A Story Well Told
By Drena Hills
“Follow the grain in your own
wood.”
-
Howard Thurman
Late Winter 1881
Jedediah Curry was desperate.
Winter
in
By
rights he should have just been finishing up a job and returning down south
with cash in hand to meet up with his partner, Hannibal Heyes. Instead he had been trapped in the still
fledging rail town of
Since
the job had fallen through the little traveling money he had on him had quickly
been eaten up on the need for food and shelter.
Now with no job, no horse and no money things had quickly moved from bad
to near hopeless. To make matters worse the
storm had pulled down the telegraph lines and along with it any chance he had
to contact his partner in
With his money and means of getting out of town gone he had been forced to seek shelter in an abandoned barn outside of town living on whatever he could shoot for food while he looked for work. Something he had been forced to be inconspicuous about since the arrival of a squadron of cavalry soldiers that morning. They weren’t the same as lawmen, but close enough to warrant discretion.
Unfortunately
winter was the worse season for hiring in this vast farm and ranch territory
and with
With another evening drawing in and having had no luck hunting Kid slowly walked away hungry and desolate from the town message board outside the telegraph office. Maybe he should not have been so quick to turn down the job the railroad had been offering. He really hadn’t heard the whole thing out, just enough to know it was his prowess with a gun that was needed. He pulled up short not liking where his desperation was taking him and groaned as he realized the sheriff was watching him. Was it not possible for a day to get any worse?
“Young fella I wanna talk to you,” the lawman said motioning towards the jail.
Knowing such an invitation could never be good Curry considered his options sizing up the man and not liking what it would take to escape him if he indeed did have suspicions about his identity. Perhaps 20 years his senior the Sheriff, Merle Fine, had a hard, experienced look about him and while Kid knew he could take him in a gunfight it was the last thing he wanted to do.
So with a nod he forlornly followed the man into the jail where a second older man sat waiting. But for the moment Curry ignored them both and just stood enjoying the warmth and considered that maybe incarceration might have its plus side after all.
The Sheriff noticed his reaction to the change in temperature and grunted understanding passing him a cup of coffee and offering him a seat next to the potbelly stove as he poured himself a cup.
“Heard you’ve been looking for work.”
Kid let the hot liquid sear down his throat and felt some hope returning to him, not sure if it was the coffee or the fact he hadn’t been arrested yet despite his wanted poster sitting prominently on the wall.
“Yes sir.”
“Horse came up lame,” Sheriff said sitting down and looking at a note pad on his desk and then looked up slyly. “You know the Northern Pacific is hiring.”
“Yes sir,” Kid said honestly. “That’s the reason I made the trip up here, unfortunately I was miss led on what the job entailed.”
“Which was?”
Kid looked at him knowing he knew. He also sensed the second man watching and listening to his answers intently knew as well. The Northern Pacific’s arrival into the area had not been without strife and while the track was now laid, the hard part of keeping it that way was beginning.
“Hired gun,” Kid said looking the sheriff in the eye.
The second man finally spoke glancing down at the gun tied to Curry’s hip. “Heard you’ve been living off game you killed yourself with that. Man has to be a hell of a shot and damn quick this time of year if he wants food on the table and yet they didn’t want you?”
“No sir, I didn’t want their job. I don’t hire out my gun.”
“Just scaring off some Indians and sodbusters,” the Sheriff prodded for a reaction.
Kid got up, “Sheriff I know how the railroad works and their idea of solving a problem is killing it or making it disappear. Now I don’t know if they got that land fair and square, but I’m not gonna be a part of hurting people innocent or otherwise so they can keep to their time table. Thanks for the coffee.”
He moved for the door angry and heard the second man chuckle.
“Ornery with a conscience, he just might do.”
“Sit down young fella,” the Sheriff told him. “We were hoping you would say that.”
Kid stared for a long hard minute, “I really am particular about the kind of work I do.”
Sheriff nodded, “I respect that and I thank you, desperate times, well most men will sell their soul for warmth and a meal; not that this one is going to be a walk in the park either.”
“Dangerous?” Kid asked retaking his seat if nothing else grateful to be enjoying the warmth a little longer and without handcuffs on.
“Well
I guess that’s the whole crux of the problem,” the second man said. “Best we start with introductions. I’m Philetus W. Norris, PW to my
friends. I work down yonder in
“Yes sir, know it fairly well,” Kid said forgetting to mention it was an excellent place to elude a posse.
