THE OUTLET 
 
 BY ANDY 
 ADAMS 
 
?5 
 350\ 
 
 CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME 
 OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT 
 FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY 
 
 HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE 
 
Cornell University Library 
 PS 3S01.D13O9 
 
 The outlet. 
 
 3 1924 022 230 886 
 
The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
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^p ^nli? ^Mms 
 
 THE OUTLET. Illustrated. Crown 8vo, Ji. 50. 
 
 A TEXAS MATCHMAKER. lUustrated. Crown gvo, 
 
 $1.50. 
 THE LOG OF A COWBOY. Illustrated. Crown gvo, 
 
 ft. 50. 
 
 HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO. 
 Boston and Nbw York. 
 
THE OUTLET 
 
THE OUTLET 
 
 ANDY ADAMS 
 
 AUTHOR OF 'the LOG "OF A COWBOY' AND 
 'a TEXAS MATCHMAKEK ' 
 
 ILLVSTBATEB BY E. BOYD SMITH 
 
 BOSTON AND NEW TOEK 
 
 HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY 
 1905 
 
COPYRIGHT 1905 BY ANDY ADAMS 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
 
 Published April i(p5 
 
TO 
 
 JOHN K. BLOCKER 
 
 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 
 
 r 
 
PEEPACE 
 
 At the close of the civil war the need for a market for 
 the surplus cattle of Texas was as urgent as it was 
 general. There had been numerous experiments in 
 seeking an outlet, and there is authority for the 
 statement that in 1857 Texas cattle were driven to 
 Illinois. Eleven years later forty thousand head 
 were sent to the mouth of Red Eiver in Louisiana, 
 shipped by boat to Cairo, Illinois, and thence inland 
 by rail. Fever resulted, and the experiment was 
 never repeated. To the west of Texas stretched a 
 forbidding desert, while on the other hand, nearly 
 every drive to Louisiana resulted in financial dis- 
 aster to the drover. The republic of Mexico, on the 
 south, afforded no relief, as it was likewise overrun 
 with a surplus of its own breeding. Immediately 
 before and just after the war, a slight trade had 
 sprung up in cattle between eastern points on Bed 
 Kiver and Baxter Springs, in the southeast corner 
 of Kansas. The route was perfectly feasible, being 
 short and entirely within the reservations of the 
 Choctaws and Cherokees, civilized Indians. This 
 was the only route to the north ; for farther to the 
 westward was the home of the buffalo and the un- 
 conquered, nomadic tribes. A writer on that day. 
 
viii PEEFACE 
 
 Mr. Emerson Hough, an acceptable authority, says : 
 " The civil war stopped almost all plans to market 
 the range cattle, and the close of that war found 
 the vast grazing lands of Texas fairly covered with 
 millions of cattle which had no actual or determinate 
 value. They were sorted and branded and herded 
 after a fashion, but neither they nor their increase 
 could be converted into anything but more cattle. 
 The demand for a market became imperative." 
 
 This was the situation at the close of the '50's 
 and meanwhile there had been no cessation in try- 
 ing to find an outlet for the constantly increasing 
 herds. Civilization was sweeping westward by leaps 
 and bounds, and during the latter part of the '60's 
 and early '70's, a market for a very small percent- 
 age of the surplus was established at Abilene, 
 Ellsworth, and Wichita, being confined almost 
 exclusively to the state of Kansas. But this outlet, 
 slight as it was, developed the fact that the trans- 
 planted Texas steer, after a winter in the north, 
 took on flesh like a native, and by being double- 
 wintered became a marketable beef. It should be 
 understood in this connection that Texas, owing to 
 climatic conditions, did not mature an animal into 
 marketable form, ready for the butcher's block. 
 Yet it was an exceptional country for breeding, the 
 percentage of increase in good years reaching the 
 phenomenal figures of ninety-five calves to the hun- 
 dred cows. At this time aU eyes were turned to the 
 new Northwest, which was then looked upon as the 
 
PREFACE ix 
 
 country that would at last afford the proper market. 
 Railroads were pushing into the domain of the 
 buffalo and Indian ; the rush of emigration was 
 westward, and the Texan was clamoring for an out- 
 let for his cattle. It was written in the stars that 
 the Indian and buffalo would have to stand aside. 
 
 Philanthropists may deplore the destruction of 
 the American bison, yet it was inevitable. Possibly 
 it is not commonly known that the general govern- 
 ment had under consideration the sending of its 
 own troops to destroy the buffalo. Yet it is a fact, 
 for the army in the West f uUy realized the futility 
 of subjugating the Indians while they could draw 
 subsistence from the bison. The well-mounted 
 aborigines himg on the flanks of the great buffalo 
 herds, migrating with them, spurning all treaty 
 obligations, and when opportunity offered mur- 
 dering the advance guard of civilization with the 
 fiendish atrocity of carnivorous animals. But while 
 the government hesitated, the hide-hunters and the 
 railroads solved the problem, and the Indian's base 
 of supplies was destroyed. 
 
 Then began the great exodus of Texas cattle. 
 The red men were easily confined on reserva- 
 tions, and the vacated country in the Northwest 
 became cattle ranges. The government was in the 
 market for large quantities of beef wi|th which to 
 feed its army and Indian wards. The maximum 
 year's drive was reached in 1884, when nearly 
 eight hundred thousand cattle, in something over 
 
X PREFACE 
 
 three hundred herds, bound for the new Northwest, 
 crossed Bed Eiver, the northern boundary of Texas. 
 Some slight idea of this exodus can be gained when 
 one considers that in the above year about four 
 thousand men and over thirty thousand horses were 
 required on the trail, while the value of the drive 
 ran into millions. The history of the world can 
 show no pastoral movement in comparison. The 
 Northwest had furnished the market — the outlet 
 for Texas. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 I. Opening the Campaign 
 
 1 
 
 II. Organizing the Forces . 
 
 13 
 
 III. Receiving at Los Lobos 
 
 . 31 
 
 IV. Mingling with the Exodus . 
 
 50 
 
 V. Red River Station . . . . 
 
 . 68 
 
 VI. Camp Supply 
 
 81 
 
 Vli. When Greek meets Greek 
 
 . 98 
 
 VIII. En Passant 
 
 . 114 
 
 IX. At Sheriff's Creek . . . . 
 
 . 131 
 
 X. A Family Reunion .... 
 
 . 145 
 
 XI. All in the Day's Work 
 
 . 160 
 
 XII. Marshaling the Forces . 
 
 . 172 
 
 XIII. Justice in the Saddle 
 
 . 185 
 
 XIV. Turning the Tables 
 
 . 200 
 
 XV. Tolleston butts in ... . 
 
 . 213 
 
 XVI. Crossing the Niobrara , 
 
 . 228 
 
 XVII. Water-bound 
 
 . 244 
 
 XVni. The Little Missouri 
 
 . 261 
 
 XIX. In Quarantine 
 
 . 275 
 
 XX. On the Just and the Unjust 
 
 . 292 
 
 XXI. Fort Buford 
 
 . 308 
 
 XXII. A Soldier's Honor .... 
 
 . 325 
 
 XXIII. Kangarooed 
 
 . 341 
 
 XXIV. The Winter of Our Discontent . 
 
 358 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 A SAND AND DUST STORM STRUCK US (p. 66) 
 
 Frontispiece 
 
 BbFOEE us one HUNDRED THOUSAND CATTI^ 
 
 GRAZED 102 
 
 The hireling deputies plunged into the 
 
 EIVER 224 
 
 Outriding the flood by a close margin . 256 
 My cattle eloquently spoke their own 
 
 PRAISES 320 
 
 The FIRST BLIZZARD STRUCK US EARLY IN 
 
 December 366 
 
THE OUTLET 
 
 CHAPTEE I 
 
 OPENING THE CAMPAIGN 
 
 "Well, gentlemen, if that is the best rate you 
 can offer us, then we '11 drive the cattle. My boys 
 have all been over the trail before, and your figures 
 are no inducement to ship as far as Sed E,iver. 
 We are fully aware of the nature of the country, 
 but we can deliver the herds at their destination 
 for less than you ask us for shipping them one 
 third of the distance. No ; we '11 drive all the way." 
 The speaker was Don Lovell, a trail drover, and 
 the parties addressed were the general freight 
 agents of three railroad lines operating in Texas. 
 A conference had been agreed upon, and we bad 
 come in by train from the ranch in Medina County 
 to attend the meeting in San Antonio. The rail- 
 road representatives were shrewd, affable gentle- 
 men, and presented an array of facts hard to over- 
 come. They were well aware of the obstacles to 
 be encountered in the arid, western portion of the 
 state, and magnified every possibility into a stern 
 reality. Unrolling a large state map upon the 
 
2 THE OUTLET 
 
 table, around which the principals were sitting, 
 the agent of the Denver and Fort Worth traced 
 the trail from Buffalo Gap to Doan's Crossing on 
 Red River. Producing what was declared to be 
 a report of the immigration agent of his line, he 
 showed by statistics that whole counties through 
 which the old trail ran had recently been settled 
 up by Scandinavian immigrants. The represent- 
 ative of the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas, when 
 opportunity offered, enumerated every disaster 
 which had happened to any herd to the westward 
 of his line in the past five years. The factor of 
 the International was equally well posted. 
 
 " Now, Mr. Lovell," said he, dumping a bundle 
 of papers on the table, " if you will kindly glance 
 over these documents, I think I can convince you 
 that it is only a question of a few years imtil all 
 trail cattle will ship the greater portion of the way. 
 Here is a tabulated statement up to and including 
 the year '83. From twenty counties tributary to 
 our line and south of this city, you will notice that 
 in '80 we practically handled no cattle intended 
 for the trail. Passing on to the next season's drive, 
 you see we secured a little over ten per cent, of 
 the cattle and nearly thirty per cent, of the horse 
 stock. Last year, or for '83, drovers took advan- 
 tage of our low rates for Red River points, and 
 the percentage ran up to twenty-four and a frac- 
 tion, or practically speaking, one fourth of the 
 total drive. We are able to offer the same low 
 
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN 3 
 
 rates this year, and all arrangements are completed 
 with our connecting lines to give live-stock trains 
 carrying trail cattle a passenger schedule. Now, 
 if you care to look over this correspondence, you 
 will notice that we have inquiries which will tax 
 our carrying capacity to its utmost. The ' Laurel 
 Leaf ' and ' Eunning W ' people alone have asked 
 for a rate on thirty thousand head." 
 
 But the drover brushed the correspondence aside, 
 and asked for the possible feed bills. A blanket 
 rate had been given on the entire shipment from 
 that city, or any point south, to "Wichita Falls, with 
 one rest and feed. Making a memorandum of the 
 items, Lovell arose from the table and came over 
 to where Jim Flood and I were searching for Fort 
 Buford on a large waU map. We were both labor- 
 ing under the impression that it was in Montana, 
 but after our employer pointed it out to us at the 
 mouth of the Yellowstone in Dakota, all three of 
 us adjourned to an ante-room. Flood was the best 
 posted trail foreman in Don Lovell's employ, and 
 taking seats at the table, we soon reduced the pro- 
 posed shipping expense to a pro-rata' sum per head. 
 The result was not to be considered, and on return- 
 ing to the main office, our employer, as already 
 expressed, declined the proffered rate. 
 
 Then the freight men doubled on him, asking if 
 he had taken into consideration a saving in wages. 
 Li a two days' run they would lay down the cattle 
 farther on their way than we could possibly drive 
 
4 THE OUTLET 
 
 in six weeks, even if the country was open, not to 
 say anything about the wear and tear of horseflesh. 
 But Don Lovell had not been a trail drover for 
 nearly fifteen years without understanding his busi- 
 ness as well as the freight agents did theirs. After 
 going over a large lot of other important data, our 
 employer arose to take his leave, when the agent of 
 the local line expressed a hope that Mr. Lovell 
 would reconsider his decision before spring opened, 
 and send his drive a portion of the way by rail. 
 
 "Well, I 'm glad I met you, gentlemen," said the 
 cowman at parting, " but this is purely a business 
 proposition, and you and I look at it from different 
 viewpoints. At the rate you offer, it will cost me 
 one dollar and seventy-five cents to lay a steer down 
 on Red River. Hold on ; mine are all large beeves ; 
 and I must mount my men just the same as if they 
 trailed all the way. Saddle horses were worth no- 
 thing in the North last year, and I kept mine and 
 bought enough others around Dodge to make up a 
 thousand head, and sent them back over the trail to 
 my ranch. Now, it will take six carloads of horses 
 for each herd, and I propose to charge the freight on 
 them against the cattle. I may have to winter my 
 remudas in the North, or drive them home again, and 
 if I put two dollars a head freight in them, they 
 won't bring a cent more on that account. With 
 the cattle it 's different ; they are aU under con- 
 tract, but the horses must be charged as general 
 expense, and if nothing 7s realized out of them, the 
 
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN 5 
 
 herd must pay the fiddler. My largest delivery is 
 a sub-contract for Fort Buford, calling fo^ five 
 million pounds of beef on foot. It will take three 
 herds or ten thousand cattle to fill it. I was anxious 
 to give those Buford beeves an early start, and that 
 was the main reason in my consenting to this con- 
 ference. I have three other earlier deliveries at 
 Indian agencies, but they are not as far north by 
 several hundred mUes, and it 's immaterial whether 
 we ship or not. But the Buford contract sets the 
 day of delivery for September 15, and it 's going 
 to take close figuring to make a cent. The main 
 contractors are all right, but I 'm the one that 's 
 got to scratch his head and figure close and see 
 that there 's no leakages. Your freight bill alone 
 would be a nice profit. It may cost us a little for 
 water getting out of Texas, but with the present 
 outlet for cattle, it 's bad policy to harass the 
 herds. Water is about the best crop some of those 
 settlers along the trail have to sell, and they ought 
 to treat us right." 
 
 After the conference was over, we scattered about 
 the city, on various errands, expecting to take the 
 night train home. It was then the middle of Feb- 
 ruary, and five of the six herds were already pur- 
 chased. In spite of the large numbers of cattle 
 which the trail had absorbed in previous years, 
 there was still an abundance of all ages, anxious 
 for a market. The demand in the North had con- 
 stantly been for young cattle, leaving the matured 
 
6 THE OUTLET 
 
 steers at home. Had Mr. Lovell's contracts that 
 year called for forty thousand five and six year old 
 beeves, instead of twenty, there would have been 
 the same inexhaustible supply from which to pick 
 and choose. But with only one herd yet to secure, 
 and ample offerings on every hand, there was no 
 necessity for a hurry. Many of the herds driven 
 the year before found no sale, and were compelled 
 to winter in the North at the drover's risk. In the 
 early spring of '84, there was a decided lull over 
 the enthusiasm of the two previous years, during 
 the former of which the trail afforded an outlet for 
 nearly seven hundred thousand Texas cattle. 
 
 In regard to horses we were well outfitted. Dur- 
 ing the summer of '83, Don Lovell had driveu four 
 herds, two on Indian contract and two of younger 
 cattle on speculation. Of the latter, one was sold 
 in Dodge for delivery on the Purgatory Kiver in 
 southern Colorado, while the other went to Oga- 
 lalla, and was disposed of and received at that 
 point. In both cases there was no chance to sell 
 the saddle horses, and they returned to Dodge and 
 were sent to pasture down the river in the settle- 
 ments. My brother, Bob Quirk, had driven one 
 of the other herds to an agency in the Indian Ter- 
 ritory. After making the delivery, early in August, 
 on his employer's orders, he had brought his remuda 
 and outfit into Dodge, the horses being also sent to 
 pasture and the men home to Texas. I had made 
 the trip that year to the Pine Ridge Agency in 
 
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN 7 
 
 Dakota with thirty-five hundred beeves^under Flood 
 as foreman. Don Lovell was present at the deliveiy, 
 and as there was no hope of effecting a sale of the 
 saddle stock among the Indians, after delivering 
 the outfit at the nearest railroad, I was given two 
 men and the cook, and started back over the trail 
 for Dodge with the remuda. The wagon was a 
 drawback, but on reaching Ogalalla, an emigrant 
 outfit offered me a fair price for the mules and 
 commissary, and I sold them. Lashing our rations 
 and blankets on two pack-horses, we turned our 
 backs on the Platte and crossed the Arkansaw at 
 Dodge on the seventh day. 
 
 But instead of the remainder of the trip home 
 by rail, as we fondly expected, the programme had 
 changed. Lovell and Flood had arrived in Dodge 
 some ten days before, and looking over the situ- 
 ation, had come to the conclusion it was useless even 
 to offer our remudas. As remnants of that year's 
 drive, there had concentrated in and around that 
 market something like ten thousand saddle horses. 
 Many of these were from central and north Texas, 
 larger and better stock than ours, even though care 
 had been used in selecting the latter. So on their 
 arrival, instead of making any effort to dispose of 
 our own, the drover and his foreman had sized up 
 the congested condition of the market, and turned 
 buyers. They had bought two whole remudas, and 
 picked over five or six others until their purchases 
 amounted to over five hundred head. Consequently 
 
8 THE OUTLET 
 
 on our reaching Dodge with the Pine Ridge horses, 
 I was inf OHned that they were going to send all the 
 saddle stock back over the trail to the ranch and 
 that I was to have charge of the herd. Had the trip 
 been in the spring and the other way, I certainly 
 would have felt elated over my promotion. Our beef 
 herd that year had been put up in Dimmit County, 
 and from there to the Pine Ridge Agency and back 
 to the ranch would certainly be a summer's work 
 to gratify an ordinary ambition. 
 
 In the mean time and before our arrival. Flood 
 had llrought up all the stock and wagons from the 
 settlement, and established a camp on Mulberry 
 Creek, south of Dodge on the trail. He had picked 
 up two Texans who were anxious to see their homes 
 once more, and the next day at noon we started. 
 The herd numbered a thousand and sixty head, 
 twenty of which were work-mules. The commissary 
 which was to accompany us was laden principally 
 with harness ; and waving Flood farewell, we turned 
 homeward, leaving behind unsold of that year's 
 drive only two wagons. Lovell had instructed us 
 never to ride the same horse twice, and wherever 
 good grass and water were encountered, to kill as 
 much time as possible. My employer was enthusi- 
 astic over the idea, and well he mjght be, for a finer 
 lot of saddle horses were not in the possession of 
 any trail drover, while those purchased in Dodge 
 could have been resold in San Antonio at a nice 
 profit. Many of the horses had run idle several 
 
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN 9 
 
 montlis and were in fine condition. With the allow- 
 ance of four men and a cook, a draft-book for per- 
 sonal expenses, and over a thousand horses from 
 which to choose a mount, I felt like an embryo fore- 
 man, even if it was a back track and the drag end 
 of the season. Turning everything scot free at 
 night, we reached the ranch in old Medina in six 
 weeks, actually traveling about forty days. 
 
 But now, with the opening of the trail season 
 almost at hand, the trials of past years were for- 
 gotten in the enthusiasm of the present. I had a 
 distinct recollection of numerous resolves made on 
 rainy nights, while holding a drifting herd, that this 
 was positively my last trip over the trail. Now, 
 however, after a winter of idleness, my worst fear 
 was that I might be left at home with the ranch 
 work, and thus miss the season's outing entirely. 
 There were new charms in the Buford contract 
 which thrilled me, — its numerical requirements, 
 the sight of the Yellowstone again, and more, to 
 be present at the largest delivery of the year to the 
 government. Kather than have missed the trip, I 
 would have gladly cooked or wrangled the horses 
 for one of the outfits. 
 
 On separating, Lovell urged his foreman and 
 myself to be at the depot in good time to catch our 
 train. That our employer's contracts for the year 
 would require financial assistance, both of us were 
 fully aware. The credit of Don Lovell was gilt 
 edge, not that he was a wealthy cowman, but the 
 
10 THE OUTLET 
 
 banks and moneyed men of the city recognized ms 
 business ability. Nearly every year since he began 
 driving cattle, assistance had been extended him, 
 but the promptness with which he had always met 
 his obligations made his patronage desirable. 
 
 Flood and I had a number of errands to look 
 after for the boys on the ranch and ourselves, 
 and, like countrymen, reached the depot fully an 
 hour before the train was due. Not possessed of 
 enough gumption to inquire if the westbound was 
 on time, we loitered around until some other pas- 
 sengers informed us that it was late. Just as we 
 were on the point of starting back to town, Lovell 
 drove up in a hack, and the three of us paced the 
 platform until the arrival of the belated train. 
 
 " Well, boys, everything looks serene," said our 
 employer, when we had walked to the farther end 
 of the depot. " I can get all the money I need, 
 even if we shipped part way, which I don'fr intend 
 to do. The banks admit that cattle are a slow sale 
 and a shade lower this spring, and are not as free 
 with their money as a year or two ago. My bankers 
 detained me over an hour until they could send for 
 a customer who claimed to have a very fine lot of 
 beeves for sale in Lasalle County. That he is anx- 
 ious to sell there is no doubt, for he offered them to 
 me on my own time, and agrees to meet any one's 
 prices. I half promised to come back next week 
 and go down with him to Lasalle and look his 
 cattle over. If they show up right, there will be 
 
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN 11 
 
 no trouble in buying them, which will complete 
 our purchases. It is my intention, Jim, to give you 
 the herd to fill our earliest delivery. Our next 
 two occur so near together that you will have to 
 represent me at one of them. The Buford cattle, 
 being the last by a few weeks, we will both go 
 up there and see it over with. There are about 
 half a dozen trail foremen anxious for the two 
 other herds, and while they are good men, I don't 
 know of any good reason for not pushing my own 
 boys forward. I have already decided to give Dave 
 Sponsilier and Quince Forrest two of the Buford 
 herds, and I reckon, Tom, the last one will fall to 
 
 you." 
 
 The darkness in which we were standing shielded 
 my egotism from public view. But I am conscious 
 that I threw out my brisket several inches and 
 stood straight on my bow-legs as I thanked old 
 man Don for the foremanship of his sixth herd. 
 Flood was amused, and told me afterward that my 
 language was extravagant. There is an old super- 
 stition that if a man ever drinks out of the Rio 
 Grande, it matters not where he roams afterward, 
 he is certain to come back to her banks again. I 
 had watered my horse in the Yellowstone in '82, 
 and ever afterward felt an itching to see her again. 
 And here the opportunity opened before me, not 
 as a common cow-hand, but as a trail boss and one 
 of three in filling a five million pound government 
 beef contract ! But it was dark and I was afoot, 
 
12 THE OUTLET 
 
 and if I was a trifle " chesty," there had suddenly 
 come new colorings to my narrow world. 
 
 On the arrival of the train, several other west- 
 ward-bound cowmen boarded it. We all took seats 
 in the smoker, it being but a two hours' run to our 
 destination. Flood and I were sitting well forward 
 in the car, the former almost as elated over my 
 good fortune as myself. " Well, won't old Quince 
 be aU puffed up," said Jim to me, " when the old 
 man tells him he 's to have a herd. Now, I 've 
 never said a word in favor of either one of you. Of 
 course, when Mr. Lovell asked me if I knew certain 
 trail foremen who were liable to be idle this year, I 
 intimated that he had plenty of material in his em- 
 ploy to make a few of his own. The old man may 
 be a trifle slow on reaching a decision, but once he 
 makes up his mind, he 's there till the cows come 
 home. Now, all you and Quince need to do is to 
 make good, for you could n't ask for a better man 
 behind you. In making up your outfit, you want 
 to know every man you hire, and give a prefer- 
 ence to gray hairs, for they 're not so liable to ad- 
 mire their shadow in sunny or get homesick in 
 falling weather. Tom, where you made a ten-strike 
 with the old man was in accepting that horse herd 
 at Dodge last fall. Had you made a whine or whim- 
 per then, the chances are you would n't be bossing 
 a herd this year. LoveU is a cowman who likes to 
 see a fellow take his medicine with a smile." 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 ORGANIZING THE FORCES 
 
 Don Lovbll and Jim Flood returned from La- 
 salle County on the last day of February. They 
 had spent a week along the Upper Nueces, and 
 before returning to the ranch closed a trade on 
 thirty-four hundred five and six year old beeves. 
 Aecording to their report, the cattle along the 
 river had wintered in fine condition, and the grass 
 had already started in the valley. This last pur- 
 chase concluded the buying for trail purposes, and 
 all absent foremen were notified to be on hand at 
 the ranch on March 10, for the beginning of active 
 operations. Only some ten of us had wintered at 
 headquarters in Medina County, and as about 
 ninety men would be required for the season's work, 
 they would have to be secured elsewhere. AU the 
 old foremen expected to use the greater portion of 
 the men who were in their employ the year before, 
 and could summon them on a few days' notice. But 
 Forrest and myself were compelled to hire entirely 
 new outfits, and it was high time we were looking 
 up our help. 
 
 One of Flood's regular outfit had married during 
 the winter, and with Forrest's and my promotion, 
 
14 THE OUTLET 
 
 he Iiad only to secure three new men. He had 
 dozens of applications from good cow-hands, and 
 after selecting for himself offered the others to 
 Quince and me. But my brother Bob arrived at 
 the ranch, from our home in Karnes County, two 
 days later, having also a surplus of men at his 
 command. Although he did not show any enthu- 
 siasm over my promotion, he offered to help me get 
 up a good outfit of boys. I had about half a dozen 
 good fellows in view, and on Bob's approval of 
 them, he selected from his overplus six more as 
 first choice and four as second. It would take me 
 a week of constant riding to see all these men, and 
 as Flood and Forrest had made up an outfit for the 
 latter from the former's available list, Quince and 
 I saddled up and rode away to hire outfits. Forrest 
 was well acquainted in Wilson, where LoveU had 
 put up several trail herds, and as it joined my home 
 county, we bore each other company the first day. 
 A long ride brought us to the Atascosa, where we 
 stayed all night. The next morning we separated. 
 Quince bearing due east for FloresviUe, while I 
 continued southeast towards my home near CiboUo 
 Ford on the San Antonio River. It had been over 
 a year since I had seen the family, and on reach- 
 ing the ranch, my father gruffly noticed me, but 
 my mother and sisters received me with open arms. 
 I was a mature man of twenty-eight at the time, 
 mustached, and stood six feet to a plumb-line. 
 The family were cognizant of my checkered past. 
 
ORGANIZING THE FORCES 15 
 
 and although never mentioning it, it seemed as if 
 my misfortunes had elevated me in the estimation 
 of my sisters, while to my mother I had become 
 doubly dear. 
 
 During the time spent in that vicinity, I managed 
 to reach home at night as often as possible. Con- 
 stantly using fresh horses, I covered a wide circle 
 of country, making one ride down the river into 
 Goliad County of over fifty miles, returning the 
 next day. Within a week I had made up my outfit, 
 including the horse-wrangler and cook. Some of the 
 men were ten years my senior, while only a few were 
 younger, but I knew that these latter had made 
 the trip before and were as reliable as their elders. 
 The wages promised that year were fifty dollars 
 a month, the men to furnish only their own saddles 
 and blankets, and at that figure I picked two pas- 
 toral counties, every man bred to the occupation. 
 The trip promised six months' work with return 
 passage, and I urged every one employed to make 
 his appearance at headquarters, in Medina, on or 
 before the 15th of the month. There was no rail- 
 road communication through Karnes and Goliad 
 counties at that time, and all the boys were assured 
 that their private horses would have good pasturage 
 at the home ranch while they were away, and I 
 advised them all to come on horseback. By this 
 method they would have a fresh horse awaiting 
 them on their return from the North with which to 
 continue their homeward journey. All the men 
 
16 THE OUTLET 
 
 engaged were unmarried, and taken as a whole, I 
 flattered myself on having secured a crack outfit. 
 
 I was in a hurry to get back to the ranch. There 
 had been nothing said about the remudas before 
 leaving, and while we had an abundance of horses, 
 no one knew them better than I did. For that 
 reason I wanted to be present when their allotment 
 was made, for I knew that every foreman would 
 try to get the best mounts, and I did not propose 
 to stand behind the door and take the culls. Many 
 of the horses had not had a saddle on them in eight 
 months, while all of them had run idle during the 
 winter in a large mesquite pasture and were in fine 
 condition with the opening of spring. So bidding 
 my folks farewell, I saddled at noon and took a 
 cross-country course for the ranch, covering the 
 hundred and odd miles in a day and a half. Reach- 
 ing headquarters late at night, I found that active 
 preparations had been going on during my absence. 
 There were new wagons to rig, harness to oil, and 
 a carpenter was then at work building chuck-boxes 
 for each of the six commissaries. A wholesale house 
 in the city had shipped out a stock of staple sup- 
 plies, almost large enough to start a store. There 
 were whole coils of new rope of various sizes, from 
 lariats to corral cables, and a sufficient amount 
 of the largest size to make a stack of hobbles as 
 large as a haycock. Four new branding-irons to 
 the wagon, the regulation " Circle Dot," completed 
 the main essentials. 
 
OKGANIZING THE FORCES 17 
 
 All the foremen had reported at the ranch, with 
 the exception of Forrest, who came in the next 
 evening with three men. The division of the horses 
 had not even come up for discussion, but several 
 of the boys about headquarters who were friendly 
 to my interests posted me that the older foremen 
 were going to claim first choice. Archie Tolleston, 
 next to Jim Flood in seniority in Lovell's employ, 
 had spent every day riding among the horses, and 
 had even boasted that he expected to claim fifteen 
 of the best for his own saddle. Flood was not 
 so particular, as his destination was in southern 
 Dakota, but my brother Bob was again ticketed for 
 the Crow Agency in Montana, and would naturally 
 expect a good remuda. Tolleston was going to 
 western Wyoming, while the Fort Buford cattle 
 were a two-weeks' later delivery and fully five hun- 
 dred miles farther travel. On my return Lovell 
 was in the city, but I felt positive that if he took 
 a hand in the division, Tolleston would only run 
 on the rope once. 
 
 A few days before the appointed time, the men 
 began thronging into headquarters. Down to the 
 minutest detail about the wagons and mule teams, 
 everything was shipshape. The commissary de- 
 partment was stocked for a month, and everything 
 was ready to harness in and move. Lovell's head- 
 quarters was a stag ranch, and as fast as the en- 
 gaged cooks reported, they were assigned to wagons, 
 and kept open house in relieving the home cocinero. 
 
18 THE OUTLET 
 
 In the absence of our employer, Flood was virtually 
 at the head of affairs, and artfully postponed the 
 division of horses until the last moment. My outfit 
 had all come in in good time, and we were simply 
 resting on our oars until the return of old man 
 Don from San Antonio. The men were jubilant 
 and light-hearted as a lot of school-boys, and with 
 the exception of a feeling of jealousy among the 
 foremen over the remudas, we were a gay crowd, 
 turning night into day. But on the return of our 
 employer, all frivolity ceased, and the ranch stood 
 at attention. The only unfinished work was the 
 division of the horses, and but a single day re- 
 mained before the agreed time for starting. Jim 
 Flood had met his employer at the station the night 
 before, and while returning to the ranch, the two 
 discussed the apportionment of the saddle stock. 
 The next morning all the foremen were called to- 
 gether, when the drover said to his trail bosses : 
 
 " Boys, I suppose you are all anxious to get 
 a good remuda for this summer's trip. Well, I 've 
 got them for you. The only question is, how can 
 we distribute them equitably so that all interests 
 will be protected. One herd may not have near the 
 distance to travel that the others have. It would 
 look unjust to give it the best horses, and yet it 
 may have the most trouble. Our remudas last year 
 were all picked animals. They had an easy year's 
 work. With the exception of a few head, we have 
 the same mounts and in much better condition than 
 
ORGANIZING THE FORCES 19 
 
 last year. This is about my idea of equalizing 
 things. You four old foremen will use your remu- 
 das of last year. Then each of you six bosses select 
 twenty-five head each of the Dodge horses, — turn 
 and turn about. Add those to your old remadas, 
 and cull back your surplus, allowing ten to the 
 man, twelve to the foreman, and five extra to each 
 herd in case of cripples or of galled backs. By this 
 method, each herd will have two dozen prime sad- 
 dlers, the pick of a thousand picked ones, and fit 
 for any man who was ever in my employ. I 'm 
 breaking in two new foremen this year, and they 
 shall have no excuse for not being mounted, and 
 will divide the remainder. Now, take four men 
 apiece and round up the saddle stock, and have 
 everything in shape to go into camp to-night. I '11 
 be present at the division, and I warn you all that 
 I want no clashing." 
 
 A ranch remuda was driven in, and we saddled. 
 There were about thirty thousand acres in the pas- 
 ture, and by eleven o'clock everything was thrown 
 together. The private horses of all the boys had 
 been turned into a separate inclosure, and before 
 the cutting out commenced, every mother's son, in- 
 cluding Don Lovell, arrived at the round-up. There 
 were no corrals on the ranch which would accommo- 
 date such a body of animals, and thus the work had 
 to be done in the open ; but with the force at hand 
 we threw a cordon around them, equal to a corral, 
 and the cutting out to the four quarters commenced. 
 
20 THE OUTLET 
 
 The horses were gentle and handled easily. Forrest 
 and I turned to and helped our old foreman cut out 
 his remuda of the year before. There were several 
 horses in my old mount that I would have liked to 
 have again, but I knew it was useless to try and 
 trade Jim out of them, as he knew their qualities 
 and would have robbed me in demanding their 
 equivalent. When the old remudas were again sep- 
 arated, they were counted and carefully looked over 
 by both foremen and men, and were open to the 
 inspection of all who cared to look. Everything 
 was passing very pleasantly, and the cutting of 
 the extra twenty-five began. Then my selfishness 
 was weighed in the balance and found to be full 
 weight. I had ridden over a hundred of the best 
 of them, but when any one appealed to me, even 
 my own dear brother, I was as dumb as an oyster 
 about a horse. Tolleston, especially, cursed, raved, * 
 and importuned me to help him get a good private 
 mount, but I was as innocent as I was unmovable. 
 The trip home from Dodge was no pleasure jaunt, 
 and now I was determined to draw extra pay in 
 getting the cream of that horse herd. There were 
 other features governing my actions : Flood was 
 indifferent ; Forrest, at times, was cruel to horses, 
 and had I helped my brother, I might have been 
 charged with favoritism. Dave Sponsilier was 
 a good horseman, as his selections proved, and 
 I was not wasting any love and affection on Archie 
 ToUeston that day, anyhow. 
 
ORGANIZING THE FORCES 21 
 
 That no undue advantage should be taken, Lovell 
 kept tally of every horse cut out, and once each fore- 
 man had taken his number, he was waved out of 
 the herd. I did the selecting of my own, and with 
 the assistance of one man, was constantly waiting 
 my turn. With all the help he could use, ToUeston 
 was over half an hour making his selections, and 
 took the only blind horse in the entire herd. He was 
 a showy animal, a dapple gray, fully fifteen hands 
 high, bred in north Texas, and belonged to one of 
 the whole remudas bought in Dodge. At the time 
 of his purchase, neither Lovell nor Flood detected 
 anything wrong, and no one could see anything in 
 the eyeball which would indicate he was moon-eyed. 
 Yet any horseman need only notice him closely to be 
 satisfied of his defect, as he was constantly shying 
 from other horses and objects and smelled every- 
 thing which came within his reach. There were pro- 
 bably half a dozen present who knew of his blind- 
 ness, but not a word was said until all the extras 
 were chosen and the culling out of the overplus of 
 the various remudas began. It started in snickers, 
 and before the cutting back was over developed into 
 peals of laughter, as man after man learned that the 
 dapple gray in ToUeston's remuda was blind. 
 
 Among the very last to become acquainted with 
 the fact was the trail foreman himself. After watch- 
 ing the horse long enough to see his mistake, 
 ToUeston culled the gray back and rode into the 
 herd to claim another. But the drover promptly 
 
22 THE OUTLET 
 
 summoned his foreman out, and, as they met, Lovell 
 said to his trail boss, " Arch, you 're no better than 
 anybody else. I bought that gray and paid my 
 good money for him. No doubt but the man who 
 sold him has laughed about it often since, and if 
 ever we meet, I '11 take my hat off and compliment 
 him on being the only person who ever sold me a 
 moon-eyed horse. I 'm stiU paying my tuition, and 
 you need n't flare up when the laugh 's on you. You 
 have a good remuda without him, and the only way 
 you can get another horse out of that herd is with 
 the permission of Quince Forrest and Tom Quirk." 
 " Well, if the permission of those new foremen is 
 all I lack, then I '11 cut all the horses I want," re- 
 torted ToUeston, and galloped back towards the 
 herd. But Quince and I were after him like a flash, 
 followed leisurely by Lovell. As he slacked his 
 mount to enter the mass of animals, I passed him, 
 jerking the bridle reins from his hand. Throwing 
 my horse on his haunches, I turned just as Forrest 
 slapped ToUeston on the back, and said : " Look-ee 
 here. Arch ; just because you 're a little hot under 
 the collar, don't do anything brash, for fear you may 
 regret it afterward. I 'm due to take a little pasear 
 myself this summer, and I always did like to be well 
 mounted. Now, don't get your back up or attempt 
 to stand up any bluffs, for I can whip you in any 
 sized circle you can name. You never saw me burn 
 powder, did you ? Well, just you keep on acting 
 the d fool if you want a little smoke thrown in 
 
ORGANIZING THE FORCES 23 
 
 your face. Just fool with me and I '11 fog you till 
 you look like an angel in the clouds." 
 
 But old man Don reached us, and raised his 
 hand. I threw the reins back over the horse's head. 
 Tolleston was white with rage, but before he could 
 speak our employer waved us aside and said, 
 " Tom, you and Quince clear right out of here and 
 I '11 settle this matter. Arch, there 's your remuda. 
 Take it and go about your business or say you don't 
 want to. Now, we know each other, and I '11 not 
 mince or repeat any words with you. Go on." 
 
 "Not an inch will I move until I get another 
 horse," hissed Tolleston between gasps. " If it lies 
 between you and me, then I '11 have one in place of 
 that gray, or you '11 get another foreman. Now, you 
 have my terms and ticket." 
 
 " Very well then, Archie ; that changes the pro- 
 gramme entirely," replied Lovell, firmly. " You '11 
 find your private horse in the small pasture, and 
 we '11 excuse you for the summer. Whenever a man 
 in my employ gets the impression that 1 can't get 
 along without him, that moment he becomes useless 
 to me. It seems that you are bloated with that idea, 
 and a season's rest and quiet may cool you down 
 and make a useful man of you again. Remember 
 that you 're always welcome at my ranch, and don't 
 let this make us strangers," he called back as he 
 turned away. 
 
 Riding over with us to where a group were sit- 
 ting on their horses, our employer scanned the 
 
24 THE OUTLET 
 
 crowd without saying a word. Turning halfway in 
 his saddle, he looked over towards Flood's remuda 
 and said : " One of you boys please ride over and 
 tell Paul I want him." During the rather embar- 
 rassing interim, the conversation instantly changed, 
 and we borrowed tobacco and rolled cigarettes to 
 kill time. 
 
 Priest was rather slow in making his appearance, 
 riding leisurely, but on coming up innocently in- 
 quired of his employer, " Did you want to see me ? " 
 
 " Yes. Paul, I 've just lost one of my foremen. 
 I need a good reliable man to take a herd to Fort 
 Washakie. It 's an Indian agency on the head 
 waters of the North Platte in Wyoming. Will you 
 tackle the job ? " 
 
 "A good soldier is always subject to orders," 
 replied The Rebel with a military salute. " If you 
 have a herd for delivery in Wyoming, give me the 
 men and horses, and I '11 put the cattle there if 
 possible. You are the commandant in the field, and 
 I am subject to instructions." 
 
 "There's your remuda and outfit, then," said 
 LoveU, pointing to the one intended for ToUeston, 
 " and you '11 get a commissary at the ranch and go 
 into camp this evening. You'll get your herd in 
 Nueces County, and Jim will assist in the receiving. 
 Any other little details will all be arranged before 
 you get away." 
 
 Calling for all the mea in ToUeston's outfit, the 
 two rode away for that remuda. Shortly before the 
 
ORGANIZING THE FORCES 25 
 
 trouble arose, our employer instructed those with 
 the Buford cattle to take ten extra horses for each 
 herd. There were now over a hundred and forty 
 head to be culled back, and Sponsilier was entitled 
 to ten of them. In order to be sure of our numbers, 
 we counted the remaining band, and Forrest and I 
 trimmed them down to two hundred and fifty-four 
 head. As this number was too small to be handled 
 easily in the open, we decided to take them into 
 the corrals for the final division. After the culling 
 back Was over, and everything had started for the 
 ranch, to oblige Sponsilier, I remained behind and 
 helped him to retrim his remuda. Unless one knew 
 the horses personally, it was embarrassing even to 
 try and pick ten of the best ones from the over- 
 plus. But I knew many of them at first hand, and 
 at Dave's request, after picking out the extra ones, 
 continued selecting others in exchange for horses 
 in his old band. We spent nearly an hour cutting 
 back and forth, or until we were both satisfied that 
 his saddle stock could not be improved from the 
 material at hand. 
 
 The ranch headquarters were fully six miles from 
 the round-up. Leaving Sponsilier delighted with the 
 change in his remuda, I rode to overtake the undi- 
 vided band which were heading for the ranch cor- 
 rals. On coming up with them, Forrest proposed 
 that we divide the horses by a running cut in squads 
 of ten, and toss for choice. Once they were in the 
 corrals, this could have been easily done by simply 
 
26 THE OUTLET 
 
 opening a gate and allowing blocks of ten to pass 
 alternately from the main into smaller inclosures. 
 But I was expecting something like this from 
 Quince, and had entirely different.plans of my own. 
 Forrest and I were good friends, but he was a foxy 
 rascal, and I had never wavered in my determina- 
 tion to get the pick of that horse herd. Had I 
 accepted his proposal, the chance of a spinning 
 coin might have given him a decided advantage, 
 and I declined his proposition. I had a remuda in 
 sight that my very being had hungered for, and 
 now I would take no chance of losing it. But on 
 the other hand, I proposed to Forrest that he might 
 have the assistance of two men in Flood's outfit who 
 had accompanied the horse herd home from Dodge. 
 In the selecting of Jim's extra twenty-five, the 
 opinion of these two lads, as the chosen horses 
 proved, was a decided help to their foreman. But 
 Quince stood firm, and arguing the matter, we 
 reached the corrals and penned the band. 
 
 The two top bunches were held separate and were 
 left a mile back on the prairie, under herd. The 
 other remudas were all in sight of the ranch, while 
 a majority of the men were eating a late dinner. 
 Still contending for his point, Forrest sent a lad to 
 the house to ask our employer to come over to the 
 corrals. On his appearance, accompanied by Flood, 
 each of us stated our proposition. 
 
 " Well, the way I size this up," said old man 
 Don, " one of you wants to rely on his own judg- 
 
OEGANIZING THE FORCES 27 
 
 ment and the other don't. It looks to me, Quince, 
 you want a gambler's chance where you can't lose. 
 Tom 's willing to bank on his own judgment, but 
 you ain't. Now, I like a man who does his own 
 thinking, and to give you a good lesson in that line, 
 why, divide them, horse and horse, turn about. 
 Now, I '11 spin this coin for first pick, and while it 's 
 in the air, Jim will call the turn. . . . Tom wins 
 first choice." 
 
 "That's all right, Mr. Lovell," said Quince, 
 smilingly. "I just got the idea that you wanted 
 the remndas for the Buford herds to be equally 
 good. How can you expect it when Tom knows 
 every horse and I never saddled one of them. Grive 
 me the same chance, and I might know them as 
 well as the little boy knew his pap." 
 
 "You had the same chance," I put in, "but 
 did n't want it. You were offered the Pine Ridge 
 horses last year to take back to Dodge, and you 
 kicked like a bay steer. But I swallowed their dust 
 to the Arkansaw, and from there home we lived in 
 clouds of alkali. You went home drunk and dressed 
 up, with a cigar in your mouth and your feet 
 through the car window, claiming you was a brother- 
 in-law to Jay Gould, and simply out on a tour of 
 inspection. Now you expect me to give you the 
 benefit of my experience and rob myself. Not this 
 summer, John Quincy." 
 
 But rather than let Forrest feel that he was being 
 taken advantage of, I repeated my former propo- 
 
28 THE OUTLET 
 
 sition. Accepting it as a last resort, the two boys 
 were sent for and the dividing commenced. Re- 
 mounting our horses, we entered the large corral, 
 and as fast as they were selected the different out- 
 fits were either roped or driven singly through a 
 guarded gate. It took over an hour of dusty work 
 to make the division, but when it was finished I had 
 a remuda of a hundred and fifty-two saddle horses 
 that would make a man willing to work for his board 
 and the privilege of riding them. Turning out of 
 the corrals. Priest and I accompanied the horses 
 out on the prairie where our toppy ones were being 
 grazed. Paul was tickled over my outfit of saddle 
 stock, but gave me several hints that he was entitled 
 to another picked mount. I attempted to explain 
 that he had a good remuda, but he still insisted, and 
 I promised him if he would be at my wagon the 
 next morning when we corralled, he should have 
 a good one. I could well afford to be generous with 
 my old bunkie. 
 
 There now only remained the apportionment of the 
 work-stock. Four mules were allowed to the wagon, 
 and in order to have them in good condition they 
 had been grain-fed for the past month. In their 
 allotment the Buford herds were given the best 
 teams, and when mine was pointed owt by my em- 
 ployer, the outfit assisted the cook to harness in. 
 Giving him instructions to go into camp on a creek 
 three miles south of headquarters, my wagon was 
 the second one to get away. Some of the teams 
 
OEGANIZESTG THE FORCES 29 
 
 bolted at the start, and only for timely assistance 
 Sponsilier's commissary would have been overturned 
 in the sand. Two of the wagons headed west for 
 Uvalde, while my brother Bob's started southeast 
 for Bee County. The other two belonging to Flood 
 and The Eebel would camp on the same creek as 
 mine, their herds being also south. Once the wag- 
 ons were off, the saddle stock was brought in and 
 corralled for our first mounts. The final allotment 
 of horses to the men would not take place until 
 the herds were ready to be received, and until then, 
 they would be ridden uniformly but promiscuously. 
 With instructions from our employer to return to 
 the ranch after making camp, the remudas were 
 started after the wagons. 
 
 On our return after darkness, the ranch was as 
 deserted as a school-house on Saturday. A Mexi- 
 can cook and a few regular ranch hands were all 
 that were left. Archie Tolleston had secured his 
 horse and quit headquarters before any one had even 
 returned from the round-up. When the last of the 
 foremen came in, our employer delivered his final 
 messages. " Boys," said he, " I '11 only detain you 
 a few minutes. I 'm going west in the morning to 
 Uvalde County, and will be present at the receiving 
 of Quince and Dave's herds. After they start, I 'U 
 come back to the city and take stage to Oakville. 
 But you go right ahead and receive your cattle, 
 Bob, for we don't know what may turn up. Flood 
 will help Tom first, and then Paul, to receive their 
 
30 THE OUTLET 
 
 cattle. That will give the Buford herds the first 
 start, and I '11 be waiting for you at Abilene when 
 you reach there. And above all else, boys, remem- 
 ber that I 've strained my credit in this drive, and 
 that the cattle must be A 1, and that we must 
 deliver them on the spot in prime condition. Now, 
 that 's all, but you 'd better be riding so as to get 
 an early start in the morning." 
 
 Our employer walked with us to the outer gate 
 where our horses stood at the hitch-rack. That he 
 was reticent in his business matters was well known 
 among all his old foremen, including Forrest and 
 myself. If he had a confidant among his men, Jim 
 Flood was the man — and there were a few things 
 lie did not know. As we mounted our horses to re- 
 turn to our respective camps, old man Don quietly 
 took my bridle reins in hand and allowed the others 
 to ride away. " I want a parting word with you, 
 Tom," said he a moment later. " Something has 
 happened to-day which will require the driving of 
 the Buford herds in some road brand other than 
 the 'Circle Dot.' The first blacksmith shop you 
 pass, have your irons altered into ' Open A's,' and 
 I'll do the same with Quince and Dave's brands. 
 Of the why or wherefore of this, say nothing to 
 any one, as no one but myself knows. Don't 
 breathe a word even to Flood, for he don't know 
 any more than he should. When the time comes, if 
 it ever does, you '11 know all that is necessary — or 
 nothing. That 'sail." 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 
 
 The trip to Lasalle County was mere pastime. All 
 three of the outfits kept in touch with each other, 
 camping far enough apart to avoid any conflict in 
 night-herding the remudas. The only incident to 
 mar the pleasure of the outing was the discovery of 
 ticks in many of our horses' ears. The pasture in 
 which they had wintered was somewhat brushy, and 
 as there had been no frost to kill insect life, myri- 
 ads of seed-ticks had dropped from the mesquite 
 thickets upon the animals when rubbing against or 
 passing underneath them. As the inner side of a 
 horse's ear is both warm and tender, that organ was 
 frequently infested with this pest, whose ravages 
 6f ten undermined the supporting cartilages and pro- 
 duced the drooping or " gotch " ear. In my remuda 
 over one half the horses were a£B.icted with ticks, 
 and many of them it was impossible to bridle, owing 
 to the inflamed condition of their ears. Fortunately 
 we had with us some standard preparations for 
 blistering, so, diluting this in axle-grease, we threw 
 every animal thus affected and thoroughly swabbed 
 his ears. 
 
 On reaching the Nueces River, near the western 
 
32 THE OUTLET 
 
 boundary of Lasalle County, the other two outfits 
 continued on down that stream for their destination 
 in the lower country. Flood remained behind with 
 me, and going into camp on the river with my out- 
 fit, the two of us rode over to Los Lobos Eanch and 
 announced ourselves as ready to receive the cattle. 
 Dr. Beaver, the seller of the herd, was expecting 
 us, and sending word of our arrival to neighboring 
 cowmen, we looked over the corrals before return- 
 ing to camp. They had built a new branding- 
 chute and otherwise improved their facilities for 
 handling cattle. The main inclosure had been built 
 of heavy palisades in an early day, but recently 
 several of smaller sized lumber had been added, 
 making the most complete corrals I had ever seen. 
 An abundance of wood was at hand for heating the 
 branding-irons, and every little detail to facilitate 
 the work had been provided for. Giving notice that 
 we would receive every morning on the open prairie 
 only, we declined an invitation to remain at the 
 ranch and returned to my wagon. 
 
 In the valley the grass was well forward. We 
 had traveled only some twenty miles a day coming 
 down, and our horses had fared well. But as soon 
 as we received any cattle, night-herding the remuda 
 would cease, and we must either hobble or resort 
 to other measures. John Levering was my horse- 
 wrangler. He had made two trips over the trail 
 with Fant's herds in the same capacity, was care- 
 ful, humane, and an all-round horseman. In em- 
 
RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 33 
 
 ploying a cook, I had given the berth to Neal 
 Parent, an old boyhood chum of mine. He never 
 amounted to much as< a cow-hand, but was a light- 
 hearted, happy fool ; and as cooking did not require 
 much sense, I gave him the chance to make his first 
 trip. Like a court jester, he kept the outfit in fine 
 spirits and was the butt of all jokes. In entertain- 
 ing company he was in a class by himself, and spoke 
 with marked familiarity of all the prominent cow- 
 men in southern Texas. To a stranger the infer- 
 ence might be easily drawn that Lovell was in his 
 employ. 
 
 As we were expecting to receive cattle on the 
 third day, the next morning the allotment of horses 
 was made. The usual custom of giving the foreman 
 first choice was claimed, and I cut twelve of solid 
 colors but not the largest ones. Taking turns, the 
 outfit roped out horse after horse until only the ten 
 extra ones were left. In order that these should 
 bear a fair share in the work, I took one of them 
 for a night-horse aud allotted the others to the sec- 
 ond, third, and last guard in a similar capacity. 
 This gave the last three watches two horses apiece 
 for night work, but with the distinct understanding 
 that in case of accident or injury to any horse in 
 the remuda, they could be recalled. There was 
 little doubt that before the summer ended, they 
 would be claimed to fill vacancies in the regular 
 mounts. Flood had kept behind only two horses 
 with which to overtake the other outfits, and during 
 
34 THE OUTLET 
 
 his stay with us would ride these extras and loans 
 from my mount. 
 
 The entire morning was spent working with the 
 remuda. Once a man knew his mount, extra atten- 
 tion was shown each horse. There were witches' hri- 
 dles to be removed from their manes, extra long tails 
 were thinned out to the proper length, and all hoofs 
 trimmed short. The horses were fast shedding their 
 winter coats, matting the saddle blankets with fall- 
 ing hair, and ^unless carefully watched, galled backs 
 would result. The branding-irons had been altered 
 en route, and about noon a vaquero came down the 
 river and reported that the second round-up of the 
 day would meet just over the county line in Dimmit. 
 He belonged at Los Lobos, and reported the morn- 
 ing rodeo as containing over five hundred beeves, 
 which would be ready for delivery at our pleasure. 
 We made him remain for dinner, after which Flood 
 and I saddled up and returned with him. We 
 reached the round-up just as the cutting-out finished. 
 They were a fine lot of big rangy beeves, and Jim 
 suggested that we pass upon them at once. The 
 seller agreed to hold them overnight, and Flood 
 and I culled back about one hundred and twenty 
 which were under age or too light. The round-up 
 outfit strung the cattle out and counted them, re- 
 porting a few over seven hundred head. This count 
 was merely informal and for the information of the 
 seller ; but in the morning the final one would be 
 made, in which we could take a hand. 
 
RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 35 
 
 After the cut had started in for the ranch, we 
 loitered along, looking them over, and I noticed 
 several that might have been thrown out. " Well, 
 now," said Flood, " if you are going to be so very 
 choice as all that, I might as well ride on. You 
 can't use me if that bunch needs any more trimming. 
 I call them a fine lot of beeves. It 's all right for 
 Don to rib the boys up and make them think that 
 the cattle have to be top-notohers. I 've watched 
 him receive too often ; he 's about the easiest man 
 I know to ring in short ages on. Just so a steer 
 looks nice, it 's hard for the old man to turn one 
 back. I 've seen him receiving three-year-olds, when 
 one fourth of the cattle passed on were short twos. 
 And if you call his attention to one, he '11 just 
 smile that little smile of his, and say, ' Yes, he may 
 be shy a few months, but he '11 grow.' But then 
 that 's just old man Don's weakness for cattle ; he 
 can't look a steer in the face without falling in love 
 with him. Now, I 've received before when by 
 throwing out one half the stock offered, you could n't 
 get as uniform a bunch of beeves as those are. But 
 you go right ahead, Tom, and be sure that every 
 hoof you accept will dress five hundred pounds at 
 Fort Buford. I '11 simply sit around and clerk and 
 help you count and give you a good chance to make 
 a reputation." 
 
 Los Lobos was still an open range. They claimed 
 to have over ten thousand mixed cattle in the 
 straight ranch brand. There Jiad been no demand 
 
36 THE OUTLET 
 
 for matured beeves for several years, and now on 
 effecting this sale they were anxious to deliver all 
 their grown steers. Dr. Beaver informed us that, pre- 
 vious to our arrival, his foreman had been throwing 
 everything in on the home range, and that he hoped 
 to deliver to us over two thousand head from his 
 own personal holdings. But he was liberal with his 
 neighbors, for in the contingent just passed upon, 
 there must have been over a hundred head in vari- 
 ous ranch brands. Assuring him that we would be 
 on hand in the morning to take possession of the 
 cattle, and requesting him to have a fire burning, 
 on coming opposite the camp, we turned off and 
 rode for our wagon. It meant a big day's work to 
 road-brand this first contingent, and with the first 
 sign of dawn, my outfit were riding for Los Lobos. 
 We were encamped about three miles from the cor- 
 rals, and leaving orders for the cook to follow up, 
 the camp was abandoned with the exception of the 
 remuda. It was barely sun-up when we counted and 
 took possession of the beeves. On being relieved, 
 the foreman of Los Lobos took the ranch outfit and 
 started off to renew the gathering. We penned the 
 cattle without any trouble, and as soon as the irons 
 were ready, a chutefid were run in and the brand- 
 ing commenced. This branding-chute was long 
 enough to chamber eight beeves. It was built about 
 a foot wide at the bottom and flared upward just 
 enough to prevent an animal from turning round. 
 A heavy gate closed the exit, while buU-bars at the 
 
RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 37 
 
 rear prevented the occupant from backing out. A 
 high platform ran along either side of the branding, 
 chute, on which the men stood while handling the 
 irons. 
 
 Two men did the branding. " Runt " Pickett 
 attended the fire, passing up the heated irons, and 
 dodging the cold branding-steel. A single iron was 
 often good for several animals, and sometimes a 
 chuteful was branded with two irons. It was nec- 
 essary that the work should be well done ; not that 
 a five months' trip required it, but the unforeseen 
 must be guarded against. Many trail herds had 
 met disaster and been scattered to the four winds 
 with nothing but a road brand to identify them 
 afterward. The cattle were changing owners, and 
 custom decreed that an abstract of title should be 
 indelibly seared on their sides. The first guard, 
 Jake Blair, Morg Tussler, and Clay Zilligan, were 
 detailed to cut and drive the squads into the chute. 
 These three were the only mounted men, the others 
 being placed so as to facilitate the work. Cattle are 
 as innocent as they are strong, and in this necessary 
 work everything was done quietly, care being taken 
 to prevent them from becoming excited. As fast 
 as they were released from the chute. Dr. Beaver 
 took a list of the ranch brands, in order to bill of 
 sale them to Lovell and settle with his neighbors. 
 
 The work moved with alacrity. As one chuteful 
 was being freed the next one was entering. Grates 
 closed in their faces and the bull-bars at the rear 
 
38 THE OUTLET 
 
 locked them as in a vice. We were averaging a 
 hundred an hour, but the smoke from the burning 
 hair was offensive to the lungs. During the fore- 
 noon Burl Van Vedder and Vick Wolf " spelled " 
 Flood and myself for half an hour at a time, or until 
 we could recover from the nauseous fumes. When 
 the cook called us to dinner, we had turned out 
 nearly five hundred branded cattle. No sooner was 
 the midday meal bolted than the cook was ordered 
 back to camp with his wagon, the branded contin- 
 gent of cattle following in charge of the first guard. 
 Less than half an hour was lost in refreshing the 
 inner man, and ordering " G — G " Cederdall, Tim 
 Stanley, and Jack Splann of the second guard into 
 their saddles to take the place of the relieved men, 
 we resumed our task. The dust of the corrals set- 
 tled on us unheeded, the smoke of the fire mingled 
 with that of the singeing hair and its offensive 
 odors, bringing tears to our eyes, but the work 
 never abated until the last steer had passed the 
 chute and bore the " Open A." 
 
 The work over, a pretense was made at wash- 
 ing the dust and grime from our faces. It was still 
 early in the day, and starting the cattle for camp, 
 I instructed the boys to water and graze them as 
 long as they would stand up. The men all knew 
 their places on guard, this having been previously 
 arranged ; and joining Dr. Beaver, Jim and I rode 
 for the ranch about a mile distant. The doctor was 
 a genial host, and prescribed a series of mint-juleps, 
 
RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 39 
 
 after which he proposed that we ride out and meet 
 the cattle gathered during the day. The outfit had 
 been working a section of country around some 
 lagoons, south of the ranch, and it was fully six 
 o'clock when we met them, heading homeward. 
 The cattle were fully up to the standard of the 
 first bunch, and halting the herd we trimmed them 
 down and passed on them. After Flood rode out 
 of this second contingent, I culled back about a 
 dozen light weights. On finishing, Jim gave me a 
 quiet wink, and said something to Dr. Beaver about 
 a new broom. But I paid no attention to these 
 remarks ; in a country simply teeming with prime 
 beeves, I was determined to get a herd to my 
 liking. Dr. Beaver had assured Lovell that he 
 and his neighbors would throw together over four 
 thousand beeves in making up the herd, and now 
 I was perfectly willing that they should. It would 
 take two days longer to gather the cattle on the 
 Los Lobos range, and then there were the outside 
 offerings, which were supposed to number fully 
 two thousand. There was no excuse for not being 
 choice. 
 
 On returning to Los Lobos about dusk, rather 
 than offend its owner. Flood consented to re- 
 main at the ranch overnight, but I rode for camp. 
 Darkness had fallen on my reaching the wagon, 
 the herd had been bedded down, and Levering felt 
 so confident that the remuda was contented that 
 he had concluded to night-herd them himself until 
 
40 THE OUTLET 
 
 midnight, and then turn them loose until dawn. He 
 had belled a couple of the leaders, and assured me 
 that he would have them in hand before sun-up. 
 The cook was urging me to supper, but before un- 
 saddling, I rode around both herd and remuda. The 
 cattle were sleeping nicely, and the boys assured 
 me that they had got a splendid fill on them before 
 bedding down. That was the only safe thing to do, 
 and after circling the saddle stbck on the opposite 
 side of camp, I returned to find that a stranger had 
 arrived during my brief absence. Parent had fully 
 enlightened him as to who he was, who the outfit 
 were, the destination of the herd, the names of both 
 buyer and seller, and, on my riding in, was deliver- 
 ing a voluble dissertation on the tariff and the pos- 
 sible effect on the state of putting hides on the free 
 list. And although in cow-camps a soldier's intro- 
 duction is usually sufficient, the cook inquired the 
 stranger's name and presented me to our guest with 
 due formality. Supper being waiting, the stranger 
 was invited to take pot-luck with us, and before 
 the meal was over recognized me. He was a deputy 
 cattle inspector for Dimmit County, and had issued 
 the certificate for Flood's herd the year before. He 
 had an eye for the main chance, and informed me 
 that fully one half the cattle making up our herd 
 belonged to Dimmit ; that the county line was only 
 a mile up the river, and that if I would allow the 
 herd to drift over into Ms territory, he would shade 
 the legal rate. The law compelling the inspection 
 
RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 41 
 
 of herds before they could be moved out of the 
 county, like the rain, fell upon the just and the un- 
 just. It was not the intent of the law to impose 
 a burden on an honest drover. Yet he was classed 
 with the rustler, and must have in his possession a 
 certificate of inspection before he could move out 
 a purchased herd, or be subject to arrest. A list of 
 brands was recorded, at the county seat, of every 
 herd leaving, and if occasion required could be re- 
 ferred to in future years. No railroad would receive 
 any consignment of hides or live stock, unless 
 accompanied by a certificate from the county in- 
 spector. The legal rate was ten cents on the first 
 hundred, and three cents on all over that number, 
 frequently making the office a lucrative one. 
 
 Once the object of his call was made clear, I 
 warmed to our guest. If the rate allowed by law 
 was enforced, it meant an expense of over a hun- 
 dred dollars for a certificate of inspection covering 
 both herd and saddle stock. We did not take out 
 certificates in Medina on the remudas as a matter 
 of economy. By waiting until the herd was ready, 
 the two would be inspected as one, and the lower 
 rate apply. So I urged the deputy to make himself 
 at home and share my blankets. Pretending that 
 I remembered him well, I made numerous inquiries 
 about the ranch where we received our herd the 
 year before, and by the time to turn in, we were 
 on the most friendly, terms. The next morning 
 I offered him a horse from our extras, assuring him 
 
42 THE OUTLET 
 
 that Flood would be delighted to renew his ac- 
 quaintance, and invited him to go with us for the 
 day. Turning his horse among ours, he accepted 
 and rode away with us. The cattle passed on the 
 evening before had camped out several miles from 
 the corrals and were grazing in when we met them. 
 Flood and the Doctor joined us shortly afterward, 
 and I had a quiet word with Jim before he and the 
 inspector met. After the count was over, Flood 
 made a great ado over my guest and gave him the 
 glad hand as if he had been a long-lost brother. 
 We were a trifle short-handed the second day, and 
 on my guest volunteering to help, I assigned him 
 to Eunt Pickett's place at the fire, where he 
 shortly developed a healthy sweat. As we did not 
 have a large bunch of beeves to brand that day, the 
 wagon did not come over and we branded them at 
 a single shift. It was nearly one o'clock when we 
 finished, and instead of going in to Los Lobos, 
 we left the third guard, Wayne Outcault, " Dorg " 
 Seay, and Owen Ubery, to graze the cattle over to 
 our camp. 
 
