Chapter 16

The following day found most of the riders keeping Teaspoon company in his small office. Early in the morning Buck had left on a ride to Fort Kearney while Noah wasn't expected back till this afternoon. That only left three riders around the station, Jimmy, Cody and Kid. So after finishing their usual routine with the horses, they'd strolled to town and paid the marshal a visit.

Teaspoon usually had one of the riders give him a hand in his office when his own deputies were off or were busy on other tasks, but most of the time the boys volunteered to hang around with him at the jail. Today as usual they were sitting at the building's entrance, getting a good sight of the people from Rock Creek coming and going in their routines. The marshal had started telling one of his usual stories of his days as a ranger in Texas. Kid listened to his tale half-heartedly as his attention was somewhere else. He kept looking in the direction of the hotel, hoping to catch a glimpse of Louise. There wasn't any special reason why he wanted to see her; it was as if he had this internal force that made him completely distracted, and at the same time focused on where he felt he shouldn't.

Last night sleep did not come easily to him as the Southerner had been mulling over the comments that Jimmy and Cody had made about him and Lou. They were wrong, Kid kept repeating mentally. It was true that he liked Louise. When he was with her, he really felt laid-back and sensed he could talk with her about anything. They had similar childhoods and backgrounds, but at the same time they were totally different. She was an impulsive, passionate and determined person while Kid always thought everything through before taking action and his opinions tended to be quite temperate. Yeah, they were as different as day and night, but in a way he thought they complemented each other. Yet, his friends' foolish ideas about the two of them were simply ridiculous.

Kid was sure of what he wanted in life, always had. He might even admit that he had a little crush on Lou, nothing serious, but he knew that Doritha was the woman for him. Their relationship could be quite rocky, but that didn't mean that he may be thinking of breaking up with her or wanting another woman. Lou was a good friend, one of the best people he had ever met, and even though he found her attractive and charming, that didn't mean anything. Things wouldn't go further than that, and he wouldn't be the first man to feel attracted by another woman other than his fiancée, but he knew that it wasn't a big deal. Louise was his friend, he repeated for the umpteenth time as if convincing himself, but nothing else.

It was in that moment that he saw the petite girl crossing the street and coming down towards them. "There she is, Kid," Cody started with a sing-song voice, tapping him on the back strongly.

"Uh?" the Southerner let out, startled at the sudden punch and his voice.

"Louise," he elaborated as his mouth split into a crooked smile. "Weren't you longing to see her?"

"Your eyes almost popped every time a lady came from that direction," Jimmy added, merriment obvious in his features.

Kid scrunched up his face, unhappy to be the aim of their teasing once again. All morning long he had been suffering their veiled insinuations about him and Lou, and the Southerner was really getting sick and tired of them all. He looked at his two friends' laughing expressions and to his dismay and embarrassment; he noticed that Teaspoon had joined in their mirth as well.

"You were right, Kid. She's a nice little lady," the marshal remarked.

The sandy-haired rider did not say anything and simply shook his head at his two friends' antics. "So, Kid, ain't you gonna go to her now? Come on, don't stand there," Jimmy asked, sharing a look with Cody.

"No," the Southerner replied curtly, crossing his arms over his chest and stretching his legs before him. The attention he was getting from Cody and Jimmy unnerved him and instead of following his desires and approaching Louise, he remained on his seat, simply for the sake of denying his friends' comments.

"Oh come on, Kid. Don't be such a fool!" Cody called.

"Look, here she comes," Jimmy added as he saw the girl getting closer to them. "Ain't she beautiful? Uh … Kid? She's even wearing that nice little hood for you today!" the long-haired rider continued in a fake dreaming voice.

"Shut up, Jimmy. Stop fooling around," the Southerner retorted annoyed.

"Yeah, Hickok, hush. You can't even see her face from here!" Cody added.

"Boys, leave Kid alone!" Teaspoon cut in. Cody and Jimmy could really have the knack to drive anybody crazy with their banter and inopportune remarks, and he suspected that they were stretching Kid's patience a bit too much.

