the outlet-第34节

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　reached　Ogalalla；　as　strong　a　fraternal　level　existed　between　us　as　though　we　had　known　each　other　for　years。　Halting　for　a　moment　at　the　sheriff's　office；　we　delivered　our　messages；　after　which　we　left　our　horses　at　the　same　corral　with　the　understanding　that　we　would　ride　back　together。　A　few　drinks　were　indulged　in　before　parting；　then　each　went　to　attend　to　his　own　errands；　but　we　met　frequently　during　the　day。　Once　my　boys　were　provided　with　funds；　they　fell　to　gambling　so　eagerly　that　they　required　no　further　thought　on　my　part　until　evening。　Several　times　during　the　day　I　caught　glimpses　of　Tolleston；　always　on　horseback；　and　once　surrounded　by　quite　a　cavalcade　of　horsemen。　Morris　and　I　took　dinner　at　the　hotel　where　the　trio　of　government　jobbers　were　stopping。　They　were　in　evidence；　and　amongst　the　jolliest　of　the　guests；　commanding　and　receiving　the　best　that　the　hostelry　afforded。　Sutton　was　likewise　present；　but　quiet　and　unpretentious；　and　I　thought　there　was　a　false；　affected　note　in　the　hilarity　of　the　ringsters；　and　for　effect。　I　was　known　to　two　of　the　trio；　but　managed　to　overhear　any　conversation　which　was　adrift。　After　dinner　and　over　fragrant　cigars；　they　reared　their　feet　high　on　an　outer　gallery；　and　the　inference　could　be　easily　drawn　that　a　contract；　unless　it　involved　millions；　was　beneath　their　notice。

Morris　informed　me　that　his　employer's　suspicions　were　aroused；　and　that　he　had　that　morning　demanded　a　settlement　in　full　or　the　immediate　release　of　the　herd。　They　had　laughed　the　matter　off　as　a　mere　incident　that　would　right　itself　at　the　proper　time；　and　flashed　as　references　a　list　of　congressmen；　senators；　and　bankers　galore。　But　Morris's　employer　had　stood　firm　in　his　contentions；　refusing　to　be　overawed　by　flattery　or　empty　promises。　What　would　be　the　result　remained　to　be　seen；　and　the　foreman　and　myself　wandered　aimlessly　around　town　during　the　afternoon；　meeting　other　trail　bosses；　nearly　all　of　whom　had　heard　more　or　less　about　the　existing　trouble。　That　we　had　the　sympathy　of　the　cattle　interests　on　our　side　goes　without　saying；　and　one　of　them；　known　as　〃the　kidgloved　foreman；〃　a　man　in　the　employ　of　Shanghai　Pierce；　invoked　the　powers　above　to　witness　what　would　happen　if　he　were　in　Lovell's　boots。　This　was　my　first　meeting　with　the　picturesque　trail　boss；　though　I　had　heard　of　him　often　and　found　him　a　trifle　boastful　but　not　a　bad　fellow。　He　distinguished　himself　from　others　of　his　station　on　the　trail　by　always　wearing　white　shirts；　kid　gloves；　riding…boots；　inlaid　spurs；　while　a　heavy　silver　chain　was　wound　several　times　round　a　costly　sombrero　in　lieu　of　a　hatband。　We　spent　an　hour　or　more　together；　drinking　sparingly；　and　at　parting　he　begged　that　I　would　assure　my　employer　that　he　sympathized　with　him　and　was　at　his　command。

The　afternoon　was　waning　when　I　hunted　up　my　outfit　and　started　them　for　camp。　With　one　or　two　exceptions；　the　boys　were　broke　and　perfectly　willing　to　go。　Morris　and　I　joined　them　at　the　livery　where　they　had　left　their　horses；　and　together　we　started　out　of　town。　Ordering　the　in　to　ride　on　to　camp；　and　saying　that　I　expected　to　return　by　way　of　Bob　Quirk's　wagon；　Morris　and　myself　stopped　at　the　court…house。　Sheriff　Phillips　was　in　his　office　and　recognized　us　both　at　a　glance。　〃Well；　she's　working；〃　said　he；　〃and　I'll　probably　have　some　word　for　you　late　this　evening。　Yes；　one　of　the　local　attorneys　for　your　friends　came　in　and　we　figured　everything　up。　He　thought　that　if　this　office　would　throw　off　a　certain　per　cent。　of　its　expense；　and　Reed　would　knock　off　the　interest；　his　clients　would　consent　to　a　settlement。　I　told　him　to　go　right　back　and　tell　his　people　that　as　long　as　they　thought　that　way；　it　would　only　cost　them　one　hundred　and　forty　dollars　every　twenty…four　hours。　The　lawyer　was　back　within　twenty　minutes；　bringing　a　draft；　covering　every　item；　and　urged　me　to　have　it　accepted　by　wire。　The　bank　was　closed；　but　I　found　the　cashier　in　a　poker…game　and　played　his　hand　while　he　went　over　to　the　depot　and　sent　the　message。　The　operator　has　orders　to　send　a　duplicate　of　the　answer　to　this　office；　and　the　moment　I　get　it；　if　favorable；　I'll　send　a　deputy　with　the　news　over　to　the　North　Fork。　Tell　Reed　that　I　think　the　check's　all　right　this　time；　but　we'll　stand　pat　until　we　know　for　a　certainty。　We'll　get　an　answer　by　morning　sure。''

