Epilogue

One Year Later

One more dusty ride and one more dusty town, thought former outlaw Hannibal Heyes as he slowly rode down Main Street.

"What did that sign say?" he asked the man riding beside him.

"Harperville," his partner replied. "We're in 'Harperville, the friendliest town east of the Rockies, 'least that's what the sign said."

"Let's hope the sheriff is friendly," Heyes said, and attempted a tired smile.

"I think this time I want a bath before we check out the town," Kid Curry said sharply.

"You always want a bath before we check out the town," Heyes returned.

"Well, can you blame me?" Curry asked.

"I'll blame you if I get caught by the town sheriff in a bath tub without a stitch on."

"Fine," Curry groaned, scanning the signs and storefronts for anything that looked like a sheriff's office. Seeing nothing resembling a sheriff's office on Main Street, the pair turned down the largest side street they saw. A livery, mercantile, and hotel came into view. Two women leaving the mercantile glanced up at the riders curiously. Heyes and Curry exchanged a glance and shrugged. "Guess they don't get many strangers in town," Curry muttered, and the two rode on.

As they neared the hotel, another woman with a young boy in tow walked around the corner and also glanced up at the riders. At first she showed the same mild curiosity that the others had shown, but suddenly her countenance changed and a look of fear flashed on her face. She stood rooted to the ground, pulling the boy close beside her.

Heyes
read her expression and gave his partner a quick look. The woman was looking directly at Curry. "You know her?" he whispered.

Curry had seen the look the woman was giving him, too. "No," he said slowly shaking his head, "I don't think so."

"Great," Heyes muttered, "probably recognizes you from a train."

"Train," Curry repeated softly, looking back at the woman. Something about the look in her eyes was hauntingly familiar.

"Hello, we're new in town, can you tell us where we might get a hot meal?" Heyes asked cheerfully, hoping to put the woman at ease.

She cleared her throat and then said shakily, "Yes, of course, take a right at the next street and you'll find Martha's Place right there."

"Martha?" Heyes asked.

"That's the name of the restaurant," the woman added quickly.

"Oh, of course, we're much obliged to you," Heyes said, tipping his hat to the young woman.

"Kid, keep right on riding," Heyes said quietly as the two turned onto the next street and Martha's Place came into view. "Hopefully if she tells anyone, they'll think we're eating and take the time to get some men together before they come busting in."

"Heyes, I remembered where I saw her before," Curry said suddenly.

"Yeah, on a train you were robbing. I figured that out already," Heyes hissed.

"No. Well, yes, but that's not…" Curry suddenly reined his horse to a stop. "I have to talk to her," he said as he turned his horse around and headed back.

"What?" Heyes called after him in disbelief. "What are you doing?" With a groan he turned his ownhorse and followed his partner. "Are you crazy?"

As Curry rounded the corner, he saw the woman and boy walking quickly down the street in theopposite direction.

"Ma'am, pardon me, ma'am?" Curry called as he approached her.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice stronger than it had been before.

"You look familiar; I think we've met before. Could I have a word with you?"

The woman took a deep breath and let it out quickly. "Jimmy, you run along home. I'll be there in just a minute." The boy, who looked about six or seven years old, nodded to his mother, and after staring briefly at the man on horseback, said, "Yes ma'am," and continued walking down the street.

"I remember you," the woman said quickly as soon as the boy was out of earshot.

Curry blinked and dismounted slowly. "You don't need to worry, I won't hurt you, or anybody else. My friend and me are just passing through your town. You don't have anything to worry about."

"I'm not worried. I…I want to thank you. I told myself if I ever saw you again that I'd say [']thank you.[']"

Curry closed his eyes for a moment and let out the breath he'd been holding. "You don't have to thank me. I'm so sorry for what happened."

"Nothing happened, thanks to you," the woman said quickly. "That man," she shuddered briefly, "tried to hurt me but you stopped him. You drew that gun so fast I barely saw you do it, and you shot him, and then you left and I never said 'thank you.'"

"Nobody was supposed to hurt the passengers. He wasn't supposed to…do that," Curry said haltingly.

The woman nodded and looked down at the ground.

"I'm truly sorry," Curry added.

"Thank you," the woman said again.

"Kid, we gotta go," Heyes said quietly from behind them. He'd heard enough of the conversation to figure out what had happened. They'd only had one incident where a gang member had gotten out of hand with a passenger. That had been when they were first riding with the Devil's Hole Gang and Big Jim Santana was still in charge. One of the men had taken a woman off the train and dragged her into the woods. The Kid had heard her muffled screams and found the gang member with the young woman. He shot the man before Heyes and Jim got there. According to Curry, Harvey had drawn on him and he shot Harvey in the shoulder before he could get a shot off. Jim hadn't been pleased that the new recruit had shot one of his gang, but he had taken Curry's side after he heard the full story and sent Harvey packing.

"Kid," Heyes said again, more urgently, and then held his breath as a tall man strode purposefully toward them.

Curry looked at Heyes and followed his gaze to the man approaching. He stiffened and took a step away from the woman.

"Well, I can't say I ever expected to see you again," the tall man said amiably, putting a protective arm around his wife.

"Me neither, Marshall," Curry replied.

"Marshall?" Heyes croaked, as he looked from one man to the other.

"You look a little better than you did the last time I saw you," the Marshall added.

"Uh, yes, sir, I'm fine now. How is your shoulder?"

"Ah, it healed up fine, just a graze."

"I don't believe we've met," the Marshall said to Heyes, extending his hand. "My name's James Garrison, Federal Marshall."

Heyes only stared back, for once, completely at a loss for words. Slowly, he shook hands with the other man.

"Well, no introductions are necessary, really," Garrison said. "I suppose you two were just leaving town?"

"Yes, sir, we were," Curry said with a nod. Heyes nodded mutely.

Garrison looked the two men over, and seeing the trail worn look, he added, "Well, no need to leave before you've had a meal and a good night's sleep. It's a real quiet town and we like it that way. You two have a good ride out in the morning." He smiled and shook Curry's hand.

"Yes, sir, we will," Curry assured him. "And, Marshall, thank you."

"Don't mention it," Garrison replied, then added more seriously, "really, don't mention it."

"Not a word," Curry said with a quick shake of his head.

Garrison and his wife turned and headed down the street.

"Well, that explains a lot," Curry said.

"You want to explain it to me?" Heyes asked, finally finding his voice.

"Aw, you heard the man, not a word," he laughed. "Now let's get that hot meal we planned on. I'm starving.