ANGEL WINGS

How many times have you asked yourself
is this the hand of fate that I've been dealt?
I triumphed in the face of adversity
and I became the man I never thought I'd be

I don't care about what they say
I won't live or die that way
go ahead and wake up it’s a brand new day

Angel wings gonna carry me away

-

Social Distortion

DENVER POST

Special Edition!

HEYES AND CURRY DEAD

Former Outlaws Killed in Avalanche Ambush!

Sheriff Lom Trevors had always known this day might come. When a man traveled life’s back road he learned early on not to store up too much optimism concerning things like second chances. True he had been one of the few to turn his future around, leave the outlaw trail and start anew, but he was the exception, not the rule.

And to be honest he had been lucky. A former outlaw that had found his way back into society and, after some hard work, a not easily won acceptance; the boys had not been so blessed. Their amnesty had been a little less than a year old and the reactions so far had ranged from outrage to indifference making the path they walked some days seem no different from the one they had left behind.

The fact that Hannibal Heyes and Jedediah Curry had vanquished their past at all still awed him. He had been wanted, but nothing close to the legendary status Curry and Heyes had built up during their outlaw era. The time they had spent dodging the law and bounty hunters, not to mention their own natures, was a testimony to what a man could do with his life if he wanted something bad enough.

Their time on the dodge had allowed them to run a gamut of employment options with them finally concluding their skills and experience only qualified them for one thing, trouble, though hopefully this time getting someone else out of it. Trevors knew they could have done anything they put their minds too, the trick was finding an occupation that would win their hearts as well. What they needed was something to keep Heyes’s brilliant mind occupied and give Kid’s skill and restlessness an out. They were perfect candidates for investigating now all they had to do is get someone to trust them with their problems. All it would have taken was that one case that would put them on the map and established them as credible.

And this last job had seemed the answer. Judge Hanley, a name from their past, had hired them to stop a band of raiders working the territory. The gang of nearly 20 was ruthlessly attacking outlying farms, stealing what they could before killing the men and then kidnapping and selling women and children to the highest bidder. It was the kind of job that would have given them instant recognition and national coverage if they had brought the gang in and Trevors was sure that was one of the reasons Hanley had asked for them. He knew the Judge believed in them since their first meeting in Junction City and a favor or two since had shown the jurist he had not misjudged their character.

And then it had all been snatched away.

The posse riding with Heyes and Curry had left them to return the women and children rescued along with ten of the captured gang. The group had returned excitedly telling stories of the way Heyes had figured out how to trap the kidnappers and how Kid had blazed into the camp taking down the guards before they could harm their hostages.

But in the fight several of the renegades had escaped including two of its leaders and neither Heyes nor Curry was willing to let them get away knowing it would start all over again once they rounded up new gang. Therefore Heyes had ordered the posse to take the hostages back with the prisoners while he and Curry went after the remaining gang.

Trevors was sure there were some that felt Heyes and Curry’s mistake had not been taking some of the posse with them. And while he knew Heyes would have picked the best men possible the group no doubt included family members of the hostages, which meant he could not spare the more experienced men to assist him and Kid, not with 10 prisoners to bring back along with wounded men and the freed women and children.

So going it alone had been the best option. The mountain pass the outlaws had headed for was known for its treachery, but neither Kid nor Heyes was a greenhorn when it came to spotting an ambush, which was one of the things that had bothered Trevors ever since he had gotten the news.

No one was really quite sure what had happened at that pass in the mountains, but a trap involving dynamite was suspected. It was hoped the fugitives had died along with their pursuers, but no one would know for sure until someone made the arduous trip around the mountain to check the back of it. And as that was likely to take a month in the spring thaw no one so far had volunteered.

Nearly to the jail he paused to study the gallows being erected in the main street. It seemed Junction City believed in making a statement and had built the scaffold to take all ten men at once. From what he had heard the hanging was to proceed immediately following the funeral tomorrow, a thought that must be weighing heavily on the men in the jail.

Trevors pulled up to the sheriff’s office at Junction City and tied up his horse. He didn’t need to let the law here know he was in town, but had decided to stop by as a courtesy and if he were honest because he was also curious.

Judge Micah Hanley had gone out of his way to hire the two ex-outlaws to stop the Peet gang when his own Sheriff was a former Bannerman. Why hadn’t he just given his own lawman the assignment?

“You’re a long way from home Sheriff Trevors,” Sheriff Horatio Scarben said looking up from his chair behind his desk and not bothering to stand or offer a hand of welcome as his fellow lawman introduced himself. On his face was plastered what Trevors had come to call a politician’s smile and Scarben’s reminded him of a badly carved Jack-O-Lantern. It was just a guess, but was he willing to bet the man kept the grin their permanently no matter what he was feeling.

Lom tallied all this up along with the citified clothes and their immaculate appearance. He wore a gun, he noted, and Lom was willing to bet he even knew how to use it, but aside from that any resemblance to a western lawman was hidden behind the fine cut of his suit and the crisp while silk of his shirt. Not that Trevors begrudged a man his finery; he knew a great many lawmen and outlaws that took dressing well very seriously. It was just that this man looked like he was more likely to shoot a man for making him rumple his creases than breaking the law.

“Came to pay my respects to a couple of old friends,” Lom replied simply.

The third older man in the room sat back in his chair fascinated at the contrast between the two men.

Trevors lived and breathed the outdoors. His stance, the aged calloused grip of his hands; the way his clothes moved naturally and comfortably against his hard, lean body. But it was his eyes that fascinated him the most. Dark, piercing and intelligent they could size up a man faster than a wanted poster and right now they made no effort to show their chagrin at a lawman that let others do his job for him.

Sheriff Lom Trevors of Wyoming did not like the sheriff of Junction City and with a small smile Judge Micah Hanley had to agree with him.

“You mean the funeral for outlaws,” Horatio spat and removing a fine rolled cigarette from a silver case lit it. “Damn criminals have every crook for 200 miles crawling in to pay their respects like they were kings or something.”

“In a way they were, but that’s not why I’m here. They were my friends and good men.”

“Oh yea good men that robbed and killed, I have to take exception to your assessment Trevors.”

“Heyes and Curry never killed anyone.”

“Maybe not during their robbing, but you can’t tell me Curry never dropped a man. And I suppose you would know wouldn’t you Trevors, you rode with them, not surprising you defend your own kind.”

Trevors didn’t flinch at the insult, but Judge Hanley instantly was on his feet to intervene. The tension in the room had changed like a gauntlet had been dropped and even Scarben, who had the instincts of mud, caught it and rose to his feet.

“Sheriff Trevors allow me to introduce myself, I’m Judge Hanley,” the older man said moving between the two and offering his hand.

“Judge, heard a lot about your from the boys, they were real indebted to you.”

“And I to them; what say we retire to the saloon and I buy you a drink to toast that.”

“Be a pleasure sir,” Lom said and giving Scarben one final hard glance he turned and exited the judge quickly behind him.

“I can’t tell you how sorry I am this all turned out this way. I knew those two were the only ones who had a chance against the Peet gang and I was right.”

“But they never caught them,” Lom said surprised.

“No, but we haven’t heard from any of them since that avalanche. It may have killed Heyes and Curry, but they managed to take those villains with them.”

“Heyes told me he thought there had to be someone behind the scenes organizing things, anything ever come of that?”

“Yes he told me his theory about that and looking back I had to agree with him. Unfortunately he never returned to tell me what he and Mr. Curry had learned.”

Reaching the nearest saloon the two men entered to a crush of men of all walks of life talking loudly and drinking heavily.

“You disapprove?” the Judge smiled slightly as they took their beers and found a table in the back.

“You got a pretty rough element here Judge; if I were sheriff I’d be lining up deputies and confiscating guns.”

“A wise idea, if you were sheriff, but you’ve seen the one we have. It seems he believes in only handling crime once it happens; which is why the Peet gang got such a foot hold in our area.”

“I hear they had moved up from smuggling guns to the Indians to taking women for the bordellos, that true?”

“Yes it is; didn’t bother them if they were merely children either.”

Lom shook his head and took a sip of his beer. “You must have been paying a stiff reward. Heyes and Curry don’t usually bounty hunt.”

“No, just a $1000 the town raised, those two did it more as a favor to me than anything. Though I think when they saw the burned out farms where they raiders had hit it convinced them more than anything else.”

Lom swallowed, he was one of the few people who would understand how such a sight would galvanize the two men into taking the job.

“Yes I know,” Hanley said quietly. “After I first met them I did a little checking up on their past. I knew it would remind them of what happened to their families and I confess I used that to convince them to help me stomp out this vermin. And now I have to live with myself.”

Trevors considered this, “No one uses Heyes and Curry, if they took the job it’s because they wanted to.”

“Thank you,” the Judge said not convinced, but grateful. “Some of their other friends are in town. They are staying at the Stanford. Tell the desk clerk you are a friend of mine and you’ll get a fair rate.”

“Fair rate?”

“The funeral of Curry and Heyes promises to be quite a carnival especially combined with a hanging. The town is making the most of the crowds and rates are sky high. They were legends and they had a lot of friends.”

Lom looked around the room recognizing a few faces, “Yea, they did, but I think a good portion of this crowd is here to take advantage of the circus the funeral is going to cause. I have to admit I was kind of surprised when I got your telegram didn’t figure anyone would do anything since they didn’t have bodies to bury.”

“Probably wouldn’t have, but Mr. Saunders, ah you know him, well he arrived a week after the news broke and quietly asked if he could place a memorial to the two in the cemetery. Family of Tate Givens, one of the hostages freed by Heyes and Curry had also been petitioning for something to be done and the two joined causes. Might have stayed a nice quiet civilized affair, but the newspaper reporters here covering the trial got wind of it and it just snowballed. Still it did allow a lot of their real friends a chance to come and express how much they meant to them.”

“Maybe,” Lom said finishing his drink and standing. “But it might have been nice if a few of them had come forward and made that known during the last couple of months.”

And picking up his hat he walked out of the saloon.

Judge Hanley sat back and considered the men who would have such a friend. It said much of them.

And he remembered how lucky he counted himself to be able to call them the same. Not to mention how it had saved his life…

*******************************

Junction City, Colorado

1881

The audacity of the kidnapping had surprised even him. The trial of Jack Hall had been a sensation and the money his father had poured into it had been the talk of the territory. Wary of his jury being compromised Judge Micah Hanley had taken every precaution to keep them sequestered, but in the end it had been no use. Bribery, threats and one out right beating had contaminated the trial and made it seem any chance of an untainted verdict impossible. But Hanley was not to be thwarted. He took justice very seriously and had no qualms with taking the back door to get it. Therefore declaring a mistrial he had announced he would render verdict on the young man and his murder-rape charge himself. He knew it might not stand up with Hall’s rich lawyers, but that was fine with him. Let it move up to a higher court, the jury there would be a lot harder influence and far too public to threaten.

But Janis Hall had merely solved this problem by having him kidnapped, thought perhaps that wasn’t quite the word considering he had not left his home.

“I tell you we’ve searched his mines, his businesses in town…everywhere!” Court clerk Clyde Lope groaned frightened of these two men who had stormed the Judge’s office saying they were here to help.

“Could all ready be dead Joshua,” Kid had to admit.

“No ground is too hard to bury a man till spring thaw.”

“Then throw the body down a well,” Kid continued playing devil’s advocate knowing it helped his partner think.

“Maybe, but I’m willing to bet a man who thinks himself so above the law that he can kidnap a judge would believe he could sway him to do things his way. No I think he planned to keep him around and try and persuade him first, less messy that way.”

“Yea, but where?” Kid said agreeing. “Whole town is looking for him. That storm that blew in the night it happened would have kept them from getting very far, man couldn’t see two feet in front of him without a rope to hold on to.”

