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recalled the time. “Well, like I said, that just turned out to be nothin’ but hard work and long hours.” He stopped to gaze toward the distant horizon. “I’m tired, Cade, and I wanna die a wealthy man. I think I can find that trout bed under that rock, but I need a partner I can trust to go with me. That’s why I’m tellin’ you about it. Whaddaya say, Cade? You wanna help me find that gold?”
    It was one helluva story and a lot to think about for Cade. He guessed it was a compliment that Luke picked him as a man he could trust with his secret. Cade couldn’t help a fleeting question as to whether or not he could trust Luke. He decided at once that he could. “How come you don’t go get it by yourself?” he asked. “Then you wouldn’t have to split it with anyone.”
    â€œOh, don’t think I ain’t thought about that,” Luke responded. “But I ain’t as young as I used to be, and I need a partner with a sharp eye and a steady hand with a rifle. There’s Injuns roamin’ that area around the Gallatin, and road agents and scoundrels of all kinds. I don’t know to the dollar what that gold is worth, but it’s more than one man needs—a man my age, anyway. I know that.” He seemed almost stone sober for a moment as he looked Cade in the eye. “I sometimes find the need to drink strong spirits, and sometimes it can get the best of me. I need a partner I can trust to get me home again.”
    Looking at the nearly empty whiskey bottle, Cade had already figured that out for himself. Still, he didn’t have to spend many additional minutes to make his decision. He sensed an honesty about the man, and there was bound to be a lot of prairie between saloons where they would be heading. Since he was of a mind to decline Mr. Becker’s offer to return with him to Texas, there was no reason not to team up with Luke. “I’ll tell you what,” he said, “you’ve had a helluva lot to drink this evening. If you still want me to go with you in the mornin’, we’ll shake on it then. Fair enough?”
    â€œFair enough,” Luke immediately responded, and started to get up from the table. “Damn!” he swore, and sat down again. “We’re havin’ an earthquake, or I’ve drunk enough whiskey to make the damn floor quiver.”
    Cade laughed. “Come on. I’ll give you a hand, and you can try it again.” He got Luke on his feet and steadied him as he walked him to the door. “I expect you’d best turn in early tonight,” he said.
    Luke was willing to give it a try, but he took no more than twelve paces before he started listing to his left, and Cade could see that Luke wasn’t likely to make it back to the holding pens. It was only a matter of seconds before his legs realized that his brain was already asleep. Cade hurried around in front of him and lowered his shoulder to accept the load. Luke stumbled into him and collapsed gently across Cade’s shoulder, where he was carried back to the cottonwoods by the river. Cade laid him on the ground as gently as he could and covered him with a blanket. Then, figuring he might as well turn in, too, he spread his blanket a few yards away from the already-snoring Luke. He took off his gun belt and removed his Colt Peacemaker from the holster. Using his saddle for a pillow, he laid down on one half of the blanket and folded the other half over him, his pistol in easy reach by his leg, and drifted off to sleep to the rhythmic sawing of imaginary logs from his partner.
    Sleep came easily. It was quiet in the grove of trees since almost everyone else was just getting started drinking up all the whiskey in town. The majority would not stumble back to their blankets before sunup. Some wouldn’t make it back at all. The lucky ones might still have a little of their hard-earned wages in pocket.
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