As they rode into the town of Cripple Creek, Colorado, Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry assumed their customary precautions, scanning the layout of the town to determine key locations such as the Sheriff's Office, the hotel, the livery stable, and the saloons. The wooden placard hanging on two hinges attached to the wooden awning to the entrance of the Sheriff's office identified the current Sheriff as Joe Carrington. They each read the name, then shared a quick glance and a quick shake of the head indicating that neither recognized the name. It was a late Saturday afternoon and the streets were busy with shoppers. The two saloons were gearing up for their busiest night of the week and lively but ill-tuned piano music wafted out into the street.
No one gave the two outlaws a second glance which was always a stay-or-leave factor whose importance was second only to the name of the Sheriff. They ambled on, bringing their horses to a halt outside the hotel. Heyes dismounted and pulled his saddlebags off the back of his horse. Kid reached around for his saddlebags and tossed them down to his partner and Heyes handed his reins up to Kid.
"Meet me upstairs after you board the horses," Heyes instructed, although he needn't have as this was their customary routine."
"Room with a street view," Curry said, voicing another customary routine before urging the horses toward the livery.
"The bay needs the left front shoe replaced," Curry told the stable owner after taking the horses to side-by-side stalls and removing the saddle, tack, and bit from each of the horses and giving each a short but thorough rubdown. Curry patted the bays right flank. "Don't know yet if it'll be one night or a couple," he told the stable owner. "Both will need oats and water yet tonight."
"I treat the animals good, Mister," the owner said. "Nothing to be worried about."
Curry walked back down the street to the hotel and inquired at the desk as to the room number for his partner and himself. Then he headed up the stairs.
Room 207 was a corner room with a window facing the main street and another window facing a side street. Curry was pleased as the location of any windows was the most important feature of a hotel room as far as he was concerned.
Heyes was moving his few clothes and personal items from his saddlebags to a dresser drawer. Kid searched his saddlebag for his gun cleaning oil and cloths and placed them on the small table that he moved across the room to the front window.
"You're not cleaning your gun now, are you?" Heyes asked
"Figure we'll be visiting the saloons tonight. Need it clean and ready," Kid replied.
"You clean that gun more often than you clean yourself, you know."
"It gets used a bit more than I do," Kid replied.
With a roll of the eyes, Heyes pulled a book from his saddlebag and plopped down on the bed. He leaned back against the headboard and opened the book were he had left the bookmark.
"When you're done, let me know and we'll go get something to eat, Kid."
Cleaning his gun was the only thing that Kid took precedence over eating. He was meticulous about his gun and cleaned it almost daily. Although he had the gun for almost twelve years, it still looked almost new. When he bought it, he spent hours adjusting the weight and leverage until it felt like an extension of his hand. He wore it low on the hip and tied, and the appearance alone told people he was comfortable using it.
An hour later the two men walked across the street to the Cripple Creek Bar and chose a table on the far side of the room that gave Kid a clear view of the entire room and Heyes a clear view of the three poker tables in the center. A saloon girl overflowing a yellow satin dress with black lace and a plunging neckline walked up to the table and brushed against Kid's arm.
"What'll you be having boys?' She asked
Kid flashed her is best smile. "A beer and whatever is new to the menu today, darlin," he replied, blue eyes giving her a lengthy once over. She tilted her head and smiled back flirtatiously.
Heyes cleared his throat. "I'll have what he's having," Heyes said.
"Together or separately?" she asked
Kid's smile broadened and he winked at the girl.
Heyes coughed nervously. "Separately," he replied.
She returned shortly with their beers and while they waited for the food, Heyes scrutinized the poker tables.
"The middle one looks the most intriguing, a little more money on the table and the players seem to know what they're doing. When you're looking for me later, that's where I'll be."
"The waitress returned with two plates of elk stew and biscuits.
"Let me know when you're ready for dessert," she said looking at Kid.
