Chapter One: Journey's Start
Lon Gorman came upon the burning ranch sometime in the morning, two boys one of fourteen and one thirteen were trying to dig graves for their parents. "Here, you kids let me do that for you. What happened?"
"The Jicarilla attacked, Ma and Pa made us hide," the eldest boy spoke up. Lon finished the graves.
"You want to say something over them?" The boys shook their heads.
"Why do you speak like that?" the younger boy asked.
"A long time ago, a crooked sheriff framed me for murder, a prison guard clubbed me in the throat with the butt of his rifle. It took a long time for me to heal and my voice ended up like this. I sound scary don't I?"
"Kinda scary," the two boys admitted. Lon lifted the thirteen year old to sit astride his horse, then mounted himself and assisted the fourteen year old up behind him.
"What's your names?" Lon asked.
"Thomas Dillon," the younger boy said.
"Matthew Dillon," the older boy said.
"I know someone called Matthew Dillon, he's the marshal for Dodge City, a good man. He helped me expose the sheriff who framed me. I'm going to take you to Tucumcari for now see if we can get some food into you and tell the sheriff what happened," Lon nudged his horse forward and they rode out, he could feel it as the two boys' bodies shook with sobbing for their parents. "It's alright, boys, you cry it out, them kind of tears is worth a whole lot," four hours later they rode down Tucumcari's main street stopping outside the sheriff's office. Lon lowered the boys to the ground and dismounted, they entered the sheriff's office. "Sheriff, you know the Dillon spread?"
"Sure, I know it to the west of here about four hours away."
"The Jicarilla attacked it, these boys are the only ones left."
"Damn, boys, I'm Sheriff Disbrow, your pa gave me a letter to send on to his cousin should anything happen to him," Deputy Ned Peters served up some stew for the boys and Lon with coffee for everyone.
"Their cousin wouldn't be Marshal Matthew Dillon of Dodge City, would it?" Sheriff Disbrow nodded. "Well, boys, you remember I told you about knowing Matt Dillon. sheriff, you mind if I take the letter to him, I could take the boys with me, they're going to need him now."
"Worst aspect of this job is breaking bad news to kin, it would sure be a weight off of my shoulders and you're right they'll need him."
"You boys stay with Sheriff Disbrow, while I get you a couple of horses and some supplies," Lon crossed to the stables. "Hello, you got a couple of horses I could buy with saddles?"
"I've got that buckskin and that black and white paint," the stableman said, "seventy dollars each with saddles, I'll throw in a couple of rifle scabbards too," Lon handed over the money and made sure he got a bill of sale for each horse. He led the horses to the store and bought supplies for the trip, as he got back to the sheriff's the boys came out, Lon handed the reins of the buckskin to Matthew and the paint to Thomas. Sheriff Disbrow handed up a couple of rifles.
"These are just spare, I never use them, the boys might as well have them," Lon thanked him and slid each rifle into their scabbards. They mounted and set off, Sheriff Disbrow watched them go thanking God he didn't have to break the news to Matt Dillon. He went inside clearing away the plates and glasses, then went to the little Catholic church, Father Paul Dillon looked up as he came in. "Father Paul, the Jicarillas attacked your uncle's ranch. Adam left instructions for me to send for Matt Dillon."
"He never forgave me for becoming a Catholic and joining the priesthood. What about the burying?"
"No need, a man called Lon Gorman a friend of Matt's he came along and helped the boys, he's taking them to Matt with the letter Adam left me to send to him."
"I'll say a mass for them all tonight," Disbrow watched Father Paul limp toward the altar remembering the fall that had caused it, from a horse that he had been trying to break for Adam.