A/N If you can't tell I added three chapters dealing with the time leading
up to the other girls arrivals in Texas. I figured you guys might need a
bit of back-story. Don't worry Helen and Michelle will get their say, I'm
just saving that for later. I also want to thank everyone who is reviewing
so faithfully. A shout out here goes to Cyanne 76, who is the president and
founder of IHAMDTMC. I am on that list; I've got Ewan McGregor on my
ceiling, click on her name in the reviews if you want to find out more. SOs
to Ershey, ShortAtntionSpaz and JustDuck, thanks for being so faithful in
your reviews they really do make my day. And if I misspelled anyone's
names, sorry that's the web flitter doing its job. (Stupid filter.) Anyway
on with the story.
Pip was quite proud of the stunned silence that followed her remark. It was an accomplishment in and of itself to silence all five of the guys at once. Though usually that took the mention of girl troubles and possibly shopping. But it was quite another to silence the boys and to enjoy the looks of horror that crossed their faces as the new arrivals realized just how they had been fooled.
Pip was counting silently in her head as she waited for the first outburst. She got to one and a half minutes before Helen started to yell at the first guy she set eyes on, which unfortunately for him was Mush. Mush had been reaching for her bag when the bomb had been dropped and Helen's reaction did not disappoint Pip. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked pulling her bag to her protectively.
Mush was silent for a beat then responded, "Getting your bag for you. I figured you didn't want to carry it all the way to the farm."
"What in the world makes you think that I am going out to some farm with any of you?" Helen's voice was beginning to rise.
"Well you don't have anywhere else to go do you?" Mush was just giving her enough rope to hang himself and the others were watching with horrid fascination.
"No I don't and it is all because you guys decided to trick us into coming out here. How dare you prey on our hopes and dreams like that? You are nothing but a common sneak thief and I demand to see the local police officer." Helen was nearly screaming now, and her tone set off a series of events.
Suddenly everyone was in fierce discussion. The boys, except for Jack, had quickly moved away from the girls and were debating on what to do next. The girls seemed to be ready to just up and leave on the next train. But soon the fight between Jack and Chaney Sullivan and caught everyone's attention.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack snarled at Chaney.
"Medda asked me to escort Miss Williams to meet her mail-order husband." Chaney responded with a shrug.
"Escort a girl out here? What were you thinking?"
"I wanted to see you." Chaney yelled as if it was the most obvious explanation.
"Well I didn't want to see you." Jack yelled back. Trish was standing near Chaney her eyes wide.
"Why don't you want to see your father." She asked innocently.
"Because he abandoned me and my mother for an easy score." Jack snarled at her.
"Now that is no way to treat a lady. Though it seems you bunch has a lot to learn about treating girls." Chaney stepped between Jack and Trish.
"What do you know about treating girls? You've been in the pokey for the last ten years. And don't try running my life for me. I've survived on my own since I was nine thanks to you. I don't need you acting like we need to be all family like now. You had your chance when I was a kid. I can run my own life. Why don't you just get back on that train? The girl's here now." Jack said turning away from Chaney.
Chaney took Jack's arm and forced him to turn back around. "Listen to me boy. I ain't leaving till I'm satisfied that you and your pals ain't gonna hurt these girls. So live with it."
Jack snorted and was about to say something when a shot was fired. All of the conversations on the train platform stopped. "Thanks for quieting down." A somewhat familiar young man was just placing his pistol into its holster as the groups turned to face him. "Now I don't want to arrest any of you for disturbing the peace. So why don't you move along here."
"Excuse me, sir are you the local police officer?" Helen asked suddenly.
"Why yes ma'am I am the local sheriff, of sorts. At least till Sheriff Thoene gets back from Huston. Deputy Sam Davis at your service." The deputy smiled at the girl who grinned back evilly.
"Then would you be so kind as to arrest these men. They tried to assault my friend and I as we disembarked the train for a drink of water." Hazel pointed to the five guys.
