Like Lightning
Chapter One
What’s taking her so long, Kid wonders standing next to Katy and Lightning who are tethered outside the trading post at Platte Bridge. He notices a finely dressed man leading a shining black mare. The man dismounts and approaches Kid.
'Son, do you know the owner of that horse?' He asks, nodding toward Lightning.
'She’s owned by a Pony Express rider,' Kid answers, not wanting to give any information about Lou to this man.
'Is Lou McCloud his name?' asked the man.
'Yes, sir,’ answered Kid
'Well, please give this to him,' he says, handing a letter to Kid. He gives Lightning a pat and says, ‘'Good to see you again Lightning girl.' He mounts his own shining gelding and rides off. Kid gazes down at the well-worn letter with “Lou” written on it in a woman’s handwriting.
Lou comes out of the store and starts to put a package in her saddlebag. Putting a hand on her arm to stop her, Kid says, 'A man recognized Lightning and asked about you. He gave me this.' He hands Lou the letter.
The color drains from Lou’s face as she takes the letter, hastily puts it in her saddle bag, mounts Lightning, and takes off at a full gallop. Kid mounts Katry and chases after Lou.
After 10 minutes at her fastest pace, Lou stops at a stream to let Lightning rest. Catching up to her, Kid asks, 'Who do you think that man was, Lou?'
'I guess I never told you how I came to have Lightning, did I?' she answers.
'Nope,’ answers Kid.
'Well, now’s as good a time as any I guess. Let’s start out and I’ll tell you on the way home.'
After mounting up and hitting the trail at a walk, Lou begins her story.
'Son, do you know the owner of that horse?' He asks, nodding toward Lightning.
'She’s owned by a Pony Express rider,' Kid answers, not wanting to give any information about Lou to this man.
'Is Lou McCloud his name?' asked the man.
'Yes, sir,’ answered Kid
'Well, please give this to him,' he says, handing a letter to Kid. He gives Lightning a pat and says, ‘'Good to see you again Lightning girl.' He mounts his own shining gelding and rides off. Kid gazes down at the well-worn letter with “Lou” written on it in a woman’s handwriting.
Lou comes out of the store and starts to put a package in her saddlebag. Putting a hand on her arm to stop her, Kid says, 'A man recognized Lightning and asked about you. He gave me this.' He hands Lou the letter.
The color drains from Lou’s face as she takes the letter, hastily puts it in her saddle bag, mounts Lightning, and takes off at a full gallop. Kid mounts Katry and chases after Lou.
After 10 minutes at her fastest pace, Lou stops at a stream to let Lightning rest. Catching up to her, Kid asks, 'Who do you think that man was, Lou?'
'I guess I never told you how I came to have Lightning, did I?' she answers.
'Nope,’ answers Kid.
'Well, now’s as good a time as any I guess. Let’s start out and I’ll tell you on the way home.'
After mounting up and hitting the trail at a walk, Lou begins her story.
'After I’d been on my own for a while I started working at a livery stable in Brownville mucking out stalls. It was pretty good work and I had a private place to sleep whenever there was an empty stall. One day a man dressed real fine rode on the shiniest, prettiest horse I had ever seen. He noticed my awe at his horse, tossed me a nickel, and asked me to run into the general store to buy some peppermints for his horse. I thought this was pretty odd…I didn’t know yet that that was a thing people did.
I came out with a sack of mints and tried to hand them up to him but I couldn’t reach because his horse was so tall. He leaned down, grabbed the sack from me and put two in my hand saying. He said, “One for you and one for Starlight here. Just put it in your hand under her nose and she’ll pick it right up from you.” I did as he said and the horse gently picked up the mint from my hand then rubbed her muzzle against my head. She was the gentlest horse I’d ever met.
'She likes you,’ the man said as I rubbed the big horse’s nose. Then he asked how old I was. I was 14, but I said I was 12 owing to how small I was. He said, ‘Shouldn’t you be at school?’ I told him no, that I didn’t go to school because I had to work to earn my keep. He asked about my family and I told him how my mama had died and that my pa had run off when I was little. I remember the man looked at me kind of sideways like…I could tell he thought I was still awfully little.
