Hunted
The clouds rumbled in the distance as their horses lazily trotted into Casper, Wyoming. As they pulled up to the hitching rail each dismounted and met between the steeds, reins in hand. Looking over his partner's shoulder, Heyes spoke softly. "Is it just me, or does that look like a well-formed posse that he's standing with?"
Kid took a subtle glance towards the sheriff's office. Standing on the steps was a group of five men, each sporting an emblem on their breast pocket that glinted in the burning sun. "Appears so."
Casually stroking his horse's mane, he took another glance. "Perhaps we should be ridin' on?"
Kid thought for a moment, unsure if Heyes had asked a question or made a statement. "Lom's telegraph said it was important; important enough to miss breakfast." He shot an irritated look sideways at his partner while he attempted to subtly glance out towards the horizon.
Heyes nodded yes, his decision made. "I trust Lom. He said it was important, then it's important."
Kid leaned closer, "You trust him enough to risk spendin' the next twenty years behind bars?"
"You don't?"
Taking his partner's reins in hand, he looked back towards the livery. "I trust him enough to turn in the horses. While I settle up with the stable, you can meet with Lom. Assumin' all is fine, I'll be over shortly."
Heyes thought for another moment, "And if it isn't?"
Without a word, Kid gave him a dark glare as he proceeded toward the stables.
Heyes lazily walked towards the restaurant, to the place they had been instructed to meet. As he climbed the steps, he saw his old friend finish up his conversation, give a subtle nod and, with two men on his heels, cross the street. His heart started pounding, each of the men held their hands in a familiar stance, never far from the weapon that protected them. Off to the side, Kid stopped just short of the stable, watching, and concerned.
Heyes smiled, desperate to hide the nerves that rumbled in his belly. Tipping his hat, he spoke softly, "Lom."
"Mr. Heyes."
His blood chilled. He felt a bead of sweat slide down his spine. His smile faded as he glanced from one stranger to the next. "Care to explain what this is about?" He didn't bother denying who he was; everyone in Wyoming knew that Lom Trevors had once travelled with Devil's Hole. He would have better luck denying the sun in the sky.
"I would love to, but we need to escort you to the sheriff's office first."
Overhead, the sun faded, a storm cloud covered the burning orb. It began to rain, slowly at first, but quickly picked up its speed to match that of the outlaw's heart. He slowly looked about. Kid had disappeared; the livery's doors remained closed. The other men across the street shuffled back under an overhang, attempting to appear menacing while trying not to get water logged at the same time.
Outside the restaurant, the rain pooled on the lawmen's hats just before it fell in drops on the wood at their feet.
Heyes reviewed his options: run and be shot down, or spend the remainder of his days behind an iron gate, never to experience the sweet taste of freedom again. He wasn't sure which fate he considered less appealing.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed his hat low.
Just as they neared the Sheriff's office, he heard the faint beat of hooves on hard dirt. Looking up, Kid sat high in the saddle, the other horse just to his left. His gun was out of its holster, held loosely in his hand. "If you don't mind Sheriff Trevors, my partner and I just got an urgent message; we need to be moving along now."
"Mr. Curry." Lom spoke slowly. Heyes saw Kid's back straighten, his worst fear realized. He pulled back the hammer of his gun, the weapon trained on the lawman's heart. "Kid, if your aim is to frighten me, you're way off your mark."
"I'm as good a shot in the rain as I am in the sun, you know that." The cold blue eyes stared deep into those of his old friend.
"You shoot me down and neither of you will make it out of town alive, you know that as well." Lom warned.
"Then I'd advise your boys not to get too excited, 'less you want to join us at the Pearly Gates." Taking the spare reins, he tossed them to his partner.
None of the other men moved, they would know Kid was fast and his aim always true, they wouldn't risk their sheriff's life.
Once in the saddle, Heyes slowly pulled out his gun, pointing it at the men on the steps. "Go ahead and throw your guns into the street." A loud clasp of thunder shook the heavens above. Unsure if he had been heard, Heyes spoke again as his eyes darkened, "Guns, now!"
Each man slowly removed their weapons from their holsters, tossing them gently. Lom was the only one that remained armed. "Boys, you're making a mistake. If you value your lives, you will step inside."
"No Lom, you're the one that made the mistake and if you value your holster staying in one piece, I'd advise that you do what Heyes said."
