Soundtrack Selection 1 of 2 for Chapter 14

I thought the intensity of this song matched our hero's intensity as he's riding hard through the forest to find his lady love.  And perhaps as he's riding he's reflecting on his life and mentally preparing himself for what he's about to do and for the possibility that he could die in the attempt to rescue her.   Plus it's just a kick ass song that just begs for a Heyes and Curry video.  Any of you talented youtubers out there who like to make  ASJ videos....this would be epic!!!

SUCCESS!!! MY SKETCHES ARE BACK!!

 I finally figured it out and my sketches are back.  Enjoy that cigar Mr. Heyes.  Your gonna wish you had a cigar and a good stiff whiskey in the next chapter. 

Chapter 13

The saddlehorn digging into her ribs was going to make her sick.  The horse was weaving in and out of the trees at a good trot.  Her stomach was being pummeled with ever beat of its hooves on the ground.  They had been riding for what she figured was about an hour.   If she didn't change positions soon her breakfast was going to be all over Harlan's leg.  That might be an improvement, she thought as the rancid smell of his filth encrusted pant leg filled her nostrils, adding further to her urge to puke.  Just as she was about to voice her extreme discomfort to her captor, he pulled rein and shoved her off the horse into a sprawling heap on the ground.  Her backside took the brunt of this fall.  Another bruise to add to my collection, she thought.  When he jumped down from the horse she expected him to try and finish what he  had started back at the camp, but she was relieved when he paid her absolutely no mind and started rummaging through the saddlebags on Joshua's horse. Don't just sit here. Make a run for it.  She rose to her feet too quickly and a wave of nausea hit her like a ton of bricks and the pounding in her head made her dizzy.  She was grabbing the nearest tree trunk for support when her bonds were tugged and she stumbled forward toward the horse.

"You ain't goin' nowhere, Missy, "  he responded to her unspoken intentions.   He tied her bonds to the saddlehorn and continued his pilfering.  Several items fell unheeded to the ground.

She laid her head against Rusty's powerful neck, finding some comfort in the closeness of the gentle giant she and Joshua had become so fond of.  Joshua.  Lord, please let him be alright. She had no idea how badly he was hurt or if he would even be able to ride after her, but she did know that while there was breath in his body he was either behind them or he would send Thaddeus after them.  She felt that in her spirit as sure as she felt her heart beating.  Be careful, boys, please, be careful. 


A string of obscenities from Harlan's foul mouth startled her.  He must not have found what he was looking for.  Food probably.  "If it's food you wanted you should have stolen the mule.  That's where all the supplies were, you dummy."  The last two words she mumbled under her breath, but he heard her anyway.

He rewarded her insults by grabbing her roughly by her upper arm and jerking her painfully around to face him.  "Git up there on that horse, girl,"  he growled as he shoved her, waving his knife in the air.  He was going to let her mount first?  Maybe she could spur Rusty into a run and get away!   "And don't try taking off on that horse neither.  I can aim and throw this blade better than your friend can aim a gun."   Her shoulders dropped at little, knowing he had anticipated and thwarted her plan.

She did as she was told relieved that she at least wouldn't have to go any further with the saddle horn gouging her stomach.  When he mounted the horse behind her she almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity and irony of them riding double just like she and Joshua had.  Only this time,  she was being abducted, not rescued.  And she was dreading the contact of his body behind her,  where she had welcomed Joshua's reassuring closeness.  She leaned forward as far as she could to minimize the contact between her and her captor.  But she had eagerly anticipated leaning back against the refuge of Joshua's chest.   As Rusty galloped further southward,  she closed her eyes and held tightly to the memory of the feel of Joshua's warm, solid body enclosing her in safety and peace.

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 He was sure making it easy to follow his trail.     The boys knew  that meant only one of two things.  When an outlaw being trailed didn't attempt in any way to hide his trail or zigzag around to confuse the ones on his tail, he was either headed straight for a hideout where he had backup and he wanted you to follow,  or he was severely underestimating the trackers.   The boys figured it was a combination of both.  Mathis was probably headed to where his cohorts were holed up, and he figured no one would be on his tail this soon.  The boys couldn't wait to show him how wrong he was.   They could both track with the best of  them and they were prepared for whatever awaited when they caught up to him.

"They stopped here.  And somebody was on the ground here."   Kid squatted to better observe the tell tale signs.  Kid was doing the close inspections of the ground so Heyes could avoid mounting and dismounting too much.  His head still hurt and dizziness loomed with any sudden movement.  When Kid found several familiar items from Heyes saddlebags among the undergrowth on the forest floor, they called out Evie's name just to make sure she wasn't somewhere nearby.  Birds chirping, insects buzzing, and leaves rustling in the wind were the only response. “He must have been looking for food,”  Kid pondered out loud.

They rode on.

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"I need to stop."  Those were the only words that had been spoken since they had last stopped almost three hours ago.  She was trying to gage the time by the position of sun.  She figured it was between noon and one p.m.  Her bladder was going to explode if she didn't relief it of its burden soon.

"I ain't got time to stop."  Harlan craned his neck around in all directions checking for any signs that they were being followed.   " And I sure ain't giving you no opportunities to get away."

"Fine, then,  I'll just pee all over you.  I'm sure you won't be able to tell the difference.  In fact it might improve the smell of your clothes."

The swift sharp blow to the side of her head made her ears ring.  Evie tried to bring her hands up to cradle her abused ear, but her hands were tethered short to the saddlehorn.  Tears burned the back of her eyelids.  He slid from the saddle and loosened her bonds from the saddle.  "I've had just about enough of your sass you little bitch.  You can take a piss miss high and mighty, but I'm gonna have my eyes on you the whole time.  And if you try anything I'll box your other ear, you got it?"

The scathing look she shot him as she slid to the ground only made him laugh his obnoxious girlie laugh.  "Yep, you're a real firecracker, ain't ya.  Them Mexican banditos are sure gonna have a good time putting your fire out.   A few weeks of taking on one horny buck after another and you won't be so high and mighty, gal.  Well, whadda you waitin' for.  Thought you had to go."

"I can't very well go with my hands tied together, now can I?"

"Aw,  that's right, I'll have to  help you get your bloomers down, won’t I.”

He moved toward her and she instinctively backed up until she bumped into the horse.   He stood in front of her pinning her there.  She defensively put her bound hands up to her chest to shield herself  from him.  "You keep your hands off me.  I can manage just fine by myself."

"Suit yourself."  He turned slightly and began to unbotton the fly of his trousers.  Then he exposed his flaccid manhood and began to urinate near her feet.  Evie turned her face in embarrassment.   He was the most foul and disgusting  human being she had ever encountered in her entire life.  Once he was finished, he remained where he was, only inches from her.  "If you ain't gonna go then get back on the horse!"  he yelled.

Obviously he had no intentions of giving her any privacy or any space.  She was tempted to just forget it and pee in her pants, but she didn't want to be in the saddle with wet pants on rubbing her raw.  She began to fumble with the row of buttons closing  of her pants.  It was impossible with her hands bound like they were.  He laughed again at her difficulty.  "Looks like miss high and mighty needs a little help after all.    And I'm more than happy to oblige."

His hands went for the fly of her pants.  She instinctively blocked his hands with hers.  He took his knife out and held it to her cheek.  She froze.  With his free hand he unbottoned her pants.  Then he shoved them roughly down over her hips, letting his none too gentle hands linger longer than was necessary on her creamy skin.    Her  pants  and bloomers  fell to her ankles.  Thankfully the tails of her shirt were long enough to cover her most private parts.  But her legs were completely exposed.  She wanted desperately to show no signs of fear to this heartless villian.  But in spite of her best efforts she trembled slightly with fear when he took a few steps back to get a better view of her naked flesh.  He licked his lips as he fondled her with his eyes.  Then quick as a whip he was back in front of her with the knife to her cheek. "Now squat and do your business."

She thought of the sweet, nurturing way Joshua had taken care of her for the last week.  How he had given her the privacy she needed while still staying close at hand in case she needed him.  But this pervert wanted to humiliate her and take his own perverted pleasure while doing so.  Then she remembered what this lecherous beast had done to Joshua this morning, and her fear changed to angry hatred.  If he wanted her to squat and do her business she most certaintly would.  She turned so her back was to him, squatted over his left foot and soaked his boot with the contents of her bladder.  She expected another ear splitting blow to the head any second, but it would be worth it.  When it didn't come, she rose quickly and spun around.   Her attempt to humiliate him had left her bare bottom exposed to his lascivious gaze.  She immediatly regretted her smart alec actions.  He would probably rape her now.  But instead he reached down and grabbed her pants in both hands and pulled then slowly up her legs, again lingering longer than necessary on her smooth thighs and her rounded hips.  Her muscles flexed as if the motion could keep his touch from reaching her skin.  "If I didn't know them murdering asshole friends of yours was on my tail, I'd show you just what a man can do between legs like yours."    He refastened her buttons then tethered her bonds to the saddlehorn once again.    As they continued the journey southward,  she took comfort in his words.  So he knew that Joshua and Thaddeus were on his tail.  Good, that made two of them.  She knew it too and she could hardly wait until they caught up.

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"Looks like they stopped here to relieve themselves."   Kid used his boot to scatter the leaves that had been matted down by the evidence of his discovery.

"Looks like they were awful close to each other when they did it too."   Heyes tone was very quiet and subdued.  Kid knew what his partner was implying and it made him uneasy as well.

"Least we know she's still alive, Heyes."   Kid tried to ease his friend's mind.

Heyes didn't respond.  Knowing that she was still alive deadened most of the fear that had been growing inside of him.  Now something different had taken seed and was beginning to grow.  It was an emotion Hannibal Heyes rarely felt.  But when he did feel it, it was intense and explosive.  That emotion was rage.
 
