5 comments/ 24949 views/ 6 favorites Adventure in Longwood Day 01 By: emap The sun sending out its last strands of light before ducking below the distant land, I bounce into town sitting in the stage coach. Bouncing around with me is another lady, Mrs. Sarah Roundtree, though definitely not round, she is very prim and proper and stick thin. Her lithe body encased in several flowing layers of white and purple, around her neck a cameo held there with a silk ribbon. Bits of brown hair sticking out around her head where it had broken loose from either her hat, or the French braid. In the dying light of the sun her hat sparkled atop her forehead, causing me to look a tad closer. Around the rim of her hat were hanging beads bouncing to and fro from the rather painfully bouncy ride we were forced to endure. Somehow she managed to look unconcerned with all of the bouncing we were doing, though I am sad to say I could not. The corset I was poured into restricted my breathing quite a great amount, and the bustle I am half sitting on, the rest sticking out behind me causing me to only actually sit on half the seat, digs into my hips. Each bounce makes me groan and move back onto the seat as fully as I am able to dressed up in all this 'woman's wear.' I admit I look like quite a lady in this get up, except one problem, I'm not a lady. Why oh why did Dan decide to contract me to move way the heck away from Kansas City, I was making plenty of money at that bordello. But instead of getting to lay in that glorious silk sheeted bed with one of my regular's on top of me, I find myself all dolled up bouncing around in this forsaken rickety stage coach staring across at Mrs. Sarah Roundtree and having Mr. Johnson this overweight older man in a poorly pressed suit drooling all over me. To be fair, he isn't ugly, his nose is a little large, face is a bit roundish in the way of a child or a heavy drinker's. Though a drinker I think he is not, he doesn't have a flask hidden away in his breast pocket, his cheeks aren't permanently red like a heavy drinker's would be. His hands actually are good sized, and his feet, he may very well have a good sized member tucked away in his pants, though at the moment it is hard to tell, his belly is large and droops over. Tucked into his pants it covers up whatever he may have down there, at least while sitting. Perched next to Sarah is perhaps the reason I am contracted to come here, an oily fella if I ever did see one. His hair is perpetually slicked back, his skin shines in the light of the dying sun, heck it shines at any time there is light around. He is as Polly would say heavily oiled, and he has a strange air around him. He carries a bible and is always quoting from it, wears priest's clothes day and night it seems, I swear he sleeps and bathes in them. I can't be to sure of course, the stage is a proper one, and so is he at least when it comes to bathing and sleeping. He does however not have my line of work against me, I found that out last night. We had stopped at a small farm to bathe, sleep, and eat, it was tiny like all the rest we stopped at on the way. This time though it was different, there was an actual family living there, instead of those drunken old men. They had a son, couldn't of been more than 20 summers, or what you round eyes call years. During the course of the dinner I couldn't help but look him up and down, Sarah did as well I could tell, but unlike me she was doing it on the sly. Me, I just stared at him roving my eyes all up and down that hot body of his, licked my lips even when I looked between his legs. He knew I was looking, he turned pink and kept his eyes downcast most of the meal. Still managed to look at my breasts, encased in these thick layers of 'women's wear' or not I knew he was liking his view. At one point his mother Cassie had asked me why I was going to Longwood, I told her straight out, I was heading there because I had gotten a contract with Smiling Sally at the saloon. Well when I said that she gasped, her husband perked right up and their son I swear he seemed to shrink even more than he was. The rest of the people on the stage already knew that, naught anything to do but talk about each other and what was or had happened in the last town. Honestly I was getting tired of saying it, every time we stopped for the night whoever was running the place we stopped in would ask each of us where we were going and why. Lots of questions about what is happening in the last town we stopped in, sometimes they would tell us about what was going on in the next town if it was fairly close. Shortly after I had told them why I was going to Longwood their son gulped down the last of his food and asked permission to leave the table so he could get the barn ready for the driver, male riders, and himself, I and Sarah would be sharing his bedroom in the loft. Shortly after he had left I finished my plate and had gone outside for a walk, doesn't do to not stretch your legs after a meal, especially when going by stage. The boy's father found me leaning over the posts for the horses. I heard him coming, not hard when it's dark and a round eye, but still didn't bother to turn and face him. I figured better to just stay like that and see if he's wanting a bit of fun. Well he was, but not for himself, turns out their boy is a bit of a shy one and never had the pleasures of female company. I had known that right off, easy to spot those things when you deflower 5 boys a week in the summer. So after a little haggling, more for my amusement than anything else. I was thinking of joining the poor boy that evening anyway, I walked to the barn with 2 one dollar bills tucked into my pocket and a good sized grin on my face. Been nigh on a month since I deflowered my last boy and turned him into a man. He didn't hear me come up the ladder, or move through the hay to his back, I swear round eyes are downright deaf and blind. I stood looking at his blonde head, his hair looking a bit like the hay he was manhandling into piles under blankets. Well in this case I guess boyhandling would be a better way to put it, at least for right now. I undid the top coat, then the corset and the skirt setting each aside gently, so glad to be rid of that accursed bustle, luckily it's more attached to the dress than me, an arrangement Dan helped me with, at least a little. He had come in one afternoon out of the blue carrying a few boxes then tossed them onto the wonderful silk sheeted bed. I was aghast, this metal half ball had a good sized set of what I took to be horse reigns on the flatter side of it. I looked at it, looked at him and started cursing him out. Made it plain in no uncertain terms I would not strap myself into that contraption. Eventually he left with it back in the box along with the skirt muttering. I didn't tell him everything that I thought though, the dress itself was lovely, delicate lace all over, wonderful paring of colors, all in all I was awestruck with what he had gotten for me. When he had returned there was a larger box, inside lay the skirt, except this time it was bunched up in a huge ball, or so I thought until he pulled it out. I don't know what he told the seamstress, but she had sewn the bustle into the skirt. Well sorta sewn, what she did was sew straps into the skirt and tied the bustle up with those straps. When I saw this, I couldn't help myself, I jumped in those strong arms of his and pressed my face right up to him. Hoped for a kiss, but instead I leaned a little closer and whispered into his ear thanks and I love the dress. All of this left my mind as I placed the bustle strussed up in a skirt to the side and walked up to the boy soon to be a man, dressed in only a white camisole and bloomers. He jumped practically through the roof as I lay my hands on his shoulder, wrapping him up in my arms I lean in and whisper in his ear. At my soft words he relaxes in my arms and I wrap my arms fully around him, well I try, but can't quite make it. My heart gives a little lurch at this, it's been long since I lay with a man so large that was not fattened. Gently I turn his buttons one after the other, having to stretch to reach them full, pressing my breasts into his back and I he sighs as I do. With the buttons undone we both pull his suspenders off his shoulders then pull that shirt off. He turns to me as he does and I gasp as I see his chest, he is a man who sees work, he is muscular, but with a soft padding and I find myself wishing to fall into his arms and just lay. As his hands fall to his pants I remember what I really wish to do with him, and what I have been paid for. My hands reach out and help him undo his pants, my practiced fingers turning the buttons and freeing him of the pants, as they fall to the floor I gasp again, and sigh, he is not a small man. This is one night I will enjoy fully. With his eyes on me I back away a little, brushing his hands away as I do. Holding a finger to my lips for a moment, I grab at my camisole, undoing the tie on the front and slowly pulling it up, at first not trying to pull it over my head, just up to show him my breasts. When his eyes light up big as saucers I grin and pull the camisole all the way off, as it drops to the ground I move back into his reach. Grabbing his hands I pull them to my breasts, we both groan as his hands move over my breasts, just the feel of his hands on me sending currents right down. He leaned in and kissed me then, not terribly hard, but insistent and wonderful, then his tongue snaked its way into my mouth. Well it at first probed against my lips, darting here and there and I couldn't help but open my lips to him. After what seemed like ages of his powerful kiss, he pulls back and goes down, making a beeline to my right breast. As his lips latch onto my nipple I gasp again, then moan, this boy has very done this before, there is no way a virgin would know how to do this. I shall have to ask him later, but right now, I must keep my legs under me, his ministrations leaving me weak. As he switches breasts I take the lapse in my pleasure to get my legs to firm up again and work my bloomers down past my hips and let them fall away. He kept at my breasts so long and so well I was leaning on him by the time I managed to get him to stop and remember there was something else we could do. He wrapped me up in his arms and picked me up, I let out a little yikes as my feet left the boards of the barn loft. As he turned toward a pile of hay he had already made into a bed and covered with a sheet, I leaned my head against his chest, his hard manhood brushing up against my rear. Gently he moved to the makeshift bed and dropped to one knee so he could place me down. I sighed as he put me down, my eyes staring up at him, thinking he will make a woman very happy and lucky one of these days. For a moment I thought nothing of him not moving onto me, but the moment stretched and stretched. Eventually I remembered that he is a virgin, his talented mouth made me forget, though right now his doubting puzzled look told me all I needed to know. I reached out and found his member, still rock hard and pulled him toward me. He followed along looking doubtful still until I got him between my legs and leaning over me, his appendage touching at me. It was then he spoke, and told me much of why he was so good with his mouth but not knowing what else to do. "I'm not sure you want me to be inside you, I am very large as you can see. Julie let's me suck on her breasts and lower, but won't let me do anything else because I am huge." He tells me in a low voice, turning red and looking down. "Shhhh, trust me, your not to big," I tell him as my hand reaches up to caress his cheek, "put it inside of me, Julie is scared for good reason, your scary to a virgin, but to a woman who has been around, you're a godsend." His eyes light up, even bigger than when I showed him my breasts, and he started to push. Only problem being, he missed, he cursed as he pulled away and tried again only to miss again. Quickly I reach between us, grab and line him up with me and tell him to go slow. As he moves into me I can't help but groan, which was a mistake, he started to pull away. I had to move fast to wrap my legs around him and grab onto his shoulders. "Don't worry, it's been long since I've been lucky enough to have one such as you, it will take me a bit to get used, just go slow and don't worry, I can take it." I tell him with a wink. He grins and pushes again, slowly pushing his way into me, I can't help but think maybe I can't take it, he is too big. Though I keep quiet, I know I can take larger, I have before and it eventually was incredible to feel such a size moving around in me, though the first few minutes are indeed not terribly enjoyable. I couldn't help but groan again and again as he forced that big thing inside of me, I covered it up by telling him to give it to me, put it all in and so forth. Besides wanting to lay with him anyway, I got paid to take him and take him I would. He was only maybe halfway in me, and that had taken what felt like ages, though was probably more like 10 minutes. Luckily for him, I was wanting to feel him in me all the way and have him pounding it to me, so I did what any impatient whore or horny woman would. I wrapped my legs around him, grabbed his shoulders with my hands and bucked up to meet him. I'd like to tell you it wasn't painful, but I can't, it hurt, but it did what I wanted, it got him all the way in. I lay under him, groaning a little and kissing him, telling him sweet little lies about how it feels wonderful and I just want to enjoy it all the way in. What it actually felt like was having a burning railroad spike shoved into you, I just lay under him, clinging to him and praying to the Great Spirit. Finally, the pain ebbed away to a level that said, he can move now, so I got him to do just that. I simply looked up at him, and told him to. Oh it was glorious, his mighty appendage sawing in and out of me had me seeing stars in minutes. I'm not sure if it was because of my stars, or that he was a virgin, but when I was seeing stars, he let loose his own stars. I'm maybe halfway through my own when he groans and stops moving besides little pumps. Then I felt his warmth streaming into me, well hurtling is more like it. I swear it was like lying on the street as big drops of hot water fell right into me from the 3rd floor. As he is panting and laying on me, I notice that he isn't exactly drooping. With a grin I move under him again, my hips driving him in and out slightly. Not as much as I would want, but enough to catch his attention and get him fully ready. He gets a grin of his own as he starts to move as well, and that just got me going. My legs wrap around him, my hands run up and down his back as my legs pull my hips farther onto him than they could manage alone. The two of us lay there, our hips moving fast making distinct noise, my breasts bouncing about some, and me coaxing him on to go ya-lu-a(fast) and a-s-da-ya(hard). Only problem being, he doesn't understand Tsalagi, his questions and puzzled look reminding me, along with his failure to do either. With a grunt I roll us over, swiftly moving my legs out of the way of his rear. His eyes wide I adjust myself so I am sitting on him, my knees besides his hips, leaning forward my hips move. He gets a startled look as I move atop him, my breasts descending to his chest. My hips moving me up and down him, both of us groaning as he moves in me, my face almost pressing into his, then I start talking. At first I'm just telling him how good he feels, how I love laying with him, the standard prostitute phrases, but then he started moving to, and I couldn't help but encourage him. This time I was careful to do so in round eyes so he would know what I wanted. He listened to, when I told him to move a little faster, he did, when I drew near to another orgasm I rose up on him, my hands to his shoulders. At first he just gawked at my breasts bouncing up and down on him, before I told him to play with them he did. With his hands all over my breasts, more mauling than caressing, I saw stars again. I'm ashamed to admit I really enjoyed his performance, so much so I collapsed on him moaning. Somehow telling him to keep moving, which he did, I just lay on him as he moved in me, whispering how much I'm enjoying him. Then he surprises me, his arms wrap around me and I find myself under him again, my legs now held high. I wrap them around him as he moves in me, much faster than he had before. My arms wrapped around him as much as they can, I hook my feet and hold on, he is moving more like a train than a man, not that I am complaining. I look up at him as he moves atop me, his eyes half glazed over staring at someplace beyond my shoulder. Seeing he is off in his own world atop me, I look lower and marvel at the connection between us. So big and strong and moving so fast, it's more a blur than anything else. I don't know how I missed it, but I find myself thrashing about under him in the throes when his movement gets uncontrolled. He starts jerking a little bit, and then let's out almost a shriek, then floods me again. Amazingly he didn't lose any volume from the last time. He just lay atop me for a while, though hard to breath I wasn't about to move him, I always enjoy men laying with me after. Finally he rolls off and lays besides, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me close. He kisses me and thanks me and pulls me closer with his strong arms in a hug, I tell him to not forget what I told him, and remind him I better get going before the men decide to come up and get some sleep. With a sheepish grin he let's go and assures me he will tell Julie, I grab up the camisole and bloomers then move to where my dress lay. Quickly I put the camisole and corset back on, slipping the skirt around my hips and then the top, leaving my bloomers off so I can clean up before putting them on again. Down the ladder I go, my bloomers tucked into the bustle hoping I won't be meeting anyone. Feeling the left overs from the fun trickling down my legs I hurriedly move toward the corral, knowing there will be a trough full of mostly clean water for my cleaning. I stop short as I reach the fence though, the preacher man is standing there, Father Darren as he likes to be called. He walks up to me, his hands held up as if I am naught but a shy horse, before leaning in closer to me and speaking in a dull whisper. "My good lady, if you are wishing to do what I think you are going to do, perhaps you would allow me to aid you in the endeavor." "Preacher say it plain. What are you wanting to do?" "Oh my, forgive me good lady, I have forgotten you are not yet of the calling and prefer plain to respect..." "Stop there, say what you want or you will find my shoes do not feel good on the inside." "Oh my, no need to get upset good lady, I only wish to aid you in the cleaning with my tongue, god willing and you agree of course." "Preacher, I should teach you why it is unwise to annoy a Cherokee, but you are right I am in need of a cleaning, and your tongue will work just as well I warrant." Not giving him time to say his thanks or praises, normally the same thing and ga-wi-no-ha (talker) is an understatement with him. Instead I push him down, sit on his chest for a second then move up and cover his face. At first I think he tries to say something, but gives up when I press down harder on his face, I can feel his lips pressing right into me. When I feel his tongue pressing inside I take my weight off him and he reacts with enthusiasm, his tongue darting about at a breakneck speed. His hands come up and grab my rear, not so much to caress but to move me about on his face. At first his hands just direct me to move here and there as his tongue licks away. I can't help but enjoy his ministrations, whatever else he is this man knows his way around a woman. Adventure in Longwood Day 01 I find myself reaching for the stars quite quickly, but not reaching them until he fastens his lips to me and begins sucking, his tongue darting about. It's all I can do to be quiet and stay upright above him, though his hands help greatly with the second. For some time later he continues to lick at me, his tongue darting here and there, almost as if he is searching for more of what was left in me, I'm nearing the stars again when he stops and pulls himself out from under me. Being close to the stars prompted me to offer myself to him. With a smile he tells me that he would love to help me out again, but god says he cannot enjoy a woman in such a way that is not his wife. So saying he saunters off to the barn, leaving me perplexed, with a shrug I produce my bloomers and slide them back on before heading back to the house. Stopping at the edge of the long cabin so like the winter lodges enjoyed by my tribe when I was young, before I met round eyes, before my tribe is slowly and systematically slaughtered. I let Mr. Johnson walk past me to the barn before rounding the corner and almost running right into Cassie. Before I can mutter anything beyond a sorry she has ushered me back around the corner with a finger to her lips. "Listen, I just have to ask, is there a chance you will be having my sons child?" "No, I drink a little of this serum every month and I don't stay pregnant. Why do you ask?" "Well, my husband doesn't exactly perform as much as I would like, I have found someone to help, but I've not been able to let him have me since I might get pregnant." "Do not worry, I can give you a bottle, should last for about 6 moons, I'll be sure and get some delivered to you, though you will have to pay for them." "That will not be a problem, though are you sure you can spare a bottle? I wouldn't want to put you in a situation." "Of course, I have 2 bottles, I can share one, besides I get more next month. I had to do other things for a short while a few moons back." "Well alright, as long as your sure, how much will they cost me? " "It is 2 dollars for a bottle, in fact here take this, your husband paid me this to be with your son. Though I think you will need it more, he is very good and I find myself wanting to go back." As I say this she turns a bright pink. "How did you know?" "I know how it is, you can't go to someone because your husband would be suspicious, you can't meet anyone in town for the same reason, and there is no one living close to you." 'You will not tell anyone I hope?" "Of course not, your secret is safe with me, now let's get you that bottle and I hope your husband is going to town soon." I tell her with a wink as I move toward the stage. She follows along behind me, jumping at every little noise made. She stepped on a twig and I swear she jumped a foot. She was still looking around wide eyed as I grabbed her arm and told her to relax. She stiffened up when my arm wrapped around her arm, but after hearing my voice she settled down and we made it to the stage with nary a problem. As I began to undo the straps holding the back closed, the door of the stage swings open and the shotgunner steps out. Cassie nearly dies of fright right then and there, I just lean over a little to look at him. "Oh go back to bed Steve, I'm just after a couple things in my bag." "Oh hi tse-ni-ti, OK just remember if anyone complains about losing something I'll tell them you were in there." He says before grunting his way back onto the stage. Cassie having recovered enough whispered that she thought my name is Janet. I tell her it is, in Tsalagi it is pronounced tse-ni-ti, she looks at me for a second then shrugs. Common round eye behavior, not understand anything and not care, though in a way endearing, many of them take things at face value. Made my transition from a reservation to city life almost painless, at least after everything that had happened to my family and I was over. I am sure Cassie did not see it, but as I am undoing the straps that keep the rear luggage closed I spy an arrow stuck into the wood above the top flap. Getting the flap opened and finding my bag I tug it out of the pile causing a little slippage, it was half holding up another bag marked mailbag. Steve grunts and says don't break anything, leaning his head half out the window then disappears back into the stage. Cassie and I both giggle at his comment as I lower my bag to the ground and quickly undo the flap and flop it open. Cassie can't help but gasp at my two revolvers sitting there in the holsters, she looks at me odd for a second before she asks why I have those. "It's not always safe in my line of work, and on occasion I have had to sit guard at the bordello in Kansas City." I tell her, not the whole truth, but at least part of it. She looks at me for a second longer than shrugs her shoulders again, round eye way of saying I don't believe you but not important. I reach down undo the bottom pocket and pull out one bottle after feeling the second and making sure they hadn't broken. I stand up again and hand it to her with a smile on my face. "Here you go, and don't drink too much of it at a time, just a few drops at first until you get used to it." "Thank you, but how will I know I am used to it?" "Because it makes you feel ill after a few seconds, when you stop feeling ill at two drops, take another. This is a poison, it will take care of any additions you don't want, but too much will kill you. There is one other thing I didn't mention before, you should not take it at least one moon in twelve. It's possible to not, but there will eventually come a time when you never feel ill when taking this until it is to late." "OK, I understand." She tells me as she takes the bottle, her hand shaking a little. "Don't worry, you will be fine, my people and the other tribes have been doing this for many many moons, you will not die if you are careful and you won't have any additions that are unwanted." She smiles at me then, I can feel her hand has stopped shaking and let go. She walks past me toward the house then, I watch her go and can see a little spring in her step. Grinning I turn back toward my bag, closing it up then putting it back in the luggage pouch of the stage. It is not until I have the flaps closed and fastened before I reach for the arrow, plucking it with a snap from the back of the stage. Steve comes out of the stage again then, an odd look in his eyes as he walks back to me. I am to busy unwrapping the twine wrapped message on the arrow to pay him any attention. "Sorry I sorta forgot to mention this to you earlier, though I suppose probably best that I did. Not exactly good to mention that a Cherokee passenger is getting messages by arrow." He tells me leaning against the side of the stage staring out at the prairie behind me. "No it's not, though do you know when the arrow hit the stage?" I ask as I am reading the message. "It was about noon or so, I noticed a lone rider coming up behind us at an angle and kept my eye on him. When he got closer he waved at me then brought up a bow fired it and rode away. The funny part though, he wasn't no injun. Lord I hopes your not part of some bank robbing band." "No not me, he is my partner, now if you promise to not tell a soul I'll fill you in." I tell him laughing. "Well with god as my witness I swear I won't be telling no souls or people for that matter." "Close enough," I can't help but giggle at his way of swearing privacy, "my partner and I have a habit of catching wanted men, pays much better than whoring." "Well I'll be, a whoring bounty hunter, if that just don't beat the hide off a rabbit." "Remember you swore to tell no one." I tell him as I walk back to the house. Inside I find Cassie and her husband sitting together watching the fire die, she gets up walks over to me, first asking if I want any vittles or coffee. When I tell her no I am ready for bed, she grins, and her husband snorts as she shows me the way to her sons loft bed. I find Sarah already laying there, her eyes closed, though her breathing to irregular to be asleep. Letting her keep up the charade a bit longer I strip down to just my camisole and bloomers again, getting a little thrill at the reminder of the last time I had done that, before pulling the covers aside on the empty half of the bed and sliding in. I had barely gotten myself settled before Sarah rolls over to find me looking at her on my side. I smile and ask what she wishes to know. "Well, I couldn't help but notice how good he looked and I am sure you went and had fun with him. I am curious was he as good as he looks?" She asks turning a bit pink. "Oh better I would say, he had a little experience with pleasing a lady with his mouth, and his chest isn't the only big part of him." "Well I am glad you had fun, luckily we will reach Longwood tomorrow evening, because I am very missing my husband." "I am sure, now if you don't mind, I'd like to get some sleep." I tell her winking and roll over. I am brought back to the present when the stage stops and Steve climbs down off his perch high atop the front. Well falls is more like it, he starts climbing down then just drops, making a big cloud of dust, from him and the dirt he lands in. Not wanting to wait any longer Father Darren shoves open the stage door, flings himself free, and heads for the wooden walkway in front of us. There next to us is the saloon, next to it on the left is the sheriff's office, on the right is a general store. Across the street is a dentist office, Mr. Johnson tells me so after he attracts my attention with tugs on my arm, next to it is the bank, along with a blacksmith, mortuary and farther down the street facing us, a stable. Steve reaches in for me as my eyes finish looking at this tiny little town, thankful I reach for his hand and allow him to pull me out of the stage and onto the ground. I can see several people coming out of the saloon now, mostly men and one lady, tall blonde and a wide smile on her face. As Joseph the driver undoes the ties to get our luggage out I look her up and down. She is very tall, I barely come up to her breasts, though she isn't all that much taller than the men she is standing besides. Her chest is very buxom, she has wide hips like me, though hers are of course wider, and she doesn't look to be getting much exercise lately, though not swelling up. With my bag in hand I take it up to the blonde standing there, pulling the letter of contract out of my pocket as I go. "I hope you are Smiling Sally, I have here a letter of contract for me to work here at the saloon with you." I say to her as I draw close. "Oh you must be Janet, yes I am Smiling Sally, though you should just call me Sally, I'm only smiling to our customers." She tells me with a wink as she puts her arm around my shoulders and guides me toward the saloon. Inside she briefly introduces me to the bartender, Ishmael, though only gives us a chance to say hi before she propels me toward the back of the saloon and a wide staircase that runs up the wall to above the bar. The entire time she spouts an endless series of words, half to me, the other half to the men we pass, along with a small number of women. I would later learn their names, but for now they are brief glimpses of women dressed in scant more than a camisole and skirt. I notice one woman who is like me, eyes a little slanted, but instead of being brownish she is pale and slightly yellowish. Atop the stairs Sally proceeds to take me down the hall, her steps falter at each door. She gets a puzzled look on her face before we move to the next door, until the fourth door when her eyes light up and she opens it. Practically shoves me inside and follows after, closes the door behind her and leans against it for a moment, before she moves forward and speaks to me slower and quieter than she had before. "OK, listen. This town is a lot better than some about injuns or non whites, but still I want you to be careful, there are many who visit this town who will think less of you than dirt. I also have to warn you that some of our frequent visitors lost family to Apaches." "I am Cherokee, and if they do not understand the difference, I can take care of myself quite well. I did not always spend my days lounging about in a saloon and my nights on my back. On occasion I am still called upon to do these things. If they wish to harm me they are welcome to try, but will find I am not an easy mark." "That is well, we do have need of a fiery person on occasion, drunken men do not always take kindly to a wait, we only have 5 ladies for them. Now all of that out of the way, I must bid you to the bath, tonight you are not expected to work, but are welcome to if you are able. I myself have done traveling in my time before I bought this saloon, I know how hard it is." She says, her face clears of worry lines and a smile returns to her face. She opens the door and steps out again, door closes on her with a last look at me. Swiftly I undo my bag, sling it up against the door for the moment, take my pistols out and set them on the bed, then free my belts before I place them beside the guns on the bed. Then undo the top and pull out some clothes, simple little things, a camisole, a skirt and a shirt, things one would wear moving about the town. Then out of the bottom of the top I pull a package wrapped in leather. I move to the bed as I unwrap the contents, two bottles and several small pieces of cloth. One bottle and a browned piece of cloth in one hand I grab up the belts and holsters, undoing the bottle carefully I upend it holding it closed with the cloth before I stop the bottle up again. Swiftly my hand roams over the belts and holsters, the oils leave them shiny in its wake. Placed carefully atop the dresser next to the basin, I return to the bed and my pistols, each taken in turn I tear it down. The cylinder pulled free and inspected with a careful eye before I take another cloth used to upend the bottle and smear gun oil on the gun's parts, each one carefully gone over and left shiny with oil before take up another cloth and wiped clean of oil again. Each clean piece inspected carefully again before they are fitted back together, the guns assembled I twirl the cylinders to check the fit before each cylinder is opened in turn and loaded with bullets. This task done I take the guns to their holsters on the dresser, the cleaning and loading finished my hands deftly remove my dress piece by piece. I spy a towel draped over the foot of the bed snatch it up and head for the door indicated by Sally. Inside a metal tub with two large steaming pails of water next to it, besides the second door that leads into the room next to mine is a large jug filled with water. Bottom of the tub is a large bar of soap, the soap pulled out I grab up one pail and pour it in, feel it carefully to find it is to hot so I grab the jug of cold water and add a bit then step into the tub. Sat on the bottom I find that the water barely reaches my stomach. I grab up the other hot pail and slowly pour it in until I have a good depth of water, the bar of soap in hand I lather up my body, start at my shoulders, then slowly, luxuriously move my way down. I begin to work on the lather of my legs, when there is the crack of a pistol downstairs. Jumping up to the screams and shouting I dash back into my room, the bar of soap falling to the floor and sliding off to the corner. Grabbing up my belts as I run at the door, slam into it before remember it opens inward even. With a wry grin and shake of my head I slam the door open and dash to the railing. My eyes travel down to see a table overturned, cards and coins scattered about on the floor. Two men stand there besides the overturned table, guns in their hands words shouted, the guns darted here and there. I am forced to stand there for a second and fasten my belts around me as I puzzle out what has happened. As I finish the ties of one holster to my thigh I spy a man laid out on the ground in a widening pool of dark red, hand clutched at his chest, his eyes dart about desperately. A man bursts into the saloon then stops, a black bag clutched in one hand, it's Mr. Johnson, though why he would be here with a medical bag I don't get, he's a dentist. Though the reason he stops interests me, both men turn to him, their guns held level with their shoulders. Normally I'd wait and see what they will do, but since Mr. Johnson rather grows on a gal, I pull my guns and let go with two cracks, the first man's gun flies off and bounces off the wall. The second leans over and let's out a crack and blast of fire, the doorway splinters a few hands to Mr. Johnson's right. Both men look up at me, along with everyone else in the saloon, and as one their jaws drop. It would be comical if it wasn't for the one with a gun in his hand still, as I move toward the staircase, guns held out straight and steady, I make a mental note to check the aim on the second gun. No one says a word as I reach the staircase and move down, though their jaws remain open and their eyes follow every little movement of my body. I suppose their interest is a boon to ones ego, it is often that a lady in a bordello is seen without clothes. To be stared at so when one is uncovered as I in my line of work is naught shy of a matter to beam about. Their eyes travel across my