Note to reader, if you haven't figured it out yet - I follow a loose Gunsmoke canon.

TWENTY-SIX

Eight years earlier Kitty, had been abducted by three hillmen and taken to their broken down farm in the Sand Hills, north of Dodge. In the middle of the night, she had been snatched from her room at the Long Branch. Bound, gagged and blind-folded, they'd brought her to the primitive shanty the Cathcart's called home. Orkie the elder son of Pa Cathcart had taken a shine to Kitty and it had been his hope that she would return the sentiment.

In the short time she was with the family she'd come to understand they meant no malice, They were good and gentle hearted. Cholera had quickly claimed the patriarch. With Pa gone, the hillmen's tradition of oldest son marrying first was no longer important. Sweet Billie, the younger son, was free to marry his intended, and Orkie sadly told Kitty he didn't think it would work out between them. Matt had come to take her home by that time. She remembered telling him there were worse things than marrying up with a Cathcart. She'd hoped for words of comfort, or perhaps a loving endearment, but he said nothing.

It wasn't surprising Matt had been at a loss for words, he often was. "Well, I guess you can take me home now," she'd told him. With one last look at Orkie comforting Sweet Billie, she'd turned and walked away from the Cathcarts. Melancholy filled her, tears she couldn't fully explain welled in her eyes and slipped down her cheeks. She'd never felt so alone. She was near the woods when he caught up with her. His hand reached for hers in a gesture so simple, yet powerful enough to erase the melancholy from her heart.

She turned to look into his face and saw the fundamental truth of the man. It was then, like a revelation, she understood- words between them weren't necessary.

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The sun was at its highpoint when they reached the clearing where Scharpf's buggy had been left, confirming they were on the right trail. Raising her hand she halted her companions. "It's not far from here. I think we'd best leave our horses, and travel by foot." she directed. Nimbly, she jumped down from her horse.

Ma and Molly heaved a grateful sigh as each awkwardly lifted a leg over the saddle horn to slide their stiff and sore bodies to solid ground.

"Twould be a pleasure to be walking again." Molly whispered to Ma as she rubbed her saddle-abused backside.

Kitty checked her gun, snapping open the cylinder, she spun it,making sure it was loaded. She grabbed her rifle from the saddle, and turned to her companions, "best get your weapons ready, you may need them."

Ma nodded, and she and Molly each went to their saddle bags, Ma pulled out a rolling pin and Molly a small cast iron skillet.

"What are those for?" Kitty asked incredulously.

"You said to bring a weapon we be comfortable in using ..."

Kitty bit her tongue against her foul thoughts, "just keep them at the ready," she advised. "Follow me, stay low and move quiet."

The shanty was as she remembered. The well was in front, and theou tbuildings or what was left of them to the left. The trio was hidden behind small trees and underbrush, the cover concealing them but allowing a good view of the cabin.

Through the open door they could hear Scharpf's voice, his words wereun intelligible, but the meaning was not. The tone held more threats than promises.

Ma leaned over to Kitty and whispered, "Kitty dear, what is your plan?"

A million different plans had run through Kitty's mind, but none seemed to make any sense now that they were here. She couldn't let her friends know how unsure and scared she actually was. She was saved voicing her insecurities when Mutti appeared at the door. She had a water bucket in her hands. She moved swiftly with the skittish movements of one under surveillance. When she got to the well, Kitty tried getting her attention.

In a loud urgent whisper she called, "Mutti..." A little louder, she tried again, "Mutti..."

The old lady stopped for a moment and looked in the direction of the voice.

"What's going on out there?" Scharpf hollered, appearing in the cabin doorway.

Turning to look at the depraved man, she smiled innocently, "I taught I heard da meadowlark..." Mutti quickly called back.

"Get that bucket filled and return to this abode at once!" Scharpf demanded."I cannot tolerate this child's constant whining."

Mutti lowered the bucket in the well, but allowed her eyes to scan the thicket. She caught a flash of Kitty's red hair. A ghost of a smile crossed her lips for her rescuers to see. She made no other sign she was aware of their presence but the smile told them what they needed to know.

Kitty waited until Mutti was back in the house before turning to her companions. "I'm going to sneak around to the back of the house. I think I might be able to look in the window. I've got to see what's going on in there. You two wait here." Straightening, she hesitated a moment than handed Molly the rifle. "Be careful with this, alright?"

The area surrounding the house was wooded, keeping low, Kitty followed the tree line until she was behind the house. She dashed the twenty feet of open space until she was crouched under the window at the back of the shanty. Puffing out her cheeks she blew air, and waited for a moment until her heart beat slowed and her breathing quieted, before standing up to peek in the window. His back to her, Scharpf was sitting at the table eating, while Mutti served him coffee. She craned her neck for a better look at the inside. Where was Katie? The fear she had suppressed was bubbling to the surface. She watched as Mutti walked back to the stove to set the coffee pot down. Bending over the wood box she reached in and picked up something. Kitty breathed a sigh of relief. It was Katie.

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Van Beek had set out immediately after hearing the news of the kidnapping. He was fortunate to catch up with the posse the next morning.

The men had stopped a few hours earlier to rest their horses. As they were breaking up camp they saw Van Beek.

'Matt Dillon!" he called from astride his rented gelding. "Are you Matt Dillon?"

Matt set his coffee cup on a nearby rock and strode over to the rider. "I'm Dillon, who are you? What do you want?"

"Why, the name's Allois Van Beek, I'm a traveling salesman."

"Seems to me I recall you Van Beek, what are you doing here?"

"Why, I got something to tell you." He dismounted and wished he hadn't for Dillon towered a good foot over his head.

"Say it." Matt ordered not of a mind to take time on social niceties.

Starting off with a stutter, he relayed the events of the last few days. Van Beek was no more than halfway through his story, when Dillon called to Yoman, "Bring the horses Johnny."

Carl had seen the stranger ride into camp and the serious look on Dillon's face as he talked with him. Hoping for good news of Mutti, he hurried over to Matt's side. Seamus followed along with Johnny and the horses.

"Mathias?" Carl questioned.

"This man tells me Scharpf has Katie and Mutti in a shack in the hill country north of Dodge, Carl, you Seamus and Johnny come with me, this started with Yellow River, we'll finish it that way."

Matt threw his saddle over his horse's back, as Dillon adjusted the cinch.

Van Beek ventured forward to say one more thing, "Mr Dillon, I think you should know, about that red haired lady..." With his heart in his eyes, Matt turned to face him. "What about her?"

Surprised at what he saw in the lawman's gaze Van Beek lost his train of thought and said instead, "Why, she's your woman ain't she?"

Dillon didn't reply, but a small muscle along his jaw line twitched a response. The little salesman stretched his small frame to meet the lawman's stare, then spit out his intended message, "Why, she said she was going out after them."