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diff --git a/12281-h/12281-h.htm b/12281-h/12281-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bffa1fa --- /dev/null +++ b/12281-h/12281-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7737 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Cattle Brands, by Andy Adams</title> +<link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +div.fig { display:block; + margin:0 auto; + text-align:center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em;} + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12281 ***</div> + +<div class="fig" style="width:55%;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" style="width:100%;" alt="[Illustration]" /> +</div> + +<h1>CATTLE BRANDS</h1> + +<h3>A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories</h3> + +<h2 class="no-break">by ANDY ADAMS</h2> + +<h4>1906</h4> + +<h3>TO MR. AND MRS. HENRY RUSSELL WRAY</h3> + +<hr /> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">I. DRIFTING NORTH</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">II. SEIGERMAN’S PER CENT</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">III. “BAD MEDICINE”</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">IV. A WINTER ROUND-UP</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">V. A COLLEGE VAGABOND</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">VI. THE DOUBLE TRAIL</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">VII. RANGERING</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">VIII. AT COMANCHE FORD</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">IX. AROUND THE SPADE WAGON</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">X. THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">XI. THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">XII. IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap13">XIII. A QUESTION OF POSSESSION</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap14">XIV. THE STORY OF A POKER STEER</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<p class="letter"> +“The Passing of Peg-Leg” and “A Question of Possession” appeared originally in +<i>Leslie’s Monthly</i>, and are here reprinted by permission of the publishers +of that magazine. +</p> + +<h3>BRANDS</h3> + +<div class="fig" style="width:100%;"> +<img src="images/img01.jpg" width="447" height="650" alt="[Illustration]" /> +</div> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2>CATTLE BRANDS</h2> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>I<br/> +DRIFTING NORTH</h2> + +<p> +It was a wet, bad year on the Old Western Trail. From Red River north and all +along was herd after herd waterbound by high water in the rivers. Our outfit +lay over nearly a week on the South Canadian, but we were not alone, for there +were five other herds waiting for the river to go down. This river had tumbled +over her banks for several days, and the driftwood that was coming down would +have made it dangerous swimming for cattle. +</p> + +<p> +We were expected to arrive in Dodge early in June, but when we reached the +North Fork of the Canadian, we were two weeks behind time. +</p> + +<p> +Old George Carter, the owner of the herd, was growing very impatient about us, +for he had had no word from us after we had crossed Red River at Doan’s +crossing. Other cowmen lying around Dodge, who had herds on the trail, could +hear nothing from their men, but in their experience and confidence in their +outfits guessed the cause—it was water. Our surprise when we came opposite Camp +Supply to have Carter and a stranger ride out to meet us was not to be +measured. They had got impatient waiting, and had taken the mail buckboard to +Supply, making inquiries along the route for the <i>Hat</i> herd, which had not +passed up the trail, so they were assured. Carter was so impatient that 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. +</p> + +<p> +The cattle were looking as fine as silk. The lay-overs had rested them. The +horses were in good trim, considering the amount of wet weather we had had. +Here and there was a nigger brand, but these saddle galls were unavoidable when +using wet blankets. The cattle were twos and threes. We had left western Texas +with a few over thirty-two hundred head and were none shy. We could have +counted out more, but on some of them the Hat brand had possibly faded out. We +went into a cosy camp early in the evening. Everything needful was at hand, +wood, water, and grass. Cowmen in those days prided themselves on their +outfits, and Carter was a trifle gone on his men. +</p> + +<p> +With the cattle on hand, drinking was out of the question, so the only way to +show us any regard was to bring us a box of cigars. He must have brought those +cigars from Texas, for they were wrapped in a copy of 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 train robberies reported in it, but that was common in +those days. They had nominated for Governor “The Little Cavalryman,” Sol Ross, +and this paper estimated that his majority would be at least two hundred +thousand. We were all anxious to get home in time to vote for him. +</p> + +<p> +Theodore Baughman was foreman of our outfit. Baugh was a typical trail-boss. He +had learned to take things as they came, play the cards as they fell, and not +fret himself about little things that could not be helped. If we had been a +month behind he would never have thought to explain the why or wherefore to old +man Carter. Several years after this, when he was scouting for the army, he +rode up to a herd over on the Chisholm trail and asked one of the tail men: +“Son, have you seen anything of about three hundred nigger soldiers?” “No,” +said the cowboy. “Well,” said Baugh, “I’ve lost about that many.” +</p> + +<p> +That night around camp the smoke was curling upward from those cigars in +clouds. When supper was over and the guards arranged for the night, +story-telling was in order. This cattle-buyer with us lived in Kansas City and +gave us several good ones. He told us of an attempted robbery of a bank which +had occurred a few days before in a western town. As a prelude to the tale, he +gave us the history of the robbers. +</p> + +<p> +“Cow Springs, Kansas,” said he, “earned the reputation honestly of being a hard +cow-town. When it became the terminus of one of the many eastern trails, it was +at its worst. The death-rate amongst its city marshals—always due to a +six-shooter in the hands of some man who never hesitated to use it—made the +office not over desirable. The office was vacated so frequently in this manner +that at last no local man could be found who would have it. Then the city +fathers sent to Texas for a man who had the reputation of being a killer. He +kept his record a vivid green by shooting first and asking questions afterward. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, the first few months he filled the office of marshal he killed two white +men and an Indian, and had the people thoroughly buffaloed. When the cattle +season had ended and winter came on, the little town grew tame and listless. +There was no man to dare him to shoot, and he longed for other worlds to +conquer. He had won his way into public confidence with his little gun. But +this confidence reposed in him was misplaced, for he proved his own double both +in morals and courage. +</p> + +<p> +“To show you the limit of the confidence he enjoyed: the treasurer of the +Cherokee Strip Cattle Association paid rent money to that tribe, at their +capital, fifty thousand dollars quarterly. The capital is not located on any +railroad; so the funds in currency were taken in regularly by the treasurer, +and turned over to the tribal authorities. This trip was always made with +secrecy, and the marshal was taken along as a trusted guard. It was an +extremely dangerous trip to make, as it was through a country infested with +robbers and the capital at least a hundred miles from the railroad. Strange no +one ever attempted to rob the stage or private conveyance, though this sum was +taken in regularly for several years. The average robber was careful of his +person, and could not be induced to make a target of himself for any money +consideration, where there was danger of a gun in the hands of a man that would +shoot rapidly and carelessly. +</p> + +<p> +“Before the herds began to reach as far north, the marshal and his deputy gave +some excuse and disappeared for a few days, which was quite common and caused +no comment. One fine morning the good people of the town where the robbery was +attempted were thrown into an uproar by shooting in their bank, just at the +opening hour. The robbers were none other than our trusted marshal, his deputy, +and a cow-puncher who had been led into the deal. When they ordered the +officials of the bank to stand in a row with hands up, they were nonplused at +their refusal to comply. The attacked party unearthed ugly looking guns and +opened fire on the hold-ups instead. +</p> + +<p> +“This proved bad policy, for when the smoke cleared away the cashier, a very +popular man, was found dead, while an assistant was dangerously wounded. The +shooting, however, had aroused the town to the situation, and men were seen +running to and fro with guns. This unexpected refusal and the consequent +shooting spoiled the plans of the robbers, so that they abandoned the robbery +and ran to their horses. +</p> + +<p> +“After mounting they parleyed with each other a moment and seemed bewildered as +to which way they should ride, finally riding south toward what seemed a broken +country. Very few minutes elapsed before every man who could find a horse was +joining the posse that was forming to pursue them. Before they were out of +sight the posse had started after them. They were well mounted and as +determined a set of men as were ever called upon to meet a similar emergency. +They had the decided advantage of the robbers, as their horses were fresh, and +the men knew every foot of the country. +</p> + +<p> +“The broken country to which the hold-ups headed was a delusion as far as +safety was concerned. They were never for a moment out of sight of the +pursuers, and this broken country ended in a deep coulee. When the posse saw +them enter this they knew that their capture was only a matter of time. Nature +seemed against the robbers, for as they entered the coulee their horses bogged +down in a springy rivulet, and they were so hard pressed that they hastily +dismounted, and sought shelter in some shrubbery that grew about. The pursuing +party, now swollen to quite 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 the posse closed in on them. Seeing the numbers against them, they +came out on demand and surrendered. Neither the posse nor themselves knew at +this time that the shooting in the bank had killed the cashier. Less than an +hour’s time had elapsed between the shooting and the capture. When the posse +reached town on their return, they learned of the death of the cashier, and the +identity of the prisoners was soon established by citizens who knew the marshal +and his deputy. The latter admitted their identity. +</p> + +<p> +“That afternoon they were photographed, and later in the day were given a +chance to write to any friends to whom they wished to say good-by. The +cow-puncher was the only one who availed himself of the opportunity. He wrote +to his parents. He was the only one of the trio who had the nerve to write, and +seemed the only one who realized the enormity of his crime, and that he would +never see the sun of another day. +</p> + +<p> +“As darkness settled over the town, the mob assembled. There was no +demonstration. The men were taken quietly out and hanged. At the final moment +there was a remarkable variety of nerve shown. The marshal and deputy were +limp, unable to stand on their feet. With piteous appeals and tears they +pleaded for mercy, something they themselves had never shown their own victims. +The boy who had that day written his parents his last letter met his fate with +Indian stoicism. He cursed the crouching figures of his pardners for enticing +him into this crime, and begged them not to die like curs, but to meet bravely +the fate which he admitted they all deserved. Several of the men in the mob +came forward and shook hands with him, and with no appeal to man or his 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 have it, when they come face to +face with their end, are found lacking that quality. It is a common anomaly in +life that the bad man with his record often shows the white feather when he +meets his fate at the hands of an outraged community.” +</p> + +<p> +We all took a friendly liking to the cattle-buyer. He was an interesting +talker. While he was a city man, he mixed with us with a certain freedom and +abandon that was easy and natural. We all regretted it the next day when he and +the old man left us. +</p> + +<p> +“I’ve heard my father tell about those Cherokees,” said Port Cole. “They used +to live in Georgia, those Indians. They must have been honest people, for my +father told us boys at home, that once in the old State while the Cherokees +lived there, his father hired one of their tribe to guide him over the +mountains. There was a pass through the mountains that was used and known only +to these Indians. It would take 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 hired the guide for the entire trip for forty dollars in gold. One +condition was that the money was to be paid in advance. The morning was set for +the start, and my grandfather took my father along on the trip. +</p> + +<p> +“Before starting from the Indian’s cabin my grandfather took out his purse and +paid the Indian four ten-dollar gold pieces. The Indian walked over to the +corner of the cabin, and in the presence of other Indians laid this gold, in +plain sight of all, on the end of a log that projected where they cross +outside, and got on his horse to be gone six weeks. They made the trip on time, +and my father said his first thought, on their return to the Indian village, +was to see if the money was untouched. It was. You couldn’t risk white folks +that way.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, I don’t know,” said one of the boys. “Suppose you save your wages this +summer and try it next year when we start up the trail, just to see how it will +work.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, if it’s just the same to you,” replied Port, lighting a fresh cigar, +“I’ll not try, for I’m well enough satisfied as to how it would turn out, +without testing it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Isn’t it strange,” said Bat Shaw, “that if you trust a man or put confidence +in him he won’t betray you. Now, that marshal—one month he was guarding money +at the risk of his life, and the next was losing his life trying to rob some +one. I remember a similar case down on the Rio Grande. It was during the boom +in sheep a few years ago, when every one got crazy over sheep. +</p> + +<p> +“A couple of Americans came down on the river to buy sheep. They brought their +money with them. It was before the time of any railroads. The man they +deposited their money with had lived amongst these Mexicans till he had +forgotten where he did belong, though he was a Yankee. These sheep-buyers asked +their banker to get them a man who spoke Spanish and knew the country, as a +guide. The banker sent and got a man that he could trust. He was a +swarthy-looking native whose appearance would not recommend him anywhere. He +was accepted, and they set out to be gone over a month. +</p> + +<p> +“They bought a band of sheep, and it was necessary to pay for them at a point +some forty miles further up the river. There had been some robbing along the +river, and these men felt uneasy about carrying the money to this place to pay +for the sheep. The banker came to the rescue by advising them to send the money +by the Mexican, who could take it through in a single night. No one would ever +suspect him of ever having a dollar on his person. It looked risky, but the +banker who knew the nature of the native urged it as the better way, assuring +them that the Mexican was perfectly trustworthy. The peon was brought in, the +situation was explained to him, and he was ordered to be in readiness at +nightfall to start on his errand. +</p> + +<p> +“He carried the money over forty miles that night, and delivered it safely in +the morning to the proper parties. This act of his aroused the admiration of +these sheep men beyond a point of safety. They paid for the sheep, were gone +for a few months, sold out their flocks to good advantage, and came back to buy +more. This second time they did not take the precaution to have the banker hire +the man, but did so themselves, intending to deposit their money with a +different house farther up the river. They confided to him that they had quite +a sum of money with them, and that they would deposit it with the same merchant +to whom he had carried the money before. The first night they camped the +Mexican murdered them both, took the money, and crossed into Mexico. He hid +their bodies, and it was months before they were missed, and a year before +their bones were found. He had plenty of time to go to the ends of the earth +before his crime would be discovered. +</p> + +<p> +“Now that Mexican would never think of betraying the banker, his old friend and +patron, his <i>muy bueno amigo</i>. There were obligations that he could not +think of breaking with the banker; but these fool sheep men, supposing it was +simple honesty, paid the penalty of their confidence with their lives. Now, +when he rode over this same road alone, a few months before, with over five +thousand dollars in money belonging to these same men, all he would need to +have done was to ride across the river. When there were no obligations binding, +he was willing to add murder to robbery. Some folks say that Mexicans are good +people; it is the climate, possibly, but they can always be depended on to +assay high in treachery.” +</p> + +<p> +“What guard are you going to put me on to-night?” inquired old man Carter of +Baugh. +</p> + +<p> +“This outfit,” said Baugh, in reply, “don’t allow any tenderfoot around the +cattle,—at night, at least. You’d better play you’re company; somebody that’s +come. If you’re so very anxious to do something, the cook may let you rustle +wood or carry water. We’ll fix you up a bed after a little, and see that you +get into it where you can sleep and be harmless. +</p> + +<p> +“Colonel,” added Baugh, “why is it that you never tell that experience you had +once amongst the greasers?” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, there was nothing funny in it to me,” said Carter, “and they say I never +tell it twice alike.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why, certainly, tell us,” said the cattle-buyer. “I’ve never heard it. Don’t +throw off to-night.” +</p> + +<p> +“It was a good many years ago,” began old man George, “but the incident is very +clear in my mind. I was working for a month’s wages then myself. We were +driving cattle out of Mexico. The people I was working for contracted for a +herd down in Chihuahua, about four hundred 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 the funds to pay for the cattle. The day before I started, my people +drew out of the bank twenty-eight thousand dollars, mostly large bills. They +wired ahead and engaged a rig to take me from the station where I left the +railroad to the ranch, something like ninety miles. +</p> + +<p> +“I remember I bought a new mole-skin suit, which was very popular about then. I +had nothing but a small hand-bag, and it contained only a six-shooter. I bought +a book to read on the train and on the road out, called ‘Other People’s Money.’ +The title caught my fancy, and it was very interesting. It was written by a +Frenchman,—full of love and thrilling situations. I had the money belted on me +securely, and started out with flying colors. The railroad runs through a +dreary country, not worth a second look, so I read my new book. When I arrived +at the station I found the conveyance awaiting me. The plan was to drive +halfway, and stay over night at a certain hacienda. +</p> + +<p> +“The driver insisted on starting at once, telling me that we could reach the +Hacienda Grande by ten o’clock that night, which would be half my journey. We +had a double-seated buckboard and covered the country rapidly. There were two +Mexicans on the front seat, while I had the rear one all to myself. Once on the +road I interested myself in ‘Other People’s Money,’ almost forgetful of the +fact that at that very time I had enough of other people’s money on my person +to set all the bandits in Mexico on my trail. There was nothing of incident +that evening, until an hour before sundown. We reached a small ranchito, where +we spent an hour changing horses, had coffee and a rather light lunch. +</p> + +<p> +“Before leaving I noticed a Pinto horse hitched to a tree some distance in the +rear of the house, and as we were expecting to buy a number of horses, I walked +back and looked this one carefully over. He was very peculiarly color-marked in +the mane. I inquired for his owner, but they told me that he was not about at +present. It was growing dusk when we started out again. The evening was warm +and sultry and threatening rain. We had been on our way about an hour when I +realized we had left the main road and were bumping along on a by-road. I asked +the driver his reason for this, and he explained that it was a cut-off, and +that by taking it we would save three miles and half an hour’s time. As a +further reason he expressed his opinion that we would have rain that night, and +that he was anxious to reach the hacienda in good time. I encouraged him to +drive faster, which he did. Within another hour I noticed we were going down a +dry arroyo, with mesquite brush on both sides of the road, which was little +better than a trail. My suspicions were never aroused sufficiently to open the +little hand-bag and belt on the six-shooter. I was dreaming along when 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:— +</p> + +<p> +“‘Here’s where we stay all night. This is the hacienda.’ They both got out and +insisted on my getting out, but I refused to do so. I reached down 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 the ground. I realized then for the first +time that I was in for it in earnest. 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. I gathered up rocks and had them flying when I heard a clatter of hoofs +coming down the arroyo like a squadron of cavalry. They were so close on to me +that I took to the brush, without hat, coat, or pistol. Men that pack a gun all +their lives never have it when they need it; that was exactly my fix. Darkness +was in my favor, but I had no more idea where I was or which way I was going +than a baby. One thing sure, I was trying to get away from there as fast as I +could. The night was terribly dark, and about ten o’clock it began to rain a +deluge. I kept going all night, but must have been circling. +</p> + +<p> +“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, so I took off my boots +to wade it. When about one third way across, I either stepped off a bluff bank +or into a well, for I went under and dropped the boots. When I came to the +surface I made a few strokes swimming 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 than hurt. Right there I lay until daybreak. +</p> + +<p> +“The thing that I remember best now was the peculiar odor of the wet mole-skin. +If there had been a strolling artist about looking for a picture of Despair, I +certainly would have filled the bill. The sleeves were torn out of my shirt, +and my face and arms were scratched and bleeding from the thorns of the +mesquite. No one who could have seen me then would ever have dreamed that I was +a walking depositary of ‘Other People’s Money.’ When it got good daylight I +started out and kept the shelter of the brush to hide me. After nearly an +hour’s travel, I came out on a divide, and about a mile off I saw what looked +like a jacal. Directly I noticed a smoke arise, and I knew then it was a +habitation. My appearance was not what I desired, but I approached it. +</p> + +<p> +“In answer to my knock at the door a woman opened it about two inches and +seemed to be more interested in examination of my anatomy than in listening to +my troubles. After I had made an earnest sincere talk she asked 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 her well. It must have been my +appearance that aroused her sympathy, for she admitted me and fed me. +</p> + +<p> +“The woman had a little girl of probably ten years of age. This little girl +brought me water to wash myself, while the mother prepared me something to eat. +I was so anxious to pay these people that I found a five-dollar gold piece in +one of my pockets and gave it to the little girl, who in turn gave it to her +mother. While I was drinking the coffee and eating my breakfast, the woman saw +me looking at a picture of 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 +brought out a shirt and offered it to me. +</p> + +<p> +“Suddenly the barking of a dog attracted her to the door. She returned +breathless, and said in good Spanish: ‘For God’s sake, run! Fly! Don’t let my +husband and brother catch you here, for they are coming home.’ She thrust the +shirt into my hand and pointed out the direction in which I should go. From a +concealed point of the brush I saw two men ride up to the jacal and dismount. +One of them was riding the Pinto horse I had seen the day before. +</p> + +<p> +“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 I learned that I was +about ten miles from the main road. He took the sandals from his own feet and +fastened them on mine, gave me directions, and about night I reached the +hacienda, where I was kindly received and cared for. This ranchero sent after +officers and had the country scoured for the robbers. I was detained nearly a +week, to see if I could identify my drivers, without result. They even brought +in the owner of the Pinto horse, and no doubt husband of the woman who saved my +life. +</p> + +<p> +“After a week’s time I joined our own outfit, and I never heard a language that +sounded so sweet as the English of my own tongue. I would have gone back and +testified against the owner of the spotted horse if it hadn’t been for a woman +and a little girl who depended on him, robber that he was.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now, girls,” said Baugh, addressing Carter and the stranger, “I’ve made you a +bed out of the wagon-sheet, and rustled a few blankets from the boys. You’ll +find the bed under the wagon-tongue, and we’ve stretched a fly over it to keep +the dew off you, besides adding privacy to your apartments. So you can turn in +when you run out of stories or get sleepy.” +</p> + +<p> +“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.” +</p> + +<p> +“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 a hold-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 had sold them to fine advantage. The +outfit had gone back, and I remained behind to collect for the cattle, +expecting to take the stage and overtake the outfit down on the river. I had +neglected to book my passage in advance, so when the stage was ready to start I +had to content myself with a seat on top. I don’t remember the amount of money +I had. It was the proceeds of something like one hundred and fifty beeves, in a +small bag along of some old clothes. There wasn’t a cent of it mine, still I +was supposed to look after it. +</p> + +<p> +“The driver answered to the name of South-Paw, drove six horses, and we had a +jolly crowd on top. Near midnight we were swinging along, and as we rounded a +turn in the road, we noticed a flickering light ahead some distance which +looked like the embers of a camp-fire. As we came nearly opposite the light, +the leaders shied at some object in the road in front of them. South-Paw +uncurled his whip, and was in the act of pouring the leather into them, when +that light was uncovered as big as the head-light of an engine. An empty +five-gallon oil-can had been cut in half and used as a reflector, throwing full +light into the road sufficient to cover the entire coach. Then came a round of +orders which meant business. ‘Shoot them leaders if they cross that +obstruction!’ ‘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, get out on this side of the coach, +please, and be quick about it!’ +</p> + +<p> +“The man giving these orders stood a few feet behind the lamp and out of sight, +but the muzzle of a Winchester was plainly visible and seemed to cover every +man on the stage. It is needless to say that we obeyed, got down in the full +glare of the light, and lined up with our backs to the robber, hands in the +air. There was a heavily veiled woman on the stage, whom he begged to hold the +light for him, assuring her that he never robbed a woman. This veiled person +disappeared at the time, and was supposed to have been a confederate. When the +light was held for him, he drew a black cap over each one of us, searching +everybody for weapons. Then he proceeded to rob us, and at last went through +the mail. It took him over an hour to do the job; he seemed in no hurry. +</p> + +<p> +“It was not known what he got out of the mail, but the passengers yielded about +nine hundred revenue to him, while there was three times that amount on top the +coach in my grip, wrapped in a dirty flannel shirt. When he disappeared we were +the cheapest lot of men imaginable. It was amusing to hear the excuses, +threats, and the like; but the fact remained the same, that a dozen of us had +been robbed by a lone highwayman. I felt good over it, as the money in the grip +had been overlooked. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, we cleared out the obstruction in the road, and got aboard the coach +once more. About four o’clock in the morning we arrived at our destination, +only two hours late. In the hotel office where the stage stopped was the very +man who had robbed us. He had got in an hour ahead of us, and was a very much +interested listener to the incident as retold. There was an early train out of +town that morning, and at a place where they stopped for breakfast he sat at +the table with several drummers who were in the hold-up, a most attentive +listener. +</p> + +<p> +“He was captured the same day. He had hired a horse out of a livery stable the +day before, to ride out to look at a ranch he thought of buying. The liveryman +noticed that he limped slightly. He had collided with lead in Texas, as was +learned afterward. The horse which had been hired to the ranch-buyer of the day +before was returned to the corral of the livery barn at an unknown hour during +the night, and suspicion settled on the lame man. When he got off the train at +Pueblo, he walked into the arms of officers. The limp had marked him clearly. +</p> + +<p> +“In a grip which he carried were a number of sacks, which he supposed contained +gold dust, but held only taulk on its way to assayers in Denver. These he had +gotten out of the express the night before, supposing they were valuable. We +were all detained as witnesses. He was tried for robbing the mails, and was the +coolest man in the court room. He was a tall, awkward-looking fellow, light +complexioned, with a mild blue eye. His voice, when not disguised, would mark +him amongst a thousand men. It was peculiarly mild and soft, and would lure a +babe from its mother’s arms. +</p> + +<p> +“At the trial he never tried to hide his past, and you couldn’t help liking the +fellow for his frank answers. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Were you ever charged with any crime before?’ asked the prosecution. ‘If so, +when and where?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Yes,’ said the prisoner, ‘in Texas, for robbing the mails in ’77.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘What was the result?’ continued the prosecution. +</p> + +<p> +“‘They sent me over the road for ninety-nine years.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Then how does it come that you are at liberty?’ quizzed the attorney. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Well, you see the President of the United States at that time was a warm +personal friend of mine, though we had drifted apart somewhat. When he learned +that the Federal authorities had interfered with my liberties, he pardoned me +out instantly.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘What did you do then?’ asked the attorney. +</p> + +<p> +“‘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 down there won’t do +anything for you without you have money, and as I didn’t have any for them, I +came up to this country to try and make an honest dollar.’ +</p> + +<p> +“He went over the road a second time, and wasn’t in the Federal prison a year +before he was released through influence. Prison walls were never made to hold +as cool a rascal as he was. Have you a match?” +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +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 the trumpets sounding +tattoo over at the fort, but their warnings of the closing day were not for us. +The guards changed, the cattle sleeping like babes in a trundle-bed. Finally +one by one the boys sought their blankets, while sleep and night wrapped these +children of the plains in her arms. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>II<br/> +SEIGERMAN’S PER CENT</h2> + +<p> +Towards the wind-up of the Cherokee Strip Cattle Association it became hard to +ride a chuck-line in winter. Some of the cattle companies on the range, whose +headquarters were far removed from the scene of active operations, saw fit to +give orders that the common custom of feeding all comers and letting them wear +their own welcome out must be stopped. This was hard on those that kept open +house the year round. 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 the +pay-roll. These extra men were called “chuck-line riders.” Probably eight +months in the year they all had employment. At many camps they were welcome, as +they would turn to and help do anything that was wanted done. +</p> + +<p> +After a hard freeze it would be necessary to cut the ice, so that the cattle +could water. A reasonable number of guests were no drawback at a time like +this, as the chuck-line men would be the most active in opening the ice with +axes. The cattle belonging to those who kept open house never got so far away +that some one didn’t recognize the brand and turn them back towards their own +pasture. It was possible to cast bread upon the waters, even on the range. +</p> + +<p> +The new order of things was received with many protests. Late in the fall three +worthies of the range formed a combine, and laid careful plans 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 this trio, “but hereafter I’ll not ride my +horses down, turning back the brand of any hidebound cattle company.” +</p> + +<p> +“That won’t save you from getting hit with a cheque for your time when the snow +begins to drift,” commented Stubb. +</p> + +<p> +“When we make our grand tour of the State this winter,” remarked Arab Ab, +“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 that riding a chuck-line +would beat footing it in a granger country, broke.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, we won’t go broke,” said Baugh, who was the leader in the idea that they +would go to Kansas for the winter, and come back in the spring when men are +wanted. +</p> + +<p> +So when the beef season had ended, the calves had all been branded up and +everything made snug for the winter, the foreman said to the boys at breakfast +one morning, “Well, lads, I’ve kept you on the pay-roll as long as there has +been anything to do, but this morning I’ll have to give you your time. These +recent orders of mine are sweeping, for they cut me down to one man, and we are +to do our own cooking. I’m sorry 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 what it is to ride a chuck-line myself. You all know that it’s no waste of +affection by this company that keeps even two of us on the pay-roll.” +</p> + +<p> +While the foreman was looking up accounts and making out the time of each, +Baugh asked him, “When is the wagon going in after the winter’s supplies?” +</p> + +<p> +“In a day or two,” answered the foreman. “Why?” +</p> + +<p> +“Why, Stubby, Arab, and myself want to leave our saddles and private horses +here with you until spring. We’re going up in the State for the winter, and +will wait and go in with the wagon.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will be all right,” said the foreman. “You’ll find things right side up +when you come after them, and a job if I can give it to you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t you think it’s poor policy,” asked Stubb of the foreman, as the latter +handed him his time, “to refuse the men a roof and the bite they eat in +winter?” +</p> + +<p> +“You may ask that question at headquarters, when you get your time cheque +cashed. I’ve learned not to think contrary to my employers; not in the mouth of +winter, anyhow.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, we don’t care,” said Baugh; “we’re going to take in the State for a change +of scenery. We’ll have a good time and plenty of fun on the side.” +</p> + +<p> +The first snow-squall of the season came that night, and the wagon could not go +in for several days. When the weather moderated the three bade the foreman a +hearty good-by and boarded the wagon for town, forty miles away. This little +village was a supply point for the range country to the south, and lacked that +diversity of entertainment that the trio desired. So to a larger town westward, +a county seat, they hastened by rail. This hamlet they took in by sections. +There were the games running to suit their tastes, the variety theatre with its +painted girls, and handbills announced that on the 24th of December and +Christmas Day there would be horse races. To do justice to all this melted +their money fast. +</p> + +<p> +Their gay round of pleasure had no check until the last day of the races. +Heretofore they had held their own in the games, and the first day of the races +they had even picked several winners. But grief was in store for Baugh the +leader, Baugh the brains of the trio. He had named the winners so easily the +day before, that now his confidence knew no bounds. His opinion was supreme on +a running horse, though he cautioned the others not to risk their judgment—in +fact, they had better follow him. “I’m going to back that sorrel gelding, that +won yesterday in the free-for-all to-day,” said he to Stubb and Arab, “and if +you boys go in with me, we’ll make a killing.” +</p> + +<p> +“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 win all you can, for spring +is a long ways off yet.” +</p> + +<p> +“My observation of you as a poker player, my dear Stubby, is that you generally +play the first hand to win and all the rest to get even.” +</p> + +<p> +They used up considerable time scoring for the free-for-all running race +Christmas Day, during which delay Baugh not only got all his money bet, but his +watch and a new overcoat. The race went off with the usual dash, when there +were no more bets in sight; and when it ended Baugh buttoned up the top button +of his coat, pulled his hat down over his eyes, and walked back from the race +track in a meditative state of mind, to meet Stubb and Arab Ab. +</p> + +<p> +“When I gamble and lose I never howl,” said Baugh to his friends, “but I do +love a run for my money, though I didn’t have any more chance to-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.” +</p> + +<p> +“You big chump, you! if you hadn’t bet your overcoat it wouldn’t be so bad. +What possessed you to bet it?” asked Stubb, half reprovingly. +</p> + +<p> +“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 little unexpected, but what have I got +you boy’s for, if you can’t help a friend in trouble. There’s one good +thing—I’ve got my board paid three weeks in advance; paid it this morning out +of yesterday’s winnings. Lucky, ain’t I?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, you’re powerful lucky. You’re alive, ain’t you?” said Stubb, rubbing salt +into his wounds. