With his partner missing and all hope of amnesty gone, will Hannibal Heyes return to a life of crime?







Friday

The beginning colors of dawn painted the sky from dark tones to pinks when the door opened again.

“Let’s go, Heyes.”  Chris kicked at the man curled up in a ragged blanket in the corner.

Heyes opened his eyes and glared at the other man before slowly standing up and walking out of the hut.  He stopped for a moment to stretch.

“In the cabin.”  Josh motioned with his gun, then followed his brother and Heyes.

Ben smiled when they entered the cabin.  “Good morning, Heyes.”  He held out a coffee.  “You look like you need to wash up some.”

Heyes took the proffered cup.  “Where’s my partner?  What did you do with him?”

“I already told you.”  Ben sipped his coffee.  “They took him somewhere out of the way.  You do the train robbery with us and when we’re back here safe, we’ll tell you.  You’d better start concentratin’ on the job in hand, though, or your partner just may die.”

Heyes stopped sipping the coffee.  “What do you mean he just may die?”

Ben grinned.  “I mean it’s your choice how you get your partner back!”  The grin changed rapidly to a glare as Ben faced Heyes down.  “Now sit and drink your coffee!”

Heyes was forced to sit down by Chris’ and Josh’s hands on his shoulders while Clint and Les finished shaving and dressing.

The sun peered above the horizon when Heyes threw the dregs of his coffee out the open door.  “Let’s get going, then!  Get the horses!”

Ben smirked and poured another cup of coffee.  “Need I remind you, again, that I’m the leader?  We go when I’m ready.”

Heyes slammed his hand on the wall and walked to the river.

“Let him be.”  Ben watched Heyes from the window.  “I don’t think we’ll have a problem with Heyes while his partner’s fate is in our hands.”  He turned back into the cabin.   “Now how about some breakfast before we go.”

Heyes washed up in the river and began pacing.  Pulling out his pocket watch, he noted the time was 7am.  He glared at the cabin as the aroma of bacon and the sound of a pan being scraped filled up his senses.  He angrily kicked at a stone on the ground.  “I just wanna get going and get this over with so I can have my partner back.”


“Heyes, you about ready to go?”  Ben picked at his teeth with his fingers as he walked to the river.  “You missed a mighty fine breakfast.”

Heyes stared at the sun, rising fast in the sky.  “Wasn’t hungry.”  He turned toward Harper and pushed his hat down to shade his eyes.  “I’m ready when you are.”

Ben grinned.  “Appears you finally figured out who’s boss.”

They began walking to the corral where the others were saddling the horses when Heyes veered towards the house.

Ben grabbed his arm.  “Told you we were leavin’, Heyes.”

Heyes shook off the hand.  “I’m getting the map, schedule and my notes.  I’m gonna need them.”  He raised a brow at the other man.

“Hurry up, then, and meet us at the corral.”  Ben sulked off to join his gang.

Heyes went into the cabin and found the needed items on the top of the dresser.  He started for the door when something familiar caught his eye.  His partner’s hat and jacket were thrown in a corner of the room.  He picked them up, shaking the jacket and caressing the brim of the hat.  “I hope you don’t need these, partner, but I’m betting you do.”  Heyes left with the Kid’s belongings to join the others.


Kid Curry moaned as he regained consciousness and grabbed his head.  Dried blood matted his hair on the right side.  He blinked several times, trying to focus on the area around him.  “Heyes?”  He saw the sun peering over some mountains in the distance.  “Heyes!”  As he tried to sit up, his hands grasped his chest and stomach.  “Oh…that hurts!  Heyes!”  The Kid forced himself to kneel on all fours and then sat back on his haunches.  All around him was desert, as far as he could see, and no partner.

The Kid spotted the canteens nearby and crawled to them.  He opened the cap of one and had a few sips of water.  “Heyes!” he yelled into the desert.  A lone coyote answered his cry with a howl.  

Slowly turning in a circle, he gazed intensely into the horizon for a shimmer of water or a familiar formation.  Mountains surrounded him – mountains and a lot of nothing.  Curry studied the ground and saw hoof prints.  Sighing, he began following the trail back to Brown’s Park.

When the sun was high overhead, the Kid raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun as he looked for shade.  His hair was matted to his head and his clothes already wet with sweat.  He removed his bandana and wiped the sweat off his face.  He shook the nearly full canteen and took a sip of the warm water.

