the outlet-第48节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　of　the　leading　cowmen；　all　having　ridden　direct　for　their　ranches。　Long　before　the　train　arrived　which　would　carry　us　to　Little　Missouri；　the　opposition　herds　appeared　and　crossed　the　railroad　west　of　town。　Their　commissaries　entered　the　village　for　supplies；　while　the　〃major…domo；〃　surrounded　by　a　body…guard　of　men；　rode　about　on　his　miserable　palfrey。　The　sheriff；　fearing　a　clash　between　the　victorious　and　the　vanquished；　kept　an　eye　on　Sponsilier　and　me　as　we　walked　the　streets；　freely　expressing　our　contempt　of　Field；　Radcliff　&　Co。；　their　henchmen　and　their　methods。　Dave　and　I　were　both　nerved　to　desperation；　Sheriff　Wherry；　anxious　to　prevent　a　conflict；　counciled　with　the　opposition　drovers；　resulting　in　their　outfits　leaving　town；　while　the　principals　took　stage　across　to　Buford。

Meanwhile　Sponsilier　had　wired　full　particulars　to　our　employer　at　Big　Horn。　It　was　hardly　necessary；　as　the　frost　no　doubt　was　general　all　over　Montana；　but　we　were　anxious　to　get　into　communication　with　Lovell　immediately　on　his　return　to　the　railroad。　We　had　written　him　from　Miles　of　our　failure　at　Powderville；　and　the　expected　second　stand　at　Glendive；　and　now　the　elements　had　notified　him　that　the　opposition　herds　were　within　striking　distance；　and　would　no　doubt　appear　at　Buford　on　or　before　the　day　of　delivery。　An　irritable　man　like　our　employer　would　neither　eat　nor　sleep；　once　the　delivery　at　the　Crow　Agency　was　over；　until　reaching　the　railroad；　and　our　message　would　be　awaiting　him　on　his　return　to　Big　Horn。　Our　train　reached　Little　Missouri　early　in　the　evening；　and　leaving　word　with　the　agent　that　we　were　expecting　important　messages　from　the　west；　we　visited　the　liveryman　and　inquired　about　the　welfare　of　our　horses。　The　proprietor　of　the　stable　informed　us　that　they　had　fared　well；　and　that　he　would　have　them　ready　for　us　on　an　hour's　notice。　It　was　after　dark　and　we　were　at　supper　when　the　first　message　came。　An　immediate　answer　was　required；　and　arising　from　the　table；　we　left　our　meal　unfinished　and　hastened　to　the　depot。　》From　then　until　midnight；　messages　flashed　back　and　forth；　Sponsilier　dictating　while　I　wrote。　As　there　was　no　train　before　the　regular　passenger　the　next　day；　the　last　wire　requested　us　to　have　the　horses　ready　to　meet　the　Eastbound；　saying　that　Bob　Quirk　would　accompany　Lovell。

That　night　it　frosted　again。　Sponsilier　and　I　slept　until　noon　the　next　day　without　awakening。　Then　the　horses　were　brought　in　from　pasture；　and　preparation　was　made　to　leave　that　evening。　It　was　in　the　neighborhood　of　ninety　miles　across　to　the　mouth　of　the　Yellowstone；　and　the　chances　were　that　we　would　ride　it　without　unsaddling。　The　horses　had　had　a　two　weeks'　rest；　and　if　our　employer　insisted　on　it；　we　would　breakfast　with　the　herds　the　next　morning。　I　was　anxious　to　see　the　cattle　again　and　rejoin　my　outfit；　but　like　a　watched　pot；　the　train　was　an　hour　late。　Sponsilier　and　I　took　advantage　of　the　delay　and　fortified　the　inner　man　against　the　night　and　the　ride　before　us。　This　proved　fortunate；　as　Lovell　and　my　brother　had　supper　en　route　in　the　dining…car。　A　running　series　of　questions　were　asked　and　answered；　saddies　were　shaken　out　of　gunny…sacks　and　cinched　on　waiting　horses　as　though　we　were　starting　to　a　prairie　fire。　Bob　Quirk's　cattle　had　reached　the　Crow　Agency　in　splendid　condition；　the　delivery　was　effected　without　a　word；　and　old　man　Don　was　in　possession　of　a　letter　from　Flood；　saying　everything　had　passed　smoothly　at　the　Rosebud　Agency。

Contrary　to　the　expectation　of　Sponsilier　and　myself；　our　employer　was　in　a　good　humor；　fairly　walking　on　the　clouds　over　the　success　of　his　two　first　deliveries　of　the　year。　But　amid　the　bustle　and　rush；　in　view　of　another　frosty　night；　Sponsilier　inquired　if　it　would　not　be　a　good　idea　to　fortify　against　the　chill；　by　taking　along　a　bottle　of　brandy。　〃Yes；　two　of　them　if　you　want　to；〃　said　old　man　Don；　in　good…humored　approval。　〃Here；　Tom；　fork　this　horse　and　take　the　pitch　out　of　him；〃　he　continued；　〃I　don't　like　the　look　of　his　eye。〃　But　before　I　could　reach　the　horse；　one　of　my　own　string；　Bob　Quirk　had　mounted　him；　when　in　testimony　of　the　nutritive　qualities　of　Dakota's　grasses；　he　arched　his　spine　like　a　true　Texan　and　outlined　a　worm…fence　in　bucking　a　circle。

