JAILBREAK AT JUNCTION CITY

When Sheriff Slocum of Big Bend asked The Kid and me to escort those two Junction City bank robbers back to Junction City, well I know you understand that reluctant just doesn't describe how Kid and me felt about that. But then when he offered us each a hundred dollars and told us the name of the Sheriff in Junction City was Sweeney, a man neither Kid nor me had ever heard of, well the job did sound easy enough.

So we took it, and, long story short, the rest of it was in all the nearby newspapers. In fact, because Clitterhouse was arrested, the story likely ran in every newspaper in the state.

I don't think any of the newspapers mentioned, or even knew about what Judge Hanley did for The Kid and me. You might have heard about it, being as you're familiar with the whole sordid story, but Judge Hanley called a late night court session just for Kid and me, and ordered Mr. Brubaker to represent us. I must admit, I don't recall Mr. Brubaker saying much of anything at that hearing, but that's no matter since things turned out so well for us. Judge Hanley knew exactly how much, or rather how little money Kid and me had and he set our bail at exactly the amount each of us had. Then, in a rather round about way, he told us to skip town quick, which we did of course, in the middle of the night.

So there we were, on the road, in the dark of night, with not a penny to our names, and just a tin of coffee in our saddlebags. Now Sheriff Slocum had promised us each one hundred dollars for transporting those prisoners, but we figured he knew as much as anybody else about what happened in Junction City, so it stood to reason he also knew we was Heyes and Curry. Now two outlaws can't just go walking into a Sheriff's Office with their hands out, expecting to get paid. So Kid and me pretty much figured we were just out that two hundred dollars. That put us both in a pretty quiet mood riding along the road that night.

Now both of us being in a quiet mood, gave us both an opportunity to think, although I'm pretty sure Kid took the opportunity to sleep. But I was awake all night trying to come up with some way to collect our pay, and it occurred to me that we could pay Sheriff Slocum a visit the same way we paid Lom Trevers a visit when we decided to go for that amnesty. So when Kid woke up in the morning, or quit thinking, whichever he had been doing, I started telling him my idea.

"That's all fine and good Heyes, except for two things."

"What two things are those, Kid?"

"Well, first off, I didn't see no side door at that Sheriff's Office."

"Well, maybe there's a back door, and if not... we'll both just have to go in the front door."

"Uh-uh," Kid said doubtfully.

"What's your second reason, Kid?"

"Well, somehow I think it's probably illegal to go up to someone demanding back wages while holding a gun pointed at them. I think that could be considered robbery, Heyes, even if the money is owed us."

"Well, when we first walk in, we'll take his gun away from him. Then when I'm ready to ask him for our wages, you put your gun away so we won't be holding a gun pointed at him when we start talking money."

"Could work... Could not just as easily."

"Did you come up with a better idea, Kid?"

"No."

"So are you willing to do this with me?"

Kid sighed slowly. "Alright, Heyes. But I'm on record that I don't like this idea at all."

So we rode on to Big Bend and that night around eight we scouted out the Sheriff's office. Sure enough there was no side door, but there was a back door, and it was unlocked.

We waited till it was pretty late in the evening, maybe ten and we set our plan in motion. I walked in through the front door. Sheriff Slocum was sitting at his desk doing paperwork. A Sheriff's job must require an awful lot of paperwork cause every time I walk into one unannounced, the Sheriff is always sitting at his desk doing paperwork...

But anyway, Sheriff Slocum looked up and I expected him to go for his gun like Lom did, but he just looked at me and smiled.

"I suppose you know why we're here," I said.

"We?"

That's when I realized Kid had not come in. I glanced at the back door, but nothing happened.

"I don't know what's Keeping, Kid," I said more to myself than to the Sheriff.

But just then the front door opened again and in walked Kid, with his gun drawn. Kid looked at me and shrugged.

"The back door was locked, Heyes," Kid explained.

"I always lock the back door promptly at nine," Sheriff Slocum said. "And, son, put that gun away. You don't want to go making trouble for yourself."

Kid looked at me real puzzled but I just shrugged and told him to put his gun away.

"I suppose you boys are wanting to get paid," Sheriff Slocum said.

Kid smiled nervously. "That is why we're here, Sheriff."

Slocum reached into his desk draw and I saw Kid's hand hovering over his gun. But Slocum just pulled out the two hundred dollars and handed it to me.

"I read about what happened in Junction City," Slocum said. "Judge Hanley is a close friend of mine. I wired him and asked him about the two of you. He told me what he done. I suspect if Judge Hanley has reason to release the two of you on bail, well no reason for me to interfere with that."

Kid and me both smiled and thanked Sheriff Slocum.

"When the two of you are finally in the clear, if you ever want jobs as deputies, you come see me."

"Oh, that's very kind of you, Sir. We surely will do that," I told him.

"Well, we best be on our way," Kid said and nudged me to get moving.

"Oh, I should warn you," Sheriff Slocum said, "Until you two are in the clear, if I ever do see either of you in my town again..."

"Oh, we understand completely, Sir," I replied.

"Yes, Sir. You won't be seeing us in this town again," Kid added.

"Alright then. Be gone with you."

Kid and me hurried out the door and climbed onto our horses and scurried out of town.

And spent yet another night thinking and sleeping in our saddles.