Rumors Spread Like Wildfire

 by Lil

  "Sit down everyone and I'll tell the story correctly!" Johnny shouted into the ally.

   About 10 kids were sitting in this dark ally talking about this mysterious Katherine that showed up at the Circle C claiming to be one of the Carters. 

  "It goes like this!" He started once all the children were sitting down. "Katherine married a bandit and they set off together to rob stage coaches and banks all of their life. Now Katherine comes back so she can rob her family of all their money and steal the ranch!!" He finished dramaticly. 

   Silence. no one said a word until marry busted up laughing. "That is the dumbest thing I've heard since last time you tried to tell a story Johnny! I'll tell it right!" Marry stood up and started her story as a grumbling Johnny sat down. "Katherine Carter was such an unruly child, they couldn't get her to obey a word they said. So one day her father told her never to leave a lantern unattended in the barn....." Marry trailed off for dramatic effect."Get on with it Marry!!" Benny yelled in exasperation. She glared at him. "So as you can guess she left the lantern in the barn and it got knocked over killing all the horses and half the cowhands. Her father was so mad that he banished her so she got married And had children.

    But now she is back to beg forgiveness because her poor husband was brutally murdered!!!!!!" More silence. Then one of the little girls started crying. "What did you guys do to make a little girl cry?!" Shouted Andi carter from the end of the ally. "Break it up and get going!" She no doubt heard what the town children were talking about. 

Her family.

Patricia Larsen Walked down the Boardwalk of the main street in Fresno talking to Mary Kate Johnson about, of course, Katherine Carter. "Grace Wilson said she has three children but no husband!" Mary Kate said dramatically. "no, no" Patty interrupted. "She had a husband but he left her after she had the children so now she's come back to her family hoping for forgiveness." She said this last part in a whisper. "And if I were the Carter's I would not give it to her. Why, that girl is such a disgrace to the Carter name I would disown her in a heartbeat if I were Elizabeth!" Patty knew it was a terribly rude thing to say but if she never said it no one would have. Suddenly the two friends rounded a corner and almost bumped into two girls. 

  Melinda and Kate Carter.

   Andi rounded the corner but came to a stop when she heard voices. They were coming from the ally ten yards in front of her! "But now she is back to beg forgiveness because her poor husband was brutally murdered!!!!!!!" She heard she ran forward because she knew they were talking about Kate. Everyone was talking about Kate. 

   Andi got to the ally just in time to see on of the little girls start crying at the horrific ending of that story. "What did you guys do to make a little girl cry!" She shouted at the group. The children scattered at the sight of her and she led A crying Suzie away from the scene.

   Melinda Jane Carter was taking a walk through Fresno with her sister Kate. Showing her everything that had changed since she had last been there. Suddenly she heard voices around the corner. "Why, that girl is such a disgrace to the Carter name I would disown her in a heartbeat if I were Elizabeth!" Melinda tensed hearing someone talk about her sister that way. She and Kate rounded the corner only to run into two old women who flushed at the sight of them and quickly changed the subject. 

   "Don't pay them any mind." Melinda said to her sister. "They're just old gossips."