"Mister Morgan." Nora cried as she saw the familiar figure in Valentine. With him he had been accompanied by one of of the women she recognised from Horseshoe Overlook, Mary 'Something' she vaguely remembered.
Arthur waved as she approached and asked what she called him over for when she stepped close enough.
"I been out an' found a few Gold bars I thought you'd be interested in."
"How many?"
"I have five on me currently, although I can find some more. I have.. ways."
"Five?!" He sounded astonished at the quantity and his voice cracked a little when he repeated the number. Even his companion looked shocked. "Did you rob a small bank for these or somethin'?" At Arthur's question she let out a snort, quickly shaking her head to dismiss this.
"No no, did some treasure huntin'." She answered but leaned forward slightly with her hand covering her mouth. "My bank robbin' days are long behind me, mister."
She passed over all the bars; giving him a gentle smile. "Figured you an' the other's would need these more than I do."
"That's awfully sweet of you." His friend replied and through a blush Nora shook it off. "It ain't nothin' miss."
Arthur bagged the gold in his satchel but dug out a bracelet to reward her for the efforts regardless, seeing as she must have faced a few challenges in order to get five gold bars.
"Why are you two out here anyway?"
"Miss Grimshaw asked Mary-Beth an' I to come out here for supplies."
Mary-Beth nodded along.
"Lem's around somewhere, guess we had been doin' the same out here."
"Ah yes, your friend." He turned towards Mary-Beth with a smug look. "I'm sure you've read a few novels where they start out as friends."
"Oh yes an' then one night they get together an'-."
"Ok, I'm gonna stop you there." Nora cut in quickly and this prompted a gentle giggle from the pair of them. She rolled her eyes but couldn't disguise the red tint to her cheeks that had become more apparent since Mary-Beth's earlier thanks.
When Mary-Beth hushed her giggling with Arthur resuming Lem had finally emerged from inside the general store. He looked over at the three, mostly his gaze wandering too Mary-Beth who he found pretty. "He's cute too." She complimented and Nora let out a groan while he sputtered out his words of gratitude.
"Why don't you ladies go into the saloon or somethin' while me an' Lem here finish our shopping trips, yeah?" Arthur said and before anyone could say much Mary-Beth grabbed her arm and dragged her into the establishment.
The music inside was loud and gently she gasped at the harshness of the sound brought to her ears. "Miss, may we please step outside." She cried, but her plea fell on deaf ears as she was dragged further inside.
Mary-Beth was a lovely lady and on the odd chance that Nora went to Horseshoe Overlook she would occasionally sit and chat with the women, often being left with Mary-Beth even though she never properly learned her name.
They remained in that Saloon, the other female idly gossiping as they sat at an old table and the longer they stayed the more uneasy Nora felt which had been strange as she was fine moments ago. Mary-Beth unfortunately, hadn't noticed the visible discomfort on her face but it wasn't minded as she liked to listen to the stories told of the other women around camp.
They idly talked before Lem eventually came back in, calling them both out and quickly she followed as she became eager to leave the building. When outside she sped up her pace until she stood in the middle of the street. "Nora, you alright?" She looked up and stood there wasn't Lem rather it was her brother, or both of them.
