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“Alright, Morgan. This will only take a second.” Arthur rode his horse closer and closer to the train station, the pit in his stomach getting deeper and deeper. He had done this a dozen times - unfortunately - and no one had ever given him any sort of trouble, but paying off bounties, especially ones of this size, always made him nervous. The thought of a gang of bounty hunters stalking him from around a corner, ready to jump him before he could right his wrongs, always loomed in Arthur’s mind. But it was important to Dutch that the whole gang keep their reputation positive and profile low. Paying off any and all bounties was crucial. Arthur hitched his horse on the post at the end of the station and walked the short distance across the platform to the teller window. A family was waiting patiently for the train to arrive, and two men played Dominos at the other end of the platform. “Just one minute!” the clerk called from the back of the postage room. Arthur nodded and tried to relax, rubbing his thumb over the wad of cash in his pocket. He tried to add up exactly how much he was paying off: one hundred-something from Saint Denis, plus fifty or so from that thing in Rhodes, and then there was that scuffle in Strawberry that wasn’t even his fault, and maybe a fine or two for getting drunk in Annesburg and maybe accidentally trespassing… “Are you in line?” Arthur turned to see a young lady standing behind him, looking up at him with wondering eyes. “Oh, yeah, I, uh, I was just waitin’, but you can go on ahead.” Arthur took a step out of the way and gestured in front of himself. “Oh no, that’s quite alright,” you said, smiling politely at the rough stranger in front of you. “You were here first.” “Please, I’m sure you have somethin’ very important to mail.” “Sir!” The clerk waved Arthur up to the window. “What can I do for you?” “I, uh…” Arthur glanced behind him to see you fiddling with the string on your package as you waited. Of course, when he needed to pay off his crimes, a pretty lady was right behind him - and this payment was his highest yet. What would she think of him now? “Sorry I’m late…” A young man, maybe 16, entered the postage room, quickly hanging up his jacket and adjusting his hat. “It’d better not happened again,” the station clerk grumbled. “What was it that you needed, sir?” “I need to pay my, uh…” The young man waved you to the window, and you squeezed in beside the stranger you had spoken to before. “What can I help you with?” “I need to mail this package.” You handed the parcel over to the young man, and he whisked it away to the scale. Arthur watched as your gloved hands delicately gave the parcel over and fold back in front of you. “Sir?” The station clerk was starting to get annoyed. “Are you sending mail? Picking up?” “I need to pay off some…” “Bounty?” Did the clerk have to be so loud? Arthur nodded. “Yeah…” “Your name?” “Morgan.” “Full name.” “Arthur Morgan.” The station clerk took a step back and went through the files he had, searching for Arthur’s name. You tapped your foot on the platform as you watched the young man who had taken your package fiddle with the scale, jotting down numbers as he went. And here you thought this would be a simple stop. “Whatcha mailing?” the stranger - now known as Arthur Morgan - said to you as he relaxed his stance, hands going to his belt buckle. “A gift for a friend,” you explained. “Her birthday is next week.” Arthur Morgan nodded, and the clerk finally came back to the window with Arthur’s file open. “You own a total of… $578.25,” the clerk announced, “across all counties.” You gasped to yourself as Arthur’s eyes went wide. “Five- five hundred!” Arthur leaned over to try to look at the papers the clerk had open. “That can’t be right!” “Oh, it is.” The clerk leafed through the file. “Public drunkenness, trespassing, harassment, armed robbery, threatening civilians with a firearm, assault, resisting arrest, public nudity-” “Fine! Fine!” Arthur threw down his initial wad of cash and dug through his pockets for more. “I never threatened a single person,” he grumbled, “and that robbery was all Dutch.” The young man returned to the window, at last. “You’re sending your package to…?” “Blackwater,” you replied. “The address is right on the box.” “Oh yes. Postage is $16.” “$16? Are you sure it’s that much?.” “The parcel is a little on the heavy side, miss,” the young man explained, “and rates to send mail to Blackwater have increased since there have been more robberies than usual. More guard on mail coaches.” “If you say so…” You pulled out your pocketbook and fished out $16, handing it to the young clerk. “Thank you, miss. Have a nice day.” You nodded and turned to go back across the platform just as Arthur had pulled out enough money to pay his bounty. “And a quarter.” Arthur threw a quarter on top of the stack of bills. “Don’t forget the quarter.” “Thank you very much, sir.” The clerk quickly counted the money Arthur had shoved towards him. “The sheriffs will be notified that your bounties are paid as soon as possible.” Arthur just grumbled as he turned to go back to his horse, now $578.25 poorer. You looked up to see that the stagecoach you had ridden in on was gone, probably already halfway to Valentine with your luck. So you plopped down on one of the waiting benches, hoping another stagecoach would come by soon so you could get home. $16!? You thought, pulling out your lace fan and beginning to fan yourself. I could have taken the train to Blackwater and back for the price of a coach ride and postage. Maybe I should just walk back home. “Are you waitin’ from someone, miss?” You looked up to see that Arthur Morgan you had spoken to. “Oh, no, I’m just waiting for the stagecoach to come back. It shouldn’t be too long.” Arthur looked up to see that the stagecoach post was indeed abandoned. He took a breath, trying to build a little confidence to shoot his shot. “If you’d like, I could give you a ride back home. I’m not in a hurry to get anywhere, and stagecoaches aren’t exactly known for being prompt.” You slowed your fanning and looked up at Mr Arthur Morgan. He was handsome, you’d have to admit, especially in the afternoon light. He was that rough sort of handsome, strapping with the scars and whiskers and worn clothes. For a split second, your mind wandered to what might be under those clothes and what he could do with that body, but… “Oh, I don’t know…” You turned your face away and covered your mouth with your fan. “I’m not one to take rides from strange men, especially strange men who paid off $600 bounties.” You giggled as you saw Arthur’s face go pale. He stuttered for a second, trying to find a way to recover. “That was- It’s- They’re usually not that high!” “So you’ve had previous bounties to pay?” “Just little things! Y’know, havin’ one too many at the saloon with a friend, gettin’ in little fights?” “Armed robbery?” “Pffft!” Arthur waved his hand. “That was one time! And besides, it wasn’t my idea!” You turned slightly away from Arthur and shrugged your shoulders. Arthur saw his chance with a gorgeous woman slipping away. Chances are he would never see you again, so he would just have to put himself out there. “You are very beautiful, miss, and I only wanted to give you a ride because that’s the gentlemanly thing to do, especially for a lady who caught my affection as quickly as you did. I only wanted to make sure you got home safely to your family, and maybe spend another minute with you. I am terribly sorry if I offended you in any way.” Maybe he wasn’t as simple as you originally thought him to be. You raised a brow and turned your eyes in his direction. He had removed his hat, golden brown hair glowing in the sun. His eyes had gone soft and his face had turned gentle. You stopped fanning yourself and just stared for a moment that this lion that had turned into a lamb. “Well, if you’re so concerned with my safety,” -you shifted over on the bench to give Arthur some room to sit- “why don’t you sit with me until the coach comes to make sure no one bothers me, or tries to whisk me away.” Arthur let a wide, childish smile spread ear to ear before he slid down next to you, his arm falling on the back of the bench behind you. “I never did catch your name,” Arthur said, leaning. “Miss (your last name),” you humored. “Is that all I’m getting?” Arthur said with a chuckle. “Miss (your last name)?” “If you play your cards right, you might just get my first name.” You gave Arthur and sultry side eye. “And maybe I’ll let you take me to dinner sometime.” Arthur grinned. “Only if I can take you home afterward.”