"Well, Mr. And Mrs. Curry, what do you think?" asked the burly construction foreman in his Mexican accent. He gestured to where the morning sun illuminated the grey stone walls of a two-story house, a barn, and a coach house. It was easy to hear builders at work with hammers and saws on the interiors, but the walls and roofs were all completed.
"Looks good from here," said the sheriff with a growing smile as he looked down from the seat of his wagon. "Look, honey, there's the well by the house. They've put a pump right in the kitchen so you won't have to go out for water. And we'll have a tank to pump up for running water outside the kitchen."
Cat looked around eagerly. "That's great, Jed. I can just imagine moving in here. It won't be long"
The Kid handed his crutches down to the foreman. "Can you help me down, Pedro? Then I can help my wife."
"Of course, Senior," said the foreman.
Soon Curry was on the much trampled earn of the work site. He reached up to help Cat down from the wagon. As she stood, still in his arms, looking around, he asked her, "Ain't it pretty, Cat?"
Jed Curry was touched to see his normally unflappable wife blinking away tears. "Oh, Jed, it's beautiful! We've dreamed of it so long. A really nice home for you and me and our baby, and maybe more, someday. Away from downtown, but close enough to get there quickly.
"It's not too big, but not too small. Not little for for our pocketbook, anyhow," remarked the sheriff. "With stuff from the hotel, we'll have furniture. I wish it could be new."
"But I know, Jed, we can't afford it yet. I've sewn some new sheets for us and the baby, and I'm working on curtains," Cat said, staying close by her husband as he swung himself up the three steps to the stone front porch. "One day, we'll get a bed and dresser without all that commercial wear."
"Yeah," said Curry, looking into his wife's blue eyes, "but to me, just sleeping in a bed with you is pure luxury. I've had so many nights on cold, bare ground, alone."
Cat looked all around. "It's a lovely view of the mountains, honey. You'll see that every morning when you go into work."
"And you'll see it when you look for me coming home. Won't ever be easy for me to go off and leave you, even in this pretty place," observed Jed Curry.
"You'll always come back to me, and our children." Said Cat, looking up happily at her husband.
"Always, sweetie." Kid Curry kissed his wife. "When I get back from chasin' outlaws. I surely will be glad when the three years the governor asked me to be sheriff are over. Running a hotel will keep us both busy enough, even when we don't have the saloon any longer, if we can manage to sell out."
"And raising a family will take plenty of our strength." Cat added. They looked into the house and took a few steps, peering around. But it was full of saw horses, tools, and busy workmen, so it wasn't practical to stay.
Jed smiled warmly at the thought of sons and daughters to come. "Yeah. We should have family all around us. It's been a long time coming. We'll, we'd best head back to town and get out of the way of the builders. And we both got work to do." The pair went out to the porch.
Cat said, "Yes, we do. And there may be a bunch more. Just before we headed this way, I saw a sign in the window of the Ross Hotel. It's for sale."
Jed looked at Cat with keen interest. "It is? It's bigger than what we thought we wanted. But why not? It's the best place in town. That could be our best chance to sell out the saloon and go for just a straight hotel."
With the help of the foreman, the man in the cast and the pregnant lady got into the wagon. Jed chirped at the horses and they started trotting back towards town. The Currys talked as they drove, raising their voices over the rattle of the wagon as they went back into town. Cat looked at her husband with a rush of hope. "Ross has always done plenty of business. If we could get a buyer for Christy's Place, we could have the funds to buy Ross's hotel, hire some new help, hope to keep on the cook, and be out of the saloon business before I give birth. I know it would be lot of work for us all."
Jed nodded. "And expensive. But it's what we want. I wish Heyes was here to help with the papers and sorting out payments."
Cat was excited. "Well, since Harvard wouldn't want him till spring, maybe he and Beth can come soon. We could give him real pay for managing the change over – a lot more than the room and board we've given him before. He and Beth could get started well."
