Love's Last Gift ~ Chapter 3

Life-In-Love

Not in thy body is thy life at all

But in this lady’s lips and hands and eyes;

Through these she yields the life that vivifies

What else were sorrow’s servant and death’s thrall.

Look on thyself without her, and recall

The waste remembrance and forlorn surmise

That lived but in a dead-drawn breath of sighs

O’er vanished hours and hours eventual.

Even so much life hath the poor tress of hair

Which, stored apart, is all love hath to show

For heart-beats and for fire-heats long ago;

Even so much life endures unknown, even where,

‘Mid change the changeless night environeth,

Lies all that golden hair undimmed in death.

 ~*~*~*~

The streets of Cheyenne, Wyoming had changed a lot since the last time Heyes and Curry had ridden in them.    Cheyenne had been one of their favorite towns to frequent when they had first started out in the business.  Heyes remembered having a grand old time at the Big Horn saloon after robbing the bank near Fort Collins in Colorado.   He and Kid and the rest of the gang had ridden in to Cheyenne like they had owned the place.   And with the young, cocky attitude they displayed, no one had reason to doubt that they did.   But that had been before they had solidified their reputations and had earned the ten thousand dollar price tags on their heads.   After they had been arrested and lodged in the Cheyenne jail a few times,  they started to avoid the city.   And when their wanted status was upgraded to dead or alive,  they had tried to avoid crossing through the territory of Wyoming altogether whenever possible.  But now they didn't have to worry about being recognized or arrested.  They could walk in and order a beer like any other man.   Like a pair of Texas rangers.

The Long Horn Saloon still stood where it always had.  Several newer, fancier saloons has sprung up around town, but the boys doubted if they had the same atmosphere that their old haunt had.    The same old sign still hung across the top of the building's front, only the paint was faded and weathered.

"Wonder if old Gus is still keeping the bar?"  Kid asked as they stood on the street in front of the saloon looking up at the weather beaten sign.
 
"Only one way to find out,"   Heyes said as he went in with confidence.   They stood and took in the sights and sounds of the old familiar place.   Heyes closed his eyes for a moment enjoying the sound of glassing tinkling, cards shuffling,   poker chips chinking and a player piano twanging softly in the background.     He inhaled the scent of beer and whiskey,  cigars and sweat.   Yep,  nothing here had changed.   The familiar, yet older face of Gus Nelson frowned in confusion at the two smiling men who approached his bar with such confidence,  not because he didn't recognize the two men, but because he hadn't seen their faces in years and they were supposed to be in prison.  The confused look on Gus's face slowly transformed into a  smile as the two former outlaws sauntered casually up to his bar.

"I ain't read about no prison breaks in the papers.   So either you gents is lost or things in your lives have changed drastically."

"Hello, Gus.   We're not lost and we didn't bust out.   If you can believe this, we got pardoned,"  Heyes said with a broad smile.   "We just got released yesterday."

The older man's face lit up at the news.  He reached across the bar to slap both boys on the shoulder.   "That calls for a celebration.  Anything you want, on the house."

He poured Kid a beer and Heyes a shot of whiskey.   "Pardoned.  Well, I'll be hanged.  How long has it been anyway?  Six years?   Kid you were still just a snot nosed,"  he struggled to find a better word, but failed, "......kid, the last time I saw you two.   And you,"  he looked into Heyes brown eyes,  "you were just starting to lead the gang.   I must say, you boys did me proud.   I kept up with you boys and every time you pulled a job it would be in the papers and each job got a little bigger.   When I read about you blowing that safe in Denver,  the one that everybody said couldn't be blown,  I was so proud I framed the newspaper and hung it on the wall.  It's still there."   He pointed to the wall behind the far left end of the bar.  "We still talk about it to this day.  You boys know that I didn't take no offense when you stopped coming through here once you made the title of most wanted men in the west."

"Wasn't no offfense meant, Gus,"  Kid said as he swigged his beer.   "We had to steer clear of these parts once Sheriff Lawler had it in for us.  Is he still sheriff by the way?"

"Nope.   He retired and his son took over.   But don't worry.  I don't think he'll recognize the two of you."

"Well, even if he does,"   Heyes patted his breast pocket, "I've got official papers signed by the governor himself declaring us free men."

"That's wonderful, boys,  just wonderful.  Wonder why it wasn't in the papers about you two being pardoned?"

