"A" is for Apple , "O" is for Outlaw!

PT.7

The cabin was quiet. Kitty found Luke out by the grave. "Luke? Excuse me, I didn't mean to interrupt but I was thinking if you know what you want to write, maybe we could practice it on paper first and…"

He smiled slightly then nodded. "You still want to help me?"

Thinking about it for a moment, she shrugged. "I didn't think I had a choice but since I'm stuck here and waiting…"

Throwing his head back laughing. "So you still think Dillon is coming to rescue you, huh?"

Tilting her head smirking and tossing her hands up.

"Ok, ok, I'll leave you to have your delusions."

"Shall we practice writing for Sue Ellen?"

Luke looked down at the grave, blowing a kiss and whispered, "Forever in my heart my New Orleans lady."

Kitty smiled then, began to speak saying ,

"Pour tou jours dars mon coeur Ma Nouvelle Orleans Lady!"

Surprised, Luke turned and looked at Kitty as she smiled back at him. "Kitty? You speak French?"

"Yes, some. I was born and raised in New Orleans for some of my life."

"What you just said there, Sue Ellen used to say that first part to me. She went to boarding school in New Orleans."

"Oh , you mean, 'Pour toujoursdars mon Coeur' 'Forever in my heart'."

"Yes, yes. Sue Ellen would say that to me all the time. Teach me. Teach me to write it for her, will you please?"

Out in the barn, Cal was angry. He was tired of taking orders from Luke. He was feeling as though Luke was losing focusof what they planned and then when he made the decision to bring Sue Ellen, a woman, Tom and Dan's sister. What was he thinking? "And then he's going to tell me, Red, this Kitty woman isn't here for me to play with. HA! I'll show him. From here on out, I'm making some rules and rule number #1 is teacher lady Red is mine."

Calvin stormed out of the barn headed towards the cabin.

Festus followed the tracks Tom and Dan left, reconnecting with Matt. "Matthew? I was right. One of them there fellers horse has a lame hoof. It shows in the tracks. Matthew, over yonder a spell is abandoned cabin, but I see'd smoke in the chimney. Somebody's down there. Matthew, mebbe Ruth can take me closer and I can look see. Mebbe I kin git me a closer to see if Miz Kitty is…"

"Festus, wait. Festus, we don't know how many men we're dealing with. You saw two in the woods, but there could be more."

"Ah, fiddle, Matthew. Miz Kitty is down there with them there Yahoo's and we jest gotta git her out of there for anything…"

Nodding, "I know, Festus, I know." Matt realized how upset Festus was, knowing Kitty was in any kind of danger. He always had a special place in his heart for her.

"Matthew, I'm a going down there fer any them hurt one hair on Miz Kitty's head and they better hope she be ok cause I'll be on um like ugly on a ape."

"Festus, I'll head down towards the back side." Matt told him.

"Ok, shore thing, Matthew."

They slowly moved down the side of the hill towards the cabin hoping they'd not make any wrong moves especially not knowing where Kitty was inside or how many they were dealing with.

Kitty and Luke sat at the table. He was practicing writing the letters to the saying. When the door to the cabin flew open, Calvin burst in.

"Okay, now, Luke, from here on out I'm making some rules. Number one, if she has this Dillon coming after her, she will be our shield but if…"

"Here, Cal! You're crazy."

"You 've gone soft, big brother so I'm making the rules now and as for you, Red…" grabbing her by the arm, pulling her to her feet, "we're gonna get better acquainted."

Pulling back to try and free herself, "I told you to keep your hands off of me and I meant it." Kitty was now hitting at him to get him to let go of her. But Cal was pulling her towards the front door."

"Calvin, listen to me." Luke was now yelling.

"Nah, I'm done listening to you. I'm getting out of here. You can stay here with your dead wife. Do what you want but I'm not waiting for the law to catch up to us. I'm taking her and leaving." He was now trying to push Kitty towards a horse.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kitty spotted Ruth. She felt a big relief. She knew Matt had to be around somewhere as well.

Tom and Dan watched as the two brothers argued. They didn't want to get between them. They never liked getting in the middle of their disagreements. But they could understand Luke's feelings towards their sister and wanting to give her a proper burial before they went on their way.

"Alright, hold it right there. Don'tcha be twitch'n a hair. This here gun is a pointin right at'cher noggins and if'n you move one Iota, I jest might blow yer brains out."

Lookin around. "Miz Kitty? You be alright, are ya?"

Nodding, "Yeah, Festus, I'm alright."

Tom and Dan had dropped their gunbelts on the ground. Matt was circling around from the back of the cabin. He could hear the voices.

"Matthew, I got these Yahoo's. They be up here." Festus yelled as Matt walked around.

Cal quickly tried to grab Kitty and pull her in front of him, putting his gun to her neck "OK, whiskers. Drop it or Red here gets it. Planned on taking her with me. Hahaha. Red, you're sure a lot of woman." He grinned, leaning in and kissing her cheek.

Kitty cringed.

He then smiled. "But I'll kill her if I have to before I let you take me.

Luke tried pulling Kitty from Cal. "Come on, Cal, let her go." Luke pulled a gun aiming it at Cal, now with Kitty standing there.

Matt rounded the corner, and pulled his gun, firing. Cal and Luke both fired.

Festus yelled out, "MIZ KITTY!"

TBC