Chapter 9
Matt looked at Adeline in disbelief. "What did you say?"
Adeline took a deep breath. "I said I know where Kitty is."
"Start talking," said Matt.
Adeline sat down and began the story. "Lucinda was upset that you had been spending time with Kitty Russell. She said that you belonged to her and not Kitty. Mr. Glidden would only give Lucinda his Kansas ranch, if she found a responsible man to marry her, one that could take over that ranch. Lucinda chose you. She wanted to make sure Kitty knew that you belonged to Lucinda, so she came up with a plan. The first part of the plan was to become friends with Kitty, get her to trust us, especially Lucinda. After we had befriended Kitty for a few weeks, Lucinda invited her to her father's land. She wanted to show Kitty all the beautiful wildflowers. Lucinda knew Kitty would accept the invite. Kitty had once complained about how colorless Dodge was, so we figured it wouldn't be too hard to convince her to ride out there with us."
"Who's us?" asked Mat.
"Lucinda, Susanna, Jo Ellen, and me." Adeline answered. "The plan was just to get Kitty out there and let her know that Lucinda was your girl, but then things changed. Kitty told Lucinda that you said you didn't feel for Lucinda what she felt for you. This really made Lucinda angry. Before Kitty mounted her horse, Lucinda picked up a branch and hit Kitty in the back of the head. She hit her pretty hard. Kitty immediately went unconscious and fell to the ground."
Matt was fuming now. "If you knew Kitty was seriously hurt, why didn't you come to me sooner?"
"I'm sorry, Marshal. The other girls and I wanted to help Kitty, but we were afraid of Lucinda. She told us that we would be in just as much trouble as she was if we said anything. She said since we knew of the plan, we were just as much to blame. But Marshal, I swear the original plan wasn't to hurt Kitty," said Adeline. "Marshal, are Jo Ellen, Susanna, and I in trouble?"
"I wouldn't worry about that right now. It did help that you came to me. My biggest concern is finding Kitty. What is this land you're talking about?" asked Matt
"Mr. Glidden owns some land up in the hills. There's a stream up there. It has green grass and wildflowers," Adeline said.
"Can you show me where this land is?" asked Matt.
"Yes, I've been there plenty of times," Adeline responded.
"I don't want Lucinda or even Andrew seeing us. Is it possible to get to Kitty without them seeing us?" Matt asked.
"Fortunately, yes," replied Adeline.
"Alright, I'm going to go and get Doc and then rent a wagon from Moss. I have a feeling Kitty won't be able to ride a horse," said Matt
"You can't get to Kitty with a wagon. The area is only accessible by horseback," said Adeline.
Matt thought for a minute. "Go and get Doc. Bring him back here."
Adeline left the jail and did as she was told. While she was gone, Matt packed a canteen, a canvas, and a hand saw. If they couldn't bring Kitty back in a wagon, then they would have to build a makeshift travois and use that. He just hoped there would be tree branches around to build the frame. Several minutes later Adeline returned with Doc.
"Matt, what's going on? Miss Pumford said you needed me over here right away," said Doc.
"Adeline knows where Kitty is. She's going to take us to her. She said she's injured." He then looked at Adeline. "I hope that's all she is." Adeline knew exactly what Matt meant. "We can't get to Kitty with a wagon. Doc, I want you to go with us. Kitty's going to need you." Matt really didn't know if Kitty would need Doc. He just prayed she was still alive.
"Us?" questioned Doc.
"Adeline is going with us to show us where Kitty is," said Matt.
"Let me go and get my horse and we'll ride out," said Doc.
Doc quickly got a horse and rode back to the jail. Once Doc returned, the three of them set out to Kitty. Adeline led them north of town.
"How was Kitty injured?" Doc asked Adeline.
"Lucinda hit her on the back of the head with a thick tree branch," Adeline answered.
"If she's still alive, she's probably suffering a concussion. It got cold last night. There's probably going to be hypothermia," said Doc.
Matt didn't miss Doc's 'If she's still alive.' He knew Doc wasn't going to give Matt false hope. But right now, Matt really wished he would. He just couldn't think that Kitty could be dead. He had only known her for a short while, but it seemed so much longer than that. She had really become a big part of his life, a part he wasn't prepared to lose.
Matt, Adeline, and Doc finally reached their destination. If they weren't so concerned with Kitty, Doc and Matt would've taken the time to appreciate their surroundings. However, there was no time for that.
About ten yards in front of them, they saw Kitty. Matt and Doc hurried towards her. Adeline followed. Doc carefully rolled Kitty onto her back and searched for a pulse. He was beyond relieved when he found one. Kitty's pulse was faint, but at least she had one.
"She's alive, Matt," said Doc. "We need to build a travois and get her back to my office."
Matt let go of a breath he didn't realize he was holding. She was alive. Kitty was alive. He went over to her and knelt down. Matt took off his coat and placed it on top of her. He then set off to cut two large branches to make the frame of the travois. It didn't take him long to do that. Branches cut, Matt got the canvas off the back of his horse and attached it to the two branches, making a place for Kitty to lay.