Heyes looked up sharply, “He couldn’t could he?”

Kid nodded knowing his partner was on to something, “What say you show us where it all happened?”

The clerk nodded meekly and nervously pulled some keys from a top desk drawer. “His housekeeper Martha has gone to stay at her sister. They tied her up when they burst in and she’s taken to bed with worry at being handled so. Judge always treated her real fine.”

The three men stepped out into the snow clogged street and pulled up their collars. The weather was still vicious and only a fool would consider traveling in it. Or two men worried about a man who had done them a good turn once and saw a chance to return the favor.

“Your lucky the railroad got the tracks clear enough to get you here,” the clerk went on his breath visible with every word.

“Yea that’s what took us so long,” Kid admitted not liking the idea it had delayed their journey and possibly any chance they had of helping.

Finally the group stopped at an old stone building on the edge of a tree lined street. It was clearly the oldest house in the neighborhood and work had been done on it to transform it into something more fashionable and genteel, but the core still showed the shape of the study prairie house it had once been.

“Judge’s house used to be the jail, court and trading post all in one before the town got built proper,” the clerk explained as he tried to find the right key to the front door. “Once the town took off thanks to the railroad Judge Hanley’s wife made him do some adding on to make it look respectable. Real fine woman she was, whole town misses her. He built the first part of this place for her when they come west. Strong as a fortress said he wanted to keep her safe.”

Heyes and Kid instantly looked at each other.

“I’ll see if I can spot anything,” Kid said hurrying back down the porch steps as Heyes frustrated by the man’s dawdling pushed him aside and firmly kicked the door open.

“What are you doing? Look mister you are gonna have to pay for that!”

Heyes grabbed the little man by the collar and pulled him half way up the wall, no small feet considering he was taller than him.

“Where is he?”

“What? How would I know?”

“Somebody had to make sure those jurors got the messages from the boy’s father and besides the Judge and the sheriff you’d be the only one who had contact with them.”

“This is crazy!”

“Where is he? Is he alive?” Disgusted Heyes dropped the man hard and quickly began prowling the house as Kid raced back in.

“Hard to tell with the additions, but the west wall doesn’t measure up right.”

Together the two men began pulling furniture away from the wall until at last they spotted something.

“This carpet has been moved and put back,” Heyes said suddenly. “Look at the imprints from that table, they are different.”

Kid responded by getting down on his knees and pulling up the huge rug. “Damp under the carpet!”

“Like maybe snow from someone’s boots? What do you do Lope visit him once a day with water and food?”

The clerk let out a gurgle that sounded like a stuck pig and moved to scramble for the door.

Kid’s gun jumped into his hand. “Move again and I’ll blow off both legs so you can’t.”

The man slumped down terrified.

“Here it is!” Heyes said excited tracing his hands along the wood floor until he found what he was looking for and pulling out a knife wedged the floor panel up.

Judge Hanley blinked at the intrusion of light and relief flooded into his eyes.

Two hours later the three of them sat around a large fire nursing stiff drinks while Martha could be heard enthusiastically banging out dinner in the kitchen.

“How on earth did you think I might here?” the Judge asked finally. He was weary, shaken, but resilient as ever.

“Didn’t see they had much choice and when I saw the house I realized most of these old homesteads had an Indian hole to hide women and children.”

“And Janis knew that, he’s been living here as long as I had, even helped me build this place. How did you know Lope was involved?”

“Heyes knew before he met him,” Kid grinned.

“Suspected,” Heyes corrected.

“You that good a judge of character son?” Hanley questioned.

Heyes let a small smile escape, “No sir, but he was the only one with opportunity and at the wage a clerk makes, man his age could easily be tempted. That’s why I accused him.”

“And if that’s the best he bluffs,” Kid sighed. “Man should avoid Poker.”

“You two have a career as detectives ahead of you!” the Judge said predicted.

Heyes fought a smile, “Actually sir most times its just common sense than any great detectiving; just a matter of who had the chance to do it.”

“When Heyes read the story in the paper he had a fair idea of what might had happened that’s why we knew we had to get here fast before the weather eased up and they decided it was too risky to keep you alive,” Kid said.

“I owe you both my life,” Hanley said moved and raised his glass. “Thank you.”

“Well we felt the same way about what you did for us,” Heyes said raising his in reply.

They had only stayed the night disappearing at dawn before anyone could link the daring rescue to them.

Hanley sighed and stared down at his drink. He had done everything in his power after that day to promote their amnesty. Letters, jobs, whatever they needed. And in the end it had killed them.

Disgusted he pushed his beer aside and demanded a whiskey.

*****************************

“Careful with that! You are going to crush it!” Clementine Hale groaned as the porter uncaringly dropped her case onto her hat box on the train platform and went back to work unconcerned.

“Well you can’t just leave me here! How am I supposed to manage this and find my way? My name is Clementine Hale! There is suppose to be…” she groaned the man was gone.

“Problem ma’am?”

The tall handsome fair haired stranger lifted his hat and offered his best smile.

Clementine, immune to none of the above, gave her best helpless look.

“I was trying to find a hotel, suitable for a lady.”

“Stanford Hotel, ma’am, best in town,” the cowboy suggested picking up her bags effortlessly. “Allow me to help you.”

“Oh well I couldn’t…I mean I don’t even know you…”

“Jim Stokely ma’am, I believe we had mutual friends.”

She cocked her head remembering the name, “Heyes mentioned you!”

“Yes ma’am I have no doubt he did!” Stokely grimaced, but did it with a smile. “Now let’s get you settled. This town right now is no place for a lady to navigate alone.”

“The lady is not alone!” came an indignant sniff and Stokely turned to see a pale dandy in a gray suit waving his handkerchief around as if warding off evil spirits. “Clementine you never mentioned the west had so much dust!”

“Ah this is Daven Reynolds my fiancée. Daven I thought you were going to wait in the ticket office until I could…”

“Full of ruffians, just like the train! I certainly hope the hotel has some sense of decorum.” Stopping he gave Stokely a glance and then dismissing him as a servant continued, “My bags are there bring them along as well,” the thin pompous little man said once more waving the handkerchief like a debutante at a charity ball.

“They certainly are,” Stokely said walking past him with just Clementine’s and smiling to her took her arm. “Come along ma’am I’ll show you that hotel.”

Daven stopped shocked and disgusted hurried back to his bags certain they would be carried off at any moment by Indians or brigands or trampled by these buffalo he had heard so much about.

“Daven is new to the west,” Clementine said. “Maybe we should wait for him…”

“Gentleman doesn’t leave a pretty lady like you standing out in the street,” Stokely smiled pulling her away effortlessly.

Clem sighed and had to agree, not that she wasn’t capable; but a girl only liked to admit that as a last resort. She had moved back east to start a new life and had planned to forget her past and everyone in it after her father’s death. Her mother’s family had welcomed her with open arms and moving in eastern society had been fascinating. Not to mention the attention of so many well to do young men had made her feel certain she had found her rightful place in the world.

Even the letter from the boys with the news of their amnesty and its subtle hint to drop their names to her new well off friends to help them find work had not moved her to respond and she had put the letter away as if it meant nothing to her. She was seeing Daven by then and enjoying being treated like a lady of society. She had put the past behind her now and all those in it. This was where she belonged and she was going to do nothing to endanger that future.

But the news of their death struck something in her that brought all the memories flooding back and impulsively she had booked a ticket west explaining the death of old friends required her presence.

At first she had been pleased when Daven had insisted on going assuring her that he wanted and needed to be available to see her through this difficult time.

But as the journey had worn on she had quickly realized Daven did not do well out of his own environment. And now surrounded by western men he was looking less and less like the golden prince she had crowned him and more and more like a whining ninny.

“Thank you Mr. Stokely,” she said pulling her hand free at the hotel desk. “I can mange from here.”

“My pleasure ma’am, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you later at Mr. Saunders’ gathering.”

“Soapy is here!” she said delighted.

Stokely smiled liking the way she looked when she was genuinely happy. What was a spirited girl like this doing with a milk toast fiancé like that one?

“Yes ma’am. He’s rented out the dining room for a private party this evening. I know he would want you to attend.”

And saying his good byes he tipped his hat and left whistling.

Clementine turned back to the desk clerk barely hearing the arrival of her fiancé huffing and puffing and complaining loudly that he had left civilization for the wilderness and was not likely to recover.

Her mind was very far away remembering the very first time she set eyes on Hannibal Heyes and Jedediah Curry.

*******************************

“Grandma look! What’s all that ruckus going on over there?” 14-year old Clementine Hale asked wide eyed as she and the older woman exited the mercantile that hot Saturday afternoon.

It was market day and Geraldine Hale always liked to be finished and out of town before the ‘cow folk’ woke up from their Friday night hangovers and began hoorahing the town for their Saturday night ones. But the big Founding Day social had delayed her and her young granddaughter forcing them to finish their errands well past noon.

“Nothing that concerns us young lady and do not say ruckus, ruckus is not a word young ladies use,” her grandmother started to lecture and then mercifully was pulled away by an old friend hurrying up clearly eager to impart some new piece of gossip.

Bored Clementine saw her chance and subtly eased herself off the store’s porch and into a better view.

It wasn’t that she didn’t love her grandmother, she really was grateful for her taking her in while her father was ‘away’. Geraldine Hale was a good Christian woman doing her best with a child that daily reminded her of her failure with her own son. But life sure was considerably duller than it had been with her dad. He wasn’t a bad man really, just weak and with her mother’s death he had needed things to distract him. It had occurred to her once that she should have been enough to distract him, losing her mother had devastated her, but she had quickly dismissed that thought as selfish. Her father needed her loyalty, especially at a time like this.

So she had dutifully left St Louis and gone west to stay with his mother and found she was expected to fit in and make herself useful and curtail her own natural enthusiasm.

Which wasn’t really so awful, just boring; she had so hoped ‘the wild west’ would prove more interesting than church teas and sewing for the needy.

But with the arrival of the herds bound for the railroad the town had definitely gotten livelier. And as she moved closer she could see an argument had poured out from a nearby saloon onto the street. Skinny and small she had no trouble working her way through the folks watching what was going on and soon found herself in front of the crowd.

Two men, no that wasn’t right, one was barely older than she was, were facing each other. It only took a second for her to realize this was what the dime novels called a gunfight and she gasped and tried to move back, but the crowd had closed in tight behind her removing any chance of an easy escape.

Swallowing she found herself studying the two antagonists in horrible fascination, it not lost on her that one of them was most likely going to die in the next few seconds.

The older man was in his early 20’s and looked hard and seasoned, but oddly she had the strangest feeling he was also frightened.

Across from him the young boy with his tousled blond curls and blue eyes stood calmly and from him she detected nothing, not fear, not bravo, nothing and it was then she realized this was what was frightening the other man.

Suddenly the older man went for his gun, but he never reached it falling down hard, a bullet to his shoulder dropping him effortlessly.

The crowd gasped as one and all eyes turned to the young boy who twirled his gun back with almost grown up weariness.

“Fastest I’ve ever seen,” one man behind her proclaimed.

“Wooohoo lets see how the sheriff handles this young buck, he’s faster than him and Wild Bill!” another laughed, but she noticed both moved away quickly as the sheriff hurried up.

“We got a law against gun fights in this town boy,” the lawman said.

“You got a law against self defense too?” came a voice and everyone turned to see a dark haired boy not much older than the winner of the gun fight move up to stand next to his friend. He was out of breath as if he had been running desperately.

“How do I know it was self defense?” the lawman growled. “Anyone see anything?”

Suddenly the crowd was consumed with somewhere else to be and as Clementine watched them all slink away she stepped forward boldly.

