Johnsey managed to climb down the tree, all the while praying that its roots would remain stuck in the side of the cavern. Tying the rope to the sturdiest branch he could find he started the descent down into the mine. Chyna had become silent, and would not move from where she sat.
"I'ma comin' down for you, just hold on a bit!" Johnsey called out. He hated to look down, it was almost hard to fathom how deep the hole was. There wasn't any going back now, he wasn't sure the branch could stand his full weight trying to head back up, and he could hear the tree creaking. it was enough to make him want to vomit as he tried to push back the mental picture of the tree giving way.
"I'm almost there!" Johnsey called, now less for Chyna and more for himself. He could see the floor of the cave. Having enough of the sound of the protesting tree once he was close enough Johnsey jumped, letting go of the rope.
"Did you make it?" Calvin called from above. "Cavin!" Johnsey shouted in a sharp bark, "why are you still here! you're wasting time!" He shouted.
"Right, sorry jus' makin' sure you got down there. Can't have you busted up...." Calvin called down before getting to his feet and heading for his horse. Johnsey shook his head, "and everybody thinks I ain't got no sense...have a look at that one." He thought to himself. Scanning the dark of the cave, he found Chyna and ran to her.
A lump formed in his throat as he saw red earth around her, the red that covered her skirt and hands, as well as the bundled thing on her lap. "shit..." Johnsey whispered. He went to her slowly and knelt at Chyna's side with caution, lingering in silence. "If that...is all this form you?" Johnsey asked looked at the blood on the ground. Chyna didn't answer, her eyes fixed on the bundle. "is you hurt?" He asked her, still no answer.
Johnsey reached out a hand towards the wrapped bundle on Chyna's lap and her hands quickly claps over it protectively. "Chyna. If that's what I think it is..." Johnsey said slowly. Chyna started to sob. Uncomfortably Johnsey wrapped his arms around her. "Calvin's going to find Cap." Johnsey said quietly, but that only made her cry more. She didn't want to have him see this, she didn't want to tell him, she was tired of messing up.
"It ain't alright, but it's going to be ok," said Johnsey. holding Chyna in a stiff hug as her crying turn to wailing. Johnsey's eyes fell on a neatly compiled pile of rocks and he shuddered. He wanted to ask, but then he was also sure he knew the answer already and would spare her the question for the moment.
Meanwhile, Cap searched silently with Clint, Anse, Jim, Cotton and Elias. Howls Jr had his nose to the ground and was caught on a scent, then again it'd caught a scent four times already, mostly dead animals or unfortunates caught in the fire. Cap was quickly becoming frustrated, grinding his teeth to keep from saying the colorful things his mind was shouting about his uncle's prized dog.
He took in a deep breath and exhaled, On the bright side while the fire traveled far, it burned out quickly, which gave Cap a bit of hope.
The search had already lasted for hours, the early morning fell swiftly into the late afternoon. "Maybe we should head back, this late in the day folk start wanderin' bout these trails," Elias said glancing about cautiously. "Folk who might have heard or seen somethin' suspicious. we ain't gone very far in, you listen hard 'nough, hell you can still hear the Tug." Cap replied quickly.
"It's still burned here, if they fled from the fire they wouldn't have done it here," said Clint.
Anse sighed heavily, "the boys got a point." he murmured, eyes still scanning the area. Anse glanced back at the unusual search party "We may be in need of splittin' up." He said. "that's a bad idea Anse, I say we head back." Jim hummed. "Uncle Jim!" Cap called. "well she's either negro bacon or capture. hell for alls you know the girls run on back like a good little s-"
Cap raised his gun and clicked the hammer back, "Cap!" Elias scolded. Cap's eyes thinned into narrow slots and a long frown fell down his face. His hand trembled. "You can go on ahead an' finish that sentence uncle Jim, but it may be bad for your health," Cap warned. Jim leaned back on his horse looking at his nephew with a bored expression. "Oh put that thing down, as if you could." Jim laughed dryly. Cotton watched them patiently, He was used to the family acting out and yelling when bad things happened. It'd become far less concerning.