The Southerner smiled at the marshal in appreciation and straightaway his eyes turned to Louise, who at that moment was walking past them at a certain distance. Teaspoon's words didn't have the expected effect on the two riders as Jimmy continued regardless, "Come on, Kid. Tell her something."

The sandy-haired rider simply stared at her as she moved along the street at a quick pace, her attention focused ahead of her. As Jimmy had said, she was wearing a hood covering part of her face and one of her usual dresses. She hadn't noticed the four men sitting outside the marshal's office and continued advancing to wherever she was heading.

Jimmy rose from his seat and stood just at the edge of the walkway from where he could get a better view. His legs felt cramped after being sitting idly for almost an hour now. Suspecting that Kid wasn't going to go back on his word of doing nothing, the long-haired rider thought that he should just give him a little push, so he called in a loud voice, "Hey, Louise!"

The girl slowed down her pace and without stopping, she slightly moved her head to her side and catching sight of Kid at the other end of the street, she simply lifted her hand and waved without any enthusiasm. She didn't spare a look and carried on bustling along the street. Even though annoyed with Jimmy's meddling, Kid started flashing his smile at her and raised his hand in greeting while slowly rising to a standing position. Expecting her to stop and approach him, he frowned as she continued on as if she'd rather shun the encounter for some reason. Immediately he started after her while calling her name, "Lou! Wait!"

With Kid's sudden flit, Teaspoon and his two other riders remained on the same spot silently. "Well, boys, I'd better pull my weight around here today," the marshal said as he stood up and walked into his small office. "Thank you for the company."

Once sure that Teaspoon was out of earshot, Jimmy turned to his friend and exclaimed, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, "You owe me two dollars, Cody."

"No way!" the blonde rider retorted, shaking his head.

"He dashed after her like a puppy, and they're probably talking right now," Jimmy replied. "I told you he wouldn't stand a whole day without going to her."

"You egged him on, Hickok," Cody said, not ready to accept that he had lost another one of his bets. "That doesn't count."

"For Pete's sake, don't be such a sore loser and admit that I've won," Jimmy insisted as they both left the marshal's office and walked along the street towards the station.

Cody remained silent for a few seconds as his mind reeled. "I'll tell you what!" he exclaimed after a while. Jimmy cast him a curious glance and his blonde friend continued, "I bet you double that he'll have kissed her by the end of the week."

The long-haired rider looked at him sideways with a skeptical expression as he let out, "Yeah sure thing! And tell me, how are you gonna know for sure?"

"Jimmy, my friend," Cody replied with a smirk, "It's Kid we're talking about here. If he happens to kiss her, his face will be as red as a beetroot for the rest of the month."

Hickok let out a loud guffaw while he said, "I'm sorry to admit it, but you're right."

"So what do you say?" Cody insisted.

Jimmy sighed and replied wearily, "All right, all right, if you're willing to lose your money so easily."

"Yeah, sure," the blonde rider let out sarcastically while his friend wore a smile on his face. He knew Kid too well, and there was no way he'd let his inclinations rule him, not as long as Doritha Simmons was in the picture. The Southerner was too righteous of a man and always did what he felt was right. But yet, Jimmy thought, Kid was human after all and Hickok had never seen him look so smitten before, not even when Doritha had first arrived in Rock Creek. He might not admit that he was falling for the girl, but any fool would see the signs there. Jimmy frowned suddenly. Could Cody be right after all?

While the two riders had been on their usual banter, Kid went after Louise, repeatedly calling her name. The girl stopped dead in her tracks after a while and feeling annoyed all of the sudden, she spun around as she barked loudly, "What do you want, Kid?"

The irritation in her voice baffled him, and the way she kept looking anywhere but at him had Kid thinking there was something fishy in her behavior. "What's wrong, Lou?" he asked and putting a finger under her chin he lifted her face towards him. Louise kept silent as she met the intensity of his gaze. With a soft movement of his hand, the Southerner pulled back the material hood she was wearing, and his eyes got as big as saucers at the image he received in that moment.