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 It was late afternoon when Harlan finally stopped and allowed the tired horse to drink from the creek branch that snaked through the woods.  Evangeline kneeled beside the steed to drink herself.  Harlan was again scouring through the contents of Joshua's bags.  Evie stayed close to Rusty, rubbing his quivering withers.  If he hadn't been such a strong animal he would have fallen over by now.  The animal must have sensed her unease,  and she felt tears sting her eyes when he lowered his big head and nudged her arm with his nose.  She gave a weak smile and buried her face in his flowing mane.  "He'll find us, Rusty, I know he will,"  she whispered.  But as the sun got closer to the mountaintops in the west she was beginning to doubt her own words.  It would be dark soon.  Then tracking them would become almost impossible.  And this maniac was not going to stop until he reached his destination or until he killed Rusty in the effort to get there. And even is she managed to get away from Harlan, how could she possibly find her way in the darkness of this vast forest.   Her only hope was that the darkness would force him to stop, giving Joshua and Thaddeus more time to catch up.

"Time for you to get changed in to something a little more lady like, missy."
She was startled from her thoughts when one of her dresses, pilfered from the saddlebags,  was thrown into her face.

"Get them boy clothes off and put that on.  I want you looking like a girl when I get you there.  They ain't gonna pay top dollar for no tomboy."

"In case you didn't learn anything from last time,  I can't do that with my hands tied."

"I'll untie you, but you better not try nothing funny.  You might run, but you won't get far. I can run like a deer, and when I catch up to you..well, let's just say I don't think you'll like what happens next."

Once she was loosed she stood there waiting for him to at least turn his back.  "I'm not undressing in front of you."

"Oh, you ain't?  Well, I'll just undress you myself then."   He was on her before the words had completely left his mouth.  He put the huge knife blade into her shirt collar and sliced it clean in half from top to bottom.

"Alright!  I'll do it!"  she screamed in outrage.

She glared at him as she removed the ruined shirt, wadded it into a ball and angrily heaved it several feet away.   She kicked her shoes off and stepped out of her britches giving them a fling with her foot as she did so.  She may as well have been naked as she stood there in her thin camisole and bloomers.  His perverted gaze raking her up and down.   She very hurriedly pulled the dress over her head.  It was a beautiful dress her mother had made for her last summer.  The pale blue tiered skirt was made of light cotton and the white lace trimmed  bodice was made to fall off the shoulder in a cascade of ruffles.  The airy garment left her shoulders and her arms exposed and the lightweight fabric allowed the chilled evening breeze to pass straight through to her uncovered legs beneath.  She realized then she had left Joshua's coat by the river that morning.  If it got too cold tonight, she was going to be even more miserable than she was already.

He gaped at her while she put her boots back on her socked feet.  Evie turned away from him and took refuge under Rusty's neck as he sauntered closer to her, with a leering smile on his face.  He took a strand of her hair in his vile smelling hands and rubbed it between his fingers.  "Nice.  Real nice."   He brought the hair to his nose and inhaled the scent of it.  He closed his eyes and savored the sweet aroma for a moment.  Evie shivered from revulsion.  "It sure is easy to see why that coward was anxious to save your sweet ass.  I can't blame him for wantin' to taste your wares."   He ran his putrid hand across her cheek and down to her throat.  How different this wretched low life's touch was from Joshua's.   She shrank away from his cold creepy caress.  But Joshua's touch had left a trail of fire that lingered on her skin long afterwards and left her wanting to experience more.  Again the memory of her beloved Joshua and what this retrobate swine had done to him and to her family, had her anger bristled to the point that she literally had to bite her own tongue to keep from telling him what she really thought of him.

"And since he's done spoiled the goods, I may as well get me a little sample."   When he cupped her chin to bring her face around to his cold clammy lips, she couldn't  resist anymore.  She spun around as she slapped his stinking hands away from her face.

"He didn't spoil anything, you idiot,"  she ground out between clenched teeth.   " I made that whole thing up just to distract you so you would leave him alone.  And you swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.  He would never take advantage of a helpless grieving girl!  And now he's coming for me and I hope he kills you, you filthy beast.   And if anybody's a coward it's you!  You beat a defenseless thirteen year old boy to death....."

She didn't get to finish her rant before his backhand caught her right cheek and nearly spun her around on her feet.  Her hand flew up to sooth her aching jaw.  The stinging pain made tears well up in her eyes before spilling over onto her cheeks.    She didn't have the strength to fight  as he forcefully bound her chapped wrists again.  Once they were in the saddle, he held the knife to her throat.  "You say one more word to me,  and I'll cut your tongue out.   A mute woman'll bring even more than a virgin one."

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They only had about three hours of daylight left.  Kid scanned the area where he had just dismounted.  He walked to the creek side.   "They watered the horse here.  These droppings look pretty fresh.  We can't be but about an hour behind them."  When Heyes didn't respond he looked behind him to see where his partner had gone.  He was crouched about three yards away examining something he'd picked up from the ground.

Heyes heard Kid approaching him from behind.  He didn't speak.  He wordlessly held up the shirt, sliced in half for his partner to see.  Kid took the shirt and studied it.  He passed the garment back to his  partner and they held a mute conversation with their eyes for a moment.  Wordlessly, they headed back to their mounts.  That's when Kid stumbled over the pair of pants.  Again, blue eyes conversed with brown and their pace quickened back to their mounts.

He knew what Heyes was thinking.  And he feared the worst himself, but he needed to reassure his friend.  "Don't jump to any conclusions, Heyes.  She's not gonna be any good to him dead or....."  He didn't finish that thought when  his usually calm and passive partner turned a narrow incensed gaze in his direction, as if to say "I dare you to even say it, Kid."

Kid studied his partner for a moment.  He was gently holding the mutilated clothes that Evie had been wearing.  Then his gentle hold became an iron grip as he clutched the clothes in an angry fist.  A subtle change was coming over his friend.  It would have gone unnoticed to anyone else, but not to the Kid.  Heyes breathing was quicker and deeper.  His eyes had become flat and almost emotionless.  His lower jaw worked back and forth as if he were tasting the rage that was boiling up from deep inside of him.  This was not good.  Jed Curry had known Hannibal Heyes for twenty-seven years.  In those twenty-seven years he could count on one hand how many times he's seen him this angry.  And every one of those times had been when someone had harmed somebody  Heyes cared about.  As he watched him now, he had no doubt that this was one of those times.  He would have to keep a close eye on his cousin.  Although the times he'd been this mad were few, they had almost lead to disaster.  Kid recalled a time at Valparaiso when  he had received a spanking for something he didn't even do.  Hannibal had been so angry at the injustice to his youger cousin,  he had snuck into the teachers quarters and placed several snakes in the bed of the teacher responsible.  They never found out who did it and Heyes never admitted to him that he had, but Jed had  known.  The teacher hadn't been bitten and the snakes weren't deadly, but the poor teacher had been so frightened, she had resigned the next day.  He'd seen the smug smirk on Hannibal's face as he'd watched the teacher placing her bags and her trunk full of  belongings into the waiting coach.  The look on his face had said, "That's what you get for hurting Jed."   Only it wasn't Hannibal the boy he was looking at now. It was Heyes, the man.   And the person he cared for hadn't received a spanking, she'd been taken by a murdering rapist.  And he wasn't armed with harmless snakes this time,  he was armed with a rifle.  The man who'd taken Evie may as well have  a big old target right in the middle of his chest. 

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A dim orange glow behind the mountains in the west was all that remained of the sun.  The inky blackness of night would soon take its place, making it impossible to go any further.   Evangeline was miserable.  She was cold and hungry.  Her entire body was riddled with scrapes and bruises.  She ached all over and her head still pounded.  But all of that was nothing compared to the sorrow she felt in her heart as her hopes of Joshua finding her before nightfall  sank with the sun. Would she ever see him again?  Would she ever get to tell him how much she loved him?  Harlan had tied her bonds to his belt, forcing her to remain next to him wherever he went.  She stretched the two feet of rawhide as far as it would go to distance herself as much as possible from him.  He had refused to make a fire, not wanting to create any signal that could be followed.  But at least he had laid out the bed roll from Joshua's saddle.  She reclined onto the bedding, and was hit with another wave of sorrow.  She could still smell Joshua's unique masculine scent on the blanket.  Her mind wandered back to the last night she had shared with him.  It had only been twenty-four hours ago, but it seemed like days. She missed his so much.  She longed to feel his warm, solid frame snuggled behind her.  But all she felt was the cold night breeze as it blew through the thin gossemer material of her dress.  She curled up on her side and tucked her bound hands beneath her cheek.  How unfair life had turned out to be for her.  Her mother had wanted her to find her "Gabriel."  Well she had found him.  At the expense of her parents and brother, she had found him.  The one person in the world she would die for.  Would go to the ends of the earth for.  And just like her namesake in the story it seemed she was destined to lose him before she could ever really enjoy having him.  Her foul smelling captor reclined next to her and she was reminded again of all the torturous deeds he had commited towards her and her family and now Joshua.  Her anger and her love for Joshua combined to light a new fire inside of her.  And just like her namesake from the book, she would not give up hope.  She'd  find a way to escape this madman, and she would find her way back to Joshua.  No matter how long it took or how far she had to go.  

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“Heyes we've got to stop.  It's getting too dark and  dangerous to keep moving."  

"Do you think he's stopping?"  

"Yeah,  I do.  You can't see your hand in front of your face out here.  He's not gonna risk injuring the horse by riding in this kind of darkness.   Let's get a fire going before we lose the last bit of daylight.  We'll start out again at first light."

Heyes reluctantly dismounted and dropped to the ground next to some fallen trees.  He didn't realize how tired and how sore he was until now.  Kid had insisted he rest instead of helping set up camp.  So he watched unseeing as Kid built a fire and unsaddled the horse and mule.  His mind was haunted by unwanted visions of Evie, alone, hurt, crying for help. Calling his name.  And she hadn’t been wearing his coat when he took her.  She was probably cold and hungry and scared.   A sharp pain in his jaw, jolted him briefly from his thoughts and he realized he was grinding his teeth when he thought about that pig touching her. 