The　message　was　hailed　with　delight　at　Bob　Quirk's　wagon。　On　nearing　the　river；　Morris　rode　by　way　of　the　herd　to　ask　the　deputies　in　charge　to　turn　the　cattle　up　the　river　towards　his　camp。　Several　of　the　foreman's　men　were　waiting　at　my　brother's　wagon；　and　on　Morris's　return　he　ordered　his　outfit　to　meet　the　beeves　the　next　morning　and　be　in　readiness　to　receive　them　back。　Our　foremen　were　lying　around　temporary　headquarters；　and　as　we　were　starting　for　our　respective　camps　for　the　night；　Lovell　suggested　that　we　hold　our　outfits　all　ready　to　move　out　with　the　herds　on　an　hour's　notice。　Accordingly　the　next　morning；　I　refused　every　one　leave　of　absence；　and　gave　special　orders　to　the　cook　and　horse…wrangler　to　have　things　in　hand　to　start　on　an　emergency　order。　Jim　Flood　had　agreed　to　wait　for　me；　and　we　would　recross　the　river　together　and　hear　the　report　from　the　sheriff's　office。　Forrest　and　Sponsilier　rode　up　about　the　same　time　we　arrived　at　his　wagon；　and　all　four　of　us　set　out　for　headquarters　across　the　North　Fork。　The　sun　was　several　hours　high　when　we　reached　the　wagon；　and　learned　that　an　officer　had　arrived　during　the　night　with　a　favorable　answer；　that　the　cattle　had　been　turned　over　to　Morris　without　a　count；　and　that　the　deputies　had　started　for　town　at　daybreak。

〃Well；　boys；〃　said　Lovell；　as　we　came　in　after　picketing　our　horses；　〃Reed；　here；　wins　out；　but　we're　just　as　much　at　sea　as　ever。　I've　looked　the　situation　over　from　a　dozen　different　viewpoints；　and　the　only　thing　to　do　is　graze　across　country　and　tender　our　cattle　at　Fort　Buford。　It's　my　nature　to　look　on　the　bright　side　of　things；　and　yet　I'm　old　enough　to　know　that　justice；　in　a　world　so　full　of　injustice；　is　a　rarity。　By　allowing　the　earnest…money　paid　at　Dodge　to　apply；　some　kind　of　a　compromise　might　be　effected；　whereby　I　could　get　rid　of　two　of　these　herds；　with　three　hundred　saddle　horses　thrown　back　on　my　hands　at　the　Yellowstone　River。　I　might　dispose　of　the　third　herd　here　and　give　the　remuda　away；　but　at　a　total　loss　of　at　least　thirty　thousand　dollars　on　the　Buford　cattle。　But　then　there's　my　bond　to　The　Western　Supply　Company；　and　if　this　herd　of　Morris's　fails　to　respond　on　the　day　of　delivery；　I　know　who　will　have　to　make　good。　An　Indian　uprising；　or　the　enforcement　of　quarantine　against　Texas　fever；　or　any　one　of　a　dozen　things　might　tie　up　the　herd；　and　September　the　15th　come　and　go　and　no　beef　offered　on　the　contract。　I've　seen　outfits　start　out　and　never　get　through　with　the　chuck…wagon；　even。　Sutton's　advice　is　good；　we'll　tender　the　cattle。　There　is　a　chance　that　we'll　get　turned　down；　but　if　we　do；　I　have　enough　indemnity　money　in　my　possession　to　temper　the　wind　if　the　day　of　delivery　should　prove　a　chilly　one　to　us。　I　think　you　had　all　better　start　in　the　morning。〃

The　old　man's　review　of　the　situation　was　a　rational　one；　in　which　Jim　Reed　and　the　rest　of　us　concurred。　Several　of　the　foremen；　among　them　myself；　were　anxious　to　start　at　once；　but　Lovell　urged　that　we　kill　a　beef　before　starting　and　divide　it　up　among　the　six　outfits。　He　also　proposed　to　Flood　that　they　go　into　town　during　the　afternoon　and　freely　announce　our　departure　in　the　morning；　hoping　to　force　any　issue　that　might　be　smouldering　in　the　enemy's　camp。　The　outlook　for　an　early　departure　was　hailed　with　delight　by　the　older　foremen；　and　we　younger　and　more　impulsive　ones　yielded。　The　cook　had　orders　to　get　up　something　extra　for　dinner；　and　we　played　cards　and　otherwise　lounged　around　until　the　midday　meal　was　announced　as　ready。　A　horse　had　been　gotten　up　for　Lovdll　to　ride　and　was　on　picket；　all　the　relieved　men　from　the　attached　herd　were　at　Bob's　wagon　for　dinner；　and　jokes　and　jollity　graced　the　occasion。　But　near　the　middle　of　the　noon　repast；　some　one　sighted　a　mounted　man　coming　at　a　furious　pace　for　the　camp；　and　shortly　the　horseman　dashed　up　and　inquired　for　Lovell。　We　all　arose；　when　the　messenger　dismounted　and　handed　my　employer　a　letter。　Tearing　open　the　missive；　the　old　man　read　it　and　turned　ashy　pale。　The　message　was　from　Mike　Sutton；　stating　that　a　fourth　member　of　the　ring　had　arrived　during　the　forenoon；　accompanied　by　a　United　States　marshal　from　the　federal　court　at　Omaha；　that　the　officer　was　armed　with　an　order　of　injunctive　relief；　that　he　had　deputized　thirty　men　whom　Tolleston　had　gathered；　and　proposed　taking　possession　of　the　two　herds　in　question　that　afternoon。

〃Like　hell　they　will；〃　said　Don　Lovell；　as　he　started　for　his　horse。　His　action　was　followed　by　every　man　present；　including　the　one…armed　guest；　and　within　a　few　minutes　thirty　men　swung　into　saddles；　subject　to　orders。　The　camps　of　the　two　herds　at　issue　were　about　four　and　five　miles　down　and　across　the　river；　and　no　doubt　Tolleston　knew　of　their　location；　as　they　were　only　a　little　more　than　an　hour's　ride　from　Ogalalla。　There　was　no　time　to　be