The Outlaw & The Vigilante

~Desert Skies~

On the outskirts of Arizona stood an old western town called Westbury Creek that ran along the woodland River that flowed from California to Texas. It was a major trail that cowboys took to go from town to town. Westbury Creek was just up the river and across the train tracks. 

One hot summer in August 1894, Boney McGraw the fastest gunslinger in all of the West was riding his sleek brown horse called Gypsy along the trail up the river when he came across a Conestoga wagon. 

Tipping his old dusty cowboy hat. “Howdy!”, He called peering over his red bandanna covering his nose and mouth. 

Up popped a dusty old settler whispering, “I reckon you have something for me, Cowboy?”

Boney slid out a worn old leather pouch and handed it to the man. The man looked around and poured out the contents of it into his hand. It gleaming in the dawn of the morning sun, the man tipped his hat and returned the pouch with a large wad of cash in it. 

Boney gave Gypsy a gentle nudge and made his way up to Westbury Creek. Upon his arrival, there he was, a rather handsome picture of him framed by the words WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, the posters were posted up on each side of the town’s entrance. What a way to be welcomed home. 

Not much had changed since he left two years prior. The Gold nugget saloon was the focal point with all the other buildings draped beside it. On the left were the sheriff’s station, the jail, and the bank. To the right, there was the general store, Gold Mine’s Post office, and the Assay Office. Across the dirt path were the ACE-HIGH HOTEL and the Swells restaurant. The last time he was home he had been run out of town for robbing the bank and drawing his revolver he like to call ‘peacemaker’ out on the bank teller for trying to stop him.

He was finally home and no one seemed to recognize him. Hopping off of Gypsy, Boney guides her into the Horseshoe barn and stall next to Ace-High. Boney made his way across the street to the Gold Nugget. Swinging the doors wide open as he entered the saloon. The saloon was covered in wood and decorated with all sorts of game on the walls. To his right, there was his old buddy Marshal Clay Holliday and his friends playing poker like old times. 

“Cut me in, would ya”, Boney poked, his thumbs hanging onto the front pockets of his worn blue jeans. 

Marshal popping out of his seat says, “Boney my man! Welcome home!”

“Thanks, brother”, Boney says Gripping him in a tight hug and swaying from side to side. 

“Did somebody say Boney?”, a voice called out from behind the bar. 

“It’s me in the flesh”, Boney shouted back, swinging around to match the familiar voice with the face he’d remembered.

Butch Adams came from behind the bar and embraced Boney in a bear hug, “We never thought an outlaw like you would ever come back,” Butch said jokingly. 

 “Never can stay too far from home”, Boney says while taking a seat at the bar and gliding his hands over the oak wood bar, nostalgia overcomes him, of the bar fights and good times represented by the nicks, dents, and scrapes in the old bar counter. 

“What can I get for ya?”, Butch offered while wiping a worn-out rag around a sparkling clean crystal clear glass. 

“Whiskey double on the rocks,” Boney cheered, pumping his fist on the counter.

“Just like old times”, Butch reminisced.

“Just like old times!” Boney repeated nodding in agreement. 

~The Saloon and the Moon~

After 6 pm all the Gold miners began to file in one by one filling the saloon. The Saloon girls made their way down the stairs of the saloon wearing their bright-colored off-the-shoulder and strapless satin tight-fitting ball dresses with ruffles and tassels and embellished corset tops. They were a vision of beauty as they worked the room dancing with the gentlemen, talking with them, and encouraging them to get more drinks. But one stood out more than all the rest. That was Dixie Shaw, the one headlining. Gracing them all with her beautiful voice and her exotic dance moves. 

Boney sat alone at the back of the saloon in a leather-red booth. He grabbed one of the Saloon girls’ arms. “Who’s that girl?”, he inquired.

“Who? Dixie?”, She said glaring in her direction. 

In total amazement Boney whispers to himself “Yes, Dixie!”, he releases her and falls back into the booth.

“Careful cowboy! She’s Butch’s favorite! There’s no way he’s letting her get away”, She said returning to the dance floor. 

Dixie wore a red and black vertical striped corset around her satin bright red ball gown that came down to the ground in the back but just to her knees in the front. She swayed like leaves in the breeze. She was elegant, and graceful with a charming smile. Her boat neck-topped dress stopped just before it got to her petite bosom. The black boots crept just above her calves and were followed by fishnet stockings. She flipped her brunette hair as she twirled around and around. Her beautiful brown skin was a rare treasure. Boney couldn’t take his eyes off her. Noticing him watching she locked eyes with him as she continued to sway as she sang. 

After her set, Dixie went to the bar and awaited his arrival. 

“Whisky double for me, and a club soda for the lady?” Boney said with expecting eyes. 

“Actually, I’ll have what you’re having”, She said surprising him. 

“You sound like trouble! I’m intrigued”, Boney says taking off his cowboy hat and combing his fingers through his golden blond hair. 

“ I’m an iceberg, McGraw”, Dixie informed him.