"Oh, I surely will, darlin," Kid replied.
"Two more beers, please." Heyes added.
As the girl walked away, Heyes took an bite of the stew and looked at Kid, shaking his head.
"What?" Kid asked innocently.
"What do all the ladies see in you? It can't be the way you smell. It's gotta be that baby face."
"You're just jealous cause the little boy image is irresistible to all women. I figure if you got it, take full advantage of it."
Heyes smiled. "You figure that uh?"
"Works like a charm," Kid replied.
Half an hour later Heyes was making his way to the poker table and Kid was making his way upstairs, the yellow dress leading the way.
Later that evening Kid was standing at the bar nursing another beer when Heyes decided to call it a night. He gathered his winnings, excused himself, joined Kid at the bar, and ordered a beer.
How was your waitress?"
Kid smiled. "Damn good serving up the goods. How did you do at poker?"
Heyes opened his mouth to speak but stopped when someone rushed up to the batwing doors of the saloon and began shouting. "Fire at the livery! Come quick!"
Heyes and Kid exchanged a quick glance before bolting out the door and racing to the livery to save their horses.
Flames were already reaching high into the air and engulfing most of the livery. A line of men had formed and buckets of water were being scooped from the horse trough and passed along the line in a steady pattern to be doused on the burning building. Many were shouting directions. Horses inside were shrieking with fear.
"You stay here, I'm going in," Kid shouted to Heyes above the noise.
"I can help?" Heyes shouted in return.
"No. I know just where they are. You help with the buckets."
Kid raced up to the entrance. The stable was smoke filled as dry straw, old wood, and numerous other combustibles burned. Flames shot up into the rafters. Kid untied his bandanna and quickly tied it over his nose and mouth. He held his arm up as a shield and forged his way into the stable. Heyes joined the line to pass buckets of water, never taking his eyes of the entrance. Soon he saw his sorrel being quickly led out. Kid gave the sorrel a slap on the rump and it reared and whinnied wildly before running down the street. Then Kid turn and ran back inside for his bay. Heyes watched with dreadful anticipation, waiting for Kid to emerge. After several minutes the bay came running out of the stable. Kid did not.
Heyes ran up to the front of the line, heading for entrance but someone grabbed his arm and spun him around. Heyes found himself face to face with the sheriff whose badge glistened in the reflection of the flames.
"You can't go in there. The fire has spread too far," the sheriff shouted
"My partner is in there! I gotta go in!"
"I said no!" the Sheriff shouted. "You try to go in and you'll spend the night in jail."
Heyes tried to argue but the sheriff remained firm to his word.
"Hank! Sam!," the sheriff called to two men in the bucket line. "There's a man still in there!"
Hank and Sam looked at each other. "We'll try!" Sam shouted and the two men ran around to the back of the livery to see if there was any available means of entry.
Entering through the back door, Sam and Hank immediately started coughing from the thick smoke filling their lungs with each breath. Both men quickly wrapped their bandannas over their noses and mouths. The immediate area was smoldering but not yet in full flames. But flames flew high in the air no more than fifteen feet in front of them and the smoke was so thick, they couldn't see through it.
Hank followed the rails of a stall so as not to become lost or disoriented while Sam held on to Hank's shoulder so as not to become separated from him. Suddenly Hank's boot kicked into something soft. Hank stooped down and determined it was a body. He reached up and pulled Sam down to him. Hank reached down and felt Kid's torso. Keeping his hand on Kid's body, Hank slowly moved his hand upward and came across the four by four beam that pinned Kid to the floor. Hank grabbed Sam's wrist and led his hand to the beam. Together, they lifted the smoldering beam off Kid. They found Kid's hands and grasped his wrists, pulling him to safety as they retraced their steps out of the building.
Once out of the stable, Hank pulled Kid's limp body to a spot well clear of the building while Sam ran around and told the sheriff and Heyes they had found someone who was now out back behind the stable and was burned and unconscious. Heyes ran to the back of the stable while the sheriff ordered a wagon to be moved to transport someone to the doctor's office.
