CHAPTER 1: 
Good Things Come...

Soon, Jones thought. Soon it will all be over.  Just a little longer.  A couple of days that’s all.  He’ll come here and then I can finally… No don’t think about that.  Don’t think about the last two years.  Two long, empty years of searching and waiting.  He’ll pay for what he did to me and – No don’t think about them.  Stay detached, objective. I’ve waited two years.  I can afford to be patient just a little bit longer.  After all, what do they say about good things coming …?

The early morning sun crept slowly across the April sky.  On the Nebraska plains, a pair of Russell, Majors & Waddell’s Overland Pony Express riders was resting in between runs.  While one slept, the other was making coffee.  The one making coffee was a young, fresh faced, handsome man with blue eyes and sandy hair.  He could have been the poster boy for the express.  He was called the Kid, though what his real name was, was a mystery (especially to himself).

His companion could be described as puny, but spry.  Also a poster child for the express with one exception, he was a girl.  Technically, girls weren’t allowed to ride for the express, but what the head office didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt them.  Her name was Louise McCloud - Lou for short - and she had taken to disguising as boy to protect herself and to provide for her brother and sister in St. Louis.  Only the people at Rock Creek station knew her secret.

Looking over at his sleeping companion, the Kid put his hand on her bare shoulder and gently shook her.

“Wakey, wakey,” he said, smiling.  “Time to get up sleepy head.”

Lou rolled onto her back and stretched, groaning awake.

“How long have you been up?” Lou asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

“Not long,” Kid said, pouring himself a cup of coffee.  “You looked like you were going to sleep the whole day away.”

Lou sat up, wrapping the blanket around her nude body. 

“Well somebody kept me up most of the night,” she said with mock annoyance.

“You weren’t complaining last night,” Kid said as he sipped his coffee.

“It’s kinda hard to complain when someone’s covering your mouth.”

“I wondered why your tongue was moving so much.”

Standing up, Lou let the blanket pool around her ankles as she stretched in the morning sun.

Kid spat out his coffee in surprise.  “Louise Kathleen McCloud!  You are shameless.”

Putting her hands on her hips, she said, “Well if you’re offended, don’t look.”

“Now I don’t recall saying anything about being offended,” he said.  Kid reclined back on one elbow, stretching his legs out in front of him.  Kid sipped his coffee and watched the show.

She was teasing him and they both knew it.  Crouching and bending over in just the right position so he could see her womanly parts, as she got dressed.  Lou looked over her shoulder at him and smiled with a mixture of sweetness and seduction.  Kid observed her appreciatively.  How could they have mistaken her for a girl was anyone’s guess?  She wasn’t too big or too small.  She was perfect in every way.

“In fact,” Kid continued.  “A good friend of mine once told me there was nothing like a little early morning entertainment to make a man rise early.”  The truth of this statement was evidently showing on the front of his trousers.

Lou groaned.  “You’ve been spending too much time with Cody.”

“Cody,” Kid said as if he’d never heard the name before.  “Jimmy said that the last time we were in town.”

Tucking in her shirt, she asked.  “Is there any coffee left?  Or have you drank it all?”

Kid handed her a cup of coffee as she sat down across from him, cross-legged.

“Here,” Kid said, tossing her a moldy biscuit.  “Best eat something.  We gotta long ride ahead of us.”

Lou picked off some of the mold and nibbled the stale biscuit without complaint.  Looking west, she asked, “When do you think we’ll get to Diamond Springs?”

Kid shrugged.  “We’ll probably get there sometime late this afternoon.”

Kid poured his coffee on the fire and stood up.  “I’ll get the horses ready.  Why don’t you pack everything up.”

“Wait a minute,” Lou said jumping to her feet.  “How come I have to pack up?”

“Because you slept late,” Kid answered flippantly.

Soon as Kid’s back was turned, Lou hurled her half-eaten biscuit at him.  It hit him right between the shoulder blades.

Turning, Kid said, “Okay, that does it.”

Kid lunged at the female rider.  Lou yelped in surprise and dodged the Kid’s grasp.  They chased each other playfully around the camp.  Eventually Kid caught Lou and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

Lou pounded on Kid’s back with balled fists, yelling,  “Kid! Put me down!  Put me down right now!”

“Not until you promise to behave,” he said as if addressing a four year old.

Lou sighed, conceding defeat.  “I promise.  Now Kid, please put me down.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Kid said, admiring Lou’s backside.  “I kinda like the view.”

Giving Lou’s butt a swat, he swung her back down onto her feet.

“Brute,” Lou said crossly, but was unable to hide the merriment in her dark brown eyes.

Less than ten minutes later they were flying across the open plains.  After a few stops to pick up fresh horses, they arrived at Diamond Springs just as the sun was going down.  The station was identical to the other pony express stations only there was only a station manager and stock tender.  So you can imagine Kid’s surprise when a young woman came out to greet them.

“Well hello boys,” she said.  “And hello to you, Lou.”

“Hello Sarah,” Lou said uncomfortably.

Kid looked between the two.  How did these two know each other?  Lou never mentioned knowing anyone in Diamond Springs.  Kid also noticed that Lou had dropped into her “boy” voice.  Apparently Sarah didn’t know Lou was a girl.  Before he could ask how they knew each other, Lou spoke up.

“What are you doing here,” she asked.  “I thought you were at Beauvais Ranch.”

“She’s on loan,” station tender William Francis Cox announced as he exited the bunkhouse.  “And if yer finished yammerin’ get off those horses and get something to eat, before you settle in for the night.”

When Kid and Lou dismounted, Cox took the reins and Sarah took Lou’s arm.

“When I heard you were one of the riders coming, I made something extra special,” she said coyly, snuggling closer to Lou.

Lou stiffened and looked at Kid with a pleading expression.  All she got from her man was a stifled smile and a helpless shrug.

All throughout dinner Sarah fussed and fawned over Lou.  When dinner was finally over, Lou couldn’t get to the bunk area fast enough.  Following her there, Kid leaned up against his bunk for the night and asked, “So how do you two know each other?”

“We met when I took a run with Ike to Beauvais Ranch,” she mumbled.  “Since then she took an instant liking to me.”

“Well can’t say I blame her.  Your one pretty boy.”

“Shut up,” Lou giggled slapping Kid’s arm.

“Look,” Kid said calmly.  “Tomorrow we’ll be up and outta here bright and early.  Then on our way back, will push through to Cold Springs, alright?”

“Alright,” Lou grumbled.

“Good.” Kid gave Lou a quick kiss good night and hopped into his bunk.

