Trouble at the Double C

by RedZipBoots

A routine ranch job? Heyes and Curry get more than they bargained for.

"Howdy fellas," said a deep booming voice.

Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry quickly glanced at each other before turning in unison to see a very tall, heavy set man standing behind them. There was a shiny tin star pinned to his vest.

"Well, h..howdy Sheriff!" smiled Heyes, his heart pounding. He was trying desperately to recollect if he had seen the man before but was sure that he would have remembered if he had. Thankfully the Sheriff didn't give any indication that he knew who they were.

Curry nodded. "Sheriff."

"You're new in town."

"Got in a couple of days ago. Came over from Wallins Creek," replied Heyes.

"Just passin' through?"

"Lookin' for work. Thought we might try some of the ranches in these parts, see if they're hirin'," said Kid truthfully.

The Sheriff studied the two young men, trying to weigh them up. Drifters could be trouble and he knew that some towns didn't welcome them. Noticing that they both had their gun belts slung low and their holsters tied down he decided to keep an eye on them while there were here, just to be on the safe side.

"Best place to find out about work is over at the saloon. Ask Gus, he knows all there is to know about this town."

"W...we will Sheriff, thank you," said Heyes, tipping his hat.

The Sheriff nodded then turned and walked across the street. The two ex-outlaws stood and watched him. When he was a safe distance away Curry let out a low whistle and shook his head.

"Sheesh Heyes," he hissed. "He could get hisself shot creepin' up on people like that!"

Heyes chuckled and they continued along the boardwalk until they reached the telegraph office. On the day they arrived in Pine Flats Heyes had sent a telegraph to their friend Sheriff Lom Trevors in Porterville, Wyoming mainly to keep him informed of their whereabouts, but also in the hope he may have a job for them, and they were eager for a reply.

In answer to Heyes' enquiry the telegrapher handed over an envelope. The ex-outlaw took out the note and glanced at it as he ambled back through the door to join his cousin.

"What's it say?"

"No job. Keep in touch. Lom." Heyes screwed up the piece of paper.

"Huh, short and to the point," remarked Kid. "Now what?"

"Well Kid, we'd better start looking for a job. Looks like we're going to have to take the Sheriff's advice and go see Gus," Heyes said, steering his cousin towards the saloon.

Pine Flats was a quiet, up-and-coming town in a pretty Colorado valley. It had once been a small trading post for fur trappers but that trade was now in decline so the land further down the valley was being cleared, making way for farms and ranches. A few weeks' work on one of the ranches would suit them just fine. Ranch work was not one of their favourite occupations but they could survive a few weeks of it and besides, they needed the money.

Pushing open the batwing doors they found an empty saloon apart from a portly grey-haired man with an impressive handlebar moustache standing behind the bar. He looked up from the glass he was polishing.

"What'll it be fellas?" he asked.

"Two beers, please," said Heyes, placing a coin on the bar.

The two outlaws looked around at the small establishment. It was old compared to the rest of the town, but not shabby. However, it was unusual to find a saloon completely empty no matter what the time of day.

"Is it always this quiet?" asked Heyes as the barman placed two glasses of beer in front of them.

"Can be, durin' the day. Evenin's are busier. Tonight and Saturday can get pretty lively; that's when a lot of the ranch hands come into town."

Heyes made a mental note to return later and check out the action. A small town like this was guaranteed to have plenty of poker players ready to donate their hard-earned dollars to the 'Hannibal Heyes Fund for Reformed Outlaws'.

Kid took a gulp of his beer. "You Gus?" he asked.

"Who's askin'?"

"Thaddeus Jones and Joshua Smith," said Kid. "We were told he'd know if there was any work hereabouts."

The barman chuckled. "Yeah, I'm Gus. I'm bettin' Marty sent yer. He's always sendin' people over here, askin'."

"It was the Sheriff who sent us," said Heyes.

"Yeah, Marty Button. He's the Sheriff here," confirmed Gus.

The cousins glanced at each other with some amusement. Somehow the name didn't quite fit the giant of a man they had just met.

"What sorta work yer lookin' for?" asked Gus.

"Oh, we do pretty much anything," answered Heyes. "Nothin' too hard on the back though, if we can help it."

"Well, I don't know that any of the ranches will be hirin' this late in the summer," Gus said thoughtfully. "Yer stayin' in town a while?"

"We'll be movin' on in a couple of days if we can't get work."

"I'll ask around," said Gus. "Let yer know if I hear of anythin'."

Heyes smiled. "We'd appreciate that, thank you."

The two cousins finished their beers and with a cheery wave from Gus emerged once more onto the street.

"Wanna ride out, see what we can find for ourselves?" asked Kid.

"Y' know Kid, we could be spending a lot of time in those saddles whether we get work here or not so I don't see why we can't just put our feet up and rest a spell, d' you? Let's call it a vacation."

"We're real close to runnin' outta money," said Kid matter-of-factly.

Heyes shrugged his shoulders. "I know, I know, but for some reason I have faith that Gus will come up with somethin'. Guess you could call it a hunch," he said in response to his partner's sceptical look.

"A hunch? Pfftt! I know you, Heyes. You really just wanna see how much money ya can make playin' poker."

Heyes laid his hand on his cousin's shoulder and grinned. "Beats workin', don't it?!"

-oooooOOOooooo-

The Pine Flats Hotel was situated on the main street opposite Pendleton's General Store. Next to the General Store on one side was a gunsmith and a land office, and on the other side a cafe. A little further down the street was the Sheriff's office with the jail next door and just beyond that was a grain and feed store with the livery stable and a few other merchants' premises in between. The town also boasted a new brick built bank with steel bars at the windows, something that the two ex-outlaws couldn't help but notice.

They enjoyed their afternoon of leisure sitting in the shade of the hotel porch; Kid leaning his chair back against the wall, his hat pulled down over his eyes and his feet resting on the porch railings, and Heyes savouring a cigar while reading a newspaper which was a week or so old. It made a pleasant change from spending endless hours in the saddle travelling from town to town.

For most of the afternoon there had been very little activity on the main street. A few people had been into the General Store, someone had collected a rifle from the gunsmith and the Sheriff had walked up the street and back again on his rounds, so neither of the cousins bothered to look up as the bell on the door to the General Store tinkled again.

A young woman wearing a pale yellow dress and a straw bonnet with a blue ribbon stepped out onto the boardwalk carrying a large wicker basket. At that precise moment two young boys came round the corner of the store running at full pelt and collided with the basket knocking it out of her hand and sending its contents in all directions.

Despite appearing to be asleep, Kid Curry was instantly on his feet and striding across the street before Heyes had time to look up from his newspaper. The young woman was busy gathering up her purchases and placing them back in her basket so she didn't see him approach.

"Can I do that for ya, ma'am?" he asked. Briefly startled, she looked up at a face framed with blond curls.

"Thank you, that would be most kind," she replied, standing up and blushing slightly as the young man crouched down and started carefully placing each item back in her basket.

When the basket was full again Kid Curry stood up and smiled. "That's everythin'," he said, finally getting the chance to have a closer look at the young woman. She was slim with brown eyes and dark chestnut hair if the tendrils escaping from under her bonnet were anything to go by. She was pretty too. Real pretty, thought Kid.

"They didn't hurt ya did they?" She gave him a questioning look. "Those boys," he added, waving a hand in the direction they had taken.

"Oh no, they just knocked the basket," she replied.

Remembering his manners Kid hastily removed his hat and held it against his chest. "M' names Thaddeus Jones, ma'am."

"I'm Joy Connolly. Pleased to meet you Mister Jones."

"Pleasure's all mine," smiled Kid, causing her to blush again under the intense look from his blue eyes. He picked up the basket. "Can I carry this for ya?"

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. My nephew will be along with the buckboard at any moment. He had to go to the sawmill."

As she spoke a wagon turned the corner at the far end of the street driven by a youth of about sixteen. Joy Connolly waved to him but he hardly gave her a glance as he pulled the horses to a halt outside the store. Kid helped Joy onto the seat beside the youngster before placing the basket securely in the back of the wagon among a large pile of lumber, fence posts and coils of wire.

"Thank you again, Mister Jones."

"Anytime, ma'am."

The youth clicked his tongue at the horses and Kid Curry watched the wagon rattle away along the street. Sighing, he placed his hat back on his head and turned to see his partner watching him from the hotel porch, a wide grin on his face.

"What?" asked Kid as he returned to his seat.

"Nothin'. I was just thinking how you only move that fast when you're drawing your gun or if there's a lady in distress," his cousin replied with a wry smile. "She sure looked pretty from here," he added casually.

"Yeah Heyes, real pretty. But seein' as we'll be movin' on in a couple of days there ain't no point in me hopin' I'll see her again, is there?" Kid said placing his feet back on the porch railing and his hat over his eyes.

-oooooOOOooooo-

After a late supper in the cafe Heyes and Curry strolled over to the saloon, the noise coming from within indicating that it was a lot busier than earlier in the day. Gus greeted them like old friends as they approached the bar.

"Evenin' Joshua, Thaddeus. What'll it be?"

"Whiskey," said Kid as he leaned on the bar.

"Make that two," added Heyes. Gus poured out two full measures and took the money Kid handed him.

"I was hopin' you two would be comin' in tonight, I've got some news for yer."

"Oh?" said Heyes.

"Yep, heard today one of the ranches down the valley needs a couple of fellas for a few weeks. Just doin' odd jobs, puttin' up fencin', maybe a little work with horses. That sorta thing any good for yer?."