“Guess I’m gonna have to make my own shade,” he whispered to no one, as he unbuttoned his shirt and removed it.  He rolled up the sleeves of his Henley and sat down with the rock behind him.  He swung his shirt over his head, using it as shade, and made himself as comfortable as possible to wait out the heat of the day.


Heyes lifted the canteen and took a long drink of water.  A sheepskin jacket was tied to the back of the saddle and a brown hat’s stampede strings were hanging from the saddle horn.  He looked up towards the sun – just past noon.  “Ben, we’re gonna have to pick up the pace if we’re gonna get to the place we should camp tonight.”

“You heard him.  Let’s get goin’.”  Ben spurred his horse forward.


The sun began came to descend behind the mountains when the Kid stood up, stretched out the kinks from being huddled under his shirt, and brushed off his pants.  Taking a large drink from the canteen, he also poured a little of the precious liquid on his bandana to wipe his face and neck.  His stomach rumbled.  With a sigh, he continued his slow walk.


The Harper gang sat around a small fire eating a meal of beans, biscuits, and bacon.  Heyes sat away from the others, leaning on a boulder.  He moved his food around on the plate as he picked away at it.

“Heyes,” Ben called out as he finished his meal.  “What time’s the train due in this area?”

“I figure around ten.”  Heyes scraped his food back into the pot.  “We’ll need to pack up and be at the tracks around eight.”

“Why so early?  We had to get up at the crack of dawn this morning,” Chris complained.

Heyes opened up his bedroll beside his saddle, using it as a pillow.  “Trains can be early as easy as they can be late.  And we need to put something onto the track to force it to stop.”  He lay down and put his hat over his eyes.  “Don’t know what that’ll be until we’re there and look around.”

“What do you think you’re doin’, Heyes?”  Josh kicked Heyes’ boot.

Heyes lifted his hat and glared.  “Going to sleep.  Have another long day ahead of us.”

“You think we’re gonna just let you sleep there like that?  What if you take off or get a gun and hold it on us.”

“You really think I’m going to risk that?”  Heyes sat up.

“Josh’s got a point.”  Ben looked around the campsite.  “Tie him to that tree over there.”

Josh smirked and pulled out his gun.  “Get up and get your bedroll, Heyes.  Les, get a rope.”

Heyes threw his hat on the ground.  “Now that ain’t necessary, Ben.  I’m not gonna do anything.  I just want to get the Kid back.”

“That may be,” agreed Ben.  “But I don’t need to wake up with a knife at my throat or a gun to my head and you demanding to know where Curry is.”  He turned back to the others.  “Tie him up.”

Les and Chris both got up, Chris went to help Josh while Les rummaged through their gear looking for something to tie up Heyes.

“Move it, Heyes!” Josh ordered, his gun trained on the former outlaw.

Heyes grabbed his hat in irritation, then gathered his bedroll and stood.  “You’re not thinking, boys.  You tie me up and I’ll lose any feeling in my fingers so I won’t be able to open the safe come tomorrow.”

“They can tie you to the tree and leave your hands free,” Ben grinned.  “We’ll even let you sit so you can get some sleep and not be too tired for tomorrow.”

“Go on, you heard Ben.”  Chris waved his gun towards the tree.

Heyes stomped over to the tree and laid his bedroll down.  He buttoned his coat up and sat on the bedding, leaning against the tree.  Chris tied his torso to the tree while Josh held the gun on Heyes.

“He’s all bedded down, Ben,” Chris said as he tied the last knot where Heyes’ hands couldn’t reach.

“Check Chris’ knots, Josh.”  Ben laid his bedroll down by the fire.  “I don’t trust Heyes not to try and get out.”

Josh tugged at the rope.

“Ow!” Heyes grunted.

“Ropes are tight – he ain’t gettin’ away,” Josh informed his brother.

“Good, now we can all get a good night’s sleep knowing there’ll be no nasty surprises to wake up to.” Ben sneered at Heyes as he pulled a blanket over himself. Heyes gave him a stony look and resigned himself to an uncomfortable night.


Kid Curry followed the precious horse trail for as long as the light would allow it.  As the light finally faded and a quarter moon appeared in the eastern sky, he headed to a rock jutting up from the landscape.  He leaned on the rock, shook the half empty canteen and took a drink.  “I’m gonna have to find water tomorrow,” he mumbled to himself.  “And somethin’ to eat, even if it’s a bug.”  Sliding down into a crack where two rocks met, he curled himself into a ball rubbing his arms in a half-hearted attempt to warm himself up as he tried to rest.  “Gonna be cold again tonight.”


