Hello again. Let me not babble, I'll get on with the Story. I just want you to understand my long vacation. First of all, my sister, who is only one year older than I, lived with me in this home. My Mother passed away on December 23, 2019. This past January, just one year and two weeks after my mother's passing, my sister, Shelly, passed away from COPD. My heart is once again broken and I'm once again trying to keep myself sane. I want to just be done with this crap we call a life, but I can not. I will go on, just like I have to. But my heart has been ripped from my chest once more. Losing someone is terribly difficult and heart wrenching. I'm barely recovered from my Mother's death and now I must face it again. I'm sorry for bringing my problems to this story, I need you to know that I have not forgotten about you and this story.

Yellow Wolf and his pack of braves continued to follow the tracks. He knew that the trail was leading to a white man's town known as Dodge. He would find White Eagle and the child and they would pay with their lives. He didn't know why White Eagle would head for a white man's village, but he knew where they headed and he would follow them and hunt them down.

Doc entered the room to check White Eagle over, but he was still unconscious. He checked his watch and noted the time. Just about half past seven every Saturday, Festus would show up for a game of checker and proceed to attempt to beat Doc. Once in a great while he would but that would always be because a certain redhead with the eyes of an eagle would step in and show Festus what he was missing. He knew for a fact that Kitty would not be popping in today, as Matt was taking her and Shayona to breakfast at DelMonicos . As he stepped out onto the small landing, Matt, Kitty and Shayona, all bundled up due to the winter wind, stepped off of the board walk. "Good Morning," Doc hollered down to them.

"Good Morning, Doc." Matt said which was followed by the very feminine voice of the beautiful redhead.

"Morning Doc."

"Yaateeh abini doo ahehee" Shayona said to Doc as she pulled from her mother's grip and started slowly up the steps. Doc came down to meet her and sat on the step and pulled a peppermint stick from his pocket for Shayona.

"this is for you." He said holding the stick out to her. She took it and smiled at him and kissed his cheek. Doc was all smiles and watched as she sat on her butt and slid down the steps. Matt went over to her and lifted her up off the step and the four of them, including Doc, headed over to Del Monicos for breakfast.

"Really, Doc, you've got to stop spoiling her. Between you and Festus she's got more toys than 10 children and more clothing too." Kitty said as she walked beside him.

"I'm allowed to spoil my Granddaughter." Doc said simply. Kitty could only smile at him and his response.

The three adults and child headed for Del Monicos where they would meet up with Festus.

Linda Bellamy and Her husband John sat at a table in Del Monicos having their breakfast when Linda saw Kitty enter with the baby in her arms.

Linda once worked for Kitty at the Long Branch, but had met and fell in love with John Bellamy and they married. Kitty didn't hire women to have sex with men and her girls were just dance hall girls, dealers when necessary, and servers as well. But they did not serve men in bed.

Linda was once good friends with Kitty until her daughter Kathleen died. Kathleen was playing outside while Kitty and Linda were having tea. Kathleen had been told to never go near the pond on the property and for the most part she listened to what her mother told her. But on this particular day, Kathleen had been following a very rare monarch butterfly that was red. She was so fascinated with it that she didn't realize she was standing on the rock trying to reach out and catch the butterly until she slipped and hit her head on the rock.

Linda realized that her eight year old daughter hadn't run into the house for a full twenty minutes and anytime Kitty was there the child was in and out every few minutes.

"I wonder what that little one has gotten into." She said getting up and going over to the door and looking out. "I'll be right back." Linda told her and Kitty got up and walked over to the door. Linda walked over to the Hill that led down to the pond and stood there screaming. Kitty came running out of the house and rushed down the hill while Linda just screamed. Kitty did not stop when she got to the water but quickly waded into the water and to the child floating face up. Kitty grabbed Kathleen and brought her back to the shore. She listened to see if the child was breathing and looked up at Linda still screaming.

"Get the wagon, Lin, NOW!" Kitty yelled at her. She finally turned and ran towards the barn to her the wagon which had been hitched for a ride back into town with Kitty to meet John and Matt for dinner, which would not happen at this time. The wagon came tearing into town with Kitty driving it and Linda in the back holding Kathleen in her arms. Matt and John were heading across the street when they came rushing into town. "Matt, get Doc." Kitty yelled as she pulled up to the side. Matt ran up the steps of Doc's office, but had heard the wagon racing into town and was out the door before Matt reached it. Doc rushed down the steps following Matt closely. He climbed into the wagon and checked Kathleen over.

