I was covering for Micah while he was out of town.  He was to be away for two weeks.  That made Mark happy because we would be staying in town and eating at the hotel.  That meant no dishes to wash.

John was gettin' ready to close the bank for the day when a stranger approached the bank and persuaded him to stay open for one more transaction.  His name was Rudy Gray.  He told John that he just got into town and he wanted to make a deposit.  He convinced John that he wanted to make sure the money that he had would be safe.  He was afraid he would loose it or even spend it.  John told him that his clerk had just left but he couldn't turn down takin' money.  So John left him in.  Rudy told him that he appreciated what he was doing and to show him how much he drew a gun on him.  He had John put the money in a bag.  Rudy told John he was to lift the window shade and as he was leaving, he was to smile and wave at him like he was an old friend.  He told John if he didn't do like he said he would put a bullet right thru the window at him.  John did as he said.  Rudy walked out of the bank and got onto his horse.  I just finished talking to one of the town folks and was walkin' by the bank when I saw John standing in the window looking out and smiling.  When Rudy started to ride out with his back towards John, he motioned to me with his hands as to shoot Rudy.  I ran as close to Rudy as I could and shouted....."You.....Hold it!"  Rudy then turned and shot at me.  I fired back.  I shot Rudy.  He fell off of his horse and unto the ground.  I ran over to him.  He was reaching for his gun which was lying on the ground.  I yelled for him not to try it as I kicked the gun away.  He was hurt bad.  I took the money out of his jacket and gave it to John.  I asked him who he was, but he passed out.  I took his wallet and had some of the cowboys carry him over to the Doc's.  John told me that he thought he was an ordinary trail hand.  I looked in his wallet.  There was a pay voucher receipt from the Bar Horn ranch outside of Salinas.  His name was Rudy Gray.  I told John he better git that money back in the bank and I had Mark take Rudy's horse over to the stable.

               I went over to the Doc's to see how his patient was doing.  He said he didn't know much yet.  If Rudy didn't hemorrhage or if he wasn't moved he might have a chance.  But he doubted it.  I didn't want to leave him there but the Doc wouldn't hear of moving him.  He said that Rudy was going to need a lot of attention; he would keep him in his back room.  "If you move him to jail or any other place, your gonna have a dead man on your hands for sure," said Doc.  I agreed to let him stay there but I told the Doc he was to keep me posted.  If he happened to start talking I wanted to know right away. 

I then went over to the telegraph office to telegraph the Sheriff in Salinas.  Tom the telegraph clerk took the message.  Dave Foley a bounty hunter and a friend of Tom's happened to be there when the message came in.  Tom told Foley what had happened.  Foley then came up with a plan to pose as Rudy's brother and collect the $2,000 reward money.  I wasn't aware of the wanted poster on Rudy.  But Foley was.  Foley talked Tom out of giving the telegram to the Sheriff.  Since the wanted poster hadn't reached North Fork and shouldn't until next Friday on the Denver stage.  Foley felt he could get to North Fork and out of there before we received the posters and he could bring Rudy back and collect the reward money.  He told Tom that if he didn't tell the Sheriff about this telegram he would be willing to give him half of the reward money.  They would be out of town before anyone would know what was going on.  Tom ask him if he thought he could pull it off.  "I'll bet you $2,000 I can do it!" Said Foley.

  I got a telegram back from Salinas saying that Rudy's brother would be here in three days.  I went to talk to the Doc.  I told him about Rudy's brother.  He said he thought Rudy had two days but he didn't know.  I told him to do what he could.

I had just stepped out of Micah's office when I heard a man call to me.  "Sir.....I see you're wearing a deputies badge, would you happen to be McCain?"  I told him I was.  He introduced himself as Tom Gray, Rudy's brother from Salinas.  I told him there wasn't much hope for Rudy.  He wanted to see him.  I took him over to the Doc's office.  He wanted to see him alone.  He didn't waste anytime.  He took a pillow and smothered Rudy.  He then called for the Doc.  He told the Doc that Rudy had stopped breathing.  The Doc checked him.  Rudy was dead. 

I wanted to wire their family in Salinas but Foley said he wanted to take him home as quietly as possible.  It would be a lot easier on the folks.  They were old and it would be better to do this his way and not send a cold telegram.  I told him our Blacksmith would have to make a box and tomorrow he could take his brother home on the Denver stage.  He had to get Rudy out of here before the Denver stage got here.  He told me he didn't want to take Rudy on the stage.  He didn't want to deal with the people shootin' their mouths off and being sympathetic.  "Couldn't I just do it my way?" Ask Foley.  He said he would buy a wagon.  He wanted privacy.  Just him and his brother.  The Doc told him he didn't owe him anything.      

I headed back over to Micah's Office.  Foley's horse was in my path so I moved it aside.  He had a monogrammed saddle with the initials D. F.  I then went back to Telegraph Office to again get in touch with the Sheriff in Salinas.     

I was setting out in front of Micah's office when Mark came out.  "Pa.....are you going to be going to bed?" Asked Mark.  "In a while. How's the homework?"  He said he was all finished.  I told him he better get ready for bed too.  We could hear Nils hammering away on the coffin.  "That hammering and sawing Nils is doing, when you know what it's for.....well it just doesn't sound the same as when your fixin' a fence or somein' like that," said Mark.  "No it doesn't son! Well I'm gonna have another look around town, I'll be back in a few minutes." 

Foley just came out of the saloon.  He said he was on his way over to the Blacksmith's.  I told him I'd go along with him.  Nils was just about finished.  He said he had a buckboard out back and as soon as he was finished he'd load the coffin in the buckboard and then in the morning he could take it around to the undertakers and get his brother.  He then offered to pay Nils.  Nils didn't want anything for his work, just $3 for the materials.  Foley said he was tired and headed over to his room.  I went back to Micah's office and closed up.  I knew Foley was watching me.....waiting for me to turn in.  I then took Razor down to the Blacksmith's for the night. 

 Everything was ready like Nils said it would be.  Foley went into the barn and got the horse and hitched up the buckboard.  He then slowly started to walk the horse and the buckboard over to the Undertakers. When he got there I was waitin' on him.  He was trying to unlock the door with his knife.  "That's far enough!" I said.  I told him to take his hand away from his gun.  "You sure gave me a turn coming out of the shadows that way. I was ah.....just ah.....wanted to see if my brother was alright."  "You wanted to get that body out of here before the Denver stage arrives in the morning, that's what you wanted!"  "Bounty hunter!"  He said he didn't know what I was talkin' about.  He insisted Rudy Gray was his brother.  "I wired the Denver Marshal. Rudy Gray has no family! All he's got is a price on his head!"  He then shook his head.  He threw his knife at me, hitting my rifle.  He then quickly drew his gun and fired.  I was faster.  I shot and killed him.

The next day Mark had gone to the telegraph office to pick up a wire.  It was from the Sheriff in Salinas.  "They arrested that clerk that was workin' with Mr. Foley," said Mark.  "Good!"  "You have to write out another report?" Ask Mark.  "Hmmhmm.....that's the worst part of taking over for Micah. Every time you get a job done you've got to write a long letter to the marshal in Denver telling him all about it."  "When I attempted to pick up the bounty hunter.....when I attempted to stop....."  I just couldn't think of the right word to use.  "Pa! Apprehended!"  "Apprehended.....thank you Mark!"