Kid Curry had faced down many men in his time. Cowards and drunkards, bad men and foolish ones, but never once had he faced an armed man he could not draw on.

Each time he had been forced to use his gun it had been with the understanding that it was in self-defense. This had allowed his instinct for survival to work unfettered by his moral code.

His partner, Hannibal Heyes, had always known how reluctantly he drew his gun and had once hinted at what would happen if Kid ever lost one of the fights he was pushed into. It was that loyalty that had always given Kid the edge, the knowledge that he was not defending himself alone.

And yet now standing before him was that man. The only family he had, the only friend he completely trusted and he felt cold and confused at the stranger’s expression.

"Heyes? It’s me Kid," he said softly, the pain of the confrontation reaching his eyes. "What is it? What do you think I’ve done? What’s wrong?" The last bit came out in a young boy’s lost voice. Heyes’s opinion of him had always been the only one that mattered. What could his partner possibly believe he had done to confront him like this?

The look on Kid’s face made Heyes’s head ache even more. He wanted very badly to sit down and shut his eyes and try and make the pounding stop.

Kid saw the pain crease his friend’s face and without thinking took a step forward.

"Heyes…"

Heyes instantly stiffened and met his gaze unflinching and Kid blinked finally seeing first hand what had made his cousin the most infamous leader of the Devil’s Hole Gang all those years. His eyes were black and dangerous, intelligent, but just wild enough to make you feel uncertain as to what he might do. Kid had seen the look before, but had never been on the receiving end of it and he didn’t like it one little bit.

"Don’t move. I don’t want to have to kill you," Heyes said in a voice that vibrated with a resonance that suggested just how capable he was of backing the threat up.

"Heyes you’re hurt!"

"I don’t want to have to draw on you."

"Well you are going to have to if you want to stop me helping you cause I sure don’t intend to draw on my own partner," Kid said angry and hurt.

He took another step forward and saw Heyes move to draw even before his hand moved. That he could have reached his gun first there was no doubt, which was why he kept his hands at his side and didn’t move them.

Heyes froze looking down at the gun in his hand as if not sure how it had gotten there. It felt so wrong it shook him to the core. Looking up he swallowed as if hoping the stranger would explain.

Kid meanwhile could never remember a time his partner had pointed a gun at him, ever, and it chilled him to the bone. Forcing himself not to react he merely stood calmly waiting to see what Heyes would do next.

"Afraid you’re gonna have to shoot me in cold blood Heyes cause I ain’t drawing on you."

"I won’t let you hurt them…" Heyes winced closing his eyes as a wave of pain washed over him. He felt like he was going to pass out. He knew he had to stay conscious, even kill if he wanted to live, but images kept dancing across his consciousness and clouding his resolve.

Kid waited not sure what was happening, but trusting his cousin could not shoot him no matter what the circumstances. Heyes was not himself that much was obvious. And the bruise on his forehead suggested what had kept them from meeting had been bad. It was almost as if he didn’t know him…

******************************

"Stand and deliver!"

Hannibal Heyes closed his eyes and then opened them again slowly. No, they simply could not be that unlucky!

It was bad enough they were on a train headed for Wyoming, a train they had robbed at least three separate times in their careers, but for it to be happening while they were guarding it was too ironic.

He had in fact tensed as the train slowed into the water stop knowing it was the last break in the journey before their stop and an excellent place to get the drop on the engineer. He should know; he was the one who had first come up with the idea all those years ago.

But he had reassured himself the train was not carrying anything of obvious value; even the mail run had been empty. The only thing unusual was the huge pine tree lying on its side waiting to be delivered to the Territorial Capital lobby for Christmas. The smell of it had filled the rail car with a haunting aroma that reminded him the holidays would once more be upon them.

He glanced over at the safe he was sitting beside in the lonely boxcar. An old Brooker 101, he had opened it without the combination just to pass the time and he knew its contents were merely legal papers they had been asked to deliver along with some other banking documents.

He looked up as he heard voices approaching and knew he had to make a decision on how badly Soapy would expect them to protect those papers.

When Soapy had accompanied them to the train in Denver and asked the papers be placed in the safe on the train they had found they weren’t alone in requesting the service. A very distracted and agitated lawyer unable to accompany the papers he needed delivered had been very reluctantly giving them up.

Upon hearing Heyes promise Soapy to see his documents to their destination the man had pulled them aside and offered them a $100 to do the same with his parcel. An assurance that it was only land deeds had caused the two ex-outlaws to shrug and accept the easy money even though it meant one of them would have to stay on the train all the way into Cheyenne to deliver the second set of documents.

He heard the freight car door being unbolted and decided for the moment on discretion. The only problem was he doubted his partner would have the same reaction.

************************************

"He seems to have taken a real shine to you."

Kid Curry looked up at the old woman across from him in the passenger car and then back down at the young boy asleep against him.

Jason had come aboard in Denver almost missing the train as he leapt for it at the last moment. If not for Heyes’s hand reaching out to grasp him and pull him aboard he would have not only have failed to get aboard he would have taken a nasty spill.

"Yea I can’t understand why his folks are letting him travel alone," Kid said as he studied the child. He had to be about 8 years old and they had quickly realized not only didn’t he have a ticket, he was also missing a guardian on the train.

Heyes had warned him they had enough to worry about without a runaway boy, but Kid had not been able to bring himself to completely ignore the child. His compromise had been to let him sit near him and eventually beside him, a fact that Heyes had rolled his eyes at during the last break when he had checked in with him.

"Do you want me to take him for awhile?" she said noticing Kid’s distraction as the train started to slow.

"Thank you," he smiled grateful slipping out and allowing her to take his place. "Water stop, best check on how my partner is doing."

"You two take very good care of each other," she said and then smiled amused when he looked uncomfortable.

"Ma’am?"

"The last stop. Your partner was behind me when we got off to buy food from the woman selling sandwiches. We were the last two and when it was his turn there were only two sandwiches left. I heard him come back and give one to you and the other to the boy and then tell you he was going to eat his in the boxcar because it was warmer."

"Oh you noticed that too?" Kid said with a small smile.

"Yes and I also noticed you only ate half of yours and when he came back you gave it to him and said the boy couldn’t finish it all and did you want it as you were full."

Kid looked at her in a new light, "You are very observant ma’am."

"My profession, I’m a teacher," she smiled. "I hope I didn’t embarrass you mentioning that. A lot of people don’t like being observed when they are doing something nice, but I think it’s important that these things get noted. Have you been partners long?"

"All our lives ma’am," Kid said unable to take offense at her interest in them.

"Again, I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"Not a problem ma’am, but I’d suggest not mentioning it to my partner, he worries enough and having a pretty lady like you looking at him and just noticing sandwiches would probably break his heart."

She smiled and he returned it just as the train stopped and he jumped off to walk up with it pulling his coat in against the cold December air.

He hadn’t gone far when suddenly he heard footsteps and saw Jason running to catch up with him.

"Mr. Jones you almost forgot me!" the boy said hurrying up.

"Just checking on my partner Jason I’m not going anywhere. I sure hope when we get to into town though that your family will be waiting at the station for you cause were gonna have to say good bye then."

The boy looked down suddenly fascinated with the top of his shoes. "Yea me too."

"They do know your coming right?" Kid asked.

Suddenly he heard it. The sound of horses racing up and cursed their luck.

"Jason get back in the train and stay with Mrs. Clarence," Kid ordered pushing the boy up into the car his gun all ready in his hand as he slipped between the cars.

All ready passengers were sticking their heads out the windows as the call to stand and deliver rang out.

"They’re robbing the train!" he heard Jason call out with all the enthusiasm of a child who thinks Christmas has come early and turning back he realized the boys was back beside him. "Do you think its Heyes and Curry?"

"Be just my luck," Kid mumbled under his breath.

"But where are you going?" Jason wailed.

"To check on my partner. He isn’t as good at staying out of trouble as I am!"

********************************

The door slid open and cold sunlight burst in.

Heyes covered his eyes pretending to be blinded by the shock of light, but in truth had been expecting it and quickly assessed the three masked invaders that pointed rifles as him.

They almost weren’t tall enough to see over and in and Heyes frowned at their nervousness. This wasn’t a good combination.

"He isn’t armed!" one said in a gruff voice and Heyes knew better than to glance where he had his gun for easy retrieval should the need arise.

"Stay calm mister and we won’t bother you much," the second said leaping up into the car and almost dropping the rifle.

"What did you do with the combination?" one hissed as the figure began going through his pockets with a desperate urgency.

"I had it."

"I swear knew better than to trust you with it!" the third figure said climbing up and going over to the safe, Heyes ignored. "I reckon we’ll just have to blow it!"

"You mean with dynamite!"

"No dummy with air! Now get a stick from George!"

"Ah ‘George’ is a bit preoccupied," Kid said pleasantly from the door where he stood holding a squirming girl of no more than 13 easily under one arm. "You all right?" he asked Heyes who took the surprise to grab his gun and snatch the rifles from the other three.

"Yea, they’re getting younger," Heyes sighed motioning for everyone to jump down.

"Look mister were the Devil’s Hole Gang and you better not mess with us!" the tallest boy said defiantly.

"And would you be Kid Curry or Hannibal Heyes?" Heyes asked interested.

"There waiting for us up in the hills and if you don’t let us go they’ll come charging down here and shoot all down dead and then you’ll say you’re sorry!" the girl said fiercely.

The two men swallowed smiles.

"Well that sounds like a pretty terrible threat doesn’t it Mr. Smith?" Kid said.

"I told you this wouldn’t work!" the middle boy said looking ready to cry. "Grams is gonna kill us!"

Kid walked over next to Heyes, "What do you wanna do with them?"

Heyes turned and looked at him incredulously. "What do you mean what do I want to do with them? We caught them robbing the train…oh know, do not tell me you think we should let them go!?"

"I didn’t say that Heyes," Kid said.

"You didn’t have too, I know that look. Kid may I remind you we can’t afford to get our names hooked up with anything crooked? How is it going to look if we let train robbers escape?"

"Well they didn’t actually rob anything. Can’t even get them for stopping it, train wasn’t moving."

"Kid why do you always do this to me?"

"Heyes I heard them talking they know there isn’t any money in that safe, they were just after some papers."

"Kid that is not our problem."

"Heyes, we were that age once, if someone had given us a break things might have turned out a whole lot different, besides they got a little girl with them."

"I am not a little girl I am 14!" the child said overhearing and stomping her foot.

The boys had also been straining to overhear them and catching enough to look hopeful, all but the oldest who was scowling like he didn’t demand or expect any mercy.

"Get out of here," Heyes said disgusted.

The group looked at him in amazement.

"Your letting us go?" one blurted out.

"Not if you stand there another minute!" Heyes growled.

The children scrambled for their horses and were gone.

"I don’t believe we did that!" Heyes said throwing up his hands. "We were hired to protect this train!"

"And we did," Kid said. "Besides what did you want us to do, shoot them?"

"They were train robbers!" his friend yelled back.

"So were we Heyes!" Kid said through gritted teeth. "Or have you forgotten that!"

Heyes watched his partner stomp off and he sighed running a hand through his hair. He hadn’t meant to snap at him like that. The last few months had been lean and both had hoped to be south by now with a small nest egg to weather the winter.

To make matters worse the holidays were looming again and those were never easy times for either of them.

Trying to make amends he signaled the driver to prepare to move out and hurried to catch up to his partner who had entered the passenger car.

"Why did you let them go?" Jason was asking for all the passengers.

"Well Jason there was just two of us and the rest of their gang was in the hills and we thought since they didn’t get anything it was best for the safety of the passengers just to let them ride off," Heyes answered and was rewarded with a round of applause from the passengers.

