text:
□ 【Paladin】 Ray Starling
<Gravestone Labyrinth>
『Sniff… hic…』
Right now, I was walking around inside the <Gravestone Labyrinth> with Nemesis in one hand, her sobs making her look like a cursed weapon. Since our first fight, we had already defeated twelve 【Zombies】, thirty 【Skeletons】 and even five of the monster called 【Haunted Spirit】. With all that EXP, I had leveled up twice and now I was on level 7, with my HP already exceeding the 1000 mark.
『Rotten flesh is all… the maggots are…』
My battle with the 【Zombies】 was worthy of a splatter film, and apparently its toll on Nemesis' SAN points was too big. The saving grace of it was that the amount of EXP given by them was bigger than the 【Skeleton's】, coupled with the higher encounter rate of the bone monsters. Oh, and best of all, it was great that the item drops were the only things that remained from those monsters after they were defeated; otherwise, Nemesis and my equipment would undoubtedly be in a terrible state right now, covered in pieces of flesh and body fluids.
『Uugh, to think you had this sadistic side to your personality…』
"Hey, I didn't do it because of 'sadism'. It's just that it was something necessary."
『…What about all those full swings? They felt weirdly "numerous", you know…?』
"Don't mind it."
Probably because they were undead, their body structure was very frail and with just a blow from Nemesis they splendidly broke into tiny little pieces. Even considering all the gore it caused, you could say that a full swing from a long sword was a pretty effective attack. It also felt really refreshing, like playing some kind of western game.
By the way, compared to the 【Zombie's】 groans, Nemesis' screams when pieces of the monster's flesh clung to her were much, much higher; along the way, I grew accustomed to them and treated those shrieks as mere BGM. Hm, maybe I got a little high on doing the role of a "main character from a zombie game".
"Oh, I ended up using half of the 【Gems】 I had prepared in the fights against those monsters from the 【Spirit】 class."
I could deal with 【Zombies】 and 【Skeletons】 on my own, but 【Spirits】 were a different story. With floating souls and ghost monsters as examples from that class, it had the special trait of being completely immune to physical attacks. In addition, instead of affecting our HP, their attacks caused abnormal status effects on the player, decreasing our MP and SP.
Essentially, I had the worst compatibility when going against them.
I hadn't learned any kind of magical attack skill, so I couldn't do anything. In theory, the skill 《Vengeance is Mine》 could affect their phantasmal bodies, but it wouldn't work since that ability only returned the damage done to my HP in double—the damage to my MP and SP wasn't covered by it. Incidentally, I mentioned "in theory" simply because I still wasn't able to test the skill against them. Obviously, since 《Vengeance is Mine》 was one of Nemesis' characteristic skills, the strategy sites didn't have any information about it. It seemed like they only had the general outline about <Embryos>.
After I had read in the wikis that 【Spirit】 monsters appeared in the <Gravestone Labyrinth>, I instantly knew that I had to take measures against them. That was why, before coming here, I purchased some items that could combat those monsters.
Often seen in other games too, they were single-use items that allowed the player to launch magical attacks. And the item that was usually prepared to fight against 【Spirits】 was one that released, on use, a spear of light with the holy attribute. They had an instant effect on 【Spirit】 monsters, with the ones from this floor dying in one hit.
Named 【Gem – 《White Lance》】, this crystal-shaped, small item was sold at stores for 1000 lirs a piece. Come to think of it, spending about 10,000 yen for a single attack might have been pretty expensive, but I still bought 10 units of that item; maybe the amount I had spent with the 【Permit】 dulled my senses when it came to money.
"Well then…"
Up until now I had used five 【Gems】 in my dungeon exploration: only half of the initial ten remained. If I were to take into consideration the trip back to the entrance, it was about time I returned.
『I wonder how much we will be able to make from all the items that dropped…』
That was exactly the problem.
I didn't expect to get the money I had lost from buying the 【Permit】, but I wanted to at least get enough to pay for the 【Gems】. Otherwise, it would be harder to continue leveling up here since the funds from the 【Full Body Armor】 would eventually run out. The 【Zombie】 and 【Skeleton】 kind of monsters did indeed drop some loot, but they didn't seem to be worth much in the market: there were items like ragged clothes and bone fragments—things that made you wonder just what use would they have for anyone.
Even the items that undead monsters typically used as equipment… weren't included, sadly. The 【Zombies】 and 【Skeletons】 from this floor only had clothes with them, they didn't hold any weapons. If there were animal monsters here, then they would at least leave something that could be sold, like their pelt or fangs, for example… but well, I couldn't do anything about it, anyway.
"Let's try exploring it just a little bit more. I still didn't find the stairs to the next floor."
Maybe we could even discover a treasure chest along the way; this place was a dungeon but I hadn't found a single one of those yet.
『Got it…… ah, by the way, Master.』
"What's it?"
『When we return, I will have you clean me just as you have promised.』
"Okay okay."
I see, even though she was already free from the undead's body fluids and pieces of flesh—that automatically disappeared moments after the monster's defeat—Nemesis still felt, in her mind, that she had to clean herself.
Five minutes later, we found it. With the same design as the one we had used at the entrance to reach this dungeon level, it was the staircase that, most probably, led to the second floor.
"If the stairs are here, I guess we've finally reached the end of the first floor."
『And there is no boss here…』
"I heard they only appeared every five floors."
The aspect of the <Gravestone Labyrinth> changed after each group of five floors.
According to the information I had gathered, from the first to the fifth floors, not only the place was a den of undead, but the boss stationed at the end of the fifth level was also an undead monster; moreover, the boss that spawned there was randomly selected out of several possible options of bosses.
After the boss was defeated, the path to the sixth floor would open and, starting there, the place would continue as a home for plant monsters.
Incidentally, the type and strength of the monsters that appeared in the dungeon continued to change according to the number of floors traveled: the 11th-15th floors had beasts, while "oni" monsters dominated the 16th-20th floors. The strategy sites only had information up to the 45th floor, and apparently dragon class monsters appeared there. Since the boss of that floor as extraordinarily powerful, it hadn't been defeated yet, so the area beyond it was called "untrodden land" by the players.
Well, it might've been called "untrodden", but strictly speaking, we simply knew that, among the ones who contributed to the wikis or handled the strategy sites, no one had managed to beat the boss from that level. Maybe there are even those who decided to withhold information about the 46th floor and beyond just to keep that advantage to themselves.
Anyway, it was useless to think about a place I had no business with.
For now, let's stop here and return. Although the EXP gained here was just right for me, the costs were quite high. After leveling up, I would need to go deeper in the dungeon—and the 【Spirits】 there would probably survive the strike from a 【Gem】, so my expenses might increase even further.
Just how I was supposed to deal with that…
While I was lost in thought, Nemesis called out to me.
From her tone, it was a warning.
"What happened?"
『Someone is coming up these stairs.』
Immediately, I directed my attention at the staircase.
Clunk, clunk… as I strained my ears, I could hear the sound of heavy footsteps echoing down there. Since monsters weren't supposed to move from floor to floor, the source of those sounds was a player, I guess. Maybe it was another player who was exploring the dungeon and had decided to return too.
However, there was something wrong with those footsteps.
Usually, if one was going to explore the dungeon—instead of just leveling up in the upper floors, like me—they were supposed to come in a party.
When that thought surfaced in my mind, the heavy footsteps… suddenly stopped.
——In the next instant, "something" extended from downstairs.
It was incredibly fast. Even with my distance from the stairway, I merely managed to sense it approaching me. And when my mind processed that, it was already before my eyes. The thing that came at such an astounding speed was, without a doubt, an attack launched against me.
" 『《Counter Absorptioonn!》』 "
As soon as Nemesis and I finished chanting the skill's name, the thing crashed into the wall of light that was deployed.
It was a chain.
There was a pyramid-like protuberance attached to its end, and even though I had successfully protected myself against it, the intimidation I felt from that weapon was and continued to be intense; if it weren't for the 《Counter Absorption》 wall, I was sure that my head would've been pulverized.
『This… pressure…!』
Nemesis cried out in anguish. She had never shown that kind of reaction when she defended from the Demi-Dragwurm's and the bullet apparition's attacks.
In other words, this strike was… a level above the others…!
『Any, more than, that and…!』
The wall of light, that had until now blocked all attacks it received, was revealing cracks little by little…….
Right before my barrier collapsed, the chain stopped and returned downstairs. However, that could only mean one thing…
『The second attack is coming! Get ready!』
It was a preparation for the next strike.
Sensing that, I promptly jumped backwards to gain some distance.
Still, I was at a loss. I only had one more stock left for 《Counter Absorption》, so I could only defend against the next assault from the chain. After that? I wouldn't be able to do anything.
What was I supposed to do here…!?
"……, ……..?"
Nonetheless, although I was fully prepared for the subsequent strike… it never came.
There were no signs of the chain appearing from the staircase; instead, the footsteps I'd been hearing before just restarted.
『Master… which one will you choose to do?』
I already knew what Nemesis was talking about. Are you going to turn around and run away right now? Or are you going to face whoever is coming up those stairs?
From the attack that started everything, I could grasp that our difference in strength was too great, and that winning against that enemy was simply hopeless. I felt they were even stronger than the PK I had vowed to obtain my revenge against. If possible, I wanted to finish things here without fighting.
In spite of that, the possibility of the chain assaulting me the moment I turned my back to the stairs crossed my mind, so I could simply stand still, ready to use Nemesis' skill at any moment. Then, running away wasn't an option anymore.
Things wouldn't end well for me, no matter the option I chose.
I could only gamble on one thing.
After finally appearing and launching their next attack, I would nullify it and return to the enemy the damage of those two strikes, doubled. Would I score a hit? Would it be enough to defeat them? I honestly had no idea, but that was my only option left. Apparently, Nemesis had resolved herself too, our thoughts and feelings matching perfectly.
Finally, the footsteps grew louder… and the person appeared from the stairs.
He was young, but seemed to be older than me by a few years. Even though his face looked pretty good, his eyes were nearly completely shut—the so-called "slit-eyes". Moreover, that man's greatest peculiarity was that his outfit was just weird.
Clad in some lightweight metallic armor, similar to the 【Riot】 series I was using, for some reason he also wore a hakama around his waist. Then, his feet were protected by a pair of metallic greaves, and in each hand he held three chains—like the one from just a while ago—with a ring on all of his fingers. While a hat adorned with a feather was on his head, there was a fancy, blue overcoat casually hanging off his shoulders.
When looking at each of those articles of clothing separately, they seemed completely fine, but if I were to look at the whole picture, "weird" was the only word that appeared in my mind. It sure felt like something you would often see in games, when choosing to equip items for their great effects and ending up with some crazy appearance due to the outfit combination. Oh, why I would think they were great? Simply put, even to the untrained eye, the craftsmanship of every single one of them was nothing less than splendid.
That weird guy threw a glance at me and…
"…So it was really a person."
Sighed after saying that.
"I was 100% sure that you were some sort of random spawn boss monster and attacked! Please forgive me! I'm really sorry!"
He was bowing and apologizing to me.
The guy in weird clothing and I had decided to talk in a chamber located at the staircase, with Nemesis also joining us in her human form. Oh right, that room was secure because he had used an item that created a monster-repellent boundary around it.
From what I quickly understood by talking with him, he wasn't a PK or whatever. And it didn't seem to be a lie, since both his tone and attitude struck me as something only a good person would probably display.
Now, as for the reason why he attacked me…
"In other words, you mistook me for a monster, right?"
"Yeah. There are boss monsters in this dungeon that, sometimes, act without any regard to logic and reason….. I'm really sorry."
Apparently, when he was going up the stairs he had detected my presence. Then, the second he looked at the top of those stairs, he saw a silhouette blocking the light coming from the floor. Since that figure didn't look human, the man said, he waited for a moment to observe it and finally launched an attack.
…Well yeah, I had the black long sword Nemesis coiled around my entire right arm. I guess my silhouette would come out as inhuman in that case.
"Is it even possible for a boss to appear on the first floor?"
"The probability for one to randomly spawn grows the deeper you go in the dungeon levels, but even in the upper floors the chance isn't really 0."
So not only the strategy sites had missed the information about the free entry for 【Paladins】, but they also had nothing about this.
"Whew, now I'm glad I didn't encounter any of those while I was leveling up here."
"Leveling up? Why are you doing this here? Your Level Total is 7… while you're a lowbie, wouldn't it be way better to farm in the rookie's farming grounds? Ah, you seem to be a 【Paladin】, so you came here without needing to buy a 【Permit】, I sort of get it."
…I ended up buying one, though…
Wait, how's he able to look at my level?
"Didn't you know? Currently, the farming places for beginners are all being terrorized."
"Yes, since three days ago in the game, there have been 'terrorist' attacks aimed at us rookies."
"…Man, I didn't notice that at all. I've been going through this dungeon for the past five days."
And I didn't check it on the internet, he added.
"Five entire days in this <Gravestone Labyrinth>!? For what purpose!?"
"It was a little gaming marathon, you could say. I wanted to see how far I could get by doing a solo run, and was just returning from it."
I see, it was like speedrunning a game or doing some other sort of self-imposed challenge. Going by his equipment and the attack he did a while ago, he was most likely some high level player.
"How far did you manage to get in this run?"
I asked him merely out of curiosity, and…
"Up to the 48th floor. That's just one more than the previous run I did."
Nonchalantly, this guy right here just mentioned a simply unbelievable number of floors.
The brave people from the strategy sites had only reached the 45th floor, in a party. And now that man had told me that he was returning alive after going through the "untrodden land" completely alone?
"You are…"
"Ah, my name's Figaro. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Ray Starling and this one over here is Nemesis, my <Embryo>……. ah!"
Figaro… I couldn't recognize that name at first… but when I introduced myself, it "clicked".
The 【Over-Gladiator】, Figaro.
That was… the name of the top ranker of the Alter Kingdom's Duel Ranking.
"Are you… the ranker, Figaro-san?"
"Yep. I use the Arena a lot, you know."
"Indeed, the Arena. Almost every country has one of those, with the Alter Kingdom's Arena being located in the Dueling City of Gideon. If you duel in that kind of place, not only you won't die even if you're killed, but you can also earn prizes depending on the audience. It's pretty fun."
"What's up with this 'not dying even if killed'?"
"There's a certain mechanism involving a boundary there. So you can freely perform dueling matches and entertain the audience. In addition, it's a great spot for sightseeing and the whole city is full of energy. I recommend going there at least once."
Although the country was on the verge of being destroyed, it seemed like there were places that still prospered without any problems by using one of humanity's inherent desires.
"You should be able to reach Gideon as soon as you cross the mountains south of the Royal Capital… ah, that's right. Since the rookie's farming grounds can't be used because of those 'terrorists', I guess the <Sauda Mountain Road> is also being blocked. Then, people can't really come to the Dueling City from the Royal Capital… that's quite troubling."
After saying that and pausing for a moment to think…
"Alright. I'll do something about it."
Affirmed Figaro-san.
"I still need to apologize for attacking you earlier. So I'll try doing something about the PKs from the <Sauda Mountain Road> in the south."
"I must ask, what are you going to do?"
I felt there was something behind his words.
"I believe it should be fine to use that place around tomorrow, so level up and then come visit the Dueling City. Usually, I'm either there or here in this dungeon."
"Eh, ah, okay."
"Well then, I'll be leaving at once. Ah, please have this."
Figaro-san took out a small jewel from his bag. It was the same kind of 【Gem】 I had been using, but its color was different—most probably a sign that the magic stored within it was also different.
"This gem allows you to use the 《Escape Gate》 magic to escape from the dungeon. I feel that today you should level up here and only leave after you're completely spent."
"Wha… are you really fine with it?"
"Of course. This is also part of my apology. If I had carelessly caused a beginner like you to go through the penalty for dying, it would have tarnished my name."
"Thank you very much."
I was really thankful. With this item, I would be able to farm monsters to the limits of my capacity without worrying about my way back.
As I thought, he seemed like a good person indeed.
"At any rate, Ray-kun and Nemesis-chan are pretty good, huh."
"You withstood my attack, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but it was because I had a skill that could do exactly that."
"This isn't about the damage. I'm talking about how you didn't back down even after I came from the stairs."
I didn't back down? What was he trying to say with that?
"I really like those who don't back down. Hm, you picked my interest. After you've successfully leveled up, I want to try fighting you in the Arena…"
"Oh, right…"
From what Figaro-san said about it, there was no penalty for dying in the Arena, so fighting him might end up being quite nice—I was also interested in the true strength of a genuine top ranker.
"Man, I'm going to enjoy it a lot. And in order to actually experience this joy in the future, I'll do some cleaning up now."
"Cleaning up?"
Saying that, he stood up.
"Well, see you later."
"Yeah, thank you for the 【Gem】."
With a broad and friendly smile on his face, Figaro-san waved his hand and left the room.
"Figaro, the Over-Gladiator, huh. I did not expect him to be like that."
"Same here. When I listened to my brother talking about the war, I thought he would be someone more eccentric."
If I wasn't mistaken, his reason for refusing to participate in the war had been, "I'm not interested in a messy fight," you know. That single line was enough to think of him as a somewhat arrogant individual, but taking into consideration his own personality now, I was sure that there had been some reason for Figaro-san to turn down the nation's call to arms.
"Alright, we also have something to do here. I received this escape 【Gem】 from Figaro-san, so let's farm monsters until we can't anymore."
"Aye. Compared to that person's attack, the undead are nothing. I am not afraid of them anymore."
Somehow, it seemed like her sense of fear had been numbed by that previous experience with Figaro-san's strike.
Then that was just fine. I would be able to farm at a faster pace than before; one way or another, until now I had been holding myself back for Nemesis' sake. But now I was going to bring in the gore train.
"Okay, back to farming!"
"Leave none alive!"
A few hours later, I ended up having to clean and polish a sobbing Nemesis—who had refused to return from her long sword form—until the dawn of the next day.


