CATTLE BRANDS

A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories

BY

ANDY ADAMS

1906

TO MR. AND MRS. HENRY RUSSELL WRAY

CONTENTS

 I. DRIFTING NORTH

 II. SEIGERMAN'S PER CENT

 III. "BAD MEDICINE"

 IV. A WINTER ROUND-UP

 V. A COLLEGE VAGABOND

 VI. THE DOUBLE TRAIL

 VII. RANGERING

 VIII. AT COMANCHE FORD

 IX. AROUND THE SPADE WAGON

 X. THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA

 XI. THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG

 XII. IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS

 XIII. A QUESTION OF POSSESSION

 XIV. THE STORY OF A POKER STEER

"The Passing of Peg-Leg" and "A Question of Possession" appearedoriginally in _Leslie's Monthly_, and are here reprinted by permissionof the publishers of that magazine. 

BRANDS

 [Illustration:] Bar X bar. 

 [Illustration:] Ohio. 

 [Illustration:] Barb wire. 

 [Illustration:] Hat. 

 [Illustration:] Apple. 

 [Illustration:] Diamond tail. 

 [Illustration:] Iowa. 

 [Illustration:] Johnson & Hosmer

 [Illustration:] United States. [1]

 [Illustration:] "Sold. "[1]

 [Illustration:] Dead tree. 

 [Illustration:] Tin cup. 

 [Illustration:] Snake. 

 [Illustration:] Bar Z bar. 

 [Illustration:] Running W. 

 [Illustration:] Three circle. 

 [Illustration:] Two bars. 

 [Illustration:] Broken arrow. 

 [Illustration:] Four D. 

 [Illustration:] Turkey track. 

 [Illustration:] Owned by "Barbecue" Campbell. 

 [Illustration:] L. X. 

 [Illustration:] "Inspected and condemned. "[1]

 [Illustration:] Spade. 

 [Illustration:] Flower pot. 

 [Illustration:] Frying pan. 

 [Illustration:] Laurel leaf. 

 [Illustration:] X bar two. 

[Footnote 1: These three belong to the United States Government. ]

CATTLE BRANDS

I

DRIFTING NORTH

It was a wet, bad year on the Old Western Trail. From Red River northand all along was herd after herd waterbound by high water in therivers. Our outfit lay over nearly a week on the South Canadian, butwe were not alone, for there were five other herds waiting for theriver to go down. This river had tumbled over her banks for severaldays, and the driftwood that was coming down would have made itdangerous swimming for cattle. 

We were expected to arrive in Dodge early in June, but when we reachedthe North Fork of the Canadian, we were two weeks behind time. 

Old George Carter, the owner of the herd, was growing very impatientabout us, for he had had no word from us after we had crossed RedRiver at Doan's crossing. Other cowmen lying around Dodge, who hadherds on the trail, could hear nothing from their men, but in theirexperience and confidence in their outfits guessed the cause--it waswater. Our surprise when we came opposite Camp Supply to have Carterand a stranger ride out to meet us was not to be measured. They hadgot impatient waiting, and had taken the mail buckboard to Supply, making inquiries along the route for the _Hat_ herd, which had notpassed up the trail, so they were assured. Carter was so impatientthat he could not wait, as he had a prospective buyer on his hands, and the delay in the appearing of the herd was very annoying to him. Old George was as tickled as a little boy to meet us all. 

The cattle were looking as fine as silk. The lay-overs had restedthem. The horses were in good trim, considering the amount of wetweather we had had. Here and there was a nigger brand, but thesesaddle galls were unavoidable when using wet blankets. The cattle weretwos and threes. We had left western Texas with a few over thirty-twohundred head and were none shy. We could have counted out more, but onsome of them the Hat brand had possibly faded out. We went into acosy camp early in the evening. Everything needful was at hand, wood, water, and grass. Cowmen in those days prided themselves on theiroutfits, and Carter was a trifle gone on his men. 

With the cattle on hand, drinking was out of the question, so the onlyway to show us any regard was to bring us a box of cigars. He musthave brought those cigars from Texas, for they were wrapped in a copyof the Fort Worth "Gazette. " It was a month old and full of news. Every man in the outfit read and reread it. There were several trainrobberies reported in it, but that was common in those days. They hadnominated for Governor "The Little Cavalryman, " Sol Ross, and thispaper estimated that his majority would be at least two hundredthousand. We were all anxious to get home in time to vote for him. 

Theodore Baughman was foreman of our outfit. Baugh was a typicaltrail-boss. He had learned to take things as they came, play the cardsas they fell, and not fret himself about little things that could notbe helped. If we had been a month behind he would never have thoughtto explain the why or wherefore to old man Carter. Several years afterthis, when he was scouting for the army, he rode up to a herd over onthe Chisholm trail and asked one of the tail men: "Son, have youseen anything of about three hundred nigger soldiers?" "No, " said thecowboy. "Well, " said Baugh, "I've lost about that many. "

That night around camp the smoke was curling upward from those cigarsin clouds. When supper was over and the guards arranged for the night, story-telling was in order. This cattle-buyer with us lived in KansasCity and gave us several good ones. He told us of an attempted robberyof a bank which had occurred a few days before in a western town. As aprelude to the tale, he gave us the history of the robbers. 

"Cow Springs, Kansas, " said he, "earned the reputation honestly ofbeing a hard cow-town. When it became the terminus of one of the manyeastern trails, it was at its worst. The death-rate amongst its citymarshals--always due to a six-shooter in the hands of some man whonever hesitated to use it--made the office not over desirable. Theoffice was vacated so frequently in this manner that at last no localman could be found who would have it. Then the city fathers sent toTexas for a man who had the reputation of being a killer. He kept hisrecord a vivid green by shooting first and asking questions afterward. 

"Well, the first few months he filled the office of marshal he killedtwo white men and an Indian, and had the people thoroughly buffaloed. When the cattle season had ended and winter came on, the little towngrew tame and listless. There was no man to dare him to shoot, andhe longed for other worlds to conquer. He had won his way into publicconfidence with his little gun. But this confidence reposed in him wasmisplaced, for he proved his own double both in morals and courage. 

"To show you the limit of the confidence he enjoyed: the treasurer ofthe Cherokee Strip Cattle Association paid rent money to that tribe, at their capital, fifty thousand dollars quarterly. The capital isnot located on any railroad; so the funds in currency were taken inregularly by the treasurer, and turned over to the tribal authorities. This trip was always made with secrecy, and the marshal was takenalong as a trusted guard. It was an extremely dangerous trip to make, as it was through a country infested with robbers and the capital atleast a hundred miles from the railroad. Strange no one ever attemptedto rob the stage or private conveyance, though this sum was taken inregularly for several years. The average robber was careful of hisperson, and could not be induced to make a target of himself for anymoney consideration, where there was danger of a gun in the hands of aman that would shoot rapidly and carelessly. 

"Before the herds began to reach as far north, the marshal and hisdeputy gave some excuse and disappeared for a few days, which wasquite common and caused no comment. One fine morning the good peopleof the town where the robbery was attempted were thrown into an uproarby shooting in their bank, just at the opening hour. The robbers werenone other than our trusted marshal, his deputy, and a cow-puncherwho had been led into the deal. When they ordered the officials ofthe bank to stand in a row with hands up, they were nonplused at theirrefusal to comply. The attacked party unearthed ugly looking guns andopened fire on the hold-ups instead. 

"This proved bad policy, for when the smoke cleared away the cashier, a very popular man, was found dead, while an assistant was dangerouslywounded. The shooting, however, had aroused the town to the situation, and men were seen running to and fro with guns. This unexpectedrefusal and the consequent shooting spoiled the plans of the robbers, so that they abandoned the robbery and ran to their horses. 

"After mounting they parleyed with each other a moment and seemedbewildered as to which way they should ride, finally riding southtoward what seemed a broken country. Very few minutes elapsed beforeevery man who could find a horse was joining the posse that wasforming to pursue them. Before they were out of sight the posse hadstarted after them. They were well mounted and as determined a set ofmen as were ever called upon to meet a similar emergency. They had thedecided advantage of the robbers, as their horses were fresh, and themen knew every foot of the country. 

"The broken country to which the hold-ups headed was a delusion as faras safety was concerned. They were never for a moment out of sight ofthe pursuers, and this broken country ended in a deep coulee. Whenthe posse saw them enter this they knew that their capture was only amatter of time. Nature seemed against the robbers, for as they enteredthe coulee their horses bogged down in a springy rivulet, and theywere so hard pressed that they hastily dismounted, and sought shelterin some shrubbery that grew about. The pursuing party, now swollen toquite a number, had spread out and by this time surrounded the men. They were seen to take shelter in a clump of wild plum brush, and theposse closed in on them. Seeing the numbers against them, they cameout on demand and surrendered. Neither the posse nor themselves knewat this time that the shooting in the bank had killed the cashier. Less than an hour's time had elapsed between the shooting and thecapture. When the posse reached town on their return, they learned ofthe death of the cashier, and the identity of the prisoners was soonestablished by citizens who knew the marshal and his deputy. Thelatter admitted their identity. 

"That afternoon they were photographed, and later in the day weregiven a chance to write to any friends to whom they wished to saygood-by. The cow-puncher was the only one who availed himself of theopportunity. He wrote to his parents. He was the only one of the triowho had the nerve to write, and seemed the only one who realized theenormity of his crime, and that he would never see the sun of anotherday. 

"As darkness settled over the town, the mob assembled. There was nodemonstration. The men were taken quietly out and hanged. At the finalmoment there was a remarkable variety of nerve shown. The marshal anddeputy were limp, unable to stand on their feet. With piteous appealsand tears they pleaded for mercy, something they themselves had nevershown their own victims. The boy who had that day written his parentshis last letter met his fate with Indian stoicism. He cursed thecrouching figures of his pardners for enticing him into this crime, and begged them not to die like curs, but to meet bravely the fatewhich he admitted they all deserved. Several of the men in the mobcame forward and shook hands with him, and with no appeal to man orhis Maker, he was swung into the great Unknown at the end of a rope. Such nerve is seldom met in life, and those that are supposed to haveit, when they come face to face with their end, are found lackingthat quality. It is a common anomaly in life that the bad man withhis record often shows the white feather when he meets his fate at thehands of an outraged community. "

We all took a friendly liking to the cattle-buyer. He was aninteresting talker. While he was a city man, he mixed with us witha certain freedom and abandon that was easy and natural. We allregretted it the next day when he and the old man left us. 

"I've heard my father tell about those Cherokees, " said Port Cole. "They used to live in Georgia, those Indians. They must have beenhonest people, for my father told us boys at home, that once in theold State while the Cherokees lived there, his father hired one oftheir tribe to guide him over the mountains. There was a pass throughthe mountains that was used and known only to these Indians. It wouldtake six weeks to go and come, and to attend to the business in view. My father was a small boy at the time, and says that his father hiredthe guide for the entire trip for forty dollars in gold. One conditionwas that the money was to be paid in advance. The morning was set forthe start, and my grandfather took my father along on the trip. 

"Before starting from the Indian's cabin my grandfather took out hispurse and paid the Indian four ten-dollar gold pieces. The Indianwalked over to the corner of the cabin, and in the presence of otherIndians laid this gold, in plain sight of all, on the end of a logthat projected where they cross outside, and got on his horse to begone six weeks. They made the trip on time, and my father said hisfirst thought, on their return to the Indian village, was to see ifthe money was untouched. It was. You couldn't risk white folks thatway. "

"Oh, I don't know, " said one of the boys. "Suppose you save your wagesthis summer and try it next year when we start up the trail, just tosee how it will work. "

"Well, if it's just the same to you, " replied Port, lighting a freshcigar, "I'll not try, for I'm well enough satisfied as to how it wouldturn out, without testing it. "

"Isn't it strange, " said Bat Shaw, "that if you trust a man or putconfidence in him he won't betray you. Now, that marshal--one monthhe was guarding money at the risk of his life, and the next was losinghis life trying to rob some one. I remember a similar case down onthe Rio Grande. It was during the boom in sheep a few years ago, whenevery one got crazy over sheep. 

"A couple of Americans came down on the river to buy sheep. Theybrought their money with them. It was before the time of anyrailroads. The man they deposited their money with had lived amongstthese Mexicans till he had forgotten where he did belong, though hewas a Yankee. These sheep-buyers asked their banker to get them a manwho spoke Spanish and knew the country, as a guide. The banker sentand got a man that he could trust. He was a swarthy-looking nativewhose appearance would not recommend him anywhere. He was accepted, and they set out to be gone over a month. 

"They bought a band of sheep, and it was necessary to pay for themat a point some forty miles further up the river. There had been somerobbing along the river, and these men felt uneasy about carryingthe money to this place to pay for the sheep. The banker came to therescue by advising them to send the money by the Mexican, who couldtake it through in a single night. No one would ever suspect him ofever having a dollar on his person. It looked risky, but the bankerwho knew the nature of the native urged it as the better way, assuringthem that the Mexican was perfectly trustworthy. The peon was broughtin, the situation was explained to him, and he was ordered to be inreadiness at nightfall to start on his errand. 

"He carried the money over forty miles that night, and delivered itsafely in the morning to the proper parties. This act of his arousedthe admiration of these sheep men beyond a point of safety. They paidfor the sheep, were gone for a few months, sold out their flocks togood advantage, and came back to buy more. This second time they didnot take the precaution to have the banker hire the man, but did sothemselves, intending to deposit their money with a different housefarther up the river. They confided to him that they had quite asum of money with them, and that they would deposit it with the samemerchant to whom he had carried the money before. The first night theycamped the Mexican murdered them both, took the money, and crossedinto Mexico. He hid their bodies, and it was months before they weremissed, and a year before their bones were found. He had plentyof time to go to the ends of the earth before his crime would bediscovered. 

"Now that Mexican would never think of betraying the banker, his oldfriend and patron, his _muy bueno amigo_. There were obligations thathe could not think of breaking with the banker; but these fool sheepmen, supposing it was simple honesty, paid the penalty of theirconfidence with their lives. Now, when he rode over this same roadalone, a few months before, with over five thousand dollars in moneybelonging to these same men, all he would need to have done was toride across the river. When there were no obligations binding, he waswilling to add murder to robbery. Some folks say that Mexicans aregood people; it is the climate, possibly, but they can always bedepended on to assay high in treachery. "

"What guard are you going to put me on to-night?" inquired old manCarter of Baugh. 

"This outfit, " said Baugh, in reply, "don't allow any tenderfootaround the cattle, --at night, at least. You'd better play you'recompany; somebody that's come. If you're so very anxious to dosomething, the cook may let you rustle wood or carry water. We'll fixyou up a bed after a little, and see that you get into it where youcan sleep and be harmless. 

"Colonel, " added Baugh, "why is it that you never tell that experienceyou had once amongst the greasers?"

"Well, there was nothing funny in it to me, " said Carter, "and theysay I never tell it twice alike. "

"Why, certainly, tell us, " said the cattle-buyer. "I've never heardit. Don't throw off to-night. "

"It was a good many years ago, " began old man George, "but theincident is very clear in my mind. I was working for a month's wagesthen myself. We were driving cattle out of Mexico. The people Iwas working for contracted for a herd down in Chihuahua, about fourhundred miles south of El Paso. We sent in our own outfit, wagon, horses, and men, two weeks before. I was kept behind to take in thefunds to pay for the cattle. The day before I started, my people drewout of the bank twenty-eight thousand dollars, mostly large bills. They wired ahead and engaged a rig to take me from the station where Ileft the railroad to the ranch, something like ninety miles. 

"I remember I bought a new mole-skin suit, which was very popularabout then. I had nothing but a small hand-bag, and it contained onlya six-shooter. I bought a book to read on the train and on the roadout, called 'Other People's Money. ' The title caught my fancy, and itwas very interesting. It was written by a Frenchman, --full of loveand thrilling situations. I had the money belted on me securely, andstarted out with flying colors. The railroad runs through a drearycountry, not worth a second look, so I read my new book. When Iarrived at the station I found the conveyance awaiting me. The planwas to drive halfway, and stay over night at a certain hacienda. 

"The driver insisted on starting at once, telling me that we couldreach the Hacienda Grande by ten o'clock that night, which would behalf my journey. We had a double-seated buckboard and covered thecountry rapidly. There were two Mexicans on the front seat, while Ihad the rear one all to myself. Once on the road I interested myselfin 'Other People's Money, ' almost forgetful of the fact that at thatvery time I had enough of other people's money on my person to set allthe bandits in Mexico on my trail. There was nothing of incident thatevening, until an hour before sundown. We reached a small ranchito, where we spent an hour changing horses, had coffee and a rather lightlunch. 

"Before leaving I noticed a Pinto horse hitched to a tree somedistance in the rear of the house, and as we were expecting to buy anumber of horses, I walked back and looked this one carefully over. He was very peculiarly color-marked in the mane. I inquired for hisowner, but they told me that he was not about at present. It wasgrowing dusk when we started out again. The evening was warm andsultry and threatening rain. We had been on our way about an hourwhen I realized we had left the main road and were bumping along on aby-road. I asked the driver his reason for this, and he explained thatit was a cut-off, and that by taking it we would save three miles andhalf an hour's time. As a further reason he expressed his opinion thatwe would have rain that night, and that he was anxious to reach thehacienda in good time. I encouraged him to drive faster, which he did. Within another hour I noticed we were going down a dry arroyo, withmesquite brush on both sides of the road, which was little better thana trail. My suspicions were never aroused sufficiently to open thelittle hand-bag and belt on the six-shooter. I was dreaming alongwhen we came to a sudden stop before what seemed a deserted jacal. The Mexicans mumbled something to each other over some disappointment, when the driver said to me:--

"'Here's where we stay all night. This is the hacienda. ' They both gotout and insisted on my getting out, but I refused to do so. I reacheddown and picked up my little grip and was in the act of opening it, when one of them grabbed my arm and jerked me out of the seat to theground. I realized then for the first time that I was in for it inearnest. I never knew before that I could put up such a fine defense, for inside a minute I had them both blinded in their own blood. Igathered up rocks and had them flying when I heard a clatter of hoofscoming down the arroyo like a squadron of cavalry. They were so closeon to me that I took to the brush, without hat, coat, or pistol. Menthat pack a gun all their lives never have it when they need it; thatwas exactly my fix. Darkness was in my favor, but I had no more ideawhere I was or which way I was going than a baby. One thing sure, Iwas trying to get away from there as fast as I could. The night wasterribly dark, and about ten o'clock it began to rain a deluge. I keptgoing all night, but must have been circling. 

"Towards morning I came to an arroyo which was running full of water. My idea was to get that between me and the scene of my trouble, soI took off my boots to wade it. When about one third way across, Ieither stepped off a bluff bank or into a well, for I went under anddropped the boots. When I came to the surface I made a few strokesswimming and landed in a clump of mesquite brush, to which I clung, got on my feet, and waded out to the opposite bank more scared thanhurt. Right there I lay until daybreak. 

"The thing that I remember best now was the peculiar odor of the wetmole-skin. If there had been a strolling artist about looking fora picture of Despair, I certainly would have filled the bill. Thesleeves were torn out of my shirt, and my face and arms were scratchedand bleeding from the thorns of the mesquite. No one who could haveseen me then would ever have dreamed that I was a walking depositaryof 'Other People's Money. ' When it got good daylight I started outand kept the shelter of the brush to hide me. After nearly an hour'stravel, I came out on a divide, and about a mile off I saw what lookedlike a jacal. Directly I noticed a smoke arise, and I knew then it wasa habitation. My appearance was not what I desired, but I approachedit. 

"In answer to my knock at the door a woman opened it about two inchesand seemed to be more interested in examination of my anatomy than inlistening to my troubles. After I had made an earnest sincere talk sheasked me, 'No estay loco tu?' I assured her that I was perfectly sane, and that all I needed was food and clothing, for which I would pay herwell. It must have been my appearance that aroused her sympathy, forshe admitted me and fed me. 

"The woman had a little girl of probably ten years of age. This littlegirl brought me water to wash myself, while the mother prepared mesomething to eat. I was so anxious to pay these people that I found afive-dollar gold piece in one of my pockets and gave it to the littlegirl, who in turn gave it to her mother. While I was drinking thecoffee and eating my breakfast, the woman saw me looking at a pictureof the Virgin Mary which was hanging on the adobe wall opposite me. She asked me if I was a Catholic, which I admitted. Then she broughtout a shirt and offered it to me. 

"Suddenly the barking of a dog attracted her to the door. She returnedbreathless, and said in good Spanish: 'For God's sake, run! Fly! Don'tlet my husband and brother catch you here, for they are coming home. 'She thrust the shirt into my hand and pointed out the direction inwhich I should go. From a concealed point of the brush I saw two menride up to the jacal and dismount. One of them was riding the Pintohorse I had seen the day before. 

"I kept the brush for an hour or so, and finally came out on the mesa. Here I found a flock of sheep and a pastore. From this shepherd Ilearned that I was about ten miles from the main road. He tookthe sandals from his own feet and fastened them on mine, gave medirections, and about night I reached the hacienda, where I was kindlyreceived and cared for. This ranchero sent after officers and had thecountry scoured for the robbers. I was detained nearly a week, to seeif I could identify my drivers, without result. They even brought inthe owner of the Pinto horse, and no doubt husband of the woman whosaved my life. 

"After a week's time I joined our own outfit, and I never heard alanguage that sounded so sweet as the English of my own tongue. Iwould have gone back and testified against the owner of the spottedhorse if it hadn't been for a woman and a little girl who depended onhim, robber that he was. "

"Now, girls, " said Baugh, addressing Carter and the stranger, "I'vemade you a bed out of the wagon-sheet, and rustled a few blanketsfrom the boys. You'll find the bed under the wagon-tongue, and we'vestretched a fly over it to keep the dew off you, besides addingprivacy to your apartments. So you can turn in when you run out ofstories or get sleepy. "

"Haven't you got one for us?" inquired the cattle-buyer of Baugh. "This is no time to throw off, or refuse to be sociable. "

"Well, now, that bank robbery that you were telling the boys about, "said Baugh, as he bit the tip from a fresh cigar, "reminds me of ahold-up that I was in up in the San Juan mining country in Colorado. We had driven into that mining camp a small bunch of beef and hadsold them to fine advantage. The outfit had gone back, and I remainedbehind to collect for the cattle, expecting to take the stage andovertake the outfit down on the river. I had neglected to book mypassage in advance, so when the stage was ready to start I had tocontent myself with a seat on top. I don't remember the amount ofmoney I had. It was the proceeds of something like one hundred andfifty beeves, in a small bag along of some old clothes. There wasn't acent of it mine, still I was supposed to look after it. 

"The driver answered to the name of South-Paw, drove six horses, andwe had a jolly crowd on top. Near midnight we were swinging along, andas we rounded a turn in the road, we noticed a flickering light aheadsome distance which looked like the embers of a camp-fire. As we camenearly opposite the light, the leaders shied at some object in theroad in front of them. South-Paw uncurled his whip, and was in the actof pouring the leather into them, when that light was uncovered as bigas the head-light of an engine. An empty five-gallon oil-can had beencut in half and used as a reflector, throwing full light into theroad sufficient to cover the entire coach. Then came a round oforders which meant business. 'Shoot them leaders if they cross thatobstruction!' 'Kill any one that gets off on the opposite side!''Driver, move up a few feet farther!' 'A few feet farther, please. ''That'll do; thank you, sir. ' 'Now, every son-of-a-horse-thief, getout on this side of the coach, please, and be quick about it!'

"The man giving these orders stood a few feet behind the lamp andout of sight, but the muzzle of a Winchester was plainly visible andseemed to cover every man on the stage. It is needless to say that weobeyed, got down in the full glare of the light, and lined up withour backs to the robber, hands in the air. There was a heavily veiledwoman on the stage, whom he begged to hold the light for him, assuringher that he never robbed a woman. This veiled person disappeared atthe time, and was supposed to have been a confederate. When the lightwas held for him, he drew a black cap over each one of us, searchingeverybody for weapons. Then he proceeded to rob us, and at last wentthrough the mail. It took him over an hour to do the job; he seemed inno hurry. 

"It was not known what he got out of the mail, but the passengersyielded about nine hundred revenue to him, while there was three timesthat amount on top the coach in my grip, wrapped in a dirty flannelshirt. When he disappeared we were the cheapest lot of men imaginable. It was amusing to hear the excuses, threats, and the like; but thefact remained the same, that a dozen of us had been robbed by a lonehighwayman. I felt good over it, as the money in the grip had beenoverlooked. 

"Well, we cleared out the obstruction in the road, and got aboard thecoach once more. About four o'clock in the morning we arrived at ourdestination, only two hours late. In the hotel office where the stagestopped was the very man who had robbed us. He had got in an hourahead of us, and was a very much interested listener to the incidentas retold. There was an early train out of town that morning, and ata place where they stopped for breakfast he sat at the table withseveral drummers who were in the hold-up, a most attentive listener. 

"He was captured the same day. He had hired a horse out of a liverystable the day before, to ride out to look at a ranch he thought ofbuying. The liveryman noticed that he limped slightly. He had collidedwith lead in Texas, as was learned afterward. The horse which had beenhired to the ranch-buyer of the day before was returned to the corralof the livery barn at an unknown hour during the night, and suspicionsettled on the lame man. When he got off the train at Pueblo, hewalked into the arms of officers. The limp had marked him clearly. 

"In a grip which he carried were a number of sacks, which he supposedcontained gold dust, but held only taulk on its way to assayers inDenver. These he had gotten out of the express the night before, supposing they were valuable. We were all detained as witnesses. Hewas tried for robbing the mails, and was the coolest man in the courtroom. He was a tall, awkward-looking fellow, light complexioned, witha mild blue eye. His voice, when not disguised, would mark him amongsta thousand men. It was peculiarly mild and soft, and would lure a babefrom its mother's arms. 

"At the trial he never tried to hide his past, and you couldn't helpliking the fellow for his frank answers. 

"'Were you ever charged with any crime before?' asked the prosecution. 'If so, when and where?'

"'Yes, ' said the prisoner, 'in Texas, for robbing the mails in '77. '

"'What was the result?' continued the prosecution. 

"'They sent me over the road for ninety-nine years. '

"'Then how does it come that you are at liberty?' quizzed theattorney. 

"'Well, you see the President of the United States at that time wasa warm personal friend of mine, though we had drifted apart somewhat. When he learned that the Federal authorities had interfered with myliberties, he pardoned me out instantly. '

"'What did you do then?' asked the attorney. 

"'Well, I went back to Texas, and was attending to my own business, when I got into a little trouble and had to kill a man. Lawyers downthere won't do anything for you without you have money, and as Ididn't have any for them, I came up to this country to try and make anhonest dollar. '

"He went over the road a second time, and wasn't in the Federal prisona year before he was released through influence. Prison walls werenever made to hold as cool a rascal as he was. Have you a match?"

 * * * * *

It was an ideal night. Millions of stars flecked the sky overhead. No one seemed willing to sleep. We had heard the evening gun and thetrumpets sounding tattoo over at the fort, but their warnings of theclosing day were not for us. The guards changed, the cattle sleepinglike babes in a trundle-bed. Finally one by one the boys sought theirblankets, while sleep and night wrapped these children of the plainsin her arms. 

II

SEIGERMAN'S PER CENT

Towards the wind-up of the Cherokee Strip Cattle Association it becamehard to ride a chuck-line in winter. Some of the cattle companieson the range, whose headquarters were far removed from the scene ofactive operations, saw fit to give orders that the common custom offeeding all comers and letting them wear their own welcome out must bestopped. This was hard on those that kept open house the yearround. There was always a surplus of men on the range in the winter. Sometimes there might be ten men at a camp, and only two on thepay-roll. These extra men were called "chuck-line riders. " Probablyeight months in the year they all had employment. At many camps theywere welcome, as they would turn to and help do anything that waswanted done. 

After a hard freeze it would be necessary to cut the ice, so that thecattle could water. A reasonable number of guests were no drawback ata time like this, as the chuck-line men would be the most active inopening the ice with axes. The cattle belonging to those who kept openhouse never got so far away that some one didn't recognize the brandand turn them back towards their own pasture. It was possible to castbread upon the waters, even on the range. 

The new order of things was received with many protests. Late in thefall three worthies of the range formed a combine, and laid carefulplans of action, in case they should get let out of a winter's job. "I've been on the range a good while, " said Baugh, the leader of thistrio, "but hereafter I'll not ride my horses down, turning back thebrand of any hidebound cattle company. "

"That won't save you from getting hit with a cheque for your time whenthe snow begins to drift, " commented Stubb. 

"When we make our grand tour of the State this winter, " remarked ArabAb, "we'll get that cheque of Baugh's cashed, together with our own. One thing sure, we won't fret about it; still we might think thatriding a chuck-line would beat footing it in a granger country, broke. "

"Oh, we won't go broke, " said Baugh, who was the leader in the ideathat they would go to Kansas for the winter, and come back in thespring when men are wanted. 

So when the beef season had ended, the calves had all been branded upand everything made snug for the winter, the foreman said to the boysat breakfast one morning, "Well, lads, I've kept you on the pay-rollas long as there has been anything to do, but this morning I'll haveto give you your time. These recent orders of mine are sweeping, forthey cut me down to one man, and we are to do our own cooking. I'msorry that any of you that care to can't spend the winter with us. It's there that my orders are very distasteful to me, for I know whatit is to ride a chuck-line myself. You all know that it's no waste ofaffection by this company that keeps even two of us on the pay-roll. "

While the foreman was looking up accounts and making out the time ofeach, Baugh asked him, "When is the wagon going in after the winter'ssupplies?"

"In a day or two, " answered the foreman. "Why?"

"Why, Stubby, Arab, and myself want to leave our saddles and privatehorses here with you until spring. We're going up in the State for thewinter, and will wait and go in with the wagon. "

"That will be all right, " said the foreman. "You'll find things rightside up when you come after them, and a job if I can give it to you. "

"Don't you think it's poor policy, " asked Stubb of the foreman, asthe latter handed him his time, "to refuse the men a roof and the bitethey eat in winter?"

"You may ask that question at headquarters, when you get your timecheque cashed. I've learned not to think contrary to my employers; notin the mouth of winter, anyhow. "

"Oh, we don't care, " said Baugh; "we're going to take in the State fora change of scenery. We'll have a good time and plenty of fun on theside. "

The first snow-squall of the season came that night, and the wagoncould not go in for several days. When the weather moderated the threebade the foreman a hearty good-by and boarded the wagon for town, forty miles away. This little village was a supply point for the rangecountry to the south, and lacked that diversity of entertainment thatthe trio desired. So to a larger town westward, a county seat, theyhastened by rail. This hamlet they took in by sections. There werethe games running to suit their tastes, the variety theatre with itspainted girls, and handbills announced that on the 24th of Decemberand Christmas Day there would be horse races. To do justice to allthis melted their money fast. 

Their gay round of pleasure had no check until the last day of theraces. Heretofore they had held their own in the games, and the firstday of the races they had even picked several winners. But grief wasin store for Baugh the leader, Baugh the brains of the trio. He hadnamed the winners so easily the day before, that now his confidenceknew no bounds. His opinion was supreme on a running horse, thoughhe cautioned the others not to risk their judgment--in fact, they hadbetter follow him. "I'm going to back that sorrel gelding, that wonyesterday in the free-for-all to-day, " said he to Stubb and Arab, "andif you boys go in with me, we'll make a killing. "

"You can lose your money on a horse race too quick to suit me, "replied Stubb. "I prefer to stick to poker; but you go ahead and winall you can, for spring is a long ways off yet. "

"My observation of you as a poker player, my dear Stubby, is that yougenerally play the first hand to win and all the rest to get even. "

They used up considerable time scoring for the free-for-all runningrace Christmas Day, during which delay Baugh not only got all hismoney bet, but his watch and a new overcoat. The race went off withthe usual dash, when there were no more bets in sight; and when itended Baugh buttoned up the top button of his coat, pulled hishat down over his eyes, and walked back from the race track in ameditative state of mind, to meet Stubb and Arab Ab. 

"When I gamble and lose I never howl, " said Baugh to his friends, "butI do love a run for my money, though I didn't have any more chanceto-day than a rabbit. I'll take my hat off to the man that got it, however, and charge it up to my tuition account. "

"You big chump, you! if you hadn't bet your overcoat it wouldn't be sobad. What possessed you to bet it?" asked Stubb, half reprovingly. 

"Oh, hell, I'll not need it. It's not going to be a very cold winter, nohow, " replied Baugh, as he threw up one eye toward the warm sun. "We need exercise. Let's walk back to town. Now, this is a littleunexpected, but what have I got you boy's for, if you can't help afriend in trouble. There's one good thing--I've got my board paidthree weeks in advance; paid it this morning out of yesterday'swinnings. Lucky, ain't I?"

"Yes, you're powerful lucky. You're alive, ain't you?" said Stubb, rubbing salt into his wounds. 

"Now, my dear Stubby, don't get gay with the leading lady; you may getin a bad box some day and need me. "

This turn of affairs was looked upon by Stubb and Arab as quite a jokeon their leader. But it was no warning to them, and they continuedto play their favorite games, Stubb at poker, while Arab gave hisattention to monte. Things ran along for a few weeks in this manner, Baugh never wanting for a dollar or the necessary liquids that cheerthe despondent. Finally they were forced to take an inventory of theircash and similar assets. The result was suggestive that they wouldhave to return to the chuck-line, or unearth some other resource. Thecondition of their finances lacked little of the red-ink line. 

Baugh, who had been silent during this pow-wow, finally said, "Myboard will have to be provided for in a few days, but I have an idea, struck it to-day, and if she works, we'll pull through to grass likefour time winners. "

"What is it?" asked the other two, in a chorus. 

"There's a little German on a back street here, who owns a bar-roomwith a hotel attached. He has a mania to run for office; in fact, there's several candidates announced already. Now, the conventiondon't meet until May, which is in our favor. If my game succeeds, wewill be back at work before that time. That will let us out easy. "

As their finances were on a parity with Baugh's, the others werewilling to undertake anything that looked likely to tide them over thewinter. "Leave things to me, " said Baugh. "I'll send a friend aroundto sound our German, and see what office he thinks he'd like to have. "

The information sought developed the fact that it was the office ofsheriff that he wanted. When the name was furnished, the leader ofthis scheme wrote it on a card--Seigerman, Louie Seigerman, --nottrusting to memory. Baugh now reduced their finances further for ashave, while he meditated how he would launch his scheme. An hourafterwards, he walked up to the bar, and asked, "Is Mr. Seigerman in?"

"Dot ish my name, sir, " said the man behind the bar. 

"Could I see you privately for a few minutes?" asked Baugh, whohimself could speak German, though his tongue did not indicate it. 

"In von moment, " said Seigerman, as he laid off his white apron andcalled an assistant to take his place. He then led the way to a backroom, used for a storehouse. "Now, mine frendt, vat ish id?" inquiredLouie, when they were alone. 

"My name is Baughman, " said he, as he shook Louie's hand with a heartygrip. "I work for the Continental Cattle Company, who own a rangein the strip adjoining the county line below here. My people havesuffered in silence from several bands of cattle thieves who haveheadquarters in this county. Heretofore we have never taken anyinterest in the local politics of this community. But this year wepropose to assert ourselves, and try to elect a sheriff who willdo his sworn duty, and run out of this county these rustling cattlethieves. Mr. Seigerman, it would surprise you did I give you thefigures in round numbers of the cattle that my company have lost bythese brand-burning rascals who infest this section. 

"Now to business, as you are a business man. I have come to ask you toconsent to your name being presented to the county convention, which meets in May, as a candidate for the office of sheriff of thiscounty. "

As Louie scratched his head and was meditating on his reply, Baughmancontinued: "Now, we know that you are a busy man, and have given thismatter no previous thought, so we do not insist on an immediate reply. But think it over, and let me impress on your mind that if you consentto make the race, you will have the support of every cattle-man inthe country. Not only their influence and support, but in a selfishinterest will their purses be at your command to help elect you. Thisrequest of mine is not only the mature conclusion of my people, but wehave consulted others interested, and the opinion seems unanimous thatyou are the man to make the race for this important office. "

"Mr. Baughman, vill you not haf one drink mit me?" said Seigerman, ashe led the way towards the bar. 

"If you will kindly excuse me, Mr. Seigerman, I never like to indulgewhile attending to business matters. I'll join you in a cigar, however, for acquaintance' sake. "

When the cigars were lighted Baugh observed, "Why, do you keep hotel?If I had known it, I would have put up with you, but my bill is paidin advance at my hotel until Saturday. If you can give me a good roomby then, I'll come up and stop with you. "

"You can haf any room in mine house, Mr. Baughman, " said Seigerman. 

As Baugh was about to leave he once more impressed on Louie the natureof his call. "Now, Mr. Seigerman, " said Baughman, using the Germanlanguage during the parting conversation, "let me have your answer atthe earliest possible moment, for we want to begin an active canvassat once. This is a large county, and to enlist our friends in yourbehalf no time should be lost. " With a profusion of "Leben Sie wohls"and well wishes for each other, the "Zweibund" parted. 

Stubb and Arab were waiting on a corner for Baugh. When he returned hewithheld his report until they had retreated to the privacy of theirown room. Once secure, he said to both: "If you would like to knowwhat an active, resourceful brain is, put your ear to my head, "tapping his temple with his finger, "and listen to mine throb andpurr. Everything is working like silk. I'm going around to board withhim Saturday. I want you to go over with me to-morrow, Stubby, andgive him a big game about what a general uprising there is amongstthe cowmen for an efficient man for the office of sheriff, and make itstrong. I gave him my last whirl to-day in German. Oh, he'll run allright; and we want to convey the impression that we can rally thecattle interests to his support. Put up a good grievance, mind you!You can both know that I begged strong when I took this cigar inpreference to a drink. "

"It's certainly a bad state of affairs we've come to when you refusewhiskey. Don't you think so, Stubby?" said Arab, addressing the oneand appealing to the other. "You never refused no drink, Baugh, youknow you didn't, " said Stubb reproachfully. 

"Oh, you little sawed-off burnt-offering, you can't see the policythat we must use in handling this matter. This is a delicate play, that can't be managed roughshod on horseback. It has food, shelter, and drink in it for us all, but they must be kept in the background. The main play now is to convince Mr. Seigerman that he has a call toserve his country in the office of sheriff. Bear down heavy on theemergency clause. Then make him think that no other name but LouieSeigerman will satisfy the public clamor. Now, my dear Stubby, I knowthat you are a gifted and accomplished liar, and for that reason Iinsist that you work your brain and tongue in this matter. Keep yourown motive in the background and bring his to the front. That's theidea. Now, can you play your part?"