Saturday

The pre-dawn sky was turning from ink to pink as Heyes struggled to reach his pocket watch.  Finally, he snagged the watch chain and manipulated the watch into his hand so that he could flip it open.  It was six in the morning.  “Hey!” he shouted.  “Time to wake up.”

Ben rolled over in his blanket to glare at Heyes.  “What?” he said blearily.

“It’s six o’clock,” Heyes called out.  “We have an hours’ ride and we gotta be by to tracks by eight.”

“Dang it, Ben, shut him up!  The sun ain’t even out,” complained Chris pulling his bedroll over his head.

“You want to rob a train on a full stomach, you better start getting yourselves moving,” Heyes told him simply.

Ben threw back the blanket and sat up.  He ran a hand through his hair.  “He’s right.  Everyone get up.  Clint, get the coffee goin’.  Les, get last night’s dinner heated.  Josh and Chris, start saddlin’ up the horses.”

The gang grumbled as they stretched and began their chores.  Ben walked over to Heyes and untied the ropes.  “There ya go, Heyes.  Now you can get ready, too.”

Heyes stood up and stretched.

“Give me your gun belt,” Ben ordered, holding out his hand.

“Why?” Heyes furrowed his brow.

“Because I said and, last I checked, I was the boss.”

“Just asked,” mumbled Heyes.  He removed the belt and handed it over.

Ben removed the few bullets stored on the back and put them in the loops of his gun belt.  He searched his saddle bag and pulled out Heyes’ gun.  He turned the chamber and emptied all the bullets, then put it in the holster.  “Put it on.”

Heyes raised a brow.  “Robbing a train with no bullets?”

“No one but us knows there’s no bullets.  Just aim your gun; they’ll assume it’s loaded.”

“And I can assume you and the boys will cover me?” Heyes questioned.

Josh snickered.  “We sure will, Heyes.  You can count on us.”

Heyes glared at Josh as he buckled his belt and tied the thong to his leg.  He folded up his bedroll and tied it to the back of his saddle, along with his bags and his partner’s jacket and hat.

“Breakfast is ready,” Les announced and he began filling up the plates with the leftover beans.

Heyes sat on a boulder nearby sipping coffee as the others ate their breakfast.


The Kid took one step at a time.  He stopped and sipped some water, emptying the canteen.  He threw it away and shook the other one.  “Still almost full.  Some coffee sure would taste good.”

Curry searched the ground.  The wind had blown the tracks he had been following the previous day away.  “Right.  Left.  Right.  Left.”  He took one step at a time, staggering along the way.

“It’s gettin’ too hot… Have to find shade.”  He looked around and saw some scrub brush.  “That’ll have to do,” he said as he stumbled his way over.


The Harper gang lay in wait for the train.  A tree had been felled across a long stretch of track with no curves.  A plume of black smoke and steam could be seen in the distance.

“Everyone know what they’re supposed to do?” Ben asked as the gang stood up.

“Yeah,” came several replies.

Heyes headed to a boulder.  “Take your positions.”

The engine came into sight, followed by the piercing sound of brakes being applied.  While Heyes covered his ears, Josh and Chris jumped aboard the still-moving engine, guns drawn and yelling.  The train continued to slow, finally screeching to a stop just before coming in contact with the log.

Les and Clint entered the passenger car from both ends, Les giving directions to the worried travelers.  “Leave your belongin’s and get out of the car.  Not that way… This way!  That’s right.”

Ben and Heyes observed the other gang members for a few minutes, observing Josh and Chris leading the engineer and brakeman towards the passengers.  They then turned their attention to one of the box cars.

“The safe should be inside this mail car and there’s usually a clerk in there,” Heyes informed Ben as they got to the door.  Heyes tried the handle.  “Locked.”  He bent down and pulled a lock pick from his boot.  A minute later, he had the door unlocked and opened the door.

“Stop where you are!” someone inside demanded as the door swung open.  “Don’t come any closer or we’ll shoot.”

Heyes got a good look at the two men inside the car and slowly raised his hands.  “Soldiers!?  Ben, are you crazy?  You don’t rob a train when it’s being guarded by soldiers!”

“Get your arms up, too!” ordered the second soldier, pointing his gun towards Ben.  “Get in here, slowly, you hear?”

“If only the Kid was here…”  Heyes walked into the mail car when windows broke behind the soldiers.  They turned quickly to see Josh and Chris aiming guns on them as they sat on their horses outside the car.  Ben took advantage of the distraction and shoved the army men so they lost their balance and fell.

