THE DAY DIGBY FITZPATRICK
GOT THE GIRL
Drena Hills
Alias Smith and Jones
March 2007
“Nothing takes the taste out of
peanut butter quite like unrequited love.”
-
Charlie Brown
Author’s Note: This story takes
place immediately following the episode ‘Root of it All’.
March 1882
“Heyes
you sure this is a good idea?”
Hannibal
Heyes swallowed before looking over and meeting his younger cousin’s doubtful
expression. They had paused at the sign announcing
the entrance to Leadville, a town two miles high in the
Normally
neither Heyes nor his partner Kid Curry would even consider venturing into a
town with so much potential for trouble; in fact it was just the sort of place
their mentor Sheriff Lom Trevors had ordered them to avoid in their quest for
amnesty.
But
Leadville did have one thing over
He
glanced back at the figure trailing them.
Leslie O’Hara may have been raised as a boy, but she couldn’t keep up
like one; not that she didn’t have a clever way of pulling them up short when
they got too far ahead, like now.
“Oh
“Leslie,”
Heyes said stopping and turning his horse frustrated to meet her. “I told you we are not Hannibal Heyes and Kid
Curry, but if you don’t stop doing that you are gonna have us in the same mix
up we had back in…”
She
smiled superiorly. “Sure you aren’t Joshua, I believe you, that’s why you are
letting me come along.”
“We let
you come along because it wasn’t safe to leave you in the middle of nowhere,”
Kid Curry grumbled. Leslie O’Hara, born
in
“Aw
that is sweet Thaddeus so where are we?”
“Leadville,”
Heyes said.
“I
thought we were going to
“We
are, but its still a 100 miles off and you are about to fall off your horse,”
Kid said dryly.
“I am
not! I can ride for days yet.”
Heyes
snorted and said something rude under his breath that she didn’t quite catch.
Normally
both men would have been more forgiving of a woman riding along side them. Very few women or men for that matter had
spent the grueling number of hours in the saddle that they had. They were asking a lot of her or anyone to
keep up, but that had been part of Heyes’s plan to make her realize they were
not the type of men she should latch on to for her next get rich scheme.
“We’re
stopping for the night and that’s final,” he said before she could start to
argue. “Besides Leslie I would think a
girl with your instincts for money would see the potential in a place like
Leadville.”
Leslie
wrinkled up her nose at the muddy street and hastily constructed
buildings. “
“Yea
and some of them get real rich getting dirty,” Kid pointed out.
She sat
up her demeanor brightening, “How rich?”
“Well
there was this one fella up in Virginia City hit a mother lode and walked off
with millions of dollars,” Kid told her.
On cue
the two outlaws nudged their horse forward leaving the girl to gasp at the very
concept.
“You
really think you can stick some poor miner with her?” Kid whispered across to
his partner.
“Kid at
this point I’ll settle for leaving her behind with ANYONE. I thought you were hard sharing the trail
with.”
“ME?”
Kid nearly yelled. “She’s the first
person I ever met who can talk as much as you can.”
“Yea
well at least I pause for a breath,” Heyes grumbled glancing back to make sure
she had started moving again.
“You
realize how much trouble a girl like that can get into in a town like this?”
Kid went on.
“I
know, but we gotta do something to throw her off before we get to
“This
place doesn’t look very safe,” Leslie said catching up. She was clearly exhausted, but still game to
keep up the charade of being as tough as them.
Unfortunately Leadwood had a way of spinning one’s senses and her
resolve was starting to wither at the rip roaring scene sprawled out in front
of them.
“Leadville?”
Heyes said breezily as they nudged their horses forward. “Why it’s just a
hardworking, God fearing…” he pulled his horse up short to avoid the miner that
had bounced out of the second story brothel window and landed in the mud in
front of his horse. “Town,” he finished making sure he didn’t let her catch his
eye.
“Yea,”
Kid said shaking his head as he unhooked his gun. “God fearing and next to Deadwood
the town you’re most likely to get an opportunity to end up in a position to
meet Him.”
******************************
“Four
dollars a night!” Kid roared at the desk clerk. “We want to rent the room not
buy it.”
