Trail's End

Chapter Nine

Lom left the next morning just after daybreak, Heyes and Curry there to bid him farewell.

"You boys got a good thing going here," he said. "I'm mighty proud of you. Gotta say I've worried some over these years."

"No more than us, Lom," Curry replied. "It ain't no easy job keepin' Heyes on the straight an' narrow!"

Heyes managed a slight smile at his friend's jab, but it didn't reach his dark eyes which were underlined with dark sleepless circles. "'Preciate your comin' all this way with the amnesties, Lom," he said.

"It was the least I could do, Heyes. Now you boys let me know when you're gettin' hitched so I can be here!"

"We'll do that, Lom," Heyes replied. "You have a safe trip. I need to get back to Brigitte."

"Of course, Heyes!"

The gunslinger and the sheriff watched their friend walk away, an uncharacteristic slump to his shoulders.

"I'm worried, Lom," Curry admitted when Heyes was out of sight. "If Brigitte doesn't make it, I don't think even the amnesty will mean anything."

"You think he'd go back to outlawin'?"

"I dunno, Lom, I really don't, but whatever he does I'll hafta go with 'im!" Sorrow at the thought slumped the Kid's shoulders. "He'll do somethin' stupid, I know it."

"What like you were going to pay a visit to the governor kind of stupid?"

"Nah, like rob the Bank of Fort Worth an' get himself killed in the process!"

"That bank's like breaking into Fort Knox!" Lom exclaimed.

"Yup, an' Heyes sees it as a challenge! In fact, he said the other day how he'd come up with the perfect plan!"

The sheriff sighed. "Well, we'd better just hope Brigitte gets better!"

"You got that right, Lom!"

The sheriff swung into his saddle. "Well, keep me informed, Kid. I hope the only news I hear is good news and a wedding date in the Spring!"

"Me, too, Lom."

With a final wave, Lom turned his horse and loped away. Curry watched until he was a dark spot in the distance then sighed and trudged back into the house.

It was a stressful week for everyone at the ranch as they worried about Brigitte, or tiptoed around Heyes, whose dark looks, in the brief times he was out of the wounded girl's room, disinvited anyone from approaching except for the Kid, who had years of experience dealing with his moody partner.

It was easier than anyone expected to keep Brigitte quiet - - weakness from blood loss had her sleeping much of the time. On the occasions when she was awake she was dosed with their blood building Irish medicine that Heyes remembered very well. "Turn around is fair play," he teased when she wrinkled her nose at the taste.

"You're so bad, Heyes, I don't know why I love you so much," she scolded.

"You love me because I'm such a good bad man, Brigitte!" He laughed and kissed the tip of her nose.

Nights were the worst for pain and restlessness, sleep proving elusive at times. A large bottle of laudanum sat on the bedside table for these times, but Brigitte knew the dangers of overuse and would only agree to take it at the worst times. To distract her at other times Heyes would tell her stories of his outlaw days, or read to her for long hours just as she had done for him.

Heyes rarely left her bedside day or night. He grudgingly left when Dr. O'Reilly and Mary insisted in order to change her bandages, or help her with her necessities. Curry would occasionally be successful in getting him to eat at these moments, but more often had to bring him meals as he kept watch.

Friday evening Heyes had fallen into one of his fitful dozes in the chair when he was startled awake by a light touch on his hand that rested on the coverlet. He looked to Brigitte and saw her emerald eyes watching him intently.

"You have to promise me something, Heyes," she said without preamble.

"Of course, Brigitte, if it within my ability," he assured her with a smile.

"If the worst happens, you must promise me you'll stay here and realize your dream."

The smile disappeared and he was silent for a long moment. "I don't think I can promise you that, Brigitte," he replied seriously.

"Why not? You have your amnest now - - no need to stay on the move."

"It's not my dream if you're not in it, Brigitte."

"Nonsense! It was just you and the Kid until just recently."

"When me an' Kid decided to go for amnesty it wasn't to go to something, it was t'stop bein' chased by posses, t'stop worryin' about trigger happy bounty hunters, or spendin' twenty years in prison! Theplan for what to do after we got our amnesties - - this ranch, families - - that has always had you an' Mary in it! Without you - - well, I just can't promise when I ain't sure I can keep it."

