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1874
They drove longhorn cattle north on the Chisholm Trail in '74 with trail boss Buck Wilder, herding to Ellis, Kansas on the 'new trail'. The spread of Texas Fever from Texas longhorns to other cattle along the trails had ranchers petitioning their Kansas legislature to ban Texas cattle in their region, essentially forcing the trails to be moved further and further west along the tracks.
After the months-long trail drive in spring, the Boys signed on with the Rocking J, promising to rejoin the crew after a stay in Cheyenne. Heyes was reluctant to return to his safe cracking job knowing Jeddie would not want to be separated and getting Jeddie involved in a life of crime just ran contrary to his promise to his da to "mind your little cousin, boy-o." But, oh, cattle. How he would hate the sight of those arses after two years!
So it was late spring of '74 that the Boys headed to Cheyenne, Wyoming as Heyes had promised both Jeddie and Jenny. The town was an explosion of activity, from bustling crowds on the streets and boardwalks to buildings going up and coming down to make way for bigger and better. Heyes was amazed at the changes since he last rode out leaving Brigid in the stable. Seemed like a lifetime ago! He turned to see how Jeddie was taking in the scene.
"Ain't this somethin', Hannie! It's like bein' in the middle of the first creation, itself!" He looked to his cousin, shaking his head.
Heyes grinned. He grinned a lot more now having his family back at his side, and Jeddie often had a different take on just about everything, which tended to make Heyes's head spin.
"You're right! I hardly recognize the town anymore. See that row of fine buildings? That was wild prairie not long ago!"
They walked on their mounts through the cacophony of budding civilization, heads turning left and right.
"Know where Jenny's place is, or are we lost?" Jeddie leaned forward resting his forearm on the saddle horn to see his cousin's face and added pointedly, "Again."
"'Again!' What's that supposed to mean? When did I ever lead you astray?"
"You got lost on the way to Fort Lyon."
"I did no such thing, cousin."
"North. Then west. All you had to do."
"I took the train a good part of the way! Now, I ask you, do trains get lost?"
"When you're onboard, I kind of expect them to."
Heyes answered with a half grin. He hadn't yet told Jeddie about his near capture by a US marshal who, Heyes thought, kept a suspicious eye on him during the train ride north. Being an odds player, he played it safe and bailed in the middle of the night, forced to walk days to the next train stop. He curled his toes, the memory of his very first public escape from the law still too painful to recall.
Heyes nodded up the side street to the left. "There!"
A bold, black sign with white letters and trimmed with gold curlicues hung above the front of "Blacky's Saloon and Gambling Parlor, Est. 1856", the name unchanged though Jenny's beloved husband had been gone twelve years now. Jenny had removed the sign from its original building in St. Louis where she'd met Liam "Blacky" Black, proprietor of said establishment, and rehung it as she moved further west. A small addition hanging by chain links from the bottom explained to the citizens of Cheyenne: "Re-est. 1869".
Heyes gave a hoot and spurred his horse to the hitching rail out front, dismounted and practically pulled Jeddie from the saddle when he caught up.
"We're here!" His enthusiasm was almost equaled by a group of cowhands emerging from the front doors, pistols firing into the air, walking unsteadily to the next saloon on the street.
"C'mon!" He grabbed for Jeddie's arm.
"Right with ya, Hannie. Don't have to hold my hand!" Damn, still thinks he's boss just 'cause he's two years older!
Jeddie followed his cousin through the swing doors and was immediately jostled by the rough handling of another too-inebriated patron being escorted out the front by Harry. Jeddie caught himself too late, lost his footing, and found himself lying on the floor looking up at Hannie jovially shaking the hand of the bar keeper.
"Harry! Harry, good to see you again! Jenny here? Got someone for her to meet!" Jeddie saw Heyes begin to turn for him when a woman called out his name.
"Hannibal! Welcome back, sweetie! Come get your lovin'!" A large-bosomed blonde with arms open wide headed toward Hannie.
