BACK FROM THE SIERRA 13

when the deputy stepped out side the jail and took in the sight of the three rustlers he ducked his head and shook it. he looked over at billy" what gives mr. foure?" i found these three driveing twenty of my cows comming this way. ime charging them with attempted theft. you can lock them up." billy told him. the deputy drew his pistol and told the three to dismount and go into the jail. as they trooped inside billy waved at j.t. and dismounted. they followed the deputy into the office. j.t. stacked the pistol belts on the desk. when he straightened up he sw a bulliten board in front of him a hand bill with his name and hand sketched picture was pinned right in front. the deputy was busy locking up the rustlers, billy stepped behind the desk and pulled the hand bill down and folded it and put it inside his shirt. " i might need this to start a fire some time" was all he said. when billy had completed his paper work for the deputy he and j,t, went out side to their horses. you head on back to the ranch. ill stay a bit and do a little business. just keep your head down until your out of town , ill see you at home."billy smilled at him. j.t. didnt say a word but mounted his horse and struck a jog trot back toward the ranch. as he passed boot hillhe noticed a pretty blond haired girl sitting by a grave in a solom pose. he shook his hed and trotted on. it was late when j.t. trotted into the ranch yard. his horse was tired and he was tired, when he pulled up at the barn he saw a short chunky roan horse whosse tail almost drug the ground and his mane hung past the bottom of his neck. when j.t dismounted shug stepped out of the barn, "wheres billy?" he asked without preamble. " in tombstone. we took some rustlers there. he stayed . sent me home." j.t. explained "did billy check on carrie while he was there?"shug almost demanded. "i dont know, who is carrie?" j.t.asked "she is my intended. as soon as i catch enough lions we will be married, billy will let us run a few cows. did you see her?"shug asked. " i dont know any one in tombstone the only woman i saw was at the boot hill sitting next to a grave." j.t. was uncinching his horse. " did she look ok?" shug leaned in. " yeah i guess, i just saw her there alone thought it was a sad site."j.t.pulled the saddle froom the horse and carried it inside the barn. shug seemed to relax a bit." that was my dads grave, she takes care of it.. i wanted to draw some cash from billy so i could go see her. i been worried about her. ill wait for billy here." j.t. said" ill tell the cook to fix you something to eat while you wait." and headed to the house.

BACK FROM THE SIERRA 12

the next day billy and j.t. had planed a big circle they would each work their way down to the san pedro then turn toward each other and croos at the river. when billy had left that morning he had his rifle out, cleaned and loaded with the magazine full.and his ammunition belt full. j.t. thought" he must sure be mad at that lion : as he rode away on his circle. as he rode west toward the river he was zig zaging through the grease wood and creosote , mesquite and cat claw.. it grew thicker as he neared the river. occasionaly he would see where the stake chain on the lion trap was dragging behind the lion. that lion track was the biggest he had ever seen he thought to himself" that lion must weight 250 pounds!" on reaching the river he came up on a deer the lion had killed. he had eaten from the shoulder and neck then left it. j.t.knew mountain lions wouldnt waste a kill, they would hide it and come back later.. but this deer was right out in the open." that lion must be a bad hombre to do that"j.t. thought as he rode by he should be meeting up with billy at any time. the san pedro had a small stream of water here it was pleasent rideing along under the shade of the cotton wood trees and seeing cattle every so often watering in the stram. l.t. knew the river could be quick sand in spots but found no cattle bogged. after a hour of rideing through the brush along the river he turned up onto the bank and rode right into a mess. before him sat three men on their horses, their hands up above their heads. in front of the sat billy on his horse, his rifle pointed at the middle rifer. as he rode up j.t. pulled his rifle and pointed it at the men. " whats upp boss?" he asked found these boys with 20 head of my cattle headed toward tombstone.i think ill ride along with them over to tombstone but we will leave the cattle here.."billy wiggled his rifle at the cowboys. " when we move away you pick up their harware and bring it along will you?" jt said he would. " ok you boys lower your hands and rest them on your saddle hornes. run your reins through your fingers. if you take your hands off the saddle horn without telling me first ill kil you plain and simple.. anyone got any questions?" billy instructed. the three turnned their horses together and headed south. when they were clear of the guns on the ground j.t. picked them all up and hung them on his saddle. he struck a trot and pulled up on the river side of the three his rifle laying in his lap and pointing toward the three rustlers. no one said a word all the way to tombstone. as they approached town billy pointed down allen street with his rifle barrel" that ways boys. right on down the middle of the street to the sherrifs office" the rustler in the middle shot a hard look at billy from his squinted eyes but slowley turned his horse down allen, right down the middle of the street. billy paraded them for everyone to see. j.t. rode along to one side but said nothing . when they reached the sherriffs office billy had the three rustlers line up in front of the jail. they sat there with out a sound. a man was walking along the street and billy asked him to get the deputy out of the jail.