The Dead Horse Saloon looked the same as the dozens of others she'd seen in the last few months. Except for one thing - a crudely made sign that had been haphazardly tacked beside the front door that read "Home of the ugliest whores west of the Mississippi."
Evie's face went pink as she and Preacher read the sign. They exchanged bewildered looks before riding on towards the livery stable. The sun was low in the western sky as they rode northward through the small town of Tularosa, New Mexico. They were exhausted. They were hungry. And they knew their horses felt the same way. They had ridden until nearly dawn before they'd stopped at a homestead somewhere south of Mesquite and were generously provided with a warm place to rest for a few hours. Evie hated to lie to the friendly couple who were so kind to them, but she had little choice if she hoped to get to the boys on time. She had told them that she and her brother, the minister, were on their way north to console a dear friend who had just lost her husband. With great sympathy they had offered them a hot breakfast and a warm spot in the barn to sleep. They had slept for a few hours, while giving the horses and mule a chance to rest and eat. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett and their three handsome little boys had refused any payment for their troubles. But before they had ridden out, Evie had fished out a couple of the gold coins she had stashed in her saddle bags and left them on the front door step. She was so thankful that Aunt Livvy had given her that bag of coins the day they had went shopping in Cold Springs. She had spent little of it and the rest of it had been tucked away in the drawer of her wardrobe ever since. She had packed it in her saddle bags last night and knew without even counting it that there was several hundred dollars in gold coins inside. They were going to need it. They needed fresh horses. They couldn't hope to make it to Rising Gulch on these horses after the hard ride they'd been put through today. Evie would leave enough money with the stable master for Rusty to be fed and stabled until she was able to come back and get him.
Evie climbed out of the saddle and sighed. She was so tired. Her body was sore from the hours of hard riding. She hadn't spent this much time in the saddle since she and Joshua were out in the wilderness of the Trans Pecos. Her heart caught in her throat just thinking about the time they had spent together. He had sacrificed so much for her. And now she would do the same for him. No matter what the cost, she would not leave him stranded and at the mercy of a man who meant to kill him. She felt in her saddle bags for the purse. As she removed some coins she thought of Livvy. She wondered how long it had taken Livvy to realize she was gone. She was furious not doubt. And worried. She had probably marched into the sheriff's office in Red Rock and demanded that he take off in search of her. Evangeline wouldn't have been surprised to see the cavalry ride in at any moment in search of her. I'm sorry, Evangeline. Truly I am. Evie recalled her aunt's words from last night before she had locked her in the bedroom. I'm sorry too Livvy, but you left me no choice.
"Excuse me, sir, we would like to get two fresh horses, please," she said as she extended her hand which held several coins. "We'll keep the same saddles and gear we have. And I'd like to...." Evie's words trailed off as the stable master held up a hand and shook his head.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't do it. I got a telegram earlier today that said Sherman McMaster and the posse that's after Heyes and Curry will be riding in here about sundown and they need every horse I've got. I sure wish I could help you, but that takes priority."
Evie and Preacher couldn't believe their ears. The posse that they thought they were trailing was behind them. How had they managed that when they had been a day behind? "Are you the only livery in town?"
"Yes, ma'am. I'm afraid so."
"I'll pay extra. I'll pay double even. Please, we have to have fresh horses. Ours are exhausted and we need to get north as soon as possible."
"I'm sorry, miss, truly I am. But I just can't do it." He shook his head with a look of genuine sympathy.
There seems to be a lot people who are truly sorry these days, she thought. Evie resigned herself to the fact that fresh horses were not in the immediate future. She sighed. "Well, can you at least take a look at our horses' shoes. Make sure they're alright to keep riding. We've got important business up north and we've got to be moving out as soon as possible."
"No problem. I'll check them out right now. Nothing for me to do now except wait for that posse to ride in anyway."
Evie and Preacher found the nearest cafe in town and sat down over plates piled high with ham, fried potatoes, biscuits and red eye gravy. They were starved.
