Broken Axle

by Kathy Knudsen1

A broken down stage and missing jewels leads to danger and death

Broken Axle

0-0-0-0-0

Instinct told Kid what had happened the moment he heard the gunshot. Standing on the boardwalk, he spun around to see the motionless body in the street. Drawing his gun, Kid's eyes scanned the rooftops, the alley entrances, open windows, the street and boardwalks, even the top of the train car but saw no one running away. Kid ran out, dropping to his knees and gathering the body's shoulders and torso in his arms as the head fell limply on his chest. Eyes closed, arms dangling limply, left hand lying in the dirt, Kid rocked slowly back and forth as a crowd began to circle around him. Voices he could not discern shouted questions and commands. "Get the doctor... What just happened...Where's the Sheriff...Who fired the shot?" The voices continued but Kid heard none of it.

The doctor arrived and knelt beside the body as he felt for a pulse he wouldn't find, then pressed his stethoscope against the chest to listen for a heartbeat that had ceased minutes ago. Finally he sat back and shook his head.

Several men approached to carry the body to the undertaker's office and Kid felt a reassuring hand press against his shoulder.

"Come on. We gotta go."

Slowly Kid surrendered the body to the men and pushed himself to his feet, but he didn't move, his eyes still fixed on the body.

The fingers tightened gently on his shoulder. "We gotta go now..."

0-0-0-0-0

Two days earlier, Evanston City...

"Be careful with that bag, please," Henry Caston shouted up to the stagecoach driver who was standing on the top of the stage coach skillfully catching the bags tossed up to him by the shotgun rider. "Wait! On second thought, toss it back down here, I'll keep it with me in the stage."

"Sorry, that's against regulations," the driver shouted down to the middle aged, portly man dressed in an obviously expensive suit. "I can put it in the back baggage area," he added while pointing to the canvas covered storage area at the back of the coach.

"Yes, please. That would be fine. Thank you" Caston replied.

The driver tossed the bag back down to the shotgun rider who then carried the bag to the back of the stage and began untying the canvas tarp. Neither man noticed that one of the two clasps on Caston's suitcase had come undone and only one clasp was keeping the bag closed.

Caston climbed into the stage as Heyes and Kid walked out of the stage office and tossed their bedrolls up to the driver. Both kept their saddlebags hung over their shoulders, intending to keep them inside the stagecoach.

"How much time?" Kid called up to the driver.

"About ten minutes."

Kid nodded and tapped Heyes' chest with the back of his hand. "Think I'll run into the general store for some peppermints."

"Think that'll help a hangover?"

"I don't got a hangover, Heyes. I just got a queasy stomach and yeah, I think that'll help."

"Do you have room for one more bag?" Paul Dobbs, a distinguished older man with salt and pepper hair and a well groomed mustache asked the shotgun rider.

"Just toss it in the back there and I'll get the tarp tied down when I'm done up top," the shotgun rider said when he saw a bellboy emerged from the hotel carrying a large travel trunk. Behind the bellboy walked a woman in her late twenties dressed in a modestly priced blue and white dress and wearing a loosely draped silk scarf over her hair to protect her hair from the wind and dust. She carefully raised her skirt away from the dusty street while making sure not raise it so far as to reveal her ankles.

Dobbs leaned in to place his bag in the rear baggage carrier, but stopped when he saw the clasp of the other bag had opened. He reached for the bag and pulled it closer to him to secure the clasp but as he did so the open end of the suitcase shifted, revealing some of the contents of the bag. Still intending to clasp the suitcase, a black metal container inside the bag caught his eye. He reached out with a tentative hand to better inspect the box, and perhaps the contents.

The shotgun rider waited for the bellboy to reach the stage, then took the trunk and with some effort, he and the driver pulled and shoved to hoist the trunk to the top of the stage while the woman walked around the rear of stage to enter the coach from the boardwalk rather than from the street side. As she walked around the back of the stage she was startled by the presence of Mr. Dobbs who now had a small metal box in his hand. Printed in gold letters on the box were the words 'Caston Jewelers.'

Dobbs looked as startled as the woman but recovered quickly and tipped his hat to her. "Good morning Ma'am. Lovely day for travel, isn't it?"

Assuming the man was Mr. Caston, the woman gave him a cordial smile and a quick nod and continued on her way. Seeing her approach, Heyes smiled and tipped his hat, then opened the stage door and offered his hand to help her into the stage.

Dobbs opened the metal box and his eyes grew wide at the sight of loose diamonds, sapphires, and rubies and he quickly removed the contents of the metal container and slipped the items into his pocket, then returned the container to the opened suitcase and closed the clasps. He stood and brushed his jacket sleeves with his hands, then walked around to the side of the stage and entered from the street side of the coach and took the remaining window seat on the bench where Caston also sat.

Darting back across the street, Kid opened the street side coach door and climbed into the stage. He immediately saw the two older men sitting on the bench nearest the driver. The young woman was sitting alone on the opposite seat. Kid smiled and sat down beside the woman just as Heyes entered the stage, saw that his partner had already laid claim to a seat next to the woman and, being a gentlemen, Heyes wedged himself in between the two men, but he shot Kid a scornful smirk that only made Kid grin.

"Everyone in that's going?" the driver shouted.

Kid leaned his head out the window. "We're all set," he called to the driver.

With a snap of the reins, the staged started on it's way with a jolt that pulled Heyes and the two older men back, and pushed Kid and the woman slightly forward and caused the woman's purse to slip from her lap to the floor.

Heyes started to lean down for the purse but Kid was ahead of him and picked up the purse and handed it to the woman along with a cordial smile.

"Thank you."

"A pleasure, Ma'am. My name's Thaddeus Jones," he said with a tip of his hat.

"Eileen Wright," she replied.

"Looks to be a nice day for traveling, bright sunshine but not too hot."

"Are you from Rawlins, Mr. Jones?"

Kid smiled. "Oh no, Ma'am. Just passing through. Rawlins where you call home?"

"It is now or, it's soon to be I should say. I've never actually been there."

"It's a nice town, peaceful," Kid replied.

They continued to engage in some pleasant conversation as the stage headed toward Rawlins, an all day trip that would get them there in the early evening. By noon, the passengers had fallen silent and Kid, his arms folded across his chest, is hat pulled down over his eyes, had fallen asleep.

0-0-0-0-0

His first sensation was pain, the kind of pain from sprained tendons, wrenched joints, torn ligaments, but thankfully not the pain of bone breaks or more serious wounds. Next came the sounds of screaming horses and the fainter sounds of moans and whimpers from people other than himself. Last to arrive were the sensations of rising consciousness, bright sunlight, dust swirling about in the wind, the hard ground on which he lay.

Kid himself moaned as he struggled to press his palms against the ground and raise himself up up a few inches as he spit dirt from his mouth and wiped the back of his abraded hand across his equally abraded forehead. Looking about for his partner, Kid saw five people, four men and one women, lying face down in the dirt. Beyond them, the stagecoach lay on it's side, the two visible wheels spinning slowly in the wind and the four obviously injured horses, twisted and pinned beneath the tongue and harnessing.

Kid twisted himself around to sit on the ground, still searching for his partner. "Joshua!" he called but heard no response. Moving first to his knees, Kid pulled himself to his feet and stumbled his way over to those lying on he ground. The stage coach driver and the man who rode shotgun were both dead. The two other men appeared to be still unconscious. The woman was awake but a bit dazed and had a deep gash above her left eye.

Kid moved first to the two unconscious men and checked their wrists for a pulse. Assured that they were both alive, he rolled each onto their backs and checked for any serious injuries. Like Kid himself, both men has several abrasions and small cuts on their faces and hands, but Kid found no serious injuries on either man.

