Fernley

The train had taken on many passengers in Lockwood and the single passenger car was nearly full by the time the train pulled out of the station. Heyes and Curry considered themselves lucky to each get a seat to himself. It waslate in the afternoon and the sun was dropping low in the western sky and Kid planned on sleeping throughout most of the trip. Barring any delays, they were due to arrive in Fernley just before sunrise.

Heyes and Kid had decided on an early supper, so once the boarding passengers had found seats and were all settling in, they made they way down the aisle to head to the dining car.

"You serve beer?" Heyes asked the waiter when he arrived at their table with menus.

"I'm sorry, sir, only wine in the dining car. Beer and whiskey are served in the Gentleman's Club car only."

"You got any specials?" Kid asked.

"We have a T-bone steak dinner for $2.75, a prime rib dinner for $1.75, and a filet mignon dinner for $3.25, sir."

Kid couldn't help but utter a whistle at the cost of last meal the waiter recited.

"There are lesser priced meals on the menu, sir."

"I think we'll need a few minutes to decide," Heyes replied with a cordial smile.

"Gee, Heyes, these trains do as much robbin' as we did," Kid said in a voice loud enough to give Heyes some concern.

"Shh, keep it down. There's a beef stew on the menu for a dollar twenty-five."

"Fifty cents more I can have prime rib. How much money you got?"

"What do you mean how much do I have? You've got money,"

"I know. I just want to make sure one of us gets off the train in the morning with more than a few cents in his pocket. This is highway robbery."

The waiter returned with a plastered smile on his face. "Have we decided?"

"I'll have the prime rib with a baked potato and mushrooms," Heyes said.

"I'll have the same," Kid replied. And handed the waiter his menu.

"And to drink, gentlemen?"

"How much is coffee?" Kid asked.

"Five cents with unlimited refills."

Kid nodded. "Fine, I'll have coffee, black."

"Me too," Heyes replied.

"Splendid. I'll be back with dinner rolls in a moment," the waiter said, then disappeared.

"Probably two bits for a beer," Kid grumbled. "Liked the snowbound train better where food was free."

"Railroad is making up for that on this train, Kid."

"And then some."

"Being as Fernley is the last stop on this route, why don't we stay a day or two and rest up?" Heyes suggested. "Then take the train to Salt Lake City and maybe get horses there for the rest of the trip home."

Kid nodded but was distracted by the three young women that entered the dining car. He smiled admiringly, then nodded as they passed by the table, noticing that one woman in particular noticed him and smiled in return.

"Hope they're headed for Fernley," Kid whispered.

"There isn't another stop till we get there, so, they have to be going to Fernley."

"Then I'm all for spending a couple of days, Heyes."

After eating the high priced dinner, they headed for the Gentleman's Club car where they bought and smoked a cigar and drank a couple of beers before returning to their seats to settle in for the night.

0-0-0-0-0-

Fernley, ten minutes!" the conductor shouted as he roused the sleeping passengers to prepare for departure.

Heyes shifted in his seat and nudged his still sleeping partner with his elbow. He glanced out the window and saw that it was daylight and realized the train must have traveled at a lower speed than usual due to the snow.

Kid sat up and adjusted the sling on his arm, wincing slightly as he moved the still stiff and achy shoulder.

As they moved down the aisle to exit the train, Kid noticed the three ladies he had seen at diner the night before. The one who had smiled at him was having some difficulty getting her satchel off the overhead shelf. Kid stopped to offer a hand.

"Would you like some help, Ma'am?" he asked with a smile.

"Here, I'll get it Kid. You've just got the one good arm," Heyes replied and reached for the satchel before the woman or Kid could reply. "Here you go, Ma'am," Heyes said and handed the woman her bag.

Kid took a step back to give the woman room to move down the aisle. His doing that cause Heyes to step back as well. Kid paused, giving the woman plenty of space, then turned his head toward his partner.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I was just helping the...Oh, were you trying to get into her good graces? Sorry."

"I was hoping to at least get a name," Kid grumbled.

Stepping off the train, Kid checked the posted train schedule. The next eastbound did not depart until the following day. They both tossed their saddlebags over their shoulders and made their way into town. The snow was only a few inches deep and boardwalks and the road had been nicely cleared. Given the early hour, they decided to get some breakfast before checking into the hotel.

"Kid, you ain't going to believe who is about to walk in here," Heyes said as he set his coffee cup on the table and glanced out the window.

"Who?" Kid asked cautiously. It was not his habit to sit with his back to the window and his hand nervously dropped down to his gun.

"Betsy Jamison."