"Everything is all set, Doc," Matt said.
"Bring the travois over here. If we can get it under her and kind of roll her into it, I think that would be best," Doc told Matt.
Matt brought the travois close to Kitty. He and Doc then carefully got Kitty on it. Kitty loaded on the travois, Matt brought his horse back so they could hook up the travois.
"Matt, I don't think I have to tell you this, but go slowly. The less Kitty is jarred, the better" said Doc.
"Doc, I'll go as slow as I possibly can. I won't do anything to hurt Kitty more than she already is. What do you think?" Matt asked as he mounted his horse.
Doc knew what Matt was asking, but he also knew he couldn't give him a direct answer. "She has a pretty big bump on the back of her head, but I won't know the severity of her injury until we get her back to my office," responded Doc. His biggest fear was a brain injury.
"What do you want me to do, when we get back into town?" asked Adeline.
Matt and Doc were so focused on Kitty, they had forgotten all about Adeline. They probably would have continued to forget, if she had not spoken. Matt needed her to stay in town. He didn't want to risk her going to Lucinda's and telling her they had found Kitty and then Lucinda running away. He also couldn't risk her telling the other girls and then having them tell Lucinda.
"I need you to come back with us and then stay in town. I'll have you stay at the jail with Chester. I won't lock you up, but I can't risk you telling Lucinda we found Kitty. I can't risk you telling Susanna and Jo Ellen and those two telling Lucinda. I'm going to have to arrest Lucinda for her crime, and I don't want to risk her trying to run away," said Matt.
"Are you going to place me under arrest?" asked Adeline. She was afraid to hear Matt's answer.
"No, I honestly believe that you didn't intend for Kitty to get hurt. After I arrest Lucinda, I'll have to bring Susanna and Jo Ellen in for questioning, to see if their story matches yours," said Matt.
"It will, Marshal," said Adeline. She was thankful beyond belief that the Marshal wasn't going to arrest her.
A trip that took twenty minutes to get to Kitty took close to an hour to get her back. They arrived in Dodge and pulled up in front of Doc's office. Chester had been sitting on the front porch of the jail and saw their arrival. He quickly got up and went to them.
"Oh forever more," he breathed out. "She's not dead, is she?"
"No, she's alive, but we need to get her upstairs," said Doc. "Matt, go upstairs and get the stretcher. I keep it in the back bedroom. We'll use it to get Kitty upstairs."
Matt was about to go upstairs to Doc's office, but before he did, he addressed Chester. "Chester, take Miss Pumford over to the jail. She's not under arrest, but I need her to stay at the jail and for you to stay with her."
"Yes, sir Mr. Dillon," said Chester. He turned and looked at Adeline. "Come on, Miss Pumford.
Matt went upstairs to get the stretcher. He located it in the back bedroom and then brought it downstairs. He placed the stretcher on the ground and then helped Doc get Kitty on top of it. Once Kitty was safely on the stretcher, Matt and Doc climbed the stairs with Kitty and the stretcher. Doc instructed Matt to place the stretcher on the examining table.
After Kitty was on the examining table, Doc grabbed a lamp and lit it. He took the lamp and walked over to Kitty. With the lamp in one hand, Doc opened Kitty's eyelids with the other. He then placed the lamp near her eyes. Matt stood watching, not really sure what Doc was doing.
"What are you doing, Doc?" he asked.
"I'm checking to see if her pupils react to the light. If they do, that's a really good sign," said Doc.
"Do they?" asked Matt with bated breath.
"Yes," said Doc.
Matt felt a weight being lifted off of him. "That's a good sign. You said that was a good sign."
"I did and it's a very good sign. It tells me there probably isn't any brain damage. I think right now it's a waiting game. We'll have to wait for her to wake up," said Doc.
"How long do you think that will be?" asked Matt.
"I can't give you a time on that?" answered Doc. "Are you going to go and arrest Lucinda?"
"I know I have to, but I really don't want to leave Kitty," said Matt.
"Matt, Kitty will still be here when you get back. You can't risk Lucinda going back to Kitty and finding out she's no longer there," said Doc. "If that were to happen, she could run."
"You're right. I can't risk that. Kitty deserves justice for what's been done to her. I'll go and arrest Lucinda and then bring in Susanna and Jo Ellen."
"Before you leave, could you gently carry Kitty to the back bedroom. She'll be more comfortable in bed than on the hard examining table," said Doc.
"I'm not going to hurt her by carrying her, am I?" asked Matt. He didn't want to cause Kitty any more harm.
"No, Matt. She'll be fine," replied Doc.
Matt gently lifted Kitty off the examining table and carried her to the back bedroom. He placed Kitty on the bed and took one more glance at her. Matt then left Doc's office to go and arrest Lucinda.
TBC
