Chapter 7

"You wanna reply, mister?"

Blue eyes stared thoughtfully at the scarred wooden countertop of the telegrapher's office.  "Yeah."  Kid Curry picked up the pad of paper and the pencil that were lying on the counter and hastily scribbled an answer to the telegraph he'd just received.
 "If Smith not there by morning, send word.  I will come immediately.  - Jones"

"Could you send that right away, please?"

Kid paid the telegrapher before stepping out onto the rainsoaked boardwalk.  Rain had started falling in the night and had progressed into heavy thunderstorms by morning.  Lightening flashed across the sky and seconds later a loud clap of thunder shook the boards beneath his feet.  He took out the telegraph he'd just received and reread it.  He had expected to receive a message from Heyes saying that he had arrived in Alpine and would be in Red Rock in a couple of days.  Instead, he had received a message from Big Mac.  Heyes hadn't made it to Alpine yet.  He was a day late.  There was any number of reasons a man might be a day late.   But if Heyes wasn't there by the morning,  that meant he must have trouble. Short of getting himself killed or hurt so bad he couldn't set a horse, the Kid knew that Heyes would get those documents to Mac, come hell or high water.  That's why it made him a little nervous knowing he was late. Kid crumbled the piece of paper in his fist and forcefully threw it into a puddle that had formed in the dirt main street.  Nothing bad can happen as long as we're together.  Those words replayed in his head like an echo in a canyon.  Why hadn't they just gone together?  They could have delivered Mac's art pieces together. Then set out together to deliver the documents.  It would have taken a little longer, but at least they would have been together, and he would have been with Heyes to watch his back.  But for some reason Mac had insisted that those papers be in Alpine within ten days.  That meant they had had to split up.  He was starting to get uneasy.

Kid stepped through the sheet of water that fell like a waterfall from the porch roof over head.  He trotted across the muddy street as he pulled  his brown hat low on his head, and burrowed deeper into his sheepskin jacket to ward off the torrential rainfall.  He headed for the saloon.  He would stay in town and play a little poker.  It wasn't quite noon, but since the weather was foul, maybe some of the ranch hands were in town to pass the time. Hopefully,  before he left town and headed back to Mac's ranch, he'd get that telegraph saying Heyes was safe in Alpine.

Kid entered the dimly lit saloon and headed to the bar for a beer.  He took a long swig of the cold brew, threw his money on the bar and turned his attention to  the table of poker players in the corner.  He leaned against the bar and observed the game.  Just like Heyes had taught him, he just watched the game for a while.  Taking note of the five  players' mannerisms.  Watching for their tells.   Summing up each player.

 Heyes would have been proud of how quickly he measured up each player. They were decent poker players, but if they let him in the game he could probably walk out with a good bit of pocket change.  He didn't really need the money.  But he did need the distraction.  Anything  to keep his mind off the trouble he hoped Heyes wasn't in.  When the winner of the last hand was raking in his winnings, Kid approached the table.  "You fellas got room for one more?" 

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four hours later Kid Curry left the saloon, $75 richer, but no less anxious than he had been when he'd went in.  At least the thunder and lightning had stopped.  The storms had moved off to the east and left behind a cold steady rain.  The storms would probably be reaching the mountains where Heyes was within the hour.  He sure hoped his partner could find some shelter or he'd be drenched to the bone in no time. And the temperature had dropped some ten or fifteen degrees. He stepped into the telegrapher's office hoping for good news.  He stepped out again a short moment later.  No telegraph.  He just had a bad feeling.  He was deeply regretting not going with Heyes.  He wasn't going to regret not following his gut now.  He turned around and went back into the telegraph office.  "I need to send another telegram.   Again he picked up the pencil and wrote,  To Pat McCready,  am on my way to Alpine.  If Smith arrives tell him to wait there for me.  - Jones   

                    

Determined now to get to his friend,  Kid ran down the muddy mainstreet to the stage depot.  "When's the next stage to Buckton."

"Pulls out at 5:15.  One hour from now,"  the short bald man behind the counter informed him.

"One, please," he said as he threw a twenty dollor gold piece on the counter

.

Kid hurried back to the ranch.  He just couldn't shake this nagging feeling that Heyes needed his help.  If Heyes were here he'd tell him to quit worrying so much and have a little faith.  But right now all he had faith in was the Colt on his hip and his own instincts.    He threw his belongings into his saddlebags and rushed back to town.  He made it to  the stage with ten minutes to spare.

"How long before we stop for supper?"  he asked the driver as he boarded the stage.

He hoped it wasn't going to be too long.  He hadn't eaten since breakfast.  Heyes, if you are in trouble.... rest easy.  I'm on my way.  And if you ain't in trouble....you owe me a steak supper.

As the stage headed south Kid Curry had the terrible feeling he wasn't going to be getting that steak supper.