Friendly Fire

by Kathy Knudsen1

Heyes is wounded and Kid is fraught with guilt but they are a hundred miles from the nearest town and Kid must find the means of getting Heyes the help he needs.

Friendly Fire

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A slight but hazy fog permeated the woods as Kid Curry inched his way slowly through the dense forest, his rifle slung over his shoulder, his hand keeping a firm grip on the gun stock. With eyes carefully scouring the land before him, each forward step was carefully planned so as not to break the silence with the snap of a twig or the crunching of dry leaves that blanketed the forest bed.

He stopped abruptly and peered ahead through the fog when his eyes caught the slightest movement of a mixture of tan and white color slipping between the trees not twenty yards ahead. Despite his claims of poorer skills with a rifle than a gun, Kid skillfully brought the rifle forward, positioned the stock against his shoulder, and stared down the barrel through the gun sight.

As he pulled the trigger a single shot rang out, and a single agonizing cry was heard. Then a quick flicker of tan color dropped to the ground. Just as suddenly all the color drained from Kid's face and his knees began to buckle as the horror of the kill blanketed him in fear.

Oh dear God. "HEYES!"

Without thought, Kid bolted through the forest, dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs till he reached his partner, lying face down in the leaves and twigs and dirt. Kid fell to his knees beside Heyes and with trembling hands, gently rolled him over so his back and head rested against Kid's thighs. Kid dropped his head against his partner's chest and listened for a heart beat that much to Kid's relief, sounded faint but regular.

The rifle shell had pierced the left side of Heyes chest, the left side of his shirt already saturated in blood. Kid tore at Heyes jacket and tore open the shirt, sending buttons flying in every direction. He tugged and pulled at the bandana around Heyes' neck and, once freed, Kid wadded it and pressed it hard against the wound.

"Oh Dear Jesus, Heyes, what have I done?"

Heyes raised stunned eyes toward his partner's face. "Accident, Kid," he whispered. "Pure and simple."

"I gotta get you to a doctor," Kid moaned.

"Hundred miles?" Heyes said, his voice soft and weak. "On a horse? Never make it," Heyes panted.

Kid untied his own bandana and exchanged it for the now saturated one. "Can you hold this here?"

Heyes' head nodded slightly and he raised a weak arm to rest against the cloth.

"You okay if I leave you here? I gotta go get the horses. I can't get you help without em."

"Ain't going anywhere," Heyes said, then closed his eyes as Kid gently laid him on the ground.

Kid pulled off his Sherpa and rolled it into a ball that he then placed under Heyes' head. He reached for Heyes gun and worked urgently to slip it into his partner's right hand with one finger on the trigger. "I'll be back as quick as I can," he promised, then stood and raced through the woods to the spot where they had tied their horses.

Twenty minutes later Kid reached the horses and quickly grabbed both reins, then climbed into his saddle and rode as fast as he could back to his partner. There he jumped off his horse, tethered both reins, and grabbed both canteens.

He found Heyes unconscious. Kneeling beside his partner once again, Kid picked up the soiled bandana from the ground and rinsed it with water from the canteen. Wringing it out, he then pulled Heyes' shirt back as Heyes' hand slipped to the ground. Kid lifted the second bandana from the wound and used the wet bandana to rinse the away the blood drying on Heyes' chest so he could get a better look at the wound. The bleeding had slowed some but had not stopped. He dampened the second bandana and squeezed out the excess water, then laid it over the wound.

Kid shifted and sat down beside his partner. Heyes was right, The nearest doctor was a hundred miles away. Kid knew he had no choice but to cut the rifle shell from the wound. His mind racing, Kid pulled himself to his feet and set to work clearing an area large enough for a campfire. He gathered twigs and logs and dried leaves and set to work building a fire, stopping at regular intervals to check on his unconscious partner.

With a fire now burning, Kid placed the blade of his hunting knife into the flames and cursed the fact that they had no whiskey. He wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his shirt sleeve, then walked back to the horses to retrieve their saddlebags.

Returning to the makeshift camp, Kid dug into the saddlebags for a needle and thread that he slipped into his shirt pocket, and grabbed a bar of soap before kneeling again beside Heyes to wash the skin in preparation for cutting into the wound.

"Heyes, can you hear me?" Kid asked as he rested his hand on Heyes' left arm and noticed the entire arm was beginning to swell. "Damn," Kid cursed aloud in frustration. He reached for the knife, then positioned himself on his knees near Heyes' left shoulder. "I'm sorry, Heyes, but this is gonna hurt," he told the now unconscious man.

Examining the wound to determine just where to make the initial incision, Kid chewed his lower lip. Finally he took a deep breath and plunged the knife an inch into Heyes' chest. Heyes didn't so much as whimper, an indication that he was far from any level of consciousness. Despite the fact that this made it easier for Kid to slice into the wound and probe with the tip of the knife to find the projectile, it also caused Kid great concern, fearing the possible development of shock from the loss of blood.

Twice during the operation Kid stopped to clean the flowing blood from the wound and surrounding skin, leaving the knife blade in the wound and holding the handle steady with one hand as he worked. He kept a careful eye on the rise and fall of Heyes' chest and the color of his face, and he kept a keen ear on the sound of his partner's breaths.

Nearly twenty minutes later, Kid pulled the projectile from the hole in Heyes' chest, and again washed the wound and surrounding skin. Then he pulled the needle and thread from his pocket, threaded the needle with steady hands, and stitched the wound.

When this was finished, Kid sat back on his calves and reached again for the canteen. He rinsed out one of the bandanas, then laid it on a rock to dry by the heat of the fire. He reached in his saddle bags for a clean, dry bandana and folded it into layers before placing it over the closed wound. He tied the bandage in place with thin leather thongs from his saddlebags. Finally he washed his own hands once again.

Kid pulled himself to his feet and returned to the horses where he untied both their bedrolls and carried them to the campsite. He unrolled both blankets and and gently laid each one over his partner.

"I've done as much as I can for now, Heyes. Now you and God hafta pitch in and help."

By late afternoon Heyes had not stirred, but Kid didn't find this uncommon. He thought of warming a can of beans, but Heyes was in no condition to eat, and Kid had no appetite. Instead, he put a pot of coffee on the fire to brew, then set about gathering two sturdy, long branches and the lasso from his saddle to construct a makeshift stretcher.