The boys swapped glances.  "We're not too sure about that ourselves.  But the warden assured us that it's all on the up and up.   And speaking of newspapers,  is there a copy of today's issue lying around anywhere?"

Gus handed Heyes  the latest issue of The Cheyenne Daily Sun from behind the bar.  "Hey, Gus,"  Kid said with a laugh, "remember that time Heyes pulled the old five pat hands trick on that city slicker from New York."

Gus let out a hearty laugh.  "Yep, some of the old timers still talk about it to this day, too.  That slicker never did figure out that he'd been had.   But he sure did know that he was a hundred dollars poorer."

Before long the whole saloon knew that Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry were in town,  and that they were free men.   After reminiscing for another hour, the boys found themselves winning big at poker for the next three.  They weren't sure if they really won because of their skill or if the other players let them win when they found out they were Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes.

Later in their room at the Dyer Hotel,  Kid slept soundly while Heyes didn't sleep at all.  Instead he spent an hour sitting in bed combing through every word of the newspaper by the dim  lamplight.  But nothing seemed to be of any significance  where he and Kid were concerned.   Starting tomorrow, he was going to do some digging.   He was going to ask around and see if anyone had seen anyone matching Evie and Livvy's descriptions.  They were here in Cheyenne somewhere.  He could just feel it.

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

She awoke to a beautiful rays of sunshine filling her gloomy room.  The French doors leading to the balcony were open letting in the sunlight and the fresh spring air.  She raised her groggy head to look out upon the clear blue skies and heard the singing of birds nesting in the trees.   What a beautiful day to start her miserable existence she would now call her life.

Waking up the morning  after her wedding night  should have found her feeling elated and bubbly. Instead she felt deflated and flat.   Martha had roused her far too early.  She had not fallen asleep until late and now she just wanted to keep sleeping.

Evie groaned and threw her arm across her eyes to shield them from the brutal light.   "Remind me again, Martha, why I should even get out of this bed today."

"Because you've signed your soul away to that sorry excuse for a man who will be expecting you to be at the festivities tonight playing the part of the blissful newlywed.   And you know what will happen if you welch on your end of that bargain."

Evie sighed a heavy sigh, threw back the cover and sat on the edge of the huge four poster bed.  She didn't need anyone to actually remind her of why.   The reality of her life and her situation was with her constantly.   She woke with it, ate every meal with it, laid down with it at night and slept with it.

"Which one do you choose, my lovely,"    Martha asked, holding up two gowns for her to choose from.   She didn't answer.   Martha laid the two gowns on the bed beside her.   "Perhaps you would like your aunt's opinion.   But if you want it you must be gettin' it soon, for she will be leaving for home shortly."

Evie's head snapped up.  She had forgotten that her aunt would be leaving today to go back home to Heavenly Hills.  Libby had been left alone for far too long and the family businesses needed her attention.   Evie longed to go with her.  Almost as much as she longed for her beloved.   In fact she and Livvy would have already been home had this opportunity not fallen into her lap so suddenly.

She rose from her bed and went to stand against the balcony railing and gazed towards the west.  What she really longed for was to find her beloved ex-outlaw and take him back home with her.  But she knew what would happen if she did.  He would be hunted again.  And this time for a crime he didn't commit.  The governor had made it clear that if she didn't live up to her end of the deal, then the boys would be wanted for crimes far worse that robbery.   "Be safe, my love.   And know that everything I've done,  I've done for you,"  she said aloud before placing another kiss on the silver ring she wore around her neck.   It would never come off.  Until her dying day she would wear it.  If she could not place it on her finger then she would wear it around her neck.   Only when she was cold and dead would it be removed.

"I'm partial to the blue one, you know."   Livvy's voice brought a brief smile to her face.   She turned to find her petite blonde aunt admiring the deep blue silk gown that lay across Evie's bed.

"I'll wear the blue one then.  Not that it matters.   I don't care how I look or what I wear or what I say or how I act.   I don't want to even go downstairs for this dinner party.  And tomorrow night will be even worse.   He's expecting dozens of people for a garden party.  He expects me to dance and play the piano and play yard games.  And all while I'm smiling and acting so very in love with his son.   Thank goodness they are all strangers who don't know me well.  I'm afraid anyone who knows me well would see right through me."

"I'm afraid he will expect you to be on your most convincing behavior.   A woman who was truly in love with her husband would want to look her best for company.   How unfortunate that there is no capital building in Cheyenne.  All of the governor's offices are here in the mansion and all of his soiree's are here as well.   I'm afraid there's no avoiding it, dear.  You have to play the part.  Otherwise I fear for two former outlaws."