"He's alive," Hank assured Heyes. "Don't know how long he'll stay that way."
Heyes knelt down beside Kid. Part of Kid's shirt had been burned away by the smoldering beam and a wide area of Kid's chest had been badly burned. Both Kid's hands were scorched, and the left leg of his pants was torn and a deep gash was bleeding heavily on his left thigh. Even unconscious, Kid coughed and choked from smoke deep in his lungs. Black soot oozed from Kid's mouth and nose. His lips looked blue.
As the wagon approached, several men jumped off and carefully lifted Kid from the ground and moved him into the wagon. Heyes jumped in beside him and road to the doctor's office where the men carefully carried Kid inside and laid him on an examination table.
"Thank you, boys," Dr. James said. "Now if you're not related, you need to clear the room so I can determine how badly this man is injured."
Everyone left except Heyes.
"You related?" Dr. James asked as he tied a tourniquet around Kid's left thigh to slow the bleeding.
"Cousin," Heyes explained. "I'm Joshua Smith. Your patient is Thaddeus Jones."
"Well, Mr. Smith. Help me get his shirt off so I can examine the chest wounds. What was he doing in the livery anyway?"
"Saving our horses."
"Hope they are thorough bread race horses because otherwise that's a high price to pay for a couple of riders."
Kid's eyes fluttered and opened, red, irritated, and glazed. He began coughing in painful spasms, spitting and drooling soot from his mouth.
"Lot of smoke in his lungs. Makes breathing hard, among other things."
"What other things?" Heyes asked.
"When the body can't get enough oxygen, a person can become disoriented, might even have seizures."
"Seizures?" Heyes said fearfully.
"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it, son."
Dr. James set to work washing Kid's chest, stopping periodically when Kid fell into a coughing spasm.
Kid's eyes remained open but he did not seem at all aware of his surroundings. He moaned often and his voice was hoarse and very weak.
Once Dr. James had cleaned the chest wound, he applied a thick layer of salve.
"Going to have to sit him up, son, so I can get the bandages on him."
Heyes stood near Kid's head and lifted Kid's shoulders and torso up so the doctor could apply the bandages. When he was done, Heyes gently laid Kid back down and Dr. James moved to the leg wound.
"Those pants are are all sooty from the fire. We'll have to get them off so they don't cause the wound to get infected."
Heyes unbuttoned Kid's pants and he and the doctor managed to pull off the pants and long johns. Dr. James then began cleaning the leg wound.
"Hold his leg still while I stitch the wound up," Dr. James instructed Heyes. Kid moaned but was too weak to put up much of a fight.
Dr. James then cleaned Kid's hands. He applied the salve thickly before bandaging the hands.
"The thing to concentrate on now is getting as much smoke out of his lungs as we can. The lungs need oxygen. With all that smoke in the lungs, they can't get enough. That's why his lips look blue. As long as he's coughing up that black soot, there's too much smoke in his lungs.
"How do you clear the smoke out?"
"Steam. I'll get some water bowling. I'm afraid we're going to have a long night, Mr. Smith. You up to helping me move him to a bed?"
Heyes nodded.
"I'll get the bed ready with pillows to prop him up. Propping him up helps to expand the lungs, which leaves more room for oxygen to move in."
When the bed was ready, Heyes and the doctor carried Kid to the bed. Kid's eyes were now closed again. Heyes pulled a sheet up to Kid's waist, knowing Kid hated to feel "nekked," The doctor then brought in a bowl of steaming water and a large towel.
"Drape the towel over his head. We'll take turns holding the steaming water under the towel so he breathes it in. It will help loosen the soot and smoke. He'll be coughing and spitting up a lot. I don't want to give him anything for the pain because it will make him sleepy and his coughing won't be effective. Once he's breathing better, I'll given him pain medication."
