According to the clock on the wall, morning had arrived. But that was the only indicator of it. The storm hadn't abated and if the sun was shining, it was impossible to tell. Kitty had returned to her room after the incident with the gambler, but she found rest hard to come by. The thought of Matt outside in that blizzard still worried her.

After an hour of tossing and turning, she rose again and went back downstairs. By 6 am she had gotten Cindy and Ann to do dishes and was busily, with the help of Julie, preparing a large breakfast for the people who were riding out the storm in her saloon.

"I'm awfully glad the Marshal thought to bring all these groceries over here." Julie said as she measured out some flour for biscuits. "We'd be in a fix if he hadn't."

"Well, that's true enough." Kitty agreed.

"Ma'am?"

Kitty turned around to see Eric Tanner standing nervously at the entrance to the kitchen. "Mr. Tanner, is something wrong?"

"Well, it's Maggie, Ma'am. She's a moaning again and she don't feel too good at all. I know you said it was too early but…"

"Well, it was last night, but no telling about this morning." Kitty answered as she took off the apron she had on and headed out and to the stairs.

Maggie was indeed moaning and apparently in a great deal of pain. Kitty never felt so woefully inadequate in her life. She'd helped Doc deliver a couple of babies but they had been relatively easy births and Doc, of course, had been there.

"Maggie, I want you to just relax now, and I'm going to check you out, okay?" Kitty offered a reassuring smile as she moved the bed covers down and prepared to exam the very pregnant young woman.

"Ahhhhh," Maggie tried to relax and tried to lie still but the child within her was making it very uncomfortable and hard to do. "Am… am I alright." She asked with a grimace.

Kitty straightened up, pursing her lips. Babies had a peculiar habit of coming when they wanted to and not when it was convenient or the proper time. This baby was no different. "You're just fine." She winked at the girl. "And before long, you'll be even better."

"Then it's coming?" Maggie asked hopefully and yet fearfully.

"I think it is." Kitty nodded, turning for the door. "Now, I want you to just relax as much as you can. I'm going to get a few things and then I'll be right back." Eric was pasted to the door and she ran into him as she exited.

"Sorry, Ma'am." He dipped his head. "Is… is Maggie… I mean is she…"

"I don't think it's a false alarm this time." Kitty answered. "Look, why don't you go on in and sit with her while I go down stairs and get a few things. Okay? I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Yes, Ma'am." He nodded. "Thank you, Ma'am."

Kitty nodded as she hurried downstairs. "Sam," she called when she reached the bar. "I need some clean linens and some hot water." Seeing Julie nearby she haled her as well. "Julie, I'm going to need some help upstairs. Okay?"

"Sure, Miss Kitty. What's going on?" The thin brunette, one of Kitty's most popular girls, was also one of her hardest workers. Kitty knew she could trust her to do whatever was needed.

"The Tanner's baby is coming and I'm going to need some help with her." Kitty kept her voice low. Not everyone in the saloon needed to know everything.

"Oh, my God!" Mrs. Riser suddenly stood and yelled, causing all eyes to turn to her. "He's…. he's dead!" She screamed, pointing over at old man Garner, that Matt had brought in the previous night, along with his wife.

Swiftly, Kitty crossed the room and bent down next to him, gently placing a hand on his neck. He wasn't dead but he didn't appear to be just sleeping either. His wife, sitting next to him, wasn't making a sound or moving. Kitty bent next to her and gripped her wrist. She was ice cold and not breathing. Grimacing, Kitty closed the old woman's eyes and then stood up.

"He's not dead, Mrs. Riser. He's unconscious. His wife is the one that's dead." Kitty started to call for Sam but found she didn't have to. He was right beside her.

"We'll take care of her, Miss Kitty." He said softly.

"Thank you." She answered. "And see if you can get her husband settled on a cot or a pallet or something. I don't know what's wrong with him, but he needs to be lying down."

"Yes, Ma'am." He answered as he and Festus carefully picked up the deceased old woman and carried her towards the back.

"Was it something catchin'?" Mr. Riser demanded to know suddenly.

"What?" Kitty frowned. "Catching?"

"What that old woman died with." He clarified. "Did she die of something catchin'?"

Kitty restrained herself from rolling her eyes, but just barely. "I don't think so." She shook her head at him. "She was a very old woman. Most likely it was her heart or something."

"Well, what about her husband?" He pressed.

"What about him?" Kitty was beginning to get a little irritated. "He's a very old man. Neither one of them looks to have lived too easy a life. I doubt you have anything to worry about."

"What if I don't believe you?" He pressed harder.

Kitty paused and then took a step closer to him. "Then you are more than welcome to go somewhere else in town and seek shelter, Mr. Riser." Without giving him a chance to reply, she turned on her heels and headed for the stairs. "Julie, come on." She called her employee. "We've got some work to do."

"Well, I'll be…" Riser sputtered.

"Ya already are." Festus glared at him as he watched Kitty and Julie ascend the stairs.

TBC