Winter's Refuge
Part One
The Beginning
As the day had dawned beautiful and clear, Hannibal Heyes and Jedidiah "Kid" Curry, the leaders of the Devil's Hole Gang, decided to go fishing. That was the reason, they told the rest of the gang, and, if luck and skill proved out, they would return with a nice string of fish.
"Thanks for comin' with me, Heyes. Like I told you, just got a feelin' something's not right over there."
Heyes looked in the direction Curry had pointed with his fishing pole. Seeing nothing but nature in the spring, he still felt the need to listen to his cousin's instincts. "Besides your feeling, what's bothering you about it?"
"Not sure. When I was huntin' yesterday, the sounds were wrong. Nothin' certain. And I thought I smelled fire, but it was gone before I knew it."
Secluded by nature, and guarded by the Devil's Hole Gang, Heyes was confident of their security in the Devil's Hole wilderness. With only one main entrance, it was easy to keep men constantly on guard duty. Heyes reminded himself he needed to take Curry and check the secret back path that only the two of them, and Big Jim Santana, knew. Big Jim was serving his time in the Wyoming Territorial Prison. He wasn't a threat.
Snap.
"Quiet!" Curry whispered, putting his hand out to stop Heyes from moving forward. Standing in silence, he concentrated on listening.
Heyes tried to listen to what his partner was hearing. It had always been a difference between them. Curry was attuned to their surroundings while Heyes was easily self-absorbed in thought or lost in concentration at the poker table. Hearing only a bird chirping and the creek flowing, he whispered, "Kid?"
"Sorry, just a rabbit, I think."
Heyes let his worry take over. Of course, if someone dared scale the sheer mountain face and brave the dangerous, seemingly bottomless canyons on this side, it was just possible their safe refuge could be breached.
"Or maybe not." Curry stopped abruptly; Heyes did the same.
With a cock of his head to listen more, Curry gestured to Heyes to go left. Within a few steps, Heyes could hear people, young boys he thought, talking and horse's whinny.
Curry skirted around the perimeter, then mouthed 'boys' to his partner. With a nod to Curry, Heyes stepped forward assuming his gruffest outlaw persona. Hands on his hips, he made his presence known. "Ah hum."
Five boys jumped to their feet to face him while Curry stepped out of the trees behind them.
The smallest boy reached for his gun. He had it out of his holster and just about aimed before Curry shot it out of his hand.
"Ow!"
"Rest of you just take your guns out slowly and throw them in that bush." Curry's voice was cold. Catching his cousin's eyes, he saw his fear reflected in them, another split second and he would have been outdrawn. Calming his heart, he studied the five boys in front of him as he listened to Heyes take charge.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Heyes demanded, his tone low and controlled allowed no refusal. The tension in his stance and shoulders was only apparent to his partner.
"The McWinters. Me and my brothers came to join the Devil's Hole Gang.
Curry noted it wasn't the oldest one who spoke but probably the next in line.
Heyes continued to interrogate them. "You did, huh? Just how did you get in here?"
Looking from one to another, the oldest one spoke. "I'm Matt McWinters. Well, we been watching that entrance for a few days. My brother, Mark, figured we could slip inside when the guards were changing. Worked, too, but then we couldn't find your camp. It must be hidden hard somewhere around here."
Curry laughed to himself on the look on Heyes' face that someone had got by his well-planned defenses, and they were only boys.
Heyes paced in front of the group and five heads turned to watch him. "How old are you, son?"
"Ain't your son. Matt's the oldest; he's sixteen. I'm Mark and I'm fifteen. Luke is fourteen, John's thirteen and Bobby Bell's twelve."
"Your parents fond of biblical names? If I remember right, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote the gospels."
"Our pa."
Heyes was studying the brothers. He figured the leader was Mark not Matt. "Bobby Bell. Don't remember him in the Bible."
Mark waited a beat before answering and Heyes felt the underlying challenge from the boy. "He's named for St. Robert Bellarmine…Bobby Bell. What you going to do with us?"
Heyes turned to look at Bobby Bell with interest.
