THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 17

the next morning billy came up to the house leading dales horse. shug sat to one side watching. dale came out of the house setting his hat carefully on his head. he was pale but seemed steady. he slowley mounted and got set, both feet in the stirrups. " are you sure you want to do this dale?"billy asked dale was gathering up his reins and he nodded and quietly said"yep" then reined his horse around toward shug. shug turned and started to the last place he had seen the trail.. as they rode away billy opened the gate to the corral so the horses could get out and graze. they hoped the horses would stay in the area until they got back from tombstone. shug didnt babey sit dale. he hit a ground covering shuffle on the trail. he wasnt mistaken, the trail turned and pointed toward tombstone.billy brought up the rear watching dale. but dales back was ram rod stiff and he never made a sound. shug s short chunky roan never wavered. he just shuffled along with endless energy. at the mid way point shug pulled up. he turned toward the other two." lets take a little break. i need a drink and roany needs to draw a long breath. dale slowley slid to the ground billy was there to support him but after moment dale hobbled to a flat rock and lowered himself onto it. billy turned and uncinched the horses and took down the canteen he carrried.. handing it to dale he watched him gulp big swallows of the cool liquid. dale never said a word but it was plain to see he was struggling to stay with the group. shug never said a word, he simply stood and began snugging up the cinchas on the roan, billy took the hint and did the same. just as he finished cinching up dales bay he felt a presence behind him. he turned to see dale standing there. " stay close til i get on and set will you?" dale asked low. he stepped to the horse and stood there a few moments then with strength no one knew he had he hopped up and stabbed the stirrup with his left foot and slowley pushed his right leg over the horses rump and settled into the saddle. his face had gone white. but he picked up his reins and nodded to billy. billy turned to his horse and mounted . he was a ways behind because shug and dale were already shuffling on down the trail.he had to strike a trott to catch up. it was after dark when they rode into tombstone.they had made a two day trip in a little over 14 hours. it was showing on dale. shug went right to the ok corrall and pulled the gate open for the other two riders to enter. there was a lot of empty stalls along the west wall. when dale got down he found a seat on a wagon tounge while billy and shug unsaddled the horses. a light came on in the stable office and the door opened and a man with his night shirt tail flopping behind came down the steps just as billy yelled "hey here is your horse dale" dale got up and weaved over to the stall where billy stood. sure enough the little match race horse stood there. the stable man rushed up with shug quietly walking behind him. " hey! i was told there might be some guys here causing problems over this horse. ill have to go get the law if you dont move along"the hostler was trying to be important. shug stepped up" who told you that? just so you know im am the law. that horse was stolen from these guys ranch. now who brought the horse here?" the hostler stood shocked. he stared at shug a moment in the lantern light. " some guy who said judd was going to pick this animal up and pay the bill>" dale spoke up" ill pay the bill but this horse dont go anywhere with anyone except one of the three of us. understood? if it does ill have you charged as a horse theif also" shug nodded as well as billy." now, we are going to bed. we will be back here in the morning and everyone of our horses including this one better be here."dale slammed his fist onto the top of the stall to emphasis the point. the hostler turned without a word and trudged back to his office. billy stepped up and said" lets go wake up mrs. cashman and go to bed." the three headed across the street to the boarding house.

THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 16

the sun was shining bright and warm when dale came around. he sat up on the edge of his bed with his head spinning still. finally he stood up and staggered to the cook stove. a bed of red embers still glowed there so he added a few sticks of stove wood and built a pot of coffee. he had to use the wall for support he was so dizzy. when the coffee was done he poured a cup and wobbled out side and sat down on a stump next to the wall.his head kept spinning. sometimes he couldnt get the cup to his lips.. when he had drank about half the cup of coffee he laid his head back against the wall behind him. he dropped the cup of coffee to the ground and closed his eyes. " dale! dale!" some one was calling his name, shakeing his shoulder. he slowley opened his eyes to slits. there before him was billy a scared look on his face. he went a head and opened his eyes,and turned his head to show the cut behind his ear. " horse theif hit me there." he pointed to the cut. billy looked at it then helped dale to his feet" we need to get you back to bed." behind billy stood a aperation, a stocky man. his denim pants were tucked into the tops of teguas, the tall apache mocoson. he wore a stripped shirt with a straw hat perched on a head with long black hair. dale looked at billy with the silent question. "thats shug.. he works for uncle billy foure.. he helped me bring the horses home. who did this?" billy was helping dale back in the house. " that surveyor did he was a fake. he was here to steal horses. he hit me while i was standing up from hobbling a horse. they were gone when i woke up. i got no idea which way they went." dale collapsed into his bed. shug had followed them in the house" ill go see if i can find a trail just rest." " he was a deputy one time for sherrif slaughter. he s a good half breed."billy explained. " if make you something to eat you think that may help your being dizzy?"billy asked. " it wouldnt hurt.. i want to get up and go get that guy!"dale was almost whispering. " your not going anywhere for a while.. your skull could be cracked. lay back and rest ill stir up some food."billy was rummaging around the pack boxed they stored food in. it was a while before shug cameback but he came in the house and found dale slowley eating a plate of food. billy handed a plate to shug. shug said" i followed the tracks a long way it looks like he maybe headed for tombstone. he didnt steal all the horses. just a little one by the tracks. i found the rest of your horses grazeing in a canyon.. i brought them in and corraled them with the ones we brought." he explained to billy. " he stole packy, he knew what he was after. that little horse waas dales match race horse.billy explained. " first thing is get him up and around, then we go after that crook." shug pointed to dale. dale looked up and nodded. "ill be ready in the morning" dale said " my head is clearing now. ill be ready" billy looked at shug and shrugged his shoulders.