“Good that might help,” Sheriff said. “And the Colonel here is being a little modest he runs our first National Park, Superintendent.”
“Colonel?” Kid asked looking the older man over. Norris was built hard and rugged from years of living outdoors and despite his age looked more than able to hold his own in a bare knuckle fight if called upon to do so. His eyes were clear and sharp and he had no trouble meeting Kid’s piercing stare and holding it.
“Long time ago son, but it does give me the ability to know soldiers and those men that rode in today are not who they say they are.”
“Why are they here?”
“To
escort a young boy down to his father where I am going to give them both a tour
of
“He that important?”
“His father is,” Norris said simply.
The
Sheriff sighed, “And I gotta agree with Norris about them fellas. Call it gut instinct, but I’ve been at this
job so long I can smell trouble and those boys don’t fit them uniforms. Add to that too many things have gone wrong
with this whole plan. First the boy’s
journey back down from
“And with the telegraph down we can’t verify they are who they say they are,” Norris said frowning.
“I knew soldiers were being sent to escort the boy and their papers are in order so there is no reason not to turn him over to them,” the Sheriff growled. “But I tell you that Lt Barber, something about him does not sit right with me, any of his men for that part. I might have thought I was getting paranoid, but Norris just came and told me the same thing.”
“It’s that telegraph that is bothering me the most,” Norris said suspicious. “Ever since the railroad started building they have been right on top of keeping those lines up and working. It costs them money when they aren’t. This is taking too long.”
Kid
had to agree the time had made him wonder as well.
“So you think they are here to get the boy so he can be used for leverage?” Kid said sorting it all out and the two men gave each other a glance impressed. “Is his father powerful enough to help maybe a railroad with its problems?”
“Governor
of the
Kid swallowed, “That’s Governor Hoyt’s son?”
“Kelper Hoyt, 12 years old,” Norris confirmed.
“That make a difference to you?” the Sheriff asked shrewdly noting Kid had shown a little more interest than normal.
Kid looked up, “I don’t know, it might. How do you know you can trust me?”
“Because you turned down a thousand dollar job with the railroad and have been living on the rough ever since because of it. Any man that will put integrity before his stomach and comfort is worth a little trust,” Norris said simply.
“Normally the boy would be safe as houses with Norris, hell I’d trust him with my life,” the Sheriff said. “But those six soldiers changed the odds. I want someone who can watch his back while he watches out for the boy.”
“Its 60 miles to the border and the park,” Norris said. “I just want to make sure Kelper gets there.”
“It’s
after the border you need to worry,” Kid said professionally. “Anyone
kidnapping the Governor’s son is gonna make sure he does it in
“You seem to know a little bit about politics son,” Norris grunted.
“I’ve
been learning quickly and if the railroad is behind this they aren’t going to
want their hands to look dirty or get the
“You catch on quick,” Norris decided.
“But I’m just one man and like you said there is a half a dozen sent to look after him,” Kid said still reeling from the revelation of who he would be looking after. This could make or break him and his partner’s chances for amnesty and he wished with all his heart Heyes was around to talk it out with.
“I saw you draw,” Norris said suddenly causing Kid to look up sharply. “You were just outside of town, spotted a rabbit. Son I’ve never seen a man slap leather so fast in my life and your accurate you got that rabbit in one shot.”
“I was hungry.”
“Well if your half that good full you’ll do,” Norris growled.
“It also probably means I got paper on you,” the sheriff said filling Kid’s cup with more coffee and pushing a plate of biscuits warming on the stove towards him. “But I promise I won’t go looking and will give you a horse and a $100 if you’ll help PW see the boy safely to his father.”
“What is to keep me from just riding off once we clear the town?” Kid asked gulping down the first biscuit in one bite.
“Me,” Norris said honestly.
Kid didn’t smile, the man was twice his age, but a seasoned outdoorsman and Kid respected what that meant.
“We wouldn’t have asked you if we thought you would try that,” the Sheriff said.
“Why don’t you just round up a posse and take the boy down yourself?” Kid questioned.
“We have no proof,” the sheriff sighed. “And men I can trust are in short supply in this town thanks to the railroad.”
“Not to mention the military does not take kindly to its orders being questioned,” Norris sighed.
“Aren’t they going to object to my tagging along?”
“No crime going down the same road,” the sheriff said.
“And if something does go wrong I’d be there to stop it,” Kid said. “I still think you both have a lot of faith in me.”
