Longwood Second Hunt Day 01-02

"Sorry I took so long, I had some silk flowers I fitted to it."

I take the hat and look it over, it is beautiful now. The blue ribbon squeaks through a gap in the brim on two sides. It gives me a front and back to the hat now which is interesting. On the front now there are some lovely blue and red flowers. I can't help beaming at her as I get it fitted atop it's just so lovely.

"Perfect, how much?" She smiles and shakes her head.

"Sally paid, she wants me to make one for her so I got twice the pay. I'm thinking I will stay here, the gals are so nice." Gives me a mind on something.

"Could you make me more leather pants and shirts? They are expensive to order because I'm not a normal size. If you can get it done cheaper I'd really like a second pair." She looks a little flummoxed until Dan clears his throat.

"Most of us men would like better fitting, most wives don't bother sewing so we just order. Janet's sizes are known in the store, just ask Andrew. If you need money ask Sally, I'll pay her back when we return." We get beamed at then she runs off again, so Dan pulls me along to the train.

"I do know how to sew Dan, I was given a needle at five." Dan shakes his head.

"I like you painting and being my wife. Besides it's not an issue for me, I'm a regular size. Chad though is a bit under half a size and many of our farmers are the same." I giggle and rub his belly.

"Much longer and we will have to ask Mr. Johnson what size he is." Dan glares at me, with a grin, but he glares as we sit, Bipin and our other warrior sitting across.

"It occurs I never asked your name." He grins and shakes his head.

"Elan, are you going to paint?" Realizing I have everything here and a look at Dan I suppose I may as well.

"Not much else to do, though I have a short stand."

Bipin nudges Elan so he grabs up the partly finished canvas I have. Both scoot over and hold it for me so I just need to break out the paints. Dan goes over me and opens the window so the smell doesn't get to anyone. Does bring to mind one thing, we should have saddle bags so look at Dan.

"Where is the sergeant and our saddle bags? I'd like to stow my bullets."

Dan sighs and gets up looking around as I work on getting the paints ready. I get a little lost in painting, I'm doing one of my beautiful Balik. In a way making it feel like he is right here with me. I already have him painted, I'm laying in the rest of the surrounding. Not so easy, the train is not a stable ride. Perhaps it is my stand, I have two men holding the painting for me. Still I have it finished to a point I can call it done.

With that out of the way I work on getting the brush and palette clean. When I finish that I find Dan sitting next to me holding a package of jerky. He also has saddle bags at his feet so I look about. My bullets and the coats are not there so must be in the saddle bags. I reach over and take a jerky off Dan then curl up into him. The warriors admire the painting a spell then grab jerky so we are all sitting here eating jerky.

"Janet is it true you learned how to fight from an Apache?" I shake my head at Bipin.

"I got with an older man who was Apache, his tribe turned their backs on him. All he did was help me meet my needs and get better at throwing knives. Shooting was in there though that was closer to just practicing." Elan and Bipin trade a glance.

"Why did they turn their backs on him?" Dan sighs but doesn't say anything so I am telling it.

"He approached me, this is just after I escaped so I was thirteen summers. I knew I needed men above me, and he had seen me riding on the passed out man." Bipin and Elan sigh then shake their heads.

"Wrong but was what you needed." I nod and shrug.

"He was a very nice man, taught me most Spanish. Could not satisfy me enough so I tried for more, did not always work but he always got above me." They both look a little confused, Dan snorts and opens his mouth.

"What Janet means is he was older so could not that often. He never said no to her sharing his bed because she was young." Bipin sighs though Elan opens his mouth.

"How did you meet Dan?" I'm smiling at the question.

"This was after my third trip on a cow drive, those were really nice." Bipin waves his hand then opens his mouth.

"What did you do on a cow drive?"

"I lied on a mattress in the back of a wagon. The pokes would ride up close tie their horse and climb in then poke me. When he finishes I'd be held a spell then he would climb out. All day like this, though the best part was each night I'd have one in bed with me all night." Bia and Chun are leaning over the bench on that side by now.

"So tell us about meeting Dan." Chun says getting nods all the way around.