The train then began to move and everyone found their seats and after taking a round of thanks the two men found a quiet place to talk.

"What are we gonna tell them when we get to the station?" Kid said finally.

"What can we tell them?" Heyes shrugged. "Masked bandits, impossible to get a description and we managed to scare them off when we surprised them."

"And the part about them being children?"

"Children robbing trains?" Heyes said meeting his eyes. "Now who is gonna believe a story like that?"

Kid grinned, "Yea does sound pretty implausible at that! So who’s staying on to Cheyenne?"

"Heads or tails," Heyes smiled and pulled out a coin.

********************************

Hannibal Heyes stepped off the train at the next stop and glanced around slightly pleased by what he saw.

Christmas, Wyoming was a pleasant town of medium size that had grown and prospered in the shadow of the Oregon trail. Formed by families who could go no further or liked what they had seen and decided they had traveled far enough and settled.

Walking over to the station he dutifully reported the robbery attempt and after assuring the authorities nothing had been taken walked back out to the platform to collect his bag. It was then he saw Jason standing a little overwhelmed at the edge of the steps watching the busy street.

Heyes frowned. Kid had asked him to make sure the boy was met by someone when Heyes had won the toss to get off, but he hadn’t really considered what he would do if the boy wasn’t met by anyone.

He stood another moment hoping someone would come up and then glanced up at the dark sky. It smelt like snow and despite it being just past noon it was near freezing all ready.

"Bigger than you thought huh?" Heyes said gruffly coming up behind the child.

"Yes sir," the boy gulped turning to see him and the relief at a friendly face was more than Heyes could take.

"No one is coming for you are they?"

The little head shook no sadly, "My Ma doesn’t know I’m coming. I know she meant for me to be with her, she promised. And the lady she left me with didn’t want…she couldn’t afford to keep me no more and I figured she’d be sending for me anytime, its almost Christmas!" the child added urgently and Heyes wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince.

"You know where your Ma works?" Heyes said resigned.

"The bank."

"I’m going that way, you wanna walk with me?"

The boy broke into a grin and nodded.

Mumbling something about partners Heyes picked up his bag and securing directions told the boy to follow.

The First National Bank was in fact the only bank, a massive stone structure complete with pillars and large oak doors that were designed to evoke confidence and trust.

hot August night with the Devil’s Hole Gang was no matter. Till that day no one had ever figured out how they had gotten in and out without leaving a trace and Heyes smiled at the memory as they entered.

The bank was busy. A week before Christmas meant people were preparing for the holiday and the atmosphere should have been festive and might have been if not for the sour figure seated like a spider in his web in the corner watching every transaction with slitted eyes in a cold stare.

"Cold in here," Heyes said frowning at how little heat the pot belly stove was giving out despite the full box of coal beside it.

"MOM!" suddenly Jason darted between them right into a startled young woman carrying a handful of ledgers across the floor.

She was young, but her countenance was weary and older and her lifeless eyes looked up startled at the little boy who leapt into her arms sending the books scattering across the floor.

"Jason!" she cried out hugging him overjoyed.

"What is the meaning of this!" the man behind the desk said hurrying over.

"My son Mr. Cain…" the woman said clearly afraid.

"And who is this…man!" he spat as Heyes finished picking up the ledgers and placed them on the table.

"I met your son on the train I was guarding ma’am," Heyes said ignoring the man and talking directly to the girl. "Just wanted to make sure I saw him safe to you."

"Thank you…" she said not sure what to make of him. Heyes didn’t seem intimidated by Mr. Cain at all. "Jason why did you run away? You know I can’t affor…I can’t manage you staying with me yet."

"I had to mom. They didn’t want me any more. And Mr. Roberts hit me. You said I could come as soon as you got settled in your new job. Mom its Christmas and we ain’t never been apart for that, especially with dad gone now."

She hugged him, "All right, we’ll manage somehow. Mr. Cain would it be all right if I took my son over to my room at the boarding house? It will only take a moment and I haven’t had my lunch yet…"

"If you wish to lose half a day’s wage I won’t mind."

She stared at him and then nodded, "I’ll be back as quickly as I can."

Turning to go, Heyes caught her arm. "Ma’am?" He said in a voice that carried. "Jason helped us with a problem we had on the train and he’s got some reward coming. Figured best to give it to you," and he pressed the $20 gold pieces into her hands.

"This is a $100!" she gasped.

"Yes ma’am, his share. You got a fine boy there. Why I bet when folks hear how he helped out with that train robbery you’ll have a real hero on your hands," he looked at Cain with real meaning. "Yea lot of good publicity for the bank, mother of a hero working there."

The woman looked at him grateful understanding what he was doing, "Thank you Mister?"

"Smith, ma’am."

"Mr. Smith! Come along Jason!"

Quickly she hurried him out the door.

"Strumpet! Parading her bastards in my respectable establishment!" the old man muttered.

"I believe Jason said his father was a cavalry officer killed in the line of duty," Heyes said his voice once more carrying and people were eager to listen.

The man turned, "Did you have any further business…sir?" the man snarled.

Heyes thought for a moment and smiled, "Actually yes, I was wondering if this coal was for sale?"

"This is a bank sir, not a mercantile!"

"Not even for a $20 gold piece?" he asked innocently.

The man’s eyes lit up instantly, it was ten times what he had paid.

"Yes, yes I would be willing!" he said moving to snatch the coin, but Heyes drew it ever so quickly out of reach. "On the condition I can burn it here."

Everyone was watching now.

"You intend to take residence here?" Cain said sarcastically.

"No," Heyes smiled. "I just want to burn my coal here, do you have any objection?"

""None," the banker said and this time caught the coin.

"You," Heyes said motioning the messenger boy over. "Would you like to earn a dollar?"

"Yes sir!"

"Every day until it is gone I want you to come over here and apply a serious shovel of coal to this fire do you understand?"

"At that rate it will be gone in no time!" Cain said horrified. "That is the entire winter supply!"

"Should last through January," the boy said calculating with a good eye.

"Yea I was thinking that myself," Heyes winked at him and tossed him the coin. "And you can start now."

"What! The day is half done!" the banker said on the point of apoplexy.

"Yes Mr. Cain and so are you employees," Heyes said and then moved closer and dropped his voice. "And I will be keeping an eye on my investment. If you interfere in any way I will be back to discuss the matter with you."

And with a pleasant good day he left the building.

****************************

Delivering the papers to the deed office Heyes secured a hotel room overlooking the main street and after a bath wandered down to inspect the town in search of a diversion.

"I should have known," came a familiar voice and Heyes turned and broke into a grin.

"Jim!" Heyes said greeting Jim Stokely. "Lom warned us you were the new sheriff!"

"Looks pretty good doesn’t it?" Jim smiled down at the badge. "Have to thank him for the recommendation. Been six months now. Where’s Thaddeus? I heard you got off the train alone."

"Had to take some papers into Cheyenne, he’s gonna meet me back here. Badge suits you, can I buy you a drink?" Heyes asked.

"I think you better let me buy you one, you’re the talk of the town. Not only did you foil a train robbery, but you took on Banker Cain. That makes you a national hero around these parts Joshua."

"Man just got on the wrong side of me," Heyes said shrugging it off. "So what made you choose lawman?"

"Well comes a time a man has to start drifting and put down some roots," Stokely said as they walked over to the saloon.

"Is she pretty?" Heyes guessed and Jim looked up sharply at his insight only to finally grin sheepishly. "She is, runs the local orphanage… or she did. Banker Cain is foreclosing on families so fast and it looks like that will be his next target."

"Yea we heard something about that," Heyes said. "What’s his interest? Railroad is all ready in, nothing worth mining."

"Land, pure and simple. Range war up north is heating up and ranchers are looking to expand any way they can for more power. Cain saw opportunity and moved in about a year ago and offered farmers and locals easy loans. Town meeting figured it would take at least $20,000 to buy all those notes back."

"So they weren’t so easy after all?" Heyes guessed as they made their way down the street.

"Exactly, and they all come due on Christmas day. Rancher named Breyers is getting real impatient as people are digging their heels in. I don’t suppose you two would consider temporary deputy jobs?"

Heyes grinned.

"Yea I thought so," Stokely suddenly went serious. "Look I have to ask, Breyers didn’t hire you two to come up here and help him out did he?"

Heyes looked indignant, "Jim I think you know us better than that."

"Yea, I hope I do, but as fast as Thaddeus is I can’t take any chances."

"Thaddeus’s gun has never been for hire," Heyes said quietly.

"Didn’t mean to offend and I have to confess I’m relieved. But I gotta warn you once he knows you are in town he will be asking."

"And the answer will be no," Heyes said simply.

"Good, any chance I can interest you two in having dinner with us? Laura is fine cook and I know she would like to meet you…" he stopped.

Heyes turned to follow his gaze and saw it rest on a plainly dressed brunette with her hair braided up tightly. She wasn’t want a man would call pretty at first glance, but she was striking and Heyes realized from Stokely’s look that this was the woman he had been referring too.

"Excuse me Joshua," he said hurrying over to the woman who was arguing with an older man Heyes guessed to be the rancher Breyers.

Curious he got closer.

"Mr. Cain tells me you bought the deed for the orphanage from him!" the woman said catching his arm when he refused to stop.

"Woman I am done with this!" the man roared with a slight Scottish tint in his voice. "Now I want that land and you and those brats need to be off it by the 26^th or I will have my boys remove you one by one!"

"But they have no where to go!"

"Not my concern!" the man said walking away as Stokely hurried up to comfort her.

Heyes followed the rancher over to a small knot of cowboys who had been watching.

"Jess take this deed and the payroll over to the bank and deposit it," the rancher ordered and Heyes guessed from the resemblance the young boy of 19 must be his son.

"Will do Pa, right after me and the boys get us a beer."

"I said now!" his father said cuffing him across the ear sharply. "And I’ll have no back talk from you!"

The rancher then untied his horse and turned it north and rode out of town without ever looking back.

"Let’s get us that beer," Jess said his eyes seething with rage as he watched his father ride off.

"Don’t you think you oughta do what he said first?" one of the cowboys said.

"I want a beer!"

"But your Pa…"

The boy turned an angry gaze on the objector who went silent and together the group entered the saloon.

Heyes paused considering this and with a wave to Stokely that he would catch him later, entered the saloon.

***********************

Four hours later Heyes stared across at young Jess Breyers who was sweating and now instantly sober. The ex-outlaw leader had won just about everything the table had to offer including all the money the boy had been entrusted for the bank.

"Mister my Pa his gonna kill me if I don’t get that money to the bank," the boy said all bravo gone. He had been easy mark for Heyes to manipulate into a game and his hatred for his father had fed his foolhardiness. It didn’t help that he was a lousy poker play as well.

"Well you shouldn’t gamble unless you can afford to lose," Heyes smiled as the table emptied none of his friends wanting to be apart of what they knew was coming.

"You don’t understand my Pa is a hard man. He’ll kill me."

Heyes seemed to pause and consider. "Tell you what, you lost $800 by my figuring, what say I let you have it back and we forget this ever happened."

"What’s the catch?" the boy said his eyes desperate with hope.

"Saw you pull out a piece of paper earlier, a deed wasn’t it? I’ll swap you square for it."

The boy pulled out a piece of paper sure there must be a trick.

"This is just a deed to that old orphanage."

"Then I would say you are getting a pretty good deal."

"Straight trade?"

"Straight trade," Heyes smiled. "Your Pa ain’t gonna even miss it with all that land you got and me, well I get me in good with that pretty little lady who runs it."

"Laura Hopkins? She ain’t pretty!"

