Festus checked at the hotel, - no Kitty. Matt checked with the deputy, who told him Kitty caught the train. Matt headed for the train station. The station attendant remembered selling Kitty her ticket and seeing her on the landing but did not recall seeing her get on the train. Matt then went to the telegraph office. David went to the saloon.

Kitty was hungry and cold. The lack of light caused her to be disoriented. She wondered how long she had been there - one day, maybe two or three. She was almost happy when the door opened. Light from upstairs came rushing in burning her eyes. In a funny kind of way, it gave her a ray of hope. The sheriff went into the outer cell. Kitty tried at first to see what was going on. Then she turned ran to the back wall. She made herself as small as possible and covered her ears. She began to cry but only for a moment. Then she became very very angry as she remembered another time when nothing counted but brutal force. A time when hope had been beaten out of her. She had given up because it hurt too much, she had suffered too much loss when men had taken and taken and taken until she would rather die or kill than lose one more thing. Kitty found a coldness inside that still had not thawed. She thought about how that loss could never be undone. It filled her full of bitterness and despair. Most of all, it made her unstoppable.

She stood up, her head high, and called to the sheriff, "Hey big boy. How would you like a lady of pleasure from a bawdyhouse in New Orleans? Come on you handsome buckaroo, come ride me. I will pleasure you in ways you have not thought of yet". She danced around in front of him. He tried to reach her through the bars, but she was just out of reach. The sheriff then came to her cell in a heated rush. She licked her lips and welcomed his tongue. She wiggled and squirmed until he was in position. When She felt him starting to react to her body, she bit down on his tongue so hard that blood squirted out of her mouth. At the same time, she brought her knee up between his legs. He hit her upside the head so she would release him. When she did, he fell backward. Grabbing his hair she introduced his face to her knee. He tried to get out of the cell, but she caught him on the ladder. Using her inch and half fingernails as meat hooks, she dragged him back. He kicked her in the face, but she felt nothing. That shiny badge egged her on as she threw him to the floor and jumped with both feet on his breadbasket. He grabbed her leg. Using the other one she kicked him in the face. Grabbing his head, she banged it time and time again on the floor until he no longer moved. Grabbing the other women, Kitty ran.

She ran to the only place she ever felt safe, the saloon. When David saw her bloody dress, black and blue face. He ran to her. Kitty softly told them, "I killed the sheriff."Festus pushed them out the door. Festus said, "I'll run and get Matt." David pulled his gun. "I will kill you and him before I will let her hang." Festus was taken back for a moment, then recovered. " That empty house we passed when we came into town. Let's get them off the street."Using the back alleys, they made it to the house. Festus started pulling back the rugs. "Most of the old houses have root cellars." When they found the hidden door, the woman refused to go down in. Kitty had wide-eyed fear. Festus said, "Keep them away from the windows, we need to get them out of this town. We should have some time before anyone finds the sheriff. I will trade that horse of your's for some riding stock. You should know Matthew is one of the best trackers I know. He will find us no matter how fast or far we run." David said, "I will not turn her over to that old Marshall."

David gaveFestus his gambling winnings. With the trade and money, Festus was able to get three Tennessee Walkers. He chose them because they do not freak out when they get into a tight spot and they can travel nearly 50 miles without water.

They dropped the woman off with her family. Her folks gave them some much-needed supplies. They rode hard and fast. David learned a lot watching Festus cover their
tracks. Festus found a cave to hide in as Kitty was having trouble staying in the saddle. Her eyes were swollen closed, and she seemed to be in a lot of pain.
The cave was cold and dark. Festus said they could not have a fire as the smoke would be spotted. Kitty had a blank stare said nothing, ate nothing. Festus was able to get her to drink some.

They settled in. Given Kitty's condition, Festus felt it best to squat for a time. David was standing the first watch. When out of the dark night he appeared, David fired. But his shot went wild. The large marshal did not return fire just sat in the moonlight. All they could see was his silhouette. Kitty recognized him right away and grabbed David's gun. The tall man fell off the horse in a heap on the ground. Festus ran to him, Kitty in tow. "He's burning up with fever." They pulled him into the cave. Kitty checked him out. His side was inflamed and badly swollen."He needs a doctor," She said as she ripped up her petticoat. "I need warm water and a knife." Then with frightened eyes, she yelled, "I am going to drain the wound."

Matt opened his eyes. "Kitty, you did not have to run. The sheriff is still alive he said he was jumped by four men. I knew it was you found this in the cell" he opened his hand it was her pin.

Kitty ordered David to go after a doctor. Festus thinking David may not be able to get a doctor to come. "Most doctors are not like old Doc. Them yahoos want people to come to them."

