What are Cousins for?
Part One

By Heyes's Girl

The bitter wind blew from the north as Heyes and The Kid rode along a well ridden trail in the state of Nebraska. Kid’s dog Soldier walked on in front. They were there on errand of mercy. Kyle Murtry had come to them to ask them to go and see his mother who was ill.

The boys were reluctant to do it at first but when Kyle had explained that the family had moved from Kentucky to Nebraska they were more willing to do it.

“What wrong with her Kyle?” asked Heyes.

“Well, I don’t rightly know Heyes all Wilber said is that she’s ill.”

Kid rolled his eyes,

“I don’t supposed it crossed your mind to ask?”

“Nope.”

“Didn’t think it did.”

So, they said they’d go and see just how ill she was to put his mind to rest at least.

They were riding down a steep slope when Hermes lost his footing, slipped, and fell Heyes was thrown from his saddle and landed heavily on hard icy ground.

“HEYES!!” Shouted Kid as he pulled Candy to stop and went running over to Heyes. Kid arrived at Heyes’s side to find to his relief Heyes was still breathing. He took off his coat and put it under Heyes’s head. Then went and got him a blanket after that he saw to Hermes who was laying on his side in a state of shock.

“Come on Hermes up ya get” said Kid as he went over to him took hold of his reins and pulled him upright checked his limbs and found he was fine. Heyes started to come round,

“Kid, Kid.”

“I’m here.”

“Hermes alright.”

“Yeah, I not sure about his rider.”

Kid took a look at Heyes. He had a nasty cut to his head; he got a tear in his pants and a graze to his knee. Kid got out the medical kit and started to see to his injuries he saw to the cut to his head, then his graze on his knee.

Then his eyes caught sight of a small trickle of blood on Heyes’s hand, he told Heyes to take his coat off, so he took his coat off and Kid could see that Heyes had a cut to his arm but how could that be his coat was thick for winter. So, as he took out his knife Heyes said,

“Kid, what are you doing?”

“Heyes there’s blood running down your arm and I have to see how serious the injury is.”

Heyes gingerly sat up, undid the cuff of his shirt he rolled up his sleeve to his elbow then he laid down again. Kid looked closely at his arm and saw something sticking out of Heyes’s arm he poked at it and Heyes yelled in pain.

“Heyes, I don’t know quite how to tell you this, but you’ve broken your arm.”

“Don’t be silly I can’t have.”

“But you have I can see the bone it’s come through your arm.”

“Oh, I see what do we do now?”

“Well, we could stay here for a while, then go on into town when you feel better.”

“Kid, I definitely can’t ride not with a bump to my head.”

“Oh, why?”

“It’s called concussion it would, make me very poorly if I ride Hermes so, you go into town, get a wagon for I don’t feel well at all I think I am suffering from shock.”

“Right let’s get you settled somewhere and a fire goin’ so you don’t catch cold, and I won’t be long ok.”

“Ok, Kid but don’t be too long people have been known to die from shock”.

So, Kid got a fire going and left Heyes with a blanket and Soldier. Then he left for town. Kid rode quickly and before long he was at the town of Whistler’s Top he rode up to the livery stable and dismounted he went and asked the man if he could rent a wagon to fetch his friend into town for he had, had an accident on the way into town.

“Oh, that’s terrible is he badly hurt?”

“Well, he’s broke his arm, got a bad cut to his head so I reckon so.”

“Well, here you can have that wagon there and if you buy me a drink in the Saloon we’ll call it quits.”

“Well, that mighty decent of ya, you got yourself a deal”.

So, Kid went and fetched Heyes he found him where he had left him a few hours earlier.

“Hi Heyes,”

“Hi Kid, that was quick well it seemed it to me.”

“Well, you’ve been here about two, three hours on your own Heyes”.

Soldier barked as if to complain Heyes was not by himself.

“My apologies Soldier of course you have been here with Heyes” said Kid as he fussed his beloved dog.

Kid helped Heyes to his feet, Heyes felt a little swimmy he held onto Kid as he climbed aboard the wagon.