"She’ll fit my needs," Heyes said with a wicked man to man leer and the boy grinned.

"Yea guess she might at that, all right we got a deal!" the boy said shaking his hand and handing over the paper as Heyes pushed the money towards him.

Exiting the room with purpose but without haste he strode purposely towards the sheriff office.

"Joshua!" Stokely said as he entered and Heyes noted he had been talking with two boys he instantly recognized from the train robbery. "I was hoping to see you, either of these two look familiar."

"Nope," Heyes said after studying them a moment, "Never seen them before. And here, pass this on to your lady and if you tell her or my partner where you got it I will shoot you."

Stokely picked up the paper and opened it as Heyes reached the door.

"How the hell did you get this?"

"Legal and I got witnesses, Breyers’ son is a lousy poker player."

"Joshua I don’t know how to thank you."

"By keeping this to yourself," Heyes grumbled. "My partner finds out I gave up enough money to see us through the winter I’ll never hear the end of it."

And with that he was gone.

*****************************

They caught him as he was leaving dinner.

He counted 5, but there could have been as many as 7 and he never had a chance to draw since the second blow caught him along the side of the head and sent him down hard in a sea of blows. His last thoughts being how much he really disliked this time of year.

The wagon startled them and the drunken cowboys scattered leaving him for dead amused at their victory, but not brave enough to take credit for it.

"Is he dead?" one of the boy’s from the robbery asked as his older brother jumped down.

"Mark shut up and help me get him in the wagon!"

"You think Breyers did this?" his other brother asked as the three of them struggled to put Heyes into the back of the wagon and pulled the tarp over him.

"Who else? He must be real sore about him winning that deed."

"You think Grams can fix him Matt?" Mark asked his big brother worried. "He didn’t rat on us and he could have!"

"Yea I know, come on let’s get out of here before anyone notices!"

******************************

Kid Curry arrived just before midnight and was not in a good mood. Tired and hungry he had spend too much time tracking down the address on the papers and had missed the returning train and been forced to buy a horse and make his way through the cold as quickly as he could.

Heading for the hotel he found a Joshua Smith registered, but was sorry to learn Sheriff Stokely had been called out of town on a matter and would not be back for at least a day.

Securing a key he entered the room to find it had Heyes’s customary neat, quick, get away signature, but no sign of him. Puzzled, but not worried Kid tumbled into bed figuring his cousin had found a poker game to entertain him and was asleep before he could turn out the light.

*********************************

Heyes was dreaming. He could feel the older boys’ blows raining down on him. Too many to fight, no chance to escape. Two less to share the dinner with one of them kept saying and he realized he was protecting someone.

He opened his eyes. The room was dark and he wasn’t sure he had opened his eyes it was so hard to see.

"Careful you took a terrible beating," the voice soothed and the cloth felt cool against his head.

"Where am I?" he managed after swallowing.

"Mason Farm," the old woman said. "My grandsons brought you here. I’m Ma Mason to most."

He nodded and regretted it, "Just one question," he asked softly, almost as an after thought. "What exactly would my name be?"

**********************************

Kid awoke with first light and frowned trying to remember where he was. Looking over he frowned as he realized Heyes’s bed had not been slept in. They spent far too much time sleeping on the trail to miss a warm bed when it was waiting no matter how good the poker game. There was always the possibility of a woman supplying Heyes one, but his partner was the cautious type and he had been expected. Kid didn’t believe he would have just gone off without getting word to him or making sure he had arrived.

Dressing quickly he made the unusual move of going to the Sheriff’s office. Even with Jim gone he felt safe entering it knowing his old friend would vouch for him or Heyes should anyone become suspicious.

The deputy was a younger man who perked up considerably on his partner’s alias.

"Yea he was here, said he was waiting for a friend, but I don’t mind telling you he made some enemies in the short time he’s been here. Probably thought it best to ride on."

Kid thanked the man and stepping out side pulled his coat in against the cold, worried now.

"Jones?"

Kid turned to see two rough looking cowboys eyeing him up.

"Who’s asking?" he said giving them a dangerous look. He had a missing partner and no patience for interruptions at this point.

"Our boss Mr. Breyers wants to see you. He saw you ride in and he thinks he might have a job for you."

"Tell him thanks, but I’m not interested."

"He don’t take no well, besides he said he’d make it worth your while for hearing him out."

Kid was about to refuse when something inside him made him reconsider. The deputy had said Heyes had made some enemies in town all ready. If this Breyers was someone he might know something about where Heyes might have gotten to.

"All right where is he?"

"Hotel."

Kid walked past them hoping as he did that his intuition this time was wrong.

******************************

"What’s all that about?" the shopkeeper asked one of the cowboys watching Kid walk away.

"Breyers found out that them Masons took in that fella that tricked his son. Fella’s a gunslinger. Figure he’s gonna send him out to take care of it."

The farmer exiting the store froze taking in this information. His eyes followed Kid’s purposeful strides across the street and he caught his breath on the name of the family that had the farm next to his.

He didn’t want to get involved, but at least he could warn them and gathering up the reins of his horse he took off at a gallop.

************************************

"If your boy hadn’t of lost that deed none of this would be necessary," Cain said angrily pacing as Breyers sat back nursing a whiskey in front of the fire. He had commandeered the hotel’s lobby after hearing rumor of what had happened to his son, who still had not returned home.

"Sheriff should have stopped that poker game," Breyers growled.

"Man played an honest game, you heard the witnesses. Your boy just ain’t got a lick of sense!"

"Well this Jones character looks like just what we need to clean this all up, including taking care of that sheriff."

"Stokely is fast," Cain warned going to the door just as Kid knocked.

"That won’t be a problem if he takes the bullet in the back."

"Mr. Jones," the hotel clerk announced as Kid was shown into the hotel’s private parlor. Cain looked him over with a sniff and shut the door behind him.

"Thank you for coming Jones," Breyers said emphasizing his name amused.

"Your men made it sound like refusing wouldn’t be too healthy." Kid said refusing a seat.

"I have a little problem that was left unfinished and it is worrying me."

Kid considered this and decided to play along. "How much are we talking about?"

"$200."

Kid leaned over and pulled a cigar out of the box beside the man and lit it. "Might for $500," he said taking Cain’s seat by the fire and stretching out.

"That’s ridiculous!"

"That’s the price. I don’t like having to clean up other people’s messes. Dangerous, lots of loose ends, requires a little more skill. You have to pay for that Mr. Breyers."

"All right point taken, $500, but I want it done now. There is a man staying at the Mason farm. They took him in when my boys roughed him up. I want you to go there and make him disappear. I don’t care what you do to the family, just a bunch of kids and an old woman."

"What’s this man done?"

"He tried to make a fool of me. I want this man Smith taken care of. People need to know they can’t mess with the Breyers."

Kid’s hand on the cigar tightened ever so slightly. Anyone who knew Kid Curry at that moment would have found the fastest exit from the room.

"$250 now and $250 when I see his body hanging from the center of town."

Kid tossed the cigar into the fire and stood, "So $500 is the going price for a man’s life in this town?" he said attempting to control his rage as with one hand he grabbed Breyers and shoved him into the wall. "Now you listen to me Mr. Breyers and you listen good. I should kill you, but hell’s too good for you and besides my partner is gonna want a shot at you himself."

"Your partner?" the man stared.

"Yea and you made a real serious enemy they day you decided to lay a hand on him. Word of warning Breyers, stay out of my way."

And with one punch he sent the man down unconscious, jaw clearly broken.

Kid merely stepped over him and was on his horse a minute later.

*******************************

Heyes was feeling better. Well as long as he didn’t move or no one asked him any hard questions like who he was. In the last 24 hours he had gotten to know the Masons well and he liked them. He quickly learned the children’s parents had been killed in a fire of suspicious origins that had taken their barn and most of their livestock. Their grandmother had taken the reins and together with the four children, Matt age 16, Mark age 14 and his twin Luke and their sister Martha they had been trying to hang on by any means to their land.

Their homestead was a fair size, but they seemed like hard working industrious people and something about the rhythm of farm life soothed him in a way he didn’t understand.

"So you say I helped you in town, was I with anyone else?" Heyes asked as he managed to sit up and fought to control the wave of nausea that came with the action.

"No sir, but you’re a friend of the sheriff. Mark tried to get word to him, but they said he’s out of town. He said your name was Joshua Smith though."

Heyes considered this, tasting the name. It felt right, but not a perfect fit and he frowned searching his memory for some clue to who he was and why someone would do this to him.

"Don’t let it eat at you boy," Ma said handing him a warm drink. "It will come if you give it time." She got up wearily. "Sometimes we don’t realize what a burden remembering is."

"Ma’am?"

"Grams means the treasure," Martha said sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Now Martha Mr. Smith doesn’t want to be hearing this nonsense."

"Actually ma’am something to think about would be a real service," Heyes said eager for something to concentrate on that he had a chance of understanding.

"Well my grandfather was one of the original settlers of this town! He had land deeds to all the property that Breyers wants and promised folks that he would never sell to him. Well right before my folks got killed he got afraid Cain and Breyers would do something sneaky and he took the deeds out of the bank and was taking them to a friend in Denver. Well there was this terrible train accident and he died before he could tell us where he had hid the deeds."

"But he didn’t die with his boots on," Mark smiled fondly pointing to the old worn pair of boots on the mantle.

"My husband had a real fear of dying such," Ma smiled her eyes sad. "Said only a ruffian died with his boots on, a gentleman died in bed in his socks! In fact his last words were that his rescuers take off his boots."

"Did his friend in Denver have any idea what he might have done with the deeds?" Heyes asked fascinated.

"No, and Cain jumped at the tragedy to stake claims on all the land he could and secure them by paying the taxes," Matt said disgusted.

"But if you had the original deeds…"

"We could prove the taxes were up to date and the land was ours free and clear. That’s what we were looking for on the train," Martha said embarrassed. "We knew his lawyer was sending some papers up to Cheyenne and we hoped they might ours."

"I’m sorry now I stopped you," Heyes smiled.

"Ma!!" the door burst open and the small farmer from town staggered in out of breath.

"Peter what on earth?" the old woman said rising from her chair.

"It’s Breyers! He knows you helped that fella and he’s sent a gunslinger to kill him and teach you a lesson. You gotta get out."

"What!" Martha gasped horrified.

"Where’s my gun," Heyes said swinging his legs over the bed and reaching for his clothes.

"You’re hurt!" Ma said hurrying over to him. "You can’t take him on!"

"She’s right, we’ll just have to make a run for it," Luke said wearily.

"And go where?" Heyes said angrily pulling on his clothes and fighting the urge to be sick.

"Well then I’m going with you," Matt said going over to the fireplace to take down his rifle.

"Matt he was a hired gun! You should have seen him!" his friend said. "Looked dangerous as hell!"

"What did he look like?"

"Fair, beige coat, jeans, brown hat."

"Thanks," Heyes said. "And you’re staying here. Look after your brothers and sister."

"He will kill you," Ma said sadly.

"Not if I see him first."

"You won’t kill a man in cold blood," the woman said knowingly. "Ain’t in you boy."

"Isn’t it?" Heyes said sharply. "How do you know? I don’t even know."

"He’ll be coming up from town, take the left trail behind the corral," the man at the door said.

Heyes nodded as he strapped on his gun. The belt was worn and broken in and felt right. He usually wore it, of that he felt sure. Tying it down without thinking he turned back to face the room.

"Look after them," he told the two men as they followed him out and saddled a horse for him.

"Good luck," Matt said bitter he could do nothing.