Later that night when Lou was settled in her bunk for the night, she felt someone climb into bed with her.  Then someone began kissing her neck slowly.  Not bothering to open her eyes, Lou turned her head slightly and mumbled, “Mmm, I love you too, sweetie.  G’night.”

The intruder began to lightly suckle the female rider’s ear.  Lou moaned, “Honey, not tonight.  I’m tired.”

“Don’t worry honey bun,” a voice whispered huskily.  “I’ll make sure you have more than enough energy for tomorrow.”

The voice did NOT belong to the Kid!
 

CHAPTER 2: 
The Diamond Springs Raid

“Sarah!”

Lou bolted from the bunk; the lovesick girl’s arms wrapped around Lou’s waist.  Kid, hearing the ruckus snapped awake and leapt from his bunk, grabbing his revolver.  The sight that greeted him left him speechless.  Lou stood in the center of the bunkhouse, clad only in her longjohns with Sarah on her knees, arms wrapped tightly around the object of her affection’s waist.  Lou was frantically trying to disentangle herself from Sarah’s embrace.

“Please,” Lou said desperately.  “Miss Shackleton, get a hold of yourself.”

“I love you,” Sarah breathed, snuggling her face deeper into Lou’s abdomen.  “You’re unlike any boy I’ve ever met.”

You don’t know the half of it, Kid thought.

“Papa wants me to marry Lyle Beauvais when I return to the ranch, and I know he’ll be good to me but I don’t love him.  All I’m asking for is tonight.  I just want to know what it’s like to be with someone out of love instead of duty.”

Lou threw Kid a pleading look, and he decided it was time to step in.  Clearing his throat, Kid said, “Am I interrupting something?”

Sarah released Lou and stood up, flushed with embarrassment.  She stammered to explain herself, but Kid cut her off.

“No need to explain,” Kid said gently.  “I heard everything.”  Sarah turned a deeper shade of red.  “Now there’s no need to be embarrassed.  Lou’s always had this effect on the ladies.  There’s a reason why he’s been turning you down.  You see he’s involved with someone else.”

Sarah turned to Lou, a look of stunned disappointment on her face.  Lou stared at Kid.  What was he getting at?  Was he going to tell Sarah her secret?  Before she could speak up, kid continued.

“He’s involved with Rachel Dunne, the Rock Creek station mistress.”

“Why didn’t you tell me,” Sarah asked in a small voice.

Lou, still stunned at Kid’s announcement, could only sputter out, “Well … um … I…”

“In case you didn’t notice, Lou doesn’t talk much,” Kid interjected.  “Every part of his life is dragged through the station and up for display.  Rachel is the one thing he can call his own.  He probably didn’t want to expose this last part of himself.  I’m sorry Lou.”

“It’s alright,” Lou said.  “She would’ve found out sooner or later.”

“Is what he said true,” Sarah’s tiny voice, getting smaller.  “Do you love her?”

“Yes,” Lou replied honestly.  Technically, She did love Rachel, just not the way Sarah was thinking.

Tears welling up in Sarah’s eyes, she ran from the bunkhouse out into the night.

Early next morning Kid and Lou were ready for their ride.  Kid walked up to Lou as she finished strapping on her saddle to a fresh horse.  Massaging her shoulders, Kid asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she mumbled.  “Let’s just get outta here.”

Lou had been thinking about last night and Sarah.  Lou hated lying to the girl, but couldn’t see any other option.  She remembered Sarah being an incorrigible gossip and couldn’t be trusted with the truth.

The Rock Creek riders mounted their horses and galloped toward their destination.  Lou looked over at where Sarah was idly doing some morning chores.  Sarah immediately averted her eyes.  Had she been looking up, she might have noticed the bush rustling next to her.

A mile away from Diamond Springs, Kid’s horse suddenly reared in panic.  As Kid tried to regain control of the frightened animal, Lou saw the reason for its terror.  A rattlesnake sat coiled in front of the horse hissing viciously.  Lou quickly drew her pistol and fired twice taking the creature’s head off.  When the rattling ceased, the horse immediately calmed down.

Patting the horse’s neck, Kid turned to Lou and smiled gratefully.  “Much obliged, Miss Louise.”

Lou returned the smile.  “Anytime, lover.”

Where had that come from, Lou wondered.  She never called him that.  At least not to his face.  Kid didn’t seem to notice the slip of the tongue.  Instead he was looking back the way they had come.  A trail of smoke was curling upward through the sky.  “That’s the station,” Lou exclaimed.

“Something’s wrong.  Let’s go!”  Kid raced back to Diamond Springs as fast as his could carry him, Lou right beside him.

Nearing the station, the sound of gunfire and screaming drifted to meet them.  Kid and Lou dismounted and, leading their mounts, crept stealthily toward the station.  Indians were raiding the station.  They had arrived shortly after the express riders had left, demanding flour.  When Bill Cox refused they attacked.  The barn was on fire and two of the braves were dragging a screaming Sarah out of the bunkhouse.  Mr. Cox was no where to be seen.

Lou McCloud drew her pistol and started to charge forward.  Kid grabbed her elbow and yanked her back down.  “And where do you think you’re going?”

“Where do you think,” Lou shook with rage.  “You know what they’ll do to her!”

There were many documented accounts of Indians raping women on the frontier.  The Francher and Parker massacres for example.  Visions of her own brutal violation flashed in her mind.  No one deserved that and she’d make sure it wouldn’t happen to anyone if she could help it.

Kid understood Lou’s anger, but they wouldn’t accomplish anything by getting killed.  There were almost a dozen braves down there, and only two of them.  The odds of a frontal assault on their part being successful were not good.  “I know what they’ll do to us if they catch us.  Did you bring your rifle?”

“Of course,” she said impatiently.  All pony express riders were issued with a pistol, a rifle and a bible upon signing up with Russell, Majors & Waddell.  Some riders didn’t bring the rifle to save on weight but Lou felt it never hurt to be prepared.

“Good,” Kid explained.  “I’m going to work around back of the bunkhouse.  We’ll flank them on both sides and make them think they’re surrounded.”

Retrieving their rifles, Lou returned to the cover while Kid worked his way to the other side of the station.  Lou saw Sarah struggling against the braves, tearing at her clothes.  She couldn’t wait for Kid; they’d have their way with her in no time.  Lou raised her rifle and took aim.  Looking through the sites of the rifle, the brave turned into Wicks, the man who had stolen a part of her she’d never get back.  A part of her she wanted to give to Kid.  Her anger was released when she coldly squeezed the trigger and blew the contents of the brave’s head against the bunkhouse wall.

