the outlet-第17章

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　of　dead　cattle；　bloated　and　decaying　in　the　summer　sun。

I　was　dazed　by　the　awful　scene。　A　pretty；　greenswarded　little　valley　lay　before　me；　groups　of　cottonwoods　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　flash　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　hill。　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　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。　Recovering　our　horses　we　beat　the　cattle　back；　seemingly　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　outfit　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　holding　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　concentrated　lye；　blistering　our　mouths　in　the　experiment。　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　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　between　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　the　west。　Realizing　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　will；　for　we　were　compelled　to　hold　them　loose　to　avoid　milling。　Before　ten　o'clock　the　lightning　was　flickering　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；　increasing　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　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　proximity　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　possible；　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　to　let　my　business　be　known　while　in　the　post。　After　refreshing　the　inner　man；　my　employer　secured　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　atmosphere　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　second　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。　Unfortunately　for　me；　when　the　papers　were　drawn；　my　regular　attorney　was　out　of　town；　and　I　was　compelled　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。