 The remainder of the afternoon was spent in 
 idleness and in the entertainment of our guest. 
 Official-like, he pretended he could hardly spare 
 the time to remain another night, but was finally 
 prevailed on and did so. After dark, I took him 
 some distance from camp, and the two of us had 
 a confidential chat. I assured him if there was any 
 object in doing so, we could move camp right to or 
 
RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 43 
 
 over the county line, and frankly asked him what 
 inducement he would offer. At first he thought that 
 throwing off everything over a hundred dollars 
 would be about right. But I assured him that there 
 were whole families of inspectors in Lasalle County 
 who would discount that figure, and kindly advised 
 him, if he really wanted the fee, to meet competi- 
 tion at least. We discussed the matter at length, 
 and before returning to camp, he offered to make 
 out the certificate, covering everything, for fifty 
 dollars. As it was certain to be several days yet 
 before we would start, and there was a prospect of 
 a falling market in certificates of inspection, I 
 would make no definite promises. The next morn- 
 ing I insisted that he remain at some near-by ranch 
 in his own territory, and, if convenient, ride down 
 every few days and note the progress of the herd. 
 
 We ;were promised a large contingent of cattle 
 for that day. The ranch outfit were to make three 
 rodeos down the river the day before, where the 
 bulk of their beeves ranged. Flood was anxious to 
 overtake the other outfits before they reached the 
 lower country, and as he assured me I had no fur- 
 ther use for him, we agreed that after receiving 
 that morning he might leave us. Giving orders at 
 camp to graze the received beeves within a mile of 
 the corrals by noon, and the wagon to follow, we 
 made an early start, Flood taking his own horses 
 with him. We met the cattle coming up the river 
 a thousand strong. It was late when the last 
 
44 THE OUTLET 
 
 round-up of the day before had finished, and they 
 had camped for the night fully five miles from the 
 corrals. It took less than an hour to cull back 
 and count, excuse the ranch outfit, and start this 
 contingent for the branding-pens in charge of my 
 boys. Flood was in a hurry, and riding a short 
 distance with him, I asked that he pass or send 
 word to the county seat, informing the inspector of 
 hides and animals that a trail herd would leave 
 Los Lobos within a week. Jim knew my motive in 
 getting competition on the inspection, and wishing 
 me luck on my trip, I wrung his hand in farewell 
 until we should meet again in the upper country. 
 
 The sun was setting that night when we finished 
 road-branding the last of the beeves received in 
 the morning. After dinner, when the wagon re- 
 turned to camp, I instructed Parent to move up 
 the river fully a mile. We needed the change, 
 anyhow, and even if it was farther, the next morn- 
 ing we would have the Los Lobos outfit to assist 
 in the branding, as that day would finish their 
 gathering. The outside cattle were beginning to 
 report in small bunches, from three hundred up- 
 ward. Knowing that Dr. Beaver was anxious to 
 turn in as many as possible of his own, we delayed 
 receiving from the neighboring ranches for another 
 day. But the next morning, as we were ironing-up 
 the last contingent of some four hundred Los 
 Lobos beeves, a deputy inspector for Lasalle arrived 
 from the county seat. He was likewise officious. 
 
EECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 45 
 
 and professed disappointment that the herd was 
 not ready to pass upon. On his arrival, I was 
 handling the irons, and paid no attention to him 
 until the branding was over for the morning. 
 When he introduced himself, I cordially greeted 
 him, but at the first intimation of disappointment 
 from his lips, I checked him. 
 
 Using the best diplomacy at my command, I said, 
 " Well, I 'm sorry to cause you this long ride 
 when it might have been avoided. You see, we 
 are receiving cattle from both this and Dimmit 
 County. In fact, we are holding our herd across 
 the line just at present. On starting, we expect to 
 go up the river to the first creek, and north on it 
 to the Leona River. I have partially promised the 
 work to an inspector from Dimmit. He inspected 
 our herd last year, and being a personal friend 
 that way, you could n't meet his figures. Very 
 sorry to disappoint you, but won't you come over 
 to the wagon and stay all night ? " 
 
 But Dr. Beaver, who understood my motive, 
 claimed the privilege of entertaining the deputy 
 at Los Lobos, and I yielded. We now had a few 
 over twenty-four hundred beeves, of which nineteen 
 hundred were in the Los Lobos brand, the others 
 being mixed. There was a possibility of fully a 
 hundred more coming in with the neighboring 
 cattle, and Dr. Beaver was delighted over the ranch 
 delivery. The outside contingents were in four 
 bunches, then encamped in different directions and 
 
46 THE OUTLET 
 
 within from three to five miles of the ranch. Tak- 
 ing Vick Wolf with me for the afternoon, I looked 
 over the separate herds and found them numbering 
 more than fifteen hundred. They were the same 
 uniform Nueces Valley cattle, and as we lacked 
 only a few over a thousand, the offerings were 
 extremely liberal. Making arrangements with three 
 of the four herds to receive the next day, Vick and 
 I reached our camp on the county line about sunset. 
 The change was a decided advantage ; wood, water, 
 and grass were plentiful, and not over a mile 
 farther from the branding-pens. 
 
 The next morning found us in our saddles at the 
 usual early hour. We were anxious to receive and 
 brand every animal possible that day, so that with 
 a few hours' work the next forenoon the herd would 
 be ready to start. After we had passed on the first 
 contingent of the outside cattle, and as we were 
 nearing the corrals, Dr. Beaver overtook us. Call- 
 ing me aside, he said : " Quirk, if you play your 
 cards right, you '11 get a certificate of inspection 
 for nothing and a chromo as a pelon. I've bol- 
 stered up the Lasalle man that he 's better entitled 
 to the work than the Dimmit inspector, and he '11 
 wait until the herd is ready to start. Now, you 
 handle the one, and I '11 keep the other as my guest. 
 We must keep them apart and let them buck each 
 other to their hearts' content. Every hoof in your 
 herd will be in a ranch brand of record ; but still 
 the law demands inspection and you must comply 
 
RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 47 
 
 with it. I '11 give you a duplicate list of the brands, 
 so that neither inspector need see the herd, and if 
 we don't save your employer a hundred dollars, 
 then we are amateurs." 
 
 Everything was pointing to an auspicious start. 
 The last cattle on the delivery were equal to the 
 first, if not better. The sky clouded over, and be- 
 fore noon a light shower fell, settling the dust in 
 the corrals. Help increased as the various bunches 
 were accepted, and at the end of the day only a few 
 over two hundred remained to complete our numbers. 
 The last contingent were fully up to the standard ; 
 and rather than disappoint the sellers, I accepted 
 fifty head extra, making my herd at starting thirty- 
 four hundred and fifty. When the last beef had 
 passed the branding-chute, there was nothing re- 
 maining but to give a receipt to the seller for the 
 number of head received, in behalf of my employer, 
 pending a later settlement between them. 
 
 Meanwhile competition in the matter of inspec- 
 tion had been carefully nursed. Conscious of each 
 other's presence, and both equally anxious for the 
 fee, the one deputy was entertained at my camp 
 and the other at Los Lobes. They were treated 
 courteously, but given to understand that in the 
 present instance money talked. With but a small 
 bunch of beeves to brand on the starting day, the 
 direction in which the herd was allowed to leave 
 the bed-ground would be the final answer. If west, 
 Dimmit had underbid Lasalle; if the contrary, 
 
48 THE OUTLET 
 
 then the departure of this herd would be a matter 
 of record in the latter county. Dr. Beaver enjoyed 
 the situation hugely, acting the intermediary in 
 behalf of his guest. Personally I was unconcerned, 
 but was neutral and had little to say. 
 
 My outfit understood the situation perfectly. Be- 
 fore retiring on the night of our last camp on the 
 county line, and in the presence of the Dimmit 
 inspector, the last relief received instructions, in 
 the absence of contrary orders, to allow the herd 
 to drift back into Lasalle in the morning. Matters 
 were being conducted in pantomime, and the play- 
 ers understood their parts. Our guest had made 
 himself useful in various ways, and I naturally felt 
 friendly towards him. He had stood several guards 
 for the boys, and Burl Van Vedder, of the last 
 watch, had secret instructions to call him for that 
 guard. 
 
 The next morning the camp was not astir as early 
 as usual. On the cook's arousing us, in the uncertain 
 light of dawn, the herd was slowly rising, and from 
 the position of a group of four horsemen, it was 
 plainly evident that our guest had shaded all com- 
 petition. Our camp was in plain view of Los Lobos, 
 and only some five or six miles distant. With the 
 rising of the sun, and from the top of a windmill 
 derrick, by the aid of a field-glass, the Lasalle in- 
 spector had read his answer ; and after the work in 
 the morning was over, and the final papers had been 
 exchanged. Dr. Beaver insisted that, in commiser- 
 
EECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS 49 
 
 ation of his departed guest, just one more mint-julep 
 should be drunk standing. 
 
 When Don LoveU glanced over my expense 
 account on our arrival at Abilene, he said : " Look 
 here, Tom, is this straight? — twenty dollars for 
 inspection ? — the hell you say ! Corrupted them, 
 did you ? Well, that 's the cheapest inspection I 
 ever paid, with one exception. Dave Sponsilier 
 once got a certificate for his herd for five dollars 
 and a few drinks. But he paid for it a month in 
 advance of the starting of the herd. It was dated 
 ahead, properly sealed, and all ready for filling in 
 the brands and numbers. The herd was put up 
 within a mile of where four counties cornered, and 
 that inspector was a believer in the maxim of the 
 early bird. The office is a red-tape one, anyhow, 
 and little harm in taking all the advantage you 
 can. — This item marked ' sundries ' was dry goods, 
 I suppose ? All right. Quirk ; I reckon rattlesnakes 
 were rather rabid this spring." 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 
 
 By noon the herd had grazed out five miles on its 
 way. The boys were so anxious to get off that on my 
 return the camp was deserted with the exception of 
 the cook and the horse-wrangler, none even return- 
 ing for dinner. Before leaving I had lunched at 
 Los Lobos with its owner, and on reaching the 
 wagon, Levering and I assisted the cook to harness 
 in and start the commissary. The general course of 
 the Nueces River was southeast by northwest, and 
 as our route lay on the latter angle, the herd would 
 follow up the valley for the first day. Once outside 
 the boundaries of our camp of the past week, the 
 grass matted the ground with its rank young 
 growth. As far as the eye could see, the mesas, 
 clothed in the verdure of spring, rolled in long 
 swells away to the divides. Along the river and in 
 the first bottom, the timber and mesquite thickets 
 were in leaf and blossom, while on the outlying 
 prairies the only objects which dotted this sea of 
 green were range cattle and an occasional band 
 of horses. 
 
 The start was made on the 27th of March. By 
 easy drives and within a week, we crossed the 
 
MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 51 
 
 " Sunset " Railway, about thirty miles to the west- 
 ward of the ranch in Medina. On reaching the 
 divide between the Leona and Frio rivers, we sighted 
 our first herd of trail cattle, heading northward. 
 We learned that some six herds had already passed 
 upward on the main Frio, while a number of others 
 were reported as having taken the east fork of that 
 river. The latter stream almost paralleled the line 
 between Medina and Uvalde counties, and as vire 
 expected some word from headquarters, we crossed 
 over to the east fork. When westward of and oppo- 
 site the ranch, Hunt Pickett was sent in for any 
 necessary orders that might be waiting. By leaving 
 us early in the evening he could reach headquarters 
 that night and overtake us before noon the next 
 day. We grazed leisurely forward the next morn- 
 ing, killing as much time as possible, and Pickett 
 overtook us before the wagon had even gone into 
 camp for dinner. Lovell had not stopped on his 
 return from the west, but had left with the depot 
 agent at the home station a letter for the ranch. 
 From its. contents we learned that the other two 
 Buford herds had started from Uvalde, Sponsilier in 
 the lead, one on the 24th and the other the follow- 
 ing day. Local rumors were encouraging in regard 
 to grass and water to the westward, and the intima- 
 tion was clear that if favorable reports continued, 
 the two Uvalde herds would intersect an old trail 
 rimning from the head of Nueces CaSon to the 
 Llano River. Should they follow this route there 
 
52 THE OUTLET 
 
 was little hope of their coming into the main west- 
 ern trail before reaching the Colorado Eiver. Spon- 
 silier was a daring fellow, and if there was a possible 
 chance to get through beyond the borders of any 
 settlement, he was certain to risk it. 
 
 The letter contained no personal advice. Years 
 of experience in trail matters had taught my em- 
 ployer that explicit orders were often harmful. 
 The emergencies to be met were of such a varied 
 nature that the best method was to trust to an 
 outfit worming its way out of any situation which 
 confronted it. From the information disclosed, it 
 was evident that the other Buford herds were then 
 somewhere to the northwest, and possibly over 
 a hundred miles distant. Thus freed from any 
 restraint, we held a due northward course for sev- 
 eral days, or until we encountered some rocky 
 country. Water was plentiful and grass fairly 
 good, but those flinty hills must be avoided or sore- 
 footed beeves would be the result. I had seen trails 
 of blood left by cattle from sandy countries on 
 encountering rock, and now the feet of ours were 
 a second consideration to their stomachs. But long 
 before the herd reached this menace, Morg Tussler 
 and myself, scouting two full days in advance, lo- 
 cated a safe route to the westward. Had we turned 
 to the other hand, we should have been forced 
 into the main trail below Fredericksburg, and we 
 preferred the sea-room of the boundless plain. 
 From every indication and report, this promised to 
 
MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 53 
 
 be the banner year in the exodus of cattle from 
 the South to the then new Northwest. This latter 
 section was affording the long-looked-for outlet, 
 by absorbing the offerings of cattle which came up 
 from Texas over the trail, and marking an epoch 
 barely covering a single decade. 
 
 Turning on a western angle, a week's drive 
 brought us out on a high tableland. Veering again 
 to the north, we snailed along through a delightful 
 country, rich in flora and the freshness of the 
 season. From every possible elevation, we scanned 
 the west in the hope of sighting some of the herd 
 which had followed up the main Frio, but in vain. 
 Sweeping northward at a leisurely gait, the third 
 week out we sighted the Blue Mountains, the first 
 familiar landmark on our course. As the main 
 western trail skirted its base on the eastward, our 
 position was easily established. 
 
 So far the cattle were well behaved, not a run, 
 and only a single incident occurring worth men- 
 tion. About half an hour before dawn one morn- 
 ing, the cook aroused the camp with the report 
 that the herd was missing. The beeves had been 
 bedded within two hundred yards of the wagon, 
 and the last watch usually hailed the rekindling 
 of the cook's fire as the. first harbinger of day. 
 But on this occasion the absence of the usual 
 salutations Irom the bed-ground aroused Parent's 
 suspicion. He rushed into camp, and laboring 
 under the impression that the cattle had stampeded, 
 
54 THE OUTLET 
 
 trampled over our beds, yelling at the top of his 
 lungs. Aroused in the darkness from heavy sleep, 
 bewildered by a bright fire burning and a crazy 
 man shouting, " The beeves have stampeded ! the 
 herd 's gone ! Get up, everybody! " we were almost 
 thrown into a panic. Many of the boys ran for 
 their night-horses, but Clay Zilligan and I fell on 
 the cook and shook the statement out of him that 
 the cattle had left their beds. This simplified the 
 situation, but before I could recall the men, several 
 of them had reached the bed-ground. As fast as 
 horses could be secured, others dashed through the 
 lighted circle and faded into the darkness. From 
 the flickering of matches it was evident that the 
 boys were dismounting and looking for some sign 
 of trouble. Zilligan was swearing like a pirate, 
 looking for his horse in the murky night ; but in- 
 stead of any alarm, oaths and derision greeted our 
 ears as the men returned to camp. Halting their 
 horses within the circle of the fire, Dorg Seay said 
 to the cook : 
 
 " Neal, the next time you find a mare's nest, keep 
 the secret to yourself. I don't begrudge losing 
 thirty minutes' beauty sleep, but I hate to be scared 
 out of a year's growth. Have n't you got cow-sense 
 enough to know that if those beeves had run, they 'd 
 have shook the earth ? If they had stampeded, that 
 alarm clock of yours would n't be a circumstance 
 ±o the barking of the boys' guns. Why, the cattle 
 have n't been gone thirty minutes. You can see 
 
MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 55 
 
 where they got up and then quietly walked away. 
 The ground where they lay is still steaming and 
 warm. They were watered a little too soon yester- 
 day and naturally got up early this morning. The 
 boys on guard did n't want to alarm the outfit, 
 and just allowed the beeves to graze off on their 
 course. When day breaks, you '11 see they ain't far 
 away, and in the right direction. Parent, if I did n't 
 sabe cows better than you do, I 'd confine my atten- 
 tion to a cotton patch." 
 
 Seay had read the sign aright. When day dawned 
 the cattle were in plain view about a mile distant. 
 On the return of the last guard to camp, Vick 
 Wolf explained the situation in a few words. Dur- 
 ing their watch the herd had grown restless, many 
 of the cattle arising ; and knowing that dawn was 
 near at hand, the boys had pushed the sleepy ones 
 off their beds and started them feeding. The inci- 
 dent had little effect on the irrepressible Parent, 
 who seemed born to blunder, yet gifted with a 
 sunny disposition which atoned for his numerous 
 mistakes. 
 
 With the Blue Mountains as our guiding star, 
 we kept to the westward of that landmark, crossing 
 the Llano River opposite some Indian mounds. 
 On reaching the divide between this and the next 
 water, we sighted two dust-clouds to the west- 
 ward. They were ten to fifteen miles distant, but 
 I was anxious to hear any word of Sponsilier or 
 Forrest, and sent Jake Blair to make a social call. 
 
56 THE OUTLET 
 
 He did not return until the next day, and reported 
 the first herd as from the mouth of the Pecos, and 
 the more distant one as belonging to Jesse Pres- 
 nall. Blair had stayed all night with the latter, 
 and while its foreman was able to locate at least a 
 dozen trail herds in close proximity, our two from 
 Uvalde had neither been seen nor heard of. Baffled 
 again, necessity compelled us to turn within touch 
 of some outfitting point. The staples of life were 
 running low in our commissary, no opportunity 
 having presented itself to obtain a new supply since 
 we left the ranch in Medina over a month before. 
 Consequently, after crossing the San Saba, we made 
 our first tack to the eastward. 
 
 Brady City was an outfitting point for herds on 
 the old western trail. On coming opposite that 
 frontier village, Parent and I took the wagon and 
 went in after supplies, leaving the herd on its course, 
 paralleling the former route. They had instructions 
 to camp on Brady Creek that night. On reaching 
 the supply point, there was a question if we could 
 secure the simple staples needed. The drive that 
 year had outstripped all calculations, some half-dozen 
 chuck-wagons being in waiting for the arrival of 
 a freight outfit which was due that morning. The 
 nearest railroad was nearly a hundred miles to the 
 eastward, and all supplies must be freighted in by 
 mule and ox teams. While waiting for the freight 
 wagons, which were in sight several miles distant, 
 I made inquiry of the two outfitting stores if our 
 
MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 57 
 
 Buford herds had passed. If they had, no dealings 
 had taken place on the credit of Don Lovell, though 
 both merchants knew him well. Before the freight 
 outfit arrived, some one took Abb Blocker, a trail 
 foreman for his brother John, to task for having 
 an odd ox in his wheel team. The animal was a raw, 
 unbroken " 7L " bull, surly and chafing under the 
 yoke, and attracted general attention. When sev- 
 eral friends of Blocker, noticing the brand, began 
 joking him, he made this explanation : " No, I don't 
 claim him ; but he came into my herd the other 
 night and got to hossing my steers around. We 
 could n't keep him out, and I thought if he would 
 just go along, why we 'd put him under the yoke 
 and let him hoss that chuck-wagon to amuse him- 
 self. One of my wheelers was getting a little tender- 
 footed, anyhow." 
 
 On the arrival of the freight outfit, short shift 
 was made in transferring a portion of the cargo to 
 the waiting chuck-wagons. As we expected to reach 
 Abilene, a railroad point, within a week, we took 
 on only a small stock of staple supplies. Having 
 helped ourselves, the only delay was in getting a 
 clerk to look over our appropriation, make out an 
 itemized bill, and receive a draft on my employer. 
 When finally the merchant in person climbed into 
 our wagon and took a list of the articles. Parent 
 started back to overtake the herd. I remained 
 behind several hours, chatting with the other fore- 
 men. 
 
58 THE OUTLET 
 
 None of the other trail bosses had seen any- 
 thing of Lovell's other herds, though they all knew 
 him personally or by reputation, and inquired if he 
 was driving again in the same road brand. By 
 general agreement, in case of trouble, we would 
 pick up each other's cattle ; and from half a cent to 
 a cent a head was considered ample remuneration 
 in buying water in Texas. Owing to the fact that 
 many drovers had shipped to Red River, it was 
 generally believed that there would be no congestion 
 of cattle south of that point. All herds were then 
 keeping well to the westward, some even declaring 
 their intention to go through the Panhandle until 
 the Canadian was reached. 
 
 Two days later we came into the main trail at 
 the crossing of the Colorado River. Before we 
 reached it, several ominous dust-clouds hung on our 
 right for hours, while beyond the river were others, 
 indicating the presence of herds. Summer weather 
 had already set in, and during the middle of the 
 day the glare of heat-waves and mirages obstructed 
 our view of other wayfarers like ourselves, but 
 morning and evening we were never out of sight of 
 their signals. The banks of the river at the ford 
 were trampled to the level of the water, while at 
 both approach and exit the ground was cut into 
 dust. On our arrival, the stage of water was favor- 
 able, and we crossed without a halt of herd, horses, 
 or commissary. But there was little inducement 
 to follow the old trail. Washed into ruts by the 
 
MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 59 
 
 seasons, the grass on either side eaten away for 
 miles, there was a look of desolation like that to be 
 seen in the wake of an army. As we felt under obli- 
 gations to touch at Abilene within a few days, there 
 was a constant skirmish for grass within a reason- 
 able distance of the trail ; and we were early, fully 
 two thirds of the drive being in our rear. One 
 sultry morning south of Buffalo Gap, as we were 
 grazing past the foot of Table Mountain, several 
 of us rode to the summit of that butte. From 
 a single point of observation we counted twelve 
 herds within a space of thirty miles both south and 
 north, all moving in the latter direction. 
 
 When about midway between the Gap and the 
 railroad we were met at noon one day by Don 
 Lovell. This was his first glimpse of my herd, and 
 his experienced eye took in everything from a 
 broken harness to the peeling and legibility of the 
 road brand. With me the condition of the cattle 
 was the first requisite, but the minor details as well 
 as the more important claimed my employer's atten- 
 tion. When at last, after riding with the herd for 
 an hour, he spoke a few words of approbation on 
 the condition, weight, and uniformity of the beeves, 
 I felt a load lifted from my shoulders. That the 
 old man was in a bad humor on meeting us was 
 evident ; but as he rode along beside the cattle, lazy 
 and large as oxen, the cockles of his heart warmed 
 and he grew sociable. Near the middle of the after- 
 noon, as we were in the rear, looking over the drag 
 
60 THE OUTLET 
 
 steers, he complimented me on having the fewest 
 tender-footed animals of any herd that had passed 
 Abilene since his arrival. Encouraged, I ventured 
 the double question as to how this one would aver- 
 age with the other Buford herds, and did he know 
 their whereabouts. As I recall his reply, it was 
 that all Nueces Valley cattle were uniform, and if 
 there was any difference it was due to carelessness 
 in receiving. In regard to the locality of the other 
 herds, it was easily to be seen that he was provoked 
 about something. 
 
 "Yes, I know where they are," said he, snap- 
 pishly, " but that 's all the good it does me. They 
 crossed the railroad, west, at Sweetwater, about 
 a week ago. I don't blame Quince, for he 's just 
 trailing along, half a day behind Dave's herd. But 
 Sponsilier, knowing that I wanted to see him, had 
 the nerve to write me a postal card with just ten 
 words on it, saying that all was well and to meet 
 him in Dodge. Tom, you don't know what a satis- 
 faction it is to me to spend a day or so with each 
 of the herds. But those rascals didn't pay any 
 more attention to me than if I was an old woman. 
 There was some reason for it — sore-footed cattle, or 
 else they have skinned up their remudas and did n't 
 want me to see them. If I drive a hundred herds 
 hereafter, Dave Sponsilier will stay at home as far 
 as I 'm concerned. He may think it 's funny to slip 
 past, but this court is n't indulging in any levity 
 just at present. I fail to see the humor in having 
 
MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 61 
 
 two outfits with sixty-seven hundred cattle some- 
 where between the Staked Plain and No-Man's- 
 Land, and unable to communicate with them. And 
 while my herds are all contracted, mature beeves 
 have broke from three to five dollars a head in 
 price since these started, and it won't do to shout 
 before we 're out of the woods. ■ Those fool boys 
 don't know that, and I can't get near enough to 
 tell them." 
 
 I knew better than to ask further questions or 
 offer any apologies for others. My employer was 
 naturally irritable, and his abuse or praise of a 
 foreman was to be expected. Previously and under 
 the smile of prosperity, I had heard him laud Spon- 
 silier, and under an imaginary shadow abuse Jim 
 Flood, the most experienced man in his employ. 
 Feeling it was useless to pour oil on the present, 
 troubled waters, I excused myself, rode back, and 
 ordered the wagon to make camp ahead about four 
 miles on Ehn Creek. We watered late in the after- 
 noon, grazing thence until time to bed the herd. 
 When the first and second guards were relieved to 
 go in and catch night-horses and get their supper, 
 my employer remained behind with the cattle. While 
 feeding during the evening, we allowed the herd to 
 scatter over a thousand acres. Taking advantage of 
 the loose order of the beeves, the old man rode back 
 and forth through them until approaching darkness 
 compelled us to throw them together on the bed- 
 ground. Even after the first guard took charge, the 
 
62 THE OUTLET 
 
 drover loitered behind, reluctant to leave until the 
 last steer had lain down ; and all during the night, 
 sharing my blankets, he awoke on every change of 
 guards, inquiring of the returning watch how the 
 cattle were sleeping. 
 
 As we should easily pass Abilene before noon, I 
 asked him as a favor that he take the wagon in and 
 get us sufficient supplies to last until Ked River was 
 reached. But he preferred to remain behind with 
 the herd, and I went instead. This suited me, as his 
 presence overawed my outfit, who were delirious to 
 see the town. There was no telling how long he 
 would have stayed with us, but my brother Bob's 
 herd was expected at any time. Remaining with us 
 a second night, something, possibly the placidness 
 of the cattle, mellowed the old man and he grew 
 amiable with the outfit, and myself in particular. 
 At breakfast the next morning, when I asked him 
 if he was in a position to recommend any special 
 route, he replied : 
 
 " No, Tom, that rests with you. One thing 's 
 certain; herds are going to be dangerously close 
 together on the regular trail which crosses Red 
 River at Doan's. The season is early yet, but over 
 fifty herds have already crossed the Texas Pacific 
 Railway. Allowing one half the herds to start north 
 of that line, it gives you a fair idea what to expect. 
 When seven hundred thousand cattle left Texas 
 two years ago, it was considered the banner year, 
 yet it won't be a marker to this one. The way 
 
MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 63 
 
 prices are tumbling shows that the Northwest was 
 bluffing when they offered to mature all the cattle 
 that Texas could breed for the next fifty years. 
 That 's the kind of talk that suits me, but last year 
 there were some forty herds unsold, which were 
 compelled to winter in the North. Not over half 
 the saddle horses that came up the trail last sum- 
 mer were absorbed by these Northern cowmen. 
 Talk 's cheap, but it takes money to buy whiskey. 
 Lots of these men are new ones at the business and 
 may lose fortunes. The banks are getting afraid of 
 cattle paper, and conditions are tightening. With 
 the increased drive this year, if the summer passes 
 without a slaughter in prices, the Texas drovers 
 can thank their lucky stars. I 'm not half as bright 
 as I might be, but this is one year that I 'm smooth 
 enough not to have unsold cattle on the trail." 
 
 The herd had started an hour before, and when 
 the wagon was ready to move, I rode a short dis- 
 tance with my employer. It was possible that he had 
 something to say of a confidential nature, for it 
 was seldom that he acted so discouraged when his 
 every interest seemed protected by contracts. But 
 at the final parting, when we both had dismounted 
 and sat on the ground for an hour, he had disclosed 
 nothing. On the contrary, he even admitted that 
 possibly it was for the best that the other Buford 
 herds had held a westward course and thus avoided 
 the crush on the main routes. The only intimation 
 which escaped him was when we had remounted 
 
64 THE OUTLET 
 
 and each started our way, he called me back and 
 said, " Tom, no doubt but you 've noticed that I 'm 
 worried. Well, I am. I'd tell you in a minute, 
 but I may be wrong in the matter. But I '11 know 
 before you reach Dodge, and then, if it 's necessary, 
 you shall know aU.. It 's nothing about the handling 
 of the herds, for my foremen have always consid- 
 ered my interests first. Keep this to yourself, for 
 it may prove a nightmare. But if it should prove 
 true, then we must stand together. Now, that 's all ; 
 mum 's the word until we meet. Drop me a line if 
 you get a chance, and don't let my troubles worry 
 you." 
 
 While overtaking the herd, I mused over my 
 employer's last words. But my brain was too muddy 
 even to attempt to solve the riddle. The most 
 plausible theory that I could advance was that 
 some friendly cowmen were playing a -joke on him, 
 and that the old man had taken things too seriously. 
 Within a week the matter was entirely forgotten, 
 crowded out of mind by the demands of the hour. 
 The next night, on the Clear Fork of the Brazos, 
 a stranger, attracted by our camp-fire, rode up to 
 the wagon. Returning from the herd shortly after 
 his arrival, I recognized in our guest John Blocker, 
 a prominent drover. He informed us that he and his 
 associates had fifty-two thousand cattle on the trail, 
 and that he was just returning from overtaking 
 two of their five lead herds. Knowing that he was 
 a well-posted cowman on routes and sustenance. 
 
MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 65 
 
 having grown up on the trail, I gave him the best 
 our camp afforded, and in return I received valuable 
 information in regard to the country between our 
 present location and Doan's Crossing. He reported 
 the country for a hundred miles south of Bed Eiver 
 as having had a dry, backward spring, scanty of 
 grass, and with long dry drives ; and further, that 
 in many instances water for the herds would have 
 to be bought from those in control. 
 
 The outlook was not to my liking. The next 
 morning when I inquired of our guest what he 
 would advise me to do, his answer clearly covered 
 the ground. " Well, I 'm not advising any one," said 
 he, " but you can draw your own conclusions. The 
 two herds of mine, which I overtook, have orders 
 to turn northeast and cross into the Nations at Red 
 River Station. My other cattle, still below, wiU all 
 be routed by way of Fort Grriffin. Once across Red 
 River, you will have the Chisholm Trail, running 
 through civilized tribes, and free from all annoy- 
 ance of blanket Indians. South of the river the 
 grass is bound to be better than on the western 
 route, and if we have to buy water, we '11 have the 
 advantage of competition." 
 
 With this summary of the situation, a decision 
 was easily reached. The Chisholm Trail was good 
 enough for me. Following up the north side of the 
 Clear Fork, we passed about twenty miles to the 
 west of Fort Grriffin. Constantly bearing east by 
 north, a few days later we crossed the main Brazos 
 
66 THE OUTLET 
 
 at a low stage of water. But from there to Red 
 River was a trial not to be repeated. Wire fences 
 halted us at every turn. Owners of pastures refused 
 permission to pass through. Lanes ran in the wrong 
 direction, and open country for pasturage was scarce. 
 What we dreaded most, lack of drink for the herd, 
 was the least of our troubles, necessity requiring its 
 purchase only three or four times. And like a cli- 
 max to a week of sore trials, when we were in sight 
 of Red River a sand and dust storm struck us, 
 blinding both men and herd for hours. The beeves 
 fared best, for with lowered heads they turned their 
 backs to the howling gale, while the horsemen 
 caught it on every side. The cattle drifted at will 
 in an uncontrollable mass. The air was so filled 
 with sifting sand and eddying dust that it was 
 impossible to see a mounted man at a distance of 
 fifty yards. The wind blew a hurricane, making it 
 impossible to dismount in the face of it. Our horses 
 trembled with fear, unsteady on their feet. The 
 very sky overhead darkened as if night was falling. 
 Two thirds of the men threw themselves in the lead 
 of the beeves, firing six-shooters to check them, 
 which could not even be heard by the ones on the 
 flank and in the rear. Once the herd drifted against 
 a wire fence, leveled it down and moved on, sullen 
 but irresistible. Towards evening the storm abated, 
 and half the outfit was sent out in search of the 
 wagon, which was finally found about dark some 
 four miles distant. 
 
MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS 67 
 
 That night Owen Ubery, as he bathed his blood- 
 shot eyes in a pail of water, said to the rest of us : 
 " Fellows, if ever I have a boy, and tell him how 
 his pa suffered this afternoon, and he don't cry, 
 I '11 cut a switch and whip him until be does." 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 RED RIVER STATION 
 
 When the spirit of a man is once broken, he be- 
 comes useless. On the trail it is necessary to have 
 some diversion from hard work, long hours, and 
 exposure to the elements. With man and beast, 
 from the Brazos to Red River was a fire test of 
 physical endurance. But after crossing into the 
 Chickasaw Nation, a comparatively new country 
 would open before us. When the strain of the past 
 week was sorest, in buoying up the spirits of my 
 outfit, I had promised them rest and recreation at 
 the first possible opportimity. 
 
 • Fortunately we had an easy ford. There was not 
 even an indication that there had been a freshet 
 on the river that spring. This was tempering the 
 wind, for we were crippled, three of the boys being 
 unable to resume their places around the herd on 
 account of inflamed eyes. The cook had weathered 
 the sand-storm better than any of us. Sheltering 
 his team, and fastening his wagon-sheet securely, he 
 took refuge under it until the gale had passed. Press- 
 ing him into the service the next morning, and 
 assigning him to the drag end of the herd, I left the 
 blind to lead the blind in driving the wagon. On 
 
RED RIVER STATION 69 
 
 reaching the river about the middle of the forenoon, 
 we trailed the cattle across in a long chain, not an 
 animal being compelled to swim. The wagon was 
 carried over on a ferryboat, as it was heavily loaded, 
 a six weeks' supply of provisions having been taken 
 on before crossing. Once the trail left the breaks, 
 on the north side of the river, we drew off several 
 miles to the left and went into camp for the re- 
 mainder of the day. Still keeping clear of the 
 trail, daily we moved forward the wagon from three 
 to five miles, allowing the cattle to graze and rest to 
 contentment. The herd recuperated rapidly, and by 
 the evening of the fourth day after crossing, the 
 inflammation was so reduced in those whose eyes 
 were inflamed, that we decided to start in earnest 
 the next morning. 
 
 The cook was ordered to set out the best the 
 wagon afforded, several outside delicacies were 
 added, and a feast was in sight. G — G Cederdall 
 had recrossed the river that day to mail a letter, and 
 on his return proudly carried a basket of eggs on his 
 arm. Three of the others had joined a seining party 
 from the Texas side, and had come in earlier in 
 the day with a fine string of fish. Parent won new 
 laurels in the supper to which he invited us about 
 sundown. The cattle came in to their beds groan- 
 ing and satiated, and dropped down as if ordered. 
 When the first watch had taken them, there was 
 nothing to do but sit around and tell stories. Since 
 crossing Bed River, w« had slept almost night 
 
70 THE OUTLET 
 
 and day, but in that balmy May evening sleep was 
 banished. The fact that we were in the Indian coun- 
 try, civilized though the Indians were, called forth 
 many an incident. The raids of the Comanches 
 into the Panhandle country during the buffalo 
 days was a favorite topic. Vick Wolf, however, had 
 had an Indian experience in the North with which 
 he regaled us at the first opportunity. 
 
 " There is n't any trouble nowadays," said he, 
 lighting a cigarette, "with these blanket Indians 
 on the reservations. I had an experience once on 
 a reservation where the Indians could have got me 
 easy enough if they had been on the war-path. It 
 was the first winter I ever spent on a Northern 
 range, having gone up to the Cherokee Strip to 
 avoid — well, no matter. I got a job in the Strip, 
 not riding, but as a kind of an all-round rustler. 
 This was long before the country was fenced, and 
 they rode lines to keep the cattle on their ranges. 
 One evening about nightfall in December, the worst 
 kind of a blizzard struck us that the country had 
 ever seen. The next day it was just as bad, and 
 hloody cold. A fellow could not see any distance, 
 and to venture away from the dugout meant to get 
 lost. The third day she broke and the sun came 
 out clear in the early evening. The next day we 
 managed to gather the saddle horses, as they had 
 not drifted like the cattle. 
 
 " Well, we were three days overtaking the lead 
 of that cattle drift, and then found them in the 
 
EED RIVER STATION 71 
 
 heart of the Cheyenne country, at least on that 
 reservation. They had drifted a good hundred 
 miles before the storm broke. Every outfit in the 
 Strip had gone south after their cattle. Instead of 
 drifting them back together, the different ranches 
 rustled for their own. Some of the foremen paid 
 the Indians so much per head to gather for them, 
 but ours didn't. The braves weren't very much 
 struck on us on that account. I was cooking for the 
 outfit, which suited me in winter weather. We had 
 a permanent camp on a small well-wooded creek, 
 from which we worked all the country round. 
 
 " One afternoon when I was in camp all alone, I 
 noticed an Indian approaching me from out of the 
 timber. There was a Winchester standing against 
 the wagon wheel, but as the bucks were making no 
 trouble, I gave the matter no attention. Mr. Injun 
 came up to the fire and professed to be very friendly, 
 shook hands, and spoke quite a number of words 
 in English. After he got good and warm, he looked 
 all over the wagon, and noticing that I had no six- 
 shooter on, he picked up the carbine and walked 
 out about a hundred yards to a little knoll, threw 
 his arms in the air, and made signs. 
 
 " Instantly, out of the cover of some timber on 
 the creek a quarter above, came about twenty young 
 bucks, mounted, and yelling like demons. When 
 they came up, they began circling around the fire 
 and wagon. I was sitting on an empty corn-crate 
 by the fire. One young buck, seeing that I was not 
 
72 THE OUTLET 
 
 scaring to suit him, unslung a carbine as he rode, 
 and shot into the fire before me. The bullet threw 
 fire and ashes aU over me, and I jumped about 
 ten feet, which suited them better. They circled 
 around for several minutes, every one uncovering 
 a carbine, and they must have fired a hundred 
 and fifty shots into the fire. In fact they almost 
 shot it out, scattering the fire around so that it 
 came near burning up the bedding of our outfit. 
 I was scared thoroughly by this time. If it was 
 possible for me to have had fits, I 'd have had one 
 sure. The air seemed full of coals of fire and ashes. 
 I got good practical insight into what hell 's like. 
 I was rustling the rolls of bedding out of the circle 
 of fire, expecting every moment would be my last. 
 It 's a wonder I was n't killed. Were they throw- 
 ing lead? Well, I should remark! You see the 
 ground was not frozen around the fire, and the 
 bullets buried themselves in the soft soil. 
 
 " After they had had as much fun as they wanted, 
 the leader gave a yell and they all circled the other 
 way once, and struck back into the timber. Some 
 of them had brought up the decoy Indian's horse 
 when they made the dash at first, and he suddenly 
 turned as wild as a Cheyenne generally gets. When 
 the others were several hundred yards away, he 
 turned his horse, rode back some little distance, and 
 attracted my attention by holding out the Winches- 
 ter. From his horse he laid it carefully down on the 
 ground, whirled his pony, and rode like a scared 
 
RED EIVER STATION 73 
 
 wolf after the others. I could hear their yells for 
 miles, as they made for their encampment over on 
 the North Fork. As soon as I got the fire under 
 control, I went out and got the carbine. It was 
 empty ; the Indian had used its magazine in the 
 general hilarity. That may be an Indian's style 
 of fun, but I failed to see where there was any in 
 it for me." 
 
 The cook threw a handful of oily fish-bones on 
 the fire, causing it to flame up for a brief moment. 
 With the exception of Wayne Outcault, who was 
 lying prone on the ground, the men were smoking 
 and sitting Indian fashion around the fire. After 
 rolling awhile uneasily, Outcault sat up and re- 
 marked, " I feel about half sick. Eat too much ? 
 Don't you think it. Why, I only ate seven or eight 
 of those fish, and that ought n't to hurt a baby. 
 There was only half a dozen hard-boiled eggs to the 
 man, and I don't remember of any of you being 
 so generous as to share yours with me. Those few 
 plates of prunes that I ate for dessert wouldn't 
 hurt nobody — they 're medicine to some folks. 
 Unroll our bed, pardnef, and I'll thrash around 
 on it awhile." 
 
 Several trail stories of more or less interest were 
 told, when Eunt Pickett, in order to avoid the 
 smoke, came over and sat down between Burl Van 
 Vedder and me. He had had an experience, and 
 instantly opened on us at short range. " Speaking 
 of stampedes," said Sunt, " reminds me of a run 
 
74 THE OUTLET 
 
 I was in, and over which I was paid by my employer 
 a very high compliment. My first trip over the 
 trail, as far north as Dodge, was in '78. The herd 
 sold next day after reaching there, and as I had an 
 old uncle and aunt living in middle Kansas, I con- 
 cluded to run down and pay them a short visit. So 
 I threw away all my trail togs — well, they were 
 worn outi anyway — and bought me a new outfit 
 complete. Yes, I even bought button shoes. After 
 visiting a couple of weeks with my folks, I drifted 
 back to Dodge in the hope of getting in with some 
 herd bound farther north — I was perfectly use- 
 less on a farm. On my return to Dodge, the only 
 thing about me that indicated a cow-hand was 
 my Texas saddle and outfit, but in toggery, in my 
 visiting harness, I looked like a rank tenderfoot. 
 
 " Well, boys, the first day I struck town I met 
 a through man looking for hands. His herd had 
 just come in over the Chisholm Trail, crossing to the 
 western somewhere above. He was disgusted with 
 his outfit, and was discharging men right and left 
 and hiring new ones to take their places. I apo- 
 logized for my appearance, showed him my outfit, 
 and got a job cow-punching with this through man. 
 He expected to hold on sale a week or two, when if 
 unsold he would drift north to the Platte. The first 
 week that I worked, a wet stormy night struck us, 
 and before ten o'clock we lost every hoof of cattle. 
 I was riding wild after little squads of cattle here 
 and there, guided by flashes of lightning, when the 
 
RED RIVER STATION 75 
 
 storm finally broke. Well, there it was midnight, 
 and I did n't have a hoof of cattle to hold and no 
 one to help me if I had. The truth is, I was lost. 
 Common horse-sense told me that ; but where the 
 outfit or wagon was was anybody's guess. The 
 horses in my mount were as good as worthless ; 
 worn out, and if you gave one free rein he lacked 
 the energy to carry you back to camp. I ploughed 
 around in the darkness for over an hour, but finally 
 came to a sudden stop on the banks of the muddy 
 Arkansaw. Right there I held a council of war 
 with myself, the decision of which was that it was 
 at least five miles to the wagon. 
 
 "After I'd prowled around some little time, 
 a bright flash of lightning revealed to me an old 
 deserted cabin a few rods below. To this shelter 
 1 turned without even a bid, unsaddled my horse 
 and picketed him, and turned into the cabin for 
 the night. Early the next morning I was out and 
 saddled my horse, and the question was. Which 
 way is camp? As soon as the sun rose clearly, 
 I got my bearings. By my reasoning, if the river 
 yesterday was south of camp, this morning the 
 wagon must be north of the river, so I, headed in 
 that direction. Somehow or other I stopped my 
 horse on the first little knoll, and looking back 
 towards the bottom, I saw in a horseshoe which the 
 river made a large bunch of cattle. Of course I 
 knew that all herds near about were through cattle 
 and under herd, and the absence of any men in sight 
 
76 THE OUTLET 
 
 aroused my curiosity. I concluded to investigate it, 
 and riding back found over five hundred head of 
 the cattle we had lost the night before. ' Here 's 
 a chance to make a record with my new boss,' 
 I said to myself, and circling in behind, began 
 drifting them out of the bottoms towards the 
 uplands. By ten o'clock I had got them to the first 
 divide, when who should ride up but the owner, the 
 old cowman himself — the sure enough big auger. 
 
 " ' Well, son,' said my boss, ' you held some of 
 them, didn't you?' 'Yes,' I replied, surly as I 
 could, giving him a mean look, ' I 've nearly ridden 
 this horse to death, holding this bunch all night. 
 If I had only had a good man or two with me, we 
 could have caught twice as many. What kind of 
 an outfit are you working, anyhow, Captain ? ' And 
 at dinner that day, the boss pointed me out to the 
 others and said, 'That little fellow standing over 
 there with the button shoes on is the only man in 
 
 my outfit that is worth a .' " 
 
 The cook had finished his work, and now joined 
 the circle. Parent began regaling us with personal 
 experiences, in which it was evident that he would 
 prove the. hero. Fortunately, however, we were 
 spared listening to his self-laudation. Dorg Seay 
 and Tim Stanley, bunkies, engaged in a friendly 
 scuffle, each trying to make the other get a fire- 
 , brand for his pipe. In the tussle which followed, 
 we were all compelled to give way or get trampled 
 underfoot. When both had exhausted themselves 
 
EED RIVER STATION 77 
 
 in vain, we resumed our places around the fire. 
 Parent, who was disgusted over the interruption, on 
 resuming his seat refused to continue his story at 
 the request of the offenders, replying, " The more 
 I see of you two varmints the more you remind me 
 of mule colts." 
 
 Once the cook refused to pick up the broken 
 thread of his story, John Levering, our horse- 
 wrangler, preempted the vacated post. " I was over 
 in Louisiana a few winters ago with a horse herd," 
 said John, " and had a few experiences. Of all the 
 simple people that I ever met, the 'Cajin' takes the 
 bakery. You '11 meet darkies over there that can't 
 speak a word of anything but French. It 's nothing 
 to see a cow and mule harnessed together to a cart. 
 One day on the road, I met a man, old enough to 
 be my father, and inquired of him how far it was 
 to the parish centre, a large town. He did n't know, 
 except it was a long, long ways. He had never been 
 there, but his older brother, once when he was a 
 young man, had been there as a witness at court. 
 The brother was dead now, but if he was living and 
 present, it was quite possible that he would remem- 
 ber the distance. The best information was that 
 it was a very long ways off. I rode it in the mud in 
 less than two hours ; just about ten miles. 
 
 " But that was n't a circumstance to other expe- 
 riences. We had driven about three hundred horses 
 and mules, and after disposing of over two thirds of 
 them, my employer was compelled to return home. 
 
78 THE OUTLET 
 
 leaving me to dispose of the remainder. I was a 
 fair salesman, and rather than carry the remnant 
 of the herd with me, made headquarters with a man 
 who owned a large cane-brake pasture. It was 
 a convenient stopping-place, and the stock did well 
 on the young cane. Every week I would drive to 
 some distant town eighteen or twenty head, or as 
 many as I could handle alone. Sometimes I would 
 sell out in a few days, and then again it would take 
 me longer. But when possible I always made it a 
 rule to get back to my headquarters to spend Sun- 
 day. The owner of the cane-brake and his wife 
 were a simple couple, and just a shade or two above 
 the Arcadians. But they had a daughter who could 
 pass muster, and she took quite a shine to the 
 ' Texas-Hoss-Man,' as they called me. I reckon 
 you understand now why I made that headquar- 
 ters ? — there were other reasons besides the good 
 pasturage. 
 
 " Well, the girl and her mother both could 
 read, but I have some doubt about the old man on 
 that score. They took no papers, and the nearest 
 approach to a book in the house was an almanac 
 three years old. The women folks were ravenous 
 for something to read, and each time on my return 
 after selling out, I'd bring them a whole bundle 
 of illustrated papers and magazines. About my 
 fourth return after more horses, — I was mighty 
 near one of the family by that time, — when we 
 were all seated around the fire one night, the 
 
BED RIVEE STATION 79 
 
 women poring over the papers and admiring the 
 pictures, the old man inquired what the news was 
 over in the parish where I had recently been. The 
 only thing that I could remember was the suicide 
 of a prominent man. Aiter explaining the circum- 
 stances, I went on to say that some little bitterness 
 arose over his burial. Owing to his prominence it 
 was thought permission would be given to bury 
 him in the churchyard. But it seems there was 
 some superstition about permitting a self-murderer 
 to be buried in the same field as decent folks. It 
 was none of my funeral, and I did n't pay over- 
 much attention to the matter, but the authorities 
 refused, and they buried him just outside the 
 grounds, in the woods. 
 
 " My host and I discussed the matter at some 
 length. He contended that if the man was not of 
 sound mind, he should have been given his little 
 six feet of earth among the others. A horse sales- 
 man has to be a good second-rate talker, and being 
 anxious to show off before the girl, I differed with her 
 father. The argument grew spirited yet friendly, 
 and I appealed to the women in supporting my 
 view. My hostess was absorbed at the time in 
 reading a sensational account of a woman shooting 
 her betrayer. The illustrations covered a whole 
 page, and the girl was simply burning, at short 
 range, the shirt from off her seducer. The old lady 
 was bogged to the saddle skirts in the story, when 
 I interrupted her and inquired, ' Mother, what do 
 
80 THE OUTLET 
 
 you think ought to be done with a man who commits 
 suicide ? ' She lowered the paper just for an in- 
 stant, and looking over her spectacles at me replied, 
 ' Well, I think any man who would do that ought 
 to be made to support the child.' " 
 
 No comment was offered. Our wrangler arose 
 and strolled away from the fire under the pretense 
 of repicketing his horse. It was nearly time for the 
 guards to change, and giving the last watch orders 
 to point the herd, as they left the bed-ground in 
 the morning, back on an angle towards the trail, 
 I prepared to turn in. While I was puUing off my 
 boots in the act of retiring, Clay Zilligan rode in 
 from the herd to call the relief. The second guard 
 were bridling their horses, and as Zilligan dis- 
 mounted, he said to the circle of listeners, " Did n't 
 I tell you fellows that there was another herd just 
 ahead of us ? I don't care if they did n't pass up 
 the trail since we 've been laying over, they are 
 there just the same. Of course you can't see their 
 camp-fire from here, but it 's in plain view from the 
 bed-ground, and not over four or five miles away. 
 If I remember rightly, there 's a local trail comes 
 in from the south of the Wichita Elver, and joins 
 the Chisholm just ahead. And what 's more, that 
 herd was there at nine o'clock this morning, and 
 they have n't moved a peg since. Well, there 's two 
 lads out there waiting to be relieved, and you sec- 
 ond guard know where the cattle are bedded." 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 CAMP SUPPLY 
 
 In gala spirits we broke camp the next morning. 
 The herd had left the bed-ground at dawn, and as 
 the outfit rode away to relieve the last guard, every 
 mother's son was singing. The cattle were a re- 
 freshing sight as they grazed forward, their ragged 
 front covering half a mile in width. The rest of 
 the past few days had been a boon to the few ten- 
 der-footed ones. The lay-over had rejuvenated both 
 man and beast. From maps in our possession we 
 knew we were somewhere near the western border 
 of the Chickasaw Nation, while on our left was the 
 reservation of three blanket tribes of Indians. But 
 as far as signs of occupancy were concerned, the 
 country was unmarked by any evidence of civiliza- 
 tion. The Chisholm Cattle Trail, which ran from 
 Bed River to the Kansas line, had almost fallen 
 into disuse, owing to encroachments of settlements 
 south of the former and westward on the latter. 
 With the advancement of immigration, Abilene 
 and Ellsworth as trail terminals yielded to the tide, 
 and the leading cattle trace of the '70's was rele- 
 gated to local use in '84. 
 
 The first guard was on the qui vive for the outfit 
 
82 THE OUTLET 
 
 wtose camp-fire they had sighted the night before. 
 I was riding with Clay Zilligan on the^ left point, 
 when he sighted what we supposed was a small 
 bunch of cattle lying down several miles distant. 
 When we reached the first rise of ground, a band 
 of saddle horses came in view, and while we were 
 trying to locate their camp. Jack Splann from the 
 opposite point attracted our attention and pointed 
 straight ahead. There a large band of cattle under 
 herd greeted our view, compelling us to veer to 
 the right and intersect the trail sooner than we 
 intended. Keeping a clear half-mile between us, 
 we passed them within an hour and exchanged 
 the compliments of the trail. They proved to be 
 "Laurel Leaf " and " Running W " cattle, the very 
 ones for which the International Eailway agent at 
 the meeting in February had so boastfully shown my . 
 employer the application for cars. The foreman was 
 cursing like a stranded pirate over the predicament 
 in which he found himself. He had left Santo 
 Gertrudo Banch over a month before with a herd 
 of three thousand straight two-year-old steers. But 
 in the shipment of some thirty-three thousand 
 cattle from the two ranches to Wichita Falls, six 
 trains had been wrecked, two of which were his 
 own. Instead of being hundreds of miles ahead in 
 the lead of the year's drive, as he expected, he now 
 found himself in charge of a camp of cripples. 
 What few trains belonging to his herd had escaped, 
 the ditch were used in filling up other unfortunate 
 
CAMP SUPPLY 83 
 
 ones, the injured cattle from the other wrecks form- 
 ing his present holdings. 
 
 " Our people were anxious to get their cattle on 
 to the market early this year," said he, " and put 
 their foot into it up to the knee. Shipping to Red 
 River was an experiment with them, and I hope 
 they 've got their belly full. We 've got dead and 
 dying cattle in every pasture from the falls to the 
 river, while these in sight are n't able to keep out 
 of the stench of those that croaked between here 
 and the ford. Oh, this shipping is a fine thing — 
 for the railroads. Here I 've got to rot all summer 
 
 with these cattle, just because two of my trains 
 
 went into the ditch while no other foreman had 
 over one wrecked. And mind you, they paid the 
 freight in advance, and now King and Kennedy 
 have brought suit for damages amounting to double 
 the shipping expense. They 'U get it all right — 
 in pork. I 'd rather have a claim against a nigger 
 than a railroad company. Look at your beeves, 
 slick as weasels, and from the Nueces River. Have 
 to hold them in, I reckon, to keep from making 
 twenty miles a day. And here I am — Oh, hell, 
 I 'd rather be on a rock-pile with a ball and chain 
 to my foot ! Do you see those objects across yonder 
 about two miles — in that old grass ? That 's where 
 we bedded night before last and forty odd died. 
 We only lost twenty-two last night. Oh, we 're 
 getting in shape fast. If you 'think you can hold 
 your breakfast down, just take a ride through 
 
84 THE OUTLET 
 
 mine. No, excuse me — I 've seen them too often 
 already." 
 
 Several of the boys and myself rode into the 
 herd some little distance, but the sight was enough 
 to turn a copper-lined stomach. Scarcely an animal 
 had escaped without more or less injury. Fully one 
 half were minus one or both horns, leaving instead 
 bloody stumps. Broken bones and open sores 
 greeted us on every hand ; myriads of flies added 
 to the misery of the cattle, while in many instances 
 there was evidence of maggots at work on the living 
 animal. Turning from the herd in disgust, we went 
 back to our own, thankful that the rate offered us 
 had been prohibitory. The trials and vexations of 
 the road were mere nothings to be endured, com- 
 pared to the sights we were then leaving. Even 
 what we first supposed were cattle lying down, were 
 only bed-grounds, the occupants having been hu- 
 manely relieved by unwaking sleep. Powerless to 
 render any assistance, we trailed away, glad to blot 
 from our sight and memory such scenes of misery 
 and death. 
 
 Until reaching the Washita River, we passed 
 through a delightful country. There were numer- 
 ous local trails coming into the main one, all of 
 which showed recent use. Abandoned camp-fires 
 and bed-grounds were to be seen on every hand, 
 silent witnesses of an exodus which was to mark 
 the maximum year in the history of the cattle move- 
 ment from Texas. Several times we saw some 
 
CAMP SUPPLY 85 
 
 evidence of settlement by the natives, but as to 
 the freedom of the country, we were monarchs of all 
 we surveyed. On arriving at the Washita, we 
 encountered a number of herds, laboring under the 
 impression that they were water-bound. Immediate 
 entrance at the ford was held by a large herd of 
 young cattle in charge of a negro outfit. Their 
 stock were scattered over several thousand acres, 
 and when I asked for the boss, a middle-aged darky 
 of herculean figure was pointed out as in charge. 
 To my inquiry why he was holding the ford, his 
 answer was that until to-day the river had been 
 swimming, and now he was waiting for the banks 
 to dry. Ridiculing his flimsy excuse, I kindly yet 
 firmly asked him either to cross or vacate the ford 
 by three o'clock that afternoon. Receiving no de- 
 finite reply, I returned to our herd, which was some 
 five miles in the rear. Beyond the river's steep, 
 slippery banks and cold water, there was nothing 
 to check a herd. 
 
 After the noonday halt, the wrangler and myself 
 took our remuda and went on ahead to the river. 
 Crossing and recrossing our saddle stock a number 
 of times, we trampled the banks down to a firm 
 footing. While we were doing this work, the negro 
 foreman and a number of his men rode up and 
 sullenly watched us. Leaving our horses on the 
 north bank. Levering and I returned, and ignoring 
 the presence of the darky spectators, started back 
 to meet the herd, which was just then looming up 
 
86 THE OUTLET 
 
 in sight. But before we had ridden any distance, 
 the dusky foreman overtook us and politely said, 
 " Look-ee here, Cap'n ; ain't you-all afraid of losin' 
 some of your cattle among ours ? " Never halting, 
 I replied, " Not a particle ; if we lose any, you eat 
 them, and we '11 do the same if our herd absorbs 
 any of yours. But it strikes me that you had better 
 have those lazy niggers throw your cattle to one 
 side," I called back, as he halted his horse. We 
 did not look backward until we reached the 
 herd ; then as we turned, one on each side to 
 support the points, it was evident that a clear 
 field would await us on reaching the river. Every 
 horseman in the black outfit was pushing cattle 
 with might and main, to give us a clean cloth at 
 the crossing. 
 
 The herd forded the Washita without incident. 
 .1 remained on the south bank while the cattle were 
 crossing, and when they were about half over some 
 half-dozen of the darkies rode up and stopped apart, 
 conversing among themselves. When the drag cat- 
 tle passed safely out on the farther bank, I turned 
 to the dusky group, only to find their foreman 
 absent. Making a few inquiries as to the owner- 
 ship of their herd, its destination, and other matters 
 of interest, I asked the group to express my thanks 
 to their foreman for moving his cattle aside. Our 
 commissary crossed shortly afterward, and the 
 Washita was in our rear. But that night, as some 
 of my outfit returned from the river, where they 
 
CAMP SUPPLY 87 
 
 had been fishing, they reported the negro outfit as 
 having crossed and encamped several miles in our 
 rear. 
 
 "All they needed was a good example," said 
 Dorg Seay. " Under a white foreman, I '11 bet 
 that 's a good lot of darkies. They were just about 
 the right shade — old shiny black. As good cow- 
 hands as ever I saw were nigs, but they need a 
 white man to blow and brag on them. But it always 
 ruins one to give him any authority." 
 
 Without effort we traveled fifteen miles a day. 
 In the absence of any wet weather to gall their 
 backs, there was not a horse in our remuda unfit 
 for the saddle. In fact, after reaching the Indian 
 Territory, they took on flesh and played like lambs. 
 With the exception of long hours and night-herd- 
 ing, the days passed in seeming indolence as we 
 swept northward, crossing rivers without a halt 
 which in previous years had defied the moving 
 herds. On arriving at the Cimarron Eiver, in 
 reply to a letter written to my employer on leaving 
 Texas behind us, an answer was found awaiting me 
 at Red Fork. The latter was an Indian trading- 
 post, located on the mail route to Fort Eeno, and 
 only a few miles north of the Chisholm Crossing, 
 The letter was characteristic of my employer. It 
 contained but one imperative order, — that I should 
 touch, either with or without the herd, at Camp 
 Supply. For some unexplained reason he would 
 make that post his headquarters until after the 
 
88 THE OUTLET 
 
 Buford herds had passed that point. The letter 
 concluded with the injunction, in case we met any 
 one, to conceal the ownership of the herd and its 
 destination. 
 
 The mystery was thickening. But having pre- 
 viously declined to borrow trouble, I brushed this 
 aside as unimportant, though I gave my outfit in- 
 structions to report the herd to every one as belong- 
 ing to Omaha men, and on its way to Nebraska to 
 be corn-fed. Fortunately I had ridden ahead of the 
 herd after crossing the Cimarron, and had posted 
 the outfit before they reached the trading-station. 
 I did not allow one of my boys near the store, and 
 the herd passed by as in contempt of such a wayside 
 place. As the Dodge cut-off left the Chishohn Trail 
 some ten miles above the Indian tradiag-post, the 
 next morning we waved good-bye to the old cattle 
 trace and turned on a northwest angle. Our route 
 now lay up the Cimarron, which we crossed and 
 recrossed at our pleasure, for the sate of grazing 
 or to avoid several large alkali flats. There was 
 evidence of herds in our advance, and had we not 
 hurried past Eed Fork, I might have learned some- 
 thing to our advantage. But disdaining all inquiry 
 of the cut-off, fearful lest our identity be discovered, 
 we deliberately walked into the first real danger of 
 the trip. 
 
 At low water the Cimarron was a brackish stream. 
 But numerous tributaries put in from either side, 
 and by keeping above the river's ebb, an abundance 
 
CAMP SUPPLY 89 
 
 of fresh water was daily secured from the river's 
 affluents. The fifth day out from Red Sock was an 
 excessively sultry one, and suffering would have 
 resulted to the herd had we not been following 
 a divide where we caught an occasional breeze. The 
 river lay some ten miles to our right, while before 
 us a tributary could be distinctly outlined by the 
 cottonwoods which grew along it. Since early morn- 
 ing we had been paralleling the creek, having 
 nooned within sight of its confluence with the 
 mother stream, and consequently I had considered 
 it unnecessary to ride ahead and look up the water. 
 When possible, we always preferred watering the 
 herd between three and four o'clock in the after- 
 noon. But by holding our course, we were certain 
 to intersect the creek at about the usual hour for the 
 cattle's daily drink, and besides, as the creek neared 
 the river, it ran through an alkali flat for some dis- 
 tance. But before the time arrived to intersect the 
 creek on our course, the herd turned out of the trail, 
 determined to go to the creek and quench their 
 thirst. The entire outfit, however, massed on the 
 right flank, and against their will we held them on 
 their course. As their thirst increased with travel, 
 they made repeated attempts to break through our 
 cordon, requiring every man to keep on the alert. 
 But we held them true to the divide, and as we came 
 to the brow of a small hill within a quarter-mile of 
 the water, a stench struck us until we turned in our 
 saddles, gasping for breath. I was riding third man 
 
90 THE OUTLET 
 
 in the swing from the point, and noticing something 
 wrong in front, galloped to the brow of the hill. 
 The smell was sickening and almost unendurable, 
 and there before us in plain view lay hundreds of 
 dead cattle, bloated and decaying yi the summer 
 sun. 
 
