Lou sat in the hot stagecoach feeling like she was suffocating. But at least she was alone. Both Ross and Lincoln had ordered her to stay inside before they left for a business appointment as they called it. Lou's curiosity was getting the better of her, however, and she had a feeling whatever suspicions she had of Ross might be justified at this strange meeting. She couldn't see anything from the dirty stage windows, so she cautiously opened the door and slipped outside. She nearly tripped on her skirts and she cursed the beautiful brocade dress Ross had bought her. Hearing voices to her left, she crept around to the back of the stage and peeked around.

Ross and Lincoln were talking to two men who didn't look too reputable. If she was absolutely still, she could catch some of their conversation.

"Willow Creek is as good as gold."

"What about Jamestown?"

"We can't depend on them. They're all pro-North far as we can tell."

"Don't worry about him, we took care of him."

"We got the gold schedule from Smith. He's with us."

Lou listened, trying to piece it all together. Then she heard Teaspoon's name and her ears strained to catch it all. "He's a problem."

"The whole outfit."

"We'll take care of them."

"Make it look like an accident."

Lou's heart started beating so loudly she lost track of their conversation. Was Ross going to kill Teaspoon? And the boys? She gathered Ross was working for the South as some sort of spy, and this inspection trip was really just a scouting trip for Southern sympathizers willing to bend the law for the sake of the upcoming war. Her head was spinning and anger welled up within her. All that she was doing, her sacrifice for her family, and he was going to kill them anyway?

Her attention was drawn back to the group of men by a sudden horrible sound. She looked over to see Ross holding a knife that was embedded in one of the stranger's chests. Ross stood there, holding the knife in place, digging it farther inside, and watching while the man died. Lou shuddered and quickly hid back behind the stage. It looked like the meeting was over. She heard them coming closer.

Ross was wiping his knife blade clean. He didn't look happy to see her.

"What are you doing? I told you to stay inside."

"You're going to kill Teaspoon." Lou stated, furious.

"That's none of your concern." He said flatly. "Get inside."

"None of my concern?" Lou shouted. "I'm marrying you for the sole purpose of keeping him and the others alive, and now it's none of my concern?"

"I'm going to kill you if you don't shut up and get into the stage." Ross snarled.

"You might as well kill me now." Lou said. "Because I am not going to marry you and I am not going to allow you to kill Teaspoon or any one of them, do you understand me?"

Ross looked at her in disbelief, then lunged at her with the knife. Lou dodged him, however, and in doing so, managed to swipe his gun from its holster under his arm. She held the gun against both Lincoln and Ross. "I'm inclined to shoot you both dead just for breathing, so don't do anything to really make me mad." Holding them both there, though, Lou knew she couldn't shoot them in cold blood, so she wished one of them would move a finger, or something to give her good reason to kill them, but they were as still as statues, until Ross glanced at something just behind her.

Lou turned but she was too late. Something heavy struck her head and she fell to the ground, out cold. The third man from the meeting who hadn't been killed stood grinning with his gun handle in his hand. "This that fiancée you were telling me about Ross?" He asked, chuckling. "Seems kind of feisty. Want me to finish her off?"

Ross shook his head. "No. I think this one might last longer than the others. Besides, I like a girl with spirit. Makes it even more fun to break them." He turned to Lincoln. "Put her in the stage and then let's get going. We're behind schedule as it is."

After spending hours trying to track Lou, Buck and Kid rode back to the station even more perplexed and worried than before. The others ran out to greet them, having spent most of the day helplessly worrying. "Well?" Teaspoon asked, as the two riders got off their horses. "Did you have any luck?"

Buck nodded. "Yeah, but what we found didn't make any sense."

"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked.

"Lou's tracks are headed in the same direction as where Ross was going." Kid told them.

Cody frowned. "That don't make any sense! If Ross threatened her to leave here, why would she head off in same direction as him?"

Kid shrugged in frustration. "I just don't get it, but I have a bad feeling about the whole thing."

Jimmy shook his head, trying to think of Lou and get into her head, to understand her. Usually, the two of them were so alike or in synch they would start to say the same thing at the same time, or just look at each other and know exactly what the other was thinking about. But in this instance, Jimmy felt completely in the dark. Suddenly, something in his head clicked and he suspected why Lou might go in Ross' direction, but the idea was so preposterous, not to mention offensive, he couldn't even begin to think it was true.

Before Jimmy could say anything, however, Noah called out, "Rider comin'!"