“Each,”
the man corrected. “You gents want a
room by yourself and one for the lady that’s what it will cost you,” the man
said arms folded. “You don’t like those prices you can get a blanket and a
board over at the livery; they’re only charging a dollar for folks that aren’t
particular where they sleep.”
Kid moved to correct his
manners, but Heyes shook him his head no. It was early they would choose their
fights and there would be fights. Towns
like this bred them like rabbits.
Shaking
his head Kid pulled the money free from his pocket noting Leslie made no effort
to offer any for her room. He knew she
was far from broke despite the way she carried on, but there was little chance
of her parting with any of it unless the situation became desperate.
As far as the price of the
room he really hadn’t expected anything less. Mining towns made their real
money on services and he knew in fact they were lucky to get a room at all. Fortunately spring had come early and men
were moving back outside to work their claims freeing up the rooms once coveted
during the deadly winter months.
“I’m going to need a bath as
well,” Leslie said.
“Tub is out back,” the clerk
said and then looking her up and down added. “You gonna want to take it
alone? Its cheaper if you share.”
Leslie opened her mouth, her
Philadelphian influence leaving her speechless, and Heyes quickly jumped in
annoyed he was not going to have chance to appreciate such a rare occurrence.
“We’ll have a tub brought up
to your room,” he said quickly attempting to avoid fireworks.
“That will be extra,” the
clerk said without checking.
“How did I know that,” Heyes
said digging into his pocket and picking up the keys began to steer Leslie
towards the stairs.
Weariness catching up to her
Leslie seemed to be willing to follow his direction until she reached the
stairs and then suddenly stopped something catching her eye.
“Oscar Wilde!” she said
turning excited pointing to the poster on the wall next to them.
“Who?” Heyes asked frowning at
the foppish painting of a dandy with long dark hair that fell into his eyes.
“Oscar Wilde the writer!”
Leslie said rolling her eyes.
“Yes
ma’am,” the hotel manager said passing and stopping to puff up with pride. “At
our very own Tabor Opera House! All the way from
“He was
born in
“I
thought you wanted a bath and a bed?” Kid said dryly as Heyes walked over to
read the poster she had noticed announcing the event that night.
“Said
he’s doing some lecture on…Aestheticism,” Heyes spit out the word like it was
snake he had found in his boot.
“I’ll
get cleaned up and then we can have supper and hear his lecture!” Leslie said taking
her key from Heyes’s hand. “Imagine Oscar Wilde!”
“Boy am
I glad you lost the coin toss,” Heyes said relieved as she disappeared up the
stars.
“Oh no
you don’t!” Curry said whirling on him. “I am not getting stuck taking her to
some…whatever it is while you get to play poker!”
“Who
knows Kid, a fellow Irishman, maybe you can introduce them and he can take her
off our hands.”
“Heyes
have you ever known a rich Irishman?”
“Not
personally.”
“Neither
have I and the only man were going to get to take Leslie off our hands is gonna
have to have rich in his description.”
Heyes
sighed, “You have a point. Maybe you’ll get lucky and it’s sold out.”
“Do you
really think something that trivial would stop Leslie?” Kid said. “I need a
drink.”
“I
think we both do,” Heyes agreed following him out into the street and nearly
bumping into him when Curry stopped hard just outside the door.
The
street was crowded as if anticipating a spectacle and Heyes first thought was a
gunfight until he saw his partner removing his glove and unhooking his gun in
one swift smooth motion.
“Wait a
minute…what the?” but Kid had started walking swiftly towards something. Heyes could only think of two things that
would cause such a swift and possibly deadly response from his cousin and since
he was just fine that only left one other possibility.
“Come
along boys lets finish our fun and show this ‘poet’ what we think of dandies
who think were just dirt under their feet,” a man in crowd said waving a rope
and doing his best to incite the crowd of curious miners who had gathered.
“Sir I
would never think to treat you like the dirt beneath my feet since you are
wearing so much of it all over the rest of you person,” the man from the poster
said calmly clearly not terribly impressed with the man or the threat.
The two
men flanking him groaned. They had come
to know the strange Irish play write by accident on a stagecoach ride from
For James
Joseph Brown, miner superintendent, it had been more a job when his boss John
Campion ordered him to show the celebrity the new mine they were naming after
him called the Oscar. But with his
friend Digby Fitzpatrick he had come to appreciate the man’s wit and company
until now he felt almost protective of him.
