A Kindred Spirit
Part Two

By AKeays

“What was that all about?” the Kid asked, as he pitched a load of manure into the wheelbarrow. “How come ya switched up your alias?”

“I donno,” Heyes admitted, as his contribution to the barrow closely followed the Kid’s. “I’ve heard of Matt Jenkins; the man is no fool. If I gave him Smith AND Jones as our aliases, that just might tip him off.”

“Yeah,” the Kid was doubtful, “but what if he gets down below and checks us out with Mr. Hardbuckle. He’ll know you lied to him. Then where will we be?”

“Long gone from here, I hope. With this blizzard still blowing the way it is, it looks like we could have company for a while. Let’s just hunker down and make the best of it.”

“Uh huh. Well, I’m still keepin’ my gun close at hand, just in case.”

Heyes grinned as another helping of manure flew through the air. “I knew you would.”

 

***

 

Following the rope back to the cabin, Heyes and the Kid stepped onto the porch underneath the awning. They stomped most of the snow off their boots, and then helped each other brush more of the white stuff off their shoulders. The wind still blew, but not with the same ferocity it had during the night. Hopefully, this blizzard was dying out.

Coming in through the door, they were both hit with the warmth from the cook fire, and the smell of frying corned beef twitched their noses.

“Hey, Deputy Bob,” Heyes greeted the man sitting at the table, nursing a coffee while still bundled up in a cocoon of blankets. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Like I still ain’t thawed out.”

“I bet.”

Coats and boots were taken off and, while the coats were hung on pegs to dry, boots were carried over to the hearth and set down to warm.

The Kid glanced over the cook fire to check out the menu. Three large cast-iron skillets were set on the grill. Their noses hadn’t lied, as the first skillet was filled with shredded corned beef. The second held cut up potatoes, while the third was heating canned tomatoes.

“It looks like you’re puttin together quite a feast.”

Clint grinned up at the Kid. “You bet. You fellas weren’t kidding about that larder. There’s enough food in there ta keep us all well-fed through the winter.”

“You plan on stayin’ through the winter?”

Clint shrugged as he stirred the frying potatoes. “The way that snow’s piling up out there, we could be here for a while. This is a good base camp though. Better ‘n the one we set up. Once this storm clears, maybe we can find our camp and bring the stores back here.” Clint straightened up from tending to breakfast. “How about that, Matt? We bring our stores back here and use this as our base camp while we look for them rustlers.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Matt agreed, then looked at the partners. “As long as we’re welcome, that is.”

Heyes grinned, trying not to show his disappointment. “The more the marrier.”

George cursed. He slapped the table and scraped back his chair as he stood up.

“I’m goin’ to the outhouse,” he grumbled as he grabbed his coat. “Breakfast better be ready by the time I get back.”

All heads turned to watch him as he stomped out of the cabin.

“What’s with him?” Curry asked.

“Aww, don’t mind him,” Clint said as he flipped the corned beef. “He don’t like the snow.”

 

***

 

By the time they were done with the hearty breakfast, the wind had died down, and though snow still fell, it was little more than a dusting.

The day was spent clearing away the paths to the various outbuildings, and melting snow for drinking water. The ropes were all checked, and the livestock taken care of. Anything they came across in the outbuildings that could be of use in the cabin was moved over there and found a space.

It was hard, heavy work, but by the time late afternoon settle upon them, they were confident they would survive being snowed in for a while.

It was George’s turn to cook, and he had beef steaks laid out on the grill, and one of the skillets was put to work again re-heating the mixture of tomatoes and spuds.

“Nothin’ like comin’ home to a warm cabin and hot food,” the Kid announced, as they all trooped into the room. “What are you fellas gonna eat?”

“Ha!” Clint gave the Kid a pat on the back. “I’d fight two men and a boy for one ‘a them steaks. Maybe even a couple of ‘em.”

“No need to come to blows,” the marshal reasoned. “Looks like there’s plenty there.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Heyes joined in. “My friend amazes me with how much food he can put away. Best get in there and grab your share before it’s all gone.”

