Loose Ends
 
 
 Jed sat quietly in the cafe, drinking coffee while he casually browsed through the local paper.  He'd helped himself to a full course breakfast and was just letting things settle until he meandered back to the hotel to see if his companions had decided to wake up yet.
 
  He'd been at the saloon playing small stakes poker until about 1:00 a.m. and then having won his fair share of the pots over the evening had decided to call it a night and get to bed himself.  Once upon a time he would have looked forward to spending the rest of the night with some local feminine company but marriage had kind of put a stop to that.  Not that he was complaining, mind you.  He still enjoyed the view but he was too happy with what he had at home to risk it all with tom-catting around while he was away.
 
  By 8:00 a. m. he was awake again and hungry.  He got up, got dressed and quietly opened the partitioning door between their rooms and was met with a cacophony of snoring that would have awakened the dead if they'd been in the same room.  With a soft smirk and a shake of the head, he closed the door, gave himself a quick shave and then headed down to the cafe for breakfast.
 
  He was actually surprised when he got there to find the place full to capacity with others waiting in line for a table.  This was odd.  Must be a really good place to come for breakfast if this was the kind of crowd it drew on a weekday morning.  Then as he looked around he began to notice familiar faces with some of them smiling and nodding a greeting his way upon making eye contact.  He realized then that these were passengers from the train who had not been injured, or at least not seriously and everyone was ready for breakfast.
 
  Fortunately he had timed it well and a number of tables opened up shortly after his arrival.  He had to share, but that was alright.  He sat down with a young couple and their son and though they all recognized each other, formal introductions were made all around.
 
  “Yes, have a seat and join us,”  the husband motioned to Jed.  “I'm Ralph and this is my wife Joan and our son Rudolph.”
 
  “Howdy folks, ma'am.”  Jed took his hat off and sat down beside the ten year old boy.  “I'm Jed.  I see you all survived the night alright.”
 
  “That was really neat!”  Rudolph exclaimed with eyes sparkling.  “I can't wait to get home and tell Billy and Caleb all about it.  A real train wreck!  And I was right there!”
 
  “We're just lucky we weren't in the car that derailed,”  Joan reminded her son.  “You might be singing a different tune if any of us had been injured.”
 
  “Yes momma,”  the boy accepted the reprimand and then smiled sneakily over at the stranger sitting beside him.
 
  Jed smiled back at him, but carried on the conversation with the parents.  “How long did you folks have to wait for help to arrive?”
 
  “Oh, I suppose it was about four hours,”  Ralph told him.   “but if it hadn't been for you and your friends riding into town, we'd probably still be out there.  Sure were lucky you fellas had your horses with you.”
 
  “Yeah,”  Curry agreed but couldn't help think that it wasn't so lucky for Heyes and Joe.  “glad to be of service.  So I take it everyone got into town alright?”
 
  “I think so,”  Joan answered as coffee and breakfast arrived.  “Of course the more seriously injured were brought in first, but there were enough wagons for everyone.  From what I understand the U.P. police will be investigating the wreck today and then try to get the engine and the cars back onto the tracks.”
 
  “That would be neat to see!”  Rudolph exclaimed over a mouthful of pancake.  “Can we go back and watch them, can we!?”
 
  “I don't think so, son,”  the father told him.  “best we stay out of the way.”
 
  “Awww....”
 
  “Besides,”  the mother continued.  “they'll be sending another train from Greeley to pick us up and take us there.  Wouldn't want to miss that, would you?”
 
  The heavy sigh from beside Jed strongly suggested that someone was getting tired of train travel and would much rather spend the day watching the goings on out at the wreck site.
 
  “Kind of a traumatic day for you folks, huh?”  Jed made conversation.
 
  Joan rolled her eyes.  “Bad enough for us that we lost most of our money but it must have been much worse for those poor people who were in the car that derailed.  I can't imagine what that must have been like.  Terrifying!”
 
  “Yes ma'am,”  Jed agreed.  “it was a rough ride for sure, but at least no one was too badly injured.”
 
  Joan gasped and put a hand to her breast.  “You mean you were in that car?  Oh, I just can't imagine!”
 
  “Wow!  Neat!”  Rudolph repeated.  “I wish I could have been in that car!”
 
  “Oh you do not!”  his mother scolded him.  “Stop being so silly.”
 
  Rudolph scowled and focused on his breakfast; a boy just can't have any fun when his mother was around.
 
  “You folks lost everything?”  Jed asked with a knot of guilt by association settling in his stomach.  “Did you have valuables on you?”
 
  “I think we were more fortunate than most,”  Ralph told him.  “since we wired most of our money on ahead.  But I lost my father's pocket watch and Joan lost her wedding band.”
 
  He reached over and patted his wife's hand as she smiled sadly.
 
