John felt a little sad the next morning he was proud of the way Tom had turned out he was so like his father that memories of when he and Matt had been young together crowded in on him. He stood watching as Tom mounted Smoky and now led Ted with enough supplies to get him to San Antonio.
"Tom you've got enough supplies to last you until you get to San Antonio. Now I took enough out of your ma's account for expenses and I've wired the bank in Dodge to expect the rest of the money by bank transfer comes to around $4000."
John handed a bill fold to Tom warning him to go easy on the money.
"Now don't you go telling anyone your real last name until you've seen Matt. You write when you get to Dodge let us know how things are going."
"Sure I will Pappy."
John stood now with the townsfolk to wave Tom off to his new life with Matt. Doctor Travers stood watching John.
"You're going to miss that boy fact is we'll all miss him."
"I was just remembering when I was his age and roamed these parts with his father we used to get in and out of one scrape or another."
"Are you sure he should be going off alone like that?"
"Oh yes he's like his pa more than capable of handling himself if need be."
As he rode on along the stage road towards San Antonio Tom found himself thinking what life in Dodge would be like. Would his father really want to know him like Pappy said?
It was noon two days after leaving Bracketville when Tom arrived in San Antonio. Marshal Philip Rogers watched as Tom rode up to the depot he took a double take smiling as he saw a younger version of Matt Dillon his Dodge City colleague.
"Son I'm Marshal Rogers you mind telling me where you got that horse. Local rancher reported a grey missing from his spread this morning. It went missing sometime last night."
"Then it wasn't this horse Smoky was a birthday gift to me three days ago. I've got this paper to prove it."
Marshal Rogers read the paper and handed it back.
"Your pa sure gave you a fine mount."
"I've never met my pa he never knew about me."
Tom explained roughly what he was doing.
"Come and have a coffee the next train isn't until 3.15 in the PM."
Tom nodded and followed Marshal Philips to the jail.
"Should imagine you've spent a lot of your time in and around the jail."
"Hard not to with Sheriff Irving being the man who raised me."
"Howdy Bill," Marshal Rogers said.
"Is this the thief?"
"No he got his horse 3 days ago got a bill of ownership to prove it."
"Sorry son but your horse looks an awful lot like mine."
"Tom here's on his way to Dodge City got a letter to give to Matt Dillon."
"Well now I'll be starting the drive up there next week got 5000 head of prime beef to deliver take about 4 months. Want a job you could earn $30 a month?"
"Sorry sir but I have to deliver this letter tomorrow at the latest."
Tom didn't want to delay meeting with his father any longer than necessary.
"No mind. You tell Matt that Bill Mathers is looking forward to seeing my Dodge friends."
"I will Sir. Now I have to go to the depot arrange for a ticket and for my horses to travel in one of the freight wagons. Thanks for the coffee Marshal Rogers."
"You're welcome son. You ever come down this way again you come see me y'hear."
"I'll make a point of it."
Tom left the office and led Smoky and Ted down to the depot. He entered and went up to the ticket clerk ordering a ticket for himself and his horses as far as Dodge City. He stood with his horses as the 3.15 train came in he watched as the horses were loaded up and went to climb on board one of the carriages. He settled in a rear seat facing forwards and pulling his hat down over his eyes to sleep.