Heyes clapped his hands and threw his arms around the woman's waist, the two of them spinning in a tight hug and laughing. Heyes was kissed on the face and then his head was pulled down to have his forehead kissed. He looked absolutely and totally happy. And accepted.
Jeddie wanted to get up and join them but legs and feet kept stepping over him as patrons entered and exited through the busy saloon doors. It was all he could do to keep his hands from getting stomped when a big fur trapper stepped inside and stood over him while his eyes adjusted to the indoor lighting. Jeddie held his breath until the buckskin clad frontiersman continued toward the bar. His cousin was oblivious to his plight.
"Jenny, brought my cousin to meet you. He's been looking forward to this day for three years! Jenny, meet my cousin and best friend..." Heyes turned extending his arm to... He did a double take. Jenny looked at him questioningly. Heyes took a step to the side looking left and right and then, noticing movement on the floor, thrust out his arm toward...
"... Jedidiah Curry!"
Jenny followed Heyes's hand to the blond, wavy haired, cornflower blue-eyed young man sitting on her floor. God, he's just a babe! Jenny's hand went to her heart. "Jedediah Curry, welcome." The blue eyes were open wide as if he didn't know what to do next. Jenny encouraged him. "Come here." He looked a little frightened to go to her, repeatedly checking the floor for on-coming feet.
The blue eyes were still open wide when they met dark brown, laughing eyes. Hat tilted back, hands on hips, grin splitting his handsome face, and dimples leading the charge, Heyes chuckled looking down at his younger cousin on the floor.
Blue eyes narrowed, but Jeddie took the hand Heyes offered him.
"You'll have to forgive my cousin." Heyes began slapping at the floor dirt on the back of Jeddie's jacket. "He's been on cavalry patrol for three years and following cattle for months." His eyes twinkled as he slapped at Jeddie's backside and down his pant legs cleaning off dirt. "He ain't exactly caught up to civilization yet." He could barely contain his laughter as he met Jenny's amused look and stepped out of the way of Jeddie's elbow headed toward his ribs.
Jenny noted the way in which the two young men stood together, close and touching at the shoulders, despite Heyes's big-brotherly teasing. She kept on target. "Come here, Jeddie."
He removed his hat and did as told and was kissed in the same manner Heyes had been, his open-eyed reaction to the forehead kiss the same as his cousin's. Except for the blush, Jenny noticed. "Welcome! I am so happy to finally meet you!" She held onto his forearms.
"Me, too, Ma'am." He nodded. "And I want to thank you for doing so much for me and Hannie these last three years. We'd a been lost without you, honestly, Ma'am."
"'Ma'am!' Did you hear that!" She looked at Heyes who was still shaking with amusement at Jeddie's grand entrance. "You sure got the manners, Jeddie! Billy! You hear that? You can learn a thing or two from Mister Curry!" Billy barely looked up from behind the bar.
Jenny stepped closer to Jeddie, her body almost touching his, raising her face to his. Jeddie shifted feet, embarrassed.
"First cousins, hm?" She took his chin in her fingers turning his face left and right, up then down, holding on down as if examining him closely. Jeddie's eyelashes fluttered at the view she was giving him a second time and he blushed again. "Yes, I see the family resemblance." She patted his arms and winked at Heyes.
"Well, don't just stand in the doorway, boys! Come in and refresh yourselves! Drinks are on me!"
Jenny led the way through the boisterous crowd that split before her and filled back in before the Boys. They were almost entrapped in the heavy crowd.
Heyes's dimples deepened to maximum as he firmly took hold of Jeddie's hand. "Stay close, now. You don't wanna get lost... inside... again." Blue eyes flashed threateningly as Jeddie jerked his hand free. Heyes only grinned the more.
"Jeddie, good to finally meet you." Harry reached over the bar to shake hands as the Boys made their way through the heavy crowd. Heyes chuckled and said under his breath, "Again."
