the outlet-第60章

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tle　and　that　they　would　be　thrown　back　on　our　hands。　There　was　a　general　anxiety　among　us　to　go　home；　hastened　by　the　recent　frosty　nights　and　a　common　fear　of　a　Northern　climate。　I　tried　to　stem　this　feeling；　promising　a　holiday　on　the　morrow　and　assuring　every　one　that　we　still　had　a　fighting　chance。

We　reached　the　post　at　a　timely　hour　the　next　morning。　Only　three　men　were　left　with　each　herd；　my　wrangler　and　cook　accompanying　us　for　the　day。　Parent　held　forth　with　quite　a　dissertation　on　the　legal　aspects　of　the　case；　and　after　we　forded　the　river；　an　argument　arose　between　him　and　Jake　Blair。　〃Don't　talk　to　me　about　what's　legal　and　what　isn't；〃　said　the　latter；　〃the　man　with　the　pull　generally　gets　all　that　he　goes　after。　You　remember　the　Indian　and　the　white　man　were　at　a　loss　to　know　how　to　divide　the　turkey　and　the　buzzard；　but　in　the　end　poor　man　got　the　buzzard。　And　if　you'll　just　pay　a　little　more　attention　to　humanity；　you　may　notice　that　the　legal　aspects　don't　cut　so　much　figure　as　you　thought　they　did。　The　moment　that　cattle　declined　five　to　seven　dollars　a　head；　The　Western　Supply　Company　didn't　trouble　themselves　as　to　the　legality　or　the　right　or　wrong；　but　proceeded　to　take　advantage　of　the　situation　at　once。　Neal；　when　you've　lived　about　twenty…five　years　on　the　cold　charity　of　strangers；　you'll　get　over　that　blind　confidence　and　become　wary　and　cunning。　It　might　be　a　good　idea　to　keep　your　eye　open　to…day　for　your　first　lesson。　Anyhow　don't　rely　too　strong　on　the　right　or　justice　of　anything；　but　keep　a　good　horse　on　picket　and　your　powder　dry。〃

The　commissioner　had　arrived　early　that　morning　and　would　take　up　matters　at　once。　Nine　o'clock　was　set　for　the　hearing；　which　would　take　place　in　the　quartermaster's　office。　Consultations　were　being　held　among　the　two　factions；　and　the　only　ray　of　light　was　the　reported　frigidity　of　the　special　officer。　He　was　such　a　superior　personage　that　ordinary　mortals　felt　a　chill　radiating　from　his　person　on　their　slightest　approach。　His　credentials　were　from　the　War　Department　and　were　such　as　to　leave　no　doubt　but　that　he　was　the　autocrat　of　the　situation；　before　whom　all　should　render　homage。　A　rigid　military　air　prevailed　about　the　post　and　grounds；　quite　out　of　the　ordinary；　while　the　officers'　bar　was　empty　and　silent。

The　quartermaster's　office　would　comfortably　accommodate　about　one　hundred　persons。　Fort　Buford　had　been　rebuilt　in　1871；　the　adobe　buildings　giving　place　to　frame　structures；　and　the　room　in　which　the　hearing　was　to　be　held　was　not　only　commodious　but　furnished　with　good　taste。　Promptly　on　the　stroke　of　the　hour；　and　escorted　by　the　post　adjutant；　the　grand　mogul　made　his　appearance。　There　was　nothing　striking　about　him；　except　his　military　bearing；　he　was　rather　young　and　walked　so　erect　that　he　actually　leaned　backward　a　trifle。　There　was　no　prelude；　he　ordered　certain　tables　rearranged；　seated　himself　at　one；　and　called　for　a　copy　of　the　original　contract。　The　post　adjutant　had　all　the　papers　covering　the　situation　in　hand；　and　the　copy　was　placed　at　the　disposal　of　the　special　commissioner；　who　merely　glanced　at　the　names　of　the　contracting　parties；　amount　and　date；　and　handed　the　document　back。　Turning　to　the　table　at　which　Lovell　and　his　attorneys　sat；　he　asked　for　the　credentials　under　which　they　were　tendering　beeves　at　Fort　Buford。　The　sub…contract　was　produced；　some　slight　memorandum　was　made；　and　it　was　passed　back　as　readily　as　was　the　original。　The　opposition　were　calmly　awaiting　a　similar　request；　and　when　it　came；　in　offering　the　papers；　Congressman　Y　took　occasion　to　remark：　〃Our　tender　is　not　only　on　a　sub…contract；　but　that　agreement　is　fortified　by　an　assignment　of　the　original　award；　by　and　between　the　War　Department　and　The　Western　Supply　Company。　We　rely　on　the　latter；　you　will　find　everything　regular。〃

