THE WILL 15

when tobey reached the hospital alexis was comming out the door. she was crying. tobey stopped her and took her arm. "is it hi " he whispered alexis nodded. " he is gone, he died talking to me. that real estate crook caused too much stress when he was here. he made me promis, PROMISE to not sell the ranch to any one but a cowman." " what can i do?" tobey asked. " i dont know yet. the hospital will have him moved to the mortuary. but i need to make the rest of the preperations. plus i dont know what his business was doing, but i can do that later." alexis was talking slow and in circles. " want me to drive you home?" tobey asked. alexis nodded then said" will you do that?" they walked over to alexis car and got in . she told him how to get to her house. when he pulled into her drive way he was surprised to see a substantial house with rose bushe along the front and a large lawn.tobey took her inside. she went to a small side bar and poured a substantial amount of whiskey into a glass then put two shots in a second glass and handed it to tobey.she held her glass up and said" to hi !" tobey raised his and said the same thing. " tobey emptied his glass and said" i better go. ill check on you in the morning unless you call."he took his hat and turned to the door. " wont you stay with me? i dont want to be alone,"alexis started toward tobey. he stopped with his hand on tthe door, " it might not look good, me here right after hi passes." " ime a widow, and i could care less what any one thinks." alexis took him by the arm and drew him back in. he didnt resist very much. a hour before day lite the next day alexis dropped tobey off at his truck parked in the hospital lot. a long parting kiss and he pulled away " ill tend to business then be back." alexis nodded and smilled " ill have supper ready at seven tonite, dont be late."she told him. he turned too his truckand got it and watched her drive away. he started his truck then sat there thinking to himself"i been wanting just that, then why does it feel wrong?" he drove out of the lot and headed to the hay yard.

THE WILL 14

tobey left the hospital. hi was sleeping . when he got back to the hay yard he found roberto sitting on a bucket with a wet towel pressed to his face. "que passa amigo?" tobey asked. roberto removed the towel to reveal a black eye and a swollen cheek " that puto who works for tubbs was here, he wanted hay on credit. he said his boss made arrangments. when i told him you hadnt told me that he hit me. knocked me down took five bales."roberto grimaced. tobey stood up " where is this tubbs place?" roberto told him where it was then told him he would be fine. tobey turnned to his truck. enough! these high binders need a lesson. as he drove through town he saw a deputys car parked at the sherriffs office. he stopped and went in. " i need some back up. any one want to come along?"he asked. the two deputys sitting there with cold sodas looked at each other" whats up? one asked. tobey explained what happened to roberto, and the stolen hay. he was going to even things out.. the deputy sat up in his chair" ill tag along. any one breaks the law ill clean it up, that includes you." tobey turned and went out to his truck. as he pulled back on to the hiway the deputy was right on his rear bumper. when tobey pulled into tubbs yard he saw the pick up from earlir still loaded with the five bales. he spun around and backed up to the truck. he jumped out and started moveing the hay to his truck. from out of a barn the man who was so beligerent before came trotting "hey, what you think your doing?" " takeing my hay back that you stole." tobey threw the last bale onto his truck. " you the one who hit my hired man?" " i didnt steal nothing! mr . tubbs made a deal with the barn owner we could get hay on credit" " thats a lie, i never met a tubbs. your a theif and a bully. dont ever come back to my place again. if you do ill have you arrested for trespassing."tobey turned to get in his truck. the hired man grabbed him on his shoulder and spun him around. tobey glanced over at the deputy leaning against his car " what the hell" he thought. his free fist came up lightning fast and made contact with the mans face when hit, the man released tobeys shoulder and staggered back.tobey followed him and landed two more blowes.the man put his hands up in front of his face to deflect any more punches. but tobey knocked them down and one twoed the man who fell over back wards into the dirt. it all happened in the blink of a eye. tobey stood over the man his fists clenched. the deputy stepped up a smile on his face" is this the man who acosted your hired man and stole 5 bales of hay?" he asked tobey. " yes sir."tobey answered well ime arresting him you follow me to the jail and sighn the complaint. i saw his acost you and you fought back in self defense" the deputy was dragging the man to his car where he hand cuffed him and put him in the back seat of the car. tobey got in his truck and followed them back to the station house. tobey was in the wash room cleaning up his hands. one was bleeding a little. when he stepped out of the wash room he saw a man in front of the deputys desk complaining he needed the man they had to do his chores they needed to turn him loose. the man had on ranchers cloths but it was obvious he didnt fill the bill he had a big belly, a caved in looking chest and wore a little narrow brimmed felt hat. tobey thought if you looked close enough you would see the price tags still on the clothes. " he s going no where till he sees the judge two days from now. he stole hay, he beat up the employee at the hay barn then he tried to acost the hay owner when he came to retreave his hay, no, he stays here until the judge says other wise." the deputy laid it out. "he wasnt stealing anything , i made arrangments with the hay owner to get hay on credit...." tobey stepped up behind the fat little man"you must be tubbs," the man spun around his face red" well your as big a liar as your hired man. maybe you need some of what i gave him?" tobey was boiling again. the deputy stepped between them let it be. we will take care of this " he said. tobey ducked his head and nodded and turned to a chair and sat down. \tubbs left with out another word.. the deputy handed tobey a clip board and told him to sighn the form there after he read it. a half hour later he drove back onto the hiway and started home. when he got back to the hay yard he explained to roberto that if any of tubbs men or tubbs himself showed up he was to call the law. they been told.. he was going to start rideing in a day or so and wouldnt be available .. when they unloaded the five bales he started back to the hospital. maybe hi was awake by now. besides he wanted to see alexis.