The posse that had been chasing them for the past three days had finally relented to the storm after Curry and Heyes decided they had no choice but to to ride to the higher elevations of the Sierra Mountains. The snow, wind and fog they encountered during their ascent above the tree line quickly turned to blizzard conditions. Both men pulled the collars of their coats up around their ears and buried their faces up to their eyes in their jackets. Their horses struggled for safe footing in the blowing snow that was now two feet deep.

Heyes riding lead was the first to spy the concave dark area in the side of the mountain not three hundred feet in the distance. Turning in his saddle to look at Kid, and knowing in the howling winds his voice would not carry back to his partner, Heyes raised his hand in the air and pointed to the cave. Kid looked in the direction Heyes was pointing and nodded. Both men pulled hard on their reins and led the horses to the meager shelter from the storm.

When they reached the cave, they dismounted and trudged through the knee high snow, pulling their horses behind them and leading them into the cave. Both men stomped the snow from their boots and brushed snow from their pants and coats. Both horses whinnied, grateful to be out of the wind and snow.

"Looks like we might be here a while," Kid said. "I'll go see if I can find any wood for a fire."

"Don't venture out too far, Kid. You might not be able to find your way back."

Kid nodded and pulled the collar of his coat up around his ears again. He pulled his bandanna up over his mouth and nose. Then he headed out into the blizzard on foot.

Heyes moved the horses further into the cave and hobbled them, although he suspected they were both smart enough to stay in the cave and out of the treacherous elements. He untied his and Kid's bed rolls and dug into his saddlebags for some jerky, coffee, coffee pot, and a can of beans, plate and forks, and an iron pan.

An hour later Kid returned with an armful of broken branches, and a few logs and dropped them in a pile in the center of the enclosure. His teeth were chattering as he set to work building a fire.

Heyes cut open the can of beans, poured them into the pan, and set the pan in the embers to warm. He stepped out of the cave just far enough to pack the coffeepot with snow. Once back in the cave, he put the coffeepot in the embers to melt the snow before adding the coffee.

Kid dug his spare long johns and Henley from his saddlebags and laid them near the fire to warm. "I'm adding layers before I try to sleep," he explained. Heyes saw the logic in this and did the same.

"We should probably huddle tonight, share two blankets instead of each having just one," Heyes said and Kid just nodded.

"At least we know that posse has given up. They're probably all in nice warm houses, eating nice hot meals before crawling into nice warm beds," Kid said.

Heyes smiled. "The thought of that just warms your heart, doesn't it?"

"Not particularly, Kid replied.

In the short time for the coffee and food to warm, daylight had surrendered to the dark of night. Outside the cave the snow continued to fall and the winds continued to bluster. But they were relatively warm inside the cave and away from the elements.

"How long you think we'll be here?" Kid asked as he ate a mouthful of beans.

"Couple of days at least, I expect."

"Do we have enough food for that?"

"Yea, but not much longer."

"I'll see if I can't shoot us some meat tomorrow. Might just be rabbit again."

"As long as whatever we're eating is hot, I don't much care what it is," Heyes replied.

Kid poured the last of the coffee into their tin cups. He held his cup between his hands to warm them. When he was done with his coffee, he moved their two blankets as well as the horse blankets next to the fire to warm. Then he stood and as quickly as he could, he removed his coat, shirt, and pants and pulled on the extra long johns and Henley and quickly put his shirt, pants and coat back on.

Kid looked at Heyes and smiled. "I'm starting to feel a little less frozen."

"That good, uh?"

Heyes did the same and Kid took the warmed horse blankets over to the horses and laid one across the back of each horse. Both gave an appreciative snort.

When Heyes was dressed again and had stoked the fire, Kid took the two warmed blankets over to the bed rolls and both men laid down for the night, draping the two warmed blankets across them both. They slept back to back, sharing their body warmth.

Heyes woke well before dawn. He could feel Kid shivering in his sleep beside him. He got up and folded his part of the blankets over Kid and went over to the fire to add some of the remaining logs. Then he picked up the coffee pot and walked to the cave entrance and found the snow had stopped during the night and the wind had eased considerably. He shivered as he packed the coffee pot with snow and moved further into the cave to the warmth of the fire.