body, still shiny with the water and bits of soap I had not time to rinse away. I can feel them study my full breasts as they bounce about with my moves. Feel their eyes travel down my smooth body past my flat belly to between my legs, I must confess the feel of so many eyes studying the hair down there and what it hides put butterflies to my stomach. As I put my foot down on the floor from the staircase one of the two says something to the other and they move apart. Not quickly but slow and steady, each foot finds a spot to perch upon before weight is put onto it, my guns follow the two as they move, and everyone behind them stretches for the floor as the guns travel near to point at them. Reaching the fallen and bled man who has slumped by now, though still breathes raggedly I stop just out of his reach in case he decides to grab for my leg and look at each man in turn, one holds his hands up near his chest, ready to surrender at any moment, the other holds a gun still, though pointed at the ground. "Mr. Johnson, get in here and see to this man, take the long way around one of these two." I snap out which causes him to jump and almost drop his bag. With a weak smile on his lips he does, going around to the bar then slides along it until he is behind me then moves toward the stricken man. As he passes me though he can't help but touch my rear, even gives it a little pinch. "Now you two, get back together in that corner over there, and somebody go and get the sheriff." I bark out, my guns wave at them in the direction of the corner I refer to. "Ma'am there is a problem there, we don't have a sheriff right now, a new one is on the way. I hear tell he is due day after tomorrow." One of the ranch hands crouched on the floor says from under his clutched hat. "Sally do we have an available empty room here for two days?" I ask Sally after a moments thought. "Why yes we do Janet, but why do you ask?" Sally at least stands tall, partway up the staircase behind me. "Because these two are going to be guests here until the new sheriff arrives." I tell her half turned so I can see her. The man with a gun still takes that moment to move, his gun moves up, apparently his thought is that since I am half turned I won't notice, but Sally's eyes tell me all I need to know. They get bigger and even bug out a little, her mouth opens and I can see her tongue move like she tries to talk but can't. I drop to a knee the other stretched out to my side, and line both guns up with the armed man. His bullet goes over me and sinks into the staircase as I pull the trigger on both guns. He jerks twice and falls back, his gun falls from his hand. The second decides to run away at this point, not up to running about outside in the dirt with no clothes on I line up a shot and shoot him in the leg. Adventure in Longwood Day 01 With a shriek he falls to the ground and rolls about hands clutched to his leg. Sure he won't go very far I stand up again, holster my guns and walk up to Mr. Johnson. "How is he?" Is my question as I lean over slightly behind him. "Oh...He's not going to make it, nothing I can do, he has lost too much blood." The pause comes from his turn to look up at me, his eye falling to my breast, his entire sentence delivered to that part of me. "Well shoot, go see to that runner I shot in the leg, and then find somebody to help you get him up to the empty room upstairs, I'm going to go find a pair of ankle cuffs." Not bothered to wait for a response I stand up again and walk out the doorway and head for the sheriff's office. I draw many a stare and quite a few whistles in the process. Once inside the sheriff's office, I procure a match to light a lantern and take a look about. I come across some ankle cuffs and keys, along with a row of very nice Winchester rifles, taking the smallest of them and a box of ammo with me, the return to the saloon is marked by the clang of the cuffs slung over one shoulder. Much of the blood has been mopped up and covered with a blanket for now, there is two bodies piled outside for the mortician to show up and collect those, I ask Sally who stands at the top of the stairs where the prisoner is. "Janet, he is in the last door down the hall, but I wish you would reconsider, both of those men work for Ted McCalbane, he has the biggest ranch in this area and plenty of gun hands. If he decides to come and get his man, we can't stop him." The name doesn't spark a memory in me at the time, though it should have. Instead I walk down to the end of the hall spoken over my shoulder as I go that it won't be a problem, if he insists he can take his man back, but the sheriff will want to arrest him proper. Inside the room I find Mr. Johnson at work on the man, his pants cut away and a pair of what look to be scissors probing into the man's leg. Not saying a word I simply walk over to the bed, cuff his ankle then the bed. "Now, don't try to escape, otherwise I may decide you are trying to shoot someone again and just shoot you down like your friend." I tell him as I move up besides his head. "Damn you filthy Apache, Mr. McCalbane will come for me and take your scalp as payment for Steve." He tells me between screams. "Well see your wrong there, if I was an Apache you and your friend would be alive and screaming with no scalps, I'm a Cherokee, we instead like to take a different part of a man and mount it to the wall of our teepee. I have a nice dull knife, just itching to get me another part. Now shut up and let this tired gal finish her bath." My peace said, along with a lie to keep him complacent perhaps I walk out the door again and head for my room and what promises to be a lukewarm bath at best. Relaxed in the oddly warm bath again, I can't help but reflect, what a way to end the first day in a new town. Adventure in Longwood Day 02 I awaken with the sky, a few birds chirping outside. As I sit up I hear a wagon moving about, not from my window I am facing the outside of town. I get my clothes on glad to be done with the round eye get up then leave my room a revolver in hand to check on the prisoner. I find Ishmael perched atop a chair snoring a little with the Winchester in his hands. Walking closer I can't help but giggle a little, round eyes are not terribly observant. Even stomping on the floor doesn't get a twitch out of him, I get his finger away from the trigger. Thinking on if I should take it away or not I decide to just wake him up, tapping on his shoulder doesn't work. I press his nose closed and start pulling on it this way then that. After a little while his eyes flutter open and he looks at me. It takes a moment for him to focus on me, at first confused then memory comes rushing back. "Janet wasn't it? Sally asked if I could sit watch. I only fell asleep a little while ago I swear." "Janet yes and you are Ishmael. You round eyes have strange minds. If you could follow me in, he will want food I wager, what I know to do he would refuse." "We have a cook, I just tend the bar, I will follow you in though yes." Ishmael gets up as I open the door, it goes inward like mine, I only ponder the why of this a moment, round eyes have strange habits. The prisoner is lying on the bed, he awakens when we move closer and rolls over. "What on earth happened last night? My leg is killing me and I'm not at the ranch." "Last night you and another man got deep into the drink and shot dead another man, over cards I wager. I had to shoot the other man with you, I shot you in the leg to keep from running away, I was taking a bath at the time. Apologies on your leg, nude and wet are not good to chase a man in." "I suppose I deserved the bullet. Blast Mr. McCalbane will be mighty sore at one of us. I could really use an outhouse, and some vittles would be nice, not your injun vittles please." "Both can be arranged, Ishmael is the cook awake? I find I could do with some vittles myself, get vittles going and come back you can help him walk." Ishmael just goes with a nod, I watch him go a moment thinking his backside is not bad. Turning back to the prisoner I undo the ankle cuff on the bed then affix it to his free ankle. He decides to try and walk so I affix my hand to his and put my elbow under his. He does not go well, we do go at least so I lead him to the railing and he uses that to get to the stairs and halfway down when Ishmael comes back. Ishmael comes up the stairs to him and gives him his shoulder for support, I follow along after close enough to grab if he falls. "Vittles are going, enough for all four of us, Amanda has a desire to sit." "Sally was lax on names, who is Amanda?" I have to ask, I am working here for six months according to the contract. "Our cook, she takes an interest in women." Hoping it's not a follow into bed interest I follow after Ishmael and the prisoner to the outhouse behind the saloon. Once he has conducted his business we head back into the saloon. A small woman is waiting for us, she directs us to a table looking at me every chance she can. Once we are seated she rushes off through a door next to the bar. "Special interest?" I'm pretty sure but best to ask, was wrong before, that one had never seen an injun alive before. "Ayup, most everybody knows about Amanda." Our prisoner says looking me up and down. "Say if I get convicted and sentenced to hang can you be my last wish?" "I don't see why not, you are far and away the nicest prisoner I've ever met. Some question on who shot the man I reckon, I didn't see it." "Me either, I was behind the two and cleaning glasses. I look up and they are standing there with smoke going up, doc said one bullet. Can't find his gun you shot out of his hand, the dead man's had three fired, one was at doc one at you. No telling how long the empty had been in there." Ishmael says then smiles as Amanda comes back with a tray laden with plates. "I hope eggs, bacon, and biscuits are fine for everyone. If you wish later you can teach me some of your Apache vittles. Now what would you guys like to drink? I've got warm milk and Ishmael can get anything else from the bar." Amanda puts our plates down afore us then stands there holding the tray to her chest smiling at me. "I'm a Cherokee I know you round eyes can't be telling the difference it does matter to us. Milk is fine for me." Milk is the order of the morning vittles, Amanda spends a little while apologizing to me. I send her off with a smack to backside she gets with a giggle and keeps looking back at me. She comes back with the tray laden with big glasses of milk. "I reckon I should be asking, am I staying here or are you putting me in the cells?" I look at our prisoner minding about it, be easier to put him there, not right but easier. "I am of the mind to leave you here, have to ask Sally but we can be chaining you to the bar so you can have conversation and some drink in the afternoon. We all gotta work tonight and can't be checking in on you over there. Say what be your name?" "Chad is as fine of a name as I can muster folks anointed me with it and stuck ever since." "Better than Ishmael, I don't know what me folks were thinking." "Ishmael is a fine name, there's a book roaming around with Ishmael as the hero I suppose, read it once, you round eyes have weird notions on things. I admit it was a powerful read though." "Well you got me there, I've heard tale of this book can't read me self. If you're of the notion doc has a copy of the book, mayhap you can read it to us before we get busy. Say you keep calling us round eyes, only injuns we hear saying that are the Apache trying to kill us, or trying to buy stuff when they come off the reservation." "I can do that, good thing to pass time with, same reason I read it the first time. I call you round eyes because I come from a reservation, the man appointed to watch over us and give us vittles tried to turn me into a round eye, got me with child, child died soon after birth. He swore twas nature caused it though he had a new babe in his house and wouldn't let me in no more. I got powerful mad learned how to shoot and got myself out of there. Found out then he hadn't been feeding my tribe, twas holding me cause of the babe he put in me. After birth so his men had something to enjoy, used that to my advantage. They taught me how to shoot as a lark, I made sure to shoot a few in the man vittles." "Well, I think I'm going to not say another word about round eyes. Just to keep my vittles intact." Ishmael looks very worried while he speaks, Chad as well. "If we are all done Ishmael if you could keep an eye on Chad I shall go take a look see on if Mr. Johnson is in the dentistry." "He lives above it should be awake and making breakfast knock on his window." Amanda says as I am getting up. Ignoring a couple older woman making disparaging remarks about me I make my way across the dirt. Stepping up on the walkway I tap on the window to get a come in from inside. I open the door and step inside Mr. Johnson is stepping into the room rubbing his hands in a towel. "Ah Janet I wished to thank you for saving me last night. Now do you have a medical need or a dentistry need?" "You are welcome, you rather grow on a gal you are just so nice. I have neither actually, came for a book, Ishmael wishes me to read him the book with him in it." "Ah yes, I know the book come with me I have it in here I find it best to have books to read, not often to need my skills. A curse and a blessing." I follow him into the room he just left, he was indeed dealing with morning vittles. Mr. Johnson goes over to a large bookcase laden with books the lower shelf filled with very large books marked Dentistry and Medical. He pulls a good sized book down from higher up, a little worn from use I imagine and hands it to me. "Here you go, once you finish with that one I'll be happy to give you another. I only read about one a week, should be getting a few more in any day now. Jules Verne has a few books out now that I have missed. I read that one to much, after though if you don't mind I'll come say them, just need to put a sign on my door." "That would be nice, my round eye speak isn't good." "Nonsense you speak English quite well, especially for someone with your history." I get ushered out the door, I did interrupt his morning vittles after all. Crossing the dirt is harder this time, there is a wagon coming, I get a look of some kind from the man in the wagon as he passes me. I go across the dirt then falling into step with Father Darren into the saloon. Sally and the rest of the girls are awake, well not so much awake as sitting at a table. Sally at least is awake, she gets up comes over gives me a once over smiles then moves to Father Darren. She takes him over to the table I had vacated earlier still occupied with Ishmael and Chad. "I got the book we were speaking on, Mr. Johnson has promised he will come and say the next book." I say to Ishmael as I get over there. "Oh this is nice, like a play during our slow time. What is this book about?" Sally asks smiling at me again. "It is about a whaling ship and the crew, one individual above the others, Ishmael, why I went and borrowed it to say." I climb up on the bar and start to say the book, my fellow whores giggling with the first line. I manage to read two whole chapters before anyone comes in, they are after beer so I get to stay there and say more of the book. The two men who had come in for beer stayed long to listen. When the shadows start getting long Sally bids me to stop for the day. I mark the spot with a piece of paper and hop down asking Ishmael if he has water. He bids me go upstairs to get in something a little more revealing. Up I go putting the book on my dresser, my revolver back in its holster then remove my shirt. Feeling around to be sure the camisole is in the proper place I head back downstairs. I get a few admiring gazes and two whistles as I move to the bar for a glass of water Ishmael hands over. I drink about half and hand it back, saying three and a half chapters is thirsty work. Two men come in with revolvers on their hips look around then go straight to Chad. They speak to him for a moment then one comes to me, he is younger with slightly brown skin. "We came to get Chad and Steve, Mr. McCalbane is not happy. Chad says you shot Steve in self defense, all fine and good we can't leave without Chad at least." He looks at me a little fuller while he speaks I am too shocked to make a noise, he looks just like I always pictured my babe to look. "We're holding him because a man was shot and killed by either him or Steve. Now if you have need of him with no sheriff here yet then I suppose you are free to take him. Here let me go get the keys, the sheriff might come to place him under arrest. Nobody seems to know who shot the man and evidence is pointing at Steve since Chad's gun was lost." I go up the stairs quick shivering a little. I search around for the key to unlock the ankle cuffs not finding it anywhere. Just about at a loss for where it is I touch my pocket and groan, I had the darn key on me the whole time. I go down the stairs again Sally looking at me a little worried, I uncuff Chad. Watching him get helped out Sally comes over and nudges my elbow. "Hey you feeling on the well side? Got a tall drink of a man asking for you, not seen him afore." "Yeah I'll be fine, where's this tall drink?" "I sent him up to your room at least I hope it was your room, if yours is empty check the ones to either side." I go back up the stairs, wishing this tall drink of a man had simply followed Sally. I open my door to find he is indeed in my room, when he turns to look at me I gasp. Dan has finally showed up, the new sheriff himself, wondering why exactly he is the sheriff I charge him. We tumble onto the bed Dan laughing his hands all over me as he leans in to get a kiss. "What's wrong?" "I think I just spoke with my long dead son, at least he looked just like how I pictured he would look, I got to see his face for a few months after all." I can't help the tears that come, streaking down my cheeks. "Well I think that merits a story on what happened." "After we got here yesterday I came up to take a bath, right in the middle of a bath there was a shot, two men shot and killed another over I guess cards. Which one of the two is unknown, the survivor doesn't remember he was too deep in the drink the other I had to shoot in self defense. Both work for a Mr. McCalbane, the two men that had come in came to collect both. They only left with Chad, he is the survivor. One of the two I'll swear is my long dead son." "Supposedly dead remember you never got to give the body back to the heavens. There was also the matter of the new babe in the house you never got to see. I suppose I better ask, do you think Chad was the shooter?" "I think no, he is much too nice. Never tried to escape, was very docile and even asked if I would be his final wish. His first words after I told him what happened was that he deserved the bullet." "Well at least you are getting to know the reason we are here, in a round about way." I look up at Dan, not understanding until he mouths McCalbane. Understanding falls on me, the years I had been a virtual prisoner on his ranch. The times he had come to me as my man putting a child in me, then claiming my precious babe had died. The state I found the few remaining of my tribe when I did escape, they had tried to seek food from the nearby town. The townsfolk called the cavalry and got most of the people of my tribe killed because they were uprising. All I could find was some old men and women, to worn out from a lack of food to offer resistance. The cavalry left them there amongst the dead of my tribe I stayed to help send my people off to the Great Spirit. The few remaining bade me to move on to escape the evil clutches once and for all. I did barely ahead of the men I had not left maimed or dead, luckily round eyes do not know the land, can't see their own hand in front of them. Dan holds me close as I shiver in anger, regret, and sorrow for failing my own people. It had started out well enough, my mother knew English so acted as an interpreter for him we got good meat and basic supplies. He had asked if he could teach me to read and help him with his bookkeeping. My mother suspected he had other things in mind, she let him anyway there was little use in denying him. He taught me the English my mother had not, taught me to read and count. The first time he came to me as my man I was much too young, it hurt horribly. He gave me some time to recover then came to me again and again until I became swollen with his child. I break down here my son was the only good part out of all of my memories of that time. Dan holds on to me and strokes my hair, saying quiet words of comfort until the tears have quieted then slip away. I look up at Dan a fury taking over me, when I try to get up he holds on to me. "Let's go kill him now." "No listen, he can't be charged for killing your tribe, the courts would never hear on it let alone let it progress to trial. Trust me he is a scoundrel and they always break the law. We will stay here and find out what he is doing and put an end to him in a way the courts would try him over. If you or we went to kill him now the courts would try and get us. Think of your new tribe in Kansas City, they would miss you terribly." I relax against Dan, knowing he is right and yet still wanting to tear on out of here. Then a new thought comes, a quiet calm falls over me as I realize that was my son. Long grieved over his loss and my inability to return him to the Great Spirit I find a new purpose, to win him back. I move to ask Sally if he comes into town only to be held there by Dan. "Sally asked for payment so I better get a roll before you go anywhere, you will get a cut from her later." "I am ordering silk sheets tomorrow, these are not nice sheets." I say as I move about on the bed pulling my skirt up. Dan chuckles as he comes to me, his equipment moving into the ready area of things. I reach down and help him along on that knowing I don't need to be inspecting him. With Dan in the full ready he really comes to me, I let him in with a sigh not for the first time wanting to forget about the bottle of poison. Dan moves above me in the practiced way we have long been at, his movement in me lighting my fires. I can't help but moan as he moves it just feels so good, I see stars and cry out. I can ask for him to move in certain ways in Tsalagi, I taught Dan long ago. I find I am seeing stars again when he follows my moaned directions. It does not seem long that Dan is with me moving about in his wonderful way. I know it is longer than it seems though when Dan is filling me. I heard two other whores entertain men they had come up while I was crying and finding the fury and already gone back down. Dan slips me another dollar for the sheets before going out the door, I look around for a pail, finding none I check the bath. In the bath I find my neighbor using the piss bucket, she is the yellow skin I remember seeing last night on my way up. She gives me a smile that I return as I look around for a pail of water. "What are you seeking?" I have to look at her when she says this her voice does not carry the strange lilt of most yellow skins. "A pail of water so I can clean myself learned long ago men prefer a gal not leaking the last man." "I have never heard of this, my first job as a whore. I was born here and know English better than Chinese, always the first question. My name is Chun most of the townsfolk call me chin they can never get it right." "I know the feeling, call me Janet it is the closest round eye word for my name. Been at this long enough to know to not even bother to try and teach it. I found out on the way here that Father Darren likes to serve as the water if he is around." "Now that is interesting I've never had a man down there before. I'll have to ask him if he would clean me on the sly. He comes in for breakfast every morning, and dinner most nights." Chun stands up and offers me the bucket I decline just needing a pail of water. We head down the stairs to find Sally at the bottom she smiles at us and hands over two dollars each. I head into the kitchen after asking after where to get a pail of water Amanda is sitting in the kitchen looking tired. "Hi Janet, please don't ask for vittles, I fed the dinner crowd just finished cleaning up the kitchen after and I am pooped, sitting a spell afore I tackle the dishes." "I'm here for a pail of water so I can clean myself." "You know, I never thought of that, not the pail part but offering to clean the gals. I figure you ain't in the wanting me way but if you would let me clean you I'd be a happy gal. Rest of the gals as well, be a downright feast for me." I have to chuckle Amanda is downright drooling. "Well I suppose that would work, Chun is wanting to ask Father Darren if he would do that. He cleaned me on the way to town, are you sure you are up for it?" In answer Amanda gets on the floor and motions me over, I caution her to get what is not in me as well as I get over her. Amanda holds to her promise, her tongue snakes over my legs cleaning what has already come out. When she moves to me she does so with gusto, her tongue moving about on and in me making my knees a little on the loose side. Chun comes in and gasps in surprise, she had been waiting for me to get the pail and show her how. "Amanda volunteered to clean us whores, nicer than the pail that's for sure." I say as I get off of Amanda who is smiling with a hand under her dress. Adventure in Longwood Day 02 Chun giggles then moves over to Amanda, I watch for a moment as she settles atop Amanda then starts to move a little. She is moaning just a bit when I leave them, I find Sally on the steps still. "New plan on cleaning, Amanda will do it she volunteered and does so with vigor." "Oh wonderful, I was worried I would lose her. The whore you replaced was her special friend. I'll tell the others soon as they come down, if you would kindly mingle the men are a little unsure of you after yesterday." I go and mingle, walking about from table to table smiling at the men. One pulls me into his lap, I go with a giggle. "We got a bet going about you." His voice is rather on the high side though his hands are sure and strong. "Well that sounds interesting what is the bet?" "Well some of the boys are of the mind you are Apache. I disagreed so we set up a bet, I bet you are Cherokee, Walt over there bet you are Apache, Milton says Chippewa. Frank said Mohawk on account he doesn't know any others besiding what we already bet." "Well now." I look around at the men all are dirty from working all day leaning forward to hear me better. "I think afore I answer I should know what the winner gets." "Well the winner gets the four dollars to enjoy you with. Assuming we didn't miss with all of those. If'n we did I suppose we will have to flip coins or do a round of blackjack." "Well I'm sitting on the winner then, I am Cherokee. Don't think I'm not tempted to say all of the four." The losers groan, the winner lets out a guffaw then collects a glass with four silver dollars in the bottom. I'm smiling now, with five dollars I can afford a set of silk sheets. Sally giggles when the winner hands over the glass with the four dollars, I lead him up to my room. I drop the coins in my pocket into the top drawer of the dresser with my loaded revolver the other is sitting on the dresser empty. I watch thankful for small favors as the winner gets out of his clothes, they are dusty. He comes to the bed his hand to himself working it to full readiness I am smiling at him in delight he is not on the small side. I welcome him to me hoping for a nice time, expecting a fast ride to his finish. He delights me again he takes his time moving atop me, his member in me bringing out stars. Wrapping my legs around him to get just that little more he grunts then speeds up. I move under him as best I can as he ruts at me, eager for his finish, just so I can try for some more coin to afford more boxes of ammo or another camisole. The camisole I am wearing is getting to the worn side, hoping I can find one in the same lovely dark red I coax the winner to his finish. He grunts and groans atop me, then lays there, I put my arms around him loving this part. He gets up eventually calling me worth more than he paid as he grabs up his clothes and gets dressed. When he stumbles over to the dresser trying to get a boot on I slide my hand under the pillow for the knife I stashed there. Unlike what I told Chad yesterday it is sharp and I can throw it. There is no need he gets the boot on smiles at me and out the door. I get up make sure the skirt is in place then head down the stairs. Sally hands me four coins then points to one of the losers. "Frank here decided to be a gracious loser and bought time with you." "Well that is fine with me, do you want me to get clean first or as I am?" "As you are is fine with me, I don't pay no particulars to what I am sliding into so long as it's pretty." Smiling at him I lead him up to my room and help him out of his dusty clothes. He comes to me eagerly, figuring on him not in a spell I welcome him in and start to move under him. He moves fast and mostly sure atop me reaching his finish rather quickly. He collapses atop me apologizing its been a spell. "Never you mind that, you were over so quick I can let you go again if you are of the mind. While we wait for the recovery why don't you tell me what you do, I think you know what I do." He smiles at me as I move under him a little. "I'm a cowboy work for Mr. Kunis his place is only about a fifteen minute ride out of town. His land keeps going past there, just his ranch buildings is there. At least right now I do McCalbane is trying to get rid of Mr. Kunis, tried buying outright he wouldn't sell. We're all a little scared he will try a more forceful method." He is getting to the ready to go again stage, moving a little with me to get there. "Well if he does try and send a runner, the new sheriff is in town. He and I have an understanding, if he goes for something big like that I go with him. I track for him if the need arises mostly I'm just a sure shot. Now let's get to that second roll." Frank moves atop me with purpose, not fast and not slow just right in the middle. I moan knowing I will see stars soon and do with his movement atop me. Frank just keeps right on going seeing me through those stars and propelling me to a second set in no time. I don't reach another under him I do coax him into his finish, while he is lying on me in my arms Frank looks up at me. "Are you with the sheriff? Seems odd that the new sheriff has an agreement with the new whore otherwise." "Well in a way yes, I refuse to settle down until I take care of McCalbane, he was the man in charge of the reservation of my tribe. I am also just about all that is left of it. I would just go and kill him, Dan, he's the sheriff talked me out of it, wants to get him legal like." "I see why you are eager to help us if he tries to force us out. I don't understand why you are a whore though." "That goes back to the reservation, I was taken from my mother to learn to read and to count to help him with his books. At least that was the reason he said, I did learn to read and count I also learned what it is like to have a man before I was ready. After I gave birth I was passed on to his men and passed around often, now I just like to have men with me in bed as often as possible." "Well I am happy to have helped with what you like. I also promise if you find something you will have all of Mr. Kunis' men to help." "Thank you Frank, let's get you dressed and down so I can go clean." I help Frank get back in his clothes patting at it some to clear a bit of the dust. When we reach the stairs Frank keeps going, I stop in a bit of shock McCalbane is here. I look to see him playing poker with a few men, directly across from him is Mr. Johnson, farther back behind Mr. Johnson there is the spotter. McCalbane always cheats at poker I sat in the games with him on occasion. I look around more there is the security man in case someone notices and gets angry, there is also Dan with the sheriff badge on watching from the bar. Wanting to get my pistols and turn it into a blood bath I go down the stairs to Dan. "He's cheating, the man standing behind Mr. Johnson is the spotter, signals the cards. The man over there near the entrance is security, watch the spotter he moves about with the cards, this one is new he probably will do it fast. I can get my pistols if you want." "No get out of sight, I don't want to tip him to you yet, he probably won't know you now but best to play safe. I'll just usher all of them out with a friendly reminder to not cheat." I head into the kitchen wanting to stay and watch I find Ishmael in the kitchen getting a bite. "Ishmael get back out there and pay attention, cheating. Sheriff is going to usher them out and sent me in here, you can watch his back at least." Ishmael looks at me then goes, Amanda bustles over and pulls me farther into the kitchen. She sits me down at the table there then moves about getting me a plate of beans with bread. She stops with the plate hovering over the table then goes back and pulls a piece of meat out of the oven. "I was coming down to be cleaned, vittles is a welcome addition." "After three men and no lunch it is time for supper. I must apologize for not providing sandwiches I was all about hear and not minding the sun." "That is no big thing, you gave me a lot for morning meal I wasn't missing it." Amanda sits at the table with me keeping one eye on the door. "Thank you for letting me clean you Chun took a liking to it, I might join her in bed tonight." "Well that is great Sally was scared she would lose you." "Was no danger of that, I like it here, I do wish Sally was more open to my way of thinking. She seems to be more interested in the money than anything." "Most whores are that way, just doing it to get a stake up. I'm not sure it is possible she took out a loan to get this saloon, she seemed very intent on getting me working." "Because you are exotic, word has spread on an injun whore. Chun for the first week practically never came downstairs she was entertaining men so often. You won't get it as bad since Apaches have attacked the farms around town. I know you are not, as you pointed out us round eyes have problems telling the difference." "Good call on Ishmael, the spotter and security were looking to get uppity. McCalbane has a ruined standing in town now, the doc didn't take kindly to it." I look there is Dan in the doorway with Mr. Johnson behind him. "He didn't look to good to us anyway I just like to play poker. Thank you for spotting the cheating, I don't mind losing I have work at least once a week, losing to a cheater just sits in my craw wrong." "You are welcome Mr. Johnson did he know someone told on him?" "Probably, his security kept looking toward the kitchen door. Hopefully when he says the injun whore talked to me McCalbane will assume Apache. Rather unheard of for another tribe to come near Apache's." I just groan and go back to my plate, not feeling up to explaining where Dan is wrong on there. Amanda shoos them both out of the kitchen before sitting with me again. At least until a whore comes in, I don't know this one she is a little tall like Sally. She is not as buxom though her brown hair looks really nice she looks over at me after settling atop Amanda. "Hello I'm Candice Sally was going to introduce us over breakfast. You had a better idea I must say I never knew reading was that interesting." "Hello I am Janet. Mr. Johnson is going to say the next book, he speaks better round eye." "That sounds fine to me, he has a nice voice. Oh say if Amanda remembers to make sandwiches tomorrow Father Darren will take over saying while we eat. He always has to leave after sandwiches, he expressed in interest in saying the book for us before he left. I think he hasn't read that one yet he looked plum sorry to go, priest duties." "He had to go bury the two men from last night we do not normally have nights like that." Amanda says as she gets up from the floor and sits with me again. "Before Chun or Celeste get down here can I get some beans, it's been a long night. I swear to you the last one took forever." Candice sits next to me Amanda goes over to the stove and dishes out another plate of beans adding meat and the bread. "Well if you move with him and ask him to go faster and harder they generally are not as slow. You have to be careful though, some guys can do that for quite a while, leaves you very sore after." "I don't think we have any of those men here, I have met some of those myself. Always have a box of powder and tend to snort often." Sally sits down next to Candice Amanda goes and gets her a plate. "Not always, a few I had to find out the hard way. I suppose different round eyes in Kansas City." "Oi not all of us round eyes are the same, just like you injuns." I look over to see the last whore I haven't met, her hair is fire red and skin white with spots all over her face and neck. "Why is your face painted?" "I have freckles." She gets out before leaning against Sally laughing. "She was born with spots on her face." Amanda