He turned next to the woman. Heyes had helped her into the stage when they were departing for the eight hour ride to Rawlins, and Kid recalled sitting beside her on the stage as she had appeared ill at ease riding the stage with four strangers, all of whom were men. He had engaged her in some small talk and had learned she was from St. Louis and this was her first trip west. She had accepted a job as a school teacher at a small academy for children of military personnel in Rawlings. She was dressed in a modest blue and white traveling suit that was now heavily soiled with dust and a few spots of fresh blood that dripped from the gash above her eye.

"You hurt anywhere besides this gash over your eye?" Kid asked as he helped her to sit up.

"I...I don't think so," she replied and wiped some blood from her face with the back of her hand. "I've never been so frightened in all my life."

"I'm afraid I was asleep when all the excitement occurred. Did you see what happened?" Kid asked, raising one hand to the woman's forehead to better inspect the wound.

"I suppose it was a pothole but there was a horrible jolt and then the back of the stage itself literally dropped. The next thing I knew we were careening down the ravine."

"Sounds like maybe the axle broke," Kid replied and then, without asking permission or explaining his intent, Kid crouched down and lifted the hem of the woman's dress and began tearing a swath of her petticoat."

"Here, stop that! What are you doing?"

"Just getting you some cloth to use as a bandage, Ma'am. That wound is bleeding pretty heavily. You can fold this cloth and hold it over the wound and apply some pressure to slow the bleeding."

She wiped some blood from her eye and accepted the swath of cloth. "Thank you."

"So you happen to know anything about either of these two men?' Kid asked.

Eileen shook her head. "I've never seen them before this morning. I think one of them has the last name of Caston."

"I suppose it don't matter at the moment. I haven't found my partner yet, the dark haired fellow about my age. I have to go looking for him. Do you think you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine. Thank you for your help."

"If either of these other two start to wake up, you holler for me."

"I will."

Kid then stood and turned back toward the stagecoach. Two of the horses were still and likely dead, but the other two were still thrashing about under the weight of the hitching equipment. Kid saw no possible way to free the horses and the blood on their flanks told him they were both injured. He pulled his gun and checked the chamber, then holstered the gun and walked toward the horses. Moments later two shots were fired and the injured horses were silent.

Still seeing no trace of Heyes, Kid walked to the stage and carefully climbed up the side to peer inside through the window. There inside, Heyes lay crumpled against the door that was pressed against the ground and he could see the arm that was pressed against the door was twisted in an unnatural position and, like the woman, a bleeding gash was present above Heyes' left eye.

"Heyes," Kid said, then grabbed the door handle and struggled to unlatch the door and pull it open. Holding on to the bottom of the door, Kid pulled and twisted his own body in a frantic attempt to scale the side of stagecoach. Once he was safely crouched along the side of the coach, he sat down and, in a feet first position, very carefully inched his way inside the coach, taking great caution to land his feet on either side of his unconscious partner.

Kid gently lifted Heyes left arm and wrapped his fingers around Heyes' wrist and was relieved to find a strong and steady pulse.

"Heyes. Heyes, can you hear me?" Kid asked and gave Heyes' cheek several strong taps with his hand. "Heyes, wake up!"

Heyes moaned once and Kid tapped at his partners cheek again. "Heyes, wake up!"

Heyes moaned again more forcefully. "Kid?"

"Yeah, it me. You alright?"

Heyes tried to shift, but moving his right arm resulted in spasms of pain shooting through the shoulder and upper arm. "I think my arm's broke."

Kid shifted as best he could and pulled his shirt tail out. Using his teeth for counter pressure, Kid tore a strip of the shirt tail off and wadded it into a ball, then pressed it against the gash in Heyes' forehead. "We gotta figure out a way to get you outta here."

"Where are the others? Maybe they could help."

"Driver and shotgun rider are dead. The lady's awake with a wound to her head like yours. The other two men are still unconscious."

"Maybe use one of the horses to hoist me out."

Kid shook his head and lifted the bandage to check the bleeding. "Horses are all dead, too. Here, put your hand on this to hold it in place while I go find some rope and check on the other two men."

"When you come back, could you bring some water?"

Kid nodded. "If I can find some," he replied.

Heyes watched Kid climb out of the stage, then disappear from sight.

Kid first returned to Miss Wright and the two unconscious men. "Any sign of them waking up?' He asked.

"I heard some moaning a few minutes ago but didn't last long."

"Sometimes takes a bit of time to wake up after getting knocked unconscious," Kid replied. "They'll be sending a search party out once they realize the stage ain't arriving in Rawlins."

"How long will that be?"

"As late in the day as it is, it might not be till morning, I'm afraid. Don't worry Ma'am, once I get my partner outta the stagecoach, I'll get a fire going and see if I can get us some food for supper. Luggage is scattered, but I'll see what I can find. Might hafta layer some clothes to stay warm during the night. You mind if I take another look at that wound?" Kid asked and crouched down to examine the wound at eye level.

Eileen lowered the blood stained cloth and Kid could see the blood was beginning to clot. "Afraid you're going to have quite the shiner for a while, but the bleeding seems to be slowing down. Keep holding that cloth tight against it," he told her as he stood and moved his neck to try to relieve the kinks.

"Are you hurt?' she asked with some concern.

"Few bumps and bruises is all, Ma'am. Now, I'm gonna go take care of my partner. You need me for anything, just holler."

Kid returned to the stagecoach and climbed up the side to reach the driver's storage box beneath the seat. Because the stage was lying on it's side, he had some difficulty opening the front panel door, but inside he found two nearly full canteens, a duster coat, a lasso, and a box of rifle shells but no rifle. He tossed these items to the ground, then climbed back down.

"Joshua, you alright?" Kid called.

"I'll be better when I'm out of here," came the reply.

Kid slung the lasso and one of the canteens over his shoulder and once again climbed up and into the passenger area of the stage.

"Go easy on the water, there's just two canteens," he told Heyes as he handed him the water. "Now, we're gonna hafta get this tied around your waist, cause I ain't gonna go pulling on your arm," he said as he pulled the lasso from his shoulder.

"How are the others?" Heyes asked.

"Two fellas ain't awake yet. Lady's gonna be fine."

"And you?"

Kid stopped working the lasso. His neck was growing increasingly painful and stiff. "As long as I don't think about it, I'm fine, so quit asking me how I'm feeling," he replied.

Heyes smiled. "Just get me outta here. It feels like a jail cell."

Kid spied both their saddlebags still inside the stage and picked each one up and tossed it out of the stage, knowing whatever can goods they had stored would likely suffice for supper for the five of them.

"There's a tree not ten feet from the stage. I'm gonna swing one end of the rope around it so I can use it for some leverage," he explained as he secured one end of the rope around Heyes' waist. "Then I'm gonna climb back in here and use the rope to help me lift you up enough that you can get out and sit on the side of the coach. Gonna need you to use your good arm to help."

Heyes looked up at the opened door above them. It wasn't more than ten feet above them, but it looked to him like a hundred feet. "I'll do my best."

Kid helped Heyes to his feet and Heyes reached up with his left arm and wrapped his hand tightly around the bottom edge of the door. "Ready," he replied.

Kid pulled the rope taut, then crouched down and, using his shoulder to push Heyes' buttocks, Kid pulled on the rope and Heyes feet left the ground as eyes shoved and Kid pulled until Heyes was able to swing his upper body against the outside of the coach. Kid dropped the rope and climbed out of the coach, then maneuvered himself around Heyes and helped his partner turn and wiggle until he was sitting on the edge of the coach with his lower legs dangling inside the stage.

"Now, wait till I get down and then you're gonna hafta slide into my arms," Kid told his partner.

Heyes nodded and moments later both men were now standing on the ground.

"Let's get you over with the others and I'll look for some sticks to splint that arm. Then you can tend to the others while I get some firewood. I think we'll likely be spending the night here."