"Here, you need to eat something."  Kid was standing over him offering him a cold biscuit stuffed with cold leftover bacon from breakfast.  He shook his head and refused the meal.

"You ain't eat since breakfast, Heyes.  And with a head injury, you need to eat to keep up your strength."

"Do you think she's had anything to eat since breakfast, Kid?  I can't eat knowing she's probably hungry."

Kid sat down next to his friend.  "I know how you must feel, Heyes, but you're not  gonna be any good to her if you're falling over, weak from not eating.  You know she would fuss up a storm about you not taking care of yourself if she was here. Go on take it."

Heyes unwillingly took the food, just to make Kid feel better.  

Kid ate in silence as he observed his friend pretending to eat.    The subtle changes that had come over him since they’d discovered Evie’s discarded clothes had not disappeared.  If anything they seem to intensify with the sinking sun.  And he'd been practically silent since they'd found the clothes too.  When Hannibal Heyes was this silent it was only because  he was asleep or he was planning something.  When he got this way he was planning something that he wasn’t going to share with the Kid.  Something foolish and dangerous. 

“Heyes, whatever you’re planning over there, just put it out of your mind right now.  We’re gonna catch up to that jackass.  And when we do you’re gonna let me take care of it, you understand?"

When Heyes turned away from him and stared out into the surrounding darkness without replying, Kid became even more worried.  Hannibal Heyes didn’t let Kid Curry say something like that without some sort of clever comeback.  Not unless he already had his mind made up to do something foolish and dangerous.  But when Heyes picked up the rifle laying at his side and began to inspect it, making sure the lever action worked and that he had plenty of ammo, Kid became downright nervous. 

   

"Kid, when we catch up to him,"  Heyes said with and eerie calm, "if the worst has happened, I don't think I can stop myself from killing him."

He had never heard Hannibal Heyes sincerely threaten to kill anybody in his entire life.  It was strange to hear those words come from his mouth.  It sounded like something he would say to Heyes.  Only when Heyes said it, it was almost scary.  That settled it.  He was going to have to take the lead this time and do all the figuring in this situation.  Because his partner had obviously taken over the role of the man with the itchy trigger finger and barely checked seething rage.  And Kid knew his friend too well not to take the change in his mannerisms serious.  He knew from his own experience that the rage was gnawing at Heyes and he wouldn’t be satisfied until he’d seen Evie’s tormenter suffer.  He would have to be the one with the wiser, calmer mind this time.  If not, he was afraid his partner would end up with two notches on his gun belt.

"Heyes, I don't blame you for feeling that way.   Shoot, I'd like to kill him myself, but you know we can't afford to ride into town and tell the sheriff that you've  killed two people.  Even if they did deserve it.  We just can't take the risk.  It's bad enough that we gotta tell him you've killed one man.  So just get that notion out of your head right now.  You'll just have to settle for him rotting away in a jail cell for the rest of his life.  Or at least until they hang him.  Which you know the will.    Anyway,  what happened to me doin' the shootin' and you doin' the thinkin'?"

"Kid I ain't been thinking straight since I found her passed out cold in that valley."

"But you're not thinking about killing him anymore, right?" 

He hung his head, "No, I guess not."

Kid didn't reply.  He just put his hand on his friend's shoulder and gave it an encouraging squeeze, as his blue eyes gave him a sympathetic gaze. Then he yawned.   "Think I'll catch me a little shut eye."

Hannibal Heyes stared out into the dark wilderness that spread out in all directions.  A person alone in this kind of darkness could go insane with fear.  He closed his eyes to get some idea of how she must feel.  He could hear the roar of the rolling river rapids, swollen from the recent rains.  He could hear insects, coyotes, and all manner of critters and varments prowling in the undergrowth nearby.  A wave of sickness passed through him that had nothing to do with his injury or hunger.  His heart was sick because she was at the mercy of that snake, alone in the fathomless blackness of night,  and he was helpless to do anything about it.  His helplessness mixed with the anger he felt and formed an emotion that went far beyond rage.  He added more bullets to the Winchester repeater that lay across his lap and cocked it.  He was glad he hadn't made any promises to the Kid.  She better not have a scratch on her, mister.  Because if she does....God help you.

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Halfway down the shore Evangeline waited in silence,

Not overcome with greif, but strong in the hourSo of affliction...

Then she beheld the face of Gabriel pale with emotion.

Tears then filled her eyes, and, eagerly running to meet him,

Clasped she his hands, and laid her head on his shoulder and whispered...

“Gabriel! be of good cheer!  for if we love one another,

Nothing, in truth, can harm us, whatever mischances may happen!”    

The loud crack of a tree branch falling startled her from her dream.   She had drifted off in spite of her best efforts to stay awake.  She had been dreaming that Joshua had found her and they ran into each other's arms, and fell to the ground in a passionate embrace, followed by a long smoldering kiss, while the passage from the book resounded in her head.  Once again she was struck with the irony of her situation.  When she had been with Joshua, her dreams had been filled with horror, and when she had awakened, it was to Joshua's welcome and comforting presence.  Now, the only peace and comfort she found was in her dreams, and when she was awake she was living in a nightmare.  As if to affirm her waking nightmare, her captor rolled over to face her, snoring his rotten breath into her face, and loudly passing gas.  What if Joshua never finds me?   What if I can't escape?  Will I be  forced to live a life of servicing disgusting, foul smelling men like this one.  One after another.  God, I'd rather be dead.  She lay sleepless in the darkness, the sounds all around her making her afraid.  When she was a little girl and she had been frightened, she'd always wanted her daddy.  He always made her feel safe.  But she wasn't a little girl anymore.  And it wasn't her daddy's voice she longed to hear  telling her it was going to be alright.  It wasn't her daddy's arms she yearned to feel holding her and keeping her safe.  It was Joshua's.

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

Four a.m.  About an hour and the first gray light of dawn would begin to peek over the eastern horizon.  He looked affectionately at the sleeping face of his partner,  illuminated by the soft glow of the firelight, and smiled.  When he was sleeping, Kid Curry, transformed into little Jed Curry.  Who would guess that behind that innocent, childlike countenence lurked the steely eyed glare of a deadly gunman.  Never before had he wished he could be as good with a gun as the Kid was.  Not until now.  He had thought about taking Kid’s Colt, but he still had it strapped to his leg and Heyes knew he would wake if he tried to remove it.  Besides, he wasn’t the Colt type.  He was no fanner or thumber.   He preferred cool, calm and deadly, to fancy and fast. And a rifle would do just fine. Heyes stealthily saddled Kid’s bay gelding by the fire light.  He wanted to be ready to ride as soon as the first rays of sunlight split the eastern sky.  Kid was going to be mad when he woke up and found him gone.  He was going to be ready  to kill him when he realized he’d left him the mule to ride.  But he’d get over it.  Kid had always watched his back, and he agreed with him that nothing good ever came out of their splitting up,  but there were some things in a man’s life he just had to do alone.  And this was one of those things.

And he knew Kid wouldn't let him do what he had to do.  He would insist on taking care of it himself, or just turning him over to the next sheriff they came across.  But he couldn’t do that.  This man had gone too far.  He’d stepped over the line the minute he’d touched her.  Hannibal Heyes had always lived by the “don’t get mad, get even” philosophy.  But there were some occasions when a man was justified in getting mad and getting even.  The sun was beginning it’s slow ascent into the eastern sky.  He mounted the waiting horse.  Heyes gave one last glimpse at his slumbering friend.  “Be seeing you, Jed,”  he said silently to himself as he turned the gelding and headed south through the endless sea of trees. 

Soundtrack Selection for Chapter 13

I knew I wanted to include this hauntingly beautiful song on the soundtrack from the beginning, but I could never find a suitable video.  So I made this video with photos of our hero, looking worried and pensive.  And since Evangeline lives only in our imagination, I included some beautiful artwork of how I thought she might look.  The scenery at the end represents the landscape for this chapter.  And the song speaks for itself.   I'm not great at video making, but at least this one features our hero.  Hope you enjoy it.

Peace, love, blessings,
Karen

Chapter 12

CAUTION:  This chapter contains some mild violence, adult language, and some mild sexual language.



 Dressed once again in her younger brother's britches and shirt, she sat on a tree stump near the water's edge to lace up her ankle boots.  She was folding the ill fitting dress that had been her mother's when she heard the rustle of foot steps in the thicket of trees behind her.

"Did you get impatient and have to come looking for me?"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the sickening odor of her family's murderer, wafted on the breeze to burn her nostrils.  She recognized it immediately.  If she lived to be a hundred she would never be able to erase the memory of that odious stench.   Her body stiffened and goose bumps formed over her entire body. She turned slowly to face the monster who had altered her life forever.  It was the creepy circus man.  "I was gettin' a might impatient at that, missy.  But now I've found you again, ain't nobody takin' you from me this time."

The sound of his voice brought back the memories of that horrible day crashing into her mind as if they had just happened.  They threatend to send her into a full blown panic.  But this time was different. She was different.  She wouldn't let fear get the better of her this time.  She wasn't going to be a helpless victim.   She wasn't going to let him hurt her or the people she loved.  Joshua.  He came into her mind and she knew that she would die before she would let this maniacal beast hurt him.  Oh, how she loved him.  She knew that now.  Joshua's deep resonating voice filled her head now, Got the rifle with you?   OH, LORD!  Where was the rifle?  She'd propped it against a tree while she'd changed. Her eyes went to it.

"You lookin' for this?"   He grabbed the rifle and tossed into the creek just as she made a move towards it.  She froze in her tracks.  There was another voice suddenly in her head, Run, scream, yell!  She heeded that voice and made a run for it.

