SquidgeWorld Archive

Hannibal Heyes and Jed "Kid" Curry had been following what their friend, Sheriff Lom Trevors had told them over two years before; "Stay out of trouble until the governor figures you deserve amnesty." It was only supposed to be a year, but that was three governors and 26 months ago. They still remained wanted men with a $10 thousand reward on each of their heads. Still, to avoid any unnecessary entanglements with the law, they went by the names Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones. As Kid Curry had said many, many times, "There are a lot of people named Smith and Jones, we just happen to be a couple of them."

But after two years of near misses, they still saw no hope of their amnesty coming to fruition. As they often did, they flipped a coin to see where they would go next, and back home to Kansas was what the coin toss had decided this time. Maybe not all the way back to Coffyville, but Kansas it was.

Heyes had done well in the local poker game, as usual, so they sold their horses and gear for two tickets East. They sat in the small train station, slouched down on the hard, pew-like benches, their hats slipped down over their eyes as they tried to catch a few minutes of shut-eye.

Someone bumped Curry's knee, then another jostled Heyes. They sat up, slid their hats far back on their heads and gazed about at the bustling train station filled with very nervous people.

Word began to filter down that recent, heavy rains had washed out the tracks. Some tracks in the hills had been destroyed and a trestle or two had been torn from their mountings. A few people huddled near the telegraph station, while others nervously checked down the track or fidgeted with their luggage.

Heyes and Curry continued to sit back quietly in their corner and watched as the small drama continued to unfold. Heyes' attention was more intent on a small, young cowpoke that sat across from them.

"Too small to be a man, Heyes." Curry whispered to the other when he noticed his fixed gaze.

"I've never seen a woman wear a gun belt strapped that low before." Heyes tapped a gloved finger to his lips. "Matter of fact, I don't recall ever seeing a woman wear a gun belt at all!"

Both men watched as the small figure pulled a bottle of brown liquid from the saddlebag and slugged down five or six good belts, like it was brown water.

"That had to burn a little." Heyes winced, his brown eyes watered at the thought.

"I can't drink like that and still stand!" Curry shook his head in disbelief, and then resituated his hat back on his head.

Everyone's attention turned to the telegraph window as the device began to click loudly.

"Hang on, folks!" The ticket master held his hands up to the crowd as they rushed toward him. "We'll have an answer in a moment or two."

As he wrote down the final clicks of the message, his face told the story. "Sorry folks," he began. "The trestle between here and Cider Springs has been washed out. They figure the next train going east won't be through for about two, maybe three weeks."

Heyes and Curry didn't bother to listen to the rest, and neither did the small stranger. All three of them picked up their belongings and scuffed out into the dusty street. Both men made sure they followed behind the other as they tried to figure out if it was a man or a woman.

"Not more'n five-foot high." Heyes noted to his friend.

"Don't walk like no man..." Curry responded as he watched as the cowpoke's feet stepped one in front of the other, as if the footprints would've made a straight line.

"No woman, neither." Heyes chimed in.

They got their answer as they came in behind the figure inside the livery stable.

"I'd like t' buy a horse and a mule." Her heavy Irish accent made it sound like she wanted a hearse.

"You got $110, little lady?" The liveryman rolled a well-chewed cigar in his mouth and leered at the small woman.

"I got it, fine!" She snapped, and slapped the cash into the man's grimy hand, then led the two animals from the stable.

Heyes and Curry watched as she strode past them. They politely tipped their hats and smiled at the woman, who seemed to ignore them. They didn't seem to mind. They just both smiled as they watched her easily wrangle the beasts across the street to the General Store. Once there, they watched as she handily saddled up the horse and tied both animals up and went inside.

"Bet a woman like that'd be more trouble than a wagon full of nitro on a bumpy road. "Heyes smiled and winked at Curry as the two turned back to their own business with the stableman.

"I've been there, Heyes." Curry nudged his friend and smiled. "And I think I'd still prefer the wagon." Both men laughed as they walked toward the stableman.

"We'd like a couple of horses as well..." Curry nodded toward the stable.

"You gonna need a mule, too?" The man continued to grind on his cigar.

"No," Heyes shoved his hands into his back pockets and continued his friendly grin; his dimples bore deep into his cheeks. "We travel pretty lightly."

"That'll be $75." The man growled.

"Each?" Curry questioned.

"Naw, fer both." The man turned away and began to release the horses from their stalls.

"But you just charged the young lady $110, and one was a mule!" Heyes scowled at the man.

"Irish scum, and a woman ta boot!" The man smiled an evil smile. "I'll take what I can get"

The young woman was still in the general store when Heyes and Curry strolled in. Heyes walked up behind her and cleared his throat. She spun around quickly; her hand went instinctively to her gun. Heyes stood perfectly still and continued to smile; his hands were raised about shoulder height. She didn't draw, but Heyes was sure she could have, and quickly, too.

There was a moment between them, their eyes met. Heyes just continued to smile. He was bemused by her stature. She stood a good foot shorter than him. Her bright, green eyes seemed to bore right through him, even though a wide-brimmed, floppy hat that topped her dark auburn hair shaded them. Her skin had a creamy translucence to it. Her cheeks blushed with a bronze-rose spray of freckles that splashed their way across her upturned nose and dimpled cheeks. Heyes though she was about Kid's age; mid to late 20s. She was pretty, even feminine under her dusty, man-like clothes.

He took a deep breath and slowly, carefully pulled out a small roll of greenbacks from his vest pocket and weaved them between his fingers. Without making any sudden moves, he brought his hand down to the woman.

"Livery overcharged you $38." Heyes' hand still moved down toward hers.

She looked squarely into his eyes. She didn't blink, but she took a deep breath, and then snatched the money from his fingers.

"Much obliged, mister..." She said as she stuffed the money into her own pocket.

"Smith..." Heyes said his alias as easily as his own name. In the past 26 months it had become second nature to him. "Joshua Smith." He smiled his sincerest smile.

"Thank-ye Mr. Smith." She spoke again, tipped her hat and turned on her heel. She went back to her business of supplying herself for her trip.

Heyes nodded at the woman's back, then turned back toward Kid Curry, his eyes were wide with shocked amazement.

"Y'know, Kid..." he spoke quietly as he got closer. "The way she moved, she just might outdraw you!"

Jed Curry cocked his head to one side, his bright blue eyes caught a glint of sunlight and he stared in bewilderment at his friend. He then winked a wary eye and nudged the other.

"Awww, Heyes..." he laughed. "You had me goin' there for a second."

The other gave a steady gaze back.

"Heyes?" Curry's smile turned to a worried frown. "You were just kidding, right?"

Heyes just slowly shook his head and walked past the Kid, back to their horses.