He said, “A boy like you shouldn’t be out on his own out here, you might get hurt. There are a lot of people who aren’t very kind to orphans.” I told him that I knew that but I had a good job at the livery and the owner made sure I always had food to eat and a roof over my head. “All right boy” he said, “I’ll come looking for you next time I’m in town just to make sure you’re doing okay.”’ Then he asked my name and told me his name was Mr. Ezra Wilder. He gave me the sack of peppermints and I specifically remember that he told me not to eat them all at once because it wasn’t good for my teeth.
I came out with a sack of mints and tried to hand them up to him but I couldn’t reach because his horse was so tall. He leaned down, grabbed the sack from me and put two in my hand saying. He said, “One for you and one for Starlight here. Just put it in your hand under her nose and she’ll pick it right up from you.” I did as he said and the horse gently picked up the mint from my hand then rubbed her muzzle against my head. She was the gentlest horse I’d ever met.
'She likes you,’ the man said as I rubbed the big horse’s nose. Then he asked how old I was. I was 14, but I said I was 12 owing to how small I was. He said, ‘Shouldn’t you be at school?’ I told him no, that I didn’t go to school because I had to work to earn my keep. He asked about my family and I told him how my mama had died and that my pa had run off when I was little. I remember the man looked at me kind of sideways like…I could tell he thought I was still awfully little.
He said, “A boy like you shouldn’t be out on his own out here, you might get hurt. There are a lot of people who aren’t very kind to orphans.” I told him that I knew that but I had a good job at the livery and the owner made sure I always had food to eat and a roof over my head. “All right boy” he said, “I’ll come looking for you next time I’m in town just to make sure you’re doing okay.”’ Then he asked my name and told me his name was Mr. Ezra Wilder. He gave me the sack of peppermints and I specifically remember that he told me not to eat them all at once because it wasn’t good for my teeth.
'Wait a minute,' Kid starts, 'do you mean to tell me the man I met today was Ezra Wilder the horse breeder?'
'One and the same if the letter is from who I think it’s from. I’ll read the letter when we get home.' Saying this Lou continues with her story.
'One and the same if the letter is from who I think it’s from. I’ll read the letter when we get home.' Saying this Lou continues with her story.
'About a week later I saw Mr. Wilder driving a fine carriage with a pretty lady and a girl about my age on the seat next to him. He stopped at the livery and asked after me. I dusted myself off the best I could and went to stand next to the wagon. “Rebecca, this is the boy I told you about,” he said. I held my filthy hands behind my back, bowed my head a bit, and said “pleased to meet you Mrs. Wilder.” Mrs. Wilder commented on my manners and said it was a shame I wasn’t in school.
Next, Mr. Wilder asked me to get some water for his team and asked to talk to my boss. When I came back, Mrs. Wilder smiled at me and asked whether I would like to come help out at their stables. She said if I worked hard on my chores I would get to go to school. The only thing I missed more than my Ma and Theresa and Jeremiah was going to school. To say I was happy wouldn’t have done anywhere near credit to how I felt at that moment. I told the Wilders that I would need just a moment to gather up my things and would be right with them. I wrapped all my worldly possessions in my extra shirt and climbed on the back of the Wilder’s wagon.’
Finished with this part of her story, Lou tells Kid, ‘We had better pick up the pace if we want to be home by nightfall. I’ll tell you the rest of the story later.’
Chapter Two
As they put Katy and Lightning in their stalls and brush them down, Lou continues her story.