"Betsy? You mean August Binford's girlfriend?"

Heyes smiled. "In the flesh."

With that the door to the cafe opened. Kid slouched down in his chair, hoping to go unnoticed, but Heyes stood and called out to her as he motioned her to the table.

"Betsy!"

Betsy glanced around the room with a sweet smile on her face, wondering who in the world would have recognized her in this small little berg of a town. When her eyes fell on Heyes she frowned. "Oh, you," she muttered.

"Come, join us," Heyes said pleasantly.

Betsy looked around the room to see if anyone was watching; she did not wish to call attention to herself, or to the company she was about to keep. She sighed and walked over to their table.

"Rembacker," she said to Heyes with a nod, then looked at Kid. "Hotchkiss, or whatever you're calling yourselves now."

"Please, join us," Heyes said, pulling a chair out for her.

Betsy sat down with a bit of a huff and the waitress hurried to the table to take her order. "Just coffee," Betsy told the waitress sweetly.

"I suppose you're in town to ruin someone else's life?" she asked.

"No, nothing like that," Heyes replied. "We're just passing through on our way back to Wyoming."

"Wyo..." she said with a frown and a nod. "Figures."

"That where you're headed?" Kid asked.

She nodded with a reluctant look on her face

"So what happened to Binford?" Heyes asked.

"Well, they didn't hang him, if that's what you're thinking. But, the bank closed and Auggie went to jail for ten years... And he went bankrupt," she said with a pout on her face.

"I thought he already bankrupt the bank before the trial," Kid said.

Betsy sneered at him. "I ended up with nothing," Mister Hotchkiss," she told him with a sarcastic emphasis on the word 'mister.'

Kid raised his eyes to Heyes who shrugged.

"Well, Mr. Rembacker and I ain't to fault for the bank folding. That was all Mr. Binford's doin'," Kid replied.

"What are you doing in Fernley?" Heyes asked to lighten the subject matter.

"I've been visiting my sister. She lives here with her husband."

"When are you heading back to Kingsburg?"

"I'm taking the eastbound train tomorrow, but I don't live in Kingsburg, anymore. With Auggie in the Federal State prison, I moved to Laramie."

"You're still standing by him?" Kid asked. "What about his wife?"

"Auggie's got big plans for when he gets out," she said defensively. "And we're still gonna be married."

"So by big plans, you mean like divorcing his wife?" Kid asked.

Betsy's eyes narrowed. "Well, I'm not about to tell to government agents about Auggie's plans. You can't fool me again... Auggie told me that you two really are Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes, and, he said you two are worth ten thousand dollars apiece."

Heyes quickly scanned the room to see if anyone had overheard her, but no one was paying them any attention.

"Keep your voice down, Betsy. The truth is we are, and we were." Heyes said quietly.

"What do you mean, you were?" Betsy asked.

"We got amnestied," Heyes lied, giving Kid an apprehensive glance.

"How?" she asked with a bit of challenge in her voice.

"The Wyoming governor," Heyes replied.

"Betsy, that's why we done what we did. We weren't amnestied then and Binford accused us of bank robbery and murder," Kid said. "If we didn't get the matter corrected, we couldda lost our amnesty."

"We just couldn't sit still for that," Heyes added.

No, I suppose not. So, what names do you go by now?"

"We're sill using Smith and Jones. It's less complicated."

"Oh, I'm sure it is."

"Betsy, I'm sorry we had to use you like we did," Kid told her. "There just wasn't any other way."

Heyes could tell by Betsy's expression that she once again wasn't sure what to believe.

"What happened to your arm?" she asked Kid whose arm was still in a sling.

"Well. I... had a little accident."

"He ain't wanted, but he's still the fastest draw you'll ever see," Heyes explained. "It's one of the reasons we still go by Smith and Jones. Kid Curry has a reputation that ain't likely to fade away any time soon."

"So, you know why I'm in this two bit town, but why are the two of you here?"

"Just passing through, Betsy," Heyes replied.

"Well gentlemen, I have some shopping to do. Are you planning on being on the eastbound train tomorrow?"

They nodded.

"Then, perhaps we'll run into each other again. Gentlemen, good day," she replied and stood.

They both scrambled to their feet and remained standing until she was near the door.

"Come on," Heyes said, digging money out of his pocket to leave on the table.

"Where are we going in such a hurry?" Kid asked.

"Livery. Obviously we can't continue on the train, at least not the next train out, and we can't stay here in town. You up to riding with that arm?"

"S'pose if I hafta. But Heyes, in all this snow, if she does tell the Sheriff who we are, they're gonna have plenty of tracks to follow."

