THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 26

jonas horse was about done in.. the bully had pushed the animal hard the past few days with little to no water or feed.. but he knew there would be frsh horses at the jk. if this one fell dead he didnt care. on his last legs the horse under him staggered into the jk yard. dale stepped out the cabin door" come on in i got some breakfast and coffee left over. let your pony rest a bit" he was being friendly. jonas brushed by dale and poured himself a cup of coffee and put some bacon in a sliced biscuit. dale watched the rude behaviour with a sour face. " you come far?" dale asked before jonas answered he heard billy ride into the yard. he went to dale and brushed by him going out the door. billy ws tying his horse next to jonas give out mount. "hey cookie, bring that bundle of cash over here!" jonas called. billy feined surprise and raised his hands at the sight of jonas holding a pistol. he started walking toward him slowley. but before he was half way there a voice called. "hold it amigo. we are here." jonas looked to the south end of the yard and saw the vaqueros lined up faeing him, pistols in hand. he quickly stepped bacl and grabbed dale and held him in front of him for sheild. " give me a fresh horse, ime leaveing here and takeing the money cookie has and this man , you put your guns down!" from around the corner of the house stepped antonio, in his hand he held the long wicked knife that billy had seen before. he quickly stepped behing jonas and drove the knife its full length up to the hilt in jonas back! jonas wilted , he released dale and his knees buckled. as he sank to the ground. antonio put his foot against jonas back and jerked his knife from jonas back. as jonas fell he looked back at antonio in disbelief. blood filled his mouth, he gurgled and lay over in the dust, dead. antonio leaned down and wiped the blood from his knife on jonas shirt then when he stood back straight he spit on jonas body and walked away. as he passed dale and billy he quietly said " i go to mexico now." he mounted his horse and joined francisco. then as on the group turned and started south. francisco rode over to dale and billy " we will return in a few months. i hope you all will be well." he spun his horse and went to catch up with his crew. later dale and billy sat at the kitchen table. theyhad drug jonas body a good ways from the house and buried him, stacking rocks on top of the mound to discourage coyotes. dale was stareing at the pile of cash in front of him. "were the mexicans happy with their share?" he asked. " more than happy,, all we gotta do now is get you well and get the cattle makkeing more calves!"billy grinned. " and no more horse races!" dale declared.

THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 25

before sun up billy went to antonio. he shook him awake then told him to be very quiet. "saddle your horse.. ride to the jk and tell dale that jonas is following us.. you stay there of sight.. in case jonas shows up there." antonio nodded and went to his horse and quietly saddled. then rode away into the dark at a flat footed walk.billy stood there watching the dark form disapear into the darkness. he then turned to his bed..the pin point of light from the night before wasnt visiable. come day light billy made a pot of coffee and as the vaqueros woke they came and filled a cup when francisco came up billy explained to him why antonio was gone. francisco nodded "thats a good idea. we will act as we planned. but when we turn off to mexico we will circle around to the jk just in case."-fransico spoke between sips of the bitter coffee.. in just a bit every man was saddled and ready to go. billy poured the last of the coffee on the fire ashes and stashed it in a pannier on the pack horse. then mounted and rode off toward gleeson. off to the south they could see a occasional puff of dust where a sngle horse was passing. francisco watched for a while then turnned to billy " i should ride over there and kill that man. i dont like being followed like this." francisco murmmered. billy shook his head" remember we promised to keep it above the law. he needs to make the first move. be patient, i will make that move soon we just need to be ready." antonio rode into the yard at the jk. dale was just stepping out the cabin door with a cup of coffee,"que pasa amigo?" he called as antonio jerked the saddle from his sweated horse. antonio explained why billy sent him ahead.. dale listened then shrugged" come have some coffee, we will wait" jonas was ggetting impatient.. he was close to getting that wad of cash and then it would be days of whooping it up in tombstone.if he did away with billy and dale maybe his phony deed would hold up and give him the ranch. he pushed his horse to get ahead of the cavvelcade . he found a spot just pass where the group would split he wanted to be sure the mexicans were headed south before he went on to the jk. after a short wait he saw the group approaching. he stayed out of sight as they sll shook billys hand and then turned south to mexico. billy continued on toward gleeson and the jk. jonas was becoming over confident billy wore no side arm, dale was stove up fro the clubbing he had got. this would be a peice of cake. billy rode by jonas hideing spot whistling a happy tune adding to jonas impatience.