That evening, buy the light of the fire, Kid constructed the travois using two long branches for the sides, then lacing the lasso into a loose but sturdy weave using the branches to secure the lasso in place. In the morning, when preparing to leave, Kid would lay a horse blanket and bedroll blanket over the rope bed for Heyes to lie on as he and his partner traveled out of the wilderness. The remaining blanket would cover Heyes to keep him warm.

Near midnight, Kid settled himself down near the fire and close to his partner. He worried that Heyes had not been awake to take any water and wanted to hear him if he stirred during the night. He didn't expect to sleep, but in the wee hours of the morning, exhaustion overtook him and heavy eyes closed as he drifted into a light slumber.

Kid woke at dawn and quickly checked on Heyes who was still sleeping. Finding Heyes with no sign of fever and breathing easy, Kid looked at the bandage and determined at least the outer layers remained dry. He stood and walked behind some bushes to relieve himself when he realized Heyes had not done that for at least twenty-four hours. Returning to the fire, Kid sat down and pushed the coffee pot into the hot coals where last night's coffee would warm.

An hour later it was bright enough to begin breaking camp and preparing for the day's journey. As he packed the last of their items into the saddle bags and tossed the bags on top of his saddled horse, Kid heard Heyes beginning to stir. He walked over and squatted down beside his partner.

"How you feeling?" Kid asked when Heyes' eyes fluttered open and slowly began to focus.

"Better than you look, I hope," Heyes replied in a raspy voice. "Did you sleep?"

"A little. Think you could take some water or strong coffee?"

"Water," Heyes whispered.

Kid reached for the canteen and gently lifted Heyes' head as he brought the canteen to Heyes' mouth. "Slow and easy," he cautioned.

Heyes drank a few sips, then nodded to indicate he was finished.

"I made up a travois to get us outta here."

"Which way we heading?"

"Well, ain't no river or stream behind us, so no point going back the way we come. I figure west. With the travois, I'm gonna hafta walk the horses outta the woods. Nearest town is four or five days ride at the pace we're going to be going. Hoping we come across a cabin where maybe we can get some food and water, maybe borrow a wagon."

"Doubt that's too likely, Kid."

Kid nodded. "Think you can hold some beans in your belly?"

Heyes shook his head. "Maybe by supper."

"Gonna secure that bandage in place before we start out. You gotta pee or anything?"

Again Heyes shook his head.

"Heyes..."

"It was an accident, Kid. Don't go harboring no guilt. Put your energy toward getting me to a doctor...and getting us to some water. Don't think there's any way we're gonna avoid a wound fever."

"I'll get your bandage tied secure and we'll be on our way."

Half an hour later, the bandage secured with two leather thongs, Kid helped Heyes to his feet and moved him to the travois that was carefully tied to Kid's horse. Kid then used tethers to strap Heyes securely on the travois, and gently placed the blanket over his partner. He doused the fire with the remaining coffee and slipped the coffee pot into his saddlebags. Then, with both sets of reins in one hand, Kid gave his reins a tug and, with a sudden jerk of the travois, they were on their way, hoping to reach the edge of the forest sometime that day.

Travel was slow and at times tricky as Kid maneuvered the horses and travois around or between the trees and foliage. He stopped frequently to check on his partner and to offer Heyes, and less frequently the horses, some water, or to simply give himself and the horses a brief rest.

Mid afternoon, during one such stop, Kid was tending to the bandage when he heard a distinct and familiar sound. "Heyes, you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Rushing water. There must be a mountain stream close by. Sounds like it's coming from... that direction," he said as he pointed to the north. "We'll find it and follow it west, and make camp when we find a good spot."

Kid was careful not to hasten their speed despite how anxious he was to locate the water source, which turned out to be nearly half a mile north of where they had stopped. Kid brought the horses and travois to a stop at the top of a small ravine. At the bottom of the ravine flowed a stream with a rapid current that rippled over rocks and forked its way around an occasional boulder.

Kid tied the horses to a tree and pulled the canteens free of the saddle horn. "I'll shimmy down there and fill the canteens, then we'll just follow it west. Least we got a source of water now," he said with some relief. "Be back as quick as I can."

Kid was careful as he stepped and slid down the ravine to the river. He crouched down at the edge of the stream and filled both canteens with cool, fresh water. Capping both canteens, Kid stood and gazed westward, studying the path of the river, bordered on both sides by a steep ravine. He squinted when his eyes caught sight of what appeared to be a small hunting cabin about a mile downstream and along the south shore where he now stood.

Kid slung the canteens over his shoulder and quickly climbed back of the ravine. He reached Heyes and dropped down to his knees to offer Heyes some water. As he did so, he noted the warmth of Heyes skin and knew a fever was beginning to develop.

"There's a cabin about a mile downstream. Likely empty but we'll have a roof over our heads for the night," he told his partner.

"Good," Heyes replied. "I could use some rest, Kid."

"Yeah, you're feeling a tad warm."

"Maybe to you. To me, I'm feeling a tad cold."

"Best get moving then and get you inside with a warm fire."

Well over half an hour later they reached the cabin. Kid tied the horses to a nearby bush and approached the cabin, carefully testing the single step to be sure the wood was not rotted and could support his weight. Then he stepped up onto the narrow porch and tried the door latch. Stepping inside, it was obvious the cabin had not been used in several years. He saw an abundance cobwebs and not one piece of furniture, but the floor was stable and the fireplace looked functional. The cupboards were void of any canned food, but there were several pots and pans, even a skillet in a cupboard under the sink.

Kid retreated back outside to his partner and began loosening the straps that held Heyes in place. "Think you can stand and walk inside?"

Heyes nodded cautiously. "With your help."

"It ain't the Ritz, but it'll do for the night. Let's get you inside and I'll come back for our things."

Even with Kid's support, Heyes found it a struggle to make it up the step and into the cabin. He'd lost enough blood to weaken his legs and labor his breathing from the exertion. Kid carefully eased Heyes down to the floor and next to a wall so he could sit rather than lie down until his breathing eased again.

"I'll get our things and bring em in, then get some water from the stream and heat it up so we can get that wound cleaned up proper. Think you're gonna be able to eat something?"

"I don't know," Heyes panted. "I can try."

"I'll see if I can't get us a rabbit or something too, then. I'd fish, but getting a good catch is iffy and if I don't catch nothing, we're stuck with just warmed beans."

Heyes nodded a bit absently. "Whatever we got is fine," he said, closing his eyes and again drifting off to sleep.