With a crooked smile, he pulled his gun out, gently tossed it to his left and raised his hands in surrender.
Their aim never wavering, they led their horses backwards, only long enough till they turned, snapping the reins hard as they rode off into the storm.
The rain refused to relent, pounding each man as hard as the hooves pounded the ground below. Onward they pushed, searching for a safe haven. Nearing the mountains, they climbed a ledge and looked back from whence they came; six men in all, barely specks through the torrent. They had used every trick in their bag. They had traveled through brush and desert; they had skirted the river that was too engorged to cross, everything they could think of - they tried. The unmistakable fact was they were running from someone who not only knew all their tricks, but who had been by there side when they used most of them.
As each man came off their saddles, they looked behind them, the imprints of the hooves visible to all but the blind.
"No amount of dust is going to cover that up." Kid spoke to no one in particular.
"We need more distance."
"We'll be on foot if we don't let these beasts rest a spell."
A flash of light pierced the sky followed by a loud clasp, a roar that warned all of the danger of the storm.
Returning to his horse, Heyes shivered, "Let's get to the caves, build a fire, and hope this storm will convince them to settle in for the night."
"Or maybe turn back." Kid spoke, hopefully.
"Or maybe turn back." Heyes echoed, without so much as a hint of hope.
Kid stoked the fire angrily when his partner finally reappeared, his hands empty. He knew his odds of finding something to eat were slim, but that fact didn't tame the frustration building inside.
Cautiously, Heyes disrobed, hanging his water soaked clothes on an upright branch near the fire. Down to his long johns, he shivered as he returned his gun belt to his hip. "Horses are safe. I found a cave just big enough to hold 'em."
"Lom?"
"No sign of him, probably stopped at Baxton's cavern."
Kid nodded affirmatively. Baxton's cavern was a frequent hide-out for the gang when they were on the run. It was a large cave with an ideal lookout. However, with all of its advantages, it had one thing that kept them from stopping – it was always Lom's idea to stop there. Thus, they chose to pass it by, opting for a smaller, more out of the way shelter.
"Tomorrow, we'll go north." Heyes held his hands up to the fire for warmth.
"Mexico is south."
"We're not going to Mexico."
"Why not?"
"You speak Mexican?"
"No, but considerin' I'm not itchin' to spend the rest of my life in a cell, I think I can give it try."
"I'm not going to Mexico."
"What's wrong with Mexico?"
Heyes stared at the raging fire, silent. Kid had known his partner for his entire life. Their folks were close friends and raised them like brothers. It took him a moment to figure it out, it wasn't frustration that he saw, it was disappointment. It was the realization that the promise of an amnesty was empty, like a pool of water on the desert's horizon, it was only a mirage.
His voice softened, "We can't outrun Lom forever. If anyone can find us, it'll be him."
"I don't want to leave the U.S."
"I don't think we have a choice." Standing, he went to the saddle bag that sat just to the left of his clothes and pulled out an item wrapped in cloth. "I saw this behind the saloon in Casper. I was hopin' to keep it for myself, but since your huntin' skills came up empty…" Opening the cloth, he revealed two biscuits, one he handed to his partner, and the other he quickly devoured.
"'Preciate it."
As the storm raged on, each man continued to stare into the blaze, sorrow etched on their brows.
Heyes stretched just before he buttoned up his dark shirt. The fire had taken out most of the dampness, but not all. Through the cave entrance, the sun was just beginning to rise. As he stared out, he was momentarily mesmerized at its beauty. Why had he not taken the time to enjoy it before, he wondered?
To the east, the storms still raged, lightning flashed and distant thunder rumbled. Grabbing his saddle bags, he walked out of the cave. Coming up from the trail with horses in tow was his partner. He was still tired, still hungry, and most of all, still grumpy. "We need to get moving. Lom is coming up from the east."
Nodding sorrowfully, they climbed into the saddles and made their way down the mountain.
Proding the horses, they took off.
As the day wore on, they tried everything, again. Every hidden pass, they entered; every rocky cliff, they climbed. Each time, each opportunity to look back, the posse remained.
As the sun began to set they neared another small town.
Taking off his hat and glancing behind him, the trail was clear – for now, Heyes took a deep breath. "What do you say we trade these for some fresh horses?"