  “Yes well, it could have been a lot worse,”  she consoled her husband.  “the older lady beside us was in tears because those thieves took the pearl necklace that had been in her family for generations.  She said it'd been brought over from the 'old country' when her grandmother had been a young, newly married lady.  Can you imagine losing something so precious to those terrible people?”  She looked Jed straight in the eye.  “How can they do that?”  she continued with an air of self-righteousness.  “How can they point guns at people—at women and children—and just take things that are so precious?”
 
  Jed couldn't answer right away.  He felt as though she knew exactly who and what he had been and that she was staring straight into his soul and asking him; why?
 
  “I'm sure I don't know ma'am,”  he was finally able to force out.  “they just don't care, I suppose.”
 
  “Well maybe somebody should take something precious from them and see how they like it!”  came the indignant retort.  “Even if the railroad will be compensating us for our losses, it doesn't cover the sentimental value!  I hear it was the Devil's Hole Gang—again.  Big surprise that!  What did they expect was going to happen, letting Hannibal Heyes out of prison?  Of course he's going to go and join up with his old friends again....”
 
  “Oh now dear, we don't know that for sure,”  Ralph tried to placated his high-strung wife. 
 
  “Yeah,”  Jed tried to calm the waters.  “Last I heard, it was a whole new bunch a' fellas up in Devil's Hole now and that Heyes and Curry won't have nothin' to do with 'em.  They're turnin' their lives around and makin' honest livings now.  Why, I heard tell that they were both married, and got youngen's and everything....”
 
  Joan gave a most un-ladylike snort and put her nose in the air.  “I can't imagine any decent woman condescending to marry either one of those scoundrels.  Their families must be so ashamed...”
 
  Jed felt his jaw tighten in irritation.  It was one thing for this ditty to be insulting him and his cousin, but to be insulting Beth when they didn't even know her that was almost too much. 
 
  “Sometimes all folks need is a second chance,”  Jed mumbled.
 
  “Hmph,”  Joan wasn't convinced.  “Second chance!  What about my wedding band?  What about that poor woman's pearl necklace?  Second chance indeed!”
 
  Jed smiled and turned his attention to his breakfast.  He knew she had every right to feel violated but he also knew that he was going to lose his temper pretty quick if this topic carried on.  Hopefully by not responding, the subject would get changed.
 
  “Now dear,”  Ralph continued to placate his wife.  “once we get reimbursed by the railroad I'll buy you a nicer wedding band.  I didn't have much money when I bought you that one so perhaps this time I can get you one with a diamond in it.”
 
  Joan smiled, her eyes lighting up.  “Really?  An actual diamond!?”
 
  “Yes.  Would that make you happy?”
 
  “Oh yes!”  It apparently made her so happy that she was rubbing her hands together and practically jumping up and down in her chair.  “perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing being held up after all!”
 
  Jed and Rudolph seemed to share the same sigh.
 
 
  Forty minutes later was when Jed found himself sitting contentedly alone and reading the paper.  The young family had finished up their breakfast and headed back to the boarding house to prepare for the continuation of their journey.  The cafe itself had quieted down immensely as the final wave of patrons had finished up their morning meal and had gone off to carry on with the business of their own day.
 
  Jed was just taking the last swig of coffee and was about to fold up the paper when the chair across from him scraped along the floor and a body sat down at the table.  Jed glanced up, expecting it to be Heyes or Joe but it wasn't.
 
  “Oh, Officer....?”
 
  “Wesley Harden, Mr. Curry,”  the young officer filled him in.  “I've been sent in search of you to let you know that you and your partner are clear to leave town if you wish...actually even if you don't wish, it would be preferable if you did.”
 
  Jed nodded knowingly.  “Ah,”  he smiled.  “Well, my companions aren't quite awake yet.  As you know they were both injured while coming here to get aide for the train passengers.  As soon as the Doc gives them permission to leave—and they've had a chance to get something to eat, then we will consider leaving this lovely little town.”
 
  Officer Harden sat back in his chair, knowing that he was being insulted but not being able to find fault in the actual words spoken.
 
  “Fine,”  Harden agreed.  “Just move on as soon as you're able.”
 
  “Yessir, Officer Harden,”  Jed nodded and smiled at him even more.  “You can count on that.”
 
  The young officer got up and took his leave and Jed settled back to consider another cup of coffee and more news reading.  Then he became aware of more company settling in at his table and thinking it might be the officer returning, he glanced up with a bit of a glare. He instantly dropped it though upon seeing his new companion and forced a quick smile to cover up.  “Oh, Dr. Murphy,”  Jed greeted him, then frowned.  “Geesh you look like you haven't been to bed all night.”
 
  The doctor ran a hand through his hair and sighed.  “I haven't,”  he confirmed.  “What a night.”
 