A large
man Brown look remarkably like a grizzly bear until he shaved and had felt
certain he could protect the visiting dignitary just fine until these strangers
had come along to the mine and begun ragging on the Irishman even to the point
of nearly causing and accident when he had been lowered down into the mine in a
bucket.
Digby
Fitzpatrick was made of smaller more wry mold, but compensated all that with an
Irish temper and a wealth of charm.
Barely 5ft 5 he had wavy blond hair and vivid blue eyes and a grin that
took up most of his face.
He had
been amused to meet his famous fellow countryman and the two have become quick
friends having the same romantic, melancholy natures and love of whiskey.
“I
don’t even know you boys,” Digby said confused by these tuffs that had suddenly
appeared at the mine and had followed them back desperate to cause trouble. He
might even have suspected they were hired gunmen if the idea hadn’t seemed so
preposterous.
“You
know this?” one of the men said opening his coat to reveal a shoulder gun.
Digby
looked at him insulted, “I’m not armed!”
“But I
am,” Kid said quietly stepping into the circle which had widened at the
appearance of the weapon.
Digby
and JJ’s eyes widened and grinning they looked over at Wilde and gave him a
wink.
“Just
you watch this,” Digby promised so excited he almost giggled.
“This
isn’t your fight mister,” someone yelled.
“Making
it mine,” Kid said. “Mr. Fitzgerald is
an old friend.”
Heyes
stepped into the inner circle and took the spot next to Curry.
He had
followed his partner in without question, because, well he was his
partner. But seeing it was Digby in
trouble all reluctance had vanished.
“Boys
you might not want to be getting involved in this,” Digby whispered behind them.
“Bit out numbered we are.”
“So
when is that anything new,” Heyes smiled back and then turned steely eyed to
face the men who now seemed to be a little less enthusiastic about a fight now
that there looked like there might be a real challenge.
Miners
were backing away now that Heyes had entered into the equation and it clearly
became evident the problem was just 5 men, all of whom was armed.
Heyes
waited letting Kid lead the play; his cousin had an almost six sense in knowing
what a man with a gun facing him was going to do. Not to mention he could stare water into ice.
“Mr. Wilde! There you are!” The group looked up as a cluster of the elite
upper class of Leadville hurried over to them.
It consisted mostly of shop owners, a banker and partners in the more
affluent mines.
The arrival of the town’s more
prominent members was the final straw and the group began to melt away.
“Ah yes the gentlemen who
wanted to show me a real working silver mine by dropping me down it in a
bucket,” Wilde said and added softly for the others. “Not the first time I’ve
fallen through the earth, but I do prefer to not be sober when it occurs.”
“Mr.
Wilde we must get you ready for your lecture,” one of the men said clearly
marked as his handler pulling him aside.
“Yes
indeed,” Mayor David H. Dagon said pushing his way into stand close to the
celebrated genius. He wasn’t sure what
he was a genius at, but that didn’t matter as long as it made him and Leadville
look good.
As the
writer was engulfed Heyes and Curry relaxed and turn to accept pats on the back
and hearty handshakes from Brown and Fitzpatrick.
“As I
live and breathe!” Digby said overjoyed. “And your timing not off one whit!”
“It
can’t be!” Joseph James Brown said managing to hug them both in a bear embrace
that shook them to the core.
“JJ!”
Heyes said genuinely delighted to see the man and even more so since neither
man had shouted out their real names.
“What
are you boys doing here? Well never mind
you picked a red letter day…Digby is getting married!” JJ boomed.
Kid and
Heyes turned astonished to stare at the beaming Irishman.
Their
amazement was interrupted by the arrival of Wilde who had freed himself from
his handlers.
“A moment Mr. Webster,
gentlemen my sincerest thanks for your timely arrival, Oscar Wilde at your
service,” the writer said offering a limp hand, but sincere gratitude.
“Oscar, Oscar my dear new
friend let me introduce two of my oldest and dearest friends…” Digby started to
explain.
“Joshua
Smith and Thaddeus Jones,” Heyes stepped in quickly offering his hand.
