the outlet-第32章

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her　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　extramuy　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　present；　and　at　dinner　that　day　old　man　Don　admitted　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　Stinking　Water。　We　were　then　within　forty　miles　of　Ogalalla；　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　arrive；　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　mc；　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　Ogalalla；　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　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。　Lovell　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　several　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　without　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　dragmen　learned　that　they　were　on　their　way　to　Dodge　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　southward。　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　suspected。　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。　Complimenting　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　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　Road　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　myself　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　occasional　breeze　wafted　the　dust　aside；　and　the　sinuous　outline　of　a　herd　creeping　forward　greeted　our　vision。　Below　the　town　were　two　other　herds；　distinctly　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。　Turning　aside　from　the　panorama　before　us；　my　employer　said：

〃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'll　know　enough　to　water　and　camp　on　the　south　side　of　the　Platte。　I'll　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'll　meet　lads　from　the　'Open　A'　and　'drooping　T'　outfits；　and　I'll　send　Jim　and　Bob　in；　and　by　midnight　we'll　have　a　report　of　what's　been　done。　If　any　one　but　an　officer　takes　possession　of　those　two　herds；　it'll　put　us　to　the　trouble　of　retaking　them。　And　I　think　I've　got　men　enough　here　to　do　it。〃　


CHAPTER　XIII。　JUSTICE　IN　THE　SADDLE

It　was　an　hour　after　the　usual　time　when　we　bedded　down　the　cattle。　The　wagon　had　overtaken　us　about　sunset；　and　the　cook's　fire　piloted　us　into　a　camp　fully　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　mission；　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　af