HEYES FALLS OFF A MOUNTAIN
The sun was just beginning to set and Heyes and Curry knew they had to clear the narrow mountain pass before nightfall. The path was barely wide enough for a horse, with steep, jagged rock on one side and a thousand foot drop on the other. But the three men who were in pursuit of them were only a couple of hours behind and they knew they could stretch that distance significantly in the morning when the pursuers would be crossing the pass.
"How much further?" Kid called to Heyes who was perhaps fifty feet ahead of him.
"How the hell do I know?" came the response.
"You can't see up ahead?" Kidd shouted.
"Too busy keeping from falling over the edge!"
Heyes rounded a turn in the path and was suddenly out of Kid's sight.
"When we clear this, maybe we should split up" Kid shouted.
Just as Kid had rounded the edge, the shot of a single bullet rang out. Kid felt his horse react to the noise and instinctively he tightened the reins as tight as he could to keep control of the horse. The horse took two steps back before stopping. Only then did Kid realize he was holding his breath and he he exhaled and then sucked in a deep breath of air.
"Heyes?" Kid called out.
There was no response.
"Heyes?" Kid shouted again. Still no response.
"Heyes!" Kid shouted as loudly as he could but heard nothing in return.
Kid could not safely urge his horse any further along the ridge and he felt panic not knowing why Heyes was not answering him. He saw flat, solid ground a quarter mile ahead of him and hoped Heyes had made it to the clearing. But then he saw the loose gravel and broken rock where the edge of the path had crumbled and narrowed to a width his own horse could not walk through.
Kid brought his horse to a halt and, easing off the saddle , he squeezed himself between the horse the rocky wall of the mountain. He grabbed his rope and squirmed his way clear of the horse. Leaning all his weight against the rock he inched his way beyond what little was left of the pass. He dropped to his stomach and peered over the edge. Three hundred feet below Heyes' horse lay dead on a table of rock that jetted out from the side of the mountain. At the bottom of the cliff, Kid saw the three men who had been following them. All three were standing and looking up toward him.
Kid knew they were out of firing range and therefore Heyes had likely not been shot by the bullet. He knew Heyes had likely been spotted by the trackers and the shot had been fired to spook the horses in the hope that both men would fall do their deaths from the ledge.
Heyes was not on the ledge where the dead horse lay and Kid could see that Heyes had not fallen to the bottom of the cliff or the three men would not still be standing gazing up toward him. Kid's eyes scanned the area just below him. To his right, on a ledge not fifty feet below, Heyes lay motionless, face down, on a ledge of rock no more than ten feet wide.
The sun was setting. Kid had no more than an hour to retrieve his friend or they would both be spending the night on ledges. Kid tied one end of his rope around the jagged spear of rock that jetted out from the mountain wall. He then tossed the other end over the edge toward the ledge where Heyes lay, The rope missed it's mark and Kidd reeled it back in and tried again and again until it landed on the ledge. He pulled his gloves from his belt and quickly put them on and shimmied down the rope to the ledge.
Kid rolled Heyes over onto his back and put his ear to Heyes' chest, relieved when he heard heartbeats. Gathering the rope, Kid tied it securely around Heyes chest, then looped it around each of Heyes's thighs, bringing the rope up Heyes' back. He them tied it off securely around his own chest. He raised Heyes to a sitting position and shimmied himself into position so that Heyes' back rested against his own. Holding the rope tightly. Kid stood up, shimmied again to a position that balanced Heyes against his back, and began the slow climb up to the pass.
It took him twenty minutes to to climb the fifty feet back to the pass. When he was once again on the narrow but solid ground, Kid fell to his belly, exhausted and spent. He lay there for several minutes, but he knew he had a limited amount of time before dusk to carry Heyes the quarter mile to the flat land ahead of them. Slowly he pulled himself up, the weight of his unconscious friend still on his back. Kid untied the rope from his own chest and worked his way over to the jagged rock where the rope had been secured. He untied the rope and tossed that end behind him. Then, on his hands and knees, and with Heyes again positioned on Kid's back, Kid carried Heyes the quarter mile to safety.
Because the pass had broken off, Kid knew he now had a two, maybe three day advantage over the men who had been following them. He untied Heyes and gently laid him down on his back. Then he set about gathering twigs and wood and quickly built a fire to keep them both warm in the cold night air.
Once a fire was glowing, Kid examined Heyes for injuries. Deep purple bruises had formed on both sides of Heyes' ribs, an indication of broken bones and maybe other internal injuries. A large lump had formed above Heyes' right eye and his right cheek was badly bruised. But there was no external bleeding. Kid removed his sheepskin jacket and laid it over Heyes. Then he laid down next to his friend and fell into an exhausted sleep.
