by Anita Sanchez

Kid thought he'd never seen Heyes so eager to get into town. Kid liked to go into Riverton, too, especially on a Saturday night, but Heyes was really in a hurry today. He kept kicking his horse to a canter even over the roughest ground, all the way from Devil’s Hole. "Let's take a break," said Kid finally. "We've been riding since breakfast, let's stop and stretch our legs."

"Oh, come on, we're almost there," said Heyes. "You can stretch all you want when we get there."

"It's at least another hour, and this saddle is killing me," said Kid, squinting up at the sun. "Anyway, it's way after noon, and I want to eat."

"There's more important things than eating, " grumbled Heyes, but he slowed his horse.

"Maybe you think so," said Kid, dismounting gratefully and stretching his sore back. "I haven't found a girl yet that's more important than food."

"You're young, give it time," said Heyes, swinging off his horse. "When you're only eighteen, women must seem a little intimidating. I remember how it was."

"Oh, thanks for that pearl of advice, Grandpa," said Kid. "Now that you've reached the ripe old age of twenty, you're the voice of experience. Damn, that saddle is really uncomfortable, I've gotta get a new one."

"It's not the saddle, it's you," said Heyes. "It's your style of riding, you gotta keep your heels down."

"Oh, you're just an expert on everything, aren't you?" said Kid, unbuckling his saddlebag.

"I can't help it," said Heyes modestly. "Some men are just better in the saddle than others." He ducked as Kid hurled a piece of bread at him.

"I suppose Melinda thinks you walk on water," Kid growled.

"She's really something, isn't she?" said Heyes, his face lighting up. "Melinda's just...I've never known a girl like her."

"Yep," said Kid, with a tiny sigh as he realized he was going to have to hear it all over again.

"She's not an ordinary saloon girl, you know. She's just working there till she can get enough money to set herself up in a nice business somewhere. She's a nice girl."

"Yep," Kid said again. He sat down in the small patch of shade thrown by a boulder, and munched on a hunk of bread. "Want some?" he asked.

"No, I'll wait till we get to town. Come on, come on, hurry up," said Heyes. "Melinda'll isn't expecting me till tomorrow, I want to surprise her." He paced impatiently while Kid munched his dry bread, and drank some water. Finally Kid heaved himself up from the ground, rubbing his legs, and hoisted himself into the uncomfortable saddle. Heyes was already mounted and trotting on ahead.

Kid groaned inwardly at the thought of another hour in the saddle, but consoled himself with thoughts of a steak dinner, a bottle of whiskey, a game of poker, and Lottie the barmaid. Lottie was a plump and bosomy lady, much older than he, who gave him free drinks sometimes when he smiled at her. Saturday night in town, he thought, should be fun.

Kid felt a hesitant tap on his shoulder as he sat at a table in the well-filled saloon, enjoying his first steak in two weeks. He put down his fork, and turned around. He was surprised to see Melinda, dressed in her frilliest dress, her blonde hair decorated with green ribbons. "Where's your pal?" she asked in a low voice. He could hardly hear her over the saloon piano.

"With you, I thought." Kid said, grinning at her. "Gosh, he couldn't wait to get here, wouldn't even stop for lunch. What's up?"

She looked around the crowded saloon, as though searching for someone. "I didn't know you guys were coming in today," she said.

"No, Heyes wanted to surprise you," Kid said, taking another bite of his steak. "Were you surprised?"

"Oh, yes," she said, laughing. Kid frowned. It didn't sound like a pleasant laugh. Lottie, the barmaid, sauntered over and leaned on the table. "But Heyes was even more surprised," she said, elbowing Melinda in the ribs. "That right, honey?" Kid looked at Melinda with raised brows, and she looked away.

"A girl's gotta eat," she said sullenly. "A girl's gotta eat. You guys never have any money."

"So where's Heyes now?" asked Lottie cheerfully, looking around the crowded room.

"I thought Curry would know," said Melinda. "His horse isn't out front."

"Maybe he's heading back to Devil's Hole," said Kid slowly.

"Maybe," she said. "He was a little upset." She twirled a bracelet on her wrist nervously. "You don't think he'd do anything foolish, do you?"

"Not Heyes," said Kid promptly. "He's one guy who never does anything foolish."

