SEPTEMEBER 11, 1861

The tall lean man walked into the sheriff’s office, and Sheriff Teaspoon said, “Good morning, can I help you?”

“Maybe so, a gentleman at the train depot told me that you might be able to help me. I have a train car with some orphans, and they are supposed to be some orphans already here that mine need to join up with.”

“Why are your orphans supposed to join up with them?” Teaspoon rubbed his chin, sizing up this man.

“Because they are suppose to be going to some settlers out West who want to adopt them.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. So do you know where there’s an orphan wagon train or don’t you?” Clem was getting a little bit testy because it didn’t seem like this sheriff was going to be of any help.

“Well, the men you’re looking for is right over there.” Teaspoon turned his head and looked over at the jail cells.

 “Why are they in jail?” Clem inquired as he walked over to see the fellas.

“Because they were abusing and using children illegally.” Teaspoon replied. “But I think you might already know something about that.”

“Now wait a minute sheriff, if you think I’m in cahoots with these men, you’re wrong. I’ve never even met them before.”

“Then how did you know to meet up with them?” Teaspoon stood up.

“My brother made these arrangements. He doesn’t get along very well with kids, so he sent me with them. The orphans on the train are from the Cedar Rapids Orphanage where my brother and I work. He should be getting into town soon.”

“Ok, well then we’ll wait and see what your brother has to say about all this. Where are the children?” Teaspoon walked over to the door and looked out.

“They’re back on the train car. I told them to stay put and their waiting for my return.” He walked over to join Teaspoon at the doorway.

“Let’s go get them. You can take them into the restaurant and get them some food while we’re waiting on your brother to arrive.” Teaspoon started out the door with Clem on his heels.

*****

Teaspoon stood in the doorway of the restaurant thinking of a plan. He was going to do what he had in mind himself, but he needed someone to be the sheriff in his place. Looking out through the Silver Spoon doorway he saw Ike coming out of the general store. He called to him, and Ike walked over. “Ike, I need you to go to the station and bring me back one of the riders, Kid or Jimmy. Also Ike I need you to do something else.” Teaspoon made sure no one was around and then he told Ike what he wanted him to do. Ike didn’t question Teaspoon; he just did as he was told.

When Kid arrived Teaspoon was back in his office, and Clem and the children were staying at the boarding house until things were settled. Teaspoon handed Kid the tin star, and he pinned it on his shirt. Teaspoon filled him in on his plan, and Kid told him to be careful. Teaspoon started to the boarding house to stay with Clem until his brother arrived. 

As Teaspoon was heading to the boarding house, he saw a man with his hand clutching a boy’s collar heading his way. He stopped the man and found out that it was the train conductor, and that he had found the boy on the train. Teaspoon relieved the conductor of his charge and took him to the boarding house. Clem informed Teaspoon that he was a stowaway and that one of the girl orphans was his sister. The children were settled in the kitchen watching Destiny make cookies when Clem brought the boy in to sit next to his sister. She was very happy to see him but she didn’t say anything, she just smiled at her brother, and he smiled back. Clem returned to the front of the boarding house to keep watch with Teaspoon. They heard the whistle blow and knew that the train was heading out for it’s next destination.

Meanwhile over in front of the mercantile, Rick Collins had just arrived in Dreamville by stagecoach. He stepped down and looked around. There was a saloon and bordello in town. He wondered if they competed for the patron’s attentions. He would have to check it out. Him being a saloon owner, he was always interested in other saloons, and his side business of selling young girls to the highest bidding men for a night of satisfying pleasure, drew him to the bordellos as well.

But Rick wasn’t in town to sightsee he was here on business. He had paid well for some girls and a couple of boys to join his saloon crew, and he was going to collect one way or another. The men, Butch Maynard and Lane Carey, were who he was after. They were supposed to have arrived in Cottonwood a few days ago, but of course they hadn’t shown. Rick had began to think that he had been had until two days ago a man had came into his saloon, and Rick had overheard him talking about some men who had been thrown in jail in a little town called Dreamville for abusing orphans. So Rick had hopped the next stagecoach out of Cottonwood. He planned on getting his money back some how or getting those orphans. He had left his partner, Wesley Berkley, in charge of the saloon while he was gone. Although, Wesley didn’t know anything about his side business, Rick had decided that a few days rest for his girls wouldn’t hurt none. It would just make the men want his girls even more when he returned.

