Chapter 11

Her mind made up, Kitty urged the horses forward and must have travelled for another half hour at least before she saw something in the distance that could possibly be called a shack. It was run down and looked like a good gust of wind would blow it away, as to whether it was inhabited or not she had no idea but, as she got closer, she could see that the trail she was on – such as it was – ended in a small corral just past the building.

She approached what she guessed was the front door, and tapped gently on it – fearing it might fall down from the slightest blow.

"Hello," she called anxiously, "is anybody home."

At first there was no reply, then a gruff but female voice answered, "Who wants to know?"

Encouraged by the fact that at least someone lived here she continued.

"My name's Kitty Russell," she replied tentatively. "I'm a friend of Matt Dillon."

Suddenly the door opened and a very weathered looking woman of undeterminable age appeared. Her clothes were dirty and well worn and on her head was a felt hat that had probably been planted there many years ago and forgotten. The woman stepped outside reaching for a rifle that was propped just inside the door as she did so. Then the wagon caught her eye and she went to investigate,

"Where is he then?" Her voice was demanding but not unkind.

"He's in the back, Ma'am, he's been hurt."

The woman looked at her, - "Don't call me Ma'am, m'names Godie." As she spoke she flung the canvas flap aside and looked inside.

"Sonny," she called out, "just what's happened to you?"

"He took an arrow in the shoulder. I got it out but he's got a fever now, and I couldn't get it to break."

Godie climbed up in the back of the wagon and looked at Dillon. His face was flushed and his eyes unfocused. She felt his forehead and reached for his wrist to check for a pulse.

"We'd best get him inside, come and give me a hand."

Kitty was surprised by the strength of the woman; somehow between the two of them they got Matt into the shack and on to the only bed. Godie watched as Kitty started to undo the buttons on Matt's shirt – "I can see you've done that before," she observed – with something approaching a smile. "I'll go and warm some water."

Matt reluctantly fought his way to consciousness. The pain in his shoulder seemed to invade every bone of his body. The blue eyes that sought Kitty's were reddened and cloudy.

"Where are we?" he tried to ask, knowing his voice was barely audible because his tongue felt thickened and lazy. Somehow she understood him and taking his hand in hers she quietly tried to sooth him.

"We're at Godie's, Matt, it's going to be all right, just giving you time to rest for a few days."

He was still gazing at her with half focused eyes when Godie returned with a bowl of warm water and some clean rags.

Once they had eased the shirt off from his shoulder, Kitty could see that the whole area where the arrow had been was red and angry looking.

Godie set about cleaning it with the warm water and soft rags she had brought. She looked up at Kitty.'

"I need to go find some medicine for this. You stay here and keep him quiet. I'll get us some supper while I'm out." Then she turned to her patient, "You stay quiet now Sonny – I'll be back soon."

Kitty picked up a reasonably clean cloth and dampened it to wipe his face again.

Matt was still half way alert in spite of the fever that whipped around the edges of his mind. Kitty decided a little conversation wouldn't hurt anything.

"Why does she call you Sonny?" She was curious, thinking she knew, from the little he had told her, that Matt's family had all died in a cholera epidemic. He had only been spared because he was working herding steers for another rancher, miles away at the time.

"Everyone who comes this way becomes part of Godie's family." His words were halting but she was glad to hear him making sense after the fevered ramblings of a few hours ago.

"Godie said she was going to get some medicine for you, I'm not sure where she'll find anything around here."

"She knows," was all he said before his head fell to one side and he was asleep again.

Kitty got up and walked around the small shack. She was just reaching to put some more wood into the stove when a rifle crack cut through the quiet. It brought back vivid memories of a few days ago, but she was able to relax when minutes later Godie appeared in the doorway with rifle tucked in the crook of her arm. In one hand she had what looked to Kitty like a few weeds and roots, and in the other a good-sized jackrabbit.

"Put a little water in that pot, and heat it on the stove," she told the younger woman and when that was done she dumped plants roots and all into the water. "Now we'll just let that boil for a few minutes while I go skin this rabbit."

