Professor and Mrs. Heyes walked hand in hand onto to the porch of the Hideout, the former Ross's Hotel, to share their news with the people closest to them. The Heyes' brown eyes were quietly alight with joy. The friends who had been speculating about Heyes' early return from the university fell silent as they saw Heyes and Beth returning. Mrs. Heyes spoke quietly to the three sitting in the shade on rocking chairs. "Charlie, Jed, Cat, we have some news for you. But we want to keep this to just us, please."

The Kid looked curiously at his partner. Curry, while hiding his hopes behind his poker face, felt pretty sure the news was good. He beckoned them all, "Come on back. Chase is working in your office, Heyes, so let's talk in mine."

The five hurried back along the hall and in the glossy dark door, with Heyes in the lead and Cat bringing up the rear.

"So, what is it?" Kid Curry asked, turning to look at Beth and at Heyes with barely suppressed excitement as he closed the door behind Cat.

Heyes and Beth exchanged glances. She gestured and nodded at him – it was his news. Heyes kept a straight face, but with difficulty. His voice sounded deeper than usual. "Colorado changed their mind about hiring me to tutor." He paused dramatically – Cat, Jed, and Charlie held their breaths until Heyes went on, "They decided they'd rather have me as a professor."

The Kid gave a whoop that echoed off the walls as he leapt happily into the air and then gave Heyes a bear hug. The office was filled with hugs, smiles, and tears. Charlie burst out laughing and pumped his former student's hand. Heyes was blinking away happy tears as he shook Charlie's hand, hugged Cat, then shook his partner's hand. For once, without injury, Hannibal Heyes was speechless. Beth could not hide her tears as Cat and Charlie and then the Kid embraced her.

As his friends talked happily all at once, Heyes sat on the front of Curry's desk with his head thrown back, laughing with joy. Charlie and the ladies took the chairs Curry kept for meetings.

"Wow, that's great news, partner! A professor! Here in Colorado!" Crowed Jed, as the celebratory noise began to quiet down. "But how can they pay you? I thought you said they were too short of money."

Heyes fell quiet and his eyebrows rose slyly. Here was the heart of his story, "They were broke. But they got a call from a guy who had the bucks and was willing to share."

The Kid's blue eyes gleamed. He was full of questions. "So, who's this paying your salary?"

The rookie professor answered cautiously, "They won't tell me the name. The patron said his identity has to stay secret. I guess I don't blame him, considering who he's backing, and how nobody else wants to pay for me to teach."

"Doesn't it make you nervous not knowing who's behind the money?" Asked Cat anxiously, shifting in her seat. "You don't know what he might ask – he knows you owe him. But if you don't know who he is . . . "

"Oh, I know who the patron is," said Heyes crossing his arms.

"But you just said it's a secret!" Said Charlie.

Heyes smiled with his special kind of confidence that the Kid knew so well. His dimple deepened. "They don't have to tell me. I know. I mean, come on. Who knows all about my academic background, has plenty of money, and has been trying for years to get me to work for him?" The former outlaw was openly gleeful at how easily he had broken through this supposed wall of secrecy. He loved to defeat rich, powerful people at their own games.

"Robert Harris," said Beth and the Kid at almost the same moment. They smiled at each other. Heyes seemed a little disappointed that they both followed his reasoning so easily.

"I'm pretty sure that's right," He confirmed. He leaned forward conspiratorially and lowered his voice. "Don't tell anybody, of course, or I'll lose my endowment." Heyes winked at his friends and sat back up. "Charlie and Cat, in case you forgot, Harris is the President of the Board of the Union Pacific Railroad and he's also on the board of Columbia University. Remember that party at Columbia a few years back, where the President introduced us to him? He wanted to pay for my schooling when he didn't know who I was. I didn't dare take him up on it. You know what fits we used to give him, Kid! And then, when you guys were arguing for me to be able to graduate from Columbia, Harris tried to hire me, straight out. I said no, since I had promised the governors I would try for a teaching position. So now, he's found a way to both hire me and let me teach. He's a smart guy."

"Yeah. But how did he know you're out here?" Asked the Kid, sitting down behind his desk.

"I called him up and told him, just before we took the train out here," said Heyes smugly, glancing back at his partner. "I knew he wanted to hire me, and of course I needed a job, so I said I'd be glad to hear from him. I didn't get through to the man himself, but I talked to some employee of his." Heyes' eyebrows rose. "Seems like the word got through, doesn't it?"