The remaining brave thrust Sarah in front of him and yelled something to his fellow raiders.  With Sarah as a shield Lou was unable to get a clear shot.   But Kid could.  So where was he?  The Indians were amassing and firing at her hiding place.  Pony express riders weren’t equipped to handle situations like this.  They were suppose to run from trouble, not face it head on.  Where the hell was Kid, Lou thought furiously.  Lou’s angry thought was answered with shots from across the station.

The reason Kid had taken so long was because a redskin sentry had waylaid him.  Before the brave could cry out it warning, Kid clubbed him with the butt of his rifle.

Seeing Miss Sarah in danger, the nameless rider aimed at the center of the Indians back and fired.  The brave stiffened and slumped to the ground.  Kid usually had a great deal of compunction about shooting someone in the back, but now was not the time for fairness.  As Kid reloaded, a snapping twig caught his attention. 

Turning around, Kid saw the Indian warrior he’d cold cocked draw his knife and charge with a frightening battle cry.  Dropping his rifle Kid met his opponent head on.  As the brave plunged his knife toward Kid’s chest, Kid caught his attackers arm and twisted it behind his back.  They grappled briefly before Kid caused the brave to loose his balance and they both tumbled to the ground.  The brave gave an abortive cry of surprised pain then lay motionless.  Puzzled, Kid turned his assailant over.  The Indian had landed on his knife.

Looking up, Kid saw another brave racing towards him, war ax raised.  Kid tugged free his pistol and fired.  The bullet lifted the brave into the air and plunged gracelessly to the ground.  Hearing the sound of concentrated gunfire, Kid turned his attention back to the station.

Meanwhile, Lou had been carrying on a one-woman battle with a raiding party of Indians from her hiding place.  It was only a matter of time before they overwhelmed her.  With the explosion of support fire Lou thought, It’s about time.  Unexpectedly, More shots came from the bunkhouse.

The raiders realized that the extra horses and supplies the way station offered weren’t worth this hassle.  So they collected their dead and disappeared into the forest.

A few seconds after the raiders left, Lou rushed to Sarah’s cowering form.  Eyes firmly closed, Sarah lashed out screaming, “Don’t touch me you heathens!”

Lou grabbed the struggling girls arms and said soothingly, “Sarah, it’s alright.  They’re gone.  Nobody’s going to hurt.  Not while I’m her.”

Sarah slowly opened her eyes to Lou’s bespectacled face and said hesitantly, “Lou.”

When Lou nodded, Sarah threw her arms around Lou’s neck and clung for dear life, sobbing.  That is what Kid found when he came down from his cover.  Lou was comforting a near hysterical girl.  Kid explained what had happened to him and Lou nodded understandingly.

“Hey, don’t mind me,” a voiced groused.  “I’ll be fine.”

Kid saw Bill Cox stagger out of the bunkhouse with a spent revolver and an arrow in his shoulder.  Kid tended to Cox while Lou tried to calm Sarah.

A couple of hours later, after the fire was out and the wounds were tended, Kid and Lou prepared to leave yet again.

“You sure you’re alright?” Kid asked Cox.

“I’ll be fine,” Cox announced testily.  “Just get going.  Chrisman’s probly having a seizure.”

Lou meanwhile was saying an awkward good-bye to Sarah.

“Thank you,” Sarah said quietly.

“Don’t mention it,” Lou said uncomfortably.

“I head back to Beauvais Ranch this afternoon,” Sarah continued after a pause.  “I’m going to try and get to know Lyle before I decide whether or not to marry him.”

“That’s good,” all Lou wanted to do was to get back on the trail.  “Well, good-bye.”

Suddenly, without warning, Sarah leaned in and gently pressed her lips to Lou’s.  Lou was too shocked to do anything but stand there.  Almost as soon as the kiss started, it ended when Sarah broke it and said, “I just wanted to know what that would be like with you.”

All Lou could do was stand there gaping like an idiot.  Suddenly Lou jumped into her saddle and took off as fast as she could.  Kid chased after her, guffawing loudly.

“Lou,” Kid laughed uncontrollably.  “Lou stop.  Wait up.”  Eventually Kid pulled in front of her, bringing her to a halt.  “Will you take it easy.”

“Take it easy!!!” Lou exploded.  “She KISSED me!”

“Well its not like she knew you were a girl.”

“That’s beside the point,” she complained furiously, wiping her mouth with her sleeve and spitting.  “How would you feel if one of the boys kissed you?  I just wanna to get to Julesburg and forget all this.”

“Uh, Lou,” Kid said pointing in the opposite direction.  “Julesburg is that way.”

Soon as they were back on track, Lou enquired, “Have you ever been to Julesburg?”

“Once,” Kid said vaguely.  It had been two weeks after his bitter breakup with Lou and the other riders were getting fed up with Kid’s melancholy brooding.  So while they were on a ride, Jimmy had suggested they have some fun in Julesburg.  Apparently both Cody and Jimmy were well acquainted with the vice of Julesburg.  Kid would’ve thought he’d learned his lesson the last time one of the riders suggested they stop somewhere.  Cody’s idea of a good time had gotten him thrown in jail.  Jimmy’s idea of fun had almost gotten him killed.

“Well,” Lou prodded impatiently.  “What’s it like?”

“You remember what Sweet Water was like Emma first took us to town?”

Lou remembered quite clearly.  Fights in the street; gunfights over stupid things like a card game or some floozy; a murder at least once a week.  “That bad?”

“Worse.”
 

CHAPTER 3: 
Julesburg

Julesburg was the only stop for Russell, Majors & Waddell’s Overland Pony Express in the Colorado Territory.  Nestled between the Nebraskan borders, this particularly rough frontier town had a reputation as a gathering place for unsavory characters.  Soldiers, traders, hunters and other frontiersman came here to spend their money on a variety riotous pleasure.

As the pony express riders neared Julesburg, Kid and Lou came across a tree with three dead men hanging from its branches.  The bodies had been stripped of most of their clothing.  They had been there for a few days at least, with the flies buzzing around them and the birds picking at the rotting flesh.  Right next to the hanging tree was a sign.  It read:

“What I tell you,” Kid said sarcastically.  “Charming place ain’t it?”

When they actually arrived in the town itself, Lou saw it was everything Kid and the stories had said it was.  A seedy, dirty looking place that seemed to have nothing but saloons and brothels making up its streets, with the occasional hotel or boarding house.  There was also a feeling of contained violence about this place, like any minute now the whole street would erupt in gunfire and fights.  Kid made a beeline for the overland offices with Lou in tow.  Pony express agent George Chrisman met them.

