the outlet-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　loitered　behind；　reluctant　to　leave　until　the　last　steer　had　lain　down；　and　all　during　the　night；　sharing　my　blankets；　he　awoke　on　every　change　of　guards；　inquiring　of　the　returning　watch　how　the　cattle　were　sleeping。

As　we　should　easily　pass　Abilene　before　noon；　I　asked　him　as　a　favor　that　he　take　the　wagon　in　and　get　us　sufficient　supplies　to　last　until　Red　River　was　reached。　But　he　preferred　to　remain　behind　with　the　herd；　and　I　went　instead。　This　suited　me；　as　his　presence　overawed　my　outfit；　who　were　delirious　to　see　the　town。　There　was　no　telling　how　long　he　would　have　stayed　with　us；　but　my　brother　Bob's　herd　was　expected　at　any　time。　Remaining　with　us　a　second　night；　something；　possibly　the　placidness　of　the　cattle；　mellowed　the　old　man　and　he　grew　amiable　with　the　outfit；　and　myself　in　particular。　At　breakfast　the　next　morning；　when　I　asked　him　if　he　was　in　a　position　to　recommend　any　special　route；　he　replied：

〃No；　Tom；　that　rests　with　you。　One　thing's　certain；　herds　are　going　to　be　dangerously　close　together　on　the　regular　trail　which　crosses　Red　River　at　Doan's。　The　season　is　early　yet；　but　over　fifty　herds　have　already　crossed　the　Texas　Pacific　Railway。　Allowing　one　half　the　herds　to　start　north　of　that　line；　it　gives　you　a　fair　idea　what　to　expect。　When　seven　hundred　thousand　cattle　left　Texas　two　years　ago；　it　was　considered　the　banner　year；　yet　it　won't　be　a　marker　to　this　one。　The　way　prices　are　tumbling　shows　that　the　Northwest　was　bluffing　when　they　offered　to　mature　all　the　cattle　that　Texas　could　breed　for　the　next　fifty　years。　That's　the　kind　of　talk　that　suits　me；　but　last　year　there　were　some　forty　herds　unsold；　which　were　compelled　to　winter　in　the　North。　Not　over　half　the　saddle　horses　that　came　up　the　trail　last　summer　were　absorbed　by　these　Northern　cowmen。　Talk's　cheap；　but　it　takes　money　to　buy　whiskey。　Lots　of　these　men　are　new　ones　at　the　business　and　may　lose　fortunes。　The　banks　are　getting　afraid　of　cattle　paper；　and　conditions　are　tightening。　With　the　increased　drive　this　year；　if　the　summer　passes　without　a　slaughter　in　prices；　the　Texas　drovers　can　thank　their　lucky　stars。　I'm　not　half　as　bright　as　I　might　be；　but　this　is　one　year　that　I'm　smooth　enough　not　to　have　unsold　cattle　on　the　trail。〃

The　herd　had　started　an　hour　before；　and　when　the　wagon　was　ready　to　move；　I　rode　a　short　distance　with　my　employer。　It　was　possible　that　he　had　something　to　say　of　a　confidential　nature；　for　it　was　seldom　that　he　acted　so　discouraged　when　his　every　interest　seemed　protected　by　contracts。　But　at　the　final　parting；　when　we　both　had　dismounted　and　sat　on　the　ground　for　an　hour；　he　had　disclosed　nothing。　On　the　contrary；　he　even　admitted　that　possibly　it　was　for　the　best　that　the　other　Buford　herds　had　held　a　westward　course　and　thus　avoided　the　crush　on　the　main　routes。　The　only　intimation　which　escaped　him　was　when　we　had　remounted　and　each　started　our　way；　he　called　me　back　and　said；　〃Tom；　no　doubt　but　you've　noticed　that　I'm　worried。　Well；　I　am。　I'd　tell　you　in　a　minute；　but　I　may　be　wrong　in　the　matter。　But　I'll　know　before　you　reach　Dodge；　and　then；　if　it's　necessary；　you　shall　know　all。　It's　nothing　about　the　handling　of　the　herds；　for　my　foremen　have　always　considered　my　interests　first。　Keep　this　to　yourself；　for　it　may　prove　a　nightmare。　But　if　it　should　prove　true；　then　we　must　stand　together。　Now；　that's　all；　mum's　the　word　until　we　meet。　Drop　me　a　line　if　you　get　a　chance；　and　don't　let　my　troubles　worry　you。

