the outlet-第7节

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an　had　been　throwing　everything　in　on　the　home　range；　and　that　he　hoped　to　deliver　to　us　over　two　thousand　head　from　his　own　personal　holdings。　But　he　was　liberal　with　his　neighbors；　for　in　the　contingent　just　passed　upon；　there　must　have　been　over　a　hundred　head　in　various　ranch　brands。　Assuring　him　that　we　would　be　on　hand　in　the　morning　to　take　possession　of　the　cattle；　and　requesting　him　to　have　a　fire　burning；　we　on　coming　opposite　the　camp；　we　turned　off　and　rode　for　our　wagon。　It　meant　a　big　day's　work　to　road…brand　this　first　contingent；　and　with　the　first　sign　of　dawn；　my　outfit　were　riding　for　Los　Lobos。　We　were　encamped　about　three　miles　from　the　corrals；　and　leaving　orders　for　the　cook　to　follow　up；　the　camp　was　abandoned　with　the　exception　of　the　remuda。　It　was　barely　sun…up　when　we　counted　and　took　possession　of　the　beeves。　On　being　relieved；　the　foreman　of　Los　Lobos　took　the　ranch　outfit　and　started　off　to　renew　the　gathering。　We　penned　the　cattle　without　any　trouble；　and　as　soon　as　the　irons　were　ready；　a　chuteful　were　run　in　and　the　branding　commenced。　This　branding…chute　was　long　enough　to　chamber　eight　beeves。　It　was　built　about　a　foot　wide　at　the　bottom　and　flared　upward　just　enough　to　prevent　an　animal　from　turning　round。

A　heavy　gate　closed　the　exit；　while　bull…bars　at　the　rear　prevented　the　occupant　from　backing　out。　A　high　platform　ran　along　either　side　of　the　branding…chute；　on　which　the　men　stood　while　handling　the　irons。

Two　men　did　the　branding。　〃Runt〃　Pickett　attended　the　fire；　passing　up　the　heated　irons；　and　dodging　the　cold　branding…steel。　A　single　iron　was　often　good　for　several　animals；　and　sometimes　a　chuteful　was　branded　with　two　irons。　It　was　necessary　that　the　work　should　be　well　done；　not　that　a　five　months'　trip　required　it；　but　the　unforeseen　must　be　guarded　against。　Many　trail　herds　had　met　disaster　and　been　scattered　to　the　four　winds　with　nothing　but　a　road　brand　to　identify　them　afterward。　The　cattle　were　changing　owners；　and　custom　decreed　that　an　abstract　of　title　should　be　indelibly　seared　on　their　sides。　The　first　guard；　Jake　Blair；　Morg　Tussler；　and　Clay　Zilligan；　were　detailed　to　cut　and　drive　the　squads　into　the　chute。　These　three　were　the　only　mounted　men；　the　others　being　placed　so　as　to　facilitate　the　work。　Cattle　are　as　innocent　as　they　are　strong；　and　in　this　necessary　work　everything　was　done　quietly；　care　being　taken　to　prevent　them　from　becoming　excited。　As　fast　as　they　were　released　from　the　chute；　Dr。　Beaver　took　a　list　of　the　ranch　brands；　in　order　to　bill　of　sale　them　to　Lovell　and　settle　with　his　neighbors。