The boys packed much lighter than the young lady. They figured they could get what they needed off the land. They saddled up under a warm, late summer sun and headed east. The rain that had taken the tracks out west of them hadn't reached them yet, so the land was parched. Small dust devils swirled at their horse's feet as they loped along.

The sun set quickly, especially as they traveled toward it. And it was Curry who noticed the flicker of a campfire in the not-too-distant hills.

"You suppose that's your gunslinger?" Curry teased Heyes.

Heyes remained nonplussed. "Well, if it is, " he answered flatly. "We should be very careful."

Curry's grin fell again, and the two approached with caution. They got off their horses and walked closer to the campsite, then hid behind some bushes.

Sure enough, the horse and mule were tied up on the opposite side of the clearing. The fire was still full and blazing. Heyes tapped on Curry's arm and pointed to a lump of blankets curled up by the fire.

"Y'know, " Curry whispered. "It isn't safe for a woman out here alone. Maybe we should offer to ride along?"

"Safety in numbers..." Heyes agreed. "Anyway, we're going the same direction."

Both men started to stand, but before they could move, barrels of two guns were pressed tightly behind each man's ear. They froze as the unmistakable sound of hammers being cocked echoed in their heads.

"An' just what sort of protection were y' boys plannin' on offerin' me?"

Their hands were raised at shoulder level, and they were stuck in a half-crouched position.

"We could take watch for each other." Heyes quickly spoke.

"Yeah!" Curry nervously laughed. "Somethin' other than that pile of brush could get a fair night's sleep."

Both men drew in a sigh of relief as they felt the pressure ease from their heads and the hammers click back into their respective places.

"All right, then!" The young woman's voice was stern, yet her Irish accent made her sound softer. "Turn yer hides around so I can see y' faces!"

In tandem they turned and smiled their best, innocent smiles.

"Ahhhh, the two from the livery stable." She threw her head back and slipped one gun back into her holster, the other in her belt. "Are y' two followin' me?"

"No...no!" Kid Curry slowly put his hands down. "We just happen to be going the same way!"

"Yeah, " Heyes piped up. "We probably should've said something in town, but..."

"Fine, fine..." The woman put up her hands. "Stop yer chatterin'

"It just so happens I've got some stew left over, if'n y' boys are hungry?"

The men looked at each other, and at the young woman, then quickly nodded their heads.

"We'd be much obliged, m'am." Heyes smiled and flashed his dimples again.

"It's probably best you two showed up tonight." The young woman led them back to the camp. "It's lookin' t' be a cold one tonight. "She stepped to the fire and warmed her hands. "We can keep each other warm."

Heyes and Curry's eyes drew wide as they shot each other a quick glance. But her tone was so matter-of-fact, it was obvious it was meant just as stated; a way to stay warm.

The fire felt good as the duo got closer. Heyes took care of the horses as Curry stepped toward the young woman. She was already serving up portions of her stew for each of them. As they both settled in near the fire, she handed each a heaping bowl and she spoke.

"Now, if I remember right, you're Joshua Smith." She nodded toward Heyes.

"Yes, m'am." Heyes continued his smile and took a big spoonful of the stew. "And this is my partner, Thaddeus Jones." He pointed to Kid Curry with his elbow.

"Jones," she smiled. "Now that's a good Welsh name." She stated proudly. "Me mother was Welsh, an' a Jones as well." She slid closer to the pair. "Y' figger we be related?" She half-joked.

"Well, ma'am," Curry took his bite of stew, but stopped mid-chew and shot a look at Heyes. There was most certainly something strange in the stew, and both men tasted it. "I wouldn't know. There are a lot of people named Jones, and I just happen to be one of them."

"'Course y' are!" She smiled broadly. "I'm Rose Murphy." The woman stated as the two continued to eat and try and figure out just what was in this woman's stew.

"Ma'am.... Rose..... Miss Murphy..." Heyes stumbled over his words. "This is the most unique-tasting stew I've ever had."

"Y' like it?" She beamed.

Both men nodded vigorously and proceeded to shovel another spoonful into their mouths.

Rose reached behind her and pulled out that bottle of brown liquid; Irish Whiskey. "I pour a cup or so in just as it's finishin' up, just enough t' warm it through, but not long enough for it t' lose its punch!" She held the bottle up as if it were a trophy, then took a deep swig. She then held the bottle out to her company. "Care t' wash it down some?"

Heyes took the bottle and drank one, big gulp. His eyes watered and he stifled a cough as he handed the bottle to the Kid. "It's good..." he barely managed to squeak out. Curry didn't fair much better. He just nodded in agreement as he handed the bottle back to Rose.

"Well..." the woman stood up, placed the bottle back into its sack and stretched a bit. Now that we're all properly introduced and our gullets are full, we should figure out the sleepin' arrangements." She started to gather up small twigs that lain about. "Shortest one has first watch, then so on." She situated the sticks in her gloved hand and held them up to Heyes and Curry. "Agreed?"

The men nodded and pulled two sticks out at the same time. Heyes had the shortest, then Rose, the Kid had the last one.

Rose and Curry laid out the blankets and used their saddles as pillows. Back-to-back they squirmed together under the blankets. Heyes pulled his collar up around his neck, then pulled his coat tightly around himself. He then hunkered down in the nearby bushes, his back pressed against a tree so he wouldn't be seen.

The uneventful night burst into a bright, sunny morning. The sun; golden, pink and purple on the horizon lay nestled in the pink-blue clouds and distant hills. A light fog hung low to the ground and gave the new day an eerie feel.

Kid Curry, having the last watch, gathered up some more firewood and started a pot of coffee. As he turned from getting the salt pork from the supplies, his eyes nearly rolled out of his head with shock. Rose and Heyes lay nose-to-nose in what appeared to be an embrace. Carefully Kid nudged his sleeping partner with his boot as he tried to rouse him.

"Heyes," he whispered. "Heyes, get up!"

At his friend's prodding, Hannibal Heyes' eyes popped wide open. A look of panicked surprise crossed his face and his eyes were as open as wide as they could be. He tried to move quickly and carefully. Without breathing, Heyes squirmed and wriggled out from under Rose's arm. After a few moments of working at it, he was finally free, and scrambled to his feet and stood next to Curry.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He admonished the still stunned Heyes.

"ME!? " The other questioned incredulously. "What about her?" He slapped the dust from his trousers and shirt. "She was the one draped around me!"

"Yeah?" Curry turned and jabbed a finger into Heyes' chest. "But you had a big smile on your face!"

"I did?" Heyes had a questioning smile cross his face as he ran his fingers through his hair and plopped his hat on his head. He was almost proud.

"Hey, hey, hey, boyos!" Rose rolled out from under her covers. "What's all the ruckus?"

