Hello my friend once again I'm putting in a new chapter. I hope that you will enjoy it. I am trying very hard to finish this story, but life seems to get in the way. No excuses necessary. I thank you for continuing to read and keeping me going and in your prayers as I deal with the losses. This writing is therapy when I get the chance to do so. So without further explaining, let's get this party started.
KR
Linda sat at the table looking at the crushed flowers, the blue and pink ribbons that were her daughters. The tiny little ragdoll she had sewn for her daughter that she loved and carried it everywhere she would go. She found the small gold chain that held a gold heart on it. It was something that Kitty gave her when she was born. Angrily she threw the necklace into the fire place hoping that the fire would destroy it. John came into the cabin, he held wood in his arms, to put into the bin for the fireplace. Breakfast had been long over and he had been working in on the wagon. It was colder outside, yet the weather seemed unseasonable warm. This would mean a long harsh winter. He took his gloves off and his hat and watched his wife as she slowly put the things belonging to her daughter back into the wooden box. She slowly stood up and walked over to the fireplace with the box in her hands. She placed it on the mantle and turned to her husband who was watching her with sadness in her eyes.
"What?" She said as she went over to the stove to continue with lunch.
"I'm just wondering when you will let go of this anger of yours, Linda?" John said. "I'm not asking you to get over Kathleen's death, I would never ask that, because I'm not sure that I will ever get over losing her, but your hatred and anger, they are consuming you, honey." John pleaded.
"My hatred and anger, keeps me going. I will not get over it until Kitty Russell pays for what she has done." She said angrily slamming the iron pan down.
"Kitty did nothing wrong, Lin. What happened, was an accident, nothing more. You keep tormenting her. Kitty tried to save her, but she could not. It wasn't Kitty's fault. You need to stop this feud with Kitty and you need to leave that child of hers alone. That little girl is innocent. She had nothing to do with Kathleen's drowning and nor did Kitty." He said angrily.
"Why are you taking her side? If she hadn't been here, I would have been outside with Kathleen, she would never have gotten near that water without me knowing. She wouldn't have drowned and she'd still be here!" She said angrily.
John walked over to the door, and opened it. "I love you Lin, but I do not like the person you've become since Kathleen's death." He said heading out the door.
"Where are you going?" She asked as he put his hat and gloves back on.
"I can't be here right now. I can't get you to get it through your head that that little girl is an innocent child." John said.
"Innocent? She's far from innocent." Linda said.
"Why, because she's Navajo, because she's Indian? (correct term today would be Indigenous/Native American, because they are not Indian.) "You've changed, you really have changed. You need to think about how you would feel if Kathleen were still here and someone was being hateful towards her." He said slamming the door closed behind him.
Linda stopped and stared at the door. She then went back over to the mantle and took the small box down again and sat down at the table hugging it to her chest as the tears flowed.
Kitty sat in the rocking chair with Shayona in her arms. Shayona was fast asleep. Kitty had a blanket over her back and was softly singing to her.
Festus and his deputies were still checking every inch of the town for any sign that Yellow Wolf had been there in town. They had found tracks from one appaloosa because Yellow Wolf was smart enough to keep his men out of town. They would never know that he was not working alone.
Matt came up the stairs and gently tapped on Kitty's door. He could hear a soft singing coming from the room and knew that Kitty was putting Shayona down for a nap. Slowly he opened the door and saw them sitting on the rocking chair. Kitty smiled at him as he walked over to her. Matt had always shown tenderness when it came to Kitty, now he showed that same tenderness with her daughter and gently lifted her from her Mama's arms. She stirred and looked up at him, then closed her eyes, leaning her head on his shoulder as he took her over to the bed. He laid her down on the bed and then kissed the top of her head. Though she was not his by blood, she was his by choice.
Kitty got up and went over to the door. Sally was downstairs serving drinks when she spotted Kitty up on the walk way. Kitty silently motioned to her to come up. Sally walked over to the bar and placed the empty tray on the table. "Sam, Miss Kitty needs me." She told the bartender, who nodded as he served drinks.
She then quickly made her way up to the stairs and up to Kitty.
"Sally would you mind watching Shayona for a bit?" Kitty asked her
"Of course not, Miss Kitty." Sally said smiling at her. She went towards the door and Matt came out. "Hello Marshal." She greeted the big man.
"Hi Sally, you going to keep an eye on the little one for a bit?" He asked her
"Yes." She said going towards the door.
"I'm gonna take Kitty to get something to eat, you lock this door when you go inside, okay?" He said to her.
"I will, Marshall, I promise." She stepped into Kitty's room and locked the door behind her.