Josh grinned.  “Who needs the Kid when you have me, Heyes?”  He rode over to the steps and climbed into the car.  “Well, well, what have we here?” he crowed as he pointed his gun at the younger looking soldier.  “Ya’d better say your prayers, boy!”

“No!” shouted Heyes, pushing himself in front of the soldiers.  “There’s no need to kill them.  Ben, I mean it; call Josh off!”

“They’re in the way, Heyes.  Get outta Josh’s line of fire!”

“Heyes didn’t move.  “Ben, I’m asking you to think about this.  Shooting any of their men will bring the army down on you real hard.  And killing them here isn’t necessary.  Listen, I’ll take responsibility for them – see that they behave themselves and stay out of the way while I open the safe.  What do you say, huh?”

Ben’s eyes narrowed.  “Are you tellin’ me what to do, Heyes?”

“No,” answered the former Devil’s Hole gang leader.  “I’m just stating the facts.”

A tense moment went by.  “Josh and Chris, get out there with the others and help with the passengers,” Ben told his brothers.

“Ben…” Josh began.

“I said get!  Both of you!”  Ben shouted.  When they left, he turned to Heyes.  “They’re your responsibility.”

Heyes sighed from relief and nodded.  He aimed his gun to the two soldiers.  “Make sure you slide all weapons, easy-like, towards me.  Unbuckle your belts.  Good.  Now take off your boots.”  When the soldiers hesitated, Heyes waved his gun.  “You heard me.  Now get into that corner and sit with your legs folded.”

Heyes quickly found some twine.  “Ben, will you cover them while I tie them up?”

Ben nodded.

“Okay, hands behind you.”  Heyes tied one set of hands and then the other.  “You’ve been doing a good job of being quiet.  You keep being quiet and I won’t see fit to tie dirty bandanas over your mouths.  Okay?”

“Yeah,” the older soldier responded while the younger one nodded his head.

“So, Heyes, why are the soldiers on the train?” inquired Ben.

Heyes gestured towards the rear of the car where, not one, but two safes sat side by side.  “Seems they’re guarding their own payroll.  Is that right?”  He looked at the men in the corner.  The older soldier hesitated and then nodded.

“Two payrolls!  Hot dang!”   Ben looked gleeful.

“Ben, I wouldn’t,” Heyes told him.

“And just why not?” Ben snarled.

Heyes sighed.  “Two reasons.  One, it will take me twice as long to open two safes…”  Ben looked like he was going to interrupt but Heyes held up his hand to stop him.  “…And two, same as if you kill a soldier.  The army will hunt you down with all they have if you steal from them.  Just let’s take the payroll we knew about and get outta here while we can.”

Ben looked at the two safes, to the soldiers, then back to the safes.  He smashed his hand on the side of the car.  “Dang it!”  Then, waving Heyes towards the safes with his gun he said, “Alright, open the other one and get me the money!”

Heyes grinned and went to the where the safes were at the back of the car just as Josh’s voice called out.  “Everything okay in there?”

“We’re fine,” Heyes called back before turning to the soldiers.  “Which one is yours?”

“One of the left,” growled the older soldier.

Heyes smiled as he knelt in front of the safe on the right.  He took off his hat and flexed his fingers before leaning into the safe and manipulating the knob.  He concentrated as he listened for the tumblers to fall into place.  Fifteen minutes later, he grinned as the safe opened.

“About time!”  Ben impatiently pushed him out of the way and stuffed the money into empty saddle bags.  He stood up when he finished, heading toward the door.  “Let’s get outta here!”

Heyes made to follow Ben but turned to the soldiers as he got to the door.  “Just remember,” he told them quietly, “I may have just robbed this train, but I saved your lives and stopped the Harper brothers taking your payroll.  I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you but I got my own hostage worries right now.  You might say I was forced into doing this robbery.”  He touched the brim of his black hat in salute and dropped down from the landing to the sound of shouting near the passengers.

“Where’s the Kid when I need him!” Heyes muttered, hurrying toward the skirmish.  “What’s going on, Ben?”

“None of your business, Heyes,” Josh answered for his brother.  “Just keepin’ the passengers in line.”  He raised his gun at a middle-aged man.

“Ben, we’re done here!  Let’s just get on our horses and get outta here,” Heyes implored, holding both hands up.  “No good will come out of killing someone.”

Josh glowered at Heyes and cocked his gun.

