"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.
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