"You could lie to set my heart at rest," she suggested.

"No, I won't lie to you - - not even now. There's two lives hangin' in the balance here, Brigitte, so you gotta keep fightin'!" Heyes' eyes burned intently into hers, his hands gripping hers tightly.

"You know I will, Heyes," she whispered. "I'm not letting you go without a fight, me boyo!"

"Good - - that's good!" he sighed and pressed his lips to her palm. When he raised his eyes again, she had drifted back to sleep.

The weather held fair with only light snow flourishes, which eased one of Heyes' many worries - - what if a hard snow came and prevented the doctor from coming back?

But, true to his word, Dr. Higgins drove up exactly one week later, his buggy laden with his instruments and supplies. He headed straight for his patient, while willing hands unloaded the buggy and cared for his horse.

Heyes was reading when Dr. Higgins and Dr. O'Reilly entered the room. His eyes lit up at the sight of the young doctor and he stood to shake his hand. "It's good to see you, Dr. Barty!"

"How is our patient?" he asked, looking over at the pale girl in the bed.

"Impatient," Heyes replied.

"No, that's you, Joshua," Brigitte disagreed. "But I'm ready so let's get it done!"

"I'll be the judge of that, Brigitte. If you would excuse us for a moment - - " He paused. "What am I supposed to call you now in light of the recent events?"

"Joshua still works, or you can call me Heyes, it doesn't matter to me."

"All right, Joshua, if you could give us a moment."

"Of course." He leaned over and kissed Brigitte lightly. "I'll be right outside."

"No, you go get a good breakfast, Joshua, and some fresh air," the girl ordered. "Da and Barty will take good care of me in the meantime."

"You do look a bit wan, Joshua," Dr. Higgins agreed, looking critically at the ex-outlaw. "Do as she says, you'll be of no use if you exhaust yourself."

"Fine!" Heyes growled and stomped out, but closed the door gently behind him.

Kid Curry's eyes appraised his partner when Heyes stalked into the kitchen and poured himself a mug of coffee. "You look like hell, Heyes," he critiqued.

Heyes just grunted and flopped into a chair.

Curry stood and got his partner a plate, then brought some covered dishes from the stove where they were keeping warm. "Eat. You ain't no good t'Brigitte starved t'death!"

Grumbling under his breath, Heyes broke open a biscuit and slapped a healthy portion of bacon between the halves. He devoured it in silence, much to the Kid's appreciation of the show of appetite, tossed off his coffee and poured himself a fresh cup.

"I've been tellin' myself an' Brigitte that everything was gonna be all right when Dr. Barty got back," he finally broke his silence. "But now he's here an' the time has come, I'm scared, Kid! Right now Brigitte's hurt an' helpless an' she hates it, but she's alive, Kid! What'm I gonna do if - - if - -" he couldn't finish.

"You can't be thinkin' like that, Heyes," Curry replied. "Brigitte's a fighter - - she's gonna beat this!"

"She tried t'make me promise t'stay here, t'keep goin', if she don't make it, but I just couldn't make a promise I may not be able t'keep! She said I shoulda just lied, but I couldn't even do that, Kid!"

"Look at you, Heyes, goin' all soft!" Curry grinned. "Your silver tongue ain't never had trouble lyin' before!"

"It never mattered so much before."

"She wouldn't know the difference."

"But I would an' if I can rationalize that one lie then what would stop me from rationalizing another and then another? I can't build a new life on top of lies."

"You never stop surprisin' me, Heyes."

"How 'bout takin' a walk with me, Kid? Catch me up on what's new on the ranch?"

"Sure, Heyes."

Truth to tell there was little to show since they were hunkering down for the winter, but Heyes needed the distraction and the fresh air. Curry understood this about his friend and, although it went; against his taciturn nature, he rambled on about the little things that had been going on during Heyes' voluntary isolation.

"Though your ego don't need it, Heyes," he said after a few minutes. "I'm beginnin' t'think you're right about Sam an' Mick."

