CHILDREN OF THE SOUL
Kid made his way slowly through through the heavily wooded forest, his chestnut's hooves snapping twigs and crushing dried autumn leaves as they made their way north west through the Yellowstone. Already three days late reaching Missoula, and knowing he had at least three more days of travel, Kid knew Heyes would be growing more and more worried with each passing day, but there was no way to contact him, no nearby telegraph or post office.
The area Kid now traveled was a mystifying place, spotted with colorful hot springs that reeked of sulfur, geysers that shot boiling water hundreds of feet into the air, salt beds covering jagged rocks, stretches of wide, open fields, and all surrounded by mountainous peaks already spotted with snow. Bear, buffalo, elk, wolves, and mountain sheep were plentiful and their scent made the chestnut skittish.
Reaching the edge of a large glacial lake, Kid stopped to stretch his legs and water both the horse and himself. Filling his canteen, Kid pushed the cork hard to seal the water inside. Then he mounted and nudged the horse forward with a gentle gaff of his boots.
September in the Yellowstone brought a constant chill to the air and steam rose high off the sulfur ponds. Kid pulled the collar of his Sherpa up high around his neck. He smiled to himself thinking about the long , hot soak in a brass tub, the thick Angus steak, the smooth whiskey, and the warm, soft strumpet that awaited him in Missoula.
The chestnut gave a nervous whinny and slowed despite a second gaff to it's sides and Kid's eyes and ears perked to attention as his right hand dropped to his gun. He studied the ground, the woods, the rocks for any hidden danger that caused the horse to hesitate.
A hundred yards in the distance, Kid made out what looked to be glimpses of calico low to the ground. Then he heard a low, predatory growl and the chestnut stopped and took nervous steps backwards. Kid pulled hard on the reins, forcing his mount to stop. He skillfully slid from the saddle and drew his gun just as he saw some minuscule movement behind a shrub not fifty feet from the stationary bit of visible calico.
Instantly Kid took aim and fired and heard the cougar yelp its last breath as leaves crackled where the animal dropped. Still cautious, Kid moved forward, toward the cougar's unclaimed prey. He stopped in his tracks when his saw the figure of a child, a girl dressed in calico, sitting on a stump, not moving, glossy eyes fixed on the ground before her.
The child looked to be no more than seven. She wore no coat in the chilly mountain air, but she wasn't shivering. She wasn't moving. She didn't hear or see Kid approach. Kid looked all around for someone, a parent or other adult in search of the child. But there was no person and no sounds of anyone in search of the little solitary soul.
Kid approached the child slowly and when he was directly in front of her, he crouched down to eye level.
"Hello, darlin," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm gonna help you," he said with a reassuring softness in his voice. "Your Ma or Pa around, Sweetie?"
The child didn't move. Her eyes remained fixed on the ground. Kid reached out and gently ran a gloved hand over the child's hair.
"You got a name, little one?" he asked.
Still, the child offered no reaction.
"My name's Thaddeus, but you can call me Kid. That's what most folks call me. I suspect we'd better go looking for your folks, darlin."
Kid was certain the outcome of their search would not be a good one, but he also knew he could not leave the girl there, alone, sitting on the log while he went in search of whatever tragedy had likely befallen her family. So he reached out with both hands and hoisted the girl into his arms.
Kid was startled when the child immediately flung her arms around his neck and leaned into the security of his chest, resting her head on his shoulder. Grateful that he had not buttoned the Sherpa, Kid wrapped the front of his coat around her and carried her over to his horse.
He shifted her in his arms and raised her up and into the saddle. Then he removed his coat and wrapped it around her and fastened one button to keep it in place. Next he picked up the reins and, on foot, led the horse back to where he had found her. He stooped down again to examine the tracks of her footprints, then stood and followed the tracks while pulling the horse and the child behind him.
They had traveled less than half a mile when they came upon the gruesome sight Kid had been dreading to see. Before them lay the smoldering ruins of the Conestoga wagon. Kid immediately saw the remains of three bodies, all shot with multiple arrows, the shafts protruding from their bodies.