Fighting wooziness Heyes climbed aboard and for a moment wasn’t sure he could stay in the saddle. Kicking the animal he managed to stay aboard despite the growing throbbing in his head.

He knew instinctively he couldn’t just ambush the man and shoot him in the back, but he also knew he couldn’t let him just ride up and hurt the people who had protected him.

That left him only one choice. He pulled his gun out and felt the balance. He didn’t know how fast he was, but he had a suspicion he was more experienced with the weapon than most.

Reaching the overhang above the road he dismounted and said the rider approaching. He was in a hurry and matched the description.

There was also something more, something terribly familiar. He ran a hand across his face willing the pain to diminish enough so he could function.

He could see the rider clearly now and for a moment his mind was almost blinded by a series of images, riding hard, being chased, a figure calling out a name he didn’t know.

"Hold it right there," he said stepping into view.

The horse reared back surprised as the rider pulled it up short and broke into a grin at his voice.

"Heyes!" Kid said leaping off. "Am I ever…"

"I said hold it right there," Heyes said his face unreadable.

"Heyes what is it?" Kid said looking around confused.

"You don’t go any further," his partner told him his voice cold and unfamiliar.

He had Kid’s full attention, "Heyes, what’s wrong?" he pleaded.

"I guess that depends," his cousin said pulling off his right glove his intentions clear. "On how fast you can draw that gun."

***************************

"Matt this is foolishness!" his friend said as the young man climbed into the wagon.

"I’m tired of letting others fight my battles, that man is hurt, ain’t right he takes that killer on alone," Matt said taking the reins.

"You are just a boy!" his friend said disgusted.

"Maybe," he replied with great meaning, "But there is one thing I ain’t, a coward."

*******************************

He doesn’t know me! Kid realized and spurred by this though he began to talk in a soft, cheerful tone infusing it with his best smile. "Heyes, this now makes two Christmas’s you’ve gotten yourself beat up on. Just doesn’t seem to be your holiday is it? Remember? We were new at the orphanage and the bigger children figured I would be an easy mark to get out of the way. But they hadn’t counted on you cousin. You fought like a demon and when you couldn’t fight any more you protected me from their blows. They almost killed you Heyes protecting me."

Heyes felt like he was going to be sick. The stranger’s gentle words were filling his head with images he couldn’t sort through fast enough. Racing bare back on a horse as a child with a younger blond boy hanging on back and yelling into the wind with him. Tense moments over poker tables and before groups of desperate men, always being backed up by a figure that just stayed out of sight in his memory.

Heyes felt like the trains roaring through his head were now speeding past him physically. Darkness began to close in despite the winter sunlight and he realized he was losing consciousness. He felt himself start to fall, but never did hit the ground, the stranger catching him before he did.

Slowly he was lowered to the ground and something was placed under his head to protect it from the cold earth and he realized the man had taken off his jacket. "Kid your gonna catch pneumonia again," he thought and then the blackness mercifully engulfed him.

Relieved the confrontation was over Kid removed the gun from his hand and placed it back into its holster with a wryly smile. "Little practice partner and you could give me a run for my money."

"Hold it right there!" he heard the rifle click back and raised his hands slowly as he stood and turned. "Now don’t try anything…" Matt added.

Kid turned slightly and found himself staring into the eyes of the boy from the train.

"You!" the boy said lowering his rifle slightly.

"It’s all right I’m a friend, he’s my partner."

"Yea I remember you from the train. A friend in town heard you’d been hired by Breyers to finish him."

Kid smiled, "I was offered the job. Look can we get him somewhere warm?"

"I got a wagon over here. I was afraid he’d be in bad shape coming back. They hurt him something fierce."

Kid nodded gratefully and pulled Heyes up and over to the wagon where he left his jacket over him.

"Thaddeus Jones," Kid said taking the reins and urging the horse forward.

"Matt Mason. Your partner, he don’t remember anything, even his name," Matt said as the wagon rolled out.

Kid visibly let out the breath he had been holding at the explanation, the knot in his stomach easing up. "That explains it."

"Your lucky you both kept from shooting each other," the boy said shaking his head.

Kid managed a small smile. "Guess we’ve been trying to do that for so long it just came natural."

***************************

To Kid’s relief the doctor he had ordered out to the house was waiting as they pulled up and as Matt made a hasty explanation to his family, Kid helped his cousin into the house.

"How long as he been unconscious?" the doctor asked.

"Not long, but he couldn’t remember," Kid said forcing himself to pull back and let the doctor examine him. "He must have taken quite a beating."

"So did Mr. Breyers, I gather you’re the one who broke his jaw?" the doctor said swallowing a smile.

"You broke Breyers’ jaw?" Mark said amazed.

"Son consider yourself officially a member of this family," Ma said delighted.

"Well time will tell, just see he stays warm and doesn’t move," the doctor said.

"Thank you Doctor," Kid said looking a bit lost all of a sudden.

"Here why don’t you take your coat off and I’ll get you something to eat," Ma said.

"Thank you ma’am, but I think I’ll just sit with him a spell case he comes round," Kid said slipping into a chair next to the bed and then as an afterthought looked around.

"I’m sorry ma’am are we taking your room?"

"No mind, often sleep out with the youngins, your friend is best here where its quiet."

"Thank you ma’am."

***************************

Kid stepped out of the room and stretched to find a heated debate going on.

"I am too old enough!" Martha said hands on her hips holding the rifle from above the fireplace.

"You’re a girl!" Luke was telling her rolling his eyes. "Tell her Mr. Jones, girls can’t shoot turkeys?"

"Well she does seem a mite pretty to be bothering with such things," Kid smiled accepting the cup of coffee Ma handed him.

"How’s he doing?" she asked.

"No change ma’am, but he can be stubborn and enjoys worrying me," Kid said trying to keep his voice light and to change the subject turned to Martha. "Course no one could tell me I couldn’t shoot one when I was a lot younger than you so I know how you feel."

And swallowing a smile Kid returned to Heyes’s room and was rewarded with Martha and Luke following him in.

"How old were you?" Martha asked interested.

"Seven, stole my Pa’s shotgun and went out to show them all, especially my cousin here."

"Seven!" Luke laughed. "Why did you want to show everyone?"

"I wanted to be an Indian in the school Thanksgiving pageant and they made me a pilgrim instead. HE, got to be an Indian," Kid said rolling his eyes and pointing to Heyes.

"Why didn’t you want to be a Pilgrim?" Martha asked fascinated.

Kid looked at her in disbelief, "The Indians got the bows and arrows!"

Both children laughed.

"Oh sure you laugh, but it was a big deal when you were seven," Kid said indignant. "Problem was the gun was as tall as me."

"What happened?" Matt said from the door and Kid realized he had the whole house as an audience.

"Tripped, my gun went off, shot a tree. Please don’t laugh," Kid said with a pained expression at the memory. "I was mortified when my cousin found me."

"Oh you must have been in such trouble!" Martha said trying not to laugh.

"No, Joshua was a fair partner even back then," Kid smiled fondly. "He came looking for me figuring I would do something stupid. Well he dusted me off, fixed the gun I was afraid I had broken and then told me he would help me catch a turkey."

"How?" Luke said amazed.

"My cousin has imagination, some folks say more than his fair share. He never tries to do things the same way as everyone else."

"What was his plan?" Matt said confused.

"He figured turkeys are stupid and usually hungry so he got this box, rigged it up with a stick and corn. Caught something all right, only thing was it wasn’t a turkey!"

"Oh dear!"

"Skunk," Kid sighed closing his eyes at the memory.

"Oh no!"

"Fortunately we figured it out before we got too close. Heye..he was terrible disappointed his plan hadn’t worked and since it was getting dark and I was going to be in trouble for taking the gun anyway we gave up and started for home. Joshua making up this amazing story about a marauding grizzly bear and protecting the farm as we went to get me out of trouble…and then we saw it!"

"A turkey?"

"Yup, plain as day. Between the two of us we lined up the gun and down he went. Only one problem, it had escaped from a neighbor’s farm. Man sure got upset over one scrawny bird."

The family laughed and Ma shook her head, "Boy you two sure seem to have a penchant for trouble."

"Yes ma’am. Joshua got the brunt of it though. Our families presumed he had put me up to it and he got the worse part of the whooping despite my attempts to explain what had really happened. We both spend the better part of the winter chopping wood paying for that turkey. But I gotta tell you when we showed up at that Thanksgiving pageant at church with real turkey feathers for all the Indians to wear and Joshua told them all to thank me cause I had shot the bird we had got them from, well it was worth it!"

"He sounds like quite a handful your cousin!" Ma said shaking her head. "Now enough of this we have a table to set, dinner is ready, we will worry about turkeys for Christmas later. Mr. Jones will you join us?

Kid had seen the meager fare cooking and the thought of taking food from their table after all they had done for his partner worried him.

"Maybe a bit later ma’am."

She gave him a disapproving look, but nodded and shooed the children out of the room and shut the door leaving them alone.

Kid watched her leave and turned his attention to his partner his mind was drawn back to another Christmas when he had also sat beside his cousin’s bed afraid he wasn’t going to wake up then as well.

Their arrival in December of 1864 at the Valyard School for Waywards had emitted groans from those all ready occupying the meager resources of the gray stone building. Two more bodies meant the ‘feast’ would have to be shared that much further.

The winding down of the war and destruction of so many farms and fields had meant food was scarce. Worse still the Home held twice the number of children it was designed for and that meant going hungry had become a way of life for those living there.

With Heyes and Curry’s families dead only since August the two young cousins had all ready begun to realize their place in the world was precarious at best. At first they had been taken in by friends and neighbors; but as everyone in Lawrence had either lost someone or property no one could afford to hang on to them for long. They were soon being shuffled about from family to family until at last there had been no other choice but the Home.

No that wasn’t completely true. One family had offered to take young Jedediah to raise, but both cousins had balked at the idea of being separated; splitting up just wasn’t an option. They both knew they could withstand anything as long as they were together.

And so when the gang of older boys had jumped Kid that first night determined to explain his place in the food chain it had been Heyes who had leapt to his rescue. At 10 years old, Kid had yet to acquire any height or weight and it was only his 12 year old cousin’s intervention that most certainly saved his life.

Heyes was a good fighter and was tall for his age, but against older and bigger boys and numbers that far exceeded the two of them he did not have a chance of winning. Forcing his cousin back into a corner Heyes had shielded him taking the blows himself. It was only Kid’s screams that had brought the adults and scattered the attackers.

Sobbing he had pulled his cousin’s unconscious form behind him and it had taken two of the caretakers to pull him away so they could get to Heyes. There had been no doctor to call and placing Heyes in a bed away from the others caring for him had been left to Kid. It was not so much that no one in charge cared, but they simply did not have the energy or resources to. In fact if everyone had been honest one less child could have been seen as fortuitous.

That had been nearly twenty years ago and the feeling of hopelessness had not changed one bit. He realized part of his suffering then had been selfish, he had been afraid of being left alone. If he was honest he knew he still felt the same way.

He half smiled remembering his relief when his cousin had opened his eyes a day later and asked with that funny half smile of his, "Did we win?"

Kid leaned forward with a sigh and wearily put his face in his hands and tried to think of what he was going to do if Heyes didn’t remember him.

"You left out the part about us going back and getting the skunk the next day for Mrs. Cooper’s Christmas Cotillion," a voice said quietly. "That sure teached her not to invite my mother cause she was Irish."

Kid turned amazed.

"Heyes!"

"A little louder I don’t think they heard you across the entire county," Heyes said but he was smiling.

"You hungry? You want some food? Something to drink?" Kid said overjoyed at the recognition of him in his cousin’s eyes.