The　start　was　made　during　the　gathering　dusk。　Sponsilier　further　lifted　the　spirits　of　our　employer；　as　we　rode　along；　by　a　clear…cut　description　of　the　opposition　cattle；　declaring　that　had　they　ever　equaled　ours；　the　handling　they　had　received　since　leaving　Ogalalla；　compared　to　his；　would　class　them　with　short　twos　in　the　spring　against　long　threes　in　the　fall。　Within　an　hour　the　stars　shone　out；　and　after　following　the　river　some　ten　miles；　we　bore　directly　north　until　Beaver　Creek　was　reached　near　midnight。　The　pace　was　set　at　about　an　eightmile；　steady　clip；　with　an　occasional　halt　to　tighten　cinches　or　shift　saddles。　The　horses　were　capable　of　a　faster　gait　without　tiring；　but　we　were　not　sure　of　the　route　and　were　saving　them　for　the　finish　after　daybreak。　Early　in　the　night　we　were　conscious　that　a　frost　was　falling；　and　several　times　Sponsilier　inquired　if　no　one　cared　for　a　nip　from　his　bottle。　Bob　Quirk　started　the　joke　on　Dave　by　declining；　old　man　Don　uncorked　the　flask；　and；　after　smelling　of　the　contents；　handed　it　back　with　his　thanks。　I　caught　onto　their　banter；　and　not　wishing　to　spoil　a　good　jest；　also　declined；　leaving　Sponsilier　to　drink　alone。　During　the　night；　whenever　conversation　lagged；　some　one　was　certain　to　make　reference　to　the　remarks　which　are　said　to　have　passed　between　the　governors　of　the　Carolinas；　or　if　that　failed　to　provoke　a　rise；　ask　direct　if　no　one　had　something　to　ward　off　the　chilly　air。　After　being　refused　several　times；　Dave　had　thrown　the　bottle　away；　meeting　these　jests　with　the　reply　that　he　had　a　private　flask；　but　its　quality　was　such　that　he　was　afraid　of　offending　our　cultivated　tastes　by　asking　us　to　join　him。

Day　broke　about　five　in　the　morning。　We　had　been　in　the　saddle　nearly　ten　hours；　and　were　confident　that　sunrise　would　reveal　some　landmark　to　identify　our　location。　The　atmosphere　was　frosty　and　clear；　and　once　the　gray　of　dawn　yielded　to　the　rising　sun；　the　outline　of　the　Yellowstone　was　easily　traced　on　our　left；　while　the　bluffs　in　our　front　shielded　a　view　of　the　mother　Missouri。　In　attempting　to　approach　the　latter　we　encountered　some　rough　country　and　were　compelled　to　turn　towards　the　former；　crossing　it；　at　O'Brien's　roadhouse；　some　seven　miles　above　the　mouth。　The　husbanded　reserves　of　our　horses　were　shaken　out；　and　shortly　afterward　smoke…clouds　from　camp…fires；　hanging　low；　attracted　our　attentiop。　The　herds　were　soon　located　as　they　arose　and　grazed　away　from　their　bed…grounds。　The　outfits　were　encamped　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　Yellowstone；　and　before　leaving　the　government　road；　we　sighted　in　our　front　a　flag　ascending　to　greet　the　morning；　and　the　location　of　Fort　Buford　was　established。　Turning　towards　the　cattle；　we　rode　for　the　lower　wagon　and　were　soon　unsaddling　at　Forrest's　camp。　The　latter　had　arrived　two　days　before　and　visited　the　post；　he　told　us　that　the　opposition　were　there　in　force；　as　well　as　our　own　attorneys。　The　arrival　of　the　cattle　under　contract　for　that　military　division　was　the　main　topic　of　discussion；　and　Forrest　had　even　met　a　number　of　civilian　employees　of　Fort　Buford　whose　duties　were　to　look　after　the　government　beeves。　The　foreman　of　these　unenlisted　attaches；　a　Texan　named　Sanders；　had　casually　ridden　past　his　camp　the　day　before；　looking　over　the　cattle；　and　had　pronounced　them　the　finest　lot　of　beeves　tendered　the　government　since　his　connection　with　that　post。

〃That's　good　news；〃　said　Lovell；　as　he　threw　his　saddle　astride　the　front　wheel　of　the　wagon；　〃that's　the　way　I　like　to　hear　my　cattle　spoken　about。　Now；　you　boys　want　to　make　friends　with　all　those　civilians；　and　my　attorneys　and　Bob　and　I　will　hobnob　around　with　the　officers；　and　try　and　win　the　good　will　of　the　entire　post。　You　want　to　change　your　camp　every　few　days　and　give　your　cattle　good　grazing　and　let　them　speak　for　themselves。　Better　kill　a　beef　among　the　outfits；　and　insist　on　all　callers　staying　for　meals。　We're　strangers　here；　and　we　want　to　make　a　good　impression；　and　show　the　public　that　we　were　born　white；　even　if　we　do　handle　cattle　for　a　living。　Quince；　tie　up　the　horses　for　us；　and　after　breakfast　Bob　and　I　will　look　over　the　herds　and　then　ride　into　Fort　Buford。Trout　for　breakfast？　You　don't　mean　it！

It　was　true；　however；　and　our　appetites　did　them　justice。　Forrest　reported　Splann　as　having　arrived　a　day　late；　and　now　encamped　the　last　herd　up　the　valley。　Taking　our　horses　with　us；　Dave　and　I　set　out　to　look　up　our　herds　and　resume　our　former　positions。　I　rode　through　Sponsilier's　cattle　while　en　route　to　my　own；　and　remembered　the　first　impression　they　had　made　on　my　mind；their　uniformity　in　size　and　smoothness　of　build；and　now　found　them　fatted　into　finished　form；　the　herd　being　a　credit　to　any　drover。　Continuing　on　my　way；　I　intercepted　my　own　cattle；　lying　down　over　hundreds　of　acres；　and　so　contented　that　I　refused　to　disturb　them。　Splann　reported　not　over　half　a　dozen　sore…footed　ones　among　them；　having　graze