Later that evening Kitty found herself sitting at an old beat up kitchen table that had been used in its time as a butcher block, a workbench and now for eating. She had finished eating a very satisfying bowl of rabbit stew and now watched as Godie strained liquid from the pot of boiled herbs through several layers of fabric from an old shirt. After a while the old woman took a semi clean mug from a shelf and poured it half full with the resulting fluid.

"Now go see if you can get him to drink this – it won't taste too good but it should bring the fever down."

The Marshal was reluctant to drink the brew but by persuading and cajoling Kitty finally got him to take most of it. She herself was tired, the day had been long and full of fear for the life of Matt Dillon and the situation they were in. This shelter, poor as it was, was a refuge from the evils that lay in wait outside in the invading darkness of night. The glow from the oil lamps and the small fire in the hearth gave her hope that all would be well as she sat by the bed where Matt was lying. From time to time he would mumble words from a dream – or possibly a fevered nightmare, then at other times he was so quiet it would worry her, after all she had no idea about the concoction that Godie had brewed. She held his hand and at last placed her head on the quilt next to his chest and closed her eyes.

It didn't seem long before a gentle hand touched her on her shoulder.

"You need to get some rest – I'll sit with him for a while."

Godie indicated a small pile of blankets and a pillow laid out near the hearth. Kitty wanted to argue but did not have the energy. As soon as she lay on the makeshift bed, her exhausted body took refuge in sleep. Vaguely in the background she was aware that Godie was talking to Matt but even that could not keep her awake.

Godie had taken the boiled plants from the brew she had made, and mashed them together to form a poultice. Gently she packed them over the inflamed skin around the wound from the arrow and applied a bandage to hold them firmly in place.

"There now Sonny, that'll make you feel better soon." For about an hour she continued to talk to him as softly as her prairie roughened voice allowed, nothing special, just rambled memories. Finally she watched as he opened his eyes and looked towards her.

"Well if it ain't about time you woke up and took interest", she said as she picked up a moistened cloth and wiped his face and neck for the hundredth time.

"Kitty?" he asked

"She's resting right now, been sitting with you ever since you got here."

It took him a while to digest that fact.

"That's some woman you've got there Sonny."

He smiled and closed his eyes.

"She cares about you, you know. Done nothing but fuss over you since you got here. Pretty obvious there's something between you two."

Dillon had no answer.

"Seems you feel about the same way. There's some kind of bond between you two that runs pretty deep, I'd say."

Again he had no reply, just turned his head slightly to look away from her.

"You listen to me now Matt Dillon. She is a strong gal, well able to take care of herself, and you too, when the chips are down," she added. "Maybe you should do something about that."

"Godie… you know.. I can't as long as.." he didn't have the strength to continue his usual argument.

"Well you just get yourself a little more sleep there Sonny."

She pulled the faded quilt up around his shoulders and sat back in the old chair that supported her. "I'll be right here if you need anything."

xXx

Kitty awoke from her palette on the floor by the hearth. The fire had burned itself out and the small shack was quite chilled. She looked over to where Matt was sleeping. He seemed quieter now. Godie was asleep in an old rocking chair set beside the bed.

Carefully she pushed the blanket and old quilt from on top of her and searching in the wood box found some small kindling to restart the fire in the hearth. Gradually the flames began to rise up from the embers and it wouldn't be long until the cold air would be driven away.

She went over to check on Matt – indeed he looked much improved from last night, without the flushed look of fever on his face. Godie opened her eyes and looked over at lawman, then she looked to Kitty "He slept well last night after that medicine, I think by tomorrow you'll be able to travel on to Fort Wallace."

By that evening Matt was up and around – admittedly wearing a home made sling for his left arm to help ease the strain on his shoulder. Godie sat watching him and Kitty as they fixed supper and got the wagon ready to leave next morning. The old woman was feeling happy that "Sonny" had someone so special in his life.

TBC