Chapter Text
The trail was freezing. The snow almost impassable. There was no break from the cold temperatures. But most of all, the relentless wind would not stop. There was nowhere to get away from it. Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry had never been this far up into Montana before in the winter. When they took the job to deliver court documents to Whitefish, Montana, they never dreamed it would be so difficult. It was November, so the risk of running into major snowstorms, while still high, made the $2,000 payment for the trip worth it.
The railway hadn’t made it as far north as Whitefish, so it was necessary for them to travel by horseback. They took the train to Missoula, then purchased a donkey, two horses, saddles and gear as their transportation. The plan was to deliver the court documents, spend the night in Whitefish, then immediately return to Missoula. The two days up to Whitefish, then two days back would mean that they would be on the trail for four days. Worth the risk by any standards. They would sell the donkey and the horses on their return, then make it back to Porterville in hopes they could spend the winter with Lom Trevors.
But as usual with Heyes and Curry, things sometimes did not go as planned. They made it to Whitefish, delivered the documents, and spent a nice evening enjoying a steak dinner, whiskey, and some poker. That’s when things started to change.
They started out at the crack of dawn, planning on getting at least halfway back to Missoula. When they started the sky was clear. By mid-morning the clouds had gathered, the wind picked up, and before they knew it, it was snowing. By late afternoon the ground was covered in snow, growing by an inch each hour. Visibility was horrible, neither Heyes nor Curry could see very far in front of them.
Fortunately, fate at least grinned at them by coming across an old deserted cabin. They knocked on the front door. Looking into the windows proved it was abandoned. There was also a rickety barn, so they bedded down their horses and the donkey. Pulling down from the loft a single remaining bale of hay, they fed the animals, removed their saddles and made sure they had water from the well.
By the time they did all that, another inch of snow had fallen. Struggling to get back to the cabin, carrying the pack and the saddlebags, they finally made it into the thread-bare building. Inside there was a fireplace with no wood. There was a table, and a double bed with a few blankets, that was about all. It was enough.
Kid went out to gather some wood. He found a pile beside the house. He gathered an armful and went back inside. He opened the door and stomped his boots as he closed it. Heyes was preparing the fireplace. He took some of the wood from Kid’s arms and laid them on the fireplace. Striking a match, he lit the wood on fire, while Kid stacked the remaining wood next to the fireplace.
Kid wasn’t feeling so well. He was starting to shiver and he coughed, sitting down on the bed. Heyes, knowing that tell-tale cough anywhere, turned. “You ok Kid?”
Kid nodded his head. “Fine Heyes, just a little cold is all. That storm out there was brutal.”
Heyes had the fire going. He turned to Kid. “Yeah, wasn’t expecting it to come on so suddenly. We were lucky to have found this place. Hopefully the storm will pass by quickly and we can get back on the trail tomorrow. It shouldn’t be that hard to get to Missoula. For now, I’ll make us up some beans and coffee. Why don’t you take off your coat and lay yourself down under them blankets til it warms up in here.”
Kid was in total agreement. He took off his coat and his soaking wet boots. Then he took off his gun holster and hung it on the bedpost. “I sure am glad this is a double bed, at least the sharing won’t be so bad.” Kid threw back all the covers to make sure there weren’t any critters hiding under there, then laid down, pulling the covers back over himself. When he laid his head on the pillow, he heard a squeal and a mouse landed on the floor, scampering away. “Geesh! Forgot to check the pillows.” He got back up, picked up the two small pillows on the bed, making sure there weren’t any more mice hiding in them. Once satisfied, he laid them neatly back onto the bed.
Heyes was making the coffee. He giggled at Kid for the sudden interruption from the mouse. Kid laid back down, and pulled the covers back over himself. As soon as he did, he started to feel dizzy. He was glad he was already lying down. He said nothing to Heyes because he did not want him worrying when it was probably just from exhaustion and cold. He closed his eyes and was soon asleep.
Heyes had finished cooking the beans and dished up two plates, along with two cups of coffee. He had not looked Kid’s way, but now he was standing over him, watching him sleep. Should he wake him up? It was getting warm in the cabin now, so he took off his own coat, then his boots. He placed his, and Kid’s boots over by the fireplace to dry. He was reticent to wake Kid up at this point. He could sense Kid wasn’t feeling well, and he knew that the combination of cold and tiredness always made him sleepy. Or worse. He hoped it was just the tiredness, so he let the Kid sleep. He would wake him up in a bit, make him eat something, then he could sleep for the night. He sat himself down at the table and ate alone.
About an hour later, Heyes was on his second cup of coffee, and sitting in a tattered chair by the fireplace, reading his book. It was still heavily snowing outside and did not show any signs of slowing down. Heyes looked out the window from his chair. This wasn’t good. He sure miscalculated the risk they were taking for the money. Kid started coughing.
He stood up to check on Kid. He knew that cough. He was sick, no matter how much he would try to say he wasn’t. Heyes thought to himself this is the last time we will come to Montana. Staying in warmer weather would be their priority going forward.
There really wasn’t much he could do. Hanging a pot of water to simmer over the fireplace would help with Kid’s breathing, so he got up and did so. Time to wake him up and see how he was really doing.
He walked over to Kid and gently touched him. “Kid, wake up.” Groggily, Kid responded with a groan and slight movement. Heyes put his hand on Kid’s forehead. “Dang you are burning up partner. Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feelin’ good.”
Kid groaned again, and opened his eyes. “Heyes. I’m fine.”
Heyes shook his head. “Don’t think so Kid. Hoping it’s just the grippe. Do you want to try eating something?”
Kid shook his head. “Not hungry. But I’m fine Heyes, don’t need you hoverin’ over me.”
Heyes got a canteen and brought it back over to Kid. He helped him sit up. “Drink, can’t have you gettin’ all dried out on top of everything else.” He helped Kid take a drink, then another from the canteen.
He tried to give him a third, but Kid pushed his hand away, then laid back down onto the bed. “I told ya Heyes’ I’m fine. Just a little cold is all.”
Heyes got some of the warm water and found a cloth in his bag. He poured water into a bowl, then put the cloth into the water, wringing it out. He wiped down Kid’s neck and face, then put the cloth on his forehead. “Rest a bit.” Kid didn’t have an issue with that at all, closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
He stood over Kid’s bed, watching him as he slept. He knew this wasn’t going to be good, but there was nothing else he could do. He put another log into the fireplace, added some more water to the pot over the fire. He would sleep for a bit in the chair to keep the fire going and be close in case Kid needed him.