'We had gone about 2 miles when I saw a lane lined with young cottonwood trees and a sign that said “Wilder Stables.” As we drove up the lane my eyes nearly popped out of my head as I saw a huge red barn that must have had at least 12 horses leaning their heads out of their stalls. Shiny black and bay horses that looked like Starlight, the horse I had fed the peppermint to. Mr. Wilder brought the carriage to a drive in front of a big white house and helped his wife and daughter down. They went into the house and I hopped off the back of the carriage and stood gape-mouthed. A man came out of the stable and took the carriage from Mr. Wilder. Then Mr. Wilder put his arm around my shoulder and said he would show me around. I felt a bit uncomfortable, but something told me I could trust this man–maybe bec ause he had a daughter my age. He explained that the horses were Morgans–one of the finest breeds from back east and he planned to make them one of the finest in the west as well. He told me that Starlight was the first Morgan he ever bought and the dam of many of the horses he owned.
After showing me the stable that held the Morgans, he took me into second stable of smaller stalls with shorter doors. In each was a pony, some barely more than 10 hands and some as big as 14. He told me that the smaller ones were Shetlands and the larger ones were Morgan/Shetland crosses. He explained that they were fast and strong and that they would be very popular out here once people get to know them. “Will you take care of them for me?” he asked. “You just seem like you have horse sense.” I was in complete awe of the ponies and shocked that this man wanted me to take care of them.
When we reached the end of the aisle, he showed me a pretty chestnut pony that he said belonged to his daughter Elizabeth. In the next stall, the tallest of the cross-breed ponies reached its nose out and touched my shoulder. Mr. Wilder then introduced me to Lightning, his first cross-breed filly He told me that his daughter had her heart set on riding Lightning but the horse was only 4 and not trained enough for Lizzy to ride. “Lightning seems to have taken a shine to you. Do you know how to ride?” he asked me. I told him that until I started working at the livery I really didn’t know anything about horses and still had never ridden one. He said that if I was going to earn my keep I would have to learn how to ride and that my size would be very helpful with the ponies.’
one place.’
After showing me the stable that held the Morgans, he took me into second stable of smaller stalls with shorter doors. In each was a pony, some barely more than 10 hands and some as big as 14. He told me that the smaller ones were Shetlands and the larger ones were Morgan/Shetland crosses. He explained that they were fast and strong and that they would be very popular out here once people get to know them. “Will you take care of them for me?” he asked. “You just seem like you have horse sense.” I was in complete awe of the ponies and shocked that this man wanted me to take care of them.
When we reached the end of the aisle, he showed me a pretty chestnut pony that he said belonged to his daughter Elizabeth. In the next stall, the tallest of the cross-breed ponies reached its nose out and touched my shoulder. Mr. Wilder then introduced me to Lightning, his first cross-breed filly He told me that his daughter had her heart set on riding Lightning but the horse was only 4 and not trained enough for Lizzy to ride. “Lightning seems to have taken a shine to you. Do you know how to ride?” he asked me. I told him that until I started working at the livery I really didn’t know anything about horses and still had never ridden one. He said that if I was going to earn my keep I would have to learn how to ride and that my size would be very helpful with the ponies.’
one place.’
'Really?' interjects Kid. 'Are you telling me that you’ve only been riding for 4 years?'
'Yup, a little less than 4 years actually,’ answers Lou. ‘Now let me tell you about how I learned to ride.
'Yup, a little less than 4 years actually,’ answers Lou. ‘Now let me tell you about how I learned to ride.
‘The next day a trainer named Duncan got me up in the saddle for the very first time. It was an English saddle because Mr. Wilder had come from back east. I learned to walk and steer pretty quickly and then Duncan taught me how to trot. Trottin’ English style is different from how I ride now. You stand up and sit down in the stirrups instead of settling your seat in low and riding through the bumps.
I felt like the pony and I were one and I could do anything. Duncan said he’d never seen such a wide grin on anyone’s face as he did when I learned to canter–that’s a lope. I was grinning into the wind from ear to ear. He also said he’d never known a boy so natural on a horse or as fearless as I was either. Pretty soon he had me riding out on the open prairie, through water, and jumping over any obstacles that were in my way. I think Duncan enjoyed watching me fall off and then get right back on over and over again.