Kid brought their things in and got Heyes situated atop the horse blankets. Then he gathered some wood and twigs, examined the fireplace for ventilation, and got a fire started. He then carried a large pot down to the stream and filled it with water to set on the coals to heat. Finally, he checked the chamber of his gun despite the fact that he always knew exactly how many bullets were loaded, and headed outside to try to find a rabbit or wild hen to cook for supper.

Half an hour later, a dead rabbit bleeding in the sink, Kid filled two bowls with the hot water. The first bowl of water he used to clean his hands, The second bowl he placed on the floor next to his partner. Kid then pulled a clean shirt and a bar of soap from Heyes saddle bags and his white shirt from his own saddlebags and began tearing it into strips of cloth. Occasionally he used his knife to cut away the seams.

"You awake?" Kid asked.

Heyes' eyes fluttered and he nodded but didn't speak.

"Gonna cut your shirt off and get a clean one on you after I wash the wound," Kid told him as he placed the back of his hand against Heyes' forehead. "Fever ain't bad, but I'll get some cold water so we can get a cloth on your forehead. You hurtin' much?"

"Not so long as I don't move," Heyes said, and with some effort, offered a slight smile.

"You want to try eating before I clean you up?"

"No... Let's see what we're dealing with."

Kid again used his knife to cut away the left sleeve of Heyes' shirt. "I'm gonna sit you up. I think we can get the shirt off without much trouble now."

Heyes winced with the movement but was able to offer some help gaining a sitting position..

"Got something to prop me up for a while?" Heyes asked with little strength in his voice.

"I can pull the horse blanket up some, then you can lean against the wall," Kid replied and set to work moving his partner back towards the wall. "How's that?"

"Good. Thanks."

Kid untied the thongs holding the bandanas in place over the wound, then gently removed the bandanas one by one. Heyes saw Kid wince when the last bandana was removed.

"That bad?" Heyes asked.

"It's getting an ugly red around it, a bit of yellow pus coming out of it."

"Two sure signs of infection."

"I cleaned it the best I could."

"I know. We just ain't got ideal conditions now, do we?"

Kid dipped a clean strip of his shirt into the hot water and rubbed a lather of soap onto the wet cloth. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold coin and held it to Heyes' mouth. "Here, bite down on this while I wash it out."

Heyes opened his mouth and Kid slipped the coin between his front teeth.
Ready?"

Heyes nodded and Kid set to work. Heyes bit hard on the coin, squeezed his eyes closed, and stifled the urge to moan. Kid used the cloth to press opposing edges of the wound, forcing the yellow pus to ooze out of the open hole until Heyes could no longer keep from whimpering.

"I need to do the other edges."

"I know... Go ahead."

Kid used the other end of the cloth to squeeze the other edges and again yellow pus oozed from the wound, and again Heyes bit hard on the coin and moaned.

"Okay, I got blood," Kid said and tossed the soiled cloth to the floor, then dipped a clean cloth in the water and again lathered it with soap. "Just gonna wash it and pack the hole with a little of the soapy cloth. Then I just gotta dress it again."

"Think I could lie back down before you do that?"

Let's get your clean shirt on first," Kid said and eased Heyes' left arm into the sleeve. "Now lean forward."

Once the clean shirt was on, Kid shifted the horse blankets and eased Heyes back down to the floor. "Better?"

"No... I just want to be laying down if I pass out."

"The passing out work is done, Heyes. This is the easy part."

When he had finished dressing the wound, Kid gathered the supplies and set them on the counter. He tossed the cloth with the blood and pus into the fire. Then he returned to the other pan of water and again washed his hands.

"Why don't you try to sleep, Heyes. I'll wake you when supper's ready," Kid said, glancing over at his partner.

But his comment fell on deaf ears as Heyes was already sound asleep, so Kid set to work skinning and cleaning the rabbit, then hanging the skewered meat over the fire. He then placed a pot of coffee and a can of beans in the coals to heat.

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Kid was fraught with worry throughout the night. Heyes' fever increased to the point of restlessness but not delirium, and Kid attributed that to the thorough cleaning of the wound. He slept very little, exchanging cool wet cloths to Heyes' forehead and keeping the fire well stoked to emit enough heat to stave off the chilly night air.

By morning the fever had yet to break and Kid debated whether to continue on their journey. The nearest town was still two or three days from where they now were, and he worried that the stress of travel might exacerbate the infection and fever, but he knew that not moving on; not getting medical treatment, would likely seal Heyes' demise as the untreated infection could only grow and likely spread to the blood.

Kid's lack of sleep was also weighing heavily on him, but the luxury of rest was simply not an option. They had little in the way of food on hand, but if they continued to follow the river, at least water would be in ample supply. While Heyes continued to sleep, Kid heated a pot of coffee and gathered and packed what he could in preparation of another day of travel.

When he had finished, Kid gathered the items he needed to clean the wound and change the dressing. Setting these items within arm's reach, Kid bent down on his knees beside his partner and gently nudged his right shoulder.

"Heyes, it' morning," he said, again checking the warmth of Heyes' forehead and determined the fever had not decreased. "Heyes, you gotta wake up so we can get moving."

When still there was no response, Kid unbuttoned Heyes' shirt and set to work tending to the wound, noting the redness and amount of pus was considerably less than the previous day.

"I'd give just about anything for some whiskey to pour over this,' he muttered.

Heyes woke and moaned as Kid was gently pushing a bit of soapy cloth into the wound. "I suppose that's one way to wake you," he said, layering some dry cloth as a bandage, then securing it in place with the leather thongs. "How you feeling?"

"A bit cold," Heyes replied.

"And your arm?" Kid asked and buttoned Heyes shirt again.

"Not bad if I don't move it."

"You want some coffee before we start off?"

Heyes nodded and Kid got up and poured a cup for Heyes and warmed up his own. Returning to his partner, he set both cups on the floor and helped Heyes to sit with his back leaning against the wall.

"I figure we managed to go thirty, maybe thirty-five miles yesterday. If we can do the same today, we just might make it to a town the day after tomorrow."

Heyes nodded. The wound was far more painful than he was willing to let on and bouncing about in that travois did nothing to ease the pain or stop the wound from bleeding. But he knew as well as his partner that traveling was the lesser of two evils, that staying in the cabin, even one more night, would delay treatment and give the infection a chance to fester and spread, perhaps to the point that a doctor would not be able to successfully intervene.

"All I saw Heyes, was flash of tan and maybe a little white dart between the trees," Kid said, the burden of responsibility squarely on his shoulders. "We wouldn't be in this mess if..." his voice trailed off and he gulped a swig of his coffee.

