The Long Way Home
Chapter 3
As usual Matt awoke before Kitty was even stirring. He eased himself from the bed, gathered his clothes, quietly dressed then made his way down the side stairway into the small alley beside the Long Branch. He liked this time of day. Everything was new again as the dawn chased away the darkness of the previous night. The air was still cool and, for Dodge, relatively fresh and sweet smelling.
Once in his office he got the stove going and put the coffee pot on. He still had some reports to finish and while his morning dose of caffeine was brewing he set about taking care of them. If he was going to be gone for several weeks, he needed to get the last of the paper work taken care of. The governor's letter had assured him that someone would be assigned to watch over Dodge while he was away, but the paper work was his responsibility.
Several times over the next hour or so he stopped and ran his fingers through his hair a time or two, then got up and paced the floor. What was he going to tell Kitty? Somewhere at the back of his mind he was aware that she had already guessed. Somehow last night she had figured out what was going on. He had no idea how.
An hour or so later he had almost finished his reports when the door opened and the young surveyor entered with a large leather roll tucked under his arm.
"Good morning Marshal. I brought the maps of the intended route to you if you have time to look at them."
Matt was taken back by the young man's appearance, his city suit was gone and he was wearing a brand new "cowboy" outfit complete with new boots, plaid shirt, spurs, chaps and Stetson. It all looked strangely incongruous. Mr. Jonas must have had a hay day outfitting the poor kid. Fortunately he had not given him a gun, but even so, if he walked around town dressed like this he was going to be in trouble. He would have to have a talk with Jonas!
Matt cleared the small square table in the middle of the office and Johnson spread out his map, there was a blue line extending westward from Dodge City mostly following the course of the Arkansas River. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as he thought. He knew that area pretty well.
"I thought the plan was to take the line to Denver."
"This branch is going to Pueblo – then a cut off from Denver will join up with it. There are some mining interests that needed the railroad to come their way – so the plan got changed. That's why they sent me here, the route has been drawn on paper but no one has surveyed it. "
The two men stood looking over the map, each buried in his own thoughts. The surveyor was excited that he had been entrusted with this task and Matt was trying to calculate how many days he would be gone from Dodge – and the owner of the Long Branch.
The men started to discuss the trip and what supplies they would need and where they could get more along the way if necessary. As far as the Marshal was concerned a few cans of beans and some jerky along with a little coffee to wash it down was all that was necessary – but Johnson had a young wife and he thought they would need a little more. The discussion masked the sound of the door opening and the owner of the Long Branch stepped inside.
"Hello Matt," she looked at him briefly and then at the map spread out on the table. Matt watched her – still feeling a little guilty – "Oh Kitty," then he remembered his manners, "this is Henry Johnson – he's a surveyor for the railroad. Mr. Johnson – Miss Kitty Russell."
"Pleased to meet you Ma'am." Young Johnson was impressed by the woman in front of him. Her hair, her clothes and the way she carried herself showed nothing but confidence. He had not seen a woman like this before.
Kitty leaned over the map and gave the young man her most seductive smile, he could smell the light perfume she was wearing.
"Oh how interesting, this must be the continuation of the Santa Fe." She looked carefully at the map, asking him what different symbols meant and what towns were along the proposed path. He was totally mesmerized by her, hardly having sense to answer her questions till he pulled himself together.
Matt knew she was planning something – he could just feel it. Kitty knew how to get her way.
"Mr. Johnson – you understand I don't know a whole lot about maps – could you ..er..show me where Fort Wallace would be, I have a friend there."
"Now Kitty.." Matt started – but she gave him a look that quickly closed his mouth.
"Yes of course ma'am," the young surveyor couldn't be more obliging, "It's a little north of where we're going to be. There is a lot of hill country up there but I expect one day the railroad will find a way through."
Dillon just raised his eyes and knew that come hell or high water, Kitty was going to get herself to Fort Wallace and she would be a lot safer if he took her. He looked hard at Johnson till the man looked back at him.
"Didn't you say your surveying equipment was arriving on the noon train, I think you have about ten minutes to get down to the depot to receive it."
"Oh yes marshal – I'll go get my apprentice and we'll see about getting everything unloaded. I'll come and check with you later." He was rolling the map and tying the leather cover as he spoke."
"It was really nice meeting you Miss Russell."
"I'm sure I'll be seeing you again later Mr. Johnson," she said so sweetly and bestowed another beguiling smile on the young man who couldn't help but feel he had just stepped into the middle of something he did not understand.
As the door closed she turned to face the tall lawman, the soft smile still in place.
"That is interesting don't you think, Matt?"
"Kitty, don't get ideas."
She smiled at him as she headed for the door.
"I'll see you later Matt."
He sat down, suddenly quite tired, but prepared to make one final effort to finish the paper work. Maybe an hour passed and he finally put the last report in a brown official envelope and sealed it ready to take to the depot. Getting up from his desk he went to check the coffee pot and in doing so did a double take on what he saw through the window. There coming along Front Street were two covered wagons, one behind the other, he hadn't seen that sight in Dodge before, most Wagon Trains did not pass through this town. He was even more curious when they pulled up outside his office, then his worst fears came true, a young man climbed down from the lead wagon, a young man dressed in brand new 'cowboy' gear, Henry Johnson, Surveyor.
Matt took his hat from the peg by the door and planted it firmly on his head. This was going to be a long few weeks.
xXXx
The young surveyor was eager to show off everything he had had brought from back east.
In the first wagon there was actually a bed – not much smaller than the one in Kitty's rooms. There were pots and pans and several pieces of furniture.
The second wagon was driven by a young lad, named Carl Thomas. Matt looked at him and realized he wasn't yet old enough to shave.
"This is my apprentice Marshal." Matt knew many kids of this boy's age who had grown up on the prairie, and were well able to take care of themselves, but this was a city boy, with no clue. Could things get any worse?
"And what do you have in the other wagon?"
Apparently there were some clothes, containers of flour and sugar, even a small stove and right at the back about three instruments needed for the survey along with a shovel and a pick.
"Look Johnson, this is not going to work. We can put the stuff you really need in one small wagon and get this job done as quickly as possible."
Somehow he should contact the governor and get this whole thing called off.
"But you don't understand marshal, it's like I told you, Abigail and I plan to stay in Colorado and make our home there." He looked at the eager young faces in front of him and knew that some how he would have to work with what he had been given.
This was not going well at all. Now he was going to be leading a wagon train with a young man and his young wife and an even younger apprentice. None of them had any experience driving a team along anything but a city street and he doubted any of them knew how to use a gun. Worse still he knew someone else was planning to join them – but at least she knew about life on the prairie and could use a shotgun. He shook his head and walked across to Delmonico's – maybe he just needed something to eat.
TBC
