Chapter 32

Heyes lay awake watching her sleep.  He couldn't stop looking at her, knowing this was the last time he'd ever see her sleep.  Pangs of quilt coarsed through him. Not only for what he was going to do to her tomorrow, but for what he'd already done to her.  Making love to her had been the most perfect moments of his life.  Those moments couldn't compare to any he'd ever had.  He would cherish those memories .   But those moments would forever be tainted by his regret at  having been so foolish and careless with her virtue and her reputation.  Remembering it now had desire and yearning springing to life inside of him, but he pushed it down. He couldn't touch her again.  Could never make love to her again.  He'd almost given in to the temptation earlier when she had given him a bath.  Kid had saved his neck again.  As if hearing his thoughts, Kid stirred in the cot beside him.
Heyes turned to see his partner sitting up on the edge of his cot, staring at him.

"How ya feelin'?  Heyes whispered.

"Pretty good, all things considered. "   Kid whispered back.  Kid watched Heyes as he lay there propped up on one elbow looking down at the angelic face of the young woman who slept next to him.  He was lovingly stroking her hair and touching the side of her face.  He reminded Kid of a child with a new toy that he didn't want to stop looking at before he went to bed.  He felt for his friend.  He knew Heyes was going to send her away tomorrow and he was dreading it.  Kid dreaded it for him.   Because he also knew that Heyes planned on that being the last time he would ever see her.  Kid hated for her to get hurt.  He loved that girl too.  She was like his baby sister.  But it had to be done.  For her own good.

"She saved us, Heyes."

"She sure did.  I can't believe she came all this way."   He leaned over and dropped a gentle kiss to her smooth cheek.  She amazed him.  Most women twice her age wouldn't have had the guts or courage to do what she had done.  He admired her for that and he loved her for it.

"Heyes, you know she can't stay here.  It's too dangerous."

"I know.  I already told her she has to leave in the morning."

Kid could see in his partner's face and hear it in his voice how much he dreaded that moment.  He had been prepared to never see her again, after being forced to leave her.   And now suddenly she was here.  And now he had to endure the parting he thought he had been able to avoid.
"I know it's going to be hard, but it's for the best.  And just because you're sending her back doesn't mean you don't love her.  And she knows that.  You're sending her back because you love her.  I think she knows that too."

"I know she knows, but that doesn't make it any easier.  And I know it's for the best, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"You know she's going to put up one heck of a fight when you try to get her on a horse and make her ride out of here tomorrow."

He kept his eyes locked on her sleeping profile.  Wanting to remember how she looked.   He had really thought that he was going to spend the rest of his life with her.  What a fool he was.  He just hoped she didn't hate him afterwards.  He couldn't bear the thought of her hating him.  But he knew she wouldn't.  She loved him so completely and without condition that his mind was boggled sometimes.  He simply didn't deserve her.    And she didn't deserve the kind of life that being with him would give her.   He had caused this whole mess and now he would fix it.

"Yeah, I know."

"Heyes, what did you do with the ring?  She didn't find it while we were out did she?"

"It's in my saddlebags....."  A strange look came over his face.   "Oh, no.  My saddle and gear are still in the well."

A light crept up the side of the tunnel wall just outside the doorway.  Kid saw it first and drew his Colt which had never left his hip the whole time he'd been unconscious.   Even wounded, Kid Curry's hand was steady and prepared to fire as he aimed the shiny, cocked pistol at the doorway.   Heyes watched calmly,  confident that Kid would take care of whoever came through that door.   Kid let out a long slow sigh of relief and uncocked the pistol and pushed it back into the holster.
Preacher stood in the doorway, hands raised, lantern swinging from his right hand.  "It's just me, Kid.   How you boys feeling?"  he asked as he lowered his hands and entered the room to sit in the chair next to Kid's cot.

"Better.  Still kind of weak though.  We sure don't know how to thank you, Preacher.  If you and Evie hadn't shown up, me and Heyes might of been done for."

"You two boys know I'd do anything  for you.  In fact I believe I still owe you a couple.  Remember that time in Emeryville....."

"Yeah, yeah,  we remember Emeryville.  You don't have to remind us of that every time we see you.  That was one train job we'd like to forget,"   Kid said.

"Oh, yeah, you took a bullet in the leg on that job too, didn't you?"  Preacher recalled.

"Yeah, and after Heyes doubled back to get you,  we got separated.  It was dawn before we found the two of you."

As Heyes listened to Kid and Preacher talk about past times and long forgotten robberies, he thought about what he and the Kid were going to do if they got out of this one.  Where would they go?  They couldn't go back to Red Rock.   They'd have to head north.  But it was coming on to winter.  They never went north during the winter.  It was too cold and you never knew when you'd end up sleeping outdoors.  And work was scarce in the winter.  They would have to go back south.  And that was very risky when they had just been spotted.  Every time there was a Heyes and Curry sighting,   people would flock to that area just hoping to be the one to cash in.   He just didn't know what to do.
Evie stirred next to him, awakened by Kid and Preacher's voices.  She turned sleepy eyes up towards his face and he smiled down at her, loving the sleepy look in her pretty eyes.   She was so beautiful.  Seeing her now while hearing his two outlaw friends talk about the outlaw life he realized just how out of place she was.  She should be dressed in the finest silk, attending fine parties and cotillions.  She should be in a finishing school learning the details of becoming a lady.  And she should definitely be studying music somewhere.  She should be living in a fine home with servants to wait on her.  And she should be sleeping in a tall canopied bed of silk sheets and downy pillows and comforters.  Not here, dressed in dirty men's clothes, crowded up on a tiny cot in an underground hideout, hoping the man she loved didn't get killed or hauled off to prison soon.

Evie smiled warmly back at the gorgeous dimpled face of the man she loved.  She turned and positioned herself so that she was face to face with him, and wrapped her arms around his bare middle.  She loved the feel of his smooth skin against her hands.  She hoped she could change his mind about sending her away.  She would have to try.  He needed her as much as she needed him.  As she studied his face she saw a sadness in his eyes and knew that he didn't want to send her away, but that he felt he must to keep her safe.  Again she pondered a question she had pondered so many times before....how was it possible to love somebody this much?   "Why do I love you so much, I wonder?"   she pondered aloud.

Because your too young, too naive, and you haven't lived long enough to have the wisdom to know that loving me is going to be the death of you.  Maybe not a physical death, but eventually a death of your beautiful soul and spirit.  And I can't let that happen.


"That's a very good question.  I've been asking myself why you love me at all after all I've put you through,"  he said.

"Will you stop blaming yourself for everything.  You haven't put me through anything.  It's all the mean greedy people that won't leave us alone who are to blame.  And once we get out of this,  we'll go somewhere were nobody can reach us.  Then all we have to do is stay put for two years and then we will have enough money to go to Europe if we want to."   She laid her head against his chest and tucked her head up under his chin.  "I'm sorry that you and Jed are having to go through this."

He didn't answer.  He just held onto her a little tighter and kissed the top of her head.  Reality had not set in with her yet.  He would let her live in her fantasy world for tonight.  But when the morning came.....he didn't want to think about it.  Just for tonight he wouldn't think about it.  He had her here for tonight and he wouldn't spoil it with thoughts of tomorrow's sorrow.

"What's a man gotta do to get a decent meal around here anyway?"   Kid quipped from behind her.
Evie turned at the sound of Kid's voice and gave him an affectionate smile.  "Well, I see being shot and sick with a fever hasn't changed your appetite any."

"Being dead wouldn't change that,"   Heyes teased.

Evie reluctantly released her hold of Heyes and rose from the cot, missing his warmth and closeness already.  "Georgia sent a lot of good stuff.  I'll whip us up something right now,"  she said as she moved to the stove to begin preparing the meal.

"So, did you get the horses all taken care of, Preacher?"  Heyes asked.

