WINTER'S REFUGE

by Kattayl

Every author writes a Curry and Heyes prison story. This is mine.

101. Winter's Refuge Chapter 101

Winter's Refuge

Chapter One Hundred and One

HEYES

Me and Chrissy sat at the kitchen table while Juan prowled around the outside, staring down Curry Road looking for activity. We heard horses before we saw them. By the time they reached the gate, I was looking out the window at them and Juan was standing on the front porch. Chrissy was standing back in the shadows of the living room, gun within reach on the table. Before they came, I told Chrissy again she could go to Auntie's, but she refused.

"Chrissy stay. My home. Pretend your wife."

She was adamant and when she sets her mind to anything, it's hard to move her.

"Want something?" I heard Juan yell down to the men opening our gate.

I couldn't make out faces from the window, but I heard their reply. "Looking for the blacksmith."

"He don't live here. Only rents the shop," Juan answered.

I could just make out the shadows of the men huddled together, uncertain what to do. I opened the door and tried to imitate the Kid's gunfighter stance. With the light behind me, I knew I'd just be a threatening shadow. "Who is it, Juan?"

"Don't know, Mr. Smith. They're looking for Mr. Jones," Juan answered.

Two of the men walked through the gate. I stepped forward so they could see my face in the lamplight on the porch.

Chrissy came to the door and asked, "Who is it, honey?" I was proud of her. There was no fear in her voice.

"The blacksmith does not live here. He lives near town," I said loudly as they approached. Close enough to see their faces now, I could see their anger…and confusion.

"Where in town?"

"Not sure. Don't care as long as he pays his rent," I answered.

A third man came from behind and put a hand on the shoulder of each man advancing toward the house. "Sorry to bother you and the missus, sir. We'll find him tomorrow." He whispered something to the men, and they turned and left.

Chrissy started to shake as they turned to leave and went into the house. Me and Juan stayed on the porch until we couldn't see them anymore.

We stayed on the porch watching to see if the men went near the blacksmith shop. They rode all around it. The Kid and Arnie had made sure it was locked up tight before he left for Three Birds. After the men circled it, they increased their speed as they rode away.

Now as long as they don't run into the Kid and the Josephs on their way home all should be good. I'd remembered the offshoot road that Auntie had used during our escape to Solteria and told them to take it if they could find it. They found it coming home and arrived at the back kitchen door of our house a few minutes after the men had left. They'd been quiet, walking their horses the last bit but Chrissy heard them.

Chrissy opened the back door. The Kid looked at her close. "You okay, darlin'?"

"Chrissy good. Heyes and Juan do good."

I know he could tell she was nervous because she called herself by name, but he ignored it. He took her in his arms and held her tight before catching my eye.

"Thanks, partner. Knew you could handle things here," he said. "And you too, Juan."

"All Heyes' idea and he was right on everything. Said they'd come back tomorrow." Juan was already taking off his gunbelt and putting it on top of the kitchen cabinet where, hopefully, no child hands would find it.

I smiled at the Kid. If everything went right, there would be no tomorrow for them to come back here. They'd be caught when they tried to rob the bank.

LOM

I tried to hide my dismay when I saw Preacher. Never a heavy man, he was bone thin now. And I could smell alcohol on his breath even now. But his speech was clear and not slurred. He was not shackled when he entered the room, but shuffled as he walked so I knew he was accustomed to ankle shackles.

"Preacher!" I said.

"Lom, you didn't have to come here. Just wanted someone to know where I am when I die."

"You don't have to die in here. Twenty years isn't forever, and this prison is known for releasing inmates early. Very early for good behavior."

"Eighteen years seems as bad as twenty." He sat at the table and looked at the pitcher of water.

I poured two glasses and handed one to him.

"Alright that I have one, sir?"

I heard it slip out; the sir had become a habit.

"Have all you want. You know, I've heard men with twenty-year sentence here released in fifteen years, some less," I told him. It was the truth. I'd researched it when the Kid was here hoping that if I couldn't convince the governor to give him amnesty, that he could still get out early. It was standard practice here, unlike the Wyoming Territorial Prison that held Heyes. Few inmates got out early for good behavior there.

"Truth?"

"Truth." I made a show of sniffing the air. "Course, you have to stay sober and stop fighting."

He looked at me with sad eyes. "The Lord keeps blessing me with liquor. Can't refuse a blessing."