She sprinted towards the tree thicket that lead to their campsite.  "JOSHUA!"  she yelled at the top of her lungs.  She expected to run into him coming to her aid.  But instead something grabbed her around the ankels and brought her down face first onto the hard rocky ground.  The impact knocked the breath from her lungs.  She was jerked backwards by her feet.  The shirt she wore slid upwards under her breasts exposing her tender belly to the scraping rocks and twigs underneath her.  Oh, God, please help me.  Not again, Lord, please.  She pleaded silently with her maker as the evil villian pulled her backwards toward him.   The good Lord heard her pleas, because she heard a voice again clearly in her head saying,  Fight, Evie, fight. She flipped over onto her back and began kicking him.  The heel of her boot met solidly with the underside of his chin, stunning him momentarily and knocking him backwards onto the ground.   She seized the opportunity  to  scramble to her feet and run.  "JOSHUA!"  Where was he?  Why wasn't he coming to her rescue?  She broke through the trees and into the clearing where their camp was.  He caught up to her and grabbed her from behind, just like he had that first day.  His arm clamped hard around her midriff and a knife was held to her throat.   Where was Joshua? Her eyes scanned the campsite.  He wasn’t there.  She had left him standing by his horse.  Rusty still stood there, but Joshua was gone.   Oh, God, please don't let him be dead, she prayed.  He was probably hiding.  Waiting for the chance to shoot this son of a bitch in the head.  Please, be careful, Joshua.

"Now, you and me is gonna have ourselves a little party."  She gagged as the rotten smell of his breath passed her nose.  He still wore the same ridiculous clothes from  a week ago.  They were now slick and shiny with filth.  He reeked of soured flesh and b.o. He dug the tip of his menacing knife blade into the soft skin of her throat. She felt the burning sting as the sharp blade made a slight scratch on her throat.   "You keep fightin' me like that and I'll make sure you have a  nice fat scar on that pretty face of yours that will be there 'til your dyin' day.  You understand, me girlie?  When I say I need you unblemished,  I'm talkin' about your woman parts not your face.  I'll still get a good price from you even if your face is cut up.  Long as your cherry ain't been popped."

Her face went crimson at his vulgar euphamism.  Virgins obviously brought a good price.  But what if he thought she wasn't a virgin.  Would he let her go?  No, he'd probably just kill her.  Or rape her first and then kill her.  Dear, Lord where was Joshua?

He drug his uncooperative captive to a nearby tree.  If he meant her harm, she was going to make it as hard for him as she could.  She drug her feet as he walked making it difficult for him not to stumble over her.  He was practiacally holding her up with one arm as she went limp like a rag doll.  This forced him to lower the knife from her throat to support her body with both hands.  It was what she was hoping for and she stomped his foot with the heel of her boot as hard as she could.  He loosened his grip on her long enough for her to break his hold and make a run for Joshua's horse.  She had her foot almost in the stirrup when she felt her whole scalp being ripped from her skull.  The lecherous villian had grabbed her pony tail and had yanked her backward so hard she fully expected to feel blood dripping from her scalp.  The pain made her see stars for a moment.   She was thrown to the ground on her back this time.  He was on top of her straddling her, pinning her elbows with his knees.

 "Well, now, if you ain't a little spit fire.  I like that in a woman.  But I ain't got no problem carving my name in your face."  He pressed  the tip of the sinister blade into the flesh under her eye.  She closed her eyes, expecting to feel the  pain of the tip piercing her flesh.  When it didn't come, she opened her eyes to see him  fumbling inside his coat pocket to produce a length of rawhide.  He used it to bind her wrists.  Then he used the long tails of the leather straps to drag her  across the hard ground back towards the tree.    There,  he tied the tails around the  tree trunk.  "Now we's gonna have some fun."  An evil gleam came into his squinty eyes and he left her for a moment.  He came back dragging something backwards with both hands.  Her heart sank and her hopes died as she realized it was Joshua's limp unconscious body.  Blood had run from the back of his head to stain his shirt collar red.  "Oh,  God, Joshua!  What did you do to him!  You murderer!  Don't you dare hurt him!"  He just laughed at her.  Did she really think her idle threats meant anything to this heartless devil.  She chose then to beg.  "Please, don't hurt him, anymore.    I'll do whatever you want.  Just don't hurt him, please.  I'm begging you, please don't hurt him!"

"Oh, you're gonna do what I want alright.  And what I want is for you to watch while I carve your lover boy  into buzzard food."

She watched horrified as he bound Joshua's wrists with the  long rope they had used to lead Jenny.  He threw the rope over a sturdy branch of the large tree she was tied to and hoisted him up by his wrists until he was hanging with his arms extended over his head, the tips of his boots barely scraping the ground.   Joshua's head slumped forward, his chin on his chest.   She had to do something.    "If you hurt him, you're going to be sorry.  His cousin is one of the deadliest gunmen in the west.  He'll hunt you down and blow your head off!"

An eerie high pitched laugh burst from his too thin lips.  "I been trailin' you two for days.  I come up on your trail the day it rained.  I know that feller rode in here day a'fore yesterdee an' he done high tailed it outta here this mornin'."    He placed a hand under Joshua's chin and lifted his lifeless head.  "And I know this mangy son of a pole cat  is the one who killed  cousin, Royce and then stole what belonged to me."  He put the edge of the knife's blade against Joshua's cheek and pressed it into his flesh.  Blood appeared and trickled down his face.  "Now he's gonna pay."

"Stop it!  He's coming back.  He only rode out to scout the trail.  He'll be back any minute.  And when he gets here, he’s going to kill you, you heartless murderer.”  She hoped he believed her lies.  But if he didn’t believe them, then Joshua was going to die.   “If you want to take me then take me.  That's all that matters anyway, right?  That you get away from here with me.  Well, you better be riding out of here quick then, because he'll be back any minute."

  He grabbed the open  collar of Joshua's shirt in both hands and yanked it open sending the buttons flying.  Oh, God, what was he going to do to him?  The panic threatened to envelope her again.  "Stop it!  Please, leave him alone!"  She was on the verge of bursting into tears.  But she wouldn't.  She wouldn't show any weakness to this creep.

"Well, ain't this touchin'.”  He walked over to her and grabbed a hunk  of her hair and twisted it around his fist, pulling the roots of her already tender scalp.  She winced from the pain.  “Did you let him in your bloomers, girl?  Huh?  Did he sweet talk hisself right between your legs?”  She didn't answer him.  She would let him think what he wanted.    “ You whores are all alike.   You let a pretty boy like that talk you onto your back quicker that a fly dives on horse shit.  But a good ole boy like me offers you something,”  he grabbed his crotch as he spoke, “ you snarl your nose like I’m the one who’s shit.”  He sauntered back towards Joshua, who was hanging there not an arms length away from her.  She wanted so badly to reach out and touch him.  She struggled with her bonds, but to no avail.  The leather cut into her tender skin, burning her.   “Well, miss high and mighty,  let’s see how you like your new beau when I get through with him.”

He took his knife,which had to be a foot long from hilt to tip, and he waved it in front of him like a magician waving his wand.  There was a distant coldness in his eyes, as if the glint of sunlight on the shiny blade had him hypnotized.  “You know why I don’t carry a gun?”  He paused for a moment as if he expected her to answer him.  She didn’t.  “Cause killin’ with a gun is so impersonal, don’t you think.  You just stand from afar off and point and pull a trigger.  But with a blade, you gotta be up close.  You can feel every ounce of pain you inflict as you push  the blade into their flesh. There’s a sound that it makes when you stab somebody.  It’s a nice little poppin’ sound.  I like that sound.  It sounds especially good when you stab somebody with tight skin. Stabbin’ somebody with alot of fat on ‘em ain’t near as fun.   Your lover boy here looks like he might have a nice tight belly, just perfect for that.  Let’s take a look see, shall we.”   He slid the knife into the opening of Joshua's Henley undershirt and sliced it open clear to the hem, revealing his bare chest and belly beneath.   The gruesome torturer giggled like a girl,  “HEE HEE HEE,  now that’s what I like to see.”  He slapped his grimey hand hard across Joshua’s flat muscular abdomen.  “And looky here.”  He did a drum role with his palms across Joshua’s well developed chest muscles.  “Them will be real fun to cut up too.  And you know what’s even better than that little 'pop', it's the steam that will rise up out of the wound on a chilly day like this.”

Dear, God  he must be insane. Help me think of something I can do.  Please don’t let this happen.  Please help me.  She closed her eyes as she prayed, waiting for God to send her the answer.  It came to her again in the form of a voice that sounded slightly familiar.    "Flatter him, Evie, stroke his ego."   “It is a chilly day, Mr...... what’s your name again.  I seem to have forgotten it."

The bandit turned to her and frowned.  “I didn’t give you my name.”

“Don’t you think we should get to know each other better if we’re going to be traveling together soon.  My  name’s.... Ellie.  What’s yours?”   She wasn't about to give this mad man the privilege of knowing her real name.   She was trying to sound as calm and seductive as she could under the circumstances.
He eyed her suspiciously, then walked slowly in her direction.  Good, it was working.  Whatever it took to make him leave Joshua alone.  “If you must know it’s Mathis.  Harlan Mordecai Mathis, and don’t you forget it.  One day I’ll be the most wanted, most feared outlaw in the west.  I’ll be worth more than all the other wanted men combined.  You’re gonna see my name on posters beside the likes of Curry and Heyes.  They’re the two most wanted men in the west right now. But that’s a fixin’ to change.  They’re worth just ten thousand a piece.  I aim to be worth twenty by myself.”

He was insane.  She had no doubt about that now.  She had to do whatever it took to keep this madman away from Joshua.  If that meant riding off with him, never to be seen again then so be it.  At least the man she loved would be alive.  “I like a man with determination, Harlan.  Nothing is more attractive than a man on a mission.  And striving to be better than Curry and Heyes at outlawing, now that’s a real mission.  You were right you know.  He did sweet talk his way into my bloomers.  Several times as a matter of fact.  But it wasn’t anything to write home to mother about.  But a man like you.....I'll bet you could show a girl how it’s really done.”