text:
Casey Nelson
Casey Nelson is the Brand Director of Jack Daniel's Flavors, North America. In this role Casey leads the strategic sales and marketing direction for four brands: Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel's Winter Jack and Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails as well as future flavor innovation. He has over a decade of marketing experience and has held various positions across Brown-Forman's portfolio of wine and spirits brands.
Casey was hired as Brown-Forman Wines New Products Specialist in 2005. During this role, he worked with Sir Richard Branson and Virgin to launch the Virgin Vines wine brand. Soon thereafter, Casey worked as Associate Brand Manager of the Brown-Forman import wine portfolio including Bolla Wines of Italy, Durbanvill Hills from South Africa and Michel Picard French Wines, amongst others. Casey then moved over to the larger US wine portfolio of Fetzer, Bonterra, Five Rivers and Jekel. During this time, Casey assisted in launching multiple new innovations, line extensions and packaging evolutions.
In 2008, Casey was named Brand Business Manager for Brown-Forman's East Division, based in Baltimore, MD. In this role he led the super premium portfolio of Woodford Reserve, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, Finlandia Vodka and Tuaca across key east coast markets stretching from New York to Florida.
In 2011, Casey was tabbed with a new challenge – launching the first new Jack Daniel's line extension in more than a decade – Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey. As Brand Manager, Casey led the most successful launch in company history as Jack Honey was the #1 "new product" innovation in the spirits industry during 2011. Casey was later promoted to Senior Brand Manager and his responsibilities expanded to lead the Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails line of RTDs, Jack Daniel's Winter Jack as well as the launch of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire.
Casey is a graduate of Miami University (OH) with a BS in Finance and Economics. He interned at Brown-Forman in 2003 before joining the company full-time in 2005. Casey is currently based at Brown-Forman global headquarters in Louisville, KY. He and his wife Alana just welcomed their first child, Dane, this past November.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The multiplexed holographic colour print described in a recent Nature Communications paper, "Holographic colour prints for enhanced optical security by combined phase and amplitude control" consists of multi-layer pixels that effectively overlay a structural colour element (in the shape of carefully dimensioned nano-pillar arrays) on top of phase plates of carefully designed thickness so as to encode holograms through light phase modulation.
In effect, the authors report that such a dual layer design is able to control both the phase and amplitude of light at pixel level, with phase and amplitude controlled independently based on individual pixel design. Thanks to the light amplitude (wavelength) control layer, an array of pixels can be designed to appear as a colour image under non-coherent white light. Yet, under the monochromatic illumination of a red, green or blue laser, the light phase control bottom layer of the same array of RGB pixels can be designed so as to shine three different holograms (each colour-filtered through the top structural colour filter layer).
The researchers implemented their idea through a single lithographic process by 3D direct laser writing into a photoresist, effectively growing various heights of nano-pillars 0.4μm in diameter on top of phase plates of varying thicknesses. Each individual 3×3μm2 pixel held a square array of nano-pillars patterned at a 1μm pitch. The authors report that by yielding a dielectric polymer with a refractive index ranging from 1.54 to 1.58 in the visible region, the process allowed them to achieve a full 2π phase modulation for red, green, and blue light by simply varying the bottom phase plate thickness over a 1.2μm range.


