the outlet-第17节

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r。　To　this　Siringo　objected。　〃No；　Mac；〃　said　he；　〃that　isn't　the　right　way　to　show　beeves。　Here；　Morg；　listen　to　me；　I'm　foreman　for　the　time　being。　When　you　relieve　the　other　lads；　edge　in　your　cattle　from　an　ordinary　loose　herd　until　you　have　them　on　two　or　three　hundred　acres。　Then　we　can　slowly　drive　through　them　for　an　hour　or　so；　or　until　these　gentlemen　are　satisfied。　They're　not　wild；　are　they；　Mac？〃

I　assured　every　one　that　the　cattle　were　unusually　gentle；　that　we　had　not　had　a　run　so　far；　but　urged　caution　in　approaching　them　with　a　conveyance。　As　soon　as　the　relief　started；　I　brought　in　the　livery　team　off　picket；　watered；　and　harnessed　them　into　the　vehicle。　It　was　my　intention　to　accompany　them　on　horseback；　but　Siringo　hooted　at　the　idea；　and　Mr。　Radcliff　and　I　occupied　the　back　seat；　puffing　splendid　cigars。　We　met　the　relieved　men　coming　in；　who　informed　us　that　the　herd　was　just　over　the　hill　on　the　south　side　of　the　creek。　On　reaching　the　gentle　rise；　there　below　us　grazed　the　logy；　lazy　beeves；　while　the　boys　quietly　rode　round；　silently　moving　them　together　as　instructed。　Siringo　drove　to　their　lead；　and　halting；　we　allowed　the　cattle　to　loiter　past　us　on　either　side　of　the　conveyance。　It　was　an　easy　herd　to　show；　for　the　pounds　avoirdupois　were　there。　Numerous　big　steers；　out　of　pure　curiosity；　came　up　near　the　vehicle　and　innocently　looked　at　us　as　if　expecting　a　dole　or　sweetmeat。　A　snap　of　the　finger　would　tarn　them；　showing　their　rounded　buttocks；　and　they　would　rejoin　the　guard　of　honor。　If　eyes　could　speak；　the　invitation　was　timidly　extended；　〃Look　at　me；　Mr。　Buyer。〃　We　allowed　the　herd　to　pass　by　us；　then　slowly　circled　entirely　around　them；　and　finally　drove　back　and　forth　through　them　for　nearly　two　hours；　when　the　prospective　buyers　expressed　themselves　as　satisfied。

But　the　fiscal　agent　was　not。　Calling　two　of　the　boys；　he　asked　for　the　loan　of　their　horses　and　insisted　that　the　buyers　ride　the　cattle　over　and　thoroughly　satisfy　themselves　on　the　brands。　The　boys　gladly　yielded；　and　as　Mr。　Field　and　Mr。　Radcliff　mounted　to　ride　away；　the　detective　halted　them　long　enough　to　say：　〃Now；　gentlemen；　I　wish　to　call　your　attention　to　the　fact　that　over　one　half　the　herd　are　in　the　single　Marshall　ranch　brand。　There　are　also　some　five　hundred　head　in　the　'8=8；'　that　being　an　outside　ranch；　but　belonging　to　the　estate。　I　am　informed　that　the　remainder　of　nearly　a　thousand　were　turned　in　by　neighboring　ranchmen　in　making　up　the　herd；　and　you'll　find　those　in　various　mixed　brands。　If　there's　a　hoof　among　them　not　in　the　'Open　A'　road；　we'll　cut　them　out　for　fear　of　trouble　to　the　buyer。　I　never　sold　a　man　cattle　in　my　life　who　wasn't　my　customer　ever　afterward。　You　gentlemen　are　strangers　to　me；　and　for　that　reason　I　conceal　nothing。　Now　look　them　over　carefully；　and　keep　a　sharp　lookout　for　strayscattle　not　in　the　road　brand。〃

