It quickly became clear to me how Pearl thought of it all as some romantic adventure. She clung to my back as we rode out of West Elizabeth, and I tried to think of someplace to go that wouldn't be an incredible amount of trouble.

Eventually I settled on Casa Madrugada. It was safer than Thieves Landing, not as close to West Elizabeth, and any rumors spread around there weren't likely to make it back to the US anytime soon.

Pearl was captivated by the scenery as we road across Butter Bridge and down to Casa Madrugada. When we got there, she was only as cheerful and excited as usual. I knew she was aware of the fact that the place was a giant brothel, but she made no mention of it.

The day hadn't even ended yet, and Pearl had quickly become quite popular among the few English speaking residents of Casa Madrugada. She learned all of their names and chatted with them as if she had known them for years. Even the working women there took a liking to her. Knowing that she was a smart girl, and that she seemed to be well liked in the town, I left her to making new friends and went to the saloon for a drink. She knew where my room was, and I was confident that she would be there when I returned at night.

So, when I went up to the room once it was getting dark, she was there. She lay on her side, petting a large hen that was lying beside her.

"Look what I've got, Jack." She sat up and held the chicken up for me to see. "Isn't she the loveliest hen you've seen?"

I wondered at how much I'd had to drink. "Why on earth do you have a chicken, Pearl?"

"Ramona gave it to me. She said some man tried to pay her with it." She ran her hand across the chicken's back. "No one wanted the poor thing, so I took her. She's so soft and warm, and she's so quiet and well behaved."

"It'll be pecking you awake by morning." I warned her.

"She hasn't pecked or scratched me once." Pearl frowned. "And she cleared all the bugs out of this room, so she won't be hungry for a while."

"That's comforting." I sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Well, it's your responsibility now. Just don't let it sleep in the bed with you. It's a chicken, not a dog or a cat." So Pearl hopped up and pulled her coat and violin case off of the table. She took her violin out of the case, set it on the table, and folded her coat inside of the case.

"What are you doing now?" I asked her.

"I'm making a bed for her." Pearl said. "She could get cold, and I want her to be comfortable."

"It's just a damn chicken." I told her. "It doesn't need a bed."

"Well, I'd still like to give her one." Pearl picked up the chicken and set it down in the violin case, where it promptly sat and adjusted itself. "Where are you going to sleep?"

"I'll probably sleep in that chair." I gestured to the one pushed in at the table. "It'll be more comfortable than the ground."

"The bed is big enough for two people."

"No, Pearl." I wiped the sleep from my eyes.

"Come on, Jack. I'm not going to do anything to you." She sat down next to me on the bed. "And you deserve to sleep in a bed every now and then. We can even create some type of barrier between us if that makes you more comfortable."

"And what about your parents?" I crossed my arms. "What would they have to say about that?"

She shrugged. "Well, it's not like I'm going to ever tell them that I slept in a bed with you."

I stared at her for a minute, searching for any evil plans on her face before giving in. "Fine, but if there's any funny business, you're going to be sleeping on the floor with the chicken."