Chapter 15 Soundtrack Selection

This song fits our heroine well I think.  I hope everyone likes her.  I would love to hear any opinions anyone has about her.  Don't be shy.  Leave me a comment.  My inexperienced writer's ego really enjoys comments. Thanks to everyone who's reading.
Peace, love and blessings,
Karen
and as always....love you, Pete.

Sountrack Selection 2 of 2 for Chapter 14

Chapter 14

CAUTION!!!  This chapter is a little dark at the beginning.  We see a side of Hannibal Heyes we don't often see.  If that make you nervous, do not proceed!


Kid woke up shortly after dawn and Heyes was gone.   Gone on his horse.  He had played right into his hands. Had  he known  Heyes was planning to slip out on his own to hunt down that killer, he never would have taken his eyes off him.  It wasn’t like Heyes to be this reckless or this stupid.  But then again it wasn’t like him to fall in love either.  And that’s just what had happened.  Heyes wasn’t thinking straight because he was too riled up over Evie being in trouble.  And the reason he was so riled up, was because he was punch drunk with love.  Shoot, he was riled up himself and he wasn't in love with the girl.  He could only imagine the torment Heyes was enduring.  How did this happen?  He didn't think Heyes even believed in falling in love.  Not since they'd become wanted men.  He knew Heyes enjoyed a woman's company as much, or maybe more than the next man.  But love?  Dang it!   He never had gotten around to having that serious talk with Heyes.  Oh, well, he doubted if it would have done any good anyway.  Heyes was already head over heels when he’d found him three days ago.  Although he didn't think Heyes even realized it.

Kid made quick work of packing the gear and saddling the mule.  He didn’t have any time to lose.  He had to get to Heyes as soon as possible.  He knew what he was planning.   He wanted to get there alone, so he could take a little revenge on the bad guy, without him there to stop him or talk him down.  He wanted to kill the man.  Kid understood.  He’d wanted to kill men before, too.  It was hard enough to live with another man's blood on your hands when the other man was shooting back. That old saying, "Never bring a knife to a gun fight" came into his mind.  Because that's just what was going to happen.  That murderer had only been carrying a knife when he'd taken Evie.  He'd obviously thrown Heyes' revolver and Evie's rifle in the river, because they couldn't find either one.  And Heyes was headed right for him and he had a big red target in the middle of  his chest and only a knife to defend himself.   If Heyes accomplished what he was setting out to do, Kid was afraid he'd never be able to live with the regret.  Plus he didn't know how it might affect their amnesty.  He had to catch up to him and fast.  He looked Jenny in her bulging brown eyes.  "I may not have a way with horses or mules, but I do have a way with the ladies. And since you're a lady, I got one favor to ask.  Will you get the lead out of your butt and move! We've got some catchin'  up to do."   She brayed loudly as he climbed onto her saddled back.  "I hope that was you agreein' with me.  Let's go puddin' foot."

                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kid had been right.  They had stopped after darkness fell.  He squatted. now by the unmistakable outline of two people who had lain side by side.  He touched the smaller of the two indentions on the mossy ground.  She had lain here just a few hours ago.  He closed his eyes as he recalled the nights he'd held her close while she'd slept.  He remembered the smell of her hair, the softness of her skin, the sound of her breathing.  He felt like his heart was caught in a vice.  Then he  looked at the larger indention, only  a scant foot away from hers.   And he recalled how hard it had been to keep from touching her, how hard he had fought with himself to resist the temptation her beauty and spirit had presented.  And how he'd finally given in to that temptation that night in the cave.  How it had felt to hold her close and kiss her.   This lech wouldn't even try to fight the temptation.  Unless the price of a virgin was more tempting,  Evie was probably in big trouble.  The thought of this gutless barbarian laying one filthy finger on her made his blood boil.  He scooped up a handful of the earth from the spot where she had been lying and balled it into his fisted hand then slung it into the trunk of the nearest tree with a splat.  Before climbing back in the saddle, he reached into the saddlebag and removed Evie's memory bag. He'd placed it inside this morning before he'd rode out.  He looked at her angelic face in the tintype photograph, then took the soft lock of her baby hair and ran it gently across his fingers.   Don't be afraid, sweetheart.  I'm coming.  And when I get there, he'll never hurt you or anybody else again.  


The next time he stopped it was to briefly  check the ammo in his rifle and water the horse.  While the horse drank, he changed from his tan  jacket to his blue coat.  Evie's coat.  The sun had been behind the clouds since mid morning.  And the noonday air was chilly.  She was probably freezing.  He wanted it to be warm from his body heat when she put it on. He was closing in on them.  It wouldn't be long now.

                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She had tried to think of a way to escape.  But hunger and exhaustion were befuddling her brain. And her mind was totally preoccupied with how cold she was in her flimsy dress.   She had no idea how long they had been riding or in what direction they were going.  There was no sun to guide her and this forest seemed endless.  Her head drooped wearily forward.  She was about to fall asleep, or pass out.  She didn't really care anymore.  She was so tired.  So tired.  Joshua.  Harlan had roused her shortly after dawn with a not so gentle boot to her ribs.  She had been dreaming of Joshua and the kiss they had shared in the cave.  Oh how she wished she were back in that cave with him.  They had been riding for at least five hours.  It must be close to noon.  Despite her best efforts to keep her faith and her hope in tact,  she was beginning to give up hope that Joshua or Thaddeus or anyone was ever going to find her.  Her eyes closed and she was just about to give in to her exhaustion when the horse stepped from the ocean of trees into a glade.  The sound of the rushing river now unmuffled by the dense forest, roared loudly making her more alert.  She scanned the gorgeous scenery with droopy eyes..  Had she not been so tired, hopeless and in despair at her situation, she would have been in awe of the beauty of this place.  A bend in the  wide river was split in half by a huge cliff jutting from the middle of the earth where the dense forest grew. The river was beginning its south westerly route towards the Rio Grande.   The rolling waters cascaded like carpets being rolled down a staircase on either side of the huge rock formation to converge into white foaming rapids at the base some twenty feet below.  How wonderful it would have been to discover this wonder of natural beauty with Joshua.  Thinking of Joshua in her tired state must have her hallucinating.  She could have sworn she saw a rider, much like Joshua, in the dim light of the trees on the other side of the glade, riding fast towards her.  But if she was seeing things  then she was hearing things too.  Because she could hear the sound of each hoovebeat as it pounded the ground.  As she continued to watch the vision,  it got closer and grew clearer.    Hope swelled in her breast.  Joy sprang anew in her heart.  It wasn't a vision.  It was Joshua!

                                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He had come up behind them shortly after noon.  He'd silently followed them for nearly a mile.  When he was satisfied that Evie was not in immediate danger,  he turned his horse west and using his superior horsemanship, galloped swiftly through the forest, dodging in and out of trees, then he'd turned southward again.  He was going to cut them off at the pass.  How easy it would have been to put a bullet in his back and this whole nightmare would be over.  But that would have been too good for the son of a bitch.  No, Heyes wanted him to see him coming.  To know who he'd crossed.  And why it had been a mistake to cross him.  His last mistake.  He'd emerged from the trees into  the grassy glade about fifteen minutes before Evie and her captor.  He had ridden into the trees on the opposite side of the grassy clearing that was about twenty yards wide.  And he waited.

