Chapter 6

Four days later, Heyes and Kid were loading their gear onto their horses out front of the Cutter place. They had stayed at the homestead after the raid to help tidy up as best they could, rebuilding fences and clearing out the burnt remnants of the house.

Bess and Daniel had gone to stay at the main ranch with Mrs. Tucker, who had fussed over them, attending their every whim. The partners were going to call in to collect their pay and say their farewells that morning. As they were securing their bed rolls, Cutter came out of the house. He had aged over the last couple of days and stood before them tired and dishevelled. Pausing at the top of the step he looked genuinely down to see them leave.

He took the two steps off the porch stiffly and came to stand besides Heyes and Kid.

"Sure am sorry to see you two boys go. If it wasn't for you, well … I don't like to think of what might have happened. I'll always be in your debt." He reached out his hand and shook both of theirs vigorously.

"No problem, Mr. Cutter. You've got a real nice family and we were glad to help," Heyes grinned at him.

Cutter reached into his top pocket and pulled out a roll of notes. "Here! It ain't much compared to what you done but I'd like you to have it!"

Heyes wrapped his fingers around the proffered money and looked at Kid. Then he looked back at Cutter and placed the roll back in his hand, saying, "We can't take this. Anyone would have done what we did and we don't need paying for it. Hell! Ain't we getting a bonus from the Tuckers? You keep it, Bill and treat that daughter and grandson of yours to something real nice!"

Kid smiled at his partner proudly. It was quite something to see Hannibal Heyes hand money over so readily!

Bill Cutter looked at both men, pressing his lips together and nodding, then said, "Think I was right about you two! You're real nice fellas! You take care of yourselves and you're welcome here anytime."

With that, both tipped their hats at the man, mounted their horses and rode out.

"That was a real nice thing you did back there, Heyes!" Kid commented as they rode along.

There was no reply for a moment before Heyes said, "Guess I must be getting soft in my old age!"

"Nah! Think you're just being yourself, is all," Kid answered kindly. Heyes gave a low laugh at the comment but took it graciously and modestly.

Over the last few days they had worked diligently for Bill Cutter but they had also had time to talk and each now felt they understood and knew each other just a little better, if that was possible, now that troubles had been aired. No further words were needed as they headed for the Tucker ranch.

There was a comforting air of normality as they rode through the gates proclaiming the Bar T ranch. The ranch hands were going about their daily chores and dogs barked as they entered, greeting them with waving tails. A figure could be seen pegging out crisp, freshly laundered sheets and as they drew closer they recognised Bess Mayer. She looked a little pale and the vivid bruise on her cheek remained but on seeing them, her face lit up into a beaming smile. Just then, Mrs. Tucker also appeared, carrying another basket of washing. She too, on seeing them, greeted them with a happy smile, placed her burden on the ground and walked over. Bess Mayer followed close behind.

"It's good to see you, boys," she said, shielding her eyes from the sun. Both dismounted their horses in unison.

"Can't say I'm glad to see you go though. You've been a real asset about the place. You'll be missed." She smiled again. "Guess you'll be wanting what's owed you? I'll go get it." she said, turning back towards the house.

Bess approached a little coyly, turning her face slightly, so as to hide the bruising. Biting her bottom lip, she looked at each man in turn. "Guess you're on your way then?" she asked, lamentably.

"Yes, Ma'am," Kid replied, giving her a caring smile, his eyes full of kindness.

"I want to thank you both for what you done. If it wasn't for you two, then Daniel and I , well …" Her eyes welled at the memory and she hesitated, staring at her feet. Kid took a step forward and placed his hand gently on her shoulder, making her raise her eyes to his, rewarding him with a brave smile.

"It's good to see you looking so well, Bess," he told her.

Her heart lurched at his words but she kept calm, knowing that was all it was - words. He and his partner would be leaving soon and there was nothing more. She had said her thank yous a few days earlier when he had visited and now there was nothing left to say but 'Goodbye.'

While Kid and Bess were talking, Heyes went in search of Daniel. He found him forking hay into the stalls for the horses.

"That looks suspiciously like ranch work to me," Heyes said, with just a hint of sarcasm.

Daniel jumped at the sound of his voice and looked a little startled.

"Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you," Heyes told him.

"You didn't," the boy retorted, "I was just … you know, thinking, is all."

"Yeah. I know," Heyes laughed in reply. "Ought to be careful of that. Can get you into trouble," he joked.

"Like robbing banks and trains you mean?" Daniel said, calmly.

Heyes looked at the boy curiously, wondering whether that had been just one of those comments or he knew something. He chose not to respond but hitched his thumbs into his belt, while he scrutinised the boy, trying to work out which was the truth.

Daniel returned the look and squared his shoulders before valiantly saying, "I know who you are, Mr. Smith!"

Heyes emitted a soft snort. "That's right. I'm Joshua Smith!"

"No you ain't. You're Hannibal Heyes and Mr. Jones is Kid Curry. I heard him call you 'Heyes' the other day and I've seen him draw that gun of his," he said coolly.

"Think you must have misheard, Daniel and lots of men can draw their guns like Mr. Jones," came Heyes' steady reply.

"No, I know what I heard and seen. I knew you was different from the other cow-hands when I first met you and now I know why. It don't matter none, anyways. I ain't going to tell no-one. You saved mine and Ma's lives and I owe you for that."

