BACK FROM THE SIERRA 16

a hour later a man on a wrung out sorrel horse came into town. he wore a star pinned to his shirt. but he had the look of a cow puncher.he walked up to j.t. and introduced him self " ime jeb walker from over in middle march pass. i was in cochise when the wire came through for the sherrif. am i too late?" "no, you can have these two, the other one is in the saloon, the doctor is with him now you maybe to late for him." j.t. explained as they stood there a buggy with a high stepping pair of sorrel horses driven by a brown haired woman came into town. next to her sat a dark complextioned man with a shot gun pointing to the sky. " thats john slaughter the county sherrif."walker explained to j.t. the buggy came to a slideing halt with the woman standing up and leaning back on the reins. the rail road station man came high stepping down the street and began telling slaughter what was happening. after a minute slaughter walked over to jeb walker and j.t. "you boys want tell me what happened?" he asked. " i dont think these two was doing much more than drinking and hooraw in the town, but the one inside shot charley foure and took two shots at me and the doctor. when i told him to put the gun down he raised it to shoot me, i shot first." j.t. explaned. just then the doctor came from the saloon. he looked at slaughter and just shook his head. j.t. leaned back against the wall his knees weak. "i take it you dont shoot very many people?" slaughter asked " no ime not predisposed to it. i just came to town to check on my sister. she was with charlie. " j.t. said well son you saved the town we will take these two to tombstone to the hoosgow that other one just left the country. go check on your sister and charlie. we will talk before we leave ." slaugter was takeing charge. j.t. walked across the street to the boarding house.. in charlies room he found him sleeping and adele asleep in a chair. he backed out of the room and quietly steped out side. he went to his horse and mounted and rode back to the cabin where adele lived. he cooked himself a meal. he ate but he was still queezy. after a bit he rode back into town. he tied his horse and quietly went to charlies room. when he eased the door open adele was sitting next to charlie feeding him a fork full of food. they both looked at him and smilled. " i guess you handled everything just right . thanks" charlie grinned. " i dont know if it was right or not. but its over. you gonna be ok?" j.t. asked. "doc says it didnt hit anything vital. but it hurt like hell. anyway i got the best nurse in the county."charlie bragged. " ill be around a day or so, ill check back on you." j.t. backed out the door.