"But what if he wants something out of you, Heyes? Some kind of work, or advice or something?" Asked the Kid skeptically, pointing his finger at his partner.

"So, what if he does?" Said Heyes, leaning back and propping himself up with one elbow so he could look his partner in the eye. "So long as he doesn't ask me to break the law or do something unethical or leave my family and he lets me teach, I don't care what he asks. I'm glad to help the guy get the trains to run on time and not be robbed. I figure that's what he wants."

"I don't blame him," said Cat. "He's a business man. You guys cost him a bunch of money when you were robbing his trains. Now you can help him make money by keeping other guys from robbing them."

"But what are your teaching responsibilities, Heyes?" Asked Charlie, eager to know the professional situation.

The new professor was glad to get into the academic side of the question. He sat back up and addressed his former advisor, counting off classes on his fingers. "Three under grad classes each semester, normally, though just two for this first semester. That'll be hard enough to get together so quickly."

"Will you be advising undergrads?" Asked Charlie.

Heyes nodded eagerly. "Yes, of course. I'm here to help those students! There are no math majors yet, but there will be. The adjuncts will take on the tutoring and they'll teach the two classes I won't be doing. But I'm in charge. Not officially department chair yet, but almost as good as. I get my pick of classes to teach. Lucky me. Poor adjuncts."

"Yes, it's always the way," said Beth. "Professors rule the roost. But you've earned it. It's more than time you were given some respect and authority. Will you have teaching assistants?"

"Yeah, one of the adjuncts will help me out. I get to pick which one. The Colorado administration wants me to be sure to have time to do research and publishing. They'll even give me a sabbatical now and then, but not for a few years." Heyes was smiling, with the crows' feet crinkling around his eyes; he was enjoying being the center of all this celebratory attention.

"Great! I can't imagine you'd stay with a place that didn't give you space to think and publish. But what about the PhD?" Asked Charlie. "Will they give you support to go after it?" Cat and the Kid sat quietly as Beth and Charlie asked these academic questions. They had a lot to learn about Heyes' new world and they were trying to take it all in.

"Yes, they'll support my doctorate, assuming I get past my first trial year and they're happy with me. They'll pay for it – or Harris will. And they'll give me the time offteaching to take the classes and write the dissertation. But not yet, like I said." The new professor obviously wasn't bothered by the delay.

Beth smiled, but uneasily. There were no doctoral programs in mathematics, or anything else, within hundreds of miles of Louisville. More moves might be in their future, with children in tow.

Meanwhile, Charlie continued his academic comments and questions. "Good! That's the only way you'll get to make the progress you want. Do you get your own office to do that work in?"

"No. I have to share with somebody." Heyes shook his head. "It's no problem. Nobody has his own office, well, except the dean."

"Who's your office mate?" Asked Beth.

Heyes wasn't worried. "I don't know. I'll start meeting adjuncts and other professors when I report to work tomorrow. There'll be paperwork and meetings and all that stuff to get through." He waved one hand dismissively.

Finally, Cat asked, "But I still don't understand – I thought you always had to meet with the board at a school before they'd hire you?"

"I did meet the board," said Heyes, holding his head high with satisfaction,

"Huh? Where and when was that?" asked Cat.

Heyes chuckled deep in his throat. "Those guys at the poker game out at the Fayette mine." His friends laughed. "I think every one of them is on the Colorado board. It wasn't the whole board, but enough for a quorum." He saw his partner looking puzzled. "Enough to be able to officially vote to hire me," the newly hired professor added. "So, they did."

"Ah," said the Kid awkwardly. "Good."

"What days will you be teaching?" Asked Beth.

"I don't know yet, but it'll be four days a week, I think. I might get Fridays without classes." Heyes took all the uncertainty in stride.

The kid was deeply aggrieved. "Wait a minute," he cried, "You'll just work a couple of hours four days a week and you get a full salary? When I work ten hours a day with a gun on my hip six or seven days a week for a little bit of nothing that I share with two deputies?"

Charlie, Beth, and Heyes all burst out laughing. "No, no, no!" Beth proclaimed protectively. "Teaching is exhausting, and a professor spends at least as much time planning as teaching. More time, when he's just starting out with new classes. And he has to check papers, write tests, figure up grades, meet with students, be in charge of his assistants, go to faculty meetings, chat up financial supporters, and do his own research and publishing. And apply for research grants and all that. So, no, Heyes won't have any trouble keeping busy."

"Oh," replied the Kid softly, rubbing his chin. He was feeling very foolish.