text:
Prince Edward Island DST
CBC News reported December 7 2005 08:07 AM AST
Prince Edward Island - Reported to change DST in 2007Price Edward Island Island adjusts daylight saving time
| It was only a matter of time. Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) is the first province in Atlantic Canada to follow the United States in adding an extra month to daylight saving time.
Premier Pat Binns said the change would take place in 2007, with Islanders moving their clocks ahead one hour three weeks earlier in March and rolling them back one week later in November.
The U.S. Senate approved the time-shifting strategy earlier this year to save energy."When people get home in the evening, you know it's supper time and the stove goes on. And of course if it's dark already then the lights are on and it's just that much extra electricity being used," said Binns.
The time change will take place in March 2007The premier said his announcement is even a feel good one, at least according to the 266 people who took time to e-mail the government about the idea of adding more daylight to their lives.
"There are people who suffer depression in the longer winter months and that extra hour in the evening of daylight would help to combat that kind of depression."Opposition leader Robert Ghiz said he likes the idea of a time shift. But he's concerned about the way the public input was gathered. He said the premier put too much weight in the opinions of the 266 web-poll participants.
"I really hope that our premier is not so void of ideas that now he's taken to web polls to decide how he's going to set a course for this province."Binns said the poll was just one factor. He said government could not ignore the fact the United States had already made its decision.


text:
The driver of this vehicle was 'very lucky' to avoid any injury, according to Horsham Police.
Officers were called to the A29 Stane Street on Friday (December 7) after the vehicle had left the road and collided with a telegraph pole.
On Twitter, Horsham Police said the driver avoided any injury.
They added: "We spent a number of hours yesterday on A29 Stane Street with a very lucky driver.
"They managed to avoid any injury but did take out a telegraph pole."


text:
Spice Water Glass
She was the perfect mixture of sugar and spice. A kind heart, a bright smile, and a wild soul.
Each Cheryl Saban Water Glass is hand blown with love in Los Angeles, holds about 10 oz of liquid, and stands approx. 4 1/6.
Also available in Tumbler & Wine Glass.
We care, and we share! The good you do will do you good. Learn More.
Out of stock? Click here to order!


