While Kathleen was having her first riding lesson, Catherine was wondering something. She sensed that Kathleen would know the answer so she decided to ask her.

"Kathleen someone asked me what a person should do to get a man�s attention. I never had a problem getting men�s attention but it was always the wrong men, so I don't know what to tell her."

Kathleen thought about it and realized that her friend had her eye on someone special, but was too afraid to admit it, so she decided not to say anything about it. "Well, Catherine, I'm not entirely sure. I've always centered my attention on books and kids. I've always thought that the right man would notice me if it was meant to be." After seeing the disappointment in her friend's eyes, she continued, "but I would be happy to try to find out for you."

Catherine was happy with that answer, "Thank you, Kathleen."

"Sure thing, Catherine." Kathleen said. How am I going to get the answer to Catherine's question? She thought. Then she remembered about Jacy needing articles for the newspaper. Well, I'm sure that Catherine is not the only one that needs the answer to this question, so I'll make an article out of it. "I know how about if I ask Jacyella if I can write an article for the newspaper about it? That way, everyone will know what the guy that they are wanting to ask them will be looking for?"

"Ok. Her office is right here. We can go on in and ask here."

When the girls walked in the newspaper office, Jacy was working on something, but looked up and greeted them anyway. "Good morning, Miss Kathleen and Miss Catherine, what can I do for you ladies today?"

"Well, with the dance coming up I bet a lot of women will be wondering how to get the attention of a certain man, what if I write an article compiled of the town folk's opinions?"

"That's sounds like a great idea. Just give me the article when you are done with it."

"Thanks." Kathleen started to walk out of the door then thought to herself that Jacy could be the first person to ask. She turned back around to face Jacy once more, "Jacy, seeing as I'm already here, why don't you be the first person to answer the question?"

Jacy was silent for awhile, but when she realized that Kathleen wasn't going to leave until she received an answer, she decided she better say something. "Here's your answer, Kathleen. I don't do anything to attract a guy's attention. Besides I don't know any guys I want to attract." Well, it was a half-truth. She wasn't going to do anything special to attract a guy's attention, at least not so that anybody would notice, but there was a guy she had taken a fancy to. She had seen him several times delivering the mail to the post office, he had saved Caller Bob from a drunken killer, and he had brought her sister home one day, but she wasn't about to mention that to anybody. Besides he probably already has a girlfriend any way.

"Thanks for the answer Jacy, but I'm sure you'll find a guy. There are lots of cute ones here. I'll get the article to you when it's done, ok?" Kathleen smiled at Jacy. A lot of the young pony express riders had captured many of the young ladies' hearts, and she knew one of them would probably do the same to Jacy, it was just a matter of time.

"Ok!" Jacy replied. Kathleen left, and Jacy went back to writing her article for the PEG.

The next day at school, Jesse came in with an invitation to supper from Rachel. She could get everyone�s opinion at the waystation. Besides she knew that a lot of the girls in town were trying to get the affections of the riders. This would be great for her research, so she accepted the invitation.

When Cayden and Erin's grandparents came to pick them up she explained that she was doing an article for the newspaper and her article was entitled; "How a Lady Can Get a Gentleman's Attention," and wanted to know their opinion on the subject. If they didn't want their names to be printed up, she would not note who said what.

"Well, it's been a long time since I tried to get a young man's attention. But I can tell you how I caught Liam's eye," Eleanor answered, "And what I told our daughter, God rest her soul, when she asked the same thing."

"And what was that Mrs. Thomas?"

"I always acted proper in public. Like a lady should. Kept a clean appearance. I learned to cook and clean and keep a good house." Eleanor castes a sidelong glance at her husband, who smiled slightly at what was coming up.

"And when my parents heads were turned I flirted horribly with the man who had caught my fancy."

"And this worked?"

"Sure did," came Liam's reply. "She caught me alright."

Since Catherine had gotten Kathleen to stay on the horse while the horse was walking, she decided to ride to the waystation for her "dinner engagement" with Jesse and Rachel. On the way to the Waystation, she thought she'd had better stop at the store and get some feed for her horse and she met another new friend.

"Hello Miss." Kathleen said to the new blonde girl. "I'm Kathleen, the school teacher. What's your name?"

The girl smiled. "I'm Sidney. Nice to meet you." She said in a softly Southern accent. Kathleen also smiled.

"It's a pleasure. Listen Sidney, may I ask you a question?" Kathleen asked.

"I'm doing an article for the paper."

"Sure. Fire away!" Sidney said. She liked this new lady.

"How do you think it is best for a lady to get the attention of a man that she is romantically interested in?" Kathleen asked, ready to write down Sidney's answer.

Sidney's eyes got a far away look. She could be quite a romantic, given the opportunity. And this was quite an opportunity.

"Well, it's always nice to be picked out of the crowd by the guy. But, it's very romantic to invite him on a picnic. Guys can never resist good food. I know the perfect spot, too. I saw it on my way into town. It's a small waterfall by some rocks, with a nice field on the other side. That's where I would take him. It's a very refreshing place, and set back away from things, so it's quiet. You'd be able to get to know each other. Flirt. Or even engage in a little more than that. That's what I'd do." Sidney told her. Kathleen was scribbling her words down furiously.

"Thank you very much." Kathleen said.

"No problem. Anytime!" Sidney answered. Kathleen went inside the store to get 2 pounds of feed.

"Well, Miss Bordeaux, what kindda school project are you doing with horse feed?" Javier asked, knowing that the teacher didn't own a horse.

"Well, Mr. Cromwell, I'm not doing any school project with the horse feed. A friend of mine saw I was in need of a horse and gave me one. So now I need to buy some feed so it doesn't starve to death. Um, Mr. Cromwell, I have a dinner engagement tonight. I was wondering if you could deliver this out to my place and just leave it on the porch? I also have to somehow find someone to build me a barn."