“Son you’re the only option we have open. We’ve tried to stall till the telegraph lines go back up, but they are moving the boy out tomorrow morning whether we like it or not.”
Kid sat for a moment wondering if it was really a way out or just a way into more trouble than he wanted.
“Kelper is a fine boy,” Norris said reading Curry correctly. “I don’t want to think what might happen to him if someone decided to use him as a pawn.”
“All right you got a deal,” Kid said getting up the biscuits finished. “I had to sell my gear…”
“Everything you need is waiting in the livery,” the sheriff told him. “Got you a room at the hotel too,” the Sheriff said tossing him a key.
Kid took it grateful. A real night sleep would do wonders to help if what they were predicting lay ahead. “I’m obliged.”
“Never did get your first name,” Norris said rising with him.
“Thaddeus sir, Thaddeus Jones.”
Shaking both their hands Kid walked out the door for once no longer noticing the cold.
The Governor’s son. This was risky, worse than risky; if anything were to happen to the boy he and Heyes would be blamed for it or worse even accused of setting the whole thing up.
Kid looking up at the sky wishing he could see an answer there.
“Aw Heyes where are you and that brilliant mind?”
************************************
“Mac open this
door before I knock it down!” Hannibal
Heyes yelled pounding on the door of the
Patrick J. McCreedy stood there clearly in the middle of shaving.
“What’s the matter with you boy? You gone lost your mind? This is a respectable place!”
“This is what the matter is,” Heyes said holding up a newspaper.
McCreedy swallowed not having to look to know which article he was referring to.
“Oh you saw that?” he said disgusted. He had underestimated the boy never thinking he might read to pass the time.
“Yea Mac I saw it,” Heyes said pushing his way into the room and slamming the door.
Patrick J. McCreedy was not a man who startled easily. And as a Texan it usually meant he could face down the most overpowering of opponents, but nothing had prepared him for the pure rage in Hannibal Heyes’s eyes as he backed the rancher into the wall.
“What? You boys were looking for work, I found him work.”
“No Mac what you found him was killing.”
“Aw as fast as that boy is he won’t have to kill anyone just scare them a little,” Mac said surprised at how badly he had misjudged Heyes’s reaction to the truth about the job he had sent his cousin on.
“So you knew those railroad men were looking for hired guns!”
“I told you I have a few investments in the Northern Pacific and my partners informed me we were having some difficulties securing the rail rights and providing safe passage.”
“What
you meant was they were stealing land and people in
“Now Joshua calm down, its just a few Indians mostly women and children is all that is left and the odd sodbuster…”
“Mac my family were sodbusters.”
“Oh, well you can’t tell you don’t act at all…” McCreedy suddenly had the sense to shut up.
Heyes tried to hold on to his anger, but it was useless on the old man and with groan he turned and ran his hands through his hair trying to decide what to do.
“Look he didn’t have to take the job,” Mac said.
“He wouldn’t have Mac,” Heyes said and added as if it was gospel. “My partner doesn’t hire his gun out.”
“Well then he’s bound to be on his way home right as rain,” McCreedy smiled, but it drained away when Heyes didn’t return it.
“On what Mac? When we wired you we were broke, he had barely enough to get up there and I haven’t heard from him since.”
“Oh big storm, telegraph is down,” Mac said and then realized that bit of information had been a mistake too.
“And when were you thinking of mentioning that to me?”
McCreedy opened his mouth and then shut it.
“Never mind!” Heyes said giving up and walking to the door. “We need to settle up I’m leaving in 5 minutes.”
“But you are only half way done the job!” McCreedy sputtered not liking to admit how much he had enjoyed the younger man’s company over the last week. He was beginning to think of Heyes as the son he never had. Just like him he was smart, quick, and canny as the devil.
“Then pay me for half!” Heyes said firmly.
“It doesn’t work that way!” Mac sputtered.
“It does with me,” Heyes told him.
“Look I know the boy is like a kid brother to you, but he can take care of himself,” Mac said trying not to lose him.
“Mac you don’t understand a lot of people know us and they know about the reward. If Kid had to draw his gun then he could have a posse or worse on his tail, if he hadn’t been caught all ready. I can’t believe I let you talk me into sending him up there.”
“He talked you into it remember?” Mac said.
“Yea because you said some railroad friends wanted a man to set up security for them!”