"Well, as I have until to-morrow to think it over, I'll try, " saidStubb. 

The next afternoon Baugh and Stubb sauntered into Louie's place, andreceived a very cordial welcome at the hands of the proprietor. Baughintroduced Stubb as a friend of his whom he had met in town that day, and who, being also interested in cattle, he thought might be able tooffer some practical suggestions. Their polite refusal to indulge in asocial glass with the proprietor almost hurt his feelings. 

"Let us retire to the rear room for a few moments of conversation, ifyou have the leisure, " said Baugh. 

Once secure in the back room, Stubb opened his talk. "As my friendMr. Baughman has said, I'm local manager of the Ohio Cattle Companyoperating in the Strip. I'm spending considerable time in your town atpresent, as I'm overseeing the wintering of something like a hundredsaddle horses and two hundred and fifty of our thoroughbred bulls. We worked our saddle stock so late last fall, that on my advice thesuperintendent sent them into the State to be corn-fed for the winter. The bulls were too valuable to be risked on the range. We had overfifty stolen last season, that cost us over three hundred dollars ahead. I had a letter this morning from our superintendent, asking meto unite with what seems to be a general movement to suppress thishigh-handed stealing that has run riot in this county in the past. Mr. Baughman has probably acquainted you with the general sentimentin cattle circles regarding what should be done. I wish to assureyou further that my people stand ready to use their best endeavorsto nominate a candidate who will pledge himself to stamp out thisdisgraceful brand-burning and cattle-rustling. The little protectionshown the livestock interests in this western country has actuallydriven capital out of one of the best paying industries in the West. But it is our own fault. We take no interest in local politics. Anyone is good enough for sheriff with us. But this year there seemsto be an awakening. It may be a selfish interest that prompts thisuprising; I think it is. But that is the surest hope in politics forus. The cattle-men's pockets have been touched, their interests havebeen endangered. Mr. Seigerman, I feel confident that if you willenter the race for this office, it will be a walk-away for you. Nowconsider the matter fully, and I might add that there is a brighterfuture for you politically than you possibly can see. I wish I hadbrought our superintendent's letter with me for you to read. 

"He openly hints that if we elect a sheriff in this county this fallwho makes an efficient officer, he will be strictly in line for theoffice of United States Marshal of western Kansas and all theIndian Territory. You see, Mr. Seigerman, in our company we have asstock-holders three congressmen and one United States senator. I haveseen it in the papers myself, and it is a common remark Down East, soI'm told, that the weather is chilly when an Ohio man gets left. Nowwith these men of our company interested in you, there would be norefusing them the appointment. Why, it would give you the naming offifty deputies--good easy money in every one of them. You could sitback in a well-appointed government office and enjoy the comforts oflife. Now, Mr. Seigerman, we will see you often, but let me suggestthat your acceptance be as soon as possible, for if you positivelydecline to enter the race, we must look in some other quarter for anavailable man. " Leaving these remarks for Seigerman's reflections, hewalked out of the room. 

As Seigerman started to follow, Baugh tapped him on the shoulderto wait, as he had something to say to him. Baugh now confirmedeverything said, using the German language. He added, "Now, my friendStubb is too modest to admit who his people really are, but the OhioCattle Company is practically the Standard Oil Company, but they don'twant it known. It's a confidence that I'm placing in you, and requestyou not to repeat it. Still, you know what a syndicate they are andthe influence they carry. That very little man who has been talkingto you has better backing than any cow-boss in the West. He's a safe, conservative fellow to listen to. "

When they had rejoined Stubb in the bar-room, Baugh said to Seigerman, "Don't you think you can give us your answer by Friday next, so yourname can be announced in the papers, and an active canvass begunwithout further loss of time?"

"Shentlemens, I'll dry do, " said Louie, "but you will not dake a drinkmit me once again, aind it?"

"No, thank you, Mr. Seigerman, " replied Stubb. 

"He gave me a very fine cigar yesterday; you'll like them if you tryone, " said Baugh to Stubb. "Let it be a cigar to-day, Mr. Seigerman. "

As Baugh struck a match to light his cigar, he said to Stubb, "I'mcoming up to stop with Mr. Seigerman to-morrow. Why don't you joinus?"

"I vould be wery much bleased to haf you mine guest, " said Louie, every inch the host. 

"This is a very home-like looking place, " remarked Stubb. "I may comeup; I'll come around Sunday and take dinner with you, anyhow. "

"Do, blease, " urged Louie. 

There was a great deal to be said, and it required two languages toexpress it all, but finally the "Dreibund" parted. The next dayBaugh moved into his new quarters, and the day following Stubb was sopleased with his Sunday dinner that he changed at once. 

"I'm expecting a man from Kansas City to-morrow, " said Baugh to Louieon Sunday morning, "who will know the sentiment existing in cattlecircles in that city. He'll be in on the morning train. "

Stubb, in the mean time, had coached Arab as to what he should say. AsBaugh and he had covered the same ground, it was thought best to haveArab Ab the heeler, the man who could deliver the vote to order. 

So Monday morning after the train was in, the original trio entered, and Arab was introduced. The back room was once more used as a councilchamber where the "Fierbund" held an important session. 

"I didn't think there was so much interest being taken, " began ArabAb, "until my attention was called to it yesterday by the presidentand secretary of our company in Kansas City. I want to tell you thatthe cattle interests in that city are aroused. Why, our secretaryshowed me the figures from his books; and in the 'Tin Cup' brandalone we shipped out three hundred and twelve beeves short, out oftwenty-nine hundred and ninety-six bought two years ago. My employers, Mr. Seigerman, are practical cowmen, and they know that those steersnever left the range without help. Nothing but lead or Texas fever cankill a beef. We haven't had a case of fever on our range for years, nor a winter in five years that would kill an old cow. Why, ourpresident told me if something wasn't done they would have to abandonthis country and go where they could get protection. His final orderswere to do what I could to get an eligible man as a candidate, which, I'm glad to hear from my friends here, we have hopes of doing. Thenwhen the election comes off, we must drop everything and get every manto claim a residence in this county and vote him here. I'll admit thatI'm no good as a wire-puller, but when it comes to getting out thevoters, there's where you will find me as solid as a bridge abutment. 

"Why, Mr. Seigerman, when I was skinning mules for Creech & Lee, contractors on the Rock Island, one fall, they gave me my orders, which was to get every man on the works ready to ballot. I lined themup and voted them like running cattle through a branding-chute to puton a tally-mark or vent a brand. There were a hundred and seventy-fiveof those dagoes from the rock-cut; I handled them like dipping sheepfor the scab. My friends here can tell you how I managed voting thebonds at a little town east of here. I had my orders from the samepeople I'm working for now, to get out the cow-puncher element in theStrip for the bonds. The bosses simply told me that what they wantedwas a competing line of railroad. And as they didn't expect to pay theobligations, only authorize them, --the next generation could attend tothe paying of them, --we got out a full vote. Well, we ran in fromfour to five hundred men from the Strip, and out of over seven hundredballots cast, only one against the bonds. We hunted the town all overto find the man that voted against us; we wanted to hang him! Theonly trouble I had was to make the boys think it was a straight upDemocratic play, as they were nearly all originally from Texas. Now, my friends here have told me that they are urging you to accept thenomination for sheriff. I can only add that in case you consent, mypeople stand ready to give their every energy to this coming campaign. As far as funds are concerned to prosecute the election of anacceptable sheriff to the cattle interests, we would simply be floodedwith it. It would be impossible to use one half of what would beforced on us. One thing I can say positively, Mr. Seigerman: theywouldn't permit you to contribute one cent to the expense of yourelection. Cattle-men are big-hearted fellows--they are friends worthhaving, Mr. Seigerman. "

Louie drew a long breath, and it seemed that a load had been liftedfrom his mind by these last remarks of Arab's. 

"How many men are there in the Strip?" asked Arab of the others. 

"On all three divisions of the last round-up there were somethinglike two thousand, " replied Baugh. "And this county adjoins the CattleCountry for sixty miles on the north, " said Arab, still continuinghis musing, "or one third of the Strip. Well, gentlemen, " he went on, waking out of his mental reverie and striking the table with his fist, "if there's that many men in the country below, I'll agree to vote onehalf of them in this county this fall. "

"Hold on a minute, aren't you a trifle high on your estimate?" askedStubb, the conservative, protestingly. 

"Not a man too high. Give them a week's lay-off, with plenty to drinkat this end of the string, and every man will come in for fifty mileseither way. The time we voted the bonds won't be a marker to thiselection. "

"He's not far wrong, " said Baugh to Stubb. "Give the rascals a chancefor a holiday like that, and they will come from the south line of theStrip. "

"That's right, Mr. Seigerman, " said Arab. "They'll come from the westand south to a man, and as far east as the middle of the next county. I tell you they will be a thousand strong and a unit in voting. Watchmy smoke on results!"

"Well, " said Stubb, slowly and deliberately, "I think it's high timewe had Mr. Seigerman's consent to make the race. This counting of ourforces and the sinews of war is good enough in advance; but Imust insist on an answer from Mr. Seigerman. Will you become ourcandidate?"

"Shentlemens, how can I refuse to be one sheriff? The cattle-mens mustbe protec. I accep. "

The trio now arose, and with a round of oaths that would have made thecaptain of a pirate ship green with envy swore Seigerman had takena step he would never regret. After the hearty congratulation on hisacceptance, they reseated themselves, when Louie, in his gratitude, insisted that on pleasant occasions like this he should be permittedto offer some refreshments of a liquid nature. 

"I never like to indulge at a bar, " said Stubb. "The people whom Iwork for are very particular regarding the habits of their trustedmen. "

"It might be permissible on occasions like this to break certainestablished rules, " suggested Baugh, "besides, Mr. Seigerman can bringit in here, where we will be unobserved. "

"Very well, then, " said Stubb, "I waive my objections forsociability's sake. "

When Louie had retired for this purpose, Baugh arose to his fulldignity and six foot three, and said to the other two, bowing, "Youruncle, my dears, will never allow you to come to want. Pin your faithto the old man. Why, we'll wallow in the fat of the land until thegrass comes again, gentle Annie. Gentlemen, if you are gentlemen, which I doubt like hell, salute the victor!" The refreshment wasbrought in, and before the session adjourned, they had lowered thecontents of a black bottle of private stock by several fingers. 

The announcement of the candidacy of Mr. Louis Seigerman in the nextweek's paper (by aid of the accompanying fiver which went with the"copy") encouraged the editor, that others might follow, to write ashort, favorable editorial. The article spoke of Mr. Seigerman as aleading citizen, who would fill the office with credit to himself andthe community. The trio read this short editorial to Louie daily forthe first week. All three were now putting their feet under the tablewith great regularity, and doing justice to the vintage on invitation. The back room became a private office for the central committee offour. They were able political managers. The campaign was beginningto be active, but no adverse reports were allowed to reach thecandidate's ears. He actually had no opposition, so the reports camein to the central committee. 

It was even necessary to send out Arab Ab to points on the railroadto get the sentiments of this and that community, which were alwaysfavorable. Funds for these trips were forced on them by the candidate. The thought of presenting a board bill to such devoted friends neverentered mine host's mind. Thus several months passed. 

The warm sun and green blades of grass suggested springtime. Theboys had played the rôle as long as they cared to. It had served thepurpose that was intended. But they must not hurt the feelings ofSeigerman, or let the cause of their zeal become known to theirbenefactor and candidate for sheriff. One day report came in of somedefection and a rival candidate in the eastern part of the county. Allhands volunteered to go out. Funds were furnished, which the centralcommittee assured their host would be refunded whenever they could getin touch with headquarters, or could see some prominent cowman. 

At the end of a week Mr. Seigerman received a letter. The excusesoffered at the rich man's feast were discounted by pressing orders. One had gone to Texas to receive a herd of cattle, instead of a fewoxen, one had been summoned to Kansas City, one to Ohio. The letterconcluded with the assurance that Mr. Seigerman need have no fear butthat he would be the next sheriff. 

The same night that the letter was received by mine host, this talewas retold at a cow-camp in the Strip by the trio. The hard winter wasover. 

At the county convention in May, Seigerman's name was presented. Oneach of three ballots he received one lone vote. When the news reachedthe boys in the Strip, they dubbed this one vote "Seigerman's PerCent, " meaning the worst of anything, and that expression became abyword on the range, from Brownsville, Texas, to the Milk River inMontana. 

III

"BAD MEDICINE"

The evening before the Cherokee Strip was thrown open for settlement, a number of old timers met in the little town of Hennessey, Oklahoma. 

On the next day the Strip would pass from us and our employers, thecowmen. Some of the boys had spent from five to fifteen years on thisrange. But we realized that we had come to the parting of the ways. 

This was not the first time that the government had taken a hand incattle matters. Some of us in former days had moved cattle at thecommand of negro soldiers, with wintry winds howling an accompaniment. 

The cowman was never a government favorite. If the Indian wards of thenation had a few million acres of idle land, "Let it lie idle, " saidthe guardian. Some of these civilized tribes maintained a fine systemof public schools from the rental of unoccupied lands. Nations, likemen, revive the fable of the dog and the ox. But the guardian wassupreme--the cowman went. This was not unexpected to most of us. Still, this country was a home to us. It mattered little if our nameswere on the pay-roll or not, it clothed and fed us. 

We were seated around a table in the rear of a saloon talking of themorrow. The place was run by a former cowboy. It therefore became arendezvous for the craft. Most of us had made up our minds to quitcattle for good and take claims. 

"Before I take a claim, " said Tom Roll, "I'll go to Minnesota and peonmyself to some Swede farmer for my keep the balance of my life. Makinghay and plowing fire guards the last few years have given me all thetaste of farming that I want. I'm going to Montana in the spring. "

"Why don't you go this winter? Is your underwear too light?" askedAce Gee. "Now, I'm going to make a farewell play, " continued Ace. "I'mgoing to take a claim, and before I file on it, sell my rights, goback to old Van Zandt County, Texas, this winter, rear up my feet, andtell it to them scarey. That's where all my folks live. "

"Well, for a winter's stake, " chimed in Joe Box, "Ace's scheme isall right. We can get five hundred dollars out of a claim for simplystaking it, and we know some good ones. That sized roll ought towinter a man with modest tastes. "

"You didn't know that I just came from Montana, did you, Tom?" askedAce. "I can tell you more about that country than you want toknow. I've been up the trail this year; delivered our cattle on theYellowstone, where the outfit I worked for has a northern range. WhenI remember this summer's work, I sometimes think that I will burnmy saddle and never turn or look a cow in the face again, nor rideanything but a plow mule and that bareback. 

"The people I was working for have a range in Tom Green County, Texas, and another one in Montana. They send their young steers north tomature--good idea, too!--but they are not cowmen like the ones weknow. They made their money in the East in a patent medicine--gotscads of it, too. But that's no argument that they know anythingabout a cow. They have a board of directors--it is one of those cattlecompanies. Looks like they started in the cattle business to givetheir income a healthy outlet from the medicine branch. They operateon similar principles as those soap factory people did here in theStrip a few years ago. About the time they learn the business they gobroke and retire. 

"Our boss this summer was some relation to the wife of some of themedicine people Down East. As they had no use for him back there, theysent him out to the ranch, where he would be useful. 

"We started north with the grass. Had thirty-three hundred head oftwos and threes, with a fair string of saddle stock. They run the samebrand on both ranges--the broken arrow. You never saw a cow-bosshave so much trouble; a married woman wasn't a circumstance to him, fretting and sweating continually. This was his first trip over thetrail, but the boys were a big improvement on the boss, as we had agood outfit of men along. My idea of a good cow-boss is a man thatdoesn't boss any; just hires a first-class outfit of men, and thenthere is no bossing to do. 

"We had to keep well to the west getting out of Texas; kept tothe west of Buffalo Gap. From there to Tepee City is a dry, barrencountry. To get water for a herd the size of ours was some trouble. This new medicine man got badly worried several times. He used hisdraft book freely, buying water for the cattle while crossing thisstretch of desert; the natives all through there considered him thesoftest snap they had met in years. Several times we were withoutwater for the stock two whole days. That makes cattle hard to holdat night. They want to get up and prowl--it makes them feverish, and then's when they are ripe for a stampede. We had several boblescrossing that strip of country; nothing bad, just jump and run a mileor so, and then mill until daylight. Then our boss would get greataction on himself and ride a horse until the animal would giveout--sick, he called it. After the first little run we had, it tookhim half the next day to count them; then he couldn't believe his ownfigures. 

"A Val Verde County lad who counted with him said they were allright--not a hoof shy. But the medicine man's opinion was the reverse. At this the Val Verde boy got on the prod slightly, and expressedhimself, saying, 'Why don't you have two of the other boys count them?You can't come within a hundred of me, or yourself either, for thatmatter. I can pick out two men, and if they differ five head, it'll bea surprise to me. The way the boys have brought the cattle by us, anyman that can't count this herd and not have his own figures differmore than a hundred had better quit riding, get himself some sandals, and a job herding sheep. Let me give you this pointer: if you arenot anxious to have last night's fun over again, you'd better quitcounting and get this herd full of grass and water before night, oryou will be cattle shy as sure as hell's hot. '

"'When I ask you for an opinion, ' answered the foreman, somewhatindignant, 'such remarks will be in order. Until then you may keepyour remarks to yourself. '

"'That will suit me all right, old sport, ' retorted Val Verde; 'andwhen you want any one to help you count your fat cattle, get some ofthe other boys--one that'll let you doubt his count as you have mine, and if he admires you for it, cut my wages in two. '

"After the two had been sparring with each other some little time, another of the boys ventured the advice that it would be easy to countthe animals as they came out of the water; so the order went forwardto let them hit the trail for the first water. We made a fine stream, watering early in the afternoon. As they grazed out from the creek wefed them through between two of the boys. The count showed no cattleshort. In fact, the Val Verde boy's count was confirmed. It was thenthat our medicine man played his cards wrong. He still insistedthat we were cattle out, thus queering himself with his men. He wasgradually getting into a lone minority, though he didn't have senseenough to realize it. He would even fight with and curse his horses toimpress us with his authority. Very little attention was paid to himafter this, and as grass and water improved right along nothing ofinterest happened. 

"While crossing 'No-Man's-Land' a month later, --I was on herd myselfat the time, a bright moonlight night, --they jumped like a cat shotwith No. 8's, and quit the bed-ground instanter. There were three ofus on guard at the time, and before the other boys could get out oftheir blankets and into their saddles the herd had gotten well underheadway. Even when the others came to our assistance, it took ussome time to quiet them down. As this scare came during last guard, daylight was on us before they had quit milling, and we were threemiles from the wagon. As we drifted them back towards camp, for fearthat something might have gotten away, most of the boys scoured thecountry for miles about, but without reward. When all had returnedto camp, had breakfasted, and changed horses, the counting act wasordered by Mr. Medicine. Our foreman naturally felt that he would haveto take a hand in this count, evidently forgetting his last experiencein that line. He was surprised, when he asked one of the boys to helphim, by receiving a flat refusal. 

"'Why won't you count with me?' he demanded. 

"'Because you don't possess common cow sense enough, nor is the crudematerial in you to make a cow-hand. You found fault with the men thelast count we had, and I don't propose to please you by giving you achance to find fault with me. That's why I won't count with you. '

"'Don't you know, sir, that I'm in authority here?' retorted theforeman. 

"'Well, if you are, no one seems to respect your authority, as you'repleased to call it, and I don't know of any reason why I should. Youhave plenty of men here who can count them correctly. I'll count themwith any man in the outfit but yourself. '

"'Our company sent me as their representative with this herd, ' repliedthe foreman, 'while you have the insolence to disregard my orders. I'll discharge you the first moment I can get a man to take yourplace. '

"'Oh, that'll be all right, ' answered the lad, as the foreman rodeaway. He then tackled me, but I acted foolish, 'fessing up that Icouldn't count a hundred. Finally he rode around to a quiet littlefellow, with pox-marks on his face, who always rode on the point, kepthis horses fatter than anybody, rode a San José saddle, and was calledCaliforny. The boss asked him to help him count the herd. 

"'Now look here, boss, ' said Californy, 'I'll pick one of the boys tohelp me, and we'll count the cattle to within a few head. Won't thatsatisfy you?'

"'No, sir, it won't. What's got into you boys?' questioned theforeman. 

"'There's nothing the matter with the boys, but the cattle businesshas gone to the dogs when a valuable herd like this will be trustedto cross a country for two thousand miles in the hands of a man likeyourself. You have men that will pull you through if you'll only letthem, ' said the point-rider, his voice mild and kind as though he werespeaking to a child. 

"'You're just like the rest of them!' roared the boss. 'Want to actcontrary! Now let me say to you that you'll help me to count thesecattle or I'll discharge, unhorse, and leave you afoot here in thiscountry! I'll make an example of you as a warning to others. '

"'It's strange that I should be signaled out as an object of yourwrath and displeasure, ' said Californy. 'Besides, if I were you, Iwouldn't make any examples as you were thinking of doing. When youtalk of making an example of me as a warning to others, ' said thepox-marked lad, as he reached over, taking the reins of the foreman'shorse firmly in his hand, 'you're a simpering idiot for entertainingthe idea, and a cowardly bluffer for mentioning it. When you talk ofunhorsing and leaving me here afoot in a country a thousand miles fromnowhere, you don't know what that means, but there's no danger of yourdoing it. I feel easy on that point. But I'm sorry to see you makesuch a fool of yourself. Now, you may think for a moment that I'mafraid of that ivory-handled gun you wear, but I'm not. Men wear themon the range, not so much to emphasize their demands with, as youmight think. If it were me, I'd throw it in the wagon; it may get youinto trouble. One thing certain, if you ever so much as lay your handon it, when you are making threats as you have done to-day, I'll builda fire in your face that you can read the San Francisco "Examiner"by at midnight. You'll have to revise your ideas a trifle; in fact, change your tactics. You're off your reservation bigger than a wolf, when you try to run things by force. There's lots better ways. Don'ttry and make talk stick for actions, nor use any prelude to the realplay you wish to make. Unroll your little game with the real thing. You can't throw alkaline dust in my eyes and tell me it's snowing. I'm sorry to have to tell you all this, though I have noticed that youneeded it for a long time. '

"As he released his grip on the bridle reins, he continued, 'Now rideback to the wagon, throw off that gun, tell some of the boys to takea man and count these cattle, and it will be done better than if youhelped. '

"'Must I continue to listen to these insults on every hand?' hissedthe medicine man, livid with rage. 

"'First remove the cause before you apply the remedy; that's in yourline, ' answered Californy. 'Besides, what are you going to do aboutit? You don't seem to be gifted with enough cow-sense to even use amodified amount of policy in your every-day affairs, ' said he, as herode away to avoid hearing his answer. 

"Several of us, who were near enough to hear this dressing-down of theboss at Californy's hands, rode up to offer our congratulations, whenwe noticed that old Bad Medicine had gotten a stand on one of the boyscalled 'Pink. ' After leaving him, he continued his ride towards thewagon. Pink soon joined us, a broad smile playing over his homelyflorid countenance. 

"'Some of you boys must have given him a heavy dose for so earlyin the morning, ' said Pink, 'for he ordered me to have the cattlecounted, and report to him at the wagon. Acted like he didn't aim todo the trick himself. Now, as I'm foreman, ' continued Pink, 'I wantyou two point-men to go up to the first little rise of ground, andwe'll put the cattle through between you. I want a close count, understand. You're working under a boss now that will shove youthrough hell itself. So if you miss them over a hundred, I'll speak tothe management, and see if I can't have your wages raised, or have youmade a foreman or something with big wages and nothing to do. '

"The point-men smiled at Pink's orders, and one asked, 'Are you readynow?'

"'All set, ' responded Pink. 'Let the fiddlers cut loose. '

"Well, we lined them up and got them strung out in shape to count, and our point-men picking out a favorite rise, we lined them throughbetween our counters. We fed them through, and as regularly as a watchyou could hear Californy call out to his pardner 'tally!' Alternatelythey would sing out this check on the even hundred head, slipping aknot on their tally string to keep the hundreds. It took a full halfhour to put them through, and when the rear guard of crips and dogiespassed this impromptu review, we all waited patiently for the verdict. Our counters rode together, and Californy, leaning over on the pommelof his saddle, said to his pardner, 'What you got?'

"'Thirty-three six, ' was the answer. 

"'Why, you can't count a little bit, ' said Californy. 'I gotthirty-three seven. How does the count suit you, boss?'

"'Easy suited, gents, ' said Pink. 'But I'm surprised to find such goodmen with a common cow herd. I must try and have you appointed bythe government on this commission that's to investigate Texas fever. You're altogether too accomplished for such a common calling as claimsyou at present. '

"Turning to the rest of us, he said, 'Throw your cattle on the trail, you vulgar peons, while I ride back to order forward my wagon andsaddle stock. By rights, I ought to have one of those centre firecigars to smoke, to set off my authority properly on this occasion. '

"He jogged back to the wagon and satisfied the dethroned medicine manthat the cattle were there to a hoof. We soon saw the saddle horsesfollowing, and an hour afterward Pink and the foreman rode by us, bigas fat cattle-buyers from Kansas City, not even knowing any one, soabsorbed in their conversation were they; rode on by and up the trail, looking out for grass and water. 

"It was over two weeks afterward when Pink said to us, 'When we strikethe Santa Fé Railway, I may advise my man to take a needed rest for afew weeks in some of the mountain resorts. I hope you all noticed howworried he looks, and, to my judgment, he seems to be losing flesh. I don't like to suggest anything, but the day before we reach therailroad, I think a day's curlew shooting in the sand hills along theArkansas River might please his highness. In case he'll go with me, ifI don't lose him, I'll never come back to this herd. It won't hurt himany to sleep out one night with the dry cattle. '

"Sure enough, the day before we crossed that road, somewhere nearthe Colorado state line, Pink and Bad Medicine left camp early inthe morning for a curlew hunt in the sand hills. Fortunately it wasa foggy morning, and within half an hour the two were out of sightof camp and herd. As Pink had outlined the plans, everything wasunderstood. We were encamped on a nice stream, and instead of trailingalong with the herd, lay over for that day. Night came and our huntersfailed to return, and the next morning we trailed forward towards theArkansas River. Just as we went into camp at noon, two horsemen loomedup in sight coming down the trail from above. Every rascal of us knewwho they were, and when the two rode up, Pink grew very angry anddemanded to know why we had failed to reach the river the day before. 

"The horse wrangler, a fellow named Joe George, had been properlycoached, and stepping forward, volunteered this excuse: 'You alldidn't know it when you left camp yesterday morning that we were outthe wagon team and nearly half the saddle horses. Well, we were. Andwhat's more, less than a mile below on the creek was an abandonedIndian camp. I wasn't going to be left behind with the cook to lookfor the missing stock, and told the _segundo_ so. We divided intosquads of three or four men each and went out and looked up thehorses, but it was after six o'clock before we trailed them down andgot the missing animals. If anybody thinks I'm going to stay behindto look for missing stock in a country full of lurking Indians--well, they simply don't know me. '

"The scheme worked all right. On reaching the railroad the nextmorning, Bad Medicine authorized Pink to take the herd to Ogalallaon the Platte, while he took a train for Denver. Around the camp-firethat night, Pink gave us his experience in losing Mr. Medicine. 'Oh, I lost him late enough in the day so he couldn't reach any shelter forthe night, ' said Pink. 'At noon, when the sun was straight overhead, Isounded him as to directions and found that he didn't know straightup or east from west. After giving him the slip, I kept an eye on himamong the sand hills, at the distance of a mile or so, until he gaveup and unsaddled at dusk. The next morning when I overtook him, I pretended to be trailing him up, and I threw enough joy into myrapture over finding him, that he never doubted my sincerity. '

"On reaching Ogalalla, a man from Montana put in an appearance incompany with poor old Medicine, and as they did business strictly withPink, we were left out of the grave and owly council of medicine men. Well, the upshot of the whole matter was that Pink was put in chargeof the herd, and a better foreman I never worked under. We reached thecompany's Yellowstone range early in the fall, counted over and badeour dogies good-by, and rode into headquarters. That night I talkedwith the regular men on the ranch, and it was there that I found outthat a first-class cowhand could get in four months' haying in thesummer and the same feeding it out in the winter. But don't you forgetit, she's a cow country all right. I always was such a poor hand afootthat I passed up that country, and here I am a 'boomer. '"

"Well, boom if you want, " said Tom Roll, "but do you all rememberwhat the governor of North Carolina said to the governor of SouthCarolina?"

"It is quite a long time between drinks, " remarked Joe, rising, "but Ididn't want to interrupt Ace. "

As we lined up at the bar, Ace held up a glass two thirds full, andlooking at it in a meditative mood, remarked: "Isn't it funny howlittle of this stuff it takes to make a fellow feel rich! Why, fourbits' worth under his belt, and the President of the United Statescan't hire him. "

As we strolled out into the street, Joe inquired, "Ace, where will Isee you after supper?"

"You will see me, not only after supper, but all during supper, sitting right beside you. "

IV

A WINTER ROUND-UP

An hour before daybreak one Christmas morning in the Cherokee Strip, six hundred horses were under saddle awaiting the dawn. It was aclear, frosty morning that bespoke an equally clear day for the wolf_rodeo_. Every cow-camp within striking distance of the Walnut Grove, on the Salt Fork of the Cimarron, was a scene of activity, taxing tothe utmost its hospitality to man and horse. There had been a heartyresponse to the invitation to attend the circle drive-hunt of thiswell-known shelter of several bands of gray wolves. The cowmen hadsuffered so severely in time past from this enemy of cattle that theCherokee Strip Cattle Association had that year offered a bounty oftwenty dollars for wolf scalps. 

The lay of the land was extremely favorable. The Walnut Grove wasa thickety covert on the north first bottom of the Cimarron, andpossibly two miles wide by three long. Across the river, and extendingseveral miles above and below this grove, was the salt plain--analkali desert which no wild animal, ruminant or carnivorous, wouldattempt to cross, instinct having warned it of its danger. At thetermination of the grove proper, down the river or to the eastward, was a sand dune bottom of several miles, covered by wild plum brush, terminating in a perfect horseshoe a thousand acres in extent, theentrance of which was about a mile wide. After passing the grove, thisplum-brush country could be covered by men on horseback, thoughthe chaparral undergrowth of the grove made the use of horsesimpracticable. The Cimarron River, which surrounds this horseshoe onall sides but the entrance, was probably two hundred yards wide atan average winter stage, deep enough to swim a horse, and cold androlling. 

Across the river, opposite this horseshoe, was a cut-bank twenty feethigh in places, with only an occasional cattle trail leading down tothe water. This cut-bank formed the second bottom on that side, andthe alkaline plain--the first bottom--ended a mile or more up theriver. It was an ideal situation for a drive-hunt, and legend, corroborated by evidences, said that the Cherokees, when they usedthis outlet as a hunting-ground after their enforced emigration fromGeorgia, had held numerous circle hunts over the same ground afterbuffalo, deer, and elk. 

The rendezvous was to be at ten o'clock on Encampment Butte, a plateauoverlooking the entire hunting-field and visible for miles. An hourbefore the appointed time the clans began to gather. All the campswithin twenty-five miles, and which were entertaining participantsof the hunt, put in a prompt appearance. Word was received early thatmorning that a contingent from the Eagle Chief would be there, andbegged that the start be delayed till their arrival. A number of oldcowmen were present, and to them was delegated the duty of appointingthe officers of the day. Bill Miller, a foreman on the Coldwater Pool, an adjoining range, was appointed as first captain. There were alsoseveral captains over divisions, and an acting captain placed overevery ten men, who would be held accountable for any disorder allowedalong the line under his special charge. 

The question of forbidding the promiscuous carrying of firearms metwith decided opposition. There was an element of danger, it was true, but to deprive any of the boys of arms on what promised an excitingday's sport was contrary to their creed and occupation; besides, theirjudicious use would be an essential and valuable assistance. To denyone the right and permit another, would have been to divide theirforces against a common enemy; so in the interests of harmony it wasfinally concluded to assign an acting captain over every ten men. "I'll be perfectly responsible for any of my men, " said Reese, ared-headed Welsh cowman from over on Black Bear. "Let's just turn ourwild selves loose, and those wolves won't stand any more show than acoon in a bear dance. "

"It would be fine satisfaction to be shot by a responsible man likeyou or any of your outfit, " replied Hollycott, superintendent of the"LX. " "I hope another Christmas Day to help eat a plum pudding on thebanks of the Dee, and I don't want to be carrying any of your straylead in my carcass either. Did you hear me?"

"Yes; we're going to have egg-nog at our camp to-night. Come down. "

The boys were being told off in squads of ten, when a suppressed shoutof welcome arose, as a cavalcade of horsemen was sighted coming overthe divide several miles distant. Before the men were allotted andtheir captains appointed, the last expected squad had arrived, theirhorses frosty and sweaty. They were all well known west end Strippers, numbering fifty-four men and having ridden from the Eagle Chief, thirty-five miles, starting two hours before daybreak. 

With the arrival of this detachment, Miller gave his orders for theday. Tom Cave was given two hundred men and sent to the upper endof the grove, where they were to dismount, form in a half circleskirmish-line covering the width of the thicket, and commence thedrive down the river. Their saddle horses were to be cut into twobunches and driven down on either side of the grove, and to be inreadiness for the men when they emerged from the chaparral, four ofthe oldest men being detailed as horse wranglers. Reese was sent witha hundred and fifty men to left flank the grove, deploying his men asfar back as the second bottom, and close his line as the drive movedforward. Billy Edwards was sent with twenty picked men down the riverfive miles to the old beef ford at the ripples. His instructions wereto cross and scatter his men from the ending of the salt plain to thehorseshoe, and to concentrate them around it at the termination of thedrive. He was allowed the best ropers and a number of shotguns, tobe stationed at the cattle trails leading down to the water at theriver's bend. The remainder, about two hundred and fifty men underLynch, formed a long scattering line from the left entrance of thehorseshoe, extending back until it met the advancing line of Reese'spickets. 

With the river on one side and this cordon of foot and horsemen on theother, it seemed that nothing could possibly escape. The location ofthe quarry was almost assured. This chaparral had been the breedingrefuge of wolves ever since the Cimarron was a cattle country. Every rider on that range for the past ten years knew it to be therendezvous of El Lobo, while the ravages of his nightly raids were inevidence for forty miles in every direction. It was a common sight, early in the morning during the winter months, to see twenty andupward in a band, leisurely returning to their retreat, logy andinsolent after a night's raid. To make doubly sure that they would beat home to callers, the promoters of this drive gathered a number ofworthless lump-jawed cattle two days in advance, and driving them tothe edge of the grove, shot one occasionally along its borders, thus, to be hoped, spreading the last feast of the wolves. 

 * * * * *

By half past ten, Encampment Butte was deserted with the exception ofa few old cowmen, two ladies, wife and sister of a popular cowman, andthe captain, who from this point of vantage surveyed the field witha glass. Usually a languid and indifferent man, Miller had so set hisheart on making this drive a success that this morning he appearedalert and aggressive as he rode forward and back across the plateau ofthe Butte. The dull, heavy reports of several shotguns caused him towheel his horse and cover the beef ford with his glass, and a momentlater Edwards and his squad were seen with the naked eye to scale thebank and strike up the river at a gallop. It was known that the fordwas saddle-skirt deep, and some few of the men were strangers to it;but with that passed safely he felt easier, though his blood coursedquicker. It lacked but a few minutes to eleven, and Cave and hisdetachment of beaters were due to move on the stroke of the hour. Theyhad been given one hundred rounds of six-shooter ammunition to theman and were expected to use it. Edwards and his cavalcade wereapproaching the horseshoe, the cordon seemed perfect, thoughscattering, when the first faint sound of the beaters was heard, andthe next moment the barking of two hundred six-shooters was reëchoingup and down the valley of the Salt Fork. 

The drive-hunt was on; the long yell passed from the upper end ofthe grove to the mouth of the horseshoe and back, punctuated with anoccasional shot by irrepressibles. The mounts of the day were the pickof over five thousand cow-horses, and corn-fed for winter use, inthe pink of condition and as impatient for the coming fray as theirriders. 

Everything was moving like clockwork. Miller forsook the Butte androde to the upper end of the grove; the beaters were making slow butsteady progress, while the saddled loose horses would be at hand fortheir riders without any loss of time. Before the beaters were onethird over the ground, a buck and doe came out about halfway down thegrove, sighted the horsemen, and turned back for shelter. Once morethe long yell went down the line. Game had been sighted. When aboutone half the grove had been beat, a flock of wild turkeys came out atthe lower end, and taking flight, sailed over the line. Pandemoniumbroke out. Good resolutions of an hour's existence were converted intopaving material in the excitement of the moment, as every carbine orsix-shooter in or out of range rained its leaden hail at the flyingcovey. One fine bird was accidentally winged, and half a dozen menbroke from the line to run it down, one of whom was Reese himself. The line was not dangerously broken nor did harm result, and on theirreturn Miller was present and addressed this query to Reese: "Who isthe captain of this flank line?"

"He'll weigh twenty pounds, " said Reese, ignoring the question andholding the gobbler up for inspection. 

"If you were a vealy tow-headed kid, I'd have something to say to you, but you're old enough to be my father, and that silences me. Buttry and remember that this is a wolf hunt, and that there are enoughwolves in that brush this minute to kill ten thousand dollars' worthof cattle this winter and spring, and some of them will be your own. That turkey might eat a few grasshoppers, but you're cowman enough toknow that a wolf just loves to kill a cow while she's calving. "

This lecture was interrupted by a long cheer coming up the line frombelow, and Miller galloped away to ascertain its cause. He met Lynchcoming up, who reported that several wolves had been sighted, while atthe lower end of the line some of the boys had been trying their gunsup and down the river to see how far they would carry. What caused therecent shouting was only a few fool cowboys spurting their horsesin short races. He further expressed the opinion that the line wouldhold, and at the close with the cordon thickened, everything would beforced into the pocket. Miller rode back down the line with himuntil he met a man from his own camp, and the two changing horses, hehurried back to oversee personally the mounting of the beaters whenthe grove had been passed. 

