the outlet-第44节

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　partner。

Upon　the　report　of　Sponsilier；　Ullmer　was　appointed　captain；　and　lost　no　time　in　taking　action。　After　dark；　a　scout　was　sent　to　Camp　No。　2；　a　meeting…place　was　appointed　on　Wolf　Creek　below；　and　orders　were　given　to　bring　along　every　possible　man　from　the　local　outfits　and　to　meet　at　the　rendezvous　within　an　hour　after　sun…up　the　next　morning。　Ullmer　changed　horses　and　left　for　Powderville；　assuring　us　that　he　would　rally　every　man　interested　in　quarantine；　and　have　his　posse　below；　on　the　creek　by　sunrise。　The　remainder　of　us　at　headquarters　were　under　orders　to　bring　all　the　arms　and　ammunition；　and　join　the　quarantine　forces　at　the　meeting…　place　some　five　miles　from　our　camp。　We　were　also　to　touch　at　and　command　the　presence　of　one　of　the　four　outfits　while　en　route。　I　liked　the　determined　action　of　Captain　Ulimer；　who　I　learned　had　emigrated　with　his　parents　to　Montana　when　a　boy；　and　had　grown　into　manhood　on　the　frontier。　Sponsilier　was　likewise　pleased　with　the　quarantine　leader；　and　we　lay　awake　far　into　the　night；　reviewing　the　situation　and　trying　to　anticipate　any　possible　contingency　that　might　thwart　our　plans。　But　to　our　best　reasoning　the　horizon　was　clear；　and　if　Field；　Radcliff　&　Co。's　cattle　reached　Fort　Buford　on　the　day　of　delivcry；　well；　it　would　be　a　miracle。

Fresh　horses　were　secured　at　dawn；　and　breakfast　would　be　secured　en　route　with　the　cow　outfit。　There　were　a　dozen　large…calibre　rifles　in　scabbards；　and　burdening　ourselves　with　two　heavy　guns　to　the　man　and　an　abundance　of　ammunition；　we　abandoned　Quarantine　Station　No。　1　for　the　time　being。　The　camp　which　we　were　to　touch　at　was　the　one　nearest　the　river　and　north　of　Wolf　Creek；　and　we　galloped　up　to　it　before　the　sun　had　even　risen。　Since　everything　was　coming　our　way；　Sponsilier　and　I　observed　a　strict　neutrality；　but　a　tow…headed　Texan　rallied　the　outfit；　saying：

〃Make　haste；　fellows；　and　saddle　up　your　horses。　Those　three　herds　which　raised　such　a　rumpus　up　on　Little　Powder　have　sent　down　word　that　they're　going　to　cross　our　dead…line　to…day　if　they　have　to　prize　up　hell　and　put　a　chunk　under　it。　We　have　decided　to　call　their　bluff　before　they　even　reach　the　line；　and　make　them　show　their　hand　for　all　this　big　talk。　Here's　half　a　dozen　guns　and　cartridges　galore；　but　hustle　yourselves。　Fred　went　into　Powderville　last　night　and　will　meet　us　above　at　the　twin　buttes　this　morning　with　every　cowman　in　town。　All　the　other　outfits　have　been　sent　for；　and　we'll　have　enough　men　to　make　our　bluff　stand　up；　never　fear。　From　what　I　learn；　these　herds　belong　to　a　lot　of　Yankee　speculators；　and　they　don't　give　a　tinker's　dam　if　all　the　cattle　in　Montana　die　from　fever。　They're　no　better　than　anybody　else；　and　if　we　allow　them　to　go　through；　they'll　leave　a　trail　of　dead　natives　that　will　stink　us　out　of　this　valley。　Make　haste；　everybody。〃

I　could　see　at　a　glance　that　the　young　Texan　had　touched　their　pride。　The　foreman　detailed　three　men　to　look　after　the　herd；　and　the　balance　made　hasty　preparations　to　accompany　the　quarantine　guards。　A　relief　was　rushed　away　for　the　herders；　and　when　the　latter　came　in；　they　reported　having　sighted　the　posse　from　Powderville；　heading　across　country　for　the　twin　buttes。　Meanwhile　a　breakfast　had　been　bolted　by　the　guards；　Sponsilier；　and　myself；　and　swinging　into　our　saddles；　we　rounded　a　bluff　bend　of　the　creek　and　rode　for　the　rendezvous；　some　three　miles　distant。　I　noticed　by　the　brands　that　nearly　every　horse　in　that　country　had　been　born　in　Texas；　and　the　short　time　in　which　we　covered　the　intervening　miles　proved　that　the　change　of　climate　had　added　to　their　stability　and　bottom。　Our　first　glimpse　of　the　meeting…point　revealed　the　summit　of　the　buttes　fairly　covered　with　horsemen。　From　their　numbers　it　was　evident　that　ours　was　the　last　contingent　to　arrive；　but　before　we　reached　the　twin　mounds；　the　posse　rode　down　from　the　lookout　and　a　courier　met　and　turned　us　from　our　course。　The　lead　herd　had　been　sighted　in　trail　formation　but　a　few　miles　distant；　heading　north；　and　it　was　the　intention　to　head　them　at　the　earliest　moment。　The　messenger　inquired　our　numbers；　and　reported　those　arrived　at　forty…five；　making　the　posse　when　united　a　few　over　sixty　men。

