Once again the frozen image jumped off the page of The Saint Louis Globe Democrat. This time the paper was being held in the slender hands of Doctor Cora Lane.
“Your friends made the morning newspaper,” she said to Jim Butler as they walked side by side down the hall. She handed him the folded paper.
He took it, glanced at it and chuckled. “Leave it to Rap to make a spectacle of himself. I heard about what happened at the ball game, but I didn’t figure on it making the papers. Mind if I keep the paper for a souvenir?”
“No. That’s fine, she said. “By the way, there’s another article about Arizona on an inside page. You might be interested.”
“Thanks, I’ll take a look at it later.”
“Kitty. Can I see you for a minute?’ It was past noon when Jim Butler entered Abigail Carlin’s room. Kitty and Abigail were sitting near the window.
“Sure,” Kitty answered, turning to look at him. There was a grave expression on his face. The folded morning newspaper was under his arm pit. “Something wrong?”
“I....I just need to talk to you. Out in the hall.”
“Okay,” She smiled at her mother and said, “I’ll be right back.” She arose from her chair and hurried to the open door.
A look of grave concern washed over Cyclone’s face as he watched the two of them disappear into the hallway.
“Let’s walk,” Jim said taking her by the arm.
“There’s something I haven’t told you, Kitty. I can’t explain why. Only, I didn’t want to hurt you. I had hopes that things would work out differently.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
Jim pulled up short, turned to face Kitty. “It’s about Matt. I should have told you.”
“What’s happened?” Her face went pale with fear. “Did.. Did something happen to him?” Her lips began to tremble and a tear welled up in her eye.
“It’s right here in the paper. I didn’t want to tell you, but you have the right to know.”
With trembling fingers, she accepted the newspaper. It was folded so only the pertinent column appeared. The headline read. “Arizona Territorial Governor’s Daughter to Wed Lawman.” Underneath was a picture of Matt Starr embracing Barbara Stanton in the flower garden of the governor’s mansion.
“What did your young man want?” Abigail said when Kitty returned and sat down beside her. “I hope there’s nothing wrong.” It was more of a question. She could see that Kitty had been crying, Her eyes were red and swelled bags drooped beneath them.
“Oh, Mom,” Kitty sobbed. She handed the paper to Cyclone and bent over in her chair. Cyclone glanced at it and his face turned grim.
“Did your young man upset you, dear?” Abby asked.
Kitty straightened in her chair and glanced at her grampa. She saw the concern in his eyes. She turned back to her mother and said. “Oh, Mom, he’s not my young man. I mean..Jim He’s not my young man.”
“It’s that Doctor Lane, isn’t it?” Abigail said acidly. “I’ve seen the way those two have been carrying on.”
“You have?” Kitty said with surprise. “I haven’t noticed.” She hadn’t even considered the possibility.
“No, Mom,” Kitty said. “It’s not that at all. It’s ...it’s someone else. I thought I no longer cared, but I do.” She reached for the paper in Cyclone’s big hands and gave it to Abigail.
Abigail’s expression was blank. She didn’t know what she was looking at.
“Now, he’s getting married,” Kitty blurted through another onslaught of tears.
Now, Abigail understood and she finally grasped the essence of Kitty’s concern. “This is the man you really want, dear?” She asked.
“But it’s so impossible,” Kitty said. “He’s a marshal and I’m.... I’m......” She glanced at Cyclone and saw him shake his head. Kitty shouldn’t.........mustn’t tell her they were outlaws.
“He is a very handsome man, Kitty,” Abigail said. “Why do you think it’s so impossible? You are a very pretty girl. Prettier than the one in this picture.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Kitty said. “It’s all my fault. I’m the one that made it so impossible.”
“Well, couldn’t you change that?” Abigail asked.
.”I don’t know. I don’t know anything. All I know is, I can’t let him marry someone else.”
“Then don’t let him.”
Kitty jerked upright in her chair. The tears suddenly stopped. The last few still streaming down her cheek. “But... how......?” She didn’t finish the question.
“Go back home. Stop that wedding and get your man.” Abigail’s eyes filled with determination.
“But, Mom, we’re going to Chicago,” Kitty started to protest.
“You don’t have to,” Abigail said. “You’ve made all the necessary arrangements. Paco and Doctor Lane will be going with me. Once, you’ve taken care of what you have to do and I’m better, you can come visit me again.”
“She’s right, Kitty.” Jim Butler said. He had been standing in the doorway, behind her, listening.
Kitty spun around in surprise. Jim was walking toward her. He put his hands reassuringly on her shoulders. “I’ve decided to go with your mother to Chicago,” he said. “I’ve also decided that it’s time I got back to being Doctor James Butler again.”
****
Chapter Eleven