The　work　moved　with　alacrity。　As　one　chuteful　was　being　freed　the　next　one　was　entering。　Gates　closed　in　their　faces　and　the　bull…bars　at　the　rear　locked　them　as　in　a　vice。　We　were　averaging　a　hundred　an　hour；　but　the　smoke　from　the　burning　hair　was　offensive　to　the　lungs。　During　the　forenoon　Burl　Van　Vedder　and　Vick　Wolf　〃spelled〃　Flood　and　myself　for　half　an　hour　at　a　time；　or　until　we　could　recover　from　the　nauseous　fumes。　When　the　cook　called　us　to　dinner；　we　had　turned　out　nearly　five　hundred　branded　cattle。　No　sooner　was　the　midday　meal　bolted　than　the　cook　was　ordered　back　to　camp　with　his　wagon；　the　branded　contingent　of　cattle　following　in　charge　of　the　first　guard。　Less　than　half　an　hour　was　lost　in　refreshing　the　inner　man；　and　ordering　〃GG〃　Cederdall；　Tim　Stanley；　and　Jack　Splann　of　the　second　guard　into　their　saddles　to　take　the　place　of　the　relieved　men；　we　resumed　our　task。　The　dust　of　the　corrals　settled　on　us　unheeded；　the　smoke　of　the　fire　mingled　with　that　of　the　singeing　hair　and　its　offensive　odors；　bringing　tears　to　our　eyes；　but　the　work　never　abated　until　the　last　steer　had　passed　the　chute　and　bore　the　〃Open　A。〃

The　work　over；　a　pretense　was　made　at　washing　the　dust　and　grime　from　our　faces。　It　was　still　early　in　the　day；　and　starting　the　cattle　for　camp；　I　instructed　the　boys　to　water　and　graze　them　as　long　as　they　would　stand　up。　The　men　all　knew　their　places　on　guard；　this　having　been　previously　arranged；　and　joining　Dr。　Beaver；　Jim　and　I　rode　for　the　ranch　about　a　mile　distant。　The　doctor　was　a　genial　host；　and　prescribed　a　series　of　mint…juleps；　after　which　he　proposed　that　we　ride　out　and　meet　the　cattle　gathered　during　the　day。　The　outfit　had　been　working　a　section　of　country　around　some　lagoons；　south　of　the　ranch；　and　it　was　fully　six　o'clock　when　we　met　them；　heading　homeward。　The　cattle　were　fully　up　to　the　standard　of　the　first　bunch；　and　halting　the　herd　we　trimmed　them　down　and　passed　on　them。　After　Flood　rode　out　of　this　second　contingent；　I　culled　back　about　a　dozen　light　weights。　On　finishing；　Jim　gave　me　a　quiet　wink；　and　said　something　to　Dr。　Beaver　about　a　new　broom。　But　I　paid　no　attention　to　these　remarks；　in　a　country　simply　teeming　with　prime　beeves；　I　was　determined　to　get　a　herd　to　my　liking。　Dr。　Beaver　had　assured　Lovell　that　he　and　his　neighbors　would　throw　together　over　four　thousand　beeves　in　making　up　the　herd；　and　now　I　was　perfectly　willing　that　they　should。　It　would　take　two　days　longer　to　gather　the　cattle　on　the　Los　Lobos　range；　and　then　there　were　the　outside　offerings；　which　were　supposed　to　number　fully　two　thousand。　There　was　no　excuse　for　not　being　choice。