  “Want some breakfast, Doc?”  asked the waitress as she poured him a cup of coffee.  She was looking a little frazzled herself.
 
  “Yes please Kelly,”   came the emphatic confirmation.  “whatever you've got back there, just bring it.”
 
  “After the morning we've had here, there's not much left,”  Kelly warned him with the tired smile.  “But I'll get something put together for ya'.  How about you, more coffee?”
 
  “Ah, no thanks,”  Jed declined.  “I'm good.”
 
  “Where are your two friends?”  the Doc asked as he nursed his coffee.  “I told them to come and see me again, first thing this morning.”
 
  “Yeah well it ain't quite first thing for them yet,”  Jed informed him.  “Last I checked they were both still asleep.”
 
  “Still?”  Murphy asked.  “It's been what—fourteen hours?”
 
  “Yeah, somethin' like that,”  Jed agreed.
 
  “They were still breathing, weren't they?”
 
  Jed smiled.  “Yeah, and bein' awful loud about it too.”
 
  “Well, okay,”  the Doc accepted that.  “Sleep's actually the best thing for them, so just leave 'em be.  But I don't want them leaving town without checking in with me first, you understand?”
 
  “Yeah Doc, for sure,”  Jed nodded.  “We're gonna be stuck in town for most of today anyways.”
 
  “Why?”  Doc asked him.  “Didn't you fellas give your statements yesterday?”
 
  “Oh yeah,”  Jed assured him that they did.  “but, we still have some loose ends to tie up here in town, you know how it is.  We'll be outta here this afternoon some time.”
 
  Fortunately for Jed, the doctor's breakfast arrived at that point and the learned man was so tired and so hungry that his mind was instantly focused on food.
 
  “Ah, I'll just leave ya' to it Doc,”  the Kid took the opportunity to vacate.  “but don't you worry, I'll make sure they come by ta' see ya' before breakfast even.  That way ya' don't havta wait up for them for very long.”
 
  The doctor nodded and waved a fork as Jed stood up and took his leave.  He hadn't realized what a dangerous place the local cafe could be.
 
 
Heyes groaned as he slowly came up into consciousness.  He knew he wasn't in the prison this time, but his chest sure felt like he'd suffered some form of punishment.  He noticed that someone was whistling and he assumed it was the Kid.  He took note of feeling irritated that his partner could be in such a good mood when Heyes himself was feeling so decrepit. 
 
  “Will you shut up,”  he finally mumbled as he rolled over and tried to stretch.
 
  “Oh, sorry,”  came Joe's voice.  “Didn't you sleep well?”
 
  Heyes opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the voice.  Joe was standing by the table and attempting to shave himself with one hand.  He was actually managing fairly well considering the limitations and he smiled over at his companion obviously in good spirits.
 
  Heyes groaned again as he sat up and rubbed his chest.  “No. I slept like the dead,”  he admitted.  “I barely remember hitting the pillow.  But everything aches.  How come you're so chipper?”
 
  “I donno,”  Joe shrugged.  “I'm actually feeling pretty good.  I mean, my arm's a little sore but I don't have a headache or anything.  How's your head?”
 
  Heyes focused inwards for a moment.  “Just....foggy.  Nothing that a strong cup of coffee won't clear.  What time is it anyways?”
 
  Joe shrugged again as he wiped his face.  “I donno.”
 
  A knock sounded on the partitioning door and Jed's voice filtered through.  “You fellas finally awake?”
 
  Joe moved over to the door and opened it, giving Jed access.
 
  “Good morning,”  the young deputy greeted him.
 
  “Yeah, just barely,”  Jed answered with a look over to his cousin who was slowly getting dressed.
 
  “Why, what's wrong with it?”  Joe asked
 
  “Nothin's wrong with it,”  Jed explained.  “It just ain't gonna be mornin' for much longer.  You musta slept for sixteen hours.”
 
  Joe and Heyes exchanged a look.
 
  “It's lunch time?”  Heyes asked.
 
  “Just about,”  Jed informed him.  “Ya' hungry?  I had breakfast earlier, but I could eat again.”
 
  “Yeah,”  Heyes agreed.  “Maybe I'll feel better after something to eat.”
 
  “I’ll go get a table while you two get presentable,” offered Jed. “Why don't you stop by the Doc's place as well, get that over with.  I have a feeling it won't take long.”
 
 
 
  Thirty minutes later Heyes and Joe headed to the hotel restaurant to get a late breakfast.  There were a few other diners who’d also come in on the last train but most of the hotel’s patrons had already eaten.
 
  The two men hesitated at the entrance but quickly spotted the Kid settled into a window table and helping himself to a pot of coffee.  He waved to them and began looking over the menu as his friends joined him and poured cups of coffee for themselves.
 