"I know.   I'll be the devoted little wife when I'm in public, but can't I be discontented and grumpy in the privacy of my own room?"

Livvy held her arms open and Evie stepped into the embrace of her most trusted friend and ally.    "Of course you can be grumpy all you want with Martha and me, but try to behave yourself around others.   You know we can't afford to mess this up.   If things go wrong,  we could loose everything."

"I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders."

"In a way it is.  Our world, anyway.   But you are a Sanders woman.   You have been through tougher times than this and done far braver things.   I have no doubt that you can do this as well.  We Sanders women are tough as nails."

Evie smiled, feeling a little more light hearted.   "When do you leave?"

"On the two o'clock train.   I've already packed and one of the governor's carriages will take me to the depot.   Martha and James will stay here with you.   I would never leave you here alone.    And I want you to know that I will come back as soon as I can if you need me.   I can be here in two days if I have to be."

"Can't you stay just a little longer?   How am I going to do this by myself?  How will I survive without you?"

"You will survive because you have to.   Look at all you've been through in the past year and a half.   Compared to all of that, this should be a walk through the park.   You have a strength that most women will never possess.  A strength that can even make those people tonight believe that you spent a glorious night in the arms of your new husband."

Evie groaned in disgust.  "Please don't say things like that.  It puts images in my head that I do not want there."

"Sorry, dear, but you have to make the public believe that you are in love with that young man.  No matter how you really feel.  That is part of the bargain.  Don't ever forget why you are doing this."

"I won't forget,"  she said soberly, looking again to the west.

"I certainly wouldn't leave at all if I didn't have to get back to Nashville.    This whole thing just fell into our laps all of a sudden and I hadn't made arrangements to be away for this long.   I should have been home days ago."

"I know.   I'm sorry.  But I couldn't pass up this opportunity to get them out of that wretched place.   No matter what the cost."

"Don't be sorry.   I know I scolded you quite harshly about it, but I would have done the same thing had I been in your shoes."

"Speaking of shoes, I need you to help me decide on which pair to wear tonight and tomorrow night.   And I need you to help me with my hair before  you go.   Do you mind?"

"Of course I don't mind.   Let's have a good breakfast then you can bathe and we will spend the rest of the time getting you ready for the governor's dinner party."

"Livvy?"  Evie approached the subject carefully.  "Do you ever think about that day in Rock Springs?  The day we left them there?   Do you think if we had stayed there, they wouldn't have been arrested?"

Livvy was silent for a few moments.  "Yes, I think about it every day.  I wish now that we had all gone back to Rawlins and found a minister or a justice of the peace when we couldn't find either in Rock Springs.   And the two of you would be married now and everything would be different."   Evie could see the regret in her aunt's eyes.  "But there's no sense dwelling on what cannot be changed."   She opened her mouth as though she wanted to say more, but quickly closed it again.  "I'll go see about breakfast,"  she said in an almost inaudible voice.
 
Livvy left her alone on the balcony and went in search of the servants to tell them to bring breakfast.   Evie knew it made Livvy uncomfortable to talk about the day they had left Rock Springs.  When Livvy and Kid had arrived on the train that cold winter day in January of 1881, Evie and Heyes were waiting for them at the hotel.  They had inquired about a minister and found that the only minister in town also pastored two other churches in neighboring communities and he wouldn't be back for two weeks.  And there was no justice of the peace at the moment, because the man who had held that position had died of pneumonia just days before.   That's when Livvy had insisted that they wait long enough for her to plan a big wedding with music, a cake and a fancy gown for Evie.   They reluctantly said yes to waiting.  It was the biggest regret of her life.   She and Livvy had boarded a train the next day for Nashville.   The boys were to meet with Lom Trevors and let him know of Heyes' plans to marry Evie.    Then the boys were going to join them in Nashville.   But they never made it.   Evie had a telegraph from  Heyes waiting for her the day she arrived in Nashville, letting her know that he and Kid were leaving Rock Springs to head to Porterville to meet Lom.  It was the last she ever heard from him.   He was arrested apparently leaving the telegrapher's office.  And she knew that Livvy carried a tremendous amount of guilt about the whole thing.  She felt it was her fault for insisting that they wait.  That's why she rarely brought up the subject.  It was as painful for her to think about as it was for Evie.
Since the boys' incarceration, she had come to rely heavily on her aunt and she had grown closer to her than she had ever imagined.  She felt closer to her than she had to her own mother.   She didn't want Livvy to leave.  Even though Martha would still be here, she still felt like Daniel being left in the lion's den.

