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"Lilly put the saloon up for sale."
"Is that a fact. Well, that's her business."
Jason looked piqued. "I guess I was wrong. I guess you have washed your hands of her and that place."
"That's right. I'm not at all interested. You have nothing to offer me. You've wasted your time coming here. Let's have some supper then you can be on your way." Sam told him getting to his feet.
Jason put out his cigar and followed Sam into the house. He sure had Sam figured differently. He could have sworn Charlie was Sam's kid.
But then why would he claim Charlie now, he had a wife of his own. A wife that was about to deliver a baby. Sam's baby. He didn't need Charlie. He'd made a big mistake.
Helen cooked a fine meal and after supper Jason excused himself and left.
All the way back to Doubtful he shook his head. Yeah, he had sure figured him wrong! Sam had changed!
Chapter Twenty
The Sheriff stood gazing about the place that hot September morning when Jason came out on the porch. It was fairly early in the morning, the birds were singing in the old cottonwood, the wind blew softly.
The yard had little grass, and the Sheriff rode right up to the house. Cattle lowed in the distance.
"Well now Jason." The Sheriff saw Jason coming outside and approached him carefully. "I came to see you the other day and your brother told me you were out of town. I told you not to leave town, I believe." The Sheriff looked stony-faced at him.
"Why Doug, good to see you too. Just went visiting an old friend. Didn't even spend the night but hurried back home, knowing you'd be wondering about me." Jason snarled his mouth, dripping with sarcasm.
"That's good. Well, I'm here to inform you that the circuit judge will be here in about three weeks, and we'll have the trial. You will be here, won't you?" The Sheriff shot him a firm lipped glance.
Jason stared for a moment, eyeing him closely. He looked at the Sheriff's belly that protruded over his belt, and his worn hat that had seen better days. He had no regard for the man, nor the way he presented himself.
"Of course, at your disposal, Sheriff." Jason added with a smile that didn't quite reach his mouth.
"Good. Good day then."
"You rode all the way out here, just for that?" Jason snickered.
"It's my job, and I do my job, Jason." The Sheriff spit his tobacco not far from Jason' shining boots.
He mounted and rode off. Jason leaned against the porch railing watching the Sheriff mount and leave, then glancing out at the far pasture where a small herd rested. He covered the spit with the soft dirt, and looked up with a grimace on his face. His distaste for the Sheriff growing every day.
Dan came out on the porch and watched the Sheriff ride off. He was wearing overalls with a shirt underneath it. He threw his hands in his pockets and glanced at his brother. "What did he want?"
"To make sure I was home, I'd say. Did he come out here yesterday?" Jason glanced at his brother with disgust.
"Yeah. Lookin' fer you."
"And you told him I was out of town?"
"Well, what else was I supposed to tell him. You didn't even tell me where you were going. He could see you weren't here. He's the law Jason, I ain't gonna lie to the law."
"It was none of his business," Jason backhanded him across the mouth.
Dan jerked his head back and wiped his cheek. "You had no call to do that. Why do you always try to hit me? One of these days Jason…"
"Don't you stand there and threaten me you big coward. You don't tell that lousy excuse for a Sheriff nothing, do you understand. He used to be a good Sheriff, but lately he's getting too big for his britches." Jason snarled as he watched the dust that the Sheriff kicked up. "It's almost time for him to be re-elected and I'm sure him putting me in jail would be a bonus for him. But I'm not going to jail."
"Sure looks like he's gonna try, don't it?" Dan said.
Jason stared out on the prairie. He realized suddenly that it was peaceful without Butch, and how much more peaceful would it be without Dan?
