Winter's Refuge
Chapter Seventy-Four
HEYES
It feels odd to wear a gun again, especially in someone else's holster. But it's a right I earned back and a necessity for going to Devil's Hole. Me and the Kid and Lom discussed the plan for hours, missing dinner. The butler brought us plates of food and informed us that the governor and his wife were taking their meal in the nursery.
"The nursery?" the Kid asked.
The butler looked surprised at the question, but his answer was polite. "The room where your children sleep is now called the nursery, per Mrs. Sanderson."
When he left, the Kid looked at me. "Why would they want to eat there?"
"Miss Tina said she missed having children around the house and was looking forward to their visit. And it seems the governor likes to please his wife."
Lom told us about the telegrams he sent. He was going to head back to Porterville on the noon train tomorrow and hoped he found Preacher waiting for him.
All the details were worked out. Colin was the hard part. The Kid meant it when he told him he'd ride blindfolded most of the time. Colin had mentioned that he had not seen much of Wyoming and was looking forward to this trip. He wasn't going to see much now either.
There's a few people on the arrest list we knew, not as part of the Devil's Hole Gang but we'd met them. We agreed all of them have a mean streak and most probably rode with Matt's gang. .
The Kid cleaned his gun, then my gun, then the governor's old gun. When he was done, Lom put his gun on the table. "Got time for one more?"
JED 'KID' CURRY
It don't seem fair only havin' this one night with my family. But then, a lot of life ain't been too fair for me and Heyes. When I went to our room, Chrissy had just finished feedin' Joy and was burpin' her. So, even though it was late, I brought the twins in. It was good bein' together, even if it wasn't under my roof.
"Pa hold Joy," Chrissy told me.
I gently took the bundle wrapped in blankets from her. I marveled at our baby as I sat down in the chair. I soon had a twin on either side of my chair watchin' her.
"Pa, were we ever that small?" Martha asked, touchin' Joy gently on her cheek.
I looked helplessly at Chrissy and saw something I had hoped she had forgotten - shame. I wasn't there when they were born. Didn't even know I was a pa. Chrissy was alone in prison…and unmarried, even though the newspapers insisted she was married to either me or Heyes. But the twins don't know that…someday, but not now. And they didn't see the look on their ma's face; they were enthralled lookin' at their sister.
"Martha little bigger. Michael little smaller," Chrissy said.
"Martha was bigger than me?" The hurt in his voice was strong.
Chrissy giggled and it was a marvelous sound. "She still is, little darling," she told him.
Michael grabbed his sister and forced her to stand back-to-back with him. "Pa, who's taller?"
I laughed. "Your ma's right. Your sister is taller."
Michael stamped his foot and Joy jumped a bit. "Sorry, Pa. At least I'm taller than Joy." He came over and moved his face close to hers. "She can't talk yet?"
"Not for a while." I really didn't know when babies begin to talk.
Tonight was perfect. We all sat on the bed, me and Chrissy on the ends, the twins in the middle took turns holdin' Joy Christina. I didn't want the feelin' to end, but when the twins fell asleep and Chrissy needed to feed the baby, I broke up the group. I carried a twin in each arm to bed.
When I came back to bed, I took Chrissy in my arms. "Jed be careful tomorrow," she whispered into the darkness. "Come home to Chrissy darling."
LOM
Relieved, I read the telegram that was delivered this morning. It was not signed but that didn't matter.
Message delivered. STOP He'll meet you in Porterville. STOP Tomorrow.
I showed the telegram to the Kid and Heyes at breakfast. "Thanks, Lom, we were tryin' to figure out how to separate Preacher from the others in front of Colin. And then let him escape." Heyes said.
"Even though I am not going, figured I could help this way."
"Help what way?" Colin asked as he arrived, dressed in new clothes. He looked proud of himself. "Got everything you said last night."
Trying not to laugh, I heard Heyes laugh loud and strong, a sound I haven't heard in many years. The Kid had a big smile on his face. With the new clothes, new hat and new gun belt, Colin would stick out and ruin their plan in Devil's Hole.
Heyes put his arm around Colin's shoulder. "Your clothes smell pretty and new, Colin. How do they feel?"