"Sure did.  They're in a little valley about a half mile east."

"Did you happen to see anything going on out there?"  Kid asked.

"Well, now that you mention it,  I thought I saw someone in the trees just before I headed back this way, but I checked it out and didn't see anybody.  I guess the sinking sun was playing tricks on my eyes."

Kid and Heyes swapped worried glances.  "You reckon I oughta go back and get my saddle and gear?"

Kid thought for a moment.  "Nah.  The chances of them finding that cavern under that fake well pump are almost zero.  And that's a long crawl back through that tunnel."

"Yeah.  I guess you're right.    Let's just try to relax, have a good supper and enjoy the company while we can."

"Best idea you've had in months, Heyes."


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


It was getting late.  About time to be turning in.    Some of the men had already headed for their tents.    Joe and Hershel sat by the fire,  thinking that a good night's sleep sounded pretty good about now.  The sound of horse's hooves on the canyon floor echoed loudly off the canyon walls.   Everyone turned to see McMaster riding towards camp.  He jumped off his horse and came to stand in the center of the campsite.   He signaled for everyone to gather around.  "I've been out scouting the area.  I made a discovery.  There's an entrance to an underground mine shaft or something about five miles north of the canyon.  I have a feeling that's where they are.  So there has to be a way in there from here in this canyon.  It must all be connected underground.  We're going to search all night if we have to.   They went underground and I'm going to find the other way in if it kills me,"  he ground out between clinched teeth.

"Why don't we just go back to the entrance you already found and go in that way?"  one of the men asked, puzzled.

"Because that's the way they would have went if it was that easy.  It must be dangerous to go in from that way."    He didn't bother to tell them that he had seen a man going into the other tunnel.  He wanted to find both ways in and cut them off from both sides.  He wanted to see the look on their faces when they realized he had outsmarted them.  That they were trapped like the rats that they were. "There's another way in and it's here in this canyon.  Everybody grab a torch and start looking."

The men grumbled under their breath.   It was late.  They were tired.    But McMaster was insistent.  They searched for hours and found nothing.  Then it started to rain.  It was a light rain at first but it soon began to fall in buckets.  They were forced to seek the shelter of their tents.  McMaster pursed his lips, stiffling his anger.   He was so close.  He didn't want to stop searching.   But the darkness and rain were making it impossible.  He'd have to wait a little longer.   He had waited two long years.  What was another few hours?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sound of light snoring was all that was heard in the cozy little underground sanctuary.  Kid slept on his cot and Preacher slept on his bedroll near the stove.   Heyes and Evie couldn't sleep at all.
After sharing the hot meal that Evie had prepared they had all played a few hands of poker.   When Preacher announced he'd like to play a few hands of spades, Kid, knowing the skills that both Heyes and Evie possessed, had insisted that they not be partners.  It became a contest of egos and cheating skills as Kid and Evie paired off against Heyes and Preacher.  They all laughed and enjoyed just being normal for a while, not having to think about being cold or hungry or sick.  And not having to think about the threat that was probably lurking above their heads.

Kid and Preacher had retired soon after but Heyes and Evie sat on his cot and just talked.  They talked about everything.  Heyes wanted to know everything about her. Things he hadn't yet learned.  Her favorite color.  Her favorite season.  Her favorite flower.  How many children she hoped to have.  And what their names would be.  The list went on and on.    It was as if he wanted to learn all the things he would have learned about her over the next years, here in this one night.  So he could take all that he could of her with him when he left here to live a life without her.   The last time Heyes had checked the time it was two a.m.  He had been asking her about all of her hopes and dreams for over three hours now.

"You know I'm getting really tired of listening to my own voice,"  she told him after talking almost non stop for three hours.  "I want to hear your voice for a while."  She arose from her spot on the cot beside him and went to the shelves on the other side of the room.  There were several books on one shelf.  She knew they were his, and that they had been the one luxury he had afforded himself when they had been stockpiling their secret hiding place.  She knew he was intelligent, practically a genius in fact, but she hadn't expected to see the collection she saw here.  There was a leather bound collection of Shakespeare,  a collection of Greek tragedies,  several  novels including ones by Charles Dickens, Nathaniel Hawthorne and James Fenimore Cooper. The one that most caught her eye was a book of poetry.  She picked up the lantern from the table then brought him the book she had chosen.   She placed the lantern nearby so there would be light and lay down on the cot with her head in his lap.

"All those nights I read to you.  Now I want you to read to me."

He tried not to smile, but he couldn't keep from it.  He had dreamed of reading many of the words in this book  of poetry to her.  But he had dreamed of doing it on a warm summer day under the big oak tree, their tree, while the birds sang, the water babbled nearby and the scent of blue bonnets filled the air.  Not here in this dark, dank dungeon with only the smell of damp earth to fill their noses.  But the time for dreams had ended.  This was the only opportunity he would ever have to share these beautiful words with her.  He opened the book, and began to read.

   "'Her fresh and innocent eyes had such a star of morning in their blue, that all  neglected places of the field broke into nature's music when they saw her......'"


"'I hold it true whate're befall;   I feel it when I sorrow most;  'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.'......"


"'She dwelt among the untrodden ways, Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love.  A Violet by a mossy stone Half-hidden from the Eye! ---Fair, as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky!    She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be;  But she is in her Grave, and, Oh! The difference to me.'"


The sound of his deep melodic voice hypnotised her.  To hear those beautiful words coming from his mouth in his soothing baritone made her love for him bloom into something that she had never dreamed it could be.  She didn't think it was possible to love him any more, but as she listened to him read to her it was like part of his soul penetrated hers and wrapped around it.  Her spirit seemed to soar.  She was so moved with emotion that she wanted to cry.  But she held back the tears.  She knew if she started to cry he would stop reading and she didn't want him to stop.  So she lay and listened with her eyes closed.  Absorbing that part of his soul that he poured out to her in words.  He read poem after poem.  Tennyson, Shelley, Keats.  She didn't think she would ever tire of laying here so close to him listening to the sound of his voice.    Then he read from a chapter of poems by Robert Browning.

"'I said---Then, dearest, since 'tis so, 
Since now at length my fate I know,  
Since nothing all my love avails,  
Since all, my life seemed meant for, fails,  
Since this was written and needs must be---
My whole heart rises up to bless    
Your name in pride and thankfulness!  
Take back the hope you gave,---I claim 
---Only a memory of the same,  
---And this beside, if you will not blame,  
Your leave for one more last ride with me.'"


His voice trailed off at the end, then he fell into silence.   She opened her eyes to find him staring off into space, somber and pensive.  That same sadness still there in his beautiful brown eyes.  She sat up and took him her arms and held him close.  She knew that he, like her, was reminded of the time riding together when they had first met.  When they had fallen in love.  And it was bittersweet, knowing they would soon have to part.    "It won't be forever.  Please don't be so sad.  I'm sad too, but I can't bear to see you so sad.  Everything's going to be alright.  We'll be together again before we know it."   Somehow she had thought he would be the one to be telling her all these things.  He'd be the one reassuring her.  But he couldn't hide his doubt and worry from her.  She knew him almost as instinctively well as Kid did.  And she knew she had to be the one to reassure him.

