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s　to　attain　an　end。　This　is　one　of　them。　Within　a　week　after　my　client　had　given　bonds　for　the　fulfillment　of　his　contract；　he　made　the　discovery　that　he　was　dealing　with　a　double…faced　set　of　scoundrels。　From　that　day　until　the　present　moment；　secret…service　men　have　shadowed　every　action　of　the　plaintiffs。　My　client　has　anticipated　their　every　move。　When　beeves　broke　in　price　from　five　to　seven　dollars　a　head；　Honest　John；　here；　made　his　boasts　in　Washington　City　over　a　champagne　supper　that　he　and　his　associates　would　clear　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　on　their　Buford　contract。　Let　us　reason　together　how　this　could　be　done。　The　Western　Supply　Company　refused；　even　when　offered　a　bonus；　to　assign　their　contract　to　my　client。　But　they　were　perfectly　willing　to　transfer　it；　from　themselves　as　contract　for　the　delivery　of　the　beeves。　The　original　corporation；　to　themselves　as　individuals；　even　though　they　had　previously　given　Don　Lovell　a　similar　award　was　made　seven　months　ago；　and　the　depreciation　in　cattle　since　is　the　secret　of　why　the　frog　eat　the　cabbage。　My　client　is　under　the　necessity　of　tendering　his　cattle　on　the　day　of　delivery；　and　proposes　to　hold　this　earnest…money　to　indemnify　himself　in　case　of　an　adverse　decision　at　Fort　Buford。　It　is　the　only　thing　he　can　do；　as　The　Western　Supply　Company　is　execution　proof；　its　assets　consisting　of　some　stud…horse　office　furniture　and　a　corporate　seal。　On　the　other　hand；　Don　Lovell　is　rated　at　half　a　million；　mostly　in　pasture　lands；　is　a　citizen　of　Medina　County；　Texas；　and　if　these　gentlemen　have　any　grievance；　let　them　go　there　and　sue　him。　A　judgment　against　my　client　is　good。　Now；　your　honor；　you　have　our　side　of　the　question。　To　be　brief；　shall　these　old　Wisinsteins　come　out　here　from　Washington　City　and　dispossess　any　man　of　his　property？　There　is　but　one　answer　not　in　the　Republic　of　Keith。〃

All　three　of　the　plaintiffs　took　the　stand；　their　testimony　supporting　the　complaint；　Lovell's　attorney　refusing　even　to　cross…examine　any　one　of　them。　When　they　rested　their　case　Sutton　arose；　and　scanning　the　audience　for　some　time；　inquired；　〃Is　Jim　Reed　there？〃　In　response；　a　tall；　one…armed　man　worked　his　way　from　the　outer　gallery　through　the　crowd　and　advanced　to　the　rail。　I　knew　Reed　by　sight　only；　my　middle　brother　having　made　several　trips　with　his　trail　cattle；　but　he　was　known　to　every　one　by　reputation。　He　had　lost　an　arm　in　the　Confederate　service；　and　was　recognized　by　the　gambling　fraternity　as　the　gamest　man　among　all　the　trail　drovers；　while　every　cowman　from　the　Rio　Grande　to　the　Yellowstone　knew　him　as　a　poker…player。　Reed　was　asked　to　take　the　stand；　and　when　questioned　if　he　knew　either　of　the　plaintiffs；　said：