First he went to the hotel to sign in and grab him a room. He went there and changed out of his dusty clothes and to figure out a plan. Then he went over to the saloon to eavesdrop, hopefully finding out more information that would help him get his orphans.

Kid sprang up from Teaspoon’s chair and went to the doorway as he heard gunshots. He walked out, pulled his gun out and waved it at the rider. The rider stopped his horse, dismounted and handed over his gun to Kid. He then stomped into the jailhouse where Kid put him in a cell of his own, next to the orphan abusive jailbirds. “That no good deaf mute boy. He’s always shooting up the town for no apparent reason. And for the life of me, I can’t figure out why cause he can’t hear or talk. So he can’t even hear those dang blasted gunshots he keeps firing.” Kid muttered, though purposefully keeping it loud enough so that the jailbirds could hear him, as he went back to Teaspoon’s chair.

Max Clossen came riding into Dreamville. He noticed that the train was gone. Well, they would return later to the orphanage, so him and his brother could either wait for the next available train or take the stagecoach. That didn’t matter to him. Him and his brother had both agreed to meet at the saloon. He would then find out where Butch and Lane were, so that he could get his money for supplying the girls. He tied his horse up to the hitching post and walked into the saloon.

Teaspoon pulled on his suspenders and walked out of the boarding house. It was showtime. He walked into the saloon and up to the bartender, Richard. Teaspoon put his finger to his mouth to keep Richard quiet. Richard was mystified but didn’t say a word. Teaspoon looked around to make sure there wasn’t anybody watching him then he slipped Richard a note. Richard turned around so no one would see him. He quickly read the note, and he would play along with Teaspoon’s plan. “Give me a drink bartender.”

“Yes sir,” Richard sat a mug of beer down in front of Teaspoon. Teaspoon looked around the saloon and saw Max sitting at a corner table having a drink. There were a couple of other men in the saloon but they were at a table playing poker. Teaspoon walked over to Max and plopped himself down in a chair at his table.

“Can I help you?”

“You can if you’re who I think you are?” Teaspoon said before taking another drink.

Suspicious but also curious, Max asked, “And who might that be?”

 “I’m looking for the man who knows Butch and Lane,” Teaspoon saw the recognition of the names in Max’s face, so he continued, “and who was going to give them some orphans.” Before Max could talk, Teaspoon said, “Butch and Lane are in jail, so I want those orphans that you were going to give them, and I’m willing to pay you want they were going to pay you.”

Being very cautious, Max asked, “How do you know Butch and Lane?”

“I was trying to cut a deal with them right before Sheriff Kid arrested them.”

 “Sheriff Kid? What kind of name is that?”

“A deadly one. He’s known to cut down seven outlaws in one gunfight. He’s the fastest gun in these parts, so I wouldn’t try to cut Butch and Lane loose if I was you. Instead I would sell those orphans to me.” Teaspoon looked around the room to make sure no one he knew came in and ruined his plan. And then he almost spit out his beer as he saw her come in dressed as a saloon girl.

Meanwhile back at the jail, Kid had stepped outside after throwing Ike in a jail cell. He stayed gone as long as he thought necessary for Ike to gain any information that would be helpful, and when he returned and sat back down in Teaspoon’s chair, Ike started signing to him. Butch and Lane wanted to know what Ike was doing, and Kid said, “How the hell should I know. He’s always swinging those hands around. I don’t know why.” But of course Kid did know, and he decided that Teaspoon should know what Ike had found out. But how? He couldn’t go in and speak with Teaspoon himself. He would have to find someone else to do it. He got up and went to the doorway to look out into the street. A smile crossed his face, as he watched her stop in front of the PEG.

Kid shut the door to the jailhouse and walked over to the PEG where he informed her of the situation and enlisted her aid. She was apprehensive at first and insisted that he could probably find another better suited for the task, but he didn’t know of another that he could get to help, so reluctantly she gave in.

She kind of knew how to act like a saloon girl but she felt awful strange wearing the clothes that Kid had brought her from the boutique. She had been hoping that Grace wouldn’t have anything or if she did it wouldn’t be too revealing, but her wishes had not been granted. Too bad her sister wasn’t here; she could do a better job of acting as someone she wasn’t.