“Ben!” Heyes shouted, his eyes pleading.  “We’ve already been through this.”

Ben walked over to his brother and put a hand on his gun.  “Go take a walk, Josh.”

“Ben…” Josh growled.

“NOW!  Go bring the horses around,” Ben ordered, his face red with anger.  “Heyes, you, Clint, and Les get the passengers back to the train.  Chris, go help your brother.”

Josh shoved his gun into the holster and threw his hat on the ground before walking off towards the horses, ground-tied on the other side of the train.

“Do I have to?” Chris asked.  “Rather stay away from him when he’s that mad.”

“Yes, you have to.  Josh can’t bring all the horses by himself.  Now get.”  Ben took off his hat and pushed his hair back.  He stood in the middle between his brothers and the passengers.  “Gotta do somethin’ about Josh’s temper.  It’ll be the downfall of us yet,” he mumbled.

Heyes put his hand on the threatened, shaken passenger’s back and gently steered him towards the train.  “C’mon, folks.  Let’s get back in the car where you’ll be safe.”

A young boy, clutched to his mother’s dress, overhead Ben’s orders as they made their way back to the train.  “Ma, one of them is Hannibal Heyes!”

“Hush, dear!”  The young woman took her son’s hand and hurried him along.

“Mister, are you Hannibal Heyes?” the boy shouted out.  “Where’s your partner, Kid Curry?”

“Wish I knew,” Heyes said quietly to himself.  “I wish I knew.”


Once the sun began to set and the temperatures cooled, desert animals began to emerge from their daytime shelters.  Kid Curry crawled from beneath a shrub and looked around at his surroundings.  “I have to find water.  There has to be a river or a creek around here.  There just has to be.”

Getting his bearing, Kid Curry walked for awhile before looking for a shelter from the cold night.  “I can make it to those rocks.”  He opened the top and sipped some water before plodding forward.


The Harper gang hooped and hollered as they galloped away.  Only Heyes looked towards the train and sighed before kicking his horse to follow the others.

They rode hard for several miles before letting the horses slow to a more comfortable long-striding gait.  They rode into Browns Park after dusk.

Heyes dismounted and walked straight over to Ben.  “Okay, you’re all back safe with the money.  I held up my end of the bargain.”  He put his hands on his hips.  “Now, where’s my partner?”

Ben looked at Heyes for a moment and then gave him the briefest of nods.  He turned to his brothers.  “Tell him,” he said simply handing his horse’s reins to Les.

“We left him… what… you think about a four hour ride from here?”  Chris looked at his brother for confirmation.  Josh nodded and he continued.  “That a way.”  He pointed.

“Four hours east of here?  So you took him to Colorado?” Heyes asked.  Josh nodded as Heyes raised his voice.  “There’s nothing out there but lots of hot, dry land!”

“Yep,” Chris spit out some of his chaw.

“Where?  At a shack?  Near a cave?”  Heyes took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Nope.”

“Near a river or stream?” Heyes’ voice grew louder.

“Nope.”

“What am I looking for?”

“You ain’t lookin’ for nothin’,” spat Josh.  “We jus’ dropped ‘im.”

“With nothing?  It’s been, what, two days?  He’s had no protection from the sun, no food, no water…”

“He had water,” piped up Chris.  “Two canteens full.”  At Josh’s glare, he shrugged.  “I left him a second one,” he explained.

“Would he have been able to drink all tied up?” Heyes asked Chris.

“He weren’t tied up, Heyes,” said Chris quickly before looking slightly embarrassed and adding.  “We didn’t need to tie him.  He was out cold when we left him…”

Josh sneered.  “He was out when we tied him onto the saddle and when we dropped him off.  He’s lucky I didn’t kill him, but I promised Ben I wouldn’t.”

“May as well have!  So help me, if my partner is dead, I will come back and hunt you all down.  Mark my words!”  Heyes stomped over to the corral and whistled for Curry’s mount.

“What are you doin’, Heyes?” Ben walked over by him.  “May as well spend the night.  Won’t get far in the dark.  Besides, your horse needs a rest.”

Heyes turned quickly on Ben and pointed a finger in his chest.  “I want all of your canteens full of water.  And I want both of our guns back.”  He looked towards the darkened eastern sky where only a sliver of a moon hung.  “I’m leaving as soon as I get the Kid’s horse ready and you better hope he’s is alive.”