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, my dear Stubby, don’t get gay with the leading lady; you may get in a bad +box some day and need me.” +</p> + +<p> +This turn of affairs was looked upon by Stubb and Arab as quite a joke on their +leader. But it was no warning to them, and they continued to play their +favorite games, Stubb at poker, while Arab gave his attention to monte. Things +ran along for a few weeks in this manner, Baugh never wanting for a dollar or +the necessary liquids that cheer the despondent. Finally they were forced to +take an inventory of their cash and similar assets. The result was suggestive +that they would have to return to the chuck-line, or unearth some other +resource. The condition of their finances lacked little of the red-ink line. +</p> + +<p> +Baugh, who had been silent during this pow-wow, finally said, “My board 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 like four time winners.” +</p> + +<p> +“What is it?” asked the other two, in a chorus. +</p> + +<p> +“There’s a little German on a back street here, who owns a bar-room with a +hotel attached. He has a mania to run for office; in fact, there’s several +candidates announced already. Now, the convention don’t meet until May, which +is in our favor. If my game succeeds, we will be back at work before that time. +That will let us out easy.” +</p> + +<p> +As their finances were on a parity with Baugh’s, the others were willing to +undertake anything that looked likely to tide them over the winter. “Leave +things to me,” said Baugh. “I’ll send a friend around to sound our German, and +see what office he thinks he’d like to have.” +</p> + +<p> +The information sought developed the fact that it was the office of sheriff +that he wanted. When the name was furnished, the leader of this scheme wrote it +on a card—Seigerman, Louie Seigerman,—not trusting to memory. Baugh now reduced +their finances further for a shave, while he meditated how he would launch his +scheme. An hour afterwards, he walked up to the bar, and asked, “Is Mr. +Seigerman in?” +</p> + +<p> +“Dot ish my name, sir,” said the man behind the bar. +</p> + +<p> +“Could I see you privately for a few minutes?” asked Baugh, who himself could +speak German, though his tongue did not indicate it. +</p> + +<p> +“In von moment,” said Seigerman, as he laid off his white apron and called an +assistant to take his place. He then led the way to a back room, used for a +storehouse. “Now, mine frendt, vat ish id?” inquired Louie, when they were +alone. +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Baughman,” said he, as he shook Louie’s hand with a hearty grip. “I +work for the Continental Cattle Company, who own a range in the strip adjoining +the county line below here. My people have suffered in silence from several +bands of cattle thieves who have headquarters in this county. Heretofore we +have never taken any interest in the local politics of this community. But this +year we propose to assert ourselves, and try to elect a sheriff who will do his +sworn duty, and run out of this county these rustling cattle thieves. Mr. +Seigerman, it would surprise you did I give you the figures in round numbers of +the cattle that my company have lost by these brand-burning rascals who infest +this section. +</p> + +<p> +“Now to business, as you are a business man. I have come to ask you to consent +to your name being presented to the county convention, which meets in May, as a +candidate for the office of sheriff of this county.” +</p> + +<p> +As Louie scratched his head and was meditating on his reply, Baughman +continued: “Now, we know that you are a busy man, and have given this matter 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 consent to make the race, you will +have the support of every cattle-man in the country. Not only their influence +and support, but in a selfish interest will their purses be at your command to +help elect you. This request of mine is not only the mature conclusion of my +people, but we have consulted others interested, and the opinion seems +unanimous that you are the man to make the race for this important office.” +</p> + +<p> +“Mr. Baughman, vill you not haf one drink mit me?” said Seigerman, as he led +the way towards the bar. +</p> + +<p> +“If you will kindly excuse me, Mr. Seigerman, I never like to indulge while +attending to business matters. I’ll join you in a cigar, however, for +acquaintance’ sake.” +</p> + +<p> +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 paid in advance at my +hotel until Saturday. If you can give me a good room by then, I’ll come up and +stop with you.” +</p> + +<p> +“You can haf any room in mine house, Mr. Baughman,” said Seigerman. +</p> + +<p> +As Baugh was about to leave he once more impressed on Louie the nature of his +call. “Now, Mr. Seigerman,” said Baughman, using the German language during the +parting conversation, “let me have your answer at the earliest possible moment, +for we want to begin an active canvass at once. This is a large county, and to +enlist our friends in your behalf no time should be lost.” With a profusion of +“Leben Sie wohls” and well wishes for each other, the “Zweibund” parted. +</p> + +<p> +Stubb and Arab were waiting on a corner for Baugh. When he returned he withheld +his report until they had retreated to the privacy of their own room. Once +secure, he said to both: “If you would like to know what an active, resourceful +brain is, put your ear to my head,” tapping his temple with his finger, “and +listen to mine throb and purr. Everything is working like silk. I’m going +around to board with him Saturday. I want you to go over with me to-morrow, +Stubby, and give him a big game about what a general uprising there is amongst +the cowmen for an efficient man for the office of sheriff, and make it strong. +I gave him my last whirl to-day in German. Oh, he’ll run all right; and we want +to convey the impression that we can rally the cattle interests to his support. +Put up a good grievance, mind you! You can both know that I begged strong when +I took this cigar in preference to a drink.” +</p> + +<p> +“It’s certainly a bad state of affairs we’ve come to when you refuse whiskey. +Don’t you think so, Stubby?” said Arab, addressing the one and appealing to the +other. “You never refused no drink, Baugh, you know you didn’t,” said Stubb +reproachfully. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, you little sawed-off burnt-offering, you can’t see the policy that 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 to serve his country in the office of sheriff. +Bear down heavy on the emergency clause. Then make him think that no other name +but Louie Seigerman will satisfy the public clamor. Now, my dear Stubby, I know +that you are a gifted and accomplished liar, and for that reason I insist that +you work your brain and tongue in this matter. Keep your own motive in the +background and bring his to the front. That’s the idea. Now, can you play your +part?” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, as I have until to-morrow to think it over, I’ll try,” said Stubb. +</p> + +<p> +The next afternoon Baugh and Stubb sauntered into Louie’s place, and received a +very cordial welcome at the hands of the proprietor. Baugh introduced 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 to offer some practical +suggestions. Their polite refusal to indulge in a social glass with the +proprietor almost hurt his feelings. +</p> + +<p> +“Let us retire to the rear room for a few moments of conversation, if you have +the leisure,” said Baugh. +</p> + +<p> +Once secure in the back room, Stubb opened his talk. “As my friend Mr. Baughman +has said, I’m local manager of the Ohio Cattle Company operating in the Strip. +I’m spending considerable time in your town at present, as I’m overseeing the +wintering of something like a hundred saddle horses and two hundred and fifty +of our thoroughbred bulls. We worked our saddle stock so late last fall, that +on my advice the superintendent 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 over +fifty stolen last season, that cost us over three hundred dollars a head. I had +a letter this morning from our superintendent, asking me to unite with what +seems to be a general movement to suppress this high-handed stealing that has +run riot in this county in the past. Mr. Baughman has probably acquainted you +with the general sentiment in cattle circles regarding what should be done. I +wish to assure you further that my people stand ready to use their best +endeavors to nominate a candidate who will pledge himself to stamp out this +disgraceful brand-burning and cattle-rustling. The little protection shown the +livestock interests in this western country has actually driven 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. Any one is good enough for sheriff with us. But +this year there seems to be an awakening. It may be a selfish interest that +prompts this uprising; I think it is. But that is the surest hope in politics +for us. The cattle-men’s pockets have been touched, their interests have been +endangered. Mr. Seigerman, I feel confident that if you will enter the race for +this office, it will be a walk-away for you. Now consider the matter fully, and +I might add that there is a brighter future for you politically than you +possibly can see. I wish I had brought our superintendent’s letter with me for +you to read. +</p> + +<p> +“He openly hints that if we elect a sheriff in this county this fall who makes +an efficient officer, he will be strictly in line for the office of United +States Marshal of western Kansas and all the Indian Territory. You see, Mr. +Seigerman, in our company we have as stock-holders three congressmen and one +United States senator. I have seen it in the papers myself, and it is a common +remark Down East, so I’m told, that the weather is chilly when an Ohio man gets +left. Now with these men of our company interested in you, there would be no +refusing them the appointment. Why, it would give you the naming of fifty +deputies—good easy money in every one of them. You could sit back in a +well-appointed government office and enjoy the comforts of life. Now, Mr. +Seigerman, we will see you often, but let me suggest that your acceptance be as +soon as possible, for if you positively decline to enter the race, we must look +in some other quarter for an available man.” Leaving these remarks for +Seigerman’s reflections, he walked out of the room. +</p> + +<p> +As Seigerman started to follow, Baugh tapped him on the shoulder to wait, as he +had something to say to him. Baugh now confirmed everything said, using the +German language. He added, “Now, my friend Stubb is too modest to admit who his +people really are, but the Ohio Cattle Company is practically the Standard Oil +Company, but they don’t want it known. It’s a confidence that I’m placing in +you, and request you not to repeat it. Still, you know what a syndicate they +are and the influence they carry. That very little man who has been talking to +you has better backing than any cow-boss in the West. He’s a safe, conservative +fellow to listen to.” +</p> + +<p> +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 your name can be +announced in the papers, and an active canvass begun without further loss of +time?” +</p> + +<p> +“Shentlemens, I’ll dry do,” said Louie, “but you will not dake a drink mit me +once again, aind it?” +</p> + +<p> +“No, thank you, Mr. Seigerman,” replied Stubb. +</p> + +<p> +“He gave me a very fine cigar yesterday; you’ll like them if you try one,” said +Baugh to Stubb. “Let it be a cigar to-day, Mr. Seigerman.” +</p> + +<p> +As Baugh struck a match to light his cigar, he said to Stubb, “I’m coming up to +stop with Mr. Seigerman to-morrow. Why don’t you join us?” +</p> + +<p> +“I vould be wery much bleased to haf you mine guest,” said Louie, every inch +the host. +</p> + +<p> +“This is a very home-like looking place,” remarked Stubb. “I may come up; I’ll +come around Sunday and take dinner with you, anyhow.” +</p> + +<p> +“Do, blease,” urged Louie. +</p> + +<p> +There was a great deal to be said, and it required two languages to express it +all, but finally the “Dreibund” parted. The next day Baugh moved into his new +quarters, and the day following Stubb was so pleased with his Sunday dinner +that he changed at once. +</p> + +<p> +“I’m expecting a man from Kansas City to-morrow,” said Baugh to Louie on Sunday +morning, “who will know the sentiment existing in cattle circles in that city. +He’ll be in on the morning train.” +</p> + +<p> +Stubb, in the mean time, had coached Arab as to what he should say. As Baugh +and he had covered the same ground, it was thought best to have Arab Ab the +heeler, the man who could deliver the vote to order. +</p> + +<p> +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 council chamber where the +“Fierbund” held an important session. +</p> + +<p> +“I didn’t think there was so much interest being taken,” began Arab Ab, “until +my attention was called to it yesterday by the president and secretary of our +company in Kansas City. I want to tell you that the cattle interests in that +city are aroused. Why, our secretary showed me the figures from his books; and +in the ‘Tin Cup’ brand alone we shipped out three hundred and twelve beeves +short, out of twenty-nine hundred and ninety-six bought two years ago. My +employers, Mr. Seigerman, are practical cowmen, and they know that those steers +never left the range without help. Nothing but lead or Texas fever can kill 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, our president told me if something +wasn’t done they would have to abandon this country and go where they could get +protection. His final orders were 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. Then when the election comes off, we must drop everything and get every +man to claim a residence in this county and vote him here. I’ll admit that I’m +no good as a wire-puller, but when it comes to getting out the voters, there’s +where you will find me as solid as a bridge abutment. +</p> + +<p> +“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 them up and voted them like +running cattle through a branding-chute to put on a tally-mark or vent a brand. +There were a hundred and seventy-five of those dagoes from the rock-cut; I +handled them like dipping sheep for the scab. My friends here can tell you how +I managed voting the bonds at a little town east of here. I had my orders from +the same people I’m working for now, to get out the cow-puncher element in the +Strip for the bonds. The bosses simply told me that what they wanted was a +competing line of railroad. And as they didn’t expect to pay the obligations, +only authorize them,—the next generation could attend to the paying of them,—we +got out a full vote. Well, we ran in from four to five hundred men from the +Strip, and out of over seven hundred ballots cast, only one against the bonds. +We hunted the town all over to find the man that voted against us; we wanted to +hang him! The only trouble I had was to make the boys think it was a straight +up Democratic play, as they were nearly all originally from Texas. Now, my +friends here have told me that they are urging you to accept the nomination for +sheriff. I can only add that in case you consent, my people stand ready to give +their every energy to this coming campaign. As far as funds are concerned to +prosecute the election of an acceptable sheriff to the cattle interests, we +would simply be flooded with it. It would be impossible to use one half of what +would be forced on us. One thing I can say positively, Mr. Seigerman: they +wouldn’t permit you to contribute one cent to the expense of your election. +Cattle-men are big-hearted fellows—they are friends worth having, Mr. +Seigerman.” +</p> + +<p> +Louie drew a long breath, and it seemed that a load had been lifted from his +mind by these last remarks of Arab’s. +</p> + +<p> +“How many men are there in the Strip?” asked Arab of the others. +</p> + +<p> +“On all three divisions of the last round-up there were something like two +thousand,” replied Baugh. “And this county adjoins the Cattle Country for sixty +miles on the north,” said Arab, still continuing his 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 one half of them in this county this fall.” +</p> + +<p> +“Hold on a minute, aren’t you a trifle high on your estimate?” asked Stubb, the +conservative, protestingly. +</p> + +<p> +“Not a man too high. Give them a week’s lay-off, with plenty to drink at this +end of the string, and every man will come in for fifty miles either way. The +time we voted the bonds won’t be a marker to this election.” +</p> + +<p> +“He’s not far wrong,” said Baugh to Stubb. “Give the rascals a chance for a +holiday like that, and they will come from the south line of the Strip.” +</p> + +<p> +“That’s right, Mr. Seigerman,” said Arab. “They’ll come from the west and 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. Watch my smoke on results!” +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Stubb, slowly and deliberately, “I think it’s high time we had Mr. +Seigerman’s consent to make the race. This counting of our forces and the +sinews of war is good enough in advance; but I must insist on an answer from +Mr. Seigerman. Will you become our candidate?” +</p> + +<p> +“Shentlemens, how can I refuse to be one sheriff? The cattle-mens must be +protec. I accep.” +</p> + +<p> +The trio now arose, and with a round of oaths that would have made the captain +of a pirate ship green with envy swore Seigerman had taken a step he would +never regret. After the hearty congratulation on his acceptance, they reseated +themselves, when Louie, in his gratitude, insisted that on pleasant occasions +like this he should be permitted to offer some refreshments of a liquid nature. +</p> + +<p> +“I never like to indulge at a bar,” said Stubb. “The people whom I work for are +very particular regarding the habits of their trusted men.” +</p> + +<p> +“It might be permissible on occasions like this to break certain established +rules,” suggested Baugh, “besides, Mr. Seigerman can bring it in here, where we +will be unobserved.” +</p> + +<p> +“Very well, then,” said Stubb, “I waive my objections for sociability’s sake.” +</p> + +<p> +When Louie had retired for this purpose, Baugh arose to his full dignity and +six foot three, and said to the other two, bowing, “Your uncle, my dears, will +never allow you to come to want. Pin your faith to the old man. Why, we’ll +wallow in the fat of the land until the grass comes again, gentle Annie. +Gentlemen, if you are gentlemen, which I doubt like hell, salute the victor!” +The refreshment was brought in, and before the session adjourned, they had +lowered the contents of a black bottle of private stock by several fingers. +</p> + +<p> +The announcement of the candidacy of Mr. Louis Seigerman in the next week’s +paper (by aid of the accompanying fiver which went with the “copy”) encouraged +the editor, that others might follow, to write a short, favorable editorial. +The article spoke of Mr. Seigerman as a leading citizen, who would fill the +office with credit to himself and the community. The trio read this short +editorial to Louie daily for the first week. All three were now putting their +feet under the table with great regularity, and doing justice to the vintage on +invitation. The back room became a private office for the central committee of +four. They were able political managers. The campaign was beginning to be +active, but no adverse reports were allowed to reach the candidate’s ears. He +actually had no opposition, so the reports came in to the central committee. +</p> + +<p> +It was even necessary to send out Arab Ab to points on the railroad to get the +sentiments of this and that community, which were always favorable. Funds for +these trips were forced on them by the candidate. The thought of presenting a +board bill to such devoted friends never entered mine host’s mind. Thus several +months passed. +</p> + +<p> +The warm sun and green blades of grass suggested springtime. The boys had +played the rôle as long as they cared to. It had served the purpose that was +intended. But they must not hurt the feelings of Seigerman, or let the cause of +their zeal become known to their benefactor and candidate for sheriff. One day +report came in of some defection and a rival candidate in the eastern part of +the county. All hands volunteered to go out. Funds were furnished, which the +central committee assured their host would be refunded whenever they could get +in touch with headquarters, or could see some prominent cowman. +</p> + +<p> +At the end of a week Mr. Seigerman received a letter. The excuses offered 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 few oxen, one had been summoned to +Kansas City, one to Ohio. The letter concluded with the assurance that Mr. +Seigerman need have no fear but that he would be the next sheriff. +</p> + +<p> +The same night that the letter was received by mine host, this tale was retold +at a cow-camp in the Strip by the trio. The hard winter was over. +</p> + +<p> +At the county convention in May, Seigerman’s name was presented. On each of +three ballots he received one lone vote. When the news reached the boys in the +Strip, they dubbed this one vote “Seigerman’s Per Cent,” meaning the worst of +anything, and that expression became a byword on the range, from Brownsville, +Texas, to the Milk River in Montana. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>III<br/> +“BAD MEDICINE”</h2> + +<p> +The evening before the Cherokee Strip was thrown open for settlement, a number +of old timers met in the little town of Hennessey, Oklahoma. +</p> + +<p> +On the next day the Strip would pass from us and our employers, the cowmen. +Some of the boys had spent from five to fifteen years on this range. But we +realized that we had come to the parting of the ways. +</p> + +<p> +This was not the first time that the government had taken a hand in cattle +matters. Some of us in former days had moved cattle at the command of negro +soldiers, with wintry winds howling an accompaniment. +</p> + +<p> +The cowman was never a government favorite. If the Indian wards of the nation +had a few million acres of idle land, “Let it lie idle,” said the guardian. +Some of these civilized tribes maintained a fine system of public schools from +the rental of unoccupied lands. Nations, like men, revive the fable of the dog +and the ox. But the guardian was supreme—the cowman went. This was not +unexpected to most of us. Still, this country was a home to us. It mattered +little if our names were on the pay-roll or not, it clothed and fed us. +</p> + +<p> +We were seated around a table in the rear of a saloon talking of the morrow. +The place was run by a former cowboy. It therefore became a rendezvous for the +craft. Most of us had made up our minds to quit cattle for good and take +claims. +</p> + +<p> +“Before I take a claim,” said Tom Roll, “I’ll go to Minnesota and peon myself +to some Swede farmer for my keep the balance of my life. Making hay and plowing +fire guards the last few years have given me all the taste of farming that I +want. I’m going to Montana in the spring.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why don’t you go this winter? Is your underwear too light?” asked Ace Gee. +“Now, I’m going to make a farewell play,” continued Ace. “I’m going to take a +claim, and before I file on it, sell my rights, go back to old Van Zandt +County, Texas, this winter, rear up my feet, and tell it to them scarey. That’s +where all my folks live.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, for a winter’s stake,” chimed in Joe Box, “Ace’s scheme is all right. We +can get five hundred dollars out of a claim for simply staking it, and we know +some good ones. That sized roll ought to winter a man with modest tastes.” +</p> + +<p> +“You didn’t know that I just came from Montana, did you, Tom?” asked Ace. “I +can tell you more about that country than you want to know. I’ve been up the +trail this year; delivered our cattle on the Yellowstone, where the outfit I +worked for has a northern range. When I remember this summer’s work, I +sometimes think that I will burn my saddle and never turn or look a cow in the +face again, nor ride anything but a plow mule and that bareback. +</p> + +<p> +“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 to mature—good idea, +too!—but they are not cowmen like the ones we know. They made their money in +the East in a patent medicine—got scads of it, too. But that’s no argument that +they know anything about a cow. They have a board of directors—it is one of +those cattle companies. Looks like they started in the cattle business to give +their income a healthy outlet from the medicine branch. They operate on similar +principles as those soap factory people did here in the Strip a few years ago. +About the time they learn the business they go broke and retire. +</p> + +<p> +“Our boss this summer was some relation to the wife of some of the medicine +people Down East. As they had no use for him back there, they sent him out to +the ranch, where he would be useful. +</p> + +<p> +“We started north with the grass. Had thirty-three hundred head of twos and +threes, with a fair string of saddle stock. They run the same brand on both +ranges—the broken arrow. You never saw a cow-boss have so much trouble; a +married woman wasn’t a circumstance to him, fretting and sweating continually. +This was his first trip over the trail, but the boys were a big improvement on +the boss, as we had a good outfit of men along. My idea of a good cow-boss is a +man that doesn’t boss any; just hires a first-class outfit of men, and then +there is no bossing to do. +</p> + +<p> +“We had to keep well to the west getting out of Texas; kept to the west of +Buffalo Gap. From there to Tepee City is a dry, barren country. To get water +for a herd the size of ours was some trouble. This new medicine man got badly +worried several times. He used his draft book freely, buying water for the +cattle while crossing this stretch of desert; the natives all through there +considered him the softest snap they had met in years. Several times we were +without water for the stock two whole days. That makes cattle hard to hold at +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 bobles crossing that strip of +country; nothing bad, just jump and run a mile or so, and then mill until +daylight. Then our boss would get great action on himself and ride a horse +until the animal would give out—sick, he called it. After the first little run +we had, it took him half the next day to count them; then he couldn’t believe +his own figures. +</p> + +<p> +“A Val Verde County lad who counted with him said they were all right—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 expressed himself, 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 that matter. I can pick out two men, and if they differ +five head, it’ll be a surprise to me. The way the boys have brought the cattle +by us, any man that can’t count this herd and not have his own figures differ +more than a hundred had better quit riding, get himself some sandals, and a job +herding sheep. Let me give you this pointer: if you are not anxious to have +last night’s fun over again, you’d better quit counting and get this herd full +of grass and water before night, or you will be cattle shy as sure as hell’s +hot.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘When I ask you for an opinion,’ answered the foreman, somewhat indignant, +‘such remarks will be in order. Until then you may keep your remarks to +yourself.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘That will suit me all right, old sport,’ retorted Val Verde; ‘and when you +want any one to help you count your fat cattle, get some of the 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +“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 count the animals as they +came out of the water; so the order went forward to 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 we fed them through between two of the boys. The +count showed no cattle short. In fact, the Val Verde boy’s count was confirmed. +It was then that our medicine man played his cards wrong. He still insisted +that we were cattle out, thus queering himself with his men. He was gradually +getting into a lone minority, though he didn’t have sense enough to realize it. +He would even fight with and curse his horses to impress us with his authority. +Very little attention was paid to him after this, and as grass and water +improved right along nothing of interest happened. +</p> + +<p> +“While crossing ‘No-Man’s-Land’ a month later,—I was on herd myself at the +time, a bright moonlight night,—they jumped like a cat shot with No. 8’s, and +quit the bed-ground instanter. There were three of us on guard at the time, and +before the other boys could get out of their blankets and into their saddles +the herd had gotten well under headway. Even when the others came to our +assistance, it took us some time to quiet them down. As this scare came during +last guard, daylight was on us before they had quit milling, and we were three +miles from the wagon. As we drifted them back towards camp, for fear that +something might have gotten away, most of the boys scoured the country for +miles about, but without reward. When all had returned to camp, had +breakfasted, and changed horses, the counting act was ordered by Mr. Medicine. +Our foreman naturally felt that he would have to take a hand in this count, +evidently forgetting his last experience in that line. He was surprised, when +he asked one of the boys to help him, by receiving a flat refusal. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Why won’t you count with me?’ he demanded. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Because you don’t possess common cow sense enough, nor is the crude material +in you to make a cow-hand. You found fault with the men the last count we had, +and I don’t propose to please you by giving you a chance to find fault with me. +That’s why I won’t count with you.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Don’t you know, sir, that I’m in authority here?’ retorted the foreman. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Well, if you are, no one seems to respect your authority, as you’re pleased +to call it, and I don’t know of any reason why I should. You have plenty of men +here who can count them correctly. I’ll count them with any man in the outfit +but yourself.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Our company sent me as their representative with this herd,’ replied the +foreman, ‘while you have the insolence to disregard my orders. I’ll discharge +you the first moment I can get a man to take your place.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Oh, that’ll be all right,’ answered the lad, as the foreman rode away. He +then tackled me, but I acted foolish, ’fessing up that I couldn’t count a +hundred. Finally he rode around to a quiet little fellow, with pox-marks on his +face, who always rode on the point, kept his horses fatter than anybody, rode a +San José saddle, and was called Californy. The boss asked him to help him count +the herd. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Now look here, boss,’ said Californy, ‘I’ll pick one of the boys to help me, +and we’ll count the cattle to within a few head. Won’t that satisfy you?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘No, sir, it won’t. What’s got into you boys?’ questioned the foreman. +</p> + +<p> +“‘There’s nothing the matter with the boys, but the cattle business has gone to +the dogs when a valuable herd like this will be trusted to cross a country for +two thousand miles in the hands of a man like yourself. You have men that will +pull you through if you’ll only let them,’ said the point-rider, his voice mild +and kind as though he were speaking to a child. +</p> + +<p> +“‘You’re just like the rest of them!’ roared the boss. ‘Want to act contrary! +Now let me say to you that you’ll help me to count these cattle or I’ll +discharge, unhorse, and leave you afoot here in this country! I’ll make an +example of you as a warning to others.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘It’s strange that I should be signaled out as an object of your wrath and +displeasure,’ said Californy. ‘Besides, if I were you, I wouldn’t make any +examples as you were thinking of doing. When you talk of making an example of +me as a warning to others,’ said the pox-marked lad, as he reached over, taking +the reins of the foreman’s horse firmly in his hand, ‘you’re a simpering idiot +for entertaining the idea, and a cowardly bluffer for mentioning it. When you +talk of unhorsing and leaving me here afoot in a country a thousand miles from +nowhere, you don’t know what that means, but there’s no danger of your doing +it. I feel easy on that point. But I’m sorry to see you make such a fool of +yourself. Now, you may think for a moment that I’m afraid of that ivory-handled +gun you wear, but I’m not. Men wear them on the range, not so much to emphasize +their demands with, as you might think. If it were me, I’d throw it in the +wagon; it may get you into trouble. One thing certain, if you ever so much as +lay your hand on it, when you are making threats as you have done to-day, I’ll +build a 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’t try and make talk stick for +actions, nor use any prelude to the real play 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 you needed it for a long time.’ +</p> + +<p> +“As he released his grip on the bridle reins, he continued, ‘Now ride back to +the wagon, throw off that gun, tell some of the boys to take a man and count +these cattle, and it will be done better than if you helped.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Must I continue to listen to these insults on every hand?’ hissed the +medicine man, livid with rage. +</p> + +<p> +“‘First remove the cause before you apply the remedy; that’s in your line,’ +answered Californy. ‘Besides, what are you going to do about it? You don’t seem +to be gifted with enough cow-sense to even use a modified amount of policy in +your every-day affairs,’ said he, as he rode away to avoid hearing his answer. +</p> + +<p> +“Several of us, who were near enough to hear this dressing-down of the boss at +Californy’s hands, rode up to offer our congratulations, when we noticed that +old Bad Medicine had gotten a stand on one of the boys called ‘Pink.’ After +leaving him, he continued his ride towards the wagon. Pink soon joined us, a +broad smile playing over his homely florid countenance. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Some of you boys must have given him a heavy dose for so early in the +morning,’ said Pink, ‘for he ordered me to have the cattle counted, and report +to him at the wagon. Acted like he didn’t aim to do the trick himself. Now, as +I’m foreman,’ continued Pink, ‘I want you two point-men to go up to the first +little rise of ground, and we’ll put the cattle through between you. I want a +close count, understand. You’re working under a boss now that will shove you +through hell itself. So if you miss them over a hundred, I’ll speak to the +management, and see if I can’t have your wages raised, or have you made a +foreman or something with big wages and nothing to do.’ +</p> + +<p> +“The point-men smiled at Pink’s orders, and one asked, ‘Are you ready now?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘All set,’ responded Pink. ‘Let the fiddlers cut loose.’ +</p> + +<p> +“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 through between our +counters. We fed them through, and as regularly as a watch you could hear +Californy call out to his pardner ‘tally!’ Alternately they would sing out this +check on the even hundred head, slipping a knot on their tally string to keep +the hundreds. It took a full half hour to put them through, and when the rear +guard of crips and dogies passed this impromptu review, we all waited patiently +for the verdict. Our counters rode together, and Californy, leaning over on the +pommel of his saddle, said to his pardner, ‘What you got?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Thirty-three six,’ was the answer. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Why, you can’t count a little bit,’ said Californy. ‘I got thirty-three +seven. How does the count suit you, boss?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Easy suited, gents,’ said Pink. ‘But I’m surprised to find such good men with +a common cow herd. I must try and have you appointed by the government on this +commission that’s to investigate Texas fever. You’re altogether too +accomplished for such a common calling as claims you at present.’ +</p> + +<p> +“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 and saddle stock. By +rights, I ought to have one of those centre fire cigars to smoke, to set off my +authority properly on this occasion.’ +</p> + +<p> +“He jogged back to the wagon and satisfied the dethroned medicine man that the +cattle were there to a hoof. We soon saw the saddle horses following, and an +hour afterward Pink and the foreman rode by us, big as fat cattle-buyers from +Kansas City, not even knowing any one, so absorbed in their conversation were +they; rode on by and up the trail, looking out for grass and water. +</p> + +<p> +“It was over two weeks afterward when Pink said to us, ‘When we strike the +Santa Fé Railway, I may advise my man to take a needed rest for a few weeks in +some of the mountain resorts. I hope you all noticed how worried 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 the railroad, I think a day’s curlew shooting in +the sand hills along the Arkansas River might please his highness. In case +he’ll go with me, if I don’t lose him, I’ll never come back to this herd. It +won’t hurt him any to sleep out one night with the dry cattle.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Sure enough, the day before we crossed that road, somewhere near the Colorado +state line, Pink and Bad Medicine left camp early in the morning for a curlew +hunt in the sand hills. Fortunately it was a foggy morning, and within half an +hour the two were out of sight of camp and herd. As Pink had outlined the +plans, everything was understood. We were encamped on a nice stream, and +instead of trailing along with the herd, lay over for that day. Night came and +our hunters failed to return, and the next morning we trailed forward towards +the Arkansas River. Just as we went into camp at noon, two horsemen loomed up +in sight coming down the trail from above. Every rascal of us knew who they +were, and when the two rode up, Pink grew very angry and demanded to know why +we had failed to reach the river the day before. +</p> + +<p> +“The horse wrangler, a fellow named Joe George, had been properly coached, and +stepping forward, volunteered this excuse: ‘You all didn’t know it when you +left camp yesterday morning that we were out the wagon team and nearly half the +saddle horses. Well, we were. And what’s more, less than a mile below on the +creek was an abandoned Indian camp. I wasn’t going to be left behind with the +cook to look for the missing stock, and told the <i>segundo</i> so. We divided +into squads of three or four men each and went out and looked up the horses, +but it was after six o’clock before we trailed them down and got the missing +animals. If anybody thinks I’m going to stay behind to look for missing stock +in a country full of lurking Indians—well, they simply don’t know me.’ +</p> + +<p> +“The scheme worked all right. On reaching the railroad the next morning, Bad +Medicine authorized Pink to take the herd to Ogalalla on the Platte, while he +took a train for Denver. Around the camp-fire that 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 for the night,’ said Pink. ‘At noon, when the sun +was straight overhead, I sounded him as to directions and found that he didn’t +know straight up or east from west. After giving him the slip, I kept an eye on +him among the sand hills, at the distance of a mile or so, until he gave up and +unsaddled at dusk. The next morning when I overtook him, I pretended to be +trailing him up, and I threw enough joy into my rapture over finding him, that +he never doubted my sincerity.’ +</p> + +<p> +“On reaching Ogalalla, a man from Montana put in an appearance in company with +poor old Medicine, and as they did business strictly with Pink, 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 charge of the herd, and a better foreman +I never worked under. We reached the company’s Yellowstone range early in the +fall, counted over and bade our dogies good-by, and rode into headquarters. +That night I talked with the regular men on the ranch, and it was there that I +found out that a first-class cowhand could get in four months’ haying in the +summer and the same feeding it out in the winter. But don’t you forget it, +she’s a cow country all right. I always was such a poor hand afoot that I +passed up that country, and here I am a ‘boomer.’” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, boom if you want,” said Tom Roll, “but do you all remember what the +governor of North Carolina said to the governor of South Carolina?” +</p> + +<p> +“It is quite a long time between drinks,” remarked Joe, rising, “but I didn’t +want to interrupt Ace.” +</p> + +<p> +As we lined up at the bar, Ace held up a glass two thirds full, and looking at +it in a meditative mood, remarked: “Isn’t it funny how little of this stuff it +takes to make a fellow feel rich! Why, four bits’ worth under his belt, and the +President of the United States can’t hire him.” +</p> + +<p> +As we strolled out into the street, Joe inquired, “Ace, where will I see you +after supper?” +</p> + +<p> +“You will see me, not only after supper, but all during supper, sitting right +beside you.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a>IV<br/> +A WINTER ROUND-UP</h2> + +<p> +An hour before daybreak one Christmas morning in the Cherokee Strip, six +hundred horses were under saddle awaiting the dawn. It was a clear, frosty +morning that bespoke an equally clear day for the wolf <i>rodeo</i>. Every +cow-camp within striking distance of the Walnut Grove, on the Salt Fork of the +Cimarron, was a scene of activity, taxing to the utmost its hospitality to man +and horse. There had been a hearty response to the invitation to attend the +circle drive-hunt of this well-known shelter of several bands of gray wolves. +The cowmen had suffered so severely in time past from this enemy of cattle that +the Cherokee Strip Cattle Association had that year offered a bounty of twenty +dollars for wolf scalps. +</p> + +<p> +The lay of the land was extremely favorable. The Walnut Grove was a thickety +covert on the north first bottom of the Cimarron, and possibly two miles wide +by three long. Across the river, and extending several miles above and below +this grove, was the salt plain—an alkali desert which no wild animal, ruminant +or carnivorous, would attempt to cross, instinct having warned it of its +danger. At the termination 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, the entrance of +which was about a mile wide. After passing the grove, this plum-brush country +could be covered by men on horseback, though the chaparral undergrowth of the +grove made the use of horses impracticable. The Cimarron River, which surrounds +this horseshoe on all sides but the entrance, was probably two hundred yards +wide at an average winter stage, deep enough to swim a horse, and cold and +rolling. +</p> + +<p> +Across the river, opposite this horseshoe, was a cut-bank twenty feet high in +places, with only an occasional cattle trail leading down to the water. This +cut-bank formed the second bottom on that side, and the alkaline plain—the +first bottom—ended a mile or more up the river. It was an ideal situation for a +drive-hunt, and legend, corroborated by evidences, said that the Cherokees, +when they used this outlet as a hunting-ground after their enforced emigration +from Georgia, had held numerous circle hunts over the same ground after +buffalo, deer, and elk. +</p> + +<p> +The rendezvous was to be at ten o’clock on Encampment Butte, a plateau +overlooking the entire hunting-field and visible for miles. An hour before the +appointed time the clans began to gather. All the camps within twenty-five +miles, and which were entertaining participants of the hunt, put in a prompt +appearance. Word was received early that morning that a contingent from the +Eagle Chief would be there, and begged that the start be delayed till their +arrival. A number of old cowmen were present, and to them was delegated the +duty of appointing the officers of the day. Bill Miller, a foreman on the +Coldwater Pool, an adjoining range, was appointed as first captain. There were +also several captains over divisions, and an acting captain placed over every +ten men, who would be held accountable for any disorder allowed along the line +under his special charge. +</p> + +<p> +The question of forbidding the promiscuous carrying of firearms met with +decided opposition. There was an element of danger, it was true, but to deprive +any of the boys of arms on what promised an exciting day’s sport was contrary +to their creed and occupation; besides, their judicious use would be an +essential and valuable assistance. To deny one the right and permit another, +would have been to divide their forces against a common enemy; so in the +interests of harmony it was finally concluded to assign an acting captain over +every ten men. “I’ll be perfectly responsible for any of my men,” said Reese, a +red-headed Welsh cowman from over on Black Bear. “Let’s just turn our wild +selves loose, and those wolves won’t stand any more show than a coon in a bear +dance.” +</p> + +<p> +“It would be fine satisfaction to be shot by a responsible man like you or any +of your outfit,” replied Hollycott, superintendent of the “LX.” “I hope another +Christmas Day to help eat a plum pudding on the banks of the Dee, and I don’t +want to be carrying any of your stray lead in my carcass either. Did you hear +me?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes; we’re going to have egg-nog at our camp to-night. Come down.” +</p> + +<p> +The boys were being told off in squads of ten, when a suppressed shout of +welcome arose, as a cavalcade of horsemen was sighted coming over the divide +several miles distant. Before the men were allotted and their captains +appointed, the last expected squad had arrived, their horses 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. +</p> + +<p> +With the arrival of this detachment, Miller gave his orders for the day. Tom +Cave was given two hundred men and sent to the upper end of the grove, where +they were to dismount, form in a half circle skirmish-line covering the width +of the thicket, and commence the drive down the river. Their saddle horses were +to be cut into two bunches and driven down on either side of the grove, and to +be in readiness for the men when they emerged from the chaparral, four of the +oldest men being detailed as horse wranglers. Reese was sent with a hundred and +fifty men to left flank the grove, deploying his men as far back as the second +bottom, and close his line as the drive moved forward. Billy Edwards was sent +with twenty picked men down the river five miles to the old beef ford at the +ripples. His instructions were to cross and scatter his men from the ending of +the salt plain to the horseshoe, and to concentrate them around it at the +termination of the drive. He was allowed the best ropers and a number of +shotguns, to be stationed at the cattle trails leading down to the water at the +river’s bend. The remainder, about two hundred and fifty men under Lynch, +formed a long scattering line from the left entrance of the horseshoe, +extending back until it met the advancing line of Reese’s pickets. +</p> + +<p> +With the river on one side and this cordon of foot and horsemen on the other, +it seemed that nothing could possibly escape. The location of the quarry was +almost assured. This chaparral had been the breeding refuge of wolves ever +since the Cimarron was a cattle country. Every rider on that range for the past +ten years knew it to be the rendezvous of El Lobo, while the ravages of his +nightly raids were in evidence for forty miles in every direction. It was a +common sight, early in the morning during the winter months, to see twenty and +upward in a band, leisurely returning to their retreat, logy and insolent after +a night’s raid. To make doubly sure that they would be at home to callers, the +promoters of this drive gathered a number of worthless lump-jawed cattle two +days in advance, and driving them to the edge of the grove, shot one +occasionally along its borders, thus, to be hoped, spreading the last feast of +the wolves. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +By half past ten, Encampment Butte was deserted with the exception of a few old +cowmen, two ladies, wife and sister of a popular cowman, and the captain, who +from this point of vantage surveyed the field with a glass. Usually a languid +and indifferent man, Miller had so set his heart on making this drive a success +that this morning he appeared alert and aggressive as he rode forward and back +across the plateau of the Butte. The dull, heavy reports of several shotguns +caused him to wheel his horse and cover the beef ford with his glass, and a +moment later Edwards and his squad were seen with the naked eye to scale the +bank and strike up the river at a gallop. It was known that the ford was +saddle-skirt deep, and some few of the men were strangers to it; but with that +passed safely he felt easier, though his blood coursed quicker. It lacked but a +few minutes to eleven, and Cave and his detachment of beaters were due to move +on the stroke of the hour. They had been given one hundred rounds of +six-shooter ammunition to the man and were expected to use it. Edwards and his +cavalcade were approaching the horseshoe, the cordon seemed perfect, though +scattering, when the first faint sound of the beaters was heard, and the next +moment the barking of two hundred six-shooters was reëchoing up and down the +valley of the Salt Fork. +</p> + +<p> +The drive-hunt was on; the long yell passed from the upper end of the grove to +the mouth of the horseshoe and back, punctuated with an occasional shot by +irrepressibles. The mounts of the day were the pick of over five thousand +cow-horses, and corn-fed for winter use, in the pink of condition and as +impatient for the coming fray as their riders. +</p> + +<p> +Everything was moving like clockwork. Miller forsook the Butte and rode to the +upper end of the grove; the beaters were making slow but steady progress, while +the saddled loose horses would be at hand for their riders without any loss of +time. Before the beaters were one third over the ground, a buck and doe came +out about halfway down the grove, sighted the horsemen, and turned back for +shelter. Once more the long yell went down the line. Game had been sighted. +When about one half the grove had been beat, a flock of wild turkeys came out +at the lower end, and taking flight, sailed over the line. Pandemonium broke +out. Good resolutions of an hour’s existence were converted into paving +material in the excitement of the moment, as every carbine or six-shooter in or +out of range rained its leaden hail at the flying covey. One fine bird was +accidentally winged, and half a dozen men broke 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 their return Miller was present and addressed this query to +Reese: “Who is the captain of this flank line?” +</p> + +<p> +“He’ll weigh twenty pounds,” said Reese, ignoring the question and holding the +gobbler up for inspection. +</p> + +<p> +“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. But try and remember +that this is a wolf hunt, and that there are enough wolves in that brush this +minute to kill ten thousand dollars’ worth of 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 to know that a wolf just loves to kill a cow while +she’s calving.” +</p> + +<p> +This lecture was interrupted by a long cheer coming up the line from below, and +Miller galloped away to ascertain its cause. He met Lynch coming up, who +reported that several wolves had been sighted, while at the lower end of the +line some of the boys had been trying their guns up and down the river to see +how far they would carry. What caused the recent shouting was only a few fool +cowboys spurting their horses in short races. He further expressed the opinion +that the line would hold, and at the close with the cordon thickened, +everything would be forced into the pocket. Miller rode back down the line with +him until he met a man from his own camp, and the two changing horses, he +hurried back to oversee personally the mounting of the beaters when the grove +had been passed. +</p> + +<p> +Reese, after the captain’s reproof, turned his trophy over to some of the men, +and was bringing his line down and closing up with the forward movement of the +drive. On Miller’s return, no fault could be found, as the line was condensed +to about a mile in length, while the beaters on the points were just beginning +to emerge from the chaparral and anxious for their horses. Once clear of the +grove, the beaters halted, maintaining their line, while from either end the +horse wranglers were distributing to them their mounts. Again secure in their +saddles, the long yell circled through the plum thickets and reëchoed down the +line, and the drive moved forward at a quicker pace. “If you have any doubts +about hell,” said Cave to Miller, as the latter rode by, “just take a little +<i>pasear</i> through that thicket once and you’ll come out a defender of the +faith.” +</p> + +<p> +The buck and doe came out within sight of the line once more, lower down +opposite the sand dunes, and again turned back, and a half hour later all ears +were strained listening to the rapid shooting from the farther bank of the +river. Rebuffed in their several attempts to force the line, they had taken to +the water and were swimming the river. From several sand dunes their landing on +the opposite bank near the ending of the salt plain could be distinctly seen. +As they came out of the river, half a dozen six-shooters were paying them a +salute in lead; but the excitability of the horses made aim uncertain, and they +rounded the cut-bank at the upper end and escaped. +</p> + +<p> +While the deer were making their escape, a band of antelope were sighted +sunning themselves amongst the sand dunes a mile below; attracted by the +shooting, they were standing at attention. Now when an antelope scents danger, +he has an unreasonable and unexplainable desire to reach high ground, where he +can observe and be observed—at a distance. Once this conclusion has been +reached, he allows nothing to stop him, not even recently built wire fences or +man himself, and like the cat despises water except for drinking purposes. So +when this band of antelope decided to adjourn their <i>siesta</i> from the +warm, sunny slope of a sand dune, they made an effort and did break the cordon, +but not without a protest. +</p> + +<p> +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 the yelling that +greeted the antelope, once they came within range fifty men were shooting at +them without bringing one to grass. With guns empty 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 one in 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 so +large a loop that one fore leg of the antelope had gone through, and it was +struggling so desperately that he was compelled to tie the rope in a hard knot +to the pommel of his saddle. His horse was a wheeler on the rope, so Juan +dismounted to pet his buck. While he held on to the rope assisting his horse, +an Eagle Chief man slipped up and cut the rope through the knot, and the next +moment a Mexican was burning the grass, calling on saints and others to come +and help him turn the antelope loose. When the rope had burned its way through +his gloved hands, he looked at them in astonishment, saying, “That was one +bravo buck. How come thees rope untie?” But there was none to explain, and an +antelope was dragging thirty-five feet of rope in a frantic endeavor to +overtake his band. +</p> + +<p> +The line had been closing gradually until at this juncture it had been +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 with such shelter as the scraggy +plum brush afforded. Whenever the beaters would rout or sight a wolf, the +yelling would continue up and down the line for several minutes. Cave and his +well-formed circle of beaters were making good time; Reese on the left flank +was closing and moving forward, while the line under Lynch was as impatient as +it was hilarious. Miller made the circle every half hour or so; and had only to +mention it to pick any horse he wanted from the entire line for a change. +</p> + +<p> +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 enough cover to hide the +quarry, though the extreme point of this horseshoe was a sand bar with no +shelter except driftwood trees. Edwards and his squad were at their post across +the river, in plain view of the advancing line. Suddenly they were seen to +dismount and lie down on the brink of the cut-bank. A few minutes later chaos +broke out along the line, when a band of possibly twenty wolves left their +cover and appeared on the sand bar. A few rifle shots rang out from the +opposite bank, when they skurried back to cover. +</p> + +<p> +Shooting was now becoming dangerous. In the line was a horseman every ten or +twelve feet. All the captains rode up and down begging the men to cease +shooting entirely. This only had a temporary effect, for shortly the last bit +of cover was passed, and there within four hundred yards on the bar was a +snarling, snapping band of gray wolves. +</p> + +<p> +The line was halted. The unlooked-for question now arose how to make the kill +safe and effective. It would be impossible to shoot from the opposite bank +without endangering the line of men and horses. Finally a small number of +rifles were advanced on the extreme left flank to within two hundred yards of +the quarry, where they opened fire at an angle from the watchers on the +opposite bank. They proved poor marksmen, overshooting, and only succeeded in +wounding a few and forcing several to take to the water, so that it became +necessary to recall the men to the line. +</p> + +<p> +These men were now ordered to dismount and lie down, as the opposite side would +take a hand when the swimming wolves came within range of shotguns and +carbines, to say nothing of six-shooters. The current carried the swimming ones +down the river, but every man was in readiness to give them a welcome. The +fusillade which greeted them was like a skirmish-line in action, but the most +effective execution was with buckshot as they came staggering and water-soaked +out of the water. Before the shooting across the river had ceased, a yell of +alarm surged through the line, and the next moment every man was climbing into +his saddle and bringing his arms into position for action. No earthly power +could have controlled the men, for coming at the line less than two hundred +yards distant was the corralled band of wolves under the leadership of a +monster dog wolf, evidently a leader of some band, and every gun within range +opened on them. By the time they had lessened the intervening distance by one +half, the entire band deserted their leader and retreated, but unmindful of +consequences he rushed forward at the line. Every gun was belching fire and +lead at him, while tufts of fur floating in the air told that several shots +were effective. Wounded he met the horsemen, striking right and left in +splendid savage ferocity. The horses snorted and shrank from him, and several +suffered from his ugly thrusts. An occasional effective shot was placed, but +every time he forced his way through the cordon he was confronted by a second +line. A successful cast of a rope finally checked his course; and as the roper +wheeled his mount to drag him to death, he made his last final rush at the +horse, and, springing at the flank, fastened his fangs into a stirrup fender, +when a well-directed shot by the roper silenced him safely at last. +</p> + +<p> +During the excitement, there were enough cool heads to maintain the line, so +that none escaped. The supreme question now was to make the kill with safety, +and the line was ransacked for volunteers who could shoot a rifle with some +little accuracy. About a dozen were secured, who again advanced on the extreme +right flank to within a hundred and fifty yards, and dismounting, flattened +themselves out and opened on the skurrying wolves. It was afterward attributed +to the glaring of the sun on the white sand, which made their marksmanship so +shamefully poor, but results were very unsatisfactory. They were recalled, and +it was decided to send in four shotguns and try the effect of buckshot from +horseback. This move was disastrous, though final. +</p> + +<p> +They were ordinary double-barreled shotguns, and reloading was slow in an +emergency. Many of the wolves were wounded and had sought such cover as the +driftwood afforded. The experiment had barely begun, when a wounded wolf sprang +out from behind an old root, and fastened upon the neck of one of the horses +before the rider could defend himself, and the next moment horse and rider were +floundering on the ground. To a man, the line broke to the rescue, while the +horses of the two lady spectators were carried into the mêlée in the +excitement. The dogs of war were loosed. Hell popped. The smoke of six hundred +guns arose in clouds. There were wolves swimming the river and wolves trotting +around amongst the horses, wounded and bewildered. Ropes swished through the +smoke, tying wounded wolves to be dragged to death or trampled under hoof. Men +dismounted and clubbed them with shotguns and carbines,—anything to administer +death. Horses were powder-burnt and cried with fear, or neighed exultingly. +There was an old man or two who had sense enough to secure the horses of the +ladies and lead them out of immediate danger. Several wolves made their escape, +and squads of horsemen were burying cruel rowels in heaving flanks in an +endeavor to overtake and either rope or shoot the fleeing animals. +</p> + +<p> +Disordered things as well as ordered ones have an end, and when sanity returned +to the mob an inventory was taken of the drive-hunt. By actual count, the +lifeless carcases of twenty-six wolves graced the sand bar, with several +precincts to hear from. The promoters of the hunt thanked the men for their +assistance, assuring them that the bounty money would be used to perfect +arrangements, so that in other years a banquet would crown future hunts. Before +the hunt dispersed, Edwards and his squad returned to the brink of the +cut-bank, and when hailed as to results, he replied, “Why, we only got seven, +but they are all <i>muy docil</i>. We’re going to peel them and will meet you +at the ford.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who gets the turkey?” some one asked. +</p> + +<p> +“The question is out of order,” replied Reese. “The property is not present, +because I sent him home by my cook an hour ago. If any of you have any interest +in that gobbler, I’ll invite you to go home with me and help to eat him, for my +camp is the only one in the Strip that will have turkey and egg-nog to-night.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a>V<br/> +A COLLEGE VAGABOND</h2> + +<p> +The ease and apparent willingness with which some men revert to an aimless life +can best be accounted for by the savage or barbarian instincts of our natures. +The West has produced many types of the vagabond,—it might be excusable to say, +won them from every condition of society. From the cultured East, with all the +advantages which wealth and educational facilities can give to her sons, they +flocked; from the South, with her pride of ancestry, they came; even the +British Isles contributed their quota. There was something in the primitive +West of a generation or more ago which satisfied them. Nowhere else could it be +found, and once they adapted themselves to existing conditions, they were loath +to return to former associations. +</p> + +<p> +About the middle of the fifties, there graduated from one of our Eastern +colleges a young man of wealthy and distinguished family. His college record +was good, but close application to study during the last year had told on his +general health. His ambition, coupled with a laudable desire to succeed, had +buoyed up his strength until the final graduation day had passed. +</p> + +<p> +Alexander Wells had the advantage of a good physical constitution. During the +first year at college his reputation as an athlete had been firmly 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 his studies had required his complete +attention. On his return home, it was thought by parents and sisters that rest +and recreation would soon restore the health of this overworked young graduate, +who was now two years past his majority. Two months of rest, however, failed to +produce any improvement, but the family physician would not admit that there +was immediate danger, and declared the trouble simply the result of overstudy, +advising travel. This advice was very satisfactory to the young man, for he had +a longing to see other sections of the country. +</p> + +<p> +The elder Wells some years previously had become interested in western and +southern real estate, and among other investments which he had made was the +purchase of an old Spanish land grant on a stream called the Salado, west of +San Antonio, Texas. These land grants were made by the crown of Spain to +favorite subjects. They were known by name, which they always retained when +changing ownership. Some of these tracts were princely domains, and were +bartered about as though worthless, often changing owners at the card-table. +</p> + +<p> +So when travel was suggested to Wells, junior, he expressed a desire to visit +this family possession, and possibly spend a winter in its warm climate. This +decision was more easily reached from the fact that there was an abundance of +game on the land, and being a devoted sportsman, his own consent was secured in +advance. No other reason except that of health would ever have gained the +consent of his mother to a six months’ absence. But within a week after +reaching the decision, 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 eighty miles +of his destination, and the rest of the distance he was obliged to travel by +stage. +</p> + +<p> +San Antonio at this time was a frontier village, with a mixed population, the +Mexican being the most prominent inhabitant. There was much to be seen which +was new and attractive to the young Easterner, and he tarried in it several +days, enjoying its novel and picturesque life. The arrival and departure of the +various stage lines for the accommodation of travelers like himself was of more +than passing interest. They rattled in from Austin and Laredo. They were +sometimes late from El Paso, six hundred miles to the westward. Probably a +brush with the Indians, or the more to be dreaded Mexican bandits (for these +stages carried treasure—gold and silver, the currency of the country), was the +cause of the delay. Frequently they carried guards, whose presence was +generally sufficient to command the respect of the average robber. +</p> + +<p> +Then there were the freight trains, the motive power of which was mules and +oxen. It was necessary to carry forward supplies and bring back the crude +products of the country. The Chihuahua wagon was drawn sometimes by twelve, +sometimes by twenty mules, four abreast in the swing, the leaders and wheelers +being single teams. For mutual protection trains were made up of from ten to +twenty wagons. Drivers frequently meeting a chance acquaintance going in an +opposite direction would ask, “What is your cargo?” and the answer would be +frankly given, “Specie.” Many a Chihuahua wagon carried three or four tons of +gold and silver, generally the latter. Here was a new book for this college +lad, one he had never studied, though it was more interesting to him than some +he had read. There was something thrilling in all this new life. He liked it. +The romance was real; it was not an imitation. People answered his few +questions and asked none in return. +</p> + +<p> +In this frontier village at a late hour one night young Wells overheard this +conversation: “Hello, Bill,” said the case-keeper in a faro game, as he turned +his head halfway round to see who was the owner of the monster hand which had +just reached over his shoulder and placed a stack of silver dollars on a card, +marking it to win, “I’ve missed you the last few days. Where have you been so +long?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, I’ve just been out to El Paso on a little pasear guarding the stage,” was +the reply. Now the little pasear was a continuous night and day round-trip of +twelve hundred miles. Bill had slept and eaten as he could. When mounted, he +scouted every possible point of ambush for lurking Indian or bandit. Crossing +open stretches of country, he climbed up on the stage and slept. Now having +returned, he was anxious to get his wages into circulation. Here were +characters worthy of a passing glance. +</p> + +<p> +Interesting as this frontier life was to the young man, he prepared for his +final destination. He had no trouble in locating his father’s property, for it +was less than twenty miles from San Antonio. Securing an American who spoke +Spanish, the two set out on horseback. There were several small ranchitos on +the tract, where five or six Mexican families lived. Each family had a field +and raised corn for bread. A flock of goats furnished them milk and meat. The +same class of people in older States were called squatters, making no claim to +ownership of the land. They needed little clothing, the climate being in their +favor. +</p> + +<p> +The men worked at times. The pecan crop which grew along the creek bottoms was +beginning to have a value in the coast towns for shipment to northern markets, +and this furnished them revenue for their simple needs. All kinds of game was +in abundance, including waterfowl in winter, though winter here was only such +in name. These simple people gave a welcome to the New Yorker which appeared +sincere. They offered no apology for their presence on this land, nor was such +in order, for it was the custom of the country. They merely referred to +themselves as “his people,” as though belonging to the land. +</p> + +<p> +When they learned that he was the son of the owner of the grant, and that he +wanted to spend a few months hunting and looking about, they considered +themselves honored. The best jacal in the group was tendered him and his +interpreter. The food offered was something new, but the relish with which his +companion partook of it assisted young Wells in overcoming his scruples, and he +ate a supper of dishes he had never tasted before. The coffee he declared was +delicious. +</p> + +<p> +On the advice of his companion they had brought along blankets. The women of +the ranchito brought other bedding, and a comfortable bed soon awaited the +Americanos. The owner of the jacal in the mean time informed his guest through +the interpreter that he had sent to a near-by ranchito for a man who had at +least the local reputation of being quite a hunter. During the interim, while +awaiting the arrival of the man, he plied his guest with many questions +regarding the outside world, of which his ideas were very simple, vague, and +extremely provincial. His conception of distance was what he could ride in a +given number of days on a good pony. His ideas of wealth were no improvement +over those of his Indian ancestors of a century previous. In architecture, the +jacal in which they sat satisfied his ideals. +</p> + +<p> +The footsteps of a horse interrupted their conversation. A few moments later, +Tiburcio, the hunter, was introduced to the two Americans with a profusion of +politeness. There was nothing above the ordinary in the old hunter, except his +hair, eyes, and swarthy complexion, which indicated his Aztec ancestry. It +might be in perfect order to remark here that young Wells was perfectly +composed, almost indifferent to the company and surroundings. He shook hands +with Tiburcio in a manner as dignified, yet agreeable, as though he was the +governor of his native State or the minister of some prominent church at home. +From this juncture, he at once took the lead in the conversation, and kept up a +line of questions, the answers to which were very gratifying. He learned that +deer were very plentiful everywhere, and that on this very tract of land were +several wild turkey roosts, where it was no trouble to bag any number desired. +On the prairie portion of the surrounding country could be found large droves +of antelope. During drouthy periods they were known to come twenty miles to +quench their thirst in the Salado, which was the main watercourse of this +grant. Once Tiburcio assured his young patron that he had frequently counted a +thousand antelope during a single morning. Then there was also the javeline or +peccary which abounded in endless numbers, but it was necessary to hunt them +with dogs, as they kept the thickets and came out in the open only at night. +Many a native cur met his end hunting these animals, cut to pieces with their +tusks, so that packs, trained for the purpose, were used to bay them until the +hunter could arrive and dispatch them with a rifle. Even this was always done +from horseback, as it was dangerous to approach the javeline, for they would, +when aroused, charge anything. +</p> + +<p> +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 model in the +market, explaining its good qualities through his interpreter. Tiburcio handled +it as if it were a rare bit of millinery, but managed to 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 with the boundaries of the land and to become familiar with +the surrounding country. Naming an hour for starting in the morning, the two +men shook hands and bade each other good-night, each using his own language to +express 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. +</p> + +<p> +Tiburcio was on hand at the appointed hour in the morning, and being joined by +the two Americans they rode off up the stream. It was October, and the pecans, +they noticed, were already falling, as they passed through splendid groves of +this timber, several times dismounting to fill their pockets with nuts. +Tiburcio frequently called attention to fresh deer tracks near the creek +bottom, and shortly afterward the first game of the day was sighted. Five or +six does and grown fawns broke cover and ran a short distance, stopped, looked +at the horsemen, and then capered away. +</p> + +<p> +Riding to the highest ground in the vicinity, they obtained a splendid view of +the stream, outlined by the foliage of the pecan groves that lined its banks as +far as the eye could follow either way. Tiburcio pointed out one particular +grove lying three or four miles farther up the creek. Here he said was a cabin +which had been built by a white man who had left it several years ago, and +which he had often used as a hunting camp in bad weather. Feeling his way +cautiously, Wells asked the old hunter if he were sure that this cabin was on +and belonged to the grant. Being assured on both points, he then inquired if +there was anything to hinder him from occupying the hut for a few months. On +the further assurance that there was no man to dispute his right, he began +plying his companions with questions. The interpreter told him that it was a +very common and simple thing for men to batch, enumerating the few articles he +would need for this purpose. +</p> + +<p> +They soon reached the cabin, which proved to be an improvement over the +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 it possessed was the thatched roof. +While the Americans were examining it and its surroundings, Tiburcio unsaddled +the horses, picketing one and hobbling the other two, kindled a fire, and +prepared a lunch from some articles he had brought along. The meal, consisting +of coffee, chipped venison, and a thin wafer bread made from corn and reheated +over coals, was disposed of with relish. The two Americans sauntered around for +some distance, and on their return to the cabin found Tiburcio enjoying his +siesta under a near-by pecan tree. +</p> + +<p> +Their horses refreshed and rested, they resaddled, crossing the stream, +intending to return to the ranchito by evening. After leaving the bottoms of +the creek, Tiburcio showed the young man a trail made by the javeline, and he +was surprised to learn that an animal with so small a foot was a dangerous +antagonist, on account of its gregarious nature. Proceeding they came to +several open prairies, in one of which they saw a herd of antelope, numbering +forty to fifty, making a beautiful sight as they took fright and ran away. +Young Wells afterward learned that distance lent them charms and was the +greatest factor in their beauty. As they rode from one vantage-point to another +for the purpose of sight-seeing, the afternoon passed rapidly. +</p> + +<p> +Later, through the interpreter he inquired of Tiburcio if his services could be +secured as guide, cook, and companion for the winter, since he had fully made +up his mind to occupy the cabin. Tiburcio was overjoyed at the proposition, as +it was congenial to his tastes, besides carrying a compensation. Definite +arrangements were now made with him, and he was requested to be on hand in the +morning. On reaching the ranchito, young Wells’s decision was announced to +their host of the night previous, much to the latter’s satisfaction. During the +evening the two Americans planned to return to the village in the morning for +the needed supplies. Tiburcio was on hand at the appointed time, and here +unconsciously the young man fortified himself in the old hunter’s confidence by +intrusting him with the custody of his gun, blankets, and several other +articles until he should return. +</p> + +<p> +A week later found the young hunter established in the cabin with the +interpreter and Tiburcio. A wagon-load of staple supplies was snugly stored +away for future use, and they were at peace with the world. By purchase Wells +soon had several saddle ponies, and the old hunter adding his pack of javeline +dogs, they found themselves well equipped for the winter campaign. +</p> + +<p> +Hunting, in which the young man was an apt scholar, was now the order of the +day. Tiburcio was an artist in woodcraft as well as in his knowledge of the +habits of animals and birds. On chilly or disagreeable days they would take out +the pack of dogs and beat the thickets for the javeline. It was exciting sport +to bring to bay a drove of these animals. To shoot from horseback lent a charm, +yet made aim uncertain, nor was it advisable to get too close range. Many a +young dog made a fatal mistake in getting too near this little animal, and the +doctoring of crippled dogs became a daily duty. All surplus game was sent to +the ranchito below, where it was always appreciated. +</p> + +<p> +At first the young man wrote regularly long letters home, but as it took +Tiburcio a day to go to the post-office, he justified himself in putting +writing off, sometimes several weeks, because it ruined a whole day and tired +out a horse to mail a letter. Hardships were enjoyed. They thought nothing of +spending a whole night going from one turkey roost to another, if half a dozen +fine birds were the reward. They would saddle up in the evening and ride ten +miles, sleeping out all night by a fire in order to stalk a buck at daybreak, +having located his range previously. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the winter passed, and as the limit of the young man’s vacation was near +at hand, Wells wrote home pleading for more time, telling his friends how fast +he was improving, and estimating that it would take at least six months more to +restore him fully to his former health. This request being granted, he +contented himself by riding about the country, even visiting cattle ranches +south on the Frio River. Now and then he would ride into San Antonio for a day +or two, but there was nothing new to be seen there, and his visits were brief. +He had acquired a sufficient knowledge of Spanish to get along now without an +interpreter. +</p> + +<p> +When the summer was well spent, he began to devise some excuse to give his +parents for remaining another winter. Accordingly he wrote his father what +splendid opportunities there were to engage in cattle ranching, going into +detail very intelligently in regard to the grasses on the tract and the fine +opportunity presented for establishing a ranch. The water privileges, the +faithfulness of Tiburcio, and other minor matters were fully set forth, and he +concluded by advising that they buy or start a brand of cattle on this grant. +His father’s reply was that he should expect his son to return as soon as the +state of his health would permit. He wished to be a dutiful son, yet he wished +to hunt just one more winter. +</p> + +<p> +So he felt that he must make another tack to gain his point. Following letters +noted no improvement in his health. Now, as the hunting season was near at +hand, he found it convenient to bargain with a renegade doctor, who, for the +consideration offered, wrote his parents that their son had recently consulted +him to see if it would be advisable to return to a rigorous climate in his +present condition. Professionally he felt compelled to advise him not to think +of leaving Texas for at least another year. To supplement this, the son wrote +that he hoped to be able to go home in the early spring. This had the desired +effect. Any remorse of conscience he may have felt over the deception resorted +to was soon forgotten in following a pack of hounds or stalking deer, for +hunting now became the order of the day. The antlered buck was again in his +prime. His favorite range was carefully noted. Very few hunts were unrewarded +by at least one or more shots at this noble animal. With an occasional visitor, +the winter passed as had the previous one. Some congenial spirit would often +spend a few days with them, and his departure was always sincerely regretted. +</p> + +<p> +The most peculiar feature of the whole affair was the friendship of the young +man for Tiburcio. The latter was the practical hunter, which actual experience +only can produce. He could foretell the coming of a norther twenty-four hours +in advance. Just which course deer would graze he could predict by the quarter +of the wind. In woodcraft he was a trustworthy though unquoted authority. His +young patron often showed him his watch and explained how it measured time, but +he had no use for it. He could tell nearly enough when it was noon, and if the +stars were shining he knew midnight within a few minutes. This he had learned +when a shepherd. He could track a wounded deer for miles, when another could +not see a trace of where the animal had passed. He could recognize the +footprint of his favorite saddle pony among a thousand others. How he did these +things he did not know himself. These companions were graduates of different +schools, extremes of different nationalities. Yet Alexander Wells had no desire +to elevate the old hunter to his own standard, preferring to sit at his feet. +</p> + +<p> +But finally the appearance of blades of grass and early flowers warned them +that winter was gone and that spring was at hand. Their occupation, therefore, +was at an end. Now how to satisfy the folks at home and get a further extension +of time was the truant’s supreme object. While he always professed obedience to +parental demands, yet rebellion was brewing, for he did not want to go East—not +just yet. Imperative orders to return were artfully parried. Finally +remittances were withheld, but he had no use for money. Coercion was bad policy +to use in his case. Thus a third and a fourth winter passed, and the young +hunter was enjoying life on the Salado, where questions of state and nation did +not bother him. +</p> + +<p> +But this existence had an end. One day in the spring a conveyance drove up to +the cabin, and an elderly, well-dressed woman alighted. With the assistance of +her driver she ran the gauntlet of dogs and reached the cabin door, which was +open. There, sitting inside on a dry cow-skin which was spread on the clay +floor, was the object of her visit, surrounded by a group of Mexican +companions, playing a game called monte. The absorbing interest taken in the +cards had prevented the inmates of the jacal from noticing the lady’s approach +until she stood opposite the door. On the appearance of a woman, the game +instantly ceased. Recognition was mutual, but neither mother nor son spoke a +word. Her eye took in the surroundings at a glance. Finally she spoke with a +half-concealed imperiousness of tone, though her voice was quiet and kindly. +</p> + +<p> +“Alexander, if you wish to see your mother, come to San Antonio, won’t you, +please?” and turning, she retraced her steps toward the carriage. +</p> + +<p> +Her son arose from his squatting posture, hitching up one side of his trousers, +then the other, for he was suspenderless, and following at a distance, +scratching his head and hitching his trousers alternately, he at last managed +to say, “Ah, well—why—if you can wait a few moments till I change my clothes, +I’ll—I’ll go with you right now.” +</p> + +<p> +This being consented to, he returned to the cabin, made the necessary change, +and stood before them a picture of health, bewhiskered and bronzed like a +pirate. As he was halfway to the vehicle, he turned back, and taking the old +black hands of Tiburcio in his own, said in good Spanish, though there was a +huskiness in his voice, “That lady is my mother. I may never see you again. I +don’t think I will. You may have for your own everything I leave.” +</p> + +<p> +There were tears in the old hunter’s eyes as he relinquished young Wells’s +hands and watched him fade from his sight. His mother, unable to live longer +without him, had made the trip from New York, and now that she had him in her +possession there was no escape. They took the first stage out of the village +that night on their return trip for New York State. +</p> + +<p> +But the mother’s victory was short-lived and barren. Within three years after +the son’s return, he failed in two business enterprises in which his father +started him. Nothing discouraged, his parents offered him a third opportunity, +it containing, however, a marriage condition. But the voice of a siren, singing +of flowery prairies and pecan groves on the Salado, in which could be heard the +music of hounds and the clattering of horses’ hoofs at full speed following, +filled every niche and corner of his heart, and he balked at the marriage +offer. +</p> + +<p> +When the son had passed his thirtieth year, his parents became resigned and +gave their consent to his return to Texas. Long before parental consent was +finally obtained, it was evident to his many friends that the West had +completely won him; and once the desire of his heart was secured, the languid +son beamed with energy in outfitting for his return. He wrung the hands of old +friends with a new grip, and with boyish enthusiasm announced his early +departure. +</p> + +<p> +On the morning of leaving, quite a crowd of friends and relatives gathered at +the depot to see him off. But when a former college chum attempted to +remonstrate with him on the social sacrifice which he was making, he turned to +the group of friends, and smilingly said, “That’s all 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 back to nature. Don’t pity me. Rather let me pity you, who think, +act, and look as if turned out of the same mill. Any social sacrifices which I +make in leaving here will be repaid tenfold by the freedom and advantages of +the boundless West.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a>VI<br/> +THE DOUBLE TRAIL</h2> + +<p> +Early in the summer of ’78 we were rocking along with a herd of Laurel Leaf +cattle, going up the old Chisholm trail in the Indian Territory. The cattle +were in charge of Ike Inks as foreman, and had been sold for delivery somewhere +in the Strip. +</p> + +<p> +There were thirty-one hundred head, straight “twos,” and in the single ranch +brand. We had been out about four months on the trail, and all felt that a few +weeks at the farthest would let us out, for the day before we had crossed the +Cimarron River, ninety miles south of the state line of Kansas. +</p> + +<p> +The foreman was simply killing time, waiting for orders concerning the delivery +of the cattle. All kinds of jokes were in order, for we all felt that we would +soon be set free. One of our men had been taken sick, as we crossed Red River +into the Nations, and not wanting to cross this Indian country short-handed, +Inks had picked up a young fellow who evidently had never been over the trail +before. +</p> + +<p> +He gave the outfit his correct name, on joining us, but it proved +unpronounceable, and for convenience some one rechristened him Lucy, as he had +quite a feminine appearance. He was anxious to learn, and was in evidence in +everything that went on. +</p> + +<p> +The trail from the Cimarron to Little Turkey Creek, where we were now camped, +had originally been to the east of the present one, skirting a black-jack +country. After being used several years it had been abandoned, being sandy, and +the new route followed up the bottoms of Big Turkey, since it was firmer soil, +affording better footing to cattle. These two trails came together again at +Little Turkey. At no place were they over two or three miles apart, and from +where they separated to where they came together again was about seven miles. +</p> + +<p> +It troubled Lucy not to know why this was thus. Why did these routes separate +and come together again? He was fruitful with inquiries as to where this trail +or that road led. The boss-man had a vein of humor in his make-up, though it +was not visible; so he told the young man that he did not know, as he had been +over this route but once before, but he thought that Stubb, who was then on +herd, could tell him how it was; 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 +was relieved from duty and had returned to the wagon. So Ike posted one of the +men who was next on guard to tell Stubb what to expect, and to be sure to tell +it to him scary. +</p> + +<p> +A brief description of Stubb necessarily intrudes, though this nickname +describes the man. Extremely short in stature, he was inclined to be fleshy. In +fact, a rear view of Stubb looked as though some one had hollowed out a place +to set his head between his ample shoulders. But a front view revealed a face +like a full moon. In disposition he was very amiable. His laugh was enough to +drive away the worst case of the blues. It bubbled up from some inward source +and seemed perennial. His worst fault was his bar-room astronomy. If there was +any one thing that he shone in, it was rustling coffin varnish during the early +prohibition days along the Kansas border. His patronage was limited only by his +income, coupled with what credit he enjoyed. +</p> + +<p> +Once, about midnight, he tried to arouse a drug clerk who slept in the store, +and as he had worked this racket before, he coppered the play to repeat. So he +tapped gently on the window at the rear where the clerk slept, calling him by +name. This he repeated any number of times. Finally, he threatened to have a +fit; even this did not work to his advantage. Then he pretended to be very +angry, but there was no response. After fifteen minutes had been fruitlessly +spent, he went back 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, and +walked away. A party who had forgotten his name was once inquiring for him, +describing him thus, “He’s a little short, fat fellow, sits around the Maverick +Hotel, talks cattle talk, and punishes a power of whiskey.” +</p> + +<p> +So before Stubb had even time to unsaddle his horse, he was approached to know +the history of these two trails. +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said Stubb somewhat hesitatingly, “I never like to refer to it. You +see, I killed a man the day that right-hand trail was made: I’ll tell you about +it some other time.” +</p> + +<p> +“But why not now?” said Lucy, his curiosity aroused, as keen as a woman’s. +</p> + +<p> +“Some other day,” said Stubb. “But did you notice those three graves on the +last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms +yesterday? You did? Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why +I hate to refer to it, don’t you? I was afraid to go back to Texas for three +years afterward.” +</p> + +<p> +“But why not tell me?” said the young man. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh,” said Stubb, as he knelt down to put a hobble on his horse, “it would +injure my reputation as a peaceable citizen, and I don’t mind telling you that +I expect to marry soon.” +</p> + +<p> +Having worked up the proper interest in his listener, besides exacting a +promise that he would not repeat the story where it might do injury to him, he +dragged his saddle up to the camp-fire. Making a comfortable seat with it, he +riveted his gaze on the fire, and with a splendid sang-froid reluctantly told +the history of the double trail. +</p> + +<p> +“You see,” began Stubb, “the Chisholm route had been used more or less for ten +years. This right-hand trail was made in ’73. I bossed that year from Van Zandt +County, for old Andy Erath, who, by the way, was a dead square cowman with not +a hide-bound idea in his make-up. Son, it was a pleasure to know old Andy. You +can tell he was a good man, for if he ever got a drink too much, though he +would never mention her otherwise, he always praised his wife. I’ve been with +him up beyond the Yellowstone, two thousand miles from home, and you always +knew when the old man was primed. He would praise his wife, and would call on +us boys to confirm the fact that Mary, his wife, was a good woman. +</p> + +<p> +“That year we had the better of twenty-nine hundred head, all steer cattle, +threes and up, a likely bunch, better than these we are shadowing now. You see, +my people are not driving this year, which is the reason that I am making a +common hand with Inks. If I was to lay off a season, or go to the seacoast, I +might forget the way. In those days I always hired my own men. The year that +this right-hand trail was made, I had an outfit of men who would rather fight +than eat; in fact, I selected them on account of their special fitness in the +use of firearms. Why, Inks here couldn’t have cooked for my outfit that season, +let alone rode. There was no particular incident worth mentioning till we +struck Red River, where we overtook five or six herds that were laying over on +account of a freshet in the river. I wouldn’t have a man those days who was not +as good in the water as out. 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 +one of the boys to hit it on his horse, to see what it was like. Well, he never +wet the seat of his saddle going or coming, though his horse was in swimming +water good sixty yards. All the other bosses rode up, and each one examined his +peg to see if the rise was falling. One fellow named Bob Brown, boss-man for +John Blocker, asked me what I thought about the crossing. I said to him, ‘If +this ferryman can cross our wagon 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Well, the ferryman said he’d set the wagon over, so the men went back to bring +up the herd. They were delayed some little time, changing to their 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 a mill or balk. I never had to give +an order; my boys knew just what to do. Why, there’s men in this outfit right +now that couldn’t have greased my wagon that year. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, the men on the points brought the herd to the water with a good head on, +and before the leaders knew it, they were halfway across the channel, swimming +like fish. The swing-men fed them in, free and plenty. Most of my outfit took +to the water, and kept the cattle from 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 saddle +stock and the wagon, I swam my horse back to the Texas side. I wanted to eat +dinner with Blocker’s man, just to see how they fed. Might want to work for him +some time, you see. I pretended that I’d help him over if he wanted to cross, +but he said his dogies could never breast that water. I remarked to him at +dinner, ‘You’re feeding a mite better this year, ain’t you?’ ‘Not that I can +notice,’ he replied, as the cook handed him a tin plate heaping with navy +beans, ‘and I’m eating rather regular with the wagon, too.’ I killed time +around for a while, and then we rode down to the river together. The cattle had +tramped out his peg, so after setting a new one, and pow-wowing around, I told +him good-by and said to him, ‘Bob, old man, when I hit Dodge, I’ll take a drink +and think of you back here on the trail, and regret that you are not with me, +so as to make it two-handed.’ We said our ‘so-longs’ to each other, and I gave +the gray his head and he took the water like a duck. He could outswim any horse +I ever saw, but I drowned him in the Washita two weeks later. Yes, tangled his +feet in some vines in a sunken treetop, and the poor fellow’s light went out. +My own candle came near being snuffed. I never felt so bad over a little thing +since I burned my new red topboots when I was a kid, as in drownding that +horse. +</p> + +<p> +“There was nothing else worth mentioning until we struck the Cimarron back +here, where we overtook a herd of Chisholm’s that had come in from the east. +They had crossed through the Arbuckle Mountains—came in over the old Whiskey +Trail. Here was another herd waterbound, and the boss-man was as important as a +hen with one chicken. He told me that the river wouldn’t be fordable for a +week; wanted me to fall back at least five miles; wanted all this river bottom +for his cattle; said he didn’t need any help to cross his herd, though he +thanked me for the offer with an air of contempt. I informed him that our +cattle were sold for delivery on the North Platte, and that we wanted to go +through on time. I assured him if he would drop his cattle a mile down the +river, it would give us plenty of room. I told him plainly that our cattle, +horses, and men could all swim, and that we never let a little thing like +swimming water stop us. +</p> + +<p> +“No! No! he couldn’t do that; we might as well fall back and take our turn. +‘Oh, well,’ said I, ‘if you want to act contrary about it, I’ll go up to the +King-Fisher crossing, only three miles above here. I’ve almost got time to +cross yet this evening.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Then he wilted and inquired, ‘Do you think I can cross if it swims them any?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘I’m not doing your thinking, sir,’ I answered, ‘but I’ll bring up eight or +nine good men and help you rather than make a six-mile elbow.’ I said this with +some spirit and gave him a mean look. +</p> + +<p> +“‘All right,’ said he, ‘bring up your boys, say eight o’clock, and we will try +the ford. Let me add right here,’ he continued, ‘and I’m a stranger 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 whirl too big a loop, or drag their ropes looking +for trouble, for I’ve got fellows with me that don’t turn out of the trail for +anybody.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘All right, sir,’ I said. ‘Really, I’m glad to hear that you have some good +men, still I’m pained to find them on the wrong side of the river for +travelers. But I’ll be here in the morning,’ I called back as I rode away. So +telling my boys that we were likely to have some fun in the morning, and what +to expect, I gave it no further attention. When we were catching up our horses +next morning for the day, 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,—that we wished to avoid trouble, but if it came up unavoidable, to +overlook no bets—to copper every play as it fell. +</p> + +<p> +“We got to the river too early to suit Chisholm’s boss-man. He seemed to think +that his cattle would take the water better about ten o’clock. To kill time my +boys rode across and back several times to see what the water was like. ‘Well, +any one that would let as little swimming water as that stop them must be a +heap sight sorry outfit,’ remarked one-eyed Jim Reed, as he rode out of the +river, dismounting to set his saddle forward and tighten his cinches, not +noticing that this foreman heard him. I rode around and gave him a look, and he +looked up at me and muttered, ‘Scuse me, boss, I plumb forgot!’ Then I rode +back and apologized to this boss-man: ‘Don’t pay any attention to my boys; they +are just showing off, and are a trifle windy this morning.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘That’s all right,’ he retorted, ‘but don’t forget what I told you yesterday, +and let it be enough said.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Well, let’s put the cattle in,’ I urged, seeing that he was getting hot under +the collar. ‘We’re burning daylight, pardner.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Well, I’m going to cross my wagon first,’ said he. +</p> + +<p> +“‘That’s a good idea,’ I answered. ‘Bring her up.’ Their cook seemed to have a +little sense, for he brought up his wagon in good shape. We tied some guy ropes +to the upper side, and taking long ropes from the end of the tongue to the +pommels of our saddles, the ease with which we 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 main trouble seemed to be to devise means to keep their guns and +cartridges dry, as though that was more important than getting the whole herd +of nearly thirty-five hundred cattle over. We gave them a clean cloth until +they needed us, but as they came up we divided out and were ready to give the +lead a good push. If a cow changed his mind about taking 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 the surprise of the boss and his men; besides, +their weapons were quite dry; just the splash had wet them. +</p> + +<p> +“I told the boss that we would not need any help to cross ours, but to keep +well out of our way, as we would try and cross by noon, which ought 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 the trail back in these sand-hills, +there he was, not a mile ahead, and you can see there was no chance to get +around. I intended to take the 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 +were acting, so I rode forward to see what the trouble was. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Oh, I’m in no hurry. You’re driving too fast. This is your first trip, isn’t +it?’ he inquired, as he felt of a pair of checked pants drying on the wagon +wheel. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Don’t you let any idea like that disturb your Christian spirit, old man,’ I +replied with some resentment. ‘But if you think I am driving too fast, you +might suggest some creek where I could delude myself with the idea, for a week +or so, that it was not fordable.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Assuming an air of superiority he observed, ‘You seem to have forgot what I +said to you yesterday.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘No, I haven’t,’ I answered, ‘but are you going to stay all night here?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘I certainly am, if that’s any satisfaction to you,’ he answered. +</p> + +<p> +“I got off my horse and asked him for a match, though I had plenty in my +pocket, to light a cigarette which I had rolled during the conversation. I had +no gun on, having left mine in our wagon, but fancied I’d stir him up and see +how bad he really was. I thought it best to stroke him with and against the +fur, try and keep on neutral ground, so I said,— +</p> + +<p> +“‘You ain’t figuring none that in case of a run to-night we’re a trifle close +together for cow-herds. Besides, my men on a guard last night heard gray wolves +in these sand-hills. They are liable to show up to-night. Didn’t I notice some +young calves among your cattle this morning? Young calves, you know, make +larruping fine eating for grays.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Now, look here, Shorty,’ he said in a patronizing tone, as though he might +let a little of his superior cow-sense shine in on my darkened intellect, ‘I +haven’t asked you to crowd up here on me. You are perfectly at liberty to drop +back to your heart’s content. If wolves bother us to-night, you stay in your +blankets snug and warm, and pleasant dreams of old sweethearts on the Trinity +to you. We won’t need you. We’ll try and worry along without you.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Two or three of his men laughed gruffly at these remarks, and threw leer-eyed +looks at me. I asked one who seemed bad, what calibre his gun was. ‘Forty-five +ha’r trigger,’ he answered. I nosed around over their plunder purpose. They had +things drying around like Bannock squaws jerking venison. +</p> + +<p> +“When I got on my horse, I said to the boss, ‘I want to pass your outfit in the +morning, as you are in no hurry and I am.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘That will depend,’ said he. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Depend on what?’ I asked. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Depend on whether we are willing to let you,’ he snarled. +</p> + +<p> +“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 your clothes 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 or gelding. You may think different, but I’m +not afraid of any man in your outfit, from the gimlet to the big auger. I’ve +tried to treat you white, but I see I’ve failed. Now I want to give it out to +you straight and cold, that I’ll pass you to-morrow, or mix two herds trying. +Think it over to-night and nominate your choice—be a gentleman or a hog. Let +your own sweet will determine which.’ +</p> + +<p> +“I rode away in a walk, to give them a chance to say anything they wanted to, +but there were no further remarks. My men were all hopping mad when I told +them, but I promised them that to-morrow we would fix them plenty or use up our +supply of cartridges if necessary. We dropped back a mile off the trail and +camped for the night. Early the next morning I sent one of my boys out on the +highest sand dune to Injun around and see what they were doing. After being +gone for an hour he came back and said they had thrown their cattle off the +bed-ground up the trail, and were pottering around like as they aimed to move. +Breakfast over, I sent him back again to make sure, for I wanted yet to avoid +trouble if they didn’t draw it on. It was another hour before he gave us the +signal to come on. We were nicely strung out where you saw those graves on that +last ridge of sand-hills, when there they were about a mile ahead of us, +moseying along. This side of Chapman’s, the Indian trader’s store, the old +route turns to the right and follows up this black-jack ridge. We kept up +close, and just as soon as they turned in to the right,—the only trail there +was then,—we threw off the course and came straight ahead, cross-country style, +same route we came over to-day, except there was no trail there; we had to make +a new one. +</p> + +<p> +“Now they watched us a plenty, but it seemed they couldn’t make out our game. +When we pulled up even with them, half a mile apart, they tumbled that my bluff +of the day before was due to take effect without further notice. Then they +began to circle and ride around, and one fellow went back, only hitting the +high places, to their wagon and saddle horses, and they were brought up on a +trot. We were by this time three quarters of a mile apart, when the boss of +their outfit was noticed riding out toward us. Calling one of my men, we rode +out and met him halfway. ‘Young man, do you know just what you are trying to +do?’ he asked. +</p> + +<p> +“‘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. Watch us close, and +I’ll pass you between here and the next water.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘We will see you in hell first!’ he said, as he whirled his horse and galloped +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 his cattle, when it halted +suddenly, and we noticed that they were cutting off a dry cowskin that swung +under the wagon. At the same time two of his men cut out a wild steer, and as +he ran near their wagon one of them roped and the other heeled him. It was +neatly done. I called Big Dick, my boss roper, and told him what I +suspected,—that they were going to try and stampede us with a dry cowskin tied +to that steer’s tail they had down. As they let him up, it was clear I had +called the turn, as they headed him for our herd, the flint thumping at his +heels. Dick rode out in a lope, and I signaled for my crowd to come on and we +would back Dick’s play. As we rode out together, I said to my boys, ‘The +stuff’s off, fellows! Shoot, and shoot to hurt!’ +</p> + +<p> +“It seemed their whole outfit was driving that one steer, and turning the +others loose to graze. Dick never changed the course of that steer, but let him +head for ours, and as they met and passed, he turned his horse and rode onto +him as though he was a post driven in the ground. Whirling a loop big enough to +take in a yoke of oxen, he dropped it over his off fore shoulder, took up his +slack rope, and when that steer went to the end of the rope, he was thrown in +the air and came down on his head with a broken neck. Dick shook the rope off +the dead steer’s forelegs without dismounting, and was just beginning to coil +his rope when those varmints made a dash at him, shooting and yelling. +</p> + +<p> +“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 for a minute the air +was full of smoke. Two horses on our side went down before you could say ‘Jack +Robinson,’ but the men were unhurt, and soon flattened themselves on the ground +Indian fashion, and burnt the grass in a half-circle in front of them. When +everybody had emptied his gun, each outfit broke back to its wagon to reload. +Two of my men came 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 with +cartridges out of our belts, we rode out to reconnoitre and try and get the +boys’ saddles. +</p> + +<p> +“The first swell of the ground showed us the field. There were the dead steer, +and five or six horses scattered around likewise, but the grass was too high to +show the men that we felt were there. As the opposition was keeping close to +their wagon, we rode up to the scene of carnage. While some of the boys were +getting the saddles off the dead horses, we found three men taking their last +nap in the grass. I recognized 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 +their cattle the day before. One gun wasn’t plenty to do the fighting he was +hankering for; he had about as much use for two guns as a toad has for a +stinger. +</p> + +<p> +“The boys got the saddles off the dead horses, and went flying back to our men +afoot, and then rejoined us. The fight seemed over, or there was some hitch in +the programme, for we could see them hovering near their wagon, tearing up +white biled shirts out of a trunk and bandaging up arms and legs, that they +hadn’t figured on any. Our herd had been overlooked during the scrimmage, and +had scattered so that I had to send one man and the horse wrangler to round +them in. We had ten men left, and it was beginning to look as though +hostilities had ceased by mutual consent. You can see, son, we didn’t bring it +on. We turned over the dead steer, and he proved to be a stray; at least he +hadn’t their road brand on. One-eyed Jim said the ranch brand belonged in San +Saba County; he knew it well, the X—2. Well, it wasn’t long until our men afoot +got a remount and only two horses shy on the first round. We could stand +another on the same terms in case they attacked us. We rode out on a little +hill about a quarter-mile from their wagon, scattering out so as not to give +them a pot shot, in case they wanted to renew the unpleasantness. +</p> + +<p> +“When they saw us there, one fellow started toward us, waving his handkerchief. +We began speculating which one it was, but soon made him out 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. He offered me his hand and said, ‘We are in a +bad fix. Two of our crowd have bad flesh wounds. Do you suppose we could get +any whiskey back at this Indian trader’s store?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘If there is any man in this territory can get any I can if they have it,’ I +told him. ‘Besides, if your lay-out has had all the satisfaction fighting they +want, we’ll turn to and give you a lift. It seems like you all have some dead +men over back here. They will have to be planted. So if your outfit feel as +though you had your belly-full of fighting for the present, consider us at your +service. You’re the cook, ain’t you?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Yes, sir,’ he answered. ‘Are all three dead?’ he then inquired. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Dead as heck,’ I told him. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Well, we are certainly in a bad box,’ said he meditatingly. ‘But won’t you +all ride over to our wagon with me? I think our fellows are pacified for the +present.’ +</p> + +<p> +“I motioned to our crowd, and we all rode over to their wagon with him. There +wasn’t a gun in sight. The ragged edge of despair don’t describe them. I made +them a little talk; told them that their boss had cashed in, back over the +hill; also if there was any segundo in their outfit, the position of big augur +was open to him, and we were at his service. +</p> + +<p> +“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 a little 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 bury them at the store. Then I sent three of my +men back to the store to have 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 +any whiskey; branch water is plenty nourishing for the wounded. It would be a +sin and shame to waste good liquor on plafry like them.’ +</p> + +<p> +“The balance of us went over to the field of carnage and stripped the saddles +off their dead horses, and arranged the departed in a row, covering them with +saddle blankets, pending the planting act. I sent part of my boys with our +wagon to look after our own cattle for the day. It took us all the afternoon to +clean up a minute’s work in the morning. +</p> + +<p> +“I never like to refer to it. Fact was, all the boys felt gloomy for weeks, but +there was no avoiding it. Two months later, we met old man Andy, way up at Fort +Laramie on the North Platte. He was tickled to death to meet us all. The herd +had come through in fine condition. We never told him anything about this until +the cattle were delivered, and we were celebrating the success of that drive at +a near-by town. +</p> + +<p> +“Big Dick told him about this incident, and the old man feeling his oats, as he +leaned with his back against the bar, said to us with a noticeable degree of +pride, ‘Lads, I’m proud of every one of you. Men who 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 twice as many. I want every rascal of you to work for +me. You all know how I mount, feed, and pay my men, and as long as my name is +Erath and I own a cow, you can count on a job with me.’” +</p> + +<p> +“But why did you take them back to the sand-hills to bury them?” cut in Lucy. +</p> + +<p> +“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 have just given you. No, I can’t +tell you any more personal experiences to-night; I’m too sleepy.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a>VII<br/> +RANGERING</h2> + +<p> +No State in the Union was ever called upon to meet and deal with the criminal +element as was Texas. She was border territory upon her admission to the +sisterhood of States. +</p> + +<p> +An area equal to four ordinary States, and a climate that permitted of outdoor +life the year round, made it a desirable rendezvous for criminals. The sparsely +settled condition of the country, the flow of immigration being light until the +seventies, was an important factor. The fugitives from justice of the older +States with a common impulse turned toward this empire of isolation. Europe +contributed her quota, more particularly from the south, bringing with them the +Mafia and vendetta. 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 had taken human +life, the catalogue of crime was fully represented. +</p> + +<p> +Humorous writers tell us that it was a breach of good manners to ask a man his +name, or what State he was from, or to examine the brand on his horse very +particularly. It can be safely said that there was a great amount of truth +mingled with the humor. Some of these fugitives from justice became good +citizens, but the majority sooner or later took up former callings. +</p> + +<p> +Along with this criminal immigration came the sturdy settler, the man intent on +building a home and establishing a fireside. Usually following lines of +longitude, he came from other Southern States. He also brought with him the +fortitude of the pioneer that reclaims the wilderness and meets any emergency +that confronts him. To meet and deal with this criminal element as a matter of +necessity soon became an important consideration. His only team of horses was +frequently stolen. His cattle ran off their range, their ear-marks altered and +brands changed. Frequently it was a band of neighbors, together in a posse, who +followed and brought to bay the marauders. It was an unlucky moment for a +horse-thief when he was caught in possession of another man’s horse. The +impromptu court of emergency had no sentiment in regard to passing sentence of +death. It was a question of guilt, and when that was established, Judge Lynch +passed sentence. +</p> + +<p> +As the State advanced, the authorities enlisted small companies of men called +Rangers. The citizens’ posse soon gave way to this organized service. The +companies, few in number at first, were gradually increased until the State had +over a dozen companies in the field. These companies numbered anywhere from ten +to sixty men. It can be said with no discredit to the State that there were +never half enough companies of men for the work before them. +</p> + +<p> +There was a frontier on the south and west of over two thousand miles to be +guarded. A fair specimen of the large things in that State was a shoe-string +congressional district, over eleven hundred miles long. To the Ranger, then, is +all credit due for guarding this western frontier against the Indians and +making life and the possession of property a possibility. On the south was to +be met the bandit, the smuggler, and every grade of criminal known to the code. +</p> + +<p> +A generation had come and gone before the Ranger’s work was fairly done. The +emergency demanded brave men. They were ready. Not necessarily born to the +soil, as a boy the guardian of the frontier was 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 that arbiter of the frontier, the six-shooter, they were +artists. As a class, never before or since have their equals in the use of that +arm come forward to question this statement. +</p> + +<p> +The average criminal, while familiar with firearms, was as badly handicapped as +woman would be against man. The Ranger had no equal. The emergency that +produced him no longer existing, he will never have a successor. Any attempt to +copy the original would be hopeless imitation. He was shot at at short range +oftener than he received his monthly wage. He admired the criminal that would +fight, and despised one that would surrender on demand. He would nurse back to +life a dead-game man whom his own shot had brought to earth, and give a coward +the chance to run any time if he so desired. +</p> + +<p> +He was compelled to lead a life in the open and often descend to the level of +the criminal. He had few elements in his makeup, and but a single purpose; but +that one purpose—to rid the State of crime—he executed with a vengeance. He was +poorly paid for the service rendered. Frequently there was no appropriation +with which to pay him; then he lived by rewards and the friendship of ranchmen. +</p> + +<p> +The Ranger always had a fresh horse at his command,—no one thought of refusing +him this. Rust-proof, rugged, and tireless, he gave the State protection for +life and property. The emergency had produced the man. +</p> + +<p> +“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,” said Sergeant “Smoky” C——, +addressing “Ramrod,” a private in Company X of the Texas Rangers. The sergeant +and the four men had been out on special duty, and now we had halted after an +all night’s ride looking for shade and water,—the latter especially. We had two +prisoners, (horse-thieves), some extra saddle stock, and three pack mules. +</p> + +<p> +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, dusty and arid. This grove +of green timber held out a hope that within it might be found what we wanted. +Eyesight is as variable as men, but Ramrod’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’s request, and focused the glass on this oasis, and after +sweeping the field for a minute or so, remarked languidly, “There must be water +there. I can see a band of antelope grazing out from the grove. Hold your +mules! Something is raising a dust over to the south. Good! It’s cattle coming +to the water.” +</p> + +<p> +While he was covering the field with his glass, two of the boys were +threatening with eternal punishment the pack mules, which showed an energetic +determination to lie down and dislodge their packs by rolling. +</p> + +<p> +“Cut your observations short as possible there, Ramrod, or there will be +re-packing to do. Mula, you hybrid son of your father, don’t you dare to lie +down!” +</p> + +<p> +But Ramrod’s observations were cut short at sight of the cattle, and we pushed +out for the grove, about seven miles distant. As we rode this short hour’s +ride, numerous small bands of antelope were startled, and in turn stood and +gazed at us in bewilderment. +</p> + +<p> +“I’m not tasty,” said Sergeant Smoky, “but I would give the preference this +morning to a breakfast of a well-roasted side of ribs of a nice yearling +venison over the salt hoss that the Lone Star State furnishes this service. +Have we no hunters with us?” +</p> + +<p> +“Let me try,” begged a little man we called “Cushion-foot.” What his real name +was none of us knew. The books, of course, would show some name, and then you +were entitled to a guess. He was as quiet as a mouse, as reliable as he was +quiet, and as noiseless in his movements as a snake. One of the boys went with +him, making quite a detour from our course, but always remaining in sight. +About two miles out from the grove, we sighted a small band of five or six +antelope, who soon took fright and ran to the nearest elevation. Here they made +a stand about half a mile distant. We signaled to our hunters, who soon spotted +them and dismounted. We could see Cushion sneaking through the short grass like +a coyote, “Conajo” leading the horses, well hidden between them. We held the +antelopes’ attention by riding around in a circle, flagging them. Several times +Cushion lay flat, and we thought he was going to risk a long shot. Then he +would crawl forward like a cat, but finally came to his knee. We saw the little +puff, the band squatted, jumping to one side far enough to show one of their +number down and struggling in the throes of death. +</p> + +<p> +“Good long shot, little man,” said the sergeant, “and you may have the choice +of cuts, just so I get a rib.” +</p> + +<p> +We saw Conajo mount and ride up on a gallop, but we held our course for the +grove. We were busy making camp when the two rode in with a fine two-year-old +buck across the pommel of Cushion’s saddle. They had only disemboweled him, but +Conajo had the heart as a trophy of the accuracy of the shot, though Cushion +hadn’t a word to say. It was a splendid heart shot. Conajo took it over and +showed it to the two Mexican prisoners. It was an object lesson to them. One +said to the other, “Es un buen tirador.” +</p> + +<p> +We put the prisoners to roasting the ribs, and making themselves useful in +general. One man guarded them at their work, while all the others attended to +the hobbling and other camp duties. +</p> + +<p> +It proved to be a delightful camp. We aimed to stay until sunset, the days +being sultry and hot. Our appetites were equal to the breakfast, and it was a +good one. +</p> + +<p> +“To do justice to an occasion like this,” said Smoky as he squatted down with +about four ribs in his hand, “a man by rights ought to have at least three +fingers of good liquor under his belt. But then we can’t have all the luxuries +of life in the far West; sure to be something lacking.” +</p> + +<p> +“I never hear a man hanker for liquor,” said Conajo, as he poured out a tin cup +of coffee, “but I think of an incident my father used to tell us boys at home. +He was sheriff in Kentucky before we moved to Texas. Was sheriff in the same +county for twelve years. Counties are very irregular back in the old States. +Some look like a Mexican brand. One of the rankest, rabid political admirers my +father had lived away out on a spur of this county. He lived good thirty miles +from the county seat. Didn’t come to town over twice a year, but he always +stopped, generally over night, at our house. My father wouldn’t have it any +other way. Talk about thieves being chummy; why, these two we have here +couldn’t hold a candle to that man and my father. I can see them parting just +as distinctly as though it was yesterday. He would always abuse my father for +not coming to see him. ‘Sam,’ he would say,—my father’s name was Sam,—‘Sam, why +on earth is it that you never come to see me? I’ve heard of you within ten +miles of my plantation, and you have never shown your face to us once. Do you +think we can’t entertain you? Why, Sam, I’ve known you since you weren’t big +enough to lead a hound dog. I’ve known you since you weren’t knee to a +grasshopper.