Kid woke to the smell of coffee. He grunted and pulled a blanket around his shoulders as he lifted himself from the bedroll and joined Heyes near the fire.

"Snow has stopped and wind's died down," Heyes told his partner

"Think we'd be able to head down the mountain this morning? Sure would be nice to sleep in a nice warm bed tonight."

"We'll see what it's really like out there when the sun comes up. Maybe head toward Donner Pass and the Truckee."

Kid set his coffee cup on the ground and went over and removed the blankets from the horses and laid the blankets near the fire again to warm. "If we stay here tonight we're going to need more wood. Wasn't easy finding what I got yesterday."

"You want me to open a can of beans for breakfast?"

Kid shook his head. "Just keep the coffee coming. Even your coffee has some merit in this weather."

"Coffee is the one supply we've got plenty of, Kid."

Kid took the last gulp of his coffee and filled his cup. "Heyes," Kid said with a sigh. "Do you really think this is ever going to stop?"

Heyes heard the deep seeded fatigue in Kid's voice. "Sure it will, Kid. Once we get amnesty..."

"That's what I wonder about most. The governor seems to be just stringing us along. Sometimes I don't think he ever intends to grant amnesty to us."

"I wonder about that myself sometimes, Kid.. But I try to stay..."

"He said a year, Heyes. It's been three!"

"I try to stay optimistic," Heyes said, finishing his sentence.

"I just keep wondering how long our luck will hold before one of those posses catches us and we can't escape. Lom's influence can only go so far, you know."

"So what would you suggest we do, Kid?"

Kid stared into his coffee. "I don't know, Heyes. I just know I can't keep doing this much longer, hiding in a cave in a blizzard, near froze, rationing food. Even prison would give us a cot and a meal every day, not that I think that's a good option, cause I don't."

"Glad to hear you say that. Tell you what, when we get to the next town, I'll wire Lom and see if there's been any progress."

"And the reply is going to be one word.."No," Kid said. He finished his coffee and carried the warmed blankets back to the horses. Heyes watched him, wishing he had a solution.

When the sun finally rose both men ventured out of the cave to collect more wood for the fire. The snow was nearly three feet deep and powdery so their feet and legs sunk deep into the snow with each step. When they returned to the cave, each with an armful of wood and logs, they dropped the wood and tinder in one pile near the fire and sat down to let the fire dry the legs of their pants. Both men removed their boots and shook the snow out of them.

"You happen to see any animal tracks out there," Kid asked.

Heyes shook his head. "Not a one."

"Animals are probably all buried under the snow," Kid said in gist. He picked up the coffee pot and went out to pack it with snow to melt for the horses.

Mid morning Kid decided to go in search of a meat supply.

"Remember, don't be gone more than an hour, even if you have to come back empty handed. If you got hurt out there, I don't know if I'd be able to find you before you froze to death," Heyes cautioned.

"What? The Cham-peen tracker of Utah wouldn't be able to follow knee high tracks in the snow?" Kid asked with a grin.

Heyes smiled and shook his head. "I'm only good with two day old tracks, Kid. In two days time, you'd be froze stiff."

"And you'd have a meat supply."

"You're way too grisly, Kid."

In the course of the next hour, Heyes heard three shots fired and hoped Kid was successful at least once. When Kid returned, he had his hand wrapped around three dead rabbits. "I kilt em. You skin em," Kid announced, grinning broadly.

"It's a deal," Heyes replied. "So what do you think about starting down the mountain?"

Kid shook his head. "The snow's too powdery and there's still enough wind to keep the snow blowing around a lot. Hell, I was worried my shots might start an avalanche. Think we'd better hold up here another night."

"That's what I was afraid you were going to say."

Well, we're going to have to get the horses to lower ground in the next couple of days. There's nothing for them to eat up here."

"When we do get off the mountain, let's head to Arizona. Nice warm winters in Arizona.

Heyes skinned the rabbits and skewered them over the fire to cook.