"Quite loose and comfortable." Colin seemed proud of himself.
I wasn't sure what they had in mind, but I could tell they had a plan.
"Let's go see if your horse is ready." After he left last night, we had decided it would be best if Colin drove the wagon with the two plain wooden caskets. It was actually the governor's suggestion. The caskets had arrived at the governor's stable early this morning. When we went out, his horse was already hooked up. The Kid threw some tools into the back of the wagon.
Heyes kept his arm around Colin's shoulder. "The governor decided you should be the one to drive the wagon to start, so you won't be needing those shiny spurs you're wearing."
Colin's face dropped.
The Kid, suppressing a smile, took over from Heyes. "Heyes, you ever see an outlaw lookin' so clean and neat as Colin here?"
"No, Kid, can't say that I have."
"Well, what do you think we ought to do about it?"
I realized Heyes was better but not all the way back to himself. He hesitated in answering the Kid and got a frightened look in his eyes. Colin was a member of his parole committee…a person of authority.
The Kid saw it too but ignored it, turning his attention to Colin.
"Colin, I'm real sorry about this but we ain't got time to make you look like a real outlaw."
Colin backed away and all of a sudden I knew what the Kid had in mind.
The Kid took a step toward Colin.
"Now Jed, er Mr. Curry, just what is it you have in mind?"
The Kid took one more step forward. And Colin took one backwards and tumbled into the pile of straw and manure that had just been cleaned from the stalls.
Think you need some cleanin' up," the Kid laughed.
Picking Colin up over his shoulders, the Kid dropped him into the large horse water trough. Landing on his bottom with a large splash, his legs stuck straight up in the air.
We laughed, then Colin laughed as the Kid helped him out. I think he had the idea when he had the Kid's hand to pull him in the water with him, but he forgot how strong he is. The Kid locked his grip on the wet man's arm and plucked him right out of the water.
There was a laugh behind us and the governor, standing on the back porch watching, was bent over with laughter. 'Bet you boys didn't know that Colin there is my nephew, Tina's brother's boy. His pa is still my best friend. I can't wait to tell him about this."
"I need to change my clothes," Colin said, shivering in the cold morning air. "Please don't tell Pa.'
With a nod to us, the governor spoke to his nephew. "Go in and stand in front of the fire. Don't change your clothes. You could almost pass for an inexperienced drifter now."
JED 'KID' CURRY
As we headed out through the back pasture, we told Colin to head toward the prison. I could still hear Martha pleadin', "Do you have to go, Pa?" and feel Chrissy's goodbye kiss. I enjoyed it for a few minutes then turned to the job at hand. It required all my attention.
The governor had found a warm coat, too big even for Colin, and he was wrapped up in it. But he still smelled. After about half an hour, Heyes led us onto a side road to our left.
"East?" observed Colin. "I was sure we would be going northwest."
I caught Heyes' eye. He hadn't said much since Colin fell into the manure and I dunked hm in the trough. I wasn't sure what the look in his eyes was; it looked like fear. I realized that I was goin' to have to take care of this part of the plan.
Heyes led us off the road after about an hour. "Time to stretch our legs," I announced. This was our first step of our plan. After we drank and ate some of the food Miss Tina had sent, I just decided to tell Colin out straight.
"Colin, got to blindfold you the rest of the day. You have your choice: you can ride your horse blindfolded or ride in the wagon blindfolded," I told him.
"I'd suggest the wagon," Heyes added.
Colin looked hurt. "I promise I won't tell anyone the way to Devil's Hole," he told us.
"You agreed," I told him. Heyes had dropped out of the conversation. I noticed he doesn't function well around people in authority. He didn't need to. I could handle this. His part comes later.
When Colin saw I wasn't goin' to change my mind, he decided. "The wagon. Who's going to drive it?"
"I am. Goin' to tie Winter's Glory to the back and we can leave."
I waited until just before we left to blindfold him. I used one of his brand-new bandanas. I put his outside hand on the side of the seat so he could hold on. Heyes came around in front of me and winked. Then he led us back the way we had come. Colin was holdin' on tight and ridin' in silence. We headed west toward the mountains. Colin's eyes stayed covered on our brief stops.