Heyes moved quickly, saddling the Kid’s horse and leading it to where his mare stood waiting.  He mounted Curry’s horse and led his own as he trotted out of the camp, stopping by the river to get the full canteens from Les and Clint.

“Hope the Kid’s alright,” Clint called out to Heyes as he left.  Heyes didn’t bother to reply.



Heyes led Curry's horse into a Colorado sunrise, a dark blue sky lightening into deep shades of purple and pink.  Almost a dozen canteens hung off the saddle horns of the two horses.  “This is going to be like finding a needle in a haystack,” Heyes murmured as he urged his mount forward.  “Hang on, Kid!  I’m coming.”


Kid Curry slowly stood up and yawned.  He shivered.  “Gonna be a long day.”  He headed toward a small copse of trees in the distance.


Heyes rode east until he had covered the distance he figured the Harpers had traveled.  He remained vigilant along the way, looking for any sign of his partner.  Standing up in his stirrups, he scanned the horizon.  “Which way did you go, Kid?”  He sat in his saddle and wiped the sweat from his brow.  “You woke up and looked around… I’m gonna guess you followed their trail back, didn’t you?  I must have missed you or you’re wandering in circles.”

Heyes headed back in the direction he came from.  “Some champeen tracker I’ve turned out to be,” he said, disgusted.


The sun was high overhead when Kid Curry made it to the stand of trees.  “Water.”  He fell to his knees and began to dig.  “Has to be water.”

Curry lay sprawled in the shade.  “Roots go down far… too far.  Just got a little bit left.”


The sun was beginning to set.  Heyes stood on the stirrups again.  “KID!  KID!” he shouted, looking all around.  He sat down dismayed.  “Where are you?”

Heyes spotted a rock cropping in the distant.  “Maybe you’re over there.”  He urged his gelding forward and tugged on the bay’s reins.

The rays of sun bounced off an object on the ground, immediately getting Heyes’ attention.  He kicked the horse into a trot and quickly jumped out of the saddle when he approached.  “A canteen.”  He opened it and felt for moisture.  “It has to be yours!  KID!  KID!”  Heyes saw a few footprints in the dirt.  “Finally, something to go on!”  Heyes mounted and slowly followed what was left of a trail.


“Have… to… go…”  The Kid struggled to stand up, weak from hunger and thirst.  He took a sip from his canteen.  “Rocks ahead.  Gotta make it… that far.”

By the time he reached the rock formation the temperature had dropped.  "So cold," he muttered, rubbing his arms.  Finding a crevice in the rocks, he curled himself inside.  "Where are you, Heyes?"


The sky darkened, making any trail difficult to see, when Heyes finally stopped for the night.  He wiped down the horses and gave them some water to drink.  “Good thing I brought so many canteens.  We’re gonna need to find water tomorrow.”  Hobbling them, he let them graze on the little foliage in the area.

Heyes leaned back on his saddle, staring into the starry sky.  “How are we gonna get out of this mess?  Amnesty is gone.  You’re wanted for murder and robbery.  I’ll be wanted for robbery, if I’m not already.”  A lone coyote howled.  “It felt kind of good, feeling those tumblers falling into place yesterday, Kid.  I've missed that.  We sure were better than the Harpers at robbing.  No one got killed on our jobs.  Then again, I never allowed a cold-blooded murderer to stay in the Devil’s Hole gang.”  Heyes took a bite of jerky.  “If the amnesty is gone, maybe we’ll do one more big job, like that army payroll, and disappear.  Maybe go somewhere they haven’t heard of Heyes or Curry.”  His eyes darkened.  “The Harpers will pay if you’re…”  Heyes’ voice died out.


Monday

Heyes saddled up and was ready with the sun’s appearance.  The tracks he was following were sporadic, demanding all of his attention.  “I gotta find you today, Kid.  You can’t have much water, if any on you.”  He hurried the horses forward.


The Kid crawled out of his nook and grabbed tight to the rock to help himself up.  He shook his lifeline, the canteen.  “Just a swallow… two.”  He rubbed at his burning eyes and ran his tongue over his lips.  He drank a little, soothing the chapped lips.  Letting go of the rock, he became light-headed and fell to his knees.  “Gotta keep goin’.”  He stood and pressed on, his steps sluggish, his feet dragging.  He glanced up into the glaring sun.  “Heyes...” he whispered in a raspy voice.  “Can't see...”  He fell to his knees.

Darkness enveloped Kid Curry; he fell prostrate on the ground.


