Murphy's Camp was about two days ride from San Francisco, and with the weather set fair, Heyes knew it'd be no hardship for them to sleep outside for one night. In fact he had a feeling that after a couple of weeks in the city even with only a few problems, the Kid would likely even welcome the opportunity to sleep under the stars. While his partner enjoyed comfort as much as he himself did, and was happy and content in towns, cities often made him tense, and he was often very vocal about his reasons why. "Heyes, there's just too many people around, bound to be more than one that's lookin' for trouble. And I ain't meanin' me!"

The days were long at this time of year, and even when they set up camp after reaching their riding limit, there was still a few hours of daylight left. After they were sat round a blazing fire, with their horses settled, Heyes looked round him, listening to the gently rumbling river below, and the tweeting of birds around. The Kid was as relaxed as he was after a long night enjoying Lily. They had money in their pockets and it really was a lovely spot. Life was good at the moment. He heard a soft chuckle and glanced over at his partner who stood with a smile. "I'll go shoot us somethin' to eat, I won't be long."

Heyes though concentrating on keeping the pot warm, ready for whatever the Kid brought back for them, tensed when he heard the sound of at least two horses coming from the path behind their camp. He listened for the noise of his partner returning as his hand slipped to his gun. His heart sank as the riders came into view. One was so obviously a lawman he might as well as had U.S Marshall branded on his forehead. The second of his unwelcome visitors, was a nervous looking bespectacled man, who appeared to belong in some fancy office surrounded by dusty ledgers in some big city, rather than on a horse riding the wilds of the west. Heyes' relaxed mood quickly dissipated and he plastered a smile on his face as he said far more calmly then he felt. "How do fellas."

The Marshal smiled at him in a friendly manner as he tipped his hat. "I'm real sorry to disturb you, son, but me and my companion here, were hoping to share your camp. I'm Marshal Harry Jenks. He nodded over at the other man who was shifting uncomfortably, trying to ease some of the stiffness out of his butt. Heyes hid a smile, knowing he'd been right about the man's unfamiliarity with riding. "And this here is Albert Phelps. He ain't real used to hard riding."

Heyes was a little suspicious, but Phelps was obviously not a prisoner and he could think of new good reason to refuse without causing suspicion and nodded reluctantly. "Don't see no harm in it. I'm Joshua Smith." He turned as he heard his partner returning. He saw him tense, recognising the man as the law just as Heyes had. " And this is my partner, Thaddeus. Marshall Jenks was just wondering if we minded some company."

The Kid nodded, obviously stifling a sigh, as uneasy as Heyes was over the man's request, but said. "Guess ain't no reason to say no."

Phelps, who had been silent, intently listening to the exchange, smiled at them gratefully and slid off his horse awkwardly with a small grunt. "Thank you very much Mr Smith, Mr Jones."

Heyes detected the hard, nasal vowels of someone from east of the Mississippi in his accent and wondered just what a man so out of place was doing in the west with a Marshall and he asked carefully. "Ain't meaning to be rude or nothing, but you sure ain't from around here."

There was an exchange of glances between the two men and it was Jenks who spoke. "You've got a good ear son. Albert is from Boston. We're heading back there, getting a train from 'Frisco late tomorrow."

The Kid who'd begun preparing the sage hens he'd shot, looked up and after an exchange of looks with Heyes said. "That's some trip, must be for somethin' important."

The men exchanged glances and the Marshal shrugged, as Phelps swallowed. "You heard of the McNally family?"

Heyes looked over at the Kid, who looked as blank as he did at the name and answered for them both. "Can't say as we have."

Phelps laughed shortly. "Lucky for you...I was their accountant." He looked away and down. "I knew what they were doing wasn't anywhere near legal, but the money was good enough I didn't worry too much."

Heyes swallowed a laugh, recognising the sentiment well, as the Kid snorted, but the both quietened when after a pause, he shivered a little at what was obviously an unpleasant memory before adding. "but even I draw the line at cold blooded murder."