gets in before Celeste puts her on the floor and settles atop her. "Celeste is Irish, I met her in New York and we have been traveling about whoring to get enough for this saloon. We are both younger than you Janet I'm almost tempted to give you the money collecting job. I know you couldn't, Dan told me in his letter. Oh and he told me to tell you about the brown skinned boy, he does come in to town about once a week, he picks up a few bottles for the ranch. I think buys a few things at the store as well. Always armed and alone, you get the feeling the cowboys are afraid of him, today was the first time I ever saw anyone with him." I am left staring at Sally for a moment. "When does he come in usually?" I want to ask how much Dan told her, this is more important and I can ask Dan later. "Let's see, today is Friday isn't it?" Sally looks around, Celeste and Amanda nod. "Well then he will come in tomorrow, always does on Saturday and don't really see him any other time. Right about sandwich time if my mind is working, comes in gets the bottles goes over to the store and is gone again. Long ride to McCalbane's ranch, I think why he wants to get Kunis to move on. There is a rumor that we are getting a railroad through here and the telegraph, means would need a mayor. A few men came through here with some weird looking spyglass, never said what they were doing, their money was good at least wore out my gals for three days before moving on." "I always thought you round eyes put a chief in then a town." "No it goes the other way around we get a town get it built up a ways find a sheriff then a mayor. There is a railroad about a day's hard ride south of us, how I managed to get Chun. Sent out a telegraph to most major cities newspapers, they ran the add and I got one letter, from Chun. Dan sent me a letter last winter about wondering if we need a sheriff. I went to the other business folk and they all said yes so I sent a letter back saying we need time to build a sheriff's office. He returned with a letter about you and how he needs to get you a job as a whore. I'm excited Chun sees tons of work an injun would as well so I send him the contract. I was expecting to have six whores when you got here, about two weeks after I sent the contract Amanda's gal Penelope gets shot and killed, we don't know who." "It was one of McCalbane's men I know it." Amanda says pulling me up to get cleaned. "Why would he have a whore shot?" I ask as Amanda gets to work cleaning me. "He wants to get protection money, didn't know we had already gotten a sheriff, the sheriff office had only started going up at the time. About four days after Penelope was shot we get the bars for the cells. Doc only painted the sign once it was all the way built. Dan is staying here in the room we put Chad, I rather get the feeling he will be in your room most nights." "I hope so, I always save a little for him, are we done for the night?" "More or less, I have a shack really behind the sheriff office I sleep there after the last man is gone. Amanda or Ishmael sleeps in the room behind the bar, depends on which falls first. The last of them still up I guess will be in the last empty room, so tell us what it was like in a Kansas City brothel." "A little like here really, better looking I suppose. The big difference is in the furniture and lighting fancy hanging lights and wall sconces. The furniture though was the best part, plush chairs and sofa's and little round plant holder chairs. The beds were really nice, silk sheets and full pillows. The madam was strict, I liked her but there were times I wanted to pound on her. The more interesting part was it wasn't just when you're done with the whore it was timed, she had hourglasses for every room, half hour and hour." Everyone is just staring at me now, trying to picture it I suppose. Amanda shrieks making us turn to look where she is looking. Chun is in the doorway looking bruised and bloody with Dan behind her. I'm the first to her, she falls into my arms I pass her over to Sally and Amanda then look up at Dan. "Where is he?" "Still upstairs I handcuffed him to the last bed I figured you would make him talk. All he would say to me is she got uppity. Lucky thing I decided to wait in your room went in to use the bucket and heard her moaning and him smacking her around." I am up the stairs in a flash Sally following along behind with Dan. I go in my room first to get my knife, not the throwing one under the pillow, my big knife. When I get in the last room the man looks at me and cowers, Dan and Sally stay at the door as I move closer to him. "Sheriff you gotta save me, this injun is gonna scalp me." "I'm not Apache round eye, I'm Cherokee we take a different part of a man." It is a major sign of respect of an opponent to do this and not done in a long while, just really fun to say it to people. "Now, either you say why you beat up Chun or I take the part, and perhaps a few other things while I am down there." I lower my knife that way in emphasis, his eyes get huge. "Oh Jesus Christ sheriff you gotta help me." "I can't do anything. I've seen people get between an Apache and what they want never ends well for anyone but the Apache, Cherokee are worse." I have to smirk at this, Dan does remember. He isn't forthcoming with information so I step closer. His eyes get bigger he tries to get farther away, pisses his pants then finally opens his mouth. "Please don't I'll say. It was McCalbane he wanted to send a message to you whores here in the saloon. He knows he got made by one of the whores, that one is the only one I could get." "Dan may I send a message back?" I pull the knife higher looking at the man. "Not with the knife, just give him a regular message." I sigh then cut the man on the cheek, he groans expecting more I'm sure. "That is so Sally will know to not let you hire us anymore, along with most of the saloon owners. Go elsewhere and find a woman to marry, whores will avoid you. Tell your boss that if he tries anything in this saloon again, I don't care who did it I will come for him. He knows Cherokee mean exactly what they say, say it to him do not forget." I leave him there, Dan and Sally get out of my way. Sally follows after me into my room. "Janet I don't know how to say this, thank you for that. I am hoping I can perhaps persuade you to help me watch over the saloon. I have a derringer in my pocket, Ishmael has a shotgun. You though you scare people just looking at them." "I don't think there will be problems again, at least not like this, next up if McCalbane decides to test me will be armed men. Dan can hold them off until I get the Winchester in the dresser. He always puts one there for me." "I hope you are right, and wrong I don't know what we will do if there is a firefight." "Knock over the tables and stay behind them. He is gone, went fast and scared. Janet I thought I gave you a tomahawk for these circumstances." Dan says as he comes into the room with the cuffs in his hands. "You did the big knife works better, I keep the tomahawk in case I run out of ammo on a track. You round eyes never can figure out how far they go, I should get a bow, just hard to find them anymore after the reservations started collecting them." "You can order them in the catalogues, I remember seeing it when I was ordering new sheets, only dollar and a half, get fifty arrows." "Store is closed you can go tomorrow, right now I would like to get my roll before sleep." Dan picks me up and puts me on the bed, Sally giggles and goes out the door. I squirm out from under Dan to get my clothes to the floor, he follows suit. When he gets back in bed I welcome him to me, the idea of forgetting the bottle coming back. "Hey we are almost done, he's going to get desperate. Needs to lock down as much as he can, before the town decides to get a mayor. We need to get your son away from him before the shooting starts, he's a gunman if I ever heard tell of one. After that, you can stay off the poison and have as many as you want." Dan knows me well, every time I sigh with him above me he knows what I am thinking. Adventure in Longwood Day 02 We get to the roll then, Dan moving above me hitting all of my right spots. I am seeing stars in no time with him inside of me, my legs wrap around him and move with him relishing our roll. Dan relishes it as well, he reaches his finish right in the middle of my second stars. He rolls us over I get off him and curl up into him running my hands over him loving the feel of what he put in me. "Don't be disappointed if the bow isn't good, I've never seen you run out of ammo." Dan says running his hand up and down my back. "I'm not sure what I can afford, I want the silk sheets, I could use a new camisole, and I want the bow, not to mention more ammo, I only have a box left." "Ah well I gave you two with the Winchester, the town was good to us on the ammo, fifty boxes." "Winchesters galore to I went and looked, I think Ishmael has the one I collected still." "No that is in your dresser, the one you collected was the one I asked special for you, the rest are for men, they decided I should have many in case of a posse." "Do I have a horse?" I have to ask that one, Dan always sells my horses once we finish with the track. "Yes, a nice pinto, supposed to be quick. Got you a saddle as well, this one knows saddles and you will need them for ammo and the Winchester. Now go to sleep this might be a long day." I snuggle in to Dan, he holds on to me moving around a little to get comfortable. It is not long before sleep claims me, not a terribly bad day overall. Adventure in Longwood Day 03 I wake with the sky, Dan barely even moves as I sit up, debating on waking him or not I decide to just get up. I get my clothes on then go through the bath to check on Chun. I find her and Amanda asleep on the bed, wanting vittles I poke Amanda. I poke her again when she does not move, this time she rolls over and curls up under the covers. I pull the sheet off her feet and rub at her she twitches and starts to giggle. Chun sits up looking at me with her face covered in black and blue. She grins then helps me tickle Amanda she starts to roll around on the bed then falls off. I sit on the bed laughing with Chun as Amanda sits up giving us a look. "I swear you two are awake to early. Chun are you feeling good enough?" "I don't know if I can work I look terrible, I can however eat come on Amanda up and cooking." "Maybe Sally can be talked into letting you collect the money and she can fill in for you." I say as Amanda gets up. "Might work, I'm thinking hash browns with eggs and bacon, work for you two?" We both smile at Amanda she smiles back then leans in to kiss Chun. She gets up finds her dress and shoes and is out the door. Chun gives me a hug and leans on me. "I have to thank you for Dan, if it was not for him I'm not sure when he would have stopped. I also have to thank you for letting Amanda clean you, I never would have tried and found out I like letting her. If I can not be beat today I'll try returning the favor." "I don't think that will be a problem avoiding. I hope you are happy with her you likely won't get work for a few days looking like that. Most men would not wish to with you to not make it worse or something, they are strange the round eyes." "I know we congregate together to avoid the ones who think chinamen are simply targets to be beat on, greater numbers to drive them off. We hear about you injuns and are glad to be not you. I took this job because we are struggling and I can't find a husband, it pays well all things considered." "Not as well as the brothel, though I admit to liking it here, no time limit so you can be satisfied on the customer. I would have more there, simply because five dollars for half an hour is a lot for many. They come in and do me fast to finish in time leaves me wanting another." "Oh I never thought of that would mean more money coming in. I don't think I could stand it either of course from a money standpoint I like it." "I had arguments with the owner a few times over it, even going so far as to asking for an hour to be six or seven dollars for me. She stuck to it, told me she couldn't alter it for just me it's all or none. I think she was afraid I would only have three or four men a day, I was her biggest sale. Let's go wake Dan up and go for some vittles, I want to run to the store before I say the book today." Chun follows me into my room Dan is still asleep, well playing at it. I send Chun to him with a wink. She goes grinning then shrieks when Dan grabs her, he gives me a dirty look apologizing to Chun. Once we have him dressed we go down the stairs and sit at a table. Amanda comes out after we knock on the table groans and goes back into the kitchen. Ishmael appears from behind the bar, goes into the kitchen for a moment then comes and sits with us. "I swear you injuns get up early. How are you feeling this morning Chun?" "Better than I look that's for sure. Going to talk to Sally see if she can take over my room for a little while. None of us think I'll get men looking like this." "I would course I know you and I know your family needs the money. Maybe Sally will give you your cut anyway." Ishmael says before looking at Amanda as she comes in with the tray laden. "I am making chili tonight I had to cut good sized chunks of the bacon off." I look at the bacon on the plate it is a little thin across. Picking up a piece it tastes fine, everyone else does the same as Amanda goes into the back for the milk. She comes back with glasses of milk and a bottle of red stuff I have to look at it for a moment before I realize it is ketchup. "Amanda, do you have salt hidden in your pocket?" Everyone else is pouring ketchup on the hash browns. Amanda gets up with a sigh then goes into the kitchen again, she returns with a salt shaker. "Janet, do you ever cook?" Chun is asking this, wondering why she asked and not Amanda I open my mouth. "Well when we go tracking, I didn't learn much of our cooking, when I was taken from my mother I was still just helping. I learned enough to cook a coney I can take apart a deer. I learned coffee, Dan prefers to do it himself for some reason and I do fine with eggs." "Janet's coffee tastes odd, I send her to hunt for the evening vittles before we continue on and make coffee myself." "He sends me because I find them fast, coneys especially they are sometimes right in the camp with us almost." "There was the rattlesnake and coney stew you made, that was a weird morning. I was just sitting there telling her to go find some meat when she pulls out her revolver and points it at me. I roll to the side she shoots a snake coming toward me, it was a cooler morning and it wanted warm I guess then shoots a rabbit just sitting there a little farther along." "You got a snakeskin band on your hat out of it, I got moccasins out of that coney and a second the next day." "What happened to the snakeskin band?" Amanda asks, Dan has changed hats since the band didn't survive the needing for a new hat. "Died with the hat I had at the time, Janet is a little quick to alert people of our presence. Got my hat shot a few times." "It is proper to alert them of your presence and meet on the field of battle." "Is that why the Apache fire into the air or put an arrow into something sure to draw attention before they do most attacks?" Ishmael asks pushing his plate away. "Yes, Apache are not as diligent with alerting there are times when it is not proper to do so, attacking another tribe for wives. Apache do not seem to always alert when all they want is food and tools. I think I shall see if the store is open yet." Dan comes with me, the same two older woman tip their hats to Dan and continue past wondering why he is with a dirty Apache. Dan turns to speak with them I grab his hand and keep us going. "Use their own religion against them, I learned this one long ago, let who is without sin cast the first stone. I learned from three of the priests who would visit with me in Kansas City to not abide by that is a sin. They have sinned twice now perhaps they will be pulled into your hell. Perhaps they will meet with Coyote, either way it is not worth the bullets or time." "Janet sometimes I wonder at you, you are at times a cussing revolver shooting dynamo of death, other times you seem like a proper round eye woman." "I come from two worlds, I started in mine get dragged into yours then travel back and forth with you. At times I think Coyote has me by the tail." We reach the store, trying the door we find it is unlocked so in we go then I groan. "I left my coin in the dresser." "No you didn't I took it out while I waited for you it's in my pouch. I think you have some in your pocket there was not that much that I got." I feel in my pocket to find he is right, four dollars. "What did you do with what I made in Kansas City?" "I had to spend some of it, finding the right place to take us was hard and the tracking made us less. Would have been better money in it if you had not tried to kill that captain, would have gotten us federal bounties." "Would you like any help or do you want to keep talking like I'm not here?" I have to giggle I had been leafing through the catalogue while we talked. "We are after silk sheets she wants a dark red camisole, a bow with arrows, was there anything else you wanted?" "I'd like to see the bow honestly, no offense, but round eyes are not reliable when it comes to things of hunting." "None taken, Apache are not reliable on most things so I suppose it evens out. Let's see, sheets first, do you have a color in mind? I have let me see four colors, pink, red, blue, and black. The blue is dark so it's rather like having two black sheets to order." "Do you have a sample of the pink?" Dan groans at this, he doesn't like pink I tease him on it as often as possible. "No I'm sorry, they sent us samples and they got lost in transit. I am told it is a nice light pink if it helps." "No that is fine, is the red dark or just red?" "Just red I believe, we have the black it is very nice, wife won't let me get us the blue until the black is worn out, been three years." "Well then I will take the blue let you get a look at it." He smiles at me and makes a note on the paper in his hands before turning the pages again and putting it before me with camisoles. "Dan you are going to be paying aren't you?" "Yes how many are you thinking?" "A few, I think I'd like to have two different colors, there is a dark red and a dark blue in here. Chun also could use a nicer camisole I think she sends all of her money to her family. The white like the one she has." "If you are going to buy for Chun might I suggest the green, she has come in looking at these and always sighs about the green." "Yes that sounds just fine, now the bow, and do you have knives in here? I might wish some more throwing." "Not sure on throwing but knives yes, here let's do the bow first." I look over the bows, some are small and not good, some are very big. I am happy to find one very like the ones the men in my tribe used before I was held prisoner. I point it out to the man behind the counter he looks and makes a note. "I am actually not supposed to let you order that, standing order to not let an injun order bows. In your case I think not even worrying about it is best, you're not from a reservation and I don't think the cavalry will say anything. I'm not even sure why there is an order usually they try and barter with things and never worth enough to get a bow. Say some of them don't know English, can you speak with Apaches?" "I never feel right doing it but yes I might be able to, if they know Spanish. I refused to learn Apache, he didn't press the issue I think I scared him." "Janet you scare everyone, can we order more arrows with the bow?" I hit Dan for saying that. "Hmmm yes can order an extra fifty for oh makes it two dollars. Easier on my end, and I suppose yours. Now knives let us see, ah here we go." I look over the knives, I have to gasp at one it is bigger than my big knife. "Ah yes the Bowie it is a new design for it, I am thinking of ordering one as a sample of sorts." "I'll take one, and give me three of those down here, they are throw able, the one I have is getting on the old side now. You know it occurs to me I should order some ammo, wouldn't want to deplete the sheriff supplies." "We have ammo in the store, wife runs to the town south of us about once a week. How many boxes would you like?" "Oh I got two with the Winchester so give me two more, with the one I have makes five should be plenty for a while. Dan that reminds I haven't looked, are my pistols the same as the Winchester?" "They are if you took the short one, I handled the ordering of the guns and the short Winchester specifically asked for uses pistol ammo, the longer rifles have a longer bullet." I look at the man behind the counter, then Dan, he nods. "Well I guess I should try them both out. So how much is Dan paying and when do you see the Apache?" "Let's see with all of these and the two boxes of ammo you are looking at sixteen dollars. As for Apache I think they are coming in right now, they do this sometimes, take off at night and arrive in the morning." I turn to look, they are indeed coming in now, I trade greetings with the leader then he speaks to me in Apache, I shake my head and speak to him in mine, he steps back. Dan whispers at me to be nice, I stomp on his foot then start speaking to him in Spanish. The leader calms down and speaks back we trade pleasantries then move on to why they are here. I have to look at Dan for this one. "He says they are coming to order two bows, have permission." "Well ask if he has it in writing, I have the orders from the cavalry they say to never listen to have permission unless they have a document." I have to groan at this. I turn back to the leader and relay that information, he pulls a document out of his belt. Handing it over to Dan he reads it hands it back and nods. The man behind the counter asks how they wish to pay, relaying that gets a smile and four dollars. I relay the number of arrows that come with and cost to add more arrows. They agree to the hundred arrows per bow, I pass over the coins while the man behind the counter is busy making notes. I have to laugh when I ask how they got the coins, Dan nudges me. "I asked how they got the coins apparently a few of them have learned how to play poker and won it from the soldiers. They are buying the bows to allow some hunting and augment what they get from the government, so far they are getting good meat overall." The leader asks me why I am dressed like I am I relay my history to him. He spits on the ground in contempt pledging as much assistance as they can offer. I thank him, he salutes Dan when they leave. "We have help from the Apache they have had tribes moved into this reservation because of what I experienced. I am not sure how much help they can be they will make good scouts at least." "Any help is good help, why did he wave his hand at me?" I have to look at Dan and groan. "He did not wave he saluted you as a superb warrior. I may have fudged a little, said you were mine." "Well close, your mine as much as you can be considered anyone's." "Dan sometimes you are a round eye through and through. In our languages there is mine and not mine, me saying I'm yours would have confused him." "Thank you for your help, I don't think I'll get any more in today. If I do I'll have someone yell for you." We leave the store making way for a passing couple then walk toward the saloon. A small boy no more than say six summers runs over and looks up at me curiously. "Are you an Apache Injun?" "No I am Cherokee." "What's the difference?" I smile at him, not many ask that one. "We speak a different language, the Apache respect us generally fear, it depends on the situation. We do not often take a trophy from our opponent like the Apache. We also always alert our opponent we are coming except when raiding for wives, I do not do that one of course." "What if the wife already has a husband?" I have to look at Dan this kid has a mind on his head. "Women with a man are not taken, there are signs left out, wife raids are more for fun than fight. It keeps the tribe from turning in on itself, why we used to roam the land so much, different tribes nearby to spread us out." "Thank you I gotta go." He runs off across the dirt to a woman who is looking at us. Dan and I wave to her as we move on for the saloon she gives us a half hearted wave back. Almost at the entrance of the saloon Dan stops and takes my arm. "What if it is a wife raid on a not Cherokee tribe?" "Depends, some tribes are friendly some are not." "What if it is not?" "Dan sometimes you are bothersome, if the tribe is not friendly and there is a wife raid to happen the warriors go and make war, any woman is fair game then." I press past Dan and go into the saloon, he follows after a moment. Father Darren comes over and puts the book in my hands. "I was just about to start saying the book when we heard you two talking. Sally likes you saying it better." "Sally are you going to trade with Chun?" I ask as I get closer to her. "Yes you are right she will not get much men for at least a week, she is going to take the coin and I'll use her room." Happy that all is good for everyone I climb up on the bar again and say the book. I manage to get through two more chapters working on number three when my son comes in. Amanda is coming out with a tray of sandwiches at the same time. I hop down from the bar hand the book to Father Darren then go stand next to my son. "I'm not interested, you're attractive enough I'm just going to find a woman to marry." "I wanted to ask how much your father told you of your past and people." He turns and looks at me then. "My father and mother are dead from an uprising." His eyes get hard when I laugh. "That's amusing McCalbane is your father he only passed me out to his men after I gave birth to you. Told me you died and wouldn't let me see you again, I learned to shoot and got away from him, took several of his men in the process. The uprising wasn't, he wasn't feeding our tribe they went to try and get food from the town they called in the cavalry and almost wiped us out." He pulls his gun and points it at me there is a gasp from the whores. Dan pulls his own until I wave him down. "I'm supposed to believe the word of some whore over the man that has raised me, taught me to shoot." "Kept you separate from the rest, do any of his men speak with you? Your not fast or sure enough to be feared. Tell me has he warned you about speaking with a Cherokee? The black and blue gal over there is because of him, he was caught cheating at poker last night so sent a man to beat one of us as a message. I have tossed down a challenge, we are waiting to see if he takes it up or slinks away." He stares at me, I stare back for I don't know how long before he puts the gun away. "Well supposing I ask for some proof, do you have any of that?" "Dan do you still have the cavalry report that captain gave us after you got me to stop killing him?" "Yes hang on." Dan goes up the stairs to the last room. He comes back after a good while making me wonder where exactly it had been. Dan hands it over, my son looks at it then sits on the bar stool next to him. "This is different than he told me. Said he lost a number of good men in the uprisings initial attack on his ranch, my mother died trying to talk them down. Shot dead with stolen rifles as he put it." "He tells lots of lies, told my mother he wanted me learned to read and count to help him with his books. Told me I was special to him, I believed him at first, after a while of being under a man when you are to young and left alone otherwise teaches different. You were the bright spot of my life I sang to you as you fed, I doted over you. You were my world until he took you away, said you died of nature had babes in his house instead of one. I was allowed in sometimes before then, his wife as he explained it to me was fearful of my people. After he said you died, I was not allowed in to his house, I spent the next two weeks chained to a bed only let off to use the outhouse otherwise I was under one of his men. It broke me a little I need men in my bed now, I am still Cherokee feared and respected." "That is horrible, how do you know I am your son?" There is a general consensus on the horrible part, everyone but Dan did not know. "A mother always knows her child. Because your name is Chad, I named you that at his request. He let me have you for three months, a month after his wife gave birth you died and they tried to break me." He stiffens and looks at me. "I don't know if I believe you. I have to say nobody in town knows my name, you knowing it speaks on your side. You are right on his men the only one that does speak to me is Chad. He comes and sits watch with me some I sit at the edge of the property and watch for Apache. I order a book two a month, not the one you were saying when I came in, and read while the sun is up, I only watch at night." "I think he is feared, the only reason to send him off alone like that is to make the rest think of him as a master of the revolver. Watching for Apache is not that bad of an idea either." Dan says putting a hand on my shoulder making me jump. Adventure in Longwood Day 03 "There is no reason, when was the last attack in this area? The Apache I spoke with only talked of wishing for better land, they can't grow on the reservation, why they wished the bows. You round eyes shove us to the land you don't want and expect us to survive with no means of doing it." Nobody has an answer for that apparently the last attack was a while ago. They only fear Apache attacks because they are Apache. "If you don't mind I'll say the book now, go sit down have a sandwich together and speak or hear." Father Darren says looking a little worried. I look at Chad, he moves toward the sandwiches, I follow then we move farther from the bar and sit. I spend the next while speaking on our tribe and Cherokee traditions, the ones I know. When the shadows lengthen Sally comes over and sits with us. "I feel silly asking this, Janet are you going to work tonight?" "I have to, no men during the day is hard on me. The only question is where does Chad go." "I need to go pick up my book, and I would if I may borrow the one you say during the day." "You can enjoy it in the room I have, there is a lamp it is quiet enough to sleep when you need. I'll walk with you I should make rounds of the town be sure everyone is getting along." Dan says as he walks over. I watch Chad go out with Dan, I have to sigh he should be Dan's son. In a way I suppose he is now, Sally puts her hand on my shoulder. "They may not be related but I think they will get along fine, go on up and get out of your shirt we will have men for you soon." I go up with a smile I've been craving men something fierce now that I have my beautiful Chad back. I take the coin in my pocket out and into the dresser, make sure the revolver on the dresser is empty. Everything in place I go down the stairs to only a few men. Chun is standing at the bottom of the stairs where Sally normally is, Sally is speaking to a couple men sitting at a table. "Chun, I ordered you a nice camisole like mine in green the man said you have been sighing at them." Chun looks at me in shock then grabs me up in a hug. "Thank you so much, I've been sending my family all of my money so they can move here. Going to do laundry I've spoken with the townsfolk they are agreeable to it, might open eatery like saloon, no whores no drink to not compete with us." "Good plan, I better get to mingling before Sally or Candice get all the men." Chun giggles as I move past her into the tables I'm smiling at the men as I pass them. I put my hand on one's shoulder as I walk past he smiles up at me but otherwise makes no move. I get pulled into a man's lap playing poker with a squeak I look at his cards and call it a really good hand, the other men groan and fold. "Dang you know I didn't think that would happen I just wanted to maybe get a little luck." "Hey that is a bad hand what gives?" The man I am in the lap of had put the cards down, the others looked and one spoke up. "Sorry, old habit I was given when I was young, the man that made me do it played poker a lot and always cheated. This one surprised me, it just came out." "I think leave the pot there and new cards, no betting until we get new cards. You stay mum on my cards." I nod in agreement to this. The one to my left hands out cards, I don't pay attention to that, he is starting to poke at me. I move around on him wanting to entice him into buying time with me. The man sitting straight across from me is grinning as he watches me move about. The hand seems to drag on before finally ending with the man I am sitting on winning, he pulls me down to him for a kiss. "Well ain't you a spot of good luck, I know what you been doing and by god it worked. Sorry boys I got me a whore to ride, I'll be back in a bit." I get set on my feet as he collects the coins, about twenty cents worth of pennies. He takes my arm and leads me over to Chun she smiles at us as he hands over four dollars. Once in my room he is all over me kissing me to the bed, I pull my skirt up knowing he is eager. He gets me on the bed and moved back before he gets on dropping his pants as he climbs up to me. He actually takes a feel of me to be sure, not often that happens then comes to me. I am moaning as he gets all the way in, his hands over my breasts. He starts moving atop me, his hands kneading at me sending me to stars quickly. My own need making me move with him to get even better pleasure. I reach stars again quickly as he starts complementing my looks and body. I love this Dan is the only one who ever does that to me. I move a little faster under him ready for his finish. He delivers in good time falling on me as he twitches the last I wrap my arms around him very happy and a good way on the satisfied side. With a knock on the door he jumps off me looking about a little scared, giggling I get up and peak out the door. Dan is standing there looking a good way on the disturbed side of things. I bid him wait a moment get my new favorite customer dressed ushered out the door then Dan comes in. "I hate to do this to you, but we got a situation, there was an attack on a farm, the son is here now. He described Apache and white men with rifles, killed his father and mother took his sister, he was hiding in the barn. Chad is now a deputy and we need you, round eye taught him to track." "I'm not good tracking at night but we will go, they went wife raiding, the round eyes do not understand she is wife to all with them." Dan stays as I pull my clothes off leaving it on the floor. I go to the bottom drawer and pull out my tracking clothes. Slipping that on I ponder about the bottle again, I get my belts on empty pistol loaded then pull out the Winchester with the two boxes. I move to go then stop, I grab up my big knife clipping it to one belt at an angle to ride with. I then grab up my tomahawk putting it in the belt at an angle on the other side. Pulling on my leather moccasins I lead Dan out of my room and down the stairs. All conversation stops about halfway down the stairs as all eyes turn up to me. Chun looks a little nervous, as does Chad at the entrance to the bar standing next to a boy of perhaps twelve summers. Father Darren is speaking to the boy only glancing at me a few times as we walk toward him. "Please get my sister back, leave them to rot if you wish but please get my sister." The boy says to me in a trembling voice wanting to grab my hand and afraid to. "She will be returned, scarred but alive." I move past him Chad and the boy looking a little confused, Dan speaks with the boy explaining a little. Father Darren starts saying a prayer asking the almighty god for our successful search. "It's a hunt Father, not a search." Father Darren pauses, looks at me then starts praying for our successful hunt. "Which way to your farm and which way did they go after?" "My farm is that way they went toward the hills after." I follow his pointing finger seeing a building standing out in the almost dark of the night. Dan brings a lovely looking brown and white pinto horse over to me, a lantern in his hand. I drop the boxes of ammo in the saddlebags put the Winchester in the holster for it and get up. Dan and Chad mount up then follow me at a brisk trot out of town. Knowing there will be a path carved by the wagon from the farm to town I follow the ground dirt until there is a turn off. Dan follows along behind with Chad next to him, Chad is wondering how I know where to go. "I could tell you the earth speaks to me that is hogwash to say to the round eyes. Our faith speaks of speaking with the earth and spirits this is usually done with herbs and fasting. I know where to go because the boy pointed to his farm I saw the barn I assume. Round eyes are predictable, this town has no space between buildings which means they would travel to the beaten path created to town with enough space to turn. Dan has the lantern so I can see the tracks better, I also would prefer you not see what they are doing