text:
Stories: Alias Smith and Jones
Buckshot Enterprises Presents a site for posting and reading Alias Smith and Jones Stories
Search Query
Display results as :
Advanced Search
Stories: Alias Smith and Jones
Stories by Cal
General Stories
Yuma Part Two ...13,000 words
Join date
Yuma Part Two ...13,000 words
By Cal
(Part Two)
Episode three
Train Station at Benton Turnpike
Heyes had the tickets and was waiting at the very end of the platform. The saddle bags, bed rolls and saddles were piled at his feet. The train was making grunting and wheeshing noises in preparation for departure. Most passengers had already boarded. Heyes scanned the platform for Curry. Kid had felt the need to find food before their departure, and was going to miss the train if he didn't hurry up.
The train shuddered and the carriages clanked and groaned as the engine took the strain. The platform filled with smoke and steam. The whistle gave a quick blast, and the track took up a high whine, as the wheels started moving.
'Where was he?' Heyes gripped the tickets between his teeth, picked up the saddlebags, throwing one over each shoulder. He put a bed roll under each arm, and grabbed both saddle horns. He nearly overbalanced lifting the saddles, but instead, found himself propelled forwards towards the fast receding back step of the train. As his feet left the ground, he felt the full weight of Kid Curry crash into his back and propel him the length of the small platform at the back of the train.
"Sheesh! Heyes, you near missed our train." laughed Curry, with one hand still in Heyes' back and the other delicately cradling two bags of hot beef.
Heyes, growled loudly through the tickets in his mouth as he struggled through the carriage door to dump all their kit on the first available bench. The carriage was empty; their favourite kind. Removing the tickets, he straightened his neck to give the tardy one a piece of his mind, but the aroma of the warm beef, took all the sting out of his silver tongue.
He took the proffered peace offering; and with a devilish twinkle in the deep brown eyes, smirked at his beaming younger cousin. "That was close! I've never known you to miss a train, Kid. Especially those we were fixin' on robbin'. Remember?" He took a bite, but continued whilst chewing. "You used to jump on them …from rocks …bridges …horseback …oh all sorts of ways …till that is, we figured you only had to lift a few rails to stop 'em. All those bruises …broken bones … blood… uuummm!" Heyes screwed up his face, looking at each of Curry's limbs in turn. "And all we had to do was lift a few little ol' rails! …Seems a shame."
He grinned at his partner, and took another big bite of beef.
Kid's smile melted to consternation but he'd let Heyes enjoy his moment. Truth be told he'd given himself a bit of a scare too, that had been close. He demolished his own sandwich in just a few seconds, then lay back on a bench, for a sleep. He imparted this pearl of wisdom, just before the floppy brown hat hid his eyes, "I got a good look at a map …that's why I was late. I think our boys would've quit the train at Gela Flats."
Heyes was walking up the length of the carriage, wiping his greasy fingers on the backs of the benches, in search of a discarded newspaper. On the front seat he found one that was only a week old. He smiled, if Kid was right, they were going to be on this train for quite a time.
Kid wakes sometime later and calls to Heyes that he's going outside to ...get some air. An article in the paper has caught Heyes' interest and he deftly removes the column of newsprint with a neat rip, and stashes it inside his jacket. A nearby cough gets the scholarly one's attention and the gaurd holds out his hand for the tickets.
Profering their tickets, Heyes puts on an aimiable smile and decides, now is as good a time as any to start asking after the runaways. "I was wondering, if you might have seen a couple of..."
"Look Mister, like I just said to those other two fellas, if I wanted to spend my time looking for outlaws, I wouldn't be making myself so damned busy working for the railroad, now would I?" The gaurd sees shock register in the passengers eyes at these harsh words, and remembers that it was the other two fellas that had held him up and wasted his time, not this one. He continues in a more civilised tone. "No, I'd go get me one of them high paying detective jobs. It ain't my job to go spotting no two fellas, now is it? ...its yours."
The gaurd lifted the second ticket, questioningly.
Heyes quickly wiped the shock off his face, replacing it with a desperate smile. "Oh ...my partners out back ...getting some air. These other two fellas ...errm ...agents ...detectives ...like us. ...They're on this train?"
"Didn't I just say so?" The gaurd shakes his head, exasperated at how slow all these detectives seem to be today. "Called themselves ....Grant and Gaines ...that's it ...Said they were from Bannermans Detective Agency."
"No!" Heyes covered his face with a gloved hand to hide his pained expression "Oh No ...Not those two! They're a pair of real pains in the..."
"That's them!" jumped in the gaurd. "That Gaines is all puffed up and full o' hisself! Tellin' me it was my duty to do his job fer him!"
"My partners not gonna like this," Heyes eyes the rear door. "He ain't gonna like this at all!" You can say that again Heyes. "We used to work with that pair once, out of the Fort Worth office. Gaines and Thaddeus ...my partner ...they don't get along." Heyes shakes his head. "Professional jealousy! Its a terrible thing." He flings an arm over his new best friends shoulder and fixes George, he's read the name badge, with a conspiritorial look. "You see George, Bannerman has sent a whole pack of us detectives down here searching for them two dipicable outlaws, Heyes and Curry. Thaddeus, well he knows what Kid Curry looks like, so we got the best chance of makin' the bonus on them two. Gaines ..well he tried to brow beat Thaddeus into throwing in with him ...instead o' me ...but Thaddeus is real loyal. Told him I was his partner. But things got a bit heated ...Gaines even tried pullin' a gun on Thaddeus!" Heyes looks shaken, well he is. "Look, I know I shouldn't be asking this of you George, but we've got to keep Gaines and Thaddeus apart? I don't want Thaddeus to have to face that puffed up idiot again ...He might really lose his temper this time. My partners real handy with his gun!"
Heyes let his hand drift towards the butt of his own tied down gun. George's eyes follow the movement and Heyes sees the moment at wich the implied threat, of 'gun trouble on your train,' hits home. "I guess I can keep Thaddeus from wandering the train..." Heyes reasures George "If you can just, get them to believe this car's empty?"
Heyes saw the relief register on the George's face.
"I can do better than that! I can put this car 'Out of Bounds'. Anyone asks, I'll just say its a quarantine, on doctor's orders. That should put a crimp in that Gaines' snoopin'!"
"Excellent!" Heyes beamed "I think if you ever wanted a change of career, George ...well, with fine thinkin' like that, Mr Bannerman would just snap you right up."
As George leaves the carriage, with Heyes slapping him on the back, practicaly pushing him through the door, Curry re -enters the carriage. Heyes takes his lock picks out of his boot and gets the door locked behind George. As he turns, Kid can see the strange mix of worry and relief in Heyes' face, and his eybrows shoot up in question.
Heyes has got that 'Where do I begin..?' look on his face.
In the front carriage
Carl Grant looked across at his partner and worried.
He could still remember how close he'd come to having to arrest Fred, over that stupid gold train scheme Fred had tried to get them involved in, with that idiot Dailey and the Blaine woman. Working with Fred was getting to be no fun at all and he could feel Fred going off the rails again. He wasn't only drinking too much this time, but Carl suspected he'd also got into debt, gambling. They'd been friends and colleagues a long time; partners, their wives were even friends. He'd promised Fred's wife, that he'd keep him on the straight and narrow from now on. That Gold train business had been too close a call. Thank goodness those two punks had jumped them in the bathroom in Branberg and taken their place on the train, or he would have had to arrest his best friend! When Briscoe suggested they'd been part of it, Carl was able to convince him they'd been ready to arrest Daily and Blaine on the train, but of course they'd been prevented from doing so. Bannerman had given them the benefit of the doubt, preferring to keep them on a close leash, than face the scandal of more than one rouge agent. They couldn't afford another mistake like that.
Carl stared across at his partner.
Of course Fred was convinced he'd missed out on a chance to solve all his problems that day. He'd sworn vengeance if he ever caught up to those two punks again. Silly really, they'd saved both their jobs. Bannerman had offered ten percent of the rewards on Heyes and Curry this time, instead of the usual five percent. Fred had been on edge ever since, and had come to some fool notion that Briscoe… Briscoe?!? …had thrown in with Heyes and Curry. He thought if Briscoe was down here …and Heyes and Curry were also in the area …then they must be doing something together! It made no sense to Carl at all, but Fred had this way of persuading you…and Briscoe had been heading this way. Fred Gaines sat now, gazing at the near black window, his eyes kept narrowing sporadically and his lips never quite stopped moving.
Carl took a deep breath; he'd have to ask. "What's eating at you now, Fred?"
"Where is he? …he's not on the train …had tickets …saddles, saddle bags, bed rolls …but no sign of him." Fred muttered.
"Who?" Carl asked.
"Tall, dark fella, stood right out at the end of the platform …in Benton. He ain't on this train …And he was waiting fer someone? I can't bring it to mind, but …I know I've seen him before…" The muttering went on under his breath.
"Now Fred, maybe he never got on …because he was waiting fer somebody …and they never showed."
Carl might just as well have been talking to himself.
He tried a little louder "Get some sleep Fred …there's still a couple of hours to Gela."
Fred just looked more agitated.
"And another thing! Did you see an invalid board this train in Benton? …Cause I sure didn't! …So where's that quarantine sign suddenly sprung from on the last car? …Something's not right here …I wouldn't be surprised if Heyes and Curry, aren't sat back there, right now, laughing at us!"
Fred's eyes started flickering alarmingly.
"Now, Fred" placated Grant "Not every tall, dark haired fella is Hannibal Heyes …Remember all the trouble we got into back in Yuma … just last week? …He was a deputy, wasn't he Fred …Not Hannibal Heyes…"
Carl leaned over and put a heavy hand on Gaines' shoulder. "Try sleepin' …"
The hand was shaken off. "No. No …I'm going back there to check …You coming?"
Carl Grant's head dropped heavily onto his chest.
Last Car
Kid Curry practically has his ear glued to the connecting door, straining to hear anything from the other side, colt in hand. Heyes is sat nearby, looking worried. He looks at the near black window, catching small glimpses of the dessert speeding by outside. He doesn't want to have to make a jump from a speeding train, and face that. Curry sees the look and whole-heartedly agrees with him.
Muffled footsteps outside the door get Kid's atention: He waves frantically to get Heyes'.
"Quartantine means someones sick in there Fred" An exasperated Carl argues. "They ain't gonna take kindly to you just busting in on them. And, you've told that gaurd who we are now, so ...if this gets back to Bannerman ...we could both be in a lot of trouble ...maybe even lose our jobs."
A sneer from Gaines, he'd been hearing this the whole length of the train.
"Fred, please ...Heyes and Curry aren't in there!" Carl practically shouts.
Kid freezes, eyes wide.
"I just want to be sure is all! ...I can be polite, Carl." Gaines grasps the doorknob and gives it a good rattle.
"Is that you George? How sweet of you to come back and check on us" comes a high pitched voice from within.
"Erm no...it's not George, Ma'am. My name is Gaines ...erm Fred Gaines...from the Bannerman detective agency ...We have errr ...juristiction ...to find out who exactly is travelling on this train."
Grant groans; Fred is going too far again.
"Well young man..." comes the high pitched, elderly ladies' voice(?!?!) "There's just me and my poor sick nephew in here..."
Loud consumptive coughing, followed by dramatic groaning can be heard from the quarantine car.
"There, there, don't you fret my dear..."
Heaving noises and gasping.
"Won't you wait a just a moment, please, Mr ...detective ...Sir ...I must just dispose of this... errrm.... well dispose of this ...and then I'll be able to get the door open for you."
Coughing that would not have been out of place in the death scene from Little Nel.
"Are you sure you need to come in ...right now ...Sir?" The lady sounds a bit frantic. "The doctor did say he was at his most contagious when he's coughing..."
More prolonged, dramatic coughing followed by a drawn out moanful sigh.
"NO! ...No Ma'am ...we're mighty sorry to have disturbed you..." apologised Grant, bashing his partner on the shoulder and shushing him away from the door with his hat.
Inside the carriage
Kid has tears in his eyes from all the coughing. He's listening to the departing footsteps of Grant and Gaines. Heyes, who has been holding the newspaper around his head like a ladies bonnet to help him get into character, lets the newspaper fall to the bench beside him and colapses on top of it.
"Heyes, we got to get off this train!" Kid sounds hoarse. He pulls himself up and starts making for their gear up at the back.
"Now Kid… " Heyes looks at the near black windows as he joins Curry at the back of the carriage. Kid is already pushing their belongings onto the rear platform of the train. Heyes screws up his face in a pained expression, not liking the idea of jumping from a moving train. His hands begin to rub up and down the seat of his pants, unconsciously rehearsing the hurt he's sure to feel. "…we could wait …prey for a water stop..." He tried.
Kid's face was grim as he left the carriage. Heyes could tell all arguments were futile.
"I think there's a bend up ahead..." Kid was craning around the edge of the car, looking ahead through the gloom and smoke. He watched the bend approach and then looked down at the track passing below the platform at an alarming rate. The train was still traveling far too fast to make the jump safely.
As the train entered the bend and slowed just a little, Kid was trying to decide whether he should jump first, or whether he should throw Heyes off first, then their gear and then jump himself, when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.
"Kid? Kid!"
Kid heard the smile in Heyes' voice and looked up from the blur of the track below his feet. The dimpled one was pointing off round the bend, to a barely visible spec of light and the unmistakable shadow of a water tower ahead. "Sheesh!" whistled the Kid in relief.
Won't be throwing Heyes off the train today then Kid.
Late the next day
Livery on the edge of Gela Flats
Heyes blew out his cheeks looking towards the darkening street, being here wasn't the brightest thing they'd ever done. Heyes' brain was still lecturing him on all the dangers they could face here, not least of which were Grant and Gaines. It made no sense going looking for trouble. Yes, they'd promised Jenny and Louise that they would continue the search for Cain and Nathaniel but…
For the last few hours, after reaching the small hills above the vast plain of Gela Flats, they'd been arguing. They both knew they really should be putting as many miles between the Bannerman agents and themselves as they could get out of the two scrawny horses they'd managed to buy, but, Kid had argued for one quick look in Gela for the runaways, and reluctantly, Heyes' had heard himself agreeing...
It was getting late and they were surprised the livery was still open. They decided it would be less suspicious to leave their mounts there, than ride down main street with them, after all they had no idea who was the law in Gela Flats.
"These boys won't be stopping long, one hour tops. they just need a quick rub down and a handful of grains." Kid smiled at the livery help, a surly looking youth, about the same age as the two runaways. He handed over the reins of the two broom-tails. He still felt they'd been robbed.
Curry took a second look at the lad, 'Couldn't hurt to ask' he thought. "I was wonderin', if you'd seen a haff-Navajo lad? He's about your age. He worked the livery over in Benton. Last I heard he was headed this way. He's a real hard grafter."
The boy sneered, rolling the coins Kid had given him under his thumb. He took a long look at the partners as if sizing them up. "Might've'"
Kid added another coin with a small shake of his head.
"He ain't a real hard grafter now, Mister. He's in jail." The youth smirked, pocketing the cash.
"Jail?" Heyes hissed "What about Ca…errm …his friend?"
The youth considered milking another coin for the information but he was enjoying being the barer of bad news too much to wait. "Both in jail." He smiled, showing his not too straight teeth. "They got themselves arrested, when a telegram came from Benton. Seems they caused a lot of trouble and the Sherriff's holding them till they're picked up, for trial."