Reese, after the captain's reproof, turned his trophy over to someof the men, and was bringing his line down and closing up with theforward movement of the drive. On Miller's return, no fault could befound, as the line was condensed to about a mile in length, while thebeaters on the points were just beginning to emerge from the chaparraland anxious for their horses. Once clear of the grove, the beatershalted, maintaining their line, while from either end the horsewranglers were distributing to them their mounts. Again secure intheir saddles, the long yell circled through the plum thickets andreëchoed down the line, and the drive moved forward at a quickerpace. "If you have any doubts about hell, " said Cave to Miller, as thelatter rode by, "just take a little _pasear_ through that thicket onceand you'll come out a defender of the faith. "

The buck and doe came out within sight of the line once more, lowerdown opposite the sand dunes, and again turned back, and a half hourlater all ears were strained listening to the rapid shooting from thefarther bank of the river. Rebuffed in their several attempts to forcethe line, they had taken to the water and were swimming the river. From several sand dunes their landing on the opposite bank near theending of the salt plain could be distinctly seen. As they came outof the river, half a dozen six-shooters were paying them a salute inlead; but the excitability of the horses made aim uncertain, and theyrounded the cut-bank at the upper end and escaped. 

While the deer were making their escape, a band of antelope weresighted sunning themselves amongst the sand dunes a mile below;attracted by the shooting, they were standing at attention. Now whenan antelope scents danger, he has an unreasonable and unexplainabledesire to reach high ground, where he can observe and be observed--ata distance. Once this conclusion has been reached, he allows nothingto stop him, not even recently built wire fences or man himself, andlike the cat despises water except for drinking purposes. So whenthis band of antelope decided to adjourn their _siesta_ from the warm, sunny slope of a sand dune, they made an effort and did break thecordon, but not without a protest. 

As they came out of the sand dunes, heading straight for the line, all semblance of control was lost in the men. Nothing daunted by theyelling that greeted the antelope, once they came within range fiftymen were shooting at them without bringing one to grass. With gunsempty they loosened their ropes and met them. A dozen men made casts, and Juan Mesa, a Mexican from the Eagle Chief, lassoed a fine buck, while "Pard" Sevenoaks, from the J+H, fastened to the smallest onein the band. He was so disgusted with his catch that he dismounted, ear-marked the kid, and let it go. Mesa had made his cast with solarge a loop that one fore leg of the antelope had gone through, andit was struggling so desperately that he was compelled to tie the ropein a hard knot to the pommel of his saddle. His horse was a wheeler onthe rope, so Juan dismounted to pet his buck. While he held on to therope assisting his horse, an Eagle Chief man slipped up and cut therope through the knot, and the next moment a Mexican was burning thegrass, calling on saints and others to come and help him turn theantelope loose. When the rope had burned its way through his glovedhands, he looked at them in astonishment, saying, "That was one bravobuck. How come thees rope untie?" But there was none to explain, and an antelope was dragging thirty-five feet of rope in a franticendeavor to overtake his band. 

The line had been closing gradually until at this juncture it hadbeen condensed to about five miles, or a horseman to every fifty feet. Wolves had been sighted numerous times running from covert to covert, but few had shown themselves to the flank line, being contented withsuch shelter as the scraggy plum brush afforded. Whenever the beaterswould rout or sight a wolf, the yelling would continue up and down theline for several minutes. Cave and his well-formed circle of beaterswere making good time; Reese on the left flank was closing andmoving forward, while the line under Lynch was as impatient as it washilarious. Miller made the circle every half hour or so; and had onlyto mention it to pick any horse he wanted from the entire line for achange. 

By one o'clock the drive had closed to the entrance of the pocket, and within a mile and a half of the termination. There was yet enoughcover to hide the quarry, though the extreme point of this horseshoewas a sand bar with no shelter except driftwood trees. Edwards andhis squad were at their post across the river, in plain view of theadvancing line. Suddenly they were seen to dismount and lie down onthe brink of the cut-bank. A few minutes later chaos broke out alongthe line, when a band of possibly twenty wolves left their cover andappeared on the sand bar. A few rifle shots rang out from the oppositebank, when they skurried back to cover. 

Shooting was now becoming dangerous. In the line was a horseman everyten or twelve feet. All the captains rode up and down begging themen to cease shooting entirely. This only had a temporary effect, for shortly the last bit of cover was passed, and there within fourhundred yards on the bar was a snarling, snapping band of gray wolves. 

The line was halted. The unlooked-for question now arose how to makethe kill safe and effective. It would be impossible to shoot from theopposite bank without endangering the line of men and horses. Finallya small number of rifles were advanced on the extreme left flank towithin two hundred yards of the quarry, where they opened fire atan angle from the watchers on the opposite bank. They proved poormarksmen, overshooting, and only succeeded in wounding a few andforcing several to take to the water, so that it became necessary torecall the men to the line. 

These men were now ordered to dismount and lie down, as the oppositeside would take a hand when the swimming wolves came within range ofshotguns and carbines, to say nothing of six-shooters. The currentcarried the swimming ones down the river, but every man was inreadiness to give them a welcome. The fusillade which greeted them waslike a skirmish-line in action, but the most effective execution waswith buckshot as they came staggering and water-soaked out of thewater. Before the shooting across the river had ceased, a yell ofalarm surged through the line, and the next moment every man wasclimbing into his saddle and bringing his arms into position foraction. No earthly power could have controlled the men, for coming atthe line less than two hundred yards distant was the corralled band ofwolves under the leadership of a monster dog wolf, evidently a leaderof some band, and every gun within range opened on them. By the timethey had lessened the intervening distance by one half, theentire band deserted their leader and retreated, but unmindful ofconsequences he rushed forward at the line. Every gun was belchingfire and lead at him, while tufts of fur floating in the air told thatseveral shots were effective. Wounded he met the horsemen, strikingright and left in splendid savage ferocity. The horses snorted andshrank from him, and several suffered from his ugly thrusts. Anoccasional effective shot was placed, but every time he forced his waythrough the cordon he was confronted by a second line. A successfulcast of a rope finally checked his course; and as the roper wheeledhis mount to drag him to death, he made his last final rush at thehorse, and, springing at the flank, fastened his fangs into a stirrupfender, when a well-directed shot by the roper silenced him safely atlast. 

During the excitement, there were enough cool heads to maintain theline, so that none escaped. The supreme question now was to make thekill with safety, and the line was ransacked for volunteers who couldshoot a rifle with some little accuracy. About a dozen were secured, who again advanced on the extreme right flank to within a hundred andfifty yards, and dismounting, flattened themselves out and opened onthe skurrying wolves. It was afterward attributed to the glaring ofthe sun on the white sand, which made their marksmanship so shamefullypoor, but results were very unsatisfactory. They were recalled, andit was decided to send in four shotguns and try the effect of buckshotfrom horseback. This move was disastrous, though final. 

They were ordinary double-barreled shotguns, and reloading was slowin an emergency. Many of the wolves were wounded and had sought suchcover as the driftwood afforded. The experiment had barely begun, whena wounded wolf sprang out from behind an old root, and fastened uponthe neck of one of the horses before the rider could defend himself, and the next moment horse and rider were floundering on the ground. Toa man, the line broke to the rescue, while the horses of the two ladyspectators were carried into the męlée in the excitement. The dogs ofwar were loosed. Hell popped. The smoke of six hundred guns arosein clouds. There were wolves swimming the river and wolves trottingaround amongst the horses, wounded and bewildered. Ropes swishedthrough the smoke, tying wounded wolves to be dragged to death ortrampled under hoof. Men dismounted and clubbed them with shotguns andcarbines, --anything to administer death. Horses were powder-burnt andcried with fear, or neighed exultingly. There was an old man or twowho had sense enough to secure the horses of the ladies and lead themout of immediate danger. Several wolves made their escape, and squadsof horsemen were burying cruel rowels in heaving flanks in an endeavorto overtake and either rope or shoot the fleeing animals. 

Disordered things as well as ordered ones have an end, and when sanityreturned to the mob an inventory was taken of the drive-hunt. Byactual count, the lifeless carcases of twenty-six wolves graced thesand bar, with several precincts to hear from. The promoters of thehunt thanked the men for their assistance, assuring them that thebounty money would be used to perfect arrangements, so that in otheryears a banquet would crown future hunts. Before the hunt dispersed, Edwards and his squad returned to the brink of the cut-bank, and whenhailed as to results, he replied, "Why, we only got seven, but theyare all _muy docil_. We're going to peel them and will meet you at theford. "

"Who gets the turkey?" some one asked. 

"The question is out of order, " replied Reese. "The property is notpresent, because I sent him home by my cook an hour ago. If any of youhave any interest in that gobbler, I'll invite you to go home withme and help to eat him, for my camp is the only one in the Strip thatwill have turkey and egg-nog to-night. "

V

A COLLEGE VAGABOND

The ease and apparent willingness with which some men revert to anaimless life can best be accounted for by the savage or barbarianinstincts of our natures. The West has produced many types of thevagabond, --it might be excusable to say, won them from every conditionof society. From the cultured East, with all the advantages whichwealth and educational facilities can give to her sons, they flocked;from the South, with her pride of ancestry, they came; even theBritish Isles contributed their quota. There was something in theprimitive West of a generation or more ago which satisfied them. Nowhere else could it be found, and once they adapted themselves toexisting conditions, they were loath to return to former associations. 

About the middle of the fifties, there graduated from one of ourEastern colleges a young man of wealthy and distinguished family. Hiscollege record was good, but close application to study during thelast year had told on his general health. His ambition, coupled with alaudable desire to succeed, had buoyed up his strength until the finalgraduation day had passed. 

Alexander Wells had the advantage of a good physical constitution. During the first year at college his reputation as an athlete had beenfirmly established by many a hard fought contest in the college games. The last two years he had not taken an active part in them, as hisstudies had required his complete attention. On his return home, itwas thought by parents and sisters that rest and recreation would soonrestore the health of this overworked young graduate, who was nowtwo years past his majority. Two months of rest, however, failed toproduce any improvement, but the family physician would not admit thatthere was immediate danger, and declared the trouble simply the resultof overstudy, advising travel. This advice was very satisfactoryto the young man, for he had a longing to see other sections of thecountry. 

The elder Wells some years previously had become interested in westernand southern real estate, and among other investments which he hadmade was the purchase of an old Spanish land grant on a stream calledthe Salado, west of San Antonio, Texas. These land grants were madeby the crown of Spain to favorite subjects. They were known by name, which they always retained when changing ownership. Some of thesetracts were princely domains, and were bartered about as thoughworthless, often changing owners at the card-table. 

So when travel was suggested to Wells, junior, he expressed a desireto visit this family possession, and possibly spend a winter in itswarm climate. This decision was more easily reached from the factthat there was an abundance of game on the land, and being a devotedsportsman, his own consent was secured in advance. No other reasonexcept that of health would ever have gained the consent of hismother to a six months' absence. But within a week after reaching thedecision, the young man had left New York and was on his way to Texas. His route, both by water and rail, brought him only within eightymiles of his destination, and the rest of the distance he was obligedto travel by stage. 

San Antonio at this time was a frontier village, with a mixedpopulation, the Mexican being the most prominent inhabitant. There wasmuch to be seen which was new and attractive to the young Easterner, and he tarried in it several days, enjoying its novel and picturesquelife. The arrival and departure of the various stage lines for theaccommodation of travelers like himself was of more than passinginterest. They rattled in from Austin and Laredo. They were sometimeslate from El Paso, six hundred miles to the westward. Probably a brushwith the Indians, or the more to be dreaded Mexican bandits (forthese stages carried treasure--gold and silver, the currency of thecountry), was the cause of the delay. Frequently they carried guards, whose presence was generally sufficient to command the respect of theaverage robber. 

Then there were the freight trains, the motive power of which wasmules and oxen. It was necessary to carry forward supplies and bringback the crude products of the country. The Chihuahua wagon was drawnsometimes by twelve, sometimes by twenty mules, four abreast inthe swing, the leaders and wheelers being single teams. For mutualprotection trains were made up of from ten to twenty wagons. Driversfrequently meeting a chance acquaintance going in an oppositedirection would ask, "What is your cargo?" and the answer would befrankly given, "Specie. " Many a Chihuahua wagon carried three or fourtons of gold and silver, generally the latter. Here was a new bookfor this college lad, one he had never studied, though it wasmore interesting to him than some he had read. There was somethingthrilling in all this new life. He liked it. The romance was real; itwas not an imitation. People answered his few questions and asked nonein return. 

In this frontier village at a late hour one night young Wellsoverheard this conversation: "Hello, Bill, " said the case-keeper ina faro game, as he turned his head halfway round to see who was theowner of the monster hand which had just reached over his shoulder andplaced a stack of silver dollars on a card, marking it to win, "I'vemissed you the last few days. Where have you been so long?"

"Oh, I've just been out to El Paso on a little pasear guarding thestage, " was the reply. Now the little pasear was a continuous nightand day round-trip of twelve hundred miles. Bill had slept and eatenas he could. When mounted, he scouted every possible point of ambushfor lurking Indian or bandit. Crossing open stretches of country, heclimbed up on the stage and slept. Now having returned, he was anxiousto get his wages into circulation. Here were characters worthy of apassing glance. 

Interesting as this frontier life was to the young man, he preparedfor his final destination. He had no trouble in locating his father'sproperty, for it was less than twenty miles from San Antonio. Securingan American who spoke Spanish, the two set out on horseback. Therewere several small ranchitos on the tract, where five or six Mexicanfamilies lived. Each family had a field and raised corn for bread. Aflock of goats furnished them milk and meat. The same class of peoplein older States were called squatters, making no claim to ownershipof the land. They needed little clothing, the climate being in theirfavor. 

The men worked at times. The pecan crop which grew along the creekbottoms was beginning to have a value in the coast towns for shipmentto northern markets, and this furnished them revenue for their simpleneeds. All kinds of game was in abundance, including waterfowl inwinter, though winter here was only such in name. These simple peoplegave a welcome to the New Yorker which appeared sincere. They offeredno apology for their presence on this land, nor was such in order, forit was the custom of the country. They merely referred to themselvesas "his people, " as though belonging to the land. 

When they learned that he was the son of the owner of the grant, andthat he wanted to spend a few months hunting and looking about, they considered themselves honored. The best jacal in the group wastendered him and his interpreter. The food offered was something new, but the relish with which his companion partook of it assisted youngWells in overcoming his scruples, and he ate a supper of dishes he hadnever tasted before. The coffee he declared was delicious. 

On the advice of his companion they had brought along blankets. Thewomen of the ranchito brought other bedding, and a comfortable bedsoon awaited the Americanos. The owner of the jacal in the mean timeinformed his guest through the interpreter that he had sent to anear-by ranchito for a man who had at least the local reputation ofbeing quite a hunter. During the interim, while awaiting the arrivalof the man, he plied his guest with many questions regarding theoutside world, of which his ideas were very simple, vague, andextremely provincial. His conception of distance was what he couldride in a given number of days on a good pony. His ideas of wealthwere no improvement over those of his Indian ancestors of a centuryprevious. In architecture, the jacal in which they sat satisfied hisideals. 

The footsteps of a horse interrupted their conversation. A few momentslater, Tiburcio, the hunter, was introduced to the two Americans witha profusion of politeness. There was nothing above the ordinary inthe old hunter, except his hair, eyes, and swarthy complexion, whichindicated his Aztec ancestry. It might be in perfect order to remarkhere that young Wells was perfectly composed, almost indifferent tothe company and surroundings. He shook hands with Tiburcio in a manneras dignified, yet agreeable, as though he was the governor of hisnative State or the minister of some prominent church at home. Fromthis juncture, he at once took the lead in the conversation, and keptup a line of questions, the answers to which were very gratifying. He learned that deer were very plentiful everywhere, and that on thisvery tract of land were several wild turkey roosts, where it wasno trouble to bag any number desired. On the prairie portion of thesurrounding country could be found large droves of antelope. Duringdrouthy periods they were known to come twenty miles to quench theirthirst in the Salado, which was the main watercourse of this grant. Once Tiburcio assured his young patron that he had frequently counteda thousand antelope during a single morning. Then there was also thejaveline or peccary which abounded in endless numbers, but it wasnecessary to hunt them with dogs, as they kept the thickets and cameout in the open only at night. Many a native cur met his end huntingthese animals, cut to pieces with their tusks, so that packs, trainedfor the purpose, were used to bay them until the hunter could arriveand dispatch them with a rifle. Even this was always done fromhorseback, as it was dangerous to approach the javeline, for theywould, when aroused, charge anything. 

All this was gratifying to young Wells, and like a congenial fellow, he produced and showed the old hunter a new gun, the very latest modelin the market, explaining its good qualities through his interpreter. Tiburcio handled it as if it were a rare bit of millinery, but managedto ask its price and a few other questions. Through his companion, Wells then engaged the old hunter's services for the following day;not that he expected to hunt, but he wanted to acquaint himself withthe boundaries of the land and to become familiar with the surroundingcountry. Naming an hour for starting in the morning, the two men shookhands and bade each other good-night, each using his own language toexpress the parting, though neither one knew a word the other said. The first link in a friendship not soon to be broken had been forged. 

Tiburcio was on hand at the appointed hour in the morning, and beingjoined by the two Americans they rode off up the stream. It wasOctober, and the pecans, they noticed, were already falling, asthey passed through splendid groves of this timber, several timesdismounting to fill their pockets with nuts. Tiburcio frequentlycalled attention to fresh deer tracks near the creek bottom, andshortly afterward the first game of the day was sighted. Five or sixdoes and grown fawns broke cover and ran a short distance, stopped, looked at the horsemen, and then capered away. 

Riding to the highest ground in the vicinity, they obtained a splendidview of the stream, outlined by the foliage of the pecan groves thatlined its banks as far as the eye could follow either way. Tiburciopointed out one particular grove lying three or four miles farther upthe creek. Here he said was a cabin which had been built by a whiteman who had left it several years ago, and which he had often used asa hunting camp in bad weather. Feeling his way cautiously, Wells askedthe old hunter if he were sure that this cabin was on and belonged tothe grant. Being assured on both points, he then inquired if there wasanything to hinder him from occupying the hut for a few months. On thefurther assurance that there was no man to dispute his right, he beganplying his companions with questions. The interpreter told him that itwas a very common and simple thing for men to batch, enumerating thefew articles he would need for this purpose. 

They soon reached the cabin, which proved to be an improvement overthe ordinary jacal of the country, as it had a fireplace and chimney. It was built of logs; the crevices were chinked with clay for mortar, its floor being of the same substance. The only Mexican feature itpossessed was the thatched roof. While the Americans were examining itand its surroundings, Tiburcio unsaddled the horses, picketing one andhobbling the other two, kindled a fire, and prepared a lunch from somearticles he had brought along. The meal, consisting of coffee, chippedvenison, and a thin wafer bread made from corn and reheated overcoals, was disposed of with relish. The two Americans sauntered aroundfor some distance, and on their return to the cabin found Tiburcioenjoying his siesta under a near-by pecan tree. 

Their horses refreshed and rested, they resaddled, crossing thestream, intending to return to the ranchito by evening. After leavingthe bottoms of the creek, Tiburcio showed the young man a trail madeby the javeline, and he was surprised to learn that an animal with sosmall a foot was a dangerous antagonist, on account of its gregariousnature. Proceeding they came to several open prairies, in one ofwhich they saw a herd of antelope, numbering forty to fifty, makinga beautiful sight as they took fright and ran away. Young Wellsafterward learned that distance lent them charms and was the greatestfactor in their beauty. As they rode from one vantage-point to anotherfor the purpose of sight-seeing, the afternoon passed rapidly. 

Later, through the interpreter he inquired of Tiburcio if his servicescould be secured as guide, cook, and companion for the winter, sincehe had fully made up his mind to occupy the cabin. Tiburcio wasoverjoyed at the proposition, as it was congenial to his tastes, besides carrying a compensation. Definite arrangements were nowmade with him, and he was requested to be on hand in the morning. Onreaching the ranchito, young Wells's decision was announced to theirhost of the night previous, much to the latter's satisfaction. Duringthe evening the two Americans planned to return to the village in themorning for the needed supplies. Tiburcio was on hand at the appointedtime, and here unconsciously the young man fortified himself in theold hunter's confidence by intrusting him with the custody of his gun, blankets, and several other articles until he should return. 

A week later found the young hunter established in the cabin with theinterpreter and Tiburcio. A wagon-load of staple supplies was snuglystored away for future use, and they were at peace with the world. By purchase Wells soon had several saddle ponies, and the old hunteradding his pack of javeline dogs, they found themselves well equippedfor the winter campaign. 

Hunting, in which the young man was an apt scholar, was now the orderof the day. Tiburcio was an artist in woodcraft as well as inhis knowledge of the habits of animals and birds. On chilly ordisagreeable days they would take out the pack of dogs and beat thethickets for the javeline. It was exciting sport to bring to bay adrove of these animals. To shoot from horseback lent a charm, yet madeaim uncertain, nor was it advisable to get too close range. Many ayoung dog made a fatal mistake in getting too near this little animal, and the doctoring of crippled dogs became a daily duty. All surplusgame was sent to the ranchito below, where it was always appreciated. 

At first the young man wrote regularly long letters home, but as ittook Tiburcio a day to go to the post-office, he justified himselfin putting writing off, sometimes several weeks, because it ruineda whole day and tired out a horse to mail a letter. Hardships wereenjoyed. They thought nothing of spending a whole night going from oneturkey roost to another, if half a dozen fine birds were the reward. They would saddle up in the evening and ride ten miles, sleepingout all night by a fire in order to stalk a buck at daybreak, havinglocated his range previously. 

Thus the winter passed, and as the limit of the young man's vacationwas near at hand, Wells wrote home pleading for more time, telling hisfriends how fast he was improving, and estimating that it would takeat least six months more to restore him fully to his former health. This request being granted, he contented himself by riding about thecountry, even visiting cattle ranches south on the Frio River. Now andthen he would ride into San Antonio for a day or two, but therewas nothing new to be seen there, and his visits were brief. He hadacquired a sufficient knowledge of Spanish to get along now without aninterpreter. 

When the summer was well spent, he began to devise some excuse to givehis parents for remaining another winter. Accordingly he wrote hisfather what splendid opportunities there were to engage in cattleranching, going into detail very intelligently in regard tothe grasses on the tract and the fine opportunity presented forestablishing a ranch. The water privileges, the faithfulness ofTiburcio, and other minor matters were fully set forth, and heconcluded by advising that they buy or start a brand of cattle on thisgrant. His father's reply was that he should expect his son to returnas soon as the state of his health would permit. He wished to be adutiful son, yet he wished to hunt just one more winter. 

So he felt that he must make another tack to gain his point. Followingletters noted no improvement in his health. Now, as the hunting seasonwas near at hand, he found it convenient to bargain with a renegadedoctor, who, for the consideration offered, wrote his parents thattheir son had recently consulted him to see if it would beadvisable to return to a rigorous climate in his present condition. Professionally he felt compelled to advise him not to think of leavingTexas for at least another year. To supplement this, the son wrotethat he hoped to be able to go home in the early spring. This had thedesired effect. Any remorse of conscience he may have felt over thedeception resorted to was soon forgotten in following a pack of houndsor stalking deer, for hunting now became the order of the day. Theantlered buck was again in his prime. His favorite range was carefullynoted. Very few hunts were unrewarded by at least one or more shotsat this noble animal. With an occasional visitor, the winter passedas had the previous one. Some congenial spirit would often spend a fewdays with them, and his departure was always sincerely regretted. 

The most peculiar feature of the whole affair was the friendship ofthe young man for Tiburcio. The latter was the practical hunter, whichactual experience only can produce. He could foretell the coming ofa norther twenty-four hours in advance. Just which course deer wouldgraze he could predict by the quarter of the wind. In woodcraft he wasa trustworthy though unquoted authority. His young patron often showedhim his watch and explained how it measured time, but he had no usefor it. He could tell nearly enough when it was noon, and if thestars were shining he knew midnight within a few minutes. This he hadlearned when a shepherd. He could track a wounded deer for miles, whenanother could not see a trace of where the animal had passed. He couldrecognize the footprint of his favorite saddle pony among a thousandothers. How he did these things he did not know himself. Thesecompanions were graduates of different schools, extremes of differentnationalities. Yet Alexander Wells had no desire to elevate the oldhunter to his own standard, preferring to sit at his feet. 

But finally the appearance of blades of grass and early flowerswarned them that winter was gone and that spring was at hand. Theiroccupation, therefore, was at an end. Now how to satisfy the folksat home and get a further extension of time was the truant's supremeobject. While he always professed obedience to parental demands, yetrebellion was brewing, for he did not want to go East--not just yet. Imperative orders to return were artfully parried. Finally remittanceswere withheld, but he had no use for money. Coercion was bad policyto use in his case. Thus a third and a fourth winter passed, and theyoung hunter was enjoying life on the Salado, where questions of stateand nation did not bother him. 

But this existence had an end. One day in the spring a conveyancedrove up to the cabin, and an elderly, well-dressed woman alighted. With the assistance of her driver she ran the gauntlet of dogs andreached the cabin door, which was open. There, sitting inside on adry cow-skin which was spread on the clay floor, was the object ofher visit, surrounded by a group of Mexican companions, playing a gamecalled monte. The absorbing interest taken in the cards had preventedthe inmates of the jacal from noticing the lady's approach untilshe stood opposite the door. On the appearance of a woman, the gameinstantly ceased. Recognition was mutual, but neither mother nor sonspoke a word. Her eye took in the surroundings at a glance. Finallyshe spoke with a half-concealed imperiousness of tone, though hervoice was quiet and kindly. 

"Alexander, if you wish to see your mother, come to San Antonio, won'tyou, please?" and turning, she retraced her steps toward the carriage. 

Her son arose from his squatting posture, hitching up one side of histrousers, then the other, for he was suspenderless, and following ata distance, scratching his head and hitching his trousers alternately, he at last managed to say, "Ah, well--why--if you can wait a fewmoments till I change my clothes, I'll--I'll go with you right now. "

This being consented to, he returned to the cabin, made the necessarychange, and stood before them a picture of health, bewhiskered andbronzed like a pirate. As he was halfway to the vehicle, he turnedback, and taking the old black hands of Tiburcio in his own, said ingood Spanish, though there was a huskiness in his voice, "That ladyis my mother. I may never see you again. I don't think I will. You mayhave for your own everything I leave. "

There were tears in the old hunter's eyes as he relinquished youngWells's hands and watched him fade from his sight. His mother, unableto live longer without him, had made the trip from New York, and nowthat she had him in her possession there was no escape. They took thefirst stage out of the village that night on their return trip for NewYork State. 

But the mother's victory was short-lived and barren. Within threeyears after the son's return, he failed in two business enterprises inwhich his father started him. Nothing discouraged, his parents offeredhim a third opportunity, it containing, however, a marriage condition. But the voice of a siren, singing of flowery prairies and pecan groveson the Salado, in which could be heard the music of hounds and theclattering of horses' hoofs at full speed following, filled everyniche and corner of his heart, and he balked at the marriage offer. 

When the son had passed his thirtieth year, his parents becameresigned and gave their consent to his return to Texas. Long beforeparental consent was finally obtained, it was evident to his manyfriends that the West had completely won him; and once the desireof his heart was secured, the languid son beamed with energy inoutfitting for his return. He wrung the hands of old friends with anew grip, and with boyish enthusiasm announced his early departure. 

On the morning of leaving, quite a crowd of friends and relativesgathered at the depot to see him off. But when a former college chumattempted to remonstrate with him on the social sacrifice which he wasmaking, he turned to the group of friends, and smilingly said, "That'sall right. You are honest in thinking that New York is God's country. But out there in Texas also is, for it is just as God made it. Why, I'm going to start a cattle ranch as soon as I get there and go backto nature. Don't pity me. Rather let me pity you, who think, act, andlook as if turned out of the same mill. Any social sacrifices whichI make in leaving here will be repaid tenfold by the freedom andadvantages of the boundless West. "

VI

THE DOUBLE TRAIL

Early in the summer of '78 we were rocking along with a herd of LaurelLeaf cattle, going up the old Chisholm trail in the Indian Territory. The cattle were in charge of Ike Inks as foreman, and had been soldfor delivery somewhere in the Strip. 

There were thirty-one hundred head, straight "twos, " and in the singleranch brand. We had been out about four months on the trail, and allfelt that a few weeks at the farthest would let us out, for the daybefore we had crossed the Cimarron River, ninety miles south of thestate line of Kansas. 

The foreman was simply killing time, waiting for orders concerning thedelivery of the cattle. All kinds of jokes were in order, for we allfelt that we would soon be set free. One of our men had been takensick, as we crossed Red River into the Nations, and not wanting tocross this Indian country short-handed, Inks had picked up a youngfellow who evidently had never been over the trail before. 

He gave the outfit his correct name, on joining us, but it provedunpronounceable, and for convenience some one rechristened him Lucy, as he had quite a feminine appearance. He was anxious to learn, andwas in evidence in everything that went on. 

The trail from the Cimarron to Little Turkey Creek, where we were nowcamped, had originally been to the east of the present one, skirtinga black-jack country. After being used several years it had beenabandoned, being sandy, and the new route followed up the bottomsof Big Turkey, since it was firmer soil, affording better footing tocattle. These two trails came together again at Little Turkey. At noplace were they over two or three miles apart, and from where theyseparated to where they came together again was about seven miles. 

It troubled Lucy not to know why this was thus. Why did these routesseparate and come together again? He was fruitful with inquiries as towhere this trail or that road led. The boss-man had a vein of humor inhis make-up, though it was not visible; so he told the young man thathe did not know, as he had been over this route but once before, buthe thought that Stubb, who was then on herd, could tell him how itwas; he had been over the trail every year since it was laid out. This was sufficient to secure Stubb an interview, as soon as he wasrelieved from duty and had returned to the wagon. So Ike posted one ofthe men who was next on guard to tell Stubb what to expect, and to besure to tell it to him scary. 

A brief description of Stubb necessarily intrudes, though thisnickname describes the man. Extremely short in stature, he wasinclined to be fleshy. In fact, a rear view of Stubb looked as thoughsome one had hollowed out a place to set his head between his ampleshoulders. But a front view revealed a face like a full moon. Indisposition he was very amiable. His laugh was enough to drive awaythe worst case of the blues. It bubbled up from some inward source andseemed perennial. His worst fault was his bar-room astronomy. If therewas any one thing that he shone in, it was rustling coffin varnishduring the early prohibition days along the Kansas border. Hispatronage was limited only by his income, coupled with what credit heenjoyed. 

Once, about midnight, he tried to arouse a drug clerk who slept in thestore, and as he had worked this racket before, he coppered the playto repeat. So he tapped gently on the window at the rear where theclerk slept, calling him by name. This he repeated any number oftimes. Finally, he threatened to have a fit; even this did not workto his advantage. Then he pretended to be very angry, but there wasno response. After fifteen minutes had been fruitlessly spent, he wentback to the window, tapped on it once more, saying, "Lon, lie still, you little son-of-a-sheep-thief, " which may not be what he said, andwalked away. A party who had forgotten his name was once inquiringfor him, describing him thus, "He's a little short, fat fellow, sitsaround the Maverick Hotel, talks cattle talk, and punishes a power ofwhiskey. "

So before Stubb had even time to unsaddle his horse, he was approachedto know the history of these two trails. 

"Well, " said Stubb somewhat hesitatingly, "I never like to refer toit. You see, I killed a man the day that right-hand trail was made:I'll tell you about it some other time. "

"But why not now?" said Lucy, his curiosity aroused, as keen as awoman's. 

"Some other day, " said Stubb. "But did you notice those three graveson the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of theCimarron bottoms yesterday? You did? Their tenants were killed overthat trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don't you? I wasafraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward. "

"But why not tell me?" said the young man. 

"Oh, " said Stubb, as he knelt down to put a hobble on his horse, "itwould injure my reputation as a peaceable citizen, and I don't mindtelling you that I expect to marry soon. "

Having worked up the proper interest in his listener, besides exactinga promise that he would not repeat the story where it might doinjury to him, he dragged his saddle up to the camp-fire. Making acomfortable seat with it, he riveted his gaze on the fire, and with asplendid sang-froid reluctantly told the history of the double trail. 

"You see, " began Stubb, "the Chisholm route had been used more or lessfor ten years. This right-hand trail was made in '73. I bossed thatyear from Van Zandt County, for old Andy Erath, who, by the way, was adead square cowman with not a hide-bound idea in his make-up. Son, itwas a pleasure to know old Andy. You can tell he was a good man, forif he ever got a drink too much, though he would never mention herotherwise, he always praised his wife. I've been with him up beyondthe Yellowstone, two thousand miles from home, and you always knewwhen the old man was primed. He would praise his wife, and would callon us boys to confirm the fact that Mary, his wife, was a good woman. 

"That year we had the better of twenty-nine hundred head, all steercattle, threes and up, a likely bunch, better than these we areshadowing now. You see, my people are not driving this year, which isthe reason that I am making a common hand with Inks. If I was to layoff a season, or go to the seacoast, I might forget the way. In thosedays I always hired my own men. The year that this right-hand trailwas made, I had an outfit of men who would rather fight than eat; infact, I selected them on account of their special fitness in the useof firearms. Why, Inks here couldn't have cooked for my outfitthat season, let alone rode. There was no particular incident worthmentioning till we struck Red River, where we overtook five or sixherds that were laying over on account of a freshet in the river. Iwouldn't have a man those days who was not as good in the water asout. When I rode up to the river, one or two of my men were with me. It looked red and muddy and rolled just a trifle, but I ordered oneof the boys to hit it on his horse, to see what it was like. Well, henever wet the seat of his saddle going or coming, though his horse wasin swimming water good sixty yards. All the other bosses rode up, andeach one examined his peg to see if the rise was falling. One fellownamed Bob Brown, boss-man for John Blocker, asked me what I thoughtabout the crossing. I said to him, 'If this ferryman can cross ourwagon for me, and you fellows will open out a little and let me in, I'll show you all a crossing, and it'll be no miracle either. '

"Well, the ferryman said he'd set the wagon over, so the men went backto bring up the herd. They were delayed some little time, changing totheir swimming horses. It was nearly an hour before the herd came up, the others opening out, so as to give us a clear field, in case of amill or balk. I never had to give an order; my boys knew just whatto do. Why, there's men in this outfit right now that couldn't havegreased my wagon that year. 

"Well, the men on the points brought the herd to the water with a goodhead on, and before the leaders knew it, they were halfway acrossthe channel, swimming like fish. The swing-men fed them in, free andplenty. Most of my outfit took to the water, and kept the cattlefrom drifting downstream. The boys from the other herds--good men, too--kept shooting them into the water, and inside fifteen minutes'time we were in the big Injun Territory. After crossing the saddlestock and the wagon, I swam my horse back to the Texas side. I wantedto eat dinner with Blocker's man, just to see how they fed. Might wantto work for him some time, you see. I pretended that I'd help him overif he wanted to cross, but he said his dogies could never breast thatwater. I remarked to him at dinner, 'You're feeding a mite better thisyear, ain't you?' 'Not that I can notice, ' he replied, as the cookhanded him a tin plate heaping with navy beans, 'and I'm eating ratherregular with the wagon, too. ' I killed time around for a while, andthen we rode down to the river together. The cattle had tramped outhis peg, so after setting a new one, and pow-wowing around, I told himgood-by and said to him, 'Bob, old man, when I hit Dodge, I'll take adrink and think of you back here on the trail, and regret that you arenot with me, so as to make it two-handed. ' We said our 'so-longs' toeach other, and I gave the gray his head and he took the water like aduck. He could outswim any horse I ever saw, but I drowned him inthe Washita two weeks later. Yes, tangled his feet in some vines ina sunken treetop, and the poor fellow's light went out. My own candlecame near being snuffed. I never felt so bad over a little thing sinceI burned my new red topboots when I was a kid, as in drownding thathorse. 

"There was nothing else worth mentioning until we struck the Cimarronback here, where we overtook a herd of Chisholm's that had come infrom the east. They had crossed through the Arbuckle Mountains--camein over the old Whiskey Trail. Here was another herd waterbound, andthe boss-man was as important as a hen with one chicken. He told methat the river wouldn't be fordable for a week; wanted me to fall backat least five miles; wanted all this river bottom for his cattle; saidhe didn't need any help to cross his herd, though he thanked me forthe offer with an air of contempt. I informed him that our cattlewere sold for delivery on the North Platte, and that we wanted to gothrough on time. I assured him if he would drop his cattle a mile downthe river, it would give us plenty of room. I told him plainly thatour cattle, horses, and men could all swim, and that we never let alittle thing like swimming water stop us. 

"No! No! he couldn't do that; we might as well fall back and take ourturn. 'Oh, well, ' said I, 'if you want to act contrary about it, I'llgo up to the King-Fisher crossing, only three miles above here. I'vealmost got time to cross yet this evening. '

"Then he wilted and inquired, 'Do you think I can cross if it swimsthem any?'

"'I'm not doing your thinking, sir, ' I answered, 'but I'll bringup eight or nine good men and help you rather than make a six-mileelbow. ' I said this with some spirit and gave him a mean look. 

"'All right, ' said he, 'bring up your boys, say eight o'clock, and wewill try the ford. Let me add right here, ' he continued, 'and I'm astranger to you, young man, but my outfit don't take anybody's slack, and as I am older than you, let me give you this little bit of advice:when you bring your men here in the morning, don't let them whirltoo big a loop, or drag their ropes looking for trouble, for I've gotfellows with me that don't turn out of the trail for anybody. '

"'All right, sir, ' I said. 'Really, I'm glad to hear that you havesome good men, still I'm pained to find them on the wrong side of theriver for travelers. But I'll be here in the morning, ' I called backas I rode away. So telling my boys that we were likely to havesome fun in the morning, and what to expect, I gave it no furtherattention. When we were catching up our horses next morning for theday, I ordered two of my lads on herd, which was a surprise to them, as they were both handy with a gun. I explained it to them all, --thatwe wished to avoid trouble, but if it came up unavoidable, to overlookno bets--to copper every play as it fell. 