“I did sir! And the man that got shot not only drew first he called this young man out….if that’s the correct way of putting it.”

All three men stared at the little girl. The dark haired one bursting into a grin that made her forget every smile she had ever seen.

“Fine a little girl says… the lawman spat.

“I am not a little girl! I am Clementine Hale of St Louis Missouri and I do not lie!”

She said it as pompous as she could, but it came out like a kitten spitting at a bulldog.

“Hale? You Geraldine’s granddaughter?”

“Yes sir,” she said having to look down. The two boys were staring at her so intently it was making her blush.

The lawman shook his head, “Well Miss Clementine Hale of St. Louis if that’s what happened I guess that’s what happened. I’m gonna be keeping an eye on you two,” he added. “What are your names?”

“Hannibal Heyes and this is my cousin Jedediah Curry.”

“Whose outfit you with?”

“Hank Livingston.”

The sheriff studied him, “Hank is a good man, usually doesn’t employ hot heads.”

“And he didn’t,” Curry said simply. “That fella drew on me; you heard the little g...lady.”

“Not my friend’s fault man was foolish enough to pick a fight with someone faster than him,” the one called Heyes said almost cocky.

“Well,” said the sheriff secretly impressed as all get out. “Tell the kid here to keep his gun holstered or next time you both will be seeing the inside of my jail.”

The lawman strode away and with the loser of the gunfight being hauled off to see the doctor it only left the three of them. The two boys appeared to have forgotten about her as the dark haired one turned on his friend his calm demeanor slipping away suddenly to reveal how frightened he’d been.

“I leave you alone for ten minutes and come back to find you meeting Oklahoma Sam in the street! Jed are you crazy?”

“He said I was cheating!”

“You don’t win enough for anyone to accuse you of cheating!” Heyes groaned.

“I do when I’m not playing you,” Curry replied and suddenly looked a little sick. “Aw Han it all happened so fast I swear I didn’t want to have to shoot him.”

His cousin suddenly forgot about being mad or frightened and put a hand on his shoulder. “I know, we just look like green horns and these fellas figure they can take advantage of us. Picked the wrong cowboy for that though,” he said giving his partner a warm smile trying to take some of the pain out of his eyes. “Hell Jed I ain’t never seen you draw that fast!”

“Makes a difference when someone is gonna shoot back,” the boy mumbled.

“Come on I’ll buy you a drink.”

“I’m still trying to get over being sick from the last one you bought me,” the boy lied softly not wanting to admit the effect having to shoot a man was having on him.

His friend understand and didn’t embarrass him by mentioning it had only been a watered down beer and that had been two hours ago. “Then lets get some food into you, real food, that always helps,” his friend said leading him towards the diner trying not to look like how much his friend’s pain was bothering him. “With the money we got from that drive we can afford us steak and pie and maybe even seconds!”

“Excuse me!”

The two boys turned and looked at her as if suddenly remembering she was there.

“Ah sorry ma’am never did thank you for standing up for me,” Curry said pulling off his hat his sincerity apparent in his eyes. “Thank you.”

He turned to go, but she raced round in front of them.

“There is a dance tonight at the feed barn! For Founder’s Day! You can come!”

The two looked at each other and almost managed to hide smiles.

Annoyed she continued on quickly. She had learned early on that the faster you talked the better chance you had of getting out what you needed said before people ignored you.

“They’ll be dancing and free food and…”

“Girls?” Curry asked suddenly interested.

“Of course there will be girls who are the boys going to dance with!” she said like he was an idiot.

The one called Heyes burst into laughter, “Well thank you ma’am we sure will consider it!”

“Clementine Hale!” an older feminine voice pierced the air.

Clementine looked back and winced.

“Grandmother?” Heyes guessed following her gaze.

“Yes,” she admitted. “I think I’m in trouble.”

“I hope not on my account,” Curry said concerned.

“Oh no I manage just fine at that without any help from anyone.”

“Clementine!”

“Good bye! See you tonight!” she said happily and almost skipped away.

She not only one date for the dance, she had two! And darn if they weren’t the two handsomest boys she had ever seen!

******************************

“I don’t know about this Jed,” Heyes said uncomfortable as the two young men stood in the door way to the brightly lit room alive with music from a fiddle band. All around couples and friends were dancing and laughing and for a crowded room it suddenly seemed rather lonely.

“Lady at the cafe said there would be lots of pretty girls,” Jed said eager for something he could only explain as being like ‘back home’. He moved forward, but his cousin did not miss the whispers that followed him. Jed had been labeled from the fight earlier and only knowing the rancher who had brought them up with the cattle drive had gotten them in the door.

“Jed there are pretty girls at the saloon,” Heyes said worried about where this could be headed.

“Not that kind of pretty, back home pretty,” Jed said stubbornly. “Listen the music’s stopped I’m gonna ask someone; you coming with me?”

Heyes rolled his eyes but followed clearly not sure this world had a place for them anymore.

Clementine looked up just in time to witness the snub. She had been helping her grandmother cut pie in the kitchen, while trying to keep an eye on the door. She had just about given up on them coming when she saw them.

Delighted she smoothed down her new green dress and brushed her hair back. She had convinced her grandmother she was too old for braids, well the truth was she had hit the fact her hair wasn’t braided until she had gotten there and then it was too late to do anything. With her hair down almost to her waist she felt very grown up and that would surely impress them though she couldn’t for the life of her figure out which one she wanted to impress more.

She waited hoping they would notice her and watched as they confidently walked up to a group of girls their age at the refreshment table; neither boy, even at that age, was shy, and gamely each singled out a girl to ask for a dance.

They were answered by giggling and then shooed away by their mothers who gave the two strangers strong looks of disapproval.

“I told you this was a bad idea,” Heyes said worried.

“Were just strangers, let’s get some punch, things will warm up in a bit,” Jed optimistically decided.

And so they were left in the corner, but not ignored, every eye was on them. Dance after dance they were turned down or completely ignored and as Clementine watched her shyness turned to anger at the treatment they were being given.

“I guess you were right Han,” Jed said finally as he was turned down again. “Let’s go.”

Clementine started to panic, they were going to leave. Desperate she looked around for a reason to make them stay and spotting Mr. McKenzie who was playing lead fiddle she hurried up and whispered to him.

He blinked, but then seeing her suffering bit back a smile and nodded.

“And now ladies it’s your turn!” he told the crowd. “Next dance is ‘Ladies choice’!”

Not wishing to embarrass themselves further by being the only males in the room not asked to dance the two cowboys headed for the door only to be firmly stopped by one Clementine Hale.

“Would you like to dance?” she said hands on her hips defying anyone to stop her.

“Both of us at once?” Heyes grinned amused for the first time that night.

“Well one at a time would be easier,” she said slightly taken back, this she hadn’t considered.

“You’re the little girl in the street today,” Curry said remembering.

“I am not little!” she said almost stomping her foot.

“Yes you are,” Heyes said, but his smile took away the insult. “And you sure your ma is gonna want you dancing with us?”

“My ma is dead,” Clementine said haughtily. “Now do you want to dance or not?”

Heyes paused to consider this. He was 17 years old and at 14 Clementine was a million years younger, but her spunk had charmed him. “I want,” Heyes grinned and catching her arm he swirled her out onto the dance floor taking her breath away with his energy.

She would dance with many handsome gentlemen after that night, but not a one could hold a candle to the two strangers who were so out of place and yet felt so right.

“You sure you aren’t gonna get into trouble us dancing with you Clem?” Jed asked as he swept her out onto the floor.

Clementine stole a peek over at the disapproving glances coming from the Ladies’ Aid Society. Someone would be hurrying to find her grandmother no doubt.

“Don’t call me Clem! My name is Clementine,” she said lectured him and when he grinned she had to grin back. “All right probably, but I don’t care.”

“Well you should, your folks are just looking out for you; pretty girl has to be careful.”

She stared up at him with something akin to hero worship, “You think I’m pretty?”

Jedediah did not have to lie, “I do ma’am.”

“But you also think I’m a little girl.”

“You are a little girl, how old are you Clem?”

“16.”

“How old?”

“14,” she admitted disgusted.

He laughed, “I would have guessed 12.”

She got indignant and kicked him, “And how old are you!?”

“15,” he winced.

“One year!” she said triumphant.

He suddenly looked at her with eyes so sad it made her want to cry. “Lot of difference in how our years added up Clem, mine carry about twice the miles. I think your Grandmother wants to speak to you.”

He stopped dancing and released her as her grandmother hurried up and tipping his hat to them both thanked her for the dance and her grandmother for her kindness and walked away.

Heyes was waiting and the two knowing it was better to leave before they were asked to step out into the cold night air.

“She’s 14,” Curry said surprised.

“I know she told me,” Heyes grinned. “That little girl is gonna grow up into one firecracker of a woman someday.”

“Well I hope she does the growing part anyway, tiniest thing I ever held in my arms!”

“Wait! Wait!”

Turning surprised they watched as Clementine ran up to them dress caught up in her hands, hair streaming behind her and had to wait a moment while she caught her breath.

“Grandmother says you can come for Sunday dinner!” she said overjoyed.

“She what?” Heyes laughed. “How did you talk her into that?”

“I reminded her that the Lord sometimes sends angels disguised to see how we treat strangers!”

“And your grandmother thinks were angels?” Jed said amazed.

“Well she doesn’t like to take chances,” Clementine beamed.

“But Clem were strangers,” Heyes said not used to such kindness.

“You aren’t strangers I’ve known you for hours now!” she said confused. “And don’t call me Clem! My name is Clementine! See you already have a nickname for me! That must mean we know each other real good!”

Curry grinned, “Enough to get a kiss good night?”

She blushed and he grinned. “No, but enough to come to supper after church.”

“Be gone by then Clem,” Heyes explained.

“But you just got here!” she said sadly.

“Drive is heading back,” Jed said pleased he would be missed.

“Then you have to promise next time you come back you’ll stop and see me, promise?” Clem begged.

“All right Clem we promise,” Heyes said and to seal the deal kissed her cheek.

“Remember you promised!” she said beaming and then on impulse reached up on tip toes and kissed Jedediah’s cheek and blushing ran off.

“Angels,” Heyes grinned.

“Been a long time since anyone called us that,” Jed said and grinned back.

“Jed, I can’t remember a time ANYONE called us that!”

******************************

Clementine sighed, back in the present, and they had come back, even started to see her as more than a little girl after time. Even after they started outlawing they had stayed friends and whenever she had needed them they had been there for her.

And what had she done for them when they had needed her most?

Sniffling she pulled out her kerchief and hurried up the stairs leaving Daven behind. God had sent her angels and she had let them down.

************************************

“Stokely isn’t it?” Trevors said coming up beside the man smoking a cigar on the hotel porch.

“I know you Sheriff?” Stokely said easily leaning back to study him.

“No, but we had mutual friends; heard you rode with the posse that went after those raiders.”

“Your name wouldn’t be Lom Trevors would it Sheriff?” Stokely asked.

“It would.”

“Then sit down,” Stokely said offering him a cigar and the chair next to him on the porch. “I reckon you would like to hear what really happened.”

**********************************

Stokely could still smell the stench from the ruins of the farmhouse. It was an overpowering combination of burnt wood, flesh and kerosene and it rode a man’s senses until he wanted to gag.

He had arrived two days after Heyes and Curry did responding to their telegram with an offer of a job. In the past six months they had called him in twice when they had needed extra man power and he was beginning to see a future for him in their new line of work.

The two men had just returned from checking another farm destroyed a week ago only to find the raiders had hit again conveniently miles away from where they were working.

“Sure is amazing how these boys seem to know where we are,” Kid said crouching down and examining the tracks leading from the ruins.