“Dammnit,” George groused from the hearth. “If I didn’t make enough grub for everybody, I’ll muck the barn for a week.”

“There you go, Thaddeus, you’ve been challenged.”

“I sure don’t mind a week off from muckin’ the barn,” the Kid grinned. “Let me at it.”

And with that, he grabbed a plate and piled it high with supper.

George won his bet though. By the time the last of the food was cleaned up, they all sat back in their chairs and patted full tummies.

“That was some cookin’,” Bob said. “That spice I found in the pantry sure did add a kick to the meat. That’s gotta be the best steak I ever et.”

“Yeah.” George was still grumbling. “I should’a made that a real bet though. I cooked up enough for everyone and then some.”

“Tell ya what,” the Kid said. “You’re right, it was a bet, and you did win. I’m plum stuffed. I’ll do the cleanin’ up after supper for the next week. How’s that?”

The first smile anyone had seen out of George spread across his face. “You got a deal.”

 

***

 

Heyes sighed as he looked up at the dark ceiling. He had fallen asleep fast enough, but he had awakened in the very wee hours of the morning, and now, that desired sleep alluded him. The soft snoring coming from the other occupants of the cabin didn’t help.

Having been through this ritual before, he knew that laying there, wishing for sleep, was not going to make it happen. With another resigned sigh, he pushed off the blanket and sat up. He shivered with the chill, so he pulled on his wool socks and sweater then went to the hearth and stoked up the fire.

He grabbed his blanket and his book and settled into the arm chair. He lit the lamp, but kept it on a low flame so he wouldn’t disturb the other sleepers, then opened his book to read.

He couldn’t have been more than two paragraphs into it when he felt the presence of someone else standing beside him.

“Marshal,” he greeted the blanket-clad form. “Couldn’t sleep?” Heyes recognized the frustrated sigh that came in answer. He smiled. “No, me neither. Pull up a chair.”

Matt brought over one of the chairs from the table and sat down. He stretched out his long legs toward the fire, then settled more snuggly into his blanket.

“I often can’t sleep,” he admitted. “Too much going on up here.” And he tapped his own temple. “Sure wish I knew how to shut it down.”

Heyes nodded. “I know what you mean.” He glanced over at the row of snoring men. “They don’t seem to have any trouble.”

“Well, they’re not the ones in charge, are they? They’re not the leaders.”

“I can see that with your situation,” Heyes said, though a small apprehension niggled at him. “You’re a marshal, and that makes you responsible for the men who work for you. Now, me and Thaddeus, we’re equal part—”

“Let’s drop the pretense, shall we?” the marshal cut in. “It looks like we could all be cooped up here for the duration. Pretending to be someone you’re not can get wearing after a while.”

Heyes considered keeping up the act, but he knew that wasn’t going to work with this man.

He stared into the fire and signed. “How long have you known?”

“Well, I kind of suspected it when we first got here. Do you think that coffee is still hot?”

“Yeah, it should be. I expect it will be pretty strong by now, though.”

“That’s fine. Do you want a cup?”

“Yeah. I think I might need it.”

The marshal went over to the hearth and drained what was left in the pot into two cups. He returned and handed one cup to his companion then settled back into his chair.

Heyes blew on the beverage, then took a fortifying sip. He waited.

The marshal also tested his coffee. “Hmm, just right. Now, as I was saying, I suspected at first. We weren’t after you fellas, but a good lawman always keeps his ears and eyes open. You two were spotted over by Medicine Bow a while back, then you simply up and disappeared. I figured you had dug in somewhere for the winter. I knew it wouldn’t be Devil’s Hole since you seem to have abandoned that hide out. What’s that all about? It seems to me, you fellas had it pretty good there. Why did you up and leave it?”

“That’s a long story, Marshal. There are times I don’t even understand why we did it.”

“Well, maybe you can tell me about it sometime.”

“Hmm. Maybe.”

The marshal sat and quietly scrutinized the man sitting beside him. He felt a connection to this outlaw for some reason. A kindred spirit, in a way, and he didn’t really understand it. But he knew there was more going on beneath the surface. Not only with this current situation, but with the man himself.