Calculating the risk, Kid straightened himself in the saddle. "Lom could have sent a telegraph, the sheriff could be watching for us."
"New horses will let us ride further tonight. We might be able to get into Idaho by sunrise."
"You want to ride all night?"
"No, but I do want to lose the posse that's behind us."
Without further argument, they rode quietly into town.
As luck would have it, the livery not only sat on the opposite end of town, but sat adjoined to the sheriff's office. As they slowly trotted past the batwing doors, Kid was sure any occupant within could hear the beating of his heart. It was only after coming down off his horse did he release the breath that he didn't realize he had been holding.
Nervously, yet trying to appear calm, they entered the establishment.
"Can I help you boys?" A tall man appeared from one of the stalls, a brush held tightly in his hands.
Heyes gave his most disarming smile. "Yes sir. My partner and I are on our way to San Francisco, family emergency. We were hoping to trade out our horses for a fresh pair."
The man looked at the men, suspiciously, his eyes staying just a moment too long on the guns that remained holstered. "There's a train headed that way tomorrow morning. The hotel's cheap, you could get a good night's rest, leave out early. It'll get you there long before a pair of horses will." He spoke slow, cautious.
"My partner and I don't have quite enough between us for two train tickets." His smile faded. "Two fresh horses will have to do."
As he spoke, Kid walked closer to the man, taking a quick glance towards the back of the stable. It appeared empty, the man unarmed. "Those two colts in this first stall will do nicely." His voice dropped low, soft yet deadly.
The man looked from one man to the other. "Care to show me a courtesy and let me know who will be robbing me this fine night?"
"We'd rather not." Kid spoke as he pulled his gun from his holster.
"Don't consider it robbin', you'll be getting two fine mares in return." Turning the man roughly around, Heyes pulled some raw hide from a near-by nail and made quick work on the man's hands. Once secured, he nodded towards the door they entered, "I'll get the saddles."
As Heyes went outside, Kid led the man to a seat that sat off to the side, quickly tying his arms to the wooden spindles on the chair's back. Taking the man's bandana, he gagged him and tied it tight.
"Pa!" A small, but scared voice came from the back of the barn just as Heyes reentered. A young girl, no older than five ran towards the bound man. Catching her around the waist, Kid knelt in front of her.
Placing his finger to his lips, he quietly stressed, "Shhh. It'll be okay. We're not gonna hurt your pa." Looking up he motioned to Heyes to finish his work. The child started to sob in earnest, clutching a doll tightly against her chest. "Now, why don't you just come sit down, right by your Pa. If you can be a good girl, I won't tie you. Can you do that?" Through the tears, she nodded as she sat. "Do you know any good hymns?"
"I know Abide with Me."
"Good, now when we leave, I want you to sing that song to your Pa, five times, nice and slow. After the fifth time, you can help him get untied. Do you understand me?"
She nodded nervously. "Fi… five times."
"Good." As he stood, he pulled out his revolver and spun it, letting it drop into the holster with a thud, his eyes never breaking with the little girl's.
From behind, Heyes brought the two horses. As Kid jumped into the saddle, he looked back at the girl once more, a pang of guilt piercing his soul.
As the morning sun broke through the horizon, the two men continued their trek. Idaho was nowhere in sight. Kid had considered the possibility that Heyes had turned them north somewhere in the night. He had equally considered asking him, but with neither of them eating in over 24 hours and having not slept in almost the same time, he knew any argument could possibly end with them going their separate ways. Irritated as he was, he also knew that their chance of survival greatly diminished should they part.
Looking back on their path, it was empty, just as it had been all night. "Heyes, if we don't rest a spell, we ain't gonna make it to Idaho, let alone Mexico."
Jerking himself back awake, his eyes took a moment to refocus on his partner by his side. "I think you're right. We've gained enough ground, a quick nap shouldn't hurt."
"A quick nap?" Kid knew the words were a mistake, his exhaustion, hunger, and frustration overpowering his will to not pick a fight he was itching to have.
Kid was grateful that Heyes was equally tired – too tired to give in to his partner's provocations – he just sighed, "I'll take first watch. As long as no one comes up on us, it can be more than a quick nap."
Satisfied, but still grumpy, Kid asked, "Food?"
