Winter's Refuge
Chapter Two Hundred Thirteen
Note: We first met Karl Josephs in chapter 43.
JED 'KID' CURRY
Marshal Lyons handed me and Lom the reins to our horses. "Lom's stayin' here," I said firmly. I was glad Lom didn't argue. Me and Lyons kept our horses at a moderate pace, dismountin' often to search for prints with candles. When we'd gone about five miles, we pulled to the side of the road. We were about to learn if we were on the right track.
"You boys are right on time, but I thought there were going to be three of you." Karl Josephs' voice came from deeper in the trees.
"Lom stayed behind," I told him.
"Well, tell him that he was right," Josephs answered. "The Brook Gang and one uncomfortable looking man went past here about fifteen minutes ago." Josephs rode out from the trees to stand next to us. "What are we waiting for? Let's get after them and hope they lead us to their hideout!"
Confident of the area where they were headed, we rode faster now. But we don't want to get so close they can see or hear us. While we rode,I studied Karl Josephs. He's so different in looks but has the same spirit as his brother Ken. They were both marshals when we met. They were my bodyguards. Ken is tall, blonde and fair. He took a near death beatin' meant for me. He's recovered with only a limp to show for it and established Ken's Boot Emporium on Curry Road near my blacksmith shop.
Karl has a strong build. He's shorter than his brother with hazel eyes. Karl was seriously injured when he and others were transporting Dusty Dave to Cheyenne for trial. Karl now works for US Marshal Deputy Director Arron Brothers and keeps gettin' promotions. He's the more ambitious of the two…or maybe Ken was just as ambitious before we was injured. I don't know. It should have been me that took that beatin'. Standin' side by side you'd never think they were brothers…half-brothers. As they explained, same pa, different mas. And right now, Karl was focused on our goal, findin' the hideout of the Black Brook Gang.
LOM
I started to lead my horse toward the sheriff's office as the Kid had said… ordered really. I intended to talk to the sheriff and let the Kid handle everything. As I limped on my right knee, I thought that a sore knee won't matter if I'm on a horse.
So instead of tying my horse outside the sheriff's office, I got on his back and set off at a fast pace. We'd ridden the route that we guessed led to their hideout every day with Marshals Lyons and Josephs. I didn't stop to read tracks; I didn't need anything but the thin light from the moon to see where the trail dirt was stirred up.
Slowing down when I heard horses ahead of me, I caught sight of three men on those horses slipping off to the side of the road. It must be the Kid and the two marshals. There would be more if it were the Black Brook Gang. Stopping about twenty yards short of them I said, "It's Lom."
The Kid emerged from the woods scowling, gun drawn. "Thought I told you to stay there and get the sheriff."
When the Kid assumes his Kid Curry persona, he is intimidating and hard to defy. But I know him and had expected this as I rode after him and planned my response. "Kid, this is my operation. I'm in charge and I'm going to take the lead."
He was quiet. I'm glad I couldn't see his eyes. At times like this they are more gray than blue. I stood just as quiet and unmoving.
"Okay, Marshal Trevors, let's get goin'."
We weren't that far behind the outlaws, but if one of their horses hadn't pulled up lame, we still wouldn't have found their hideout. I sent the Kid ahead to scout on a small river trail we had discovered on our ride yesterday. It's not even wide enough to ride two horses abreast. If anyone can ride soundlessly, it's him. He was back in less than ten minutes.
Raising his hand for us to stop, he whispered, "One man leadin' a horse less than a mile ahead. Think it's the man Lom recognized and called Toothless. This way," he said, heading toward the trail. He looked at me and I nodded. "Let's go."
The outlaw was easy to hear as we got closer. He was fussing and cussing at that poor animal as he pulled him along. Suddenly the voice was quiet.
The Kid motioned us to stop and crossed to the main road. It was hard to wait patiently but I trusted the Kid would be back as soon as he could. But it was a full twenty minutes before we heard him approaching.
"Found it. We would have missed it even if we was lookin' right at the entrance. Only way I found it was followin' the trail of that limpin' horse. How do you want to handle this, Lom?" he asked.
I didn't hear resentment in his tone. The Kid don't usually hold a grudge.
"How wide is the entrance?" I asked.
"Have to lead the horses through some tight rock formations single file for one hundred yards or so. Then it widens into a thick copse of trees. There's a cabin at the far end. It's like a little invisible canyon…and easy to defend," he answered.
"You lead us, Kid. I don't need to remind anyone to be as silent as possible. We'll hide in those trees," I said.
JED 'KID' CURRY
We were all worried what would happen to the bank president when that burlap bag was opened. Even he didn't know the payroll wasn't inside it, only cut newspapers.
