“Billy the Kid” tried to persuade O’Keefe to accompany him back to the Pecos valley, to take part in the approaching cattle war, but Tom said he had had enough of playing “bad-man from Bitter Creek.”
Now the “Kid” went to a ranch, where he had left his noble “Gray,” and with him started back towards the Pecos river.
CHAPTER IV.
THE STARTING OF THE BLOODY LINCOLN COUNTY WAR. THE MURDER OF TUNSTALL. “BILLY THE KID” IS PARTIALLY REVENGED WHEN HE KILLS MORTON AND BAKER.
Arriving back at the Murphy-Dolan cow-camp on the Pecos river, “Billy the Kid” was greeted by his friends, McDaniels, Morton and Baker, who persuaded him to join the Murphy and Dolan outfit, and become one of their fighting cowboys. This he agreed to do, and was put on the pay-roll at good wages.
The summer and fall of 1877 passed along with only now and then a scrap between the factions. But the clouds of war were lowering, and the “Kid” was anxious for a battle.
Still he was not satisfied to be at war with the whole-souled young Englishman, John S. Tunstall, whom he had met on several occasions.
On one of his trips to the Mexican town of Lincoln, to “blow in” his accumulated wages, the “Kid” met Tunstall, and expressed regret at fighting against him.