 As he rode  out of the woods now into the open meadow, Heyes  relished the look of shocked surprise on the man's face.  He'd never gotten a good look at the man until now and Heyes was astonished.  The man was grotesque.  He was tall and thin.  He was completely bald on top with thin scraggly wisps of long stringy hair hanging down to this shoulders.  He had a large hooked nose and a severely receding chin and eyes that seemed to be in a perpetual squint.  His teeth were rotten, his unshaven face was marred with pock marks and his clothes were so dirty that the original color of them was indistinguishable.  He wanted to run and grab Evie off the horse and away from the filthy beast, but he didn't know what kind of weapons he might have hidden so he stayed back a few feet.  He would have to handle this right if he was going to get  Evie and himself out of this alive.   As he rode closer he pulled the rifle from its scabbard.  When he dismounted he sought Evie's face.  Her beautiful face was  awash with disbelief and relief.  He tried as best he could without speaking to tell her not to be afraid it was going to be alright.   He took in the sight of her magnificent wealth of glorious hair, tangled and matted with leaves and debris.  She almost shivered in the thin summer dress, too thin for the cool October weather, even in Texas.   Her usually bright shining eyes were dull with dark circles beneath.  And then he saw the blueish discoloration on her right jawline.  Never in his twenty-nine years had he wanted to kill someone this badly.  He never thought he could be as angry as he had been the day his family had been slaughtered by raiding soldiers.  Or when he and Jed had been dropped at the front gate of the orphans home like two sacks of bad feed.  Or when Danny Bilson had left them and old Seth for dead out in the middle of the desert after he'd stolen their hard earned gold.  But those times paled in comparison to the rage he felt inside right now.  Imagining he'd touched her was nothing when faced with the reality that he had dared to hit her.  He felt his self control slipping.

                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 She sat up taller in the saddle to get a better view of him over Rusty's perked ears.  He was the most welcome sight Evangeline had ever seen.  He reined in the gelding as he pulled a rifle from the saddle scabbard and dismounted all in one fluid motion.   Harlan brought Rusty to a halt.  From behind her Evie could hear his disgruntled growl of frustration.
She couldn't believe her eyes.  He was alive.  He was alive and he was here.  He had come for her.  Their eyes locked from across the few yards that now separated them.  His soul spoke to her through those beautiful brown eyes more loudly than words could have.   Every thing's going to be alright.  I'm here now. She instinctively moved to go to him.  But she was stopped short by her tethered hands, and by Harlan's thighs that suddenly gripped hers tight from behind.   Her eyes lingered on Joshua's face.  His beautiful face that she had missed so much.  The face she feared she would never see again.  She shuddered slightly when a  visible change came over his face as he took in her condition.  She must bear the marks of the abuse she had suffered at Harlan's hand.  His jaw became rigid,  his lips pursed, his nostrils slightly flared.  And as he turned them towards her cruel abuser, his eyes turned cold.

"Afternoon."  The greeting was not friendly. Rusty began to nicker and prance at the sound of Joshua's voice, his regal head straining upwards.  Joshua walked leisurely closer .  The rifle in the crook of his arm his black hat low over his eyes.  When he was only a few feet in front of her captor,  he pushed his hat back on his head and smiled up at him with a smile that did not reach his eyes.    "I think you got some things that belong to me and I think I want them back."    He took another step closer, holding the rifle in his right hand his finger on the trigger.  He braced the butt of the rifle against his hip as he pointed it at Harlan and said calmly, "Now."

Even looking down at him, his body language, his posture and eerie calm voice, made Joshua a daunting figure.  But even if Joshua had not been armed, he would have been formidable.  Evie could feel the fumes of rage coming from him.  As she sat atop the horse and took in the whole scene she almost felt sorry for Mr. Mathis.  She didn't think he was going to fare well in this fight.  Especially if.....wait a minute.  Where was Thaddeus?

"Untie her."

Harlan, his eyes never leaving Joshua, did as he was told and unwound the leather thongs from the saddle horn but did not unbind her wrists.

"What makes you think anything I got belongs to you?"

Evie could not believe  Harlan had the nerve to even speak.

"Well, we all know the horse belongs to me.  So that  means everything on the horse belongs to me too.   Including you.  Get down."

The cold calm of his voice let Harlan know he should probably do what he was told.  He dismounted the horse   and  stood  there, arms raised in surrender, staring at the man he'd knocked unconscious with a rock yesterday morning.
 
"What's your name?"  Joshua asked with forced pleasantness.

Evie was confused.  Why did he want to know this miscreants name?  If he wanted to know she would tell him.  Miles away from here.  She would tell him miles away from here.  Why weren't they riding out of here and leaving him stranded.  If he meant to kill the man surely he would have done it by now. What was he doing?

When he didn't answer, Joshua slowly raised the rifle and jammed the barrel into Harlan's chest.  He smiled that smile again.  The one that didn't reach his eyes.  "I asked you question."

"Mmmathis.  Harlan Mathis,"  he stammered out.

"Hum?  Never heard of you.  But I bet you've heard of me,"  Joshua said, the unamused smile never leaving his face.

Now Harlan was confused.  And a little worried.   Who was this man?  He wasn't no lawman he was sure about that.  But he spoke and walked with an arrogant confidence of somebody who was either with the law or on the other side of it.  "Who are you mister?"

"Well my friends call me Heyes."  The smile disappeared.  " Only my mother called me Hannibal."

Evangeline was stunned.  What was he doing?  What did he hope to accomplish by making up such a tale?  Did he hope to intimidate Harlan by making him believe he was an outlaw?  Joshua let's just go.  She silently begged.

"You?  Are Hannibal Heyes?"  Harlan looked skeptically at the cold eyed man in front of him.  "And that other fella?"

"Oh that's my cousin.  You've probably heard of him too.  Jed Curry?  But his friends call him Kid."

Harlan began to nervously scan the surrounding area, expecting a shot to plug him in his chest any second.

  

"Ah, relax.  He's not here.  Yet.  He'll be along later.  I thought you and me should get better acquainted before I introduce you to him.  See, he's not nearly as nice as I am.  In fact sometimes he can get down right mean.  And you know what makes him madder than an old wet hen?  When a man mistreats a lady.  And from the looks of it I'd say you like hitting ladies."

"Maybe some ladies need hittin'."

Heyes looked briefly at the ground and shook his head,  his face a mask of barely controlled fury.  Then quick as a whip he laid a staggering left hook into Harlan's nose.  His head snapped back and then he fell to the ground, stunned. Blood began to ooze from his right nostril. 

Heyes laid the rifle on the ground and  went to stand over Harlan's sprawling figure. He placed his knee squarely in the center of Harlan's chest before removing his huge knife from its sheath and tossing it far into the distance.  He  grabbed the collar of Harlan's dingy shirt, pulled his head up off the ground and backhanded the villainous devil across his right jaw, just like he had obviously done to Evie.  "Not so tough without a rock in your hand are you?"  Another fist in the mouth.  "Harder to fight a man than a woman ain't it, especially  face to face."  A  swift uppercut to the chin.  "I just wish I had a wagon wheel to tie you to."  Another head jarring backhand.  "When I'm done with you you'll wish you'd never laid eyes on her, let alone your filthy stinking hands."  Another right hook to the jaw.  He was out.  His head dangled backwards, his face covered with blood, several of his rotten snaggly teeth lay on the ground near his mangled head.  Heyes let go of his collar and let him drop roughly to the ground.  