“A little too amazing,” Heyes said darkly. He had not said much since they had rode up on the butchered landscape and Stokely did not miss the controlled way he clenched his fists as he checked the massacre for any clues.

“Looks like they took the child, you said it was a little girl?” Kid asked holding up a battered stuffed bear that had hastily been dropped.

“Yea Mark Givens had a little girl Tate. She’s just 5, lost her Ma last year to the fever,” one of the local farmers who had found the fire said his face pale with shock and disgust.

“Let’s go,” Heyes said suddenly making a decision.

Everyone looked at each other and then at Kid. The group that had rode out with them to the farm was a mixed bunch of local farmers, merchants and towns folk curious and angry. Combined with the men from their old gang, Stokely and Sheriff Scarben and his men they numbered perhaps 15.

“You mean after them?” Stokely asked for everyone.

“And how do you expect to go after them when we don’t know where they went?” Scarben snarled.

“But we do know where they went,” Kid said pleasantly an walking over to two of his former gang members Stokely recognized as Wheat Carlson and Kyle Mertree he started giving them orders on what supplies they were going to need.

“They must have two days head start on us!” Scarben said rolling his eyes.

“6 hours,” Kid continued amiably, though a wiser man would have known better then to believe it as he moved on to check each man’s firepower and offer suggestions.

“Wheat were also gonna need a wagon,” Heyes said walking over to his horse.

“What the hell for?” Scarben snapped.

“To bring those folks back in of course,” Kid said, but Stokely didn’t miss he was keeping one eye on his partner.

“Fools errand if you ask me,” Scarben finally growled and turning his horse galloped off motioning his men to follow.

The two deputies with him paused and finally followed albeit reluctantly.

“Anyone else feel like leaving? Heyes said quietly.

Everyone glanced at his neighbor, but as one they all shook their heads no.

“Then like the man said, mount up,” Kid ordered.

Stokely moved for his horse impressed and for a moment glanced back as the two ex-outlaws conferred. Then to his surprise he saw Heyes take the toy bear and stuff it in his saddle bag while his partner pretended not to see. He suddenly felt better about their chances. Hannibal Heyes had decided the hostages were coming home and Mr. Heyes was not a man you defied easily.

************************

“But there ain’t no trail down here!” one of the men complained 12 hours later as they stood at the base of a steep drop off.

“Heyes says there is,” Lobo shrugged having long learned that if his leader said it a man might just as well decide to believe it right then and there and save himself a wagon load of trouble.

“This is crazy we been riding straight without stopping, our horses are done in, were done in…” one of the townsmen complained.

Heyes was instantly in front of him. “And they know that, which believe it or not is keeping those hostages safe. We give them time to relax you aren’t gonna want to know what condition we’ll find those women and children in.”

“Well what if you scare them so bad they up and shoot them and make a run for it?” another man grumbled.

“They won’t, those hostages are there only bargaining chip,” Stokely spoke up. “Man here is right, best thing we can do is drive them until they make a mistake.”

“They just did,” Kid said appearing from out of nowhere and turned to his partner. “It’s still passable, should put us right in front of them.”

Everyone began talking excitedly until Heyes with a sharp whistle got their attention back and quickly divided the group into two.

Stokely was impressed at how he knew just which men to put together, one group to follow on as before then slow up as if giving up and a second to move ahead of the kidnappers and surprise them.

Rallied with renewed energy and hope the group moved out and it was not long before Heyes stopped his company and began moving them into position.

“Stokely I want you covering Curry,” Heyes told him and then crouched down and quickly outlined the plan in the dirt showing each man what he was expecting of them..

Stokely nodded slowly and looked over at Kid who having finished checking his own gun was tucking a second in his belt and moving on to a third.

“You planning on taking them all out by yourself?” Stokely said with a grin that faded when Curry didn’t correct him.

“No my partner is planning on me taking them all out by myself,” Kid said dryly.

“He’s going to get the men guarding the hostages before they hurt them. You and I are going to make sure no one bothers him while he does it,” Heyes explained.

Stokely considered this. “Gonna take some real fancy shooting to pull this off.”

“Lucky we got you then Jim,” Kid said simply.

“This is crazy,” Jim muttered ten minutes later as he slid down next to Heyes to wait for Curry’s signal to storm the group which had stopped to water their horses.

“You just make sure my partner can do his job,” Heyes said and silently melted away into the rocks.

After that things went a little crazy. Curry burst into the camp guns blazing taking the raiders and their prisoners completely by surprise. Heyes’s order that the men in the second group following the kidnappers pull back as if they were giving up had done the trick and the group had begun to relax thinking they were in the clear.

The hostages, 7 women and 12 children, were being held in three groups to make any escape or rescue attempt all the more difficult. But it made no difference to Curry who attacked the camp like a renegade Apache seeming to be everywhere at once and taking down guards going for their guns even as he yelled to the hostages to get down.

But if Kid was the avenging angel, Heyes was the devil himself moving to cover him and pulling off shots that even made Stokely blink. They just seemed to know exactly what the other was thinking and Heyes shadowed Curry giving him all the support he needed to do the impossible as their men positioned in the rocks sent down a hail of fire.

The whole thing was over in a little over a minute.

An eerie sort of silence hung over the scene as the gunfire ended and the rest of the group hurried down to round up the survivors.

As for the hostages they were clumped together wide eyed and holding on to one another with a desperate hopelessness that made the men shift uncomfortable unsure how to comfort them.

“Did my daddy send you?”

Heyes looked down at a little girl barely higher than his knee. Her dress was torn, her face dirty and cut, but her eyes still held an innocent faith in the world as she looked up at him.

“What’s your name sweetheart?” Heyes smiled pushing back his hat.

“Tate Givens.”

“Just the lady I was looking for,” he smiled and walking over to his horse retrieved the discarded toy and returning to her crouched down to meet her eye to eye and offered it to her. “Believe you dropped this ma’am,” he added with his best smile.

The child stared at it and then clutching it against her fell into him and began to weep.

Startled Heyes picked her up and let her sob onto his shoulder and for the first time since the adventure had began looked like he had no clue what to do next.

But the simple act seemed to work like a tonic on the other prisoners who slowly got to their feet sensing hope.

Moments later the second group in the posse roared up and the hostages came to life screaming out the names of family members or friends who scooped them up and wept openly with them.

“Those men said I couldn’t take him,” she told Heyes as Kid walked by with two of the raiders.

“This fella?” Kid asked her and when she nodded Curry pulled back hard decked the man cold. “He won’t do it again ma’am,” he assured her tipping his hat along with his best smile.

Tate smiled and then went back to hugging Heyes like she was never going to let go again.

“Here Tate honey let me take you,” one of the women said coming up.

“No I want to stay with him,” she said fiercely and then looked at Kid. “I can can’t I?”

Kid tried to swallow a smile not sure how to answer and looked at his partner for his call.

“She’s all right,” Heyes mumbled and then clearing his throat proceeded to give out orders all the while carrying the child on one arm.

“You got yerself a real pretty girlfriend Heyes?” Kyle grinned as he passed by.

Heyes gave him a dark look.

“Just gonna go round up those horses,” Kyle said quickly moving away.

Twenty minutes later it was clear that not all the raiders had been captured. Stokely watched as Kid rode off only to return ten minutes later and explain at least 5 riders were headed for the pass.

“Take them back,” Heyes ordered handing the now sleeping little girl to one of the women and addressing the posse. “Kid and I will round up the stragglers.”

“Till my dying day I’m gonna kick myself for not making them take me along,” Stokely said quietly to Trevors as he finished the tale.

“No Heyes knew what he was doing, those farmers and town folks couldn’t have handled that bunch on their own, not with all them women and children in the state they were in,” Lom assured him.

Stokely nodded, though clearly not convinced, “Either way that was the last time I saw them alive.’

“Don’t let it eat at you, Heyes trusted you to get those folks back you did the right thing,” Trevors said understandingly as he slowly got to his feet, but knowing the truth didn’t make it any less easier to take.

“Thank you Sheriff, but I still can’t help but think I might have made a difference if I had been with them.”

“I imagine a lot of folks are feeling that same way Mr. Stokely, myself included.”

************************************

From across the street Harry Briscoe watched this meeting interested. He had arrived in town soon after hearing about the memorial and was quickly realizing the possibilities for an enterprising man were plenty if he used his head.

“You got a lot of nerve showing up here,” a voice growled and Harry Briscoe turned sharply to find himself quickly surrounded by five members of the Devil’s Hole Gang.

“I’d say you boys got more,” Briscoe said lighting a cigar smugly. “I’m not wanted you are.”

“Yea well maybe we should had hog tying and dragging a Bannerman to that list of O-fences,” Wheat said darkly.

Harry swallowed, “Look boys I don’t want know trouble, I’m here just like you are to pay my respects.”

“Shere you are,” Kyle said and then spit to add further doubt to his sneer. “You tried to kill us all! Kid told us!”

“Well Curry was wrong I never…”

“You calling Kid Curry a liar?” Lobo said in complete amazement.

“What if I am? Ain’t nothing he can do about it!” Harry said snidely.

“Don’t be so certain about that,” Preacher said dangerously. “Man who has a lot of friends can have a long arm even from the grave.”

Harry sniffed and then thought better about commenting and seeing an opening quickly scurried away.

“I don’t like him being here, I don’t trust him,” Kyle said.

“We’ll keep an eye on him,” Wheat said. “But right now we got bigger fish to fry.”

“You sure Heyes and Kid would want us to rob the Junction City bank in memory of them?” Hank said clearly not convinced yet.

“Course they would! And now that they are gone we ain’t got a shot at that amnesty they was gonna put in for us so we gotta get back to robbin and earning a livin!” Wheat said.

“Sure would have been nice to be detectives,” Lobo sighed. “You really think they could have swung it with the Governor and then got us jobs with them?”

“If Heyes said it he meant it,” Preacher sighed. “But I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

“Come one we gotta finish casing that bank! Tomorrow at their funeral were gonna blow that safe sky high!” Wheat grinned. “We’ll give those boys the biggest send off this territory has ever seen!”

******************************

Joey Dean casually lit a cigar and used the lighting of it to survey the dining room. The Hotel Stanford was turning into a gold mine of material and the old man and the doll with him were a prime example.

The Chicago Tribune reporter looked down at the scrap of paper for the names he had bribed the hotel clerk for. Silky O’Sullivan and a Mrs. Alice Banion Schmidt of San Francisco. They had arrived together yesterday and were staying in separate rooms, but despite that and this Sullivan being old enough to be her grandfather Dean made no assumption of innocence in their relationship; innocence didn’t sell papers.

He straightened and grinned at his good fortune as the tall lawman he had learned was none other than Lom Trevors himself joined the two at the table. Trevors was the biggest prize of all if he could get him to talk. He knew there were at least six other reporters in town eager to catch him alone, but this was even better, relaxed with friends he might even tell more than one on one.

Waving his way past the maitr’d using his cigar like a sword he strolled up to the table and smiled.

“Ma’am, Mr. O’Sullivan, Sheriff Trevors you are what a newspaper man calls fortuosity.”

“Get away from this table you rapscallion before I have them throw you out on your ear!” Silky roared.

“Now Mr. O’Sullivan you can’t fault a working stiff trying to make a living!”

“All right Dean on your way,” Trevors said rising and causing the reporter to crane his next to follow him up.

“Boy they grow you fellas big out here, where you hail from originally sheriff?” Dean said hopeful.

“Shoot him Trevors, shoot him twice once for me,” Silky yelled.

“All right if you folks want those two fellas maligned across the front page of every paper in the country fine, I was just trying to help…” Dean said wickedly and turned to leave.

“Wait!” Alice said concerned. “Surely we can hear what he has to say?”

