Two days had passed with no fever and no more visible indications of any infection. Even Kid's self proclaimed fast had lasted only through breakfast that morning of sheer embarrassment and humiliation. The restitching Dr. Heiser had done was holding the wound together well and was showing no signs of a repeat infection. So Dr. Heiser finally agreed that Kid could be moved to the line shack.
Heyes had spent one of the past two days stocking the line shack with food and building a ramp up to the porch. Dr. Heiser loaned Kid a wheelchair that was large, bulky, and cumbersome, but it provided Kid a somewhat restricted level of freedom he had not had since being injured.
The day Kid was to leave the doctor's office, Heyes had ridden out to the ranch and borrowed a wagon that he half filled with hay and blankets. He tied both his and Kid's horses to the back of the wagon and Frank Gorman rode with Heyes back to town, helped Heyes carry Kid to the wagon and get him comfortably into the back on the straw covered blankets, and helped load the wheelchair, tying it securely so it wouldn't bump or jar against Kid during the ride. Then Gorman rode with them out to the line shack and helped get Kid into the cabin and safely seated in the wheelchair with the leg rest raised high to elevate Kid's leg. Heyes tethered his and Kid's horses to the post before Gorman drove the wagon back to the ranch.
"Well, what do you think Kid?" Heyes asked.
"I think I've died and gone to heaven, Heyes," Kid said with a grateful smile. "This sure beats the doctor's office."
"Mr. Skyler is giving me a couple of more days off so you can get situated. You're gonna be up here alone during the day. You gonna be able to manage?"
"The hard part is figuring out how to get in and out of this chair. Once I can do that, I'll be fine, and it will be a lot easier once this cast comes off."
"See this little curtained off area?" Heyes said, pointing to a spot near the foot of the beds.
"Yeah.'
Heyes pulled the curtain back to reveal a chair with the seat cut out and a bucket under the seat. A stack of newspapers were piled near the chair. "Our own indoor privy," Heyes said proudly.
"These look like brand new bedsheets, too," Kid commented.
"Yep. Doc said the place had to be spic and span clean."
"It don't even smell musty in here."
"I've been leaving the windows open to air the place out. Doc says fresh air is the best thing for you."
"You're becoming quite the little homemaker. You'll make someone a fine wife one day. Heyes."
Heyes just shook his head.
"Heyes," Kid said, growing a bit serious. "I do appreciate all you're doing. I'll make it up to you, you know."
"If there's ever a time when I need it, I know you will, Kid."
The next morning, after helping Kid get up and dressed, and fixing them both some breakfast, Heyes took a bucket of water and two feed bags out to the horses still tied to the post.
Kid managed to maneuver the wheelchair through the door and sat on the porch enjoying the warm sunshine for most of the morning. But by early afternoon he had grown tired and Heyes helped him into bed for a nap.
Not wanting to disturb Kid, Heyes picked up his book and went out on the porch to read. He'd been out there nearly an hour when he noticed a rider slowly approaching. Heyes thought it was likely Mr. Skyler coming out to see how things were going, but as the rider neared, Heyes saw it was Jim Santana.
Knowing now that Santana was an outlaw, and knowing he and Kid had two month's wages sitting in a saddlebag in the cabin, Heyes stood at the edge of the porch while his hand slowly moved to a position nearer his gun.
"What brings you way out here, Mr. Santana?" Heyes asked, keeping a close check on the tone of his voice.
Santana dismounted and approached the porch.
"My business is done here so I am heading home now."
"Where's home?" Heyes asked.
"West of here," Santana replied, then gave a nod in the direction of the chairs. "May we sit?"
"Sure," Heyes said and took a step back so Santana could climb the stairs and sit down in a chair. Heyes then also sat down."
"You got a reason for coming out here?"
"Your partner here?" Santana asked.
"Inside."
"Doing better then?"
Heyes nodded.
Santana leaned back in the chair and looked out across the countryside. "Do you remember what we spoke of a few days ago?"
"I believe I recall. I don't believe I gave you any reason to think I was interested."