She kept trying to pull up the dress to cover more of her skin that lay bare, but it was no use. She hated showing so much cleavage, but Kid kept assuring her that it was the only saloon dress that Grace had at this time. Before stepping out of the PEG, she tried once again to pull the dress up to show less cleavage, but it was to no avail. The dress wasn’t even her favorite colors, blue and pink. It was purple and black with sleeves off the shoulders but at least it had straps to help hold it up some. So she just had to deal with it.

She really despised the big black and silver bow on the back of the dress. If it were her dress, that ugly bow would be the first thing that she would snip off. Grace had thrown in some black stockings to match, and she refused to wear high heels instead she kept her black boots on, and they looked all right.

Kid asked her one more time to repeat what he had told her to inform Teaspoon. She did, and it was correct, so now it was time for her to go over to the saloon. Kid had thought about having someone to follow in behind her to make sure she was safe, but he thought against it because Teaspoon would be there. Kid went back to the jailhouse, he stood in front of Ike’s jail cell. Ike signed to him that he hadn’t learned anything more. The men had stopped talking. Kid figured that Ike had learned as much as he was going to, but just in case he needed to toss Ike back in jail, he wouldn’t blow his cover. “Alright, mute boy, you’ve been in here long enough. You’re free to go.” Kid said as he opened the cell door. Ike stood up and looked at Kid. Kid opened the door as far as it could go, and Ike walked out.

“Hey, I thought you said he couldn’t hear,” One of the prisoners stated.

“He can’t. I was just talking for myself, but he knows what an open door means.” Perturbed Kid shook his head and followed Ike outside. He shut the door to the jail because he didn’t want the outlaws to overhear him. Ike don’t go far. I might need you.” Ike nodded, and Kid returned inside the jailhouse to wait.

When she entered the saloon and Teaspoon saw her, she knew he was surprised but tried his best not to show it. She swung her hips and walked around the saloon, pretending to size up the men for a drink. She walked over to Teaspoon's table and actually sat down in his lap. She thought if he had been drinking beer he would have spit it out in total surprise.

“Care to by a lady a drink?” Jacy provocatively asked as her fingers played with her hair.

Teaspoon didn’t know why Jacy was here, but it had to be for a very good reason because otherwise Jacy wouldn’t be caught dead in a saloon unless she was interviewing someone, and she definitely wouldn’t be caught dead in a saloon dress. He also knew that it was Jacy because between her and Jewel, she was the one that would play with her hair when she was nervous or bored. The only time Jewel ever touched her hair was with a brush or comb. He would just have to play along and see what had brought her into the saloon. “Bartender, bring the gal anything she likes.”

Jacy only liked sarsaparilla, but she had never seen a saloon girl drink it, and from interviewing Ivy years ago, she knew that whiskey and beer was what the bartender preferred them to drink because it cost more, so she turned and winked at Richard, “I’ll have a beer please.” She decided on beer because the glass was bigger. If she ordered whiskey, she would have to drink it faster and then order another. She really didn’t want to get drunk, and she really didn’t know which would make her drunk faster, the whiskey or the beer, but since the whiskey was in a little shot glass, she decided that beer would be better. Although getting drunk might happen, she was hoping not.

Richard had never seen Jacy drink beer, and she hardly ever visited the saloon, and the dress she was wearing was definitely not what she would wear, but Richard had to admit to himself that she was very stunning in it. “Thanks Richard.” She said as he sat the beer in front of her.

Richard nodded and returned to the bar. As he was tending bar, he kept most of his attention on Teaspoon’s table. He hoped that Jacy didn’t get in over her head. Hmmm . . . he wondered, maybe it wasn’t Jacy, maybe it was Jewel. He wasn’t sure, but he didn’t want anything to happen to either one of them, at least not in his bar.

At first Jacy just made small talk, like how hot it was and how sparse the attendance in the saloon was. She gradually moved the topic to the outlaws stuck in jail and the poor orphans that had been abused. "Those poor little orphans were to be sold to a saloon owner in Cottonwood. I think that is just horrible, selling young orphans to work in a saloon. Don't you?" Before Max or Teaspoon could answer, she rattled on, "Those poor little orphans, I hope someone adopts them. I don't want them working in a saloon like me. It's the worse kind of life, even though it's the only one I know." She drank some more of her beer. It tasted awful, but she tried her best not to show it. "I hope that horrible saloon owner don't come looking for them. Cause you know what I heard? I heard they were already bought and paid for, or at least mostly paid for."