The next morning Kid awoke and set to work making a travois. He used the rope to secure the branches creating the frame, making sure both ends of the rope dangled near the head of the travois. Those he would tie together around his waist and use to pull the travois along.
Heyes was still unconscious which worried Kid a great deal. He worked Heyes' coat off and placed it, as well as his own in the basket of the travois, With some struggle Kid carried Heyes to the travois and laid him on the coats. He doused the fire with dirt, then stepped into the looped rope and began walking, pulling the travois behind him.
About noon, Heyes began to moan and stir a bit. Kid stopped and stepped out of the loop to tend to his friend.
Heyes' breathing was shallow, and rapid. His arms raised and wrapped around the front of his ribs. His eyes fluttered open.
"What happened," he whispered.
"All hell broke loose. You need to rest a while?" Kid asked.
The hint of a grin crossed Heyes' face, "Isn't that what I'm doing?" he whispered.
"Where are we?"
"I don't know," Kid sighed.
"Are they following us?"
"Not now. The ledge gave way. They'll have to go around. Hopefully they won't know that until they reach the spot and will have to turn around, if they can on that ridge. I reckon we have several day's lead on them now."
"Ah, you're welcome," Heyes said and then winced in pain."
"If your up to it, we're going to keep moving. Maybe we'll find a rancher, or a hunting shack before nightfall." Kid said.
Heyes closed his eyes and nodded before drifting back to sleep.
Late that afternoon Kid spied a house with a corral in the distance. As he neared the cabin he saw smoke coming from the chimney and felt an overwhelming sense of relief that help was within reach. It took him nearly two more hours to reach the cabin. Kid set the travois down, stepped out of the loop, and walked up to the house and knocked.
A woman opened the door pointing a riffle directly at Kid's stomach. "What do you want?" she demanded.
Kid was panting from exhaustion. "Please Ma'am, we mean no harm to you. My friend has been hurt bad. I need help."
The woman glanced at the travois and then back to Kid. She saw fear and worry in his blue eyes. She lowered the gun and opened the door wide. "Bring him in," she said.
"Thank you Ma'am," Kid replied.
"You can put him over there on that bed," she instructed.
Kid carried Heyes to the bed and laid him down. He covered Heyes with two quilts.
"What happened to him?" she asked
"Fell off the edge of a mountain pass,"Kid said as he turned around to face her and she saw he was near the point of collapsing himself.
"Sit down. I'll get you coffee and something to eat."
Kit sat down in a chair by the fireplace. The warmth of the fire made him sleepy. She brought him coffee and a plate of stew still warm from her own supper. Kid drank the coffee but was too exhausted to eat.
"How far is the nearest town," Kid asked
"Twelve miles,"
"Do you have a horse I could borrow?"
"Why?"
"I think he may have broke some ribs. He's got a big lump on the head. He needs a doctor."
"When did this happen?"
"Yesterday evening."
The woman looked at Heyes. "We can prop him with some pillows. If he's got broke ribs he'll breathe easier sitting up a bit. His color looks pretty good. And you're in no shape to make a twenty-five mile round trip tonight. We can keep him comfortable tonight and you can go fetch the doctor in the morning."
Kid knew she was right. "My name is Thaddeus Jones, Ma'am. My friend is Joshua Smith. I know you must be nervous about having two strangers in your home, but I promise you, we mean no harm. We just need a warm place to rest," he said.
"I'm Jessie Taylor. What happened to your horses?" she asked
"They spooked crossing a footpath of a ridge that gave out right where his horse was standing. His horse fell. So did he, just not as far. My horse hadn't made it that far but when the ridge gave way, there wasn't enough room for mine to get across.
"I know that pass. It's very dangerous." she said
"Not anymore, cause it's gone now."
"You walked with him from that ridge?" she asked in amazement.
"Didn't have a choice," Kid replied.
Kid could barely keep his eyes open and Jessie knew it. "You sleep for a while. I''ll watch over him. I'll wake you if I need you."
Kid sat down in an over-stuffed chair and stretched out his legs . "Thank you, Ma'am," he said and closed his eyes. A minute later he was fast asleep.
Jessie went into her bedroom and returned with two pillows that she managed to place beneath the pillow Heyes was resting his head on. This propped Heyes up to make taking a breath less painful. She then made some coffee and pulled a chair up close to the bed to keep an eye on Heyes.