"Matt, get her up to my office, very carefully and be gentle." He told Matt. Festus climbed into the wagon and gently lifted Kathleen then handed her as gently to Matt who climbed up the stairs to Doc's office. Doc looked at Linda. "John, Linda's in shock get her to my office as well." He said climbing out of the wagon. John climbed in and took Linda into his arms and carried her up to Doc's office.

Kathleen was in a coma, and she stayed that way until her heart finally stopped three weeks later. Linda came out of her shock blaming Kitty for her daughter's death, but it had been an accident. Linda was blaming herself for not keeping a closer watch on her daughter. She accused her of killing her child and the town knew what had really happened, that Kathleen, Kitty's God Child and Namesake had in fact fallen and struck her head. They did not protest her claims, because she was a grieving mother. That was almost two years ago and still she blamed Kitty. Kitty never argued with her because like the townsfolk she knew that Linda was grieving. For the past two years, Kitty had endured her cruel remarks, taunts and sneers. John had tried to apologize to Kitty, but Kitty just said that she understood and He didn't have to apologize. She was used to people being cruel. She had learned it so many years ago, when she returned after being a captive.

Kitty hadn't noticed Linda and her husband sitting at the table, but the other patrons, noticed the look Linda had on her face when she saw Kitty enter Del Monicos with Matt and the little child Kitty was carrying. She loathed Kitty and the look was plain as day. Kitty sat down with Shay on her lap. The waiter came over to them and took their order and Kitty took a napkin and put it around Shay's neck to keep her dress clean. John paid the bill and he and Linda stood up. He headed for the door, but then turned to see Linda heading for Kitty and Matt. Kitty was gently tying the napkin in the back when Linda walked up.

"I guess the rumors are true. You were someone's squaw and look what you have there, a little savage of your own." She said angrily.

"Linda, that's enough." John said taking her arm.

Angrily she pulled from his grasp. Then glared down at the round faced baby who smiled up at her.

"That savage doesn't belong in this town with decent folk." She said still glaring at Shay, who suddenly hid her face and began to cry.

Kitty pulled Shayona around and held her against her chest. "Shoooo, it's alright." She cooed to the baby.

"You think you could ever be anything more than some man's whore, Kitty, cause that's all you are." She said and Kitty looked angry, but somewhat embarrassed by her comment.

"Linda, I think you better leave." Matt said standing up and stepping in front of Kitty and Shay.

"Yes, of course, we mustn't upset Kitty now, must we. The people in this town should know the truth. You laid with an Indian, and that's the results." She said as the baby looked back at her, her face stained with tears. A lump caught in her throat, but she didn't stop. "You're no better than those filthy savages." She turned and walked out of Del Monico's. Matt gently took Shayona from Kitty and gently took Kitty's arm and helped her up. She tried to keep from looking at anyone, but a woman grabbed her arm.

It was Ma' Smalley. "You hold your head up high, Kitty, you've done nothing to be ashamed of. And that baby," she said pointing to Shay. "That baby is yours and she's beautiful." She said as Shay looked up from Matt's shoulder and Ma reached out to her. Shay went to her willingly and Ma followed Matt and Kitty back to the Long Branch.

By the time they reached the Long Branch, Shay had fallen fast asleep on Ma's shoulder. Matt escorted the women around the back where he took Kitty's key from her and opened the back door that led to Kitty's office. They entered and Kitty and Ma headed for Kitty's office.

"Ma, thank you." Kitty said taking the sleeping child from her.

"I don't know what's gotten into Linda, she seems to be getting meaner with each day." Ma said as Kitty placed Shay in the large basinet on the desk.

"She still blames me for Kathleen's death." Kitty said wiping a tear from her eye. Matt went over and grabbed three glasses and poured each of them a brandy. Kitty sipped it as did Ma. Matt sat on the edge of the desk looking into the basket that held Shayona. His heart ached for the baby because he realized the prejudices this child would have to grow up with being half white and half Indian and he also just now understood why Kitty had left her with her father, because she didn't want her to go through what Linda had done to her.

"I think I bess be going." Ma said.

"I'll walk you home, Ma." Matt said. He gently leaned down and kissed Kitty on the forehead. "I'll be right back, Kitty. Why don't you take Shay upstairs and get her to bed?" He told her. Kitty shook her head yes.

"Remember what I said, Kitty, hold your head up, you've done nothing wrong. Besides, most everybody that meets that child, fall instantly in love with those golden brown eyes of hers." Ma said smiling and Kitty finally smiled as well.

TBC

I think that I will stop here. I hope you have all had an amazing Easter. I'm sorry to take so long between chapters, but life has a way of getting me down. I've been trying to deal with my sister Shelly's passing. The past two years have been on a down hill slope and I hope that it'll soon change. I hope that this was more than sufficient to keep you interested. Thank you for reading and keeping me sane.

KR