"If we can just get the right buyer for our place." Curry sounded concerned.
Cat suggested, "You know Ted and Joe have been saving and hoping for their own place as partners for years. If we let them do it in payments, maybe they can afford Christy's Place."
Jed liked the idea. "That would be real nice to give it over to them – keep the old customers happy at the saloon while we step up to a real hotel. We know they'd keep up standards. But do they have enough?"
Mrs. Curry nodded. "Well, they'll have the money slower than we need it. We might need a loan to help us bridge the gap."
Curry agreed. "Yeah. It will take figuring. Maybe Heyes could help us work out the money stuff. And to use that silver tongue to talk a bank into lending money to Kid Curry."
"Well, don't forget that dependable customer, Mrs. Curry," said that lady clinging to her husbands' arm as the team scrambled over a rough spot that made the wagon bounce.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Early that morning, far to the east,in the warm darkness, Beth had heard the soft sounds of clothes being removed from their wearer and hung over a chair. Then she felt her husband's weight on the bed and his gentle arms sidling in around her from behind. She whispered, "Honey, I'm so glad you're home!"
Heyes' voice, low and hoarse with weariness, tickled in his wife's ear. "It's awful late. I'll tell you all about the trip in the morning." He gave his wife a squeeze. Within minutes, Mrs. Heyes felt her husband's breathing settle into the slow, regular pattern of sleep.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
When Elizabeth Heyes opened her eyes, she found her husband already awake. He was lying in bed naked, propped up on one elbow. He grinned brilliantly at her through a shower of sunshine coming in the window and streaming over his shoulder. He leaned over to kiss her. "You are so beautiful! So you and baby are well?"
"Just fine, daddy. I'm hungry all the time – the doctor says that's perfectly normal. I feel great. So, what's the good news? You look mighty happy." Beth said affectionately, caressing her husband's bare shoulder.
"Harvard maybe looks good for spring, I'd say. No certainties – just a good chance. I saw eye to eye with the dean. But there's a new entry in the field. On the train I met the dean of a little new school in the Finger Lakes area – Keuka College. Their math prof just died, so the dean was glad to meet up with me. I interviewed with him right on the train." Heyes smile widened, crow's feet all crinkled up around his shining brown eyes. He stopped talking to lean forward and kiss his wife again.
As her husband withdrew his lips, Beth was smiling, too. "The interview must have been great – I haven't seen you so happy since I told you about the baby."
Heyes leaned back and laughed with joy. "Yes! Oh, honey, it just seems so right! I liked the dean. We believe in the same things. He's about my age and we got on like a house afire." He reached over his shoulder to get a piece of paper off of the bedside table. "Keuka is a bit remote, compared with what you're used to, but it looks awful pretty in their brochure. It's right on a lake. Not too far from Rochester. Seems like a good place for young folks to study. And for children to grow up. They believe in giving everybody a chance, poor or rich, city or country, good family or none. Everybody."
"Even outlaws?"
The hopeful applicant grinned even more happily. "Maybe. They want me up there on Friday to look around the place and then meet with the president and the board."
Beth was delighted. "Goodness! You'll be meeting the board in person? That could do it – you're pretty darned persuasive in person. Are they talking about spring?"
"No. Fall." Heyes kissed Beth again, lingeringly.
Beth was panting by the time they finally drew apart. "This fall? They are in a hurry. But so are we. And speaking of hurry, I've got to get up and get ready for work. Good news or no good news, I have to be at the clinic, just as usual," said Beth as she sat up and then turned to get water for washing up.
Heyes, too, stood up. The naked former outlaw snuck up behind his wife. He took her in his arms and lifted her off her feet as he gave her a passionate kiss. She responded gladly, but then had to continue with her preparations for the day. Heyes said, "Sweetie, I think Marvin might be more at home in a little place like Keuka than in New York or Cambridge. And I can just see teaching my son – or daughter – to fish on the lake. I just hope you wouldn't be unhappy."