"Coffee's almost ready." Curry pointed nervously to the fire pit, and Heyes nodded in panicked agreement.

"You cook, Jones?" Rose asked as she snapped her bedroll and began to tie it up.

"Been known to rustle up a mean bean or two, why?"

"Well, you're not doin' too well with the coffee..." She pointed over her shoulder at the fire pit as the coffee boiled over and sizzled on the hot rocks around the fire.

"Ooohhhooo!" Curry exclaimed and rushed to remedy the problem.

Rose straightened her shirt and vest, then situated her gun low on her tiny hips. She too, plopped her dusty hat on her head, then sidled up next to Heyes. "You sleep okay, Mr. Smith...Joshua?" She looked straight up into his dark, brown eyes and smiled a coy smile.

"Yeah!" he quickly but nervously responded, not sure if she was aware of their previous position. "Best night's sleep I've had in a long time."

"Me, too." She gave a sideways glance, a wink and a smile, readjusted her gun again and walked back toward the fire. "How 'bout you, Thaddeus?"

"Just fine, ma'am. Never better." Curry smiled a crooked smile back toward Heyes as he continued to remedy his coffee fiasco.

Breakfast completed and the supplies put up, the trio was ready to move eastward again. All of them checked over their shoulders more than once at the dark, cloudy skies that were looming ever closer in the mountains behind them.

"Hope we can make a real town before that catches up to us." Rose commented as she nudged her horse and tugged on the mule's lead. "I wouldn't want to be out in that rain, day or night!"

Heyes and Curry silently agreed as they all pushed their animals into their top speed.

Luck was on their side. As twilight approached, the glow of a town's light flickered to life on the far-off horizon.

"We can make it before it gets too dark." Curry called to the others. "If we step up the pace now, while we still have some light left".

"We can take it a little easier when it gets dark." Heyes followed up.

"Agreed." Rose snapped and kicked at her horse and sent it into a gallop. The mule followed grudgingly along behind. Curry and Heyes dug their heels into their mounts as well, and all three made tracks toward the silhouette on the horizon.

Tired and hungry, their horses lathered with sweat as well, they stumbled into the town. They were all surprised to see it had quite a few amenities. It was fairly large, despite its quaint name. Nameless Creek was proudly displayed on the livery stable, hotel, saloon, and sheriff's office.

"Smith and I will take care of the horses." Curry called to Rose. "You see if you can get us some rooms."

"...and some baths!" She added as she threw her leg over the horse's neck and slid off her horse, landed with both feet and slapped the day's dust from herself.

Twenty minutes later, Heyes and Curry exited the livery with a few belongings, including Rose's dilapidated carpetbag. They stopped short of the hotel steps to find Rose sitting there, head in her hands.

"What rooms are we...? Curry started to ask.

"They say they got no rooms." Rose looked up from her seated position. "But I don't believe'm."

Curry and Heyes blinked at each other in disbelief, then headed into the lobby to see what the problem was about rooms. The man behind the counter smiled warmly at them and greeted them as they neared the desk.

"What can I do for you fine gentlemen this evening?" He was warm and friendly, so they were confused.

"We need a couple of rooms." Curry spoke as he pulled off his gloves and reached for the pen and register. "Preferably if they are adjoining." He thought he'd try and make it difficult.

"Certainly, gentlemen." The clerk continued to smile as he turned to the keys and plucked two from their hooks. "I have just what you need on the second floor: Rooms 2D and E. He spun the book around and read the names. "Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones. Welcome to Nameless Creek! Room D has got two beds already, but E's got a nice big bed in it!"

"Much obliged." Curry returned, but a sour expression fell across his face as he reached back to the register. "I need to make a small change, then." He tried to smile at the clerk as he wrote Rose Murphy's name in the spot for the 'E' room. "Mr. Smith and I will be in room 'D', and our traveling companion will be in 'E'." He spun the book back around toward the stunned man.

Heyes and Curry gathered up their belongings and made their way up to the rooms. After they dropped off their things, they tossed Rose's bag on her bed, then headed back down to the front porch, ready to console the dejected Rose. Well, at least they thought she would have still been there. They looked at each other and chimed in unison. "The saloon."

Sure enough, as they walked in they saw her propped up, back against the bar with a half-drank bottle in her hand.

"Probably the closest thing to Irish whiskey this town has." Curry leaned over to Heyes. She didn't see them come in, her eyes were transfixed on a poker game going on in the far, back corner of the saloon. Her gaze remained fixed on the five-man game as she took another deep drink of the brown liquid. She shook her head in silent disbelief, then gulped down another two or three swigs.

"How does she do that?" Curry asked, not really expecting an answer.

As they approached, Heyes dangled the room key out so she could see it. She smiled a knowing smile: No Irish, almost as bad as no Indian.

"They won't give her a room," Heyes leaned in toward Curry as they got closer to her. "but they sure as shootin' will sell her liquor." He smiled as he dropped the key into her waiting hand.

"Thank y' boys." She took another drink. "Most times I end up in the livery stable with m' horse."

"Does this happen a lot?" Heyes bent down, close to her ear, so he could be heard over the din.

"More often than I'd like, but not as bad as it used t' be." She took another drink, the bottle was now nearly empty. "Sometimes it helps bein' a woman, then other times it makes matters worse, especially dressed like this." Rose smiled, gulped down the rest of her bottle and headed over to the poker game she had been watching. She didn't speak, she just dropped a pouch of gold and silver pieces into the pot; nearly $200 worth. The men just slid over and made room for her. Heyes bent over the shoulder of the well-dressed man holding the deal.

"Do you have room for two more?"

The well-dressed man shuffled the cards and pointed to an open area for the two to sit. Heyes and Curry quickly slid into the seats.

As the night wore on, Rose won most of the hands. Heyes was even astounded at how well she played, and watched very carefully to see if she was cheating. He saw no evidence of it and submitted to the fact that she was just as good of a player as he was. The boys were quietly amused when she asked the straight/flush question that cost the two $20 thousand dollars some months back. By the end of the night the pot was fairly divided between the three. Rose showed only a slight profit over them. It was around 2 a.m. when Rose decided to bow out of the game.

"I've had a long day, gentlemen, and you've been kind enough to increase my income by a tidy sum." She started to pick up her winnings and put her hat on. "So, I'll leave you to your games, as I shall retire for the night."

"Now wait just a minute, little lady." The fancy-pants card player started to complain. "You've got a great deal of my money there, and I'd like a chance to win it back."

Rose finished scooping up the loose coins and double-checked her vest pocket. She then bent over the man, pulled his thin, black cigar from his mouth, took a good long drag off of it and blew the smoke back into his face. "Not tonight." She gave a sly grin to him and the rest of the table. "Maybe not ever." She condescendingly patted the man on the head, spun on her heel and started to walk out. She called over her shoulder as she made it to the door. "Especially the way you play poker. Anyway, it's not your money anymore, it's mine!!" Her voice trailed off as she went through the doors.