As I was learning to ride in the afternoons, I spent the mornings, after my chores, at school. I was behind the other students my age, but that didn’t matter since they thought I was so much younger than I was. I liked school and I did well with my lessons, but the best part of school was walking there and back with Lizzy. I told her about my mama and Theresa and Jeremiah and running away from the orphanage. She was so interested in everything that I had done and everything that had happened to me.
She told me about living “back east” in Massachusetts and how different it was from the west. They lived on a farm with an apple orchard but it wasn’t too far from the city of Boston. She said that their farm was surrounded by a forest and there were lots of rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. She told me about going to the port of Boston when her father met the ship carrying his first Shetland ponies that had come all the way from Scotland. She also told me about going to a place called Vermont where her father bought the Morgan horses. She said if you looked to the east you could see one mountain range and if you looked to the west you could see another! I told her I’d never seen anything but prairie and the Missouri River. Moving out West was a shock to her because she wasn’t used to having to drive half a day just to get to a tiny town that didn’t even have a hat shop! I told her I couldn’t imagine a store that sold nothing but ladies hats!'
In the spring, three very exciting things happened. First, I got to accompany Lizzy when she rode her pony, second I started to ride Lightning, and third, Mr. Wilder started taking me to horse auctions. My job at the auctions was to ride the ponies he was selling to show how easily they could be handled and what kind of training they had. The horse auctions were exciting and I was amazed by all of the different horses. They were all sizes, shape,s and colors, from the biggest draft horses to Mr. Wilder’s tiny Shetlands. To this day I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything as awe-inspiring as all of those horses in.'
I felt like the pony and I were one and I could do anything. Duncan said he’d never seen such a wide grin on anyone’s face as he did when I learned to canter–that’s a lope. I was grinning into the wind from ear to ear. He also said he’d never known a boy so natural on a horse or as fearless as I was either. Pretty soon he had me riding out on the open prairie, through water, and jumping over any obstacles that were in my way. I think Duncan enjoyed watching me fall off and then get right back on over and over again.
As I was learning to ride in the afternoons, I spent the mornings, after my chores, at school. I was behind the other students my age, but that didn’t matter since they thought I was so much younger than I was. I liked school and I did well with my lessons, but the best part of school was walking there and back with Lizzy. I told her about my mama and Theresa and Jeremiah and running away from the orphanage. She was so interested in everything that I had done and everything that had happened to me.
She told me about living “back east” in Massachusetts and how different it was from the west. They lived on a farm with an apple orchard but it wasn’t too far from the city of Boston. She said that their farm was surrounded by a forest and there were lots of rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. She told me about going to the port of Boston when her father met the ship carrying his first Shetland ponies that had come all the way from Scotland. She also told me about going to a place called Vermont where her father bought the Morgan horses. She said if you looked to the east you could see one mountain range and if you looked to the west you could see another! I told her I’d never seen anything but prairie and the Missouri River. Moving out West was a shock to her because she wasn’t used to having to drive half a day just to get to a tiny town that didn’t even have a hat shop! I told her I couldn’t imagine a store that sold nothing but ladies hats!'
In the spring, three very exciting things happened. First, I got to accompany Lizzy when she rode her pony, second I started to ride Lightning, and third, Mr. Wilder started taking me to horse auctions. My job at the auctions was to ride the ponies he was selling to show how easily they could be handled and what kind of training they had. The horse auctions were exciting and I was amazed by all of the different horses. They were all sizes, shape,s and colors, from the biggest draft horses to Mr. Wilder’s tiny Shetlands. To this day I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything as awe-inspiring as all of those horses in.'
Turning to face Kid, Lou says, ‘you should see a horse auction, Kid, you will have died and gone to heaven’
'Sure sounds like something I would like to see,' replies Kid.
'Sure sounds like something I would like to see,' replies Kid.