"All of them ma'am?" Sam Davis looked around the group the other girls, including Pip, Hazel and Calyx were nodding.
"We did no such thing Sam, these girls are lying to you." Race protested.
"Now Higgins you know I can't just disregard the claims of these ladies. It is highly unusual for a woman to just lie about being assaulted. Why don't I just take all of you down to the jail and we'll discuss it." Sam Davis said motioning for the guys to lead the way.
When the group arrived at the jail Davis had listened to the entire story that the girls somehow had concocted on the short walk over. They're story was complex, with many details. There were times where the guys had been sure they would forget a detail but the young ladies had forgotten nothing and soon the guys found themselves sharing a six by ten cell with Spot and Blink.
Sam had admitted before letting the girls start their report that he had arrived at the train station looking for Mrs. Conlon, as both Spot and Blink had drank themselves to the point of total inebriation. Sam had thought that Calyx and Pip might take pity on Spot at least but neither young woman felt so inclined. So Spot and Blink had taken up residence on the only two bed in the cell, they were fast asleep and it didn't look as if anyone would be able to wake them.
"I can't believe this," Skittery grumbled to Race as they sat in the cell behind the bars. "We've been out foxed by those girls. This is why I didn't want to go along with you guys. Now look where we are in prison."
"Oh just shut up." Race snapped looking out the bars morosely. "Imagine those girls are going to have complete reign of our house, it will be pink and have flowers everywhere."
Deputy Davis came over to the cell then, "You know I had to take you all into custody. It's just for the night, I'll be back bright and early to let you all out. Think of this as time to think what you are going to do when you get back to that house with all those angry women folk." Davis smiled, "Oh and I'll bring a couple buckets of water to pour over Conlon and Parker tomorrow. I'm sure Conlon's wife will be happy to make sure he never drinks like that again." Davis pointed over to the corner of the cell were Spot and Blink were snoring away. "Have a good evening fellas."
Sam Davis tipped his hat to the guys, and left the jail, laughing heartily as he locked the office door and walked away.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I say we put Spot and Blink in the corner and flip for the bunks." Jack suggested.
The others agreed and soon Spot and Blink were propped up in one corner still oblivious to their situation. The other flipped for the beds, which Mush and Blumlets won. It was a uncomfortable, long night for them all, but some how they fell asleep. Only to be rudely awaken the next morning.
Pip was quite proud of the stunned silence that followed her remark. It was an accomplishment in and of itself to silence all five of the guys at once. Though usually that took the mention of girl troubles and possibly shopping. But it was quite another to silence the boys and to enjoy the looks of horror that crossed their faces as the new arrivals realized just how they had been fooled.
Pip was counting silently in her head as she waited for the first outburst. She got to one and a half minutes before Helen started to yell at the first guy she set eyes on, which unfortunately for him was Mush. Mush had been reaching for her bag when the bomb had been dropped and Helen's reaction did not disappoint Pip. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked pulling her bag to her protectively.
Mush was silent for a beat then responded, "Getting your bag for you. I figured you didn't want to carry it all the way to the farm."
"What in the world makes you think that I am going out to some farm with any of you?" Helen's voice was beginning to rise.
"Well you don't have anywhere else to go do you?" Mush was just giving her enough rope to hang himself and the others were watching with horrid fascination.
"No I don't and it is all because you guys decided to trick us into coming out here. How dare you prey on our hopes and dreams like that? You are nothing but a common sneak thief and I demand to see the local police officer." Helen was nearly screaming now, and her tone set off a series of events.
Suddenly everyone was in fierce discussion. The boys, except for Jack, had quickly moved away from the girls and were debating on what to do next. The girls seemed to be ready to just up and leave on the next train. But soon the fight between Jack and Chaney Sullivan and caught everyone's attention.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack snarled at Chaney.
"Medda asked me to escort Miss Williams to meet her mail-order husband." Chaney responded with a shrug.
"Escort a girl out here? What were you thinking?"