Entering what had become their campsite Kid dropped the canteens and settled Heyes on a rock and went in search of two branches suitable for a splint. Eileen saw what Kid was doing and she discretely raised her skirt and tore two long strips of cloth. When Kid returned with the branches, Eileen got up from where she was sitting and walked over to Kid and Heyes.

"You can use these to tie the splint securely," she said and extended her hand toward Kid.

Kid looked up at her and smiled as he took the two pieces of cloth. "I don't think you and my partner were properly introduced on the stage. Joshua Smith, this is Eileen Wright," he said in introduction. "Thank you," he then told her.

"It's going to be getting dark soon," Eileen said.

"Uh-uh. I'm afraid we'll be spending the night here Ma'am. Once I get Joshua tended to, I'll go gather some firewood and see if I can find anyone's luggage. We've got some canned food in our saddlebags so won't any of us go hungry," Kid replied.

One of the other men began to moan, drawing a quick glance from Kid as he secured the splint on Heyes' arm.

"I'll go see how those two are doing," Heyes replied when Kid had tied the last knot.

"And once a fire is going, I can warm up the food, " Eileen replied

Kid stood and moved his neck about trying to ease the growing tightness. "I'll go get us some firewood," he said and headed off in search of the wood.

Heyes and Eileen walked over to the two other men, one of whom was showing signs of waking. "Would you mind bringing one of those canteens over here?" Heyes asked her as he crouched down beside the man who was now trying to sit up.

"What happened?" the man asked.

"Stagecoach accident. Driver's dead and so is the shotgun rider," Heyes explained. "You hurt seriously?"

The man tested his arms and legs and arched his back, then shook his head.

"My name's Joshua Smith. The lady is Eileen Wright," Heyes told him as Eileen returned with a canteen of water."And the man doing all the work around here is my partner, Thaddeus Jones."

"Henry Caston," the man replied.

Eileen's eyes widen when she heard the man's name. She had assumed the other man was Caston as she had distinctly seen him holding a tin box with the words 'Caston Jewelry' just before she had boarded the stage. Though curious, she remained silent.

"You know this other fellow?" Heyes asked.

Henry nodded. "Paul Dobbs. He's president of the bank in Rawlins."

"Bank president, uh? And what do you do, Mr. Caston?' Heyes asked.

"I'm a jeweler in Sheridan."

Heyes reached for the canteen just as Dobbs began to moan and slowly move about.

"Go easy on the water Mr. Caston. We've got two canteens for the five of us and we don't know just how long it has to last," Heyes said and handed the canteen to Caston, then turned his attention to Dobbs.

Kid returned with his arms full of logs and tinder while Heyes was tending to Dobbs. He dropped the wood in a pile and used his feet to clear an area of ground, then set to work building a fire. Once the fire was going, Kid brought the two sets of saddlebags close to the fire and began sorting out the cans of food and two small bags of jerky. He pulled out the two forks and spoons he and Heyes also carried in their bags and set them down with the other items. Eileen joined him and crouched down to begin sorting through the food.

"Better leave some for morning," Kid told her.

"You're very resourceful, Mr. Jones."

"Mr. Smith and I travel around a lot, Ma'am. When you're out in the wilderness a lot, you learn to be resourceful."

Eileen nodded. "Well, we're fortunate to have you here with us. I can take care of the food if you have something else to do," she said.

Kid pulled himself to his feet and brushed his hands on his pants. "I'll go see if I can find any of the luggage and I'll check the stage first to see if anything was stored in the back."

"I saw Mr. Dobbs arranging some luggage in the back before we left town," Eileen told him. "You might want to check that canvas covered storage area."

"I'll be sure to check there Ma'am," Kid told her as he walked away.

Kid stopped by Heyes who was now tending to Dobbs. "What's the situation here?' He asked Heyes.

"Nothing seems to be broken. No open wounds. A few cuts and scrapes. If we have to start walking in the morning, I think everyone is capable, although I'm getting a little worried about you," Heyes replied.

"Stiff and sore, but no worse for the wear. I'll be fine, Joshua. I'm going to go see is I can find everyone's luggage."

"What about those two," Heyes asked, giving his head a nod toward the two men who lay dead just a few yards from camp."

"Stage company will be sending out a search party in the morning. I'll see if I can find something to cover them up, maybe the tarp that covers the back of the stage, but I don't think we should bury them here. They may have families somewhere that would want to give them a proper burial. We'll let the stage company make those decisions."

"That's what I was thinking, too."

"How's your arm?"

"The splint is doing what it's supposed to be doing till I can have a doctor look at it."

Kid nodded and made his way to the stage. He untied the canvas storage tarp and found that it contained two suitcases, as well as a few items the stage company supplied to each stagecoach, a tin of grease for the axles, spare reins, bits, and a harness, a couple of blankets, two more canteens of water. He gathered the canteens and blankets and returned them to the camp, then scoured the nearby land for any additional passenger luggage, finding a valise, a carpetbag, his and Heyes' bedrolls, and a trunk. Returning to camp with as many of the items as he could carry, Kid distributed the baggage pieces to their proper owners. He then returned to the stage once again and untied the canvas tarp which he used to cover the two bodies.

By this time Eileen had warmed the food and Kid helped the others to move closer to the fire. He partially filled two plates and handed them and the two forks to Dobbs and Caston. Then he filled both the coffee cups with some of the warmed beans and handed them and a spoon to Heyes and Miss Wright. Finally he scooped the remaining contents of each can into one and sat down beside Heyes, intending to use Heyes' spoon when he was finished. They passed the canteen around amongst themselves all as they ate.

"Well, I think we'd all best get settled in for the night," Kid told the group when the meal was completed. "Rawlins is still a long way off, but the next stage station is likely abut ten, maybe fifteen miles from here. If we can get an early start, we can make it there by noon. There should be food and water, maybe even a few beds to rest in till a replacement stage arrives."

"What about our luggage?' Eileen asked.

"We'll leave it in this stage. The layover station can send a rider and a buckboard out to pick it up."

"That won't do," Caston said nervously. "I can't leave my bag out here in the middle of nowhere."

"Mr. Caston, the middle of nowhere is just the point. Your bag will be safe," Heyes told him.

Caston shook his head nervously. "No, no," he replied. "I'll stay here with the baggage and wait for that buckboard to arrive."

"You handy with a rifle, Mr. Caston?' Kid asked.

Caston looked at Kid nervously. "I thought you said we're in the middle of nowhere and the luggage would be safe. If the luggage is safe, why wouldn't I also be safe?"

"The middle of nowhere is home to wild animals, Mr. Caston," Heyes told him. "Bears, wolves, coyotes. Unless your bag is full of food, those wild animals won't be interested in it, but they would be very interested in you, being as they are looking for their next meal."

"Then there's outlaws, stage robbers, thieves to consider," Kid added.

"What about stage robbers, outlaws, thieves? I thought you said we were in the middle of no where!" Caston asked.

"Oh we are," Kid replied. But if any outlaws or thieves were to come upon you, could you defend yourself alone out here against them?" Kid asked.

"No," Caston admitted. "But I can't leave my bag!" he said adamantly.

"Then in the morning, take out anything that's not necessary because ten miles is a long way to be carrying that suitcase of yours," Kid replied.

The matter now settled, everyone began getting settled for the night. Kid helped Heyes with this blanket, then unrolled his own bedroll and took it over to Miss Wright.

"I won't be needing this Ma'am, and it gets pretty cool at night here in the mountains."

"Won't you be cold?"

Kid smiled and brushed the sleeve of his sherpa. "My coat is warm and I'll be keeping watch. I can get up and move around and stoke the fire if I'm cold."

Eileen accepted the blanket but set it down on the ground, then looked up at Kid nervously.

"Something worrying you, Ma'am?"