“You’re damn right you little slut!"  He brought his face so close hers, she could almost taste his stench.  It had to be the strength of God that kept her from puking. "I knew you’d let him have a poke at you.  Since he’s done spoiled you,  I may as well have me a turn.”  He held the knife to her throat with one  hand and rubbed the back of his rank fingers across her cheek.    “If you try to get away from me I’ll slit your throat from ear to ear, you hear me?”   He went around the tree and untied her tethers but left her wrists bound.  He yanked her along by the straps and shoved her forcefully down onto the grass a few feet from where the campfire still smoldered.  Her knee took the brunt of the fall.  Another scrap to go with the ones that were burning and stinging her belly.  He flipped  her onto her back, still holding the straps that bound her hands.  She looked up at his foul smelling figure with repulsion.  If he touched her she would vomit.  But she could take it.  If he raped her over and over again, she would take it.  As long as she kept him away from Joshua.  She needed a plan.  Some way to disable him long enough for her to get away with Joshua.  She would have to knock him out some how.  He’d obviously taken Joshua’s revolver.  His gun belt was still around his hips but the holster was empty.  It was probably at the bottom of the river with the rifle.   So shooting him was out.  How could she grab a rock to hit him when he had control of her hands.  Oh, God, please help me again.  I don’t know what to do.   He placed the leather straps on the ground under his foot to keep her from running, then he began to loosen his belt.  Dear, God if he’s going to rape me, please give me the strength to endure it.  Evie closed her eyes tight when he began to loosen his belt buckle.   He was just about to drop his trousers when a shot rang out and a bullet whizzed so close to Harlan that it knocked the silly looking top hat off his head.  Both their heads flew up in unison to see Thaddeus riding fast, some five hundred yards away, toward them.  Hope sprang anew inside her chest as she saw rescue on the horizon.  She began to laugh in spite of the terror.  But her laughter ceased when she was jerked hard to her knees and then dragged across the ground toward Joshua’s horse.  Her arms felt like they were being torn from the sockets.  He grabbed the waist band of her britches at the back and hauled her to her feet.  He mounted Joshua’s horse, then tied her straps around the saddlehorn.  Was he going to drag her behind the horse?  She began to struggle with her bonds, in a futile attempt to free herself.  Another shot.  This one grazed the top of Harlan’s shoulder, slicing the material of his overcoat, but barely causing a scrape to his skin.  He reached down and grabbing her by  arms yanked her up and over the saddle.  She yelled out from the pain as the saddlehorn was thrust  into her mid section.  He kicked the horse into a full gallop.  She looked behind to see Thaddeus pull rein in the middle of their campsite.  He took aim and pulled the trigger.  But just as he fired, Harlan turned the mount and went into the trees.  The bullet missed, ripping through some nearby tree branches only inches from her face.   Her hopes of immediate rescue were crushed.  But at least she knew Joshua would survive now.  She knew Thaddeus would not leave Joshua in pursuit of her.  But that didn’t matter.  Joshua was all that mattered.   Thaddeus would take care of him.  And if she could keep herself alive long enough, she knew Joshua would find her.  She clung to that bit of hope as Harlan spirited her away on the back of Joshua’s majestic horse.

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

That was it.  That was the last time they ever split up.  Nothing good ever came out of their splitting up.  Kid Curry held his damp bandana to the back of Hannibal Heyes’ head.  It was busted open about two inches to the side of his right ear, but not too badly.  The bleeding had almost stopped.  But he sure was going to have a doozy of a head ache.

 He’d cut his partner down from the tree where he’d  found him dangling by his wrists.  He’d been out cold, his head crusted with dried blood, his shirt ripped open, his undershirt in two and angry red welts were raised on his bare chest and belly.   He’d dragged his limp body over to the fire and ministered to him the best he could.

  Fortunately, the supplies Mac had furnished for this trip included a bottle of iodine, which he’d dabbed onto Heyes’ head wound.  Now he paced and waited for him to regain consciousness.

“Kid?”  a weak raspy voice jerked him from his pacing. 

 He knelt beside his cousin, “How you feelin’?”

“What happened, Kid?  Where are we?”

“You don’t remember?”

“We were going somewhere.  I’m supposed to go somewhere.  Why does it hurt everywhere?”  He slowly raised himself into a sitting position.  His arms felt like they were made of rags.  And the sun made his head hurt.  He closed his eyes against the wave of dizziness that threatened to overtake him.

“Somebody hit you over the head.  I found you dangling from a tree over there.  Do you remember what happened?    When I left you this morning you were saddling your horse, remember?"

"My horse?"  Like a bag of hammers falling from a rooftop, the events of the past week fell heavily into his brain.  He remembered everything up to the moment he'd been struck on the back of the head.  His flew open.  Eyes that were full of dread as he asked his partner one question.  "Where is she?"  

  

“He took her.”

The look of fear was replaced with a look of calculating anger.  “Who took her?”  He asked the question, but he already knew the answer.

  

“Same fella that tried to take her before.  The fella with the circus clothes.   I got off three good shots but I was too far away and I missed.  They rode off that way through the woods towards the river.”  He pointed in a southeasterly direction.

"And you didn't go after them?"

   

"What? And leave you here hanging like a deer carcus?  Besides you said yourself he wanted her alive and unspoiled.  We got time to catch up to 'em."  Blue eyes looked questioningly at the dark head of his partner,  "She is still unspoiled ain't she Heyes?"

Brown eyes returned a wilting look to his blue eyed partner,  "Will you shut up?"

"Just askin', Heyes."

"Was he alone?"

"Yeah."

“How long's it been?"

“’Bout  an hour.”

“ An hour?  That’s too long, Kid.  We’ve got to get going.  Where is my horse?”  He began a slow rise to his feet,   ignoring the pain and dizziness.

"He took that too."  

Heyes groaned.  That horse was fast and he had endurance.  They'd never catch up to them if they didn't leave now.  "He must have been on a horse.  Did he leave it behind?"

“Yeah,  she wandered off through the trees there.  You sure you're able to ride?”  He reached to help steady his partner as he stumbled slightly once he was on his feet. 

“This is me you’re talking to, ‘member.   I’m always able to ride.”  Especially when Evie’s out there alone with a homicical madman.

 They found Harlan's horse drinking from the creek.  The poor animal was in a deplorable condition.  She appeared to be practically starved and thristed to death.  The black mare had been ridden so hard, she’d thrown two shoes.  She had mud, sand and rocks impacted in her hooves, and a couple of pretty bad saddle sores.  The exhausted animal wouldn't have made it another mile.  Heyes was left with only one choice.  He removed the saddle from the exhausted horse and put it on Jenny. They packed only what they had to have, and left the horse and anything unnecessary behind. 

 The trail couldn't have been easier to find if they had ridden off  on the back of a stampeding buffalo, and it headed south east through the dense forest that grew along the Pecos river.  Heyes knew he wasn’t going to be any good to the Kid.  He was injured and he didn’t have his gun.  And Jenny wasn't exactly a thoroughbred.  But to his credit the Kid had not insisted that he stay behind.  Because he knew it wouldn’t have done any good.  He would swim rivers, climb mountains,  cross deserts.  Whatever it took to find her.  And he knew the Kid knew that .  And Kid wasn't taking any more chances on them splitting up.  He wanted Heyes right where he could keep an eye on him.  They would stick together this time no matter what. 

   

“Kid?”  Heyes asked his partner as  they followed the trail into the dense forest that grew along the banks of the Pecos,  “I just got one question.  How’d you know to come back?”

“Oh, that’s real simple, Heyes.”

“Yeah, I guess after looking out for each other all these years we kinda get instincts about each other, huh?”

“Well, that sounds real nice and philosophical and all Heyes, but actually.... I just came back because I forgot my lunch.”

Heyes could only smile and roll his brown eyes.  He didn't really care what had brought his partner back, he was just glad he'd come back.  If he hadn't there would be almost no hope of finding Evie.  But with his partner by his side he knew they'd find her.  Heyes and Jenny  fell in line behind Kid and the gelding as they trudged through the thick undergrowth on the forest floor.  The pursuit was on.

Chapter 12 Soundtrack Selection (sort of)

Chapter 12 is a pretty intense chapter, and I don't really have a soundtrack selection for it.  Nothing really seemed to fit.   So I opted to share another video that showcases the great love and devotion between Kid and Heyes.

Unfortunately I don't know the name of the song or who sings it but the video is by anakinobiwan321 (aka sundance)  If anybody knows the name of the song and the artist, leave that info in the comment section below.

Chapter 11

 They had ridden almost all day without stopping.  They had both been sleeping so soundly in their cliffside shelter that they hadn't awakened until late morning.  They had ridden in a southeasterly direction towards the river.   Joshua wanted to make up lost time and they were both anxious to be off this trail and into a nice hot bathtub.  He was hoping that getting her into town where she felt safe would stop the nightmares. He hoped it would also stop this nagging feeling he had that trouble was coming.  But before he could hope too long,  his worst fears were realized.  A lone rider was approaching from the south and he was riding hard.   He was a good distance away and wouldn't reach them for a few minutes.  But it was plain to see he was headed straight for them.  He  had to think quick.  He had no idea who it was or what their intentions were.  If it was one of that cutthroat gang he had to be ready.

"Somebody's coming."  He motioned toward the rider as he  dismounted and helped Evangeline down.  "It's probably best if whoever it is thinks I'm alone.  That way I can size up the situation, and see if  it's safe."  He untied the mule's lead and led her behind a large outcropping of rocks where she wouldn't be seen.

"You stay behind these rocks with Jenny.  You have the rifle cocked  and ready.  If anybody except me steps around these rocks,  you shoot first and ask questions later.  Then you get on this horse and you ride south as fast as he'll carry you.  Don't look back and don't worry about me.  You got that?"

Everything was happening so fast she didn't know what to say or do.  She wanted to beg him not to go.  She wanted him to hide with her and just wait whoever it was out.  Or go with him, rifle in hand,  and stand together to face whoever was coming.  But he wasn't giving her any options.