Heyes grinned, even though it hurt, at his partner’s enthusiasm, "More thirsty than anything, something warm?"

"Wait! Wait right here! I’ll be right back!" Kid ordered dashing for the door.

Heyes smiled again at the order and closed his eyes for a moment relieved at how much better he felt. He remembered! It was such a relief to sort through everything and then it all came back to him…he had drawn on Jed!

Kid returned a moment later with Ma and a tray containing tea and soup.

"Eyes look clearer," Ma said approvingly. "Food in you will help." She then turned on Kid as Martha brought in a second try. "He’ll eat better if he has someone to eat with, no argument young man."

Kid smiled, "Yes ma’am."

"He usually doesn’t turn down food," Heyes said surprised as Kid helped him sit up slightly and sip the drink.

"Oh I think he might if he was worried about how much a family had put by," she said giving Kid a look that suggested she missed even less than he did. "Now eat it all both of you."

They watched her go and Heyes looked at Kid, "Pretty bad off are they?"

"Yea looks that way. Now that you’re awake I’ll go see what I can shoot them in the way of game. You want me to feed you?"

Heyes gave him a disgusted look and took the spoon, "You worry about getting your supper down you and I’ll worry about getting mine down me all right?"

Kid smiled and started on his own food suddenly realizing how hungry he was.

"Kid?"

His partner didn’t look up knowing what was coming, "Yea?"

"I drew on you."

"You didn’t know who I was," Kid said not looking up from his plate as if he had almost forgot.

Heyes let out a long breath, "I could have killed you."

"Think you are that fast huh?" Kid said finally meeting his eyes with a grin as he tried to brush the matter away.

Heyes closed his eyes disgusted, "Calling out Kid Curry, how is that for intelligent. And you wouldn’t draw on me. Kid I really could have killed you."

"Nope, don’t have it in you Heyes, never did," Kid said setting down his fork seeing his cousin would not drop the matter.

"Kid I didn’t remember, I wouldn’t ever…"

Kid grinned, "Heyes? Shut up, you think I don’t know that?"

Heyes still looked worried, "I had hoped I would have too."

"You did Heyes, you didn’t pull the trigger did you?"

***************************

"He asleep?" Ma asked as Kid brought the two trays out of the room.

"Yes ma’am, ate most of it too, thank you."

Kid stopped as a knock at the door sounded and Mark peered out to announce it was the Sheriff.

"Thought I might find you here," Stokely said relieved coming into the room. "How’s Joshua?"

"Lucky to be alive," Kid said quietly.

"Yea from what I’ve seen of Breyers so is he," Stokely sighed shaking his head and taking the seat and coffee offered. "He called me round about you."

"Oh Sheriff you can’t be hear to arrest him!" Martha said horrified.

"He’s lucky I was in a hurry or that isn’t all he’d have to complain about," Kid said calmly and there wasn’t a person in the room who didn’t believe him.

"He didn’t do it, he’s got an…alibi!" Mark said happily remembering the word. "He was with us the whole time!"

"Yea the whole day, never left our sight!" Luke chimed in.

"Are you all about through?" Stokely asked amused in spite of himself. "Breyers isn’t pressing charges."

"That’s rather magnanimous of him," Ma said worriedly.

"Which is why I am here to see Thaddeus. He ain’t gonna take loosing this hand to you and Joshua well. Might be good if you and him steer clear of him and get out of town as soon as you can. How soon can he ride?"

"Soon as he needs to," Heyes said from the doorway.

Stokely sighed, "You look like your gonna need another day or two at least. I’ll send some men around to…"

"I can look after things," Kid said simply.

Stokely nodded, "All right, but stay out of sight," he stopped seeing Kid’s look. "I mean it Thaddeus don’t push him, he pushes back hard."

"Jim? So do I."

**************************

Heyes spent the majority of the next two days sleeping. His partner he soon learned had made himself useful doing some hunting and making a trip into town for supplies that Heyes didn’t know about until after he had left.

"He go alone?" Heyes said with a groan starting to get up. It had snowed the night before and the room was bright with the sunlight coming off the deep drifts.

"Yes and he said to tell you he took your boots," Martha giggled.

"HE WHAT?"

"He said he is just getting some supplies and won’t get into any trouble."

Heyes rolled his eyes, "If they don’t kill him I will!"

*******************************

Kid’s arrival into town did not go unnoticed by either his fans or his enemies, neither of which he acknowledged as he tied his horse up at the livery and tried to pay the old man working there to watch it.

"Can’t take it son, not after what you and your partner did for this town, gave it a shot of hope you did! Why folks are even going out to the orphanage tomorrow to do some chores, fix things now that your partner won it back."

"My partner did what?" Kid asked interested and grinned as the tale was re-told.

"Mr. Jones!" Jason cried waving from the Boarding House porch across from the stable. "Where are we going?"

Kid swallowed a smile at the excited little boy as he pulled on his gloves, "I am going to get some supplies."

"You want some help?" Jason said desperately trying to pull on his own gloves with the same smooth motion Kid had, but somehow had more glove fingers than actual fingers.

"I think I can manage," Kid said and then with a sigh crouched down and re-arranged Jason’s fingers each into their own slot in the glove.

"Oh, oh okay," Jason said trying to shrug like he didn’t care. "I gotta do some shopping myself, for my mom for Christmas."

"That’s good Jason you have a good time."

Kid began walking and hadn’t gone a few yards when he looked back to see the boy casually trying to keep up with his long strides by walking in his footprints.

"Let me guess you plan on shopping where I’m getting supplies?" Kid sighed.

"No, just going in that particular direction, why where you going?" Jason said hopeful and taking a step forward without looking disappeared into a snow drift.

Kid sighed again. His being in town was dangerous. If he was honest the need for supplies to pay back the Mason’s was not his only reason. What Breyers’ men had done to his cousin had set a rage in him that would not burn out. He was hoping to be challenged and get a little of his own back for his partner. Jason was not part of that equation, but as his little head peeked out of the snow looking so lost he found his plans being diverted for the moment.

"Wait here," he said pulling the child out and setting him back on the porch and then walking back to the stable. "That old sled on the wall, mind if I borrow it or I am never gonna get anywhere this morning."

The old man grinned understanding, "Take it son."

Finding a rope Kid tied it to the front of the frame and a moment later had pulled it over to the boy who was watching wide eyed.

"Get on," he ordered.

"You mean it!?" Jason said overjoyed.

"And don’t fall off, I’m in a hurry," Kid said gruffly. Heyes planned this somehow, he thought as he pulled the child over to the General Store where he was surrounded by children who wanted a ride and parents offering approval of him. It certainly was not the impression he had hoped to give off.

"Sleigh rides now huh?" Jim said amused coming up beside him as Jason ran off with his new friends to test the sled on the hill behind the store.

"You told me to stay out of trouble."

"I told you to get out of town," Stokely sighed following him into the store where several patrons, including a couple of cowboys noted their presence.

"Joshua should be able to ride in another day. Doc thought it best him not riding in this snow without another day. Besides it’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, I gotta do some shopping."

"You are the stubbornness man…"

"No my partner is, but I do come in a pretty close second," Kid said and began piling food supplies up on the counter including candy for the children and a book that looked interesting for his partner.

This accomplished he told the man to send his order over to the livery and stepping outside he wasn’t surprised to see Stokely waiting.

"Sheriff you are starting to make me nervous," Kid said his eyes studying the street. It had gone very quiet and his instincts were whispering to him.

"Not as nervous as you make me," Stokely said stepping off the porch with him. "Why don’t we walk over to the train station and see when the line will be cleared…"

His turning to emphasize the need of this saved his life. The bullet caught him in the arm and he fell to one knee in surprise trying to reach his gun with his left hand.

But Kid was all ready there. Pushing Stokely behind him he fired three times and was rewarded with a man falling from the hotel balcony and a second dropping into the street from his spot in the alley.

Pulling Jim back to the store he moved behind a barrel and waited. A moment later he spotted them.

Three men moving in on them eager to finish things.

"Give me your gun," Kid said.

"Are you crazy? What are you planning to do? There are three of them!" Stokely groaned trying to keep hold of the blood coming from his arm and his weapon.

"Those the fellas who ambushed Joshua?"

"Most likely."

"Then give me your gun and stay down."

Stokely, fighting unconsciousness now gave the weapon up and Kid was gone. Leaning out slightly Jim was afraid to watch. He knew Thaddeus was good, but that had been a target standing still, but three moving ones?

He moved to try and reach the General store door and secure a rifle when Kid’s gun going off diverted his attention. The man seemed to be all over the street in a zig zag pattern firing as he went and taking each man down he aimed at him.

It was over before it started, five bodies sprawled in the street moaning in agony and Curry holding both guns, still smoking.

"Thaddeus who the hell are you?" Stokely sighed.

"Man who is getting real tired of the games they place in this town."

**********************************

"How ya feeling?" Kid asked pleasantly coming into the farmhouse arms laden with supplies two hours later.

"Better," Heyes scowled at him. "What happened?"

"What do you mean what happened? I went and got some food to pay the Mason’s back."

"Ah huh, what’s that on your sleeve?"

Kid looked down and winced. He had gotten blood from Stokely on him helping him over to the Doctor.

"Someone took a shot at Jim," Kid finally confessed.

"Is he all right?" Heyes said as everyone gathered around at this revelation.

"Arms in a sling, just creased him, got lucky."

"And you?"

"I got you a book," Kid said handing his partner the tome. "Merry Christmas, thought it might make bed rest a little more palatable."

Heyes glared at him sensing more, but then Kid pulled out the candy and for the moment the matter was dropped as the children scrambled for it.

"Jules Verne?" Heyes said surprised looking at the book.

"Yea he wrote another one and you kept going on about that under sea one so I thought…" Kid shrugged.

"Around the World in 80 Days?" Heyes read aloud thoughtfully.

"Seems a little unbelievable to me," Kid said practically.

"Yea," Heyes said dryly. "Sorta like the stories my partner tells."

******************************

Christmas Eve dawned bright the next morning and Heyes awoke to find he could move without discomfort. Sitting up he realized it was his partner who had awoken him and looked over to see him all ready dressed and pulling on his gunbelt. Heyes groaned and rolled over.

"Where are you going now?" he growled.

"Bunch of people are heading up to the orphanage to fix the roof, do some chores, said I would give them a hand."

"Kid you have a nice warm bed, why would you possibly want to get up at this hour to do chores for complete strangers?" Heyes said the disgust in his voice only just muffled by the pillow.

"Just feel cooped up, need a little exercise. You rest up and I’ll be back when they are done," Kid said calmly tying down his gun.

Heyes sighed, "Kid we both know you are going along because you think Breyers’ boys are gonna try something, in fact you are hoping they will."

"Heyes its Christmas Eve, why would I want to start a fight on Christmas Eve?" Kid asked innocently.

"Because if trouble isn’t waiting for you when you get up in the morning you go looking for it!" Heyes said angry.

Kid seemed to consider this, "Maybe, least I’m not as bad as that fella who saved the orphanage from foreclosure…" Kid added deciding he was close enough to the door to risk the remark.

Heyes sat up and glared at him, "Who told you that?"

"No one, just heard a rumor someone won the orphanage mortgage in a poker game," Kid said innocently. "Why folks are saying the man is a bona fide hero!"

He managed to get out the door before the pillow slammed against it.

Heyes managed to lie there a full ten minutes before he threw off the covers, cursed his cousin and started getting dressed.

***************************************

"What do you think you are doing?" Kid said as Heyes stepped out the door fully dressed.

"Someone has to keep you out of trouble," Heyes growled.

Kid sighed, but knew better than to put up a fight and not long after they were pulling into the Orphanage compound where a small group was standing around looking like no one was sure what to do first.

