Kitty Russell splashed water on her face, brushed her hair into a low pony tail and threw on her riding clothes. A glance at the clock told her it was 8:30 AM. She grabbed her feathered riding hat and stormed out the door. No one saw her. Anyone who had would have been stunned. In the two years she'd worked at the Long Branch seeing her emerge from her room before 11AM was almost unheard of. She marched to the stable and asked Hank to get her horse ready. He'd been around long enough to accurately read the moods of most people and quickly hid his surprise at seeing her up so early.

"Right away Miss Kitty."

She was on her way to Willow's Pond before the clock struck 9:00. Willow's Pond, the perfect place to be miserable in blessed solitude.

Within 20 minutes she was at the narrow footpath that led down to the pond and slid off her horse. "Here's a nice shady spot, girl. I'll be back in a while." She tied the reins around a tree branch and picked her way down the path. Halfway down she spotted another saddle horse with reins tied around a branch. Resentment rose up in her throat. How dare someone else be here when she wanted to be alone. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Kitty Russell you are in a bad way to be thinking like that. This is not your private property.

She continued down the path to the edge of the pond and glanced around to see who else was there. Squinting in the sun saw a woman sitting on a rock looking off into the distance. It looked like Claire, the pretty blond who worked in the dress shop, but she couldn't be sure and had no interest in finding out. She wanted to be alone and from the looks of it, the other woman wanted the same thing.

Feeling too agitated to sit she lifted her skirt and walked along the water's edge muttering the things she wanted to say to Matt Dillon. Her steps quickened and her mutterings grew stronger. Just when she was driving a point home to the invisible marshal with a big gesture, she slipped on a wet rock and unceremoniously fell to her butt with a loud. "Ouch."

"Are you all right?" The young blond heard Kitty's cry and before waiting for an answer ran over.

Kitty scrambled to her feet unhurt but groaning with annoyance at the mud on her skirt. "I'm fine but just look at this skirt." She looked up. "You're Claire from the dress shop. I thought I recognized you."

The petite, pretty blond nodded, "And you're Kitty Russell from the Long Branch."

Kitty tilted her head and smiled. "I've ordered things from the dress shop so I'm not surprised you know my name. I am surprised you know where I work."

Claire's pale skin turned pink with embarrassment but she looked Kitty in the eye. "I was curious about you because you always look so stylish and pretty." She shrugged," I snooped around some. Anyway, what brings you out here?"

"I was about to ask you that, but I'll guess. Man trouble?"

Claire slowly nodded. "I don't have anyone to talk to about it. My mama's passed on and I don't have a sister. So I came here to – well – to mope, be sad and cry if I want to.

Kitty sighed, "I have to admit that's why I'm here."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

They stood in awkward silence.

"Kitty, since you're all right I'll go back to my spot over there."

Suddenly Kitty didn't want to be alone and sensed that Claire didn't either. "Wait, since neither of us has anyone to talk to, how about talking to each other?"

Claire thought for a second, "I don't see why not."

Kitty smiled, "Let's sit over there. You go first."

Sitting side-by-side on a tree stump Claire began. "As you know tonight's the Dodge Summer Sociable, not only be biggest sociable of the year but the last one until next spring. I was set to go with Freddy, Freddy Miller – you may have seen us together around town. Anyway, Freddy just started his own ranch and has been working real hard. I admire that and encourage him every way I can. Anyways last night he announced he couldn't take me to the sociable. He just learned from some big rancher that there's a special horse sale in Hays City. Seems this sale happens only once every 3 years." Claire sighed, "Freddy explained over and over that this was a unique opportunity to get good breeding stock. He said if he passed it up, it would take him a long time to find horses of the quality he wanted."

Kitty nodded, "What did you tell him."

Claire shrugged, "I told him to do what he had to do. He knew I wasn't happy. Kitty I know he's working hard and worried about his ranch. I understand he needs good horses and this sale is important, but I just wish he'd acted like he knew how important this sociable is to me." Claire sighed, "What about you?"

Kitty hesitated. Trading stories was her idea but talking about Matt was unfamiliar territory. She took a deep breath. "Some folks would say that Marshal Dillon spends a lot of time at the Long Branch when he's in town."

"Kitty, just like I notice how pretty and stylish you are, I notice the way the marshal looks at you when you two are walking down the street or eating at Delmnico's. Go on."

Kitty smiled, pleased there were things she didn't have to explain. "Matt told me last night that he couldn't make the sociable because he had to go to Topeka to testify at a trial. I know it's his job, but the way he just casually announced it and then said I could go with Chester and Doc got me steamed."

Claire nodded in agreement. "That's like Freddie. He said his brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Sue would be happy to have me go with them. Going with a married couple is not my idea of fun."

Kitty shook her head. "Men." She shifted uneasily. She was growing uncomfortable in her wet, muddy skirt.

"Claire I'd better take this skirt off and wash it in the pond. If I don't get the mud stains out soon they'll never come out."