"The good Lord must surely be looking over the likes of us and Heyes and the Kid. There ain't no other explanation for that posse being behind us."
"I don't understand it though. You know the boys have got to be nearly there. That posse should be halfway to Albuquerque by now." They both dug into their food. "I wonder how long that posse is going to stay here?"
"Most posses that I've ever run into don't stop at all, except to change horses, which might take an hour. It don't make no sense to me either. It's almost like McMaster wants them to make it to Rising Gulch," Preacher said before biting into a buttery biscuit.
Evie stopped in mid chew. "That's it." She swallowed her mouthful of potatoes. "He wants them to get to the place where he lost them before. He wants to redeem himself and salvage his reputation by capturing them in the same place they eluded him. He's lagging behind on purpose, just toying with them. And that's why he wants such a big posse too. He wants it to be a show." Evie slammed her fist hard on the top of the wooden table. "Asshole. Why doesn't he just sell tickets to it?"
Preacher smiled. "He has to find them first. And just because he can find that town don't mean he'll find Heyes and the Kid. The Lord knows all things, Miss, and he's surely using what he knows to help us. Without fresh horses, we should be thanking the Almighty that that posse is taking its sweet time."
"You're right. They'll have fresh horses and we won't. We probably won't stay ahead of them very long. I guess we better move on after supper if that farrier says the horses are alright to ride on." Evie thought about what the Preacher had just said. "What do you mean he has to find them? I thought he had been there before?"
"He's been to that old abandoned mining town, sure. But I'd be willing to bet every dime in this Sunday's offering plate that he ain't seen the whole town," the Preacher said with a mischievous grin.
"What do you mean?"
"I'll explain it to you while we're riding. I don't want the wrong ears to hear anything," he said quietly while looking around to make sure nobody could hear him.
They finished their meal and stepped out of the cafe to be greeted by the sight of the twenty-one man posse as it came riding into town. Half the town had lined the streets to watch with excitement as the posse that meant to bring an end to the outlawing days of Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry rode by. And in the lead was one Mr. Sherman McMaster. The last remaining light of the dying sun cast an eerie orange glow over the group of riders. So that was him, huh? Not so impressive, Evie thought. He was tall. That's all she could really say about the man. He was just sort of...ordinary. He wasn't ugly. He certainly wasn't handsome. At least not like her Hannibal. He didn't look magnificent while sitting a horse like Hannibal either. And she doubted if he could draw a gun like Kid. But then he turned his head and looked her dead in the eye as he passed in front of her. It was the eyes. They were as cold as a frozen piece of steel. He tipped his hat and smiled a smile at her that did not penetrate the icy glaze of his eyes. A shiver ran up her spine as she watched him lead his posse through the streets toward the livery. He wasn't so ordinary after all. There was a soulless appearance to this steely gaze. She felt like she'd just stared death in the eye. If this man got to Hannibal and Kid before she and Preacher did...she didn't want to say it.
"When the devil himself is after you on a fresh horse you need a miracle," Preacher said as he watched the cold-eyed leader of the posse dismount from his horse in front of the livery stable.
Evie had to work her way through the maze of horses and men just to get to the stables to claim her own horse. Even dressed like a boy with her face covered in trail dust, her beauty did not go unnoticed by the trail weary men. She merely nodded and gave half hearted smiles in return to the numerous "Howdy, ma'am's" and "Well, hello, honey's." She stepped around a small gray mare to collide solidly with the chest of the man himself. Sherman McMaster didn't budge as she bounced backwards off of him. He grabbed her by her upper arms to steady her. She looked down with disgust at the hands that touched her. Her eyes slowly lifted to find his staring down at her.
"Begging your pardon, ma'am. A pretty little thing like you should be careful around all these big animals."
"Not to mention the horses," Evie retorted.