Boney returned his hat to his head and tilted his head curiously, “You know who I am?” 

Sipping on her whiskey, Dixie glares up at him and says “I may have heard about the man, the myth, the legend. She twirls around and began to walk to his booth, “Plus I’ve seen your picture all around town, You have quite the reputation.”

Boney follows her lead to the booth. “I’m honored to be held in such great esteem”, he jokes.

A drunk man grabs Dixie as she is about to sit down, “Dance with me, Angel!” He pulls her roughly towards him. Boney stands up and grabs the guy and begins to curse at him and pushes him towards the poker table, which breaks and crashes to the ground. The man hops to his feet and swings on Boney, making contact with his left eye. Just before things get out of hand Butch lets out two rounds from his revolver towards the roof and shouts, “There will be no brawling nor any Airin’ out the lungs in front of my ladies. Ryan you varmint go home before you’re cashed in!”

 Ryan grabs his things and stumbles out of the Saloon. 

“Guess that makes you my hero”, Dixie teases, “You really didn’t have to do that. I can handle myself.”

“Is that right?”, Boney said holding his chilled whisky glass on his left eye. 

“That’s right!” She countered.

Moments pass as Boney takes her in with what’s left of his vision, admiring her beauty, poise, and strength. She was like a chilled glass of moonshine. She truly was different from the other girls in more ways than one. 

Breaking the silence, Dixie says, “Uhhhh, your eye is getting pretty big there! What do you say we get out of here and I take care of my hero?”

Excitedly Boney exclaims, “Yee-Haw! Let’s cut the path before someone catches me taking the prettiest girl outta here!” 

 ~The Reality Check~

The next morning when Boney awoke, he was stripped to his undergarments and tied to a chair with his mouth duck taped. 

“Hmmmm, Hmmmmm, Hmmmmm”, He called in a muffled scream as loud as he could.

Emerging from the other room, Dixie was eating a sandwich, “Good Morning Cowboy, How’d you sleep?” She questions him rhetorically.

“Hmmmmmmmm”, Boney screamed again.

“Well, that’s nice”, Dixie says sarcastically, as she sits across from him on a wooden chair, “I’ve been meaning to tell you something, I just couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t tell you!”

“Hmmmmmmmmm”, Boney screams as he’s trying to wiggle himself out of the tight ropes around his chest, wrist, and ankles.

In a cold antagonizing way Dixie says, “Now now don’t interrupt!”, She takes another bite and pauses as she chews then continues, “It came to me, I may have downplayed how much I truly knew who you are. In fact, you may even remember who I am. After all, it hasn’t even been a year since you robbed my father the prospector, and me when we were on that stagecoach.”Boney’s eyes widen in surprise trying to think back to which stagecoach she is referring to. Dixie continues, “We were heading to the Assay office to get the Gold appraised, you know the gold my father worked so very hard for”, She stops and takes a deep breath, sets her half-eaten sandwich down and let out a regretful breath, “He worked many months digging for that gold all to pay for my mother’s medical bills, to get her the surgery she so desperately needed”, Dixie reaches down taking the knife out of her boot and stands up dragging the chair closer towards him, “You can imagine how fatal that turned out with us being unable to cover the cost of everything”, She tilts her head to the side and sits down only inches away from him peering into his wide fearful eyes. 

“Hmmmmm”, a single tear fell from Boney’s eye.

Ignoring it, Dixie continues, “But my father being the fighter that he is, he went back out there and literally worked himself to death trying to find more gold! God rest his soul”, You can imagine what that did to my already sick mother”, She glares at him expectedly, waiting for him to squeal another answer. Then she continues, “She died shortly after”, an expression of both pain and anger consumes her face. Another tear fell from Boney’s eyes, then another and another. Dixie smirks as she uses her knife to scrape away his tears making a small nick just below his already swollen black eye. He lets out a painful wail. “I’m sorry did I hurt you?”, She says sarcastically. She pipes down and calmly informs him, “I’m not here to kill you though it may seem that way”, She bites her bottom lip and looks off into the distance, “I’m here because it wasn’t just gold you stole that day”, She takes a deep sentimental breath and says, “You stole my heart-shaped emerald neckless, It was from my mom and I want it back!”, She says fighting back her tears, “You’re the only one who knows where I can find it.”, She rips the duck tape off of his mouth violently, “Where is it?”

He lets out a loud cry, “I, I, I don’t know! Every, everything I steal, I sell to men along the riverside,” Boney struggles to get his words out. 

“What men?” Her face begins to scrunch up.

“The men, they, they hide in the wagons along the riverside.” 

In a rage, Dixie stands up with her fist clenched, “These men, What do they do with the things you sell them?” 

“They re-sale it I suppose,” Boney says scrambling to answer.

“Well saddle up cowboy, it looks as if we’re taking a trip down the river”, She takes her knife and begins to saw through the rope, “Oh, and don’t try anything, Cowboy! I confiscated all of your weapons yesterday. And I’ve been dying to have a gunfight of my own since…”

Boney interrupts her “No, no, I won’t I promise, I feel really bad! I really want to help you! That’s the least I can do!”