On　returning　to　Los　Lobos　about　dusk；　rather　than　offend　its　owner；　Flood　consented　to　remain　at　the　ranch　overnight；　but　I　rode　for　camp。　Darkness　had　fallen　on　my　reaching　the　wagon；　the　herd　had　been　bedded　down；　and　Levering　felt　so　confident　that　the　remuda　was　contented　that　he　had　concluded　to　night…herd　them　himself　until　midnight；　and　then　turn　them　loose　until　dawn。　He　had　belled　a　couple　of　the　leaders；　and　assured　me　that　he　would　have　them　in　hand　before　sun…up。　The　cook　was　urging　me　to　supper；　but　before　unsaddling；　I　rode　around　both　herd　and　remuda。　The　cattle　were　sleeping　nicely；　and　the　boys　assured　me　that　they　had　got　a　splendid　fill　on　them　before　bedding　down。　That　was　the　only　safe　thing　to　do；　and　after　circling　the　saddle　stock　on　the　opposite　side　of　camp；　I　returned　to　find　that　a　stranger　had　arrived　during　my　brief　absence。　Parent　had　fully　enlightened　him　as　to　who　he　was；　who　the　outfit　were；　the　destination　of　the　herd；　the　names　of　both　buyer　and　seller；　and；　on　my　riding　in；　was　delivering　a　voluble　dissertation　on　the　tariff　and　the　possible　effect　on　the　state　of　putting　hides　on　the　free　list。　And　although　in　cow…camps　a　soldier's　introduction　is　usually　sufficient；　the　cook　inquired　the　stranger's　name　and　presented　me　to　our　guest　with　due　formality。　Supper　being　waiting；　the　stranger　was　invited　to　take　pot…luck　with　us；　and　before　the　meal　was　over　recognized　me。　He　was　a　deputy　cattle　inspector　for　Dimmit　County；　and　had　issued　the　certificate　for　Flood's　herd　the　year　before。　He　had　an　eye　for　the　main　chance；　and　informed　me　that　fully　one　half　the　cattle　making　up　our　herd　belonged　to　Dimmit；　that　the　county　line　was　only　a　mile　up　the　river；　and　that　if　I　would　allow　the　herd　to　drift　over　into　his　territory；　he　would　shade　the　legal　rate。　The　law　compelling　the　inspection　of　herds　before　they　could　be　moved　out　of　the　county；　　like　the　rain；　fell　upon　the　just　and　the　unjust。　It　was　not　the　　intent　of　the　law　to　impose　a　burden　on　an　honest　drover。　Yet　he　was　classed　with　the　rustler；　and　must　have　in　his　possession　a　certificate　of　inspection　before　he　could　move　out　a　purchased　herd；　or　be　subject　to　arrest。　A　list　of　brands　was　recorded；　at　the　county　seat；　of　every　herd　leaving；　and　if　occasion　required　could　be　referred　to　in　future　years。　No　railroad　would　receive　any　consignment　of　hides　or　live　stock；　unless　accompanied　by　a　certificate　from　the　county　inspector。　The　legal　rate　was　ten　cents　on　the　first　hundred；　and　three　cents　on　all　over　that　number；　frequently　making　the　office　a　lucrative　one。

Once　the　object　of　his　call　was　made　clear；　I　warmed　to　our　guest。　If　the　rate　allowed　by　law　was　enforced；　it　meant　an　expense　of　over　a　hundred　dollars　for　a　certificate　of　inspection　covering　both　herd　and　saddle　stock。　We　did　not　take　out　certificates　in　Medina　on　the　remudas　as　a　matter　of　economy。　By　waiting　until　the　herd　was　ready；　the　two　would　be　inspected　as　one；　and　the　lower　rate　apply。　So　I　urged　the　deputy　to　make　himself　at　home　and　share　my　blankets。　Pretending　that　I　remembered　him　well；　I　made　numerous　inquiries　about　the　ranch　where　we　received　our　herd　the　year　before；　and　by　the　time　to　turn　in；　we　were　on　the　most　friendly　terms。　The　next　morning　I　offered　him　a　horse　from　our　extras；　assuring　him　that　Flood　would　be　delighted　to　renew　his　acquaintance；　and　invited　him　to　go　with　us　for　the　day。　Turning　his　horse　among　ours；　he　accepted　and　rode　away　with　us。　The　cattle　passed　on　the　evening　before　had　camped　out　several　miles　from　the　corrals　and　were　grazing　in　when　we　met　them。　Flood　and　the　Doctor　joined　us　shortly　afterward；　and　I　had　a　quiet　word　with　Jim　before　he　and　the　inspector　met。　After　the　count　was　over；　Flood　made　a　great　ado　over　my　guest　and　gave　him　the　glad　hand　as　if　he　had　been　a　long…lost　brother。　We　were　a　trifle　short…handed　the　second　day；　and　on　my　guest　volunteering　to　help；　I　assigned　him　to　Runt　Pickett's　place　at　the　fire；　where　he　sh