"We got to the river too early to suit Chisholm's boss-man. Heseemed to think that his cattle would take the water better about teno'clock. To kill time my boys rode across and back several times tosee what the water was like. 'Well, any one that would let as littleswimming water as that stop them must be a heap sight sorry outfit, 'remarked one-eyed Jim Reed, as he rode out of the river, dismountingto set his saddle forward and tighten his cinches, not noticing thatthis foreman heard him. I rode around and gave him a look, and helooked up at me and muttered, 'Scuse me, boss, I plumb forgot!' Then Irode back and apologized to this boss-man: 'Don't pay any attentionto my boys; they are just showing off, and are a trifle windy thismorning. '

"'That's all right, ' he retorted, 'but don't forget what I told youyesterday, and let it be enough said. '

"'Well, let's put the cattle in, ' I urged, seeing that he was gettinghot under the collar. 'We're burning daylight, pardner. '

"'Well, I'm going to cross my wagon first, ' said he. 

"'That's a good idea, ' I answered. 'Bring her up. ' Their cook seemedto have a little sense, for he brought up his wagon in good shape. Wetied some guy ropes to the upper side, and taking long ropes from theend of the tongue to the pommels of our saddles, the ease with whichwe set that commissary over didn't trouble any one but the boss-man, whose orders were not very distinct from the distance between banks. It was a good hour then before he would bring up his cattle. The maintrouble seemed to be to devise means to keep their guns and cartridgesdry, as though that was more important than getting the whole herdof nearly thirty-five hundred cattle over. We gave them a clean clothuntil they needed us, but as they came up we divided out and wereready to give the lead a good push. If a cow changed his mind abouttaking a swim that morning, he changed it right back and took it. For in less than twenty minutes' time they were all over, much to thesurprise of the boss and his men; besides, their weapons were quitedry; just the splash had wet them. 

"I told the boss that we would not need any help to cross ours, butto keep well out of our way, as we would try and cross by noon, whichought to give him a good five-mile start. Well, we crossed and nooned, lying around on purpose to give them a good lead, and when we hit thetrail back in these sand-hills, there he was, not a mile ahead, andyou can see there was no chance to get around. I intended to takethe Dodge trail, from this creek where we are now, but there we were, blocked in! I was getting a trifle wolfish over the way they wereacting, so I rode forward to see what the trouble was. 

"'Oh, I'm in no hurry. You're driving too fast. This is your firsttrip, isn't it?' he inquired, as he felt of a pair of checked pantsdrying on the wagon wheel. 

"'Don't you let any idea like that disturb your Christian spirit, oldman, ' I replied with some resentment. 'But if you think I am drivingtoo fast, you might suggest some creek where I could delude myselfwith the idea, for a week or so, that it was not fordable. '

"Assuming an air of superiority he observed, 'You seem to have forgotwhat I said to you yesterday. '

"'No, I haven't, ' I answered, 'but are you going to stay all nighthere?'

"'I certainly am, if that's any satisfaction to you, ' he answered. 

"I got off my horse and asked him for a match, though I had plentyin my pocket, to light a cigarette which I had rolled during theconversation. I had no gun on, having left mine in our wagon, butfancied I'd stir him up and see how bad he really was. I thought itbest to stroke him with and against the fur, try and keep on neutralground, so I said, --

"'You ain't figuring none that in case of a run to-night we're atrifle close together for cow-herds. Besides, my men on a guard lastnight heard gray wolves in these sand-hills. They are liable to showup to-night. Didn't I notice some young calves among your cattlethis morning? Young calves, you know, make larruping fine eating forgrays. '

"'Now, look here, Shorty, ' he said in a patronizing tone, as though hemight let a little of his superior cow-sense shine in on my darkenedintellect, 'I haven't asked you to crowd up here on me. You areperfectly at liberty to drop back to your heart's content. If wolvesbother us to-night, you stay in your blankets snug and warm, andpleasant dreams of old sweethearts on the Trinity to you. We won'tneed you. We'll try and worry along without you. '

"Two or three of his men laughed gruffly at these remarks, and threwleer-eyed looks at me. I asked one who seemed bad, what calibre hisgun was. 'Forty-five ha'r trigger, ' he answered. I nosed around overtheir plunder purpose. They had things drying around like Bannocksquaws jerking venison. 

"When I got on my horse, I said to the boss, 'I want to pass youroutfit in the morning, as you are in no hurry and I am. '

"'That will depend, ' said he. 

"'Depend on what?' I asked. 

"'Depend on whether we are willing to let you, ' he snarled. 

"I gave him as mean a look as I could command and said tauntingly, 'Now, look here, old girl: there's no occasion for you to tear yourclothes with me this way. Besides, I sometimes get on the prod myself, and when I do, I don't bar no man, Jew nor Gentile, horse, mare orgelding. You may think different, but I'm not afraid of any man inyour outfit, from the gimlet to the big auger. I've tried to treatyou white, but I see I've failed. Now I want to give it out to youstraight and cold, that I'll pass you to-morrow, or mix two herdstrying. Think it over to-night and nominate your choice--be agentleman or a hog. Let your own sweet will determine which. '

"I rode away in a walk, to give them a chance to say anything theywanted to, but there were no further remarks. My men were all hoppingmad when I told them, but I promised them that to-morrow we wouldfix them plenty or use up our supply of cartridges if necessary. Wedropped back a mile off the trail and camped for the night. Early thenext morning I sent one of my boys out on the highest sand dune toInjun around and see what they were doing. After being gone foran hour he came back and said they had thrown their cattle off thebed-ground up the trail, and were pottering around like as they aimedto move. Breakfast over, I sent him back again to make sure, for Iwanted yet to avoid trouble if they didn't draw it on. It was anotherhour before he gave us the signal to come on. We were nicely strungout where you saw those graves on that last ridge of sand-hills, whenthere they were about a mile ahead of us, moseying along. This side ofChapman's, the Indian trader's store, the old route turns to the rightand follows up this black-jack ridge. We kept up close, and justas soon as they turned in to the right, --the only trail there wasthen, --we threw off the course and came straight ahead, cross-countrystyle, same route we came over to-day, except there was no trailthere; we had to make a new one. 

"Now they watched us a plenty, but it seemed they couldn't make outour game. When we pulled up even with them, half a mile apart, theytumbled that my bluff of the day before was due to take effect withoutfurther notice. Then they began to circle and ride around, and onefellow went back, only hitting the high places, to their wagon andsaddle horses, and they were brought up on a trot. We were by thistime three quarters of a mile apart, when the boss of their outfit wasnoticed riding out toward us. Calling one of my men, we rode out andmet him halfway. 'Young man, do you know just what you are trying todo?' he asked. 

"'I think I do. You and myself as cowmen don't pace in the same class, as you will see, if you will only watch the smoke of our tepee. Watchus close, and I'll pass you between here and the next water. '

"'We will see you in hell first!' he said, as he whirled his horse andgalloped back to his men. The race was on in a brisk walk. His wagon, we noticed, cut in between the herds, until it reached the lead of hiscattle, when it halted suddenly, and we noticed that they were cuttingoff a dry cowskin that swung under the wagon. At the same time two ofhis men cut out a wild steer, and as he ran near their wagon one ofthem roped and the other heeled him. It was neatly done. I called BigDick, my boss roper, and told him what I suspected, --that they weregoing to try and stampede us with a dry cowskin tied to that steer'stail they had down. As they let him up, it was clear I had calledthe turn, as they headed him for our herd, the flint thumping at hisheels. Dick rode out in a lope, and I signaled for my crowd to come onand we would back Dick's play. As we rode out together, I said to myboys, 'The stuff's off, fellows! Shoot, and shoot to hurt!'

"It seemed their whole outfit was driving that one steer, and turningthe others loose to graze. Dick never changed the course of thatsteer, but let him head for ours, and as they met and passed, heturned his horse and rode onto him as though he was a post driven inthe ground. Whirling a loop big enough to take in a yoke of oxen, hedropped it over his off fore shoulder, took up his slack rope, andwhen that steer went to the end of the rope, he was thrown in the airand came down on his head with a broken neck. Dick shook the rope offthe dead steer's forelegs without dismounting, and was just beginningto coil his rope when those varmints made a dash at him, shooting andyelling. 

"That called for a counter play on our part, except our aim was low, for if we didn't get a man, we were sure to leave one afoot. Just fora minute the air was full of smoke. Two horses on our side went downbefore you could say 'Jack Robinson, ' but the men were unhurt, andsoon flattened themselves on the ground Indian fashion, and burnt thegrass in a half-circle in front of them. When everybody had emptiedhis gun, each outfit broke back to its wagon to reload. Two of my mencame back afoot, each claiming that he had got his man all right, all right. We were no men shy, which was lucky. Filling our guns withcartridges out of our belts, we rode out to reconnoitre and try andget the boys' saddles. 

"The first swell of the ground showed us the field. There were thedead steer, and five or six horses scattered around likewise, but thegrass was too high to show the men that we felt were there. As theopposition was keeping close to their wagon, we rode up to the sceneof carnage. While some of the boys were getting the saddles off thedead horses, we found three men taking their last nap in the grass. Irecognized them as the boss-man, the fellow with the ha'r-trigger gun, and a fool kid that had two guns on him when we were crossing theircattle the day before. One gun wasn't plenty to do the fighting he washankering for; he had about as much use for two guns as a toad has fora stinger. 

"The boys got the saddles off the dead horses, and went flying back toour men afoot, and then rejoined us. The fight seemed over, or therewas some hitch in the programme, for we could see them hoveringnear their wagon, tearing up white biled shirts out of a trunk andbandaging up arms and legs, that they hadn't figured on any. Our herdhad been overlooked during the scrimmage, and had scattered so thatI had to send one man and the horse wrangler to round them in. We hadten men left, and it was beginning to look as though hostilities hadceased by mutual consent. You can see, son, we didn't bring it on. Weturned over the dead steer, and he proved to be a stray; at least hehadn't their road brand on. One-eyed Jim said the ranch brand belongedin San Saba County; he knew it well, the X--2. Well, it wasn't longuntil our men afoot got a remount and only two horses shy on the firstround. We could stand another on the same terms in case they attackedus. We rode out on a little hill about a quarter-mile from theirwagon, scattering out so as not to give them a pot shot, in case theywanted to renew the unpleasantness. 

"When they saw us there, one fellow started toward us, waving hishandkerchief. We began speculating which one it was, but soon made himout to be the cook; his occupation kept him out of the first round. When he came within a hundred yards, I rode out and met him. Heoffered me his hand and said, 'We are in a bad fix. Two of our crowdhave bad flesh wounds. Do you suppose we could get any whiskey back atthis Indian trader's store?'

"'If there is any man in this territory can get any I can if theyhave it, ' I told him. 'Besides, if your lay-out has had all thesatisfaction fighting they want, we'll turn to and give you a lift. Itseems like you all have some dead men over back here. They willhave to be planted. So if your outfit feel as though you had yourbelly-full of fighting for the present, consider us at your service. You're the cook, ain't you?'

"'Yes, sir, ' he answered. 'Are all three dead?' he then inquired. 

"'Dead as heck, ' I told him. 

"'Well, we are certainly in a bad box, ' said he meditatingly. 'Butwon't you all ride over to our wagon with me? I think our fellows arepacified for the present. '

"I motioned to our crowd, and we all rode over to their wagon withhim. There wasn't a gun in sight. The ragged edge of despair don'tdescribe them. I made them a little talk; told them that their bosshad cashed in, back over the hill; also if there was any segundo intheir outfit, the position of big augur was open to him, and we wereat his service. 

"There wasn't a man among them that had any sense left but the cook. He told me to take charge of the killed, and if I could rustle alittle whiskey to do so. So I told the cook to empty out his wagon, and we would take the dead ones back, make boxes for them, and burythem at the store. Then I sent three of my men back to the store tohave the boxes ready and dig the graves. Before these three rode away, I said, aside to Jim, who was one of them, 'Don't bother about anywhiskey; branch water is plenty nourishing for the wounded. It wouldbe a sin and shame to waste good liquor on plafry like them. '

"The balance of us went over to the field of carnage and stripped thesaddles off their dead horses, and arranged the departed in a row, covering them with saddle blankets, pending the planting act. I sentpart of my boys with our wagon to look after our own cattle for theday. It took us all the afternoon to clean up a minute's work in themorning. 

"I never like to refer to it. Fact was, all the boys felt gloomy forweeks, but there was no avoiding it. Two months later, we met old manAndy, way up at Fort Laramie on the North Platte. He was tickled todeath to meet us all. The herd had come through in fine condition. Wenever told him anything about this until the cattle were delivered, and we were celebrating the success of that drive at a near-by town. 

"Big Dick told him about this incident, and the old man feeling hisoats, as he leaned with his back against the bar, said to us with anoticeable degree of pride, 'Lads, I'm proud of every one of you. Menwho will fight to protect my interests has my purse at their command. This year's drive has been a success. Next year we will drive twiceas many. I want every rascal of you to work for me. You all know how Imount, feed, and pay my men, and as long as my name is Erath and I owna cow, you can count on a job with me. '"

"But why did you take them back to the sand-hills to bury them?" cutin Lucy. 

"Oh, that was Big Dick's idea. He thought the sand would dig easier, and laziness guided every act of his life. That was five years ago, son, that this lower trail was made, and for the reasons I havejust given you. No, I can't tell you any more personal experiencesto-night; I'm too sleepy. "

VII

RANGERING

No State in the Union was ever called upon to meet and deal withthe criminal element as was Texas. She was border territory upon heradmission to the sisterhood of States. 

An area equal to four ordinary States, and a climate that permittedof outdoor life the year round, made it a desirable rendezvous forcriminals. The sparsely settled condition of the country, the flow ofimmigration being light until the seventies, was an important factor. The fugitives from justice of the older States with a common impulseturned toward this empire of isolation. Europe contributed her quota, more particularly from the south, bringing with them the Mafia andvendetta. Once it was the Ultima Thule of the criminal western world. From the man who came for not building a church to the one who hadtaken human life, the catalogue of crime was fully represented. 

Humorous writers tell us that it was a breach of good manners to aska man his name, or what State he was from, or to examine the brand onhis horse very particularly. It can be safely said that there was agreat amount of truth mingled with the humor. Some of these fugitivesfrom justice became good citizens, but the majority sooner or latertook up former callings. 

Along with this criminal immigration came the sturdy settler, theman intent on building a home and establishing a fireside. Usuallyfollowing lines of longitude, he came from other Southern States. Healso brought with him the fortitude of the pioneer that reclaims thewilderness and meets any emergency that confronts him. To meet anddeal with this criminal element as a matter of necessity soon becamean important consideration. His only team of horses was frequentlystolen. His cattle ran off their range, their ear-marks altered andbrands changed. Frequently it was a band of neighbors, together ina posse, who followed and brought to bay the marauders. It was anunlucky moment for a horse-thief when he was caught in possession ofanother man's horse. The impromptu court of emergency had no sentimentin regard to passing sentence of death. It was a question of guilt, and when that was established, Judge Lynch passed sentence. 

As the State advanced, the authorities enlisted small companies of mencalled Rangers. The citizens' posse soon gave way to this organizedservice. The companies, few in number at first, were graduallyincreased until the State had over a dozen companies in the field. These companies numbered anywhere from ten to sixty men. It can besaid with no discredit to the State that there were never half enoughcompanies of men for the work before them. 

There was a frontier on the south and west of over two thousand milesto be guarded. A fair specimen of the large things in that State was ashoe-string congressional district, over eleven hundred miles long. Tothe Ranger, then, is all credit due for guarding this western frontieragainst the Indians and making life and the possession of property apossibility. On the south was to be met the bandit, the smuggler, andevery grade of criminal known to the code. 

A generation had come and gone before the Ranger's work was fairlydone. The emergency demanded brave men. They were ready. Notnecessarily born to the soil, as a boy the guardian of the frontierwas expert in the use of firearms, and in the saddle a tireless rider. As trailers many of them were equal to hounds. In the use of thatarbiter of the frontier, the six-shooter, they were artists. As aclass, never before or since have their equals in the use of that armcome forward to question this statement. 

The average criminal, while familiar with firearms, was as badlyhandicapped as woman would be against man. The Ranger had no equal. The emergency that produced him no longer existing, he will neverhave a successor. Any attempt to copy the original would be hopelessimitation. He was shot at at short range oftener than he received hismonthly wage. He admired the criminal that would fight, and despisedone that would surrender on demand. He would nurse back to life adead-game man whom his own shot had brought to earth, and give acoward the chance to run any time if he so desired. 

He was compelled to lead a life in the open and often descend to thelevel of the criminal. He had few elements in his makeup, and but asingle purpose; but that one purpose--to rid the State of crime--heexecuted with a vengeance. He was poorly paid for the servicerendered. Frequently there was no appropriation with which to pay him;then he lived by rewards and the friendship of ranchmen. 

The Ranger always had a fresh horse at his command, --no one thought ofrefusing him this. Rust-proof, rugged, and tireless, he gave the Stateprotection for life and property. The emergency had produced the man. 

"Here, take my glass and throw down on that grove of timber yonder, and notice if there is any sign of animal life to be seen, " saidSergeant "Smoky" C----, addressing "Ramrod, " a private in Company Xof the Texas Rangers. The sergeant and the four men had been out onspecial duty, and now we had halted after an all night's ride lookingfor shade and water, --the latter especially. We had two prisoners, (horse-thieves), some extra saddle stock, and three pack mules. 

It was an hour after sun-up. We had just come out of the foothills, where the Brazos has its source, and before us lay the plains, dustyand arid. This grove of green timber held out a hope that within itmight be found what we wanted. Eyesight is as variable as men, butRamrod's was known to be reliable for five miles with the naked eye, and ten with the aid of a good glass. He dismounted at the sergeant'srequest, and focused the glass on this oasis, and after sweeping thefield for a minute or so, remarked languidly, "There must be waterthere. I can see a band of antelope grazing out from the grove. Holdyour mules! Something is raising a dust over to the south. Good! It'scattle coming to the water. "

While he was covering the field with his glass, two of the boys werethreatening with eternal punishment the pack mules, which showedan energetic determination to lie down and dislodge their packs byrolling. 

"Cut your observations short as possible there, Ramrod, or there willbe re-packing to do. Mula, you hybrid son of your father, don't youdare to lie down!"

But Ramrod's observations were cut short at sight of the cattle, andwe pushed out for the grove, about seven miles distant. As werode this short hour's ride, numerous small bands of antelope werestartled, and in turn stood and gazed at us in bewilderment. 

"I'm not tasty, " said Sergeant Smoky, "but I would give the preferencethis morning to a breakfast of a well-roasted side of ribs of a niceyearling venison over the salt hoss that the Lone Star State furnishesthis service. Have we no hunters with us?"

"Let me try, " begged a little man we called "Cushion-foot. " What hisreal name was none of us knew. The books, of course, would show somename, and then you were entitled to a guess. He was as quiet as amouse, as reliable as he was quiet, and as noiseless in his movementsas a snake. One of the boys went with him, making quite a detour fromour course, but always remaining in sight. About two miles out fromthe grove, we sighted a small band of five or six antelope, who soontook fright and ran to the nearest elevation. Here they made a standabout half a mile distant. We signaled to our hunters, who soonspotted them and dismounted. We could see Cushion sneaking through theshort grass like a coyote, "Conajo" leading the horses, well hiddenbetween them. We held the antelopes' attention by riding around in acircle, flagging them. Several times Cushion lay flat, and we thoughthe was going to risk a long shot. Then he would crawl forward like acat, but finally came to his knee. We saw the little puff, the bandsquatted, jumping to one side far enough to show one of their numberdown and struggling in the throes of death. 

"Good long shot, little man, " said the sergeant, "and you may have thechoice of cuts, just so I get a rib. "

We saw Conajo mount and ride up on a gallop, but we held our coursefor the grove. We were busy making camp when the two rode in with afine two-year-old buck across the pommel of Cushion's saddle. Theyhad only disemboweled him, but Conajo had the heart as a trophy of theaccuracy of the shot, though Cushion hadn't a word to say. It wasa splendid heart shot. Conajo took it over and showed it to the twoMexican prisoners. It was an object lesson to them. One said to theother, "Es un buen tirador. "

We put the prisoners to roasting the ribs, and making themselvesuseful in general. One man guarded them at their work, while all theothers attended to the hobbling and other camp duties. 

It proved to be a delightful camp. We aimed to stay until sunset, thedays being sultry and hot. Our appetites were equal to the breakfast, and it was a good one. 

"To do justice to an occasion like this, " said Smoky as he squatteddown with about four ribs in his hand, "a man by rights ought to haveat least three fingers of good liquor under his belt. But then wecan't have all the luxuries of life in the far West; sure to besomething lacking. "

"I never hear a man hanker for liquor, " said Conajo, as he poured outa tin cup of coffee, "but I think of an incident my father used totell us boys at home. He was sheriff in Kentucky before we moved toTexas. Was sheriff in the same county for twelve years. Counties arevery irregular back in the old States. Some look like a Mexican brand. One of the rankest, rabid political admirers my father had lived awayout on a spur of this county. He lived good thirty miles from thecounty seat. Didn't come to town over twice a year, but he alwaysstopped, generally over night, at our house. My father wouldn't haveit any other way. Talk about thieves being chummy; why, these two wehave here couldn't hold a candle to that man and my father. I can seethem parting just as distinctly as though it was yesterday. He wouldalways abuse my father for not coming to see him. 'Sam, ' he wouldsay, --my father's name was Sam, --'Sam, why on earth is it thatyou never come to see me? I've heard of you within ten miles of myplantation, and you have never shown your face to us once. Do youthink we can't entertain you? Why, Sam, I've known you since youweren't big enough to lead a hound dog. I've known you since youweren't knee to a grasshopper. '

"'Let me have a word, ' my father would put in, for he was very mildin speaking; 'let me have a word, Joe. I hope you don't think for amoment that I wouldn't like to visit you; now do you?'

"'No, I don't think so, Sam, but you don't come. That's why I'mcomplaining. You never have come in the whole ten years you've beensheriff, and you know that we have voted for you to a man, in ourneck of the woods. ' My father felt this last remark, though I thinkhe never realized its gravity before, but he took him by one hand, andlaying the other on his shoulder said, 'Joe, if I have slighted youin the past, I'm glad you have called my attention to it. Now, let metell you the first time that my business takes me within ten milesof your place I'll make it a point to reach your house and stay allnight, and longer if I can. '

"'That's all I ask, Sam, ' was his only reply. Now I've learned lotsof the ways of the world since then. I've seen people pleasant to eachother, and behind their backs the tune changed. But I want to sayto you fellows that those two old boys were not throwing off on eachother--not a little bit. They meant every word and meant it deep. Itwas months afterwards, and father had been gone for a week when hecame home. He told us about his visit to Joe Evans. It was wintertime, and mother and us boys were sitting around the old fireplace inthe evening. 'I never saw him so embarrassed before in my life, ' saidfather. 'I did ride out of my way, but I was glad of the chance. Menlike Joe Evans are getting scarce. ' He nodded to us boys. 'It wasnearly dark when I rode up to his gate. He recognized me and came downto the gate to meet me. "Howdy, Sam, " was all he said. There was atroubled expression in his face, though he looked well enough, but hecouldn't simply look me in the face. Just kept his eye on the ground. He motioned for a nigger boy and said to him, "Take his horse. " Hestarted to lead the way up the path, when I stopped him. "Look here, Joe, " I said to him. "Now, if there's anything wrong, anything likelyto happen in the family, I can just as well drop back on the pike andstay all night with some of the neighbors. You know I'm acquainted allaround here. " He turned in the path, and there was the most painfullook in his face I ever saw as he spoke: "Hell, no, Sam, there'snothing wrong. We've got plenty to eat, plenty of beds, no end ofhorse-feed, but by G----, Sam, there isn't a drop of whiskey on theplace!"'

"You see it was hoss and cabello, and Joe seemed to think the hosson him was an unpardonable offense. Salt? You'll find it in an emptyone-spoon baking-powder can over there. In those panniers that belongto that big sorrel mule. Look at Mexico over there burying his fangsin the venison, will you?"

Ramrod was on guard, but he was so hungry himself that he was goodenough to let the prisoners eat at the same time, although he keptthem at a respectable distance. He was old in the service, and hadgotten his name under a baptism of fire. He was watching a pass oncefor smugglers at a point called Emigrant Gap. This was long before hehad come to the present company. At length the man he was waiting forcame along. Ramrod went after him at close quarters, but the fellowwas game and drew his gun. When the smoke cleared away, Ramrod hadbrought down his horse and winged his man right and left. The smugglerwas not far behind on the shoot, for Ramrod's coat and hat showed hewas calling for him. The captain was joshing the prisoner about hispoor shooting when Ramrod brought him into camp and they were dressinghis wounds. "Well, " said the fellow, "I tried to hard enough, but Icouldn't find him. He's built like a ramrod. "

After breakfast was over we smoked and yarned. It would be two-hourguards for the day, keeping an eye on the prisoners and stock, onlyone man required; so we would all get plenty of sleep. Conajo had thefirst guard after breakfast. "I remember once, " said Sergeant Smoky, as he crushed a pipe of twist with the heel of his hand, "we werecamped out on the 'Sunset' railway. I was a corporal at the time. There came a message one day to our captain, to send a man up West onthat line to take charge of a murderer. The result was, I was sent bythe first train to this point. When I arrived I found that anIrishman had killed a Chinaman. It was on the railroad, at a bridgeconstruction camp, that the fracas took place. There were somethinglike a hundred employees at the camp, and they ran their ownboarding-tent. They had a Chinese cook at this camp; in fact, quite anumber of Chinese were employed at common labor on the road. 

"Some cavalryman, it was thought, in passing up and down from FortStockton to points on the river, had lost his sabre, and one of thisbridge gang had found it. When it was brought into camp no one wouldhave the old corn-cutter; but this Irishman took a shine to it, havingonce been a soldier himself. The result was, it was presented tohim. He ground it up like a machette, and took great pride in givingexhibitions with it. He was an old man now, the storekeeper for theiron supplies, a kind of trusty job. The old sabre renewed hisyouth to a certain extent, for he used it in self-defense shortlyafterwards. This Erin-go-bragh--his name was McKay, I think--was inthe habit now and then of stealing a pie from the cook, and takingit into his own tent and eating it there. The Chink kept missing hispies, and got a helper to spy out the offender. The result was theycaught the old man red-handed in the act. The Chink armed himself withthe biggest butcher-knife he had and went on the warpath. He found theold fellow sitting in his storeroom contentedly eating the pie. Theold man had his eyes on the cook, and saw the knife just in time tojump behind some kegs of nuts and bolts. The Chink followed him withmurder in his eye, and as the old man ran out of the tent he pickedup the old sabre. Once clear of the tent he turned and faced him, made only one pass, and cut his head off as though he were beheadinga chicken. They hadn't yet buried the Chinaman when I got there. I'mwilling to testify it was an artistic job. They turned the old manover to me, and I took him down to the next station, where an oldalcalde lived, --Roy Bean by name. This old judge was known as 'Lawwest of the Pecos, ' as he generally construed the law to suit his ownopinion of the offense. He wasn't even strong on testimony. He was aranchman at this time, so when I presented my prisoner he only said, 'Killed a Chinese, did he? Well, I ain't got time to try the caseto-day. Cattle suffering for water, and three windmills out of repair. Bring him back in the morning. ' I took the old man back to the hotel, and we had a jolly good time together that day. I never put a stringon him, only locked the door, but we slept together. The next morningI took him before the alcalde. Bean held court in an outhouse, theprisoner seated on a bale of flint hides. Bean was not only judge butprosecutor, as well as counsel for the defense. 'Killed a Chinaman, did you?'

"'I did, yer Honor, ' was the prisoner's reply. 

"I suggested to the court that the prisoner be informed of his rights, that he need not plead guilty unless he so desired. 

"'That makes no difference here, ' said the court. 'Gentlemen, I'm busythis morning. I've got to raise the piping out of a two-hundred-footwell to-day, --something the matter with the valve at the bottom. I'lljust glance over the law a moment. '

"He rummaged over a book or two for a few moments and then said, 'Here, I reckon this is near enough. I find in the revised statutebefore me, in the killing of a nigger the offending party was finedfive dollars. A Chinaman ought to be half as good as a nigger. Standup and receive your sentence. What's your name?'

"'Jerry McKay, your Honor. '

"Just then the court noticed one of the vaqueros belonging to theranch standing in the door, hat in hand, and he called to him inSpanish, 'Have my horse ready, I'll be through here just in a minute. '

"'McKay, ' said the court as he gave him a withering look, 'I'll fineyou two dollars and a half and costs. Officer, take charge ofthe prisoner until it's paid!' It took about ten dollars to covereverything, which I paid, McKay returning it when he reached his camp. Whoever named that alcalde 'Law west of the Pecos' knew his man. "

"I'll bet a twist of dog, " said Ramrod, "that prisoner with the blackwhiskers sabes English. Did you notice him paying strict attention toSmoky's little talk? He reminds me of a fellow that crouched behindhis horse at the fight we had on the head of the Arroyo Colorado andplugged me in the shoulder. What, you never heard of it? That's so, Cushion hasn't been with us but a few months. Well, it was in '82, down on the river, about fifty miles northwest of Brownsville. Wordcame in one day that a big band of horse-thieves were sweeping thecountry of every horse they could gather. There was a number of theold Cortina's gang known to be still on the rustle. When this reportcame, it found eleven men in camp. We lost little time saddling up, only taking five days' rations with us, for they were certain torecross the river before that time in case we failed to interceptthem. Every Mexican in the country was terrorized. All they could tellus was that there was plenty of ladrones and lots of horses, 'muchos'being the qualifying word as to the number of either. 

"It was night before we came to their trail, and to our surprise theywere heading inland, to the north. They must have had a contract tosupply the Mexican army with cavalry horses. They were simply sweepingthe country, taking nothing but gentle stock. These they bucked instrings, and led. That made easy trailing, as each string left adistinct trail. The moon was splendid that night, and we trailed aseasily as though it had been day. We didn't halt all night long oneither trail, pegging along at a steady gait, that would carry usinland some distance before morning. Our scouts aroused everyranch within miles that we passed on the way, only to have reportsexaggerated as usual. One thing we did learn that night, and thatwas that the robbers were led by a white man. He was described inthe superlatives that the Spanish language possesses abundantly;everything from the horse he rode to the solid braid on his sombrerowas described in the same strain. But that kind of prize was the kindwe were looking for. 

"On the head of the Arroyo Colorado there is a broken countryinterspersed with glades and large openings. We felt very sure thatthe robbers would make camp somewhere in that country. When day brokethe freshness of the trail surprised and pleased us. They couldn't befar away. Before an hour passed, we noticed a smoke cloud hanging lowin the morning air about a mile ahead. We dismounted and securely tiedour horses and pack stock. Every man took all the cartridges he coulduse, and was itching for the chance to use them. We left the trail, and to conceal ourselves took to the brush or dry arroyos as aprotection against alarming the quarry. They were a quarter of a mileoff when we first sighted them. We began to think the reports wereright, for there seemed no end of horses, and at least twenty-fivemen. By dropping back we could gain one of those dry arroyos whichwould bring us within one hundred yards of their camp. A young fellowby the name of Rusou, a crack shot, was acting captain in the absenceof our officers. As we backed into the arroyo he said to us, 'Ifthere's a white man there, leave him to me. ' We were all satisfiedthat he would be cared for properly at Rusou's hands, and silence gaveconsent. 

"Opposite the camp we wormed out of the arroyo like a skirmish line, hugging the ground for the one remaining little knoll between therobbers and ourselves. I was within a few feet of Rusou as we sightedthe camp about seventy-five yards distant. We were trying to make outa man that was asleep, at least he had his hat over his face, lying ona blanket with his head in a saddle. We concluded he was a white man, if there was one. Our survey of their camp was cut short by two shotsfired at us by two pickets of theirs posted to our left about onehundred yards. No one was hit, but the sleeping man jumped to his feetwith a six-shooter in each hand. I heard Rusou say to himself, 'You'retoo late, my friend. ' His carbine spoke, and the fellow fell forward, firing both guns into the ground at his feet as he went down. 

"Then the stuff was off and she opened up in earnest. They fought allright. I was on my knee pumping lead for dear life, and as I threw mycarbine down to refill the magazine, a bullet struck it in the heel ofthe magazine with sufficient force to knock me backward. I thought Iwas hit for an instant, but it passed away in a moment. When I triedto work the lever I saw that my carbine was ruined. I called to theboys to notice a fellow with black whiskers who was shooting frombehind his horse. He would shoot over and under alternately. Ithought he was shooting at me. I threw down my carbine and drew mysix-shooter. Just then I got a plug in the shoulder, and thingsgot dizzy and dark. It caught me an inch above the nipple, rangingupward, --shooting from under, you see. But some of the boys must havenoticed him, for he decorated the scene badly leaded, when it wasover. I was unconscious for a few minutes, and when I came around thefight had ended. 

"During the few brief moments that I was knocked out, our boys hadclosed in on them and mixed it with them at short range. The thievestook to such horses as they could lay their hands on, and one fellowwent no farther. A six-shooter halted him at fifty yards. The boysrounded up over a hundred horses, each one with a fiber grass halteron, besides killing over twenty wounded ones to put them out of theirmisery. 

"It was a nasty fight. Two of our own boys were killed and three werewounded. But then you ought to have seen the other fellows; we took noprisoners that day. Nine men lay dead. Horses were dead and dying allaround, and the wounded ones were crying in agony. 

"This white man proved to be a typical dandy, a queer leader for sucha gang. He was dressed in buckskin throughout, while his sombrero wasas fine as money could buy. You can know it was a fine one, for itwas sold for company prize money, and brought three hundred and fiftydollars. He had nearly four thousand dollars on his person and in hissaddle. A belt which we found on him had eleven hundred in bills andsix hundred in good old yellow gold. The silver in the saddle wasmixed, Mexican and American about equally. 

"He had as fine a gold watch in his pocket as you ever saw, while hisfirearms and saddle were beauties. He was a dandy all right, and afine-looking man, over six feet tall, with swarthy complexion and hairlike a raven's wing. He was too nice a man for the company he was in. We looked the 'Black Book' over afterward for any description ofhim. At that time there were over four thousand criminals and outlawsdescribed in it, but there was no description that would fit him. For this reason we supposed that he must live far in the interior ofMexico. 

"Our saddle stock was brought up, and our wounded were bandaged asbest they could be. My wound was the worst, so they concluded to sendme back. One of the boys went with me, and we made a fifty-mile ridebefore we got medical attention. While I was in the hospital I got mydivvy of the prize money, something over four hundred dollars. "

When Ramrod had finished his narrative, he was compelled to submit toa cross-examination at the hands of Cushion-foot, for he delightedin a skirmish. All his questions being satisfactorily answered, Cushion-foot drew up his saddle alongside of where Ramrod laystretched on a blanket, and seated himself. This was a signal to therest of us that he had a story, so we drew near, for he spoke so lowthat you must be near to hear him. His years on the frontier were richin experience, though he seldom referred to them. 

Addressing himself to Ramrod, he began: "You might live amongst theseborder Mexicans all your life and think you knew them; but every dayyou live you'll see new features about them. You can't calculateon them with any certainty. What they ought to do by any system ofreasoning they never do. They will steal an article and then give itaway. You've heard the expression 'robbing Peter to pay Paul. ' Well, my brother played the rôle of Paul once himself. It was out in Arizonaat a place called Las Palomas. He was a stripling of a boy, but couldpalaver Spanish in a manner that would make a Mexican ashamed of hisancestry. He was about eighteen at this time and was working in astore. One morning as he stepped outside the store, where he slept, he noticed quite a commotion over around the custom-house. He noticedthat the town was full of strangers, as he crossed over toward thecrowd. He was suddenly halted and searched by a group of strange men. Fortunately he had no arms on him, and his ability to talk to them, together with his boyish looks, ingratiated him in their favor, andthey simply made him their prisoner. Just at that moment an alcalderode up to the group about him, and was ordered to halt. He saw at aglance they were revolutionists, and whirling his mount attempted toescape, when one of them shot him from his horse. The young fellowthen saw what he was into. 

"They called themselves Timochis. They belonged in Mexico, and a yearor so before they refused to pay taxes that the Mexican governmentlevied on them, and rebelled. Their own government sent soldiers afterthem, resulting in about eight hundred soldiers being killed, whenthey dispersed into small bands, one of which was paying Las Palomas asocial call that morning. Along the Rio Grande it is only a shortstep at best from revolution to robbery, and either calling has itsvariations. 

"Well, they took my brother with them to act as spokesman in lootingthe town. The custom-house was a desired prize, and when my brotherinterpreted their desires to the collector, he consented to openthe safe, as life had charms for him, even in Arizona. Uncle Sam'sstrong-box yielded up over a thousand dobes. They turned theirattention to the few small stores of the town, looting them of themoney and goods as they went. There was quite a large store kept by aFrenchman, who refused to open, when he realized that the Timochi washonoring the town with his presence. They put the boy in the frontand ordered him to call on the Frenchman to open up. He said afterwardthat he put in a word for himself, telling him not to do any shootingthrough the door. After some persuasion the store was opened andproved to be quite a prize. Then they turned their attention to thestore where the boy worked. He unlocked it and waved them in. He wentinto the cellar and brought up half a dozen bottles of imported FrenchCognac, and invited the chief bandit and his followers to be goodenough to join him. In the mean time they had piled up on the counterssuch things as they wanted. They made no money demand on him, thechief asking him to set a price on the things they were taking. Hemade a hasty inventory of the goods and gave the chief the figures, about one hundred and ten dollars. The chief opened a sack that theyhad taken from the custom-house and paid the bill with a flourish. 

"The chief then said that he had a favor to ask: that my brothershould cheer for the revolutionists, to identify him as a friend. Thatwas easy, so he mounted the counter and gave three cheers of 'Viva losTimochis!' He got down off the counter, took the bandit by the arm, and led him to the rear, where with glasses in the air they drank to'Viva los Timochis!' again. Then the chief and his men withdrew andrecrossed the river. It was the best day's trade he had had in a longtime. Now, here comes in the native. While the boy did everythingfrom compulsion and policy, the native element looked upon him withsuspicion. The owners of the store, knowing that this suspicionexisted, advised him to leave, and he did. "

The two prisoners were sleeping soundly. Sleep comes easily to tiredmen, and soon all but the solitary guard were wrapped in sleep, tofight anew in rangers' dreams scathless battles!