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

"What are you doing up so early?"   a sleepy Kid Curry grunted from under the covers of his soft warm bed.

"I want to get down to the corner and see it they've got today's paper for sale yet,"   Heyes told his half asleep friend while he pulled on his boots.   "You can go back to sleep.   I'll be back as soon as I buy a paper."

Kid's answer was a loud and long snore.   Heyes just chuckled deep in his throat and shoved his hat on his head and headed down stairs and into the bustling streets of downtown Cheyenne.

He found a young man selling today's edition a couple of streets down from the hotel.   He  couldn't wait to get back up to his room and start combing through the pages to find some clue about Evie's whereabouts.   He handed the boy a nickel for the paper and was headed back across the street when a sign from down the street caught his eye.  He went to have a closer look.   It was a new place that hadn't been here when he and Kid used to frequent the town.   It was a restaurant and it appeared to be quite popular, considering the amount of people going in and out.   He would treat Kid to a big breakfast.   It felt good to be able to think about simple things again.  Things like what to have for breakfast or which shirt to wear.   He hadn't had to make a decision in so long he thought maybe he had forgotten how.   But he was wrong.   He decided right there that he was going to have steak and eggs.   And maybe a piece of pie.  The painted window sign of Fannie's Place said "Home of the Best Pie in the West."  But first he had to go through this paper.  Because he had also made another decision.  Come hell or high water, he was going to see Evie soon and he was going to get some answers.
 
~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Heyes,  I mean it.  You ask me if I'm awake one more time I'm gonna brain ya!"

"But, Kid, I don't want you to miss breakfast.  It's getting late.   And there's a new place in town that I'm sure you will like."

One blue eye popped open.  "What kind of place?"

"It's a restaurant.  It's called Fannie's Place and there were lots of people there so it must be good."
The blue eye closed.

"And the sign on the window said it was home of the best pie in the west."

Two blue eyes popped open.  "Did you say pie?"

"Yep, pie."

"What kind of pie?"

"I don't know.  We'll have to go over and find out."

Kid threw the covers off and sat on the edge of the bed.   "I'm only getting up because of the pie.  I hope you know that."

A pleased smile crossed Heyes face as he watched his friend rise and walk slowly to the wash basin.   He knew the pie would to the trick.   Heyes sat down leisurely on his bed and picked up the paper that he'd laid there when he'd come in.   He read the front page.  Nothing exciting.   Just news about new bills the recently elected President Garfield was going to introduce to Congress, testimony from local trials,  advertisements from local businesses.  He flipped to page two.   More of the same, advertisements and death announcements.   He didn't recognize any of the names in any of the stories.   Was Martha sending him on a wild goose chase or was there going to be something in tomorrow's paper?

"Anything in today's paper?"  Kid asked as he surveyed his reflection in the mirror.   "You know,  I think I'll grow that mustache back again.  I looked pretty good in it.  And besides, when a man is stripped of his right to have one, it kind of feels good to grow one just because you can.   Know what I mean?"

No reply.

"Heyes?   You know what I mean?"    He turned and found his partner staring intently, searching the pages of the paper.

"What?"  Heyes asked without looking up.   "Oh, yeah,  I didn't shave this morning either,"  he said absentmindedly rubbing his day old beard.  "Kid there ain't a thing in here that looks like it would have anything to do with us or Evie."

Kid crossed the room and took the paper from Heyes.  "Nothing at all?    Well, maybe tomorrow's paper will tell us something.   Want me to go over this one just in case  you missed something?"

"You can if you want, but I don't think I missed anything."    He laid back on the bed.

"I'll give it a once over when we get to Fannie's."  Kid grabbed his hat and headed for the door.  "You coming?"

"I just knew there would be something in that paper today.  You don't think that Martha woman was leading us in the wrong direction do you?"

"Well,  I...."

"No, she was definitely trying to help us.  But then again,  she could be trying to get us to focus on the papers so we don't check on anything else, like the hotels and boarding houses."

"Yeah, I guess......"

"No, no,  I've got a really good feeling about her.  I got the feeling she was genuine.  She really wants to help us and Evie.  She's in some sort of  trouble and she's going to get hurt.  Don't you think?"