 "Whoever it is has already spotted us.  I'm gonna  ride out and meet him.  Hopefully he's too far away to realize there's two of us.  I'll feel better if he doesn't even know you're around.   You stay here and don't make any noise.  It's probably nothing to worry about but I'm not taking any chances.  Stay out of sight and don't move from this spot until I come and get you, understand?"   He turned to walk away.

"I'm not leaving you,"  she said to his retreating back.

He spun around to pin her with an incredulous look.  "Huh?"

 "If something happens to you I won't leave you."  She said it with such a matter of fact tone that he was forced to believe her.

"Yes you will.  If it comes to that."  She was shaking her head as he spoke.  "Now listen,"  he took her by the shoulders and forced her to look into his pentrating gaze.  "I didn't just go through the last five days of trying to keep you alive just to have you up and get yourself killed being stupid over me.  Now you're supposed to do as I say when I say and I tell you your gonna shoot the bastard if he kills me then get the hell out of here!"

He'd never raised his voice to her before.  And he had certainly never cursed.  He must be mad she thought.  The look on his face told her it was best if she didn't press the issue.   So she said what she knew he wanted to hear,  "Alright, I'll shoot first and ask questions later."  But she knew if something really did happen to him, she would not leave him.  He was all she had now and she would do whatever it took to save him if he needed saving.

"Besides we don't even know who  it is.  It may just be somebody traveling like us."  He voice was less that convincing.

She peered over  his shoulder at the rider on horseback silouhetted against the sinking sun.  "He sure is riding fast, like he can't wait to get to us."

"I know that's what worries me.  Now get out of sight and stay there.  And keep her quiet," he nodded toward Jenny.

He went back to his horse, checked his gun to make sure it was loaded.  Once mounted he  pulled his hat low over his eyes.  He rode several yards south west forcing the rider to meet him a good distance away from Evie's hiding place.   And he waited.

As the lone rider approached and came into clearer view, the worried frown on Hannibal Heyes' face slowly dissipated and turned into a smile.  He recognized the bounce first.  The rider was bouncing up and down slightly in the saddle . His arms, bent at the elbows, bobbed up and down with each beat of the horse's hooves.  He also knew well the shape of the floppy brimmed hat on the rider's head and the well worn sheep skin coat on his back.  Heyes dropped his head and chuckled.  He should have know.

 With a snap of the reins against its backside,  the big chestnut stallion shot off at a canter carrying Heyes to meet the rider.  His dread now turned to hope and joy as he rode a little faster to meet his partner.  Kid Curry had come looking for him.

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

Kid had seen what looked like two people and two horses far in the distance. But the setting sun must have been playing tricks with his eyes.  Because he could now see what was unmistakebly Hannibal Heyes galloping toward him all alone.  Relief oozed over Kid like warm molasses.  He'd never been so glad to see his partner.  When they finally reached each other, they jumped from their saddles and grabbed each other up in a big bear hug, slapping each other on the back and laughing.  

"Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes,"  Heyes said as he finally let go of his friend.

"So are you.    Where the devil have you been, Heyes?  Me and Mac have been worried sick.  I thought I was coming out here to find a body."

"It's a long story, Kid.  Come on I got something to show you first, then I'll explain everything."

"Show me what, Heyes?  Is it something bad?  If it is I don't know if I want to see it.  My nerves are shot as it is.  And I've missed a whole night's sleep.  You know I gotta have my sleep."

Heyes pulled up the reins near  the rocks where Evangeline was hiding.  They dismounted and the Kid came and stood beside his partner.  "So what is it you gotta show me?

"Now, before  I show you, let me tell you what happened.  You see,  I ran into a little trouble my third day out...."

Evangeline could hear their voices.   She couldn't quite make out the words but one thing was for certain.   This was no stranger.  Joshua knew this person.  It must be safe then.  She peeked out from behind the rock to see Joshua standing with a another handsome young man.  The same height as Joshua but with dark blond curls hanging from under his brown hat.  And he was a little more thickly muscled than Joshua.  He was listening intently as Joshua energitically and animatedly told him something.  As she stuck her head a little further from behind the rock,  the man caught sight of her.  She gave him a sheepish grin.  She had been spotted so there was no reason to hide any longer. She stepped a little further from behind the rock.  Joshua had his back to her but this man  was looking right at her.  He didn't appear threatening in any way.  In fact he was now smiling at her as she stepped fully into view.    She surmised that the situation was indeed safe and she began to walk toward the two men.

Kid caught  the movement out of the corner of his eye.  When he realized there was a girl stepping out from behind the rocks, his eyes shifted from her back to his partner, who was still in the throes of explaining his troubles.  The amused smirk that spread across Kid's face stopped his partners explanation in mid sentence.  "Now, Heyes, that's the kind of trouble I wouldn't mind running into."  His eyes returned with appreciation to the lovely young woman coming towards them.

Heyes turned to follow Kid's gaze.  As Evangeline crossed the grassy meadow towards them, she looked especially lovely with the skirt of her clean dress and her silky hair both blowing in the cool breeze.  She also wore his blue coat, which was too big for her,  to shield her from today's much cooler weather.  Carrying her rifle in her arms, she looked so adorable that for a moment he was so mezmerized  he almost forgot that he had told her to stay put until he told her it was safe.  When she reached them, he immediatley began to scold her.

"Didn't I tell you to stay put 'til I came and got you?"

"Well I'm not a complete ninny, Joshua.  And I'm not a child. I could tell that you knew this man and I knew it would be all right to come out."

"You are supposed to....

"....do what you say when you say,  I know, I know,"  she mocked as she rolled her lovely blue gray eyes. 

 

Kid watched the exchange between the two  of them.   As they continued to argue back and  forth about her doing what she was told and him not giving her any credit for having brains,  he became concerned.   Who was this girl? Where had she come from? And why was she with Heyes out here all alone?

"Thaddues Jones,  I would like you to meet Evangeline Webb."

Kid took off his hat and extended his hand to the young lady. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."

"How do you do, Thaddeus.  It's wonderful to finally meet you.  I feel like I know you already, I've heard so much about you."

"I guess you're wondering where she came from, huh?"  Joshua  asked.

"Yeah among other things," he said as he gave Heyes a knowing look.

"Well, it's a long story, Thaddeus.  And you look beat.  We may as well set up camp for the night.  You see it all started when I was coming into this valley......."

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

"How much further is it to Alpine?" Heyes asked Kid as they sat a fair distance from  the fire, out of ear shot,  drinking coffee that Evangeline had made. 

 

"I headed out at day break this morning.  Reached you here by sunset, so fourteen, fifteen hours. Of coarse that was with me not stopping.  If we leave here in the morning, stop a couple of times to rest and then make camp by nightfall.  We should reach Alpine sometime late the next morning."

"Yeah, that's what I figured."  Heyes looked questioningly at his partner.  "You rode fifteen hours without stopping?  Just for me?  Kid I'm touched."

"Yeah,  tell that to my horse.  Poor thing's about give out.  And, yeah, Heyes you're touched alright.  In the head.  Somethimes I think that bullet you took in Hollistown left some permanent damange. What were you thinking taking on four men by yourself?"  he asked with a mix of worry and anger.

"There wasn't time to think.  I just reacted, I guess.  See, Kid I can take care of myself when the need arises,"   he said as he gave his partner a light teasing punch to the shoulder.

"I hope that don't mean I gotta start doing the thinkin' in this outfit, now."  

 

"Don't push your luck, Kid.  If I gotta start doin' the shootin' and you gotta start doin' the thinkin', well, we're all in big trouble.  And if you want to give your horse a rest, saddle up the mule and ride her tomorrow.  Maybe you can get her to go faster than I did."

"I can't believe you've made it this far on a bareback mule."

"Well, I only rode her for about a day and a half.  My backside couldn't take it. So we put all the supplies and saddlebags on  the mule and we rode double the rest of the way.   Jenny went alot faster being led by rein."

"Jenny?"

"The mule."

"Oh."  Kid pondered for a moment. " You rode double?  All this way?"

"Yeah." 

"For three and a half days?"

"Yeah."   He laughed the word nervously, trying to make it sound as nonchalant as he could.  But he wasn't fooling his blue eyed cousin.

  

Kid suppressed  a smile.  Yes there was definitly more to this story than met the eye.  

Heyes saw the look Kid was throwing him,  "What?"

Kid just shook his head smiled at his partner,  "Oh, nothing, Heyes, nothing at all." He looked at the beautiful buxom brunette who was busy fixing a meal over the campfire.  All this time he was worried to the point of sickness, thinking Heyes was lost and alone, needing his help, when he'd been riding a horse with that nestled up behind him the whole time.  "And here I was feeling sorry for you thinking  you were out here all by your lonesome when the whole time you was riding with her cozied up to your back."

"Oh, but your wrong, Kid,"  he said with a devilish grin.    "She rode in the front."

Heyes rose from his seat and crossed to the fire to get more coffee, leaving his partner gaping after him, speechless.

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

"I'll sure feel better when we get back to town.  If that bunch is out there, I'd rather not run across 'em out here,  not with a woman along."  Kid said as he checked his ammo in his gun belt.  "They sound like a real mean bunch."

"Mean doesn't even begin to describe it Kid. Talk about hard cases . I've never seen men so ruthless and unfeeling.  It's like they were hurting those folks for sport.  You know her brother was only thirteen years old. And they beat him so bad I couldn't tell what he even looked like."

"Heyes, I didn't want say anything in front of her, that's why I was waiting until we could talk in private,  but that gang that killed her family, sounds like the same bunch that I read about in the paper back in town.  They've done killed one family and took their daughter, who ain't been heard from since.  Then they killed everybody in one of them traveling circuses.  Took off with two young girls that time.  They found one of them murdered.  The other one is still missing."

"Did you say a circus?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because one of that gang was wearing a ring master's outfit.  It seemed awful strange at the time, but now I guess I know why.  It's gotta be the same bunch.  Kid, I've never seen anything like what they did to those people.  If I hadn't got there when I did......." he left the thought unfinished. 