Heyes' memory was just fine as we skirted the towns on the way. As the early fall dusk grew darker, he signaled our stop for the night. The spot looked familiar, and he smiled as I recognized one of my favorite huntin' spots.
Stoppin' the wagon, I reached over and untied the bandana. "Campin' here for the night, Colin," I said. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and for a moment I felt sorry for him. Then I remembered the friends at the Hole and that Colin was an aide to the governor of Wyoming who was here because the governor insisted. This was not the governor that had promised us amnesty, but the one that had kept in prison and made Heyes struggle for a year longer to prove himself a reformed man. And Colin had stood beside him in his decisions. Colin was the man that watched and let me be whipped brutally while I was in prison overnight. He was an enigma, a word I learned from books. But for this trip, me and Heyes had decided to treat him as a friend he seemed to be becomin', while not lettin' him know where the Hole is hidden or our real plan.
Colin looked a little wobbly as he started to climb down from the wagon. I was glad Heyes noticed and supported him until he was firmly on the ground.
"Colin, you ever been campin' before?" I asked as he looked like he wasn't sure what to do.
"Not since I was a kid. Just tell me what to do."
I respected that he hadn't complained about the blindfold and was willin' to help.
"Gather wood for a fire, I'll go see what I can shoot for dinner," I told him.
"Surely, Mrs. Sanderson saw to it that we packed food," Colin said.
I was proud that Heyes spoke up. "Wouldn't look good if three drifters were stopped with a chef cooked meal in their saddlebags."
Colin actually smiled. "Might be awkward at that."
LOM
Yesterday, Dr. Arden gave me a massage and it helped. And he taught me some exercises for strength that he promised would eventually eliminate my limp. As they left for Devil's Hole, I watched as they headed in the wrong direction with Colin driving the wagon. I'm not a religious man, but I said a prayer over the two plain coffins of men that I had ridden with and called friends.
As soon as the guys had left for Devil's Hole, I headed to the telegraph office. I sent telegrams to the same five contacts. I had no idea who had gotten the successful message to Preacher.
This time it read:
They're returning. STOP Let friends know they're looking for help upon arrival. STOP Send response to Porterville.
Lom
I hoped it would be understood but I dare not say more. I left for Porterville on the noon train. I wanted to be there before Preacher got there.
JED 'KID' CURRY
Heyes is playin' his part well. At least I hope he's pretendin'. He's actin' scared of every animal sound we hear. He looks like he's retreatin' into his thoughts. He talked to Colin about the beauty of Solteria, his safe place.
Colin doesn't know Soteria is real. He was concerned and spoke to me. "Jed, is Heyes going to be able to make this trip? He seems to be somewhere else at times," he asked.
I tried to give Colin as sincere a look as I could. Years in prison taught me not to show emotion on my face. But this required a look of concern. "I'm not sure. Heyes seemed confident he could do this." I hesitated and looked at my partner starin' at a boulder. "But I share your concern. Let's keep a close watch on him."
ASJ*****ASJ
Noon the next day, we stopped for a break. We had twisted, turned, and backtracked our way near Devil's Hole. Colin didn't know how close we were. Before I removed the blindfold, I saw Heyes wink at me and I knew he was alright. That this was all an act.
The sun hadn't broken through the clouds today. Under the trees where we stopped it was cold.
"Shall I gather wood for a fire? Some coffee will help us all warm up," Colin said.
Heyes looked at him sharply. "No, no fire, smoke might give us away!"
Colin looked surprised at the harsh tone.
Heyes started pacing in bigger and bigger circles around the campfire, mumblin' to himself. Colin looked at him, then at me.
"Heyes, stop!" I told him. Alarmed, he looked at me. He glanced away quickly because he saw I was goin' to smile at him. But then kept pacin' and mumblin' a little louder.
"Mean Gene is dangerous. Mean Gene will kill us. Can't talk to him. Don't have words anymore. I'm scared. Mean Gene is in charge. He's violent."
I could tell by Colin's face the act was workin'.
"HEYES, look at me!"
He stopped, lookin' at Colin as if he was surprised he was there.