“I still say you’re fussing like a mother hen!” Mac grumbled. “He’s Kid Curry; don’t you read those blasted dime novels you both are all over the cover of?”
“Mac we are going for our amnesty, being Kid Curry or Hannibal Heyes does not help that. And if you thought it was so all fire safe why didn’t you send one of your own men up to help them?”
“Now Heyes I didn’t want to send my men up there to get all shot…” he stopped.
“Get all shot up and killed,” Heyes yelled and suddenly stopped. “Wait a minute, men? I thought they only wanted one man?”
“Well they asked for a half dozen, but I felt sure Thaddeus was equal to that.”
“So it was okay for Thaddeus to get shot up and killed, but not your men?”
“Thaddeus,” McCreedy said rolling his eyes. “Is Kid Curry.”
“And what that means he can’t get shot up and killed?”
“Well not easily,” Mac grumbled starting to realize he might not have thought this through well enough and swallowed seeing the rage returning on Heyes’s face.
“5 minutes Mac, don’t make me wait.”
And leaving Mac did not miss he how he quietly shut the door. His rage was simmering now and God help the man who ignited it next.
Like
a lot of deadly creatures
************************************
A hot bath, a bottle of whiskey and long nap had done much to improve Jedediah Curry’s outlook. He still was not convinced taking the job was the best thing, but if the Sheriff was right then not taking it would mean sending the boy off without a chance. Norris was a formidable opponent, but 6-1 was still 6-1.
“You mind a little company?”
Kid looked up from lighting his cigar to see the man in question looking down at him and waved him into a chair.
“I just ordered,” Kid said turning to wave the waiter back.
“No, no I’m fine all ready ate with Kelper. Fine young man,” Norris said pulling out a cigar of his own. “Heard you’ve been checking up on me,” he almost smiled.
“Did a little, a man likes to know who he’s riding with.”
“Sheriff vouching for me not good enough?”
“Not when the odds are 6-1,” Kid said dryly.
The man laughed, “You are not a very trusting soul.”
“Yea and its kept me alive a lot longer than I should be so I’m gonna stay that way.”
“So what did you learn?” Norris said leaning back curious.
“Well you’re more a hero than you let on. Captain of the West Virginia Mountain Scouts in the war, even posed as an Indian to get behind confederate lines. That’s no small trick.”
“Son
my first dime was earned leading hunters when I was 8 years old back in upstate
“And yet you hired me.”
“I like to work with the best and I think that’s what you are. What else did you find out?”
“That a man can depend on you,” Kid said quietly. “I heard you went back to Little Big Horn after the battle it to collect the bones of a friend and return them home. Not many men would do that.”
Norris coughed embarrassed, “Saw you went over to the saloon what did you think of our soldier fellas?”
“Colonel I have never been in the army, but I’ll tell you this I do know a gunman when I see one and those fellas are the breed.”
“Good enough for me. The sheriff informed Lt. Barber and his men you and I would be heading south with him, he didn’t like it.”
Kid nodded not sure if warning the men had been such a good idea, but at least it would save time in the morning.
“So what do you suggest?” Norris questioned and Kid knew being asked was a compliment coming from a man with his experience.
“Well
stagecoaches have a tendency to break down on roads like these. I think the best thing we can do is make the
journey as slow as possible. Give the
sheriff time to get his telegraph up and folks coming up from
“I know it, on the way to the border.”
“I think they won’t try anything until we pass it, which is why we’ll stop there for repairs.”
“You can rig a stage to break down where you want it to?”
“Got a little experience; a friend of mine figured out the math on just how to do it once.”
Norris smiled, “Mr. Jones I think I might have been luckier than I thought drawing you as a partner!”
Kid smiled weakly and silently added, ‘I sure hope my partner feels the same way when he hears about this.”
********************************
“You see that? First the sheriff now he’s talking to that old coot Norris,” Buress a stocky red headed soldier told the man dressed as a Lieutenant beside him.
“Yea maybe your right, you sure you saw him at the railroad office?” Lt Barber asked chomping down hard on the end of his cigar.
“Sure I’m sure he’s competition, I remember competition and I tell you he turned down the job. Now here he is all snuggled up nice and close with the law and wanting to come along with us!”
“Norris won’t be a problem, but I don’t like the looks of that kid, I think were going to have to discourage him from wanting to join the party.”