They day passed slowly. They ate a lunch of grilled rabbit, took naps, played poker, and stoked the fire. For supper they ate another can of beans. Kid warmed all the blankets near the fire, melted snow again for the horses to drink, and by nightfall, they huddled again in their bedrolls, trying to stay warm, a task that was accomplished a little easier than the previous night because the wind had ceased.

It was daylight when Heyes woke. He got up, draped his side of the blanket over the still sleeping Kid, picked up the coffee pot and made his way outside to answer nature's call and to pack the coffee pot with snow.

For the second morning, Kid woke to the smell of coffee, and for the second morning, he draped a blanket around his shoulders as he made his way to the fire for a cup of the brew.

"Looks like it's going to be a sunny day," Heyes said as he poured Kid a cup of coffee. I think if we start out early, we ought to get well below the tree line in daylight, maybe even make it to the bottom before dark.

Kid sipped the coffee. "Okay," he said.

Within an hour they had their gear packed, horses saddled, and fire doused.

"Feels like it might even warm up a bit today," Heyes said as they mounted their horses and started the slow descent form the mountain.

"Uh-uh," came the reply.

"You're not too talkative this morning, Kid. Something wrong, or just being proddy?" Heyes said.

"Neither. Just got nothing to say," Kid replied as he continued to carefully watch his chestnut's footing. "Just busy trying not to slide down the mountain."

"If you look over to your left, I think you can catch a glimpse of Lake Bigler."

Kid took the time to look. "Pretty," he replied.

An hour later they had reached the tree line where the snow was only a couple of feet deep.

"I think Donner Pass is just over there," Heyes shouted, pointing in the direction of the pass.

Kid looked up to see what Heyes was trying to point out. "Looks like another hour or two," Kid shouted back.

By mid afternoon they had reached Donner Pass.

"We can reach Soda Springs by nightfall," Heyes said.

Kid smiled. "Hope they got a hotel with bath service."

"And a saloon with poker."

"Ain't you tired, Heyes?"

"Never too tired for poker, Kid."

They arrived at Soda Springs after nightfall. They got a hotel room with two beds overlooking the street, got their gear unpacked, their horses stabled and fed, and a steak dinner at the cafe.

You want to get a beer, Kid?" Heyes asked.

"Nope. I want a warm bath and I want to sleep. If you're heading to the saloon, I'll just see you in the morning," Kid announced and made his way across the street to the hotel.

Heyes made his way to the saloon, ordered a beer, and found his way into a poker game. He returned to the hotel around midnight, exhausted but sixty dollars richer. He unlocked the door and slipped into the room, lighting the nearby oil lamp and turning the wick down to emit a soft yellow glow to the room. Heyes glanced over at Kid who was bundled in quilts and lightly snoring, Heyes quickly readied himself for bed and blew out the lamp before crawling under his covers.

When Heyes woke the next morning, Kid was still snoring. Heyes got up and dressed and headed downstairs to the outhouse. When he returned, Kid was awake, dressed, and seated at the table cleaning his gun.

"Did you go to breakfast without me?" Kid asked.

Heyes shook his head. "When you're done cleaning your gun we'll go get something to eat."

Kid didn't hurry. A clean gun was as important to him as food, and both men knew how important food was to Kid Curry.

"This town got a Sheriff?" Kid asked as they walked to the cafe.

"Yep, by the name of Brenner. Nobody we've ever heard of."

Kid smiled. "Always the sign of a good town," he replied.

After breakfast Heyes headed back to the room for a bath. Kid headed to the mercantile for more wool socks.

Kid bought two pair of wool socks and ten cents work of peppermints. Focused on fishing a peppermint from the candy bag as he left the mercantile, Kid bumped right into a woman entering the store, causing her packages to tumble to the floor.

"I'm so sorry, Ma'am," Kid said as he bent down to pick up the packages to hand back to the woman.

"Jed?" the woman asked.

Kid stood up slowly and looked at the woman inquisitively."

"Do I know you, Ma'am?" he asked cautiously.

The woman smiled. "Kate Barlow," she explained.

A wide, easy smile spread across Kid's face. They were school mates back in Kansas before the war. Kate's family had moved to California just after Kid turned eight and a few months before the Boarder War that had killed Kid's and Heyes' families.