Cat asked, "Heyes, what about managing the Hideout? I mean, I don't like to pick when you've just gotten the job you always wanted, but what about us?" She sounded wounded. The Kid, too, looked hurt.

Heyes nodded glumly. "I know. I hate to run out on you. Again. I can still keep an eye on things, check the books, help with big decisions – be a partner. But . . .."

Cat chuckled and her husband grinned. The Kid snorted, "Oh, come on, Heyes!"

Cat revealed the joke, "Oh, Joshua, we're just teasing you. We'll keep Mr. Chase as manager. You know he wants to stay."

Heyes was relieved to join the laughter. "Good! Well, he knows a lot more about hotel managing than I do, or ever will, that's for sure. And the staff loves him."

"So do we," said Cat. "So, that's settled. We just have to tell him."

"And hope he hasn't found another job yet," the new professor noted.

"So, now you can tell the State of Wyoming your good news, and arrange to bring Marvin Mosley down here to foster him?" Asked Charlie.

"Yes!" Heyes glowed with joy. He slid down off the desk and went to hold his wife's hand. "Beth and I have been planning. I'll go over and write telegrams to the State of Wyoming, and the head of the prison, and Marvin. We've got our eye on a little house here in town that we can rent. It's not fair to ask you to put us all up at your place, with your baby on the way."

"No!" Said Cat, getting to her feet a bit awkwardly. She glanced inquiringly at Jed, who smiled and nodded. "No, you aren't going to move out and crowd into some pokey little place in town. Not when Beth and I are both expecting and we have that fine, new house. We'll both need help with our babies – who's better than each other? And it'll be easy for Jed and Heyes to consult about the hotel if we're in the same house. We want you with us."

Beth looked very uncomfortable. Clearly, she hated to seem ungrateful, but she had to say, "But once the baby comes, there won't be a room for Marvin to sleep in, except the parlor. You wouldn't want that. I'm sorry, but I don't want a teenaged boy sleeping in our room with us, not if we can help it. He needs privacy and so do we. And Heyes needs his sleep, so he can't have the crib in the room with him, either."

"Don't you worry," said Jed firmly. "We designed that house to be all ready to have a couple of rooms added on, real easy, for our kids to come. We can go ahead and do that now."

"Really?" Beth was delighted.

"Sure!" The Kid assured her with a firm nod. "Marvin can stay in the nursery for a little while after Charlie goes back to New York while we get that new room built. Before the snow flies, we can get that new room ready for Marvin, if we get a move on. And we might as well do another room while we're at it – on the second floor. We'll need 'em both later, I hope." He smiled at his wife.

"Sounds great!" Said Heyes. "We'll pay as much as we can, of course."

"We'd appreciate a little money help," said Cat. "But not much, because we'll get the whole use of the rooms later, when you get your own place. For now, you can use the extra room for whatever you like. A sitting room or office or what have you. Between the stock of the two hotels, we have plenty of old furniture you can use. It's not perfect, but it stands up. If we refinish it, it'll look fine. I know you'll want your own place one of these days, when you're really settled at the University and saved a bit. But right now, we'd really rather have you with us. That is, if you don't mind."

Beth and Heyes held hands and smiled at each other, and at their cousins. Heyes spoke for the pair. "Mind? That sounds terrific to me. To us. Thank you!" He was blinking hard. "That's mighty generous of you, Cat, Jed. I sure am a lucky guy to be in your family. We'll do our best to make sure Marvin isn't too much trouble. He can do some work in the stable and stuff, between working on his studies. A boy needs to do chores, and he has been, at that place he's been living. They tell me he works real hard."

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There was a knock at the hotel manager's office door. "Come in," said Hal Chase, pushing up his eye shade and looking up from his ledger book.

A pair of grinning ex-outlaws stepped in the door, both wearing their best suits. "So, Chase," asked Curry, "have you found yourself a new job yet?"

"No." The outgoing hotel manager sighed. "No luck yet."

"Great!" Said Heyes.

"Great?" Chase was puzzled. He had thought his bosses here liked him. And wanted him to do well.

"Yeah, great!" The Kid repeated.

"I just found out I can't manage the hotel, Hal," Heyes explained. "Don't tell anybody else, yet, but I hired on at the University of Colorado – as a professor! We want you to stay."

"Wow!" Chase got to his feet. "Truly?"

"You bet!" Said Curry.

Chase grinned behind his wire rims and stuck out a slender hand. "Congratulations, Professor Heyes!"