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Let me have a word,’ my father would put in, for he was very mild in +speaking; ‘let me have a word, Joe. I hope you don’t think for a moment that I +wouldn’t like to visit you; now do you?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘No, I don’t think so, Sam, but you don’t come. That’s why I’m complaining. +You never have come in the whole ten years you’ve been sheriff, and you know +that we have voted for you to a man, in our neck of the woods.’ My father felt +this last remark, though I think he never realized its gravity before, but he +took him by one hand, and laying the other on his shoulder said, ‘Joe, if I +have slighted you in the past, I’m glad you have called my attention to it. +Now, let me tell you the first time that my business takes me within ten miles +of your place I’ll make it a point to reach your house and stay all night, and +longer if I can.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘That’s all I ask, Sam,’ was his only reply. Now I’ve learned lots of the ways +of the world since then. I’ve seen people pleasant to each other, and behind +their backs the tune changed. But I want to say to you fellows that those two +old boys were not throwing off on each other—not a little bit. They meant every +word and meant it deep. It was months afterwards, and father had been gone for +a week when he came home. He told us about his visit to Joe Evans. It was +winter time, and mother and us boys were sitting around the old fireplace in +the evening. ‘I never saw him so embarrassed before in my life,’ said father. +‘I did ride out of my way, but I was glad of the chance. Men like Joe Evans are +getting scarce.’ He nodded to us boys. ‘It was nearly dark when I rode up to +his gate. He recognized me and came down to the gate to meet me. “Howdy, Sam,” +was all he said. There was a troubled expression in his face, though he looked +well enough, but he couldn’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.” He +started 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 likely to happen in the +family, I can just as well drop back on the pike and stay all night with some +of the neighbors. You know I’m acquainted all around here.” He turned in the +path, and there was the most painful look in his face I ever saw as he spoke: +“Hell, no, Sam, there’s nothing wrong. We’ve got plenty to eat, plenty of beds, +no end of horse-feed, but by G——, Sam, there isn’t a drop of whiskey on the +place!”’ +</p> + +<p> +“You see it was hoss and cabello, and Joe seemed to think the hoss on him was +an unpardonable offense. Salt? You’ll find it in an empty one-spoon +baking-powder can over there. In those panniers that belong to that big sorrel +mule. Look at Mexico over there burying his fangs in the venison, will you?” +</p> + +<p> +Ramrod was on guard, but he was so hungry himself that he was good enough to +let the prisoners eat at the same time, although he kept them at a respectable +distance. He was old in the service, and had gotten his name under a baptism of +fire. He was watching a pass once for smugglers at a point called Emigrant Gap. +This was long before he had come to the present company. At length the man he +was waiting for came along. Ramrod went after him at close quarters, but the +fellow was game and drew his gun. When the smoke cleared away, Ramrod had +brought down his horse and winged his man right and left. The smuggler was not +far behind on the shoot, for Ramrod’s coat and hat showed he was calling for +him. The captain was joshing the prisoner about his poor shooting when Ramrod +brought him into camp and they were dressing his wounds. “Well,” said the +fellow, “I tried to hard enough, but I couldn’t find him. He’s built like a +ramrod.” +</p> + +<p> +After breakfast was over we smoked and yarned. It would be two-hour guards for +the day, keeping an eye on the prisoners and stock, only one man required; so +we would all get plenty of sleep. Conajo had the first guard after breakfast. +“I remember once,” said Sergeant Smoky, as he crushed a pipe of twist with the +heel of his hand, “we were camped 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 +on that line to take charge of a murderer. The result was, I was sent by the +first train to this point. When I arrived I found that an Irishman had killed a +Chinaman. It was on the railroad, at a bridge construction camp, that the +fracas took place. There were something like a hundred employees at the camp, +and they ran their own boarding-tent. They had a Chinese cook at this camp; in +fact, quite a number of Chinese were employed at common labor on the road. +</p> + +<p> +“Some cavalryman, it was thought, in passing up and down from Fort Stockton to +points on the river, had lost his sabre, and one of this bridge gang had found +it. When it was brought into camp no one would have the old corn-cutter; but +this Irishman took a shine to it, having once been a soldier himself. The +result was, it was presented to him. He ground it up like a machette, and took +great pride in giving exhibitions with it. He was an old man now, the +storekeeper for the iron supplies, a kind of trusty job. The old sabre renewed +his youth to a certain extent, for he used it in self-defense shortly +afterwards. This Erin-go-bragh—his name was McKay, I think—was in the habit now +and then of stealing a pie from the cook, and taking it into his own tent and +eating it there. The Chink kept missing his pies, and got a helper to spy out +the offender. The result was they caught the old man red-handed in the act. The +Chink armed himself with the biggest butcher-knife he had and went on the +warpath. He found the old fellow sitting in his storeroom contentedly eating +the pie. The old man had his eyes on the cook, and saw the knife just in time +to jump behind some kegs of nuts and bolts. The Chink followed him with murder +in his eye, and as the old man ran out of the tent he picked up 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 beheading a chicken. They hadn’t yet buried the +Chinaman when I got there. I’m willing to testify it was an artistic job. They +turned the old man over to me, and I took him down to the next station, where +an old alcalde lived,—Roy Bean by name. This old judge was known as ‘Law west +of the Pecos,’ as he generally construed the law to suit his own opinion of the +offense. He wasn’t even strong on testimony. He was a ranchman 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 case to-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 string on him, only locked the door, but we slept together. The next morning +I took him before the alcalde. Bean held court in an outhouse, the prisoner +seated on a bale of flint hides. Bean was not only judge but prosecutor, as +well as counsel for the defense. ‘Killed a Chinaman, did you?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘I did, yer Honor,’ was the prisoner’s reply. +</p> + +<p> +“I suggested to the court that the prisoner be informed of his rights, that he +need not plead guilty unless he so desired. +</p> + +<p> +“‘That makes no difference here,’ said the court. ‘Gentlemen, I’m busy this +morning. I’ve got to raise the piping out of a two-hundred-foot well +to-day,—something the matter with the valve at the bottom. I’ll just glance +over the law a moment.’ +</p> + +<p> +“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 statute before me, in the +killing of a nigger the offending party was fined five dollars. A Chinaman +ought to be half as good as a nigger. Stand up and receive your sentence. +What’s your name?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Jerry McKay, your Honor.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Just then the court noticed one of the vaqueros belonging to the ranch +standing in the door, hat in hand, and he called to him in Spanish, ‘Have my +horse ready, I’ll be through here just in a minute.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘McKay,’ said the court as he gave him a withering look, ‘I’ll fine you two +dollars and a half and costs. Officer, take charge of the prisoner until it’s +paid!’ It took about ten dollars to cover everything, which I paid, McKay +returning it when he reached his camp. Whoever named that alcalde ‘Law west of +the Pecos’ knew his man.” +</p> + +<p> +“I’ll bet a twist of dog,” said Ramrod, “that prisoner with the black whiskers +sabes English. Did you notice him paying strict attention to Smoky’s little +talk? He reminds me of a fellow that crouched behind his horse at the fight we +had on the head of the Arroyo Colorado and plugged 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. Word came in one day that a big band of horse-thieves were +sweeping the country of every horse they could gather. There was a number of +the old Cortina’s gang known to be still on the rustle. When this report came, +it found eleven men in camp. We lost little time saddling up, only taking five +days’ rations with us, for they were certain to recross the river before that +time in case we failed to intercept them. Every Mexican in the country was +terrorized. All they could tell us was that there was plenty of ladrones and +lots of horses, ‘muchos’ being the qualifying word as to the number of either. +</p> + +<p> +“It was night before we came to their trail, and to our surprise they were +heading inland, to the north. They must have had a contract to supply the +Mexican army with cavalry horses. They were simply sweeping the country, taking +nothing but gentle stock. These they bucked in strings, and led. That made easy +trailing, as each string left a distinct trail. The moon was splendid that +night, and we trailed as easily as though it had been day. We didn’t halt all +night long on either trail, pegging along at a steady gait, that would carry us +inland some distance before morning. Our scouts aroused every ranch within +miles that we passed on the way, only to have reports exaggerated as usual. One +thing we did learn that night, and that was that the robbers were led by a +white man. He was described in the superlatives that the Spanish language +possesses abundantly; everything from the horse he rode to the solid braid on +his sombrero was described in the same strain. But that kind of prize was the +kind we were looking for. +</p> + +<p> +“On the head of the Arroyo Colorado there is a broken country interspersed with +glades and large openings. We felt very sure that the robbers would make camp +somewhere in that country. When day broke the freshness of the trail surprised +and pleased us. They couldn’t be far away. Before an hour passed, we noticed a +smoke cloud hanging low in the morning air about a mile ahead. We dismounted +and securely tied our horses and pack stock. Every man took all the cartridges +he could use, 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 a protection +against alarming the quarry. They were a quarter of a mile off when we first +sighted them. We began to think the reports were right, for there seemed no end +of horses, and at least twenty-five men. By dropping back we could gain one of +those dry arroyos which would bring us within one hundred yards of their camp. +A young fellow by the name of Rusou, a crack shot, was acting captain in the +absence of our officers. As we backed into the arroyo he said to us, ‘If +there’s a white man there, leave him to me.’ We were all satisfied that he +would be cared for properly at Rusou’s hands, and silence gave consent. +</p> + +<p> +“Opposite the camp we wormed out of the arroyo like a skirmish line, hugging +the ground for the one remaining little knoll between the robbers and +ourselves. I was within a few feet of Rusou as we sighted the camp about +seventy-five yards distant. We were trying to make out a man that was asleep, +at least he had his hat over his face, lying on a 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 shots fired at us by two pickets of theirs posted to +our left about one hundred yards. No one was hit, but the sleeping man jumped +to his feet with a six-shooter in each hand. I heard Rusou say to himself, +‘You’re too late, my friend.’ His carbine spoke, and the fellow fell forward, +firing both guns into the ground at his feet as he went down. +</p> + +<p> +“Then the stuff was off and she opened up in earnest. They fought all right. I +was on my knee pumping lead for dear life, and as I threw my carbine down to +refill the magazine, a bullet struck it in the heel of the magazine with +sufficient force to knock me backward. I thought I was hit for an instant, but +it passed away in a moment. When I tried to work the lever I saw that my +carbine was ruined. I called to the boys to notice a fellow with black whiskers +who was shooting from behind his horse. He would shoot over and under +alternately. I thought he was shooting at me. I threw down my carbine and drew +my six-shooter. Just then I got a plug in the shoulder, and things got dizzy +and dark. It caught me an inch above the nipple, ranging upward,—shooting from +under, you see. But some of the boys must have noticed him, for he decorated +the scene badly leaded, when it was over. I was unconscious for a few minutes, +and when I came around the fight had ended. +</p> + +<p> +“During the few brief moments that I was knocked out, our boys had closed in on +them and mixed it with them at short range. The thieves took to such horses as +they could lay their hands on, and one fellow went no farther. A six-shooter +halted him at fifty yards. The boys rounded up over a hundred horses, each one +with a fiber grass halter on, besides killing over twenty wounded ones to put +them out of their misery. +</p> + +<p> +“It was a nasty fight. Two of our own boys were killed and three were wounded. +But then you ought to have seen the other fellows; we took no prisoners that +day. Nine men lay dead. Horses were dead and dying all around, and the wounded +ones were crying in agony. +</p> + +<p> +“This white man proved to be a typical dandy, a queer leader for such a gang. +He was dressed in buckskin throughout, while his sombrero was as fine as money +could buy. You can know it was a fine one, for it was sold for company prize +money, and brought three hundred and fifty dollars. He had nearly four thousand +dollars on his person and in his saddle. A belt which we found on him had +eleven hundred in bills and six hundred in good old yellow gold. The silver in +the saddle was mixed, Mexican and American about equally. +</p> + +<p> +“He had as fine a gold watch in his pocket as you ever saw, while his firearms +and saddle were beauties. He was a dandy all right, and a fine-looking man, +over six feet tall, with swarthy complexion and hair like 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 of him. At that time there were over four +thousand criminals and outlaws described in it, but there was no description +that would fit him. For this reason we supposed that he must live far in the +interior of Mexico. +</p> + +<p> +“Our saddle stock was brought up, and our wounded were bandaged as best they +could be. My wound was the worst, so they concluded to send me back. One of the +boys went with me, and we made a fifty-mile ride before we got medical +attention. While I was in the hospital I got my divvy of the prize money, +something over four hundred dollars.” +</p> + +<p> +When Ramrod had finished his narrative, he was compelled to submit to a +cross-examination at the hands of Cushion-foot, for he delighted in a skirmish. +All his questions being satisfactorily answered, Cushion-foot drew up his +saddle alongside of where Ramrod lay stretched on a blanket, and seated +himself. This was a signal to the rest of us that he had a story, so we drew +near, for he spoke so low that you must be near to hear him. His years on the +frontier were rich in experience, though he seldom referred to them. +</p> + +<p> +Addressing himself to Ramrod, he began: “You might live amongst these border +Mexicans all your life and think you knew them; but every day you live you’ll +see new features about them. You can’t calculate on them with any certainty. +What they ought to do by any system of reasoning they never do. They will steal +an article and then give it away. You’ve heard the expression ‘robbing Peter to +pay Paul.’ Well, my brother played the rôle of Paul once himself. It was out in +Arizona at a place called Las Palomas. He was a stripling of a boy, but could +palaver Spanish in a manner that would make a Mexican ashamed of his ancestry. +He was about eighteen at this time and was working in a store. One morning as +he stepped outside the store, where he slept, he noticed quite a commotion over +around the custom-house. He noticed that the town was full of strangers, as he +crossed over toward the crowd. 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, and they +simply made him their prisoner. Just at that moment an alcalde rode up to the +group about him, and was ordered to halt. He saw at a glance they were +revolutionists, and whirling his mount attempted to escape, when one of them +shot him from his horse. The young fellow then saw what he was into. +</p> + +<p> +“They called themselves Timochis. They belonged in Mexico, and a year or so +before they refused to pay taxes that the Mexican government levied on them, +and rebelled. Their own government sent soldiers after them, resulting in about +eight hundred soldiers being killed, when they dispersed into small bands, one +of which was paying Las Palomas a social call that morning. Along the Rio +Grande it is only a short step at best from revolution to robbery, and either +calling has its variations. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, they took my brother with them to act as spokesman in looting the town. +The custom-house was a desired prize, and when my brother interpreted their +desires to the collector, he consented to open the safe, as life had charms for +him, even in Arizona. Uncle Sam’s strong-box yielded up over a thousand dobes. +They turned their attention to the few small stores of the town, looting them +of the money and goods as they went. There was quite a large store kept by a +Frenchman, who refused to open, when he realized that the Timochi was honoring +the town with his presence. They put the boy in the front and ordered him to +call on the Frenchman to open up. He said afterward that he put in a word for +himself, telling him not to do any shooting through the door. After some +persuasion the store was opened and proved to be quite a prize. Then they +turned their attention to the store where the boy worked. He unlocked it and +waved them in. He went into the cellar and brought up half a dozen bottles of +imported French Cognac, and invited the chief bandit and his followers to be +good enough to join him. In the mean time they had piled up on the counters +such things as they wanted. They made no money demand on him, the chief asking +him to set a price on the things they were taking. He made a hasty inventory of +the goods and gave the chief the figures, about one hundred and ten dollars. +The chief opened a sack that they had taken from the custom-house and paid the +bill with a flourish. +</p> + +<p> +“The chief then said that he had a favor to ask: that my brother should cheer +for the revolutionists, to identify him as a friend. That was easy, so he +mounted the counter and gave three cheers of ‘Viva los Timochis!’ 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 and recrossed the river. It was the best day’s trade +he had had in a long time. Now, here comes in the native. While the boy did +everything from compulsion and policy, the native element looked upon him with +suspicion. The owners of the store, knowing that this suspicion existed, +advised him to leave, and he did.” +</p> + +<p> +The two prisoners were sleeping soundly. Sleep comes easily to tired men, and +soon all but the solitary guard were wrapped in sleep, to fight anew in +rangers’ dreams scathless battles! +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +There was not lacking the pathetic shade in the redemption of this State from +crime and lawlessness. In the village burying-ground of Round Rock, Texas, is a +simple headstone devoid of any lettering save the name “Sam Bass.” His long +career of crime and lawlessness would fill a good-sized volume. He met his +death at the hands of Texas Rangers. Years afterward a woman, with all the +delicacy of her sex, and knowing the odium that was attached to his career, +came to this town from her home in the North and sought out his grave. As only +a woman can, when some strong tie of affection binds, this woman went to work +to mark the last resting-place of the wayward man. Concealing her own identity, +she performed these sacred rites, clothing in mystery her relation to the +criminal. The people of the village would not have withheld their services in +well-meant friendship, but she shrank from them, being a stranger. +</p> + +<p> +A year passed, and she came again. This time she brought the stone which marks +his last resting-place. The chivalry of this generous people was aroused in +admiration of a woman that would defy the calumny attached to an outlaw. While +she would have shrunk from kindness, had she been permitted, such devotion +could not go unchallenged. So she disclosed her identity. +</p> + +<p> +She was his sister. +</p> + +<p> +Bass was Northern born, and this sister was the wife of a respectable +practicing physician in Indiana. Womanlike, her love for a wayward brother +followed him beyond his disgraceful end. With her own hands she performed an +act that has few equals, as a testimony of love and affection for her own. +</p> + +<p> +For many years afterward she came annually, her timidity having worn away after +the generous reception accorded her at the hands of a hospitable people. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap08"></a>VIII<br/> +AT COMANCHE FORD</h2> + +<p> +“There’s our ford,” said Juan,—our half-blood trailer,—pointing to the +slightest sag in a low range of hills distant twenty miles. +</p> + +<p> +We were Texas Rangers. It was nearly noon of a spring day, and we had halted on +sighting our destination,—Comanche Ford on the Concho River. Less than three +days before, we had been lounging around camp, near Tepee City, one hundred and +seventy-five miles northeast of our present destination. A courier had reached +us with an emergency order, which put every man in the saddle within an hour +after its receipt. +</p> + +<p> +An outfit with eight hundred cattle had started west up the Concho. Their +destination was believed to be New Mexico. Suspicion rested on them, as they +had failed to take out inspection papers for moving the cattle, and what few +people had seen them declared that one half the cattle were brand burnt or +blotched beyond recognition. Besides, they had an outfit of twenty heavily +armed men, or twice as many as were required to manage a herd of that size. +</p> + +<p> +Our instructions were to make this crossing with all possible haste, and if our +numbers were too few, there to await assistance before dropping down the river +to meet the herd. When these courier orders reached us at Tepee, they found +only twelve men in camp, with not an officer above a corporal. Fortunately we +had Dad Root with us, a man whom every man in our company would follow as +though he had been our captain. He had not the advantage in years that his name +would indicate, but he was an exceedingly useful man in the service. He could +resight a gun, shoe a horse, or empty a six-shooter into a tree from the back +of a running horse with admirable accuracy. In dressing a gun-shot wound, he +had the delicate touch of a woman. Every man in the company went to him with +his petty troubles, and came away delighted. Therefore there was no question as +to who should be our leader on this raid; no one but Dad was even considered. +</p> + +<p> +Sending a brief note to the adjutant-general by this same courier, stating that +we had started with twelve men, we broke camp, and in less than an hour were +riding southwest. One thing which played into our hands in making this forced +ride was the fact that we had a number of extra horses on hand. For a few +months previous we had captured quite a number of stolen horses, and having no +chance to send into the settlements where they belonged, we used them as extra +riding horses. With our pack mules light and these extra saddlers for a change, +we covered the country rapidly. Sixteen hours a day in the saddle makes +camp-fires far apart. Dad, too, could always imagine that a few miles farther +on we would find a fine camping spot, and his views were law to us. +</p> + +<p> +We had been riding hard for an hour across a tableland known as Cibollo Mesa, +and now for the first time had halted at sighting our destination, yet distant +three hours’ hard riding. “Boys,” said Dad, “we’ll make it early to-day. I know +a fine camping spot near a big pool in the river. After supper we’ll all take a +swim, and feel as fresh as pond-lilies.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, we swim this evening, do we?” inquired Orchard. “That’s a Christian idea, +Dad, cleanliness, you know. Do we look as though a swim would improve our good +looks?” The fact that, after a ride like the one we were near finishing, every +man of us was saturated with fine alkaline dust, made the latter question +ludicrous. +</p> + +<p> +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 of Concho’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 all morning, and found it a paradise. We +fell out of our saddles, and tired 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 +on picket, it was a loose camp in a few moments’ time. There was no thought of +eating now, with such inviting swimming pools as the spring freshets had made. +</p> + +<p> +Dad soon located the big pool, for he had been there before, and shortly a +dozen men floundered and thrashed around in it like a school of dolphins. On +one side of the pool was a large sloping rock, from which splendid diving could +be had. On this rock we gathered like kid goats on a stump, or sunned ourselves +like lizards. To get the benefit of the deepest water, only one could dive at a +time. We were so bronzed from the sun that when undressed the protected parts +afforded a striking contrast to the brown bands about our necks. Orchard was +sitting on the rock waiting for his turn to dive, when Long John, patting his +naked shoulder, said admiringly,— +</p> + +<p> +“Orchard, if I had as purty a plump shoulder as you have, I’d have my picture +taken kind of half careless like—like the girls do sometimes. Wear one of those +far-away looks, roll up your eyes, and throw up your head like you was +listening for it to thunder. Then while in that attitude, act as if you didn’t +notice and let all your clothing fall entirely off your shoulder. If you’ll +have your picture taken that way and give me one, I’ll promise you to set a +heap of store by it, old man.” +</p> + +<p> +Orchard looked over the edge of the rock at his reflection in the water, and +ventured, “Wouldn’t I need a shave? and oughtn’t I to have a string of beads +around my swan-like neck, with a few spangles on it to glitter and sparkle? I’d +have to hold my right hand over this old gun scar in my left shoulder, so as +not to mar the beauty of the picture. Remind me of it, John, and I’ll have some +taken, and you shall have one.” +</p> + +<p> +A few minutes later Happy Jack took his place on the rim of the rock to make a +dive, his magnificent physique of six feet and two hundred pounds looming up +like a Numidian cavalryman, when Dad observed, “How comes it, Jack, that you +are so pitted in the face and neck with pox-marks, and there’s none on your +body?” +</p> + +<p> +“Just because they come that way, I reckon,” was the answer vouchsafed. “You +may think I’m funning, lads, but I never felt so supremely happy in all my life +as when I got well of the smallpox. I had one hundred and ninety dollars in my +pocket when I took down with them, and only had eight left when I got up and +was able to go to work.” Here, as he poised on tiptoe, with his hands +gracefully arched over his head for a dive, he was arrested in the movement by +a comment of one of the boys, to the effect that he “couldn’t see anything in +that to make a man so <i>supremely happy</i>.” +</p> + +<p> +He turned his head halfway round at the speaker, and never losing his poise, +remarked, “Well, but you must recollect that there was five of us taken down at +the same time, and the other four died,” and he made a graceful spring, boring +a hole in the water, which seethed around him, arising a moment later throwing +water like a porpoise, as though he wouldn’t exchange his position in life, +humble as it was, with any one of a thousand dead heroes. +</p> + +<p> +After an hour in the water and a critical examination of all the old gun-shot +wounds of our whole squad, and the consequent verdict that it was simply +impossible to kill a man, we returned to camp and began getting supper. There +was no stomach so sensitive amongst us that it couldn’t assimilate bacon, +beans, and black coffee. +</p> + +<p> +When we had done justice to the supper, the twilight hours of the evening were +spent in making camp snug for the night. Every horse or mule was either +picketed or hobbled. Every man washed his saddle blankets, 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 of firearms. As night settled over the camp, +everything was in order. The blankets were spread, and smoking and yarning +occupied the time until sleep claimed us. +</p> + +<p> +“Talking about the tight places,” said Orchard, “in which a man often finds +himself in this service, reminds me of a funny experience which I once had, out +on the head-waters of the Brazos. I’ve smelt powder at short range, and I’m +willing to admit there’s nothing fascinating in it. But this time I got +buffaloed by a bear. +</p> + +<p> +“There are a great many brakes on the head of the Brazos, and in them grow +cedar thickets. I forget now what the duty was that we were there on, but there +were about twenty of us in the detachment at the time. One morning, shortly +after daybreak, another lad and myself walked out to unhobble some extra horses +which we had with us. The horses had strayed nearly a mile from camp, and when +we found them they were cutting up as if they had been eating loco weed for a +month. When we came up to them, we saw that they were scared. These horses +couldn’t talk, but they told us that just over the hill was something they were +afraid of. +</p> + +<p> +“We crept up the little hill, and there over in a draw was the cause of their +fear,—a big old lank Cinnamon. He was feeding along, heading for a thicket of +about ten acres. The lad who was with me stayed and watched him, while I +hurried back, unhobbled the horses, and rushed them into camp. I hustled out +every man, and they cinched their hulls on those horses rapidly. By the time we +had reached the lad who had stayed to watch him, the bear had entered the +thicket, but unalarmed. Some fool suggested the idea that we could drive him +out in the open and rope him. The lay of the land would suggest such an idea, +for beyond this motte of cedar lay an impenetrable thicket of over a hundred +acres, which we thought he would head for if alarmed. There was a ridge of a +divide between these cedar brakes, and if the bear should attempt to cross +over, he would make a fine mark for a rope. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, I always was handy with a rope, and the boys knew it, so I and three +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 made a half-circle drive +through the grove, beating the brush and burning powder as though it didn’t +cost anything. We ropers up on the divide scattered out, hiding ourselves as +much as we could in the broken places. 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 think they had missed him or he had holed, when he suddenly +lumbered out directly opposite me and ambled away towards the big thicket. +</p> + +<p> +“I was riding a cream-colored horse, and he was as good a one as ever was built +on four pegs, except that he was nervous. He had never seen a bear, and when I +gave him the rowel, he went after that bear like a cat after a mouse. The first +sniff he caught of the bear, he whirled quicker than lightning, but I had made +my cast, and the loop settled over Mr. Bear’s shoulders, with one of his fore +feet through it. I had tied the rope in a hard knot to the pommel, and the way +my horse checked that bear was a caution. It must have made bruin mad. My horse +snorted and spun round like a top, and in less time than it takes to tell it, +there was a bear, a cream-colored horse, and a man sandwiched into a pile on +the ground, and securely tied with a three-eighths-inch rope. The horse had +lashed me into the saddle by winding the rope, and at the same time windlassed +the bear in on top of us. The horse cried with fear as though he was being +burnt to death, while the bear grinned and blew his breath in my face. The +running noose in the rope had cut his wind so badly, he could hardly offer much +resistance. It was a good thing he had his wind cut, or he would have made me +sorry I enlisted. I didn’t know it at the time, but my six-shooter had fallen +out of the holster, while the horse was lying on my carbine. +</p> + +<p> +“The other three rode up and looked at me, and they all needed killing. Horse, +bear, and man were so badly mixed up, they dared not shoot. One laughed till he +cried, another one was so near limp he looked like a ghost, while one finally +found his senses and, dismounting, cut the rope in half a dozen places and +untied the bundle. My horse floundered to his feet and ran off, but before the +bear could free the noose, the boys got enough lead into him at close quarters +to hold him down. The entire detachment came out of the thicket, and their +hilarity knew no bounds. I was the only man in the crowd who didn’t enjoy the +bear chase. Right then I made a resolve that hereafter, when volunteers are +called for to rope a bear, my accomplishments in that line will remain +unmentioned by me. I’ll eat my breakfast first, anyhow, and think it over +carefully.” +</p> + +<p> +“Dogs and horses are very much alike about a bear,” said one of the boys. “Take +a dog that never saw a bear in his life, and let him get a sniff of one, and +he’ll get up his bristles like a javeline and tuck his tail and look about for +good backing or a clear field to run.” +</p> + +<p> +Long John showed symptoms that he had some yarn to relate, so we naturally +remained silent to give him a chance, in case the spirit moved in him. Throwing +a brand into the fare after lighting his cigarette, he stretched himself on the +ground, and the expected happened. +</p> + +<p> +“A few years ago, while rangering down the country,” said he, “four of us had +trailed some horse-thieves down on the Rio Grande, when they gave us the slip +by crossing over into Mexico. We knew the thieves were just across the river, +so we hung around a few days, in the hope of catching them, for if they should +recross into Texas they were our meat. Our plans were completely upset the next +morning, by the arrival of twenty United States cavalrymen on the cold trail of +four deserters. The fact that these deserters were five days ahead and had +crossed into Mexico promptly on reaching the river, did not prevent this squad +of soldiers from notifying both villages on each side of the river as to their +fruitless errand. They couldn’t follow their own any farther, and they managed +to scare our quarry into hiding in the interior. We waited until the soldiers +returned to the post, when we concluded we would take a little <i>pasear</i> +over into Mexico on our own account. +</p> + +<p> +“We called ourselves horse-buyers. The government was paying like thirty +dollars for deserters, and in case we run across them, we figured it would pay +expenses to bring them out. These deserters were distinguishable wherever they +went by the size of their horses; besides, they had two fine big American mules +for packs. They were marked right for that country. Everything about them was +<i>muy grande</i>. We were five days overtaking them, and then at a town one +hundred and forty miles in the interior. They had celebrated their desertion +the day previous to our arrival by getting drunk, and when the horse-buyers +arrived they were in jail. This last condition rather frustrated our plans for +their capture, as we expected to kidnap them out. But now we had red tape +authorities to deal with. +</p> + +<p> +“We found the horses, mules, and accoutrements in a corral. They would be no +trouble to get, as the bill for their keep was the only concern of the +corral-keeper. Two of the boys who were in the party could palaver Spanish, so +they concluded to visit the alcalde of the town, inquiring after horses in +general and incidentally finding out when our deserters would be released. The +alcalde received the boys with great politeness, for Americans were rare +visitors in his town, and after giving them all the information available +regarding horses, the subject innocently changed to the American prisoners in +jail. The alcalde informed them that he was satisfied they were deserters, and +not knowing just what to do with them he had sent a courier that very morning +to the governor for instructions in the matter. He estimated it would require +at least ten days to receive the governor’s reply. In the mean time, much as he +regretted it, they would remain prisoners. Before parting, those two innocents +permitted their host to open a bottle of wine as an evidence of the friendly +feeling, and at the final leave-taking, they wasted enough politeness on each +other to win a woman. +</p> + +<p> +“When the boys returned to us other two, we were at our wits’ end. We were +getting disappointed too often. The result was that we made up our minds that +rather than throw up, we would take those deserters out of jail and run the +risk of getting away with them. We had everything in readiness an hour before +nightfall. We explained, to the satisfaction of the Mexican hostler who had the +stock in charge, that the owners of these animals were liable to be detained in +jail possibly a month, and to avoid the expense of their keeping, we would +settle the bill for our friends and take the stock with us. When the time came +every horse was saddled and the mules packed and in readiness. We had even +moved our own stock into the same corral, which was only a short distance from +the jail. +</p> + +<p> +“As night set in we approached the <i>carsel</i>. The turnkey answered our +questions very politely through a grated iron door, and to our request to speak +with the prisoners, he regretted that they were being fed at that moment, and +we would have to wait a few minutes. He unbolted the door, however, and offered +to show us into a side room, an invitation we declined. Instead, we relieved +him of his keys and made known our errand. 