Evie had cringed with every blow.  She could hear every sickening thud as Joshua's gloved fists made contact with Harlan's face.   When he let Harlan's unconscious body drop to the ground, he rose slowly and turned to face her.   His chest rose and fell rapidly with the pent up anger he was still trying to contain.  Their eyes met again and they spoke silently to each other.  He came to her and cut her bonds with his pocket knife.  Simultaneously he reached for her as she slid from the saddle and into his waiting arms  .  His arms encircled her waist, lifting her off the ground.  Her arms  went around his neck while her face burrowed into this strong shoulder.   Time seemed to be frozen as they stood there locked in a wordless embrace.  Finally he set her on the ground and slightly away from him.  He had to remove her arms from around his neck, as she was reluctant to sever the contact.  She understood why when he removed his coat, the coat he had given her to wear before, and placed it around her shoulders.  She slid her arms into the sleeves, reveling in the warmth and scent of Joshua's body that still clung to the material.  He pulled the front together and  fastened the buttons.  He searched her eyes again, needing to know but not wanting to ask her, what the bastard had done to her.  He removed his gloves to  place a gentle hand on her bruised jaw and broke the silence,  "Did he....?"   He couldn't say it out loud.  

She knew what he was asking.  "No, he didn't."

  

He let out a long sigh of relief as he cupped her face in his hands and laid his forehead against hers.  They stayed like that for what seemed like endless moments.  And in those moments it was like the rest of the world disappeared.  It was just the two of them safe in each others arms.  Then somehow, neither one knew which one had moved first,  their lips were touching.  Then their mouths were melding in a slow,  deep,  soul stirring kiss.  It was a life affirming kiss, filled with pent up emotions.  They had come so close to losing each other, and their relief at having cheated tragedy and their joy at having found each other again was expressed now with this one unrestrained, passionate kiss.  He forced himself to break the kiss.  "When I found your clothes all cut up I thought the worst.  If he had done that to you, I don't think i could have kept from killing him."

"You came pretty close to killing him anyway,  I think."  They looked in unison at the limp, lifeless body lying on the ground a few feet away.  Then back to each other. 

 "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Just my wrists."  He picked up the rifle and hand in hand they walked down to the river's edge were he bathed her burning wrists with cool water.  As he gingerly dabbed the cold water on her wrists with his bandanna, she noticed his knuckles were gashed open in several places. "Oh, look at your hands.  You're bleeding."

"It's nothing,  I don't even feel it." 

She took the damp bandanna from his hands and began to swab  his raw knuckles,  "Liar.  And you're quite a good liar too.  I almost believed you when you told him you were Hannibal Heyes."

He didn't respond.  She looked up from her ministrations and into his guilt ridden eyes.  She saw the truth in them.  Her hands went still.  Her face went a little pale.  “That was a lie, wasn’t it.  I mean you’re not really....”   She never got to finish her question.  She was  grabbed from behind in an iron clad choke hold, the cold steel blade of a knife pressed tightly to her cheek.

Instantaneously, Heyes stood and pointed his cocked rifle at Harlan’s head.  Harlan began to walk Evie backwards closer to the edge of the twenty foot drop where the river cascaded below.

“Let her go.”  Heyes demanded.

“Put the gun down.”   Harlan countered.

Heyes fired another shot at the villain’s feet missing by only scant inches.  “The next one goes in your head, Mathis.  Now let her go!”

The monster swung Evie around so that she was teetering on the edge of the precipice, never relinquishing his choking grip on her throat.  She pulled at his arm, struggled for breath against the crushing force of his it,  but as she struggled the loose earth under her feet, softened from the recent heavy rain, crumbled and fell to the rushing rapids below.  She went still.   If she kept struggling or he let go of her she would fall. 

“You shoot me and she falls.”

Heyes could see that her feet were skidding on the loose crumbly earth.  If he killed Mathis, then Evie would go over the edge as well.  Dammit!  How could he have been so stupid as to leave that bastard alone for even minute.  Why hadn’t he just shot him the minute he saw him ride out of the trees.  Because your not a killer like he is, that's why.  And your ego just had to let him know who you really were.  I hope your happy with yourself now you idiot.  He scolded himself for being so reckless and foolish with Evie’s life and his own.  Think Heyes, you’re smarter than this asshole.  Use that silver tongue of yours and get Evie out of this mess.


“Alright.”   He laid the gun on the ground beside him.  “The gun is down.  Now bring her away from the edge.”

Harlan didn’t comply.  “You know I been thinkin’.   I can only get a scant thousand dollars out of her.  But you.  You’re worth a cool ten thousand.  And I do believe that’s dead or alive. With that kind of money I won’t have to sell her.  I think I’ll just keep her for myself.”   He brought his bruised and bloodied face next to Evie’s and licked the side of her cheek.

Evie shivered with revulsion and Heyes quivered with rage.  He wanted so desperately to rush him and take him down and finish what he’d started earlier and beat the life out of him.  But he knew he would throw Evie over the edge.  Or maybe slit her throat and then throw her over.  He stood there feeling helpless.  Kid, why did  I ever leave you?

“Bet your wishing you’d never left me behind this morning now, ain’t ya?”

The familiar voice of his partner was like the sweetest music Heyes had ever heard.

Kid Curry watched as three heads snapped around in his direction.  He walked slowly and deliberately towards the three to stop beside his partner. He removed his leather glove from his right hand as he walked.  He placed that hand reassuringly on Heyes’ shoulder, “Could you use a little help?”

He was answered with a wilted look of pure relief.  Kid turned steely blue eyes on the man holding Evie carelessly close to the edge of the cliff side.  “Mister, it looks like you haven’t been treating my friends very nice.  I don’t like it when my friends get mistreated.  Especially my lady friends.  In fact when my friends get mistreated I can get down right mean.”

“See, I told you,”  Heyes quipped,  his cocky confidence on the rise now that his partner was by his side.

"Well, this must be the infamous Kid Curry,"   Harlan said.

Kid turned a puzzled look on his partner, 'How'd he know that?"

"I kinda told him who we are,"  Heyes said sheepishly.

"Sheesh, Heyes!  Why'd you go and do a fool thing like that?"

Heyes just shrugged, not really knowing what to say.

Well, looks like I'm still doin' the thinkin'.   And the shootin'. Kid thought to himself.

“How about I make you a deal."  Kid addressed his nemesis.  " You take your arm from around he neck and set her away from the edge,  and I’ll let you walk all the way to the next sheriff’s office.  Or you can keep holding her like that and you can limp there on your bad leg.”

"What bad leg?"

"The one I'm gonna blow a hole in if you don't let her go."

Harlan laughed his squealy laugh.  "You won't shoot.  You know if you do I'll let her fall."   When Heyes bent slowly down to retrieve his rifle Harlan pressed the knife to her temple. "That's if I don't cut her up first."

"Are you a gambling man, Mathis?  If you are then you know that you toss in your hand when the odds are against you.  You got no chance of getting out of this alive if you don't bring her away from that edge," Heyes reasoned.

