the outlet-第28节

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　companies　and　individuals；　nearly　all　tenderfeet　at　the　business；　can　succeed。　They　may　for　a　time；there　are　accidents　in　every　calling；but　when　the　tide　turns；　there　won't　be　one　man　or　company　in　ten　survive。　I　only　wish　they　would；　as　it　means　life　and　expansion　for　the　cattle　interests　in　Texas。　As　long　as　the　boom　continues；　and　foreigners　and　tenderfeet　pour　their　money　in；　the　business　will　look　prosperous。　Why；　even　the　business　men　are　selling　out　their　stores　and　going　into　cattle。　But　there's　a　day　of　reckoning　ahead；　and　there's　many　a　cowman　in　this　Northwest　country　who　will　never　see　his　money　again。　Now　the　government　demand　is　a　healthy　one：　it　needs　the　cattle　for　Indian　and　military　purposes；　but　this　crazy　investment；　especially　in　she　stuff；　I　wouldn't　risk　a　dollar　in　it。〃

During　the　conversation　that　evening；　I　was　delighted　to　learn　that　my　employer　expected　to　accompany　the　herds　overland　to　Ogalalla。　There　was　nothing　pressing　elsewhere；　and　as　all　the　other　outfits　were　within　a　short　day's　ride　in　the　rear；　he　could　choose　his　abode。　He　was　too　good　a　cowman　to　interfere　with　the　management　of　cattle；　and　the　pleasure　of　his　company；　when　in　good　humor；　was　to　be　desired。　The　next　morning　a　horse　was　furnished　him　from　our　extras；　and　after　seeing　us　safely　across　the　railroad　track；　he　turned　back　to　meet　Forrest　or　Sponsilier。　This　was　the　last　we　saw　of　him　until　after　crossing　into　Nebraska。　In　the　mean　time　my　boys　kept　an　eye　on　the　Mexican　outfit　in　our　front；　scarcely　a　day　passing　but　what　we　sighted　them　either　in　person　or　by　signal。　Once　they　dropped　back　opposite　us　on　the　western　side　of　the　trail；　when　Cedardall；　under　the　pretense　of　hunting　lost　horses；　visited　their　camp；　finding　them　contented　and　enjoying　a　lay…over。　They　were　impatient　to　know　the　distance　to　the　Rio　Platte；　and　GG　assured　them　that　within　a　week　they　would　see　its　muddy　waters　and　be　relieved。　Thus　encouraged　they　held　the　lead；　but　several　times　vaqueros　dropped　back　to　make　inquiries　of　drives　and　the　water。　The　route　was　passable；　with　a　short　dry　drive　from　the　head　of　Stinking　Water　across　to　the　Platte　River；　of　which　they　were　fully　advised。　Keeping　them　in　sight；　we　trailed　along　leisurely；　and　as　we　went　down　the　northern　slope　of　the　divide　approaching　the　Republican　River；　we　were　overtaken　at　noon　by　Don　Lovell　and　Dave　Sponsilier。

〃Quirk；〃　said　the　old　man；　as　the　two　dismounted；　〃I　was　just　telling　Dave　that　twenty　years　ago　this　summer　I　carried　a　musket　with　Sherman　in　his　march　to　the　sea。　And　here　we　are　to…day；　driving　beef　to　feed　the　army　in　the　West。　But　that's　neither　here　nor　there　under　the　present　programme。　Jim　Flood　and　I　have　talked　matters　over　pretty　thoroughly；　and　have　decided　to　switch　the　foremen　on　the　'Open　A'　and　'drooping　T'　cattle　until　after　Ogalalla　is　passed。　From　their　actions　at　Dodge；　it　is　probable　that　they　will　try　and　arrest　the　foreman　of　those　two　herds　as　accessory　under　some　charge　or　other。　By　shifting　the　foremen；　even　if　the　ones　in　charge　are　detained；　we　will　gain　time　and　be　able　to　push　the　Buford　cattle　across　the　North　Platte。　The　chances　are　that　they　will　prefer　some　charges　against　me；　and　if　they　do；　if　necessary；　we　will　all　go　to　the　lock…up　together。　They　may　have　spotters　ahead　here　on　the　Republican；　Dave　will　take　charge　of　your　'Open　A's'　at　once；　and　you　will　drop　back　and　follow　up　with　his　cattle。　For　the　time　being　and　to　every　stranger；　you　two　will　exchange　names。　The　Rebel　is　in　charge　of　Forrest's　cattle　now；　and　Quince　will　drop　back　with　Paul's　herd。　Dave；　here；　gave　me　the　slip　on　crossing　the　Texas　Pacific　in　the　lower　country；　but　when　we　reach　the　Union　Pacific；　I　want　to　know　where　he　is；　even　if　in　jail。　And　I　may　be　right　there　with　him；　but　we'll　live　high；　for　I've　got　a　lot　of　their　money。〃

Sponsilier　reported　his　herd　on　the　same　side　of　the　trail　and　about　ten　miles　to　our　rear。　I　had　no　objection　to　the　change；　for　those　arid　plains　were　still　to　be　preferred　to　the　lock…up　in　Ogalalla。　My　only　regret　was　in　temporarily　losing　my　mount；　but　as　Dave's　horses　were　nearly　as　good；　no　objection　was　urged；　and　promising；　in　case　either　landed　in　jail；　to　send　flowers；　I　turned　back；　leaving　my　employer　with　the　lead　herd。　Before　starting；　I　learned　that　the　〃Drooping　T〃　cattle　were　in　advance　of　Sponsilier's；　and　as　I　soldiered　along　on　my　way　back；　rode　several　miles　out　of　my　way　to　console　my　old　bunkie；　The　Rebel。　He　took　my　chaffing　good…naturedly　and　assured　me　that　his　gray　hairs　were　a　badge　of　innocence　which　would　excuse　him　on　any　charge。　Turning；　I　rode　hack　with　him　over　a　mile；　this　being　my　first　opportunity　of　seeing　Forrest's　beeves。　The　steers　were　large　and　rangy；　extremely　uniform　in　ages　and　weight；　and　in　general　relieved　me　of　considerable　conceit　that　I　had　the　best　herd　among　the　Buford　cattle。　With　my　vanity　eased；　I　continued　my　journey　and　reached　Sponsilier's　beeves　while　they　were　watering。　Again　a　surprise　was　in　store　for　me；　as　the　latter　herd　had；　if　any；　the　edge　over　the　other　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