Journey Along the Truckee River
The Truckee River runs 120 miles from the California shores of Lake Tahoe to Lake Pyramid in western Nevada. This is the first in a series of stories of Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry traveling along that route as they return from California to Wyoming. These stories don't necessarily reach a tidy end as the lives of others may remain unsettled and Heyes and Curry may sometimes move on before a sense of closure is achieved.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
It was autumn in southeastern California with the Sierra Mountains framing the wide expanses of forested fields, the trees ablaze in a plethora of golden yellow, rusted red, and deep green, and the distant mountains casting a deep blue shadow against a pale azure sky. Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry sat astride their horses, giving the animals a chance to drink from the meandering Truckee River, it's white water ripples rushing over rocks and fallen trees as it flowed eastward from Lake Tahoe toward Reno, then on to Pyramid Lake some hundred and twenty miles in total distance.
Kid's Chestnut uttered a snort and a nicker and Kid leaned forward and patted the Chestnut's mane and neck. "Sure is beautiful," Kid noted aloud.
Heyes smiled. "Like the whole of Mother Nature just flaunts its feathers like a peacock," he replied.
"Bet the fishing is good. You want to make an early camp tonight?" Kid asked.
But for the mountains in the background, the place did remind them both of the Kansas fishing spot they laid claim to every Saturday afternoon when they were kids. Even the big boulder rock was there in the middle where they had often waded out to and laid on the rock to bask in the warm sunshine, their skin baking to a warm, rich brown tan.
Heyes glanced at his partner and could see that Kid was already reliving those Saturday afternoons as the hint of a warm yet sad smile creased his lips.
"Yeah, let's make camp early today."
Kid pointed to a spot off to the left, near the large river boulder, where the bank of the river rose. "Looks like a good spot," he said and they both gave their reins a tug and moved lazily a quarter mile downstream.
As much as they thought about venturing out to the midstream boulder, mountain streams and rivers always run cold and by autumn, the cooler air temperature as well made them think better of the idea. So they fished from the river bank and cook the catch over a warm, well heated fire, and they warmed their hands on the tin coffee cups from which they drank. Tomorrow they would follow the river eastward, hopefully reaching the town of Truckee and a warm hotel bed.
"Kid you ever think about going back to Kansas?" Heyes asked as the night drew near and they sat by the fire and watched the flames rise and ebb.
"No, can't say that I do.?"
"Would you ever?"
The fire snapped and crackled and Kid gazed into his half empty coffee cup. "Don't think I'd ever want to. It wasn't all bad, I mean that fishing hole holds some good memories, smelling my Ma's cooking, even morning chores in the barn with my Pa, but...what was bad, well I don't want reminded of that."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right."
"You think them soldiers... ever had to pay for what they done?"
"I don't know if the army held them accountable... but I bet a good many of them have been paying their whole lives. It's like us seeing the aftermath, it's got to be a very hard thing for some of them to live with."
Kid refrained from putting his thoughts to words. Both seldom let their thoughts drift back to those Bloody Kansas Days and when they did, they seldom gave words to those memories.
Kid shivered and wrapped his Sherpa tight about his neck. "Gonna be a cold night, tonight."
"Well, we'll build the fire up and get to sleep before the cold settle in," Heyes, purposely adding a light inflection to his words. "We'll keep the coffee pot in the coals so we got something hot if we wake up during the night."
Kid tossed the remnants of his coffee into the fire and stood to add more wood.
"Think I'll turn in now, Heyes," he said and settled himself down into his bedroll and blanket and let the sounds of the river lull him to sleep.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
As was customary for their routine Heyes was the first to waken the next morning. Typical of an autumn morning the air was much cooler than the ground and a low lying thick fog hovered above the grasses, dipping to the level of the water as it crossed the river and extended as far as could be seen. The morning sun would burn it off quickly, but in the soft light of dawn the fog took on a mystifying appearance.
Kid woke slowly, first with a shifting of his head against the seat of his saddle, then a slow stretch beneath the warmth of his blanket, and fnally a soft moan as the palms of his hands rubbed and massaged his eyes. Tossing the blanket aside, Kid sat up and stretched his arms and yawned, then glanced around for his partner.
