Slim took a bit of potatoes. "Eat up, Andy. I'm going to need your help when the stage comes in."
"I just can't understand why Jess left so early that he weren't at breakfast."
Jonesy said, "You might as well tell him, Slim. He's got to find out sooner or later."
Slim sighed. "Andy, I was going to wait and talk to you after supper about this. But-"
The sound of a horse approaching drew Andy to the window. "It's Jess!"
Slim chewed his potatoes as if they were rubber.
Andy raced out the door.
"Now Slim, don't you start nothing with Andy here," Jonesy warned.
"I told Jess to get his gear out of here this morning. Lunch time he shows up."
"I don't know what caused this falling out between you two, but at least let him get his things
without a fight," Jonesy advised, then turned towards the door. "Howdy, Jess."
Jess stood in the doorway. "Jonesy." Jess's eyes moved to Slim. "That sure smells good."
Jonesy hesitated. He glanced at Slim. Slim's back was as straight as if a ramrod was rammed against his spine.
Jonesy offered, "Would you like some coffee?"
Jess nodded.
"He ain't staying that long," Slim mumbled.
"What do you mean he's not staying?" Andy asked. "Jess, Jonesy baked some apple pie. I saved you a piece. I don't know why you're so late for lunch, we 'bout finished but you'll be glad to know that I saved you a piece of pie."
Jess stayed rooted in the doorway. "That's awful nice of you, Andy. But before I do anything, I'd like to talk to Slim alone if I could."
Jonesy stood. He walked to the young boy and put his hand on his shoulder, pushing him towards the door. "Well Andy, I think you and me got some business in the barn and-"
"No Jonesy," Andy shrugged off the old man's grasp. Andy glanced at Slim. He still had his back to Jess. "Now I know something's wrong between Slim and Jess. I knew it when Jess wasn't at breakfast. That ain't like Jess to miss a meal. I want to know what's wrong."
"You didn't tell him?" Jess asked Slim.
Slim finally turned and eyed Jess. "You want to tell him or should I?"
"I'll do the talking," Jess replied. He moved into the room. But he didn't sit. He just stood in the middle of the room, facing all three. "Andy, I'm moving on."
A look of shock formed on Andy's young face. "No! You can't!"
Jess' voice was gentle as he said, "Andy, I told you starting off that I'd try settling down. But I guess I got too much restlessness in me to stay put. It just ain't working out like I hoped."
"I don't believe you!" Andy cried out. "You've been happy here. And it was working out until- It's Slim, ain't it?"
"Andy!' Jonesy criticized. "Slim's your brother!"
"And Jess is my friend! Jess, you ain't never lied to me. I want to know what Slim did to make you want to leave," Andy demanded.
The stare Slim threw at Jess was frightening. But Jess never flinched. He just stared back hard, saying nothing.
"Jess, you can't go!" Andy pleaded. "You just can't."
"It ain't my choice, Andy."
Andy's eyes darted to Slim. "I knew it!"
Slim's anger boiled over, "Yes, it's my decision, Andy! I told Jess last night that he isn't welcome here anymore."
"But why, Slim?" Andy asked. "Jess is our friend!"
"Jess, go get your gear and be on your way!" Slim ordered.
"I will!" Jess barked back. "But first I got something to tell you."
"Get out!" Slim ordered. "Now!"
"All right," Jess answered. "You're so stubborn. I'll just do that! And you'll be none the wiser." Jess turned to go to the bedroom, but Andy stepped in his path.
"If Jess goes, then I'm going too!" Andy announced. "And Slim, you can't stop me!"
Jonesy's glanced quickly at Slim. His face was wrinkled with concern.
"Andy, you're going no where!" Slim yelled, moving close to the young boy.
"Oh yes, I am! Jess is my friend. And if he goes; I go with him!"
"Andy-" Jess began, a look of disagreement on his face.
"Well Jess, you done it now, ain't you!" Slim snarled.
Jess's face snapped towards Slim.
"That's why I told you I wanted you out at first light to spare Andy this!" A look of anger flashed across Slim's face.
"I'm moving on-alone!" Jess shot back.
"Jess-" Andy tried to interrupt.
But Jess only concentrated on talking to Slim, "But before I go, there's something you need to hear."
"There's nothing you can say that would change my mind!"
"If you would just listen to me a minute!" Jess argued.
"Slim, let the boy speak," Jonesy advised.
"Jonesy, it don't matter what Jess says, I want him out of here!"
"Jess, I'm going to get my things! Then you and me are going to ride out!" Andy started for his bedroom.
"Andy!" Jonesy cried out frightened.
Slim said quickly, "Andy, maybe you won't be so anxious to go with Jess when I tell you that I caught Jess cheating at cards last night in a poker game."
Andy's eyes flew to Jess's face. Jess was biting his lip.
Well I'll be," Jonesy exclaimed with surprise. "So Slim, that's what's got a burr under your saddle. But Jess, why-"
"Well at least you're asking," Jess barked. "That's more than Slim did. He fired me right out, without even listening to why!"
