26th of June
(I knew the ending before it begun!)
It’s full of laughter and daring deeds
(It’s the kind of story I hope H&C like to
read!)
So sit back...don’t leave too soon!
It’s Storyteller’s Day – the 26th of June!
“Don’t move an inch,” Kid
Curry’s voice said softly. He had come
up behind the stranger, who had been peering through the bushes into their camp
sight, and clicked his gun to emphasize how serious the order was. Beyond them Heyes looked up from the fire
and smiled amiably into the darkness, reassured by the sound combined with his
partner’s order.
“Forgive
me gentlemen I meant you no harm,” the man said slowly raising his hands, his
voice full of laughter as if having a gun in his back some how amused him.
“Then
you shouldn’t go sneaking up on a body,” Kid said using his gun to nudge the
man into the light from the fire.
Heyes
blinked surprised at the older man’s appearance. “Uh Thaddeus,” Heyes said softly. “Preacher.”
Kid
slowly lowered his gun on his partner’s nod.
“Sorry,
man can’t be too careful Reverend,” Kid said coming round to face the man and
for the first time catching the clerical collar. Holstering his gun, he offered his hand as they both took stock
of each other.
Minister
was a good deal past 70, Kid guessed, but his eyes were sparkling with good
humor and he did not seem at all put out by the incident.
“Think
nothing of it lad,” he smiled. “The
Lord moves in mysterious ways, would you possibly have enough coffee there to
spare a cup?”
They
didn’t, but Heyes nodded and filled his own cup and passed it over to the man.
“You
run into trouble?” he asked.
“No,
no, just taking a stroll before going home.
You boys heading into Hidden Crick?”
“Thinking
about it,” Kid said. “We’re looking for
work.”
“Well
you are in luck, tomorrow is the 25th of June,” the man smiled.
“That
a hiring day?” Heyes asked confused.
“No,
but it is the day before the 26th,” the man said. “My this is excellent coffee, put hair on
your chest it will.”
Heyes
smiled proudly, Kid merely grunted and replied, “Take paint off a barn too if
you’re a mind.”
“What
happens on the 26th?” Heyes
said ignoring his cousin.
“Contest,
happens every year. Town forms teams to
decide on who controls the water supply for the upcoming year.”
“Sounds
a bit frivolous way to decide something so important,” Heyes said frowning.
“Yes
well the man who owned the rights thought that was the only way to keep it from
becoming too important so he made up the 26th of June.”
“Why
don’t he just control it?” Kid asked
confused.
“Didn’t
want go turning folks against him, in his line of work not a good thing making
people uncomfortable coming to him.”
“He
a doctor or something?” Kid guessed.
“Or
something.”
“You
said didn’t, he not around?”
“Yes,
alas he passed on a month ago tonight, that’s where the problems come in.”
Kid
and Heyes looked at each other.
“Problems?” Heyes asked politely.
“Well
up to now the contest has been pretty fair and honorable, 38 years the rights
have been passed around and the winner always did right by his neighbor because
he knew the next year his neighbor might have the rights.”
“But
this time the contest is for the final rights,” Heyes guessed.
“Ah
you are a clever young man, yes indeed.”
“And
some people intend to take advantage of that?” Heyes continued.
“Truly,
rancher named Guilard. Not too fond of
farmers or townies for that matter.
Prefer the whole place go back to wide open range.”
“Which
he will make happen if gets control of water,” Kid sighed.
“And
let me guess him and his boys are making sure no body even thinks of going
against them in this contest,” Heyes said quietly.
“You’ve
heard this story before,” the minister chuckled.
“Different
towns, different reason, but yes,” Heyes said.
“So
you see how easy it would be for you two to find work. The town needs a couple of men like you to
lead a team against Guilard. Men like
you could unite folks.”
“Men
like us?” Kid asked suspicious.
“What
kind of men would that be?” Heyes asked with a smile, but his eyes were wary.