Daniel leaned on the pitchfork and smiled at Heyes, who tilted his head to one side, a twitch of a smile playing on his lips as he looked at the boy questioningly.

"So, you going to become a rancher like your Pa then?" Heyes asked, indicating the pitch fork with a nod.

Daniel straightened up, looked at the implement in question and laughed. "Can't see me doing this sort of work for the rest of my life. I've got other things I want to do but while I'm here I reckon as man of the place I ought to do my share of the chores."

"That's real good to hear, Daniel," Heyes told him. "Sometimes you don't know how lucky you are until you nearly lose something. You've got a decent family here. Thaddeus and I lost ours and perhaps that's why we done what we did, but you've got people who need you and that's a real fine thing."

"Guess it is," the boy replied thoughtfully. "You leaving now?"

"Yeah. It's time to move on," Heyes replied.

"You going to come back?"

"Doubt it. We tend to move around a lot." He didn't want to disillusion the boy as to their ever returning and now that Daniel knew who they were, it made the possibility even more remote.

"I understand," Daniel replied simply. "But I promise I'll never tell anyone who you really are, even my Ma - in fact definitely not my Ma! Think she'd be really shocked to know she'd taken a bit of a fancy to Kid Curry."

Heyes laughed out loud at this. "Yeah! Reckon she would. Well, Daniel, you take real good care of her and you Grandpa. And keep working on those inventions of yours. You've got some real good ideas there and who knows one day I may be using something you've made."

Heyes held out his hand and Daniel took it. "Thanks again, for everything, Mr. Smith," he said with a serious expression on his face. "It ain't going to be the same around here without you but I reckon it's going to be alright now."

"You'll do real fine, Daniel," said Heyes, shaking the boy's hand and then he tipped his hat to him and winked, before turning and walking away. Daniel watched him walk out into the brightness of the sun, from the dimness of the barn, with a contemplative expression and then continued forking hay, with a smile on his face.

By the time Heyes found Kid, he was packing some extra provisions, that Mrs. Tucker had supplied, which included some home baked bread, slices of beef and blueberry pie, which he was carefully placing in his saddlebags. Heyes smiled to himself at his partner's uncanny ability to get women to take care of him, a skill which Heyes greatly appreciated, as he got to share in the profits!

"Oh! There you are, Joshua." Mrs. Tucker welcomed him warmly. She held out several, folded bills. "Here's what's owing to you, with a little extra for your trouble."

Bess Mayer coloured slightly, having been at the centre of the trouble. Kid caught his partner's eye and with a subtle raising of the eyebrows and a flicker of a smile, let his partner know that the bonus was a desirable one.

"Much obliged to you, Ma'am," Heyes said, slipping the roll into the top pocket of his shirt without counting it. "Well, we'd best be on our way," he said, unhitching his horse. Kid followed suit but before mounting his horse, leant over and gently kissed Bess on the cheek, saying, "You take care now."

Bess blinked and nodded and cast her eyes to the ground as she felt the colour rise in her cheeks. With an agile step, Kid placed his foot in the stirrup and with a bounce, swung into the saddle. As they began to ride out, Bess found her voice. "Thank you for everything. Come back and see us."

A movement to the left caught their eye, as Daniel appeared from the barn, a broad smile on his face. "Take it easy Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones," he called, with a mischievous smile. Both waved their farewells and kicked the horses into a lope.

A few miles down the road Heyes looked at his partner and noticing a bemused look on Kid's face asked, "What's the matter?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing - just wondering what was on Daniel's mind and why he said 'goodbye' like that."

"Could be that he knows who we really are," responded Heyes with a deadpan face.

Kid instantly reined his horse to a stop. "Why the Hell did you tell him, Heyes? He could tell anyone. How'd you know there ain't a posse after us right now?" he said, in a raised voice, checking the trail over his shoulder.

"Hold on there. Number one - I wasn't the one to tell him. He overheard you calling me 'Heyes' and number two, he said, as we saved his and his Ma's life, he wasn't going to tell no one and I trust him. Besides, he didn't want his Ma to be disappointed that she'd fallen for a wanted outlaw."

Kid sat dumbfounded for a moment, then simply said, "Oh! Sorry, guess I must have slipped up," but after a short while added, "What do you mean 'disappointed'? I ain't never disappointed a woman in my life, Heyes," with a knowing expression on his face.

Heyes rolled his eyes , good humouredly, at his partner's arrogance.

"It ain't the first time one of us has slipped up and told someone who we are. Remember Mrs. Carlson," Kid continued.

Heyes looked at Kid incredulously. "I'd had a lump of metal in my head! What's your excuse?"

"Just looking out for my partner, I guess," Kid said, happily.

Heyes' expression softened as he looked at his friend. "We're getting pretty good at that, ain't we?"

Kid fixed him with a look from his clear blue eyes and in a sincere tone said, "Seems to me we've always been good at it. The past can't change that. You can't fight it - just have to learn to live with it, I guess."

"Guess you're right, Kid. Guess you're right," Heyes replied, giving his partner an appreciative smile.

Thank you for reading. There is a partly written sequel to this story but it's been sitting in my laptop for the last few years. Let me know if you think it's worth dusting off.