BACK FROM THE SIERRA 8

for the next few days j.t. stayed around the cabin. adele had a lot of sewing to do and charlie hadnt been back. he cut weeds and raked and cleaned up around the little cabin. he found some scrap lunber scattered around and knocked together a bed frame. he ysed some old rope and wove a center to it and with a few blankets had put together a reasonably useable bed. adele seemed happy with him about singing low while she swed and cooked. j.t. had settled into a decent life style and had pretty much quit looking over his shoulder and acting like a wild mustang watching the horizon. he had borrowed some shoeing tools from the local blacksmith and was shoeing the 76 horse when a tall horse man rode into the yard. j,t, looked up with a mouth full of horse shoe nails and nodded to the well dressed man. he was middle aged and rode a horse that could be related to the 76 brown. the man said nothing but st epped down from his horse and leaned up against the wall of the little barn while j.t finished the foot he was working on. when he set the foot down and spit the nails into a empty bean can the man stepped up" my name is gilbert webb" he stuck his hand out. "j,t, lane sir, i assume you came to claim your horse?" j.t. didnt waant to give up the brown but didnt want a scandle to draw attention to himself either. " i heard you had him. how did you come by him?" webb asked. " my horse had played out when the apaches ambusched those mexican vaqueros.. i hid out while they fought it out. when the apaches left this horse was wandering around loose. i left the mexican horse there and rode this one home. he is sure a good one.." j.t. explained. " he is a full brother to the one ime rideing, well bred horses. but i dont want to put you afoot. its enough knowing he isnt roasting over a apache fire in the mountain some where. all i would ask is you dont trade him off without asking me first."webb laid his hand on the good brown horses hip. " if you would price him i may be able to pay for him. but i do appreciate your generosity."j.t. said. " no price, but i may come get yopu to help me at the ranch some time. would you be willing to do that?" webb asked. " yes sir! il be hunting work soon. i want to make sure my sister is safe and sound tho." j.t. explained. " its my understanding that charlie foure has been keeping time with her, i can say that she couldnt be in better hands." webb turned to his horse. " if you should ever want me for anything the telegrapher in willcox can get a message to me at fort grant. they are my neighbors." he waved a loose wave and turned his horse back into dragoon and rode away. j.tt. patted the brown on the hip"well one less worry put to bed." the brown cocked a ear back toward the cowboy.

BACK FROM THE SIERRA 7

j.t. sat on a bench out side the arizona bank in willcox. he was waitting for it to open at his feet a satchel containing the money from don morales. he had left ten dobie dollers with adele, they were solid silver and would cash anywhere. he told her to stock up on food and any other supplys she needed. he didnt tell her but he had better than a hundred more of the silver coins. that was the extra weight in his saddle bags. this today was the paper money he had taken he wanted to convert it to american money if possible. he had bought a train ticket from dragoon to willcox and hopped the first east bound that came through. he sat now with his brim of his hat pulled down over his eyes just to the point he could see people comming and going. he heard the locks on the front door click as they opened the bank. but before he could stand a big well dressed man with a broad brimmed hat and a star pinned on his vest rushed past him into the bank. j,t. stepped just inside the bank in order to hear the man blustering at the bank manager. :dont take any mexican cash until you call me.. that lordsburg kid cleanned out don morales down in the sierra madre mountains. he took a bundle of the paper money and some dobie dollers. the possee chaseing him was attacked and slaughtered by juh s apache band. they later found the horse the kid was rideing among the dead vaquaros, it was stripped of saddle and bridle. but nobody could identify a corps of the kids. but the money wasnt there. they dont think the apache took the money.. but some one passing might have it. i dont care about sending back to that ole skinflint in mexico but i want to know for sure if that kid is dead. theres a reward for him in lordsburg still." j.t. stepped up to the mans back. " i got the cash sir" the law dog spun on his heel and glared at the man standing there with a weeks worth of whiskers and a sun burned countenence. " well how did you get it"?the law man sked. i walked out across the flat where all them dead mexicans were. i found the mexican cash in a saddle bag next to a white looking guy."j.t. lied " was he the lordsburg gunman?" the law man asked. " i dont know, i never saw him before. but that guy was sure white"j.t. tried to sound innocent. the law man turnned to the banker" cash him out. i dont think he is lying" turnning back to j.t. he asked"what were you doing down there? how come them indians didnt get you?" " i was up on a hill in some boulders , prospecting . i heard the shooting and watched the attack. them mexicans didnt have a chance."j.t. stretched the truth a bit more. " hump. your a lucky kid. on two counts, not being seen and finding that money. good luck"the law man brushed by him and stomped out the door. j.t. handed the banker the valise holding the mexican money.if he could of let his breath that he had been holding out he would. it was all he could do to keep from shakeing. the banker took the money to a desk and dumped it out on the desk. he started counting , muttering to himself.when he got through he looked at j.t. and said" two thousand four hundred pesos. that should trade out to about six hunded american dollers. that ok with you?" j.t. nodded" thats more money i ever had. yes sir." ten minutes later j.t. walked out of the bank his pockets bulging with a wad of green backs. he hot footed it back to the train station. he didnt want to be recognized by some one. when the next west bound rolled by he made a point of getting aboard the caboose. that money was burnning a hole in his pocket but he needed out of willcox, it was to close to lordsburg. when the train whistle blew all ahead he let out a sigh.