“You are late,” was all Chrisman said as he took the mochillas from Kid.

“Yessir,” Kid conceded.  “Indian trouble up at Diamond Springs.”

Chrisman mumbled something that sounded like “Goddamn savages” then turned to the riders and said brusquely.  “There’s nothing more coming through today.  So go get yourself some sleep.  I’ll send someone to get you if something comes up.”

When they left the express office, Kid and Lou turned down the street.  Kid remembered an inexpensive hotel that would put them up for a couple of nights.  Passing a saloon, a woman stepped out in front of Kid and said saucily, “Well I’ll be, it is you!  Hey Kid, how’ve ya bin?”

“Oh uh, hello,” Kid swallowed racking his brain for the name of the woman standing in front of him.  He recognized her from his previous visit.  She was a curvy lady with curly red hair, mischievous blue green eyes and a permanent seductive half smile.  She was wearing a gaudy colored dress that looked like her breasts would burst out over the fabric.  “Janey, how’ve you been?”

“No complaints,” Janey shrugged continuing to look Kid over hungrily.  “So what brings you back to Julesburg?  Come to take me up on my offer?”

Kid gave her an apologetic smile.  “Sorry Janey, I’m here on official business for Russell, Majors & Waddell.  Chances are I’ll be gone tomorrow morning.”

Sidling up to Kid, she said in a low voice, “One nights all we’d need.”

Kid laughed nervously.  “From what I hear ‘one night’ with you usually last several days.”

The remark produced a throaty laugh from Janey.  Although whether it was genuine or just another ploy to get him into her bed, he didn’t know.

Lou stood there stiffly, just a few feet away, arms folded across her chest glaring malevolently at Kid and Janey.  She cleared her throat loudly to get Kid’s attention.  Catching the murderous look on Lou’s face, Kid took a step from Janey.

“Besides,” he coughed.  “I promised Mrs. Dunne I’d look after McCloud.”

“Oh I’m sure one of my girls would be more than happy to take care of him.”

“I know I would,” one of the girls said, eyeing Lou.  Before the small rider could speak, one of the girls grabbed Lou’s buttocks.  Lou jumped at the contact and retreated to Kid’s side, to see a blonde dressed in the same manner as Janey.  The blonde winked at Lou suggestively causing her to blush uncontrollably.

Putting his arm around Lou companionably, “Ladies,” Kid said, politely tipping his hat.  “Another time perhaps.

Walking down the street, Lou heard another one of the girls purring, “Now there’s two of the snuggest looking pair of pants I’ve ever seen.”

At the girls’ burst of giggles, Lou closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands.  Why were so many people paying attention to her all of a sudden?  Before joining the pony express and meeting Kid, she’d been oblivious to everyone and everything, now she was getting more attention than she ever wanted.  Kid squeezed her shoulder Lou’s shoulder comfortably.

“Is there anything else about this town I should know?” Lou groused.  She was answered by the sound of smashing glass.

A pair of cowboys crashed through the saloon window behind them.  They struggled to their feet swinging.  Two more cowboys fell through the batwing doors in front of Kid and Lou.  While the drunken combatants continued their brawl, a stocky, dark-haired man wearing a sheriff’s badge leapt into the fight.

The sheriff grabbed the two on the sidewalk and knocked their heads together.  Howling in pain, they fell drunkenly to the ground.  Turning his attention to the other grapplers, he drew his gun and brutally clubbed them down.  “You sonuvabitch,” the cowboys on the sidewalk shouted.  Struggling to their feet, the sheriff raised his pistol and gunned them down before they could draw. 

Before anyone could catch their breath, yet another cowboy flew backwards out the doors.  A woman yelled, “And just because I said your horse had better manners than you, didn’t mean you could bring it in!”  A terrified appaloosa trotted out of the saloon, whinnying in panic.  An angry looking woman stormed out of the drinking establishment and glared at the sheriff.  “You took your sweet time.  These morons almost smashed half of my tables before finally taking it outside!”

“Well I’m sorry Mrs. Slade,” the sheriff roared, bashing one of the cowboys on the head as he tried to get up.  “Despite what you might think, I am not your personal enforcer.  I have other duties that need tending!”

Mrs. Slade snorted.  “Your idea of duty is nursing the business end of a bottle.  And don’t call me Mrs. Slade!”

Mrs. Slade turned on her heel and marched back inside.  Muttering curses, the sheriff followed her in.  The remaining patrons piled out of the saloon.  Unintelligible shouting and breaking glass could be heard from within.

“Slade’s are at it again,” murmured an old man sitting by the entrance.

“So that’s Jack Slade,” Kid stated.  Joseph ‘Captain Jack’ Slade was well known as the man who had thrown local crime kingpin, Overland Division Agent and Julesburg founder, Jules Reni, out of his own town.  The story went that after Reni had tried to kill him after replacing him as the line agent; Slade had tracked him down, tied him up and used him for target practice.

“What did he have around his neck?” Kid inquired.

“Reni’s ears,” the old timer answered.  “After putting about twenty-two holes in Reni for target practice, Slade cut his ears off as a reminder to people not to mess with the new law in town.  Virginia’s the only one who gets away with talking back to him like that.  That’s probly why he married her.  He’d’ve killed anyone else.”

Kid and Lou exchange glances and Kid asked her, “D’you wanna get a drink?”

“Sure.”  They crossed the street to another saloon.

A couple of hours later a company of soldiers arrived in town.  After weeks alone on the plains, the troopers were eager for a little rest and relaxation and squandered their pay on fine whiskey and finer women.  When the sun finally set, Kid and Lou staggered out of the Crooked Nose Saloon.

“Lou,” Kid blinked, trying to focus his blurry vision.  “I don’t think that was sasperilla.”

They walked to the end of the block then turned into an alley.  Kid pushed Lou up against the wall and placed his mouth on hers.  Without hesitating, Lou opened her mouth invitingly, lightly sucking his tongue.  Kid moved from her mouth down her jaw line to the special spot on her neck and suckled gently, while his hand gently kneaded her left breast.  Lou ran her fingers through his dark sandy hair holding him close.

Hands running down the length of his body, feeling him through his clothes, she murmured “We shouldn’t be doing this,” as she unbuckled his pants.

Kid, placing his hands against the wall on either side of her head, said huskily, “You know if you want me to stop, all you have to say so.”

Lou answered him by dropping to her knees.

