the outlet-第5节

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But　old　man　Don　reached　us；　and　raised　his　hand。　I　threw　the　reins　back　over　the　horse's　head。　Tolleston　was　white　with　rage；　but　before　he　could　speak　our　employer　waved　us　aside　and　said；　〃Tom；　you　and　Quince　clear　right　out　of　here　and　I'll　settle　this　matter。　Arch；　there's　your　remuda。　Take　it　and　go　about　your　business　or　say　you　don't　want　to。　Now；　we　know　each　other；　and　I'll　not　mince　or　repeat　any　words　with　you。　Go　on。〃

〃Not　an　inch　will　I　move　until　I　get　another　horse；〃　hissed　Tolleston　between　gasps。　〃If　it　lies　between　you　and　me；　then　I　I'll　have　one　in　place　of　that　gray；　or　you'll　get　another　foreman。　Now；　you　have　my　terms　and　ticket。〃

〃Very　well　then；　Archie；　that　changes　the　programme　entirely；〃　replied　Lovell；　firmly。　〃You'll　find　your　private　horse　in　the　small　pasture；　and　we'll　excuse　you　for　the　summer。　Whenever　a　man　in　my　employ　gets　the　impression　that　I　can't　get　along　without　him；　that　moment　he　becomes　useless　to　me。　It　seems　that　you　are　bloated　with　that　idea；　and　a　season's　rest　and　quiet　may　cool　you　down　and　make　a　useful　man　of　you　again。　Remember　that　you're　always　welcome　at　my　ranch；　and　don't　let　this　make　us　strangers；〃　he　called　back　as　he　turned　away。

Riding　over　with　us　to　where　a　group　were　sitting　on　their　horses；　our　employer　scanned　the　crowd　without　saying　a　word。　Turning　halfway　in　his　saddle；　he　looked　over　towards　Flood's　remuda　and　said：　〃One　of　you　boys　please　ride　over　and　tell　Paul　I　want　him。〃　During　the　rather　embarrassing　interim；　the　conversation　instantly　changed；　and　we　borrowed　tobacco　and　rolled　cigarettes　to　kill　time。

Priest　was　rather　slow　in　making　his　appearance；　riding　leisurely；　but　on　coming　up　innocently　inquired　of　his　employer；　〃Did　you　want　to　see　me？〃

〃Yes。　Paul；　I've　just　lost　one　of　my　foremen。　I　need　a　good　reliable　man　to　take　a　herd　to　Fort　Washakie。　It's　an　Indian　agency　on　the　head　waters　of　the　North　Platte　in　Wyoming。　Will　you　tackle　the　job？〃

〃A　good　soldier　is　always　subject　to　orders；〃　replied　The　Rebel　with　a　military　salute。　〃If　you　have　a　herd　for　delivery　in　Wyoming；　give　me　the　men　and　horses；　and　I'll　put　the　cattle　there　if　possible。　You　are　the　commandant　in　the　field；　and　I　am　subject　to　instructions。〃

〃There's　your　remuda　and　outfit；　then；〃　said　Lovell；　pointing　to　the　one　intended　for　Tolleston；　〃and　you'll　get　a　commissary　at　the　ranch　and　go　into　camp　this　evening。　You'll　get　your　herd　in　Nueces　County；　and　Jim　will　assist　in　the　receiving。　Any　other　little　details　will　all　be　arranged　before　you　get　away。〃