Cap's lowered the gun a bit, Jim was right, in the end, but he didn't want to let it slide. Clint brought his horse between the two men and reached out to lower Cap's hand. "He ain't worth it, Cap." Clint said quietly. "we's wastin' time."
Cap gave a nod and put the gun away. "You're right." cap said. Leaning over he peered around Clint, glaring at Jim. "an' you talk a big talk uncle Jim...but notice you're still here." he said. Jim scowled and made himself busy trying to find his tobacco bag.
"Come one, we'll search a little further," said Anse.
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"Where in the hell is Calvin?" Johnsey muttered. Chyna had laid down, curling around the wrapped thing, Johnsey had offered his coat as padding for her head. He rubbed his shoulders, the later it got in the day the colder it got in the cavern. Looking about Johnsey eyed a few options they had for the tunnels. Chyna sneezed a few times in a row prompting Johnsey to check her forehead for fever.
"seems fine," He thought to himself, but she was also starting to shiver terribly. He sighed, it would be better to stay where they were in case Calvin was on his way back. Odds are if the McCoy lead Cap to a gaping hole in the ground with the promise that He and Chyna were down there, and Cap arrived to see nothing but rocks - well, it'd go poorly for Calvin.
Calvin rode his horse as fast as he could heading towards the tug, He'd searched the area as Johnsey said Cap should have been heading for Johnsey's house, but He'd checked Johnsey's cabin and no one was about.
"whoa, where're you heading ridding like the words falling behind you?" Logan's voice called out to Calvin. Bringing the horse to a stop Calvin looked in Logan's direction as he brought his horse nearer. "I..." Calivin stopped himself, while Logan didn't seem to be bloodthirsty over catching the Hatfields, it was still his job to help bring them in.
Logan watched Calvin carefully, "Why're you out here? this ain't nowhere?" Calvin asked. "I was hoping to talk with Johnsey Hatfield, get a few statements about what happened to your brothers. There's a whole lot of anger and wild emotions running around here, and very little investigation in turn. Somebody has to search for facts - from all sides." Logan explained. His calm gaze and steady voice were disarming and Calvin exhaled.
"Chyna's in a bad way," Calvin said quickly. "Chyna?" Logan asked, pulling out a small pad of paper, "she's the black woman who has been living with the Hatfields, used to work for the McCoys. Right?" Logan asked. Calvin watched Logan for a moment before side glancing, "She's Cap Hatfield's wife now, is the rumor between families...don't know how that's all legal but there you go." said Calvin, "workins putting it nice too..." Calvin thought rubbing the back of his neck.
"What happened?" Logan asked, "she fell. and Old mine gave way and the earth kinda swallowed her up I guess..." Calvin murmured. "is she ok?" Logan asked, "We-" Calvin sighed shakily, "we don't know, Johnsey climbed down and is with her now. I'm supposed to be find'n Cap. He's on his way to help look for her. only she's already found." Calvin explained.
Logan stood studying Calvin's face, "there's something you've left out." Logan said cautiously. "How'd the girl end up in Kentucky over am unsound mining construction?" Logan asked raising a brow.
Calvin bit his lip, "um..well..." he stammered. "I'd like to stay an' chat but I kinda got urgent business to handle," Calvin said quickly, flicking the reins of his horse he took off. Logan shook his head and sighed, "time to look for a fallen mining complex then." he thought to himself letting Calvin be on his way.
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Cap and Clint broke away from the main group, each searching briefly their own way. Cotton rode alongside Clint, whistling a tune to himself as they looked about the woodland. Clint couldn't have been more thankful, that little repetitive song was keeping his own head clear for the moment. He couldn't afford to be a broken mess, not yet.
Cotton patted his satchel and grinned, "I made some biscuits for when we find Chyna an' Miss Iris. It's been a long time they might be hungry, I'd be hungry. They're almost as good as Chyna's....I think." Cotton mused.