The scene brought Kid's own nightmares rushing back and he shook his head to clear this thoughts. As gentle as he knew Old Buck to be, he dared not leave the child in the saddle as he searched for any additional bodies and dug graves.
Kid walked back to the child and reached up to pull her down from the horse. Then he carried her to a nearby log and set her down with her back to the horrendous site. He walked around in front of her and pulled the Sherpa tighter around her body to provide her physical warmth.
"I want you to stay right here, darlin while I get your family tended to. I want you to stay right where you are and if you need anything, you just call to me. You understand, Sweetie?"
The little girl's eyes raised just enough to look at Thaddeus and she gave him a single nod of her head. Kid brushed the little girl's blond hair away from her face and gave her a comforting smile.
"You're going to be alright, child. I'll see to that."
Kid found a total of five bodies, two adults and three children who all appeared older than the one in his care. There were no salvageable blankets to wrap the bodies in. It took Kid two hours to dig one large, long grave. With force, Kid pulled the arrows from each of the bodies and carried the people one by one and laid them side by side in the grave, just as he and Heyes had done with their families when he was barely any older than this little girl.
When he had them positioned, Kid began shoveling dirt back into the hole to cover the graves. When he was done, he went back over to check on the girl. She had moved to the ground and, still wrapped in Kid's Sherpa, lay sleeping on the ground.
Kid returned to the smoldering wagon and began searching for anything salvageable. He found very little, a singed cloth doll, a beat up gold watch,, and a small, locked metal box. He carried those items back to his horse and put them in his saddle bags.
The afternoon was growing late and Kid knew he would have to find a place to make camp for the night. So he walked over to the child and gave her a few gentle nudges.
"It's time to be leaving here," Kid explained. "We have to be finding a place to make camp. So this time, we're both going to ride Old Buck. You ready, darlin?"
The girl looked at him but did not utter a sound. Kid picked her up and hoisted her once again into the saddle. Then he retrieved his blanket from his bedroll and swung it around his own shoulders before climbing into the saddle behind the little girl. Kid turned his chestnut so the graves were visible to the girl and he paused to give her time to say goodbye. Then he gaffed the horse and they slowly moved away from the sight that he knew from his own youth, was now indelibly imprinted in the child's brain.
They traveled slowly for more than an hour when Kid spied a small cave. There he made camp for himself and the child. He built a warm fire, heated a can of beans and made biscuits. He filled the coffee pot with water from a nearby stream and heated it so they would have something warm to drink. Throughout the meal Kid tried to engage the girl in conversation, urging her to at least tell him her name. But she remained silent, though did not appear fearful of him.
"Darlin," Kid said as the sun was beginning to set. "It's gonna be dark soon. I'm gonna walk you out to the bushes so you can take care of any business you might have to do. I'll stay within hollerin distance so you just call me when you're ready." He held his hand out to her and was relieved when her hand reached up to his. Kid led her to some bushes and then walked a safe distance away and kept his back to the bushes.
"Ready," he heard a tiny voice say after a couple of minutes and, before turning around, Kid smiled at the little bit of progress made.
Back in the cave, Kid got her settled in for the night. His Sherpa was long enough to cover her so he draped that over her for warmth. Then he move to the other side of the fire and settled himself in for the night.
In the morning, Kid had breakfast almost ready when he saw her eyes were open and she was watching him.
"Good morning," he said to her with a smile.
"Morning," she replied.
Kid fixed her a plate of warmed up biscuits and a cup of hot water.
"We're headed to Missoula," Kid told her. "It'll take us a couple of days to get there, but I think we'll stop in Hamilton for the night. I need to send a telegram to my partner, and I think we better buy you some warmer clothes, maybe a coat, to," he told her.
Kid sat down on a rock near the fire to drink his hot water. "Sure would help matters to know your name," he said.
She swallowed the bite of biscuit in her mouth. "Abby," she said very quietly.
"Abby," Kid repeated. That's a very pretty name. Where are you from, Abby?"
"Arkansas."
"You got any family still in Arkansas?"
She shook her head, dashing Kid's hopes of reuniting her with family."
"You got any family anywhere that you know of?"
Again she shook her head.