To her amazement he laughed. But the amusement did not reach his eyes. She wanted so badly to slap him across his stony face and tell him to go back to whatever part of Hades he had been spawned in. He gave her the willies. Especially when he was towering over her. This was the man who was hunting the man she loved like he was a rabid animal that needed to be put down. Her anger kindled. She straightened her spine and thrust out her chin. She opened her mouth to give him the sharp side of her tongue, but he released her, tipped his hat and strutted off towards the Dead Horse Saloon before she could get a word out.
Evie looked around for Preacher and spotted him trying to look inconspicuous around the corner of the stables. She laughed slightly to herself as she approached him. He jumped when she touched his shoulder. "What's wrong, Preacher?" she asked with amusement.
"Posses of any size make an outlaw nervous. But one this size is enough to make a man lose his religion."
"So, how are they? Are they alright to keep traveling?" Evie asked the farrier who had checked their horses.
"The shoes are fine. I just had to get some mud and rocks out of them. But, ma'am, these animals are bone tired. I don't recommend going another mile on them until they've had a least six to eight hours of rest and some good grain and water."
"Six hours? We don't have that kind of time."
"You're welcome to try it ma'am, but I'm telling you from experience. You set out on these animals now and you'll be walking back in a couple of hours leading a lame horse or one with a thrown shoe. The next nearest town north of here is White Oaks and that's a one horse mining town. You won't get fresh horses there."
The farrier threw up his hands and went back to helping the stable master unsaddle the posse's trail worn horses, leaving Evie and Preacher to muddle over their options.
"We can't leave. But we can't stay. What are we supposed to do, Preacher?"
"The way I see it, we managed to get ahead of that posse before, so I don't see why we couldn't get ahead of them again if we start out the same time they do. It'll take a couple of hours to get all those horses unsaddled and new ones resaddled. We'll just rest here until they ride out again."
"If only there was some way to make sure they stayed here at least six hours so the horses would be fit to ride. Not to mention the two of us," Evie said, thinking out loud.
She was beginning to feel defeated. Her shoulders sagged slightly and she felt cold. Oh, how she wished her Hannibal were here. He would hug her tight and kiss her worries away. "Everything will be alright," he'd say. And she'd believe him and she'd feel instantly better. Then he would come up with a brilliant and genius plan that would make sure that everything would in fact be alright. But he wasn't here. She wanted to cry. The tears were there burning the backs of her eyelids, but she took several deep breathes and staved off the emotional dam that was threatening to break.
Her thoughts were interrupted by loud hoops and hollers coming from down the street. The stagecoach had just arrived and a group of men had gathered around it, apparently eager to see whoever was getting off. Evie was about to turn and make her way back into the livery stable to tell the stable master they'd be heading out when the posse did, but she stopped short when she heard a familiar voice.
"Thanks, ever so much, honey. Now don't you forget to come up and see me any old time," the lilting female voice cooed.
Evie's eyes grew wide. She whirled around to see the pretty blonde haired woman, surrounded by admiring men, flirting shamelessly with the stagecoach driver who was climbing down from the top with her baggage.
"Sally?" Evie whispered to herself, not daring to hope that it really was her friend. "Sally!" she called again, loudly enough to be heard over the vocal advances of the smitten men.
The blonde woman spun around at the sound of her name. For a moment she couldn't believe her eyes. "Evangeline?"
Simultaneously they both began to laugh and ran towards each other. They grabbed onto each other and hugged tightly, laughing and giggling.
"What on earth are you doing way up here?" Evie asked, out of breath, when they finally let go of one another.
"I met me a man a couple of weeks ago who told me I could make a fortune here in Tularosa, because they had the ugliest whores west of the Mississippi. As soon as I could I made a bee line right for this place." She frowned as she looked around. "Sure hope I didn't make a mistake. But enough about me. What are you doing here? And where are my two favorite cowboys?" Her blue eyes swept the surrounding street, hoping to see Thaddeus Jones strolling cockily in her direction. "Please tell me Thaddeus is with you."