Heyes slept quietly most of the time. Occasionally he grew a little restless, turning his head side to side and mumbling cautions to Kid. But those episodes were short and infrequent and sometime late in the night Jessie fell asleep in the chair. At dawn she got up and set about making biscuits, frying some bacon, and making coffee. The smell of the food and coffee was enough to waken Kid. He felt a little stiff from his activity the day before and he got up slowly and stretched. He went over to the bed to check on Heyes and then walked over to the table in the middle of the room and sat down. Jessie poured him a cup of coffee.
"I'll have some food ready for you in a minute."
"Thank you, Ma'am," Kid said. "Did Joshua have a good night?"
"He stirred a little a couple of times, mumbled quite a bit, but drifted back to sleep quickly. "
"Mumbled?" Kid asked
Jessie nodded "I think it was about how dangerous that pass is. He'd often say, 'Kid be careful.' Does he call you Kid?"
Kid nodded. "Joshua and I are cousins. He's three years older and has called me Kid for as long as I can remember. "
Jessie brought a plate of food to the table and set it down in front of Kid. Then she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table across from Kid. He hadn't eaten in almost two full days and he devoured the food with great enthusiasm.
"You had kind of a restless night, too," Jessie said
"I did?" Kid asked.
Jessie took a sip of her coffee. "I think you must have been dreaming about everything that happened yesterday."
"It was harrowing," Kid replied.
"Where were you headed?"
"No place in particular. We were just trying to get through the pass. We didn't know it got that narrow until we were too far in to turn around."
"You said something about being trapped?"
"Well, when Joshua fell to that ledge, I thought we were trapped."
They sat in silence for a while and Kid finished his breakfast.
"If I can borrow a horse, I'll ride in to town for the doctor," Kid said.
Jessie nodded. "Blankets, saddles, everything you'll need is in the barn."
"I'll be back as soon as I can," Kid said as he got up from the table and headed out to the barn.
Kid and the doctor returned shortly after noon to find Jessie grappling to keep a very anxious and restless Heyes on the bed. Kid rushed over and knelt down near Heye'shead and pushed Heyes' shoulders into the mattress. The doctor pulled his stethoscope from his medical bag and listened to Heyes's chest. "He may have a collapsed or a punctured lung. That cuts down the amount of oxygen he's getting and makes him more restless.
"What do you do about it?" Kid asked, and held tightly to Heyes' shoulders.
"The more he struggles, the more oxygen he needs. I'll give him something to make him sleep. When he settles down, I'll finish the examination. "
The doctor drew a vial of medication and a syringe from his bag. He carefully measured out the medication and injected into Heyes' thigh. Kid continued to press Heyes' shoulders into the mattress until he could feel Heyes beginning to relax and drift back to sleep.
The doctor waited until Heyes was fully asleep to complete his examination. Kid unbuttoned Heyes' shirt to reveal the dark purple and black rib bruising. At the doctor's request, Kid gently rolled Heyes onto his side so the doctor could listen the the back of Heyes' lungs. Finally, the doctor examined the knot on Heyes' head and lifted his eyelids to examine his eyes. When the doctor was finished he nodded to Kid and Kid gently lowered Heyes onto his back. He buttoned Heyes' shirt and covered him with the quilts.
Jessie had made coffee and she, the doctor, and Kid sat down at the table. Kid was pensive but remained quiet, waiting for the doctor to speak.
"It could be a collapsed lung or, a broken rib could have punctured the lung. I could feel at least three broken ribs on the right side and another two on the left. We'll get the ribs bandaged before I leave. As far as an injury to the lung, all we can do is wait to see if it heals itself. Other than keeping him sedated there's nothing else I can do for that. You'll have to turn him every couple of hours to keep fluid from collecting in his lungs. The knot on his head is pretty big and he may have a concussion from that. Treatment for a concussion is just like the lung, wait and see if it heals itself."
"And if they don't heal?" Kid asked.
The doctor sighed. Son, I'd like to tell he's going to be fine, and he just might be. But at this point, it's a guessing game. We'll just have to wait and see.
Kid nodded his understanding, but said nothing.
"Jessie, why don't you help me get him bandaged up," the doctor suggested.
"I will," Kid said emphatically.
When they had finished, the doctor packed up his things, handed Kid a bottle of morphine and explained how much and how often to administer it. Kid set the bottle down on the table beside the bed.
"I'll be by tomorrow morning to check on him," the doctor said and left for town.
Kid sat down in the chair beside Heyes. Jessie brought him another cup of coffee and sat down at the foot of the bed. "Jim's a good doctor. He's in good hands," Jessie said.