Hearing his new title, the outlaw turned academic grinned brilliantly, white teeth showing. He had wanted this so much for so long.

"And the same to you, Mr. Manager!" said Heyes gladly. "Just don't tell the rest of the staff you're back to permanent and that I'm not taking over until I give you the word. I want to keep my new position quiet as long as I can."

"Oh?" Hal was puzzled.

Heyes explained, "Louisville and Boulder are a few miles apart, but not many miles. I don't like to think what's going to happen when a whole campus full of students learns my real, full name. At least for now, I'm Professor H. Joshua Heyes. I'll keep it that way as long as I can. It'll help me to start teaching without a bunch of distractions for the students. But when they find out I'm Kid Curry's business partner, it won't take a lot of figuring to know what the first H stands for. And then, all Hell may break loose. I'll cope, but I'd rather have time to get my feet on the ground first."

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Heyes bit his lip as he sat in his hotel office and wrote out another draft of his telegram to Marvin Mosley. It had to be brief, but clear. And above all, it had to be positive. His new son had to have no doubts that his new family wanted him and were ready for him to come. Yet much remained to be worked out.

"Marvin Mosley, Laramie, Wyoming, Cleveland's Home for Troubled Boys

Get ready to pack your bags stop I got work so you can come to Louisville and live with us at the Curry place stop Not sure what day stop Will let you know soon stop Your room and family are waiting stop

Hannibal Heyes, Louisville, Colorado"

An hour later, In Wyoming, Marvin Mosley sat on his bed in the room he shared with a half dozen boys at the home. He read the telegram over again. He glanced around again to make sure he was still alone. "Wow!" He whispered to himself. "My own room! With Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry! Wow!" He fell silent. Then he added, even more softly. "And a new Ma. I hope she's nice." He cleared his throat.

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"Well, I'd better get home and get some class planning done," said Heyes to Charlie as they walked down the hall of the Hideaway together. "And I need to get our place ready for Marvin."

"No," said the senior professor. "Not right now. You have more than two weeks to get ready for that first class and few days to prepare for Marvin. Right now, I think you need to take an hour or so off to just relax. You have a lot of work ahead of you."

Heyes stopped walking, with his hands in his pockets. "Aw, Charlie, I can't . . ."

"Aw, come on, yourself," Charlie countered. "I'm leaving to visit my sister and her family in Wyoming day after tomorrow. You report to work tomorrow morning. What about me?"

"Well, if you put it like that, Charlie," replied Heyes with a sparkle in his eyes. "How can I refuse? So, what do we do? It's too late for fishing and too early for poker."

Charlie's eyes were sparkling, too. "Well, it so happens that your partner has gotten something as an enhancement for this new hotel that I think you might enjoy. Right this way, Professor Heyes." The older man gestured down the hall toward a back party room. As the pair of professors got to the door of the room, they heard a clacking sound.

"Oh, Charlie, is that what I think it is?" Asked Heyes gleefully. He opened the door. His partner was just walking around the back of a handsome pool table Heyes had never seen before.

"Gosh, Heyes, do you know how to play this game?" Asked the blue-eyed hotel owner with mock innocence. "I hear it's real popular in classy places. Can you show me?" He held out a cue.

"I'll try to help you out, Jed," Said Heyes, winking at his partner and reaching for the cue. "And I believe you play, Charlie?"

"Oh, I might be able to sink a ball or two," said the man from Wyoming. "You want some practice, professor? And maybe a lesson? I'll rack 'em up, Kid. Then you just stand back and watch me reduce your partner to tears."

"We'll see about that, Charlie," said Heyes as he chalked up his cue. Then he set his cue on the rack and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a quarter. "We will just have to see about that. You want to flip a coin to see who breaks?"

The Kid watched with particular satisfaction. He enjoyed, for once, seeing Heyes victimize someone else with this particular skill. Curry had never figured out how his partner did it, but he knew that he did.

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Heyes and his family had a noisy celebratory dinner back at the Curry household that night. They had exciting plans and hopes to talk about. But near the end of the meal, as they were finishing their rice pudding, the man of honor was quiet and thoughtful. The other four continued to chatter, but Heyes just shoved his food around the plate. Everyone noticed, but no one said anything about it.

As the men cleared the table and did the dishes, the ladies repaired to the parlor for a talk. When the dishes were done, Jed went out to feed the horses. Heyes offered to help, but the Kid waved him off. "You stay and talk with Charlie. He won't be here that much longer."