"Partner, how are you feelin'?"
He looked at me. I was proud of his poker face. He said nothin', just stared at the coffins.
"You goin' to be able to go to Devil's Hole?" I asked. I still couldn't look right at him without startin' to laugh.
"Coffins?' he asked.
Colin stood right in front of him. "Do you know what we are doing here, Heyes?" He used that tone he had used in the parole meetings. How Heyes didn't laugh that he had fallen right into our trap, I didn't know.
"Mean Gene. We're going to Devil's Hole to face Mean Gene? The Kid is faster than him."
Colin spun around to me. "This man is in no way ready to go to Devil's Hole!"
I tried to hide my sigh of relief that I would not have to be the one suggestionin' this. I nodded to Colin as if I agreed.
"Heyes…" I said.
"Kid? Sorry I was somewhere else for a moment. Are you sure we can take Mean Gene Kindberg and his gang with this plan? I don't know."
"Heyes…" I put my arm around his shoulder and walked into the trees. "Think you'll be able to find your way back to that last town?" I asked loud enough for Colin to hear.
A few steps further, I asked, "You got everythin' you need? You remember the back way in?"
"Yeah, I remember. We rode by it earlier today. Give me time to get through the path. I hope no one's been through there in a long time. It's going to be overgrown, probably have to walk Bells. Then I'll need time to get the prisoners I can out that way."
"You're right," I said, although we had been over this many times. From Matt's description, the prisoners were held within a foot of the secret entrance.
We turned around to camp and Colin. He was sittin' under a tree tryin' to see well enough on this gloomy day to read a book.
"Colin, Heyes has decided that this is too much too soon for him. He's goin' to go back to that last town we skirted yesterday. I think it's the right decision."
Colin agreed. And me and Heyes exchanged a satisfied look that we had made him think that this was all his idea.
HEYES
I know what to do. I know where to find the secret back entrance into the Hole. I know I can do this. But I'm scared. I wish I wasn't doing this alone. I'm going to make camp just below where I will enter and start an hour after the sun rises. The Kid will time his entrance from that. The rest of today he'll be driving Colin around in a long oval, near the front entrance to Devil's Hole. If you know where to look, and the lookout is standing up, you can see if there are guards posted to stop you when you enter from a long way off. There's always some wagons on that road and the guards pay no attention….until one turns onto the road into Devil's Hole.
Smiling, I found the can of peaches and a muffin that the Kid must have put into my saddlebags. My brain won't stop thinking about tomorrow. It's well planned but there are so many variables. And one of the biggest is if anyone got the telegram message Lom sent and understands what we need. Will we have allies when we get there? And will they believe Colin is a drifter? Will they believe the Kid just wants to bury Wheat and Kyle at the Hole? Maybe, that does seem to be playing on Mean Gene's weakness.
I have enough dusty light so me and Bells start up the back trail. No one has gone this way in a long time. It's two horses wide down here but near Devil's Hole only one horse at a time can get through. I'm glad I explored it tonight. There's a fallen tree across the path. It takes me almost an hour, using the knife the Kid made for me, to trim back the full leafy branches enough. I wasn't thinking of me and Bells going up. I was thinking of bringing the hostages down.
I don't want to sleep. It is cold tonight and very dark. I have my warm coat and my back to the mountain. The wind howls around but doesn't touch me. I can't tell if my eyes are open or closed. This is the darkness of the dark hole in the Wyoming Territorial Prison. Just when I think I can't take the black anymore, I light a match. By its light, I can see that I'm safe. I'm outside, not in the dark cell. How many times, locked in that cell, did I find myself outside in my mind and stay there. When the match burns down, I shake it out and the nothingness around me returns. I sing softly and try to make up a funny song to sing to the twins.
Sleep calls and I can't fight it off. My dreams are of darkness filled with monsters. Not the monsters of the twins' storybook but ones with billy clubs and whips. I need to escape in my thoughts to my safe place, but I can't find it. I hear the cry of a prisoner being whipped but something's wrong. As I start to wake up, I hear the howl again. It's an animal. I'm outside…alone. I tell myself there are no monsters here and I light a second match to prove it to myself. I hold up a small piece of wood and let the match light it so I can see longer. And I calm my heart and with it my fears.