Kid sighed heavily. "Well, when we get to Missoula, we'll figure out some arrangement for you. I won't leave you till you're settled."
They finished breakfast in silence. Kid broke camp and packed his things back into his saddlebags. Then he hoisted Abby onto the chestnut and climbed on behind her. They followed the Bitterroot Mountain range throughout the day, arriving in Hamilton late in the afternoon.
Kid got a room with two big beds, then he and Abby walked Old Buck to the livery, stopping briefly at the telegraph office where Kid sent a telegram to Heyes. Next they visited the general store and Kid happily deferred the choice of clothing and a coat for Abby to the woman working there.
"I'm on a bit of a budget, Ma'am, but we're riding to Missoula and I want her to be warm," Kid explained. "If you have a book of children's stories that don't cost too much, I think that might come in handy as well, and maybe a warm nightshirt."
The woman smiled. "Little girls prefer nightgowns," she told Kid.
"Yes, Ma'am," Kid replied, looking a little embarrassed.
After he paid for the items, he and Abby went to the cafe for a proper hot supper and some much needed coffee for Kid.
If Kid had been traveling alone, his next stop would have been the saloon. But Kid was aware that Abby was both too young to be left alone, and her traumatic wounds were much too fresh to be left alone. Kid remembered it had been weeks after Bloody Kansas before he could even think of ever letting Heyes out of his sight.
Back in the hotel room, Kid moved a chair to the small table by the window and positioned it so he was seated with his back to the room.
"I'm gonna sit here and clean my gun for a while," he told Abby. "Why don't you slip yourself into that nightgown the lady picked out for you. Tell me when you're ready and I'll read you one of them stories."
Kid used his handkerchief to polish his gun as his real intention was simply to provide the child some privacy.
"Ready," came a reply after a few minutes. Kid slipped his gun back into the holster and turned around to see Abby all snuggled down in the blankets of her bed. Kid moved the chair close to the bed and fished the story book out of the paper bag.
"Do you know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk?" he asked.
Abby shook her head.
"Well I'm about to tell you," Kid replied.
Kid leaned back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other and in a soft, gentle voice, Kid read two stories to Abbey who finally drifted off tho sleep.
0-0-0-0-0-
In the morning, Abbey dressed in her new clothes, a pretty blue gingham dress with a white cotton ruffle along the hem. Kid buttoned the back of the dress for her and bagged her other clothes and packed them in his saddlebags.
They ate breakfast in the cafe before picking up Old Buck and starting out once again toward Missoula. Kid knew if they could make good time, they could be in Missoula before nightfall. He was very aware of how anxious Heyes was for their arrival as he knew his partner well.
They rode along at a descent, though not rapid pace with Abbey sitting in the saddle in front of Kid. He didn't want her to ride in silence all day for he knew from experience that silence causes the mind to wander and he wanted to distract her from thoughts of the Indian attack.
"Abbey, you got a last name?"
She nodded but didn't reply.
"My last name is Jones. What's your last name, darlin?"
"Hale," came a reply in a sweet, shy voice.
"Well now, I know a lady whose last name is Hale. She lives in Denver. You got an Aunt by the name of Clementine?"
Abbey shook her head and Kid frowned. He knew it was a long shot.
"You said you was from Arkansas. You know the name of the town you lived?"
She shook her head once again.
"You go to school?"
"Yes."
"What's the name of your school?"
"Pine Bluff Public School."
Kid smiled. Finally a clue that might help him locate her relatives.
"What's your teacher's name?"
"Miss Cravens."
"You like her?"
"Yes."
"You got a best friend in school?"
Abbey nodded. "Tess Baxter."
"You two in the same grade?"
"Tess is in the second grade."
"But you two get to sit together?"
"Uh-uh."
"You like school?"
"Yes."
"I think most little girls like school. I'm not sure about how most little boys feel about school, though. I know I had certain classes I liked."
"Like What?'
"Well, let's see, I liked History, but I hated Spelling. I learned the alphabet real quick, but reading didn't come real easy to me."
"I like to read."
"Well, maybe tonight, you can read me a story, then."
"Kay."
Kid kept the conversation going all through the morning, but by afternoon, Abbey had grown tired and fell asleep with her head leaning on Kid's shoulder.