"I...uhm... Would it be safe for me to take a short walk?"

Understanding her intentions, Kid tried his best to be diplomatic. "I'll walk with you, Ma'am. I'll stay on the other side of the bushes and keep my back to you, but there's snakes in these parts and some are poisonous Now they'll stay away from the fire, but it would just be safer for you to not go off by yourself."

Eileen looked at him and decided with all he had done for the group today, he would not put her in a compromising position. "Thank you," she replied.

"Not real common for a woman to be traveling alone," Kid said as they walked away from the campfire.

"This is my first trip to the west. When I accepted the teaching position in Rawlins, my father thought I should visit my uncle and aunt in Butte, and I could take a train directly from St. Louis. I spent a month with them and now I'm on my way to Rawlins to begin teaching."

Kid wondered why a woman who appeared to be about his age was not married, but manners kept him from asking. "Might have been safer for you to take the train again Ma'am," he replied.

"Please, call me Eileen. It seems a bit out of place being so formal under these circumstances."

"And you can call me Thaddeus."

"Well Thaddeus, I'm trying to conserve my finances, stretch a dollar as far as I can. The school provides meals and housing for the teachers, but the wages leave something to be desired." she said, then smiled. "I thought the stage would give me a more accurate idea of what the west was really like and it was far less expensive than the train."

"I think you got more than you bargained for," Kid said with a chuckle. "Not many folks get a stage ride like we've had. The west is pretty tame nowadays, but it does offer a lot less finery than you're use to in St. Louis, I suspect," Kid told her.

"Have you ever been to St. Louis Mr. Jones?"

Kid shook his head. "No Ma'am."

"It's a river town so it's rough and rowdy. Oh, it as it's finery, of course, with theaters, restaurants. A lot of fine people live there, but there's a rough side to it as well."

"I believe that famous writer is from there abouts, Mr. Mark Twain?"

Eileen smiled. "He's from Hannibal Missouri, which it's on the Mississippi River. St. Louis is on the Missouri River You're familiar with Mark Twain?"

"My partner is more than me, but I'm familiar with some of his work. A fine writer."

"That he is," she replied as they reached the campsite.

"Mark Twain, now I've always had a suspicion that's an alias. Nobody named Twain would name their son Mark."

Eileen laughed. "You're absolutely right. Mark Twain is what they call a pen name. His real name is Samuel Clemens.

Kid grinned. He knew an alias when he heard one.

Eileen settled in near the warmth of the fire and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. Kid walked over to a tree near where Heyes was resting and slowly sat down and rested his back against the tree.

"You can wake me in a few hours if you want," Heyes told him with a whispered voice. "You look exhausted."

Kid's neck and body ached both from the accident and the work he'd done afterwards seeing to everyone's safety and warmth. He looked sideways toward his partner and smiled. "I may just do that," he told him. "What do you suppose is so important to Caston that he won't leave his suitcase?"

"Diamonds most likely," Heyes replied flatly.

"Diamonds? How do you figure?"

"The man's a jeweler in Sheridan. Maybe he just bought a new supply for his store or something."

"That would explain his concern, I suppose."

"You seem to be cozying up to the schoolmarm," Heyes said with a grin.

"Just looking out for everyone, Heyes. Her included. She's headed to Rawlins to be a school teacher."

"Funny, she doesn't look the old maid type."

Kid grinned. "She is rather pretty, ain't she?"

Heyes laughed, "Oh, you noticed that, uh? Forget it, Kid. She's a school teacher which means she's looking to settle down and get married. She just wants to support herself till that happens."

"You an authority on women now, Heyes? I thought banks and trains were your areas of expertise."

"I have a broad expanse of expertise, Kid. But right now I guess I'd better get some sleep. Remember, you wake me in a few hours."

Kid nodded and settled in against the tree trunk.

0-0-0-0-0

At sunrise Kid woke and silently chided himself for having fallen asleep. Pulling himself to his feet and making some attempt to stretch still aching muscles, Kid glanced around at the other passengers and, finding them all still asleep, he walked over and built the fire up for warming some cans of beans for their breakfast. His working woke the others who, like Kid, slowly tested the limits of their sore muscles.

Seeing Mr. Caston now sitting up, Kid walked over for a quiet conversation.

"Mr, Caston, my partner tells me your a jeweler. If what you are so reluctant to leave behind can fit into a set of saddlebags, I can empty out one of ours that you could use. It would be a lot easier travel for you carrying saddlebags over your shoulder than trying to lug a suitcase ten or more miles."

Caston gave the offer some quick consideration and saw the logic. "Thank you Mr. Jones. I would appreciate that."

Might have to put a few cans of food in there with your things."

Caston nodded. "That would be fine."

Kid nodded and returned to the campfire where he emptied one set of saddlebags, setting the cans of food, plates and utensils in a stack and transferring the remaining few items into the second set of saddlebags. He took the empty saddlebags to Mr. Caston, then set to work making breakfast.

"It's gone!" Caston shouted.

Every head turned toward Caston whose suitcase lay open on the ground as he riffled through his belongings. "It's been stolen!"

"What's been stolen?" Kid asked.

"The contents of this box! Diamonds, sapphires, and rubies!" Caston said, holding the metal box out for all to see.

Eileen recognized the box as the one Dobbs had in his hand when she was boarding the stage. When her eyes moved to Dobbs, she found him looking right at her.

"That's impossible," Dobbs replied. "No one could have stolen anything. I was right here near you all night. One of us would have heard something."

Heyes, Kid, and Miss Wright hurried over to where Caston was still searching his suitcase.

"Are you sure you packed them when you left your hotel yesterday?" Heyes asked.

"You don't forget packing something worth nearly a quarter of a million dollars. Of course I remember packing them!"

"Maybe they fell out when you opened your bag," Kid suggested.

"They are packed in a velvet lined metal jewely case," Caston replied as though no additional explanation was merited.

"Maybe your suitcase sprung open when the stage turned over," Miss Wright suggested.

"And miraculously closed itself as soon as the jewels escaped?' Caston asked.

"Well none of us took them," Dobbs said. "When would any of us have had the opportunity?"

Dobbs felt a pair of eyes watching him and he looked about the group until he came to Miss Wright. He felt his blood run cold knowing that she was piecing the puzzle together.

"It was a long night," Caston replied.

"You think one of us took them?' Heyes asked, truly astounded. "Maybe somebody staged this whole accident just to steal them!"

Everyone fell silent as slowly each head turned to the two bodies that lay covered in blankets just a few yards away.

"The driver or his partner?' Heyes asked, obviously astounded by the suggestion. "I wasn't being serious with that suggestion."

"How would they even know you had them?" Kid asked.

"I registered that information at the ticket office. It's a requirement by the jewelry company when transporting jewels of this value," Caston explained.

"Even so, don't mean the driver knew about them," Heyes replied.

"But it does leave that door open, doesn't it?" Caston asked.

"Alright, when it's light enough we'll search the bodies," Kid told them. "Just gonna delay our start which means we'll be walking in the heat of the day, but if it locates your jewels then, so be it."

An hour later, as the others stood nearby and watched, Kid lifted the canvas tarp and went through the pockets of the driver and shotgun rider. Miss Wright found the process unnerving and Heyes kept the palm of his left hand pressed gently on her back to offer her some support. Kid displayed the meager contents of each man's pockets to the group before returning the items to their place of origin. When he was finished he covered each man with a blanket again and stood to face Mr. Caston.

"You convinced that neither of these fellas stole your jewels Mr. Caston?" Kid asked.

Caston nodded. "But that doesn't eliminate everyone else."

"Including yourself, Mr. Caston," Heyes said. "Now I have no objection to a search of everyone, but that would include you as well."

"And Miss Wright can wait till we get to the stage station, Most station owners are married so there would be a woman present to do the searching," Kid added.

