Chapter 3

Lou walked Pip into town later that day. As they walked Lou told her story. "My Pa ran off and Ma died. My brother and sister are in an orphanage. Soon as I get enough money saved up I'm gonna go get'em out."

Pip asked, "Why the get'up?" she motioned towards the clothes.

"Same as you," she smirked. "Girl with no pa, no ma…you know where that leaves ya…Scrubbing floors or worse…" she glanced at the Saloon that hosted the local prostitutes.

Pip confessed, "I've always worn boy's clothes. This is nothing new for me. I'm not trying to deceive anyone. When I was a baby my mother was killed when the family ranch was attacked by the Mexican militia. My father had gone to fight the Mexican Army in the Alamo. The whole family was killed. My mother's housekeeper saved me and snuck me out. Her name was Mabel. She died last year. She took me to New York City and got a job as a housekeeper for a lawyer. He had only boys and as they grew up their clothes were passed down from oldest to youngest and then Mabel gave the clothes to me. I had no ma or pa but I did work delivering newspapers. The boys treated me good…Like I was their little adopted sister."

Lou wondered, "So what is your first name?"

"Agnes," she confessed "and what's yours?"

"Louise," she replied. "Louise McCloud…Agnes Hunter."

"Nice to meet you too." she told her. "You think the other riders figured me out?"

"I don't know," Lou shrugged. "Jimmy likes ya though…" she grinned.

"He's a wild one." she miffed.

"He likes ya," she insisted. Lou soon found they were walking towards the bank. "The bank?" she wondered.

"I'm gonna see what rates they have for savings accounts." she told her. Pip led Lou inside. She peered about taking in the scene. The wall was lined with clerk windows and behind the clerks was a large sturdy safe that was built into the building. She gave a nod in approval.

The bank manager approached the pair. He was a tall man with thinning brown hair and a mustache. He wore a nice brown twill suit and black cravat bolo tie. He asked pleasantly, "May I help you two young fellas?"

Pip asked, "What are your saving accounts' rates?"

"Our savings accounts rates are fifteen percent with a minimum deposit of five dollars." he informed.

Lou huffed, "Five dollars!" She about to storm out for that sounded way too high.

Pip stated, "Fifteen percent is a good rate, Lou."

"They want fifteen percent?" she asked unsure what a savings interest rate even was.

"No," she shook her head. "The bank pays you fifteen percent on your deposit every month. Say you open an account with ten dollars. At the end of the first month you get a dollar and fifty cents in interest deposited into your account by the bank."

Lou paused and asked, "You mean the bank pays me?" she pointed to herself.

"You would be a depositor," Pip nodded.

She shuffled in place wondering, "Would my money be safe here?"

The manager assured her, "Any funds are placed in the banks vault for safe keeping."

"What about robbers?" she asked suspiciously.

"We have a very secure vault!" he assured her. "Its walls are five feet thick and nearly impenetrable." he declared.

Pip asked, "You guys have insurance on the depositors?"

"We do," he nodded. "For a small fee of two percept we insure the account."

Lou asked, "What's insurance?"

"It's a monetary policy that is used to cover losses that would be out of the banks control, such as a robbery or fire…Unforeseen events." She looked to the manager, "What's the limit on the policy and who is underwriting it?"

"Philadelphia," he replied.

Lou looked to Pip who seemed to know all the right questions as Pip nodded in thought. Pip stated, "If you buy insurance you will make about thirteen percent interest every month. The insurance would be automatically deducted from your account."

Lou asked, "Can I think about this?"

The manager assured, "Of course! I'm here if you have any questions?"

Pip wondered, "You have a beneficiary form for the account in case the owner was to pass away?"

"Yes," he assured. "The bank is prepared for any unforeseen events."

Lou asked, "Beneficiary?" she looked to Pip.

She explained, "Riding is dangerous! If something happened and you died you would have to rely on whoever cleans out your bunk to get your belongings to your next of kin. The bank has a policy where you name your beneficiaries, which would be your brother and sister to each get half of the funds in the account in the event of your death." She looked to the manager, "You guys have any safety deposit boxes?"

"Of course," he nodded. "Depending on size our smallest box is twenty five cents a month. Do you have something you wish to keep in a safety deposit box?"

Pip gave a nod, "I have a family heirloom I might want to store in a safe place."

"The bank has deposit boxes availed. Would you be looking for a small box or a larger box?" he wondered.

"Small one." she confirmed. "Is the boxes insured?"

"As part of the monthly fee." he told her.

Pip replied, "Sounds good. I'll be back tomorrow for the box." She looked at Lou, "You want time to think?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Be back tomorrow," she told the manager before walking Lou out of the bank.