The cutthroat thought about that for a long moment.  Then hesitantly, he stepped away from the edge.  He swung Evie around in front of him, using her for a human shield.  Her skirts billowing in the wind completely hid his lower body  from the view of the two outlaws who stood side by side staring him down.  This was his only chance.  He had to make it count.  Who would have guessed he would be looking at collecting the bounty on not one but two of the most wanted men in the west.  Curry and Heyes.  Yes, sirree, his luck was about to change.  He had to time it just right.  Then he could turn in their dead bodies for the reward and keep the sweet thing in front of him as a bonus.

Heyes and the Kid, both relieved that Evie was away from the edge, watched and waited for him to let her go.  But he just stood there, like he was thinking hard about something.  Heyes lowered the rifle back to the ground.  “We won’t shoot if you let her go.”

Kid just stood there with his arms crossed in his unique Kid Curry stance,  never taking his eyes off Harlan.  He had learned in all his years of having to stare down men who had challenged him or called him out,  the look in a man’s eye when he was ready to draw.  Something just didn’t feel right about this.

Then everything seemed to happen in slow motion.  When in reality it happened faster than blinking an eye.

Harlan released his hold on Evie’s neck, ducked down behind her,  and pulling Heyes’ hidden revolver from his boot, ducked behind her full skirts and aimed the gun at Heyes.  Evie watched paralyzed as the Colt at Thaddeus side fairly leaped into his hands and he shot Harlan in his right wrist, sending the Smith and Wesson flying from his hands before he could even get a shot off.

He rolled on the ground, groaning in pain.  And he rolled too close to the crumbly edge.  As he rolled over he grabbed for anything that would keep him from falling.  And the closest thing to him was Evie’s skirts.  She fell onto her back and was dragged by Harlan’s falling weight closer to the edge.

Heyes and Kid ran to her.  When they got there, she was grasping onto roots that were growing from the cliff side to keep from going over.  Harlan was dangling in mid air holding onto Evie’s ankle with his left hand.   Cold water from the crashing white rapids below sprayed up and soaked both Evie and Harlan’s clothes, making them even heavier.  The boys each grabbed one of Evie’s arms, and pulled.  The weight was almost too much for them.

“You hold onto her, I’ll try and pull him up,”  Kid yelled over the sound of the rushing waters.

Kid reached over as far as he could.  “Take my hand!”  Harlan reached and grabbed Kid’s outstretched hand, but his injured wrist  had no strength and he lost his grip, falling back.  When he did he pulled Evie a little further down.

“Kid I can’t hold her much longer!”  Heyes called desperately.

Kid rushed back to sit with Heyes between his legs, just like they were getting ready to go for a sled ride.  Putting his hands around Heyes  middle he pulled him, as Heyes pulled Evie.  Then all of a sudden they heard a high pitched scream and the load became very light and the two men fell backwards with the soaking wet Evie in tow.  Harlan Mathis, unable to hold on with one hand had fallen to his death.

The exhausted threesome lay panting on the ground.  Evie sprawled across Heyes chest, and Heyes against the Kid’s.

“Somebody needs to move or I’m gonna suffocate,”  the Kid finally said.

The three slowly made their way to their feet.

“Is it over?”  Evie asked breathlessly.

“Yes, sweetheart it’s over.”

She looked so pale and fragile.  “Kid Curry?  And Hannib....”  She fell in a dead faint.

Heyes caught her before she hit the ground and lifted her into his arms.

"I'll get a fire started.  You start getting her out of those wet clothes."

                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kid was slightly amused at the sight of his partner trying to figure out how to undress the  girl.

"Heyes, your just gonna have to take a hold of 'em and pull 'em off."

"Yeah, I guess your right, Kid."

"Well, it's not like you ain't been dying to get her out of her clothes anyway,"  Kid said under his breath.

"I heard that.  Get me a blanket over here will ya?"  Boy I could sure use a cigar and a good stiff whiskey about now, he thought.

                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her coat, dress, shoes, and socks all hung by the fire on the makeshift clothes line Kid had fashioned out of a couple of sturdy branches and a piece of rope.  He sat by the fire now watching his partner' s uncomfortable attempt to remove Evie's wet undergarments.

“I'm telling you, Heyes, you’re just gonna have to take hold of ‘em and pull ‘em off her,”  Kid said, seeing his partners obvious indecision about how to go about the task.  "You act like you've never seen a necked woman before."

"This is different, Kid.  The women I've seen naked, wanted me to see 'em naked. And they were awake at the time.  And they were doin' the undressing themselves."  A thoughtful stare. "Well, most of the time anyway.  But that's not the point."

"You want me to do it?"

"NO!"

He couldn't put it off any longer.  He bit the proverbial bullet and quickly stripped her down to her birthday suit.  Keeping his eyes averted as much as possible he cocooned her in the blanket then laid her gently near the fire, his tan jacket folded under her head for a pillow. He sat next to her and with tender hands removed the leaves and twigs that were clinging to her beautiful wet hair.  He would let her body and her mind rest awhile before he woke her.

"What the devil were you thinking Heyes, going off by yourself to hunt that crazy bastard down.  How many times do I gotta remind you that I'm the only thing that's been keeping you alive all these years."

"I know that Kid, and I'm sorry I left you and took your horse.  But something came over me yesterday that I can't explain.  When we found her clothes all cut up,  it was like my mind went blank of any thought except putting my hands around his throat and just squeezing the life out of him."   The last words were said through clenched teeth.  "When I rode out this morning it was with the intention of hunting him down and killing him. And I wanted your hands to be clean, so I decided I had to go alone.  Kid I don't believe in killing people, you know that.  But I lost all reason when I was thinking that he had touched her."

"Something came over you, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess I was just let the anger get the best of me."

"And?"

"And, I couldn't just let him get away with everything he did."

"And?"

"And what?  Why do you keep saying that?"

"You forgot to say, 'And I love her'."

A worried frown creased Heyes brow.  Love?  Him?  Hannibal Heyes?

"Heyes, you do realize that's what came over you, don't ya.  Your stupid with love for that girl.  Being in love makes men do stupid things, even geniuses like Hannibal Heyes."

The worried frown turned into a puzzled grimace.

 Then he looked at the sweet face of the young woman lying peacefully next to him and his face softened with longing and adoration.

"I guess we both knew that sooner or later one of us would find the one girl we wouldn't want to give up.  The one we wouldn't be able to leave behind.  Is she that girl,  Heyes?"

"I don't know, Kid.  I just know that I was going out of my mind with worry.  The thought of that dirty bastard touching her made me want to choke him with my bare hands.  And you know I don't get that way.  I've always been able to love 'em and leave 'em.  How many men could be intimate with a woman one night and the next day turn her over to a federal marshall for bounty money.  That's how easy it's always been for me."

Kid's eyes grew wide with surprise.  "You...you mean... you and Blanche....you know?"

Heyes nodded.

"When?  And where?"

"When you and Michelle were down by the creek that night before we came back to the states, Blanche asked me to take a walk with her.  We found a nice secluded spot and....well, let's just say she sure did give a fella something to remember before she sent him off to face twenty years."

Kid shook his head rapidly back and forth for a moment, bewildered that he never knew.  "But this time it's different?"

"Yep, real different. I just want to do what ever it takes to make her happy and keep her safe.  Kinda the way I've always felt about you.  Well, except I never wanted to kiss you."