"I wanted to see you." Chaney yelled as if it was the most obvious explanation.
"Well I didn't want to see you." Jack yelled back. Trish was standing near Chaney her eyes wide.
"Why don't you want to see your father." She asked innocently.
"Because he abandoned me and my mother for an easy score." Jack snarled at her.
"Now that is no way to treat a lady. Though it seems you bunch has a lot to learn about treating girls." Chaney stepped between Jack and Trish.
"What do you know about treating girls? You've been in the pokey for the last ten years. And don't try running my life for me. I've survived on my own since I was nine thanks to you. I don't need you acting like we need to be all family like now. You had your chance when I was a kid. I can run my own life. Why don't you just get back on that train? The girl's here now." Jack said turning away from Chaney.
Chaney took Jack's arm and forced him to turn back around. "Listen to me boy. I ain't leaving till I'm satisfied that you and your pals ain't gonna hurt these girls. So live with it."
Jack snorted and was about to say something when a shot was fired. All of the conversations on the train platform stopped. "Thanks for quieting down." A somewhat familiar young man was just placing his pistol into its holster as the groups turned to face him. "Now I don't want to arrest any of you for disturbing the peace. So why don't you move along here."
"Excuse me, sir are you the local police officer?" Helen asked suddenly.
"Why yes ma'am I am the local sheriff, of sorts. At least till Sheriff Thoene gets back from Huston. Deputy Sam Davis at your service." The deputy smiled at the girl who grinned back evilly.
"Then would you be so kind as to arrest these men. They tried to assault my friend and I as we disembarked the train for a drink of water." Hazel pointed to the five guys.
"All of them ma'am?" Sam Davis looked around the group the other girls, including Pip, Hazel and Calyx were nodding.
"We did no such thing Sam, these girls are lying to you." Race protested.
"Now Higgins you know I can't just disregard the claims of these ladies. It is highly unusual for a woman to just lie about being assaulted. Why don't I just take all of you down to the jail and we'll discuss it." Sam Davis said motioning for the guys to lead the way.
When the group arrived at the jail Davis had listened to the entire story that the girls somehow had concocted on the short walk over. They're story was complex, with many details. There were times where the guys had been sure they would forget a detail but the young ladies had forgotten nothing and soon the guys found themselves sharing a six by ten cell with Spot and Blink.
Sam had admitted before letting the girls start their report that he had arrived at the train station looking for Mrs. Conlon, as both Spot and Blink had drank themselves to the point of total inebriation. Sam had thought that Calyx and Pip might take pity on Spot at least but neither young woman felt so inclined. So Spot and Blink had taken up residence on the only two bed in the cell, they were fast asleep and it didn't look as if anyone would be able to wake them.
"I can't believe this," Skittery grumbled to Race as they sat in the cell behind the bars. "We've been out foxed by those girls. This is why I didn't want to go along with you guys. Now look where we are in prison."
"Oh just shut up." Race snapped looking out the bars morosely. "Imagine those girls are going to have complete reign of our house, it will be pink and have flowers everywhere."
Deputy Davis came over to the cell then, "You know I had to take you all into custody. It's just for the night, I'll be back bright and early to let you all out. Think of this as time to think what you are going to do when you get back to that house with all those angry women folk." Davis smiled, "Oh and I'll bring a couple buckets of water to pour over Conlon and Parker tomorrow. I'm sure Conlon's wife will be happy to make sure he never drinks like that again." Davis pointed over to the corner of the cell were Spot and Blink were snoring away. "Have a good evening fellas."
Sam Davis tipped his hat to the guys, and left the jail, laughing heartily as he locked the office door and walked away.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I say we put Spot and Blink in the corner and flip for the bunks." Jack suggested.
The others agreed and soon Spot and Blink were propped up in one corner still oblivious to their situation. The other flipped for the beds, which Mush and Blumlets won. It was a uncomfortable, long night for them all, but some how they fell asleep. Only to be rudely awaken the next morning.
