the outlet-第20章

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sterday　and　saying　that　he　looked　like　a　native　animal？　I'll　just　bet　either　one　of　you　a　hundred　dollars　that　he'll　dress　out　over　five　hundred　pounds；　and　I'll　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　shouldn'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；　Mae；　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　accepting　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　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　prospect　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　Tolleston。　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　Tolleston's　posing　as　a　trail…cutter　at　Doan'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　weaknesses　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　morningI　mean　one　who　will　drink　and　carouse。　He　can　watch　the　trains；　and　if　this　fellow　shows　up；　we'll　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　he　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　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。〃

Mr。　Field；　the　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　number　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　private　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　done；　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。　〃Tolleston　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　Tolleston　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。　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；　saying　if　you　didn'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　anxious　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：　〃All　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　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'll　give　Seay　plenty　of　time；　and　I　think　there'll　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；　compelling　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　having　my　wagon　in　town；　and　the　necessity　of　its　reaching　camp　before　darkness　made　my　excuse　imperative。　I　hurried　around　to　the　outfitting　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。　Tolleston　had　arrived；　but　his　presence　had