He held on tight, not knowing what to say.   What could he say?   'Yes it will be forever' or 'no we wont' be together again?'   He didn't want to check the time.  Time was stealing the last few moments he had with her.  Maybe if he didn't look, time would stand still and he could stay like this with her forever.  But he knew that was a foolish notion.  Their time was drawing to an end.  And just like the words in that poem, all he could claim now were memories.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The morning came much too soon.  When Kid awoke he found Heyes sitting on the cot with his back against the earthen wall and Evie halfway across his lap, her head on his shoulder,  his cheek against the top her head, their arms wrapped around each other.  Both were sleeping.   He hated to wake them.  He knew they had been up almost all night.  He recalled the faint sound of their voices in the night.  He thought he remembered hearing Heyes reading aloud.  Then he saw the book on the cot beside Heyes.  Kid rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands and ran his fingers through his wavy blond hair.   He wished there was something he could do.  Some way to keep her here with them.  But he knew there wasn't.  He'd let them sleep a while longer.  Then he would have to be the one to wake them to face what they both dreaded most.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


"Anything that looks like it leads underground.  That's what we're looking for.  Old wells, caverns, caves, tunnels.  Anything.  You find something you let me know immediately."

The men all hunkered closer into their coats and jackets.    Rain had started falling around three a.m.  and had kept falling until dawn.  A light mist of rain hung in the air now as McMaster rousted them all out to search for that blasted underground entrance anyway.   They all took their torches and scattered in different directions, looking under every rotten board in every floor of every collapsing building.  The looked under old abandoned wagons and feed troughs.  They looked  everywhere.

"Hey, has any body seen old Burt this morning?"   Joe asked.

"Now that you mention it, I ain't seen him since sometime yesterday,"   Hershel said.

A quick check of his tent, found his belongings still there, but his horse was missing.

"McMaster, Burt's gone.  So is his horse,"   Hershel informed their leader.

McMaster turned his cold flat eyes to him.  "He rode out last night.  Said he was tired and wanted to go home."

"But he left all his stuff.  It's strange he didn't say anything to anybody else."

"He was going to ride straight on through to White Oak, then take the stage from there.  He won't be needing that stuff."

"I think I found it!"  a voice cried out from the furthest end of the ghost town.

They all ran to where young Jesse Horton stood beside a four foot wide round opening in the ground.  There was a ladder  leading down inside.   "There was an old pump over it, but it was just a decoy."

McMaster shoved aside the men who had gathered around the large hole.  He stuck his torch  down and peered inside, before he started the climb down inside.  "Well, what have we here?"   he said as he crouched beside the saddle and gear that had been left there.  He scanned the cylindrical cavern, holding his torch aloft.  A devious smile cracked his stony face when he saw the arched opening at the base of the cavern wall.   He crawled inside and took a quick look.  He could feel the breeze of air coming through it and knew that it was connected to another opening somewhere else.  And he knew just where.  He'd done it.  He had outsmarted them and he had found their little hidey hole.  He had them trapped.  The men up top waited.  Then looked around bewildered as the sound of sinister laughter floated up from the hole in the ground.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~


"Well, I guess that's everything.  I'm leaving most of the food for you two.  Preacher and I just need enough to get us through to White Oak.   And here,"   she reached into the pocket of her cloak  and pulled out a small coin pouch and handed it to Kid.  "That's money that Livvy gave me a while back.  I kept some of it.  Just enough to get me back to Red Rock.  I want you to have the rest."

Preacher had already headed into the tunnel.   Heyes stood at the doorway waiting to walk with her to the entrance, while Kid helped her put on her black hooded cloak.

"I guess I won't be seeing you for a while, so give me a hug,"  she said to Kid who had washed and changed into a clean shirt.  He gathered the young woman he had come to love in his strong arms and hugged her tight.  She was surprised at the force of his hug.  He lifted her off the ground and almost hugged the breath out of her.  He set her back on the ground and kissed her cheek.  She lovingly touched the side of his handsome face.  "I'm going to miss you.  As soon as we see each other again,  I expect us to pick up those lessons again where we left off."

His blue eyes sparkled and he grinned.  "Don't forget what I've already taught you,"  he said teasingly.

"I won't," she said with a wink as she took his hand and squeezed it. "And don't overdo it with those wounds.  There's still a chance they could open back up and start bleeding again if you over exert yourself. You've just gotten over a fever and your blood is just starting to build back up, so take it easy for a while."

"I'll be fine.  Takes more that a couple of slugs from a .38 to keep me down,"  he said teasingly.  Then his smile disappeared and was replaced with a look of sadness.  "Take care of yourself.  And listen to Preacher.  He knows what he's doing.  And...tell Livvy that I'm sorry."

"You can tell her yourself the next time you see her."

His eyes locked briefly with his partner's across the room before he smiled at her and said,  "Just in case it's a while before I see her,  tell her for me anyway."

"Alright."  She backed away from Kid still holding his hand.  She didn't want to let go.  Letting go of him meant that letting go of her beloved was coming soon.

 Kid gave her hand one last squeeze then let go of it.   He could tell she was clinging to him to avoid what awaited at the end of the tunnel.   Her eyes were pleading with him to find a way to change his partner's mind so she didn't have to go.  He leaned forward and kissed her forehead and said simply, "Goodbye, Evie."

There was that same sadness in his blue eyes that she had seen in Hannibal's.  "Goodbye,"  she said somberly knowing that her only possible ally had sided with his partner.  Of course he had.  It was only right.  With a heavy heart she took the hand of her beloved and disappeared into the darkness of the tunnels with only a lantern to light the way.

The four mile walk she and Preacher had made into the tunnels had seemed much longer than the walk back.  It went much too quickly.  Both Evie and Heyes walked a little slower than ususal.  Both hoped to prolong the brief time they had left together, and they hoped to delay the inevitable.  But the inevitable was looming ever nearer and they knew they were almost there when they caught up to Preacher who had stopped to wait for them.

"I'll go on ahead, Heyes and make sure the coast is clear.  You two wait here."  They watched him disappear into the blackness at the other end of the tunnel.

"I want you to stay close to Preacher.  Don't leave his side for a second.  He's going with you all the way back to Red Rock.  I can't think of anybody else I'd want taking care of you if it can't be me or Kid.

"Then why don't I just stay with you and Kid?"  she asked smiling hopefully.

He set the lantern on the ground at his feet and reached for her.  She went willingly into his strong  embrace.   “You know you can’t.  And you know why.  There’s still a very real chance that we’ll get caught.  I don’t want you anywhere around if that happens.”

“I’m not a child you know.  I can make my own decisions.  I don't have to go anywhere if I don't want to."


“I know you’re not a child. Believe me I know.  And I know you can make your own decisions, but you’ve never been in a situation like this and you have to trust that I’m doing what’s best for you.”

She didn't want to cry.  She wasn't going to cry.  She started to cry.  She just couldn't help it.  She was fine one moment and the next tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was sobbing like a child.  Leaving him here in this dark, damp dungeon was so hard for her to do.  How could she go back to Red Rock and sleep in a warm soft bed, knowing he was stuck down here sleeping on a tiny hard cot.  She wrapped her arms tight around his waist bunching fistsful of the material of his coat in her hands, as if hanging onto a life preserver to keep from drowning in an endless dark ocean.
Heyes just rocked her and stroked her back and smoothed her hair.  That glorious hair that he loved so much.  He had no idea it was going to be so hard.  Holding her now and hearing her cry, he was tempted to change his mind.  To tell her she could stay.  That they would figure a way out of this.   But Kid's words rang like a bell in his head,  "You're sending her back because you love her."   If he really loved her he would do what was best for her.  And sending her back to Red Rock was best.  "I love you, you know that right?"

She lifted her tear stained face to look at him,  "Of course I know it."

He wiped the wet streaks from her face with his thumbs then laced his fingers in hers and led her towards the end of the tunnel.   The light of day filled the tunnel ahead.  The tunnel floor began an upward slope and it widened at the mouth of the entrance.   Sharp daggers of light pierced their eyes as they stepped into the brightness of daylight.  But it wasn’t as bright as it could have been.  They could see it was a sunless day.  Preacher stood just inside the mouth of the entrance near the saddles he had placed there yesterday.  "Looks like it's been raining for a good while.  There's a mist of rain in the air now.  But not enough to keep us from heading out.  I'll go get the horses."