 I was dazed by the awful scene. A pretty, green- 
 swarded little valley lay before me, groups of cotton- 
 woods fringed the stream here and there, around 
 the roots of which were both shade and water. The 
 reeking stench that filled the air stupefied me for 
 the instant, and I turned my horse from the view, 
 gasping for a mouthful of God's pure ozone. But 
 our beeves had been scenting the creek for hours, 
 and now a few of the leaders started forward in 
 a trot for it. Like a fiash it came to me that death 
 lurked in that water, and summoning every man 
 within hearing, I dashed to the lead of our cattle to 
 turn them back over the hiU. Jack Splann was on 
 the point, and we turned the leaders when within 
 two hundred yards of the creek, frequently jumping 
 our horses over the putrid carcasses of dead cattle. 
 The main body of the herd were trailing for three 
 quarters of a mile in our rear, and none of the men 
 dared leave their places. Untying our slickers, 
 Splann and I fell upon the leaders and beat them 
 back to the brow of the hill, when an unfortunate 
 breeze was wafted through that polluted atmosphere 
 from the creek to the cattle's nostrils. Turning 
 upon us and now augmented to several hundred 
 
CAMP SUPPLY 91 
 
 head, they sullenly started forward. But in the 
 few minutes' interim, two other lads had come to 
 our support, and dismounting we rushed them, 
 whipping our slickers into ribbons over their heads. 
 The mastery of man again triumphed over brutes 
 in their thirst, for we drove them in a rout back 
 over the divide. 
 
 Our success, however, was only temporary. Re- 
 covering our horses we beat the cattle back, seem- 
 ingly inch by inch, until the rear came up, when 
 we rounded them into a compact body. They 
 quieted down for a short while, affording us a 
 breathing spell, for the suddenness of this danger 
 had not only unnerved me but every one of the out- 
 fit who had caught a glimpse of that field of death. 
 The wagon came up, and those who needed them 
 secured a change of horses. Leaving the outfit hold- 
 ing the herd, Splann and I took fresh mounts, and 
 circling around, came in on the windward side of 
 the creek. As we crossed it half a mile above the 
 scene of disaster, each of us dipped a hand in the 
 water and tasted it. The alkali was strong as con- 
 centrated lye, blistering our mouths in the experi- 
 ment. The creek was not even running, but stood 
 in long, deep pools, clear as crystal and as inviting 
 to the thirsty as a mountain spring. As we neared 
 the dead cattle, Splann called my attention to the 
 attitude of the animals when death relieved them, 
 the heads of fully two thirds being thrown back on 
 their sides. Many, when stricken, were unable to 
 
92 THE OUTLET 
 
 reach the bank, and died in the bed of the stream. 
 Making a complete circle of the ghastly scene, we 
 returned to our own, agreeing that between five and 
 six hundred cattle had met their fate in those death- 
 dealing pools. 
 
 We were not yet out of the woods. On our 
 return, many of the cattle were lying down, while 
 in the west thunder-clouds were appearing. The 
 North Fork of the Canadian lay on our left, which 
 was now our only hope for water, yet beyond our 
 reach for the day. Keeping the slight divide be- 
 tween us and the creek, we started the herd forward. 
 Since it was impossible to graze them in their 
 thirsty condition, I was determined to move them 
 as far as possible before darkness overtook us. But 
 within an hour we crossed a country trail over 
 which herds had passed on their way northwest, 
 having left the Chisholm after crossing the North 
 Fork. At the first elevation which would give me 
 a view of the creek, another scene of death and 
 desolation greeted my vision, only a few miles above 
 the first one. Yet from this same hill I could easily 
 trace the meanderings of the creek for miles as it 
 made a half circle in our front, both inviting and 
 defying us. Turning the herd due south, we traveled 
 until darkness fell, going into camp on a high, 
 flat mesa of several thousand acres. But those 
 evening breezes wafted an invitation to come and 
 drink, and our thirsty herd refused to bed down. 
 To add to our predicament, a storm thickened in 
 
CAMP SUPPLY 93 
 
 the west. Eealizing that we were confronting the 
 most dangerous night in all my cattle experience, 
 I ordered every man into the saddle. The remuda 
 and team were taken in charge by the wrangler and 
 cook, and going from man to man, I warned them 
 what the consequences would be if we lost the 
 herd during the night, and the cattle reached the 
 creek. 
 
 The cattle surged and drifted almost at wiU, for 
 we were compelled to hold them loose to avoid 
 milling. Before ten o'clock the lightning was flick- 
 ering overhead and around us, revealing acres of 
 big beeves, which in an instant might take fright, 
 and then, God help us. But in that night of trial 
 a mercy was extended to the dumb brutes in charge. 
 A warm rain began falling, first in a drizzle, in- 
 creasing after the first hour, and by midnight we 
 could hear the water slushing under our horses' 
 feet. By the almost constant flashes of lightning 
 we could see the cattle standing as if asleep, in 
 grateful enjoyment of the sheeting downpour. 
 As the night wore on, our fears of a stampede 
 abated, for the buffalo wallows on the mesa filled, 
 and water was on every hand. The rain ceased 
 before dawn, but owing to the saturated condition 
 underfoot, not a hoof lay down during the night, 
 and when the gray of morning streaked the east, 
 what a sense of relief it brought us. The danger 
 had passed. 
 
 Near noon that day, and within a few miles of 
 
94 THE OUTLET 
 
 the North Fork, we rounded an alkaline plain in 
 which this deadly creek had its source. Under the 
 influence of the season, alkali had oozed up out of 
 the soil until it looked like an immense lake under 
 snow. The presence of range cattle in close prox- 
 imity to this creek, for we were in the Cherokee 
 Strip, baffled my reasoning ; but the next day we 
 met a range-rider who explained that the present 
 condition of the stream was unheard of before, and 
 that native cattle had instinct enough to avoid it. 
 He accounted for its condition as due to the dry 
 season, there being no general rains sufficient to 
 flood the alkaline plain and thoroughly flush the 
 creek. In reply to an inquiry as to the ownership 
 of the unfortunate herds, he informed me that there 
 were three, one belonging to Bob Houston, another 
 to Major Corouthers, and the third to a man named 
 Murphy, the total loss amounting to about two 
 thousand cattle. 
 
 From this same range-man we also learned our 
 location. Camp Supply lay up the North Fork 
 some sixty miles, while a plain trail followed up the 
 first bottom of the river. Wishing to avoid, if pos- 
 sible, intersecting the western trail south of Dodge, 
 the next morning I left the herd to follow up, and 
 rode into Camp Supply before noon. Lovell had 
 sighted me a mile distant, and after a drink at the 
 sutler's bar, we strolled aside for a few minutes' 
 chat. Once I had informed him of the locality of 
 the herd and their condition, he cautioned me not 
 
CAMP SUPPLY 95 
 
 to let my business be known while in the post. 
 After refreshing the inner man, my employer se- 
 cured a horse and started with me on my return. 
 As soon as the flag over Supply faded out of sight 
 in our rear, we turned to the friendly shade of the 
 timber on the North Fork and dismounted. I felt 
 that the precaution exercised by the drover was 
 premonitory of some revelation, and before we arose 
 from the cottonwood log on which we took seats, 
 the scales had fallen from my eyes and the atmo- 
 sphere of mystery cleared. 
 
 " Tom," said my employer, " I am up against a 
 bad proposition. I am driving these Buford cattle, 
 you understand, on a sub-contract. I was the sec- 
 ond lowest bidder with the government, and no 
 sooner was the award made to The Western Supply 
 Company than they sent an agent who gave me 
 no peace until they sublet their contract. Unfortu- 
 nately for me, when the papers were drawn, my 
 regular attorney was out of town, and I was com- 
 pelled to depend on a stranger. After the articles 
 were executed, I submitted the matter to my old 
 lawyer ; he shook his head, arguing that a loophole 
 had been left open, and that I should have secured 
 an assignment of the original contract. After 
 studying the matter over, we opened negotiations 
 to secure a complete relinquishment of the award. 
 But when I offered the company a thousand dollars 
 over and above what they admitted was their mar- 
 gin, and they refused it, I opened my eyes to the 
 
96 THE OUTLET 
 
 true situation. If cattle went up, I was responsible 
 and would have to fill my contract ; if they went 
 down, the company would buy in the cattle and 
 I could go to hell in a hand-basket for all they 
 cared. Their bond to the government does me 
 no good, and beyond that they are irresponsible. 
 Beeves have broken from four to five dollars a 
 head, and unless I can deliver these Buford herds 
 on my contract, they will lose me fifty thousand 
 dollars." 
 
 "Have you any intimation that they expect to 
 buy in other cattle ? " I inquired. 
 
 " Yes. I have had a detective in my employ ever 
 since my suspicions were aroused. There are two 
 parties in Dodge this very minute with the original 
 contract, properly assigned, and they are looking for 
 cattle to fill it. That 's why I 'm stopping here and 
 lying low. I could n't explain it to you sooner, but 
 you understand now why I drove those Buford 
 herds in different road brands. Tom, we're up 
 against it, and we 've got to fight the devil with fire. 
 Henceforth your name will be Tom Mclndoo, your 
 herd will be the property of the Marshall estate, 
 and their agent, my detective, will be known as 
 Charles Siringo. Any money or supplies you may 
 need in Dodge, get in the usual form through the 
 firm of Wright, Beverly & Co. — they understand. 
 Hold your herd out south on Mulberry, and Sir- 
 ingo will have notice and be looking for you, or 
 you can find him at th^e Dodge House. I 've sent 
 
CAMP SUPPLY 97 
 
 a courier to Fort Elliott to meet Dave and Quince, 
 and once I see them, I '11 run up to Ogalalla and 
 wait for you. Now, until further orders, remember 
 you never knew a man by the name of Don Lovell, 
 and by all means don't forget to use what wits 
 Nature gave you." 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK 
 
 It was late that night when I reached the herd. 
 Before I parted with my employer we had care- 
 fully reviewed the situation in its minutest details. 
 Since the future could not be foreseen, we could 
 only watch and wait. The Texan may have his 
 shortcomings, but lack of fidelity to a trust is not 
 one of them, and relying on the metal of my out- 
 fit, I at once put them in possession of the facts. 
 At first their simple minds could hardly grasp the 
 enormity of the injustice to our employer, but once 
 the land lay clear, they would gladly have led a 
 forlorn hope in Don Lovell's interests. Agitation 
 over the matter was maintained at white heat for 
 several days, as we again angled back towards the 
 Cimarron. Around the camp-fires at night, the 
 chicanery of The Western Supply Company gave 
 place to the best stories at our command. " There 
 ought to be a law," said Bunt Pickett, in wrathy 
 indignation, " making it legal to kill some people, 
 same as rattlesnakes. Now, you take a square 
 gambler and I don't think anything of losing- my 
 money against his game, but one of these sneaking, 
 under-dealing, top-and-bottom-business pimps, I do 
 
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK 99 
 
 despise. You can find them in every honest calling, 
 same as vultures hover round when cattle are dy- 
 ing. Honest, fellows, I 'd just dearly love to pull 
 on a rope and watch one of the varmints make his 
 last kick." 
 
 Several days of showery weather followed. Cross- 
 ing the Cimarron, we followed up its north slope 
 to within thirty miles of the regular western trail. 
 Not wishing to intercept it until necessity com- 
 pelled us, when near the Kansas lin? we made our 
 last tack for Dodge. The rains had freshened the 
 Dountry and flushed the creeks, making our work 
 easy, and early in the month of June we reached 
 the Mulberry. Traveling at random, we struck 
 that creek about twenty miles below the trail, and 
 moved up the stream to within a short distance of 
 the old crossing. The presence of a dozen other 
 herds holding along it forced us into a permanent 
 camp a short half-day's ride from the town. The 
 horse-wrangler was pressed into service in making 
 up the first guard that night, and taking Morg 
 Tussler with me, I struck out for Dodge in the fall- 
 ing darkness. On reaching the first divide, we 
 halted long enough to locate the camp-fires along 
 the Mulberry to our rear, while above and below 
 and beyond the river, fires flickered like an Indian 
 encampment. The lights of Dodge were inviting 
 us, and after making a rough estimate of the camps 
 in sight, we rode for town, arriving there between 
 ten and eleven o'clock. The Dodge House was a 
 
100 THE OUTLET 
 
 popular hostelry for trail men and cattle buyers, 
 and on our making inquiry of the night clerk if a 
 Mr. Siringo was stopping there, we were informed 
 that he was, but had retired. I put up a trivial 
 excuse for seeing him, the clerk gave me the number 
 of his room, and Tussler and I were soon closeted 
 with him. The detective was a medium-sized, ordi- 
 nary man, badly pock-marked, with a soft, musical 
 voice, and apparently as innocent as a boy. In 
 a brief preliminary conversation, he proved to be a 
 Texan, knowing every in and out of cattle, having 
 been bred to the occupation. Our relations to each 
 other were easily established. Reviewing the situ- 
 ation thoroughly, he informed me that he had cul- 
 tivated the acquaintance of the parties holding the 
 assignment of the Buford award. He had repre- 
 sented to them that he was the fiscal agept of some 
 six herds on the trail that year, three of which 
 were heavy beeves, and they had agreed to look 
 them over, provided they arrived before the 15th 
 of the month. He further assured me that the 
 parties were mere figureheads of The Supply Com- 
 pany ; that they were exceedingly bearish on the 
 market, gloating over the recent depreciation in 
 prices, and perfectly willing to fatten on the wreck 
 and ruin of others. 
 
 It was long after midnight when the consultation 
 ended. Appointing an hour for showing the herd 
 the next day, or that one rather, Tussler and I 
 withdrew, agreeing to be out of town before day- 
 
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK 101 
 
 break. But the blaze of gambling and the blare of 
 dance-halls held us as in a siren's embrace until the 
 lights dimmed with the breaking of dawn. Mount- 
 ing our horses, we forded the river east of town 
 and avoided the herds, which were just arising from 
 their bed-grounds. On the divide we halted. 
 Within the horizon before us, it is safe to assert 
 that one hundred thousand cattle grazed in lazy 
 contentment, all feeding against the morning breeze. 
 Save for the freshness of early summer, with its 
 background of green and the rarified atmosphere 
 of the elevated plain, the scene before us might be 
 compared to a winter drift of buffalo, ten years 
 previous. Eiding down the farther slope, we reached 
 our camp in time for a late breakfast, the fifteen- 
 mile ride having whetted our appetites. Three men 
 were on herd, and sending two more with instruc- 
 tions to water the cattle an hour before noon, Tuss- 
 ler and I sought the shade of the wagon and fell 
 asleep. 
 
 It was some time after midday when, on sighting 
 the expected conveyance approaching our camp, 
 the cook aroused us. Performing a rather hasty 
 ablution, I met the vehicle, freshened, and with my 
 wits on tap. I nearly dragged the detective from 
 the livery rig, addressing him as " Charley," and 
 we made a rough ado over each other. Several of 
 the other boys came forward and, shaking hands, 
 greeted him with equal familiarity. As two strangers 
 alighted on the opposite side, the detective took me 
 
102 THE OUTLET 
 
 around and they were introduced as Mr. Field and 
 Mr. KadclifE, prospective beef buyers. The boys 
 had stretched a tarpaulin, affording ample shad^ 
 and Parent invited every one to dinner. The two 
 strangers were rather tasty, but Siringo ate rav- 
 enously, repeatedly asking for things which were 
 usually kept in a well-stocked chuck- wagon, mean- 
 while talking with great familiarity with Tussler 
 and me. 
 
 The strangers said little, but were amused at the 
 lightness of our dinner chat. I could see at a glance 
 that they were not cowmen. They were impatient 
 to see the cattle; and when dinner was over, I 
 explained to them that the men on herd would be 
 relieved for dinner by those in camp, and orders 
 would be given, if it was their wish, to throw the 
 cattle compactly together. To this Siringo objected. 
 " No, Mac," said he, " that is n't the right way to 
 show beeves. Here, Morg, listen to me ; I 'm fore- 
 man for the time being. When you relieve the 
 other lads, edge in your cattle from an ordinary 
 loose herd until you have them on two or three 
 hundred acres. Then we can slowly drive through 
 them for an hour or so, or until these gentlemen 
 are satisfied. They 're not wild, are they, Mac ? " 
 , I assured every one that the cattle were unusually 
 gentle ; that we had not had a run so far, but urged 
 caution in approaching them with a conveyance. 
 As soon as the relief started, I brought in the livery 
 team off picket, watered, and harnessed them into 
 

 BEFORE US ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND CATTLE GRAZED 
 
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK 103 
 
 the vehicle. It was my intention to accompany them 
 on horseback, but Siringo hooted at the idea, and 
 Mr. Radcliff and I occupied the back seat, puffing 
 splendid cigars. We met the relieved men coming 
 in, who informed us that the herd was just over the 
 hill on the south side of the creek. On reaching 
 the gentle rise, there below us grazed the logy, lazy 
 beeves, while the boys quietly rode round, silently 
 moving them together as instructed. Siringo drove 
 to their lead, and halting, we allowed the cattle to 
 loiter past us on either side of the conveyance. It 
 was an easy herd to show, for the pounds avoirdu- 
 pois were there. Numerous big steers, out of pure 
 curiosity, came up near the vehicle and innocently 
 looked at us as if expecting a dole or sweetmeat. 
 A snap of the finger would turn them, showing 
 their rounded buttocks, and they would tejoin the 
 guard of honor. If eyes could speak, the invitation 
 was timidly extended, " Look at me, Mr. Buyer." 
 We allowed the herd to pass by us, then slowly 
 circled entirely around them, and finally drove back 
 and forth through them for nearly two hours, when 
 the prospective buyers expressed themselves as 
 satisfied. 
 
 But the fiscal agent was not. Calling two of the 
 boys, he asked for the loan of their horses and 
 insisted that the buyers ride the cattle over and 
 thoroughly satisfy themselves on the brands. The 
 boys gladly yielded, and as Mr. Field and Mr, 
 Eadcliff mounted to ride away, the detective halted 
 
104 THE OUTLET 
 
 them long enough to say: "Now, gentlemen, I 
 wish to call your attention to the fact that over 
 one half the herd are in the single Marshall- ranch 
 brand. There are also some five hundred head in 
 the '8 = 8,' that being an outside ranch, but belong- 
 ing to the estate. I am informed that the remainder 
 of nearly a thousand were turned in by neighboring 
 ranchmen in making up the herd, and you '11 find 
 those in various mixed brands. If there 's a hoof 
 among them not in the ' Open A ' road, we '11 cut 
 them out for fear of trouble to the buyer. I never 
 sold a man cattle in my life who was n't my cus- 
 tomer ever afterward. You gentlemen are strangers 
 to me, and for that reason I conceal nothing. Now 
 look them over carefully, and keep a sharp lookout 
 for strays — cattle not in the road brand." 
 
 I knew there were about twenty strays in the 
 herd, and informed Siringo to that effect, but the 
 cattle buyers noticed only two, a red and a roan, 
 which again classed them as inexperienced men 
 among cattle. We returned to camp, not a word 
 being said about trading, when the buyers sug- 
 gested returning to town. Siringo looked at his 
 watch, asked if there was anything further they 
 wished to see or know, and expressed himself like 
 a true Texan, " that there was ample time." I was 
 the only one who had alighted, and as they started 
 to drive away, I said to Siringo : " Charley, let 
 me talk to you a minute first. You see how I 'm 
 situated here — too many neighbors. I 'm going to 
 
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK 105 
 
 ride north of town to-morrow, and if I can find 
 a good camp on Saw Log, why I '11 move over. We 
 are nearly out of supplies, anyhow, and the wagon 
 can go by town and load up. There 's liable to be 
 a mix-up here some night on the Mulberry, and 
 I 'd rather be excused than present." 
 
 " That 's all right, Mac ; that 's just what I 
 want you to do. If we trade, we '11 make the deal 
 within a day or two, and if not you can start right 
 on for OgalaUa. I 'ye been selling cattle the last 
 few years to the biggest feeders in Nebraska, and 
 I 'm not a little bit afraid of placing those ' Open 
 A's.' About four months full feed on corn will fit 
 those steers to go to any market. Drop into town 
 on your way back from the Saw Log to-morrow." 
 
 That evening my brother Bob rode into camp. 
 He had seen our employer at Supply, and accord- 
 ingly understood the situation. The courier had 
 returned from Fort Elliott and reported his mis- 
 sion successful ; he had met both Forrest and Spon- 
 sUier. The latter had had a slight run in the Pan- 
 handle during a storm, losing a few cattle, which 
 he recovered the next day. For fear of a repetition, 
 Forrest had taken the lead thereafter, and was due 
 at Supply within a day or two. Flood and Priest 
 had passed Abilene, Texas, in safety, but no word 
 had reached our employer since, and it was believed 
 that they had turned eastward and would come 
 up the Chisholm Trail. Bob reported the country 
 between Abilene and Doan's Crossing as cut into 
 
106 THE OUTLET 
 
 dust and barren of sustenance, many weak cattle 
 having died in crossing the dry belt. But the most 
 startling news, seriously disturbing us both, was 
 that Archie ToUeston was stationed at Doan's Cross- 
 ing on Eed River as a trail-cutter. He had come 
 up from the south to Wichita Falls by train with 
 trail cattle, and finding no opening as a foreman, 
 had accepted the position of inspector for some Pan- 
 handle cattle companies. He and Bob had had 
 a friendly chat, and Archie admitted that it was 
 purely his own hot-headedness which prevented his 
 being one of Lovell's foremen on the present drive. 
 The disturbing feature was, that after leaving head- 
 quarters in Medina County, he had gone into San 
 Antonio, where he met a couple of strangers who 
 partially promised him a job as trail boss, in case 
 he presented himself in Dodge about June 15. 
 They had intimated to him that it was possible 
 they would need a foreman or two who knew the 
 trail from the Arkansaw to the Yellowstone and 
 Missouri River country. Putting this and that to- 
 gether, the presence of Archie ToUeston in Dodge 
 was not at all favorable to the working out of our 
 plans. " And Arch is n't the man to forget a 
 humiliation," concluded Bob, to which I agreed. 
 
 The next morning I rode across to the Saw Log, 
 and up that creek beyond all the herds. The best 
 prospect for a camp was nearly due north opposite 
 us, as the outfit lowest down the stream expected to 
 start for the Platte the next morning. Having fully 
 
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK 107 
 
 made up my mind to move camp, I rode for town, 
 taking dinner on Duck Creek, -whicli was also lit- 
 tered with cattle and outfits. I reached town early 
 in the afternoon, and after searching all the hotels, 
 located the fiscal agent in company with the buyers 
 at the Lone Star saloon. They were seated around 
 a table, and Mr. Field, noticing my entrance, beck- 
 oned me over and offered a chair. As I took the 
 proffered seat, both strangers turned on me, and 
 Mr. Radcliff said : " McTndoo, this agent of yours 
 is the hardest man I ever tried to trade with. Here 
 we've wasted the whole morning dickering, and 
 are no nearer together than when we started. The 
 only concession which Mr. Siringo seems willing 
 to admit is that cattle are off from three to five 
 dollars a head, while we contend that heavy beeves 
 are off seven dollars." 
 
 "Excuse me for interrupting," said the fiscal 
 agent, " but since you have used the words heavy 
 beeves, either one of you ask Mac, here, what those 
 ' Open A's ' will dress to-day, and what they ought 
 to gain in the next three months on good grass and 
 water. There he sits ; ask him." 
 
 Mr. Field explained that they had also differed 
 as to what the herd would dress out, and invited 
 my opinion. " Those beeves will dress off from 
 forty-five to fifty per cent.," I replied. " The Texan 
 being a gaunt animal does not shrink like a domes- 
 tic beef. Take that ' Open A ' herd straight through 
 and they will dress from four fifty to six hundred 
 
108 THE OUTLET 
 
 pounds, or average better than five hundred all 
 round. In three months, under favorable condi- 
 tions, those steers ought to easily put on a hundred 
 pounds of tallow apiece. Mr. Eadcliff, do you re- 
 member pointing out a black muley yesterday and 
 saying that he looked like a native animal ? I 'U 
 just bet either one of you a hundred dollars that 
 he '11 dress out over five hundred pounds ; and I '11 
 kill him in your presence and you can weigh his 
 quarters with a steelyard." 
 
 They laughed at me, Siringo joining in, and 
 Mr. Field ordered the drinks. "Mac," said the 
 detective, " these gentlemen are all right, and you 
 should n't take any offense, for I don't blame them 
 for driving a hard bargain. I 'd probably do the 
 same thing if I was the buyer instead of the seller. 
 And remember, Mac, if the deal goes through, you 
 are to drive the herd at the seller's risk, and deliver 
 it at any point the buyer designates, they accept- 
 ing without expense or reserve the cattle only. It 
 means over three months' further expense, with a 
 remuda thrown back on your hands ; and all these 
 incidentals run into money fast. Gentlemen, unless 
 you increase the advance cash payment, I don't see 
 how you can expect me to shade my offer. What 's 
 your hurry, Mac ? " 
 
 As it was growing late, I had arisen, and saying 
 that I expected to move camp to-morrow, invited 
 the party to join me at the bar. I informed the 
 buyers, during the few minutes' interim, that if they 
 
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK 109 
 
 wished to look the cattle over again, the herd would 
 cross the river below old Fort Dodge about noon 
 the next day. They thanked me for the information, 
 saying it was quite possible that they might drive 
 down, and discussing the matter we all passed into 
 the street. With the understanding that the pros- 
 pect of making a deal was not hopeless, Siringo 
 excused himself, and we strolled away together. 
 No sooner was the coast clear than I informed the 
 detective of the arrival of my brother, putting him 
 in possession of every fact regarding Archie Tolles- 
 ton. He readily agreed with me that the recent 
 break between the latter and his former employer 
 was a dangerous factor, and even went so far as to 
 say that ToUeston's posing as a trail-cutter atDoan's 
 Crossing was more than likely a ruse. I was giving 
 the detective a detailed description of Archie, when 
 he stopped me and asked what his special weak- 
 nesses were, if he had any. " Whiskey and women," 
 I replied. " That 's good," said he, " and I want you 
 to send me in one of your best men in the morning 
 — I mean one who wiU drink and carouse. He can 
 watch the trains, and if this fellow shows up, we '11 
 keep him soaked and let him enjoy himself. Send 
 me one that 's good for a ten days' protracted drunk. 
 You think the other herds will be here within a few 
 days ? That 's all I want to know." 
 
 I reached camp a little before dark, and learned 
 that Bob's herd had dropped in just below us on 
 the Mulberry. He expected to lie over a few days 
 
110 THE OUTLET 
 
 in passing Dodge, and I lost no time in preparing 
 to visit his camp. While riding out that evening, 
 I had made up my mind to send in Dorg Seay, as 
 he was a heady fellow, and in drinking had an 
 oak-tan stomach. Taking him with me, I rode 
 down the Mulberry and reached the lower camp 
 just as my brother and his outfit were returning 
 from bedding-down the cattle. Bob readily agreed 
 that the detective's plans were perfectly feasible, 
 and offered to play a close second to Seay if it was 
 necessary. And if his own brother does say so, 
 Bob Quirk never met the man who could drink 
 him under the table. 
 
 My herd started early for the Saw Log, and the 
 wagon for town. Bob had agreed to go into Dodge 
 in the morning, so Dorg stayed with our outfit and 
 was to go in with me after crossing the river. We 
 threaded our way through the other herds, and 
 shortly before noon made an easy ford about a mile 
 below old Fort Dodge. As we came down to the 
 river, a carriage was seen on the farther bank, and 
 I dropped from the point back to the drag end. 
 Sure enough, as we trailed out, the fiscal agent and 
 the buyers were awaiting me. " Well, Mac, I sold 
 your herd last night after you left," said Siringo, 
 dejectedly. " It was a kind of compromise trade ; 
 they raised the cash payment to thirty thousand 
 dollars, and I split the difference in price. The 
 herd goes at $29 a head all round. So from now on, 
 Mac, you 're subject to these gentlemen's orders." 
 
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK 111 
 
 Mr. Field, tbe elder of the two buyers, suggested 
 that if a convenient camp could be found, we should 
 lie over a few days, when final instructions would 
 be given me. He made a memorandum of the num- 
 ber of head that I claimed in our road brand, and 
 asked me if we could hold up the herd for a closer 
 inspection. The lead cattle were then nearly a mile 
 away, and galloping off to overtake the point, I left 
 the party watching the saddle horses, which were 
 then fording in our rear. But no sooner had 
 I reached the lead and held up the herd, than I 
 noticed Siringo on the wrangler's horse, coming up 
 on the opposite side of the column of cattle from 
 the vehicle. Supposing he had something of a pri- 
 vate nature to communicate, I leisurely rode down 
 the line and met him. 
 
 " Did you send that man in this morning ? " he 
 sternly demanded. I explained that my brother 
 had gone, properly coached, and that Seay would 
 go in with me in the course of an hour. 
 
 " Give him any money you have and send him 
 at once," commanded the detective. " ToUeston was 
 due on the ten o'clock train, but it was an hour 
 late. Those buyers wanted me to wait for it, so he 
 could come along, but I urged the importance of 
 catching you at the ford. Now, send your man Seay 
 at once, get ToUeston beastly drunk, and quarter 
 him in some crib until night." 
 
 Unobserved by the buyers, I signaled Seay, and 
 gave him the particulars and what money I had. 
 
112 THE OUTLET 
 
 He rode back through the saddle stock, recrossed 
 the river, and after rounding the bend, galloped 
 away. Siringo continued : " You see, after we 
 traded, they inquired if you were a safe man, say- 
 ing if you did n't know the Yellowstone country, 
 they had a man in sight who did. That was last 
 night, and it seems that this morning they got 
 a letter from Tolleston, saying he would be there 
 on the next train. They 're either struck on him, 
 or else he 's in their employ. Mark my words." 
 
 When we had showed the herd to the satisfaction 
 of the purchasers, they expressed themselves as anx- 
 ious to return to town ; but the fiscal agent of the 
 Marshall estate wished to look over the saddle horses 
 first. Since they were unsold, and amounted to quite 
 an item, he begged for just a few minutes' time to 
 look them over carefully. Who could refuse such 
 a reasonable request ? The herd had started on for 
 the Saw Log, while the remuda had wandered down 
 the river about half a mile, and it took us nearly 
 an hour to give them a thorough inspection. Once 
 by ourselves, the detective said, with a chuckle: 
 " AU I was playing for was to get as large a cash 
 payment as possible. Those mixed brands were my 
 excuse for the money ; the Marshall estate might 
 wait for theirs, but the small ranchmen would insist 
 on an immediate settlement the moment the cattle 
 were reported sold. If it wasn't for this fellow 
 Tolleston, I 'd sell the other two Buford herds the 
 day they arrive, and then we could give The Western 
 
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK 113 
 
 Supply Company the laugh. And say, when they 
 drew me a draft for thirty thousand dollars on a 
 Washington City bank, I never let the ink dry on 
 it until I took it around to Wright, Beverly & Co., 
 and had them wire its acceptance. We '11 give Seay 
 plenty of time, and I think there '11 be an answer 
 on the check when we get back to town." 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 EN PASSANT 
 
 It was intentionally late in the day when we 
 reached Dodge. My horse, which I was leading, 
 gave considerable trouble while returning, com- 
 pelling us to drive slow. The buyers repeatedly 
 complained that dinner would be over at their hotel, 
 but the detective knew of a good restaurant and 
 promised all of us a feast. On reaching town, we 
 drove to the stable where the rig belonged, and 
 once free of the horses,. Siringo led the way to a 
 well-known night-and-day eating-house on a back 
 street. No sooner had we entered the place than 
 I remembered haAring my wagon in town, and the 
 necessity of its reaching camp before darkness made 
 my excuse imperative. I hurried around to the out- 
 fitting house and found the order filled and all ready 
 to load into the wagon. But Parent was missing, 
 and in skirmishing about to locate him, I met my 
 brother Bob. ToUeston had arrived, but his pre- 
 sence had not been discovered until after Seay 
 reached town. Archie was fairly well " organized " 
 and had visited the hotel where the buyers were 
 stopping, leaving word for them of his arrival. My 
 brother and Seay had told him that they had met. 
 
EN PASSANT 115 
 
 down the trail that morning, two cattle buyers by 
 the name of Field and Badcli£f; that they were 
 inquiring for a herd belonging to Tom Coleman, 
 which was believed to be somewhere between Dodge 
 and the Cimarron River. The two had assured 
 Tolleston that the buyers might not be back for a 
 week, and suggested a few drinks in memory of old 
 times. As Archie was then three sheets in the wind, 
 his effacement, in the hands of two rounders like 
 Dorg Seay and Bob Quirk, was an easy matter. 
 
 Once the wagon was loaded and started for camp, 
 I returned to the restaurant. The dinner was in 
 progress, and taking the vacant seat, I lifted my 
 glass with great regularity as toast after toast was 
 drunk. Cigars were ordered, and with our feet on 
 the table, the fiscal agent said : " Gentlemen, this 
 is a mere luncheon and don't count. But if I'm 
 able to sell you my other two beef herds, why, I 'U 
 give you a blow-out right. We '11 make it six-handed 
 — the three trail foremen and ourselves — and 
 damn the expense so long as the cattle are sold. 
 Champagne will flow like water, and when our 
 teeth float, we '11 wash our feet in what 's left." 
 
 At a late hour the dinner ended. We were all 
 rather unsteady on our feet, but the pock-marked 
 detective and myself formed a guard of honor in 
 escorting the buyers to their hotel, when an officious 
 clerk attempted to deliver Tolleston's message. But 
 anticipating it, I interrupted his highness and 
 informed him that we had met the party; I was 
 
116 THE OUTLET 
 
 a thousand times obliged to him for his kindness, 
 and forced on him a fine cigar, which had been 
 given me by Bob Wright of the outfitting store. 
 While Siringo and the buyers passed upstairs, 
 I entertained the office force below with an account 
 of the sale of my herd, constantly referring to my 
 new employers. The fiscal agent returned shortly, 
 bought some cigars at the counter, asked if he could 
 get a room for the night, in case he was detained 
 in town, and then we passed out of the hotel. This 
 afforded me the first opportunity to notify Siringo 
 of the presence of ToUeston, and I withheld nothing 
 which was to his interest, to know. But he was 
 impatient to learn if the draft had been accepted, 
 and asking me to bring my brother to his room 
 within half an hour, he left me. 
 
 It was growing late in the day. The sun had 
 already set when I found my brother, who was 
 anxious to return to his camp for the night. But 
 I urged his seeing Siringo first, and after waiting 
 in the latter's room some time, he burst in upon us 
 with a merry chuckle. " Well, the draft was paid 
 all right," said he ; " and this is Bob Quirk. Boys, 
 things are coming nicely. This fellow Tolleston is 
 the only cloud in the sky. If we can keep him down 
 for a week, and the other herds come in shortly, 
 I see nothing to thwart our plans. Where have 
 you picketed Tolleston ? " 
 
 " Around in Dutch Jake's crib," replied Bob. 
 
 " That 's good," continued the fiscal agent, " and 
 
EN PASSANT 117 
 
 I '11 just drop in to-night and see the madam. A 
 little money will go a long way with her, and in a 
 case like this, the devil himself would be a welcome 
 ally. You boys stay in town as much as you can 
 and keep ToUeston snowed deep, and I 'U take the 
 buyers down the trail in the morning and meet 
 the herds coming up." 
 
 My brother returned to his camp, and Siringo 
 and I separated for the time being. In '84 Dodge, 
 the Port Said of the plains, was in the full flower 
 of her wickedness. Literally speaking, night was 
 turned into day in the old trail town, for with the 
 falling of darkness, the streets filled with people. 
 Restaurants were crowded with women of the half- 
 world, bar-rooms thronged with the wayfaring 
 man, while in gambling and dance halls the range 
 men congregated as if on special invitation. The 
 familiar bark of the six-shooter was a matter of 
 almost nightly occurrence ; a dispute at the gaming 
 table, a discourteous word spoken, or the rivalry 
 for the smile of a wanton was provocation for the 
 sacrifice of human life. Here the man of the plains 
 reverted to and gave utterance to the savagery of 
 his nature, or, on the other hand, was as chivalrous 
 as in the days of heraldry. 
 
 I knew the town well, this being my third trip 
 over the trail, and mingled with the gathering 
 throng. Near midnight, aiid when in the Lady Gay 
 dance-hall, I was accosted by Dorg Seay and the 
 detective. They had just left Dutch Jake's, and 
 
118 THE OUTLET 
 
 reported all quiet on the Potomac. Seay had not 
 only proved himself artful, but a good fellow, and 
 had unearthed the fact that Tolleston had been in 
 the employ of Field and Radcliff for the past three 
 months. " You see," said Dorg, " Archie never 
 knew me except the few days that I was about 
 headquarters in Medina before we started. He 
 fully believes that I 've been discharged — and with 
 three months' pay in my hip-pocket. The play now 
 is that he 's to first help me spend my wages, and 
 then I'm to have a job under him with beeves 
 which he expects to drive to the Yellowstone. He 
 has intimated that he might be able to give me 
 a herd. So, Tom, if I come out there and take pos- 
 session of your cattle, don't be surprised. There 's 
 only one thing to beat our game — I can't get him 
 so full but what he 's over-anxious to see his em- 
 ployers. But if you fellows furnish the money, 
 I '11 try and pickle him until he forgets them." 
 
 The next morning Siringo and the buyers started 
 south on the trail, and I rode for my camp on the 
 Saw Log. Before riding many miles I sighted my 
 outfit coming in a long lope for town. They re- 
 ported everything serene at camp, and as many of 
 the boys were moneyless' I turned back with them. 
 An enjoyable day was before us ; some drank to 
 their hearts' content, while all gambled with more 
 or less success. I was anxious that the outfit should 
 have a good carouse, and showed the lights and 
 shadows of the town with a pride worthy of one of 
 
EN PASSANT 119 
 
 its founders. Acting the host, I paid for our din- 
 ners ; and as we sauntered into the street, puffing 
 vile cigars, we nearly ran amuck of Dorg Seay and 
 Archie ToUeston, trundling a child's wagon between 
 them up the street. We watched them, keeping 
 a judicious distance, as they visited saloon after 
 saloon, the toy wagon always in possession of one 
 or the other. 
 
 While we were amusing ourselves at the antics 
 of these two, my attention was attracted by a four- 
 mule wagon pulling across the bridge from the 
 south. On reaching the railroad tracks, I recog- 
 nized the team, and also the driver, as Quince 
 Forrest's. Here was news, and accordingly I ac- 
 costed him. Fortunately he was looking for me or 
 my brother, as his foreman could not come in with 
 the wagon, and some one was wanted to vouch for 
 him in getting the needed supplies. They had 
 reached the Mulberry the evening before, but sev- 
 eral herds had mixed in a run during the night, 
 though their cattle had escaped. Forrest was deter- 
 mined not to risk a second night on that stream, 
 and had started his herd with the dawn, expecting 
 to camp with his cattle that night west on Duck 
 Creek. The herd was then somewhere between the 
 latter and the main Arkansaw, and the cook was 
 anxious to secure the supplies and reach the outfit 
 before darkness overtook him. Sponsilier was re- 
 ported as two days behind Forrest when the latter 
 crossed the Cimarron, since when there had been no 
 
120 THE OUTLET 
 
 word from his cattle. They had met the buyers near 
 the middle of the forenoon, and when Forrest 
 admitted having the widow Timber lake's beef herd, 
 they turned back and were spending the day with 
 the cattle. 
 
 The situation demanded instant action. Taking 
 Forrest's cook around to our outfitting store, I intro- 
 duced and vouched for him. Hurrying back, I sent 
 Wayne Outcault, as he was a stranger to Tolleston, 
 to mix with the two rascals and send Seay to me at 
 once. Some little time was consumed in engaging 
 Archie in a game of pool, but when Dorg presented 
 himself I lost no time in explaining the situation. 
 He declared that it was no longer possible to interest 
 Tolleston at Dutch Jake's crib during the day, and 
 that other means of amusement must be resorted 
 to, as Archie was getting clamorous to find his em- 
 ployers. To my suggestion to get a livery rig and 
 take him for a ride, Dorg agreed. " Take him down 
 the river to Spearville," I urged, " and try and break 
 into the calaboose if you can. Paint the town red 
 while you 're about it, and if you both land in the 
 lock-up, all the better. If the rascal insists on coming 
 back to Dodge, start after night, get lost, and land 
 somewhere farther down the river. Keep him away 
 from this town for a week, and I '11 gamble that you 
 boss a herd for old man Don next year." 
 
 The afternoon was waning. The buyers might 
 return at any moment, as Forrest's herd had no 
 doubt crossed the river but a few miles above town. 
 
EN PASSANT 121 
 
 I was impq,tiently watching the boys, as Dorg and 
 Wayne cautiously herded Tolleston around to a 
 livery stable, when my brother Bob rode up. He 
 informed me that he had moved his camp that day 
 across to the Saw Log ; that he had done so to ac- 
 commodate Jim Flood and The Rebel with a camp ; 
 their herds were due on the Mulberry that evening. 
 The former had stayed all night at Bob's wagon, 
 and reported his cattle, considering the dry season, 
 in good condition. As my brother expected to remain 
 in town overnight, I proposed starting for my camp 
 as soon as Seay and his ward drove out of sight. 
 They parleyed enough before going to unnerve 
 a saint, but finally, with the little toy wagon on 
 ToUeston's knee and the other driving, they started. 
 Hurrahing my lads to saddle up, we rode past the 
 stable where Seay had secured the conveyance ; and 
 while I was posting the stable-keeper not to be 
 uneasy if the rig was gone a week, Siringo and the 
 buyers drove past the barn with a flourish. Taking 
 a back street, we avoided meeting them, and just 
 as darkness was falling, rode into our camp some 
 twelve miles distant. 
 
 My brother Bob's camp was just above us on the 
 creek, and a few miles nearer town. As his wagon 
 expected to go in after supplies the next morning, 
 a cavalcade of fifteen men from the two outfits 
 preceded it. My horse-wrangler had made arrange- 
 ments with the cook to look after his charges, and 
 in anticipation of the day before him, had our 
 
122 THE OUTLET 
 
 mounts corralled before sun-up. Bob's wrangler was 
 also with us, and he and Levering quarreled all the 
 way in about the respective merits of each one's 
 remuda. A match was arranged between the two 
 horses which they were riding, and on reaching 
 a straight piece of road, my man won it and also 
 considerable money. But no matter how much we 
 di£Eered among ourselves, when the interests of our 
 employer were at stake, we were a unit. On reach- 
 ing town, our numbers were augmented by fully 
 twenty more from the other Lovell outfits, including 
 the three foremen. My old bunkie, The Rebel, 
 nearly dragged me from my horse, while Forrest 
 and I forgot past differences over a social glass. 
 And then there was Flood, my first foreman, under 
 whom I served my apprenticeship on the trail, the 
 same quiet, languid old Jim. The various foremen 
 and their outfits were aware of the impending 
 trouble over the Buford delivery, and quietly ex- 
 pressed their contempt for such underhand dealings. 
 Quince Forrest had spent the evening before in 
 town, and about midnight his herd of " Drooping 
 T's " were sold at about the same figures as mine, 
 except five thousand more earnest-money, and the 
 privilege of the buyers placing their own foreman 
 in charge thereafter. Forrest further reported that 
 the fiscal agent and the strangers had started to 
 meet Sponsilier early that morning, and that the 
 probability of all the herds moving out in a few 
 days was good. 
 
EN PASSAJSTT 123 
 
 Seay and his charge were still absent, and the 
 programme, as outlined, was working out nicely. 
 With the exception of Forrest and myself, the other 
 foremen were busy looking after their outfits, 
 while Bob Quirk had his wagon to load and start 
 on its return. Quince confided to me that though he 
 had stayed on Duck Creek the night before, his herd 
 would noon that day on Saw Log, and camp that 
 evening on the next creek north. When pressed 
 for his reasons, he shrugged his shoulders, and with 
 a quiet wink, said : " If this new outfit put a man 
 over me, just the minute we get out of the jurisdic- 
 tion of this county, off his horse he goes and walks 
 back. If it's Tolleston, the moment he sees me 
 and recognizes my outfit as belonging to Lovell, 
 he '11 raise the long yell and let the cat out. When 
 that happens, I want to be in an unorganized coun- 
 try where a six-shooter is the highest authority." 
 The idea was a new one to me, and I saw the advan- 
 tage of it, but could not move without Siringo's 
 permission, which Forrest had. Accordingly about 
 noon. Quince summoned his men together, and they 
 rode out of town. Looking up a map of Ford 
 County, I was delighted to find that my camp on 
 Saw Log was but a few miles below the north line. 
 
 Among the boys the day passed in riotousness. 
 The carousing was a necessary stimulant after the 
 long, monotonous drive and exposure to the ele- 
 ments. Near the middle of the forenoon. Flood 
 and The Keber rounded up their outfits and started 
 
124 THE OUTLET 
 
 south for the Mulberry, while Bob Quirk gathered 
 his own and my lads preparatory to leaving for the 
 Saw Log. I had agreed to remain on guard for 
 that night, for with the erratic turn on ToUeston's 
 part, we were doubly cautious. But when my outfit 
 was ready to start, Kunt Pickett, the fisety little 
 rascal, had about twenty dollars in his possession 
 which he insisted on gambling away before leaving 
 town. Runt was comfortably drunk, and as Bob 
 urged humoring him, I gave my consent, provided 
 he would place it all at one bet, to which Pickett 
 agreed. Leaving the greater part of the boys hold- 
 ing the horses, some half-dozen of us entered the 
 nearest gambling-house, and Runt bet nineteen 
 dollars " Alee " on the first card which fell in a 
 monte lay-out. To my chagrin, he won. My brother 
 was delighted over the little rascal's luck, and urged 
 him to double his bet, but Pickett refused and 
 invited us all to have a drink. Leaving this place, 
 we entered the next gaming-hall, when our man 
 again bet nineteen dollars alee on the first card. 
 Again he won, and we went the length of the street. 
 Runt wagering nineteen dollars alee on the first 
 card for ten consecutive times without losing a 
 bet. In his groggy condition, the prospect of losing 
 Pickett's money was hopeless, and my brother and 
 I promised him that he might come back the next 
 morning and try to get rid of his winnings. 
 
 Two whole days passed with no report from either 
 Seay or the buyers. Meanwhile Flood and The 
 
EN PASSANT 125 
 
 Rebel threaded their way through the other herds, 
 crossing the Arkansaw above town, their wagons 
 touching at Dodge for new supplies, never halting 
 except temporarily until they reached the creek 
 on which Forrest was encamped. The absence of 
 Siringo and the buyers, to my thinking, was favor- 
 able, for no doubt when they came in, a deal would 
 have been effected on the last of the Buford herds. 
 They returned some time during the night of the 
 third day out, and I failed to see the detective be- 
 fore sunrise the next morning. When I did meet 
 him, everything seemed so serene that I felt jubilant 
 over the outlook. Sponsilier's beeves had firmly 
 caught the fancy of the buyers, and the delay in 
 closing the trade was only temporary. " I can close 
 the deal any minute I want to," said Siringo to me, 
 "but we mustn't appear too anxious. Old man 
 Don's idea was to get about one hundred thousand 
 dollars earnest-money in hand, but if I can get five 
 or ten more, it might help tide us all over a hard 
 winter. My last propositiorf to the buyers was that 
 if they would advance forty-five thousand dollars 
 on the ' Apple ' beeves — Sponsilier's cattle — they 
 might appoint, at the seller's expense, their own 
 foreman from Dodge to the point of delivery. They 
 have agreed to give me an answer this morning, 
 and after sleeping over it, I look for no trouble in 
 closing the trade." 
 
 The buyers were also astir early. I met Mr. Field 
 in the post-office, where he was waiting for it to 
 
126 THE OUTLET 
 
 open. To his general inquiries I reported everything 
 quiet, but suggested we move camp soon or the 
 cattle would become restless. He listened very at- 
 tentively, and promised that within a few days per- 
 mission would be given to move out for our final 
 destination. The morning were the quiet hours of 
 the town, and when the buyers had received and 
 gone over their large and accumulated mail, the 
 partners came over to the Dodge House, looking for 
 the fiscal agent, as I supposed, to close the trade on 
 Sponsilier's cattle. Siringo was the acme of indif- 
 ference, but listened to a different tale. A trusted 
 man, in whom they had placed a great deal of con- 
 fidence, had failed to materialize. He was then 
 overdue some four or five days, and foul play was 
 suspected. The wily detective poured oil on the 
 troubled waters, assuring them if their man failed 
 to appear within a day or two, he would gladly 
 render every assistance in looking him up. Another 
 matter of considerable moment would be the arrival 
 that morning of a silent partner, the financial man 
 of the firm from Washington, D. C. He was due 
 to arrive on the " Cannon Ball " at eight o'clock, 
 and we all sauntered down to meet the train from 
 the East. On its arrival, Siringo and I stood back 
 among the crowd, but the buyers pushed forward, 
 looking for their friend. The first man to alight 
 from the day coach, coatless and with both eyes 
 blackened, was Archie ToUeston; he almost fell 
 into the arms of our cattle buyers. I recognized 
 
EN PASSANT 127 
 
 Archie at a glance, and dragging the detective in- 
 side the waiting-room, posted him as to the arrival 
 with the wild look and blood-shot optics. Siringo 
 cautioned me to go to his room and stay there, 
 promising to report as the day advanced. 
 
 Sponsilier had camped the night before on the 
 main river, and as I crossed to the hotel, his com- 
 missary pulled up in front of Wright, Beverly 
 & Co.'s outfitting store. Taking the chances of 
 being seen, I interviewed Dave's cook, and learned 
 that his foreman had given him an order for the 
 supplies, and that Sponsilier would not come in 
 until after the herd had passed the Saw Log. As 
 I turned away, my attention was attracted by the 
 deference being shown the financial man of the 
 cattle firm, as the party wended their way around 
 to the Wright House. The silent member of the 
 firm was a portly fellow, and there was no one in 
 the group but did him honor, even the detective 
 carrying a light grip, while ToUeston lumbered 
 along with a heavy one. 
 
 My effacement was only temporary, as Siringo 
 appeared at his room shortly afterward. " Well, 
 Quirk," said he, with a smile, " I reckon my work is 
 all done. Field and Kadcliff did n't feel like talk- 
 ing business this morning, at least until they had 
 shown the financial member their purchases, both 
 real and prospective. Yes, they took the fat Colonel 
 and ToUeston withjhem and started for yoiir camp 
 with a two-seated rig. From yours they expect to 
 
128 THE OUTLET 
 
 drive to Forrest's camp, and then meet Sponsilier 
 on the way coming back. No ; I declined a very 
 pressing invitation to go along — you see my mixed 
 herds might come in any minute. And say, that 
 man ToUeston was there in a hundred places with 
 the big conversation ; he claims to have been kid- 
 napped, and was locked up for the last four days. 
 He says he whipped your man Seay, but could n't 
 convince the authorities of his innocence until last 
 night, when they set him free. According to his re- 
 port, Seay 's in jail yet at a little town down the road 
 called Kinsley. Now, I 'm going to take a convey- 
 ance to SpearviUe, and catch the first train out 
 of there East. Settle my bill with this hotel, and 
 say that I may be out of town for a few days, meet- 
 ing a herd which I 'm expecting. When ToUeston 
 recognizes all three of those outfits as belonging 
 to Don Lovell — well, won't there be hell to pay ? 
 Yes, my work is all done." 
 
 I fully agreed with the detective that Archie 
 would recognize the remudas and outfits as Lov- 
 ell's, even though the cattle were road-branded out of 
 the usual " Circle Dot." Siringo further informed 
 me that north of Ford County was all an unorgan- 
 ized country until the Platte River was reached at 
 Ogalalla, and advised me to ignore any legal pro- 
 cess served outside those bounds. He was impatient 
 to get away, and when he had put me in possession 
 of everything to our advantage, we wrung each 
 other's hands in farewell. As the drive outlined by 
 
EN PASSANT 129 
 
 the cattle buyers would absorb the day, I felt no 
 necessity of being in a hurry. The absence of Dorg 
 Seay was annoying, and the fellow had done us such 
 valiant service, I felt in honor bound to secure his 
 release. Accordingly J wired the city marshal at 
 Kinsley, and received a reply that Seay had been 
 released early that morning, and had started over- 
 land for Dodge. This was fortunate, and after 
 settling all bills, I offered to pay the liveryman 
 in advance for the rig in Seay's possession, assuring 
 him by the telegram that it would return that even- 
 ing. He refused to make any settlement until the 
 condition of both the animal and the conveyance 
 had been passed upon, and fearful lest Dorg should 
 come back moneyless, I had nothing to do but await 
 his return. I was growing impatient to reach camp, 
 there being no opportunity to send word to my out- 
 fit, and the passing hours seemed days, when late 
 in the afternoon Dorg Seay drove down the main 
 street of Dodge as big as a government beef buyer. 
 The liveryman was pleased and accepted the regu- 
 lar rate, and Dorg and I were soon galloping out of 
 town. As we neared the first divide, we dropped 
 our horses into a walk to afford them a breathing 
 spell, and in reply to my fund of information, Seay 
 said: 
 
 " So ToUeston 's telling that he licked me. Well, 
 that's a good one on this one of old man Seay's 
 boys. Archie must have been crazy with the heat. 
 The fact is that he had been trying to quit me for 
 
130 THE OUTLET 
 
 several days. We had exhausted every line of 
 dissipation, and when I decided that it was no longer 
 possible to hold him, I insulted and provoked him 
 into a quarrel, and we were both arrested. Licked 
 me, did he ? He could n't lick his upper lip." 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 AT SHERIFF'S CREEK 
 
 The sun had nearly set when we galloped into Bob 
 Quirk's camp. Halting only long enough to advise 
 my brother of the escape of ToUeston and his join- 
 ing the common enemy, I asked him to throw any 
 pursuit off our trail, as I proposed breaking camp 
 that evening. Seay and myself put behind us the 
 few miles between the two wagons, and dashed up 
 to mine just as the outfit were corralling the remuda 
 for night-horses. Orders rang out, and instead of 
 catching our regular guard mounts, the boys picked 
 the best horses in their strings. The cattle were 
 then nearly a mile north of camp, coming in slowly 
 towards the bed-ground, but a half-dozen of us 
 rushed away to relieve the men on herd and turn 
 the beeves back. The work-mules were harnessed in, 
 and as soon as the relieved herders secured mounts, 
 our camp of the past few days was abandoned. The 
 twilight of evening was upon us, and to the rat- 
 tling of the heavily loaded wagon and the shouting 
 of the wrangler in our rear were added the old 
 herd songs. The cattle, without trail or trace to 
 follow, and fit ransom for a dozen kings in pagan 
 ages, moved north as if imbued with the spirit of 
 the occasion. 
 
132 THE OUTLET 
 
 A fair moon favored us. The night was an ideal 
 one for work, and about twelve o'clock we bedded- 
 down the herd and waited for dawn. As we ex- 
 pected to move again with the first sign of day, no 
 one cared to sleep ; our nerves were under a high 
 tension with expectation of what the coming day 
 might bring forth. Dur location was an unknown 
 quantity. All agreed that we were fully ten miles 
 north of the Saw Log, and, with the best reasoning 
 at my command, outside the jurisdiction of Ford 
 County. The regular trail leading north was some 
 six or eight miles to the west, and fearful that we 
 had not reached unorganized territory, I was deter- 
 mined to push farther on our course before veering 
 to the left. The night halt, however, afforded us 
 an opportunity to compare notes and arrive at some 
 definite understanding as to the programme of the 
 forthcoming day. " Quirk, you missed the sight of 
 your life," said Jake Blair, as we dismounted around 
 the wagon, after bedding the cattle, " by not being 
 there when the discovery was made that these 
 ' Open A's ' were Don Lovell's cattle. ToUeston, of 
 course, made the discovery ; but I think he must 
 have smelt the rat in advance. Archie and the 
 buyers arrived for a late dinner, and several times 
 Tolleston ran his eye over one of the boys and 
 asked, ' Have n't I met you somewhere ? ' but none 
 of them could recall the meeting. Then he got to 
 nosing around the wagon and noticing every horse 
 about camp. The road-brand on the cattle threw 
 
AT SHEEIFF'S CEEEK 133 
 
 him off the scent just for a second, but when he 
 began reading the ranch- brands, he took a new 
 hold. As he looked over the remuda, the scent 
 seemed to get stronger, and when he noticed the 
 ' Circle Dot ' on those work-mules, he opened up and 
 bayed as if he had treed something. And sure 
 enough he had ; for you know, Tom, those calico 
 lead mules belonged in his team last year, and he 
 swore he 'd know them in hell, brand or no brand. 
 When Archie announced the outfit, lock, stock, and 
 barrel, as belonging to Don Lovell, the old buyers 
 turned pale as ghosts, and the fat one took off his 
 hat and fanned himself. That act alone was worth 
 the price of admission. But when we boys were 
 appealed to, we were innocent and likewise igno- 
 rant, claiming that we always understood that the 
 herd belonged to the Marshall estate, but then we 
 were just common hands and not supposed to know 
 the facts in the case. ToUeston argued one way, 
 and we all pulled the other, so they drove away, 
 looking as if they hoped it was n't true. But it was 
 the sight of your life to see that fat fellow fan him- 
 self as he kept repeating, 'I thought you boys 
 hurried too much in buying these cattle.' " 
 
 The guards changed hourly. No fire was allowed, 
 but Parent set out aU the cold food available, 
 and supplementing this with canned goods, we had 
 a midnight lunch. Dorg Seay regaled the outfit 
 with his recent experience, concealing nothing, and 
 regretfully admitting that his charge had escaped 
 
134 THE OUTLET 
 
 before the work was finished. A programme was 
 outlined for the morrow, the main feature of which 
 was that, in case of pursuit, we would aU tell the 
 same story. Dawn came between three and fouE 
 on those June mornings, and with the first streak 
 of gray in the east we divided the outfit and 
 mounted our horses, part riding to push the cattle 
 off their beds and the others to round in the re- 
 muda. Before the herd had grazed out a half-mile, 
 we were overtaken by half the outfit on fresh 
 mounts, who at once took charge of the herd. 
 When the relieved men had secured horses, I re- 
 mained behind and assisted in harnessing in the 
 team and gathering the saddle stock, a number of 
 which were missed for lack of proper light. With 
 the wagon once started, Levering and myseK soon 
 had the fuU remuda in hand and were bringing up 
 the rear in a long, swinging trot. Before the sun 
 peeped over the eastern horizon, we passed the herd 
 and overtook the wagon, which was bumping along 
 over the uneven prairie. Ordering the cook to have 
 breakfast awaiting us beyond a divide which crossed 
 our front, I turned back to the herd, now strung 
 out in regular trailing form. The halt ahead would 
 put us full fifteen miles north of our camp on the 
 Saw Log. An hour later, as we were scaling the 
 divide, one of the point-men sighted a posse in our 
 rear, coming after us like fiends. I was riding in 
 the swing at the time, the herd being strung out 
 fully a mile, and on catching first sight of the pur- 
 
AT SHERIFF'S CREEK 135 
 
 suers, turned and hurried to the rear. To my agree- 
 able surprise, instead of a sheriff's posse, my brother 
 and five of his men galloped up and overtook us. 
 
 " Well, Tom, it 's a good thing you moved last 
 night," said Bob, as he reined in his reeking horse. 
 " A deputy sheriff and posse of six men had me 
 under arrest all night, thinking I was the Quirk 
 who had charge of Don Lovell's ' Open A ' herd. 
 Yes, they came to my camp about midnight, and 
 I admitted that my name was Quirk and that we 
 were holding Lovell's cattle. They guarded me 
 imtil morning, — I slept like an innocent babe 
 myself, — when the discovery was made that my 
 herd was in a ' Circle Dot ' road-brand instead of an 
 ' Open A,' which their warrant called for. Besides, 
 I proved by fourteen competent witnesses, who had 
 known me for years, that my name was Robert 
 Burns Quirk. *My outfit told the posse that the 
 herd they were looking for were camped three 
 miles below, but had left during the afternoon 
 before, and no doubt were then beyond their baili- 
 wick. I gave the posse the horse-laugh, but they 
 all went down the creek, swearing they would trail 
 down that herd of Lovell's. My cattle are going 
 to follow up this morning, so I thought I 'd ride on 
 ahead and be your guest in case there is any fun 
 to-day." 
 
 The auxiliary was welcomed. The beeves moved 
 on up the divide like veterans assaulting an in- 
 trenchment. On reaching a narrow mesa on the 
 
136 THE OUTLET 
 
 summit, a northwest breeze met the leaders, and 
 facing it full in the eye, the herd was allowed to 
 tack westward as they went down the farther slope. 
 This watershed afforded a fine view of the sur- 
 rounding country, and from its apex I scanned our 
 rear for miles without detecting any sign of ani- 
 mate life. From our elevation, the plain dipped 
 away in every direction. Far to the east, the de- 
 pression seemed as real as a trough in the ocean 
 when seen from the deck of a ship. The meander- 
 ings of this divide were as crooked as a river, and 
 as we surveyed its course one of Bob's men sighted 
 with the naked eye two specks fully five miles dis- 
 tant to the northwest, and evidently in the vicinity 
 of the old trail. The wagon was in plain view, and 
 leaving three of my boys to drift the cattle for- 
 ward, we rode away with ravenous appetites to 
 interview the cook. Parent maintained his reputa- 
 tion as host, and with a lofty conversation reviewed 
 the legal aspect of the situation confronting us. A 
 hasty breakfast over, my brother asked for mounts 
 for himself and men ; and as we were corralling our 
 remuda, one of the three lads on herd signaled to 
 us from the mesa's summit. Catching the nearest 
 horses at hand, and taking our wrangler with us, 
 we cantered up the slope to our waiting sentinel. 
 