Heyes had the inclination but lacked the energy to absolve Kid. That discussion would come later, perhaps much later, after they had reached a town, been seen by a doctor, had a good meal and a warm bath, and a long and full night's sleep. "An accident," was all he could muster.

"Sure, Heyes," Kid replied with no conviction. "Finish your coffee and we'll get started."

Heyes needed even more support that yesterday to walk from the cabin to the travois and Kid had to counter balance against Heyes weight to ease him down onto the makeshift stretcher. Kid placed his blanket over his partner, then tied the straps to secure him in place.

"You ready?"

Heyes nodded, but his eyes said otherwise.

Shortly after noon they reached the top of a hill and, looking down, Kid could see not only where the forest tapered and eventually ended, but a road coming from the north, then curving to a western route.

"Heyes, there's a road up ahead," Kid said, the relief evident in his voice. "Heyes?" Kid repeated when he got no response.

When Heyes still did not answer, Kid dropped the reins and walked back to check on his partner.

Heyes' eyes were closed but beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, eyelids, and cheeks. Kid pulled off a glove and felt Heyes' forehead. A fever was raging. Kid fell to his knees and tapped his hand against Heyes' cheek, but still got no response. He pulled off the top blanket and quickly unbuttoned Heyes shirt. The entire white bandage Kid had applied just hours ago was now a dull yellow with spots of pink tinging the cloth.

"Dammit," Kid uttered, knowing that like the fever, the infection too was growing.

Kid raced back to the horses and ushered them down to the stream. He knew a simple cloth to the forehead would do little if anything to temper the fever, so he untied the tethers and quickly stripped Heyes of his shirt, boots, socks and pants, leaving only the long johns and bandage in place. Then he stood and shed his own boots, socks, and outer clothing as well.

"Come on, Heyes, we're going for a swim," Kid told his unresponsive partner and carefully picked Heyes up in his arms and made his way to the edge of the stream.

Kid stepped into the cool, rushing water, venturing further and deeper with each precarious step. When he reached a level just above his knees, Kid began to squat until both he and Heyes were submerged up to their chests. There Kid stayed, cradling his partner in his arms until his own skin was covered in goose flesh. Only then did Kid wade out of the water and up the bank, laying Heyes down in a sunny spot.

Kid untied the thongs and removed the now soaking wet bandage. The skin around the wound was a fiery red. He raced back to the horses and pulled cloths and the bar of soap from the saddlebags, grabbed a canteen, then returned to his partner.

"Heyes," Kid said urgently and again tapped Heyes' cheek vigorously with his hand. "Heyes, you gotta wake up!"

"Wha...What?' Heyes asked in a weak voice.

"You gotta stay awake. Come on, you gotta drink!"

Kid lifted Heyes head and brought the canteen to his mouth. "Drink, damn it!"

Heyes took several small drinks, then began coughing and Kid pulled the canteen away and corked it. He reached up and felt Heyes' forehead and, despite lying in the bright sun, his skin felt significantly cooler.

"What happened?" Heyes whispered.

"Fever."

"Why are you all wet?"

Kid smiled. "We took a swim. It brought the fever down."

"Ah."

"Infection's building again, though. I'll do what I can."

Kid reached for his boots and pulled the hunting knife from the inside sheath. He picked up the bar of soap and held it inches from the wound.

"You're not cutting me again, are you?' Heyes asked with real concern.

Kid shook his head. "Gonna put some soap scrapings in the hole. Then I'll bandage it up again and get you dressed. We gotta keep going, Heyes. There's a road not far from here. A town's gotta be somewhere along it. I'm thinking we may hafta walk all night. I gotta get you to a doctor before that infection gets any worse an the fever comes back."

"Whatever you think best but..."

"What, Heyes?" Kid asked as he scraped the knife against the side of the soap bar and small shavings dropped into the wound.

"You've barely slept since this happened."

An exhausted chuckle escaped Kid. "Once we're outta the woods and on the road, I can ride Old Buck. I'll be fine."

"All this ain't your fault," Heyes said reassuringly.

"We'll argue that when you're feeling better," Kid replied and began dressing the wound.

An hour later, both now dry and dressed, fever subdued at least for the time being, Kid lifted Heyes into his arms and carried him to the travois and secured the thongs.

"You want the blanket? I don't want to overheat you."

"Let's try going without for a while."

Kid nodded and tossed the blanket over the saddle of Heyes' horse. Then he picked up the reins and led both horses down the hill toward the road.

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Traveling the road was a far more comfortable ride for Heyes and he slept much of the afternoon. Kid rode his horse which made traveling easier for him as well, plus they were able to travel a little faster which put more miles behind they. Kid stopped at least hourly to check on his partner, feel for a fever which, so far had not returned, and assist Heyes to drink some water.

Late in the afternoon they came to a crossroad with a direction marker of two towns. "Willow Bluff is sixty-three miles south of here and Greybull is fifty-seven miles west. What do you think, Heyes?" Kid called back to him.

When he got no answer, Kid climbed off his horse, grabbed the canteen, and walked back to the travois. "You alright?"

Heyes woke at the sound of Kid's voice. "Greybull is about six miles closer than Willow Bluff, and both are over fifty miles from here. Figure we might as well head for the nearest one. Here, drink some water," Kid encouraged him and raised Heyes' head to drink.

"Whatever you think is best," Heyes replied.

"Fever ain't come back, though you're still a little warm. I think we head to Greybull. It'll be dark in a couple of hours, but if we keep going, we should get there before daybreak. You feeling up to that?"

"Are you?" Heyes asked.

"I say we keep going. We can rest here a spell and I can make a fire and warm up some beans, make some coffee. You ain't had nothing to eat since supper last."

"Neither have you. If it ain't too much trouble, I think coffee and some food would be good for the both of us."

Kid nodded and stood. "I'll lead the horses off the road."

Kid found a spot not far from the road and brought the horses to a stop, then walked back to his partner. "You wanna sit against a tree?"

"I wanna. Don't think I oughta. I'm good right here."

Kid nodded, then headed for the stream to gather wood along the banks. When he returned, he built a small cooking fire and opened the can of beans and poured just enough water from the canteen into the coffee pot to brew a couple of cups of coffee. Twenty minutes later they were eating the last of the food.

"You two in need of some help?"

Kid jumped up and turned around to see a man sitting in a buckboard wagon in the middle of the road.

"I didn't hear you ride up," Kid explained.

The man climbed down from the seat of the wagon and approached the campsite. "What happened?' he asked, eyeing Heyes in the travois.