Heyes sighed. "You're right, and even if you can ride, you can't ride fast for long."

"But, we're gonna do it, ain't we?"

"Kid. If she were to go to the Sheriff..."

"You go buy the horses and I'll go get us some supplies and meet you at the livery."

Heyes took the saddlebags and headed for the livery while Kid paid for breakfast and headed to the General Store.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Twenty minutes later they were on their way out of town, following a road that headed northeast toward Elko. The snow was only a few inches deep and travel was easy along the road. But two hours into their travels, Heyes caught the glimpse of someone following them.

"Kid..."

"I know. I saw em' about ten minutes back. Thinks it's the Sheriff?"

"Nah, he wouldn't come alone, be too risky."

"That's what I was thinking. There's a bend up ahead. It's gonna have to be you, Heyes, to jump off and hide behind those rocks. Get as close as you can so there ain't boot marks in the road. Then give me your reins and I'll make it look by the tracks that we're still moving."

Ten minutes later the lone rider approached the bend and Heyes stepped out with his gun drawn. "Hold it right there" Heyes told the rider.

Kid then appeared, still on his chestnut and still holding the resins of Heye's horse.

"Why are you following us?" Heyes demanded.

The lone rider, dressed in wool pants, and a heavy wool parks with a hood drawn tight about the wool scarf covered face, stopped and carefully eyed both men before raising a hand and pulling off the hood of the coat.

"Besty!" Heyes and Kid both exclaimed. "What are you doing, following us?"

"I saw you heading for the stables, and I know you're anxious to get back to Wyoming, so I figured following you might be faster than waiting for a train tomorrow that may or may not leave the station, depending on the weather."

"You know it's dangerous out here in the cold. You know we'll be camping outdoors tonight?" Kid asked with obvious exasperation in his voice.

"If you can put up with that, then so can I."

Heyes sighed heavily. "Well Kid, we can't take her back. We'll lose a whole day's travel."

"Yep," Kid replied, shaking his head.

Heyes walked over to Kid and gathered his reins, then mounted his horse.

"It's your job to keep up," he said sternly, but Kid laughed.

"Heyes, a person could make betta' time walking than we are riding."

"Betsy, are you always this spontaneous with decisions?"

"You mean reckless. I know that's what you're thinking. But I don't think this is reckless. I need to get back to Laramie as quickly as I can, but I can't ride a horse all alone all the way back there."

"What makes you think we're willing to do that?"

"Because I don't believe one word you two said about that amnesty. You'll get me there safe and sound because if you do, I won't tell the Sheriff who you really are."

"Betsy, your logic leaves a lot to be desired," Heyes replied. "Why we could just leave you out here to fend for yourself."

"But you won't."

"And just what makes you say that?" Kid asked.

"Because you two used me to get to Auggie, but you didn't try to make me an accessory. Even your Sheriff friend didn't make me give a statement."

"That wasn't necessarily out of any concern for you, Betsy. Heyes and me just couldn't get so involved as to have to testify," Kid told her. "We really have no conscience when it comes to other people."

"He's right, Betsy. We wouldda had to lie under oath and both you and Auggie could identify us as Heyes and Curry."

Betsy suddenly looked at them with some concern, afraid that maybe they would leave her out there in the wilderness all alone.

"Don't worry, Betsy. We're not so ruthless as to leave you out here in the wilds. We'll get you to Elko, then you can take a train to Laramie," Kid told her. "But we will be spending a night out on the trail, unless of course we find an old abandoned cabin or barn."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Late in the afternoon they were fortunate enough to find a hunting cabin that would at least keep them dry and out of the elements for the night.

"It's all one room and there's only one bed," Betsy astutely observed when they walked into the cabin.

"Well Betsy, there's an old saying that you take what you can get," Heyes told her.

"And beggars can't be choosers," Kid added. "Don't worry, Betsy. You can have the bed. Heyes and me can sleep just fine on the floor."

"Betsy, can you cook?" Heyes asked.

"Why?"

"Well, Kid can't do much with his arm in a sling. Gathering firewood is out for him, so I'll havfta do that. Kid can get the saddlebags and bedrolls, and can feed and water the horses. That just leaves the cooking."

"Besty sighed. "Alright. I'll see what I can do."

Half an hour later, while Kid was outside untying the bedrolls, he heard Heyes utter a loud howl, followed by a loud "damn, it hurts."

"Betsy, come here!" Kid shouted as he ran around to the side of the house where he saw Heyes sitting on the ground clutching his right ankle with both hands.