This twelve-year-old had almost outdrawn the Kid. "Where'd you learn to fast draw like that?"
Protectively, Mark stepped in front of his brother. "Our pa taught him. Taught all of us and our sister to draw fast. Bobby Bell ain't learned how to hit what he aims at yet," Mark sneered.
"Can too!"
"Quiet, both of you." Matt silenced his brothers with his words and a look then turned to glare at Heyes. "You found us. My brother asked, what you going to do with us?"
For a questioning moment, Heyes locked eyes with Curry before picking up the guns the boys had thrown aside. "You're coming with us to the Hole, but you can't stay. Your parents must be looking for you. I don't want no trouble with frantic parents."
Matt hadn't moved, but his brothers had slowly gathered behind him. "Ma died a long time ago. Pa died in February. Chrissy looks after us."
"That your sister that your pa taught to shoot?" Curry asked as he lowered his gun and spun it into his holster.
"Yeah, she's the oldest. Pa left her our ranch, nothing for us. Her beau dumped her when he saw she had all of us to raise now. So, we ran away so she don't have to."
"Break your camp. How many horses you got back there?" Heyes demanded.
"Four. Bobby Bell rides double with someone," Matt answered.
"They stolen?" His tone was accusatory.
"Nope. They're ours. Pa gave each of us a horse on our thirteenth birthday. Said we were becoming men then. They got our brand on them."
"Everyone works for their keep in the Hole. You're no exception," Heyes finished. "Now you might have gotten past our guard, but you're going the rest of the way blindfolded."
"Aww, shucks."
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"Heyes, they can't stay here. The oldest is only sixteen. We ain't never accepted anyone younger than that." Sitting by the fire in the leader's cabin, Curry poured them each a whiskey.
"Well, Old Skip says it's gonna rain most of the next week. They can stay here through that."
"Ain't you got that Three River Junction bank job planned the end of next week? You got it all worked out?"
A self-satisfied grin crossed Heyes' face. "Rain or shine don't matter on that one. We're only taking Preacher and Lobo with us. Wheat will have to watch the boys while we're gone. We'll see them home after that."
"They're boys, Heyes, but they're smart. They figured a way into Devil's Hole. Lawmen and bounty hunters would like to know that. They found the entrance." Curry took a breath and looked around. "Now that they got in, I saw you've changed how the guards break each other. No one can sneak in that way, again."
"Yeah, and that youngest one almost outdrew you. There was teasing in Heyes' tone but a serious question in his eyes.
Nodding solemnly, Curry looked into his drink as he spoke, "I've always known someday someone will be faster and shoot me, but it won't be that kid. Before I gave them their guns back, I took them down to my practice spot. Every one of them can fast draw. Only Mark, the second oldest, hit even a single can. Still, even the worst shot can hit someone by mistake. Tried to tell them accuracy is more important than a fast draw, but I was talkin' to a blank wall. Their pa taught them quickness is what matters."
"Where are they now?" Heyes asked, glancing out the window to see if he saw the brothers.
Taking another sip of his drink, Curry smiled. "Kyle's adopted them for the night. Wheat gave them work duties for tomorrow. The two oldest are looking after the horses. Luke said he can cook so he's helping with that. The two younger ones will do odd jobs around here."
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Before leaving for the bank job at Three River Junction, Heyes took Wheat aside. "You're in charge when we're gone, Wheat."
"Course I am. Should be in charge all the time."
"Need you to watch out for those McWinters boys. Don't make them too comfortable here."
Wheat looked offended. "Why do you think I've got them shoveling manure and mucking out the outhouse? Even got plans for them to be digging a second outhouse!" he said proudly..
Heyes let a smile slip. "And let them take care of the horses. Those boys know more about horses than most of the men here."
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Heyes, Curry, Lobo and Preacher were gone a week before they came dragging into the Hole after the robbery. Each one looked exhausted, dirty and angry.
Matt and Mark McWinters ran out and led the horses to the barn. As Wheat approached, he puffed his chest out and said importantly, "Guess things didn't go too well with the robbery. Should have asked me; I could have improved the plan."
