Nick, Heath, and Mariano dismounted as they neared the old stone ranch house outside of Strawberry where they believed Matt Simmons and Bill Tennant were holed up. When Nick slid out of the saddle, he nearly lost his footing when his feet hit the ground. His knees seemed to want to fold beneath him. He gripped the saddle to steady himself.

"You all right, Nick?" asked Heath who appeared at his side.

"Yeah," Nick said. "Just got a little dizzy that's all. I'm all right." He circled his shoulders a bit and rubbed his neck. "Just getting a little hot out here. It's working on my headache, but I'll handle it."

"We'll tie off the horses here and backtrack over the ridge and come in behind the rancho," Mariano said. "If you can't do this, Nick, we can turn back right now if you want to. Just say the word. No one will think badly of you."

Nick frowned even more, his brows lowered. "Don't turn back on my account. Why don' t you just try to keep up with me, huh?!" He dropped his hand from his neck and jerked his horse's reins to move him to a stand of trees. He cursed under his breath. "Son-of-a-bitch, Mariano!" he muttered to himself as he walked off. "Some friend...now he wants to turn around...prob'ly ta run off ta Mexico or some nonsense."

Heath hung back and confronted Mariano. "Why are you goading him on like that? Can't you see he's havin' trouble?"

Mariano dropped a hand on Heath's shoulder. He watched Nick carefully, but answered Heath's question. "He needed a push. That's all. We either finish or turn back. I know Nick. He would never forgive me if I made him turn back now."

"You ever think he might not get a chance to forgive you, Mariano?"

Mariano looked down at him. "We've come too far, Heath. You know we have. Anything that could happen to Nick, could happen to either of us from this point on. He's hard headed enough to keep pace with us. He just has to believe he can. I'm more concerned for you. We only have two guns. That is a real problem. It can and should keep you out of the fight altogether."

"I'm sure as hell not leavin'."

"Why not?"

"Because I-" Heath didn't know what he wanted to say, but Mariano angered him. "Because I have more at stake here than you."

"Do you?" Mariano said. There was a keen glint in his eyes. "What is Nick to you anyway?"

Heath folded his arms. "Now you're goading me."

Nick sauntered back. "I see you two are in fine spirits." He frowned at Mariano. "Get that horse over there. We're wasting time."

Mariano laughed and led his horse to Bell.

Heath turned his attention to Nick, who although still a little on the green side, seemed at least to be in a better mood. "You feel better?"

"Yeah. I do." Nick was thoughtful. "Say, Heath, I know you came a long way to be here. I owe you more than I can ever repay...you know?"

"Nah, you don't."

"Well, I do. But uh...Mariano and I...you know we have to finish this without ya." Nick took his gun from the holster and checked the bullets in the chamber. "I want you to stay here, with the horses. Out of trouble."

Heath squinted at him, and it wasn't from just the sun's glare. "I wonder how many times you've been told just that. 'Stay out of trouble' and I bet you always listened, didn't ya?"

"You'd better listen. You're a kid-a tough one I'll admit-but still a kid. It would be wrong for you to go with us. Even if you had a gun, which you don't."

"This kid could whup you right now," Heath boasted. He squared his shoulders.

Nick's eyebrows shot up. "Is that so?" He shook his head. "Well, we're not going to waste time finding out right now...are we?"

"Guess not." Heath relaxed. "I still have to go with you back up the ridge. I know the layout of the ranch pretty well. I'll stay back though, when the time comes. I won't get in your way."

"Fair enough." Nick pointed a finger at him. "Straight up, right? No goin' all vigilante on me, Heath."

"Don't ya trust me?"

Heath had such a straight face that Nick nearly busted up. "You want the truth?"

The boy dropped his guard and genuinely smiled. "I don't know that I want to hear it."

"Stay. Out. Of trouble." Nick knocked the brim of Heath's hat down over his eyes. "Kid."

"Hey!"

Mariano joined them. "Are you two finished horsing around? We have business to take care of."

They moved stealthily along the far side of the ridge to keep out of sight of the main ranch house and barn. Nick moved as quickly and as sure-footed as Mariano, so Heath gained more confidence in his injured brother's ability to handle himself. They stopped behind the ranch house a good hundred yards. They had to get closer.

