Colin Jacobs, apprentice reporter of the Colorado Rocket entered Bakers Town eager for a story that would hopefully impress his Uncle enough to make sure he got the roving reporter job when Old Hank Mason retired at the end of the year. He walked into the General Store and walking over to the counter, flashed his best reporter smile and said. "I heard there was some excitement about a few miles from here."

There was the sound of a clearing throat and he turned to look into the eyes of an elderly well dressed lady smiling at him. "Indeed young man, the train I was on was held up by The Devil's Hole Gang. There aren't many of us in these parts who haven't heard of those boys, but they weren't what I expected. Of course most of them were the ragtag bunch of oddballs you'd expect from a gang. but those leaders, now." She sighed then continued happily. "They were fine figures of men. The blond boy Curry, quite reminded me of my dearest Jack in his prime, and the dark haired one, Heyes, he had real striking eyes and those dimples are quite something. They were very polite young men too." She briefly paused before adding. "I can only think something terrible must have happened to those poor boys for them to turn to crime, because I am quite quite sure they are good boys to their Mamas' and wouldn't have wanted to break their hearts."

"Were you scared Ma'am?" Colin interjected the question quickly when she finally took a breath.

She smiled at him, her eyes alight and her face a picture of excitement and Jacobs sighed, this was probably the most exciting thing that had happened to the well-heeled elderly lady in many years. Something she confirmed when she turned to him her face alight. "Scared child? of course not! Quite the experience to pass onto my grandson when I visit him and my new great grand-baby next week." She frowned. "Though I imagine that wife of his will fret something terrible." She continued. "Well, perhaps I was a little scared of one of the men. I didn't like the way he was looking at the pretty young thing sat opposite me. But I tell you, the look Kid Curry gave him and the speed he drew that gun when he was about to try what he was fancying, quite dampened his ardour. For all he looks no older than my youngest grandson, that boy has something about him...yes, quite like my dear Jack. And that Mr Heyes, he was right there behind, and the nasty man soon found himself thrown off the train." She laughed. "I'm thinking he won't see any of the money those boys took. Quite an impressive sight seeing such handsome men defending the honour of a lady."

Colin sighed and cleared his throat at the dreamy look that crossed the woman's face as she happily ignored the fact that the lady wouldn't have needed defending if they hadn't been robbing the train in the first place, but letting that slide he simply asked."The others Ma'am?"

"Oh yes, yes of course, there was a strange little man chewing tobacco like his life depended on it. Kyle, I think his name was. It seemed strange to me that the gang were so free with their names, given their chosen occupation, but boys will be boys and I don't expect they worry much about the future. And there was another man, scowling like he wasn't exactly happy, Corn or Maize I think his name was. Some kind of grain anyway. My Jack would've remembered better, he was always good with names."

Colin was feeling a little overwhelmed by the lady, until he realised this was perhaps exactly what he needed, so he cleared his throat and asked with a smile, as he gave her one of the business cards he carried. "Ma'am? My name is Colin Jacobs and I'm a reporter for the Rocket, so if you have the time I would like to take some notes."

She clapped her hands together in delight. "It will be my pleasure, son. This will be quite the tale to entertain my bridge ladies and will certainly ensure that I will be invited to all the more interesting parties for a month or two. Held up by two of the most handsome outlaws I could wish for, then interviewed by a good looking young man. There is a delightful cafe at the end of the street. My youngest son owns it, but even without a mother's pride I can safely say it is the best one in town."

"Ma'am may I have your name?" He knew his uncle would be reluctant to publish anything without a name attached.

"My pleasure, son, my pleasure. Mrs John Patrick Brackett."

XXX

Once sat in the cafe with gorgeous smelling raspberry pie, and steaming coffee in front of them both, that much to Colin's delight they hadn't even needed to pay for, Colin with his pencil rapidly filling the pages of his notebook, was relieved that he'd learnt to write quickly with the speed with which the old dear rattled off sentences, as if they were bullets fired from a gun. "While the blond boy directed us off the train, with the help of that other older man called Corn or Maize, the dimpled dark haired lad headed to where they were keeping the safe. The strange little man followed talking about dynamite..."

"Ma'am once you were off the train what did they do?"

"Oh it was cold, and the poor girl, who had been quite frightened by that nasty man was shivering something terrible. And Kid Curry gave her his coat, quite gallant of him I thought. Though Mr Maize rolled his eyes and muttered that made four. He soon quietened at the look young Curry gave him and shrugged mind."

Colin had thought when coming here for the story that his headline would have been 'Desperado Outlaws scare the populous with their crime spree, but was now rapidly rethinking his approach and wondered how his Uncle would take a story titled. "Robin Hoods of crime continue to charm their way across the West."

"How did it end Ma'am?"

"The boys most politely apologised for ruining our schedule, and with that nasty man tied over Mr Maize's horse rode off quickly."

"Did they take anything other than the money from the safe Ma'am?"

"Absolutely not, Mr Curry and Mr Heyes made sure of it, they really were quite the politest thieves I could have hoped to be held up by."

Colin shook his head wryly, and took a drink of his coffee and tucked into his pie as Mrs Brackett did the same. Not quite the story he'd expected, but he was sure he could talk his Uncle into publishing it and that Old Hank's job was safely his.