I looked into the sad eyes of the man that had saved my life twice and recently saved the Kid at Brown River. There's good in him. "Seems to me that the liquor might not be a gift from God but a temptation from the devil. What do you think?"

I could see surprise cross his face as he emptied the last of the pitcher into his glass and drank it down. He nodded. "Never thought of it that way. Think I've followed a lot of his temptations. Need to reflect on that." He sounded serious.

"Brought these for you." I handed him the box and he immediately put the straw hat on his head.

"Now, Lom, I know you bringing this is a gift from above." He took out a cookie and ate it. I'd added jerky. Chrissy had always commented on the jerky I brought her. Smiling, he took a bite of another cookie and asked, "How you doing with that pretty wife of yours? Baby here yet?"

"Susan's well. Another four weeks or so to go."

He was quiet but I broke into his thoughts. "Anything else you need? I mean that's legal to bring you? No alcohol."

"Been thinking maybe you're right about the drink being the devil's weapon of choice to get my soul. Gonna ask the warden if I can do a short service this afternoon. Can you stay?"

"That's up to the warden and the train schedules."

HEYES

The twins were staying with Auntie tonight, and Arnie was staying there, too. Juan and Hortencia took the guest room here and Karl is sharing a room with Ken. Glen took first watch and Karl was going to relieve him in four hours. Chrissy brought Joy back here. There's a slim chance those men might return tonight, or even early tomorrow morning. We'll be ready. The twins will miss school tomorrow and the Kid repeated his warning to everyone, especially the woman, to stay home and stay close.

"Heyes, you did real good today. You were the one that thought they might come lookin' for the blacksmith and you were right…thank you."

I nodded. And wished he would tease me, again, like he used to. When he says things like that, he reminds me of my pa.

"That genius brain of yours is workin' again, huh?" he said with a sly grin, and I knew we were partners, not pa and son.

"Well, when you got it, a shame not to use it," I answered. It felt good to laugh with him. He doesn't laugh enough. I think he still feels like that guy in the stories that rolls a boulder up a hill only to have to do it again the next day. And I don't know how to help him with that.

JED 'KID' CURRY

I couldn't sleep last night worryin' about today. When we was robbin' banks, I never lost any sleep the night before. But now that I'm stoppin' a robbery, and Ken and Karl say there has to be evidence that they do intend to commit a robbery, I can't sleep. In her sleep, Chrissy rolled over and faced away from me. I got up quietly and picked up our sleepin' daughter. Sittin' in the big chair, I rocked her in my arms and watched her peaceful, innocent sleep. I didn't sleep but I rested, sharin' some of her peace.

I laid her gently in her crib before sunrise. Me and Ken and Karl left for Three Birds just as the sun was makin' the sky a soft orange. We were quiet. We each knew what to do. Ken sat on the bench across the street from the bank. Karl went around to the back to make sure no one was back there yet. And I paced nervously up and down the sidewalk across from the bank. I walked three or four doors up and admired how the work on the restored saloon was progressin'. It had only taken them two days to reopen after the rainstorm with tarps across the holes in the roof. Well, not really the roof, the tarps were spread on what used to be the floor of the second story, but what was left of that held the tarps.

Mr. Palmer Robinson, the bank president, hurried down the street toward the bank. I didn't see any of the would-be robbers from last night, so I waited a minute before I leisurely crossed the street. Takin' a deep breath, I could feel my concentration heighten like before a gunfight. I studied everyone around me, relieved to see only a few townsfolk headin' toward the now open door of the bank. Mr. Bremerton's buggy pulled up in front of the bank and blocked my view of the front door. I moved to the side and increased my pace as I crossed the street. I saw just the back of someone enterin' the bank. As I hurried toward the few steps, I felt a hand push me.

"Step aside, blacksmith. Can't you see I was here first!" Mr. Bremerton moved slowly up the first step, and I remembered his bad arthritis. I tried to step around him. "Wait your turn. I was here first."

The old man insisted on goin' through the door ahead of me…and walked straight into a robbery. Two men had entered that I couldn't see, not one.

"Don't either of you move," one of the robbers told us, wavin' his gun in a circle that I could see included the clerks, Mr. Bremerton and Mr. Robinson…and me. "Mister, keep that gun in its holster." The man was nervous, jumpy or he would never have let me keep my gun. And I was thankful that I had washed the black grime off of me and my shirt was freshly pressed. I didn't look like the workin' blacksmith they'd met.