Not long after
"What you thinking Heyes?" Kid whispers. Kid and Heyes are stood in the mouth of a dark alley, across the street from the jailhouse, keeping to the darkest shadows. "You know they ain't going to get a fair hearing over in Benton. You heard what Louise said. We gonna bust them outta jail?"
"No!" Heyes shakes his head at the Kid, incredulously, of course the Kid can't see his face at the moment, it's too dark. "That would just make them fugitives. They're already in deep trouble." His brow creases in thought as he stares over Kid's shoulder. "No, We'll have to send a telegram from the next town we hit…"
"Get your hands up …and don't even think of reachin' for yer guns. My partner's got you covered from across the street." Fred Gaines stepped out of the shadows behind Heyes, pushing the barrel of his gun into Heyes' ribs. He grinned maniacally into their shadowed faces, as he took their guns, and stuffed them into his own belt. "Carl, I got them!" he called sounding way too excited.
Carl Grant walked slowly across the street from the alley on the far side, a peacemaker levelled at Kid Curry. If anything, he looked reluctant and embarrassed. "Now gentlemen, don't be alarmed. If you will just step across the street to the Sheriff's Office …I'm sure we can sort this all out real quick …" he babbled.
"You heard him, git!" Gaines' voice was loud and vicious, as he poked the barrel harder into Heyes' ribs. The 'good cop, bad cop routine' had the ex-outlaws perplexed. They exchanged a look of confusion, which neither of them could see of course, but could understand entirely.
"Now wait a minute, I don't know who you think we are, but…" Heyes started.
"Please," Grant's voice was low and calm, and the plea seemed to be directed as much to his partner, as to Heyes and Curry. "Just step over to the jailhouse for a minute, and I'm sure we can get this all sorted …all nice and peaceable like" he placated.
"Who are you? And what's this all about?" asked a cool Curry. Of course, he'd recognised the agents but he wasn't convinced that these two had recognised them yet.
"My partner believes you may be …well …there's just a small chance …you could be…" Grant sent a pleading look to his partner, this hadn't worked out well for them back in Yuma.
"Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry!" Crowed Gaines triumphantly, his eyes getting wider with greed. He was already counting the reward money. Grant saw the look in Gaines' eyes and groaned.
"Heyes and… Whatshisname! That's ridiculous!" Heyes shouts, ignoring the gun barrel in his ribs and stepping out of the alley and into the light, towards the far more reasonable seeming Grant.
Carl Grant gets his first good look at Heyes, and seems even more confused. Then as Curry also leaves the alley, to stand in the light at Heyes' shoulder, he gets that look of someone who can't quite bring to mind the name of an acquaintance. He lifts the gun and waves them towards the jailhouse in polite invitation. "Jail's right across the street, gentlemen. I'm sure we can get this all cleared up real quick…"
"Move!" shouts an inpatient Gaines.
"Well you're going to look pretty stupid cause we ain't…" Heyes is jabbed in the ribs, and he reluctantly starts walking across the street.
"Save it for the jail house son," Grant says wearily, "Sheriff Sawyer knows them two on sight. This ain't going to take more than a minute of your time…"
Heyes shoots Kid a look that manages to say 'Your idea to come into Gela …not mine!' Kids eyes shut '…Oh this trip just keeps getting' better...'
Jail House, Gela Flats
"Sheriff, we got us a coupla prisoners." Grant calls as he enters the brightly lit jailhouse.
Sherriff Wade Sawyer needs no introduction to these two detectives, they'd been in his office earlier, Gaines strutting round like a prize rooster. He was busy. They'd have to wait on him. "Just take them over by the cells there …gentlemen …I'll be through here shortly." He never looked up from his paperwork.
Heyes is holding back by the door. "Ok …Ok!" he placates, waving a hand back at Gaines. He's confirmed their worst suspicions; this was the Wade Sawyer who knows them on sight. He sends Kid a resigned look. "Ok, I'm going…" Heyes leads Kid right across the room, to stand with their backs to the bars of the big cell, where he can see two teenage size lumps on the cots.
Kid smiles and nods his head at the two teenage runaways as they approach the bars behind him. They look tired and defeated, and a little curious at the new arrivals. Then he notices his partner, and looks confused. Heyes is holding his hands up so high, his elbows nearly brush his ears. Kid, whose hands are barely higher than his belt, looks wryly at Heyes' wide-eyed expression then up to his lofted hands, and speaking out of the side of his mouth asks, "What you doing?"
"Should you ask me, whence these stories? Whence these legends and traditions…" Heyes starts babbling under his breath "…I should answer, I should tell you, From the forests and the prairies…" he turns his head and nods to Cain, the shorter of the two boys behind Kid.
"What?!?!" Kid turns to Heyes, his own hands dropping even lower, and eyeballs his partner like he'd gone mad.
"Get your hands up, and shut up, both of you." Gaines fixes the seemingly uninterested sheriff with a professional glare. "Sherriff! We have reason to believe these two men are…"
"Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry!" shouted Sheriff Sawyer in surprise, rising and un-holstering his gun in one swift movement.
"How did you? Where in tarnation…? How could you just…?"
The sheriff regained a little self-composure, taking a minute to straighten a crick out of his neck. He came over to have a gloat at the two outlaws that had eluded his posse. "Well …well …this time …the only place you're going …is a cell..."
"Woah! Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry! For real!" Nathaniel was suddenly very awake and very interested in the proceedings. "Like in the dime novels?!?!" The boy had his arms through the bars, to touch his two heroes.
"Well they ain't just made up." Explains Cain, in a dull, seemingly uninterested, lecturing tone. "They're in newspapers too. They was big outlaws, back in the day, 'fore Wheat Carlson and Moondance Mertry that is."
The delight, in inspiring such awe in young hearts, is rapidly wiped from two ex-outlaws faces. You can see Heyes is just itching to argue. Kid hasn't got passed Moondance Mertry yet…
"Really! They are?!?" Carl Grant sounds more shocked than Nathaniel. "But …I know I've seen these two somewhere before…"
"Yes, they're Heyes and Curry all right. I'd know these two hoot owls anywhere. I've had the misfortune to chase 'em out of Kingsburg, half way across the country, before they gave me the slip. Cover me while I search 'em, Heyes always has a couple of lock picks in his boots."
The sheriff found the lock picks, and two knives and some fishing line and…. needless to say …he was very thorough. He even took the partners boots.
"When did you make Sheriff, Wade?" drawls Curry, as he enters the small cell at the side of the building. "Last time we saw you …you was deputy …in Branberg…"
"That's it!" shouts Grant "Branberg! …These are the two punks that jumped us in the bathroom…"
Realization struck. The shock on Grants face turns up a notch.
"Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry got on the gold train!?! … The special! …That was set up to catch…!?!" Words fail him.
The innocent faces on the two latest inmates wasn't fooling anyone. Grant studied the two notorious outlaws with wonderment, and thought 'I have to thanks Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry for saving me from having to arrest Fred?!?' Of course, he kept that to himself.
Gaines came and stared through the bars at the two ex-outlaws. His eyes started to twitch independently, the gun in his hand started to shake. Kid and Heyes stared down the barrel looking very worried. He was already excited about the arrest but now, oh joy of joys, the objects of years of loathing were also, seemingly before him. His strained nerves were reaching breaking point…
"Fred?" Grant suddenly sprang back to life, seeing the murder in his partner's eyes. He pushed the barrel of Gaines' gun down towards the floor, putting himself between the new inmates and his partner. "We should go wire the good news to the Yuma office; call off all the other agents. And Mr Bannerman wants us to get a photographer in here straightaway. Remember? He insisted just in case they …"
"No one …not even Hannibal Heyes …is going to break out of my jail …gentlemen!" Wade Sawyer proclaimed triumphantly throwing all their other confiscated gear into the back of his large office safe. "No Sir …no jailbreak this time!"
Gaines pushes Grant down the passage between the cells. Heyes and Curry can still hear every word but they're feigning disinterest. "Why should we Carl? …Those two are worth £20,000 …Why should we share that with Bannerman?"
Carl Grant closes his eyes; his partner must be feeling desperate indeed. "Because we'd have the whole agency on our tails, is why!" He pleaded, but he can see he hasn't managed to reconnect to the Fred Gaines he knows and likes.
Heyes looked at Grant. Grant shook his head, somehow Heyes felt Grant wanted to be reasonable, even friendly, which was somewhat confusing. Anyway, it was all he had to work with. He fixed Grant with one of his friendliest smiles. "How come, you were waiting for us …in that alley?"
"One of Fred's hunches!" sighed Grant patting Gaines' shoulder. "When no invalid got off that train. We questioned the guard again …told us you'd jumped. We gave Tommy over at the livery your descriptions. He told us you were asking him about Indian-Jim and his friend over there. We reckoned they must be pretty important to you, to risk coming back here, so we waited."
Later that night
"We got to get outta here Heyes before Grant talks his greedy partner into contacting Bannerman, and they get a photographer here" hisses Curry. "And we're goin' to have to take them boys with us. We can't leave them here now. Not now they think they're connected to us."
"I know Kid, I'm workin' on it." Heyes stared across at the two boys in the cell across the passage. They weren't asleep either.
Curry followed his gaze and smiled. "I know, I can't get over the resemblance, its uncanny." He shook his head. "Who'd a thought it?"
"Not me, that's for sure, but I guess there can't be any doubt now, can there?" Both the partners are staring at Cain. They can't help themselves.
Cain shifted uneasily under the weight of those stares. He pushed his face up close to the bars and whispered, "Are you really Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry?" he made it sound like he wasn't bothered whether they were or weren't.
Two heads nod, but Heyes slants his eyes to the sheriff's back, with a finger on his lips. The sheriff is working late at the desk, with his back to the cells. He only has one deputy, so the Bannerman detectives are taking turns on guard duty too. Carl Grant sits across the office.
Heyes smiles over to the two boys. "We know Jenny and Louise. They sent us to find you." Curry nods agreement.
"Them two old women …know Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry!" whispers Nathaniel, his big brown eyes huge. Cain shoots him an exasperated look; much to his annoyance, Nathaniel has been in awe since the revelation.
"Louise ain't that old." Smiles Kid "You better hope she never hears you said that."
"Do you want…?" began a casual Cain.
"Later" shushed Heyes.
The sheriff had begun to show an interest in the prisoners' whispering, turning in his chair. The cell occupants began yawning and slapping pillows.
In the small hours of the morning
"Now," mouths Heyes to Cain, putting a finger to his lips and pointing over to the two sleeping guards.
None of the prisoners have slept much, not even Kid. Talking had been prohibited by the particularly proddy deputy, left on night duty. He was backed up by a very smug and crowing Fred Gaines, who was taking his turn at guarding. Fortunately for the inmates, the deputy had brought a celebratory bottle with him, and Gaines seemed only too willing to help him empty it. At first there had been much jeering and toasting at the expense of the two most successful outlaws in the West, but, as the long night wore on, both well soused imbibers had succumbed to sleep.
Loud snoring had signalled to Heyes that their chance had come.
Cain took something from under his pillow and stretched to pass it to Heyes' waiting fingers. Deftly, first the lock to the small cell, then the larger cell were picked.
Curry carefully put on his hat and with a silent pat on the back for Heyes, stealthily walked to the sleeping deputy in his stockinged feet. The gun was drawn silently from its holster and held close to the sleeping men's faces. He looked at Heyes, who seemed to say 'shame to wake them' with his eyes. 'Yep' agreed Curry's eyebrows.
Heyes knelt by the safe, and in the wonderful silence, had the thing open in no time at all. Seeing the two sleepers showing no signs of waking, he covered them with his own gun, and sent Kid to the backdoor with all their belongings and the two lads. He was enjoying himself, locking both the cells again and gathering all the side arms, keys and anything else he could think of, and locking the lot in the safe.
For good measure, he reset the combination to the safe.
Gaines' snoring stops and then he gives a loud snort, which freezes Heyes, still in his stockinged feet.
Curry silently berates his partner from the rear door with a gunslinger glare, frantic lip movement and much exaggerated arm waving. Finally, getting Heyes' attention, he mouths …well I'm sure you can imagine …it wasn't a polite invitation to join the other three by the door.
With guns drawn and finally, boots on, the four desperados slip through the rear door into the night.
Back at the livery
"These are your horses?" whispers Nathaniel incredulously, inspecting the broom-tails cowering at the back of the stall. "Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry don't ride them! Kid Curry's got this wild black stallion called…"
"Huh?" Curry is hurrying with the tack and doesn't like the implied insult to his outlaw prowess. "We had to jump off a train, in the middle of the dessert, to come find you two. These are the best we could get."
"At least we should have a good couple of hours' head start on the posse" hisses Heyes, tying up young Tommy and retrieving Kids coins, with a 'serves you right glare' "Come on you two, we can let the other horses out, give them some extra work…"
"If it was me deciding," begins Cain solemnly, "I'd take those two over there, and me an' Nat can take them two…"
Cain and Nat start towards the mounts he's picked out…
"Well it ain't you decidin' is it Cain!" Heyes is getting riled, Cain is questioning their every move. He thought they should make for the train tracks.
"My names Caleb!" Cain gets in Heyes' face, eyes defiant.
"We ain't horse thieves!" Kid has a hunk of two shirt fronts "And you ain't gonna be, neither. The ones we come by honest will do us …Now just get the other doors open quick and quiet!"
The two lads look to each other for explanation of this apparent paradox …Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes want to do the honest thing …they don't understand at all …but Kid didn't look too friendly anymore and that they understand plenty…
Episode four
Gela Flats
Cain isn't answering to Cain, and Heyes and Curry, familiar with name changes, are going along with it for expediency. Nathaniel is doing his best, but unlike the other two, he's been calling Cain, Cain most of his life.
"Caleb you're with me!" orders Heyes already in the saddle.
"Cai…Caleb thinks we should've took a train, and if we're takin' these horses for a fast get away from a posse…" Nathaniel patted Kids inauspicious mount. "…I think he's right. What if we have to jump a yawning chasm or swim a raging torrent or outrun 'em like the very devil was on our tails…"
"Nat!" Kid swinging onto his horse fixes both lads with a stare that could stop a clock. "Shut up, and get up here. I don't want to hear another word from you two till we're clear of the posse…. now MOVE!"
Kid and Heyes are just starting to realise what they've undertaken, breaking out of jail with two opinionated, independently-minded and anything but shy teens. With huge sighs, and without sounding too much like one of Nathaniel's dime novels, they finally get to …ride for the hills.
The Hills
They're walking through a stony barren cut between high cliffs, allowing the horses to blow for the first time. The shadows are long at this early hour, and they're keeping to them; seeking cover from their back trail where-ever possible, behind rocky outcrops.
"How did you do it?" Kid calls over to Heyes. "Get the lock picks back?"
The boys hadn't said a word since the livery, I suppose I could have said they were sulking, but truthfully, they'd spent most of their time and energy just trying to stay in the saddles as Heyes and Curry sped across difficult terrain at high speed.
"I saw them…" says Caleb, "…as soon as you came in; in the back of …Mr Heyes' belt."
Cain …Oh, Caleb …looked warily at the outlaw in front of him. The demonstration of temper from both men back in Gela had convinced the boys that these men were in fact dangerous outlaws.