We stood in the trees and watched at first. Then Lom motioned me to go look behind the cabin and see if I could tell how many of the gang were in the cabin. There's plenty of bushes and vegetation along the sides to the canyon that narrows to about ten feet on either side of the large cabin. I half expected to find a bunkhouse behind the cabin but all I found was an outhouse and their livery. Heyes had us build a nice livery and corral in Devil's Hole when we led the gang. The health of our horses could mean the difference between us gettin' away or gettin' caught.
As nice as the Devil's Hole livery and corral was, this one was better. It was a two-story buildin' all painted white with dark gray trim. The corral to the side of it had an abundance of green grass and two water troughs. And now it was filled with horses, most lookin' real tired. I didn't see the horse that had been limpin' until I realized I was hearin' a voice talkin' inside the livery. It was that same voice I'd followed on the trail here but now it was sayin' comforting words to the mare named Mary. If he hadn't been talkin' to her, he would have caught me lookin' in through the window. But I had time to go to the front of the building as he walked Mary, now with her leg bandaged out to the corral.
I worked my way back to the cover of the trees usin' the bushes along the side of the canyon for cover. And I saw on the other side, a break in the trees and a ridge a little up higher on the canyon wall that would be the perfect place to put a man with a rifle to defend the hideout…or a marshal with a rifle to catch the outlaws. It looked to me that anyone stationed there might be able to see into one of the cabin windows.
When I reported back to Lom, he was still on horseback while the others had dismounted. He took my advice and stationed Marshal Gray Lyons off to our right on that ridge with his rifle. We watched as he made his way there cautiously..
Lom sent Marshal Karl Josephs to the other side of the cabin. When he was gone, I asked, "Lom, Karl Josephs is no ordinary marshal. He's pretty high on Deputy Director Brothers' staff. What's he doin' on a job like this?"
"Kid, this is the first execution of my proposed way of catching outlaws and other criminals. I'm sure it's a test and Josephs is here to evaluate it," he told me.
"Lom, if I had known that I might not have told you to stay behind. Glad to have you with us here though," I said. "Where did Josephs go? I don't see him."
"Look," said Lom, pointin' to the side of the house where the corral was and a group of horses were comin' into view.. "Josephs must have opened the corral."
Two beautiful black horses flew through the open space in front of the cabin and headed for the trees. Ignoring us, they ran straight to the canyon's twisty entrance in single file. The rest of the horses were walkin' out more slowly, nibblin' on patches of grass, curious about this new freedom. A couple headed over to sample the bushes below where Lyons was hidden.
"Kid?" Lom reached out to lean on me as he dismounted. Takin' a tentative step on his leg, he stood up straighter. "Still hurts but not half as bad as before. Must have just twisted it when I fell."
He was lyin', but I know now how important this is to him that he catch this gang and especially Black Brook…and stop him from addin' one more person to those he's murdered. Me and Heyes talked about it and this new take on trackin' down and catchin' outlaws and criminals will work. And they won't see the law comin'. Glad they weren't usin' it when we was doin' the robbin'.
If I looked hard enough, I could see Lyons' rifle on the ridge to the right of the house. I was pretty sure he could see into the main room of the house, but of course, he couldn't hear anything said.
"Lom, stay here and be alert. I'm gonna move so I can see in the front window and maybe hear somethin'," I told him and moved without lookin' back at him.
Crouchin' behind the bushes, I made my way even with the house. Takin' a chance, I stayed low and ran to the buildin'. I looked into the front window, but my attention was drawn to Lom, crouchin', limpin', and makin' his way toward me.
"Stay low," I whispered as I looked through the window
The bank president was standin' near a high, round, wooden table almost facin' me. The man across the table from him with his back to me was talkin'.
"Where the money?" the man growled. From his stance and his demandin' tone, I figured this must be Black Brook Evans.
The bank president reached into his coat and took out the burlap bag. He held it close for a moment, then placed it near him on the table right in front of him.
Brook stumped around the table. Untying the knot on the bag, he looked inside. I was surprised he didn't take the money out. He seemed satisfied by what he saw, which was the bills on top of the newspaper clippings. I let out a breath of relief that he didn't look closer.
Black Brook stepped back. Drawin' his gun, he growled even lower, "Now Mr. Bank President, we no longer have any need for you."
I drew my gun and started to stand up to enter the cabin. But the bank president shocked me, pullin' a gun of his own out of his coat pocket. "I don't think so, Mr. Evans. I helped you. Give me my share and I'll leave and forget I was ever here."
"This does not have a good ending for that man," Lom whispered.
With the bank president's gun still pointed at him, Black Brook's mean laugh filled the room. "Look around you."