"If you're with me, and we have a healthy baby, I'll be happy anyplace, my sweet professor," said Beth, her eyes filled with delight and love. Seeing her beloved happy made her happy. "I know you'd like a country place, so long as you can get to a good library now and then."
Heyes sighed. "Oh, how I want to just stay home here with you today. I've been away too long. But I've got to get moving, too. I need to get over to Levy's place, since I'll have to miss this weekend to go up to Keuka. He'll be sorry to have me go. He'll have to find another man willing to be stiffed on every check."
"My goodness, you are confident! As you should be," said Beth as she looked up from washing her face in a basin. "But what about Harvard? You seemed upset about them when we spoke on the telephone."
The former outlaw pulled on his drawers. He sat on the edge of the bed and stared into space. His elation of moments before faded away rapidly. "The dean's a good man. I do wonder if I'm . . . sophisticated enough for them. And I also had to meet with, well, with a . . . criminal . . . psychologist." Even the words were hard for him. He paused for a long moment, then drew on one sock. "He wanted to pry into . . . all my hard p-past."
"My poor baby! It sounds awful. And after you'd had that flood to get through and a railroad wreck and all. I just hope you aren't too worn out." Beth leaned over to kiss her beloved's cheek. As she began to straighten up, her ample bosom brushed his shoulder and he kissed this portion of his wife. She gave a soft laugh almost like a purr, but then had to pull away and go on with dressing.
Heyes thoughtfully pulled on his other sock. "That fool doctor won't stop me from getting the job. He said so. But I don't know. Harvard - I still can't really believe they'd want Hannibal Heyes on the faculty. It would be mighty nice. It would pay better than Keuka, that's for sure. And the setting for research would be the best."
"Still, you'd rather stay with Keuka." Beth was lacing up her corset a bit less tightly than she had used to.
"They really value me there. Or the dean does. His name is Charlie. Charlie White." Heyes' brilliant smile was back. He went to heat some water in the kitchen so he could shave and get going on another day.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"So, Joshua, did you find a position?" the younger Mr. Levy asked his firm's part time bookkeeper. Heyes was sitting at his tiny desk in the factory's dusty office, putting on his black sleeve protectors and eye shade.
"I don't have final word yet, but I think maybe so," answered Heyes as he opened the big ledger book. "Harvard might be good for spring, but I met the dean of a little college called Keuka, too. He all but promised to take me on as professor of mathematics this fall."
Mr. Levy junior straitened his glasses. "Goodness gracious! So you will be leaving us soon?"
"I did warn your father about that. Yes, one way or another, I will be gone soon. If not to be a professor this semester, then to go out west and manage my partner's business for a while." Heyes spoke with his back to his employer's son. The former outlaw was already checking rows of figures - looking back and forth between the ledger and a pile of receipts. He blew the cloth dust off of one slip of paper and checked it against an entry in the ledger, shook his head, and neatly corrected a figure.
The former outlaw had told the younger Levy few personal details. "You mean Mr. Curry? What business does he have?"
"Yes, Jed Curry. He's my cousin. He and his wife run a hotel and saloon. He's also the town sheriff and they have a baby due this fall." Heyes spoke quietly out turning from his work.
The younger Levy nodded. "So they would be glad of your help. Well, one way or the other, I wish you well. You have done good work for us, between your many travels."
"Thank you," said the bookkeeper. He finally turned around to smile at his boss's son. "I've been glad to have good, honest work with you and your father. I'll let you know my plans as soon as I know them."
"I have distracted you long enough. Papa would fuss at me. I'll go away and let you work in peace. But I will miss having so hard-working a retired outlaw about the place."
"Thank you, Mr. Levy," said Heyes and turned back dutifully to the ledger. There was a lot of work to do and the Heyes family needed every penny of pay for this work before it ended.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
After a morning's tedious work, Heyes put down his pen, flexed his weary right hand and yawned. He pulled off his eye shade and sleeve protectors, then went down the street to a little deli to get lunch. He was sitting on a stool at the counter, hungrily gnawing his way through a chicken sandwich when he heard a voice say, "Joshua!"
