Chapter 10
Taking Care of BusinessHey, here's another chapter. Oh, please forgive me. I used to know the Native American nations fairly well, now I can't remember diddly. Comes with hitting forty. I can't remember if the Lakota were runners and I am not trying to insult any nation, I am just writing and too lazy tonight to look it up on the internet. I apologize profusely.
KR
As Matt stood at the entrance of the cavern, he looked down at the coral below. She had taken both horses. Well, she had emptied his canteen, but she didn't know about the cool spring in the north cavern, so he would have no trouble filling it. He also knew that in the next four hours, when the sun reached directly above him, it would be at it's hottest, maybe near to 100 degrees. There was something else that made him smile, something, that Kitty had no way of knowing. He had grown up with the Lakota, his mother was half Lakota, which he doesn't speak about, not out of shame, but out of respect for his grandfather. His people were runners and he could run with the best of them. If his guess was right, Kitty headed for the nearest town, which he had told her was due west. She would be getting a ticket on the stage or train to anywhere, any place she could hide, that is. Breathing deeply, Matt headed for the spring to fill his canteen. He placed his bandana around his forehead to catch the sweat he knew would eventually drip down into his eyes. He took his bedroll, rolled his saddlebag in it and strapped it to his back, over his left shoulder, coming down to his right hip, as his uncles had taught him. When he was ready, he started to run, not a quick heavy step, but a good pace in order not to ware himself out too quickly. He knew he could get a good 6 to ten miles before noon at which time he would slow down even more.
Kitty rode into town. It was a small town, one which she would not be able to hide in for too long. She was grateful that she had taken the time to change into the men's clothing she had in the saddlebag. Her hair was pinned up and shoved up under the dark hat she wore. The black bandana around her neck, barely concealed her mouth, but did cover her throat and the non-exisiting adam's apple. She was not a woman with child-like figure, hers was the figure of a well endowed woman with the soft curves to match. The black shirt hid it somewhat, but the bulky jacket, hid it a bit more. She knew she had to be a spectacle, the sun was rising in the sky and the heat was catching up with her fast. She was going to have to discard the jacket and take the hat off and put the gun holster on her hips. She knew how to use the pistol and was a fare draw as well. She pulled up in front of the mercantile store and dismounted her horse. Kitty looked over at the two men, who seemed interested in her. She took the jacket off, revealing her womanly curves and pulled the hat from her head, and the single tortoise shell pin which held her mass of waves up, quickly fell down her shoulders and to her waist. She took a quick moment to take a leather tie and quickly tie back the unruly mass.
"Hey, sweetheart, you sure know how to fill out them thar' britches." He said as he and his friend laughed at her. Kitty grabbed the pistol from it's holster, twirled the gun in her hand three times till the pearl handle was back in her palm and quickly placed it back into the holster. She then grabbed the rifle from the saddle-holster.
"Yes, I do." She said as she stepped up onto the boardwalk. "Thank you." She said as the two men just watched her walk into the mercantile store. With the saddle bag slung over her shoulder, she entered the mercantile store.
"May I help ya' Miss?" The storeowner said as he stared at her. Two other female customers also stared at her. Kitty felt slightly out of place, but she knew that her best bet was to catch the first stage out as soon as possible. "I'd like to buy a new dress, sir and then if you could possible direct me to the depot?" She said as she approached him.
"I have dresses over here." He said pointing his hand as he headed to the corner of the store. "If you're looking to take the next stage out of town, there isn't another one until tomorrow morning at seven, and it's heading for Baxter Spring's Kansas then on to Fort Scott."
"Isn't there one this afternoon?" She said as she approached the dress rack.
"No, Miss, you just missed it by an hour. That one heads to Dodge City Kansas." He said as he pulled out a pretty blue dress for her to look at. The man must have read her mind, it was the perfect shade of blue to go with her eyes.
"It's perfect. I'll take it." She said as he took the dress over to the counter.
"There's a dress shop down the way, Mabel Horner can size it for you." He said as he started to wrap it in the paper.
"That won't be necessary. Do you have a dressing room where I can put it on?" She asked as she handed him three dollars for the dress.
"Yeah, just behind those curtains and to the right." He told her as he put the money in his box. She quickly discarded the men's clothing and dressed in the blue dress. She pulled pins from the saddle that she had wrapped in a white handkerchief and formed her hair into a soft twist with some tendrils hanging down around her face. The dress fit her perfectly, no need of alterations. She then took the black lace up boots from the back and put them on as well. Looking at herself in the mirror, she smiled. 'Might as well enjoy being a woman.' She said to herself. There was no need to hide for now. It would be at least a day and a half before the good Marshal walked into town. She had no doubt he'd follow her, and she wasn't able to cover her tracks with the weather being uncooperative with all that sunshine, so she'd bed down for the night and catch the first stage out in the morning, knowing Matt Dillon would be getting into town around noon or so.
It was just after noon, when Matt Dillon came walking into town; his first stop, the Mercantile, for a pair of boots. He knew that Kitty would be there, and he would find her, in good time. He needed to find out what she was up to. Then find his horse and hers and possibly bed in town for the evening. The Mercantile was quiet, not a soul in the store with the exception of the owner himself. "Howdy, Mister, what can I do for you?" He said as he looked down and noticed the big man's bare feet. "Don't like shoes?" He asked him.
"I like shoes just fine, Mr.?"
"Pike, Robert Pike, Rob will do." He said reaching his hand out to Matt.
"Well, Rob, I kind of lost my boots in a poker game and was hoping to find a pair to replace them here." He said as he stepped further into the store.
"Well, let's see," Said the owner as he looked over the boots he had on his shelf. He picked up a pair of plain beige boots, almost like the ones Kitty had taken from Matt. "These should fit." He said handing them to Matt along with a pair of white socks.
Matt sat down on the edge of the counter and put his socks on then the boots. "Their perfect! How did you know my size?"
"It's my job, stranger." Rob said as he headed over to the cash box. "Let's see, five dollars for the boots and a nickel for the socks. That comes to five dollars and five cents." Matt took the money from his pocket, handing the man a twenty dollar gold piece. Rob gave him his change.
"I looking for someone, maybe you can help me." Matt said leaning forward. Rob saw the badge on his chest, and knew who he was looking for.
"She was in here about an hour ago. Bought a new dress and headed out to get something to eat." Rob said smiling at the puzzled look on the big man's face. "I was the Sheriff in Baxter Springs some years back, I know something's up when a pretty redhead rides into town dressed as a man, then buys a new dress and asks when's the next stage out of Chustenahlah. I know she's gotta be running from the law for some reason."
"Where did she head?" He asked.
"Well, she asked if there was a good place to eat and I told her Ma' Henley's then she asked if there were any bettin' folk in this here town, I told her at the Old Rowdy Saloon. She's probably at Ma's now." He said watching the big Marshal. "You gonna arrest her?" He asked.
"Well, she was in my custody, when she gave me the slip, I aim to get her back into custody and continue on to Kansas." Matt said to him. "Listen, Rob, you mind keeping my being here to yourself."
"Not at all, Marshal." He said as the big Marshal headed out the door.
Matt looked up and down the streets observing the town and its surroundings. He'd wait for Kitty, and he'd take her back into custody.
TBC