"When he answered you spoutin' Longfellow …well I just took his meaning …so I took 'em …and hid 'em."
"I had spares …just had to get them knucklehead detectives distracted long enough to put them where Cai…Caleb could find them …he's a smart kid" nodded Heyes.
"Is that what you were doing, Heyes; spoutin' poetry…Hah!" Curry shakes his head.
"You get used to it" said Nathaniel, laconically over Curry's shoulder.
Kid dropped his head to hide a snort of mirth.
"I think the horses have had long enough, don't you Kid? Time to get movin'" orders Heyes, kicking his reluctant mount back to the gallop.
A plaintive cry could just be heard from Nathaniel, "Ain't we stoppin' to eat?"
Back in Gela
Carl Grant was walking to the jailhouse, looking very distracted. He'd made up his mind. He would give it his best shot. Fred was getting one last chance to play this straight. He'd try and talk Fred out of this fool idea about keeping all the reward money. Get a telegram to the Yuma Office first thing and maybe, they'd both keep their jobs ...and their wives ...and maybe even earn a sizable bonus.
If not then...
...if not then....
...well he'd have to report Fred!
...he liked Fred...
...but he liked his job too...
...and he liked his wife
...well he loved his wife...
Suddenly a loud ferral wail came from the jailhouse. Grant sort of recognised Fred's voice in there somewhere...
'They're gone!' Grant was suddenly very much awake and staring at the office door. Heyes and Curry had done it again! He didn't have to face reporting Fred ...He was off the hook! Carl Grant looked skywards thanking any and all deitys that had deighned to look kindly upon him, "Yes!"
Carl put a concerned look on his face, as Fred came rushing out of the office Shouting about needing to round up a posse, closely followed by a hung over looking deputy. Wade Sawyer was at the other end of the street greeting some early risers. His face turned to shock, as he took in the comotion by the jailhouse, and he did a near record hundred yard dash in cowboy boots to join Fred in rousing the posse.
"Carl, will you git a move on! They're getting away!" Fred shouts at his tardy partner.
Carl had been incredibly slow saddling their horses, and was now checking the horses' feet. "If they're heading up into those hills, that's mighty rough terrain up there Fred. Full of rattlers and rougue indians. I think we should maybe go get us some more supplies and amunition." he opined loudly for the benefit of the townsfolk, who didn't look at all keen to chase two notorius outlaws into the hills, especially as one was the gunslinger, Kid Curry!
"Will you just mount up! Trails getting cold..." Fred grabbed the reigns of his mount and nearly trampled Carl in his hurry to catch the sherriff and his deputy. The towns folk waited for Carl, figuring this was more his job than theirs.
"Hope the Sheriff's not planning to continue on after dark ...I wouldn't want 'The Kid' to sneak up and ambush us while we slept." Carl shakes his head at the stupidity of that idea, and the townsfolk start nodding agreement. A very sombre posse followed the three leaders out of Gela ... just as slowly as they could get away with.
Carl smiled, so far so good. However his biggest problem was still his erstwhile best friend. Flawed though he was, Fred had one un -arguable talent. The man could out-track an apache! If Carl was going to keep Fred from recapturing Heyes and Curry, and getting them both sacked ...and probably devorced ...maybe he couldn't just leave it to fate, maybe fate was going to need a little help...
On a high ridge at the end of a very long, hungry, thirsty, tiring, dusty first day on the dodge for two teenage boys
"There!" Kid is pointing. Heyes swung the opera glasses in the direction of Kids pointing finger. "Yeah! …all still there, I count ten." Heyes sighed heavily. "That's some tracker they got…. Wait …wait a minute …Yes! Seems like some of the good towns folk have had enough, they're splitting …six heading back! Only four coming on. Lights going fast and they can't move around up here anymore than we can after dark."
"Come on, we need to get outta here." Kid held a hand to Nathaniel, the horse moving before the boy had even settled. "We can still put a few more miles between them and us before we have to stop."
"Why?" questioned Caleb, but had to grab the saddle and hang on for dear life as Heyes' horse did a stag leap in the air before tearing off again.
"How many more …miles?" Nathaniel sounded like he could sleep at full gallop. He was exhausted and this was not living up to any dime novel posse chase he'd ever read. 'Why ain't they layin' an ambush; if there's only four of 'em left, why Kid Curry could…' Nathaniel looked at the outlaw in front of him, 'I don't think the real Kid Curry would keep runnin'…'
Caleb looked ahead to his younger friend desperately hanging on behind Curry. He dropped his head, Nat deserved better than this.
This was all his fault
…if only he hadn't lost his temper and… Well that was Cain!
…From now on, Caleb Black was gonna do right by Nathaniel.
Fred was like a bear smelling honey. He tracked their quarry over terrain where no other man could see a trace. He showed the sheriff where there had been brief stops, where hooves had left marks on rocks as smooth as glass and where one of the horses had started to drag a rear hoof.
They'd had to make stops themselves and always seemed to be delayed in setting off again. This posse was having more than its fair share of bad luck, broken tack, water running out of canteens, Carl suddenly taken with a sickness, hurling his breakfast...
The remaining townsfolk of the posse left that first day as dusk was coming on.
The Sheriff and the Deputy had stuck with them for second and third day, but now, decided to head back. This high country was prime territory for ambush and they knew their quarry would be feeling desperate about now. Wade knew Curry and Heyes weren't wanted for murder ...but there was always that first time, when a man was just desperate enough. He told the detectives he was worrying about straying into the reservation land designated to the Navajo Nation, and left.
Now there was just Carl and Fred. The sherriff had advised them to quit. Fred wouldn't.
Carl was getting more and more worried that they would catch up Heyes and Curry and the two lads. Nothing he'd tried to put Fred off the scent, had worked so far. Fred knew at least one of the horses was spent. "They ain't going any further ...not four ...on one horse."
A non-descript ridge above a vast expanse of low ground covered in rough low scrubby vegetation and rocks.
Four very weary desperados bellied up to the rise of the ridge, Heyes has the opera glasses again. The horses are blowing below, after another long gallop over too many rocks. Kid had felt the difference in the off hind of his mount. This horse didn't have too many miles left in him. Heyes' mount was all but spent too. He watched the ribs as the horses blew, the offending hoof was held off the ground. He looked over to Heyes, who saw the worry.
"This is getting old Heyes! These horses haven't got another mile in 'em." He didn't add that he thought the two boys didn't have another mile in them either, but Heyes could see that for himself. Any glamour these boys thought they'd find in outlawing had been shook out of their heads and churned out of their empty bellies days ago.
Heyes lifts the glasses again, and scans …scans …stills …focusses… "There they are! Same two … I bet that's Grant and Gaines …Sheesh! Gaines must be part Apache." Heyes sneered. "Come on, we'll have to do something they're not expecting…"
"Well you were sure right about one thing Heyes" Kid looked up at the impenetrable wall of rock at the end of the box canyon," They sure won't be expecting us to do something this stupid!"
Heyes closes his eyes. He's exhausted too.
"Hide?" sneered Caleb, "That was your big genius idea?" He looked around the small canyon bottom. "I don't see no food, or water in here, do you? They just gotta starve us out…"
"You'll die of thirst before you starve, that's if I don't… you little…" Heyes' had been trying hard to keep a leash on his temper, but Caleb just knew how to push all his buttons.
"Heyes!" Curry slid his eyes to Nathaniel loosening the girths on the horses. Nathaniel was barely holding himself together. Heyes bit his tongue. "If we're lucky they'll miss our tracks coming in here…" He tried to sound like he thought it was possible.
Kid sighed heavily instinctively taking out the Colt and checking the bullets in the chamber. He knew it wasn't Heyes' fault, but he was feeling so… Bad enough if it was just the two of them, they could fight their way out, two against two …but there were the boys. He knew they couldn't risk that.
Caleb took Nathaniel and sat on some nearby rocks, "It'll be fine." Both boys eyed the outlaws warily.
There hadn't been any time for more than curt words for days. They didn't know any more about these two now than they did that first day in the cells.
Caleb watched Heyes, as he talked to Curry.
'Them two old women had sent these two old …friends …outlaws …to find them. Of course they only had the word of Heyes and Curry on that, who according to Nathaniel's dime novels, were supreme liars.' He scowled in thought. 'Hannibal Heyes was supposed to be a genius; he did open the locks and crack the safe, and …Well he could be my… No!... He'd never believe that again! But surely if they were Heyes and Curry, they would have turned on that posse days ago. Shot it out. Kid Curry is meant to be the fastest gun in the West. There's only two detectives after them now, how hard could it be?'
He broke the last piece of jerky in two, and tapped Nathaniel's shoulder. Nat's attention was on Curry. Caleb followed his gaze, and both the boy's eyes widen, as they watch Kid Curry twirl the Colt back into its holster.
"We got 'em Carl! We got 'em. This here's a box canyon. Look at the map. Hah …no water! This is it we can't miss, that twenty thousand is as good as ours. Don't think I didn't see you working that posse …getting rid of all them others …that's ten thousand each!" He wasn't jumping up and down, but he might as well have been. The crowing continued…
Carl was looking to the sky for inspiration. How had it come to this? It was like Heyes and Curry wanted to be caught …taking just them two scrawny horses they rode in on …taking two green teenage boys with them on a jail break …not splitting up …weren't Heyes and Curry supposed to be able to outrun the devil!
"..and we ain't taking no chances this time. They're wanted dead or alive. We can take a couple of rifles and pick them off easy…"
Carl came back from his reverie of despair in time to hear enough of Fred's ramblings to realise that his partner was not only planning to shoot Heyes and Curry in cold blood …but the two young lads too!
That was it…
That was the straw that broke the camel's back.
No more...
Back in the Canyon
"This here's what's called a no win situation." Heyes is lecturing the boys. "So, no Nat, we won't be shooting it out, like at the Alamo…" He fixed the younger boy with a withering look.
"And I am not going to call out those two agents and gun them down with my fast draw" drawled Kid, sending an equally uncompromising look towards Caleb.
"We're going to give ourselves up, by raising our hands and walking out of here on foot." Heyes sighed, not a plan he'd care to be reminded of in the future, but he wasn't going to risk these boys in a gun fight.
For once, Caleb didn't argue. Nat took his lead.
"We'll go first." Sighed Curry "You come on down when you're called." Heyes led the way. Curry followed with a last sad smile to Nat and Caleb.
As soon as the partners were out of sight, Caleb grabbed Nat's shirt sleeve and pulled him to his feet, "Come on Nat, for all we know their just fixin' to dump us here …and take them two detectives horses…"
Half way along the box canyon
The partners look confused
"Errrm …we're giving ourselves up…" Heyes calls. He sounds dazed and almost speechless. In front of him stand two horses. Carl Grant sat on the first one …with his hands in the air. Kids eyes search for weapons …or ambush …or something. The second horse stands patiently under the weight of Fred Gaines, slung across the saddle seemingly unconscious.
"Did he fall off his horse Mister?" asked Nathaniel from behind Kid's shoulder.
"We told you to stay back there!" Kid turned to yell at the boys, then letting his own hands drop turns back to Grant "Did he take a fall? …Snake bite?"
"No …I hit him with a rock …He ain't dead, but he's going to have the mother of all headaches when he wakes up." Said Grant simply.
Heyes let his hands drop to his hips, "Well …Why? …What? …We was beat… I don't…" ooooooh someone finally stumped Heyes' silver tongue!
"He was planning on coming in here and murdering all of you, including the boys. I couldn't allow that." Carl looked at the two young lads who were watching the adults like it was a floor show. They had eyes as big as saucers at the revelation that the unconscious man had wanted to shoot them. He could see them wondering what would happen next and he wanted to put their minds at rest. "He's not been himself lately …not since the gold train really." Of course they wouldn't know anything about that either, "Are you boys hungry? If you get a fire started, I got a side of bacon in my pack."
At the mention of food, the two teenagers sprang into action; lighting fires and cooking bacon they could do! Kid and Heyes looked at each other with wide disbelieving eyes but they knew enough, that when fate sends you a miracle, you do not question. The man wanted a fire built! He wanted to cook bacon… they quickly plastered smiles on their faces and joined the boys looking for fire fixings.
A fire is lit, food has been eaten and Grant ...not Heyes …has made some coffee
Grant has filled Heyes and Curry in on the deterioration of his partner's morals …and their part in his redemption. In return Heyes and Curry have shared what they can about the worst kept secret in the West, namely their promise of amnesty from the governor of Wyoming …and its part in keeping them on an honest path.
The boys have been forgotten.
"What's amnesty Cai…Caleb?" asks Nathaniel quietly.
The boys are sitting on the other side of the fire, screwing up their faces as they sip strong hot coffee from Kids previously empty canteen. They haven't followed everything being said, but for some reason, this agent has come over to the outlaw's side. He's probably a crook too.
"It's something Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry could never git." Caleb keeps his voice low for Nat's ears only. "It's pardon for small time crooks …not like them … how many people have they gunned down in their robberies… they're probably fixin' to double cross that crooked agent. We're going to have to be real careful Nat …we can't trust none of 'em."
After the meal, Grant generously split his few provisions with the ex-outlaws and departs telling Heyes and Curry that unfortunately, he'll have to tell Gaines that he was jumped by the outlaws, and that they'd only just managed to get away. He was planning on riding South till he found somewhere they could lay up for a while and let Fred recuperate while he talked some sense into his mule head.
Oh Dear......This is going to over run - Part three here I come!
Similar topics
Similar topics
Bingo - Pick your words here...
Yuma vs Yugi
Third part of Naruto?
[Supplement] Relics of the Crusades
The Wonder of being 70
Share this post on:
Yuma Part Two ...13,000 words
No Comment.
Yuma Part Two ...13,000 words
Permissions in this forum:
reply to topics in this forum
Stories: Alias Smith and Jones
Stories by Cal
General Stories
Stories: Alias Smith and Jones
Stories by Cal
General Stories
Jump to:
Select a forum
|--Welcome to the Story Site
| |--Recently Posted Stories
| |--What's New
| |--How to Post a Story
| |--Copying a Story
| |--Hints on Joining This Site
| |--Posting Comments
|--Virtual Season
| |--The Complete Episode Listing
| |--Virtual Season 2018
| |--Virtual Season 2016
| |--Virtual Season 2015
| |--Virtual Season 2014
| |--Virtual Season 2013
| |--Virtual Season 2011/2012
| |--Virtual Season 2010/2011
| | |--Fan Tributes to the Stars
| |
| |--Virtual Season 2009/2010
| |--Virtual Season 2008/2009
| |--Virtual Season Stories prior to 2008
|--Stories by Cal
| |--General Stories
|--Stories by Inside Outlaw
| |--General Stories
| |--Challenges
|--Stories by MoulinP
| |--General Stories
|--Stories by CM Crowther
| |--General Stories
|--Stories by flatterus
| |--General Stories
|--Stories by S.J. Smith
| |--General Stories
|--Stories by Storm Richards
| |--Challenges
| |--General Stories
| |--Small Falls Series
| |--Virtual Season Stories
|--Stories by Maz McCoy
| |--General Stories
|--Stories by Lana Coombe
| |--General Stories
| |--Challenges
| |--Virtual Season Stories
|--Stories by moonshadow
| |--Virtual Season Stories
| |--General Stories
| |--Challenge Stories
|--Stories by Calico
| |--Cat flap to the Calico blog
|--Stories by Grace R. Williams
| |--Individual Stories
| |--Series Stories
| |--Co-authored Stories
| |--Challenges
|--Stories by Penski
| |--Challenges
| |--General Stories
|--Stories by Keays
| |--The Lineage
|--Stories by CD Roberts
|--General Stories
|--Challenge Stories
|--Virtual Season Stories
|--The Beaver City Stories
Free forum
Free forum support
Report an abuse
Visit Alias Smith and Jones Writers Forum