"Oh Lou." All her beautiful long tresses were gone, and instead of her two braids, her hair seemed to have been plucked or hewed like wild weeds. It was all in disarray, clipped in different lengths all over her head. "Wh… what?" Kid finally managed to utter, but nothing much came out of his mouth.

Lou knew that there was no way she'd be able to get away from telling him what had happened the night before. "Two men attacked me yesterday," she started with a cracked voice, lowering her eyes from his. "It was after I left you last night."

"What happened?" Kid asked, dreading what she was about to tell him. He felt the anger towards whoever had tried to harm her grow inside him, and he was unable to think or speak clearly.

"One of the men had me pinned against a wall and the other took out a big knife," Louise continued. "I thought they were gonna kill me. I couldn't even scream for help. They'd put a gag over my mouth." Kid closed his eyes painfully, picturing the terrible moments she had had to live through. "Strangely he started to slash my hair with the knife while both of them cackled loudly. It was crazy." She stopped briefly to breathe in and control her frayed nerves. "I'm sure they had planned more games on me, but somehow in a distraction I managed to break free. I ran and ran as never before till I reached home."

Kid let out his contained breath, relieved that nothing more serious had happened. He cursed himself for not insisting on walking her home the night before. If he had, she wouldn't be in this mess. "Oh Lou, I'm so terribly sorry," Kid lamented, softly brushing his hand over her cheek.

Louise moved her face away from his grasp while she muttered, almost to herself, "I was so scared."

"I can imagine," Kid mumbled, trying to hide his hurt at her gruff gesture. They stood in awkward silence for a while and then he asked, "Does the marshal know about this?"

She stared at him as if he were babbling nothing but nonsense and exclaimed, "Of course not!"

"Lou, you need to report all this to Teaspoon!" the Southerner stated firmly.

"Report what, Kid? That two idle pranksters just amused themselves with my hair?" she replied irritated.

"You know it was more than that!"

"Kid…"

"No, Lou," the Southerner cut her off in mid-sentence. "I'm sorry but you won't win this one." Their eyes met in a silent challenge, and when it was clear that she wasn't going to budge, he grabbed her hand in his and started to yank her along the street as if she were a little girl.

"Kid, stop it this minute!" Lou protested loudly. "Kid!" As he didn't release his hold and kept dragging her along, she exclaimed, "All right, all right. I'll go, but please give me my hand back! We're making a show of ourselves in front of everybody!"

He stopped, flashing his satisfied smile, which contrasted with her sour countenance. They continued walking in silence till they reached the marshal's office. Kid opened the door for her and Louise stepped into the office reluctantly. As soon as they entered, they saw Rachel amicably chatting to the marshal. On those days when Teaspoon was busy or simply couldn't leave his office, the lady usually brought him some lunch and today was one of those days.

"Hello, Louise!" Rachel greeted with a big smile. "How are you?"

The girl simply shrugged his shoulders indifferently while Kid addressed the marshal who was about to wolf down the stew Rachel had so kindly brought him, "Teaspoon, Lou wants to tell you something."

The marshal glanced at her quizzically, and after sharing a pained look with Kid, she started telling Teaspoon and Rachel what had happened the night before. When she finished her account, she pulled back her hood to illustrate what she'd been telling.

"Oh Louise, your beautiful hair!" Rachel exclaimed as she ran her hand through her now uneven wisps.

"It's fine. It'll grow again," Lou simply said.

Teaspoon kept thoughtful for a moment and then he asked, "Did you recognize any of those men?"

Louise shook her head no and added, "They had bandanas over their mouths. Anyway, I don't know many people in this town."

"They might have thought you knew them. Otherwise, they wouldn't have cared to cover their faces," the Southerner added.

"Kid is right," Rachel agreed, nodding her head.

Lou simply shrugged her shoulders, not sharing the worry that the three other people in the room seemed to have, and said, "Well, they sure knew me."

"How's that?" Teaspoon asked with a frown.