 * * * * *

There was not lacking the pathetic shade in the redemption of thisState from crime and lawlessness. In the village burying-ground ofRound Rock, Texas, is a simple headstone devoid of any lettering savethe name "Sam Bass. " His long career of crime and lawlessness wouldfill a good-sized volume. He met his death at the hands of TexasRangers. Years afterward a woman, with all the delicacy of her sex, and knowing the odium that was attached to his career, came to thistown from her home in the North and sought out his grave. As only awoman can, when some strong tie of affection binds, this woman went towork to mark the last resting-place of the wayward man. Concealing herown identity, she performed these sacred rites, clothing in mysteryher relation to the criminal. The people of the village would not havewithheld their services in well-meant friendship, but she shrank fromthem, being a stranger. 

A year passed, and she came again. This time she brought the stonewhich marks his last resting-place. The chivalry of this generouspeople was aroused in admiration of a woman that would defy thecalumny attached to an outlaw. While she would have shrunk fromkindness, had she been permitted, such devotion could not gounchallenged. So she disclosed her identity. 

She was his sister. 

Bass was Northern born, and this sister was the wife of a respectablepracticing physician in Indiana. Womanlike, her love for a waywardbrother followed him beyond his disgraceful end. With her own handsshe performed an act that has few equals, as a testimony of love andaffection for her own. 

For many years afterward she came annually, her timidity having wornaway after the generous reception accorded her at the hands of ahospitable people. 

VIII

AT COMANCHE FORD

"There's our ford, " said Juan, --our half-blood trailer, --pointing tothe slightest sag in a low range of hills distant twenty miles. 

We were Texas Rangers. It was nearly noon of a spring day, and wehad halted on sighting our destination, --Comanche Ford on the ConchoRiver. Less than three days before, we had been lounging around camp, near Tepee City, one hundred and seventy-five miles northeast of ourpresent destination. A courier had reached us with an emergency order, which put every man in the saddle within an hour after its receipt. 

An outfit with eight hundred cattle had started west up the Concho. Their destination was believed to be New Mexico. Suspicion rested onthem, as they had failed to take out inspection papers for moving thecattle, and what few people had seen them declared that one half thecattle were brand burnt or blotched beyond recognition. Besides, theyhad an outfit of twenty heavily armed men, or twice as many as wererequired to manage a herd of that size. 

Our instructions were to make this crossing with all possible haste, and if our numbers were too few, there to await assistance beforedropping down the river to meet the herd. When these courier ordersreached us at Tepee, they found only twelve men in camp, with not anofficer above a corporal. Fortunately we had Dad Root with us, a manwhom every man in our company would follow as though he had beenour captain. He had not the advantage in years that his name wouldindicate, but he was an exceedingly useful man in the service. Hecould resight a gun, shoe a horse, or empty a six-shooter into a treefrom the back of a running horse with admirable accuracy. In dressinga gun-shot wound, he had the delicate touch of a woman. Every manin the company went to him with his petty troubles, and came awaydelighted. Therefore there was no question as to who should be ourleader on this raid; no one but Dad was even considered. 

Sending a brief note to the adjutant-general by this same courier, stating that we had started with twelve men, we broke camp, and inless than an hour were riding southwest. One thing which played intoour hands in making this forced ride was the fact that we had a numberof extra horses on hand. For a few months previous we had capturedquite a number of stolen horses, and having no chance to send into thesettlements where they belonged, we used them as extra riding horses. With our pack mules light and these extra saddlers for a change, wecovered the country rapidly. Sixteen hours a day in the saddle makescamp-fires far apart. Dad, too, could always imagine that a few milesfarther on we would find a fine camping spot, and his views were lawto us. 

We had been riding hard for an hour across a tableland known asCibollo Mesa, and now for the first time had halted at sighting ourdestination, yet distant three hours' hard riding. "Boys, " said Dad, "we'll make it early to-day. I know a fine camping spot near a bigpool in the river. After supper we'll all take a swim, and feel asfresh as pond-lilies. "

"Oh, we swim this evening, do we?" inquired Orchard. "That's aChristian idea, Dad, cleanliness, you know. Do we look as though aswim would improve our good looks?" The fact that, after a ride likethe one we were near finishing, every man of us was saturated withfine alkaline dust, made the latter question ludicrous. 

For this final ride we changed horses for the last time on the trip, and after a three hours' ride under a mid-day torrid sun, the shade ofConcho's timber and the companionship of running water were ours. We rode with a whoop into the camp which Dad had had in his mind allmorning, and found it a paradise. We fell out of our saddles, andtired horses were rolling and groaning all around us in a few minutes. The packs were unlashed with the same alacrity, while horses, mules, and men hurried to the water. With the exception of two horses onpicket, it was a loose camp in a few moments' time. There was nothought of eating now, with such inviting swimming pools as the springfreshets had made. 

Dad soon located the big pool, for he had been there before, andshortly a dozen men floundered and thrashed around in it like a schoolof dolphins. On one side of the pool was a large sloping rock, fromwhich splendid diving could be had. On this rock we gathered like kidgoats on a stump, or sunned ourselves like lizards. To get the benefitof the deepest water, only one could dive at a time. We were sobronzed from the sun that when undressed the protected parts affordeda striking contrast to the brown bands about our necks. Orchard wassitting on the rock waiting for his turn to dive, when Long John, patting his naked shoulder, said admiringly, --

"Orchard, if I had as purty a plump shoulder as you have, I'd have mypicture taken kind of half careless like--like the girls do sometimes. Wear one of those far-away looks, roll up your eyes, and throw upyour head like you was listening for it to thunder. Then while in thatattitude, act as if you didn't notice and let all your clothing fallentirely off your shoulder. If you'll have your picture taken that wayand give me one, I'll promise you to set a heap of store by it, oldman. "

Orchard looked over the edge of the rock at his reflection in thewater, and ventured, "Wouldn't I need a shave? and oughtn't I to havea string of beads around my swan-like neck, with a few spangles on itto glitter and sparkle? I'd have to hold my right hand over thisold gun scar in my left shoulder, so as not to mar the beauty of thepicture. Remind me of it, John, and I'll have some taken, and youshall have one. "

A few minutes later Happy Jack took his place on the rim of the rockto make a dive, his magnificent physique of six feet and two hundredpounds looming up like a Numidian cavalryman, when Dad observed, "How comes it, Jack, that you are so pitted in the face and neck withpox-marks, and there's none on your body?"

"Just because they come that way, I reckon, " was the answervouchsafed. "You may think I'm funning, lads, but I never felt sosupremely happy in all my life as when I got well of the smallpox. Ihad one hundred and ninety dollars in my pocket when I took down withthem, and only had eight left when I got up and was able to go towork. " Here, as he poised on tiptoe, with his hands gracefully archedover his head for a dive, he was arrested in the movement by a commentof one of the boys, to the effect that he "couldn't see anything inthat to make a man so _supremely happy_. "

He turned his head halfway round at the speaker, and never losing hispoise, remarked, "Well, but you must recollect that there was five ofus taken down at the same time, and the other four died, " and he madea graceful spring, boring a hole in the water, which seethed aroundhim, arising a moment later throwing water like a porpoise, as thoughhe wouldn't exchange his position in life, humble as it was, with anyone of a thousand dead heroes. 

After an hour in the water and a critical examination of all the oldgun-shot wounds of our whole squad, and the consequent verdict thatit was simply impossible to kill a man, we returned to camp and begangetting supper. There was no stomach so sensitive amongst us that itcouldn't assimilate bacon, beans, and black coffee. 

When we had done justice to the supper, the twilight hours of theevening were spent in making camp snug for the night. Every horseor mule was either picketed or hobbled. Every man washed his saddleblankets, as the long continuous ride had made them rancid with sweat. The night air was so dry and warm that they would even dry at night. There was the usual target practice and the never-ending cleaning offirearms. As night settled over the camp, everything was in order. Theblankets were spread, and smoking and yarning occupied the time untilsleep claimed us. 

"Talking about the tight places, " said Orchard, "in which a man oftenfinds himself in this service, reminds me of a funny experience whichI once had, out on the head-waters of the Brazos. I've smelt powder atshort range, and I'm willing to admit there's nothing fascinating init. But this time I got buffaloed by a bear. 

"There are a great many brakes on the head of the Brazos, and in themgrow cedar thickets. I forget now what the duty was that we were thereon, but there were about twenty of us in the detachment at the time. One morning, shortly after daybreak, another lad and myself walkedout to unhobble some extra horses which we had with us. The horseshad strayed nearly a mile from camp, and when we found them they werecutting up as if they had been eating loco weed for a month. When wecame up to them, we saw that they were scared. These horses couldn'ttalk, but they told us that just over the hill was something they wereafraid of. 

"We crept up the little hill, and there over in a draw was the causeof their fear, --a big old lank Cinnamon. He was feeding along, headingfor a thicket of about ten acres. The lad who was with me stayed andwatched him, while I hurried back, unhobbled the horses, and rushedthem into camp. I hustled out every man, and they cinched their hullson those horses rapidly. By the time we had reached the lad who hadstayed to watch him, the bear had entered the thicket, but unalarmed. Some fool suggested the idea that we could drive him out in the openand rope him. The lay of the land would suggest such an idea, forbeyond this motte of cedar lay an impenetrable thicket of over ahundred acres, which we thought he would head for if alarmed. Therewas a ridge of a divide between these cedar brakes, and if the bearshould attempt to cross over, he would make a fine mark for a rope. 

"Well, I always was handy with a rope, and the boys knew it, so I andthree others who could twirl a rope were sent around on this divide, to rope him in case he came out. The others left their horses and madea half-circle drive through the grove, beating the brush and burningpowder as though it didn't cost anything. We ropers up on the dividescattered out, hiding ourselves as much as we could in the brokenplaces. We wanted to get him out in the clear in case he played nice. He must have been a sullen old fellow, for we were beginning to thinkthey had missed him or he had holed, when he suddenly lumbered outdirectly opposite me and ambled away towards the big thicket. 

"I was riding a cream-colored horse, and he was as good a one as everwas built on four pegs, except that he was nervous. He had never seena bear, and when I gave him the rowel, he went after that bear like acat after a mouse. The first sniff he caught of the bear, he whirledquicker than lightning, but I had made my cast, and the loop settledover Mr. Bear's shoulders, with one of his fore feet through it. Ihad tied the rope in a hard knot to the pommel, and the way my horsechecked that bear was a caution. It must have made bruin mad. My horsesnorted and spun round like a top, and in less time than it takes totell it, there was a bear, a cream-colored horse, and a man sandwichedinto a pile on the ground, and securely tied with a three-eighths-inchrope. The horse had lashed me into the saddle by winding the rope, andat the same time windlassed the bear in on top of us. The horsecried with fear as though he was being burnt to death, while the beargrinned and blew his breath in my face. The running noose in the ropehad cut his wind so badly, he could hardly offer much resistance. Itwas a good thing he had his wind cut, or he would have made me sorry Ienlisted. I didn't know it at the time, but my six-shooter had fallenout of the holster, while the horse was lying on my carbine. 

"The other three rode up and looked at me, and they all neededkilling. Horse, bear, and man were so badly mixed up, they dared notshoot. One laughed till he cried, another one was so near limphe looked like a ghost, while one finally found his senses and, dismounting, cut the rope in half a dozen places and untied thebundle. My horse floundered to his feet and ran off, but before thebear could free the noose, the boys got enough lead into him at closequarters to hold him down. The entire detachment came out of thethicket, and their hilarity knew no bounds. I was the only man in thecrowd who didn't enjoy the bear chase. Right then I made a resolvethat hereafter, when volunteers are called for to rope a bear, myaccomplishments in that line will remain unmentioned by me. I'll eatmy breakfast first, anyhow, and think it over carefully. "

"Dogs and horses are very much alike about a bear, " said one of theboys. "Take a dog that never saw a bear in his life, and let him geta sniff of one, and he'll get up his bristles like a javeline and tuckhis tail and look about for good backing or a clear field to run. "

Long John showed symptoms that he had some yarn to relate, so wenaturally remained silent to give him a chance, in case the spiritmoved in him. Throwing a brand into the fare after lighting hiscigarette, he stretched himself on the ground, and the expectedhappened. 

"A few years ago, while rangering down the country, " said he, "fourof us had trailed some horse-thieves down on the Rio Grande, when theygave us the slip by crossing over into Mexico. We knew the thieveswere just across the river, so we hung around a few days, in the hopeof catching them, for if they should recross into Texas they were ourmeat. Our plans were completely upset the next morning, by thearrival of twenty United States cavalrymen on the cold trail of fourdeserters. The fact that these deserters were five days ahead and hadcrossed into Mexico promptly on reaching the river, did not preventthis squad of soldiers from notifying both villages on each side ofthe river as to their fruitless errand. They couldn't follow their ownany farther, and they managed to scare our quarry into hiding in theinterior. We waited until the soldiers returned to the post, when weconcluded we would take a little _pasear_ over into Mexico on our ownaccount. 

"We called ourselves horse-buyers. The government was paying likethirty dollars for deserters, and in case we run across them, wefigured it would pay expenses to bring them out. These deserterswere distinguishable wherever they went by the size of their horses;besides, they had two fine big American mules for packs. They weremarked right for that country. Everything about them was _muy grande_. We were five days overtaking them, and then at a town one hundred andforty miles in the interior. They had celebrated their desertionthe day previous to our arrival by getting drunk, and when thehorse-buyers arrived they were in jail. This last condition ratherfrustrated our plans for their capture, as we expected to kidnap themout. But now we had red tape authorities to deal with. 

"We found the horses, mules, and accoutrements in a corral. They wouldbe no trouble to get, as the bill for their keep was the only concernof the corral-keeper. Two of the boys who were in the party couldpalaver Spanish, so they concluded to visit the alcalde of the town, inquiring after horses in general and incidentally finding out whenour deserters would be released. The alcalde received the boys withgreat politeness, for Americans were rare visitors in his town, andafter giving them all the information available regarding horses, the subject innocently changed to the American prisoners in jail. Thealcalde informed them that he was satisfied they were deserters, andnot knowing just what to do with them he had sent a courier that verymorning to the governor for instructions in the matter. He estimatedit would require at least ten days to receive the governor's reply. Inthe mean time, much as he regretted it, they would remain prisoners. Before parting, those two innocents permitted their host to open abottle of wine as an evidence of the friendly feeling, and at thefinal leave-taking, they wasted enough politeness on each other to wina woman. 

"When the boys returned to us other two, we were at our wits' end. Wewere getting disappointed too often. The result was that we made upour minds that rather than throw up, we would take those deserters outof jail and run the risk of getting away with them. We had everythingin readiness an hour before nightfall. We explained, to thesatisfaction of the Mexican hostler who had the stock in charge, that the owners of these animals were liable to be detained in jailpossibly a month, and to avoid the expense of their keeping, we wouldsettle the bill for our friends and take the stock with us. Whenthe time came every horse was saddled and the mules packed and inreadiness. We had even moved our own stock into the same corral, whichwas only a short distance from the jail. 

"As night set in we approached the _carsel_. The turnkey answered ourquestions very politely through a grated iron door, and to our requestto speak with the prisoners, he regretted that they were being fed atthat moment, and we would have to wait a few minutes. He unbolted thedoor, however, and offered to show us into a side room, an invitationwe declined. Instead, we relieved him of his keys and made known ourerrand. When he discovered that we were armed and he was our prisoner, he was speechless with terror. It was short work to find the men wewanted and march them out, locking the gates behind us and takingjailer and keys with us. Once in the saddle, we bade the poor turnkeygood-by and returned him his keys. 

"We rode fast, but in less than a quarter of an hour there was aclanging of bells which convinced us that the alarm had been given. Our prisoners took kindly to the rescue and rode willingly, but wewere careful to conceal our identity or motive. We felt certainthere would be pursuit, if for no other purpose, to justify officialauthority. We felt easy, for we were well mounted, and if it came to apinch, we would burn powder with them, one round at least. 

"Before half an hour had passed, we were aware that we were pursued. We threw off the road at right angles and rode for an hour. Then, withthe North Star for a guide, we put over fifty miles behind us beforesunrise. It was impossible to secrete ourselves the next day, for wewere compelled to have water for ourselves and stock. To conceal thefact that our friends were prisoners, we returned them their armsafter throwing away their ammunition. We had to enter several ranchesduring the day to secure food and water, but made no particular effortto travel. 

"About four o'clock we set out, and to our surprise, too, a numberof horsemen followed us until nearly dark. Passing through a slightshelter, in which we were out of sight some little time, two of usdropped back and awaited our pursuers. As they came up within hailingdistance, we ordered them to halt, which they declined by whirlingtheir horses and burning the earth getting away. We threw a few roundsof lead after them, but they cut all desire for our acquaintance rightthere. 

"We reached the river at a nearer point than the one at which we hadentered, and crossed to the Texas side early the next morning. Wemissed a good ford by two miles and swam the river. At this ford wasstationed a squad of regulars, and we turned our prizes over withinan hour after crossing. We took a receipt for the men, stock, and equipments, and when we turned it over to our captain a weekafterwards, we got the riot act read to us right. I noticed, however, the first time there was a division of prize money, one item was forthe capture of four deserters. "

"I don't reckon that captain had any scruples about taking his shareof the prize money, did he?" inquired Gotch. 

"No, I never knew anything like that to happen since I've been in theservice. "

"There used to be a captain in one of the upper country companies thatheld religious services in his company, and the boys claimed thathe was equally good on a prayer, a fight, or holding aces in a pokergame, " said Gotch, as he filled his pipe. 

Amongst Dad's other accomplishments was his unfailing readiness totell of his experiences in the service. So after he had looked overthe camp in general, he joined the group of lounging smokers and toldus of an Indian fight in which he had participated. 

"I can't imagine how this comes to be called Comanche Ford, " said Dad. "Now the Comanches crossed over into the Panhandle country annuallyfor the purpose of killing buffalo. For diversion and pastime, they were always willing to add horse-stealing and the murdering ofsettlers as a variation. They used to come over in big bands tohunt, and when ready to go back to their reservation in the IndianTerritory, they would send the squaws on ahead, while the bucks wouldsplit into small bands and steal all the good horses in sight. 

"Our old company was ordered out on the border once, when theComanches were known to be south of Red River killing buffalo. Thismeant that on their return it would be advisable to look out for yourhorses or they would be missing. In order to cover as much territoryas possible, the company was cut in three detachments. Our squad hadtwenty men in it under a lieutenant. We were patrolling a countryknown as the Tallow Cache Hills, glades and black-jack cross timbersalternating. All kinds of rumors of Indian depredations were reachingus almost daily, yet so far we had failed to locate or see an Indian. 

"One day at noon we packed up and were going to move our camp fartherwest, when a scout, who had gone on ahead, rushed back with the newsthat he had sighted a band of Indians with quite a herd of horsespushing north. We led our pack mules, and keeping the shelter of thetimber started to cut them off in their course. When we first sightedthem, they were just crossing a glade, and the last buck had just leftthe timber. He had in his mouth an arrow shaft, which he was turningbetween his teeth to remove the sap. All had guns. The first warningthe Indians received of our presence was a shot made by one of themen at this rear Indian. He rolled off his horse like a stone, andthe next morning when we came back over their trail, he had thatunfinished arrow in a death grip between his teeth. That first shotlet the cat out, and we went after them. 

"We had two big piebald calico mules, and when we charged thoseIndians, those pack mules outran every saddle horse which we had, anddashing into their horse herd, scattered them like partridges. Nearlyevery buck was riding a stolen horse, and for some cause they couldn'tget any speed out of them. We just rode all around them. There provedto be twenty-two Indians in the band, and one of them was a squaw. Shewas killed by accident. 

"The chase had covered about two miles, when the horse she was ridingfell from a shot by some of our crowd. The squaw recovered herself andcame to her feet in time to see several carbines in the act ofbeing leveled at her by our men. She instantly threw open the slightcovering about her shoulders and revealed her sex. Some one called outnot to shoot, that it was a squaw, and the carbines were lowered. Asthis squad passed on, she turned and ran for the protection of thenearest timber, and a second squad coming up and seeing the fleeingIndian, fired on her, killing her instantly. She had done the verything she should not have done. 

"It was a running fight from start to finish. We got the last one inthe band about seven miles from the first one. The last one to fallwas mounted on a fine horse, and if he had only ridden intelligently, he ought to have escaped. The funny thing about it was he wasovertaken by the dullest, sleepiest horse in our command. The shootingand smell of powder must have put iron into him, for he died a hero. When this last Indian saw that he was going to be overtaken, his ownhorse being recently wounded, he hung on one side of the animaland returned the fire. At a range of ten yards he planted a bulletsquarely in the leader's forehead, his own horse falling at the sameinstant. Those two horses fell dead so near that you could have tiedtheir tails together. Our man was thrown so suddenly, that he came tohis feet dazed, his eyes filled with dirt. The Indian stood not twentysteps away and fired several shots at him. Our man, in his blindness, stood there and beat the air with his gun, expecting the Indian torush on him every moment. Had the buck used his gun for a club, itmight have been different, but as long as he kept shooting, his enemywas safe. Half a dozen of us, who were near enough to witness hisfinal fight, dashed up, and the Indian fell riddled with bullets. 

"We went into camp after the fight was over with two wounded men andhalf a dozen dead or disabled horses. Those of us who had mounts ingood fix scoured back and gathered in our packs and all the Indian andstolen horses that were unwounded. It looked like a butchery, but ourminds were greatly relieved on that point the next day, when we foundamong their effects over a dozen fresh, bloody scalps, mostly womenand children. There's times and circumstances in this service thatmake the toughest of us gloomy. "

"How long ago was that?" inquired Orchard. 

"Quite a while ago, " replied Dad. "I ought to be able to tell exactly. I was a youngster then. Well, I'll tell you; it was during thereconstruction days, when Davis was governor. Figure it out yourself. "

"Speaking of the disagreeable side of this service, " said Happy Jack, "reminds me of an incident that took all the nerve out of every oneconnected with it. When I first went into the service, there was awell-known horse-thief and smuggler down on the river, known as ElLobo. He operated on both sides of the Rio Grande, but generally stolehis horses from the Texas side. He was a night owl. It was nothing forhim to be seen at some ranch in the evening, and the next morningbe met seventy-five or eighty miles distant. He was a good judge ofhorse-flesh, and never stole any but the best. His market was well inthe interior of Mexico, and he supplied it liberally. He was a typicaldandy, and like a sailor had a wife in every port. That was his weakpoint, and there's where we attacked him. 

"He had made all kinds of fun of this service, and we concluded tohave him at any cost. Accordingly we located his women and worked onthem. Mexican beauty is always over-rated, but one of his conquestsin that line came as near being the ideal for a rustic beauty as thatnationality produces. This girl was about twenty, and lived with aquestionable mother at a ranchito back from the river about thirtymiles. In form and feature there was nothing lacking, while thesmouldering fire of her black eyes would win saint or thief alike. Born in poverty and ignorance, she was a child of circumstance, andfell an easy victim to El Lobo, who lavished every attention upon her. There was no present too costly for him, and on his periodical visitshe dazzled her with gifts. But infatuations of that class generallyhave an end, often a sad one. 

"We had a half-blood in our company, who was used as a rival to ElLobo in gathering any information that might be afloat, and atthe same time, when opportunity offered, in sowing the wormwood ofjealousy. This was easy, for we collected every item in the form ofpresents he ever made her rival seńoritas. When these forces wereworking, our half-blood pushed his claims for recognition. Our wagesand prize money were at his disposal, and in time they won. Theneglect shown her by El Lobo finally turned her against him, apparently, and she agreed to betray his whereabouts the firstopportunity--on one condition. And that was, that if we succeeded incapturing him, we were to bring him before her, that she might, in hishelplessness, taunt him for his perfidy towards her. We were willingto make any concession to get him, so this request was readilygranted. 

"The deserted condition of the ranchito where the girl lived was toour advantage as well as his. The few families that dwelt there hadtheir flocks to look after, and the coming or going of a passer-by wasscarcely noticed. Our man on his visits carefully concealed the factthat he was connected with this service, for El Lobo's lavish useof money made him friends wherever he went, and afforded him all theseclusion he needed. 

"It was over a month before the wolf made his appearance, and we wereinformed of the fact. He stayed at an outside pastor's camp, visitingthe ranch only after dark. A corral was mentioned, where within a fewdays' time, at the farthest, he would pen a bunch of saddle horses. There had once been wells at this branding pen, but on their failingto furnish water continuously they had been abandoned. El Lobo hadfriends at his command to assist him in securing the best horses inthe country. So accordingly we planned to pay our respects to him atthese deserted wells. 

"The second night of our watch, we were rewarded by having three mendrive into these corrals about twenty saddle horses. They had barelytime to tie their mounts outside and enter the pen, when four of usslipped in behind them and changed the programme a trifle. El Lobo wasone of the men. He was very polite and nice, but that didn't preventus from ironing him securely, as we did his companions also. 

"It was almost midnight when we reached the ranchito where the girllived. We asked him if he had any friends at this ranch whom he wishedto see. This he denied. When we informed him that by special requesta lady wished to bid him farewell, he lost some of his bluster andbravado. We all dismounted, leaving one man outside with the othertwo prisoners, and entered a small yard where the girl lived. Ourhalf-blood aroused her and called her out to meet her friend, El Lobo. The girl delayed us some minutes, and we apologized to him for thenecessity of irons and our presence in meeting his Dulce Corazon. Whenthe girl came out we were some distance from the jacal. There was justmoonlight enough to make her look beautiful. 

"As she advanced, she called him by some pet name in their language, when he answered her gruffly, accusing her of treachery, and turnedhis back upon her. She approached within a few feet, when it wasnoticeable that she was racked with emotion, and asked him if he hadno kind word for her. Turning on her, he repeated the accusation oftreachery, and applied a vile expression to her. That moment thegirl flashed into a fiend, and throwing a shawl from her shoulders, revealed a pistol, firing it twice before a man could stop her. ElLobo sank in his tracks, and she begged us to let her trample hislifeless body. Later, when composed, she told us that we had not usedher any more than she had used us, in bringing him helpless to her. Asthings turned out it looked that way. 

"We lashed the dead thief on his horse and rode until daybreak, whenwe buried him. We could have gotten a big reward for him dead oralive, and we had the evidence of his death, but the manner in whichwe got it made it undesirable. El Lobo was missed, but the manner ofhis going was a secret of four men and a Mexican girl. The other twoprisoners went over the road, and we even reported to them that he hadattempted to strangle her, and we shot him to save her. Something hadto be said. "

The smoking and yarning had ended. Darkness had settled over the campbut a short while, when every one was sound asleep. It must havebeen near midnight when a number of us were aroused by the samedisturbance. The boys sat bolt upright and listened eagerly. We wereused to being awakened by shots, and the cause of our sudden awakeningwas believed to be the same, --a shot. While the exchange of opinionwas going the round, all anxiety on that point was dispelled by asecond shot, the flash of which could be distinctly seen across theriver below the ford. 

As Dad stood up and answered it with a shrill whistle, every manreached for his carbine and flattened himself out on the ground. Thewhistle was answered, and shortly the splash of quite a cavalcadecould be heard fording the river. Several times they halted, our firehaving died out, and whistles were exchanged between them and Root. When they came within fifty yards of camp and their outlines could bedistinguished against the sky line in the darkness, they were orderedto halt, and a dozen carbines clicked an accompaniment to the order. 

"Who are you?" demanded Root. 

"A detachment from Company M, Texas Rangers, " was the reply. 

"If you are Rangers, give us a maxim of the service, " said Dad. 

"_Don't wait for the other man to shoot first_, " came the response. 

"Ride in, that passes here, " was Dad's greeting and welcome. 

They were a detachment of fifteen men, and had ridden from the Pecoson the south, nearly the same distance which we had come. They hadsimilar orders to ours, but were advised that they would meet ourdetachment at this ford. In less than an hour every man was asleepagain, and quiet reigned in the Ranger camp at Comanche Ford on theConcho. 

IX

AROUND THE SPADE WAGON

It was an early spring. The round-up was set for the 10th of June. The grass was well forward, while the cattle had changed their shaggywinter coats to glossy suits of summer silk. The brands were asreadable as an alphabet. 

It was one day yet before the round-up of the Cherokee Strip. Thisstrip of leased Indian lands was to be worked in three divisions. We were on our way to represent the Coldwater Pool in the westerndivision, on the annual round-up. Our outfit was four men and thirtyhorses. We were to represent a range that had twelve thousand cattleon it, a total of forty-seven brands. We had been in the saddle sinceearly morning, and as we came out on a narrow divide, we caught ourfirst glimpse of the Cottonwoods at Antelope Springs, the rendezvousfor this division. The setting sun was scarcely half an hour high, andthe camp was yet five miles distant. We had covered sixty miles thatday, traveling light, our bedding lashed on gentle saddle horses. Werode up the mesa quite a little distance to avoid some rough brokencountry, then turned southward toward the Springs. Before turning off, we could see with the naked eye signs of life at the meeting-point. The wagon sheets of half a dozen chuck-wagons shone white in the dimdistance, while small bands of saddle horses could be distinctly seengrazing about. 

When we halted at noon that day to change our mounts, we sighted tothe northward some seven miles distant an outfit similar to our own. We were on the lookout for this cavalcade; they were supposed to bethe "Spade" outfit, on their way to attend the round-up in the middledivision, where our pasture lay. This year, as in years past, we hadexchanged the courtesies of the range with them. Their men on ourdivision were made welcome at our wagon, and we on theirs wereextended the same courtesy. For this reason we had hoped to meet themand exchange the chronicle of the day, concerning the condition ofcattle on their range, the winter drift, and who would be captain thisyear on the western division, but had traveled the entire day withoutmeeting a man. 

Night had almost set in when we reached the camp, and to oursatisfaction and delight found the Spade wagon already there, thoughtheir men and horses would not arrive until the next day. To hungrymen like ourselves, the welcome of their cook was hospitality in thefullest sense of the word. We stretched ropes from the wagon wheels, and in a few moments' time were busy hobbling our mounts. Darknesshad settled over the camp as we were at this work, while an occasionalhorseman rode by with the common inquiry, "Whose outfit is this?" andthe cook, with one end of the rope in his hand, would feel the host inhim sufficiently to reply in tones supercilious, "The Coldwater Poolmen are with us this year. "

Our arrival was heralded through the camp with the same rapidity withwhich gossip circulates, equally in a tenement alley or the uppercrust of society. The cook had informed us that we had been inquiredfor by some Panhandle man; so before we had finished hobbling, astranger sang out across the ropes in the darkness, "Is Billy Edwardshere?" Receiving an affirmative answer from among the horses' feet, headded, "Come out, then, and shake hands with a friend. "

Edwards arose from his work, and looking across the backs of thecircle of horses about him, at the undistinguishable figure at therope, replied, "Whoever you are, I reckon the acquaintance will holdgood until I get these horses hobbled. "

"Who is it?" inquired "Mouse" from over near the hind wheel of thewagon, where he was applying the hemp to the horses' ankles. 

"I don't know, " said Billy, as he knelt among the horses and resumedhis work, --"some geranium out there wants me to come out and shakehands, pow-wow, and make some medicine with him; that's all. Say, we'll leave Chino for picket, and that Chihuahua cutting horse ofCoon's, you have to put a rope on when you come to him. He's tootouchy to sabe hobbles if you don't. "

When we had finished hobbling, and the horses were turned loose, thestranger proved to be "Babe" Bradshaw, an old chum of Edwards's. TheSpade cook added an earthly laurel to his temporal crown with thesupper to which he shortly invited us. Bradshaw had eaten with thegeneral wagon, but he sat around while we ate. There was littleconversation during the supper, for our appetites were such and thespread so inviting that it simply absorbed us. 

"Don't bother me, " said Edwards to his old chum, in reply to someinquiry. "Can't you see that I'm occupied at present?"

We did justice to the supper, having had no dinner that day. The cookeven urged, with an earnestness worthy of a motherly landlady, severaldishes, but his browned potatoes and roast beef claimed our attention. "Well, what are you doing in this country anyhow?" inquired Edwards ofBradshaw, when the inner man had been thoroughly satisfied. 

"Well, sir, I have a document in my pocket, with sealing wax but noribbons on it, which says that I am the duly authorized representativeof the Panhandle Cattle Association. I also have a book in my pocketshowing every brand and the names of its owners, and there is a wholeraft of them. I may go to St. Louis to act as inspector for my peoplewhen the round-up ends. "

"You're just as windy as ever, Babe, " said Billy. "Strange I didn'trecognize you when you first spoke. You're getting natural now, though. I suppose you're borrowing horses, like all these specialinspectors do. It's all right with me, but good men must be scarce inyour section or you've improved rapidly since you left us. By the way, there is a man or four lying around here that also represents aboutforty-seven brands. Possibly you'd better not cut any of their cattleor you might get them cut back on you. "

"Do you remember, " said Babe, "when I dissolved with the 'Ohio' outfitand bought in with the 'LX' people?"

"When you what?" repeated Edwards. 

"Well, then, when I was discharged by the 'Ohio's' and got a jobploughing fire-guards with the 'LX's. ' Is that plain enough for yourconception? I learned a lesson then that has served me since to goodadvantage. Don't hesitate to ask for the best job on the works, for ifyou don't you'll see some one get it that isn't as well qualified tofill it as you are. So if you happen to be in St. Louis, call aroundand see me at the Panhandle headquarters. Don't send in any card by anigger; walk right in. I might give you some other pointers, butyou couldn't appreciate them. You'll more than likely be driving achuck-wagon in a few years. "

These old cronies from boyhood sparred along in give-and-take reparteefor some time, finally drifting back to boyhood days, while theharshness that pervaded their conversation before became mild andgenial. 

"Have you ever been back in old San Saba since we left?" inquiredEdwards after a long meditative silence. 

"Oh, yes, I spent a winter back there two years ago, though it washard lines to enjoy yourself. I managed to romance about for two orthree months, sowing turnip seed and teaching dancing-school. Thegirls that you and I knew are nearly all married. "

"What ever became of the O'Shea girls?" asked Edwards. "You know thatI was high card once with the eldest. "

"You'd better comfort yourself with the thought, " answered Babe, "foryou couldn't play third fiddle in her string now. You remember oldDennis O'Shea was land-poor all his life. Well, in the land and cattleboom a few years ago he was picked up and set on a pedestal. It'swonderful what money can do! The old man was just common bog Irishall his life, until a cattle syndicate bought his lands and cattle fortwice what they were worth. Then he blossomed into a capitalist. Healways was a trifle hide-bound. Get all you can and can all you get, took precedence and became the first law with your papa-in-law. Theold man used to say that the prettiest sight he ever saw was the smokearising from a 'Snake' branding-iron. They moved to town, and havebeen to Europe since they left the ranch. Jed Lynch, you know, wassmitten on the youngest girl. Well, he had the nerve to call on themafter their return from Europe. He says that they live in a big house, their name's on the door, and you have to ring a bell, and then anigger meets you. It must make a man feel awkward to live around awagon all his days, and then suddenly change to style and put on aheap of dog. Jed says the red-headed girl, the middle one, marriedsome fellow, and they live with the old folks. He says the other girlstreated him nicely, but the old lady, she has got it bad. He saysthat she just languishes on a sofa, cuts into the conversation now andthen, and simply swells up. She don't let the old man come into theparlor at all. Jed says that when the girls were describing their tripthrough Europe, one of them happened to mention Rome, when the oldlady interrupted: 'Rome? Rome? Let me see, I've forgotten, girls. Where is Rome?'

"'Don't you remember when we were in Italy, ' said one of the girls, trying to refresh her memory. 

"'Oh, yes, now I remember; that's where I bought you girls such nicelong red stockings. '

"The girls suddenly remembered some duty about the house that requiredtheir immediate attention, and Jed says that he looked out of thewindow. "

"So you think I've lost my number, do you?" commented Edwards, as helay on his back and fondly patted a comfortable stomach. 

"Well, possibly I have, but it's some consolation to remember thatthat very good woman that you're slandering used to give me the gladhand and cut the pie large when I called. I may be out of the game, but I'd take a chance yet if I were present; that's what!"

They were singing over at one of the wagons across the draw, andafter the song ended, Bradshaw asked, "What ever became of Raneka BillHunter?"

"Oh, he's drifting about, " said Edwards. "Mouse here can tell youabout him. They're old college chums. "

"Raneka was working for the '-BQ' people last summer, " said Mouse, "but was discharged for hanging a horse, or rather he dischargedhimself. It seems that some one took a fancy to a horse in his mount. The last man to buy into an outfit that way always gets all the badhorses for his string. As Raneka was a new man there, the result wasthat some excuse was given him to change, and they rung in a spoilthorse on him in changing. Being new that way, he wasn't on to thehorses. The first time he tried to saddle this new horse he showedup bad. The horse trotted up to him when the rope fell on his neck, reared up nicely and playfully, and threw out his forefeet, strippingthe three upper buttons off Bill's vest pattern. Bill never saida word about his intentions, but tied him to the corral fence andsaddled up his own private horse. There were several men around camp, but they said nothing, being a party to the deal, though they noticedBill riding away with the spoilt horse. He took him down on the creekabout a mile from camp and hung him. 

"How did he do it? Why, there was a big cottonwood grew on a bluffbank of the creek. One limb hung out over the bluff, over the bed ofthe creek. He left the running noose on the horse's neck, climbed outon this overhanging limb, taking the rope through a fork directly overthe water. He then climbed down and snubbed the free end of the ropeto a small tree, and began taking in his slack. When the rope beganto choke the horse, he reared and plunged, throwing himself over thebluff. That settled his ever hurting any one. He was hung higher thanHaman. Bill never went back to the camp, but struck out for otherquarters. There was a month's wages coming to him, but he would getthat later or they might keep it. Life had charms for anold-timer like Bill, and he didn't hanker for any reputation as abroncho-buster. It generally takes a verdant to pine for such honors. 

"Last winter when Bill was riding the chuck line, he ran up againsta new experience. It seems that some newcomer bought a range over onBlack Bear. This new man sought to set at defiance the customs of therange. It was currently reported that he had refused to invite peopleto stay for dinner, and preferred that no one would ask for a night'slodging, even in winter. This was the gossip of the camps for milesaround, so Bill and some juniper of a pardner thought they would makea call on him and see how it was. They made it a point to reach hiscamp shortly after noon. They met the owner just coming out of thedug-out as they rode up. They exchanged the compliments of the hour, when the new man turned and locked the door of the dug-out with apadlock. Bill sparred around the main question, but finally asked ifit was too late to get dinner, and was very politely informed thatdinner was over. This latter information was, however, qualified witha profusion of regrets. After a confession of a hard ride made thatmorning from a camp many miles distant, Bill asked the chance toremain over night. Again the travelers were met with serious regrets, as no one would be at camp that night, business calling the owneraway; he was just starting then. The cowman led out his horse, andafter mounting and expressing for the last time his sincere regretsthat he could not extend to them the hospitalities of his camp, rodeaway. 