"I agree with Mr. Smith," Dobbs added. "Though I must say, I think we are losing sight of our priorities. It's dangerous being out here just the five of us with limited food, limited water, and the longer we stay right here, the more time we spend walking during the hottest part of the day. No one is going to be straying off on their own on this hike. I for one think any searches of individuals can wait till we get to the station."

"I have to agree with Mr. Dobbs," Miss Wright said. "We need to find safety before we start worrying about a handful of stones."

"That handful of stones, Miss Wright, is worth nearly quarter of a million dollars," Caston reminded her.

"Well, the fair thing would be to take a vote," Heyes said. "All in favor of getting on our way?"

Three hands raised. Only Dobbs and Kid did not raise their hands and Kid refrained so as to remain impartial.

"Well, it looks like we're going to be walking so we'd best get the fire put out and put everything we're leaving behind back in the coach and then be on our way," Kid told the group.

Everyone began gathering their things to carry back to the stage. Kid carried Eileen's trunk which they decided was too heavy to hoist into the coach so Kid placed it against the side of the overturned coach. Dobbs tossed his suitcase into the coach, then turned and reached into his vest pocket to check the time on his pocket watch. His hand froze when he discovered the watch missing and his eyes scanned the ground as he retraced his steps but the watch was nowhere to be found.

"You lose something Mr. Dobbs?' Kid asked when he noticed the worried look on Dobb's face as his eyes scoured the ground.

"What? No, no. Just making sure I didn't leave anything behind," he replied and forced himself to abandon his search and make his way up the ravine to the road.

Kid helped Heyes up the ravine to the road, then returned to the camp to help Miss Wright as layers of long skirt and underclothing were quite cumbersome for climbing up a ravine. Once everyone was on the road again, they headed east toward the stage station. Miss Wright stayed close to Kid and Heyes while Caston and Dobbs followed at a close distance.

0-0-0-0-0

Early in the afternoon the group found a shady spot to stop and rest. Eileen joined Dobbs and Caston under a large oak tree. Kid and Heyes sat under a smaller tree, both removing their boots to give their sore feet a hand massage.

"Mr. Dobbs, I wonder if I might have a word with you alone," Eileen said. "Some financial advice, you being the president of the bank and all."

Dobbs looked at her curiously, knowing her statement was a ruse and surmising her true intentions. "Of course, Miss Wright," he replied and pulled himself to his feet. "Will you excuse us for a moment, Mr. Caston?"

Caston waved them off absently, far more wrapped up in his own concerns that to worry about the financial doings of a school teacher. But as they walked away from the group, Heyes noticed Kid keeping a watchful eye on them.

"Jealous?" he asked.

"Something don't seem right about him," Kid mused quietly.

"Dobbs? You think he stole the diamonds?"

"Heyes, number one, we don't even know for sure that there ever was any diamonds or jewels. Caston might just be trying to swindle the stage company, and number two, if he did have all them fancy stones, Dobbs would be the likely suspect."

"How you figure?"

"Well you and I didn't take em, and assuming Caston isn't trying to swindle the stage company, that just leaves Dobbs and Miss Wright and they just went off for a private conversation," Kid reminded his partner.

"And, the driver and shotgun rider."

"We searched them and turned up nothing."

"You're serious, aren't you? You think Dobbs and the lady are in cahoots?"

"Ain't sure what to think at this point, Heyes, but that makes the most sense to me and I ain't taking my eyes off them two."

0-0-0-0-0

Dobbs and Eileen walked just far enough so as not to be overheard, but not so far as to draw attention by slipping out of view of the others.

"So, what exactly did you want to discuss, Miss Wright?"

"Finances, of course. Investment finances."

"You want to dabble in stocks and bonds? I can set you up with some safe but lucrative investments."

"Jewels," she replied.

"As in..."

"Exactly.

"Mr. Caston might be better suited..."

"I think not, Mr. Dobs. I saw the printing on the box in your hand before we boarded the stage. Now, we could debate this back and forth for some time, but in the end, we both know exactly what it is we're discussing. Now that leaves me two choices. One benefits us both, one benefits neither of us."

Dobbs took a deep breath, then turned so he was facing the others who were still sitting under the trees. "What do you have in mind, Miss Wright?"

"I'm not greedy, and you are taking all the risk, Mr. Dobbs. Twenty-five percent should be more than enough for me. In return, I remain silent, perhaps even leave Rawlins. I can tell the school a family emergency has arisen and unfortunately, I am no longer able to accept the teaching position. You and both profit, and never see or hear from each other again."

Dobbs knew things were not as simple as she described. He knew that if they actually followed through on such a plan, he's be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life. But he also knew now was not the time to argue about it. For the time being, all he could do was to earn her silence. "That sounds like a reasonable proposition, but I don't have the jewels, at least not here. I'm not foolish enough to keep them in my possession when obviously there will be an investigation."

"How were you able to hide them? Mr. Jones kept watch all night?"

Dobbs smiled. "Sometimes fate steps in at the most opportune moments. When the stage crashed, everyone was knocked unconscious."

"Including you," she asserted.

"So it would appear," he replied. "We should get back now or the others might become suspicious. I'll agree to your proposition, but it will take some time for all this to resolve. Take the teaching job so everything appears normal. When it's safe, I'll collect the jewels and you'll get your percentage. Your family emergency can arise then and you can leave town."

"Alright, but if you don't keep your promise, I'll go to the sheriff," she said, then turned and started back toward the others, with Dobbs a step or two behind her and a plan already beginning to simmer in his thoughts.

Kid, who had continued to discretely watch them descend the small hill, thought it curious they did not walk together. But as they reached the others, Kid nudged his partner, then addressed the whole group. "Well, if everyone's ready, we should be starting on our way," Kid said as he and Heyes pulled their boots back on and stood. "It shouldn't take us more than a couple of hours to reach the stage station now."

They fell into the same two groups as they had been in that morning and continued on their way down the road.

"Mr. Dobbs taking a bit of an interest in you?" Kid asked while he and Heyes walked with Miss Wright as they continued toward the stagecoach station.

"An interest in me?" she asked nervously.

"Just saw the two of you talking back there," Kid explained.

"Mr. Dobbs said he overheard us talking on the stage yesterday. He told me if I stopped in the bank, he would help me open a savings account and advise me on some small investments to help my income grow."

"Nice of him to offer."

"Well he is a businessman, a bank president."

"Uh-uh. Thoughtful of him," Kid replied.

"Mr. Jones, do you disapprove of Mr. Dobbs for some reason?"

"Don't know the man well enough to settle on an opinion of him, Ma'am. I've just learned from experience to never trust a banker."

"And why is that?' Eileen asked.

"You know," Heyes interrupted. "Thaddeus and me have a friend, a rich, wise, older man by the name of Saunders. He lives on Nob Hill in San Francisco. He told us once that you can never trust a banker because they've got their own game going and that just makes them naturally suspicious of everyone else."

"What would Mr. Dobbs have to be suspicious about?"

"My point is that bankers are always looking to wheel and deal..."

Eileen look over at Heyes. "I don't understand the correlation you're trying to make," she said. "I'm sure not all bankers are like that."

"Didn't say there was a correlation," Heyes replied. "But a man that's got his own game going, don't take kindly to others moving in on his territory."

"I don't have the foggiest idea what you're talking about, Mr. Smith."

"Just saying it might be something to think about."

Eileen didn't reply but her eyes did move first to her right and then to her left as she contemplated just how much these two men knew, or at least suspected.

0-0-0-0-0

They could see the long single story log structure of the stagecoach station a mile in the distance and without giving it any thought, everyone naturally picked up their pace despite the fact their feet were sore and in some instances, forming blisters on the heels. In the barren and heavily trodden front yard, sat a stagecoach ready to take them on the last leg of their journey. But first a meal of sandwiches, potato salad, a sheet cake, and free flowing pitchers of lemonade, water, and tea was awaiting the tired and bruised passengers.

