Kid slept till late afternoon and Heyes heard him stirring about for at least twenty minutes before the bedroom door opened and Kid emerged, still walking very stiffly.
Heyes was sitting at the table with stacks of money in front of him.
Kid smiled as he poured himself a cup of coffee and eased himself into a chair at the table.
"How much did we get?"
"Well, it ain't enough to make us famous. Maybe I got the wrong day, or maybe the money got moved before we ever got there, or maybe they have a vault hidden off somewhere, which would explain why they haven't upgraded their safe."
"How much?" Kid asked again.
"Not a bad amount, just nowhere near a hundred thousand dollars."
"How much?"
"Thirty seven thousand."
Kid sipped his coffee. "Well you're right, Heyes. That ain't a bad amount. Of course the fellas are going to be a bit disappointed., but your silver tongue can take care of that."
"I'll fix breakfast, then we'll go over to the bunkhouse to tell the boys."
"Maybe ought to wait till Wheat's back, Heyes."
"You still mad at him?"
Kid sighed and sipped at his coffee. "He done the right thing and he didn't mean to hit me with the bag. So I guess not."
"You're back feeling any better?"
"Maybe a little. Kind of early to tell."
"I wonder what actually happened to all that Railroad money..."
"When I was riding back on the train last night, I heard a couple of businessmen talking. I think the money was rerouted to the bank in Merriville."
Heyes shook his head. "Just can't trust Railroad tycoons."
Kid smiled. "Well add them to the list, Heyes. Can't trust bankers, con men, other outlaws, lawyers, now railroad owners."
"That don't leave many folks that can be trusted," Heyes replied.
"When we're done eating, let's get the money divvied up. That way we can just hand a stack to each man. Maybe Wheat will be back by the time we're done."
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Heyes and Kid walked in to the bunkhouse with the satchel of money that Heyes set down on the table.
"Got good news and bad, fellas," Heyes said as everyone slowly migrated toward the table.
"Good news is, we got money to dole out. Bad news is, the amount is a good deal less than we expected."
"If you're thinking I took any of that..."Wheat began, his feathers automatically ruffled..
"No, Wheat," Kid said, his open hand gesturing to Wheat to calm down. "We know the railroad money got diverted to another town. We just don't want you boys to be disappointed by the amount we did get."
"How much to we get, Heyes?" Kyle asked eagerly.
"Almost... four thousand each," Heyes replied and opened the bag and reached inside to begin handing out the stacks of money.
Wheat was the last one to step forward. "Kid," Wheat said as Heyes handed him a stack of money.
Kid shook his head. "It's alright, Wheat. I'd of done the same thing. You had to keep the money safe."
Wheat smiled and puffed his chest a little. "I was thinking of the whole gang, you understand?"
"Uh-uh," Kid replied.
"You know fellas," Heyes said to the entire gang. "Despite what happened to Kid, this was one of the smoothest heists we've ever done."
"Heyes, I'm gonna need my supply of dynamite restocked," Kyle reminded the leader.
Heyes nodded. "There's money in the maintenance fund for that, Kyle. You just order what you reasonably need."
"Heyes," Kid said, his back giving him conniptions.
Heyes nodded. "I'm gonna get Kid back to the cabin. I suppose most of you are heading in to town?"
Sounds of a general agreement filled the room.
"Kyle, saddle up my horse, will ya?" Wheat asked. "I'm gonna help Heyes get Kid to the cabin."
Kyle nodded and slipped a new plug of tobacco in the space between his bottom teeth and his cheek.
"You want me to pick you up some liniment? Wheat asked when they had reached the cabin door.
"No, I'm sure there's plenty in the barn," Kid replied.
"I'll fetch you a tin before we head for town."
"Thanks, Wheat."
Heyes helped Kid back into the cabin and into bed. "You gonna be alright?" Heyes asked, pulling the covers up to Kid's chest.
"I'll be just fine."
Heyes headed for the door.
"Heyes," Kid called and Heyes hesitated and turned his head back toward his partner.
Kid smiled. "You did a good job... You always do a good job."
Heyes smiled. "Thanks, Kid. It's good to know I'm appreciated."
Kid woke just as the sun was beginning to crest the top of the mountains. Dressed only in his long johns, Kid eased himself up to sit on the edge of the bed. He smiled when he realized the back pain was beginning to subside. Not wanting to wake Heyes, Kid slipped on his boots and walked as quietly as he could to the front porch, then down the steps and across the compound to the outhouse. He noticed the lights were all out in the bunkhouse, so the fellas must have all made it back in one piece.
Stopping out of the outhouse, Kid was carefully watching his footing as he began to cross the yard. Without warning, eight hundred pounds of pure muscle flashed by him with snort and a whisk of a tail, followed by another and another.
Taking a sudden, instinctive step back, Kid's heel caught on a tree root and back he tumbled, landing flat on his back as ten horse raced freely by him. Kid rolled away protectively until his back hit the wall of the outhouse.
"K-Y-L-E!" Kid shouted "Damn it, K-Y-L-E!"
The last thing Kid saw before passing out were the lights of a dozen oil lamps brightening the bunkhouse.