"Bill and his pardner moseyed in an opposite direction a shortdistance and held a parley. Bill was so nonplussed at the receptionthat it took him some little time to collect his thoughts. When itthoroughly dawned on him that the courtesies of the range had beentrampled under foot by a rank newcomer and himself snubbed, he wasaroused to action. 

"'Let's go back, ' said Bill to his pardner, 'and at least leave ourcard. He might not like it if we didn't. '

"They went back and dismounted about ten steps from the door. Theyshot every cartridge they both had, over a hundred between them, through the door, fastened a card with their correct names on it, androde away. One of the boys that was working there, but was absent atthe time, says there was a number of canned tomato and corn cratesranked up at the rear of the dug-out, in range with the door. This ladsays that it looked as if they had a special grievance against thosecanned goods, for they were riddled with lead. That fellow lost enoughby that act to have fed all the chuck-line men that would bother himin a year. 

"Raneka made it a rule, " continued Mouse, "to go down and visit theCheyennes every winter, sometimes staying a month. He could makea good stagger at speaking their tongue, so that together with hisknowledge of the Spanish and the sign language he could converse withthem readily. He was perfectly at home with them, and they all likedhim. When he used to let his hair grow long, he looked like an Indian. Once, when he was wrangling horses for us during the beef-shippingseason, we passed him off for an Indian on some dining-room girls. George Wall was working with us that year, and had gone in ahead tosee about the cars and find out when we could pen and the like. We hadto drive to the State line, then, to ship. George took dinner at thebest hotel in the town, and asked one of the dining-room girls if hemight bring in an Indian to supper the next evening. They didn't know, so they referred him to the landlord. George explained to that auger, who, not wishing to offend us, consented. There were about ten girlsin the dining-room, and they were on the lookout for the Indian. Thenext night we penned a little before dark. Not a man would eat at thewagon; every one rode for the hotel. We fixed Bill up in fine shape, put feathers in his hair, streaked his face with red and yellow, andhad him all togged out in buckskin, even to moccasins. As we enteredthe dining-room, George led him by the hand, assuring all the girlsthat he was perfectly harmless. One long table accommodated us all. George, who sat at the head with our Indian on his right, begged thegirls not to act as though they were afraid; he might notice it. Wallfed him pickles and lump sugar until the supper was brought on. Thenhe pushed back his chair about four feet, and stared at the girls likean idiot. When George ordered him to eat, he stood up at the table. When he wouldn't let him stand, he took the plate on his knee, and ateone side dish at a time. Finally, when he had eaten everything thatsuited his taste, he stood up and signed with his hands to the groupof girls, muttering, 'Wo-haw, wo-haw. '

"'He wants some more beef, ' said Wall. 'Bring him some more beef. 'After a while he stood up and signed again, George interpreting hiswants to the dining-room girls: 'Bring him some coffee. He's awfulfond of coffee. '

"That supper lasted an hour, and he ate enough to kill a horse. As weleft the dining-room, he tried to carry away a sugar-bowl, butWall took it away from him. As we passed out George turned back andapologized to the girls, saying, 'He's a good Injun. I promised him hemight eat with us. He'll talk about this for months now. When he goesback to his tribe he'll tell his squaws all about you girls feedinghim. '"

"Seems like I remember that fellow Wall, " said Bradshaw, meditating. 

"Why, of course you do. Weren't you with us when we voted the bonds tothe railroad company?" asked Edwards. 

"No, never heard of it; must have been after I left. What business didyou have voting bonds?"

"Tell him, Coon. I'm too full for utterance, " said Edwards. 

"If you'd been in this country you'd heard of it, " said Coon Floyd. "For a few years everything was dated from that event. It was like'when the stars fell, ' and the 'surrender' with the old-time darkiesat home. It seems that some new line of railroad wanted to build in, and wanted bonds voted to them as bonus. Some foxy agent for this newline got among the long-horns, who own the cattle on this Strip, andshowed them that it was to their interests to get a competing linein the cattle traffic. The result was, these old long-horns got owly, laid their heads together, and made a little medicine. Every mother'sson of us in the Strip was entitled to claim a home somewhere, sothey put it up that we should come in and vote for the bonds. Itwas believed it would be a close race if they carried, for it wasby counties that the bonds were voted. Towns that the road would runthrough would vote unanimously for them, but outlying towns would votesolidly against the bonds. There was a big lot of money used, whereverit came from, for we were royally entertained. Two or three daysbefore the date set for the election, they began to head for thiscow-town, every man on his top horse. Everything was as free as air, and we all understood that a new railroad was a good thing for thecattle interests. We gave it not only our votes, but moral supportlikewise. 

"It was a great gathering. The hotels fed us, and the liveriescared for our horses. The liquid refreshments were provided by theprohibition druggists of the town and were as free as the sunlight. There was an underestimate made on the amount of liquids required, for the town was dry about thirty minutes; but a regular train was runthrough from Wichita ahead of time, and the embarrassment overcome. There was an opposition line of railroad working against the bonds, but they didn't have any better sense than to send a man down to ourtown to counteract our exertions. Public sentiment was a delicatematter with us, and while this man had no influence with any of us, wedidn't feel the same toward him as we might. He was distributing histickets around, and putting up a good argument, possibly, from hispoint of view, when some of these old long-horns hinted to the boys toshow the fellow that he wasn't wanted. 'Don't hurt him, ' said one oldcow-man to this same Wall, 'but give him a scare, so he will know thatwe don't indorse him a little bit. Let him know that this town knowshow to vote without being told. I'll send a man to rescue him, whenthings have gone far enough. You'll know when to let up. '

"That was sufficient. George went into a store and cut off about fiftyfeet of new rope. Some fellows that knew how tied a hangman's knot. As we came up to the stranger, we heard him say to a man, 'I tell you, sir, these bonds will pauperize unborn gener--' But the noose droppedover his neck, and cut short his argument. We led him a block anda half through the little town, during which there was a pointedargument between Wall and a "Z----" man whether the city scales or thestockyards arch gate would be the best place to hang him. There werea hundred men around him and hanging on to the rope, when a druggist, whom most of them knew, burst through the crowd, and whipping out aknife cut the rope within a few feet of his neck. 'What in hell areyou varments trying to do?' roared the druggist. 'This man is a cousinof mine. Going to hang him, are you? Well, you'll have to hang me withhim when you do. '

"'Just as soon make it two as one, ' snarled George. 'When did you getthe chips in this game, I'd like to know? Oppose the progress of thetown, too, do you?'

"'No, I don't, ' said the druggist, 'and I'll see that my cousin heredoesn't. '

"'That's all we ask, then, ' said Wall; 'turn him loose, boys. We don'twant to hang no man. We hold you responsible if he opens his mouthagain against the bonds. '

"'Hold me responsible, gentlemen, ' said the druggist, with a profoundbow. 'Come with me, Cousin, ' he said to the Anti. 

"The druggist took him through his store, and up some back stairs; andonce he had him alone, this was his advice, as reported to us later:'You're a stranger to me. I lied to those men, but I saved your life. Now, I'll take you to the four-o'clock train, and get you out of thistown. By this act I'll incur the hatred of these people that I liveamongst. So you let the idea go out that you are my cousin. Sabe? Now, stay right here and I'll bring you anything you want, but for Heaven'ssake, don't give me away. '

"'Is--is--is the four o'clock train the first out?' inquired the newcousin. 

"'It is the first. I'll see you through this. I'll come up and see youevery hour. Take things cool and easy now. I'm your friend, remember, 'was the comfort they parted on. 

"There were over seven hundred votes cast, and only one against thebonds. How that one vote got in is yet a mystery. There were no harddrinkers among the boys, all easy drinkers, men that never refused todrink. Yet voting was a little new to them, and possibly that was howthis mistake occurred. We got the returns early in the evening. Thecounty had gone by a handsome majority for the bonds. The committee onentertainment had provided a ball for us in the basement of the OperaHouse, it being the largest room in town. When the good news began tocirculate, the merchants began building bonfires. Fellows who didn'thave extra togs on for the ball got out their horses, and in squads oftwenty to fifty rode through the town, painting her red. If there wasone shot fired that night, there were ten thousand. 

"I bought a white shirt and went to the ball. To show you how generalthe good feeling amongst everybody was, I squeezed the hand of analfalfa widow during a waltz, who instantly reported the affrontoffered to her gallant. In her presence he took me to task for theoffense. 'Young man, ' said the doctor, with a quiet wink, ' this ladyis under my protection. The fourteenth amendment don't apply to younor me. Six-shooters, however, make us equal. Are you armed?'

"'I am, sir. '

"'Unfortunately, I am not. Will you kindly excuse me, say tenminutes?'

"'Certainly, sir, with pleasure. '

"'There are ladies present, ' he observed. 'Let us retire. '

"On my consenting, he turned to the offended dame, and in spite of herprotests and appeals to drop matters, we left the ballroom, glaringdaggers at each other. Once outside, he slapped me on the back, andsaid, 'Say, we'll just have time to run up to my office, where I havesome choice old copper-distilled, sent me by a very dear friend inKentucky. '

"The goods were all he claimed for them, and on our return he askedme as a personal favor to apologize to the lady, admitting that he wasnone too solid with her himself. My doing so, he argued, would fortifyhim with her and wipe out rivals. The doctor was a rattling goodfellow, and I'd even taken off my new shirt for him, if he'd said theword. When I made the apology, I did it on the grounds that I couldnot afford to have any difference, especially with a gentleman whowould willingly risk his life for a lady who claimed his protection. 

"No, if you never heard of voting the bonds you certainly haven't keptvery close tab on affairs in this Strip. Two or three men whom I knowrefused to go in and vote. They ain't working in this country now. Ittook some of the boys ten days to go and come, but there wasn't aword said. Wages went on just the same. You ain't asleep, are you, DonGuillermo?"

"Oh, no, " said Edwards, with a yawn, "I feel just like the nigger didwhen he eat his fill of possum, corn bread, and new molasses: pushedthe platter away and said, 'Go way, 'lasses, you done los' yo'sweetness. '"

Bradshaw made several attempts to go, but each time some thoughtwould enter his mind and he would return with questions about formeracquaintances. Finally he inquired, "What ever became of that littlefellow who was sick about your camp?"

Edwards meditated until Mouse said, "He's thinking about little St. John, the fiddler. "

"Oh, yes, Patsy St. John, the little glass-blower, " said Edwards, ashe sat up on a roll of bedding. "He's dead long ago. Died at our camp. I did something for him that I've often wondered who would do the samefor me--I closed his eyes when he died. You know he came to us withthe mark on his brow. There was no escape; he had consumption. Hewanted to live, and struggled hard to avoid going. Until three daysbefore his death he was hopeful; always would tell us how much betterhe was getting, and every one could see that he was gradually going. We always gave him gentle horses to ride, and he would go with us ontrips that we were afraid would be his last. There wasn't a man on therange who ever said 'No' to him. He was one of those little men youcan't help but like; small physically, but with a heart as big as anox's. He lived about three years on the range, was welcome wherever hewent, and never made an enemy or lost a friend. He couldn't; it wasn'tin him. I don't remember now how he came to the range, but think hewas advised by doctors to lead an outdoor life for a change. 

"He was born in the South, and was a glass-blower by occupation. Hewould have died sooner, but for his pluck and confidence that he wouldget well. He changed his mind one morning, lost hope that he wouldever get well, and died in three days. It was in the spring. We weregoing out one morning to put in a flood-gate on the river, which hadwashed away in a freshet. He was ready to go along. He hadn't beenon a horse in two weeks. No one ever pretended to notice that he wassick. He was sensitive if you offered any sympathy, so no one offeredto assist, except to saddle his horse. The old horse stood like akitten. Not a man pretended to notice, but we all saw him put his footin the stirrup three different times and attempt to lift himself intothe saddle. He simply lacked the strength. He asked one of the boysto unsaddle the horse, saying he wouldn't go with us. Some of the boyssuggested that it was a long ride, and it was best he didn't go, thatwe would hardly get back until after dark. But we had no idea that hewas so near his end. After we left, he went back to the shack andtold the cook he had changed his mind, --that he was going to die. Thatnight, when we came back, he was lying on his cot. We all tried tojolly him, but each got the same answer from him, 'I'm going to die. 'The outfit to a man was broke up about it, but all kept up a goodfront. We tried to make him believe it was only one of his bad days, but he knew otherwise. He asked Joe Box and Ham Rhodes, the twobiggest men in the outfit, six-footers and an inch each, to sit one oneach side of his cot until he went to sleep. He knew better than anyof us how near he was to crossing. But it seemed he felt safe betweenthese two giants. We kept up a running conversation in jest withone another, though it was empty mockery. But he never pretended tonotice. It was plain to us all that the fear was on him. We kept nearthe shack the next day, some of the boys always with him. The thirdevening he seemed to rally, talked with us all, and asked if someof the boys would not play the fiddle. He was a good player himself. Several of the boys played old favorites of his, interspersed withstories and songs, until the evening was passing pleasantly. We wererecovering from our despondency with this noticeable recovery on hispart, when he whispered to his two big nurses to prop him up. Theydid so with pillows and parkers, and he actually smiled on us all. Hewhispered to Joe, who in turn asked the lad sitting on the foot ofthe cot to play Farewell, my Sunny Southern Home. ' Strange we hadforgotten that old air, --for it was a general favorite with us, --andstranger now that he should ask for it. As that old familiar air waswafted out from the instrument, he raised his eyes, and seemed towander in his mind as if trying to follow the refrain. Then somethingcame over him, for he sat up rigid, pointing out his hand at theempty space, and muttered, 'Therestands--mother--now--under--the--oleanders. Who is--thatwith--her? Yes, I had--a sister. Open--the--windows. It--is--getting--dark--dark--dark. '

"Large hands laid him down tenderly, but a fit of coughing came on. Hestruggled in a hemorrhage for a moment, and then crossed over to thewaiting figures among the oleanders. Of all the broke-up outfits, wewere the most. Dead tough men bawled like babies. I had a good onemyself. When we came around to our senses, we all admitted it was forthe best. Since he could not get well, he was better off. We took himnext day about ten miles and buried him with those freighters who werekilled when the Pawnees raided this country. Some man will plant cornover their graves some day. "

As Edwards finished his story, his voice trembled and there were tearsin his eyes. A strange silence had come over those gathered aboutthe camp-fire. Mouse, to conceal his emotion, pretended to be asleep, while Bradshaw made an effort to clear his throat of something thatwould neither go up nor down, and failing in this, turned and walkedaway without a word. Silently we unrolled the beds, and with saddlesfor pillows and the dome of heaven for a roof, we fell asleep. 

X

THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA

On the southern slope of the main tableland which divides the watersof the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers in Texas, lies the old Spanishland grant of "Agua Dulce, " and the rancho by that name. Twice withinthe space of fifteen years was an appeal to the sword taken over theownership of the territory between these rivers. Sparsely settled bythe descendants of the original grantees, with an occasional Americanranchman, it is to-day much the same as when the treaty of peace gaveit to the stronger republic. 

This frontier on the south has undergone few changes in the last halfcentury, and no improvements have been made. Here the smuggler againstboth governments finds an inviting field. The bandit and the robberfeel equally at home under either flag. Revolutionists hatch theirplots against the powers that be; sedition takes on life and findsadherents eager to bear arms and apply the torch. 

Within a dozen years of the close of the century just past, thisterritory was infested by a band of robbers, whose boldness has hadfew equals in the history of American brigandage. The Bedouins of theOrient justify their freebooting by accounting it a religiousduty, looking upon every one against their faith as an Infidel, andtherefore common property. These bandits could offer no such excuse, for they plundered people of their own faith and blood. They wereMexicans, a hybrid mixture of Spanish atrocity and Indian cruelty. They numbered from ten to twenty, and for several months terrorizedthe Mexican inhabitants on both sides of the river. On the Americanside they were particular never to molest any one except those oftheir own nationality. These they robbed with impunity, nor did theirvictims dare to complain to the authorities, so thoroughly were theyterrified and coerced. 

The last and most daring act of these marauders was the kidnapping ofDon Ramon Mora, owner of the princely grant of Agua Dulce. Thousandsof cattle and horses ranged over the vast acres of his ranch, and hewas reputed to be a wealthy man. No one ever enjoyed the hospitalityof Agua Dulce but went his way with an increased regard for its ownerand his estimable Castilian family. The rancho lay back from the riverprobably sixty miles, and was on the border of the chaparral, whichwas the rendezvous of the robbers. Don Ramon had a pleasant home inone of the river towns. One June he and his family had gone tothe ranch, intending to spend a few weeks there. He had notifiedcattle-buyers of this vacation, and had invited them to visit himthere either on business or pleasure. 

One evening an unknown vaquero rode up to the rancho and asked for DonRamon. That gentleman presenting himself, the stranger made known hiserrand: a certain firm of well-known drovers, friends of the ranchero, were encamped for the night at a ranchita some ten miles distant. Theyregretted that they could not visit him, but they would be pleased tosee him. They gave as an excuse for not calling that they were drivingquite a herd of cattle, and the corrals at this little ranch wereunsafe for the number they had, so that they were compelled to holdoutside or night-herd. This very plausible story was accepted withoutquestion by Don Ramon, who well understood the handling of herds. Inviting the messenger to some refreshment, he ordered his horsesaddled and made preparation to return with this pseudo vaquero. Telling his family that he would be gone for the night, he rode awaywith the stranger. 

There were several thickety groves, extending from the main chaparralout for considerable distance on the prairie, but not of as rank agrowth as on the alluvial river bottoms. These thickets were composedof thorny underbrush, frequently as large as fruit trees and of adensity which made them impenetrable, except by those thoroughlyfamiliar with the few established trails. The road from Agua Dulceto the ranchita was plain and well known, yet passing through severalarms of the main body of the chaparral. Don Ramon and his guidereached one of these thickets after nightfall. Suddenly they weresurrounded by a dozen horsemen, who, with oaths and jests, told himthat he was their prisoner. Relieving Don Ramon of his firearms andother valuables, one of the bandits took the bridle off his horse, andputting a rope around the animal's neck, the band turned towards theriver with their captive. Near morning they went into one of theirmany retreats in the chaparral, fettering their prisoner. What thefeelings of Don Ramon Mora were that night is not for pen to picture, for they must have been indescribable. 

The following day the leader of these bandits held severalconversations with him, asking in regard to his family, his childrenin particular, their names, number, and ages. When evening came theyset out once more southward, crossing the Rio Grande during the nightat an unused ford. The next morning found them well inland on theMexican side, and encamped in one of their many chaparral rendezvous. Here they spent several days, sometimes, however, only a few of theband being present. The density of the thickets on the first andsecond bottoms of this river, extending back inland often fifty miles, made this camp and refuge almost inaccessible. The country furnishedtheir main subsistence; fresh meat was always at hand, while theircomrades, scouting the river towns, supplied such comforts as werelacking. 

Don Ramon's appeals to his captors to know his offense and what hispunishment was to be were laughed at until he had been their prisonera week. One night several of the party returned, awoke him out of afriendly sleep, and he was notified that their chief would join themby daybreak, and then he would know what his offense had been. Whenthis personage made his appearance, he ordered Don Ramon released fromhis fetters. Every one in camp showed obeisance to him. After holdinga general conversation with his followers, he approached Don Ramon, the band forming a circle about the prisoner and their chief. 

"Don Ramon Mora, " he began, with mock courtesy, "doubtless youconsider yourself an innocent and abused person. In that you arewrong. Your offense is a political one. Your family for threegenerations have opposed the freedom of Mexico. When our people wereconquered and control was given to the French, it was through thetreachery of such men as you. Treason is unpardonable, Seńor Mora. Itis useless to enumerate your crimes against human liberty. Living asyou do under a friendly government, you have incited the ignorant torevolution and revolt against the native rulers. Secret agents of ourcommon country have shadowed you for years. It is useless to deny yourguilt. Your execution, therefore, will be secret, in order that yourco-workers in infamy shall not take alarm, but may meet a similarfate. "

Turning to one of the party who had acted as leader at the time of hiscapture, he gave these instructions: "Be in no hurry to execute theseorders. Death is far too light a sentence to fit his crime. He isbeyond a full measure of justice. " There was a chorus of "bravos" whenthe bandit chief finished this trumped-up charge. As he turned fromthe prisoner, Don Ramon pleadingly begged, "Only take me before anestablished court that I may prove my innocence. "

"No! sentence has been passed upon you. If you hope for mercy, it mustcome from there, " and the chief pointed heavenward. One of the bandled out the arch-chief's horse, and with a parting instructionto "conceal his grave carefully, " he rode away with but a singleattendant. 

As they led Don Ramon back to his blanket and replaced the fetters, his cup of sorrow was full to overflowing. Oddly enough the leader, since sentence of death had been pronounced upon his victim, was theonly one of the band who showed any kindness. The others were brutalin their jeers and taunts. Some remarks burned into his sensitivenature as vitriol burns into metal. The bandit leader alone offeredlittle kindnesses. 

Two days later, the acting chief ordered the irons taken from thecaptive's feet, and the two men, with but a single attendant, whokept a respectful distance, started out for a stroll. The bandit chiefexpressed his regret at the sad duty which had been allotted him, andassured Don Ramon that he would gladly make his time as long as waspermissible. 

"I thank you for your kindness, " said Don Ramon, "but is there nochance to be given me to prove the falsity of these charges? Am Icondemned to die without a hearing?"

"There is no hope from that source. "

"Is there any hope from any source?"

"Scarcely, " replied the leader, "and still, if we could satisfy thosein authority over us that you had been executed as ordered, and ifmy men could be bribed to certify the fact if necessary, and if youpledge us to quit the country forever, who would know to the contrary?True, our lives would be in jeopardy, and it would mean death to youif you betrayed us. "

"Is this possible?" asked Don Ramon excitedly. 

"The color of gold makes a good many things possible. "

"I would gladly give all I possess in the world for one hour's peacein the presence of my family, even if in the next my soul was summonedto the bar of God. True, in lands and cattle I am wealthy, but themoney at my command is limited, though I wish it were otherwise. "

"It is a fortunate thing that you are a man of means. Say nothing toyour guards, and I will have a talk this very night with two men whomI can trust, and we will see what can be done for you. Come, seńor, don't despair, for I feel there is some hope, " concluded the bandit. 

The family of Don Ramon were uneasy but not alarmed by his failureto return to them the day following his departure. After two days hadpassed, during which no word had come from him, his wife sent an oldservant to see if he was still at the ranchita. There the man learnedthat his master had not been seen, nor had there been any droversthere recently. Under the promise of secrecy, the servant was furtherinformed that, on the very day that Don Ramon had left his home, aband of robbers had driven into a corral at a ranch in the _monte_ aremudo of ranch horses, and, asking no one's consent, had proceeded tochange their mounts, leaving their own tired horses. This they didat noonday, without so much as a hand raised in protest, so terrifiedwere the people of the ranch. 

On the servant's return to Agua Dulce, the alarm and grief of thefamily were pitiful, as was their helplessness. When darkness set inSeńora Mora sent a letter by a peon to an old family friend at hishome on the river. The next night three men, for mutual protection, brought back a reply. From it these plausible deductions were made:--

That Don Ramon had been kidnapped for a ransom; that these bandits nodoubt were desperate men who would let nothing interfere with theirplans; that to notify the authorities and ask for help might end inhis murder; and that if kidnapped for a ransom, overtures for hisredemption would be made in due time. As he was entirely at the mercyof his captors, they must look for hope only from that source. Ifreward was their motive, he was worth more living than dead. This wasthe only consolation deduced. The letter concluded by advising themto meet any overture in strict confidence. As only money would beacceptable in such a case, the friend pledged all his means in behalfof Don Ramon should it be needed. 

These were anxious days and weary nights for this innocent family. Thefather, no doubt, would welcome death itself in preference to the rackon which he was kept by his captors. Time is not considered valuablein warm climates, and two weary days were allowed to pass before anyconversation was renewed with Don Ramon. 

Then once more the chief had the fetters removed from his victim'sankles, with the customary guard within call. He explained that manyof the men were away, and it would be several days yet before he couldknow if the outlook for his release was favorable. From what he hadbeen able to learn so far, at least fifty thousand dollars would benecessary to satisfy the band, which numbered twenty, five of whomwere spies. They were poor men, he further explained, many of themhad families, and if they accepted money in a case like this, self-banishment was the only safe course, as the political society towhich they belonged would place a price on their heads if they weredetected. 

"The sum mentioned is a large one, " commented Don Ramon, "but it isnothing to the mental anguish that I suffer daily. If I had time andfreedom, the money might be raised. But as it is, it is doubtful if Icould command one fifth of it. "

"You have a son, " said the chief, "a young man of twenty. Could he notas well as yourself raise this amount? A letter could be placed in hishands stating that a political society had sentenced you to death, andthat your life was only spared from day to day by the sufferanceof your captors. Ask him to raise this sum, tell him it would meanfreedom and restoration to your family. Could he not do this as wellas you?"

"If time were given him, possibly. Can I send him such a letter?"pleaded Don Ramon, brightening with the hope of this new opportunity. 

"It would be impossible at present. The consent of all interested mustfirst be gained. Our responsibility then becomes greater than yours. No false step must be taken. To-morrow is the soonest that we canget a hearing with all. There must be no dissenters to the plan or itfails, and then--well, the execution has been delayed long enough. "

Thus the days wore on. 

The absence of the band, except for the few who guarded the prisoner, was policy on their part. They were receiving the news from the rivervillages daily, where the friends of Don Ramon discussed his absencein whispers. Their system of espionage was as careful as their methodswere cruel and heartless. They even got reports from the ranch thatnot a member of the family had ventured away since its master'scapture. The local authorities were inactive. The bandits would playtheir cards for a high ransom. 

Early one morning after a troubled night's rest, Don Ramon wasawakened by the arrival of the robbers, several of whom wereboisterously drunk. It was only with curses and drawn arms that thechief prevented these men from committing outrages on their helplesscaptive. 

After coffee was served, the chief unfolded his plot to them, with DonRamon as a listener to the proceedings. Addressing them, he said thatthe prisoner's offense was not one against them or theirs; that atbest they were but the hirelings of others; that they were poorlypaid, and that it had become sickening to him to do the bloody workfor others. Don Ramon Mora had gold at his command, enough to giveeach more in a day than they could hope to receive for years of thisinhuman servitude. He could possibly pay to each two thousand dollarsfor his freedom, guaranteeing them his gratitude, and pledging torefrain from any prosecution. Would they accept this offer or refuseit? As many as were in favor of granting his life would deposit in hishat a leaf from the mesquite; those opposed, a leaf from the wild canewhich surrounded their camp. 

The vote asked for was watched by the prisoner as only a man couldwatch whose life hung in the balance. There were eight cane leavesto seven of the mesquite. The chief flew into a rage, cursed hisfollowers for murderers for refusing to let the life blood run in thisman, who had never done one of them an injury. He called them cowardsfor attacking the helpless, even accusing them of lack of respect fortheir chief's wishes. The majority hung their heads like whipped curs. When he had finished his harangue, one of their number held up hishand to beg the privilege of speaking. 

"Yes, defend your dastardly act if you can, " said the chief. 

"Capitan, " said the man, making obeisance and tapping his breast, "there is an oath recorded here, in memory of a father who was hangedby the French for no other crime save that he was a patriot to theland of his birth. And you ask me to violate my vow! To the wind withyour sympathy! To the gallows with our enemies!" There was a chorusof "bravos" and shouts of "Vivi el Mejico, " as the majoritycongratulated the speaker. 

When the chief led the prisoner back to his blanket, he spokehopefully to Don Ramon, explaining that it was the mescal the men haddrunk which made them so unreasonable and defiant. Promising toreason with them when they were more sober, he left Don Ramon with hissolitary guard. The chief then returned to the band, where he receivedthe congratulations of his partners in crime on his mock sympathy. Itwas agreed that the majority should be won over at the next council, which they would hold that evening. 

The chief returned to his prisoner during the day, and expressed ahope that by evening, when his followers would be perfectly sober, they would listen to reason. He doubted, however, if the sum firstnamed would satisfy them, and insisted that he be authorized to offermore. To this latter proposition Don Ramon made answer, "I amhelpless to promise you anything, but if you will only place me incorrespondence with my son, all I possess, everything that can behypothecated shall go to satisfy your demands. Only let it be soon, for this suspense is killing me. "

An hour before dark the band was once more summoned together, withDon Ramon in their midst. The chief asked the majority if they had anycompromise to offer to his proposition of the morning, and received anegative answer. "Then, " said he, "remember that a trusting wife andeight children, the eldest a lad of twenty, the youngest a toddlingtot of a girl, claim a husband and a father's love at the hands of theprisoner here. Are you such base ingrates that you can show no mercy, not even to the innocent?"

The majority were abashed, and one by one fell back in the distance. Finally a middle-aged man came forward and said, "Give us fivethousand dollars in gold apiece, the money to be in hand, and theprisoner may have his liberty, all other conditions made in themorning to be binding. "

"Your answer to that, Don Ramon?" asked the chief. 

"I have promised my all. I ask nothing but life. I may have friendswho will assist. Give me an opportunity to see what can be done. "

"You shall have it, " replied the chief, "and on its success dependsyour liberty or the consequences. "

Going amongst the band, he ordered them to meet again in three daysat one of their rendezvous near Agua Dulce; to go by twos, visitthe river towns on the way, to pick up all items of interest, andparticularly to watch for any movement of the authorities. 

Retaining two of his companions to act as guards, the others saddledtheir horses and dispersed by various routes. The chief waited untilthe moon was well up, then abandoned their camp of the last ten daysand set out towards Agua Dulce. To show his friendship for his victim, he removed all irons, but did not give freedom to Don Ramon's horse, which was led, as before. 

It was after midnight when they recrossed the river to the Americanside, using a ford known to but a few smugglers. When day broke theywere well inland and secure in the chaparral. Another night's travel, and they were encamped in the place agreed upon. Reports which themembers of the band brought to the chief showed that the authoritieshad made no movement as yet, so evidently this outrage had never beenproperly reported. 

Don Ramon was now furnished paper and pencil, and he addressed aletter to his son and family. The contents can easily be imagined. It concluded with an appeal to secrecy, and an order to observein confidence and honor any compact made, as his life and libertydepended on it. When this missive had passed the scrutiny of thebandits, it was dispatched by one of their number to Seńora Mora. Itwas just two weeks since Don Ramon's disappearance, a fortnight ofuntold anguish and uncertainty to his family. 

The messenger reached Agua Dulce an hour before midnight, and seeinga light in the house, warned the inmates of his presence by the usual"Ave Maria, " a friendly salutation invoking the blessings of thesaints on all within hearing. Supposing that some friend had a wordfor them, the son went outside, meeting the messenger. 

"Are you the son of Don Ramon Mora?" asked the bandit. 

"I am, " replied the young man; "won't you dismount?"

"No. I bear a letter to you from your father. One moment, seńor!I have within call half a dozen men. Give no alarm. Read hisinstructions to you. I shall expect an answer in half an hour. Theletter, seńor. "

The son hastened into the house to read his father's communication. The bandit kept a strict watch over the premises to see that nodemonstration was made against him. When the half hour was nearly up, the son came forward and tendered the answer. Passing the complimentsof the moment, the man rode away as airily as though the question wereof hearts instead of life. The reply was first read by Don Ramon, thenturned over to the chief. It would require a second letter, whichwas to be called for in four days. Things were now nearing the dangerpoint. They must be doubly vigilant; so all but the chief and twoguards scattered out and watched every movement. Two or three townson the river were to have special care. Friends of the family livedin these towns. They must be watched. The officers of the law were themost to be feared. Every bit of conversation overheard was carefullynoted, with its effects and bearing. 

At the appointed time, another messenger was sent to the ranch, butonly a part of the band returned to know the result. The sum whichthe son reported at his command was very disappointing. It would notsatisfy the leaders, and there would be nothing for the others. Itwas out of the question to consider it. The chief cursed himself forletting his sympathy get the better of him. Why had he not listenedto the majority and been true to an accepted duty? He called himself awoman for having acted as he had--a man unfit to be trusted. 

Don Ramon heard these self-reproaches of the chief with a heavy heart, and when opportunity occurred, he pleaded for one more chance. Hehad many friends. There had not been time enough to see them all. Hislands and cattle had not been hypothecated. Give him one more chance. Have mercy. 

"I was a fool, " said the chief, "to listen to a condemned man's hopes, but having gone so far I might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. "Turning to Don Ramon, he said, "Write your son that if twice the sumnamed in his letter is not forthcoming within a week, it will be toolate. "

The chief now became very surly, often declaring that the case washopeless; that the money could never be raised. He taunted hiscaptive with the fact that he had always considered himself above hisneighbors, and that now he could not command means enough to purchasethe silence and friendship of a score of beggars! His former kindnesschanged to cruelty at every opportunity; and he took delight inhurling his venom on his helpless victim. 

Dispatching the letter, he ordered the band to scatter as before, appointing a meeting place a number of days hence. After the returnof the messenger, he broke camp in the middle of the night, notforgetting to add other indignities to the heavy irons already on hisvictim. During the ensuing time they traveled the greater portionof each night. To the prisoner's questions as to where they were hereceived only insulting replies. His inquiries served only to suggestother cruelties. One night they set out unusually early, the chiefsaying that they would recross the river before morning, so that ifthe ransom was not satisfactory, the execution might take place atonce. On this night the victim was blindfolded. After many hoursof riding--it was nearly morning when they halted--the bandage wasremoved from his eyes, and he was asked if he knew the place. 

"Yes, it is Agua Dulce. "

The moon shone over its white stone buildings, quietly sleeping in thestill hours of the night, as over the white, silent slabs of a countrychurchyard. Not a sound could be heard from any living thing. They dismounted and gagged their prisoner. Tying their horses at arespectable distance, they led their victim toward his home. Don Ramonwas a small man, and could offer no resistance to his captors. Theycautioned him that the slightest resistance would mean death, whilecompliance to their wishes carried a hope of life. 

Cautiously and with a stealthy step, they advanced like the thievesthey were, their victim in the iron grasp of two strong guards, whilea rope with a running noose around his neck, in the hands of thechief, made their gag doubly effective. A garden wall ran within a fewfeet of the rear of the house, and behind it they crouched. The onlysound was the labored breathing of their prisoner. Hark! the cry ofa child is heard within the house. Oh, God! it is his child, his babygirl. Listen! The ear of the mother has heard it, and her soothingvoice has reached his anxious ear. His wife--the mother of hischildren--is now bending over their baby's crib. The muscles of DonRamon's arms turn to iron. His eyes flash defiance at the grinningfiends who exult at his misery. The running noose tightens on hisneck, and he gasps for breath. As they lead him back to his horse, hisbrain seems on fire; he questions his own sanity, even the mercy ofHeaven. 

When the sun arose that morning, they were far away in one of theimpenetrable thickets in which the country abounded. Since his captureDon Ramon had suffered, but never as now. Death would have beenpreferable, not that life had no claims upon him, but that he nolonger had hopes of liberty. The uncertainty was unbearable. Thebandits exercised caution enough to keep all means of self-destructionout of his reach. Hardened as they were, they noticed that their lastracking of the prisoner had benumbed even hope. 

Sleep alone was kind to him, though he usually awoke to find hisdreams a mockery. That night the answer to the second demand wouldarrive. A number of the band came in during the day and broughtthe rumor that the governor of the State had been notified of theirhigh-handed actions. It was thought that a company of Texas Rangerswould be ordered to the Rio Grande. This meant action, and soon. Whenthe reply came from the son of Don Ramon, he was notified to have themoney ready at a certain abandoned ranchita, though the amount, nowincreased, was not as large as was expected. It required two dayslonger for the delivery, which was to be made at midnight, and to beaccompanied by not over two messengers. 

At this juncture, a squad of ten Texas Rangers disembarked at thenearest point on the railroad to this river village. The emergencyappeal, which had finally reached the governor's ear, was acted uponpromptly, and though the men seemed very few in number, they weretried, experienced, fearless Rangers, from the crack company of theState. There was no waste of time after leaving the train. The littlecommand set out apparently for the river home of Don Ramon, distantnearly a hundred miles. After darkness had set in, the captain of thesquad cut his already small command in two, sending a lieutenantwith four men to proceed by way of Agua Dulce ranch, the remaindercontinuing on to the river. The captain refused them even pack horseor blanket, allowing them only their arms. He instructed them tocall themselves cowboys, and in case they met any Mexicans, to makeinquiries for a well-known American ranch which was located in thechaparral. With a few simple instructions from his superior, thelieutenant and squad rode away into the darkness of a June night. 

It was in reality the dark hour before dawn when they reached AguaDulce. As secretly as possible the lieutenant aroused Don Ramon'swife and sought an interview with her. Speaking Spanish fluently, heexplained his errand and her duty to put him in possession of all thefacts in the case. Bewildered, as any gentlewoman would be underthe circumstances, she reluctantly told the main facts. This officertreated Seńora Mora with every courtesy, and was eventually rewardedwhen she requested him and his men to remain her guests until her sonshould return, which would be before noon. She explained that he wouldbring a large sum of money with him, which was to be the ransom priceof her husband, and which was to be paid over at midnight withintwenty miles of Agua Dulce. This information was food and raiment tothe Ranger. 

The seńora of Agua Dulce sent a servant to secrete the Ranger's horsesin a near-by pasture, and with saddles hidden inside the house, beforethe people of the ranch or the sun arose, five Rangers were sleepingunder the roof of the _Casa primero_. 

It was late in the day when the lieutenant awoke to find Don Ramon, Jr. , ready to welcome and join in furnishing any details unknown tohis mother. The commercial instincts of the young man sided with theRangers, but the mother--thank God!--knew no such impulses and thoughtof nothing save the return of her husband, the father of her brood. The officer considered only duty--being an unknown quantity to him. He assured his hostess that if she would confide in them, her husbandwould be returned to her with all dispatch. Concealing such thingsas he considered advisable from both mother and son, he outlined hisplans. At the appointed time and place the money should be paid overand the compact adhered to to the letter. He reserved to himself andcompany, however, to furnish any red light necessary. 