"Ah, me too, Mister Curry! Been hearin' 'bout you for three years 'round this place. Were you in many Indian battles?" Billy busily wiped the inside of a glass, then suddenly remembered his manners and set it down quickly, extending his hand. "Billy Black."
Jeddie took the offered hand. "Likewise, Billy. And no, it was for the most part quite during my service."
Heyes threw his arm around his cousin's shoulders. "Don't let his modesty fool you, Billy. He single-handedly captured thirty-one renegades! Got a commendation!"
Blue eyes rolled at the exaggeration. Before Jeddie had a chance to explain, Jenny called from across the room.
"Sit here, boys! Harry, three glasses and a pitcher!" Jenny pulled two chairs away from the table, then sat in a third. Heyes took the chair nearest her.
"Tell me about out east, Jeddie! Is it as grand as they say? Are you boys hungry? Harry, a full plate for each!" Harry nodded as he deposited pitcher and glasses on the table and left for the meals. "Are the fashions that much different? You were half way to Paris, after all!"
Heyes lifted his beer glass and leaned back to let Jenny and Jeddie converse.
"Well, I may have been, Ma'am, but being on cavalry pay I didn't get to the higher society levels. It's sure different from out here in the West!"
Harry set the plates of sliced beef in gravy, baked potato with large dab of butter, and fresh bread before the Boys who wasted no time digging in. Jenny leaned forward over the table and picked up the pitcher to refill Jeddie's glass. He froze watching her movements and blushed again.
"You must have seen the fashions when you were out and about, Jeddie! Did you get into the city much? What's Philadelphia like? Oh, how exciting to have spent a year there!"
"Well, truthfully, Ma'am, I found Philadelphia dusty. But there's lots of things even on cavalry pay I got to do! There's a game..."
"Is this our little soldier boy, Jeddie, safely home from the Indian Wars?" He was cut off by the voice of a woman on his right. An arm draped possessively over his shoulder, delicate hand hanging from a bangled wrist. He put the forkful of potato into his mouth before turning and gave a choke as he found his face almost buried in milk-white bosoms. He pulled back slightly to slowly slide out the fork and stilled as the tips touched his lower lip. Wide open blue eyes raised up from their initial view until they met bright green eyes. He was unable to hide the silly grin on his face.
"Brigid!" Heyes jumped up and enveloped the woman before Jeddie could move again. "Ah, Brigid, I've missed you so!" He kissed her deeply. Jeddie and Jenny exchanged smiles.
Heyes broke the embrace and turned back to the table. "Brigid, meet my cousin and best friend, Jedidiah Curry!"
Jeddie rose from his chair and removed his hat. "Miss Brigid, pleased to meet you. Hannie's told me about his girl but his description of your beauty was, well, sorely lacking."
Brigid's green eyes danced at the military formality still very much a part of Jeddie. "Yourself, too, Jeddie! Heyes talks about you so often I forget we've not met before." She sidled closer. "You are a handsome one, I must say!"
Heyes watched Jeddie blush again. He just can't get over that country boy shyness of his!
Jenny broke in and sent Brigid to a table of thirsty customers, then spoke to Heyes. "You and Brigid will have time enough later today. Your room is available, sweetie, but just the one room and bed. Cheyenne's growing so fast this place is busting at the seams!"
"Thanks, Jenny. Think we'll clean off a bit of trail dust first." He turned to Jeddie. "It's Number Four. I'll be right up."
Jeddie nodded to Heyes and tipped his hat to Jenny with a friendly but polite "Ma'am." Heyes rolled his eyes.
When Jeddie was out of earshot, Heyes turned to Jenny. "My trunk get here?"
Their first stop in a town after racing out of Fort Lyon, Colorado was Sargent, Kansas, the end of the Santa Fe rail line west. Jeddie needed civilian clothing, a small mercantile the only place in the new settlement that carried a supply.