“No,”
Digby said stopping and thinking. “That wasn’t it, I’m sure it wasn’t. Well never mind gentlemen this is the great
Oscar Wilde.”
Oscar
Wilde on first glance appeared to be 100% dandy with a dusting of well to do
rake. His hair was long, his cuffs
ruffled and his coat well cut and velvet.
“Any
friend of Digby’s is a friend of mine gentlemen!” Wilde smiled charmingly. “Without these kind men I would have kicked
the bucket most literally!”
“Mine
owners lowered him down in a bucket to see the workings of a new shaft and well
Digby and I had to get him out,” JJ said modestly.
Wilde
meanwhile had sized up Curry and Heyes interested. “Tell me gentlemen are you
gunmen? Please say yes because if one
more dreary person informs me just how un-wild the west is I shall faint away
from sheer disappointment and ennui.”
“Gunmen?” Digby cried happy to accommodate his new
friend. “Why Oscar you have before you the fastest gun in the…”
“Now
Digby what’s this I hear about you getting married,” Kid said slapping him on
the back.
“I am!”
Digby said eagerly. “To a Miss Amanda
Rose Wipple of
“Ah
Digby where exactly did you meet her?” Kid asked glancing at Heyes. Digby’s engagements were legendary and
usually short lived.
“
“Sensible
woman, always marry a rich man, only thing better is a very old rich man,”
Oscar Wilde said pleasantly and Heyes found himself grinning and thinking
perhaps the man’s lecture might not be that awful after all.
“You’ll
both have to come to the wedding tomorrow!” Digby was going on cheerfully.
Kid and
Heyes glanced at each other and grinned.
Digby Fitzpatrick hadn’t been their worse gang member; in fact a more
loyal hard working man had never ridden with the gang. Unfortunately Digby had a romantic streak and
tended to fall in love forever with nearly every woman who looked twice. This had led to a series of marriage
proposals and broken hearts that was the stuff of legend.
“Ah not
sure we’ll be able to stick around for that,” Heyes said glancing at Kid.
“Then
the bachelor party!” Digby said not bothered.
“Gonna start it up right after Oscar’s lecture.”
“Ah Mr. Wilde about that,” Kid
said with a reluctant sigh. “Any chance
we could get a ticket for a friend of ours?” Kid say praying the man only had
one and Leslie would have to go alone.
“Reginald
give the man as many tickets as he needs,” Wilde said and then bowing with a
flourish. “Anything for my new American friends,” he stopped and turned back
and whispered. “Who I hope will rescue me again later!”
“It’s a
promise Wilde!” JJ nodded solemnly. “You
have to attend Digby’s bachelor party!”
“And
where will that be?” Wilde asked brightening.
“Bucket
of Blood Saloon #9.”
Wilde
smiled rapturously. “I have found a new world
and it is populated with the most amazing people!”
********************************
“Can you believe Digby? Hasn’t
changed a bit” Kid said an hour later standing in front of the mirror in their
hotel room.
“In trouble and getting
married,” Heyes grinned back. “No I guess he hasn’t.”
Kid laughed and wiped the
remaining shaving cream off his face and turned away from the mirror. “You really think its going to happen this
time?”
Heyes
looked up from where he was brushing off his hat, “Digby?” He said considering
this. The charming Irishman had not ridden
with them long, but a strong friendship had developed all the same as their
paths had crossed over the years. He was
one of the few men they could say they trusted with knowing about the bounty on
their heads. “What does this make 6?”
“More
like 7,” Kid said pulling on a clean shirt.
“What was the closest he got that one in
“Might
have been; I just hope if it doesn’t end like always because if it does this town
better have enough whiskey,” Heyes sighed.
“Is
this before or after his bachelor party?” Kid grinned.
Heyes
paused thinking back, “Remember the last one?
What did it last four days?”
“Yea
started in
“No
wonder the girl didn’t marry him,” Heyes laughed.
“He
just needs to find the right girl,” Kid said and looked up. “Pity he didn’t
meet Leslie first!”
“Kid
that’s no way to talk, Digby is a friend,” Heyes scolded him.
“Point
taken,” Kid said sobering remembering how the man had taken a bullet for Heyes
saving his life and nearly losing his own in the bargain.