"Well, that's a relief."  Kid's blue eyes also sparkled with relief that his friend was starting to sound like his old self again.   "Yeah,  I've always known this day would come.   I just always figured it would be me first."

"Me too."

"What are we gonna do with her Heyes?  She does have family we can contact, right?"

"Yeah, she said she has relatives in Nashville, where her mother was from.  But I don't think she wants to get word to them.  She says she's never met them and she's afraid they won't want to have anything to do with her."

"Now that's not real likely, Heyes."

"I know. That's what I told her."

"We'll have to get word to them, you know that don't ya?"

"Yeah.  But let's not tell her.  That way if they don't send any word back she'll never know the difference."

"And if they don't send word back,  what do we do then?"

"I don't rightly know."

"Well, I'll think on it for a while.  Maybe I'll come up with something by morning."

An annoyed look crossed Heyes face.  "I do the thinkin', 'member."

Kid Curry stretched out lazily beside the fire.  A slight grin crossed his lips as he lowered his hat over his eyes for a nap.  "Glad to hear it, Heyes.  Glad to hear it."

Soundtrack Selection 1 of 2 for Chapter 14

I thought the intensity of this song matched our hero's intensity as he's riding hard through the forest to find his lady love.  And perhaps as he's riding he's reflecting on his life and mentally preparing himself for what he's about to do and for the possibility that he could die in the attempt to rescue her.   Plus it's just a kick ass song that just begs for a Heyes and Curry video.  Any of you talented youtubers out there who like to make  ASJ videos....this would be epic!!!

SUCCESS!!! MY SKETCHES ARE BACK!!

 I finally figured it out and my sketches are back.  Enjoy that cigar Mr. Heyes.  Your gonna wish you had a cigar and a good stiff whiskey in the next chapter. 

Chapter 13

The saddlehorn digging into her ribs was going to make her sick.  The horse was weaving in and out of the trees at a good trot.  Her stomach was being pummeled with ever beat of its hooves on the ground.  They had been riding for what she figured was about an hour.   If she didn't change positions soon her breakfast was going to be all over Harlan's leg.  That might be an improvement, she thought as the rancid smell of his filth encrusted pant leg filled her nostrils, adding further to her urge to puke.  Just as she was about to voice her extreme discomfort to her captor, he pulled rein and shoved her off the horse into a sprawling heap on the ground.  Her backside took the brunt of this fall.  Another bruise to add to my collection, she thought.  When he jumped down from the horse she expected him to try and finish what he  had started back at the camp, but she was relieved when he paid her absolutely no mind and started rummaging through the saddlebags on Joshua's horse. Don't just sit here. Make a run for it.  She rose to her feet too quickly and a wave of nausea hit her like a ton of bricks and the pounding in her head made her dizzy.  She was grabbing the nearest tree trunk for support when her bonds were tugged and she stumbled forward toward the horse.

"You ain't goin' nowhere, Missy, "  he responded to her unspoken intentions.   He tied her bonds to the saddlehorn and continued his pilfering.  Several items fell unheeded to the ground.

She laid her head against Rusty's powerful neck, finding some comfort in the closeness of the gentle giant she and Joshua had become so fond of.  Joshua.  Lord, please let him be alright. She had no idea how badly he was hurt or if he would even be able to ride after her, but she did know that while there was breath in his body he was either behind them or he would send Thaddeus after them.  She felt that in her spirit as sure as she felt her heart beating.  Be careful, boys, please, be careful. 


A string of obscenities from Harlan's foul mouth startled her.  He must not have found what he was looking for.  Food probably.  "If it's food you wanted you should have stolen the mule.  That's where all the supplies were, you dummy."  The last two words she mumbled under her breath, but he heard her anyway.

He rewarded her insults by grabbing her roughly by her upper arm and jerking her painfully around to face him.  "Git up there on that horse, girl,"  he growled as he shoved her, waving his knife in the air.  He was going to let her mount first?  Maybe she could spur Rusty into a run and get away!   "And don't try taking off on that horse neither.  I can aim and throw this blade better than your friend can aim a gun."   Her shoulders dropped at little, knowing he had anticipated and thwarted her plan.

She did as she was told relieved that she at least wouldn't have to go any further with the saddle horn gouging her stomach.  When he mounted the horse behind her she almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity and irony of them riding double just like she and Joshua had.  Only this time,  she was being abducted, not rescued.  And she was dreading the contact of his body behind her,  where she had welcomed Joshua's reassuring closeness.  She leaned forward as far as she could to minimize the contact between her and her captor.  But she had eagerly anticipated leaning back against the refuge of Joshua's chest.   As Rusty galloped further southward,  she closed her eyes and held tightly to the memory of the feel of Joshua's warm, solid body enclosing her in safety and peace.

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 He was sure making it easy to follow his trail.     The boys knew  that meant only one of two things.  When an outlaw being trailed didn't attempt in any way to hide his trail or zigzag around to confuse the ones on his tail, he was either headed straight for a hideout where he had backup and he wanted you to follow,  or he was severely underestimating the trackers.   The boys figured it was a combination of both.  Mathis was probably headed to where his cohorts were holed up, and he figured no one would be on his tail this soon.  The boys couldn't wait to show him how wrong he was.   They could both track with the best of  them and they were prepared for whatever awaited when they caught up to him.

"They stopped here.  And somebody was on the ground here."   Kid squatted to better observe the tell tale signs.  Kid was doing the close inspections of the ground so Heyes could avoid mounting and dismounting too much.  His head still hurt and dizziness loomed with any sudden movement.  When Kid found several familiar items from Heyes saddlebags among the undergrowth on the forest floor, they called out Evie's name just to make sure she wasn't somewhere nearby.  Birds chirping, insects buzzing, and leaves rustling in the wind were the only response. “He must have been looking for food,”  Kid pondered out loud.

They rode on.

                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I need to stop."  Those were the only words that had been spoken since they had last stopped almost three hours ago.  She was trying to gage the time by the position of sun.  She figured it was between noon and one p.m.  Her bladder was going to explode if she didn't relief it of its burden soon.

"I ain't got time to stop."  Harlan craned his neck around in all directions checking for any signs that they were being followed.   " And I sure ain't giving you no opportunities to get away."

"Fine, then,  I'll just pee all over you.  I'm sure you won't be able to tell the difference.  In fact it might improve the smell of your clothes."

The swift sharp blow to the side of her head made her ears ring.  Evie tried to bring her hands up to cradle her abused ear, but her hands were tethered short to the saddlehorn.  Tears burned the back of her eyelids.  He slid from the saddle and loosened her bonds from the saddle.  "I've had just about enough of your sass you little bitch.  You can take a piss miss high and mighty, but I'm gonna have my eyes on you the whole time.  And if you try anything I'll box your other ear, you got it?"

The scathing look she shot him as she slid to the ground only made him laugh his obnoxious girlie laugh.  "Yep, you're a real firecracker, ain't ya.  Them Mexican banditos are sure gonna have a good time putting your fire out.   A few weeks of taking on one horny buck after another and you won't be so high and mighty, gal.  Well, whadda you waitin' for.  Thought you had to go."

"I can't very well go with my hands tied together, now can I?"

"Aw,  that's right, I'll have to  help you get your bloomers down, won’t I.”