Slim closed the gap between himself and Jess. "Don't make me the villain in this."
"Why not? You've already decided about me. Without even listening to what I got to say. Admit it, Slim. You've always had in the back of your mind that I'm just a drifter with a past. A no account. You talk awful pretty about trusting. But when it comes right down to it, it don't matter what I say; you ain't going to forget what I was when I came here. Trust you, you said. My friend, you claimed. Well I did trust you. And where did it get me?"
"You ain't got no right saying that!" Slim argued back, his finger jabbing into Jess' chest as if it was a weapon. "We took you in. Gave you a home. And in return you cheated! If you had been caught, you'd probably been run out of town or even strung up! I'm already being accused of rustling. That's all I need my ranch hand being caught dealing off the bottom of the deck! 'Causing more accusations against the Sherman Ranch. Well I don't need that kind of trouble!" Slim took a deep breath to steady his anger.
"That's right, Slim! Don't dirty your hands on me! They might not wash off clean enough for you!"
"Hold it right there before everyone says something they shouldn't," Jonesy said entering the fray.
"I've said all I got to say," Slim announced. "So get out, Jess."
Jess nodded with the assurance of a man who knew he was right, "Yes sir, I sure was wrong to believe in you. I should have known not to trust anyone except myself!"
"Jess, I trust you," Andy said, drawing close to Jess. "I said I was your friend, and I am! And I know if you cheated then you must have had a good reason why. Jess, I'd like to know what that reason was."
"Andy, there's never a good reason to cheat," Slim said, his temper rising with each word uttered.
"That's right, Andy!" Jess mocked. "Listen to Slim. He's so all fired sure about everything."
"The one thing I am sure of is I made a mistake when it came to you. I thought you could change your ways! And I was wrong about that," Slim lashed back.
"You don't know how wrong you are. But you won't give me a chance to explain. You're so all fired-"
Jonesy cut in, "I'd like to hear what Jess is so anxious to say."
Both men turned their heads sharply towards Jonesy. Fury was streaked across each face. Their looks were menacing.
Jonesy didn't flinch as he added, "Slim, you let the boy speak. Jess, I'm asking you. Why did you cheat at cards?"
"I got half a mind not to tell you. But I will. I cheated to help Slim out," Jess replied.
"That's the kind of help I don't need!" Slim snapped. "That kind of help will only get me run off by my neighbors."
"Wait a minute, Slim," Jonesy said holding his hand up for silence.
Slim glanced at Jonesy, anger still marring his tan face.
Studying Jess closely, Jonesy added, "There's more, ain't there, Jess? Something you ain't told us? All right. We're willing to listen. So you tell us how cheating at cards helped Slim. Now don't hold anything back. I want to hear everything you got to say."
Jess replied, "I found out that Jim's been rustling the Kings' cattle. I had to force him to steal more cattle so I could catch him. The only way I could do that was to win his money at cards so he'd need to get more to play poker. And he'd do that by rustling some more cattle."
"How did you find out that Jim was rustling?" Slim demanded.
"I put two and two together-"
"And came up with a rustler," Jonesy finished. "Good work, boy!"
"That-a-boy, Jess!" Andy cried out with glee.
Jonesy pointed towards the table, "Well, for that good detective work, you do deserve a piece of pie. Sit down, Jess, you got to be hungry. Ain't never known a time you weren't. And I know how you like apple pie. Go on! Take a seat and I'll go get that pie and some-"
"Wait a minute, Jonesy!" Slim cut in.
"Slim-" Andy started to protest.
"You stay out of this!" Slim said more gruffly than he meant to.
"Ain't no need taking your anger against me out on Andy," Jess protested.
"You just coming up as the hero on all accounts, don't you?" Slim said, his voice once again bursting with anger.
Temper flashed across Jess' rugged face, but he bit back his words.
"You say you found out that Jim's been rustling. I want to know how you found that out," Slim insisted.
Jess asked with an edge in his voice, "Don't you believe me?"
"Of course he believes you!" Jonesy said quickly. "Slim just wants to know so when he tells Mort. Ain't that right, Slim?"
"Sure, Jonesy," Slim mumbled, but his voice sounded unsure.
Though fury still molded Jess' face, Jess's voice was calm, "I didn't come by this morning to get my gear like you told me to because since sunrise, Mattie and I have been trailing after Jim. I watched him leave the Kings' Ranch. Then after several miles he changed direction. As soon as I figured where he was heading, I got Mattie and we took off after him. Jim lead us right to another fellow. Saw him and this fellow,she said was named Thorton,exchange money for cattle. We even followed Thorton for awhile. He's leading them cows across your land, all right. Led them down the back trail, then turns and cuts across the south end of your property. Right through them cliffs. That's why it looked like the Kings' cattle was on your place."
"That's a hard trail to move steers," Jonesy said. "Slim, your Pa and I tried it once. But we gave up. Still I guess it could be done. Especially if the herd weren't big."
"It was done all right," Jess stated, watching Slim carefully, waiting to see if he was believed.