Festus finally came across the tracks he was looking for. But he was not surprised to see at least three different tracks from three apaloosa's. He then spotted something in the dirt and pulled at the small leather strand visible. He pulled the strand out of the sand and found a small leather patch on it. Gently wiping the dust away he found a wolf figure burned into the leather. There was movement out of the corner of his eye, but as he turned to see what it was, Yellow Wolf, struck him across the face with the butt of his rifle. The darkness fell over him and he fell to the ground unconscious. Yellow Wolf pulled the leather necklace from Festus' hands and mounted his horse, heading away from town.
Linda sat the table again, she had finished cleaning the lunch away and John was working on the clock that Linda had dropped. John had not spoken a word since their little discussion early. Linda looks up at him ask he continued to work. It was just past noon and she wanted to take a ride over to Nells place and take her some fresh bread. She had everything packed in a nap sack. "Are you going to go with me to see Jace and Nell?" She asked him as she went over and got her shaw and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"I think I'll stay here, finish this blasted clock." He looked up at her. "You won't be gone too long will you?" He asked her.
"No. I'm just going to take these things over. I'll stay only about half an hour and head home." She told him.
John knew that when she made up her mind, she would be back on time. "Okay, I was thinking of going over to the south paKsture and picking some fresh Raspberries for a pie tomorrow." She told him.
"That sound wonderful." She said as she headed for the door. She stopped and turned back and kissed her husband on the cheek for the first time since her daughter's death. John smiles at her as she heads out the door. Maybe things were going to change.
Sally sat on the floor with Shayona playing with her dolls. Shay smiled as Sally pretended to be a little girl. Shayona giggled at Sally's use of a childlike voice. Suddenly Yellow Wolf came into the window, so quietly that Sally hadn't heard him. Shayona's eyes grew wide in terror and Sally turned quickly to see the man, but he struck her hard across the face, knocking her unconscious. Shay stared at him in horror. She knelt beside Sally and tried to wake her before Yellow Wolf grabbed her and clamped his hand over her mouth. He than carried her to the window, where another brave waited for him and took the child from him.
Matt and Kitty sat at the table drinking coffee and talking when Sally came out of the room. "Miss Kitty! Miss Kitty!" She cried out as she leaned over the railing. "She's gone, Miss Kitty! She's gone!" She fell to her knees crying as Kitty ran to her and Matt ran into the room to find the window open. But there was no sign of them anywhere. Matt ran down the stairs and out of the Long Branch. Festus was across the way at the Mercantile when he saw Matt running out of the Long Branch. Without saying a word, he took off after Matt.
"Mathew, what in tarnation is going on?" He said while trying to catch up with him.
"She's gone Festus, Yellow Wolf took Shay." He said going towards the back of the Saloon but sees nothing. Festus kneels down.
"Two of them yahoos, appaloosa ponies. Horses unshoed." Festus said reading the signs.
"How long ago?" Matt asked him.
"I ain't too sure, Mathew, may twenty minutes." Festus said standing up.
"Get the men gathered and deputized. We leave at day break." Matt said heading back into the salon. Kitty was upstairs in her room, Doc was checking Sally over. Sam was nailing the window closed when Matt came into the room. "Thank you, Sam. Please make sure that all entrances are secured." He said as Sam started out the door. "Make sure you board that cellar door. I don't want him getting in here again." Matt looked at Sally who couldn't stop crying. He sat on the edge of the bed as she sat against the headboard. "Sally, I need you to tell me what this man looks like." He said as Kitty came to stand beside him.
"He was big, not as tall as you but close. Indian, with a scar on his cheek." She stopped. "I don't remember much else. He hit me and that was all. I passed out." She began to cry again, and Kitty tried to console her, even though Shay were Kitty's child, she knew that Sally had fallen in love with the child just as many of her friends had. She would feel responsible for the rest of her life if something happened to Shay. Matt headed out the door and Kitty patted Sally's hand.
"He will find her, Sally, he has to." She said getting up and following Matt. She wanted to scream, to break down, but her daughter needed her to be strong, to find her and bring her home. "I want to go with you." She said.
"Out of the question, Kitty. You need to stay here and stay safe. I will bring our daughter home, I promise you." He said as he headed down the stairs. The fact that he had said our daughter did not go unnoticed to Kitty. She laid her hand against her churning belly. He would bring their "daughter" home.
TBC
I never intended for this to be a long story, they just seem to work out that way. I hope that you enjoyed it and that you will come back for the next installment.
Thank you for your support and prayers and yes, friendship.
KR