 " You can't see them now," said Burl Van Ved- 
 der, our outlook ; " but wait a few minutes and 
 they '11 come up on higher ground. Here, here, you 
 are looking a mile too far to the right — they 're 
 
AT SHEKIFF'S CREEK 137 
 
 not following the cattle, but the wagon's trail. 
 Keep your eyes to the left of that shale outcropping, 
 and on a line with that lone tree on the Saw Log. 
 Hold your horses a minute ; I 've been watching 
 them for half an hour before I called you; be 
 patient, and they '11 rise like a trout. There ! 
 there comes one on a gray horse. See those two 
 others just behind him. Now, there come the others 
 — six all told." Sure enough, there came the sleuths 
 of deputy sheriffs, trailing up our wagon. They 
 were not over three miles away, and after patiently 
 waiting nearly an hour, we rode to the brink of the 
 slope, and I ordered one of the boys to fire his pistol 
 to attract their attention. On hearing the report, 
 they halted, and taking off my hat I waved them 
 forward. Feeling that we were on safe territory, 
 I was determined to get in the first bluff, and as 
 they rode up, I saluted the leader and said : 
 
 " Good-morning, Mr. Sheriff. What are you 
 fooling along on our wagon track for, when you 
 could have trailed the herd in a long lope ? Here 
 we 've wasted a whole hour waiting for you to come 
 up, just because the sheriff's office of Ford County 
 employs as deputies ' nesters ' instead of plainsmen. 
 But now since you are here, let us proceed to busi- 
 ness, or would you like to breakfast first? Our 
 wagon is just over the other slope, and you-all look 
 pale around the gills this morning after your long 
 ride and sleepless night. Which shall it be, busi- 
 ness or breakfast ? " 
 
138 THE OUTLET 
 
 Haughtily ignoring my irony, the leader of the 
 posse drew from his pocket several papers, and first 
 clearing his throat, said in an imperious tone, " I 
 have a warrant here for the arrest of Tom Quirk, 
 alias Mclndoo, and a distress warrant for a herd 
 of ' Open A ' — " 
 
 " Old sport, you 're in the right church, but the 
 wrong pew," I interrupted. " This may be the 
 state of Kansas, but at present we are outside the 
 bailiwick of Ford County, and those papers of 
 yours are useless. Let me take those warrants and 
 I '11 indorse them for you, so as to dazzle your supe- 
 riors on their return without the man or property. 
 I was deputized once by a constable in Texas to 
 assist in recovering some cattle, but just like the 
 present case they got out of our jurisdiction before 
 we overtook them. The constable was a lofty, arro- 
 gant fellow like yourself, but had sense enough to 
 keep within his rights. But when it came to in- 
 dorsing the warrant for return, we were all up a 
 stump, and rode twenty miles out of our way so as 
 to pass Squire Little's ranch and get his advice on 
 the matter. The squire had been a justice in Ten- 
 nessee before coming to our state, and knew just 
 what to say. Now let me take those papers, and 
 I '11 indorse them ' Non est inventus,' which is Latin 
 for Scooted, by gosh ! Ain't you going to let me 
 have them ? " 
 
 " Now, look here, young man," scornfully replied 
 the chief deputy, " I '11 — " 
 
AT SHERIFF'S CREEK 139 
 
 " No, you won't," I again interrupted. " Let me 
 read you a warrant from a higher court. In the 
 name of law, you are willing to prostitute your 
 office to assist a gang of thieves who have taken 
 advantage of an opportunity to ruin my employer, 
 an honest trail drover. The warrant I 'm serving 
 was issued by Judge Colt, and it says he is supreme 
 in unorganized territory; that your official au- 
 thority ceases the moment you step outside your 
 jurisdiction, and you know the Ford County line 
 is behind us. Now, as a citizen, I '11 treat you 
 right, but as an official, I won't even listen to you. 
 And what 's more, you can't arrest me or any man 
 in my outfit ; not that your hair 's the wrong color, 
 but because you lack authority. I 'm the man you 're 
 looking for, and these are Don Lovell's cattle, but 
 you can't touch a hoof of them, not even a stray. 
 Now, if you want to dispute the authority which 
 I 've sighted, all you need to do is pull your guns 
 and open your game." 
 
 " Mr. Quirk," said the deputy, " you are a fugi- 
 tive from justice, and I can legally take you wher- 
 ever I find you. If you resist arrest, all the worse, 
 as it classes you an outlaw. Now, my advice is — " 
 
 But the sentence was never finished, for coming 
 down the divide like a hurricane was a band of 
 horsemen, who, on sighting us, raised the long yell, 
 and the next minute Dave Sponsilier and seven of 
 his men dashed up. The boys opened out to avoid 
 the momentum of the onslaught, but the deputies 
 
140 THE OUTLET 
 
 sat firm ; and as Sponsilier and his lads threw their 
 horses back on their haunches in halting, Dave 
 stood in his stirrups, and waving his hat shouted, 
 " Hurrah for Don Lovell, and to hell with the 
 sheriff and deputies of Ford County ! " Sponsilier 
 and I were great friends, as were likewise our out- 
 fits, and we nearly unhorsed each other in our 
 rough but hearty greetings. When quiet was once 
 more restored, Dave continued : " I was in Dodge 
 last night, and Bob Wright put me next that the 
 sheriff was going to take possession of two of old 
 man Don's herds this morning. You can bet your 
 moccasins that the grass didn't grow very much 
 while I was getting back to camp. Flood and The 
 Rebel took fifteen men and went to Quince's sup- 
 port, and I have been scouting since dawn trying 
 to locate you. Yes, the sheriff himself and five 
 deputies passed up the trail before daybreak to 
 arrest Forrest and take possession of his herd — 
 I don't think. I suppose these strangers are deputy 
 sheriffs ? If it was me, do you know what I 'd do 
 with them?" 
 
 The query was half a command. It required no 
 order, for in an instant the deputies were sur- 
 rounded, and had it not been for the cool judgment 
 of Bob Quirk, violence would have resulted. The 
 primitive mind is slow to resent an affront, and 
 while the chief deputy had couched his last remarks 
 in well-chosen language, his intimation that I was 
 a fugitive from justice, and an outlaw in resisting 
 
AT SHERIFF'S CREEK 141 
 
 arrest, was tinder to stubble. Knowing the metal 
 of my outfit, I curbed the tempest within me, and 
 relying on a brother whom I would gladly follow to 
 death if need be, I waved hands off to my boys. 
 " Now, men," said Bob to the deputies, " the easiest 
 way out of this matter is the best. No one here has 
 committed any crime subjecting him to arrest, 
 neither can you take possession of any cattle be- 
 longing to Don Lovell. I '11 renew the invitation 
 for you to go down to the wagon and breakfast, or 
 I '11 give you the best directions at my command 
 to reach Dodge. Instead of trying to attempt to 
 accomplish your object you had better go back to 
 the chaparral — you 're spelled down. Take your 
 choice, men." 
 
 Bob's words had a soothing effect. He was 
 thirty-three years old and a natural born leader 
 among rough men. His advice carried the steely 
 ring of sincerity, and for the first time since the 
 meeting, the deputies wilted. The chief one called 
 his men aside, and after a brief consultation my 
 brother was invited to join them, which he did. I 
 afterwards learned that Bob went into detail in 
 defining our position in the premises, and the posse, 
 once they heard the other side of the question, took 
 an entirely different view of the matter. While the 
 consultation was in progress, we all dismounted ; 
 cigarettes were rolled, and while the smoke arose 
 in clouds, we reviewed the interim since we parted 
 in March in old Medina. The sheriff's posse ac- 
 
142 THE OUTLET 
 
 companied my brother to the wagon, and after 
 refreshing themselves, remounted their horses. Bob 
 escorted them back across the summit of the mesa, 
 and the olive branch waved in peace on the divide. 
 The morning was not far advanced. After a brief 
 consultation, the two older foremen urged that we 
 ride to the relief of Forrest. A hint was sufficient, 
 and including five of my best-mounted men, a posse 
 of twenty of us rode away. We held the divide for 
 some distance on our course, and before we left it, 
 a dust-cloud, indicating the presence of Bob's herd, 
 was sighted on the southern slope, while on the 
 opposite one my cattle were beginning to move for- 
 ward. Sponsilier knew the probable whereabouts 
 of Forrest, and under his lead we swung into a free 
 gallop as we dropped down the northern slope from 
 the mesa. The pace was carrying us across country 
 at a rate of ten miles an hour, scarcely a word 
 being spoken, as we shook out kink after kink in 
 our horses or reined them in to recover their wind. 
 Our objective point was a slight elevation on the 
 plain, from which we expected to sight the trail if 
 not the herds of Flood, Forrest, and The Eebel. On 
 reaching this gentle swell, we reined in and halted 
 our horses, which were then fuming with healthy 
 sweat. Both creek and trail were clearly outlined 
 before us, but with the heat-waves and mirages be- 
 yond, our view was naturally restricted. SponsUier 
 felt confident that Forrest was north of the creek 
 and beyond the trail, and again shaking out our 
 
AT SHEKIFF'S CEEEK 143 
 
 horses, we silently put the intervening miles behind 
 us. Our mounts were all fresh and strong, and in 
 crossing the creek we allowed them a few swallows 
 of water before continuing our ride. We halted 
 again in crossing the trail, but it was so worn by 
 recent use that it afforded no clue to guide us in 
 our quest. But from the next vantage-point which 
 afforded us a view, a sea of cattle greeted our 
 vision, all of which seemed under herd. Wagon 
 sheets were next sighted, and finally a horseman 
 loomed up and signaled to us. He proved to be one 
 of Flood's men, and under his direction Forrest's 
 camp and cattle were soon located. The lad assured 
 us that a pow-wow had been in session since day- 
 break, and we hurried away to add our numbers 
 to its council. When we sighted Forrest's wagon 
 among some cottonwoods, a number of men were 
 just mounting to ride away, and before we reached 
 camp, they crossed the creek heading south. A 
 moment later, Forrest walked out, and greeting us, 
 said : 
 
 " Hello, fellows. Get down and let your horses 
 blow and enjoy yourselves. You 're just a minute 
 late to meet some very nice people. Yes, we had the 
 sheriff from Dodge and a posse of men for break, 
 fast. No — no particular trouble, except John 
 
 Johns, the d fool, threw the loop of his rope 
 
 over the neck of the sheriff's horse, and one of the 
 party offered to unsHng a carbine. But about a 
 dozen six-shooters clicked within hearing, and he 
 
144 THE OUTLET 
 
 acted on my advice and cut gun-plays out. No 
 trouble at all except a big medicine talk, and a 
 beap of legal phrases that I don't sabe very clear. 
 Turn your horses loose, I tell you, fori 'm going to 
 kill a nice fat stray, and towards evening, v?heii the 
 other herds come up, we'll have a round-up of 
 Don Lovell's outfits. I '11 make a little speech, and 
 on account of the bloodless battle this morning, this 
 stream vriU be rechristened Sheriff's Creek." 
 
CHAPTER X 
 A FAMILY REUNION 
 
 The hospitality of a trail wagon was aptly ex- 
 pressed in the invitation to enjoy ourselves. Some 
 one had exercised good judgment in selecting a 
 camp, for every convenience was at hand, including 
 running water and ample shade from a clump of 
 cottonwoods. Turning our steaming horses free, we 
 threw ourselves, in complete abandonment and re- 
 laxation, down in the nearest shade. Unmistakable 
 hints were given our host of certain refreshments 
 which would be acceptable, and in reply Forrest 
 pointed to a bucket of creek water near the wagon 
 wheel, and urged us not to be at all backward. 
 
 Every one was well fortified with brown cigarette 
 papers and smoking tobacco, and singly and in 
 groups we were soon smoking like hired hands and 
 reviewing the incidents of the morning. Forrest's 
 cook, a tall, red-headed fellow, in anticipation of 
 the number of guests his wagon would entertain 
 for the day, put on the little' and the big pot. As 
 it only lacked an hour of noon on our arrival, the 
 promised fresh beef would not be available in time 
 for dinner ; but we were not like guests who had 
 to hurry home — we would be right there when 
 supper was ready. 
 
146 THE OUTLET 
 
 The loss of a night's sleep on my outfit was a 
 good excuse for an after-dinner siesta. Untying 
 our slickers, we strolled out of hearing of the camp, 
 and for several hours obliterated time. About three 
 o'clock Bob Quirk aroused and informed us that 
 he had ordered our horses, and that the signal of 
 Sponsilier's cattle had been seen south on the 
 trail. Dave was impatient to intercept his herd 
 and camp them well down the creek, at least below 
 the regular crossing. This would throw Bob's and 
 my cattle still farther down the stream ; and we 
 were all determined to honor Forrest with our pre- 
 sence for supper and the evening hours. Quince's 
 wrangler rustled in the horses, and as we rejoined 
 the camp the quarters of a beef hung low on a Cot- 
 tonwood, while a smudge beneath them warned 
 away all insect life. Leaving Word that we would 
 return during the evening, the eleventh-hour guests 
 rode away in the rough, uneven order in which we 
 had arrived. Sponsilier and his men veered off to 
 the south, Bob Quirk and his lads soon following, 
 while the rest of us continued on down the creek. 
 My cattle were watering when we overtook them, 
 occupying fully a mile of the stream, and nearly an 
 hour's ride below the trail crossing. It takes a long 
 time to water a big herd thoroughly, and we re- 
 peatedly turned them back and forth across the 
 creek, but finally allowed them to graze away with 
 a broad, fan-like front. As ours left the stream, 
 Bob's cattle were coming in over a mile above, and 
 
A FAlVnLY KEUNION 147 
 
 in anticipation of a dry camp that night, Parent 
 had been advised to fill his kegs and supply himself 
 with wood. 
 
 Detailing the third and fourth guard to wrangle 
 the remuda, I sent Levering up the creek with my 
 brother's horses and to recover our loaned saddle 
 stock ; even Bob Quirk was just thoughtless enough 
 to construe a neighborly act into a horse trade. 
 About two miles out from the creek and an equal 
 distance from the trail, I found the best bed-ground 
 of the trip. It sloped to the northwest, was covered 
 with old dry grass, and would catch any vagrant 
 breeze except an eastern one. The wagon was 
 ordered into camp, and the first and second guards 
 were relieved just long enough to secure their night- 
 horses. Nearly all of these two watches had been 
 with me during the day, and on the return of Lever- 
 ing with the horses, we borrowed a number of empty 
 flour-sacks for beef, and cantered away, leaving 
 behind only the cook and the first two guards. 
 
 What an evening and night that was! As we 
 passed up the creek, we sighted in the gathering 
 twilight the camp-fires of Sponsilier and my 
 brother, several miles apart and south of the 
 stream. When we reached Forrest's wagon the 
 clans were gathering. The Rebel and his crowd 
 being the last to come in from above. Groups 
 of saddle horses were tied among the trees, while 
 around two fires were circles of men broiling beef 
 over live coals. The red-headed cook had antici- 
 
148 THE OUTLET 
 
 pated forty guests outside of his own outfit, and 
 ■was pouring coffee into tin cups and shying biscuit 
 right and left on request. The supper was a suc- 
 cess, not on account of the spread or our superior 
 table manners, but we graced the occasion with 
 appetites which required the staples of life to 
 satisfy. Then we smoked, falling into groups when 
 the yarning began. All the fresh-beef stories of 
 our lives, and they were legion, were told, no one 
 group paying any attention to another. 
 
 "Every time I run a-foul of fresh beef," said 
 The Rebel, as he settled back comfortably between 
 the roots of a cottonwood, with his back to its trunk, 
 " it reminds me of the time I was a prisoner among 
 the Yankees. It was the last year of the war, and 
 I had got over my first desire to personally whip 
 the whole North. There were about five thousand 
 of us held as prisoners of war for eleven months 
 on a peninsula in the Chesapeake Bay. The fighting 
 spirit of the soldier was broken in the majority of 
 us, especially among the older men and those who 
 had families. But we youngsters accepted the for- 
 tunes of war and were glad that we were alive, even 
 if we were prisoners. In my mess in prison there 
 were fifteen, all having been captured at the same 
 time, and many of us comrades of three years' 
 standing. 
 
 " I remember the day we were taken off the train 
 and marched through the town for the prison, a 
 Yankee band in our front playing national airs and 
 
A FAMILY REUNION 149 
 
 favorites of their army, and the people along the 
 route jeering us and asking how we liked the music. 
 Our mess held together during the march, and some 
 of the boys answered them back as well as they 
 could. Once inside the prison stockade, we went 
 into quarters and our mess still held together. Be- 
 fore we had been there long, one day there was 
 a call among the prisoners for volunteers to form a 
 roustabout crew. Well, I enlisted as a roustabout. 
 We had to report to an officer twice a day, and 
 then were put under guard and set to work. The 
 kind of labor I liked best was unloading the 
 supplies for the prison, which were landed on a 
 near-by wharf. This roustabout crew had all the 
 unloading to do, and the reason I liked it was it 
 gave us some chance to steal. Whenever there 
 was anything extra, intended for the officers, to be 
 unloaded, look out for accidents. Broken crates 
 were common, and some of the contents was certain 
 to reach our pockets or stomachs, in spite of the 
 guard. 
 
 " I was a willing worker and stood well with the 
 guards. They never searched me, and when they 
 took us outside the stockade, the captain of the 
 guard gave me permission, after our work was over, 
 to patronize the sutler's store and buy knick-knacks 
 from the booths. There was always some little 
 money amongst soldiers, even in prison, and I was 
 occasionally furnished money by my messmates to 
 buy bread from a baker's wagon which was outside 
 
150 THE OUTLET 
 
 the walls. Well, after I had traded a few times 
 with the baker's boy, I succeeded in corrupting 
 him. Yes, had him stealing from his employer 
 and selling to me at a discount. I was a good cus- 
 tomer, and being a prisoner, there was no danger of 
 my meeting his employer. You see the loaves were 
 counted out to him, and he had to return the equiv- 
 alent or the bread. At first the bread cost me ten 
 cents for a small loaf, but when I got my scheme 
 working, it did n't cost me five cents for the largest 
 loaves the boy could steal from the bakery. I 
 worked that racket for several months, and if we 
 had n't been exchanged, I 'd have broke that baker, 
 sure. 
 
 " But the most successful scheme I worked was 
 stealing the kidneys out of beef while we were 
 handling it. It was some distance from the wharf 
 to the warehouse, and when I 'd get a hind quarter 
 of beef on my shoulder, it was an easy trick to 
 burrow my hand through the tallow and get a good 
 grip on the kidney. Then when I'd throw the 
 quarter down in the warehouse, it would be minus 
 a kidney, which secretly found lodgment in a large 
 pocket in the inside of my shirt. I was satisfied 
 with one or two kidneys a day when I first worked 
 the trick, but my mess caught on, and then I had 
 to steal by wholesale to satisfy them. Some days, 
 when the guards were too watchful, I could n't get 
 very many, and then again when things were lax, 
 ' Elijah's Kaven ' would get a kidney for each man 
 
A FAMILY KEDNION 151 
 
 in our mess. With the regular allowance of rations 
 and what I could steal, when the Texas troops were 
 exchanged, our mess was ragged enough, but pig- 
 fat, and slick as weasels. Lord love you, but we 
 were a great mess of thieves." 
 
 Nearly all of Flood's old men were with him 
 again, several of whom were then in Forrest's camp. 
 A fight occurred among a group of saddle horses 
 tied to the front wheel of the wagon, among them 
 being the mount of John Officer. After the belliger- 
 ents had been quieted, and Officer had removed 
 and tied his horse to a convenient tree, he came 
 over and joined our group, among which were the 
 six trail bosses. Throwing himself down among us, 
 and using Sponsilier for a pillow and myself for 
 footstool, he observed : 
 
 " All you foremen who have been over the Chis- 
 holm Trail remember the stage-stand called Bull 
 Foot, but possibly some of the boys have n't. Well, 
 no matter, it 's just about midway between Little 
 Turkey Creek and Buffalo Springs on that trail, 
 where it runs through the Cherokee Strip. I 
 worked one year in that northern country — lots of 
 Texas boys there too. It was just about the time 
 they began to stock that country with Texas steers, 
 and we rode lines to keep our cattle on their range. 
 You bet, there was riding to do in that country 
 then. The first few months that these Southern 
 steers are turned loose on a new range. Lord ! but 
 they do love to drift against a breeze. In any kind 
 
152 THE OUTLET 
 
 of a rain-storm, they'll travel farther in a night 
 than a whole outfit can tarn them back in a day. 
 
 " Our camp was on the Salt Fork of the Cimar- 
 ron, and late in the fall when all the beeves had 
 been shipped, the outfit were riding lines and loose- 
 herding a lot of Texas yearlings, and mixed cattle, 
 natives to that range. Up in that country they have 
 Indian summer and Squaw winter, both occurring in 
 the fall. They have lots of funny weather up there. 
 Well, late one evening that fall there came an early 
 squall of Squaw winter, sleeted and spit snow 
 wickedly. The next morning there was n't a hoof 
 in sight, and shortly after daybreak we were riding 
 deep in our saddles to catch the lead drift of our 
 cattle. After a hard day's ride, we found that we 
 were out several hundred head, principally year- 
 lings of the through Texas stock. You all know 
 how locoed a bunch of dogies can get — we hunted 
 for three days and for fifty miles in every direction, 
 and neither hide, hair, nor hoof could we find. It 
 was while we were hunting these cattle that my 
 yarn commences. 
 
 " The big augers of the outfit lived in Wichita, 
 Kansas. Their foreman, Bibleback Hunt, and my- 
 self were returning from hunting this missing bunch 
 of yearlings when night overtook us, fully twenty- 
 five miles from camp. Then this Bull Foot stage 
 came to mind, and we turned our horses and rode 
 to it. It was nearly dark when we reached it, and 
 Bibleback said for me to go in and make the talk. 
 
A FAMILY REUNION 153 
 
 I '11 never forget that nice little woman who met 
 me at the door of that sod shack. I told her our 
 situation, and she seemed awfully gracious in grant- 
 ing us food and shelter for the night. She told us 
 we could either picket our horses or put them in 
 the corral and feed them hay and grain from the 
 stage-company's supply. Now, old Bibleback waa 
 what you might call shy of women, and steered 
 clear of the house imtil she sent her little boy out 
 and asked us to come in. "Well, we sat around in 
 the room, owly-like, and to save my soul from the 
 wrath to come, I could n't think of a word that was 
 proper to say to the little woman, busy getting 
 supper. Bibleback was worse off than I was ; he 
 could n't do anything but look at the pictures on 
 the wall. What was worrying me was. Had she 
 a husband ? Or what was she doing away out there 
 in that lonesome country ? Then a man old enough 
 to be her grandfather put in an appearance. He 
 was friendly and quite talkative, and I built right 
 up to him. And then we had a supper that I dis- 
 tinctly remember yet. Well, I should say I do — 
 it takes a woman to get a good supper, and cheer it 
 with her presence, sitting at the head of the table 
 and pouring the coffee. 
 
 " This old man was a retired stage-driver, and 
 was doing the wrangling act for the stage-horses. 
 After supper I went out to the corral and wormed 
 the information out of him that the woman was a 
 widow ; that her husband had died before she came 
 
154 THE OUTLET 
 
 there, and that she was from Michigan. Amongst 
 other things that I learned from the old man was 
 that she had only been there a few months, and 
 was a poor but deserving woman. I told Bibleback 
 all this after we had gone to bed, and we found that 
 our finances amounted to only four dollars, which 
 she was more than welcome to. So the next morn- 
 ing after breakfast, when I asked her what I owed 
 her for our trouble, she replied so graciously : ' Why, 
 gentlemen, I could n't think of taking advantage of 
 your necessity to charge you for a favor that I 'm 
 only too happy to grant.' ' Oh,' said I, ' take this, 
 anyhow,' laying the silver on the corner of the 
 table and starting for the door, when she stopped 
 me. ' One moment, sir ; I can't think of accepting 
 this. Be kind enough to grant my request,' and re- 
 turned the money. We mumbled out some thanks, 
 bade her good-day, and started for the corral, feeling 
 like two sheep thieves. While we were saddling up 
 — will you believe it ? — her little boy came out to 
 the corral and gave each one of us as fine a cigar 
 as ever I buttoned my lip over. Well, fellows, we 
 had had it put all over us by this little Michigan 
 woman, till we couldn't look each other in the 
 face. We were accustomed to hardship and neg- 
 lect, but here was genuine kindness enough to kill 
 a cat. 
 
 "Until we got within five miles of our camp 
 that morning, old Bibleback wouldn't speak to 
 me as we rode along. Then he turned halfway in 
 
A FAMILY REUNION 165 
 
 his saddle and said : ' What kind of folks are those ? ' 
 ' I don't know,' I replied, ' what kind of people they 
 are, but I know they are good ones.' ' Well, I '11 
 get even with that little woman if it takes every 
 sou in my war-bags,' said Hunt. 
 
 " When within a mile of camp, Bibleback turned 
 again in his saddle and asked, ' When is Christ- 
 mas ? ' 'In about five weeks,' I answered. ' Do 
 you know where that big Wyoming stray ranges ? ' 
 he next asked. I trailed onto his game in a second. 
 ' Of course I do.' ' Well,' says he, ' let 's kiU him 
 for Christmas and give that little widow every 
 ounce of the meat. It'll be a good one on her, 
 won't it ? We '11 fool her a plenty. Say nothing to 
 the others,' he added ; and giving our horses the 
 rein we rode into camp on a gallop. 
 
 " Three days before Christmas we drove up this 
 Wyoming stray and beefed him. We hung the beef 
 up overnight to harden in the frost, and the next 
 morning bright and early, we started for the stage- 
 stand with a good pair of ponies to a light wagon. 
 We reached the widow's place about eleven o'clock, 
 and against her protests that she had no use for so 
 much, we hung up eight hundred pounds of as fine 
 beef as you ever set your peepers on. We wished 
 her a merry Christmas, jumped into the wagon, 
 clucked to the ponies, and merely hit the high 
 places getting away. When we got well out of sight 
 of the house — well, I 've seen mule colts play and 
 kid goats cut up their antics ; I 've seen children 
 
156 THE OUTLET 
 
 that was frolicsome ; but for a man with gray hair 
 on his head, old'Bibleback Hunt that day was the 
 happiest mortal I ever saw. He talked to the horses ; 
 he sang songs ; he played Injun ; and that Christmas 
 was a merry one, for the debt was paid and our 
 little widow had beef to throw to the dogs. I never 
 saw her again, but wherever she is to-night, If my 
 prayer counts, may God bless her I " 
 
 Early in the evening I had warned my boys that 
 we would start on our return at ten o'clock. The 
 hour was nearly at hand, and in reply to my in- 
 quiry if our portion of the beef had been secured, 
 Jack Splann said that he had cut off half a loin, a 
 side of ribs, and enough steak for breakfast. Splann 
 and I tied the beef to our cantle-strings, and when 
 we returned to the group, Sponsllier was telling of 
 the stampede of his herd In the Panhandle about 
 a month before. " But that run was n't a circum' 
 stance to one In which I figured once, and In 
 broad daylight," concluded Dave. It required no 
 encouragement to get the story ; all we had to do 
 was to give him time to collect his thoughts. 
 
 "Yes, it was in the summer of '73," he finally 
 continued. " It was my first trip over the trail, 
 and I naturally fell into position at the drag end 
 of the herd. I was a green boy of about eighteen 
 at the time, having never before been fifty miles 
 from the ranch where I was born. The herd 
 belonged to Major Hood, and our destination was 
 Ellsworth, Kansas. In those days they generally 
 
A FAMILY REUNION 157 
 
 worked oxen to the chuck-wagons, as they were 
 ready sale in the upper country, and in good de- 
 mand for breaking prairie. I reckon there must 
 have been a dozen yoke of work-steers in our herd 
 that year, and they were more trouble to me than 
 all the balance of the cattle, for they were slothful 
 and sinfully lazy. My vocabulary of profanity was 
 worn to a frazzle before we were out a week, and 
 those oxen did n't pay any more attention to a rope 
 or myself than to the buzzing of a gnat. 
 
 " There was one big roan ox, called Turk, which 
 we worked to the wagon occasionally, but in cross- 
 ing the Arbuckle Mountains in the Indian Terri- 
 tory, he got tender-footed. Another yoke was 
 substituted, and in a few days Turk was on his 
 feet again. But he was a cunning rascal and 
 had learned to soldier, and while his feet were sore, 
 I favored him with sandy trails and gave him his 
 own time. In fact, most of my duties were driving 
 that one ox, while the other boys handled the herd. 
 When his feet got well — I had toadied and babied 
 him so — he was plum ruined. I begged the fore- 
 man to put him back in the chuck team, but the 
 cook kicked on account of his well-known laziness, 
 so Turk and I continued to adorn the rear of the 
 column. I reckon the foreman thought it better 
 to have Turk and me late than no dinner. I tried 
 a hundred different schemes to instill ambition and 
 self-respect into that ox, but he was an old dog and 
 contented with his evil ways. 
 
158 THE OUTLET 
 
 " Several weeks passed, and Turk and I became 
 a standing joke with the outfit. One morning I 
 made the discovery that he was afraid of a slicker. 
 For just about a full half day I had the best of him, 
 and several times he was out of sight in the main 
 body of the herd. But he always dropped to the 
 rear, and finally the slicker lost its charm to move 
 him. In fact he rather enjoyed having me fan him 
 with it — it seemed to cool him. It was the middle 
 of the afternoon, and Turk had dropped about 
 a quarter-mile to the rear, while I was riding along 
 beside and throwing the slicker over him like a 
 blanket. I was letting him carry it, and he seemed 
 to be enjoying himself, switching his tail in appre- 
 ciation, when the matted brush of his tail noosed 
 itself over one of the riveted buttons on the slicker. 
 The next switch brought the yellow ' fish ' bumping 
 on his heels, and emitting a blood-curdling bellow, 
 he curved his tail and started for the herd. Just 
 for a minute it tickled me to see old Turk get- 
 ting such a wiggle on him, but the next moment 
 my mirth turned to seriousness, and I tried to cut 
 him off from the other cattle, but he beat me, bel- 
 lowing bloody murder. The slicker was sailing like 
 a kite, and the rear cattle took fright and began 
 bawling as if they had struck a fresh scent of 
 blood. The scare flashed through the herd from 
 rear to point, and hell began popping right then 
 and there. The air filled with dust and the earth 
 trembled with the running cattle. Not knowing 
 
A FAMILY REUNION 159 
 
 which way to turn, I stayed right where I was — 
 in the rear. As the dust lifted, I followed up, and 
 about a mile ahead picked up my slicker, and 
 shortly afterward found old Turk, grazing con- 
 tentedly. With every man in the saddle, that herd 
 ran seven miles and was only turned by the Cimar- 
 ron Kiver. It was nearly dark when I and the roan 
 ox overtook the cattle. Fortunately none of the 
 swing-men had seen the cause of the stampede, and 
 I attributed it to fresh blood, which the outfit 
 believed. My verdant innocence saved my scalp 
 that time, but years afterward I nearly lost it when 
 I admitted to my old foreman what had caused the 
 stampede that afternoon. But I was a trail boss 
 then and had learned my lesson." 
 
 The Rebel, who was encamped several miles up 
 the creek, summoned his men, and we all arose 
 and scattered after our horses. There was quite 
 a cavalcade going our way, and as we halted within 
 the light of the fires for the different outfits to 
 gather, Flood rode up, and calling Forrest, said: 
 " In the absence of any word from old man Don, 
 we might as well all pull out in the morning. 
 More than likely we 'U hear from him at Grinnell, 
 and until we reach the railroad, the Buford herds 
 had better take the lead. I'U drag along in the 
 rear, and if there 's another move made from 
 Dodge, you will have warning. Now, that 's about 
 all, except to give your cattle plenty of time ; don't 
 hurry. S'long, fellows." 
 
CHAPTEK XI 
 
 ALL IN THE DAY'S WORK 
 
 The next morning the herds moved out like brigades 
 of an army on dress-parade. Our front covered 
 some six or seven miles, the Buford cattle in the 
 lead, while those intended for Indian delivery 
 naturally fell into position on flank and rear. My 
 beeves had enjoyed a splendj^ rest during the past 
 week, and now easily took the lead in a steady walk, 
 every herd avoiding the trail until necessity com- 
 pelled us to reenter it. The old pathway was dusty 
 and merely pointed the way, and until rain fell to 
 settle it, our intention was to give it a wide berth. 
 As the morning wore on and the herds drew farther 
 and farther apart, except for the dim dust-clouds 
 of ten thousand trampling feet on a raw prairie, 
 it would have been difficult for us to establish each 
 other's location. Several times during the forenoon, 
 when a swell of the plain afforded us a temporary 
 westward view, we caught glimpses of Forrest's 
 cattle as they snailed forward, fully five miles 
 distant and barely noticeable under the low sky-line. 
 The Indian herds had given us a good start in the 
 morning, and towards evening as the mirages lifted, 
 not a dust-signal was in sight, save one far in our 
 lead. 
 
ALL IN THE DAY'S WOKK 161 
 
 The month of June, so far, had been exceedingly 
 droughty. The scarcity of water on the plains 
 between Dodge and Ogalalla was the dread of every 
 trail drover. The grass, on the other hand, had 
 matured from the first rank growth of early spring 
 into a forage, rich in sustenance, from which our 
 beeves took on flesh and rounded into beauties. 
 X/ack of water being the one drawback, long drives, 
 not in miles but hours, became the order of the day ; 
 from four in the morning to eight at night, even at 
 an ox's pace, leaves every landmark of the day far 
 in the rear at nightfall. Thus for the next few 
 days we moved forward, the monotony of existence 
 broken only by the great variety of mirage, the 
 glare of heat-waves, and the silent signal in the sky 
 of other voyageurs like ourselves. On reaching Big 
 Boggy, nothing but pools greeted us, while the reg- 
 ular crossing was dry and dusty and paved with 
 cattle bones. My curiosity was strong enough to 
 cause me to revisit the old bridge which I had helped 
 to build two seasons before ; though unused, it was 
 stUl intact, a credit to the crude engineering of Pete 
 Slaughter. After leaving the valley of the Solomon, 
 the next running water was Pawnee Fork, where 
 we overtook and passed six thousand yearling 
 heifers in two herds, sold the winter before by John 
 Blocker for delivery in Montana. The Northwest 
 had not yet learned that Texas was the natural 
 breeding-ground for cattle, yet under favorable con- 
 ditions in both sections, the ranchman of the South 
 
162 THE OUTLET 
 
 could raise one third more calves from an equal 
 number of cows. 
 
 The weather continued hot and sultry. Several 
 times storms hung on our left for hours which we 
 hoped would reach us, and at night the lightning 
 flickered in sheets, yet with the exception of cooling 
 the air, availed us nothing. But as we encamped 
 one night on the divide before reaching the Smoky 
 River, a storm struck us that sent terror to our 
 hearts. There were men in my outfit, and others in 
 Lo veil's employ, who were from ten to twenty years 
 my senior, having spent almost their lifetime in the 
 open, who had never before witnessed such a night. 
 The atmosphere seemed to be overcharged with 
 electricity, which played its pranks among us, 
 ifeither man nor beast being exempt. The storm 
 struck the divide about two hours after the cattle 
 had been bedded, and from then until dawn every 
 man was in the saddle, the herd drifting fully three 
 miles during the night. Such keen flashes of light- 
 ning accompanied by instant thunder I had never 
 before witnessed, though the rainfall, after the first 
 dash, was light in quantity. Several times the rain 
 ceased entirely, when the phosphorus, like a prairie 
 fire, appeared on every hand. Great sheets of it 
 flickered about, the cattle and saddle stock were 
 soon covered, while every bit of metal on our ac- 
 coutrements was coated and twinkling with phos- 
 phorescent light. My gauntlets were covered, and 
 ■wherever I touched myself, it seemed to smear and 
 
ALL IN THE DAY'S WOEK 163 
 
 spread and refuse to wipe out. Several times we 
 were able to hold up and quiet the cattle, but along 
 their backs flickered the ghostly light, while across 
 the herd, which occupied acres, it reminded one of 
 the burning lake in the regions infernal. As the 
 night wore on, several showers fell, accompanied by 
 almost incessant bolts of lightning, but the rainfall 
 only added moisture to the ground and this acted 
 like fuel in reviving the phosphor. Several hours be- 
 fore dawn, great sheets of the fiery elements chased 
 each other across the northern sky, lighting up our 
 surroundings until one could have re^d ordinary 
 print. The cattle stood humped or took an occa- 
 sional step forward, the men sat their horses, sullen 
 and morose, forming new resolutions for the future, 
 in which trail work was not included. But morning 
 came at last, cool and cloudy, a slight recompense 
 for the heat which we had endured since leaving 
 Dodge. 
 
 With the breaking of day, the herd was turned 
 back on its course. For an hour or more the cattle 
 grazed freely, and as the sun broke through the 
 clouds, they dropped down like tired infantry on 
 a march, and we allowed them an hour's rest. We 
 were still some three or four miles eastward of the 
 trail, and after breakfasting and changing mounts 
 we roused the cattle and started on an angle for the 
 trail, expecting to intercept it before noon. There 
 was some settlement in the Smoky River Valley 
 which must be avoided, as in years past serious 
 
164 THE OUTLET 
 
 enmity had been engendered between settlers and 
 drovers in consequence of the ravages of Texas 
 fever among native cattle. I was riding on the left 
 point, and when within a short distance of the trail, 
 one of the boys called my attention to a loose herd 
 of cattle, drifting south and fully two miles to the 
 west of us. It was certainly something unusual, and 
 as every man of us scanned them, a lone horseman 
 was seen to ride across their front, and, turning 
 them, continue on for our herd. The situation was 
 bewildering, as the natural course of every herd was 
 northward- but here was one apparently abandoned 
 like a water-logged ship at sea. 
 
 The messenger was a picture of despair. He 
 proved to be the owner of the abandoned cattle, and 
 had come to us with an appeal for help. According 
 to his story, he was a Northern cowman and had 
 purchased the cattle a few days before in Dodge. 
 He had bought the outfit complete, with the under- 
 standing that the through help would continue in 
 his service until his range in Wyoming was reached. 
 But it was a Mexican outfit, foreman and all, and 
 during the storm of the night before, one of the men 
 had been killed by lightning. The accident must 
 have occurred near dawn, as the man was not missed 
 until daybreak, and like ours, his cattle had drifted 
 with the storm. Some time was lost in finding the 
 body, and to add to the panic that had already 
 stricken the outfit, the shirt of the unfortunate 
 vaquero was burnt from the corpse. The horse had 
 
ALL IN THE DAY'S WORK 165 
 
 escaped scathless, though his rider met death, while 
 the housings were stripped from the saddle so that 
 it fell from the animal. The Mexican foreman and 
 vaqueros had thrown their hands in the air ; steeped 
 in superstition, they considered the loss of their 
 comrade a bad omen, and refused to go farther. 
 The herd was as good as abandoned unless we could 
 lend a hand. 
 
 The appeal was not in vain. Detailing four of 
 my men, and leaving Jack Splann as segundo in 
 charge of our cattle, I galloped away with the 
 stranger. As we rode the short distance between 
 the two herds and I mentally reviewed the situation, 
 I could not help but think it was fortunate for the 
 alien outfit that their employer was a Northern cow- 
 man instead of a Texan. Had the present owner 
 been of the latter school, there would have been 
 more than one dead Mexican before a valuable herd 
 would have been abandoned over an unavoidable 
 accident. I kept my thoughts to myself, however, 
 for the man had troubles enough, and on reaching 
 his drifting herd, we turned them back on their 
 course. It was high noon when we reached his 
 wagon and found the Mexican outfit still keening 
 over their dead comrade. We pushed the cattle, 
 a mixed herd of about twenty-five hundred, well past 
 the camp, and riding back, dismounted among the 
 howling vaqueros. There was not the semblance of 
 sanity among them. The foreman, who could speak 
 some little English, at least his employer declared 
 
166 THE OUTLET 
 
 he could, was carrying on like a madman, while a 
 majority of the vaqueros were playing a close second. 
 The dead man had been carried in and was lying 
 under a tarpaulin in the shade of the wagon. Feel- 
 ing that my boys would stand behind me, and never 
 offering to look at the corpse, I inquired in Spanish 
 of the vaqueros which one of the men was thieir 
 corporal. A heavy-set, bearded man was pointed 
 out, and walking up to him, with one hand I 
 slapped him in the face and with the other relieved 
 him of a six-shooter. He staggered back, turned 
 ashen pale, and before he could recover from the 
 surprise, in his own tongue I berated him as a worth- 
 less cur for deserting his employer over an accident. 
 Following up the temporary advantage, I inquired 
 for the cook and horse-wrangler, and intimated 
 clearly that there would be other dead Mexicans if 
 the men were not fed and the herd and saddle stock 
 looked after ; that they were not worthy of the 
 name of vaqueros if they were lax in a duty with 
 which they had been intrusted. 
 
 " But Pablo is dead," piped one of the vaqueros 
 in defense. 
 
 " Yes, he is," said G — G Cederdall in Spanish, 
 bristling up to the vaquero who had volunteered 
 the reply ; " and we '11 bury him and a half-dozen 
 more of you if necessary, but the cattle will not be 
 abandoned — not for a single hour. Pablo is dead, 
 but he was no better than a hundred other men 
 who have lost their lives on this trail. If you are a 
 
ALL IN THE DAY'S WOEK 167 
 
 lot of locoed sheep-herders instead of vaqueros, why 
 did n't you stay at home with the children instead 
 of starting out to do a man's work. Desert your 
 employer, will you ? Not in a country where there 
 is no chance to pick up other men. Yes, Pablo is 
 dead, and we 'U bury him." 
 
 The aliens were disconcerted, and wilted. The 
 owner picked up courage and ordered the cook to 
 prepare dinner. We loaned our horses to the wrang- 
 ler and another man, the remuda was brought in, 
 and before we sat down to the midday meal, every 
 vaquero had a horse under saddle, while two of 
 them had ridden away to look after the grazing 
 cattle. With order restored, we set about systemat- 
 ically to lay away the unfortunate man. A detail of 
 vaqueros under Cederdall prepared a grave on the 
 nearest knoll, and wrapping the corpse in a tarpau- 
 lin, we buried him like a sailor at sea. Several 
 vaqueros were visibly affected at the graveside, and 
 in order to pacify them, I suggested that we unload 
 the wagon of supplies and haul up a load of rock 
 from a near-by outcropping ledge. Pablo had fallen 
 like a good soldier at his post, I urged, and it was 
 befitting that his comrades should mark his last 
 resting-place. To our agreeable surprise the cor- 
 poral hurrahed his men and the wagon was un- 
 loaded in a jiffy and dispatched after a load of 
 rock. On its return, we spent an hour in decorating 
 the mound, during which time lament was expressed 
 for the future of Pablo's soul. Knowing the almost 
 
168 THE OUTLET 
 
 universal faith of this alien race, as we stood around 
 the finished mound, Cederdall, who was Catholic 
 born, called for contributions to procure the abso- 
 lution of the Church. The owner of the cattle was 
 the first to respond, and with the aid of my boys 
 and myself, augmented later by the vaqueros, a 
 purse of over fifty dollars was raised and placed in 
 charge of the corporal, to be expended in a private 
 mass on their return to San Antonio. Meanwhile 
 the herd and saddle stock had started, and reload- 
 ing the wagon, we cast a last glance at the little 
 mound which made a new landmark on the old 
 trail. 
 
 The owner of the cattle was elated over the re- 
 storation of order. My contempt for him, however, 
 had not decreased ; the old maxim of fools rushing 
 in where angels feared to tread had only been again 
 exemplified. The inferior races may lack in courage 
 and leadership, but never in cunning and craftiness. 
 This alien outfit had detected some weakness in the 
 armor of their new employer, and when the emer- 
 gency arose, were ready to take advantage of the 
 situation. Yet under an old patron, these same men 
 would never dare to mutiny or assert themselves. 
 That there were possible breakers ahead for this 
 cowman there was no doubt ; for every day that 
 those Mexicans traveled into a strange country, 
 their Aztec blood would yearn for their Southern 
 home. And since the unforeseen could not be 
 guarded against, at the first opportunity I warned 
 
ALL IN THE DAY'S WORK 169 
 
 the stranger that it was altogether too soon to shout. 
 To his anxious inquiries I replied that his very 
 presence with the herd was a menace to its suc- 
 cessful handling by the Mexican outfit. He should 
 throw all responsibility on the foreman, or take 
 charge himself, which was impossible now; for 
 an outfit which will sulk and mutiny once will do 
 so again under less provocation. When my curtain 
 lecture was ended, the owner authorized me to call 
 his outfit together and give them such instructions 
 as I saw fit. 
 
 We sighted our cattle but once during the after- 
 noon. On locating the herd, two of my boys left us 
 to return, bearing the message that the rest of us 
 might not put in an appearance before morning. 
 All during the evening, I made it a point to cul- 
 tivate the acquaintance of several vaqueros, and 
 learned the names of their master and rancho. Tak- 
 ing my cue from the general information gathered, 
 when we encamped for the night and all hands, 
 with the exception of those on herd, had finished 
 catching horses, I attracted their attention by re- 
 turning the six-shooter taken from their corporal at 
 noontime. Commanding attention, in their mother 
 tongue I addressed myself to the Mexican fore- 
 man. 
 
 " Felipe Esquibil," said I, looking him boldly in 
 the face, "you were foreman of this herd from 
 Zavalla County, Texas, to the Arkansaw Eiver, and 
 brought your cattle through without loss or accident. 
 
170 THE OUTLET^ 
 
 The herd changed owners at Dodge, but with the 
 understanding that you and your vaqueros were to 
 accompany the cattle to this gentleman's ranch in 
 the upper country. An accident happens, and be- 
 cause you are not in full control, you shift the re- 
 sponsibility and play the baby act by wanting to go 
 home. Had the death of one of your men occurred 
 below the river, and while the herd was still the 
 property of Don Dionisio of Rancho Los Olmus, 
 you would have lost your own life before abandoning 
 your cattle. Now, with the consent and approval 
 of the new owner, you are again invested with full 
 charge of this herd until you arrive at the Platte 
 River. A new outfit wiU relieve you on reaching 
 Ogalalla, and then you will be paid your reckon- 
 ing and all go home. In your immediate rear are 
 five herds belonging to my employer, and I have 
 already sent warning to them of your attempted de- 
 sertion. A fortnight or less will find you relieved, 
 and the only safety in store for you is to go for- 
 ward. Now your employer is going to my camp for 
 the night, and may not see you again before this 
 herd reaches the Platte. Remember, Don Felipe, 
 that the opportunity is yours to regain your pres- 
 tige as a corporal — and you need it after to-day's 
 actions. What would Don Dionisio say if he knew 
 the truth ? And do you ever expect to face your 
 friends again at Los Olmus ? From a trusted corpo- 
 ral back to a sheep-shearer would be your reward 
 — and justly." 
 
ALL IN THE DAY'S WORK 171 
 
 Cederdall, Wolf, and myself shook hands with 
 several vaqueros, and mounting our horses we 
 started for my camp, taking the stranger with us. 
 Only once did he offer any protest to going. " Very 
 well, then," replied G — G, unahle to suppress his 
 contempt, " go right back. I '11 gamble that you 
 sheathe a knife before morning if you do. It strikes 
 me you don't sabe Mexicans very much." 
 
 Around the camp-fire that night, the day's work 
 was reviewed. My rather drastic treatment of the 
 corporal was fully commented upon and approved 
 by the outfit, yet provoked an inquiry from the ir- 
 repressible Parent. Turning to the questioner, Burl 
 Van Vedder said in dove-like tones : " Yes, dear, 
 slapped him just to remind the varmint that his 
 feet were on the earth, and that pawing the air and 
 keening did n't do any good. Remember, love, there 
 was the living to be fed, the dead to bury, and the 
 work in hand required every man to do his duty. 
 Now was there anything else you 'd like to know ? " 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 MARSHALING THE FORCES 
 
 Both herds had watered in the Smoky during the 
 afternoon. The stranger's cattle were not compelled 
 to go down to the crossing, but found an easy pass- 
 age several miles above the regular ford. After 
 leaving the river, both herds were grazed out during 
 the evening, and when darkness fell we were not 
 over three miles apart, one on either side of the 
 trail. The Wyoming cowman spent a restless night, 
 and early the next morning rode to the nearest 
 elevation which would give him a view of his cattle. 
 Within an hour after sun-up he returned, elated 
 over the fact that his herd was far in the lead of 
 ours, camp being already broken, while we were 
 only breakfasting. Matters were working out just 
 as I expected. The mixed herd under the Mexicain 
 corporal, by moving early and late, could keep the 
 lead of our beeves, and with the abundance of time 
 at my disposal we were in no hurry. The Kansas 
 Pacific Railroad was but a few days' drive ahead, 
 and I advised our guest to take the train around 
 to Ogalalla and have a new outfit all ready to re- 
 lieve the aliens immediately on their arrival. Promis- 
 ing to take the matter under consideration, he said 
 
MARSHALIIirG THE FORCES 173 
 
 nothing further for several days, his cattle in the 
 mean time keeping a lead of from five to ten miles. 
 The trail crossed the railroad at a switch east of 
 Grinnell. I was naturally expecting some word from 
 Don Lovell, and it was my intention to send one of 
 the boys into that station to inquire for mail. There 
 was a hostelry at Grinnell, several stores and a 
 livery stable, all dying an easy death from the 
 blight of the arid plain, the town profiting little or 
 nothing from the cattle trade. But when within 
 a half-day's drive of the railway, on overtaking the 
 herd after dinner, there was old man Don talking 
 to the boys on herd. The cattle were lying down, 
 and rather than disturb them, he patiently bided 
 his time until they had rested and arose to resume 
 their journey. The old man was feeling in fine 
 spirits, something unusual, and declined my urgent 
 invitation to go back to the wagon and have dinner. 
 I noticed that he was using his own saddle, though 
 riding a livery horse, and in the mutual inquiries 
 which were exchanged, learned that he had arrived 
 at Grinnell but a few days before. He had lef^ 
 Camp Supply immediately after Forrest and Spon- 
 silier passed that point, and until Siringo came in 
 with his report, he had spent the time about detect- 
 ive headquarters in Kansas City. From intimate 
 friends in Dodge, he had obtained the full particu- 
 lars of the attempted but unsuccessful move of The 
 Western Supply Company to take posession of his 
 two herds. In fact there was very little that I could 
 
174 THE OUTLET 
 
 enlighten him on, except the condition of the cattle, 
 and they spoke for themselves, their glossy coats 
 shining with the richness of silk. On the other hand, 
 my employer opened like a book. 
 
 " Tom, I think we 're past the worst of it," said 
 he. " Those Dodge people are just a trifle too offi- 
 cious to suit me, but Ogalalla is a cow-town after 
 my own heart. They 're a law unto themselves up 
 there, and a cowman stands some show — a good 
 one against thieves. Ogalalla is the seat of an 
 organized county, and the town has officers, it 's true, 
 but they 've got sense enough to know which side 
 their bread 's buttered on ; and a cowman who 's on 
 the square has nothing to fear in that town. Yes, 
 the whole gang, Tolleston and all, are right up here 
 at Ogalalla now ; bought a herd this week, so I 
 hear, and expect to take two of these away from us 
 the moment we enter Keith County. Well, they 
 may ; I 've seen bad men before take a town, but it 
 was only a question of time until the plain citizens 
 retook it. They may try to bluff us, but if they do, 
 , we'll meet them a little over halfway. Which one 
 of your boys was it that licked Archie ? I want to 
 thank him until such a time as I can reward him 
 better." 
 
 The herd was moving out, and as Seay was work- 
 ing in the swing on the opposite side, we allowed 
 the cattle to trail past, and then rode round and 
 overtook him. The two had never met before, but 
 old man Don warmed towards Dorg, who recited 
 
MAESHALING THE FORCES 175 
 
 his experience in such an inimitable manner that 
 our employer rocked in his saddle in spasms of 
 laughter. Leaving the two together, I rode on 
 ahead to look out the water, and when the herd 
 came up near the middle of the afternoon, they 
 were still inseparable. The watering over, we 
 camped for the night several miles south of the rail- 
 road, the mixed herd having crossed it about noon. 
 My guest of the past few days had come to a point 
 requiring a decision and was in a quandary to know 
 what to do. But when the situation had been 
 thoroughly reviewed between Mr. Lovell and the 
 Wyoming man, my advice was indorsed, — to trust 
 implicitly to his corporal, and be ready to relieve 
 the outfit at the Platte. Saddles were accordingly 
 shifted, and the stranger, after professing a profu- 
 sion of thanks, rode away on the livery horse by 
 which my employer had arrived. Once the man was 
 well out of hearing, the old trail drover turned to 
 my outfit and said : 
 
 " Boys, there goes a warning that the days of the 
 trail are numbered. To make a success of any busi- 
 ness, a little common sense is necessary. Nine 
 tenths of the investing in cattle to-day in the North- 
 west is being done by inexperienced men. No other 
 line of business could prosper in such incompetent 
 hands, and it 's foolish to think that cattle companies 
 and individuals, nearly all tenderfeet at the busi- 
 ness, can succeed. They may for a time, — there 
 are accidents in every calling, — but when the tide 
 
176 THE OUTLET 
 
 turns, there won't be one man or company in ten 
 survive. I only wish they would, as it means life 
 and expansion for the cattle interests in Texas. As 
 long as the boom continues, and foreigners and 
 tenderfeet pour their money in, the business will 
 look prosperous. Why, even the business men are 
 selling out their stores and going into cattle. But 
 there 's a day of reckoning ahead, and there 's many 
 a cowman in this Northwest country who will never 
 see his money again. Now the government demand 
 is a healthy one: it needs the cattle for Indian 
 and military purposes ; but this crazy investment, 
 especially in she stuff, I wouldn't risk a dollar 
 in it." 
 
 During the conversation that evening, I was 
 delighted to learn that my employer expected to 
 accompany the herds overland to Ogalalla. There 
 was nothing pressing elsewhere, and as all the other 
 outfits were within a short day's ride in the rear, he 
 could choose his abode. He was too good a cowman 
 to interfere with the management of cattle, and the 
 pleasure of his company, when in good humor, was 
 to be desired. The next morning a horse was fur- 
 njshed him from our extras, and after seeing us 
 safely across the railroad track, he turned back to 
 meet Forrest or Sponsilier. This was the last we 
 saw of him until after crossing into Nebraska. In 
 the mean time my boys kept an eye on the Mexican 
 outfit in our front, scarcely a day passing but what 
 we sighted them either in person or by signal. Once 
 
MARSHALING THE FOECES 177 
 
 they dropped back opposite us on the western side 
 of the trail, when Cedardall, under the pretense of 
 hunting lost horses, visited their camp, finding them 
 contented and enjoying a lay-over. They were im- 
 patient to know the distance to the Bio Platte, 
 and G — G assured them that within a week they 
 would see its muddy waters and be relieved. Thus 
 encouraged they held the lead, but several times 
 vaqueros dropped back to make inquiries of drives 
 and the water. The route was passable, with a 
 short dry drive from the head of Stinking Water 
 across to the Platte Kiver, of which they were 
 fully advised. Keeping them in sight, we trailed 
 along leisurely, and as we went down the northern 
 slope of the divide approaching the Republican 
 River, we were overtaken at noon by Don Lovell 
 and Dave Sponsilier. 
 
 " Quirk," said the old man, as the two dis- 
 mounted, " I was just telling Dave that twenty 
 years ago this summer I carried a musket with 
 Sherman in his march to the sea. And here we are 
 to-day, driving beef to feed the army in the West. 
 But that 's neither here nor there under the present 
 programme. Jim Flood and I have talked matters 
 over pretty thoroughly, and have decided to switch 
 the foremen on the ' Open A ' and ' Drooping T ' 
 cattle until after Ogalalla is passed. From their 
 actions at Dodge, it is probable that they will try 
 and arrest the foreman of those two herds as acces- 
 sory under some charge or other. By shifting the 
 
178 THE OUTLET 
 
 foremen, even if the ones in charge are detained, we 
 will gain time and be able to push the Buf ord cattle 
 across the North Platte. The chances are that they 
 will prefer some charges against me, and if they do, 
 if necessary, we will all go to the lock-up together. 
 They may have spotters ahead here on the Repub- 
 lican ; Dave will take charge of your ' Open A's ' at 
 once, and you will drop back and follow up with his 
 cattle. For the time being and to every stranger, you 
 two will exchange names. The Rebel is in charge 
 of Forrest's cattle now, and Quince will drop back 
 with Paul's herd. Dave, here, gave me the slip on 
 crossing the Texas Pacific in the lower country, 
 but when we reach the Union Pacific, I want to 
 know where he is, even if in jail. And I may be 
 right there with him, but we '11 live high, for I 've 
 got a lot of their money." 
 
 Sponsilier reported his herd on the same Side of 
 the trail and about ten miles to our rear. I had no 
 objection to the change, for those arid plains were 
 still to be preferred to the lock-up in Ogalalla. My 
 only regret was in temporarily losing my mount ; 
 but as Dave's horses were nearly as good, no objec- 
 tion was urged, and promising, in case either landed 
 in jail, to send flowers, I turned back, leaving 
 my employer with the lead herd. Before starting, 
 I learned that the " Drooping T " cattle were in 
 advance of Sponsilier's, and as I soldiered along on 
 my way back, rode several mUes out of my way to 
 console my old bunkie. The Rebel. He took my 
 
MARSHALING THE FORCES 179 
 
 chaffing good-naturedly and assured me that his 
 gray hairs were a badge of innocence which would 
 excuse him on any charge. Turning, I rode back 
 with him over a mile, this being my first opportunity 
 of seeing Forrest's beeves. The steers were large 
 and rangy, extremely uniform in ages and weight, 
 and in general relieved me of considerable conceit 
 that I had the best herd among the Buford cattle. 
 With my vanity eased, I continued my journey and 
 reached Sponsilier's beeves while they were water- 
 ing. Again a surprise was in store for me, as the 
 latter herd had, if any, the edge over the other two, 
 while " The Apple " was by all odds the prettiest 
 road brand I had ever seen. I asked the acting 
 segundo, a lad named Tupps, who cut the cattle 
 when receiving ; light was thrown on the situation 
 by his reply. 
 
 " Old man Don joined the outfit the day we 
 reached Uvalde," said he, " and until we began 
 receiving, he poured it into our foreman that this 
 year the cattle had to be something extra — m/uy 
 escogido, as the Mexicans say. Well, the result was 
 that Sponsilier went to work with ideas pitched 
 rather high. But in the first bunch received, the 
 old man cut a pretty little four-year-old, fully 
 a hundred pounds too light. Dave and Mr. Lovell 
 had a set-to over the beef, the old man refusing 
 to cut him back, but he rode out of the herd and 
 never again offered to interfere. Forrest was pre- 
 sent, and at dinner that day old man Don admitted 
 
180 THE OUTLET 
 
 that he was too easy when receiving. Sponsilier and 
 Forrest did the trimming afterward, and that is 
 the secret of these two herds being so uniform." 
 
 A general halt was called at the head of Stink- 
 ing Water. We were then within forty miles of 
 OgalaUa, and a day's drive would put us within the 
 jurisdiction of Keith County. Some time was lost 
 at this last water, waiting for the rear herds to ar- 
 rive, as it was the intention to place the " Open A " 
 and " Drooping T " cattle at the rear in crossing 
 this dry belt. At the ford on the Republican, a 
 number of strangers were noticed, two of whom rode 
 a mile or more with me, and innocently asked 
 numerous but leading questions. I frankly answered 
 every inquiry, and truthfully, with the exception 
 of the names of the lead foreman and my own. 
 Direct, it was only sixty miles from the crossing 
 on the Republican to OgalaUa, an easy night's ride, 
 and I was conscious that our whereabouts would 
 be known at the latter place the next morning. 
 For several days before starting across this arid 
 stretch, we had watered at ten o'clock in the 
 morning, so when Flood and Forrest came up, 
 mine being the third herd to reach the last water, 
 I was all ready to pull out. But old man Don 
 counseled another day's lie-over, as it would be a 
 sore trial for the herds under a July sun, and for 
 a full day twenty thousand beeves grazed in sight 
 of each other on the mesas surrounding the head of 
 Stinking Water. All the herds were aroused with 
 
MARSHALING THE FORCES 181 
 
 the dawn, and after a few hours' sun on the cattle, 
 the Indian beeves were turned onto the water and 
 held until the middle of the forenoon, when the 
 start was made for the Platte and Ogalalla. 
 
 I led out with " The Apple " cattle, throwing onto 
 the trail for the first ten miles, which put me well 
 in advance of Bob Quirk and Forrest, who were in 
 my immediate rear. A well-known divide marked 
 the halfway between the two waters, and I was 
 determined to camp on it that night. It was fully 
 nine o'clock when we reached it, Don Lovell in the 
 mean time having overtaken us. This watershed 
 was also recognized as the line of Keith County, 
 an organized community, and the next morning 
 expectation ran high as to what the day would 
 bring forth. LoveU insisted on staying with the 
 lead herd, and pressing him in as horse-wrangler, 
 I sent him in the lead with the remuda and wagon, 
 while Levering fell into the swing with the trailing 
 cattle. A breakfast halt was made fully seven 
 miles from the bed-ground, a change of mounts, 
 and then up divide, across mesa, and down slope at 
 the foot of which ran the Platte. Meanwhile sev- 
 eral wayfaring men were met, but in order to avoid 
 our dust, they took the right or unbranded side of 
 our herd on meeting, and passed on their way with- 
 out inquiry. Near noon a party of six men, driving 
 a number of loose mounts and a pack-horse, were 
 met, who also took the windward side. Our drag- 
 men learned that they were on their way to Dodge 
 
182 THE OUTLET 
 
 to receive a herd of range horses. But when about 
 halfway down the slope towards the river, two 
 mounted men were seen to halt the remuda and 
 wagon for a minute, and then continue on south- 
 ward. Billy Tupps was on the left point, myself 
 next in the swing ; and as the two horsemen turned 
 out on the branded side, their identity was sus- 
 pected. In reply to some inquiry, Tupps jerked 
 his thumb over his shoulder as much as to say, 
 " Next man." I turned out and met the strangers, 
 who had already noted the road brand, and politely 
 answered every question. One of the two offered 
 me a cigar, and after lighting it, I did remember 
 hearing one of my boys say that among the herds 
 lying over on the head of Stinking Water was an 
 " Open A " and " Drooping T," but I was unable 
 to recall the owner's or foremen's names. Compli- 
 menting me on the condition of my beeves, and 
 assuring me that I would have time to water my 
 herd and reach the mesa beyond Ogalalla, they 
 passed on down the column of cattle. 
 
 I had given the cook an order on an outfitting 
 house for new supplies, saying I would call or send 
 a draft in the morning. A new bridge had been 
 built across the Platte opposite the town, and when 
 nearing the river, the commissary turned off the 
 trail for it, but the horse-wrangler for the day gave 
 the bridge a wide berth and crossed the stream a 
 mile below the village. The width of the river was 
 a decided advantage in watering a thirsty herd, as 
 
MAESHALING THE FOECES 183 
 
 it gave the cattle room to thrash around, filling its 
 broad bed for fully a half mile. Fortunately there 
 were few spectators, but I kept my eye on the 
 lookout for a certain faction, being well disguised 
 with dust and dirt and a month's growth of beard. 
 As we pushed out of the river and were crossing 
 the tracks below the railroad yards, two other 
 herds were sighted coming down to the water, their 
 remudas having forded above and below our cattle. 
 On scaling the bluffs, we could see the trail south 
 of the Platte and on which arose a great column 
 of dust. Lovell was waiting with the saddle stock 
 in the hills beyond the town, and on striking the 
 first good grass, the cattle fell to grazing while we 
 halted to await the arrival of the wagon. The sun 
 was still several hours high, and while waiting for 
 our commissary to come up, my employer and my- 
 self rode to the nearest point of observation to 
 reconnoitre the rear. Beneath us lay the hamlet ; 
 but our eyes were concentrated beyond the narrow 
 Platte valley on a dust-cloud which hung midway 
 down the farther slope. As we watched, an occa- 
 sional breeze wafted the dust aside, and the sinu- 
 ous outline of a herd creeping forward greeted our 
 vision. Below the town were two other herds, dis- 
 tinctly separate and filling the river for over a mile 
 with a surging mass of animals, while in every 
 direction cattle dotted the plain and valley. Turn- 
 ing aside from the panorama before us, my em- 
 ployer said : 
 
184 THE OUTLET 
 
 "Tom, you will have time to graze out a few 
 miles and camp to the left of the trail. I'll stay 
 here and. hurry your wagon forward, and wait for 
 Bob and Quince. That lead herd beyond the river 
 is bound to be Jim's, and he 's due to camp on this 
 mesa to-night, so these outfits must give him room. 
 If Dave and Paul are still free to act, they 'U know 
 enough to water and camp on the south side of the 
 Platte. I '11 stay at Flood's wagon to-night, and 
 you had better send a couple of your boys into 
 town and let them nose around. They '11 meet lads 
 from the ' Open A ' and ' Drooping T ' outfits ; and 
 I '11 send Jim and Bob in, and by midnight we '11 
 have a report of what's been done. If any one 
 but an officer takes possession of those two herds, 
 it '11 put us to the trouble of retaking them. And 
 I think I 've got men enough here to do it." 
 
