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Buck, Rowdy, and Tail ran along the boardwalk of town, indifferent to those they bumped into or jumped in front of. They paused in front of the window of a ladies’ dress shop, hoping for a peek at something naughty, but seconds later they were shooed away by the storekeeper. As they made their getaway they harmlessly collided into Gus, a local who was famous for his obsessive relationship with whiskey.
“You good-for-nothing varmits!” he chided as he almost spilled his beloved. To recover, Gus took a hearty swig from a bottle disguised in a paper bag and made a sour face.
The boys continued their spree of mischief by stealing fruit from barrels outside the general store. The owner yelled at them, but he was too busy to chase them down. They headed towards the church, which was located at the edge of the town. Peeking in the windows, they saw Pastor Tom Gaines, sweeping and singing a hymn to himself. The boys drew back and started throwing their forbidden fruit, and whatever else they could fins along the ground, at the church. Disturbed by the ruckus, Pastor Tom went to look out the window, but an apple came flying through the glass. By now the boys were laughing and calling the preacher names. Furious, Pastor Tom stormed out of the church with his broom, intending to tan some hides, but the gang had run off in different directions. Some of the townsfolk merely stared in disbelief.
Tail escaped into the woods like a deer. He was enjoying a laugh at getting the best of ol’ Tom-cat and looked back to see if anyone was following, when suddenly he tripped and fell onto something, or rather, someone.
“Awww!” Stone let out with surprise as the young boy used him to break his fall.
“Gee, I’m sorry, mister,” the boy said after he rolled off to the side.
Stone sat up, dusted himself off, and replaced his hat.
“I think I’ll live,” he moaned. “What are you doin’ out here, boy? Shouldn’t you be in school or somethin’?”
“Nah, not me. That stuff’s just for sissies. What are you doin’ out here?”
“Well I was enjoyin’ the peace and quiet.” He shot the boy a funny look, unappreciative of the boy’s unexpected presence, but once the boy looked remorseful, Stone disarmed his frustration. “It’s been a long time since I got to sleep in the woods, and there ain’t nothin’ like the fresh air and the sounds of nature to wake you up in the mornin’, ‘cept maybe a stampede,” he teased.
“I done said I was sorry,” snapped the boy.
“You’re right. Apology accepted. No need to get your suspenders in a twist.”
Stone rummaged through his nap sack and pulled out apples for both of them; with a twinkle in his eye the boy thanked him.
“So what’s your name?” Stone asked.
“Cody. Cody Stevens.”
“Is that right?” Stone mused as he chewed on his apple thoughtfully. “You wouldn’t be any relation to Hound Stevens, would you?”
“Hound?”
“Well, you might know him better as Jake Stevens.”
“Yeah, that’s my pa. You know him?”
“I use to, a long time ago.” Stone casually checked the boy over and was in a quiet awe. If memory served him right, Jake’s wife had been pregnant with this very youngster at the time of his arrest. He almost laughed when he recalled how desperately Jake had wanted a boy after already welcoming two girls.
“Why’d you call him Hound?”
“We use to say that he had a nose for trouble. So how is your pa?”
“Fine, I reckon,” Cody said, dropping his gaze. “We don’t see him much no more.”
“Why’s that?”
“He’s busy, works out on his claim all the time.”
“Your pa found gold?” Stone asked, forgetting to curb his enthusiasm.
“Yeah, but that’s been a couple years ago, and he hasn’t found all that much to brag about, just enough to make him think he’s gonna strike it big.” Cody sounded unimpressed with his pa’s success and determination.
“Why aren’t you out there helpin’ him then, since you ain’t in school?”
“He don’t want me around. I told him I’m big enough to do a man’s work, but he says it ain’t no place for a kid. And my ma don’t want me out there neither, says it’s too dangerous.”
“Is your ma’s name Cally?”
“Yeah, you know her too?”
“I did.”
“Who are you mister?”
“Name’s Stone Hawkins,” Stone said while offering his hand; Cody shook his hand as his face became transformed with wonderment.
“Stone Hawkins, the outlaw?”
Stone nodded humbly, and was irritated that the reputation from his former life had caught up with him before he’d even set foot in Ash Falls.
“I heard all kinds of stories about you. You use to rob banks, didn’t you?”
“Yep, until I got caught.” Stone didn’t mind being honest, but he refused to be branded a criminal for life.
Cody started laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“You don’t look like no bank robber.”
“Good, ‘cause I’m not, not anymore. I got my head put on straight and my life right with God.”
“So what are you doin’ here?” Cody asked as his laughter subsided.
“I’m startin’ over. I’m set to buy me some land and run a farm.”
“I just can’t believe it—the real Stone Hawkins.”
“Do me a favor, let’s just keep all that bank robbin’ stuff a secret.”
Stone walked over to a nearby stream and splashed water on his face; he was ready to face his future.
“Won’t do no good; you’re a legend ‘round here.”
“I’m hopin’ most folks have forgot about me by now. Think you can show me the way to town?” he asked as he tossed his bag over his shoulder.
“Sure!” Cody said with excitement.
“So tell me ‘bout your family, Cody.”
“It’s mainly just ma, my sisters, and me. Pa comes back from time to time, but when ma starts beggin’ him to forget the claim, he gets mad and leaves again.”
Stone gave that some thought, and was disappointed to hear of such trouble in his old pal’s life.
“By the way, my friends call me Tail.”
“Why’s that?”
“’Cause I usually bring up the tail end when we’re runnin’ and getting into trouble.”
To Stone’s surprise, Cody thought that was amusing.
“It’s a strange name.”
“No worse than Stone, or Hound.”
“You got me there,” Stone admitted. “But don’t you know the Bible says you’re the head and not the tail?”
“Now you sound like ma. She’s always got her nose in the Bible, or she’s a prayin’ for God to change pa’s heart. I told her it ain’t gonna do no good though.”
“And why’s that?” Stone stopped in his tracks.
“God don’t care nothin’ about us, or this town,” Cody said with conviction.
“What makes you say such a thing?” Stone was a bit offended, though he didn’t mean to be.
“If God really cared then pa would’ve found more gold so he could be home with us.”
“I don’t know if gold would bring your pa home, Cody.”
“Sure it would. We’d be rich and he wouldn’t have to work no more.”
“What I mean is…” Stone hesitated, knowing it wasn’t his place to judge Jake, or to give Cody an informal lesson on issues of the heart. “Sometimes, Cody, God seems to work in mysterious ways.” How Stone hated to sound so wise, yet empty. He knew his words didn’t offer much, and he felt ashamed for simply giving the youngster a spiritual band-aid for his situation. But at the moment, what else could he do?
“Maybe,” Cody said, though it was obvious to both of them that doubt reigned in his heart.
Stone decided to take advantage of the opportunity he had: he smiled and threw an arm around Cody as they continued their journey. While he had an unsettling feeling that Jake had distanced himself not only from his family but also from God, Stone wanted to return on good terms, and couldn’t wait to see his old friend. And as each step brought him closer to the setting of his troubled past and his uncertain future, Stone couldn’t tell which emotion gripped him the most—anticipation or dread.
©2003 StoriesByEmail.com
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