Slim stood completely still. He was so quiet that Jonesy asked twice, "Slim?"
Finally Slim replied, "That trail would be hard but it could be done. And I do remember Thorton. Tall...mustache."
Jess nodded. "That's the man I saw. Blonde hair."
"That's him," Slim acknowledged.
Jonesy informed, "If I remember correctly, Val's Pa fired him, suspecting he was rustling at the time. He should have hung him. I always say hang a cattle rustler. You let one go, he'll just do it again."
Slim said, "Trouble was, Jonesy, there weren't no proof. Just a strong hunch by Mister King. I remember him talking to Pa about it."
"Well," Jess stated, "I seen it with my own eyes, and so did Mattie. I would have shot them where they stood, but I had Mattie along, and I didn't want her in the middle of a gun fight. She told me that she was going to talk to Val and then ride into Laramie and talk to the sheriff."
"Jess, you done good, boy," Jonesy complimented.
"I'd say real good," Andy added. "Don't you think so, Slim?"
Jess looked quickly at Slim. Slim stared at Jess. Then slowly he smiled and step aside. "Have a seat. You must be starved."
Jess breathed a loud sigh of relief.
"I'll go get that pie." Jonesy started towards to the kitchen.
"Jess, I apologize. What I said...well...will you accept my apology?" Slim held out his hand.
Jess hit Slim square in the jaw.
Slim fell backwards, staying on his feet, but just barely.
"Jess!" Andy cried running to help Slim stand.
"What's the matter with you, Jess?" Jonesy snapped moving quickly from the kitchen. "You trying to start trouble between you and Slim? Or you just want to get yourself fired again?"
Andy put his arm around Slim to steady him. "Jess, you had no right-"
"It's all right, Andy." Slim rubbed his chin. "Jess had a right." He grinned at Jess. "I keep forgetting how hard you can hit."
Jess rubbed his own chin. "You don't do too bad yourself."
Slim laughed. "I reckon we're even now?" Again he held out his hand for Jess to shake.
"I reckon we are," Jess said as he finally shook Slim's hand.
"I'll tell you what, Andy," Jonesy said with a sad shake of his gray head, "friends hitting friends. Remind me to stick with my enemies. It's a lot less painful." He hurried to the kitchen.
"So I still got a job?" Jess asked.
"More than a job. Jess, this is your home. For as long as you want."
"That's right," Andy echoed.
"'Sides if you go, Jonesy might just quit baking those apple pies I like," Slim said, a smile tugging at his lips. "And without you around, who am I going to whip at checkers?" With brotherly affection, Slim slapped Jess on the back.
Jess followed Slim to the table. They sat across from each other. Slim slid his own cup of coffee towards Jess. Jess welcomed it as drank a long gulp. He wiped his sleeve across his mouth. Jonesy handed him the pie.
"Thanks, Jonesy," Jess took a huge bit. "I ain't had nothing to eat since last night."
"There's another piece in the kitchen," Jonesy informed.
Both Andy and Slim looked surprised. Andy said, "Jonesy, when I asked for a second piece of pie, you told me there was none left."
Jonesy admitted, "Well you weren't the only one saving Jess a piece of pie." Jonesy took a seat at the table.
Slim asked, "Jess, you still planning to show up for that poker game?"
"I wasn't last night. But Mattie wants to tell her sister after Jim leaves for the game. It'll take them time to talk then to ride into Laramie. Reckon I'll have to play in order to keep Jim in town." Jess took another big bite of pie. "Awful good, Jonesy."
"Jess, I'd like to be there with you tonight," Slim said.
Jess swallowed. He looked up at Slim. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather have by my side."
Slim spoke slowly, picking each word carefully, "I did wrong not giving you a chance to explain."
"Aw Slim, it ain't exactly your fault." Another bite of food. "I should have told you what I was planning to do. But I just come up with the idea when I was watching Jim play poker."
"How did you come up with that notion anyway?" Jonesy asked. "Here. Let me pour you more coffee." The coffee was so hot, it steamed.
"Thanks, Jonesy. Well I've played poker with men like Jim. They fancy themselves good poker players when in truth they ain't. But they keep playing until they lose all their stakes. And sure enough, as soon as they get some more money, they come back to play some more. Don't matter if they win or lose. They just keep playing."
"It's an addiction," Slim acknowledged.
"Well Jim's sure got it. I think that's where his rustling money has been going."
"Reckon we ought to tell Mort before the game," Slim suggested.
The fork stopped halfway to Jess' mouth. "You think we should bring the law in on this before Mattie and Val talk to him? He ain't to going to listen to us."
"You forgetting Mort's a good friend?"
"And are you forgetting that we're the accused? Might be different if it was you who had seen Jim rustling...but it's me No Slim, I think we should play this hand like Mattie wants."
Slim's eyebrow quirked. His eyes waged war with Jess. Finally, Slim bit back his words about trusting Mort and trusting the law. He only replied, "Well, I think you're wrong about Mort. But all right, Jess. We'll do it your way...for now."