They reached Missoula late in the afternoon and Kid led his horse to the hotel.
"We've arrived, darlin. Gotta wake up now."
Sleepy eyes opened and Kid climbed off the horse and reached up to help Abbey down. Then he tethered the chestnut to the post and reached down for Abbey's hand and led her into the hotel and up to the desk.
"What room is Joshua Smith in?" Kid asked the clerk.
"Room 214," the clerk said and smiled down at the little girl. "We've moved a child's bed into the room."
"Thank you. Is Mr. Smith in?"
"No, but he left the key for you and a message saying he'd be back by six."
Kid nodded and took the key the clerk handed him. "Come on, Abbey," he said and led her up the stairs.
Once in the room, Abbey sat down on the edge of the child's bed while Kid dropped the saddle bags at the foot of his bed. Kid sat down on his bed, wishing he could stretch out and take a nap until Heyes arrived. He raised his head and glanced at the child who was sitting quietly, watching his every move. Kid sighed and sat up again.
"Abbey, we've had a long ride today. Why don't we go downstairs and see if we can rustle us up a couple of glasses of lemonade and sit out on the porch to wait for Joshua to return?"
The child's eyes brightened and Kid sighed once again and pulled himself off the bed.
An hour later as they sat in rocking chairs on the hotel's porch, two empty glasses on the floor near their feet, Kid spied Heyes crossing the street toward the hotel, a package wrapped in brown paper tucked under his arm.
"Kid, you have no idea how worried I've been," Heyes said when he reached the porch and leaned against the rail so he was facing his partner and the little girl. "And you must be Abbey," Heyes concluded with a smile.
Abbey looked at Heyes nervously, then got up out of her chair and walked over to Kid.
"It's alright, darling, he won't bite," Kid said and picked her up and sat her on his knee. "Have a seat, Joshua" he said motioning to the now vacant chair.
"You talk to the Sheriff yet?" Heyes asked.
Kid shook his head. "Thought I might do that after supper to give you two a chance to get to know each other a little better. She told me she's from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, so hopefully the Sheriff can find out if she's got any family there abouts."
While Abbey sat in Kid's lap, she didn't take her eyes off of Heyes who was surprised at how uncomfortable he felt being sized up by a seven year old. But he smiled at her often.
"Of, Abbey, When Kid told me you were coming, I went out and did a little shopping. These are for you," Heyes said, extending the package toward her.
Abbey looked at Kid who smiled. "It's alright, darling. You can see what Joshua bought you."
A small, timid hand reached out for the package. Opening it, she saw several little bags. She reached in and pulled out the first bag and peaked inside and discovered a half a dozen peppermint sticks..
"You might want to wait till after supper to eat one of those," Kid cautioned.
"You've got quite the parental instincts, Kid," Heyes said with a grin.
Kid shrugged. "What else did he bring you, darling?"
She reached in for another bag. This was the largest of the bags and the contents felt soft to her touch.
"Go ahead and open it," Kid encouraged the child.
Reaching in to the bag, Abbey pulled out a rag doll with button eyes and red yarn hair. She smiled and hugged the doll close to her.
Kid looked at Heyes with a very appreciative smile.
"There's one more bag in there, Abbey," Heyes said.
She reached in one final time and pulled out the final bag. Peaking inside, Abbey discovered a Little Folks Painting Book, a brush, and half a dozen tiny tins of paint in a variety of colors. Again a bright smile crossed her face.
"What do you say to Joshua?" Kid asked.
"Thank you," uttered a timid little voice.
"You two hungry yet, cause I'm starving," Kid said as he helped Abbey put the packages back in the larger bag. "You wanna keep hold of your doll, darlin?" Kid asked and Abbey nodded her head.
After supper in the cafe, they walked to the hotel.
"Abbey, I've got to run an errand," Kid told her. "I won't be gone lone, so why don't you and Joshua wait on the porch for me?"
Abbey nodded and Kid then turned to his partner. "You sure you haven't heard of this Albertson fellow?"
"I'm sure. In fact, after I got your telegram, I strolled by there and took a look in the window. I didn't even see any interesting posters on the wall in there."