"You got breakfast started?' Kid asked as he worked his way through a second yawn.
"Working on it."
Kid stood and saw that the coffee pot had been moved away from the embers.
"I'll go fill the coffee pot," he said strapping on his gunbelt.
Still in his stocking feet Kid stumbled his way to the river and crouched down to dip the coffee pot in the water. As he lifted the pot from the water, a slight movement of something bobbing about in the water a few yards away caught his eye. Kid squinted for a better look and determined a piece of calico cloth was likely snagged in a small logjam, causing it to flutter and bounce with the current.
Kid made his way the few yards down the river, then stopped when he saw the body face down, entangle in the logs and branches.
"Heyes!" Kid shouted and without concern for the cold water, waded into the river. "Heyes!"
Within seconds Heyes was standing at the edge of the river as Kid waded chest deep toward the debris and began breaking branches and moving logs until he was able to free and grab a secure hold of the body to pull it to shore. As he entered the more shallow water near the river's edge, Kid scooped the body into his arms and carefully tested his footing as he climbed to dry land.
Heyes took a strong hold of Kid's arm and helped him out of the river. Once on level ground, Kid gently laid the bloated body supine on the ground.
"She can't be more than ten or twelve years old," Heyes said.
Shivering in his cold ,wet clothes, Kid bent down to his knees beside the girl. "Must have been here at least a couple of days," he said, brushing the wet hair away from her face and straightening her dress. "Go get my blanket to wrap her in."
Heyes returned quickly with the blanket and together he and Kid wrapped the girl from head to toes in the blanket. Then again Kid slowly scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to camp.
"I'll find something we can use for shovels," Heyes said but Kid shook his head.
"Truckee is the nearest town upstream. She likely came from there. We'll take her there, Heyes. Somebody's likely worried."
Heyes nodded. "You get the blanket secured and I'll break camp."
Half an hour later, the body tied across the saddle on Kid's Chestnut, and Kid riding double with Heyes on the sorrel, they started out for the town of Truckee.
0-0-0-0-0-0
A midst stares, Heyes and Curry rode slowly down the single street of the small river town of Truckee, trailing the Chestnut with the carefully wrapped body behind them. When they reached the Sheriff's Office they tethered both horses and walked inside.
"Sheriff, we found a body in the river about eight miles west of here. She's a young girl and thought she likely lived here. We got her outside," Heyes explained.
"Well, let's go take a look," Sheriff Ormsby replied and followed Kid and Heyes out to the horses.
The Sheriff lifted the edge of the blanket and examined the girl's face. He sighed heavily as he lowered the blanket and stood.
"That's Betsy Crawford. Here Ma reported her missing four days ago. We spent two days searching," he explained as he glanced down the street and saw the undertaker hurrying toward them.
"Who is it?" the mortician asked when he reached the horses. "Is it that child?"
The Sheriff nodded. "She's the Crawford girl," Ormsby replied.
Like the Sheriff had done, the mortician lifted the end of the blanket to see the girl' face and confirm her identity.
The mortician groaned. "Looks like she's been in the water a few days. Her Ma's gonna take this hard," the mortician replied. "Just lost her husband not three months ago, now Betsy."
"I'd best ride out there and let her know," Ormsby said.
"I'll take the horse down to the funeral parlor and get her inside and readied. I suspect her Ma will want to see her. I'll see if I can get her presentable, though that will likely take a miracle."
"We'll go with you, Sheriff. We might be able to answer some of her questions," Kid said. "I'll go with the mortician and help get her inside. I'll meet you back here."
The Sheriff nodded. "Who are you two?' he asked.
"I'm Joshua Smith and this is Thaddeus Jones. We're headed for Reno and we made camp along the river last night. Just discovered this poor child this morning."
"I'll go get my horse saddled and we'll head out to the Crawford place."
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Mrs. Crawford just got married not six months ago. It was a second marriage for each of them. Betsy was Mrs. Crawford's daughter from her first marriage. John, her new husband brung two sons into the marriage. She'll be raising them two boys alone now. That ain't gonna be easy. They're both teenagers and from what I can tell they're a bit hard to handle."
"Troublemakers or typical teenage boys?" Heyes asked.
