It took two more days for Heyes and Curry to navigate through the remainder of the badlands, picking the best route in order to give Rebecca and Lily the most comfortable ride possible. By the afternoon of the third they rejoined the main road heading south and the small town of Southwater at last became visible on the horizon.

With Rebecca sitting on the box beside him Kid drove the wagon over the lengthening shadows now stretching across the wide main street while Heyes nonchalantly rode his horse alongside. As they passed the sheriff's office Heyes took a surreptitious look at the name above the door and, satisfied that it was not one he was familiar with, smiled to his partner. Both men breathed a sigh of relief that they wouldn't have to think up an excuse as to why they couldn't stay here tonight.

Once the new mother and baby were settled into a surprisingly clean room at the Malpais Hotel and a bath and supper ordered, Kid Curry went in search of the town's doctor. Answering the light knock on the door of a small house at the far end of town a motherly figure, who introduced herself as the housekeeper, informed him that Doctor Flynn was away on an urgent house call and not expected back until after dark. However, in response to the handsome blond's innocent blue eyes and shy smile she promised to direct him across to the hotel immediately upon his return.

Meanwhile, Hannibal Heyes was on a mission of his own. Having taken his partner's place on the wagon he headed straight to the livery stable where, after almost ten minutes of earnest negotiation with the owner, he paid what he considered a reasonable fee for the care of all six animals together with secure storage of the wagon and its contents. Complete with saddlebags he then proceeded to the bath house where he had arranged to meet up with the Kid and where they would enjoy a bath, have a shave and change their clothes before supper.

A couple of hours later two clean and replete but thirsty men picked their glasses off the bar and ambled over to an empty table in the corner of the Huckleberry Saloon.

"So, you come up with a plan yet?" asked Kid, before taking a long swallow of his beer.

Heyes' reply was a succinct, "Nope."

"Nope?!"

Heyes shook his head.

"Wonderful."

"Now don't go getting all proddy again," Heyes warned. "You've just eaten supper, which incidentally would have fed a family of five, and which I paid for with almost half of my poker stake; you're gonna sleep in a real bed tonight and right this minute you've got a cool beer in your hand. What more do you want?"

"What I want, Heyes, is to know Rebecca has a safe place to stay until she can look after Lily on her own. If somethin' was to happen to her Lily would be sent to an orphanage just like we were. I don't want that and I'm darn sure you don't either."

"No, I don't, but there's nowhere in these parts I'd call safe." Heyes thoughtfully ran his hand over his freshly shaved chin. "Heck, there's nothing for miles around here except bad water and coyotes."

Frowning, Kid Curry leaned on the table and considered the diminishing froth on the surface of his beer as if he hoped to find the answer there. After a few minutes of doing the same Heyes leaned back in his seat.

"Y' know, I think I've got it."

Kid wasn't sure quite what to make of the smirk which was fast turning into a full-blown dimpled grin. He narrowed his eyes.

"It'd better be good, Heyes."

"Oh, it is. Y' see, I was just thinking about the last time I said those words."

"What words?"

"Bad water and coyotes. We'd just run into good ol' Harry Briscoe in Pearlman when he was on the trail of Molly Cusack." Heyes sighed at his partner's blank stare. "You remember Molly. The nun who wasn't really a nun. She'd robbed a bank of thirty thousand dollars and—"

"Aaaw, don't tell me you're planning a bank robbery?" groaned Kid.

Heyes rolled his eyes. "Of course not! Look, I figure we can't be more than thirty miles north of Pearlman."

"So?"

"So... not far from Pearlman is Kettledrum. Kid, don't you remember? Half a day's ride outside of Kettledrum is a convent and in that convent is Sister Julia. You have to remember Sister Julia! How's about we take them there?"

Kid Curry grinned. "That's the best idea you've come up with in a long while, Heyes. It's good to know that nimble brain of yours can still think about somethin' other than suspicious sheriffs and the fastest way outta town."

Dismissing the temptation to roll his eyes again Heyes waited a beat then changed the subject. "The Doc should be over at the hotel by now."

Hurriedly downing the remainder of his beer, Kid stood. "I'd better be gettin' back."

Noting the puzzled look on Heyes' face he added, "Wouldn't look good if I wasn't there."

"Why?"

"Because I told the doc's housekeeper, as well as the desk clerk at the hotel, that me and Rebecca are married."

"Now what would you want to go and do a fool thing like that for?"

