THE GRAVE 13

every day shug would see neil sitting at his post whittling. shug kept a eye out for any one named blake. not knowing the circumstances of neils wifes murder he wanted to get it settled with out a shooting. late one afternoon as he was walking to meet carrie he saw john slaughters buggy comming , his wife at the driveing lines. john sat to the side with his ever present shotgun pointing sky ward.they rolled up next to the sherriffs office. where mrs. slaughter hauled back on the lines bringing the high stepping horses to a halt, the dust settling all around them. shug ambled over and tipped his hat to mrs slaughter who nodded at him. " i say , i say shug your a whole differnt man with the hair cut and white man clothes. anything happening in the township?" slaughter stepped down from the buggy and leaned the long tom against the building and began brushing the dust from his front. " all quiet sir. a few drunks but nothing to be a problem" shug said. mrs. slaughter drove her team on to the livery. they would spend the night. inside the office slaughter looked around at the clean office." you got a janitor on the payroll?"he asked. " its been so quiet i do it for something to do." shug explained. from the front of his coat slaughter produced a wanted poster and unfolded it on the desk front. it was for blake. shug looked at a long time." you seen this man?"slaughter asked. " no sir, and theres a man over at the hotel waitting for him. he claims this man killed his wife. i cant get much more information than that."shug put his hand on the poster. the reward was for 500 dollars. " what is he wanted for on this ?" " he broke up a card game in willcox, killed the dealer. it seems he likes shooting people. it dont matter if they are a man or woman. if you see him dont monkey with him. if you can get him before thats good, if you can convince him to leave the country for good thats fine too."slaughter used the familar term that told people it was ok to kill the bad men and bury them THEY LEFT THE COUNTRY. it would save the county money in trying them and holding them in jail. the county attorney was getting bored because his case load was so thin. but the county was getting settled under slaughters managment.