2 Dark Haired Men

Harry and Nigel sat in the cave drinking coffee and waiting for Kitty to come back from, as she called it, "relieving herself."

Nigel took another sip and looked at his tin cup with disgust, "This stuff is frightfully bad. What I'd love is a nice spot of tea in a proper cup."

Harry frowned as he stared into his coffee, "Agreed. Nigel, how long are we supposed to keep her hidden?"

"I believe David Miller spent 13 days in Dodge, so 17 days should do it. We might want to make it 18 just to be sure."

They sat in silence and minutes ticked by. Harry looked at Nigel, "Don't you think she should be back by now. How long could it possibly take a woman to piss?"

Nigel shrugged, "Well you know women, they can take quite a long time at it."

After a few more minutes they looked at each other and jumped up. It had been too long, even for a woman. They raced out of the cave and were wandering around calling her name when they discovered their horses were missing.

Harry kicked a tree. Nigel put a hand on his partner's shoulder, "None of that now. Let's get on with it. First we'll find our horses then we'll head towards St. Louis. We'll find them. We have to. We want to be rich don't we?"

Dodge

Doc hurried down Front St. to find Festus and Newly for Matt. He burst into the marshal's office, breathless from walking faster than he had in years, and was glad both men were there. He signaled them to come, "It's about Kitty." They grabbed their hats and followed. If they were surprised to end up in Kitty's bedroom with Matt lying on her bed, they didn't say.

Matt quickly explained Kitty's plight and gave each man an assignment. Festus headed off to the Ronniger's with a note for Bess, and Newly went to the Dodge House to find the two dark haired men who'd been watching Kitty.

Doc looked at Matt and could see that pain and stress were wearing him down. "I'm giving you something to make you sleep. No arguments." With his wound throbbing and nothing to do at the moment but worry, Matt accepted the sleeping powders without a word.

Festus threw a saddle on Ruth, his mule, "Ruth, I'm shamefaced bout the way I been treatin Miss Kitty - the looks I been givin her. Not the actual evil eye mind ya, but awful close. I gotta make it up ta her Ruth, that's why I need ya ta hurry to the Ronniger place. The mule snorted as if understanding and headed off at a trot.

The Ronnigers were sitting around the table in their big sunny kitchen. Bess and John, their 10 children, and the farm hands Billy and Greg, were laughing and talking as they filled themselves with Bess' good cooking. One of John's legs was resting on a chair and crutches were at hand. He had broken a leg when the rung of a ladder suddenly snapped, causing him to crash to ground. Bess patted her husband's arm as she spoke, "Greg and Billy, I want to say again that it was a blessing that you two came along just when we needed you. With John breaking his leg right at wheat harvest time, I don't know what we would have done without you."

Billy started to answer when a loud knock interrupted the conversation. 15 year old Kathleen jumped up, "I'll get it."

Kathleen smiled when she saw it was Festus and led him into the kitchen. Bess beamed when she saw him, "Festus, come join us. There's plenty of food."

To everyone's surprise Festus shook his head. "Maam, ya know I'm not one ta say no ta fine cookin, but I cum to give ya a note from Matthew."

She took the note and read it with a thoughtful look.

John hobbled over on his crutches, "What's it say honey?"

Bess spoke rapidly without taking a breath, "It's says my sister Hazel wants us all to go stay with her for a couple of days because it's her birthday and she's having a big family celebration, so John we should go. I'm sure Billy and Greg can handle the farm for a short time."

John was perplexed, "But Bess, you don't – umph"

Bess pushed the heel of her shoe down on John's foot before he could say that she didn't have a sister named Hazel, in fact she was an only child.

John's eyes watered with pain and Bess gave her children THE LOOK. Not one uttered a sound.

She offered Billy and Greg, her warmest motherly smile. "You two are so capable that I'm sure you can handle things here for us. We won't be gone long, and seeing my sister at this special time means so much to us. Do you think you can do it?"

Envisioning their own mothers requesting such a thing, they nodded in unison.

Bess turned to her children. All 10 of them, ages 2 through 16 stood saucer eyed. "Now I don't want a word out of any of you. We are going to your Aunt Hazel's. Everyone go pack some things. You older ones help the little ones. Go on."

The children dispersed eyeing each other but not saying a word.

In no time, children and clothes were loaded into the Ronniger's huge wagon. Bess sat next to the driver's seat. John hobbled over, handed up his crutches and pulled himself up next to her. He grabbed the reins and whispered, "Bess where on earth are we going?"

She frowned as if he was crazy and whispered, "To our cabin on Hazel Lake. The marshal wants us to stay there for a while and leave Billy and Greg behind. I don't know why, but my intuition says it has something to do with Kitty. I for one don't believe she's in love with that Miller fellow. John, times awastin. Let's go."

He nodded and they took off."

Billy and Greg watched them go, dumbstruck by the sudden turn of events. Billy spoke first, "Maybe we should get word to David. After all he said to not let the Ronnigers out of our sight. If that Russell woman starts giving him trouble, we have to kidnap one of those kids."

Greg thought for a moment and shook his head, "Let's not get David riled up. You know how he can be. The family will be back before we know it, and David will never be the wiser."

While Billy and Greg were talking. Festus rode by and waved goodbye. They barely noticed and went into the house to finish eating.

Dodge

Newly ran up the stairs of the Long Branch bursting with news. When he got to Kitty's bedroom he saw that Matt was asleep. Doc looked up, "Shss"

Newly whispered, "Doc, I have the information he wanted. Shouldn't I wake him?"

"Certainly not. Tell me. I'll tell him later."

Newly hesitated, but could see how worn Matt looked and how deeply he was sleeping, "All right Doc. Howie, over at the Dodge House, told me the men Kitty described checked in soon after David Miller came to town. Their names are Harry Smith and Nigel Smythe. Anyway, they're gone. Howie says they checked out this morning. There's no telling where they went."

"They're following Kitty."

Startled by the voice, Doc and Newly turned towards the bed and saw a very awake marshal. "I don't know how they fit into this whole thing, but Kitty was sure they were watching her so it figures they'd follow when she left."

Newly nodded, "Makes a lot of sense, Matt"

"Yep, now Newly I need you to check on something. I'm sure Miller would have taken Kitty by train if the tracks weren't out. Find out if they're fixed. If Doc and I can get a train in the morning, we'll get to St. Louis around the same time as Kitty and Miller do traveling by carriage."

Doc watched Newly hurry out and turned to Matt, "I suppose there's no talking you out of traveling."

"No Doc and be honest, part of you doesn't want to talk me out of it."

Doc rubbed his mustache, "I guess you're right about that, but you know I'm coming with you."

tbc