"Alright, I'll go have a talk with him, then." Kid smiled and stroked the top of Abbey's head. "I'll be back shortly."
0-0-0-0-0-
Kid walked into the Sheriff's office and quickly noted that the two cells were empty. He saw the man wearing the Sheriff's badge, sitting at his desk.
"Sheriff?"
The Sheriff looked up but didn't recognize the stranger standing in front of him.
"What can I do for you?"
"Well, I got a bit of a long story for you. It boils down to the fact that , three days ago I come across a gruesome scene. A family traveling in a Conestoga wagon had been killed by Indians, their wagon burned. I found a total of five bodies, and one seven year old little girl that was unharmed, hiding in the woods."
Sheriff Albertson looked up at Kid with great concern.
"Where was this?"
"Montana side of the Yellowstone."
"There's a few towns between here and the Yellowstone. Why did you wait till you got here to report this?"
"I was already three days late getting here to meet up with my partner."
"You know anything about the family? Name, where they come from?"
"Little girl tells me her family name's Hale and they come from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She claims she has no other family, but she's only seven. I thought maybe she's wrong on that matter."
The Sheriff nodded and began jotting information down on paper.
"She mentioned a family by the name of Baxter. They're not related, but maybe the Baxter's would know if she's got any family. Might want to mention that name in your telegram, too."
"Where's the little girl now?"
"With my partner over at the hotel."
"Well, I can check around, find a family that's willing to take her in till we find something permanent for her."
Kid shook his head.
"She's been through enough, Sheriff. She's come to trust me. I ain't uprooting her by putting her in with a bunch of strangers."
The Sheriff carefully eyed Kid, trying to determine if Kid looked like someone safe to be in the custody of the little girl. "I don't want you leaving town..."
"No intention of that," Kid replied, cutting him off.
"Anything she needs?
"Another change of clothes might be nice and..."
"And what?"
"Well, would you happen to know of some kind woman who could come to the hotel sometime tomorrow for an hour or so? Abbey ain't had a bath in at least four days. I don't think that's something me or my partner ought to be helping her with."
"My wife would likely be willing to do that. I'll let you know in the morning. Now I didn't get your name, son?"
"Jones, Thaddeus Jones. My partner is Joshua Smith."
"Alright Mr. Jones, I'll wire the Sheriff in Pine Bluff."
"If she does have family there, my partner and me will see that she gets there safe."
"You're pretty protective of this little girl."
Kid nodded. "Cause right now she needs protecting."
"You say she's over at the hotel now?"
Kid nodded.
"I'm going to have to go over there and meet her, you know? Protecting that little girl is my job, too, Mr. Jones."
Kid didn't like the innuendo, but he understood it.
"She's sitting out on the porch with my partner right now."
"Well, then, let's take a walk."
As they approached the hotel, Kid smiled. The timing could not have been better. Abbey and Heyes were sitting in rocking chair side by side. In Abbey's hand was one of the peppermint sticks and they saw her break the candy in unequal halves and and offer the short end of the stick to Heyes who smiled and thanked her graciously.
"Abbey, this is Sheriff Albertson. He's gonna help us see if there's any family of yours we can locate," Kid explained.
Abbey shied around the stranger and leaned in close to Heyes. Heyes smiled and held his hand out to her and she quickly slipped her hand into the palm of his.
"Well how do you do, Miss Abbey," the Sheriff said as he lifted one foot to rest on the edge of the porch floor. "These two fellas a couple of friends of yours?"
Abbey nodded and looked up at Kid who smiled at her.
"They good to you?" he asked.
Again Abbey nodded and held up her doll.
"Alright, honey, that's just fine," the Sheriff said and brought his foot back down on the ground as he straightened himself. "I'll let you know in the morning about those arrangements you asked about and whether I've heard back from the Sheriff in Pine Bluff or not."
"Thank you, Sheriff. Appreciate your help." Kid replied.
When they got back to their room, Kid ruffled through the saddlebags for Abbey's nightgown and the story book.
"Abbey, Joshua and I are going to step out into the hall so you can get yourself ready for bed. When you're done, you just knock on the door so we'll know it's alright to come back in. You understand?"
