Jedediah 'Kid' Curry and Hannibal Heyes convicted.The two most famous, not to say notorious outlaws in modern memory were both sentenced to five years in Wyoming Territorial Prison on Monday. Many of the high society folk in Cheyenne and wider Wyoming were bitterly disappointed to be deprived of the spectacle of a trial. Indeed they are also deeply disturbed by the leniency of the sentences. But by avoiding going before a jury, which would no doubt have comprised chiefly of those they spent eight years robbing, the two men dodged a bullet. But at least some justice has been served, so even if it is not as much as their multiple crimes merited, we must settle for what we have. And as the famously dangerous outlaws face their first night in jail, I for one feel the West is a safer place with them no longer at large.
Heyes and the Kid sat in the cells under the Cheyenne courtroom awaiting transport to Laramie.
The Kid looking down at the heavy metal on his ankles, shook his shackled wrists angrily, his expression dark and troubled. Heyes similarly restrained cleared his throat, in an attempt to break the heavy silence and to try and provide some comfort for them both. "We got a lot to thank Big Mac for, getting us that high priced lawyer sure helped us a lot."
The Kid pulled his gaze up from studying the heavy shackles, his face still dark. "I think it was Carlotta threatenin' to gift that land of hers back to her brother that got him to do it."
Heyes laughed shortly around the tightness in his throat. "Well, whatever the reason, you gotta admit five years is better than twenty."
The Kid shook his head and said bitterly. "No years is what we was promised, Heyes. Don't matter that the Governor admitted that amnesty deal to the judge, he shoulda just gone and given it us, as soon as we was caught. Ain't like the man is even elected, so that guff he kept spoutin' 'bout political suicide is all crap."
Heyes was surprised that Kid knew that, he hadn't and wished now that he had. Though he wasn't sure it would've made much difference, but he hated not knowing everything about the situation he was in. "You sure 'bout that Kid?"
"I heard that lawyer dictatin' a letter to his secretary, when we was waitin' to see him that first day. You was too busy thinkin' to pay attention."
Heyes snorted and shook his head. "Thought you was sleepin' then, Kid, you was sure sounding like it."
"You ain't the only one who can be sneaky Heyes, you're always tellin' me I gotta use my head. Thought it was about time I stopped leavin' stuff like that up to you."
Heyes peered in the gloom trying to see the Kid's face clearly, a little unnerved, worried that the strong thread of faith and trust that had always bound them together had finally snapped. Somehow that hurt even worse than the reality of the five years of prison they were facing. Not knowing what to say as he had no good argument to counter it, he only said quietly. "I'm sorry Kid...maybe I shouldn't have persuaded you to do it my way, back in Porterville."
That brought his friend's gaze straight up to meet his eyes firmly and Heyes was relieved to see the strong affection still apparent there and his heart settled back into an easy rhythm despite the bleak future they were facing. "Ain't no need to be sorry, Heyes, we got into this together and I ain't a child, I agreed 'cos I wanted to. I just figure we're gonna need both of us thinkin' to get through this."
XXXHeyes watching his battered partner toss restlessly on the narrow cot, unsure whether he was unconscious or merely sleeping, found himself remembering the conversation. He had snuck into the prison infirmary, with the help of one of the newest guards, a young man, who was in awe of the great Heyes and Curry and had agreed to help. All he had wanted in return , was for them to sign his nephew's dime novel. He and Kid had seen little of each other in the past few months, mostly just managing an exchange of glances from tables away in the prison dining area, or sometimes from separate ends of the bathing stalls.
Kid's reputation had as they'd both feared, caused him no end of trouble, he'd faced challenges most every day from someone, either a guard out to punish, or an idiot fellow inmate seeking to make a point. And of course never one to back down, Kid had obliged almost all of them by responding.
Too many times, Heyes had then been forced to watch helplessly with the other inmates, as his friend was punished by the lash. He'd also spent more time in the dark cells than he had in his own. Heyes finally having the opportunity to get some time with his friend, studied him. Even in the gloom, the weight loss and the bruises were obvious and made him wince, his worry made even worse by the fact he knew the uniform also hid multiple scars.