Heyes took in a deep breath, no longer trying to hide the annoyance that he had previously worked so hard to suppress. Through clenched teeth, he spoke, "I'll find some food."
Heyes stretched lazily as his eyes opened. After letting Kid sleep a good five hours, while attempting to stay awake himself, he took his turn. With the rabbit still filling his belly, he stood, breathing easy for the first time in two days.
"I was wondering when you were going to get up."
His partner sat on the rock looking out towards the trail – still empty. Standing, he poured a cup of coffee and handed it over.
"Seen anyone?" He asked as he took the cup and tried not to grimace at the bitter taste.
"A couple of wagons passed by about an hour ago; a stage came through right after you fell asleep. We're lucky, I was sure your sawin' logs would have gave us away." Just as he brought the cup to his lips, he looked towards his partner, and smiled.
Suppressing a smirk, "You're not exactly a quiet sleeper yourself." He smiled in earnest, just glad that Kid's sense of humor had returned.
The sound of the rifle ricocheted against the trail. His horse bucked at the sound. As he looked over at his partner, his fear was echoed in his expression. Whipping the horses, they ran, just as another shot was fired. The trail was long, straight, and barren; the only cover was to their right, a dense forest. It would provide some protection, but it would be slow moving.
Just as they rounded a small bend, they spotted a small opening; they turned, just as another shot rang out.
Kid went in first, beating his horse to go over downed branches and logs, all while keeping an eye out for anything that would spook the beast. In between each whip of the rein, his hand would go to his holster, constantly ready to pull the gun from its home, ready to protect both his life and that of his partner. Pushing forward, they heard another shot, yet it was muffled – it had not been fired from within the foliage. Up ahead, they heard a stream. Pushing the beasts forward, they finally reached the water; turning west, the entered the slow moving current. The horses couldn't move quickly, but at least the water would hide the hoof prints the horses would leave behind.
Just as they turned with the current, Kid heard Heyes speak, faintly, "Kid."
As he turned he saw Heyes, barely hanging on to the saddle horn, his left shoulder stained red.
"Heyes!" Jumping off his horse, he ran to his partner's side, just as he slid off the saddle. Pulling him to the bank, he pulled off his partner's bandana, pressing it tightly upon his shoulder. Blood oozed from the wound. Grateful as he was that there was both an entrance and exit wound; his heart sank knowing the injury would be that much more difficult to treat. Tearing off the bloodied sleeve, he wrapped it around his arm, tying it tightly, silently willing the bleeding to stop.
"Kid, we have to keep moving."
"Heyes, next time you fall off that saddle, I might not be there to catch you."
"I'll be fine." He spoke breathlessly, "We just gotta get to Mexico."
"We ain't nowhere near Mexico."
Heyes smiled, lightly, "Canada, then?"
Kid cast an irritated look. Going to his horse, that had made its own way to the bankside; he took his canteen, returning, he knelt down and brought it to his partner's lips. As he surveyed his surroundings, he pondered their odds. No one could follow a trail in the water, he knew that much. Yet, he also knew that Lom would have the men split up. His heart pounded and his stomach lurched. For the first time as an outlaw, he knew that he was facing the end. Assuming they took them in alive, their odds of getting to the border was becoming more unlikely by the minute.
"Lom sure does seem set on taking us in." Heyes spoke, to no one in particular.
"Yeah, well I don't plan on making it easy for him." Taking his revolver, he checked the chamber, six bullets loaded.
"Kid, now don't go thinkin…"
"Heyes, don't be telling me what not to be thinkin'."
"Kid, if they arrest us, it's twenty years. If you kill Lom, they'll hang us both."
"And if he kills us, he gets a medal, right?"
Heyes took a deep breath. "Kid, this is Lom."
"No, this is the sheriff of Porterville with his posse. Heyes, our old friend is hunting us!"
Running his hand through his hair, he surveyed the area. In the distance, he saw puffs of smoke. He took a deep breath, desperate to keep his anger at bay. "If you're gonna ride anytime soon, you need a better bandage and something to eat. Let's get you hidden, and I'll be back shortly."
Taking his good arm over his shoulder, they crossed the stream and up an embankment. Hidden in thick foliage, Heyes watched, ready. As Kid started to leave, he tightened the bandage once more, "You think you can stay alive long enough for me to get back?"