He moved toward her and she instinctively backed up until she bumped into the horse.   He stood in front of her pinning her there.  She defensively put her bound hands up to her chest to shield herself  from him.  "You keep your hands off me.  I can manage just fine by myself."

"Suit yourself."  He turned slightly and began to unbotton the fly of his trousers.  Then he exposed his flaccid manhood and began to urinate near her feet.  Evie turned her face in embarrassment.   He was the most foul and disgusting  human being she had ever encountered in her entire life.  Once he was finished, he remained where he was, only inches from her.  "If you ain't gonna go then get back on the horse!"  he yelled.

Obviously he had no intentions of giving her any privacy or any space.  She was tempted to just forget it and pee in her pants, but she didn't want to be in the saddle with wet pants on rubbing her raw.  She began to fumble with the row of buttons closing  of her pants.  It was impossible with her hands bound like they were.  He laughed again at her difficulty.  "Looks like miss high and mighty needs a little help after all.    And I'm more than happy to oblige."

His hands went for the fly of her pants.  She instinctively blocked his hands with hers.  He took his knife out and held it to her cheek.  She froze.  With his free hand he unbottoned her pants.  Then he shoved them roughly down over her hips, letting his none too gentle hands linger longer than was necessary on her creamy skin.    Her  pants  and bloomers  fell to her ankles.  Thankfully the tails of her shirt were long enough to cover her most private parts.  But her legs were completely exposed.  She wanted desperately to show no signs of fear to this heartless villian.  But in spite of her best efforts she trembled slightly with fear when he took a few steps back to get a better view of her naked flesh.  He licked his lips as he fondled her with his eyes.  Then quick as a whip he was back in front of her with the knife to her cheek. "Now squat and do your business."

She thought of the sweet, nurturing way Joshua had taken care of her for the last week.  How he had given her the privacy she needed while still staying close at hand in case she needed him.  But this pervert wanted to humiliate her and take his own perverted pleasure while doing so.  Then she remembered what this lecherous beast had done to Joshua this morning, and her fear changed to angry hatred.  If he wanted her to squat and do her business she most certaintly would.  She turned so her back was to him, squatted over his left foot and soaked his boot with the contents of her bladder.  She expected another ear splitting blow to the head any second, but it would be worth it.  When it didn't come, she rose quickly and spun around.   Her attempt to humiliate him had left her bare bottom exposed to his lascivious gaze.  She immediatly regretted her smart alec actions.  He would probably rape her now.  But instead he reached down and grabbed her pants in both hands and pulled then slowly up her legs, again lingering longer than necessary on her smooth thighs and her rounded hips.  Her muscles flexed as if the motion could keep his touch from reaching her skin.  "If I didn't know them murdering asshole friends of yours was on my tail, I'd show you just what a man can do between legs like yours."    He refastened her buttons then tethered her bonds to the saddlehorn once again.    As they continued the journey southward,  she took comfort in his words.  So he knew that Joshua and Thaddeus were on his tail.  Good, that made two of them.  She knew it too and she could hardly wait until they caught up.

                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Looks like they stopped here to relieve themselves."   Kid used his boot to scatter the leaves that had been matted down by the evidence of his discovery.

"Looks like they were awful close to each other when they did it too."   Heyes tone was very quiet and subdued.  Kid knew what his partner was implying and it made him uneasy as well.

"Least we know she's still alive, Heyes."   Kid tried to ease his friend's mind.

Heyes didn't respond.  Knowing that she was still alive deadened most of the fear that had been growing inside of him.  Now something different had taken seed and was beginning to grow.  It was an emotion Hannibal Heyes rarely felt.  But when he did feel it, it was intense and explosive.  That emotion was rage.
 
                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


 It was late afternoon when Harlan finally stopped and allowed the tired horse to drink from the creek branch that snaked through the woods.  Evangeline kneeled beside the steed to drink herself.  Harlan was again scouring through the contents of Joshua's bags.  Evie stayed close to Rusty, rubbing his quivering withers.  If he hadn't been such a strong animal he would have fallen over by now.  The animal must have sensed her unease,  and she felt tears sting her eyes when he lowered his big head and nudged her arm with his nose.  She gave a weak smile and buried her face in his flowing mane.  "He'll find us, Rusty, I know he will,"  she whispered.  But as the sun got closer to the mountaintops in the west she was beginning to doubt her own words.  It would be dark soon.  Then tracking them would become almost impossible.  And this maniac was not going to stop until he reached his destination or until he killed Rusty in the effort to get there. And even is she managed to get away from Harlan, how could she possibly find her way in the darkness of this vast forest.   Her only hope was that the darkness would force him to stop, giving Joshua and Thaddeus more time to catch up.

"Time for you to get changed in to something a little more lady like, missy."
She was startled from her thoughts when one of her dresses, pilfered from the saddlebags,  was thrown into her face.

"Get them boy clothes off and put that on.  I want you looking like a girl when I get you there.  They ain't gonna pay top dollar for no tomboy."

"In case you didn't learn anything from last time,  I can't do that with my hands tied."

"I'll untie you, but you better not try nothing funny.  You might run, but you won't get far. I can run like a deer, and when I catch up to you..well, let's just say I don't think you'll like what happens next."

Once she was loosed she stood there waiting for him to at least turn his back.  "I'm not undressing in front of you."

"Oh, you ain't?  Well, I'll just undress you myself then."   He was on her before the words had completely left his mouth.  He put the huge knife blade into her shirt collar and sliced it clean in half from top to bottom.

"Alright!  I'll do it!"  she screamed in outrage.

She glared at him as she removed the ruined shirt, wadded it into a ball and angrily heaved it several feet away.   She kicked her shoes off and stepped out of her britches giving them a fling with her foot as she did so.  She may as well have been naked as she stood there in her thin camisole and bloomers.  His perverted gaze raking her up and down.   She very hurriedly pulled the dress over her head.  It was a beautiful dress her mother had made for her last summer.  The pale blue tiered skirt was made of light cotton and the white lace trimmed  bodice was made to fall off the shoulder in a cascade of ruffles.  The airy garment left her shoulders and her arms exposed and the lightweight fabric allowed the chilled evening breeze to pass straight through to her uncovered legs beneath.  She realized then she had left Joshua's coat by the river that morning.  If it got too cold tonight, she was going to be even more miserable than she was already.

He gaped at her while she put her boots back on her socked feet.  Evie turned away from him and took refuge under Rusty's neck as he sauntered closer to her, with a leering smile on his face.  He took a strand of her hair in his vile smelling hands and rubbed it between his fingers.  "Nice.  Real nice."   He brought the hair to his nose and inhaled the scent of it.  He closed his eyes and savored the sweet aroma for a moment.  Evie shivered from revulsion.  "It sure is easy to see why that coward was anxious to save your sweet ass.  I can't blame him for wantin' to taste your wares."   He ran his putrid hand across her cheek and down to her throat.  How different this wretched low life's touch was from Joshua's.   She shrank away from his cold creepy caress.  But Joshua's touch had left a trail of fire that lingered on her skin long afterwards and left her wanting to experience more.  Again the memory of her beloved Joshua and what this retrobate swine had done to him and to her family, had her anger bristled to the point that she literally had to bite her own tongue to keep from telling him what she really thought of him.