Heyes raised his eyebrows and gave his partner an I-told-you-so look. Kid rolled his eyes.

"Well, that sounds like just the job we're looking for, Gus," said Heyes with a satisfied grin.

"It's out at Cottonwood Creek, 'bout ten miles or so south of here. Frank and Faith Dewar haven't had the Double C long. Been kinda unlucky. Mrs Dewar was taken sick just after they got here, then the couple of no-goods they hired just up and left. They have a son, Jake, but they could use some help right enough."

"We'll take a ride out there first thing tomorrow, thanks Gus," said Kid.

"No problem, boys," smiled Gus and he moved down the bar to serve another customer.

Heyes took a mouthful of his whiskey and, pushing his hat to the back of his head, leaned with his back to the bar in order to survey the busy saloon. Kid turned towards him.

"Okay Heyes, you can take that smug look off your face," he said through partly clenched teeth.

"Well, I keep telling ya, you need to have more faith." Heyes nodded thoughtfully. "I think maybe I have a gift when it comes to hunches."

"So your hunches are a gift now?"

"Uh, huh. You see, right now I have a real strong hunch that the players on that table over there are gonna lose most of their money...to us. I just saw one stay on a pair of nines and that fella with the moustache, well he's just gotta be drawin' to an inside straight!"

Kid laughed at his cousin's wicked smile as they walked over to join the poker game.

-oooooOOOooooo-

The next morning they checked out of the hotel, saddled up their horses and headed south on the road out of Pine Flats.

The two ex-outlaws were feeling pleased with themselves. The poker game last night had been very profitable but they had been careful not to win too much and alienate the locals for when they showed their faces in town again.

It was shaping up to be a beautiful late summer's day. There was barely a cloud in the sky and a light breeze was rustling through the trees making the heat bearable. These were the kind of days when they enjoyed being in the saddle.

Their horses also seemed keen to be out on the road again and after a while they let them have their heads for a mile or two, bringing them back to a trot and then a walk for the rest of the way. They passed a few small farms dotted here and there as the land began to open out and the trail began to run alongside the river for a while. It was a little after noon when they arrived at the gate to the Double C and they trotted their horses down the track towards the ranch.

As they approached the homestead it became apparent that the property was a little run down. There was a large barn with some timbers missing on one side and a hole in the roof and a smaller barn situated further back, also showing some disrepair. What they assumed to be a bunkhouse was set a little way to the side next to the corral which itself was not very large, possibly indicating that some of the fencing was missing. The house looked in better shape, from what they could see at the front anyway. It was of a modest size with a wrap-around porch complete with rocking chairs and a bench.

The cousins brought their horses to a halt at the hitching rail in front of the house. Heyes pushed his dust-covered black hat away from his eyes and looked around.

"Looks like there's a few weeks work here," he said as they dismounted.

"Yeah, but it's gonna involve hammers and nails and a sore thumb," grumbled Kid.

They turned as a shout came from the large barn. A thin, dark-haired man in his early forties stood in the doorway holding a shotgun.

"What 's your business here?" he demanded.

At the sight of the shotgun Kid Curry's hand instinctively hovered near his holster until Heyes placed a reassuring hand on his arm, smiling at his partner with unspoken thanks.

"Howdy!" called Heyes cheerily. "You Mister Dewar?"

"Who wants to know?"

"I'm Joshua Smith and this is my partner, Thaddeus Jones. Gus at the saloon in Pine Flats said you were looking to take on a couple of hands. So here we are!"

"Huh, that was quick," said Frank Dewar, leaning the shotgun against the barn and making his way towards them. "Jake said he'd left a message with Gus yesterday but I didn't expect to see anyone so soon. You two done much ranch work?"

"Drovin' mostly," said Kid.

"We have worked with horses but that was a while back," added Heyes. " If you're looking for experienced wranglers, well that's not us. Gus said it was mainly odd jobs and it sure looks like you need some repairs doing."

"Well, there's truth in that," admitted Frank. "The pay is thirty dollars a month with bed and food. Think it'll suit you?"

"It'll suit us just fine, Mister Dewar," said Heyes, extending his hand. Frank Dewar liked the look of the two young men and shook their hands willingly.

"Bring your horses round the back. The corral is next to the bunkhouse." He pointed to the small building just past the barn. "You can turn them loose in there. The fence needs some work but they should be safe enough."

Heyes and Curry unhitched their horses and led them in the direction Frank Dewar had indicated. As they had noticed earlier, the corral was small and some of the fencing looked like it was barely staying upright but they unsaddled their horses and turned them loose.

Mister Dewar called from the bunkhouse. "Bring your saddles boys, there are some racks in here."

The bunkhouse had four bunks at one end, a pot-bellied stove with a large table and chairs in the middle and an area that was doubling as a tack room at the other. The two cousins heaved their heavy saddles onto the racks and taking their saddlebags from their shoulders threw them on a bed each.

"I'm afraid it hasn't been lived in for a while so I'll ask my wife to look out some fresh bedding for you."

Kid Curry smiled. "We've slept in worse places, Mister Dewar. Much worse," he said glancing at his cousin and Heyes nodded in agreement.

"You can call me Frank," said their boss as he led them out of the bunkhouse. "There's a well over there." He pointed in the direction of the back of the house. "You can wash up then come up to the house. Dinner should be ready soon. There should be enough for all of us. You can take your meals at the house every day if you like, seeing as there's only two of you."

The cousins thanked him and, while Heyes checked the corral fence again, Kid went over to the well, hauled up a bucket of water and brought it back to the bunkhouse. Time spent on the road meant they were used to washing anywhere they could but they had every intention of getting the stove working later to heat up some water. They would maybe brew some coffee too if Mrs Dewar would loan them some until they could go into Pine Flats again. Both men brushed off the trail dust and washed as best they could in the cold water before crossing the yard to the back door of the house.

Heyes was just about to knock when the door was opened by a homely looking woman who greeted them warmly. "Frank said we had company, come in boys. Dinner's almost ready."

"Thank you ma'am," said Heyes as they stepped inside the cosy kitchen.

Kid inhaled appreciatively. "Why that sure does smell good, ma'am. It ain't often we get home cookin'."

"Oh, I'm not doing much of the cooking at the moment, you have my sister to thank for that. She's stopping with us for a while." She indicated the figure bending down to take a large pot out of the oven.

As she stood up, Joy Connolly almost dropped the pot she was holding when she saw the young blond-haired man standing in the doorway. "Why Mister Jones! How nice to see you again," she said, with no attempt to disguise the delight in her voice.

Kid was momentarily lost for words as he looked in surprise at the pretty young woman. Heyes gave him a sly dig in the ribs and his cousin regained his composure and smiled.

"Miss Connolly," he said with a nod.

"Do you two know each other?" asked Mrs Dewar.

"Mister Jones kindly helped me when I dropped my basket yesterday."

Heyes could see that his partner was not going to make the introductions. "I'm Joshua and this is Thaddeus," he said with his best dimpled smile.

"Well I never, where are our manners?! I'm Faith and... well... you seem to know my sister, Joy," laughed Mrs Dewar. "Come and sit down. Frank and Jake will join us presently. Jake's our son," she added.

The cousins were just about to sit down when Frank entered the kitchen accompanied by the surly-looking youth Kid had seen driving the wagon yesterday. Faith Dewar crossed the room and put a hand on his shoulder. "Jake, meet Joshua and Thaddeus. They're going to be helping around here."

Heyes and Curry smiled at the boy, both of them acutely aware of the direction of his gaze to Kid's low slung Colt. They took their seats quickly as Joy began to ladle out some mutton stew with vegetables and hand round thick slices of freshly made bread. There was little conversation as everyone gave the meal their full attention and, with a large helping of the apple pie that followed, as well as being able to look at Joy sitting opposite him, Kid began to think he was in Heaven.

Frank Dewar pushed away his empty plate. "So, where are you fellas from?" he asked.

"Originally from Kansas but we've not stayed in one place long enough to put down any roots," answered Heyes. "Gus told us you haven't had this ranch long," he said, attempting to divert the conversation away from themselves.

"We came down from Wyoming a few months back. Had a ranch there but sold up and started again here at Cottonwood Creek," answered Frank.

"I would've thought horse ranchin' would be a good business in Wyoming," opined Heyes.

"We made a fair living," admitted Frank, "but it was time to move on, hopefully to bigger and better things here."

"Oh Frank, you know it was mostly because of me. I didn't feel safe you see, what with those awful outlaws on the loose," said Faith.

The two ex-outlaws both stopped with loaded forks held midway between their plates and their mouths.

"Er...outlaws, ma'am?" Heyes enquired with an innocent smile as Kid quickly resumed eating his apple pie.

"Why yes, Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry, and that Devil's Hole Gang. You must have heard of them."

"Oh, who hasn't?" Heyes replied earnestly.

"They didn't rob people's homes, ma'am... just railroads and banks...er...so I heard," Kid added quickly with a sideways glance at his cousin.

"Well, it was only a matter of time before they started," said Faith adamantly as Heyes and Curry frowned and nodded in agreement with everyone else at the table.

Heyes cleared his throat. "Are you from Wyoming too, Miss Connolly?" he asked.

"Please, call me Joy," she said. "No, I live in Rapid City. Faith took ill on the journey from Wyoming so I came down to help out until she was well again."

"I don't know what we would have done without her," said Faith, patting her sister's hand. Joy blushed at the compliment and at Kid's intense gaze from across the table.

Frank Dewar drained his coffee cup. "Well, if you fellas are finished I guess we'd better get started on fixin' the corral. You too, Jake."