"What happened to you?" Heyes said as Jim walked up, arm in a sling.

"Didn’t Thaddeus tell you?" Jim said surprised.

"He said you had a run in with Breyers’ men," Heyes said glancing back and forth between the two men and realizing he had been deprived of a great deal of the story.

"Ah yea just a flesh wound," Jim said as Laura ran up.

"Oh Mr. Jones!" she said hugging him. "Everyone is talking about what you did! 5 men, how can I ever thank you for saving his life?"

"Five men?" Heyes said staring at him incredulously.

"I had two guns," Kid said sheepishly.

"And Mr. Smith!" the woman said turning her attention on Heyes. "It is so sweet of you to come help us after being hurt so bad! Jim explained how clever you were securing the deed for us!"

"You told her?" Heyes glared at Stokely trying to hold on to his bad mood, but her embrace of him was doing horrible things to its power over him.

"Women just got it out of me Joshua, sorry," Jim said grinning like he hadn’t put up much of a fight.

Shaking his head at this betrayal he glanced around at the disorganized hodge podge of workers.

"Kinda hoping you might get them organized," Jim said understanding his look. "Thaddeus says you got a real knack for that."

Heyes gave his partner a glance that suggested they would have a lot to talk about later.

But for now somebody had to get things organized. Accepting the list of what needed to be done along with the list of available help Heyes had to admit the old thrill of being in charge of a group began to overtake him. An hour later things were running smoothly and everyone, including children, had been assigned a job to the best of their abilities. The satisfaction of being up and doing something constructive felt good and for the first time in a week he felt hopeful.

He should have known better.

***********************************

"Stop being a baby if anyone sees you they are gonna make fun of you," the ten year old girl told the small boy next to her as Kid rounded a corner with a ladder. The child was hugging an object to him fiercely and the girl with him was clearly embarrassed.

"Sara is right," another boy said coming up and Kid guessed by the coloring they were brothers and sister. "You can’t get anything done holding on to that."

"We got a problem here?" Kid said putting down the ladder against the wall.

"My stupid little brother will not put down his toy so he can help carry things," Sara said in her best grown up voice. "Mike and I tried to tell him he’s gotta do his share."

"He thinks one of the other kids will take it," Mike confessed. "They are always making fun of him for carrying it around and hide it from him."

"Can I see?" Kid asked bending down before the child on one knee so they were eye level and realizing the child could not have been more than four.

Hesitantly, but seeing something in Kid’s eyes that convinced him, the child released his death grip on the small ragged stuffed horse he was holding.

"What’s your name?" Kid asked.

"Jedediah," the little voice answered.

"We just call him Jed cause everyone says his name is too big for him," his sister said.

"He’ll grow into it," Kid smiled. "Look what say I hang on to your horse while you do your chores, sort of keep an eye on him for you?"

"You’d do that?" the child asked in awe. Word had all ready gotten around about this man and his partner and it was very impressive stuff.

"Used to have one like this myself," Kid explained. "Know from experience how they can wander off."

"Aren’t you afraid someone might make fun of you?" Mike asked.

Kid stood up looking every inch the legend the tales they had heard had proclaimed. "Nope."

"I wouldn’t either," the boy said in agreement.

"Thanks mister, his name is Oden," the child said and scooping up their buckets the three ran off talking all at once.

Sensing a presence Kid turned to find his partner leaning against the building watching.

"What?" Kid said daring him to say just one thing.

"Nothing," Heyes said straightening and swallowing a smile. "Just try not to let him get thrown on the roof this time is all."

Kid stopped and then grinned in spite of himself, "That’s right, Charlie McIntyre, first day of school."

"You did make it hard to admit being related to you," Heyes added with a long suffering sigh.

"That’s why you climbed up and got him for me?"

"I don’t remember that part," Heyes said firmly. "Aren’t you suppose to be fixing the storm windows?"

"Just exactly what work are you doing Heyes?" Kid asked suspiciously.

"Supervising, it’s a tough job."

"Well good then you can watch the horse," Kid said handing him the animal and picking up his ladder walked away.

Taken by surprise Heyes looked at the horse, "He looks like an Oden," he said and tucking him under his arm got back to supervising.

******************************

"Quit fussing Heyes you’re a hero and heroes gotta take their medicine," Kid said as they rode up to the orphanage again later that night.

"You’re the one that got us talked into dinner," Heyes grumbled getting off his horse and not willing to admit how much the day’s activity had taken out of him. The Mason’s and Stokely had also been invited and Heyes was not looking forward to the family atmosphere in a place that reminded him so poignantly of how he had lost his.

"And I said maybe you needed to take it easy," Kid said and stopped. "You smell that?

Heyes glanced around and then suddenly looked up. "Fire!"

**************************

.

Heyes reached the front door and with a solid kick had it open. He knew since it was late the children would be upstairs preparing for bed and stepping into the hallway he called up the smoke filled stairs.

"Hello?" he yelled and was rewarded with cries coming from up the stairs. Bounding up the steps two at a time he reached the double doors to the wards and immediately saw the problem. Someone had placed a fire poker between the handles of the doors trapping whoever was in side.

Pulling it free the door immediately flew open and Laura tumbled out coughing.

"Are all the children here?" he asked desperately trying to see in the smoke.

"No, Mike and Jedediah are in the kitchen, they wanted a drink of water. I sent Sara to get them."

"I’m scared," a little girl sobbed up at him.

"Don’t you worry Hon were gonna get you all out of here," he said picking her up. "How many?"

"Eight."

"All right follow me," he said taking another small child by the hand and heading for the stairs. Suddenly there was a groan from the ceiling and pushing the children back they all watched as an all mighty crash echoed in front of them. Straining to see Heyes realized what had happened; the fire had dropped from the third floor onto the staircase.

They were trapped.

**************************

Surprised at how quickly the fire seemed to be spreading Kid reached the kitchen door and frowned finding it locked. Kicking it in with the same abandon his partner had he entered to find the room engulfed in flames and in the far corner huddled on the floor crying he found Sara.

"Jedediah," the little boy sobbed. "I can’t find him."

Scooping the child up he kicked aside the burning table and carried him back out the door to find Stokely hurrying over.

"Where is Laura?" the man asked.

"I don’t know, Heyes went in the front door. Sara I want you to stay here, the Mason’s are coming. Tell Matt to get everyone who comes out all together so we can count, do you understand?"

The little girl nodded crying harder now as the two men dived back into the smoke.

"Heyes!" Kid yelled making his way to the parlor looking for the child as he went.

"The stairs are gone!" Stokely coughed running up holding Mike.

Kid looked up and groaned at the burning stairwell. "Get him out and go around back, Heyes we’ll try and take them down through the window."

"Where are you going?"

"After a friend," Kid said diving back into the smoke and paused looking around, "Think," he told himself. "Where did you always go?"

Then snapping his fingers he ran for the hall closet.

"We are going to have to get out this way," Heyes said setting the child down he was carrying and ripping the sheets off the nearest bed.

"It’s a long drop, I don’t think the children can do it," Laura said frightened from the window as Heyes began tying the sheets together.

"Did this all the time when I was in the orphanage," Heyes winked at the children and glanced up worriedly at the ceiling as the tied the sheets together.

"You were in an orphanage?" one asked interested in spite of the circumstances.

"Yup with my cousin Mr. Jones. He was scared the first time he did it too."

"I don’t think Mr. Jones is scared of anything!"

Heyes laughed, "Believe it or not he was once little like you and he got that tough by taking little things like this and being just brave enough to get through them," Heyes smiled dropping the makeshift rope out the window. "Now Miss Laura is going to go first to show you how easy it is!"

The woman looked at him and swallowed and then nodded and with Heyes help climbed out the window.

"Joshua!" Stokely called up.

"We’re coming down Jim," Heyes warned and sent the biggest child next until he found himself looking down at the littlest girl sucking her fist terrified.

"Now you are going to just hold on to me and I’m going to take you down special," he said. "All right?"

She nodded but not convincingly.

"What’s your name darlin’?" he asked picking her up.

"Lilly."

"Well Lilly anyone ever tell you that you look like a fairy queen? My grandpa used to tell me all about them."

Mesmerized the child listened to his soothing voice weave its magic and hardly noticed when he stepped out of the window.

******************************

Kid pulled the closet door open and for a moment thought he had been wrong in his guess, but then something stirred behind the coats and reaching he pulled the small boy into his arms.

"Thaddeus!" the child said hugging him.

"Hang on, I have to find us a new way out of here," Kid said holding the child close to him and watching as his only exit out was consumed in a torrent of raining wood and fire.

"You can get us out?" Jedediah asked holding on fiercely.

"Of course I can," Kid lied with his best smile.

*****************************

"Laura!" Stokely said catching the woman as she slid down the impromptu rope.

"Jim, Mr. Smith…"

But Stokely was all ready helping the first child down and reaching up to catch the others. A moment later Heyes dropped at his feet with the last child as most of the town raced up with wagons and buckets.

"It’s going to go any minute," Heyes yelled and together he and Jim pulled everyone back just as a terrible roar sounded and the roof crashed down bringing most of the house with it.

"Is that all of them?" Heyes said wearily as town folk began racing up with blankets and hurrying the children away to safety.

"Just missing one child," Laura said counting and looking at Stokely not sure how to tell Heyes along with whom else.

But Heyes had all ready done an inventory and looked up sharply. "Jim? Where is Thaddeus?"

******************************

Kid reached the cellar and the pitch black coolness was a welcome respite from the smoke and flames. Holding the child in one arm he manuerved through the inky darkness trying to find the storm cellar doors.

"Mr. Jones we gonna die?" Jedediah asked interested.

"Nope, not planning on it today, its Christmas eve," Kid said putting a smile on his voice. "You been good this year?"

"Sort of, have you?"

"Sort of," Kid answered finding the doors and realizing like everything else they had been barred shut from the outside.

Desperate he looked around and spotted the tiny coal chute that led down from the outside.

"Jedediah I’m gonna give you a boost and I want you to climb up here, you understand?"

"I’m afraid."

"I know, but my partner is gonna figure out where we went and he’s gonna be waiting. You just head up and then run as far away from the house as you can, understand? He’ll find you."

"What about you?" the child shivered.

"You tell him the cellar doors are jammed and I’m waiting okay?"

"Yes sir," the boy said looking like he was going to cry again, but game he let Kid push him up into the chute and a moment later to Kid’s relief he scrambled out.

Heading back over to the cellar doors he climbed the short set up stairs up to them and began ramming his shoulder against the ancient double door up trying to force them open. The floor above him was on fire now and the smoke was drifting down sapping what remaining strength he had.

Parts of the ceiling were dropping in as well and the room erupted in flames. Desperate he made one final pitch against the doors as the beams in the ceiling gave way and then all he saw was darkness.

*****************************

"Joshua there is no way…" Jim yelled, but Heyes was running now. He knew Kid and he knew how well he could think in a crisis. With no way out or up, Kid would have gone down if he had the chance and running around the side of the house he was relieved to see the cellar doors still visible. He had almost reached them when he suddenly almost fell over young Jedediah crying. Picking the child up he noticed the coal chute.

"Son is my partner…"

"He said the cellar doors, they won’t open!"

Handing the child to Laura and Jim who had caught up with him Heyes tore over to the doors and pulled the axe handle free and ripped the doors open.

Smoke and darkness greeted him and the first time he looked in he could see nothing. Catching a breath of air he stepped down despite Jim yelling at him to come back and it was then he bumped into something and realized it was a body.