to her. The presence of round eyes means she is a wife to all, not pretty." "So rather like what was done to you." I turn and look at Chad. "No, I was chained and told all I had to do was let them have their fun, she has no such thing. They likely not told her what they are doing, just using, round eyes are not good with saying their intentions." "Enough of that, I think right now I want to know what you were thinking of while you got ready." I look over at Dan. I turn back to look ahead, we are perhaps halfway to the farm the hills are a good distance past. Deciding now is as good a time as any for an argument over this I look back at Dan. "I want to not use the bottle, I have my Chad I have you, we may not all live through McCalbane." "I don't think that will be a problem, without me he only has an older man any good with a gun. He limps so doesn't go very far unless he needs to." "Describe this man." I have a suspicion I know who this is. "He's about Dan's height, broad shoulders spits a lot and his cheek is scratched up." "Barnaby, I knew he was too ornery to die, he limps because I tried to shoot out his vittles. There were only five men at the ranch at the time I left, besides McCalbane locked up in his house. The other eight were out riding cattle for our tribe that we never got." "I know you had a good reason for shooting at their vittles but Janet could you please stop saying it with such passion. Makes me want to hide my vittles behind an iron stove." "Dan, I think you should think on one thing, when was the last time I asked for you on me since we started riding?" "Well now this is an improvement, when we first started doing bounties together she wanted to hire a wagon and a man to drive it so I could trade with him on who was on her. In between pointing to where our man is headed she would ask me to get on her, why I got her working in a brothel. Once she opened up with why she was like that I went searching for McCalbane. Took a long while, had to stay near to her so I was sending letters out asking." "Why did you have to stay near her?" "He really liked what I was giving out." I say in answer to Chad, Dan groans. "I had to stay near her she had a temper as well as needing men. The brothel owner was happy enough I kept her from killing the customers and kept the brothel guarded. Didn't much enjoy me taking her out on hunts though Janet was seven a day most every day. Hunts would take up to a month depending on how far away the start was. The courthouse would actually come to me with posters, Janet tracked better than any of the marshals." "I just asked better questions." Dan snorts then starts to laugh as we reach the farm. "She would go up to friends of the target and give them a sob story about how her tribe kicked her out and she's swelling with the man's child. I swear to you she got coins from about half of them and all told us where to go." Chad starts to laugh with Dan. "You skipped the best one, the target's girl, she got so mad she started to beat on him. Once we explained what we wanted him for she kicked him a few times in the vittles, I think Dan was limping for two days after watching." I motion for the lantern get down and light it up with a match from Chad. I look about the farm to find the folks lying dead, multiple shots, a few puddles of blood on the bodies, they were shot down then shot on the ground. I look around more, lots of tracks dense dirt so hard to make heads or tails until I move toward the hills. I find a few casings long ones, I take one in my pocket get Dan and Chad going on putting the bodies in the barn and shutting the doors to discourage wolves then keep looking. Past the perimeter of the buildings I find tracks and some tobacco traces in an area not traveled by cows, two sets of tracks, one coming in one going out. Dan and Chad come over with my horse, I hand the light up to Dan get on my horse and shut my eyes opening them again I blink a few times then look around. Nothing for a good distance no fires, no lumps that speak of anything just flat until the hills. "Chad, do you know of anything in this area?" "I've heard talk of an abandoned house just a little south of the hills, farmsteader I reckon got killed long while back." "That is where we go, round eyes favor buildings." We get under way going at a good trot, horse noise travels a good distance on flat land, gallops are to noisy. Dan moves up next to me looking like he wants to say something. "Not all of us are stuck in houses you know, cowboys spend more time out with the herd than in a building." "Yes and when they are not with herd they are in saloon or brothel. I traveled with a herd remember, spent most of time in the wagon closed up." "Can we not talk about bed sharing please." I look over at Chad, he's looking colored. "Best to stop saying, we are halfway there if they have a lookout she may not live if we keep talking." Dan checks his Winchester, Chad checks his, both have the longer rifle. I leave mine alone I know there is not a bullet in the chamber. A little farther along I slow us down to be quieter, not that there seems to be a reason, the woman they took is screaming. Can barely hear it I have to hold on to Chad to keep him from charging ahead. As we get closer still a shadow moves in front of the window." "Chad if you can shoot him with your rifle do so we have to charge." I urge my horse into a run Dan doing the same next to me, the shadow seems to shimmer for a second then there is a crack of the Winchester. The shadow shakes then falls down, the screaming inside is unabated. Wondering how she can still be screaming, they could not have just started I urge my horse to angle then go straight at the door. I leap into the door when the horse falters hitting it feet first, it does not even hold for a moment it gives way sending the door and me behind it into a very surprised man sitting at a bench. I shoot him then turn to the rest, the one doing the poor girl is still going staring at me, I shoot him then a second as he moves for a revolver. One comes for me with his fists raised screaming for protection I put two in him then start talking to the rest of the Apache in my language. As one they fall to their knees, Dan comes in looks about shoots the first one I shot then brings a blanket over to the poor woman. He ushers her out into Chad's arms, she seems terrified of Dan, Chad on the other hand she clings to. Dan comes back in looks about goes and collects a few revolvers and some rifles then stands next to me. "Do you suppose any speak Spanish?" I give him a wry look then speak to them in Spanish asking why they did this with round eyes. "Dan this is not our problem anymore, the dead ones besides him are soldiers." I say after getting the answer, Dan groans. "Do they have horses? Can't walk them back in time for bed, we can put them in the cells and leave Chad to watch." I ask and get a yes answer. We usher them out of the house, I help Dan get the door propped in front of the opening then we collect their horses. After some discussion I end up with the girl on my horse. She doesn't say anything at first, after a while of her starting at every little thing she looks up at me. "Thank you for saving me, I don't know what I am going to tell my brother." "Tell him it was horrible. I should ask, did the Apache or just the round eyes?" "An Apache started to, he was doing it soft and I liked it in a scared for my life way. One of the white guys came over shoved him away and just took me that was number three when you came in." "Starting to sound like the soldiers wanted to scare people into calling for more soldiers or to call for an uprising raid." Dan says riding near. "I think more likely they were trying to use the Apache as a cover for them getting their enjoyment. Did you see the Apache shoot your parents?" "It happened so fast I really can't be sure but I think no, most did not even have a rifle." We ride on in silence for a while, one of the Apache builds up the courage to ask what we will do with them. "Dan they want to know what we will do with them now." "Tell them they are going in the sheriff office for tonight and we will send word to the soldiers in the morning." There is a bit of alarm at this one, until I remind them a Cherokee killed the soldiers. We reach the town finally Chad and Dan herding the Apache over to the sheriff's office, I stop at the saloon Father Darren helping her down. I get down tie my horse off give it a rub on his nose then go inside. Father Darren and I help the girl, well woman she isn't that young up the stairs to the empty room. Sally comes up with Amanda and some pails of water for the bath. At the girls request Father Darren stays with her while she takes a bath. I head downstairs to go into the kitchen for vittles, instead Amanda gets me to sit at one of the tables. I look around there isn't a person here besides us whores and Ishmael downstairs. Sally sits next to me with Chun, Candice, and Celeste next to her leaving the last three chairs on my other side open. "We had a good night despite you leaving in that get up, seems a goodly number of the men been wanting me. Celeste and I decided to swap who takes the money after Chun is back to whoring. I admit I missed being under men so much, despite what Amanda thinks." "It is a good feeling, though I think perhaps I can stop whoring, I only had one before we left. Usually I am asking to be under Dan on a hunt, this time I didn't ask." "Oh well that might be good, can have you collect the money, still under contract. I'm flexible so long as there is a whore in that room I'll call it filled, me or you." Sally is looking at me rather happy, she really missed being under men. "I didn't say I would stop just think I can, we can trade off with Celeste on who is on the stairs. At least once I'm not sure if I can or not, the one I had was very nice to me and complemented me." "He sounds wonderful, here I thought I was the only one doing that." Dan says as he plops down next to me. Amanda comes in with the tray really loaded with plates she puts them in front of us and one in the empty chair next to Dan. "Chad is sitting on the prisoners, keep this one warm and put up five more after we eat I'll walk it over." Amanda takes up the plate and disappears into the kitchen again, she returns with one glass of water that is put in front of me. Ishmael comes over with beers for everyone else. "Dan are you telling all of my secrets?" Dan looks over at me taking a sip of the water and chuckles. "That was me, I think he mentioned it in the letters but as close to a reservation as we are we know to not give drink to the injuns." I look up at Sally she is smiling at me. "What if I demand a beer?" Not really expecting anything Dan and Sally push theirs closer to me. I giggle and start eating this is a good chili with cornbread. Dan and Sally get their beers back with a couple of sighs. There isn't much conversation, apparently I'm not the only one hungry. "Dan if you don't mind I'll take the food over to Chad." Chun says making me lean forward to see her better. "No go right ahead, let's me take Janet upstairs earlier." I'm a little lost at this, it's late and I want to just shut my eyes. Dan takes my arm and up we go. He helps me out of my belts and clothes, when he puts me on the bed I give him room my clothes and weapons on the floor and dresser. He gets in with me not trying to get on me, he just lies down I curl up with him and drop right off. Adventure in Longwood Day 04 This morning is the best I have had in a very long time I am woken up by my son. The last time he did that he was crying for food, this time he is banging on the door the sky is not quite awake. I make sure to knee Dan as I climb over him to the floor. Dan follows to get dressed I beat him to being dressed and open the door to Chad. "Need you and the sheriff, have a contingent of soldiers at the sheriff office. They were looking for missing rifles and soldiers, when they find what we have there was a big hubbub, they sent two off to get the captain, got a sergeant there now." "Well let's go." Dan ushers me out the door toward the stairs. "Morning, Chad." I say to him as we go down the stairs, wanting to give him a kiss and not knowing if I can I finally just give him one on the cheek. "Ugh it's not morning yet and did you have to drool on me." I giggle and give him a hug. Out of the saloon we see five soldiers standing outside of the sheriff's office. Inside we find two more trying to speak with the Apache who are looking a little frightened. Dan clears his throat getting the two soldiers to turn and look at us. "Ah sheriff, with a translator I hope, we wanted to ask these men what they were doing with rifles from the cavalry and where our four missing soldiers are." "The four missing soldiers are dead in an empty house on the south side of the hills over that way." I point in the direction. "There had been an attack on a farm in that same direction, folks dead the daughter taken for a wife, the son saw it happen and got here. Dan got me to track for him, we found them in the house, they were using the poor girl, we shot a lookout then I went in to shoot the rest of the soldiers, one just cause he was trying to shoot me, a second because he was using the girl and a third because he tried for a revolver. Shot one Apache on account he came for me the rest gave up." The soldiers are staring at me. "All true, the girl talked to us on the way back to town, three of the four soldiers had gotten to her. Asked after the shooting, she is not sure but thinks the soldiers shot her folks, we found six rifles four were warm from firing." Dan adds in what I didn't say. "Saint's preserve us. I assume you lass are the Cherokee they speak of." "Yes I am, if you'd like we can go to the saloon for some vittles, I find I am hungry and would be rude to not offer. If your captain is long in show you can speak with the girl, she is asleep in the saloon I think, I did not stay up long after returning." "Ah now there is an offer from god. 'Twould be rude of me to not accept, perhaps wet me whistle with a beer or three, with coin of course. Franklin, you are in charge of the guard duties here don't let the Apache get away, the captain will wish a word or three with them after he speaks with me." The soldier next to him snaps to attention and salutes. "Sergeant, yes sergeant." Chad looks a little uncertain as we head for the saloon I just wrap my arm around his and pull him along. After putting Chad in a chair with the sergeant I head upstairs while Dan bangs on the bar. I find Chun and Amanda in bed together again Chun sits up quick when I move over to the bed. "Janet I'm starting to think Amanda is right, you get up to early." "Got some soldiers in town, came to report missing soldiers and rifles, the sergeant is downstairs wishing vittles and beer. I wish vittles so I am getting Amanda." I poke Amanda, she groans. I poke Amanda again she rolls up into a ball. Chun is giggling now as we pull the sheet off her feet and tickle her. Amanda rolls around giggling then off the bed again. "Janet go back to bed." "I can't, we got a sergeant downstairs wanting vittles and beer. I want vittles and Chun might, Dan and Chad want vittles for sure, sorry Amanda we need you up and cooking." "I'm starting to think letting you come was a bad idea." Amanda gets up and goes for her dress. "It's paying off in good ways besides the getting up at dawn. Janet I gotta ask, why do you not wear shoes?" Chun gets up also missing clothes. "Because I want to be heard until I am hunting, why I never wear moccasins until then. This morning I was woken, I think I would have slept another hour otherwise." We head down the stairs, when Chun sits with us the sergeant looks over at her and drinks half his beer. "Heavens what happened to you?" "McCalbane was caught cheating and run off, sent a man to send a message to the whores. He knew one spotted it and told just not sure which, Chun collects the coin for the whores until she looks better." Dan says before picking up his own beer. "All I saw were the Apaches, what happened to the man?" "I scared him into saying why he did that to Chun, sent him back to McCalbane scarred with a message. Hoping he will decide to test me, I'd like an excuse to shoot him dead." "I'd ask on the why of that, I have a feeling be a little much for me on an empty belly. Dan I notice you didn't have to pay for your beer." The sergeant is looking at Dan now. "Have an agreement with Sally, free food and booze to a point, room as well I don't make money Janet here covers the money part at least for now. She's getting better than she was, talking about not whoring perhaps. I think that one is a little stuck in there, she has a need for men one would be hard pressed to fill." "Ah methinks that goes back to wishing to shoot McCalbane. I know he had a reservation under his care us soldiers get reports on such things in case we are stationed near to one. I was but a buck private then, missed seeing this uprising judging by your face was not by about six months. Short version on the uprising if you please, I find a bit of curious in me." "McCalbane was being paid to get cows and use them to feed my tribe he was instead selling the cows. My tribe went to the nearest town to try and get some food, the town panicked called the cavalry and most were killed. I was being held at his ranch for enjoyment, when I got free I found all but seven elders dead." The sergeant empties his beer going pale. "Ach things like that make one wish to be not a soldier. It is a good beer you got here just I find I could use a whiskey hearing things such as these. Where is Ishmael?" "Likely in the kitchen I'll get him." I get up and head for the kitchen. I find Ishmael on the table in the kitchen his head on his arms snoring a little. Amanda looks over at me then Ishmael and giggles. "He was slow to bed I think, go on and wake him up I know that sergeant wants another, Irish always do." I poke at Ishmael, nothing I tap him on the head, his head bounces yet nothing. I reach between his legs and fondle him there, Ishmael sighs. "That is a good wake up call, you get up to early I suppose waking me that way would make up for it." Ishmael looks up at me with a grin. "I haven't even given Dan any, some other time or spend the four dollars. I need to convince him to let me stay with child." Amanda comes right over and looks at me she looks up and down me for a moment then gives me a hug. "Not asking how you know but that is great." "I drink a little poison to avoid it every month except one a year, last month was the not we went on a hunt right in the middle of my time and I didn't have the bleeding time after. Not told him plan was to use the poison, now I find I wish to not." "Once you start showing you will get more men." I turn to look, Sally is in the doorway. "Ishmael we have a thirsty sergeant out here, Amanda make lots the girl Janet rescued is up with her brother and Father Darren. Janet I think I should ask, do you have enough of the poison for the rest of us?" "I have a bottle, should be getting more soon, not sure if my letter got to him in time. He will find out where I am in Kansas City if I was late on the mail. Had a few long hunts recently the bottle is almost full, was two gave one to the lady in the farm off that way, her husband I am sure will stop in eventually for a ride on me." "Sounds great, you will have to show us how it works of course but Celeste and I have been scared several times. Be nice to avoid that, Chun has never said in the three months she has been here, possible she can't I suppose. Come on let's leave Amanda to cooking and join the sergeant." I follow Sally out into the saloon the boy is perched atop a stool at the bar with Father Darren. When he sees me he drops down comes over and gives me a hug. "You are less scary in the daylight. I didn't get to thank you last night, so thank you for saving my sister." "You are welcome, now go on back to the bar I should be with the sergeant still for a bit." He goes with a smile he is playing patty cakes with Father Darren. I go over to the table again and sit next to Chad this time, the girl is sitting next to the sergeant to tell him quiet like. "Right about there these three showed up and ended it. I can't say for sure on the shooting, I do know the soldiers were the ones to just take me, the one Apache was doing me like his wife I suppose." "He was they were doing a wife raid, not sure if the soldiers started it or just came with, the one to come to you was the one the rest decided would be your husband. We use a different name for it but same premise." "Injuns just steal their wife?" She has a rather shocked expression. "In a sense yes, really for the most part wife raids are done when two tribes are near each other and are going to move on. Before then the young men move between tribes get to know the women and see if there is interest. If there is enough they just bond then, if not wife raid will happen and the single women can choose to go or not. Sometimes they are just taken it is usually not very much steal as sneak off together. I have spoken with a number of women who found their man this way, they were quite happy to have been stolen as you put it." "Well when you put it that way it doesn't sound so bad, why were my parents killed then?" "I would suppose the soldiers, do an Apache like attack, leave dead take you away have their fun and either give you to the Apache or leave you there to be found later." "I've heard tale of Apache doing attacks like that with the girl being passed around to the village." Sergeant looks at me as he speaks, the girl turns white. "Tribe and yes that does happen when one wife raids an enemy tribe they wage war, if the wife they take away tries to resist they all use her to break her enough to stay with one." "That's horrible." Sally is white along with the girl now. "The tribe is the important part new wives keep the tribe strong. There is tale of a Cherokee woman taken in such a way she knew her husband was alive so resisted. They tried to break for five days, on the sixth day her husband arrives and takes her away. Apache have a similar tale of an Apache woman, their version he kills many." "The Cherokee seem peaceful, they largely do not give the cavalry problems, yet the Apache are scared of you." I look at the sergeant with a grin. "Those Apache are scared of me because I shot one calling for protection, in our faith calling for protection should make one unkillable. The Apache as a whole respect the Cherokee, we are not warlike yet we are stronger. We train fight do not look for but if comes we finish." "If we can move away from the injun talk, it is interesting but I find my brother and I in a quandary. He is not old enough to do the farm I do not know it well enough to take over for my parents. We could try and hire a man, no money for it." The girl says making us look at her. "That is a quandary to be sure you could get a man if you be his wife. I suspect you would not like that." "I don't know, I liked the Apache it was slow, the other's were not. I don't know if I could take a man on as my husband and I would not want to fast like we need." "Well if you think you can manage it we have an empty room for a whore, two dollars a man for you, after three you can afford to get a man for the week. Your brother may not like it, and you may not but it is the best I can offer, we have a cook and a barman." Sally says putting her hand over the sergeant's mouth. "Hey if your talking hiring a helper for me I wouldn't mind. It's hard work keeping up with the orders except chili nights." Amanda says she puts the tray on the table. "Well we can do that, pay is horrible, be oh let's go with fifty cents a day, food free of course. For you and your brother I can give you the room to sleep in, at least until we get a sixth whore, if we do not sure on that. We mostly have enough for now." "Hey stop trying to talk my help into being a whore." Amanda pulls up the tray and goes into the kitchen for milk. "If we keep the farm I would need to whore just to afford a man to run it with my brother. Can I try it out and see if I can?" "Here I got the perfect man to try it on." I wiggle my finger at Ishmael he comes looking a little confused. "Ishmael she wishes to try whoring and see if she can, I still need to take Dan upstairs so would you?" "Well sure, she is very pretty. Sally do you mind and am I paying you?" "I don't mind and no I think for this try she gets all four dollars. Remember the second to last door, if you wish you can use the door before, I use that room until Chun stops being bruised I won't mind the smell I put it in myself." Ishmael goes behind the bar he comes back and follows her up the stairs. She goes to her door pauses then goes to Chun's door and in with Ishmael. "Janet would you stop that, you keep messing with my eating arrangements." Amanda says with a sigh as she passes out glasses of milk. "So why was I not included in the people to ask if they would help her try it out?" I look over at Chad, he's colored but not to much. "You said you were looking for a woman to marry, she wants her farm and needs a man for it, you got a job here already and you don't look the farm type." "Well yes I also would have liked to help her try it out. Not that I have four dollars, reminds me Dan we never discussed pay for this." Dan looks up and groans. "Yes well about that, I am getting room and board, and drink. Sally might offer you the same you would have to ask Janet on drink." Chad looks at me. "I would say no to drink, there is a reason the Apache can not buy it here. You are half round eye I do see round eye full of drink, not nice." "I'll go around and speak with the other stores, see what we can round up for a pay for you two. Dan shush I know you just use Janet's, in case you leave us at some point be good to have some sort of pay with room and board set up already." Sally says with a smile. "Amanda if you could make up plates for the Apache, perhaps the soldiers, five of each. I am going to go get my roll, I seem to be due one this morning, unless Janet is just teasing." Dan moves over to stand next to me. "You are due a roll this morning, I only had one yesterday and I have a need." Up the stairs we go, my clothes are left on the floor as Dan goes over to the bath and opens the door on our side. Can hear them in the next room, I am smiling she seems to be enjoying herself. Dan shuts the door then comes to the bed taking his clothes off as he goes. "So Janet out with it, I know there is something." I don't want to answer I'm watching him get undressed, very nice view. "I'm with child, yours from our last real hunt. You never said if I could not take or not, I know the new month is coming." Dan climbs on the bed with me and pulls me close for a kiss. "I suppose in that case the bottle is not to be touched. Like you said we are almost done, he only has Barnaby, I have a feeling Barnaby will die when you see him." I do not get a chance to say anything to that, Dan comes to me our lips locked as he slides in to me. I am called the beautiful mother of his child as he moves in me this sends me to stars quickly. Dan is loving and attentive of me with his hands and movement I am feeling good and seeing stars again and again. He finishes quicker than I would have liked, feeling quite happy with what I was given I just hold on to him. "Dan, I do not recall being told when my things will be here." I can't help but be happier he is smiling big at me. "Few days, there is a stage from the south every other day, it came in yesterday, orders are sent by train to Kansas City, it is where most of the things in the catalogues are stored until ordered. I went and asked in the afternoon. They are sent by train then the stage to here, unless his wife picks it up. My concern is where she is going to find a man to hire to do her farm with her brother, along with who will cook." "You do well enough on morning cook." Dan gets off me then pulls me close to him. "I can cook on the range that is the problem, men know how to cook on the range, home cook is taught to daughters. We can't do pies and bread besides corn bread. There is no difference between home and range morning, evening is different, why I let you do it and why we stop at towns for vittles. Range cook is not as filling it is just basic, I notice you never seem to care." "It is no different than what I was fed before the ranch, I recall the drive I was on the men were not as eager to get to town. I suppose that you round eyes do not care bread so much as a gal under you in a bed. I was given a whole wagon with a mattress so they had the roof and the mattress and the gal." "You might have something there, lets go I want to ask Sally if we can add more rooms anyway, be good to have a hotel in this town." We get up and get dressed, I am of the notion Dan has heard something. I do not ask just get in my clothes then help him with his. When we get down the stairs we find the girl and Ishmael sitting at the table both smiling big. Her brother and Father Darren are absent which I find odd, Dan sits me next to Sally before I can ask. "So what did he say?" Sally just leaned right over and is asking with a big smile. "I'm to keep his child until child decides to come out." I get a lot of hugs then, Dan gets a few slaps on the back. Everything returns to a more sedate setting when the sergeant enters the saloon with another man wearing a big hat. "Sorry to be interrupting the celebraty action. This is Captain Longfellow he has a few questions and wants to ask some of the Apache." Captain Longfellow walks closer taking off his hat. "Really just one question of you good folk, did everything happen like the sergeant was telling me? Four rifles used, we looked no bullets in the other two, you suppose the soldiers did the shooting and they were the ones to rape our victim?" The girl and I nod along to that, she adds in one Apache started with her as her husband. I explain wife raids to the captain he looks a little upset at the notion of that one. "Alright I'm not liking the wife raids bit, not my culture. I do wish to ask the Apache a few questions, is the injun the only one here that can translate?" "I'm Cherokee I speak to them in Spanish." The captain perks up at that. "I know a little Spanish I was stationed in Mexican heavy lands for a good while. I was not aware the Apache knew Spanish." "It is a common language to use between tribes. Farther toward the rising sun we had exchanges of men for the summer to learn the language of the other. Before the round eyes, after we are stuck to one place and send daughters to other tribes if there is not a good man for her." "Well that explains why you see injun girls walking to other reservations. Well if you would please come with me, I don't know enough Spanish." I get up and go with the captain, the sergeant following along. The soldiers were leaning against the wall until the sergeant snaps at them. They get upright and into a pose until the captain speaks to them, they lean against the wall again as we go inside the sheriff's. The Apache stand up as we get closer, looking at the captain nervously, he tells them no problem and they relax. Adventure in Longwood Day 04 "I suppose my first question is why did they go on a wife raid with four soldiers." I ask the Apache and get a strange answer. "They say the soldiers asked them to in Apache. It comes to mind the soldiers do not come to town." The captain looks at me and puts his hand to his face. "It never occurred to me it is such a long way to town, I was leading a second search party to the ranches north of town. I will organize town groups among the single men, there are wives at our fort they come and visit to order things. I was asked by McCalbane to look for a man of his, told me he was half Apache, the description he gave matches the deputy. I'm going to surmise there is more than what I was told and leave it alone, my duties are the Apache and my men." "Best in this case, the last time I met a soldier that got into my life I tried to kill." The captain gives me a questioning look. "He was part of a troop that put down an uprising that was not, my tribe only wanted food. We have a copy of his report if you wish to see it." "I'm going to surmise you did not have a weapon in your hands then. I'll take your word for it, I assume the Apache had horses I'd ask them to be let out, these two and the sergeant can ride them back. I told the rest to report to me here, they will bury the folks as well nice stones marking have been ordered, the undertaker was very happy." We go back to the saloon where Dan has Chad go let the Apache out and tell the sergeant where the horses are. This gets me curious on one thing before I can ask Dan points to Ishmael he pulls my Winchester and the two boxes out from behind the bar. I collect these and go upstairs with them, I put my Winchester in the top drawer empty my revolvers and clean them before loading one. The loaded goes into the top drawer, the unloaded sits atop the dresser in the belt. Going back downstairs I find a conversation between Chad and Chad. "I was sent to find Chad, at this point I find I best be not returning either. McCalbane is very on the mad side of things. If'n I can find a job I'd rather not be in town either, he's teaching his men not with the herd how to shoot." Chad says to me, Sally perks up. "Well that is good news, I wasn't sure how to be adding rooms if the saloon is shot up I can take it down and build new." "Chad can you do a farm? My folks were shot leaving me and my brother, I can't do it and he ain't old enough, even together. I find I like whoring anyway, so if your of the mind I'm offering say four dollars a week and at least one roll with me." The girl says before I can say anything. "Well I reckon I could, the offer sounds more than fair to me. I was only getting three dollars a week anyhow. Is your brother at the farm?" "He went to the church with Father Darren while I was trying out whoring he has a horse in the stable. I can pay you the four dollars now, I think best you see to the farm and get where everything is before the roll." "I'll give you a loaf of bread in the morning along with the pay for the milk." Amanda says from the door to the kitchen. "Janet this is our newest whore care of well you and Ishmael. Her name is Wanda, she has the room just past Chun's, and she wishes to be the first to do the poison. Seems she is in between and does not want to carry a child." Sally says taking my arm to lead me to the table. "Chad did you clean your rifle?" The thought occurs to me after a moment. "No, only one shot doesn't warrant cleaning. Dan told me you're religious about cleaning the pistols while you were up there and to expect the question." "Well go and get it, I think I should try out the longer rifles. I've always had the shorter rifle, fits me better but if they carry a different bullet. The short ones do not have quite as much range as I'd like in a rifle." Chad and Wanda go to get her brother my Chad goes to get his rifle followed by the captain. Unsure on why he went I take up a sandwich that Amanda has just brought out for us. When Chad and the captain return, it took a long while, I see why the captain went he is holding the shorter Winchester. "If you are finished with midday we set up some targets for you and me behind the saloon. I do not get to shoot as often as I should, I hope you do not mind Dan we are using the targets provided for you." This makes Dan look at Sally then the captain. "I did not know I had targets. Go ahead sheriff is shooting up close and personal if it comes to that. Sally it occurs to me the saloon rebuild should go behind the sheriff so we can have a second street." "I had not thought of that, you are right of course there is a ranch straight behind us would give them a shorter access to town. Janet stop looking confused we got a letter yesterday certain concerns took the upper hand we are getting a railroad line. The company wants to get a line farther west going the ones already up would have to turn to much so we are getting the new line, going up about five hundred feet past the last building north. We will see the men placing it in about three weeks get a station here and everything. I'll need more than six and me whoring so I sent a telegraph out again." I kick Dan for not telling me sooner then go with Chad and the captain behind the saloon. There are targets, little metal disks at the end of sticks, two far out there two more closer in. Movement catches my eye I take Chad's rifle and shoulder it on the movement. The rifle itself is a bit on the long side for me, heavier but not terribly so. After a moment a coney comes in to view, hoping Amanda can use coney I fire. The poor thing never knew what hit it, the entire front of it's head explodes, it collapses right there. "Goodness the new rifles are powerful." Personally I feel a little elated the coney did not know pain. I hurry over and sing the song of death and life over it. When I pick it up I notice it is a big coney, Chad and the captain fall into step with me toward the saloon. "I