“You
think you can handle Leslie at this lecture?” Heyes said.
“Looks
like a fairly interesting fella,” Kid said.
“And I suppose it would be a waste making you go as well with all those
miners playing poker that bad, just don’t let Leslie know how much you win.”
“That
is a promise!”
*******************************
Leslie
O’Hara answered the knock at her door cautiously. She had begun to feel comfortable in this
untamed west she had jumped into feet first, but Leadville had slightly
unnerved her. It was so brutally male
and while she had always considered herself anything but one of those vaporish
eastern girls she had never felt more female than when they had rode into town.
And
another thing was beginning to nag at her.
When she had first met Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones during a
stagecoach robbery she had chalked them up as being like most men, incapable of
anything truly daring or useful.
Their
recovery of her letter and consequent adventures had impressed her with their resourcefulness,
but never truly overwhelmed her. She had
always felt more than competent and control in their relationship until today.
It had
begun with their arrival in this wild and no holds barred town. Just the way they had ridden in unafraid, unhesitant
to face anything and anyone had taken her off guard. Gone were the easy going cowboys she could
keep in line and it their place were two very different men.
It
couldn’t be could it?
She had
teased them about being Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry, but up till this
afternoon she had always presumed the law had gotten it wrong. She had read the descriptions on those two
notorious outlaws when she had visited them in jail. They could fit a thousand men. Besides outlaws were cold and hard nothing like
the two sweet men she had trusted her life with.
And
then she had looked out her window and witnessed scene in the street
today. It had been a large unruly crowd
and they had been totally outnumbered and yet never once did she think they
would not win.
She had
seen Thaddeus stare the gunmen down and the way Heyes had commanding backed him
up. It was not the act or posture of
everyday men. It hadn’t been a bluff. They knew they had the power to protect those
men and themselves and it made her shiver as to why.
Opening
her door slightly she blinked at the bright blue eyes meeting her startled and
then sparkling into a smile.
“Excuse
me ma’am,” Digby said his Irish brogue always emerging when it was lady. “I
must have the wrong room, my apologies.”
He
moved to leave, but she recognized him as one of the men from the street.
Hoping to find some answers she opened the door wider.
“Are
you looking for Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith?”
He
turned back smiling, “That I am ma’am.”
She
liked him immediately. He just had an
open friendly way about him that reminded her of home, of her father.
“They
are next door, I’m Leslie O’Hara, and I’m traveling with them.”
He
blinked completely taken by her, “Well then surely all the luck I’ve given them
in the past has doubled since I saw them last!
I came to bring them these tickets to Mr. Wilde’s lecture.”
She
gasped, “They got them!”
“Oh
you’ll find Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones get pretty much anything they want,” he
smiled leaning against the frame liking the way her eyes lit up excited.
She
looked at him shrewdly, “Know them well do you?”
He
straightened, “As well as any man can I would be guessing.” And sensing he was
in dangerous waters he straightened and gave her a mock bow; his hat still in
his hands. “Till this evening Miss O’Hara.”
“Wait I
don’t even know your name.”
“Digby
ma’am, Digby Fitzpatrick.”
“Are
you a miner?”
“Yes
ma’am.”
“A
successful one?”
“I hope
so ma’am. The lady marrying me in the
morning is under that assumption!”
*******************************
“So Mr.
Fitzpatrick is your intended coming tonight?” Leslie asked as Curry, Brown and
Digby stood making small talk in the foyer of the theater waiting for the
signal the event was about to begin.
“No
ma’am, she lives in
“Digby
is going to buy a mercantile with his silver and settle down respectable,” JJ
said proud of his friend.
“You
found silver?” Leslie asked interested.
“That I
did!” Digby said.
“Then
why are you stopping?” she asked exasperated.
“Big
mines are the way to go now,” Digby said.
“More money for me in servicing the men than working along side
them. JJ however is up to bigger more
exciting things.”
Leslie
turned on the big man interested, “And what would those be?”
“Just a
bit of speculation,” he said modestly clearly uncomfortable in the suit he had
squeezed into.
“Leadville
Johnny and him think that with the right machines they can find silver or maybe
even gold missed down lower than has been dug before,” Digby went on proud of
his friend.