Heyes let out a soft chuckle, "I'll certainly try."
The sound of the stream gurgling, the birds chirping, the wind whistling through the trees; as he struggled to keep his eyes open, he focused on the sounds, knowing his friend would return soon. Just as he heard the sound of the horse approaching, he tightened his grip on his revolver, fully aware that he didn't have the strength to pull the trigger.
"Heyes, hey, wake up."
He felt the hand slap against his face. As his eyes focused, it was the Kid. With a quick glance to the heavens, he sent up a silent thank you to anyone that might be listening. Cool water went across his lips, just before he felt the bandage being removed, a pain as it pulled on the torn flesh. Cold water was poured on the wound. He knew Kid was doing his best to clean it, he knew it had to be done, but damnit, it hurt!
"This would be over a whole lot faster if you'd stop moving!"
He tried to laugh, "I'll remember that the next time you get shot."
More liquid crossed his lips, except this time, it burned – whiskey. You could'a warned me! He thought.
As the bandage was reapplied and wrapped tightly, he breathed deep. Looking down, he saw a lacey napkin, inside of which held something to eat. "Was she pretty?" He couldn't help but smile.
Kid looked down at the napkin, then back at his partner, "As a matter of fact, she was."
"Where are the horses?"
"Up at that way." He motioned to his right. "It's dense enough to hide 'em. Any sign of Lom?"
Heyes swallowed, hard. Kid gave him more water, and then took a drink for himself. "Two men about a half hour after you left, carrying rifles." He winced as the pain struck again. Taking the bottle of whiskey, Kid gave him another drink.
"We need to be moving on."
"Can we stay with your lady friend?"
"Her husband had just gone to town. Besides, I told her the bandages were for your horse, not you."
Just as he opened the napkin, they heard a sound. Crouching, Kid pulled out his revolver and scanned the area. Heyes tried to straighten himself against the tree, holding his gun, limply, at his side.
"Damnit, they have to be here somewhere!" They heard the man say.
Just in front of them, in the creek, they saw the two men. Long black cloaks, dark hats on top. Each carried a rifle in one hand, a revolver on their hips. Their horses trotted lazily behind them.
"Well, I'll tell ya James, next time, I won't miss!"
Kid and Heyes shared a mournful look as they watched the men continue their trek downstream. As they sat in silence, they stared out; watching and waiting, waiting for fate to bring the men back; waiting for the end, waiting for a lifetime of crime to come to a crashing conclusion with a flash of light, followed by darkness.
As time ticked by, there was just silence. Unsure of each step, Kid stood, slowly moving to their horses – they had not been found. Looking about, the men were gone. Slowly and methodically, he guided the horses back to Heyes. As he helped him stand, they looked around – still quiet. Placing him on his horse, Kid asked, "You're gonna have to wait on dinner. Can you stay up there?"
Heyes breathed deep as he gripped the saddle horn tightly. "Do I have a choice?"
Slowly, and quietly, they rode deeper into the forest, Kid holding tight to the reins of the second horse. Every few minutes, he would glance back. Heyes was holding on, but he needed a rest, he needed to eat, he needed time to heal. Yet time was the one thing they did not have.
As they neared a clearing, Kid glanced around, "Any chance you might know where we are?"
Heyes tried to laugh, "North Wyoming."
Trying to keep his voice low, "North?"
"Close to Canada, I hope."
"Canada?" He asked, unbelievingly.
"They speak English, I think…" Heyes tried to straighten himself in his saddle, only to have a sharp pain that caused his muscles to slacken. "We'll blend in better."
Swallowing his frustration, Kid pulled on the reins again. "If I knew you liked the snow that much, I would have had you go out for supplies instead of always sending Wheat and Kyle."
"If you'd been leader, maybe." He tried to chuckle, but instead struggled with a cough.
It had been two more days. Two more days dodging the men that were following them. Two more days trying to keep Heyes on his horse, two more days worrying that an infection would take hold. Two more days waiting for their luck to finally run run out.
Kid slept fitfully. Every hour, he would wake; place his hand on his partner's chest, then his forehead. His heart had slowed, but was steady. There was still no fever. They had eaten a decent meal, after which, he checked the bandages –the bleeding had stopped. Yet every time he closed his eyes, he silently prayed the Lord's Prayer, surprised that he remembered it so clearly. At the end, he would add, Lord, if you let us live, I'd surely be grateful.