“You ok Heyes?”

“Yeah Kid,”

“You sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah I’m fine”.

Kid tied Hermes to the back of the wagon, then Soldier jumped up on the seat then Kid got up beside him.

“Hold tight Heyes here we go”.

He started the horses off and the wagon trundled down the trail Heyes was suffering in the back he knew Kid was doing his best to make the journey as smooth as possible. But with the terrain the way it was, it was difficult at times.

They arrived into town and Kid took Heyes to the Doctors, he went down the path and knocked on the door. It was answered by the Doctor himself.

“Can I help you son?”

“Well, it’s my friend he’s been hurt he needs medical attention.”

“Alright where is he?”

“In the wagon he’s feelin’ a little dizzy” said Kid as he pointed to the wagon.

He came over to the wagon and looked at a stricken Hannibal Heyes.

“Alright bring him inside and I’ll take a look at him.

So, Kid helped Heyes to the edge of the wagon, then he and the Doctor helped him down and inside.

“Right, you lay on the bed, and you can undress him.”

Heyes laid down, Kid started to undress him, when he’d finished the Doctor looked at him.

“Right young man you’ve got a broken your arm in two places, there’s a nasty cut on your head which will need stitching and possibly a nasty case of concussion and a nasty graze on your knee, now with your arm I’m going to knock you out because I’ve got to put the bone back into the arm.”

“Ok, Doc do what you need to I’m no hero believe me.”

“Joshua I’ll go and get us a hotel room so you can rest up when the Doc’s finished.”

“Ok, Thaddeus see ya later.”

The Doctor came and gave Heyes the chloroform and ether mixture and before long he was unconscious. He got to work he pulled the bone back into Heyes arm and then sewed up the wound it had made, he then saw to the nasty cut on Heyes’s forehead, lastly he saw to the nasty graze on his knee. Then he left him to rest for a few hours.

Kid in the meantime had found them a nice quite hotel room with a great view, of the Sheriff’s office so they could see when it was time to leave. Kid went back over to the Doctor’s house to see if Heyes was awake.

Thankfully, he was, and he was eating some scrambled eggs on toast all washed down with a glass of milk, per Doctor’s orders.

“Hi Thaddeus,

“Hi Joshua, you look a lot better than when I last saw you.”

“I feel it thank you.”

The Doctor came in and said,

“Ah, now that’s good you’re awake and my nurse says that you had something to eat.”

“Yes, scrambled eggs on toast.”

“Good, that means Thaddeus you can take him over to the hotel and make sure he rests. I’ll be along later for I have two more patients to see at the hotel.”

“Really.”

“Yes, Mrs Granger for her bad back and Mr Wilkins for his gout which he could cure himself if he didn’t gorge himself on the decant food he loves so much” said the Doctor.

“Right come on Josh let’s get you dressed, then over to the hotel”.

So, Kid dressed Heyes and then helped him up and took him across to the hotel closely followed by Soldier. The desk clerk looked up from his writing when Heyes and The Kid came in. he saw Heyes with his arm in a sling and said,

“I must have a word with the Doc, this is a hotel not a hospital.”

“Yes, sir” said Heyes as Kid helped him up the stairs and to their room he told Heyes to go into his right waistcoat pocket and find the key. Which he did then Heyes opened the door and Kid took him inside and he laid down on the bed.

“Heyes I’m hungry I’m goin’ to find me and Soldier some dinner you be alright on your own or do you wanna come?”

“No Kid you go, I’ll be fine on my own if you pass me my book I can do some reading.”

“Ok,” so, Kid passed Heyes his reading book then just as Kid and Soldier went out the door Heyes said,

“Kid, thanks for takin’ care of me like you have today.”

“Aw Heyes what are cousins for” he said giving him a wink and a smile as he went out of the door.

It was while Kid was having his dinner in the café that he heard that Mrs Murtry was in the general store causing havoc.

Kid almost choked on his dinner, she supposed to be ill according to Wilber one of Kyle’s many brothers, so he finished up his dinner, paid for it and then went out to see what was going on.