This was it.  The last few moments he would ever see her, talk to her, hold her.  In these last few moments he wanted to tell her to not wait for him, to go on with her life.  To go to Nashville and get to know her family, meet new people, make new friends.  He wanted to tell her to fall in love again someday.  To get married and have the four children she wanted.  Two boys and two girls.  But he couldn’t bring himself to say any of it. It all sounded so final.  And it was.  But he didn’t want her to know it.  It was better this way.  If she thought there was a chance that they would be together again she would go willingly.  If she knew that in reality he never intended to see her again, she wouldn’t leave and he knew it.   Not even a silver tongue could come up with the right words. And so he said nothing. Instead he pulled her hood up over her head and tied the string loosely under her chin.  When he sought her eyes he saw fear in them.

"I'm scared,"  she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hey, there's nothing to be scared of.  You just stick to Preacher and ...."

"No.  I'm not scared for me.   I'm scared for you.  I'm afraid that when I leave something bad is going to happen."

"You haven't been having any more of those dreams have you?"

"No.  It's just a feeling I have.  I'm just so afraid for you and Jed."

"Now, don't start worrying.  We're going to be fine.  We've pulled through worse than this before.  And just like Kid said, the chances of them finding this place are almost zero.  Why, they'd have to...."

Preacher appeared in the entrance way, briefly blocking the light.  Heyes knew he hadn't had time to walk a half mile and make it back.  The look on his face when he stepped into the circle of the lantern's light told Heyes all he needed to know.

"What?"
"Riders coming.  Five or six. Headed straight for us."

"How far off?"

"Not far."
"Oh, God.  Oh, God!   What are we going to do?"   Evie shrieked hysterically.

"First thing you're gonna do is stop yelling.  And calm down.”

Evie slapped her hand across her mouth and stared at him with wide eyes.

Preacher peeked out and looked into the distance.  The six horsemen were almost here.  “Better make a run for it, Heyes.   Don’t worry, I’ll make up something to try and throw 'em off.”

He didn't know what to do.  He had to run.  He knew that.  But he didn't want to leave her here.  He had no idea who these men were or what they wanted, although he was pretty sure.  But he couldn't take her with him either.  If she was found any where near where he and Kid were hiding she'd be in trouble for aiding and abetting two wanted men.  He had to make a decision quick.  Time was something he did not have.  He fastened his eyes on hers, and he saw there the fear and the desperation.  But he also saw her fierce determination and he knew that she would do what ever she had to do including put herself in harm's way to protect him.  Heyes grabbed her by the shoulders and searched her eyes with his deep penetrating gaze.  "You do whatever you have to to make sure that they don't know you're connected with me and Kid in any way.  Do you understand?   Aiding and abetting fugitives is serious business and you could go to jail.  You lie, you hear me?   You were just traveling on your way north and you came in here to get out of the rain, got it?"

She nodded  her head.  "I understand."   Her bottom lip started to quiver and she squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that threatened to erupt.

"Preacher...."  Heyes looked to his old friend.

"Don't worry, Heyes.  I'll take care of her."

Heyes held Evie's head in his hands and laid his forehead against hers.  She grasped his forearms and held on tightly.  "I'll be alright.  No matter what happens,  I love you.  Never forget that."   And with a quick kiss to her trembling lips he released her.  When she opened her eyes he was gone.  Only blackness stood where he once had been.  She stood there rooted.  Unable to move.  Please, God, don't let this be the end.   


The sound of horses' hooves squishing on the sodden ground outside the entrance brought her around to face the light.  "You lie, you hear me?"   His words kept echoing in her head.  She had only pulled off one con in her life.  And now she prepared herself to pull off another.  Only this time it wasn't to cheat a bunch of cow pokes out of their week's wages.  It was to save the lives of the two men she loved most in the world.  She hoped her fear didn't show through the facade she was about to put on.  "We're just travelers passing through,"  she repeated over and over to herself.

Six men holding flaming torches descended single file into the large mouth of the tunnel.   Preacher came to stand in front of Evie who still stood in the darkness of the tunnel away from the clouded light that filtered in from above.  Preacher had his shotgun loaded and ready when the six men appeared in front of them, guns drawn and torches blazing.   "Hold it right there,"  Preacher said sternly as the first man came into view.   "Who are you and what do you want?"

The men gathered in front of Preacher.  One man came from behind the other five to stand at the front of the small group.  Evie, pulled her hood lower over her face.  It was McMaster himself.  She didn't want him to recognize her from Tularosa.   McMaster tapped the tin star that rested on his left breast with the end of his index finger.   "I'm the law, mister.  I'll be asking you who you are and what you're doing here."

"Me and my daughter was heading north to Denver.  Took shelter in here from the rain."

"Is that so?  When did you get here?"

"This morning.  Early this morning."

McMaster looked around, taking note of the saddles and gear just to the side of the other men.  "Where are your horses?"

"I set 'em loose to graze.  Now if you gentlemen don't have any other business here, you can just be moving on."

"But I do have business here.  I'm looking for two wanted men.  Outlaws.  And I have reason to believe that they came in here."   McMaster casually took a few steps closer to Preacher.  "You seen anybody down in this.....what is this anyway?   And old mine shaft?"

"Whatever it is, there ain't nobody down here except me and my daughter.  And we would like to keep it that way."

McMaster took another step closer.   The man wearing the parson's hat and collar looked familiar.   "There's no need for all these guns now is there?  Put the guns away boys.”   The men lowered their guns, but Preacher kept his pointed at McMaster who was only a scant inch from the end of the barrel.  “We’re just lawmen out doing our job.  So just relax.”

Preacher hesitantly lowered his shotgun.  Evie just stood and remained silent.

“So, you two got caught in the rain did you?”

“That’s right.”

McMaster noted the slight dampness of the man’s coat.  It could be true.  Where had he seen this man before?   He reached behind him to take a torch from one of the other men.  He held it high over this head.  He could see the girl standing cloaked behind the man clearly.  She was as dry as a bone.  If she had been caught in the rain then she had certainly dried out in a hurry, especially since there was no fire burning anywhere.  He could also see that behind her stretched a long narrow passageway.  Just what he'd hoped to find.

"Where does that lead?"

"How should we know?  We didn't go back there,"  Preacher lied.

"Is that so?"   McMaster said through squinted icy eyes.   "Then what are all those foot prints that I see.  They look fresh too.  Going in both directions.  You wouldn't be lying to me now would you, Reverend?"

Preacher remained silent.  He didn't know what to say. Evie sensed his hesitation and knew his mind wasn't quick enough to counter McMaster's interrogation.  Who did this man think he was anyway?  What kind of person accused a man of the cloth of being a liar?  The fact that he was lying was not the point.  McMaster had no clue who they really were and for that matter no reason to doubt anything they said.  Especially when it came from a man of God.  Her dislike for the man muliplied as she thought about how he had doggedly persued the man she loved just to save face.  She could feel her fear dying and in its place sprang to life  a sudden seething anger.

"Have we broken any laws, sir?  I don't think it's illegal to take refuge from the rain.  And if there have been other people down here recently to make those tracks it has nothing to do with us.  We haven't seen anyone for days.  So unless we are under arrest then we would like to be left alone."

Well, he thought,  a woman who likes to stick her nose in men's business.  The voice that came from under the dark hood sounded familiar.  Where had he heard that voice before?    She had gumption, he gave her that.  Reminded him of.....Before Preacher had time to react,  McMaster reached around him and grabbed Evie by the arm and pulled her roughly from behind him.   She slammed hard against his chest.  The other five quickly aimed their guns at Preacher.  There was nothing Preacher could do. McMaster yanked the hood from her head.  When she refused to look up, he grabbed her face in a not so gentle hand and forced her eyes to meet his.   He thought so.  The sweet young thing from Tularosa.  What were the odds that she would be in the same town he and his men had just come from and then wind up here?  Not only in this area but here in this place where he knew he was going to find Heyes and Curry hiding.  It was too big of a coincidence to just be a coincidence.  He saw the defiance in her eyes.  A woman didn't have fury in her eyes like that for no reason.  Her stormy blue eyes fairly burned with loathing.  A woman only looked like that when something or someone she loved was threatened.  So which one was it he wondered,  Curry or Heyes?