"They called me by my name," the girl replied, not very happy with all this questioning. Kid was surely making a mountain out of a molehill. She had really had a terrible scare, but in her opinion the marshal had more important things to deal with than listening to her tale.

This new piece of information made Kid's head snap directly to her. "Did they?"

Lou simply nodded, which was followed by a prolonged silence. It was Rachel who started up after that lapse. "Louise, do you think that man at Tompkins' the other day might be behind this?"

"I don't think so," Lou replied curtly, getting impatient with this lengthy conversation. She didn't want to think about last night's occurrences, and she was beginning to regret giving in to Kid's suggestion of going to the marshal so easily. They should let the matter rest; it wasn't such a big deal after all. Yeah, she got the scare of her life, but all she needed to do was to be more careful in the future.

"What man?" Kid asked, lost at the meaning behind Rachel's words. The older lady shot a searching look at the girl and then started telling the two men what had happened at the general store a couple of days ago when that drunkard had been molesting Betty Stevenson and later Lou. When she finished her account, the Southerner turned to the girl and remarked, "You're sure full of surprises." Louise made a bitter gesture and turning to Teaspoon, the rider remarked, "I can have a word with that fella and see what I can find out."

The marshal nodded, and it was with his last words that Louise finally ran out of the last pinch of patience she had. "Look, Kid. Just forget about the whole thing, will you?" she snapped loudly. "I didn't want to come here in the first place and say anything! And this is just getting too far!"

"Too far? Lou, those men attacked you!" Kid retorted to her angry words. "God only knows what they might've done to you if you hadn't got away!"

"You don't need to remind me!" she barked in the same tone. "I just want to forget about all this, all right? So if you'll excuse me, I'm going now." She turned round and was about to clear off when Kid was quicker and stood before her, blocking her escape. "Get out of my way!" she ordered gruffly.

"No," Kid stated firmly, knowing that his response would spark her well-known fury.

Louise glared at him and instantly she started to push him strongly. "Let me out!" she cried while she tried in vain to shove him. Kid stopped her violent movements by grabbing her two arms by the wrists. "Leave me alone!" she lashed out as she kept struggling to break free.

"Lou, listen to me," Kid said in a loud and serious voice. The gravity in his tone made her stop and look at him quizzically. "Those men know your name and probably some more stuff. They might try to finish off what they started last night."

"So what?" Lou retorted cockily.

"So what!" Kid exclaimed in shock. She was in such a way that it was impossible to reason with her.

"It's none of your business!" she insisted stubbornly. Her pride had taken over, and she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of letting him win.

"I thought we were friends, Lou," Kid simply said and she lowered her eyes in defeat. Feeling that she wasn't going to fight him any longer he released her wrists and said, "Lou, I think you should go and stay in Rachel's house for a while."

"What for?" she asked, simply baffled at the senselessness of his suggestion.

"Just to make sure that you remain safe," Kid explained. "Hopefully we can find who those men are and arrest them in the meanwhile."

Rachel walked up to the pair and putting an arm over her shoulders she said, "Honey, Kid's right. I'd be happy to have some company, and I'd feel much better knowing that you're out of harm's way. Nothing will happen to you as long as my boys and Teaspoon are around."

"I dunno," Lou replied, not really understanding the need for those arrangements that Kid had taken upon himself to decide. She really hated anybody butting in her matters like he was doing just now.

"Kid here has had a sound idea," Teaspoon added. "After all, it wouldn't be proper to have one of these boys keepin' guard in your nest. I gather that a single girl like you would feel pretty awkward."

"I don't need a nanny," Lou retorted angrily. "I can take care of myself."

"Not against a couple of strong men!" Kid added. "You have to admit it."

Louise shook her head frustrated and continued after a while. "Anyway, I can't stay locked up all day long like a little bird. I have to work."

"Of course," Kid agreed. He simply feared that those men might be waiting for her in her rooms one day. As long as she were round the station, and somebody could keep an eye on her, he'd feel much more reassured. The thought that she might be hurt or something else filled him with absolute terror and he wouldn't budge in this matter. Peering at her face, he knew that she was still unconvinced so he used what he knew would finally persuade her. "I thought you needed to keep safe for Jeremiah and Theresa. You know, they count on you."