“Oh I know what he has to say,” Silky growled. “I wrote his best lines thirty years ago!”

“Look I’m on your side!” Dean said diving into a seat and concentrating on Alice, which was definitely more enjoyable anyway. “I liked those two, gave me the best copy of my career, I just want to do them justice on this one last story. Those hacks will print anything, let me print the truth.”

“Well that would be a change for a newspaper,” Lom said dryly.

“Maybe he has a point,” Alice said looking at the two men with her. “Maybe somebody should let people know all the good they did. That story is never going to be told now.”

Dean waited hopeful and resisted kissing this Alice Banion Schmidt, but made a note to attempt it later.

“All right sit down, but your paying,” Silky said darkly. “And I like to eat well!”

“I’ll let you two do the reminiscing,” Lom said suddenly noticing something out the window. “Mrs. Schmidt, been a pleasure meeting you.”

“Well I wonder what got him so startled,” Alice said trying to notice what was so interesting outside the window.

“Honey he’s a lawman, a real one, and that kind don’t miss nothing,” Dean said happily confiscating Trevor’s wine glass. “Now how about we start with how you all met…”

*******************************

“Briscoe.”

“Why Sheriff Trevors isn’t it?” Harry said seeing there was no way he could dodge the tall lawman in his path.

“You know it is. What are you doing here?”

“I am beginning to be quite insulted by people asking me that question. I happen to be here to mourn the death of two very close friends.”

“Who you tried to kill as least three times that I know of,” Lom said waiting.

“Well the truth is Sheriff I got to thinking that a thing like this is gonna draw in a lot of hard cases, brigands coming out of the wood work, those boys had a lot of friends.”

“And?”

“And a Bannerman never lets an opportunity like that get away!”

“Lost your job again huh?”

Harry looked hurt, “Mr. Bannerman and I had a small difference of opinion on the outcome of a case.”

“What did you try to steal this time?”

“My point is I can redeem my self in a dozen different ways with all this opportunity walking around. Why the Devil’s Hole Gang themselves rode in not an hour ago.”

Lom didn’t blink, but this was news to him. He had gotten word the gang had left after getting the hostages back and finding out their former leaders would not be returning. “I would leave the Devil’s Hole Gang alone. They have been trying for amnesty for about six months now and doing a fair job at it. “I don’t want someone like you pushing them into a corner and ruining it.”

“I’m not the one doing the pushing Sheriff. Those boys are up to something and when it happens I intend to grab them!”

And tipping his hat Harry sauntered away.

“That man a friend of yours?” Judge Hanley asked coming up.

“Sir I don’t even think enough of the man to call him an enemy,” Lom sighed.

Hanley smiled, “I took your advice and informed our local lawman that I want a more pro-active approach to managing this town under its present state.”

“How did he take that?” Lom said hiding a smile.

“About how you expected; the man wants to be Governor and believe it or not he expects to achieve this by starting out as sheriff here.”

“He want your job?”

“Sir there are days he can have it, but no I think he’s bucking for something a little more dramatic than actually working his way up the ladder the hard way.”

“Would take something really explosive to get enough attention for that…like maybe bringing in a gang like the Peet boys?”

“You and Mr. Heyes think alike.”

“Unfortunately we do,” Lom sighed noticing the Devil’s Hole Gang shuffling into the saloon at the end of town.

“They aren’t your problem Sheriff,” the Judge grinned watching his gaze.

“No sir they aren’t, but they will find a way to be unless I have a talk with them. Excuse me.”

Judge Hanley watched him walk away determined and shook his head. It did not bode well that the best men he had ever met had all once been outlaws. “Maybe that’s the way to do it, get it out of your system early,” he thought aloud. “Until waiting like the politicians do until they get into office!”

*****************************

“Wheat, Kyle, howdy boys,” Lom said walking up to their table in the back where they were nursing beers.

“Howdy Lom!” Kyle said as the gang straightened up respectfully.

“You boys taking an awful chance coming here,” Lom said arms folded.

“You didn’t expect us to just let them bury Heyes and the Kid without us paying our respects did ya?” Wheat said shocked.

“Just as long as that’s all you’re doing,” Lom said glancing under the table.

“Aw Lom we gone straight!” Hank protested knowing full well what he was looking for and real glad they had decided against trap doors and tunnels this time.

“Good you boys keep that in mind and the fact that even those this isn’t my town I’m gonna take it real personal if anything if happens in it involving you five, understand?”

The group nodded and slowly relaxed as Lom left the saloon.

“He’s on to us,” Preacher said mournfully.

“Don’t matter,” Wheat said holding up his drink to study it. “Cause when that bank blows he’ll be up there on that hill paying his respects with the rest of them. There won’t be a single soul to stop us!”

*********************************

“About time you got us out of here, you’re just lucky me and the boys didn’t start doing us some talking!” Dooley Mason snarled as Sheriff Scarben passed him the gun.

“You just keep your mouth shut Dooley or I’ll make sure your shot trying to escape,” the sheriff replied causing the man to swallow nervously leaving no doubt he found the threat credible. “Now your ‘gang’ is due to help you escape at 10:00 p.m. The horses are about a ¼ mile outside of town. Let yourself out after I leave and when the explosion happens you’ll be long gone. Head for Mexico and lie low until I can get word where we can set up the operation again.”

“And the deputy?”

Scarben smiled, “Who do you think is going to set off the explosion?”

And without a backward glance he strode away.

“And I thought Red was a heartless son of a bitch,” one of the men said a little taken back the lawman would sacrifice his own deputy to assure his alibi.

“Which is why boys we got us a little change of plans, we ain’t leaving for Mexico like he told us; well not until we ensure our own future.”

“Yea I think Deke was right, I think he was setting us up to ‘capture’ us himself and get all the glory.”

“Yea well were gonna start looking after ourselves for a change and were gonna start with that bank!”

“Start?” one of the men snorted. “What else you got in mind?”

“That funeral; got us a real fine chance to ambush anyone with a mind to come after us and pick up a few of them wimmin we lost.”

“You really think that’s such a good idea?”

“Well it’s definitely a damn sight better one than trusting that cottonmouth Scarben!”

**********************************

“I don’t know Jim I feel rather strange, I don’t even know these people,” Sarah Henderson said from the window of her room where she was watching the street below.

“Neither do I, look you’ve been trapped up in this room all day. It will do you good to visit a bit.”

“But what if they are all outlaws?”

“Not all their friends were outlaws, look at me!” he smiled.

She gave him a look, “Don’t get me started on that Mister STOKELY.”

He laughed, “Come on Sarah you’re the one who wanted to come along when I said I was going back for the memorial.”

“Well they did so much for us, even though at the time I had no idea who they were.”

“Exactly and their friends are the same way,” he smiled coaxingly and not ashamed part of the lure to join the intimate gathering was to see a certain Miss Hale again; but not if it meant leaving his sister alone in her hotel room.

Finally she nodded, “I suppose since we were invited.”

“Good I’ll be back in an hour!”

She smiled at his enthusiasm as he shut the door. He had always taken such good care of her, which was why she was here today. The two men she had known as Smith and Jones had saved his life and in a way hers. She had been surprised to find out two such gentle men were the famed outlaws, but it had not changed her opinion of them. Not after that train journey.

*******************************

“Can we get you some water ma’am?” Thaddeus Jones asked as the train began to pick up speed.

Sara Henderson looked up distracted from the window she had been staring out of.

“No, no thank you Mr. Jones I’m fine.”

Kid nodded and walked back to his seat a few rows behind her where his partner was reading his book.

He knew he should feel good that they had completed their job and had $500 waiting, but leaving Stokely tied up had taken any joy of out of it. Not to mention the melancholy sadness of the lady they were bringing back was eating at him.

“Heyes she ever tell you why she left her husband?” Kid asked when the two stepped out onto the back porch of the train to get some air.

“Why you asking that?” Heyes said evasive. “I would think it was pretty obvious, she fell in love with another man.”

“No there’s another reason, I mean I can understand her liking Jim, but a lady like that don’t just up and leave that easy.”

“Oh and when did you get so all fire knowledgeable about what ladies do and don’t do?” Heyes said wishing he would change the subject.

“Just a feeling,” Kid said defensively.

“Well it don’t matter what your feeling, she feels like she wants to go back, were not making her.”

“Yea I suppose so,” Kid said moodily and clearly not convinced. “Heyes what do you think of Henderson, I mean compared to Jim? You think he’s the better man?”

“Kid stop thinking! We got her to go back, what happens to her after that is none of our concern,” and turning his back Heyes ignored him.

Kid let out a long breath and finally decided flattening his cousin would just knock him off the train and then he’d have to go back and look for him and that would upset Mrs. Henderson.

Disgusted he pulled the car door open and threw himself back into his seat hoping his partner had the good sense to delay his return.

“Mr. Jones?”

Kid looked up surprised to see Mrs. Henderson smiling at him. They had purposely taken a seat a few rows back of her to allow her some privacy, which hadn’t been hard in the nearly empty train.

“Ma’am?” Kid said starting to rise.

“No please don’t get up; I was wondering could I speak with you?”

“Yes ma’am,” Kid said pulling the seat down across from him so she could sit. “What can I help you with ma’am?”

“Mr. Jones, I was wondering…Mr. Stokely, you didn’t hurt him…?”

Kid smiled reassuringly. “No ma’am just detained him. He seemed a real likeable fella.”

She smiled, “He said the same thing about you two, well he implied it, he tended to mention you both through gritted teeth.”

Kid grinned, “I bet he did.”

“He just worries about me.”

“Understandable ma’am,” Kid smiled, but it slowly faded as he watched her study her hands looking a little lost. “Ma’am you do want to go back don’t you?”

She looked up startled just as Heyes arrived to join him. “Yes, of course, excuse me,” she said getting to her feet and hastily hurrying away.

Heyes glared at his partner, “What are you trying to do?”

“Make sure we are doing the best thing for the lady,” Kid glared back and putting his hat over his eyes promptly ignored him.

*******************************

The rest of the trip was spent in relative silence until at last they trio pulled into the station a day later.

“I’ll go see about that carriage,” Kid said taking the lady’s bag and leaving his partner to help her down from the train.

“Ah Mrs. Henderson?” Heyes coughed stopping her. “I just want you to know I really do think your husband is sorry about what happened between you two.”

“Thank you Mr. Smith,” she said wearily turning to go.

“And,” he went on catching her arm to stop her. “I know this is none of my business, but I just want you to know that if you ever need help, if this ever becomes a problem again and you need to leave…”

This surprised her, “I thought you were working for my husband Mr. Smith? Why the change of heart?”

“Because I’m not sure bringing you back was the best thing for you,” Heyes said gruffly. “And I just want to make sure you know you have help if you need it.”

She stared at him for a long moment and finally believed him.

“Thank you Mr. Smith you have just made this a great deal easier.”

Heyes turned to find his partner smiling at him clearly having caught most of the conversation.

“Carriage is waiting,” Kid said cheerfully.

Ignoring him Heyes led the lady away.

In the end Henry had not had a chance to ‘disappoint’ her again. His murder had given her a whole new set of problems, which had only been resolved by the deductive work of Smith and Jones.

She owed them a lot, her brother’s life most of all. Uncomfortable with the rumors she had sold the ranch and started a new life elsewhere unknown. It had been rather freeing. And when she learned the real names of her helpers when their amnesty was announced she had been pleased.

Everyone deserved a second chance.

************************************

“They’ve settled down for the night Jimmy,” Sheriff Scarben said picking up his hat and pausing a moment to check its angle in the mirror he had installed in his jail house office. “Just make sure you check on them again at 10 to make sure they are behaving, wouldn’t do it any earlier unless you hear something.”

