Incidentals

by Kathy Knudsen1

Every episode has both major and minor characters and sometimes there is more to a minor character than meets the eye. Each Chapter will be about one such character. Not all chapters will fall in the same order as the series episodes, and likely one or two episodes will be skipped over (i.e. Return to Devil's Hole because I never watch that one).

28. Chapter 28

Moroni Stebbins (From The Long Chase)

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There I was, out in the middle of the Moab Desert when the team's leathers got tangled. Only choice I had was to stop the wagon and get out and fix em. There is just the one road into town and it don't get a lot of travel, so it's unusual to cross paths with someone, and when you do, you offer the customary acknowledgment.

Well I was busy getting the team untangled, so I didn't even see them two riders till they was upon me. I looked up from my work and the young one was giving me a kindly gesture and a smile and I tell you, my blood ran cold. I'd seen him before. I remember cause I ain't never seen such a fancy hat band before. It was made of silver conchos with a speck of turquoise in the center of each one.

It was three, maybe four years ago down in Cody, on the Fourth of July. I was down there for a reunion of the Infantry I had served in fifty years ago. After the parade me and a few of my buddies decided to cool off with a cold beer and a lot of remembering in the local saloon.

We was having a high old time when that fella, and maybe the one he was with him too, came walking in and sauntered up to the bar. Now ordinarily, a couple of men walking into a saloon wouldn't garner my attention, but that hatband had caught the sunlight, and I tell you, it absolutely sparkled.

Well that fella drank down his beer and then headed up the stairs with one of the girls. I remember that because me and my buddies were chuckling about it, remembering when we was that age and had a different set of priorities, or maybe it was just a different set of abilities.

Well a few minutes later that fella came back downstairs and him and his friend got involved in one of the poker games. Now I don't know what happened at that table, but we heard a chair scraping the floor and another man stood up and took 'the stance' and was staring down the fella with the fancy hat and... well, I ain't never seen a man draw that fast. It was like watching art in motion.

Then the fella he came in with gathered up all the money on the table and said something like 'come on, Kid. Let's get out of here before the sheriff arrives.' Then, as they was passing our table, this one said 'right behind you, Heyes,' in a real low voice. Me and my buddies all watched em leave, and we all sat just looking at each other and wondering if them two really was who we thought they was.

Well somebody did go after the sheriff and I don't know if he went looking for them to or not, but he did say if they was Heyes and Curry, they was worth ten thousand dollars each.

So when I seen them on the road this morning, I decided I weren't gonna take the chance of missing out on all that money, so I high-tailed it into Little Grand and reported what I seen to Sheriff Tankersley. He said he ain't heard nothing about Heyes and Curry being in the area, but he sent Deputy Wermser and a posse out looking for em. He said if they caught em, I'd be getting' at least some of that reward money.

Well, I'm sure you heard the rest of the story. They caught them boys, but they got away again, and I expect they are a long way from Utah by now

But if I ever have the opportunity to spot them on that road again, well you can bet the outcome will be a whole lot different the second time around, and I'll be a rich man.