"Heyes, you know what these small towns are like. Becca's got enough to deal with without folks figurin' her for a strumpet with a baby outta wedlock."

"Strumpet?!" Heyes began to chuckle at the rather old-fashioned term then recognizing the warning sign in his cousin's eyes quickly drained his own glass before adding soberly, "Good thinking, Kid. Let's go."

While his partner inserted a key into the lock on the door to their hotel room Kid Curry took hold of the handle to the room next door.

"Becca, honey, it's me," he called softly as he let himself in, his eyes immediately focussing on the man who had hold of Rebecca's wrist.

"Oh, Thaddeus, I'm glad you're back. Doctor Flynn arrived a few minutes ago." Rebecca said from her place in an old armchair by the window where she had been nursing Lily.

Relieved that he had resisted the urge to draw his gun at the sight of a stranger in the room Kid acknowledged the grey-haired, slightly harried-looking medic with a brief smile and a tip of his hat.

"How many days since the delivery?" Doctor Flynn enquired as he looked up from his watch.

"About four," Rebecca answered.

"And you've not had a fever?"

"No."

Suddenly anxious, Curry paused momentarily in the act of lighting another lamp. "Fever? Is everything alright?"

"Well, Mister Jones, your wife's pulse is a little weaker than I would like."

"She lost a lot of blood, Doc, but we made sure she rested and drank plenty."

"We?"

Aware that some of the townsfolk had no doubt seen the three of them arrive together Kid replied, "A good friend of mine, Mister Smith, is travelling with us."

"I see. Well, first of all I need to examine your wife. You may wish to wait outside, Mister Jones."

When Rebecca offered Lily up for Kid to hold her eyes connected with his pleading with him to stay. She needed his strong presence right now for what she assumed would be an uncomfortable experience. After years of practice reading the unspoken messages that Heyes' eyes often conveyed Kid interpreted the look correctly.

Taking the child from her he said, "I'll stay, Doc, if it's all the same to you."

Most men couldn't get out of a room fast enough when it came to 'women's troubles' so Doctor Flynn was a little surprised at the young man's unusual request. He shrugged his shoulders.

"As you wish."

With the baby snug in his arms Kid moved closer to the window, standing almost with his back to the room to allow Rebecca some modicum of dignity. Better late than never, he thought, recalling the cramped and indecorous conditions of the wagon.

When the examination was complete the doctor turned his attention to Lily, declaring her to be a little underweight but in good health nevertheless.

"You are a lucky lady, Miz Jones," he said as he put away his stethoscope and snapped his bag shut. "The blood loss you experienced does sound a little excessive but its flushing effect may just have prevented you from developing that fever I mentioned. I would suggest you take salt water baths, eat well and rest as much as possible for a day or two. The Malpais is a good hotel, they will be happy to provide everything you need."

He turned to Kid and shook his hand. "You have a fine baby girl there, Mister Jones. I must say, you did an excellent job with the umbilical cord. Very neat. Very neat indeed."

"Thank you, sir." Kid Curry would have to give some thought whether or not he would tell his friend, Mister Smith, this. Heyes could get irritatingly smug about his achievements, no matter how small.

ooooo-OOO-ooooo

A loud "whoa!" brought all four mules to a halt adjacent to a set of weathered wooden gates, on each side of which stood a faded statue of the Virgin Mary. Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry sat side by side on the box and remained there for a moment staring in silence at the whitewashed adobe building beyond.

Eventually Kid spoke. "Looks familiar."

"Yep."

"You're sure Sister Julia will help?"

"Pretty sure," Heyes replied, a nuance of doubt creeping into his voice now that they were here. Then he muttered, "If she don't we've come an awful long way for nothing'."

Kid tied off the reins. "Well, no use sittin' here wonderin', best go find out. Why don't you ring that bell hangin' by the door while I help Rebecca down from the wagon?"

"Me?! Why me?"

"Your idea."

Heyes pursed his lips in irritation. He had been hoping that any enquiries would be done by the blond, blue-eyed, and when he wasn't being all proddy, the possibly more agreeable-looking half of their partnership. It might have been his imagination but the last time they met Sister Julia appeared to take quite a shine to him. However, still wishing to keep his cousin's mood upbeat, he swallowed any further protests and with a hooded glare reluctantly climbed down from his seat.

Not making too much effort to hide his amusement Kid watched his usually self-assured friend straighten his dusty black hat, take a deep breath and walk, somewhat hesitantly, up to the large, solid oak door.