"Hunting accident a couple of days ago," Kid explained.

"Hurt bad?"

"No," Heyes lied.

"Bad enough," Kid replied. "Left side of the chest. I think it's got infection."

"So you're headed to Greybull?" the man asked.

Again Kid nodded.

The man noticed the size of the fire and surmised they were not planning to spend the night.

"You won't get there before dawn. The road starts getting steep again about fifteen, twenty miles further on. My ranch is about twelve miles from here. I can drive you in the wagon, then send one of my men for the doctor. Probably have him here by midnight. I'm sure my wife has a hot supper waiting for us right now."

"We sure appreciate this," Kid said.

The man smiled and extended his hand. "Sam Jones," he said.

"Thaddeus," Kid replied, omitting the alias surname. "My partner here is Joshua Smith."

"I'll make room in the back of the wagon while you finish up here. You can tie your horses to the back of the wagon. You can leave the travois here. I'll help you get him in the back of the wagon."

Half an hour later they had Heyes lying in the back of the wagon and the horses tied behind the wagon.

"Not meaning to be rude, but if you don't mind, I'll sit back here and keep a watch on my partner."

"Don't mind at all," Sam replied and climbed up into the seat. Everybody ready?"

"Yes sir."

Sam gave the reins a flick and Kid settled in next to Heyes, his back against the corner near the wagon seat.

After traveling less than two miles, Sam turned to check on the two men and found them both sleeping soundly.

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"I hate to wake the two of you but we've arrived," Sam said as he pulled the wagon up to the house, then spied his oldest son emerging from the barn "Ezekiel! Saddle up and go to town to fetch the doctor. Got a wounded man here! Fetch him back here as quick as you can!"

Ezekiel darted back into the barn and Sam and Kid climbed out of the wagon and unhinged the backboard to help Heyes out of the wagon. Supporting Heyes heavily on each site, Sam and Kid walked him toward the house.

"Maddie! Come open the door," Sam shouted to his wife who appeared in the doorway and held open the door for the three men to walk inside.

"Straight down the hall, the room on the left. The two of you can have the boy's room. They can sleep out here on the floor," Sam told Kid.

Once inside the room, Sam and Kid eased Heyes down onto one of the two beds. Maddie followed right behind them.

"What happened to him?" she asked.

"Hunting accident," Kid replied.

"I sent Ezekiel after the doctor," Sam told her.

"Where's he hit?"

"Right here, Ma'am," Heyes said weakly as he rested his hand on the wound.

"Bleeding?" she asked.

"No Ma'am," Kid replied. "But I think there's some infection. I got the shell out the day before yesterday."

"That's when it happened?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"I got supper on the table. You two go on in and eat. I'll fix this young man a plate. After supper, we'll take a look at it. Maybe a poultice will help. He got a fever?"

"Some, not bad Ma'am."

"I'll make you some white willow bark tea to help bring the fever down. Now what are the two of you still doing in here? Go get your supper while the food's still hot."

Kid and Sam sat down at the supper table while Maddie quickly made an herb poultice in a bowl, then fixed a plate for Heyes and brewed the tea. She carried those items back into the bedroom and helped Heyes with his supper.

"I appreciate all you're doing," Kid said at the table. "I'm a little short on cash but I'd be willing to work off anything owed to you."

Sam shook his head. "No need for that. Looks to me like you've got enough to worry about right now. You and your friend must have been pretty deep in those woods for it to take you two days to get here."

Kid nodded. "Traveled on foot mostly, till we reached the road."

"How did it happen? He set his rifle against a tree and it went off, or something like that?"

Kid hesitated before speaking. "I a... I mistook him for a deer."

Sam offered no reaction. "Them woods is thick. Hard to see sometimes. You dug out the bullet, been tending to him, rigged up that travois?"

"Yeah.

"Sounds to me like he's mighty lucky he's got you for a friend. Lot of men would of handled it differently."

It took Kid a minute to realize what Sam was implying. "We've been friends since we was boys...cousins. I wouldn't just leave him, nor him me."

"Just saying the odds were stacked against the both of you. I admire what you done."

Kid stared at his plate and moved bits of food around with his fork. "We've got a few hours till the doctor gets here. If you don't mind..."

"Sure. You go get yourself some sleep. We'll put your horses in the barn for you."

"Thank you. I mean that. Thank you," Kid said and pushed his chair back and made his way down to the bedroom.

Kid saw that Heyes had eaten a few bites of food before falling asleep and Maddie was just covering the poultice application with a clean bandage. She smiled at Kid when he entered the room.

"He ate a few bits and drank most of the tea right down. He feels a little warm but not bad. Whatever you've been doing for him seems to be working," she told him as she gathered up her things. "I'll leave the rest of the tea here in case he wakes up. We'll let you know when Doc Edwards gets here."

"Thank you Ma'am," Kid said and waited for her to leave the room, then gently closed the door behind her.

Kid stood over Heyes' bed for a minute just watching him sleep. The guilt for having put Heyes in this condition bore heavily on him and he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. He sighed heavily, then turned and crossed the room to the empty bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed and continued to watch Heyes sleep.

"Lord," Kid whispered. "You ain't heard from me in so long you likely don't remember, and I ain't sure how to say this... The nuns always said you're not one to bargain with, so I won't. I'll just ask you plain out...Don't let him die, Lord."

Kid lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, having no confidence, but clinging to a glimmer of hope that his prayer had been heard.

0-0-0-0-0

Kid stood at the foot of this bed, his arms crossed against his chest as he watched Dr. Edwards clean and examine the wound. He then used cotton batting soaked in carbolic acid to pack the half inch deep hole, then covered the wound with a fresh bandage.

Heyes was awake and kept his eyes focused on his partner as the doctor worked on him. When the doctor was packing the wound, Heyes maintained the best poker face he could muster, knowing Kid would only worry about his discomfort.

"You're saying there's not a lot of pain?" the doctor asked Heyes.

Heyes shook his head slightly. "Only when it's getting poked and prodded, or when I move around."

"I'll leave some pain medicine here in case you nee it, and don't hesitate to use it. A wound heals faster when the person isn't suffering a lot of pain."

"Alright," Heyes replied.

"I'll see to it," Kid told the doctor.

"I'm leaving plenty of the cotton batting and carbolic acid here too. Use a teaspoon of the powder in a cup of water and get the cotton well saturated. After you've removed the old packing and cleaned the whole area with soap and water, you pack that batting into the wound. Don't pack it tight, that just widens the hole, but not so loose that it'll work it's way out. Do all that every morning and every night. I'll be back sometime tomorrow afternoon to take a look at it."