‘That summer Lizzy and I spent more and more time together with the ponies, her riding side saddle on her mare Buttercup and me on Lightning. One day we were sitting next to each other as the ponies drank from the stream. All of a sudden Lizzy kissed me full on the lips. To say I was shocked is an understatement! I stuttered out “Lizzy, I’m a girl” before I even knew the words had come out of my mouth. Lizzy looked at me with her eyes wide as saucers and then she started giggling and I started giggling too. It was the first time in 2 years that I had told someone my secret and I was so relieved that Lizzy finally knew. I thought she would be angry with me, but instead she said she was happy. She said she didn’t have a best friend out west but now she did. Lizzy was sure that if her parents knew I was a girl that they would accept me as part of her family, but I pleaded with her to keep my secret. I didn’t want anything in my life to change–it felt that perfect.
One day when we were riding in the ring in front of the barn, Lizzy took an awkward spill off of Buttercup. I dismounted and ran over to Lizzy to see how she was, but she had jumped up, tucked her in, and was running toward Lightning at top speed. She hopped into the saddle. She tricked me so that she could ride Lightning. It felt like it happened in a split second. Lightning was used to my gentle touch and she protested Lizzy’s kick by rearing and bucking.
I begged Lizzy to halt and dismount, but she was determined to ride that horse. I grabbed a lead rope and clipped it to Lightning’s bridle to help control her, but she spooked and took off like, well, like lightning. I dropped the lead rope so I wouldn’t be dragged around the ring and I just stood there calling for Lizzy to gently rein her in to a walk. Lizzy pulled hard on the reins and Lightning halted fast throwing Lizzy over her head to the ground just as Mr. and Mrs. Wilder reached the fence. I ran to Lizzy, grabbed Lightning’s reins, and knelt next to my friend who was completely still on the ground. Mr. and Mrs.Wilder reached Lizzy and Mr. Wilder commanded me to take Lightning back to the barn so he could, as he said, “deal with her later.”
'I panicked Kid. I thought for sure he was going to kill Lightning for hurting Lizzy. Instead of heading into the barn, I swung up on Lightning and urged her to gallop away from the farm. We didn’t stop until we had gone a good distance out on the prairie. I realized then that I was a horse thief and I knew the penalty for horse thieving. That’s how I became an outlaw.'
One day when we were riding in the ring in front of the barn, Lizzy took an awkward spill off of Buttercup. I dismounted and ran over to Lizzy to see how she was, but she had jumped up, tucked her in, and was running toward Lightning at top speed. She hopped into the saddle. She tricked me so that she could ride Lightning. It felt like it happened in a split second. Lightning was used to my gentle touch and she protested Lizzy’s kick by rearing and bucking.
I begged Lizzy to halt and dismount, but she was determined to ride that horse. I grabbed a lead rope and clipped it to Lightning’s bridle to help control her, but she spooked and took off like, well, like lightning. I dropped the lead rope so I wouldn’t be dragged around the ring and I just stood there calling for Lizzy to gently rein her in to a walk. Lizzy pulled hard on the reins and Lightning halted fast throwing Lizzy over her head to the ground just as Mr. and Mrs. Wilder reached the fence. I ran to Lizzy, grabbed Lightning’s reins, and knelt next to my friend who was completely still on the ground. Mr. and Mrs.Wilder reached Lizzy and Mr. Wilder commanded me to take Lightning back to the barn so he could, as he said, “deal with her later.”
'I panicked Kid. I thought for sure he was going to kill Lightning for hurting Lizzy. Instead of heading into the barn, I swung up on Lightning and urged her to gallop away from the farm. We didn’t stop until we had gone a good distance out on the prairie. I realized then that I was a horse thief and I knew the penalty for horse thieving. That’s how I became an outlaw.'
'An outlaw, you?' Kid looks at Lou with a shocked smile and tries to contain the laugh that is creeping onto his face. 'All five feet and 95 pounds of you?'