  “What looks good?”  Heyes asked as he sipped his drink.
 
  “Everything.  Look at this menu.  They must have one of them gourmet cooks!” said Jed.
 
  Heyes chuckled.  “It looks pretty fancy, but I'm sure they'll have plain old steak and eggs if you ask for it.  How about you Joe, what do you want?”
 
  “Hmm, I think I'll have the scrambled eggs and bacon,” he answered as he browsed over the menu.  “I'm still finding it hard to cut into a steak.”
 
The waitress came over to their table then and gave them all a tired smile.
 
  “Sorry fellas,”  she told them,“about the only thing we got left now is the steak and eggs.  The kitchen is getting ready to shut down until dinner time.”
 
  All three men smiled up at her.
 
  “Well then I guess I’ll be having steak and eggs,”  Jed announced.
 
  She smiled apologetically.  “Sorry, it's been a real busy morning.”
 
  “That's all right,”  Heyes assured her.  “It's what we were going to order anyways.”
 
  “You can hold the steak on mine,”  Joe said as he indicated his injured left appendages.  “I don't think I could handle anything that required dexterity at this point.”
 
  “Oh dear,” she sympathized as though she hadn't noticed the sling before,  “did you get injured in the train wreck?”
 
  “No,” Joe admitted, “the fingers were before and the arm was after.”
 
  “Ah, I got injured in the train wreck,” Heyes told her as he pointed to his bruised forehead, “and when we rode to get help for the passengers, those dastardly outlaws ambushed us and I got shot in the chest.  The only thing that saved my life was a metal case I carry in my shirt pocket, otherwise I would surely be dead.”
 
  “Oh my!”  the waitress as all motherly now.  “That's awful.  How brave of you!”
 
  “Well that's how I got shot in the arm,”  Joe pointed out.  “I tried to run down that outlaw and he started shooting at me!  I'm lucky it's just my arm that took a bullet.”
 
  “Oh, you brave men!  Both of you!”  she gushed over them.  “Let me see if I can find something extra special for you fellas in the kitchen.  I'm sure we have some cherry pies left—for all three of you, on the house.”
 
  “Why, thank you ma'am,”  Heyes grinned, sending her a sparkle.  “That's very generous of you.”
 
  She smiled pointedly at Joe.  “And I’ll still bring you that steak,”  she assured him,  “I’ll make sure it’s all cut up for you so you can enjoy it.”
 
  “Oh!”  Joe smiled appreciatively.  “Thank you ma’am.”
 
  The waitress flitted away to fill their orders and Heyes and Joe smiled smugly at each other.  Jed just sat back and grinned as he watched his partner preening himself.
 
  “What?”  Heyes asked him with some indignation.
 
  “Nothin',”  Jed answered him but his grin deepened.
 
  Everyone tucked into the scrambled eggs and steak and Joe had to admit that though it was a tad bit embarrassing to have a young lady cut up his steak for him, the meal itself made the small degradation acceptable.  A second pot of coffee was added to the breakfast and that along with the cherry pie turned the meal into quite a success.
 
By the time they’d finished breakfast, Heyes was feeling a little bit better but his mood was still subdued.  He was worried about his mare and the fact that he was not able to go galloping off to her rescue was gnawing away at his gut and making conversation with him difficult at best.  Even the fact that both the doctor and the police had given them the go ahead to leave town didn't help him to relax all that much and he continued to fret.
 
Jed noticed his distraction.  “Heyes, we can’t just run off after Karma.  We’d get ourselves killed.  We need more than the three of us to ride in there.”
 
Joe put down his mug.  “I agree.  You and me are wounded to boot so Jed would be pretty much on his own.  If it goes bad, what good would it do Karma?  She’d be stuck with Duncan forever.” 
 
“I know that!  I was planning on wiring Lom to see if he could round up some extra hands and help.”  Heyes knew his partner and Joe were right.  They needed help, but how long was that going to take to get it?   The trains were down and it was a long ride to Porterville.  “I was just thinking that maybe we can ride on ahead ourselves and scope out the area.  Lom could always join up with us later before we make any kind of move.”
 
  Jed didn't really like that idea but knew that subtlety worked better with his partner rather than outright disagreement.
 
“Might make sense for us to ride into Greeley; railroad will be diverting trains around Carr.  We ought to be able to catch a northbound there,” Jed suggested.  “We ain’t very far from Loveland neither; why don’t we ride there on our way to Greeley and see if we can find Mr. Joshua Smith.  You two ought to be healed up enough by the time we reach Greeley.”
 
Heyes considered Jed’s words for a while and then sighed.  “Makes sense, I guess."
 
Joe quietly sipped his coffee throughout this conversation.  During this trip, it had become very apparent to Joe that Heyes relied heavily on the wisdom of his partner.  Together, they were so much more than they were separately.  He recalled Jed's comment that he didn't live in Heyes' shadow and he could now see for himself that his friend was right. 
 