"I know.  It's a miracle the two of you survived.  God, I wish I'd been there.  None of those bastards would have walked away.  I'm just glad you rid the world of one of them."  Blue eyes met brown.  "How you feelin' about that anyway?" 

"To tell you the truth, Kid, I haven't had time to think much about it.  It sure didn't feel like I thought it would.  Takin' a man's life I mean.  All I could think about,  when  I did think about it,  was that even though he may have deserved it,  he was still somebody's son, or brother or maybe even somebody's husband or father."

"Yeah,  after I killed Danny, I had some of those same thoughts.  Even though I was defending myself and he deserved it for what he did to Seth."

"Evie says I shouldn't worry about it, because he was bound to get caught and hung eventually anyway."

"She's right.  Smart girl.  Sure is pretty, too," the Kid said as they strolled back to the fireside to sit. 

 

"Yeah, she sure is...."  Heyes paused then and eyed his partner suspiciously, "Hey,  now don't you go getting any ideas, Kid."

"What ideas, Heyes.  I was just saying she's a pretty girl."

"Yeah, I know what usually follows when you say that too, and I'm telling you, Kid this one is off limits.  She's been through alot and she's just starting to get over all of it."

Kid could read between those lines.  What Heyes really meant was "This one is mine so hand's off!"  He would have to find out just how deep Heyes had gotten himself in with this one.  The only trouble was Kid didn't think Heyes even realized he was getting in deep.

"She's a good cook too," the Kid said patting his full belly that he'd just filled with the hot meal she had prepared from the abundance of supplies Mac had provided. 

A big grin split Heyes' face and he said with pride, "She is isn't she."

"And her coffee sure tastes better than yours too."

"What's wrong with my coffee?"

The partners rejoined Evangeline just as he asked that question. 

 

"Your coffee is horrible," she said as Joshua sat down beside her.  Both sat with their legs crossed,  her right knee touching her left one.  

"See ,I told you,"  Thaddeus said.

"What's so bad about my coffee?"  he looked to Evangeline for an answer.

"I'm sorry, but  I think you make it too strong.  You use to many grounds and you cook it too long."

"I happen to like it strong,"  Heyes said defensively , pouting a little.

"If you're the only one drinking it that's fine, but if other people are going to be drinking it you should be more considerate of what they like," she said trying to sooth his obviously hurt feelings.

"Well I'll just try to remember that next time."

"Good. If I've taught you nothing else in our travels together at least I've taught you to be considerate of other people's taste buds."

"And poetry. Don't forget the poetry."

"Oh, yes.  I've taught you to appreciate poetry.  Shall we continue with the story?"

"By all means do."

Kid watched the two sitting so close.  Leaning in to speak to each other.  Talking so familiarly.  Smiling and flirting.  He was beginning to think they had forgotten he was even there.   If he didn't know better he'd think they were a couple.  Aw, no.  This was worse than he thought.  He and Heyes had always had an understanding when it came to women.  Never would they interfere when the other had a love interest.  But it was also understood that "interest" meant no commitment and no strings attached.  And when it was time to move on, the women had to be left behind.  They couldn't afford the luxury of a settled down relationship.  Not now any way.  They had talked about what it would be like to have a wife and a family after the amnesty came through.  But it just wasn't in the cards for either of them right now.  And this wasn't an ordinary girl.  This was a girl who saw him as her savior, her hero.  He'd saved her life and kept her safe.  She'd lost her family in  a horrible tragedy and that made them kindred spirits of a sort.  He could see she was clinging to him just like he and Heyes had clung to each other as children.  And Heyes was so caught up in being her knight in shining armor that he wasn't trying to discourage her obvious infatuation.  And it didn't help that she really was a very beautiful young woman.  Heyes had always been a sucker for the bustier females and she definitely  fit that description.  She was well rounded in all the right places.  Her thick hair flowed down her back like a waterfall of rich mahogany silk.  And her long dark lashes framed a pair of eyes the color of rain clouds.  And those eyes looked at Heyes like a thirsty man looks at water.   They would reach town day after tomorrow.  Hopefully, not long after that  she would be safely in the hands of the authorities or family and he and Heyes could get on with their lives.  And if worst came to worst he would just lead Heyes away from her at gunpoint. 

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

 After introducing Thaddeus to the wonderful work of Longfellow,  Evangeline displayed her skill at blackjack and poker, beating both men handily in several hands of each.   Then she bid the gentlemen good night and crawled into her bedroll.   She succombed to exhaustion and was quickly sound asleep.

 

"Did you teach her that?"  Kid whispered.

"Teach her what?"

"How to cheat." 

"Noooo.  Her father taught her.  She was probably wanting  to see if you would call her on it.  Why didn't you?  I did."

"Didn't think it would be too gentlemanly.  I didn't want to embarrass her."

"After all that she's been through, I don't think she could get embarrassed by much anymore."

"So tell me, Heyes,  what's really going on with you and her anyway?  You do realize she's got a real bad case of puppy love, don't ya?"

"Yeah, I know.  It's just that  I'm the only person she's been around since her folks died,  except for you of course.  She'll probably  snap out of it once we get to town."  

Kid wasn't buying that.  There was a lot Heyes wasn't telling him.  "Well, then what's your excuse?"

"What are you talking about? Excuse for what?"

Kid folded his arms across his chest in that way that only the Kid would do and again he just smiled and shot his partner that look.

"What?"

"Heyes, I know you.  I've seen that look in your eyes before."

"What look?"

"You look at her the way you look at a Pierce and Hamiton '78.   And the way you  used to look at Laura Thompson."

"Laura Thompson?  Kid, I was thirteen years old.  She sure did break my heart though."

"Yeah I remember.  And you've got that same look in your eyes when you look at Evangeline.  I just hope you're not getting too invested in this girl, Heyes, 'cause you know the times gonna come when you're gonna have to leave her behind or send her away to her family.  I'd  hate to have to come and find you bawling in the woods again."   Kid crawled into his bedroll, exhausted from being awake for thirty-six hours.  "You've got the first watch, right?"

"Yeah, yeah.  Get some sleep."   A pause,  "And I wasn't bawling."

A faint smile touched  Kid's lips just before blissful sleep claimed him.

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

"Sometimes I think he'd rather spend all of his time with a horse than with me,"  Thaddeus said to Evangeline as they sat together and watched from a distance as Joshua removed the saddle from his horse and curried him.  The wamth of the noon day sun helped to ward off the chill of the early October breeze that blew from the north.  

"He said you told him he could ride a cow and look like he belonged there."

"And it's true.  In fact I told him that because he did ride a cow once and he looked better on that cow than I do on a horse."

That made her laugh.  "Why in the world was he riding a cow?"  

Aw, no.  What should he say?  He couldn't tell her that they'd been running from a group of angry train passengers turned vigilantes after one of their very first train robberies.  They'd shot Heyes' horse out from under him while he was crossing a field full of cattle.  He'd jumped on the back of the nearest longhorn and trotted it to safety.  Kid and Lom  had doubled back when they realized Heyes wasn't with the gang anymore and had met him trotting along on that cow just like it was the most natural thing in the world.  Kid smiled at the memory.  "Uuuhhh,  it's a long story.  Maybe I should let him tell you."  Maybe she would forget and wouldn't ask Heyes about it, and if she did ask, Heyes could spin a good tale.   He changed the subject .  " He always did have a way with animals, horses especially.  I don't suppose you've had a chance to see him in the saddle much have you."

"No. He rode the mule the first couple of days and we've been riding double ever since, so, no I haven't got to see him ride a horse at all."

"Well, let me tell ya, nobody can ride a horse like Josh."

"I'd love to see that.  Maybe one day I will."

"What's wrong with right now?  HEY, JOSH!"  He motioned for Heyes to come over.  Heyes headed toward his friend.  "Just watch," he said softly to Evangeline.

"What is it?"  Heyes asked.

"My horse's gait felt a little off this morning.  Would you mind giving him a ride and see what you think.   Don't want him coming up lame."

"Sure," he shrugged, finding nothing unusual about the request.

Evangeline watched as Joshua mounted the big bark brown bay with the grace of a lady taking her seat.   Then using the reins as a whip he lightly snapped the horses hind quarter and it took off at an easy trot.  She became hypnotized by the image he created as he gradually built the animal's speed to a full canter.  He sat erect and still in the saddle, his calm assertiveness leaving  the bay free to trust the man on its back.  He seemed to be one with the animal. Both graceful. Both at ease.  Then he leaned slightly forward and again using the reins, snapped the horse into a full out gallop.  As he rode into the wind his hat blew from his head to hang down his back by his stampede strings,  his hair like the bay's mane and tail flowing in the breeze.  He turned his mount without so much as shifting in the saddle.  Man and animal still seemed as  one as they headed back in the direction they had come.  He gradually slowed the horse,  stopped and dismounted in one fluid graceful movement.  

"Seems fine to me.  You sure his gait was off?"

"Must have been my imagination.  Thanks anyway."

Heyes led the horse back to the other animals and began to remove its saddle.  "See what I mean?" Thaddeus asked her, a proud smile that reached his blue eyes spreading across his face.

Yes, she had seen.  Watching him ride had taken her breath away.  Her mouth opened as if to say something, but she couldn't come up with words to describe how beautiful and magnificent he'd been on that horse.

  

"Speechless, huh?  Yeah, that happens a lot when people see him ride." 

"You're very proud of him aren't you?"

"Does it show that much?"

"I'm afraid so.  And he's very proud of you too.  He told me all about how handy you are with a gun.  He says you're the fastest draw he's ever seen.     And he told me about how you take care of him.  I can tell he's was very proud of you."

"He told you all that did he?"  Just how much had he told her  he wondered.

"Yes, he did. He said if it weren't for you he'd probably be dead by now."  She paused for a moment.  "He loves you, you know."

"Ma'am?"

"Joshua. He loves you very much."

"He say that, ma'am?'