The former outlaw turned warily, but was happy to find his Columbia friend Neal George pulling up a stool next to him.
Heyes finished a bite and said, "Hi Neal. What brings you all the way down here?"
The Columbia University graduate student Heyes had known the longest pointed at his friend. "You. Everybody wants to know where you're gonna be this fall, so they sent me down to find out. Your boss, Levy, said I'd likely find you here."
The conversation paused for a moment while NG ordered a corned beef sandwich and a lemonade. Heyes was grinning at his friend all while the brisk man behind the counter was taking the order.
Neal speculated, "You're looking awful tickled. Harvard?"
Heyes put down a dill pickle and said, "I don't know yet. Maybe in the spring. Or maybe not. I haven't heard back yet. But on the train back I met the dean of a new school called Keuka College. They sound real likely to want me this fall. Their math prof died."
"You didn't have the Kid bump him off, did you?" Chucked Neal. He was stunned at the level of fury he suddenly saw on his friend's face.
"Shut up, you bastard!" barked a nearly purple Heyes.
"My God, Joshua! I was only kidding," exclaimed Neal, drawing back in horror.
Heyes took several deep breaths before he dared to speak. "I'm sorry, Neal. Murder isn't a thing I can joke about."
NG was aghast. "You guys have never had anyone seriously think that of you, have you, I mean other than your trial? Oh, jeez – I guess you must have had them think you were killers."
Heyes nodded grimly. "Yeah, a lot of times in the old days. Guys used to always be trying to hire the Kid for that kind of work. Or me, before the word got out that we wouldn't do it."
"My God, you're serious." NG said, horrified to consider his friend's past in this light.
"Yeah." The former outlaw said casually, his eyes distant.
The former Philadelphia printer stared searchingly at his friend. "Sometimes I forget who you used to be."
Heyes eyebrows rose. "I'm glad you don't see me that way. But still, some schools seem to wonder. Am I or was I? They aren't sure."
"But are you sure?" asked Neal, his face troubled.
"Positive."
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Heyes felt very strange riding an eastern train while he was dressed in western gear. But Charlie White, the dean of Keuka College, had wired him that he would need to ride a horse in western tack when he arrived. They would look around the area on Friday afternoon, then Heyes would meet the board on Saturday. The country along the train lines certainly looked rural and picturesque enough. Heyes watched dense forest alternating with farm fields and now and then a little town with brick houses. When the train slowed once, he saw deer grazing in a meadow. He looked out the windows of the train and smiled as he removed his suitcase from the luggage rack and prepared to get off at the next stop. They were approaching the shore of a lake with long forest-clad shores. Everything looked very green and lush.
A fashionably dressed young woman was also getting to her feet, fighting the sway of the train. Heyes helped her to get her carpet bag off the rack.
"Thank you, sir. You look happy," she said to the stranger in the black cowboy hat.
Heyes grinned at her and tipped his hat. "So do you, miss."
The pretty blonde smiled at Heyes. "Well, I'm coming home. You look and sound like you aren't from anywhere within a thousand miles of here."
Heyes nodded. "Try twelve hundred miles and you about have it," he said. "I'm from Kansas, though I'm actually coming from New York City."
The young lady's eyes opened wider as the train's breaks hissed. "What, do you ride for Buffalo Bill's Wild West show?"
"No. He asked me, but I turned him down." Said the former outlaw with a solemn voice but sparking eyes.
So the blonde was laughing as train came to a stop and Heyes helped her and her luggage down to the platform. They were at a picturesque little station that was painted bright red and had a pointed turret on one end. It was set amid the trees along the lake from which a crisp breeze was blowing. The young lady's feather-trimmed hat escaped her grasp, but Heyes dropped his saddle bags and made a leap to grab it. He just managed the snag the hat, then handed it to its owner with a bow and a flourish.