Tears ran down Kitty's face as she stabbed the knife into the inflamed wound. She wiped Matt's burning forehead throughout the night. Matt started to shake with the chills. Kitty banked the fire, then slipped under the blanket to hold her man and share her warmth. She prayed and cried until she fell asleep.
When Kitty awoke, she was surprised to find Matt gone. Looking around the cave, she found him leaning on a rock staring at her. She was going to yell at him, but the look in his eyes stopped her. He said not a word but she knew what he was thinking. Getting up she became aware of her swollen face, unkempt hair, and the stained dress. She blushed. He smiled like it all was some kind of joke. "You're beautiful."Kitty was still trying to pull herself together. "I must look a fright." Matt laughed harder. "Never looked better. Made some coffee." He then fell into a sitting position.

Two cups of coffee later He asked, "Why David?" Kitty smiled and looked far away for a second. "I had a real hard time when I was with child. Sick all the time. Toward the end, the baby would not let me rest at all. I went into what they called false labor. It hurt really bad. I was ordered to bedrest. My bed was above the bar. One night when I could not take the pain anymore, a voice came into my room. David Alen was singing that song Chester used to sing all the time. The one about having a pack on your back. Anyway when he was singing the baby stopped hurting me. When he stopped singing the pain started again. After David was born he had the colic - cried day and night. The only time he was not crying was when David Alen was singing...Matt, why didn't you come when I wrote you about the baby? I kept waiting and watching for you. I thought someday you would just show up."

Matt dusted off his pants legs. "I never opened any of your letters. You took off without a word. I thought you did not want me anymore. When I got the first letter I started to open it, The thought of you having a new life without me overwhelmed me. I thought of another guy holding you. I could not take the chance of opening that letter. I was barely resisting the temptation to come get you as it was." Kitty's temper was raging. She could no longer control it. "You never opened any of my letters?"Matt looked at her with sad regretful eyes. "I saved them all, have them all at the cabin."Kitty just wanted to kick him. "You didn't open any of my letters because you felt sorry for yourself? You know that first letter I was so sick and weak they had to tie the pen to my hand, I did not have the strength to hold it. I lay in bed alone having him, the baby kicking my insides out, and you were feeling pain. I faced everything alone, stood alone against the world, and you didn't think it worth your time to open a letter! After all, you might have to think about me. I had you in my thoughts every second of every day. David's firsts words cut me like a knife. I could not take joy in them because all I could think of was you were missing it. All because you did not think it worth your time to open a letter. When you get the back to that cabin, I want you to burn those letters. Rip them up and burn them. Rip them up and grind them into the ground until all that is left is a black spot in the dirt. Then I want you to bury the black dust. I changed my mind about you teaching the boy anything. We will get out of your life so you won't be bothered with us anymore!"

The sadness in Kitty was overwhelming. Her eyes filled with tears. Her body ached, she lost all the strength in her legs, and she fell into a heap. She buried her face in her hands and started crying so hard she chocked herself. Matt went to her. Just then David entered the cave. "What have you done to her!" he yelled as he went for his gun. "Get away from her!" Matt was not paying any attention to the raging boy. David did not fire out of fear he would hit Kitty. He took the gun and hit Matt upside the head. Matt fell as blood ran down his face. He started to stand, but David hit him again in the head with the gun. Matt dropped. David jumped on him, kicking and biting. Kitty tried to pull David off when David backhanded her. David stood in shock. "I am sorry. I did not mean to hurt you," he said as he ran to her aid. Matt now lost his temper and grabbed the boy, turned him around, and flattened him. Going to Kitty he asked, "Are you ok?" She pushed him away and went to her son. "Is he all right?"
Matt smiled. "He's ok. I did not hit him hard."

Matt held her as they watched their son unconscious on the cave floor. After a long time of silence, Matt asked softly, "Can we start again?"Kitty said"NO" Matt got things ready for a long night. "I did not believe I could miss anyone as much as I have missed you. I wish I had treated you better. Noone knew me like you. I miss that closeness. I am truly sorry but I promise things will be better. Why can't we start again?

"It is too late, Matt. I haven't the time. I am sick Matt. It's terminal. I need to get David set up in a place where he will never go hungry," Kitty said rubbing David's
forehead. Matt was trying hard not to cry himself when he asked, "How long?"
Kitty: "They told me a year. That was a year and a half ago."
Matt: "Does he know?"
Kitty: "Yeah. He got really mad at the world. That's when he started getting into trouble. He needs you. Maybe you can check on him from time to time just to see he is ok. I had him all set up in New Orleans. He would have anything he wanted. Now he'll have nothing because all my money was in my bag with my pills, that sheriff took it."

Festus appeared with Dr. John Chapman. When Matt saw them, he struggled to get up. "Take care of her. I will get your bag back." Kitty tried to stop
him, but he was gone without another word. When Matt returned with Kitty's bag, he was surprised to find the group celebrating. Dr. John Chapman disagreed with the New Orleans doctors. After looking at the pills Kitty was taking, he announced, "Miss Russell, you have been taken in by some less than honorable men in my profession. You 're not going to leave this earth any time soon."She smiled at Matt and said, "I guess we can start again."
Matt looked stunned. Then he said he had to return to town to see to the prosecution of the
sheriff. Maybe we can get together after the trail. See you later Kitty

THe end