The next morning, I woke up earlier than the other boys and went to go feed the animals.
I jumped over the fence then dumped the bucket in the pigs tray then stood up, sighed and threw it aside.
"Ah, i see your doin my job for me", someone said behind me and i turned around to see Billy getting up on the fence and folding his hands while smiling like an asshole.
"Lazyass", I scoffed.
He just shrugged and I shook my head while squinting from the sunlight.
"Where'd you come from?", I asked and leaned on the fence.
"Fort Sumner", he said."You?"
"Socorro", I nodded.
"Practically neighbors", he laughed.
I laughed back but stopped when I saw more than 12 guys on horses come up over the hill and they looked official.
"Hide!!", I said low but loud enough for Billy to hear as I hit the floor of the pig pen and crawled inside.
Billy hit the floor too, then looked up and came face to face with the pig before freaking out.
The pig then ran towards him and he jumped out of the way with his gun up.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!! PIG!!!", he gritted and cocked his gun at it.
I threw my hand over his mouth even after he had yelled and looked out the side of the pen to see them ride up.
Mr. Tunstall and the other boys had come out now with their guns and were standing across from these people.
My hand slowly slipped down from Billy mouth and I got my gun out, cocking it just in case.
"Good afternoon gentleman", John said.
"Good afternoon John", the first guy said."John, Mr. Dolan and Mr. Murphy here are complaining about their merchandise being plundered on several occasions on their way into town. Quite frankly John, I think your behind it", he nodded.
"That's a fargin lie and you know it!!", Richard yelled.
"Richard!!", John calmed him down then turned back to the sheriff. "Sheriff Brady, Mister Murphy is going to continue coming to you claiming I have taken his property until I'm announced a thief and shaken out of Lincoln...I've never touched his property-I have no cause."
"Well!", the guy who I assumed to be Murphy said like a total dickhead."The belted Earl has spoken...look behind you Earl-all I see are hired thieves."
"These boys are promising young men- acquiring an education ", John shot back.
"Well, I had you pegged as the type that uh...that likes...educating young boys", Murphy snickered as he got off his horse, and everyone starting laughing."Tunstall."
Murphy then started walking over to the pig pen as he waved John over so Billy and i backed up.
"Rumor has it your bidding against me for the government beef contracts...it is just a rumor isn't it?", Murphy said.
"Lawrence, you have a beef outfit and a store-I have a beef outfit and a store. Your going to try to make money, i'm going to try to make money . It's simple and it's fair", Mr. Tunstall said.
"You see our good sheriff up there on that horse? Do you know how much money he's going to invest in my store? His life savings, John. And it's not just Brady wanting me getting those contracts, its the territorial district attorney, the Cheif justice. The Sante Fe Ring. It's a family ring, John. And you don't come in here and change things with your fat foreign capital ", Murphy growled.
"I made a very long steamship from London Mister Murphy, and I'll be damned if I'm going to be dissuaded by some as ugly as political corruption", John growled back."So I'd like you to take your threats, and your sheriff and get off my property."
"Your ambitious, Earl", Murphy nodded to himself before walking back to his horse."You would be better off selling lady's undergarments in Hempstead".
Everyone started laughing again and that's when our side all cocked their guns.
Murphy's guys finally started leaving but of course he had to say one more thing.
"This is a new country. We wont be bowing down to you no more Englishman", he said as he got on his horse.
Billy aimed his gun out a crack in the door, tempted to shoot him before he rode away but I shook my head no.
"Get ready for Hell", Murphy said before riding away.
"Back to work chaps", John said to the boys, then turned and looked at Billy and I.
I nodded to him and put my gun away, checking to make sure they were gone before we got out.