“Men
that don’t give up a fight when the cause is worth fighting for. I get the feeling you two have seen your
share of bullies and don’t cotton to buckling under them.”
“You
from Hidden Creek?” Kid smiled at the compliment.
“No,
once, but not now, still tend to worry about them though.”
“Wish
we could help,” Heyes said not liking the way his partner was looking
thoughtfully as he considered the tale.
“But were heading for Lost Wells.”
“Well
best of luck to you then,” the old preacher said rising agilely and offering a
hand to show no hard feelings. “Thanks for the coffee and the ear to bend.”
“Same
to you,” Heyes said.
“You
got far to go…” Kid said and stopped.
“Where did he go?”
“What
do you mean where did he go?” Heyes said slightly irritable. They were low on supplies and even lower on
money and now there would be no coffee for morning to get them moving.
“Sure
does move fast for an old fella,” Kid said puzzled staring off into the
darkness concerned for the man out alone.
He
looked back to where his cousin was punching his jacket into a pillow. The man had taken their mind off their
misfortune for a few minutes. Looking
down he realized he still had half a cup of coffee left. It called to him, but without hesitating he
walked back to the fire to pour it into the empty pot. It would give them both a swallow in the
morning and with nothing else for breakfast it would help.
“Heyes…”
he said startled lifting the lid.
“What?”
he partner grumbled from where he was trying to fall asleep.
“I
thought we were out of coffee?”
“We
are.”
“Then
why is this pot full?”
Heyes
sat up prepared to call his partner something suggesting mental deficiency when
he was stopped by the contents of the pot.
“That
was empty, the old man took the last bit.”
“Get
some rest Heyes.”
“Kid
it was empty.”
“Whatever
you say Heyes.”
And
to his cousin’s frustration Kid Curry rolled over and drifted off to
sleep. It took Hannibal Heyes a great
deal longer.
*******************************
Sometime
after midnight a lone figure stood at the crossroads between the towns of Lost
Wells and Hidden Creek and gazed up at the signpost.
As
he did a breeze came up ever so slightly and then seemed to increase in volume
until slowly the top of the sign post began to turn until the two towns listed
reversed position.
As
quickly as it had come the wind died down.
The
man smile. Home was calling.
**************************
“I
cannot believe we went the wrong way,” Heyes grumbled as they dismounted in
front of the hotel that clearly proclaimed it an establishment of Hidden Creek.
“Wind
did pick up last night, must have blew the sign post around,” Kid said. He was tired; neither of them had slept
well. He agreed that finding themselves
in the town was not the greatest turn of events, but they were there and they
might as well make the best of it.
“It’s
trouble I tell you.”
“Yes
Heyes.”
“Least
you could be is annoyed,” his partner said annoyed he was having to be annoyed
all by himself.
“Heyes
I am too hungry and trail weary to be annoyed.
I am going to get a room and a bath and then something to eat.”
“You
better make it a good meal because you do all that you’ll have spent all we
have for supplies.”
“That’s
why we are gonna find work Heyes.”
“In
this town?” Heyes said determined to pick a fight.”
“You
two brothers?”
The
two turned to see three children watching them interested from the hotel porch.
Two
boys no more than 10 and a smaller girl in braids half that age. They all had red hair and freckles and wore
the familiar homespun look of a farmer’s family. But there was something more, accents; the question had been
tinged with one, Swedish?
“Nope,
just cousins.” Kid grinned enjoying the look their comment had caused his
partner to make.
“Close
enough for fightin’, I reckon,” the older boy said philosophically.
“You
two brothers?” Kid asked.
“Yup,”
younger boy said. “You any good with
that gun?”
“Doesn’t
need to be, he can jaw a man to death,” Heyes said rolling his eyes and walking
past the group to enter the hotel.
“Here.”
The
grimy little hand reached out to Heyes blocking his path.
Heyes
stared down startled as it opened to reveal a very sticky, obviously tightly
gripped gumdrop the girl had been saving.