"Thank you! I should have known better than to wear something so impractical," said the lady.
"My pleasure, Miss," said Heyes.
A tall, broad-shouldered man who had come from a wagon hitched next to the station took off his battered bowler hat and said, "Welcome home, Miss White. Who's your friend?"
"I don't know his name yet. We were just getting to that when you came up, Roy," she answered brightly.
"My name's Heyes," said that gentleman to his pretty new acquaintance and the newcomer. "Miss, are you related to Dean White?"
Miss White said, "Why yes, I'm his sister, Jane. And this is Roy Wrenn. We couldn't do without him at Keuka. If my brother doesn't do it, Mr. Wrenn does, from driving folks around to fixing the chimney. What brings you way out here to the Finger Lakes Mr. Heyes? It's late in the year for a holiday."
Before Heyes could speak, Roy Wrenn said in his gruff voice, "The dean says he's here to try for Professor Denker's old post." It sounded as if replacing Professor Denker might not guarantee a man popularity at this school. "I'm gonna drive you and Mr. Heyes' stuff back to the lodge while the dean rides around the lake with him." Wrenn gave Heyes a challenging look. The former outlaw was starting to get the distinct feeling that Jane White didn't know who he was, but Mr. Wrenn did. And the handy man wasn't happy about it – especially not the friendly way Miss White was smiling at the westerner.
"Good luck, Mr. Heyes," said Jane White.
"Thanks! Nice to meet you, Mr. Wrenn," said the western garbed applicant. He wasn't going to get angry every time someone doubted him. "Let me help you get the luggage into the wagon."
"I can manage," said Wrenn defensively. "You come with me, Miss White. Your horse is hitched just there by the platform, Heyes. The dean is riding along the lake just over that way." He pointed away from the colorful little depot and out into the dense oak woods.
"Thank you. See you later, Miss White, Mr. Wrenn," said Heyes and tipped his hat to the lady.
"Have a pleasant ride, Mr. Heyes," said Jane White. "You certainly have a fine afternoon for it. I warn you – my brother likes to gallop."
"Good!" Said Heyes, "so do I." Jane waved back as the wagon rattled off down the rutted dirt lane and vanished behind a stand of towering green trees.
Heyes found a western tacked bay horse tied to a hitching post waiting for him. The horse jerked nervously at its reins as Heyes came up to it. "Easy, boy," said the veteran rider calmingly. "High strung, are you? That's no problem. We'll get along fine." He gently patted the bay's shoulder, then carefully checked the horse's hooves and the bridle and saddle. The more he touched the horse, moving slowly and calmly, talking the whole time, the more the animal relaxed. Considering how Mr. Wrenn seemed to feel about ex-outlaw applicants, Heyes wasn't going to take anything for granted. The cinch did need tightening, but that was to be expected with any horse left to stand. Otherwise, he could find nothing amiss.
The retired western outlaw patted his mount, then swung into the saddle. It felt good to be riding on a pretty day in a place where something new would be waiting around every bend. Heyes took up the reins and neck-reined the horse toward the lake. He trotted down a trail through the trees running near the shore. Hearing a distant steam whistle, the rider peered between the trees. Heyes could glimpse a paddle steam ship going down the lake a good mile down the way, sending up a column of dark smoke.
Before long, Heyes heard a horse cantering along the path toward him, though he couldn't see the approaching horse yet. Coming around a bend, the rider came into view on the oak-shaded path. It was Charlie White wearing a tweed suit and riding a grey horse with a western saddle.
"Howdy, dean!" Called Heyes.
"Welcome to Keuka Lake, Joshua!" Cried the curly-haired dean. He rode to the side of the westerner and pulled up his horse.
Charlie White looked dismayed. "Oh golly, Mr. Wrenn gave you Rocket from the college stable to ride. I hope you don't mind a spirited mount."