Clint cast Cotton and strained smile, but nodded, "so that's what you were doing all night huh?" Clint asked. "It's not as easy as it looks when I'm jus' watchin." Cotton sighed. "well I'm sure it just takes ti-"
The sound of hooves rushing across twigs and brush silenced Clint. He glanced towards Cotton, maybe if it was a traveler they'd not notice him. After all the boy had fewer wanted posters up when compared to his uncles and cousin. "You don't say nothin' about who you are. got it?" Clint asked Cotton quietly. Cotton gave an eager nod, "I won't say nothin'. Cap already tol' me" he said.
Calvin's eyes fell on the black man before him, "um...excuse me, um...mister?" Calvin felt awfully awkward. Admittedly while they did have blacks in their town. Chyna was the only one he'd ever talked to and she didn't look like she could throw him five miles one-handed.
"You don't have to be scared, mister." Clint said, an amused glint in his eye. "Uh..thanks? I heard folk talkin' an' I was wondering if you seen-" Calvin did a double-take as he saw Cotton from the corner of his eye. "Cotton Top!" Calvin gasped. "Hi Calvin." Cotton said with a wave. "is Cap with you?" Calvin asked quickly. "why's it important?" Clint asked with slow cautious words.
"who're you again?" Calvin asked his tone similar. "A friend of Caps," Clint stated simply. Calvin blinked a few times and shook his head. "Confederate wildcat family...running with a bunch of blacks, and can't manage to get along with McCoys." Calvin thought. "uh...Johnsey found Chyna, I need to find Cap and take him there." He said.
"You found Chyna!" Cotton cheered. "was there anyone else with her?" asked Clint.
"I dunno, Johnsey didn't say so when he made it down into the hole." said Calvin. "hole? what hole?" Clint asked quickly. "Take me to Cap and I'll explain," Calvin said calmly.
Cotton shook his head, "Uncle Jim won't be very nice to you Calvin." he warned. "Ah, now I know that name, Calvin McCoy." Clint said. His eyes narrowed and Calvin seemed to shrink back, "look I've made my peace, I ain't up to nothin' bad I swear, I'm tryin' to help while I can." Calvin spoke fast . "he ain't mean Clint." Cotton hummed. "He done mean things Cotton." Clint reasoned.
"You again!" Cap shouted, coming through the trees with Pardon. "you got something to do with this?" He asked his snarling eyes focusing on Calvin. "No! I mean, well...sorta but not like you think. o-or not all the way I-" Calvin drew in a deep breath to stop his stammering. "Johnsey's found Chyna. He sent me to find you. We found her fallen in some caved-in mining system." Calvin said.
Cap's eyes grew wide, "what in gods name is she doing in a mining system?" Cap asked. "she...fell in. It collapsed an' -"
"stop flappin' your gums, lead the way!" Cap called. "r-right, come on." Calvin said turning his horse about and sending it into a gallop. "wait! what about your Pop and the others?" Clint asked to Cap. "let them track us," Cap said, "we'll lose daylight if we wait."
As the four riders thundered through the quiet woodland terrain Cap had nothing but questions and was getting fed up with Calvin's shaky way of answering them. "I don't buy this story of she just so happened to fall in a hole, McCoy." Cap said. "well it's true." Calvin stated. He knew he probably should have explained further, after all, he didn't exactly know what all Johnsey had shared with Cap.
"He gave me the map and said you and your cousin was trying to lure me out here." Cap said. Calvin broke out into a cold sweat, "well that ain't true no more." he said quickly, "Susie is crazy...I jus' want to help. I don't know what happened. Susie never said nothin' about anybody falling into holes and such." Calvin added.
"You think its wise we follow him, they wanted to lure ya. And that's just what's happenin." said Clint. "Let 'em. I need to find her, they got her. Period. I'm not afraid of Calvin McCoy and another crazy of his family." Cap said.
"hey! my family ain't crazy!" Calvin shouted. "Right." Cap sang cynically. "'cause we got history that says otherwise." Cap added. "yeah, same could be said about you and yours." Calvin shot. "Stop fightin' theres more important things to be seen too." Clint said in a stern tone. Cotton chuckled, "Cap got in trouble." he said.