"What happened?" Kid asked with concern.

"I was carrying those log for the fire and didn't see the log on the ground in front of me and I tripped over it."

"You ankle broken?"

"I don't know. Broken or maybe just a bad sprain. Damn, it hurts.

Betsy came running up to them and stopped next to Kid.

"Can you walk on it?" Kid asked.

Heyes gingerly lowered his foot to the ground and timidly tried to put some weight on his heel. "No," he said emphatically.

"Help me get him up and walk him into the cabin. We gotta get that boot off before it swells up to much."

All three struggled to get Heyes successfully on his feet. Kid positioned himself on Heyes right side and Betsy did the same on the left.

"Now just hop on your left foot," Betsy told him.

Heyes nodded impatiently. "I think I could figure that much out."

Once inside the cabin, they helped Heyes sit down in a chair.

"Gonna hurt, but we hafta get that boot off. It'll hurt more if we wait till it swells," Kid said.

Heyes raised his injured foot in the air and Kid straddled the foot with his back toward Heyes. He wrapped his right hand around the heel of the boot.

"Use your left foot for leverage," Kid instructed and Heyes placed his left foot against Kid's lower back. "You ready?"

"Yeah," Heyes replied and squeezed his eyes shut as he pushed against Kid's back and Kid pulled on the left boot.

The boot was initially slow to move but once Heyes ankle was beyond the heel of the boot, it slid off quickly and Kid had to take a couple of steps to maintain his balance.

"Now the sock," Betsy told him and leaned over and raised pant leg to the knee and tore a large swath of her pantaloons off. Then she dashed outside and rolled a large snowball that she wrapped in her cloth. Returning to the cabin, she handed the cloth to Heyes who pressed it gently against his sore ankle.

"It don't look broke, Heyes. I think it's just a bad sprain," Kid told him.

Kid grabbed a table chair and one of the bedrolls. "Here, lift your foot again and rest it on the blanket."

Heyes eased his foot onto the bedroll.

"Comfortable?" Betsy asked.

"About as comfortable as I'm gonna get," Heyes replied.

"I think there's some whiskey in the saddlebags. I'll get it for you and, it'll take me a few trips but I'll bring in the firewood," Kid told him.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A warm fire now burning in the fireplace, and the supper meal now eaten, they sat around the table finishing the last of the coffee.

"It only makes sense for the two of you to have the bed, being as you're both injured."

"No, Betsy, we can manage on the floor. We're use to sleeping on the ground. We'll be fine," Heyes told her, but Betsy shook her head.

"No, it's just one night. I'll manage. Besides, sleeping by the fire will likely be warmer than that bed anyway.

An hour later, both Heyes and Kid were fast asleep in the bed. Betsy lay awake on the floor, listening to the occasional soft snoring of one of the men. She had both bedroll blankets to snuggle into and was comfortably warm. But the hard floor was not conducive to sleep, and she lay awake throughout the night, finally dozing off just before dawn.

Hours after the first light of the day, all three were startled awake when the front door of the cabin burst open and in the doorway stood a man holding a loaded rifle pointed towards them. Kid instinctively reached for his gun sitting in the holster that he had slung over the bedpost.

"Wouldn't try it," the man warned and Kid's hand stopped mid air.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my cabin?" the man demanded.

"We were just taking refuge for the night," Heyes explained. "I'm Joshua Smith, this is Thaddeus Jones, and the lady is Betsy Jamison."

They could tell by the man's expression that he remained wary of the men sleeping in the bed, and the woman lying on the floor.

"Jones," Betsy corrected Heyes, then turned to the man in the doorway. "Thaddeus and I were married a week ago. Mr. Smith is Thaddeus' friend and served as best man. You'd think he'd get use to calling me by the right name, by now."

"If you two's married, what are you doing sleeping on the floor, Ma'am? You ain't being held against your will, are you?"

"No, nothing like that," Betsy replied. "They're both hurt so it only seemed right to let them have the bed."

"How you hurt?" the man asked.

"My friend here had shoulder surgery several days ago and I sprained my ankle yesterday afternoon."

"Lemme see your ankle," the man demanded.

Heyes lifted the blanket far enough to slide his injured foot out from under the bedding. It was now heavily bruised and swollen.

The man paused a moment to decide if they were telling him the truth. Finally he set the rifle down.

"I'm Zeke Holloway and this is my cabin."

"If we'd known it was occupied, we wouldn't have just invited ourselves in," Kid explained.

"I just use it when I go hunting. No harm done."

"We'll get our things together and be on our way," Heye said.