“Will do Sheriff,” Jimmy Wayne said grinning. He still couldn’t believe he had landed this job. Sure it was the night shift, but a man had to start at the bottom and the pay was gonna help him look after his wife and new little baby just fine. He walked to sheriff to the door out of respect his gratitude evident in his demeanor. Sheriff Scarben had picked him because he knew Jimmy would follow his instructions to the letter.

Which is why at exactly 10:00 p.m. Jimmy Wayne and the jail would be blown to bits.

*******************************

Stokely escorted his sister to the double doors of the hotel dining room and knocked. A moment later the door was opened and Soapy Saunders smiled welcomingly.

“Ah Mr. Stokely and this must be your lovely sister! Please, please come in can I offer you something to drink? A little sherry my dear?”

Sarah Henderson found herself relaxing at the kind little man’s attention and nodded.

“I was delighted when I heard you were going to join us. I think visiting with those who knew the departed helps lighten the loss don’t you agree?”

“Yes, yes it does,” she admitted. “Though I have to confess I didn’t know them as well as my brother.”

“Well they tended to make an impact on anyone’s path they crossed no matter how little time you spent with them,” Soapy said clearly saddened as he remembered something, but then straightened and managed a smile. “Let me introduce you to the others! This is Mrs. Alice Schmidt of San Francisco and Miss Clementine Hale of…”

“Denver,” Clementine said when he paused no longer sure of her home.

“Denver,” Soapy smiled approvingly. “The lady on my right here is Miss Jenny Worth, beside her Mr. Jim Guffy and Mr. Silky O’Sullivan. And to complete our little group Sheriff Lom Trevors of Porterville, Wyoming and Judge Micah Hanley of Junction City.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” she smiled shyly as she and Stokely were introduced.

“We were just saying we can only remember seeing those two young men when there was trouble,” Guffy smiled to break the ice. “I just can’t decide if it followed them or they just gravitated towards it.”

“Most days it was waiting for them on the end of the bed when they got up in the morning,” Silky grumbled affectionately.

“And how many times was it trouble their friends were in?” Jenny shot back at him. “Those two could have walked away from a powerful load of problems, but they never did because it would have meant letting down friends.”

“Heyes was the worse,” Soapy laughed. “Everyone thought Kid was the soft touch, but Heyes was the easiest mark for a sad story I ever met.”

“He was just too smart to let anyone know what he did,” Guffy laughed. “Why I remember one time when he heard that old Willy Jenkins was in jail wrongly accused for fraud. Do you know Heyes managed to get him off with a scheme that included borrow a traveling circus and…”

The stories continued on for the next hour until there was a knock at the door and everyone looked up as Soapy opened it to admit a young couple with a little girl.

“Hello Tate,” Judge Hanley smiled happy to see the little girl tidy and prettily dressed up, but still holding on to that ragged bear.

“Hello sir,” she said a little intimidated by the amount of people in the room.

“I’m Bill Watkins, this is my wife Evie, were Tate’s aunt and uncle from Riverton, she’s gonna be staying with us now,” the man said clearly just as uneasy with this many strangers.

“But she just insisted she had to come and give Mr. Heyes something, I mean she knows he’s dead, but she wanted to just the same,” the woman said softly.

Stokely bent down and smiled at her, “How can I help you Tate?”

“I want you to put this in Mr. Heyes’s grave,” she said offering her bear. “It must be powerful scary to die and I don’t want him to be afraid like I was.”

Several of the men coughed and the women pulled out hankies as Stokely nodded and took the toy.

“I’ll make sure it’s taken care of,” he promised her.

She nodded and turned wanting to leave now that she had done what she had come for and after Soapy thanked the family again they were gone.

“Fiercest outlaws in the west my eye,” Silky said blowing his nose. “Damn hay fever gets me every year about this time.”

****************************

Sheriff Scarben finished his drink in the busiest saloon he could find and checked his pocket watch. Five till ten, just in time to reinforce his alibi.

“I believe this one was on the house wasn’t Jack?” he smiled at the barkeep who wisely nodded and with a laugh the lawmen headed for the hotel.

******************************

“Your sister seems like a very lovely person,” Clementine said coming up a few minutes later as Jim stood alone watching as people reminisced and remembered with old and now new friends.

“She is,” Stokely said turning with a smile, “I don’t see your fiancée?”

“Daven has decided the west doesn’t agree with him,” Clementine said a hint of irritation in her voice as she swallowed a large sip of champagne.

Stokely remained politely silent and they both looked up as the door opened without permission and Sheriff Scarben walked in and took note of the room.

“Excuse me Sheriff, but this is a private affair,” Soapy said politely, but firmly.

“Den of thieves you mean, just thought it best to come ‘pay my respects’ and see what kind of riff raff those two brought into my town.”

“Sheriff,” Alice smiled sweetly. “If you are this town’s example of its finest then I am happy to count myself among its riff raff.”

“You got a big mouth lady.”

“And you got a lot of nerve coming in here and insulting folks grieving especially when you didn’t have the guts to help the men who died doing your job!” Jenny said angrily.

For a moment it looked like Scarben was about to lose his temper, but Trevors was instantly between him and the women along with Hanley a moment later.

“I believe you are not wanted here Sheriff,” Hanley said coldly.

The man nodded curtly, “About to start the ten o’clock rounds, sir,” he added and tipping his hat exited.

“Who do you think he was looking for?” Silky said to Lom as they watched him leave.

“Maybe it wasn’t a who, but a what,” Lom said. “Excuse me Silky I have a sudden urge to check on those prisoners…”

The explosion never gave him a chance to.

*****************************

Reporter Joey Dean leaned back and whistled. He and the Devil’s Hole Gang were on their 4^th bottle of whiskey and if he was honest he was far too drunk now to remember anything of what they were telling him, but was having too much fun to care.

“You boys really did all that?” he said impressed as Wheat finished up another daring tale of their infamous past. “Bartender another bottle!”

“My idea too,” Wheat said proudly.

“No it wasn’t,” Kyle said confused. “Heyes thought that idea up about letting the ice melt so it would close the window slow like and…”

“Yea well I helped him with it,” Wheat scowled at his friend.

“Plum amazing,” Dean said slowly losing his Chicago accent to a western drawl. “And now you are all going straight?”

The group shifted as one and looked at each other.

“Well we were,” Wheat said mysteriously as new drinks were poured.

The explosion stopped them from continuing and making sure they took the bottle with them they stumbled outside to join the rest of saloon staring at the jail…or what was left of it.

“Hell it ain’t nothing but bricks,” Hank blinked.

“Jumpin…those fellas escaped!” Dean said instantly sober and trying to focus so he could see which way the telegraph was.

“This is sure gonna rile Heyes and Kid after they went to all that work capturing them fellas,” Lobo said to no one in particular.

“Don’t see as they are gonna care seeing as how they are dead,” Preacher pointed out.

But Lobo didn’t look so sure, “I don’t know something this flat out annoying just might bring them back.”

*****************************

Unbeknownst to him that he had left this mortal coil and was resting in the great eternal sleep that claims all men Kid Curry moved cautiously across the rocky slope his pistol in his hand cocked and ready.

Perhaps if he had know he was all ready dead he might not have been so careful, but not privy to such information he was doing everything possible to avoid getting his head blown off.

He heard his partner’s whistle and made his move. The man they had run aground was holed up on a ledge on the side of a mountain and acting pretty desperate to stay that way. But after 26 days of nearly being blow up, shot at and sleeping on a hard new spring ground neither Curry or his partner was going to put up with it.

Leaping down behind the man he startled him into turning right into his fist and with a weary yell down to his partner proclaimed that made five.

*********************************

“What the hell do you mean you’re not going after them!” Trevors roared toe to toe with Scarben.

“Look Sheriff,” he said emphasizing the title mockingly. “I got a town full of outlaws right here. I bet they are all just hoping I’ll ride off with all the good men and leave it to them!”

“Sheriff I demand you organize a posse and go after the Peet Gang,” Hanley ordered.

“Can’t do Judge! I was elected to protect the citizens of Junction City and that’s what I’m going to do!” Scarben spat out the reply and stomped away indignant.

Hanley glared at the man. It would take too long to get the city council together and fire the man and they needed to move quickly. “Sheriff Trevors could I possibly impose…”

“I’ll saddle up right now Judge,” Lom nodded.

“I’ll go with you,” Stokely said. “It was too much hard work bringing them back once to let them go off and start killing all over again.”

“I can get you at least a dozen good men, though I can’t guarantee how sober,” Hanley assured them. “Couple of the local rancher’s crews are in town; they are trustworthy and pretty fair shots.”

“Good we’ll need them,” Trevors said eyeing the jail. “And once we get back and I’m gonna have a long talk with that sheriff of yours.”

“Sir when you get back I am hoping he won’t be our sheriff!”

********************************

“Heyes if I have to spend one more night on this cold ground you might as well just bury me here,” Kid Curry groaned easing into a seat next to the fire.

His partner grinned understanding, “Last night, we should be in Junction City tomorrow morning.”

“You’ve been telling me that for a month now,” Kid grumbled leaning back to sip the coffee he was handed. “I hope your girlfriend appreciates this.”

Heyes let a small smile escape, “Still bothering you Tate preferred me isn’t it? Not my fault women just find me more attractive. You want some more coffee? This is the last of it.”

“Food too, we better reach Junction City tomorrow or were gonna be riding hungry.”

“We could use the prisoners,” Heyes said pleasantly.

“You ain’t funny Heyes,” snarled one of the men tied to the tree near them.

“You can’t eat people!” another said boldly, but it came off clearly worried.

“Weren’t gonna eat you just use you as bait to catch something we could,” Kid said calmly. “Now you boys settle down you don’t want me and Heyes annoyed.”

The men instantly got quiet; they had learned quickly it was not an idle threat.

“So you give any thought to what were gonna do next once we turn this bunch in?” Kid said dropping his voice so only Heyes could hear.

“Well we have that thousand coming,” Heyes reminded him.

“Let’s take a week before hunting up a new job,” Kid said putting his hat over his eyes. “I’m so glad we went straight life is so much more easier now.”

“Now Kid things have gotten better, look at this job.”

Kid lifted his hat and stared at him.

“All right don’t look at this job, but it’s gonna get us a lot of good word of mouth, people are gonna start wanting to hire us.”

“Would this be people that are going to pay us or just folks were gonna help out?” Kid asked dead panned. “You realize we might have got paid a $1000 for this job, but considering it has taken a month and what we’ve had to put up with.”

“What you’ve had to put up with?” one of the men yelled disgusted. “We been dragged, dropped and starved!”

“That’s your own fault for getting caught first Deke,” Heyes told the man simply.

“You just wait till my boys get a hold of you,” Clive, their last captive snarled.

“Leave ‘em be Clive,” his friend Ryder said clearly broken. “You don’t want to rile them.”

“Why what’s he gonna do?” Clive said curling his lip in contempt.

“I tell them stories,” Heyes smiled walking over pleasantly. “About what I’m gonna let the women do to you when we get you back.”

“Those women ain’t gonna do nothing! Jes helpless skirts!” Clive said, but there was a hint of uncertainty now.

“You don’t know women when they’ve seen their men hacked down and their children terrorized. Woman like that can get real ugly,” Kid said softly. “Especially if we had a mind to string you up helpless and let them offer a little payback.”

“Couple of those women were Indians weren’t they?” Heyes asked his partner conversationally.

“Ya know I think they were, Chiracowa wasn’t it?”

Heyes shook his head and let out a low whistle. “Ain’t no telling what a woman like that might do to a man given enough time, a sharp knife and…?”

“SHUT UP!” Ryder screamed and began to sob.