As he stared up at the heavens once more, fear came over him. He pulled his gun from his holster and slowly sat up right. Crawling over to one of the larger trees, he looked out. He could see a light in the distance – a fire that hadn't been there earlier. Leaning his back against the tree, he knew – the hunt continued; yet unlike a coyote hunting a rabbit, this time, the "rabbit" would shoot back.
He woke with a start, a slap against the face. As he reached for his gun, a hand stopped him, just as his partner came into his vision. "Hey, it's me." Heyes spoke.
Shaking off the sleep, he sat up. Heyes was across from him, smiling, his arm still tightly bandaged. To his left, was a dead rabbit. "Where did that come from?" He then noticed, in his right hand, Heyes held a knife, bloodied by the kill.
"Remember when my grandpa would take us huntin'? He said a gun is only good if you never run out of bullets."
Kid rubbed his eyes as he tried to remember. "Yeah, he always talked about hunting like the savages." He couldn't help but laugh at the memory of the old man's wanderings. He would often predict that the day would come when the Indians would take back their land.
"Yeah, well at least he had one thing right. He said there would come a day when we would have to hunt with nuthin' but a blade and our wits. Today's that day." Heyes smiled and Kid knew he was right. Using a gun would announce their whereabouts.
"Fine. Any sign of Lom? I saw a fire out that way." He nodded towards the south.
"When I went out, I didn't see anything. Figured we eat and keep on heading north."
"How are you feeling?"
"I've been better, it still hurts, but the worst has passed."
"Fine. Do you think you can round up some firewood while l skin it? As soon as it's cooked, let's go. We can eat while riding."
The last bit of flesh came off easily. It was a beautiful creature, he had to admit. At the moment in his hunger, it had to be the most attractive thing this side of the Mississippi. He salivated just at the idea of the freshly cooked meat crossing his lips.
Just as the idea entered his thoughts, he heard a sound, a breaking of a twig. He stood, in front of him, walking out of the clearing was none other than Lom Trevors.
"Kid."
He stood, staring at his old friend. Yet could he still call him friend? Five days of being chased, of being hunted like a rabbit to be placed on a fire, his life to be discarded as yesterday's trash.
As their eyes met, Kid knew this was no longer about bringing in an outlaw, this had become personal. He could see the desperation in Lom's eyes; he wanted to bring them in. It was official, the days of calling each other friend had long passed.
So they stood, waiting, waiting for the other to draw. Kid was torn, Heyes would be back any moment, if he could get the upper hand, if he could get Lom's gun, maybe… somehow, at least Heyes could get away.
His ears stayed alert, listening for the rest of the posse, knowing that if he killed Lom, he would be killed in short order. But then again, they had already been warned, they wouldn't miss, again. Their fates had been sealed. His only hope was to give Heyes a warning, give him at least a slight chance of escape.
Taking a deep breath, he felt the gun go into his hand, just like so many times before, followed by the sound of a gun firing. Except, this time the sound came not from his own gun, but that of his adversary. His hand burned as the bullet nicked his fingers as it hit the metal, sending it flying. Pulling his hand to his chest, he looked up. There was Lom, the smoke still exiting the barrel that was held confidently in his hand.
Kid Curry had been out-drawn.
"Lom." Kid looked beseechingly at his old friend.
Before he could utter another word, there was a rustle to his left. Both men turned just has Heyes entered the clearing, equally dumbstruck at the sight before him – Lom armed and Kid wounded.
In a flash, Kid saw Lom's hand tighten on the revolver, his finger pull the trigger. The sound reverberated and echoed against the trees. His heart lurched as he watched as his friend was fired upon; the partner that had always been by his side.
Before understanding hit him, he heard a loud thud collapse against the ground. Yet, Heyes remained standing, unharmed. They each glanced back towards the clearing edge; on the ground was a man, his gun still in hand.
Lom quickly walked past the stunned outlaws, reaching the fallen man in two strides. Grabbing the fallen rifle, he tossed it behind him; he leaned down and listened at his chest, just next to the wound over the heart that continued to pump in futility. With a sigh, he looked up at the boys, "He's dead."
Still in shock, Heyes shook his head, "Who was he?"