"Where's the safe?" the one I knew as Leo demanded. One of the clerks pointed to the back and Leo made himself comfortable in front of the safe. He leaned his ear against it and closed his eyes.

Bein' the last in, I could see sideways out the front door. Karl had approached a third robber from behind and stuck the barrel of his gun in his back. I could just hear his demandin' whisper and the man backed up and out of my view. I knew Karl was herdin' him across the street to Ken. But the two inside didn't know their backup wasn't there anymore.

The man with the gun was nervous. That makes him very dangerous. He kept starin' at me like he recognized me. While his partner tried to open the safe, he pointed at a cashier and threw him an empty bag.

"Fill it…everything out of the drawers…every penny!" His voice quivered as he talked. And the cashier shook as he put the money in the bag. "Leo, how you comin' with the safe?"

"Got it! What the…" he said as he saw the inner lock. "Keys? Who has the keys?"

"Leo, what's wrong? I heard the handle click open."

"Some fancy lock here inside. Who's got the keys?"

"I do. Here." Mr. Robinson held up the keys with a look at me. Which made the robber look at me, too. "Just keep that gun holstered like I said." He was thinkin' where he'd seen me before.

I lifted my hands to the side, so he knew I wasn't goin' for my gun…well until there was a suitable diversion. Leo stood and grabbed the keys from Robinson. I noted that he had done as I suggested and added a third miscellaneous key to the ring.

"Gives me time to collect from you," the other man growled. He grabbed a hat off the wall. "All your money. All your jewelry. Now!" he said to Robinson. He did as he was told quickly. "Now you," the robber said and pass it on. Each clerk emptied their pockets of a few coins and one threw in a watch. Unseen, Karl had slipped in the back door and moved toward the safe. But I knew he was wary of the nervous gunman, too.

"I'm not giving you anything!" Mr. Bremerton held his coat closed.

At the same instant, Leo threw the keys across the room at Mr. Robinson. "Can't get the thing open!" he screamed.

And everyone's attention, except mine, went to him. And I saw the gunman's finger start to squeeze the trigger of the gun pointed at Bremerton's chest. In one quick motion, I pushed the gun away from the old man as it went off and drew my own. "Don't move." He put up his hands in surrender.

I saw Karl slip the gun from Leo's holster. "You're under arrest."

And it was over. Me and Karl and Ken walked the three would-be robbers to Frank's jail.

"Now I know you. You're the blacksmith that couldn't even make the bar splitter right." Ian spit towards me.

Ken smiled. "Seems like it worked exactly as he intended it to work."

"No, that's not how…" He saw me smilin' at him. "You knew what it was all along."

"Should; my partner drew that design and we successfully robbed…er, used it many times."

"Your partner? But it didn't work."

Ken pushed the men into the first two jail cells. "Think you men ought to meet this man. Name's Jed but people call him Kid Curry." I saw the look of surprise then fear cross their faces. "And the bar splitter worked just as Hannibal Heyes redesigned it."

"Last night, the man on the porch, that was Hannibal Heyes?" Leo looked at his partners. "Heard something about amnesty for you two."

I turned the key and locked the cells. "As the bank president said, it was a fortunate turn of fate that you chose me to make it."

I heard them arguin, blamin' each other as we left the sheriff's office.

Aiden was treatin' Mr. Bremerton, who had been shot in the arm, but was tellin' everyone I was a hero for savin' his life and stoppin' the robbery.

"That robber was aiming for my chest. He would have killed me. Mr. Curry, I owe you my life."

I was just glad that he hadn't addressed me as 'ex-convict' today.

I had held my breath durin' the robbery that Leo didn't give the keys to Robinson and hold the gun to his head while he opened the safe. I counted on the 'safeman' to have a big enough ego to want to do it himself. And I was right.

Mr. Robinson shook my hand. He felt my installation of a secondary lock was a fortunate bit of fate. He mentioned somethin' about helpin' us get a patent on it so we could sell it to other banks. And told me the whole town will be thankin' me for savin' their hard-earned dollars.

LOM

The warden gave permission for Preacher to lead a service. The guards came and took him back to his cell. He'd been in the dark cell for the last few days and smelled like it. Somehow, someone had smuggled him alcohol before he came to see me.