"That's good to know," Kid replied.
"So we know how Mr. Smith is doing, but how about you?" Jessie asked
"I'm alright," Kid replied.
Jessie shook her head. "No, I don't think you are."
"What?" Kid asked
Jessie smiled. "Living out here alone, I don't have contact with a lot of people. So, when I do, I've learned to make my words count. Some folks would call me blunt. I speak even when it's not my place to." She looked directly into Kid's eyes. "You have very interesting eye.. They are tranquil but they mask some great sadness, some great despair, maybe even some anger."
Kid smiled nervously. "You can see all that in my eyes?"
"That's just the tip of the iceberg, Mr. Jones."
"Okay, now let me look in your eyes," he said jokingly.
She leaned slightly forward and look directly at him. "I see... laughter, and I see sparkle and..." He hesitated when he noticed how she was looking at him.
"And what?" she prodded
"Joy," he lied.
Jessie smiled and sat back. "See, it isn't hard to read someone's eyes."
"So, why is it that you live out here alone?' Kid asked trying to keep the conversation less intimate
"My husband and I homesteaded this land ten years ago. He was killed two years ago in a landslide not far from your accident. I guess I'm just not ready to leave it."
"I'm sorry," Kid said compassionately.
Heyes stirred a little and Kid's focus changed immediately to his friend.
"You think he needs more medicine?" Kid asked.
"No, he seems to be settling down again already," Jessie said as she again stood up. "I have clothes to bring in and fold," she explained as she walked away
Half an hour later Kid went outside for some air. He had been thinking about what she had said about his eyes and what he thought he had seen in hers. There was a slight breeze and he noticed she was having some difficulty folding a sheet because of the wind. He decided it was a good time to test the waters. He walked over to her and caught the end of the sheet that was fluttering in the wind. She was holding the other end of the sheet and he walked up to her with the sheet extended. When her fingers clasped his end of the sheet, he wrapped his hands over hers. She looked up at him and he very slowly lowered his head toward her. When he felt no resistance he leaned in and kissed her. He pulled back slightly and he saw that her eyes were closed. Just as she began to open her eyes he leaned in and kissed her again. Their lips parted and he took a step back, smiling.
"So I did see that in your eyes," he said proudly
"I was hoping you would." she replied.
He laughed as she picked up the sheet, rolled it in a ball, and tossed it in the clothes basket.
Late in the afternoon Heyes woke and was able to eat a few bites of food that Kid sat and fed him. Heyes swallowed cautiously and winced every time he tried to deepen his breathing. His right eye was swollen almost to the point of being shut.
"I think tomorrow I'll ride back to town with the doctor and buy a couple of horses, saddles and such," Kid told Heyes.
"You've got some time. I won't be going anywhere for a few days," Heyes said.
Kid nodded. "I just want to be ready when you are able to ride," Kid explained. He poured a spoonful of the medicine and held the spoon to Heyes' mouth. "It helps the pain," he explained.
"The pain don't need any help, Kid. It's doing just fine all on it's own" Heyes said and swallowed the medicine.
After Heyes had fallen back to sleep, Jessie and Kid sat at the table and ate supper. Then Kid went outside and chopped a half cord of wood and carried several logs in to stack near the fireplace.
"Your corral has a couple of spots that could use some mending," Kid said. "And I'll clean your barn tomorrow, too."
"You don't have to do all that," Jessie protested.
"It's the least I can do for all you're doing for us." Kid replied.
"Why don't we go out on the porch and watch the sun set," Jessie suggested
Kid smiled. "That would be nice."
They walked out on the porch and stood by the rail and watched the horizon change from blue to a reddish orange with streaks of yellow as the sun dropped below the tree line.
"Isn't it beautiful," Jessie said
Kid looked at Jessie. "Very beautiful," he replied.
She sensed him looking at her and she turned toward him. He smiled and leaned in and kissed her again. She slipped her arms under his and rested her hands on the back of his shoulders. He pulled her in close to him and kissed her again. Her hands fell from his shoulders and she pulled back slowly, never taking her eyes off of his.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asked.
Jessie smiled and shook her head. "No," she said softly and reached for his hand. Then she led him back inside and when they reached her bedroom door, Kid stopped. "Are you sure?" he asked her.
"Very sure," she replied.