Eyes boring into Wheat, Curry headed to the leader's cabin, a canvas bag in his hand. "Robbery was a success. Everything went according to plan, and we got twice what we thought."
Taken aback, Wheat turned, following Lobo and Preacher. "If you got the money, none of you look shot up, why do you all look like something the cat dragged in?"
"The escape route Heyes chose. Looked good on the map but was all mud – slippery, slippery, slimy mud," started Preacher.
Lobo continued, "Got off course trying to avoid that mud and ended up in a God damned monastery. The brothers there thought the Lord had sent us to help shovel the landslide of mud that the rain had brought down from the mountains into their conclave."
"Lobo, the Lord has his ways even though they may be mysteries to us. Don't blaspheme his name," Preacher admonished.
Too tired to retort, Lobo pulled off his boots and laid down on his bunk.
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Naked to the waist, Heyes leaned over a bowl trying to remove the mud that had glued itself to his chest. His whole body felt like it was covered in the slick stuff.
"Hello, in there, can we come in?"
Heyes sighed at the young McWinters voice at the door. "Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow," he yelled through the closed door.
"Need to speak to Mr. Curry 'bout his horse, sir," a second younger voice responded.
Curry appeared from his room and, unable to suppress a yawn, opened the door. Matt, Mark and Luke stood there, hats in their hands.
"What about my horse?" growled Curry.
In unison, the boys took a step back. Since that first day, Curry had never been anything but smiling and nice to them. Now, they were facing a grizzly bear.
"What?" Curry's growl turned to annoyance.
Luke gathered the courage to speak. "Your horse, well, he's split a shoe and he's got small rocks caught in there. Didn't know if you wanted to tend him or us to do it?"
Curry's tone softened but his body language stayed aggressive. "You know what to do?
"Yes, sir."
"We grewed up on a horse ranch, sir."
"We can handle it, sir."
"Then do it." Curry went to close the door then thought of something. "And thank you, boys, for takin' good care of him." Yawning again, he attempted a half smile as he did close the door. "Heyes, when we takin' them boys home? They're gettin' too comfortable here. Gang is treatin' them like they belong here."
Heyes eyed his bed as he slipped a clean henley over his head. "Not tomorrow, too tired. Maybe the day after. Yeah, we'll plan on it the day after tomorrow."
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Making up for lost sleep, the partners slept late, not opening the cabin door until close to eleven.
"Goin' to check on my horse." Curry yawned as he headed for the stables.
Heyes stretched his arms high, enjoying the sun hitting his face. Looking around, all was quiet in the Hole.
Hearing a horse approaching quickly, Curry came out from the stable. No one should be riding like that. Unconsciously, assuming his gunfighter stance, he slipped the safety off of his gun. Folding his arms over his chest, he saw Heyes' eyes searching for the galloping horse. No shots of alarm had come from the sentries. All had been quiet.
Breaking from the trees, a beautiful brown horse raced to the steps of the cabin and stopped precisely. Curry watched as the young boy confidently dismounted. "Where are they?" he demanded.
Stepping towards the stranger, Heyes watched as the guard, Kyle, breathless came racing up behind him, gun drawn. "How'd he get in, Kyle?"
"He done never entered that we saw," Kyle answered, eyes on the intruder. "All of a sudden there he was ridin' toward the bunkhouse. Wheat stayed on guard, and I came to warn you."
Heyes registered Kyle's bewilderment but never took his eyes from the newcomer. "Who are you?" He used his authoritative outlaw leader voice, and it was reflected in his stance and his eyes.
Curry hadn't moved but noted the McWinters boys gathering by the bunkhouse door, sharing concerned looks. Amazed, he watched the stranger reach up and remove the black hat. Two long brown braids fell out. Realizing this was no young boy but a woman, he was intrigued but stayed alert.
"My brothers. I know they are here, and I've come to bring them home. Drag them home if I have to." Looking around as she spoke, there was no fear in her voice, only defiance.