He got to the general store to see a big lady with blonde hair, blue eyes and a southern drawl that reminded Kid of Kyle.

He spoke,

“Mrs Murtry I’m Thaddeus Jones I was sent here by your son Kyle he’s worried about you he was told you were ill by Wilber.”

She stopped trying to throttle the owner.

“You know my Kyle? How is he?”

“As I say worried if you would like to come with me you can meet my partner Mr Joshua Smith he’s got a broken arm and is resting at the hotel at the moment but I’m sure he’d like to see you.”

“Oh, ain’t that nice he wants to see lil’ old me” she said to Kid, she then turned to the owner.

“I ain’t finished with you yet, these prices are daylight robbery and I know what I’m talkin’ about” she said as she left.

They went over to the hotel and went upstairs, they stopped at the door and knocked,

“Joshua, are you awake?”

“Yes, Thaddeus come in” said Heyes from the other side of the door.

So, Kid put the key in and unlocked the door and went inside,

“Joshua, this is Mrs Murtry.”

“Mrs Murtry oh I thought you were ill ma’am.”

“Ill, I ain’t ill I’ve ‘bin’ a bit poorly but I ain’t at death’s door.”

“I think Wilbur has overreacted for he wrote to Kyle saying you were ill he’s been very worried”.

“Now how do you know my sweet Kyle?”

Heyes decided to tell the truth,

“Now Mrs Murtry this is only between you, me, and my friend here, out there we are Mr Smith and Mr Jones. But the truth is that I am Hannibal Heyes and he’s Kid Curry with his dog Soldier.”

“Hannibal Heyes and The Kid well I am impressed. How is he boys?”

“Worried, he came to us in desperation he wanted to come himself but was indisposed as in the gang had just pulled a job and it wasn’t safe.”

“Well, wait till I get hold of Wilbur, worrying Kyle like that Heyes just a question how did you break your arm fallin’ over the dog?”

“No, I fell off my horse.”

“Actually, ma’am the horse fell, and he fell off it”.

“Oh, I see.”

“The horse is fine; his rider is not”.

“I’ll let you get some rest and be assured boys your secret is safe with me.” She said as she left.

Kid watched her go and she went back into the general store, to continued her discussion with the owner.

Heyes laid down and went to sleep while Kid cleaned his gun and Soldier slept beside Heyes. It was about an hour later when the Sheriff came over to the hotel and knocked on their door.

“Mr Smith, Mr Jones it’s Sheriff Wilkinson may I come in?”

“Yes, Sheriff of course.”

He came in and said,

“I’m sorry to disturb you but Mrs Murtry wants to see you down at the jail.”

“The Jail why?” asked Heyes.

“Well, I had to arrest her for breach of the peace, malicious damage and actual bodily harm”.

“Oh, I see” said Heyes. He turned to Kid and said,

“Thaddeus would you mind for the Doc said I have to stay here for a good two days because of my concussion.”

“Of course, come on Soldier.”

Soldier was reluctant to move but Heyes reassured him that he wasn’t going anywhere. So, he jumped down and went to Kid’s side.

So, Kid and Soldier left with the Sheriff they went along the street the wind was colder than ever and Kid had put his collar up on his big coat. Soldier walked with his ears back for the wind was very strong and it hurt his ears. Heyes was in the best place Kid decided nice and warm in bed in the hotel.

They went into the jail as it started to snow, he looked at Mrs Edith Murtry in the cell. She stood up as he entered.

“Thaddeus you came I didn’t think you would.”

“Of, course I would Kyle would want me to.”

“Now I didn’t mean to lose my temper so, but he puts those prices up every week soon I won’t be able to afford things from his store and with Christmas comin’ up in a few weeks’ time well I have to get everything in now for I live outside of town, and I see it’s already snowin’ if it gets any worse I won’t be able to get home.”

Kid asked the Sheriff to let her go home if she promised to pay for the damages. She was reluctant at first, but Kid said it was the only way she was going to spend Christmas with family. So, she did. Kid left the jail and wondered what was he going to buy Heyes for Christmas.

TBC