Letting out a yell that cost him valuable oxygen he realized Kid was trapped by a beam that was now on fire and working its way up to him. Grabbing him he began to pull and suddenly was rewarded with two other sets of hands helping him and realized it was Matt and Stokely.

A moment later the two men were pulled clear just as the rest of the house caved in.

"I’m fine, look after him," Heyes gasped as he was surrounded by people fussing at him.

"Get him into the wagon, he needs the Doc," someone said and Heyes struggled to his feet to watch as his cousin’s limp body was carried carefully to a waiting wagon.

"Go with him," Jim said. "I can handle things here."

"This wasn’t an accident," Heyes said climbing into the wagon and pulling the blanket over his cousin. "All the doors were barred."

"What?" Jim stared. "You’re saying someone did this on purpose?"

"You said it yourself they don’t like to lose, my being clever and saving this place nearly cost everyone their lives."

"Joshua you couldn’t have known that, you just look after Thaddeus," Stokely said grimly not liking the look on the man’s face.

The wagon began to move and Heyes sat back gulping in air as he looked down at the unconscious form of his cousin. "My being clever."

***************************

It had taken some work, but Heyes had finally been bullied into letting the doctor tend his partner, while he was giving something warm to drink liberally laced with whiskey.

But it only lasted long enough for him to finish it and then he was back in the small room off of the examining office where his partner lay tucked in a warm bed and to Heyes’s amazement his eyes were open.

"Hey how you doing?" Heyes said gingerly sitting on the edge of the bed trying to keep the worry out of his eyes.

"Heyes listen to me, if I…if I don’t’ make it…"

"Hey! What kind of talk is that? Heyes said angrily. He had never seen his partner look so pale and lifeless.

"Let them collect the reward on me."

"Shut up!" he ordered.

"It will give them half of what they need…"

"I said shut up!" Heyes yelled standing. "Now you are gonna make it! Nobody is going to need to collect anything, you hear me!"

"Son I’m afraid he’s lapsed back into unconsciousness again," Doc Richards said putting a fatherly hand on his shoulder. "That he hung around long enough to speak to you is amazing."

"Of course he hung around, he’s going to be fine," Heyes said and then seeing the man’s expression suddenly looked very young. "Isn’t he?"

"Joshua I don’t want to give you false hope. It does not look good, there is nothing more I can do. It’s in the hands of God now."

"Well I guess Breyers and his bunch win after all," Heyes said and in a sudden fit of rage swept his hand across the table and knocked everything from it with a crash.

"Joshua!" the doctor said sternly. "This isn’t going to do either of you any good!"

"No, but maybe he’s right, maybe we can do some good for you all," and his expression was so dark the medical man took a step back. "Town needs $20,000, and it needs Breyers and Cain gone. Well I know how to give it both."

And without looking back he slammed out of the room.

*******************************

"Joshua I just heard…" Ma Mason said as Heyes stormed into the hotel which was being filled with children.

"Where’s Breyers and Cain?" he asked darkly deciding she would do.

"Big Christmas Eve party at his house…"

Heyes pulled out his gun and checked it and then spotting a rifle behind the lobby desk snatched it up and after a search pulled out a box of shells. "Listen when this is over?" he said loading the shells. "I want you to go to the sheriff. Tell him I said for you to collect the reward and use it for the town understand?"

"Reward? What are you talking about? What are you going to do with that gun? Joshua you cannot take them on alone they will kill you!"

"That’s the plan, but not before I kill them."

"Are you crazy? Do you want to die?" Ma said horrified.

"Ma’am at this point I wish I had never been born!" Heyes said and brushing her aside slammed out the door.

He was in such a rage he passed the sad eyed stranger waiting for him without noticing.

Shaking his head the man tipped back his hat and sighed.

"Careful what you wish for Hannibal…"

****************************

The snow had started again emphasizing the darkness and emptying the streets, which suited him just fine.

"Excuse me could you help me?"

Heyes nearly jumped out of his skin as the man appeared from out of nowhere.

"What?"

"My wagon seems to be stuck. I wanted to push it into the livery, but I can’t get it to budge."

Heyes stared at the man he had barely noticed coming out of the hotel. How had he got ahead of him?

"I’d be happy to pay you for it?"

The smiled was friendly and warm and it confused him. Despite his rage he found himself nodding and together they pushed the wagon into the warmth of the stable.

"There," Heyes said eager to be away from the man and not sure why.

"So Hannibal you wish you had never been born," the man said as Heyes picked up the rifle and moved to leave.

"How did you know my…"

"Name’s Cawdor, I’m an angel."

"You’re a what?"

"Angel, you know, halo, wings, your Grandma Curry used to tell you about them. You used to ask how they hid their wings when they didn’t want people to know they were angels."

Heyes swallowed at this memory, but shook off the confusion as the memory also brought back a picture of a younger cousin who used to listen to those stories with him.

"Of course," he said and turned to leave.

"Don’t you even want to know why I am here?"

"Not especially," Heyes said. "Look mister you want to be from heaven, fine, but right now I’m a little more concerned with sending some people in the other direction."

"I know, that is why God is giving you your wish."

There was a sudden gust of wind and Heyes shivered as the light flickered.

"Look I don’t…"

"Hey what are you doing in here!" a large burly man said stepping out of the shadows armed with a metal bar. "Were closed."

Heyes frowned remembering the pleasant older gentleman who had taken his horses. "Who are you?"

"I’m the owner now get out before I…"

"No your not…" Heyes said in the mood to argue with anyone at this point. "Mr. Council…"

"You want me to show you?" the man said threatening and Heyes found himself being led out of the structure by Cawdor.

"He is now Hannibal, you will find a lot has changed now that you got your request granted. Come along I think you need a drink."

"I do not need a drink…Ma?"

He stopped as the shabbily dressed woman hurried by hunched over from the cold.

"Please sir I have nothing to take!" she screamed backing away from him terrified.

"Ma? It’s me Joshua…" he moved to take her arm concerned and she screamed.

"What’s going on here?"

Heyes turned to see a young man with the air of a hired gun staring him down; on his chest a sheriff’s badge.

"Sheriff?" Heyes blinked.

"Run along Ma, you want a Mason mister try the saloon."

The old woman scurried away as the sheriff moved on and Heyes turned to Cawdor.

"Where is Stokely? What is he talking about?"

"They hung him, you weren’t around to read a book."

And with a mysterious smile Cawdor began walking towards the saloon.

"What are you talking about, Lom got him this job after we…"

"Lom Trevors is in prison."

"Lom is in Porterville," Heyes said grabbing his arm.

"Not since you got your wish. Come on let me buy you that drink," the angel smiled and before Heyes could object he was inside the saloon.

Or was he? It didn’t look the same or maybe it was just that the customers didn’t. Presented before him was a much more rowdy and desperate looking crowd.

"Hey handsome buy a girl a drink?"

Heyes looked up surprised recognizing the voice, "Laura?"

"Do I know you or is that just an offer to know me better?" she winked.

"Just two whiskeys," Cawdor smiled tipping his hat to her and steering Heyes over to a vacant corner table.

"What is going on?" Heyes said taking the drink and feeling like he was losing his mind.

"Like I said you got your wish."

Heyes rolled his eyes fast losing patience with the man, "All right I got my wish, but how does that explain all of this and Ma?"

"Simple, Soapy was the one Mason was bringing the deeds to. He was the one who helped Ma out by sending you two up here. Since you weren’t there to rescue Soapy with your cousin, Saunders went to prison and came out a broken and senile man. Therefore Ma lost her farm when her son died."

"Soapy isn’t…"

"He always told you that you saved more than his life all those years ago."

"But Jim, you said him and Lom…"

"Your reasoning and plan was what brought the true murderer to justice and saved Stokely. Without you there to devise the plan Stokely was hung for his sister’s husband’s murder. In Lom’s case you kept the Devil’s Hole Gang away from his town. That didn’t happen with you gone. He was blamed for a bank robbery they did where the bank manager got killed, people thinking he was still in cahoots with them. He went back to outlawing and eventually got caught again."

"Mister you spin a pretty good tale…"

"Of course Big Jim is dead too."

"What?"

"That plan of his? The grandiose one as Kyle called it? Didn’t go well. He died in the shoot out."

Heyes finished his drink in one gulp.

"This is crazy."

"Clementine Hale, Harry Briscoe…"

"Clem? What do you know about Clem?"

"Broken, bitter woman. Dies an old maid. No one was there to help her when her father was framed."

"Harry?" Heyes asked in spite of himself.

"Killed trying to reach Mexico with the gold. Kyle Mertree and Wheat Carlson of course died in that nasty gattling gun incident you weren’t able to prevent."

"How do you know about all those things and how could my being gone have affected things like that…"

"Hannibal one pebble in a pool creates many ripples. Whether you believe it or not you did a lot of good with your life."

"I was an outlaw."

"That was the nature of your business, not your heart."

"Look just go away."

"Don’t you want to know what happened to your cousin?"

Heyes looked up sharply, "Jed…?"

"His parents died just as before, you couldn’t have done anything to prevent that, but without you he was able to be adopted by the Jasper family that lived near your place. He never became an outlaw."

Heyes nodded, "I always thought that was what would have happened. I was selfish when we were about to be sent to the Home. I told Jed that they shouldn’t split us up when I heard the Jasper’s wanted to adopt him."

"As I remember it you never knew they had asked to adopt him until almost a year later, your cousin ruined his chances on purpose because he refused to leave you."

"Still the same. I was behind most of the wrong choices he ever made."

"I’m not sure about that, but why don’t you ask him yourself?"

Startled Heyes looked up to see a familiar figure in the doorway.

"Kid!" he cried delighted jumping up.

The room froze and people began backing away as Heyes hurried up to him.

"I can’t believe it! You’re alive!"

"Your meaning being you might want to change that status?" the man said, his eyes like blue granite.

Heyes almost took a step back, "Kid, its me Heyes…"

"Don’t know you mister, now unless you want to wait your turn and continue you this on the street I’d suggest you get out of my way."

Heyes moved aside confused.

"He doesn’t know me…" he said lost.

"Oh course he doesn’t, all his family died in Lawrence that day."

"He’s…different."

"Anger and bitterness do different things to men. In him it just all built itself up into a cold rage."

"But he was adopted, he got a new family!"

"Hannibal the Jaspers had six children ahead of Jedediah and he was the youngest. More like free help than a member of the family. He ran away from them at 14 when the beatings got too much and almost killed their oldest son. Been drifting around ever since making a name for himself with that gun."

"Name? You mean he’s still as fast?"

"Yes, 27 kills to his name."

Heyes stared at him disbelieving. "Don’t be ridiculous Kid would never kill…"

He stopped, a confrontation at the poker table getting his attention.

"Heard you think I was cheating earlier," his cousin said facing a drunken cowboy who had gotten shakily to his feet.

"Look Kid I didn’t mean no harm, just funnin’!" the man said desperate.

"Man don’t call me a cheat, now you draw."

"Kid I can’t beat you."

"Then I guess your gonna die," Kid smiled ruthlessly.

The man almost sobbed and his hand moved, but there was no contest. Kid’s bullet tore through him instantly sending him to the floor in a pool of blood.

"He shot him…" Heyes said stepping forward only to have Cawdor catch his arm.

"Looks like you got a space for a player now," Kid said lighting a cigar and taking the man’s seat. "That is unless anyone else wants to suggest otherwise?"

The men quickly nodded no terrified.

"Good cause I’m feeling lucky tonight!"

"He didn’t have to fire, the man didn’t even reach his gun!"

"Hannibal he doesn’t care, life is meaningless to him. He never learned to care for anyone other than himself."

"What do you mean he doesn’t care! He just killed a man in cold blood!"