"Take your hands off me,"  she ground out between clenched teeth, barely able to contain her anger.  How dare he put his hands on her.  And how dare he treat them as though they were criminals.  He had no idea who they were.  And he certainly had no knowledge of their connection to Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry.  For all  he knew they were just a minister and his daughter  who had sought refuge from the rain.  "You may be the law, sir, but you have on right to man handle me."

"No, not if you were telling me the truth.  But you're not.  Your bone dry.  If you had been caught in the rain you'd be at least a little damp."  He glanced sideways towards the saddles.  "And your saddles don't appear to have the first drop of rain on them.  Which tells me you've been down here since last night at least, because it started raining about three o'clock this morning.  And I can tell those tracks were made by three different people.  Two men and one woman.  And they were made very recently."

He kept his grip on her upper arms and stared down into her face.   "Get his guns,"  he ordered his men.   Then he addressed Evie in a low voice so that only she could hear.  "You were in Tularosa weren't you?  Of all the places you could have ended up, why here?  What are the odds against that, do you think?   You wouldn't have had anything to do with that whore keeping  me good and occupied would you?"    Evie refused to look away.  She wouldn't let him bully her.  She might be the only thing standing between this authority abusing roughneck and Heyes and the Kid.  "If not I guess it won't bother you any that a gave her a little lesson on interfering with a lawman doing his duty."   He chuckled.  "Yeah, she won't be making any money for a while, not with two black eyes and a busted rib."

Evie couldn't keep the  horrified expression from her face when she thought of Sally suffering at the hands of this brute.  And it was all her fault.  Too late she tried to maintain her visage of composure.    He had baited her and she had fallen for it.   She certainly wasn't doing the gambler's blood in her veins any justice.  She had given away her hand with one look.

"That's what I thought.  They're here, aren't they?"

"Who?  I don't know what you're talking about."

“Do you know what the punishment is for aiding and abetting fugitives from the law?”

“I don’t really care as I’m not guilty of it.”   Because you’re the real criminal here, she thought.

He released her and she stumbled backwards against Preacher.  “Joe, Hershel,  you come with me.  The rest of you wait here and keep an eye on him."  McMaster grabbed Evie by the arm and headed into the tunnel.

"Now hold on a minute, you ain't taking her anywhere.  You've got no call to be treating us this way.  We ain't done anything wrong,"  Preacher protested in a last ditch effort to keep McMaster from heading towards Heyes and the Kid.    It didn't work.  "Alright.  If you want to take somebody along with you why don't you take me.  Leave the girl here."

But it did no good.  Preacher was forced to stand and watch as McMaster and his deputies disappeared into the darkness ahead.  And they had Heyes' gal with them.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Heyes felt like his lungs were on fire.  He hadn’t run this fast or this far since he was a boy.  He could see the light up ahead.  He burst through the doorway to be greeted by a cocked and loaded Colt .45.

“Heyes?  Aw, no.  What's the matter?”  Kid asked as he reholstered his gun.

Heyes stood there for a moment trying to catch his breath.  Breathing heavily he explained,  “Riders coming from the canyon.  Probably the posse.  I think they spotted Preacher when he was out yesterday.  They were headed straight for us.”

"Do you think they found the empty well?"

"I don't know, but we don't have much choice.  We've got to go that way.  If it's McMaster he won't stop until he finds this place so we've got to move and that's the only place to go."

"I'll grab the canteens and some food.  You pour some water on the fire."

"You sure you're up to it, Kid?  It's a long crawl and I know you're not a hundred percent yet."

"Heyes, do I have a choice?"

"No."

They grabbed what they needed, put out the fire and on hands and knees disappeared into the crawl space that led to the abandoned well in the canyon.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

McMaster stopped, bringing the other three to a halt.  Evie was sandwiched between McMaster's back and Hershel's front.  Joe brought up the rear.  McMaster sniffed the air.   "There's a fire burning somewhere.  We're close.  Just how much further is it would you say?"  he turned and looked Evie dead in the eye.

Using her best poker face she gave away nothing as she defiantly met his gaze, but remained silent.  They walked on.  They had been walking for nearly an hour so Evie knew they were almost there.   She knew it wouldn't be long before he found what he was looking for.  She prayed that the other entrance hadn't been found and the boys were safely on their way towards it.

"I'm going up ahead to check it out.  You two stay here with her.  If you hear shooting, be ready to back me up,"  McMaster told Joe and Hershel, before he eased his way further into the blackness ahead of him.

When the glow from McMaster's torch could no longer be seen,  Evie sagged against the earthen wall of the passageway.  She had to think.  She knew the boys were on their way to the canyon, but what could she do to keep him from finding the hole in the wall that she knew they had escaped through?   If he found it she knew he would follow them into it.  Dear, Lord, they needed a miracle.  Her mind was awhirl with thoughts.  Thoughts of the boys, of Livvy, of Sally.  Poor Sally.  She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that at first she hardly noticed that the two men beside her were speaking in whispered voices.

"If he don't come back with Curry and Heyes, or at least one of 'em,  I say we all pack up and get out of here,"  Joe whispered to his fellow deputy.

"That's what I say.  And the rest of the men feel the same way.  He's carried this thing too far.  Makes me a might uneasy being down here."   Hershel moved the flaming torch he carried to illuminate one of the many chambers that made up this underground maze.   "See here how most of it's starting to cave in.  With it raining and all, there's no telling when the whole thing could come down on top of us."   He loosened the collar of his shirt.  "Makes a man feel a bit like he's suffocating."

"Yeah, I know what you mean.  If them outlaws want to risk being down here in this oversized grave then more power to 'em.  But I'm ready to get outta here.  And now he's done dragged these poor people into it.  Whoever heard of a minister of the gospel telling a lie?"   Joe turned apologetic eyes to her.  "We're awful sorry about this, miss.  We're just following orders.  Even if we don't agree with them.  Sometimes we ain't sure if that man's right in the head."

So there was a little dissension in the ranks, huh?   "Oh, that's alright.  I understand.  So where exactly are you fellas from?"

"Cold Springs, Texas, ma'am."

"You're a long way from home, then.  How long have you been chasing these outlaws?  Did you say it was Curry and Heyes?"

"That's right, ma'am,"  Joe explained.  "They was spotted in Cold Springs five days ago.  We've been hot on their heels ever since."

"Well, I won't exactly say hot,"  Hershel countered.  "We could have caught them day before yesterday, but McMaster told us not to fire on them.  Burt and a few of the others did fire and hit one of them I'm pretty sure.  McMaster wasn't too happy about that.  Maybe that's why old Burt set out for home early.  He was nervous being on McMaster's bad side."

"He wants to take them down himself,"  Evie thought aloud.

“Yeah, that’s the way it seems.  I reckon them two gave him the slip in this very same place a few years back.  He’s been looking to settle the score ever since.  And seems determined to make sure that it happens here in this place."

“A man with a grudge and a score to settle.  Must make for real pleasant company.”

“You have no idea, ma’am.  He’s hell bent on taking Heyes and Curry in dead.”

“But Heyes and Curry aren’t killers.  Everyone knows that they never killed anybody in their robberies.  And I read in a newpaper a few days ago that there haven’t been any crimes committed by Heyes and Curry in almost a year."

“We know.  We just don’t know what we can do about it.”