  For those on the outside, it would appear that it was Heyes who kept his partner in line, but Joe had been allowed into the inner circle and he could now see that often it was the other way around.  He was no longer intimidated by Heyes.  He still found the man engrossing to watch and listen to but now he was seeing things on a different level.  He was finding himself fascinated as a friend and as a lawman by the glimpses of the criminals they had once been. 
 
  “So that’s the plan for today?”  Joe finally asked over a mouthful.  “We’re going on to Loveland?”
 
  “We’ll see,”  Jed told him.  “The telegraph office was closed when I went by there last night after I dropped the horses at the livery.  I'm hoping that Beth will have had some luck with the brand and has sent us something we can move on.  We still gotta get you another horse, too, Heyes.  I did a quick look at what was at the livery but he was in a hurry to close up for the night, so....”  he shrugged.
 
  Heyes nodded, a shadow passing over his eyes.  “Yeah,”  he agreed.  “I suppose I need to find something.  I mean, temporary, you know.”
 
  “Yeah, I know Heyes,”  Jed assured him.  “We'll get Karma back.  But we gotta do it right, you know.  Plan it.  We just go bludgeon in there all we'll succeed at doin' is getting ourselves all shot up.”
 
  “Yeah, I know,”  Heyes quietly agreed.  But then his expression became melancholy and a wisp of worry floated across his face.  “It’s not just Karma I need to get back,”  he admitted.  “Randi had that saddle made specifically to fit both me and Karma—had the saddle maker measure her and everything.  I didn’t even know you could get a saddle made like that, I thought you just did what we always did; throw a saddle on a horse’s back and hope it fits.  But apparently there’s a lot more science involved with it than just that and Randi knew it.”  He shook his head in apparent disbelief.  “She got Karma all measured and fitted without me even noticing a thing and she got that saddle made for my birthday, she even had our names inscribed on the underside of the stirrup leather.  It’s a beautiful saddle and really comfortable too.  I don’t know how she knew what type of saddle I like, but she did and that’s what makes it so special.”
 
  Jed felt a knot of guilt hit his gut as he recalled his earlier conversation with the family from the train and the wife’s indignation over sentimental items that were taken from them.  He could understand her sentiments even at the time, but now it hit home even harder.
 
  “You never told me that,”  Jed commented quietly.  “I saw you had a new saddle, but I just thought you’d bought it for yourself.”
 
  Heyes shrugged.  “Yeah, I know.  It was special.  I suppose I just wanted to keep it between me and Randa.  Sorry.”
 
  “No that’s alright Heyes,”  Jed assured him.  “A husband and wife are supposed to have special things between them.  Do you think I tell you everything me and Beth share?”
 
  Heyes grinned.  “I hope not!”
 
  Jed chuckled.  “See?”
 
  Heyes nodded, then a look of mild guilt took over and Jed frowned,   wondering what was coming next.
 
  “I also had that shaving kit that Abi gave me for Christmas,”  he admitted.  “I probably should have just left it at home when I travel like this but unfortunately I like to keep it with me.  Just—because.”  He gave an ironic smile and shook his head.  “I never thought I'd wish Devil's Hole wasn't such a strong hold.  Still, we do have Wheat and Kyle in there and apparently still on our side.  That might amount for something.”
 
  “C’mon Heyes, don’t worry about it,”  Jed repeated.  “We’ll get your things back.  It might take us awhile but we will.”
 
  “I know,”  Heyes smiled, trying to lighten  the low mood he’d caused.  “and when we do, that shaving kit is going to stay at home.”  He smiled wickedly.  “Nobody says Randa needs to know who gave it to me.  I’ll pick up another one here and use that for when I’m travelling.”
 
  Both Jed and Joe smirked at Heyes' mild duplicity.  “Yeah, okay Heyes,”  Jed told him.  “Nobody says a husband and wife can't have some secrets from one another as well.  A spare kit is a good idea.”
 
 
 
  After breakfast, Heyes and Jed went off in two different directions. Jed wanted to get to the telegraph office as soon as they opened to see if there was a message there from Beth.  He said it was just because they all were waiting for information on the brand, but Heyes knew it was because Jed was missing his wife.  Any word from her right now would be like water to a thirsty man and Jed could barely contain himself through breakfast before the time was right for him to head that way. 
 
  Joe went along with Jed as he wanted to send a telegram to Sheriff Jacobs to keep him informed as to their whereabouts and progress, so Heyes found himself on his own.   As much as he didn't want to do it, he took himself off and headed down to the livery stable to check out the horses that might be available for sale.
 