Meanwhile, across the street, a very drunk Corporal Green of the 18th Cavalry was talking to a shadow.  It wasn’t his shadow, that much his whiskey addled brain had deduced.  For one thing, his shadow didn’t talk back, at least not for another three bottles.  This shadow only spoke in short one-word answers, while his used full sentences. Presently Green was comparing the taste and quality of the booze found in Julesburg and the homemade rotgut back at Fort Bridger.

Green looked up to see the Kid creep out of the alley across the street tucking in his shirt.  It didn’t take a genius to realize to figure out what the boy had been doing in the alley and when Kid waved for someone to follow, the corporal waited to see which of the local Fallen Sparrow’s it was.  The slovenly corporal began thinking that he might approach her for her services when the feeling returned to the lower part of his body.  Green didn’t usually pay for love, he had his missus for that, but every once and awhile he liked something a little more adventurous.

Naturally, his shock was understandable when he saw what emerged from the alley: the small dark haired boy called Lou.  He came out of the alley tugging his pants up over his hips and furiously tucking in his shirt.

Eyes literally popping out of their sockets, Green looked at the bottle of liquor in his hand then back at the couple across the street only to see they had vanished.  He turned to ask the shadow what he’d seen only to find that it too had disappeared.  Green looked back at the bottle and wondered what in the world they were putting in this stuff?

What the hell was he doing here! Why here?  Why now? I thought I’d seen the last of him in St. Louis, Jones thought furious.  Arriving at the abandoned remains of a store that served as home for the last week and a half.  Jones continued calmly, It doesn’t matter.  He made his choice.  He chose to disappear without a trace, and leave me high and dry.    That’s fine with me.  I got along fine without him, before and after.  He can disappear again as far as I’m concerned.  I’m here to finish what was started two years ago.  And no self-righteous, sanctimonious, mealy-mouthed, cotton-picking, lying bastard of a Virginian is going to get in my way!  Not this time …
 

CHAPTER 4: 
The Sky High Gang

While the young lovers had been valiantly fending off Indians at Diamond Springs, the eastbound Overland stage was being robbed. Or perhaps under attack would be a more apt description.  Eight outlaws were engaged in a running battle with the stage's shotgun and two of its occupants.  Both sides traded shots, neither gaining an advantage.  All the while, being observed with mild enthusiasm.

Atop a hill, four riders watched the battle with detached interest.

The one that stood out the most was the one holding his horse’s reins with his left hand.  He was holding them with his left mainly because he didn’t have a right hand.  Or arm for that matter.  His name was Brett Colton and people called him the Left-Handed Gun (but never to his face).  Two years ago he’d been a gambler on the Mississippi Delta, until he’d been caught cheating at cards with the wrong individual.  The ensuing gun battle had shattered the bones in his right arm.  Then some quack passing himself off as a sawbones decided to live up to the moniker.

After loosing his arm, his profession came next closely followed by his sanity.  Since then he had wondered west hiring out his skills to prove to himself he was still useful.  The only person who’d stuck by him throughout it all was his wife, Heidi.

She had been dubbed Yellow Jill due to her dirty blond hair and yellow complexion due to a bout of jaundice as a child.  Heidi had been passed from one man to the next over a game of cards until Colton had won her.  No matter how bad things got or how strapped for cash he was he never used her in a game.  He always told her she was free to leave his company whenever she wanted.  A few months after that, they got married.

The oddest member of the quartet was a Chinaman.  He was called Dragon Claw because of a dragon tattoo that snaked out from behind his back around his neck.  Wearing his traditional coolie out fit and a long braid trailing down out of the back of his head, his face was, as always, neutral.  But his eyes … his eyes were a different story.  They were always watching, burning with intelligent intensity.  He unnerved his fellow outlaws and they’d have nothing to do with him if not for their undisputed leader.

Dan “Dynamite” Dickerson was a big man.  At six foot six, he was more so astride his blue roan.  When he dismounted his horse, it was like he was only stepping over it.   His clear, brownish green eyes had a wild, fanatical look to them.  A large armbar mustache hid thin cruel lips.  He was dressed in a dusty, charcoal colored suit that was both stylish and practical.  The outfit was topped off with a derby hat.  Dickerson pulled out a cigarillo and stuck it between his yellow stained teeth.  He smiled mirthlessly as he watched the others pointlessly chase after the Concord.  At the rate they were going, they’d be in town long before they closed in.

It had been like this for a lot of Reni’s old employees since his death.  Vultures picking at what they could find. Hell, they didn’t even know if there was anything on the stage worth this entire hassle. Since Reni’s death there hadn’t been anybody with the brains or the balls to try and take his place.  Mainly because they were afraid theirs would end up dangling around Captain Jack’s neck next to Reni’s ears.  Dickerson had only arranged this to keep the others amused, Foster in particular.

Arizona Dave Foster was a vicious trapper who fancied himself Dynamite’s rival for leadership of the gang.  In reality, he only had the ear of a couple of gang members.  The others didn’t care who the leader was.

Dismounting his roan, Dickerson stepped up to a detonator switch and placed his foot on the lever.  Dynamite took a couple more drags of his cigarillo and waited patiently for the Concord to be positioned just right.

“Dave, Dave, Dave,” Dynamite said to himself.  “Always gotta do things the hard way.”  Then pressed his foot down on the lever.

The following explosion separated the team of horses from the rest of the coach.  The driver and shotgun flew straight up then came down hard at lethal angles.  The coach teetered to one side, throwing a passenger from the stage only to be crushed to death when the ship of the plains fell on him. Another passenger tumbled out only to be drilled (quite unnecessarily, in Colton’s opinion) by Tornado Tyler.

“And that,” Dickerson crowed, turning to his fellows.  “Is why they call me Doctor Dynamite.”

The four observer’s road down to the stage to see the others picking over the remains taking anything they could get their hand on.  Dynamite could have cared less what they found.  The big score was tomorrow when they robbed the army payroll.

Arizona Dave and a couple of others dragged out the remaining occupants, who were promptly shot by the overzealous Tornado.  Dynamite didn’t bat an eye at the needless killing.  Instead, he announced, “Best get some sleep boys.  Big day tomorrow.”

Early the next morning, Doc Dynamite lay on the ground with his head pillowed against a rock.  Hat pulled over his eyes; he puffed lazily away at the remains of his cigarillo.  The footsteps approaching him sounded like they belonged to Arizona Dave.  He knew this because Foster was the only one with the sand to disturb him.