"Heyes do you know why Kid learned to shoot that gun? Revenge, a way to take out the hate and anger he felt against the world and all it had done to him. Do you know why he learned to shoot one when you were alive? That day in the orphanage, that first Christmas when you were unconscious from the beating he made a vow that he would find a way to protect both of you."

"So when I was alive it was to protect me?"

"It was for love of his family, his only family, you."

Heyes looked over seeing things with different eyes and watched as a young girl, strangely familiar moved to set a drink down by his cousin. She was timid and clearly terrified of him.

"Martha?" he stared.

"Yes, she had to find work somewhere. This is her first night on the job."

"Come here honey and being me some luck!" Kid said grabbing her at the waist and pulling her into his lap.

In horror she screamed and tried to pull away, "No, please…"

"Oh I like it when they fight; more fun when it’s difficult. Maybe you and me oughta find ourselves some place private?"

"Aw throw the small ones back," Laura said trying to intervene. "It’s her first night cowboy. You want a real woman."

"I know what I want and I don’t need some whore telling me," Kid said slapping her hard and sending her to the floor with a cry.

Heyes took a step forward feeling sick and then turned away unable to watch.

"Kid would never treat a woman like that, any woman."

"Does now."

"I need to get out of here," he said stumbling outside onto the porch.

"You see Hannibal without you the world was a much sadder, lonely and lost place. You did make a difference in so many lives."

Heyes stood there, the snow falling softly on him. In the distance the church bells tolled midnight. Christmas, its Christmas in Christmas he thought and absently he kicked the snow off his boot. Suddenly he jerked up and turned to Cawdor. "Boots! I know where the deeds are!"

"Do you really?" Cawdor said with a small smile.

"I need to tell Kid…" he stopped and looked back at the saloon all the life in him suddenly gone again.

"Still wish you had never been born?"

"What does it matter? He’s dead either way."

"Hannibal you are going to have to have a little more faith in Christmas miracles. We angels work very hard this time of year. Your cousin didn’t die, in fact one of my colleagues is tending to him at this very moment."

"He wasn’t? Then I want to go back!" Heyes turned around and realized he was alone. "Back…" he finished forlornly.

"Well as I live and breathe look who we got here!"

Heyes turned startled, "Wheat?" He stopped amazed as the Devil’s Hole Gang stood before him. "Kyle… you aren’t dead?"

"Good to see you too Heyes," Kyle said slightly insulted. "Was gonna offer to buy you a drink but now I ain’t so sure."

"But if you are here…" Heyes raced back into the saloon and had two sleepy drunks stare back at him. "Nobody is dead!" he said racing back out.

"Sounds like he had a few all ready!" Lobo said frowning.

Heyes let out a laugh and threw out his arms, "Nobody is dead!"

"Heyes you feeling all right?" Hank asked concerned.

"Better than I have in a real long time. Look I gotta go check on Kid, you boys be around I’m gonna need you later for a little job."

"Yea were gonna see if we can win some money for a room at the hotel in a poker game," Kyle admitted.

Heyes grinned and dug into his pocket, "Consider this a down payment on the job. Go get a room and some food and I’ll see you in the morning."

The five outlaws looked at him surprised and watched him run off, stopping only to pause long enough to add ‘Merry Christmas’ to their reasons for astonishment.

"You ever known Hannibal Heyes to get that excited about Christmas?" Wheat said staring at the bills in his hand.

"I ain’t never known Heyes to get that excited about anything ceptin maybe if it’s got tumblers," Kyle said shaking his head.

******************************

Kid slowly opened his eyes. Everything seemed distant and far away.

"Ah there we are Jedediah right on schedule," the woman from the train smiled shutting her watch.

"What happened?" Kid said confused feeling sure he should feel worse than he did.

"You tried to die ahead of schedule. Your partner is out attempting to bring down the entire town and I and my fellow angels are working overtime to sort the entire affair out."

"You were on the train…wait a minute did you say angels?"

"Yes, feeling better?"

"Not any more."

She smiled, "Well enough laying about we have work to do!"

*******************************

Kid opened his eyes for the second time.

"Where’s my partner?" he said sitting up and trying to focus. He felt awful, but the sense of urgency the dream had caused in him over rode it. "Where are my pants?"

"You are not going anywhere!" Ma Mason said in shock. "Doctor!" she called out and the old man ran into the room and stared in disbelief.

"Young man you are suppose to be dead," he said frowning.

"Later I gotta find my partner he’s in trouble," Kid said pulling on his pants and for a moment it looked like he was going to topple over.

"A complete miracle," Ma said in awe.

"Thanks for fixing me up Doc, did little Jedediah get out all right?" he said taking a step towards his shirt, which seemed terribly far away on the chair across from him.

"Yes, all the children did thanks to you and your partner. And I can take no credit on why you are still breathing, but if you wish to continue to I suggest you…"

"Kid!" Heyes stopped in the doorway out of breath and his cousin looked up from his attempt to reach his shirt.

"There you are!" Kid said relieved. "I had this crazy dream you were about to do something stupid…" All the effort finally caught up with him and he pitched forward and would have fallen, but Heyes was there catching him and pushing him into the chair.

"What are you doing up? Is he suppose to be up? You had a building burn down on top of you!" Heyes yelled.

"Heyes don’t yell I remember," Kid said leaning back closing his eyes.

"You look awful."

"Thanks, Merry Christmas to you too."

"Come on lets get you back into bed I need your help in the morning."

"Heyes it is morning."

"Yea, I guess it almost is, well later morning," Heyes said the two forgetting anyone else was in the room. Leading his partner to the bed he pulled the comforter over him and Kid’s eyes closed even as his head hit the pillow.

"Don’t get into any trouble," Kid ordered softly.

"Not until you can come," Heyes promised sitting in the chair and a moment later was asleep as well.

"Well what do you make of that?" Doc Richards said shaking his head.

"Christmas, reckon only way you can explain such things," the woman smiled pulling a comforter over Heyes who didn’t even notice.

******************************

"Another day isn’t going to make a difference one way or the other," Hannibal Heyes said trying not to look concerned as his partner pulled on his boots with stubborn determination. He regretted now telling Kid he would need his help in the morning. The giddiness of figuring out where the deeds were and seeing his friend alive had clouded his judgements and Kid was far too pig headed to admit he felt like hell.

"I’m not missing this Heyes, I wanna see if you’re right and if you are Breyers and Cain aren’t gonna take it well and besides," he grumbled stubbornly. "It’s Christmas and I ain’t staying in bed on Christmas."

"Doc is gonna throw a fit," Heyes pointed out from the dresser he was leaning against. "You did almost die."

"Almost Heyes, almost," Kid said tucking in his shirt and not liking to admit even to himself how much the entire act of getting dressed was taking out of him. "You never did tell me what exactly happened to you last night."

Heyes looked uncomfortable, "You about ready? I got the wagon outside."

"Wagon?" Kid said distracted acting like he had been asked to walk.

"Yea I figured since we were going up to the Mason’s we’d take some supplies since they took in half those orphans," Heyes said casually not letting on how difficult it had been to find supplies that needed a wagon on Christmas morning.

"Yea," Kid said, but his look clearly said he had only been distracted for the moment.

The town was cozily tucked under a thick comforter of white and was more grateful than he dare let on to have the wagon seat to slip on to instead of a horse.

"Want me to take the reins?" he asked praying his partner would say no.

Heyes shot him an amazed look that this false bravo and shaking his head at how a man could get so stubborn, he picked up the reins and whistled the horses into movement. "You just work on not falling out of the wagon."

The Mason farm finally came into view and Kid gingerly climbed down grateful for the warmth that overwhelmed him as the door flew open.

"Lands sakes boy you lost your mind? Coming out in this!" Ma said pulling him in and then turning on Heyes to scold him thoroughly as he carried in the supplies.

"I thought I got your message wrong," Stokely said coming in and shaking off the snow. "Now what’s all this about finding the deeds?"

With the air of a showman Heyes walked into the bedroom and returned a moment later carrying the boots from the mantle.

"He was telling you to remove the boots," Heyes grinned reaching in and after a moment grinning as he located the side pocket.

"Lands sakes!" Ma gasped as he pulled the papers out.

"He was telling you what was in them!" Kid grinned.

******************************

"Burning down an orphanage! You are mad Breyers and I want no more of it!" Cain said angrily from his desk in the bank. "I am through doing business with you, take your money and get out of my bank."

"Oh no you don’t Cain you are in this as deep as I am. Besides without those deeds I am going to own most of the land in this county. You can’t afford to get on my bad side!"

"Actually that might be a problem," Heyes said pleasantly from the door.

"How did you get in here?" Cain snarled.

"Well Mr. Cain let me tell you a thing about those hinges on your doors…"

*******************************

"Us deputies," Wheat said shaking his head as the gang pushed the last of Breyers’ men into the jail. "Seems almost indecent."

"They said we get a turkey dinner being lawmen," Kyle said easily willing to sell out to the side of law and order if they fed better.

"They’ll take good care of them Jim," Kid promised as the three men watched from across the street in the hotel lounge. "They look a bit ragged, but they work well together."

"Yea I suppose if anyone should know Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes would," Stokely said quietly.

The two outlaws looked at each other and then back to the sheriff.

"Jim" Kid tried his best smile.

"Not going to work Thaddeus. I’ve had my doubts about you two for a long time, but last night you called him Heyes and he called you Kid when you were worried about each other."

"And what do you intend to do about it?" Heyes asked calmly.

"Well what can I do? I should turn you in! I got me a respectable job, chance at a family I just let you two walk out I could throw it all away," Jim said disgusted.

"But?" Kid said with a small smile.

"But you saved me, saved those kids, saved the whole damn town, I arrest you and I’ll have a riot on my hands and Laura will lead it!"

"Then you better just put them in my custody," a voice said quietly from the door and surprised they turned to see Sheriff Lom Trevors looking at them in mock disbelief. "You two ever just do a job without writing a dime novel?"

"Howdy Lom," Heyes smiled.

"You look like hell, both of you. I got a train outside, stopped waiting, get your stuff."

"Where we going Lom?" Kid asked politely.

"Cheyenne, Governor wants to talk to you, God help him, especially when he hears about this."

"Ah the Governor and Breyers, they friends?" Kid asked.

"Nope, hates his guts, especially since Stokely’s lady friend is his godchild."

The two outlaws glanced at each other.

"Godchild!" Heyes grinned.

"Jim you think maybe you could have her…"

"I’ll have the telegraph beat you there," Stokely said not sure if he was even remotely in charge any longer.

"You’ll give everyone our good byes?" Heyes asked as Lom began shooing them out the door.

"I will, though they will fuss something awful not being able to tell you themselves."

"Well maybe we’ll get back one day," Kid grinned.

"Don’t hurry," Jim said deadpanned.

Heyes grinned, "Jim you sound like you are not going to miss us!"

"I’m still getting over realizing I tried to out draw Kid Curry," Stokely said remembering back to their first meeting. "Let that memory fade a bit and then we’ll see."

"So what exactly have you been up to?" Lom said worried as they hurried to the train platform and the waiting car.

"Well Lom it’s kinda a long story," Kid smiled clapping him on the back.

"We were just enjoying Christmas," Heyes said innocently.

"Five men in hospital, you two both nearly killed, Sheriff shot, orphanage burned down and two of the leading citizens in the state arrested. That’s your idea of enjoying Christmas?"

They both frowned not sure how to explain.

"Never mind, but just one thing? Don’t tell me what you have planned for New Year’s?"

"Lom," Heyes grinned. "I get the feeling were about to start the new year with a clean slate. Sort of makes you glad you were born…huh?"