As the ladies cleared the table the cousins thanked them for the meal and returned to the bunkhouse to get their hats and gloves before joining Frank and Jake over at a large pile of fence posts and wire at the side of the large barn. They spent the rest of the day extending part of the corral and repairing some of the broken fencing.

So focused were they on their work that they didn't notice Faith and Joy cross the yard to the bunkhouse their arms full of bedding, together with a bowl for washing, a pan for warming water, a coffee pot with two cups and a tin of coffee, and a lamp with a tin of oil. The sun was just starting to set by the time Heyes and Curry entered the bunkhouse again and they were pleasantly surprised to see the fresh bedding on the bunks and that the stove had been lit with a pot of coffee keeping warm on the top.

"I could get used to this," Heyes remarked as he poured two cups of coffee and handed one to his cousin.

"I don't think it's likely we're gonna get coffee made for us every day," said Kid. "We'll probably have to go back to drinkin' yours," he added gloomily.

"There's nothin' wrong with my coffee," Heyes protested.

"So ya keep tellin' me, but it don't make it true."

"And I keep tellin' ya that you can make your own if you don't like it!"

Kid laughed at his cousin's indignant tone and knew that, as usual, he would ignore the challenge to make his own. Heyes' coffee was pretty bad but he was used to it, more than he wanted to admit anyway.

They stood in the light of the setting sun, leaning on the front of the bunkhouse and looking at their handiwork, feeling satisfied that their horses would now be safe in the corral until they got the barn repaired. When they had finished their coffee Kid took the bucket over to the well for more water so that they could wash and make themselves respectable for supper. He had just heaved the full bucket over the side when the back door of the house opened and Joy stepped out onto the porch. Kid turned and smiled at her.

"Evenin' ma'am. Er...Joy," he said, tipping his hat with his free hand.

"Hello Thaddeus," she replied, her pulse quickening a little as she thought how handsome he looked in the golden glow of the setting sun. "Supper will be ready in about half an hour."

"Thank you. Lookin' forward to it." Kid smiled and watched as she went back inside, before he headed back across the yard.

Heyes had been watching their brief exchange and he recognised the look on his partner's face as he walked towards him. Whistling tunelessly between his teeth Heyes tried to decide what to do. Experience had taught him that it was not always a good idea to come between Kid and the fairer sex, and a similar situation in the past had ended up with him nursing a bruised jaw. As Kid reached the bunkhouse door Heyes made his decision.

"No...no," he said guardedly.

"No, no, what?"

"Kid, I know she's real pretty an' all but you can't go gettin' involved," he said, keeping his distance while his cousin half filled the pan with water before placing it on the stove.

"I ain't," stated Kid as they stripped off their shirts and henleys and waited for the water to heat.

"Well, if the way you looked at her was anything to go by, you sure want to."

Ice blue eyes directed a steady look at Heyes. "Wantin' ain't the same as doin'."

"Now don't go gettin' proddy," frowned Heyes, involuntarily rubbing his jaw. "It's just that...well...I know what you're like Kid, you see a pretty lady and..."

"I ain't gettin' involved."

"As long as you remember that. We have to move on in a few weeks."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Kid grumbled.

Relieved, Heyes smiled. "Well, at least you didn't hit me this time," he said and once again moved out of reach in case Kid changed his mind.

-oooooOOOooooo-

Freshly washed and wearing clean shirts the two duly presented themselves at the house half an hour later and enjoyed a supper of corn bread with cold meat and some stewed fruit. Talk around the table was mostly about the ranch and Frank told the two ex-outlaws what he was aiming to achieve in the relatively short time left before the fall and the first snows of winter.

"We'll take a ride out tomorrow morning," he said. "You can see where the fences need renewing and take a look at the stock at the same time." He looked at his son. "You too, Jake. These fellas aren't doing the fencing on their own."

Heyes and Curry noted the sullen expression on the boy's face. "We can sure use your help Jake," smiled Kid.

"Jake here doesn't like ranch work," laughed Frank, ruffling his son's hair. "He'd much rather be reading one of those dime novels about outlaws and gunmen and such like. I keep telling him that life ain't like that. You just don't go round doing tricks like shootin' people's holsters off their gun belts!"

Heyes joined in with Frank's laughter at the same time trying to recall how many times he had seen his cousin do exactly that. Kid grinned. At least now they understood the boy's interest in the low slung Colt. Kid would have to remember to be careful he didn't let Jake see him practicing his quick draw.

-oooooOOOooooo-

The following morning, after a hearty breakfast, they saddled up their horses and rode westwards from the Cottonwood Creek homestead to an area of grassland sheltered on one side by the cottonwood trees which gave the ranch its name and rolling hills on the other. There was a small herd of horses grazing peacefully in the distance and they raised their heads as the four riders came into sight.

"We managed to buy several mares from the previous owner," said Frank, pointing at the herd. "With my wife expecting a baby, driving all our existing stock down from Wyoming was not really an option."

The two cousins exchanged a look before Heyes spoke. "Oh, I didn't realise Faith was expectin'."

Frank Dewar looked down at his gloved hands. "Well, she ain't no more. Faith's real sensitive and riding in the wagon was not the best thing for her. She lost the baby shortly after we arrived."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Heyes and Kid shook his head sadly.

"Faith was real poorly and the doctor wouldn't let her outta bed for a few weeks, that's why Joy came to stay with us. Looks like she's well on the mend now."

"So, I guess Joy will be heading home soon?" asked Kid.

"Yup. Before the winter snow sets in."

"Are you planning to get a stallion in before the winter?" asked Heyes, quickly changing the subject to try and cover the disappointment in his partner's voice.

Jake suddenly spoke up. "Already got one," he said proudly.

Frank gave his son a warning glance then smiled at Heyes. "Of course, I'd forgotten, you haven't seen Latigo yet. He's a beauty! We had to bring him with us; he was too good to sell. We've been keeping him in the small barn, but now that the corral is repaired we can turn him out for a spell." He turned his horse. "Let's go check these fences," he said over his shoulder as he trotted away in the direction of the trees.

The remainder of the morning was spent riding the fences, noting the areas in most urgent need of repair and those that could wait until spring. When they returned to the homestead Frank and Jake took the cousins over to the small barn to see the stallion. Latigo was a large, strong, black Saddlebred and it was obvious that Frank was very proud of the animal. The ex-outlaws did not claim to be experts when it came to horses but they felt they knew a good horse when they saw it and this one was impressive. Once the stallion was safely in a section of the corral away from their horses, the cousins spent their afternoon fixing a hole in the small barn's roof.

Later that evening Heyes lay on his bunk with his hands behind his head watching Kid meticulously cleaning his revolver.

"Y' know Kid, Faith must have been real frightened for Frank to take a chance like that, moving his family and his livelihood all the way from Wyoming," he pondered.

"Yeah, and with her expectin' an' all," added Kid. He looked up from his Colt. "You don't think she was on a train we held up, do ya?"

"Well...I didn't get the feelin' she recognised us if she was, but I guess I never thought about the effect our outlawin' might have on the people we didn't hold up." Heyes thought for a moment. "Maybe they did move 'cause she was scared but, I have a hunch that's not the full story."

"There ya go with another hunch."

"The last one was right wasn't it? Gus came up with a job."

"Hmph." Sometimes Kid did not want to admit how often his partner was right.

"Anyhow, I'm just sayin', something don't seem right, that's all." Heyes frowned. "And I did notice Frank give Jake a strange look when he mentioned the stallion."

Kid hoped that his cousin wouldn't wake him in the middle of the night to talk about one of his theories.

-oooooOOOooooo-

For the next few days Heyes and Curry worked hard and despite Kid complaining about his thumb the small barn roof was mended and some of the ranch fencing was also complete. The only thing stopping them carrying on with the repairs was a lack of materials, so at supper one evening they volunteered to take a wagon and make the journey into Pine Flats the next day to purchase more lumber, wire and fence posts.

"I could come with you," said Joy, taking Kid's attention away from his meal. "If we take the large wagon I could stock up with provisions for quite a while, if you think our credit will stretch with Mister Pendleton, Frank. We are running a bit low on supplies now that we're feeding two more people." She smiled at Kid. "And one of those people sure can eat!"

"Just can't get enough of your cookin' and that's a fact," he said, returning her smile.

"Good idea, Joy," said Frank. "Tell Mister Pendleton I'll be in at the end of the month to settle up. He knows we're good for it."

"I'd like to stay in town overnight, if that's alright," said Heyes.

Frank thought for a moment. "I guess that'd be okay, Joshua. You two can load up in town and Jake can help Thaddeus unload the wagon when he and Joy get back."

"Faith and I will get a list together of what we need," Joy said eagerly.

-oooooOOOooooo-

The early morning light made the red highlights in Joy's chestnut brown hair shimmer as the wagon rattled along the trail to Pine Flats. It was something that did not go unnoticed by Kid Curry as he sat next to her on the bench seat trying desperately to keep his mind on driving the wagon.

The day promised to be fine and warm but Joy was not looking forward to the return trip in the heat of the afternoon. She wondered whether Thaddeus could be persuaded to stop near the river for a while so they could get some shade and, a little shamelessly she thought, some time together on their own. Since the two cousins' arrival at Cottonwood Creek they had been so busy that she had only seen Thaddeus at mealtimes apart from an occasional called greeting or wave from across the yard.

From the minute he woke up Heyes had been aware of how cheerful Kid had been in anticipation of spending the day with Joy and, as he rode his sorrel mare alongside the wagon, he was also aware of where his partner's blue eyes were spending most of their time. He would just have to hope that he remembered their conversation from the other night.