Calling　for　all　the　men　in　Tolleston's　outfit；　the　two　rode　away　for　that　remuda。　Shortly　before　the　trouble　arose；　our　employer　instructed　those　with　the　Buford　cattle　to　take　ten　extra　horses　for　each　herd。　There　were　now　over　a　hundred　and　forty　head　to　be　culled　back；　and　Sponsilier　was　entitled　to　ten　of　them。　In　order　to　be　sure　of　our　numbers；　we　counted　the　remaining　band；　and　Forrest　and　I　trimmed　them　down　to　two　hundred　and　fifty…four　head。　As　this　number　was　too　small　to　be　handled　easily　in　the　open；　we　decided　to　take　them　into　the　corrals　for　the　final　division。　After　the　culling　back　was　over；　and　everything　had　started　for　the　ranch；　to　oblige　Sponsilier；　I　remained　behind　and　helped　him　to　retrim　his　remuda。　Unless　one　knew　the　horses　personally；　it　was　embarrassing　even　to　try　and　pick　ten　of　the　best　ones　from　the　overplus。　But　I　knew　many　of　them　at　first　hand；　and　at　Dave's　request；　after　picking　out　the　extra　ones；　continued　selecting　others　in　exchange　for　horses　in　his　old　band。　We　spent　nearly　an　hour　cutting　back　and　forth；　or　until　we　were　both　satisfied　that　his　saddle　stock　could　not　be　improved　from　the　material　at　hand。

The　ranch　headquarters　were　fully　six　miles　from　the　round…up。　Leaving　Sponsilier　delighted　with　the　change　in　his　remuda；　I　rode　to　overtake　the　undivided　band　which　were　heading　for　the　ranch　corrals。　On　coming　up　with　them；　Forrest　proposed　that　we　divide　the　horses　by　a　running　cut　in　squads　of　ten；　and　toss　for　choice。　Once　they　were　in　the　corrals；　this　could　have　been　easily　done　by　simply　opening　a　gate　and　allowing　blocks　of　ten　to　pass　alternately　from　the　main　into　smaller　inclosures。　But　I　was　expecting　something　like　this　from　Quince；　and　had　entirely　different　plans　of　my　own。　Forrest　and　I　were　good　friends；　but　he　was　a　foxy　rascal；　and　I　had　never　wavered　in　my　determination　to　get　the　pick　of　that　horse　herd。　Had　I　accepted　his　proposal；　the　chance　of　a　spinning　coin　might　have　given　him　a　decided　advantage；　and　I　declined　his　proposition。　I　had　a　remuda　in　sight　that　my　very　being　had　hungered　for；　and　now　I　would　take　no　chance　of　losing　it。　But　on　the　other　hand；　I　proposed　to　Forrest　that　he　might　have　the　assistance　of　two　men　in　Flood's　outfit　who　had　accompanied　the　horse　herd　home　from　Dodge。　In　the　selecting　of　Jim's　extra　twentyfive；　the　opinion　of　these　two　lads；　as　the　chosen　horses　proved；　was　a　decided　help　to　their　foreman。　But　Quince　stood　firm；　and　arguing　the　matter；　we　reached　the　corrals　and　penned　the　band。

The　two　top　bunches　were　held　separate　and　were　left　a　mile　back　on　the　prairie；　under　herd。　The　other　remudas　were　all　in　sight　of　the　ranch；　while　a　majority　of　the　men　were　eating　a　late　dinner。　Still　contending　for　his　point；　Forrest　sent　a　lad　to　the　house　to　ask　our　employer　to　come　over　to　the　corrals。　On　his　appearance；　accompanied　by　Flood；　each　of　us　stated　our　proposition。

〃Well；　the　way　I　size　this　up；〃　said　old　man　Don；　〃one　of　you　wants　to　rely　on　his　own　judgment　and　the　other　don't。　It　looks　to　me；　Quince；　you　want　a　gambler's　chance　where　you　can't　lose。　Tom's　willing　to　bank　on　his　own　judgment；　but　you　ain't。　Now；　I　like　a　man　who　does　his　own　thinking；　and　to　give　you　a　good　lesson　in　that　line；　why；　divide　them；　horse　and　horse；　turn　about。　Now；　I'll　spin　this　coin　for　first　pick；　and　while　it's　in　the　air；　Jim　will　call　the　turn。　。　。　。　Tom　wins　first　choice。〃

