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As they entered the town, Thomas asked, “Look Jake, isn't that Dusty tied to the rail in front of the Silver Spur? Did that thief think he had time for breakfast after stealing a horse?”
“Thieves aren't smart or they wouldn't be thieves. You go get the sheriff and I'll see if I can find that thief eating breakfast.” After looking over Dusty and seeing he’d been ridden hard, but was okay, Jake looked in the cafe window and saw a young man with a dirty vest and shirt and wind-blown hair look up at him. Staying calm, the young man returned to his meal.
“That's one thief who ain't looking for trouble… at least not yet,” Jake said to himself. Opening the door Jake walked in as though he did not expect any trouble, just comin’ in for breakfast. “Morning Sam how's business?” Jake asked, as if nothing was wrong.
“Mighty fine mighty fine! Jake what are you doing here for breakfast? Is Tiny not feeding you well enough on the ranch? I heard Mary had quit cooking at the cookhouse, and Tiny was your new cook,” he replied with a sense of humor, “What’ll you have?”
Without answering his questions, Jake replied, “Just coffee for now, Thomas will be here in a minute. I'm sure he'll be hungry too, I'll wait for him.” Walking over to the stranger, Jake pulled back a chair, sat down with his arms resting on the back, and said with a friendly voice, “Mighty fine horse you have out there, son. Looks like he's a good working horse. How is he moving a herd?”
Without looking up, the stranger replied, “He’ll do.”
Ignoring his rudeness, Jake went on, “I'll join you a bit. We don't have many strangers at Caldwell Crossing. Where you headed?”
“None of your business” said the stranger as he kept looking down and eating.
When Jake saw Thomas and Sheriff Tex open the door and walk in, he replied calmly, “Well it is my business, because that's my horse!”
Getting up with a shock, his chair falling over, he shouted, “You’re lying! I borrowed that horse fair and square! What do you mean saying that’s your horse?”
Tex answered, “Sit back down. We can settle this dispute peacefully. You’ll be the one answering questions. What's going on here? What's your name? Where are you from? How’d you ‘borrow’ that horse? We’ll start from the beginning, what's your name, son?”
“I'm not your son. Name’s John Smith,” his voice rebellious.
“Alright, why did you steal that man's horse?”
“Didn't steal it. I said, I borrowed it.”
“If you borrowed it, what's your story? Why’d you need to borrow a horse?”
With a voice full of self-assurance, he replied, “Got lost and came to a river. In crossing, my horse stepped in a hole, broke his leg, and drowned. I swam ashore, saw a fence, figured there might be a ranch house nearby. I followed some horse tracks. It was getting dark when I saw the lights of a ranch house up ahead. I was so tired I slept a little. Woke early. Headed toward the ranch house. Saw a horse in the corral saddled and ready to ride. I figured I could borrow it. I tightened up the cinch and took the road. When I got to this town, I figured I’d eat breakfast. If that’s your horse, take your horse. I’ll buy one here, and ride on.”
“Well,” Tex replied, “Around these parts taking a horse without asking is stealing, and stealing a horse is a hanging offence.”
Looking at Jake, he asked, “What do you say Jake?”
“Don't know right off. Don't want him hanged. Let’s give him some time to think. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
Going to Dusty, Jake took a well-used Bible out of his saddle bag. Thumbed through the pages, prayed. Looking deeper in his bag, he saw some wet money that wasn’t his, and thought to himself, “With all this money, I reckon he could buy a horse for himself. Maybe he’s on the square and just made a very rude mistake.”
Going inside with the money in one hand and his Bible in the other, he handed the money to the kid, and turning to Tex, he said, “Kid left his money in my saddle bags coming in to eat. Looks like he could afford to buy a horse and just made a big mistake.”
Turning to the kid, he said, “I'm giving you a book I'd give my son, if I had one. I call this book my G.A.B., my Good Advice Book. But it's got more than just good advice. It will teach you about Someone who will give you the power and wisdom you need. Taking the advice in this book will make a difference in a man. If you read it, you’ll find all the advice and power a man needs to make better choices and stay out of trouble.”
“That’s well and good, Jake,” Tex interrupted, “but I’m still arrestin’ him and takin’ him to jail. I’ll check out his story. May take some time, so he’ll have plenty of time to read that book and think about makin’ better choices.
Three weeks later, Jake received a formal report from Sheriff Tex.
Report on the Theft of Dusty
The thief's name was not John Smith. He was being chased by a posse from Mineral Wells when they came to the river. They saw the dead horse in the Rapids, and figured he'd drowned. The horse he rode was stolen. He had robbed the bank in Mineral Wells. Shot the teller, but he will live. He has been taken to Mineral Wells for trial. When he left, he took your giveaway Bible.
Continued from Chapter 38