〃Yes；　I　know　that　fat　gentleman；　and　I'm　powerful　glad　to　meet　up　with　him　again；〃　replied　the　witness；　designating　Honest　John。　〃That　man　is　so　crooked　that　he　can't　sleep　in　a　bed；　and　it's　one　of　the　wonders　of　this　country　that　he　hasn't　stretched　hemp　before　this。　I　made　his　acquaintance　as　manager　of　The　Federal　Supply　Company；　and　delivered　three　thousand　cows　to　him　at　the　Washita　Indian　Agency　last　fall。　In　the　final　settlement；　he　drew　on　three　different　banks；　and　one　draft　of　twenty…eight　thousand　dollars　came　back；　indorsed；　DRAWEE　UNKNOWN。　I　had　other　herds　on　the　trail　to　look　after；　and　it　was　a　month　before　I　found　out　that　the　check　was　bogus；　by　which　time　Honest　John　had　sailed　for　Europe。　There　was　nothing　could　be　done　hut　put　mny　claim　into　a　judgment　and　lay　for　him。　But　I've　got　a　grapevine　twist　on　him　now；　for　no　sooner　did　he　buy　a　herd　here　last　week　than　Mr。　Sutton　transferred　the　judgment　to　this　jurisdiction；　and　his　cattle　will　be　attached　this　afternoon。　I've　been　on　his　trail　for　nearly　a　year；　but　he'll　come　to　me　now；　and　before　he　can　move　his　beeves　out　of　this　county；　the　last　cent　must　come；　with　interest；　attorney's　fees；　detective　bills；　and　remuneration　for　my　own　time　and　trouble。　That's　the　reason　that　I'm　so　glad　to　meet　him。　Judge；　I've　gone　to　the　trouble　and　expense　to　get　his　record　for　the　last　ten　years。　He's　so　snaky　he　sheds　his　name　yearly；　shifting　for　a　nickname　from　Honest　John　to　The　Quaker。　In　'80　he　and　his　associates　did　business　under　the　name　of　The　Army　&　Sutler　Supply　Company；　and　I　know　of　two　judgments　that　can　be　bought　very　reasonable　against　that　corporation。　His　record　would　convince　any　one　that　he　despises　to　make　an　honest　dollar。〃

The　older　of　the　two　attorneys　for　the　plaintiffs　asked　a　few　questions；　but　the　replies　were　so　unsatisfactory　to　their　side；　that　they　soon　passed　the　witness。　During　the　cross…questioning；　however；　the　sheriff　had　approached　the　judge　and　whispered　something　to　his　honor。　As　there　were　no　further　witnesses　to　be　examined；　the　local　attorneys　insisted　on　arguing　the　case；　but　Judge　Mulqueen　frowned　them　down；　saying：

〃This　court　sees　no　occasion　for　any　argument　in　the　present　case。　You　might　spout　until　you　were　black　in　the　face　and　it　wouldn't　change　my　opinion　any；　besides　I've　got　twenty　cars　to　send　and　a　train　of　cattle　to　load　out　this　evening。　This　court　refuses　to　interfere　with　the　herds　in　question；　at　present　the　property　of　and　in　possession　of　Don　Lovell；　who；　together　with　his　men；　are　discharged　from　custody。　If　you're　in　town　to…night；　Mr。　Reed；　drop　into　the　Lone　Star。　Couple　of　nice　monte　games　running　there；　hundred…dollar　limit；　and　if　you　feel　lucky；　there's　a　nice　bank　roll　behind　them。　Adjourn　court；　Mr。　Sheriff。〃



CHAPTER　XIV。　TURNING　THE　TABLES

〃Keep　away　from　me；　you　common　cow…hands；〃　said　Sponsilier；　as　a　group　of　us　waited　for　him　at　the　foot　of　the　court…house　stairs。　But　Dave's　gravity　soon　turned　to　a　smile　as　he　continued：　〃Did　you　fellows　notice　The　Rebel　and　me　sitting　inside　the　rail　among　all　the　big　augers？　Paul；　was　it　a　dream；　or　did　we　sleep　in　a　bed　last　night　and　have　a　sure…enough　pillow　under　our　heads？　My　memory　is　kind　of　hazy　to…day；　but　I　remember　the　drinks　and　the　cigars　all　right；　and　saying　to　some　one　that　this　luck　was　too　good　to　last。　And　here　we　are　turned　out　in　the　cold　world　again；　our　fun　all　over；　and　now　must　go　tack　to　those　measly　cattle。　But　it's　just　what　I　expected。〃

