GOEN RODEOEN 1

cliff davis stood at the prch of his house watching the approaching horseman. he rode a horse with a bosal hackamore, and was leading another sorrel , stocking legged, bald face horse with a pack rig loaded and his bed roll drapped over the whole and lashed down. the rider was tall and straight sitting ram rod straight in the saddle. cliff stepped down and walked out into the yard to meet the rider. about middle of the yard cliff stopped and stood there. there rider stopped a a little ways back and stepped down from his bronc. " your really gonna go arnt you?"cliff asked. " the prize money is to much to pass up. and since i got no auto i better leave early to get there. i want to thank you for letting me work here. theres no better out fit around." the tall man spoke cliff scrubbed his toe in the dust and shook his head." theres no way i can talk you out of this? i really wish you wouldnt go traipsen off up there." your gonna have to go compete against the best rodeo bums out there. you know they will be there too" "no you cant talk me out of it. that prize money could set a man up. i want my own out fit. if i dont win anything ill be driften back this way, if you will have me. but i rope just as good as those fellas. i know i can beat them." the tall man was determined. "you got a job any time you want it.. wait here ill go get your pay, your going to need it." cliff spun and headed into his house slamming the screen door. in just a few minutes he came back and handed the tall rider a hand full of cash" you better stash some of that to feed your self on the way back home." cliff smilled at him. " good luck cowboy, ill say a prayer for you."cliff stuck out his hand. the cowboy took the hand and firmly gripped it and shook it. " i better roll boss, prescott is a long ways up the road." the cowboy turned to his saddle horse and mounted. "i hope i read the name joe brown in the sunday paper.adios joe." cliff waved a short wave to the tall man as he rode out of the yard headed north. joe brown rode at a northward angle.. he was going to follow the san pedro river to the gila then follow that until he found a way north to prescott. maybe up the bradshaw trail out of pheonix. he was thirty years old, born into a cow family in benson az. but a house fire had taken his folks and little sister. he had been just a litttle over 10 years old. the bank took everything that wasnt nailed down. he was left standing there with the clothes on his back when the widow allen had taken him in. he had worked daily to earn his place at her table. she made sure he got a education teaching him herself. by the time he was 18 years old he was punching cows with the best that southern arizona had to offer.. there was lots of wild cattle in the thickets along the san pedro and it didnt take him long to get fast with a rope. he worked hard but the best he could gain was a couple of good quality horses. he was being impatient , monthly wages added up slow. but the prize money in prescoott was lureing him north.

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.