"Are you gonna let me answer this time?"

"I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't want an answer, Kid."

Kid just rolled his blue eyes.  "I think she was definitely trying to lead us in the right direction and she definitely wants us to keep checking the papers.  Don't get  like you get Heyes just because there wasn't anything in today's paper.   Maybe tomorrow there will be."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Now, can we go eat?"

"Let's go,"  Heyes said as he rose to his feet.  "I just hope we don't get the same reaction we got when we went into Minnie's Cafe in Laramie."

Fannie herself met them at the door when they walked in.    "Aw, no,"   Kid mumbled under his breath,  "here we go again."

"Hello, boys,"   the robust middle aged blonde greeted them.   "I was hoping you two would be coming to see me."

The boys looked at each other, confused, yet pleasantly surprised.  They removed their hats revealing their stubbled heads.  "Begging your pardon, ma'am, but do we know you?"   Heyes asked, expecting to get an invitation to the door when she saw their bare heads.

"No, but I sure do know who you are.   Why everybody in town is just hoping to get a look at the notorious Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry,  now pardoned, free men."

"Boy, word sure travels fast. So you don't mind if we sit here in your establishment and eat?"   Kid asked, surprised.

"Mind?   Why, my business will probably triple once everybody hears you've been in here.  And if you like the food,  I sure would appreciate it if you recommended the place to others,"  she shamelessly solicited.    She showed them to a nearby table and told them what she had to offer and the boys ordered their food.

"Say, ma'am,"  asked Kid, "why didn't you throw us out like the folks in Laramie did?"

"Folks in Laramie don't take kindly to newly released prisoners.  They figure they're all no good and going to cause havoc in their town.  So folks there don't encourage former inmates to linger very long.   But you won't find that here in this town, boys,"  she said with a wink as she trotted off to the kitchen.

"Well, Heyes, I think we found ourselves a home."  Kid said with blue eyes sparkling.

Heyes just smiled at his friend, but he didn't say anything.   He didn't know what to say.  Home seemed like a foreign word to him.  Like something from another language.   Without his Evie,  home did not exist in his vocabulary.  

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

Evie stood with Martha on the top step of the columned front porch of the governor's mansion and waved goodbye to her aunt.     She hated to see her go.   She wanted to run after the carriage and beg her not to go.   She wanted to beg her aunt to purchase a home somewhere in Cheyenne and move Libby here so both her aunts would be close to her.     She took a deep breath and looked heavenward.   Dear, Lord, what have I gotten myself into?    Just help me remember why I'm doing this.

"Don't fret, lovey.   We'll see them again soon.  And in the meantime I'll be here and I won't let anything happen to you.    And James is here as well.   He's been a faithful employee to the Sanders family almost as long as I."

"How can I do this, Martha?   How can I stand in front of all those people tonight and tomorrow and pretend to be in love with a man I hardly know?   And what I do know of him, I don't even like."

"Remember that tale you told me about going into that saloon and winning all that money at the poker table pretending to be Miss Savannah from Savannah?   Well, this is the same thing.  You just pretend to be someone else for a while.  Only this time you're not playing for money.  You're playing to keep the man you love out from behind those prison walls and to protect your family's future.  And I have a feeling that if you bide your time all things will fall into place and you won't have to keep up this grand charade."

"What sort of feeling?  Do you know something you're not telling me?"

"No.  I just have an intuition that's all.   When people are driven either by great love or by great hate, then they can make it through most anything and nothing seems to last as long as it really does."

"I suppose,"    Evie said as she watched Livvy's carriage exit through the tall iron gates at the front of the property.   Great love for Hannibal Heyes is what had driven her to  enter into a loveless marriage with a man she hardly knew.    She just hoped it wasn't great hate that would drive her to leave this place, rendering the agreement null and void.

Martha watched the young woman she loved like her own retreat back inside the house.   She would keep to herself the fact that she had practically told Mr. Heyes were he could find her and to be looking in the papers so he could read the news of her marriage.  If he had done as she expected him to,   tomorrow night was going to be quite an evening.