Clearing his throat, unused to speaking now, after months of enforced silence, he said quietly. "Kid, you said you was gonna think more, ain't seen much of that, unless you figure fighting is thinking with your fists. You carry on doing what ya doing and I'm gonna end up watching them bury you and I ain't planning on it ending that way. So I got an idea, but I'm gonna need you to make sure it works. You got a way about you that makes some folk follow you. Makes others want to batter ya, but I'm looking at the positives here."
Heyes was startled by a small laugh from his friend followed by a painful sounding cough, before a raspy reply. "Ain't exactly sellin' it to me Heyes."
"Kid!" Heyes exclaimed far more loudly than was exactly safe, but luckily no one was around to hear him.
"Don't talk so loud, Heyes, my head hurts!"
"Well, that'll be the wall you ran into."
"I kinda remember you yellin' somethin' and then grabbin' me, before everythin' went black..." he paused and coughed before saying faintly. "That gotta be the first time you've stepped into a fight for me, since I was twelve."
Heyes smiled a little, the three days in the dark cells and another two of bread and water, suddenly feeling like a smallish price to pay to hear the note of pleased wonder in his friend's voice. Time not working, would give him the chance to put the final touches to his idea and by the time they were both back in general population he was sure he'd have a workable plan.
"Kid, you doin' alright? Other than the obvious of course."
There was a silence, before the Kid answered softly. "I ain't sure, Heyes, kinda worried if I stop fightin'..."
Heyes shuffled over to the bed, wincing as the shackles bit and patted the Kid's hand gently, best he could with the restraining weight. "You ain't in this alone, Kid, when they let you outta here promise me you'll try and remember that." He paused and cocked his head as he heard something and stepped back into shadow. "I gotta go, Kid..."
Just as he shuffled quietly away, Kid low reply reached his ears. "All right Heyes, we'll do it your way."
XXXWhen the Kid was released from the infirmary, much to the guards disappointment, he held true to his promise and while still somehow managing to make his submission seem like strength, ignored the many challenges and kept his record clean.
About three weeks later, while smashing rocks in the prison quarry, he was surprised to be beckoned by one of the guards. "Convict 94, follow me."
Suspicious, he broke the rule of silence without much thought. "I ain't goin' nowhere when I don't know what's gonna happen."
The guard's eyes flashed and he looked about to strike the Kid, but then he schooled his face into calm. "I can understand that, but your partner is waitin' to see ya and we ain't got much time before we get noticed."
The Kid gazed at him unconvinced and turning his back, returned to breaking the rocks until a few minutes later a heavy hand laid on his shoulder.
"Look you idiot, I'm risking my job here, so you better come with me or we'll both regret it. Heyes figured you'd be stubborn so he told me to tell you." He scrunched his nose in thought and said clearly reciting from memory. "They ain't stolen the sky, Kid, we just can't see it for the clouds and then he talked about something that sounded like transients." He paused and added. "Ain't got a clue what he was talking 'bout. Bit strange your partner."
The Kid convinced as much by the guard's puzzlement as by the words themselves, nodded and began to follow the man as quickly as his shackles allowed. The Kid spied an anxious Heyes as he rounded the quiet corner away from prying eyes. "You got five minutes convicts."
With that the guard moved away, given them another rare moment of privacy as the Kid said quietly. "He don't seem real happy, you sure this ain't a trap?"
Heyes laughed slightly. "Well, if it is, he can kiss his marriage and his job goodbye. " Before the Kid could ask what he meant, Heyes shook his head and said urgently. "Anyway don't matter, just listen up. I got something on the warden here, ain't enough to get him sacked, but it's enough to make him see things our way. You're gonna be moved into my cell, try and look like you weren't expecting it."
XXX
Two days later the Kid was taken to the warden's office, careful to keep his manner respectful, mindful of his conversation with Heyes, he kept his head down and studied the polished floor as he waited to be addressed. "Well convict, the turn around in your behaviour is nothing close to miraculous, so I decided that some kind of reward is merited. Your to move in with your partner, convict 100 at the end of the day."
Yeah, thought the Kid, savin' your ass more like. But he jerked his head up as if surprised before quickly looking back down to hide his smirk.
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