"Now, of course you can see the barn. Front and back door's are open so looks clear from here."

"Yeah. I only see one horse," Nick said, indicating the one tied to the hitching post by the front porch. "Looks like an old one. You know it?"

"That's ol' Nugget. Good horse, not fast though," Heath said. "Matt musta ridden him here. I don't see Bill's horse. Could be in the barn."

"Possibly."

"We'd better move closer," Mariano said. "There's a group of boulders down the ridge and to the right. It'll give us a good view of the house if we take cover there."

"Heath," Nick said. "This is where you stay. You have no gun, so no heroics from you. Got it?"

Heath figured he should not use the poker face Nick could see right through. He opted for a disappointed look instead. He dropped his chin. "All right. I'll stay here." He felt a tap on the top of his hat and his two companions topped the ridge and moved down the hill.

Nick lacked a certain amount of balance required to move so quickly down the hill and he skidded awkwardly into the boulder. He groaned. "Damn it."

"You hurt?" Mariano said.

Nick rubbed his shoulder. "I'm fine."

"That wasn't real graceful, Nick," said Heath, who had apparently followed them.

"What are you doing here?" Nick exclaimed. "You were supposed to wait on the ridge!"

"You didn't think I would stay up there did you?" Heath said. "From the looks of things, you need my help." His eyes went wide. "Get down!" When they were all hidden behind the boulder, Heath said, "It's Matt. He's outside. He musta heard us."

Nick pulled himself up and peered over the boulder. "Unbeliveable!" Nick exclaimed in a loud whisper as he crouched again.

"What is it?" said Mariano.

"Simmons is wearing my hat!" Nick turned an incredulous look. "How can he DO that? I special ordered that hat all the way from Philadelphia. My name is embroidered on the inside!"

A smile kicked up the corner of Mariano's mouth. "That son-of-a-bitch." He peered around the boulder himself. He came back after a moment. "He's gone back inside."

"We'll just have to get that hat back." Heath said.

Nick's gaze went to Heath's own pristine white hat and then to the boy's eager blue eyes. The kid reminded him of Gene and his desire to be more like Nick. Gene might have said the same thing, and would be just as willing to fight. Nick didn't want to see this boy hurt. "That hat suits you Heath. How 'bout you keepin' that perch it's resting on and stay out of this fight, huh?"

Heath shot him an icy glare. "I got a score to settle! They used me to get to you. I don't like that."

"You don't have a weapon, Heath!" Nick protested. "You can't fight!"

"You mean I don't anymore." Heath eyed the gun in Nick's hand.

"Careful boy," Nick said. "I don't care how long you wore it. This is MY gun!"

"Come on Nick! I'm not crippled like you and you said yourself I've got a good eye."

"Yeah, with knives!" Nick said. "Wait a second-who are you calling crippled?"

"Quiet!" Mariano ordered. He shot a harsh look from one to the other. "Deny it all you want, but one needs only listen to you to know you're brothers!"

Heath crossed his arms over his chest and silently fumed.

"All right then," Nick nodded. "Let's get on with this."

"We have to find out if Bill is in that cabin with Simmons," said Mariano.

"Right."

"I got an idea," said Heath.

"I could fire a shot," offered Nick.

"Too risky. You would give away our location," said Mariano.

"I got an idea," repeated Heath.

"We could surround the place and-" began Mariano.

Nick cut in. "You can't surround anything with only two guns!"

Heath shut his mouth. He knew how it worked. He never told anyone more than once about a brilliant idea. If folks didn't want to be bothered with something a kid had to say, then they wouldn't be bothered and that was that. The fact he gave these fellows two chances to listen pretty much proved his loyalty to them and taxed his patience to the limit. Whatever. They settled on ignoring him. He took the moment and slipped back to the horses unnoticed by either of his arguing companions.

"Sounds like a plan-" Nick was saying when he noticed someone missing. "Where's Heath?"

Mariano looked around bewildered. "I didn't see him leave."