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



"GOVERNOR'S SON WEDS WIDOWED CONCERT PIANIST"

That was the headline Kid Curry read on the front page of the evening edition of The Cheyenne Daily Sun.    Heyes had been disappointed this morning when there was nothing in the paper to give them a clue as to the girl's whereabouts.   They hadn't known that the Sun printed an evening edition.    Heyes was in his room now, sulking and pouting.   Kid hated it when he pouted.   He was worse than a spoiled child.    But what he hated even worse was an angry Heyes.   A pouty Heyes he could deal with.  He didn't like it but he could deal with him.   But an angry Heyes, nobody could deal with.   And after he read these headlines,  Heyes was definitely going to be angry.   Kid had left the room an hour ago to have another slice of Fannie's cherry pie.   Actually he had two, but that was his and Fannie's secret.     He'd heard the boy yelling for everyone to "read all about it."   So, Kid had bought a paper with the intentions of taking it back to the hotel so Heyes could spend the evening pouring over each page.    But the bold headline had caught his eye and he stood there stunned after reading it.  He dreaded giving this to his partner.

He hadn't read the article that followed but the only possible explanation was that Evie had married the governor's son.   How was he going to tell Heyes?    He would be crushed and then angry.   Maybe he should have another piece of pie and think on it.

"Hey, Kid!   What you got there?"

Kid turned to see his partner coming up the street from the hotel.   His first instinct was to hide the paper behind his back.  But it was too late, he'd already seen it.   Besides that,   Heyes would just buy a copy of his own if he refused to show it to him.  Maybe he could soften the blow by warning him.

"Evening edtion.  Heyes, before you read this.....well.....you're not gonna like it.   So, please, don't get how you get."    Heyes snatched the paper out of Kid's hands and read the front page headline.   Kid waited for a tantrum or an explosion of anger.   Nothing.

"So?"  Heyes asked with a shrug.  "You wanna go over to Fannie's and grab some more of that pie?"  Heyes asked as he handed the paper back to Kid.

"Heyes?   Didn't you just read the headlines?"

"Yeah.  So?   What does that have to do with us?"

"It's Evie.  It has to be.   She's agreed to marry the governor's son to set us free."

Heyes laughed a little as he shook his head.  "No, Kid.   You're wrong.  Not my Evie.  She wouldn't do that to me.  There's no way she would marry another man.    And besides that,  Evie's no concert pianist.   She plays piano real good, but she doesn't give concerts.   Now let's go have some more of that pie."

Heyes headed across the street to Fannie's.   Kid stared after him for a moment.   That was not the reaction he had expected.    Maybe Heyes was right.   Maybe their pardon and the fact that the governor's son just got married were unrelated.   Or maybe Heyes was just having a severe case of denial.    Kid followed after Heyes when a bill posted to the community board next to Fannie's place caught his eye.   He stopped Heyes with a hand to his shoulder and pointed in the direction of the bill.    They walked silently to the billboard and read the colorful printed flyer that was partially covered by newer bills.  Kid ripped some of them away so they could read the entire bill.
 
"In Concert - one night only at the Dyer Hotel -   Acclaimed Pianist,  Evangeline Smith - Saturday,  April 7 at  8:00 P.M."

"Didn't you say she was calling herself Mrs. Smith?    Heyes,  I know you don't want to believe it, but it has to be her.   It's Evie.  She's married that guy so we could be pardoned.  She was here playing a concert two weeks ago."

Heyes didn't speak.    He didn't know if he could speak.   Every emotion that a human being could feel,  seemed to surface inside of him at one time.    He didn't want to believe it.   She wouldn't do that to him.  Would she?   Not even to gain his freedom.   But what other explanation was there.   He grabbed the newspaper from Kid's hand and stormed into Fannie's and sat in the closest chair.   He began reading the article about the governor's son's wedding.   It had taken place yesterday at the governor's mansion.    It was a small private ceremony in which Mrs.  Joshua Smith, widow,  became Mrs. Clayton Ramsey III.    The two met two weeks ago when Mrs. Smith gave a concert in the Dyer Hotel in downtown Cheyenne.  The article went on to explain that the new Mrs.  Ramsey hailed from Nashville and had studied music at the Boston Conservatory.   And that was as far as Heyes could read.   He didn't need to read any more.   He had his answer.   She had married another man.  The article never mentioned the bride's first name, so there still remained that small splinter of hope that pierced his soul, that perhaps it wasn't her and all these things were mere coincidences.  But deep down he knew.

"Heyes?   You alright?"   Kid asked quietly as he sat next to his friend.