“Glad we’re on the same page. But just in case you have a change of heart Ryan will be tagging along”, Ryan walks into the room, “You remember Ryan don’t you? The Varmint from the bar last night?” She says smiling knowing it's all coming to him finally. Boney nods his head agreeing but disbelief fills his mind as he recalls how all of yesterday was a setup that he played right into. 

Dixie, Ryan, and Boney all take a stagecoach waiting for them at the entrance of Westbury Creek. “Where to?” The driver says peering grudgingly at Boney stuck up in the back seat. 

Unhesitatingly Boney says “They’re three stops, but I believe the one I sold it to was the one on the Nevada border just up yonder a few miles up the road.” The stagecoach set off!

~The Journey Ahead Unsure~

Upon their arrival, they found an empty Conestoga wagon. 

“This isn’t looking good for you McGraw”, Ryan warns.

“He may have gone into town just up ahead. I think he lives there”, Boney says begging them for lenience.

“This is your last chance Cowboy”, Dixie adds. “Please take us to the town up ahead”, She directs the stagecoach driver.

Entering into the town the sign reads, ‘Eagle Mountain’. The town was much less developed than Westbury Creek. It reminded Dixie of the town she was raised in with a bunch of hard-working men and women struggling to make ends meet. Even still she was determined to find that desperado who sold her mothers neckless. Stepping out of the stagecoach Dixie and Boney entered the Saloon. Boney walked straight up to the bar while Dixie hung back by the door. If anyone was to know his whereabouts it would be the bartender Boney thought as he tipped his cowboy hat in respect, “Howdy there!”

“Howdy partner, what can I do you for?”, The old white-haired gentleman said.

“Whisky double on the rocks,” Boney said chewing the end of a piece of wheat he grabbed on the way into the bar. As the bartender turned to grab the glass Boney continued, “You wouldn’t happen to see a guy name Hawk around these parts have you?”

“Who’s asking?”

“Boney, Boney McGraw. I’m a friend of his. 

The man's face sank, “ Sorry to tell you Boney, but Hawk bit the dust some time ago. Boney sank down into his stool. Although he and Hawk were never too close he still considered him a friend. The pit of his stomach felt hollow as he thought he may be just like Hawk real soon. The bartender interrupted his thoughts, “Hawks wife in daughter live just down the street if you’d like to pay your respects.”

“I’d, I’d love to.”

Heading out of the saloon Boney filled Dixie in and informed her they may be able to find it at his house, “More than likely he didn’t even get a chance to sell it”, He says grasping on a slither of hope. 

~Saying Goodbye~  

When Dixie and Boney arrived they were greeted at the door by Lara, Hawk’s wife. 

“Howdy ma’am”, Boney greeted her tipping his hat.

“Howdy, do I know y’all? Lara said.

Boney’s voice cracks, “I, I knew Hawk, He was a good man. A friend of mine.”

“Oh, please come in, any friends of Hawk’s is friends of mine,” Lara says jovially. 

Dixie and Boney enter the small wooden shack, full of family photos of Hawk, his wife, and his little 8-year-old daughter over the years. Dixie growing inpatient says, “Last time we saw Hawk we had him hold something for us. You mind if we look around, see if we can find it?

“Not in the least, be my guest! My daughter Jolene will be home from school soon, she’d love to meet a beautiful lady such as yourself.” Lara says smiling brightly and then returning to the kitchen as Boney and Dixie began to search her small shack. They searched every inch of the shack but the search came to an abrupt stop when Hawk and Lara’s daughter, Jolene walked through the door wearing Dixie’s mother’s neckless. Dixie’s heart drops so far that she doesn’t feel it beating anymore, “Hi there Jolene!”, Dixie manages to get out with what little breath she still has.

Looking up at Dixie, Jolene replies, “Hi-ya!”

“What a beautiful neckless you have there Jolene”, Dixie says letting out a long quiet exhale, “Where did you get it from?”

 Jolene looks down at the brilliant heart-cut emerald neckless in her hands, “My Pa gave it to me!”, She holds it close to her heart and twisted her little right foot remembering the memories of him. 

“Really? It’s beautiful”, Dixie smiles and crouches down to be at eye level with Jolene, “You know, I had one just like it when I was your age. It was really special”, Dixie said as her eyes welled up with tears. “You hang on to it, Ok?”

Jolene nods in agreement, “I will, forever and ever!”

Dixie grabbed hold of Jolene and pulled her into a tight embrace saying goodbye to her neckless, to her mom, and to the memories of her before leaving their home. 

Boney follows Dixie outside and watches her as she breaks down and begins to cry uncontrollably. Boney wraps her in a hug to comfort her while she’s crying. She lets out a loud cry and began to bang on Boney’s chest. But Boney just pulls her in closer as tears stream down his eyes as well.