“Dickerson,” Foster said gruffly.  When Doc ignored him, Foster’s mouth twisted with frustration.  Then, a little louder, he growled.  “Dickerson.”

Doc slowly tipped his hat back and opened one eye quizzically.  “Yes?”

Foster seethed but tried to calm down.  “We want to know when this big payoff you’ve been promising is.”

“Do they now,” Doc snorted with a half smile.

Foster clenched his fists tightly in a desperate attempt to hold his temper.  “Three days you said-”

“Three days I said,” Dynamite mimicked.  “If we were lucky.  You know Dave every time there’s trouble within the group; you seem to be the source.  And I think it’s about time I did something about that.”

Without warning, Dickerson swept Foster’s legs out from under him.  Dave hit the ground hard knocking the wind out of him.  Doc rolled on top of him pulling out a stick of dynamite from his coat pocket.  Doc held the six-inch fuse up to his cigarillo until it caught.

“What’re you doin’?” Foster asked in a shaky voice, his eyes growing in panic as the flickering spark inched its way to the explosive.

“Making a point,” Dickerson whispered loudly.

The other members of the gang were all wide-awake now, watching the scene in front of them.  This had been a long time coming, and they all wanted to see the outcome.  Dragon Claw leapt in front of two of Foster’s friends who began advancing on the combatants.

“Outta the way chink,” one of them snarled.

The Chinese simply folded his arms and glared at them imperiously.  Both went for their guns but the oriental was faster.  Lashing out with both hands, he released two throwing stars that embedded themselves in the occidental outlaws’ wrists.  Yelling in pain, they dropped their guns and clutched their bleeding wrists.  Eyeing the swift Chinese warily, they backed away slowly rejoining the others

“So,” Dynamite crooned, oblivious to the drama a few feet away.  “You thought you were the next leader of my Sky High Gang, eh?”

“Aw c’mon Doc,” Dave stuttered.  “It was just talk, that’s all.  It didn’t mean nothing.”

Doc just chuckled and smiled evilly.

“Goddammit, Dickerson,” Foster screamed.  “Yer gonna blow us both ta kingdom come!”

Realization seemed to finally dawn on the explosive expert.  “Your right,” Doc admitted lightly, then stuffed the stick of dynamite down the front of Arizona Dave’s pants.  “No sense both of us going together.”  Patting Dave on the chest, he pushed himself to his feet and stepped back.

The others all backed up a few more paces and exchanged uneasy glances.  Dragon stepped up behind his master and watched Arizona expectantly.  Foster stared wide-eyed at the sparkling fuse as it crawled closer to detonation.  It was obvious he was paralyzed with terror.  Eventually, the trapper was able to will his arms to move.  Foster began screaming as he frantically tried to tug the dynamite free.  By the time he managed to accomplish that, the fuse disappeared into the stick and – nothing.  No bang, no boom, no blinding flash, no body parts flying in different directions.  Nothing.

Foster clumsily ripped off the top of the explosive to find it empty.  It was a dud.

“Next time,” Dynamite said darkly.  “It’ll be for real.”

Turning his attention to the others, he ordered them to mount up.  Then he caught a whiff of a foul, but familiar stench.  Looking back at Arizona Dave, he commented.  “You might want to change your pant before you hop in the saddle, Dave.”

Back in Julesburg

Okay, that definitely wasn’t sarsaparilla.  Kid woke to a herd of buffalo stampeding in his skull.  Getting out of the feather bed he found himself in, he walked over to what appeared to be a window and opened the curtains.  Daggers of early morning sunlight stabbed through his eyes to the back of his skull.  Groaning, Kid quickly shut the curtains and rubbed his eyes.

A few seconds later, Kid’s head cleared enough for him to realize he was standing naked in a luxury hotel room.  As in luxury, he meant the room had a double bed, a coffee table and a vanity mirror with a stool.  Finding his pants, Kid wondered where Lou was as he tried to piece together the events of last nights.

The rustling of bed sheets caught his attention.  Looking back at the bed Kid could make out the outline in the gloom, the soft moan telling him it was a woman.  Kid’s blood ran cold.  Who was this woman?  When did he meet her?  What exactly had happened last night?  Kid relaxed when he saw a familiar mop of brown hair peeking over the sheets.

“Oh, your up,” said a surprised voice from across the room.  Kid’s head snapped up to see a young woman come out from behind a screen.  She was a plain looking girl, neither pretty nor ugly, with straight blond hair and dancing green eyes.  Her face was flushed and her hair was loose and flowing.  Her clothes were also rumpled as if she had been in the process of getting dressed.  All Kid could do was stare at her.  Instinctively, he knew she was one of the hotel maids, as to her name and what she was doing here in that state, he had no idea.

Who is she?  Kid thought. And what the hell was she doing here?

Meanwhile, she seemed completely oblivious to the express rider’s shock.  Turning back to him she said, “Could you tie me up please?”

Mechanically, Kid tied her apron strings while she did the same with her hair.  “I was hoping to slip out without disturbing either of you.  Have to get to work before the old bat notices I’m late.”  When she turned to face him, he could see her face was glowing with a wide smile she couldn’t seem to wipe from her face.  “Well,” she let out with a breath.  “Thank you for a ver-ry enjoyable evening.  I had no idea you and your girlfriend were so kinky.  Anyway, I have to get to work.  Let me know when the two of you are back in town.”

Putting her hands on his broad shoulders and kissed him on the lips.  She whirled out the door with an over the shoulder wave and a perky “Bye”.  Kid waved stupidly after her.  Oh God were we really THAT drunk!

Kid summoned room service and was relieved when a different maid than the one that just left arrived.  He asked for a pot of black coffee and some bread.  Twelve years of living with an alcoholic had revealed to him a variety of sobering up remedies.  The coffee and bread arrived with a knock at the door Kid felt was louder than it needed to be.  Lou moaned pressing the ends of her pillow against her ears to soften the abuse.  Kid answered the door to find the rotund middle aged woman with a disapproving look on her face holding a tray filled a pot of coffee, cups and a small loaf of bread.

The blue-eyed southerner smiled politely and retrieved the tray.  He thanked the woman and gently shut the door.  Kid placed the tray and on the coffee table.  The smell of the strong black liquid caused the nameless rider’s stomach to do flip flops, but he downed the beverage dutifully. 

After a few more sips, Kid decided to try and eat something.  He broke of a piece of bread and popped it in his mouth.  It felt like he was chewing cotton, but it had the desired effect – he was slowly recovering.