I　knew　there　were　about　twenty　strays　in　the　herd；　and　informed　Siringo　to　that　effect；　but　the　cattle　buyers　noticed　only　two；　a　red　and　a　roan；　which　again　classed　them　as　inexperienced　men　among　cattle。　We　returned　to　camp；　not　a　word　being　said　about　trading；　when　the　buyers　suggested　returning　to　town。　Siringo　looked　at　his　watch；　asked　if　there　was　anything　further　they　wished　to　see　or　know；　and　expressed　himself　like　a　true　Texan；　〃that　there　was　ample　time。〃　I　was　the　only　one　who　had　alighted；　and　as　they　started　to　drive　away；　I　said　to　Siringo：　〃Charley；　let　me　talk　to　you　a　minute　first。　You　see　how　I'm　situated　here…　…too　many　neighbors。　I'm　going　to　ride　north　of　town　to…morrow；　and　if　I　can　find　a　good　camp　on　Saw　Log；　why　I'll　move　over。　We　are　nearly　out　of　supplies；　anyhow；　and　the　wagon　can　go　by　town　and　load　up。　There's　liable　to　be　a　mix…up　here　some　night　on　the　Mulberry；　and　I'd　rather　be　excused　than　present。〃

〃That's　all　right；　Mac；　that's　just　what　I　want　you　to　do。　If　we　trade；　we'll　make　the　deal　within　a　day　or　two；　and　if　not　you　can　start　right　on　for　Ogalalla。　I've　been　selling　cattle　the　last　few　years　to　the　biggest　feeders　in　Nebraska；　and　I'm　not　a　little　bit　afraid　of　placing　those　'Open　A's。'　About　four　months　full　feed　on　corn　will　fit　those　steers　to　go　to　any　market。　Drop　into　town　on　your　way　back　from　the　Saw　Log　to…morrow。〃

That　evening　my　brother　Bob　rode　into　camp。　He　had　seen　our　employer　at　Supply；　and　accordingly　understood　the　situation。　The　courier　had　returned　from　Fort　Elliott　and　reported　his　mission　successful；　he　had　met　both　Forrest　and　Sponsilier。　The　latter　had　had　a　slight　run　in　the　Panhandle　during　a　storm；　losing　a　few　cattle；　which　he　recovered　the　next　day。　For　fear　of　a　repetition；　Forrest　had　taken　the　lead　thereafter；　and　was　due　at　Supply　within　a　day　or　two。　Flood　and　Priest　had　passed　Abilene；　Texas；　in　safety；　but　no　word　had　reached　our　employer　since；　and　it　was　believed　that　they　had　turned　eastward　and　would　come　up　the　Chisholm　Trail。　Bob　reported　the　country　between　Abilene　and　Doan's　Crossing　as　cut　into　dust　and　barren　of　sustenance；　many　weak　cattle　having　died　in　crossing　the　dry　belt。　But　the　most　startling　news；　seriously　disturbing　us　both；　was　that　Archie　Tolleston　was　stationed　at　Doan's　Crossing　on　Red　River　as　a　trail…cutter。　He　had　come　up　from　the　south　to　Wichita　Falls　by　train　with　trail　cattle；　and　finding　no　opening　as　a　foreman；　had　accepted　the　position　of　inspector　for　some　Panhandle　cattle　companies。　He　and　Bob　had　had　a　friendly　chat；　and　Archie　admitted　that　it　was　purely　his　own　hot…headedness　which　prevented　his　being　one　of　Lovell's　foremen　on　the　present　drive。　The　disturbing　feature　was；　that　after　leaving　headquarters　in　Medina　County；　he　had　gone　into　San　Antonio；　where　he　met　a　couple　of　strangers　who　partially　promised　him　a　job　as　trail　boss；　in　case　he　presented　himself　in　Dodge　about　June　15。　They　had　intimated　to　him　that　it　was　possible　they　would　need　a　foreman　or　two　who　knew　the　trail　from　the　Arkansaw　to　the　Yellowstone　and　Missouri　River　country。　Putting　this　and　that　together；　the　presence　of　Archie　Tolleston　in　Dodge　was　not　at　all　favorable　to　the　working　out　of　our　plans。　〃And　Arch　isn't　the　man　to　forget　a　humiliation；〃　concluded　Bob；　to　which　I　agreed。

