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Ike McSwain galloped home to the Sweetwater Pony Express station. He looked behind him. Sure enough his new companion was still following him. He shook his head. It had been following him since Clear Creek. It sure was determined. If anything that was the one thing that Ike had grown to admire about it. “Rider Comin’” Lou hollered from the porch. Rachel came out to join Lou. “What’s that behind him?” Rachel squinted and held her hand over her eyes to shade them from the sunlight.” “Looks like a dog.” Lou smiled. “Guess Ike’s got a new friend. “Aw he sure is cute.” Rachel cooed. Buck came up behind them. “This how you ladies talk about me when I’m gone too?” Lou playfully swatted him. “She meant the dog not Ike.” “Dog?” Buck looked at the scraggly creature limping a gallop behind Ike’s horse. “Not much of a dog if you ask me.” “I think he’s adorable.” Rachel paid no heed to Buck’s criticisms. “Me too Rachel.” Lou chimed in. Buck shook his head as he stepped down from the porch to greet his friend. “Women.” Ike seemed irritated as he came out from the barn. He started signing as soon as he saw Buck. “He followed you all the way from Clear Creek?” Buck questioned. Ike nodded and continued. Buck cut in. “There’s no way he would make it that far!” Ike just simply pointed at the dog. His way of showing Buck that it had come that far. “Hey.” Noah stepped down off the porch. “Who do we have here?” Ike motioned, Buck translated. “Has no name. Ike says he followed him all the way back from Clear Creek.” “That’s some dog then!” Noah came up to the dog and scratched it behind the ears. The dog looked up at Noah and then followed Ike as he headed for the bunkhouse. Ike pointed at the ground and motioned at it, telling it to stay. The dog just cocked his head and ran to catch up to the mute rider. Ike threw his arms up in the air. “Guess he don’t understand stay.” Noah chuckled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ When the trio reached the end of the hallway, Lacy instructed, “wait here.” She explained that she shared the room with another woman who also worked there. After about two minutes of waiting, Jimmy was beginning to get restless. He heard a stifled scream, and burst into the room, Kid close behind him. “She’s gone.” Jimmy stated the obvious. Kid looked around the room, it had been ransacked. There was an open window that led to a rickety stairwell. “Jimmy.” Kid motioned towards the stairwell. Jimmy pushed past a pile of bedding and climbed through the open window. “Stay here!” He commanded Kid. “No I’m coming with you.” Kid was determined. Jimmy called to him from the stairwell landing a floor down. “ We gotta find that letter.” Kid knew Jimmy was right. Whoever had come for Lacy was after that letter, and if they hadn’t found it, they’d be back. Clothes, bedding, and papers were strewn everywhere. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Jimmy jumped from the landing to the street below. He saw the man drag Lacy down a nearby alley. He set off after them. As he turned the corner to the alley, they were gone. It was like they had just disappeared. “Dammit.” He threw his arms up in the air. A few people that had not seen what was going on began to gather around Hickcock, as he stood in the street gun still in hand. “Did anyone here see where they went?” He was upset and it showed in his voice. He waited a few seconds, receiving no reply, he tried again. “There was a man. He dragged a woman down this alley. Are you saying none of you saw this?” He was now shouting, his frustration evident. The people went back to their daily duties, obviously choosing not to become involved. “Someone saw something.” He tried hard to calm down and put things into perspective. “I saw what you are talking about.” An elderly Spanish man said softly. “What did you say?” Jimmy approached the man’s fruit stand. “I said I might have seen what you are talking about.” The man picked up an apple and shined it with a rag. “But I am old, my memory fails me.” “You know, I’m getting hungry.” Jimmy knew how to deal with men like him. “How much for an apple?” “Oh I am sure a man like you will not be filled with one apple.” The old man smiled. Jimmy dropped some coins on the man’s stand. “I’ll take three, this should more than cover it.” “Gracias!” This seemed to please the man. He handed Jimmy three large red apples. “ I am remembering now. Yes, there was a man. Not just any man. I saw his face, he no see mine. I am just a street seller. No not like him. He grab the girl and he take her past my stand. They went down that street. I know not to where.” “You recognize this man?” Jimmy was astounded. This was turning out to be more than he had hoped for. He bit into an apple, tossing the other two into his jacket pockets. “Si I do Senor.” Worry crossed the old man’s face. “I can not say more. No. I want no trouble.” “Trouble?” Jimmy queried. “Is this man a law man?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Cody said as the two riders stepped off the walkway in front of the small restaurant. “For what?” M.J was honestly bewildered. “I guess just for getting away from it all. The restaurant.” “Sure Cody.” M.J beamed. “There’s a rider recovering at the doc’s. He was shot in the leg. If you need anything, I’m sure you could ask him, when I leave tomorrow.” “He’s here? In town still?” Cody stopped walking. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?” “What?” M.J stumbled. “I guess it just rightly slipped my mind.” He lied. “Who else is in town?” Cody questioned. “Oh Rock Creek is a big town. There’s a mayor of course, a lawyer, a few bankers, many vendors..” The boy started. Cody cut him off. “That’s not what I meant.” He was beginning to get frustrated. “Sheesh you have no sense of humor.” M.J shook his head in disappointment. “I thought you for a man who could take a little joshin’.” “Maybe so. But I’ll be damned if you got timing.” Cody let his frustration get the better of him. “Who else from the station is still in town?” He tried hard to get back on track. They resumed walking. “I dunno.” M.J said quite honestly. “When I rode in I just overheard that the rider was at a house recovering from a leg wound. Or something like that. But of course this was just saloon banter.” “Well let’s go see the doctor.” Cody announced. “But I ain’t sick or hurt.” M.J kidded again. “Keep this up an you sure will be.” Cody tried to sound menacing. Doc Wilder, as the town’s people called him, was sitting on an old wooden chair outside of his office. He got up as he saw the riders approaching. “Howdy” He greeted. “What can I do for you boys?” “I was just wonderin’ how that Express rider is doin’. I hear he was shot up some.” Cody got right to the point. “Who’s askin’?” The doctor’s guard went up. “I’m an Express rider from Sweetwater. Came here to get things under control.” Cody stuck out his chest like a rooster. He felt important. “Can’t be to careful after what happened here.” He looked the two boys over from head to toe. “ Guess you’ll be wanting to see Zach.” He nodded towards the door. He led the two Pony Express riders into the little bedroom. “He’ll be fine in a few days.” The doctor left them alone in the room with the injured rider. “William Cody?” Zach looked up at the two young men standing beside the bed. “Have we met?” A bewildered Cody questioned. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember.” “I’ve seen you come through my station.” Zach winced as he tried to sit up. “You’re a damn good rider Cody. You Sweetwater boys are a good bunch.” “Thank you.” Cody beamed. He loved compliments. “You look familiar too.” He strained to get a better look at M.J. M.J turned his head away slightly. “Ah yes.” He smiled knowingly. “I know who you are.” M.J suddenly got very nervous. “I heard they had a girl rider up in the Dakotas, but I didn’t think she’d ever find her way down here.. well I’ll be damned.” Zach marveled. “Girl?” Cody wondered aloud. “I think you have me mistaken.” M.J flustered. “Nope. No mistake about it.” He finally managed to sit up fully. He grabbed a pillow and shoved it behind him, to help keep himself up. “Girl?” Cody repeated as though the concept was foreign to him. It reminded him of how he felt when he found out about Lou. He had for a long time hated the idea of a woman rider. A woman sharing their bunks. A woman hearing their man talk. And most of all seeing a pretty woman wearing a man’s clothing. Despite his preconceptions, he had become friends with Lou. He was not sure he could put himself in that situation again. He suddenly felt very angry that M.J had lied to him. He stormed out of the doctor’s house. “Cody wait!” M.J called after him. He was already gone. Cody had let himself fume all the way back to the Rock Creek station, he was almost at full boil when he opened the door and saw two young men sitting in his office. “Who are you?” The first man, who had his legs up on Cody’s desk, asked. “That’s funny.” Cody said without humor. “I was about to ask you the same question.” Cody was at the end of his patience rope. “William F. Cody temporary Rock Creek Pony Express stationmaster.” “That a fact?” That man with his feet up raised an eyebrow. “Thats a fact.” Cody stood his ground. “Well your term is up boy.” He lingered on the word ‘boy’. “Because I’m this station’s real manager. J.W Brinks.” “Good.” Cody turned to see M.J come in. “Because I’ve about had enough of this place anyway.” “Bye.” Brinks said sardonically.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The dog looked expectantly up at Rachel. She tossed him another scrap of meat. “Why Zeke?” Rachel asked. “I dunno.” Lou thought out loud. “Just always told myself I’d have a dog named Zeke.” She really couldn’t explain it. It seemed enough to satisfy Rachel’s curiosity. “I think Zeke is a great name.” She smiled at the dog as though she was talking to him. He looked up at his two new friends with the look that made them give him food. “He sure is hungry.” Lou commented, tossing him a soup bone. This seemed to content him for the time being. Rachel looked up out the window. “Rider comin’.” “Who is it?” Lou joined Rachel at the window. “I dunno. But he’s comin in fast.” Rachel replied. Lou focused. “Looks like Cody. Wonder what the hurry is?” Rachel followed Lou to the porch. Zeke stayed with the two women like a fly near a sugar bowl.
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