Evangeline's face fell in spite of her happiness at seeing her old friend. "No, Sally, he's not with me. And neither is Joshua."
"What? Don't tell me he up and left you. But that man is head over heals in love with you. What happened?"
"He didn't leave me Sally. Not because he wanted to. He's in trouble....and.....and I...." seeing Sally's face brought back so many memories that she associated with a better time. A time when she and Joshua had just declared their love for each other. And having a sympathetic motherly figure embracing her while those memories came flooding back was all it took to make the dam break. She fell onto Sally's breasts and wept.
Sally held Evie there in the street while she cried. Sally looked questioningly to the man who had walked up behind Evangeline. He appeared to be a minister and he appeared to be accompanying her young friend. She pulled the younger woman's head up and brushed the tears from her dust streaked face.
"It's too cold to stand out here in the street. Let's go into the cafe and have some coffee while you tell me all about it.
Over coffee Evie and Preacher explained everything to Sally. Everything except that Thaddeus and Joshua were really Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes.
"So you two need this McMaster fella to stay put here for a while, so you can get to Dimples and Blue Eyes before they do?"
"That's right. If we knew they would be staying in town until dawn, we could get a room and rest ourselves while the horses rested. Otherwise we'll be putting the horses at risk and we can't afford to do that either. Who knows how far we'll have to go to get fresh ones."
"Honey, consider it done. Every one of those men in that posse is in that saloon, including Mr. McMaster. I heard one of those fellas, say so. You give me an hour and that man will forget his own name, let alone that he was chasing anybody. They have a room upstairs already waiting for me. I'll go up the back way and get changed. Once I set my sights on him and he lays his eyes on me, he won't stand a chance. Preacher you come to the saloon in about an hour. I'll leave you a message with the bar keep letting you know the rat had taken the bait."
"Sally, I don't know how to thank you. If you can pull this off, it could mean the difference between life and death for Joshua and Thaddeus."
"Honey, think nothing of it. There's nothing I wouldn't do for those boys and for you. And what's all this 'if' nonsense. Have you forgotten who you're talking to? Men don't turn Sally Buckner down. Unless of course they're hopelessly and helplessly in love with the girl they just rescued." She winked and touched the tip of Evie's nose as she stood and walked out of the cafe.
"Sometimes God works through the most unlikely of vessels," Preacher said as he watched the pretty blonde make her exit.
And Evie thanked God in that moment for sending Sally. With renewed hope and confidence that Sally could work her magic, they walked to the hotel to get two rooms for the night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sign certainly was dead to rights, McMaster thought as he looked around at the group of fallen angels that had just descended the staircase of the Dead Horse Saloon. They were all ugly as sin. He was disappointed. He had told the men in the posse that they could take a few hours to get a drink and visit the ladies upstairs if they chose. There was no hurry to catch up to Heyes and Curry. The papers were just now beginning to follow the story like he wanted. Besides it gave him a break from the cold for a while. He hated the cold. But he was disappointed because he had been looking forward to a few hours in the company of a woman himself. He wasn't much of drinker. Drinking made you too loose lipped and stupid. But he had wanted him a woman. He took a moment to appraise each of the "ladies." One didn't have a single tooth in her head. One was cross-eyed. One weighed about three hundred pounds. And another had a huge black mole with a hair growing out of it on her cheek. He groaned and turned back to the bar. Then again, a drink might not be such a bad idea. He motioned to the bartender to pour him a whiskey. Too bad that sweet little thing at the stables wasn't here, he thought as he sipped the smooth Kentucky bourbon. She was a looker. Even though she was dressed like a boy and was coated with trail dust. He could just imagine what she would look like cleaned up and in a dress. Or better yet out of a dress. His manhood began to ache. He threw back the rest of his drink. He needed a woman. But it would sure take a lot more whiskey before he could imagine that sweet thing's face on the shoulders of one of these unfortunate looking gals. His groin grew tighter. Damn it all to hell. He motioned for another whiskey. He downed it in one shot. Before he could set his glass on the bar, a pair of soft feminine hands caressed his shoulders and the sweet scent of lilacs filled his nose. "Oh, my, you're a tall drink of water, ain't you, darlin'," a soft seductive voice drawled in his ear. He cringed as he turned, expecting to see big black hairy moles or a toothless mouth. Instead he was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful blue eyed blonde smiling beguilingly at him. "Lucky for you, I happen to be extremely thirsty."