What were these two outlaws doing, taking a thankless job in a line cabin, when they had a comfortable and secure hideout to spend the winter in? Dissention in the ranks? Had Wheat Carlson recruited the other members and pulled off a coup?

No, that couldn’t be it.

Heyes and Kid Curry had established a strong leadership, and the gang had thrived with Heyes’s uncanny ability to organize, plan, and execute some of the biggest heists the territory had ever suffered.

He let it go, figuring he’d find out sooner or later.

“I was after other game,” the marshal continued. “So, I didn’t give your whereabouts any more thought. Until we ended up on your door step. You really do need to find a way to hide that dimple.”

Heyes groaned. “Yeah. It’s been a blessing and a curse.”

“Hmm. I bet. Still, I wasn’t sure, and we needed a place to hole up. I figured I’d give it some time. Watch your mannerisms, your tendencies, and your relationship with one another.

“It didn’t take long to get you figured out. You’re the talker, Heyes, you’re the front man. You bring everyone’s focus onto you. You dig for information in a way that seems like idle chit chat. You put everyone at their ease. You flash that dimple of yours and comradery follows.

“Now, the Kid, he sits back and doesn’t say much of anything. He’s there, but you attract all the attention. But he’s listening to everything and judging the situation. He’s watching your back and has already formulated a plan of action in case things go bad.

“He’s a gunman, even now, when he doesn’t have a gun on him. A good lawman can tell and will notice him, even when he’s keeping himself in the background. And don’t think I don’t know he’s got a loaded gun hidden somewhere close at hand. I don’t know where, but he does. There is no way Kid Curry is going to be without a weapon when he’s sharing a cabin with a marshal and three deputies.”

Heyes nodded agreement. “Do the others know?”

“Oh well, the younger generation, eh? They don’t really pay attention to the clues. Clint is the only one who might turn into a decent lawman. I think he suspects something, but we haven’t conferred on that yet. Bob is just filling in until something better comes along. Falling into the creek has likely put him off this job. And George, well George didn’t want to come along in the first place. He had plans to ask his gal, on Christmas day, to marry him, and getting stuck out here has put the kibosh on that.”

Heyes frowned. “Christmas Day?”

“Yeah. This is the week. Didn’t you know?”

“No.” Heyes shrugged. “Being out here, we kind of lost track.”

“Hmm hm. George hasn’t lost track. Nor does he lose any opportunity to let me know about it, too.”

The two men sat quietly for a moment, sipping their coffee while Heyes took time to consider their new situation.

“Well, now that you’ve declared yourself, what do you intend to do about it?”

The marshal pressed his lips and stared into the fire for a moment.

“I’ve been thinking about that,” he finally admitted. “Considering our situation, it would be pointless to arrest you now. It also strikes me as being ungracious. You did let us in, even though you knew we were the law.”

“We could hardly keep the door shut on you with that blizzard going on. You all would have frozen to death out there, not just Bob.”

“True. But I know plenty of outlaws who wouldn’t have cared. Probably would have opened that door with guns blazing.”

“Well, we aren’t like ‘plenty of outlaws’.”

“Yeah, I noticed.”

“So,” Heyes stretched and sat up straighter. “We know who you are, and you know who we are, and we just play nice until spring. Then what?”

“Then we part ways. My report will state that we got lost in a blizzard, and two cowboys, working the line cabin for Mr. Hardbuckle, took us in.”

Heyes’s dimple dug deep. “That’s it?”

“Oh, there is one more thing you can do to make my life a bit easier.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“You and your partner cook up a Christmas dinner for tomorrow. I noticed some grouse and a couple of wild turkeys hanging in the larder. How you cook them, and what you cook with them, I will leave up to your very active imagination.”

“That’s it?”

“Yup. Do a good job and get George off my back, then we’ll be square.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal, Matt. I’ll let the Kid know in the morning.”

“Oh, I don’t think you need to worry about that,” Matt commented, as he glanced over at the appropriate bunk. “I expect Kid Curry has been awake all along and is listening to every word we say.”