Heyes pulled a chair up beside Kid's bed and the doctor handed Heyes the bowl of steaming water. Heyes lifted the towel to let Kid breathe the steam."
"If he gets restless, get that bowl away fast. We don't want to cause any more burns."
Heyes nodded his understanding.
Heyes and the doctor spent the night taking turns holding the bowls of steaming water and by morning, both were pretty exhausted but Kid was breathing easier and was no longer coughing up soot.
"Might be a good idea if you were to go and get some sleep, " Dr. James suggested to Heyes. "I think it's safe to start giving him something for pain and I'll do that the next time he's awake. Our biggest concern now is infection. The chest especially, but also the leg wound are prime targets for infection to set in. I'll keep a close eye on both."
"What about you? You need sleep too," Heyes said.
"I'll worry about that after he wakes up," the Doctor said. "Don't worry about me, son. Doctors are use to these kind of hours."
Heyes went back to the hotel, had some breakfast, then went back to his room and slept for several hours. When returned to the doctor's office in the early afternoon he was pleased to see Kid was awake and eating some broth the doctor was hand feeding him.
Kid looked pale and his eyes struggled unsuccessfully to focus. His breathing was shallow but his lips were no longer blue. Kid's hair was singed in the front and there were several first degree burns on his face.
"I'll finish feeding him, Doc," Heyes offered and the doctor handed Heyes the bowl of broth and stood up from the chair at Kid's bedside.
"I'll go prepare some pain medicine for him and then I'm going to bed for a while. You call me if he needs me."
Heyes nodded and sat down beside Kid's bed. He smiled at Kid and held a spoonful of broth to Kid's mouth. Kid took the broth and Heyes noticed how cautiously Kid swallowed.
"Throat sore?" Heyes asked.
"Uh-uh. What happened?" Kid asked with a hoarse voice."
"You don't remember the fire in the livery?"
"Our horses okay?"
Heyes smiled again. "Yea, Kid. You saved the horses. Somebody must have had to go round them up because they both went high-tailing it down the street, but they are both tethered outside the hotel right now."
Kid winced. "How bad am I hurt?"
"Pretty bad, but Doc thinks you'll live."
The doctor returned with a glass of water. "I've mixed some pain medicine in this. Make sure he drinks all of it."
Heyes took the glass. "Thank you, doctor,"
"My chest hurts," Kid whispered.
"You got a bad burn. Might end up with some more scars."
Kid slowly raised his bandaged hands. "How bad?" he asked.
"Not as bad as your chest. You'll be able to shoot again," Heyes said, although how fast Kid would be, Heyes did not know.
"I'm sorry, Heyes,"
"Shush. Nothing to be sorry about, Kid. You saved our horses."
Kid suddenly winced hard from the chest pain. Heyes set the bowl of broth on the floor and concentrated on getting Kid to drink the water.
"Let's get this into you. It will help the pain," Heyes told him.
Exhausted by the time he finished the glass of water, Kid closed his eyes and quickly drifted back to sleep.
Dr. James returned about four hours later. Kid was still sleeping soundly. His breathing remained shallow and a little wheezy but that was not unexpected. Heyes was dozing in the chair but woke when he heard the doctor in the room. Heyes yawned and stretched and looked first at Kid, and then the doctor.
"He feels a little warm," Dr. James said. "I think we should get the wounds cleaned, the dressings changed, and then I'll give him something to keep that fever at bay."
Heyes nodded. "When will he be able to move over to the hotel?" Heyes asked.
"Once I think he's out of the woods. Maybe a day or two."
Doctor James carefully cut the bandages away from Kid's chest and slowly, carefully peeled the bandages off the chest burn. The salve had kept the bandages from sticking to the wound, but the exposure to air was excruciatingly painful and Kid moaned loudly and winced hard. Kid reached out for Heyes' arm but his hand was stiff and painful and his grip weak.
