HE SAID…HE SAID
"I DID NOT!" Hannibal Heyes said, leaping to his feet and puffing his chest out in indignation. "Kid…now I've never known you to be a liar but that's the tallest tale I've ever heard. You act like you weren't even there."
"Oh I was there Heyes…And I've got proof!" Kid Curry said as he held up his bandaged arm up, grimacing in pain at the movement.
"Well you'd have thought ya cracked your head being that you can't seem to recollect things correctly."
"There ain't nothing wrong with my head or my recollection!"
Heyes and Kid were almost nose to nose when Wheat Carlson took Heyes' arm and led a reluctant Heyes away from his cousin.
"Now boys…"
"Weren't be an exactly a fair fight, being Kid got himself a bad wing." Kyle Murtry pointed out.
"Yeah" the rest of the Devil's Hole Gang mumbled in agreement.
Heyes shook off Wheat's hand, "I ain't going to fight Kid…"
"Yeah…he's afraid he'd lose…even with my bad wing."
Heyes froze. He clenched and unclenched his fists before he slowly turned. His eyes narrowed as he glared at his partner. Taking a threatening step towards Kid he was stopped as Wheat stepped in front of him.
"You know what we need to settle this is an old fashioned parley."
The other members of the gang nodded their heads and started chanting "Parley! Parley!"
"Here Heyes…" Wheat said as he reached for a wooden chair, keeping watch on Heyes from the corner of his eye as he dragged the chair closer. "You sit here…and…and Kid will sit over there." He nodded to Kyle to grab another chair. Both Kid and Heyes reluctantly sat down.
"Now who wants to start?"
"I will" Both Heyes and Kid said in unison, then glared at each other.
Wheat sighed.
"Coin toss then."
"Just as long as you don't use one of Heyes'." Kid grumbled.
"Now you calling me a cheat?!" Heyes said, trying to push himself out of the chair before a firm hand from Wheat pushed him back down.
Wheat reached into his pants and drew out a coin. "Heads or tails?" He said as he threw the coin in the air.
"Heads!" Both called.
Wheat sighed, exasperated.
"Kyle, think of a number between one and ten...But don't say it out loud" he quickly added.
Kyle's face screwed up in concentration, before he finally said. "Okay."
"Heyes."
"Why does he get to guess first?" Kid asked.
"Cuz he's older!" Wheat said.
"Nine." Heyes said.
Wheat looked at Kid, "One."
"Okay Kyle…What's the number?"
"Five." Kyle said proudly.
"Shit", said Wheat, dropping his head.
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Heyes selected a card from the deck.
Queen of Hearts.
Wheat crossed to Kid and held the cards for him to select one. Kid flipped it over and looked at it.
Ten of Spades.
"Okay Heyes you go first and tell your side of the story." Wheat took a seat with the other gang members.
Heyes slowly stood up. "We left town…Just another beautiful day in Wyoming…
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Heyes' Story...
"I told Kid we ought to stop and take in the day…enjoy all that fresh air and peace and quiet. I asked him if had ever seen anything prettier. I think he mentioned some whore in Landers was prettier then commenced to his grumbling and you all know how surly he can be if he ain't been fed properly. I told him if he had eaten more for breakfast I'm sure he would be in a better mood…not so proddy and contrary."
Heyes meet Kid's, "Don't forget I told you you could eat mine if you were still hungry. You know me...being the ever considerate partner."
Kid rolled his eyes.
"So we was riding along…not another soul in sight…headed back to Devil's Hole. And Kid starts singing. I mean I was trying to enjoy the day and he starts singing." Heyes shook his head, "If that ain't the one thing that will ruin my day quicker and he knows it." Heyes stopped to glare at Kid. "Sounded like a bunch of cats in a room full of rocking chairs."
"I was just singing 'bout a lonesome cowboy–" Kid said.
"If you quit singing you wouldn't be a lonesome cowboy." Heyes pointed out. Some of the gang members started to laugh but quickly stifled their laughter when they saw Kid's look.
"So we rode on...I'm enjoying the day except for Kid's poor excuse for singing and Kid being…well Kid…Suddenly I saw some dust being kicked up and they were on us… bullets start whizzing around and we made haste to some trees for cover."
"Who Heyes?! Posse?!" Some of the gang members excitedly asked.
"Well at first I wasn't sure…Didn't know if they knew who we were…or…my thinking is they heard Kid singing and figured it was something dying and needed to be put out of his misery." Heyes eyed Kid waiting for a reaction.
There was no way Kid was going to give Heyes satisfaction by reacting.
"Anyway Kid supposedly got shot, we escaped and made it back to Devil's Hole…end of story…The true story."
There were baffled looks among the other gang members as they reacted to Heyes's abrupt ending, but a satisfied Heyes sat down, crossed his arms and waited for Kid to tell his side of the story.
Or rather lies.
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Kid's Story...
"I hope you all don't mind if I remain seated being that I've been shot." Kid said glaring at Heyes.
Heyes shook his head and snorted. "Shot" he mumbled.
"First things first…A beautiful day?" Kid said with a confused look on his face. "I'm not sure where Heyes got the idea it was a beautiful day in Wyoming…I guess he figured if the wind weren't blowing it's normal 100 miles an hour that's a good day. Heyes had been talking nonstop since we left town…per usual. I was full from my breakfast and would have preferred some peace and quiet instead of all his jawing."
"So why did you…well I hate to call it singing–." Heyes shot back.
"Because I know how much you like it," Kid said with a sly smile. "Plus I wanted to drown you out. Back to Heyes' beautiful day...He seemed to have forgotten about the rain–."
"Sprinkles." Heyes said
"Sprinkles?" Kid snorted, "More like a hard rain…so there is no way in hell you saw dust kicked up by horses. We did find shelter in the trees…The only thing we can agree on. I got hit. Shot was from behind me…I know that…And Heyes, you were the only one behind me…"
Heyes was vehemently shaking his head, "I was not behind you…I was ahead or even."
"You were behind me…Weren't no magic bullet that turned around mid air and bounced off a tree, turned and hit me in the back of the arm. It wasn't a long gun that got me, it was a pistol."
"Show em the graze, Kid. I don't even think it was the bullet that hit you. I think it was a rock that flew up. But you've been whining about it being a gunshot and that I...I of all people, did it."
"How can you be so sure you didn't shoot me?" questioned Kid.
"Because…because…" Heyes stammered, suddenly looking crestfallen, then said softly, "I never would Kid. I'd never shoot you even by accident. It would be like shooting myself."
Wheat stood up, "You boys got anything else to add before we commence to voting?"
Kid hadn't missed the pain in his partner's face before he shook his head no. Heyes' head dropped down as he shook his head. Before Wheat could call for a vote Kid quickly said, "You know..." He rubbed his chin, "...with all the wind and rain, plus folks trying to kill us..I think I might have been wrong. Pretty sure Heyes was in front of me...so..."
Kid saw gratitude on Heyes' face.
"So I guess there's no need for a vote."
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Once the last gang member had left the bunkhouse, Heyes crossed to Kid and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"I could have ki!led you," he said in a horrified whisper.
"But ya didn't partner...ya didn't" Kid said with a forgiving smile.
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