While　overtaking　the　herd；　I　mused　over　my　employer's　last　words。　But　my　brain　was　too　muddy　even　to　attempt　to　solve　the　riddle。　The　most　plausible　theory　that　I　could　advance　was　that　some　friendly　cowmen　were　playing　a　joke　on　him；　and　that　the　old　man　had　taken　things　too　seriously。　Within　a　week　the　matter　was　entirely　forgotten；　crowded　out　of　mind　by　the　demands　of　the　hour。　The　next　night；　on　the　Clear　Fork　of　the　Brazos；　a　stranger；　attracted　by　our　camp…fire；　rode　up　to　the　wagon。　Returning　from　the　herd　shortly　after　his　arrival；　I　recognized　in　our　guest　John　Blocker；　a　prominent　drover。　He　informed　us　that　he　and　his　associates　had　fifty…two　thousand　cattle　on　the　trail；　and　that　he　was　just　returning　from　overtaking　two　of　their　five　lead　herds。　Knowing　that　he　was　a　well…posted　cowman　on　routes　and　sustenance；　having　grown　up　on　the　trail；　I　gave　him　the　best　our　camp　afforded；　and　in　return　I　received　valuable　information　in　regard　to　the　country　between　our　present　location　and　Doan's　Crossing。　He　reported　the　country　for　a　hundred　miles　south　of　Red　River　as　having　had　a　dry；　backward　spring；　scanty　of　grass；　and　with　long　dry　drives；　and　further；　that　in　many　instances　water　for　the　herds　would　have　to　be　bought　from　those　in　control。

The　outlook　was　not　to　my　liking。　The　next　morning　when　I　inquired　of　our　guest　what　he　would　advise　me　to　do；　his　answer　clearly　covered　the　ground。　〃Well；　I'm　not　advising　any　one；〃　said　he；　〃but　you　can　draw　your　own　conclusions。　The　two　herds　of　mine；　which　I　overtook；　have　orders　to　turn　northeast　and　cross　into　the　Nations　at　Red　River　Station。　My　other　cattle；　still　below；　will　all　be　routed　by　way　of　Fort　Griffin。　Once　across　Red　River；　you　will　have　the　Chisholm　Trail；　running　through　civilized　tribes；　and　free　from　all　annoyance　of　blanket　Indians。　South　of　the　river　the　grass　is　bound　to　be　better　than　on　the　western　route；　and　if　we　have　to　buy　water；　we'll　have　the　advantage　of　competition。〃