"Oh, God..." Kid gasped and panted heavily as the doctor gently washed and examined the wound.
"It looks clean. I'm not seeing any signs of infection," Dr. James said as he applied a thick layer of the save to Kid's chest. Kid tried unsuccessfully to sink back into the bed, away from the Doctor's hand.
"Mr. Smith, can you pull him forward so I can get him bandaged up again."
Heyes took hold of Kid's shoulders and pulled him off the pillows. Dr. James worked quickly to redress the wound and Heyes then eased Kid back onto the pillows.
"Call me Joshua, doctor. We're spending enough time together to be on a first name basis."
Dr. James laughed as he rearranged the sheet to expose the thigh wound. He carefully cut away the bandage and pulled it away from the wound. The dressing had some dried blood on it but the doctor saw no active bleeding. He examined the stitched area.
"A little redness around the edges of this wound wound. At this point that could be infection, but most likely is just irritation from the stitches," Dr. James explained as he cleaned and redressed the wound. Now, Mr. Jones, lets take a look at those hands, Dr. James said and covered Kid's leg again with the sheet.
Dr. James cut the dressing from Kid's left hand. The palm was red and blistered.
"Are you able to move your fingers?" He asked.
Kid moved each finger slightly. "Hurts and they feel stiff," Kid said.
The doctor nodded. "That's to be expected," he said as he gently cleaned Kid's hand. "Once the blisters heal, the movement will improve and the pain will subside."
The doctor put salve on Kid's hand and redressed it. Then he moved to the right hand and again cut the bandages way. The right hand looked similar to the left, although the center of the palm had a very large blister. The doctor cleaned the palm and applied a thick layer of salve before redressing the wound.
"Wiggle the fingers often, but otherwise try not to use your right had if you can avoid it. I'd like that blister to resolve intact if possible. It's pretty large and could easily burst. That would increase the risk of infection."
Kid nodded his understanding and gave Heyes a worried look. His gun hand was very important to him.
Dr. James went into another room and returned with a glass of water with a mixture of salicin in it. "This will help prevent a fever," he explained and held the glass to Kid's mouth. The doctor watched as Kid cautiously swallowed sips of the water until it was gone.
"It will help a little with the throat pain as well," he told Kid.
Kid blinked heavy eyelids. The pain medication was taking effect and his body sunk weakly back into the pillows.
"He's doing surprisingly well," Dr. James told Heyes.
Heyes smiled. "He's as stubborn as they come."
"By the number of scars on him, he's pretty familiar with injuries."
"He's had his share, I suppose," Heyes said.
"Is he a hired gun?"
"Of course not. Why would you ask- that?"
Dr. James looked at Kid's gun and holster hanging on a peg on the wall. "He just carries a very well cared for gun, and seems quite concerned about the condition of his right hand."
Heyes frowned. "He's right-handed. Seems natural he'd be worried about that. He's also a very good shot, no denying it. Practices all the time. Never been outdrawn that I've known. But he shoots tin cans off of fence posts. He's not a killer if that's what you're worried about."
"I'm not worried about it at all, Joshua. Just observant."
Heyes tried to smile to diffuse the conversation. "Well, any good doctor is observant, I suppose."
"He'll likely sleep for several hours, now. If there's anything you'd like to do Joshua, now's a good time."
Heyes smiled. "Might go have a beer or two."
"Sounds like a fine idea."
Heyes returned around nine-thirty.
"He was awake briefly. Felt a little warmer so I gave him more of the fever medicine. I've left a glass with pain medicine on the table over there in case he wakes up again. If you don't mind, I'll sleep for a few hours and relieve you then."
Heyes nodded and assumed his seat in the chair beside Kid's bed. Dr. James turned down the oil lamp so the room was dimly lit for the night.