Following a very brief explanation little more than five minutes had passed before Rebecca and Lily were being escorted down a dark, cool corridor towards a guest room by one of the Sisters. Despite initially giving the appearance of being pleased to see them again Sister Julia had turned on her heel and silently ushered Heyes and Curry into her office. Firmly closing the door she tucked her hands behind the scapular of her habit and looked sternly up at the two men who stood before her fingering the brims of their hats.

"So, Joshua, Thaddeus, which one of you is responsible?"

"S...s-sister?"

"Ma'am?"

"For this young woman's situation."

Grasping her implication, Heyes' reply was swift.

"Oh, n...n-neither of us." He winced inwardly at this woman's ability to make him stutter — it had happened before when he attempted to explain their reasons for not joining her for evening prayers. The formidable outlaw leader knew exactly how to glean that very response from several member of the Devil's Hole Gang and had done so frequently, but he was at a loss to work out how she managed to do it to him.

"That's the honest truth, Sister," gushed Kid. "Y' see, Leland — that was her husband — when he got kicked in the head by a mule and died out there on the trail we buried him. We didn't know no prayers but Miz Parrish, she sang a hymn over his grave and later Joshua and me, well, we didn't' rightly know what we was doin' but we helped with the birthin' of Lily and..."

Kid's voice trailed off as he caught a glimpse of his partner staring at him, wide-eyed. For reasons unknown the usually laconic gunman always felt compelled to tell the diminutive nun everything. In fact, last time his mouth had run on so much Heyes had remarked that if he had kept on talking he would probably have told her about the ten thousand dollar bounty on each of their heads. Secretly, Kid didn't doubt that at all.

Mentally Heyes got a grip on himself. "What my friend is trying to say is...that the young lady has had a real bad time. She needs somewhere to stay, somewhere safe for her and the baby, and—"

"— so we thought we'd bring her to you, Sister," interjected Kid.

"It's nice and quiet here," Heyes continued, ignoring the interruption. "Just the right kinda place for her to grieve in her own time and figure out what she wants to do. She has family back east but she may decide to go on to California which is where they were headed."

"I see." Sister Julia nodded solemnly. "Well, our doors are always open to those in need."

Both men nodded expectantly.

"But, we do ask for something in return."

"You do?" Heyes didn't much like the sinking feeling that was creeping into the pit of his stomach.

"Yes, a small benefaction."

"A benefaction?"

"A donation. To help us continue with God's work and for the repairs to the chapel roof."

Heyes followed the nun's gaze which had come to rest on his shirt pocket and the thick fold of paper money therein, the result of an exceptionally profitable night at a poker table in the Huckleberry Saloon.

"Oh, s...s-sure," he said, hastily pulling out the bundle and peeling off a significant number of bills. Sister Julia momentarily considered the proffered money then rather pointedly switched her gaze back up to Heyes' face.

"Second thoughts, Sister, take it all." Heyes forced a smile as he held the entire bundle out at arm's length. "Get a whole new roof."

At a speed even Kid Curry would be proud of Sister Julia's right hand appeared and the money vanished with it back into the folds of her habit. "That's very generous. May God bless you both. You will reap your reward in Heaven, gentlemen."

Kid quietly blew out his cheeks as he stared down at his boots and Heyes hoped it was only his ears that caught his muttered, "Pfftt, more like the 'other place'."

ooooo-OOO-ooooo

Holding Lily in her arms the young mother looked around her at the sparsely furnished room. There was a small bed with a straw-filled mattress, a thin pillow and one blanket, the bottom half of a strongbox complete with a second blanket which would serve as a crib, and a chest of drawers upon which stood a ewer and bowl and a single candle in a plain pottery holder.

Joshua and Thaddeus had imparted all they knew about Sister Julia and how they had made her acquaintance and Rebecca was very much looking forward to meeting her. The Sister who had brought the strongbox was definitely not her, however. She was young, had a strong Irish accent and spoke rather brashly; not in the gentle, hushed tones Rebecca had expected. Assuming that this young woman was new to the convent and was therefore not yet accustomed to its ways Rebecca gave it no further thought while the nun, who had introduced herself as Sister Isabel, outlined the Order's daily routine.

The well-rehearsed litany was brought to a stop by a soft tap on the door. An older nun stood in the doorway. She had shining blue eyes and a pleasant smile and, from the description she had been given, Rebecca knew it had to be Sister Julia.