Melinda looked at him with her wide blue eyes. "Honey, there's no such thing," she said. She turned and walked off, her red skirt rustling. Kid looked after her uneasily. "What does she mean by something foolish?" he asked Lottie, who was pouring herself a drink from his whiskey bottle.

"Oh, you know, like in the penny dreadfuls. Drowning himself for love, or leaping off a cliff or something."

"Pretty hard to drown himself around here," Kid pointed out. "Not enough water around here to drown a flea."

"You're so unromantic," complained Lottie. "He could throw himself off a cliff. That high ledge that overlooks the town, they call it Lover's Leap, you know, a fella jumped off there twenty years ago, they say, after his girlfriend dumped him."

"Well, Heyes doesn't know that," Kid snapped.

"Yeah, he does," she said unexpectedly. "We were talking about it last time you guys were in town." Kid glanced at her, and she laughed. "Not that I think Heyes'd do anything like that," she said. "He's got more sense than that. Not for a little floozy like Melinda, he's always seen through her. He didn't think she was really on the level."

"Mm," said Kid.

"He's fine," she said, rolling her eyes. "Don't be silly." She whacked him on the shoulder, and walked off to talk to the piano player.

Kid decided she was right. Heyes wouldn't thank him for poking his nose into his romantic troubles. He poured another whiskey and joined in the poker game, but couldn't keep his mind on it. He folded three times in a row, and then lost four dollars on one hand by reckless betting. Finally he tossed his cards down on the table, and strode out of the saloon.

He glanced at the line of horses standing quietly, tethered to the rail. Sure enough, Heyes's horse was no longer tied next to his. Kid looked up at the red sandstone cliff that loomed behind the town, and drummed his fingers on his gun belt.

A long ride up the ridge in the chilly evening yielded no sign of Heyes. The sun went down behind thick clouds, and Kid was thinking longingly of the warm, bright saloon, and Lottie’s charms, when he spotted a darker shadow against the dark rocks. It was Heyes’ horse, riderless, head down as it quietly cropped the sparse grass. He drew in his breath sharply. "Heyes!" he yelled, and heard his own voice bounce off the cliff walls.

He looked up the slope at the edge of the cliff, and noticed a figure sitting on the ledge. "Heyes?" he said quietly.

There was no answer. "Heyes," he said again, louder.

"What?" said Heyes’s voice out of the darkness, sounding harsh and angry. Kid walked up the slope till he stood behind him. "What'cha doing?" asked Kid.

"That has got to be the stupidest question anyone has ever asked," Heyes growled.

Kid smiled to himself in the darkness. "Well, what are you doing," he asked reasonably. There was a pause. Kid waited patiently, and finally Heyes gave a long sigh. "Getting ready to throw myself off the cliff because my girl is a two-timing, lying little bitch," said Heyes. "What do you think?"

"Ah," said Kid, nodding wisely. "Can I have your saddle, then?"

He thought he heard Heyes give a snort of laughter, and took a few steps closer. "Sure," Heyes said. "Maybe you'll have better luck with it than I did."

"Thanks," said Kid. He waited a minute or so. The wind gusted more strongly, blowing dust into his face. "Jesus, it's cold up here," he complained, buttoning his heavy sheepskin jacket. "If you're gonna jump, could you please hurry it up?"

"Don't let me keep you," said Heyes, pulling his hat lower over his eyes. "Why don’t you go on down and see if Melinda’s free, she’s probably ready for another customer by now."

"I like the view from up here," Kid said, and climbed up next to Heyes. He sat down, and looked past his boots, dangling over the edge, at the faint lights of the town far below. They sat there in silence for a while, as the cold wind blew in their faces.

Heyes finally gave another long sigh. "Let's go," he said.

"Okay," said Kid with relief. "Let's go get drunk."

"Nah," said Heyes. "I've had enough of saloons for a while. I'm heading back to the Hole, you go on back to town. Saturday night’s just getting started." They walked back down the slope to where they had left the horses. Heyes mounted his horse, and looked down at Kid. "Tell Melinda..." he began, then broke off. "Forget it," he said. "See you." He turned his horse and rode into the darkness.

Kid hesitated, looking at the lights of the town. It was still early, for a Saturday night. Finally he mounted and turned his horse to follow Heyes into the dark hills.