Sheriff Ormsby smiled. "They seem pretty typical, but they're a handful. Betsy was a big help to her Ma. She disappeared after school a day last week. When we couldn't find Betsy, we suspected something like this might have happened. She wasn't the sort of girl to up and run off. She and her Ma were close."
"Can't be easy losing a child," Kid replied softly.
"I always heard drowning was kind of a peaceful way to die," Heyes said. "After the initial struggle, a person reaches a kind of euphoria, a calmness."
"Well, even if that's true, most people just think of drowning as a struggle. That's likely all her Ma will think of, that poor child fighting the water and the current," Sheriff Ormsby concluded.
"I suppose so," Heyes replied.
"We're almost there. That lane up ahead leads to the house."
0-0-0-0-0
Tess Crawford was sweeping the front porch when she saw the three rides approaching.
"Seth, Jeremiah," she called to the boys in the barn. "Got riders coming."
She stopped sweeping and leaned her arm against the broom as she watched the riders approach. The two boys emerged from the barn and joined her on the porch. Tess' heart sank when she saw one of the riders was the Sheriff.
"You found her? You found Betsy?" Tess called out to the Sheriff as the three men dismounted, tethered their horses, and approached the house.
"You found her," Tess stated rather than asked, her face wrought with despair. "What happened?"
"Mrs. Crawford, this is Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones... They found Betsy this morning... in the river," Sheriff Ormsby explained. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Crawford."
Tess wilted and both boys quickly grabbed her arms to steady her.
"They brought her into town. She's at the funeral parlor."
"Seth, go hitch up the buggy," Tess replied.
"We're terribly sorry, Ma'am." Kid said
"She looked hurt?" Tess asked.
"No Ma'am. She looked peaceful," Kid replied, using the word Heyes had used earlier.
Tess' chin began to quiver and Jeremiah wrapped his arm about her shoulders and drew her close. "It'll be alright, Ma," he said.
Tess' head slowly shook. "It'll never be alright again," she muttered. "My baby."
Seth returned with the wagon and Tess hurried down the walk, brushing past the three men. She climbed into the wagon and took the reins. "You and Jeremiah stay here," she told her sons.
"Ma," Seth protested.
"You do as I say," she replied and Seth slowly climbed down from the wagon.
"I'll drive her," Kid volunteered and without asking her permission, he climbed into the wagon beside her and gently reached for the reins. "Ma'am, I'll do the driving," Kid said, his voice gentle but firm."
Tess had no fight in her and she surrendered the reins. Kid gave Heyes and the Sheriff a quick glance, then flicked the reins and the horses started down the lane.
"You boys will be alright here alone for a while?" Sheriff Ormsby asked and both boys nodded.
Heyes and the Sheriff mounted their horses and Heyes pulled the chestnut behind him and they followed the wagon down the lane.
Tess sat silently as tears streamed down her cheeks. Kid reached into his vest pocket and withdrew a clean bandanna and offered it to her. She took it and gave him a slight nod, but said nothing.
Reaching town, Kid climbed out of the wagon and walked around to help Tess out. He wrapped an arm about her shoulders and walked her into the funeral parlor. Heyes and the Sheriff were not far behind.
"Mrs. Crawford," the mortician sad as he held his hands put to her.
"I want to see Betsy," Tess told him.
The mortician looked beseechingly at Kid, then Heyes and the Sheriff.
"I...I don't have her fully prepared as yet, Mrs. Crawford," the mortician said.
"Tess, I know from experience that's not something you want to do," Sheriff Ormsby said, placing a gently hand on her shoulder.
"The Sheriff's right, Ma'am," Kid said quietly. "That's not how you want to remember her."
Something about the gentleness and sincerity in Kid's voice gave her pause and she slowly nodded her head.
"There are arrangements to be made Mrs. Crawford," the mortician said.
"Does it have to be now?" Kid asked.
"No. No. Of course not. Reverend Townsend and I can stop by your place in the morning if you'd like."
Tess, looking completely forlorn looked at Kid who nodded. "That might be best," he reassured her.
Slowly Tess nodded and Kid gently led her out of the funeral parlor and helped her back into the wagon. Heyes followed them out and tied the Chestnut to the back of the wagon.