"See you tomorrow," the manager called out.

They started down the wooden sidewalk. Lou was thinking about all the questions she never thought to even ask. "If I open a savings account you should come with me."

"I will," she assured.

They continued to walk, "So the bank would pay me." Lou wondered.

"That's how it works." she nodded.

Lou whispered to her, "I got twenty whole dollars saved up."

Pip wondered, "What ya do? Stick it in a sock under your mattress!" She looked at Lou who nodded. She winced, "No…not under your mattress. Twenty dollars! In thirty days you could make three dollars on that and interest compounds…you make more the longer the money is in the account."

"But it's safe under my mattress." Lou figured.

Pip came to a halt, "You just met me and you just told me you have twenty dollars hidden under your mattress. How do you know I won't take it?" she asked her.

Lou crossed her arms and looked at her, "You won't take it!"

"I won't but my point is riders rotate through. Anyone can find it and ride on out of here with it and you won't know." she countered. "Get the savings account and the insurance. It's worth the peace of mind." They started down the walk once more. They soon came to the general store.

Lou stated, "I'll introduce you to Mr. Tompkins." She pushed the door open and found Billy and Jimmy were already there with Kid as Rachel had sent them to pick up some supplies. She led Pip over to the counter where Mr. Tompkins was showing Jimmy a new revolver.

The old shop keeper glanced over at Lou and the new rider. He gave a nod, "Morning!"

Lou replied, "Morning! This is Pip! New rider"

Mr. Tompkins looked Pip over and figured something was off with the rider. Unlike Lou, Pip was better at hiding her figure especially with the cummerbund around her middle. "Pip!" he found the name nearly as odd as most the other riders.

Jimmy smirked, "Short for pipsqueak." He held up the empty revolver he examined for Pip to see. The revolver didn't look like anything he saw before. "What ya think of this?" he asked her.

"That's a 'Grape Shot' revolver by Jean Alexandre La Mat." she recognized the odd design.

Mr. Tompkins asked, "How did you know that? It's brand new! I just got it in today."

"I saw the patent for it few years back." she informed. "A lawyer showed it to me."

"Lawyer, huh?" Tompkins asked wondering how this young rider even knew what a layer was.

She nodded, "Is it the forty-two or the thirty-six?"

Lou asked, "What is that crazy looking gun?"

Mr. Tompkins stated, "It's a revolver and shotgun in one! I thought of you riders when I saw it in the catalog." He looked to Pip, "It's a forty-two."

Jimmy handed it back to Mr. Tompkins, "Rather have my thirty-six." he referred to his set of Colt ivory handled revolvers. He looked at Pip, "The lawyer that the housekeeper friend worked for?"

"He helped file patents." she nodded.

Jimmy have a nod and looked to Mr. Tomkins, "I need some number twelve percussion caps and lead balls."

"Right up," he secured the revolver and then bent over to gather the caps and bullets. As he set the items on the counter he noticed the butt of the revolver sticking out of the cummerbund that Pip wore. "I got holsters in the back." he motioned towards the far corner.

Curious Pip gave a nod, "I'll check it out." and then wandered over to look at the display of fine leather work.

As Jimmy as busy paying for his supplies, Kid whispered to Lou, "Where did you and Pip go this morning?"

"To the bank." she whispered back.

"What for?" he wondered.

"To open an account." she softly replied not wanting to talk about her savings.

"I don't trust banks." he shook his head.

"Pip knows all about banks." she assured him. She watched as Pip wandered from holsters to lady's handbags. She figured she better pull her out before she did something to raise an eyebrow. She walked away from Kid and to the section.

Lou whispered, "Find anything you like?"

She admitted, "That nice little bag with the pearl closure."

Lou looked beyond Pip and spied the lady's purse. It was royal blue silk with a pearl closure. She had to admit it was a classy purse. "The purse is a dollar and fifty cents." she reported the price.

Pip reminded her, "Ten dollars and thirty days and you would have the money to buy that purse without even lifting a finger."

Lou rolled her eyes and pulled Pip's sleeve, "Come on! I think we're leaving."

Pip whispered, "You should go to New York City with me and we can spend all day at the department store."

Lou asked, "With what money?"

Pip kidded, "With a rich man's money."

"Ah-ha," she shook her head as they headed out the door.

Mr. Tompkins noticed Pip and Lou were muddling about the corner of the store. He wasn't sure what they were looking at and more towns' folks walked into his store. He went about his business without much thought.

NOTE: Thank you for all the reviews. Next update will be in march.