Heyes laughed and patted the horse affectionately. "Are you kidding? He's a pussycat. Mr. Wrenn made it real clear he didn't want anyone putting moves on your sister, which I wouldn't anyhow, of course. But if he thinks this horse is more than I can handle, he has another think coming. I used to make part of my living breaking bronks."
"For your gangs?"Asked the dean, intrigued.
Heyes said, "Yeah. But when I got thrown once and busted my arm, that was the end of that."
White immediately understood. "I suppose your arms and hands needed to be preserved for use in more valuable directions – like opening safes."
"Exactly." The men walked their horses side by side along the grassy lake shore as they spoke, not objecting too much if the animals dawdled to grab a mouthful of greens.
The easterner was looking his potential employee over carefully. "I notice you wear gloves on a warm day. Is that for the same reason?"
"That's right. Old habits die hard," Heyes thought better of this and added, "or some of them do."
"Is that your old outlaw black hat?"
Heyes grinned and shook his head. "No – it's a brand new one, but just like it. The old one got a bullet hole in it and eventually got in such bad shape you could put your hand through it. Nowadays it hangs on a rack of buffalo horns over the bar at the Kid's place in Colorado."
The dean smiled at the mental picture. "Do the tourists pay a dime each to see it?"
"Nah. Wish they did. I could use the cash. You gonna show me around this pretty country you got here?"
"Le's go!" Urged Charlie White.
The pair trotted through wooded hills along the lake. At one point a wild turkey flew across the path, startling Heyes, but the horses didn't turn a hair. They returned to the lake shore, riding always north, with the sun over their left shoulders.
As they came to a wide meadow, the dean cocked an eye at Heyes. "Race?"
"Sure," agreed the ex-outlaw. Before the dean could sit up, his companion was off, leaning forward and urging his mount with his rein ends. White hurried after him, but he had no chance to catch a man with such a head start on a fast horse. Heyes and Rocket got to the big oak at the end of the meadow five yards ahead of the dean and his speedy grey.
The dean pulled up laughing and took off his bowler to wipe his brow. "Whew! I should have known you could ride, Heyes."
"How do you think the Kid and I dodged all those posses and bounty hunters?" The former outlaw wiped the back of his neck with his bandana. The pair walked their horses out along a breezy path above the lake shore.
"And here I thought it was pure brilliance," said Charlie White with a grin.
"Well, that, too," replied Heyes with a wink.
As they took a leisurely tour of the lake shore, the dean gestured to a shady, rocky spot on the bank. "That's a good fishing hole."
Heyes pushed back his hat to have a closer look. "I bet. What do you catch?"
"Lake trout, rainbows, brownies, even a kind of salmon," recited the dean proudly. "I often come here of a Saturday."
"You do? As a dean?" The former outlaw asked in surprise.
White watched his potential professor as he answered. "Sure. I work hard and so does my faculty, but we have time for ourselves and our families. And this isn't a bad place for it. It's fine country. You'll enjoy it."
"I think I would," replied Heyes thoughtfully. "Here I'd been thinking I'd have to give up country pleasures to be a professor. And I was willing to do it to make the kind of living I want for my family."
White said, "Well, maybe you won't have to give up much. Wouldn't you like to raise your family with some of what you grew up enjoying? You grew up on a farm, didn't you?"
Heyes looked away from the dean, not wanting his possible boss to see the pain in his eyes. "Yeah, well, till our folks were killed. Then we were on a work ranch for waywards, like I told you on the train."
"In the stories they make out you and your partner as so care free. But you've had hard lives, before this." It wasn't a question.
"No harder than a lot of guys we know. Let's ride, Charlie." The joking was gone from Heyes' voice.
The dean said softly, "I'm sorry to remind you of your losses, Joshua."
Heyes didn't answer. He just headed his horse north and rode on. The pair rode a long way in silence, with the dean in the lead. They loitered down the wooded paths and trotted across meadows. As they came close to the wooded river bank, a fine eight point buck looked up and leapt away. Heyes drew his pistol and sighted at the buck, but he didn't fire.