"Sure, Miss Bordeaux. Anything else?"

"Yes, as matter fact there is one more thing, I'm doing an article for the newspaper, and I was wondering what is it that men are looking for in a wife. And if you don't want your name beside your answer, I won't tell anybody who said it."

Simon thought for a moment. "A wife, huh? Well, she should have a heart as big as Texas, be sweet, loving, kind, and think of others before herself. And feel free to tell everyone I said so."

Javier chuckled.

"Well, boy . . . what do you want in a wife?"

He was caught! "Well," he began. "She has to be pretty, but not on the outside. She has to smile, and know how to cheer me up. She should like flowers, and want to have kids. And be smart, and like to read."

"So there you have it, Miss Bordeaux," Simon cut his son off. "Straight from the horse�s mouth! And you can quote him too! That'll be 5 dollars for the feed."

The supper table was unusually full that night at the waystation. Usually there were a few riders out on overnight runs, Rachel had wanted to invite the Miss Bordeaux over for dinner one night when she could meet everyone that was helping bring Jesse up right. So on this night Teaspoon sat at the head of the table, Jesse to his right, then Jimmy, Lee, Lou, Kid, Cody, Rachel sat at the other end of the table, then White Wolf, Buck, Corey, Noah, Ike and Kathleen on Teaspoon's left.

Kathleen enjoyed the tales that the riders and Jesse told over the course of supper. Kathleen had mentioned over the course of dinner that she was writing a special article for the newspaper. The Article's Title is "How to Get a Man's Attention." Hopefully it would let those ladies who are too shy to tell a man that she likes him, to get him to take her to the dance.

Later that evening after dinner, Teaspoon sat back and said, "Well, Miss Kathleen, I've been thinking about your question. What type of lady do I like? Well, I like a lady who is a good cook, has a sense of humor, and doesn't mind me being the sheriff." Teaspoon sat back and patted himself on the back for being the first one to start the ball rolling.

"Thanks for answering, Teaspoon." Kathleen replied. "Now what about the rest of you. What is your answer?" The young riders looked from one to another, wondering who would answer first. Lou and White Wolf excused themselves saying that they had chores that they still had to do.

"Well, I like to fish, so I guess I'd like a girl who likes to do that, too. I also like a girl who talks and listens to me. And I wish a girl would tell a guy when she likes him." Jesse said.

"Anybody in particular we talking about here, Jesse?" Cody asked as he ruffled the boy's hair.

There was no way the boys were going to learn that he liked Rose for they would tease him endlessly. "No, I'm not talking about anybody special. That just how I feel about girls, any girls."

"Alright, Jimmy, what's your answer?" Kathleen asked so that Cody wouldn't start teasing Jesse.

"I'm not looking for a wife yet, but if I were, it would be someone with a bit of spunk, someone not afraid to be who she wanted to be."

Lee just replied, "Been too busy to really think about it. How about you Kid?" She asked to take the heat off of herself

"I don't rightly know what I'm looking for, but I'll know when I find it," was Kid's answer.

Next was Cody's turn to answer, "Someone with a sense of humor, pretty, nice, wants to travel, and that loves me. Oh and she'd have to be a good cook."

Rachel explained, "I don't want another husband, but I know that men look for a woman who can cook for them, care for them and be there for them when they are needed."

Buck answered, "I'm not sure what I'm looking for right now. I think I will find out what the ladies of the town are like before I decide on a wife."

Corey replied, "I'm not looking for a wife."

"Well," Noah said slowly, "I reckon what I find most attractive is when a woman is just acting like herself. Not trying to be something she's not."

Buck thought he had to translate Ike's answer since Ike was using sign language, "I'm not really sure how to answer this, but here goes. You asked what am I looking for in a wife? I'll have you know that's not an easy question to answer as I've never found the right woman . . . yet anyway."

Kathleen interjected, "Buck, unless you're translating for everyone else's sake you don't have to translate. I know sign."

Buck stopped translating and Kathleen understood every word that Ike was saying in his silent way of talking. "For me, the way for a woman to get my attention is really not what she does, so much as the woman herself. It's all in the eyes. A simple smile, with the addition of a certain twinkle is what makes me look twice. Oh, and don't forget hands. Hands are very important. Not the way they look so much as a woman who knows the power that lies in her hands. There's a certain grace in a person who is sure of themselves. I suppose that overt flirting may work well with some men, take Cody for instance . . . he can't resist it when a working girl flashes her ankle at him. But me . . . I'm an eye and hand man myself."

The next day after school, Kathleen decided that she wanted to make a new dress, so she went into town again to get some material from the dress shop. She chose a red velvet material for her new dress. She also picked up some white lace for the trimming. As she was paying for the material and lace, she asked Jasmine about the best way to get a man's attention. She explained it was for a newspaper article.

Jasmine answered, "The best way you get a man's attention is by making eye contact and smiling, talking to them and being their friend."

"Thank you for the material and for helping with my article."

"You're welcome."

On the way home, she saw Mr. Johnson, Michael�s father. "Hello, Mr. Johnson."

"Hello, Miss Bordeaux. How are you today?"

"I'm fine. But I am writing an article in the newspaper about how a lady can get a man's attention. Would you be willing to have your opinion published in the newspaper?"

"I have no problem with you putting my answer in the newspaper. The best way I think would be to first you need to give him subtle looks, be extra nice to him, try doing some of the things he likes, and act like you need his help for things and need a big strong man around."

"Thanks Mr. Johnson." Kathleen said as she wrote it all down.

Kathleen then went back home to start writing on the article so she could have it in to Jacy by tomorrow morning.