"Either they got some of the fastest working whiskey in the world or that sign on the door doesn't apply to you, ma'am."
"As it happens, this is my first night here in Tularosa. I was hoping to improve the view around these parts. And I was also hoping that the most handsome, most powerful man in this bar would help me celebrate my arrival with a private little party up in my room."
She didn't have to ask twice. He headed for the stair case. She passed a folded piece of paper to the bartender. "If a man called Preacher comes in, give him this," she said quietly as she followed the tall cold eyed man up the stairs.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They were saddled up and ready to ride when the sun began to peek over the eastern horizon.
"Thanks, again, for getting up so early so we could head out," Evie told the stable master as she walked Rusty out of his stall.
"It's the least I could do since I couldn't sell you any fresh horses. This here's a prime animal. He should give you many miles of good service. Just make sure to rest them every twenty miles or so."
"I will. Thanks again."
She was just about to mount when she heard her name being called. She turned to see Sally running down the dirt main street towards her.
"Evangeline! Wait! I didn't want you to leave before I could speak to you," Sally said breathlessly. There was concern in her eyes.
"What is it?" Evie asked nervously.
Sally paused trying to find the words. She searched Evie's face as she whispered, "Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry?"
There was no sense in pretending or lying. "So he told you."
"Then it's true. Joshua and Thaddeus are really Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry?"
"Yes."
Sally took Evie's hands in hers. "Listen to me. He does not mean to bring those boys in alive. He's not one who likes to drink. But he drank quite a bit last night. So he wasn't shy about sharing information. You were right. He's giving them time to get to Rising Gulch. He wants them to think that they've made it and that they're going to be safe. Then he's going to in his words 'swoop down on them like an eagle on a mouse.' He's enjoying the fact that they are out there in the cold with no food and no place to stay. He wants them to suffer. Then he wants to kill them and put them on display for everyone to see." Sally's voice choked just a bit. "In all my years I don't think I've ever met a man who could talk so coldly about taking another man's life. He talked about killing them like you and I would talk about tossing out an old pair of shoes." Evie saw a shudder wrack her friends body and she wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders. "You get to those boys, and you get them somewhere safe, you hear."
"Where is McMaster now?"
"He's getting dressed. He's cussing a blue streak because he didn't want to be here this long. He said they should have been gone hours ago." She gave a coy smile. " What can I say? I've still got it. I told him I'd bring him some coffee. I better get back before he sees me talking to you." She hugged Evie and kissed her cheek. "You be safe. And give Dimples a big ol' a kiss for me. And tell that blue eyed cowboy of mine I hope to give him one for myself when you all come back through safe and sound."
"Alright, I'll tell him. Thank you, Sally. For everything."
There were tears in both women's eyes as they hugged one last time. Evie watched her friend walk away until she disappeared inside the cafe.
"Preacher, I have a feeling that posse is going to be hell bent for leather once they get going. They've played around enough and now he's going to get serious. You're sure about this short cut?"
"Yes, ma'am. I'm as sure of that as I am that Moses parted the Red Sea."