The next morning Kid awoke and found himself alone in the bed. It was mid-morning and the sun shown brightly through the window. He hadn't slept that long or that well in weeks. He pulled the covers back and got up and got dressed. He was still buttoning his shirt when he emerged from the bedroom. He looked around the room and saw Jessie spoon feeding Heyes some oatmeal and bacon. Kid walked over and stood at the foot of the bed, his arms folded across his chest. Heyes looked at him and smiled.
Good morning sleepyhead," Heyes said with a smile.
Kid grinned. "How are you feeling?"
"A little better," Heyes replied
"I see you've got both eyes open," Kid said.
Heyes looked at Jessie and then back to Kid. "Yeah, it's amazing what you can see... with both eyes open." he said with a smile.
Kid looked at Jessie and chuckled. "Yes it is," he agreed.
"Why don't you finish up here and I'll go fix you some breakfast," Jessie said to Kid.
Jessie got up and handed Kid the bowl of oatmeal. When she walked away, Kid sat down beside Heyes and gave him a bite of the food.
"You two have hit it off." Heyes said
Kid glanced and Jessie and smiled. "Yep," he replied
"Worldly?" Heyes asked.
Kid looked at Heyes with raised eyebrows. "Aren't you getting a little personal?" he asked.
"Worldly," Heyes confirmed with a mischievous grin.
Kid smiled "Very."
Heyes started to laugh but it quickly turned into a wince and he pressed his hand against his lower right ribs.
"You want some medicine?" Kid asked.
"No. Maybe after the doctor's been here. I want to hear what he has to say."
Kid spooned another bit of oatmeal into Heyes' mouth.
"I think I'll ride back into town with the doctor."
"What for?"
"I told you, Horses, saddles... information."
"What kind of information?" Heyes asked.
"Like who those three men following us are."
"Ah, Kid, they are long gone by now. Let it go."
"They tried to kill you, maybe us."
"You don't know that for a fact," Heyes protested.
"I saw them after that shot was fired. They were hoping to kill you."
"So, saying you find out who they are, then what?"
"I don't know yet."
"You're planning to go after them, aren't you?" Heyes asked
Kid sighed. "Maybe."
"Don't do it, Kid. Wait till I can ride. I'll go with you," Heyes said urgently.
Kid raised another spoonful of food to Heyes' mouth but said nothing.
"Kid, promise me you won't do anything rash," Heyes said.
"Here, take a bite," Kid said, refusing to make any promises.
Heyes opened his mouth for the food, but stared intently at Kid who refused to make eye contact. Neither said anything and finished the meal in silence.
The doctor arrived and examined Heyes and concluded that his breathing was much improved and that the lung had likely collapsed from impact and was already beginning to heal itself. The ribs would do the same with the help of the wraps to brace them, and Heyes might be able to ride in as little as a week to ten days. Heyes was pleased with the doctor's prognosis.
Kid asked the doctor if he could ride back in to town with him and the doctor agreed. Jessie gave Kid a short list of supplies to pick up in town.
In town, Kid went first to the livery stable and bought two horses, blankets, saddles, bits, reins, ect. He was even able to buy two sets of heavily used saddle bags. He asked the livery owner to get the horses ready and he would be back in an hour or so. Next Kid headed for the saloon, for he knew it was the best source of information in town. He studied the three saloon girls working and picked the one he thought was most likely to have some answers. He had chosen wisely and learned that the three men had been in town the night before asking about a dark haired man and a blonde man but no one in the saloon had heard of or seen the two men they described. He also learned one of the men was Jack Dryer and another was Sam Hunnicutt.
Both names were familiar to Kid. Both were members of the Red Sash gang. Both were wanted for murder. Both had grudges against Heyes who had declined them entry into Devil's Hole after they shot and killed a Sheriff during a bank robbery in Cheyenne several years ago. As a result, both had been caught, tried, and sentenced to hang, but had managed to escape with the help of a third, unknown accomplice. Both had declared revenge on Heyes. But as the years had passed, Heyes and Kid had pretty much forgotten the threats these men had made.
Kid's final stop was the mercantile to pick up the supplies Jessie had requested. With arms loaded, Kid returned to the livery stable and packed the saddle bags, Then he rode back to Jessie's ranch leading the horses by the reins.
Kid got the horses unsaddled and moved into stalls before carrying the saddle bags into the house. He checked on Heyes who was again sound asleep. Through the back window he could see Jessie out back digging in her garden. So he dropped the saddle bags on the table and began unpacking them.
Jessie walked in the back door, wiping her hands on her apron. She smiled when she saw Kid.
"I brought you something," Kid said as he smiled and reached into the saddlebag. When he withdrew his hand he had something clenched in his fist. He extended his arm, turned his hand upside down and opened his hand to reveal a small hair comb with little glass stones dotting the top edge of the comb.
