PT.7

Chances

You could have heard a pin drop in the room. Then the sound of deep inhaling. John Hughes, with a smug look of complete confidence, smacked down a Queen of Diamonds and began laughing, ignoring all else, and began to smugly pronounce that she now was his property.

Again, the words bellowed louder, "Kitty! What in the world?"

Quickly she held up a hand to stop him. "Cowboy, please? I need just one moment." She sighed a breath of relief. "Mister John Hughes, you my dear man own NOTHING, least of all ME!" And with that said, she began collecting the two deeds and cash up off the tableand pushed back from the table.

Hughes looked stunned as he glanced down at the turned over card in front of him. He couldn't believe his eyes. He stood there then yelled out "THE ACE OF SPADES. You drew the ace of spades? But I , I , I…"

Now walking away from him, and looking over her shoulder. "You Lose!" She turned back to Matt, saw the look on his face. "Now, Matt, this isn't what you think."

Rolling his eyes, "Oh no, of course it isn't. Kitty all this money?"

"Matt, look I'll explain everything to you. Sam, can we get a few drinks here. Everyone drinks are on the house."

"Thanks, Miss Kitty." The room echoed.

"Welcome home, Cowboy. You look exhausted. Here have a drink. I'm sure glad you're back!" She spoke quickly.

Matt took a swallow of his beer, then said, "Yeah, and from the look of things not a minute to soon. Kitty what was this character talking about, you were his property?"

"Oh, Cowboy, don't pay him no mind." She passed it off.

Just as she said that Amarillo Slim passed the table. "So, you're Dillon I presume?"

Matt looked up at the tall slender man. "Yeah, I'm Matt Dillon."

"I heard tales about you in Texas. You hail from Texas way, ain't that right?"

"Yeah, San Antonio." Matt answered.

"So I guess the rumor is right. The redhead here is your woman, and that bet would have been a lost cause. Go figure." He tapped his hat and walked over to the bar to get another bottle from Sam.

Matt looked back at Kitty, with a questioning look, then said, "What Bet?"

"I don't know." Kitty answered.

"So, Kit, how'd you end up in this game? And for those stakes?"

"Ahhh, Matt, can we please talk about this later? I'm tired and I know you are. Why don't you go do whatever you need to at the office and stop back for a ummm.. night cap, Cowboy?"

"Sounds good to me." He stood and left shaking his head.

Outside…..

Matt crossed Front Street. He knew he had to have been tired, or his eyes were playing tricks on him, when he saw what he thought was Kitty, but Kitty the younger version, coming out of Delmonico's with two small boys in tow.

Just inside the office Festus was shuffling around making a pot of coffee, mumbling a song. "Howdy, Mathew. Didn't knowd you was'a back in town."

"Just got in, Festus, and I'm really tired. I just wanna get cleaned up and rest some. Say, Festus, what do you know about this Hughes character hanging around town, specifically around the Long Branch?"

"Well, Matthew, he'a come in the other day he did on the afternoon stage. A gambler, he seems to be takin' his ownself a fancy like to Miz Kitty. But, Matthew, I don't like this feller. Nah, I don't like him et'tall. I bin a keepin' an eyeball peeled on um'." Festus told him.

After resting a bit and briefly making rounds, Matt as usual made the Long Branch his last stop. The saloon was fairly empty. Hughes stayed away, off licking his wounds. Kitty was sitting counting up the day's intake at a back table as Matt stood peering over the batwing doors, scanning the room.

By normal instinct, she could feel his presence. Looking up, blue met blue, smile met smile. "Well, Hello, Cowboy!"

"Kitty!" He answered walking over to her.

"Dodge all safe and sound is she?" She asked.

"Tight as a drum." He replied.

"How bout a night cap?"

"Not just yet, Kit. Has that Hughes fella been back around?"

Shaking her head, "No, not since I…" She now dropped her head just slightly. "Look, Matt, come on, I tell ya. I found out he cheated a couple of folks out of their property. And some of them out of a lot of money, and I just felt like I had to do something. And, Cowboy, you know I'm pretty good at cards, especially poker. And before you say it, NO! I didn't cheat. I won fair and square."

"Kitty Russell, do I need to search your clothes?" Matt teased.

Now smirking at him, "You don't need to, Marshal, but the offer sounds enticing. I'm going to make sure Jim Gordan gets his property back. Damn it, Matt. He has five children. And Maggie has the boys… "

"Wait, wait! Who is Maggie?" He asked.

"Oh, are you in for a treat." She said. "I'm not going to spoil this one because the look on your face will be priceless. "You'll meet her in the morning. Why don't we have that Night cap up stairs, Cowboy? I'll just go put this back in the safe.

Kitty went and locked up the money and came back out. "Sam, leave this till morning. We'll lock up."

Just as Sam was heading for the door, they heard loud screams. "Let go of me. Your hurting me, John. Please… " Then glass crashing. Both Sam and Matt ran, with Kitty following….

TBC