What Are Cousins For?
Part Two

By Heyes's Girl

Kid went back to Heyes thinking all the while what am I going to buy Heyes for Christmas? Here it was three weeks till the big day, and he hadn’t got the foggiest notion of what to buy him. Soldier was easy just buy him a bone or a toy to play with and he was happy.

The same with the horses just give them a bucket of apples and carrots to eat and they were perfectly content, but Heyes he was a different set of circumstances he could be so picky. He walked into the hotel still thinking. He walked up the stairs and into the hotel room he shared with Heyes.

Heyes could see he was thinking.

“Kid, what ya thinking about?”

“What to buy you for Christmas.”

“Christmas Kid it’s three weeks away yet don’t start worrying your head over that now.”

“But Heyes, do you know how quickly three weeks can go?”

“Look, if it helps I don’t need a lot of stuff.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I don’t”.

“Oh, I see but still it might be nice to give you somethin’ for Christmas.”

“Yes, it might” Heyes agreed.

They went downstairs to have some supper, Kid had to cut Heyes’s supper up for him on account of his broken arm. He thanked him, then Kid continued with his own supper, he and Heyes talked about this and that, Heyes said that they might spend Christmas with Soapy this year.

“Yeah, that would be nice Heyes, Soapy likes entertaining especially his old friends” said Kid as Soldier put his paws on his lap.

“What is it boy? Oh, I see you want to come up here on my lap well, let me finish my supper and then we’ll see ok” he said as he fussed him. Soldier got down and laid underneath his chair.

They were just finishing supper when a gang of men came into town, whooping and a hollering firing their guns. The restaurant owner looked up and said,

“Oh, no it’s the Wilson boys and they’re lookin’ for trouble.”

“Who are they?” asked Heyes.

“The Wilson boys they live out in the hills until one day they decide to come into town and then we have no end of trouble. Boys if I were you I wouldn’t let them see that dog they like nothin’ more and tormenting dogs by shooting at them until one of them hits it and kills it”.

“Well, sir I wouldn’t worry there’s a lot more to Soldier that what you might think” said Kid.

The boys paid for their meal and left the restaurant as they crossed the street one of them spotted Soldier.

“Hey, look a doggie.”

Kid did no more than pick him up and walk beside Heyes and they both went into the hotel.

The elder one of the six boys said,

“Forget it that dog is owned and if you would have cared to have noticed his owner has his gun tied down like a professional.”

They went along to the livery stable and kicked the door in and there they let all of the horses out, except two Hermes and Candy who remained, they stood and stared at Hermes, they were in awe of him.

Hermes realising, he was endanger of getting horse napped let out a loud bellow, so loud it could be heard in the hotel room of Heyes and the Kid. Heyes looked at the Kid and said,

“Kid, that’s Hermes he’s in trouble.”

So, Kid, Heyes and Soldier went out to see what the trouble was. They got there to see the Wilson boys trying to take Hermes and Candy out of the stable, the boys were pulling them, and they were pulling back.

“Hang on Hermes we’re comin’” shouted Heyes,

Hermes reared up and the boys had trouble hanging on to him. Heyes and Kid ran up to help their beloved horses. Soldier ran up and started barking and bearing his teeth. The younger one who had seen Soldier earlier drew his gun and was about to fire when there was shot, and the gun went spinning out of his hand.

He looked up to see the Colt 45 Peacemaker of Kid Curry still smoking in his hand where he had drawn and fired to save his beloved dog. The Sheriff came out of his office eventually he came up to see what all the noise was about. The Wilson boys saw him coming ran for their horses.

They mounted and were riding out of town before he’d even arrived. Heyes went up to Hermes and stroked him.

“There, there boy it’s alright steady now come on here have an apple” said Heyes as he offered him his favourite treat. Kid went over to Candy,

“Hey, Candy girl it’s alright there, there I’m here” she put her head close to his chest and closed her eyes. She started to feel safe again. The Sheriff asked,

“What happened boys?”

“The Wilson boys tried to steal our horses,”

“Who fired the shot I heard?”

“I did the black haired one with the spots was about to shoot my dog Soldier, but I stopped him.” Said Kid.

“I see I suppose I better get a posse together and go after them again. I don’t know why they don’t just ride on there’s nothing for them here anymore since their Pa died.”

“They don’t have any family here.”

“Not anymore since they lost the farm and their Pa died they just hang around in the hills until they decide to come down here and cause havoc as some sort of punishment for the town” said The Sheriff as he walked down to the saloon with the boys to get a posse together.

“Heyes, do you think they’ll catch them.”

“Possibly” he said as he winced with a twinge of pain from his arm.

Kid caught sight of it and said,

“Come on let’s get you back to the hotel to rest that there arm.”

“No, I wanna go to the saloon first I need a drink ok.”

“Ok,”

So, they went into the saloon and sat at a table out of the way, so Heyes’s arm didn’t get knocked. Kid went and got the drinks,  they sat and watched the rowdy scene.

Heyes sat and watched a game of poker, he could see that the man in the check shirt had a hand full of trouble, the one with the leather vest knew it, he turned to Kid,

“Kid, that game is going to turn ugly.”

“How do you know?”

“The one in the check shirt he has a hand full of trouble and the one in the leather vest knows it for he’s a professional gambler it’s written all over him.”

“Oh, do you I should stick around?”

“Nope, you’re coming with me so if things do turn ugly you can’t be blamed come on”.

So, they left the saloon and went back to the hotel, Heyes went back to bed, Kid and Soldier went out to try and find something for Heyes for Christmas. They were just passing the local jewellery store when Kid’s eyes caught sight of a pair of gold cufflinks.