'Kid, I was terrified that the law was after me for horse theft. For months I stayed out of towns as much as I could and always left Lightning hidden when I had to go into a town. Finally when I reached Laramie I figured if the law was going to find me then they would have already. I started to relax. So that’s how I came to own Lightning, I stole her, Kid.' Lou finishes brushing Lightning, gives her a flake of hay, and heads toward the bunkhouse.
'So that’s why you took off when I gave you that letter,’ says Kid. ‘Wilder had finally caught up to you. How are you so calm right now?'
'I figured if he wanted to turn me in he would have found me right then and there, not given you a letter for me. Still, I wanted to put some distance between us. I’ll read the letter after supper.'
'Kid, I was terrified that the law was after me for horse theft. For months I stayed out of towns as much as I could and always left Lightning hidden when I had to go into a town. Finally when I reached Laramie I figured if the law was going to find me then they would have already. I started to relax. So that’s how I came to own Lightning, I stole her, Kid.' Lou finishes brushing Lightning, gives her a flake of hay, and heads toward the bunkhouse.
'So that’s why you took off when I gave you that letter,’ says Kid. ‘Wilder had finally caught up to you. How are you so calm right now?'
'I figured if he wanted to turn me in he would have found me right then and there, not given you a letter for me. Still, I wanted to put some distance between us. I’ll read the letter after supper.'
Chapter Three
After supper Lou takes the letter out to the barn to read it while the boys stay in the bunkhouse playing cards, Kid included. A few minutes later he excuses himself from the table and finds Lou sitting on a haybale with tears running down her face, the letter clenched in her hand. 'Lou?' asks Kid gently.
'Oh Kid, why did I ever run away?' sobs Lou.
'Is it from Lizzy?' Kid asks. She shakes her head, hands him the letter, and puts her face in her hands. The letter, crumpled, is written in neat feminine handwriting and dated 2 years earlier.
'Oh Kid, why did I ever run away?' sobs Lou.
'Is it from Lizzy?' Kid asks. She shakes her head, hands him the letter, and puts her face in her hands. The letter, crumpled, is written in neat feminine handwriting and dated 2 years earlier.
Dear Lou,
First of all, I hope that you are well. It breaks my heart thinking of you out there alone again. We sent out a search party for you, but you must not have wanted to be found, and we understand why.
As you were riding off on Lightning, Mr. Wilder and I were scared to death that Lizzy had not survived her fall. She wasn’t moving, but she opened her eyes, said the name 'Louise' and then fell into a deep sleep. We sent for the doctor and he had very little faith that she would survive her injuries. She had hit her head hard on the ground and her body was bruised and battered. Lizzy died within the week.
Please know that we do not blame you for Lizzy’s death. She was a determined girl and the other stablehands attested to how she had badgered you about riding Lightning and then had mounted up without your permission. We heard the commotion from the house when you pleaded with Lizzy to use a gentle hand with Lightning and not to kick her as she did with her old reliable mare. We were out of the house in time to see you attempt to calm Lightning and help Lizzy, and we were close by as Lightning halted and Lizzy was thrown.
The months after Lizzy’s death went slowly and we gave up looking for you. We never put the law on your tail because we only wanted to know that you were safe. We knew that Lightning was in capable hands and that the 2 of you were safer together than apart. As we slowly went through Lizzy’s things we found her diary and read the vivid stories she wrote about her school friends, and especially her friendship with you.
She wrote of your adventures together on horseback, though I hope some of them were exaggerated…the two of you certainly had some close calls. She wrote of the day she kissed you. What a brazen girl we raised! Her surprise when you told her you were a girl was genuine, and she seemed very excited to discover that her friend Lou was actually Louise. My heart nearly broke when I read those words. All that time you worked for us and I never looked closely enough at you to recognize the smooth skin and subtle curves of a teenage girl.
Lizzy wrote in her diary that she wanted to tell us your secret, but you refused. She was sure we would have taken you in and raised you as our own. While I’m not sure what we would have done at the time, I have come to realize that your closeness with our daughter makes you part of our family. I can only imagine what drove you to live as a boy, and I’m so glad Mr. Wilder found you at the livery that day.