Heyes walked back over to his partner and smiled, “Don’t think they’ll give us any more trouble tonight.”

*****************************

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Lom Trevors said as he and Stokely studied the tracks they had been following for the last hour.

“That our escaped prisoners didn’t seem to be in a real big hurry to leave the territory,” Stokely said rising slowly.

“And they are headed right back to town.”

**********************

“Heyes?”

“Yea I noticed.”

“Did we lose a day somewhere and it’s really Sunday?” Kid said stopping his horse to stare at the empty street.

“Nope don’t think so,” Heyes said clicking his horse forward. “Let’s leave this bunch off at the jail and see if we can find out what’s going on.

Urging their prisoners forward they made a point of taking them past the gallows before finally stopping at the jail…or what was left of it.

“Someone sure used a lot of dynamite,” Kid said poker faced.

“Yea makes you wonder if they were trying to get someone out or just get them blown up,” Heyes said getting off his horse and inspecting the rubble.

“Ha! Clive yelled. “Red’s gone and a-scaped!”

“Not if he was in this jail,” Heyes said crouching down and studying the debris.

“Well either way you ain’t got no place to put us!” Joel sneered.

“Them boys getting uppity again Heyes,” Kid sighed.

“Would appear so,” Heyes sighed standing. “And you’re wrong Joel we do have someplace to keep you till we sort this out.”

“Ain’t a building in this town strong enough to hold us!” Clevis hoarsely managed to choke out.

“Oh I wasn’t thinking about a building,” Heyes said with a cheerful smile.

It was a smile that made their blood run cold.

*********************************

Ten minutes later the two ex-outlaws stopped at the nearest saloon and stood in the threshold basking in its emptiness.

“You ever seen a saloon empty on a Saturday market day?” Kid asked worried.

“Nope, not unless the plague or injuns been by,” Heyes said and with that strode confidently up to the bar where a man was wiping glasses.

“Bit quiet today,” Heyes smiled. “Whiskey, two.”

“Yup will be until after the funeral just got started; figures to be a long one what with all those folks itching to eulogize.”

“Someone prominent die?” Kid asked taking a sip of his whiskey and savoring it.

The bartender looked at him in amazement. “You mean you ain’t heard?”

“We’ve been you might say out of touch for the last month,” Kid explained offering his glass for another.

“Well sir let me tell you that Junction City is now famous.”

“Well good for Junction City,” Heyes laughed. “Famous for what?”

“The resting place of Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry!”

**********************************

The long train of mourners slowly worked its way up the hill. Aside from one or two carriages most walked and it was a dark somber group that traversed the trail that bright spring morning.

Wrong for a body to die on a morning this lovely Alice thought anger pushing back her sadness for just a moment. She regretted now not having Kurt to accompany her. She had felt someone should stay with their restaurant, but now the loneliness of such a waste of life was wearing her down that she missed the sweet natured man she had married more for convenience than any great passion.

She had seen Heyes and Curry twice since their adventures with the O’Rourke fortune and it was only then she had learned their true identities. It had been one more thing to convince her Kurt was the better choice for her affections however tempting the two dashing outlaws might have been.

But the pull of their memory had been too strong to keep her away when she had read about the memorial and when Kurt had learned Silky was going it had pacified him enough to let her go without him.

The boys had introduced them to the curmudgeon when they had looked her up a few months after their first meeting. The restaurant had been struggling then even with Kurt’s cooking and her singing. The Barbary Coast had plenty of saloons, but something more upscale was new and suspiciously shunned by both the up market crowd and the brawlers.

The boys had stopped by for a meal and never said a word about the empty tables, but the next night they had been back and with them was one Silky O’Sullivan. The old man had been charming and the three their only customers that night, but they had given them their finest. It had not been in vain. Silky O’Sullivan, despite his demeanor, had a great many friends and he brought them back again and again. Word of mouth soon spread until now their place was by reservation only. A runaway success; one more thing she owed those two charming men for.

Clementine Hale walked deep in thought beside her. Daven was sulking because she had decided to walk up to the gravesite. She had decided last night they would be saying their good byes after the service. Watching Jim and Lom respond to the jail break had reminded her all too clearly the kind of men she admired. Maybe she hadn’t needed a new life, just a reminder of how rich her old one was.

Funny even when they were gone the boys had come to her rescue one last time.

************************************

Kid looked at his partner his face unreadable, “Seems were dead.”

“Well I would hope so if they are burying us,” Heyes nodded offering his glass for another drink.

The bartender squinted at them. “Say don’t I know you two?”

“Obviously not well if you are missing our funeral,” Heyes said indignant.

The man’s mouth dropped open, “You’re….”

“I think we should ride up and pay our respects too,” Heyes said turning to his cousin suddenly excited. “Maybe they would let us say few words!”

“I’d be happy to do your eulogy Heyes,” Kid said sincerely and finishing his drink put the glass down with great finality. “I feel since I’ve known you best its only right.”

“Thanks Kid,” Heyes said deeply touched clasping him on the shoulder. “Allow me the honor of doing the same for you.”

Pleased with this picture they paid the still stunned bartender and exited moving for their horses only to have Kid suddenly stop Heyes.

“Heyes seems not all our good friends are mourning our passing, isn’t that Hank on the roof up there?”

“You mean the roof that overlooks the front of the bank?”

“That would be the one.”

Sighing collectively they marched over to the side of the bank where Wheat and Lobo were pounding two men into the dirt, a third lay unconscious at Preacher’s feet. Next to them a stunned Harry Briscoe was attempting to decide who he wanted to arrest should Lobo ever give him his derringer back.

“Howdy boys,” Heyes smiled leaning against the building arms folded his stance casual.

“Howdy Heyes,” Wheat said distracted and then as the group went to stone he slowly looked up and dropped the man he was beating with a clunk. “HEYES?!”

“Yer dead!” Kyle said firmly. “They is burying you up yonder as we speak!”

“Little confusion there,” Kid said walking over and checking the bank door to reveal it was open. “Mind telling us what is going on here?”

“They were trying to rob this here bank of ours!” Lobo said angrily.

“Yours?” Heyes asked pleasantly.

The gang looked at each other trying to think quickly, not their best talent.

“Caught them all red handed!” Harry said with puffed up importance.

“Shut up Harry,” the two ex outlaws said in unison.

“Heyes these are three of fellas we sent back with the posse,” Kid said crouching down and frowning.

“They sure is!” Lobo said excited eager to turn the attention away from them. “They escaped yesterday with them others!”

“Not out of that jail they didn’t,” Heyes said.

“Yea we kinda figured they left fer it blew up too,” Preacher nodded. “Meaning someone helped them escape.”

Kid stood up and removing his gun checked it before returning it to its holster unhooked, a fact no one missed. “There were 10 all total, where are the other 7?”

“Ain’t seen em yet,” Wheat said clearly indicating what he would do if he did.

“But I hope to have them all rounded up…” Harry tried again.

“So you boys and Harry captured these fellas trying to rob the bank,” Heyes said emphasizing this was now the story. “Governor is gonna be real impressed with that, Mr. Bannerman too Harry, I mean you helping outlaws to reform and all.”

“We wuz?” Kyle asked confused. “With him?” and then nodded on Wheat’s elbow.

“You ‘wuz’,” Kid ordered. “You boys circle around town and see if you can spot the rest of them. Heyes and I are gonna send our regrets to the folks up at boot hill.”

“Quite a spectacle up there; whole passel of folks weeping and a wailing for your boys,” Harry grinned. “Why I was just about to head up there myself and say a few words.”

The two outlaws exchanged looked and then started to laugh.

“What?” Harry said confused.

“Aw Harry didn’t you nearly talk us to death enough when we were alive?” Kid grinned.

The Devil’s Hole Gang broke into grins as well as it suddenly hit the men their leaders were back making them feel like a large weight had dropped from their shoulders.

“Say did you catch them other fellas?” Lobo asked as the group moved back out onto the street.

“Yep left them by the jail,” Heyes said.

The gang looked at each other.

“Then we better get over there before they skedaddle!” Preacher said urgently.

“Oh they aren’t going anywhere,” Heyes smiled pleasantly.

The gang looked at each other. They knew that smile too well and as one hurried over to the jail to find each prisoner standing on the gallows with his head in a noose.

“What the…” Wheat said climbing up a step and gulped. The trap door beneath each man was open and with their bound feet gingerly placed to one side of the opening the men were desperately trying not to move and keep their balance.

Wheat nodded impressed and turned back to his friends. “Heyes is right, they ain’t going no where.”

**********************************

“Well I’ve been asked to say a few words seeing as how I’ve known those two boys the longest, reckon they weren’t no more than 15 when I first laid eyes on them,” Silky said eyeing the crowd who waited silently.

“Probably fitting too that we’re having this service outside; not saying the good Lord wouldn’t welcome them in one of His church’s no sir. It’s just that He spent so much time looking after them out in all this beauty He made, more fitting we see them off here.”

“I’m not gonna lie to you and say they were angels, they weren’t, they made some mistakes and they were so good at them they went and became famous for them. But I knew those boys and I can tell you truthfully for being the most wanted outlaws in the history of the west they were the most honest men I have ever met.”

From behind a group of trees the two men in question looked at each other and shifted uncomfortable.

“All those folks are here for us?” Kid said amazed.

“Look at all them pretty women crying,” Heyes said not sure if he was pleased or stunned or both.

“Isn’t that Clem…and Diamond Jim…is that Jenny?”

“Everyone is here!” Heyes whistled and stopped listening to Silky. “Sure are saying some nice things.”

“Maybe we oughta stop him,” Kid said unsure about this.

“No let him go on a little longer I want to remember this next time he chases us out of his house.”

“Heyes…” Kid said suddenly his voice changed to a pitch that always made Heyes unhook his gun.

“What?” Heyes said and following his eyes caught what his partner had spotted. Riders, 6 or 7 and they were heading straight for the funeral party.

***********************************

“Wheat what are you boys doing here?” Lom said pulling up his horse at the outside of town.

“Them fellas that escaped tried to rob the bank,” Kyle jumped in eager to follow Heyes’s orders.

“I thought as much we followed them back here,” Lom said. “Where are they now?”

“We got three and…” Wheat attempted to explain.

“Trevors!” Stokely yelled riding up. “I just spotted them! They are headed for the cemetery!”

**************************************

It would later be reported (and even accompanied by a photograph thanks to the quick thinking of one Joey Dean who had his photographer set up to capture the funeral) that the two outlaws leapt out of their graves and rode like thunder to intercept the ‘murderous villains hell bent on a blood thirsty and diabolical revenge’. The truth, Heyes and Curry admitted later in private, was that they were just so weary and fed up of the Peet Gang that the added insult of them disrupting their funeral was the final straw.

Roaring up from the trees they put themselves in between the mourners and the gang and with guns drawn just waited. The charging riders startled to see men raised from the dead in front of them pulled up short. Dead or alive only a fool rode into Curry’s gun especially when he had that look in his eye.

The pause was all that was needed for Trevors and his posse to come up from the right and Wheat and the Devil’s Hole Gang to arrive from the left. The whole thing was over before it began.

And then the real fighting started.

“I should have known it!’ Silky yelled throwing down his hat and storming up to the two ex outlaws who had just dismounted and turned in surprise. Around him most of the town folk had run for town and cover at the arrival of the Peet Gang leaving only a small band of friends, none of which looked overcome with joy at their resurrection from the dead.

“Hey Silky!” Heyes tried.

“Don’t you hey Silky me you charlatan! You are supposed to be dead!” Silky raged.

“Do you think this is funny?” Clementine yelled hands on her hips.

“We didn’t think anything,” Kid said taken back.

“Well I hope you enjoyed yourself boys, a cruel, cruel trick if you ask me,” Guffy said sternly. “Come along ladies lets get away from this.”