********************************
“You looking for work?” the balding clerk asked with a haughty bored glance as Heyes walked up to his desk in the makeshift rail office. To the clerk he looked like another trail tramp dusty and travel worn. The clerk was a lousy judge of people.
“Might be, heard you were hiring.”
“Not any more we got all we need,” the man said returning to the paper on his desk and then when Heyes didn’t move looked up irritated. “I believe were finished.”
Hannibal Heyes, who had not slept in 24 hours and was not only worried he was cold, angry and hungry reached over and pulled the man across the desk to face him, “I’m not. I’m looking for a friend of mine, Patrick McCreedy sent him up this way, blond fella and unlike me not real patient with idiots like you. Named Jones.”
The man went pale, “He was here…he turned down the job.”
“Thought he might,” Heyes said not letting go of his grip despite the man’s face turning red. “Any idea where he headed? And please get this right because if I have to come back and ask you again…”
“
“Thank you,” Heyes growled and let him drop like a rock and without a backward glance left the room.
************************************
Kid moved quietly out of the livery stable the stagecoach now ready for its trip the next day. Heyes had figured out another life ago that where you stopped a stage was almost as important as why. And since Heyes always preferred to do things with as little bloodshed as possible some inventiveness had been put into use; something the cavalry unit leading the Governor’s son was going to learn all about.
Reaching the hotel he was about to climb the stairs to his room when the desk clerk called him over.
“Oh Mr. Jones the telegraph is working! I believe you wanted to be informed?”
Kid nodded and headed back out the door grateful he could get a message off to his cousin before starting out in the morning. Reaching the small office on the edge of town he was relieved to see the light still on and opened the door. He had barely passed over the threshold before something crashed against his head and then everything went black.
“Work him over good boys,” Barber said giving him a swift kick to the ribs as he rubbed out his cigar. “I don’t know who he is, but I don’t want him capable of moving let alone causing us any concern when we start out in the morning.”
******************************************
PW Norris considered him self an excellent judge of character, which was why the next morning when Thaddeus Jones did not appear he was deeply concerned.
The boy was not who he said he was, but he had integrity and a moral compass he was trying hard to follow. Norris respected that and knew his instincts concerning him had been correct and yet where was he?
“Is there a problem Mr. Norris?” Barber asked impatiently as Norris stood by his horse looking down the street.
“Mr. Jones.”
“Knew we were leaving at first light,” Barber reminded him almost smugly as one of his men brought Kelper Hoyt out and saw him and his gear into the Governor’s private stage. Kelper would be traveling alone as his valet and school teacher still too ill to proceed and he looked even younger and terribly small all alone in the great coach.
“Anything?” Norris asked the Sheriff as he hurried up from a quick search of the town.
“No, his bed wasn’t slept in and his horse is still in the barn. I’m sorry PW…”
The man nodded grimly and knowing he would be left behind if he dallied he climbed up into the saddle of his horse.
“Move out!” Sgt. Buress ordered and the stage began rumbling out of town.
Shaking his head the sheriff walked back to the jail and shut the door feeling as if he had failed despite all he had tried to do.
“Sheriff?”
He turned startled to see Kid hunched over in a chair looking like only sheer cussedness was keeping him upright.
“What the hell happened to you?” the sheriff yelled hurrying over. “Damn boy they worked you over good.”
“I know,” Kid said and coughed. “I need my horse.”
“What are you crazy? You can’t ride like this!”
“We had a deal Sheriff,” Kid said stubbornly.
“Yea but I hired someone who wasn’t half dead. You are gonna fall out of that saddle even if I can get you into it.”
“I’ve ridden worse,” Kid said honestly moving to stand. “Just need a little help getting going.”
“Aw hell even if you do go after them what use are you gonna be like this?”
Kid looked up his face bruised and bloody, but the cold hard determination in his blue eyes startled the man. “It’s personal now sheriff.”
The sheriff nodded understanding. “All right lets get you on a bunk over there and at least let the doctor clean you up and bind up anything shook loose.”
Kid allowed the man to help him over to a bunk in one of the cells for once not objecting to a sheriff leading him into one.
“You just rest for a bit while I get the doctor and your horse.”
“Get some whiskey too.”
“Thought of that all ready,” the sheriff smiled pulling a bottle out of a drawer in his desk and setting it beside him. “Anything else?”
“Yea if a dark haired man shows up here asking for me leave this part out.”
***********************************
“Well I’ll be,” Norris said amazed as the wagon stopped for the sixth consecutive time in nearly as many miles. “Appear Mr. Jones is still managing to be of service after all.”