I hear Bells stir close to me. I don't know how long I slept but the sleepiness has passed. It's dark, but I know my matches can send it away anytime I want. But I realize that I couldn't escape into my mind…not anymore. But I don't need to. I'll still sleep with a lamp on when I can, but I can endure without it. I listen closely and hear the sounds around me. There's the small stream down to the left; it's quiet but in the silence, I can hear it flow.
I'm not going back to sleep. I'm still afraid. But that fear is not defeating me. Slowly the hazy light of dawn creeps over the sky. It's not quite dawn yet but I eat my last muffin. I take a deep breath of the morning and I smile. I did it. I made it. I'm proud of me.
JED 'KID' CURRY
Colin didn't complain tonight when we had a cold dinner of jerky and muffins. He pulled his new coat tight around him. Well, it was new until he went into the horse trough with it on. It didn't look so new anymore, but was still warm.
"We near Devil's Hole?" he asked and this time I told him the truth.
"Tomorrow mornin' we'll try and get in."
"Try?"
"Try. All depends on how Mean Gene feels about buryin' them at Devil's Hole."
He nodded.
"Colin, tomorrow I need you to be quiet. Don't say a word. Frown. Glare. Give the evil stare. Just don't say one word. Do you understand?"
Resignation on his face, he nodded. "I understand. And this trip has made me understand how out of place I am here. I'll be quiet. Can you do me a favor?"
"If I can."
"Teach me how to hold this gun like I know how to use it."
"Anytime you hold a gun on a man, you have to be prepared to use it," I told him.
He took a cleansin' breath. "Understood. Show me?"
"Let's get the horses settled and I'll give you a lesson. But no bullets. A gunshot here would echo all the way to Devil's Hole."
HEYES
I know I'm nervous, anxious to leave, but the Kid's depending on my timing. The dark monsters of last night are pushed just beyond my conscious thoughts. I have a job to do, and the Kid's life probably depends on it. So, I pace around. For something to do, I search for wild onions. I dreamed about the taste in prison. Haven't had them in years. I wrap them in the paper from the muffins and put them in my saddlebags.
And then it was time to leave. I was glad I'd taken the time to cut back the tree on the path. It had fallen the long way, not across, and made passage hard. But today I led Bells by it and rode as far as I could. I left her secured a hundred feet from the top and walked quietly to the entrance.
The Kid and Colin were not there yet. In fact, Devil's Hole was still sleeping. This was not unusual. If no job was planned, most men were sleeping off the drink from the night before. Alcohol warded off the cold and the boredom.
Matt's description was accurate. I was less than six inches from where the side of the hostage enclosure met the mountain wall. The corral-like fence didn't go quite to the wall. Looking around into the empty courtyard, I stepped out and pushed on the fence to see if I could push it open more. It was not fastened to the ground, and it moved easily. The motion brought a sleep-eyed teenager out of the falling down shelter. I put my finger to my lips to indicate quiet. Then I moved the fence. He understood and came over. I held the fence, and he slipped through. His eyes got big as I pulled him into the slit behind into the hidden path.
I kept my finger to my lips until we were down the path a little.
"Who are you and why are you here?"
"Hannibal Heyes and to get you, all of you, out of here."
"The Hannibal Heyes?"
"Yes, now how many hostages are there?" I asked. Time was getting away from me.
"Eleven."
"That include Johnny McWinters girl?"
"No, don't count her as a hostage. She's MG's girl now."
"And her child?"
"They both live with MG in the leader's cabin. Don't count them as hostages and wouldn't trust her."
He didn't know how important that information was to me. We were instructed to arrest her. Having her out of the hostage shelter made everything easier.
"What's your name?" I asked. I need this young man to trust me. "You know why you're here?"
"Arnie Weber from Brown River. They call us hostages but I'm not sure why."
"You related to a telegraph operator?"
"My older brother. How did you know?"
"All of you are. That's how they get your relatives to work for them," I explained and he understood immediately.
'What do you want me to do?"
"To get all of you onto this path…quietly. Get them ready. A diversion is going to happen after you hear three shots. Until then…one at a time."