CHAPTEE XIII 
 
 JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE 
 
 It was an hour after the usual time when we 
 bedded down the cattle. The wagon had over- 
 taken us about sunset, and the cook's fire piloted 
 us into a camp fuUy two miles to the right of the 
 trail. A change of horses was awaiting us, and 
 after a hasty supper Tupps detailed two young 
 fellows to visit Ogalalla. It required no urging; 
 I outlined clearly what was expected of their mis- 
 sion, requesting them to return by the way of 
 Flood's wagon, and to receive any orders which 
 my employer might see fit to send. The horse- 
 wrangler was pressed in to stand the guard of one 
 of the absent lads on the second watch, and I 
 agreed to take the other, which fell in the third. 
 The boys had not yet returned when our guard 
 was called, but did so shortly afterward, one of 
 them hunting me up on night-herd. 
 
 " Well," said he, turning his horse and circling 
 with me, "we caught onto everything that was adrift. 
 The Kebel and Sponsilier were both in town, in 
 charge of two deputies. Flood and your brother 
 went in with us, and with the lads from the other 
 outfits, including those across the river, there must 
 
186 THE OUTLET 
 
 have been twenty-five of Lo veil's men in town. I 
 noticed that Dave and The Rebel were still wearing 
 their six-shooters, while among the boys the arrests 
 were looked upon as quite a joke. The two depu- 
 ties had all kinds of money, and wouldn't allow 
 no one but themselves to spend a cent. The biggest 
 one of the two — the one who gave you the cigar 
 — would say to my boss : ' Sponsilier, you 're a 
 trail foreman from Texas — one of Don Lovell's 
 boss men — but you 're under arrest ; your cattle 
 are in my possession this very minute. You under- 
 stand that, don't you ? Very well, then ; everybody 
 come up and have a drink on the sheriff's office.' 
 That was about the talk in every saloon and dance- 
 hall visited. But when we proposed starting back 
 to camp, about midnight, the big deputy said to 
 Flood : ' I want you to tell Colonel LoveU that I 
 hold a warrant for his arrest ; urge him not to put 
 me to the trouble of coming out after him. If he 
 had identified himself to me this afternoon, he 
 could have slept on a goose-hair bed to-night in- 
 stead of out there on the mesa, on the cold ground. 
 His reputation in this town would entitle him to 
 three meals a day, even if he was under arrest. 
 Now, we '11 have one more, and tell the damned old 
 rascal that I '11 expect him in the morning.' " 
 
 We rode out the watch together. On returning 
 to Flood's camp, they had found Don LoveU awake. 
 The old man was pleased with the report, but sent 
 me no special word except to exercise my own judg- 
 
JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE 187 
 
 ment. The cattle were tired after their long tramp 
 of the day before, the outfit were saddle weary, 
 and the first rays of the rising sun flooded the 
 mesa before men or animals offered to arise. But 
 the duties of another day commanded us anew, and 
 with the cook calling us, we rose to meet them. I 
 was favorably impressed with Tupps as a segundo, 
 and after breakfast suggested that he graze the 
 cattle over to the North Platte, cross it; and make 
 a permanent camp. This was agreed to, half the 
 men were excused for the day, and after designat- 
 ing, beyond the river, a clump of cottonwoods 
 where the wagon would be found, seven of us 
 turned and rode back for Ogalalla. With picked 
 mounts under us, we avoided the other cattle which 
 could be seen grazing northward, and when fully 
 halfway to town, there before us on the brink 
 of the mesa loomed up the lead of a herd. I soon 
 recognized Jack Splann on the point, and taking 
 a wide circle, dropped in behind him, the column 
 stretching back a mile and coming up the bluffs, 
 forty abreast like an army in loose marching or- 
 der. I was proud of those " Open A's ; " they were 
 my first herd, and though in a hurry to reach town, 
 I turned and rode back with them for fully a mile. 
 Splann was acting under orders from Flood, 
 who had met him at the ford that morning. If the 
 cattle were in the possession of any deputy sheriff, 
 they had failed to notify Jack, and the latter had 
 already started for the North Platte of his own 
 
188 THE OUTLET 
 
 accord. The " Drooping T " cattle were in the im- 
 mediate rear under Forrest's segundo, and Splann 
 urged me to accompany him that forenoon, saying : 
 " From what the boys said this morning, Dave 
 and Paul will not be given a hearing until two 
 o'clock this afternoon. I can graze beyond the 
 North Fork by that time, and then we '11 all go 
 back together. Flood 's right behind here with the 
 ' Drooping T's,' and I think it 's his intention to go 
 all the way to the river. Drop back and see him." 
 The boys who were with me never halted, but 
 had ridden on towards town. When the second 
 herd began the ascent of the mesa, I left Splann 
 and turned back, waiting on the brink for its ar- 
 rival. As it would take the lead cattle some time to 
 reach me, I dismounted, resting in -the shade of 
 my horse. But my rest was brief, for the clatter- 
 ing hoofs of a cavalcade of horsemen were ap- 
 proaching, and as I arose, Quince Forrest and Bob 
 Quirk with a dozen or more men dashed up and 
 halted. As their herds were intended for the Crow 
 and Fort Washakie agencies, they would naturally 
 follow up the south side of the North Platte, and 
 an hour or two of grazing would put them in camp. 
 The Buford cattle, as well as Flood's herd, were 
 due to cross this North Fork of the mother Platte 
 within ten miles of Ogalalla, their respective routes 
 thenceforth being north and northeast. Forrest, 
 like myself, was somewhat leary of entering the 
 town, and my brother and the boys passed on 
 
JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE 189 
 
 shortly, leaving Quince behind. We discussed 
 every possible phase of what might happen in case 
 we were recognized, which was almost certain if 
 ToUeston or the Dodge buyers were encountered. 
 But an overweening hunger to get into Ogalalla 
 was dominant in us, and under the excuse of set- 
 tling for our supplies, after the herd passed, we 
 remounted our horses, Flood joining us, and rode 
 for the hamlet. 
 
 There was little external and no moral change 
 in the town. Several new saloons had opened, and 
 in anticipation of the large drive that year, the 
 Dew-Drop-In dance-hall had been enlarged, and 
 employed three shifts of bartenders. A stage had 
 been added with the new addition, and a special 
 importation of ladies had been brought out from 
 Omaha for the season. I use the term ladies 
 advisedly, for in my presence one of the proprietors, 
 with marked courtesy, said to an Eastern stranger, 
 " Oh, no, you need no introduction. My wife is the 
 only woman in town ; all the balance are ladies." 
 Beyond a shave and a hair-cut, Forrest and I 
 fought shy of public places. But after the supplies 
 were settled for, and some new clothing was secured, 
 we chambered a few drinks and swaggered about 
 with considerable ado. My bill of supplies amounted 
 to one hundred and twenty-six dollars, and when, 
 without a word, I drew a draft for the amount, 
 the proprietor of the outfitting store, as a pelon, 
 made me a present of two fine silk handkerchiefs. 
 
190 THE OUTLET 
 
 Forrest was treated likewise, and having invested 
 ourselves in white shirts, with flaming red ties, we 
 used the new handkerchiefs to otherwise decorate 
 our persons. We had both chosen the -brightest 
 colors, and with these knotted about our necks, 
 dangling from pistol-pockets, or protruding from 
 ruffled shirt fronts, our own mothers would scarcely 
 have known us. Jim Flood, whom we met casually 
 on a back street, stopped, and after circling us once, 
 said, " Now if you feUows just keep perfectly sober, 
 your disguise will be complete." 
 
 Meanwhile Don Lovell had reported at an early 
 hour to the sheriff's office. The legal profession was 
 represented in OgalaUa by several firms, criminal 
 practice being their specialty ; but fortunately 
 Mike Sutton, an attorney of Dodge, had arrived in 
 town the day before on a legal errand for another 
 trail drover. Sutton was a frontier advocate, alike 
 popular with the Texas element and the gambling 
 fraternity, having achieved laurels in his home town 
 as a criminal lawyer. Mike was born on the little 
 green isle beyond the sea, and, gifted with the 
 Celtic wit, was also in logic clear as the tones of 
 a bell, while his insight into human motives was 
 almost superhuman. Lovell had had occasion in 
 other years to rely on Sutton's counsel, and now 
 .would listen to no refusal of his services. As it 
 turned out, the lawyer's mission in Ogalalla was so 
 closely in sympathy with Lovell's trouble that they 
 naturally strengthened each other. The highest 
 
JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE 191 
 
 tribunal of justice in Ogalalla was the county court, 
 the judge of which also ran the stock-yards during 
 the shipping season, and was banker for two monte 
 games at the Lone Star saloon. He enjoyed the 
 reputation of being an honest, fearless jurist, and 
 supported by a growing civic pride, his decisions 
 gave satisfaction. A sense of crude equity governed 
 his rulings, and as one of the citizens remarked, 
 " Whatever the judge said, went." It should be 
 remembered that this was in '84, but had a similar 
 trouble occurred five years earlier, it is likely that 
 Judge Colt would have figured in the preliminaries, 
 and the coroner might have been called on to im- 
 panel a jury. But the rudiments of civilization were 
 sweeping westward, and Ogalalla was nerved to the 
 importance of the occasion ; for that very afternoon 
 a hearing was to be given for the possession of 
 two herds of cattle, valued at over a quarter-million 
 dollars. 
 
 The representatives of The Western Supply Com- 
 pany were quartered in the largest hotel in town, 
 but seldom appeared on the streets. They had em- 
 ployed a firm of local attorneys, consisting of an 
 old and a young man, both of whom evidently be- 
 lieved in the justice of their client's cause. All the 
 cattle-hands in Lovell's employ were anxious to get 
 a glimpse of Tolleston, many of them patronizing 
 the bar and table of the same hostelry, but their 
 efforts were futile until the hour arrived for the 
 hearing. They probably have a new court-house in 
 
192 THE OUTLET 
 
 Ogalalla now, but at the date of this chronicle the 
 building which served as a temple of justice was 
 poorly proportioned, its height being entirely out 
 of relation to its width. It was a two-story affair, 
 the lower floor being used for county offices, the 
 upper one as the court-room. A long stairway 
 ran up the outside of the building, landing on a 
 gallery in front, from which the sheriff announced 
 the sitting of the honorable court of Keith County. 
 At home in Texas, lawsuits were so rare that though 
 I was a grown man, the novelty of this one absorbed 
 me. Quite a large crowd had gathered in advance 
 of the hour, and while awaiting the arrival of Judge 
 Mulqueen, a contingent of fifteen men from the two 
 herds in question rode up and halted in front of 
 the court-house. Forrest and I were lying low, not 
 caring to be seen, when the three plaintiffs, the two 
 local attorneys, and ToUeston put in an appearance. 
 The cavalcade had not yet dismounted, and when 
 Dorg Seay caught sight of ToUeston, he stood up 
 in his stirrups and sang out, " Hello there, Archi- 
 bald ! my old college chum, how goes it ? " 
 
 Judge Mulqueen had evidently dressed for the 
 occasion, for with the exception of the plaintiffs, he 
 was the only man in the court-room who wore a coat. 
 The afternoon was a sultry one ; in that first bottom 
 of the Platte there was scarcely a breath of air, and 
 collars wilted limp as rags. Neither map nor chart 
 graced the unplastered walls, the unpainted furni- 
 ture of the room was sadly in need of repair, while 
 
JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE 193 
 
 a musty odor permeated the room. Outside the 
 railing the seating capacity of the court-room was 
 rather small, rough, bare planks serving for seats, 
 but the spectators gladly stood along the sides and 
 rear, eager to catch every word, as they silently 
 mopped the sweat which oozed alike from citizen 
 and cattleman. Forrest and I were concealed in the 
 rear, which was packed with Lovell's boys, when 
 the judge walked in and court opened for the hear- 
 ing. Judge Mulqueen requested counsel on either 
 side to be as brief and direct as possible, both in 
 their pleadings and testimony, adding : " If they 
 reach the stock-yards in time, I may have to load 
 out a train of feeders this evening. We '11 bed the 
 cars, anyhow." Turning to the sheriff, he contin- 
 ued : " Frank, if you happen outside, keep an eye 
 up the river ; those Lincoln feeders made a deal 
 yesterday for five hundred three-year-olds. — Bead 
 your complaint." 
 
 The legal document was read with great fervor 
 and energy by the younger of the two local lawyers. 
 In the main it reviewed the situation correctly, 
 every point, however, being made subservient to 
 their object, — the possession of the cattle. The 
 plaintiffs contended that they were the innocent 
 holders of the original contract between the govern- 
 ment and The Western Supply Company, properly 
 assigned ; that they had purchased these two herds 
 in question, had paid earnest-money to the amount 
 'of sixty-five thousand dollars on the same, and 
 
194 THE OUTLET 
 
 concluded by petitioning the court for possession. 
 Sutton arose, counseled a moment witli Lovell, and 
 borrowing a chew of tobacco from Sponsilier, 
 leisurely addressed the court. 
 
 " I shall not trouble your honor by reading our 
 reply in full, but briefly state its contents," said he, 
 in substance. " We admit that the herds in ques- 
 tion, which have been correctly described by road 
 brands and ages, are the property of my client. We 
 further admit that the two trail foremen here under 
 arrest as accessories were acting under the orders 
 of their employer, who assumes all responsibility 
 for their acts, and in our pleadings we ask this 
 honorable court to discharge them from further 
 detention. The earnest-money, said to have been 
 paid on these herds, is correct to a cent, and we 
 admit having the amount in our possession. But," 
 and the little advocate's voice rose, rich in its Irish 
 brogue, " we deny any assignment of the original 
 contract. The Western Supply Company is a cor- 
 poration name, a shield and fence of thieves. The 
 plaintiffs here can claim no assignment, because they 
 themselves constitute the company. It has been 
 decided that a man cannot steal his own money, 
 neither can he assign from himself to himself. We 
 shall prove by a credible witness that The Western 
 Supply Company is but another name for John C. 
 Fields, Oliver Radeliff, and the portly gentleman 
 who was known a year ago as ' Honest ' John Gris- 
 com, one of his many aliases. If to these names 
 
JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE 195 
 
 you add a few moneyed confederates, you have The 
 Western' Supply Company, one and the same. We 
 shall also prove that for years past these same 
 gentlemen have belonged to a ring, all brokers in 
 government contracts, and frequently finding it 
 necessary to use assumed names, generally that of 
 a corporation." 
 
 Scanning the document in his hand, Sutton con- 
 tinued : " Our motive in selling and accepting 
 money on these herds in Dodge demands a word of 
 explanation. The original contract calls for five 
 mUlion pounds of beef on foot to be delivered at 
 Fort Buford. My client is a sub-contractor under 
 that award. There are times, your honor, when it 
 becomes necessary to resort to questionable means to 
 attain an end. This is one of them. Within a week 
 after my client had given bonds for the fulfillment 
 of his contract, he maAe the discovery that he was 
 dealing with a double-faced set of scoundrels. From 
 that day until the present moment, secret-service 
 men have shadowed every action of the plaintiffs. 
 My client has anticipated their every move. When 
 beeves broke in price from five to seven dollars a 
 head, Honest John, here, made his boasts in Wash-_ 
 ington City over a champagne supper that he and 
 his associates would clear one hundred thousand 
 dollars on their Buford contract. Let us reason to- 
 gether how this could be done. The Western Supply 
 Company refused, even when offered a bonus, to 
 assign their contract to my client. But they were 
 
196 THE OUTLET 
 
 perfectly willing to transfer it, from themselves as 
 a corporation, to themselves as individuals, even 
 though they had previously given Don Lovell a sub- 
 contract for the delivery of the beeves. The orig- 
 inal award was made seven months ago, and the 
 depreciation in cattle since is the secret of why the 
 frog eat the cabbage. My client is under the neces- 
 sity of tendering his cattle on the day of delivery, 
 and proposes to hold this earnest-money to indem- 
 nify himself in case of an adverse decision at Fort 
 Buford. It is the only thing he can do, as The 
 Western Supply Company is execution proof, its 
 assets consisting of some stud-horse office furniture 
 and a corporate seal. On the other hand, Don 
 Lovell is rated at half a million, mostly in pasture 
 lands ; is a citizen of Medina County, Texas, and 
 if these gentlemen have any grievance, let them go 
 there and sue him. A judgment against my client 
 is good. Now, your honor, you have our side of the 
 question. To be brief, shaU. these old Wisinsteins 
 come out here from Washington City and dispossess 
 any man of his property ? There is but one answer 
 — not in the Republic of Keith." 
 
 All three of the plaintiffs took the stand, their 
 testimony supporting the complaint, Lovell's attor- 
 ney refusing even to cross-examine any one of them. 
 When they rested their case Sutton arose, and 
 scanning the audience for some time, inquired, 
 " Is Jim Reed there ? " In response, a tall, one- 
 armed man worked his way from the outer gallery 
 
JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE 197 
 
 through the crowd and advanced to the rail. I 
 knew Eeed by sight only, my middle brother hav- 
 ing made several trips with his trail cattle, but he 
 was known to every one by reputation. He had 
 lost an arm in the Confederate service, and was 
 recognized by the gambling fraternity as the gamest 
 man among all the trail drovers, while every cow- 
 man from the Rio Grande to the Yellowstone knew 
 him as a poker-player. Eeed was asked to take 
 the stand, and when questioned if he knew either 
 of the plaintiffs, said : 
 
 " Yes, I know that fat gentleman, and I 'm pow- 
 erful glad to meet up with him again," replied the 
 witness, designating Honest John. " That man is 
 so crooked that he can't sleep in a bed, and it 's 
 one of the wonders of this country that he has n't 
 stretched helip before this. I made his acquaint- 
 ance as manager of The Federal Supply Company, 
 and delivered three thousand cows to him^ at the 
 Washita Indian Agency last fall. In the final set- 
 tlement, he drew on three difPerent banks, and one 
 draft of twenty-eight thousand doUars came back, 
 indorsed, drawee unhnown. I had other herds on 
 the trail to look after, and it was a month before 
 I found out that the check was bogus, by which 
 time Honest John had sailed for Europe. There 
 was nothing could be done but put my claim into 
 a judgment and lay for him. But I 've got a grape- 
 vine twist on him now, for no sooner did he buy 
 a herd here last week than Mr. Sutton transferred 
 
198 THE OUTLET 
 
 the judgment to this jurisdiction, and his cattle 
 will be attached this afternoon. I 've been on his 
 trail for nearly a year, but he '11 come to me now, 
 and before he can move his beeves out of this 
 county, the last cent must come, with interest, 
 attorney's fees, detective bills, and remuneration 
 for my own time and trouble. That 's the reason 
 that I 'm so glad to meet him. Judge, I 've gone 
 to the trouble and expense to get his record for the 
 last ten years. He 's so snaky he sheds his name 
 yearly, shifting for a nickname from Honest John 
 to The Quaker. In '80 he and his associates did 
 business under the name of The Army & Sutler 
 Supply Company, and I know of two judgments 
 that can be bought very reasonable against that 
 corporation. His record would convince any one 
 that he despises to make an honest doUar." 
 
 The older of the two attorneys for the plaintiffs 
 asked a few questions, but the replies were so un- 
 satisfactory to their side, that they soon passed the 
 witness. During the cross-questioning, however, 
 the sheriff had approached the judge arid whispered 
 something to his honor. As there were no further 
 witnesses to be examined, the local attorneys in- 
 sisted on arguing the case, but Judge Mulqueen 
 frovmed them down, saying : 
 
 " This court sees no occasion for any argument 
 in the present case. You might spout until you 
 were black in the face and it would n't change my 
 opinion any ; besides I 've got twenty cars to send 
 
JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE 199 
 
 and a train of cattle to load out this evening. 
 This court refuses to interfere with the herds in 
 question, at present the property of and in posses- 
 sion of Don Lovell, who, together with his men, 
 are discharged from custody. If you 're in town 
 to-night, Mr. Keed, drop into the Lone Star. 
 Couple of nice monte games running there ; hun- 
 dred-dollar limit, and if you feel lucky, there 's a 
 nice bank roll behind them. Adjourn court, Mr. 
 Sheriff." 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 TURNING THE TABLES 
 
 " Keep away from me, you common cow-hands," 
 said Sponsilier, as a group of us waited for him at 
 the foot of the court-house stairs. But Dave's 
 gravity soon turned to a smile as he continued: 
 " Did you fellows notice The Rebel and me sitting 
 inside the rail among aU the big augers? Paul, 
 was it a dream, or did we sleep in a bed last night 
 and have a sure-enough pillow under our heads? 
 My memory is kind of hazy to-day, but I remember 
 the drinks and the cigars all right, and saying to 
 some one that this luck was too good to last. And 
 here we are turned out in the cold world again, our 
 fun all over, and now must go back to those measly 
 cattle. But it 's just what I expected." 
 
 The crowd dispersed quietly, though the sheriff 
 took the precaution to accompany the plaintiffs 
 and ToUeston back to their hotel. The absence of 
 the two deputies whom we had met the day before 
 was explained by the testimony of the one-armed 
 cowman. When the two drovers came downstairs, 
 they were talking very confidentially together, and 
 on my employer noticing the large number of his 
 men present, he gave orders for them to meet him 
 at once at the White Elephant saloon. Those who 
 
TURNING THE TABLES 201 
 
 had horses at hand mounted and dashed down the 
 street, while the rest of us took it leisurely around 
 to the appointed rendezvous, some three blocks 
 distant. While on the way, I learned from The 
 Rebel that the cattle on which the attachment was 
 to be made that afternoon were then being held 
 well up the North Fork. Sheriff Phillips joined us 
 shortly after we entered the saloon, and informed 
 my employer and Mr. Eeed that the firm of Field, 
 Radcliff & Co. had declared war. They had even 
 denounced him and the sheriff's office as being in 
 collusion against them, and had dispatched ToUes- 
 ton with orders to refuse service. 
 
 " Let them get on the prod all they want to," 
 said Don Lovell to Reed and the sheriff. " I 've got 
 ninety men here, and you fellows are welcome to 
 half of them, even if I have to go out and stand 
 a watch on night-herd myself. Eeed, we can't afford 
 to have our business ruined by such a set of scoun- 
 drels, and we might as well fight it out here and 
 now. Look at the situation I 'm in. A hundred 
 thousand dollars would n't indemnify me in having 
 my cattle refused as late as the middle of Septem- 
 ber at Fort Buford. And believing that^ I will 
 be turned down, under my contract, so Sutton says, 
 1 must tender my beeves on the appointed day of 
 delivery, which will absolve my bondsmen and 
 me from all liability. A man can't trifle with the 
 government — the cattle must be there. Now in 
 my case, Jim, what would you do ? " 
 
202 THE OUTLET 
 
 " That 's a hard question, Don. You see we 're 
 strangers up in this Northwest country. Now, if it 
 was home in Texas, there would be only one thing 
 to do. Of course I 'm no longer handy with a shot- 
 gun, but you 've got two good arms." 
 
 " Well, gentlemen," said the sherifiE, " you must 
 excuse me for interrupting, but if my deputies are 
 to take possession of that herd this afternoon, I must 
 saddle up and go to the front. If Honest John and 
 associates try to stand up any bluffs on my office, 
 they '11 only run on the rope once. I 'm much 
 obliged to you, Mr. LoveU, for the assurance of any 
 help I may need, for it 's quite likely that I may 
 have to call upon you. If a ring of government 
 speculators can come out here and refuse service, 
 or dictate to my office, then old Keith County is 
 certainly on the verge of decadence. Now, I '11 be 
 all ready to start for the North Fork in fifteen 
 minutes, and I 'd admire to have you all go along." 
 
 LoveU and Keed both expressed a willingness to 
 accompany the sheriff. Phillips thanked them and 
 nodded to the force behind the mahogany, who 
 dexterously slid the glasses up and down the bar, 
 and politely inquired of the double row confronting 
 them as to their tastes. As this was the third round 
 since entering the place, I was anxious to get away, 
 and summoning Forrest, we started for our horses. 
 We had left them at a barn on a back street, but 
 before reaching the livery. Quince concluded that 
 he needed a few more cartridges. I had ordered 
 
TURNING THE TABLES 203 
 
 a hundred the day before for my own personal use, 
 but they had been sent out with the supplies and 
 were then in camp. My own belt was filled with 
 ammunition, but on Forrest buying fifty, I took an 
 equal number, and after starting out of the store, 
 both turned back and doubled our purchases. On 
 arriving at the stable, whom should I meet but the 
 Wyoming cowman who had left us at Grinnell. 
 During the few minutes in which I was compelled 
 to listen to his troubles, he informed me that on his 
 arrival at OgalaUa, all the surplus cow-hands had 
 been engaged by a man named Tolleston for the 
 Yellowstone country. He had sent to his ranch, 
 however, for an outfit who would arrive that evening, 
 and he expected to start his herd the next morning. 
 But without wasting any words, Forrest and I swung 
 into our saddles, waved a farewell to the wayfaring 
 acquaintance, and rode around to the White Ele- 
 phant. The sheriff and quite a cavalcade of our 
 boys had already started, and on reaching the street 
 which terminated in the only road leading to the 
 North Fork, we were halted by Flood to await the 
 arrival of the others. Jim Eeed and my employer 
 were stiU behind, and some little time was lost 
 before they came up, sufficient to give the sheriff 
 a full half-mile start. But under the leadership of 
 the two drovers, we shook out our horses, and the 
 advance cavalcade were soon overtaken. 
 
 "Well, Mr. Sheriff," said old man Don, as 
 he reined in beside Phillips, " how do you like the 
 
204 THE OUTLET 
 
 looks of this for a posse ? I '11 vouch that they 're all 
 good cow-hands, and if you want to deputize the 
 whole works, why, just work your rabbit's foot. You 
 might leave Reed and me out, but I think there 's 
 some forty odd without us. Jim and I are getting 
 a little too old, but we'll hapg around and run 
 errands and do the clerking. I 'm perfectly will- 
 ing to waste a week, and remember that we 've 
 got the chuck and nearly a thousand saddle horses 
 right over here on the North Fork. You can move 
 your office out to one of my wagons if you wish, 
 and whatever 's mine is yours, just so long as Hon- 
 est John and his friends pay the fiddler. If he and 
 his associates are going to make one hundred thou- 
 sand dollars on their Buford contract, one thing is 
 certain — I '11 lose plenty of money on this year's 
 drive. If he refuses service and you take possession, 
 your office will be perfectly justified in putting 
 a good force of men with the herd. And at ten 
 dollars a day for a man and horse, they '11 soon get 
 sick and Reed will get his pay. If I have to hold 
 the sack in the end, I don't want any company." 
 
 The location of the beeves was about twelve miles 
 from town and but a short distance above the 
 herds of The Rebel and Bob Quirk. It was nearly 
 four o'clock when we left the hamlet, and by strik- 
 ing a free gait, we covered the intervening distance 
 in less than an hour, and a half. The mesa between 
 the two rivers was covered with through cattle, and 
 as we neared the herd in question, we were met by 
 
TURNING THE TABLES 205 
 
 the larger one of the two chief deputies. The under- 
 sheriff was on his way to town, but on sighting 
 his superior among us, he halted and a conference 
 ensued. Sponsilier and Priest made a great ado 
 over the big deputy on meeting, and after a few in- 
 quiries were exchanged, the latter turned to Sheriff 
 Phillips and said : 
 
 " Well, we served the papers and I left the other 
 two boys in temporary possession of the cattle. It 's 
 a badly mixed-up affair. The Texas foreman is still 
 in charge, and he seems like a reasonable fellow. 
 The terms of the sale were to be half cash here 
 and the balance at the point of delivery. But the 
 buyers only paid forty thousand down, and the trail 
 boss refuses to start until they make good their 
 agreement. From what I could gather from the 
 foreman, the buyers simply buffaloed the young 
 fellow out of his beeves, and are now hanging back 
 for more favorable terms. He accepted service 
 all right and assured me that our men would be 
 welcome at his wagon until further notice, so I left 
 matters just as I found them. But as I was on the 
 point of leajiring, that segundo of the buyers arrived 
 and tried to stir up a little trouble. We all sat down 
 on him rather hard, and as I left he and the Texas 
 foreman were holding quite a big pow-wow." 
 
 " That 's Tolleston aU right," said old man Don, 
 " and you can depend on him stirring up a muss if 
 there 's any show. It 's a mystery to me how I tol- 
 erated that fellow as long as I did. If some of you 
 
206 THE OUTLET 
 
 boys will corner and hold him for me, I 'd enjoy 
 reading his title to him in a few plain words. It 's 
 due him, and I want to pay everything I owe. 
 What's the programme, Mr. Sheriff ?" 
 
 " The only safe thing to do is to get full posses- 
 sion of the cattle," replied Phillips. " My deputies 
 are all right, but they don't thoroughly understand 
 the situation. Mr. Lovell, if you can lend me ten 
 men, I '11 take charge of the herd at once and move 
 them back down the river about seven miles. 
 They 're entirely too near the west line of the 
 county to suit me, and once they 're in our custody 
 the money will be forthcoming, or the expenses will 
 mount up rapidly. Let 's ride." 
 
 The under-sheriff turned back with us. A swell 
 of the mesa cut off a view of the herd, but under 
 the leadership of the deputy we rode to its summit, 
 and there before and under us were both camp and 
 cattle. Arriving at the wagon, Phillips very politely 
 informed the Texas foreman that he would have to 
 take full possession of his beeves for a few days, 
 or until the present difficulties were adjusted. The 
 trail boss was a young fellow of possibly thirty, 
 and met the sheriff's demand with several ques- 
 tions, but, on being assured that his employer's 
 equity in the herd would be fully protected with- 
 out expense, he offered no serious objection. It 
 developed that Reed had some slight acquaintance 
 with the seller of the cattle, and lost no time in 
 informing the trail boss of the record of the parties 
 
TURNING THE TABLES 207 
 
 with whom his employer was dealing. The one- 
 armed drover's language was plain, the foreman 
 knew Seed by reputation, and when Lovell assured 
 the young man that he would be welcome at any of 
 his wagons, and would be perfectly at liberty to 
 see that his herd was properly cared for, he yielded 
 without a word. My sympathies were with the 
 foreman, for he seemed an honest fellow, and delib- 
 erately to take his herd from him, to my impulsive 
 reasoning looked like an injustice. But the sheriff 
 and those two old cowmen were determined, and the 
 young fellow probably acted for the best in making 
 a graceful surrender. 
 
 Meanwhile the two deputies in charge failed to 
 materialize, and on inquiry they were reported as 
 out at the herd with ToUeston. The foreman accom- 
 panied us to the cattle, and while on the way he 
 informed the sheriff that he wished to count the 
 beeves over to him and take a receipt for the same. 
 Phillips hesitated, as he was no cowman, but Reed 
 spoke up and insisted that it was fair and just, 
 saying : " Of course, you '11 count the cattle and 
 give him a receipt in numbers, ages, and brands. 
 It 's not this young man's fault that his herd must 
 iindergo all this trouble, and when he turns them 
 o^fer to an of&cer of the law he ought to have some- 
 thing to show for it. Any of Lovell's foremen here 
 will count them to a hair for you, and Don and 
 I will witness the receipt, which will make it good 
 among cowmen." 
 
208 THE OUTLET 
 
 Without loss of time the herd was started east. 
 ToUeston kept well out of reach of my employer, 
 and besought every one to know what this move- 
 ment meant. But when the trail boss and Jim 
 Flood rode out to a swell of ground ahead, and the 
 point-men began filing the column through between 
 the two foremen, Archie was sagacious enough to 
 know that the count meant something serious. In 
 the mean time Bob Quirk had favored ToUeston 
 with his company, and when the count was nearly 
 half over, my brother quietly informed him that 
 the sheriff was taking possession. Once the atmo- 
 sphere cleared, Archie grew uneasy and restless, 
 and as the last few hundred beeves were passing 
 the counters, he suddenly concluded to return to 
 Ogalalla. But my brother urged him not to think 
 of going until he had met his former employer, 
 assuring ToUeston that the old man had made 
 inquiry about and was anxious to meet him. The 
 latter, however, could not remember anything of 
 urgent importance between them, and pleaded the 
 lateness of the hour and the necessity of his imme- 
 diate return to town. The more urgent Bob Quirk 
 became, the more fidgety grew Archie. The last 
 of the cattle were passing the count as ToUeston 
 turned away from my brother's entreaty, and giv- 
 ing his horse the rowel, started off on a gaUop. 
 But there was a scattering field of horsemen to 
 pass, and before the parting guest could clear it, a 
 half-dozen ropes circled in the air and deftly settled 
 
TUENING THE TABLES 209 
 
 over his horse's neck and himself, one of which 
 pinioned his arms. The boys were expecting some- 
 thing of this nature, and fully half the men in 
 Lovell's employ galloped up and formed a circle 
 around the captive, now livid with rage. Archie 
 was cursing by both note and rhyme, and had man- 
 aged to unearth a knife and was trying to cut the 
 lassos which fettered himself and horse, when Dorg 
 Seay rode in and rapped him over the knuckles 
 with a six-shooter, saying, " Don't do that, sweet- 
 heart ; those ropes cost thirty-five cents apiece." 
 
 Fortunately the knife was knocked from Tolles- 
 ton's hand and his six-shooter secured, rendering 
 him powerless to inflict injury to any one. The 
 cattle count had ended, and escorted by a cordon 
 of mounted men, both horse and captive were led 
 over to where a contingent had gathered around 
 to hear the result of the count. I was merely a de- 
 lighted spectator, and as the other men turned from 
 the cattle and met us, Lovell languidly threw one 
 leg over his horse's neck, and, suppressing a smile, 
 greeted his old foreman. 
 
 " Hello, Archie," said he ; " it 's been some little 
 time since last we met. I 've been hearing some bad 
 reports about you, and was anxious to meet up and 
 talk matters over. Boys, take those ropes off his 
 horse and give him back his irons ; I raised this man 
 and made him the cow-hand he is, and there 's no- 
 thing so serious between us that we should remain 
 strangers. Now, Archie, I want you to know that 
 
210 THE OUTLET 
 
 you are in the employ of my enemies, who are as 
 big a set of scoundrels as ever missed a halter. 
 You and Flood, here, were the only two men in my 
 employ who knew all the facts in regard to the 
 Buf ord contract. And just because I would n't favor 
 you over a blind horse, you must hunt up the very 
 men who are trying to undermine me on this drive. 
 No wonder they gave you employment, for you 're a 
 valuable man to them ; but it 's at a serious loss, — 
 the loss of your honor. You can't go home to Texas 
 and again be respected among men. This outfit you 
 are with will promise you the earth, but the moment 
 that they 're through with you, you won't cut any 
 more figure than a last year's bird's nest. They '11 
 throw you aside like an old boot, and you '11 fall 
 so hard that you '11 hear the clock tick in China. 
 Now, Archie, it hurts me to see a young fellow like 
 you go wrong, and I 'm willing to forgive the past 
 and stretch out a hand to save you. If you '11 quit 
 those people, you can have Flood's cattle from here 
 to the Rosebud Agency, or I '11 buy you a ticket 
 home and you can help with the fall work at the 
 ranch. You may have a day or two to think this 
 matter over, and whatever you decide on will be 
 final. You have shown little gratitude for the op- 
 portunities that I 've given you, but we '11 break the 
 old slate and start all over with a new one. Now, 
 that 's all I wanted to say to you, except to do your 
 own thinking. If you 're going back to town, I '11 
 ride a short distance with you." 
 
TURNING THE TABLES 211 
 
 The two rode away together, but halted within 
 sight for a short conference, after which Lovell 
 returned. The cattle were being drifted east by the 
 deputies and several of our boys, the trail boss 
 having called off his men on an agreement of the 
 count. The herd had tallied out thirty-six hundred 
 and ten head, but in making out the receipt, the 
 fact was developed that there were some six hun- 
 dred beeves not in the regular road brand. These 
 had been purchased extra from another source, and 
 had been paid for in f uU by the buyers, the seller of 
 the main herd agreeing to deliver them along with 
 his own. This was fortunate, as it increased the 
 equity of the buyers in the cattle, and more than 
 established a sufficient interest to satisfy the judg- 
 ment and all expenses. 
 
 Darkness was approaching, which hastened our 
 actions. Two men from 6ach outfit present were 
 detailed to hold the cattle that night, and were sent 
 on ahead to Priest's camp to secure their suppers 
 and a change of mounts. The deposed trail boss 
 accepted an invitation to accompany us and spend 
 the night at one of our wagons, and we rode away 
 to overtake the drifting herd. The different outfits 
 one by one dropped out and rode for their camps ; 
 but as mine lay east and across the river, the course 
 of the herd was carrying me home. After passing 
 The Rebel's wagon fully a half mile, we rounded in 
 the herd, which soon lay down to rest on the bed- 
 gTound. In the gathering twilight, the camp-fires 
 
212 THE OUTLET 
 
 of nearly a dozen trail wagons were gleaming up 
 and down the river, and while we speculated with 
 Sponsilier's boys which one was ours, the guard 
 arrived and took the bedded herd. The two old 
 cowmen and the trail boss had dropped out opposite 
 my brother's camp, leaving something like ten men 
 with the attached beeves; but on being relieved 
 by the first watch. Flood invited Sheriff Phillips 
 and his deputies across the river to spend the night 
 with him. 
 
 " Like to, mighty well, but can't do it," replied 
 Phillips. " The sheriff's office is supposed to be in 
 town, and not over on the North Fork, but I '11 leave 
 two of these deputies with you. Some of you had 
 better ride in to-morrow, for there may be overtures 
 made looking towards a settlement ; and treat those 
 beeves well, so that there can be no charge of damage 
 to the cattle. Good-night, everybody." 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 TOLLESTON BUTTS IN 
 
 MoENHSTG dawned on a scene of pastoral grandeur. 
 The valley of the North Platte was dotted with 
 cattle from hiU and plain. The river, well confined 
 within its low banks, divided an unsurveyed domain 
 of green-swarded meadows like a boundary line 
 between vast pastures. The exodus of cattle from 
 Texas to the new Northwest was nearing flood-tide, 
 and from every swell and knoll the solitary figure 
 of the herdsman greeted the rising sun. 
 
 Sponsilier and I had agreed to rejoin our own 
 outfits at the first opportunity. We might have 
 exchanged places the evening before, but I had 
 a horse and some ammunition at Dave's camp and 
 was just contentious enough not to give up a single 
 animal from my own mount. On the other hand, 
 Mr. Dave Sponsilier would have traded whole re- 
 mudas with me ; but my love for a good horse was 
 strong, and Fort Buford was many a weary mile 
 distant. Hence there was no surprise shown as 
 Sponsilier rode up to his own wagon that morning 
 in time for breakfast. We were good friends when 
 personal advantages did not conflict, and where our 
 employer's interests were at stake we stood shoulder 
 
214 THE OUTLET 
 
 to shoulder like comrades. Yet Dave gave me a big 
 jolly about being daffy over my horses, well know- 
 ing that there is an indescribable nearness between 
 one of our craft and his own mount. But warding 
 off his raillery, just the same and in due time, I 
 cantered away on my own horse. 
 
 As I rode up the North Fork towards my outfit, 
 the attached herd was in plain view across the 
 river. Arriving at my own wagon, I saw a mute 
 appeal in every face for permission to go to town, 
 and consent was readily granted to all who had not 
 been excused on a similar errand the day before. 
 The cook and horse-wrangler were included, and 
 the activities of the outfit in saddling and getting 
 away were suggestive of a prairie fire or a stampede. 
 I accompanied them across the river, and then turned 
 upstream to my brother's camp, promising to join 
 them later and make a full day of it. At Bob's 
 wagon they had stretched a fly, and in its shade 
 lounged half a dozen men, while an air of languid 
 indolence pervaded the camp. Without dismount- 
 ing, I announced myself as on the way to town, 
 and invited any one who wished to accompany me. 
 Lovell and Reed both declined ; half of Bob's men 
 had been excused and started an hour before, but 
 my brother assured me that if I would wait until 
 the deposed foreman returned, the latter's company 
 could be counted on. I waited, and in the course 
 of half an hour the trail boss came back from his 
 cattle. During the interim, the two old cowmen 
 
TOLLESTON BUTTS IN 215 
 
 reviewed Grant's siege of Vicksburg, both having 
 been participants, but on opposite sides. While the 
 guest was shifting his saddle to a loaned horse, I 
 inquired if there was anything that I could attend 
 to for any one at Ogalalla. Lovell could think of 
 nothing ; but as we mounted to start, Reed aroused 
 himself, and coming over, rested the stub of his 
 armless sleeve on my horse's neck, saying : 
 
 " You boys might drop into the sheriff's office as 
 you go in and also again as you are starting back. 
 Report the cattle as having spent a quiet night and 
 ask Phillips if he has any word for me." 
 
 Turning to the trail boss he continued : " Young 
 man, I would suggest that you hunt up your em- 
 ployer and have him stir things up. The cattle will 
 be well taken care of, but we 're just as anxious to 
 turn them back to you as you are to receive them. 
 TeU the seller that it would be weU worth his while 
 to see Lovell and myself before going any farther. 
 We can put him in possession of a few facts that 
 may s'ave him time and trouble. I reckon that's 
 about all. Oh, yes, I 'U be at this wagon all even- 
 ing." 
 
 My brother rode a short distance with us and 
 introduced the stranger as Hugh Morris. He 
 proved a sociable fellow, had made three trips up 
 the trail as foreman, his first two herds having gone 
 to the Cherokee Strip under contract. By the time 
 we reached Ogalalla, as strong a fraternal level 
 existed between us as though we had known each 
 
216 THE OUTLET 
 
 other for years. Halting for a moment at the sher- 
 iff's office, we delivered our messages, after which 
 we left our horses at the same corral with the under- 
 standing that we would ride back together. A few 
 drinks were indulged in before parting, then each 
 went to attend to his own errands, but we met 
 frequently during the day. Once my boys were 
 provided with funds, they fell to gambling so 
 eagerly that they required no further thought on 
 my part until evening. Several times during the 
 day 1 caught glimpses of ToUeston, always on horse- 
 back, and once surrounded by quite a cavalcade of 
 horsemen. Morris and I took dinner at the hotel 
 where the trio of government jobbers were stopping. 
 They were in evidence, and amongst the joUiest of 
 the guests, commanding and receiving the best that 
 the hostelry afforded. Sutton was likewise present, 
 but quiet and unpretentious, and I thought there 
 was a false, affected note in the hilarity of the 
 ringsters, and for effect. I was known to two of 
 the trio, but managed to overhear any conver- 
 sation which was adrift. After dinner and over 
 fragrant cigars, they reared their feet high on an 
 outer gallery, and the inference could be easily 
 drawn that a contract, unless it involved millions, 
 was beneath their notice. 
 
 Morris informed me that his employer's suspi- 
 cions were aroused, and that he had that morning 
 demanded a settlement in fuU or the immediate re- 
 lease of the herd. They had laughed the matter off 
 
TOLLESTON BUTTS IN 217 
 
 aa a mere incident that would right itself at the 
 proper time, and flashed as references a list of con- 
 gressmen, senators, and bankers galore. But Morris's 
 employer had stood firm in his contentions, refus- 
 ing to be overawed by flattery or empty promises. 
 What would be the result remained to be seen, and 
 the foreman and myself wandered aimlessly around 
 town during the afternoon, meeting other trail 
 bosses, nearly all of whom had heard more or less 
 about the existing trouble. That we had the sym- 
 pathy of the cattle interests on our side goes with- 
 out saying, and one of them, known as " the kid- 
 gloved foreman," a man in the employ of Shanghai 
 Pierce, invoked the powers above to witness what 
 would happen if he were in Lovell's boots. This 
 was my first meeting with the picturesque trail 
 boss, though I had heard of him often and found 
 him a trifle boastful but not a bad fellow. He dis- 
 tinguished himself from otliers of his station on the 
 trail by always wearing white shirts, kid gloves, 
 riding-boots, inlaid spurs, while a heavy silver chain 
 was wound several times round a costly sombrero 
 in lieu of a hatband. We spent an hour or more 
 together, drinking sparingly, and at parting he 
 begged that I would assure my employer that he 
 sympathized with him and was at his command. 
 
 The afternoon was waning when I hunted up my 
 outfit and started them for camp. With one or two 
 exceptions, the boys were broke and perfectly will- 
 ing to go. Morris and I joined them at the livery 
 
218 THE OUTLET 
 
 where they had left their horses, and together we 
 started out of town. Ordering them to ride on to 
 camp, and saying that I expected to return by way 
 of Bob Quirk's wagon, Morris and myseK stopped 
 at the court-house. Sheriff Phillips was in his office 
 and recognized us both at a glance. " Well, she 's 
 working," said he, " and I '11 probably have some 
 word for you late this evening. Yes, one of the 
 local attorneys for your friends came in and we 
 figured everything up. He thought that if this 
 office would throw off a certain per cent, of its 
 expense, and Reed would knock off the interest, his 
 clients would consent to a settlement. I told him 
 to go right back and tell his people that as long as 
 they thought that way, it would only cost them one 
 hundred and forty dollars every twenty-four hours. 
 The lawyer was back within twenty minutes, bring- 
 ing a draft, covering every item, and urged me 
 to have it accepted by wire. The bank was closed, 
 but I found the cashier in a poker-game and 
 played his hand while he went over to the depot 
 and sent the message. The operator has orders to 
 send a duplicate of the answer to this office, and 
 the moment I get it, if favorable, I '11 send a deputy 
 with the news over to the North Fork. TeUEeed 
 that I think the check 's all right this time, but we '11 
 stand pat until we know for a certainty. We '11 get 
 an answer by morning sure." 
 
 The message was hailed with delight at Bob 
 Quirk's wagon. On nearing the river, Morris rode 
 
TOLLESTON BUTTS IN 219 
 
 by way of the herd to ask the deputies in charge 
 to turn the cattle up the river towards his camp. 
 Several of the foreman's men were waiting at my 
 brother's wagon, and on Morris's return he ordered 
 his outfit to meet the beeves the next morning and 
 be in readiness to receive them back. Our fore- 
 men were lying around temporary headquarters, 
 and as we were starting for our respective camps 
 for the night, Lovell suggested that we hold our 
 outfits all ready to move out with the herds on an 
 hour's notice. Accordingly the next morning, I 
 refused every one leave of absence, and gave special 
 orders to the cook and horse-wrangler to have things 
 in hand to start on an emergency order. Jim Flood 
 had agreed to wait for me, and we would recross the 
 river together and hear the report from the sheriff's 
 office. Forrest and Sponsilier rode up about the 
 same time we arrived at his wagon, and all four of 
 us set out for headquarters across the North Fork. 
 The sun was several hours high when we reached 
 the wagon, and learned that an officer had arrived 
 during the night with a favorable answer, that 
 the cattle had been turned over to Morris without 
 a count, and that the deputies had started for town 
 at daybreak. 
 
 "Well, bqys," said Lovell, as we came in after 
 picketing our horses, " Reed, here, wins out, but 
 we 're just as much at sea as ever. I 've looked the 
 situation over from a dozen different viewpoints, 
 and the only thing to do is graze across country 
 
220 THE OUTLET 
 
 and. tender our cattle at Fort Buford. It's my 
 nature to look on the bright side of things, and yet 
 I 'm old enough to know that justice, in a world so 
 full of injustice, is a rarity. By allowing the ear- 
 nest-money paid at Dodge to apply, some kind of a 
 compromise might be effected, whereby I could get 
 rid of two of these herds, with three hundred saddle 
 horses thrown back on my hands at the Yellow- 
 stone River. I might dispose of the third herd here 
 and give the remuda away, but at a total loss of at 
 least thirty thousand dollars on the Buford cattle. 
 But then there 's my bond to The Western Supply 
 Company, and if this herd of Morris's fails to 
 respond on the day of delivery, I know who will 
 have to make good. An Indian uprising, or the 
 enforcement of quarantine against Texas fever, or 
 any one of a dozen things might tie up the herd, 
 and September the 15th come and go and no beef 
 offered on the contract. I 've seen outfits start out 
 and never get through with the chuck-wagon, even. 
 Sutton's advice is good; we'll tender the cattle. 
 There is a chance that we '11 get turned down, but 
 if we do, I have enough indemnity money in my 
 possession to temper the wind if the day of delivery 
 should prove a chilly one to us. I think you had 
 all better start in the morning." 
 
 The old man's review of the situation was a 
 rational one, in which Jim Reed and the rest of us 
 concurred. Several of the foremen, among them 
 myself, were anxious to start at once, but Lovell 
 
TOLLESTON BUTTS IN 221 
 
 urged that we kill a beef before starting and divide 
 it up among the six outfits. He also proposed to 
 Plood that they go into town during the afternoon 
 and freely announce our departure in the morning, 
 hoping to force any issue that might be smoulder- 
 ing in the enemy's camp. The outlook for an early 
 departure was hailed with delight by the older 
 foremen, and we younger and more impulsive ones 
 yielded. The cook had orders to get up something 
 extra for dinner, and we played cards and other- 
 wise lounged around until the midday meal was an- 
 nounced as ready. A horse had been gotten up for 
 Lovell to ride and was on picket, all the relieved 
 men from the attached herd were at Bob's wagon for 
 dinner, and jokes and jollity graced the occasion. 
 But near the middle of the noon repast, some one 
 sighted a mounted man coming at a furious pace 
 for the camp, and shortly the horseman dashed up 
 and inquired for Lovell. We all arose, when the 
 messenger dismounted and handed my employer a 
 letter. Tearing open the missive, the old man read 
 it and turned ashy pale. The message was from 
 Mike Sutton, stating that a fourth member of the 
 ring had arrived during the forenoon, accompanied 
 by a United States marshal from the federal court 
 at Omaha; that the officer was armed with an 
 order of injunctive relief; that he had deputized 
 thirty men whom Tolleston had gathered, and pro- 
 posed taking possession of the two herds in ques- 
 tion that afternoon. 
 
222 THE OUTLET 
 
 " Like hell they wiU," said Don Lovell, as he 
 started for his horse. His action was followed by 
 every man present, including the one-armed guest, 
 and within a few minutes thirty men swung into 
 saddles, subject to orders. The camps of the two 
 herds at issue were about four and five miles down 
 and across the river, and no doubt ToUeston knew 
 of their location, as they were only a little more 
 than an hour's ride from Ogalalla. There was no 
 time to be lost, and as we hastily gathered around 
 the old man, he said : " Ride for your outfits, boys, 
 and bring along every man you can spare. We '11 
 meet north of the river about midway between 
 Quince's and Tom's camps. Bring all the cartridges 
 you have, and don't spare your horses going or 
 coming." 
 
 Priest's wagon was almost on a line with mine, 
 though south of the river. Fortunately I was 
 mounted on one of the best horses in my string, 
 and having the farthest to go, shook the kinks out 
 of him as old Paul and myself tore down the mesa. 
 After passing The Rebel's camp, I held my course 
 as long as the footing was solid, but on encounter- 
 ing the first sadd, crossed the river nearly opposite 
 the appointed rendezvous. The North Platte was 
 fordable at any point, flowing but a midsummer 
 stage of water, with numerous wagon crossings, its 
 shallow channel being about one hundred yards 
 wide. I reined in my horse for the first time near 
 the middle of the stream, as the water reached my 
 
TOLLESTON BUTTS IN 223 
 
 saddle-skirts; when I came out on the other side, 
 Priest and his boys were not a mile behind me. As 
 I turned down the river, casting a backward glance, 
 squads of horsemen were galloping in from several 
 quarters and joining a larger one which was throw- 
 ing up clouds of dust like a column of cavalry. In 
 making a cut-off to reach my camp, I crossed a 
 sand dune from which I sighted the marshal's 
 posse less than two miles distant. My boys were 
 gambling among themselves, not a horse under 
 saddle, and did not notice my approach until I 
 dashed up. Three lads were on herd, but the rest, 
 including the wrangler, ran for their mounts on 
 picket, while Parent and myself ransacked the 
 wagon for ammunition. Fortunately the supply 
 of the latter was abundant, and while saddles were 
 being cinched on horses, the cook and I divided the 
 ammunition and distributed it among the men. The 
 few minutes' rest refreshed my horse, but as we 
 dashed away, the boys yelling like Comanches, the 
 five-mile ride had bested him and he fell slightly 
 behind. As we turned into the open valley, it was 
 a question if we or the marshal would reach the 
 stream first; he had followed an old wood road 
 and would strike the river nearly opposite Forrest's 
 camp. The horses were excited and straining every 
 nerve, and as we neared our crowd the posse halted 
 on the south side and I noticed a conveyance 
 among them in which were seated four men. There 
 was a moment's consultation held, when the posse 
 
224 THE OUTLET 
 
 entered tHe water and began fording the stream, 
 the vehicle and its occupants remaining on the 
 other side. We had halted in a circle about fifty 
 yards back from the river-bank, and as the first 
 two men came out of the water, Don Lovell rode 
 forward several lengths of his horse, and with his 
 hand motioned to them to halt. The leaders stopped 
 within easy speaking distance, the remainder of the 
 posse halting in groups at their rear, when Lovell 
 demanded the meaning of this demonstration. 
 
 An inquiry and answer followed identifying 
 the speakers. " In pursuance of an order from the 
 federal court of this jurisdiction," continued the 
 marshal, " I am vested with authority to take into 
 my custody two herds, numbering nearly seven 
 thousand beeves, now in your possession, and re- 
 cently sold to Field, Radcliff & Co. for government 
 purposes. I propose to execute my orders peaceably, 
 and any interference on your part will put you and 
 your men in contempt of government authority. If 
 resistance is offered, I can, if necessary, have a 
 company of United States cavalry here from Fort 
 Logan within forty-eight hours to enforce the man- 
 dates of the federal court. Now my advice to you 
 would be to turn these cattle over without further 
 controversy." 
 
 " And my advice to you," replied Lovell, " is to 
 go back to your federal court and teU that judge 
 that as a citizen of these United States, and one 
 who has borne arms in her defense, I object to 
 

 >.,• 
 
 
 E.R^rt. '■.^'■Ti: 
 
 THE HIRELING DEPUTIES PLUNGED INTO THE RIVER 
 
TOLLESTON BUTTS IN 225 
 
 having snap judgment rendered against me. If 
 the honorable court which you have the pleasure to 
 represent is willing to dispossess me of my property 
 in favor of a ring of government thieves, and on 
 only hearing one side of the question, then consider 
 me in contempt. I'll gladly go back to Omaha 
 with you, but you can't so much as look at a hoof 
 in my possession. Now call your troops, or take me 
 with you for treating with scorn the orders of your 
 court." 
 
 Meanwhile every man on our side had an eye on 
 Archie ToUeston, who had gradually edged forward 
 until his horse stood beside that of the marshal. 
 Before the latter could frame a reply to LoveU's 
 ultimatum, Tolleston said to the federal officer: 
 
 " Did n't my employers tell you that the old 
 
 would defy you without a demonstration of 
 
 soldiers at your back ? Now, the laugh 's on you, 
 and — " 
 
 "No, it's on you," interrupted a voice at my 
 back, accompanied by a pistol report. My horse 
 jumped forward, followed by a fusillade of shots 
 behind me, when the hireling deputies turned and 
 plunged into the river. Tolleston had wheeled his 
 horse, joining the retreat, and as I brought my 
 six-shooter into action and was in the act of level- 
 ing on him, he reeled from the saddle, but clung 
 to the neck of his mount as the animal dashed 
 into the water. I held my fire in the hope that he 
 would right in the saddle and afford me a shot, but 
 
226 THE OUTLET 
 
 he struck a swift current, released his hold, and. 
 sunk out of sight. Above the din and excitement 
 of the moment, I heard a voice which I recognized 
 as Reed's, shouting, " Cut loose on that team, boys !• 
 blaze away at those harness horses ! " Evidently the 
 team had been burnt by random firing, for they 
 were rearing and plunging, and as I fired my first 
 shot at them, the occupants sprang out of the vehicle 
 and the team ran away. A lull occurred in the 
 shooting, to eject shells and refill cylinders, which 
 Lovell took advantage of by ordering back a num- 
 ber of impulsive lads, who were determined to follow 
 up the fleeing deputies. 
 
 " Come back here, you rascals, and stop this 
 shooting ! " shouted the old man. " Stop it, now, 
 or you '11 land me in a federal prison for life ! Those 
 horsemen may be deceived. When federal courts 
 can be deluded with sugar-coated blandishments, 
 ordinary men ought to be excusable." 
 
 Six-shooters were returned to their holsters. 
 Several horses and two men on our side had re- 
 ceived slight flesh wounds, as there had been a 
 random return fire. The deputies halted well out 
 of pistol range, covering the retreat of the occu- 
 pants of the carriage as best they could, but leaving 
 three dead horses in plain view. As we dropped 
 back towards Forrest's wagon, the team in the 
 mean time having been caught, those on foot were 
 picked up and given seats in the conveyance. Mean- 
 while a remuda of horses and two chuck-wagons 
 
TOLLESTON BUTTS IN 227 
 
 were sighted back on the old wood road, but a 
 horseman met and halted them and they turned 
 back for Ogalalla. On reaching our nearest camp, 
 the posse south of the river had started on their 
 return, leaving behind one of their number in the 
 muddy waters of the North Platte. 
 
 Late that evening, as we were preparing to leave 
 for our respective camps, Lovell said to the assem- 
 bled foremen : " Quince will take Reed and me into 
 Ogalalla about midnight. If Sutton advises it, all 
 three of us will go down to Omaha and try and 
 square things. I can't escape a severe fine, but 
 what do I care as long as I have their money to 
 pay it with ? The killing of that fool boy worries 
 me more than a dozen fines. It was uncalled for, 
 too, but he would butt in, and you fellows were all 
 itching for the chance to finger a trigger. Now the 
 understanding is that you all start in the morning." 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 CROSSING THE NIOBRARA 
 
 The parting of the ways was reached. On the 
 morning of July 12, the different outfits in charge 
 of Lovell's drive in '84 started on three angles of 
 the compass for their final destination. The Rose- 
 bud Agency, where Flood's herd was to be delivered 
 on September 1, lay to the , northeast in Dakota. 
 The route was not direct, and the herd would be 
 forced to make quite an elbow, touching on the dif- 
 ferent forks of the Loup in order to secure water. 
 The Rebel and my brother would follow up on the 
 south side of the North Platte until near old Fort 
 Laramie, when their ro\jtes would separate, the latter 
 turning north for Montana, while Priest would con- 
 tinue along the same watercourse to within a short 
 distance of his destination. The Buford herds would 
 strike due north from the first tributary putting in 
 from above, which we would intercept the second 
 morning out. 
 
 An early start was the order of the day. My 
 beeves were pushed from the bed-ground with the 
 first sign of dawn, and when the relief overtook 
 them, they were several miles back from the river 
 and holding a northwest course. My camp being 
 
CROSSING THE NIOBRAEA 229 
 
 the lowest one on the North Fork, Forrest and Spon- 
 silier, also starting at daybreak, naturally took the 
 lead, the latter having fully a five-mile start over 
 my outfit. But as we left the valley and came up 
 on the mesa, there on an angle in our front, Flood's 
 herd snailed along like an army brigade, anxious 
 to dispute our advance. The point-men veered our 
 cattle slightly to the left, and as the drag-end of 
 Flood's beeves passed before us, standing in our 
 stirrups we waved our hats in farewell to the lads, 
 starting on their last tack for the Eosebud Agency. 
 Across the river were the dim outlines of two 
 herds trailing upstream, being distinguishable from 
 numerous others by the dust-clouds which marked 
 the moving from the grazing cattle. The course of 
 the North Platte was southwest, and on the direction 
 which we were holding, we would strike the river 
 again during the afternoon at a bend some ten or 
 twelve miles above. 
 
 Near the middle of the forenoon we were met 
 by Hugh Morris. He was discouraged, as it was 
 well known now that his cattle would be tendered 
 in competition with ours at Fort Buford. There was 
 no comparison between the beeves, ours being 
 much larger, more uniform in weight, and in better 
 flesh. He looked over both Forrest's and Spon- 
 silier's herds before meeting us, and was good 
 enough judge of cattle to know that his stood no 
 chance against ours, if they were to be received on 
 their merits. We talked matters over for fully an 
 
230 THE OUTLET 
 
 hour, and I advised him never to leave Keith County 
 until the last dollar in payment for his beeves was 
 in hand. Morris thought this was quite possible, 
 as information had reached him that the buyers had 
 recently purchased a remuda, and now, since they 
 had failed to take possession of two of Lovell's 
 herds, it remained to be seen what the next move 
 would be. He thought it quite likely, though, that 
 a settlement could be effected whereby he would 
 be relieved at Ogalalla. Mutually hoping that all 
 would turn out well, we parted until our paths 
 should cross again. 
 
 We intercepted the North Fork again during the 
 afternoon, watering from it for the last time, and 
 the next morning struck the Blue Kiver, the ex- 
 pected tributary. Sponsilier maintained his posi- 
 tion in the lead, but I was certain when we reached 
 the source of the Blue, David would fall to the rear, 
 as thenceforth there was neither trail nor trace, map 
 nor compass. The year before, Forrest and I had 
 been over the route to the Pine Ridge Agency, 
 and one or the other of us must take the lead across 
 a dry country between the present stream and trib- 
 utaries of the Niobrara. The Blue possessed the 
 attributes of a river in name only, and the third 
 day up it, Sponsilier crossed the tributary to allow 
 either Forrest or myself to take the lead. Quince 
 professed a remarkable ignorance and faulty mem- 
 ory as to the topography of the country between the 
 Blue and Niobrara, and threw bouquets at me re- 
 
CROSSING THE NIOBRARA 231 
 
 garding my ability always to find water. It is true 
 that I had gone and returned across this arid belt 
 the year before, but on the back trip it was late in 
 the fall, and we were making forty miles a day with 
 nothing but a wagon and remuda, water being the 
 least of my troubles. But a compromise was effected 
 whereby we would both ride out the country anew, 
 leaving the herds to lie over on the head waters of 
 the Blue Kiver. There were several shallow lakes 
 in the intervening country, and on finding tha first 
 one sufficient to our needs, the herds were brought 
 up, and we scouted again in advance. The abun- 
 dance of antelope was accepted as an assurance 
 of water, and on recognizing certain landmarks, 
 I agreed to take the lead thereafter, and we turned 
 back. The seventh day out from the Blue, the 
 Box Buttes were sighted, at the foot of which ran 
 a creek by the same name, and an affluent of the 
 Niobrara. Contrary to expectations, water was even 
 more plentiful than the year before, and we grazed 
 nearly the entire distance. The antelope were un- 
 usually tame ; with six-shooters we killed quite a 
 number by flagging, or using a gentle horse for 
 a blind, driving the animal forward with the bridle 
 reins, tacking frequently, and allowing him to graze 
 up within pistol range. 
 
