THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 19

when dale woke up a strange man was bending over him listening to his heart. he started to rise but the man pushed him back down. " you need to stay right here for at least 48 hours.. by rights that little horse back ride you mad in here should have killed you. you have a bad concusion at the very least and a cracked skull at the worse. i dont care what you think you need to do or how good you feel, you got at least 6 months to heal. so you just figgure on that." " who are you?" dale asked in a low voice " dr good fellow. ime the only doctor within a five day ride so you arnt going to get a second opinon.. just lay back and rest. you have some really good friends out there takeing care of your business. so rest AND STAY IN THIS BED !" the doctor closed his bag " ill check on you a little later" shug walked down the street to the jail. as he drew near he could see a fine team of sorrell horses hitched to a buggy. a fine looking brown haired woman holding the lines keeping the horses in check.. as he walked up she looked over at him and smilled " hellow shug." shug stopped and removed his hat" howdy mrs slaughter. is john inside?" " yes i believe he is waitting on you.how is that good woman you married?"mrs slaughter very hospitable. " she is fine when i left a few days ago. i want to get done here and get home. ime glad john is heree, it will speed things up a bit."he put his hat back on and turned to the jail door. inside a short older man stood next to the desk. the deputy sitting there was wearing a very un happy face. " good to see you john" shug stuck out his hand as he walked across the room. slaughter shook the hand firmly" shall we ask this scallywag a few questions?" slaughter asked by way of a greeting. they turned toward the cell where the phoney surveyor lay on his bunk. at the ok corral billy was bored to tears. he was wanting to know what the doctor said, he wanted to know what shug found out, he was in the dark. through the front gate walked judd wilkins whistling a tune until he saw billy , that brought him up short.billy stood up" well look who just walked into my arms?" billy spat it out. judd spun on his heel and broke and run back out the gate his coat tails flapping in the breeze. billy was moveing as well and as he cleared the corral gate he saw judd mounting his race horse. when he tried to rein the horse around the horse sulled, stuck his nose in the air and planted his feet. billy was raceing toward the horse. judd pulled a pistol from his pants waist band and started to point it at billy. from behind him came a roar that fairley lifted him from the saddle. he fell forwad into the street dust. behind him stood sherrif slaughter his shot gun with a tendril of smoke lifting from the right side barrel. slaughter stepped up " looks like he left the country." behind him shug stepped up. yep, ime going home. and he turnned and walked away toward the ok where his horse was. billy had to run to catch him. "what do we owe you shug we appreciate all you did.?"billy said. " nothing, billy foure pays me i was glad to help. take care of dale." shug was saddling his horse." i got a good woman up on the side of that mountain holding our outfit together. come see us." he mounted and rode out the gate without a backward glance.coming back out the gate billy could see dale in the window of cashmans looking out on the street. slaughter was comondeering men to remove the body off the street. they were loading it into a wagon . slaughter was reloading the shot gun. billy turned and walked over to cashmans to see dale.

THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 18

the next morning just as the sun was comming up the three were shareing a pot of coffee at the ok hostlers offoce across the stree a man was alking along fast . he was obviously in a hurry. dale pointed to the man" there goes the surveyor who clouted me!" all three set their cups down and followed the man shug was in the lead.. just as the man was going to open the door to a coffee shop shug caught up with him and put his hand on the door to keep it from being opened. the man spun on shug" do i need to call the law on you blanked butt?" shug grabbed the man by the shirt front" i am the law! your under arrest for horse stealing and assualt lets go!" he jerked the man around and started back up the street. as he passed dale and billy he said"stay at the ok until i get back. " shug dragged and jerked the smaller man down the middle of the street to the jail. when inside of the jail he shoved the man into a cell then took the keys from a hook in the office and locked the door. then returned the keys. the man behind the desk sat in shocked silence through the whole procedure. shug went to the deputy and leaned on the desk both hands flat on the desk. he looked the deputy right in the face."i just made a citicens arrest.. horse stealing and assualt. make out the papers and ill be back after breakfast. dont drag your feet. i used to have your job so i know whats what." the deputy gulped a throat full and nodded. " it will be done in a half hour." " good man ill be back dont let that scum out no matter what i have some questions for him." shug stood up and turned for the door.outside he turned for the ok to meet up with dale and billy.. when he got there billy was standing by the little match race horses stall. dale was sitting near by looking sick. "ill watch here. you two go get breakfast. maybe bring something when you come back.he dont look so good, maybe put him back in bed or go see the doctor." shug pointed at dale who was struggling to his feet. billy nodded in agreement. " ill for sure get back" he hustled dale out into the street. shug took dales seat and pulled his hat down in front over his eyes.. a hour later billy came back to the stable, he had two breakfast burros wrapped in a clean white towel. shug thanked him and asked about dale. "he s in bed over at cashmans waitting for doc good fellow.when he ate breakfast it wouldnt stay down he didnt argue much when i put him in bed." billy explained. " he will have to swear to some court documents in a bit. do you think some one else is involved?"shug said between bites of burrito. " maybe one more but ime not sure. that darn judd wilkins has threatened dale a time or two.. about the ranch and his life. so maybe him."billy spoke shakeing his head. " can you stay here for a while? i need to go have a talk with out jail bird" shug asked. " i dont think the doc will be there in a while , i can sit here right now for a while."billy agreed. shug got up and marched out the door headed toward the jail. billy watched him and shook his head. "i wouldnt want to be that jail bird right now!" he said under his breath.