"His name was Travis Scranton, Bannerman or should I say, was once Bannerman." Out of the trees, several of the posse emerged, Lom looked around briefly and then spoke to the men, "His brother will be close, find him." Standing, he continued to scan the area. "You boys still aren't safe, not till we find James."
"Safe?" Heyes asked breathlessly.
"Two years ago, Travis and his brother left Bannerman. Tired of catching the bad guys for pennies on the dollar, they decided to go freelance, hunting outlaws on their own."
In the distance they heard a rifle fire, followed by a volley of gun shots. Lom motioned behind Kid, "If you don't mind." Kid turned and took repossession of his own weapon. The three stood, guarded by trees, in silence they waited, their eyes scanning the forest for friend or foe, each ready to fire.
Minutes passed before the man from earlier appeared, he yelled out, "We have him."
"Alive?" Lom asked.
"He decided not to take that option."
Each man holstered his weapon, "Take him to Cheyenne, Travis too. I'll meet you boys there."
Kid and Heyes followed Lom back to the horses, still confused. Heyes asked, "Lom, I think we're still missing a few of the pieces."
"After they left Bannerman, they decided to supplement the bounty with a few side jobs, namely helping the Clevenger gang relieve the Denver Trust of $50,000. About three weeks ago, I picked up Mark Donaldson, you two remember him?" Both nodded affirmatively. "When he figured out who I was, he wanted to make a deal. Seems he heard a rumor that Travis was going after a particular bounty, one that would give him enough to get to the Southern Border. That bounty was the two of you. Knowin' Kid's fast draw and your quick tongue, word was that he didn't plan on takin' any chances by bringing you two in alive." Lom took a deep breath. "So, I spoke to the Governor and he agreed that putting away a dirty Bannerman man was more important than a couple of reformed outlaws." Kid and Heyes exchange a glance, frustration building. "The men that have been riding with me are all U.S. Marshals, each were ordered to capture the Scranton brothers while also keeping you two alive. Hell, we even set up a safe house outside of Casper for you two to stay in until Travis came around."
Kid and Heyes shared a frustrated glance. "Why didn't you tell us this in the first place?" Kid asked, loudly.
"Damnit Kid, You never gave me a chance! Hell, I've spent the past five days trying to protect you!"
Heyes put a calming hand on his partner's shoulder. "Lom, in Casper, you called us both by our names."
"The Governor gave me the Marshals for this job and this job only. They don't know about the amnesty and they don't know I've been working with you. As far as they are concerned, you boys are still just as wanted. After today, I can't stop them if they want to go looking for you, the only thing I could do was keep them from knowing what names to look for."
Shamefully, Kid looked toward the ground, then back up, "I guess we owe you an apology then."
"How about next time, you just trust me."
Each in their saddles, they slowly made their way out, back towards civiliazation. Just as the sun began to set, Kid spoke, "The next time we see Mark, I'm guessin' we owe him a round of thanks."
"I don't think you'll be seeing him anytime soon, he's still in jail."
"I thought you said he made a deal?" Heyes asked.
"He did. He was part of the job in Denver, so in return for his testimony against Travis and his brother, the Attorney General agreed to let him go."
"But with them dead…"
"There will be no trial and no testimony." Lom let out a heavy sigh. "When I get back to Porterville, I'll have to deliver the bad news." They rode briefly in silence. As they came over a hill, Lom spoke again, "Not that it matters to the two of you, but Mark won't be the only one receiving bad news when I get back home." The boys cast a confused glance between each other, then towards Lom. "I'll probably have to let my new deputy go as well."
"Why?" Kid asked.
"He's a young kid; lazy, to be honest. He spends half his time in the saloon, the other half sleeping in the office. I can't count the number of times I've caught him romancing his girl when he's supposed to be watching prisoners. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that's where I would find him tonight, that is, if I didn't have to go to Cheyenne first."
Heyes and Kid tried to stifle a smile as they reached a crossroad, one path to Cheyenne, the other Porterville.
"You think you boys can stay out of trouble?"
"No, but we'll try." Kid laughed. Just as he started to turn his horse, he stopped and asked. "Lom, when did you learn the fast-draw?"
"I didn't, you hesitated."
With a smile and the tip of a hat, Lom turned and made his way west. With renewed hope and faith, the outlaws turned toward Porterville.