Caston immediately told the station manager about his lost or stolen gem stones and was presented with a lengthy form to complete.

"If your wife would be willing to search Miss Wright, maybe you and the stage driver would be willing to give the rest of us a search," Heyes explained to Bob Hendricks, the station manager.

"You didn't do that when Mr. Caston first noticed the items missing?' Hendricks asked.

"We ain't been outta each other's sight," Kid explained. "And being as there was just one woman among us, well we thought the gentlemanly thing to do was to wait."

Hendricks nodded but turned to Caston. "Better include that in your report. Could be someone took em and hid em before Mr. Caston realized they was missing."

"Everyone was knocked out cold from the accident," Dobbs added.

"Well, you can include that in your report too, Mr. Caston," Hendricks said, then turned to his wife. "Martha, why don't you take the young lady into the bedroom to check her. I'll be right outside the door in case you need me or it takes longer than it should."

Martha nodded and looked at Eileen and gestured with her hand. Eileen got up from the table and followed her into the back bedroom.

"Jake, let's get this over with so you folks can be on your way," Hendricks told the driver.

Half an hour later, and with no revelations from the searches, the passengers climbed into the stage for the three hour trip to Rawlins. This time Heyes, Eileen, and Kid sat together but conversation was minimal. Eileen gave Dobbs an occasional glance, but not once did his eyes raise to meet hers.

0-0-0-0-0

Not yet knowing the details, but knowing the stage was a day late arriving, Sheriff Garrett was standing outside the stage office when the coach arrived.

"I'm afraid this is the end of the line for all of you until I get your statements and investigate the accident site." Garrett told the passengers. Hotel is just across the street and they've blocked off five rooms together where you'll be staying. There will be a deputy watching the hall and no one leaves their room till I've had a chance to talk to each of you," Garret explained. "This is Deputy Rogers. He'll be escorting you all to the hotel. There'll be food and drink brought up to your rooms for you."

The passengers all climbed out and waited patiently in the street for the deputy to give them the okay to head to the hotel. Kid intentionally stayed close to Miss Wright, thus preventing any opportunity for she and Dobbs to talk.

"Oh, just one more thing, I'm afraid I'll have to be collecting your guns. You'll get them back after I've talked to you," Garrett told them.

Once all the guns were collected, the deputy led them all to the hotel, then up the stairs to the second floor. Down the north hall of the second floor were six guest rooms, three facing the street. Each passenger was given a room with instructions to remain inside the room until the Sheriff had spoken to each of them individually. Kid and Heyes took adjoining rooms and each locked his door once inside. But Heyes then pulled out his lock pick from his boot and unlocked the inside door that connected the two rooms.

"Heyes, we gotta get outta here. Our wanted posters are likely plastered on the walls in the Sheriff's Office. Once he starts investigating, he might just decide to give them posters a closer look."

"Way ahead of you on that, Kid. But we can't go before we talk to the Sheriff or he'll think for sure you and me stole those jewels, and if he finds out who we are then it's goodbye amnesty and hello prison."

"Then what do we do?"

"We tell him we have important business in Porterville and tell him he can verify that with Lom. We'll tell him if he needs us, he can reach us there."

"There's just one problem with that idea, Heyes."

"What's that?"

"Lom's in Mexico, remember?"

Heyes sighed. "I do now."

"So what's plan B?"

Heyes turned and began to slowly pace the room. "I'll tell you when I think of it."

"But we are hightailing it outta here, right?"

Before Heyes could reply, a knock on Heyes' door startled them both and Heyes looked at Kid who quickly and quietly ducked back into his own room and shut the adjoining door. Heyes took a deep breath, then crossed the room and opened the door.

"Mr. Smith?" Sheriff Garrett asked, looking at the list of names the Stagecoach Company had supplied by telegraph.

"Yes sir," Heyes replied and opened the door wider to allow the Sheriff inside.

"Have a seat Mr. Smith, and tell me what happened after the stage left Evanston City."

Heyes took a couple of minutes telling the sheriff everything he knew.

"So you never saw this metal container Mr. Caston claims to have had?"

"Only after Mr. Caston opened it and claimed that the contents had been stolen."

"You didn't see it loaded on to the stage?"

"No sir. Mr. Caston said it was in his suitcase."

"And that suitcase was loaded on the top of the stage?"

"I didn't see where it was loaded. After the accident, Mr. Caston said it was loaded in the back of the stage and that's where my partner found it."

"And your partner is... Mr. Jones?"

"Yes, sir."

"And a search was conducted for the stones?"

"Yes sir, all around the area where the stage had fallen and the area we made camp for the night."

"Where were you found after the accident?"

"I was still inside the stage, unconscious. Mr. Jones found me and helped me out."

"And you were injured?"

Heyes glanced down at his splinted arm. "Yes sir. I think it's broken."

"I'm going to have my deputy walk you over to the doctor's office to have that taken care of, Mr. Smith. He's right outside your door waiting for you," Garrett said and stood to leave.

"Sheriff," Heyes called to him. "How long do we have to stay here? My partner and I have some business in Porterville."

"I should be able to answer that for you by the end of the day. Might as well plan on spending the night here in Rawlins, though."

"And after that?' Heyes asked.

"Without due cause I can't keep anyone you here more than forty-eight hours. You got some reason to be in such a rush, Mr. Smith?"

"Like I said, my partner and I have business in Porterville is all," Heyes replied.

Garrett opened the door and motioned to the deputy in the hallway. "I'll do what I can to get you on your way as quickly as possible," he said, then turned to the deputy. "You can get him over to the doctor, now."

0-0-0-0-0

By late afternoon Sheriff Garret had finished speaking to each of the passengers and he had them all gather in the hallway for an update.

"Unfortunately I have not been able to rule out the possibility that those jewels were stolen, and I haven't been able to rule out any of you folks as suspects, so I'm afraid you'll all be staying here another day. I'm going out in the morning to look around where the accident occurred. Until I say otherwise, I'm afraid you are all confined to the hotel. You can come out of your rooms, eat in the dining room, sit it the lounge downstairs, but don't try walking out of the hotel or climbing out a window as I will have deputies posted around the building.

"Sheriff Garrett," Dobbs interrupted. "You know me. I live in Rawlins, I'm president of the bank, we go to the same church, belong to the Chamber of Commerce. I have a family and a business in Rawlins and I'm not about to up and leave it all behind. Can't I at least be confined to my home?"

"I'm sorry, Paul. I just can't allow that. I hope you understand."

"At least let my wife know when I am and what's going on. She must be beside herself with worry."

Garrett nodded. "That much I can do, Paul."

"Sheriff, what about Thaddeus and me going out with you to help you search?" Heyes asked. Thaddeus is the one who took care of all of us, gathered up everyone's luggage, searched the driver and the other fellow. We can tell you where each of us was, what each of us said and did. We might be able to be a great help to you."

"To tell you the truth, I already thought of that and for those very reasons. I've hired six men as temporary deputies to help me go out and search and I want the two of you to come along. Any of you other passengers object to that?"

Hearing no objections, the Sheriff bid them all a good night and headed back to his office.

Kid saw Miss Wright turn to return to her room and he moved down the hall to catch up to her. "Miss Wright, I'm sure this all seems a bit unsettling to you and, well I thought perhaps you'd do me the honor of joining me for dinner downstairs."

She looked at him and offered him a weary smile. "Thank you, Mr. Jones," she replied.

"I'll stop by your room in an hour?"

"That would be fine," she said, then unlocked her door and disappeared into her room.

0-0-0-0-0

"You're chasing a woman at a time like this?" Heyes asked after he and Kid had returned to their rooms and Heyes had again unlocked the dividing door.

