The Trial of Kitty Russell – Part 1

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit will be had than that.

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The night was warm for early November, but Kansas weather couldn't always be predictable. Kitty stood behind the bar, filling one mug after another with beer and setting them on trays to be delivered. Looking around the room, she smiled at how busy the place was. Quite a few people were taking advantage of the mild weather to get into town and stock up on supplies and spend time in town before the winter set in. Once it did, Kitty knew her business would dwindle. Didn't mean they'd have no business but it wouldn't be this good.

Someone called for a bottle of whiskey and seeing no one else available Kitty picked it up and went around the bar to deliver it herself. She was about half way across the room when two strong arms wrapped around her waist and she was pulled into a massive chest as the man bent his head to nuzzle her neck.

Kitty knew who it was without having to look. With some difficulty, she managed to pull herself from his grasp, turn & slap his face. The noise in the place decreased by several decibels as heads turned to watch the two. "Garth Tindle, if I have told you once, I've told you a hundred times, keep your hands off of me." Kitty told him.

"Aww now, Kitty…." Garth began to wheedle. "You don't mean that."

"I do too mean it. I don't want anything to do with you. Not now, not ever." She seethed.

Garth ignored her words and reached for her again.

"I said leave me alone, Garth. What's it gonna take to make you realize that I don't want anything to do with you?" Kitty had just about reached the limits of her patience with him. He had been pestering her quite a while. At first it seemed like harmless flirting, but lately he was beginning to be a bit bolder, and Kitty was getting tired of constantly having to dance out of his reach as he tried to take more and more liberties with her.

"Kitty, darling, you know better than that. You know I can do a lot more for you than that Marshal ever could, if you give me a chance." Garth was determined. He wanted Kitty Russell and he was going to have her.

"The only thing I'm going to give you, is the wrong side of a gun if you don't quit. You come near me again and I will shoot you." She warned.

The saloon suddenly became completely quiet as all eyes and ears were turned in their direction. Everyone watched as the saloon owner threatened the oldest son of the richest man in town.

"Now, Kitty," Garth moved towards her again.

"Don't you, 'Now Kitty', me," she said thru gritted teeth. "I meant what I said. LEAVE ME ALONE."

"Is there a problem, Miss Kitty?" Kitty turned to see Thad Greenwood behind her with his hand hovering over his gun. Before she could respond however, Garth answered him.

"No problem, Deputy," he sneered. Somehow he managed to make 'Deputy' sound like a dirty word. Leering down at Kitty he grinned. "I'll see you later, beautiful."

"Next time you see me, I'll have a gun pointed at you" she fumed. Garth just laughed, turned and walked out of the bar. Kitty watched him walk out then turned back to Thad.

"You alright?" he asked concern evident in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Thanks though, Thad. Can I buy you a beer?" Kitty shook her in irritation.

Thad looked around the room as it returned to normal and nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. That would be great." Kitty delivered the almost forgotten bottle of whiskey, then turned and with Thad following, walked back to the bar.

"He's been bothering you quite a bit, hasn't he?" Thad asked as Kitty drew him a mug of beer.

"Yeah, he has." She agreed. "I just can't seem to get it through his thick skull that I don't want anything to do with him."

"You want me to talk to him?" Like most of the men in town he would do anything for her.

"No, no thank you, Thad. I don't think it'd do any good."

"Why don't you tell Matt about it?"

"I have, but there's not much he can do either." She said as she leaned against the bar. "Not legally anyway. I think he's warned Garth a time or two but it's obviously not had any affect on him."

"What are you going to do then?"

"For now nothing. I'm hoping he'll eventually get tired of me saying no and quit."

"And if he doesn't….?"

"Well, then, I just may have to shoot him." Kitty grinned up at Thad, who returned the smile. He didn't for one moment believe she would resort to shooting Garth Tindle.

Near the back of the room, a young man stood up from his table and headed for the exit. Pausing at the doors, he turned and watched as Kitty and Thad stood talking at the bar. With a thoughtful smile on his face, he walked out.

TBC