It was late morning when they pulled up in Pine Flats' main street and Kid jumped down to help Joy from the wagon. He and Heyes, along with their long list of required materials, then took the wagon up the street to the lumber yard while Joy went inside the General Store.

The wagon was a good two thirds full by the time they had loaded up at the lumber yard and they returned to the General Store just as Mister Pendleton was starting to stack boxes and sacks on the boardwalk outside.

"Howdy," called Kid, "are these for the Double C?"

"Sure are," Mister Pendleton replied. "You need a hand loading up?"

"No thanks, my friend and I can manage," said Kid as he jumped down from the wagon. Heyes dismounted and tied his horse to the hitching rail.

The wagon was full by the time all the goods were loaded so they used a couple of coils of rope to make the load as secure as possible. Kid regarded the wagon with some concern and hoped that it was sound and would hold up all the way back to the ranch. Joy still hadn't emerged from the store so he went inside leaving Heyes leaning against the wagon and idly brushing the dust off his black hat. Joy was at the counter talking to Mrs Pendleton and looking at some rolls of fabric.

"We're all loaded up. You gonna be long?" he asked.

Joy turned and held up some of the fabric underneath her chin. "This would make a pretty dress. What do you think, Thaddeus?"

Not being an expert in ladies dresses Kid Curry was a little taken aback at being asked. "Well...um...the colour's nice," he volunteered.

Joy giggled. "I need to run a couple more errands then I want to get some food from the cafe for a picnic on the way home," she said. "You can leave the wagon here. The store's boy will watch it."

"Joshua and I will go get us a beer then, while we're waitin'."

She gave him an old-fashioned look. "Just the one mind."

"Yes, ma'am." Kid tried to look serious, tipping his hat as he opened the door. As the bell tinkled Heyes looked up and stopped rubbing the silver conchos on his hat band.

"I've been told we can go for a beer. But just one," Kid said trying to keep a straight face.

"What happened in there?! Did you two get married or somethin'?!" exclaimed Heyes. He joined in with his cousin's laughter as they walked across the street to the saloon where they both had every intention of having more than one beer.

-oooooOOOooooo-

The wagon creaked and rattled its way down the street and Heyes stood and watched until it rounded the bend out of sight.

"Howdy!" said a familiar booming voice behind him. Heyes turned and once again wondered how such a big man as Marty Button could tread so quietly.

"Sheriff," he said tipping his hat and smiling. "Nice day."

Marty Button's scrutinised the young man for a second time. "I hear you and your friend got yourselves jobs out at the Double C."

"Yes we did, Sheriff."

"You plan on stayin' there a while?"

"There's a lot of work needs doing."

"Well, I guess I'll be seein' ya again then."

"Uh huh," nodded Heyes with a slightly nervous smile. The Sheriff nodded back and walked away. A tall man but short on words, thought Heyes. The ex-outlaw was still sure that the Sheriff didn't know he was Hannibal Heyes but that didn't stop the man from making him feel uncomfortable.

-oooooOOOooooo-

Kid Curry glanced sideways and smiled at Joy's concerned face as she looked over her shoulder at the heavy load and felt the wagon rattle and lurch as it rolled along.

"It'll be fine if we take it easy," he reassured her. "Heck, one time I took a wagon loaded with dynamite on a real rough trail up to a mining camp. I took it easy and I didn't get blowed up once."

She nodded without returning his smile. As soon as they had left Pine Flats she had begun to realise that although she liked Thaddeus and had been looking forward to spending some time on their own, she didn't really know him very well. She also wondered if stopping for a picnic was such a good idea.

After about an hour Kid began to feel concerned too, but for a different reason. Joy was normally quite talkative back at the ranch but she had hardly said a word since they left town.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," she replied, looking straight ahead.

"Is it the sun? Are ya too hot?"

"I'm fine."

"Whoa," he said bringing the two horses to a stop. "Joy, have I done somethin' to upset you?" he asked. She couldn't possible know he'd had that second beer, he thought.

Joy was not sure what to say because she didn't want to admit that she was a little worried now that they were alone.

"No," came the simple reply.

"Uh, huh," said Kid slowly. He clicked his tongue at the horses and they moved forward. As the wagon got rolling again the heavy load pushed one of the front wheels deep into a rut in the track and Joy cried out in alarm as the wagon rocked and she was hurled sideways against Kid. She grabbed his arm tightly with both hands to stop herself from falling forward.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as she tried to steady herself. "I didn't mean to..."

"Well, I'm glad ya did," smiled Kid, his gaze resting on the slightly trembling hands holding his arm before moving up to her face. Joy smiled shyly.

"Haven't seen that smile in a while. It's nice," he said. Joy blushed. "Tell ya what, why don't we give it a couple more miles and then we can rest a spell by the river and have somethin' to eat. I'm dyin' to see what you've got in that basket 'cause it's sure been a long time since breakfast!"

Joy couldn't help but laugh as she recalled Kid's ability to put away large helpings of food at each meal. Feeling a little better she recounted what she had bought at the cafe for the picnic.

The sun was high overhead by the time Kid pulled the wagon to the side of the road and under a cluster of cottonwood trees to give the horses some shade. He jumped down and took the basket Joy held out to him, then held up his hands to help her down. Joy hesitated, biting her bottom lip as she looked down at him.

"Come on," he smiled, sensing her concern. "I won't bite, I promise."

Joy stood up, hoping her legs would hold her and felt his hands gently grasp either side of her waist as he lifted her down onto the ground in front of him.

Kid looked around. "How about over there?" he pointed. Without waiting for a reply he picked up the basket in one hand, took her hand firmly in the other and led her to a small grassy area next to the river with a willow tree for shade.

He stood holding her hand for a moment but when she didn't sit down Kid let go and plonked himself on the grass, pulled off his tan gloves and started unpacking the basket. "You gonna stand there all day?" he asked kindly, squinting up at her in the sunlight as he once again offered her his hand. Laughing, she took it and sat down beside him.

-oooooOOOooooo-

Heyes led his horse to the livery stable then made his way down the boardwalk to the telegraph office and sent a message to Lom telling him that they had found work at the Double C. He also decided to ask him if he had heard of any missing stallions in Wyoming. The hotel was his next stop to arrange a room for the night. He was looking forward to a comfortable bed and a long soak in a hot bath as well as an evening spent over at the saloon playing a few hands of poker.

He had just stepped onto the hotel porch when the sound of horses on the quiet street drew his attention and he turned and watched as three riders trotted down the main street towards the livery stable. All three looked dusty and trail-weary so he assumed they must be new in town. Heyes smiled to himself and his spirits rose even further at the prospect of three more cowpokes to win money from.

-oooooOOOooooo-

The blond ex-outlaw lay on his back on the grass, his hat over his eyes and his stomach comfortably full. He took one hand from behind his head and, with one finger, pushed his hat brim up slightly in order to look at the young lady sitting beside him. Kid had been thinking over what Heyes had said about not getting involved. What if the amnesty never come through? He hated the thought of being on the move for the rest of his life, never being able to settle down and he knew Heyes felt the same. A place in this little valley in Colorado would suit him just fine especially with someone like Joy to share it with.

Joy sat looking at the river as it rippled and bounced over the rocks. She was enjoying the feel of the cool grass underneath her and the whispering sound the willow tree made in the summer breeze. While they had shared the picnic she was surprised how quickly she had begun to feel at ease again with Thaddeus. A movement next to her drew her attention away from the water and she looked round as Kid sat up with a groan.

"Well, as much as I hate to say it, we'd better get movin', I guess," he said, the disappointment evident in his voice.

"I guess," Joy echoed, equally disappointed and she began packing up the basket. Kid reached over and touched her hand.

"Joy, would it scare you if I kissed ya?" he asked softly. She felt her heart miss a beat as his blue eyes looked into hers.

"I don't think so," she breathed.

Kid slowly leaned forward and gently brushed his lips against hers. As he pulled back a little Joy's eyes remained closed so he kissed her again, lingering a little longer this time, enjoying the feel of her soft mouth.

-oooooOOOooooo-

Hannibal Heyes returned to Cottonwood Creek just before noon the following day. He and the Kid had spent the afternoon working on different parts of the corral fence and had not had time to talk much, so he was therefore surprised when, after supper, Kid and Joy sat together on the front porch until it was almost dark. By the time Kid returned to the bunkhouse his partner was slowly pacing the floor. Kid regarded him curiously.

"What's the matter, Heyes?"

Hands on hips the ex-outlaw leader turned and faced him. "What part of 'don't get involved' didn't you understand?" he asked sarcastically as Kid sat down on one of the bunks and began to pull off his boots.

"We were just sittin' on the porch," his cousin stated matter-of-factly.

"And?"

"Well...I mighta kissed her," said Kid with a satisfied grin. Heyes threw his hands up in the air and sank down on the other bunk. Kid gave his cousin a sideways glance.

"Y' ain't jealous are ya?"

Heyes glared at him then studied the floor for a moment. When he looked up again his brown eyes had softened.

"You know me better than that."

"Yeah, sorry Heyes." Kid looked contrite. "I know what we agreed but...Joy and me...well, we like each other...a lot." He pulled at a hole in one of his socks.

"The truth is..." Heyes said with a sigh as he got to his feet again and started to rifle through his saddlebags. "... I sent Lom a telegraph when I was in town." He held out a piece of paper.

"What's this?" asked his cousin.

"Lom's reply. I think you should read it." Kid took the note.