A　juncture　of　forces　was　effected　within　a　mile　of　the　lead　herd。　It　was　a　unique　posse。　Old　frontiersmen；　with　patriarchal　beards　and　sawed…off　shotguns；　chewed　their　tobacco　complacently　as　they　rode　forward　at　a　swinging　gallop。　Beardless　youths；　armed　with　the　old　buffalo　guns　of　their　fathers；　led　the　way　as　if　an　Indian　invasion　had　called　them　forth。　Soldiers　of　fortune；　with　Southern　accents；　who　were　assisting　in　the　conquest　of　a　new　empire；　intermingled　with　the　hurrying　throng；　and　two　men　whose　home　was　in　Medina　County；　Texas；　looked　on　and　approved。　The　very　horses　had　caught　the　inspiration　of　the　moment；　champing　bits　in　their　effort　to　forge　to　the　front　rank；　while　the　blood…stained　slaver　coated　many　breasts　or　driveled　from　our　boots。　Before　we　met　the　herd　a　halt　was　called；　and　about　a　dozen　men　were　deployed　off　on　each　flank；　while　the　main　body　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　cattle。　The　latter　were　checked　by　the　point…men　and　turned　back　when　within　a　few　hundred　yards　of　the　main　posse。　Several　horsemen　from　the　herd　rode　forward；　and　one　politely　inquired　the　meaning　of　this　demonstration。　The　question　was　met　by　a　counter　one　from　Captain　Ullmer；　who　demanded　to　know　the　reason　why　these　cattle　should　trespass　on　the　rights　of　others　and　ignore　local　quarantine。　The　spokesman　in　behalf　of　the　herd　turned　in　his　saddle　and　gave　an　order　to　send　some　certain　person　forward。　Sponsilier　whispered　to　me　that　this　fellow　was　merely　a　segundo。　〃But　wait　till　the　'major…domo'　arrives；〃　he　added。　The　appearance　of　the　posse　and　the　halting　of　the　herd　summoned　that　personage　from　the　rear　to　the　front；　and　the　next　moment　he　was　seen　galloping　up　the　column　of　cattle。　With　a　plausible　smile　this　high　mogul；　on　his　arrival；　repeated　the　previous　question；　and　on　a　similar　demand　from　the　captain　of　the　posse；　he　broke　into　a　jolly　laugh　from　which　he　recovered　with　difficulty。

〃Why；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　every　word　dripping　with　honeyed　sweetness；　〃this　is　entirely　uncalled　for。　I　assure　you　that　it　was　purely　an　oversight　on　my　part　that　I　did　not　send　you　word　in　advance　that　these　herds　of　mine　are　government　cattle　and　not　subject　to　local　quarantine。　My　associates　are　the　largest　army　contractors　in　the　country；　these　cattle　are　due　at　Fort　Buford　on　the　15th　of　this　month；　and　any　interference　on　your　part　would　be　looked　upon　as　an　insult　to　the　government。　In　fact；　the　post　commander　at　Fort　Laramie　insisted　that　he　be　permitted　to　send　a　company　of　cavalry　to　escort　us　across　Wyoming；　and　assured　us　that　a　troop　from　Fort　Keogh；　if　requested；　would　meet　our　cattle　on　the　Montana　line。　The　army　is　jealous　over　its　supplies；　but　I　declined　all　military　protection；　knowing　that　I　had　but　to　show　my　credentittls　to　pass　unmolested　anywhere。　Now；　if　you　care　to　look　over　these　papers；　you　will　see　that　these　cattle　are　en　route　to　Fort　Buford；　on　an　assignment　of　the　original　contract；　issued　by　the　secretary　of　war　to　The　Western　Supply　Company。　Very　sorry　to　put　you　to　all　this　trouble；　but　these　herds　must　not　be　interfered　with。　I　trust　that　you　gentlemen　understand　that　the　government　is　supreme。〃

As　the　papers　mentioned　were　produced；　Sponsilier　kicked　me　on　the　shin；　gave　me　a　quiet　wink；　and　nodded　towards　the　documents　then　being　tendered　to　Captain　Ullmer。　Groping　at　his　idea；　I　rode　forward；　and　as　the　papers　were　being　returned　with　a　mere　glance　on　the　part　of　the　quarantine　leader；　I　politely　asked　if　I　might　see　the　assignment　of　the　original　contract。　But　a　quizzical　smile　met　my　request；　and　shaking　out　the　heavy　parchment；　he　rapped　it　with　the　knuckles　of　his　disengaged　hand；　remarking　as　he　returned　it　to　his　pocket；　〃Sorry；　but　altogether　too　valuable　to　allow　out　of　my　possession。　Just　what　I　would　have　done　with　the　beribboned　document；　except　to　hand　it　over　to　Sponsilier；　is　beyond　me；　yet　I　was　vaguely　conscious　that　its　destruction　was　of　importance　to　our　side　of　the　matter　at　issue。　At　the　same　instant　in　which　my　request　was　declined；　the　big　medicine　man　turned　to　Captain　Ullmer　and　suavely　remarked；　〃You　found　everything　as　represented；　did　you？〃

〃Why；　I　heard　your　statement；　and　I　have　also　heard　it　disputed　from　other　sources。　In　fact　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　you　except　to　enforce　the　quarantine　now　established　by　the　cattlemen　of　eastern　Montana。　If　you　have　any　papers　showing　that　your　herds　were　wintered　north　of　latitude　37；　you　can　pass；　as　this　quarantine　is　only　enforced　against　cattle　from　south　of　that　degree。　This　territory　lost　half　a　million　dollars'　worth　of　native　stock　last　fall　from　Texas　fever；　and　this　season　they　propose　to　apply　the　ounce　of　preventive。　You　will　have　ample　time　to　reach　your　destination　after　frost　falls；　and　your　detention　by　quarantine　will　be　a　good　excuse　for　your　delay。　Now；　unless　you　can　convince　me　that　your　herds　are　immune；　I'll　show　you　a　good　place　to　camp　on　the　head　of　Wolf　Creek。　It　will　probably　be　a　matter　of　ten　to　fifteen　days　befor