   All the way down to the stable, he felt a knot tightening up in his gut as though he were just about to betray his closest friend.  How would he ever find a horse to replace Karma, even just temporarily?  It didn't seem right, as though buying another horse meant that he was giving up on her and even though he knew that wasn't the case, he still felt like a heel.
 
  He approached the corral fence and stood there for a few minutes just running his eye over the various animals who were quietly munching their lunches.  A couple of the horses stood out as possibilities and he began to run a more critical eye over those few until he could narrow down the field.  Slowly but surely, small faults in confirmation or attitude made themselves apparent and he eventually settled on one tall gelding who seemed to have most of what he looked for in a horse.
 
  He pushed himself off the fence and looked around for the proprietor.  He walked into the barn and could hear the tell-tale sounds of stall mucking going on so he made his way down the row of empty enclosures until he came upon the occupied one.
 
  “Good afternoon,”  he greeted the hostler.
 
  “Oh, good afternoon sir,”  he answered as another shovel of manure plopped into the wheelbarrow.  “Sorry, I didn’t hear ya’ come in.  Stalls are usually all done by this time but my stable boy broke his arm last week and it’s been a hell of a morning.”  He shrugged as he came out of the stall, wiping his hands on his dungaree.  “Still, not your concern.  What can I do fer ya'?”
 
  “I'm looking to buy a horse,”  Heyes informed him.  “I'd like to take a closer look at that red dun if he's for sale.”
 
  “Sure,”  the livery man agreed.  He straightened up, stretching out his back and then joined his customer as they returned to the outside corral.  “You got a good eye, mister.  That's a real nice gelding.”
 
  “Uh huh,”  Heyes was used to this game.  “Bring him out will you?  I'd like to see him move.”
 
  The hostler took a halter and lead down from a hook and entered the corral.  Heyes stood back and watched, taking note of how the horse reacted to the human approaching him.  Did he lay his ears back in an effort to protect his hay pile?  Did he move away, attempting to avoid the halter?  Or did he willingly allow the human to approach him, unthreatened?  It seemed the latter was the choice and Heyes smiled as the horse was haltered and led out of the corral.
 
  “Here ya' go,”  the livery man said.  “Take as close a look as ya' like.”
 
  Heyes nodded, running his hands along the animals back and hind quarters.  He liked what he was seeing, and feeling.
 
  “Far as I can tell, this gelding is about seven years old,”  the holster was informing his patron.  “He's a real willing horse.  I've rented him out a few times and never had no complaints.  He's sound as a bell too and got a real soft mouth.”
 
  “Uh huh,”  Heyes wasn't really listening.  “Trot him around a little will ya'?”
 
  The hostler clucked to the horse and easily got him into a trot, up the lane and back again.  Heyes watched the animal move and liked what he saw.  He was a plain looking horse, but well put together with a kind and intelligent eye.  He was the colour of a dusty chestnut with a dorsal stripe running down his spine and he had a star on his forehead in the shape of a falling leaf.  He stood about 16 hh and though not as flashy in his lines as Karma he still had clean, long legs and a nice solid build.   Heyes hated to admit it, but he liked him.
 
  He went up to the horse and patted his neck.  He stroked the animal's long face and looked him in the eye as they each assessed the other.
 
  “I'll give you twenty dollars complete with rig.”
 
  The holster rubbed his chin.  “Oh, I donno,”  he mused.  “the horse himself is worth twice that, then with the saddle and bridle thrown in on top.”  he shook his head.   “I can't see myself letting him go for less than forty-five.”
 
  Heyes nodded and walked casually around the animal, scrutinizing every aspect of him.  “Well,” he commented.  “I tend to prefer mares, but he's a decent enough horse.  I'll give ya' thirty dollars.”
 
  “Well, thirty might buy ya' the horse, but not a decent rig along with him,”  came the counter wager.  “I got a real nice saddle in there that fits this fella like a glove.  Real comfortable for the rider too.  Forty dollars for the whole package.”
 
  “Thirty-five dollars.”
 
  “Sold.”  he handed Heyes the lead shank and headed into the barn to get the rig.
 
  Heyes smiled and approached his new 'temporary' horse and gave him another pat on the neck.  “So, what's your name young man?”
 
  “Claybank,”  came the answer from behind him.
 
  “What?”  Heyes turned as the hostler returned with the saddle.
 
  “Well you mighta called him a red dun, but most of the old hands around here call that colour a 'clayback', so his name's Claybank,”  the holster informed him.  “You can change it if ya' want.  It ain't written in stone.”
 
  Heyes turned back to the horse and rubbed the animal's forehead while the hostler got him tacked up.  “Claybank,”  he repeated.  “Suits him—I think I'll keep it.”
 
  Heyes was just finishing up his business with the livery man when Jed and Joe put in an appearance in order to gather up their own horses. 
 
