THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 15

the next morning billy left with a wave . the surveyor had camped on the opposite rige from the house.. dale had walked up to him when he went to bring the horses in. he had offered him supper and a bed for the night but he had declined. when billy rode out that morning dale caught the remaining horses and was leading them up the ridge to graze. he passed the surveyors camp sit. a small pile of ashes from his fire was all that was there. dale was impressed as there was no trash. he led his horses on and started hobbling them so they could graze.dale thought to himself he was starting to take these horses maybe a bit to far from the house. but they had had no problems everything seemed calm. the little race horse was the last to get hobbled. he had been ignored the past few weeks. dale checked his shoes and ran his hand down each front leg checking for any bumps or bruises. the little horse seemed to enjoy the attention. while dale was kneeling there the surveyor walked up slowley behind him. the horse snorted and took a step back before dale had the hobbles tied. " thats a pretty good little horse.. to bad he is so small."the man stated. " he earned a place here. this out fit is his earnings." dale finished tying the hobbles. " the small size is only on the outside.. that heart in there is as big as the sky. he will give you every once of it when you ask for it."as dale started to stand the surveyor brought a peice of shovel handle down on dales head right behind his ear. the blow laid dale out flat. when dale came to it was almost dark.. his head was pounding and blood had dried on his shoulder and down his neck.he slowley rolled over then sat up. the pain in his head was liveing thing. slowley he looked around, not a horse in sight. a pile of hobble rope and the survey gear lay in a pile close by. " i felt there was something fishy about that guy." dale spoke to himself. dale slowley got to his feet. he staggered trying to get his balance. his head was swimming. he slowley started staggering down the slope to the house. all the way there he was muttering to him self the things he would do to a horse theif.. but he was going nowhere until billy got back with saddle horses. but tonite he was makeing use of the bed he used, but first he washed the dried blood from his head and neck. he couldnt tell by feeling it just how bad was the cut behind his ear. he found a rag and wet it the folded it and layed over the cut then laid down with his head laying on the rag. he went to sleep.