For a few minutes, the pair sat in silence on the porch, watching the mountains turn purple and the fire flies come out. Finally, Professor Homer said, "So, Heyes, judging from your mood, I'd say you do know it's not going to be all beer and skittles when you get started at the University."

Heyes stared out into the gathering shadows. "Yeah, I know. Those academics and their wives, and the rich donors and their wives, aren't going to cotton to a notorious outlaw too easily. Or to his wife. Or his foster son who used to pick pockets."

Charlie sighed. "I'm afraid you're right. I didn't have an easy time getting started as a professor, and nobody ever saw my name on a wanted poster or the cover of a dime novel. Or in the newspaper. Yes, it took me a while to earn trust and respect. But it happened. And it will for you, too."

"I hope so," said Heyes. "I can get through a little rudeness. But what do I do to make it better for Beth and Marvin, and our baby while I'm working on that trust and respect? I don't want my family spat at." The wet behind the ears professor looked pleadingly at the experienced one.

Charley Homer spoke softly, not wanting the ladies to hear. "I don't know that there is much you can do to make it better, except to love them. And to be your usual brilliant, nice, and hardworking self. But there is plenty you could do to make it worse."

"Like what?" Asked Heyes, troubled. "Anything you think I might actually do?"

Charlie sounded doubtful. "Well, I hope not. I hope, no matter how nasty anyone is to Beth and Marvin, you know better than to strut around like a celebrity or to threaten anyone. Or break the law, or imply that you might. I know you wouldn't do anything like that if you had time to think about it – but you have to be real careful not to automatically fall back on those outlaw instincts when you're angry and coming to the defense of your family." Heyes' began to open his mouth with a hot retort, but his former advisor cut him off, "You don't have to fold under pressure, but there are ways to be strong and decent at the same time."

Heyes nodded. "Yeah, I know. I found out about a few of those ways these past six years in New York City."

Charlie waved a finger at his former adviser. "You may think you know how to be a sophisticated professor, but remember, once they know who you are, everyone's going to be watching for you to act like an outlaw. They'll get jumpy very easily. It won't take much to have them over react and assume the worst. You will have to be ten times nicer and more civilized than anyone else. And set a goal d example for your foster son, who's never had a man to look up to."

Heyes laughed softly. "Alright, alright. I'll be the nicest ex-outlaw going. And the best father I can manage. But if anyone is mean to my wife or son . . ."

"Heyes!" Warned Charlie.

The former outlaw, imagining the challenges of the future, was not backing down. "Well, I don't give a damn. I'll defend my family no matter what."

Charlie understood all too well. "Sure – just do it carefully. Or you'll all suffer. And Heyes, don't cheat anybody at poker, or pool." He winked at the former outlaw, who could only shrug and look skyward innocently.

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Beth woke up in the darkness. Her husband had just turned over in bed, yet again.

"Sweetie, you'll be fine. You know you will," she whispered to him and gave him a tender kiss.

Heyes put his arm around his wife. "I know it. But, well, there's a lot on my mind. I don't want to mess up anything. For school, or Marvin, or you, or the baby, or the hotel, or the Fayette Mine."

"You do have a lot on your mind. But you have to forget it and get some sleep. Or you'll be all cranky tomorrow, and that won't help. You get some sleep and you'll have a good first day. I wish I could be there, but I need to be here planning. It's probably just as well for you to be introduced around on your own, without a hovering wife. Will they introduce you as Hannibal, or as Joshua?"

Heyes tensed. "Joshua. I think. We're still deciding how long to wait before we tell the faculty and staff about my background."

"Oh. Well, I can see why you're concerned. But don't worry. You'll work it out with the dean and the president. You know they're reasonable men. Good-night, again."

"Good-night, again." Hannibal Heyes kissed his wife and tried his best to relax.

But Beth had other ideas, likely to tire out her husband. "Professor Hannibal Heyes, do you know how much I love you?" She put her arms around her husband's bare chest.

The former outlaw was ready for her. "I think so, but maybe you need to demonstrate, honey." Heyes started things off with a passionate kiss.

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The Heyes, the Currys, and Charlie Homer had breakfast together in the new house. The morning sun streamed through the curtains. The two former outlaws grinned self-consciously at each other. Other than having Charlie there, this was the first day like many to come, with the two men commuting to regular jobs while the two women stayed home. It might be a regular routine for a lot of people, but not for Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. They were starting a new kind of partnership.

