PT.10

Crowds were now forming in the streets of Emporia and around the bank.

Quickly, Festus, Sheriff Nelson, Franny and Matt, all grabbed Susan and Hope, ushering them away from the bank doorway. Matt told Festus to clear everyone away. Looking around, Elliot was leaning up against the wall holding the cloth against his head as Kitty had told him to do.

Keller and another of his men were lying dead on the floor. Davey was shot but still alive.

Then Matt saw Kitty and for a second his body froze. Then he took two quick strides to reach her. She was lying on her side unconscious. He quickly scooped her up, holding her close. "Hang on, Honey." He whispered as he carried her out of the bank. He looked at Nelson, saying one word. "DOCTOR?"

Nelson just pointed to an office across the street. Matt just walked without a word, Franny following.

Hope took Susan and the girls back to their hotel, so they could wait for word on Kitty and they could calm Miranda and Lula down. They were still hysterical. Susan tried giving them some tea.

While the two young girls sat huddled and talking, Susan and Hope sat off alone by the window seat, so they could watch for Franny.

"Hope, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Susan. You're my friend. You can ask me anything."

"Well, I was thinking. You told me that Miss Kitty was your friend. Well, you said your mother's friend. You both seem to think very highly of her."

Hope could hear the question in Susan's voice. Taking a deep breath, she sat back and rested on the window frame. "Susan, you know I told you, I never really knew my father. He left Momma when I was very, very young."

"Yes. I remember that."

"Well, when no one else would help Momma or give her a chance, she was all alone with me, a young child, Miss Kitty was there. She befriended Momma, gave her a job, helped her with me as much as she could and taught Momma to be strong enough to go it alone, if she had to. And she showed her that a woman can make her own way in this world. Be a businesswoman. And when Momma was ready to give it a try, Miss Kitty was there to help Momma get started."

"Hope? You mean, that's who helped your mother start her dress shop?"

Nodding her head, "Yes. And do you remember, when I met that awful man Ed?"

"Yes, you told me about him, Miranda's father."

"When I realized he wasn't the man I thought he was, and he'd never marry me and be a good husband or father for my child, I went to see Miss Kitty. And she didn't turn me away. She embraced me and offered me her kindness and support. And when I wanted to return home, here to Momma, she didn't just put me on a stage to Emporia. She made the trip with me, to see I got here safely. And when the stage was robbed by those awful men, she took care of me and protected me. She put herself in danger just to keep me and Miranda safe from harm. Miss Kitty is a good woman. And just look at what she did today for all of us. And now, now, she might… she might…"

"NO HOPE! You listen to me. From what I've seen of this Kitty Russell woman, she is one tough woman. She's going to pull through this. You hear me? She's no quitter."

Emporia's town doctor, Doctor Martin, was a young man. He had only been in town for just shy of a year. He had taken over the practice of the late Doctor Daniel Tennison. Doctor Tennison passed away after treating a family who come down with cholera the year before and being close to 70 years old, well... Doctor Martin was a nephew from back east, who decided to move west.

When Matt, with all his size and force, came through his door, young Doctor Martin decided to skip the introductions. Matt looking with his now steel blue grey eyes at the young, boyish looking doctor, said, "She's been shot. What can you do?"

"Ah, Ah... well, let's get her over here on the table and see where the bullet is, sir." He said swallowing hard. Matt's forcefulness took him off guard.

Matt stood looking over his shoulder like a hawk. After all, this wasn't Doc looking after Kitty.

Finally Martin swallowed hard. "Look, Sir…" Then he saw the badge. "I mean, Marshal. You'll need to give me some room here to work."

Then Franny suggested, "Matt, why don't we go and let Doc Martin take care of Kitty."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving her!"

"No, Matt, I just meant, let's just go sit over here in a chair, give him some room to work. Ok?" She tugged on his arm to lead him to a chair. He followed, reluctantly.

"Look, Matt, I know you're worried about Kitty, we all are. But Kitty's a strong woman. You know that."

He bent over with his elbows on his knees and his both hands covering his face. "Ahhhh, Kitty!"

TBC