"Heyes, I know she knows more than she's letting on. I thought I might be able to find out just what that is over a quiet dinner."

"You suspect that just because she and Dobbs took a walk this afternoon?"

"I read people pretty well, Heyes. Getting called out as much as I do, your learn that craft pretty damn quick. There's something in the eyes, the posture, subtle changes in the face, so yeah, I suspect that just because she and Dobbs took a walk, and whatever they were saying, Dobbs made damn sure the rest of us could see his face, his reaction to whatever she was saying to him. And you know what? He maintained a perfect poker face. Miss Dobbs on the other hand, wasn't that clever. She didn't want us to see her so she kept her back to us, and she clenched her hands a lot, like she was adamant about something. She either stole those jewels and Dobbs knows it, or he stole em and she knows it."

"Either way, she's a damsel in distress, right? "

Kid nodded. "Maybe she was trying to work out a deal for her silence. I'm hoping all that's gone on today has unnerved her a bit and maybe she'll confide the truth to me."

"And if she does?"

"That's where you come in. I want you to join us for coffee after dinner. You're silver tongue may be just what it takes to convince her to go to the Sheriff before she does something she's gonna regret for the rest of her life."

"What time are you picking her up?"

"In about a half an hour. Give us an hour for dinner, then come down and join us."

Heyes smiled. "That'll work out just fine for what I have in mind."

"One of your brilliant ideas, Heyes?' Kid asked with obvious skepticism.

"This time maybe I just do at that, Kid."

0-0-0-0-0

Kid and Eileen sat at a quiet table in the hotel dining room and engaged in idle conversation as they sipped coffee and waited for their meals to arrive.

"You're getting a real taste of the west on your first trip out this way," Kid said as he slowly led the conversation to the accident and the possible theft of the jewels.

"Had I known, I might have thought twice about accepting this teaching position," she replied with an almost shy smile.

"Oh, this isn't an everyday occurrence. The west is a lot more tame than all them dime novel paperback books would have you believe. The rough and rowdy days are a long time past."

"No more outlaws and highway robbers?" she asked and was almost startled by Kid's initial expression that flashed across his face before quickly fading into a sweet and innocent smile."

"Technology put an end to them a few years ago. A train or bank robber stands a very poor chance of getting away with the crime today. The telegraph alone put an end to them."

"You sound like you know from experience," she teased, but was again taken aback by his expression.

"I know a thing or two about the workings of both sides of the law," he replied. "Take these jewels. Every jeweler and pawn shop owner from St Louis to San Francisco is gonna be notified and on the look for anyone trying to sell or pawn those rocks. If they was stolen, whoever took em will be found, and a theft of that much value will send the person to prison for a very long time," he explained as he watched her reaction very carefully. "Thieves are a special breed. When the going's good they're a tight bunch," Kid added with a chuckle. "You've heard the expression 'thick as thieves?'"

She nodded but was more intent on listening than speaking, so Kid continued on.

"But when one is caught, they'll drag everyone else down with em. They ain't loyal to one another and, like most criminals, they'll get themselves a good lawyer who will negotiate a lighter sentence for naming all the accomplices, and the accomplices don't get that same opportunity, cause they got no new information to offer."

"You know this from experience," she stated rather than asked this time.

Kid was very careful to maintain an easy expression. "Like a lot of men, I've spent a night or two in jail, dickered with a few lawyers, but no Ma'am, I ain't never been to prison. But I know men that have and ain't one of em walked outta prison a better person than when they walked in."

Kid could see that Eileen was pondering something important but the conversation was interrupted when their meals arrived. He decided to add one more comment before letting the topic drop while they ate. "Eileen, it's not too late to make amends."

Her eyes rose slowly from her plate and met Kid's eyes looking at her intently. "How did you know?' she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Like I said, I've had a little experience on both sides of the law... My partner is going to be joining us for coffee in a few minutes. If you're willing to talk to the Sheriff afterwards, we'll stay with you while you do that if you'd like us to."

"They'll send me to jail..."

"No, Ma'am, so long as you don't have any of the jewels and you weren't the one to steal em, you'll hafta testify at a trial most likely, but you won't be charged with nothing."

"Why are you doing this for me?"

"I could tell on the stage that you're really a kind woman. I just don't want you heading down a path you'll regret."

While Kid had no compunctions about digging into his meal, Eileen suddenly had no appetite and spent most of the meal just moving her food about on her plate. Just as he was taking his last bite of food, Kid spied Heyes standing in the entrance with another man and motioned them both over to the table. Heyes introduced the man as Marvin Wentworth, the finest defense attorney in Rawlins.

0-0-0-0-0

By the time the Sheriff was summoned, the dining room had closed for meals so they were able to sit quietly at the table while Eileen told the Sheriff all she knew. Eileen had related everything to the attorney over a cup of coffee and he had assured her she had, at this point, committed just one minor infraction that he was certain could be eradicated in exchange for her information.

"You know where Mr. Dobbs hid the jewels?' Garrett asked when she had finished telling her story.

"No, but he said he had the opportunity to hide them just after the accident."

"So they can't be far from when the stagecoach crashed," Heyes added. "If they're out there, will find em tomorrow. They can't be buried to deep. He had no shovel or spade."

"Not one word of this is to be shared beyond the people at this table. Is that understood?" Garrett told them and everyone nodded in agreement.

"So, are we done here for the night?' Heyes asked.

Garrett looked at Wentworth who gave him a nod. "Miss Wright, the safest place for you is in your room with the door locked. I don't want you coming out of your room without one of my deputies escorting you."

"Am I under arrest?' she asked.

"No Ma'am, more like protective custody."

"I'll see that she gets to her room safely," Kid promised. "And locks the door behind her once she's inside."

A few minutes later Kid and Eileen stood in the hallway outside her room.

"I don't know how to thank you," she told him.

"You teach your students right from wrong and that's all the thanks I need."

"What will happen to Mr. Dobbs?"

"If we find the jewels tomorrow, he'll be arrested and we can all go about our own business again."

"I'm not sure I want to stay in Rawlins now. I'm thinking of returning to St. Lewis. I can teach there as well as here."

"So long as you go home because you want to do that, and not cause you're running away from here."

Eileen nodded. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

"When we get back. I'll let you know what happened," he said.

"Well, good night," she replied and unlocked her door. "And thank you."

Kid waited until he heard the door lock, then headed for his own room.

Neither Kid nor Eileen saw or heard the door to Dobb's room quietly slide shut.

0-0-0-0-0

"So Miss Wright's statement isn't enough to arrest Dobbs?' Heyes asked Sheriff Garrett as they rode with Kid and the deputies to the site of the stagecoach accident.

"A conversation between two people with no witness to the conversation? I'm afraid not, Mr. Smith. We need something to corroborate the lady's statement. Don't take me wrong here because as far as I'm concerned the law is blind, but Paul Dobbs is a prominent and very wealthy member of the community. He's well thought of. Without hard proof, it's gonna be tough to convict him."

"But finding the jewels is hard enough proof?" Kid asked.

"Even that is just circumstantial, but it's enough to hold someone till a judge decides if it's enough to go to trial. Miss Wright's statement may well be that piece of evidence that connects Dobbs to the jewels."

"The jewels hafta be out there somewhere. That's the only opportunity he had to hide them," Kid replied.

"Well, let's hope we find them," Garrett said.

Once at the site, Heyes and Kid showed Garrett where each person was found after the stage crashed, then recounted everything that followed.

"How much time passed from the time of the accident to the time you woke up, Mr. Jones?"

"Judging by the amount of daylight that was left, I'd say no more than thirty minutes," Kid replied as he walked slowly around a wide path where Dobbs and Caston were found.

While searching, everyone was careful to stay just beyond the areas where the passengers had been so as not to alter the areas in any way.