He was about to go inside when there was shouting coming from the saloon and then a shot, his first instinct told him to go and find out what had happened, but thankfully his common sense told him to leave well enough alone, so he went into the store to look at these cufflinks for Heyes’s Christmas present.

In the hotel the shot had woken Heyes from a deep sleep Kid wasn’t in the room, Heyes first reaction was to get his pants and go, see where he was and hope it wasn’t him who had fired the shot.

But then he thought no I am gonna trust him I told him to leave it alone and leave it alone he will. So, he settled back down and went back to sleep whatever had gone on did not concern him. But he did wonder where he was, maybe he and Soldier had gone for a walk while he slept yes that was it he and Soldier were being kind to him. Kid came out of the shop with Heyes’s present all neatly wrapped up and now he just had to made sure Heyes didn’t find it until Christmas day.  

Kid and Soldier came back to find Heyes still asleep so while Soldier went and laid on his blanket Kid went and hid Heyes’s  present in his saddle bags, He then took out his gun and started to clean it Heyes woke up while he was doing so,

“Oh, hi you had a good long sleep there Heyes.”

Heyes saw what Kid was doing and said,

“Kid, please tell me you weren’t the one who fired the shot that woke me.”

“It wasn’t me Heyes I was elsewhere.”

“Then why are you cleaning your gun?”

“That’s a daft question I always do it even if I haven’t fired it you know that.”

Heyes breathed a sigh of relief and said,

“Of, course I knew I could trust you to stay out of whatever was going on”.

“You were right the game did turn ugly the gambler got himself shot he’s not dead, but he’s badly wounded.”

“I knew it, now on to nicer things Kid I feel like going out to do some shopping, help me dress will you,”

“Yeah sure.”

So, Kid helped Heyes get dressed and then they went out with Soldier following on behind. Heyes was trying to find a present for Kid. Heyes sat and thought about what sort of gift Kid would appreciate he didn’t what to buy anything too obvious. It came to him over lunch. Kid had a picture of his mother, his father and Sister Angel in his saddle bags.

When the picture was taken he was unable to go for he was ill so his mother decided that it would be nice for him to have when he was away from them. But it had never been put in a frame, so Heyes decided it was time it was. So, he accidently on purpose lost his bookmark and asked Kid could he borrow the picture to keep his place till he found his bookmark.

“Yeah sure Heyes.”

He went and brought out this tired looking picture and gave it to Heyes. The trick going to be getting Kid out of the way while he had it put in a frame. Then telling him that he’d found his bookmark and that he’d put the picture back in his saddlebags.

So, Heyes came up with a plan send Kid to see how Mrs Murtry was getting on and if she had heard from Kyle, that should take care of him for at least a good two hours for she did like to talk especially about Kyle. So that’s what happened Kid wondered why him, and Soldier Heyes explained,

“Well, I can’t go can I Hermes is a big old horse and with only one arm I can’t hold him, when I’ve got two good arm it takes me all my strength to hold him.”

So, Kid went with Soldier trotting on behind, once he was sure he was gone he went and found the picture and took him with him, he went into the photographers shop, the thin man behind the counter looked up and smiled.

“Yes, sir can I help you?”

“Yes, I’d like a frame for this picture please” said Heyes as he produced the picture.

“Oh, my it’s seen better days hasn’t it, but don’t you worry I can fix that too,”

“How?”

“Oh, I can’t reveal that secrets of the trade you know.”

“How much will it cost and how long will it take?”

“Twenty-three dollars all together that’s including the frame and come back tomorrow morning”

“Oh, ok thank you” said Heyes as he paid the man and then left him to his work.

Kid returned from Mrs Murtry’s looking a little pale Heyes asked him

“Are you ok Kid?”

“Yeah, I suppose so, but Heyes don’t send me there again not on my own.”

“Why?”

“She does like to talk and most of it is about her beloved boy her sweet Kyle.”

“Oh, I see”.

Well after that they had some supper and went to bed. In the morning as they were having breakfast Heyes said that he’d got in contact with Soapy and said that they were going to spend Christmas with him if he didn’t mind, and of course he was delighted. So was The Kid he liked spending time with old Soapy.

Heyes told Kid to go and pack for they were leaving today, he had something to do and then he would join him. He went and collected the picture it was almost as good as new. Then he went back to the Hotel where Kid was just finishing packing. They went for one last drink in the saloon then they went to the train station where Hermes and Candy were just being loaded onto the train. They got on board, and they travelled all the way to San Francisco without incident. Soapy was there to welcome them he was a little shocked to see Heyes’s arm in a sling.

They stayed with Soapy for the next two weeks Christmas morning arrived and Soapy had bought them some gifts Heyes was given a new velvet jacket and Kid had a new pair of gloves he even bought Soldier something his very own raincoat. Heyes had bought Soapy a new reading book and Kid bought him a new nightshirt.

Soldier was bought a new collar by Heyes and Kid bought him a new blanket cause the other one had holes in. The two horses had a bucket of apples each.

Then the boys gave each other their presents, Kid said,

“Heyes these are for you I hope you like ‘em”

“Oh, Kid I probably will” he said as he opened it and there was the pair of gold cufflinks and engraved on them were two H’s”

“Thank you Kid this is for you”

“Me when did you buy this”

“Never mind when just open it.”

“Yes, Kid open it” said Soapy,

He opened the present to see the three most important people in his life looking back at him in a splendid new silver frame and looking as good as it did when his mother gave it him. He felt a lump in his throat as he looked at it and then said shakily,

“Thanks, Heyes it’s the most precious gift I’ve ever received merry Christmas.” He gave in to the tears that were threating to come forth.

“Oh, dear I didn’t expect that reaction oh Kid you are soft, and it’s ok you know as someone once said to me That’s what cousins are for.