BACK FROM THE SIERRA 9

dragoon was a small rail road town in the gap of the dragoon mountains.. almost everyone who lived there were railroad connected. it had a small general store and a smal saloon. a black smith shop who did specialty work for the rail road and shod frieght horses hauling loads south to tombstone. it was a quiet village the biggest noise comming from the railroad engines that stopped for water. some of the locals would sit down at the station dureing the day and watch the trains pull in twice a day. one from the east and one from the west. they brought the news from the outside world. it may be two or three days old but it was current to them. this day j.t. had ridden the 76 brown down to the rail road office to maybe get a little interaction and gossip. he was getting cabin fever. he tied his horse behind the rail road station and ambled around front to find three of the town loafers sitting there. on the floor was a pint bottle that was almost empty of the brown liquid it held. j,t. spoke to the three and walked on by and down the street to the little saloon. he bought a pint of bourbon and started back. when he reached the platform the three were seated on he pulled the cork on the bottle and took a swallow. then handed it to the first loafer who grinned when he took it; " thanks young man" and he tipped the bottle up makeing the bubbles roll . he then handed it to the next man and then the third. by then the bottle looked like the one on the floor.j.t. almost laughd. " whats going on boys? anything worth talking about?" j.t. asked nobody said anything for a few minutes. j.t. stated they were three blind mice. and got a chuckle out of them. the station master leaned out his window " you j.t.?" he asked. " now you know i am, why?" j.t. answered. billy foure is wanting you down at the ranch when you can go." the station agent said. "thats what i wanted to hear. it beats furnishing whiskey to these three."j.t. slapped the shoulder of the nearest loafer and laughed as he wennt to his horse. he needed go pack up. it was a good half days ride to billy foures ranch. it sat up on the slope of the dragoons looking down into the valley of the san pedro valley. billys cattle ran all the way to the river where it ran live water year round. the 76 brown was fresh from standing around with nothing to do. j.t. tied everthing he neded onto his saddle then hugged adele and mounted and turned south onto the trail that led to tombstone. a few hours later he came to the place where the trail branched and the left hand fork went to uncle billy foures ranch. he had been seeing cattle scattered all along as he went. the ground was well grazed. it needed a rest and some rain. a hour later he rode into the ranch yard. he rode over to the corral fence that ran along next to the barn. as he was tying his horse billy foure walked out of the barn " i suppose your j.t. lane?"he asked. " yes sir at your service." j.t. quipted. " and service it will be young man. bring your gear up to the house and we will get you settled and fed lunch." the rancher turned and walked back toward the house. as he was untying his personal stuff from his saddle he said" now just what kind of service you think he has in mind?" the brown only cocked a ear.

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.