wish to know what you were singing." Chad says the captain making agreeable noise to that. "It is a prayer in round eye terms, I was thanking it for giving up it's body so we may live. The warriors have a different song, I do not know it what I sang was the one the women sing before they prepare it for the fire. I just hope Amanda knows coney." I hurry through the saloon to the kitchen where Amanda is puzzling over what to make tonight. When she sees the coney she brightens right up, after assuring me she will preserve the fur we go back out to the targets. I find I have had enough with the rifle after emptying it is a fine rifle just a little long for me. The captain takes over with it wishing to try it out, he really likes it. "I'll have to send a report to munitions asking for these, my rifle is good enough for officers, we carry a pistol as well. The men on the other hand only get a rifle, these would be better for them." "We are going to have a town meeting, if you three could come in." Sally hollers out to us. Curious we go in to find a good number of people, Father Darren perched at the bar with Dan. Mr. Johnson takes my hand and pulls me into his lap. "Now, we are all here because we are getting a railroad and we are sure to have more people wishing to live here." Mr. Abrams says standing on his chair Mr. Johnson whispered his name into my ear. "With that we find we need a mayor, now our first mayor will be appointed, in a year or so we will hold an election. Before anyone suggests it our sheriff can't do both, the mayor makes sure the sheriff upholds the law and fires him otherwise. Course there is the other matter of pay for the sheriff and deputy, Sally pays them fine enough with room and board, the rest of us have what did we decide on?" "We figured dollar a week to pay both on, most of our money ends up in the saloon." Mrs. Abramson says standing up to see and hear better. "I'll add a dollar a week, Polly is right I shan't hold on to the money for town needs. Soon as we pick a mayor I'll put up the money to get a butcher shop built and a butcher." Sally says standing up to applause. "Well there we go, makes it a dollar each for our sheriff and deputy. I won't suggest otherwise with the fine Cherokee mother of the deputy sitting right here." Mr. Abrams says after the clapping stops. "Now we also have a laundry coming, Chun's folks are going to do that, and if we were told right perhaps open a true eatery. We will have a second street now so this is turning into a right proper town, all we need is a mayor. Anyone have someone to put up for the job?" "Why not Mr. Johnson, he's a lovely man and has little to do most days according to him." I say getting a grunt of surprise out of him. "You know I find that a fine idea, he is right in the middle of town. We all know him he is a right proper man. Does anyone have a word against?" Mr. Abrams looks around. "Well then it is Mr. Johnson, no pay until you are elected of course. After that it will be oh let's go with for now a dollar a week, it might go up depends on how well we do as a town." "There is one other item, McCalbane we know he is a cheat and much worse now thanks to Janet and Dan. He has taken over all but one ranch and demands more for his cows than Kunis. Dan told us he will be making an attack likely on the saloon, which is good if we are taking it down anyway. The question that remains, are the sheriff, deputy and one whore enough to take him and his men?" The man from the store says standing up. "I have come for the whore." I sit up at the voice and following spit, Barnaby is at the entrance. "Barnaby you should have died when I shot you, give me a bit I will get dressed for this." I go up the stairs quick slipping out of my clothes as I go. I get into my tracking clothes get the pistols and moccasins on then go back down the stairs. Chad is waiting for me at the foot of the stairs, everyone else is out front. "You don't want to do this, Barnaby is good." "He taught me, I asked nice. He may not remember it right, I was better then and I'm better now." Chad looks toward the door then back at me. "Not what I meant, he has a couple boys that go everywhere with him, them not behind him speaks volumes." "Oh well now, if you meant that you should have said it to begin with, let me go get my Winchester I'll prune first. Stall him say I had to fix my revolver or something." Chad looks at me unsure before I go back up the stairs, grabbing my Winchester I slip out the window after looking about. The drop is painful though I am moving fine after so move along behind the buildings. Sally's shack as she called it turns out to be perfect, there is a ladder tied against the wall. I set the ladder in a spot low enough to climb up stand tall as I can and look at the rooftops there is one on the sheriff's. Bringing the rifle up and putting a bullet in the chamber in smooth motion I fire. The man jerks then does not move, blood pooling around him I can hear startled yells from the street. Across the street another man appears his rifle in one hand I eject the shell loading another as I adjust my target and fire. The man had been putting his rifle to his shoulder instead he falls back to more yells from the street. I get down off Sally's shack, which is a lot nicer looking than it sounds and head for the saloon. Chad is still inside looking a little nervously at the entrance where Barnaby is hollering about not knowing they were there. He quiets right down when I come out of the saloon loading a fresh bullet into the Winchester. "Sheriff you can't..." I shoot his hat off. "Barnaby you have two choices, either go back to the slime you helped try and break me with and tell him this Cherokee can not be broken, or stay here and let me work on the fine aim of this Winchester on you. There is no third option I am running out of patience." "I am a gunslinger of honor I did not put those men there or try and break you." Barnaby stands tall while he says this. "Act honorable all you want, will not wash, you were above me twice a day after I gave birth. I was thirteen summers chained to a bed, how does honor sit with that one? Would you like to explain why you have a limp or would you rather I give you a second? Move." Barnaby looks at me, the rest of the people around, then does. He doesn't even get his hat, just limps over to his horse gets on and off. The captain comes over to me putting his revolver in his pocket. "I don't suppose you can track Apache? Just in case I get any taking off, seems there is a group of them wandering free, usually use an Apache he said not anymore after we ended up shooting the last one." I look up at him. "I won't if you're just going to shoot them I know why they leave reservations are death to our people." "I'm not arguing that one and we aren't supposed to shoot them, the last time new recruits went with him. They said he brandished a weapon, the tracker told me he was cursing them and saying he chooses freedom over death." "I do not understand why they can not leave. I am allowed to wander free even near Cherokee reservations the soldiers said nothing." "Because you are with Dan, accompanied injun are free to go anywhere. The cavalry even uses them as scouts and trackers without looking for injuns. The men are not allowed because those are the ones that attack towns, I have standing orders on it. I am able to write a writ allowing one or couples to leave and start farms or ranches." "I will if I am able to pick who goes with me, say Chad and the sergeant that was here. You must promise to believe me if I say can not find, I will not stop a man from going to another reservation for a wife." "They are supposed to ask for that I told them last year I will let them. Yes the terms are agreeable to me, gets him out of my hair he's always asking for a drink." "Your men are slow in coming back." "I know they buried the couple at the farm and the soldiers, likely not to be back for a few more hours if today." "Janet it is getting toward night time, you really should get into a dress unless you're not working today. You can not if you like, with Wanda we may have too many right now." Sally has taken my arm walking with me into the saloon. "I can collect the money and see if we have too many, Chun can try and get a man or two in the process. You can use my room I'll put the revolvers both in the drawer." We go up the stairs with a smiling Sally on my arm. "I was meaning to ask why you leave one on the dresser. Seems a little dangerous to me." "I leave one there because it is empty, round eyes if they wish to steal will grab first thing there to threaten with. I have throwing knife under the pillow." Sally goes to look under my pillow as I get my belts off the Winchester goes into the drawer with a promise to clean later. While I am getting my skirt on Wanda opens the door wider knocking softly. "Sally I don't really have anything good to wear as a whore top." I stop to look at her she has a slip on with a regular skirt under it. Sally comes over with my knife in her hands. "Well the slip isn't bad, needs to be shorter you look like you haven't finished getting dressed. I tried wearing one of those only in New York, it's to short men would just slip a finger in me. Had one bend me over the table, he paid at least but that was not nice." "Here I'll fix." I take my knife from Sally. Wanda squeaks when I pull on her slip then run my knife through it. I go around Wanda cutting her slip. We all look at what is left I cut it a little high her middle is showing just a bit. "Well the middle showing is a little much though we are whores we are supposed to look good enough to pay for. I think Wanda had that covered anyway good enough for now, in the morning we can order you a camisole." "I ordered two for me yesterday a dark red and a dark blue when they arrive you can use one until yours arrive." I get a hug from Wanda for that. "Janet that brings to mind one thing, what are you going to wear when you swell up?" "I thought there was no danger of that with the poison." Wanda says looking worried. "There is not if you take it, there is one month out of twelve you do not take it last month was that month for me. I take it on the first of the month you see it only works for what is growing inside when you take it. I have a child from Dan in me he said I can let it grow." I get my camisole on. "Well that makes sense, one question. If I end up with a child even after taking the poison what happens the next month I take the poison?" Sally is looking interested at the answer for this one. "You bleed like no child, usually right away it is known for child to live through poison so it is not always work. Do not panic it has killed women they take more poison and succumb before child. These child are said to be special strong warrior, means little to you round eyes I know." "No I follow that, I suppose if I stay with I'll stop the poison and let it come out on its own. The first is tomorrow I think." Wanda looks at Sally, she nods. "OK I'll do it your way on the first of the month. Are you going to whore after you give birth?" "I might I'm not sure. I may need to still we are going to test a little and let Chun try for a man or two." As we are heading down the stairs Celeste comes up with a man on her arm, he hands over four dollars and up they go. Sally hands me the four dollars and goes down with Wanda giving her tips on things to do to entice a man. I spy Chun sitting on a man's lap as they play poker laughing with the jokes. I motion to her to bounce, she does getting a smile out of him and her. I smile myself knowing he will buy time with her. Wanda comes up smiling with a man on her arm I collect the four dollars and watch them go up, his hand on her bottom. Sally ends up in a man's lap bouncing around laughing and caressing him. Thinking she is coming on strong she does end up coming over with him on her arm. As they are going up Celeste and her latest man are coming down, he goes right on by she stops to collect the two dollars. "He was all about finishing, unless you have a need I'd like to find another." "No go on and find another I'm well enough, Dan gave me a good roll this morning and I'm keeping his child." "I think it's more to do with Chad, finding the child you have been missing can do wondrous things." Celeste gives me a hug and down she goes. Chun comes up with the man she had been bouncing on. He looks a little reticent to pay for her. "She is fine to take for a roll?" I have to giggle at the question from him. "Yes quite, go on up and enjoy her after you pay. She is only bruised not broken." Chun is giggling herself as he pays then up they go, I can't help but feel a little jealous. Candice finally comes up with a man he pays then goes on ahead of her. "He had to win enough to afford me he's handsome enough to wait for." I giggle at this Candice just grins and goes up after him. With only Celeste on the floor still I get to watch her, she is moving between two men. Confused I keep watching they seem to be arguing over who goes first pulling her between them at short intervals. I look toward the bar to find only Dan Chad is not there, I wave to Dan until he comes over. "Dan those two men are arguing over Celeste, go have all three come here." Dan goes without a comment he speaks to the two men and Celeste pointing toward me. Celeste comes with a smile the two men look a little worried. "Celeste do you have a preference on who goes first with you?" "Nope, they are trying to figure out who can satisfy me best at the moment. Very nice to listen to though the pulling was a little much." "I thought so as well, alright since you both seem to have the four dollars flip a coin and call sides, the winner goes first loser goes second." Adventure in Longwood Day 04 They call sides then flip the coin, the winner jumps about for a moment then pays. Celeste and him go up the loser watches looking a little sad then looks at me. "Do I have to pay now or am I hanging on to the money?" "Hang on to it and watch, when they are coming down come back over." He goes and sits where he can see the rooms, Dan walks back over. "I notice you are looking a little needy. Either I'm right and you can't stop whoring or you just want a man because it's been a while." "Been a while, I don't know how Sally does it, watching the whores go up with a man and then coming back with a smile. I want a man and I can't have one until Sally or Chun come back. I'm curious on one thing, why do they not hire us with a revolver on their hip?" "Saloon rules, no armed men upstairs. Ishmael collects the revolvers at the bar. Saloon has been here long enough everyone knows and we aren't a standard watering hole for anyone not living near here." Mr. Johnson comes in looks around then comes right over to us with a smile. "Janet I wished to thank you for suggesting me earlier. I also have a hankering for a nice proper game of poker. Do you happen to know how?" "I do a little I mostly was a distraction for the people McCalbane played when I went. I also can't right now, I'm in charge of the money for us whores, there is a game over there you can join in. Once Sally or Chun finish I can go looking for a man, Celeste has one waiting of course." "Ah so there is, thank you I hope you drop by when you can, perhaps give me a little luck." Mr. Johnson smiles at me then heads right on over. "Dan where is Chad?" "He is cleaning the roofs we got the bodies and the rifles down found enough to afford a funeral in their pockets." "That was easy to get him to do it." Dan chuckles and looks at me. "I had to promise I would next time, he also got to keep the extra coin, came out to about fifty cents. I think he wants to order another book, ah look doc is in the game." I look Mr. Johnson is indeed in the game, he is dealing even. When a door upstairs opens I look hoping to see Chun or Sally, I see Chun coming out with her man, then Sally comes out with her man. Dan walks away chuckling as they come down the stairs. "I have a need one of you is staying here to get the money." Chun looks at Sally as I hand over the coins to each. "I'll stay, I'm the owner after all, hand over the money you got and I think we have a man in wait." "We do he's waiting for Celeste, he and another were trying to decide who went first, he lost to a coin flip. He has not paid yet, he'll come over when she comes out." "I like to make them pay and wait here, gives me a conversation, your way is better for him I'm sure, standing here is hard on the legs. Go on and find a man, not Dan we need him or you down here." Sally hands over two dollars. "For using your room, I know you don't need it makes me feel better." Chun heads into the kitchen as I go about the tables I get no hands first pass. I stop at Mr. Johnson to look at his hand he has a fairly good hand. Recognizing one of the players from last night I remark on what a bad hand Mr. Johnson has. "Hey none of that, I know you were taught to cheat and I'm sure your joking, still no reporting on the cards." I'm giggling until I get pulled into his lap by the man next to Mr. Johnson. "Sit here and give me some luck, doc has enough good tonight." "I don't know, I think you have the best luck with that gorgeous gal on your lap." I have to smile at Mr. Johnson for that. "Brings to mind a question Mr. Johnson, all those stops with small places for all of us to sleep and you never once asked me to join you. Even when I refused the old coot at most you never asked." The hand stops as everyone looks at Mr. Johnson. "I hadn't known you needed men at the time the rest of the passengers live here I didn't want to look perverse. I well I admit I didn't have much money on me it's expensive at the conferences." The hand resumes, I came in early they haven't gotten replacement cards yet. The man I am sitting on gets a bad hand, I don't say anything just start to move on him. He folds then wraps his arms around me hands on my breasts as he starts to poke at me. "I get the feeling you are wanting something besides poker." He says to me as he nestles his chin on my shoulder. "If you can afford it." Mr. Johnson looks over at me and grins. "Well let's go, my luck might improve after." I get up he follows then takes my arm as we head for the stairs. Sally is smiling as we get near Chun is coming up behind us with a man. Up we go me to my room Chun to hers, our men following along eagerly. I pull up my skirt as I get on the bed he drops his pants and follows. As he puts it to me I welcome him in eagerly wrapping my legs around him to move. At first he lets me do the moving then joins in, quickly getting me to see stars. He puts his hands to my breasts as he moves, this is really nice and sends me to stars again. He doesn't move like he is in a hurry, just keeps going at me making me feel very nice over and over until he is finished. He collapses atop me I wrap my arms around him feeling very nice. He gets off me and lays next to me on his side looking at me. "I'm going to ask, aren't you scared of being with child from some guy that paid you to share bed?" "No, there is a poison I can take once a month to prevent, I am not taking now because Dan has a child in me and I want to keep there until child decides to come out." "Ah that is great I guess means I got nothing to worry about. Always scared me a little about whores, they are still just regular women." "Depends on where they are from, some families send daughters that can not produce child to whorehouses. Candice may be one of those she has not expressed interest in the poison. Most of the whores in the brothel I worked in Kansas City could not produce child, out here in small towns more likely to be a risk." "Well now I did not know that, to bad Kansas City is so far away. Now that I know it's safe to get one of you whores in bed I'll be sure and do it more often. Now let's go back to poker, would you like to play? There was an empty chair when you sat on me." He gets up and starts getting dressed, I'm lying there pondering it then decide why not. "Sure why not if there is still an empty chair for me." I help him get dressed then out we go, Sally looks a little tired as I get to her. "Sally I am going to play a little poker if that is fine." Sally hands over the two dollars. "Sure go ahead, not much left here anyway, we'll eat in about an hour. Get change off Ishmael we have pennies counted out for a dollar all ready for that." I go over to Ishmael who happily hands over the pennies. Dan looks at me and the pennies then groans. "No cheating I am watching." I groan at that and kick him as I walk toward the table. There is indeed the empty chair there right next to Mr. Johnson. He smiles at me as I ante up with the rest. As the cards are passed out Mr. Johnson leans over. "I thought you barely knew how." "I know how and what are good and bad hands I just don't very often. Curse of being not a round eye they assume I'll cheat." Mr. Johnson chuckles as he gets his cards up, I get mine up realizing I have a rather good hand. Everyone stands until it gets to me I add five getting a few looks. Once everyone has matched it comes to cards I get one, Mr. Johnson gets three, it goes around to varying numbers of two to three. Betting gets slightly interesting, the first man to bet adds a penny, the next raises by two. When it comes around to me I need six cents to match then toss in another ten cents, I did get a full house. There is a number of folds then just one man is left against me. I look across at him thinking he is rather cute with the mustache and little bit of beard. He matches then calls, I put down my cards he puts down his cards and groans he only has two pair. The man next to me grabs my wrist and runs his fingers up my arm. "Not a thing up her sleeves, I guess we got an honest injun." There is laughter about the table I'm confused I have no sleeves. "It's a joke Janet, he heard you about the people think you cheat because you're injun." Mr. Johnson says leaning in to me chuckling a little still. I collect the pot with help from everyone then we get about a new hand until one man stands up quick. "Oh darnation I gotta go." He grabs up a penny from the pot and dashes out. The captain comes over asking if he can join in, no body says otherwise so he sits and fishes around in a pouch for pennies. "Captain your men are camping at the hills I warrant." I say realizing he is still here and no other soldiers. "I reckon your right, or they got lost. I asked Chad to set up a light of some sort at the farm just in case. None of them are injun and don't move about at night well." I have to giggle about that one. "Hey some of us not injun move about at night quite well." This from the mustached man I had just beat. "Quite well and loud maybe." I can't help but laugh thinking back to the time Dan had tried with me on a target camped for the night. "Well that to, been a couple stampedes cause some idjut kicked the pots and pans." Everyone laughs but Mr. Johnson at that. "I don't find stampedes funny, I'm the guy that has to try and fix the idjut that got in front of it." "Brings me back farther, when I first joined we were doing training on black powder rifles. Well a recruit was sitting guard duty on the camp, not me before anyone thinks otherwise, heard a noise, called out for the password then tried to shoot, he had forgotten to prime the gun, while he is fishing out the cap the gun goes off. Well he dropped it and ran along with the noise maker, near as could be figured out what he heard was a dog. Middle of the night when it happened, next morning we found dog tracks, we teased him on it some." There is laughter all around for that one, then everyone stares at me. "Come on Janet what brought on the laugh to start the funny stories?" The captain asks the rest nod in agreement. "After we finish this hand I think we are eating soon." I look at my hand realize I have nothing and fold, everyone folds besides the captain. He chuckles as he collects the pot everyone looks at me again. "This is long ago when I first started working at brothel in Kansas City. At that time Dan could only get whatever bounty was not given to a marshal, he picks out one that is old the clerks had told him it is impossible to find him. Well we did in two weeks, I asked good questions. I'm sure you wish to know, I mostly gave the person a sob story about how the target had gotten me with child and thrown out of the reservation." "We generally made as much on the pity coin as the bounty." Dan says over my shoulder to much laughter. "Well when we found him he was camped for the night, we got near him late, perhaps midnight. Dan had gotten me to agree to just go in to the camp get his weapons and wake him up this one was wanted alive only. We split up Dan is going up to the camp on the left side I'm on the right side and well Dan stepped on a twig. Instead of holding still and waiting he kept going, stepped on a second twig then fell into a tree slipping on a rock that dislodged a different rock that rolled away over rocks. Well as you can imagine the target is awake with pistol ready looking about holding up a lantern. While the target is yelling questions I just walk right up behind him put my revolvers in his back and tell him to drop the revolver." "Janet started to make owl noises as well it was weird the man dropped his pistol and pissed his pants he thought he was under injun attack." Everyone is laughing at this. "I did not make owl noises that was an owl, his crying got an owl to move on. Dan did not help with the racket poor owl was trying to sleep." "What was the bounty for?" Sally asks as she comes over. "Counterfeiting." Dan says getting some confused looks besides from the captain. "He made fake paper money. Been doing it since before the civil war, the marshals couldn't get a word of information out of his friends. After we got back to Kansas City with him the courts were in love with us, the marshals were jealous, a few tried to get Janet away from me." "All of them were older and not able to provide for my need more than once a day. I taught Dan how to move at night, he still makes noise but no more rock moving. Odd round eye thing refuses to wear moccasins." "Hey when you wear shoes every day for long enough your feet get sensitive and anything bare footed hurts." I have to sigh at this. "No it's true soldiers have to wear the same things every day, our training is when in emergency shoes then gun and go." The captain says making me giggle. "Is everybody staying for a late dinner?" Amanda asks coming over. At this everyone gets up besides Mr. Johnson and the captain. They go on out, we look around a bit then move to the table closer to the kitchen. Wanda, Candice, and Celeste join us Chad appears finally the book in his hand. "I was reading in the sheriff's, this is a really good book." Chad says in answer to my questioning look. "Yes it is I've read it at least fifty times over the years. Your mother is really good or really lucky at poker." Mr. Johnson says with a smile. "I'm lucky I don't do anything besides bet or not." "Let's see, I believe you two men owe five cents apiece for the vittles." Sally says getting a groan out of Mr. Johnson. "You would think the duly appointed mayor of town would get a free meal." He hands over five cents anyway. "No way you two paying is the milk money, hopefully we get some I was lucky to have enough left for morning." Amanda says as she puts plates out. "Anybody want a drink or can I sit?" Ishmael asks getting orders for beer all the way around besides me and Chad. Amanda gives me and Chad a glass of water then sits down to eat. Amanda gets lots of complements on the fine rabbit stew with biscuits before the captain sighs and looks around the table. "It occurs to me I don't have anywhere to sleep." "I got room on my bed." Candice says to groans from Celeste and Wanda. "I wanted him in my bed, been so long since I've had someone beside me." "I've slept next to my brother since he was four I don't know how well I can sleep alone now." "Just pick one captain, the other two can share a bed or not." Sally says with a sigh. "Well I don't know, all three give me thoughts of a not sleep nature. I will have to come back from time to time and buy time with each. For tonight though I guess I'll go with the first door up the stairs." Celeste and Wanda are smiling at the compliment despite having lost the bid to have him in their bed. They look at each other then nod they are going to share a bed. Sally sighs making me think of her out in the shack. "Sally it occurs you shut eye alone in the shack, Ishmael is alone behind the bar, why not share a bed. Perhaps scratch an itch, Wanda sure liked him." Sally looks at me then looks at Ishmael and smiles. Ishmael looks a little uncomfortable then sighs and returns the smile. Chad looks around and groans. "I'm always not asked for these things, I should go to the reservation and grab up a woman." "No, my son will not have an Apache." I stand up this is rather on the important side. "I don't understand why can't he have an Apache?" Dan says looking confused. "I mean you learned how to throw a knife and improved your shooting with an Apache." "No I knew how to throw a knife, learned when I was five summers, the Apache was not he was outcast, tribe less not like me he was thrown." "I'd like to know why you do not want your son to have an Apache wife." Captain says equally confused, I look around the table everyone is confused. "Because Apache are unclean, I was told from first memories to not let Apache touch me. When Apache and Cherokee tribes come near they war, no wife taking." "There are no more roaming tribes, we're just injuns now. I'm only half injun." I look at Chad and sit down. "You are half Cherokee, I will go with she must be worthy." Dan leans over against me. "I don't know if that is a good idea, they are already scared of you." "Yes, first test must be able to approach. Chad if there is one teach her round eye, Cherokee do not speak Apache." "I think I'm taking Janet upstairs now before she starts talking badly about round eyes." Dan takes my arm and gets me halfway up the stairs before I say anything. "No talking about how round eyes think all injun are backwards people to be shoved aside or slaughtered?" "Nope, we could always talk about you and Apache, same thing." I shush then, not really wanting to argue the point. Dan smiles at me as he takes me into our room. He works my camisole off as I get the coins in my pocket into the jar. With my skirt now on the floor I turn to held Dan undress, he ushers me to the bed as he slowly gets out of his clothes. I have a hand to myself enjoying the slow removal of his clothes when he comes to me. Dan gets on the bed with me, over me in a flash then just hovers. "So am I about to have my wife?" I thrill at the question I've asked him a few times if he is my man over the years. "Yes Dan, have your wife." I try and get him in me, Dan moves about to prevent it. I moan when he moves to me, it feels so good to finally have a man of my very own. He moves on me careful to move in the ways I enjoy best. I wrap my legs around him to move better for him, Dan just keeps going like he was. I try harder wanting his finish, Dan smiles at me and slows down. I sigh knowing he is going to take his time on me. Not that it stops me from moving fast under him, at least until I see stars. With the stars I am left just lying there as Dan keeps moving on me. Dan puts his hands to me bringing stars again then again. With the moving taken out of me now Dan moves quicker I hold him as he calls me his. I see stars one last time as he finishes his warmth a very welcome addition to me. Dan just lies atop me, I don't do anything but hold him loving being pressed down by my man. When Dan moves off me I try and hold him there, it felt too good to have him on me. With a chuckle here and there Dan moves us around until I am leaning on him with his arms around me. I just lie there for a moment listening to the heart of my man when my mind goes aflutter with something that might be important. "Dan, am I to stop whoring?" I look up at him, he looks back I can practically see his mind whirling. "I don't think Sally would mind, she's young enough to have plenty of need. I also think you would mind since I can't have you until everybody goes home. I watched you much as I could you had a need long before Sally took over. I think keep going like you are trading on who takes the money." "Chad could mind the tables while you have me." I don't really mind it is fun to whore and get all those different men, I am just making sure. "Well beside Chad sits in the sheriff's in case someone comes running from a farm we can't, Sally made it plain six whores working. If you are giving it to me that is five whores, need someone to mind the money." Not really having anything to say to that and my mind calm now I reach for Dan. He's slick from our juices and not ready, there is a twitch so I keep going looking at him. Dan looks at me then down him and puts his head back staring at the roof. I move down him and use my mouth like it's my bleeding time the flavor of us on him is nice. He puts his hand to my head stroking along my hair then my back before feeling at my breast. I can't help but moan he is ready and I am eager, there is no pulling me back up. I just keep going on him loving the feel of his readiness in my mouth. I straddle him when he does pull me back up I am too eager to wait for Dan to roll us over. I guide him to me and settle like I would with the boys for their first if they show reticence. He feels so good in me I move fast and sure striving for the stars that are hovering just out of reach. Adventure in Longwood Day 05 I wake with the sky, the birds making noise to greet the light sounding a bit anxious. I get up and look out the window to see nothing I look above to see a nest and a bird coaxing the little birds to fly. I sing a prayer that the birds fly, all but one take off and swoop about. The one that does not fly almost has it, still falls toward the ground the wings out trying then just before hitting the ground gets it right. I am smiling as I pull back in to the room to see Dan looking at me. "Emptied the nest?" "Yes all made it, today is a good day I must ask the captain how long it takes to reach the reservation." Dan doesn't say anything I move past him to the dresser and get into my track clothes. While I am getting my belts on Dan comes up puts his hands to me and kisses at my neck. I turn and kiss him proper then get my holsters tied. While I am getting the knife and tomahawk Dan goes and sits on the bed. "Let me guess, no roll for the husband this morning." I'm all set besides the Winchester and boxes of ammo so move to Dan. I grab him in a hug kissing him before pulling back and looking at him. "There is no better day to get my son a gal, Apache or not today is a good day and he deserves a good one on his arm. If you're desperate I can give you the bleeding time relief." "No I'm fine, three times yesterday was more than enough to hold me through the day. Do not forget poison day for the whores that are taking it." I have to groan at that, I had forgotten. I go through the bath to Chun's room to wake Amanda up Chun sits up when I start poking Amanda. "Oh heavens what happened this time?" I look over at Chun and smile. "Nothing yet bird emptied the nest above my window, all flew so it is a good day and best time to get Chad a bed sharer. Also poison day so need all whores awake, before morning vittles is best." "Janet I am going to block your window off." Chun starts to giggle as Amanda sits up. "Today I suppose you have good timing, church day we go in about two hours." "Get dressed and go cook, wake up everyone on your way to stairs. I will get Chad, Wanda, and Celeste." I leave them to get dressed, Amanda and Chun kissing each other as they get up. Not seeing the attraction for this I move to the next door and go in to see Wanda and Celeste intertwined and asleep. Wanda wakes easy, one poke and she wakes looking about then sighing. "I was having a good dream about my folks you poked me just like ma always did." "It will not happen from soldiers again, the captain will organize visits for the single to buy time with us." I say poking at Celeste. Celeste does not wish to wake she turns out to be not ticklish on the feet. Finally Wanda leans over and starts kissing her getting a reaction from Celeste until she opens her eyes. "That was uncalled for." She sits up while wiping at her mouth. "You would not stir, poison day before vittles." This gets Celeste up, Wanda with her both dressed still. "This is my second day at whoring and nobody has said yet, what happens when I get to that time?" I look at Wanda Celeste turns and looks as well. "You use your mouth as down there, do not worry it is enjoyable. If you are willing some men will not care and want down there, use a towel on bed then clean both after with towel." "I have a question, why are you dressed to hunt?" I look at Celeste and smile. "It is good day I will take Chad on wife hunt." I have to exit Chad's room when I go in he was in middle of enjoying himself. He pulls the door open when he is ready, at least