BACK FROM THE SIERRAS 4

at every stop the train made j.t. would hustle into the frieght agents office and inquire about his mother and sister. some remembered seeing them. others didnt. in willcox the agent told him they had stayed over night. and his mother had been sick coughing and haveing a hard time breathing. but they wouldnt take his advice and stay on. they reloaded on the train west. j.t. grabbed a sandwich from a lunch bar and got back on the train. he rode the caboose and spent a lot of time standing on the little platform at the end of the car, watching the country as it sailed by. at the cochise station the train barely slowed as it whizzed by. the station there was a two story hotel with just 4 rooms. if there was a reason to stop the flag on the pole was up, but this day it hung limp. the next stop was dragoon. it had a few more people and it was a water stop before the trail turnned west toward tucson. before the train had stopped rolling on the sideing he had stepped off and trotted into the frieght office.. when he asked about his mother and sister the agent became suspicious and asked why he was inquiring. j.t. explained his reason for the chase and search. the agent shook his head slowly and pointed out a window" your mother lays there. when they arrived here it was late. your mother was very sick i put them up in the boarding house. they insisted they move on but it wasnt possible.. your poor mother died in her sleep that night. she is in the cemetary yonder." j.t. turned slowley but stopped" what about my sister? where is she?" "charly foure was in town that day, he set her up with a small house he owned . she takes in sewing and such , does house work. charlie checks on her when he comes to town." the agent told him. " where is that?" j.t. asked. the agent drew him a small map of dragoon. showing him where his sister lived. j.t. went out and unloaded his horse from the train.. when he returned he showed the agent his train ticket. the man looked at it then counted out 1 doller in change for the unused part of the ticket. . j.t. went out side and led his horse over to the cemetary. he tied his horse to a mesquite tree then stepped in side the gate and found his mothers grave. a few weeds were growing along the sides. he took the time to kneal and pull the weeds and brush up the soil that covered his mother. he sat there beside her for a long while then slowley got up." if i can mom ill hang out here and look after sis and you ime back for good." he mounted his horse and turned in the direction the map showed where his sister lived.

BACK FROM THE SIERRAS 3

THE NEXT MORNING j.t. was saddling his horse when he looked out toward the north, there he saw a horseman comming at a long trot. by the time he had finished cinching up the saddle the rider trotted right into the yard and pulled up at the barn next to j.t. s brown horse. " good morningyou spend the night here?" the rider asked. j.t. looked at him and nodded. " my name is harvey kimbal, i own this little slice of heaven" the rider stepped down and started un cinching his saddle" i took my wife and son to lordsburg. you see any apaches?" " yesterday, about twenty miles south of the line. they were headed west."j.t. answered. " i spent the night here , i hope you didnt mind. i was pretty give out when i got here." "no i dont mind i took my family there because the word around was the indians were raiding. you must not have been seen by them" harvey pulled the saddle from his sweating horse. " i i was up in some boulders. they didnt see me."j.t. was being caustious. " dont i know you? i seen you some place before, arnt you the guy that killed that crooked deputy over in lordsburg a while back?"harvey asked good naturedly. "yep, i been in mexico since then i ws hopeing the heat was off. i need to go see my mother and sister over yonder."j.t. pointed to the north east " your good anywhere you go. except lordsburg. them folks hold grudges a long time.you did the country a favour shooting that pig.your family left there right after you did. to much gossip. you should have got a medal for what you did.i think your folks went west" harvey was leading his horse to a corral " well if ime going to go find them i better move along. i thank you or the bed last night tho. how did mom and sis leave lordsburg? any idea which way or how?" j.t. asked. "west bound train i heard. you might check up at the station at stiens." harvey answered then he ponted to the brown horse j.t. was saddling" i wouldnt ride that sucker anywhere around the middle of the state, he came from webb up at the 76 ranch in bonita nort of willcox. he has had some stock stolen lately. altho he aint got no room to talk thats how he got started." harvey chuck;led. " i got him in mexico i havent ever been to bonita, but ill try and steer clear of there. i dont want no trouble."j.t. mounted" thanks again."he turned the horse north and left at a trott. harvey waved a lazy hand as he rode away. j.t. hit a trot to the north. he wasnt sure where steins rail road station was but he knew it was north some where. he had taken enough canned goods from harveys out fit for a good meal or two and some coffee. he didnt know how much each dobie doller was worth but the weight of each was enough to amount more than a doller. they were heavey. he still carried a few plus the paper mexican money but he feared it had no value here. the brown was a ground covering horse. he never drew a long breath as he put the miles behind them. mid morning the next day j,t, could make out the smoke from a locomotive up ahead. as he drew near he realized it was takeing on water. " this must be steins " he told the brown horse. when he rode up there was stock corrals. he tied his horse at a water trough and went into the station house."its been a few years but by chance do you remember a woman and her blond haired daught passing through, headed west. they should have got on in lordsburg?" the station agen looked at j.t. like he was crazey then a look of recognition crossed his face"your the one shot that pig over in lordsburg. that was your mom and sister your asking about right?" " yes thats them. do you know where they went?"j.t. asked " they had a through pass to maricopa. but they could have got off any where along the way. if i were you i wouldnt go back to lordsburg. that reward is still up for you." te station master said. " ime headed west. how much to haul my horse to maricopa?" j.t. was digging in his pants pocket. " twelve dollers. you can ride in the caboose for free. " he was writting out the ticket." j.t. laid two silver coins on the counter"will that cover it?" the man looked at the coins then picked them up and hefted them. he walked back to a table where a small scale set he weighed the coins. when he returned he grinned at j.t. you dont know what them are worth do you?" .jt.shook his head. " its a good thing ime honest" the man said as he counted out 8 dollers change and handed the ticket to j.t." better get your horse loaded, they are gonna drag it any minute. ill tell them to hold up until you get aboard.every time they stop you ought to ask around about your family some one might remember them. your mom and sister were uncommonly pretty." " thanks" jt. went out the door to the corrals.