Nick bit his lip and glanced around. "Ah!" and then he cursed. "Maybe he took my advice and skedaddled back to the horses where it's safe."

Mariano returned a wry look.

"He's a smart kid. I don't see why not-"

"Ay caramba! He won't stay out of trouble," Mariano exclaimed, he stared at the house. "That kid IS trouble!"

"Where-?" Nick looked and sucked in a breath. "My horse!"

Heath had ridden Horse straight up to the front door of the ranch house.

"Matt Simmons!" he called. "I know you're in there!" He drummed his fingers on the Bowie knife now strapped to his thigh. "Matt!" he called again. "I gotta talk to you."

Behind the boulder, Nick wanted to crawl out of his skin. He very nearly jumped up to drag that boy back. "Heath!" he muttered. "What are you doing?"

A slow smile appeared on Mariano's face. He chuckled. "He's gambling that is uncle won't hurt him. It might help us. He'll pull Simmons out and maybe Tennant as well."

"His uncle is a lowlife bastard. I wouldn't put anything past him. Tennant is down right cold-blooded," Nick replied. "We have to do something."

"We'll stick with our plan," Mariano said. He got to his feet and crouched ready to run. "I'll move around to the side of the house. You stay here and make sure no one escapes out the back."

Nick nodded curtly. "All right. I guess that's what we have to do."

Mariano left. Nick pressed his body against the rock and squeezed his eyes to clear his vision. Darkness was creeping into the periphery. He opened his eyes and nothing changed, but he could still see what was in front of him and that's all that mattered. He could still shoot a man coming out of the ranch house.

Matt came out onto the shaded porch cautiously, gun in hand, looking around the area and then directly at Heath. "Boy what are you doing here?"

"Martha sent me."

"What?"

"She told me to tell you that she's gonna be late."

"What do you mean, late?" Matt's fingers tightened on the grip of his revolver and his eyes twitched nervously. "I'll give you a chance to get on outa here, Heath, cause your my nephew. But just one chance. I suggest you take it."

"I would go, but she gave me a message for Bill too." Heath called out, "Bill!"

"Boy, you are stupid!" Matt waved him off. "He's not here! He's gone back to Strawberry to-"

Mariano sprang around the corner of the house and Matt whirled lifting his gun to fire.

Mariano squeezed off a shot, and Matt crumpled to the porch.

After steadying a worried Bell, Heath slid down from the saddle and rushed to the porch. He took Matt's gun and saw that he was still very much alive and as mad as a rattler. Matt glared up at him, clutching his side. Blood oozed between his fingers through the blue broadcloth shirt. He moaned in pain. "You traitor! After everything I've done for you!" He curled up and squeezed his eyes closed.

Heath regretted seeing him this way, but a man chooses his own path. "You never did nothin' for me."

Mariano came out of the house. "No one else is here. Go get Nick. I'll keep an eye on this one."

As Mariano bent to tend to Matt, Heath backed off. This was the conclusion he had wanted, though he regretted spilling Matt's blood. It looked like he would live to go to jail and that seemed like justice to him. Heath stepped off the porch and sauntered around the corner, feeling not so bad about how things went. Nick and Mariano hadn't wanted to listen to his plan, but his plan had worked. They would have to listen to his ideas now.

Nick had heard Mariano's shot and jumped to his feet. No one ran from the back of the house and for a split second, he thought he'd gotten a bad deal and had not positioned himself where he should have been to back up his companions. He had no way of knowing who fired that shot. He had to get to Mariano and Heath.

He started to run-someone shoved him down hard from behind. Nick's head bounced off the rock and a sharp pain spiked in his skull. His vision went completely gray. He slid to the ground. When his sight trickled back, he saw a grinning Bill Tennant holding a gun to his head. Nick still gripped his colt, and he calculated what might happen if he tried to shoot him.

"Don't even think it. You're dead anyway." Bill still smiled as he pulled back the hammer of his revolver. "So you got out of that mine. And I was thinkin' about going back there to fill you in on why I hate you so much."

"At this point," Nick said. "I don't give a damn."

Bill released a prickly laugh. "Well, then, Adios, Nick Barkley."