THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 4

the next day dale was sitting on the porch at the boarding house when wilkins rode by leading a leggy, narrow bay covered in a blanket " if you still want to race horses ill be at the palace in a hour and we can work out the details."wilkins was smug and self aqssured. " ill be there" dale said. dale was standing at the end of the bar at the palace saloon when wilkins came strolling in. he went to the bar next to dale and ordered a beer. dale only nodded at him. "ok mr. race horse man heres the dealwe run the coarse out at the edge of town a full mile." he didnt get to finish. " no, i told you quarter mile. we can run right through the middle of town."dale told him between sips of beer. " what you gonna run? your not serious about the litttle pack horse are you?"wilkins was incredulos. " yep and ill ride him. whos going to ride yours?" dale replyed. " i got a man comming, a jocky. ill agree to all that, you wont even see that hot blooded horses dust!"wilkins was even more sure. " heres my 500 for the purse"he laid a bundle on the bar. "man you must be hard hearing or just forgetful, i told you i run for no less than 2000. your 1500 short. no deal. i think your mouth is bigger than your bank account."dale dropped a bundle on the bar where every one could see it. wilkens looked like a piker to everyone there. wilkins stared at the bundle then backed away from the bar " i, i dont have that much cash." " then i guess this whole time has been wasted." dale picked up his bundle of green backs and put them in the pocket of his jacket. he scooted back from the bar getting ready to leave. " wait! will you take my note for the 1500?" wilkins asked " and whats gonna back the note? ime not stupid judd. lets just forget the whole deal. you dont have enough to play in this game."dale came down hard on wilkins. " ill put up a quit claim on my ranch in gleeson cattle and all!"wilkins was wanting a horse race bad. dale looked over at the bar tender" you got pen and paper?" the bar tender walked away then returned with a ink well , a pen and a clean sheet of paper. he put them in front of wilkins. he snatched the pen from the bar tenders hand and started scribbling. when he was done he slide the paper over to dale who read it. when finished dale place his bundle of cash on top of the paper and slid it over to the bar tender. " you got a safe?" he asked. the bar tender nodded and picked up the money and the paper and went to a safe behind the bar and locked them inside. " tomorrow noon at the south end of town we ask billy to start us. that ok with you?"dale took control. " you pick some one you know who you trust to be at the finish line." wilkins nodded. his self confidence was shinning all over. good enough. quartermile through town "