The　next　morning　I　rode　across　to　the　Saw　Log；　and　up　that　creek　beyond　all　the　herds。　The　best　prospect　for　a　camp　was　nearly　due　north　opposite　us；　as　the　outfit　lowest　down　the　stream　expected　to　start　for　the　Platte　the　next　morning。　Having　fully　made　up　my　mind　to　move　camp；　I　rode　for　town；　taking　dinner　on　Duck　Creek；　which　was　also　littered　with　cattle　and　outfits。　I　reached　town　early　in　the　afternoon；　and　after　searching　all　the　hotels；　located　the　fiscal　agent　in　company　with　the　buyers　at　the　Lone　Star　saloon。　They　were　seated　around　a　table；　and　Mr。　Field；　noticing　my　entrance；　beckoned　me　over　and　offered　a　chair。　As　I　took　the　proffered　seat；　both　strangers　turned　on　me；　and　Mr。　Radcliff　said：　〃McIndoo；　this　agent　of　yours　is　the　hardest　man　I　ever　tried　to　trade　with。　Here　we've　wasted　the　whole　morning　dickering；　and　are　no　nearer　together　than　when　we　started。　The　only　concession　which　Mr。　Siringo　seems　willing　to　admit　is　that　cattle　are　off　from　three　to　five　dollars　a　head；　while　we　contend　that　heavy　beeves　are　off　seven　dollars。〃

〃Excuse　me　for　interrupting；〃　said　the　fiscal　agent；　〃but　since　you　have　used　the　words　HEAVY　BEEVES；　either　one　of　you　ask　Mac；　here；　what　those　'Open　A's'　will　dress　to…day；　and　what　they　ought　to　gain　in　the　next　three　months　on　good　grass　and　water。　There　he　sits；　ask　him。〃

Mr。　Field　explained　that　they　had　also　differed　as　to　what　the　herd　would　dress　out；　and　invited　my　opinion。　〃Those　beeves　will　dress　off　from　forty…five　to　fifty　per　cent；〃　I　replied。　〃The　Texan　being　a　gaunt　animal　does　not　shrink　like　a　domestic　beef。　Take　that　'Open　A'　herd　straight　through　and　they　will　dress　from　four　fifty　to　six　hundred　pounds；　or　average　better　than　five　hundred　all　round。　In　three　months；　under　favorable　conditions；　those　steers　ought　to　easily　put　on　a　hundred　pounds　of　tallow　apiece。　Mr。　Radcliff；　do　you　remember　pointing　out　a　black　muley　yesterday　and　saying　that　he　looked　like　a　native　animal？　I'll　just　bet　either　one　of　you　a　hundred　dollars　that　he'll　dress　out　over　five　hundred　pounds；　and　I'll　kill　him　in　your　presence　and　you　can　weigh　his　quarters　with　a　steelyard。〃

They　laughed　at　me；　Siringo　joining　in；　and　Mr。　Field　ordered　the　drinks。　〃Mac；〃　said　the　detective；　〃these　gentlemen　are　all　right；　and　you　shouldn't　take　any　offense；　for　I　don't　blame　them　for　driving　a　hard　bargain。　I'd　probably　do　the　same　thing　if　I　was　the　buyer　instead　of　the　seller。　And　remember；　Mae；　if　the　deal　goes　through；　you　are　to　drive　the　herd　at　the　seller's　risk；　and　deliver　it　at　any　point　the　buyer　designates；　they　accepting　without　expense　or　reserve　the　cattle　only。　It　means　over　three　months'　further　expense；　with　a　remuda　thrown　back　on　your　hands；　and　all　these　incidentals　run　into　money　fast。　Gentlemen；　unless　you　increase　the　advance　cash　payment；　I　don't　see　how　you　can　expect　me　to　shade　my　offer。　What's　your　hurry；　Mac？〃

As　it　was　growing　late；　I　had　arisen；　and　saying　that　I　expected　to　move　camp　to…morrow；　invited　the　party　to　join　me