The　crowd　dispersed　quietly；　though　the　sheriff　took　the　precaution　to　accompany　the　plaintiffs　and　Tolleston　back　to　their　hotel。　The　absence　of　the　two　deputies　whom　we　had　met　the　day　before　was　explained　by　the　testimony　of　the　one…armed　cowman。　When　the　two　drovers　came　downstairs；　they　were　talking　very　confidentially　together；　and　on　my　employer　noticing　the　large　number　of　his　men　present；　he　gave　orders　for　them　to　meet　him　at　once　at　the　White　Elephant　saloon。　Those　who　had　horses　at　hand　mounted　and　dashed　down　the　street；　while　the　rest　of　us　took　it　leisurely　around　to　the　appointed　rendezvous；　some　three　blocks　distant。　While　on　the　way；　I　learned　from　The　Rebel　that　the　cattle　on　which　the　attachment　was　to　be　made　that　afternoon　were　then　being　held　well　up　the　North　Fork。　Sheriff　Phillips　joined　us　shortly　after　we　entered　the　saloon；　and　informed　my　employer　and　Mr。　Reed　that　the　firm　of　Field；　Radcliff　&　Co。　had　declared　war。　They　had　even　denounced　him　and　the　sheriff's　office　as　being　in　collusion　against　them；　and　had　dispatched　Tolleston　with　orders　to　refuse　service。

〃Let　them　get　on　the　prod　all　they　want　to；〃　said　Don　Lovell　to　Reed　and　the　sheriff。　〃I've　got　ninety　men　here；　and　you　fellows　are　welcome　to　half　of　them；　even　if　I　have　to　go　out　and　stand　a　watch　on　night…herd　myself。　Reed；　we　can't　afford　to　have　our　busiuess　ruined　by　such　a　set　of　sconndrels；　and　we　might　as　well　fight　it　out　here　and　now。　Look　at　the　situation　I'm　in。　A　hundred　thousand　dollars　wouldn't　indemnify　me　in　having　my　cattle　refused　as　late　as　the　middle　of　September　at　Fort　Buford。　And　believing　that　I　will　be　turned　down；　under　my　contract；　so　Sutton　says；　1　must　tender　my　beeves　on　the　appointed　day　of　delivery；　which　will　absolve　my　bondsmen　and　me　from　all　liability。　A　man　can't　trifle　with　the　governmentthe　cattle　must　be　there。　Now　in　my　ease；　Jim；　what　would　you　do？〃

〃That's　a　hard　question；　Don。　You　see　we're　strangers　up　in　this　Northwest　country。　Now；　if　it　was　home　in　Texas；　there　would　be　only　one　thing　to　do。　Of　course　I'm　no　longer　handy　with　a　shotgun；　but　you've　got　two　good　arms。〃

〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　sheriff；　〃you　must　excuse　me　for　interrupting；　but　if　my　deputies　are　to　take　possession　of　that　herd　this　afternoon；　I　must　saddle　up　and　go　to　the　front。　If　Honest　John　and　associates　try　to　stand　up　any　bluffs　on　my　office；　they'll　only　run　on　the　rope　once。　I'm　much　obliged　to　you；　Mr。　Lovell；　for　the　assurance　of　any　help　I　may　need；　for　it's　quite　likely　that　I　may　have　to　call　upon　you。　If　a　ring　of　government　speculators　can　come　out　here　and　refuse　service；　or　dictate　to　my　office；　then　old　Keith　County　is　certainly　on　the　verge　of　decadence。　Now；　I'll　be　all　ready　to　start　for　the　North　Fork　in　fifteen　minutes；　and　I'd　admire　to　have　you　all　go　along。〃

Lovell　and　Reed　both　expressed　a　willingness　to　accompany　the　sheriff。　Phillips　thanked　them　and　nodded　to　the　force　behind　the　mahogany；　who　dexterously　slid　the　glasses　up　and　down　the　bar；　and　politely