Louise stiffened at the mention of her siblings and irritated that he had to bring them up as a way to get to her, she cast him a cold stare. Yet, she lowered her eyes in defeat and slowly nodded her head in agreement.

"Good," he let out as he patted her shoulder but she shoved him away roughly, glaring at him silently.

A few minutes later Rachel and Lou went to the latter's living quarters to retrieve some clothes and other items she'd need while in the station mistress's house. They did not spend much time finishing this business, and they were ready to leave for the station soon. They briefly dropped by the marshal's office and then walked back towards Rachel's place. Kid stood at the jailhouse's door, seeing them off and stared after them as they slowly made their way down the street. He knew that Lou was miffed at him as she hadn't said a single word to him since she had agreed to stay with Rachel. The Southerner didn't care as long as she was safe and sound at the station. He was so intent on looking at the pair of women at a short distance that he almost jumped out of his skin when a voice sounded by his side, "Kid?"

He turned round to find Doritha, looking at him quizzically. "Hello, honey," he said, giving her a quick peck on her cheek. "How are you?"

"Fine," the blonde lady replied without much enthusiasm.

"Good," Kid said, strangely feeling awkward around her. He hadn't seen her at all since their terrible row over the ranch. Actually, Kid didn't feel like talking about anything concerning their relationship right now and hoped that she was here for some other reason.

Doritha had noticed Louise and Rachel walking at a fair distance and how her fiancé kept looking after them like a hawk. The brown-haired girl was carrying a carpet bag and Doritha's curiosity peaked up matching her growing irritation. "What's with them?" she asked Kid, making a gesture with her head in the direction the two women were going.

The Southerner eyed her warily, not knowing if talking about Lou to his fiancée was a sound idea. They already had a few fierce fights over his friendship with Louise, and Kid didn't think he had the energy to put up with her jealousy right now. Yet, he knew he just couldn't ignore her question and started awkwardly, "Uh… last night a couple of men attacked Lou … I mean… Louise."

"Oh," the blonde lady let out, trying to appear genuinely surprised at the news. Silently she cherished in the thought that apparently her wishes and plans had come into effect. "And… what's happened to her?"

"Fortunately, nothing serious," Kid replied, clearly surprised that Doritha hadn't made one of her usual comments. "She managed to get away. All they did was to mess up her hair. Crazy, ain't it?"

That information wasn't what Doritha expected at all. She was supposed to pay those two fellas a high sum for that little job, and all they had managed was to scare Louise McCloud. The blonde girl tried to hide her irritation from Kid, so she asked, "So what does that have to do with Rachel?"

"Uh… I…" he started hesitantly and stopped briefly, realizing that he couldn't be completely honest with Doritha without getting into a new fight with her. "Apparently, those men know her somehow. They called her by her name. So," Kid paused, hoping that she couldn't read through the lie he was about to tell her, "uh… Teaspoon… yeah… uh… Teaspoon thought that she shouldn't be on her own at her place, and she's going to stay with Rachel for a few days till I … we… I mean… Teaspoon makes sure there's no danger."

"She's going to stay at the station?" Doritha asked, flabbergasted at what he was telling her.

"Yeah… well… at Rachel's."

The blonde girl felt her cheeks flush in irritation and frustration. Knowing that she wouldn't get anything by blowing her stack, Doritha opted for using another subtler tactic. "You know, Kid, a girl like her… Well, it's hardly surprising she got in a fix like that one. The marshal shouldn't go to such a bother for her sake. She must surely know who her attackers are. Maybe one of her jilted lovers."

"Doritha, for goodness' sake!" Kid exclaimed irritated. "You can't talk about somebody you hardly know!"