Around midnight Kid began tossing around a bit. He called out for Heyes in a hoarse voice that still was not capable of being loud. His breathing was still rather shallow and still wheezy. Heyes held on to Kid's arm, away from the bandages and spoke to him soothingly. He noticed Kid still felt warm and he grabbed the glass of medicine laden water and raised Kid's head to bring the glass to Kid's lips. Kid swallowed some, but choked and coughed and some of the liquid spilled down Kid's chin and neck.
Suddenly Kid's arms began to jerk uncontrollably, then his body and legs. Heyes shouted for Dr. James who came running in dressed in his night shirt. He looked at Kid and rushed to the other side of the bed.
"Help me get him on his side," Dr. James ordered.
"What's going on?" Heyes asked
"A seizure. Move his head to the side so he won't bite or swallow his tongue."
"Swallow his tongue?" Heyes repeated, feeling very scared.
"Just do what I tell you! Don't let him fall off the bed!"
While it seemed like an eternity to Heyes, the seizure was rather quick. Kid had lost control of his bladder and, once he was still again, Dr. James pulled clean sheets from a drawer and told Heyes to help him change the sheets.
"What the hell was that from?" Heyes asked. "The medicine?"
"No," Dr. James replied. "His lungs are still not getting enough oxygen. It can cause seizures. The leg dressing got wet so I'll have to change the bandage and clean the wound. Then we'll do the steam breathing again."
"He could have died, couldn't he?" Heyes asked.
"If he had swallowed his tongue, yes. I'll keep some tongue depressors near the bed. If it happens again, pry his mouth open and press a couple of them down on his tongue to hold it in place."
Heyes nodded his understanding. Dr. James could see how frightened Heyes was.
"He's fine now, Joshua. If it happens again, you know what to do. Don't worry."
Heyes nodded but wondered how he was supposed to not worry.
When the doctor had completed the dressing change and the bedding had been changed, he said he would stay up with Kid and suggested Heyes go back to the hotel for some sleep. But Heyes refused. "We can both stay up with him, but I'm not leaving him tonight."
Dr. James nodded his understanding. "I'll go boil some water."
They took turns helping the sleeping Kid with the steam breathing for about four hours, until the wheezing was gone. Then they settled into chairs and dozed.
Kid woke just as the sun was beginning to lighten the sky. Heyes sat up straight and held on to Kid's arm.
How you feeling?" Heyes asked.
"Lord, Heyes, everything aches," Kid said hoarsely.
Heyes nodded. "You had a rough night. But the fever seems to be gone."
"What happened?"
Heyes shook his head. "You were just thrashing around quite a bit."
"My tongue even hurts. I think I bit it."
"Likely so,"
Dr. James was awakened by the conversation and came over to the bed and felt Kid's forehead. "Fever is gone," he said. "You two hungry?"
"Mostly thirsty," Kid replied.
"How about eggs and coffee?" Dr. James suggested and Kid nodded.
The doctor left the room to prepare breakfast.
"Heyes, I don't mean to be proddy..."
Heyes smiled. "You're always proddy Kid. Why should now be any different?"
"I'm serious, Heyes."
"Okay, you don't mean to be proddy but what?"
"I'm nekked," Kid said with alarm.
Heyes nodded. "Dr. James thought it best that you be naked."
Kid thought a moment. "Is he a real doctor, Heyes?"
Yes, Kid, He's a real doctor."
"Well, I don't see why I got to be nekked."
"It's easier for the doctor to clean and bandage the wound on your leg, Kid."
"Why can't we just cut the left leg off of a pair of pants so my right leg and... you know, the rest of me be covered?"
Heyes worked at hiding his amusement of Kid's dilemma. "Well, why don't you ask him when he comes back with your breakfast."
"He won't think I'm being proddy?"
"He might. He might not, but if you want your pants, just ask him."
Fifteen minutes later the doctor returned with a plate of scrambled eggs and a cup of coffee. He set the plate on Kid's lap and held the fork out to Kid's left hand. Kid took the fork and studied the eggs.