 The Niobrara was a fine grazing country. Since 
 we had over two months at our disposal, after leav- 
 ing the North Platte, every advantage was given 
 the cattle to round into form. Ten miles was a day's 
 
232 THE OUTLET 
 
 move, and the different outfits kept in close touch 
 with each other. We had planned a picnic for the 
 crossing of the Niobrara, and on reaching that 
 stream during the afternoon, Sponsilier and my- 
 self crossed, camping a mile apart, Forrest remain- 
 ing on the south side. Wild raspberries had been 
 extremely plentiful, and every wagon had gathered 
 a quantity sufficient to make a pie for each man. 
 The cooks had mutually agreed to meet at Spon- 
 silier's wagon and do the baking, and every man 
 not on herd was present in expectation of the com- 
 ing banquet. One of Forrest's boys had a fiddle, 
 and bringing it along, the festivities opened with 
 a stag dance, the "ladies" being designated by 
 wearing a horse-hobble loosely around their necks. 
 While the pies were baking, a slow process with 
 Dutch ovens, I sat on the wagon-tongue and played 
 the violin by the hour. A rude imitation of the 
 gentler sex, as we had witnessed in dance-halls in 
 Dodge and Ogalalla, was reproduced with open 
 shirt fronts, and amorous advances by the sterner 
 one. 
 
 The dancing ceased the moment the banquet was 
 ready. The cooks had experienced considerable 
 trouble in restraining some of the boys from the too 
 free exercise of what they looked upon as the inalien- 
 able right of man to eat his pie when, where, and 
 how it best pleased him. But Sponsilier, as host, 
 stood behind the culinary trio, and overawed the 
 impetuous guests. The repast barely concluded in 
 
CROSSING THE NIOBRAEA 233 
 
 time for the wranglers and first guard from Forrest's 
 and my outfit to reach camp, catch night-horses, bed 
 the cattle, and excuse the herders, as supper was 
 served only at the one wagon. The relieved ones, like 
 eleventh-hour guests, came tearing" in after dark- 
 ness, and the tempting spread soon absorbed them. 
 As the evening wore on, the loungers gathered in 
 several circles, and the raconteur held sway. The 
 fact that we were in a country in which game 
 abounded suggested numerous stories. The de- 
 lights of cat-hunting by night found an enthusiast 
 in each one present. Every dog in our memory, 
 back to early boyhood, was properly introduced and 
 his best qualities applauded. Not only cat-hounds 
 but coon-dogs had a respectful hearing. 
 
 " I remember a hound," said Forrest's wrangler, 
 " which I owned when a boy back in Virginia. My 
 folks lived in the foot-hills of the Blue Ridge 
 Mountains in that state. We were just as poor as 
 our poorest neighbors. But if there was any one 
 thing that that section was rich in it was dogs, 
 principally hounds. This dog of mine was four 
 years old when I left home to go to Texas. Fine 
 hound, swallow marked, and when he opened on a 
 scent you could always tell what it was that he was 
 running. I never allowed him to run with packs, 
 but generally used him in treeing coon, which pes- 
 tered the cornfields during roasting-ear season and 
 in the fall. Well, after I had been out in Texas 
 about five years, I concluded to go back on a little 
 
234 THE OUTLET 
 
 visit to the old folks. There were no railroads 
 within twenty miles of my home, and I had to hoof 
 it that distance, so I arrived after dark. Of course 
 my return was a great surprise to my folks, and 
 we sat up late telling stories about things out West. 
 I had worked with cattle all the time, and had made 
 one trip over the trail from Collin County to 
 Abilene, Kansas. 
 
 " My folks questioned me so fast that they gave 
 me no show to make any inquiries in return, but I 
 finally eased one in and asked about my dog Keiser, 
 and was tickled to hear that he was still living. I 
 Went out and called him, but he failed to show up, 
 when mother explained his absence by saying that 
 he often went out hunting alone now, since there 
 was none of us boys at home to hunt with him. 
 They told me that he was no account any longer ; 
 that he had grown old and gray, and father said he 
 was too slow on trail to be of any use. I noticed 
 that it was a nice damp night, and if my old dog 
 had been there, I think I 'd have taken a circle 
 around the fields in the hope of hearing him sing 
 once more. Well, we went back into the house, 
 and after talking awhile longer, I climbed into the 
 loft and went to bed. I did n't sleep very sound 
 that night, and awakened several times. About 
 an hour before daybreak, I awoke suddenly and 
 imagined I heard a hound baying faintly in the 
 distance. Finally I got up and opened the board 
 window in the gable and listened. Say, boys, I 
 
CEOSSING THE NIOBRARA 235 
 
 knew that hound's baying as well as I know my 
 own saddle. It was old Keiser, and he had some- 
 thing treed about a mile from the house, across a 
 ridge over in some slashes. I slipped on my clothes, 
 crept downstairs, and taking my old man's rifle out 
 of the rack, started to him. 
 
 "It was as dark as a stack of black cats, but 
 I knew every path and byway by heart. I followed 
 the fields as far as I could, and later, taking into 
 the timber, I had to go around a long swamp. An 
 old beaver dam had once crossed the outlet of 
 this marsh, and once I gained it, I gave a long yell 
 to let the dog know that some one was coming. He 
 answered me, and quite a little while before day 
 broke I reached him. Did he know me ? Why, he 
 knew me as easy as the little boy knew his pap. 
 Right now, I can't remember any simple thing in 
 my whole life that moved me just as that little re- 
 union of me and my dog, there in those woods that 
 morning. Why, he howled with delight. He licked 
 my face and hands and stood up on me with his wet 
 feet and said just as plain as he could that he was 
 glad to see me again. And I was glad to meet him, 
 even though he did make me feel as mellow as 
 a girl over a baby. 
 
 " Well, when daybreak came, I shot a nice big 
 fat Mr. Zip Coon out of an old pin-oak, and we 
 started for home like old pardners. Old as he was, 
 he played like a puppy around me, and when we 
 came in sight of the house, he ran on ahead and 
 
236 THE OUTLET 
 
 told the folks what he had found. Yes, yon bet he 
 told them. He came near clawing all the clothing 
 oflE them in his delight. That 's one reason I always 
 like a dog and a poor man — you can't question 
 their friendship." 
 
 A circus was in progress on the other side of 
 the wagon. From a large rock, Jake Blair was 
 announcing the various acts and introducing the 
 actors and actresses. Runt Pickett, wearing a skirt 
 made out of a blanket and belted with a hobble, 
 won the admiration of aU as the only living lady 
 lion-tamer. Resuming comfortable positions on our 
 side of the commissary, a lad named WaterwaU, 
 one of Sponsilier's boys, took up the broken thread 
 where Forrest's wrangler had left off. 
 
 "The greatest dog-man I ever knew," said he, 
 "lived on the Guadalupe River. His name was 
 Dave Hapfinger, and he had the loveliest vagabond 
 temperament of any man I ever saw. It mattered 
 nothing what he was doing, all you had to do was 
 to give old Dave a hint that you knew where there 
 was fish to be caught, or a bee-course to hunt, and 
 he would stop the plow and go with you for a week 
 if necessary. He loved hounds better than any man 
 I ever knew. You couldn't confer greater favor 
 than to give him a promising hound pup, or, seek- 
 ing the same, ask for one of his raising. And he 
 was such a good fellow. If any one was sick in the 
 neighborhood, Uncle Dave always had time to kill 
 them a squirrel every day ; and he could make a 
 
CEOSSING THE NIOBEAEA 237 
 
 broth for a baby, or fry a young squirrel, in a man- 
 ner that would make a sick man's mouth water. 
 
 " When I was a boy, I 've laid around many a 
 camp-fire this way and listened to old Dave tell 
 stories. He was quite a humorist in his way, and 
 possessed a wonderful memory. He could tell you 
 the day of the month, thirty years before, when he 
 went to mill one time and found a peculiar bird's 
 nest on the way. Colonel Andrews, owner of sev- 
 eral large plantations, did n't like Dave, and threat- 
 ened to prosecute him once for cutting a bee-tree 
 on his land. If the evidence had been strong enough, 
 I reckon the Colonel would. No doubt Uncle Dave 
 was guilty, but mere suspicion is n't sufficient 
 proof. 
 
 " Colonel Andrews was a haughty old fellow, 
 blue-blooded and proud as a peacock, and about 
 the only way Dave could get even with him was in 
 his own mild, humorous way. One day at dinner at 
 a neighboring log-rolling, when all danger of pro- 
 secution for cutting the bee-tree had passed. Uncle 
 Dave told of a recent dream of his, a pure inven- 
 tion. 'I dreamt,' said he, 'that Colonel Andrews 
 died and went to heaven. There was an unusually 
 big commotion at St. Peter's gate on his arrival. 
 A troop of angels greeted him, still the Colonel 
 seemed displeased at his reception. But the wel- 
 coming hosts humored him forward, and on nearing 
 the throne, the Almighty, recognizing the distin- 
 guished arrival, vacated the throne and came down 
 
238 THE OUTLET 
 
 to greet the Colonel personally. At this mark of 
 appreciation, he relaxed a trifle, and when the 
 Almighty insisted that he should take the throne 
 seat. Colonel Andrews actually smiled for the first 
 time on earth or in heaven.' 
 
 " Uncle Dave told this story so often that he 
 actually believed it himself. But finally a wag friend 
 of Colonel Andrews told of a dream which he had 
 had about old Dave, which the latter hugely en- 
 joyed. According to this second vagary, the old 
 vagabond had also died and gone to heaven. There 
 was some trouble at St. Peter's gate, as they refused 
 to admit dogs, and Uncle Dave always had a troop 
 of hounds at his heels. When he found that it 
 was useless to argue the matter, he finally yielded 
 the point and left the pack outside. Once inside 
 the gate he stopped, bewildered at the scene before 
 him. But after waiting inside some little time 
 unnoticed, he turned and was on the point of asking 
 the gate-keeper to let him out, when an angel ap- 
 proached and asked him to stay. There was some 
 doubt in Dave's mind if he would like the place, 
 but the messenger urged that he remain and at 
 least look the city over. The old hunter good- 
 naturedly consented, and as they started up one of 
 the golden streets Uncle Dave recognized an old 
 friend who had once given him a hound pup. Ex- 
 cusing himself to the angel, he rushed over to his 
 former earthly friend and greeted him with warmth 
 and cordiality. The two old cronies talked and 
 
CROSSING THE NIOBRARA 239 
 
 talked about the things below, and finally Uncle 
 Dave asked if there was any hunting up there. 
 The reply was disappointing. 
 
 " Meanwhile-the angel kept urging Uncle Dave 
 forward to salute the throne. But he loitered along, 
 meeting former hunting acquaintances, and stop- 
 ping with each for a social chat. When they finally 
 neared the throne, the patience of the angel was 
 nearly exhausted ; and as old Dave looked up and 
 saw Colonel Andrews occupying the throne, he re- 
 belled and refused to salute, when the angel wrath- 
 fuUy led him back to the gate and kicked him out 
 among his dogs." 
 
 Jack Splann told a yarn about the friendship of 
 a pet lamb and dog which he owned when a boy. 
 It was so unreasonable that he was interrupted 
 on nearly every assertion. Long before he had 
 finished, Sponsilier checked his narrative and in- 
 formed him that if he insisted on doling out fiction 
 he must have some consideration for his listeners, 
 and at least tell it within reason. Splann stopped 
 right there and refused to conclude his story, though 
 no one but myself seemed to regret it. I had a true 
 incident about a dog which I expected to tell, but 
 the audience had become too critical, and I kept 
 quiet. As it was evident that no more dog stories 
 would be told, the conversation was allowed to drift 
 at will. The recent shooting on the North Platte 
 had been witnessed by nearly every one present, and 
 was suggestive of other scenes. 
 
240 THE OUTLET 
 
 "I have always contended," said Dorg Seay, 
 " that the man who can control his temper always 
 shoots the truest. You take one of these fellows 
 that can smile and shoot at the same time — they 
 are the boys that I want to stand in with. But 
 speaking of losing the temper, did any of you ever 
 see a woman real angry, — not merely cross, but the 
 tigress in her raging and thirsting to tear you limb 
 from limb ? I did only once, but I have never for- 
 gotten the occasion. In supreme anger the only 
 superior to this woman I ever witnessed was Captain 
 Cartwright when he shot the slayer of his only 
 son. He was as cool as a cucumber, as his only shot 
 proved, but years afterward when he told me of 
 the incident, he lost all control of himself, and fire 
 flashed from his eyes like from the muzzle of a six- 
 shooter. ' Dorg,' said he, unconsciously shaking 
 me like a terrier does a rat, his blazing eyes not 
 a foot from my face, 'Dorg, when I shot that cow- 
 ardly , I did n't miss the centre of his 
 
 forehead the width of my thumb nail.' 
 
 " But this woman defied a throng of men. Quite 
 a few of the crowd had assisted the night before in 
 lynching her husband, and this meeting occurred 
 at the burying-ground the next afternoon. The 
 woman's husband was a well-known horse-thief, 
 a dissolute, dangerous character, and had been 
 warned to leave the community. He lived in a little 
 village, and after darkness the evening before, had 
 crept up to a window and shot a man sitting at the 
 
CROSSING THE NIOBRARA 241 
 
 supper-table with his family. The murderer had 
 harbored a grudge against his victim, had made 
 threats, and before he could escape, was caught 
 red-handed with the freshly fired pistol in his hand. 
 The evidence of guilt was beyond question, and 
 a vigilance committee did n't waste any time in 
 hanging him to the nearest tree. 
 
 "The burying took place the next afternoon. 
 The murdered man was a popular citizen, and the 
 village and country turned out to pay^iheir last 
 respects. But when the services were over, a num- 
 ber of us lingered behind, as it was understood that 
 the slayer as well as his victim would be interred 
 in the same grounds. A second grave had been 
 prepared, and within an hour a wagon containing a 
 woman, three small children, and several Mexicans 
 drove up to the rear side of the inclosure. There 
 was no mistaking the party, the coffin was carried 
 in to the open grave, when every one present went 
 over to offer friendly services. But as we neared 
 the little group the woman picked up a shovel 
 and charged on us like a tigress. I never saw such 
 an expression of mingled anger and anguish in a 
 human countenance as was pictured in that woman's 
 face. We shrank from her as if she had been a 
 lioness, and when at last she found her tongue, 
 every word cut like a lash. Livid with rage, the 
 spittle frothing from her mouth, she drove us away, 
 saying : 
 
 " ' Oh, you fiends of hell, when did I ask your 
 
242 THE OUTLET 
 
 help ? Like tlie curs you are, you would lick up the 
 blood of your victim ! Had you been friends to me 
 or mine, why did you not raise your voice in protest 
 when they were strangling the life out of the father 
 of my children ? Away, you cowardly hounds ! I 've 
 hired a few Mexicans to help me, and I want none 
 of your sympathy in this hour. Was it your hand 
 that cut him down from the tree this morning, and 
 if it was not, why do I need you now ? Is my 
 shame not enough in your eyes but that you must 
 taunt me further ? Do my innocent children want 
 to look upon the faces of those who robbed them 
 of a father ? If there is a spark of manhood left 
 in one of you, show it by leaving me alone ! And 
 you other scum, never fear but that you wiU clutter 
 hell in reward for last night's work. Begone, and 
 leave me with my dead ! ' " 
 
 The circus had ended. The lateness of the hour 
 was unobserved by any one until John Levering 
 asked me if he should bring in my horse. It lacked 
 less than half an hour until the guards should 
 change, and it was high time our outfit was riding 
 for camp. The innate modesty of my wrangler, in 
 calling attention to the time, was not forgotten, but 
 instead of permitting him to turn servant, I asked 
 him to help our cook look after his utensils. On 
 my return to the wagon. Parent was trying to quiet 
 a nervous horse so as to allow him to carry the 
 Dutch oven returning. But as Levering was in the 
 
CROSSING THE NIOBRAEA 243 
 
 act of handing up tlie heavy oven, one of Forrest's 
 men, hoping to make the animal buck, attempted 
 to place a brier stem under the horse's tail. Spon- 
 silier detected the movement in time to stop it, 
 and turning to the culprit, said : " None of that, my 
 bully boy. I have no objection to killing a cheap 
 cow-hand, but these cooks have won me, hands 
 down. If ever I run across a girl who can make 
 as good pies as we had for supper, she can win the 
 affections of my young and trusting heart." 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 WATER-BOUND 
 
 OuB route was carrying us to the eastward of the 
 Black Hills. The regular trail to the Yellowstone 
 and Montana points was by the way of the Powder 
 Eiver, through Wyoming; but as we were only 
 grazing across to our destination, the most direct 
 route was adopted. The first week after leaving the 
 Niobrara was without incident, except the meeting 
 with a band of Indians, who were gathering and 
 drying the wild fruit in which the country abounded. 
 At first sighting their camp we were uneasy, hold- 
 ing the herd close together ; but as they proved 
 friendly, we relaxed and shared our tobacco with 
 the men. The women were nearly all of one stat- 
 ure, short, heavy, and repulsive in appearance, 
 while the men were tall, splendid specimens of the 
 aborigines, and as uniform in a dozen respects as 
 the cattle we were driving. Communication was im- 
 possible, except by signs, but the chief had a letter 
 of permission from the agent at Pine Ridge, allow- 
 ing himself and band a month's absence from the 
 reservation on a berrying expedition. The bucks 
 rode with us for hours, silently absorbed in the 
 beeves, and towards evening turned and galloped 
 away for their encampment. 
 
WATEEr-BOUND 245 
 
 It must have been the latter part of July when 
 we reached the South Fork of the Big Cheyenne 
 River. The lead was first held by one and then the 
 other herd, but on reaching that watercourse, we all 
 found it more formidable than we expected. The 
 stage of water was not only swimming, but where 
 we struck it, the river had an abrupt cut-bank on 
 one side or the other. Sponsilier happened to be 
 in the lead, and Forrest and myself held back to 
 await the decision of the veteran foreman. The river 
 ran on a northwest angle where we encountered it, 
 and Dave followed down it some distance looking 
 for a crossing. The herds were only three or four 
 miles apart, and assistance could have been ren- 
 dered each other, but it was hardly to be expected 
 that an older foreman would ask either advice or 
 help from younger ones. Hence Quince and my- 
 self were in no hurry, nor did we intrude ourselves 
 on David the pathfinder, but sought out a crossing 
 up the river and on our course. A convenient riffle 
 was soon found in the river which would admit the 
 passage of the wagons without rafting, if a cut-bank 
 on the south side could be overcome. There was an 
 abrupt drop of about ten feet to the water level, 
 and I argued that a wagon-way could be easily cut 
 in the bank and the commissaries lowered to the 
 river's edge with a rope to the rear axle. Forrest 
 also favored the idea, and I was authorized to cross 
 the wagons in case a suitable ford could be found 
 for the cattle. My aversion to manual labor was 
 
246 THE OUTLET 
 
 quite pronounced, yet John Q. Forrest wheedled me 
 into accepting the task of making a wagon-road. 
 About a mile above the riffle, a dry wash cut a 
 gash in the bluff bank on the opposite side, which 
 promised the necessary passageway for the herds 
 out of the river. The slope on the south side was 
 gradual, affording an easy inlet to the water, the 
 only danger being on the other bank, the dry wash 
 not being over thirty feet wide. But we both agreed 
 that by putting the cattle in well above the passage- 
 way, even if the current was swift, an easy and 
 successful ford would result. Forrest volunteered 
 to cross the cattle, and together we returned to the 
 herds for dinner. 
 
 Quince allowed me one of his men besides the 
 cook, and detailed Clay Zilligan to assist with the 
 wagons. We took my remuda, the spades and axes, 
 and started for the riffle. The commissaries had 
 orders to follow up, and Forrest rode away with 
 a supercilious air, as if the crossing of wagons was 
 beneath the attention of a foreman of his standing. 
 Several hours of hard work were spent with the im- 
 plements at hand in cutting the wagon-way through 
 the bank, after which my saddle horses were driven 
 up and down ; and when it was pronounced finished, 
 it looked more like a beaver-slide than a roadway. 
 But a strong stake was cut and driven into the 
 ground, and a corral-rope taken from the axle to it ; 
 without detaching the teams, the wagons were eased 
 down the incline and crossed in safety, the water 
 
WATER-BOUND 247 
 
 not being over three feet deep in the shallows. I was 
 elated over the ease and success of my task, when 
 Zilligan called attention to the fact that the first 
 herd had not yet crossed. The chosen ford was out 
 of sight, but had the cattle been crossing, we could 
 have easily seen them on the mesa opposite. "Well," 
 said Clay, " the wagons are over, and what 's more, 
 all the mules in the three outfits could n't bring one 
 of them back up that cliff." 
 
 We mounted our horses, paying no attention to 
 Zilligan's note of warning, and started up the river. 
 But before we came in view of the ford, a great 
 shouting reached our ears, and giving our horses 
 the rowel, we rounded a bend, only to be con- 
 fronted with the river full of cattle which had 
 missed the passageway out on the farther side. A 
 glance at the situation revealed a dangerous pre- 
 dicament, as the swift water and the contour of the 
 river held the animals on the farther side or under 
 the cut-bank. In numerous places there was footing 
 on the narrow ledges to which the beeves clung 
 like shipwrecked sailors, constantly crowding each 
 other off into the current and being carried down- 
 stream hundreds of yards before again catching 
 a foothold. Above and below the chosen ford, the 
 river made a long gradual bend, the current and 
 deepest water naturally hugged the opposite shore, 
 and it was impossible for the cattle to turn back, 
 though the swimming water was not over forty 
 yards wide. As we dashed up, the outfit succeeded 
 
248 THE OUTLET 
 
 in cutting the train of cattle and turning them 
 back, though fully five hundred were in the river, 
 while not over one fifth that number had crossed 
 in safety. Forrest was as cool as could be expected, 
 and exercised an elegant command of profanity in 
 issuing his orders. 
 
 " I did allow for the swiftness of the current," 
 said he, in reply to a criticism of mine, " but 
 those old beeves just drifted downstream like a 
 lot of big tubs. The horses swam it easy, and the 
 first hundred cattle struck the mouth of the wash 
 square in the eye, but after that they misunderstood 
 it for a bath instead of a ford. Oh, well, it 's live 
 and learn, die and forget it. But since you 're so 
 d — strong on the sahe, suppose you suggest a way 
 of getting those beeves out of the river." 
 
 It was impossible to bring them back, and the 
 only alternative was attempted. About three quar- 
 ters of a mile down the river the cut-bank shifted 
 to the south side. If the cattle could swim that dis- 
 tance there was an easy landing below. The beeves 
 belonged to Forrest's herd, and I declined the prof- 
 fered leadership, but plans were outlined and we 
 started the work of rescue. Only a few men were 
 left to look after the main herds, the remainder 
 of us swimming the river on our horses. One 
 man was detailed to drive the contingent which 
 had safely forded, down to the point where the 
 bluff bank shifted and the incline commenced 
 on the north shore. The cattle were clinging, in 
 
WATEE-BOUND 249 
 
 small bunches, under the cut-bank like swallows to 
 a roof for fully a quarter-mile below the mouth 
 of the dry wash. Divesting ourselves of all cloth- 
 ing, a squad of six of us, by way of experiment, 
 dropped over the bank and pushed into the river 
 about twenty of the lowest cattle. On catching 
 the full force of the current, which ran like a 
 mill-race, we swept downstream at a rapid pace, 
 sometimes clinging to a beef's tail, but generally 
 swimming between the cattle and the bluff. The 
 force of the stream drove them against the bank 
 repeatedly, but we dashed water in their eyes 
 and pushed them off again and again, and finally 
 landed every steer. 
 
 The Big Cheyenne was a mountain stream, hav- 
 ing numerous tributaries heading in the Black HiUs. 
 The water was none too warm, and when we came 
 out the air chilled us; but we scaled the bluff 
 and raced back after more cattle. Forrest was in 
 the river on our return, but I ordered his wrangler 
 to drive all the horses under saddle down to the 
 landing, in order that the men could have mounts 
 for returning. This expedited matters, and the 
 work progressed more rapidly. Four separate squads 
 were drifting the cattle, but in the third contingent 
 we cut off too many beeves and came near drowning 
 two fine ones. The animals in question were large 
 and strong, but had stood for nearly an hour on a slip- 
 pery ledge, frequently being crowded into the water, 
 and were on the verge of collapse from nervous 
 
250 THE OUTLET 
 
 exhaustion. They were trembling like leaves when 
 we pushed them off. Runt Pickett was detailed 
 to look especially after those two, and the little 
 rascal nursed and toyed and played with them like 
 a circus rider. They struggled constantly for the 
 inshore, but Runt rode their rumps alternately, the 
 displacement lifting their heads out of the water to 
 good advantage. When we finally landed, the two 
 big fellows staggered out of the river and dropped 
 down through sheer weakness, a thing which I had 
 never seen before except in wild horses. 
 
 A number of the boys were attacked by chills, 
 and towards evening had to be excused for fear of 
 cramps. By six o'clock we were reduced to two 
 squads, with about fifty cattle still remaining in the 
 river. Forrest and I had quit the water after the 
 fourth trip ; but Quince had a man named De Manse, 
 a Frenchman, who swam like a wharf-rat and who 
 stayed to the finish, while I turned my crew over 
 to Runt Pickett. The latter was raised on the 
 coast of Texas, and when a mere boy could swim all 
 day, with or without occasion. Dividing the remain- 
 ing beeves as near equally as possible, Runt's 
 squad pushed off slightly in advance of De Manse, 
 the remainder of us riding along the bank with the 
 horses and clothing, and cheering our respective 
 crews. The Frenchman was but a moment later in 
 taking the water, and as pretty and thrilling a race 
 as I ever witnessed was in progress. The latter 
 practiced a trick, when catching a favorable cur- 
 
WATEBr-BOUND 251 
 
 rent, of dipping the rump of a steer, thus lifting 
 his fore parts and rocking him forward like a por- 
 poise. When a beef dropped to the rear, this pro- 
 cess was resorted to, and De Manse promised to 
 overtake Pickett. From our position on the bank, 
 we shouted to Runt to dip his drag cattle in swift 
 water ; but amid the din and splash of the struggling 
 swimmers our messages failed to reach his ears. 
 De Manse was gaining slowly, when Pickett's bunch 
 were driven inshore, a number of them catching a 
 footing, and before they could be again pushed off, 
 the Frenchman's cattle were at their heels. A num- 
 ber of De Manse's men were swimming shoreward 
 of their charges, and succeeded in holding their 
 beeves off the ledge, which was the last one before 
 the landing. The remaining hundred yards was 
 eddy water ; and though Pickett fought hard, swim- 
 ming among the Frenchman's lead cattle, to hold 
 the two bunches separate, they mixed in the river. 
 As an evidence of victory, however, when the cattle 
 struck a foothold, Runt and each of his men 
 mounted a beef and rode out of the water some 
 distance. As the steers recovered and attempted 
 to dislodge their riders, they nimbly sprang from 
 their backs and hustled themselves into their 
 ragged clothing. 
 
 I breathed easier after the last cattle landed, 
 though Forrest contended there was never any 
 danger. At least a serious predicament had been 
 blundered into and handled, as was shown by 
 
252 THE OUTLET 
 
 subsequent events. At noon that day, rumblings 
 of thunder were heard in the Black Hills country to 
 the west, a warning to get across the river as soon 
 as possible. So the situation at the close of the day 
 was not a very encouraging one to either Forrest 
 or myself. The former had his cattle split in two 
 bunches, while I had my wagon and remuda on 
 the other side of the river from my herd. But the 
 emergency must be met. I sent a messenger after 
 our wagon, it was brought back near the river, 
 and a hasty supper was ordered. Two of my boys 
 were sent up to the dry wash to recross the river 
 and drift our cattle down somewhere near the 
 wagon-crossing, thus separating the herds for the 
 night. I have never made claim to being over- 
 bright, but that evening I did have sense or intui- 
 tion enough to take our saddle horses back across 
 the river. My few years of trail life had taught me 
 the importance of keeping in close touch with our 
 base of subsistence, while the cattle and the saddle 
 stock for handling them should under no circum- 
 stances ever be separated. Yet under existing con- 
 ditions it was impossible to recross our commissary, 
 and darkness fell upon us encamped on the south 
 side of the Big Cheyenne. 
 
 The night passed with almost constant thunder 
 and lightning in the west. At daybreak heavy dark 
 clouds hung low in a semicircle all around the north- 
 west, threatening falling weather, and hasty pre- 
 parations were made to move down the stream in 
 
WATER-BOUND 253 
 
 search of a crossing. In fording the river to break- 
 fast, my outfit agreed that there had been no per- 
 ceptible change in the stage of water overnight, 
 ■which quickened our desire to move at once. The 
 two wagons were camped close together, and as 
 usual Forrest was indifferent and unconcerned over 
 the threatening weather ; he had left his remuda 
 all night on the north side of the river, and had ac- 
 tually turned loose the rescued contingent of cattle. 
 I did not mince my words in giving Mr. Forrest my 
 programme, when he turned on me, saying : " Quirk, 
 you have more trouble than a married woman. 
 What do I care if it is raining in London or the 
 Black Hills either ? Let her rain ; our sugar and 
 salt are both covered, and we can lend you some if 
 yours gets wet. But you go right ahead and follow 
 up Sponsilier ; he may not find a crossing this side 
 of the Belle Fourche. I can take spades and axes, 
 and in two hours' time cut down and widen that 
 wagon-way until the herds can cross. I would n't 
 be as fidgety as you are for a large farm. You 
 ought to take something for your nerves." 
 
 I had a mental picture of John Quincy Forrest 
 doing any manual labor with an axe or spade. Dur- 
 ing our short acquaintance that had been put to the 
 test too often to admit of question ; but I encouraged 
 him to fly right at the bank, assuring him that in 
 case his tools became heated, there was always water 
 at hand to cool them. The wrangler had rustled in 
 the wagon-mules for our cook, and Forrest was still 
 
254 THE OUTLET 
 
 ridiculing my anxiety to move, when a fusillade of 
 shots was heard across and up the river. Every 
 man at both wagons was on his feet in an instant, 
 not one of us even dreaming that the firing of the 
 boys on herd was a warning, when Quince's horse- 
 wrangler galloped up and announced a flood-wave 
 coming down the river. A rush was made for our 
 horses, and we struck for the ford, dashing through 
 the shallows and up the farther bank without draw- 
 ing rein. With a steady rush, a body of water, less 
 than a mile distant, greeted our vision, looking like 
 the falls of some river, rolling forward like an im- 
 mense cylinder. We sat our horses in bewilderment 
 of the scene, though I had often heard Jim Flood 
 describe the sudden rise of streams which had moun- 
 tain tributaries. Forrest and his men crossed be- 
 hind us, leaving but the cooks and a horse-wrangler 
 on the farther side. It was easily to be seen that all 
 the lowlands along the river would be inundated, 
 so I sent Levering back with orders to hook up the 
 team and strike for tall timber. Following suit, 
 Forrest sent two men to rout the contingent of 
 cattle out of a bend which was nearly a mile below 
 the wagons. The wave, apparently ten to twelve 
 feet high, moved forward slowly, great walls lop- 
 ping off on the side and flooding out over the bot- 
 toms, while on the farther shore every cranny and 
 arroyo claimed its fill from the avalanche of water. 
 The cattle on the south side were safe, grazing well 
 back on the uplands, so we gave the oncoming flood 
 
WATEEr-BOUND 255 
 
 our undivided attention. It was traveling at the rate 
 of eight to ten miles an hour, not at a steady pace, 
 but sometimes almost halting when the bottoms 
 absorbed its volume, only to catch its breath and 
 forge ahead again in angry impetuosity. As the 
 water passed us on the bluff bank, several waves 
 broke over and washed around our horses' feet, 
 filling the wagon-way, but the main volume rolled 
 across the narrow valley on the opposite side. The 
 wagons had pulled out to higher ground, and while 
 every eye was strained, watching for the rescued 
 beeves to come out of the bend below, Vick Wolf, 
 who happened to look upstream, uttered a single 
 shout of warning and dashed away. Turning in our 
 saddles, we saw within five hundred feet of us a 
 second wave about half the height of the first one. 
 Kowels and quirts were plied with energy and will, 
 as we tore down the river-bank, making a gradual 
 circle until the second bottoms were reached, out- 
 riding the flood by a close margin. 
 
 The situation was anything but encouraging, as 
 days might elapse before the water would fall. But 
 our hopes revived as we saw the contingent of about 
 six hundred beeves stampede out of a bend below 
 and across the river, followed by two men who were 
 energetically burning powder and flaunting slickers 
 in their rear. Within a quarter of an hour, a half- 
 mile of roaring, raging torrent, filled with floating 
 driftwood, separated us from the wagons which 
 contained the staples of life. But in the midst of 
 
256 THE OUTLET 
 
 the travail of mountain and plain, the dry humor 
 of the men was irrepressible, one of Forrest's own 
 boys asking him if he felt any uneasiness now 
 about his salt and sugar. 
 
 " Oh, this is nothing," replied Quince, with a 
 contemptuous wave of his hand. " These freshets 
 are liable to happen at any time ; rise in an hour 
 and fall in half a day. Look there how it is clear- 
 ing off in the west ; the river will be f ordable this 
 evening or in the morning at the furthest. As 
 long as everything is safe, what do we care ? If it 
 comes to a pinch, we have plenty of stray beef; 
 berries are ripe, and I reckon if we cast around we 
 might find some wild onions. I have lived a whole 
 month at a time on nothing but land- terrapin ; they 
 make larruping fine eating when you are cut ofE 
 from camp this way. Blankets ? Never use them ; 
 sleep on your beUy and cover with your back, and 
 get up with the birds in the morning. These Lovell 
 outfits are getting so tony that by another year or 
 two they '11 insist on bathtubs, Florida water, and 
 towels with every wagon. I like to get down to 
 straight beans for a few days every once in a while ; 
 it has a tendency to cure a man with a whining 
 disposition. The only thing that 's worrying me, 
 if we get cut off, is the laugh that Sponsilier will 
 have on us." 
 
 We aU knew Forrest was bluffing. The fact that 
 we were water-bound was too apparent to admit of 
 question, and since the elements were beyond our 
 
■•^h 
 
 OUTRIDING THE FLOOD BY A CLOSE MARGIN 
 
WATER-BOUND 257 
 
 control, there was no telling when relief would 
 come. Until the weather moderated in the hills to 
 the west, there was no hope of crossing the river ; 
 but men grew hungry and nights were chilly, and 
 bluster and bravado brought neither food nor 
 warmth. A third wave was noticed within an hour, 
 raising the water-gauge over a foot. The South 
 Fork of the Big Cheyenne almost encircled the 
 entire Black Hills country, and with a hundred 
 mountain affluents emptying in their tribute, the 
 waters commanded and we obeyed. Ordering my 
 men to kiU a beef, I rode down the river in the hope 
 of finding Sponsilier on our side, and about noon 
 sighted his camp and cattle on the opposite bank. 
 A group of men were dallying along the shore, 
 but being out of hearing, I turned back without 
 exposing myself. 
 
 On my return a general camp had been estab- 
 lished at the nearest wood, and a stray killed. 
 Stakes were driven to mark the rise or fall of the 
 water, and we settled down like prisoners, waiting 
 for an expected reprieve. Towards evening a fire 
 was built up and the two sides of ribs were spitted 
 over it, our only chance for supper. Night fell 
 with no perceptible change in the situation, the 
 weather remaining dry and clear. Forrest's outfit 
 had been furnished horses from my remuda for 
 guard duty, and about midnight, wrapping our- 
 selves in slickers, we lay down in a circle with our 
 feet to the fire like cave-dwellers. The camp-fire 
 
258 THE OUTLET 
 
 was kept up all night by the returning guards, even 
 until the morning hours, when we woke up shiver- 
 ing at dawn and hurried away to note the stage of 
 the water. A four-foot fall had taken place during 
 the night, another foot was added within an hour 
 after sun-up, brightening our hopes, when a tidal 
 wave swept down the valley, easily establishing 
 a new high-water mark. Then we breakfasted on 
 broiled beefsteak, and fell back into the hills in 
 search of the huckleberry, which abounded in that 
 vicinity. 
 
 A second day and night passed, with the water 
 gradually falling. The third morning a few of the 
 best swimmers, tiring of the diet of beef and ber- 
 ries, took advantage of the current and swam to 
 the other shore. On returning several hours later, 
 they brought back word that Sponsilier had been 
 up to the wagons the afternoon before and reported 
 an easy crossing about five miles below. By noon 
 the channel had narrowed to one hundred yards of 
 swimming water, and plunging into it on our horses, 
 we dined at the wagons and did justice to the 
 spread. Both outfits were anxious to move, and 
 once dinner was over, the commissaries were started 
 down the river, while we turned up it, looking for 
 a chance to swim back to the cattle. Forrest had 
 secured a fresh mount of horses, and some distance 
 above the dry wash we again took to the water, 
 landing on the opposite side between a quarter and 
 half mile below. Little time was lost in starting 
 
WATER-BOUND 269 
 
 the herds, mine in the lead, while the wagons got 
 away well in advance, accompanied by Forrest's 
 remuda and the isolated contingent of cattle. 
 
 Sponsilier was expecting us, and on the appear- 
 ance of our wagons, moved out to a new camp and 
 gavQ us a clear crossing. A number of the boys 
 came down to the river with him, and several of 
 them swam it, meeting the cattle a mile above and 
 piloting us into the ford. They had assured me 
 that there might be seventy-five yards of swimming 
 water, with a gradual entrance to the channel and 
 a half-mile of solid footing at the outcome. The 
 description of the crossing suited me, and putting 
 our remuda in the lead, we struck the muddy torrent 
 and crossed it without a halt, the chain of swim- 
 ming cattle never breaking for a single moment. 
 Forrest followed in our wake, the one herd piloting 
 the other, and within an hour after our arrival at 
 the lower ford, the drag-end of the " Drooping T " 
 herd kicked up their heels on the north bank of the 
 Big Cheyenne. Meanwhile Sponsilier had been 
 quietly sitting his horse below the main landing, 
 his hat pulled down over his eye, nursing the humor 
 of the situation. As Forrest came up out of the 
 ' water with the rear guard of his cattle, the oppor- 
 tunity was too good to be overlooked. 
 
 " Hello, Quince," said Dave ; " how goes it, old 
 sport ? Do you keep stout ? I was up at your wagon 
 yesterday to ask you all down to supper. Yes, we 
 had huckleberry pie and venison galore, but your 
 
260 THE OUTLET 
 
 men told me that you had quit eating vdth the 
 wagon. I was pained to hear that you and Tom 
 have both gone plum hog-wild, drinking out of cow- 
 tracks and living on wild garlic and land-terrapin, 
 just like Injuns. Honest, boys, I hate to see good 
 men go wrong that way." 
 
CHAPTEK XVni 
 
 THE LITTLE MISSOURI 
 
 A WEEK later we crossed the Belle Fourche, some- 
 times called the North Fork of the Big Cheyenne, 
 Like its twin sister on .the south, it was a mountain 
 river, having numerous affluents putting in from the 
 Black Hills, which it encircled on the north and 
 west. Between these two branches of the mother 
 stream were numerous tributaries, establishing it 
 as the best watered country encountered in our 
 long overland cruise. Besides the splendid water- 
 courses which marked that section, numerous wagon- 
 trails, leading into the hiUs, were peopled with 
 freighters. Long ox trains, moving at a snail's 
 pace, crept over hill and plain, the common carrier 
 between the mines and the outside world. The 
 fascination of the primal land was there ; the buttes 
 stood like sentinels, guarding a king's domain, 
 while the palisaded cliffs frowned down, as if erected 
 by the hand Omnipotent to mark the boundary of 
 nations. 
 
 Our route, after skirting the Black Hills, followed 
 up the Belle Fourche a few days, and early in 
 August we crossed over to the Little Missouri Eiver. 
 The divide between the Belle Fourche and the 
 
262 THE OUTLET 
 
 latter stream was a narrow one, requiring little time 
 to graze across it, and intercepting the Little Mis- 
 souri somewhere in Montana. The course of that 
 river was almost due north, and crossing and re- 
 crossing it frequently, we kept constantly in touch 
 with it on our last northward tack. The river led 
 through sections of country now known as the Bad 
 Lands, but we found an abundance of grass and 
 an easy passage. Sponsilier held the lead all the 
 way down the river, though T did most of the ad- 
 vance scouting, sometimes being as much as fifty 
 miles in front of the herds. Near the last of the 
 month we sighted Sentinel Butte and the smoke of 
 railroad trains, and a few days later all three of us 
 foremen rode into Little Missouri Station of the 
 Northern Pacific Railway. Our arrival was ex- 
 pected by one man at least ; for as we approached 
 the straggling village, our employer was recognized 
 at a distance, waving his hat, and a minute later 
 all three of us were shaking bands with Don LoveU. 
 Mutual inquiries followed, and when we reported 
 the cattle fine as silk, having never known a hungry 
 or thirsty hour after leaving the North Platte, the 
 old man brightened and led the way to a well- 
 known saloon. 
 
 " How did I fare at Omaha ? " said old man Don, 
 repeating Forrest's query. " Well, at first it was 
 a question if I would be hung or shot, but we came 
 out with colors flying. The United States marshal 
 who attempted to take possession of the cattle on 
 
THE LITTLE MISSOURI 263 
 
 the North Platte went back on the same train with 
 us. He was feeling sore over his defeat, but Sutton 
 cultivated his acquaintance, and in mollifying that 
 official, showed him how easily failure could be 
 palmed off as a victory. In fact, I think Mike over- 
 colored the story at my expense. He and the mar- 
 shal gave it to the papers, and the next morning 
 it appeared in the form of a sensational article. 
 According to the report, a certain popular federal 
 officer had gone out to Ogalalla to take possession 
 of two herds of cattle intended for government pur- 
 poses ; he had met with resistance by a lot of Texas 
 roughs, who fatally shot one of his deputies, wound- 
 ing several others, and killing a number of horses 
 during the assault ; but the intrepid officer had 
 added to his laurels by arresting the owner of the 
 cattle and leader of the resisting mob, and had 
 brought him back to face the charge of contempt 
 in resisting service. The papers freely predicted 
 that I would get the maximum fine, and one even 
 went so far as to suggest that imprisonment might 
 teach certain arrogant cattle kings a salutary lesson. 
 But when the hearing came up, Sutton placed Jim 
 Eeed and me in the witness-box, taking the stand 
 later himself, and we showed that federal court that 
 it had been buncoed out of an order of injunctive 
 relief, in favor of the biggest set of ringsters 
 that ever missed stretching hemp. The result was, 
 I walked out of that federal court scot free. And 
 Judge Dundy, when he realized the injustice that 
 
264 THE OUTLET 
 
 he had inflicted, made all three of us take dinner 
 with him, fully explaining the pressure which had 
 been brought to bear at the time the order of relief 
 was issued. Oh, that old judge was all right. I 
 only hope we '11 have as square a man as Judge 
 Dundy at the final hearing at Fort Buford. Do you 
 see that sign over there, where it says Barley Water 
 and Bad Cigars ? Well, put your horses in some 
 corral and meet me there." 
 
 There was a great deal of news to review. Lovell 
 had returned to Ogalalla; the body of ToUeston 
 had been recovered and given decent burial ; deliv- 
 ery day of the three Indian herds was at hand, 
 bringing that branch of the season's drive to a close. 
 But the main thing which absorbed our employer 
 was the quarantine that the upper Yellowstone 
 country proposed enforcing against through Texas 
 cattle. He assured us that had we gone by way of 
 Wyoming and down the Powder River, the chances 
 were that the local authorities would have placed 
 us under quarantine until after the first frost. He 
 assured us that the year before, Texas fever had 
 played sad havoc among the native and wintered 
 Southern cattle, and that Miles City and Glendive, 
 live-stock centres on the Yellowstone, were up in 
 arms in favor of a rigid quarantine against all 
 through cattle. If this proved true, it was certainly 
 an ill wind to drovers on the Powder River route ; 
 yet I failed to see where we were benefited until 
 my employer got down to details. 
 
THE LITTLE MISSOURI 265 
 
 " That 's so," said he ; " I forgot to tell you boys 
 that when Reed and I went back to Ogalalla, we 
 found Field, Radcliff & Co. buying beeves. Yes, 
 they had bought a remuda of horses, rigged up two 
 wagons, and hired men to take possession of our 
 ' Open A ' and ' Drooping T ' herds. But meeting 
 with disappointment and having the outfit on their 
 hands, they concluded to buy cattle and go ahead 
 and make the delivery at Buford. They simply had 
 to do it or admit that I had called their hands. But 
 Eeed and I raised such a howl around that town that 
 we posted every man with beeves for sale until the 
 buyers had to pony up the cash for every hoof they 
 bought. We even hunted up young Murnane, the 
 seller of the herd that Jim Eeed ran the attachment 
 on ; and before old Jim and I got through with him, 
 we had his promise not to move out of Keith County 
 until the last dollar was in hand. The buyers 
 seemed to command all kinds of money, but where 
 they expect to make anything, even if they do de- 
 liver, beats me, as Reed and I have got a good wad 
 of their money. Since leaving there, I have had 
 word that they settled with Murnane, putting a new 
 outfit with the cattle, and that they have ten thou- 
 sand beef steers on the way to Fort Buford this very 
 minute. They are coming through on the North 
 Platte and Powder River route, and if quarantine 
 can be enforced against them until frost falls, it will 
 give us a clear field at Buford on the day of delivery. 
 Now it stands us in hand to see that those herds 
 
266 THE OUTLET 
 
 are isolated until after the 15tli day of Septem- 
 ber." 
 
 The atmosphere cleared instantly. I was well 
 aware of the ravages of splenic fever ; but two de- 
 cades ago every drover from Texas denied the possi- 
 bility of a through animal in perfect health giving 
 a disease to wintered Southerners or domestic cattle, 
 also robust and healthy. Time has demonstrated 
 the truth, yet the manner in which the germ is 
 transmitted between healthy animals remains a 
 mystery to this day, although there has been no 
 lack of theories advanced. Even the theorists dif- 
 fered as to the manner of germ transmission, the 
 sporule, tick, and ship fever being the leading 
 theories, and each having its advocates. The latter 
 was entitled to some consideration, for if bad usage 
 and the lack of necessary rest, food, and water will 
 produce fever aboard emigrant steamships, the same 
 privations might do it among animals. The over- 
 driving of trail cattle was frequently unavoidable, 
 dry drives and the lack of grass on arid wastes be- 
 ing of common occurrence. However, the presence 
 of fever among through cattle was never noticeable 
 to the practical man, and if it existed, it must have 
 been very mild in form compared to its virulent 
 nature among natives. Time has demonstrated 
 that it is necessary for the domestic animals to 
 walk over and occupy the same ground to contract 
 the disease, though they may drink from the same 
 trough or stream of water, or inhale each other's 
 
THE LITTLE MISSOUEI 267 
 
 breath in play across a wire fence, without fear of 
 contagion. A peculiar feature of Texas fever was 
 that the very cattle which would impart it on their 
 arrival, after wintering in the North would contract 
 it and die the same as natives. The isolation of 
 herds on a good range for a period of sixty days, 
 or the falling of frost, was recognized as the only 
 preventive against transmitting the germ. Govern- 
 ment rewards and erperiments have never demon- 
 strated a theory that practical experience does not 
 dispute. 
 
 The only time on this drive that our attention 
 had been called to the fever alarm was on crossing 
 the wagon trail running from Pierre on the Missouri 
 River to the Black HiUs. I was in the lead when 
 a large bull train was sighted in our front, and 
 shortly afterward the wagon-boss met me and ear- 
 nestly begged that I allow his outfit to pass before 
 we crossed the wagon-road. I knew the usual form 
 of ridicule of a herd foreman, but the boss bull- 
 whacker must have anticipated my reply, for he 
 informed me that the summer before he had lost 
 ninety head out of two hundred yoke of oxen. The 
 wagon-master's appeal was fortified by a sincerity 
 which won his request, and I held up my cattle and 
 allowed his train to pass in advance. Sponsilier's 
 herd was out of sight in my rear, while Forrest was 
 several miles to my left, and slightly behind me. The 
 wagon-boss rode across and made a similar request 
 of Forrest, but that worthy refused to recognize the 
 
268 THE OUTLET 
 
 right of way to a bull train at the expense of a trail 
 herd of government beeves. Ungentlemanly re- 
 marks are said to have passed between them, when 
 the boss' bull-whacker threw down the gauntlet and 
 galloped back to his train. Forrest pushed on, with 
 ample time to have occupied the road in crossing, 
 thus holding up the wagon train. My herd fell to 
 grazing, and Sponsilier rode up to inquire the 
 cause of my halting. I explained the request of 
 the wagon-master, his loss the year before and pre- 
 sent fear of fever, and called attention to the clash 
 which was imminent between the long freight outfit 
 in our front and Forrest's herd to the left, both 
 anxious for the right of way. A number of us rode 
 forward in clear view of the impending meeting. 
 It was evident that Forrest would be the first to 
 reach the freight road, and would naturally hold 
 it while his cattle were crossing it. But when this 
 also became apparent to the bull train, the lead 
 teams drove out of the road and halted, the rear 
 wagons passing on ahead, the two outfits being 
 f uUy a mile apart. There were about twenty teams 
 of ten yoke each, and when the first five or six 
 halted, they unearthed old needle rifies and opened 
 fire across Forrest's front. Once the range was 
 found, those long-range buffalo guns threw up the 
 dust in handfuls in the lead of the herd, and 
 Forrest turned his cattle back, while the bull train 
 held its way, undisputed. It was immaterial to 
 Forrest who occupied the road first, and with the 
 
THE LITTLE MISSOURI 269 
 
 jeers of the freighters mingled the laughter of 
 Sponsilier and my outfit, as John Quincy Forrest 
 reluctantly turned back. 
 
 This incident served as a safety-valve, and when- 
 ever Forrest forged to the lead in coming down the 
 Little Missouri, all that was necessary to check 
 him was to inquire casually which held the right of 
 way, a trail herd or a bull train. 
 
 Throughout the North, Texas fever was generally 
 accepted as a fact, and any one who had ever come 
 in contact with it once, dreaded it ever afterward. 
 So when the devil was sick the devil a monk would 
 be ; and if there was any advantage in taking the 
 contrary view to the one entertained by all drovers, 
 so long as our herds were free, we were not like 
 men who could not experience a change of opinion, 
 if in doing so the wind was tempered to us. Also 
 in this instance we were fighting an avowed enemy, 
 and all is fair in love and war. And amid the 
 fumes of bad cigars, Sponsilier drew out the plan 
 of campaign. 
 
 " Now, let 's see," said old man Don, " to-morrow 
 will be the 25th day of August. I 've got to be at 
 the Crow Agency a few days before the 10th of 
 next month, as you know we have a delivery there 
 on that date. Flood wiU have to attend to matters 
 at Rosebud on the 1st, and then hurry on west and 
 be present at Paul's delivery at Fort Washakie. 
 So you see I '11 have to depend on two of you boys 
 going up to Glendive and Miles and seeing that 
 
270 THE OUTLET 
 
 those cow-towns take the proper view of this quar- 
 antine matter. After dinner you'll fall back and 
 bring up your herds, and after crossing the rail- 
 road here, the outfits wUl graze over to Buford. 
 We 'U leave four of our best saddle horses here in 
 a pasture, so as to be independent on our return. 
 Since things have changed so, the chances are that 
 I '11 bring Bob Quirk back with me, as I 've written 
 Flood to help The Rebel sell his remuda and take 
 the outfit and go home. Now you boys decide 
 among yourselves which two of you will go up the 
 Yellowstone and promote the enforcement of the 
 quarantine laws. Don't get the impression that 
 you can't do this, because an all-round cowman can 
 do anything where his interests are at stake. I '11 
 think the programme out a little more clearly by 
 the time you bring up the cattle." 
 
 The herds were not over fifteen miles back up 
 the river when we left them in the morning. After 
 honoring the village of Little Missouri with our 
 presence for several hours, we saddled up and 
 started to meet the cattle. There was no doubt in 
 my mind but that Sponsilier would be one of the 
 two to go on the proposed errand of diplomacy, as 
 his years, experience, and good solid sense entitled 
 him to outrank either Forrest or myself. I knew 
 that Quince would want to go, if for no other rea- 
 son than to get out of working the few days that yet 
 remained of the drive. All three of us talked the 
 matter of quarantine freely as we rode along, yet 
 
THE LITTLE MISSOUEI 271 
 
 no one ventured any proposition looking to an agree- 
 ment as to who should go on the diplomatic mission. 
 I was the youngest and naturally took refuge 
 behind my years, yet perfectly conscious that, in 
 spite of the indifferent and nonchalant attitude 
 assumed, all three of us foremen were equally anx- 
 ious for the chance. Matters remained undecided ; 
 but the next day at dinner, Lovell having met us 
 before reaching the railroad, the question arose 
 who should go up to Miles City. Dave and Quince 
 were also eating at my wagon, and when our em- 
 ployer forced an answer, Sponsilier innocently 
 replied that he supposed that we were all willing to 
 leave it to him. Forrest immediately approved of 
 Dave's suggestion. I gave my assent, and old man 
 Don did n't qualify, hedge, or mince his words in 
 appointing the committees to represent the firm of 
 Lovell. 
 
 " Jealous of each other, ain't you ? Very well ; 
 I want these herds grazed across to Buford at the 
 rate of four miles a day. Nothing but a Mexican 
 pastor, or a white man as lazy as Quince Forrest 
 can fill the bill. You 're listening, are you. Quince ? 
 Well, after the sun sets to-night, you 're in charge 
 of ten thousand beeves from here to the mouth of 
 the Yellowstone. I want to put every ounce pos- 
 sible on those steers for the next twenty days. We 
 may have to make a comparison of cattle, and if 
 we should, I want ours to lay over the opposition 
 like a double eagle does over a lead dime. We 
 
272 THE OUTLET 
 
 may run up against a lot of red tape at Fort 
 Buford, but if there is a lick of cow-sense among 
 the government representatives, we want our beeves 
 to speak for themselves. Fat animals do their own 
 talking. You remember when every one was admir- 
 ing the fine horse, the blind man said, ' Is n't he 
 fat ? ' Now, Dave, you and Tom appoint your 
 segundos, and we '11 all catch the 10.20 train west 
 to-night." 
 
 I dared to risk one eye on Forrest. Inwardly 
 I was chuckling, but Quince was mincing along 
 with his dinner, showing that languid indifference 
 which is inborn to the Texan. Lovell continued to 
 monopolize the conversation, blowing on the cattle 
 and ribbing up Forrest to see that the beeves 
 thenceforth should never know tire, hunger, or 
 thirst. The commissaries had run low ; Sponsilier's 
 cook had been borrowing beans from us for a week 
 past, while Parent point-blank refused to share any 
 more of our bacon. The latter was recognized as a 
 staple in trail-work, and it mattered not how invit- 
 ing the beef or venison might be, we always fell 
 back to bacon with avidity. When it came time to 
 move out on the evening lap, Forrest's herd took 
 the lead, the other two falling in behind, the 
 wagons pulling out for town in advance of every- 
 thing. Jack Splann had always acted as segundo 
 in my absence, and as he had overheard Lovell's 
 orders to Forrest, there was nothing further for me 
 to add, and Splann took charge of my " Open A's." 
 
THE LITTLE MISSOURI 273 
 
 When changing mounts at noon, I caught out two 
 of my best saddlers and tied one behind the chuck- 
 wagon, to be left with a liveryman in town. Leav- 
 ing old man Don with the cattle, all three of us 
 foremen went into the village in order to secure 
 a few staple supplies with which to complete the 
 journey. 
 
 It can be taken for granted that Sponsilier and 
 myself were feeling quite gala. The former took 
 occasion, as we rode along, to throw several bou- 
 quets at Forrest over his preferment, when the lat- 
 ter turned on us, saying: "You fellows think 
 you 're d — d smart, now, don't you ? You 're both 
 purty good talkers, but neither one of you can 
 show me where the rainbow comes in in rotting 
 along with these measly cattle. It's enough to 
 make a man kick his own dog. But I can see 
 where the old man was perfectly right in sending 
 you two up to Miles City. When you fellows work 
 your rabbit's foot, it will be Katy with those Wash- 
 ington City schemers — more than likely they '11 
 not draw cards when they see that you are in the 
 game. When it comes to the real sabe, you fellows 
 shine like a tree full of owls. Honest, it has always 
 been a wonder to me that Grant did n't send for 
 both of you when he was making up his cabinet." 
 
 The herds crossed the railroad about a mile west 
 of Little Missouri Station. The wagons secured 
 the needed supplies, and pulled out down the river, 
 leaving Sponsilier and myself foot-loose and free. 
 
274 THE OUTLET 
 
 Lovell was riding a livery horse, and as neither of 
 us expected him to return until it was too dark to 
 see the cattle, we amused ourselves by looking over 
 the town. There seemed to be a great deal of 
 freighting to outlying points, numerous ox and 
 mule trains coming in and also leaving for their 
 destinations. Our employer came in about dusk, 
 and at once went to the depot, as he was expecting 
 a message. One had arrived during his absence, 
 and after reading it, he came over to Dave and me, 
 saying : 
 
 " It 's from Mike Sutton. I authorized him to 
 secure the services of the best lawyer in the West, 
 and he has just wired me that he has retained Sen- 
 ator Aspgrain of Sioux City, Iowa. They will re- 
 port at Fort Buford on September the 5th and will 
 take care of any legal complications which may 
 arise. I don't know who this senator is, but Mike 
 has orders not to spare any expense as long as we 
 have the other fellow's money to fight with. Well, 
 if the Iowa lawyers are as good stuff as the Iowa 
 troops were down in Dixie, that 's all I ask. Now, 
 we '11 get our suppers and then sack our saddles — 
 why, sure, you '11 need them ; every good cowman 
 takes his saddle wherever he goes, though he may 
 not have clothes enough with him to dust a fiddle." 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 IN QUARANTINE 
 
 We reached Miles City shortly after midnight. 
 It was the recognized cattle centre of Montana at 
 that time, but devoid of the high-lights which were 
 a feature of the trail towns. The village boasted the 
 usual number of saloons and dance-houses, and 
 likewise an ordinance compelling such resorts to 
 close on the stroke of twelve. Lovell had been 
 there before, and led the way to a well-known hos- 
 telry. The house was crowded, and the best the 
 night clerk could do was to give us a room with two 
 beds. This was perfectly satisfactory, as it was a 
 large apartment and fronted out on an open gallery. 
 Old man Don suggested we take the mattresses out- 
 side, but as this was my first chance to sleep in a 
 bed since leaving the ranch in March, I wanted all 
 the comforts that were due me. Sponsilier likewise 
 favored the idea of sleeping inside, and our em- 
 ployer yielded, taking the single bed on retiring. 
 The night was warm, and after thrashing around for 
 nearly an hour, supposing that Dave and I were 
 asleep, old man Don arose and quietly dragged his 
 mattress outside. Our bed was soft and downy, but 
 in spite of the lateness of the hour and having been 
 
276 THE OUTLET 
 
 in our saddles at dawn, we tossed about, unable to 
 sleep. After agreeing that it was the mattress, we 
 took the covering and pillows and lay down on the 
 floor, falling into a deep slumber almost instantly. 
 " Well, would n't that jar your eccentric," said Dave 
 to me the next morning, speaking of our inability 
 to sleep in a bed. " I slept in one in Ogalalla, and 
 I was n't over-full either." 
 
 Lovell remained with us all the next day. He 
 was well known in Miles City, having in other years 
 sold cattle to resident cowmen. The day was spent 
 in hunting up former acquaintances, getting the lay 
 of the land, and feeling the public pulse on the 
 matter of quarantine on Southern cattle. The out- 
 look was to our liking, as heavy losses had been 
 sustained from fever the year before, and steps had 
 already been taken to isolate all through animals 
 until frost fell. Report was abroad that there were 
 already within the jurisdiction of Montana over one 
 hundred and fifty thousand through Texas cattle, 
 with a possibility of one third that number more 
 being added before the close of the season. That 
 territory had established a quarantine camp on the 
 Wyoming line, forcing all Texas stock to foUow 
 down the eastern side of the Powder Eiver. Fully 
 one hundred miles on the north, a dead-line was 
 drawn from Powderville on that watercourse east- 
 ward to a spur of the Powder River Mountains, thus 
 setting aside a quarantine ground ample to accom- 
 modate half a million cattle. Local range-riders 
 
m QUARANTINE 277 
 
 kept all the native and wintered Texas cattle to the 
 westward of the river and away from the through 
 ones, which was easily done by riding lines, the 
 Southern herds being held under constant control 
 and hence never straying. The first Texas herds to 
 arrive naturally traveled north to the dead-line, 
 and, choosing a range, went into camp until frost 
 relieved them. It was an unwritten law that a herd 
 was entitled to as much grazing land as it needed, 
 and there was a report about Miles City that the 
 quarantine ground was congested with cattle half- 
 way from Powderville to the Wyoming line. 
 
 The outlook was encouraging. Quarantine was 
 working a hardship to herds along the old Powder 
 Eiver route, yet their enforced isolation was like 
 a tempered wind to our cause and cattle, the latter 
 then leisurely grazing across Dakota from the Little 
 Missouri to the mouth of the Yellowstone. For- 
 tune favored us in many respects. About Miles 
 City there was no concealment of our mission, re- 
 sulting in an old acquaintance of LoveU's loaning 
 us horses, while old man Don had no trouble in 
 getting drafts cashed to the amount of two thou- 
 sand dollars. What he expected to do with this 
 amount of money was a mystery to Dave and my- 
 self, a mystery which instantly cleared when we 
 were in the privacy of our room at the hotel. 
 
 " Here, boys," said old man Don, throwing the 
 roll of money on the bed, " divide this wad between 
 you. There might be such a thing as using a little 
 
278 THE OUTLET 
 
 here and there to sweeten matters up, and making 
 yoi^selves rattling good fellows wherever you go. 
 Now in the first place, I want you both to under- 
 stand that this money is clear velvet, and don't 
 hesitate to spend it freely. Eat and drink all you 
 can, and gamble a little of it if that is necessary. 
 You two will saddle up in the morning and ride 
 to Powderville, while I will lie around here a few 
 days and try the market for cattle next year, and 
 then go on to Big Horn on my way to the Crow 
 Agency. Feel your way carefully ; locate the herds 
 of Field, Eadcliff & Co., and throw everything in 
 their way to retard progress. It is impossible to 
 foretell what may happen, and for that reason only 
 general orders can be given. And remember, I 
 don't want to see that money again if there is any 
 chance to use it." 
 
 Powderville was a long day's ride from Miles 
 City. By making an early start and resting a few 
 hours at noon, we reached that straggling outpost 
 shortly after nightfall. There was a road-house for 
 the wayfaring man and a corral for his beast, a 
 general store, opposition saloons, and the regulation 
 blacksmith shop, constituting the business interests 
 of Powderville. As arriving guests, a rough but 
 cordial welcome was extended us by the keeper of 
 the hostelry, and we mingled with the other trav- 
 elers, but never once mentioning our business. I 
 was uneasy over the money in our possession ; not 
 that I feared robbery, but my mind constantly 
 
IN QUARANTINE 279 
 
 reverted to it, and it was with difficulty that I re- 
 frained from continually feeling to see that it was 
 safe. Sponsilier had concealed his in his boot, and 
 as we rode along, contended that he could feel the 
 roll chafing his ankle. I had tied two handker- 
 chiefs together, and rolling my share in one of 
 them, belted the amount between my overshirt and 
 undershirt. The belt was not noticeable, but in 
 making the ride that day, my hand involuntarily 
 went to my side where the money lay, the action 
 never escaping the notice of Sponsilier, who con- 
 stantly twitted me over my nervousness. And al- 
 though we were tired as dogs after our long ride, 
 I awoke many times that night and felt to see if 
 my money was safe ; my partner slept like a log. 
 