"Then let's get going.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She strolled silently, seductively out of the shroud-like mist. She moved determinedly towards him. If seduction was her intent, she had realized it. He was seduced. He couldn't control his body's reaction to her warm naked form as it moved closer to him. Her moist lips parted in invitation. Her long glorious hair billowed out around her, begging him to run his fingers through its silken length. He reached for her, longing to feel her soft, fragrant skin against his. She was so beautiful. His beautiful Evie. "Heyes." She called out his name as she came closer. The inviting and alluring scent of her wafted into his nostrils, intoxicating him. "Heyes," she said again as she stretched her arms out to him. One more step and she'd be in his arms. But she walked past him. He turned and watched her walking away. Every step she took flowers sprang up in her path. Beautiful fragrant flowers of all colors. She reminded him of the Lady Godiva with her hair flowing down to cover her breasts. She turned to face him. She stretched out her arms, beckoning him. "Come to me," she said. He wanted her so much. He moved to join her. But when he took a step onto the pathway of flowers, they turned black and gray and withered. He looked at Evie. So sweet and beautiful. Her eyes filled with longing. "Hurry, my love," she beckoned. He waded further into the stream of flowers. More withering. More decay. He looked to her again. Her eyes were filled with tears as she beheld the decaying flowers. "I can't come to you. You will have to come to me," he called to her. "Or else the flowers will die." She moved to come to him and her face wrenched with pain. They both looked down. Where there had been flowers now there were tall wicked thorns. Their eyes met. Hers were filled with pain and sorrow. "I'm sorry. I sorry." She turned to leave. "No, Evie, don't go!" He reached for his gun. He would shoot them down. His gun was gone. He grabbed at them. He would tear them up by the roots. But he recoiled in pain, as the thorns tore at his skin, bringing blood. "Wait, Evie, don't leave. I'll find a way to get rid of them. I'll make it right somehow. Don't go!" But it was too late. She was already disappearing into the mist. He tried again to follow after her but found he was surrounded by the thorns. They now towered over his head. They quickly changed into hard cold bars of iron. "Evie!" he screamed, reaching for her but only darkness surrounded him.
"Heyes, wake up. You're falling asleep in the saddle again."
Kid's voice jarred him out of his dream. He was glad. He didn't like that dream. Hunger and exhaustion were beginning to take their toll. He didn't usually have dreams like that. At least it wasn't so cold today. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to rid his head of the images from the dream. He tried to picture his sweet Evie as she had looked that morning before they had set out for Cold Springs, her beautiful face beaming with love and excitement after he had asked her to be his wife. What a fool he felt like now. To think that he, Hannibal Heyes, could ever hope to have anything as good and pure as Evangeline Webb. Had it really only been three days since he'd seen her? It seemed like weeks.
"Look, Heyes. There they are. The mountains. Just a couple more hours and we'll be there. I can't believe we've made it this far without seeing so much as a lone scout from that posse."
"Me either. It's almost too good to be true. Makes me nervous." Heyes turned in the saddle and searched the horizon from all directions. Nothing. Stillness and quiet. He didn't like it. All he could think was this is the calm before the storm.
"Sorry for dozing off like that, Kid. I guess I'm just exhausted."
"Me too, Heyes. But hopefully, in a couple of hours we'll be able to eat and sleep without worrying about the cold or that posse." Kid spurred his horse into a gallop.
Heyes shook his head and smiled. Not even running from a posse could keep Kid Curry from thinking about food and sleep. He was glad that some things never changed. He knew that no matter what else may change in his life, Kid Curry would always be there. He snapped the reins against Odin's flanks and the stallion took off like a shot. Despite the pace they had been keeping this horse seemed tireless. He overtook Kid's horse with ease. Heyes pulled up and turned his stallion around to face his partner who was urging his horse to catch up. When he finally did, Heyes couldn't keep the smug grin off his face.
"See, Kid, I told you you should have kept one of those mustangs for yourself. We'd already be in Rising Gulch by now."
"Maybe your right. This poor guy's been put through it in the last three days." He reached down and patted the side of his horses neck. "But that horse of yours just ain't normal, Heyes. I think he could go at a full gallop for three or four miles at a time. I've never seen a horse with that much speed and stamina."