  Jed grinned as he saw Heyes with his new horse.  “I don't know how you do it Heyes,”  he observed.  “but you always seem to find the best horse in the herd.”
 
  “Yeah,”  he agreed.  “he is nice, isn't he?”
 
  “Um hum.” Jed nodded as he and Joe walked into the barn.
 
  “Any news from home?” Heyes called after them.
 
  “Not yet, but I just sent Beth a telegram letting her know we’re okay.  She’d of heard about the wreck by now.”  Jed led Gov out of his stall as he spoke.
 
  “News travels fast these days,”  Heyes commented.  “I never even thought of that.  I should send a telegram to Randa, let her know we're okay.”
 
  “I already did that,”  Joe assured him as he walked Betty out to the hitching rail to tack her up.  “I included it in the message to Sheriff Jacobs.  Don't worry Heyes, he'll let her know.”
 
  Heyes nodded and smiled.  “Thanks Joe.”
 
The three men finished tacking up their horses.   They soon mounted up and departed Carr, glad to leave the horror of the train wreck behind them and head out to Loveland.
 
“You know, Heyes, I’m not sorry we’re riding to Greeley.  I think I’m over train travel for a while,” said Jed.
 
“Yeah, me too,” said Heyes.  His new gelding danced nervously under him.  He stroked the animal’s neck and spoke soothingly to it. 
 
“How come you always go for the antsy ones?” asked Jed, noticing the animal’s nervous tension.
 
“He’s not antsy.   We’re just getting used to each other.  He’ll be all settled down by the time we get to Loveland tonight.”
 
“Tonight?  It’s over forty miles to Loveland,” said Joe. 
 
“Then we better get a move on,” said Heyes.  He eased up on the reins and the clayback gelding leapt forward, eager to be off.  Joe and Jed urged their horses to catch up.
 
 
It was late evening by the time they rode into Loveland.  The quiet little agricultural town was dark and shuttered for the night.  There was a single light at the far end of the next block out in front of the Loveland House Hotel.  Heyes and Jed had stayed there once or twice before their long journey towards amnesty and knew the establishment well.  The framed building was simple but comfortable and everyone, even the horses, was looking forward to a good night’s rest.  The three tired men pulled up in front of the hotel, stiffly dismounted, and plodded up the front steps.
 
The lobby was small and contained only a sofa and tiny table tucked into an alcove at the foot of the wooden staircase.  The night clerk appeared through a door behind the front desk and greeted them warmly.  “Gentlemen, welcome to the Loveland House.  How may I be of assistance to you?”
 
Heyes stepped forward and smiled charmingly.  “We’d like a couple of rooms, please; a single and a double.”
 
“Yes sir.   I believe we can accommodate you.”
 
Heyes glanced at the board behind the counter and then at his partner.  Jed rolled his eyes.  There were eleven keys hanging there, only one key was missing.  It looked like the hotel could accommodate an army.  “How much?”
 
“Two dollars for the single, sir, three dollars for the double; meals are not included.”  The clerk smiled.  He knew there wasn’t another hotel for fifty miles.
 
“Too much.  Thanks, anyway,” Heyes turned away and started for the door leaving Joe and Jed to follow.
 
The clerk was so surprised by his retreat that he leaned over the desk and blurted, “Sir, hold on.  I’m sure we can come to an understanding.”
 
Heyes stopped and came back.  He caught the clerk with his flinty brown eyes and coldly said, “I’m understanding you’re trying to gouge us.”
 
Chilled by the hard gaze, the man put his right hand on his chest and said, “Sir, I’m wounded that you would think I was trying to cheat you.”
 
It was Jed’s turn to lean closer and softly say, “You will be wounded if you are.”  The clerk gulped and his eyes widened as he peered into a pair of icy blue eyes.  Joe looked on, ready to step in if Curry tried to make good on his threat.
 
“You see, my partner and me have stayed here before,” began Heyes, “when we were still running from the law.  Used to be fifty cents for a double with meals.   Ain’t that right, Kid?”
 
“That’s true, Heyes.” 
 
Heyes?  Kid?  The man’s face paled as he realized exactly who he was trying to extort money from.   “Well, yes, that was a long time ago.  Costs have risen and…”
 
“How much for the rooms?” cut in Heyes.
 
“Um, er, since you are returning customers, I’ll be delighted to give you both rooms for two dollars.  With meals, of course; as a matter of fact, I can whip you up some sandwiches right now if you’d like.”
 
“Good.  Throw in stabling for the horses and you’ve got yourself a deal,” said Heyes, his eyes warning the man not to refuse.
 
“Yes...sir, I’ll see to them myself.  If you’ll please sign here, Mr. Heyes,” said the clerk, spinning the register around and handing him two keys.  “Mr. Curry, would you sign as well?” he asked hopefully.
 
