the runaways to the next stop of the 'railroad'."

"Thanks for savin' my life, Kid," Rosemary said. Kid shrugged.

"Say Kid," Jimmy said brightly, to break the awkward moment. "What say when this is over, we go look for Patterson, huh?"

Kid grinned in surprise. "Sure, it'll be just like old times."