Abbey nodded and turned around, her back to Kid. Kid crouched down and unbuttoned the buttons on the back of her dress.
"Then maybe Joshua will read to you tonight. He's good at that. He even reads to me sometimes."
Heyes and the Kid then stepped out into the hall and shut the door.
"You're doing a good job with her, Kid. She really trusts you."
"Maybe she can sense that I know what she's going through, Heyes. I was lucky to have you. Now she's got me."
"For how long? You know she can't stay with us forever. Ours is no life for a little girl."
Kid nodded. "If she does have any family in Arkansas, I told the Sheriff you and me would see to getting her there safely."
Heyes nodded, agreeable with the arrangement.
"You should have seen her out there, Heyes. She was terrified."
Heyes nodded. "I know. I've seen that look myself."
Kid nodded. "Yeah," he said quietly.
They both heard three knocks on the door and knew they could go back into the room. Kid picked up the book and tossed it at Heyes while Abbey crawled into her bed. Kid pulled the covers up to her chin and leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead and handed her the doll that she took and clutched in her hands. Then he stood up and walked over to his own bed and sat down. He pulled his boots off, then stood and removed his gun belt and hung it on the post. Finally he lay down on top of the covers and rested his hands behind his head.
"We're ready for a story, Joshua. I believe we've read the first two stories," Kid said with a grin.
Heyes smiled and shook his head at Kid. Then he sat on his own bed, leaned back against the headboard, opened the book to the third story and began reading aloud.
0-0-0-0-0-
The next morning, Sheriff Albertson found Kid, Heyes, and Abbey having breakfast in the cafe.
"I'd like to talk to you alone for a minute Mr. Jones." the Sheriff said.
"Abbey and I will wait here for you, Thaddeus," Heyes said.
Kid took a quick gulp of coffee before going outside with the Sheriff.
"Heard back from Pine Bluff," the Sheriff explained. "It seems the Hales left there in early June heading for Oregon and, no, the girl's got no family that anyone's aware of."
Kid sighed heavily. He was well acquainted with the kind of life the little girl now faced.
"But, there's a bit of good news in this, too," the Sheriff said.
"What's that?"
"Seems the Baxter family must be some pretty descent people. Sheriff in Pine Bluff says they've offered to take the girl in, rise her as their own. Sheriff says they're a good family. Mr. Baxter is on the city council there."
Kid smiled, thankful for the bullet they had just dodged.
"Baxters are even willing to pay the child's fare back to Pine Bluff."
Kid shook his head. "No, Joshua and I will do that. Do you happen to know when the next train leaves?"
"There's an east bound that leaves tomorrow morning. Did my homework on that, too."
Kid smiled. "Thank you, Sheriff. You've helped more than I can tell you."
"Now, about that other matter you was asking about. My wife says she'll be by your hotel room around three this afternoon. She would appreciate it if you'd have everything ready."
"We'll take care of the tub delivery, Sheriff. Thank you."
"Well, I guess you's best go let the little girl in on what's going on."
"I will."
The Sheriff started to walk away, but stopped and turned back to Kid.
"You know, You and your partner are pretty fine folks, too. You could have just dropped that little girl off at the nearest town, all your problems solved."
Kid shook his head. "No I couldn't."
"That's what I mean. You two must come from some pretty good stock yourselves."
Kid smiled sadly as images of his own parents and siblings suddenly flashed through his head. "We did, Sheriff. We did."
Kid returned to the cafe and sat down. The waitress returned to warm his coffee.
"So, how did things turn out?" Heyes asked.
Kid smiled at Heyes but spoke to Abbey.
"Abbey, darlin, you remember telling me about your little friend, Tess?"
Abbey nodded her head.
"Well, her folks want you to come and be a part of their family. Would you like that?"
She nodded but looked at Kid with some concern. "What about you?" she asked.
Kid reached out and took her hand. "You won't lose me, darling. I won't be staying in Pine Bluff, but you and me will keep in touch. I promise."
Abbey smiled up at Kid and gave his hand a squeeze.
