The Rescue 45

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Kitty, according to the doctor, was suffering from exhaustion and nerves. He recommended complete bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. Kitty, of course, protested but her pleas were ignored. Matt as well as their hosts, Grant and Linda, would hear nothing of it. She was going to stay there until the baby was born.

Two days later, Matt rode into town with Grant and spoke to the Sherriff who told him the same thing he'd told Grant. He did produce the wire he'd received and Matt noted it was from Judge Brooker. Making his way down to the telegraph office, Matt sent a wire to Judge Brooker as well as one to Sam, not sure if Doc would be back in Dodge yet.

While waiting for replies, Matt and Grant went down to the Lucky Spot Saloon and sat back with a beer. "Tell ya what, Matt." Grant said. "I was never so surprised in my life, as I was when you pulled up in that wagon, with a pregnant wife in tow. And after all you two have gone through…? I knew you were tough, and I always figured any woman that ever got entangled with you would be too, but Kitty's more than that."

Matt nodded with a smile. "Yeah, she is, Grant." He took a sip of his drink. "She has just about gone through hell with this mess but she never felt sorry for herself, ya know. She was worried and scared and concerned about me and Festus, and anyone else who helped us, but she never pitied herself."

"What are your plans now, Matt? I mean, trusting that you two really will be free. You plan on pinning that badge back on and going back to Dodge?"

Matt didn't answer right away as he took a sip of his beer. But finally he met his friends gaze. "That's something Kitty and I need to really think about, Grant. My faith in the law has been pretty well shaken by all of this as you can guess. But it's the only thing I'm really any good at. Still, I have a wife now and soon to have a child. It's a lot to think on."

Just then a young boy came in and made his way straight to Matt. "Mister?" He held out a piece of paper. "I got a wire for you." Matt reached for the wire while fishing in his pocket for some change, but Grant had already handed the boy a silver dollar.

"Thanks, Jimmy." He said with a glance at Matt. He suspected he didn't have any money.

Matt gave him a rueful smile as he opened the slips of paper and read the replies. The first was from Sam. "Doc and Festus home. Both fine. Waiting to see friends." Matt smiled at that.

The other wire was from Judge Brooker. "Stay where you are. On my way to you. Will arrive in three days." That one concerned Matt a little and his reaction was plainly evident to Grant.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

Matt shook his head. "I don't know. Judge Brooker replied that he's coming here. I'm not sure if that's good or bad."

"Well, surely it's not bad, Matt. I mean he did rescind those posters and the reward. He wouldn't have done that if Kitty was still wanted would he?"

Matt shrugged. "Don't guess so but we'll find out in three days. That's when he said he'd be here." He looked down. "I'll tell ya what, Grant. No matter what he says, I'm not letting them take her. I… I'm just not, that's all."

"We won't." Grant declared as he pushed back from the table. "I got enough men working for me to make sure of that. Come on, I've got to stop by the general store before we head back to the ranch."

Once inside the store, Grant handed the clerk a rather long list, causing the bespectacled man to look at him a little strangely after reading it. "Your wife sure does need a lot." He remarked looking at Grant a little strangely.

"Yes she does." Grant replied. "Uh, how long do you think it'll take to get this all together?" He glanced over at Matt who was looking down into a display case.

"It won't take me long." The little man said as he too noticed Matt's interest. "Uh, can I help you, Mister?" He stepped over and looked down at the display that held Matt's attention.

Matt looked up and regretfully shook his head. "Uh, no. Thank you." Matt pulled his eyes away and looked over at Grant. "Maybe, I'll just wait outside." He said as he quickly ducked out onto the boardwalk in front of the store.

Grant looked over at the items for display and suddenly understood. "Hold up, Matt."

When Matt turned back, Grant reached in his pocket and pulled out some money, placing it in Matt's hand. "When you get back to work you can pay me back."

But Matt shook his head. "No, Grant. I can't… I can't do that."

"Matt," Grant spoke sternly. "Isn't she worth you sacrificing your pride a little? Look, it's not a hand out, it's a loan. Nothing more. Besides, I owe you and you know I do or you wouldn't be here now." But still Matt hesitated. "It's for Kitty, Matt."

Finally ducking his head, Matt nodded and accepted the money. Squaring his shoulders he walked back into the store and went back to the display case and looked in.

"Change your mind, Mister?" The clerk stepped back over.

"Yes, Sir." Matt nodded. "I'd like to see those two things right there." He pointed into the case.

Later that evening, after Matt and Grant returned to the ranch, Kitty laid back on the bed looking in amazement at the clothes and baby things surrounding her. The long list, Grant had given the clerk, had consistently contained items for her, Matt and the baby. And though she had protested and declared it too much, her protests were ignored.

"Kitty, please." Linda had smiled at her new friend. "Grant and I aren't exactly paupers and we want to do this." When Kitty had finally agreed, Linda kissed her on the cheek and left, giving her and Matt some time alone.

"They're good people, Matt." Kitty sighed as he sat down on the bed beside her. "You picked some good friends."

Matt nodded. "Didn't really pick them," he said. "More like we were thrown together and a friendship formed."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, it was about 15 years ago. Grant was just starting this place when he got accused of rustling cattle. I was just a deputy back then. It was before I headed to Dodge. I didn't know Grant then but I had a feeling about him and I didn't believe he was guilty. So I did some investigating of my own and found the man who really was doing it. Grant and I have been friends every since."

Kitty looked up at him suspiciously. "Something tells me there's a lot more to that story but I doubt you'll tell me."

Matt grinned. "You're right. Besides, we have other things to discuss."

Kitty nodded. "Did you get a reply from Judge Brooker?"

"Yeah," Matt answered. "He's on his way here. Said he'd be here in about three days."

Kitty looked at Matt worriedly. "You don't think… I mean, he wouldn't… Would he ordered me arrested?"

Matt considered it but shook his head. "No, I don't think so. If that was his intent he'd just have the Sherriff here arrest you. I think he's got something else in mind."

"Like what?"

"I don't know for sure, but I'm not going to worry about it." Matt bent down and kissed her before fishing in his pockets and pulling out two small boxes. "When I was in town, I saw a couple of things that I wanted you to have." He placed the boxes on her lap and chuckled at the look of surprise on her face. "Go ahead, open them."

"Matt, we don't have any money." Kitty protested. "I know you used the last of what we did have to buy that wagon from that farmer."

"I borrowed the money from Grant." He told her. "And before you say anything about that, don't. I have every intention of repaying him, when I can. But there were a couple of things you had to have that couldn't wait until I got the money. Now go ahead, open them."

Shaking her head at him, Kitty opened the slightly larger box to find a silver baby rattle. "Oh, Matt." She exclaimed. "It's… it's just lovely."

Matt grinned. "I wanted our baby to have something special when it comes into this world, I mean, besides it's Mama."

Kitty reached up and kissed him, then looked back down at the rattle. "Our baby has an awful special papa, too." She told him.

"Open the next one." Matt told her.

Picking the smaller box up, Kitty opened it to reveal a gold ring with a diamond solitaire on the top and two sapphires one either side. For several minutes she said nothing as she looked at the ring. Finally she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I… oh, Matt." She grabbed him and pulled him down to her. "I've never seen anything so pretty."

He grinned at her. "I hoped you'd like that. Thanks to Doc you have a wedding ring, but I wanted you have something from me."

"I love it." She declared. "I love you."

"I love you too." He said as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

TBC