Chapter 6

To the Rescue

The next morning Jimmy and Lou were up early and ready to start on their mission. Teaspoon had told them to go right to the doctor’s office and he would set things up. Jimmy was going to work at the livery for a few days until the doctor could convince Mrs. Beckworth to hire someone to work in the stables.

Rachel had altered one of her black dresses for Lou to ware as a nurses uniform and Lou had packed a serviceable work dress. Lou had dressed in her riding skirt for the trip and hoped she would be able to keep everything from getting too wrinkled on the two-day trip.

That night at camp Lou was very fidgety. "Lou would you please calm down," Jimmy said, "Your making me nervous."

"I’m sorry Jimmy," she said, "But I just can’t believe that tomorrow I’ll see him again. Do you think he will know me? Do you think he will be disappointed that it’s me and not Samantha? I hope I don’t over react when I see him. I just have to remember that I’m a nurse and not got jumping into his arms."

Lou had finally stopped and took a breath. Jimmy just shook his head. He knew she didn’t really want answers to her questions; she just wanted to say them out loud. Jim turned back to getting the fire going and smiled. Yes he was sure Kid would remember her and he knew for certain that he would be glad it was Lou knot Samantha that was there. Kid had told him that Samantha had left because of Lou but Jimmy wasn’t about to tell her that. He figured that was Kids business.

The next day Lou and Jimmy rode into Beckworth Falls. Jimmy went straight to the livery like was planned and Lou headed to the doctors office. "I’m Louise McCloud," She told the doctor when he answered the door, "Teaspoon sent me."

The doctor looked at Lou suspiciously he was sure she was the same girl that had been with the riders before but decided not to say anything. "Come in, come in," he said stepping back from the door. "Do you know anything about nursing?" He asked. He knew that to fool Mrs. Beckworth the young woman would need to have some skills.

"Yes sir," Lou said, "I’ve helped several times when one of the boys have been shot and I’ve been around sick people several times. I know what to do and how to change bandages."

"Good, good," the doctor said, "It will help. I’ve left you a gray nurses dress in the other room after you’ve changed we’ll go out to the house. Is your friend at the livery?"

"Yes," Lou said, "His name is Jimmy. You talked with him before when he was here."

"Yes I remember. Are he and Kid good friends?"

"Yes, best friends," Lou said

Lou went into the other room and changed into the gray nurses uniform with the crisp white apron and hat. She looked at herself in the mirror and laughed. "Well in this outfit no ones going to know I’m a Pony Express rider," she smiled at herself and headed out to where the doctor was waiting.

"You look very nice." He said as she came out into the main office. "No one would ever guess that your not a real nurse."

"Thank you," Lou said with a small curtsy like she had seen maids do. "I hope I can pull this off."

"Well take my carriage, you can tie you horse to the back."

Lou had decided to ride Katy to Beckworth Falls maybe if Kid didn’t remember her he might remember his beloved horse. Lou tied Katy to the back and the doctor helped her up into the set next to him. On the ride out to the Beckworth house he told Lou a little about Mrs. Beckworth and how she came to be here.

"Any way after her husband died," he said, "He son James took over running the town and trying to bring the railroad here. In my opinion I don’t think he like the job very much. He was a wonderer and would have rather been going out west farther. He probably would have loved being a Pony Express rider." The doctor mused.

"What happened to James?" Lou asked tentatively.

"He was shot. Almost like Kid. He had been out hunting and was shot in the side. Mr. Cunningham brought him to me and I tried to save him but it was to late. I’m afraid Charlotte, Mrs. Beckworth, didn’t take it to well. James was engaged to be married to Angelica Smith, my niece. She was in St. Louis getting her wedding dress when it happened. She never returned here but went to Boston. She’s married now and has two children." The doctor gave Lou a sad smile. "This all happened about ten years ago. James would have been about the same age as Kid and they do look something alike. I’m just afraid of what this will do to Charlotte when he does get his memory back."

Lou sat quietly thinking about all that the doctor had told her. Would Mrs. Beckworth try to hurt Kid if he got his memory back, would she try to hurt Lou when she found out who she was? Lou was chewing on her lip hoping that things would work out for them all.

"Well here it is," the doctor said bringing Lou back.