Black Saddlebred stallion stolen six months ago from ranch at Coney Mountain. Lom.

Kid Curry screwed up his eyes. "Aaww no. You think it's Latigo don't ya?"

"Dunno,...maybe," replied Heyes, returning to his bunk. "But I do know one thing, we can't get caught up with a stolen horse, Kid. That'd be our amnesty gone for sure. Apart from the fact it's a hangin' offence we don't want them adding horse stealin' to our Wanted posters. That's another reason why you shouldn't get involved with Joy; what if she's mixed up in this somehow?"

"What d' ya think we should do?" asked his cousin.

"Dunno."

"D' ya think we should leave? I was hopin' to stay a bit longer."

Heyes shrugged his shoulders. "They seem like nice people, Kid. I can't believe they're horse thieves. But, we might have to leave sooner than we thought if I can't get it figured out."

"No hunch?"

"Oh, funny."

-oooooOOOooooo-

It had been a long ride from Coney Mountain trying to follow Frank Dewar's trail but McGrath, Barton and Snow were sure that they had finally located him. A few subtle enquiries around Pine Flats had given them all the information they needed, so they were resting up before beginning the final stage of their task. Their employer John Bradley, had instructed them to do whatever was necessary to recover the stallion and to use force if they had to. In truth, force was what they were best at.

The three men had managed to find some cheap lodging at a small boarding house on the edge of town which was just as well since they had lost a considerable amount of money in the saloon last night. Jinks McGrath considered himself to be a good poker player, Barton and Snow too, but they had all been totally outplayed by a local ranch hand with an engaging smile and a battered black hat. They needed to finish this job quickly and get back to Wyoming to collect the rest of the money Bradley had promised them.

-oooooOOOooooo-

Jake Dewar dragged his feet as he crossed the yard towards the large barn where he had been instructed by his father to help Joshua and Thaddeus repair the hole in the side wall. He hated the ranch, hated working for his father even more and longed for the excitement he read about in the dime novels that he bought with his allowance.

He had noticed Joshua on the other side of the corral sorting some timber and assumed Thaddeus was inside the barn getting started so he was surprised when, stepping from the bright sunlight into the darkness of the barn, he saw the blond-haired man facing a pile of hay bales drawing his gun with lightning speed and twirling it back into its holster. He had read about the skills of a gunslinger but had never imagined he would ever see a man handle a gun like that for real.

Sensing someone behind him Kid Curry spun round, his Colt instantly in his hand. He had assumed that the dark barn would be a safe enough place to practice his quick draw, so his heart sank when he saw it was Jake.

"Hey, Jake," he said, hastily returning his revolver to its holster. Jake stood and stared.

"You're as fast as Pete Silver!" he said, finally finding his voice.

"Who?" asked Kid.

"Pete Silver, the gunfighter. I read about him all the time. Can you shoot fast too?"

"Not really," lied Kid.

"Could you teach me how to do that? The quick draw and the fancy gun twirlin'."

Kid sighed and sat down on one of the hay bales. "You don't wanna learn that," he said. "Those gunmen you read about ain't real, y' know."

"Pete Silver is, he rides all over Colorado shootin' outlaws."

"Only in those dime novels, Jake. Y' know, in real life there's always somebody who's gonna be better, faster, maybe even catch ya on a bad day or somethin'. Someone might even shoot ya in the back because of your reputation and because they know they're not as fast as you. Simple fact is, most gunslingers end up dead."

Hannibal Heyes walked into the barn carrying a saw and an armful of short wooden planks. He had heard the last few words Kid had spoken and looked past Jake in askance at his partner. Kid gave him a look of resignation.

"Jake, could you go get a couple of hammers and some good strong nails?" said Heyes. "Then maybe you can help us patch up this barn."

"Okay," mumbled Jake as he trudged out of the barn. Heyes watched to make sure he was out of earshot.

"What was that all about?" he enquired, dumping the planks down on the floor. Then realisation hit him. "Please don't tell me he caught you practicing?"

"I thought there was nobody about except you and I didn't hear him come in 'til it was too late."

Heyes threw his partner a quizzical look.

"I didn't see him 'cause I was facin' the hay bales," Kid admitted reluctantly.

"You had your back to the door?" Heyes rolled his eyes and slowly shook his head. "Sheesh, Kid, you are outta practice!"

-oooooOOOooooo-

The sound of sawing and hammering filled the warm afternoon air as the cousins patched up the hole in the barn wall. They found their carpentry skills steadily improving the more they used them although Kid's thumb still managed to find its way under his hammer more times than he liked. Jake had been kept busy moving and stacking the bales of hay away from the stalls so that any missing or damaged planks could also be identified and repaired.

During a pause in the hammering and while they sized up another piece of wood, the sound of horses hooves could be heard in the distance.

"I think someone's coming up the track," said Jake moving to the barn door to listen. "They've stopped. Why would they do that?"

"Maybe they took a wrong turn and went back," said Heyes, holding a plank at the bottom of one of the stalls for Kid to nail in place. Jake shrugged and returned to the hay bales. A horse whinnied not far away and Kid Curry's attention was no longer on the hammer or nail in his hands. Just then a voice called out from some bushes opposite the house.

"Dewar! Frank Dewar. You in there?" Curry and Heyes were immediately on their feet and in position either side of the barn door, their guns drawn.

"Stay where you are, Jake," hissed Kid pointing to where the boy was standing near the bales. "Where's your Pa?"

"He's in the house, I think."

"What about your Ma and Joy?"

"Ma has a sleep in the afternoon but I don't know where Aunt Joy is."

"Dewar!" yelled the voice again. Heyes could see the front door of the house from where he stood and he tensed as he saw it open a fraction and the barrel of a rifle appear from within.

"What do you want?" shouted Frank Dewar.

"John Bradley sent us. We're here for the horse."

"He's going nowhere," yelled Frank. "That horse stays here, he's mine by rights. Now get off my property!"

"You can hand it over, or we're gonna come and get it. The choice is yours, Dewar but we ain't leavin' without it."

The front door closed and Heyes quickly looked at his partner. "Latigo's in the small barn," he said. "Do you wanna go or shall I?" Neither man had noticed Jake move to the rear door of the barn until he spoke.

"Pa's runnin' across the yard," he said.

Kid quickly moved to Jake's side just in time to see Frank Dewar disappear inside the small barn carrying a rifle and a box of bullets. A movement to his left drew his attention and he saw Joy run inside the house through the back door. She must have been in the vegetable garden, he thought.

"One of them has just run to the side of the house," said Heyes, cracking his Schofield open to check it for bullets. Kid didn't need to look, his Colt was always fully loaded.

"I see him, he's behind the well now. Can ya see any more of them?" asked Kid.

Heyes was just about to answer when another man ran across the side of the house and disappeared from sight. "I'm guessin' there's another at the far end of this barn," he said.

"You bringin' that horse out, Dewar?" called the voice from the bushes. "Or do we have to start shootin'?"

"And he makes three," said Heyes. "Well, at least it don't look like we're outnumbered."

"We've got Thaddeus anyway," said Jake. "I bet he's as good as two." Heyes smiled to himself at the boy's accurate opinion.

Jinks McGrath weighed up the situation. Snow was in place behind the well and Barton to the side of the barn. He estimated that there were two people in the large barn. All the hammering told him that the horse was probably not in there so he guessed it must be in the smaller barn at the back. He had to assume that Dewar's wife was in the house, maybe his son too.

"You ready Snow, Barton?" he called. Affirmative yells came from both men and Snow suddenly darted out from behind the well heading for the corner of the bunkhouse. From his position at the back door of the barn Kid took two quick shots, one hit the dirt at Snow's feet and the other hit the bunkhouse at Snow's eye level. Frank Dewar must have spotted Barton by the corner of the big barn as three rifle shots rang out and three bullets embedded themselves in the wood. Both Snow and Barton returned fire, just splintering wood.

Heyes took a shot towards the bushes to try and get a location on the third person and Jinks McGrath duly returned fire. Neither shot found their target.

Barton signaled to Snow to try and move further towards the small barn and, as he ran forward, fired several shots to cover him. Frank Dewar once again managed to land three more bullets in the side of the barn and Kid's shots missed Snow by a fraction of an inch. Curry could not believe he had missed again and cursed under his breath as he quickly reloaded.

Heyes aimed two more shots at the bushes in the hope of hitting someone or drawing the shooter out, but this time no fire was returned. He took a chance and peered round the open door. A bullet took splinters out of the barn just above his head and he ducked back inside. The third man had moved nearer to the house and Heyes had no line of sight from his position unless he broke cover.

"Third one's movin' towards the house," he called. Kid turned to Jake.

"Can you get the ladder up to that hole in the roof?" he asked. Jake nodded. "Take a look around and tell me what ya see." Jake wasted no time in scrambling up the ladder and pulled it up into the loft behind him. It was just long enough to reach the hole and he wedged it in place with a couple of bales of hay.

Snow was making ground on the small barn with cover from Barton as Frank Dewar had to stop and reload his rifle. Kid aimed another shot at Snow, finally finding the man's gun hand. Snow began to fire just as the bullet hit him, before dropping his gun and clasping his hand to his chest. Kid ducked back behind the barn door as a bullet whistled past his arm only to hear a gasp from the other side of the barn.

"You hit?" he called to Heyes without turning round. Kid didn't want to take his eyes off Snow until he was sure he couldn't use his gun with his left hand.

"Grazed," came the reply.

Kid looked up at the loft. "See anyone?" he called. The hole in the roof was just big enough for Jake to get through and he cautiously looked out around the ranch buildings.