He trailed off and the Marshal took up the story. "So he ran 'bout as far as he could, but his conscience bothered him some, so he contacted the Marshal's office and agreed to testify against the family, and he don't get no jail time, for what he was involved in. Seemed too good a chance for us to ignore. Marshall's out east been looking for something on those men for years."

Heyes felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he glanced over at the Kid. "You're talkin' about the Irish Mob aren't you? We heard of them."

Heard of them? Hell, the Kid was related to them through his Ma, whose family were part of the notorious Schuylkill Rangers Gang. But after meeting Brendan Curry, she'd left her family to carve her own life out west. The stories he'd sometimes accidentally overheard from his aunt, about her family still gave him pause. Heyes blinked, and looked over at his partner who had gone a little pale, he'd heard the same stories. After clearing his throat and with a vicious stab at the meat, he asked. "They don't know what ya plannin' do they?"

Heyes suddenly wondered if Jenks' motive for joining them was a plan to give any assassins another two targets, and as the Kid's face darkened, knew he was thinking exactly the same thing.

"Honestly boys, I ain't noticed no one, and I've sure bin looking." Jenks sounded honest enough as he added. "I ain't got no other motive than company seeking you out." He stopped and laughed glancing at Phelps, before adding. "Kinda getting tired of just having each other to talk to."

Heyes glared as his partner snorted and nodded in agreement. "Well, I sure know that feeling well."'

XXX

After they'd eaten, they all bedded down close to the fire. It was a few hours later, when Kid was woken by the subtle cracking of twigs, sleeping lightly with the presence of the law so close and troubled slightly by dreams invoked by the talk of murder. He nudged Heyes hard, who woke with a start, and said quietly. "Company."

Jenks stirred, but the Kid shook his head and put his finger to his lips, before pointing at the still sleeping Phelps. "Take care of him, we'll deal with this." The Marshall's eyes widened as he took in just how competent his new companion looked with a gun, and nodded, turning to wake his charge.

With the ease of long practice, the Kid went in one direction as Heyes took the other. The two men expecting little resistance, were soon subdued, spitting curses at them as they were securely tied.

Phelps pale and wide eyed looked at them. "They're McNally's enforcers all right." He turned to look accusingly at his escort. "You didn't see them or were you planning on them killing me and getting paid off?"

Heyes laughed shortly. "Oh I think the Marshal here, knew you was being followed all right." He turned to also glare daggers at the man. "Figuring four made a better target than two?"

Jenks shrugged a little apologetically. "I was hoping if they knew we had company they'd leave us alone. I'm real sorry, boys."

The men started swearing again and the Kid shook his head as he knelt in front of them before tying a bandana in both their mouths and saying with a grin. "Now fellas, that ain't real nice language."

He turned back to Jenks, gun in hand as Heyes said with a hiss. "We ain't real keen on being used as unpaid protection, Marshall. Seems a mite unfair."

Jenks held up his hands in defence and apology as Phelps said firmly. "He's right Harry, we gotta pay 'em. What you did wasn't right."

"I had even the odds somehow, Albert and I ain't sorry!"

"You always was sneaky, Harry!"

"Me? I ain't the one who got involved with a bunch of murderers!"

Heyes glancing over at the Kid and with the art of understatement said wryly. "I'm guessin' there's more between you than lawmen and charge."

Jenks snorted. "Sure is, he's my cousin for my sins! From the respectable side of the family, apparently."

Heyes laughed then. "I'd hate to meet the other half then!"

The Kid shook his head and holstered his weapon, before shrugging over at their two prisoners. "Kinda leaves us a bit of a problem...what we gonna do with them?"

Jenks cleared his throat. "Well you boys seem real handy, so I was thinking if I pay you five hundred dollars, you might accompany us 'Frisco. There's three more Marshall's waiting for us there, so I figure we can manage once we arrive."

The Kid glanced over at Heyes, before turning back to the Marshal. "A piece?"

Jenks nodded. "A piece."

Heyes looked over at the Kid and they walked away together a few steps as Kid said. "I ain't sure, Heyes."