Sister Isabel's eyes darted over the older nun's shoulder to the man behind her and as the two visitors stepped inside she demurely dipped her wimple-covered head and scurried past almost bumping into one of them in the doorway. Before he could tip his hat and apologize she was already half way down the corridor. The dark-haired man took a step backward in order to peer around his blond companion.

"Uh, wasn't that...?" With a furrowed brow Hannibal Heyes jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "I thought for a moment that was Moll—." He didn't get to finish that thought. Catching a stern look from Sister Julia he quickly snapped his mouth shut.

From where she stood next to the small bare window Rebecca smiled a greeting but the smile faded at Kid's words.

"I'm afraid we've come to say goodbye, Becca."

"Sister Julia here will take real good care of you," added Heyes. "You couldn't be in better hands."

"I know, and thank you both for all you've done. You saved our lives. I would have died out there on my own and so would Lily." She fought back the tears now brimming in her eyes.

At the mention of the baby Kid reached out and ran a finger tenderly down the sleeping infant's cheek. "We're gonna miss you both," he said, taking Rebecca's hand in his.

"Won't miss being woken up in the middle of the night though," Heyes added.

Kid smiled. "Some truth in that."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"I can't say, Becca. Joshua and me, we move about a lot, but if you need to get word to us you can contact a friend of ours by the name of Lom Trevors. He's the sheriff in Porterville, Wyoming," explained Kid.

"Goodbye." Heyes leaned in and planted a kiss on Rebecca's cheek. Kid Curry did likewise but lingered for just a second or two longer.

"C'mon, Thaddeus." Heyes jerked his head toward the door. "We gotta unhitch those mules before we go." Kid nodded in agreement and reluctantly let go of Rebecca's hand.

ooooo-OOO-ooooo

They rode away from the convent in silence.

Aware that the Kid was upset at leaving Rebecca Heyes kept him under close but covert scrutiny for several miles. Once he felt confident that he was not going to be subjected to a repeat of his wrathy attitude — right now, at any rate — he cleared his throat and ventured, "You know, Kid, there's one thing that's been puzzling me."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Why did you tell Rebecca where she could contact us? Could be a little risky."

Still looking straight ahead Kid breathed a heartfelt sigh. "I dunno, Heyes, maybe I was thinkin'... no, hopin' that when the time is right for her to be with someone again, she might think a little about me, is all."

"Oh? So, holding a woman's hand while I deliver her baby makes you ideal husband material now, does it?"

Choosing to ignore the sarcasm dripping from his partner's words Curry continued his musing with a shrug. "Maybe. And if ever the Governor sees fit to grant us that amnesty I might consider settlin' down. Becca and me, we had a connection, don'tcha think?"

When Heyes didn't comment Kid answered his own question. "Well, we did and Lily might cry a lot but she is sweet, ain't she? I think having a family would be real nice, even a ready-made one."

"I see."

Kid glanced to his left and noted his partner's solemn face.

"Somethin' the matter, Heyes?"

"No, nothing's the matter. It's just that I haven't given much thought about what I want to do when the amnesty comes through. Didn't think you had either."

"I hadn't — until the last few days anyway," replied Kid. "Hey! Doc Flynn told me you did a real good job when you cut that cord and you've taken a bullet or two outta me over the years; maybe you could become a doctor."

"Hmmm."

"Anyhow," continued Kid, "until you get round to thinkin' about it some more I guess there would always be room at our house for Lily's Uncle Hannibal."

"Uncle Heyes."

Grinning at his partner's' disgruntled face at the use of his first name Kid asked, "So, Uncle Heyes, where we headed?"

"I thought we could stop a while in Pearlman. You never know, we may get lucky and snag a seat in a poker game; take those bad gamblers for all they've got. We're kinda short on funds again, thanks to Sister Julia."

Curry considered this idea for a moment then, his grin gone, he pulled his horse to a halt and looked at the vast expanse of sand and Joshua trees stretching away into the distance.

"Pearlman?! But, that's across... that!"

Heyes swung his horse round to face him. "C'mon now, Kid. Don't go gettin' started."

"We just spent days crossin' those badlands and now you want to take us across a desert?!"

"It won't take long. I know a short cut."

"Aaaw, Heyes!"

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

**It was not uncommon for women on an overland wagon train to dispense with the wearing of underwear. This meant that, with their long skirts, they could more conveniently relieve themselves and not require the assistance of other women.

The hymn "Lord, Dismiss Us With Your Blessing" is in the public domain.