Jessie smiled and reached for the comb. "It's lovely," she said as she pulled the hair back from the side of her face and slid the comb in to secure it.
Kid smiled. "I'm glad you like it," he said proudly.
She reached up and kissed him and he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against him.
"You realize it is the middle of the day?" she asked
Kid smiled down at her. "Uh-uh," he replied.
"And Joshua might wake up any minute."
"He might," Kid teased.
"You're incorrigible," she said, still smiling.
"I am," Kid agreed. Then he reached down, put his arm around the back of her thighs, picked her up, and carried her into the bedroom.
After supper Jessie washed the dishes while Kid and Heyes had a very quiet discussion about the information Kid had gathered in town. Occasionally she heard Heyes' voice raise followed by a quick "shush" sound from Kid. When she was finished with the dishes, Jessie walked over to the fireplace to add some wood. She was near enough to hear the last bits of the conversation.
"Kid, if you don't wait for me, I promise you I won't be her IF, not when you, get back."
Kid sighed and shook his head. "Heyes, they promised to kill you three years ago. It looks like now they are actually trying."
"I mean it, Kid,' Heyes warned. "This is it. I won't be here."
Jesse was startled when she heard Kid refer to Joshua as Heyes and suddenly the pieces all fell together. She was housing two outlaws. Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. The log she was holding dropped out of her hand and landed on the stone hearth with a thud. Kid jumped from his chair and walked around the corner to the fireplace.
"You heard us?" Kid asked
Jessie looked at him and nodded as she slowly stood up.
"You want us to go?" Kid asked
Jessie shook her head. "You can stay here as long as you want. But I agree with Mr. Hayes. You shouldn't go after them alone."
"Two against one," Heyes called from his bed.
Kid frowned at Heyes' comment but continued to look at Jessie. Then suddenly he turned and walked out the door.
"He cares about you, Jessie. He might listen to you," Heyes said.
Jessie ran out of the house after him.
Jessie walked out to the barn and stood in the doorway watching Kid saddle his horse and tighten the cinches. He checked the saddle bags and tightened his bedroll. Then he grabbed the reins and backed his horse out of the stall. He was nearly to the door before he realized she was standing there. Her cheeks were wet with tears
He stopped parallel to her. "I have to do this," he said quietly.
"If you leave now," Jessie said, her voice quivering, "Then don't come back."
Kid closed his eyes. He felt broken. The only two people he cared about were threatening to sever all ties with him. Still he felt he had no choice.
Kid tugged on the reins and took a few steps forward. Jessie didn't move. '"Just tell me why?" she said.
Kid stopped and turned around. "Heyes is in that bed because those men tried to kill him, tried to kill both of us."
"And you think you can avenge that," she said angrily
Kid dropped the reins and walked back to face her. He took her shoulders in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "Yes, I can avenge that... But it's more than that."
Jessie saw the pain in Kid's eyes and she knew she couldn't stop him from going. She was crying now.
"Will you at least wait till morning, she begged."
Kid hesitated. He looked into Jessie's eyes and sighed heavily. "Alright," he said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I'll leave in the morning."
She stayed with him while he unsaddled the horse and led it back into the stall. Then he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and they walked back into the house.
"Good. She talked some sense into you," Heyes shouted when they walked into the house.
"Leaving in the morning," Kid replied and he and Jessie walked in to the bedroom. Kid kicked the door shut with his foot.
Heyes sighed with frustration and rubbed his hand across his chin and mouth.
When Kid awoke the next morning, Jessie was awake and still lying beside him. She propped herself up on one elbow, leaned in and kissed him, and then gently ran her fingers through his hair. He flashed her his boyish smile and she felt his hand on her shoulder, then slowly move down her back, coming to rest on her butt. She debated whether to engage him in sex or conversation and opted for the latter.
"Kid, I haven't felt this way about a man since my husband died. I didn't think I ever would again... I know in your situation commitment is out of the question and I am perfectly content with...occasional visits. But... I meant what I said last night. If you go off today seeking revenge... I don't want you to come back. Ever.
Kid looked at her and rolled over onto his back and sighed heavily.
"Being that you are Kid Curry, I bet a lot of men, posses and bounty hunters have tried to hunt you and Heyes down to kill you."
Kid nodded.
"Have you sought each one of them out for revenge?" she asked.