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 we wanted and march them out, locking the gates behind us and +taking jailer and keys with us. Once in the saddle, we bade the poor turnkey +good-by and returned him his keys. +</p> + +<p> +“We rode fast, but in less than a quarter of an hour there was a clanging of +bells which convinced us that the alarm had been given. Our prisoners took +kindly to the rescue and rode willingly, but we were careful to conceal our +identity or motive. We felt certain there would be pursuit, if for no other +purpose, to justify official authority. We felt easy, for we were well mounted, +and if it came to a pinch, we would burn powder with them, one round at least. +</p> + +<p> +“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, with the North Star +for a guide, we put over fifty miles behind us before sunrise. It was +impossible to secrete ourselves the next day, for we were compelled to have +water for ourselves and stock. To conceal the fact that our friends were +prisoners, we returned them their arms after throwing away their ammunition. We +had to enter several ranches during the day to secure food and water, but made +no particular effort to travel. +</p> + +<p> +“About four o’clock we set out, and to our surprise, too, a number of horsemen +followed us until nearly dark. Passing through a slight shelter, in which we +were out of sight some little time, two of us dropped back and awaited our +pursuers. As they came up within hailing distance, we ordered them to halt, +which they declined by whirling their horses and burning the earth getting +away. We threw a few rounds of lead after them, but they cut all desire for our +acquaintance right there. +</p> + +<p> +“We reached the river at a nearer point than the one at which we had entered, +and crossed to the Texas side early the next morning. We missed a good ford by +two miles and swam the river. At this ford was stationed a squad of regulars, +and we turned our prizes over within an hour after crossing. We took a receipt +for the men, stock, and equipments, and when we turned it over to our captain a +week afterwards, 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 for the capture of +four deserters.” +</p> + +<p> +“I don’t reckon that captain had any scruples about taking his share of the +prize money, did he?” inquired Gotch. +</p> + +<p> +“No, I never knew anything like that to happen since I’ve been in the service.” +</p> + +<p> +“There used to be a captain in one of the upper country companies that held +religious services in his company, and the boys claimed that he was equally +good on a prayer, a fight, or holding aces in a poker game,” said Gotch, as he +filled his pipe. +</p> + +<p> +Amongst Dad’s other accomplishments was his unfailing readiness to tell of his +experiences in the service. So after he had looked over the camp in general, he +joined the group of lounging smokers and told us of an Indian fight in which he +had participated. +</p> + +<p> +“I can’t imagine how this comes to be called Comanche Ford,” said Dad. “Now the +Comanches crossed over into the Panhandle country annually for the purpose of +killing buffalo. For diversion and pastime, they were always willing to add +horse-stealing and the murdering of settlers as a variation. They used to come +over in big bands to hunt, and when ready to go back to their reservation in +the Indian Territory, they would send the squaws on ahead, while the bucks +would split into small bands and steal all the good horses in sight. +</p> + +<p> +“Our old company was ordered out on the border once, when the Comanches were +known to be south of Red River killing buffalo. This meant that on their return +it would be advisable to look out for your horses or they would be missing. In +order to cover as much territory as possible, the company was cut in three +detachments. Our squad had twenty men in it under a lieutenant. We were +patrolling a country known as the Tallow Cache Hills, glades and black-jack +cross timbers alternating. All kinds of rumors of Indian depredations were +reaching us almost daily, yet so far we had failed to locate or see an Indian. +</p> + +<p> +“One day at noon we packed up and were going to move our camp farther west, +when a scout, who had gone on ahead, rushed back with the news that he had +sighted a band of Indians with quite a herd of horses pushing north. We led our +pack mules, and keeping the shelter of the timber started to cut them off in +their course. When we first sighted them, they were just crossing a glade, and +the last buck had just left the timber. He had in his mouth an arrow shaft, +which he was turning between his teeth to remove the sap. All had guns. The +first warning the Indians received of our presence was a shot made by one of +the men at this rear Indian. He rolled off his horse like a stone, and the next +morning when we came back over their trail, he had that unfinished arrow in a +death grip between his teeth. That first shot let the cat out, and we went +after them. +</p> + +<p> +“We had two big piebald calico mules, and when we charged those Indians, those +pack mules outran every saddle horse which we had, and dashing into their horse +herd, scattered them like partridges. Nearly every buck was riding a stolen +horse, and for some cause they couldn’t get any speed out of them. We just rode +all around them. There proved to be twenty-two Indians in the band, and one of +them was a squaw. She was killed by accident. +</p> + +<p> +“The chase had covered about two miles, when the horse she was riding fell from +a shot by some of our crowd. The squaw recovered herself and came to her feet +in time to see several carbines in the act of being leveled at her by our men. +She instantly threw open the slight covering about her shoulders and revealed +her sex. Some one called out not to shoot, that it was a squaw, and the +carbines were lowered. As this squad passed on, she turned and ran for the +protection of the nearest timber, and a second squad coming up and seeing the +fleeing Indian, fired on her, killing her instantly. She had done the very +thing she should not have done. +</p> + +<p> +“It was a running fight from start to finish. We got the last one in the band +about seven miles from the first one. The last one to fall was mounted on a +fine horse, and if he had only ridden intelligently, he ought to have escaped. +The funny thing about it was he was overtaken by the dullest, sleepiest horse +in our command. The shooting and 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 own horse being recently wounded, he hung on one side of the +animal and returned the fire. At a range of ten yards he planted a bullet +squarely in the leader’s forehead, his own horse falling at the same instant. +Those two horses fell dead so near that you could have tied their tails +together. Our man was thrown so suddenly, that he came to his feet dazed, his +eyes filled with dirt. The Indian stood not twenty steps away and fired several +shots at him. Our man, in his blindness, stood there and beat the air with his +gun, expecting the Indian to rush on him every moment. Had the buck used his +gun for a club, it might have been different, but as long as he kept shooting, +his enemy was safe. Half a dozen of us, who were near enough to witness his +final fight, dashed up, and the Indian fell riddled with bullets. +</p> + +<p> +“We went into camp after the fight was over with two wounded men and half a +dozen dead or disabled horses. Those of us who had mounts in good fix scoured +back and gathered in our packs and all the Indian and stolen horses that were +unwounded. It looked like a butchery, but our minds were greatly relieved on +that point the next day, when we found among their effects over a dozen fresh, +bloody scalps, mostly women and children. There’s times and circumstances in +this service that make the toughest of us gloomy.” +</p> + +<p> +“How long ago was that?” inquired Orchard. +</p> + +<p> +“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 the reconstruction days, +when Davis was governor. Figure it out yourself.” +</p> + +<p> +“Speaking of the disagreeable side of this service,” said Happy Jack, “reminds +me of an incident that took all the nerve out of every one connected with it. +When I first went into the service, there was a well-known horse-thief and +smuggler down on the river, known as El Lobo. He operated on both sides of the +Rio Grande, but generally stole his horses from the Texas side. He was a night +owl. It was nothing for him to be seen at some ranch in the evening, and the +next morning be met seventy-five or eighty miles distant. He was a good judge +of horse-flesh, and never stole any but the best. His market was well in the +interior of Mexico, and he supplied it liberally. He was a typical dandy, and +like a sailor had a wife in every port. That was his weak point, and there’s +where we attacked him. +</p> + +<p> +“He had made all kinds of fun of this service, and we concluded to have him at +any cost. Accordingly we located his women and worked on them. Mexican beauty +is always over-rated, but one of his conquests in that line came as near being +the ideal for a rustic beauty as that nationality produces. This girl was about +twenty, and lived with a questionable mother at a ranchito back from the river +about thirty miles. In form and feature there was nothing lacking, while the +smouldering fire of her black eyes would win saint or thief alike. Born in +poverty and ignorance, she was a child of circumstance, and fell an easy victim +to El Lobo, who lavished every attention upon her. There was no present too +costly for him, and on his periodical visits he dazzled her with gifts. But +infatuations of that class generally have an end, often a sad one. +</p> + +<p> +“We had a half-blood in our company, who was used as a rival to El Lobo in +gathering any information that might be afloat, and at the same time, when +opportunity offered, in sowing the wormwood of jealousy. This was easy, for we +collected every item in the form of presents he ever made her rival señoritas. +When these forces were working, our half-blood pushed his claims for +recognition. Our wages and prize money were at his disposal, and in time they +won. The neglect shown her by El Lobo finally turned her against him, +apparently, and she agreed to betray his whereabouts the first opportunity—on +one condition. And that was, that if we succeeded in capturing him, we were to +bring him before her, that she might, in his helplessness, taunt him for his +perfidy towards her. We were willing to make any concession to get him, so this +request was readily granted. +</p> + +<p> +“The deserted condition of the ranchito where the girl lived was to our +advantage as well as his. The few families that dwelt there had their flocks to +look after, and the coming or going of a passer-by was scarcely noticed. Our +man on his visits carefully concealed the fact that he was connected with this +service, for El Lobo’s lavish use of money made him friends wherever he went, +and afforded him all the seclusion he needed. +</p> + +<p> +“It was over a month before the wolf made his appearance, and we were informed +of the fact. He stayed at an outside pastor’s camp, visiting the ranch only +after dark. A corral was mentioned, where within a few days’ time, at the +farthest, he would pen a bunch of saddle horses. There had once been wells at +this branding pen, but on their failing to furnish water continuously they had +been abandoned. El Lobo had friends at his command to assist him in securing +the best horses in the country. So accordingly we planned to pay our respects +to him at these deserted wells. +</p> + +<p> +“The second night of our watch, we were rewarded by having three men drive into +these corrals about twenty saddle horses. They had barely time to tie their +mounts outside and enter the pen, when four of us slipped in behind them and +changed the programme a trifle. El Lobo was one of the men. He was very polite +and nice, but that didn’t prevent us from ironing him securely, as we did his +companions also. +</p> + +<p> +“It was almost midnight when we reached the ranchito where the girl lived. We +asked him if he had any friends at this ranch whom he wished to see. This he +denied. When we informed him that by special request a lady wished to bid him +farewell, he lost some of his bluster and bravado. We all dismounted, leaving +one man outside with the other two prisoners, and entered a small yard where +the girl lived. Our half-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 +the necessity of irons and our presence in meeting his Dulce Corazon. When the +girl came out we were some distance from the jacal. There was just moonlight +enough to make her look beautiful. +</p> + +<p> +“As she advanced, she called him by some pet name in their language, when he +answered her gruffly, accusing her of treachery, and turned his back upon her. +She approached within a few feet, when it was noticeable that she was racked +with emotion, and asked him if he had no kind word for her. Turning on her, he +repeated the accusation of treachery, and applied a vile expression to her. +That moment the girl flashed into a fiend, and throwing a shawl from her +shoulders, revealed a pistol, firing it twice before a man could stop her. El +Lobo sank in his tracks, and she begged us to let her trample his lifeless +body. Later, when composed, she told us that we had not used her any more than +she had used us, in bringing him helpless to her. As things turned out it +looked that way. +</p> + +<p> +“We lashed the dead thief on his horse and rode until daybreak, when we buried +him. We could have gotten a big reward for him dead or alive, and we had the +evidence of his death, but the manner in which we got it made it undesirable. +El Lobo was missed, but the manner of his going was a secret of four men and a +Mexican girl. The other two prisoners went over the road, and we even reported +to them that he had attempted to strangle her, and we shot him to save her. +Something had to be said.” +</p> + +<p> +The smoking and yarning had ended. Darkness had settled over the camp but a +short while, when every one was sound asleep. It must have been near midnight +when a number of us were aroused by the same disturbance. The boys sat bolt +upright and listened eagerly. We were used to being awakened by shots, and the +cause of our sudden awakening was believed to be the same,—a shot. While the +exchange of opinion was going the round, all anxiety on that point was +dispelled by a second shot, the flash of which could be distinctly seen across +the river below the ford. +</p> + +<p> +As Dad stood up and answered it with a shrill whistle, every man reached for +his carbine and flattened himself out on the ground. The whistle was answered, +and shortly the splash of quite a cavalcade could be heard fording the river. +Several times they halted, our fire having died out, and whistles were +exchanged between them and Root. When they came within fifty yards of camp and +their outlines could be distinguished against the sky line in the darkness, +they were ordered to halt, and a dozen carbines clicked an accompaniment to the +order. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you?” demanded Root. +</p> + +<p> +“A detachment from Company M, Texas Rangers,” was the reply. +</p> + +<p> +“If you are Rangers, give us a maxim of the service,” said Dad. +</p> + +<p> +“<i>Don’t wait for the other man to shoot first</i>,” came the response. +</p> + +<p> +“Ride in, that passes here,” was Dad’s greeting and welcome. +</p> + +<p> +They were a detachment of fifteen men, and had ridden from the Pecos on the +south, nearly the same distance which we had come. They had similar orders to +ours, but were advised that they would meet our detachment at this ford. In +less than an hour every man was asleep again, and quiet reigned in the Ranger +camp at Comanche Ford on the Concho. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap09"></a>IX<br/> +AROUND THE SPADE WAGON</h2> + +<p> +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 shaggy winter coats to +glossy suits of summer silk. The brands were as readable as an alphabet. +</p> + +<p> +It was one day yet before the round-up of the Cherokee Strip. This strip of +leased Indian lands was to be worked in three divisions. We were on our way to +represent the Coldwater Pool in the western division, on the annual round-up. +Our outfit was four men and thirty horses. We were to represent a range that +had twelve thousand cattle on it, a total of forty-seven brands. We had been in +the saddle since early morning, and as we came out on a narrow divide, we +caught our first glimpse of the Cottonwoods at Antelope Springs, the rendezvous +for this division. The setting sun was scarcely half an hour high, and the camp +was yet five miles distant. We had covered sixty miles that day, traveling +light, our bedding lashed on gentle saddle horses. We rode up the mesa quite a +little distance to avoid some rough broken country, 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 dim distance, while small bands of saddle horses could be +distinctly seen grazing about. +</p> + +<p> +When we halted at noon that day to change our mounts, we sighted to the +northward some seven miles distant an outfit similar to our own. We were on the +lookout for this cavalcade; they were supposed to be the “Spade” outfit, on +their way to attend the round-up in the middle division, where our pasture lay. +This year, as in years past, we had exchanged the courtesies of the range with +them. Their men on our division were made welcome at our wagon, and we on +theirs were extended the same courtesy. For this reason we had hoped to meet +them and exchange the chronicle of the day, concerning the condition of cattle +on their range, the winter drift, and who would be captain this year on the +western division, but had traveled the entire day without meeting a man. +</p> + +<p> +Night had almost set in when we reached the camp, and to our satisfaction and +delight found the Spade wagon already there, though their men and horses would +not arrive until the next day. To hungry men like ourselves, the welcome of +their cook was hospitality in the fullest sense of the word. We stretched ropes +from the wagon wheels, and in a few moments’ time were busy hobbling our +mounts. Darkness had settled over the camp as we were at this work, while an +occasional horseman rode by with the common inquiry, “Whose outfit is this?” +and the cook, with one end of the rope in his hand, would feel the host in him +sufficiently to reply in tones supercilious, “The Coldwater Pool men are with +us this year.” +</p> + +<p> +Our arrival was heralded through the camp with the same rapidity with which +gossip circulates, equally in a tenement alley or the upper crust of society. +The cook had informed us that we had been inquired for by some Panhandle man; +so before we had finished hobbling, a stranger sang out across the ropes in the +darkness, “Is Billy Edwards here?” Receiving an affirmative answer from among +the horses’ feet, he added, “Come out, then, and shake hands with a friend.” +</p> + +<p> +Edwards arose from his work, and looking across the backs of the circle of +horses about him, at the undistinguishable figure at the rope, replied, +“Whoever you are, I reckon the acquaintance will hold good until I get these +horses hobbled.” +</p> + +<p> +“Who is it?” inquired “Mouse” from over near the hind wheel of the wagon, where +he was applying the hemp to the horses’ ankles. +</p> + +<p> +“I don’t know,” said Billy, as he knelt among the horses and resumed his +work,—“some geranium out there wants me to come out and shake hands, pow-wow, +and make some medicine with him; that’s all. Say, we’ll leave Chino for picket, +and that Chihuahua cutting horse of Coon’s, you have to put a rope on when you +come to him. He’s too touchy to sabe hobbles if you don’t.” +</p> + +<p> +When we had finished hobbling, and the horses were turned loose, the stranger +proved to be “Babe” Bradshaw, an old chum of Edwards’s. The Spade cook added an +earthly laurel to his temporal crown with the supper to which he shortly +invited us. Bradshaw had eaten with the general wagon, but he sat around while +we ate. There was little conversation during the supper, for our appetites were +such and the spread so inviting that it simply absorbed us. +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t bother me,” said Edwards to his old chum, in reply to some inquiry. +“Can’t you see that I’m occupied at present?” +</p> + +<p> +We did justice to the supper, having had no dinner that day. The cook even +urged, with an earnestness worthy of a motherly landlady, several dishes, but +his browned potatoes and roast beef claimed our attention. “Well, what are you +doing in this country anyhow?” inquired Edwards of Bradshaw, when the inner man +had been thoroughly satisfied. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, sir, I have a document in my pocket, with sealing wax but no ribbons on +it, which says that I am the duly authorized representative of the Panhandle +Cattle Association. I also have a book in my pocket showing every brand and the +names of its owners, and there is a whole raft of them. I may go to St. Louis +to act as inspector for my people when the round-up ends.” +</p> + +<p> +“You’re just as windy as ever, Babe,” said Billy. “Strange I didn’t recognize +you when you first spoke. You’re getting natural now, though. I suppose you’re +borrowing horses, like all these special inspectors do. It’s all right with me, +but good men must be scarce in your 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 about forty-seven brands. Possibly you’d better not cut any of their +cattle or you might get them cut back on you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Do you remember,” said Babe, “when I dissolved with the ‘Ohio’ outfit and +bought in with the ‘LX’ people?” +</p> + +<p> +“When you what?” repeated Edwards. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, then, when I was discharged by the ‘Ohio’s’ and got a job ploughing +fire-guards with the ‘LX’s.’ Is that plain enough for your conception? I +learned a lesson then that has served me since to good advantage. Don’t +hesitate to ask for the best job on the works, for if you don’t you’ll see some +one get it that isn’t as well qualified to fill it as you are. So if you happen +to be in St. Louis, call around and see me at the Panhandle headquarters. Don’t +send in any card by a nigger; walk right in. I might give you some other +pointers, but you couldn’t appreciate them. You’ll more than likely be driving +a chuck-wagon in a few years.” +</p> + +<p> +These old cronies from boyhood sparred along in give-and-take repartee for some +time, finally drifting back to boyhood days, while the harshness that pervaded +their conversation before became mild and genial. +</p> + +<p> +“Have you ever been back in old San Saba since we left?” inquired Edwards after +a long meditative silence. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, yes, I spent a winter back there two years ago, though it was hard lines +to enjoy yourself. I managed to romance about for two or three months, sowing +turnip seed and teaching dancing-school. The girls that you and I knew are +nearly all married.” +</p> + +<p> +“What ever became of the O’Shea girls?” asked Edwards. “You know that I was +high card once with the eldest.” +</p> + +<p> +“You’d better comfort yourself with the thought,” answered Babe, “for you +couldn’t play third fiddle in her string now. You remember old Dennis O’Shea +was land-poor all his life. Well, in the land and cattle boom a few years ago +he was picked up and set on a pedestal. It’s wonderful what money can do! The +old man was just common bog Irish all his life, until a cattle syndicate bought +his lands and cattle for twice what they were worth. Then he blossomed into a +capitalist. He always 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. The old +man used to say that the prettiest sight he ever saw was the smoke arising from +a ‘Snake’ branding-iron. They moved to town, and have been to Europe since they +left the ranch. Jed Lynch, you know, was smitten on the youngest girl. Well, he +had the nerve to call on them after 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 a nigger meets you. It must make a man feel awkward to live around a wagon +all his days, and then suddenly change to style and put on a heap of dog. Jed +says the red-headed girl, the middle one, married some fellow, and they live +with the old folks. He says the other girls treated him nicely, but the old +lady, she has got it bad. He says that she just languishes on a sofa, cuts into +the conversation now and then, and simply swells up. She don’t let the old man +come into the parlor at all. Jed says that when the girls were describing their +trip through Europe, one of them happened to mention Rome, when the old lady +interrupted: ‘Rome? Rome? Let me see, I’ve forgotten, girls. Where is Rome?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Don’t you remember when we were in Italy,’ said one of the girls, trying to +refresh her memory. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Oh, yes, now I remember; that’s where I bought you girls such nice long red +stockings.’ +</p> + +<p> +“The girls suddenly remembered some duty about the house that required their +immediate attention, and Jed says that he looked out of the window.” +</p> + +<p> +“So you think I’ve lost my number, do you?” commented Edwards, as he lay on his +back and fondly patted a comfortable stomach. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, possibly I have, but it’s some consolation to remember that that very +good woman that you’re slandering used to give me the glad hand 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!” +</p> + +<p> +They were singing over at one of the wagons across the draw, and after the song +ended, Bradshaw asked, “What ever became of Raneka Bill Hunter?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, he’s drifting about,” said Edwards. “Mouse here can tell you about him. +They’re old college chums.” +</p> + +<p> +“Raneka was working for the ‘-BQ’ people last summer,” said Mouse, “but was +discharged for hanging a horse, or rather he discharged himself. 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 bad horses for his string. As Raneka was a +new man there, the result was that some excuse was given him to change, and +they rung in a spoilt horse on him in changing. Being new that way, he wasn’t +on to the horses. The first time he tried to saddle this new horse he showed up +bad. The horse trotted up to him when the rope fell on his neck, reared up +nicely and playfully, and threw out his forefeet, stripping the three upper +buttons off Bill’s vest pattern. Bill never said a word about his intentions, +but tied him to the corral fence and saddled up his own private horse. There +were several men around camp, but they said nothing, being a party to the deal, +though they noticed Bill riding away with the spoilt horse. He took him down on +the creek about a mile from camp and hung him. +</p> + +<p> +“How did he do it? Why, there was a big cottonwood grew on a bluff bank of the +creek. One limb hung out over the bluff, over the bed of the creek. He left the +running noose on the horse’s neck, climbed out on this overhanging limb, taking +the rope through a fork directly over the water. He then climbed down and +snubbed the free end of the rope to a small tree, and began taking in his +slack. When the rope began to choke the horse, he reared and plunged, throwing +himself over the bluff. That settled his ever hurting any one. He was hung +higher than Haman. Bill never went back to the camp, but struck out for other +quarters. There was a month’s wages coming to him, but he would get that later +or they might keep it. Life had charms for an old-timer like Bill, and he +didn’t hanker for any reputation as a broncho-buster. It generally takes a +verdant to pine for such honors. +</p> + +<p> +“Last winter when Bill was riding the chuck line, he ran up against a new +experience. It seems that some newcomer bought a range over on Black Bear. This +new man sought to set at defiance the customs of the range. It was currently +reported that he had refused to invite people to stay for dinner, and preferred +that no one would ask for a night’s lodging, even in winter. This was the +gossip of the camps for miles around, so Bill and some juniper of a pardner +thought they would make a call on him and see how it was. They made it a point +to reach his camp shortly after noon. They met the owner just coming out of the +dug-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 a padlock. Bill sparred +around the main question, but finally asked if it was too late to get dinner, +and was very politely informed that dinner was over. This latter information +was, however, qualified with a profusion of regrets. After a confession of a +hard ride made that morning from a camp many miles distant, Bill asked the +chance to remain over night. Again the travelers were met with serious regrets, +as no one would be at camp that night, business calling the owner away; he was +just starting then. The cowman led out his horse, and after mounting and +expressing for the last time his sincere regrets that he could not extend to +them the hospitalities of his camp, rode away. +</p> + +<p> +“Bill and his pardner moseyed in an opposite direction a short distance and +held a parley. Bill was so nonplussed at the reception that it took him some +little time to collect his thoughts. When it thoroughly dawned on him that the +courtesies of the range had been trampled under foot by a rank newcomer and +himself snubbed, he was aroused to action. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Let’s go back,’ said Bill to his pardner, ‘and at least leave our card. He +might not like it if we didn’t.’ +</p> + +<p> +“They went back and dismounted about ten steps from the door. They shot every +cartridge they both had, over a hundred between them, through the door, +fastened a card with their correct names on it, and rode away. One of the boys +that was working there, but was absent at the time, says there was a number of +canned tomato and corn crates ranked up at the rear of the dug-out, in range +with the door. This lad says that it looked as if they had a special grievance +against those canned goods, for they were riddled with lead. That fellow lost +enough by that act to have fed all the chuck-line men that would bother him in +a year. +</p> + +<p> +“Raneka made it a rule,” continued Mouse, “to go down and visit the Cheyennes +every winter, sometimes staying a month. He could make a good stagger at +speaking their tongue, so that together with his knowledge of the Spanish and +the sign language he could converse with them readily. He was perfectly at home +with them, and they all liked him. 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-shipping season, 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 to see +about the cars and find out when we could pen and the like. We had to drive to +the State line, then, to ship. George took dinner at the best hotel in the +town, and asked one of the dining-room girls if he might 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 girls in the dining-room, and they were on the +lookout for the Indian. The next night we penned a little before dark. Not a +man would eat at the wagon; 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, +and had him all togged out in buckskin, even to moccasins. As we entered the +dining-room, George led him by the hand, assuring all the girls that he was +perfectly harmless. One long table accommodated us all. George, who sat at the +head with our Indian on his right, begged the girls not to act as though they +were afraid; he might notice it. Wall fed him pickles and lump sugar until the +supper was brought on. Then he pushed back his chair about four feet, and +stared at the girls like an 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 ate one side dish at a time. Finally, when he had eaten everything that +suited his taste, he stood up and signed with his hands to the group of girls, +muttering, ‘Wo-haw, wo-haw.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘He wants some more beef,’ said Wall. ‘Bring him some more beef.’ After a +while he stood up and signed again, George interpreting his wants to the +dining-room girls: ‘Bring him some coffee. He’s awful fond of coffee.’ +</p> + +<p> +“That supper lasted an hour, and he ate enough to kill a horse. As we left the +dining-room, he tried to carry away a sugar-bowl, but Wall took it away from +him. As we passed out George turned back and apologized to the girls, saying, +‘He’s a good Injun. I promised him he might eat with us. He’ll talk about this +for months now. When he goes back to his tribe he’ll tell his squaws all about +you girls feeding him.’” +</p> + +<p> +“Seems like I remember that fellow Wall,” said Bradshaw, meditating. +</p> + +<p> +“Why, of course you do. Weren’t you with us when we voted the bonds to the +railroad company?” asked Edwards. +</p> + +<p> +“No, never heard of it; must have been after I left. What business did you have +voting bonds?” +</p> + +<p> +“Tell him, Coon. I’m too full for utterance,” said Edwards. +</p> + +<p> +“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 darkies at 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 new line got among the long-horns, who own the cattle +on this Strip, and showed them that it was to their interests to get a +competing line in the cattle traffic. The result was, these old long-horns got +owly, laid their heads together, and made a little medicine. Every mother’s son +of us in the Strip was entitled to claim a home somewhere, so they put it up +that we should come in and vote for the bonds. It was believed it would be a +close race if they carried, for it was by counties that the bonds were voted. +Towns that the road would run through would vote unanimously for them, but +outlying towns would vote solidly against the bonds. There was a big lot of +money used, wherever it came from, for we were royally entertained. Two or +three days before the date set for the election, they began to head for this +cow-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 the cattle interests. We +gave it not only our votes, but moral support likewise. +</p> + +<p> +“It was a great gathering. The hotels fed us, and the liveries cared for our +horses. The liquid refreshments were provided by the prohibition 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 run through 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 our town to counteract our exertions. Public sentiment was a delicate +matter with us, and while this man had no influence with any of us, we didn’t +feel the same toward him as we might. He was distributing his tickets around, +and putting up a good argument, possibly, from his point of view, when some of +these old long-horns hinted to the boys to show the fellow that he wasn’t +wanted. ‘Don’t hurt him,’ said one old cow-man to this same Wall, ‘but give him +a scare, so he will know that we don’t indorse him a little bit. Let him know +that this town knows how to vote without being told. I’ll send a man to rescue +him, when things have gone far enough. You’ll know when to let up.’ +</p> + +<p> +“That was sufficient. George went into a store and cut off about fifty feet 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 dropped over his neck, and cut short his +argument. We led him a block and a half through the little town, during which +there was a pointed argument between Wall and a “Z——” man whether the city +scales or the stockyards arch gate would be the best place to hang him. There +were a 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 a knife cut the +rope within a few feet of his neck. ‘What in hell are you varments trying to +do?’ roared the druggist. ‘This man is a cousin of mine. Going to hang him, are +you? Well, you’ll have to hang me with him when you do.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Just as soon make it two as one,’ snarled George. ‘When did you get the chips +in this game, I’d like to know? Oppose the progress of the town, too, do you?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘No, I don’t,’ said the druggist, ‘and I’ll see that my cousin here doesn’t.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘That’s all we ask, then,’ said Wall; ‘turn him loose, boys. We don’t want to +hang no man. We hold you responsible if he opens his mouth again against the +bonds.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hold me responsible, gentlemen,’ said the druggist, with a profound bow. +‘Come with me, Cousin,’ he said to the Anti. +</p> + +<p> +“The druggist took him through his store, and up some back stairs; and once 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 this town. By this act I’ll incur the +hatred of these people that I live amongst. 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’s sake, don’t give me away.