"Well Dan was something of an accident. I was in between drives so trying to get my needs met. I was in the saloon when Dan came in asking questions. He was tracking down a man, fifty dollar bounty wasn't it?" Dan nods and pulls me in tighter but doesn't open his mouth. "He's upset about the information he gets because he isn't good at tracking. He didn't want to spend half the coin I think it was, so anyway I'm looking at him and we are about the same age. I just couldn't resist trying to get him inside me. So I go up to him and say I can track." Dan snorts and shakes his head.

"What she said was I'll find him if you lay with me often."

"I remember saying something else and having lay with as the pay. Granted it was my intention to have Dan above me as often as he could manage. I suppose it skewered his recall, or I recall wrong since I want to sound better than desperate." Chun giggles.

"So tell us about finding him."

"Well first I had Dan atop me and it was perfect. I think I fell for him right then, though my need skewered me so bad I didn't realize until later. Anyway, after the bed we head for where the man was supposed to be. Only had one horse and all I had was a pistol." Dan shakes his head.

"You had two knives and we both had one pistol." I glare up at him a moment.

"I'm trying to make this more interesting than it was." Dan sighs and shrugs with a grin. "So anyway we go up and leave the horse farther down. There had been a mudslide so we figured on just walking to save the horse. Because we walk the man didn't know we were coming until we appeared out of the bushes." Dan sighs and shakes his head.

"She appeared out of the bushes. Wanted a roll all the way up to his camp, hands all over me and finally I tell her after we get him. So Janet takes off for his camp, we could see the smoke, and I'm trying to keep up. No idea how he didn't hear us but Janet is a bit afore me in getting there. She leaps out of the bushes hollering in Tsalagi and pointing her gun at him with her left hand."

"What did he do." Dan and I snort and grin.

"He took one look at me, squeaked, and keeled right over. I tied him up and got ready for my roll by the time Dan caught up with me."

"I didn't roll her right away, made sure he was tied up then we go to the roll." Bipin is chuckling.

"How did you get him down?" I sigh and turn a little red.

'I gave him a roll then we all walked." Chun is grinning.

"What did you do with the fifty?" I look up at Dan, I don't really remember.

"We stayed near to the town for the bounties for a spell anyway so I got us both a Henry rifle."

"Och lad don't be leaving us in suspense, when did you learn Janet can do two pistols?" Dan looks at me and I roll my eyes.

"We learned on that hunt, remember I was using my left hand when I got to him. I was moving the bushes out of the way with my right hand. If you push them up a small distance and let them fall they don't really make any noise. We didn't really get me a second pistol until after our third hunt?" Dan nods.

"Our third hunt was worth three hundred. It was the oddest thing, we find the man and Janet just walks right up to him." Everybody is staring at me now.

"I knew him, he was on all three of my cow drives. To be honest that was one of the very best return trips we had. I gave them both a roll every night, only one in the morning but I had to go hunting for dinner."

"When did you get to Kansas City?" I frown then look up at Dan and mouth eight, he shakes his head it was nine.

"After our ninth hunt, I had finally gotten to trust Dan and told him my story. The next day we head for the train, sell his horse and get there. Took three brothels to find a job for me, the first two didn't have an opening. Probably would have liked the second better, it wasn't timed rolls there, but it was good I ended up where I did. We made good money, I got enough and it ended up with us here. Course it also got me my first Winchester, then we did the first impossible hunt. Didn't we start that one on your birthday?" Dan nods and grins.

"After the second hunt we got the Winchesters, first it wasn't out yet, war was still on. It was a good birthday present, got us both in the paper and they kept bringing us the hard hunts. Those pay better, this is how I could afford to keep sending the letters." Brings to mind one thing.

"How much did that dress with the bustle cost anyway?" Dan sighs.

"At first it was fifty, then when you refused the bustle part it cost another ten to get it on the skirt. Though as I recall the seamstress is very happy with you, bustles on the skirt is popular." There are four blank faces then Bia asks.

'What is a bustle?"

"A bustle is this cage like that goes under the skirt on your backside. Gives you a great big backside though makes it hard to sit on anything with a back to it." More blank faces then Bipin asks.

"Why?" I shrug then look at Dan.

"I don't know either, I just know it was popular there and I figured I'd give her something good. I mean we weren't traveling together so I thought perhaps it would make her popular with the men." I sigh and roll my eyes.