"Yeah, he's one of a kind all right. Maybe if we make it out of all this mess, I can enter him in a horse race. You could bet on him and we could make some big money."
"And we're going to need big money if we get out of this mess. This time I mean it Heyes. We're going to South America. And another thing...."
As Heyes listened to Kid's latest rant he couldn't help but think that it almost felt like old times. Like before he'd met Evie. When it was just him and the Kid riding to the next town, looking for honest work. But he had met her. And he had been forever changed. A broken hearted smile crossed his face as he thought of her. Where was she at this moment? What was she doing? He could hear the Kid talking but he didn't really hear what he was saying as he stared off into the distance with visions of his beautiful Evie filling his vision. And then...
"....and if that don't work, then...." Kid saw the expression on Heyes face change. He was staring off into the distance behind him. Kid twisted in the saddle to see what had caused the stricken look to come over his partner's face. Rising over the hilltop was the posse of about ten men riding hard and fast in their direction. The ex-outlaws exchanged brief knowing looks before kicking their mounts into a gallop.
A shot was fired. But the posse was too far away to hit anything. But the sound of gunfire sent Odin into a flat out run. Heyes bent low over the horse's neck and just let him run. But he looked back and saw that the Kid was getting further behind. He slowed the big stallion and waited for Kid to catch up. Heyes could feel the power of the animal beneath him. He knew it wanted to split the air wide open and run as hard and as far as his legs could carry them both. He knew the horse sensed the urgency of the man who held his reins. But he also knew that that man was in control and so he pranced as he waited.
Heyes sat atop the prancing steed waiting for Kid to catch up. He was almost here. But that posse was gaining. Another shot was fired. This one was closer. It take all Heyes had to keep Odin from bolting. He steadied the horse. Another shot. Heyes watched in horror as Kid's horse went down. It landed hard on the ground. The Kid leaped away just in time to keep the full weight of the animal from crushing his leg. Heyes snapped the reins and sped back to Kid. He stretched out his arm and pulled the Kid up behind him.
Another shot was fired. This one whizzed right over the top of Heyes' head. Surely they could outrun the posse now that they were both on Odin's back. But he was carrying double the weight now. That would surely slow him down some.
"Let's go, Heyes, come on!"
"H'yah," with a snap of the reins Odin shot forward carrying the partners north as fast as he could.
More gun fire. They were getting closer. Kid looked behind. They were gaining. Carrying double the weight had slowed Odin down. And the posse probably had fresh horses.
"Let's go, Heyes, there gaining..."
Kid didn't finish the sentence and Heyes felt his partner's body lurch forward behind him. Oh, no. He was hit.
"Kid! Are you hit?"
"Yeah. But keep going. It's not that bad," Kid said in a strained voice, obviously in pain.
More gunfire. Kid sagged forward into Heyes' back.
Heyes knew that Kid had been hit again. Then he felt a hot stinging pain in his left shoulder. He looked down and saw the blood on his shirt. That last shot had passed through Kid's shoulder and then grazed the top of his on its way out.
"Hang on Kid! I'm getting us out of here!" He felt Kid's arms come around his waist to hang on. Then Heyes took the reins and swatted Odin's flanks first the left then the right side. Again the stallion could sense the urgency of rider on his back and the sound of gunfire made him even more eager to run like the wind. He raced forward, accelerating with each stride. The partners bent low and let the animal run. They didn't care where he took them as long as it was out of range of any more bullets.
He carried them for at least three miles before he slowed his gait, becoming winded. Heyes brought the horse to a halt and swung him around. They had lost the posse for now.
"Kid, how bad is it?"
"I'm still alive, ain't I," Kid managed between grunts of extreme discomfort. "One got me in the shoulder and the other one went through my side. I'm bleeding pretty bad though. I'll be fine, just get us to the Gulch."
Heyes took his bandanna from around his neck and handed it to the Kid. "Here, press this hard on the wound to help stop the bleeding." Heyes had almost forgotten his fleshwound. He checked it. The bleeding had already stopped. But it burned like hell. He could only imagine how the Kid must feel.
