The Stolen 2

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

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Monday Afternoon

While Kitty was having dinner with Doc, Matt was having a time getting his prisoner to Hays. The man had so far managed to get away twice, and three more times attempt it. Matt had caught him each time though, and now finally had him trussed up, head to foot, and tied securely to his horse. He'd sure be glad to unload this one in Hays and get back home.

Home. The mere sound of the word was almost poetry to him. Prior to Dodge, Matt had never really known what that word meant. He had rambled from place to place, fought in the war, and worked in more towns than he cared to count, but none of those places had ever inspired him to refer to them as home.

When he first took over as Marshal in Dodge, he wasn't sure he was going to stay there either. But he had, and now he had not only a home but a sort of family as well. Doc, Chester, Kitty, they were his family. Especially Kitty. Though they weren't married, he knew no piece of paper could bind them together any tighter.

Looking over at the man on the other horse, Matt decided it wouldn't hurt him if they rode a little faster. He really wanted to get this trip over and get home.

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Later that afternoon, found Kitty standing at the bar, drawing mug after mug of beer. The good weather had proven to be good for business. While it wasn't exactly standing room only, it wasn't too far away from it. Kitty didn't mind. The more the saloon made, the more she and Bill Pence made.

She had worked very hard for her half interest in this place, and now, just two years into their partnership, she finally felt secure. Of course she intended to continue that hard work to make certain she never again had to return to being a saloon girl. That part of her life was over, and her intent was for it to stay that way.

Preoccupied with her thoughts, and her work, Kitty never noticed the men sitting at the table in the back. If she had of she would've dismissed them just as quickly. They looked like just any one of the other cowboys in there. Nothing special about them.

That, of course, is what they intended. They did not want to be noticed as they sipped their beers and watched the pretty young woman work.

"I still ain't sure about this, Vern." The short one said. "Manley might want her like you say, but I still don't think it's worth the risk. We got six others lined up. I say we take them and go. Leave this one to someone with less to lose."

"Huh," Vernon Schink looked at his tablemate. Though he and Cliff Roughly had been partners for 3 years, working for Bob Manley, he still found it hard sometimes to understand him. "What do you got to lose, Cliff?"

"My hide." Cliff responded. "I keep telling you, she's dangerous territory. We take her and Dillon catches us, we won't have no hide left."

Vern glared down at Cliff. "And I keep telling you," he said gruffly "that there ain't no risk of Dillon knowing nothing about who took her. He's out of town. From what I hear, he won't be back till the end of the week, and we'll be long gone by then."

Cliff ceased his argument. He recognized the tone in Vern's voice, and knew there would be no disagreeing with him. He had set his mind on taking the red head, and he was going to do it. Cliff just hoped she was worth as much to Manley, as his partner seemed to think. If so, Manley just might be awful grateful to him and Vern. If not, then Dillon would be the least of their worries.

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Monday Evening

"Well, should we call it a night, Kitty?" Pense asked, as he threw the bar towel down.

"Yes I think we should, Bill." She smiled at her business partner. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired."

"I am too," he agreed. "As a matter of fact, I'm too tired to tackle any more of this tonight, and I know you probably are too. What you say, we just go ahead close up, and get an early start in the morning."

"I like that idea just fine, Bill." Kitty responded. Though normally not a morning person, tonight she felt it worth getting up early, just so she could get off of her feet tonight.

"Why don't you go on, Bill?" she told him. "I'll lock up after you, and douse the lights."

"That works for me," he agreed as he grabbed his hat and coat and headed for the door. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Bill," she called as he left.

Once he was out the doors, Kitty locked them and turned back into the barroom. She hated to leave things undone, but tonight she was too tired to worry about it. Walking around the room, she doused all but one light. That one she left on to see her upstairs. But she didn't make it.

Out of the darkened corner by the cellar, two men rose from their hiding places. One grabbed her around the waist, as another placed a cloth over her nose and mouth, and held it there tightly until she sank back, unconscious.

"We got her, Cliff," Vern said. "Let's go."

TBC