halfway, his pants are on. "Sorry to interrupt, today is good day after morning vittles and poison I will take you to reservation. I may not want Apache for you but we will at least find a good one." "What if none come to us, even I'm a little nervous looking at you?" Chad asks as he gets a shirt on. "There will be one who will, just to put mind at rest you may go to the one you like. After dressed get horses, I need to speak with captain." I leave Chad to finish getting dressed collect my rifle and boxes from Dan and find Candice standing outside her door smiling. "He was amazing, last night and this morning, he woke before the sky and rode me." "Well that sounds very fine. Why are you out here?" "He wanted to get dressed and I wanted again. I don't know if I could marry him but he is a man whore's dream of having." I have to giggle at this. I tap on the door a couple times I get a word of wait, shortly after the door opens. "Ah Janet I thought it was Candice wanting another roll, I'm not sure I could again, I'm not that young." "It is good day I will take Chad to reservation for bed sharer. I wished to ask you where and how far." "Well if you wait for after vittles I'll go with you, my men should be here anytime, it's only three hours at a horse walk from the hills. I told them return fast." "That suits me fine, Candice are you wanting the poison?" "No need for me, I can't produce babes, tried and failed only took six months for him to give up. Hurt me more to lose him than not giving him a babe." Chad walks up and collects my Winchester and ammo boxes on his way down the stairs. "I never understood this part of round eyes, when choosing bed sharer it is for life babes or not. There is no stopping because of no babes." "Part of our religion, you have parts we do not understand. To be honest I do not understand it either." The captain says getting a hug from Candice. As we start going down the stairs I stop remembering I had not grabbed the bottle of poison, Dan whistles then waves it at me. I collect all of the whores and take them out to the outhouse with a spoon. "Wanda you are first, I will give you two drops on spoon. You will feel ill soon. Best to go sit in outhouse after getting it, once you feel up to it and not bleeding come out for next." Amanda holds the spoon for me as I get two drops onto then hand it to Wanda. "Supposing I am carrying, how long will I bleed?" "Like it is bleeding time all at once. Round eyes have a name I do not recall. It will happen shortly after feel ill if you are." "Miscarriage," Sally provides the name for me. Wanda takes a deep breath puts the spoon in her mouth gets a bad taste look on her face and goes into the outhouse. She comes out again faster than she would if she had been carrying. Celeste comes forward to take the poison Amanda holds the spoon again until I realize she is the cook. "Amanda if you are out here who is cooking?" "Ishmael is keeping it warm I only did eggs and sausage with biscuits, cooks fast." "Did we get milk today?" Wanda asks looking a little worried. "Yes and a note, Chad is going to come back later today about midday if he can and collect the roll." Celeste takes the spoon gets the face and goes into the outhouse. When she groans everyone looks at me. "Celeste are you bleeding big?" "Yes, Sally if you could run up and collect my shorts. I might be on my knees for a bit." Sally giggles and goes. Chun looks undecided for a moment then follows Sally. When they return they are both carrying bleeding garments. "Just in case, for me mine is coming soon." Chun explains as Sally opens the outhouse door and tosses in the shorts. "It occurs to me I just started whoring again after two years and my time just ended a week ago. Do I want to take the poison now or wait for the next time?" I look at Sally. "In your case it would not matter, you can wait or take now, best to wait but up to you." Celeste comes out of the outhouse looking a little pained. Chun moves up to the outhouse while I get her spoon ready. After making the face Chun goes into the outhouse, Wanda looks around then moves closer to me. "Is Candice not using the poison?" I shake my head. "Candice tried and failed to produce babe, man gave up and went away." "I don't know, this is the first time I had anything past a scare on getting a babe in me, can I get another after I stop with my time?" Celeste asks getting everyone to look at her. "Yes if you really wish you can get a babe as soon as time is right again. The poison only works on what is inside of you. If time is right tomorrow for anyone they can get a babe in them." "I suppose two swelling whores is fine, they tend to get a number of men every day. Celeste are you sure? We were always so scared of having one in us before." Sally says looking at Celeste. "Yes I'm sure knowing that I had one and lost it is not nice. I might be asking for to much, I just can't do that again." "I didn't have one, I might be like Candice." Chun says coming out of the outhouse. "Since Chad I've had four and lost to the poison, I've only wanted to in the last years, had two before this one in that time." "Well that makes me feel better I think we should eat unless Sally wants to." We all look at Sally. "No I have no chance of it yet, let's eat." In we go to find six soldiers talking to the captain looking a little agitated. They get more agitated when they see me until the captain explains it to them. Dan comes over taking my arm and leading me to the table. Amanda hurries into the kitchen as we sit down. "Captain is there a problem?" I nudge him as I speak Dan sat me next to him. "No, these are newer men, not good at spotting friendly injun. In that get up I don't blame them for being nervous. I'm just glad they didn't bring their rifles in, hate to be putting more men in the ground." "I don't have enough ready for all six soldiers. I can make more if they are ready to eat." Amanda says as she comes out with the laden tray. "No that is fine they ate before they arrived, if not there is a stockpile of jerky for them." "Janet if you happen to spot a deer could you bring it back?" Amanda asks as she is handing out the milk glasses. "I was going to get the captain to show us at a gallop, I do have needs of a not food nature. We skipped this morning I wanted to go soon to the reservation to be back in time." "At a gallop it is only two hours, if we spot a deer we can pause to let you shoot it and cut it." Feeling better about this I go to my vittles until Dan leans over. "Janet I'm going with you." I have to stare at him and wait for an explanation. "I remember what you told me about the Cherokee reservation." I have to giggle at this getting everyone to look at me. "I would not with an Apache, unlike Chad I was taught to avoid. I let him because he wishes and he is old enough to decide for himself. The Apache know I am with you, you should stay and go to church." "I was going to show Janet to the chief's and explain she will track the run aways. Won't be a man there who would approach Janet then, speaking of that Janet you should take Dan with you on the hunt for them. Your need is of importance to you and the sergeant is married." Captain says at the end looking at me. "If they walk it would not take long to find them or does it take you days to notice?" "Days, we only make a head count every few days and never walking among them. We aren't there to interfere with their lives beyond keeping them there." "I wanted to not take Dan to keep someone here, if it will take that long I better then." I can't help but sigh at this. "Don't worry Janet we can do well enough minus the sheriff and deputy for a week or two." Sally says with a smile. With the morning vittles finished we head out to our horses. The captain saddles his horse before we get going. The soldiers settle in around Chad, me and the captain with me in the middle. "Captain why am I in the middle?" I can't help but ask this one I'm supposed to look about for deer, hard when there are riders all around. "Apologies it is standard cavalry practice to surround the women." Chad is chuckling next to me, I look at him. "Sorry it's just you seem to be the least in need of protection of anyone." The captain gets the men to fall behind leaving me with a good enough view about. I do not spot a deer I do spot two riders coming toward us on the path we are following. The captain notices as well he calls out a command getting the soldiers to pull their rifles out. "Also standard practice, produce guns until the person's are identified." This one makes sense to me. As we get closer we see it is two Apache, a man and a woman. This is met with another command, the soldiers array out then put the two Apache in a net. To their credit the soldiers do not aim at the Apache. The captain moves closer I follow figuring he will need a translator Chad follows as well his eyes on the woman. "Well hello you must be the mighty Cherokee that is the talk of the tribes. Captain I got permission and a slip from the sergeant I wanted to speak with the priest in the town. My daughter wanted to come with, said she had a feeling she needed to come." I'm a little surprised at his ready understanding of the round eye language Chad and the daughter are making eye contact of a singular nature. "Well let's see it just to be sure the sergeant has not gotten into my whiskey again." "Why did you wish to speak with the priest?" I can't help but ask as the captain looks over the note. "Because I have fallen for the teachings of the lord Jesus Christ, the priest at the fort doesn't have anything more to teach, I wish to learn more from the one in the town if possible." His daughter speaks to him in Apache. "Bonita wishes to know if this young man here is yours." "He is my son he wishes to find a bed sharer. He is old enough to decide for himself on who, I'd prefer not Apache he just is not patient to wait for us to go to a Cherokee reservation." The captain is looking at Chad and Bonita he turns to look at me. "Not Apache they are Choctaw. Benjamin and Bonita were sent to us at his request, apparently not doing well with finding her a man there." "Bonita is Apache name and she speaks Apache." I'm a little lost here. "We renamed her on the way here the priest at the reservation we were at was Jesuit. He encouraged me to seek out other followers so this is the second reservation." "I rather like Bonita the best, flows off the tongue quite well." Bonita says with a soft voice rather like a gentle spring. "Do you know Tsalagi?" I had a thought perhaps she can get Chad to know it better than I can. "We both do, that was the first reservation we went to." Benjamin says with a smile. "Chad go with them back to town, Bonita teach him Tsalagi he does not listen to me as well as he will you." Bonita nods with a smile, Chad looks over at me. "Are you sure? I thought you had all sorts of tests for my prospective wife." "That was for Apache, Choctaw are not Apache. Unless the captain wishes to hold them longer go on, unless you are not sure about her." "Well I'm not sure, I think she's very pretty and I'd like to get to know her better." Bonita is smiling at him. "I'm all done go on Benjamin these two can catch up soon as Chad decides if he is going or staying." Benjamin does go smiling at me, I smile back quite happy to not have an Apache joining my little tribe. Bonita looks after her father then looks at Chad, he looks at me then follows after her and her father. The captain urges us into a gallop again he keeps looking over at me as I wipe my eyes. "Your not losing him your gaining a daughter." "It is tradition for the man to join the tribe of the woman. It likely does not mean anything to Benjamin and Bonita I reckon she will ask for a round eye marriage." "I did not know that, so fathers hope for daughters?" "No, the men hope for men, the more warriors the more live through a war. Traditional marriages call for the men to live with the women wife raid marriages are different." "I think no more questions on your society, just when I start to get an understanding something new appears." I have to giggle at this. "Your society is no different. We injuns are not as simple as you round eyes think." When I look over I have to pull back on my horse and slow. The captain follows suit as I pull out my Winchester urging my horse off the trail into the grassy ground. We plod along for a little while before I am close enough to get a shot. It is a beautiful animal, quite thick at the chest with a nice covering of brown fur with a white tuft. One horn is broken off, the other is standing tall I am aiming when the needing a cleaning strikes me. Whispering a prayer for the ability of my gun, not quite the gun itself a weapon is a weapon I hold my breath and fire. The deer jerks and falls over before trying to stand, cursing the pain I have caused the poor animal I reload and fire again. This time it falls flat and stays as I ride over I sing the song as befits a fine animal such as this. Seeing the poor deer twitching still I hop down quick pulling out my knife and end it. I apologize for my poor aim as I cut it up, one of the soldiers losing his food as I do it. "Captain is there a sack, there is much meat." I ask as I get the fur peeled enough to get pieces of the meat cut. One of the soldiers comes over holding out his pack, I have to look at him he nods so I load it with the better pieces. I ask for a second this time I snap out sections of the ribs on this side get them into the pack before flipping it over and peeling the fur back on this side. I fill this pack put the heart atop then stand up cleaning my knife on my leg. "You are leaving a good amount of meat, and why did you get the heart and ribs into the second pack?" The captain asks as I get back in my saddle. "The first pack is for me, the second pack is for the Apache, the heart is a treasured part of the kill. It also would not be used if I took home. I am leaving meat on the deer for the wolves and birds they are a part of the earth just as much as I." "Do you think the Apache would like to go on paired hunts with my troops?" The captain asks as we reach the fort. "You should ask them. Likely yes, they are trying to figure out how to get land to grow with not much success. See if you can get a farmer to come and teach. If they can grow they can sell what is not need and buy what is." Anything the captain would have said dies with the appearance of the sergeant from yesterday. He staggers a little as he comes over smiling and looking a little on the full of drink side. "Ah captain there you are, and Janet as well. Isn't this a day for glad tidings, or was that happy reunions. No matter I sent Benjamin and his daughter off to speak with Father Darren, though I suspect you knew that, you would have passed the other on the way." "I see why you want to send him with me." I got a smell of the sergeant, he is full of beer. "Besides his complete willingness to find the bottom of every bottle and barrel around he is a very good soldier." The captain says with a laugh. We leave our horses in the hands of a private the sergeant grabs hold of and move past to the doors on the other side. When the doors open there is a crowd, I look at the captain he shrugs in confusion. Round twenty men and women start talking at once in a mixture of Apache and round eye until I whistle and speak back. One Apache steps forward and bows to me. "Apologies our chief has fallen ill. The men on the walls refuse to open without the captain, we wish to send him to town for the medicine man there ours can do nothing." Captain whistles and sends the man who runs up for a wagon and escort of four. "Why can your medicine man do nothing?" This is rather on the alarming side of things. "He does not have the plants he needs, he can wander there is not everything in the area for him." "Captain you must give the medicine man a horse, send a soldier with if you must." The captain looks at me for a moment then walks away yelling for a corporal. Adventure in Longwood Day 05 "Why are you here? You are not to join our tribes, you have pistols." "I have agreed to track the men who leave, with my man, my son and the sergeant with strange say. No soldiers, no shooting those who wish to live. They will be returned I shall not risk tribes, even those of the Apache to let one or a few return to the old ways and scare the round eye." "What of those that do not seek permission to move to a new reservation?" "They will not be found the captain has sworn to agree with what I say. I would prefer they seek permission it is only a piece of paper to carry. I will make captain leave door open to ask for paper." The Apache man gets a smile then goes back to the men and women standing at the gate still. He speaks with them sending many running before returning, the captain comes over then followed by a soldier with four horses. "If you would show the corporal to the medicine men or a man they wish to send for plants he and two others will ride with on the harvest. I will assume you sent word about Janet. The corporal will make sure everyone returns he wishes to learn Apache and your medicine. I have given provisions for weeks he carries money if it takes longer." "Thank you captain, thank you Janet for helping and protecting your enemy, we are all brothers and sisters now." He leads the corporal off taking the few remaining Apache at the gate with them. "Sir, lunch is prepared." A private says running over with a white bit of cloth tied to him like Amanda wears. "Ah excellent, Janet if you are in no hurry I am sure there is enough. Private, make sure the sergeant has access to no more beer." I walk with the captain toward a large building, the private runs ahead. When the soldiers start closing the gate behind us I grab his arm. "Captain leave the doors open, not all Apache wish to learn English or beg to be let in to ask for permission." "Closed is what they are supposed to be, you are right none have come and asked." Captain yells orders to the men a soldier pulls a box over to the gate to sit on. Inside there are a good number of men sitting already or moving to an empty spot on the benches. I am led over to a table facing the long tables of the soldiers. I look about seeing in all eight women sitting with a man. I'm a little relieved with the number of wives until I realize there are some thirty men sitting, with another eight still outside. "Don't worry, I won't send men every day." The captain says leaning over to speak with me. "Well to be honest I was thinking you perhaps should let your men meet the Apache. Men are not the only ones that leave the tribe to find someone." "Would the Apache want to?" I have to giggle at the question. "If some of these men know how to farm daughters would be thrown at them. They are largely learning how to farm by trying, when we just wandered the land we would sprinkle seeds and come back." Our conversation is interrupted by a soldier coming along handing out plates from a cart pushed along by a second. I can see more carts being moved along among the men. "Captain how many men do you have?" I can see in all perhaps twelve men pushing carts and handing out plates. "In all sixty combat soldiers, six support soldiers along with fourteen dependants, wives and children. There is a patrol out, plus the men I detailed to guard the chief and the medicine men. I am expecting another troop and a second fort to go up, seems we are doing so well they are moving more tribes here despite my protest. I think the railroad is the reason, or it is coming up at the town for us." "You do not buy from McCalbane?" "No, we get meat from Kansas City, there is a railroad already up to the north of us about a days' ride. He sends his cows there to be sent back, I do not know for how much he sells them." "I've been told his cows are too expensive for the town. I know his men are paid three dollars a week he can't be selling for much to Kansas City. Likely why he is trying to get rid of Kunis, gives him more land and the town has to pay what he wants." "Yes if he can get all of the ranches in the area he could get Kansas City to pay him more, it's only seven dollars a head right now, McCalbane wanted twelve a head." "You asked?" I'm a little surprised at this. "Yep, Congress wants to make it cheaper to feed the injuns. None of them will recognize if we moved them to better farmland they could feed themselves. They aren't god fearing Christians so they don't matter I suppose. I asked McCalbane last year, Kunis doesn't have a large enough herd to give us more than a few per month. Same with the two other small ranches that were here at the time, they have since sold or otherwise given up their land to McCalbane. It costs us eleven dollars per head of meat from Kansas City." "Captain, if I may I would like to visit Kunis and see if we can get some cows from him." A sergeant to my left asks making me turn and look at him. "Are we running out of meat or is this you trying to get a herd of our own again?" "A herd of our own, the Apache are very good with animals they can keep the herd together and safe. As Janet has said they only need to learn how, if we can get a herd they can feed themselves and afford to buy what we don't give them, these lands are good for herds." "Janet would you mind going with them to the ranch?" I look at the captain curiously. "All right I would feel better if you have an escort at least part of the way back." "I suppose I could, should meet Mr. Kunis I pledged my support in case of an attack on him. What happened to the deer meat?" The captain grins at me. "The first pack is going back with the sick chief the second pack went with the corporal for the medicine men to hand out. How did the poison go with Wanda?" "She was not with child Celeste was and is wanting to keep the next one. Wanda was either not ready like she thought or has a strong child, we shall see in due course." "Let's hope for not ready, hate to see her swell with a babe from that night." "Janet if you are all set I'd prefer to get back before dark." The sergeant asks at my shoulder. "Of course, captain you really need to return to the saloon often, the whores have an interest in you and there is poker every night." The captain smiles at me as I get up. "I'll be by as often as I can get away with likely with the sergeant I can't keep sober our beer goes faster than we want." I am rather impressed with how swiftly things happen in this fort. The sergeant whistles getting a private to appear almost like magic, he ran fast. After a moment of getting orders the private runs off again to lead back my horse and a very nice large brown horse for the sergeant. We are met outside of the fort by six soldiers who fall in behind us. "I'd ask if you minded stealing a few cows from McCalbane sadly he brands his. He would come looking I am sure." "He would, you will be able to get them cheaper to free as soon as he shows his face in town. I'm of the mind he will only send his cowboys to get me to go to his ranch. I did say anyone tries anything I will get him he had a man beat a whore and sent Barnaby to kill me. His two men died on the buildings, Barnaby was sent running." "Why haven't you gone already then? I would have after the whore beating." "Waiting for bow, round eyes are useless at night, to much dependence on light. Pistol and rifle are loud, bow is quiet." "Well then I will just have to remember to not make you mad at me." I laugh at this the sergeant is smiling beside me. "Oh there is Kunis' ranch building, looks like we were spotted." I look to see a few men looking toward us on the porch and ground of the land. There are no rifles in view though all seem to have a revolver on their hip. As we get closer a small contingent forms up and comes closer. "What do we owe the honor of a visit from the cavalry and guest?" The man in front older then the rest asks as we get within hear of him. "The cavalry wishes to purchase some cows from you, try and get our own herd up and running. Let the Apache watch over them and become self sufficient. Our guest here is Janet she says she swore to protect you from an attack from McCalbane." "Well now, I can help you a little on the cows can spare oh say four of them. If you have the money of course, let's go with seven a head. You will need more I just don't have enough, big order from Kansas City I barely have enough to fill and keep enough to rebuild the herd. You should try the milk farm, the owner and his wife just got killed, it's up and running still at least they might have some cows to move. Now as for Janet, I remember one of my men coming back and saying a whore promised to come help. I was a bit underwhelmed on that you understand, seeing you now I am rethinking that." "It is understandable I whore because I was given a need long ago by McCalbane. Sergeant our new whore Wanda is from the milk farm, come on to the town with me and you can ask her if there are cows to be had. There is a path on the other side of the town leading to the farm if there are." The sergeant and the old man are smiling at me. "Well first things first, sergeant that will be twenty eight dollars, I'll send a man with a few of your soldiers to cull them from the herd. Shouldn't need more than three for such a small number, I promise you will get two of each so you can at least work on building a herd. Janet I am pleased to make your acquaintance, I am Mr. Ralph Kunis, call me either never bothers me none." He comes over and shakes my hand. "If possible I'd prefer three sows the milk farm wouldn't have much besides bulls to give up." The sergeant hands over the money while Mr. Kunis ponders for a moment. "I can do that if my men are telling me true we have extra sows, we had four birthed at the start of the summer. Jack, horse up and take the soldiers out to get a bull and three heifers, just about ready to be bred or just bred." One of the men behind Mr. Kunis runs off for his horse. The sergeant sends four soldiers after him. Mr. Kunis watches them go then turns back to us. "I'd invite you in for some coffee and pie just I reckon you will want to move on to the town. Janet you have my utmost appreciation for the offer and I will get a man sent to town if there is an attack. If you attack him stop here first I'll send five of my men with you, just please don't lose." "I have too much to live for, I will do everything possible to see my man, my son, and myself walk away your men are on their own." "I can live with that, hopefully they can as well." Mr. Kunis says chuckling. The sergeant gets us under way to town after a thank you to Mr. Kunis. We ride along for a little while with no talking until the town comes in to view. "Janet I find myself with a powerful curiosity, what sort of need were you speaking of?" "Well I have the need of any woman perhaps stronger than most, I also had for the longest time a need to be with a man in bed. Not so much for the movement and pleasure that provides, but for the after when he collapses on me and I can hold him and feel appreciated. Goes back to after having my son, I was given to the men chained to the bed and just done for their pleasure. No holding after, rarely more than a spread those legs injun, one man would spit on me while he was on me. Upwards of twelve times a day for two weeks, once I was unchained it lessened, left me with a powerful need for men, I was desperate lots until Dan got me working in a brothel. I was seven men a day there, when I was not on a hunt with Dan, we did bounties as well, I think more so Dan could afford to find McCalbane. My need has lessened to more of a regular woman after finding my Chad, I guess what was broken is fixed. Not to say I'm not going to whore it's nice doing it." The sergeant is just staring at me as we enter the town. "Good lord I'm almost sorry to have asked, about all I can say is kill him slow." "I am undecided, I think it will wait until he is before me then I will decide. Go on in and ask for Wanda, I am going to go check on the chief." I say as we are tying our horses off, Dan comes out I wave at him then head across the street. In all there are five soldiers leaning against the wall next to Mr. Johnson's windows. I smile at them as I go inside to find a distraught older Apache woman I look around not seeing the chief or Mr. Johnson. She points to the door next to us I thank her and go in to find the chief lying on a long table with Mr. Johnson holding something to him. I greet the chief, he answers in kind getting Mr. Johnson to jump and look about. "Oh Janet you scared me getting him to talk." "I wanted to check on the chief. Chief do you know round eye?" He smiles at me and nods. "Yes learning as well as can." "Good my round eye is better than Spanish. I got the captain to issue horses and soldiers to protect the medicine men while they get the plants they need. You won't have to come to town if you get sick again. Got him to leave the doors to the tribes open for the men to ask for permission to move to a new reservation. One other thing, they are working on getting a herd of cows for the tribes to protect and watch over, with assistance at first from the soldiers, not many cows four so far might be more coming from different farm. If a herd can be formed you can feed yourselves and sell extra to buy what you can't make." "Sounds good, are they to help us farm as well?" I smile and nod at this. "In a way, I told the captain to let his men mingle perhaps take a wife, many should know how to farm." "This I like, strengthen tribe and teach us round eye way, perhaps teach round eye our way. You are good friend to Apache." "Our way is leaving, best to learn new way before we join old way. Mr. Johnson how is the chief doing?" "As near as I can tell he had bad vittles, should be fine in a day or two. I don't have much to give him for it besides laudanum, which is likely to make him sicker, and milk of magnesia, that one need him to visit the outhouse and take." The chief and I look at each then look back at Mr. Johnson and ask together why. "Oh apologies you are new to this, it is a rather foul tasting whitish liquid that makes you go quickly. It cleans out what is causing the problem, at least supposed to I've not actually tried it yet. I've seen it used part of what I went to the conference about. It does not cause anything besides a need to well use the outhouse." "If makes me feel better take me to outhouse." I help the chief down from the table while Mr. Johnson goes into a small room behind this one. When he comes back a black cup in his hand he helps the chief through the door where the woman gets up and helps walk the chief toward the back door. Mr. Johnson comes back in after a short while. "Janet I think you have a talk waiting outside." He points I turn to look to see Dan leaning against the wall of the saloon. "Go on the chief is fine, just staying out there for a little while to let it all out." I go outside then across the dirt to where Dan is leaning my horse taken to the stable already. I go right up to him and go into his arms Dan leans down and gives me a kiss. "I missed you, is the meat I sent enough? How is Chad doing, that Bonita was very taken with him. If I was in her position I would have taken him right to bed." "The meat was more than enough Amanda sat right down and stammered for a little while trying to come up with what to do with it all. As for Chad well, Bonita did just what you would have done. Benjamin for a Christian injun is a little odd, he didn't mind a single whit most Christians want to wait for marriage." "We do that before, to make sure both can stand the other for life. Breaking of bond did not happen often, there were cases of one sleeping with not bed mate. Slightly different breaking of bond there, they do not receive honorable burial." "Oh heavens, I do hope that is not involved for us." "No we are only betrothed to use your term. I do not know if we could get a Cherokee wedding. I do not mind, I have you it is enough." "Well you got more than me today your ordered items came in. Chun and Wanda are bursting to get a look at them." I pull away from Dan with joy and go straight into the saloon. Wanda and Chun are waiting for me on the stairs they get up and follow me to my room. In my room I find two small wooden cases, a big wooden box, and two packages wrapped with paper and tied with twine. "Which one are the camisoles?" Chun asks Wanda just stares at the array on my bed. I giggle as I first go to the cases opening one I find the Bowie, it is a huge knife. Pulling that out to some amazed noise from Chun and Wanda I cut the twine for the packages, the bigger one holds my silk sheets. The smaller holds the camisoles these coming out gets the attention of Chun and Wanda, they had been feeling the silk sheets. "Oh it is as amazing as I thought it would be." Chun is smiling big when I hand her the green camisole. "They are both so lovely it is hard to decide. I reckon I'll take the blue unless you're wanting to wear the blue." Wanda is looking at me Chun is taking her shirt and camisole off. "No go right ahead and take the blue, I favor red and always wear it. I bought the blue because it is good to change at times." I pry the big wooden box open to find my bow and arrows. I have to search a bit for the string, finally find them at the bottom of the box in a glued bit of paper. Opening the paper I find there are two strings. I have to jump for joy a bit when I look at the bow, it is a bow the warriors used same markings. I string it fast as I can pull out an arrow and leave Chun and Wanda to get in their new camisoles. I get to the top of the stairs where I see Dan, Sally, the chief, and his woman talking. "Ah Janet I see you wish to try out your bow. The chief came by to offer his appreciation." Dan says as I am coming down the stairs. "I see you are feeling better, there were two bows with arrows ordered for the Apache when I ordered mine. They are likely at the store waiting if you want to get those." "The soldiers got them, if they ordered same I guess we will be Cherokee while hunting." I giggle at this, he is smiling. "You can change markings they are sold as injun bows. Speak with the captain he would be willing to send a letter to the company selling these and you can sell Apache bows, if you can find the trees." "Yes this good, will speak with captain on return. Wish to pledge my tribe warriors to aid you if you need. We are not allowed guns and two bows, we do have knife and can make tomahawk." "I was waiting for my bow to make an attack, Dan would you be up to making an attack early morning?" "I think wait a day, see if he comes out of hiding and attacks us first. Like Chad said he was training his cowboys to shoot. Chief speak with the captain and tell him we are requesting ten of your warriors with horses, I have Winchesters for ten. Janet will want to make a quiet approach so make sure they are good warriors, send them to town tomorrow after dark." The chief and I are smiling big at this. "Will send twenty know of many who good at going quiet. Have question, possible to send girls here for same work as Janet?" Dan and I look at Sally, she is smiling big. "Yes please, not yet need to build new saloon with more rooms. Once that is up the crew to build it will be here in a few days I would say three at a time. At least for now want to see how many letters I get in response to my advertisement. Janet we need more of your good days." "What was sign for you?" The chief is looking at me with an interested expression on his face. "Bird emptied nest above my window, all five birds flew." The chief's wife gets an amazed look and speaks to him in Apache. Adventure in Longwood Day 05 "To Apache that is sign for good winter. Did you learn bow?" "No, Cherokee only men learn bow I was taught knife. I wanted to try it and see Dan knows how. If you wish to teach I would like that." The chief smiles at me then shows me where to hold it, how to hold the arrow. When it comes to shooting chief wants to use the wall, Sally allows it with a sigh. When I hit the wall with the chief calling it good I get a hug from his wife. "Leotie, always arguing with me on how women are just as good as men." "Your flower is right, wish the round eyes saw it the same. Dan is the reason we do so well on our hunts to many." "Chief if you are all set we should go. We would like to stay and eat, the cook here is said to be good. Captain said we are to be back before dark unless you need to stay." A soldier says from the entrance. "Be right out. Is there anything should tell the girls?" The chief says, the soldier exits followed by the woman with the chief. "To not expect to meet a husband, we are all here to give men a companion in bed for money that is all most of us get. Best to not be interested in any men there as well, whoring tends to make a woman looked at as not desirable for staying with." "What about child?" "Can be avoided, there is a poison I get that kills the child before wishes to come out. Up to each on taking or not." I say when Sally looks at me. "This good, will share with tribe, warriors will come tomorrow after dark." Once the chief leaves Dan gives me a hug crushing me to him. Two things come into my head, one taking