Abelia smiled when she seen Kitty sated in a chair nearby working on some needle point.
"You don't have to stay here with me if you have things to do," she said as Kitty put the wooden ring on her lap.
"I don't," she said with a forced smile. "Can I get you anything?"
"No," Abelia said looking around. "Doc wouldn't stop pestering me to eat this morning, so I managed to keep some dry toast down but I don't think I could stomach anything else."
Kitty nodded. "Well, you just rest and I'll have him check on you later."
Abelia nodded as she looked into Kitty's eyes. "You wouldn't lie to me, would you Kitty?"
"Of course not," Kitty said firmly.
"Are we really just delayed from leaving or has something happened?"
"It's just a delay," Kitty said quietly. "We are still leaving as soon as we can!"
"Thank you, Kitty," Abelia said closing her eyes with a sigh.
Robert pushed himself as hard as he thought he could go. Stopping for a moment to get his bearings, he looked behind him and saw a small speck in the distance and a cloud of dust behind him.
Whoever it was, was ridding fast and at the speed they were going, they would likely catch him before he reached Topeka.
Doc entered his office as Kitty stepped out of his bedroom.
"How's Matt?" she asked as Doc tugged at his ear.
"Madder than a hornet," Doc replied looking toward his bedroom. "How is she?"
"She's sleeping again," Kitty said worriedly. "She asked me if I was lying about us being delayed."
"What'd you tell her?" Doc asked as Kitty smiled.
"I lied," she said evenly. "I hate to, Doc. But I know it's for her own good."
Newly looked up as Cooper stepped inside the jail. "Not very smart, Marshal," he said ignoring Newly as he walked over to the cells. "Sending that boy for help is a dangerous game but I'm willing to play if you are!"
"I didn't send him, Cooper!" Matt yelled angrier than he'd been since all this started. "And I swear as sure as I'm standing here! If you harm anyone in this town, I will personally kill you!"
Cooper laughed as he looked directly into Matt's eyes. "You," he said looking around the cell. "We'll see!"
Another man walked in with a rifle as Newly started for the gun on his hip. "I wouldn't do that, deputy," Cooper said taking the gun from the younger man. "Tristan is here to make sure there's law and order, understand!"
Newly just glared as Cooper left and Tristan took a seat at the table in the middle of Matt's office.
Festus days were spent gathering food and making the cabin ready for winter which included insulating it against the coming cold and snow.
He hadn't seen anyone in time he'd been there which didn't surprise him in the least. The area had always been for trappers and hunters and they mostly kept to themselves.
Making a mark on a stick he was using to keep track of the days, he looked up in surprise when he heard Buck neigh.
"Easy boy," Festus said putting a gentle hand on the agitated horse's nose. "Did ya hear something."
Listening intently, Festus reached for his gun when he heard the tale tell noise of horse hoofs coming his way.
"Hello!"
Festus eyes narrowed but he put the gun away when he seen that the man was just a trapper, probably just traveling though.
"Hello," the hill man said as the man stopped.
"Names, Harkin," he said looking around. "Haven't seen anyone up here in years."
"Haven't had no cause ta come up here till now," Festus said quietly not mentioning his name on purpose.
"I see," Harkin said looking around. "You planning on staying a while?"
"Maybe," Festus replied curtly.
"I got a place bout ten miles from here," Harkin said with a nod. "I'll be there all winter."
"Alright," Festus said evenly. "What news ya got?"
"Depends on where," Harkin said. "Came though Kansas."
"Good a place as any," Festus stated. "What ya hear?"
"Not much," Harkin said. "Quiet except in ol Dodge City, couldn't get in fer nothing."
"Ya couldn't, why?" Festus asked his interest peaked.
"Some devil named Cooper had the whole town blocked to outsiders, I heard it from several travelers so I just kept on going."
"Much obliged, Harkin," Festus said absently as the man took that the conversation was over so he decided to move on.
"See ya next time," Harkin said leading his horse away.
"Ya," Festus replied. "Next time!"
Robert spurred his horse to run faster even though he knew it was probably pointless but then he had a thought.
Pulling off the road, he headed into a thick and dense grove of trees, leaving the horse tied up a good distance away, he returned to the road and waited for who ever was following him to pass.
Robert kept his gun ready, even though he'd only use it as a last resort.
After a while, the sound of hoof beats grew louder and then slowed as Robert realized the rider was tracking him.
He kicked himself for not covering his tracks before hiding, it was the first think Festus had ever taught him.
Sliding further into the brush, he watched the rider get off his horse, his gun drawn as he stepped into the woods.
"Alright, boy!" Cy yelled looking around. "I know yer here! Come out now and I won't kill you!"
Robert cocked his gun slowly as the man's footsteps got closer.
"If you don't come out," Cy yelled looking around. "I will kill you when I find you!"
Robert all but stopped breathing when the man turned his back in him. He knew it would be the only chance he got.
Jumping up out of the brush, Robert used the butt of his gun to hit Cy on the back of the head.
As the man crumpled at Robert's feet, he ran to the road and smacked the rump of Cy's horse sending it running off before going after his.
Untying his horse, Robert climbed wearily up on to it and headed back toward the road. But he didn't anticipate that the blow to the head wouldn't keep Cy unconscious long enough for him to escape.
As Robert rode away, Cy came to and staggered out to the road looking for his horse and when he didn't find it, he lifted his gun and squeezed off a few angry shots.