“What’s
this?” Heyes said suddenly embarrassed at being caught off guard by the
gesture.
“Red
one, red ones best.”
“Why
you giving it to me?” Heyes said feeling 9 and not liking it one little bit.
“Looked
like you needed it,” she said and without fear she took his hand and placed it
on his palm.
“Red
ones are best,” Kid said explained to his partner.
Heyes
gave him a dark look. “Thank you?”
“Shelly
Tottenberry. This is Rick and Sean.”
“Thank
you Shelly. Coming cousin?” he said and
the emphasis on cousin made Kid decide you should only push your partner so
far.
“Nice
talking with you,” Kid smiled and winked at Shelly as he went by.
“They
ain’t Guilard’s men,” Rick said.
“Nope,”
his older brother said. “But maybe
they’re ours.”
**********************
They
split up after food and a bath knowing they would not see either again until
they found work
Heyes
had been quite eloquent in his lecture to Kid concerning getting involved in
the town’s troubles. He had calmly and
sensibly pointed out each logical, rational reason for avoiding getting into
something that just didn’t concern them.
Just earn enough money for supplies and get themselves gone, how hard could
that be?
“Had
enough?” Heyes asked the man whose head he had just dunked in the water trough
for the third time.
The
cowhand nodded choking and Heyes dropped him back in and wiped the water off
his hands.
“Thank
you Mr. Smith,” Shelly said from beside him where she had stood through the
whole confrontation.
“Anytime
Shelly,” he said and then looking down noticed despite his interceding on her
behalf a lone tear was falling down her right cheek.
He
bent down without thinking and caught it with one finger.
“Hey,
its okay now.”
“No
it’s not,” she said and flung her arms around his neck. “That man said he was
gonna keep me until Papa said he wouldn’t join the contest.”
“Well
he isn’t going to do that now,” Heyes explained feeling more than slightly
uncomfortable at being out in public with the child clinging to him. It would be just his luck to have Kid come
round the corner.
“But
Papa says we need help. Rick and Sean
said you could help us, but you might be spensive? Are you spensive Mr. Smith?”
Her
eyes were as wide as saucers and reminded him of another little girl’s from a
hundred years ago. She had known he had
liked red gum drops too.
“Not
when it’s a pretty girl,” Heyes sighed and was rewarded with a squeal and
another hug.
Kid was gonna kill him.
********************************
Kid
entered their hotel room two hours later and pulled off his gloves as he sized
up his partner’s mood. Heyes was
staring out the window thoughtfully, which could be a good sign he was in a
peaceful mood. Kid really would have
preferred to deliver the news he had with his partner in a fair mood to start
with.
“Found
me a job” Kid said.
Heyes
looked up sharply, “Doing what?”
“Helping
with the contest, lot to do,” Kid said keeping his back to him as he pulled off
his boots and hoping no further questions would be forthcoming.
“Well
I guess setting things up can’t cause no harm,” Heyes said relieved.
Kid
paused, “Ain’t exactly setting things up.”
“Oh?”
How
could his partner get so much meaning into such a small word? Kid did not even have to turn around to know
what the expression on his face was.
“Sort
of helping a team.”
“Helping?”
Kid
sighed and turned to face the music, “Leading it exactly.”
Heyes
just stared at him, his face unreadable.
“Money
that good?” he said finally.
Kid
paused again.
“You
are getting paid right?”
“Not
exactly.”
“What
does that mean?”
“Team
is made up of kids from the orphanage,” Kid said quickly trying to get it all
out before his partner exploded. “Lady
who runs it is an old war nurse named Sadie Wilkes. Seems everyone else has been scared out of trying and they lose
the water they lose the orphanage and it’s the only home those 20 children
got. Look Heyes we ain’t got a chance
against them cowhands that rancher has brought in so we won’t bother anyone.”
“That
all of it?” Heyes said. His head was
leaning back in the chair and his eyes were closed wearily.