slightly more importance. "Dan is Chad still in his room?" "Unless he went out the window, the shadows are getting long you should get into your skirt and camisole. The look on your face says I'm back on collecting money for a bit." Sally says for Dan. "Yes have need of happy kind. I will get Chad out to the sheriff's unless you wish to sit there and he here." "Nope he's still in the sheriff's, can learn Cherokee there just as well as up there." I giggle at this getting a confused look from Dan. "Likely still enjoying company of each other not learning Cherokee." I go up the stairs quick and proceed down the way to the last door. There is some hurried movement when I knock I remain waiting until the door finally opens. "Chad getting dark take Bonita to the sheriff's and learn Cherokee. There are beds there if need is high." Bonita giggles from farther in the room, Chad sighs then goes to finish getting dressed. Bonita appears in the doorway wearing her dress her cheeks a little red as if was busy. "You are sure I can stay with Chad? I really like him and very want to stay." "Yes I do not mind, I was taking him to find Apache you are not Apache I am happier." Bonita smiles at me and gives me a hug until Chad takes her arm. I watch them go to then down the stairs, Chad looking happier than I have seen him before. Feeling a little extra happy I go into my room to change clothes and sheets. There are already some men here when I come down the stairs in my new camisole. Before I can try and get one interested in buying time with me Sally takes my hand. "Chun's family is coming next week she is extra delighted because she had been telling them she bought a green camisole. Wanda told the sergeant there were cows to be had, even two heifers the sergeant was extra happy, usually extra cow are sold to Kunis or the town. Now go find a man to take you upstairs you look very needy." I give Sally a smile and go, the first table is men eating a rather lovely smelling stew. The second table is a few men speaking on their farms, this conversation ends when one takes my hand. "Hello again Janet I was hoping to find you." I look at him not sure who he is then I recognize him the father of the boy on the way to town. "I was wondering when you were coming to town. How is everything at your farm?" "We are doing fine thank you for asking. Cassie has been a little extra happy after you stayed. I'm not going to ask why I just know I have you to thank and I got a notion of a good way of saying thank you for it. I'll see you boys in a little bit, we are going upstairs." The men at the table smile I'm smiling at the notion just what I was wanting. Sally smiles at us as she collects the money then up we go. There is no removing of clothes for him, I get on the bed he drops his pants a little then climbs on me. I reach down and help him get ready for it rather eager for him. I moan as he puts it to me it just feels so good, he is thick like his son not as thick close is plenty good. With my legs wrapped around him he puts it to me in an eager manner. I'm just as eager to be taking it, I reach stars quickly. My moving under him seems to be extra nice to him. He is smiling at me and moving a little faster, I know what this means and hope he can wait just a little longer. I can almost reach stars again, I reach for them moving just a little more. The stars stay out of reach until he reaches his finish, this brings the stars crashing down around me and I can do little but lie there and enjoy them as he empties. "I wish Cassie moved under me." I look up at him, half collapsed atop me breathing a little heavy. "Ask her to, or get her close to stars then stop moving." "I never asked I'll do that first the other sounds a little mean." "Has your son spoken to Julie? When I went to him he confessed a Julie would let him use his mouth on her." I ask as he gets off me and sits on the bed pulling his pants up. "I don't know would explain why he goes over there, she's on the next farm over only an hour ride. I'll ask him tomorrow that might be a good sign if he's been doing that." I follow him out of the room and down the stairs. I stop at Celeste, Sally is not downstairs even. "I am at my time apparently I was a day past I lost track. Go get cleaned you're the only whore done so far." Celeste says as she hands over the two dollars. I smile at Dan as I go past him into the kitchen he gets up and follows me. Amanda is sitting at the table she gives me a smile and gets on the floor as I get close. Dan comes over as I settle atop her, Amanda gets to work immediately. "Janet I'm hunkering for a little poker, can I get a dollar off you, they haven't paid us yet and I'd rather not use your money without asking." Amanda is giggling under me as I reach into my pocket and pull the two dollars I just made. I hand it across to Dan then grab his hand. "Wait for me and no cheating I'm watching you." Dan chuckles, Amanda breaks into laughter. I get off Amanda then sit at the table, Amanda follows shortly after. "Amanda how are things with you and Chun?" Dan sits next to me I guess he finds this an interesting topic. "Chun likes returning the favor, I like letting her. We are doing quite well together she calls it a nice change from the men." "Well that is great, must run I'm the only whore done and Dan wants to play poker. Rather wish I could entice him upstairs, Sally has made it clear only after." I grab Amanda's hand and smile at her before standing up. Dan follows me out of the kitchen then makes a straight line for the poker game. Sally grabs my arm and drags me back into the kitchen puts me at the table and sits on Amanda. "Janet you are the best person to ask about this. I'm wondering if perhaps we should add more than just cards for poker. There are other things roulette and craps, perhaps even get dealers for poker and blackjack. Going to get a big saloon not sure if I want three floors or just two." "The other things and dealers sound good the brothel I worked at had all of those. There was some against people from the churches, called it devil's playground and root of all evil. Made plenty of money for Polly, she once told me she makes hundreds a day just on those. I think for the floors you need look at how many spare rooms you have with each." Sally looks at me and starts to smile. "Well decided me on the dealers and other things. How many empty rooms, well I'm looking at having twelve whores, why only three from the Apache. With Chad and Bonita would give me eleven spare rooms with two floors. If I go with three floors I can make the rooms a little larger and twenty on each floor, no bath between the rooms. Instead would be a bath room downstairs off the kitchen with six baths with walls up between. Need to get a person in charge of keeping the rooms clean. You know I think that decided me on floors, three floors works better for evening stops off the railroad." Sally gets up off Amanda and hugs me "I better get a helper in the kitchen, it's hard enough keeping up with what we get now." Amanda says as she sits at the table. "Janet could you come here for a second." I turn to see Ishmael at the door to the kitchen. I get up and go over to be taken out of the kitchen and shown. There seems to be an argument at the poker table, Dan is just sitting there. "Sally am I allowed to shoot the saloon?" I ask poking my head back in the kitchen. "Yes just no shooting anyone unless they try something, aim higher the shotgun will put a hole I think." I have Ishmael get me the shotgun, he checks it first to make sure it is loaded then hands it over. I go over to the poker table and fire the shotgun off my hip mostly at the roof then point it at the table. "Dan what is going on?" I don't take my eyes off anyone they are not moving looking at me with wide eyes. "Well you just made me deaf in one ear. Before that they started arguing over one cheating or not." "He was cheating I know it." The one on the left says. "I was not how could I have been cheating?" The one on the right says both start staring at each other angrily. "Dan what do you think?" "Well the one accused has been getting good hands, not out of normal range. I admit he could have cards stashed, the other could as well. Here use my pistol it's better for me checking them both." Dan hands over his pistol and gets up. Dan checks their sleeves, no cards in either, when I suggest their vests one gulps. Dan checks the vest on the gulper and comes up with a couple cards. Sally comes over looking up then at the one with the cards. "Nice aim no holes in the walls. As for our cheater I don't know him." "Makes you new to town that is unusual, so why are you in Longwood?" Dan asks shaking him a little. "Answering an advertisement from a Mr. McCalbane calling for gunfighters. Didn't say why he wanted them just promised good pay." "How long was such an advertisement up?" I just have to ask this. "When I saw it was first run in the paper Friday before last over in Kansas City." "Heavens he means to attack Kunis, Friday before last we had no sheriff or Janet." Sally says looking worried. "Likely has gunfighters now this one took his time. Anyone here work for Kunis?" There is one man that stands up and comes over. "I am sorry to cut your evening short, you need to get back to Kunis and warn him, McCalbane meant to attack him, perhaps will tomorrow. More likely he will come here first but just in case you need to warn him." We watch him go out the entrance then the cheater clears his throat. "I'd ask if I can go the other way if I thought you would let me. I reckon otherwise on that so can I sit in a cell for the night?" Dan looks at me. "To be honest, we could use another gun arm here in town for the short time. Wouldn't pay well we would feed you of course and two boxes of ammo. No more poker for obvious reason." "Tempting to be sure, especially if you toss in bed time, I think better if I take the cell. I don't want to see you lose you understand, I also know I am new and unknown and you won't trust me, means I'd be the one in front." Dan chuckles behind him. "He thinks things through, well cell time for you we will let you out for breakfast unless bullets are flying." I watch Dan take him out of the saloon, then follow when I realize I am holding his pistol. When we go into the sheriff's I am a little surprised to see Chad and Bonita sitting at the desk. Dan checks his pockets and the ridge of his pants then gets the man's boots off before putting him in the cell. I hand Dan his pistol then turn to Chad and Bonita. "He was cheating and a gunslinger heading for McCalbane. I offered a short time job he decided better to sit in the cell and go another direction. You can leave him alone in here once we are done in the saloon." I head back to the saloon and go amongst the tables to no hands, no one pulling me into their lap. Dan is back to playing poker with a few empty chairs at his table, I consider sitting but do want to have somebody buy time with me again. Sally and Chun come down the stairs look around then at me and sigh they wave me after into the kitchen. "We're having a slow night I know you are wanting another man there just does not seem to be one tonight. You can go sit on Dan's lap and distract him, or play poker with him." Sally says as she sits on Amanda, Chun gets under Amanda's skirt. I leave them to whatever they are going to do and head back out into the saloon. Still no hands or laps to be pulled into I squeeze into Dan's lap. The other poker player's chuckle as Dan grunts in surprise then makes room for me. I start to move on his lap until he makes me stop. Pouting a little I lean in to him and half watch the flow of the game enjoying when he grabs me to lean forward. I think I get a little shut eye the next thing I am aware of besides his hand to my breast to lean forward is Celeste pulling me up. Celeste takes me into the kitchen where I am sat down next to Sally and Chun. Amanda brings me a plate of stew with bread, it smells so good and I am so hungry I just eat for a while not paying attention. "Janet are you feeling well?" Sally asks me, she had to poke me and ask a few times. "I'd like another man to give a roll to." Sally giggles at my answer. "You fell asleep in Dan's lap, very unlike you." "Normal for a woman with child, how long have you had Dan's babe in you?" Wanda asks leaning forward. "Working on two months now, Amanda can I get more?" I had to think on the answer for a bit and notice my plate is bare with a hunger still. "Amanda I think bigger meals for Janet, and when she comes in for cleaning you are to give her a little vittles first." Sally says as Amanda gets me more of the stew. I finish off the second plate call it plenty then get up to go upstairs. Sally follows me even after Dan takes my arm to help me up the stairs. While I am getting undressed Sally goes over to the bed and feels my silk sheets. "I see why you got these, very nice, I'll be sure and order a full set for the new saloon. Dan you play poker more often than Janet and you could at a dealer table, do you like poker with just the players or with a dealer better?" "I was able to play at the brothel. I rather liked the dealer, he was handsome and would roll with me, that aside he kept the table honest. He never shuffled more than once, dished out the hands and when he went low new deck of different color. The table was strange, had a hole in the middle where he sat and could rotate. In the summer he often had twelve men sitting around him, used two decks at once he was really good." "Janet thank you that was well said. I guess I shall order the big table for poker, I notice we sometimes have people waiting to get in on the poker game. Now do you two think the big poker table, a small blackjack, one roulette table, and one craps table are enough?" "I think for now they are, depends greatly on how many people we have passing through on the train. Should be many once word spreads on Apache whores." I kick Dan for not mentioning Cherokee. "On that note I am leaving, I know Janet wants a roll. Hopefully silk sheets will help on visiting, have fun see you two tomorrow." Once Sally has left Dan finishes undressing and puts me on the bed. I don't make room for him Sally was right I want a roll. Dan comes over and stands by the bed, I move down enough to use my mouth loving the feel of him on my tongue. Feeling him get larger and ready in my mouth has me quite eager to get him above me. Dan has other ideas he puts his hands in my hair and guides me along the length of him. After longer than I wanted bobbing on him Dan moves me about on the bed and climbs on top of me. My legs spread for him eagerly waiting for what he has for me. I am teased a little he just rubs himself on me until I am ready to beg for it then puts it in. I wrap my legs around him and move before he has fully come to rest above and in me. Dan moves with me making magic happen, I am seeing stars very quickly. I grab hold of Dan and hang on as he moves in me. As ready and eager as I was we are making noise as he moves in and out of me. My toes curling I have to hook my legs together just to keep moving with him bringing me to stars. As my stars are fading Dan sees his own stars bringing on new stars for me, his warmth feeling so good in me. He collapses atop me his breathing heavy, mine as well that was lots of fun. With my arms wrapped around him, him still above me I fall asleep. Adventure in Longwood Day 06-07 Dan stirring wakes me, still rather on the not awake side I look about to see the light coming in the window. I get up after a little struggle, my arm is trapped under him and Dan does not want to wake. I move quiet as I can to the dresser get out the loaded revolver and open the door half behind it. I giggle at what I find Ishmael is perched on a chair. Shutting the door I put my revolver on the dresser to go after my tracking clothes. I squeak when Dan puts his hands on me, he just shushes me and moves me around to be leaning over the dresser. His prodding member excites me a bit, even more when he puts his hand to me and explores me. I moan at his rough fingers moving about in me reaching for stars in short order. Dan moves a little closer moving his free hand to caress my breasts getting me closer to the stars. With a moan I reach the stars my legs trembling a little my head ending up on the dresser. This is when Dan comes to me, the sudden intrusion sends in a new set of stars. With moans and shivers of delight I move with him as he pleasures me. We move together with the practiced ease of long time lovers. His moves sending me to stars often, my moves getting him closer to his. I see stars one last time as Dan sees his. Dan holds on to me as he keeps going a little making sure all of his warmth ends up in me. I am left leaning over the dresser as Dan moves away to get dressed. I reach for my revolver when the bath door opens, it is only Chun. She smiles at me then looks at Dan, I have to touch her to get her to stop moving so intent her vision is on him. "I wanted to come and clean you, I heard you two and well I haven't cleaned anyone I just go down on Amanda. I am very tempted to ask if you want to trade bed partners, Dan is very nice looking undressed." "Cleaning yes trading no, if you can find Dan agreeable to it you are welcome to enjoy him yourself, I don't see why I should get all the fun with others." Dan stops getting dressed and looks over. "No way, I remember what you told me about sleeping with others, I like living." Chun looks at Dan then me confused. "What is he talking about?" "I was telling him about what my people do to people who sleep with not wife. Dan there is one thing you must remember, we are not bonded in tradition, we are only betrothed." Dan looks relieved and resumes getting dressed, Chun gets on the floor. I get over her and lower myself to her Chun moves her tongue about eagerly. Once I am clean I get up and begin getting dressed. Chun stays on the floor sitting now watching me. "Janet my tongue did nothing for you?" I look over at Chun she's looking a little scared. "Chun I enjoy your tongue it feels good, I do not have an attraction to women. I do not see what you find so nice about Amanda, I look at you and see only a woman trying to make her way through world same as me. I look at Dan and see man I want on top of me. I do not think I explain well." "No I understand I was same until Amanda cleaned me it just felt so good. I just think you are very pretty and I admit I am a little jealous of Dan." I pull Chun up and give her a hug. "Thank you that was very nice Dan does not say very often. I know he thinks but always nice to hear." "I do call you very pretty, perhaps should say it to you, always refer to you that way to others." I go over and kick Dan. "Say to me, now go wake Chad knock do not enter they are still often as possible." I watch Dan exit hoping he will say I'm pretty instead he stops to give me kiss then out. "Chun if you could get Amanda up we all want vittles I think." "I think I will need your help for that, she did not want to get up." I finish getting dressed with belts and revolvers I am loading the empty when we move to their room. Amanda is still asleep we move over and poke her a few times then move to the tickling. Amanda rolls right off the bed she sits up with a groan then sits on the bed. "Janet you are a bad influence on Chun." Chun and I laugh at the comment. "I tried to wake you to have our own roll while Janet was getting one from Dan. You wouldn't so I ended up going over and cleaning Janet, I did get permission to try and get a roll from Dan out of it." Amanda looks at Chun then me and groans. "Dan is not getting another woman, especially not mine." "Chun holds no interest for me but as friend, Dan is not going to add someone I wouldn't want sharing my bed." I get a hug from both after saying that. "Come on Amanda let's get dressed, I have need and you need to cook, perhaps can get both done in the kitchen." I leave Amanda and Chun to get dressed, if they stop kissing. Hoping they will I go into the hall then go back into my room to collect the Winchester, boxes of bullets and the cleaning kit. Ishmael and the chair are gone when I go down the stairs, Dan, Chad, and Bonita are sitting at a table. I join them sitting next to Dan and begin cleaning my Winchester. "When are we expecting an attack?" Dan asks finally I've almost finished cleaning my Winchester. "Later in the day, his men would have left at first light. I've been told McCalbane's ranch is long from town." "It is about five hours at a trot from here." Chad says looking a little worried. We all look up when Amanda and Chun finally come out of their room. Chun has a smile on her face bigger than the one Amanda has. Chun sits at the table with us while Amanda goes on past into the kitchen. "Sorry we took so long, Amanda decided to satisfy me a little first." I finish cleaning my Winchester then load it, when I finish I put it on the table and get the cleaning kit collected. I take my kit upstairs to put it back in my bag then collect my Bowie and tomahawk. Coming back down the stairs I see the man from the store, Mr. Johnson had never told me his name, speaking with Dan. "Seems a few of the men of the town are wanting to throw their lot in with us and help." Dan tells me when I get close. "Do they have guns?" "Yes we all have rifles, some Henry and some Winchester." The man from the store looks scared and determined. "This sounds fine, Dan what do you think? To me we should all be in saloon and wait for them." "No I think we should put them across the street in the Dentistry, catch them in a crossfire if they come to town, chances are even McCalbane will send men to Kunis instead of here. With the warning we sent Kunis will hold out long enough to get a man here and us back." The man from the store leaves in a hurry, likely to tell the rest of the men. Sally comes in through the door to the outhouse followed by Celeste they sit at the table looking a little worried. Candice and Wanda come down the stairs both smiling, at my startled grunt everyone looks, Wanda turns pink. "I admit it kissing Celeste yesterday was nice, Candice wanted someone to sleep next to and I asked if I could kiss her, things went farther." Wanda says getting a little pinker then sitting down next to Chun. "It was so nice we had to again this morning, I think we are sharing bed every night from now on." Candice adds giving a hug to Wanda and kissing her. Amanda appears finally to give us morning vittles, she sits after getting the milk glasses. After she is apprised of the new relationship between Wanda and Candice we get down to eating. "Chad if you could get the long Winchesters for you Dan and Ishmael then sit outside the entrance I will say the book some more. We need a look out, if you see them coming let us know and fire when they come into the town. Dan will come and help you and the other guys I am going to get up on the roofs again." "Janet I don't know if that is such a good idea, the roofs are easy to reach from the road side." Dan takes my hand looking worried. "Either we put someone around them or we risk losing everyone, the water troughs do not last forever." "I will go with u-ni-tsi if I can get a rifle." Bonita says making my jaw drop Dan gives me a hug everyone else looks confused. "She called me mother." This explanation gets a lot of smiles. Chad goes for the Winchesters, when he returns Bonita looks unsure on the one he hands her. "Here I'll get a short one from the townspeople." Dan collects the Winchester and two boxes of ammo. While Dan is doing that Chad shows Bonita how the rifles work. I get up on the bar and resume saying the book. Dan comes back with a Henry rifle, I give him a dirty look I had started out with a Henry it was not reliable. At Dan's arm is the cheater from last night. Amanda goes into the kitchen to prepare him morning vittles while I resume saying the book. I get through two chapters along with seeing our cheater off in a different direction before anything happens. I'd like to say that we were told of riders coming before there was a shot, I'd like to say that but it would be wrong. The first notice we receive of riders is the crack of a gun, the long Winchester Dan had traded for a Henry. Chad is yelling at the man who fired in between reporting ten men moving to either side of the road outside of town. Moving fast I drop the book as I leap from the bar and snatch up my Winchester. Bonita follows me out the back door while Dan is yelling across the street to put men in the back. We run for Sally's shack then keep an eye on the edge of the buildings, there is firing from the town beside us and ahead, no one comes around the bend. Giggling about round eyes and their lack of thinking we move up the buildings. "Bonita I had a Henry it was unreliable if it stops working drop it and take a revolver or my Winchester. Unless they come around the buildings I will need my revolvers." I had stopped us three buildings shy of the edge of the town, Bonita nods at me then collects my tomahawk. We creep up to the edge of the last building, with the sun on our side of the town there is no indication of anyone at the corner. With silent curses I set my Winchester down quiet as can be and draw my revolvers. I risk a quick peek around the corner to find no one at the corner, they are all at the edge of the dirt path Dan calls a road. "Now this will be fast and dirty, there are four of them on this side more on the other side. My revolvers shoot to the far side I would prefer to not fire that far so we will take out the close ones then I will use my Winchester unless your Henry fails. We will move out shoot the four then go back behind the building, shoot for the middle of the men or do not shoot I will not blame you it is ugly." I had ducked back and pulled Bonita close to say quietly. "No I will shoot they are shooting at my man and yours." I look at her Bonita has a firm look. With a nod we go around the corner and start shooting. Bonita true to her word fires first, the man she shoots lurches and falls over, the rest start to turn toward us when I shoot. My first two catch a man in the shoulder and neck he is falling when I shoot the man next to him. This man drops his rifle and puts his hands to his belly where I shot him. Bonita finishes him off while he is still spinning bent over with a shot to the head. The last man gets his rifle up before I shoot him four times while ducking. His rifle reports putting a dashing furrow in the wall of the building above me. My bullets are better the first two hit him in the elbow and chest. The second two hit him in the belly as he is falling back. The four men's blood spilling out into the grass and dirt under them I hiss at Bonita, both of us duck behind the corner of the building. Bonita looks a bit sickened when I look at her, I hand her the revolvers and pull out bullets for her to reload. She starts with a weak smile to me as I pick up my Winchester and put a bullet in the chamber. I get low to the ground and scoot out past the wall of the building enough to see across the town. Bullets whiz past over and beside me as I get a target and shoot I duck back smiling at the result. My target had jerked and was falling when I pulled back. Standing tall I lean out get a target and shoot, while he is falling limp I reload and shoot a second man. Bonita gets her belly back in order I know this because she moves out past me with the Henry to her shoulder and shoots the last man we can see. Reloading I shoot him as well, he had been shot in the belly first. Bonita reloads and shoots the third man who had been moving around a bit still. I look about for my revolvers until Bonita hands them to me. We move up near to the wall to shoot at any in the town when there is yelling of surrender. I motion Bonita to stay back then peek around the corner into the town. I see two men standing up hands high moving around the water troughs they had hid behind. Their rifles are in the dirt behind them, Dan and Chad are walking closer carefully rifles held at the ready. Being suspicious I order both on the ground hands before them. They turn and look at me then Bonita as she comes around the side of the building. After a moment of looking they do as told. Dan hurries over to put wrist cuffs on each before he and Chad usher them into the sheriff's. Bonita and I follow them into the sheriff's watching as each of the two men is searched, boots removed then cuff's before they are put into separate cells. Chad takes Bonita in his arms and takes her to the saloon Dan grabs me up and kisses me. I'm feeling on the happy side when he pulls back and guides me to the saloon. Chad and Bonita are not there, Sally points to their room with a grin. Mr. Johnson is there with another man holding the long Winchester Dan had taken to get a short rifle for. "This is Anther he owns the Henry rifle Dan borrowed for Bonita, she liked it and wants to keep it so we are here to ask the sheriff if he minds losing one Winchester." Mr. Johnson says as we get close to them. "No I don't mind Janet and I are used to doing it together." I groan making Dan look at me with a questioning look. "I think our tracking party got bigger by one more." "Well at least Bonita knows Apache, if our run away does not know Spanish we can still communicate." I kick Dan for looking on the bright side. "We're all wondering when the wedding is." Sally says guiding me over to the table where there are sandwiches. "For Chad and Bonita? Likely the next time we see Benjamin, I think the better question is when the captain will visit again. He said he would soon as he can get away with it." I sit down to eat a sandwich, really good tasting deer meat. "I think the better question is when you are going to go after McCalbane." Mr. Johnson says sitting down next to me and getting a sandwich after looking at Sally. "Oh that will happen early morning, waiting on Apache to show. McCalbane deserves to die to injuns. We will wait here for it to get toward late so I can get my needs met first then go to the ranch." "I think we better get your needs met before dark so you can sleep." Dan says at my shoulder. "Don't need to, I can sleep on my horse." Dan sighs then waits for me to finish my sandwich before pulling me out of the chair. "We are going to put you to bed anyway." Dan carries me up the stairs into our room I kick him when he puts me down. "If you wanted a roll all you had to do was say so." "I do want a roll and I want you rested, those were all cowboys, gunslingers will be at the ranch." I sigh as Dan helps me out of my clothes, my belts with revolvers and knife end up on the dresser. My pants, shirt, and moccasins end up on the floor I am picked up again then carried to the bed. Dan slips out of his clothes fast as he can then climbs on the bed, he ends up kneeling next to my head. I lean over rubbing at him until he starts to rise then take him in my mouth. With me bobbing on him Dan reaches down and puts a hand to me. I moan around the length of him in my mouth as his fingers explore me. Feeling so good and even happier than I had been I move faster on Dan eager to get him atop me. Dan keeps with his fingers to me holding on to my head as he moves a bit with me. I moan around him as he moves in and out of my mouth, I do enjoy doing this I just want him in a spot I take pleasure from. Dan pulls from me and moves to get on top of me I move to allow him in eagerly. I wrap my legs around him when he puts it to me finally we're both moving almost immediately. I'm wrapped up in his arms as we move together the urgency is there the passion is not. I sigh when I realize this is only a glad to be alive roll, Dan whispers that we will get him. I moan my agreement as I reach stars Dan begins moving faster putting me to new stars before the old have gone away. I put my arms around my man and enjoy him moving with me. I reach stars a third time when Dan does I kiss him eagerly getting as much of his warmth as he can put in me. Content and happy I lie under Dan holding on to him then groaning when he rolls off me. Dan pulls me after him to be lying on him urging me to sleep. I find it not so difficult to get some shut eye after the terror of being shot at and shooting men. I wake with a start, the dream of shooting those men again still fresh in my mind. Feeling dirty I look around, Dan is not here it is dark besides a low lantern on the dresser. A murmur gets me to look beside me on the bed Bonita is there moving around a little. When she groans I shake her awake, her eyes open in a fit of terror until she focuses on me. "I dreamed it all over again, ever shot every spurt of blood, the pool in the grass. I don't know how you live with this hunting is one thing, men shooting is entirely different." Bonita is shaking a bit as she speaks. "The dreams stop in days, many of our bounties were taken the same way as these men. I did not like those hunts, until we could drop the dead for burial I barely shut eye. If it helps any, consider the town your tribe you only defended yourself and your tribe." Bonita smiles at me. "That does help, thank you. Dan and Chad put me in here with you while they go and see to cleaning up the grass and watching the saloon. I also am to tell you the Apache are here with some soldiers, the captain one of those." I groan, they are early then get up turning the lantern up then lighting the other. With the room lit up fairly well I get my tracking clothes on then get Bonita out of bed. We head down the stairs the first thing I notice is Dan is here at the bar. "Dan you said you would clean up the next one." Dan chuckles and gives me a hug before looking at me. "Chad is overseeing a couple of the town's men cleaning it. Now are you fully rested? The Apache are a bit on the eager side to be under way." "I need a bath and it is not late enough yet, five hours at a trot remember, I want to be at the ranch two hours before the sky wakes." I give Dan a kiss then head into the kitchen. I stop in a little bit of a shock the captain and Celeste are sitting at the table speaking. Amanda is stirring something in the pot until she notices me then comes over. "Janet are you hungry? I made deer chili it got good comments from the vittles crowd." "Bath first if you please. Celeste are you trying to steal the captain away from the rest of us?" "I wouldn't mind giving him a roll when I'm ready again. Not stealing him simply talking he's been in here since he got here and I took the opportunity of everyone being busy upstairs to sit and talk." Captain is chuckling in the chair then looks up at me. "I came in to find out when you wished to leave the Apache are outside really quite ready to go, war paint and everything. They want to put some on you before we go." "I need a bath, find them something to do we will leave at ten and get there an hour earlier than I wished." The captain chuckles then pulls out a pocket watch and shows it to me. "It's almost ten but go on take your bath, we can ride a little faster to be there on time." Amanda giggles as she checks the water. Adventure in Longwood Day 06-07 "Water is a little on the warm side, is that good or do you want hot?" "Warm is fine, I recall what happened when I had a hot bath." Amanda and Celeste giggle as I collect the pails of water. Leaving the kitchen to go up the stairs I see the chief at the bar next to Dan. I change course and go over to the chief. "I see we are delayed for bath." "We had to shoot eight men earlier, all dead from me and Bonita. They had good position good for us they did not think to guard their back." The chief smiles at me. "Yes Dan was saying about that, go take bath we wait for you." I head up the stairs mostly keeping the water in the pail. I find Chun in the bath using the bucket, she watches as I pour the water in the bath and get out of my clothes. "Janet I am really glad you are shameless around me." I drop the soap when she says this and start laughing. "Chun thank you for making me laugh, even after all the times I have shoot men it is hard on me." The soap back in hand I get in the tub. "Well that is surprising you did not have a problem with those two on the rooftops." "Those two wished to shoot me, easier to live with, besides two bullets are different than emptying both revolvers and firing few times with rifle." "Yes I think I can understand that, makes me glad I'm just a whore." Chun comes over and begins washing my hair. "Perhaps you should be barber, you are good at that." "Lots of practice, I worked in a bathhouse. Chinese tradition, women give men bath, do hair and body. Can lead to a roll, never for money I only would get a few pennies for each bath I gave. The hope was I would find a man to marry did not do that, I did have plenty of rolls. When I saw the notice for a whore here and the money for a roll I just had to come, I make more in one roll than a full week giving bath there." "I forgot a towel could you get one for me?" Chun smiles at me then goes into her room, she returns quickly with a towel. I get out of the water and dry myself before helping her pour the bath out through the angled hole in the floor at the outside wall. With my pants and