Heyes' eyes lit up a bit. "Really? What has made you change your mind?"

"Well, they're still arguin' all the time, but they spend a lot of time together an' I figure if they didn't like each other they'd find ways t'avoid each other."

"Uh huh."

"See, like that," Curry pointed to a round corral behind the barn. Inside the corral were Sam and Mick and one of Sam's mustangs on a long rope. The pair were in deep conversation as the horse stood patiently. "It's been pretty much just the two of them keepin' things runnin' this past week."

As they watched, Sam said something they couldn't hear and Mick threw back her head and laughed.

"Whoa, Kid, we ever heard her laugh?" Heyes asked, eyes wide in surprise.

"Not to my recollection, Heyes."

"Huh! Well, I guess you know better than t'bet against me in matters of the heart, don't you, Kid?"

"Just cuz you're right this time don't make you an expert, Heyes!" Curry snorted.

"You just keep tellin' yourself that, Kid." Heyes smiled indulgently.

"Joshua! Jed!" Mary's voice reached them from the house. They turned to see her waving them in.

Heyes' smile faded and was replaced by the worried look that had been ever present for a week. A small sigh escaped his lips and he straightened his back resolutely as he strode quickly back to the main house, Curry at his heels.

Both doctors were waiting for him in the living room their faces revealing nothing.

"So what's the verdict?" Heyes demanded.

"I'm satisfied with Brigitte's progress and believe she is strong enough for surgery," Dr. Higgins replied.

"When will you do it?"

"I see no reason to delay any longer - - I'm ready now."

"That's great, Dr. Barty!" Heyes grinned, relieved that the waiting was over. "Do you mind if I see her first?"

"Absolutely, in fact I recommend that you do." The 'in case the worst happens' hung unspoken in the air.

Brigitte's smiled face and excited eyes greeted Heyes' entrance to her room. "Barty told you the good news?" she asked.

"Yes, he did," Heyes replied, reclaiming his chair and her hand. "I take it you're a bit happy about it."

"I am so ready to get out of this bed, Heyes!" she exclaimed. "I know you understand the feeling."

"Only too well, sadly." He shook his head. "But we'll have you up and about in now time an' then I'm gonna hafta be nice t'Doc Barty!"

"That won't be too hard to do if you avoid needing his services."

"Nothing easier since I'll be here with you to keep me out of trouble!"

A quiet knock on the door announced the arrival of the two doctors - - ready to begin.

Heyes stood and leaned over the bed, pressing a gentle lingering kiss to the still too pale lips. "I'll see you soon, Brigitte," he promised.

"You'd better believe it, Heyes!" she replied.

Heyes paused at the door as Doctor Higgins said, "It will be at least three hours before you'll be able to see her."

"So long?" Heyes' eyes widened in surprise.

"It's not an easy procedure and because her heart will actually be exposed, I have to take great care to not do any more damage and to avoid contamination. Then Dr. O'Reilly will want to monitor her for a time after she wakes up."

"Reckon me an' Kid'll head to town then an' bring Sean up for the weekend. Does he know about Brigitte?"

"We've only told him that she's had an accident," Dr. O'Reilly replied.

"Probably something he should have been told, especially considering . . ." he didn't finish.

"You're right, Joshua," the older doctor said contritely. "Well, you bring him up and he'll see that she's going to be just fine and then we can tell him."

"A mite backwards, but best we can do now. I'll be back in three hours."

Once again Heyes closed the door quietly behind him.

He found Curry was sitting with his feet up in front of the fire in the living room. "Wanna go for a ride, Kid?" he asked his partner.

Kid looked at the warm fire and sighed. "Where to, Heyes?"

"Thought I'd ride into town for a drink."

Curry refrained from mentioning the obvious that there was plenty to drink in the house. "Sure, why not?"

"Also thought it would be a good idea t'bring Sean up for the weekend. Can you believe they ain't told him 'bout Brigitte?"

"Guess they didn't want t'worry him none," Curry replied, getting to his feet.

"Molly-coddlin'!" Heyes snorted.

They were soon mounted and leaving the ranch behind them. Heyes crushed the desire to look back, fearing to jinx his luck.