"Sheriff Trevors, my clerk has reviewed the train schedules. It's going to be tight time wise, but I've arranged for Convict Jewell to preach in the mess hall in forty minutes. Right now, he is being allowed to shower and don a clean uniform."

"Thank you, Warden. Just how tight is tight?"

"Let's go to my office and talk. There are some other things I'd like to discuss with you.

ASJ*****ASJ

Guards led me to the warden's office, and I sat in his anteroom for ten minutes before he joined me. When he did, I repeated my question. "How tight is tight?" I have to be on that train. Have to get back to Susan as soon as I can.

"You'll have twenty minutes to get to the train. It brings our supplies, so we have the ability to delay it another ten minutes, if needed. I guarantee that you'll be on it."

"Thank you."

As I sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, he came and stood in front of me. "Did Convict Jewell have alcohol with him when you saw him?"

"No," I answered truthfully.

"Was he drunk?" His voice felt like he was interrogating me. And I didn't like it. I stood up to face him knowing I am taller.

This was a tricky question. I was glad he didn't ask if he had been drinking. But I've seen Preacher drunk and he wasn't drunk now. "He wasn't drunk. Why are you asking?" I used his tone back at him. He's not used to being questioned, but I'm not a prisoner.

He bristled at my tone before taking a breath. "My apologies, Trevors, I forget I'm not always talking to prisoners and guards. My wife insists that I have a drink and read a book for at least half an hour when I return home to change from a kick ass warden to a loving husband and father." He gave me a sheepish grin as he sat in the chair next to me.

"Your honest opinion of Convict Jewell?"

I thought for a moment. "If he's going to reform, it will be through religion…and hope of early release. He never stayed in one place for long, not even Devil's Hole."

At the warden's look, I explained, "Before I followed the straight and narrow, I was a member of the Devil's Hole Gang. My friendship with Preacher started then."

He quickly schooled the look of surprise off of his face. "You rode with Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry?"

"I did for a while. And Jim Santana before them. Before I received an amnesty and became a lawman."

"You know Jed Curry served time here. A most extraordinary man. Never saw anyone work so hard to achieve a goal he felt was beyond his reach. He was already at the railroad camp when I started. In many ways, he changed the way the guards viewed the prisoners."

"Yes, I know. I visited him here regularly until he signed himself into what he considered servitude."

"You know him? I always figured he had enough fight and grit to build himself a free life. Especially since he had learned a good trade with the railroad."

I didn't want to say too much or too little. The Kid's a private man. But this man seemed to hold him in some esteem. "The Kid's done good. Has a growing horse ranch in Nebraska and a thriving blacksmith shop. And a wife and family. And he still faces each day with that same grit and determination."

The warden smiled. "Not too often I hear about the ones that reform and build a good life on the outside. That's our goal here. I'm glad Curry did."

He seemed genuinely pleased, but I wasn't. "Jed Curry had reformed his life three years before he came here. Took the governors a long time to see that."

Puzzled, he was about to say something, when his clerk interrupted us. "Services are about to start, sir."

As we were escorted to the dining hall, the warden leaned in and said, "Don't know if you've ever heard Convict Jewell preach, Trevors. When his heart is in it, he's the most powerful preacher I've ever heard."

And Preacher's heart was indeed in it today. He preached of God's mercy and used the story of the Prodigal Son. His words were strong, powerful, kind, and merciful. I'd only seen glimpses of this side of him before. Every man - convict, guard, and warden - was under his spell.

At the end of that parable, he talked about Jesus leaving his flock of sheep to go find and return the lost one.

"I am that lost one. You are that lost one. But Jesus, in his divine mercy, is calling us if we listen." Preacher caught my eye as he spoke and nodded with a smile.

"In conclusion, I'd like each of you to consider the meaning of Psalm 32.5. The words may seem old-fashioned, but they mean that I acknowledge my mistakes, my sins to the Lord and he forgave them. What this means to you and me here today is Hope, the hope of redemption. Thank you all for listening to me. If the warden allows it, I will speak again on Sunday."

The men in the room stood as one and clapped. Hope is a very precious commodity in prison, and he had shown them a path to reach it. I watched as he spoke to the guards when finished. The senior guard waved me over and stepped back to give me and Preacher privacy for a minute.