"I got one roll out of that trip, in the farm just before town. It was a really good roll at least but it was a bit difficult for me."

"Weren't you in the war?" I think we all look at the greenhorn.

"I had two older brothers that were. They didn't live, why I met Janet, my parents didn't want to lose their last son. The conscription gangs didn't care so I left, I ran out of money in that town so I grabbed a bounty just to try and move on. Luckily Janet kept me from being talked to about it, they all figured better to leave her with me and out of the war." Number of surprised faces so I guess I'll share the rest.

"Mostly it was because the first time one of those came up to us I pulled my knife and tried to kill all of them. Dan held me off them and word spread." Dan snorts.

"Actually at that point you were the crazy injun, but it worked and you did calm down in the brothel."

"I was getting enough and there wasn't a call for soldiers there." Dan nods and squeezes me.

"To be honest if that brothel paid better we probably would have gotten to McCalbane sooner. We spent most of your earned doing the hunts and buying more ammo." Chun looks lost.

"How much did the brothel pay?"

"I got a dollar and fifty cents for each half hour. Dan kept selling the horses so that was part of the expense." Dan sighs.

"I had to, it was fifty cents a day to keep the horses in a stable." I never knew that, still sucked some of those horses were fine animals, then I notice how dark it is.

"When do we get there?"

"We stopped at Wicker while you were painting, next town is coming up and there is one more after. Janet you should get some sleep, we need you aware and not asleep on your horse."

I want to say Bipin can do it, but he's actually not that good. We have him for when we do find our target, he can't track but he can shoot and sneak. I don't know Elan so can't leave it to him to track. Slightly stuck on me doing it, at least the marshals are fixated on it, I curl up on Dan a little more. I don't sleep for a spell, I just stare at the painting of Balik and pray, to return fast and give him a sister. Eventually sleep does claim me in fits and starts, bouncy ride and Dan moves.

Waking up again I find we are pulling up to the right town. Well I can't stop thinking it's the wrong town, I miss Balik. While collecting the things I'll need, my saddle bag with ammo and Winchester, Chun and Bia help me out. Namely they pull up my shirt and suck, in no time I relax a bit because my chest doesn't hurt. I get sent to the engineer to ask how long he is staying just in case we need to board again. On the way I notice the sky isn't lighting up yet, but will be soon.

"Hey Gus that you up there?" There's a snort and some banging then Gus does appear.

"Janet how are you?" I smile up at him.

"I'm good, missing my sons something fierce but get to do a long hunt."

"Lost a prisoner again?" I shake my head.

"We got a couple marshals come to ask me special to help. They only had two spare for this man and he's in a gang. Course I get all sorts of greenhorns to help so I'm needing to ask for special help from the great spirit." Gus crosses himself.

"I'll do a little praying of my own."

"Wouldn't hurt none, so how long are you staying here?"

"Well I get to turn the train around here. Little farther there is the tracks to do it at. I'm doing that in half an hour then I'll get some breakfast. We take longer here because we get plenty of supplies from Kansas City and it is moved on to the overland rail. If you are fixing to look for a man here, head for the saloon, the barkeep hears about everything."

"Thanks Gus, no offense but hopefully we won't need you." He grins at me.

"I'd hope not, if you do chances are they went toward Longwood."

That pulls a sigh from me then I'm heading back. I need to get a marshal to go with me, armed injun is likely to get the round eyes alarmed. I'm wearing a badge and a gal but they still react first to my color. Past where I got off I find everyone, Dan is standing there watching with the greenhorn soldier. Both jump a little when I move up next to Dan.

"Gus is sitting here for half an hour then turning the train around. After he has breakfast, told me to visit the saloon so I need a marshal."

"We're a might delayed, they are unloading the car behind and passing by ours. They are swearing ten minutes at most then we can get our horses."

They are indeed unloading the car behind our horses. That one is filled with wood they are carrying to three different carts. There is four men so probably about right on the time but still, I need a marshal.

"Can you get me a marshal?" Dan sighs and shakes his head.

"The horses are spooked a bit, everybody is in there keeping them calm. I'd say I'd go with you but probably better to take the lieutenant." That makes me sigh, I'd rather not take time.

