The Rescue 16

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Matt stood inside the post, looking out at the barn and the surrounding yard. It was now full light and the shadows of the night had slipped away from the yard revealing a gray and white landscape. It had begun to snow. Fat heavy flakes were coming in waves, batted against the window by the wind, which had picked up.

Festus had gone out about an hour prior but he hadn't returned yet and that worried Matt. He thought about going out and looking for him, but glancing over at the small figure sleeping in the cot by the fire, he knew he couldn't. She had to be his first priority. And as kind as Musgrove was, he wasn't sure he could trust him with her safety. He wasn't sure he could trust anyone currently inside with them.

Looking around at the rugged building they were in, he took in the thick log walls and the shutters beside each window with rifle slits cut into them, for use in case of an attack. The place would be hard to get into. But Matt knew no place was impregnable. The place also had its weaknesses. A well too far away from the building, a fireplace easily stopped up, an upstairs easily reached by climbing nearby trees and easily breached through several windows.

Hill and his men hadn't made a move all through the night and that worried Matt almost as much. It meant he'd taken his time to plan his next assault. And they'd probably gotten rest as well, while Matt and Festus had taken turns sitting up all night, guarding not only against them outside, but all of them inside as well.

"Mr. Atkins." Matt heard Musgrove speak to the scowling man. "Are you sure you want to try and leave now? It's awful cold out there and it's begun to snow. It ain't safe to travel now."

Atkins looked over to where Kitty lay on the cot, before regarding his host. "Whoever shot her will be coming back for her. I do not want my family here when they come. We'll take our chances with the weather, thank you."

Matt shook his head at the man's stupidity but kept his mouth shut. He knew from experience, the man wouldn't listen to him. It would take something more than words to convince him of his folly.

"Matt."

Matt turned his head to see Kitty awake and trying to get up. Swiftly, he abandoned his post by the window and went to her side. "Hey now, what are you trying to do? Come on, honey. You need to lay back down there and rest."

"Those…" she licked dry lips, "those people are going to get into trouble by leaving. Tell them they need to stay. Please, those kids shouldn't be out in this weather."

"Don't worry about them, Kitty." Matt whispered. "They won't go a mile before they turn around and come back. Some people just have to learn the hard way."

Kitty grinned. "Like me?"

Matt shook his head. "Like us both, I guess." He noticed her color was up but touching a hand to her forehead, he could see so was her temperature. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm alright." She sighed. "My shoulder's not hurting so much anymore and my stomach's settled down. How about you? Have you eaten anything?"

"I'm fine, Kitty." He patted the hand that had grasped his arm. "I don't want you worrying about anything but yourself right now."

Kitty looked around the room and saw the strangers at the other end but didn't see Festus. "Matt, where's Festus? Shouldn't he be in here?" Matt dropped his eyes and the gesture frightened her. "He wasn't… he's not hurt, is he?"

"Calm down, Kitty. No, he wasn't hurt. He's okay. He's just seeing to a few things, is all. I don't want you to worry about him or me or anything else right now, other than getting rest. You are all that is important."

"Come along, Maizie!" Atkins cold voice cut through her thoughts and she observed him pushing the children and woman towards the door. "We'll bundle up in the back of the wagon and be just fine. At least better than here." He gave Kitty a look of contempt as he opened the door and took a step forward.

But he hadn't even cleared the frame when a shot rang out, hitting the door post, just inches from his head. Atkins, swiftly slammed the door shut and staggered further back into the room. "What the…?" He started to ask.

"Dillon!" A deep angry voice called from somewhere in the yard. "I know you're in there, Dillon. You and the woman."

Matt jumped up from Kitty's side and swiftly crossed back to the window, carefully looking outside. He saw nothing and no one. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Atkins moving near the window on the other side. "Atkins!" He snapped. "Get away from that window. You want to be shot?"

As Atkins moved back another shot came through the window he'd just been about to approach, narrowly missing the now quaking man.

"Musgrove." Matt called over his shoulder. "Get these windows shuttered. Atkins, get your family in the back away from any of the windows and stay down."

As both men moved to do as they were told, Cash, the old prospector came up to Matt with his rifle cradled in his arms. "Ya want I should watch the winder over yonder, young feller?"

Matt gave him a grateful nod. "I'd appreciate it."

Musgrove finished with the other windows and stepped over next to Matt, a box of cartridges in his hand and a rifle. "Fear you might need that." He said. "See anything out there?"

Matt shook his head. "No. Not yet. But he's not gonna fire off a couple of rounds and then just quit."

Musgrove nodded. "Got me an idea, you're right about that."

"Matt."

Matt looked back over to where Kitty lay. "Watch for me." He said to Musgrove as he moved over to the cot. "Hey, I thought I told you to rest."

Kitty looked at the man she loved and saw the burdens he was carrying and her heart broke anew at the thought. To her mind he was paying for a crime he didn't commit simply because he loved her. But he also loved the law and taking off that badge to save her had been the biggest sacrifice he had ever made. She just wished she felt worthy of it. "I can't rest, Matt. That man out there isn't going to allow that."

"That man out there has nothing to say about it." He pulled the blanket back over her, his hand brushing her face as he did so and he noted the heat coming from her skin. "How about I get you some water?"

Kitty shook her head. "No. I don't want water. I want you and Festus to be safe. You've protected me all you can, Matt. Now it's time to let me go."

Matt furrowed his brow. "Let you go?"

"If that I go out there, Hill will leave the rest of you alone. You and Festus could…"

"We could do nothing besides what we're already doing." Matt stopped her. "You're not going out there."

"But, Matt…" Kitty started to further protest when another shot rang out.

"I'm waiting, Dillon. Send her out here and I'll let ya go. I won't even kill that scruffy friend of yours. You don't and he'll be the first to go."

Matt saw the alarm in Kitty's eyes and quickly took her hand. "Don't worry." He said. "Festus will be alright." Moving back over to the window, he looked out through the slit and his heart stilled.

Quaid Hill was standing in the yard with Festus in front of him, hands tied behind his back and a gun at his head.

TBC