“Well
I all ready told you they couldn’t afford to pay me. So how did you do?” Kid asked cheerfully attempting to change the
subject before his partner asked about how he had met the formidable Sadie
Wilkes, while she had been attempting to sign up for the contest. Heyes really didn’t need to know how she and
the children had been bullied and intimidated by the men standing around the
table or how impressed they had all been when Kid had been forced to draw his
gun to ensure the group was registered fairly.
Heyes
opened one eye, his face unreadable.
“Didn’t
find anything?” Kid asked surprised.
“Uh
yea, actually I did get a job,” Heyes said with a cough that almost swallowed
the words. “Just for tomorrow.”
“Great! How much it pay?”
Heyes
thought back to the lanky, red headed farmer and the pride in his voice as he
had offered him $2 to lead the Tottenberry team. The entire family had beamed at him waiting for his awe and
gratitude at the incredible amount that could be his.
“$2.”
“Well
that’s a start, what you going to be doing?” Kid pressed.
Heyes
mumbled something.
“What?”
Heyes
rolled his eyes and repeated it louder, but Kid still had to strain to hear it.
“Leading
a team.”
“What!”
Kid said jumping to his feet amazed.
“It’s
worse,” Heyes said putting his head in his hands. “It’s the Tottenberry’s, all 26 of them and little Shelly leading
the gang. I tell ya Kid she’s got a way
of looking at a man makes him start saying and doing things he never planned.”
He
sat there mournfully waiting for his cousin to deride him when suddenly Kid’s
laughter made him look up surprised.
“Were
a pair aren’t we?” Kid said flopping
into a chair across from him and grinning at him.
“Don’t
look so amused, you ever think about what’s gonna happen tomorrow when my team
wins?” Heyes said morosely.
“Your
team!” Kid laughed.
“Well
they are being led by Hannibal Heyes.”
“Sod
busters?”
“Was
the gang much more?”
“It
ain’t a train Heyes, it’s a series of challenges,” Kid said not missing the
slight flicker of hurt in his cousin’s eyes that he didn’t think he could do
it. “Besides you are forgetting about
me.”
Heyes
grinned understanding, “You just said a bunch of orphans didn’t have a chance!”
“I
lied, I didn’t want to worry you.”
“All
right then,” Heyes said leaning forward and for the first time there was
genuine interest in his expression.
“Guess we’ll see tomorrow.”
“Wanna
bet on it?” Kid said back.
“Cooking
and dishes?”
“Saddling
and unsaddling?”
“Week?”
“Week.”
“Done.”
The
men shook hands and grinned.
The contest was on.
***********************
“Mr.
Jones this is disgraceful, three teams!
Why there used to be twenty at the least,” Sadie Wilkes said, her drill
sergeant voice cut with sadness.
She
was dressed as she had been yesterday; in men’s work clothes and despite her 50
years seemed ready to give as good as she got for their team.
“Well
my partner is the one we gotta beat,” Kid said grinning over at Heyes who stood
out among the red haired Tottenberry’s who were looking up at him like he was
sent from on high.
“Well
we’ll give you our best,” Sadie said not missing the affection in his look
towards his cousin. These were good
boys to get involved in all this. “Here
is the list of events, the last two aren’t known until the end of the day,
Henry always kept them a secret so no one could plan ahead.”
“Smart
man, except for this last contest, he should have known this would have
happened,” Kid said studying the list.
“Said
he did, but he also said God would make arrangements. Funny man Henry.”
She
stopped as Heyes walked up; Shelly firmly attached at the knee.
“Sadie
this is my partner Joshua Smith,” Kid introduced.
“Ma’am,”
Heyes said tipping his hat.
“We’re
gonna win,” Shelly announced.
“Oh
you are, are you?” Kid said bending down to meet her eye to eye.
“Yup
Mr. Smith says you’re the only problem we got.”
“Did
he now?”
“Yup.
Here.”
And
she pressed a green gumdrop in his hand.
“No
red?” he asked thanking her.