Santana smiled. "On the contrary, Mr. Heyes. You gave me every reason to believe the day will come. The fact is, I see potential in you, Mr. Heyes. And I believe you see... an opportunity with me. If there is ever a time when you decide you might want to be in contact with me..."
"I doubt that will happen."
"Well, if it were to happen. You can get word to me through the owner of the saloon in Claymore."
"You're an outlaw," Heyes said in a voice void of judgment.
Santana smiled. "You've done some homework, I see."
"Why are you telling me this? Why do you think I'd be interested?"
"As I said, I see potential."
"And as I said, I've got a partner to think of. You won't be hearing from me."
"The future is a mysterious thing, Mr. Heyes. One never knows what the future might have to offer," Santana replied and stood to leave.
Heyes stood and followed Santana to the edge of the porch where he stood and watched Santana mount and ride off. He didn't know why Santana thought of him as a man of potential, but the idea made him uneasy...yet at the same time somehow curious.
Heyes walked back inside the cabin and filled the coffee pot with water and placed it on the stove top. As he started to walk back across the room, Heyes saw Kid awake and watching his every move.
"Something wrong, Kid?"
Kid looked at him and Heyes thought he saw a hint of mistrust in Kid's eyes.
"You left the window open," Kid said.
Without thinking Heyes took a step toward the window, but stopped suddenly when he realized Kid was not referring to the breeze or the temperature, but rather to the conversation he had just overheard. Heyes turned back to his partner.
"You heard that," Heyes said as a statement rather than a question.
"I heard your conversation with the doctor the other day too, Heyes. Do you know who Jim Santana is? He's an outlaw and he's dangerous...And he's got his sights set on you."
Heyes looked at Kid quizzically. "You've heard of him?"
"I've heard of him. I'm surprised you haven't. Now,help me into the chair, Heyes." Kid said feeling at a disadvantage being in the bed during this conversation.
Heyes moved the wheelchair close to the bed and helped Kid sit up and move into the chair.
"You want coffee while we talk?" Heyes asked, knowing he had some explaining to do.
Kid nodded and Heyes rolled the wheelchair to the table, then poured them each a cup of coffee and sat down across from Kid.
"Heyes, I know we've stolen some food, maybe even a little cash here and there, but we're not outlaws."
"I know."
"But he wants you to join an outlaw gang and he's got you thinking about just that, don't he?"
"Ah, Kid, you don't understand..."
"Don't he, Heyes?" Kid said, pushing Heyes into a direct and honest answer.
"Nothing wrong with thinking about it, Kid."
"There's plenty wrong with that kind of thinking. You tried outlawing, Heyes. It didn't work."
"Jim Plummer weren't a good leader."
"And you think this Santana is?"
"I didn't say that, Kid."
"No, you didn't., but you do think it."
That hint of distrust was more evident in Kid's eyes now.
"Kid, I'm not lying to you."
"Heyes...if you ever decide to travel that road...I ain't going with you."
"Are you saying we'd split up?"
"I'm saying I ain't going with you."
Heyes saw a conviction in Kid's eyes that he'd never seen before and he knew, without him having seen it happen, Kid had somehow become a man.
"Alright Kid. I hear exactly what you're telling me. And I won't forget it."
Both men understood that something had suddenly changed between them, although neither knew the ramifications that lay ahead.
0-0-0-0-0-
The days turned into weeks and Kid's strength slowly returned as both the wound and the arm healed. Six weeks after the accident, the cast was removed and Dr. Heiser showed Kid and Heyes exercises that Kid was to begin to strengthen the arm muscles. Kid performed the exercises dutifully three times every day, determined to restore the strength and agility of both the arm and the wrist. The leg wound also healed without any further complication, though the leg also required exercise for muscle strengthening.
Mr. Skyler let them continue to stay in the line shack and Heyes returned to work full time as Kid was now capable of managing on his own at the cabin and was hopeful that he could return to work within the month.