He did as asked. First out was a little girl about twelve. Arnie slipped back into the corral while I escorted her down to Fall's Bells and cautioned her to silence. She nodded solemnly. I saw the hurt and sadness behind her brown eyes. I wanted to replace that with hope.
Following Arnie out next was an older woman. She bore the scars of a head wound, not yet healed. Holding a finger on her lips, he led her to me.
"Follow me, ma'am," I whispered once we were behind the entrance and walking the path.
"Where are you taking me?" she whispered.
"Home."
I saw a spark of hope on her face until she looked down at her feet. Each step was deliberate as if afraid to fall.
I left her next to the young girl whispering, "Your silence is the only way we're going to get the others out."
Arnie had two more at the gate next, both women I guessed were in their early twenties. Both wore simple gold wedding rings and ripped clothes. They had the vacant look in their eyes I used to see in Chrissy's. With one on each side, I walked them down the path. But they kept their distance from me. "Silence," I warned them.
And then I heard the two shots - the Kid's signal to the guards that he wanted to enter Devil's Hole. I hoped that Mean Gene, MG, hadn't changed it. And I had six more people to free.
JED 'KID' CURRY
Colin felt it as soon as the wagon started to climb, grippin' the seat with both hands. "Devil's Hole?"
"Just hold on. In a few minutes I'm gonna fire your gun."
'My gun?"
"Don't want to waste my bullets. Might need them if we need to shoot our way out."
Awkwardly, he worked his gun out of its holster. With our brief trainin', he could hold a gun properly and look threatenin', but not much else.
I stopped the wagon and fired two shots. I stuck the gun into his gun belt and secured it with the leather loop. Blindfolded, he sat straight and listened. "We there?"
"Just through the entrance. If they had guards posted, we'll see them right up here. I clicked to the horse and we moved forward. Suddenly, we were stopped by three men. I recognized two, Hank and Blue Nose. I didn't know the younger man with his gun pointed at me. I hoped Lom's telegram had gotten through.
"Well, if it ain't Kid Curry." Hank smiled.
"Kid Curry!" the younger man exclaimed.. "What you doing here? You don't run this gang no more."
The younger man's gun hand was shakin'. He looked at me in awe as I explained, "Want to bury Wheat Carlson and Kyle Murtry up at the Hole. Seems fittin'. Don't want nothin' else."
"That's a question for MG," Blue Nose answered. "Who's your friend?"
"Alex Wagner, he ain't been here before. Just came to help me with the buryin'. Don't want him to be tempted to tell the law where this place is," I said.
"Follow me," Hank said. "But then I guess you know the way in your sleep, hey, Kid?"
"It's been a while but yeah. I rode this way drunk many times."
Hank led us straight to the leader's shack. MG Kindberg was standin' on the porch, an attractive woman hangin' on his neck. He wore his long johns, his pants, and his gun. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a slight movement and knew that Heyes was already here, freein' the hostages.
MG just glared at me so I started the conversation. "I'm Jedediah Curry, Kid Curry."
"I know who you are. Why are you here?"
With my hands in the air, I jumped to the ground. MG's gun was now pointed at me. Actin' unconcerned, I threw back the tarp coverin' the coffins. "I brought the bodies of Wheat Carlson and Kyle Murtry. It was their wish to be buried at the Hole."
A spark of interest hit MG's eyes. I reached over and pulled the bandana off Colin's eyes. "And him?"
"Alex Wagner. Brought him along to help with the buryin'," I repeated.
Keeping his gun pointed at me, MG walked to the coffins. "Open it!" he demanded.
By now the camp was awake and the bunkhouse had emptied out watchin' us. There were two separate groups and I realized I knew everyone in the group on the right…and they were all armed. The group on the left were mostly strangers, most of them wore the same outfit as MG, long johns and pants, but only half of them had their guns. I counted. Five men I didn't know. The younger guard made six and MG himself made seven. A woman was standin' on the porch of the leader's cabin watchin'. Figured she must be the Rachel Lynn Hawley that Matt had mentioned. She made eight but I wasn't countin' her.