An hour after dark, a messenger, Don Ramon, Jr. , and five Rangers setout to fulfill all contracts pending and understood. The abandonedranchita in the _monte_--the meeting point--had been at one time astone house of some pretensions, where had formerly lived its builder, a wealthy, eccentric recluse. It had in previous years, however, beenburned, so that now only crumbling walls remained, a gloomy, isolated, though picturesque ruin, standing in an opening several acres inextent, while trails, once in use, led to and from it. 

When the party arrived within two miles of the meeting point, anhour in advance of the appointed time, a halt was called. Under thedirection of the lieutenant, the son and his companion were to proceedby an old trail, forsaking the regular pathway leading from Agua Dulceto the old ranch. The Ranger squad tied their horses and followed arespectful distance behind, near enough, however, to hear in case anyguards might halt them. They were carefully cautioned not even to letDon Ramon, if he were present, know that rescue from another quarterwas at hand. When the two sighted the ruin they noticed a dim lightwithin the walls. Then, without a single challenge, they dashed up tothe old house, amid a clatter of hoofs, and shouts of welcome from thebandits. 

The messengers were unarmed, and once inside the house were madeprisoners, ironed, and ordered into a corner, where crouched Don RamonMora, now enfeebled by mental racking and physical abuse. The meetingof father and son will be spared the reader, yet in the young man'sheart was a hope that he dared not communicate. 

The night was warm. A fire flickered in the old fireplace, and aroundits circle gathered nine bandits to count and gloat over the bloodmoney of their victim, as a miser might over his bags of gold. Thebottle passed freely round the circle, and with toast and taunt andjeer the counting of the money was progressing. Suddenly, and with aslittle warning as if they had dropped down from among the stars, fiveTexas Rangers sprang through windows and doors, and without a worda flood of fire frothed from the mouths of ten six-shooters, hurlingdeath into the circle about the fire. There was no cessation of therain of lead until every gun was emptied, when the men sprang back, each to his window or door, where a carbine, carefully left, awaitedhis hand to complete the work of death. In the few moments thatelapsed, the smoke arose and the fire burned afresh, revealing theaccuracy of their aim. As they reëntered to review their work, two ofthe bandits were found alive and untouched, having thrown themselvesin a corner amid the confusion of smoke in the onslaught. Thus theywere spared the fate of the others, though the ghastly sight of sevenof their number, translated from life into death, met their terrorizedgaze. Human blood streamed across the once peaceful hearth, whilebrains bespattered life-sized figures in bas-relief of the Virgin Maryand Christ Child which adorned the broad columns on either side ofthe ample fireplace. In the throes of death, one bandit had flounderedabout until his hand rested in the fire, producing a sickening smellfrom the burning flesh. 

As Don Ramon was released, he stood for a few moments half dazed, looking in bewilderment at the awful spectacle before him. Then as thetruth gradually dawned upon him, --that this sacrifice of blood meantliberty to himself, --he fell upon his knees among the still warmbodies of his tormentors, his face raised to the Virgin in exultationof joy and thanksgiving. 

XI

THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG

In the early part of September, '91, the eastern overland express onthe Denver and Rio Grande was held up and robbed at Texas Creek. Theplace is little more than a watering-station on that line, but it wasan inviting place for hold-ups. 

Surrounded by the fastnesses of the front range of the Rockies, Peg-Leg Eldridge and his band selected this lonely station as bestfitted for the transaction in hand. To the southwest lay the Sangrede Cristo range, in which the band had rendezvoused and planned thisrobbery. Farther to the southwest arose the snow-capped peaks of theContinental Divide, in whose silent solitude an army might have takenrefuge and hidden. 

It was an inviting country to the robber. These mountains offeredretreats that had never known the tread of human footsteps. Emboldenedby the thought that pursuit would be almost a matter of impossibility, they laid their plans and executed them without a single hitch. 

About ten o'clock at night, as the train slowed up as usual to takewater, the engineer and fireman were covered by two of the robbers. The other two--there were only four--cut the express car from thetrain, and the engineer and fireman were ordered to decamp. Therobbers ran the engine and express car out nearly two miles, where, bythe aid of dynamite, they made short work of a through safe that themessenger could not open. The express company concealed the amountof money lost to the robbers, but smelters, who were aware of certainretorts in transit by this train, were not so silent. These smelterproducts were in gold retorts of such a size that they could be madeaway with as easily as though they had reached the mint and beencoined. 

There was scarcely any excitement among the passengers, so quickly wasit over. While the robbery was in progress the wires from this stationwere flashing the news to headquarters. At a division of the railroadone hundred and fifty-six miles distant from the scene of the robbery, lived United States Marshal Bob Banks, whose success in pursuingcriminals was not bounded by the State in which he lived. Hisreputation was in a large measure due to the successful use ofbloodhounds. This officer's calling compelled him to be both plainsmanand mountaineer. He had the well-deserved reputation of being asunrelenting in the pursuit of criminals as death is in marking itsvictims. 

Within half an hour after the robbery was reported at headquarters, an engine had coupled to a caboose at the division where the marshallived. He was equally hasty. To gather his arms and get his dogsaboard the caboose required but a few moments' time. 

Everything ready, they pulled out with a clear track to theirdestination. Heavy traffic in coal had almost ruined the road-bed, butengine and caboose flew over it regardless of its condition. Halfwayto their destination the marshal was joined by several officials, both railway and express. From there the train turned westward, up thevalley of the Arkansas. Here was a track and an occasion that gave themost daring engineer license to throw the throttle wide open. 

The climax of this night's run was through the Grand Cańon of theArkansas. Into this gash in the earth's surface plunged the engineer, as though it were an easy stretch of down-grade prairie. As the enginerounded turns, the headlight threw its rays up serried columns ofgranite half a mile high, --columns that rear their height in grotesqueform and Gothic arch, polished by the waters of ages. 

As the officials agreed, after a full discussion with the marshal ofevery phase and possibility of capture, the hope of this night's workand the punishment of the robbers rested almost entirely on three dogslying on the floor, and, as the rocking of the car disturbed them, growling in their dreams. In their helplessness to cope with thisoutrage, they turned to these dumb animals as a welcome ally. Underthe guidance of their master they were an aid whose value he wellunderstood. Their sense of smell was more reliable than the sense ofseeing in man. You can believe the dog when you doubt your own eyes. His opinion is unquestionably correct. 

As the train left the cańon it was but a short run to the scene ofthe depredation. During the night the few people who resided atthis station were kept busy getting together saddle-horses for theofficer's posse. This was not easily done, as there were few horses atthe station, while the horses of near-by ranches were turned loose inthe open range for the night. However, upon the arrival of the train, Banks and the express people found mounts awaiting them to carry themto the place of the hold-up. 

After the robbers had finished their work during the fore part of thenight, the train crew went out and brought back to the station theengine and express car. The engine was unhurt, but the express carwas badly shattered, and the through safe was ruined by the successivecharges of dynamite that were used to force it to yield up itstreasure. The local safe was unharmed, the messenger having opened itin order to save it from the fate of its larger and stronger brother. The train proceeded on its way, with the loss of a few hours' time andthe treasure of its express. 

Day was breaking in the east as the posse reached the scene. Themarshal lost no time circling about until the trail leaving wastaken up. Even the temporary camp of the robbers was found in closeproximity to the chosen spot. The experienced eye of this officer soondetermined the number of men, though they led several horses. It wasa cool, daring act of Peg-Leg and three men. Afterward, when his pasthistory was learned, his leadership in this raid was established. 

Peg-Leg Eldridge was a product of that unfortunate era succeedingthe civil war. During that strife the herds of the southwest wereneglected to such an extent that thousands of cattle grew to maturitywithout ear-mark or brand to identify their owner. A good mount ofhorses, a rope and a running-iron in the hands of a capable man, werebetter than capital. The good old days when an active young man couldbrand annually fifteen calves--all better than yearlings--to everycow he owned, are looked back to to this day, from cattle king to thehumblest of the craft, in pleasant reminiscence, though they will comeno more. Eldridge was of that time, and when conditions changed, he failed to change with them. This was the reason that, under thechanged condition of affairs, he frequently got his brand on someother man's calf. This resulted in his losing a leg from a gunshot atthe hands of a man he had thus outraged. Worse, it branded him for alltime as a cattle thief, with every man's hand against him. Thus thesteps that led up to this September night were easy, natural, andgradual. This child of circumstances, a born plainsman like theIndian, read in plain, forest, and mountain, things which were notvisible to other eyes. The stars were his compass by night, the heatwaves of the plain warned him of the tempting mirage, while the cloudon the mountain's peak or the wind in the pines which sheltered himalike spoke to him and he understood. 

The robbers' trail was followed but a few miles, when their coursewas well established. They were heading into the Sangre de CristoMountains. Several hours were lost here by the pursuing party, as theywere compelled to await the arrival of a number of pack horses; sowhen the trail was taken up in earnest they were at least twelve hoursbehind the robbers. 

In the ascent of the foot-hills the dogs led the posse, six in number, a merry chase. As they gradually rose to higher altitudes the trailof the robbers was more compact and easy to follow, except for theroughness of the mountain slope. Frequently the trail was but a singlenarrow path. Old game trails, where the elk and deer, drifting inthe advance of winter, crossed the range, had been followed by therobbers. These game trails were certain to lead to the passes in therange. Thus, by the instinct given to the deer and elk against thewinter's storm, the humblest of His creatures had blazed for thesetrain robbers an unerring pathway to the mountain's pass. 

Along these paths the trail was so distinct that the dogs were anunnecessary adjunct to the pursuing party. These hounds, one of whichwas a veteran in the service, while the other two, being younger, werewithout that practice which perfects, showed an exuberance of energyand ambition in following the trail. The ancestry of the dogs wasRussian. Hounds of this breed never give mouth, thus warningthe hunted of their approach. Man-hunting is exciting sport. Thepossibility, though the trail may look hours old, that any turn of thetrail may disclose the fugitives, keeps at the highest tension everynerve of the pursuer. 

All day long the marshal and posse climbed higher and higher on therugged mountainside. Night came on as they reached the narrow plateauthat formed the crest of the mountain, on which they found severalsmall parks. Here they made the first halt since the start in themorning. The necessity of resting their saddle stock was very apparentto Banks, though he would gladly have pushed on. The only halt hecould expect of the robbers was to save their own horses, and he mustdo the same. Forcing a tired horse an extra hour has left many anamateur rider afoot. He realized this. Knowing the necessity of beingwell mounted, the robbers had no doubt splendid horses. This was areasonable supposition. 

Near midnight the marshal and posse set out once more on the trail. He was compelled to take it afoot now, depending on his favorite dog, which was under leash, the posse following with the mounts. The dogsled them several miles southward on this mountain crest. Here waswhere the dogs were valuable. The robbers had traveled in some placesan entire mile over lava beds, not leaving as much as a trace whichthe eye could detect. Having the advantage of daylight, the robbersselected a rocky cliff, over which they began the descent of thewestern slope of this range. The ingenuity displayed by them to throwpursuit from their trail marked Peg-Leg as an artist in his calling. But with the aid of dogs and the dampness of night, their trail was aseasily followed as though it had been made in snow. 

This declivity was rough, and in places every one was compelled todismount. Progress was extremely slow, and when the rising sun tippedthe peaks of the Continental Range, before them lay the beautifullandscape where the Rio Grande in a hundred mountain streams has herfountain-head. With only a few hours' rest for men and animals duringthe day, night fell upon them before they had reached the mesa at thefoot-hills on the western slope. An hour before nightfall they cameupon the first camp or halt of the robbers. They had evidently spentbut a short time here, there being no indication that they had slept. Criminals are inured to all kinds of hardship. They have been known togo for days without sleep, while smugglers, well mounted, have put ahundred miles of country behind them in a single night. 

The marshal and party pushed forward during the night, the countrybeing more favorable. When morning came they had covered many a mile, and it was believed they had made time, as the trail seemed fresher. There were several ranches along the main stream in the valley, whichthe robbers had avoided with well-studied caution, showing that theyhad passed through in the daytime. There are several lines of railroadrunning through this valley section. These they crossed at pointsbetween stations, where observation would be almost impossible eitherby day or night. Inquiries at ranches failed on account of the lackof all accurate means of description. The posse was maintaining a duesouthwest course that was carrying them into the fastnesses of themain range of the western continent. Another full day of almostconstant advance, and the trail had entered the undulating hillsforming the approach of this second range of mountains. Physicalexertion was beginning to tell on the animals, and they were compelledto make frequent halts in the ascent of this range. 

The fatigue was showing in the two younger dogs. Their feet had beencut in several places in crossing the first range of mountains. Duringthe past nights in the valley, though their master was keeping asharp lookout, they encountered several places where sand-burrs wereplentiful. These burrs in the tender inner part of a dog's foot, ifnot removed at once, soon lame it. Many times had the poor creatureslain down, licking their paws in anguish. On examination during theprevious night, their feet were found to be webbed with this burr. Now, on climbing this second mountain, they began to show the lamenesswhich their master so much feared, until it was almost impossible tomake them take any interest in the trail. The old dog, however, seemednothing the worse for his work. 

On reaching the first small park near the summit of this range, thepursuers were so exhausted that they lay down and took their firstsleep, having been over three days and a half on the trail. Themarshal himself slept several hours, but he was the last to go tosleep and the first to awake. Before going to sleep, and on arising, he was particular to bathe the dogs' feet. The nearest approach to aliniment that he possessed was a lubricating tube for guns, which hefortunately had with him. This afforded relief. 

It was daybreak when the pursuers took up the trail. The plateau onthe crest of this range was in places several miles wide, having aluxuriant growth of grass upon it. The course of the robbers continuedto the southwest. The pursuers kept this plateau for several miles, and before descending the western slope of the range an abandoned campwas found, where the pursued had evidently made their first bunks. Indications of where horses had been picketed for hours, and whereboth men and horses had slept were evident. The trail where it leftthis deserted camp was in no wise encouraging to the marshal, asit looked at least thirty-six hours old. As the pursuers began thedescent, they could see below them where the San Juan River meandersto the west until her waters, mingling with others, find their outletinto the Pacific. It was a trial of incessant toil down the mountainslope, wearisome alike to man and beast. Near the foot-hill of thismountain they were rewarded by finding a horse which the robbers hadabandoned on account of an accident. He was an extremely fine horse, but so lame in the shoulders, apparently owing to a fall, that itwas impossible to move him. The trail of the robbers kept in thefoot-hills, finally doubling back an almost due east course. Now andthen ranches were visible out on the mesa, but in all instances theywere carefully avoided by the pursued. 

Spending a night in these hills, the posse prepared to make an earlystart. Here, however, they met their first serious trouble. Both ofthe younger dogs had feet so badly swollen that it was impossibleto make them take any interest in the trail. After doing everythingpossible for them, their owner sent them to a ranch which was in sightseveral miles below in the valley. Several hours were lost to theparty by this incident, though they were in no wise deterred infollowing the trail, still having the veteran dog. Late that afternoonthey met a _pastor_ who gave them a description of the robbers. 

"Yesterday morning, " said the shepherd, in broken Spanish, "shortlyafter daybreak, four men rode into my camp and asked for breakfast. Igave them coffee, but as I had no meat in my quarters, they tried tobuy a lamb, which I have no right to sell. After drinking the coffeethey tendered me money, which I refused. On leaving, one of theirnumber rode into my flock and killed a kid. Taking it with him, herode away with the others. "

A good description of the robbers was secured from this simpleshepherd, --a full description of men, horses, colors, and conditionof pack. The next day nothing of importance developed, and the possehugged the shelter of the hills skirting the mountain range, crossinginto New Mexico. It was late that night when they went into camp onthe trail. They had pushed forward with every energy, hoping to lessenthe intervening distance between them and the robbers. The followingmorning on awakening, to the surprise and mortification of everybody, the old dog was unable to stand upon his feet. While this was felt tobe a serious drawback, it did not necessarily check the chase. 

In bringing to bay over thirty criminals, one of whom had paid thepenalty of his crime on the gallows, master and dog had heretoforebeen an invincible team. Old age and physical weakness had nowovertaken the dog in an important chase, and the sympathy he deservedwas not withheld, nor was he deserted. Tenderly as a mother would lifta sick child, Banks gathered him in his arms and lifted him to one ofthe posse on his horse. To the members of the posse it was a touchingscene: they remembered him but a few months before pursuing a flyingcriminal, when the latter--seeing that escape was impossible andturning to draw his own weapon upon the officer, whose six-shooter hadbeen emptied at the fugitive, but who with drawn knife was readyto close with him in the death struggle--immediately threw down hisweapon and pleaded for his life. 

Yet this same officer could not keep back the tears that came intohis eyes as he lifted this dumb comrade of other victories to a horse. With an earnest oath he brushed the incident away by assuring hisposse that unless the earth opened and swallowed up the robbers theycould not escape. A few hours after taking up the trail, a ranch wassighted and the dog was left, the instructions of the Good Samaritanbeing repeated. At this ranch they succeeded in buying two freshhorses, which proved a valuable addition to their mounts. 

Now it became a hunt of man by man. To an experienced trailer likethe marshal there was little difficulty in keeping the trail. That therobbers kept to the outlying country was an advantage. Yet the lattertraveled both night and day, while pursuit must of necessity be by dayonly. With the fresh horses secured, they covered a stretch of countryhardly credible. 

During the day they found a place where the robbers had camped for atleast a full day. A trail made by two horses had left this camp, andreturned. The marshal had followed it to a rather pretentious Mexicanrancho, where there was a small store kept. Here a second descriptionof the two men was secured, though neither one was Peg-Leg. He was soindelibly marked that he was crafty enough to keep out of sight of sopublic a place as a store. These two had tried unsuccessfully to buyhorses at this rancho. 

The next morning the representative of the express company leftthe posse to report progress. He was enabled to give such an exactdescription of the robbers that the company, through their detectivesystem, were not long in locating the leader. The marshal and possepushed on with the same unremitting energy. The trail was now almostdue east. The population of the country was principally Mexican, and even Mexicans the robbers avoided as much as possible. They had, however, bought horses at several ranches, and were always liberalin the use of money, but very exacting in regard to the quality ofhorseflesh they purchased; the best was none too good for them. Theypassed north of old Santa Fé town, and entering a station on the lineof railway by that name late at night, they were liberal patrons ofthe gaming tables that the town tolerated. The next morning they haddisappeared. 

At no time did the pursuers come within two days of them. This wasowing to the fact that they traveled by night as well as day. At thelast-mentioned point messages were exchanged with the express companywith little loss of time. Banks had asked that certain points on therailway be watched in the hope of capture while crossing the country, but the effort was barren of results. In following the trail themarshal had recrossed the continuation of the first range of mountainswhich they had crossed to the west ten days before, or the morningafter the robbery, three hundred miles southward. There was nothingdifficult in the passage of this range of mountains, and now beforethem stretched the endless prairie to the eastward. Here Banksseriously felt the loss of his dogs. This was a country that theycould be used in to good advantage. It would then be a question ofendurance of men and horses. As it was, he could work only by day. Twolines of railway were yet to be crossed if the band held its course. The same tactics were resorted to as formerly, yet this vigilance andprecaution availed nothing, as Peg-Leg crossed them carefully betweentwo of the watched places. Owing to his occupation, he knew thecountry better by night than day. 

Banks was met by the officials of the express company on one of theselines of railroad. The exhaustive amount of information that they hadbeen able to collect regarding this interesting man with the woodenleg was astonishing. From out of the abundance of the data therewere a few items that were of interest to the officer. Several ofEldridge's haunts when not actively engaged in his profession werelocated. In one of these haunts was a woman, and toward this one hewas heading, though it was many a weary mile distant. 

At the marshal's request the express people had brought bloodhoundswith them. The dogs proved worthless, and the second day wereabandoned. When the trail crossed the Gulf Railway the robbers werethree days ahead. The posse had now been fourteen days on the trail. Banks followed them one day farther, himself alone, leaving his tiredcompanions at a station near the line of the Panhandle of Texas. Thisextra day's ride was to satisfy himself that the robbers were makingfor one of their haunts. They kept, as he expected, down between thetwo Canadians. 

After following the trail until he was thoroughly satisfied of theirdestination, the marshal retraced his steps and rejoined his posse. The first train carried him and the posse back to the headquarters ofthe express company. 

Two weeks later, at a country store in the Chickasaw Nation, therewas a horse race of considerable importance. The country side weregathered to witness it. The owners of the horses had made large wagerson the race. Outsiders wagered money and livestock to a large amount. There were a number of strangers present, which was nothing unusual. As the race was being run and every eye was centred on the outcome, a stranger present put a six-shooter to a very interested spectator'sear, and informed him that he was a prisoner. Another stranger did thesame thing to another spectator. They also snapped handcuffs on bothof them. One of these spectators had a peg-leg. They were escorted toa waiting rig, and when they alighted from it were on the line ofa railroad forty miles distant. One of these strangers was a UnitedStates marshal, who for the past month had been very anxious to meetthese same gentlemen. 

Once safe from the rescue of friends of these robbers, the marshalregaled his guest with the story of the chase, which had nowterminated. He was even able to give Eldridge a good part of hishistory. But when he attempted to draw him out as to the whereaboutsof the other two, Peg was sullenly ignorant of anything. They werenever captured, having separated before reaching the haunt of Mr. Eldridge. Eldridge was tried in a Federal court in Colorado andconvicted of train robbery. He went over the road for a term of yearsfar beyond the lease of his natural life. He, with the companioncaptured at the same time, was taken by an officer of the court toDetroit for confinement. When within an hour's ride of the prison--hisliving grave--he raised his ironed hands, and twisting from a blueflannel shirt which he wore a large pearl button, said to the officerin charge:--

"Will you please take this button back and give it, with mycompliments, to that human bloodhound, and say to him that I'm sorrythat I didn't anticipate meeting him? If I had, it would have savedyou this trip with me. He might have got me, but I wouldn't haveneeded a trial when he did. "

XII

IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS

There was a painting at the World's Fair at Chicago named "The Reply, "in which the lines of two contending armies were distinctly outlined. One of these armies had demanded the surrender of the other. The replywas being written by a little fellow, surrounded by grim veteransof war. He was not even a soldier. But in this little fellow'scountenance shone a supreme contempt for the enemy's demand. Hispatriotism beamed out as plainly as did that of the officer dictatingto him. Physically he was debarred from being a soldier; still therewas a place where he could be useful. 

So with Little Jack Martin. He was a cripple and could not ride, buthe could cook. If the way to rule men is through the stomach, Jackwas a general who never knew defeat. The "J+H" camp, where he presidedover the kitchen, was noted for good living. Jack's domestic tastesfollowed him wherever he went, so that he surrounded himself at thiscamp with chickens, and a few cows for milk. During the spring months, when the boys were away on the various round-ups, he planted andraised a fine garden. Men returning from a hard month's work wouldbrace themselves against fried chicken, eggs, milk, and freshvegetables. After drinking alkali water for a month and living out oftin cans, who wouldn't love Jack? In addition to his garden, he alwaysraised a fine patch of watermelons. This camp was an oasis in thedesert. Every man was Jack's friend, and an enemy was an unknownpersonage. The peculiarity about him, aside from his deformity, washis ability to act so much better than he could talk. In fact he couldbarely express his simplest wants in words. 

Cripples are usually cross, irritable, and unpleasant companions. Jackwas the reverse. His best qualities shone their brightest when therewere a dozen men around to cook for. When they ate heartily he felt hewas useful. If a boy was sick, Jack could make a broth, or fix a cupof beef tea like a mother or sister. When he went out with the wagonduring beef-shipping season, a pot of coffee simmered over the fireall night for the boys on night herd. Men going or returning on guardliked to eat. The bread and meat left over from the meals of theday were always left convenient for the boys. It was the many littlethings that he thought of which made him such a general favorite withevery one. 

Little Jack was middle-aged when the proclamation of the Presidentopening the original Oklahoma was issued. This land was to be thrownopen in April. It was not a cow-country then, though it had been once. There was a warning in this that the Strip would be next. The dominionof the cowman was giving way to the homesteader. One day Jack foundopportunity to take Miller, our foreman, into his confidence. Theyhad been together five or six years. Jack had coveted a spot in thesection which was to be thrown open, and he asked the foreman to helphim get it. He had been all over the country when it was part of therange, and had picked out a spot on Big Turkey Creek, ten miles southof the Strip line. It gradually passed from one to another of us whatJack wanted. At first we felt blue about it, but Miller, who couldsee farther than the rest of us, dispelled the gloom by announcing atdinner, "Jack is going to take a claim if this outfit has a horse init and a man to ride him. It is only a question of a year or two atthe farthest until the rest of us will be guiding a white mule betweentwo corn rows, and glad of the chance. If Jack goes now, he will havejust that many years the start of the rest of us. "

We nerved ourselves and tried to appear jolly after this talk of theforeman. We entered into quite a discussion as to which horse would bethe best to make the ride with. The ranch had several specially goodsaddle animals. In chasing gray wolves in the winter those qualitiesof endurance which long races developed in hunting these enemies ofcattle, pointed out a certain coyote-colored horse, whose color marksand "Dead Tree" brand indicated that he was of Spanish extraction. Intelligently ridden with a light rider he was First Choice on whichto make this run. That was finally agreed to by all. There was notrouble selecting the rider for this horse with the zebra marks. Thelightest weight was Billy Edwards. This qualification gave him thepreference over us all. 

Jack described the spot he desired to claim by an old branding-penwhich had been built there when it had been part of the range. Billyhad ironed up many a calf in those same pens himself. "Well, Jack, "said Billy, "if this outfit don't put you on the best quarter sectionaround that old corral, you'll know that they have throwed off onyou. "

It was two weeks before the opening day. The coyote horse was givenspecial care from this time forward. He feasted on corn, while othershad to be content with grass. In spite of all the bravado that wasbeing thrown into these preparations, there was noticeable a deepundercurrent of regret. Jack was going from us. Every one wanted himto go, still these dissolving ties moved the simple men to acts ofboyish kindness. Each tried to outdo the others, in the matter of aparting present to Jack. He could have robbed us then. It was as badas a funeral. Once before we felt similarly when one of the boys diedat camp. It was like an only sister leaving the family circle. 

Miller seemed to enjoy the discomfiture of the rest of us. Thiscreedless old Christian had fine strata in his make-up. He and Jackplanned continually for the future. In fact they didn't live in thepresent like the rest of us. Two days before the opening, we loadedup a wagon with Jack's effects. Every man but the newly installed cookwent along. It was too early in the spring for work to commence. Weall dubbed Jack a boomer from this time forward. The horse so muchdepended on was led behind the wagon. 

On the border we found a motley crowd of people. Soldiers had gatheredthem into camps along the line to prevent "sooners" from enteringbefore the appointed time. We stopped in a camp directly north of theclaim our little boomer wanted. One thing was certain, it would take abetter horse than ours to win the claim away from us. No sooner couldtake it. That and other things were what all of us were going alongfor. 

The next day when the word was given that made the land public domain, Billy was in line on the coyote. He held his place to the front withthe best of them. After the first few miles, the others followed thevalley of Turkey Creek, but he maintained his course like wild fowl, skirting the timber which covered the first range of hills back fromthe creek. Jack followed with the wagon, while the rest of us rodeleisurely, after the first mile or so. When we saw Edwards bearstraight ahead from the others, we argued that a sooner only couldbeat us for the claim. If he tried to out-hold us, it would be sixto one, as we noticed the leaders closely when we slacked up. By notfollowing the valley, Billy would cut off two miles. Any man who couldride twelve miles to the coyote's ten with Billy Edwards in the saddlewas welcome to the earth. That was the way we felt. We rode together, expecting to make the claim three quarters of an hour behind our man. When near enough to sight it, we could see Billy and another horsemanapparently protesting with one another. A loud yell from one of usattracted our man's attention. He mounted his horse and rode out andmet us. "Well, fellows, it's the expected that's happened this time, "said he. "Yes, there's a sooner on it, and he puts up a fine bluff ofhaving ridden from the line; but he's a liar by the watch, for thereisn't a wet hair on his horse, while the sweat was dripping from thefetlocks of this one. "

"If you are satisfied that he is a sooner, " said Miller, "he has togo. "

"Well, he is a lying sooner, " said Edwards. 

We reined in our horses and held a short parley. After a briefdiscussion of the situation, Miller said to us: "You boys go down tohim, --don't hurt him or get hurt, but make out that you're going tohang him. Put plenty of reality into it, and I'll come in in time tosave him and give him a chance to run for his life. "

We all rode down towards him, Miller bearing off towards the right ofthe old corral, --rode out over the claim noticing the rich soilthrown up by the mole-hills. When we came up to our sooner, all of usdismounted. Edwards confronted him and said, "Do you contest my rightto this claim?"

"I certainly do, " was the reply. 

"Well, you won't do so long, " said Edwards. Quick as a flash Mouseprodded the cold steel muzzle of a six-shooter against his ear. As thesooner turned his head and looked into Mouse's stern countenance, oneof the boys relieved him of an ugly gun and knife that dangled fromhis belt. "Get on your horse, " said Mouse, emphasizing his demand withan oath, while the muzzle of a forty-five in his ear made the orderundebatable. Edwards took the horse by the bits and started for alarge black-jack tree which stood near by. Reaching it, Edwards said, "Better use Coon's rope; it's manilla and stronger. Can any of youboys tie a hangman's knot?" he inquired when the rope was handed him. 

"Yes, let me, " responded several. 

"Which limb will be best?" inquired Mouse. 

"Take this horse by the bits, " said Edwards to one of the boys, "tillI look. " He coiled the rope sailor fashion, and made an ineffectualattempt to throw it over a large limb which hung out like a yard-arm, but the small branches intervening defeated his throw. While he wascoiling the rope to make a second throw, some one said, "Mebby so he'dlike to pray. "

"What! him pray?" said Edwards. "Any prayer that he might offercouldn't get a hearing amongst men, let alone above, where liars areforbidden. "

"Try that other limb, " said Coon to Edwards; "there's not so muchbrush in the way; we want to get this job done sometime to-day. " AsEdwards made a successful throw, he said, "Bring that horse directlyunderneath. " At this moment Miller dashed up and demanded, "What inhell are you trying to do?"

"This sheep-thief of a sooner contests my right to this claim, "snapped Edwards, "and he has played his last cards on this earth. Leadthat horse under here. "

"Just one moment, " said Miller. "I think I know this man--thinkhe worked for me once in New Mexico. " The sooner looked at Millerappealingly, his face blanched to whiteness. Miller took the bridlereins out of the hands of the boy who was holding the horse, andwhispering something to the sooner said to us, "Are you all ready?"

"Just waiting on you, " said Edwards. The sooner gathered up the reins. Miller turned the horse halfway round as though he was going to leadhim under the tree, gave him a slap in the flank with his hand, andthe sooner, throwing the rowels of his spurs into the horse, shotout from us like a startled deer. We called to him to halt, as half adozen six-shooters encouraged him to go by opening a fusillade on thefleeing horseman, who only hit the high places while going. Nor didwe let up fogging him until we emptied our guns and he entered thetimber. There was plenty of zeal in this latter part, as the lead musthave zipped and cried near enough to give it reality. Our object wasto shoot as near as possible without hitting. 

Other horsemen put in an appearance as we were unsaddling andpreparing to camp, for we had come to stay a week if necessary. Inabout an hour Jack joined us, speechless as usual, his face wreathedin smiles. The first step toward a home he could call his own had beentaken. We told him about the trouble we had had with the sooner, astory which he seemed to question, until Miller confirmed it. We putup a tent among the black-jacks, as the nights were cool, and weresoon at peace with all the world. 

At supper that evening Edwards said: "When the old settlers hold theirreunions in the next generation, they'll say, 'Thirty years ago UncleJack Martin settled over there on Big Turkey, ' and point him out totheir children as one of the pioneer fathers. "

No one found trouble in getting to sleep that night, and the next dayarts long forgotten by most of us were revived. Some plowed up the oldbranding-pen for a garden. Others cut logs for a cabin. Every onedid two ordinary days' work. The getting of the logs together was thehardest. We sawed and chopped and hewed for dear life. The first fewdays Jack and one of the boys planted a fine big garden. On the fourthday we gave up the tent, as the smoke curled upward from our ownchimney, in the way that it does in well-told stories. The lastnight we spent with Jack was one long to be remembered. A bright firesnapped and crackled in the ample fireplace. Every one told stories. Several of the boys could sing "The Lone Star Cow-trail, " while "SamBass" and "Bonnie Black Bess" were given with a vim. 

The next morning we were to leave for camp. One of the boys who wouldwork for us that summer, but whose name was not on the pay-roll untilthe round-up, stayed with Jack. We all went home feeling fine, and leaving Jack happy as a bird in his new possession. As we weresaddling up to leave, Miller said to Jack, "Now if you're any good, you'll delude some girl to keep house for you 'twixt now and fall. Remember what the Holy Book says about it being hard luck for man tobe alone. You notice all your boomer neighbors have wives. That's ahint to you to do likewise. "

We were on the point of mounting, when the coyote horse began to actup in great shape. Some one said to Edwards, "Loosen your cinches!""Oh, it's nothing but the corn he's been eating and a few days' rest, "said Miller. "He's just running a little bluff on Billy. " As Edwardswent to put his foot in the stirrup a second time, the coyote rearedlike a circus horse. "Now look here, colty, " said Billy, speakingto the horse, "my daddy rode with Old John Morgan, the Confederatecavalry raider, and he'd be ashamed of any boy he ever raised thatcouldn't ride a bad horse like you. You're plum foolish to act thisway. Do you think I'll walk and lead you home?" He led him out a fewrods from the others and mounted him without any trouble. "He justwants to show Jack how it affects a cow-horse to graze a few days on aboomer's claim, --that's all, " said Edwards, when he joined us. 

"Now, Jack, " said Miller, as a final parting, "if you want a cow, I'llsend one down, or if you need anything, let us know and we'll comea-running. It's a bad example you've set us to go booming this way, but we want to make a howling success out of you, so we can visityou next winter. And mind what I told you about getting married, " hecalled back as he rode away. 

We reached camp by late noon. Miller kept up his talk about what afine move Jack had made; said that we must get him a stray beef forhis next winter's meat; kept figuring constantly what else he could dofor Jack. "You come around in a few years and you'll find him as cosyas a coon, and better off than any of us, " said Miller, when we weretalking about his farming. "I've slept under wet blankets with him, and watched him kindle a fire in the snow, too often not to know whathe's made of. There's good stuff in that little rascal. "

About the ranch it seemed lonesome without Jack. It was like cominghome from school when we were kids and finding mother gone to theneighbor's. We always liked to find her at home. We busied ourselvesrepairing fences, putting in flood-gates on the river, doing anythingto keep away from camp. Miller himself went back to see Jack withinten days, remaining a week. None of us stayed at the home ranch anymore than we could help. We visited other camps on hatched excuses, until the home round-ups began. When any one else asked us about Jack, we would blow about what a fine claim he had, and what a boost wehad given him. When we buckled down to the summer's work the gloomgradually left us. There were men to be sent on the eastern, western, and middle divisions of the general round-up of the Strip. Two menwere sent south into the Cheyenne country to catch anything that hadwinter-drifted. Our range lay in the middle division. Miller and oneman looked after it on the general round-up. 

It was a busy year with us. Our range was full stocked, and by earlyfall was rich with fat cattle. We lived with the wagon after theshipping season commenced. Then we missed Jack, although the new cookdid the best he knew how. Train after train went out of our pasture, yet the cattle were never missed. We never went to camp now; only thewagon went in after supplies, though we often came within sight of thestabling and corrals in our work. 

One day, late in the season, we were getting out a train load of "BarbWire" cattle, when who should come toddling along on a plow nag butJack himself. Busy as we were, he held quite a levee, though he didn'tgive down much news, nor have anything to say about himself or thecrops. That night at camp, while the rest of us were arranging theguards for the night, Miller and Jack prowled off in an oppositedirection from the beef herd, possibly half a mile, and afoot, too. Wecould all see that something was working. Some trouble was botheringJack, and he had come to a friend in need, so we thought. They did notcome back to camp until the moon was up and the second guard had goneout to relieve the first. When they came back not a word was spoken. They unrolled Miller's bed and slept together. 

The next morning as Jack was leaving us to return to his claim, weoverheard him say to Miller, "I'll write you. " As he faded fromour sight, Miller smiled to himself, as though he was tickled aboutsomething. Finally Billy Edwards brought things to a head by askingbluntly, "What's up with Jack? We want to know. "

"Oh, it's too good, " said Miller. "If that little game-legged roosterhasn't gone and deluded some girl back in the State into marrying him, I'm a horse-thief. You fellows are all in the play, too. Came herespecial to see when we could best get away. Wants every one of us tocome. He's built another end to his house, double log style, flooredboth rooms and the middle. Says he will have two fiddlers, andpromises us the hog killingest time of our lives. I've accepted theinvitation on behalf of the 'J+H's' without consulting any one. "

"But supposing we are busy when it takes place, " said Mouse, "thenwhat?"

"But we won't be, " answered Miller. "It isn't every day that we havea chance at a wedding in our little family, and when we get the word, this outfit quits then and there. Ordinary callings in life, likecattle matters, must go to the rear until important things areattended to. Every man is expected to don his best togs, and dance tothe centre on the word. If it takes a week to turn the trick properly, good enough. Jack and his bride must have a blow-out right. Thisoutfit must do themselves proud. It will be our night to howl, andevery man will be a wooly wolf. "

We loaded the beeves out the next day, going back after two trains of"Turkey Track" cattle. While we were getting these out, Miller cut outtwo strays and a cow or two, and sent them to the horse pasture at thehome camp. It was getting late in the fall, and we figured that a fewmore shipments would end it. Miller told the owners to load out whatthey wanted while the weather was fit, as our saddle horses weregetting worn out fast. As we were loading out the last shipment ofmixed cattle of our own, the letter came to Miller. Jack would returnwith his bride on a date only two days off, and the festivities wereset for one day later. We pulled into headquarters that night, thefirst time in six weeks, and turned everything loose. The next morningwe overhauled our Sunday bests, and worried around trying to pick outsomething for a wedding present. 