Inside the changing room, Jeddie folded his uniform smartly and laid his wide brimmed cavalry hat on top. "Sure won't be needin' these punchin' cattle! Maybe there'll come a trooper in need of them, think? I'll leave 'em with the store keeper."
Heyes nodded and took up the pile. He left Jeddie to dress and walked about the store hoping there would be just the right trunk. There was. He quickly brought in the rest of Jeddie's cavalry equipment from his horse. And he carefully laid Jeddie's C Company, Seventh Cavalry uniform, great coat, hat, boots, gloves, saber, spurs, and pistol inside the trunk, packed it with crumpled old newspapers supplied by the store clerk, and had it sent by rail to Jenny's.
"Sure did, honey. In my parlor any time you want it."
"What would we do without you, Jenny?" He gifted her with a kiss on the cheek and a Heyes wink before heading upstairs.
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"Do women know what them things do?" Naked but for a towel around his middle and stocking footed, Jeddie turned from the washstand at the side wall of their room as Heyes entered.
Heyes smiled at Jeddie's question he himself had often pondered and still hadn't come up with an answer that satisfied him. He removed his gun belt and sat on a chair to remove his boots.
"Seems like sometimes they're an entity all to themselves, don't it? I can't think women would use 'em to make a man look foolish." He set his boots aside. "But don't I feel just that way when I can't take my eyes off 'em!"
He unbutton and removed his shirt. "Especially when they're so..." His hands cupped in front of his chest moving further out. "...prominent!" He shook his head.
Jeddie looked up into the washstand mirror and scowled at Heyes behind him. "And you could've warned me what I was in for! It was a bosom fiesta at that table!"
He turned holding the ewer. "There's no water in this room." The empty ewer clunked as it was replaced in the basin.
Heyes's dimples played as he stood removing his dungarees. "Don't think you'll have to worry about water here. Jenny'll see to that."
As if on cue, a knock on their door. Two hotel clerks brought in the longest tub Jeddie had ever seen, slanted at both ends. Buckets of steaming hot water tempered slightly with cool filled the tub invitingly.
Jeddie swished a hand in the water. "I call first bath!"
"Too late, little cousin! That honor goes to the first one undressed!" A naked Heyes had a foot at the tub rim when Jeddie pushed him back.
"You can't change the rule!"
"Who said you make the rules around here?"
"I called first!"
"I called the most logical!"
"You think you're so smart!" Jeddie pushed Heyes onto the bed and made a dash for the tub, throwing off the towel and sliding in, keeping feet in the air.
"Ha!" Nothing else needed saying. He grabbed at his socks as Heyes jumped off the bed and stood alongside the tub.
"Think you're so smart, do ya? " He crossed his arms on his chest. "Where's the soap?"
Jeddie felt around the bottom of the tub and pouted.
"Didn't think things all the way through, huh? Now what you gonna to do, when you're here and the soap's..." Heyes nodded toward the washstand. "...over there."
Jeddie's blue eyes narrowed looking up at his cousin, gauging the nuances of his facial expressions, looking for the unmistakable sign in his brown eyes that he'd made the decision to... move!
"First one in the tub with the soap gets first bath! I call it!" Heyes had the advantage, but Jeddie was quicker, water splattering down his body as he dashed across the room after his cousin.
Heyes turned with a triumphant look on his face and the bar of soap in his hand and made a dash for the tub. Jeddie grabbed Heyes's arm and the soap slipped from his hand and bonked onto the rim of the tub. They both jumped in falling onto their knees, splashing around for the soap, coming up empty handed.
"Musta fallen outside the tub." Heyes glanced around.
"Oh, you're brilliant, Hannie. How'd you come up with that conclusion?"
"Sit very still and I'll tell ya right after I find the soap." He peered over the tub edge.
"I'll tell you what, when I find the soap!" Jeddie leaned over the opposite side.