“Sir this wagon is falling to bits with every jut in the road,” one of the soldiers groaned.
“Well find a way to keep it together!” Barber roared.
“I’m trying sir, but if anything else goes wrong were gonna need a blacksmith!”
Norris smiled, “I believe Pray has a blacksmith,” he said helpfully.
“Thank you Mr. Norris,” Barber glared at him. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
*************************************
Heyes
slid off his horse wearily and paused to take a look down the main street of
He was narrowing it down to the saloon or the hotel when a commotion building in front of the sheriff’s office made him look over distracted.
A farmer had just pulled his wagon in with two of his sons and whatever he was hauling under the large burlap tarp was causing an uproar. Seeing a chance to check out the sheriff while he was distracted Heyes wandered across finding a good spot on the walkway to watch the drama unfolding.
But even he wasn’t prepared for the jumbled collection of undressed bodies the tarp revealed as it was pulled back. The men were all in their winter long johns and there looked to be at least six, though Heyes couldn’t be sure from where he was standing.
Suddenly feeling sick that it could mean one of two things he pushed a little closer for a better look and to confirm he was mistaken about his worse fear.
“Sheriff
I recognize that fella there, he’s a private out of
“Where did you find them Sam?” the lawman asked the ashen faced farmer.
“In a ditch down by the creek; been dead a few days by the look of them.”
The
Sheriff turned over a body and checked the inside of the collar of his
The sheriff turned surprised to find Heyes still there checking the bodies and finally turning back relieved.
“You look like you expected someone to be here,” the sheriff said blocking his pass.
“My mistake.”
“Wouldn’t have been a fella named Jones would it?”
Heyes stayed poker faced, “Jones?”
“Yea cause he gave me a message for a fella named Joshua in case he showed up looking for him.”
Heyes broke into a grin, “You’ve seen him?”
“Yup sent him on a little job.”
“You sure have put my mind at ease Sheriff,” Heyes said exhaling.
“Then I’m sorry cause if these bodies mean what I think they do he’s in a lot more trouble than I had planned. Son if you are any friend to Jones then I haven’t got time to explain much,” the sheriff said taking the horse that had been handed him and giving the reins to Heyes. “Just catch up and help.”
“Which way is he headed?” Heyes said not arguing and climbing aboard.
“He’s
following a stagecoach heading down to
“I know a faster way,” Heyes assured him and without needing to know more took off at a gallop.
*********************************
Kid Curry slipped off his horse and tied it off in the brush and stealthily made his way into Pray. He had been lucky enough to get ahead of the coach at the last bend not daring to chance taking a faster route earlier for fear they would pull off the road and he would miss them trying something desperate.
Entering into the back of the hotel he checked his gun and waited.
Minutes later the stage and escort limped miserably into town; though calling it a town was being generous. Pray consisted mostly of a half dozen building used more as a stopping station than a destination.
“Hell this place isn’t even big enough to be called a bump in the road,” Sgt Buress said disgusted as he raised a hand to call a stop.
“Livery over there should have a blacksmith,” one of the men called out.
“Good take the stage over and see what he can do with it,” Barber ordered as Norris helped the boy out. “Hey where you two going?”
“To get the boy something warm to eat, I mean since were stopping and all,” Norris smiled disarmingly.
Barber frowned, but then finally nodded, “All right, but don’t go far were leaving in an hour whether that coach is fixed or not.”
“Yes sir, certainly,” Norris smiled hurrying the child inside.
“I don’t trust him,” Buress said pulling off his cap and staring after the two.
“Don’t
matter another few miles and we’ll be in
“Blacksmith!” he yelled. “Where are you?”
“Right here Lt.” a voice called back. “What can I do for you fellas?”
**********************************
“But the man said we were leaving in an hour?” Kelper said confused as Norris led him up to a room in the hotel.
“I know boy, but I thought you might like a chance to catch your breath for a bit. You just stretch out and I’ll have the kitchen bring us up something good.”
Stepping out the door he turned and gasped in surprise at the figure waiting there for him.
“Jones! Good God man what happened to you?” the man said horrified at Kid’s beaten appearance. “I thought I’d lost you for good.”
“You almost did,” Kid said pulling the man around the corner to the back stairs where they could talk without being noticed.
“Your wagon trick slowed them down considerable.”