Heyes looked around. Odin had ridden them to the edge of the mountains. Not much longer and they'd be riding into the canyon that would be their salvation. He knew these mountains and that canyon better than he knew the floor plans to the bank of Fort Worth. He doubted if anybody in that posse had ever been to these mountains, let alone that canyon. They were entering his territory now. He sent up a silent prayer of thanks that it had been Kid's horse and not Odin that had been shot. The speed of the powerful beast beneath him was going to be the only reason they were going to get to Rising Gulch in plenty of time time to be out of sight before that posse rode in. This horse had called the canyons of south western Texas his home before Heyes had wrangled him. He would be sure footed and comfortable riding in the canyons.
Two hours later they crossed a plateau at the top of a small mountain they had slowly and carefully ascended. On the other side of the plateau the mountains opened up and a large canyon about ten miles wide and five miles long spread out beneath them. There was only one way in from this side of the canyon. Heyes found the trail that lead into the canyon with ease. He had committed every part of this place to memory. He knew that someday they may have to come back here to save their lives. The trail resembled a staircase carved out of the side of the mountain. It took them down into the floor of the canyon. The rode into the heart of what had once been a mining town. Heyes recalled every shack and shanty that still stood here. It looked much as it had the last time he'd been here. Only a few changes that were obviously the result of changing weather conditions. This canyon had been full of gold at one time. Supposedly the town had sprung up over night in the summer of 1850. Then for some unknown reason, it had been abandoned overnight a year later. No one had lived here since. Well, except for a few desperate outlaws who were on the run a few years back.
"We made it, Kid. Now all we gotta do is get ourselves settled in our hiding place and..."
Kid slumped forward against Heyes' back. Heyes jumped from the saddle and caught Kid as he slid from the horse's back and collapsed into his arms. Heyes felt the cold canyon air hit the wetness that had spread across his back. He felt the back of his shirt. It was soaked with blood. Kid's blood.
Heyes helped a weak and hurting Kid Curry to his feet. He held onto his partner as he walked him towards safety. "Come on, Kid. Don't give up on me now. We're almost there. Just a few more feet and we'll be there. Then you can rest and get some food. I'll build a fire and we can get warm."
Kid struggled to stay on his feet. He clung to Heyes, feeling weak and sleepy. They came to an old well that was behind an old bath house. Heyes kicked the pump out of the way, not wanting to lose his hold on his partner. The pump and the square piece of wood it was attached to fell to the side. Beneath was a crude wooden ladder leading to the empty well below. Heyes helped Kid into the dark depths of the well that dropped down fifteen feet below the surface. Using the light from the opening above he found the lantern and matches that had been left there still undisturbed. He lit the lamp, sat it beside Kid and hurried back up the ladder.
Odin stood there, pawing the ground, expecting his owner to climb back astride him. Instead, Heyes removed all the gear and tack from the horse and placed them near the mouth of the well. He approached the big black stallion and stood facing him. He rubbed the powerful jaws with his hands. "Well, old friend, this is it. Thanks for getting us here. Without your speed we'd probably both be dead. You're free now. I don't have any place to hide you so I'm just going to let you go. That's where you belong anyway. Out in the canyons roaming free." Odin nudged Heyes chin with his nose. Heyes gave his nose a scratch. "Maybe we'll meet again someday."
Heyes walked behind the horse and swatted his rump hard with the palm of his hand. The black took off, his mane and tail flying in the wind. Let him go Heyes. Let him go back to where he belongs. He doesn't belong in this world. His mind went immediately to Evie. She didn't belong in his world either. But could he give her up as easily. He couldn't think about it right now. Right now he had to do what he'd been doing all of his life. The one thing he did better than anything else. Take care of his partner. He threw the gear down into the well and climbed down inside. He pulled the wooden platform with the well pump attached back into place, sealing out the world above.