"No. not in so many words.  But sometimes you don't have to say it.  Some things are understood without being said."

"Well, ma'am, the feeling 's mutual."

"I kind of figured that.  And please don't call me 'ma'am'  any more.  My friends call me Evangeline.

"Yes, ma'am.  I mean, yes, Evangeline."

"That's better.  You know when I look at you I get a glimpse of what my brother, Gabe might have looked like if he'd lived to be a man.  He had eyes the same piercing blue as yours and the same  dirty blonde curls." 

"I hope that doesn't upset you."

"No.  It helps believe it or not."

"Well you can just consider me your adopted big brother from here on out, Evangeline."

"Thank you, Thaddeus, I'd like that very much. And my brother always called me Evie.  I'd like it very much if you would too."

Thaddeus stood and helped her to her feet.  "Let's go see if the horse whisperer needs any help, shall we, Evie?' 

He watched her face light up as her attention was once again brought back to his partner.  In a half run half skip she left his side to go to him.  He liked this young woman very much.  It was easy to see how Heyes could be falling for her.  But he also knew it wasn't fair to her to let any hope of a relationship with him grow inside her. As soon as he got Heyes alone, he'd have to have a serious talk with him about it.   It was better to make a clean break.  Kid observed silently as  she reached Joshua and threw her arms around his neck.  His arms went around her in return, lifting her briefly off the ground, then settled her back down and held her at arms length.  She was obviously extoling praises on him for his riding ability.  And he was engrossed in every word she said with that big goofy dimpled grin on his face.  Yes, a serious talk was in order.  And soon. 

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

Under the boughs of Wachita willows,

that grew by the margin,

Safely their boat was moored; and

scattered about on the greensward,

Tired with their midnight toil, the

weary travellers slumbered.

Over them vast and high extended

the cope of a cedar.

Swinging from its great arms, the

trumpet-flower and the grape-vine

Hung their ladder of ropes aloft like

the ladder of Jacob,

On whose pendulous stairs the angels

ascending,descending,

Were the swift humming-birds, that

flitted from blossom to blossom.

Such was the vision Evangeline saw

as she slumbered beneath it.

Filled was her heart with love, and 

the dawn of an opening heaven

Lighted her soul in sleep with the

glory of regions celestial. 

Nearer and ever nearer, among

the numberless islands,

Darted a light, swift boat, that sped

away o'er the water,

Urged on its course by the sinewy

arms of hunters and trappers.

Northward its prow was turned, to

the land of the bison and beaver.

At the helm sat a youth, with

countenance thoughtful and careworn.

Dark and neglected locks overshadowed

his brow, and a sadness

Somewhat beyond his years on his face was

legibly written.

Gabriel was it, who, weary with waiting,

unhappy and restless,

Sought in the Western wilds oblivion of

self and of sorrow.

Swiftly they glided along, close under the lee

of the island,

But by the opposite bank, and behind a screen

of palmettos,

"You mean he passed right by her in a boat while she was asleep on the bank under a tree?"  Joshua asked.

"Yes."

"Does she ever find him?"  chimed in Thaddeus.

"You'll just have to wait until tomorrow night to find out.  My eyes are getting tired.  And so is the rest of me."

"You know that Gabriel fella sounds alot like you, Joshua.  Unhappy, restless.  And your hair is a might neglected too."

"Well look who's talkin'.  I haven't seen curls that long since we left Clem back in Silver Springs."

As she listened to the two bicker back and forth, she realized that Thaddeus was right.  On Joshua's face, beyond the dimples and good looks,  was written sadness and weariness that a man of his age should not know.  But she supposed it was due to the fact that he'd been forced to grow up before he was truly ready.  She looked at the man she'd come to care for so deeply.  She wanted to cry for the little boy he had been.  The little boy who at the tender age of ten had had to assume the role of mother and father to his younger cousin. The boy who had had to be a guardian and protector. Who's child's mind had had to make grown up decisions.  He hadn't really had a childhood at all, she figured.  Nor had Thaddeus.  But at least the burden of their survival hadn't been on Thaddeus'  shoulders like Joshua felt it had been on his. Maybe that's why Joshua was such a nurturing, giving person.  He'd been practicing at it for years.  Nurturing his younger cousin, making sure he had what he needed before he thought of himself.   Watching the two of them interact, she could not only see, but feel the bond they shared.  They were more than cousins, more than partners or even friends,  they were kindred spirits. Two halves of a whole, both of which would be lost without the other.  

"Hey, did you notice something last night?"

Joshua's words roused her from her thoughts.  "Oh, no, what?"

"No bad dreams."

Thaddeus had excused himself to the privacy of the woods for a moment and Joshua had come to sit beside her as they leaned back against an old tree trunk that had fallen many years ago.  "I think I may have been too exhausted to dream.  Or maybe Thaddeus being here made me feel more secure."  She saw the disappointed look that came across his face, as if she were implying that she hadn't felt safe with him.   "What I mean is, him being here makes you not so nervous, and that makes me not so nervous.  I know you would never let anything happen to me.  And I know he'll never let anything happen to you.  I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you, Joshua."

He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it.  "Nothing's gonna happen to me.  I promise.  But I just want you to know that you don't have to worry about Thaddeus thinking less of you if you still want to sleep next to me.  He understands.  At the orphan's home we had to sleep in these bunk beds.  There was about fifty or sixty in one room.  We were assigned bunks by alphabetical order, so our beds were pretty far apart.  But every night for the first year or so that we were there,  he would climb up into my bunk with me and sleep. He used to have bad dreams too."

"You've spent your whole life taking care of somebody else, haven't you.  First Thaddeus and now me.  Don't you think it's time you let somebody take care of you for a change?"  There was invitation in her words and her eyes.  "Let me be the one to take care of you,"  they'd said.

He was just about to speak when Thaddeus came back.  "Guess it's gettin' about time to turn in.  You got the first watch again, Joshua?"

"Uh, yeah, sure,"  he told his friend.  Then said to Evangeline, " You better turn in too, Evie.   Sun'll be up before you know it."

He smiled that smile that melted her heart and made her knees weak.  "Good night, Evie."  He gave her hand, which he still held, a squeeze as he rose to his feet to take his own moment of privacy in the woods before he stood watch for the next few hours.  As she crawled into her bed roll, which she did place next  to his, she felt a little sad.  She was grateful that they would finally reach town tomorrow, and that Thaddeus had found them, making their journey much safer.  But part of her didn't want her time out here on this trail with Joshua,  just the two of them, to end. 

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

The morning came much too soon. The first rays of sunlight came through the trees and dappled light upon the dew soaked grass were  they had slept.  She was a little melancholy that this day had come.  The last day on the trail with Joshua.  Last night was the last time she would awaken to him climbing in his bedroll beside her and pulling her body back against the solid warmth of his.  She knew it would sound crazy to anyone else, but she was going to miss sleeping on dewy grass, under the stars.  She was going to miss waking up to the enchanting aroma of bluebonnets, to his horrible coffee and his wonderful smile.  She was going to miss him.  She didn't want their time together to end, and she was afraid it would when they arrived back in civilization.  

She busied herself making a good breakfast for them.  It would probably be the last meal she would ever prepare for them and so she wanted it to be special.   She fried bacon, then used some of the grease to make bisuits and fry potatoes and onions.  

"Big Mac sure knows how to pack for good eatin',"  Thaddeus said around a mouthful of potatoes.  "And you sure know how to cook for good eatin'."

"Why, thank you.  There's plenty left over.  If you want I can throw some together in a bag for you to take with you.  I'm sure you'll be hungry before you reach Mr. McCreedy."

"That would be real thoughtful of you, thank you."

While she packed him a sack of leftovers, the boys stepped away from the camp to saddle the horses.

"So what excuse did you give her for me riding on ahead of you two?"  Kid asked.

"I told her we decided it was safe enough for you to ride on ahead with Mac's papers to let him know that I was alright, so he could stop worrying."  

"Good idea."

"I sure didn't tell her that you were riding ahead to scout out the sheriff's office to make sure that we don't know him and he don't know us, before we ride in there with a young woman and tell him that I killed a man."  

"What if we do know him, Heyes. Then what?"

"Then you'll get Mac his papers and tell him I'm alright, then meet us outside of town as planned.  And we'll head straight  for Buckton.   And if we don't know him,  we'll all ride in to town together like one big happy family." 

 

Evie approached them at that moment.  "Thaddeus I left your lunch in a sack beside the fire to keep it warm, don't forget it."

"Thank you, Evie."

"You're welcome.  Have a safe trip and I'll see you later in town.   You know, you were right, Joshua.  It's alot easier to ride in britches than it is in a dress.  I think I'll go change before we head out."   Her brothers clothes were draped over her arm. 

"Good idea.  Don't go too far though.  And don't forget the....."

She held up the rifle for him to see before he could finish that statement.  He  just smiled and nodded as he watched her disappear into the nearby thicket of trees that lead to the waters edge.

Heyes looked up at his partner who was already in the saddle.  "We'll meet you about two miles just outside of town. "  

"Right.  And try to stay outta trouble this time will ya?"

"It'll only be three or four  hours,  Kid, what could happen?"

"Don't say that, Heyes.  It seems like everytime you say that, somebody shows up and shows us just what can happen."

"Aw, have a little faith, Kid."

"I do have faith, Heyes.  In my ability to keep your butt out of trouble.  So just be extra careful,  will ya?"

Hannibal Heyes waved to his partner as he  trotted off southward and disappeared over the horizon.  He'd give him about an hour's head start so that he would have time to see Mac and check out the sheriff before he and Evie got close to town.  He gave Rusty, who he'd become quite attached to an affectionate rub to his powerful neck.  "Well, old friend,  just a few more miles and you can rest yourself in a nice livery stall with all the oats you can eat.  Don't that sound....."  A blinding white light flashed in front of his eyes, a foul stench burned his nostrils and searing hot pain spread like fire across his scalp. And then everything went black.