Lou was riding on the northern trail. Both rider and mount were anxious to
get back to their home station. It had been a long hard week on the trail for
both of them. She had gotten the dispatch to St. Joe and taken a few days off
to visit with Theresa and Jeremiah. They were excited to see her. Jeremiah even
hugged her and told her he loved her. Lou was amazed at how much the children
had changed since Christmas when Kid brought them to Rock Creek to see her so
they could be a family for Christmas. It was the most wonderful gift she had
ever received. She remembered kissing Kid a hundred times that day. She smiled
as she remembered how the boys showed off for Jeremiah and fawned over Theresa.
Jimmy taught Miah the finer points of roping and riding. He always took off
his gun belt around the children. Lou respected that immensely about him. He
never was really a gunfighter and never wanted to be seen as such he would never
let Jeremiah touch his guns.
"McCloud!" A voice broke her from her reverie. Lightning had slowed
to a trot while she was daydreaming.
"McCLOUD!" The voice came louder. Lou wheeled Lightning around and
came face to face with Wickes.
"But But you're dead" she stammered.
"He wasn't that good a shot." Wickes said coolly "But I am."
Lou knew the station was only 2 miles away and she could get there in a matter
of minutes. She tickled Lightning's ribs with her boots and he reared up which
spooked the other horse. Then she wheeled him around and sent him into a headlong
gallop. This was the only way she knew to survive this confrontation. She was
about a mile out of Rock Creek and Wickes was closing in fast he drew his gun
and began shooting at her. Suddenly a sharp burning pain filled her back. She
couldn't hold onto the reigns and began falling from Lightning's back. She heard
a soft crack as she hit the ground. Her arm twisting beneath her. Wickes' horse
came to a sudden halt and he dismounted Lou heard his voice as she drifted into
unconsciousness. "Go to hell with your mother that is where you both belong."
He taunted. Mercifully the darkness closed in on her.
Lightning knew instinctively that something had happened to his rider. He knew
also that home was very close.
"Rider Comin!" Jimmy called running to mount up. But as he watched
the black horse gallop into the station he realized that it had no rider. "Oh
no Lou!" he whispered as he swung up onto Sundance and rode off in the
direction that Lightning had come from.
Lou drifted back to consciousness a few times but the searing pain in her arm
and back were too much to bear and she passed out. She knew Wickes had left
her there to die.
Jimmy rode the trail aware that Lou was in real danger. Lightning had left
her there to get help so he was aware that she must be close.
"LOU!" He called over and over again. His tracking skills were not
nearly as good as Buck or Kid's and he knew he should never have gone looking
for her without their help. Just then a glint caught his eye further up on the
trail. He rode towards the shimmering object hoping that it was Lou. Before
long he found Lou's broken form laying on the ground. Her clothing had torn
off and her glasses were broken and lying on the ground they were causing the
sparkle that helped him find her.
"Oh, no" he whispered. She was dead he knew it in his heart.
When he reached her he turned her over and she moaned a bit. Her face was ghastly pale. He knew he had to get her back to town quickly or she would die. Hoof beats and the rattle of wagon wheels in the distance brought him back to reality. The other riders were coming. He drew his colt from his gun belt and began shooting into the air.
"I don't know how she made it but she did. She's lost a lot of blood.
But that is one tough little lady" Doc Barnes said as he came out of the
house.
"She's always been" Jimmy said quietly.
"She gonna make it?" Cody asked.
"I don't know. These first few days are going to be critical but if she
makes it through these she has a good chance."
Rachael came out behind the doctor and surveyed the riders her eyes fell on
Jimmy.
"Jimmy could you come inside a minute?" She asked. He followed her
inside. "Where's Kid?"
"Out on a run to Denver Why?"
"Because, someone needs to go find him he should be about half way back
by now and I want him here just in case…." Her voice drifted off.
"Lou ain't gonna die." Jimmy said putting his arms around her and
pulling her to him. "Don't even think that way. Lou's too stubborn to die."
"I know" Rachael sniffed.
"I'm gonna go in and see her if that's okay." Jimmy said pulling away
from Rachael.
She nodded and gestured to the room where they took Lou. " She's in there"
Lou was still very pale. Her cotton nightdress was soaked with sweat and her
arm was splinted.
"She must have broken it when she fell" Jimmy thought and made a note
to ask the doctor about it later. The floor creaked under his boot and Lou's
eyes flickered open.
"Hey there, how are you feelin?" He asked gently wiping the sweat
from her forehead with a towel he found on the pillow.
"Jimmy it hurts so bad"
"I know honey, but soon it will get better I promise."
Lou began coughing.
"Easy Lou" Jimmy soothed.
"Can we come in?" Buck asked from the doorway. Jimmy nodded and Lou
managed a weak smile.
Teaspoon sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Lou honey, who did this to you?"
"Wickes" She croaked. A flash of anger crossed Jimmy's face he said
his jaw.
Cody's eyes widened "Are you sure Lou, he's dead"
She shook her head vigorously, "No he ain't Cody I saw him still to rights
he's back and he wants me." Lou broke down into sobs.
"I think we should go and let Lou get her rest" Teaspoon said standing
"Meet me in the barn in about 10 minutes."
Jimmy alone stayed with Louise. "They're going to find him, and they will
make him pay for what he did to you Louise believe that honey and you hang on
okay?" Lou nodded and closed her weary eyes.
"I can't send all of you" Teaspoon said looking at the distraught
riders "Buck, Cody take Barnett and go after Wickes I want him alive you
hear?"
The boys nodded. "Ike I need you to ride out and find Kid."
"What about the station?" Cody asked.
"I'll get some replacement riders until you come back."
"What about me Teaspoon?" Jimmy asked from the shadows.
"I need you here. If Wickes comes here you are one of my best guns and
you'll be able to protect Lou if anything should happen here." He turned
to Noah "You have anything against being Marshal in my stead."
"No Why?" He asked eyeing Teaspoon suspiciously.
"You have a good head on your shoulders and I need you here. I'm going
with Buck and Cody."
"Ride safe boys and be careful all of you".
Jimmy returned to Lou's side. "They're going to find him honey." He
whispered stroking her hair.
