BACK FROM THE SIERRA 17

j.t. stepped out the door of the boarding house. jeb walker was tying the two drunks to their horses.slaugher stood there watching. "young man one of those two refered to you as the lordsburg gunman, is that you? j.t. bowed his head" they call me that some times but i only ever shot one man before this. and he was acosting my mother and sister. when i tried to stop him he drew on me. i shot him." " well where are you now?" slaughter asked. " ime working for billy foure."j.t. answered " he knows about me." " did you help him bring in those cow theives a while back?" slaughter asked, he was digging and makeing j.t. nervous. " yes sir." was all j.t said. " heres what you do, stay here a day or two make sure everything is settled. then go back to billy foure and tell him what happened. then come to tombstone. i want you to tell all this to the judge. try and stay out of trouble till then ok?"slaughter was talking like some one who cared about him j.t. wasnt sure what to say he just nodded with a bowed head. four days later j.t. jogged the 76 brown into the foure ranch yard and rode right up to the house, bill stepped out with a chicken leg in his hand. " you find everything ok?"bill asked around the chicken leg. j.t.had been running everything over in his mind just how he was going to tell billy, now it wouldnt come.he stepped down from the horse. "i gotta go to tombstone. to see the judge. the sheriff is waitting for me. i might not be back." " let me saddle a horse, ill ride along. i need you back here,with me and shug. that cat with the trap on is raiseing hell. i never seen the like. you can explain what happened in dragoon as we ride along." billy walked past j.t. on his way to the barn. when they rode into tombstone billy rode right to the court house. he looked neither right orr left. he tied his horse in fron . he looked at j.t. " well get down we cant get this done with you sitting up there," slowley j.t. slide to the ground." well i guess all this finally caught up with me. ime sick and tired of running from it i havent been the best man i guess." billy took him by the arm and escorted him into the court house. the judge sat behind a tall desk. he wasnt a old man but maybe in his fortys with brown hair and gray at his temples. as they walked up to the bench the judge looked at billy"is this the young man you were telling me about?" he asked " yes sir. "billy answered. " young man are you one and the same as shot and killed a beligerent drunk in dragoon who was shooting at the doctor?"the judge asked. j.t. answered " yes sir" " i have before me a five year old hand bill from lordsberg saying you shot and killed a deputy there that you found attemting to rape your sister. is thacorrect?" the judge was sounding serious. " yes i did."j.t. clenched his jaw. " well ime going to contact the magistrate in lords berg and have this pulled. your service to this county has proved your case there. ime releaseing you to billy foure. you have six months probation with him. case dismissed!" the judge dropped his gavel on the bench. billy grabed j.t. and started to pull him to the door. j.t. turned to the judge" thank you sir. you dont know what this means." " just dont let me see you hear again unless its on the side of the law." the judge answered. out side billy was grinning at him. "now quit fussing over that mess in lordsberg" they turned toward the ranch.