Young, skinny, wiry fellows, not over 18. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. Wages $25 per week. Apply PONY EXPRESS OFFICE.
The Pony Express was created to get the mail form coast to coast. Boys became men, I...
Billy pushed her horse hard back to Devil's Gate. Despite her nonchalant attitude about Bellamy's predicament, guild was eating at her the whole ride home. She knew there was something fishy going on in that town. Unfortunately it looked like Bellamy has stepped right in the middle of the whole pile of it.
"Rider comin'!", Jenny called from her seat on one of the corral rails. She had been watching Sorrel and Beck train some of the new Express horses.
"Where's Bellamy?", Zack immediately asked upon seeing Billy.
"Let me put up Solo and I'll tell ya."
Minutes later they were all standing or sitting on the front porch of the bunkhouse. Billy explained what had happened and why Bellamy was no longer with her. Zack was furious at the carelessness of the other rider.
"Billy you shoulda known better than to head into town on the ride", the boy growled.
"Well she agreed, how was I to know she'd start a fight?", Billy protested, "I'll tell you one thing though: there's something not right with that town."
Jenny looked thoughful, "Maybe we should go ask Sand and Rocky if they know anything about it."
Billy just rolled here eyes, "You just want to see that handsome deputy of yours."
"Shut up Billy."
The group chuckled at their exchange, but soon sobered up at the problem that faced them.
"I'll go in with Jenny to ask Sand and Rocky", Zack decided, "The rest of you keep doing chores. Sorrel aren't you up next?"
The sandy haired boy nodded.
"Then let's get going."
Hoppla! Dieses Bild entspricht nicht unseren inhaltlichen Richtlinien. Um mit dem Veröffentlichen fortfahren zu können, entferne es bitte oder lade ein anderes Bild hoch.
"I said you won't get me in that dress and I meant it!", Bellamy was struggling against the two men who had drug her over to the saloon. They were currently holding her up while several saloon girls were trying to get her into a dress. The girls all wore pained expressions during their task. Mr. Malcomb came strolling in after a few minutes.
"Still putting up a fight then?", the greasy man smiled evilly. Before Bellamy could react he grabbed a bottle of what had to have been chloroform, soaked a hand kerchief in it and slapped it over her nose. She tried to struggle away, but darkness over took her way to quickly to react.
When she woke up she was stuffed in a garish red and black dress. Ruffles at the hem and neckline gaze an illusion of modesty, while thin red straps held the dress up. Her normally pant clad legs and cowboy booted feet were stuffed in thin stockings that looked like fishnet and high heeled shoes.
"I see Sleeping Beauty is finally awake", a rather sarcastic voice commented from beyond her range of vision. Sitting up, Bellamy faced the room to see all of the girls who were previously trying to get her in the dress standing there watching her.
"You know I always much preferred to pattern myself after the knight in shining armor on his white horse than some pansy ass female who couldn't defend herself", Bellamy stated in an equally sarcastic tone. The girl who had spoken looked almost shocked at the tone she received.
"Well you certainly acted like some kind of knight when you tried to stop Mr. Davenport", the brunette who had been playing cards when Bellamy stopped the cheater piped up.
"Why didn't you say something about it?", Bellamy wanted to know.
"It doesn't matter if he cheats us or not. We get our pay from selling drinks, not playing cards. Only the house dealers and friends of Mr. Malcomb are allowed to make any money at the tables", the girl explained.
"Sounds to me like that's a crooked deal in its self."
"We don't have any other choice. We all owe Mr. Malcomb for something."
Eyeing her new companions, Bellamy stood and stretched. The dress was uncomfortably tight, especially around the waist and her chest was being shoved up to her nose thanks to the corset that was cinching her stomach.
"Well, I'm not going to stick around here just because there's some trumped up charge on me. I'll get out if I have to shoot somebody to do it", the girl stated firmly. The others all shook their heads in pity.
"That's what we all said, but nobody has managed to get away. Every time one of us tries, Mr. Malcomb or the Sheriff and his goons catch them."
"I'm assuming then that none of you are here willingly?"
A short, almost chubby strawberry blonde nodded, "I was trying to get a job in the hardware store when I was accused of stealing. My sentence was only supposed to be a week, yet almost a year later I am still here. The Sheriff and Mr. Malcomb aren't afraid to rough us up if we don't do as told."
Bellamy was angered at this revelation. Her jaw set as she tried to puzzle her way out of this mess.
"My brother, Yancy, and I were just passing through headed for the gold fields up in Montana when our horse went lame. We were arrested on charges of horse stealing when one of Mr. Malcomb's gambler friends claimed that our horse was really his. I haven't seen my brother for almost 2 months", this was from the girl Bellamy had helped in the saloon earlier, "The rumor I heard was that any of the men that had been brought to the jail were taken out to the mine outside of town. Supposedly the town owns it and all the profits are spent for the betterment of the community, but everyone knows that Malcomb and the Sheriff are the ones who collect all the money."
"My family was supposed to come settle here, but they all died of cholera before we made it any farther. When I tried to find work, nobody would hire me because of some rumor that I was carrying the fever with me. It was ridiculous to say the least, being that I had been sick too, I just was feeling better at the time. The Sheriff cited me as a public nuisance and locked me up. I spent about a month in jail before they even tried to put me in 'community service'. Apparently the time in lock up 'removed the illness from my system'.", the dark skinned girl explained.
"Well, since everyone else has shared, I might as well too. I'm Lilly, by the way," the beautiful red head began, "I came here under the impression the town needed a school teacher. When I began teaching school here, I noticed some suspicious happenings and confronted the sheriff about it. Him and his men arrested me without due cause and here I am."
"I'm Melissa", the final girl introduced herself, "My story is the same as the rest. I'm a writer by trade and wanted to chronicle the stories of the West. Me poking my nose around town earned a position here when I found out exactly what Lilly had."
Bellamy nodded, "My name is Bellamy Ross. I came here as a Pony Express rider, just passing by. My friend decided she wanted to stop for a drink so we did. It all went to hell from there as you all know."
"I haven't got to thank you for stopping Davenport from throwing that punch. I really appreciate it", the girl Bellamy said, "I'm Olive."
"Danika.", the colored girl waved at her.
"Wait, your actually ride for the Pony Express?", Melissa's writer mind was showing up as her eyes started to shine with curiosity.
"Yep."
"But I thought only boys could do that.", one of the other butted in.
"My parents run Devil's Gate station, and like I said, I always figured it better to be a knight who can take care of himself than a damsel in distress."
The group looked at her in awe. From below them a voice yelled up the stairs, calling for them to get their butts down there and get to work.
Straightening her skirts Bellamy followed the others downstairs, her mind racing to figure out how to get out of this pickle.