A few minutes later Kid decided to risk opening the curtains.  Kid ripped them open as far as they’d go.  The room was flooded with light, temporarily blinding the Kid but there was no pain – not much anyway.  Blinking, Kid looked out across the mourning sky.  Lou on the other hand moaned pitifully and rolled over, burying her head underneath the pillow.

“Close the damn curtains,” Lou complained, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Kid smiled tolerantly and poured a second cup of coffee.  He sat down on the bed and placed his hand on her thigh, gently shaking her.  Lou peeked out from beneath the pillow, giving her lover a sleepy, baleful look.  Kid offered her the steaming cup of brown liquid.  Lou sat up, covering herself with the blanket and took the cup.  Sipping the beverage, the pounding in the female rider’s head got louder.  Lou leaned back against the headboard, her free hand holding her temples.  God, she thought painfully.  It feels like something’s trying to bust its way out of my skull.

“Here,” Kid offered Lou some bread.  “Best eat something.”

Lou’s hand shot to her mouth as the contents of her stomach threatened to rebel altogether.  “Oh God,” she croaked.  “No food.”

“Eat,” Kid insisted.

Lou reluctantly took the bread.  She looked at it distastefully before she finally began to nibble the baked good.  Another time the bread might have been good, but given her dry mouth and queasy stomach, it was making her sick.  It was also sobering her up.  Soon as Lou started eating, Kid got up and walked back to the coffee table.

“How did you know this would work,” Lou asked taking another bite.

Kid had never been a heavy drinker, at least not as far as she’d ever seen.  Usually it was Jimmy or Cody who could be found passed out and hung over from an all night binge.  Kid only drank when the station had visitors or out with the other riders.  Pouring himself another cup, Kid said flatly, “You forget what I spent my childhood with.”

Lou remembered their long conversations in the barn at night comparing childhoods.  His father coming home late, drunk.  The beatings him, his mother and brother endured. Then finally, the day his father walked out and didn’t come back.  The topic was depressing her so she decided to change it.

Suddenly, last nights back alley encounter flooded her consciousness.  She remembered facing the wall.  She remembered her pants being slipped down her hips.  She remembered – “Oh God!”

“Lou,” Kid said concerned.  “What is it?”

“Kid,” Lou said in a small voice.  “Did we … I mean … You and me … An alley?!”

Kid reddened as his own memory of the previous night cleared.  Seeing the truth plastered all over his face, Lou let out an anguished cry and pulled the bed covers over her head.  She lay down as a wave of embarrassment and humiliation washed over her.  An alley, she thought choking back shameful tears.

Kid strode to the bed and placed his hand on her shoulder.  “Louise, honey-”

“Don’t touch me,” she snapped from under the covers.

The Southerner pulled his hand away as if he’d been burned.  “Sweetheart, it’ll be okay.”

“How can you say that,” Lou emerged from under the sheets, her face flushed with anger and humiliation. “What if someone had seen us last night?”

“Lou, trust me.  The last thing on anyone’s mind last was what a pair of pony express riders were doing in an alley.  The only thing they were interested in was the women and whiskey Julesburg had to offer.”

Lou slowly sat up, hugging her knees.  The anger faded, leaving a complete look of embarrassment drawn on her features.  Kid’s heart sank seeing his beloved look so distraught.  “Lou, I’m sorry-”

“It was as much my fault as yours,” Lou said in a low voice.  “You asked me if I wanted to stop and I answered by-” Lou rested her cheek on her knees remembering how she dropped to her knees taking his pants with her.

Kid took her small, fragile-looking hand and in his callused palm and kissed her wrist.  “C’mon,” he smiled reassuringly.  “Let’s get some real breakfast, before checking in with Chrisman.”

Louise wasn’t sure she was ready to face the day, but she knew she couldn’t stay in this hotel room for the rest of her life.  She would have to face the world eventually and she had a job to do.  Lou through off her blankets and quickly got dressed.  Joining Kid at the door, she noticed one of the maids give them a saucy smile as she entered to straighten up the room.

McCloud looked after the girl curiously.  Pointing, she asked, “Kid do we – ”

“Let’s go,” Kid said hurriedly, putting his arm around her waist and steering her downstairs.

Lou sat at the restaurant table with her head in her hands.  Kid sat across from her, leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.  Last nights debauchery had come back to them full force and they now remembered everything clear as day.  They both agreed they needed to leave Julesburg as soon as possible to avoid anymore embarrassment.

“We’re never gonna live this down,” Lou said, looking up.

Kid exhaled and ran his hands through his hair.  Taking a deep breath, he began.  “Honey, it’ll be all right -”

“How can you say that,” Lou exclaimed in a hushed voice.  “When the boys find out about this -”

“And who’s going to tell them, me?  You think I’m proud of what happened last night?  Sweetheart, I’m just as upset about how I acted last night as you are!”

Wanna bet, Lou thought.  Although the redness had not completely faded from her cheeks, Lou grateful that Kid wouldn’t brag about what had happened in the alley or the hotel.

“I still can’t believe what we did with that maid!”

“Actually,” Lou said in a low voice, looking down at the table.  “I think that was my fault.”

While trying to find their hotel room, Kid and Lou asked one of the maids where to find it.  After pointing it out to them, Lou had drunkenly asked her to join them.  At first the maid had been completely taken aback by the female rider’s boldness and had only managed to stutter an unintelligible reply.  It wasn’t until Kid had stepped up and used his latent southern charm to coax the girl to obediently follow them inside.

“Oh,” Kid replied.  “What was her name, anyway?”

“I don’t think she said.”

The pony express riders finished their breakfast quietly and then headed for the overland offices.  The only other people who seemed to be up were a portly man in an apron carrying a crate of bottles to one of the saloons and a little blond girl walking next to him.  The man in the apron entered a saloon, leaving the girl outside bouncing her ball to the rhythm of a nursery rhyme.  While Lou was distracted by the little girl, Kid’s attention was caught by an odd looking horse tied out front of the Palace of Pleasure.  There was a scar down its right eye and the roan looked very familiar.  He was positive he had seen this horse before, but where?

So intently was Kid examining the horse, he didn’t notice a red haired girl sneak up on him until she pinched his bum.  Kid jumped and spun around to come face to face with his molester.

“Mornin’ sugah,” she said saucily.

Kid cleared his throat nervously.  “Hello Phoebe.”

“Can I interest you in a little early morning treat?”

“Actually,” Kid stated, regaining his composure.  “Could you tell me whose horse that is?”