"Musta slid under the bed." Heyes slid further, half his body hanging out of the tub.
"Your brilliant mind is boundless, Hannie. It's really somethin'." Jeddie slid over his side to see beneath the bed.
The sight as she opened the door of Number Four was one Brigid would always remember. Two slim and buck naked men leaned far over opposite sides of the tub to their waists, one man dark haired with hands on the wet floor trying to peer under the bed, the other visible only from well-rounded mounds down to muscular thighs.
"Glory be! It's a sight for the Ages! Four moons rising over Mag Mell all at the once!"
Dark brown eyes looked up at Brigid through damp, dark hair. Dimples shown bright as his moons.
Blue eyes rose over the opposite edge to compete with the celestial spheres and widened in shock, sending the moons to set quickly into the tub with a splash! Drips of water falling from the ends of curly, dark blond hair, Jeddie held onto his side of the tub with both hands, staring open-mouthed at Brigid, unmoving. No one was moving. The only sound one of settling water.
"We lost the soap." Heyes smiled up from his floor-level viewpoint and his dimples deepened.
"Did ye now?" A bare foot lightly tapped the wooden floor.
Heyes raised himself at the waist until he was level to the floor. "See it anywhere?"
"Don't tell 'im! It ain't fair!"
Brigid cocked an eyebrow. Heyes explained.
"Whoever gets in the tub with the soap first, gets first bath." He was enjoying this new game with Brigid and his cunning smile showed it.
"Only if you're undressed!" Jeddie immediately regretted blurting out the other rule, which Heyes had omitted.
Dark brown eyes blazed with enjoyment on hearing his cousin behind him. Heyes gave Brigid a quick nod confirming the rules.
Never in all his twenty years had Jeddie been so embarrassed as he was at that moment! He looked to his cousin leaning over the other side of the tub but expected no consideration from that end. He turned a deep red and put his head onto his arm on the tub rim, pulling up a knee and running a hand through his damp hair, and groaned. "Oh, boy."
The room stilled. Dark brown eyes moved slowly left and right. Heyes was thinking. He slowly turned to look back at his cousin. Then slowly turned his dimples to Brigid.
"So, now you understand."
Oh, she did.
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"She always call you 'Heyes'?"
Pulling a sock on his right foot, Heyes stopped short on Jeddie's question. The way his cousin's mind worked never failed to amaze him!
"You just spent the better part of the afternoon with me and Brigid, in a tub, on the bed, learning how to please a woman, and that's what's on your mind?"
Jeddie cocked a smile. "It's the only thing I got a question on."
Heyes smiled at his still pretty inexperienced cousin. "Oh. So you're the expert after Lesson One from Hannibal Heyes." He smiled knowingly, sliding on a boot. "I see."
Jeddie pivoted to Heyes as he replaced his possessions from the dresser into his vest pockets. "There's more of these lessons?" He turned to look back at Heyes through the mirror, feigning astonishment. "Is there a book?"
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Heyes put his right hand on his thigh, elbow out, and smiled up at his cousin. Even trying to be a smart ass, Jeddie still looked like an innocent boy. That baby face just wouldn't let him be taken seriously!
"You'll always be at least one lesson behind me, kid." His pointer finger raised. "First, that's just nature! I'll always have more 'n two years on you. And remember, there's no one the equal of Hannibal Heyes where the ladies are concerned. Never will be." He stood with chest out as he walked to Jeddie.
"I'll hand you this, kid. You got talent in those fingers!" He slapped Jeddie on the back. "Might have to teach you to crack a safe! Be a shame to let talented fingers like that go to waste!"
Jeddie pumped up with pride at his cousin's praise.
Heyes put his arm around Jeddie's shoulder. "Got plans to use your new skills on just any pretty girl? Or savin' up for someone special?"