"Alright," Kid replied, still keeping his eyes focused on his partner.

"I'll explain the process to Maddie too, so she can help if you need it."

"Doc, how soon before I'll be able to travel?" Heyes asked.

"Depends how well this treatment works. Now I want you to take some of this pain medicine tonight, more in the morning. If that fever returns, well we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Heyes nodded and the doctor stood up to leave. Only then did Kid turn his attention away from Heyes as he extended his hand to the doctor. "Thank you for coming out here this late at night."

"Ain't the first time I've been called out like this, but you're welcome, son. Remember, powder is treatment, liquid is pain medicine," he said, handing Kid both bottles as well as two rolls of the cotton batting.

"I'll remember," Kid assured him.

When the doctor left the room, Kid set the powder and batting on the dresser and returned to Heyes bedside. He lifted the teaspoon from the teacup and measured the pain medicine into the teaspoon. "Here you go," he said, bringing the teaspoon to Heyes mouth.

Heyes drank the medicine but winced at the taste. Kid smiled and set the bottle and the teaspoon on the nightstand.

"You want the light on or off, Heyes?"

"Off."

Kid doused the oil lamp, then took off his boots and gun belt and settled into his own bed.

"Kid," Heyes said in the darkness.

"Yeah?"

"I couldn't ask for better care."

Kid didn't reply.

"You hear me?' Heyes asked.

"I heard you."

"You're still stewing about it, ain't you? I told you it was an accident."

Heyes," Kid said very quietly. "I live by the gun...I can't afford to... I know it was an accident Heyes, but knowing that don't make what I did any easier."

Heyes grew silent, understanding that it was not just the guilt that was eating away at his partner. Kid was questioning his instincts and judgment that he had come to rely on, his skills, his self worth. And he was letting his doubts eat away at him. Injured and weakened, Heyes didn't know how to heal his partner's wounds. Several minutes passed in the cold, dark silence.

"Good night, Kid."

0-0-0-0-0

"What the hell are you doing!" Heyes shouted the following morning as he was jolted from sleep by the cold, wet batting being poked into his chest."

"Hold still, I'm almost done," Kid scolded.

Satisfied with his work, Kid placed a bandage over the wound. "If you can sit up, I can bind this off with some cloth instead of tying you up like a prized pig."

Heyes shifted and placed the palm of his right hand on the mattress to give himself some leverage. "Give me a hand," he growled.

Kid reached an arm behind Heyes' shoulders to help him sit up, then wound some gauze around Heyes' chest and tied it off to hold the bandage in place. "Now, a spoonful of the pain medicine," he said and reached for the bottle and the spoon.

"Everything alright?' Maddie called from the other side of the door."

"Everything's fine, Ma'am," Kid replied and moved to the door to open it. "I was just changing the bandage," he explained.

Maddie peeked her head inside the room and saw Heyes still sitting up in the bed.

"Good morning, Ma'am," Heyes said with a warm smile.

"I'm fixing breakfast for Sam and the boys. I'll bring you each a plate and some coffee."

"Thank you, Ma'am. I am feeling a tad hungry this morning," Heyes replied.

"Yeah, squawking and whining does work up an appetite," Kid teased.

"Well, hunger is a good indication of healing," Maddie replied. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Thank you Ma'am," Kid said and shut the door when she left.

Kid walked over to his own bed and sat down, then reached for his boots. "You do act like you're feeling a bit better."

Kid reached for his pillow and got up and positioned it behind Heyes back. "Don't feel no fever, either. Maybe we can get you outta bed for a spell this morning."

Heyes nodded and eased back onto the pillows.. "Kid, about last night..."

"The redness is almost gone, too. I think that powder the doc is using is starting to work already."

"Kid..."

"I'm gonna go make a quick trip outside," Kid said and headed for the door.

"Kid!"

With one hand on the doorknob, Kid turned back to his partner. "In case you ain't noticed, Heyes, I ain't talking about it," he said sternly, then opened the door and walked out.

Heyes shook his head and sighed heavily.

While Kid was gone, Maddie walked into the room carrying a tray with two plates of food and two cups of coffee. She set the tray on the dresser and carried a plate, fork, and coffee to Heyes. Setting the coffee on the nightstand, she handed the plate to Heyes.

"Your friend seems a bit out of sorts this morning, Mr. Smith," she commented as she laid a napkin on his lap.

"Last couple of days may have been harder on him than on me," Heyes explained. "He feels responsible for my getting shot."

"Is he?"

"Is he what?"

"Responsible for your getting shot?"

"He's the one that pulled the trigger, if that's what your asking."

"I think we both know that is not what I'm asking, Mr. Smith."

"He thought I was a deer and I know he's telling me the truth, so no, in that sense, he ain't responsible. But I can't convince him of that."

"Well, perhaps he just needs a little more time to come to terms with it all. A rifle is a powerful weapon and an accident like this can weigh heavy."

"Especially with Thaddeus," Heyes said, more to himself than to Maddie.

"Well, I'll leave you to your breakfast," she told him when she heard the front door open. "I'll be back for the plates later."

"Sam and the boys already off working?" Kid asked when he passed Maddie returning to the kitchen.

"They like an early start," she replied. "I left your breakfast in with your friend."

"Thank you Ma'am. I couldn't help noticing that your wood supply is getting low. I'll chop a cord of wood for this this morning."

"Thank you, that's very thoughtful."

"Maybe Joshua will be up to sitting out on the porch while I work."

"He seems stronger this morning. Better get to your breakfast before it gets cold."

"Yes Ma'am."

Heyes glanced up when Kid walked back into the room but Kid didn't offer any notice as he picked up his coffee and took a sip, then carried the coffee and the plate to the only chair in the room and sat down.

"Coffee's good," Kid said, giving Heyes a quick glance before shoveling a mouthful of flapjacks into his mouth. "Food is too," he mumbled before swallowing.

Heyes took the last bite of food and set the empty plate on the nightstand. He pulled back the covers, then carefully eased his legs over the edge of the bed.

"You need some help?" Kid asked, again with a mouthful of food.

Heyes smiled but waved him off. "I think I can manage. I've been laying flat so long, I just need to move about a bit."

"You up to sitting out on the porch? It's a warm morning and I told Mrs. Jones I'd chop some firewood for her today."