Miller gave the happy pair a little "Flower Pot" cow, which he hadrustled in the Cheyenne country on the round-up a few years before. Edwards presented him with a log chain that a bone-picker had lost inour pasture. Mouse gave Jack a four-tined fork which the hay outfithad forgotten when they left. Coon Floyd's compliments went with fivecow-bells, which we always thought he rustled from a boomer's wagonthat broke down over on the Reno trail. It bothered some of us torustle something for a present, for you know we couldn't buy anything. We managed to get some deer's antlers, a gray wolf's skin for thebride's tootsies, and several colored sheepskins, which we had boughtfrom a Mexican horse herd going up the trail that spring. We killeda nice fat little beef, the evening before we started, hanging it outover night to harden. None of the boys knew the brand; in fact, it'sbad taste to remember the brand on anything you've beefed. No onetroubles himself to notice it carefully. That night a messengerbrought a letter to Miller, ordering him to ship out the remnantof "Diamond Tail" cattle as soon as possible. They belonged to anorthwest Texas outfit, and we were maturing them. The messengerstayed all night, and in the morning asked, "Shall I order cars foryou?"

"No, I have a few other things to attend to first, " answered Miller. 

We took the wagon with us to carry our bedding and the other plunder, driving along with us a cow and a calf of Jack's, the little "FlowerPot" cow, and a beef. Our outfit reached Jack's house by the middle ofthe afternoon. The first thing was to be introduced to the bride. Jackdid the honors himself, presenting each one of us, and seemed just asproud as a little boy with new boots. Then we were given introductionsto several good-looking neighbor girls. We began to feel our owninferiority. 

While we were hanging up the quarters of beef on some pegs on thenorth side of the cabin, Edwards said, whispering, "Jack must havepictured this claim mighty hifalutin to that gal, for she's a way upgood-looker. Another thing, watch me build to the one inside with theblack eyes. I claimed her first, remember. As soon as we get this beefhung up I'm going in and sidle up to her. "

"We won't differ with you on that point, " remarked Mouse, "but if shetakes any special shine to a runt like you, when there's boys like therest of us standing around, all I've got to say is, her tastes must bea heap sight sorry and depraved. I expect to dance with the bride--inthe head set--a whirl or two myself. "

"If I'd only thought, " chimed in Coon, "I'd sent up to the State andgot me a white shirt and a standing collar and a red necktie. Yougaloots out-hold me on togs. But where I was raised, back down in PaloPinto County, Texas, I was some punkins as a ladies' man myself--youhear me. "

"Oh, you look all right, " said Edwards. "You would look all right withonly a cotton string around your neck. "

After tending to our horses, we all went into the house. There satMiller talking to the bride just as if he had known her always, withJack standing with his back to the fire, grinning like a cat eatingpaste. The neighbor girls fell to getting supper, and our cook turnedto and helped. We managed to get fairly well acquainted with thecompany by the time the meal was over. The fiddlers came early, infact, dined with us. Jack said if there were enough girls, we couldrun three sets, and he thought there would be, as he had asked everyone both sides of the creek for five miles. The beds were taken downand stowed away, as there would be no use for them that night. 

The company came early. Most of the young fellows brought their bestgirls seated behind them on saddle horses. This manner gave the girl achance to show her trustful, clinging nature. A horse that would carrydouble was a prize animal. In settling up a new country, primitivemethods crop out as a matter of necessity. 

Ben Thorn, an old-timer in the Strip, called off. While the companywas gathering, the fiddlers began to tune up, which sent a thrillthrough us. When Ben gave the word, "Secure your pardners for thefirst quadrille, " Miller led out the bride to the first position inthe best room, Jack's short leg barring him as a participant. This wasthe signal for the rest of us, and we fell in promptly. The fiddlesstruck up "Hounds in the Woods, " the prompter's voice rang out "Honorsto your pardner, " and the dance was on. 

Edwards close-herded the black-eyed girl till supper time. Not a oneof us got a dance with her even. Mouse admitted next day, as we rodehome, that he squeezed her hand several times in the grand right andleft, just to show her that she had other admirers, that she needn'tthrow herself away on any one fellow, but it was no go. After supperBilly corralled her in a corner, she seeming willing, and stuck to heruntil her brother took her home nigh daylight. 

Jack got us boys pardners for every dance. He proved himself cleanstrain that night, the whitest little Injun on the reservation. Weknocked off dancing about midnight and had supper, --good coffee withno end of way-up fine chuck. We ate as we danced, heartily. Supperover, the dance went on full blast. About two o'clock in the morning, the wire edge was well worn off the revelers, and they showed signs ofweariness. Miller, noticing it, ordered the Indian war-dance asgiven by the Cheyennes. That aroused every one and filled the setsinstantly. The fiddlers caught the inspiration and struck into "Siftthe Meal and save the Bran. " In every grand right and left, we ki-yiedas we had witnessed Lo in the dance on festive occasions. At the endof every change, we gave a war-whoop, some of the girls joining in, that would have put to shame any son of the Cheyennes. 

It was daybreak when the dance ended and the guests departed. Thoughwe had brought our blankets with us, no one thought of sleeping. Ourcook and one of the girls got breakfast. The bride offered to help, but we wouldn't let her turn her hand. At breakfast we discussed theincidents of the night previous, and we all felt that we had done theoccasion justice. 

XIII

A QUESTION OF POSSESSION

Along in the 80's there occurred a question of possession in regardto a brand of horses, numbering nearly two hundred head. Courts hadfigured in former matters, but at this time they were not appealed to, owing to the circumstances. This incident occurred on leasedIndian lands unprovided with civil courts, --in a judicial sense, "No-Man's-Land. " At this time it seemed that _might_ graced thewoolsack, while on one side Judge Colt cited his authority, only to bereversed by Judge Parker, breech-loader, short-barreled, a full-choketen bore. The clash of opinions between these two eminent westernauthorities was short, determined, and to the point. 

A man named Gray had settled in one of the northwest counties in Texaswhile it was yet the frontier, and by industry and economy of himselfand family had established a comfortable home. As a ranchman he hadraised the brand of horses in question. The history of this man issomewhat obscured before his coming to Texas. But it was known andadmitted that he was a bankrupt, on account of surety debts which hewas compelled to pay for friends in his former home in Kentucky. Manya good man had made similar mistakes before him. His neighbors spokewell of him in Texas, and he was looked upon as a good citizen ingeneral. 

Ten years of privation and hardship, in their new home, had been metand overcome, and now he could see a ray of hope for the better. Thelittle prosperity which was beginning to dawn upon himself and familymet with a sudden shock, in the form of an old judgment, which healways contended his attorneys had paid. In some manner this judgmentwas revived, transferred to the jurisdiction of his district, and anexecution issued against his property. Sheriff Ninde of this countywas not as wise as he should have been. When the execution was placedin his hands, he began to look about for property to satisfy thejudgment. The exemption laws allowed only a certain number of gentlehorses, and as any class of range horses had a cash value then, thisbrand of horses was levied on to satisfy the judgment. 

The range on which these horses were running was at this time an openone, and the sheriff either relied on his reputation as a bad man, orprobably did not know any better. The question of possession did notbother him. Still this stock was as liable to range in one county asanother. There is one thing quite evident: the sheriff had overlookedthe nature of this man Gray, for he was no weakling, inclined to sitdown and cry. It was thought that legal advice caused him to take thestep he did, and it may be admitted, with no degree of shame, thatadvice was often given on lines of justice if not of law, in the LoneStar State. There was a time when the decisions of Judge Lynch in thatState had the hearty approval of good men. Anyhow, Gray got a fewof his friends together, gathered his horses without attractingattention, and within a day's drive crossed into the Indian Territory, where he could defy all the sheriffs in Texas. 

When this cold fact first dawned on Sheriff Ninde, he could hardlycontrol himself. With this brand of horses five or six days aheadof him he became worried. The effrontery of any man to deny hisauthority--the authority of a duly elected sheriff--was a reflectionon his record. His bondsmen began to inquire into the situation;in case the property could not be recovered, were they liable asbondsmen? Things looked bad for the sheriff. 

The local papers in supporting his candidacy for this office had oftenspoken of him and his chief deputy as human bloodhounds, --a terrorto evil doers. Their election, they maintained, meant a strictenforcement of the laws, and assured the community that a better erawould dawn in favor of peace and security of life and property. Nindewas resourceful if anything. He would overtake those horses, overpowerthe men if necessary, and bring back to his own bailiwick that brandof horse-stock. At least, that was his plan. Of course Gray mightobject, but that would be a secondary matter. Sheriff Ninde would taketime to do this. Having made one mistake, he would make another toright it. 

Gray had a brother living in one of the border towns of Kansas, andit was thought he would head for this place. Should he take the horsesinto the State, all the better, as they could invoke the courts ofanother State and get other sheriffs to help. 

Sixty years of experience with an uncharitable world had made Graydistrustful of his fellow man, though he did not wish to be so. So when he reached his brother in Kansas without molestation, heexercised caution enough to leave the herd of horses in the territory. The courts of this neutral strip were Federal, and located at pointsin adjoining States, but there was no appeal to them in civil cases. United States marshals looked after the violators of law against thegovernment. 

Sheriff Ninde sent his deputy to do the Sherlock act for him as soonas the horses were located. This the deputy had no trouble in doing, as this sized bunch of horses could not well be hidden, nor was thereany desire on the part of Gray to conceal them. 

The horses were kept under herd day and night in a near-by pasture. Gray usually herded by day, and two young men, one his son, herdedby night. Things went on this way for a month. In the mean timethe deputy had reported to the sheriff, who came on to personallysupervise the undertaking. Gray was on the lookout, and was aware ofthe deputy's presence. All he could do was to put an extra man on herdat night, arm his men well, and await results. 

The deputy secretly engaged seven or eight bad men of the long-hairedvariety, such as in the early days usually graced the frontiertowns with their presence. This brand of human cattle were not thedisturbing element on the border line of civilization that writersof that period depicted, nor the authors of the bloodcurdling dramaportrayed. The average busy citizen paid little attention to them, considering them more ornamental than useful. But this was about thestripe that was wanted and could be secured for the work in hand. Agood big bluff was considered sufficient for the end in view. Thiscrowd was mounted, armed to the teeth, and all was ready. Secrecy wasenjoined on every one. Led by the sheriff and his deputy, they rodeout about midnight to the pasture and found the herd and herders. 

"What do you fellows want here?" demanded young Gray, as Ninde and hisposse rode up. 

"We want these horses, " answered the sheriff. 

"On what authority?" demanded Gray. 

"This is sufficient authority for you, " said the sheriff, flashinga six-shooter in young Gray's face. All the heelers to the play nowjumped their horses forward, holding their six-shooters over theirheads, ratcheting the cylinders of their revolvers by cocking andlowering the hammers, as if nothing but a fight would satisfy theirdemand for gore. 

"If you want these horses that bad, " said young Gray, "I reckon youcan get them for the present. But I want to tell you one thing--thereare sixty head of horses here under herd with ours, outside the'96' brand. They belong to men in town. If you take them out of thispasture to-night, they might consider you a horse-thief and deal withyou accordingly. You know you are doing this by force of arms. Youhave no more authority here than any other man, except what men andguns give you. Good-night, sir, I may see you by daylight. "

Calling off his men, they let little grass grow under their feet asthey rode to town. The young man roused his father and uncle, who inturn went out and asked their friends to come to their assistance. Together with the owners of the sixty head, by daybreak they hadeighteen mounted and armed men. 

The sheriff paid no attention to the advice of young Gray, but whenday broke he saw that he had more horses than he wanted, as there wasa brand or two there he had no claim on, just or unjust, and they mustbe cut out or trouble would follow. One of the men with Ninde knew ofa corral where this work could be done, and to this corral, which wasat least fifteen miles from the town where the rescue party of Grayhad departed at daybreak, they started. The pursuing posse soon tookthe trail of the horses from where they left the pasture, and as theyheaded back toward Texas, it was feared it might take a long, hardride to overtake them. The gait was now increased to the gallop, notfast, probably covering ten miles an hour, which was considered bettertime than the herd could make under any circumstances. 

After an hour's hard riding, it was evident, from the trail left, thatthey were not far ahead. The fact that they were carrying off withthem horses that were the private property of men in the rescue partydid not tend to fortify the sheriff in the good opinion of any of therescuers. It was now noticed that the herd had left the trail in thedirection of a place where there had formerly been a ranch house, thecorrals of which were in good repair, as they were frequently used forbranding purposes. On coming in sight of these corrals, Gray'sparty noticed that some kind of work was being carried on, so theyapproached it cautiously. The word came back that it was the horses. 

Gray said to his party, "Keep a short distance behind me. I'll openthe ball, if there is any. " To the others of his party, it seemed thatthe supreme moment in the old man's life had come. Over his determinedfeatures there spread a smile of the deepest satisfaction, as thoughsome great object in life was about to be accomplished. Yet in thatdetermined look it was evident that he would rather be shot down likea dog than yield to what he felt was tyranny and the denial of hisrights. When his party came within a quarter of a mile of the corrals, it was noticed that Ninde and his deputies ceased their work, mountedtheir horses, and rode out into the open, the sheriff in the lead, andhalted to await the meeting. 

Gray rode up to within a hundred feet of Ninde's posse, anddismounting handed the reins of his bridle to his son. He advancedwith a steady, even stride, a double-barreled shotgun held as thoughhe expected to flush a partridge. At this critical juncture, his partyfollowing him up, it seemed that reputations as bad men were due toget action, or suffer a discount at the hands of heretofore peaceablemen. Every man in either party had his arms where they would beinstantly available should the occasion demand it. When Gray camewithin easy hailing distance, his challenge was clear and audible toevery one. "What in hell are you doing with my horses?"

"I've got to have these horses, sir, " answered Ninde. 

"Do you realize what it will take to get them?" asked Gray, as hebrought his gun, both barrels at full cock, to his shoulder. "Bat aneye, or crook your little finger if you dare, and I'll send your soulglimmering into eternity, if my own goes to hell for it. " There wassomething in the old man's voice that conveyed the impression thatthese were not idle words. To heed them was the better way, if humanlife had any value. 

"Well, Mr. Gray, " said the sheriff, "put down your gun and take yourhorses. This has been a bad piece of business for us--take your horsesand go, sir. My bondsmen can pay that judgment, if they have to. "

Gray's son rode around during the conversation, opened the gate, andturned out the horses. One or two men helped him, and the herd wassoon on its way to the pasture. 

As the men of his party turned to follow Gray, who had remounted, hepresented a pitiful sight. His still determined features, relaxed fromthe high tension to which he had been nerved, were blanched to thecolor of his hair and beard. It was like a drowning man--with thestrength of two--when rescued and brought safely to land, faintingthrough sheer weakness. A reprieve from death itself or the blood ofhis fellow man upon his hands had been met and passed. It was somelittle time before he spoke, then he said: "I reckon it was best, theway things turned out, for I would hate to kill any man, but I wouldgladly die rather than suffer an injustice or quietly submit to what Ifelt was a wrong against me. "

It was some moments before the party became communicative, as theyall had a respect for the old man's feelings. Ninde was on the uneasyseat, for he would not return to the State, though his posse returnedsomewhat crestfallen. It may be added that the sheriff's bondsmen, upon an examination into the facts in the case, concluded to standa suit on the developments of some facts which their examination haduncovered in the original proceedings, and the matter was dropped, rather than fight it through in open court. 

XIV

THE STORY OF A POKER STEER

He was born in a chaparral thicket, south of the Nueces River inTexas. It was a warm night in April, with a waning moon hanging like ahunter's horn high overhead, when the subject of this sketch drewhis first breath. Ushered into a strange world in the fulfillment ofnatural laws, he lay trembling on a bed of young grass, listening tothe low mooings of his mother as she stood over him in the joy andpride of the first born. But other voices of the night reached hisears; a whippoorwill and his mate were making much ado over theselection of their nesting-place on the border of the thicket. Thetantalizing cry of a coyote on the nearest hill caused his mother toturn from him, lifting her head in alarm, and uneasily scenting thenight air. 

On thus being deserted, and complying with an inborn instinct offear, he made his first attempt to rise and follow, and althoughunsuccessful it caused his mother to return and by her gentle nosingsand lickings to calm him. Then in an effort to rise he struggled tohis knees, only to collapse like a limp rag. But after several suchattempts he finally stood on his feet, unsteady on his legs, andtottering like one drunken. Then his mother nursed him, and as the newmilk warmed his stomach he gained sufficient assurance of his footingto wiggle his tail and to butt the feverish caked udder with hisvelvety muzzle. After satisfying his appetite he was loath to lie downand rest, but must try his legs in toddling around to investigate thisstrange world into which he had been ushered. He smelled of the richgreen leaves of the mesquite, which hung in festoons about his birthchamber, and trampled underfoot the grass which carpeted the bower. 

After several hours' sleep he was awakened by a strange twitteringabove him. The moon and stars, which were shining so brightly at themoment of his birth, had grown pale. His mother was the first torise, but heedless of her entreaties he lay still, bewildered by theincreasing light. Animals, however, have their own ways of teachingtheir little ones, and on the dam's first pretense of deserting him hefound his voice, and uttering a plaintive cry, struggled to his feet, which caused his mother to return and comfort him. 

Later she enticed him out of the thicket to enjoy his first sun bath. The warmth seemed to relieve the stiffness in his joints, and aftereach nursing during the day he attempted several awkward capers inhis fright at a shadow or the rustle of a leaf. Near the middle of theafternoon, his mother being feverish, it was necessary that she shouldgo to the river and slake her thirst. So she enticed him to a placewhere the grass in former years had grown rank, and as soon as he laydown she cautioned him to be quiet during her enforced absence, andthough he was a very young calf he remembered and trusted in her. Itwas several miles to the river, and she was gone two whole hours, butnot once did he disobey. A passing ranchero reined in and rode withinthree feet of him, but he did not open an eye or even twitch an ear toscare away a fly. 

The horseman halted only long enough to notice the flesh-marks. Thecalf was a dark red except for a white stripe which covered the rightside of his face, including his ear and lower jaw, and continued ina narrow band beginning on his withers and broadening as it extendedbackward until it covered his hips. Aside from his good color theranchman was pleased with his sex, for a steer those days was betterthan gold. So the cowman rode away with a pleased expression on hisface, but there is a profit and loss account in all things. 

When the calf's mother returned she rewarded her offspring forhis obedience, and after grazing until dark, she led him into thechaparral thicket and lay down for the night. Thus the first day ofhis life and a few succeeding ones passed with unvarying monotony. Butwhen he was about a week old his mother allowed him to accompany herto the river, where he met other calves and their dams. She was but athree-year-old, and he was her first baby; so, as they threaded theirway through the cattle on the river-bank the little line-back calf wasthe object of much attention. The other cows were jealous of him, butone old grandmother came up and smelled of him benignantly, as if tosay, "Suky, this is a nice baby boy you have here. "

Then the young cow, embarrassed by so much attention, crossed theshallow river and went up among some hills where she had once rangedand where the vining mesquite grass grew luxuriantly. There they spentseveral months, and the calf grew like a weed, and life was one longsummer day. He could have lived there always and been content, for hehad many pleasures. Other cows, also, brought their calves up tothe same place, and he had numerous playmates in his gambols on thehillsides. Among the other calves was a speckled heifer, whose damwas a great crony of his own mother. These two cows were almostinseparable during the entire summer, and it was as natural as thefalling of a mesquite bean that he should form a warm attachment forhis speckled playmate. 

But this June-time of his life had an ending when late in the fall anumber of horsemen scoured the hills and drove all the cattle down tothe river. It was the first round-up he had ever been in, so he keptvery close to his mother's side, and allowed nothing to separate himfrom her. When the outriders had thrown in all the cattle from thehills and had drifted all those in the river valley together, theymoved them back on an open plain and began cutting out. There weremany men at the work, and after all the cows and calves had been cutinto a separate herd, the other cattle were turned loose. Then withgreat shoutings the cows were started up the river to a branding-penseveral miles distant. Never during his life did the line-back calfforget that day. There was such a rush and hurrah among these horsementhat long before they reached the corrals the line-back's tonguelolled out, for he was now a very fat calf. Only once did he evencatch sight of his speckled playmate, who was likewise trembling likea fawn. 

Inside the corral he rested for a short time in the shade of thepalisades. His mother, however, scented with alarm a fire which wasbeing built in the middle of the branding-pen. Several men, who seemedto be the owners, rode through the corralled cows while the cruelirons were being heated. Then the man who directed the work orderedinto their saddles a number of swarthy fellows who spoke Spanish, andthe work of branding commenced. 

The line-back calf kept close to his mother's side, and as long aspossible avoided the ropers. But in an unguarded moment the noose of arope encircled one of his hind feet, and he was thrown upon his side, and in this position the mounted man dragged him up to the fire. Hismother followed him closely, but she was afraid of the men, and couldonly stand at a distance and listen to his piteous crying. The roper, when asked for the brand, replied, "Bar-circle-bar, " for that was thebrand his mother bore. A tall quiet man who did the branding calledto a boy who attended the fire to bring him two irons; with one hestamped the circle, and with the other he made a short horizontal baron either side of it. Then he took a bloody knife from between histeeth and cut an under-bit from the calf's right ear, inquiring of theowner as he did so, "Do you want this calf left for a bull?"

"No; yearlings will be worth fourteen dollars next spring. He's afirst calf--his mother's only a three-year-old. "

As he was released he edged away from the fire, forlorn looking. Hismother coaxed him over into a corner of the corral, where he droppedexhausted, for with his bleeding ear, his seared side, and a hundredshooting pains in his loins, he felt as if he must surely die. Hisdam, however, stood over him until the day's work was ended, and keptthe other cows from trampling him. When the gates were thrown open andthey were given their freedom, he cared nothing for it; he wanted todie. He did not attempt to leave the corral until after darkness hadsettled over the scene. Then with much persuasion he arose and limpedalong after his mother. But before he could reach the river, which wasat least half a mile away, he sank down exhausted. If he could onlyslake his terrible thirst he felt he might possibly survive, for thepain had eased somewhat. With every passing breeze of the night hecould scent the water, and several times in his feverish fancy heimagined he could hear it as it gurgled over its pebbly bed. 

Just at sunrise, ere the heat of the day fell upon him, he struggledto his feet, for he felt it was a matter of life and death with him toreach the river. At last he dragged his pain-racked body down to therippling water and lowered his head to drink, but it seemed as ifevery exertion tended to reopen those seared scars, and with the onething before him that he most desired, he moaned in misery. A littlefarther away was a deep pool. This he managed to crawl to, and therehe remained for a long time, for the water laved his wounds, and hedrank and drank. The sun now beat down on him fiercely, and he mustseek some shady place for the day, but he started reluctantly toleave, and when he reached the shallows, he turned back to the comfortof the pool and drank again. 

A thickety motte of chaparral which grew back from the scatteringtimber on the river afforded him the shelter and seclusion he wanted, for he dared not trust himself where the grown cattle congregatedfor the day's siesta. During all his troubles his mother had neverforsaken him, and frequently offered him the scanty nourishment ofher udder, but he had no appetite and could scarcely raise his eyes tolook at her. But time heals all wounds, and within a week he followedhis dam back into the hills where grew the succulent grama grass whichhe loved. There they remained for more than a month, and he met hisspeckled playmate again. 

One day a great flight of birds flew southward, and amidst the cawingof crows and the croaking of ravens the cattle which ranged beyondcame down out of the hills in long columns, heading southward. Theline-back calf felt a change himself in the pleasant day's atmosphere. His mother and the dam of the speckled calf laid their heads together, and after scenting the air for several minutes, they curved theirtails--a thing he had never seen sedate cows do before--and stampededoff to the south. Of course the line-back calf and his playmate wentalong, outrunning their mothers. They traveled far into the nightuntil they reached a chaparral thicket, south of the river, muchlarger than the one in which he was born. It was well they soughtits shelter, for two hours before daybreak a norther swept acrossthe range, which chilled them to the bone. When day dawned a mist wasfalling which incrusted every twig and leaf in crystal armor. 

There were many such northers during the first winter. The onemysterious thing which bothered him was, how it was that his mothercould always foretell when one was coming. But he was glad she could, for she always sought out some cosy place; and now he noticed that hiscoat had thickened until it was as heavy as the fur on a bear, and hebegan to feel a contempt for the cold. But springtime came very earlyin that southern clime, and as he nibbled the first tender bladesof grass, he felt an itching in his wintry coat and rubbed off greattufts of hair against the chaparral bushes. Then one night his mother, without a word of farewell, forsook him, and it was several monthsbefore he saw her again. But he had the speckled heifer yet for acompanion, when suddenly her dam disappeared in the same inexplicablemanner as had his own. 

He was a yearling now, and with his playmate he ranged up and down thevalley of the Nueces for miles. But in June came a heavy rain, almosta deluge, and nearly all the cattle left the valley for the hills, fornow there was water everywhere. The two yearlings were the last to go, but one morning while feeding the line-back got a ripe grass burr inhis mouth. Then he took warning, for he despised grass burrs, and thatevening the two cronies crossed the river and went up into the hillswhere they had ranged as calves the summer before Within a week, at alake which both well remembered, they met their mothers face to face. The steer was on the point of upbraiding his maternal relative fordeserting him, when a cream-colored heifer calf came up and nourisheditself at the cow's udder. That was too much for him. He understoodnow why she had left him, and he felt that he was no longer her baby. Piqued with mortification he went to a near-by knoll where the groundwas broken, and with his feet pawed up great clouds of dust whichsettled on his back until the white spot was almost obscured. The nextmorning he and the speckled heifer went up higher into the hills wherethe bigger steer cattle ranged. He had not been there the year before, and he had a great curiosity to see what the upper country was like. 

In the extreme range of the hills back from the river, the two spentthe entire summer, or until the first norther drove them down to thevalley. The second winter was much milder than the first one, snow andice being unknown. So when spring came again they were both very fat, and together they planned--as soon as the June rains came--to go ona little pasear over north on the Frio River. They had met others oftheir kind from the Frio when out on those hills the summer before, and had found them decently behaved cattle. 

But though the outing was feasible and well planned, it was not to be. For after both had shed their winter coats, the speckled heifer was aspretty a two-year-old as ever roamed the Nueces valley or drank outof its river, and the line-back steer had many rivals. Almost dailyhe fought other steers of his own age and weight, who were payingaltogether too marked attention to his crony. Although he neveroutwardly upbraided her for it, her coquetry was a matter of no smallconcern with him. At last one day in April she forced matters toan open rupture between them. A dark red, arch-necked, curly-headedanimal came bellowing defiance across their feeding-grounds. Withouta moment's hesitation the line-back had accepted the challenge and hadlocked horns with this Adonis. Though he fought valiantly the battleis ever with the strong, and inch by inch he was forced backward. Whenhe realized that he must yield, he turned to flee, and his rival withone horn caught him behind the fore shoulder, cutting a cruel gashnearly a foot in length. Reaching a point of safety he halted, and ashe witnessed his adversary basking in the coquettish, amorous advancesof her who had been his constant companion since babyhood, his wrathwas uncontrollable. Kneeling, he cut the ground with his horns, throwing up clouds of dust, and then and there he renounced kith andkin, the speckled heifer and the Nueces valley forever. He firmlyresolved to start at once for the Frio country. He was a proudtwo-year-old and had always held his head high. Could his spiritsuffer the humiliation of meeting his old companions after suchdefeat? No! Hurling his bitterest curses on the amorous pair, heturned his face to the northward. 

On reaching the Nueces, feverish in anger, he drank sparingly, kneeling against the soft river's bank, cutting it with his horns, andmatting his forehead with red mud. It was a momentous day in his life. He distinctly remembered the physical pain he had suffered once in abranding-pen, but that was nothing compared to this. Surely his yearshad been few and full of trouble. He hardly knew which way to turn. Finally he concluded to lie down on a knoll and rest until nightfall, when he would start on his journey to the Frio. Just how he was toreach that country troubled him. He was a cautious fellow; he knew hemust have water on the way, and the rains had not yet fallen. 

Near the middle of the afternoon an incident occurred which changedthe whole course of his after-life. From his position on the knoll hewitnessed the approach of four horsemen who apparently were bent ondriving all the cattle in that vicinity out of their way. To get abetter view he arose, for it was evident they had no intention ofdisturbing him. When they had drifted away all the cattle for a mileon both sides of the river, one of the horsemen rode back and signaledto some one in the distance. Then the line-back steer saw somethingnew, for coming over the brow of the hill was a great column ofcattle. He had never witnessed such a procession of his kind before. When the leaders had reached the river, the rear was just coming overthe brow of the hill, for the column was fully a mile in length. Theline-back steer classed them as strangers, probably bound for theFrio, for that was the remotest country in his knowledge. As heslowly approached the herd, which was then crowding into the river, henoticed that they were nearly all two-year-olds like himself. Why notaccompany them? His resolution to leave the Nueces valley wasstill uppermost in his mind. But when he attempted to join in, adark-skinned man on a horse chased him away, cursing him in Spanishas he ran. Then he thought they must be exclusive, and wondered wherethey came from. 

But when the line-back steer once resolved to do anything, thedetermination became a consuming desire. He threw the very intensityof his existence into his resolution of the morning. He would leavethe Nueces valley with those cattle--or alone, it mattered not. Soafter they had watered and grazed out from the river, he followed ata respectful distance. Once again he tried to enter the herd, but anoutrider cut him off. The man was well mounted, and running his horseup to him he took up his tail, wrapped the brush around the pommel ofhis saddle, and by a dexterous turn of his horse threw him until hespun like a top. The horseman laughed. The ground was sandy, and whilethe throwing frightened him, never for an instant did it shake hisdetermination. 

So after darkness had fallen and the men had bedded their cattle forthe night, he slipped through the guard on night-herd and lay downamong the others. He complimented himself on his craftiness, but neverdreamed that this was a trail herd, bound for some other country threehundred miles beyond his native Texas. The company was congenial; itnumbered thirty-five hundred two-year-old steers like himself, andstrangely no one ever noticed him until long after they had crossedthe Frio. Then a swing man one day called his foreman's attention to astray, line-backed, bar-circle-bar steer in the herd. The foreman onlygave him a passing glance, saying, "Let him alone; we may get a jug ofwhiskey for him if some trail cutter don't claim him before we crossRed River. "

Now Red River was the northern boundary of his native State, andthough he was unconscious of his destination, he was delighted withhis new life and its constant change of scene. He also rejoiced thatevery hour carried him farther and farther from the Nueces valley, where he had suffered so much physical pain and humiliation. So forseveral months he traveled northward with the herd. He swam riversand grazed in contentment across flowery prairies, mesas and brokencountry. Yet it mattered nothing to him where he was going, for hisevery need was satisfied. These men with the herd were friendly tohim, for they anticipated his wants by choosing the best grazing, soarranging matters that he reached water daily, and selecting a drybed ground for him at night. And when strange copper-colored men withfeathers in their hair rode along beside the herd he felt no fear. 

The provincial ideas of his youth underwent a complete change withinthe first month of trail life. When he swam Red River with the leadersof the herd, he not only bade farewell to his native soil, but burnedall bridges behind him. To the line-back steer, existence on theNueces had been very simple. But now his views were broadening. Was not he a unit of millions of his kind, all forging forward likebrigades of a king's army to possess themselves of some unconqueredcountry? These men with whom he was associated were the vikings ofthe Plain. The Red Man was conquered, and, daily, the skulls of thebuffalo, his predecessors, stared vacantly into his face. 

By the middle of summer they reached their destination, for the cattlewere contracted to a cowman in the Cherokee Strip, Indian Territory. The day of delivery had arrived. The herd was driven into a pasturewhere they met another outfit of horsemen similar to their own. Thecattle were strung out and counted. The men agreed on the numbers. Butwatchful eyes scanned every brand as they passed in review, and themen in the receiving outfit called the attention of their employer tothe fact that there were several strays in the herd not in theroad brand. One of these strays was a line-back, bar-circle-bar, two-year-old steer. There were also others; when fifteen of them hadbeen cut out and the buyer asked the trail foreman if he was willingto include them in the bill of sale, the latter smilingly replied:"Not on your life, Captain. You can't keep them out of a herd. Down inmy country we call strays like them _poker steers_. "

And so there were turned loose in the Coldwater Pool, one of the largepastures in the Strip, fifteen strays. That night, in a dug-out onthat range, the home outfit of cowboys played poker until nearlymorning. There were seven men in the camp entitled to share in thisflotsam on their range, the extra steer falling to the foreman. Mentally they had a list of the brands, and before the game opened thestrays were divided among the participants. An animal was representedby ten beans. At the beginning the boys played cautiously, countingevery card at its true worth in a hazard of chance. But as the gamewore on and the more fortunate ones saw their chips increase, theweaker ones were gradually forced out. At midnight but five playersremained in the game. By three in the morning the foreman lost hislast bean, and ordered the men into their blankets, saying theymust be in their saddles by dawn, riding the fences, scattering andlocating the new cattle. As the men yawningly arose to obey, DickLarkin defiantly said to the winners, "I've just got ten beans left, and I'll cut high card with any man to see who takes mine or I takeone of his poker steers. "

"My father was killed in the battle of the Wilderness, " replied Tex, "and I'm as game a breed as you are. I'll match your beans and pit youmy bar-circle-bar steer. "

"My sire was born in Ireland and is living yet, " retorted BoldRichard. "Cut the cards, young fellow. "

"The proposition is yours--cut first yourself. "

The other players languidly returned to the table. Larkin cut a fivespot of clubs and was in the act of tearing it in two, when Tex turnedthe tray of spades. Thus, on the turn of a low card, the line-backsteer passed into the questionable possession of Dick Larkin. TheCherokee Strip wrought magic in a Texas steer. One or two winters inits rigorous climate transformed the gaunt long-horn into a marketablebeef. The line-back steer met the rigors of the first winter and byJune was as glossy as a gentleman's silk tile. But at that springround-up there was a special inspector from Texas, and no sooner didhis eye fall upon the bar-circle-bar steer than he opened his bookand showed the brand and his authority to claim him. When Dick Larkinasked to see his credentials, the inspector not only produced them, but gave the owner's name and the county in which the brand was amatter of record. There was no going back on that, and the Texas mantook the line-back steer. But the round-up stayed all night in thePool pasture, and Larkin made it his business to get on second guardin night-herding the cut. He had previously assisted in bedding downthe cattle for the night, and made it a point to see that the pokerthree-year-old lay down on the outer edge of the bed ground. The nextmorning the line-back steer was on his chosen range in the south endof the pasture. How he escaped was never known; there are ways andways in a cow country. 

At daybreak the round-up moved into the next pasture, the wagons, cutand saddle horses following. The special inspector was kept so busyfor the next week that he never had time to look over the winter driftand strays, which now numbered nearly two thousand cattle. When thework ended the inspector missed the line-back steer. He said nothing, however, but exercised caution enough to take what cattle he hadgathered up into Kansas for pasturage. 

When the men who had gone that year on the round-up on the westerndivision returned, there was a man from Reece's camp in the Strip, east on Black Bear, who asked permission to leave about a dozen cattlein the Pool. He was alone, and, saying he would bring another man withhim during the shipping season, he went his way. But when Reece's mencame back after their winter drift during the beef-gathering season, Bold Richard Larkin bantered the one who had left the cattle for apoker game, pitting the line-back three-year-old against a white pokercow then in the Pool pasture and belonging to the man from Black Bear. It was a short but spirited game. At its end the bar-circle-bar steerwent home with Reece's man. There was a protective code of honor amongrustlers, and Larkin gave the new owner the history of the steer. He told him that the brand was of record in McMullen County, Texas, warned him of special inspectors, and gave him other necessaryinformation. 

The men from the Coldwater Pool, who went on the eastern division ofthe round-up next spring, came back and reported having seen a certainline-back poker steer, but the bar-circle-bar had somehow changed, until now it was known as the _pilot wheel_. And, so report came back, in the three weeks' work that spring, the line-back pilot-wheel steerhad changed owners no less than five times. Late that fall word camedown from Fant's pasture up west on the Salt Fork to send a man or twoup there, as Coldwater Pool cattle had been seen on that range. Larkinand another lad went up to a beef round-up, and almost the first steerBold Richard laid his eyes on was an under-bit, line-back, once abar-circle-bar but now a pilot-wheel beef. Larkin swore by all thesaints he would know that steer in Hades. Then Abner Taylor calledBold Richard aside and told him that he had won the steer about a weekbefore from an Eagle Chief man, who had also won the beef from anotherman east on Black Bear during the spring round-up. The explanationsatisfied Larkin, who recognized the existing code among rustlers. 

The next spring the line-back steer was a five-year-old. Three wintersin that northern climate had put the finishing touches on him. He wasa beauty. But Abner Taylor knew he dared not ship him to a market, forthere he would have to run a regular gauntlet of inspectors. There wasanother chance open, however. Fant, Taylor's employer, had many Indiancontracts. One contract in particular required three thousand northernwintered cattle for the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeastMontana. Fant had wintered the cattle with which to fill this contracton his Salt Fork range in the Cherokee Strip. When the cowman castabout for a foreman on starting the herd for Fort Peck, the fact thatAbner Taylor was a Texan was sufficient recommendation with Fant. Andthe line-back beef and several other poker steers went along. 

The wintered herd of beeves were grazed across to Fort Peck in littleless than three months. On reaching the agency, the cattle were infine condition and ready to issue to the Indian wards of our Christiannation. In the very first allotment from this herd the line-back beefwas cut off with thirty others. It was fitting that he should die inhis prime. As the thirty head were let out of the agency corral, agreat shouting arose among the braves who were to make the kill. Amurderous fire from a hundred repeaters was poured into the runningcattle. Several fell to their knees, then rose and struggled on. Thescene was worthy of savages. As the cattle scattered several Indianssingled out the line-back poker steer. One specially well-mountedbrave ran his pony along beside him and pumped the contents ofhis carbine into the beef's side. With the blood frothing from hisnostrils, the line-back turned and catching the horse with his horndisemboweled him. The Indian had thrown himself on the side of hismount to avoid the sudden thrust, and, as the pony fell, he was pinnedunder him. With admirable tenacity of life the pilot-wheel steerstaggered back and made several efforts to gore the dying horse andhelpless rider, but with a dozen shots through his vitals, he sankdown and expired. A destiny, over which he had no seeming control, willed that he should yield to the grim reaper nearly three thousandmiles from his birthplace on the sunny Nueces. 

Abner Taylor, witnessing the incident, rode over to a companion andinquired: "Did you notice my line-back poker steer play his lasttrump? From the bottom of my heart I wish he had killed the Indianinstead of the pony. "