Cat served the men another helping of scrambled eggs. "Thanks, Cat. Heyes, I've been thinking," said Charlie. "I'm headed to Wyoming to see my family up there. Marvin is in Wyoming. After I've had a couple of days to visit, why don't I go get Marvin from the home for boys and bring him back here on the train before I head east?"

"We can't ask that, Charlie," Beth hastened to say. "You'll be late getting back to New York to get ready for the fall semester."

"Oh, don't worry. I can get those classes ready in my sleep," said Professor Homer casually. "I got most of the work done before I came out here. Heyes is the one who doesn't need to lose time taking the train up to Wyoming and back while he's dashing to get his first semester of classes ready. And you know perfectly well you can't trust that young ruffian to come down here on his own without getting into trouble."

Heyes sighed. "You're right about my time and maybe about our new son, too, Charlie. When he's had some time with us, and we've got some rules established with him, maybe he can go off on his own for days at the time. But not yet. Do you really have time?"

"Sure I do, or I wouldn't offer," said Charlie. "And besides, I need to meet that boy. He and his little brothers and sisters to come are the closest I'll ever come to having grandkids. And I guess he could use a grandpa, don't you think?"

"Well, if you put it that way, Charlie, then we can't refuse," said Beth, taking her husband's hand under the table.

"You can be a grandpa to ours, too, if you like," said Cat warmly. "They haven't got one of their own." The Kid nodded.

"You just try to stop me!" Said Charlie happily. "I'll be out here every chance I get to play with those kids! And maybe teach them a little something."

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The new professor strode out the door of the Curry house, now, he supposed, the Curry-Heyes house His black riding boots thumped on the new wooden boards. He stood for a moment on the porch, leaning against a column, looking out at the mountains against the brilliant blue morning sky. It looked like being a beautiful late summer day. Soon, Curry was at Heyes' side.

The partners went to the stable to get their horses ready to ride. They were in neighboring stalls grooming their mounts. They both remembered a moment much like this one during Christmas vacation years before just after Heyes had told his partner and Cat about his ambition to start college. But he hadn't dared to say he wanted to be a professor. Now, at last, this long delayed dream was coming true. No words passed between the two men as they diligently curried Clay and Blackie. Just being together, and knowing they would keep being together, was enough. They bridled and saddled the horses they had been riding for more than six years.

Finally, the Kid said, "Well, I guess Blackie's all set. You all set for your first day, Heyes?"

"I got to go get my saddlebags and make sure the dust from old Clay isn't all over me. Teaching's more formal than sheriffing, or outlawing. See you this evening, partner. I know Beth and Cat are planning a nice farewell dinner for Charlie, so I won't be late. I guess it's hard for you to be sure to be on time, Mr. Sheriff."

The Kid nodded "Yeah, but I'll do my best. I got two pretty decent deputies to help out. I hope your assistant is half as good."

"Me, too," said Heyes. "I ain't met the guys I'll choose from yet."

Jed led Blackie out of the stable, while Heyes led Clay. Heyes tied his horse to the porch rail while the Kid mounted up.

Elizabeth Heyes, still in her robe, was waiting on the porch with her husband's jacket. His saddlebags were hung over the porch rail. Beth helped Heyes to brush off his shirt and pants. She took his glasses out of their case and put them on her husband, carefully straightened his tie, brushed back the grey lock at his left temple, and gave him a kiss. "Don't worry, Heyes. Most campuses are pretty relaxed between semesters. You might be there before anyone but the janitor. And you'll sure be better dressed than anyone except the President. Have a good first day at the University of Colorado."

"I will! And you take good care of Charlie until I get home for that farewell dinner we're giving him." Heyes grinned playfully at Beth and gave her a kiss.

He swung up on Clay and waved his hat back at his wife. Heyes was surprised to see that his partner had waited for him, sitting his horse, but he didn't say anything about it. The two trotted off side by side down the path that led to the main road. It felt good to ride together again, however briefly.

As they reached the main road, Sheriff Curry was ready to turn east into town and Professor Heyes to turn west toward Boulder and the Rocky Mountains. They doffed their hats to each other and exchanged grins. Each man urged his mount into a lope. One man wore a tin star while the other had two sheepskins rolled up in his saddlebags, ready to be tacked up on his office wall.

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Well, that's it for this story, at long last. Thank you to all the readers, especially who have written nice reviews. There is one more tale, a shorter one, remaining to wrap up the loose ends and set the boys and their families on their way. The next and final story of the cycle is You See, which is a pun that must be familiar to any student or teacher at the University of Colorado. So, we will see what happens next to Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry and their family and friends.