"So you'll just watch while he guns down two men who have never murdered any one?" Both men looked sheepishly at the ground.  "Sounds to me like he's the one that needs to be arrested."   She could see the shame on their faces as they avoided eye contact with her.   "But I guess getting a share of the reward will be worth it in the end,  huh?    Maybe it's just me, but I sure wouldn't have any fun spending that money knowing how I got it."

The men remained silent and Evie could tell they were thinking about what she had said.   They stood there is silence for what seemed like an eternity.  Where was McMaster?  Why hadn't he returned?  Evie was starting to worry.  She knew he had had plenty of time to reach the boy's hiding place.  He must have found the other tunnel and had followed them in.

"He's been gone an awful long while, don't you think?  Maybe we oughta go check,"   Joe said.

"Yeah, I guess we should."   Hershel moved forward motioning Evie to move ahead of him.  They didn't get very far before they saw the glow of a torch around the bend up ahead.   She expected to see his cold blue eyes any second, but stopped in her tracks when she was met with a pair of warm brown eyes instead.

She gasped.  Hannibal Heyes stood in front of her, his hands raised in the air.  Behind him Kid Curry stood, hands in the air, looking pale and groggy.  Evie could see the crimson stains on his fresh shirt beneath the opening of his sheepskin coat.  Crawling  through the tunnel had reopened his wounds and had sapped what little strength he had regained.  Her eyes darted from Heyes to Kid and back to Heyes.  She saw weariness and defeat in both of their gazes.  She opened her mouth as if to speak, but a slight shake of his head unnoticed by everyone else, told her to keep her mouth shut.

"What did I tell you,  men?   I knew they were down here somewhere.   They thought they had out smarted me again.  But little did they know that I had both entrances covered.     Me and Jesse trapped them in the middle of the tunnel that leads to the well in the canyon.   You should have seen the look on their faces when they knew they were caught.  Now, let's get going boys.  You've got a long walk back to the canyon."

There was nothing Evie could do.   Her mind was numb.  She couldn't think.  She could barely breathe.  By the time they reached the tunnel entrance where Preacher and the other members of the posse waited,  Kid was nearly exhausted.     When they ascended the slope to step out into the blinding light of day,  Kid stumbled and fell forward into Heyes' back.  Heyes and Evie both moved to help him.

"Get your hands on top of your head, Heyes,"  McMaster ordered.   "And keep looking forward."  Heyes glared at his captor, but complied, not wanted to take chances with Evie here so close.    "You,"  he looked at Kid who had fallen no his knees,  "get on your feet."   He gave Kid a not so easy nudge with his booted foot.

Evie dropped to her knees beside Kid.  "Stop it!  This man is wounded and he needs medical assistance.   Can't you see he's bleeding."   She pressed her hand to the wound in his shoulder as she helped Kid stand.   He leaned heavily on her for support.

"Joe,  you and Hershel take the girl and the padre to get their horses.  Then you make sure they ride on northward like they said they were supposed to be doing.   I'll be taking my prisoners back to the canyon."

Evie ignored Joe and Hershel  who stood waiting for her to submit to the lawman's authority.  She watched as the two unnamed deputies mounted their horses and took the reins of McMaster's horse.  He was going to make them walk back to the canyon at gunpoint. "Surely you don't expect a man in this condition to walk another five miles to the canyon?"  she asked with a scowl on her face as she held Kid around his waist with both arms.

"That's none of your concern, now, is it?   Now get going and be thankful I'm letting you get on your horses and ride out of here.    If you stick around any longer I might be forced to put you under arrest for helping two outlaws escape justice."

Heyes turned slightly, just enough so she could see his eyes.  Do what he says, was written all over his face.  But he's going to kill you her eyes flashed back.

Evie felt hands grasp her arms and urge her backward.   Heyes still looked over his shoulder to meet her gaze.  It's alright.  I'm ready for what ever happens, and don't you dare give away that you know me, his eyes seemed to say.  She couldn't believe this was happening.  She had to do something.  But what?  The boys were surrounded by four armed men.  She and Preacher by two.  She felt helpless.   Even more helpless than she had felt when she was sitting at Harlan Mathis' feet while her family were being murdered.    She kept glancing backward until they disappeared over the hill toward the canyon, prodded like cattle the whole way.   She fell in step with Preacher as they  marched eastward towards their horses, lead at gunpoint by deputy Hershel.   Preacher carried his saddle while Joe carried hers.   Why, God, why?  After all that we've been through to be together, why would you let it end this way?   Please send us a miracle.

The mist of rain began to fall heavier and steadier.  Perfect weather for the way she felt.  Cold, wet and miserable.  They topped a small hill and looked down upon the valley where Preacher had left Rusty and his horse loosely tethered to graze.  But the two horses were not alone.  Standing magnificently proud beside Preacher's horse stood Odin.  Seeing the beautiful black that Hannibal had worked so hard to train and teach made her heart squeeze painfully in her chest.  But Odin wasn't alone.  He was flanked by a saddled grey gelding.

"Hey, Hershel, ain't that Burt's horse?"

"Yep, he's the only one who was riding a grey."  The two men exchanged puzzled looks then started he descent into the small valley.  They stopped in their tracks when they stumbled upon a fresh, shallow grave dug into the soft ground of the hillside.   Sticking out of the crumbling earth were a pair of men's booted feet.   The two men began to remove dirt with their bare hands.  Evie and Preacher looked questioningly at each other, not sure what to think.

"Sweet merciful God!  It's Burt.  He's been shot in the head."

Evie put the whole thing together in a second.  "Didn't you say Burt had fired at Curry and Heyes and he wasn't happy about it?"  she asked the stunned men.

"Yeah.  And he told us that Burt had come to him and said he was tired and headed home.   But he would have went south, not north."

"He did this.  Don't you see?   He murdered the man simply because he was pissed off for shooting at two men he wanted to kill.  You've got to stop him.  We have to get back there so we can help them.  He wants to kill them and they don't deserve that."

They remainded silent thinking about what she had said.

"You said yourself the man's not right in the head.  If this doesn't prove that then what will," she said as she pointed to the dead body of the unfortunate Burt.  When they still didn't respond, she resorted to begging.  "Please, you've got to go back and stop him.   You were right.  We do know them.  And yes they've committed some crimes in their past, but they are good men.  They haven't committed any crimes for nearly a year.  They are trying to start over and live a straight life.  But they won't get the chance if you don't go and help them.   McMaster needs to be the one under arrest.  If you won't stop him then let us go so we can."

The two men stood staring at each other.  Then finally Hershel said,  "You're right ma'am.  He's done this as sure as the world.  But you need to let us take care of McMaster.   A young lady like you has no business dealing with the likes of him.  Joe, let's cover Burt's body up good and proper so no animal's will get to him."

"There's no time for that.  I'm sorry about your friend, but there's nothing you can do for him .  But you can save two lives if you'll get on one of those horses and ride.  Please.  they'll be dead if you wait any longer,"    she pleaded.

"I'm sorry about that ma'am.  Really I am, but we knew this man.  He was our friend and we ain't gonna leave him here for coyote food."

Preacher cleared his throat,  "Uh, gentleman, as a minister of the gospel, I feel it's only appropriate that I should say a few words of prayer and read a little from the Good Book."  Evie caught on quickly.  Preacher pulled his hat low over his eyes to shield his face from the rain as he pulled his little Bible from his pocket.  He opened it and began to read.  As he read, Hershel and Joe listened with lowered heads.  Evie eased herself further down the hill towards the horses.  Inch by inch she went unnoticed.  Her eyes met Preacher's and he knew what to do.  "Let us bow our head for a word of prayer."   As soon as the men had their heads down and their eyes closed, Evie sprinted as fast as she could down the slippery hillside and grabbing Rusty's mane, pulled herself onto his back and dug her heels into his flanks.  He took off like a shot.  She looked briefly over her shoulder to see Joe and Hershel running for the other horses.  But she knew that Odin would never allow them on his back and  the other two were no match for Rusty's speed.