Kid gave Heyes a questioning shrug, then backed the wagon up and directed the horses back toward the Crawford farm.
"Ma'am," Kid said quietly. "I've never known the loss of a child, but I do know a little about... losing people close to your heart. I know it's hard to even make yourself take a breath right now. You got two boys that are grieving and likely worried about their Ma. When we get to your place I'll take care of your wagon and horses and I'll sleep in your loft tonight in case you'd be needing anything. You and your sons can just concentrate on your own sorrows."
Tess heard him and in her own thoughts was grateful, but offered no reply. Kid didn't need a reply. He only knew that Heyes had stepped up for him all those years ago and while it didn't ease the pain, it did lighten the burden.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Kid woke the next morning to the rattle of the milk pail and the mooing protests of the cow. He pulled his boots on and climbed down the ladder.
"You Seth or Jeremiah?" Kid asked.
"Seth."
"I'm Thaddeus."
"I remember."
"You boys had breakfast?"
"No," Seth replied as the rhythmic sounds of the milk squirting against the empty pail began and lowly dulled as the pail began to fill.
"You likely didn't have no supper, either."
Seth didn't answer and Kid took that as a yes. "I'll go fix you boys some breakfast before heading back to town. The minister and mortician will be coming out this morning. I 'spect your Ma will want you two close by," Kid told him and headed for the cabin.
Half an hour later both boys were sitting at the table eating bacon and eggs and biscuits while Kid drank a cup of coffee and Tess walked into the room wearing a bathrobe and socks.
"I'll fix you plate, Ma'am," Kid offered but Tess shook her head.
"Maybe some coffee."
Kid poured her a cup and she sat down next to Jeremiah.
"I appreciate your help yesterday," she said softly. "I think we can manage now."
Kid took that as a polite request for some privacy and he set his coffee cup on the counter. "I'll be heading back to town then. You folks let me know if there's anything you need."
"All I want is answers... I don't don't think you can give me those."
Kid looked sympathetically at both the boys. "I suspect the Sheriff is working on that, Ma'am... Looked to me like an accident, though."
Tess raised pain filled eyes to look at Kid and she nodded slowly. "Thank you."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Kid knocked on the hotel room door. "It's me," he announced.
Moments later the door was unlocked and opened and Kid walked in as Heyes returned to the mirror on the dresser to resume shaving.
"Mrs. Crawford doing alright?" Heyes asked as he carefully stroked the razor from the tip of his right sideburns to his chin.
Kid took off his jacket and tossed it on the chair before sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"About as well as you'd expect. Heyes, you mind staying a day or two for the funeral?"
"You taking a liking to Mrs. Crawford?" Heyes asked.
"No. It ain't that. It's just, well she seems so lost right now."
"I don't mind staying Kid, but I think her feeling the way she does is likely natural, being as what's she's going through."
Kid nodded. "Still, being as we was the ones that found that little girl."
"Sure Kid," Heyes replied as he examined his face in the mirror, then wiped the remaining shaving cream off with a towel. "You hungry?"
"Heyes, why do you even bother asking me that question?" Kid replied with a chuckle.
Heyes smiled as he finished dressing. "Just habit, I guess."
Ten minutes later they were sitting in the cafe when Heyes saw Sheriff Ormsby walk in. Seeing the two at the table, the Sheriff walked over and invited himself to sit down.
"Well I went to the houses of several of Betsy's classmates and talked to the kids an their parents. The river runs behind the school and it seems it's pretty common practice for a lot of the kids to go down there to play for an hour or so after school. The teacher at the school said the same thing. After about an hour the kids all head home. The day Betsy went missing, a couple of the girls said they saw her walking the path by the river heading toward her house. So I did the same thing this morning and found tracks that look like the child just slipped in the mud and must have fallen in the river. There was only the one set of footprints and they look to be a few days old."
"So it was just an accident?" Kid asked.
"Appears that way. That river has a good current and it likely carried her downstream where she got tangled in the branches and logs."
"You tell her Ma yet?" Kid asked.
The sheriff shook his head. "I hear Reverend Townsend and the mortician are planning to pay her a visit later this morning. I thought I'd ride out with them."