 Several cowmen, ranching on the lower Powder 
 Eiver, had headquarters at this outpost. The next 
 morning Sponsilier and I made their acquaintance, 
 and during the course of the day got a clear out- 
 line of the situation. On the west the river was the 
 recognized dead-line to the Wyoming boundary, 
 while two camps of five men each patroled the 
 dividing line on the north, drifting back the native 
 stock and holding the through herds in quarantine. 
 The nearest camp was some distance east of Pow- 
 derville, and saddling up towards evening we rode 
 out and spent the night at the first quarantine 
 station. A wagon and two tents, a relay of saddle 
 horses, and an arsenal of long-range firearms com- 
 posed the outfit. Three of the five men on duiy 
 
280 THE OUTLET 
 
 were Texans. Making ourselves perfectly at home, 
 we had no trouble in locating the herds in question, 
 they having already sounded the tocsin to clear the 
 way, claiming government beef recognized no local 
 quarantine. The herds were not over thirty miles 
 to the south, and expectation ran high as to results 
 when an attempt should be made to cross the dead- 
 line. Trouble had already occurred, where outfits 
 respecting the quarantine were trespassed upon by 
 three herds, making claim of being under govern- 
 ment protection and entitled to the rights of emi- 
 nent domain. Fortunately several of the herds on 
 the immediate line had been bought at Ogalalla 
 and were in possession of ranch outfits who owned 
 ranges farther north, and were anxious to see quar- 
 antine enforced. These local cowmen would sup- 
 port the established authority, and trouble was 
 expected. Sponsilier and I widened the breach by 
 denouncing these intruders as the hirelings of a set 
 of ringsters, who had no regard for the rights of 
 any one, and volunteered our services in enforcing 
 quarantine against them the same as others. 
 
 Our services were gratefully accepted. The next 
 morning we were furnished fresh horses, and one 
 of us was requested, as we were strangers, to ride 
 down the country and reconnoitre the advance of 
 the defiant drovers. As I was fearful that Field 
 or Radcliff might be accompanying the herds, and 
 recognize me, Sponsilier went instead, returning 
 late that evening. 
 
IN QUARANTINE 281 
 
 "Well, fellows," said Dave, as lie dismounted 
 at the quarantine camp, "I've seen the herds, 
 and they propose to cross this dead-line of yours 
 as easily as water goes through a gourd funnel. 
 They '11 be here by noon to-morrow, and they 've 
 got the big conversation right on tap to show that 
 the government could n't feed its army if it was n't 
 for a few big cowmen like them. There 's a strange 
 corporal over the three herds and they 're working 
 on five horses to the man. But the ' major-domo ' 
 is the whole works ; he 's a windy cuss, and inti- 
 mates that he has a card or two iip his sleeve that 
 will put these quarantine guards to sleep when he 
 springs them. He 's a new man to me ; at least 
 he was n't with the gang at Ogalalla." 
 
 During the absence of my partner, I had ridden 
 the dead-line on the north. A strip of country five 
 miles wide was clear of cattle above the boundary, 
 while below were massed four herds, claiming the 
 range from the mountains to the Powder River. 
 The leader of the quarantine guards, Fred Ullmer, 
 had accompanied me on the ride, and on our return 
 we visited three of the outfits, urging them to 
 hold all their reserve forces subject to call, in case 
 an attempt was made to force the dead-line. At 
 each camp I took every possible chance to sow the 
 seeds of dissension and hatred against the high- 
 handed methods of The Western Supply Company. 
 Defining our situation clearly, I asked each fore- 
 man, in case these herds defied local authority, who 
 
282 THE OUTLET 
 
 would indemnify tlie owners for the loss among 
 native cattle by fever between Powderville and the 
 mouth of the Yellowstone. Would the drovers? 
 Would the government ? Leaving these and similar 
 thoughts for their consideration, Ullmer and I had 
 arrived at the first quarantine station shortly before 
 the return of my partner. 
 
 Upon the report of Sponsilier, Ullmer was ap- 
 pointed captain, and lost no time in taking action. 
 After dark, a scout was sent to Camp No. 2, a meet- 
 ing-place was appointed on Wolf Creek below, and 
 orders were given to bring along every possible 
 man from the local outfits and to meet at the ren- 
 dezvous within an hour after sun-up the next morn- 
 ing. Ullmer changed horses and left for Powder- 
 ville, assuring us that he would rally every man 
 interested in quarantine, and have his posse below 
 on the creek by sunrise. The remainder of us at 
 headquarters were under orders to bring all the arms 
 and ammunition, and join the quarantine forces at 
 the meeting-place some five miles from our camp. 
 We were also to touch at and command the pre- 
 sence of one of the four outfits while en route. I 
 liked the determined action of Captain Ullmer, 
 who I learned had emigrated with his parents to 
 Montana when a boy, and had grown into manhood 
 on the frontier. Sponsilier was likewise pleased 
 with the quarantine leader, and we lay awake far 
 into the night, reviewing the situation and trying 
 to anticipate any possible contingency that might 
 
IN QUARANTINE 283 
 
 thwart our plans. But to our best reasoning the 
 horizon was clear, and if Field, KadclifE & Co.'s 
 cattle reached Fort Buford on the day of deliv- 
 ery, well, it would be a miracle. 
 
 Fresh horses were secured at dawn, and break- 
 fast would be secured en route with the cow outfit. 
 There were a dozen large-calibre rifles in scabbards, 
 and burdening ourselves with two heavy guns to 
 the man and an abundance of ammunition, we 
 abandoned Quarantine Station No. 1 for the time 
 being. The camp which we were to touch at was 
 the one nearest the river and north of Wolf Creek, 
 and we galloped up to it before the sun had 
 even risen. Since everything was coming our way, 
 Sponsilier and I observed a strict neutrality, but 
 a tow-headed Texan rallied the outfit, saying : 
 
 " Make haste, fellows, and saddle up your horses. 
 Those three herds which raised such a rumpus up 
 on Little Powder have sent down word that they 're 
 going to cross our dead-line to-day if they have to 
 prize up hell and put a chunk under it. We have 
 decided to call their bluff before they even reach 
 the line, and make them show their hand for all 
 this big talk. Here 's half a dozen guns and car- 
 tridges galore, but hustle yourselves. Fred went 
 into Powderville last night and will meet us above 
 at the twin buttes this morning with every cowman 
 in town. All the other outfits have been sent for, 
 and we '11 have enough men to make our bluff stand 
 up, never fear. From what I learn, these herds 
 
284 THE OUTLET 
 
 belong to a lot of Yankee speculators, and they 
 don't give a tinker's dam if all the cattle in Mon- 
 tana die from fever. They 're no better than any- 
 body else, and if we allow them to go through, 
 they '11 leave a trail of dead natives that will stink 
 us out of this valley. Make haste, everybody." 
 
 I could see at a glance that the young Texan had 
 touched their pride. The foreman detailed three 
 men to look after the herd, and the balance made 
 hasty preparations to accompany the quarantine 
 guards. A relief was rushed away for the herders ; 
 and when the latter came in, they reported having 
 sighted the posse from Powderville, heading across 
 country for the twin buttes. Meanwhile a break- 
 fast had been bolted by the guards, Sponsilier, and 
 myself, and swinging into our saddles, we rounded 
 a blu£E bend of the creek and rode for the rendez- 
 vous, some three miles distant. I noticed by the 
 brands that nearly every horse in that country had 
 been born in Texas, and the short time in which 
 we covered the intervening miles proved that the 
 change of climate had added to their stability and 
 bottom. Our first glimpse of the meeting-point re- 
 vealed the summit of the buttes fairly covered with 
 horsemen. From their numbers it was evident that 
 ours was the last contingent to arrive ; but before 
 we reached the twin mounds, the posse rode down 
 from the lookout and a courier met and turned us 
 from our course. The lead herd had been sighted 
 in trail formation but a few miles distant, heading 
 
IN QUARANTINE 285 
 
 north, and it was the intention to head them at 
 the earliest moment. The messenger inquired our 
 numbers, and reported those arrived at forty-five, 
 making the posse when united a few over sixty 
 men. 
 
 A juncture of forces was effected within a mile 
 of the lead herd. It was a unique posse. Old fron- 
 tiersmen, with patriarchal beards and sawed-off 
 shotguns, chewed their tobacco complacently as 
 they rode forward at a swinging gallop. Beardless 
 youths, armed with the old buffalo guns of their 
 fathers, led the way as if an Indian invasion had 
 called them forth. Soldiers of fortune, with South- 
 ern accents, who were assisting in the conquest 
 of a new empire, intermingled with the hurrying 
 throng, and two men whose home was in Medina 
 County, Texas, looked on and approved. The very 
 horses had caught the inspiration of the moment, 
 champing bits in their effort to forge to the front 
 rank, while the blood-stained slaver coated many 
 breasts or driveled from our boots. Before we met 
 the herd a halt was called, and about a dozen men 
 were deployed off on each flank, while the main 
 body awaited the arrival of the cattle. The latter 
 were checked by the point-men and turned back 
 when within a few hundred yards of the main 
 posse. Several horsemen from the herd rode for- 
 ward, and one politely inquired the meaning of this 
 demonstration. The question was met by a counter 
 one from Captain UUmer, who demanded to know 
 
286 THE OUTLET 
 
 the reason why these cattle should trespass on the 
 rights of others and ignore local quarantine. The 
 spokesman in behalf of the herd turned in his sad- 
 dle and gave an order to send some certain person 
 forward. Sponsilier whispered to me that this 
 fellow was merely a segundo. " But wait till the 
 'major-domo' arrives," he added. The appearance 
 of the posse and the halting of the herd summoned 
 that personage from the rear to the front, and the 
 next moment he was seen galloping up the column 
 of cattle. With a plausible smile this high mogul, 
 on his arrival, repeated the previous question, and 
 on a similar demand from the captain of the posse, 
 he broke into a jolly laugh from which he recovered 
 with difficulty. 
 
 " Why, gentlemen," said he, every word dripping 
 with honeyed sweetness, " this is entirely uncalled 
 for. I assure you that it was purely an oversight on 
 my part that I did not send you word in advance 
 that these herds of mine are government cattle and 
 not subject to local quarantine. My associates are 
 the largest army contractors in the country, these 
 cattle are due at Fort Buford on the 15th of this 
 month, and any interference on your part would be 
 looked upon as an insult to the government. In 
 fact, the post commander at Fort Laramie insisted 
 that he be permitted to send a company of cavalry 
 to escort us across Wyoming, and assured us that 
 a troop from Fort Keogh, if requested, would meet 
 our cattle on the Montana line. The army is jealous 
 
IN QUAEANTINE 287 
 
 over its supplies, but I declined all military protec- 
 tion, knowing that I had but to show my creden- 
 tials to pass unmolested anywhere. Now, if you 
 care to look over these papers, you will see that 
 these cattle are en route to Fort Buford, on an 
 assignment of the original contract, issued by the 
 secretary of war to The Western Supply Company. 
 Very sorry to put you to all this trouble, but these 
 herds must not be interfered with. I trust that 
 you gentlemen understand that the government is 
 supreme." 
 
 As the papers mentioned were produced, Spon- 
 silier kicked me on the shin, gave me a quiet wink, 
 and nodded towards the documents then being ten- 
 dered to Captain Ullmer. Groping at his idea, I 
 rode forward, and as the papers were being returned 
 with a mere glance on the part of the quarantine 
 leader, I politely asked if I might see the assign- 
 ment of the original contract. But a quizzical smile 
 met my request, and shaking out the heavy parch- 
 ment, he rapped it with the knuckles of his disen- 
 gaged hand, remarking as he returned it to his 
 pocket, " Sorry, but altogether too valuable to allow 
 out of my possession." Just what I would have 
 done with the beribboned document, except to hand 
 it over to Sponsilier, is beyond me, yet I was vaguely 
 conscious that its destruction was of importance to 
 our side of the matter at issue. At the same instant 
 in which my request was declined, the big medi- 
 cine man turned to Captain Ullmer and suavely 
 
288 THE OUTLET 
 
 remarked, "You found everything as represented, 
 did you?" 
 
 " Why, I heard your statement, and I have also 
 heard it disputed from other sources. In fact I have 
 nothing to do with you except to enforce the quar- 
 antine now established by the cattlemen of eastern 
 Montana. If you have any papers showing that 
 your herds were wintered north of latitude 37, you 
 can pass, as this quarantine is only enforced against 
 cattle from south of that degree. This territory lost 
 half a million dollars' worth of native stock last fall 
 from Texas fever, and this season they propose to 
 apply the ounce of preventive. You will have ample 
 time to reach your destination after frost falls, and 
 your detention by quarantine will be a good excuse 
 for your delay. Now, imless you can convince me 
 that your herds are immune, I '11 show you a good 
 place to camp on the head of Wolf Creek. It will 
 probably be a matter of ten to fifteen days before 
 the quarantine is lifted, and we are enforcing it 
 against citizens of Montana and Texas alike, and 
 no exception can be made in your case." 
 
 " But, my dear sir, this is not a local or personal 
 matter. Whatever you do, don't invite the frown 
 of the government. Let me warn you not to act in 
 haste. Now, remember — " 
 
 " You made your cracks that you would cross 
 this quarantine line," interrupted Ullmer, bris- 
 tlingly, " and I want you to find out your mistake. 
 There is no occasion for further words, and you can 
 
IN QUARANTINE 289 
 
 either order your outfit to turn your cattle east, or 
 I '11 send men and do it myself." 
 
 The " major-domo " turned and galloped back to 
 his men, a number of whom had congregated near at 
 hand, l^e next moment he returned and haughtily 
 threatened to surrender the cattle then and there 
 unless he was allowed to proceed. " Give him a 
 receipt for his beeves, Fred," quietly remarked an 
 old cowman, gently stroking his beard, " and I '11 
 take these boys over here on the right and start 
 the cattle. That will be the safest way, unless the 
 gentleman can indemnify us. I lost ten thousand 
 dollars' worth of stock last fall, and as a citizen 
 of Montana I have objections to leaving a trail of 
 fever from here to the mouth of the Yellowstone. 
 And teU him he can have a bond for his cattle," 
 called back the old man as he rode out of hearing. 
 
 The lead herd was pointed to the east, and squads 
 of men rode down and met the other two, veering 
 them o£E on an angle to the right. Meanwhile the 
 superintendent raved, pleaded, and threatened with- 
 out avail, but finally yielded and refused the receipt 
 and dispossession of his cattle. This was just what 
 the quarantine captain wanted, and the dove of peace 
 began to shake its plumage. Within an hour all 
 three of the herds were moving out for the head of 
 Wolf Creek, accompanied only by the quarantine 
 guards, the remainder of the posse returning to 
 their homes or their work. Having ample time on 
 our hands, Sponsilier and I expected to remain 
 
290 THE OUTLET 
 
 at Station No. 1 until after the 10th of Septem- 
 ber, and accordingly made ourselves at home at 
 that camp. To say that we were elated over the 
 situation puts it mildly, and that night the two 
 of us lost nearly a hundred dollars playing poker 
 with the quarantine guards. A strict vigilance was 
 maintained over the herds in question, but aU 
 reports were unanimous that they were contentedly 
 occupying their allotted range. 
 
 But at noon on the third day of the enforced 
 isolation, a messenger from Powderville arrived at 
 the first station. A troop of cavalry from Fort 
 Keogh, accompanied by a pack-train, had crossed 
 the Powder Kiver below the hamlet, their avowed 
 mission being to afford an escort for certain gov- 
 ernment beef, then under detention by the local 
 authorities. The report fell among us like a flash 
 of lightning. Ample time had elapsed for a mes- 
 senger to ride to the Yellowstone, and, returning 
 with troops, pilot them to the camps of Field, Had- 
 cliff & Co. A consultation was immediately held, 
 but no definite line of action had been arrived at 
 when a horseman from one of the lower camps 
 dashed up and informed us that the three herds 
 were already trailing out for the dead-line, under 
 an escort of cavalry. Saddling up, we rallied what 
 few men were available, determined to make a pro- 
 test, at least, in the interest of hiunanity to dumb 
 brutes. We dispatched couriers to the nearest 
 camps and the outer quarantine station; but be- 
 
IN QUARANTINE 291 
 
 fore a posse of twenty men arrived, the lead herd 
 was within a mile of the dead-line, and we rode 
 out and met them. Fully eighty troopers, half of 
 which rode in column formation in front, halted us 
 as we approached. Terse and to the point were the 
 questions and answers exchanged between the mili- 
 tary arm of the government and the quarantine 
 authorities of Montana. When the question arose 
 of indemnity to citizens, in case of death to native 
 cattle, a humane chord was touched in the young 
 lieutenant in command, resulting in his asking 
 several questions, to which the " major-domo " pro- 
 tested. Once satisfied of the justice of quarantine, 
 the officer, in defense of his action, said : 
 
 " Gentlemen, I am under instructions to give 
 these herds, intended for use at Fort Buford, a 
 three days' escort beyond this quarantine line. I 
 am very much obliged to you all for making so 
 clear the necessity of isolating herds of Texas cat- 
 tle, and that little or no hardship may attend my 
 orders, you may have until noon to-morrow to drift 
 all native stock west of the Powder River. When 
 these herds encamp for the night, they wiU receive 
 instructions not to move forward before twelve 
 to-morrow. I find the situation quite different from 
 reports; nevertheless orders are orders." 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST 
 
 The quarantine guards returned to their camp. 
 Our plans were suddenly and completely upset, 
 and not knowing whict way to turn, Sponsilier and 
 I, slightly crestfallen, accompanied the guards. It 
 was already late in the evening, but Captain Ull- 
 mer took advantage of the brief respite granted 
 him to clear the east half of the valley of native 
 cattle. Couriers were dispatched to sound the 
 warning among the ranches down the river, while 
 a regular round-up outfit was mustered among the 
 camps to begin the drifting of range stock that 
 evening. A few men were left at the two camps, as 
 quarantine was not to be abandoned, and securing 
 our borrowed horses, my partner and I bade our 
 friends farewell and set out on our return for the 
 Yellowstone. Merely touching at Powderville for 
 a hasty supper, we held a northwest, cross-country 
 course, far into the night, when we unsaddled to 
 rest our horses and catch a few hours' sleep. But 
 sunrise found us again in our saddles, and by the 
 middle of the forenoon we were breakfasting with 
 our friends in Miles City. 
 
 Fort Keogh was but a short distance up the river. 
 
ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST 293 
 
 That military interference had been secured through 
 fraud and deception, there was not the shadow of 
 a doubt. During the few hours which we spent in 
 Miles, the cattle interests were duly aroused, and 
 a committee of cowmen were appointed to call on 
 the post commander at Keogh with a formidable 
 protest, which would no doubt be supplemented 
 later, on the return of the young lieutenant and his 
 troopers. During our ride the night before, Spon- 
 silier and I had discussed the possibility of arous- 
 ing the authorities at Glendive. Since it was in the 
 neighborhood of one hundred mUes from Powder- 
 ville to the former point on the railroad, the herds 
 would consume nearly a week in reaching there. A 
 freight train was caught that afternoon, and within 
 twenty-four hours after leaving the quarantine camp 
 on the Powder River, we had opened headquarters 
 at the Stock Exchange Saloon in Glendive. On 
 arriving, I deposited one hundred dollars with the 
 proprietor of that bar-room, with the understand- 
 ing that it was to be used in getting an expression 
 from the public in regard to the question of Texas 
 fever. Before noon the next day, Dave Sponsilier 
 and Tom Quirk were not only the two most popular 
 men in Glendive, but quarantine had been decided 
 on with ringing resolutions. 
 
 Our standing was soon of the best. Horses were 
 tendered us, and saddling one I crossed the Yellow- 
 stone and started down the river to arouse outlying 
 ranches, while Sponsilier and a number of local 
 
294 THE OUTLET 
 
 cowmen rode south to locate a camp and a dead- 
 line. I was absent two days, having gone north as 
 far as Wolf Island, where I recrossed the river, 
 returning on the eastern side of the valley. At 
 no ranch which was visited did my mission fail of 
 meeting hearty approval, especially on the western 
 side of the river, where severe losses from fever 
 had been sustained the fall before. One ranch on 
 Thirteen Mile offered, if necessary, to send every 
 man in its employ, with their own wagon and out- 
 fit of horses, free of all charge, until quarantine 
 was lifted. But I suggested, instead, that they send 
 three or four men with their horses and blankets, 
 leaving the remainder to be provided for by the 
 local committee. In my two days' ride, over fifty 
 volunteers were tendered, but I refused all except 
 twenty, who were to report at Glendive not later 
 than the morning of the 6th. On my return to the 
 railroad, all arrangements were completed and the 
 outlook was promising. Couriers had arrived from 
 the south during my absence, bringing the news of 
 the coming of the through Texas cattle, and warn- 
 ing the local ranches to clear the way or take the 
 consequences. All native stock had been pushed 
 west of the Powder and Yellowstone, as far north 
 as Cabin Creek, which had been decided on as the 
 second quarantine-line. Daily reports were being 
 received of the whereabouts of the moving herds, 
 and at the rate they were traveling, they would 
 reach Cabin Creek about the 7th. Two wagons had 
 
ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST 295 
 
 been outfitted, cooks employed, and couriers dis- 
 patched to watch the daily progress of the cattle, 
 which, if following the usual route, would strike 
 the dead-liue some distance south of Glendive. 
 
 During the next few days, Sponsilier and I were 
 social lions in that town, and so great was our 
 popularity we could have either married or been 
 elected to office. We limited our losses at poker 
 to so much an evening, and what we won from the 
 merchant class we invariably lost among the volun- 
 teer guards and cowmen, taking our luck with a 
 sangfroid which proved us dead-game sports, and 
 made us hosts of friends. We had contributed one 
 hundred dollars to the general quarantine fund, and 
 had otherwise made ourselves popular with all 
 classes in the brief time at our command. Under 
 the pretense that we might receive • orders at any 
 time to overtake our herds, we declined all leader- 
 ship in the second campaign about to be inaugu- 
 rated against Texas fever. Dave and I were both 
 feeling rather chesty over the masterful manner in 
 which we had aroused the popular feeling in favor 
 of quarantine in our own interest, at the same time 
 making it purely a local movement. We were 
 swaggering about like ward-heelers, when on the 
 afternoon of the 6th the unexpected again hap- 
 pened. The business interests of the village usually 
 turned out to meet the daily passenger trains, even 
 the poker-games taking a recess until the cars went 
 past. The arrival and departure of citizens of the 
 
296 THE OUTLET 
 
 place were noted by every one, and strangers were 
 looked upon with timidity, very much as in all 
 simple communities. Not taking any interest in 
 the passing trains, Sponsilier was writing a letter 
 to his girl in Texas, while I was shaking dice for 
 the cigars with the bartender of the Stock Exchange, 
 when the Eastbound arrived. After the departure 
 of the train, I did not take any notice of the re- 
 turn of the boys to the abandoned games, or the 
 influx of patrons to the house, until some one laid 
 a hand on my shoulder and quietly said, " Is n't 
 your name Quirk ? " 
 
 Turning to the speaker, I was confronted by 
 Mr. Field and Mr. Kadcliff, who had just arrived 
 by train from the west. Admitting my identity, 
 I invited them to have a cigar or liquid refreshment, 
 inquiring whence they had come and where their 
 cattle were. To my surprise. Fort Keogh was 
 named as their last refuge, and the herds were 
 reported to cross the railroad within the next few 
 days. Similar questions were asked me, but before 
 replying, I caught Sponsilier's eye and summoned 
 him with a wink. On Dave's presenting himself, I 
 innocently asked the pair if they did not remember 
 my friend as one of the men whom they had under 
 arrest at Dodge. They grunted an embarrassed 
 acknowledgment, which was returned in the same 
 coin, when I proceeded to inform them that our 
 cattle crossed the railroad at Little Missouri ten 
 days before, and that we were only waiting the 
 
ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST 297 
 
 return of Mr. Lovell from the drew Agency before 
 proceeding to our destination. With true Yankee 
 inquisitiveness, other questions followed, the trend 
 of which was to get us to admit that we had some- 
 thing to do with the present activities in quaran- 
 tining Texas cattle. But I avoided their leading 
 queries, and looked appealingly at Sponsilier, who 
 came to my rescue with an answer born of the 
 moment. 
 
 "Well, gentlemen," said Dave, seating himself 
 on the bar and leisurely rolling a cigarette, " that 
 town of Little Missouri is about the dullest hole that 
 I was ever water-bound in. Honestly, I 'd rather be 
 with the cattle than loafing in it with money in my 
 pocket. Now this town has got some get-up about 
 it ; I '11 kiss a man's foot if he complains that this 
 burg is n't sporty enough for his blood. They 've 
 given me a run here for my white alley, and I still 
 think I know something about that game called 
 draw-poker. But you were speaking about quaran- 
 tine. Yes ; there seems to have been a good many 
 cattle lost through these parts last fall. You ought 
 to have sent your herds up through Dakota, where 
 there is no native stock to interfere. I'd hate to 
 have cattle coming down the Powder Eiver. A 
 friend of mine passed through here yesterday ; his 
 herd was sold for delivery on the Elkhorn, north of 
 here, and he tells me he may not be able to reach 
 there before October, He saw your herds and tells 
 me you are driving the guts out of them. So if 
 
298 THE OUTLET 
 
 there 's anything in that old ' ship-fever theory,' you 
 ought to be quarantined until it snows. There 's a 
 right smart talk around here of fixing a dead-line 
 below somewhere, and if you get tied up before 
 reaching the railroad, it won't surprise me a little 
 bit. When it comes to handling the cattle, old man 
 Don has the good hard cow-sense every time, but 
 you shorthorns give me a pain." 
 
 " What did I tell you ? " said Kadcliff, the elder 
 one, to his partner, as they turned to leave. 
 
 On nearing the door, Mr. Field halted and be- 
 grudgingly said, " See you later, Quirk." 
 
 " Not if I see you first," I replied ; " you ain't my 
 kind of cowmen." 
 
 Not even waiting for them to pass outside, Spon- 
 silier, from his elevated position, called every one to 
 the bar to irrigate. The boys quit their games, and 
 as they lined up in a double row, Dave begged the 
 bartenders to bestir themselves, and said to his 
 guests : " Those are the kid-gloved cowmen that 
 I 've been telling you about — the owners of the 
 Texas cattle that are coming through here. Did 
 I hang it on them artistically, or shall I call them 
 back and smear it on a shade deeper ? They smelt 
 a mouse all right, and when their cattle reach Cabin 
 Creek, they '11 smell the rat in earnest. Now, set 
 out the little and big bottle and everybody have 
 a cigar on the side. And drink hearty, lads, for 
 to-morrow we may be drinking branch water in 
 a quarantine camp." 
 
ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST 299 
 
 The arrival of Field and Radcliff was accepted 
 as a defiance to the local cattle interests. Popular 
 feeling was intensified when it was learned that they 
 were determined not to recognize any local quaran- 
 tine, and were secretly inquiring for extra men to 
 guard their herds in passing Glendive. There was 
 always a rabble element in every frontier town, and 
 no doubt, as strangers, they could secure assistance 
 in quarters that the local cowmen would spurn. 
 Matters were approaching a white heat, when late 
 that night an expected courier arrived, and reported 
 the cattle coming through at the rate of twenty 
 miles a day. They were not following any particu- 
 lar trail, traveling almost due north, and if the 
 present rate of travel was maintained. Cabin Creek 
 would be reached during the forenoon of the 7th. 
 This meant business, and the word was quietly 
 passed around that all volunteers were to be ready 
 to move in the morning. A cowman named Betal- 
 lac, owner of a range on the Yellowstone, had pre- 
 viously been decided on as captain, and would have 
 under him not less than seventy-five chosen men, 
 which number, if necessary, could easily be in- 
 creased to one hundred. 
 
 Morning dawned on a scene of active operations. 
 The two wagons were started fully an hour in ad- 
 vance of the cavalcade, which was to follow, driv- 
 ing a remuda of over two hundred saddle horses. 
 Sponsilier and I expected to accompany the outfit, 
 but at the last moment our plans were changed by 
 
300. THE OUTLET 
 
 an incident and we remained behind, promising to 
 overtake them later. There were a number of old 
 buffalo hunters in town, living a precarious life, 
 and one of their number had quietly informed 
 Sheriff Wherry that they had been approached 
 with an offer of five dollars a day to act as an 
 escort to the herds while passing through. The 
 quarantine captain looked upon that element as 
 a valuable ally, suggesting that if it was a question 
 of money, our side ought to be in the market for 
 their services. Heartily agreeing with him, the 
 company of guards started, leaving their captain 
 behind with Sponsilier and myself. Glendive 
 was a county seat, and with the assistance of the 
 sheriff, we soon had every buffalo hunter in the 
 town corralled. They were a fine lot of rough men, 
 inclined to be convivial, and with the assistance of 
 Sheriff Wherry, coupled with the high standing of 
 the quarantine captain, on a soldier's introduction 
 Dave and I made a good impression among them. 
 Sponsilier did the treating and talking, his offer 
 being ten dollars a day for a man and horse, which 
 was promptly accepted, when the question natu- 
 rally arose who would stand sponsor for the wages. 
 Dave backed off some distance, and standing on 
 his left foot, pulled off his right boot, shaking out 
 a roll of money on the floor. 
 
 " There 's the long green, boys," said he, " and 
 you fellows can name your own banker. I '11 make 
 it up a thousand, and whoever you say goes with 
 
ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST 301 
 
 me. Shall it be the sheriff, or Mr. Eetallac, or the 
 proprietor of the Stock Exchange ? " 
 
 Sheriff Wherry interfered, relieving the embar- 
 rassment in appointing a receiver, and vouched 
 that these two Texans were good for any reasonable 
 sum. The buffalo hunters approved, apologizing 
 to Sponsilier, as he pulled on his boot, for ques- 
 tioning his financial standing, and swearing alle- 
 giance in every breath. An hour's time was granted 
 in which to saddle and make ready, during which 
 we had a long chat with Sheriff Wherry and found 
 him a valuable ally. He had cattle interests in the 
 country, and when the hunters appeared, fifteen 
 strong, he mounted his horse and accompanied us 
 several miles on the way. " Now, boys," said he, 
 at parting, " I 'II keep an eye over things around 
 town, and if anything important happens, I '11 send 
 a courier with the news. If those shorthorns at- 
 tempt to offer any opposition, I '11 run a blazer on 
 them, and if necessary I '11 jug the pair. You fel- 
 lows just buffalo the herds, and the sheriff's office 
 will keep cases on any happenings around Glen dive. 
 It 's understood that night or day your camp can 
 be found on Cabin Creek, opposite the old eagle 
 tree. Better send me word as soon as the herds 
 arrive. Good luck to you, lads." 
 
 Neither wagons nor guards were even sighted 
 during our three hours' ride to the appointed camp- 
 ground. On our arrival tents were being pitched 
 and men were dragging up wood, while the cooks 
 
302 THE OUTLET 
 
 were busily preparing a late dinner, the station 
 being fully fifteen miles south of the railroad. 
 Scouts were thrown out during the afternoon, cor- 
 rals built, and evening found the quarantine camp 
 well established for the comfort of its ninety-odd 
 men. The buffalo hunters were given special atten- 
 tion and christened the " Sponsilier Guards ; " they 
 took again to outdoor life as in the old days. The 
 report of the scouts was satisfactory ; all three of 
 the herds had been seen and would arrive on sched- 
 ule time. A hush of expectancy greeted this news, 
 but Sponsilier and I ridiculed the idea that there 
 would be any opposition, except a big talk and 
 plenty of bluffing. 
 
 " Well, if that 's what they rely on," said Captain 
 Hetallac, " then they 're as good as in quarantine 
 this minute. If you feel certain they can't get help 
 from Fort Keogh a second time, those herds will be 
 our guests until further orders. What we want to 
 do now is to spike every possible chance for their 
 getting any help, and the matter will pass over like 
 a summer picnic. If you boys think there 's any 
 danger of an appeal to Fort Buford, the military 
 authorities want to be notified that the Yellowstone 
 Valley has quarantined against Texas fever and 
 asks their cooperation in enforcing the same." 
 
 " I can fix that," replied Sponsilier. " We have 
 lawyers at Buford right now, and I can wire them 
 the situation fully in the morning. If they rely on 
 the military, they will naturally appeal to the near- 
 
ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST 303 
 
 est post, and if Keogh and Buf ord turn them down, 
 the next ones are on the Missouri Biver, and at 
 that distance cavalry couldn't reach here within 
 ten days. Oh, I think we We got a grapevine twist 
 on them this time." 
 
 Sponsilier sat up half the night wording a mes- 
 sage to our attorneys at Fort Buford. The next 
 morning foimd me bright and early on the road to 
 Glendive with the dispatch, the sending of which 
 would deplete my cash on hand by several dollars, 
 but what did we care for expense when we had the 
 money and orders to spend it? I regretted my 
 absence from the quarantine camp, as I was anxious 
 to be present on the arrival of the herds, and again 
 watch the " major-domo " run on the rope and fume 
 and charge in vain. But the importance of block- 
 ing assistance was so urgent that I would gladly 
 have ridden to Buford if necessary. In that bracing 
 atmosphere it was a fine morning for the ride, and 
 I was rapidly crossing the country, when a vehicle, 
 in the dip of the plain, was sighted several miles 
 ahead. I . was following no road, but when the 
 driver of the conveyance saw me he turned across 
 my front and signaled. On meeting the rig, I could 
 hardly control myself from laughing outright, for 
 there on the rear seat sat Field and Radcliff, ex- 
 tremely gruff and uncongenial. Common courtesies 
 were exchanged between the driver and myself, and 
 I was able to answer clearly his leading questions : 
 Yes; the herds would reach Cabin Creek before 
 
304 THE OUTLET 
 
 noon ; the old eagle tree, which could be seen from 
 the first swell of the plain beyond, marked the quar- 
 antine camp, and it was the intention to isolate the 
 herds on the South Fork of Cabin. " Drive on," 
 said a voice, and, in the absence of any gratitude 
 expressed, I inwardly smiled in reward. 
 
 I was detained in Glendive until late in the day, 
 waiting for an acknowledgment of the message. 
 Sheriff Wherry informed me that the only move 
 attempted on the part of the shorthorn drovers was 
 the arrest of Sponsilier and myself, on the charge 
 of being accomplices in the shooting of one of their 
 men on the North Platte. But the sheriff had as- 
 sured the gentlemen that our detention would have 
 no effect on quarantining their cattle, and the mat- 
 ter was taken under advisement and dropped. It 
 was late when I started for camp that evening. 
 The drovers had returned, accompanied by their 
 superintendent, and were occupying the depot, burn- 
 ing the wires in every direction. I was risking 
 no chances, and cultivated the company of Sheriff 
 Wherry until the acknowledgment arrived, when 
 he urged me to ride one of his horses in returning 
 to camp, and insisted on my taking a carbine. Pos- 
 sibly this was fortunate, for before I had ridden 
 one third the distance to the quarantine camp, I 
 met a cavalcade of nearly a dozen men from the 
 isolated herds. When they halted and inquired the 
 distance to Glendive, one of their number recog- 
 nized me as having been among the quarantine 
 
ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST 305 
 
 guards at Powderville. I admitted that I was there, 
 turning my horse so that the carbine fell to my 
 hand, and politely asked if any one had any objec- 
 tions. It seems that no one had, and after a few 
 commonplace inquiries were exchanged, we passed 
 on our way. 
 
 There was great rejoicing on Cabin Creek that 
 night. Songs were sung, and white navy beans 
 passed current in numerous poker-games until the 
 small hours of morning. There had been nothing 
 dramatic in the meeting between the herds and the 
 quarantine guards, the latter force having been aug- 
 mented by visiting ranchmen and their help, until 
 protest would have been useless. A routine of work 
 had been outlined, much stricter than at Powder- 
 ville, and a surveillance of the camps was constantly 
 maintained. Not that there was any danger of es- 
 cape, but to see that the herds occupied the country 
 allotted to them, and did not pollute any more ter- 
 ritory than was necessary. The Sponsilier Guards 
 were given an easy day shift, and held a circle of 
 admirers at night, recounting and living over again 
 " the good old days." Visitors from either side of 
 the Yellowstone were early callers, and during the 
 afternoon the sheriff from Glendive arrived. I did 
 not know until then that Mr. Wherry was a can- 
 didate for reelection that fall, but the manner in 
 which he mixed with the boys was enough to war- 
 rant his election for life. What endeared him to 
 Sponsilier and myself was the fund of information 
 
306 THE OUTLET 
 
 he had collected, and the close tab he had kept on 
 every movement of the opposition drovers. He told 
 us that their appeal to Fort Keogh for assistance 
 had been refused with a stinging rebuke ; that a 
 courier had started the evening before down the 
 river for Fort Buford, and that Mr. Eadcliff had 
 personally gone to Fort Abraham Lincoln to solicit 
 help. The latter post was fuUy one hundred and 
 fifty miles away, but that distance could be easily 
 covered by a special train in case of government 
 interference. 
 
 It rained on the afternoon of the 9th. The courier 
 had returned from Fort Buford on the north, unsuc- 
 cessful, as had also Mr. Eadcliff from Fort Lin- 
 coln on the Missouri Eiver to the eastward. The 
 latter post had referred the request to Keogh, 
 and washed its hands of intermeddling in a country 
 not tributary to its territory. The last hope of in- 
 terference was gone, and the rigors of quarantine 
 closed in like a siege with every gun of the enemy 
 spiked. Let it be a week or a month before the 
 quarantine was lifted, the citizens of Montana had 
 so willed it, and their wish was law. Evening fell, 
 and the men drew round the fires. The guards but- 
 toned their coats as they rode away, and the tired 
 ones drew their blankets around them as they lay 
 down to sleep. Scarcely a star could be seen in 
 the sky overhead, but before my partner or myself 
 sought our bed, a great calm had fallen, the stars 
 were shining, and the night had grown chilly. 
 
ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST 307 
 
 The old buffalo hunters predicted a change in the 
 weather, but beyond that they were reticent. As 
 Sponsilier and I lay down to sleep, we agreed that 
 if three days, even two days, were spared us, those 
 cattle in quarantine could never be tendered at 
 Fort Buford on the appointed flay of delivery. But 
 during the early hours of morning we were aroused 
 by the returning guards, one of whom halted his 
 horse near our blankets and shouted, " Hey, there, 
 you Texans ; get up — a frost has fallen ! " 
 
 Sure enough, it had frosted during the night, and 
 the quarantine was lifted. When day broke, every 
 twig and blade of grass glistened in silver sheen, 
 and the horses on picket stood humped and shiv- 
 ering. The sun arose upon the herds moving, with 
 no excuse to say them nay, and orders were issued 
 to the guards to break camp and disperse to their 
 homes. As we rode into Glendive that morning, 
 sullen and defeated by a power beyond our con- 
 trol, in speaking of the peculiarity of the interven- 
 tion, Sponsilier said : " Well, if it rains on the just 
 and the unjust alike, why shouldn't it frost the 
 same." 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 FORT BUFORD 
 
 We were at our rope's end. There were a few ao- 
 counts to settle in Glendive, after which we would 
 shake its dust from our feet. Very few of the quar- 
 antine guards returned to town, and with the 
 exception of Sheriff Wherry, none of the leading 
 cowmen, all having ridden direct for their ranches. 
 Long before the train arrived which would carry us 
 to Little Missouri, the opposition herds appeared 
 and crossed the railroad west of town. Their com- 
 missaries entered the village for supplies, while the 
 " major-domo," surrounded by a body-guard of men, 
 rode about on his miserable palfrey. The sheriff, 
 fearing a clash between the victorious and the van- 
 quished, kept an eye on Sponsilier and me as we 
 walked the streets, freely expressing our contempt 
 of Field, Eadcliff & Co., their henchmen and their 
 methods. Dave and I were both nerved to des- 
 peration; Sheriff Wherry, anxious to prevent a 
 conflict, counciled with the opposition drovers, re- 
 sulting in their outfits leaving town, while the 
 principals took stage across to Buford. 
 
 Meanwhile Sponsilier had wired full particulars 
 to our employer at Big Horn. It was hardly neces- 
 
FORT BUFORD 309 
 
 sary, as the frost no doubt was general all over 
 Montana, but we were anxious to get into commu- 
 nication with Lovell immediately on his return to 
 the railroad. We had written him from Miles of 
 our failure at Powderville, and the expected second 
 stand at Glendive, and now the elements had no- 
 tified him that the opposition herds were within 
 striking distance, and would no doubt appear at 
 Buford on or before the day of delivery. An irri- 
 table man like our employer would neither eat nor 
 sleep, once the delivery at the Crow Agency was 
 over, until reaching the railroad, and our message 
 would be awaiting him on his return to Big Horn. 
 Our train reached Little Missouri early in the even- 
 ing, and leaving word with the agent that we were 
 expecting important messages from the west, we 
 visited the liveryman and inquired about the welfare 
 of our horses. The proprietor of the stable in- 
 formed us that they had fared well, and that he 
 would have them ready for us on an hour's notice. 
 It was after dark and we were at supper when the 
 first message came. An immediate answer was re- 
 quired, and arising from the table, we left our meal 
 unfinished and hastened to the depot. From then 
 until midnight, messages flashed back and forth, 
 Sponsilier dictating while I wrote. As there was 
 no train before the regular passenger the next day, 
 the last wire requested us to have the horses ready 
 to meet the Eastbound, saying that Bob Quirk 
 would accompany Lovell. 
 
310 THE OUTLET 
 
 That night it frosted again. Sponsilier and I 
 slept until noon the next day without awakening. 
 Then the horses were brought in from pasture, and 
 preparation was made to leave that evening. It was 
 in the neighborhood of ninety miles across to the 
 mouth of the Yellowstone, and the chances were 
 that we would ride it without imsaddling. The 
 horses had had a two weeks' rest, and if our em- 
 ployer insisted on it, we would breakfast with the 
 herds the next morning. I was anxious to see the 
 cattle again and rejoin my outfit, but like a watched 
 pot, the train was an hour late. Sponsilier and I 
 took advantage of the delay and fortified the inner 
 man against the night and the ride before us. 
 This proved fortunate, as Lovell and my brother 
 had supper en route in the dining-car. A running 
 series of questions were asked and answered ; sad- 
 dles were shaken out of gunny-sacks and cinched 
 on waiting horses as though we were starting to 
 a prairie fire. Bob Quirk's cattle had reached the 
 Crow Agency in splendid condition, the delivery 
 was effected without a word, and old man Don 
 was in possession of a letter from Flood, saying 
 everything had passed smoothly at the Rosebud 
 Agency. 
 
 Contrary to the expectation of Sponsilier and 
 myself, our employer was in a good humor, fairly 
 walking on the clouds over the success of his two 
 first deliveries of the year. But amid the bustle 
 and rush, in view of another frosty night, Sponsilier 
 
FORT BUFORD 311 
 
 inquired if it would not be a good idea to fortify 
 against the chill, by taking along a bottle of brandy. 
 " Yes, two of them if you want to," said old man 
 Don, in good-humored approval. "Here, Tom, fork 
 this horse and take the pitch out of him," he con- 
 tinued ; " I don't like the look of his eye." But 
 before I could reach the horse, one of my own 
 string. Bob Quirk had mounted him, when in testi- 
 mony of the nutritive qualities of Dakota's grasses, 
 he arched his spine like a true Texan and outlined 
 a worm-fence in bucking a circle. 
 
 The start was made during the gathering dusk. 
 Sponsilier further lifted the spirits of our employer, 
 as we rode along, by a clear-cut description of 
 the opposition cattle, declaring that had they ever 
 equaled ours, the handling they had received since 
 leaving Ogalalla, compared to his, would class them 
 with short twos in the spring against long threes 
 in the fall. Within an hour the stars shone out, 
 and after following the river some ten miles, we 
 bore directly north until Beaver Creek was reached 
 near midnight. The pace was set at about an eight- 
 mile, steady clip, with an occasional halt to tighten 
 cinches or shift saddles. The horses were capable 
 of a faster gait without tiring, but we were not 
 sure of the route and were saving them for the 
 finish after daybreak. Early in the night we were 
 conscious that a frost was falling, and several times 
 Sponsilier inquired if no one cared for a nip from 
 his bottle. Bob Quirk started the joke on Dave by 
 
312 THE OUTLET 
 
 declining ; old man Don uncorked the flask, and, 
 after smelling of the contents, handed it back with 
 his thanks. I caught onto their banter, and not 
 wishing to spoil a good jest, also declined, leaving 
 Sponsilier to drink alone. During the night, when- 
 ever conversation lagged, some one was certain to 
 make reference to the remarks which are said to 
 have passed between the governors of the Carolinas, 
 or if that failed to provoke a rise, ask direct if no 
 one had something to ward off the chilly air. After 
 being refused several times, Dave had thrown the 
 bottle away, meeting these jests w'th the reply that 
 he had a private flask, but its quality was such 
 that he was afraid of offending our cultivated tastes 
 by asking us to join him. 
 
 Day broke about five in the morning. We had 
 been in the saddle nearly ten hours, and were con- 
 fident that sunrise would reveal some landmark to 
 identify our location. The atmosphere was frosty 
 and clear, and once the gray of dawn yielded to 
 the rising sun, the outline of the Yellowstone was 
 easily traced on our left, while the bluffs in our 
 front shielded a view of the mother Missouri. In 
 attempting to approach the latter we encountered 
 some rough country and were compelled to turn 
 towards the former, crossing it, at O'Brien's road- 
 house, some seven miles above the mouth. The hus- 
 banded reserves of our horses were shaken out, and 
 shortly afterward smoke-clouds from camp-fires, 
 hanging low, attracted our attention. The herds 
 
FORT BUFORD 313 
 
 were soon located as they arose and grazed away 
 from their bed-grounds. The outfits were encamped 
 on the eastern side of the Yellowstone ; and before 
 leaving the government road, we sighted in our 
 front a flag ascending to greet the morning, and 
 the location of Fort Buford was established. Turn- 
 ing towards the cattle, we rode for the lower wagon 
 and were soon unsaddling at Forrest's camp. The 
 latter had arrived two days before and visited the 
 post ; he told us that the opposition were there in 
 force, as well as our own attorneys. The arrival 
 of the cattle under contract for that military divi- 
 sion was the main topic of discussion, and Forrest 
 had even met a number of civilian employees of 
 Fort Buford whose duties were to look after the 
 government beeves. The foreman of these unen- 
 listed attaches, a Texan named Sanders, had casu- 
 ally ridden past his camp the day before, looking 
 over the cattle, and had pronounced them the finest 
 lot of beeves tendered the government since his 
 connection with that post. 
 
 " That 's good news," said Lovell, as he threw 
 his saddle astride the front wheel of the wagon ; 
 " that 's the way I like to hear my cattle spoken 
 about. Now, you boys want to make friends with 
 all those civilians, and my attorneys and Bob and 
 I will hobnob around with the officers, and try and 
 win the good will of the entire post. You want to 
 change your camp every few days and give your 
 cattle good grazing and let them speak for them- 
 
314 THE OUTLET 
 
 selves. Better kill a beef among the outfits, and 
 insist on all callers staying for meals. We 're 
 strangers here, and we want to mdke a good im- 
 pression, and show the public that we were born 
 white, even if we do handle cattle for a living. 
 Quince, tie up the horses for us, and after break- 
 fast Bob and I will look over the herds and then 
 ride into Fort Buf ord. — Trout for breakfast ? You 
 don't mean it ! " 
 
 It was true, however, and our appetites did them 
 justice. Forrest reported Splann as having arrived 
 a day late, and now encamped the last herd up the 
 valley. Taking our horses with us, Dave and I set 
 out to look up our herds and resume our former 
 positions. I rode through Sponsilier's cattle while 
 en route to my own, and remembered the first 
 impression they had made on my mind, — their 
 uniformity in size and smoothness of build, — and 
 now found them fatted into finished form, the herd 
 being a credit to any drover. Continuing on my 
 way, I intercepted my own cattle, lying down over 
 hundreds of acres, and so contented that I refused 
 to disturb them. Splann reported not over half a 
 dozen sore-footed ones among them, having grazed 
 the entire distance from Little Missouri, giving the 
 tender cattle a good chance to recover. I held a 
 circle of listeners for several hours, in recounting 
 Sponsilier's and my own experiences in the quar- 
 antine camps, and our utter final failure, except 
 that the opposition herds had been detained, which 
 
FOET BUFORD 315 
 
 would force them to drive over twenty miles a day 
 in order to reach Buford on time. On the other 
 hand, an incident of more than ordinary moment 
 had occurred with the cattle some ten days previous. 
 The slow movement of the grazing herds allowed a 
 great amount of freedom to the boys and was taken 
 advantage of at every opportunity. It seems that 
 on approaching Beaver Creek, Owen Ubery and 
 Runt Pickett had ridden across to it for the pur- 
 pose of trout-fishing. They were gone all day, hav- 
 ing struck the creek some ten or twelve miles west 
 of the cattle, expecting to fish down it and over- 
 take the herds during the evening. But about noon 
 they discovered where a wagon had been burned, 
 years before, and near by were five human skele- 
 tons, evidently a family. It was possibly the work 
 of Indians, or a blizzard, and to prove the discov- 
 ery, Pickett had brought in one of the skulls and 
 proposed taking it home with him as a memento of 
 the drive. Parent objected to having the reminder 
 in the wagon, and a row resulted between them, 
 till Splann interfered and threw the gruesome relic 
 away. 
 
 The next morning a dozen of us from the three 
 herds rode into the post. Fort Buford was not only 
 a military headquarters, but a supply depot for 
 other posts farther west on the Missouri and Yel- 
 lowstone rivers. The nearest railroad connection 
 was Glendive, seventy-six miles up the latter stream, 
 though steamboats took advantage of freshets in 
 
316 THE OUTLET 
 
 the river to transport immense supplies from lower 
 points on the Missouri where there were rail con- 
 nections. From Buford westward, transportation 
 was effected by boats of lighter draft and the reg- 
 ulation wagon train. It wAs recognized as one of 
 the most important supply posts in the West ; as 
 early as five years previous to this date, it had re- 
 ceived in a single summer as many as ten thousand 
 beeves. Its provision for cavalry was one of its 
 boasted features, immense stacks of forage flank- 
 ing those quarters, while the infantry barracks and 
 officers' quarters were large and comfortable. A 
 stirring little town had sprung up on the outside, 
 affording the citizens employment in wood and hay 
 contracts, and becoming the home of a large number 
 of civilian employees, the post being the mainstay 
 of the village. 
 
 After settling our quarantine bills, Sponsilier 
 and I each had money left. Our employer refused 
 even to look at our expense bills until after the 
 delivery, but urged us to use freely any remaining 
 funds in cultivating the good will of the citizens 
 and soldiery alike. Forrest was accordingly supplied 
 with funds, with the understanding that he was 
 to hunt up Sanders and his outfit and show them 
 a good time. The beef foreman was soon located 
 in the quartermaster's office, and, having been con- 
 nected with the post for several years, knew the 
 ropes. He had come to Buford with Texas cattle, 
 and after their delivery had accepted a situation 
 
FORT BUFORD 317 
 
 under the acting quartermaster, easily rising to the 
 foremanship through his superior abilities as a cow- 
 man. It was like a meeting of long-lost brothers to 
 mingle again with a cow outfit, and the sutler's bar 
 did a flourishing business during our stay in the 
 post. There were ten men in Sanders's outfit, sev- 
 eral of whom besides himself were Texans, and 
 before we parted, every rascal had promised to 
 visit us the next day and look over aU. the cattle. 
 
 The next morning Bob Quirk put in an early 
 appearance at my wagon. He had passed the other 
 outfits, and notified us all to have the cattle under 
 convenient herd, properly watered in advance, as 
 the post commandant, quartermaster, and a party 
 of minor ofiioers were going to ride out that after- 
 noon and inspect our beeves. Lovell, of course, 
 would accompany them, and Bob reported him as 
 having made a ten-strike with the officers' mess, not 
 being afraid to spend his money. Fortunately the 
 present quartermaster at Buford was a former ac- 
 quaintance of Lovell, the two having had business 
 transactions. The quartermaster had been con- 
 nected with frontier posts from Fort Clark, Texas, 
 to his present position. According to report, the 
 opposition were active and waging an aggressive 
 campaign, but not being Western men, were at a 
 disadvantage. Champagne had flowed freely at 
 a dinner given the night before by our employer, 
 during which Senator Aspgrain, in responding to 
 a toast, had paid the army a high tribute for the 
 
318 THE OUTLET 
 
 part it had played in reclaiming the last of our 
 western frontier. The quartermaster, in replying, 
 had felicitously remarked, as a matter of his own 
 observation, that the Calif ornian's love for a horse 
 was only excelled by the Texan's love for a cow, to 
 which, amid uproarious laughter, old man Don 
 arose and bowed his acknowledgment. 
 
 My brother changed horses and returned to 
 Sponsilier's wagon. Dave had planned to entertain 
 the post beef outfit for dinner, and had insisted 
 on Bob's presence. They arrived at my herd near 
 the middle of the forenoon, and after showing the 
 cattle and remuda, we all returned to Sponsilier's 
 camp. These civilian employees furnished their 
 own mounts, and were anxious to buy a number of 
 our best horses after the delivery was over. Not 
 even a whisper was breathed about any uncertainty 
 of our filling the outstanding contract, yet Sanders 
 was given to understand that Don Lovell would 
 rather, if he took a fancy to him, give a man a 
 horse than sell him one. Not a word was said about 
 any opposition to our herds ; that would come 
 later, and Sanders and his outfit were too good 
 judges of Texas cattle to be misled by any bluster 
 or boastful talk. Sponsilier acted the host, and 
 after dinner unearthed a box of cigars, and we told 
 stories and talked of our homes in the sunny South 
 until the arrival of the military party. The herds 
 had been well watered about noon and drifted out 
 on the first uplands, and we intercepted the caval- 
 
FORT BUFORD 319 
 
 cade before it reached Sponsilier's herd. They were 
 mounted on fine cavalry horses, and the only greet- 
 ing which passed, aside from a military salute, was 
 when Lovell said : " Dave, show these officers your 
 beeves. Answer any question they may ask to the 
 best of your ability. Gentlemen, excuse me while 
 you look over the cattle." 
 
 There were about a dozen military men in the 
 party, some of them veterans of the civil war, others 
 having spent their lifetime on our western frontier, 
 while a few were seeing their first year's service 
 after leaving West Point. In looking over the cat- 
 tle, the post commander and quartermaster were 
 taken under the wing of Sanders, who, as only a 
 man could who was born to the occupation, called 
 their attention to every fine point about the beeves. 
 After spending fuUy an hour with Sponsilier's herd, 
 the cavalcade proceeded on to mine, Lovell rejoin- 
 ing the party, but never once attempting to draw 
 out an opinion, and again Reusing himself on 
 reaching my cattle. I contlaued with the military, 
 answering every one's questions, from the young 
 lieutenant's to the veteran commandant's, in which 
 I was ably seconded by the quartermaster's fore- 
 man. My cattle had a splendid fill on them and 
 eloquently spoke their own praises, yet Sanders lost 
 no opportunity to enter a clincher in their favor. 
 He pointed out beef after beef, and vouched for the 
 pounds net they would dress, called attention to 
 their sameness in build, ages, and general thrift. 
 
320 THE OUTLET 
 
 until one would have supposed that he was a sales- 
 man instead of a civilian employee. 
 
 My herd was fully ten miles from the post, and 
 it was necessary for the military to return that 
 evening. Don Lovell and a number of the boys 
 had halted at a distance, and once the inspection 
 was over, we turned and rode back to the waiting 
 group of horsemen. On coming up, a number of 
 the officers dismounted to shift saddles, preparatory 
 to starting on their return, when the quartermaster 
 halted near our employer and said : 
 
 " Colonel Lovell, let me say to you, in all sin- 
 cerity, that in my twenty-five years' experience on 
 this frontier, I never saw a finer lot of beeves ten- 
 dered the government than these of yours. My 
 position requires that I should have a fair know- 
 ledge of beef cattle, and the perquisites of my office 
 in a post of Buford's class enable me to employ the 
 best practical men available to perfect the service. 
 I remember the quality of cattle which you delivered 
 four years ago to me at Fort Kandall, when it was 
 a six-company post, yet they were not as fine a lot 
 of beeves as these are. I have always contended 
 that there was nothing too good in my department 
 for the men who uphold the colors of our country, 
 especially on the front line. You have been a soldier 
 yourself and know that I am talking good horse- 
 sense, and I want to say to you that whatever the 
 outcome of this dispute may be, if yours are the 
 best cattle, you may count on my support until the 
 
'^M:l 
 
 
 MY CATTLE ELOQUENTLY SPOKE THEIR OWN PRAISES 
 
FORT BUFORD 321 
 
 drums beat tattoo. The government is liberal and 
 insists on the best ; the rank and file are worthy, 
 and yet we don't always get what is ordered and 
 well paid for. Now, remember, comrade, if this 
 difference comes to an issue, I 'm right behind you, 
 and we '11 stand or be ti^rned down together." 
 
 " Thank you, Colonel," replied Mr. Lovell. " It 
 does seem rather fortunate, my meeting up with 
 a former business acquaintance, and at a time when 
 I need him bad. If I am successful in delivering 
 on this Buford award, it will round out, during my 
 fi.fteen years as a drover, over a hundred thousand 
 cattle that I have sold to the government for its 
 Indian and army departments. There are no secrets 
 in my business ; the reason of my success is simple 
 — my cattle were always there on the appointed 
 day, humanely handled, and generally just a shade 
 better than the specifications. My home country 
 has the cattle for sale ; I can tell within two bits 
 a head what it will cost to lay them down here, and 
 it 's music to my ear to hear you insist on the best. 
 I agree with you that the firing-line is entitled to 
 special consideration, yet you know that there are 
 ringsters who fatten at the expense of the rank and 
 file. At present I have n't a word to say, but at 
 noon to-morrow I shall tender the post commander 
 at Ford Buford, through his quartermaster, ten 
 thousand beeves, as a sub-contractor on the original 
 award to The Western Supply Company." 
 
 The post commander, an elderly, white-haired 
 
322 THE OUTLET 
 
 officer, rode over and smilingly said : " Now, look 
 here, my Texas friend, I 'm afraid you are borrow- 
 ing trouble. True enough, there has been a protest 
 made against our receiving your beeves, and I don't 
 mince my words in saying that some hard things 
 have been said about you. But we happen to know 
 something about your reputation and don't give 
 credit for all that is said. Your beeves are an elo- 
 quent argument in your favor, and if I were you 
 I would n't worry. It is always a good idea in this 
 Western country to make a proviso ; and unless the 
 unforeseen happens, the quartermaster's cattle fore- 
 man will count your beeves to-morrow afternoon ; 
 and for the sake of your company, if we keep you 
 a day or two longer settling up, I don't want to 
 hear you kick. Now, come on and go back with us 
 to the post, as I promised my wife to bring you 
 over to our house this evening. She seems to think 
 that a man from Texas with ten thousand cattle 
 ought to have horns, and I want to show her that 
 she 's mistaken. Come on, now, and not a damned 
 word of protest out of you." 
 
 The military party started on their return, ac- 
 companied by Lovell. The civilian attaches followed 
 at a respectful distance, a number of us joining 
 them as far as Sponsilier's camp. There we halted, 
 when Sanders insisted on an explanation of the re- 
 marks which had passed between our employer and 
 his. Being once more among his own, he felt no 
 delicacy in asking for information — which he would 
 
FOKT BUFOED 323 
 
 never think of doing with his superiors. My brother 
 gave him a true version of the situation, but it re- 
 mained for Dave Sponsilier to add an outline of 
 the opposition herds and outfits. 
 
 " With humane treatment," said Dave, " the cat- 
 tle would have qualified under the specifications. 
 They were bought at Ogalalla, and any of the boys 
 here will tell you that the first one was a good herd. 
 The market was all shot to pieces, and they picked 
 them up at their own price. But the owners did n't 
 have cow-sense enough to handle the cattle, and put 
 one of their own gang over the herds as superin- 
 tendent. They left Cabin Creek, below Glendive, 
 on the morning of the 10th, and they '11 have to 
 travel nearly twenty miles a day to reach here by 
 noon to-morrow. Sanders, you know that gait will 
 soon kill heavy cattle. The outfits were made up 
 of short-card men and dance-hall ornaments, wild 
 enough to look at, but shy on cattle sabe. Just so 
 they showed up bad and wore a six-shooter, that 
 was enough to win a home with Field and Ead- 
 cliff. If they reach here on time, I '11 gamble there 
 ain't ten horses in the entire outfit that don't carry 
 a nigger brand. And when it comes to the big 
 conversation — well, they 've simply got the earth 
 faded." 
 
 It was nearly sundown when we mounted our 
 horses and separated for the day. Bob Quirk re- 
 turned to the post with the civilians, while I has- 
 tened back to my wagon. I had left orders with 
 
324 THE OUTLET 
 
 Splann to water the herd a seeond time during the 
 evening and thus insure an easy night in holding 
 the cattle. On my return, they were just grazing 
 out from the river, their front a mile wide, making 
 a pretty picture with the Yellowstone in the back- 
 ground. But as I sat my horse and in retrospect 
 reviewed my connection with the cattle before me 
 and the prospect of soon severing it, my remuda 
 came over a near-by hill in a swinging trot for their 
 second drink. Levering threw them into the river 
 below the herd, and turning, galloped up to me 
 and breathlessly asked : " Tom, did you see that 
 dust-cloud up the river ? Well, the other cattle are 
 coming. The timber cuts off your view from here, 
 besides the sun 's gone down, but I watched their 
 signal for half an hour from that second hill yon- 
 . der. Oh, it's cattle all right; I know the sign, 
 even if they are ten miles away." 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 A SOLDIER'S HONOR 
 
 Deliveby day dawned with a heavy fog hanging 
 over the valley of the Yellowstone. The frosts had 
 ceased, and several showers had fallen during the 
 night, one of which brought our beeves to their feet, 
 but they gave no serious trouble and resumed their 
 beds within an hour. There was an autumn feeling 
 in the atmosphere, and when the sun arose, dispell-, 
 ing the mists, a glorious September day was ushered 
 in. The foliage of the timber which skirted either 
 river was coloring from recent frosts, while in 
 numerous places the fallen leaves of the cottonwood 
 were littering the ground. Enough rain had fallen 
 to settle the dust, and the signal of the approaching 
 herds, seen the evening before, was no longer visible. 
 The delay in their appearance, however, was only 
 temporary. I rode down to Sponsilier's camp early 
 that morning and reported the observations of my 
 wrangler at sundown. No one at the lower wagon 
 had noticed the dust-clouds, and some one suggested 
 that it might be a freight outfit returning unloaded, 
 when one of the men on herd was seen sig;naling the 
 camp's notice. The attention of the day-herders, 
 several miles distant, was centred on some object 
 
326 THE OUTLET 
 
 up the river ; and mounting our horses, we rode for 
 the nearest elevation, from which two herds were 
 to be seen on the opposite side, traveling in trail 
 formation. There was no doubting their identity ; 
 and wondering what the day would bring forth, we 
 rode for a better point of observation, when from 
 behind a timbered bend of the river the lead of the 
 last herd appeared. At last the Yellowstone Valley 
 held over twenty thousand beef cattle, in plain sight 
 of each other, both factions equally determined on 
 making the delivery on an award that required only 
 half that number. Dismounting, we kept the herds 
 in view for over an hour, or until the last one had 
 crossed the river above O'Brien's road-house, the 
 lead one having disappeared out of sight over on 
 the main Missouri. 
 