"Aww, Chrissy, leave us be." Heyes' attention was drawn to Mark McWinters standing in front of his brothers.
Smiling at this audacious woman, Heyes grinned as he watched her stride to her brothers. "Get your things. Come on. Get going," she scolded.
Heyes and Curry came up to her.
"Chrissy, we like it here," Bobby Bell whined. "And they like us here." Seeing Heyes standing behind her, he added, "Well, at least they kinda like us here. I try to stay out of the way and be helpful."
The McWinters boys saw the look in Kid Curry's eyes daring them to defy their sister. They backed down.
"We are going to take them home tomorrow," Heyes told her, smiling at this confident woman with green eyes that seemed to hold too much wisdom for her age.
"They'll be a coming with me right now!" she stated, staring at her brothers, daring them to disagree.
Heyes looked to Curry who gave him a subtle nod. "We'll be going with you to make sure you ALL get home," he stated in a voice that allowed no dissent. "We leave tomorrow. Get your sister some food from the bunkhouse while the Kid and I decide what to do about this intrusion."
Eyeing the watching outlaws, Curry growled, "She'll eat at the outside tables. And you will each treat our guest as a lady."
Heyes stopped and looked at Curry. Smiling at the smitten look on his cousin's face, he looked closer and frowned.
"Kid, I saw you looking at her. We ain't got no time for women in our lives. Women are complications." They walked side by side to their cabin.
"Just looking at an intriguin' woman, Heyes, and dreamin' about what might be."
"Make sure that stays in your dreams."
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A firm knock brought their attention to the door. "Mr., Curry, Mr. Heyes, it's Chrissy McWinters. May I speak with you for a moment, please?"
Smiling at his partner as he walked to the door, Curry said, "She's got manners."
Heyes tilted his head, nodding slightly.
"Miss McWinters." Curry motioned her into the cabin but left the door ajar.
"I want to take my brothers out of here now, not wait until tomorrow," she demanded.
Heyes turned and picking up the coffee pot, he said, "Miss McWinters, coffee?"
"Did you hear what I said?"
"Yes, I suspect that will be impossible."
"If you are thinking of holding me against my will, Mr. Heyes…"
"Heyes, no mister."
Curry crossed his arms across his chest and leaned one foot on the wall as he leaned back, enjoying the verbal encounter.
"Heyes." Miss McWinters stamped her foot. "I will not allow you and your gang of outlaws to hold me here."
Curry stood up straight and tilted his head at Heyes to say that's enough teasing.
Heyes looked the lady in her mountain green eyes and smiled. "Miss McWinters, in about two hours a Wyoming storm is going to roll off that mountain. No one, not even you and your brothers, can ride through that. You will be our guest until it passes. Make this cabin your home. The Kid and I will sleep in the bunkhouse."
Chrissy McWinters quickly regained her composure as she looked around the cabin. Noticing their two bedrolls by the door, she smiled. "Why thank you, Heyes. Thank you both. It's Chrissy. No one calls me Miss McWinters. Can my brothers stay here with me? Especially the younger ones."
"That's up to you," Heyes answered. "Now answer my question. Coffee?"
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Curry watched Chrissy as she stood on the large boulder near the creek and took in everything around her. "This is sure one of God's prettiest places," she said, twirling to smile at him. "Thank you for bringing me here."
Advancing toward her, a grin crossed his face. "I agree it's pretty and you can't see any of the trails in or out of Devil's Hole."
"I noticed. Tricky of you." She grinned back at him, getting lost in his blue eyes.
He offered her his arm. "I think we need to get you back to the cabin, that storm's almost here."
She took his arm, something she would never have done with any of the men back home. A brief thought hit her that she felt comfortable with this charming outlaw, but she forced it out of her mind.
At the cabin steps, they stopped. Looking into her eyes, Curry put a finger under her chin and kissed her lips lightly, tentatively. At the smile in her eyes, he kissed her again, still lightly.
"Don't think this means you are going to sleep in this cabin tonight, Jed Curry!"
"Wasn't even going to ask."