"Lom, thanks for coming. You set me back on the path of salvation. Do you think maybe you could send a few bibles for me to lead bible study? Can't pay you for them but I'll pray for you."

"I'll send them." Something had dawned on me when he was preaching, something that I think he and the Kid needed to do. "Preacher, when the Lord forgives your sins, there's something you need to do."

"Lead a good life. I'm committed to that."

"Yeah. But you need to forgive yourself."

He looked at me and reached out a newly shackled hand for me to shake. "I'll make that the subject of my next service."

JED 'KID' CURRY

Two weeks later…

I looked up from the shovel I was makin' to see Frank watchin' me, arms crossed. I've been workin' from dawn to dusk tryin' to get ahead with the blacksmithin' orders and the special orders that Jeff takes in the mercantile.

"Can't stop now. Give me five minutes and we can talk." I know what he wants to talk about. I haven't shown my face in Three Birds since the bank robbery. No matter what Ken and Karl say, it's my fault that robbery happened.

When we were alone, Frank reached out to shake my hand and smiled. "I heard about your role in the robbery from Ken and Karl, then the bank president, and finally Mr. Bremerton. Proud of you, Jed. You're the hero of Three Birds again. Every family here has money in that bank, the city council fund is in that bank. My brother's campaign fund is in that bank. And a large payroll that comes in once a month was in there. Through my brother's carelessness, those outlaws found out about that payroll…and you saved him public embarrassment. You did everything right. Thank you for taking care of us all."

I showed him the black grime on my hands. "Sorry," I said as the reason for not shakin' hands. "Thanks for sayin' that, Frank, but it's all my fault it happened. Shouldn't have made that bar splitter. Should have told Ken from the start. Could have stopped it before it started." I couldn't look him in the eyes now that I had confessed.

He was quiet until I looked at him. I saw disappointment in his eyes. "Sorry I didn't live up to your expectations."

He was still quiet. And it was uncomfortable between us. I picked up my hammer and turned to the anvil mutterin', "Sorry."

"JED! Turn around and let's finish this conversation now." Frank's tone demanded attention. I knew he was angry at me. I respect him. I considered him a friend. And I lost that, too, because I decided to make that bar splitter.

Puttin' the hammer down, I looked at him, but my eyes looked down quickly. Then, just as quick, I raised them again. I did wrong but he's not a prison guard and I'm no longer a prisoner. I know my stance became defiant.

Frank took a deep breath and spoke, "My friend, you did everything right. Ken couldn't have done anything if you had told him earlier. They hadn't committed a crime yet."

He studied me and I felt his disapproval. Sadness overwhelmed me. I'm tryin' so hard, so very hard, to be accepted as a good citizen, a good neighbor, maybe fool them into thinkin' I'm a good man. Now that's gone. Nervous, I tried to wipe the black off of my hands. I want to run. Hide my failure from this man I want to call my friend…and from myself.

"JED." Frank's hand on my shoulder brings me back to his words.

"Sorry," I mumbled again. But I looked straight at him and stood tall. I'm willin' to take his accusin' words and my punishment.

"I'm disappointed in you," Frank started.

"I know.

"Do you? How exactly do you think you've disappointed me?" I'd never heard Frank so mad before. I heard it in his voice, saw it in his eyes.

"The robbery was my fault."

"NO!" The strength of his answer made me step back.

There was no kindness in his face or his stance. "Why haven't you been in town the last two weeks? You haven't even driven the twins to school. You told me before you loved that morning time with them."

"Busy."

"Hiding." He shook his head as if searchin' for the right words.

I'll take responsibility for what I did but I don't want Heyes or even Ken and Karl to be in trouble with the law. "That why you came out here, sir? You didn't see me in Three Birds to arrest me so came out here to do it? I'll go with you quietly, just let me put the forge fire out."

Frank folded his arms across his chest. He was so angry I thought he might try to hit me. I'll let him. I deserve that and worse.

"My boy, haven't you heard a word I said? LISTEN to me and not that nay saying voice in your head. You did good. You're a hero. You are not being arrested. Your plan not only stopped a robbery that would have ruined this town financially, it caught three members of an outlaw gang that's been robbing this area for six months. With information you provided, their hideout was found and two more are in custody. Did you hear what I said this time?" Frank was yellin' by the time he finished.