“Yea,
but it won’t take a good blacksmith long to figure out what I did. Look I have two horses tied out in the back
waiting for you both. I want you to high
tail it back to
“You think we can outrun them?”
“You won’t have to there is an old trapper trail just east of the main road. Stage couldn’t handle it, but a horse can and it will cut an hour off your journey.”
“They could still catch up.”
“Not if they are following the stage going in the opposite direction,” Kid said simply. “Give me your hat and coat. I’m going to make them think you made a run for it with the boy. As soon as you see them take out after me you both high tail it out of town.”
“And what happens to you when they catch up to you?” Norris said darkly.
“I can take care of myself.”
“I can see that,” Norris said glancing up and down at his battered appearance.
“No, no it’s all right. I know a large mound of boulders about 3 miles from here. I’ll turn the wagon over there and make them think you both are holed up in the rocks. It will give you plenty of time and I can hold them off forever.”
“You’re that good?” Norris said doubtful.
“Yea and I’m mad as hell, I’m even better when I’m mad as hell.” Kid glanced at the window and groaned. “They’re coming back that means the blacksmith must have figured out the trick I did on the axle. Just my luck they find someone who knows what they are doing.”
“Its all right they said they were going to eat and feed the horses before they started out again.”
“Good. Get the boy ready and when you see me drive by get him out down these back stairs, the horses will be waiting.”
Norris offered his hand, “I hope someday son to sit with you and hear your part of how this all ends. I enjoy a story well told. Good luck.”
“Thank you sir,” Kid said and crept down the backstairs consoled by the thought that by the time his partner found him he should be too dead for him to yell at much.
*****************************************
“Where did you two get to?” Barber said coming around the corner as Norris returned to the room.
“Boy was feeling a little ill so I thought it best to have him lay down while we had a break. I’m going to get him some soup now.”
“Well tell him the coach is fixed and…” Barber ordered.
“Oh
we’ll be ready sir don’t you worry,” Norris smiled. “No one wants to get back to
**********************************
Kid made his way silently into the stable to find the coach ready and waiting. He was surprised to find there wasn’t a guard, but then perhaps Barber and the others had decided Pray didn’t offer much in terms of opposition. Opening the doors he wearily pulled himself up into the driver’s seat pulling Norris’s hat and jacket in close so that the disguise would not be detected.
Taking a deep breath he raised the reins and whipped the horses into action charging out of the livery and past the hotel. Suddenly a thud on the roof of the coach made him turn as someone made a leap from the hotel balcony onto the stage.
“You weren’t thinking of leaving again without me were you?” Heyes asked pleasantly as he scrambled down next to him rifle in hand. “I almost didn’t recognize you with those clothes and that walk, got an old man’s gait down…” he stopped suddenly getting a good look at his partner and swallowed then looked back.
“A bunch of soldiers are yelling at us.”
“Are they following?”
“Trying to, that part of the plan?”
“Yup.”
A bullet whizzed by.
“Getting shot at part of the plan too?”
“Yup.”
Heyes nodded accepting that, very few plans didn’t include that in their line of work.
“Is there any other part to this plan besides getting shot at?” Heyes yelled as he got off a shot himself.
“Figured
I could make it as far as those boulders where we lost that
“Yea I saw him and an old man slip out the back of the hotel,” Heyes said clearly not having missed anything. “Then what?”
“That’s it. The boy get away safe.”
“That’s the plan?” Heyes said in amazement.
Kid managed a glare over at him, “Look Heyes I’ve been a little busy.”
Heyes glanced down at his shirt and noticed fresh blood. “Yea I can see you have. Here give me those reins you never could drive a team straight. Make yourself useful and shoot something.”
With Heyes’s steady hand on the team Kid was able to get a few good shots off sending one of the pursuers off his horse hard.
“I’m only counting 4!” Kid said worried.
“I might have accidentally knocked one out in the livery,” Heyes smiled back.
“How did you know he wasn’t on our side?” Kid asked amazed.
“Jed, no one is ever on our side.”
Curry had to nod in agreement to that and looked up as the rocks came into view. “Swing around to the right I don’t want them to see the boy isn’t with us,” Kid ordered.
“You’re in charge,” Heyes told him and sharply turned the wagon so that the wheel caught and sent the wagon down with a crash.
Scrambling up the rocks the two men were in position by the time the four remaining kidnappers caught up.
“So you found work?” Heyes said conversationally as he reloaded his gun and then rolling back over on his belly to fire.
