Chapter 13

Kid strolled into the Marshal's Office the next morning to see how the prisoners had fared the night. Teaspoon sat at his desk trying his best to keep his wits and his annoyance in check as Floyd Hepburn went on a verbal tirade.

Floyd stood at the bars and looked at Teaspoon. "So…You are Agnes Hunter's father. I never would have guessed that."

Teaspoon gave him a displeased look.

Floyd continued, "Oh! Your daughter is the talk of the town back in New York." He then told a lie, "She's been with lots of men…"

Kid spoke up upon hearing the claim. "She has not!"

Floyd smirked at the young rider, "She's not that innocent." He went back to his bunk, "She's got quite the reputation back home." He looked upon Teaspoon's face for any reaction.

The Marshal stated, "I know Agnes well enough to know that I trust her before I trust anything you say." He then looked to his friend, "Kid?" He wondered what the young man wanted.

"I came to see how the prisoners are." he admitted.

Floyd spoke, "I'll be just fine. I'm not too sure about Biff though." He looked to the hired hand in the next cell, "I can only afford one defense attorney." He then looked to Teaspoon, "You are going to send my letter." he demanded.

"Your letter has already gone out in the morning run east." Teaspoon assured.

Kid asked, "Letter? What letter?"

Floyd smirked, "My letter to my attorney."

Kid gasped to Teaspoon, "You are letting him use the riders to get his letter to his attorney!"

"I have no choice, Kid." he informed. "He's still innocent until proven guilty in a court of law and has a right to his attorney."

He huffed, "He's not innocent! We caught him red-handed."

"I know that, Kid." was all he could say.

Kid glared at Floyd, "I won't let you use the riders like this."

Floyd beamed, "Boy! When I am done there won't be a Pony Express and no more riders."

He sneered angry, "You won't shut down the company. It's too big."

Floyd rebutted, "It's heavily in debt that is owned to me. I'm an investor. The company was never met to succeed boy. It was a wager. It's a gamble and nothing more. The route is far more important than the riders."

Kid looked to Teaspoon in hopes that Floyd was lying.

Teaspoon admitted, "The Company is heavily in debt."

Floyd grinned, "The railroad boy! It's the future."

"I'm done talking to you." Kid huffed and stomped out the door.

Floyd looked to Teaspoon, "Maybe you and Agnes can come and work for me when the company goes belly up."

Teaspoon rose to his feet and made his way to the cell bars. He spoke in a low voice but stern, "You might just walk free from the trial but if you mess with my riders or my family…you will wish you hadn't."

Floyd challenged, "And just what will you do, Marshal?"

Teaspoon made a promise, "I will shoot you so full of holes the wind will whistle through ya."

Floyd could tell by the tone of voice and the demeanor that Teaspoon was not bluffing. He swallowed and backed down, "I like Agnes. I won't be the one to break her heart." He then lay back down on his cot, "That would be one of your riders."

Meanwhile

Pip found herself walking into town with Jimmy and Lou. As they made their way towards the General Store they came across a paper pinned to a post near the town stables.

Lou already read the notice of a town dance to be hosted by the local church. She glanced at Kid as she wanted to go but her disguise prevented her from her obtaining her wishes. She was about to walk by and not pay any mind to the event when Pip snatched the flyer before them.

She grinned, "A dance!" She looked to Lou and then Jimmy. She then suggested, "Let's go!"

Lou sighed and glanced down at her clothing for she figured she could only attend the dance dressed as a boy and that thought was heartbreaking.

Jimmy wasn't thinking of Lou but rather how forward Pip could be. He insisted, "Now I am supposed to ask you."

"Well if you insist." she replied. She then motioned, "Go ahead."

Jimmy cocked his head to the side, "I suppose you want to go to the dance."

"Of course," she nodded amused. She then challenged, "Either I'm going with you or I'm taking Lou."

Lou went wide-eyed in surprise.

Pip teased, "I bet Lou can dance."

"I can dance!" Jimmy rebutted.

Lou stated, "I don't think I'll be going to the dance."

Pip asked, "Why not?"

She looked down at herself, "I have nothing to wear."

"I'm sure you can buy a dress from Mr. Tompkin's store. He said we are allowed back in now." Pip reminded her.

"Then everyone will see…" she started with a pleading look.

Pip waved her concern off, "No one pays any attention to you being dressed like a boy. You can get all fancied up and I'll just tell everyone you are my sister. No one will know."

Lou rebutted, "I'm pretty sure they will know."

"Nah," she disagreed. With the flyer in hand she started to walk with Lou and Jimmy. She grinned at Jimmy, "I sent for my trunk of clothes to be sent out. I got a nice gown to wear that's coming." She then looked to Lou, "I can lend you a dress."

"I'm not going," Lou shook her head fearing she could lose her job.

"You are!" Pip insisted. "If Kid doesn't take ya I bet any of the other riders will. Noah is cute. He could take ya."

Lou came to a halt. She gave the most disturbed look to Pip, "But that's illegal. Noah is a negro."

Pip insisted, "Some laws are meant to be broken."

Jimmy asked, "Noah ain't cuter than me?"

She gave Jimmy an amused look, "The only one cuter than you is my father."

"Good!" he gave a nod in agreement as Pip slid her arm through his.

Jimmy paused, "Ya know…with you wearing trousers this might look kind of funny." He motioned towards her arm.

"Everyone knows who I am," she rebutted. "If anyone asks, I just tell them my clothes were lost and I'm just borrowing things from my father."

"I guess that will work." Jimmy agreed. He looked over at Lou as he figured she really did want to go to the dance but he wasn't sure if Kid would even ask her or if she would wear a dress instead of men's clothing. He assured her, "If you want to go to that dance, Lou then you just go."

"I'll think about it." she told him still unsure.

Soon Kid came into view. He was still angry at Floyd and stammering to himself. He spied Pip and walked directly for her. He soon reached his friend. "Jimmy! Lou…Pip." He then asked, "Is the company going to close down?"

Pip nodded, "Eventually."

"I just came from the Marshal's Office. Floyd Hepburn said he's an investor and they company owes him a lot of money. Is that true?" he wondered.

She nodded, "He's partnered with Mr. Russell in some bonds and other assets. I don't know the extent but I can tell you that the bonds are being investigated by the treasury. If the bonds are not legitimate that could lead the bankruptcy of the company and maybe even jail for some. No one is supposed to know about the bonds so please keep that information between us for now." she requested.

Lou gasped, "The Company can go bankrupt?"

"Many companies do." she nodded.

Kid wondered, "How do we stop it?"

"You can't," she insisted. "That's why I came out now to see my father, while the Company is still operational. If I waited for after the Pony Express to go bankrupt then I might not have been able to find him. We have a narrow window of time before it all ends. And if war breaks out…Lord know what will happen."

Kid figured, "So the company is on borrowed time."

She agreed, "I would say so." She then held up the flyer, "There's a dance in a few weeks. There won't be many chances for the riders to go to a dance together when the Pony Express closes the doors. Why not go and have fun?"

"A dance," Kid shook his head wondering how Pip could insist on going to a dance despite the problems for the Pony Express.

"It's your windows of opportunity." she insisted. "She glanced at Lou and then spoke firmly to Kid, "Don't let it slip away."