Max had heard about all he needed to. If that saloon owner did show up, he was going to be way out of town. "Ummm . . . you know I think we should get out of here and tend to that business we were discussing earlier." Teaspoon had been thinking the same thing. He figured Jacy had supplied him with the information that she was supposed to, and the sooner he left the saloon, then the sooner she could to.

After Max and Teaspoon left, Jacy saw some cowboys leaving a table, one left the saloon and the others went over to the bar. She took her mug of beer to the bar, and one of the men handed her another mug full of beer, “Drink up!” He said as he took a swig of his own beer. Jacy drank some more beer because she thought it might make for an interesting story for a newspaper if she continued to be a saloon girl for a little while longer. Soon the cowboys were talking about the poker game and buying another round. She heard one say, "That man from Cottonwood cleaned me out."

"What man?" Jacy anxiously inquired as she dropped her third round to the table after drinking about half of it.

"The one that just left," the man replied. “When I get some more money, I’ll have to look him up at the Cottonwood Saloon.”

“Why at the Cottonwood Saloon?” Jacy inquired.

“Because he owns the place,” The man retorted, wondering why she was interested in that man. He looked her up and down and decided since he had lost most of his money that he should have some fun. He snuggled up closer to her and asked her for a kiss.

Jacy’s eyes went wide and her nose wrinkled from the alcohol on the man’s breath. She backed away and went farther down the bar. She told Richard about the man who had been playing poker and that Teaspoon needed to know about it. Richard understood, but he couldn’t leave the bar unattended, and Jacy knew that it would be too strange if she went to Teaspoon again. But just then Ted came inside, so Richard told Jacy that he would somehow get the information to Teaspoon. “Ted you’re in charge.” Richard said as he went by him. Ted was surprised to be put in charge, but before he could ask where Richard was going, Richard was gone.

Ted went behind the bar, and he was stunned to see Jacy in a saloon dress, and there was a man pawing all over her. Even though she was giggling, she was trying to push him away. Ted didn’t like the man touching her, so he told him to stop. The man just laughed and continued. Ted slid across the bar and slugged the man. Even though the man was somewhat drunk, he had a better muscular physic than Ted, and after getting back to his feet, he attacked Ted. Jacy could see that Ted was losing, she despised violence, and she didn’t like seeing her friend get hurt, but she was so light headed that all she could do was grin and giggle at the scuffle.

Aaron had just finished having lunch with Marta when he arrived on the scene. He saw his boss, Ted, getting beat up, so he jumped into the fray. The man’s buddies came to his aid, and soon there was an all out brawl. Jacy took the rest of her beer and slinked out of the way and settled in a corner to keep from getting hit, but she wasn’t there long before the man who had been touching her managed to make it over to her side while everybody else was punching one another over tabletops and into chairs. The man pulled Jacy along the wall to the back of the saloon where he escaped the battle through the back door.

Kid was getting restless, so he went outside. He patted Katie on the rump and feed her a sugar cube from his pocket. Ike was across the street sitting in front of the PEG when he heard loud noises coming from the saloon. He signed to Kid and Kid strolled closer to the saloon, and upon hearing the commotion, he ran in to see what was going on. Kid had already seen Teaspoon leave town on Banter, so he wasn’t concerned about ruining Teaspoon’s meeting with Max. As him and Ike entered the saloon, he shot his gun in the air a couple of times to get everybody’s attention. He was totally taken by surprise to see that Ted was amongst the fighters. Ted and Aaron told Kid want had happened, but before Kid took several of the men in for disturbing the peace and damages to the saloon, he glanced around searching for Jacy. “Where’s Jacy?” Ted and Aaron turned around and looked over the saloon. Jacy wasn’t there.

“She must have slipped out while we were fighting.” Aaron stated. Kid was relieved. She had probably gone back to the PEG to change out of the saloon dress.

Ted looked at the men they had been fighting and noticed that one was gone. “The man who was pawing Jacy is gone, too.”

Tension overtook Kid’s body as he heard Ted speak. He hoped that the man didn’t have Jacy, but there was a possibility that he did. “Aaron, Ike look for Jacy while I get these men settled in at the jail. I’ll join you as soon as I’m done.” Kid motioned for the men to leave and they did so. He followed them and after they entered the jail, he locked the three men in a jail cell. Then he went to find Jacy.