Curry and Heyes both tried to stifle a laugh, then Heyes gathered up his winnings as well and followed after Rose. "Count me out, too." He said as he jammed his hat on his head and rushed after her. Curry followed in-kind right behind him.

"Rose!" Heyes called out to her. She stopped, unsteadily in the middle of the nearly deserted street. She wobbled a bit, unsteady from the nightlong drinking she had done. Heyes was amazed she could walk, let alone stand.

"Yes, Mr. Smith." She grinned, her green eyes glazed from the smoke as well as the drink.

"Joshua, please call me Joshua." He stepped up to her and caught her before she fell. "Especially since I'm calling you Rose."

She let him hold her, and she stared a long time into his soft, brown eyes. "Very well.... Joshua. What is it?"

All of a sudden he felt a bit embarrassed. He looked skyward for a few seconds, until he noticed Rose was trying to see what he was looking at. He gave a slight chuckle and started helping Rose to the steps of the hotel. "I noticed a fairly nice dining room in our hotel." He spoke quietly as they walked along. "So, I was...I was wondering if you'd have dinner with me tomorrow night...well, actually tonight?"

"Would this include Mr. Jones as well?"

"Ahhh Thaddeus?" Heyes hunched his shoulders then jammed his thumbs behind his gun belt. "Well, I'm sure he'll be eating as well. I just thought..."

"It's a date, Joshua!" Rose interrupted and smiled her coy little smile again. "At what time should we be dining?"

"Six!" Heyes nearly stammered on the small word. "How does six o'clock sound?"

"Fine." She ran her hand down his arm then lightly tapped the top of his hand, still ensconced behind his gun belt.

Heyes could have sworn he heard her giggle as she weaved up the hotel steps. Halfway up she stopped and turned back to Heyes. "My room? Up there?" She held on to the railings to steady herself.

"Yeah." He pointed to the second floor. "Second floor, third door on your right. Room E."

Rose tipped her hat toward Heyes and continued her unsteady trek up to her room.

It wasn't until well past five o'clock that day that any of the three travelers rolled out of their beds. Curry and Heyes took long, hot baths. They commented that the floor was already wet and the room smelled of lavender. They wondered who else was in the hotel.

Down in the dining room, Heyes nervously checked his pocket watch. He clicked it open and closed several times as he watched as the minute hand move past five after the hour.

"Looks like you been stood up, Heyes." Curry nudged his friend.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that." Rose's voice lilted out from a well-dressed woman who had been standing next to them for the last few minutes. She didn't notice or make mention of Curry calling Joshua 'Heyes.' She turned to look up at them and they both held their breath in awe. Her short hair had been pulled up under a veiled, flowered straw hat. Her blue-flowered dress fit snuggly against her frame. The squared neckline was just modest enough to show just a peek of cleavage. Both men drew in a deep breath. It was the lavender from the bath. She was like a diamond cut flawlessly from its rough surroundings.

"You look amazing." Heyes smiled like a schoolboy with his first crush, and he held his arm out for her.

"Well," she nodded toward the both of them dressed in their suits and ties. "you clean up pretty well yourselves."

The trio sat in the middle of the dining room among four other couples. Both Heyes and Rose spent most of the night just staring at each other, grinning like silly children. Kid Curry tried several times to start up a conversation, but they seemed to fall on deaf ears.

As they nibbled on their desserts and drank their coffee, a small, three-piece orchestra settled into place and began playing.

Heyes stood up and held out his hand to Rose. "Would you care to dance?" He asked.

"It would be a pleasure, Joshua." She replied, and stood like an elegant lady. She easily slipped into his waiting arms and the two floated across the small ballroom floor. Their eyes were locked onto each other's, no one else existed.

Curry watched for as long as he could. Board with the whole thing, he decided to take a walk into the twilight-lit streets. Hands shoved into his pockets, his shoulders hunched, Jed Curry walked alone on the deserted streets, and his boot heels clicked hollowly back at him.

His walk took him past the sheriff's office. Of course he saw his and Heyes' poster, but another flier caught his eye.

"The Wild Irish Rose...?" he spoke quietly to himself. "Wanted in Virginia, Indiana, Wyoming, annnnd Arizona?" Curry took his hat off and scratched his blonde curls. "...for kidnapping, murder and bank robbery." He put his hat back on and slid it to the back of his head. He put his hands on his hips as he read more. "Twenty-two THOUSAND dollars?!" Curry went on to read her description. "Five foot tall, reddish-brown hair, green eyes....Ah Heyes, what have you gotten yourself into?" He reached up and pulled the poster down and stuffed it into his pocket, then made his way back to the hotel.

Curry stopped at the end of the hallway and ducked back behind the wall. Rose and Heyes were saying their goodnights. He heard Heyes say something about changing and going back down to the saloon. Rose said she was going to steer clear for a night or two until old fancy-pants calmed down.

Unnoticed, Curry quickly slipped into his and Heyes' room and waited in the dark for the other to return. As Heyes slid in and attempted to light the lamp, Curry spoke from his dark corner. "Have a good time tonight?" His voice had an angry edge to it, and Heyes was surprised and perturbed by it.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I had wonderful time." He spoke defensively. "Probably the best time I've ever had"

"I don't suppose you know what you're getting yourself into, do you?" Kid asked as he angrily ripped off his suit coat.

"And just what do you mean by that?" Heyes raised his voice a bit.

"She's dangerous, Heyes." Curry's tone was dead serious.

"Dangerous?!" Heyes started to pull off his vest and unbutton his shirt. "How?" He threw his clothes on the bed. "Because she can outplay me in poker and probably outshoot you?"

"That's part of it, yeah." Curry stood toe-to-toe with Heyes. "But there's more. Much, much more!"

Heyes' lips pursed, his eyes narrowed into slits. "You're jealous!" Heyes glared into Kid's eyes. "You're upset because she likes me an' not you!" He waved an accusatory finger in Curry's face.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Curry pushed the finger away and took a few steps back.

"Those baby blues and golden curls didn't phase her, and now you're upset!"

On the other side of the wall, Rose heard the commotion and pressed her ear against the adjoining wall.

"Look, Kid.." Heyes settled down a bit. "You know I care about you, you're kin!" He pushed the other down on the bed and sat next to him. "But I'm getting tired of this. We've been straight for over two years. We've had three governors go along with the deal of amnesty, but none of them have had the guts to go through with it!" Heyes looked deeply into his younger cousin's eyes. "How many times have we had to look the other way when we felt love for a woman?" He stood up and paced back-and-forth in the tiny room. "Charlotte, the two Graces, Michelle, yes and even Clementine!"

