Love's Last Gift (on hold)

Chapter 3

The streets of Cheyenne, Wyoming had changed a lot since the last time Heyes and Curry had ridden in them.    Cheyenne had been one of their favorite towns to frequent when they had first started out in the business.  Heyes remembered having a grand old time at the Big Horn saloon after robbing the bank near Fort Collins in Colorado.   He and Kid and the rest of the gang had ridden in to Cheyenne like they had owned the place.   And with the young, cocky attitude they displayed, no one had reason to doubt that they did.   But that had been before they had solidified their reputations and had earned the ten thousand dollar price tags on their heads.   After they had been arrested and lodged in the Cheyenne jail a few times,  they started to avoid the city.   And when their wanted status was upgraded to dead or alive,  they had tried to avoid crossing through the territory of Wyoming altogether whenever possible.  But now they didn't have to worry about being recognized or arrested.  They could walk in and order a beer like any other man.   Like a pair of Texas rangers.

The Long Horn Saloon still stood where it always had.  Several newer, fancier saloons has sprung up around town, but the boys doubted if they had the same atmosphere that their old haunt had.    The same old sign still hung across the top of the building's front, only the paint was faded and weathered.

"Wonder if old Gus is still keeping the bar?"  Kid asked as they stood on the street in front of the saloon looking up at the weather beaten sign.

"Only one way to find out,"   Heyes said as he went in with confidence.   They stood and took in the sights and sounds of the old familiar place.   Heyes closed his eyes for a moment enjoying the sound of glassing tinkling, cards shuffling,   poker chips chinking and a player piano twanging softly in the background.     He inhaled the scent of beer and whiskey,  cigars and sweat.   Yep,  nothing here had changed.   The familiar, yet older face of Gus Nelson frowned in confusion at the two smiling men who approached his bar with such confidence,  not because he didn't recognize the two men, but because he hadn't seen their faces in years and they were supposed to be in prison.  The confused look on Gus's face slowly transformed into a  smile as the two former outlaws sauntered casually up to his bar.

"I ain't read about no prison breaks in the papers.   So either you gents is lost or things in your lives have changed drastically."

"Hello, Gus.   We're not lost and we didn't bust out.   If you can believe this, we got pardoned,"  Heyes said with a broad smile.   "We just got released yesterday."

The older man's face lit up at the news.  He reached across the bar to slap both boys on the shoulder.   "That calls for a celebration.  Anything you want, on the house."

He poured Kid a beer and Heyes a shot of whiskey.   "Pardoned.  Well, I'll be hanged.  How long has it been anyway?  Six years?   Kid you were still just a snot nosed,"  he struggled to find a better word, but failed, "......kid, the last time I saw you two.   And you,"  he looked into Heyes brown eyes,  "you were just starting to lead the gang.   I must say, you boys did me proud.   I kept up with you boys and every time you pulled a job it would be in the papers and each job got a little bigger.   When I read about you blowing that safe in Denver,  the one that everybody said couldn't be blown,  I was so proud I framed the newspaper and hung it on the wall.  It's still there."   He pointed to the wall behind the far left end of the bar.  "We still talk about it to this day.  You boys know that I didn't take no offense when you stopped coming through here once you made the title of most wanted men in the west."

"Wasn't no offense meant, Gus,"  Kid said as he swigged his beer.   "We had to steer clear of these parts once Sheriff Lawler had it in for us.  Is he still sheriff by the way?"