But one warm, late summer afternoon, Kid was sitting on the porch cleaning his gun when a rider approached. Kid didn't recognize the man, but he quickly loaded his gun and slipped it in the holster. Kid didn't bother to get up, but he watched the man as he approached the hitching post.
"I'm looking for Mr. Heyes," the man called to Kid and, hearing the rich Latino accent, Kid knew exactly who he was speaking to.
"He ain't here."
"You must be...?"
"Name's Curry."
"Do you know where I might find Mr. Heyes?"
"Nope."
"If you see him, tell him that Jim will be at the saloon this evening."
Kid stood and walked toward the door.
"Perhaps you and I should talk," Santana said and moved to dismount.
In an instant Kid's gun was drawn and pointing directly at Santana.
"You and me's got nothing to talk about," Kid warned him.
Santana made no attempt to dismount and instead settled back in the saddle.
"Perhaps you should talk to Heyes. It may be you and I have much to talk about."
"Look, I know who you are and I want no part of it."
"Does Heyes feel the same way?"
"I don't speak for my partner," Kid replied, placing emphasis on the word partner. "Now I think you'd best leave," Kid told him, his gun still in his hand.
Santana could read men very well and he knew Kid was not making a idle threat. He also knew his message was not going to be relayed to Heyes. Because Heyes was the sole reason for his visit, Santana pulled hard on his reins and headed back the way he had come.
Kid holstered his gun but watched Santana until he was out of sight.
That evening at supper Kid was more quiet than usual and Heyes knew something was bothering him.
"How was your day, Kid?"
"Same as usual."
"You just seem sort of quiet."
"Been thinking, Heyes."
"About what?"
"I know Mr. Skyler has been very kind to us, but... well maybe it's time to move on. We've been here a full four months and... well we've got some money saved up now and there's nothing keeping us here...and winter's coming. We don't want to do ranch work in the winter."
"You got a point there, Kid. Were you thinking of any place in particular?"
Kid shook his head.
"Just someplace away from here?"
"Kid...I heard what you said."
"What are you talking about?"
"A few weeks back, when we was talking about Santana."
"You still worrying about him?
"I just think we'd be better off away from here."
Heyes took a hard look at his partner who couldn't bring himself to look at Heyes.
"You talked to him, didn't you? Was he here?"
Kid didn't reply.
"Kid, nothing's changed. Between you and me, I swear."
Kid knew Heyes well enough to know that he wasn't lying, that he really believed nothing between them had changed, and that brought Kid to the realization that Heyes had some hard truths to learn about himself and about their partnership.
Kid raised his eyes to meet his partner's, and Heyes saw a wisdom in Kid's eyes that he himself didn't understand, and a conviction in Kid's eyes that he knew he couldn't sway.
"I'm leaving," Kid said quietly.
"Why?"
"Because you've got things to figure out about yourself and I'm an obstacle to that. I'm in your way. It won't be forever, at least I don't think it will. But you can't even figure about what you want in life, cause you're too busy worrying about me, and I don't need you to worry about me."
"Kid, what happened today?"
"I told you, nothing."
"Then if you think we should go, we'll go."
Kid shook his head. "No, Heyes...I'll go. You stay and figure out what it is you want... If it's right, we'll be partners again. Besides, maybe I got a little figuring out to do myself."
They were both silent for a while.
"When did you grow up, Kid? I seem to have been blindsided to the fact that you're all grown up.
"We both seem to have been blindsided by a lot of things, Heyes. But we'll get things figured out." Kid said, then looked at his partner and smiled. "I might even come to like the idea of outlawing."
Somehow Heyes knew Kid's last remark was not totally in jest and the thought began to gnaw at him.
"Kid, let's talk about this more in the morning, after we've both had a good night's sleep" Heyes said, still very confused and not knowing how to remedy the situation.
Kid sighed heavily. "Sure, Heyes. In the morning," Kid said, but Kid knew, and Heyes suspected that the morning conversation would not happen. Kid would be gone by morning.
While neither could put the idea into words, both knew they were about to embark on roads of self discovery.