"Elko is a good fifty miles away. That'll take you most of the day and you shouldn't let that foot hang in a stirrup that long. I brung my sleigh and it's big enough for the four of us. You et yet?"

All three shook their heads.

"We'll have some breakfast, then I'll drive you to Elko."

Betsy smiled gratefully. "That's mighty kind of you."

"I'll get my sleigh unloaded while you all get dressed. Maybe the Missus here can fix up some breakfast."

Betsy nodded, then turned to Kid. "See Dear, I told you everything would work out."

By noon they were on their way in the sleigh heading toward Elko. Heyes sat up front with Zeke so the "newlyweds" could share a blanket in the back seat. Zeke's horse pulled the sleigh while three more horses were tied to the back.

"This certainly is neighborly of you Mr. Halloway, going to all this trouble for us."

"It ain't really no trouble. I was going into Elko tomorrow anyway. Now I'll just get my business done a day early, that's all."

"What kind of business are you in, sir?" Kid asked

"Precious stone mining, opals, sapphires..."

"Diamonds?" Betsy asked and Heyes and Curry looked shocked. "Auggie almost bought a diamond field once."

"Auggie?" Zeke asked.

"My fian..." To quiet her quickly, Kid impulsively Kid leaned over and kissed Betsy for several seconds. When he pulled back, she sat very still, blinking, her lips still parted"

"Financier," Kid replied to complete her sentence, then gave her a glaring, cautionary look.

Betsy, still swooning, slowly ran her tongue across her lips. She remained quiet throughout the trip but could be seen giving Kid several very confused looks.

Arriving in Elko, Zeke agreed to meet them for dinner in the hotel dining room. Heyes got Betsy a room as well as a room for himself and Kid, while Kid headed for the train station to pick up a schedule.

"There's a train to Laramie that leaves at nine in the morning tomorrow," Kid told Betsy as they headed down the stairs for dinner. "Oh, and no mention of Auggie at dinner. You and me is married, remember."

Betsy nodded but didn't actually promise not to mention Auggie.

Dinner and dessert both went smoothly with pleasant general conversation and no mention of August Binford.

"So, where is this precious stone mine," Betsy asked and shot Kid a coy glance.

"Ah, Betsy, darlin, didn't you say you wanted to... look at that dress shop window? Maybe we ought to be going, before it gets dark."

"I think I'll skip that, darling," she replied and turned her attention back to Mr. Halloway. "You were saying?"

Zeke looked a bit confused as Betsy had been the last one to speak, but he went ahead and addressed her question.

"About ten miles from the cabin. It ain't a big mine, but has been pretty rewarding for it's size."

This time Kid bypassed Betsy for any help. "Well, I am a might tired. I think Betsy and I shall retire to our rooms, he said, then realized his error. "I mean room," he quickly corrected and stood and held his hand out to his 'wife.'"

Betsy sighed with a huff, but stood. "It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Halloway. And thank you for all you've done."

"I think I'd better retire too," Heyes added as he too stood.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you all," Mr. Halloway replied.

Upstairs, Kid walked Betsy to her room.

"Did you do that just to make me sweat?" Kid asked as they stood outside Betsy's door.

"Do what?' she asked innocently.

"Kid smiled. "Oh, I see..."

Betsy looked up at him with big, brown, innocent looking eyes and Kid leaned in and kissed her again. When he pulled back he watched her slowly open her eyes with that dazed look on her face again. Kid smiled. "Good night, Betsy," he said and unlocked the door and handed her the key before turning and walking slowly down the hall to his own room, knowing she was watching every step he took.

0-0-0-0-0-0

"One for the road?" Kid asked as he stood with Betsy on the platform waiting to board the train.

"Why, whatever do you mean?" she asked innocently.

For the third time, Kid leaned his head down and gave her a slow and passionate kiss that took her breath away.

"All aboard!" the conductor shouted.

Kid picked up Betsy's bag and waited until she had climbed the steps of the train before handing the bag to her.

"Betsy, I can now say, it's always a pleasure meeting up with you."

Betsy, who had regained her composure, smiled. "Maybe we'll meet up again sometime?"

Kid smiled. "Maybe."

With that, Betsy turned and entered the passenger car.

"I don't know how you do it," Heyes said as he walked up to join his partner.

Kid turned to him and smiled. "Curry charm," he explained.

"Well, at least we managed to get through this Truckee River journey in one piece. Why don't we spend a few days here in Elko. We can eat, sleep, drink, play a little poker..."

"Sounds fine to me, Heyes. A good way to end the journey."