Kid
shook his head, “They are all ready going to deep for me.”
“And
me,” Digby agreed. “I’ll find my fortune on top of the street thank you. I don’t have a Welshman’s constitution for
all that underground nonsense.”
Kid had
to smile at the varied job history Digby had obtained over the years up to and
including outlawing. Fortunately he
hadn’t lasted long at that and a bullet to his chest and a near miss with death
had convinced him there were far less dangerous ways to get rich…and a wife.
The
bell sounded for everyone to take his seats and Leslie was impressed when they
were shown to a private box to the right of the stage and level with it. Clearly the best seats in the house.
“With
Mr. Wilde’s compliments,” the usher told them.
“You
never told me you knew Oscar Wilde?” Leslie asked Curry coyly. Neither he nor Heyes had made any mention of
their daring rescue of the famous man at dinner, despite all her hints.
“Friend
of Digby’s,” Kid told her as he seated her and took the one behind her leaving
Digby to take the one next to her.
It
never hurt to hedge your bets, besides it would be easier to sleep in the back.
*******************************
Hannibal
Heyes had only felt a small smattering of guilt at excusing himself after
dinner to slip away to visit some of the poker games he had seen earlier that
afternoon. Miners were notoriously bad
gamblers, almost as if they didn’t want to waste any luck at the table when it
could be used for finding a bonanza.
Slipping
into a game he cautiously let himself lose as he studied his fellow
players.
********************************
Kid was
awakened by Leslie’s gasp. He was not
quite sure when he had dozed off, but it hadn’t been long after it had
started. The man had a soothing voice
that reminded him of his grandmother and it hadn’t taken long to lose himself
to a slumber, especially when he didn’t have the slightest idea what the man
was talking about.
The mayor had gotten up first
and then passed on an explanation of the talk to Wilde’s handler who had rattled
on about what the ‘Aesthetic’ movement was.
Something about ‘the Arts’ should provide refined sensuous pleasure
instead of convey moral or sentimental messages. Art should not be useful or have a
purpose. Beauty should be the basic
factor in life and that life should copy art.
Nature was crude and lacking in design when compared to art.
Clearly the man had never seen
Yellowstone, Kid thought arms folded, but Leslie seemed to be captivated by
the entire concept Curry, however always
the practical man, suspected the whole thing had been thought up by idle men
with too much time on their hands.
Instantly
alert his hand went immediately to his gun, which he had worn despite Leslie’s
insistence one did not need weapons in an opera house even in Leadville. It only took him a moment to size up what was
happening and realize something had gone very wrong with the show.
A man had moved on to stage and was threatening Wilde with
a gun. Curry recognized him as one of
the out of place gunmen from earlier that day.
Rising to his feet he moved to the front of the box, which
was almost level with the stage
“A present from the Marquis of Queensbury,” the man smiled.
“Drop it,” Kid said in a firm voice.
Startled the man turned to fire at him, but Kid’s gun leapt
into his hand and sent the assasin’s gun spinning from the assailant’s
hand.
As two burly stage hands moved to drag the injured man off
the theater burst into applause clearly thinking it was all part of the show
and highly impressed.
Wilde paused, only letting his aggitation show for a moment
and then demanded a whiskey drank it and suggested the audience do the same.
His
reaction drew another round of cheers from the audience who approved whole
heartedly and let him continue despite most not having a clue what he was
talking about.
As for Curry he merely holstered his gun and sat back down
unaware of how shocked a certain Miss O’Hara was.
The lecture continued for another 20 minutes and at its
close Kid searched his brain for a way
to get Leslie back to her room and thus free him to join the others for Digby’s
party.
“I’d like to go back to my room now…Thaddeus,” Leslie said
softly as the lights came back on.
“You would?” Kid said too happily and instantly tried to
look disappointed.
“Yes thank you, Mr. Brown, Mr. Fitzpatrick,” she said
bidding them good night.
“What a lovely lass,” Digby sighed watching her leave.
“Talk a man’s head off,” Brown shuddered. “You’ll never
catch me letting a woman like that get a hold.
Man wouldn’t get a word in edgewise!”