But what he was sayin' didn't match what I've been thinkin'. "I heard. I ain't no hero."

His anger cooled a little. "Not supposed to tell you this, but the town wanted to honor you and to give you an award that the children have made for you. It was a surprise but you're going to pick up your kids at school today if I have to hold a gun on you to make you go."

Now I'm confused. Martha has begged me every day to drive them to school. Even said Miss Duhamel wanted to talk to me. Thought it was about the kids so Heyes went in my place. Said he was uncomfortable because he thought she wanted him to ask him out. But he didn't. Told me she's too young and not his type.

And just this morning Michael had asked, "Pa, don't you love me anymore?" with a look that broke my heart. I love my kids so much and only want the best for them. Sometimes I think me and Heyes' parents must have wanted the same for us…but wantin' that didn't help bad things from happenin'.

I got down on one knee so I could look my son in the eyes. "Boy, I love you so much! Why would you ask somethin' like that?"

"'Cause you have someone else drive us to school so you don't have to spend time with us," he said honestly.

"I love spendin' time with you, but I got work to do to support the family and when I work in the smithy I'm covered with soot and black grime. You'd be ashamed of me."

We hugged and he came away with black dust all over his shirt and pants. "See, now go change your shirt."

He smiled. "No time now, 'sides, I want the whole world to know my pa is the best blacksmith ever."

I hugged him again as I lifted him into the wagon with Martha and waved goodbye to them.

I must have looked puzzled at yesterday's memory, too, because Frank smiled at me.

"Why can't I make you understand how much good you're brought to those around you?" Frank's tone had softened.

I shook my head. "Chrissy says things like that, too. And I thank you for your nice words, Frank. You speak as a friend and I'm proud to call you that. If the kids want to give me somethin', I'll pick up the twins today." I looked at my hands and arms. I hadn't washed deeply for two weeks. No wonder Chrissy took Joy out of my arms last night and said 'dirty'. I hadn't really noticed. I was too busy convincin' myself I was responsible for the bank robbery. But maybe Frank was right. Maybe it wasn't my fault.

HEYES

Me and the Kid took the wagon into Three Birds this afternoon to pick up the twins. He told me about Frank's visit. I told him I agreed with his friend.

"The robbery was not our fault. We did good. We saved the day. Saved the town. You were never shy about us taking credit for all our successful robberies. Why not bask in the credit for stopping one?"

I tapped my shoulder against his. But when I thought about it, the Kid was never loud about our successes. He left that up to me and the rest of the gang. He would smile, have a drink and, if we weren't at the Hole, he'd keep very alert to our surroundings. Always protecting us…protecting me.

"We did make that bar splitter and not report anything to Ken and Karl, the only lawmen around." He spoke quietly, looking forward, not at me.

"From what you told me, Frank said the same thing that Ken and Karl already told us. We did everything right and you were very brave and heroic in that bank." I tried to make my words reassuring yet forceful. I don't have the sway over the Kid that I used to. He has it over me.

Slowly he nodded, and talked slowly, thinking about each word. He pulled the wagon over to the side of the road. "Heyes, everything we've ever had's been taken away from us…ripped away from us, even each other for a few years. Every single day I wake up and wonder if today's the day I'm going to lose everything again. And I'm scared." I heard his voice crack. I know it took a lot for him to confess to me like this.

I wanted to remind him of the sanctuary he built here by sheer force of will. But I'll save that for later. I know him. He won't listen to that now. I'll keep working on what he thinks of himself. I've been self-absorbed healing…and the Kid made sure I have the time and space to do that. I'm healed enough to recognize he needs my help.

Now, I have to convince him to accept this award gracefully. "Kid, I'm proud of what we did when we learned of the robbery. BUT I'm most proud of how you handled things in the bank during the robbery."

"We didn't figure on Mr. Bremerton being in the bank. Pushed right by me."

"But you handled it. Wish I could have seen it when they couldn't open that lock," I said.

"Bremerton got shot." The Kid remembered the worst parts again and, from the tone of his voice, blamed himself.

"Only in the arm. Karl said the gun was pointed right at the old man's chest and the robber was starting to pull the trigger," I said, hoping the Kid would see the good if not perfect outcome.

He was quiet. We could see the school in the distance. "Did you know he thanked me afterwards for savin' his life?"