At that last one, Jeddie's face dropped. Sad blue eyes looked up and Heyes cringed seeing the painful memories he'd just brought to Jeddie's mind. Jeddie turned away to the dresser, head down, the back of his head to Heyes.
"Aw, kid, I apologize, just wasn't thinkin'..." Jeddie turned his face toward the wall, his eyes squeezed shut. Heyes wiped his hand over his mouth and dropped it. He stood watching Jeddie, letting the emotion run its course.
Jeddie shook as he let out a breath. He faced the dresser top. "There ain't nothin' would change anything. Just wasn't good enough for her."
Heyes spoke softly and reassuringly. "Ah, no. That ain't true, Jeddie." He leaned over to see Jeddie's face, reached across his chest and pulled his shoulder until they faced each other. "No, that ain't true at all. Just wasn't the right time in your life. That's what it was." He looked pleadingly into Jeddie's eyes. "She loved you, Jeddie. She said so. An' I believe her. Don't you?"
"What good is love when people just keep leavin' me?"
The knitted eyebrows above sad blue eyes and lower lip sucked in reminded Heyes how he would hold his cousin when they were newly orphaned, softly telling him things will be better in the morning, hoping to take solace in his own words.
Heyes squeezed Jeddie's shoulders. "I know. It's been a hard road, Jeddie, for both of us."
They were looking directly into each others eyes. Jeddie smiled bravely. "It hurts, though, Hannie, to love a woman that much an'..."
"Look. If I know my cousin, an' I do, I know he ain't ever givin' up on true love! Jeddie, it was the wrong time in your life. When you're ready for marriage and children, she'll be in your life and she'll be ready. Things gotta go the natural way."
He slapped the sides of Jeddie's shoulders. "Now, let's get downstairs to our new job, huh? Got to earn our keep."
"That why? Because you're so bossy?"
Heyes had to run that last one through the list of things they'd been discussing to see where his cousin's mind was coming from now. "Almost everyone calls me by my last name. Which we got to get straight before we go downstairs. Not real proper calling me 'Hannie' when I'm the boss."
"Boss!" He scoffed. "Not mine! But 'Jeddie' don't seem real proper in public either. So... let's see... Three years I was Private Curry, so call me 'Curry'."
"Just like Valparaiso? Surnames all around, right, Curry?"
"Right, Heyes!" He gave his cousin a pat on the back as they headed out the door.
Brigid was coming down the hall as they closed the door to their room. "Gentlemen!" she said, vivaciously taking an arm of each and heading them toward the staircase. "You're just in time to escort me down!"
Jeddie shook his head to hide the blush. "I'll wait a bit. You two go down first."
Brigid held tight, her green eyes sparkling up at him. "No one to defend here, trooper! With three, it's proper!"
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Curry dreamed he was in the meadow filled with brilliant flowers of every color, blooming from bud to fully open as he gazed on each! He was small, having to look up to see the tallest flowers. The sun shone happily between them, white clouds skipped over him, the warm wind caressed his face and beckoned him to play. He called Hannie to come play with him and the flowers and the breeze.
But Hannie didn't answer. Hannie was gone. He searched the ground but found no tracks. He looked up and the flowers were gone, replaced by tall prairie grass growing higher and higher before his eyes, sharp-edged blades blotting out the sun and the puffy clouds, surrounding him. He feared he'd be cut by the blades.
"Hannie! Don't leave me!" He heard a deep voice far off, a voice he almost recognized but couldn't place, nor could he understand the words.
"Hannie, I don't like when you play like this. Come out!"
He heard nothing but the sh-sh-sh of grass growing higher and higher until he thought it would fall over from its great weight and bury him on the spot. Darkness took the color from his sight and the green grass turned to black. High above, faces formed on the sharp blades, scowling down at him with glaring, soulless eyes.
"Hannie! It's so dark! I can't see the stars!" He was alone.
"HANNIE!"
He was alone.
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Mag Mell, Irish, the mythological "Plain of Delight".