“Yup,” Kid said emptying his gun at the soldiers and then doing the same.
“Ya know a plan should include a part where you get yourself out alive too,” Heyes pointed out looking over and not liking how pale his partner looked.
“I was getting to that part,” Kid said amazed at how much better he felt. Somehow things just never seemed hopeless when his partner stepped into the picture.
“So how much they paying you for this job?” Heyes asked reloading again.
“Hundred dollars and a horse,” Kid told him and didn’t meet his eyes.
Heyes stared at him, “Well at least were getting good money for this.”
“They are splitting up,” Kid said rolling over and firing.
“One on the left,” Heyes said. “So what exactly was this job about, I mean besides getting beat up and shot at?”
“Getting a boy back to his father; those fellas wanna kidnap him for the railroad.”
“Just who is this boy everyone’s so anxious to get their hands on?”
Kid aimed and just before he fired answered. “The Governor’s son.”
“Of
“Yea he has a 12 year old son named Kelper, nice boy. That make any difference?”
“I’m not sure, but I am gonna shoot a little more enthusiastically now I think about it.”
“Better start now cause here they come!”
“Ready?”
“Right behind you.”
And they charged.
*************************************
Two Days Later
Emigrant,
Kid Curry opened his eyes and sat up sharply and winced.
“Whoa, whoa slow down,” his partner said gently pushing him back down onto his pillow. “The fever just broke.”
“Heyes? Where am I?”
“Emigrant.”
“The boy?”
“Back with his father.”
“What happened all I remember is us charging down the hill shooting and hollering.”
“Worked,
then you fell down and your friend Norris showed up with the real army and that
sheriff in
“No,” Kid said warily trying to sit up again, “Why?”
“Cause they know. Colonel Norris was real good about letting me get you away before too many questions got asked.”
Kid groaned, “Go ahead Heyes. Tell me what an idiot I was. I knew as soon as I figured out who the boy was I should walk away no way we could come out of this without either looking like we planned it or planned to take advantage of it.”
Heyes smiled, “That boy would be dead if you hadn’t of jumped in. I sent a message to Lom and he’s gonna handle it, keep us out of it. In fact they want to keep everyone out of it. Not real good politically to have railroad barons kidnapping governor’s sons.”
“So that’s it?” Kid shook his head. “So close and we got nothing.”
Heyes grinned and sat back finally exhaling for the first time in a week, “I don’t know your breathing and don’t forget that hundred bucks, nice horse too.”
“I could have cost us our amnesty, who knows maybe I have.”
“No your friend Norris promised me the Governor would not hear it from him, but he was pretty upset we wouldn’t let him tell what you did. He’s a good man to have on your side, might just come out good for us in the end never know.”
Kid nodded always amazed how Heyes could always see hope in everything. By rights he should have been tearing him up left and right, but instead he had saved his life yet again.
“By the way how did you do that?”
“Do what?” Heyes asked settling down with a book.
“Show up at the exact moment I needed you.”
Heyes managed to look both hurt and shocked, “Kid I’m surprised at you! I’m your partner, Hannibal Heyes, I always arrive in the nick of time don’t you read those time novels? What kind of story would it be if I didn’t arrive in time to help my partner?”
Kid smiled as he allowed sleep to creep back over him, “I sure am glad they at least get that part right.”
Heyes watched him for a moment and then sighed softly, “So am I Jed, so am I.”
***************************
August, 1882
“Colonel!”
Governor John Hoyt said rising to meet the man as he entered his office in
P.W. Norris nodded, “Unfortunately my love of the park is overshadowed by my political persuasion.”
“As
is mine; I’m afraid my days are also winding down due to what is happening in
“Which is why I wanted to speak to you; I made a promise to keep this story a secret and I have, but now with you leaving office I feel you have a right to hear and judge for yourself while you are still able to offer some recompense.”
“You intrigue me Colonel I enjoy a story well told.”
“It is one you have heard sir, but without its full measure,” Norris explained. “And justice demands I tell it to you now.”
“Of what tale have I not been privy to the outcome?”
And leaning forward Norris told him.
Historical Note:
Philetus Walter Norris served as
superintendent of
John Hoyt was territorial
governor of
Both Norris and Hoyt were removed
for political reasons from their positions in 1882. Hoyt went on to be appointed first President
of the
As for what happened to two certain outlaws requests for amnesty…well that’s another story isn’t it?