Little Girl Lost

By Singerme and Leighann

Singerme and I had so much fun writing our last story together we thought we'd do it again. We don't own these characters. We just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

LGL*LGL*LGL

Kitty leaned against the window of the stage as it creaked its way down the muddy road. Matt sat beside her, hat low over his forehead, an occasional soft snore letting her know he was dozing.

They were on their way home to Dodge from a blissfully uneventful trip to St. Louis. Not once, in the five days they were there, did Matt get called away from Kitty to chase an outlaw, or get shot at or wounded in anyway, and not once did Kitty have to leave Matt sitting at a table with mug of beer while she handled some problem or other for the saloon. Though Matt did have to spend three of those five days in a stuffy conference room, consulting on several new proposed laws that would directly affect, not only him but other lawmen as well, the rest of the time Matt was solely and totally Kitty's.

They spent their free days looking around the town, eating at various restaurants, and they even had a picnic at a secluded park the concierge at the hotel had told Kitty about. Their nights were spent getting completely and intimately acquainted with one another in a way they weren't allowed to in Dodge. There were very few prying eyes and ears in St. Louis, but their time in there had now come to an end and they were heading home. Even though Kitty already missed the languid and peaceful anonymity of the big city, she was at least partially glad to be going home.

As Kitty watched the countryside pass by outside the stage window, she thought the trip hadn't been difficult, or the stage too crowded as she turned and looked at the passengers occupying the seat across from her. A portly man in a starched suit and a small little girl in a print calico dress, who looked miserable as she sat on the seat beside the older man. Kitty had smiled at the little girl and tried to make polite conversation with the man when every one first got on the stage, but he merely looked down his nose at Kitty and turned away. Kitty had exchanged glances with Matt as she settled into her seat and resolved herself to occupying the time watching the passing scenery for the duration of the trip.

"You sure are pretty." A quiet small voice spoke.

Kitty smiled at the little curly haired girl across from her. "Why thank you." Kitty beamed. "So are you."

The dark haired child with big blue eyes blushed at the compliment, and snuck a glance over at the man sitting beside her apparently asleep. "My Papa used to say I looked like my mama." The little girl practically whispered.

Kitty looked at the man beside the child in a little bit of confusion. "Used to?"

The child saw the direction of Kitty's gaze and shook her head. "He's not my papa." She sighed. "Papa and Mama died in an accident. This is my uncle."

"Ah." Kitty understood. "Then you're going to live with your uncle?"

"Yeah." The look on the little girl's face explained how she felt about that.

"Does your uncle live in Dodge City?" Kitty inquired.

"No." The bright-eyed little girl shook her head. "When we get to the next station, we're gonna take a stage that goes South."

"Oh." Kitty offered the child an encouraging smile. "My name is Kitty. What's yours?"

"My name is Brenda Russ." The girl answered, a tremulous smile appearing on her face. "Papa sometimes calls me Bren for short."

"Called." The portly man beside Brenda suddenly straightened up in his seat and scowled at Kitty before turning a stern look upon his niece. "Your father is dead. And I thought I told you not to talk to strangers." He commented sternly.

"She wasn't doing anything wrong." Kitty eyed the balding, potbellied man with muttonchops and cold gray eyes with disdain. "There wasn't anything wrong with Brenda talking to me. It's been a long trip."

Brenda offered Kitty a faint grateful smile before turning frightened eyes on her uncle. "I didn't do nothing. Honest Uncle Robert."

"I see your manners aren't the only thing I shall have to correct." The man scowled at his niece. "Your English needs improving as well. Of course, what can you expect with someone like James Russ as your father?" Looking across at Kitty, he scowled. "I'd appreciate it Madam, if you would leave my niece alone. She is very impressionable, and I do not want her around any bad influences."

Kitty was about to protest the man's attitude, when suddenly the stage lurched and the stage driver was calling "whoa" as he brought the stage to a halt outside of the relay station.

Deciding to let it go for the moment, Kitty nudged Matt awake and told him they'd arrived at the last relay station before hitting Dodge. "You want to stretch your legs a little before we take off again?"

"Yeah, I sure would." Matt answered as he unfolded himself, opened the door of the coach, and swung down holding out a hand to help Kitty down behind him. "Did the driver say how long we'd be here?" He asked Kitty.

Kitty grinned. "Considering you're the Marshal and he knows that, I'd say we'll be here for as long as you need to go where you need to go."

Matt shook his head with a grin. "You know, it's scary when you do that."

Kitty chuckled as Matt headed around back, and she headed inside the station in search of a cup of coffee.

TBC