Heyes looked at Kid and could tell he was wanting to join them. "You mind if Thaddeus and I come along. As this starts to sink in, Mrs. Crawford might have some questions for us."
"I have no objection. We're meeting at the church in a hour."
"We'll be there," Kid replied.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Two hours later everyone including Seth and Jeremiah sat around the now crowded kitchen table. Tess had decided the condolence visitation would occur at the farm on Saturday with Betsy's burial in the church cemetery Sunday afternoon.
"I realize we ain't members of your church, Reverend. But I don't see me being able to hold on to this farm too long and I wouldn't want to have to leave Besty up here all alone some day. The boy's father is buried in the church graveyard, so we was thinking maybe Betsy could be buried next to him. Being with someone she knows might bring me a bit of peace," Tess explained and both the boys nodded their support.
"The church would be most honored to see to that arrangement Mrs. Crawford," Reverend Townsend replied. "My wife said she will be by this afternoon and again tomorrow to help you with any cooking or cleaning you may want done before Saturday."
"Thank you, Reverend."
"Ma'am, Joshua and I could do any repairs you might want done before Saturday," Kid volunteered.
"With their help Ma, we could get those loose planks on the porch fixed," Seth said and Tess nodded, not really giving much thought to what needed to be done."
The mortician pulled a thin silver necklace with a small locket from his pocket. "I'm afraid the clasp had broken, but the chain and locket had slipped down the neck of her dress," he said as he handed Tess the locket. Inside, the small tintype picture of Tess, Betsy and Betsy's father was water tarnished but the images remained relatively clear. Tess clutched the locked in her hand and smiled sadly. "Thank you," she whispered.
Kid and Heyes stayed after the other men had left and they helped the boys fix the loose planks on the porch. While they worked, the Reverend's wife and two ladies from the congregation arrived with bags of flour, sugar, salt, butter and other necessities for the makings of breads and pies and other foods that would be made available to the guests who would come on Saturday to pay their respects.
Just as they finished with the porch and the boys were gathering the tools to put back in the barn, Tess stepped out of the cabin, a wool shawl wrapped about her shoulders.
"Thaddeus, might I have a word with you?" she asked.
Kid gave Heyes a quick glance but turned to Tess and nodded. "Of course, Ma'am."
"Could we walk?" she asked.
"I'll wait for you by the horses, Thaddeus."
Kid crooked his arm and Tess slid her hand in and wrapped her fingers loosely just above his elbow. He helped her down the steps and they turned and walked along the side of the house and into the back yard.
"What did she look like?" Tess asked.
"Ma'am?" Kid replied, knowing this was a very sensitive topic.
"Betsy, when you found her. What did she look like?"
"She... she looked peaceful Ma'am, like it weren't a struggle."
Tess' chin began to quiver. "Good... I'd hate to think...I'm glad she looked peaceful."
They walked in silence for several steps.
"You're a stranger here... I thank you for what you and your friend did...We might never have found her..."
Tears began flowing freely and Kid gently pulled his arm free, then wrapped it about her shoulders.
"I've never had a child, Ma'am, but I have had some loss. I know it will take some time but, one day you're gonna discover that Betsy is right here with you all the time, no matter where you go."
Tess stopped and turned to look into Kid's blue eyes.
"You and I are like two ships passing in the night...I will be forever grateful to you both for passing this way."
Kid remained silent but held her gaze for as long as she wanted. Then she took his arm again and gently turned back toward the house. At the foot of the steps she stopped and slid her arm free again.
"Thank you both," she said and turned and climbed the steps and walked back into the cabin.
Heyes remained quiet while Kid mounted and they headed down the lane.
"She alright?"
"She will be," Kid replied.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
On Saturday they made a brief visit to the farm to pay their respects to a woman they hardly knew and a child they never officially met, and on Sunday, they attended the morning church service and burial that followed that afternoon. Then, with saddle bags packed, they mounted their horses and without a word or well-wish from anyone in the town, they rode away from that little community and continued their trek eastward along the banks of the Truckee River.
0-0-0-0-0-
Author's Note: This is one such story in which closure could not possibly be reached in the short time that Kid and Heyes encountered the people affected by this tragedy. Researching this story was not pleasant and I decided the specific details of the effects from drowning were not pertinent to the story itself.