"You live in Soda Springs now?" Kid asked.

"We moved here when I was eight. Been here ever since. What are you doing here?"

"Just passing through. Leaving in a day or two," Kid explained.

"Is Han with you?"

Kid nodded but offered no other information.

Kate grabbed Kid's arm and pulled him out on the boardwalk. "I've read about the two of you over the years. Always found it fascinating."

"Fascinating?"

"Adventuresome. The stories you two could tell. Don't worry, I'm not about to spill the beans. Who you and Han are is our secret."

"Kid laughed nervously but was tongue tied.

"Why don't you and Han come for supper tonight? It would be fun to catch up on old times."

"Ah..."

"It's alright. No one but the three of us will be there."

"You married?" Kid asked

"Not anymore. My husband died three years ago from Diphtheria."

"I'll have to check with Han, first," Kid stuttered.

"Oh, he'll say yes. Let's plan on seven this evening. I live in the third house from the last at the end on this side of the street. I'll make you both a nice home cooked meal. Rhubarb pie still your favorite?"

Kid nodded.

"Good. I'll see you at seven," Kate said and darted into the mercantile, leaving a stupefied Kid standing on the boardwalk.

When Kid returned to the hotel room, Heyes was soaking in a hot tub. Kid tossed his bags on the bed and lay down. He reached for the candy bag and dug out a peppermint and popped it into his mouth.

"Heyes, do you remember Kate Barlow?"

"Who?"

"Kate Barlow. She was in my grade in school. Her family moved away just before..."

"Kate Barlow... Can't say I do. Why?"

"I ran in to her at the mercantile. She invited us to supper tonight."

"What did you tell her?"

"I had to check with you, first."

"You couldn't have just begged off?"

"Well she got me all tongue tied."

"That pretty, uh?"

Kid sucked on the peppermint. "That and she said she knows who you and I are."

"And you didn't beg off?"

"She says she's kept up on our 'adventures,' being that she knew us as kids. She says not to worry, she ain't turning us in or nothing."

"You believe her?"

"I think so."

"You think so?"

Kid sighed. "Kate was the only girl in school I was ever friends with. She was always just one of the boys..."

"She one of the boys now?"

"Sure don't look it."

"Kid, it's not safe to take unnecessary chances. Maybe we should just leave town now."

"Maybe... She's baking a rhubarb pie. She remembered that was my favorite."

Heyes smiled. The Kid had such a charm about him. A charm he sometimes was not even aware of.

"Well. I suppose any woman that remembers an eight year old loving rhubarb pie must be safe..."

"So we can go?" Kid asked, not recognizing Heyes' sarcasm.

"You really want to don't you?" Heyes asked, climbing out of the tub and wrapping a towel around himself.

"I think it's safe enough, Heyes."

"How far out of town does she live?"

"Right in town, near the edge."

Heyes ran a towel through his hair and walked over to the dresser with the mirror. "Tell you what. Even though she lives in town, we take our horses and tether them nearby, so if we have to make a fast exit, we can."

They knocked on Kate's door promptly at seven, each dressed in suites. When Kate opened the door they were immediately accosted with aromas of roast beef, buttermilk biscuits, and rhubarb pie.

"Smells wonderful," Heyes said, smiling.

Kate smiled and ushered them both into the parlor. "I'll just be a few minutes. Help yourself to some brandy," she said and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Heyes poured himself and Kid a brandy and they both sat nervously in chairs. A few minutes later, Kate called them into the dining room for supper.

The food was wonderful and Kate and Kid reminisced about their school days. Heyes listened, mostly because he really did not remember Kate.

After devouring two pieces of rhubarb pie, Kid helped Kate clear the table and Heyes finished his coffee. Kate brought the brandy to the table and they each had a glass to cap off the meal.

"So how did you two end up outlaws?" Kate asked.

Kid looked at Heyes who laughed at her directness. "Your family had already left Kansas before the border wars, right?"

Kate nodded.

"Well Kid and I lost all our family during that time."

Kate looked at each of them with great sadness. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know," she said.

"Well, Kid and I ended up in an orphanage. Now I don't know if there is such a thing as a good orphanage, but this one was not. After a couple of years, we ran away. Been on our own ever since. Outlawing just...fell into our hands."