"I saw someone go to the other side of the house. Looks like he's tryin' to get to the well," he called down to Kid as he ducked back through the hole.

"Joshua, can you cover this side while I go look take a look?" shouted Kid.

"Yep," replied Heyes and they swapped places.

Kid stepped outside and flattened himself against the barn wall as he edged his way towards the house. When more shooting started in the yard he made a run for the front porch and crossed it to the far side of the house. Cautiously he looked round the corner. He could see the third man peering round the far corner towards the well.

Kid had a clear shot. "Hold it," he shouted. "Drop your gun, nice and easy."

Jinks McGrath ignored this advice and chose to turn to shoot. Kid's shot instantly found it's mark and McGrath's gun flew out of his hand before he'd pulled the trigger, painfully wrenching his wrist.

Barton heard the shot from his position by the barn but couldn't quite work out where it had come from. Now that Snow was injured he wondered if he should head to the well for cover and edge his way towards the small barn the same way Snow had, or make a straight run for the barn. He decided on the latter. As he did so two shots rang out and he went down, wounded in both his thigh and his gun arm.

Kid stood by the house with his gun in McGrath's back and saw the flash from Frank Dewar's rifle which had hit Barton in the arm. He assumed Heyes' shot had found the man's leg. As he ushered McGrath across the yard a shaken looking Jake emerged from the barn and Kid felt his chest tighten a little when his partner didn't follow.

Frank Dewar ran from the barn and stood with his rifle pointed at Snow while Barton lay a few yards away, moaning and clutching his leg. Kid roughly pushed McGrath forward to join the others.

"Kneel down and put your hands on your head," he ordered. This time McGrath did as he was told. "Can you and Jake cover them?" Frank Dewar nodded. Curry kicked one of the discarded guns towards Jake and holstered his Colt as he ran into the barn.

Heyes was leaning against the wall, the Shofield held loosely in his hand. His breathing was rapid and a sheen of sweat covered his face.

"How bad?" Kid asked, carefully taking the Schofield from Heyes and replacing it in its holster.

"Bad enough," replied his cousin with a groan. Kid eased him down to the floor and away from the wall only to find the left side of Heyes' shirt was slick with blood.

"Ya said it was a graze, dammit!" snapped Kid as he tugged Heyes' shirt and henley from his jeans, pulled a bandanna out of his pocket and, having folded it, pressed it on the wound in his friend's left side. "Don't look like the bullet's gone through."

Heyes groaned again. "Nah, feels like it's still in there."

"Hold this," Kid ordered, placing Heyes' right hand on the bandanna. Heyes gritted his teeth as he leaned back against the wall.

"I hit one of 'em, I think," he murmured.

"Yeah, looks like ya mighta broke his leg. Look, I hafta..."

The wounded man nodded and closed his eyes. "I know. I'm not goin' anywhere."

"Just hold on, Heyes," Kid whispered. Then, grabbing some lengths of twine from the barn floor, he ran back into the yard.

While Jake and Frank held the two injured men at gunpoint Curry quickly wrenched McGrath's hands behind his back and tied them securely. The back door of the house opened cautiously and Joy stepped out onto the porch. As he tied up Snow and Barton Kid called over his shoulder. "Joshua's hit. Looks bad. We need to stop the bleeding." Joy went back inside and quickly reappeared carrying sheets and a blanket. She ran across the yard to join Kid as he returned to the barn.

Joy gasped when she saw Heyes who was now dripping with sweat as he tried his best to keep the pressure on the wound in his side.

"Oh no, I forgot the scissors," she cried.

Without thinking, Kid wrenched off his cousin's right boot and took the small knife which Heyes sometimes used to pick locks out of the hidden slot. Grabbing a sheet he ripped the knife through it and tore the sheet into several pieces. He did the same with the second sheet while Joy folded the material into a pad. Kid eased his partner forward to lean against him while Joy removed the blood-soaked bandanna and placed the pad over the wound. She then wrapped the remaining strips firmly around him to hold the pad in place.

Kid looked at his partner closely. "Can you stand if we help ya?"

Heyes slowly opened his eyes. "Think so," he croaked.

Kid yelled for Jake and they helped Heyes to his feet and over to the bunkhouse. By the time they had removed his shirt and henley and laid him on his bunk he was barely conscious.

"I don't know what to do, there's so much blood," said Joy, fighting back tears as she looked at Heyes lying on the bunk. "I've never seen anyone who's been shot before."

Kid thought that he had seen enough of Heyes' blood over the years to last him a lifetime. "If we keep pressure on it the bleeding should stop but it depends where the bullet is. We need a doctor to get the bullet out," he said.

Frank Dewar overheard Kid as he stepped into the bunkhouse. "Jake's saddling up right now. He's going for Doctor Seaton, and the Sheriff" he said.

Kid nodded towards the yard. "How are they doin'?"

"Two of them will need bandaging but they're not going anywhere for now. You tied them up real good!"

-oooooOOOooooo-

Kid sat on the floor next to his cousin's bunk watching Heyes drifting in and out of consciousness. Joy and Faith busied themselves tearing more sheets for bandages and scrubbing down the table in the bunkhouse with hot water and a huge block of soap. Three long hours later Jake's lathered horse skidded to a halt in the yard with the doctor and Sheriff Button close behind.

Doctor Leonard Seaton jumped from his horse, threw his reins to Jake and grabbed his bag from the saddle horn before hurrying over to the bunkhouse. Kid scrambled to his feet to give him room to examine his partner. The doctor immediately noticed the blood soaked bandages and having seen his fair share of bullet wounds he knew there was no more time to waste.

"We need to get him on that table, now," he said. Heyes stifled a cry as they picked him up and carried him to the table.

"It's alright young fella," Doctor Seaton said. "I just need to take a look, then we can get this bullet out of you." The doctor removed the pressure pad and Kid looked with dismay as blood still oozed from the wound.

Jake appeared at the door of the bunkhouse just as Doctor Seaton started to lay out the things he needed from his bag onto the chair next to the table. "I'm going to need some help," he said. Then he lowered his voice. "I don't have any chloroform so you two will have to hold him."

Kid nodded. "You take his feet Jake." Jake looked alarmed but did as he was bid. As the doctor poured alcohol over his hands Kid crouched down so he could speak to Heyes.

"Sorry partner, I know I don't need to tell ya that this is gonna hurt, but try and stay as still as you can. Me and Jake are gonna try and help ya. Do ya want somethin' to bite on?" Heyes shook his head as pain-filled brown eyes met concerned blue ones and then closed. Kid positioned himself at his cousin's head and firmly took hold of his shoulders.

It took nearly ten minutes for Doctor Seaton to locate the bullet and clean and stitch up the wound. Kid was grateful that Heyes had passed out after five. He was now lying on his bunk, unconscious, his breathing shallow and his face deathly pale.

"Well, from the scars on his body I can see this young fella is no stranger to the odd bullet," remarked the doctor. Kid was relieved that his own scars were not visible as well or the doctor might have started asking questions.

"Keep a close eye on him, he's lost a lot of blood," said Doctor Seaton. He placed a small bottle of laudanum on the table. "I'll leave this. Give him a couple of drops in water but only if he really needs it. There's a good chance he'll develop a fever. If he does, keep him cool and try to get him to drink plenty of water."

Kid nodded. "Thanks Doc."

The Sheriff appeared at the bunkhouse door, practically filling it.

"I need to speak to you," he said, pointing at Kid.

"Can it wait, Sheriff?" asked Kid. "I really don't want to leave my friend right now. He's hurt real bad."

The Sheriff thought for a moment. "Well, you come into town in the next few days, y' hear."

Kid nodded.

Before he and Sheriff Button returned to town, Doctor Seaton assessed Snow and Barton's injuries and checked their bandages. He would take a proper look at them later in the jailhouse. They were then loaded, together with McGrath, onto the buckboard and Jake climbed aboard to once again make the trip into town.

"Jake can stay at my house tonight, Frank and come back in the morning," said the doctor as they mounted up. Frank nodded his thanks.

-oooooOOOooooo-

Kid Curry lay on his bunk, feet crossed at the ankles and his eyes closed but not wanting to sleep. Several hours ago Joy had brought over a pot of stew which she had left on the pot bellied stove to keep warm, but he had not touched it.

A change in his partner's breathing drew his attention and he swung his legs over the side of the bunk. Heyes' eyelids flickered and he groaned as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Hey," said Kid quietly.

Heyes' brown eyes struggled to focus. "Hey Kid. How am I doin'?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Pretty much as you'd expect after havin' a bullet dug outta ya."

Heyes smiled weakly.

"Do you want some water?" asked Kid.

His cousin nodded but cried out as Kid raised his shoulders to take a drink. He took a few sips and lay back down breathing heavily.

"Looks like you got your wish, Kid," he said eventually.

"What wish? That someone 'd shoot ya?"

Heyes' eyes began to close. "No. That we'd hafta stay here a bit longer," came the drowsy reply.

Dawn was just breaking when there was a quiet tap on the bunkhouse door and Kid's sock-covered feet made no sound as he crossed the floor to open it. Joy stood outside carrying a lantern and balancing an armful of linen and a bowl of hot water.

"I thought Joshua's bandages might need changing," she whispered. Kid nodded and stood aside as she made her way over to his partner's bunk. "How is he?" she asked.

"He came round for a few minutes," answered Kid as he wearily scratched his blond curls.

"Well, that's good isn't it?"

Kid nodded. "Kinda. But I'm guessin' the worst ain't over yet."