text:
SIANNE Hester and husband Aaron endured all parents' worst nightmare when they lost their beautiful daughter Lily, 8, to liver cancer in 2014.
Now, the Ascot Vale mum has a diagnosis of terminal cancer herself.
However, determined to do all they can to raise awareness and research funds for childhood cancer, the pair has kickstarted the Live for Lily foundation.
On Tuesday, Aaron and a group of friends started a six-day 800km ride from Coonawarra to Carlton.
Sons Oliver, 9, and Archer, 6, will be part of the support crew, as will Sianne, who will continue treatment during the ride.
"We don't have Lil, but we have Lil's foundation now, and it stands for everything that Lil was about," Aaron said.
The PE teacher wants parents to have greater awareness of childhood cancers and "to listen to their kids" when they complain about ailments such as a sore tummy.
"I had no idea cancer was the biggest killer of kids in Australia. I don't want others to go through that … it tears your heart out."
Sianne said: " Lily was a caring little girl who wanted to help others. She would be so proud this is happening."


text:
This completely restored 9 Drawer walnut Lowboy dresser by American of Martinsville, Va. features creatively designed Black Walnut Diamond fronted center doors that open to reveal 3 hidden drawers. Flanked by two sets of three drawers with book matched walnut veneer and simple recessed, brass button pulls, this piece is a total stunner! Matching Highboy…
Category: Dressers
Here at Epoch we stock a great selection of Mid-century dressers by Broyhill, Bassett, Lane, Stanley, and many others. Many are in excellent condition when they come to us, and others are given expert touch-up or a complete professional refinish. New pieces arrive every week, so if you don't see what you want now, check back in in a few days!
Showing 17–24 of 41 results
Mid Century Modern Walnut Triple Lowboy Dresser by Dixie Furniture$599.00 Read more
Diamond Motif Walnut American of Martinsville High Chest$1,099.00 Read more
Mid Century Modern Walnut 4 Drawer Highboy by Unagusta$499.00 Read more
Mid Century Modern Walnut Triple Lowboy Dresser by Unagusta$499.00 Read more
Petite Scandinavian Four Drawer Teak Chest on Steel Hairpin LegsSale!
$450.00Read more
Walnut Triple Lowboy Dresser Finnline Collection by StanleySale!
$699.00Read more
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Walnut High Dresser Finnline Collection by Stanley$599.00 Read more
Mid Century Modern Walnut Lowboy Dresser, Circular Wooden Pulls, Brass BackplateSale!
$749.00Read more
Showing 17–24 of 41 results
The Pieces Below Have Been Sold. Purchase Price and Date of Sale are Maintained for Posterity.
Vintage Mid-Century Broyhill Brasilia Walnut Gentleman's Chest
This vintage walnut gentleman's chest from Broyhill's Brasilia collection displays the signature Brasilia hyperbola motif in grand scale on the double door fronts. This piece is without structural flaw and displays only minimal signs of wear for its age. The doors and drawers work smoothly, allowing easy access to ample storage. This is a true…
Mid Century Modern Kent Coffey Elegante High Chest
This highboy dresser from the Elegante Collection manufactured by Kent Coffey features a solid poplar frame and select walnut veneer, with solid pecan accents providing a distinct contrast in color. The base has a slender brass accent that tie in with the brass capped uniquely sculpted legs. The lowboy dresser and pair of matching nightstands…
Mid Century Modern Triple Walnut Lowboy Dresser Kent Coffey Elegante
This gorgeous triple walnut lowboy features solid Pecan frame & horizontal brass accented base. This piece has been professionally refinished. High chest and matching nightstands also available for purchase.
Vintage Mid Century Walnut Three Drawer Chest, Stewart MacDougall for Drexel Declaration
This petite mid-century modern walnut dresser from Drexel's Declaration Collection is the perfect complimentary storage piece to the matching triple dresser currently in stock, or can be a beautiful stand-alone chest. The original amber walnut finish is in very good condition, and all drawers slide smoothly. The original brass and walnut pulls are intact, and…
Vintage Walnut Triple Dresser from Drexel's Declaration Line by Stewart MacDougall
This exquisite vintage mid-century modern low dresser from Drexel's famed Declaration Collection features an original amber walnut finish in excellent condition, 6 full sized drawers, 4 compact drawers, and original brass and walnut pulls (these were the alternate option to the white ceramic spherical pulls often seen on Declaration case pieces.) This is a true…