Rain pelted her face as she sped southwest towards the canyon.  The wind caught her hood and whipped it from her head.  She bent low over Rusty's neck and held tight to his mane as the chestnut accelerated into a full gallop.   She didn't even notice the chill of the air or the dampness of the rain as Rusty carried her to her beloved.  She had to get there before it was too late.  She didn't know exactly what she was going to do when she did get there, but she knew she had to get there.  She'd work out the details when she did.   The adrenaline pumping through her veins and the love and desperation in her heart  drove out any fear she may have had.  She just prayed she wasn't too late.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~

Heyes nimble mind couldn't come up with the answer.  Try as he might he couldn't think of one single thing that was going to keep him and the Kid from dying today.  He knew Sherman McMaster wanted them dead.  And he knew he wanted to make a grand spectacle of the whole thing.  He was walking to his own execution.  He didn't even think his silver tongue could talk them out of this one.  He was just thankful that Evie wasn't going to be here to witness it.  If only she and Preacher had ridden out ten minutes sooner, they never would have known they had been captured.  And she wouldn't have had to see him and Kid being herded off like cattle being taken to slaughter.  They had walked for three or four miles now with steady rain falling the whole time.   Heyes coat was completely soaked and he was beginning to feel the dampness reach through to his shirt.  Water had collected on the brim of his hat and ran in a staggered stream off the front edge.  What a miserable day to die.   He wished he and the Kid could just run for it.  Better to go down in a blaze of glory making a run for it than this.  But Heyes knew without looking back that Kid wasn't in any condition to run.  At that very moment, Kid stumbled behind him and fell forward, grabbing hold of Heyes' narrow hips to keep from falling face first into the muddy ground.  Heyes' turned swiftly and knelt to help his friend.  He knew he had only a few seconds before McMaster and his minions would be there shoving a shotgun barrel into his back, forcing him to keep walking.  He used those few seconds to say what he most needed to say,  "I'm sorry, Jed.  I don't know how to get us out of this one."   Kid turned blue eyes full of resignation to his partner.  He too had come to the realization that there wasn't going to be any rescue this time.  They had used up al of their favors and miracles.  "It's alright, Heyes.  I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better." Brown eyes penetrated the gaze of his blue eyed partner for what they figured would be the last time, before they were both hauled to their feet and shoved forward ever closer to the canyon that would serve as their headstones.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The canyon was up ahead.  She could see it.  As fast as Rusty had carried her here, she was surprised she hadn't overtaken them before they could make it to the canyon.  She reined Rusty in and started the slow walk down the into the canyon.  She heard the voices before she ever saw the men who were speaking.

"So is this how it's going to go down, McMaster?   You're going to be our judge, jury and executioner?   We never killed any one and you know it.   Do your men know that this is more about a personal vendetta than about justice?"

She recognized Hannibal's voice.   She could hear the desperation in his voice and she knew that in spite of his outward stoic appearance, he was scared.  The thought of him being frightened made her protective instincts kick in and the adrenaline pump even harder.   She urged Rusty on a little quicker down the rocky slope that led to the canyon floor as she continued to listen to their voices.

"All my men need to know is that you two are wanted...dead or alive.  You see, I sent the two men I had with me to fetch the rest of the posse.  But wouldn't you know it...before they get back,  you,"  he pointed to Kid who was struggling to stay upright, "are going to pull this gun that you had hidden in your boot."    McMaster pulled the Derringer from his pocket.  "And when you try to shoot me,  I'll be forced to kill you in self defense.   And you,"   he pointed his pistol at Heyes.  "Well, you just couldn't let me get away with killing your partner, so you go for his gun to finish what he started, but I'm going to be a little bit too fast for you and get the drop on you.  My men will hear the shots and come running.  But they won't get here before I've had time to place this gun in your dying hand, Heyes.   You see I've got it all planned out.  I outsmarted you, and you get to die knowing that I outsmarted you.  But the whole world will think I'm a hero for bringing the notorious Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry to justice.  And nobody can say I murdered you in cold blood.  It will be self defense."

"What about Burt?  Was that self defense?"

All three men turned their heads to the south wall of the canyon.

McMaster eyed the pretty young woman  sitting atop the bare backed stallion.  So she really had been with the outlaws.  He had had his doubts for a moment, but not any more.  "You know you're really becoming a thorn in my  side, lady.  Now get on out of here before I'm forced to do something I don't want to do."

"Like what?  Murder me because I messed up your plans?"

"She's got nothing to do with this, McMaster.  This is between you and us.  Leave her out of it,"  Heyes warned.

A smarmy smirk covered McMaster's face.  "Well, I guess that answers the one question that's been bugging me.  Which one is it?  Heyes or Curry.  You know I didn't think you were the type to fall for the ladies Heyes.  I thought that was the Kid."

"It's over McMaster.  Joe and Hershel found Burt's body.  They're headed this way now to place you under arrest."

"You can't prove a thing.  Burt headed out last night and I guess he met up with trouble.  I'm the law.  Who do you think a judge will believe?  Me or  the whore of a thieving outlaw?"

McMaster turned his gun back to Heyes who started towards him with blood in his eyes.  "Hold it right there or I'll splatter you all over that canyon wall right now while she watches."  Heyes swallowed the anger that was boiling up in his throat.  He turned fury filled eyes to Kid who was also starting to seethe in spite of his weakness.   "Well,  seems I struck a nerve.  There must be something to this little gal for you to get all worked up over her, Heyes.  Maybe after I'm through with you two, I'll find out for myself."

"It's over McMaster.  You've lost.  So your insults don't bother me.  Joe and Hershel know the truth.  So will the rest of your men.  Just give up.  You're not  going to get to exact your revenge."

"Sure I will.  I just have to make a few adjustments that's all.  Besides, you're not armed.  How are you going to stop me from killing these two?"

Evie threw back her cloak to reveal the .54 derringer she had been carrying in her boot since she'd left Red Rock.  "Because Kid Curry taught me a few things.  And one thing he taught me was to always have a weapon hidden somewhere.  A woman can't be too careful these days.  You shoot them... I shoot you."

Heyes couldn't believe she was doing this.  Was she crazy?   Heyes made eye contact with her.  What do you think you're doing he managed to say silently.

"You're bluffing.   You ever shoot a man before?  It's not an easy thing to do.  You don't have the guts, honey."

"Hannibal Heyes taught me a few things too.  And one thing he taught me was to only bluff if you had nothing to lose.  Well those two men are everything to me.  That means I have  everything to lose.  So I'm not bluffing.  Or you can make a move and find out for yourself."

"You better listen to her McMaster.   I know her pretty well and she's not afraid to shoot,"  Heyes reasoned.

"The only way you can stay alive is to let Heyes and Curry go with me.  You can make up any excuse you want about how they escaped.   Yeah, you'll be humiliated again, but at least you'll be alive."

"Or maybe I'll just shoot you first.  End of problem."


"You shoot me, and the buzzards won't even be able to find all the pieces of you.  Remember my preacher friend?   He's got a sawed off double barrel .44 caliber shotgun aimed at you right now."
McMaster's cold, evil eyes darted nervously about the ridge of the canyon where Evie had descended.

"You know I'm telling the truth.  You saw his weapons.  It wasn't hard, getting away from those two deputies.  They were so distraught over their friend, Burt, they didn't pay much attention when Preacher and I jumped on our horses and took off.  So you've got two choices.  Either let them go, now, or die."

McMaster mulled it over for a moment.  Then lowered his gun.  “Get out of here,”  he ground out between his clenched teeth.  Evie could see the heat of anger eminating from his rigid body.   He was furious.  Not only had he been thwarted again, but this time by a woman.