Heyes propped himself against the door to Rose's room. It startled her and she jumped back from the wall. Panicked, she started to pack her bag.

"I'm tired of running, Kid." He sighed heavily. "I need to be happy. I honestly feel something special and you want to walk all over it."

"Special?" Curry jumped up and nearly flew at Heyes. "You can honestly say special?" He was back toe-to-toe with him. "Heyes, you've known the woman less than a week, how special can it be?"

"I don't know!" Heyes threw his hands up. "But I'd sure like the time to find out."

"Then what?" Curry spun him back around to face him. "A little house with a picket fence? He moved in even closer. "That's not you, Heyes. It's just not you."

"It might be!" Heyes countered. "It just might be." He spoke more quietly as he walked back to the bed and slumped down.

"There is a small problem, though." Curry was starting to understand what Heyes meant. He took a deep breath. "You're still a wanted man." He put his hand on Heyes' shoulder and pulled the paper from his pocket. "And she may be wanted, too."

Heyes pulled the crumpled paper from Kid's hand and read it quickly.

"What are you gonna do?" Curry continued. "Share cells for the next 20 years or so?"

"Wanted?" Heyes threw the paper down. "Kidnapping, murder and bank robbery?" He turned and stared at Curry. "Kid, she's wanted in four states. Four states!"

"She's worth more than you and me together. " Curry sat next to him.

Heyes mumbled to himself as he got up and finished changing into his every-day clothes and stuffed the paper into his own pocket. "It just can't be." Heyes plopped his hat on his head. "It just can't be the same person."

"You and me..." Curry stood up and jabbed a finger at himself and Heyes. "We fit at least 1,000 men's descriptions, but this..." Curry finished changing his clothes as well. "How many five-foot women with a heavy Irish accent wander the country with a six-gun strapped to their side?" He roughly put his vest on, and tugged on it for emphasis. "If Lom or the governor get wind of this, that we're linked in anyway, we can really kiss our amnesty goodbye.

"It's just not you, Heyes. This involves me, too."

Heyes paced the floor a couple of times then headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Curry stepped toward him.

"For a walk." Heyes stood in the doorway and pounded on the doorjamb. "Maybe to the saloon for a poker game.... or a good stiff drink. " He appeared a bit lost as he looked back at Curry. "Maybe a lot of stiff drinks." Heyes took off his hat and nervously brushed through his hair with his hand, then put his hat back on. "I'm not sure. I just need some time to think." Heyes shook his head and looked down at the floor, then back at Curry, as if he could find answers in his cousin's face. He spun on his heels and slammed the door behind him. Curry wanted to follow, but he knew Heyes needed his time alone.

Heyes stepped out into the dusty street. The wind kicked up a dust devil that spun down past him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and hunched down against the wind. The western sky was a strange greenish-yellow and a chill cut through the air. He looked toward the saloon and thought he'd try the poker and start with a tall beer. He took a couple of steps nearer to the lights and music when a shadow caught his peripheral vision. He turned quickly and followed it.

Heyes stepped quietly into the livery stable and watched silently as Rose saddled her horse and lashed her carpetbag to the back of her saddle. A distant clap of thunder startled her and made her turn toward the sound. Heyes still stood in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. Even from a distance, he could see she'd been crying.

"Going somewhere?" He whispered.

"It's time I be movin' on." She wiped a tear from her cheek and tried to mount her horse, but Heyes held her back.

"That storm's coming." Heyes nodded over his shoulder. "You really want to be out in that, do you?" His hand came up and he gently put it on her shoulder. He tried to look under her hat, but her head was lowered.

"Little rain never hurt anybody." She tried to push past Heyes again, but he still blocked her way.

"Let's have a real reason." He brushed her hat off her head and lifted her chin up to look into her eyes. They looked so much greener rimmed in red from her crying.

"I don't want to be a sore point between you and Thaddeus." She looked straight into his eyes. "Those walls are mighty thin, and I heard y' arguin' about me." She shook her head and tried to hold back her tears. "I'm not denyin' I have feelin's for y' Joshua." She reached up and ran her finger down his cheek. She could tell by the look on his face that he had strong feelings for her as well. He trembled and swallowed hard.

"Thaddeus..." He took her hand and held it tightly. "has some concerns, but don't you worry about us. He and I have been through a lot, and we'll get through this, too.

"Can I be honest with you, Joshua?" She wrapped her hand around his and squeezed back just as hard. "Brutally honest?"

"Of course." Heyes' words were soft. He resisted as she wrestled her hand from his. She walked a few paces away, then turned back.

"There's something..." She looked down and kicked at a piece of straw. "That first day, in the general store. It was like an explosion goin' off inside me." She turned back and tried to smile through her tears. "Fact is, I'm usually drawn to men like Thaddeus; blonde and blue eyes." She looked back down at the ground again, as if she were ashamed. Her boot toe dug a hole into the hard ground. "Imagine my surprise when my heart seems t' stop every time I look at y'."

"Yeah!" Heyes laughed and lifted her chin again. "Ever since I figured out you were a woman, I've felt the same way."

"Pardon?" Rose wasn't sure what he meant by that.

"Sorry!" Heyes hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Stupid thing to say."

"The truth be told, Mr. Smith...Joshua, I don't believe I've ever really known love. I'm not so sure I know what that feelin' is like." Rose bit on her lower lip and tried to look anywhere but Heyes' eyes. "So I'm not so sure that this feelin', like being hit by lightnin', is really love." She looked very uncomfortable, like a cornered rabbit searching for anyway out. "Do y' follow what I'm sayin' at all?" She threw up her hands in desperation.

"More than you would believe." Heyes tried to take a step toward her, but a bright flash and a loud crack of thunder split the air and startled them both.

"The storm!" Rose was grateful for the diversion. She scurried up the ladder to the upper loft and hung out the open doors to catch the rain in her hand. It splashed on her face and soaked her shirt. It was a hard, driving rain. Heyes followed her up and caught some rain on his face, too. He laughed a deep, guttural laugh of pure enjoyment and watched Rose's face as she too let out a loud whoop of laughter.

"Whoa!" Rose exclaimed as she pulled herself in and plopped down on the soft hay. "That's some rain, nearly comin' at y' sideways!"

Heyes looked down at the street below, and with another flash of lightning, he could see huge, deep puddles already starting to form.

Both Heyes and Rose stared at each other for a long moment. Their head and shoulders were drenched, and their hair dripped rivulets of rain down their faces. Heyes finally broke the silence. "I'm pretty sure that what I feel for you Rose, is love." He tried to move closer to her, but she pushed herself back into the hay mound. "Why can't you be as sure?"