After they had tended to Heyes Kid lay down on his bunk again and instantly fell asleep, content in the knowledge that Joy was there to watch his partner. Joy was aware that her attention should be on the injured man but could not help herself from looking over at his blond-haired partner as he slept.

-oooooOOOooooo-

Kid's eyes sprang open and he quickly turned over to see Joy smiling down at his cousin and brushing a lock of dark hair from his forehead. It was Heyes' voice that had woken him.

"He's asking for water. Can you help me lift him?" asked Joy. Heyes managed only a few sips again before he was exhausted.

"I'll stay with Joshua if you want to go and get some breakfast," Joy suggested.

Kid had to admit he was hungry, but was torn between satisfying his growling stomach and staying with his partner.

Joy saw his indecision. "You need to eat, Thaddeus. He'll be fine with me. I promise I'll come and get you if there's a problem."

Kid pulled on his boots and buckled his gun belt before striding across the yard and into the kitchen. Faith greeted him warmly as he entered and in no time at all a plate of bacon and eggs, together with a piece of fresh corn bread was in front of him as well as a steaming cup of coffee. Kid was more hungry than he realised and ate quickly, managing a second helping of everything. As he was finishing his coffee Frank Dewar came in from the yard and he joined Kid at the table. Faith sat down beside him, her hand upon his. Kid noticed how pale she looked.

"How's Joshua?" Frank asked.

"Too early to say," replied Kid, staring into his coffee cup. "Joy's watchin' him."

"We are so grateful for what you and Joshua did," Faith said. "I hate to think what would have happened to us if you two hadn't been here."

"I'm real sorry, Thaddeus," said Frank. "I guess I owe you an explanation."

"You could say that," said Kid stonily as he put down his cup, sat back in his chair and fixed Frank with a cold stare. Frank took a deep breath and it was obvious he was trying to decide where to begin. Kid thought he would help him get started.

"Latigo's stolen, ain't he?" he said. "Joshua got a telegraph from a friend of ours, a Sheriff in Wyoming, sayin' a black Saddlebred had been stolen from Coney Mountain six months ago."

"Latigo's not stolen," said Frank defensively. "I own him."

"So those three fellas were shootin' at us for fun then?" Kid asked sarcastically.

Frank shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I part own him with another rancher, John Bradley. He's a real good stallion but neither of us could afford to buy him by ourselves so we entered into a kind of partnership. When Faith and I decided to move to Colorado, Bradley said that he was gonna keep Latigo and we'd have to pay him the rest of what he'd cost. We didn't have enough money to pay the rest so we gave Bradley all the foals from Latigo's first siring figurin' he'd be able to sell them for a lot of money once they were broken. More than enough to pay what I owed him."

"So why's he sayin' you're a horse thief?"

"John Bradley is a very greedy man."

"That don't explain why he said the horse was stolen."

"He took the foals and kept Latigo. Locked him away at his ranch. He had no intention of letting me take him with us. The day we moved out, me and Jake well, we went back to Bradley's ranch in the middle of the night, broke into the stable and we took Latigo."

"I can see why he'd call it stealin'. How come he didn't catch up with ya sooner?"

"We didn't bring him straight here, we hid him at the ranches of couple of people I know for a month or so until everything died down. I guess it's taken this long for him to find out where we were and he thought sending those three after us would settle things. He'll do anything to get Latigo back."

"And the Sheriff knows all this?" asked Kid.

"I explained it all to Sheriff Button yesterday."

Kid sighed. "I hope the Sheriff don't think me and Joshua had anythin' to do with it. We sure don't wanna be accused of horse stealin'."

"No, no, I showed him my papers. The ones that say I'm a part-owner. He don't think you're a horse thief."

"Well he said he wants to talk to me."

"That'd be about the gunfight with those three outlaws, I guess."

"Hmm." Kid could feel his anxiety increasing as he considered what the Sheriff might want to ask him. He wished Heyes could go into town with him, his silver tongue could always weave a convincing story.

"Frank, I don't know much about this sorta thing but couldn't ya have just got a lawyer, sorted it out in court or somethin'?" Kid asked.

"We couldn't afford one. The sale of the ranch didn't fetch as much as we'd hoped and we lost out on those foals too."

Kid pushed his chair back and stood up wearily. "Well, I'd better be gettin' back to my friend." He looked intently at Frank Dewar. "I won't be doin' any work today apart from seein' to our horses."

Frank nodded. "Take all the time you need, Thaddeus. We are really grateful to you and Joshua," he replied, extending his hand towards Kid who hesitated for a moment then shook it.

Joy was wringing out a cloth over a bucket of cold water as he opened the bunkhouse door.

"Aaww no. Has he got a fever?" Kid asked in alarm as Joy gently applied the cool cloth to his partner's face.

"Just started," she confirmed. "He's been restless, talking in his sleep." Kid's heart missed a beat.

"What's he been sayin'?"

"Oh, nothing. Not much that I could understand anyway, except he was calling for someone called Jed, I think, or it could have been Kid, I'm not sure. Do you know who that might be?" Curry shook his head.

-oooooOOOooooo-

A few days later, as a result of Joy and Kid's constant care, Heyes' fever had subsided and the bullet wound appeared to be starting to heal. He continued to sleep for most of the day and was still in some pain but he had tried sitting up for a short time and was starting to eat small amounts. Satisfied with his progress, Kid decided he could leave his partner in Joy's capable hands and ride into town to see the Sheriff.

Sheriff Button was leaning on the wall outside his office when Kid Curry rode into town. He watched the ex-outlaw tie his horse to the hitching rail then beckoned him inside. Kid removed his hat and glanced around the small office, his eyes seeking out the ever-present notice board. He felt relieved when he couldn't see their Wanted posters. The big man sat behind his desk and signaled for Kid to sit down in the chair opposite.

"Glad you finally came in, I thought maybe I was gonna have to come back out to the Double C," he said.

"Well, I'm here now," replied Curry. "My partner's on the mend, just in case you're interested."

The Sheriff chose to ignore the sarcasm. "I'm glad to hear it, Mister Jones."

Curry placed his hat on the desk. "So, Sheriff, what did ya wanna see me about?"

"Frank Dewar tells me you and your partner, Smith is it?" Kid nodded. "Well, he says he would probably have been killed if it wasn't for you two. He also said that you shot the gun right out of one of those fella's hands."

"Uh, huh," Kid replied shifting awkwardly in his seat.

"That's some fancy shootin'."

Kid shrugged. "Lucky shot."

The Sheriff picked up a bundle of papers and began thumbing through them. "Now I've been doing some looking through these Wanted posters." Kid inadvertently held his breath. "I don't know about those other two but the one whose wrist ya nearly broke is Jinks McGrath and he's wanted for robbery and assault."

Kid raised his eyebrows. "Ya don't say?"

"There's a reward offered by Wells Fargo and Holladay, two thousand dollars," the big man said as he handed Kid a piece of paper. Kid gave a low whistle.

"The Sheriff over at Coney Mountain will come and get him, that is, unless you'd like to be deputised and escort him over there yourself and claim the reward."

"Well now, that's real thoughtful of you Sheriff but my partner won't be fit to ride for a while, so I guess I'll just have to trust ya to claim the reward for me," Curry said with a smile.

"I can do that," affirmed the Sheriff. "I just got some papers you'll have to sign. You stayin' in town tonight?"

Kid shook his head, picked up his hat and headed for the door. "Nope, but I am goin' for a beer. I'll come back over when I'm ready to head back."

Sheriff Button watched as the young man crossed the street towards the saloon. Once again, his eye was drawn to the tied-down holster and he frowned as he returned to his desk to start on the paperwork.

The Pine Flats Saloon was typically deserted as Kid pushed through the batwing doors. "Well, if it ain't Thaddeus," said Gus cheerily. "How's Joshua?"

"Improvin', slowly."

"Good, good. What can I get yer?"

"Beer please," replied Kid as he leaned on the bar and placed a dusty boot on the brass rail at his feet.

Gus poured a large glass of beer. "On the house," he said.

"Oh?"

"We all heard what you two did for the Dewars over at the Double C."

"Huh, word travels fast," remarked Kid, raising his glass at Gus and taking a gulp of beer.

"Well, when young Jake came back with the Doc and those three outlaws, he was in here quick as yer like tellin' everyone how fast yer are and how yer shot the gun outta that outlaw's hand an' all."

Kid forced a smile and looked down at his beer glass. "Well, Jake sure has a wild imagination. It's all those dime novels he reads," he said and Gus chuckled. "Now if ya don't mind, I'm gonna sit over there and enjoy this beer. It's been a long few days."

Picking up his glass Kid moved to one of the tables and sat exactly as he would if he and Heyes were together; with his back to the room so that he could watch the street. All this talk about shooting McGrath's gun out of his hand was making him nervous. Too many people knew about it. Past experience told him that Heyes would not be able to travel for some time yet so leaving was not an option. He would just have to try and play it down. Kid lingered over his beer as long as he could before placing the glass on the bar and calling his thanks to Gus.

The Sheriff looked up from his desk as Kid Curry once again opened the office door.

"I'm headin' back now Sheriff," Kid said glancing apprehensively at the desk where Sheriff Button now had a number of Wanted posters spread out in front of him. "You said you'd have some papers for me to sign?"

"I've just been lookin' at these again," replied the Sheriff thoughtfully. Kid tensed as he tried to work out his options if the Sheriff should try and arrest him. "I just can't believe that those other two in my jail aren't wanted too. I may be missing somethin'." The big man scratched his head and pointed to the posters. "You had a good look at them, d' you think they fit any of these descriptions?"