"Sure," he said, grateful for the opportunity to show Kid the progress of his recovery.

Kid finished his breakfast quickly and gathered the plates and cups and took them into the kitchen. Returning to the room, he helped Heyes with his boots, then helped him to his feet.

"You steady?"

Heyes stood still a moment judging his strength and stamina. "Yeah," he replied with a smile.

With Kid holding his arm for good measure, Heyes took slow but steady steps out to a chair on the porch. Once Heyes was seated and relatively comfortable, Kid stepped off the porch and crossed the yard to a large tree stump where logs were piled and ready for splitting.

0-0-0-0-0

Three hours later, when the last of the logs had been split, Kid bedded the ax into the top of the tree trunk, then stood and arched his back to stretch the muscles that by now were offering some protest. He looked toward the porch and saw that Heyes had fallen asleep in the warm sunshine. Kid debated whether to get Heyes back to his bed, but decided the warm sun and fresh air were likely doing him more good, so he began gathering the wood to stack against the house.

When Kid was finished, he climbed the steps to the porch to waken Heyes, but saw that Maddie had brought them a pitcher of lemonade, so he sat down in an empty chair and poured them each a glass. Then he gave his partner a nudge on his shoulder.

"Heyes, you awake yet?"

Heyes uttered a few groggy grumbles, then opened his eyes to a glass of lemonade being held in front of his face and he smiled and took the glass.

Kid sighed, then took a long, slow drink, quenching a thirst he had been ignoring for an hour. "My that is tasty," he declared "Now how are you feeling?"

"Good. Definitely good."

"Good enough to be leaving soon?.

"Depends on how you plan to be traveling."

"Horses to Greybull, then maybe take the stage?"

"Yeah, good enough for that."

"We'll see what the doc says and if he agrees, maybe we'll head out tomorrow."

"You in a rush?"

"No. Just don't want to outstay our welcome and..."

"And put all this behind us," Heyes said flatly.

"I s'pose so."

"Kid, am I safe to assume that we both know this was just an accident?"

"Course it was."

"Then what is it about this that has you so worried?" Heyes asked, hoping to force Kid to take a hard look at himself, not realizing that was exactly what Kid had been doing for the past four days.

"It's not about what I done, I mean, that was an accident. It's more about the why."

"Why you shot me?"

"Uh-uh."

"You mean you had a motive?" Heyes asked, feeling dumbfounded.

"No, Heyes. You're the one who wanted to talk about this, so be serious."

Heyes stayed silent, not wanting to admit that he was serious, and a bit confused..

"Why was I so quick to shoot? Why didn't I wait till I was certain? It wasn't like someone was about to shoot back. Why weren't my instincts good? There's other questions, too."

"I'm listening."

"Is my judgment failing? My skills? And...What if that shot had killed you?"

"But it didn't, Kid."

Kid sighed heavily. "That ain't the point. The point is... I ain't doing my job. I didn't protect you and... and... and maybe I can't protect you anymore," Kid replied, his voice trailing off at the end.

"Can't protect me? Kid, what have you been doing for the past four days? What happened was an accident, but you saved my life, so don't go selling yourself short. Not on my account."

"I know you're trying to help but..."

"I made some chicken soup," Maddie said as she pushed open the door with two steaming bowls, each wrapped in a towel.

"You shouldn't have gone to all that bother, Ma'am" Heyes said but happily accepted the offer.

"Between the foxes and the coyotes breaking into the coop so much lately the laying hens have all gone dry. Just costs money feeding chickens that ain't layin' no eggs," Maddie replied. "I'm fixing fried chicken for supper."

"I could take a look at your coop, Ma'am. Maybe I could rig it a bit so it's better protected," Kid offered.

"That's kind of you, thank you. Now you boys eat up. Just bring the bowls in when you're done."

"Thank you, Ma'am," Heyes called to her as she slipped back inside the house.

0-0-0-0-0

Heyes spent the afternoon resting in his bed while Kid went out to see what he could do to better secure and protect the chicken coop. He found some chicken wire, nails, and a hammer in the barn and by late afternoon, Kid was satisfied with the repairs and improvements he had made.

Heading up to the house, Kid saw the doctor's carriage coming up the lane and he stopped at the foot of the steps and waited for the doctor to climb out of his carriage, reach for his medical bag that was still on the seat, and walk up to the house.

"How's the patient been?" Dr. Edwards asked as they climbed the steps and walked into the cabin.

"Good. He sat out on the porch all morning. Tired him some, but he's been resting this afternoon."

"You change the dressing this morning?"

Kid nodded. "That all looks good, too."

"Eating and drinking well?"

"Yep."

"Sure smells good in here, Maddie," Dr. Edwards told her.

"Fried chicken and you're welcome to stay for supper."

"I wish I could. I truly do, but Mrs. Winston is due any day and I have to stop by there before I head back to town."

"Well, another time then."

Kid and the doctor headed to the bedroom where they found Heyes awake and sitting up in bed.

"I thought I heard voices out there," Heyes said as they walked into the room.

"You certainly look and sound like you're feeling better," the doctor replied. "Now let's take a look at your chest and see just how much better you're doing."

Heyes unbuttoned and loosened his shirt and the doctor sat down on the edge of the bed and placed his bag beside him.

"Well, I must say I am impressed with the progress. I don't see any sign of infection. Keep doing what you've been doing for the next two or three days, then you can cut down to once a day." Dr. Edwards told them.

"How soon can I travel?"

"I'd say whenever you're feeling up to it, so long as you go by stage or train."

"Is there a stage out of town tomorrow?" Kid asked.

Dr. Edwards shook his head. "Day after there's a train to Cheyenne."

"That's probably when we'll be leaving then," Kid told him.

When the doctor was ready to leave, Kid stayed in the room to wash up for supper and when Sam and the boys returned home, Kid and Heyes joined the family at the table for the evening meal.

"I got the chicken coop fixed up for you, Ma'am," Kid told her as he put two pieces of chicken on his plate. "The latch is a little tricky as it's a little hard to unlatch, but the coop is all secure. Chickens ought to be laying for you in a few days."

"Oh, I do appreciate that."

"I think Joshua and me will be leaving tomorrow. Doctor said Joshua could travel and there's a train to Cheyenne the day after."

"Is that where your from?" Sam asked.

"Well, Wyoming anyway. We don't really have no particular roots."

"What do the two of you do for a living?" Sam asked.

"Thaddeus likes to say most anything, so long as it's not too hard on the back," Heyes told him.