"See what I mean? You saved his life. No one else is fast enough to knock that gun away before his finger closed on the trigger. NO ONE, Kid, but you!"

Those deep blue eyes stared at me and reached into my soul. And for a moment I couldn't say anything, my words left me. So, I just put my hands on his shoulders and looked back into his eyes. I broke the silence. "I…I…g. scar…scar…scared, too. You m. me ," I said, stopping as I became angry at myself for losing my words.

"Heyes, what are you sayin'?"

I concentrated on what I wanted, needed to say. It's important I say the right thing. Some of the most important words I've ever said in my life. "In prison, I lived scared. Thought about not living anymore." I took a breath and was relieved I had my words. "You're right; everything good was taken away, but then you found me. You brought me here to a ranch you built by your strength of will. I'm not scared at Phoenix because I know you are here. I'm healing. I want to do something so you're not scared waking up at Phoenix. So you'll heal there, too." I could tell he was listening. He had the same look when he was a little boy and I'd explain something new to him. My words were slipping away again but I kept his gaze until they came back and I said, "Tell me how to help you, Kid."

JED 'KID' CURRY

Heyes' words made somethin' break inside me and then started to change. I was a little boy again and he tryin' to explain what death was when my dog died. Then, I had believed every word my older cousin had said. And part of me was believin' him now. At least enough that when I got to the Three Birds schoolhouse, I could be gracious and really accept the looks of pride on my twins' faces when the oldest child at the school presented me with a framed award the kids had made sayin',

To Jed Curry

Our Hero

The children of Three Birds thank you!

And each of them had signed it before it was put in a nice wooden frame. I know Chrissy and Auntie will make a fuss over this and hang it on the wall. I was honored, even though these kids don't know the whole story.

Frank was standin' in the back of the classroom, watchin; and smilin'. I was surprised to see old Mr. Bremerton and the bank president, Mr. Palmer Robinson, standin' with him. Heyes joined them. His little grin and wink let me know he approved of this ceremony.

I studied the award and was goin' to say the thank you words Heyes had suggested on the way here when Mr. Bremerton, leanin' on his cane, walked forcefully toward me. If he was gonna criticize me for lettin' him get shot, I wish it wasn't in front of Michael and Martha. I saw Heyes tense. I hooked my hands on my belt but would never draw my Colt in a schoolhouse.

"Mr. Curry," Bremerton said, takin' a place next to me, facin' the schoolchildren.

"Mr. Bremerton," I answered, aware that my voice held defiance. But he didn't notice. He was holdin' somethin' out to me.

"Mr. Curry," he started again. "In addition to the award from the children, I desired to acknowledge my thanks in another way. Please accept this watch as a small token of my gratitude." He lowered his voice adding, "And as an apology for the way I treated you." Steppin' back, he spoke loudly again. "I had it engraved. Be assured that the engraver does not exhibit the same level of perfection that your work shows, but it would hardly have been a surprise if I had asked you to engrave it to yourself."

The children laughed. I accepted the box and shook the hand Bremerton extended. Inside I found a beautiful watch. On the back it said, "With thanks to Jed Curry from Old Miser Bremerton."

I looked up in surprise to see him smilin'. "I'm well aware of what I am, Mr. Curry. Everyone makes mistakes and I'm old enough to know when to forgive myself and move forward. Something you should consider. You should be very proud of the man you are."

He turned and walked away abruptly as the kids gathered around me wantin' to thank me and see the watch. "Thank you all. I truly appreciate it," were the only words I could get out in the chaos that seemed to be around me. Miss Duhamel clapped twice, and the kids returned to their desks. Well, most of them. Martha and Michael were standin' next to me, and I realized Heyes was, too.

"Children, Sheriff Birde and Mr. Robinson want to talk to Michael and Martha's pa and uncle for a few minutes. You are dismissed. Martha and Michael, you may play in the yard until the grownups are finished." And with that she herded all of them outside.

"Pa," Michael turned in the doorway. "May we go over to Dr. Aiden's instead?"

Auntie and Heyes had told me that's where they usually found them after school. Michael's obsessed with watchin' everythin' Aiden does. And he even tried to read one of the medical journals about what to do for dog bites.

"We'll meet you there," I told them.

And only Frank and Mr. Robinson were left with me and Heyes. Okay now was the time we were goin' to hear what trouble we were in. I could tell from my cousin's face he was thinkin' the same thing.