"I got another surprise for you. This afternoon the Sheriff's wife is gonna pay you a visit and help you take a nice warm bath. But first, the three of us are going to the general store and get you another new dress. Then tomorrow morning, we're all gonna get on a train that will take us to Pine Bluff. All that sound alright with you."
Abbey nodded her head. "I love you, Kid," she said softly.
Kid smiled down at her. "I love you too, darlin."
That afternoon Kid and Heyes and their little tag-along sold their horses and gear and then purchased tickets for the morning train before heading to the general store. At the hotel they ordered a bath to be delivered to the room just before three.
When the Sheriff's wife arrived, she told Heyes and Kid she was willing to stay with the child for two hours, so Kid and Heyes headed to the saloon for a bit of relaxation. When they returned to the room, they found Abbey dressed in her new dress, her long blonde hair neatly braided down her back, fast asleep on her bed.
"She fell asleep about half an hour ago. I think that pore child is just exhausted in all ways imaginable."
"I suspect she is," Kid said, remembering that feeling of total exhaustion that clung to him for several months after his own parents were killed.
"She's a sweet child. Her parents were raising her well. It's a shame what happened."
Kid nodded but didn't reply.
"What do we owe you Ma'am?" Heyes asked.
"Oh, Good heavens, no. You don't owe me a thing. I'm just glad I could help a little."
"Thank you, Ma'am," Kid replied.
0-0-0-0-0-
The next morning the three of them boarded the train for the two day trip to Arkansas. The last fifty miles to Pine Bluff would be done by stage.
"This whole situation brings back a lot of memories, don't it?" Heyes asked after they were all comfortably seated.
Kid nodded. "Yep," he replied, and smiled at the little girl sitting across from him. "Glad this one's turning out a might different."
"Kid...You're going to make a fine father some day."
Kid chuckled, then grew a bit more serious. "I hope so, Heyes... One day, I hope so."
They arrived in Pine Bluff two days later and were greeted at the stage depot by the entire Baster family who insisted Heyes and Kid go with them to the house for a home cooked lunch. As they walked down the street toward the Baxter house, Kid watched Abbey and Tess, tightly holding each other's hands. He nudged Heyes and gave his head a nod toward the two little girls. Heyes smiled and gave Kid a wink.
When they reached the house, Kid reached in to his saddle bags for Abbey's few possessions. He handed Mrs. Baxter the bag of clothing. Then, turning to Mr. Baxter, Kid pulled out the meager items he had salvaged from the remains of the burnt wagon. He handed Mr. Baxter the singed rag doll and the pocket watch. Then he pulled out the small metal box.
"This is locked and I didn't find a key, so I don't know what's in it. I hope it's family pictures and money, but I have no idea, really."
"Thank you," Mr. Baxter said. "When's she's adjusted a bit, I'll see that she gets these things."
"Thank you," Kid replied.
After lunch, Kid and Heyes thanked the Baxters for the meal and said their goodbyes. Kid saved Abbey for last. He stooped down to eye level with her and held his arms out. Abbey didn't hesitate as she threw herself into Kid's arms and wrapped her own arms about his neck. Kid turned his face and kissed her cheek.
"This ain't goodbye, Abbey, darlin," he said. "I'll write you. We'll keep in touch."
"I love you, Kid," she whispered in his ear.
Kid tightened his hug just a bit. "Ah, I love you too, darlin," Kid said and held the embrace until Abbey was ready to let go. Then he stood and found himself a bit overcome with emotion. Heyes noticed and finished the goodbyes for the both.
"Well, let's go see what the livery's got in the way of horses and such, Kid," Heyes said as they walked down the street.
"Kay."
"Kid, I'm really proud of you,"
"Uh-uh," Kid replied, not yet ready to talk.
"Why don't we make a stop in Porterville. It's on our way. We'll see if Lom's got any news for us."
"What ever you say, Heyes."
"Kid, it couldn't have turned out any better, you know?"
Kid nodded. "Just cuts a bit of a twinge, Heyes. "It'll pass."
Heyes slung an arm across kid's shoulders. "Come on, let's get some miles behind us."
"Thanks, Heyes."
"For what?"
"For still taking care of me."