"Sheriff, look over here," Kid called.

Garrett and Heyes approached the site near a large oak tree and looked at the area of a path where leaves and twigs had been disturbed, exposing bare dirt leading toward the base of the tree trunk. "Could be someone dragged himself up to the edge of that tree... Look over there at that thin, straight groove in the dirt... maybe from the blade of a pocket knife?"

"The bark there at the bottom of the tree looks like it's been chipped away," Garrett added. "You can see chips of wood scattered about."

"And the base there where the root starts to spread out from the tree," Heyes added. "I bet there's a bit of damp, rotted wood, just big enough to hide some pretty little stones."

Garrett called his deputies over to the site. "I want every one of you to take a good look," he told them, then pointed out everything he, Heyes, and Kid had observed. "I hafta dig around the base of that tree to see if what we think is true, but I want everyone of you to be able to testify as to what we saw before I do that."

Garrett then moved carefully to the base of the tree trunk and used his hand to move what appeared to be freshly altered dirt and debris. When he had cleared enough to see that there was in fact a small hole under the root of the tree, Garrett pulled his hand back so his deputies could all get a good look. Then he slowly reached into the hole.

Garrett smiled as his fingers found and wrapped around a pile of stones and he turned to the others and nodded, "Pay dirt," he exclaimed and he pulled the stones from their hiding place and held them out in the palm of his hand for all to see. He reached into the hole once again and felt a round metal object. Pulling it out, he examined the object, a gold watch and sprung open the lid. "Well, well, well," Garrett said with a smile. "A gold watch with the initials PWD engraved inside the lid. Paul William Dobbs. Gentlemen, I think we have all the evidence we need."

0-0-0-0-0

"You two wait out here," Garrett told Heyes and Kid when the group returned to the hotel. "I'm taking my deputies upstairs with me to make the arrest. If there's any gunfire, I wouldn't want either of you getting hurt."

"That's very considerate of you," Heyes said, quite amused by the fact that the sheriff had no idea who he was speaking to and had just refused the assistance of fastest gun in the west. "One more thing, Sheriff. Now that you have the evidence you need, are Mr. Jones and I free to leave for Porterville?"

"I can't keep you here any longer, but I'd like you to leave word on how I can reach you,' Dobbs replied.

Kid's eyes moved sideways toward his partner, fully aware of what Heyes was thinking, but his face remained expressionless.

Once the sheriff and his deputies had entered the hotel, Kid and Heyes dismounted and tied their horses to the post.

"We leaving tonight?' Kid asked Heyes as he leaned against a post near where Heyes stood.

"Once Dobbs is behind bars, I don't see anything keeping us here," Heyes replied. "Except maybe a quick cold beer before we go."

Kid grinned. "One of your better plans, Heyes."

"He's gone!" Garrett called down to them from the second story corner room that Dobbs had occupied.

Kid ran to the alley beside the hotel, his eyes searching both sides of the alley. Seeing no one including a deputy, Kid ran back to the front of the building. "You're deputy's gone too!" he called up to the sheriff.

Moments later Garrett and all his deputies came rushing out of the hotel. "Go check the bank," Garrett told three of his deputies. "And Dobbs' home too," he told three others.

"There's tracks of two horses heading west outta the alley," Kid told Garrett.

"Likely bribed the deputy with the promise of jewels," Heyes concluded.

"We'll find em," Garrett replied. "You and the other passengers stay in the hotel and don't come out. Dobbs might be armed and dangerous."

Garrett headed toward the saloon to gather more men for his posse. Heyes and Kid headed into the hotel.

"I told Eileen I would let her know what we found," Kid said as he walked past his room.

Kid," Heyes called to him and Kid stopped and turned back to his partner. "I think we'd better plan on heading out first thing in the morning. I don't want the sheriff getting the idea that we should hang around as witnesses, but I would like to know that Dobbs is safely behind bars before we go."

Kid nodded, then continued down the hall till he came to Eileen's room.

"What happened?" Eileen asked when she answered the door and saw Kid standing outside in the hallway.

"They found the stones and Dobbs' gold watch right there with the stones, but Dobbs is missing."

"Missing? How?"

"He must have bribed one of the deputies, then managed to get out on the balcony and down the outside stairs where it looks like a couple of horses were waiting."

"The sheriff hasn't found him?"

"No, but he's got a posse out looking.

"Thaddeus, I can't stay here. He must have found out I spoke to the sheriff. He might come looking for me..."

"There's an eastbound train in the morning. Sheriff said he can't keep us here any longer. I'll walk you to the train station in the morning. If the sheriff ain't back, I'll make sure he knows where you are."

Eileen nodded nervously.

"I think you'd best stay in your room and keep the doors and windows locked. Don't open the door to anyone, even if they say they're a deputy. You send em down to my room first and I'll come with em. I'll being some supper up to you in an hour."

Again Eileen nodded. "Thank you, Thaddeus."

0-0-0-0-0

Kid stood on the boardwalk facing Eileen. Across the street the passengers began boarding the eastbound train. Down the street, Heyes waited patiently with the horses outside the saloon as he and Kid planned to leave as soon as the train departed. Sheriff Garrett and the posse had not yet returned and they wanted to be well on their way so as not to be asked to stay in Rawlins even longer.

"I hate good byes," Eileen told him.

"Don't think of it as good bye," Kid replied, though they both knew the reality of the situation.

"You think you might come to St. Louis one day?"

Kid didn't answer. Instead he leaned his head down to kiss her as he watched her eyes close and heard her breath catch. When he finally pulled away slightly, he saw her eyes remained closed for a moment.

"Looks like they are starting to board. I'll walk you to the train."

"No, no sense making this even harder," she replied and gave him a sad smile.

Kid watched as she turned and stepped out into the street. He turned and walked several steps to his left where he could get another view of her before she disappeared behind the passenger car.

Instinct told him what had happened the moment he heard the shot. Spinning around, he turned to see the motionless body on the street. Drawing his gun, Kid's eyes scanned the rooftops, the alley entrances, open windows, the street and boardwalks, even the top of the passenger car, but saw no one running away. Kid ran out, dropping to his knees and gathering Eileen's shoulders and torso in his arms as her head fell limply on his chest...

"Come on, we gotta go... We gotta go now," Heyes told him.

Epilogue

Having ridden hard for most of the day, Heyes and Kid now slowed their pace to a casual walk and they headed south toward Denver rather than north toward Porterville as they had told Sheriff Garrett. They had ridden is silence most of the day, in part due to the pace that had maintained, but also because neither were will to discuss what they had witnessed that morning. But now as the late afternoon was inching its way toward evening both were seeking a way to put the past few days behind them.

"How's your arm holding up with all this riding?' Kid asked, breaking the hours long silence.

"I'll survive," Heyes replied.

"Maybe e should give Clem a visit. That's a good place to law low for a day or two."

"Sure, Kid. Then maybe catch a train west."

"Heyes, about what happened this morning..."

"You couldn't have prevented that, Kid. There's no way you could have known Dobbs was that desperate."

"I shouldda figured that out when Garrett found the watch."

"You did figure that out, and you did everything you could to protect her."

"Maybe."

"Kid, what's done is done. They'll find Dobbs. Greed along will see to that when he tries to sell those jewels. They'll find him and he'll likely hang. He's the one responsible for Eileen dying, not you. So just put that notion outta your head."

Kid nodded and Heyes knew it would take some time, but Kid would eventually come to the same conclusion.

"So, if we pick up our pace again, we might make it to Clem's place before nightfall."

Kid straightened in his saddle and turned to Heyes with a wide grin. "Wanna race?"

Heyes' eyes gleaned with the thought f the challenge. "You're on!" he exclaimed and spurred his horse into a gallop, with Kid right on his tail.