*****************************
Hannibal
Heyes looked up and fought back a grin as he saw his partner’s face. Excusing himself from the poker table he
hurried over stopping only to secure a beer for his cousin before reaching him.
“That
bad?” Heyes asked sincerely sorry for him.
“Heyes
the man talked for two hours and aside from a couple of things I have no idea
what he was talking about. Closest thing
to a politician I ever heard,” Kid said downing half the beer.
Heyes
laughed, “Where did you leave Leslie?”
“Fortunately
she was mooning over him with the other women and wanted to go back to her
room. I think you might be on to something with him taking her off our hands.”
“Shame,
I was really starting to like him,” Heyes grinned and then pointed. “Looks like
Mr. Wilde managed to escape another pit!”
Looking
up he saw Wilde making a flamboyant entrance with JJ and Digby plus a complete
entourage of hanger ons.
“Heard
there was a little trouble,” Heyes added softly.
Kid
glanced at him, word had traveled fast, “What did you hear?”
“Someone
didn’t like the show and a man with a draw so fast the eye couldn’t follow it
disarmed him. It’s being called the best
part of the evening.”
Kid
groaned waiting for Heyes to berate him, but Heyes merely smiled. “Seems Wilde has made a real enemy with some
Lord fellow in
Kid
exhaled he hadn’t been too excited to tell his partner about the display of his
fast draw, not so much for worry of his getting angry as disappointing. He was first to acknowledge it was a sure way
for people together who they were and he never liked endangering his partner’s
life and freedom if he could help it.
“How
did Leslie take it?” Heyes asked quietly.
“Leslie? She was fine,” Kid said confused.
“I
don’t know; I watched her at dinner, I think she might be starting to wonder
how big a mistake the sheriff really made arresting us as Heyes and Curry.”
Kid
looked worried, “Enough to turn us in?”
“I
don’t know.”
“Aw
Heyes I’m sorry it’s just that Wilde was unarmed I just couldn’t…”
Heyes
grinned and patted him on the back, “I know, you Irishmen stick together. Come
on lets worry about this in the morning, we’ve got a bridegroom to be to
celebrate with!”
They
walked over as Wilde was surveying the room.
“Don’t
shoot the piano player is doing the best he can,” Wilde read the sign above the
piano aloud as he passed the musician hard at work. “Gentlemen that is the only rational method
of art criticism I have ever come across.”
“Wilde
here wants to play poker,” JJ grinned.
“You
ever play?” Kid grinned.
“Sir I
am well schooled in all the vices, bartender whiskey!”
They
found a table and all downed a shot before continued.
“Mr.
Jones I am once more finding myself in need of thanking you. Digby was right you are the fastest gun in
the west.”
Kid
gave him a boyish grin, “No sir, just took him by surprise.”
Wilde
gave him a meaningful look, “No sir it was I who was taken by surprise and want
to assure you both that Digby has explained things to me and I shall take the
secret of your real names to my grave.
Funny thing names, they hold so much power.”
Kid and
Heyes looked at each other and finally decided the man was sincere.
“A
toast then,” Heyes said pouring another round.
“To trust, which is both powerful…and rare!”
*****************************
It was
clearly morning when the five men emerged from the saloon and blearily faced
the dawn.
“That
was the finest bachelor party I have ever attended,” Digby said.
“You
need to go meet your Bride,” Heyes said attempting to stay upright and adjust
the man’s tie.
“My
bride!” he said suddenly remembering as the stage roared by. “Gentlemen I bid you
good morning.”
“I
think I need a drink,” Wilde said suddenly. “All this romance so early in the
morning is not good for the digestion.”
“Excellent
idea!” Brown said as Leslie stepped out
of the hotel and stared at them.
“Have
you been drinking all night?”
“No,”
Heyes said pointing to his partner, “He has, I only came along to keep him out
of trouble.”
For
some reason Kid found this remarkably funny and starting laughing, which only
caused the other men to laugh with him amused he was amused.
Leslie
rolled her eyes and hurried past them seeing Digby preparing to meet the
stage. “Worse than my father you four
are,” she growled.
“Is he
getting married too?” Wilde asked confused.
“About
that drink…” Brown said and they staggered back into the saloon.