the outlet-第31章

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r　passed　that　point；　and　until　Siringo　came　in　with　his　report；　he　had　spent　the　time　about　detective　headquarters　in　Kansas　City。　From　intimate　friends　in　Dodge；　he　had　obtained　the　full　particulars　of　the　attempted　but　unsuccessful　move　of　The　Western　Supply　Company　to　take　possession　of　his　two　herds。　In　fact　there　was　very　little　that　I　could　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　officious　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　showa　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　working　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　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　railroad；　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　profusion　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　business；　a　little　common　sense　is　necessary。　Nine　tenths　of　the　investing　in　cattle　to…day　in　the　Northwest　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　business；　can　succeed。　They　may　for　a　time；there　are　accidents　in　every　calling；but　when　the　tide　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　furnished　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　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　impatient　to　know　the　distance　to　the　Rio　Platte；　and　GG　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　River；　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　dismounted；　〃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　accessory　under　some　charge　or　other。　By　shifting　the　foremen；　even　if　the　ones　in　charge　are　detained；　we　will　gain　time　and　be　able　to　push　the　Buford　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　Republican；　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'll　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　objection　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　miles　out　of　my　way　to　console　my　old　bunkie；　The　Rebel。　He　took　my　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　hack　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　watering。　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　act