Seven against six-armed outlaw friends. I made seven and I wasn't countin' Colin…or Heyes. He had another part in this. Concentratin' on that, I doubt he would have time for anything else.
Mean Gene walked down the few porch steps and stood in front of the wagon focusin' his look on Colin before turnin' to those gathered. "Harris, help him open the caskets!" he ordered.
Harris obeyed immediately. "Yes, sir.'
I had a crowbar I had made in the wagon bed. With Harris' help, and all eyes watchin' us, the first lid was pried off. We had discussed this possibility with Lom and Colin and the lids were on but not too hard to pry off from the side. A bad smell came out but there were only dressed bones in the casket. Harris looked in.
"Yup, those are Wheat's clothes. Ain't much left but bones though." He turned away and grabbed the top of the casket. I had a few nails on the bottom of the wagon. Didn't want to look like I intentionally thought this would happen but wanted to bury caskets nailed shut so I came prepared.
"Open the other one." MG glared at me as he spoke.
HEYES
Six more people to get out when we heard the Kid's gunshots.
"Hurry!" I told Arnie.
I'd drop back behind the rock until I heard him at the gate. This time he brought another young man, cradling his right arm and a man in his sixties, back bent and limping.
I held my finger to my lips as I helped Arnie pull the corral back from the wall. We heard the wagon pull up in front of the leader's cabin and knew that the whole place was awake now. Four more to go.
I helped the man down the path. He was little more than skin and bones. He leaned on me heavily. I had to put my finger to my lips as he tried to say, "Thank you."
When I got to the others, I decided to move them further down the trail. It was only fifty feet, but it was around another bend. When I returned, there was a boy about eight or nine standing at the top of the path. Arnie must have left him there. He looked at me solemnly and put his fingers to his lips. I smiled and nodded. I heard Mean Gene yell, "Open it!" as I escorted him down. Three more to go.
JED 'KID' CURRY
Again, Harris helped and again the lid came off easily. I changed a glance over to what I knew was the hostages' shelter and saw a teenage boy slip a younger boy into the secret back entrance.
When the lid came off, the smell was fresh and strong. What was left of Kyle laid there, hands crossed on his chest. Where I could see his skin, it was black. His blue eyes stared out at us. They buried him in the clothes he died in, riddled with the holes from the guards' bullets that had killed him after he killed Phillip Carlson.
"Kyle Murtry," Harris said, looking away.
"Anybody else here that knew Murtry?" asked MG as he looked over to the original Devil's Hole gang gathered there.
Most of them answered, "I did."
"Hank, go tell me if that's him."
Looking at me, Hank came and stood very close to me. He needed to stand on his toes to see Kyle. He turned away quickly whisperin', "Got your back, Kid."
"That's Kyle Murtry," Hank said loudly to Mean Gene.
There was quiet while everyone looked at MG and I nailed the cover onto the coffin using the crowbar as a hammer.
HEYES
Arnie understood the urgency. When I returned to the entrance, two more were waiting for me, a man and a woman, both middle-aged. Both were scared, no, more than scared, terrified. We were no more than twenty steps down the path when I heard the movement of the corral. With my hand, I indicated that they should keep walking and I went back. Arnie was waiting for me to pull back the corral because he was holding a boy a little older than the twins in his arms. The boy was clutching him tightly. I held the corral back. When they had made it through the opening, I pushed it back as hard as I could. With a quick look at the Kid nailing the cover on a casket, I led the way down the trail.
I held my fingers to my lips to remind everyone to be quiet. Bells stood silently among the hostages.
Moving to the older woman with the head scar, I softly asked her name. She looked at me as if dazed, then said, "Sophie?"
"Miss Sophie, I'm going to put you up on my horse and you can ride down." She obviously knew how to ride. I started to lift her into the saddle, but she stuck her foot into the stirrup. That made it easy to swing her into the saddle.
I looked at the man with the bent back and the limp. He shook his head and pointed to the boy still in Arnie's arm. Arnie smiled and settled the child in front of Miss Sophie.
I led them down the path for half an hour, but my mind was on the Kid and Colin. I had heard one shot echo through the mountains and then nothing. I knew I needed to get back there.