〃That's　all　right；　Mr。　Lovell；〃　said　Quince；　smilingly。　〃I　just　got　the　idea　that　you　wanted　the　remudas　for　the　Buford　herds　to　be　equally　good。　How　can　you　expect　it　when　Tom　knows　every　horse　and　I　never　saddled　one　of　them。　Give　me　the　same　chance；　and　I　might　know　them　as　well　as　the　little　boy　knew　his　pap。〃

〃You　had　the　same　chance；〃　I　put　in；　〃but　didn't　want　it。　You　were　offered　the　Pine　Ridge　horses　last　year　to　take　back　to　Dodge；　and　you　kicked　like　a　bay　steer。　But　I　swallowed　their　dust　to　the　Arkansaw；　and　from　there　home　we　lived　in　clouds　of　alkali。　You　went　home　drunk　and　dressed　up；　with　a　cigar　in　your　mouth　and　your　feet　through　the　car　window；　claiming　you　was　a　brother…in…law　to　Jay　Gould；　and　simply　out　on　a　tour　of　inspection。　Now　you　expect　me　to　give　you　the　benefit　of　my　experience　and　rob　myself。　Not　this　summer；　John　Quincy。〃　

But　rather　than　let　Forrest　feel　that　he　was　being　taken　advantage　of；　I　repeated　my　former　proposition。　Accepting　it　as　a　last　resort；　the　two　boys　were　sent　for　and　the　dividing　commenced。　Remounting　our　horses；　we　entered　the　large　corral；　and　as　fast　as　they　were　selected　the　different　outfits　were　either　roped　or　driven　singly　through　a　guarded　gate。　It　took　over　an　hour　of　dusty　work　to　make　the　division；　but　when　it　was　finished　I　had　a　remuda　of　a　hundred　and　fifty…two　saddle　horses　that　would　make　a　man　willing　to　work　for　his　board　and　the　privilege　of　riding　them。　Turning　out　of　the　corrals；　Priest　and　I　accompanied　the　horses　out　on　the　prairie　where　our　toppy　ones　were　being　grazed。　Paul　was　tickled　over　my　outfit　of　saddle　stock；　but　gave　me　several　hints　that　he　was　entitled　to　another　picked　mount。　I　attempted　to　explain　that　he　had　a　good　remuda；　but　he　still　insisted；　and　I　promised　him　if　he　would　be　at　my　wagon　the　next　morning　when　we　corralled；　he　should　have　a　good　one。　I　could　well　afford　to　be　generous　with　my　old　bunkie。

There　now　only　remained　the　apportionment　of　the　work…stock。　Four　mules　were　allowed　to　the　wagon；　and　in　order　to　have　them　in　good　condition　they　had　been　grain…fed　for　the　past　month。　In　their　allotment　the　Buford　herds　were　given　the　best　teams；　and　when　mine　was　pointed　out　by　my　employer；　the　outfit　assisted　the　cook　to　harness　in。　Giving　him　instructions　to　go　into　camp　on　a　creek　three　miles　south　of　headquarters；　my　wagon　was　the　second　one　to　get　away。　Some　of　the　teams　bolted　at　the　start；　and　only　for　timely　assistance　Sponsilier's　commissary　would　have　been　overturned　in　the　sand。　Two　of　the　wagons　headed　west　for　Uvalde；　while　my　brother　Bob's　started　southeast　for　Bee　County。　The　other　two　belonging　to　Flood　and　The　Rebel　would　camp　on　the　same　creek　as　mine；　their　herds　being　also　south。　Once　the　wagons　were　off；　the　saddle　stock　was　brought　in　and　corralled　for　our　first　mounts。　The　final　allotment　of　horses　to　the　men　would　not　take　place　until　the　herds　were　ready　to　be　received；　and　until　then；　they　would　be　ridden　uniformly　but　promiscuously。　With　instructions　from　our　employer　to　return　to　the　ranch　after　making　camp；　the　remudas　were　started　after　the　wagons。

On　our　return　after　darkness；　the　ranch　was　as　deserted　as　a　school…house　on　Saturday。　A　Mexican　cook　and　a　few　regular　ranch　hands　were　all　that　w