"It's a long..."

"Story." He interrupted, shook his head and smiled. He pointed to the downpour outside. "We appear to have some time."

Rose drew in a deep breath and looked skyward as she tried to find the strength to dredge up a painful past. "Me mother died when I was around four..." She began, and started to fiddle with the hay. "Would y' believe, Joshua, I was born right here in America; Virginia!"

"I don't believe I've ever heard a Virginian accent quite like yours." He grinned, and he too settled down into the hay.

"To be sure!" Rose chuckled and began to feel a bit more at ease. "My father, for whatever misguided reasons, sent me back to a place he fled years before, to his sister in Ireland." She nervously picked at the straw that clung to her wet shirt. "She already had four boys of her own. Not sayin' I was a burden, I guess. She had two girls and another boy after I came." She stopped and collected her thoughts. "Now I'm not sayin' I was mistreated. Got nothing but kindness from her an m' uncle. My dah sent plenty of money, so what there was to buy, we had plenty of money t' buy it." She giggled a bit. "Can you imagine a rich 'mick' up Ulster way?"

Heyes smiled broadly, only half understanding what she meant. "Four older boys?" He chewed on a piece of straw. "Is that where you got your rough-and-tumble ways?"

"For the most part." Rose smiled as she remembered. "Taught me good how to ride, fight an' play cards."

"Shoot, too?" Heyes leaned in.

"My no, Joshua. There are no guns in Ireland, not like here." She admonished. "I picked that up later."

Heyes tried to move in again, but she scooted back.

"Bein' where I was, and all, I still got me a fair education; proper an' all for a girl." Her smile fell and a look of deep sorrow fell in its place. "My dah came for a visit, first and only time, when I was 12 or so. He showed up around October and left in April." She teared up briefly, then shook it off.

There was another bright flash of light and a simultaneous explosion of thunder that made them both jump. Rose composed herself and continued with her story.

"I thought I was goin' home, but no." She shivered under her rain-soaked shirt. She glanced outside at another flash and instant report of thunder. The storm was right on top of them. The flashes came right on top of one another, and every flash was immediately followed by another clap of thunder. It was so close, both Rose and Heyes could sense their skin bristle with electricity and feel the building shake from the thunder. With every flash, they saw the rain driving harder and harder. Most of the time it rained sideways. The wind thrashed the trees in every direction, and by now the temperature had dropped considerably. Heyes even felt a bit cold.

"So..." Heyes shifted under his cold, wet shirt. "How did you get back to...back to America?"

"Saved up m' money. By the time I was 13, nearly 14 I had plenty to get me back. With the few letters he sent me, I knew how to find him."

"I'm guessing it was the homecoming you'd expected, was it?

"No..." It was more of a sigh than an actual word. "He greeted me with surprise and open arms, but it felt cold and distant, not like a father toward his daughter." She shivered again and drew in a deep breath. "It's hard for a daughter to find out her father is a cold-hearted son-of-a-bitch." Heyes tried not to look shocked at her language, as she absently picked at more straw. "I spent most of my time with his hired help."

"Ahhh, " Heyes interjected. "That's where you learned to shoot?"

"Shoot, fast draw." She shook her head as she remembered those days. "They said I was a natural; quick, fluid. I had the gun out, fired and back into m' holster before any of those men got near to theirs." She looked up at Heyes questioningly. "How is someone a natural at something so unnatural?"

Heyes gazed past her and stared off into the emptiness, as his thoughts went back to when 8-year old cousin Jed tried to impress him with his abilities. Ten-year old Hannibal called him 'Kid' as a put-down. He smiled to himself at how now that name now struck fear into most people. "It's an art." Heyes answered reflectively.

"My best times were just hanging around with those men. I learned a few more poker tips and some sneaky punches, too. Dah never had a clue." She shivered again, not so much from the cold, but at the memory. "It wasn't so much bein' ignored, but the treatment of his tenants." Rose could see the confusion on Heyes' face, so she tried to go into more detail. "Father had this plantation of sorts, where these two rivers came together. He had all these little plots of land all around him. People had their own homes and grew what they wanted in the fields. Come harvest time, Dah'd take 90% and get top price at the market. The farmers were left with the last 10% to sell at a much lower price, still had to pay him rent and have enough to feed their families for the winter!" She shook her head. "Heartless, he was just so heartless." She fiddled with her hat, then threw it next to her. "He kept saying he was doin' it all fer me. You'll not have t' put up with what I went through. He made no sense! I spent most of my childhood smack in the middle of the Irish famine!"

"You finally left, why?"

"It was a bad year for everyone; snow melted late, spring rains were torrential, then the summer baked."

"This one family had it rougher. First their son got sick, then the father. They scraped together a small harvest, but Dah wanted more. He said if they couldn't pay, he'd find a family that'd abide by the rules. He was just going to turn them out!"

Heyes shifted under his wet shirt, but listened intently.

"That greedy bastard still wanted his 90% and whatever cut from their meager 10%. He was going t' force that family from his land, land they'd been workin' for over 10 years!"

The wind whipped at the livery's walls and rain hammered at the tin roof. The noise nearly drown out Rose's words.

"Y' ever hear of Robin Hood, Joshua?"

"Can't say if I have." Heyes answered as he tried to remember if he had or not.

"He's a folk hero in England: Robbed from the rich and gave t' the poor. That was my plan as well."

"Wouldn't your father notice money missing and get suspicious?"

"He hadn't before." Rose shot a devious smile at Heyes. "That safe of his, a child could break in." She laughed and made a mock look of surprise by holding her hands to her face. "Oh my, a child did!" She brightened at this part of the story. "I needed a diversion if I was t' steal enough money to give to the farmer and keep a tidy sum fer m'self." She actually moved closer to Heyes, so he let her make all the moves. "I took the money and stuck it in a mud puddle, like it had been buried fer a long time. I left the farmer a note, tellin' him to come up with the story sayin' they'd forgotten a nest egg they'd stored away, what with all the troubles, they'd plum forgot! Sorry....here's yer money, Mr. Boss man!"

"It worked?" Heyes was surprised.

"Well, of course it did, because there was more t' my deception.." She wriggled in closer again. "I sliced my hand open. See.." She slipped off her glove and shoved her right palm into Heyes' face. "I still have the scar. I smeared blood all over the place; my bedclothes, walls, everywhere. Then I left a note sayin' I'd been kidnapped and t' leave $20 thousand dollars by the oak grove where the hills started." She smiled proudly.

"So is that what the Irish call Blarney?"

"Ahh, Joshua! Blarney, I'm brimmin' with it." Rose started to laugh and Heyes joined in. He laughed so hard he nearly chocked, but then his face went dead serious. He held out his hands, grabbed onto Rose's shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.

