Sam put his tinned goods on the shelf and then he returned to the counter area where Theresa was leaning on the counter. "You did very well with Mrs Blackstone Theresa and I am proud of you for checking with me before she left the store. It helps to have the credit book on the counter when a customer first comes in, unless you know them. But if you forget you carry on asking me. How do you feel after serving your first customer?"

Theresa smile beamed widely, "I loved it Uncle Sam, it was so nice to speak to someone other than family and although I was really nervous about making a mistake, I enjoyed it."

"I'm glad you did Theresa, it won't always be fun but it will give you a chance to meet many different people working in this store. And I'd like to pay you a little, I can't afford much as times are hard but how does 3 dollars a week sound?"

"3 dollars, wow that's kind of you Uncle Sam, I've never had any real money of my own. Can I spend it on anything I want to?" Theresa asked.

"Of course, it will be your money. You will have to earn it though."

"I'll work hard Uncle Sam. Perhaps I can buy a gift to send back home to mama to cheer her up."

"I'm sure your mother would love that Theresa, she'd appreciate you thinking of her. Now come on it's time to sweep the porch off. There's a broom behind the front door, please could you sweep the dust off the porch onto the street."

"Sure, Uncle Sam," said Theresa happily skipping off in the direction of the door to retrieve the broom. 3 dollars a week! I'll be able to buy mama some perfume and papa some of his fancy pipe tobacco too at the end of the month.

Theresa was sweeping the porch free from the night's accumulated dirt when she heard a group of horses ride up. Looking up she saw a group of 4 men dismount from their horses before tying them up to the rail across the street. One of the mean made her catch her breath. His short dark hair glistened when he took of his hat and wiped at his brow with a kerchief. His face was ruggedly handsome and he physic was slim but muscular. Theresa's heart started pounding and she felt almost faint. Oh my God, he is so handsome; I've never seen someone so ruggedly good looking before. And the man next to him, there a certain air about him too. Are all the men around here so gorgeous?

Jake had the sudden feeling that he was being watched. He looked around him and across the street from where he had tied his horse up was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. She held a broom in her hand and seemed to be sweeping the dust of the porch in front of the mercantile but he was certain that she had been the one that had been staring at him. Wow, I wonder who she is and where did she come from. I've never seen that girl in town before. I wish that I looked a lot cleaner because I really do want to talk to her.

"Jake, Jake…JAKE!" called Adam.

Jake turned at the shout, "OH, sorry Adam, I was distracted by that young lady over in front of the Mercantile. Don't you think that she is pretty?" he asked.

Adam cautiously glanced over at the Mercantile not wanting to make it too obvious that he was looking. "Hmm, yes Jake, she's pretty, but we've not come into town to look for girls. I've got a meeting at the International Hotel and you need to go and take Sport and Jess to the livery and then you can go and check at the telegraph office to see if there any messages for my father."

"We've also got to pay a visit to Mr. Kale on the way back to the ranch to ask him to visit the Ponderosa and re-shoe all of the horses. Frank, Paul you go to the stage coach office and see when the stage is due in. Pa's visitor should be coming in to town today and I need to know when the stage will arrive. When you are done there you can go and collect the goods on Hop Sing's list and then take them straight back to the ranch. Everyone understand their job?" Adam asked.

"There was a chorus of "Yes, Sir" and Adam walked off.

Jake took the reins of Jess and Sport and he lead them to the livery but he was unable to get that pretty girl out of his head. Jake arranged for the horses to be cared for and he walked off towards the telegraph office.

Theresa watched the men until the one she admired disappeared from sight and then realising that she had forgotten her job, she quickly finished sweeping the porch but her heart was still pounding in her chest. Theresa looked around and, satisfied that she had completed her job properly, she went back into the store.

"Theresa, are you OK, you look at bit flushed?" asked Sam.

"Yes Uncle Sam, I am fine, just a bit hot."

"Come and sit down for a minute child," said Sam pulling out a chair and grabbing a fan from the pile on the shelf.

Theresa did as she was told and Sam handed her the fan, "Here use this, it will cool you down."

Sitting and fanning herself for a few minutes, Theresa's flush faded from her face and her heart rate returned to normal.

Sam stood by watching his niece and when her face colour was almost back to normal knelt down beside her, "Are you feeling better my dear?"

"Yes, thank you, Uncle Sam."

"What happened Theresa?"

"I'm not really sure, Uncle Sam, I was sweeping the boardwalk outside the store just as you asked me to and I just came over all faint."

"Oh, well perhaps you better take it easy for the rest of the day, Theresa; perhaps you are coming down with something."

"No, it OK, Uncle Sam, I feel better now. Please don't make me go back to the house," pleaded Theresa.

"Well, if you are sure, I will let you stay until lunchtime but if you feel faint before then, you will be going for a lay down this afternoon. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Uncle Sam."

The next hour passed slowly, the store had 4 customers but they were all older men and all wanted to be server directly by Sam, 'not by a girl'. Theresa became a little annoyed after trying to help the 2nd man and being told that he wasn't being served but a young girl and had mumble under her breath about it. However after receiving a glare from Uncle Sam, she had retreated into the back storeroom and busied herself tidying up. Each time she was brushed off by a customer to avoid losing her temper, she retreated back into the store room. Sam's idea of organisation of his stores wasn't the tidiest and Theresa thought up some ideas of how to improve it whilst she was working back there. Deciding that she would speak to Uncle Sam about that after lunch, she finished what she was doing and returned to the main store.