"You had him dead to rights," said White. "We could have done with some fresh venison. And you'd have had a handsome rack for your wall if you get a house here."
Heyes shrugged. "Yeah, but I never did like to kill anything. Peace is more my style. Always was. Let him go raise his own family."
The dean nodded. "I prefer it that way, too, to tell you the truth. We've had a long stretch in the saddle. What say we stop and rest under that tree and let the horses drink and blow? There are still a few miles before we get to the school."
"Sure," said Heyes. "I could use some fresh water." He swung stiffly down from the saddle with a low grunt.
The dean dismounted. The pair led their mounts to drink from a stream running into the lake. The men put their hands in to take their own drinks and splash their hot necks. Then Dean White bent down to hobble his horse.
Heyes asked, "Do these animals ground tie?"
Charlie White looked up and saw Heyes standing with Rocket's reins in his hand. The dean said, "I don't know. Never tried it. Why don't you hobble Rocket so he can browse a bit?"
"I, um, remember I said something about old habits?"the ex-outlaw sounded uneasy.
"Yeah. What is it?" The dean studied Heyes for a moment. "Oh. Sorry. I should have known that outlaws and hobbles don't mix. Not exactly suited for a fast getaway."
"You got it." Heyes gave brief snort of laughter. "I guess I'm paranoid, but I still don't like to feel that vulnerable. I want to know I can get gone if somebody hasn't heard my hide isn't still worth fifteen thousand bucks for any taker. It's not that long I've had amnesty. Or what if I meet an old enemy? I'm not as crazy as that sounds – I have run into a couple of situations like that in just the last few weeks."
"In New York City?" White tried not to sound too incredulous.
"Yeah. An old, um, colleague of mine tried to rob my wife the night before our wedding. Oh boy, was he surprised to see me - with a gun in my hand, of course."
The dean whistled. "Wow! It's a small world. Well, try ground tying Rocket if hobbles make you nervous. I don't know what will happen, but I'd lay you money no bounty hunters will come along."
Heyes paused a moment, then said, "Do you have extra hobbles I could borrow, Charlie? I guess I'd better learn to relax."
"You really should try."
A half hour later, the men were back in their saddles and on their way. The sun was starting to get pretty low and they wanted to get to town in time for dinner. As they got near the school the path grew into a road which had a house near it here and there. The dean pointed to a little log home as they got near the edge of town. "That one's for sale, I understand. Has a little stable in back and space for a nice garden."
"Oh," said Heyes. "That's nice. Looks cozy."
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Back in Louisville, the Kid went in to his office, still smiling from his visit to what would soon be his home. "What news, Al?" He asked his deputy.
For once, the blond former thief from Wyoming didn't have a smart aleck grin on his face. "Got a wire in from Wyoming. There was a nasty tran robbery outside Laramie. Gang got away with a payroll worth $10,000."
"They know who it was?" Curry asked urgently.
"Not sure. They killed the only guy who got a good look. But a Marshall tracking them thought maybe the Teasdales. The young ones, you know?"
"Yeah, I know," said Kid Curry. Now he wasn't smiling, either. "What way was the gang headed?"
"South into Colorado. But they're sure to be dodging around. Still, we better keep an eye out. They got a bad reputation." Al was checking his ammunition before he headed out on patrol.
Curry nodded. "Yeah, they always do dodge and weave. We always did. And they surely got a real bad reputation. Let me know if you hear more."
"Sure, boss."
The door closed behind Kelly.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Cat Curry lay awake in the sultry summer darkness. The Kid shifted from on one side to the other and then lay on his back. His breath came deeply, but irregularly. He lay with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling.
"What's the matter?" asked the sheriff's wife.
"Nothing," Curry said briefly.
"Well, if you don't want to tell me, be that way." Cat turned so her back was to her wakeful husband. He didn't answer. He lay awake for nearly another hour.
