GO EN RODEO EN 19

three days later joe was sitting at a table in mommas cafe.. his horses were back in their stalls in the livery barn the doctor in globe after the men acrried the sherriff into the jail and put him on a cot had stopped the bleeding and removed dutches bullit from the mans chest. the doc stated he would live to a ripe old age. dutch had been found the next morning on the back door step of a house on the edge of town.....dead. blains two shots had taken him one on each side of his spine below the shoulder blades. . blain and joe had left and come back to winkleman . after a good nights rest blain had shook hands all around and started for florence. life had gotten quiet and peaceful. joe was waitting on breakfast from mommas kitchen but most of all he was waitting on sophie to serve it. the more he was around her the more he became infatuated with her. before leaveing globe he had gone to a dress shop and bought her a pink party dress. he didnt know if it fit but hoped it would, he imagined her standing there in it. he had forgotten about going back to patagonia to ranch. today he was going to look at a little outfit along the san pedro. big trees , a little water year round, a garden and enough country to run 250 cows. a quiet life. and as far as go en rodeo en went time would tell. sophie brought breakfast and placed it in front of him. " you know, i can cook just as good as momma."sophie said. joe looked up at those deep brown eyes" ime counting on it,"

GO EN RODEO EN 18

late in the afternoon joe and blaine rode into globe on sweated and drawen horses . the two horses had a strong step and marched right along down the main street. joe looked over to blain with a unasked question. " first thing we do is check in with the local law.. but keep a eye peeled for that bird or at least the horse he stole from that cowpuncher" blain explained. as they rode on up the street joe had his eyes searching every nook and cranny. " maybe we beat him here? or he went some place else." joe spoke in a low tone. " maybe, but i doubt it. he hasnt eaten in a few days, and he probably thinks he ran away from us. so he will be feeling brave." blain was looking for the jail as he rode along. the street narrowed then took a slight turn around some boulders to big to move. just past the boulders they saw a dodge truck with high side boards and saddles strapped to them. joe whistled" i know those guys. go ahead ill run them down they are good friends." blain looked over to him" you see dutch dont tackle him yourself. come find me." joe nodded and turned over to the dodge truck he tied his horse to the side board on the driver side and looked up and down the street. he spied a sighn out over the side walk advertiseing beer.he went that way. as he stepped inside the bar room he needed a moment to adjust his vision it was darker than usual. a bar maid with a trail was serving beer to some cowboys at a table when he walked over to the table jerry looked up and his eyes grew wide and a smile crossed his face. "look what we got here boys! my gosh what you doing here" " joe slapped jerry on his shoulder and then leaned over and grasped eds hand. the third cowboy at the table was looking to ed then back to jerry." this is our brother louis mcfarland. louis this joe brown. we told you about him"ed explained. louis extended a calloused hand and shook joes. " we thought you were headed home down on the border. what you doing here?" jerry asked. " looking for your ole buddy dutch. he was headed this way earlier today."joe then explained the whole deal with dutch escapeing and running loose. ed and jerry became serious and quiet. they listened close. " i got to go catch up with the ranger ime with. but if you see dutch come get us." joe turned and walked out of the bar. sox was still tied where he left him but there was a couple of cowboys standing there looking at him. joe stepped up on the good sorrell and looked down at the cowboys" wheres the jail?" " straight ahead about two blocks." one of them answered joe reined his horse about and headed up the street. as he drew near the jail he saw his grulla standing tied outside the front door. he tied sox next to him and went in. blain was seated at a desk talking to a middle aged man with a star pinned on his shirt. he had a cigar protruding from the corner of his mouth. blain introduced joe then asked the sherriff where they could stable their horses and get a bed and meal.. the man stood up and said" come with me, ill show you both within easy walking distance." as they stepped out the door they saw dutch untying the reins to joes horses. blain yelled at him to stop and put up his hands. instead he spun to run but he turned right into the face of the mcfarland brothers.he bulled into them knocking them over as he broke to run down the street. next to joe was a gun explodeing, he ducked as the sound was right next to his ear. dutch spun, pulled his pistol and fired at the three men on the side walk. the sherriff grunted and fell. blains pistol barked and dutch staggered a few steps but continued to run.everyone turned their attention to the sherrif.. he was bleeding heavily from the right side of his chest. blain put a rag over it andleaned on the wound trying to stop the bleeding. jerry ran for a doctor .