"It's a thousand dollars, Kid, and it might be good if word gets back to our mutual friend that we was real helpful to the law."

The Kid's face lightened and a small smile spread across his face. "Well, Heyes, you've done it again!"

Heyes clapped him on the shoulder with a grin and together they walked back to where Jenks and Phelps were waiting a little anxiously. "Well, it seems mighty rude to turn down such a generous offer."

"Thank you boys, we do appreciate it."

"Watch out, Thaddeus!" Phelps yelled, and they swirled round to see that one of their prisoners had somehow managed to free a hand and was reaching for a knife from his boot. As if in slow motion Heyes saw the knife flying towards the Kid. He dived to one side, getting a shot off as he did so. Heyes' own gun was out as was the Marshall's. The knife embedded itself in the Kid's left forearm and he gasped in pain. Heyes moved to see to his friend as the Marshal pounced on the idiot prisoner who was now clutching his own arm where the Kid's bullet had entered.

Phelps ran over to the Kid and Heyes, his face ashen and his hands shaking. He had a bandana out, which he handed to Heyes, who yanked it out of his grasp and shoved him back with some force, before easing out the knife out and tying the bandana tightly round the Kid's wound, who groaned in pain and tried to pull away, but Heyes held him tightly with a hissed. "Stay still!"

Through gritted teeth the Kid hissed. "Easy for you to say!" But he stopped moving and let Heyes tend to the wound.

XXX

The wound though painful wasn't deep, and after a lot of whiskey, the Kid looked less like he was about to pass out. Jenks after making sure the prisoners would no cause no more trouble came back to join them and knelt on the ground. Heyes looked at him, not trying to hide his anger, but before he could say anything Jenks said. " Seven hundred dollars a piece. I ain't never seen shooting as good as your friend here."

The Kid shook his head! "We ain't still gonna do it, Joshua!"

Heyes patted his friend on his knee and said. "Well with your bullet in him, one of them is gonna be a lot less bother." The Kid sighed but offered no further argument as Heyes turned back to the marshal. "Make it eight hundred a piece and you got a deal."

"Done."

Phelps came back leading two horses behind him, still looking pale and a little shaky. Jenks stood and brushed the dust from his pants and walked over to him. They glared at each other for a minute, before Phelps relaxed and allowed Jenks to pat his shoulder as his face softened into a smile.

Heyes glanced down at the Kid and couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped him at the interaction and was met by his partner's amused expression.

XXX

Sixteen hundred dollars richer, with Jenks and Phelps and their prisoners safely off to Boston, Heyes glanced at his friend as they stood on the platform watching the train puff away. "Back to Soapy's or do we try heading out again?"

The Kid patted his jacket pocket, and grinned. "I'm thinking a few more hours at the 'Golden Eagle,' a night in a real fancy hotel, then tomorrow we head back out."

XXX

They arrived at Murphy's Camp four days later, and were taken by the bustling town. As they booked into the hotel, they were surprised to be told there was a telegram from Lom Trevors waiting for them.

Our Mutual Friend, very happy with news from US Marshal Jenks, about Smith and Jones.

Reading over Heyes' shoulder, the Kid snorted and said dryly. "Wonder if that means he's planning on giving us amnesty, or if it just means he's gonna be less eager to kill us now."

Heyes snorted. He was in a good mood, he'd doubled their income in their final night at the 'Golden Eagle.' The Kid's knife wound hadn't caused either of them much of a problem, and tomorrow, they were taking a short trip to Angel's Camp. So he replied cheerfully. "Think positive, Kid, it might mean we're a step closer than we was."

The Kid looked at him sceptically as he replied. "We bin' saying that for years, Heyes."

Heyes, refusing to give into his friend's negativity, at least not today, merely grinned as he said. "Well, one of these days we're gonna be right! Now, c'mon hotel clerk says there's a real nice place serving pie the end of the street. That might sweeten your mood some."

The Kid humphed but said nothing else and followed his friend back towards the pretty looking cafe a short walk away.