"You're Katelyn Keller?"

"Kelleher, if you don't mind!" Rose corrected him. "M' father was those who decided they wanted to distance themselves from their Irish roots, so a lot of O's, Mac's and the like got left by the wayside. It's another bone of contention I have with m' dah."

"Yeah," Heyes was reflective again. "I've heard stories." He then went back to the kidnapping. "Accounts said you were ahh, that your throat had been slit from ear to ear."

"Ha!" She jumped up and kissed his nose. "Now who's full of Blarney?" She flopped herself down next to Heyes and picked a piece of straw of his shirt. "So, tell me, Mr. Smith, how is y' know of all this?"

Heyes dug into his wet pocket and pulled out the crumpled, and now soaked wanted poster.

"Oh." She said quietly. "How?"

"Thaddeus found it on his walk, that's what the argument was about."

"I see. Well, it's a good thing I'm going."

"But you've never really kidnapped or killed anybody!"

"No, not really."

"The banks you've robbed?"

"Only those that m' father had a major interest in. I never took the depositors money." She cocked her head to one side. "Besides, I figured it was mostly due me."

Heyes began to laugh again, nearly uncontrollably. He snatched Rose up and kissed her quick and hard, before she could make a move to stop him. Their shirts still soaked, put a slight damper on what could have been a very romantic moment. "Hang on!" He held up a finger and dashed down the ladder to the stalls below. Moments later he returned with several horse blankets. He curled one around Rose and wrapped himself in another. "How's that?" He asked.

"Better..." Her eyes lowered. "But m' shirt's still wet."

"Yeah...." Heyes swallowed hard again. "Mine, too."

"I suppose..." Rose began quietly as she moved toward Heyes. "The best thing to do is t' take'm off, so they dry faster."

"I suppose.." Heyes echoed as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, then hung it on a handy nail. Rose stared at him for a long moment. She could barely breath. She then began to fumble with her buttons. Heyes held up the blanket to give her some privacy. He saw her shirt drop, so he wrapped the blanket quickly around her.

Lightning struck, but not outside. It was that shared, unknown feeling the two had been trying to push away all night. Their eyes were locked onto each other's. Souls entwined as physical bodies rushed toward each other. Heyes' torso was heaving as if he'd just run the race of his life. Rose, too felt as though her heart would pound out of her chest.

"Body heat." Rose spoke quietly.

"Body heat." Heyes replied.

Rose opened her blanket and lunged toward Heyes. She pressed her body into his and cocooned them into her blanket. They fell to the ground. Heyes found himself nose-to-nose with Rose once again, but this time, it was a deliberate move on both parties. He pulled her in tightly and kissed her long, and with a passion he'd never felt before.

Rose too, held tightly onto Heyes, and dug her fingers into his back. Before too long, the chill they both had felt was gone, and their bodies tumbled in a hot frenzy over the blanket-covered hay.

The cool, rain-drenched night gave way to a warm, sticky morning. The damp hay gave off plumes of steam, and the oh-so-needed blankets of the night before were now too much covering. Heyes was the first to rise, and he stood in the opened livery's doors. He slipped his shirt back on, stood over Rose's sleeping form and smiled. He plucked her shirt from its nail and dropped it over her. She woke with a bit of a start, then smiled up at Heyes, who still stood over her.

"We better get going, before the stable master comes in." He started to fold up the blankets.

"Yeah..." Rose quickly tucked in her shirt, and kissed Heyes quickly on the cheek. "We should have some time. He's probably at church."

Heyes and Rose made their way down the rain-rutted street, and leapt over the huge puddles left behind. Unbeknownst to them, Jed Curry had been standing outside the hotel watching their trek down the street. His arms were folded against his chest and he wore a disgusted scowl on his normally optimistic face.

"Thaddeus!" Rose squealed with delight as she caught sight of him at the end of the street. Her arms flew outstretched as she held him in an embrace. His scowl turned to befuddlement, especially when she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

Heyes followed, and he too threw his arms around Curry and whispered in his ear. "SHE's Katelyn Keller...Kelleher." He stood back at arms length and smiled a broad, silly smile.

"What?" Kid Curry pushed Heyes back and looked at him like he'd lost his mind.

"She's the kidnap and murder victim.." He waved his hand grandly back at Rose, who stepped forward and made a grand bow toward Curry.

"I look pretty good fer havin' me throat slit from ear ta ear, don't I?" She turned her head from side to side.

"So there's no kidnapping?" Curry looked at Heyes, who shook his head no. "No murder?" Still Heyes' head shook no. "What about the banks?"

Rose got that sly grin back on her face and wagged her finger at Curry. "Now there's where we fall into shades of gray." She threw a glance at Heyes, who in turn fiend a sheepish smile at Curry, who now was more and more confused.

"What are you talking about?" Curry was now a bit perturbed, but Heyes wouldn't let him foul his very good mood. He crooked his arm around Curry's right arm, while Rose latched onto his left. The three of them strode down the street arm-in-arm to the café. It was a bit more difficult to avoid those puddles, but they managed to stay fairly dry.

It wasn't until they were elbow deep in scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, and coffee did the duo fill Curry in on all the sorted details.

"You mean he hasn't figured out that you're her.....you...she's you?" He almost got confused himself.

"I'm not even sure on that." Rose shoveled a huge forkful of eggs into her mouth and washed them down with a few quick gulps of coffee. "But you'd have to be a bloody moron not t' know!" More eggs, a few potatoes and a couple more good gulps of coffee interrupted her tirade. "But here it is, 13 years later, an' the wanted posters are still up." She shook her head and smiled. "Though, in the last few years, the fact that I'm wanted more for the bank robberies and not the kidnap-murder thing has got me wonderin'."

"How do you figure?" Heyes asked as he took a good drink of his coffee.

"Bank robbery's in bolder letters than it used t' be. The other's in small type. Maybe it's his way of sayin' he's figured the whole thing out. Then again, could be he cares more about the money." She had more eggs and a quick nibble on a strip of bacon. "Still, it worries me that you found the poster in this town. I've been quite fer some time now, and Dah's bank is about 70 or so miles from here. I hit that one early on, too!" She drank in more coffee, then shot a scowl toward Curry. "An' just what were y' doing checkin' out wanted posters anyway, Thaddeus?"

"Ahh, it's sort of a hobby of mine." He smiled his crooked smile. "Besides, the word ROSE in huge letters caught my eye."

"Sure'n it would have caught a few more eyes, had y' not taken it down." She saluted Curry with her fork. "I'm beholden to you, Thaddeus."

"Well," Heyes pushed himself away from the table and smiled at Rose. "I didn't get much sleep last night, the storm and all. I think I'll head up to the room and get some rest."