The bank president realized that there were four additional men with guns pointed at him behind him.
I hesitated, but Lom stood up and moved toward the front of the cabin.
"Lom, what are you doin'?" I hissed, puttin' my arm across him to stop his progress.
He pushed past my arm. "I'm doing what needs to be done."
I watched as he walked into the middle of the open area in front of the cabin.
"Hello, in there," yelled Lom, real friendly like.
Ignorin' the bank president, Black Brook went out on the porch. The other four gang members followed but stopped just inside the door. Black Brook's reputation for killin' was well known. I started to move to the side where I could get a shot at him if he decided to draw on Lom. Lom's good with a gun but no match for Black Brook. I had a fleetin' thought of where the bank president was but needed to focus my attention on Lom and Black Brook.
"Hi there!" Lom waved to the outlaws.
"It's one of them dumb drifters," Black Brook said to the men behind him.
Lom used an upbeat friendly tone as he spoke, "Trailed you here. When you didn't pay us, I figured you'd rob the bank. I don't want a share, just my three nights' pay. And I thought maybe I could join your gang?"
All the men laughed at Lom loudly. I could see Marshal Lyons movin' off the ridge until he was level with the house. Then I lost sight of him.
I learned this next part later. While the Black Brook Gang was laughin' at Lom, the bank president picked up the burlap sack and walked quietly out the back door. He was immediately met by Marshal Ken Josephs, who disarmed him, keepin' his hand over the startled man's mouth. Forcin' him into the livery, he handcuffed him, gagged him, and tied him to a chair where he couldn't be seen from the house. Then he removed the burlap bag from the man's pocket. The livery and corral were empty of horses by this time. And two of the horses had wandered leisurely to near the front porch where Brook and his gang saw them.
Attention momentarily diverted from Lom, Brook said, "What the…?"
"Thems our horses," says one of the men.
"Lou, did you forget to close the corral gate again?" Brook accused the man to his left.
"No, I'm sure I closed it, Brook. Real sure after last time," Lou growled back at his boss.
I took this diversion to get to the end of the porch, quietly with my gun drawn.
To get the attention back on him and away from my progress, Lom said, "How about it? Can I join? I'm good with a gun and an excellent tracker. I followed you here, didn't I?" Lom asked. "I'm good with horses, too. I'll help you round them up and take a look at that corral gate. Bet I could fix it."
Brook tried to stare down Lom. "Ain't no more room in this gang for anyone else, drifter." Brook went for his gun, but I stepped forward where I had a better look and shot the gun out of his hand.
Brook turned to me real angry like. "Shoot him," he yelled to his men.
The men all turned and looked at me. Brook was unarmed but I couldn't take on the other four of them. I wouldn't have that split-second I need to aim: I might kill one of them.
The one Brook had called Lou stared at me and his eyes grew wide. "That's Kid Curry! Ain't gonna draw against him." He backed into the house. I was hopin' that Lyons and Josephs were there to meet him.
Brook answered saying, "No, he's just the other drifter that was hired to guard the bank."
"That's Curry. Heard about him when I was in prison. He's a legend there. He's supposed to be the fastest gun in the west," said Toothless as he backed up through the door too. The skinny outlaw followed him inside leaving only Brook and one other on the porch. I figured that man was their gunnie.
"Heard you were dead, Curry," Brook challenged. He took a step closer to his gun on the ground. I doubted it would work after I hit it out of his hand, but he was cornered and gettin' desperate.
"Do I look dead?" I growled, moved closer to him.
Brook was lookin' at me and didn't realize his men had retreated inside. "Shoot him! There's four of you and one of him."
"And I'll get two of you before you fire…which of you wants to be first?"
Realizin' that most of his men were not behind him, Brook dove for his gun on the ground. My next bullet pushed the gun out of his reach.
Keepin' my attention on Brook and his gunnie, I was glad to hear the marshals' voices inside the house. "Throw your weapons over in that corner." I counted three guns hittin' the floor. "Put your hands behind your backs."
Brook heard what I heard. Standin' he yelled, "No! No! No!" He grabbed the gun out of his gunnie's holster and pointed it at me, then Lom, then back at me. "Who wants to be first? I think you, Curry," he snarled, startin' to pull the trigger.
I shot him in the shoulder. Lom shot him in the leg. He stumbled backward, gun still in his hand and managed one shot, catchin' me in the thigh.
I heard the shots that followed immediately as Lom and Lyons both fired at Brook. His borrowed gun flew out of his hand as he fell to the ground, groaned, and died.
Pointin' his gun at the unarmed gunnie, Lom asked," You want to join Brook or surrender?"