"It's not the same thing," Kid responded
"Why not?" she asked
"Heyes likes to say that most men are good with a little bad in them. That's how he thinks of himself, that's how he thinks of me, that's even how he thinks of posses and most bounty hunters. But Hunnicutt and Dryer are just bad men with no good in them, so when I heard it was them, I knew I had to go after them."
"Doesn't hunting them down and killing them make you the same as them? You're not the same as them, Kid. You're a good man and I haven't seen any bad in you. None.. You want to do this for Heyes, but Heyes doesn't want you to do it. Listen to him. I can see how close you two are, you're like brothers. You and Heyes are like two parts that make a whole. Do you want to risk losing him? Do you want to risk him losing you?"
Kid thought about what she said. He rolled over on his side to face her. He looked at her as seriously as he could and she was afraid of what he was going to say.
"If I stay here," he began as a smile formed on his face. "Can we stay right here for the rest of the day?"
Jessie laughed. "The whole day? You think you are up to that?"
"I"ll give it my best shot," he said as he rolled over on top of her.
They emerged from the bedroom around noon. Heyes was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in one hand while supporting his ribs with the other.
Kid smiled when he saw Heyes out of bed. "So it's safe to say you're getting a little better every day?" Kid asked.
Heyes smiled. "I thinks it's safe to say you're getting a little better every day, yourself, Kid."
"When you two get your minds out of the gutter, I think Kid has something to tell you," Jessie said, handing Kid a cup of coffee and then sitting down beside him.
"So, what do you have to tell me, Kid" Heyes asked
"I'm going to wait here with you until your ready to travel," Kid said
Heyes smiled at Kid but made eye contact with Jessie. "Thank you," Heyes said. "You have no idea how much better that makes me feel."
"Well, I promised Jessie I'd clean the barn," Kid said
"If you walk me out there, I'll sit on a bale of hey and keep you company," Heyes said.
"You sure you're up to it?" Kid asked.
Heyes nodded. "For an hour or so."
Kid helped Heyes up and walked him to the door.
"I'm going to take advantage of having the house to myself," Jessie said. "I'm going to pour myself a bath. I'll come out and let you know when it's alright to come back in."
"Leave the tub out," Heyes said. "I might want to do the same."
"Me, too." Kid added.
Once in the barn Kid stacked some bales of hay so Heyes had a place to sit and could lean back if he needed to. Then he helped Heyes ease on to the bales of hay and Kid set to work cleaning the stalls.
"You and Jessie seem to be forming an actual relationship," Heyes said
"Yep," Kid said as he pitched hey into a stall
"Even though she knows who we are," Heyes added.
"Even though..."
"She understands you'll be leaving?"
"She understands."
Heyes thought a moment. "Kid, this may be the woman that actually snags you one day."
Kid stopped pitching hey and looked at Heyes. "You might very well be right," He said "One day," he added as an afterthought.
"Kid, you know I'm as anxious as you to go after Dryer and Hunnicutt."
Kid nodded.
"It will have to be a fair fight."
Kid nodded again
"That means they might kill one or both of us."
"Might," Kid said.
Heyes nodded. Just so we both understand.
"We do."
"Then let's not talk of it again until after we leave here."
"Fine."
"Does Jessie tell you that you talk to much? Because I've been meaning to talk to you about that."
Kid smiled. "Heyes, we don't do much talking,"
"I kind of figured that. Just remember, next time it's your turn to get hurt and I get to schmooze with the pretty woman."
Kid smiled. "Next time," he said.
Jessie sat out on the porch while Kid helped Heyes into the tub and he scrubbed Heyes back because his ribs hurt when he tried to twist around to wash it himself. While Heyes finished his bath Kid sat on the porch with Jessie and Heyes heard a lot of laughter float in through the open window. When he was done, Heyes hollered for Kid who then helped him out of the tub, dried his back, rebandaged his ribs, and helped him get his shirt on. Heyes insisted he could do the rest himself. He hollered again when he was done and Kid and Jessie came back inside.
Jessie started supper and the Doctor arrived just as they were about to eat. The doctor joined them for supper and marveled at how quickly Heyes was recovering.
"You may be able to ride by the end of the week."
Heyes smiled while Jessie and Kid exchanged glances.
"What day is today?" Heyes asked.
"Wednesday," everyone replied in unison.
The doctor left shortly after supper so he could get back to town before dark. Jessie heated more water and Kid filled the tub. Jessie and Heyes sat on the porch while Kid took a bath.
"Thank you for talking him out of going today," Heyes said "Kid can be pretty headstrong sometimes."
Jessie smiled. "You and Kid are very loyal to each other."