Sam smiled. "I wish I could offer you both a job but I have all the help I need right now. Of course, come branding time..."

Heyes laughed. "Well certainly keep that in mind, Sam."

0-0-0-0-0

"Kid, I've been thinking all afternoon about what we was talking about this morning," Heyes said after they had settled into their beds for the night, the lamp still glowing softly.

"Don't suppose you're gonna spare me your insight till morning?"

Heyes ignored the sarcasm. "It's all got to do with dynamics."

"Dynamics? How do you figure?"

"Well dynamics involves a process of change. You and me have both been caught up in dynamics ever since we decided to go for our amnesty."

"You mean we've been caught up in a process of change?"

"Exactly!"

"So, shooting you was just a natural part of the amnesty dynamics?" Kid said, trying hard to suppress grin.

"Now there you go twisting it all around," Heyes said, growing a bit frustrated.

Kid laughed out loud. "Sorry Heyes. I ain't meaning to make fun of you. The truth is, I've been thinking about this all afternoon myself and while I don't think my shooting you has got anything to do with our amnesty, I do think you might have a point about the dynamics. I just think the dynamics has more to do with a change in the process between you and me."

"Okay, so how do you figure?"

"Well, you and me have always watched out for each other, right?"

"Right."

"And when we ran away from the orphanage, we each had a sort of unwritten set of responsibilities that helped us watch out for each other, right?

Heyes gave this some thought and had to agree. "Right."

"Then, when we became outlaws, some of those responsibilities changed, right?"

"Right."

"Well, now that we're going straight, some of those responsibilities have changed again. Right?"

"Right," Heyes said emphatically.

"So there, you have it," Kid replied.

Heyes went over what Kid had said, but remained a bit confused. "Have what?"

"The answer to why I shot you!" Kid replied, not knowing why Heyes couldn't see the logic. "It's all a matter of dynamics!"

"Oh," Heyes replied, still not understanding, but relieved that Kid seemed to understand what he was talking about, and Heyes didn't want to risk casting any doubt back Kid's way. So, are you alright about everything then?"

"About most of it. I still got a little bit more to work out, but it's starting to fall into place."

"Yeah, I can see that," Heyes said, trying to sound confident.

"Good, now can we turn out the light and get some sleep?"

"Uh-uh. Good night, Kid."

Kid doused the light and wiggled down into the blankets. "Good night, Heyes."

0-0-0-0-0-0

It was barely dawn when both Heyes and Kid were jolted from sleep by the combined sounds of a woman's screams and the deep guttural growls of a wild animal. They locked eyes for only an instant before Kid darted from the bed, grabbed his gun, and raced outside and around the corner of the house. From there he could see Maddie standing next to the chicken coop, her left hand resting on the latch, a basket of feed dangling from her right arm. Standing atop the grain bin that leaned against the barn not twenty feet from where Maddie stood, was a lean, almost scrawny coyote with his body hunched, his head down, his posture prepared to pounce.

Kid cocked his gun, took aim, and fired all in one quick, smooth motion. The coyote yelped, then fell dead to the ground. Kid was at Maddie's side in an instant and she literally fell into his arms, sobbing.

"It's alright Ma'am. He ain't a threat to you," Kid said, trying to console the still frightened woman. "Come, on. I'm gonna walk you back to the house."

Kid kept an arm around Maddie and she continued to lean against him for support.

"I didn't see him. I didn't hear him. I just looked up and there he was, staring at me, growling. He could have killed me," she said breathlessly.

"But he didn't and he's gone for good now, Ma'am. You got nothing to worry about," Kid said as he walked her up the stairs and saw Heyes standing at the far end of the porch where he had a clear view of the event.

Kid opened the door and led Maddie into the kitchen where he eased her into a chair. Heyes followed them inside and sat down next to Maddie while Kid brought the coffee pot and three cups to the table.

"Sam and the boys gone already?" Heyes asked.

Maddie nodded. "They wanted to get an early start on some fences that need mending." She looked up at Kid as he filled her coffee cup. "If you hadn't been here, I could have been hurt or even killed by that coyote."

"Well he won't be coming back around again," Kid replied

Maddie nodded and drank some coffee and eventually regained some composure. "I'm much better now, thank you. I'll make you some breakfast.

"Thank you Ma'am. I'll get Joshua's bandage changed and we'll get our things packed, and I'll feed the chickens for you after breakfast.

Maddie looked at him and almost laughed. "Thank you. I mean it. You saved my life."

Kid and Heyes headed back to the bedroom to change the bandage.

"It looks like your skills and instinct are in fine shape, Kid."

"With a six gun at least," Kid replied, his attention focused more on the dressing change than on the conversation.

"Well think about it. How often do you even use a rifle?

Kid smiled. "Well that's true, but I figure I taught myself all the skills I have with a six gun and I ain't never shot nobody accidentally with my hand gun, so why can't I teach myself to do the same with a rifle?"

"No reason whatsoever, Kid."

Kid finished securing the new bandage and he sat back and smiled. "And that should just take care of all them amnesty dynamics."

Heyes smiled. "I do believe it will, Kid."

Suddenly a look of great concern spread across Kid's face.

"What's the matter?" Heyes asked

"Heyes, we're eventually gonna get this amnesty, right?"

"Right," Heyes replied, nodding his head vigorously.

"And when we do, it's gonna create a whole new set of dynamics, right?"

Heyes frowned. "Likely so."

Kid closed his eyes and shook his head. "No matter what we do, life never gets any easier, does it?"

"No, but..."

"But what?"

"But no matter what we do, so long as we do it together, I think we can manage all the dynamics, Kid."

Kid smiled. "Heyes, your silver tongue has done it again."

"So you got everything that was bothering you all worked out?"

Kid nodded. "The next time we go hunting Heyes, we stay parallel and we don't go wearing clothes that blend in with the woods. Neither one of us is getting any younger and at some point, eyesight will start to fade."

"And maybe we don't go hunting in the fog?"

"Or if we do, just one of us goes."

Heyes smiled and a chuckle rose from his throat and grew into a full laugh.

"What's so funny?" Kid asked.

"You know what we're doing, don't you?"

"What?"

"We're considering all the dynamics."

Kid smiled. "We must be getting old, Heyes."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, except for when we was outlawing and you planned out all the robberies, when have we ever made a point to think before we act?"

Heyes smiled, pleased that his partner was back to his normal self. He slung his right arm about Kid's shoulders. "Come on Kid, let's go have some breakfast and get started on our trip home."