Jed regarded him for a moment and then nodded.  He knew damn well the enterprising weasel was going to try to sell their signatures.  He grabbed the pen and scrawled his name, then pushed the book to Joe.  “Guess you’d better sign, too.”
 
“Who are you?” asked the clerk.
 
“I’m the law they aren’t running from anymore,” snapped Joe.  He threw down the pen and followed his two friends up the stairs.
 
  “It's not really supposed to be that way, you know,”  Joe commented once they were out of earshot of the clerk.
 
  “What way?”  Heyes asked.
 
  “Intimidating people in order to get your way,”  Joe explained.
 
  “Got the job done didn't it?”  Jed asked him.
 
  “Well yeah, but still....”  Joe was floundering, looking for the words.  “I've noticed that you both do that a lot.  You use your names and your reputations to scare people into complying with you.  It could almost be called harassment—and that's a crime.”
 
 “And inflating his prices wasn’t a crime?”  Snapped Heyes before he sighed in mock frustration.  “Is everything a crime these days?”  he asked. “Seems I can't even take a breath anymore without being told it's a crime.  Maybe I should’ve just let him cheat us.”
 
  “Well, you don't see Sheriff Jacobs dealing with people that way,”  Joe pointed out.  “and not Jesse Jordan either.”
 
  Joe didn't know it, but he'd hit a nerve with that last comment.  Heyes' stance tightened and he focused on putting the key into the lock.
 
  “Well,”  Jed picked up the slack.  “soon as you can show us a better way, we'll be happy to try it out.”
 
  “Yeah, it's just....”
 
  “Goodnight, Joe,”  Heyes said as he opened the door into the single room and disappeared into it.
 
  Jed and Joe stood abandoned in the hallway for a moment while Jed unlocked the door to the double room and then sent Joe a slightly reprimanding look.
 
  “I did it again, didn't I?”  Joe mumbled.  “Just when I think we're getting along fine I go and put my foot in it.”
 
  “Yup,”  Jed agreed.  “It seems you and I are sharing tonight.  Don't worry about it, he'll be fine in the morning.”
 
  “Yeah, but what did I say wrong?”  Joe pushed as he followed Jed into the room. “I was just making a suggestion.”
 
  “Ya didn't say nothin' wrong Joe,”  Jed assured him as he walked over to the dresser and lit the lamp.  “Just leave it be.  He'll be fine in the morning.”
 
  Joe sat down on the bed with a huff. “Has he always been this moody?”
 
  Jed stood quietly for a moment, staring into the light from the lamp and thought back with fondness on their days of running amok and being at the top of their game.
 
  “No,”  he finally answered quietly.  “No Joe, he hasn't.  I mean, he's always shown how he felt, at least to me; his emotions have always been close to the surface.  But the moodiness—no.  Prison did that to him.”
 
  “Oh.  Yeah I guess.”
 
  Jed sat down on his bed and smiled at his new friend.  “He still finds criticism hard to handle that's all.  He's gettin' better, I can see it.  More accepting of things, you know.  But losing Karma again has thrown him off balance.  Just give him time, he'll be alright.  He does like you.”
 
  Joe snorted and shook his head, but then he smiled and nodded agreement.  “Yeah, I know.....”
 
 
 
  Heyes lay on his back on the top of his bed in the single room.  He could hear the conversation going on next door to him and felt slightly guilty over his reaction to Joe's innocent comments.  Joe wasn't a bad sort and he knew the young deputy was just trying to be helpful and the more Heyes thought about it, the more he had to admit that the young man's comments were usually right.
 
  Heyes sighed and got up in order to get ready for bed for real.  He'd really have to start trying to be a little more understanding.  He still let things get under his skin too easily and then he'd end up hurting people without meaning to.  Abi was right; he had a sharp tongue sometimes and his sarcasm could too easily be taken the wrong way.
 
  But why did Joe have to say that about Jesse?  And the fact that Joe was right made it all the more hurtful.  Jesse could control a situation just by his mere presence and that presence had nothing to do with intimidation.  He just simply was the one in control and no one questioned it.  Even Heyes knew it and respected it and yet wasn't able to emulate it.
 
  He finished his night time toilette, blew out the lamp and settled himself into bed.  But he still lay on his back and looked up at the ceiling he couldn't see and wondered what it was he was missing; what it was he didn't understand.  He groaned and rubbed his eyes.  It was late and he was tired.  The talking next door had ceased and Heyes pulled the sheet up over his shoulders and rolled over onto his side. He closed his eyes and said his silent 'goodnight's'.  To Miranda, to Sally.  To Abi, to Anya.  To all the ladies who were the loves of his life and who mattered more than life itself.
 
  He smiled at the thought of how lucky he was and fell asleep.