“I
get the red ones,” Heyes said. “And
stop enticing my best players away,” he said darkly.
This
exchange seemed to please Shelly who skipped back to her family, while Sadie
turned to organize her group.
“Get
a look at them, not a child in the bunch,” Heyes said softly as the two men
eyed up the Guilard group.
Guilard
turned out to be an old granite faced man with eyes like a snake and a vicious
laugh that usually followed some cruel remark about those less fortunate than
him.
“Gunslingers
for children’s games,” Kid said disgusted and Heyes looked at him amused as if
to say what are we?
“It’s
different Heyes,” Kid said defensively.
“I
know,” his cousin said suddenly serious.
“Watch your back with that bunch.”
“You
too,” Kid said and added to dismiss both their embarrassment. “I need you fit to do all them chores.”
*****************************
“But
Bertie is the skinniest kid in the orphanage,” Rick said unable to comprehend
Heyes’s admiration of Kid picking the scrawny child for the pie eating
contest. “He just got there, ain’t been
there but a week”
“Which
means he still doesn’t trust he’s ever gonna have enough to eat again,” Heyes
said thinking back his smile bittersweet.
“Contest isn’t about how much you can eat,” he said glancing at the
hulking cowboy the other side had picked.
“But how fast.”
Kid
caught his eye and a look of understanding passed between them.
“Don’t
worry we’ll get them on the next one,” Heyes said conceding this game before it
had begun. Well done Kid, its gonna be
a challenge beating you.
*******************************
“Ain’t
never seen anything like it,” Sadie said in flat out awe as Heyes and his team
collected their points for the ‘Fire Drill’.
Kid
grinned chuckling at the strange contraption his partner had wheeled out
consisting partly of a rain gutter, a pump and a water trough. And he understood now all the notes and
fussing Heyes had done all day yesterday preparing for the events he knew
about. So while the other two teams had
scrambled to pass buckets his team had sprayed and slided water down onto the
fire at leisure.
“No
ma’am, but with my partner you do come to expect the unexpected,” he said
proudly.
***********************
By
noon the entire town was enthralled.
Instead of a quick and easy win the contest had turned into a flat out
three way tie and hope began to dust across the faces of the farmers and town
folk who had thought certain all was lost.
With
Kid and Heyes it had simply become a good natured game between the two of them,
each appreciating the cunning and flat our deviousness of the other and being
the first one to cheer when the other won.
Their good natured bantering had affected both teams and everyone was
enjoying themselves though quick to defend their leader as best as Kid discovered
when he pulled his oldest orphan off the Tottenberry’s oldest son.
“He
said Smith was smarter than you,” Eric said angrily wiping the blood from the
corner of his lip as Kid pulled the two apart and dragged the boy off to the
side.
“Save
it for the contest.”
“But
he said…”
“I
don’t care what he said,” Kid said firmly.
“Besides
he was wrong,” Heyes said from behind them holding the Tottenberry boy firmly
in tow.
“But
you are!” the boy said fiercely.
“Nope,
just think different that’s all. I’ll
tell ya something Micah there isn’t a man I would trust more to get me out of
jam than Mr. Jones. I appreciate your
loyalty, but I suggest you watch him, that’s how I got to be so smart.”
The
two boys sighed and shook hands.
“Nice
speech,” Kid said as the two shuffled away.
“I’m
still gonna beat the tar out of you,” Heyes said swallowing a smile.
“Keep
talking Heyes, that’s what your good at….”
And
with a grin they went back to their sides.
**************************
“Now
this horse race is through the orchard, back up around the church and down the
main street,” the Mayor said in his best official voice, his mustache quivering
with excitement.
Kid
and Heyes had seen the hardened rider Guilard had chosen and decided to ride
themselves neither one liking the idea of putting a child up against the man’s
seasoned edge or cocky glare.
“Child
would be lighter,” Heyes said watching Kid climb aboard the horse.
“Yup,”
Kid said. “Notice you didn’t use one
either.”