shirt on I go into my room and get my belts on. I check each revolver to be sure they are loaded then get my moccasins on. Picking up my bow and stringing it I pull out a large handful of arrows, there is no quiver in the box so carry the handful and bow in one hand, my Winchester in the other. I am met at the foot of the stairs by the chief, Dan, and captain. Dan takes the Winchester from me as we head out the entrance into the dark of night. There are the promised twenty Apache warriors waiting for us, along with five soldiers looking nervous. "I gave you ten warriors and ten ready to be blooded, they will pair up." The chief says as the Apache start a chant, I recognize some of this they are doing a war chant before painting. "The soldiers will stay back and keep the horses in order. I can't let twenty warriors and a chief off the reservation without some soldiers." The captain tells me as Bonita takes my arm and leads me toward the chanting warriors. "You are being named the war chief, great honor for a not Apache." I don't feel honored just lost this is one thing I've never seen before. One of the warriors, a weathered one about the same summers as I, comes up and applies paint to me. One swipe of paint on my right cheek, two on my left, two on my chin, and one across my brow before he backs away. An expectant hush falls as a young warrior approaches with a quiver for my arrows it is stained very close to what a Cherokee would put on their quiver. I put my arrows in it and sling it over my shoulder to cheers. Dan brings over my horse, as I am getting in it Amanda comes out with a bag in her hand. She hands it up to me, I look in it curious to find more sandwiches. "Since you haven't eaten lately, you are eating for two you know." I open my mouth to say I am not hungry then shut it when my belly rumbles. I look around at everyone else then look at Amanda. "Am I the only one getting vittles?" "We have all ate, Sally was nice enough to have Amanda run out chili for everyone and water." The captain says moving over closer to me on his horse. "We have water for you, we are all carrying canteens." I look around to see everyone coming on a horse several Apache have a Winchester rifle. I urge my horse into a trot, Chad moving up beside me to point me in the right direction. Slinging my bow over my shoulder I pull out a sandwich and start eating, the chief moves up with me. "Two questions, first what did cook mean eating for two?" I look over at the chief and grin. "I am with child Dan was nice enough to put in me a bit over a month ago." The chief grins back then says something to the warriors, they all cheer. "Said you are restoring your tribe, your story has spread through reservation. Many have similar experiences, before soldiers took over duties many of the round eyes in charge of feeding reservations would not. Second question what are we to do?" "We are to kill everyone including his wife, she knew all about me. I saw her many times even under the men after having Chad I would see her walking by and smiling." "Yes this sounds good, can not keep wife make wife of Apache?" The chief has a certain gleam in his eye. "She would not bear babe she was not close to me in age, if new wife yes you can keep if the captain does not say against." We both look at the captain, he looks uncomfortable. "I will have to say no you may not keep her. If you can convince any woman there to be an Apache wife I will not speak against it of course. I will ask any woman coming out that is not injun, if you find an injun I have all the cause I need to report this action, otherwise we never came here. I am specifically charged with keeping the Apache in the reservation, I am also obligated to assist any injun I find." I look at the chief. "No we are not missing any women, they walk to the railroad. The round eyes do not want the men wandering women are allowed anywhere they please." Puzzled on this I look at Dan. "No women missing from the town, unless McCalbane killed off one of the small ranchers and kept the wife or daughter. Neither of the small ranchers here when McCalbane moved in went to Longwood when they left." This has me looking at Chad. "If he had any women I never saw nor heard them. Possible he did, there are two bunkhouses I only stayed in one to go to town the next day." "Chief if he has any women besides his wife she underwent the same I did, she has a need of many men. She would need to return with me to whore, injun or round eye." Chief looks at me and nods. "You have lived it I will follow your say on." "Chad, could you describe the ranch buildings for us?" Chad looks at me then points with a grin. I look to see a large house with a barn off to the left a good distance. Before the house are two long buildings with lanterns lit. I have everyone slow down to not alert them of our approach any more than we already did. As we get closer I see what look to be fenced off areas of the land behind the barn and to the right of the house. There is also a man leaning against one of the long buildings, this has me call for a stop. I get off my horse pulling the bow off me and wait for everyone to come in close. "Now, the plan is those without a rifle move in to the far side of the long buildings. I will move in on this side with my bow and try to kill the man there. If he dies quiet I will set a fire on both buildings then get out of the way, everyone with a rifle moves up to get good targets and shoot any men coming out of the buildings. Those without a rifle use tomahawk and knife on men exiting any men trying to take cover on your side are yours to kill." The chief relates what I said to the Apache, all get a rather big smile one asks a question. "This one wishes to know what to do in case of window on back of buildings." I smile at the one who asked the question. "Station warriors there and kill them as they exit. Look through building before burn down, possible women held in one, she is not to be harmed." Chad takes my arm as the chief translates what I said. "I was always in the left bunkhouse if there is a woman here she is in the right. There are two doors on the right bunkhouse one door perhaps is a separate room." Dan pulls my Winchester from my saddle as the soldiers move away with the horses. When he hands it to me I look at it then my bow, unsure on what to do I look at the chief. "I can use your rifle if you wish to move up and use bow. I perhaps can go with and use the bow, I grew up using bow." I hand the chief my Winchester. "I bought bow for this may as well try, if he makes noise do not need to light fire." "If can make man turn toward you and aim for right side high up, where breasts would be if woman this is best place to hit. If makes noise duck back we will be ready to shoot." I motion to the Apache, those of us without a rifle split up, some going to the left side, some going to the right side. It is slow going pausing every time someone makes noise. The sky is starting to lighten a little when we reach the buildings. I creep along the wall toward the lanterns and the man there while the Apache move along the back wall. I peek around the corner to see the man still leaning against the wall not moving. Ducking back I pull out an arrow and fit it to the bow as the chief showed me. I look back at where the rifles would be to see a number of shapes I wave my arm to get an answering wave. I move back around the corner and take aim the chief did not say where to put the arrow on his side so aim for the head. The twang of the release is loud to me, he does not move until the arrow hits him. I hold my breath as he falls over with a rather loud thump there is no sound from inside the building. Carefully I move to the closest lantern to find it is metal. The bow will not work well on a metal, not wishing to burn the right side building I move back behind the wall. I pull out my revolver and aim for the lantern on the left side building, holding my breath I shoot. The report is much louder then the twang of the bow, the best part is the effect on the lantern. The lantern jerks back and forth leaking oil before coming free and falling to the wooden platform. The fire spreads fast from there, along with shouts of confusion then alarm as the fire moves up the wall. I holster my revolver and get another arrow ready careful to move back and away from the building to get a view of the left building door. I aim at the door and release as it opens hitting the first man sending him back into the next and sending up a bigger alarm than the fire. More men come out guns in hand and the shooting starts. The reports of the rifles not letting me hear any of the men we are killing. I get to watch as man after man is killed, the screams of fear coming from next to me in the building gets me to drop my bow, wave to the rifles and pull out my revolvers. Moving around the corner again guns at the ready I see several more dead men on this side. I check the door I am closest to, it is not locked so undo the latch and swing it wide. There is a woman inside alone with no clothes on trembling in fear looking at me. I turn to wave at the rifles with no need they are already moving up. Dan, the chief, and captain get up to me, not bothering to wonder on why the captain is here I motion them both into the room. "There is a woman here, round eye. Have your men round up the rifles and pistols we move on the house." Chief nods then yells at the Apache, they collect the rifles and pistols. "Janet wait, she does not wish us to approach her, Bonita is back with the horses." Dan says coming out and grabbing my hand. "Have the chief surround the house, go with him do not enter there will be guns and perhaps more than one man. I will be there soon as I calm her down." Dan nods and goes after the chief waving to Chad who moves in to step with him. Liking the look of that I go into the room again revolvers holstered. I look at the captain he is standing well back from the woman almost at the door. I admit this room is better than what I had for the time I was given to the men I was in one of the bunks with the men. "As near as I can tell she speaks English." The captain says to me handing over a blanket. I move closer holding the blanket saying nice things to her she just cowers on the bed. I switch to Spanish hoping it will at least lull her enough to let me wrap her up. She perks right up and speaks back leading to a conversation on how she got here. With her wrapped up in the blanket I lead her to the captain. "Silvia here is from New Mexico right on the border. She answered an advertisement in the paper about a translator, she knows Apache. When she got to the ranch instead of working with the Apache as told she is locked in here and abused, been here about six months. I explained you to her so take her to the horses I am going to finish this." "I was hoping for an injun, best to burn this building as well, perhaps the house after looting it. I don't know how many more men he can have. I will move horses up to behind this building to not be shot, there should be horses in the barn for Sylvia after you finish." I watch the captain and Sylvia head away from the buildings toward where the horses are. The captain is waving to the soldiers they do not understand or do not see his motion. I retrieve my bow then head for the house to find the Apache around the porch it seems to go all the way around the house. "There is at least one person moving around in the house. We are waiting for you to make an attack." Dan says moving next to me. "Chief before attacking, the woman knows Spanish and Apache, was brought here to be an interpreter. You are free to speak to her and see if she would like to join your tribe. Have your men move up and look in the windows, if they see a man they are free to shoot." The chief smiles at the news of the woman, then says something to the men to our right and left. The Apache move up on the porch quiet as can be, I follow the chief up to the big window near the door. Crossing to the far side of the window I am forced to drop flat by the shotgun blast bursting the glass. Covered in glass I crawl the rest of the way across the window then pull out my revolvers. The spit sound coming from inside tells me who is there. "Barnaby your aim is old like the rest of you." The chief looks across at me confused. "Perhaps, stick your head back around and we can see how bad my aim is." The chief looks and drops fast, the wood above him splinters from the buckshot. I move then going fully in front of the window and aiming true before shooting. The first bullet catches Barnaby in the shoulder, the second in the arm holding the shotgun. As the shotgun falls he turns to run taking bullets three and four in the belly and back. Barnaby falters in his movement letting me put the next two bullets in his legs. He starts to fall taking two more in the back, looking around quick I go in through the ruined window. The chief calls out something leading to breaking glass from all around the house. Dan and the chief join me in looking at Barnaby, he is not dead not moving well either. "Go on and finish it injun." Barnaby manages to croak out obviously in pain. "No, you will lie here and wait to die." I collect the shotgun and the revolver on his hip. Ten Apache join us with an older black man a hat in his hands being rolled about very nervously. "I gave orders the men and women are to be brought to you when possible. Chad and the rest are watching for someone trying to escape." The chief says to me when I look at him in confusion. "I's just the cook, if'n I can go free I'd be much obliged." I notice he doesn't look at us, just stares at the floor still rolling his hat. "Well if you are a cook there is a job for you in Longwood. Chief send him with two to the barn to get horses and saddles, many as you want. The soldiers moved to behind the not burning building." The chief says what I said to the rest, two smiling Apache lead an ever thankful man out of the house. I move to go up the stairs until the chief stops me, then motions to the remaining Apache. They go up the stairs first followed by the chief, Dan, and I. A shriek and some excited talking from a couple Apache get us moving to the right to find a woman being held on the arm by one very happy Apache. The chief and I trade glances, he has a grin I'm just a little confused I don't recognize her. "Who are you?" I ask the woman looks up at me scared. "My aunt and uncle live here, I came for a visit. I don't why you are here but I didn't do it I swear." I look at the chief his grin turns into a smile and gets bigger. "Your aunt and uncle are the reason we are here. I do hope you want a husband, the Apache there likes you. I am tempted to let the chief persuade you to be an Apache wife in a way you would not enjoy, I was treated the same by your uncle and his men. Instead I will let the Apache man there persuade you, he is a nice sight and will cater to your needs in bed." "I will stay and translate, he does not know round eye." The chief sends the other man out, Dan and I follow him. Three shots and a scream follow the Apache going into the last room on the other side of the house. We hurry over there to find two Apache holding up another looking at McCalbane lying on the ground writhing in agony with his wife crouched over him. Her eyes get wide as I hunker down next to them. "I see he stays with one wife and simply finds others to enjoy." McCalbane looks up at me. "I did love you Janet." He gets out between groans. I pull out one revolver and shoot him twice, his wife shrieks again. I hit her with the revolver sending her falling flat dazed. "You loved me so much you passed me off to your men and told my son I died in an uprising with his father." I pull out the other revolver and shoot him twice more. "Your wife will get the same treatment while you lie here and die. Dan get the chief and have him relate to the men here they are free to enjoy this woman that is not a woman." The chief relates what I said to the men, there is much hooting as they grab up the shrieking and terrified woman to put her on the bed. "She was agreeable so they are having a roll and packing. The men outside are with wife, I would like to get the two that took the cook and get them in. Perhaps take what we wish from the house." I giggle at the news. "I'm agreeable to that, leave the lanterns, no injuns so we need to make this not look like injun attack." The chief nods and turns to go until Dan grabs his arm. "I'm curious, did he promise to leave the reservation to get her?" "No, promised to build house, I pledged tribes help and she has money. Will ask captain if soldiers will assist on getting wood, she is farmer daughter so all tribes will be happy." Dan and I watch the chief leave I move to follow him until Dan takes my arm. "It occurs to me there is likely money in this bedroom, you should look. I would take pity on her and shoot her if I go in there. Best to shut the door as well so the niece doesn't have to listen to her getting a just treatment." I go into the room and shut the door, her moans and groans are like music to my ears. I made the same noise the first time her husband took me and again when I was given to the men and could not get away. Going through the drawers I find dresses, pulling one out for Silvia a thought comes to me and I check under the bouncing bed. There is indeed a travel bag under there, giggling about the eagerness of the man on top of her I pull it out and open it to put the dress in to find the money I was looking for. Adventure in Longwood Day 06-07 Ignoring her cries to please make it stop I leave the room, shutting the door after the two Apache that had just come up the stairs. I take the bag over to Dan and show it to him, the chief coming up the stairs followed by a few more men. "This is a lot of money in here." Dan says getting the chief to come and look. "Tribes could use if you do not wish to keep." Dan looks at me. "I think we split it evenly, half for the town, half for the tribes. We can use this to get a butcher and help Chun's folks open the eatery." Dan and the chief are smiling at me. "With the railroad going in we can get vegetables, they are canning them now. Depending on what the tribes grow they can be a supplier to the cannery or the towns in the area. Unless I miss my guess the cows McCalbane owned are running free, simple thing to round them up for Kunis and the soldiers. Before you ask the son you know about died years ago, Chad was eight at the time." I am bouncing in happiness at the news. "Chief get everything you want out of the house, I think we will get the cook to make us a big meal then burn it. Keep the wife or burn her with the house, we are going to go speak with the captain and get the cook going." When Dan and I reach the stairs the niece comes out with her husband, both carrying luggage. She turns a little white at the sound coming from the wife as she is used. "I received worse the last time I was in their ranch, Silvia likely has as well we shall have to ask." "I thought she went home. My name is Beatrice, I suppose Bea now he can't quite get it right." She says as we head down the stairs. "Round eye is tough to say for us injuns until we learn it. She did not leave, found her in the building with no clothes and scared to death. If you know her it will make things easier for her, do you speak Spanish?" Beatrice turns and looks at me puzzled. "Silvia knows English I did not know she spoke Spanish. Just up and disappeared one day I was told she went home since there was nothing for her to do. I apologize for telling you a half truth earlier I came here on a visit, I was talked into staying and finding a husband to take over the ranch." "Well then the cows are yours, half at least, Kunis is going to get the other half of the herd, he's the only rancher left in the area. Your uncle was aggressive on getting land, Kunis is the only rancher left in the area." Dan says getting Beatrice to stop at the door and turn to look at us. "I don't know cows very well, I'm a farmer's daughter I know farming and cooking. The chief said that was what they needed and I find I like this man, he catered to all my needs in bed like you said and I can do something I know." "There is a soldier who knows cows, he picked up a few on Sunday to try and get the reservation a herd. With the half of the herd you I assume are giving him he can get a herd together right away and help the Apache feed themselves. We also found a large amount of money half goes to the tribes so you will get your house, the rest the town gets for a butcher and eatery." We continue on toward where the captain is with the horses. The captain meets us halfway with Silvia and Bonita. "Is it over are they gone?" Silvia asks before the captain can say anything. "He is nearly there, listening to his wife get the same treatment you and I received." Silvia gives me a hug thanking me over and over. "Captain if you can get the cook we shall eat a fine meal here before we burn the house down." I say over her shoulder. The captain turns and yells for Isaac, the black man appears quick and runs over. Captain tells him to go make a fine meal out of everything, and pack up what he wishes to keep. "If I may I would like to keep the table and the table cloths, they are from my great grandparents." Beatrice says while Isaac runs into the house. "Beatrice here is the niece of McCalbane she was going to take over the ranch for them she's decided to be an Apache wife and farmer instead." Dan says to the captain's surprised face. "Beatrice you came upon this decision on your own?" Beatrice smiles at the captain's question. "Yes, I did not receive what my aunt is getting. Judging by the reaction Silvia has to the news I am guessing she received similar. I wish to apologize to you both, McCalbane married into my family, we had no idea he was doing things like that. Silvia could you speak to my almost husband, I wish to be married in the eyes of the lord as soon as possible considering what we did already." Silvia smiles and speaks to the new husband in Apache he says a few things back she looks at me then Beatrice. "He is agreeable to a Christian wedding he also wishes to have this Cherokee know he is very grateful for the assistance in getting a wife and blooded. Which leads me to a question, Bonita said you received the same treatment I did and are a whore in the town, does this help?" "It helped me, I was thirteen summers when I was given to the men and done often like you. I was chained to a bed for fourteen days before they let me do anything but use outhouse and eat. When I killed all of the men at the ranch but Barnaby I felt better, I was still left with a need for many men. So spend much of the time since on my back to man after man. Not so much for the pleasure but the after holding was what I needed most." I hand over the dress I had pulled out of the drawers to Silvia. "Thank you, I think perhaps I should try your way if I can." Silvia says as she puts the dress on. "I think that can be arranged, we are getting a new saloon in the town and Apache whores. A second translator would be good I don't know how many Apache know Spanish." "More than you would expect Janet, while I was learning Apache I spoke to everyone in Spanish. There really is not much to do in the reservation from day to day." Bonita says with a grin. "Isaac does not really take that long to get breakfast cooked, I also want to lay claim to the table before the men decide it would make good kindling or something." Beatrice says before I can ask the captain why there is nothing to do. Captain calls his men over they get the horses tied to the porch railing while we go inside. As it turns out just in time to keep some of the men from getting the table cloths. After shooing the men from the table cloths Beatrice tells Isaac where we are and we all sit. The chief joins us wearing a necklace of sparkling rocks looking quite satisfied with himself. "Chief that is for a woman to wear." I say trying hard to not giggle with Beatrice and Silvia. "I know, for my wife, there are no pockets and we did not think to bring bags. Captain if you are willing we have a bunch of money to split, I would like you to carry it back for me." "I can do that, it is of course Beatrice's money if she is willing to see it split I can say nothing against." We all look at Beatrice. "I do not mind, I have five hundred dollars as a dowry for my husband, most from my folks. I assumed that would cover the house, with extra money we can do a nicer house and get all the things I would want. We also can order the seeds and make a very big farm I assumed spending perhaps ten dollars for one bag of seed and having an acre to start. Now I'm thinking we can do at least ten acres perhaps more and grow a lot." "What is an acre?" The chief asks looking confused. "Here look at this, I have a map of the area, it is old so have four ranches on it." The captain pulls a map out of his satchel and puts it on the table we all lean over it looking. "This here is the reservation, it looks small until you realize this much space is one mile." He demonstrates how big a mile is. "One square mile is ten acres Beatrice wants to get you Apache to work a full square mile. I'm thinking before the fort, apparently the government is going to annex the land between the reservation and the railroad for the new tribes coming. Still talking it over with the state I guess, I am to conduct patrols between the fort and town to keep people from moving in unless they do not mind sharing land with Apache." Dan empties the bag of money on the table, Beatrice gasps at the number of tied bills there are. "Goodness, if those are all five hundred dollar bundles there is at least six thousand on the table." Dan picks up two of them. "These will be enough for Longwood, Sally already said she has enough to get a butcher, we can just give him a nicer store now. Beatrice keep in mind this land belongs to you now, you are the only living relative around besides Chad who likely knows less on ranching than you do. Kunis will want to buy some land to support a big herd and I think the government means to annex some of this land as well." "Not quite, they are putting in a buffer zone the reservation will only expand this way to about ten miles from the edge of the ranch land. Same with Longwood, there will be a fort put in between the town and reservation as soon as the state stops trying to fight the annex." The captain looks a little worried while he says this. "I's hope you'se not the only ones eating." Isaac says as he comes in carrying a tray laden with bowls and platters. The captain and chief get up yelling to their men as they exit the dining room. The rest of us reach for the food on the table until Beatrice has us stop and goes to a china hutch sitting against the wall and brings out plates for everyone. "I am tempted to take these with me they are a lovely white and blue china set. I just don't know how well they would stand up to well pardon the term savages eating at my table." I start laughing at the comment getting everyone still there to look at me confused. "I don't know about the Apache the Cherokee have had plates of a sort for a very long time." Beatrice smiles at me then calls for Isaac. "Isaac after we have eaten on the plates could you clean them, perhaps outside so we can be on our way sooner. I want to keep the china set and the table with table cloths." Isaac smiles at Beatrice and assures her he will see right to it. "Janet since you are the only injun here that speaks English at the moment, could you tell me what would be wanted from the farm?" "Corn, it is a mainstay of our peoples. There is also cotton, and tobacco, not as popular to the Cherokee or Apache, it does not grow well in our lands it is still a nice thing." "I know corn that is a good one, tobacco I need to ask an expert on perhaps pick up some seed for it and try out in a small private section of land to see if it can grow here." The captain sits again with his soldiers following, one gets an excited look. "I know tobacco it can grow here, not as well as back east but it does well enough. If you can provide me the seeds and some help for two acres I'll have the tribes with enough tobacco. If you want to provide for the area I'll need say six acres." We all look at the captain, he grins. "If you want I can let you farm the entire area between town and the fort, the state can't find people to move in ever since the Apache were moved here, few thousand acres of free land that is probably going to be part of the reservation. I might get a promotion if you can get the Apache to build farms everywhere. There is one thing we need to discuss about this morning, namely Beatrice what you tell your folks." The captain says Beatrice looks at her plate. "Honestly I don't know I can't tell them the truth that is my pa's sister up there. I guess I'll go with house caught on fire, I got out and ran for help was found by a very nice Apache man and fell for him. Everyone else died in the fire, as close to the truth as I want to put it." "That sounds perfectly fine, little hard to believe I suppose, we will be sure and make it look like that is what happened in case someone comes looking. Ah chief there you are, I want to make it clear your men won't be bloodied like this again. Dan can ask for assistance from your tribe in a posse if he wishes full attacks on homes I can't get away with twice." The chief nods and comes over to me. "Janet may I borrow your knife, ours are for throwing yours is better for cutting." I hand over my knife without a comment just grin. "Chief you and the rest of the men are welcome to join us in here." Beatrice says looking a little uncomfortably at the big knife in his hand. "Cook sent out fried chicken to the men, they are enjoying I will join them shortly. It is strange for me to sit at table and eat, we sit around fire and talk while eat." The chief goes upstairs again, Beatrice watches with an uncertain look on her face. Isaac comes out with a platter filled with fried chicken, he takes a piece of that and eats leaning against the wall looking very uncertain. "Isaac you are allowed to sit and eat with us, my aunt and uncle are not going to bother you again." Isaac gets a big smile on his face looking at Beatrice then sits. "Isaac I am curious, how soon after the civil war did you move away from the south?" Dan asks passing over his mostly clean plate and scooting closer to share mine. "I moved during, master owned a plantation right on the border to a northern state. When they soldiers came through they kilt him and told me to run away. I ended up with this man shortly after, he moved lots this is the third ranch he's put me in to cook since. Didn't pay me much but at least I had food and a roof, better than the plantation." "Isaac that reminds me, I mentioned we have a job for you in Longwood, Sally has said its fifty cents a week pay, with food and a roof. I hope that is fine with you, you have a knack for cooking." I had picked up a fried chicken and it is really tasty. "That's better than I gots here, asides I ain't got anywhere else ta go." Once we have all had our fill Isaac gets the plates and empty bowls and platters into a large cauldron then lugs it out back to be filled. The platters and bowls with food in them are brought out to the Apache in the back yard where I collect my knife. My Winchester is on the front porch with my bow so we get a few of the Apache to help move the china hutch into the back then to the barn. The table is a difficult matter it is too big to fit through the door finally we put it out through the big window. Isaac goes through the kitchen twice, Beatrice checks her room. The sun is getting toward high in the sky when it comes time to finally burn the house. Chad goes in the back to upset the lanterns in the dining room and kitchen. There are no flames yet, when Chad comes around the house on the outside I give my Winchester to Silvia. It takes her two tear streaked shots but she hits the lantern over the fire, I shoot the one on the other side of the room adding more oil. Barnaby twitches when the oil falls on him I thought he had been dead. Silvia saw it as well she is grinning and giggling as we move away from the house the flames spreading fast. I urge us to move faster when Barnaby starts screaming, the chief looks more like he wants to slow down and listen. Guessing he had not killed the wife I motion toward Beatrice to him. He looks back then urges us to go even faster, when I look back I see why, the flames are moving up the outside of the house. We do not move far enough to not hear the wife's screams Beatrice looks back a tear streaming down her face. She then looks toward me, Silvia, then at her new husband and smiles. Dan moves next to me looking at Beatrice and her new man then looks over at me. "Honestly I don't know what she sees in him." I let out my breath in a big whoosh then start hitting Dan. "Not because he's Apache, you said he's cute. I mean he doesn't know how to farm and he's poor." "Dan sometimes you are so incredibly round eye. She likes him because he is cute he is willing to learn and he caters to her in bed, there doesn't really need to be anything else." Chief is laughing next to me. "He promised a ring as soon as he can buy her one." I look over at him slightly confused. "Why would he promise a ring?" Dan chuckles and pokes me. "To a round eye a ring is important it is the symbol of their union, much like you injuns and a blanket." "Do you two have a blanket?" The chief asks with a grin, I shake my head and rub my belly where Dan's child is growing. "Dan you really should give Janet a symbol besides your child. There is talk amongst the men of the Cherokee woman that outshines Apache women in pretty." I can't help but smile at this, Beatrice looks over at us. "Is that why he likes me?" The chief looks a little lost at the question for a moment. "No he likes you because you are a fair skinned legend. There is a tale amongst the Apache of a fair skinned woman who is very pretty and loving to her man. I admit if I was not with woman I would have tried to be your man, likely why he promised a house." Beatrice smiles at the chief before turning back, I can't help but giggle. "I will have to tell your flower what you said." The chief looks at me and shakes his head fast making me laugh outright. "She is good with knife and keeps me close. I will be yelled at when she sees Beatrice I only got away because it was warriors, soldiers, and you. Her round eye speak is not very good yet, does not really wish to learn better." The captain rides closer to us beside the chief. "I didn't really want to bring this one up there is talk of sending the injun children to schools away from the reservation to teach them English and to pray to the Christian god. Benjamin is one of a few of the injuns who have converted, not good enough to the more religious in Washington. If the reservation learns English in larger numbers they may decide that is enough. Farming and English should keep your children in the reservation to learn your ways." The chief looks at me then the captain, I look at Dan then the captain. Nobody says anything for a while Longwood is coming in to view when I finally just have to say something. "If they come for my children they will need to send a lot of men." Dan chuckles next to me the captain looks at me and shakes his head. "Your children would not be touched even on a reservation, you are with Dan. Same with Beatrice if she has any, this only goes for full injun children on reservations, a school in Longwood might help, we can move the families with children of that age close enough to attend." "What if some of the women we send as whores decide to have child, would that child be sent away if they decide to do this?" The chief asks with a strange expression on his face. "I think so, what I have seen on the motion they are trying to put to congress any child with only injun parents would be sent to a school to learn English and our ways. My job in a lot of ways is hard to deal with, there is a movement to not drink this is going over poorly with my soldiers. I've only met a few soldiers who do not drink, they were the cooks." This gets me to laugh. "I suppose your men finding an Apache bride didn't go over well." The chief groans, the captain chuckles. "I put it to them, a few raised the no injuns can drink rule. I reminded them they are not injuns even if they wear the clothes. Had to say they could not share with their wife at the fort or take drink out of the fort. I had a few who wished to look, I think being away from everything for so long has gotten many to not care about the language and religion." Chief coughs and looks at the captain. "Make sure your men are unarmed and supervised, I know what soldiers will do with Apache women." The captain nods fast, I groan I've heard the tales myself. We enter the town to some cheering, while we are tying our horses off before the saloon and sheriff's Mr. Johnson comes out of the saloon and walks over to me. "Janet you came back with more than left. We were all under the assumption you would kill everyone."