Mark and I had gone into town to have dinner with Millie.  Micah and John Hamilton, the Bank President, approached me and asked me if I would be willing to help protect $50,000 that was being transferred from the Yuma stage to the bank here in North Fork tomorrow night.  I agreed.  Millie and Mark and I headed to the hotel for dinner.

"It was a wonderful dinner Lucas, thank you," said Millie.  "My pleasure Millie, sorta help repay you for helping takin' care of this monkey tomorrow night."  "You don't have to repay me, Mark's always welcome!"  "Besides.....we have fun, playing checkers and reading," said Millie.  "Yup, and you're still three games up on me from last time," said Mark.  "We'll just have to see what we can do about that," laughed Millie.  "Son.....you mind getting the horses?  Mark smiled and looked at Millie and me.  "Alright Pa."  "If the stage is too late getting in, Mark could spend the night," said Millie.  "Oh I don't think that will be necessary.....the stage is always on time."  "But carrying all that money.....would they keep to their regular schedule?" Asked Millie.  "I don't see why not. Like John Hamilton said, it's safe, least until it gets here."  "Then all we've have to do is transfer it from the stagecoach to the bank."  "It'll be well guarded!" I said.  "You will be careful.....won't you Lucas?" Asked Millie.  I told Millie to stop worrying.  "I guess I can't help being a woman," said Millie. I looked at her with a smile....."No you can't!" I said.  [ teehee.....Cowgirl said ;) ]   "All ready Pa," yelled Mark. "Ready son?"  "Thanks Lucas," said Millie.  We then headed for home.

Had I known that Millie was in danger when she entered her store I would have done something to help her.  Maybe if I would have gone in with her to make sure everything was alright.  But I didn't and now two men, Sloan and Andy were hiding out in Millie's store.  As she entered the store she went to light the lamp.  Sloan, the master mind surprised her.  He put his hand over her mouth.  He told her he would remove his hand if she kept quiet.  He told her they would be staying a full day until the Yuma stage arrives. "No you can't!" Yelled Millie, as she ran for the door.  Andy stopped her by putting his arm around her neck.  "Mr. Sloane told you.....don't give us any trouble."  Sloane told her it wouldn't do her any good to act on impulse.  That Andy sometimes uses his gun on impulse.  She pleaded with them to leave.  Sloane said they would when they were thru.  "Surly you don't intend to stay here until tomorrow!"  "But tomorrows a work day.....people will expect the store to be open," said Millie.  "It will be as usual, until closing time," said Sloane. "And all day long.....just remember one thing.....as I said before.....Andy sometimes uses his gun on impulse."  "He'll kill you, or anyone else who interrupts our plans, is that clear?"  She nodded.  Just then someone was jiggling the door knob to the store.  It was Micah making his rounds.  He then went around the back.  He tried the door there.  He then came up to the window and looked in.  He walked away.  Millie knocked over a lamp shade.  Micah heard this and came back.  He looked in the window again.  He saw nothing, so he left.     

  Mark and I were getting things done here at the ranch before heading into town.  There was something wrong with my rifle.....it was the firing pin.  Mark asked where I put his saddle bags.  "Where I put your saddle bags?"  He said he had been looking all over for them.  "Look under the bed," I said.  "Nope.....not there," yelled Mark.  "Well try the closet then," I said.  "Not there either," yelled Mark.  "How about the Kitchen," I yelled.  "Look behind the wood box."  Just then I heard a thud.  Mark came running out of the house.  He found his saddle bags behind the wood box.  "Wonder how it got there," asked Mark.  We had everything done and we were ready to head into town.  Mark wanted to know since we hadn't stayed overnight in town for a while maybe we could do that tonight.  "I worked hard to build up this ranch and someday it will be yours and I'm beginning to wonder....."  "About what," asked Mark.  "The way you like to go to town these days. I'm wondering if you wouldn't rather be a city slicker then a rancher," I said. "Me!"  Mark said.  "Well.....you never turn down an opportunity to go to North Fork these days. There was a time was when you use to like to stay here and work the animals.....fish the pond.....herd the cattle."  "Well I don't see you stickin' around anymore then you have to.....especially since Miss Millie showed up," said Mark.  He knew he was right.  "You know somethin' Mark?" I asked.  "What?"  "You didn't shut your door."  We looked at each other and laughed.  "Your gettin' too big for you're britches," I said.  He laughed and went to shut the door.

While Millie was closing up for the day, as she drew the blinds she saw Mark and I riding into town. Sloane walked over to Millie.  He was impressed, not a single slip up all day long.  He felt something wrong as Millie drew the blinds.  He saw us and asked who we were.  She told him who we were and that Mark was going to stay with her while I helped the marshal take the money off the stage.  Sloane didn't want to turn Mark away.  He didn't want anything to look suspicious.  He threaten our lives plus her own if she didn't cooperate.

  We stopped by Micah's first.  Micah told me to meet him at the bank.  I took Mark on over to Millie's.  Strange, Millie had the doors locked.  I know she was expecting us.  We knocked.  She told us she had been takin' inventory.  She ask if I would stay and eat with them, she was going to make an apple pie.  I told her apple pie was Mark's department.  Then I left.  When Mark walked in he didn't smell anything baking.  Millie locked the door.  Mark noticed she was upset.  "Somethin' wrong?" He asked.  "Oh Mark!" She grabbed Mark and hugged him. "What's the matter?" asked Mark bewildered.  Just then Andy and Sloane came out of the back room.  They told him he had nothing to worry about as long as he behaved.  Millie told him what they were up to.  "No!" yelled Mark as he ran for the door.  Andy ran after him.  He warned him.  He then took Millie and Mark in the back room and tied them up. 

Micah and I started to make his rounds.  We wanted to make sure everything was safe before the stage came in.  The town was quiet.  Just as I finished checking the saloon a suspicious buffalo hunter rode up.  I couldn't help but wonder about him.  He told me he just came in from the State Plains.  He then went into the saloon to wash down the dust he had been eatin'.  I checked out his horse.  For him comin' that far, his horse was dusty not sweaty.  I told Micah about my suspicion.  We then headed towards the saloon to talk to him.  Just then the stagecoach rode in.  Oliver, the stagecoach driver, said everything went well, no problems.  We then started to unload the stage.  That's what Sloane was waiting for.  They went out the back way of the store. 

Millie and Mark managed to get an axe and cut themselves loose.  Now they had to do whatever they could to help.  Millie grabbed a canteen.  Checked to make sure they weren't anywhere in sight.  She then yelled "Lucas" and threw the canteen thru the store window.  Sloane and Andy opened fire.  I immediately killed Sloane and Andy.  The buffalo hunter came running out of the saloon shooting.  Micah killed him.  Millie and Mark came running out of the store.  We all hugged.  Micah and I finished unloading the stage while Millie and Mark went to lock up the store.  "I don't know what good it does to lock the doors," said Millie.  "Miss Millie.....were you scared?" Asked Mark.  "Well to be perfectly honest with you.....I was really scared."  "So was I," said Mark.  She looked at Mark....."That's nothing to be ashamed of."

 Well everything was safe and locked up in the vault.  "Say Pa.....why don't we go get Micah and Mr. Hamilton and go get something to eat!  I'm hungry!" 
"Hungry? What about all that apple pie you ate?"  "Well.....how could I eat with my mouth gagged and my hands tied behind my back and....."  "Alright.....we'll go get Micah and Mr. Hamilton and we'll get some apple pie."