The Jackleg Sheriff

by Luke Short Jr

BLOODY BADGE Deputy Royal Ballou was once in New Mexico when the Hall brothers rode into town. So he didn't get to see big, mean, and ugly Curly Hall shoot Sheriff Tibbetts dead. And by the time the deputy galloped home, it was to late. The two-bit-gunslinger was not only wearing the sheriff's badge, he was in cahoots with the crookedest politicians in town. Deputy Ballou had a snowball's chance in hell of bringing law and order back to Jacob's Well. But those are the kind of odds he like. Because Royal Ballou had an even backbone, the devil's own luck, and a daring plan to call the jackleg sheriff down.