Louise, I have given this letter to Mr. Wilder to carry with him as he travels around the west with the hope that someday he will find you. Please know that you are very welcome in our home at any time, and we would very much like to know that you are safe and healthy, and perhaps even happy. Please write to us.
Fondly,
Mrs. Rebecca Wilder
First of all, I hope that you are well. It breaks my heart thinking of you out there alone again. We sent out a search party for you, but you must not have wanted to be found, and we understand why.
As you were riding off on Lightning, Mr. Wilder and I were scared to death that Lizzy had not survived her fall. She wasn’t moving, but she opened her eyes, said the name 'Louise' and then fell into a deep sleep. We sent for the doctor and he had very little faith that she would survive her injuries. She had hit her head hard on the ground and her body was bruised and battered. Lizzy died within the week.
Please know that we do not blame you for Lizzy’s death. She was a determined girl and the other stablehands attested to how she had badgered you about riding Lightning and then had mounted up without your permission. We heard the commotion from the house when you pleaded with Lizzy to use a gentle hand with Lightning and not to kick her as she did with her old reliable mare. We were out of the house in time to see you attempt to calm Lightning and help Lizzy, and we were close by as Lightning halted and Lizzy was thrown.
The months after Lizzy’s death went slowly and we gave up looking for you. We never put the law on your tail because we only wanted to know that you were safe. We knew that Lightning was in capable hands and that the 2 of you were safer together than apart. As we slowly went through Lizzy’s things we found her diary and read the vivid stories she wrote about her school friends, and especially her friendship with you.
She wrote of your adventures together on horseback, though I hope some of them were exaggerated…the two of you certainly had some close calls. She wrote of the day she kissed you. What a brazen girl we raised! Her surprise when you told her you were a girl was genuine, and she seemed very excited to discover that her friend Lou was actually Louise. My heart nearly broke when I read those words. All that time you worked for us and I never looked closely enough at you to recognize the smooth skin and subtle curves of a teenage girl.
Lizzy wrote in her diary that she wanted to tell us your secret, but you refused. She was sure we would have taken you in and raised you as our own. While I’m not sure what we would have done at the time, I have come to realize that your closeness with our daughter makes you part of our family. I can only imagine what drove you to live as a boy, and I’m so glad Mr. Wilder found you at the livery that day.
Louise, I have given this letter to Mr. Wilder to carry with him as he travels around the west with the hope that someday he will find you. Please know that you are very welcome in our home at any time, and we would very much like to know that you are safe and healthy, and perhaps even happy. Please write to us.
Fondly,
Mrs. Rebecca Wilder
Kid sits next to Lou and puts his arm around her shoulder, 'I don’t know what to say. It sounds like they are real fine people who care about you.'
Wiping tears from her eyes, Lou responds, 'I thought they would never want to see me again after what happened to Lizzy. She was my friend and I cried and cried not knowing whether she lived or died, whether she was in pain. When I took off on Lightning, I was so concerned about my own hide and what Mr. Wilder might do to the horse that I didn’t stop to consider that I was losing the best friend I ever had.'
'What are you going to do now?'
'I don’t know. It’s all so sudden and new. I guess I’ll write to them one of these days and let them know how I am and how much their kindness meant to me. If it wasn’t for them taking me on, sending me to school, and teaching me to ride, I don’t know where I would have ended up. And my friendship with Lizzy made life worth living after everything that had happened to me.'
'Not to mention they gave you Lightning,' stated Kid quietly.
'Yes, Lightning, my steadfast companion, my confidant. I used to imagine I was talking to Lizzy when I talked to Lighting during those days on the run. It was as if I could hear her voice urging me on, giving me the confidence to continue my journey until I found a place I belonged. Lightning has taught me so much about riding and about life. She only needs the most subtle and gentle guidance to give me what I need from her. So often it’s like she can read my mind. She really is a special horse.'