"I know her kind," the girl replied stubbornly. "And well, you don't know her either. It hurts me to think she could have you fooled like that!" Despite his explanations Doritha had the certainty that it had been her dear fiancé's idea that Louise stayed at the station. Kid could be so naïve, and everybody always took advantage of his noble character. The blonde girl hoped that was all there was to see behind Kid's actions. She couldn't bear the thought that he could have any other interest in that common girl. In that case, she would do anything, anything at all to get rid of her. Their alleged friendship was already troubling her too much, and she was ready to do something and destroy any bonds between that girl and her fiancé. Yet, so far she hadn't managed to succeed in her intention, but draw them even closer.

"Doritha, please let it be," Kid almost pleaded, not in the mood to listen to her snide remarks any longer. "No matter the circumstances, nobody should get away with ill-treating a woman, and Teaspoon is trying to catch those men."

"Whatever," the blonde lady replied skeptically, but decided not to say anything.

Knowing that she wasn't convinced by his arguments, Kid tried to change the direction of their conversation and asked, "So what brings you to town today, honey?"

"Well," she started without much enthusiasm. The day couldn't have started worse for her and had dampened her previous high spirits. "I came because I want to talk to you about something."

"Do you?" he asked in a neutral voice, not sure if he wanted to have a serious conversation with her right now. He'd rather let some time pass and clear his head before talking about anything concerning their relationship.

"Well, I've thought that as our wedding's just around the corner," she continued in an intriguing tone.

"Yes?"

"We should have an engagement party," she announced. Her mood lifting slightly as she talked about this idea that had been growing in her mind for a few weeks now.

"What?" Kid let out with a frown.

"Mind you, nothing really big," she hurried to add. "Just a dinner with our usual company… you know."

Kid was baffled at her suggestion. They had some issues to work out, and all she thought about was to throw dinner parties for one reason or another. She never mentioned anything about the ranch or their argument a couple of days before, which admittedly Kid was glad of, but still… Everything between them was simply too odd, but not really knowing how to voice all this to Doritha, he simply said, "As you wish, honey."

His agreement to her plans brought a bright smile to her lips and in an impulse she kissed his lips briefly. Any other time, Kid had felt over the moon with her open display of affections, but strangely it seemed as if her kisses didn't affect him in the way they had before. He reasoned that their problems were playing havoc on his feelings, and he felt he couldn't enjoy that sweet part of their relationship.

Eager to start making inquiries about Lou's attack, and before she could notice anything weird in his behavior, Kid took his leave from Doritha and went on his way. Having nothing else to do in town, the girl drove to her place straightaway. Despite the fact that the last part of the conversation with Kid had managed to lift her sullen mood some, she still felt irritated. When she finally reached her home and let herself in, she slammed the door closed behind her.

"Mary! Mary!" she called loudly from the hall as she removed her jacket and placed it on a peg.

A few seconds later the maid appeared and asked with a frown, "Ma'am?"

Doritha grabbed her by the arm gruffly as she barked angrily, "You and your stupid ideas! I should fire you just because of that!"

"What are you talking about, Ma'am?" she asked with a weak voice.

"Those men you made me hire! They didn't do anything! All they managed was to send that stupid girl closer to Kid!" Doritha said at the top of her voice, painfully pressing her fingers into the young girl's soft flesh.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Miss Simmons," Mary replied fearfully. She had never seen her lady in such a foul mood before. "But those men are here waiting for you."

"What!" Doritha exclaimed, instantly releasing her grip on the maid and plodded towards her lounge with a determined stance. The two men were sitting on her sofa and as she noticed their grubby looks, she made a gesture of disgust. "What do you want?" she asked as a demand.

The two men rose to their feet and removing their hats, they tipped their heads to the lady. "Ma'am," one of them said politely.

"Stop that nonsense and get straight to the point," she retorted unceremoniously.

"Well, Miss, we came to demand our payment."

"Ha!" Doritha boomed loudly. "How can you have the nerve to set your dirty feet in my house and try to cheat me!"

"With all due respect, Miss," one of the men replied, "let me remind you that we reached an agreement and .."

"An agreement that you didn't keep to!" Doritha continued exasperated. She was getting nervous with these two ruffians that had invaded the privacy of her home and came with claims that she should pay them after all. "I clearly stated my conditions and you've done nothing to the girl!"