Hannibal Heyes shook the canteen before opening the cap and taking a long drink of water.  He removed his bandana and poured some of the precious liquid on it, wiped his face and then tied the wet material around his neck again.  “That feels better.”  He took off his hat and was running his fingers through his matted hair when he noticed the birds.  Four large birds rode the thermals as they flew in a circle around their prey near a rock formation.  Heyes squinted against the sun, straining his eyes in the direction of the predators' quarry, then, knitted his brow as he placed his hat back on his head and reined his gelding toward the boulders.

One vulture landed near the rock formation.  As Heyes drew closer, the form of a human came into view.  A cold sweat came over him, despite the heat of the day, and he spurred his horse forward, shouting and flailing his arms at the threatening scavenger.  He dismounted before his gelding had come to a full stop and scrambled toward the figure.

“Kid?” he called out hesitantly.  Heyes knelt and slowly rolled the man onto his back.  “Kid!”  Curry’s face was sunburned and his lips cracked.  His skin was hot to the touch.  “Don’t you be dead, you hear?!” he admonished, placing an ear to his partner’s chest.  He held his breath, listening for some sign of life, then swallowed hard and lay three fingers carefully along his partner’s neck.

Heyes sat on his haunches and looked around at the harsh land, capable only of growing sagebrush and rock.  “I have to get you out of the sun and cooled down.”

He stood and shaded his eyes from the sun.  “There’s a little shade by those rocks, but won’t be for long.  That’ll have to do for now.”

Heyes bent and, lifting Curry’s shoulders, dragged him to some shade.  He got several canteens and rummaged through a saddlebag until he found a clean bandana.  Kneeling beside his partner, he poured water on the cloth and wiped his face.  “C’mon, Kid, wake up.  I need to get some water in you.”  He soaked the cloth and opened the Kid’s mouth, letting the water drip inside.  Heyes stroked Curry’s throat, hoping he would swallow.  Continuing to drip water, the Kid swallowed some of it.  “That’s right,” Heyes encouraged.

After a few swallows, Heyes began taking off Curry’s boots, pants, and shirt.  “I have to cool you down.”  Once he had most of the clothes off, he soaked the Henley and cotton drawers, wetting the hot body down.  Then he went back to dripping more water into his friend.

The sun beat down and the shade was starting to disappear.  Heyes stood again.  “Have to find some shade for all of us.”  He smiled when he spotted a small grove of trees in the far distance.  “Trees!  Maybe there’s water.  There’ll at least be shade.”  Heyes looked at the Kid and back to the trees, took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair.

Heyes ground-tied the bay near Curry.  “I know this isn’t the most comfortable way to ride, but it’s only for a short distance.”  Heyes reached under his partner and lift his body over the saddle.  “Sorry, Kid.”


The horses quickened their pace when they came close to the copse – shelter from the sun during the heat of the day.

Heyes promptly dismounted and made his way to the Kid, pulling him down from the horse and feeling for a pulse.  He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the heart rate.  “You’re still too hot and your heart’s too fast.  It’s not very strong, either.”  He opened a canteen and dripped water into Curry’s mouth.  “Help me out, Kid.  Swallow.”  With some coaxing, more water entered the dehydrated man’s body.

Heyes untied Curry’s bedroll and laid it out in the middle of the grove.  He gently dragged the Kid on the bedroll and poured more water on the hot body to cool it off.  “That’ll have to do for now.  Let me take care of the horses and then I’ll give you some more water.”

Heyes hurriedly unpacked the animals and brushed them down.  He hobbled them and gave them a drink before letting them forage for food in the grove of trees.  He gathered wood, preparing for a campfire to ward off the cold of the evening.  All the while, Heyes kept one eye on his partner.

Once the chores were done, Heyes settled down next to the Kid and continued his ministrations – painstakingly dripping water into Curry and keeping his body damp during the hot hours of the day.  “I see you’ve been to the trees before.  At least I’m guessing it was you digging a hole.  Looking for water, I bet.”


The red orb slowly descended and disappeared behind the distant mountains, washing the sky in fiery colors of reds and oranges.  Heyes put his jacket on and put a bedroll near the Kid.

“Well, your body will be cool soon enough,” Heyes commented, exhausted from the long day.  “I should get the fire started to keep you warm.”  He stood and stretched.  “And make some coffee for me.  It’s going to be a long night.”


Heyes finished tucking the bedrolls around the Kid to keep him warm.  He poured a cup of coffee and cradled it in his hands for warmth as he blew into it.  He sat back down next to his partner and took a few tentative sips.  “Nice and hot for a chilly evening.”