Heyes and Kid walked towards Evie and Rusty who stood on a small ledge of the canyon wall on the north rim.  Kid’s head hung low with fatigue.   Heyes kept his eyes on McMaster.  He didn’t trust him.  Heyes couldn’t believe it.  They were actually going to get out of this alive.   They headed up the slope towards Evie.   Once again his angel of mercy had saved their necks.   As he reached her  he took his eyes off McMaster and turned to see her beautiful face staring down at him with relief.  She smiled slightly, her eyes bright with love for him.  Then her smile faded.  Her brows came together in a frown.  Heyes whirled around just as a shot was fired.  He closed his eyes and prepared himself for the impact of the bullet.  But it never came.   He opened his eyes to see Sherman McMaster crumple to the ground in pain as a slug from Evie’s derringer hit him in the knee.

Evie sat there frozen, not knowing what to do.  Her hand began to shake.   Heyes came to her and reached his arms up to  her waiting for her to climb down.  She couldn't move.  She had just shot  man.  "Come down,  sweetheart.  Give me the gun."  The tiny weapon suddenly felt like it weighed a hundred pounds.  She let it dangle from her hand and fall into Heyes' palm.  He put it into he coat pocket then caught her as she slid from Rusty's back and into his arms.  She held on tight not fully believing what had just happened.

"That was some bluff.  Preacher's not really up there is he?"  She shook her head.  "That was some shot, too,"  he said into her ear still holding onto her close.

She pulled away to look into his face.  "I was aiming for his arm."  He laughed and pulled her close once more,  awed by her bravery and her love for him.   "You two had better hide somewhere,"  she said.  "Hershel and Joe will be here any minute."   Before Heyes could respond to her they both saw Kid collapse out of the corner of their eyes.

Heyes rushed to his partner's side and knelt beside him and lifted his head into lap.  "Don't worry, Kid,  everything's going to be fine, now.  You just need a little water and some rest and you'll be back on your feet in no time."


Kid looked at Heyes with weary eyes,  "Heyes, you need to make a run for it.  You can still hide before they get here.  Don't sacrifice yourself for me."

"I'm not going anywhere.  I can't let you go off to prison alone.  Who would keep you out of trouble?"

The sound of riders coming fast echoed loudly in the canyon.  The posse was coming.   "Here they are, Hershel."   Joe's voice also echoed.  He and Hershel were descending into the canyon.  It was over.  They would be going to the Wyoming State Penetinuary.  But at least they would be alive.
Heyes looked down at his partner, his best friend and offered him a smile.  "It's been one heck of a ride, ain't it, Heyes?"

"It sure has, Kid."

"Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes,  you're both under arrest,"  the young deputy Jesse Horton announced as the posse arrived on the scene.

"Hold on just a minute, boys,"   Joe yelled from behind the row of mounted posse members.  "Burt's been murdered.   And McMaster's the one who murdered him."  All eyes turned to the wounded lawman who lay writhing in pain on the canyon floor.  "We found his body buried about five miles north of here.    Sherman McMaster, you are under arrest."

"What about Curry and Heyes?"  Jesse asked.

Joe and Hershel looked at each other.   "It appears we may have been mistaken.  We're not so sure these fellas are Curry and Heyes."

"They aren't!"   a familiar female voice sounded from the south ridge of the canyon.  All eyes turned to see a petite blonde woman with a posse of her own,  navigating the tricky slope leading into the canyon.  When she and her team of Bannerman detectives pulled rein in front of the posse, the pretty woman made herself known.

"I am Mrs. Olivia Vanderbilt of the Nashville Vanderbilts.  This young lady,"  Livvy turned her gaze to her niece and was horrified at her appearance, but regained her composure and continued,  "this young lady is my niece.  And that gentleman is her fiance.  And the other gentleman is his cousin.  They are both in my employee and I can vouche for their credentials.  I can even produce documents to prove who they are if necessary.    I have recently purchased this canyon and the land surrounding it in all directions for five square miles.  These men were here at my request to survey the land.  So you are all trespassing. And furthermore, it is apparent that they have been harassed and falsely accused.  So I suggest that you take your rubbish,"   she looked back over her shoulder at McMaster, "and get off of my property before I instruct these detectives who are also in my employ to find out exactly who is responsible for this harassment.  And you had better hope that Mr. Jones' injuries aren't serious, or there will be hell to pay!"
The entire group of twenty men  looked like little boys who had been caught by the school mistress looking up the little girls' dresses.    They hung their heads and mumbled under their breath, clearly humbled and shamed.   A couple of the men came and gathered McMaster and aided him onto a horse and the entire posse rode towards the other end of the canyon.  It would be the last they would see of them.

Livvy dismounted her horse with the elegant grace of the lady that she was, and came to her niece and hugged her.  Evie hugged her back, genuinely glad to see her and so thankful that she had arrived just in time.  "Oh, thank the good Lord you are alright.  I've been out of my mind with worry."    Livvy turned concerned eyes to the two men nearby.  "Is he badly hurt?"  she asked Heyes.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Livvy  hesitated, but only for a moment.  Heyes stood and made room for her as she closed the distance between them in two strides.  She knelt and took Heyes' place as a pillow for Kid's head.

"It appears you've found what you were looking for, Mrs. Vanderbilt.  If you won't be needing anything else, we'll be on our way back to White Oak,"   spoke the  distinguished older gentleman, dressed in a suit and tie, who was the obvious man in authority of the four detectives.

"Yes, Mr.  Bennett,  I have found what I was looking for.  I couldn't have done it without your assistance.  Thank you.  And would you be so kind as to send a telegraph to Mr. McCreedy and tell him that all is well."

"With pleasure, madam,"  he said as he tipped his felt derby.   With a courteous nod to the other lady and the two gentleman,  Mr. Bennet and his three fellow detectives ascended up the canyon wall and out of sight.

At Livvy's request, the bedroll  and canteen from her saddle was brought to her.  She placed the bedroll under his head and held the canteen to his lips as he drank thirstily.   No one except Kid saw the look of relief on her face when she looked him over and realized he was not badly hurt, but more exhausted than anything.  

Satisfied that everyone was going to live,  Livvy rose to her full five feet two inches.  She stood there, looking elegant in her clean riding habit,  her feathered hat neatly atop her honey blonde curls, with her hands on her hips, lips pursed and her booted foot tapping a brisk staccato.  "Well, is anyone going to thank me for perjuring myself to save your ungrateful hides?"

She was rewarded with a barrage of  various forms of  "thank you's."  

"You can all thank me as well for the caravan that I have coming this way."

"Caravan?"  all three asked in unison.

"I have several wagons loaded with supplies headed this way.   I had no idea how long I might have to stay out here searching for you.  So I hired a staff of servants and purchased everything I thought I might need.  I hired a doctor who will be arriving with them as well.   I  want you all to get examined.  There will be large heated tents, a dining tent and private quarters for each of us.  There will also be a bathing tent set up.  And I want all three of you to visit it as soon as possible."   She held a dainty gloved hand to her nose.  "You all look and smell horrible."  She spun around taking in the view of the multicolored canyon walls.  "Now what in the world am I going to do with this place?"

"You mean you really did buy this place?"   Heyes asked, unbelieving.

"Of course I did.  As soon as Georgia told me where you were headed,  I sent a few telegraphs back home and had my best people get to work on it immediately.  I  met a gentleman in White Oak last night who gave me the deed of ownership."

Heyes and Evie stared after her in disbelief as she went back to nursing the ailing Kid Curry.  The caravan of wagons made their noisy appearance on the canyon's ledge.  They shielded their squinting eyes to get a better look at the wagon train.  It wasn't until that moment that  they realized the rain had stopped, the clouds had moved off to the east, and a bright, warm early December sun was beaming down upon them.