Chp 12

The next morning, two figures sat in the dense shadows of a grove of trees, just down from the Henderson ranch house, and watched as Bud and all, but Kitty and Georgie, climbed into the wagon and headed off to town.

Matt mounted his horse to ride along side of them. "You sure you'll be okay here alone?" He asked her as he scanned the area around them. He wasn't sure but some vague feeling of unease had settled into the pit of his stomach and he was no longer sure she should stay there by herself.

"I will be fine, Matt." Kitty smiled up at him. "I've got plenty to keep me busy and besides, Georgie here will protect me, won't you, Honey."

Georgie wholeheartedly nodded his head. "I will."

"See?" Kitty placed a hand on his leg and spoke softly. "Bud won't admit it, but he'll need your help in town in negotiating the loan for those supplies and lumber he needs. You go on with him and I'll have a good meal ready for you all, when you get back."

"Well," Matt sighed. "Alright. But we won't tarry. We'll be back as soon as we can."

Kitty stepped back and took Georgie's hand and watched while all of them left, saying nothing more, but she too felt a small unease at their departure. But she just shook it off as nothing.

Martha and Jane had both volunteered to stay home with Kitty and help mind Georgie as well as chores, but Kitty refused. She knew the children weren't likely to get another chance to go to town for some time and she didn't want them to miss out. She knew eventually she would be going home and the chores and responsibilities would all be theirs. She wanted to alleviate as much of that for them, as she could, while she could.

"They coming back?" Five year old Georgie stood stoically by her side as he watched his brothers and sisters drive away.

Kitty bent down and picked him. "Of course, they are, Georgie." Her heart broke as she realized he must be thinking of his mother and father and the fact that they never had returned. She wondered briefly how he was going to react when she left for good. "They're going to get some supplies but they will return. Don't you worry, okay?"

"Okay." Georgie nodded his head, easily mollified.

As Kitty and Georgie turned and went back into the house the figures in the woods sat for several long moments before finally one turned to the other. "What do you think, Fletch?"

Fletch continued to silently watch the house and the disappearing wagon for several long moments before finally turning to his partner with a grin on his face. "Well, Gant, I think it's about time we paid us a call on a pretty woman. Let's go."

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Matt rode silently along beside the wagon for quite a ways, his mind on Kitty and his feeling of unease at leaving her there alone. Bud sensed something was wrong and gave him a sideways look. "Marshal, if you want to go back to the house you can." He told him. "I can handle things in town by myself. I'm gonna have to eventually, anyway."

Matt shook his head. "No, Bud. I promised I'd go and I will. I think it'd be better if everyone in town knows from the get go that, although your father's gone, you're not alone out there. There's a lot less chance of people like Graham giving you problems that way."

"But I won't be alone, Marshal." Bud pointed out. "I have my brothers and sisters and besides, you can't stay forever. When you go home it really will be us alone out here. We might as well get used to that now."

Matt considered that and to a point agreed. Still, he didn't want to just cast Bud out into it without a net his first time out. "I'll go along with you." He said firmly. "I have no intentions of making the deal for you though. I'll just be there in the back ground if you need me."

Bud shrugged and flicked the reins. "Alright." "Stubborn man" He added silently.

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Kitty had just gotten Georgie to lie down on the couch in the great room and was turning towards the kitchen when she heard a tapping at the front door. Instantly, her guard went up.

Taking a quick glance through the front window, she saw a medium height man with straight brown hair and dark eyes standing on the doorstep. He wore no gun and didn't look threatening. Still, she was taking no chances. "Who is it?" She asked, through the closed door between them.

"Pardon me, Ma'am." A nasally voice answered. "My name's Gant Brewer. I live just up the road a ways and I just come by to introduce myself and see how the kids are a doing. I heard about their ma and pa a dying. Just wanted to see if there was something I could do for you all."

The man sounded sincere but something warned Kitty not to let her guard down. Taking a glance at a still sleeping Georgie, she stepped over to the door and opened it just a crack. "I appreciate your concern, Mr. Brewer." She smiled graciously. "But everything here is fine. There's nothing needed that the children and my husband and I can't take care of. So if you'll excuse me…"

She didn't get to finish her sentence though as Brewer violently pushed the door in, causing her to stagger backwards as he rushed towards her. Kitty regained her balance and started towards the fireplace, grabbing the old rifle that hung above it. But she didn't even get it cocked before Brewer was on her and she heard a deep gravelly voice from behind.

"Best give up the fight, little lady. That is if ya don't want this brat hurt none."

Turning her head, Kitty saw, to her horror, a short squat man with a scar on his forehead standing by the couch, Georgie in his arms as he held a knife to the boy's throat. She let go of the rifle. "Let him go. I'll do whatever you want." She said in a defeated tone of voice. "Just don't hurt him."

Brewer held tight to the rifle and shoved Kitty towards Parsons. "What about the kid?" He asked as Parsons put the boy down.

"We bring him with us." Parsons answered as he grabbed Kitty's arm and pulled her close. "This little lady ain't gonna do nothing as long as we got him. Huh, Miss Russell?"

At first, Kitty didn't answer as she stared at the odious man who held her arms. But as she felt Georgie's small arms wrap around her legs, she swallowed hard and shook her head. "I'll do what you say." She answered.

Parson's grinned. "Thought so. Come on, sweetheart. You got an appointment to keep."

TBC