Kid looked at the posters including the ones describing himself and Heyes and shook his head. "Nah, looks like it's only McGrath you've got there, Sheriff," he stated confidently.

"Dang shame. Anyway, sign this," Sheriff Button said pulling a piece of paper from underneath the posters. Despite an overwhelming desire to get out of the Sheriff's office as quickly as possible, Kid carefully read the paperwork and signed.

When he was at last on his way back to Cottonwood Creek and as soon as he lost sight of the town, the ex-outlaw urged his black gelding into a gallop as if a posse was on his tail.

Arriving back at the Double C Kid was surprised but pleased to see his partner dozing in a chair outside the bunkhouse, his old black hat on his head and a checked blanket covering his lap. Heyes had managed to persuade Joy, despite her better judgement, to help him sit outside on the premise of enjoying the late summer sunshine but what he really wanted to do was see how well he could move about in case they had to leave sooner than expected.

Heyes listened with amusement as Kid recounted his visit to the Sheriff. "And he really didn't recognise us from those posters?" he hissed in disbelief.

"Nope," replied Kid with a grin as he leaned against the bunkhouse, his arms folded across his chest.

Heyes shook his head and chuckled, then grimaced as his stitches pulled. "Good news about the reward but the money will probably take a long time to come through. We'll be miles away from here by then."

"I wasn't figurin' on takin' it, Heyes."

"You weren't?" his partner asked.

"No. I thought Frank could use it to get a lawyer and sort out this mess."

"Well that's very generous of you, Kid especially as it sounds like you're giving my half away too."

Curry looked taken aback. "Your half? I didn't see you capturin' any outlaws."

"Thought I might deserve a little compensation. For gettin' shot an' all!"

Kid Curry smiled at his friend's indignation. "Frank still owns the stallion, Heyes. A lawyer might be just what he needs to sort the whole thing out. And, I guess I feel kinda guilty too...about Faith wantin' to leave Wyoming."

"Okay, okay. Right now, all I wanna do is heal up and get outta here," said Heyes. "That Sheriff made me nervous the minute we first ran into him, even more now that he's gettin' better acquainted with our Wanted posters."

"That's settled then," affirmed Kid. Heyes screwed up his eyes and gave him a sideways glance but he hadn't the strength to argue and anyway, he was just relieved that they weren't being arrested for horse stealing.

-oooooOOOooooo-

During the next two weeks Kid's main concern was that Heyes would be bored whilst he recuperated and would try and push himself too fast, but Frank and Faith had a number of books for him to read and Jake proved a willing student in the art of Blackjack during the lengthening evenings in the bunkhouse. The two ex-outlaws had even caught him trying to count cards, something Heyes was very adept at but swore he hadn't taught him.

After Heyes' stitches were removed it took almost a month before he was fully back on his feet and able to attempt to sit a horse again, but the animal's movement still pulled against the scar in his side. He had been taking on odd jobs around the ranch, nothing too heavy, and had frequently acted as Joy's assistant in the vegetable garden much to his partner's irritation.

While Frank worked with the horses, Kid and Jake spent the days mending fences out on the range so once again, he had barely managed to spend time with Joy except at mealtimes. They had only had the opportunity to sit out on the porch once or twice and Kid was starting to think it was probably a good thing because, as soon as Heyes was well enough to ride any distance, they would be moving on.

-oooooOOOooooo-

It was a cool, cloudy morning and Heyes had donned his old grey coat in order to accompany his partner while he rode the fences and checked on the mares out on the grassland. This took most of the day, so neither of them were at the homestead when Sheriff Button rode into the yard at the Double C.

"The Sheriff was here lookin' for ya," Jake said excitedly as he ran over to the corral where the ex-outlaws were tending to their horses. Kid and Heyes exchanged an anxious glance.

"He was? What for?" asked Heyes.

"To give Thaddeus his reward money."

Kid smiled, mostly at the relieved expression on his cousin's face. "That was real neighbourly of him, wasn't it Joshua?"

"Sure was. Er, is he coming back?" Heyes asked.

"Nope, he left the money with Pa. Said he trusted him," Jake replied with a hint of pride.

"Well now, that's even better...that he don't have to trouble hisself comin' out here again," Kid added hastily.

The boy was almost hopping from foot to foot. "I'll help you with your horse Joshua," Jake offered. "Save you liftin'; that way you'll be finished quicker too."

"Why are you in such an all-fired hurry?" Kid asked as Jake pulled the saddle from Heyes' mare.

"Pa has the money in an envelope. He wouldn't let me take a look, seein' as it's yours."

The two cousins smiled at each other remembering their first bank job and how impressive a few thousand dollars had looked to them, before they had seen the tens of thousands they had acquired in later hauls.

When they had brushed down and fed their horses they followed Jake into the house to a scene of domestic bliss. Frank Dewar was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and a book while Faith sewed a sleeve on a shirt and Joy busied herself at the stove getting supper ready. In the middle of the kitchen table sat a brown envelope.

"I guess Jake has already told you the news," smiled Frank. "Here it is." He pushed the envelope across the table. Kid picked it up and looked at it thoughtfully.

"Me and Joshua we've been talkin' about this, Frank and we've decided we want you to have the money," said Kid. Faith looked up from her sewing in surprise and Joy turned from the stove, holding a large spoon in mid-air. "Maybe you could pay off this fella Bradley or get yourself a lawyer. See if you can settle it somehow."

Frank shook his head. "But, you captured that outlaw Thaddeus, it's your money."

"Yep, it is. And I'm givin' it to you."

"Look Frank," said Heyes, sitting down wearily after his day in the saddle. "Right from the start neither me nor Thaddeus thought you were a horse thief. A good stallion like Latigo will help you turn this ranch into a good business, so we wanna see that you get him. All of him. Please, take the money."

Frank considered his answer, then nodded. "I don't know how to thank you fellas, that's real generous of ya," he said shaking the two young men's hands warmly followed by a hug from Faith and one from Joy, who also lingered alongside Kid for a moment before kissing him on the cheek.

"You'll be pleased to know supper 's almost ready," she said.

"Never mind supper," whined Jake. "Can I see the money now?!"

-oooooOOOooooo-

Supper that evening was a lively affair with tales of ranching and droving told over Joy's delicious food. Afterwards Frank produced a bottle of whiskey and a box of cigars which the three men all enjoyed.

As the evening drew to a close Kid stood on the front porch, his arms around Joy. A chill in the air hinted at a frost by morning and signalled the probability of the start of winter.

Joy was first to speak. "Thaddeus," she said. "I don't really want to tell you this but, I'm going home on Friday, back to Rapid City."

Kid Curry lifted her chin and, as he looked into her brown eyes, he saw the beginning of tears. Smiling gently he said. "Y' know, I was just about to tell you that Joshua and I are plannin' on leavin' too. We can't stay here for the winter." Joy looked at him expectantly and he guessed what she was thinking.

"I wanna come with you Joy, but I can't. I have my reasons but I'm sorry, I just can't tell ya what they are."

"I know," she said softly. "Where will you go?"

"South probably. Anywhere we can find work."

"Do you think you'll ever come to Rapid City?"

"Maybe, one day."

Joy sighed as she nuzzled against his chest. "Mmm, it's been nice," she said.

"Real nice," he affirmed.

-oooooOOOooooo-

Friday morning dawned bright and crisp and the leaves of the maple and sycamore trees were starting to turn yellow as three riders said their final goodbyes and trotted out of the Double C yard. Frank had given the ex-outlaws their pay the night before and it had been agreed that when they got to Flintville they would keep the money from the sale of the horse that Joy was riding, then see her safely onto the stage bound for Rapid City.

The journey over the pass was uneventful and they arrived in Flintville with over an hour to spare. Joy went to purchase her ticket while Heyes and Curry took her horse to the livery stable where they negotiated a good price for the animal and its saddle.

When the stage finally arrived there was a delay while the horses were changed and the baggage loaded. After Kid had passed her bags up to the driver Joy ushered both of them to one side.

"I just want to thank you again, for what you did for Frank and my sister. I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them outlaws could be so generous. Kid, Hannibal," she said quietly, looking from one to the other.

The dark haired ex-outlaw took a quick glance over his shoulder, a pained expression on his face. "The name's Heyes," he murmured.

"How did you find out?" asked Kid.

"Han...Heyes here talks a lot when he has a fever," Joy replied.

"But you told me he hadn't said anything."

"I didn't want to worry you."

"Well you have now!" exclaimed Kid.

"There's no need to worry. I won't tell anyone. I just happen to know two outlaws who aren't as bad as my sister thinks they are." She looked into Kid's blue eyes. "I also know that's why you and I can't be together."

"All aboard!" shouted the driver and the other passengers began to take their seats.

"Goodbye Joy." Heyes kissed her cheek before stepping back a short distance.

Kid held her close then kissed her, deeply. "I'm sure gonna miss you," he murmured.

Before she turned to go Joy stood on tiptoe and, smiling, whispered in his ear. Kid raised his eyebrows and returned the smile before helping her into the stagecoach. Heyes walked over and stood beside him, his hand resting on the shoulder of Kid's old sheepskin jacket as they watched the dust trail from the stage disappear into the distance.

"You okay?" he asked, his concern for his friend evident.

"Yep," his partner replied, a smile still playing on his lips as they walked across the street towards the saloon. Heyes paused as he was about to push through the batwing doors.

"Kid," he said, curiosity getting the better of him. "What did she whisper to you?"

Kid Curry's smile widened. "I can't believe ya don't have a hunch about that!"