The　customary　glance　was　given　the　bulky　documents。　Senator　Aspgrain　was　awaiting　the　opportune　moment　to　attack　the　assignment。　When　it　came；　the　senator　arose　with　dignity　and；　addressing　the　commissioner；　attempted　to　enter　a　protest；　but　was　instantly　stopped　by　that　high　functionary。　A　frozen　silence　pervaded　the　room。　〃There　is　no　occasion　for　any　remarks　in　this　matter；〃　austerely　replied　the　government　specialist。　〃Our　department　regularly　awarded　the　beef　contract　for　this　post　to　The　Western　Supply　Company。　There　was　ample　competition　on　the　award；　insuring　the　goveminent　against　exorbitant　prices；　and　the　required　bonds　were　furnished　for　the　fulfillment　of　the　contract。　Right　then　and　there　all　interest　upon　the　part　of　the　grantor　ceased　until　the　tender　was　made　at　this　post　on　the　appointed　day　of　delivery。　In　the　interim；　however；　it　seems　that　for　reasons　purely　their　own；　the　grantees　saw　fit　to　sub…let　their　contract；　not　once　but　twice。　Our　department　amply　protected　themselves　by　requiring　bonds；　and　the　sub…contractors　should　have　done　the　same。　That；　however；　is　not　the　matter　at　issue；　but　who　is　entitled　to　deliver　on　the　original　award。　Fortunately　that　point　is　beyond　question；　an　assignment　of　the　original　has　always　been　recognized　at　the　War　Office；　and　in　this　case　the　holders　of　the　same　are　declared　entitled　to　deliver。　There　is　only　one　provision；does　the　article　of　beef　tendered　qualify　under　the　specifications？　That　is　the　only　question　before　making　this　decision　final。　If　there　is　any　evidence　to　the　contrary；　I　am　ready　to　hear　it。〃

This　afforded　the　opportunity　of　using　Sanders　as　a　witness；　and　Sutton　grasped　the　opportunity　of　calling　him　to　testify　in　regard　to　wintering　Southern　cattle　in　the　North。　After　stating　his　qualifications　as　a　citizen　and　present　occupation；　he　was　asked　by　the　commissioner　regarding　his　experience　with　cattle　to　entitle　his　testimony　to　consideration。　〃I　was　born　to　the　occupation　in　Texas；〃　replied　the　witness。　〃Five　years　ago　this　summer　I　came　with　beef　cattle　from　Uvalde　County；　that　State；　to　this　post；　and　after　the　delivery；　accepted　a　situation　under　the　quartermaster　here　in　locating　and　holding　the　government's　beeves。　At　present　I　am　foreman　and　have　charge　of　all　cattle　delivered　at　or　issued　from　this　post。　I　have　had　five　years'　experience　in　wintering　Texas　cattle　in　this　vicinity；　and　have　no　hesitancy　in　saying　that　it　is　a　matter　of　the　utmost　importance　that　steers　should　be　in　the　best　possible　flesh　to　withstand　our　winters。　The　losses　during　the　most　favorable　seasons　have　averaged　from　one　to　five　per　cent；　while　the　same　cattle　in　a　severe　season　will　lose　from　ten　to　twenty…five；　all　depending　on　the　condition　of　the　stock　with　the　beginning　of　cold　weather。　Since　my　connection　with　this　post　we　have　always　received　good　steers；　and　our　losses　have　been　light；　but　above　and　below　this　military　reservation　the　per　cent　loss　has　run　as　high　as　fifty　among　thin；　weak　animals。〃

〃Now；　Mr。　Sanders；〃　said　the　special　commissioner；　〃as　an　expert；　you　are　testifying　as　to　the　probable　loss　to　the　government　in　this　locality　in　buying　and　holding　beef　on　its　own　account。　You　may　now　state　if　you　have　seen　the　tender　of　beef　made　by　Field；　Radcliff　&　Co。；　and　if　so；　anticipating　the　worst；　what　would　be　the　probable　loss　if　their　cattle　were　accepted　on　this　year's　delivery？〃

〃I　was　present　at　their　inspection　by　the　officers　of　this　post；〃　replied　the　witness；　〃and　have　no　hesitancy　in　saying　that　should　the　coming　one　prove　as　hard　a　winter　as　'82　was；　there　would　be　a　loss　of　fully　one　half　these　cattle。　At　least　that　was　my　opinion　as　expressed　to　the　post　commander　and　quartermaster　at　the　inspection；　and　they　agreed　with　me。　There　are　half　a　dozen　other　boys　here　whose　views　on　wintering　cattle　can　be　hadand　they're　worth　listening　to。〃

This　testimony　was　the　brutal　truth；　and　though　eternal；　was　sadly　out　of　place。　The　opposition　lawyers　winced；　and　when　Sutton　asked　if　permission　would　be　given　to　hear　the　testimony　of　the　post　commander　and　quartermaster；　both　familiar　with　the　quality　of　cattle　the　government　had　been　receiving　for　years；　the　commissioner；　having　admitted　damaging　testimony；　objected　on　the　ground　that　they　were　under　suspension；　and　military　men　were　not　considered　specialists　outside　their　own　vocation