"Who on earth could it be?" Rachel asked. "We're not scheduled for anyone to come here."

"Whoever it is, he's riding like the devil's chasing him." Noah commented.

Everyone watched in curiosity as the unknown rider came closer. Then Teaspoon gasped in surprise. "Amanda!"

She came up fast, only slowing down when she absolutely had to. "Whoa!"

"Amanda O'Connell!" Teaspoon went to greet her with a warm hug. "What on earth brings you by at such a speed? Everything okay?"

"I don't think so." She replied. "Could I trouble you for some water?"

Rachel quickly fetched her a cup of water, which Amanda drank quickly.

The others waited impatiently. Finally able to talk, Amanda looked at all of them solemnly. "I just saw Lou in Fort Dodge this morning." She judged from their reactions that she had been right in coming to them.

"What?" They all exclaimed at once.

"How was she? Was she all right?" Kid asked.

"What did she say to you?" Jimmy asked.

"Fort Dodge!" Teaspoon said. "That was the next town Ross was headed to."

Amanda's head snapped towards Teaspoon. "Did you say the name 'Ross'?"

"Yes. Why?" Teaspoon said, getting a queasy feeling in his stomach.

Amanda shrugged, thoroughly perplexed by the situation by now. "I don't know. It's just when I saw Lou she lied to me about why she was there and wouldn't talk to me. Then she leaves with a man named Ross who I come to find out is her fiancé."

"What?" They all shouted at once.

Jimmy was slowly shaking his head. Unfortunately, he had been right. "He blackmailed her. Don't you see?"

"You mean to tell me," Noah said, "That Ross found out she was a girl, and then told Lou she had to marry him or else she'd lose her job?"

"That doesn't sound like Lou." Cody shook his head. "She'd never go through with something like that."

Rachel looked horrified. "Unless Ross threatened her with something more important to her."

"Like all of our jobs." Kid said, "Or even our lives."

"I don't put it past him." Rachel said.

"What on earth is going on here?" Amanda cried.

"Rachel can explain it all to you, Amanda, sweetheart." Teaspoon said, kissing her lightly on her cheek. "But right now we have a wedding to stop. Do you know where Lou and Ross were headed?"

Amanda nodded. "Hastings."

"Let's go." Jimmy said.

"I just can't believe Ross is making Lou marry him." Cody said. "I can't believe Ross is making her do anything she doesn't want to do. I mean, you know Lou!" They had just arrived in Hastings.

"I can't believe Lou didn't tell us about it." Noah said. "She should've known we wouldn't have let him get away with this."

"That's precisely why Lou couldn't tell us." Jimmy said. "Don't you see? We couldn't have done anything to Ross, but he could've fired the whole station. Or even arrested the whole lot of us. Lou knew that."

"So what?" Buck said. "Being thrown in jail would've been better than Lou having to marry Ross!"

"Ross is going to pay." Kid said, his eyes blazing.

"Well, we have to find him first." Jimmy reminded him, looking around Hastings. "Along with that needle in the haystack."

"C'mon boys, we'll have to split up." Teaspoon said. "Kid, Buck, you search the hotels. Noah, Jimmy and Cody, you check the churches. Meet back here in one hour."

"What are you going to do, Teaspoon?" Buck asked out of curiosity.

"Follow a hunch." He replied cryptically, as he headed off down the street.

Lou awoke to slight stings on her cheeks. As she slowly gained consciousness, the stings became more painful and sharp until she realized someone was slapping her. Her eyes flew open in a frown and she struggled to sit up. She immediately regretted it, however, when she became sick and dizzy, her head spinning.

"What's the matter?" Ross said. "Wedding day jitters?"

"So you didn't kill me." Lou groaned. "You prefer to do that more slowly, then, I guess."

"You're catching on." He said, standing up and tossing her the wedding dress they had bought earlier that day. "Clean yourself up, get dressed and meet me outside in an hour. We have a date with the church."

"I thought we were getting married tomorrow." Lou said.

Without warning, Ross slapped her across the face, knocking her down. "I changed my mind." He turned toward the door, adding over his shoulder, "Don't try anything. You're not going to get a second chance."

