Saga Three: Gambits & Gunslingers

Chapter 6 - Blackheart Quade

July 1865

Western Kentucky

Marshall, Ira, Kid Colt, Peyton

The dark figure roasted in front of the summer sun, a weakened soul trying to stand. It was the intense heat that brought him back. He searched for his hat to block the bitter shine. Lying there on the floor next to the rounder belt was his cowboy hat, a dirt ridden black hat with a shimmering silver buckle on the side of its crown. He grabbed it roughly by the rim, bending it accordingly, and brushing off the dirt before sliding it back on top of his head.

"Where are we?" Peyton asked, his first words in four days.

"Somewhere near the border of Kentucky and Missouri," answered Ira.

"Can't go back," he mumbled.

"Go back where?" Kid Colt asked, enticed by their new companion.

"...Kansas."

Kid Colt looked over at Marshall and Ira, worried.

"Rest now, friend. Gather your strength," Marshall advised.

Days later he would talk to them by a fire.

"I was a rancher until my herd died off. Some sort of infection gott'em. I don't know. Tried eatin’ the meat before I starved, and that's how ya’ll found me."

"You're not very much of a rancher."

"That's because he's an outlaw!" blurted out Kid Colt.

"I’ve read about them there charcoal guns in my dime novels!" Kid Colt was careful not to reveal his true youth, "Ya know, back when I was a boy.”

"It’s true."

Marshall and Ira were taken aback by Peyton's admittance.

"It was only a matter of time before ya'll found out. I'm wanted for over twenty accounts of murder and lord knows how many accounts of burglary both of banks and the US army. I'm known as Blackheart Quade, but I’m beggin’ you, don’t be so quick to condemn me, for I only wanna be Peyton."

Marshall could not believe how open he was being. It inspired him to do the same and tell all of them his real name, revealing who he truly was, a prince of wealth and station. But he still had some reservations that kept him from doing so.

"As long as we're being honest," Ira continued, "We're on our way to Dodge, through Wichita."

"I appreciate ya’ll takin’ care of me, but there’s just no way I can go back there."

"At least stay with us until we reach the Mississippi," haggled Marshall.

"What could you possibly want with a washed up outlaw like me?"

"For one, your wounds still need healing. So you'd be better off under my care. Then you can start figuring out restitution.”

“What do you say?" asked Ira.

The beaten down outlaw could only relent and gave them a look of surrender. Peyton agreed to accompany them to the Mississippi river, but he would go no further. He vowed a long time ago never to return to Dodge. Now that the truth was out, all inhibitions were called off. Kid Colt rode next to Blackheart Quade and interrogated him about his life of glory and gang riding. And Peyton was forced by his brash honesty, and the kid’s persistent curiosity, to relive his past.

March 1845

Dodge, KS

Peyton

The boy crawled out of the burning wreckage. His mom was on the other side. He dug at the fiery carnage for her. But she was nowhere to be found. An older boy ran up and took his arm, pulling him away from the fire.

Peyton awoke terrified.

It was eight years ago to the day. The day his home burnt down, and Charlie Slater saved his life. Peyton took a deep breath. He was safe in bed, in between Charlie and Johnny Stacks, his two closest friends in the orphanage. Peyton got up and headed for the kitchen. He was fifteen years old now, having been found and raised by the orphanage since that fateful day.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

Before he could get to the kitchen, he was pulled from the doorway by a feminine hand. Once in the shadowed corner, he could see his abductor. It was sweet Maggie Dillon, a blond hair, grey-eyed firecracker. She wore a cowboy hat with a torn rim and dirty white jeans, and always hung out with the boys. Right now, Peyton and Maggie’s faces were no farther than a whisper away from each other. "Maggie, I-"

"Sh!" She put her finger over his lips and made a motion for him to listen. He realized that the priest was panicking about something in the kitchen. They listened closely.

"The man from the bank said we have until Friday."

"Until what?"

"Until they foreclose upon the orphanage."

"What about the children?"

"They must find another place to live."

Peyton had heard enough. He pulled himself away from Maggie and ran into the back room. He awoke Johnny and Charlie, and told them to come with him.