“Just
felt like a ride is all.”
“Yea
I don’t trust him neither, watch yourself Heyes,” Kid ordered.
“You
watch me, I’ll be ahead of you.”
“Only
cause I passed you and am going around again just for the fun of it,” Kid
grinned.
The
starter gun fired and the three horses shot out across the start line.
Heyes
relaxed into the run letting his body become one with the horse, enjoying being
able to take pleasure in the run without the usual reasons he had for doing it.
He
and Kid had raced a lot as children and been about even in the won/loss
box. Heyes’s family had the faster
horse, but Kid just had a way with his older animal that seemed to coax more
out of it than another rider might have.
The
pony’s today were equally matched and he looked over and grinned at the smile
his cousin flashed him. They were children
again and nothing but the race mattered.
Pulling
ahead he managed to dodge past the two riders and bore down trying to increase
his lead. It was then the rope caught
him chest high, yanking him back off his saddle and down hard onto the ground
where he hit with a thud that left him conscious, but dazed.
He
heard his name and the sound of a horse galloping towards him, but all he could
see was the sky above, feeling slightly disconnected from even the pain
shooting through him.
He
felt someone land beside him and gingerly raise him up.
“Heyes
you all right?”
“No,”
he said sure of that.
“Can
you move?”
“Do
I have to?”
“Here
give me your arm,” Kid pulled him to his feet and the earth started to
swim. “Let’s get the Doc to check you
out.”
“So
I lived?”
“Just
barely, that rope could have killed you.”
“I
thought it did. Did I win?”
“No,
but trust me the other fella is gonna wish you had.”
**************************
“You
got proof to back up that claim!” Guilard sneered blowing the smoke from his
cigar in Kid’s face.
“Who
else would have done it?”
“Maybe
you to take him out,” Guilard laughed.
A
crowd had gathered as news of what had happened rippled around the crowd. Guilard’s ways were well known and the two
strangers had quickly won the town over when word had gotten out they were
doing it for nothing.
“Why
you,” Kid said diving for the man and having seven ranch hands pull him off.
“Enough!”
the sheriff yelled. “Rules say anything
goes, next challenge is arm wrestling.”
Heyes
stepped into the ring looking shaky, but alert.
“What
are you doing up?” Kid said going up to him flush with anger. His partner was still pale and he could tell
in pain.
“You
heard the man, arm wrestling.”
“And
you heard the doctor, you got bruised ribs and a concussion.”
“See
won’t affect my arm at all.”
The
largest of the cowhands strided up and laughed, “I’ll be happy to break that
for you!”
“He
is not doing it,” the huge blacksmith said coming into the ring and wiping off
his hands. “I’m going to.”
“You
can’t join their team,” Guilard said angrily.
“Tottenberry
family right? Well my great aunt Inga
was a Tottenberry, so I reckon that qualifies me. Why she used to call me Lars.”
“Sheriff!?”
Guilard snapped.
“Rules
say any member of a family no matter how distant,” Sheriff said obviously
pleased to be able to side against Guilard
“Now,”
the blacksmith said holding up his massive hand, what was that about breaking
arms?”
**************************
Kid
looked at the scoreboard. The ladies
had evened things up for Heyes team with the sewing contest and the preserve
tasting and now they were neck in neck with Guilard only two ahead of them.
“Tug
of war!”
Kid
sighed and looked at his scrawny team, even with him and Sadie as anchors it
didn’t look good against the ranchers.
“Mind
if I anchor?”
Kid
turned on the voice to see a tall black muleskinner who had been watching in
the shade and once or twice offered suggestions.
“I
wish you could.”
“This
team made up of orphans right?”
“Right.”
“Hezekiah
Jackson,” the man said offering his hand.
“Orphan.”
Kid
grinned and took it, “Hezekiah welcome to the team.”
*************************
“Where
did you get him?” Heyes grinned delighted as the mountain of a man anchored
himself behind Kid.
“Orphan,”
Kid said innocently.
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