“I’m glad your all right,” Sarah Henderson said with a small smile and then followed the others.

The two men looked at each other slightly taken back as the group hurried away leaving the two of them standing alone.

“Nice to have you back boys,” Lom added as if they had just seen him last week as he rode by and then turned his attention back to herding the captured gang back to town.

“Didn’t we just save their lives?” Heyes asked confused.

“Well it just goes to show you,” Kid said disgusted. “You don’t know who your real friends are until you come back from the dead.”

Heyes looked at him, “What?”

“Nice headstone though,” Kid said noting the granite memorial with their names carved in it. “You think angels really carry peacemakers?” He looked closer, “Got the date of your birth wrong though.”

“Got the date of my death wrong as well,” Heyes said wryly. “What’s this?”

Reaching down amongst the flowers that had been laid he picked up a small scraggly teddy bear.

“Tate didn’t want you to be alone,” came a voice behind them and they turned to see Hanley standing there.

“Ah hello Judge,” Kid said pulling off his hat. The man still made him nervous even when they weren’t wanted anymore.

“I must tell you both you gave us quite a surprise.”

“Look Judge we didn’t plan this. It took us nearly two weeks to run those boys down after they dynamited the pass and two more to get around that mountain and get back!” Heyes said frustrated.

The Judge broke into a smile, “I don’t care how long or how I’m just glad you’re back safe and sound. And I want to hear more about this amazing tale later, but for now I better get back I have a Sheriff to fire.”

“Yea one of those boys told us Scarben was running things,” Kid said.

“How did you ever get him to admit that?” the Judge said amazed.

“Heyes told them bedtime stories,” Kid smiled.

“Just to keep them quiet you understand,” Heyes said innocently.

“Ah yes, I can see this is going to be a very interesting story. And don’t worry about your friends; just a bit surprised is all. Shock like that can unsettle a body. I’ll see you boys back in town.”

They watched the older man walk away.

“I vote we just ride on out of here and leave the whole mess for Lom to sort out,” Kid said leaning against his tombstone hurt and angry.

“Next town is 20 miles you sure you want another night on the trail?” Heyes said bending down and reading one of the cards attached to a bouquet of flowers. “What do you know this one is from the Jordan’s, ‘You changed our lives and enriched them more than you will ever know. Thank you for everything’.”

Kid considered this and shifted trying to hang on to his anger, it felt better than being hurt, “What do those other ones say?”

“This one is from Mary Cunningham!” Heyes said grinning. “I now know why the saloon was worth so much, but I can’t put a price on what you both did for my family, thank you.” Heyes swallowed. “Maybe we didn’t do so badly after all.”

Kid picked up one and started to laugh.

“Who is that one from?” Heyes said and Kid handed him the card.

“I’m expecting you boys to be running hell by the time Armenderez’s gets there, make it plenty hot for him, Big Mac,” Heyes read with a smile.

“So this mean Mac thinks he’s going to heaven?” Kid grinned back.

“Well he is from Texan and those folks usually figure they’ve done their piece in hell by the time they pass on,” Heyes explained.

Suddenly the absurdity of it all hit them and they both started laughing.

“Heyes can I buy you a drink?”

“Kid you can buy me a bottle and I’ll tell you the story about how we came back from the dead.”

“I think I’ve heard this one.”

“Yea, but I tell it better.”

Mounting up they slowly began the walk back to town neither one really looking forward to what lay ahead, but too tired to do anything about it.

******************************

“How come everyone is leaving?” Tate Givens said in a clear loud voice as the town straggled back into the main street.

“It’s a long story honey,” Clementine tried to explain.

“But they came back! They aren’t killed! Aren’t you happy they aren’t killed?”

“Were happy we just wish they had told us sooner!” Guffy growled.

“I’d be happy if my daddy and mommy came back no matter how long they took,” Tate said simply. “Why do people only tell people they like them when they can’t hear?”

The group looked at each other.

“Child talks a lot of sense,” Jenny said simply.

“I can’t believe their alive,” Clementine said starting to cry and laugh and Alice found herself joining her and they hugged.

“Looks like they brought all five of them back Judge,” the barber said running up amazed. “They caught the whole gang!”

“Twice,” Hanley said with emphasis and turned and looked at his town. “And I think it’s about time we told them how much we appreciate that…this time when they can hear us!”

***************************

“Heyes…”

“I see it,” Heyes said warily as there before them the entire town stood waiting.

“Now what?” Kid asked worried. “We can’t be in more trouble.”

“Can’t possibly see how we wouldn’t be,” Heyes sighed. “Not the way this job has been going.”

Slowly they continued walking their horses until finally they could go no further and stopped.

“Mr. Heyes, Mr. Curry, welcome!” Judge Hanley said as they dismounted. “On behalf of the town of Junction City I want to thank you for all you have done.”

“You do?” Kid said brightening as a cheer went up.

“Judge Hanley explained that you had no idea,” Clementine said hurrying up and hugging them both only to be followed by Alice, Jenny and even Sara.

“Got us a real grand wake being planned for you gentlemen!” Guffy said slapping them on the back. “Whole town is coming!”

“Can’t wait to hear the story,” Joey Dean said sidling up. “What do you boys say? Give me an exclusive and I’ll have you on the front page of every paper in this country!”

“I think I’d like breakfast and a sleep in a real bed,” Kid decided.

That instantly got him ten mothers offering to cook for him as the procession made its way down the main street to the hotel as people continued to hurry up to them and pat them on the back, men offering them cigars while the women seemed happy to steal a kiss.

“Gentlemen,” Stokely said from the hotel porch where he was sitting smoking a cigar.

“Jim we need to round up Scarben…” Heyes started to try and tell him.

“In custody,” Stokely smiled innocently. “Might even be healed up enough in time to attend his trial.”

“Yes our new sheriff took care of him with Sheriff Trevors,” Judge Hanley smiled at Stokely.

“You?” Kid laughed.

“Just till they can find a replacement,” Stokely shrugged embarrassed but pleased. “Nice little town,” he admitted. “Kind of place a man might think about putting down roots…with the right incentive,” he added smiling at Clementine who blushed.

“Clementine I am leaving now,” Daven said pushing his way up to her trying to manage his bags. “I will leave you one last chance to come to your senses.”

“Daven I have come to my senses, good bye,” she told him simply.

Disgusted he huffed himself away.

“Who was that?” Kid asked as beer was thrust in his hand.

“My fiancée, well ex-fiancée,” she shrugged.

“We seem to have missed a great deal,” Heyes told his partner.

“We’ll talk later when your adoring public is done with you,” Clementine smiled kissing them both again.

“Looks like you boys are heroes,” Lom said dryly as they passed him in the door of the hotel. “Wheat filled me in on how they stopped the bank being robbed, yea I believed it,” he added on their questioning look and shook his head. “You boys go get some rest the way its looking this town is gonna throw you party that might last a week.”

Dazed the two men were shown into the hotel where Silky stood waiting. “Only you two could pull off such a load of manure and still come up smelling like roses.”

“You want us to apologize for not being dead?” Heyes asked innocently.

The old man glared at him and then to both their surprise hugged him.

“I was about to say you young whipper snapper that I am real glad you did.”

“Thank you Silky,” Heyes grinned.

“Now get out of my sight I have a party to plan! You need an Irishman in charge if you are going to do a wake right!”

Finally they were given a room key, the finest accommodations in the hotel the desk clerk assured them, and attempted to get up the stairs. In all it only took them another twenty minutes to reach their door and another ten to finally shut it; Heyes collapsing against it overwhelmed as Kid sank down onto the bed dazed.

A knock immediately sounded at the door.

Heyes turned and open it to find Joey Dean beaming at him.

“Thought maybe we could have that talk now you’re rested,” he said eagerly.

“We just got here!” Kid yelled amazed.

“Yea, but better while the details are still fresh in your mind. Now I talked to some of the Peet Gang and they said you two never slept the whole time you was tracking them, a whole month, that true?”

“Oh yea and my partner here shot all the boulders from the avalanche falling on us out of the way as we rode through it,” Heyes explained shutting the door as the man scribbled this information down.

“Gee whiz is this gonna be a story!” was the last they heard as the door slammed.

Kid laughed, “I can’t wait to read how we did it.”

Heyes just rolled his eyes and walking over to the water basin poured the pitcher in and threw some on his face as the door knocked again.

Shaking his head he went back and opened it to find two extremely different sets of women standing there. B

“Mr. Heyes on behalf of the Junction City Ladies Aid I just want to let you know how grateful we are for all you’ve done and offer our services for anything you both might need taking care of,” the fresh faced young woman said earnestly.

“Same here Heyes,” a heavily painted woman smiled with a broad wink. “Me and the girls just wanted you boys to know anything you want is on the house.”

“I think gentlemen like Mr. Heyes and Mr. Curry would prefer ladies seeing to their needs,” another of the Ladies Aid said hands on her hips.

“Honey these boys got needs you wouldn’t know what to do with!” one of the saloon girls laughed.

“I’ll have you know sister that we can meet their needs just as good as you and with out the wear and tear!” another Ladies’ Aid representative fiercely.

“You looking for a fight?” one of the larger soiled doves growled.

“LADIES!” Heyes yelled quickly. “Yes I meant all of you. Thank you very much for making my partner and I feel so welcome and we’ll get back to you after we clean up all right?”

He gave them his best smile and they all sort of melted as one and nodding smiled back and with little waves walked away each sure they had triumphed.

“Kid I’m not sure I have the strength to be a hero,” Heyes said sinking on to his bed.

Another knock sounded.

“I’ll get this one,” Kid growled and flinging open the door he proceeded to shoot four quick shots into the ceiling. “My partner and I are busy understand?”

The group of newspaper men and merchants nodded terrified and hurried off. The press to post their newest story about humble men not wanting any fuss and the merchants who had come seeking endorsements to change their underwear.

“Thank you,” Heyes said chuckling and then with a small groan put his head in his hands. “Kid I hate to break this to you, but I think were heroes.”

“Heyes I don’t have the energy to be a hero,” Kid groaned falling back on his bed.

“Ya know Kid, this is what I thought it would be like,” Heyes said suddenly.

“What would be like? Dying?”

“No, getting our amnesty. Remember how we walked out of the Governor’s office, I know it sounds silly, but I was kinda hoping some folks might have shown up for it.”

“But instead we ended up drinking warm beer alone,” Kid remembered. “Wasn’t a very good celebration. I gotta admit Heyes I started worrying then if it had all been worth it.”

“Yea I was feeling the same way, at least wanted we knew who our friends were. Has it really been a year?”

“Trust me Heyes the way my back feels it’s been at least ten.”

A soft tap on the door made them both sit up wary.

“There can’t be anyone else left,” Kid said cautious.

“Probably the volunteer fire department, I don’t think they’ve thanked us yet,” Heyes said. “I vote we ignore it.”

“Boys its Soapy.”

Quickly Heyes was on his feet opening the door for the old man who slipped in and shut the door behind himself.

“Just wanted you to know job offers have been pouring in since the word got out.”

“We’ve only been alive for 20 minutes,” Kid said surprised.

“Word travels fast and a great many dignitaries were here for your funeral.”

“They were?” Heyes said impressed.

“I just wanted you boys to know I don’t think you’ll be worrying about work for a while, if ever again. Now get some rest you’ve got a hell of a party waiting for you down there. The world loves a hero and you two have given them a doozy of a pair!”

“This is a good thing right Heyes?” Kid asked him concerned as Soapy opened the door.

The old man looked back and smiled. “I’m afraid it means you boys are wanted again, but this time,” he added twinkle in his eyes. “I think you are going to enjoy it!”