"Why is it better to take the cucaracha?" Dan stares at me a moment.

"Janet it's better to take him because he outranks a sheriff out of his town."

"He's here to learn how to fight injuns, not hunt men." Dan gives me a glare.

"He's along on this to learn how to hunt a man. There is little difference between tracking an injun and a regular fellow." I glare right back because there is.

"That is not true and you know it. Tracking an injun means they want to remove our way of life." Dan grabs my chin.

"No, it means they attacked settlers just trying to live like they are. Congress is looking at that very thing yes, but not yet and soldiers have nothing to do with that. You should find something else to call him by the way, that's a little insulting." I snort and grin.

"Not insulting, rather fitting I'm at his shoulder."

Dan snorts and shoves me off with the cockroach following. I get to look at the town and well if this isn't a proper town. They have four streets, we are heading for the middle part with the saloon right there at the corner of the X. Across the street is a gun store, we are thinking of adding one to our town. Hoping we can stay here long enough to take a look in there we head for the saloon then the cockroach opens his mouth.

"What does cucaracha mean?"

"Cockroach." He sucks in a breath.

"Why do you call me that?" He goes up a little in my notions, he isn't yelling though he does find it a little insulting.

"You are not much taller than I. Soon as we are riding I'll share a story about a cockroach."

Cucaracha falls quiet after that so I get to go in the saloon. The people in here are asleep besides the barkeep. He doesn't look up as we approach, until we get to the bar and I hop up on a stool. He does then to look at me, then Cucaracha and back then frowning.

"I'm not allowed to serve Apache." I grin at him.

"I'm Cherokee, I'd like water and information." He nods then moves off to a pump built in to the bar.

"What sort of information?" He asks when he comes back with a glass of water.

"I'm hunting a man, with a couple marshals and my husband." I say going through the pockets on my vest before coming up with the poster and passing it across with a dollar.

"I think he's been here, not the greatest of posters, but there was a man bearing a striking, left three days ago now." He says while pocketing the coin, then looking up at Cucaracha. "Apologies lieutenant, what would you like?"

"Are we staying a spell?" I nod and shrug.

"Need to know where they went and likely get breakfast. I want a look in the gun store." They are both staring at me now, though Cucaracha hops up on a stool and orders a beer.

"You got a fine Winchester there, are your pistols not new?" I grin and hop up on the stool so he can see, there's a curse then he crosses himself.

"Heaven's above, I knew you were staying near but never expected you to come in." I giggle and sit again.

"Didn't expect to either. Couple marshals came to our town wanting my help. What we got Cucaracha, another soldier and two warriors along for. He's got a gang by all accounts and you didn't say which way."

"No I didn't, sorry. They went toward the overland rail. I'm not sure on the gang part, I only saw three but they were loaded down. I don't think they got the train." Well that is a grinning moment, then a thought occurs.

"What is farther that way?" He stops to think a spell.

"Well if'n they went straight a town about three days. There are farms and two ranches off the path that way close enough to visit some. Farther I don't know beyond the town." I nod and smile.

"I guess we can find out, if'n they didn't catch the train and stayed on the road. Well then we should find out about vittles and when the gun store opens."

"Vittles you go around the corner, we got a right smart eatery there and most of us eat there at least once a day. The gun store opens when I go wake him, leaning over the table right there." I giggle at the man, his hair looks to be aflame, and snoring a bit.

"Saint's preserve us, an officer after me own heart." We all turn to look, sergeant is coming in with a grin eyeing the beer, Cucaracha looks at me.

"What is he talking about?"

"You got a beer, sergeant there goes on hunts with me to preserve the fort whiskey. The last three I'm sure were just to get him out of the fort."

"Oi lass tha's not true, there was a miscount. I was not along for the counting you see." Cucaracha looks back at me a little worried.

"Is he going to be a problem?" I shake my head and pull a dollar bill out.

"For him and the rest, they should be along in a bit. Sergeant there is a fine soldier, just loves his drink when he's off duty, and on occasion on in the fort. I think his wife drives him, she has flame like the gun store man." Barkeep pulls up the bill and hands a beer to sergeant.

"Be glad of the officer present lass, I'd turn you over my knee for speakin' so of my gal. So do we have good news or am I drinking before a train?"