"And since he's done spoiled the goods, I may as well get me a little sample."   When he cupped her chin to bring her face around to his cold clammy lips, she couldn't  resist anymore.  She spun around as she slapped his stinking hands away from her face.

"He didn't spoil anything, you idiot,"  she ground out between clenched teeth.   " I made that whole thing up just to distract you so you would leave him alone.  And you swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.  He would never take advantage of a helpless grieving girl!  And now he's coming for me and I hope he kills you, you filthy beast.   And if anybody's a coward it's you!  You beat a defenseless thirteen year old boy to death....."

She didn't get to finish her rant before his backhand caught her right cheek and nearly spun her around on her feet.  Her hand flew up to sooth her aching jaw.  The stinging pain made tears well up in her eyes before spilling over onto her cheeks.    She didn't have the strength to fight  as he forcefully bound her chapped wrists again.  Once they were in the saddle, he held the knife to her throat.  "You say one more word to me,  and I'll cut your tongue out.   A mute woman'll bring even more than a virgin one."

                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They only had about three hours of daylight left.  Kid scanned the area where he had just dismounted.  He walked to the creek side.   "They watered the horse here.  These droppings look pretty fresh.  We can't be but about an hour behind them."  When Heyes didn't respond he looked behind him to see where his partner had gone.  He was crouched about three yards away examining something he'd picked up from the ground.

Heyes heard Kid approaching him from behind.  He didn't speak.  He wordlessly held up the shirt, sliced in half for his partner to see.  Kid took the shirt and studied it.  He passed the garment back to his  partner and they held a mute conversation with their eyes for a moment.  Wordlessly, they headed back to their mounts.  That's when Kid stumbled over the pair of pants.  Again, blue eyes conversed with brown and their pace quickened back to their mounts.

He knew what Heyes was thinking.  And he feared the worst himself, but he needed to reassure his friend.  "Don't jump to any conclusions, Heyes.  She's not gonna be any good to him dead or....."  He didn't finish that thought when  his usually calm and passive partner turned a narrow incensed gaze in his direction, as if to say "I dare you to even say it, Kid."

Kid studied his partner for a moment.  He was gently holding the mutilated clothes that Evie had been wearing.  Then his gentle hold became an iron grip as he clutched the clothes in an angry fist.  A subtle change was coming over his friend.  It would have gone unnoticed to anyone else, but not to the Kid.  Heyes breathing was quicker and deeper.  His eyes had become flat and almost emotionless.  His lower jaw worked back and forth as if he were tasting the rage that was boiling up from deep inside of him.  This was not good.  Jed Curry had known Hannibal Heyes for twenty-seven years.  In those twenty-seven years he could count on one hand how many times he's seen him this angry.  And every one of those times had been when someone had harmed somebody  Heyes cared about.  As he watched him now, he had no doubt that this was one of those times.  He would have to keep a close eye on his cousin.  Although the times he'd been this mad were few, they had almost lead to disaster.  Kid recalled a time at Valparaiso when  he had received a spanking for something he didn't even do.  Hannibal had been so angry at the injustice to his youger cousin,  he had snuck into the teachers quarters and placed several snakes in the bed of the teacher responsible.  They never found out who did it and Heyes never admitted to him that he had, but Jed had  known.  The teacher hadn't been bitten and the snakes weren't deadly, but the poor teacher had been so frightened, she had resigned the next day.  He'd seen the smug smirk on Hannibal's face as he'd watched the teacher placing her bags and her trunk full of  belongings into the waiting coach.  The look on his face had said, "That's what you get for hurting Jed."   Only it wasn't Hannibal the boy he was looking at now. It was Heyes, the man.   And the person he cared for hadn't received a spanking, she'd been taken by a murdering rapist.  And he wasn't armed with harmless snakes this time,  he was armed with a rifle.  The man who'd taken Evie may as well have  a big old target right in the middle of his chest. 

                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A dim orange glow behind the mountains in the west was all that remained of the sun.  The inky blackness of night would soon take its place, making it impossible to go any further.   Evangeline was miserable.  She was cold and hungry.  Her entire body was riddled with scrapes and bruises.  She ached all over and her head still pounded.  But all of that was nothing compared to the sorrow she felt in her heart as her hopes of Joshua finding her before nightfall  sank with the sun. Would she ever see him again?  Would she ever get to tell him how much she loved him?  Harlan had tied her bonds to his belt, forcing her to remain next to him wherever he went.  She stretched the two feet of rawhide as far as it would go to distance herself as much as possible from him.  He had refused to make a fire, not wanting to create any signal that could be followed.  But at least he had laid out the bed roll from Joshua's saddle.  She reclined onto the bedding, and was hit with another wave of sorrow.  She could still smell Joshua's unique masculine scent on the blanket.  Her mind wandered back to the last night she had shared with him.  It had only been twenty-four hours ago, but it seemed like days. She missed his so much.  She longed to feel his warm, solid frame snuggled behind her.  But all she felt was the cold night breeze as it blew through the thin gossemer material of her dress.  She curled up on her side and tucked her bound hands beneath her cheek.  How unfair life had turned out to be for her.  Her mother had wanted her to find her "Gabriel."  Well she had found him.  At the expense of her parents and brother, she had found him.  The one person in the world she would die for.  Would go to the ends of the earth for.  And just like her namesake in the story it seemed she was destined to lose him before she could ever really enjoy having him.  Her foul smelling captor reclined next to her and she was reminded again of all the torturous deeds he had commited towards her and her family and now Joshua.  Her anger and her love for Joshua combined to light a new fire inside of her.  And just like her namesake from the book, she would not give up hope.  She'd  find a way to escape this madman, and she would find her way back to Joshua.  No matter how long it took or how far she had to go.  

                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Heyes we've got to stop.  It's getting too dark and  dangerous to keep moving."  

"Do you think he's stopping?"  

"Yeah,  I do.  You can't see your hand in front of your face out here.  He's not gonna risk injuring the horse by riding in this kind of darkness.   Let's get a fire going before we lose the last bit of daylight.  We'll start out again at first light."

Heyes reluctantly dismounted and dropped to the ground next to some fallen trees.  He didn't realize how tired and how sore he was until now.  Kid had insisted he rest instead of helping set up camp.  So he watched unseeing as Kid built a fire and unsaddled the horse and mule.  His mind was haunted by unwanted visions of Evie, alone, hurt, crying for help. Calling his name.  And she hadn’t been wearing his coat when he took her.  She was probably cold and hungry and scared.   A sharp pain in his jaw, jolted him briefly from his thoughts and he realized he was grinding his teeth when he thought about that pig touching her. 

"Here, you need to eat something."  Kid was standing over him offering him a cold biscuit stuffed with cold leftover bacon from breakfast.  He shook his head and refused the meal.

"You ain't eat since breakfast, Heyes.  And with a head injury, you need to eat to keep up your strength."

"Do you think she's had anything to eat since breakfast, Kid?  I can't eat knowing she's probably hungry."

Kid sat down next to his friend.  "I know how you must feel, Heyes, but you're not  gonna be any good to her if you're falling over, weak from not eating.  You know she would fuss up a storm about you not taking care of yourself if she was here. Go on take it."

Heyes unwillingly took the food, just to make Kid feel better.  