"Yeah, " Rose caught Heyes' smile and wiped her face and pushed herself from the table as well. "Between the rain, cold, thunder and wind, I barely closed m' eyes."

They rose from the table in unison. Curry just rolled his eyes as he got up from the table, too. "I'll get this.." He waved the other two off. "I'm gonna see if I can get into an early-morning poker game."

Only a few people were lucid enough to even hold cars, let alone play. Curry handily beat the players he rounded up. It was only nickel-and-dime, so he quickly lost interest.

Gingerly, Curry opened the door to his and Heyes' room. He didn't want to disturb his friend. He wasn't surprised though, to see that the bed was empty; although, the door between their room and Rose's was ajar. He quietly moved toward it and peered around the corner. He sighed heavily at the sight of Heyes and Rose nestled in each other's arms, Heyes' chin rested on her head. He had that same smile on his face. Curry propped his back against the door jam and gazed skyward. "Heyes...." He closed the door behind him. "I hope you know what you're doin'."

It wasn't until diner that the three of them were reunited. Curry was sullen as he watched Heyes and Rose exchange glances and laugh every now and then. He'd had about enough toward the end of the meal and threw his napkin angrily down on the table.

"You know, we've been pretty lucky so far, that no one else has come to the same conclusion about you. Do we have any kind of a plan?"

"Joshua has convinced me I should try and make amends with m' dah. So I'll be headin' to Virginia ." Rose daintily daubed her mouth with her napkin and tossed it on the table. "But first, I've promised a certain fancy pants to a rematch." She straightened her gun belt and plopped her hat on her head. "I figger if we don't act guilty, we won't give anyone reason t' believe we are guilty." She then bent down and whispered into Curry's ear. "You're right, Thaddeus, we need to get out soon. Why don't you boys get the horses ready and meet me at the saloon and we'll all take this town for one more ride!" She kissed Curry on the cheek , then leaned over and gave Heyes a very passionate kiss. Heyes smiled, Curry blushed. "Later.." she winked seductively at both and disappeared out the door.

Heyes and Curry returned to their rooms and packed their things, and Rose's belongings as well. They paid for the hotel and headed for the livery. Nearly finished, they were startled when the sheriff walked in behind them.

"You fellas leaving?"

"Yes, Sheriff." Heyes tried not to stare at the badge nor look nervous, but was failing at both. "We're just packing out now."

"Almost done." Curry smiled his most sincere smile.

"You and the Irish woman?" The sheriff stepped closer.

"That was the plan." Heyes got a little bolder.

"How long you two been acquainted with her?

"Just since Copper City." Curry spoke up. "Train east was delayed and we found ourselves on the trail together."

"So you two never saw her before then?"

"No." Both Heyes and Curry spoke in unison. They had a feeling they knew where these questions were going.

"You boys may want to steer clear of her." The sheriff wrapped his arms around both of them. They felt uneasy at his closeness.

"Is there a problem?" Curry asked. It was his turn to not stare at the badge.

"I'm pretty sure she's wanted. The fact that her poster is missing from outside my office tells me someone else thinks she's wanted, too." He jostled them a bit. "Or they think I'm too stupid not to notice."

"We don't think you're stupid, Sheriff." Curry was not doing well at keeping down his nervousness.

"Wanted?" Heyes saw the fear in his partner's eyes and tried to run interference for him. "For what?"

"Kidnapping, murder, bank robbery." He pulled then in close. "You boys are lucky to be alive, if she's who I think she is."

"And who would that be?" Heyes felt his mouth go dry.

"She's known as the Wild Irish Rose." He pushed them out into the street. "Since I heard you call her Rose, and since she's got an Irish accent you could cut with a cleaver, plus the fact she wears her gun tied down low... Hell, the fact she wears a gun at all, makes her stand out like a stalk of corn in a bean field."

"Yeah." Curry glanced quickly at Heyes then back at the sheriff. "It would kinda make you think."

"She say anything, do anything that would make you think she's this 'Rose'?" The sheriff pulled Heyes closer to him.

"No!" Heyes nervously laughed and tried not to sound too anxious. "Then again, if she were, she'd probably be smart enough not to let it slip."

"True, true.." The sheriff nodded in agreement, but did not lessen his hold on the two men. "I don't suppose I could get you fellas to help me catch her?" He urged them down the street.

"Only if you're truly certain..." Curry made it sound like they would go along with the plan.

"Ohhh, I'd say about 99%. Is that good enough for you?"

"I guess..." Heyes looked down at his feet then over to Curry. He was out of ideas and hoped his partner may have one to get out of this mess. "What would you need us to do?"

The sheriff stopped them in the middle of the street. "Well, what were you two planning on doing next?"

"Ah, we were..." Curry stammered. "We were going to, going to."

"To play some poker, actually." Heyes cut in.

"Play some poker." Curry parroted and snapped his fingers.

"Then we were just going to leave." Heyes finished.

"Good, good." The sheriff slapped them on their shoulders. "Keep your appointment and when you're ready to leave, we'll grab her!"

"Could be all night.." Heyes tried to come up with an excuse.

"Don't worry about that.." The sheriff smiled. "The longer you play the better.

"Yeah.." Heyes laughed nervously.

Rose looked up at the clock for about the fourth or fifth time. Joshua and Thaddeus were running late and she was having a hard time keeping her mind on the game. Nonetheless, she did have the largest pile of chips in front of her.

Fancy-pants man had the deal: Two down, the next one up. Fancy pants had a Jack, the next man had a four, she got dealt a Queen and the last man got a 10. Stuck on her clock-watching, she failed to make her Queen-high opening bid.

"Hey, Irish!" Fancy-pants man startled her. "You gonna play or watch that damn clock?"

Rose scowled at the man and lifted the corner of her two down cards: a Queen and a two. "Two dollars." She threw the chips into the middle of the table. She really wasn't paying much attention at all. She was beginning to worry about the boys. They should have been there long ago.

Fancy pants got a four, the next guy a 10, Rose got a two and the last man got a seven. Rose was still Queen high. She knew she already had two pair, but her mind was still on the whereabouts of Joshua and Thaddeus.

"Play the game or watch the damn clock, not both!" Fancy pants slammed his fist on the table. Chips bounced and beers sloshed.

Rose quickly studied the table and smiled up at the man who had leaned across the table to try and intimidate her. Normally her two pair wouldn't be enough for her to go wild on, but she'd already decided she was going to give this man back some of his money.

"Yer eager t' win some of yer money back, ain't y'?" She smiled.

"That's what we're here for!" He chomped on his thin, black cigar.

"Then let's stop playin' with change." Rose leaned into him and pulled out her roll of bills and peeled off nearly all of them and threw them on t