Hawk was settled in his car, and I was settled in my seat listening to the chug a-chug a-chug of the train as it moved slowly down the tracks. I miss riding the high country, but the railroad has cut the trip down to hours.
It was downright cold sitting there and moving through the shade of the darkened canyons as the rails followed the Animas River didn’t help. It almost seemed like the icy hand was reaching up from the river to enter the vitals. It was pretty though, especially with that light snowfall. I was dozing off when I saw something, well someone I recognized. My mind went back through the wanted posters I pieced through in Durango. The fellow up in front of the car seemed to fit that description and he was riding with another fellow. I decided I take a meander up the aisle.
“You got a name?” I asked as I came up next to them.
“Who’s asking?” came the curt reply.
“Deputy U.S. Marshal, Miles…”
I don’t know what I felt the most; the cold or the headache. I reached behind my head and there was no bleeding, but there was a nice knot. I was laying in the snow several feet below the tracks. I mustn’t have been there too long because I could still smell the smoke from the train. It had been cold up in that train car, but it was downright freezing now.
It was already dark in the canyon, but it would be night soon. I had to find a place to spend the night or I’d freeze to death. If I could make it through the night I knew there would be another train coming up the next day. I began to climb back to the rail bed and then walk up the line. If I remembered correctly there was a group of rocks where I could take shelter.
About a half mile up the tracks there they were; now to find enough wood to keep me through the night. With the rocks I would be sitting in a good place, for the fire would reflect off them and I would stay right warm. I began the search. Up and down I moved searching for wood of any sort. Then I spied several hunks of coal. If I could get the fire going good that coal would last a long time.
It wasn’t long before I had everything situated and reckoned there was enough fuel for me to last through a couple of days if need be. What I was really missing was a pot of coffee and something to eat. Sitting there I thought of Molly. She was used to me not showing up when I was on a trip like this, but this time I figured it would be different because Hawk was on the train and I wasn’t. That would cause her some concern.
I was plenty warm. I’ve been out many a time in the cold. This was an ideal place with the rock reflecting the heat. I’ve had times when one side of me would freeze and the other would be frying. Then I’d roll over and the same would happen; it would not be a night for peaceful slumber, but with the heat bouncing off those large rocks it was right comfortable.
Sitting there I now was sure that the man I walked with was the one on the wanted poster and the one that had shot Charlie. The other man must have been in the robbery and was the one that Charlie shot. But who hit me? I didn’t even see a third man near them. My mind was hurting from the pain but also that I couldn’t recollect seeing the third man. Maybe it was the jasper that had taken those pot-shots at me.
Slumber was starting to set in so I put a couple of good-sized logs over a bed of hot coals and in the middle I placed one of the chunks of coal. In case I fell asleep that should burn for a while. I didn’t want the fire to go out and start all over again.
Waking I felt a chill. I looked at the fire and there was a dull glow. I glanced up at the sky and it was clear; the clouds had left and the stars were brightly shining. But that also meant that the temperature was going to be dropping rapidly. I reckoned it was about two in the morning. I put on some more wood and fanned a flame into existence.
The sound startled me. I had fallen asleep again, and it was late. I heard the blast of the whistle; the train was moving up the track. The sun was shining, therefore it had to be mid-morning. Now I had to find a place where I could board the train. It would be going slow enough that it wouldn’t be a problem as long as there was room enough for me to stand and grab it as it went by.
The fire was almost out again and I kicked the few pieces burning away from each other and stomped them out. Then I moved up the rails to find a place. Just past the boulders there was plenty of room for me to step aboard. As the train approached I grabbed the bar and put my foot on the step to hoist myself aboard. I moved on the little platform and entered the door to the car, and there I saw him waiting for me…