the outlet-第33章

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ch　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　Rebel　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　have　been　twenty…five　of　Lovell'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　deputies　had　all　kinds　of　money；　and　wouldn't　allow　no　one　but　themselves　to　spend　a　cent。　The　biggest　one　of　the　twothe　one　who　gave　you　the　cigarwould　say　to　my　boss：　'Sponsilier；　you're　a　trail　foreman　from　Texasone　of　Don　Lovell's　boss　menbut　you're　under　arrest；　your　cattle　are　in　my　possession　this　very　minute。　You　understand　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　Lovell　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　instead　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'll　have　one　more；　and　tell　the　damned　old　rascal　that　I'll　expect　him　in　the　morning。'〃

We　rode　out　the　watch　together。　On　returning　to　Flood's　camp；　they　had　found　Don　Lovell　awake。　the　old　man　was　pleased　with　the　report；　but　sent　me　no　special　word　except　to　exercise　my　own　judgment。　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　designating；　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　coining　up　the　bluffs；　forty　abreast　like　an　army　in　loose　marching　order。　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　accord。　The　〃Drooping　T〃　cattle　were　in　the　immediate　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'll　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　arrival。　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　clattering　hoofs　of　a　cavalcade　of　horsemen　were　approaching；　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　shortly；　leaving　Quince　behind。　We　discussed　every　possible　phase　of　what　might　happen　in　case　we　were　recognized；　which　was　almost　certain　if　Tolleston　or　the　Dodge　buyers　were　encountered。　But　an　overweening　hunger　to　get　into　Ogalalla　was　dominant　in　us；　and　under　the　excuse　of　settling　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　seen　red；　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。

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　fellows　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　Ogalalla　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　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