A/N: An epilogue to '21 Days to Tenstrike'

Saddle Talk: Democratic Process

"Heyes, do ya really think Gant'll get off?"

Hannibal Heyes thought for a moment before responding. "I hope so, Kid."

The partners rode in silence for a time. The tedium of the trail often saw both men nodding off in the saddle, but recent events weighed heavy on Kid Curry.

"We could've gotten Gant a lawyer; even paid for it."

Heyes frowned. "Nice thought, Kid, but for once, we're flush."

Curry reasoned, "I know, and that's the point. He didn't turn us in when he could've. Maybe one good turn deserves another."

"Ha! There ya go again with the good deeds, Kid. He told us to git, or else, so we git."

The blond man sighed. "Just don't seem right, is all. Us leavin' him there in jail."

"Why you getting all sentimental-like?"

A flash of anger overtook Kid's countenance. "Sometimes it's just not right!"

Taken aback, Heyes asked, "What's not right?"

"That we just ride away when someone needs us." Curry spurred his horse and rode ahead.

Heyes reined his mount to a stop. He squinted at his partner in the distance. Brow knit, he urged the horse into a lope and soon caught up with Kid. "Okay, what's this all about?"

The fair-haired man's tone softened. "Heyes, it's not right."

The dark-haired partner shrugged. "Maybe not. But, are you forgetting we're wanted and Gant threatened to tell the sheriff who we were?"

"No."

"Look, Kid, maybe your heart's in the right place, but we gotta do what we gotta do."

"I know. But I don't have to like it."

Heyes pressed his case. "In a way, I don't like it, either. Gant watched our backs, so maybe we do owe him. Maybe we can make it up to him someday. Maybe…"

"Maybe nothin', Heyes! It was now that we could've helped him, now that he might need us!" Kid Curry glared for a moment before breathing deeply. He shook his head in disgust. "I don't know, Heyes. This whole thing…"

"I know."

"This whole thing is…was…needless. That's the word. It was needless."

Heyes nodded. "Yup, it was that."

"All those killin's – for what?" Curry sighed. "It just don't make sense."

Heyes saw an opening. "You're right. It don't make sense."

"You agreein' with me, Heyes?"

"Yup."

Kid's eyes widened. "What ya got up your sleeve?"

"Nothing."

"I don't believe ya."

Heyes smiled to himself. "Why not?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

Kid emphasized, "Because."

Heyes grinned. "'Because' by itself isn't a reason. You know that."

"Stop actin' like my mother. If I want 'because' to be a reason, that's the reason." Now Kid hid a smile.

Heyes chuckled. "All this over whether or not we should've stayed behind to be arrested?"

Curry glanced sideways at his partner. "Well, maybe we wouldn't've been. I really don't think Gant would've turned us in."

Heyes thought a moment. "Maybe, maybe not. In any case, we couldn't stay around to find out. Good thing, too. I'm not sure I trust him."

"Who? Gant?"

"Yup."

Kid frowned. "Why not?"

Eyebrows raised, Heyes stared at Curry. "You have a short memory. Don't forget Gant thought you were the killer, at least at first. You didn't like bumping around in that wagon. He might even have found every bump and rut to make you more uncomfortable."

Kid nodded. "It was a bumpy ride, but once he saw it couldn't be me…"

"Yeah?"

The blond man stammered, "Well, he just saw it couldn't be me."

"Process of elimination?"

"No. More like, like…the short straw."

"Huh?"

"Come on, Heyes, the short straw, like, uh, the democratic process," Kid said confidently.

"Come again?" Heyes looked confused.

"You know. Like when somebody's a scapegoat. The others sort of vote on it, and the one tied up draws the short straw – so to speak, anyway."

Heyes did his best to follow. "Of…course…"

"And the one tied up – the one accused – he's left in a predicament until they find out the truth. If they do, I mean."

"Uh huh…"

"And, well, let's just say they do, like they did, so they untied me. And then we just have to find the real one – the killer, I mean."

Heyes inhaled deeply. "Okay. They did."

"Right."

The dark-haired man scratched his head. "That's it?"

Kid grinned. "Yup."

Heyes processed this, then concluded, "Then I guess we were right to leave Gant."

Now Curry paused in confusion before continuing. "How do you figure?"

"Well, Gant's the one tied up, right?"

Curry agreed. "Right"

"So by your own words, he's the one who drew the short straw. The democratic process has spoken."

"Heyes, you should've been a politician the way you can twist a man's words."

"Politician?! We're going straight now, remember?"