Lou groaned and dragged herself to her feet. She looked at herself in the mirror and had to laugh. Her hair looked like a rat's nest and her face was black and blue. "Guess I was wrong." She mused to herself. "I do feel as bad as I look." Sighing, she slipped into the hot bath, thankful to have at least one nice thing in the midst of her nightmare. As her mind cleared, she began trying to formulate a plan on how to warn Teaspoon and the others about Ross. If only she had known when she had seen Amanda! Sadly she couldn't see any solution for herself at the moment, it looked as though she had sealed herself into Ross' trap, but she had to try to save her family from Ross.

She finally decided to slip a note to the preacher during the ceremony. She quickly wrote a note with instructions that it be delivered to Teaspoon, then she proceeded to get dressed. By the time Lincoln pounded on the door, she was ready. Lou glanced at herself in the mirror and for an instant she actually admired the beautiful dress and wished Rachel could see it. But the brief moment was lost when Lincoln walked in and raised his eyebrows at the sight of her. "Don't you make a beautiful bride." He smirked. "Want a little practice before the honeymoon?" He moved to kiss her but she backed away.

"If we're late, Ross will kill you." Lou warned him, her heart beating fast. "It doesn't look like it takes much to make him mad, and he's pretty handy with that knife of his."

Lincoln glared at her, although he did back off. "Don't worry. You and I will have plenty of time to spend together. Now get going."

She breathed a sigh of relief. At least she had come this far without having to compromise herself to either man. Luckily Ross had been too busy bullying her to sleep with her, and Lincoln was too cautious about his boss' reaction to touch her, at least so far. Lou's stomach turned at the thought of what awaited her after the wedding. As she and Lincoln walked down the street to the church, townsfolk stopped and waved and smiled at them, thinking it was a happy occasion. Lou felt like she was alive at her own funeral.

Lincoln pushed her through the church doors. Ross and the preacher were standing at the altar. Lou was about to turn and run back through the door, but Lincoln blocked her way, scowling at her. She had no choice but to walk up the aisle to where her future husband awaited her.

Feeling sick to her stomach, both from the prospect of marrying Ross and from the bump on her head, Lou slowly walked down the aisle, wishing desperately for some kind of escape. She felt trapped in a nightmare. She finally reached the altar and glared at Ross. He smiled, looking like a wolf closing in on its prey.

The preacher looked confused and concerned by the strange proceedings so far, but he attempted to assume an air of normalcy. "Good evening. I'm Reverend Paul Smith. Let me be the first to congratulate you both on your commitment to one another today." He caught sight of the bruises on Lou's face, and stumbled on his speech. "You are sure marriage is something that you both want?"

"Yes, Reverend." Ross said firmly. "Please, can we begin?"

Reverend Smith still looked to Lou for some kind of consent. She shrugged, and so he began the ceremony, although more unsure about the circumstances than ever. "Lord, today we join these two people in a union of love, for the sanctity-"

Ross interrupted him. "Can we hurry it up, Reverend? Just get to the 'I do' part."

Reverend Smith nodded, his hesitation growing. "Mr. Clyde Ross, do you take Louise McCloud to be your lawfully wedded wife, through sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, to have and to hold from this day forward?"

"I do." Ross said.

Reverend Smith turned to Lou, "And do you-"

Lou interrupted him. "I can't do this." She could see Ross was about to explode, but she realized it made no difference if she provoked him now or later. He was going to kill her eventually. It might as well be now, while she was still unmarried.

Ross glared. "Continue, Reverend."

Reverend Smith looked deeply troubled at this latest development. "My son, if the young lady doesn't want-"

Ross pulled out his gun and pointed it at the priest. "I don't care what the young lady wants or doesn't want. Finish the ceremony!"

Lou tried to run but Lincoln pressed his gun to her back. "You're crazy Ross! This is a church! You can't shoot a preacher in his own church!"

"This preacher is the least of your worries, Lou." Ross spat. "You've just sealed the graves of all your friends. Now say 'I do' or else you're going to join them."

"She doesn't have to say anything!"

Lou couldn't believe it. She almost didn't dare look to see the face behind the familiar voice, thinking she was hallucinating. But sure enough, there was Jimmy standing at the back of the church, his gun aiming steady at Ross's heart. Lou's own heart leapt. "Jimmy!"

Ross grabbed the priest as a shield and Lincoln grabbed Lou. They started to fire, and Jimmy had to dive behind a pew for cover. Lou jabbed her elbow into Lincoln's stomach and wrested free. Lincoln took aim and fired a shot at Lou, but Noah kicked in a side door, knocking Lincoln down. Before he could recover, Noah shot him dead.