"But you're not outlaws anymore? I mean I've not read anything about either of you for two or three years."

"Oh no, we're still considered outlaws. We just ain't done any outlawing for three years," Kid explained.

"I don't understand," Kate replied.

"The governor of Wyoming has promised us amnesty if we can stay out of trouble," Heyes explained. "But until then, we're still wanted."

"For how long?"

Heyes smiled. "That's a good question. Originally it was for a year. But Wyoming has gone through four governors since that original agreement and the terms keep changing."

"But you don't give up? You still keep trying?"

"That we do," Kid said.

"So in the mean time, you just drift from town to town?"

"More or less," Heyes replied.

"How awful for you."

"It could be worse," Kid said, hoping he sounded more believable than he felt.

"So what's your story, Kate?" Heyes asked, changing the subject.

"Not much to tell. My family moved here from Kansas. Pa eked out a business with a Mining Supply store. I got married when I was eighteen. My husband took over the business when Pa died. Tom, my husband, died five years later. I sold the business which gave me enough money to support myself, and here I am, still in Soda Springs.

"You happy?" Kid asked.

Kate shrugged. "As happy as anybody else, I suppose... So what do you plan to do when you do get the amnesty?"

"I'll figure that out when it happens," Kid said.

Heyes smiled. "I'd like to buy a spread, have a ranch somewhere."

"That sounds nice. I hope that happens for you," Kate said smiling.

Heyes pulled out his pocket watch. It was almost ten. "Well, Kid, it's getting late. We probably ought to be going."

Kid nodded and stood up. Kate walked them to the door.

"If you're still in town tomorrow night, we could do this again," Kate offered.

"If we're in town tomorrow night, why not let us buy you dinner at the hotel?" Heyes suggested and Kate smiled.

"I'd like that."

When they returned to the hotel, they talked about the evening and decided Kate was on the level and they could stay one more night. So the following evening, the three dined in the hotel dining room. It was a leisurely meal and afterwards, Kid walked Kate home.

"Why don't you come in for a nightcap?" Kate asked.

"Well, I a..."

"Oh come on. I won't bite."

Kid laughed and followed Kate into the house. She led him to the parlor and poured them each a brandy. She handed Kid a glass and sat down beside him.

"I have a confession," Kate said.

"What is it," Kid asked nervously.

"Back in Kansas I had a crush on you. Now I know eight year old boys don't even like girls, let alone have crushes, but eight year old girls do."

Kid smiled. "Well I can't say I had a crush on you, but you were the only girl I felt the least bit comfortable being around."

She looked up into those blue eyes and smiled and Kid felt the mood change. Slowly he leaned in and kissed her.

"When I was eight years old I used to go to sleep dreaming about this?"

Kid smiled. "Well now you're twenty seven and you can go to sleep doing this," he said half jokingly.

She leaned into him again. "I'd like that," she said.

"You sure?" Kid asked.

"Uh-uh," she replied and kissed him.

The next morning Kid walked into the hotel room. Heyes was dressed and stretched across his bed reading a book.

"You get any sleep last night?" Heyes asked, smiling.

"Some."

"She know we're leaving today?"

"Yep."

"She got any reservations about that?

"Nope."

"You got any reservations about that?"

Kid thought a minute. "No," he finally said.

"Want breakfast?"

Kid sighed, "Could use a nap first."

Heyes smiled. "I'll wake you at noon for lunch. Then we'll head out."

"Sounds fine," Kid replied and stretched out across his bed and sunk his head into the pillow. "you know Heyes," Kid said lazily, "In spite of a few things, life really ain't,"

"That's true, but what brought you to that conclusion, Kid?"

"Well, there's a lot of good people in this world. You for one..."

"And Kate Barlow?"

Kid smiled. "Yea, and others. Lom. Clem, Soapy... I means, as long as you got friends, you can find a way in life. You know what I mean?"

"Kid, I think you're getting wise in your old age."

Kid smiled. "See, that's what I mean. Friends give you encouragement. Thanks, Heyes."

Heyes smiled. "Go to sleep, friend."