He put the mug down and dripped more water into his unconscious friend.  “Next time WE see the Harpers… So help me!”  Heyes took a deep breath and slowly released it.  “Are you warm enough, Kid?  You’re getting better about swallowing the water.  I’m gonna take that as a good sign.  I’d feel better if your heart was beating a little slower and stronger.  Wish I had some salve to put on your lips.  Won’t be kissing no girl with them for a while.  Don’t matter none since no girl will look twice your way.  Your face is so sunburned it’ll be peeling and you’ll look uglier than normal.”  Heyes took a few more sips of coffee.  “I wish you’d wake up.  I’m getting tired of talking to myself.  Actually,” he yawned, “I’m just plain tired.  Mind if I stop feeding you water and close my eyes for just a few hours?”  Heyes yawned again and finished his coffee.  “We have to get to a river tomorrow.  You’re not leaving much water for the horses and me.  Not that it’s your fault – darn Harpers!”  Heyes curled up under his and the Kid’s jackets.  “Have to make it an early day…”

Soft snores mingled with the faint cry of a coyote.


Wednesday – a few day later

“Heyes…” Curry spoke in a raspy soft whisper.  “Heyes.”  The urgent voice was a tad louder.

“Hmmm…” came a sleepy reply.

“Water…”

“What’s that, Kid?” Heyes mumbled.

“Water.”

“It’s over there in…”  Heyes sat up and grinned at the bleary blue eyes staring at him.  “About time you woke up!  I was thinking you were going to be like Rip Van Winkle and sleep a hundred years.  You know, you had me scared there for a while, with the buzzards flying over you and…”

“Water.”

“Oh, let me get you some water.  You must be thirsty, though I’ve been dripping water into you what seems non-stop since I found you.”  Heyes shivered as he got out from under the covers and threw some logs on the fire.  Next he pulled a saddle by the Kid’s head and lifting his shoulders, elevated his head by leaning him against it.  He poured water into a tin cup and held it out.  “Think you can hold it?”

Curry nodded, but his hands shook when he went to grasp it.  He drank greedily and began to cough.

“Slow down; there’s lots more.”  Heyes moved the cup away.  “How are you feeling?”

“Lousy!” Curry said in a raspy whisper.  “Thirsty and so tired.”

“That don’t surprise me.”  Heyes offered more and the Kid drank.  “When I found you over a day ago, you were lying out there in the hot sun and your heart was racing like a posse was after you.  Like I said, I’ve been trying to get water in you by dripping it in your…”  Heyes set the empty cup down and pulled the covers up to his sleeping partner’s chin, but not before checking his heartbeat.  He smiled when he felt he slow, strong beat.  “You just rest and get better.”

Heyes rubbed his hands up and down on his arms and shivered as he glanced into the sky.  “Still a few hours before sunrise.”  He poured water into the coffee pot and set it near the hot coals to heat up before heading back near his friend.  “Move over, Kid.  I’m coming back to bed.”

The Kid, without waking up, rolled over on his side, facing the warmth of the fire, making more room for his partner.

Heyes curled up under the blankets with his backside to his friend.  “Sure is good to have you back again, Kid.”


The sun made its grand entrance before Heyes stretched and yawned.  Curry’s breathing was steady and not labored like it had been.  Heyes put three fingers on his partner’s neck to check the heartbeat.  He smiled.  “Still slow, but steady.”

“What you doin’?” came a croaky voice, followed by a yawn.

“Just checking.”

“And?”

“It’s beating strong and steady, finally.”

“More water?”

“Sure.”  Heyes pulled back the covers and stomped his boots on.  He picked up a canteen, dropped it, and picked up another.  He poured water into a cup as Curry struggled to sit up, leaning on the saddle.  “Here, let me…”

“I can.”  With an effort, the Kid hoisted himself up and moaned from the physical exertion.

Heyes frowned as he watched.  “Stubborn mule!  You just woke up after being out for over a day and you have to wear yourself out by insisting on sitting up without help.”

Curry tried to glower, but gave up.  “Water?”  He held out his hands, still shaky from weakness.

Heyes handed gave the cup to his partner.  “Are you hungry?”

Curry drained the cup, shook his head, and laid back, his head on the saddle.  “Just tired and thirsty.”  He closed his eyes.

“I bet!  I found you passed out and it took over a day for you to come to.  And…”  Soft snores came from his partner.  “Guess you are tired.”