Heyes agreed. "We've depended on each other since we were kids. Our parents were killed in the war and we needed each other to survive growing up."
"You had no other relatives?"
Heyes smiled. "Oh, there was Grandma Curry. She was quite the character. She smoked a corncob pipe. She was a big, stout woman, very kind but not really able or interested in raising a couple of grand kids. She had a quote or parable for every situation and most of them were right on the money. Her son, Kid's pa, was not the most dependable man you would ever meet. Maybe she was afraid if she took us in, we'd end up just like Kid's pa." Heyes' smiled broadened. "Instead, Kid and me ended up as outlaws," he chuckled.
"So, what made the two of you go straight?" Jessie asked.
"A little old lady from Boston. During one of our train robberies this little old lady handed Kid a flier all about how the Governor of Wyoming was willing to give amnesty to petty thieves if they were straight."
"You two weren't petty thieves."
"That's true," Heyes said proudly. "But, Kid convinced me it was worth asking about. Long story short, the Governor has promised us amnesty if we can prove we deserve it by living the straight and narrow until he figures we deserve amnesty."
"How long will that be?"
Heyes shook his head. "Started out it was supposed to be a year, we're pushing three now. Problem is, Wyoming keeps changing governors on us and each one wants to start the process all over."
"But you keep trying?"
"Yes Ma'am." Heyes sighed slowly. "We keep trying."
"What will the two of you do when you get your amnesty?"
"I don't know about me yet, but I'm guessing the Kid will make a bee line right back here to you. I've never seen Kid so taken with a woman."
Kid stepped out on the porch freshly shaven and wearing clean clothes. "What have I missed?" he asked.
"Telling her about Grandma Curry," Heyes replied.
Kid winced. "Heyes was always Grandma Curry's favorite. I think cause he understood all her parables."
Jessie smiled. "She sounds like quite the character."
"She was," the boys replied in unison.
Kid spent Thursday mending fences, chopping a cord of wood and stacking it on the porch, and bringing several bales of hay down from the loft for easy access. He heard lots of laughter as he approached the house and walking inside, he saw Heyes helping Jessie preparing supper. He laughed at the site of Heyes wearing one of Jessie's aprons.
"Now that's what I remember Grandma Curry looking like," he joked.
"Although she wouldn't be able to get this apron tied around her waist," Heyes added.
After dinner, Kid asked Jessie to go for a walk. She started to protest because of all the dishes but Heyes quickly volunteered to clean up, so she relented and out they went.
Kid wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they strolled down the road.
"You're leaving tomorrow."
"I'll be back. I promise."
Jessie smiled. She knew Kid meant what he said, but she also knew, being he was Kid Curry, it was not a promise she could bank on."
"You're going after those men, aren't you?"
Kid sighed. "Maybe. Heyes and I will talk it over tomorrow and one of us will convince the other about what to do."
Jessie stopped and turned to face him. She looked deep into his eyes. "I want you to hear me out,' she said.
"Alright," he replied.
Jessie took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I don't want Kid Curry or Thaddeus Jones to come back here. But I want very much for Jedadiah Curry to return to me... I haven't felt this way since my husband died. I didn't think I ever would again. So as long as you and Heyes are wanted, this will always be a safe-haven for you both. You will always have a warm house and a place in my bed. But when you get your amnesty, I want more than that. So if you come back after you get your amnesty, you had better come as Jedadiah and be prepared to stay permanently.
"I promise," Kid said earnestly.
They walked for more than an hour. When they returned to the house, the table was cleared, the dishes washed, and Heyes was feigning sleep in his bed. Kid blew out the lamp and he and Jessie walked arm and arm into Jessie's bedroom and shut the door.
The next morning Jessie made a hearty breakfast and Kid saddled and packed the horses. He walked them to the hitching post in front of the house and tethered them to the post. He stood outside and watched Jessie through the screen door. His heart ached because he knew, far better than Jessie, that because he was Kid Curry, his chance of returning was slim. He also knew that he wanted to return to her even more than he wanted amnesty. He couldn't do the former without the latter.
He finally pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and went inside.
The three ate breakfast and kept the conversation light. Kid and Jessie had talked on the walk last evening and talked more late into the night, so no more was needed right now.
When breakfast was over, Heyes went outside and with some effort, mounted his horse and waited for Kid.
"I love you, Jessie," Kid said softly. "I've always avoided saying that to any woman, but I want you to know."
"I do know. I love you... Jed."
He kissed her tenderly. Then he turned, walked out of the house and mounted his horse.
Jessie stood at the screen door and watched them slowly ride away.