"Kitty if you take your skirt off you'll be down to your…." Claire's eyes widened.

"I have lots of layers without a skirt, anyway other than our horses and the birds in the trees this place deserted." She slipped off her skirt and dipped it in the pond. The August sun was bearing down and as she vigorously rubbed the mud stains away sweat trickled down her back. "It sure is hot." A slight smile crossed her lips." Claire, have you ever been skinny dipping?"

Claire answered in a shaky whisper. "Never, have you?"

"Just once, until today. When I finish washing my skirt I'm stripping and going in."

Clair's jaw dropped. Speechless, she watched Kitty spread her skirt out in the sun to dry and then piece by piece remove her blouse and under garments. The petite blond swallowed hard and looked nervously around. Sweat was running down her face.

Kitty was naked and happily anticipating the feel of cool water when she felt a tap her on her shoulder. "Last one in is a rotten egg."

Claire's naked body run past and splashed into the water. Kitty let out a belly laugh and followed.

Dog paddling beside Kitty, Claire sighed with contentment. "This is the coolest I've felt in 3 months."

Kitty was about to answer when a man's deep voice penetrate the quiet air.

"Jeremiah my map seems turned around. Is this Willow's Pond or Silver Lake."

"Ezra, you're the one with the map. And don't go saying some evil spirit got you confused. You were supposed to get us to Silver Lake. Let's go down to the water and figure out if this is a pond or a lake."

"It probably was an evil sprit that confused me."

"Oh, just come on."

Immersed in the water, the women could see the two burly, bearded men in overalls clomp down the path.

Claire whispered, "What do we do?"

"If we splash around they'll hear us and look this way. Let's try and be quiet."

They kept their eyes on the men. It was so quiet they could hear their heavy footsteps.

Ezra tripped over a log and stumbled, almost falling to his knees.

Jeremiah laughed loudly, "You clumsy oaf."

Ezra scowled at his brother. "Something pushed me, I swear, a demon or something."

Jeremiah shook his head. "You're just like ma and pa, blaming ghosts, demons and spirits for everything. I used to believe it too but now I'm too smart for that stuff."

"Ghosts and spirits are all around." Ezra grabbed his brother's arm, his eyes wide with fear. "Ma and pa are right and you not believing could bring us trouble."

Jeremiah pulled his arm away but before he could argue he spotted 2 piles of clothes. "Look there, ladies' garments. Ha, ha. I'll bet they're bathing. Let's take their clothes and wait for them."

Ezra grinned and joined his brother. They fondled and sniffed each piece of clothing. Ezra drooled. "Jeremiah I never smelled anything so good."

"The ladies will smell even better."

The ladies saw and heard it all. "Kitty they'll wait for us. We can't stay in the water forever."

Kitty whispered. "Ezra believes in spirits and ghosts and Jeremiah might too, even though he says he's too smart. I have an idea that's worth trying."

She cupped her hands around her mouth and deepened her voice. "I am the ghost of Willow's Pond, do not move." Jeremiah dropped the blouse he was holding and started to turn his head to search for the voice. Kitty bellowed louder, "The one named Jeremiah must not move." Ezra gripped Jeremiah's arms, "Be still." Claire cupped her hands and pitched her voice ultra high, "Whoooo, whoooo, whoooo."

A bird in a tree just above Jeremiah pooped, the droppings fell in the man's hair. He thought it was the ghost's doing and was terrified. "W-w-we m-m-mean no harm, honorable ghost. We were just looking for Silver Lake to go fishing."

"Whooo, whooo" Claire's high voice rang out. Kitty called in her deepest tones, "The lake is 2 miles south but catch no more than 4 fish or you will regret it. Go now."

Jeremiah ran towards the path. Ezra followed shouting into the air, "Yes, ghost yes." They raced up the hill and kept running, hoping they were going south.

When the men were gone Kitty and Claire swam to shore laughing all the way.

"Kitty, why that part about 4 fish?"

"Just for fun. I'll tell you that bird letting out its mess on Jeremiah's head was perfect. "

Still laughing they put on their undergarments and were basking in the sun when Claire's stomach grumbled. Kitty sighed, "I'm hungry too. I didn't think to bring food."

Claire sat up with a sly look. "Do you know the Kramers?"

"Heard of them. Matt's had unpleasant dealings with Mr. Kramer about property lines, and he had to talk him out of pressing charges against a 10 year old boy who accidentally trespassed."

"I've had dealings too. Mrs. Kramer had a dispute with the dress shop. She said the work I did wasn't what she ordered so she would only pay half. That work was exactly what she ordered but because of her I lost a good part of my salary that month. Kitty the Kramers' property is nearby and I happen to know they have peach and pear trees with fruit left on them; fruit that's been left to rot. They've done their picking and selling for the season."

"Claire you're not suggesting…."

"I was good at climbing trees as a girl, bet you were too."

They put on the rest of their clothes. Two women were on a mission.

TBC