Heyes stared blankly at the table top in front of him.   He felt like he was going insane.   Two days ago he was pulling hard labor in the territorial prison, with little hope of getting out of those prison walls alive.  And now he was sitting in a restaurant a free man trying to make sense of what he had just read in the newspaper.   His hopes and his dreams, everything that had kept him alive in that prison, had just been smashed against the cold, hard rocks of reality.  The woman he loved was now married to someone else.

Why hadn't he married her when he had had the chance.   When they had arrived in Rock Springs on that snowy evening over a year ago,  there had been no minister in town,   no justice of the peace and no one with the legal ability to make them man and wife.   So he and Evie had reluctantly given in to Livvy's pleas, and decided to wait.   Livvy's intentions had been good.  She just wanted her only niece to get married in a church with a beautiful wedding gown and a big cake afterwards.  She just needed a few weeks to get things arranged and to contact their old friend Preacher to perform the ceremony.   He was the only minister of the gospel who could marry them using Heyes real name.  Regret.  What a terrible word, he thought.  And what an even worse feeling.     No, he wasn't alright.     "Don't I look alright?"   was all he could manage to say.

Before Kid could tell his partner that he looked worse than he ever remembered seeing him,  two finely dressed ladies carrying hatboxes and packages entered the front door beside them, chattering loudly about their morning excursions of shopping.   Kid stood and removed his hat and offered to assist the ladies with their packages.   Most of the time it was Heyes who had to remind Kid to stand when a lady entered the room, but this time Kid had to give Heyes a nudge to get him to stand and help him relieve the ladies of their burdens.

"Good morning, folks,"   Fannie greeted as she approached her awaiting guests.  "My, you ladies must have bought out the whole town,"   Fannie noted as she led the ladies to an empty table, the gentleman following with their packages.   "Shopping for a new gown for the big soiree, I suppose."

"Oh, yes, Fannie.  Violet and I are  so excited.   Papa said we could buy whatever we wanted and money was no object.  Isn't that right, Daisy?"

"Yes, sister dear, that is correct.  Papa is always grateful for us to have an opportunity to find suitable husbands.   And Lord only knows that suitable suitors are few and far between around here.   Papa always says that only the best will do for his girls."

Heyes and Kid shared a private, knowing look.   There was no shortage of men around here.  There was just a shortage of men who would want to court either of these two unfortunate looking young ladies.   Heyes set his arm load of packages next to the one called Violet.   She was well over six feet tall and so skinny a  hard breeze would have blown her over.  She turned hazel eyes towards him and smiled, revealing bucked teeth with a wide gap in the middle.

Kid deposited the stack of hat boxes in the chair next to Daisy.   She too smiled charmingly at Kid.   Her eyes disappeared into tiny slits in her chubby, round face.   A face that was covered with a sprinkling of fine dark hair.  The hair grew darker near her mouth and nose,  giving her the appearance of having a slight goatee.   "Thank you, gentlemen,"   Daisy said, extending her pudgy hand.

Kid took her hand and shook it gently and quickly dropped it.  "My pleasure, ma'am,"   he said as he backed away and he and Heyes turned to go back to their table.

"I suppose you girls are heading up to the governor's mansion tomorrow night for the garden party,"  Fannie said.

The boys stopped in their tracks.

"That's right.   It's a private invitation only gathering.   We have to look our best if we want to  rub elbows with the governor and his  new daughter-in-law.   We hear she is ravishingly beautiful,"   Violet giggled, her large hooked nose wrinkling.

The boys both pivoted on their heels and returned to the ladies' table.

"How rude of us not to introduce ourselves.   I'm Joshua Smith and this is Thaddeus Jones.  Is it our understanding that you ladies are without escorts for tomorrow evening's get together at the governor's mansion?"

Violet batted her eyes coyly up at the handsome cowboy,  "As a matter of fact we are without escorts."

"But that's only because it was such short notice.   Otherwise we would have had no problem finding an escort,"   Daisy quickly added.

"Oh, I'm sure you would have, ma'am,"   Kid said.   "But seeing as how you two ladies have bought pretty new dresses and me and my partner here just happen to be free tomorrow evening,  would you allow us to do the honor of being your escorts?"

Both ladies giggled and blushed.   "We would be thrilled to have you for escorts, Thaddeus,"    said Daisy with her hand shyly over her mouth.

"What time should we come calling?"    Kid asked.

"The party starts at seven,"  said Violet.

Kid smiled at his partner, "Well, Cinderella, we got twenty four hours to get you ready for the ball."