In the meantime, Ross had panicked and ran out of bullets. He shoved the Reverend aside and made a run for it, but Cody stopped him, holding his rifle aimed right between Ross' eyes. "Stop right there or I'll be the last thing you ever see."

Jimmy immediately rushed to Lou's side and, after pausing a moment to look into her eyes to make sure she was okay, threw his arms around her. "Lou! You had me worried."

She nodded, tears in her eyes, "I was a little worried myself." She closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment to simply seek refuge in Jimmy's arms. Then, feeling better, she smiled at him, "You know, I don't remember sending you a wedding invitation."

Jimmy laughed and subtly wiped away a stray tear that had escaped his eye. He was relieved to find her all in one piece, much less back to her old self. "Well, we figured that this time you wouldn't mind us crashing in."

By now, Teaspoon, Kid and Buck had heard the gunshots and they came running, bursting through the church doors, with the local Marshall and his deputy in tow. They immediately rushed to her side. "Lou!" Kid cried as he enveloped her in his arms. "You're hurt."

"It's nothing." Lou said. "Just a few scratches and a bump on the head, is all."

Noah had gone to the Reverend's aid to see if he was all right and now he helped him over to where everyone stood. "Are you all right, Miss McCloud?" He inquired, wiping sweat from his brow with his handkerchief.

Lou nodded, smiling. "I am now, thank you."

Cody was studying her appearance and shook his head. "Lou, you make a stunning bride. But I can't say much for your choice in grooms.quot;

She smiled as tears welled up in her eyes again. "As you've probably figured out by now, Ross found out who I was, and he threatened to fire all of you-even kill you-if I didn't marry him. I found out later that Ross is a Southern spy, and that he was going to kill you anyway Teaspoon, because you wouldn't go along with his plans to use the Express as a way to help the South."

They all looked at Ross, whom Cody had tied up and left in the back of the church, in surprise and contempt. Teaspoon shook his head.

"Well, Ross, at least you're going to make it easier for us to hang you, for which we're grateful."

"That may be, but I have friends in high places, who will be very interested to know that one of your riders is a woman, Teaspoon. Don't think you're going to actually get away with that." Ross said.

They all turned to look at Lou again, but Teaspoon didn't even flinch. "One of my riders is a woman?" Teaspoon went over to Ross and then turned back and looked at all the boys and Lou as they stood by the altar. "You don't say. Which one?"

Ross looked furious, and his face turned from red to purple. "It's her, you son of a bitch." Ross turned to the local marshal, whose deputies were starting to lead him away. "You! You're a lawman! Arrest this man and that woman. She's been impersonating a Pony Express rider!"

Lou and the boys held their breath as the marshal looked at them. Then he cracked a grin, turning back towards his prisoner. "Is that so, Ross? That pretty little thing standing up there rides for the Express? And I suppose next thing you'll be telling me is that all those boys standing up there masquerade as barmaids in their spare time." He turned to his deputies, "Take him away, boys."

"No!" Ross screamed, foam and spittle dribbling down his chin as they dragged him out of the church towards the jail.

Lou and the boys all let out a collective sigh of relief, then went to join Teaspoon and the marshal. "Teaspoon!" Kid exclaimed, speaking for all of them. "What was that all about?"

"Boys, while you were looking for Ross, I followed a hunch and visited my old friend Downing over here." Teaspoon began.

"Watch who you call old, Teaspoon!" Downing quipped playfully as he slapped his friend on the back.

"Seems like Mr. Clyde Ross is wanted, not only for treason, but for the murder of eight women, all of whom were at one time or another his wives." Teaspoon explained. Lou's eyes widened and she shivered. Teaspoon shook his friend's hand. "Thanks for your help Downing!"

"Anytime, old friend!" Downing turned to go, but not before grinning and winking at Lou. She smiled, winking back.

"You think Lou's secret is safe, Teaspoon?" Jimmy asked.

Teaspoon smiled and put his arm around Lou. "As safe as can be, boys. Downing will take care of that."

"Seeing you in that dress though, Lou," Noah remarked, "Makes me wonder how anyone can mistake you for a man."

"Indeed!" Reverend Smith piped in, completely bewildered by the day's events.

Everyone looked at him and laughed. Kid smiled and guided Lou towards the door. "Come on Lou. Time for a honeymoon at the doctor's."

"Oh Kid," Lou said, "I thought you'd never ask!" They laughed as they left the church.