BACK FROM THE SIERRA 15

j.t. rode into the yard at adeles cabin. all was quiet. he tied his horse and went in the cabin.no one was there. but he could see that she was still liveing there. everything in fine order.. he went out to his horse and was going to un saddle but something told him not to. he stepped into the leather aand turnned toward town. he didnt hurry , he just let the brown amble along. the village seemed deserted. no one was about. no children playing in the yards. he rode on down to the rail road office. tyinghis horse he went in. the agent was scribbling on a pad as fast as he could write. he looked up and saw j.t. and let out the air he had been holdig " man ime glad to see you. " he said. " whats going on?" j.t. aasked. "three cowhands rode in here yesterday, they took over the little saloon. they been rawhiding everyone they see. charlie went in there last night and was going to quiet things down a mite. they shot him. he staggered outside and made it to the boarding house. adele is with him now. i was just sending a wire to the sherriff john slaughter" " j.t. stood there in shock" send the wire. ill go check on charlie and adele. " he spun and went out the door to his horse. when he got to the boarding house he could hear the loud laughter and bad language comming from the saloon across the street. their horses were still tied in front. drawn from lack of feed and water. he went in the boarding house and was told where charlys room was. stepping in he saw charly propped up in bed. his skin was a ashen color. his eyes droopy. adele saat in a chair by the bed with a pan of water she was trying to clean around the bullit wound in the side of his chest. it was weeping blood. " you ok adel?" j.t.asked when she saw him. "ime ok but charly is hurt bad"adele stood and walked over to j.t. and hugged him. " theres no doctor here?" j.t. asked. " no he is in willcox and should get here on the next train. some one needs to do something about those three over there. everyone is scared to come out of their houses. " adele cried. charley opened his eyes. " if you go out there watch the shortest one. he s the shooter. the other two stay behind him" " ill stay with you two until the sherrif gets here. ill need to tend to my horse tho. what can i bring you?" j.t. asked. " i dont need anything but i bet adele could use something to eat. she has been here all night."charley said. j.t. nodded" ill be back." he went out to the 76 brown and untied him . in the distance he could hear the train comming . he led hishorse to a handy corral in back of the boarding house.he then went to the general store. next door to it the saloon was alive with the cowboys raiseing cane.he gathered up some things that would be easy to fix and paid the shakeing clerk who put them in a bag. when he picked up the bag he absently touched the pistol at his him. he took the hammer string off. the clerk took notice of that. j.t. walked out the door and turnned toward the boarding house comming up the street from the rail road office was a man he took to be the doctor. as he drew near a voice from the salood yelled" hey here comes atown dude lets have some fun!" the doctor took a faltering step but kept comming. j.t. pointed to the boarding house door. the doctor turned to it just as a loud voice yelled" he dude, come on over and have a drink on us!" the doctor didnt even look back but opened the door. a blast from a gun and the door jam exploded into splinters. j.t. dropped the bag of food and pushed the doctor inside the door. as hem turned to pick up his bag another bullit hit the wall where he would have been if he was standing. his temper took over. he set the bag up right and started across the street. when he reached the front of the saloon he looked in a window. two of the cowboys were standing at the bar weaveing. the third stood in the middle of the room with a whiskey bottle in one hand and a pistol in the other. j.t. drew his pistol and held it behind his leg and stepped in the door. the bar tender was terrified, and he looked to j.t. when he did the drunk with the gun turned to j.t. " drop the gun cowboy" j.t. said "and what if i dont, what you gonna do about it?" the drunk was raiseing his pistol. without another word j.t. shot the man. when hit he stumbled back and fell across a table to the floor.j.t. looked at the other two" drop your side arms or your next." the two were shocked looking at their friend but they dropped their guns to the floor. " out side, now!" j.t. ordered. ' dave is still breathing, i can see him" one of the other two exclaimed. " we will take care of him. sit down out there. where i can watch you." j.t. realized he didnt know what to do with these two. the bar tender came out the door" he darn sure aint dead, what we do with him?" go see what the doc thinks, he is in the boarding house, j.t. instucted. as he stood looking at the two drunks sitting in the street it suddenly hit him, he had shot two men. he became sick to his stomach. he leaned against the building, a knot formiing in his belly.