Kid ate in silence as he observed his friend pretending to eat.    The subtle changes that had come over him since they’d discovered Evie’s discarded clothes had not disappeared.  If anything they seem to intensify with the sinking sun.  And he'd been practically silent since they'd found the clothes too.  When Hannibal Heyes was this silent it was only because  he was asleep or he was planning something.  When he got this way he was planning something that he wasn’t going to share with the Kid.  Something foolish and dangerous. 

“Heyes, whatever you’re planning over there, just put it out of your mind right now.  We’re gonna catch up to that jackass.  And when we do you’re gonna let me take care of it, you understand?"

When Heyes turned away from him and stared out into the surrounding darkness without replying, Kid became even more worried.  Hannibal Heyes didn’t let Kid Curry say something like that without some sort of clever comeback.  Not unless he already had his mind made up to do something foolish and dangerous.  But when Heyes picked up the rifle laying at his side and began to inspect it, making sure the lever action worked and that he had plenty of ammo, Kid became downright nervous. 

   

"Kid, when we catch up to him,"  Heyes said with and eerie calm, "if the worst has happened, I don't think I can stop myself from killing him."

He had never heard Hannibal Heyes sincerely threaten to kill anybody in his entire life.  It was strange to hear those words come from his mouth.  It sounded like something he would say to Heyes.  Only when Heyes said it, it was almost scary.  That settled it.  He was going to have to take the lead this time and do all the figuring in this situation.  Because his partner had obviously taken over the role of the man with the itchy trigger finger and barely checked seething rage.  And Kid knew his friend too well not to take the change in his mannerisms serious.  He knew from his own experience that the rage was gnawing at Heyes and he wouldn’t be satisfied until he’d seen Evie’s tormenter suffer.  He would have to be the one with the wiser, calmer mind this time.  If not, he was afraid his partner would end up with two notches on his gun belt.

"Heyes, I don't blame you for feeling that way.   Shoot, I'd like to kill him myself, but you know we can't afford to ride into town and tell the sheriff that you've  killed two people.  Even if they did deserve it.  We just can't take the risk.  It's bad enough that we gotta tell him you've killed one man.  So just get that notion out of your head right now.  You'll just have to settle for him rotting away in a jail cell for the rest of his life.  Or at least until they hang him.  Which you know the will.    Anyway,  what happened to me doin' the shootin' and you doin' the thinkin'?"

"Kid I ain't been thinking straight since I found her passed out cold in that valley."

"But you're not thinking about killing him anymore, right?" 

He hung his head, "No, I guess not."

Kid didn't reply.  He just put his hand on his friend's shoulder and gave it an encouraging squeeze, as his blue eyes gave him a sympathetic gaze. Then he yawned.   "Think I'll catch me a little shut eye."

Hannibal Heyes stared out into the dark wilderness that spread out in all directions.  A person alone in this kind of darkness could go insane with fear.  He closed his eyes to get some idea of how she must feel.  He could hear the roar of the rolling river rapids, swollen from the recent rains.  He could hear insects, coyotes, and all manner of critters and varments prowling in the undergrowth nearby.  A wave of sickness passed through him that had nothing to do with his injury or hunger.  His heart was sick because she was at the mercy of that snake, alone in the fathomless blackness of night,  and he was helpless to do anything about it.  His helplessness mixed with the anger he felt and formed an emotion that went far beyond rage.  He added more bullets to the Winchester repeater that lay across his lap and cocked it.  He was glad he hadn't made any promises to the Kid.  She better not have a scratch on her, mister.  Because if she does....God help you.

                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Halfway down the shore Evangeline waited in silence,

Not overcome with greif, but strong in the hourSo of affliction...

Then she beheld the face of Gabriel pale with emotion.

Tears then filled her eyes, and, eagerly running to meet him,

Clasped she his hands, and laid her head on his shoulder and whispered...

“Gabriel! be of good cheer!  for if we love one another,

Nothing, in truth, can harm us, whatever mischances may happen!”    

The loud crack of a tree branch falling startled her from her dream.   She had drifted off in spite of her best efforts to stay awake.  She had been dreaming that Joshua had found her and they ran into each other's arms, and fell to the ground in a passionate embrace, followed by a long smoldering kiss, while the passage from the book resounded in her head.  Once again she was struck with the irony of her situation.  When she had been with Joshua, her dreams had been filled with horror, and when she had awakened, it was to Joshua's welcome and comforting presence.  Now, the only peace and comfort she found was in her dreams, and when she was awake she was living in a nightmare.  As if to affirm her waking nightmare, her captor rolled over to face her, snoring his rotten breath into her face, and loudly passing gas.  What if Joshua never finds me?   What if I can't escape?  Will I be  forced to live a life of servicing disgusting, foul smelling men like this one.  One after another.  God, I'd rather be dead.  She lay sleepless in the darkness, the sounds all around her making her afraid.  When she was a little girl and she had been frightened, she'd always wanted her daddy.  He always made her feel safe.  But she wasn't a little girl anymore.  And it wasn't her daddy's voice she longed to hear  telling her it was going to be alright.  It wasn't her daddy's arms she yearned to feel holding her and keeping her safe.  It was Joshua's.

                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four a.m.  About an hour and the first gray light of dawn would begin to peek over the eastern horizon.  He looked affectionately at the sleeping face of his partner,  illuminated by the soft glow of the firelight, and smiled.  When he was sleeping, Kid Curry, transformed into little Jed Curry.  Who would guess that behind that innocent, childlike countenence lurked the steely eyed glare of a deadly gunman.  Never before had he wished he could be as good with a gun as the Kid was.  Not until now.  He had thought about taking Kid’s Colt, but he still had it strapped to his leg and Heyes knew he would wake if he tried to remove it.  Besides, he wasn’t the Colt type.  He was no fanner or thumber.   He preferred cool, calm and deadly, to fancy and fast. And a rifle would do just fine. Heyes stealthily saddled Kid’s bay gelding by the fire light.  He wanted to be ready to ride as soon as the first rays of sunlight split the eastern sky.  Kid was going to be mad when he woke up and found him gone.  He was going to be ready  to kill him when he realized he’d left him the mule to ride.  But he’d get over it.  Kid had always watched his back, and he agreed with him that nothing good ever came out of their splitting up,  but there were some things in a man’s life he just had to do alone.  And this was one of those things.

And he knew Kid wouldn't let him do what he had to do.  He would insist on taking care of it himself, or just turning him over to the next sheriff they came across.  But he couldn’t do that.  This man had gone too far.  He’d stepped over the line the minute he’d touched her.  Hannibal Heyes had always lived by the “don’t get mad, get even” philosophy.  But there were some occasions when a man was justified in getting mad and getting even.  The sun was beginning it’s slow ascent into the eastern sky.  He mounted the waiting horse.  Heyes gave one last glimpse at his slumbering friend.  “Be seeing you, Jed,”  he said silently to himself as he turned the gelding and headed south through the endless sea of trees. 

Soundtrack Selection for Chapter 13

I knew I wanted to include this hauntingly beautiful song on the soundtrack from the beginning, but I could never find a suitable video.  So I made this video with photos of our hero, looking worried and pensive.  And since Evangeline lives only in our imagination, I included some beautiful artwork of how I thought she might look.  The scenery at the end represents the landscape for this chapter.  And the song speaks for itself.   I'm not great at video making, but at least this one features our hero.  Hope you enjoy it.

Peace, love, blessings,
Karen