DISCLAIMER: The Young Riders is the creation of Ed Spielman, and the property of Ogiens/Kane productions in association with MGM/UA television. This Story is created for entertainment purposes only, no infringement intended. Not to be copied without permission from the author.
WARNING: This Story contains aDEATHFIC theme, if this type of story is not to your liking or will somehow offend you please return to Tall Tales and choose another Story.
Lou woke to a strange room. It took her a few minutes to realize where she was. The pillow next to her was missing at first she assumed that she that she and Kid must have had another fight and he once again slept in a chair.
After looking toward the chair, she realized that it was Cody, not Kid, who had shared her room. She slid from the bed.
"Ow!"
Well, at least she found Cody. She knelt down beside him and told him to lie in the bed. He obeyed and crawled into the soft, warm bed.
Lou told Cody that she was going to look around town and she would meet him back at the room for lunch.
With thought of food in his mind, Cody drifted back to sleep. ****
Cody woke with a start. His head was buzzing from all the alcohol the night before. He remembered very little. He knew he had talked to two of the gang members and that he had agreed to meet them for dinner. He still needed to tell Lou. Lou! Oh, God, where is Lou. Cody jumped out of the bed. He started to dress himself very quickly and for once he didn't care about his appearance. Kid is going to kill me. Was she even here when I got back last night? She couldn't have been. I know I wouldn't have gotten into bed with her.
Cody ran down the stairs. He saw the bartender from the night before. "Mister, Mister!"
The man turned around, "Sorry, the bar doesn't open for two hours."
"No, Mister, do you remember me? Lo…my wife and I checked in last night."
"Yep. I 'member."
"Well, I woke-up and she was gone. Did you see her leave?"
Cody ran to the sables. Lighting was still there, this was quickly going from bad to worst. There was only one thing left to do. He had to go to the meeting place and tell the others that he got drunk, let his guard down and lost Lou. All in the first night. ****
"What do you mean she's gone?!?" As Kid jumped for Cody, Buck and Ike grabbed him before he could hit him. Noah watched Jimmy, ready to hold him back if Jimmy, ready to hold him back if Jimmy decided to jump at Cody, too.
Kid started to relax and the two released him. "What happened? Tell me everything and DON'T leave one thing out!"
"Ok, we got to the saloon and Lou went up to the room while I went to talk to the gang members. I had a little too much to drink and by the time I got back she was gone. I'm so sorry. Kid, you know I would die for her…to keep her safe."
Noah put his hand on Cody's shoulder "of course Kid knows. We all know."
Jimmy stood by and started walking to his horse. "Come on, let's go find her."
With that everyone mounted up and rode off to find the 'little sister' of the group. ****
Lou had been walking around town in hopes of finding something out about the gang. She wasn't watching where she was going and she bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry Sir. I should have been watching where I was going."
"That's all right. There was no harm done. I'm John Minors. You look so familiar, have I seen you before?"
"I don't think so I just got into town last night...with my husband. I'm Louise Cody."
"Cody? Oh yes, I met your husband last night."
Last night? Is he one of the gang members?
"The two of you will be joining me for dinner tonight, right?"
NO! Hell no! I would eat with her. Come on, Lou, keep it together. You have to do this for Teaspoon. "Of course. We wouldn't miss it."
"See you then. Good day."
"Bye"
Lou walked down the street just a few steps when she saw something that could mess everything up. Lou knew that the gang member could still be watching her. She walked up to her fellow express riders and looped her arm through Cody's. She lend in and kissed his check. "Now don't tell me you couldn't wait until lunch to see me. I told you I would be back by then."
"You told me?"
"Well, yes. You didn't think I would just leave, did you? Anyway, I ran into a friend of your, John Minors. Speaking of friends who are all these people?"
Cody and the other riders could tell by the way Lou was acting that there was a chance that they were being watched. No one was sure of what they should do.
Noah was the first to speak, "Well, ma'am, we were just asking your fella here if he had seen these men." Noah handed Lou an old wanted poster.
Lou stared at the poster in complete confusion. "No. I sure haven't." With that said all the riders, minus Cody and Lou, mounted up and rode off.
"Honey, are you ready for lunch?"
"Do you have to ask? And did you really talk to me this morning?" ****
Lou and Cody were in their room, dressing for dinner when Cody remembered the look on her face when she looked at that wanted poster. "Lou?"
"What?"
"You looked confused when you looked at that wanted poster. Why was that?"
"Because I had no idea who those people were. I think that poster was older then I am. It looked like those men may have been run-a-way slaves."
Cody smiled and told Lou that it was time to meet their new 'friends' for dinner.
Dinner had been going very well. Bert, the younger of the two gang members really warmed up to Lou. He told her that he and John were the only two left.
Bert had been in charge of caring for the horses. John had always been fairly mean to him, but that change the minute he saved John's life.
Cody and John were talking to each other and they were not paying any attention to Lou and Bert, which is why Lou was able to get Bert to talk.
"Bert, how did you save his life?"
"Well, we was about to leave a town called Sweetwater. Most of the gang members had been killed by the Marshall and his pony express riders. Those riders are always acting like they are so much better then everyone else. Then I saw John ridin' real fast like on his horse. I also seen the no good Marshall following him so I took my gun and killed the son of a…oh wait, John says I shouldn't a talk like that when I'm talking with a lady."
Bert killed Teaspoon! John, yeah I could have seen that, but Bert is just a child. Fifteen, maybe sixteen. Just a poor misguided child.
John took notice of the single tear running down Lou's right cheek. There was something about her that he knew. "Louise, do you ride?"
"I'm sorry, John, did you say something?"
"Yeah, I wanted to know if you like to ride…horses."
Cody smiled and grabbed Lou's hand. "My little lady is one of the best riders there is. In fact, when she gets on that black horse of hers, there is no stopping her."
John smiled, "Black horse, I'm guessing he has white markings on his face." He saw the look of disbelief on the other's faces. "I must say, you do look much better as a female."
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