THE TRAIL TO TOMBSTONE 9

when dale rode back into the yard at the jw he was shocked the door into the house hung square, a stream of water ran across the yard and over to the corral. the thatch on the roof of the house had been rearranged to cover the holes with fresh thatch added. he just sat his horse and took it all in. his little pack horse was loaded with house hold goods he bought in bisbee. he rode over to the door of the house and started unloading the packs, carrying everything in side. in the house he found the flagstone floor clean and swept. he just kept shakeing his head in disbeif. when he went to the corral to put his horses away he saw where some of the low places had rock and brush added to raise the fence height. a hand dug pool in the corral was full to over flowing. when turned loose his horses went right to the water and drank deep. the little stream was filling the pool faster than the horses could drink. that stream of water was priceless in the arizona desert. everywhere he turned he found some small thing billy had done to improve the ranch. but billy was gone. nowhere to be seen.dale figured he had gone to his copper claim. he went in and fixed a meall then went to bed. tomorrow he would have to hobble his horses out to graze but he wanted to do it so he could keep watch over them. horse theivery was something still a common crime in the country. the next morning as he was walking back to the house from hobbling out his horses he saw billy ride into the yard.he waved as he walked up." good to see you billy, i missed you last night." " i went to gleeson, i got a couple fellas to help comming. be here soon, they are working out a wagon trail." billy grinned. "good! i got two wagon loadsm of building supplys on the way, some one will need to show them where the trail in here is."dale watched as billy tied his horse at the corral and came walking back. he then explained about the recording of the property and the brand. he showed billy the deed and the brand certificate. " well i figured judd was a piker but never to that extent. he just started this deal then used it for gambling when in town. i wonder if he put it up in some other gamble?" billy commented. " it wont matter now, its mine, ours now."dale laughed. "what you mean ours?" billy asked. " read the deed."dale handed it to billy. when billy saw the names on it he handed it back. " why did you do such a thing?" " because you have put just as much or more than me into this deal from promoting the horse race around town to developing that water, you earned it."dale was folding the paper work up and putting them in a envelope. billys horse nickered, both men turned to look and the wagon from gleeson was creaking into the yard. " now we get started!" billy almost shouted.