"Doc, if it's not too much trouble..." Kid began
"There's something you would like?" Dr. James asked.
Kid nodded. "Could I put some clothes on?"
"Kid thought maybe we could cut most of the left leg out of his pants so you could still work on the leg dressing easily," Heyes added.
Dr. James smiled. "Of course, Mr. Jones.
"Thank you," Kid said and took a hefty bite of eggs and quickly found he had to chew carefully because of his sore tongue.
Once fed and dressed, Kid became the model patient and the following day, Dr. James agreed that Kid could move over to the hotel. Dr. James wanted Kid to remain in town for another week, to be sure the wounds would heal without complications, but both Heyes and Kid were growing restless, so they agreed to stay two more days before being on their way.
Having been in bed for several days, Kid was a bit wobbly on his feet so that afternoon Heyes and Dr. James walked the limping Kid across the street to the hotel.
"Help me get to that chair," Kid said, nodding toward the table and chair by the window where his gun cleaning oil and cloth still rested. Once seated, Kid smiled.
"I suppose you want this," Heyes said, hoisting Kid's gun and holster off his shoulder and placing it on the table.
Kid nodded. "I'm good for the rest of the afternoon," he said.
"I'll be by tomorrow," Dr. James said and walked to the door. "Don't try to overdo," he cautioned.
Kid nodded absently, already engrossed in the cleaning process.
When Kid was satisfied with the condition of his gun, Heyes went downstairs and ordered supper and brought the meals back up to the room. They sat at the table and ate. Kid looked down the street to the pile of rubble where the livery stable had been.
"Looks like that was some fire," Kid said.
"You don't remember it?" Heyes asked.
Kid shook his head. "Wonder how it started."
"I don't know. Sheriff thinks it was an accident, though. Not arson."
"You talked to the sheriff?"
"No. The hotel manager told me," Heyes explained.
Kid drank the last of his coffee and leaned back in his chair and sighed wearily.
"Heyes, I think I've had enough excitement for the day. I think I'm going to bed."
"You don't want to go over to the saloon for a beer first?"
Kid shook his head. "Maybe tomorrow night. You go if you want. I'll be fine here."
"You sure?"
"Yep."
"Well, let me help you into the bed and gets your boots off. I won't be gone long."
Kid smiled. "Unless there's a poker game."
Heyes smiled.
By the time Heyes left for the saloon, Kid was sleeping soundly in the bed.
The next morning, Kid insisted on going to the dining room for breakfast. Heyes wanted to help Kid down the stairs, but Kid insisted that if they were leaving the next day, he had to be able to hold his own. So, Heyes walked two steps in front of Kid down the stairs, prepared to keep Kid from falling down the stairs if his leg gave out.
Dr. James joined them in the dining room. "I brought you a few things," he said, handing Kid a cane and a bag containing salve and bandages.
"Thanks, Doc," Kid said, smiling appreciatively at the cane.
"Once you are on your way tomorrow, I want you to clean the wounds and change the dressings at least once a day. Anytime you are in a town over the next couple of weeks, visit the Doctor to have him check the progress of the healing.
"I will," Kid replied, knowing that was not likely to happen.
"I want you to take it easy today," Dr. James cautioned.
"I will. I'm planning to clean my gun this afternoon and then take a nice long nap."
"You just cleaned it yesterday. Surely you haven't used it?" Dr. James replied.
Heyes laughed. "I told you, he's very meticulous about his gun."
"Apparently. When you're finished with your breakfast, come over to my office and I'll change the bandages," Dr. James instructed.
Kid nodded and Dr. James left.
When the doctor left, Kid gave Heyes a mischievous look. "Beer and poker tonight," Kid asked, grinning.
Heyes watched Kid eagerly shovel another bite of his breakfast into his mouth and he smiled and said something under his breath.
"What?" Kid asked.
"Just that it's just good to have you back, Kid.".