 This was the situation on the morning of Septem- 
 ber 15. As we returned to Sponsilier's wagon, all 
 the idle men about the camp joined our cavalcade, 
 and we rode down and paid Forrest's outfit a social 
 visit. The latter were all absent, except the cook, 
 but shortly returned from down the river and re- 
 ported the opposition herds to be crossing the Mis- 
 souri, evidently going to camp at Alkali Lake. 
 
 " Well, I 've been present at a good many deliv- 
 eries," said Quince Forrest, as he reined in his 
 horse, "but this one is in a class by itself. We 
 always aimed to get within five or ten miles of a 
 post or agency, but our friends made a worthy effort 
 to get on the parade-ground. They did the next 
 
A SOLDIER'S HONOR 327 
 
 best thing and occupied the grazing where the cav- 
 alry horses have been herded all summer. Oh, their 
 cattle will be hog-fat in a few days. Possibly they 
 expect to show their cattle in town, and not trouble 
 the quartermaster and comandante to even saddle 
 up — they 're the very kind of people who would n't 
 give anybody trouble if they could help it. It 
 would n't make so much difference about those old 
 frontier officers or a common cowman, but if one 
 of those young lieutenants was to get his feet wet, 
 the chances are that those Washington City con- 
 tractors would fret and worry for weeks. Of course, 
 any little inconvenience that any one incurred on 
 their account, they 'd gladly come all the way back 
 from Europe to make it right — I don't think." 
 
 While we were discussing the situation. Bob 
 Quirk arrived at camp. He reported that Lovell, 
 relying on the superiority of our beeves, had waived 
 his right to deliver on the hour of high noon, and 
 an inspection of the other cattle would be made that 
 evening. The waiver was made at the request of 
 the leading officers of Fort Buford, all very friendly 
 to the best interests of the service and consequently 
 ours, and the object was to silence all subsequent 
 controversy. My brother admitted that some out- 
 side pressure had been brought to bear during the 
 night, very antagonistic to the post .commander, 
 who was now more determined than ever to accept 
 none but the best for their next year's meat supply. 
 A well-known congressman, of unsavory reputation 
 
328 THE OUTLET 
 
 as a lobbyist in aiding and securing government 
 contracts for Lis friends, was the latest addition to 
 the legal forces of the opposition. He constantly 
 mentioned his acquaintances in the War Depart- 
 ment and maintained an air of assurance which was 
 very disconcerting. The younger officers in the post 
 were abashed at the effrontery of the contractors 
 and their legal representatives, and had even gone so 
 far as to express doubts as to the stability of their 
 positions in case the decision favored Lovell's cattle. 
 Opinion was current that a possible shake-up might 
 occur at Buford after the receipt of its beef supply, 
 and the more timorous ones were anxious to get into 
 the right wagon, instead of being relegated to some 
 obscure outpost. 
 
 It was now evident that the decisive issue was to 
 occur over the delivery of the contending herds. 
 Numerous possibilities arose in my imagination, and 
 the various foremen advanced their views. A gen- 
 eral belief that old man Don would fight to the last 
 was prevalent, and amidst the discussions pro and 
 con, I remarked that Lovell could take a final refuge 
 behind the indemnity in hand. 
 
 " Indemnity, hell ! " said Bob Quirk, giving me a 
 withering look ; " what is sixty-five thousand dollars 
 on ten thousand beeves, within an hour of delivery 
 and at thir£y-seven and a half a head? You all 
 know that the old man has strained his credit on 
 this summer's drive, and he 's got to have the money 
 when he goes home. A fifteen or twenty per cent. 
 
A SOLDIER'S HONOR 329 
 
 indemnity does him no good. The Indian herds 
 have paid out well, but if this delivery falls down, it 
 will leave him holding the sack. On the other hand, 
 if it goes through, he will be, financially, an inde- 
 pendent man for life. And while he knows the 
 danger of delay, he consented as readily as any of 
 us would if asked for a cigarette-paper. He may 
 come out all right, but he 's just about white enough 
 to get the worst of it. I 've read these Sunday- 
 school stories, where the good little boy always came 
 out on top, but in real life, especially in cattle, it 's 
 quite different." 
 
 My brother's words had a magical effect. Spon- 
 silier asked for suggestions, when Bob urged that 
 every man available go into the post and accompany 
 the inspection party that afternoon. Since Forrest 
 and himself were unknown, they would take about 
 three of the boys with them, cross the Missouri, 
 ride through and sum up the opposition cattle. 
 Forrest approved of the idea, and ordered his cook 
 to bestir himself in getting up an early dinner. 
 Meanwhile a number of my boys had ridden down 
 to Forrest's wagon, and I immediately dispatched 
 Clay Zilligan back to my cattle to relieve Vick 
 Wolf and inform the day-herders that we might 
 not return before dark. Wolf was the coolest man 
 in my employ, had figured in several shooting 
 scrapes, and as he was a splendid shot, I wanted 
 to send him with Forrest and my brother. If identi- 
 fied as belonging to Lovell's outfits, there was a 
 
330 THE OUTLET 
 
 possibility that insult might be offered the boys ; 
 and knowing that it mattered not what the odds 
 were, it would be resented, I thought it advisable 
 to send a man who had smelt powder at short range. 
 I felt no special uneasiness about my brother, in 
 fact he was the logical man to go, but a little pre- 
 caution would do no harm, and I saw to it that 
 Sponsilier sent a good representative. 
 
 About one o'clock we started, thirty strong. Rid- 
 ing down the Yellowstone, the three detailed men. 
 Quince Forrest, and my brother soon bore off to 
 the left and we lost sight of them. Continuing on 
 down the river, we forded the Missouri at the regu- 
 lar wagon-crossing, and within an hour after leav- 
 ing Forrest's camp cantered into Fort Buford. 
 Sanders and his outfit were waiting in front of the 
 quartermaster's o£B.ce, the hour for starting having 
 been changed from two to three, which afforded 
 ample time to visit the sutler's bar. Our arrival 
 was noticed about the barracks, and evidently some 
 complaint had been made, as old man Don joined 
 us in time for the first round, after which he called 
 Dave and me aside. In reply to his inquiry regard- 
 ing our presence, Sponsilier informed him that we 
 had come in to afford him an escort, in case he 
 wished to attend the inspection of the opposition 
 herds ; that if there was any bulldozing going on 
 he need n't stand behind the door. Dave informed 
 him that Bob and Quince and three of the other boys 
 would meet us at the cattle, and that he need feel 
 
A SOLDIER'S HONOR 331 
 
 no hesitancy in going if it was his wish. It was 
 quite evident that Mr. Lovell was despondent, but 
 he took courage and announced his willingness to 
 go along. 
 
 " It was my intention not to go," said he, " though 
 Mr. Aspgrain and Sutton both urged that I should. 
 But now since you boys all feel the same way, I 
 believe I '11 go. Heaven and earth are being moved 
 to have the other cattle accepted, but there are a 
 couple of old war-horses at the head of this post that 
 will fight them to the last ditch, and then some. I 'm 
 satisfied that my beeves, in any market in the West, 
 are worth ten dollars a head more than the other 
 ones, yet there is an effort being made to turn us 
 down. Our claims rest on two points, — superiority 
 of the beef tendered, and the legal impossibility of 
 a transfer from themselves, a corporation, to them- 
 selves as individuals. If there is no outside inter- 
 ference, I think we will make the delivery before 
 noon to-morrow. Now, I'U get horses for both 
 Mr. Sutton and Senator Aspgrain, and you see that 
 none of the boys drink too much. Sanders and his 
 outfit are all right, and I want you lads to remind 
 me to remember him before we leave this post. 
 Now, we '11 all go in a little party by ourselves, and 
 I don't want a word out of a man, unless we are 
 asked for an opinion from the officers, as our cattle 
 must argue our cause." 
 
 A second drink, a cigar all round, and we were 
 ready to start. As we returned to our mounts, a 
 
332 THE OUTLET 
 
 bustle of activity pervaded the post. Orderlies were 
 leading forth the best horses, officers were appear- 
 ing in riding-boots and gauntlets, while two convey- 
 ances from a livery in town stood waiting to convey 
 the contractors and their legal representatives. Our 
 employer and his counsel were on hand, awaiting 
 the start, when the quartermaster and his outfit led 
 off. There was some delay among the officers over 
 the change of a horse, which had shown lameness, 
 while the ringsters were all seated and waiting in 
 their vehicles. Since none of us knew the trail to 
 Alkali Lake, some one suggested that we follow 
 up the quartermaster and allow the military and 
 conveyances to go by the wagon-road. But Lovell 
 objected, and ordered me forward to notice the 
 trail and course, as the latter was a cut-off and 
 much nearer than by road. I rode leisurely past 
 the two vehicles, carefully scanning every face, 
 when Mr. Field recognized and attempted to halt 
 me, but I answered him with a contemptuous look 
 and rode on. Instantly from the rigs came cries 
 of " Stop that man ! " " Halt that cowboy ! " etc., 
 when an orderly stepped in front of my horse and 
 I reined in. But the shouting and my detention 
 were seen and heard, and the next instant, led by 
 Mike Sutton, our men dashed up, scaring the teams, 
 overturning both of the conveyances, and spilling 
 their occupants on the dusty ground. I admit 
 that we were a hard-looking lot of cow-hands, our 
 employer's grievance was our own, and just for an 
 
A SOLDIEE'S HONOR 333 
 
 instant there was a blue, sulphuric tinge in the 
 atmosphere as we accented our protest. The con- 
 gressman scrambled to his feet, sputtering a com- 
 plaint to the post commander, and when order was 
 finally restored, the latter cooUy said : 
 
 " Well, Mr. Y , when did you assume com- 
 mand at Fort Buf ord ? Any orders that you want 
 given, while on this military reservation, please sub- 
 mit them to the proper authorities, and if just, they 
 will receive attention. What right have you or any 
 of your friends to stop a man without due process ? 
 I spent several hours with these men a few days 
 ago and found them to my liking. I wish we could 
 recruit the last one of them into our cavalry. But 
 if you are afraid, I '11 order out a troop of horse to 
 protect you. Shall I?" 
 
 " I 'm not at all afraid," replied Mr. Eadcliff, 
 " but feel under obligation to protect my counsel. 
 If you please. Colonel." 
 
 " Captain O'Neill," said the commandant, turn- 
 ing to that officer, " order out your troop and give 
 these conveyances ample protection from now until 
 their return from this cattle inspection. Mr. Lovell, 
 if you wish to be present, please ride on ahead with 
 your men. The rest of us will proceed at once, 
 and as soon as the escort arrives, these vehicles 
 will bring up the rear." 
 
 As we rode away, the bugles were calling the 
 troopers. 
 
 " That 's the way to throw the gaff into them," 
 
334 THE OUTLET 
 
 said Sutton, when we had ridden out of hearing. 
 " Every time they bluff, call their hand, and they '11 
 soon get tired running blazers. I want to give 
 notice right now that the first mark of disrespect 
 shown me, by client or attorney, I 'U slap him then 
 and there, I don't care if he is as big as a giant. 
 We are up against a hard crowd, and we want to 
 meet them a little over halfway, even on a hint or 
 insinuation. When it comes to buffaloing the oppo- 
 site side, that 's my long suit. The history of this 
 case shows that the opposition has no regard for the 
 rights of others, and it is up to us to try and teach 
 them that a love of justice is universal. Personally, 
 I 'm nothing but a frontier lawyer from Dodge, but 
 I 'm the equal of any lobbyist that ever left Wash- 
 ington City." 
 
 Alkali Lake was some little distance from the 
 post. All three of the herds were holding beyond 
 it, a polite request having reached them to vacate 
 the grazing-ground of the cavalry horses. Lovell 
 still insisted that we stand aloof and give the con- 
 stituted authorities a free, untrammeled hand until 
 the inspection was over. The quartermaster and his 
 assistants halted on approaching the first herd, and 
 giving them a wide berth, we rode for the nearest 
 good point of observation. The officers galloped up 
 shortly afterward, reining in for a short conversa- 
 tion, but entering the first herd before the arrival 
 of the conveyances and their escort. When the 
 latter party arrived, the nearest one of the three 
 
A SOLDIER'S HONOR 335 
 
 herds had been passed upon, but the contractors 
 stood on the carriage seats and attempted to look 
 over the cordon of troopers, formed into a hollow 
 square, which surrounded them. The troop were 
 mounted on chestnut horses, making a pretty sight, 
 and I think they enjoyed the folly and humor of 
 the situation fully as much as we did. On nearing 
 the second herd, we were met by the other boys, 
 who had given the cattle a thorough going-over and 
 reported finding two " Circle Dot " beeves among 
 the opposition steers. The chances are that they had 
 walked off a bed-ground some night while holding 
 at Ogalalla and had been absorbed into another 
 herd before morning. My brother announced his 
 intention of taking them back with us, when Spon- 
 silier taunted him with the fact that there might be 
 objections offered. 
 
 " That '11 be all right, Davy," replied Bob ; " it '11 
 take a bigger and better outfit than these pimps 
 and tin-horns to keep me from claiming my own. 
 You just watch and notice if those two steers don't 
 go back with Forrest. Why, they had the nerve 
 to question our right even to look them over. It 
 must be a trifle dull with the girls down there in 
 Ogalalla when all these ' babies ' have to turn out 
 at work or go hungry." 
 
 Little time was lost in inspecting the last herd. 
 The «attle were thrown entirely too close together 
 to afford much opportunity in looking them over, 
 and after riding through them a few times, the 
 
336 THE OUTLET 
 
 officers rode away for a consultation. We had kept 
 at a distance from the convoy, perfectly contented 
 so long as the opposition were prisoners of their 
 own choosing. Captain O'Neill evidently understood 
 the wishes of his superior officer, and never once 
 were his charges allowed within hailing distance of 
 the party of inspection. As far as exerting any 
 influence was concerned, for that matter, all of us 
 might have remained back at the post and received 
 the report on the commander's return. Yet there 
 was a tinge of uncertainty as to the result, and all 
 concerned wanted to hear it at the earliest moment. 
 The inspection party did not keep us long in wait- 
 ing, for after a brief conference they turned and 
 rode for the contractors under escort. We rode 
 forward, the troop closed up in close formation 
 about the two vehicles, and the general tension rose 
 to that of rigidity. We halted quietly within easy 
 hearing distance, and without noticing us the com- 
 mandant addressed himself to the occupants of the 
 conveyances, who were now standing on the seats. 
 
 "Gentlemen," said he, with military austerity, 
 " the quality and condition of your cattle places 
 them beyond our consideration. Beef intended for 
 delivery at this post must arrive here with sufficient 
 flesh to withstand the rigors of our winter. When 
 possible to secure them, we prefer Northern win- 
 tered cattle, but if they are not available, and we 
 are compelled to receive Southern ones, they must 
 be of the first quality in conformation and flesh. 
 
A SOLDIER'S HONOR 337 
 
 It now becomes my duty to say to you that your 
 beeves are rough, have been over-driven, are ten- 
 der-footed and otherwise abused, and, having in 
 view the best interests of the service, with the con- 
 currence of my asspciates, I decline them." 
 
 The decision was rendered amid breathless si- 
 lence. Not a word of exultation escaped one of 
 our party, but the nervous strain rather intensified. 
 
 Mr. Y , the congressman, made the first 
 
 move. Quietly alighting from the vehicle, he held 
 a whispered conversation with his associates, very 
 composedly turned to the commandant, and said : 
 
 " No doubt you are aware that there are higher 
 authorities than the post conunander and quarter- 
 master of Fort Buford. This higher court to which 
 I refer saw fit to award a contract for five million 
 pounds of beef to be delivered at this post on foot. 
 Any stipulations inserted or omitted in that article, 
 the customary usages of the War Department would 
 govern. If you will kindly look at the original 
 contract, a copy of which is in your possession, you 
 will notice that nothing is said about the quality of 
 the cattle, just so the pounds avoirdupois are there. 
 The government does not presume, when contract- 
 ing for Texas cattle, that they will arrive here in 
 perfect order; but so long as the sex, age, and 
 weight have been complied with, there can be no 
 evasion of the contract. My clients are sub-con- 
 tractors, under an assignment of the original award, 
 are acting in good faith in making this tender, and 
 
338 THE OUTLET 
 
 if your decision is against them, we will make an 
 appeal to the War Department. I am not presuming 
 to tell you your -duty, but trust you will take this 
 matter under full advisement before making your 
 decision final." ^ 
 
 " Mr. Y , I have received cattle before with- 
 out any legal advice or interference of higher au- 
 thority. Although you have ignored his presence, 
 there is another man here with a tender of beef who 
 is entitled to more than passing consideration. He 
 holds a sub-contract under the original award, and 
 there is no doubt but he is also acting in good faith. 
 My first concern as a receiving agent of this gov- 
 ernment is that the goods tendered must be of the 
 first quality. Your cattle fall below our established 
 standards here, while his will take rank as the finest 
 lot of beeves ever tendered at this post, and there- 
 fore he is entitled to the award. I am not going to 
 stand on any technicalities as to who is legally enti- 
 tled to make this delivery; there have been charges 
 and counter-charges which have reached me, the 
 justice of which I cannot pass on, but with the cat- 
 tle it is quite different. I lack but five years of 
 being retired on my rank, the greater portion of 
 which service has been spent on this frontier, and 
 I feel justified in the decision made. The govern- 
 ment buys the best, insists on its receiving agents 
 demanding the same, and what few remaining years 
 I serve the flag, there will be no change in my 
 policy." 
 
A SOLDIEK'S HONOE 339 
 
 There was a hurried conference. The "major- 
 domo " was called into the consultation, after which 
 the congressman returned to the attack. 
 
 " Colonel, you are forcing us to make a protest 
 to the War Department. As commander at Fort 
 Buford, what right have you to consider the tender 
 of any Tom, Dick, or Harry who may have cattle 
 to sell? Armed with an assignment of the original 
 award, we have tendered you the pounds quantity 
 required by the existing contract, have insisted on 
 the acceptance of the same, and if refused, our 
 protest will be in the War Office before that sun 
 sets. Now, my advice is — " 
 
 " I don't give a damn for you nor your advice. 
 My reputation as a soldier is all I possess, and no 
 man can dictate to nor intimidate me. My past 
 record is an open book and bne which I am proud 
 of ; and while I have the honor to command at Fort 
 Buford, no threats can terrify nor cause me to devi- 
 ate from my duty. Captain O'Neill, attend orders 
 and escort these vehicles back to their quarters." 
 
 The escort loosened out, the conveyances started, 
 and the inspection was over. We were a quiet 
 crowd, though inwardly we all felt like shouting. 
 We held apart from the military party, and when 
 near the herd which held the " Circle Dot " steers, 
 my brother and a number of the boys galloped on 
 ahead and cut out the animals before our arrival. 
 On entering the wagon-road near the post, the 
 military cavalcade halted a moment for us to come 
 
340 THE OUTLET 
 
 up. Lovell was in tbe lead, and as we halted the 
 commandant said to him : " We have decided to 
 receive your cattle in the morning — about ten 
 o'clock if that hour will be convenient. I may not 
 come over, but the quartermaster's Mr. Sanders 
 will count for us, and you cowmen ought to agree 
 on the numbers. We have delayed you a day, and 
 if you will put in a bill for demurrage, I will ap- 
 prove it. I believe that is all. We '11 expect you 
 to spend the night with us at the post. I thought 
 it best to advise you now, so that you might give 
 your men any final orders." 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 KANGAKOOED 
 
 LovELL and his attorneys joined the cavalcade 
 which returned to the post, while we continued on 
 south, fording the Missouri above Forrest's camp. 
 The two recovered beeves were recognized by their 
 ranch brands as belonging in Bee County, thus 
 identifying them as having escaped from Bob 
 Quirk's herd, though he had previously denied all 
 knowledge of them. The cattle world was a small 
 one, and it mattered little where an animal roamed, 
 there was always a man near by who could identify 
 the brand and give the bovine's past history. With 
 the prospects bright for a new owner on the mor- 
 row, these two wayfarers found lodgment among 
 our own for the night. 
 
 But when another day dawned, it brought new 
 complications. Instead of the early arrival of any 
 receiving party, the appointed hour passed, noon 
 came, and no one appeared. I had ridden down to 
 the lower camps about the latter hour, yet there 
 was no one who could explain, neither had any 
 word from the post reached Forrest's wagon. 
 Sponsilier suggested that we ride into Buford, and 
 accordingly all three of us foremen started. When 
 
342 THE OUTLET 
 
 we sighted the ford on the Missouri, a trio of horse- 
 men were just emerging from the water, and we 
 soon were in possession of the facts. Sanders, my 
 brother, and Mike Sutton composed the party, and 
 the latter explained the situation. Orders from the 
 War Department had reached Fort Buford that 
 morning, temporarily suspending the post com- 
 mander and his quartermaster from receiving any 
 cattle intended for that post, and giving notice that 
 a special commissioner was then en route from Min- 
 neapolis with full authority in the premises. The 
 order was signed by the first quartermaster and 
 approved by the head of that department ; there 
 was no going behind it, which further showed the 
 strength that the opposition were able to command. 
 The little attorney was wearing his war-paint, and 
 we all dismounted, when Sanders volunteered some 
 valuable points on the wintering of Texas cattle in 
 the North. Sutton made a memorandum of the 
 data, saying if opportunity offered he would like 
 to submit it in evidence at the final hearing. The 
 general opinion was that a court of inquiry would 
 be instituted, and if such was the case, our cause 
 was not by any means hopeless. 
 
 " The chances are that the opposition will centre 
 the fight on an assignment of the original contract 
 which they claim to hold," said the lawyer, in con- 
 clusion. " The point was advanced yesterday that 
 we were intruders, while, on the other hand, the 
 government was in honor bound to recognize its 
 
KANGAROOED 343 
 
 outstanding obligation, no matter in whose hands 
 it was presented, so long as it was accompanied by 
 the proper tender. A great deal will depend on 
 the viewpoint of this special commissioner ; he may 
 be a stickler for red tape, with no concern for the 
 service, as were the post commander and quarter- 
 master. Their possession of the original document 
 wiU be self-evident, and it will devolve on us to 
 show that that assignment was illegal. This may 
 not be as easy as it seems, for the chances are that 
 there may be a dozen men in the gang, with nu- 
 merous stool-pigeons ready and willing to do their 
 bidding. This contract may demonstrate the pos- 
 sibility of a ring within a ring, with everything 
 working to the same end. The absence of Honest 
 John Griscom at this delivery is significant as prov- 
 ing that his presence at Dodge and Ogalalla was 
 a mistake. You notice, with the exception of Field 
 and Eadcliff, they are all new men. Well, another 
 day will tell the story." 
 
 The special commissioner could not arrive before 
 the next morning. An ambulance, with relay 
 teams, had left the post at daybreak for Glendive, 
 and would return that night. Since the following 
 promised to be a decisive day, we were requested 
 to bring every available man and report at Fort 
 Buford at an early hour. The trio returned to the 
 post and we foremen to our herds. My outfit re- 
 ceived the news in anything but a cheerful mood. 
 The monotony of the long drive had made the men 
 
344 THE OUTLET 
 
 restless, and the delay of a single day in being 
 finally relieved, when looked forward to, was doubly 
 exasperating. It had been over six months since 
 we left the ranch in Medina, and there was a lurk- 
 ing suspicion among a number of the boys that 
 the final decision would be against our cattle and 
 that they would be thrown back on our hands. 
 There was a general anxiety among us to go home, 
 hastened by the recent frosty nights and a common 
 fear of a Northern climate. I tried to stem this 
 feeling, promising a holiday on the morrow and as- 
 suring every one that we still had a fighting chance. 
 We reached the post at a timely hour the next 
 morning. Only three men were left with each, herd, 
 my wrangler and cook accompanying us for the day. 
 Parent held forth with quite a dissertation on the 
 legal aspects of the case, and after we forded the 
 river, an argument arose between him and Jake 
 Blair. " Don't talk to me about what 's legal and 
 what isn't," said the latter; "the man with the 
 puU generally gets all that he goes after. You re- 
 member the Indian and the white man were at a 
 loss to know how to divide the turkey and the buz- 
 zard, but in the end poor Lo got the buzzard. And 
 if you '11 just pay a little more attention to human- 
 ity, you may notice that the legal aspects don't cut 
 so much figure as you thought they did. The 
 moment that cattle declined five to seven dollars 
 a head. The Western Supply Company didn't 
 trouble themselves as to the legality or the right 
 
KANGAROOED 345 
 
 or wrong, but proceeded to take advantage of the 
 situation at once. Neal, when you 've lived about 
 twenty-five years on the cold charity of strangers, 
 you '11 get over that blind confidence and become 
 wary and cunning. It might be a good idea to keep 
 your eye open to-day for your first lesson. Anyhow 
 don't rely too strong on the right or justice of any- 
 thing, but keep a good horse on picket and your 
 powder dry." 
 
 The commissioner had arrived early that morning 
 and would take up matters at once. Nine o'clock 
 was set for the hearing, which would take place in 
 the quartermaster's office. Consultations were being 
 held among the two factions, and the only ray of 
 light was the reported frigidity of the special offi- 
 cer. He was such a superior personage that ordi- 
 nary mortals felt a chill radiating from his person 
 on their slightest approach. His credentials were 
 from the War Department and were such as to leave 
 no doubt but that he was the autocrat of the situ- 
 ation, before whom all should render homage. A 
 rigid military air prevailed about the post and 
 grounds, quite out of the ordinary, while the offi- 
 cers' bar was empty and silent. 
 
 The quartermaster's office would comfortably 
 accommodate about one hundred persons. Fort 
 Buford had been rebuilt in 1871, the adobe build- 
 ings giving place to frame structures, and the room 
 in which the hearing was to be held was not only com- 
 modious but furnished with good taste. Promptly 
 
346 THE OUTLET 
 
 on the stroke of the hour, and escorted by the post 
 adjutant, the grand mogul made his appearance. 
 There was nothing striking about him, except his 
 military bearing ; he was rather young and walked 
 so erect that he actually leaned backward a trifle. 
 There was no prelude; he ordered certain tables 
 rearranged, seated himseU at one, and called for 
 a copy of the original contract. The post adjutant 
 had all the papers covering the situation in hand, 
 and the copy was placed at the disposal of the 
 special commissioner, who merely glanced at the 
 names of the contracting parties, amount and date, 
 and handed the document back. Turning to the 
 table at which Lovell and his attorneys sat, he 
 asked for the credentials under which they were 
 tendering beeves at Fort Buford. The sub-con- 
 tract was produced, some slight memorandum was 
 made, and it was passed back as readily as was 
 the original. The opposition were calmly awaiting 
 a similar request, and when it came, in offering the 
 papers. Congressman Y took occasion to re- 
 mark : " Our tender is nOt only on a sub-contract, 
 but that agreement is fortified by an assignment of 
 the original award, by and between the War De- 
 partment and The Western Supply Company. We 
 rely on the latter ; you will find everything regular." 
 The customary glance was given the bulky docu- 
 ments. Senator Aspgrain was awaiting the oppor. 
 tune moment to attack the assignment. When it 
 came, the senator arose with dignity and, address- 
 
KANGAEOOED 347 
 
 ing the commissioner, attempted to enter a protest, 
 but was instantly stopped by that high functionary. 
 A frozen silence pervaded the room. " There is no 
 occasion for any remarks in this matter," austerely 
 replied the government specialist. " Our depart- 
 ment regularly awarded the beef contract for this 
 post to The Western Supply Company. There was 
 ample competition on the award, insuring the gov- 
 ernment against exorbitant prices, and the required 
 bonds were furnished for the fulfillment of the con- 
 tract. Right then and there all interest upon the 
 part of the grantor ceased until the tender was 
 made at this post on the appointed day of delivery. 
 In the interim, however, it seems that for reasons 
 purely their own, the grantees saw fit to sub-let 
 their contract, not once but twice. Our department 
 amply protected themselves by requiring bonds, and 
 the sub-contractors shotdd have done the same. 
 That, however, is not the matter at issue, but who 
 is entitled to deliver on the original award. Fortu- 
 nately that point is beyond question ; an assignment 
 of the original has always been recognized at the 
 War Office, and in this case the holders of the same 
 are declared entitled to deliver. There is only one 
 provision, — does the article of beef tendered qual- 
 ify under the specifications ? That is thp only ques- 
 tion before making this decision final. If there is 
 any evidence to the contrary, I am ready to hear it." 
 This afforded the opportunity of using Sanders 
 as a witness, and Sutton grasped the opportunity 
 
348 THE OUTLET 
 
 of calling him to testify in regard to wintering 
 Southern cattle in the North. After stating his 
 qualifications as a citizen and present occupation, 
 he was asked by the commissioner regarding his 
 experience with cattle to entitle his testimony to 
 consideration. " I was born to the occupation in 
 Texas," replied the witness. " Five years ago this 
 summer I came with beef cattle from Uvalde 
 County, that State, to this post, and after the de- 
 livery, accepted a situation under the quartermaster 
 here in locating and holding the government's 
 beeves. At present I am foreman and have charge 
 of all cattle delivered at or issued from this post. 
 I have had five years' experience in wintering 
 Texas cattle in this vicinity, and have no hesi- 
 tancy in saying that it is a matter of the utmost 
 importance that steers should be in the best pos- 
 sible flesh to withstand our winters. The tosses 
 during the most favorable seasons have averaged 
 from one to five per cent., while the same cattle 
 in a severe season will lose from ten to twenty-five, 
 all depending on the condition of the stock with the 
 beginning of cold weather. Since my connection 
 with this post we have always received good steers, 
 and our losses have been light, but above and below 
 this military reservation the per cent, loss has run 
 as high as fifty among thin, weak animals." 
 
 " Now, Mr. Sanders," said the special commis- 
 sioner, " as an expert, you are testifying as to the 
 probable loss to the government in this locality in 
 
KANGAEOOED 349 
 
 buying and holding beef on its own account. You 
 may now state if you have seen the tender of beef 
 made by Field, EadolifE & Co., and if so, anticipat- 
 ing the worst, what would be the probable loss if 
 their cattle were accepted on this year's delivery ? " 
 
 " I was present at their inspection by the offi- 
 cers of this post," replied the witness, " and have 
 no hesitancy in saying that should the coming one 
 prove as hard a winter as '82 was, there would be 
 a loss of fully one half these cattle. At least that 
 was my opinion as expressed to the post commander 
 and quartermaster at the inspection, and they 
 agreed with me. There are half a dozen other 
 boys here whose views on wintering cattle can be 
 had — and they 're worth listening to." 
 
 This testimony was the brutal truth, and though 
 eternal, was sadly out of place. The opposition 
 lawyers winced ; and when Sutton asked if permis- 
 sion would be given to hear the testimony of the 
 post commander and quartermaster, both familiar 
 with the quality of cattle the government had been 
 receiving for years, the commissioner, having ad- 
 mitted damaging testimony, objected on the ground 
 that they were under suspension, and military men 
 were not considered specialists outside their own 
 vocation. Other competent witnesses were offered 
 and objected* to, simply because they would not 
 admit they were experts. Taking advantage of the 
 
 opening, Congressman Y called attention to 
 
 a few facts in passing. This unfortunate situation, 
 
350 THE OUTLET 
 
 lie said, in substance, was deeply regretted by his 
 clients and himself. The War Department was to 
 be warmly commended for sending a special com- 
 missioner to hear the matter at issue, otherwise un- 
 just charges might have been preferred against old 
 and honored officers in the service. However, if 
 specialists were to be called to testify, and their 
 testimony considered, as to what per cent, of cattle 
 would survive a winter, why not call on the weather 
 prophets to testify just what the coming one would 
 be? He ridiculed the attestations of Sanders as 
 irrelevant, defiantly asserting that the only ques- 
 tion at issue was, were there five million pounds of 
 dressed beef in the tender of cattle by Field, Ead- 
 cliff & Co. He insisted on the letter in the bond 
 being observed. The government bought cattle one 
 year with another, and assumed risks as did other 
 people. Was there any man present to challenge 
 his assertion that the pounds quantity had been 
 tendered ? 
 
 There was. Don Lovell arose, and addressing the 
 special commissioner, said : " Sir, I am not giving 
 my opinion as an expert but as a practical cowman. 
 If the testimony of one who has delivered over 
 ninety thousand cattle to this government, in its 
 army and Indian departments, is of any service to 
 you, I trust you will hear me patiently. No excep- 
 tion is taken to your ruling as to who is entitled to 
 deliver on the existing award ; that was expected 
 from the first. I have been contracting beef to this 
 
KANGAEOOED 351 
 
 government for the past fifteen years, and there 
 may be tricks in the trade of which I am ignorant. 
 The army has always demanded the best, while 
 lower grades have always been acceptable to the 
 Indian Department. But in all my experience, I 
 have never tendered this government for its gut- 
 eating wards as poor a lot of cattle as I am satisfied 
 that you are going to receive at the hands of Field, 
 Radcliff & Co. I accept the challenge that there 
 are not five million pounds of dressed beef in their 
 tender to-day, and what there is would be a disgrace 
 to any commonwealth to feed its convicts. True, 
 these cattle are not intended for immediate use, and 
 I make the counter-assertion that this government 
 will never kill out fifty per cent, of the weight that 
 you accept to-day. Possibly you prefer the bland- 
 ishments of a lobbyist to the opinion of a practical 
 cowman like Sanders. That 's your privilege. You 
 refuse to allow us to show the relationship between 
 The Western Supply Company and the present 
 holders of its assignment, and in doing so I charge 
 you with being in collusion with these contractors 
 to defraud the government ! " 
 
 " You 're a liar ! " shouted Congressman Y , 
 
 jumping to his feet. The only reply was a chair 
 hurled from the hand of Sutton at the head of the 
 offender, instantly followed by a rough house. Sev- 
 eral officers present sprang to the side of the special 
 commissioner, but fortunately refrained from draw- 
 ing revolvers. I was standing at some distance 
 
352 THE OUTLET 
 
 from the table, and as I made a lunge forward, old 
 man Don was hurled backward into my arms. He 
 could not whip a sick chicken, yet his uncontrollable 
 anger had carried him into the general mSlee and 
 he had been roughly thrown out by some of his own 
 men. They did n't want him in the fight ; they 
 could do all that was necessary. A number of 
 soldiers were present, and while the officers were 
 frantically commanding them to restore order, the 
 scrap went merrily on. Old man Don struggled 
 with might and main, cursing me for refusing to 
 free him, and when one of the contractors was 
 knocked down within easy reach, I was half tempted 
 to turn him loose. The " major-domo " had singled 
 out Sponsilier and was trying issues with him, Bob 
 Quirk was dropping them right and left, when the 
 deposed commandant sprang upon a table, and in 
 a voice like the hiss of an adder, commanded peace, 
 and the disorder instantly ceased. 
 
 The row had lasted only a few seconds. The 
 opposing sides stood glaring daggers at each other, 
 when the commissioner took occasion to administer 
 a reproof to all parties concerned, referring to Texas 
 in not very complimentary terms. Dave Sponsilier 
 was the only one who had the temerity to offer any 
 reply, saying, " Mr. Yank, I '11 give you one hun- 
 dred dollars if you '11 point me out the grave of 
 a man, woman, or child who starved to death in 
 that state." 
 
 A short recess was taken, after which apologies 
 
KANGAROOED 353 
 
 followed, and the commissioner resumed the hear- 
 ing. A Western lawyer, named Lemeraux, made a 
 very plausible plea for the immediate acceptance of 
 the tender of Field, EadclifE & Co. He admitted 
 that the cattle, at present, were not in as good flesh 
 as his clients expected to offer them ; that they had 
 left the Platte River in fine condition, but had been 
 twice quarantined en route. He was cautious in his 
 remarks, but clearly intimated that had there been 
 no other cattle in competition for delivery on this 
 award, there might have been no quarantine. In his 
 insinuations the fact was adroitly brought out that 
 the isolation of their herds, if not directly charge- 
 able to LoveU and his men, had been aided and 
 abetted by them, retarding the progress of his 
 clients' beeves and forcing them to travel as fast 
 as twenty-five miles a day, so that they arrived in 
 a jaded condition. Had there been no interference, 
 the tender of Field, EadclifE & Co. would have 
 reached this post ten days earlier, and rest would 
 soon have restored the cattle to their normal condi- 
 tion. In concluding, he boldly made the assertion 
 that the condition of his client's tender of beef was 
 the result of a conspiracy to injure one firm, that 
 another drover might profit thereby; that right 
 and justice could be conserved only by immediately 
 making the decision final, and thus fearlessly 
 silencing any and all imputations reflecting on the 
 character of this government's trusted represent- 
 atives. 
 
354 THE OUTLET 
 
 The special commissioner assumed an air of af- 
 fected dignity and announced that a conclusion 
 had been arrived at. Turning to old man Don, he 
 expressed the deepest regret that a civilian was be- 
 yond his power to punish, otherwise he would have 
 cause to remember the affront offered himself ; not 
 that he personally cared, but the department of 
 government which he had the honor to serve was 
 jealous of its good name. Under the circumstances 
 he could only warn him to be more guarded here- 
 after in choosing his language, and assured LoveU 
 that it was in his power to escort any offender off 
 that military reservation. Pausing a moment, he 
 resumed a judicial air, and summed up the situa- 
 tion : 1 
 
 " There was no occasion," said he, in an amiable 
 mood, " to refer this incident to the War Depart- 
 ment if the authorities here had gone about their 
 work properly. Fortunately I was in Minneapolis 
 adjusting some flour accounts, when I was ordered 
 here by the quartermaster-general. Instead of at- 
 tempting to decide who had the best tender of cattle, 
 the one with the legal right alone should have been 
 considered. Our department is perfectly familiar 
 with these petty jealousies, which usually accom- 
 pany awards of this class, and generally emanate 
 from disappointed and disgruntled competitors. 
 The point is well taken by counsel that the govern- 
 ment does not anticipate the unforeseen, and it 
 matters not what the loss may be from the rigors 
 
KANGAROOED 355 
 
 of winter, the contractor is exempt after the day of 
 delivery. If the cattle were delayed en route, as 
 has been asserted, and it was necessary to make 
 forced drives in order to reach here within the 
 specified time, all this should be taken into consid- 
 eration in arriving at a final conclusion. On his 
 reinstatement, I shall give the quartermaster of 
 this post instructions, in receiving these cattle, to 
 be governed, not so much by their present condi- 
 tion as by what they would have been had there 
 been no interference. Now in behalf of the War 
 Department, I declare the award to The Western 
 Supply Company, and assigned ta Field, Badcliff, 
 and associates, to have been fulfilled to the satis- 
 faction of all parties concerned. This closes the 
 incident, and if there is nothing further, the in- 
 quiry will stand adjourned without date." 
 
 " One moment, if you please," said Don Lovell, 
 addressing the commissioner and contractors ; 
 " there is a private matter existing between Field, 
 Eadcliff & Co. and myself which demands an 
 understanding between us. I hold a sum of 
 money, belonging to them, as indemnity against 
 loss in driving ten thousand cattle from Southern 
 Texas to this post. That I will sustain a heavy 
 loss, under your decision, is beyond question. I 
 am indemnified to the amount of about six dollars 
 and a half a head, and since the government is 
 exempt from garnishment and the contractors are 
 wholly, irresponsible, I must content myself with 
 
356 THE OUTLET 
 
 the money in hand. To recover this amount, held 
 as indemnity, suit has been threatened against me. 
 Of course I can't force their hands, but I sincerely 
 hope they will feel exultant enough over your kan- 
 garoo decision to file their action before taking 
 their usual outing in Europe. They will have no 
 trouble in securing my legal address, my rating can 
 be obtained from any commercial agency, and no 
 doubt their attorneys are aware of the statute of 
 limitation in my state. I believe that 's all, except 
 to extend my thanks to every one about Fort Buford 
 for the many kind attentions shown my counsel, my 
 boys, and myself. To my enemies, I can only say 
 that I hope to meet them on Texas soil, and will 
 promise them a fairer hearing than was accorded 
 me here to-day. Mr. Commissioner, I have always 
 prided myself on being a good citizen, have borne 
 arms in defense of my country, and in taking 
 exception to your decision I brand you as the 
 most despicable member of The Western Supply 
 Company. Any man who will prostitute a trust 
 for a money consideration — " 
 
 " That 's enough ! " shouted the special commis- 
 sioner, rising. " Orderly, call the officer of the 
 day, and tell him I want two companies of cavalry 
 to furnish an escort for this man and his herds be- 
 yond the boimdaries of this military reservation." 
 Looking Lovell in the face, he said : " You have 
 justly merited a severe punishment, and I shall re- 
 port your reflections to the War and Indian depart- 
 
K4NGAR00ED 357 
 
 ments, and yoa may find it more difficult to secure 
 contracts in the future. One of you officers detail 
 men and take charge of this man until the escort 
 is ready. The inquiry is adjourned." 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 THE WINTER OP OUR DISCONTENT 
 
 The inquiry was over before noon. A lieutenant 
 detailed a few men and made a pretense of taking 
 possession of Lovell. But once the special commis- 
 sioner was out of sight, the farce was turned into 
 an ovation, and nearly every officer in the post came 
 forward and extended his sympathy. Old man Don 
 was visibly affected by the generous manifestations 
 of the military men in general, and after thank- 
 ing each one personally, urged that no unnecessary 
 demonstration should be made, begging that the 
 order of escort beyond the boundary of the reser- 
 vation be countermanded. No one present cared 
 to suggest it, but gave assurance that it would be so 
 modified as not in any way to interfere with the 
 natural movement of the herds. Some little time 
 would be required to outfit the forage-wagons to 
 accommodate the cavalry companies, during which 
 my brother rode up, leading Lovell's horse, per- 
 mission was given to leave in advance of the escort, 
 and we all mounted and quietly rode away. 
 
 The sudden turn of affairs had disconcerted every 
 man in the three outfits. Just what the next move 
 would be was conjecture with most of us, though 
 
THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT 359 
 
 every lad present was anxious to know. But when 
 we were beyond the immediate grounds, LoveU 
 turned in his saddle and asked which one of us 
 foremen wanted to winter in the North. No one 
 volunteered, and old man Don continued : " Antici- 
 pating the worst, I had a long talk this morning 
 with Sanders, and he assured me that our cattle 
 would go through any winter without serious loss. 
 He suggested the Little Missouri as a good range, 
 and told me of a hay ranch below the mouth of the 
 Beaver. If it can be bought reasonably, we would 
 have forage for our horses, and the railroad is said 
 to be not over forty miles to the south. If the 
 government can afford to take the risk of wintering 
 cattle In this climate, since there is no other choice, 
 I reckon I '11 have to follow suit. Bob and I will 
 take fresh horses and ride through to the Beaver 
 this afternoon, and you fellows follow up leisurely 
 with the cattle. Sanders says the winters are dry 
 and cold, with very little if any snowfall. Well, 
 we 're simply up against it ; there 's no hope of sell- 
 ing this late in the season, and nothing is left us 
 but to face the music of a Northern winter." 
 
 As we turned in to ford the Missouri, some one 
 called attention to a cavalry company riding out 
 from their quarters at the post. We halted a 
 moment, and as the first one entered the road, the 
 second one swung into view, followed by forage- 
 wagons. From maps in our possession we knew the 
 southern boundary of the Fort Buford military 
 
360 THE OUTLET 
 
 reservation must be under twenty miles to the south, 
 and if necessary, we could put it behind us that 
 afternoon. But after crossing the river, and when 
 the two troops again came in view, they had dropped 
 into a walk, passing entirely out of sight long before 
 we reached Forrest's camp. Orders were left with 
 the latter to take the lead and make a short drive 
 that evening, at least far enough to convince ob- 
 servers that we were moving. The different outfits 
 dropped out as their wagons were reached, and when 
 my remuda was sighted, old man Don ordered it 
 brought in for a change of horses. One of the day- 
 herders was at camp getting dinner, and inviting 
 themselves to join him, my employer and my brother 
 helped themselves while their saddles were shifted 
 to two of my well-rested mounts. Inquiry had been 
 made of all three of the outfits if any ranch had 
 been sighted on the Beaver while crossing that 
 creek, but the only recollection among the forty-odd 
 men was that of Burl Van Yedder, who contended 
 that a dim trail, over which horses had passed that 
 summer, ran down on the south side of the stream. 
 With this meagre information LoveU and my 
 brother started. A late dinner over and the herders 
 relieved, we all rode for the nearest eminence which 
 would afford us a view. The cavalry were just go- 
 ing into camp below O'Brien's ranch, their forage- 
 train in sight, while Forrest's cattle were well 
 bunched and heading south. Sponsilier was evi- 
 dently going to start, as his team was tied up and 
 
THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT 361 
 
 the saddle stock in hand, while the herd was cross- 
 ing over to the eastern side of the Yellowstone. 
 We dismounted and lay around for an hour or so, 
 when the greater portion of the boys left to help in 
 the watering of our herd, the remainder of us doing 
 outpost duty. Forrest had passed out of sight, 
 Sponsilier's wagon and remuda crossed opposite us, 
 going up the valley, followed by his cattle in loose 
 grazing order, and still we loitered on the hill. But 
 towards evening I rode down to where the cavalry 
 was encamped, and before I had conversed very 
 long with the officers, it was clear to me that the 
 shorter our moves the longer it would extend their 
 outing. Before I left the soldier camp, Sanders 
 arrived, and as we started away together, I sent him 
 back to tell the officers to let me know any time 
 they could use half a beef. On reaching our wagon, 
 the boys were just corralling the saddle stock for 
 their night-horses, when Sanders begged me to sell 
 him two which had caught his fancy. I dared not 
 offer them ; but remembering the fellow's faithful 
 service in our behalf, and that my employer ex- 
 pected to remember him, I ordered him to pick, 
 with Don Lovell's compliments, any horse in the 
 remuda as a present. 
 
 The proposition stunned Sanders, but I insisted 
 that if old man Don was there, he would make him 
 take something. He picked a good horse out of my 
 mount and stayed until morning, when he was com- 
 pelled to return, as the probabilities were that they 
 
362 THE OUTLET 
 
 would receive the other cattle some time during the 
 day. After breakfast, and as he was starting to 
 return, he said, " Well, boys, tell the old man that 
 I don't expect ever to be able to return his kind- 
 ness, though 1 'd ride a thousand miles for the 
 chance. One thing sure, there is n't a man in 
 Dakota who has money enough to tempt me to part 
 with my pelon. If you locate down on the Little 
 Missouri, drop me a line where you are at, and if 
 Lovell wants four good men, I can let him have 
 them about the first of December. You through 
 lads are liable to be scared over the coming winter, 
 and a few acclimated ones will put backbone in his 
 outfit. And tell the old man that if I can ever do 
 him a good turn just to snap his fingers and I '11 
 quit the government — he 's a few shades whiter 
 than it, anyhow." 
 
 The herd had already left the bed-ground, headed 
 south. About five miles above O'Brien's, we re- 
 crossed to the eastern side of the Yellowstone, and 
 for the next three days moved short distances, the 
 military always camped well in our rear. The fourth 
 morning I killed a beef, a for age- wagon came for- 
 ward and took half of it back to the cavalry camp 
 with our greetings and farewell, and we parted 
 company. Don Lovell met us about noon, elated 
 as a boy over his purchase of the hay ranch. My 
 brother had gone on to the railroad and thence by 
 train to Miles City to meet his remuda and outfit. 
 
 " Boys, I have bought you a new home," was the 
 
THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT 363 
 
 greeting of old man Don, as he dismounted at 
 our noon camp. "There's a comfortable dugout, 
 stabling for about ten horses, and seventy-five tons 
 of good hay in the stack. The owner was homesick 
 to get back to God's country, and he '11 give us 
 possession in ten days. Bob will be in Little Mis- 
 souri to-day and order us a car of sacked corn from 
 Omaha, and within a month we '11 be as snug as 
 they are down in old Medina. Bob's outfit will go 
 home from Miles, and if he can't sell his remuda 
 he '11 bring it up here. Two of these outfits can 
 start back in a few days, and afterward the camp 
 will be reduced to ten men." 
 
 Two days later Forrest veered off and turned his 
 cattle loose below the junction of the Beaver with 
 the Little Missouri. Sponsilier crossed the former, 
 scattering his beeves both up and down the latter, 
 while I cut mine into a dozen bunches and likewise 
 freed them along the creek. The range was about 
 ten miles in length along the river, and a camp 
 was established at either end where men would be 
 stationed until the beeves were located. The com- 
 missaries had run low, there was a quiet rivalry as 
 to which outfits should go home, and we all waited 
 with bated breath for the final word. I had Dorg 
 Seay secretly inform my employer that I had given 
 Sanders a horse without his permission, hoping that 
 it might displease him. But the others pointed out 
 the fact that my outfit had far the best remuda, and 
 that it would require well-mounted men to locate 
 
364 THE OUTLET 
 
 and hold that number of cattle through the winter. 
 Old man Don listened to them all, and the next 
 morning, as all three of us foremen were outlining 
 certain improvements about the hay ranch with 
 him, he turned to me and said : 
 
 " Tom, I hear you gave Sanders a hor^e. Well, 
 that was all right, although it strikes me you were 
 rather liberal in giving him the pick of a choice 
 remuda. But it may all come right in the long run, 
 as Bob and I have decided to leave you and your 
 outfit to hold these cattle this winter. So divide 
 your men and send half of them down to Quince's 
 camp, and have your cook and wrangler come over 
 to Dave's wagon to bring back provision and the 
 horses, as we '11 start for the railroad in the morn- 
 ing. I may not come back, but Bob will, and he '11 
 see that you are well fixed for the winter before he 
 goes home. After he leaves, I want you to write me 
 every chance you have to send a letter to the rail- 
 road. Now, I don't want any grumbling out of you 
 or your men ; you 're a disgrace to the state that 
 raised you if you can't handle cattle anywhere that 
 any other man can." 
 
 I felt all along it would fall to me, the youngest 
 of six foremen ; and my own dear brother consign- 
 ing me to a winter in the North, while he would 
 bask in the sunshine of our own sunny South ! It 
 was hard to face ; but I remembered that the fall 
 before it had been my lot to drive a thousand saddle 
 horses home to the ranch, and that I had swaggered 
 
THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT 365 
 
 as a trail foreman afterward as the result. It had 
 always been my luck to have to earn every little 
 advance or promotion, while others seemed to fall 
 into them without any effort. Bob Quirk never saw 
 the day that he was half the all-round cowman that 
 I was ; yet he was above me and could advise, and 
 I had to obey. 
 
 On the morning of the 25th of September, 1884, 
 the two outfits started for the railroad, leaving the 
 remainder of us in a country, save for the cattle, so 
 desolate that there was no chance even to spend our 
 wages. I committed to memory a curtain lecture 
 for my brother, though somehow or other it escaped 
 me and was never delivered. We rode lines between 
 the upper and lower wagons, holding the cattle 
 loosely on a large range. A delightful fall favored 
 us, and before the first squall of winter came on, 
 the beeves had contented themselves as though they 
 had been born on the Little Missouri. Meanwhile 
 Bob's wagon and remuda arrived, the car of corn was 
 hauled to our headquarters, extra stabling was built, 
 and we settled down like banished exiles. Commu- 
 nication had been opened with Fort Buford, and in 
 the latter part of October the four promised men 
 arrived, when Bob Quirk took part of my outfit and 
 went home, leaving me ten men. Parent remained 
 as cook, the new men assimilated easily, a fiddle was 
 secured, and in fulfillment of the assertion of San- 
 ders, we picked up courage. Two grain-fed horses, 
 carefully stabled, were allowed to each man, the 
 
366 THE OUTLET 
 
 remainder of our large number of saddle stock 
 running free on the range. 
 
 To that long winter on the Little Missouri a 
 relentless memory turns in retrospect. We dressed 
 and lived like Eskimos. The first blizzard struck us 
 early in December, the thermometer dropped sixty 
 degrees in twelve hours, but in the absence of wind 
 and snow the cattle did not leave the breaks along 
 the river. Three weeks later a second one came, 
 and we could not catch the lead animals until near 
 the railroad; but the storm drove them up the Little 
 Missouri, and its sheltering banks helped us to 
 check our worst winter drift. After the first month 
 of wintry weather, the dread of the cold passed, 
 and men and horses faced the work as though it was 
 springtime in our own loved southland. The months 
 rolled by scarcely noticed. During fine weather 
 Sanders and some of his boys twice dropped down 
 for a few days, but we never left camp except to 
 send letters home. 
 
 An early spring favored us. I was able to report 
 less than one per cent, loss on the home range, with 
 the possibility of but few cattle having escaped us 
 during the winter. The latter part of May we sold 
 four hundred saddle horses to some men from the 
 upper Yellowstone. Early in June a wagon was 
 rigged out, extra men employed, and an outfit sent 
 two hundred miles up the Little Missouri to attend 
 the round-ups. They were gone a month and came 
 in with less than five hundred beeves, which repre- 
 

 -w^- 
 
 M~ J. 
 
 
 
 THE FIRST BLIZZARD STRUCK US EARLY IN DECEMBER 
 
-THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT 367 
 
 sented our ■winter drift. Don Lovell reached the 
 ranch during the first week in July. One day's 
 ride through the splendid cattle, and old man Don 
 lost his voice, but the smile refused to come off. 
 Everything was coming his way. Field, Eadcliff 
 & Co. had sued him, and the jury awarded him one 
 hundred thousand'doUars. His bankers had unlim- 
 ited confidence in his business ability ; he had four 
 Indian herds on the trail and three others of 
 younger steers, intended for the Little Missouri 
 ranch. Cattle prices in Texas had depreciated 
 nearly one half since the spring before — "a good 
 time for every cowman to strain his credit and 
 enlarge his holdings," my employer assured me. 
 
 Orders were left that I was to begin shipping out 
 the beeves early in August. It was the intention 
 to ship them in two and three train-load lots, and 
 I was expecting to run a double outfit, when a land- 
 slide came our way. The first train-load netted 
 sixty doUars a head at Omaha — but they were 
 beeves ; cods like an ox's heart and waddled as 
 they walked. We had just returned from the rail- 
 road with the intention of shipping two train-loads 
 more, when the quartermaster and Sanders from 
 Fort Buford rode into the ranch under an escort. 
 The government had lost forty per cent, of the 
 Field-Eadcliff cattle during the winter just passed, 
 and were in the market to buy the deficiency. The 
 quartermaster wanted a thousand beeves on the 
 first day of September and October each, and 
 
368 THE OUTLET 
 
 double that number for the next month. Did we 
 care to sell that amount ? A United States marshal, 
 armed with a search-warrant, could not have found 
 Don LoveU in a month, but they were promptly- 
 assured that our beef steers were for sale. It is easy 
 to show prime cattle. The quartermaster, Sanders, 
 and myself rode down the river, crossed over and 
 came up beyond our camp, forded back and came 
 down the Beaver, and I knew the sale was made. 
 I priced the beeves, delivered at Buford, at sixty- 
 five dollars a head, and the quartermaster took 
 them. 
 
 Then we went to work in earnest. Sanders re- 
 mained to receive the first contingent for Buford, 
 which would leave our range on the 25 th of each 
 month. A single round-up and we had the beeves 
 in hand. The next morning after Splann left for 
 the mouth of the Yellowstone, I started south for 
 the railroad with two train-loads of picked cattle. 
 Professional shippers took them ofE our hands at 
 the station, accompanied them en route to market, 
 and the commission house in Omaha knew where 
 to remit the proceeds. The beef shipping season 
 was on with a vengeance. Our saddle stock had 
 improved with a winter in the North, until one was 
 equal to two Southern or trail horses. Old man 
 Don had come on in the mean time, and was so 
 pleased with my sale to the army post that he 
 returned to Little Missouri Station at once and 
 bought two herds of three-year-olds at Ogalalla by 
 
THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT 369 
 
 wire. This made sixteen thousand steer cattle en 
 route from the latter point for Lovell's new ranch 
 in Dakota. 
 
 " Tom," said old man Don, enthusiastically, 
 " this is the making of a fine cattle ranch, and we 
 want to get in on the flood-tide. There is always 
 a natural wealth in a new country, and the gold- 
 mines of this one are in its grass. The instinct that 
 taught the buffalo to choose this as their summer 
 and winter range was unerring, and they found a 
 grass at hand that would sustain them in any and 
 all kinds of weather. This country to-day is just 
 what Texas was thirty years ago. All the early 
 settlers at home grew rich without any effort, but 
 once the cream of the virgin land is gone, look out 
 for a change. The early cowmen of Texas flatter 
 themselves on being shrewd and far-seeing — just 
 about as much as I was last fall, when I would 
 gladly have lost twenty -five thousand dollars rather 
 than winter these cattle. Now look where I will 
 come out, all due to the primitive wealth of the land. 
 From sixty to sixty-five dollars a head beats thirty- 
 seven and a half for our time and trouble." 
 
 The first of the through cattle arrived early in 
 September. They avoided our range for fear of 
 fever, and dropped in about fifteen miles below our 
 headquarters on the Little Missouri. Dorg Seay 
 was one of the three foremen, Forrest and Spon- 
 silier being the other two, having followed the same 
 route as our herds of the year before. But having 
 
370 THE OUTLET 
 
 spent a winter in the North, we showed the through 
 outfits a chilling contempt. I had ribbed up Par- 
 ent not even to give them a pleasant word about 
 our wagon or headquarters ; and particularly if Bob 
 Quirk came through with one of the purchased 
 herds, he was to be given the marble heart. One 
 outfit loose-herded the new cattle, the other two 
 going home, and about the middle of the month, 
 my brother and The Rebel came trailing in with 
 the last two herds. I was delighted to meet my old 
 bunkie, and had him remain over until the last out- 
 fit went home, when we reluctantly parted company. 
 Not so, however, with Bob Quirk, who haughtily 
 informed me that he came near slapping my cook 
 for his effrontery. " So you are another one of 
 these lousy through outfits that think we ought to 
 make a fuss over you, are you ? " I retorted. " Just 
 you wait until we do. Every one of you except old 
 Paul had the idea that we ought to give you a re- 
 ception and ask you to sleep in our beds. I 'm glad 
 that Parent had the gumption to give you a mean 
 look ; he '11 ride for me next year." 
 
 The month of October finished the shipping. 
 There was a magic in that Northern climate that 
 wrought wonders in an animal from the South. 
 Little wonder that the buffalo could face the bliz- 
 zard, in a country of his own choosing, and in a 
 climate where the frost king held high revel five 
 months out of the twelve. There was a tonic like 
 the iron of wine in the atmosphere, absorbed alike 
 
THE WINTEK OF OUR DISCONTENT 371 
 
 by man and beast, and its possessor laughed at the 
 fury of the storm. Our loss of cattle during the 
 first winter, traceable to season, was insignificant, 
 while we sold out over two hundred head more than 
 the accounts called for, due to the presence of 
 strays, which went to Buford. And when the last 
 beef was shipped, the final delivery concluded to 
 the army, Don Lovell was a quarter-million dollars 
 to the good, over and above the contract price at 
 which he failed to deliver the same cattle to the 
 government the fall before. 
 
 As foreman of Lovell's beef ranch on the Little 
 Missouri I spent five banner years of my life. In 
 '89 the stock, good-will, and range were sold to 
 a cattle syndicate, who installed a superintendent 
 and posted rules for the observance of its em- 
 ployees. I do not care to say why, but in a stran- 
 ger's hands it never seemed quite the same home to 
 a few of us who were present when it was trans- 
 formed into a cattle range. Late that fall, some 
 half-dozen of us who were from Texas asked to 
 ' be relieved and returned to the South. A traveler 
 passing through that country to-day will hear the 
 section about the mouth of the Beaver called only 
 by the syndicate name, but old-timers wiU always 
 lovingly refer to it as the Don Lovell Eanch. 
 
Electrotyped and printed by H. O. Houghton &* Co. 
 Cambridge^ Mass.y U. S. A. 
 
THE 
 
 LOG OF A COWBOY 
 
 By ANDY ADAMS 
 
 AN exciting account of a typical five months' 
 trip over the plains, from Mexico to Montana, 
 with a "drive" of 3000 cattle. It was attended by 
 many thrilling incidents and gives a vivid picture of 
 the life of the true cowboy. 
 
 " As a picture of cowboy life a quarter of a century 
 ago Andy Adams's narrative is the real thing. The 
 book is racy of the soil and carries its own certificate 
 of first-hand knowledge on every page." 
 
 Chicago Record Herald. 
 
 Illustrated by E. Boyd Smith 
 
 Crown 8vo, $1.50 
 
 HOUGHTON, 7\^. BOSTON 
 
 & COMPANY niilira NEW YORK 
 
TEXAS MATCHMAKER 
 
 By ANDY ADAMS 
 
 MR. Adams's Log of a Cowboy dealt with cattle 
 on the trail. This book covers the earlier 
 stage, on the ranch. It gives a typical picture of the 
 cowboy's duties, — the round-up, branding, and ship- 
 ping, his hunts, celebrations, and love-affairs. 
 
 "Andy Adams knows ranch life as an old sailor 
 knows a ship, and the charm of his book lies in its 
 merry, laughing, outdoor spirit. It is a true and 
 vivid picture of ranch life, and is full of fun." 
 
 Chicago Record-Herald. 
 
 Illustrated by E. Boyd Smith 
 
 Crown 8vo, $1.50 
 
 HOUGHTON, 
 
 /^^S- 
 
 BOSTON 
 
 MIFFLIN 
 
 /^^ 
 
 AND 
 
 & COMPANY 
 
 /froim WbienyI 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
HEROES of the STORM 
 
 By WILLIAM D. O'CONNOR 
 
 WONDERFULLY graphic accounts of the 
 most famous rescues from shipwreck by the 
 crews of the U. S. Life-Saving Service. O'Connor 
 was a master in writing of the sea and its perils. 
 
 "That his style was strong and smooth is shown by 
 these descriptions of wrecks which undoubtedly are 
 correct in every detail. The unflagging zeal and 
 striking heroism of the life savers clearly is demon- 
 strated, and a new emphasis is given to the perils of 
 life on the ocean wave." 
 
 Boston Transcript. 
 
 With introduction by Superintendent S. I. 
 Kimball lamo, ^1.50 
 
 HOUGHTON, r^f^ BOSTON 
 
 MIFFLIN L^^ ^^^^"* 
 
 & COMPANY fclira) NEW YORK 
 
The 
 
 LAND of LITTLE RAIN 
 
 By MARY AUSTIN 
 
 THIS is a book of unique interest about out-door 
 life in the arid region of Southeastern Califor- 
 nia. It describes the marvels of the desert, the In- 
 dian, the Greaser, and the gold-hunter, the strange 
 birds and beasts and flowers of that region, with 
 extraordinary fidelity. 
 
 " What John Muir has done for the western slopes of 
 the Sierras, with their solemn forests and their mys- 
 terious silences, Mrs. Austin does in a more tender 
 and intimate fashion for the eastern slopes." 
 
 Brooklyn Eagle. 
 
 With full-page and marginal illustrations by 
 E. Boyd Smith. 8vo, $2.00, net. Postpaid, $2.24 
 
 HOUGHTON, r^». BOSTON 
 
 MIFFLIN JL^^^ AND 
 
 & COMPANY fcUral NEW YORK