THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 12

when dale got back to the ranch house he found billy and two mexican teamsters un loading the two wagons of materiel he had bought. billy was all smiles as he was handing down lumber for the teamsters to stack.. dale wasnt sure just what they would do with all this lumber but billy stated he had plans. the teamsters were in agreement to stay and be carpenters dale told billy about wilkinson comming by and his threats. the smile on billys face faded quick. "do you think he was serious with those threats?" billy asked when dale was through telling him about the visit. "i think we better take them serious.. start packing your gun. i think he is a big coward but not above back shooting some one." dale explained. " we arnt going to back down from our work here. i see a solid roof on this ole house. just let us get these wagons unloaded" billy had returnned to his happy go lucky self. the next few days as soon as the thatch was pulled off the roof and hauled away the two carpenters were nailing boards in place makeing a solid roof. one afternoon dale couldnt stand it anymore , he had to ask"whats going to keep the rain from comming through the cracks between the boards?" billy looked at him in disbelief and pointed to two five gallon buckets of tar" when they paint that roof with that, nothing will leak through."while the two carpenters were finishing the roof, billy had nailed a wooden water trough together in the corral it was sealed with tar and had to be buried half its height to get the water to run in to it. but in short order the trough was full and over flowing. dale stood looking at the trough then the roof. , " in short order we have a well improved cow out fit.but i think we need to see how many cattle this outfit has." billy explained the carpenters would be done the next day. then they would fly at gathering the cows. dale couldnt wait.

THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 11

the next morning billy saddled his horse and rode up the wagon trail to gleeson. he would meet the two wagon loads of stuff that dale had bought and show them the way down to the ranch. dale caught his saddle horse and was brushing him in preperation of saddling when judd wilkinson rode into the yard leading his race horse.dale didnt say anything as he watched wilkinson stare about. he took in all the improvements and especially the little stream of water. when dale stepped around the back of his horse judd looked up." you got my ranch looking pretty good when i get back from the horse races ill move in." dale amiled" dont count on it. you dont have a ranch, i do." " if you think that quit claim i gave you will hold up your nuts. this is my ranch and it will stay mine."judd leaned a bit forward in the saddle to make his point. "your right, the quit claim was worthless.you gambled a ranch you didnt own.. but after a trip to the county seat i got everything cleared up.. this ranch, the brand and all the cattle are mine. so i advise you move on. go on to the horse races and dont come back this way."dale unloaded on jud. " i built all this its mine!"wilkinson almost screamed. " no its mine now move along, i got work to do." dale turned to his horse to saddle him. "wilkinson sat there boiling mad. he started to reach for his side arm, but before he could touch it dale laid his rifle across the back of his horse."you like it so much here ill see you get buried heree if you touch that gun. now git! and dont come back." wilkinson slowley turned his horse and started to ride away glareing at dale all the time" ime comming back and ill bring some help this ranch is mine!" dale said no more but kept the rifle trained on wilkinson until he rode out of range. he saddled his horse and stuck the rifle down into the saddle scabbord. he would have to keep a eye out for the crooked gambler. he steped on his horse and rode out to the south he was going to try and find some cows.he had no idea where the cattle ran or if they were still around.. he hopedm there was some natural water down below but he wasnt sure.the san pedro river was 20 miles or so to the west. it had a good stream of water most of the time.. he hoped his cattle had water closer than that.- a couple of miles from the house he started seeing cattle tracks.. he kept going south following the tracks.. all the tracks drifted south . occasionally he would see cattle grazeing on the ridges on either side of him. they didnt seem wild they simply stood and watched him ride by. the faarther he rode south the thicker the tracks became. soon he rounded a bend in the arroyo he was following and he could see strings of cattle climbing up the slope up ahead. he came to a place there was a drop off over solid rockk of 20 feet ot so. he had to climb the bank and ride around. while up on the slope he looked down and saw a large pool of water. from the rock face of the drop off water was trickling and running down into the pool. dale rode on down to the pools edge and let his horse drink. he was amazed. he didnt know how many cattle this pool would support but it looked like a large amount were drinking here. he needed to lay claim to this before some one else found it. it could be the key to his cattle business. he turned back to ward home.