"I wouldn't say nothing," the man continued undeterred. "She got quite a scare." He laughed raucously and continued with a wry expression, "She was in our clutches but the little minx gave us the slip," he explained bitterly. His cheek was still sore from the scratches Lou's nails had left on his skin the night before.

"I have no time to listen to your pitiful excuses," the lady muttered coldly. "And now out of my house!"

"Easy there," the same man retorted, walking towards her with unsteady steps. "We didn't finish the job, I'll give you that. So how about you pay us half the money now, and we'll get the other half when we have completed the chore?"

"I want to forget about the whole thing!" Doritha shrieked, "And now out!"

She felt like she was going to go over the edge, but these two men made her feel unsafe in her own home. She couldn't trust them when they were ready to kill for a bunch of dollars and she wished she hadn't let Mary persuade her to do something so vile. Doritha deeply regretted getting involved in this sordid business, and all she wanted now was to get out of the whole matter. How could she have accepted to do something like that? She was simply baffled at her own actions; she was so angry with herself for being such a fool. If things had turned out well for her, she wouldn't be in such a jam.

The man shared a knowing look and a snicker with his partner and walked closer to the very nervous lady. "I don't think so, milady," he said in a mocking tone as he rubbed one finger against her pale face. Doritha stumbled backwards with an expression of utter disgust.

"Leave my house at once, you ruffians!" she ordered at the top of her voice and feeling completely intimidated by these two men, she called out in despair, "Mary! Mary!" The maid appeared straightaway and cast a quizzical look at her employer. "Mary," she breathed relieved, "Show these men out. They're leaving!"

The man who had done all the talking shook his head and added, "You don't understand, do you? We won't go till we've gotten our money."

"Mary, do something!" the blonde lady insisted as fear permeated through all of her. The maid, though, stood impassive, clearly without the slightest intention to move a finger and noticing her attitude Doritha called even more desperately, "Mary!"

"Ma'am, it seems that Miss Mary here has more brains than you and knows who she shouldn't cross." Doritha glared at the man, her eyes glistening in a mixture of fear and despair. "Come on, be a good girl and bring us the money." Noticing the lady hesitate he grabbed her by the arm gruffly as he muttered in a menacing tone, "You wouldn't want that fiancé of yours to learn that you were behind the attack to his little friend, would you?"

Her eyes shot open and the lady kept looking at the man with a pale face but her pride kept resurfacing. "You wouldn't dare!" she spat scornfully.

The two men guffawed deviously, and then the one who had kept quiet during all this exchange said, "Milady, a spell in jail wouldn't harm us; actually it wouldn't be the first time. But we don't appreciate anybody trying to mess up with us, understood?"

"It's your decision, Ma'am. We can go out of that door empty-handed but with very valuable information for the marshal or we can settle our little outstanding matter here and now," the other man continued.

Doritha kept still for a few seconds, knowing that she was between a rock and hard place, and there was nothing she could do. Lowering her eyes she let out in a very thin voice, "All right." She turned round and unlocking a drawer from her cabinet she took out a bundle of banknotes. Bearing her head in a dignified stance she stretched her hand holding the money to the men and one of them took it straightaway. They began counting the notes but Doritha butt in, "It's the whole lot. And now you hear me out! I don't want to see your filthy faces in this town again, all right? Take the darn money and leave!"

"No problem, Ma'am," one of the men retorted with a crooked smile. They tipped their hats to the lady on their way out as they said, "It's been a pleasure to do business with you, Miss."

Doritha didn't even look at them and remained on her feet as she listened to their heavy steps. It was just when she heard the door click shut that her legs gave way and she dropped onto the sofa and burst into tears. Her body was trembling like a leaf and she let out all her frustration and panic she had been through in the last few minutes, but especially she cried in anger, anger with herself, anger with those two dirty men, anger with Mary, anger with Kid, and especially a terrible fury against the woman who had put her into this fix, Louise McCloud.