What a difference the return journey was! It was a sweet pleasure to ride beside Kid again, though she did miss his warm solidity behind her on the saddle. They carefully avoided the topics that had proven so painful on the way. Instead they chatted comfortably, exchanging teasing banter, admiring the scenery and wildlife around them and simply enjoying one another's company. It felt like old times.

For dinner they enjoyed tinned meats and corn and even peaches, and Lou even made buckwheat flapjacks for breakfast. At night they slept, each on their own bedroll, in the cozy tent. The weather was fine and the way was smooth. It should have been perfect … except for one thing. On the morning of what they expected would be the last day in the wild country, Lou decided to broach the subject that hung over them like a thundercloud.

"What that man Baxter said while he was holding me," she began. "Was it true?"

Beside her, Kid stiffened a little in his saddle. "Which part?"

"About the … letters ya wrote me."

"I s'pose he got it about right."

"Were ya ever gonna send them letters, Kid?"

"I guess not. Doesn't seem like there's much point. There were just some things I needed to get off my chest, that's all. For myself."

Lou felt a keen stab of disappointment. Had she really expected him to hand over his love letters to her in a stack, maybe tied up with fancy ribbon? Like a silly schoolgirl, she had hoped he would. How she longed to read what he felt about her, in his deepest heart of hearts. Never mind, she told herself. What's done is done. There was, however, one matter that needed taking care of.

"Well, I hope Baxter got one thing wrong. That part about your last will and testament."

Kid looked at her sharply. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to think you've been takin' all these chances with your life just so you can git killed and leave me yer stored-up savings."

Her traveling companion frowned and Lou saw a muscle working in his jaw. He was irritated. "Seems like I'm allowed to do what I want with my own pay."

"But why would you leave everything to me, now that we're not ridin' double anymore?"

He gave her a quick, sidelong glance. "Just 'cause my dream ain't gonna happen doesn't mean you shouldn't have yours. I want you to have that ranch for you and your sister and brother. You deserve it."

"Aw, Kid," Lou sighed, touched to the heart by his generosity, but aching with regret at the same time. "Do you think I could have a minute's peace or happiness on land that was bought with blood money? Knowin' you died to give me my dream? Do you really want to hurt me that much?"

He swiveled his head to stare at her. "Hurt ya? No, Lou! That's not why I done it. I just want you to be happy, don't you know that? I'd give anything, do anything, to make you happy."

"If you really want to make me happy, you'll come home to Sweetwater."

Kid exhaled sharply. "I cain't."

"Why not, Kid? Don't you know we need you?" I need you, she thought to herself.

"It's too late, Lou. What's done is done."

Lou could have laughed at the cruel irony of hearing Kid repeat the very words she'd spoken to herself only minutes before. Hard experience and a stern education at the hands of the mission sisters had imbued Lou with a pragmatic, almost pessimistic world view. In contrast to the upbeat, anything-is-possible attitude she had been accustomed to from Kid, Lou tended to be wary, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Now, however, it seemed their roles had reversed. Kid had lost his clear-eyed vision, and Lou wanted desperately to believe in happy endings.

"What will you do?" Lou asked.

Kid gave a listless shrug. "Head back to Denver first, turn in the survey to the McCall Company, along with my report that gold was nowhere to be found."

"How will you explain what happened to them three others?"

"I'll tell the truth, more or less. They was afflicted with gold fever, believing there was a treasure to be found, and in their greed to get whatever we might find to themselves, they beat me up and left me for dead, then fell to fightin' and wound up killin' each other. I'll say I found 'em dead when I tracked them back to the camp."

"And after that? Where will you go?"

"Head further west, maybe. California or Oregon." Kid dropped his eyes to the back of Katy's neck. "Or I might go home to Virginia. Take up the cause my brother died for."

"Kid! I know you're never-"

"Steal and murder innocent people like Jed did? 'Course not. But there are other ways to take a stand for what you believe in."

Lou's eyebrows knit in vexation. "I don't understand. You rode alongside Noah, helped Ulysses escape. How can you take up the Southern cause now?"

She watched Kid's mouth form a hard line and his eyes narrow in irritation. This was an old argument, and he was clearly tired of it. "How many times do I have to explain, it ain't all about slavery? My family never owned another human being. Hell, the way we was yolked to our landlord for our few paltry acres, we weren't far from slaves ourselves."

Lou shot him a sharp look, and Kid colored slightly. "All right, I know it ain't the same thing, and I'd be happy if Virginia and the other slave-holding states found a way around the practice. But that's somethin' the people who live there should have the right to decide, not the federal government."

"Don't seem like Ulysses had much right to decide, or Stagecoach Sally," Lou protested.

Kid threw up his hands. "I give up. There's no use explainin' to y'all who never lived in it that not everything is so black and white." His face set like stone, Kid tightened his knees around Katy's flanks to urge her to a faster trot that took them ahead of Lou and Lightning.

Lou rode behind him, watching his broad back and recognizing the tension and frustration in his posture. As in tune as she and the Southern cowboy were in most ways, there were things about Kid's upbringing and values that Lou didn't know and likely wouldn't understand even if she did. The same was true for her; there were parts of her life she never wanted Kid to find out about … deep hurts that played in to their break up, but which she couldn't bring herself to reveal. And now there seemed no use in trying to untangle and mend the frayed threads of their relationship. With his characteristic stubbornness, Kid had made up his mind.

He wasn't coming home.

By mid-afternoon they reached a proper, well-traveled trail, which they followed until it split into two paths – a literal fork in the road. One branch led south and east, toward familiar vistas and Sweetwater. The other led west toward the Rockies and the still little-known lands beyond them.

Kid pulled up, and Lou stopped beside him.

"I guess this is where we part ways," Kid said, his voice a little husky.

"Kid, I've been thinkin'," Lou began in a rush. "I better ride on with you to Denver. What if them company officials don't believe you about the those three dead men? What if they accuse you of murder? I should be there to back up your story."

"No, Lou. I've gotta deal with this on my own. And you've got to get back to Sweetwater. Teaspoon and the boys must be half-crazy worrying about you by now. I bet they've been scouring the countryside."

"They ain't," Lou assured him. "When you were gettin' your shave in Douglas, I ran across one of the riders at the waystation. I sent word back to Teaspoon, lettin' him know I had some business to take care of."

"Still, they're down two riders with you gone. It's time you go home."

Lou wanted to tell him that home was wherever he was. She wanted to hug him and never let him go. She wanted to shout at him to stop being so independent and pig-headed, and she wanted to bust out crying. She did none of these things. Instead, she nodded. "I guess if you've made up your mind that's the way it's gotta be …"

"It is."

"Well, take care of yerself, Kid. Please don't take any more chances on my account. And-and don't forget about me." Her voice cracked on those last words, and she wheeled Lightning about before Kid saw the tears beginning to streak her face. "Gee-a!" she told Lightning, clicking her heels against his sides. The black stallion broke into a gallop, carrying Lou away from a tall, forsaken-looking cowboy and his beloved Paint horse. If she'd glanced behind her, she might have seen tears on his cheeks to match her own.

But she didn't.