text:
Seems I keep reaching for the color orange lately, so I thought I would share. The cat is made from knee socks ($35), the pumpkin hat is infant sized, knitted in washable arcylic ($35), and the little owl with the orange crown and inquisitive eyes is crocheted ($20).
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Game one 2012 World Series go Giants
Posted by Unknown at 2:39 PM No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
|Nick Cave and Johnny Rotten.
|Kurt Cobain of Nirvana.
|Diesel exhibition.
|One of the more controversial ads (at least at the time).
Fotografiska is located on the Södermalm waterfront, about a 20 minute walk from the Rival Hotel. While this sounds pretty straightforward, it is a little complicated due to the major construction going on at Slussen which you have to pass on the way to the museum. I don't want to give any exact information on how to pass the construction as it is ongoing. The best tip I can give is to follow the signs (see picture below)! If you are staying at the hotel, stop by and talk to me for up to date information.
|Follow the signs to avoid...
|...the Slussen construction site.


text:
Are you eligible for any NZ tax refunds? The New Zealand tax years begins on the 1st April and ends on the 31st March each year. As you generally pay tax as you work in New Zealand (PAYE or Pay As You Earn) you may not get any tax back when you leave the country> In our experience it is worth applying for a refund as many people do get money back and it could be in the hundreds of dollars.
A very simple way of applying for a tax return is with one of the companies listed below (see Resources).
If you would like to do it yourself be prepared for it to be very confusing and the forms can be full of quite confusing questions. This is where you are best to use the services of the IRD via their free phone number (or possibly book an appointment to see someone at an IRD office). Be prepared to be patient and that you may not always get the most helpful customer service.
Resources for completing a tax return
What Refund has also created a handy price comparison table to see what each company charges.
If you are leaving before the end of the tax year you can file a tax return earlier. Check out this information on the IRD website
In Summary:
Use a service, it is cheap and pain free and the fee will be worth the time and brain strain.


text:
Log in
Kalamazoo, MI –
Kalamazoo Public Library's bookmobile will retire after more than 50 years of service on March 31, 2010. A farewell celebration will be held during the bookmobile's final week on the road. Details will be announced later.
In October 2009, KPL's board of trustees decided to end bookmobile service no later than the end of the current fiscal year, June 30—the final date to be set after bookmobile staff could be reassigned elsewhere in the library. Staff retirements and resignations have now made that possible. All current bookmobile staff will continue to work in other areas of the library.
Bookmobile service started late in 1956 as a way to reach residents in growing suburban areas, at a time when many households had just one car, KPL's neighborhood services were far less developed, and the downtown library was outgrowing its original 1893 building.
The world has changed since then! About 600 of the library's 45,000 patrons checked out a total of 26,459 items from the bookmobile last year—less than 3% of the library's total circulation. In contrast, 375,088 unique visitors accessed 21,134 pages on KPL's website 2,117,508 times. KPL's website has truly become a very busy virtual branch.
In these challenging economic times, the library is cutting costs to meet declining revenue. In the last two years, KPL has reduced energy use; delayed equipment purchases; trimmed funds for materials; dropped positions and reassigned work following retirements and resignations. Those measures are no longer enough—now we have to weigh the cost and effectiveness of all library services in terms of the entire community's needs.
Sadly, KPL can no longer afford to offer bookmobile service. Fortunately, many bookmobile patrons already use other KPL locations. A small number of current bookmobile users cannot travel elsewhere. Staff members will seek to meet those patrons' needs through existing services, like Via Mail (books-by-mail) and deposit collections.
The library director's complete report and recommendation to the board is available online, www.kpl.gov/bookmobile.
Post a Comment
By sara hough, 02/26/2010
By Patricia Ressler-Billion, 03/24/2010
By Jan Marcusse, 03/25/2010
By Cheryl TenBrink, 03/25/2010
By Linda, 03/25/2010
By RAB, 03/25/2010
By John Milferd, 08/21/2010


text:
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
A Sampler Collection
4 comments:
- Sheila said...
Hi Pat, I don't know how I missed seeing those, but they are very nice. I'm sure if I go back and read the post again I'll see something else I missed. I hate to see needlework at the flea market and other places, there's so much work and live that goes into a piece.
I've been a stitcher for many years and still love doing counted cross stitch. I've made two samplers.
Take care and stay cool in this heat.
- June 16, 2016 at 6:38 PM
- Julie Fukuda said...
I think when I was growing up, sewing samplers is what little girls did. I will have to dig around this place and see if I have any left. I know I still have some magazines of counted cross stitch.
- June 16, 2016 at 7:36 PM
- Carol- Beads and Birds said...
The only cross stitching I ever did was to cross stitch on clothes using waste canvas. I plan to try that on crazy quilt blocks in the future.
To me, sampler's have an Early American feel. When you see them in a flea market or antique shop you can't help but thinking about the person that stitched them and how they came to be discarded.
The display on your wall is so appropriate for your decor. They are definitely part of what gives your home such a comfortable feel.
xx, Carol
- June 17, 2016 at 5:10 AM
- Barbara said...
Lovely, Pat. Must have been a trip down memory lane to post about these. It's a beautiful collection!
- June 18, 2016 at 3:37 PM


text:
I've spent quite a bit of time in Eastern Europe and while I'm in the region I usually expect that I won't be eating very well. I had never been to Warsaw or Poland before, so I wasn't quite sure if that would be the same. However, when I started looking into vegan food options in Warsaw, I was excited to see that there was a decent number of vegan restaurants in the city.
Veg Deli was the first vegan restaurant I visited. It's just outside the old town, on a quiet street near a lovely park. There's a sign on the corner pointing the way. The first thing I noticed about the restaurant was their attention to detail and their gorgeous presentation. From the outside, with their chalkboard menu on the side of their building, to the inside, the place is beautifully decorated. Black and white is definitely the theme, but it felt extremely warm and welcoming.
The waitresses speak English well and they have menus in English. Everything on the menu is vegan and gluten free, which was so liberating! It's rare that I'm in a place where I can eat everything. The food offerings are mostly vegan variations of Polish dishes, with some western and Mediterranean dishes thrown in for good measure.
To drink I ordered a hot chocolate with chili. It was amazingly good! I've had chocolate laced with chilies before, but not hot chocolate. It was extremely warming, which was deeply appreciated given the cold outside. I'm definitely going to recreate that at home.
To eat, I ordered dumplings stuffed with mushroom and cabbage, and served over a bed of root vegetables. It was so good! The fried dumplings where crispy, the filling was meaty and earthy (I love mushrooms and I love cabbage, and together it was great). The root vegetables were roasted to perfection. The serving size was just right – filling but not enough to feel heavy.
I still had a bit of room for dessert, so I tried the Crème Brûlée. They seemed to be pretty proud of it; it's the signature dessert on their menu. I'm sorry to say I was disappointed. The sugar was not burnt enough; it had barely started to caramelize. And the cashew cream filling was hard and cold instead of custardy and at room temperature. When it's refrigerated, cashew cream tends to firm up quite a bit and I guess that's what happened here. The filling did still taste good though. It was supposed to be masala-spiced, but I didn't taste that. I did taste the Madagascar vanilla, though lemon was the dominant flavor.
I decided to get some more food to take back to my not so vegan friendly hotel for dinner for later. There was an appetizer that from the description sounded like eggplant pasta with potato wedges and pomegranate. It turned out to be a roasted eggplant paste. It was absolutely delicious and reminded me of my time in Georgia. The pomegranate just set it off.
For the main course I decided on a salad with marinated beets, carrots and forest mushrooms served on "acorn leaves" with a rosemary vinaigrette. I was intrigued to see exactly what that was. The acorn leaves turned out to be red sails lettuce leaves! The mushrooms were so good, and the beets delicious. But, the salad was really doused in oil, which I didn't like. I'd skip it next time.
A few days later I had a couple of hours in the afternoon to myself after my meetings had come to an end. I explored the old town, stunning, and then because it was not too far away, decided to stop in at Veg Deli and have an afternoon treat.
I ordered some hot cocoa and their "dessert of the day" which turned out to be a "bajaderki" an amaretto & fruit-infused cake covered with chocolate frosting and topped with pistacchios. It was so out-of-this-world good and just what I needed to warm up after a long walk in the cold and drizzle outside. I decided to get another to take with me for later!
Overall, I loved it! If you're in Warsaw, it is definitely worth making the effort to go.


text:
Yes, our DNS failover service was designed to easily support manual failover. Often customers wish to test their failover site on a periodic basis, or they wish to redirect traffic during a maintenance window.
To do this within the portal, open up the Failover Entry, and simply uncheck the "Active" checkbox as shown below. This will immediately take the device out of service and send traffic to the device with the next highest priority (sequential mode) or all remaining online devices (round robin mode). But before you do that, make sure one of your other devices is green and active and ready to take the traffic!
When you're done, simply check the active box again.


text:
We are xox Media, a creative agency based in the Washington, D.C. area that provides unique ideas with outstanding branding and marketing solutions so you can concentrate on your business. Our focus is on serving client needs, surpassing industry standards, and providing unique, cutting-edge strategies with creative excellence. We research, develop, execute and manage strategies that produce the results our clients are looking for. Have we sparked your interest?
Contact us and we would love to chat with you over coffee about how we can help your business – our first consultation is free.
Identity and Branding, Graphic Design, Web Design, Photo and Videography
Traditional Marketing, Digital Marketing, Research and Analytics, Search Engine Optimization, Promotions
Social Media, Communication, Advertising, Public Relations, Events
"As an innovative agency, we work together with our clients to bring unique ideas to life and ensure our client's success. Our mission is to create unique solutions for our clients to be seen, heard, and remembered."


text:
Mickey and Minnie try to make Donald and Daisy happy.
So the episode starts with Mickey and Minnie having a good time. Even kissing in front of everyone. Which made the crowd cheer. While Mickey and Minnie are having a good time, Donald and Daisy are arguing. Mickey sees this and feels sad. So Minnie feed him gumdrops. Mickey feels better and decides to go to Donald and Daisy to help them feel better.
Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy went biking over a bridge. When Donald and Daisy still feels unhappy and fall off the bridge. The next place they went was a gazebo where they danced unfortunately while Beast and Belle are dancing. Donald bumps into the Beast making him mad even beating him, and Donald decided to leave. Mickey then asks the sun to shine brighter the sun did. However, Donald and Daisy turned into fried chicken.
While Donald and Daisy are going back to the park. Minnie had an idea however Mickey just said the same thing. Minnie then said about saying that. Minnie then had an idea. However instead of letting Minnie finish Mickey instead guesses and Minnie tells the real answer. Making Mickey sad, Minnie cheers Mickey up by feeding him gumdrops. They went back and try to fight. However, they ended up making up for each other. Donald then showed how to fight Mickey and Minnie start to fight. Making Donald happy, everyone walks together and the episode ends.
- Mickey Mouse
- Minnie Mouse
- Donald Duck
- Daisy Duck
- Belle (cameo)
- Beast (cameo)
- Goofy (cameo)
- Horace Horsecollar (cameo)
- Clarabelle Cow (cameo)
- Peter Pig (cameo)
- Paddy Pig (cameo)
Voice Cast
- Chris Diamantopoulos - Mickey Mouse
- Russi Taylor - Minnie Mouse
- Tony Anselmo - Donald Duck
- Tress MacNeille - Daisy Duck
- This episode is basically a musical, as most of the dialogue is sung rather than spoken.
- At the start of the episode, it plays a sung version (with low pitch) of the credits theme.
- This is the second time the Beast, gets angry at Donald. The first one was in the House of Mouse special Mickey's House of Villains for trying to scare him.
Concept Art