Phoebe barely glanced at the roan, preferring to keep her eyes on the scrumptious morsel of man she’d been trying to ‘get to know better’.  “Not particularly.  Some riders came in early this morning and wanted some rooms.  Didn’t care for the look of them, so I asked to see their money up front.  They only had enough for the bed, but not the comfort.”

Kid smiled in spite of himself.  “I don’t recall you ever asking me for cash up front.”

“Sugar,” Phoebe pressed herself closer to the mystery rider.  “For you, I’d run a tab.”

“Kid,” Lou said in an annoyed voice.  “We gotta get moving.”

Kid smiled, offering Phoebe a helpless shrug.

“Every time I see you you’re in a hurry,” Phoebe pouted, placing her hands on her hips petulantly.

Taking one of her hands, Kid kissed it softly.  “Such is the life of a pony express rider,” he soliloquized, then jogged to catch up with Lou.

While Kid and Phoebe had been talking, others girls from the Palace had stepped out to watch their conversation.  They all sighed after the mystery rider’s pseudo-romantic phrase (or at least as romantic as they got to hear).  Studying Kid’s movements, Phoebe sighed hungrily.  “Now there’s one parcel I would love to unwrap.”

“Yeah,” said one of the other girls, eyeing Lou’s faintly sashaying hips.  “And the Kid ain’t too bad on the eyes either.”

The girls burst out into hysterical giggles, before going back inside to get ready for the day.

Lou on the other hand was not in such good humor.  “So how do you know her,” she demanded as they continued walking to the express offices.

“Hmm,” Kid said distractedly.  “Oh, Jimmy introduced us the last time we was hear.”

“Really,” Lou prodded.  You seemed to have met a lot of girls here on your one and only visit.

“Yes, really,” Kid answered, unable to supress a smile.  It took a lot for Louise McCloud to get jealous.  Even more for her to admit it.

 “Then you won’t mind if I talk to Jimmy about it then, will you?”

Unable to help himself, Kid exploded with laughter.  “Oh come on, Lou!  You’re trying to make it sound like-”

“Get down!  Get outta the way!  It’s going to blow up!”

I know that voice! Kid thought just before him and Lou were knocked off their feet by an air shattering explosion.  The nameless rider instinctively covered Lou with his own body in a feeble attempt to shield her from whatever was happening.

Looking up, Kid saw the smoking, skeletal remains of the Crooked Nose Saloon.  Before they could recover from the first blast, a second engulfed the saloon across the street.  Women were screaming, men were shouting and everyone was running this way and that.  Some were trying to get away from the carnage, others were trying to put out the blaze before it spread to the other lean-tos and the rest were just trying to figure out what had just happened.  That’s when the Sky High Gang made it appearance.

They barreled through the street, whooping and riding, shooting almost anything that moved.  They galloped furiously toward Kid and Lou.  Kid struggled to his feet tugging at Lou arm.  “Come on,” he urged.  “They’re heading straight for us!”

Lou’s ears were still ringing loudly, so she couldn’t here what her man was saying.  But she could see the riders coming at her, so she simply followed his lead.  They took cover behind a pillar of the goods store beside the Crooked Nose.

Soldiers came out of the brothel half dressed, pulling on their suspenders, only to be picked off like clay pigeons at a skeet show.  One of the soldiers managed to blast one of the outlaws out of his saddle, only to be cut down by a kill crazy Tornado Tyler.

Jack Slade charged out of the sheriff’s office with his Henry Repeater rifle, followed by his deputy.  Slade was clearly hung over, but he was also mad.  And the last thing the citizens of Julesburg usually wanted, was a mad Captain Jack.  Sheriff Slade levered his rifle twice taking out two more of the outlaws.  But before he could get off a third, or his deputy could get off one, the office behind them exploded.  The unfortunate deputy absorbed most of the blast, killing him instantly, while Captain Jack was knocked unconscious.

Inside the brothel, some of the soldiers had been clear headed enough not to go outside.  They traded shots with the outlaws, but due to the previous night’s excesses, they couldn’t shoot straight.  Dr. Dynamite slithered out of the broom closet of a room the madam had put him and Dragon Claw in.  Dragon emerged from the room and moved to finish off the soldiers, but Doc held him back.

“As much as I enjoy watching you work,” Doc pulled out one of his home made grenades.  “We just don’t have the time.”

Doc lit the fuse and rolled it in the direction of the unsuspecting troopers.  They alerted to it by the screams of one of the Fallen Sparrows, but by then it was too late.  When the smoke cleared two troopers were still standing and Doc let Dragon finish them off.  With gravity defying speed, the Chinaman landed a solid kick to one trooper’s chest sending him through what remained of the wall, simultaneously throwing one of his lethal stars at the other.  The shooting star thudded into the soldier’s neck.  He stood there for a moment, teetered, then collapsed.  Dr. Dynamite exited the brothel and ordered his men to collect the army pack mules.

Meanwhile, Kid and Lou had been helping the defenders of Julesburg the best way they could.  They had drawn their colts and fired at the outlaws, putting the owlhoots in the middle of a crossfire.  They’d managed to hit two of them.  Again Kid put himself between Lou and the explosion, when the front of the bordello disappeared.  When Kid saw who emerged from the wall of smoke where the entrance of the Palace had been, the southern boy went rigid with shock.

I should have realized, Kid thought bitterly.  Who else would commit all this needless destruction!

Kid remained rooted to the spot until Dynamite mounted his blue roan, when he snapped out of his paralysis.  Kid stood up and screamed, “DICKERSON!”

Dynamite turned at the sound of his name being called out and his eyes widened with recognition.  If that nameless boy was hear, than that bitch couldn’t be far behind.  A gunshot revealed that some of the other townsmen were starting to fight back. 

“We’ve got what we came for,” Doc barked.  “Let’s go!”

The Sky High Gang bolted for the town limits.  Kid took a couple of steps as if to chase after them on foot.  Instead, he caught sight of a black clad figure underneath some wooden rubble.  Upon closer inspection he could see that he was covering the little girl he spotted earlier this morning.  Kid threw aside the debris and rolled the person in black over.  The hat came off revealing long tresses of soft black hair.  Kid stared down at the familiar heart-shaped face and matching full lips.  A face he had not seen in nearly two years.

“Opal,” Kid choked.

Lou was at Kid’s side at the same moment the girl’s father gathered her up in his arms, and saw the young woman in black range clothes.  She could see recognition and surprise mixed on Kid’s face.  Lou could also see recognition mirrored in the black haired woman’s clouded eyes and she wondered how Kid knew her.

Opal Jones looked up at her ex-partner and just before unconsciousness consumed her, she mumbled, “Laramie.”