Stagecoach Seven (a post story partner conversation)
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"You're right. You're probably right," Heyes told Joe who had suggested the two outlaws use another mode of travel than a stagecoach when he dropped the two men off at the end of a lane leading to a ranch where they could buy horses.
Kid Curry quickened his step up the steep incline and rested his hand on Heyes' shoulder as they walked up the long lane.
"That was awful generous of Charlie not to turn us in back there," Kid said through a bit of panting. "I mean he couldda retired on the reward money."
"Charlie don't strike me as the type of man who would ever retire," Heyes replied. "Wouldn't know what to do with himself if he weren't working."
"That's true. Still, wouldda been a lot easier to just turn us over to Clint Weaver and his gang."
"And miss out on all that shooting and excitement?" Heyes replied jokingly.
"Harry Downs would still be alive if Charlie had turned us over."
Heyes stopped walking and turned to his partner. "Are you feeling responsible for Harry Downs dying?" he asked with some concern.
A puzzled look crossed Kid Curry's face. "Now how did you conclude that outta what I've been saying?"
There were times when Hannibal Heyes had difficulty following his partner's logic and this was one of those times. But he also knew it was usually better, or at least safer, not to challenge The Kid's logic. "I don't know. My mistake, I guess. So just what is your point?"
"No point, really. Just thinking about the differences in men. Harry Downs wanted to turn us in and was willing to get just ten percent of the reward money, and Charlie Utley couldda had the whole twenty thousand but chose to do the decent thing instead," Kid replied and began walking further up the lane.
"Well, I guess it's got to do with a man's character," Heyes said, taking his turn to catch up with Kid.
Kid nodded. "Yeah, but what is it that gives one man such a good, strong character, and another such a weak character?"
"I guess it's just the cards you're dealt in life. A sturdy foundation builds confidence and character. Maybe Harry Downs never had that."
"Maybe that's why we turned out the way we did."
"Not sure I follow you, Kid."
"Well, we both started out with a sturdy foundation, and then got the rug pulled out from under us, so we ended up wavering a bit."
"And by wavering, you mean we became outlaws?"
"Yeah."
"But our sturdy foundation led us to the path of amnesty," Heyes said with a wry smile. "Sounds a bit philosophical for you, Kid."
This time Kid stopped walking and frowned at his partner. "There you go again calling me philosophical, but you're really being sarcastic about it. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I am a bit of a philosopher?"
Feeling a bit accosted, but recovering quickly, Heyes looked at his partner with the most sincere poker face he had ever mustered. "I wasn't being sarcastic, Kid."
"Yes you was. I could hear it in your voice."
"Alright, I'm sorry!" Heyes shouted a little too loudly and a little too defensively. "You're a philosopher!"
Kid stared at Heyes for a long moment, then huffed and started up the hill once again. "You know Heyes, I don't know why people say you got a silver tongue, cause you put your foot in your mouth so often, who could ever tell!"
"Kid, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made a joke out of what you were saying. You drew a very logical conclusion and I...I guess I was embarrassed that I didn't think of it first," Heyes confessed.
A proud smile spread across Kid's face and he was pleased that Heyes was behind him and couldn't see his expression. He kept walking to give himself a moment to gloat silently before forcing the smile from his face and slowing his pace to give his partner the opportunity to catch up.
"It's just that sometimes you surprise me with such deep thoughts," Heyes said when he caught up and walked beside Kid.
Kid's eyes glanced toward his partner to determine Heyes' sincerity. Satisfied, Kid swung his arm across Heyes' shoulders. "That's a common mistake people make when dealing with a quiet, intellectual type of man."
Heyes opened his mouth to argue Kid's self description, but quickly reconsidered as he knew he would just be opening another can or worms. Glancing up, he uttered a sigh of relief when he saw the ranch house and the end of the lane.
Hyese knew his partner well, and he knew Kid's full focus would soon be on the choice of horses they would be purchasing. Once they were on their way, Kid would be spending the afternoon not only getting acclimated with his horse, but getting the horse comfortable and acclimated with him as well. In fact, most of Kid's conversation for the rest of the day would be directed to the animal he rode, rather than to his partner.
Theirs was a comfortable relationship occasionally peppered with a bit of goading or antagonizing arguments that stemmed largely from boredom rather than any actual anger or resentment. They knew each other so well, they rarely crossed the line of respect toward the other.
"Where to?" Heyes asked as they rode down the lane toward the road.
"As far away from where we've been as possible," came the reply.