With　this　summary　of　the　situation；　a　decision　was　easily　reached。　The　Chisholm　Trail　was　good　enough　for　me。　Following　up　the　north　side　of　the　Clear　Fork；　we　passed　about　twenty　miles　to　the　west　of　Fort　Griffin。　Constantly　bearing　east　by　north；　a　few　days　later　we　crossed　the　main　Brazos　at　a　low　stage　of　water。　But　from　there　to　Red　River　was　a　trial　not　to　be　repeated。　Wire　fences　halted　us　at　every　turn。　Owners　of　pastures　refused　permission　to　pass　through。　Lanes　ran　in　the　wrong　direction；　and　open　country　for　pasturage　was　scarce。　What　we　dreaded　most；　lack　of　drink　for　the　herd；　was　the　least　of　our　troubles；　necessity　requiring　its　purchase　only　three　or　four　times。　And　like　a　climax　to　a　week　of　sore　trials；　when　we　were　in　sight　of　Red　River　a　sand　and　dust　storm　struck　us；　blinding　both　men　and　herd　for　hours。　The　beeves　fared　best；　for　with　lowered　heads　they　turned　their　backs　to　the　howling　gale；　while　the　horsemen　caught　it　on　every　side。　The　cattle　drifted　at　will　in　an　uncontrollable　mass。　The　air　was　so　filled　with　sifting　sand　and　eddying　dust　that　it　was　impossible　to　see　a　mounted　man　at　a　distance　of　fifty　yards。　The　wind　blew　a　hurricane；　making　it　impossible　to　dismount　in　the　face　of　it。　Our　horses　trembled　with　fear；　unsteady　on　their　feet。　The　very　sky　overhead　darkened　as　if　night　was　falling。　Two　thirds　of　the　men　threw　themselves　in　the　lead　of　the　beeves；　firing　six…shooters　to　check　them；　which　could　not　even　be　heard　by　the　ones　on　the　flank　and　in　the　rear。　Once　the　herd　drifted　against　a　wire　fence；　leveled　it　down　and　moved　on；　sullen　but　irresistible。　Towards　evening　the　storm　abated；　and　half　the　outfit　was　sent　out　in　search　of　the　wagon；　which　was　finally　found　about　dark　some　four　miles　distant。

That　night　Owen　Ubery；　as　he　bathed　his　bloodshot　eyes　in　a　pail　of　water；　said　to　the　rest　of　us：　〃Fellows；　if　ever　I　have　a　boy；　and　tell　him　how　his　pa　suffered　this　afternoon；　and　he　don't　cry；　I'll　cut　a　switch　and　whip　him　until　he　does。〃



CHAPTER　V。　RED　RIVER　STATION

When　the　spirit　of　a　man　is　once　broken；　he　becomes　useless。　On　the　trail　it　is　necessary　to　have　some　diversion　from　hard　work；　long　hours；　and　exposure　to　the　elements。　With　man　and　beast；　from　the　Brazos　to　Red　River　was　a　fire　test　of　physical　endurance。　But　after　crossing　into　the　Chickasaw　Nation；　a　comparatively　new　country　would　open　before　us。　When　the　strain　of　the　past　week　was　sorest；　in　buoying　up　the　spirits　of　my　outfit；　I　had　promised　them　rest　and　recreation　at　the　first　possible　opportunity。

Fortunately　we　had　an　easy　ford。　There　was　not　even　an　indication　that　there　had　been　a　freshet　on　the　river　that　spring。　This　was　tempering　the　wind；　for　we　were　crippled；　three　of　the　boys　being　unable　to　resume　their　places　around　the　herd　on　account　of　inflamed　eyes。　The　cook　had　weathered　the　sand…storm　better　than　any　of　us。　Sheltering　his　team；　and　fastening　his　wagon…sheet　securely；　he　took　refuge　under　it　until　the　gale　had　passed。　Pressing　him　into　the　service　the　next　morning；　and　assigning　him　to　the　drag　end　of　the　herd；　I　left　the　blind　to　lead　the　blind　in　driving　the　wagon。　On　reaching　the　river　about　the　middle　of　the　forenoon；　we　trailed　the　cattle　across　in　a　long　chain；　not　an　animal　being　compelled　to　swim。　The　wagon　was　carried　over　on　a　ferryboat；　as　it　was　heavily　loaded；　a　six　weeks'　supply　of　provisions　having　been　taken　on　before　crossing。　Once　the　trail　left　the　breaks；　on　the　north　side　of　the　river；　we　drew　off　several　miles　to　the　left　and　went　into　camp　for　the　remainder　of　the　day。　Still　keeping　clear　of　the　trail；　daily　we　moved　forward　the　wagon　from　three　to　five　miles；　allowing　the　cattle　to　graze　and　rest　to　contentment。　The　herd　recuperated　rapidly；　and　by　the　evening