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Johnsey awoke with a start, he wasn't sure when he'd fallen alseep. For a moment he'd forgotten why he was down in the rocky tunnels. "right, right. You found Chyna and now you're stuck down here in this ol' mine." He thought to himself. He'd moved Chyna into one of the tunnels to keep warm. "it must be close to sundown now." he said. The temperature had dropped greatly.
Leaning over he gave Chyna a light shake, "hey, you alright?" He asked her. Chyna's eyes opened slightly as she looked up at him. It was a stupid question and Johnsey knew it, "I mean...nothing new wrong?" He corrected. "I'm fine Johnsey, I just wanna go home." Chyna's voice cracked. "an' I could use some water..." she sighed.
"I'm gonna go back into the cavern to see if Calvin's back." Johnsey said. Getting to his feet he rubbed his shoulders to warm up as he headed up the tunnel.
"Hello?" A voice called down. "Is anybody down there!"
Johnsey nearly tripped over his feet as he ran for the cavern. "Wh-who's that then?!" he called out.
Logan sighed in relief as he saw the figure below, the size of the cave-in was a frightening sight, a chill had run down his spine when he'd first arrived. How anyone survived falling into it he did not know. "Johnsey?" Logan questioned. "Yeah? who's askin?" Johnsey called up. "I am a deputized law offical of Logan County. I am here to help." Logan called. "that idiot was s'posed to get ...well not you!" Johnsey shouted. "Easy, I'm not here to take you in. I was told a woman was with you, Chyna is she ok?" Logan called down to Johnsey.
Johnsey looked a glance back towards the tunnel, "She's alive, but she ain't in a good way." Johnsey said. "You sure you ain't here to take me in?" He asked. "I know your brother is on his way. My duty is to protect those who need help first. You have my word. I will bring no one in." said Logan. Johnsey ruffled his hair, "I've not got much option but to trust'im." he thought.
Logan looked about and saw the tree dipped down into the cavern and the rope hanging from it. "is that how you got down there?" Logan asked, heading towards it. "I did, but I wouldn't - it's not sturdy no more." warned Johnsey. Logan exhaled, "Calvin says there is another way in. there are lots of tunnels that all meet up here. I don't know which one leads out." Johnsey said.
Logan gave a slow nod. " I could go look for someone who does but, something tells me that won't pan out well for you." He said. glancing over his shoulder Logan looked to his horse. "when was the last time either of you two had water?" Logan asked. "A while," Johnsey called up. "Hold on." Logan shouted, jogging back towards his horse he grabbed his travel canteen as well as some rope and raced back to the cavern.
"I'm going to lower this down. Hold on, I'm sure they'll be here soon." Logan called.
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"and, who is that? you brought some friends with you?" Clint asked, coming through the trees the four of them spotted Logan hooking a coiled rope back onto the saddle of his horse. Cap studied the man carefully, "oh no." he muttered. "that's one of the bushwhackers Franks got lurking around. Pa's got a spy over in Pikeville. Said one of them was an Indian." said Cap.
"maybe you ought to stay behind," Clint advised. "he said he wouldn't bring Johnsey in...I-I think so that might as well count for you to." Calvin stammered. Clint raised a brow "you think? we'll that's not comforting. " he said. Calvin averted his eyes Clint wasn't wrong.
"you should wait on back'ere I'll see if it's sa-" Clint stopped his sentence and sighed as Cap road by him. "Hey you! You - bushwacker!" Cap called out to the man ahead of them. " I don't suppose you was actually right?" Clint asked Calvin. Calvin shrugged "god willing....and the water don't rise. I was panicked but I-I think I remember the fella saying he wouldn't try to bring Johnsey in." Calvin said searching his memory.
"Your too young to have such a faulty memory boy - come on then... let's go on a catch up before Cap says somethin' he ought not to." said Clint.
"boy...." Calvin grumbled inwardly, luckily he was in no mood to get himself in any more hot water than he was already in.