"Peyton!" Maggie exclaimed, "What are you gonna do?" as she followed them outside.

"It's the middle of the goddamn night,” said Johnny.

“Peyton, what are we doing out here?" asked Charlie.

"We're robbin’ the bank," answered Peyton.

"What!?" screamed out Maggie, Charlie, and Johnny all in unison.

"If we don't, the orphanage is gonna close and we’ll starve," argued Peyton.

Charlie looked over at Peyton and then at Johnny and Maggie. Johnny shrugged his shoulders and Maggie rolled her eyes, an innocent face for a sinister mind. Was this her plan all along?

"How though?" Charlie asked, "We don't have any guns."

"The bank is closed. We don't need any guns,” said Peyton, as began to hatch his first heist, “Just a way to get through the doors."

He nodded as he talked, garnering their spirits from Johnny to Charlie, and led them along with Maggie over to the bank. The town was covered under the dark night sky. As they crossed the street, a deputy patrolling on horseback saw them. He did not sound the alarm, but followed them from a distance.

They got around to the back door of the town bank. Peyton examined the lock. "Johnny, come here." Johnny Stacks accompanied Peyton. "Looks just like the lock on the cupboard in the kitchen, don’t it? You can break it."

"I'll give it a try, Peyton."

Maggie and Charlie kept watch as Johnny tried to pick the lock. He pulled a wire out of his wallet and a pin out of his jacket pocket. Together he used them to probe the inside of the lock. The deputy, meanwhile, had caught up to them and was now just around the corner from Maggie.

He jumped out and hit her with the butt of his revolver. She stumbled back, falling to the ground, and there was Charlie coming at him. The deputy shot his gun at Charlie and woke up the town. Each shot amazingly missed as Charlie ran straight at the deputy. His chambers were empty, and now the charging kid was right on top of him.

The deputy took the blow, and fell on his back, sticking his foot out, and lunging Charlie forward over him. Peyton watched from behind Johnny, who continued to pick the lock. Charlie was thrown over to the deputy's horse. The deputy got back up and started reloading his sidearm. Using what was provided aroun him, Charlie quickly got himself up and onto the horse. He kicked it and convinced the beast to run down its own master just as he finished reloading his weapon. Peyton helped Maggie up as the deputy fell. He retrieved the fully loaded revolver on the ground.

"That should be mine," Charlie Slater said as he sat upon the horse.

Johnny cracked the lock and opened the door, “I’m in!”

The group rallied at the door, Charlie got off the horse and Peyton checked Maggie’s head.

“Looks like you’ll live to fight another day.”

He laughed and cut ahead as Maggie followed, playfully punching his arm. Once inside, Peyton led them to the vault. To their luck, the door was left open. This bank resembled that of a store, as the town of Dodge was still in its infant years. Johnny found some bags and handed them out. As Peyton received his bag he heard footsteps at the door.

"Down!" he said in a soft shout. The team hid in the shadows.

Peyton put his back next to the doorway and peered out at the door they came in. A figure with a wide hat and shimmering shield pinned to his chest slowly walked in. He led with his elbow out and gun drawn, pointing straight up.

"It's the sheriff," Peyton informed them.

Maggie looked back after surveying the boys' faces to check Peyton, but he was gone around the corner. She jumped forward and turned the corner to see Peyton behind the Sheriff and his hand over the Sheriff's mouth. With Peyton's other hand he held the deputy's gun, pressing the barrel into the Sheriff's back.

"You kill me, you better run and never look back,” mumbled the Dodge Sheriff.

That was the man's final words as Peyton pulled the trigger and murdered him. The proximity of the shot muffled its noise and singed the clothing into the dead sheriff's skin. They ran out of the bank, carrying bags full of gold coins and mint dollar bills.

They had completely cleaned out the bank's savings. The bank would have nothing to back their business upon. Everything would get wiped back to zero. The orphanage's debt would be the least of their worries. As they rode out of town on their horses, Maggie ran by the orphanage and dropped one of her moneybags at the door. They rode out of Dodge thinking they would never return and headed for Wichita.