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Is—is—is the four o’clock train the first out?’ inquired the new cousin. +</p> + +<p> +“‘It is the first. I’ll see you through this. I’ll come up and see you every +hour. Take things cool and easy now. I’m your friend, remember,’ was the +comfort they parted on. +</p> + +<p> +“There were over seven hundred votes cast, and only one against the bonds. How +that one vote got in is yet a mystery. There were no hard drinkers among the +boys, all easy drinkers, men that never refused to drink. Yet voting was a +little new to them, and possibly that was how this mistake occurred. We got the +returns early in the evening. The county had gone by a handsome majority for +the bonds. The committee on entertainment had provided a ball for us in the +basement of the Opera House, it being the largest room in town. When the good +news began to circulate, the merchants began building bonfires. Fellows who +didn’t have extra togs on for the ball got out their horses, and in squads of +twenty to fifty rode through the town, painting her red. If there was one shot +fired that night, there were ten thousand. +</p> + +<p> +“I bought a white shirt and went to the ball. To show you how general the good +feeling amongst everybody was, I squeezed the hand of an alfalfa widow during a +waltz, who instantly reported the affront offered to her gallant. In her +presence he took me to task for the offense. ‘Young man,’ said the doctor, with +a quiet wink,’ this lady is under my protection. The fourteenth amendment don’t +apply to you nor me. Six-shooters, however, make us equal. Are you armed?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘I am, sir.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Unfortunately, I am not. Will you kindly excuse me, say ten minutes?’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘Certainly, sir, with pleasure.’ +</p> + +<p> +“‘There are ladies present,’ he observed. ‘Let us retire.’ +</p> + +<p> +“On my consenting, he turned to the offended dame, and in spite of her protests +and appeals to drop matters, we left the ballroom, glaring daggers at each +other. Once outside, he slapped me on the back, and said, ‘Say, we’ll just have +time to run up to my office, where I have some choice old copper-distilled, +sent me by a very dear friend in Kentucky.’ +</p> + +<p> +“The goods were all he claimed for them, and on our return he asked me as a +personal favor to apologize to the lady, admitting that he was none too solid +with her himself. My doing so, he argued, would fortify him with her and wipe +out rivals. The doctor was a rattling good fellow, and I’d even taken off my +new shirt for him, if he’d said the word. When I made the apology, I did it on +the grounds that I could not afford to have any difference, especially with a +gentleman who would willingly risk his life for a lady who claimed his +protection. +</p> + +<p> +“No, if you never heard of voting the bonds you certainly haven’t kept very +close tab on affairs in this Strip. Two or three men whom I know refused to go +in and vote. They ain’t working in this country now. It took some of the boys +ten days to go and come, but there wasn’t a word said. Wages went on just the +same. You ain’t asleep, are you, Don Guillermo?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, no,” said Edwards, with a yawn, “I feel just like the nigger did when he +eat his fill of possum, corn bread, and new molasses: pushed the platter away +and said, ‘Go way, ’lasses, you done los’ yo’ sweetness.’” +</p> + +<p> +Bradshaw made several attempts to go, but each time some thought would enter +his mind and he would return with questions about former acquaintances. Finally +he inquired, “What ever became of that little fellow who was sick about your +camp?” +</p> + +<p> +Edwards meditated until Mouse said, “He’s thinking about little St. John, the +fiddler.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, yes, Patsy St. John, the little glass-blower,” said Edwards, as he 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 same for me—I closed his eyes +when he died. You know he came to us with the mark on his brow. There was no +escape; he had consumption. He wanted to live, and struggled hard to avoid +going. Until three days before his death he was hopeful; always would tell us +how much better he 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 on +trips that we were afraid would be his last. There wasn’t a man on the range +who ever said ‘No’ to him. He was one of those little men you can’t help but +like; small physically, but with a heart as big as an ox’s. He lived about +three years on the range, was welcome wherever he went, and never made an enemy +or lost a friend. He couldn’t; it wasn’t in him. I don’t remember now how he +came to the range, but think he was advised by doctors to lead an outdoor life +for a change. +</p> + +<p> +“He was born in the South, and was a glass-blower by occupation. He would have +died sooner, but for his pluck and confidence that he would get well. He +changed his mind one morning, lost hope that he would ever get well, and died +in three days. It was in the spring. We were going out one morning to put in a +flood-gate on the river, which had washed away in a freshet. He was ready to go +along. He hadn’t been on a horse in two weeks. No one ever pretended to notice +that he was sick. He was sensitive if you offered any sympathy, so no one +offered to assist, except to saddle his horse. The old horse stood like a +kitten. Not a man pretended to notice, but we all saw him put his foot in the +stirrup three different times and attempt to lift himself into the saddle. He +simply lacked the strength. He asked one of the boys to unsaddle the horse, +saying he wouldn’t go with us. Some of the boys suggested that it was a long +ride, and it was best he didn’t go, that we would hardly get back until after +dark. But we had no idea that he was so near his end. After we left, he went +back to the shack and told the cook he had changed his mind,—that he was going +to die. That night, when we came back, he was lying on his cot. We all tried to +jolly 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 good front. 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 two biggest men in the outfit, six-footers +and an inch each, to sit one on each side of his cot until he went to sleep. He +knew better than any of us how near he was to crossing. But it seemed he felt +safe between these two giants. We kept up a running conversation in jest with +one another, though it was empty mockery. But he never pretended to notice. It +was plain to us all that the fear was on him. We kept near the shack the next +day, some of the boys always with him. The third evening he seemed to rally, +talked with us all, and asked if some of the boys would not play the fiddle. He +was a good player himself. Several of the boys played old favorites of his, +interspersed with stories and songs, until the evening was passing pleasantly. +We were recovering from our despondency with this noticeable recovery on his +part, when he whispered to his two big nurses to prop him up. They did so with +pillows and parkers, and he actually smiled on us all. He whispered to Joe, who +in turn asked the lad sitting on the foot of the cot to play Farewell, my Sunny +Southern Home.’ Strange we had forgotten that old air,—for it was a general +favorite with us,—and stranger now that he should ask for it. As that old +familiar air was wafted out from the instrument, he raised his eyes, and seemed +to wander in his mind as if trying to follow the refrain. Then something came +over him, for he sat up rigid, pointing out his hand at the empty space, and +muttered, ‘There stands—mother—now—under—the—oleanders. Who is—that with—her? +Yes, I had—a sister. Open—the—windows. It—is—getting—dark—dark—dark.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Large hands laid him down tenderly, but a fit of coughing came on. He +struggled in a hemorrhage for a moment, and then crossed over to the waiting +figures among the oleanders. Of all the broke-up outfits, we were the most. +Dead tough men bawled like babies. I had a good one myself. When we came around +to our senses, we all admitted it was for the best. Since he could not get +well, he was better off. We took him next day about ten miles and buried him +with those freighters who were killed when the Pawnees raided this country. +Some man will plant corn over their graves some day.” +</p> + +<p> +As Edwards finished his story, his voice trembled and there were tears in his +eyes. A strange silence had come over those gathered about the camp-fire. +Mouse, to conceal his emotion, pretended to be asleep, while Bradshaw made an +effort to clear his throat of something that would neither go up nor down, and +failing in this, turned and walked away without a word. Silently we unrolled +the beds, and with saddles for pillows and the dome of heaven for a roof, we +fell asleep. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap10"></a>X<br/> +THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA</h2> + +<p> +On the southern slope of the main tableland which divides the waters of the +Nueces and Rio Grande rivers in Texas, lies the old Spanish land grant of “Agua +Dulce,” and the rancho by that name. Twice within the space of fifteen years +was an appeal to the sword taken over the ownership of the territory between +these rivers. Sparsely settled by the descendants of the original grantees, +with an occasional American ranchman, it is to-day much the same as when the +treaty of peace gave it to the stronger republic. +</p> + +<p> +This frontier on the south has undergone few changes in the last half century, +and no improvements have been made. Here the smuggler against both governments +finds an inviting field. The bandit and the robber feel equally at home under +either flag. Revolutionists hatch their plots against the powers that be; +sedition takes on life and finds adherents eager to bear arms and apply the +torch. +</p> + +<p> +Within a dozen years of the close of the century just past, this territory was +infested by a band of robbers, whose boldness has had few equals in the history +of American brigandage. The Bedouins of the Orient justify their freebooting by +accounting it a religious duty, looking upon every one against their faith as +an Infidel, and therefore common property. These bandits could offer no such +excuse, for they plundered people of their own faith and blood. They were +Mexicans, a hybrid mixture of Spanish atrocity and Indian cruelty. They +numbered from ten to twenty, and for several months terrorized the Mexican +inhabitants on both sides of the river. On the American side they were +particular never to molest any one except those of their own nationality. These +they robbed with impunity, nor did their victims dare to complain to the +authorities, so thoroughly were they terrified and coerced. +</p> + +<p> +The last and most daring act of these marauders was the kidnapping of Don Ramon +Mora, owner of the princely grant of Agua Dulce. Thousands of cattle and horses +ranged over the vast acres of his ranch, and he was reputed to be a wealthy +man. No one ever enjoyed the hospitality of Agua Dulce but went his way with an +increased regard for its owner and his estimable Castilian family. The rancho +lay back from the river probably sixty miles, and was on the border of the +chaparral, which was the rendezvous of the robbers. Don Ramon had a pleasant +home in one of the river towns. One June he and his family had gone to the +ranch, intending to spend a few weeks there. He had notified cattle-buyers of +this vacation, and had invited them to visit him there either on business or +pleasure. +</p> + +<p> +One evening an unknown vaquero rode up to the rancho and asked for Don Ramon. +That gentleman presenting himself, the stranger made known his errand: a +certain firm of well-known drovers, friends of the ranchero, were encamped for +the night at a ranchita some ten miles distant. They regretted that they could +not visit him, but they would be pleased to see him. They gave as an excuse for +not calling that they were driving quite a herd of cattle, and the corrals at +this little ranch were unsafe for the number they had, so that they were +compelled to hold outside or night-herd. This very plausible story was accepted +without question by Don Ramon, who well understood the handling of herds. +Inviting the messenger to some refreshment, he ordered his horse saddled and +made preparation to return with this pseudo vaquero. Telling his family that he +would be gone for the night, he rode away with the stranger. +</p> + +<p> +There were several thickety groves, extending from the main chaparral out for +considerable distance on the prairie, but not of as rank a growth as on the +alluvial river bottoms. These thickets were composed of thorny underbrush, +frequently as large as fruit trees and of a density which made them +impenetrable, except by those thoroughly familiar with the few established +trails. The road from Agua Dulce to the ranchita was plain and well known, yet +passing through several arms of the main body of the chaparral. Don Ramon and +his guide reached one of these thickets after nightfall. Suddenly they were +surrounded by a dozen horsemen, who, with oaths and jests, told him that he was +their prisoner. Relieving Don Ramon of his firearms and other valuables, one of +the bandits took the bridle off his horse, and putting a rope around the +animal’s neck, the band turned towards the river with their captive. Near +morning they went into one of their many retreats in the chaparral, fettering +their prisoner. What the feelings of Don Ramon Mora were that night is not for +pen to picture, for they must have been indescribable. +</p> + +<p> +The following day the leader of these bandits held several conversations with +him, asking in regard to his family, his children in particular, their names, +number, and ages. When evening came they set out once more southward, crossing +the Rio Grande during the night at an unused ford. The next morning found them +well inland on the Mexican side, and encamped in one of their many chaparral +rendezvous. Here they spent several days, sometimes, however, only a few of the +band being present. The density of the thickets on the first and second bottoms +of this river, extending back inland often fifty miles, made this camp and +refuge almost inaccessible. The country furnished their main subsistence; fresh +meat was always at hand, while their comrades, scouting the river towns, +supplied such comforts as were lacking. +</p> + +<p> +Don Ramon’s appeals to his captors to know his offense and what his punishment +was to be were laughed at until he had been their prisoner a week. One night +several of the party returned, awoke him out of a friendly sleep, and he was +notified that their chief would join them by daybreak, and then he would know +what his offense had been. When this personage made his appearance, he ordered +Don Ramon released from his fetters. Every one in camp showed obeisance to him. +After holding a general conversation with his followers, he approached Don +Ramon, the band forming a circle about the prisoner and their chief. +</p> + +<p> +“Don Ramon Mora,” he began, with mock courtesy, “doubtless you consider +yourself an innocent and abused person. In that you are wrong. Your offense is +a political one. Your family for three generations have opposed the freedom of +Mexico. When our people were conquered and control was given to the French, it +was through the treachery of such men as you. Treason is unpardonable, Señor +Mora. It is useless to enumerate your crimes against human liberty. Living as +you do under a friendly government, you have incited the ignorant to revolution +and revolt against the native rulers. Secret agents of our common country have +shadowed you for years. It is useless to deny your guilt. Your execution, +therefore, will be secret, in order that your co-workers in infamy shall not +take alarm, but may meet a similar fate.” +</p> + +<p> +Turning to one of the party who had acted as leader at the time of his capture, +he gave these instructions: “Be in no hurry to execute these orders. Death is +far too light a sentence to fit his crime. He is beyond a full measure of +justice.” There was a chorus of “bravos” when the bandit chief finished this +trumped-up charge. As he turned from the prisoner, Don Ramon pleadingly begged, +“Only take me before an established court that I may prove my innocence.” +</p> + +<p> +“No! sentence has been passed upon you. If you hope for mercy, it must come +from there,” and the chief pointed heavenward. One of the band led out the +arch-chief’s horse, and with a parting instruction to “conceal his grave +carefully,” he rode away with but a single attendant. +</p> + +<p> +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 the only one of the band who +showed any kindness. The others were brutal in their jeers and taunts. Some +remarks burned into his sensitive nature as vitriol burns into metal. The +bandit leader alone offered little kindnesses. +</p> + +<p> +Two days later, the acting chief ordered the irons taken from the captive’s +feet, and the two men, with but a single attendant, who kept a respectful +distance, started out for a stroll. The bandit chief expressed his regret at +the sad duty which had been allotted him, and assured Don Ramon that he would +gladly make his time as long as was permissible. +</p> + +<p> +“I thank you for your kindness,” said Don Ramon, “but is there no chance to be +given me to prove the falsity of these charges? Am I condemned to die without a +hearing?” +</p> + +<p> +“There is no hope from that source.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is there any hope from any source?” +</p> + +<p> +“Scarcely,” replied the leader, “and still, if we could satisfy those in +authority over us that you had been executed as ordered, and if my men could be +bribed to certify the fact if necessary, and if you pledge 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 you if you betrayed us.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is this possible?” asked Don Ramon excitedly. +</p> + +<p> +“The color of gold makes a good many things possible.” +</p> + +<p> +“I would gladly give all I possess in the world for one hour’s peace in the +presence of my family, even if in the next my soul was summoned to the bar of +God. True, in lands and cattle I am wealthy, but the money at my command is +limited, though I wish it were otherwise.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is a fortunate thing that you are a man of means. Say nothing to your +guards, and I will have a talk this very night with two men whom I can trust, +and we will see what can be done for you. Come, señor, don’t despair, for I +feel there is some hope,” concluded the bandit. +</p> + +<p> +The family of Don Ramon were uneasy but not alarmed by his failure to return to +them the day following his departure. After two days had passed, during which +no word had come from him, his wife sent an old servant to see if he was still +at the ranchita. There the man learned that his master had not been seen, nor +had there been any drovers there recently. Under the promise of secrecy, the +servant was further informed that, on the very day that Don Ramon had left his +home, a band of robbers had driven into a corral at a ranch in the <i>monte</i> +a remudo of ranch horses, and, asking no one’s consent, had proceeded to change +their mounts, leaving their own tired horses. This they did at noonday, without +so much as a hand raised in protest, so terrified were the people of the ranch. +</p> + +<p> +On the servant’s return to Agua Dulce, the alarm and grief of the family were +pitiful, as was their helplessness. When darkness set in Señora Mora sent a +letter by a peon to an old family friend at his home on the river. The next +night three men, for mutual protection, brought back a reply. From it these +plausible deductions were made:— +</p> + +<p> +That Don Ramon had been kidnapped for a ransom; that these bandits no doubt +were desperate men who would let nothing interfere with their plans; that to +notify the authorities and ask for help might end in his murder; and that if +kidnapped for a ransom, overtures for his redemption would be made in due time. +As he was entirely at the mercy of his captors, they must look for hope only +from that source. If reward was their motive, he was worth more living than +dead. This was the only consolation deduced. The letter concluded by advising +them to meet any overture in strict confidence. As only money would be +acceptable in such a case, the friend pledged all his means in behalf of Don +Ramon should it be needed. +</p> + +<p> +These were anxious days and weary nights for this innocent family. The father, +no doubt, would welcome death itself in preference to the rack on which he was +kept by his captors. Time is not considered valuable in warm climates, and two +weary days were allowed to pass before any conversation was renewed with Don +Ramon. +</p> + +<p> +Then once more the chief had the fetters removed from his victim’s ankles, with +the customary guard within call. He explained that many of the men were away, +and it would be several days yet before he could know if the outlook for his +release was favorable. From what he had been able to learn so far, at least +fifty thousand dollars would be necessary to satisfy the band, which numbered +twenty, five of whom were spies. They were poor men, he further explained, many +of them had families, and if they accepted money in a case like this, +self-banishment was the only safe course, as the political society to which +they belonged would place a price on their heads if they were detected. +</p> + +<p> +“The sum mentioned is a large one,” commented Don Ramon, “but it is nothing to +the mental anguish that I suffer daily. If I had time and freedom, the money +might be raised. But as it is, it is doubtful if I could command one fifth of +it.” +</p> + +<p> +“You have a son,” said the chief, “a young man of twenty. Could he not as well +as yourself raise this amount? A letter could be placed in his hands stating +that a political society had sentenced you to death, and that your life was +only spared from day to day by the sufferance of your captors. Ask him to raise +this sum, tell him it would mean freedom and restoration to your family. Could +he not do this as well as you?” +</p> + +<p> +“If time were given him, possibly. Can I send him such a letter?” pleaded Don +Ramon, brightening with the hope of this new opportunity. +</p> + +<p> +“It would be impossible at present. The consent of all interested must first be +gained. Our responsibility then becomes greater than yours. No false step must +be taken. To-morrow is the soonest that we can get a hearing with all. There +must be no dissenters to the plan or it fails, and then—well, the execution has +been delayed long enough.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus the days wore on. +</p> + +<p> +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 river villages +daily, where the friends of Don Ramon discussed his absence in whispers. Their +system of espionage was as careful as their methods were cruel and heartless. +They even got reports from the ranch that not a member of the family had +ventured away since its master’s capture. The local authorities were inactive. +The bandits would play their cards for a high ransom. +</p> + +<p> +Early one morning after a troubled night’s rest, Don Ramon was awakened by the +arrival of the robbers, several of whom were boisterously drunk. It was only +with curses and drawn arms that the chief prevented these men from committing +outrages on their helpless captive. +</p> + +<p> +After coffee was served, the chief unfolded his plot to them, with Don Ramon as +a listener to the proceedings. Addressing them, he said that the prisoner’s +offense was not one against them or theirs; that at best they were but the +hirelings of others; that they were poorly paid, and that it had become +sickening to him to do the bloody work for others. Don Ramon Mora had gold at +his command, enough to give each more in a day than they could hope to receive +for years of this inhuman servitude. He could possibly pay to each two thousand +dollars for his freedom, guaranteeing them his gratitude, and pledging to +refrain from any prosecution. Would they accept this offer or refuse it? As +many as were in favor of granting his life would deposit in his hat a leaf from +the mesquite; those opposed, a leaf from the wild cane which surrounded their +camp. +</p> + +<p> +The vote asked for was watched by the prisoner as only a man could watch whose +life hung in the balance. There were eight cane leaves to seven of the +mesquite. The chief flew into a rage, cursed his followers for murderers for +refusing to let the life blood run in this man, who had never done one of them +an injury. He called them cowards for attacking the helpless, even accusing +them of lack of respect for their chief’s wishes. The majority hung their heads +like whipped curs. When he had finished his harangue, one of their number held +up his hand to beg the privilege of speaking. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, defend your dastardly act if you can,” said the chief. +</p> + +<p> +“Capitan,” said the man, making obeisance and tapping his breast, “there is an +oath recorded here, in memory of a father who was hanged by the French for no +other crime save that he was a patriot to the land of his birth. And you ask me +to violate my vow! To the wind with your sympathy! To the gallows with our +enemies!” There was a chorus of “bravos” and shouts of “Vivi el Mejico,” as the +majority congratulated the speaker. +</p> + +<p> +When the chief led the prisoner back to his blanket, he spoke hopefully to Don +Ramon, explaining that it was the mescal the men had drunk which made them so +unreasonable and defiant. Promising to reason with them when they were more +sober, he left Don Ramon with his solitary guard. The chief then returned to +the band, where he received the congratulations of his partners in crime on his +mock sympathy. It was agreed that the majority should be won over at the next +council, which they would hold that evening. +</p> + +<p> +The chief returned to his prisoner during the day, and expressed a hope that by +evening, when his followers would be perfectly sober, they would listen to +reason. He doubted, however, if the sum first named would satisfy them, and +insisted that he be authorized to offer more. To this latter proposition Don +Ramon made answer, “I am helpless to promise you anything, but if you will only +place me in correspondence with my son, all I possess, everything that can be +hypothecated shall go to satisfy your demands. Only let it be soon, for this +suspense is killing me.” +</p> + +<p> +An hour before dark the band was once more summoned together, with Don Ramon in +their midst. The chief asked the majority if they had any compromise to offer +to his proposition of the morning, and received a negative answer. “Then,” said +he, “remember that a trusting wife and eight children, the eldest a lad of +twenty, the youngest a toddling tot of a girl, claim a husband and a father’s +love at the hands of the prisoner here. Are you such base ingrates that you can +show no mercy, not even to the innocent?” +</p> + +<p> +The majority were abashed, and one by one fell back in the distance. Finally a +middle-aged man came forward and said, “Give us five thousand dollars in gold +apiece, the money to be in hand, and the prisoner may have his liberty, all +other conditions made in the morning to be binding.” +</p> + +<p> +“Your answer to that, Don Ramon?” asked the chief. +</p> + +<p> +“I have promised my all. I ask nothing but life. I may have friends who will +assist. Give me an opportunity to see what can be done.” +</p> + +<p> +“You shall have it,” replied the chief, “and on its success depends your +liberty or the consequences.” +</p> + +<p> +Going amongst the band, he ordered them to meet again in three days at one of +their rendezvous near Agua Dulce; to go by twos, visit the river towns on the +way, to pick up all items of interest, and particularly to watch for any +movement of the authorities. +</p> + +<p> +Retaining two of his companions to act as guards, the others saddled their +horses and dispersed by various routes. The chief waited until the moon was +well up, then abandoned their camp of the last ten days and 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. +</p> + +<p> +It was after midnight when they recrossed the river to the American side, using +a ford known to but a few smugglers. When day broke they were well inland and +secure in the chaparral. Another night’s travel, and they were encamped in the +place agreed upon. Reports which the members of the band brought to the chief +showed that the authorities had made no movement as yet, so evidently this +outrage had never been properly reported. +</p> + +<p> +Don Ramon was now furnished paper and pencil, and he addressed a letter to his +son and family. The contents can easily be imagined. It concluded with an +appeal to secrecy, and an order to observe in confidence and honor any compact +made, as his life and liberty depended on it. When this missive had passed the +scrutiny of the bandits, it was dispatched by one of their number to Señora +Mora. It was just two weeks since Don Ramon’s disappearance, a fortnight of +untold anguish and uncertainty to his family. +</p> + +<p> +The messenger reached Agua Dulce an hour before midnight, and seeing a light in +the house, warned the inmates of his presence by the usual “Ave Maria,” a +friendly salutation invoking the blessings of the saints on all within hearing. +Supposing that some friend had a word for them, the son went outside, meeting +the messenger. +</p> + +<p> +“Are you the son of Don Ramon Mora?” asked the bandit. +</p> + +<p> +“I am,” replied the young man; “won’t you dismount?” +</p> + +<p> +“No. I bear a letter to you from your father. One moment, señor! I have within +call half a dozen men. Give no alarm. Read his instructions to you. I shall +expect an answer in half an hour. The letter, señor.” +</p> + +<p> +The son hastened into the house to read his father’s communication. The bandit +kept a strict watch over the premises to see that no demonstration was made +against him. When the half hour was nearly up, the son came forward and +tendered the answer. Passing the compliments of the moment, the man rode away +as airily as though the question were of hearts instead of life. The reply was +first read by Don Ramon, then turned over to the chief. It would require a +second letter, which was to be called for in four days. Things were now nearing +the danger point. They must be doubly vigilant; so all but the chief and two +guards scattered out and watched every movement. Two or three towns on the +river were to have special care. Friends of the family lived in these towns. +They must be watched. The officers of the law were the most to be feared. Every +bit of conversation overheard was carefully noted, with its effects and +bearing. +</p> + +<p> +At the appointed time, another messenger was sent to the ranch, but only a part +of the band returned to know the result. The sum which the son reported at his +command was very disappointing. It would not satisfy the leaders, and there +would be nothing for the others. It was out of the question to consider it. The +chief cursed himself for letting his sympathy get the better of him. Why had he +not listened to the majority and been true to an accepted duty? He called +himself a woman for having acted as he had—a man unfit to be trusted. +</p> + +<p> +Don Ramon heard these self-reproaches of the chief with a heavy heart, and when +opportunity occurred, he pleaded for one more chance. He had many friends. +There had not been time enough to see them all. His lands and cattle had not +been hypothecated. Give him one more chance. Have mercy. +</p> + +<p> +“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 sum named in his letter +is not forthcoming within a week, it will be too late.” +</p> + +<p> +The chief now became very surly, often declaring that the case was hopeless; +that the money could never be raised. He taunted his captive with the fact that +he had always considered himself above his neighbors, and that now he could not +command means enough to purchase the silence and friendship of a score of +beggars! His former kindness changed to cruelty at every opportunity; and he +took delight in hurling his venom on his helpless victim. +</p> + +<p> +Dispatching the letter, he ordered the band to scatter as before, appointing a +meeting place a number of days hence. After the return of the messenger, he +broke camp in the middle of the night, not forgetting to add other indignities +to the heavy irons already on his victim. During the ensuing time they traveled +the greater portion of each night. To the prisoner’s questions as to where they +were he received only insulting replies. His inquiries served only to suggest +other cruelties. One night they set out unusually early, the chief saying that +they would recross the river before morning, so that if the ransom was not +satisfactory, the execution might take place at once. On this night the victim +was blindfolded. After many hours of riding—it was nearly morning when they +halted—the bandage was removed from his eyes, and he was asked if he knew the +place. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, it is Agua Dulce.” +</p> + +<p> +The moon shone over its white stone buildings, quietly sleeping in the still +hours of the night, as over the white, silent slabs of a country churchyard. +Not a sound could be heard from any living thing. They dismounted and gagged +their prisoner. Tying their horses at a respectable distance, they led their +victim toward his home. Don Ramon was a small man, and could offer no +resistance to his captors. They cautioned him that the slightest resistance +would mean death, while compliance to their wishes carried a hope of life. +</p> + +<p> +Cautiously and with a stealthy step, they advanced like the thieves they were, +their victim in the iron grasp of two strong guards, while a rope with a +running noose around his neck, in the hands of the chief, made their gag doubly +effective. A garden wall ran within a few feet of the rear of the house, and +behind it they crouched. The only sound was the labored breathing of their +prisoner. Hark! the cry of a child is heard within the house. Oh, God! it is +his child, his baby girl. Listen! The ear of the mother has heard it, and her +soothing voice has reached his anxious ear. His wife—the mother of his +children—is now bending over their baby’s crib. The muscles of Don Ramon’s arms +turn to iron. His eyes flash defiance at the grinning fiends who exult at his +misery. The running noose tightens on his neck, and he gasps for breath. As +they lead him back to his horse, his brain seems on fire; he questions his own +sanity, even the mercy of Heaven. +</p> + +<p> +When the sun arose that morning, they were far away in one of the impenetrable +thickets in which the country abounded. Since his capture Don Ramon had +suffered, but never as now. Death would have been preferable, not that life had +no claims upon him, but that he no longer had hopes of liberty. The uncertainty +was unbearable. The bandits exercised caution enough to keep all means of +self-destruction out of his reach. Hardened as they were, they noticed that +their last racking of the prisoner had benumbed even hope. +</p> + +<p> +Sleep alone was kind to him, though he usually awoke to find his dreams a +mockery. That night the answer to the second demand would arrive. A number of +the band came in during the day and brought the rumor that the governor of the +State had been notified of their high-handed actions. It was thought that a +company of Texas Rangers would be ordered to the Rio Grande. This meant action, +and soon. When the reply came from the son of Don Ramon, he was notified to +have the money ready at a certain abandoned ranchita, though the amount, now +increased, was not as large as was expected. It required two days longer for +the delivery, which was to be made at midnight, and to be accompanied by not +over two messengers. +</p> + +<p> +At this juncture, a squad of ten Texas Rangers disembarked at the nearest point +on the railroad to this river village. The emergency appeal, which had finally +reached the governor’s ear, was acted upon promptly, and though the men seemed +very few in number, they were tried, experienced, fearless Rangers, from the +crack company of the State. There was no waste of time after leaving the train. +The little command set out apparently for the river home of Don Ramon, distant +nearly a hundred miles. After darkness had set in, the captain of the squad cut +his already small command in two, sending a lieutenant with four men to proceed +by way of Agua Dulce ranch, the remainder continuing on to the river. The +captain refused them even pack horse or blanket, allowing them only their arms. +He instructed them to call themselves cowboys, and in case they met any +Mexicans, to make inquiries for a well-known American ranch which was located +in the chaparral. With a few simple instructions from his superior, the +lieutenant and squad rode away into the darkness of a June night. +</p> + +<p> +It was in reality the dark hour before dawn when they reached Agua Dulce. As +secretly as possible the lieutenant aroused Don Ramon’s wife and sought an +interview with her. Speaking Spanish fluently, he explained his errand and her +duty to put him in possession of all the facts in the case. Bewildered, as any +gentlewoman would be under the circumstances, she reluctantly told the main +facts. This officer treated Señora Mora with every courtesy, and was eventually +rewarded when she requested him and his men to remain her guests until her son +should return, which would be before noon. She explained that he would bring a +large sum of money with him, which was to be the ransom price of her husband, +and which was to be paid over at midnight within twenty miles of Agua Dulce. +This information was food and raiment to the Ranger. +</p> + +<p> +The señora of Agua Dulce sent a servant to secrete the Ranger’s horses in a +near-by pasture, and with saddles hidden inside the house, before the people of +the ranch or the sun arose, five Rangers were sleeping under the roof of the +<i>Casa primero</i>. +</p> + +<p> +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 to his mother. The +commercial instincts of the young man sided with the Rangers, but the +mother—thank God!—knew no such impulses and thought of 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 husband would be returned to her with all dispatch. Concealing such +things as he considered advisable from both mother and son, he outlined his +plans. At the appointed time and place the money should be paid over and the +compact adhered to to the letter. He reserved to himself and company, however, +to furnish any red light necessary. +</p> + +<p> +An hour after dark, a messenger, Don Ramon, Jr., and five Rangers set out to +fulfill all contracts pending and understood. The abandoned ranchita in the +<i>monte</i>—the meeting point—had been at one time a stone house of some +pretensions, where had formerly lived its builder, a wealthy, eccentric +recluse. It had in previous years, however, been burned, so that now only +crumbling walls remained, a gloomy, isolated, though picturesque ruin, standing +in an opening several acres in extent, while trails, once in use, led to and +from it. +</p> + +<p> +When the party arrived within two miles of the meeting point, an hour in +advance of the appointed time, a halt was called. Under the direction of the +lieutenant, the son and his companion were to proceed by an old trail, +forsaking the regular pathway leading from Agua Dulce to the old ranch. The +Ranger squad tied their horses and followed a respectful distance behind, near +enough, however, to hear in case any guards might halt them. They were +carefully cautioned not even to let Don Ramon, if he were present, know that +rescue from another quarter was at hand. When the two sighted the ruin they +noticed a dim light within the walls. Then, without a single challenge, they +dashed up to the old house, amid a clatter of hoofs, and shouts of welcome from +the bandits. +</p> + +<p> +The messengers were unarmed, and once inside the house were made prisoners, +ironed, and ordered into a corner, where crouched Don Ramon Mora, now enfeebled +by mental racking and physical abuse. The meeting of father and son will be +spared the reader, yet in the young man’s heart was a hope that he dared not +communicate. +</p> + +<p> +The night was warm. A fire flickered in the old fireplace, and around its +circle gathered nine bandits to count and gloat over the blood money of their +victim, as a miser might over his bags of gold. The bottle passed freely round +the circle, and with toast and taunt and jeer the counting of the money was +progressing. Suddenly, and with as little warning as if they had dropped down +from among the stars, five Texas Rangers sprang through windows and doors, and +without a word a flood of fire frothed from the mouths of ten six-shooters, +hurling death into the circle about the fire. There was no cessation of the +rain of lead until every gun was emptied, when the men sprang back, each to his +window or door, where a carbine, carefully left, awaited his hand to complete +the work of death. In the few moments that elapsed, the smoke arose and the +fire burned afresh, revealing the accuracy of their aim. As they reëntered to +review their work, two of the bandits were found alive and untouched, having +thrown themselves in a corner amid the confusion of smoke in the onslaught. +Thus they were spared the fate of the others, though the ghastly sight of seven +of their number, translated from life into death, met their terrorized gaze. +Human blood streamed across the once peaceful hearth, while brains bespattered +life-sized figures in bas-relief of the Virgin Mary and Christ Child which +adorned the broad columns on either side of the ample fireplace. In the throes +of death, one bandit had floundered about until his hand rested in the fire, +producing a sickening smell from the burning flesh. +</p> + +<p> +As Don Ramon was released, he stood for a few moments half dazed, looking in +bewilderment at the awful spectacle before him. Then as the truth gradually +dawned upon him,—that this sacrifice of blood meant liberty to himself,—he fell +upon his knees among the still warm bodies of his tormentors, his face raised +to the Virgin in exultation of joy and thanksgiving. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap11"></a>XI<br/> +THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG</h2> + +<p> +In the early part of September, ’91, the eastern overland express on the Denver +and Rio Grande was held up and robbed at Texas Creek. The place is little more +than a watering-station on that line, but it was an inviting place for +hold-ups. +</p> + +<p> +Surrounded by the fastnesses of the front range of the Rockies, Peg-Leg +Eldridge and his band selected this lonely station as best fitted for the +transaction in hand. To the southwest lay the Sangre de Cristo range, in which +the band had rendezvoused and planned this robbery. Farther to the southwest +arose the snow-capped peaks of the Continental Divide, in whose silent solitude +an army might have taken refuge and hidden. +</p> + +<p> +It was an inviting country to the robber. These mountains offered retreats that +had never known the tread of human footsteps. Emboldened by the thought that +pursuit would be almost a matter of impossibility, they laid their plans and +executed them without a single hitch. +</p> + +<p> +About ten o’clock at night, as the train slowed up as usual to take water, the +engineer and fireman were covered by two of the robbers. The other two—there +were only four—cut the express car from the train, and the engineer and fireman +were ordered to decamp. The robbers ran the engine and express car out nearly +two miles, where, by the aid of dynamite, they made short work of a through +safe that the messenger could not open. The express company concealed the +amount of money lost to the robbers, but smelters, who were aware of certain +retorts in transit by this train, were not so silent. These smelter products +were in gold retorts of such a size that they could be made away with as easily +as though they had reached the mint and been coined. +</p> + +<p> +There was scarcely any excitement among the passengers, so quickly was it over. +While the robbery was in progress the wires from this station were flashing the +news to headquarters. At a division of the railroad one hundred and fifty-six +miles distant from the scene of the robbery, lived United States Marshal Bob +Banks, whose success in pursuing criminals was not bounded by the State in +which he lived. His reputation was in a large measure due to the successful use +of bloodhounds. This officer’s calling compelled him to be both plainsman and +mountaineer. He had the well-deserved reputation of being as unrelenting in the +pursuit of criminals as death is in marking its victims. +</p> + +<p> +Within half an hour after the robbery was reported at headquarters, an engine +had coupled to a caboose at the division where the marshal lived. He was +equally hasty. To gather his arms and get his dogs aboard the caboose required +but a few moments’ time. +</p> + +<p> +Everything ready, they pulled out with a clear track to their destination. +Heavy traffic in coal had almost ruined the road-bed, but engine and caboose +flew over it regardless of its condition. Halfway to their destination the +marshal was joined by several officials, both railway and express. From there +the train turned westward, up the valley of the Arkansas. Here was a track and +an occasion that gave the most daring engineer license to throw the throttle +wide open. +</p> + +<p> +The climax of this night’s run was through the Grand Cañon of the Arkansas. +Into this gash in the earth’s surface plunged the engineer, as though it were +an easy stretch of down-grade prairie. As the engine rounded turns, the +headlight threw its rays up serried columns of granite half a mile +high,—columns that rear their height in grotesque form and Gothic arch, +polished by the waters of ages. +</p> + +<p> +As the officials agreed, after a full discussion with the marshal of every +phase and possibility of capture, the hope of this night’s work and the +punishment of the robbers rested almost entirely on three dogs lying on the +floor, and, as the rocking of the car disturbed them, growling in their dreams. +In their helplessness to cope with this outrage, they turned to these dumb +animals as a welcome ally. Under the guidance of their master they were an aid +whose value he well understood. Their sense of smell was more reliable than the +sense of seeing in man. You can believe the dog when you doubt your own eyes. +His opinion is unquestionably correct. +</p> + +<p> +As the train left the cañon it was but a short run to the scene of the +depredation. During the night the few people who resided at this station were +kept busy getting together saddle-horses for the officer’s posse. This was not +easily done, as there were few horses at the station, while the horses of +near-by ranches were turned loose in the open range for the night. However, +upon the arrival of the train, Banks and the express people found mounts +awaiting them to carry them to the place of the hold-up. +</p> + +<p> +After the robbers had finished their work during the fore part of the night, +the train crew went out and brought back to the station the engine and express +car. The engine was unhurt, but the express car was badly shattered, and the +through safe was ruined by the successive charges of dynamite that were used to +force it to yield up its treasure. The local safe was unharmed, the messenger +having opened it in 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 and +the treasure of its express. +</p> + +<p> +Day was breaking in the east as the posse reached the scene. The marshal lost +no time circling about until the trail leaving was taken up. Even the temporary +camp of the robbers was found in close proximity to the chosen spot. The +experienced eye of this officer soon determined the number of men, though they +led several horses. It was a cool, daring act of Peg-Leg and three men. +Afterward, when his past history was learned, his leadership in this raid was +established. +</p> + +<p> +Peg-Leg Eldridge was a product of that unfortunate era succeeding the civil +war. During that strife the herds of the southwest were neglected to such an +extent that thousands of cattle grew to maturity without ear-mark or brand to +identify their owner. A good mount of horses, a rope and a running-iron in the +hands of a capable man, were better than capital. The good old days when an +active young man could brand annually fifteen calves—all better than +yearlings—to every cow he owned, are looked back to to this day, from cattle +king to the humblest of the craft, in pleasant reminiscence, though they will +come no more. Eldridge was of that time, and when conditions changed, he failed +to change with them. This was the reason that, under the changed condition of +affairs, he frequently got his brand on some other man’s calf. This resulted in +his losing a leg from a gunshot at the hands of a man he had thus outraged. +Worse, it branded him for all time as a cattle thief, with every man’s hand +against him. Thus the steps that led up to this September night were easy, +natural, and gradual. This child of circumstances, a born plainsman like the +Indian, read in plain, forest, and mountain, things which were not visible to +other eyes. The stars were his compass by night, the heat waves of the plain +warned him of the tempting mirage, while the cloud on the mountain’s peak or +the wind in the pines which sheltered him alike spoke to him and he understood. +</p> + +<p> +The robbers’ trail was followed but a few miles, when their course was well +established. They were heading into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Several +hours were lost here by the pursuing party, as they were compelled to await the +arrival of a number of pack horses; so when the trail was taken up in earnest +they were at least twelve hours behind the robbers. +</p> + +<p> +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 trail of the robbers was +more compact and easy to follow, except for the roughness of the mountain +slope. Frequently the trail was but a single narrow path. Old game trails, +where the elk and deer, drifting in the advance of winter, crossed the range, +had been followed by the robbers. These game trails were certain to lead to the +passes in the range. Thus, by the instinct given to the deer and elk against +the winter’s storm, the humblest of His creatures had blazed for these train +robbers an unerring pathway to the mountain’s pass. +</p> + +<p> +Along these paths the trail was so distinct that the dogs were an unnecessary +adjunct to the pursuing party. These hounds, one of which was a veteran in the +service, while the other two, being younger, were without that practice which +perfects, showed an exuberance of energy and ambition in following the trail. +The ancestry of the dogs was Russian. Hounds of this breed never give mouth, +thus warning the hunted of their approach. Man-hunting is exciting sport. The +possibility, though the trail may look hours old, that any turn of the trail +may disclose the fugitives, keeps at the highest tension every nerve of the +pursuer. +</p> + +<p> +All day long the marshal and posse climbed higher and higher on the rugged +mountainside. Night came on as they reached the narrow plateau that formed the +crest of the mountain, on which they found several small parks. Here they made +the first halt since the start in the morning. The necessity of resting their +saddle stock was very apparent to Banks, though he would gladly have pushed on. +The only halt he could expect of the robbers was to save their own horses, and +he must do the same. Forcing a tired horse an extra hour has left many an +amateur rider afoot. He realized this. Knowing the necessity of being well +mounted, the robbers had no doubt splendid horses. This was a reasonable +supposition. +</p> + +<p> +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 dogs led them several miles +southward on this mountain crest. Here was where the dogs were valuable. The +robbers had traveled in some places an entire mile over lava beds, not leaving +as much as a trace which the eye could detect. Having the advantage of +daylight, the robbers selected a rocky cliff, over which they began the descent +of the western slope of this range. The ingenuity displayed by them to throw +pursuit 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 as easily followed +as though it had been made in snow. +</p> + +<p> +This declivity was rough, and in places every one was compelled to dismount. +Progress was extremely slow, and when the rising sun tipped the peaks of the +Continental Range, before them lay the beautiful landscape where the Rio Grande +in a hundred mountain streams has her fountain-head. With only a few hours’ +rest for men and animals during the day, night fell upon them before they had +reached the mesa at the foot-hills on the western slope. An hour before +nightfall they came upon the first camp or halt of the robbers. They had +evidently spent but a short time here, there being no indication that they had +slept. Criminals are inured to all kinds of hardship. They have been known to +go for days without sleep, while smugglers, well mounted, have put a hundred +miles of country behind them in a single night. +</p> + +<p> +The marshal and party pushed forward during the night, the country being 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, which the robbers had avoided with +well-studied caution, showing that they had passed through in the daytime. +There are several lines of railroad running through this valley section. These +they crossed at points between stations, where observation would be almost +impossible either by day or night. Inquiries at ranches failed on account of +the lack of all accurate means of description. The posse was maintaining a due +southwest course that was carrying them into the fastnesses of the main range +of the western continent. Another full day of almost constant advance, and the +trail had entered the undulating hills forming the approach of this second +range of mountains. Physical exertion was beginning to tell on the animals, and +they were compelled to make frequent halts in the ascent of this range. +</p> + +<p> +The fatigue was showing in the two younger dogs. Their feet had been cut in +several places in crossing the first range of mountains. During the past nights +in the valley, though their master was keeping a sharp lookout, they +encountered several places where sand-burrs were plentiful. These burrs in the +tender inner part of a dog’s foot, if not removed at once, soon lame it. Many +times had the poor creatures lain down, licking their paws in anguish. On +examination during the previous night, their feet were found to be webbed with +this burr. Now, on climbing this second mountain, they began to show the +lameness which their master so much feared, until it was almost impossible to +make them take any interest in the trail. The old dog, however, seemed nothing +the worse for his work. +</p> + +<p> +On reaching the first small park near the summit of this range, the pursuers +were so exhausted that they lay down and took their first sleep, having been +over three days and a half on the trail. The marshal himself slept several +hours, but he was the last to go to sleep and the first to awake. Before going +to sleep, and on arising, he was particular to bathe the dogs’ feet. The +nearest approach to a liniment that he possessed was a lubricating tube for +guns, which he fortunately had with him. This afforded relief. +</p> + +<p> +It was daybreak when the pursuers took up the trail. The plateau on the crest +of this range was in places several miles wide, having a luxuriant growth of +grass upon it. The course of the robbers continued to the southwest. The +pursuers kept this plateau for several miles, and before descending the western +slope of the range an abandoned camp was found, where the pursued had evidently +made their first bunks. Indications of where horses had been picketed for +hours, and where both men and horses had slept were evident. The trail where it +left this deserted camp was in no wise encouraging to the marshal, as it looked +at least thirty-six hours old. As the pursuers began the descent, they could +see below them where the San Juan River meanders to the west until her waters, +mingling with others, find their outlet into the Pacific. It was a trial of +incessant toil down the mountain slope, wearisome alike to man and beast. Near +the foot-hill of this mountain they were rewarded by finding a horse which the +robbers had abandoned on account of an accident. He was an extremely fine +horse, but so lame in the shoulders, apparently owing to a fall, that it was +impossible to move him. The trail of the robbers kept in the foot-hills, +finally doubling back an almost due east course. Now and then ranches were +visible out on the mesa, but in all instances they were carefully avoided by +the pursued. +</p> + +<p> +Spending a night in these hills, the posse prepared to make an early start. +Here, however, they met their first serious trouble. Both of the younger dogs +had feet so badly swollen that it was impossible to make them take any interest +in the trail. After doing everything possible for them, their owner sent them +to a ranch which was in sight several miles below in the valley. Several hours +were lost to the party by this incident, though they were in no wise deterred +in following the trail, still having the veteran dog. Late that afternoon they +met a <i>pastor</i> who gave them a description of the robbers. +</p> + +<p> +“Yesterday morning,” said the shepherd, in broken Spanish, “shortly after +daybreak, four men rode into my camp and asked for breakfast. I gave them +coffee, but as I had no meat in my quarters, they tried to buy a lamb, which I +have no right to sell. After drinking the coffee they tendered me money, which +I refused. On leaving, one of their number rode into my flock and killed a kid. +Taking it with him, he rode away with the others.” +</p> + +<p> +A good description of the robbers was secured from this simple shepherd,—a full +description of men, horses, colors, and condition of pack. The next day nothing +of importance developed, and the posse hugged the shelter of the hills skirting +the mountain range, crossing into New Mexico. It was late that night when they +went into camp on the trail. They had pushed forward with every energy, hoping +to lessen the intervening distance between them and the robbers. The following +morning on awakening, to the surprise and mortification of everybody, the old +dog was unable to stand upon his feet. While this was felt to be a serious +drawback, it did not necessarily check the chase. +</p> + +<p> +In bringing to bay over thirty criminals, one of whom had paid the penalty of +his crime on the gallows, master and dog had heretofore been an invincible +team. Old age and physical weakness had now overtaken the dog in an important +chase, and the sympathy he deserved was not withheld, nor was he deserted. +Tenderly as a mother would lift a sick child, Banks gathered him in his arms +and lifted him to one of the posse on his horse. To the members of the posse it +was a touching scene: they remembered him but a few months before pursuing a +flying criminal, when the latter—seeing that escape was impossible and turning +to draw his own weapon upon the officer, whose six-shooter had been emptied at +the fugitive, but who with drawn knife was ready to close with him in the death +struggle—immediately threw down his weapon and pleaded for his life. +</p> + +<p> +Yet this same officer could not keep back the tears that came into his eyes as +he lifted this dumb comrade of other victories to a horse. With an earnest oath +he brushed the incident away by assuring his posse that unless the earth opened +and swallowed up the robbers they could not escape. A few hours after taking up +the trail, a ranch was sighted and the dog was left, the instructions of the +Good Samaritan being repeated. At this ranch they succeeded in buying two fresh +horses, which proved a valuable addition to their mounts. +</p> + +<p> +Now it became a hunt of man by man. To an experienced trailer like the marshal +there was little difficulty in keeping the trail. That the robbers kept to the +outlying country was an advantage. Yet the latter traveled both night and day, +while pursuit must of necessity be by day only. With the fresh horses secured, +they covered a stretch of country hardly credible. +</p> + +<p> +During the day they found a place where the robbers had camped for at least a +full day. A trail made by two horses had left this camp, and returned. The +marshal had followed it to a rather pretentious Mexican rancho, where there was +a small store kept. Here a second description of the two men was secured, +though neither one was Peg-Leg. He was so indelibly marked that he was crafty +enough to keep out of sight of so public a place as a store. These two had +tried unsuccessfully to buy horses at this rancho. +</p> + +<p> +The next morning the representative of the express company left the posse to +report progress. He was enabled to give such an exact description of the +robbers that the company, through their detective system, were not long in +locating the leader. The marshal and posse pushed on with the same unremitting +energy. The trail was now almost due 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 liberal in +the use of money, but very exacting in regard to the quality of horseflesh they +purchased; the best was none too good for them. They passed north of old Santa +Fé town, and entering a station on the line of railway by that name late at +night, they were liberal patrons of the gaming tables that the town tolerated. +The next morning they had disappeared. +</p> + +<p> +At no time did the pursuers come within two days of them. This was owing to the +fact that they traveled by night as well as day. At the last-mentioned point +messages were exchanged with the express company with little loss of time. +Banks had asked that certain points on the railway be watched in the hope of +capture while crossing the country, but the effort was barren of results. In +following the trail the marshal had recrossed the continuation of the first +range of mountains which they had crossed to the west ten days before, or the +morning after the robbery, three hundred miles southward. There was nothing +difficult in the passage of this range of mountains, and now before them +stretched the endless prairie to the eastward. Here Banks seriously felt the +loss of his dogs. This was a country that they could be used in to good +advantage. It would then be a question of endurance of men and horses. As it +was, he could work only by day. Two lines of railway were yet to be crossed if +the band held its course. The same tactics were resorted to as formerly, yet +this vigilance and precaution availed nothing, as Peg-Leg crossed them +carefully between two of the watched places. Owing to his occupation, he knew +the country better by night than day. +</p> + +<p> +Banks was met by the officials of the express company on one of these lines of +railroad. The exhaustive amount of information that they had been able to +collect regarding this interesting man with the wooden leg was astonishing. +From out of the abundance of the data there were a few items that were of +interest to the officer. Several of Eldridge’s haunts when not actively engaged +in his profession were located. In one of these haunts was a woman, and toward +this one he was heading, though it was many a weary mile distant. +</p> + +<p> +At the marshal’s request the express people had brought bloodhounds with them. +The dogs proved worthless, and the second day were abandoned. When the trail +crossed the Gulf Railway the robbers were three days ahead. The posse had now +been fourteen days on the trail. Banks followed them one day farther, himself +alone, leaving his tired companions at a station near the line of the Panhandle +of Texas. This extra day’s ride was to satisfy himself that the robbers were +making for one of their haunts. They kept, as he expected, down between the two +Canadians. +</p> + +<p> +After following the trail until he was thoroughly satisfied of their +destination, the marshal retraced his steps and rejoined his posse. The first +train carried him and the posse back to the headquarters of the express +company. +</p> + +<p> +Two weeks later, at a country store in the Chickasaw Nation, there was a horse +race of considerable importance. The country side were gathered to witness it. +The owners of the horses had made large wagers on 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’s ear, and informed him that he was a prisoner. Another +stranger did the same thing to another spectator. They also snapped handcuffs +on both of them. One of these spectators had a peg-leg. They were escorted to a +waiting rig, and when they alighted from it were on the line of a railroad +forty miles distant. One of these strangers was a United States marshal, who +for the past month had been very anxious to meet these same gentlemen. +</p> + +<p> +Once safe from the rescue of friends of these robbers, the marshal regaled his +guest with the story of the chase, which had now terminated. He was even able +to give Eldridge a good part of his history. But when he attempted to draw him +out as to the whereabouts of the other two, Peg was sullenly ignorant of +anything. They were never captured, having separated before reaching the haunt +of Mr. Eldridge. Eldridge was tried in a Federal court in Colorado and +convicted of train robbery. He went over the road for a term of years far +beyond the lease of his natural life. He, with the companion captured at the +same time, was taken by an officer of the court to Detroit for confinement. +When within an hour’s ride of the prison—his living grave—he raised his ironed +hands, and twisting from a blue flannel shirt which he wore a large pearl +button, said to the officer in charge:— +</p> + +<p> +“Will you please take this button back and give it, with my compliments, to +that human bloodhound, and say to him that I’m sorry that I didn’t anticipate +meeting him? If I had, it would have saved you this trip with me. He might have +got me, but I wouldn’t have needed a trial when he did.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap12"></a>XII<br/> +IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS</h2> + +<p> +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 reply was being written by +a little fellow, surrounded by grim veterans of war. He was not even a soldier. +But in this little fellow’s countenance shone a supreme contempt for the +enemy’s demand. His patriotism beamed out as plainly as did that of the officer +dictating to him. Physically he was debarred from being a soldier; still there +was a place where he could be useful. +</p> + +<p> +So with Little Jack Martin. He was a cripple and could not ride, but he could +cook. If the way to rule men is through the stomach, Jack was a general who +never knew defeat. The “J+H” camp, where he presided over the kitchen, was +noted for good living. Jack’s domestic tastes followed him wherever he went, so +that he surrounded himself at this camp with chickens, and a few cows for milk. +During the spring months, when the boys were away on the various round-ups, he +planted and raised a fine garden. Men returning from a hard month’s work would +brace themselves against fried chicken, eggs, milk, and fresh vegetables. After +drinking alkali water for a month and living out of tin cans, who wouldn’t love +Jack? In addition to his garden, he always raised a fine patch of watermelons. +This camp was an oasis in the desert. Every man was Jack’s friend, and an enemy +was an unknown personage. The peculiarity about him, aside from his deformity, +was his ability to act so much better than he could talk. In fact he could +barely express his simplest wants in words. +</p> + +<p> +Cripples are usually cross, irritable, and unpleasant companions. Jack was the +reverse. His best qualities shone their brightest when there were a dozen men +around to cook for. When they ate heartily he felt he was useful. If a boy was +sick, Jack could make a broth, or fix a cup of beef tea like a mother or +sister. When he went out with the wagon during beef-shipping season, a pot of +coffee simmered over the fire all night for the boys on night herd. Men going +or returning on guard liked to eat. The bread and meat left over from the meals +of the day were always left convenient for the boys. It was the many little +things that he thought of which made him such a general favorite with every +one. +</p> + +<p> +Little Jack was middle-aged when the proclamation of the President opening the +original Oklahoma was issued. This land was to be thrown open 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 dominion of the cowman was giving way to the +homesteader. One day Jack found opportunity to take Miller, our foreman, into +his confidence. They had been together five or six years. Jack had coveted a +spot in the section which was to be thrown open, and he asked the foreman to +help him get it. He had been all over the country when it was part of the +range, and had picked out a spot on Big Turkey Creek, ten miles south of the +Strip line. It gradually passed from one to another of us what Jack wanted. At +first we felt blue about it, but Miller, who could see farther than the rest of +us, dispelled the gloom by announcing at dinner, “Jack is going to take a claim +if this outfit has a horse in it and a man to ride him. It is only a question +of a year or two at the farthest until the rest of us will be guiding a white +mule between two corn rows, and glad of the chance. If Jack goes now, he will +have just that many years the start of the rest of us.” +</p> + +<p> +We nerved ourselves and tried to appear jolly after this talk of the foreman. +We entered into quite a discussion as to which horse would be the best to make +the ride with. The ranch had several specially good saddle animals. In chasing +gray wolves in the winter those qualities of endurance which long races +developed in hunting these enemies of cattle, pointed out a certain +coyote-colored horse, whose color marks and “Dead Tree” brand indicated that he +was of Spanish extraction. Intelligently ridden with a light rider he was First +Choice on which to make this run. That was finally agreed to by all. There was +no trouble selecting the rider for this horse with the zebra marks. The +lightest weight was Billy Edwards. This qualification gave him the preference +over us all. +</p> + +<p> +Jack described the spot he desired to claim by an old branding-pen which had +been built there when it had been part of the range. Billy had 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 section around that old corral, you’ll know +that they have throwed off on you.” +</p> + +<p> +It was two weeks before the opening day. The coyote horse was given special +care from this time forward. He feasted on corn, while others had to be content +with grass. In spite of all the bravado that was being thrown into these +preparations, there was noticeable a deep undercurrent of regret. Jack was +going from us. Every one wanted him to go, still these dissolving ties moved +the simple men to acts of boyish kindness. Each tried to outdo the others, in +the matter of a parting present to Jack. He could have robbed us then. It was +as bad as a funeral. Once before we felt similarly when one of the boys died at +camp. It was like an only sister leaving the family circle. +</p> + +<p> +Miller seemed to enjoy the discomfiture of the rest of us. This creedless old +Christian had fine strata in his make-up. He and Jack planned continually for +the future. In fact they didn’t live in the present like the rest of us. Two +days before the opening, we loaded up a wagon with Jack’s effects. Every man +but the newly installed cook went along. It was too early in the spring for +work to commence. We all dubbed Jack a boomer from this time forward. The horse +so much depended on was led behind the wagon. +</p> + +<p> +On the border we found a motley crowd of people. Soldiers had gathered them +into camps along the line to prevent “sooners” from entering before the +appointed time. We stopped in a camp directly north of the claim our little +boomer wanted. One thing was certain, it would take a better horse than ours to +win the claim away from us. No sooner could take it. That and other things were +what all of us were going along for. +</p> + +<p> +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 with the best of +them. After the first few miles, the others followed the valley of Turkey +Creek, but he maintained his course like wild fowl, skirting the timber which +covered the first range of hills back from the creek. Jack followed with the +wagon, while the rest of us rode leisurely, after the first mile or so. When we +saw Edwards bear straight ahead from the others, we argued that a sooner only +could beat us for the claim. If he tried to out-hold us, it would be six to +one, as we noticed the leaders closely when we slacked up. By not following the +valley, Billy would cut off two miles. Any man who could ride twelve miles to +the coyote’s ten with Billy Edwards in the saddle was 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 horseman apparently protesting with one another. A loud yell +from one of us attracted our man’s attention. He mounted his horse and rode out +and met 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 of having ridden +from the line; but he’s a liar by the watch, for there isn’t a wet hair on his +horse, while the sweat was dripping from the fetlocks of this one.” +</p> + +<p> +“If you are satisfied that he is a sooner,” said Miller, “he has to go.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, he is a lying sooner,” said Edwards. +</p> + +<p> +We reined in our horses and held a short parley. After a brief discussion of +the situation, Miller said to us: “You boys go down to him,—don’t hurt him or +get hurt, but make out that you’re going to hang him. Put plenty of reality +into it, and I’ll come in in time to save him and give him a chance to run for +his life.” +</p> + +<p> +We all rode down towards him, Miller bearing off towards the right of the old +corral,—rode out over the claim noticing the rich soil thrown up by the +mole-hills. When we came up to our sooner, all of us dismounted. Edwards +confronted him and said, “Do you contest my right to this claim?” +</p> + +<p> +“I certainly do,” was the reply. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, you won’t do so long,” said Edwards. Quick as a flash Mouse prodded the +cold steel muzzle of a six-shooter against his ear. As the sooner turned his +head and looked into Mouse’s stern countenance, one of the boys relieved him of +an ugly gun and knife that dangled from his belt. “Get on your horse,” said +Mouse, emphasizing his demand with an oath, while the muzzle of a forty-five in +his ear made the order undebatable. Edwards took the horse by the bits and +started for a large black-jack tree which stood near by. Reaching it, Edwards +said, “Better use Coon’s rope; it’s manilla and stronger. Can any of you boys +tie a hangman’s knot?” he inquired when the rope was handed him. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, let me,” responded several. +</p> + +<p> +“Which limb will be best?” inquired Mouse. +</p> + +<p> +“Take this horse by the bits,” said Edwards to one of the boys, “till I look.” +He coiled the rope sailor fashion, and made an ineffectual attempt to throw it +over a large limb which hung out like a yard-arm, but the small branches +intervening defeated his throw. While he was coiling the rope to make a second +throw, some one said, “Mebby so he’d like to pray.” +</p> + +<p> +“What! him pray?” said Edwards. “Any prayer that he might offer couldn’t get a +hearing amongst men, let alone above, where liars are forbidden.” +</p> + +<p> +“Try that other limb,” said Coon to Edwards; “there’s not so much brush in the +way; we want to get this job done sometime to-day.” As Edwards made a +successful throw, he said, “Bring that horse directly underneath.” At this +moment Miller dashed up and demanded, “What in hell are you trying to do?” +</p> + +<p> +“This sheep-thief of a sooner contests my right to this claim,” snapped +Edwards, “and he has played his last cards on this earth. Lead that horse under +here.” +</p> + +<p> +“Just one moment,” said Miller. “I think I know this man—think he worked for me +once in New Mexico.” The sooner looked at Miller appealingly, his face blanched +to whiteness. Miller took the bridle reins out of the hands of the boy who was +holding the horse, and whispering something to the sooner said to us, “Are you +all ready?” +</p> + +<p> +“Just waiting on you,” said Edwards. The sooner gathered up the reins. Miller +turned the horse halfway round as though he was going to lead him under the +tree, gave him a slap in the flank with his hand, and the sooner, throwing the +rowels of his spurs into the horse, shot out from us like a startled deer. We +called to him to halt, as half a dozen six-shooters encouraged him to go by +opening a fusillade on the fleeing horseman, who only hit the high places while +going. Nor did we let up fogging him until we emptied our guns and he entered +the timber. There was plenty of zeal in this latter part, as the lead must have +zipped and cried near enough to give it reality. Our object was to shoot as +near as possible without hitting. +</p> + +<p> +Other horsemen put in an appearance as we were unsaddling and preparing to +camp, for we had come to stay a week if necessary. In about an hour Jack joined +us, speechless as usual, his face wreathed in smiles. The first step toward a +home he could call his own had been taken. We told him about the trouble we had +had with the sooner, a story which he seemed to question, until Miller +confirmed it. We put up a tent among the black-jacks, as the nights were cool, +and were soon at peace with all the world. +</p> + +<p> +At supper that evening Edwards said: “When the old settlers hold their reunions +in the next generation, they’ll say, ‘Thirty years ago Uncle Jack Martin +settled over there on Big Turkey,’ and point him out to their children as one +of the pioneer fathers.” +</p> + +<p> +No one found trouble in getting to sleep that night, and the next day arts long +forgotten by most of us were revived. Some plowed up the old branding-pen for a +garden. Others cut logs for a cabin. Every one did two ordinary days’ work. The +getting of the logs together was the hardest. We sawed and chopped and hewed +for dear life. The first few days Jack and one of the boys planted a fine big +garden. On the fourth day we gave up the tent, as the smoke curled upward from +our own chimney, in the way that it does in well-told stories. The last night +we spent with Jack was one long to be remembered. A bright fire snapped and +crackled in the ample fireplace. Every one told stories. Several of the boys +could sing “The Lone Star Cow-trail,” while “Sam Bass” and “Bonnie Black Bess” +were given with a vim. +</p> + +<p> +The next morning we were to leave for camp. One of the boys who would work for +us that summer, but whose name was not on the pay-roll until the round-up, +stayed with Jack. We all went home feeling fine, and leaving Jack happy as a +bird in his new possession. As we were saddling 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 to be alone. You notice all your boomer neighbors have wives. That’s a +hint to you to do likewise.” +</p> + +<p> +We were on the point of mounting, when the coyote horse began to act up 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 Edwards went to put his foot in the +stirrup a second time, the coyote reared like a circus horse. “Now look here, +colty,” said Billy, speaking to the horse, “my daddy rode with Old John Morgan, +the Confederate cavalry raider, and he’d be ashamed of any boy he ever raised +that couldn’t ride a bad horse like you. You’re plum foolish to act this way. +Do you think I’ll walk and lead you home?” He led him out a few rods from the +others and mounted him without any trouble. “He just wants to show Jack how it +affects a cow-horse to graze a few days on a boomer’s claim,—that’s all,” said +Edwards, when he joined us. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, Jack,” said Miller, as a final parting, “if you want a cow, I’ll send one +down, or if you need anything, let us know and we’ll come a-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 visit you next winter. And mind what I told you +about getting married,” he called back as he rode away. +</p> + +<p> +We reached camp by late noon. Miller kept up his talk about what a fine move +Jack had made; said that we must get him a stray beef for his next winter’s +meat; kept figuring constantly what else he could do for Jack. “You come around +in a few years and you’ll find him as cosy as a coon, and better off than any +of us,” said Miller, when we were talking 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 what he’s made of. There’s good stuff in that little rascal.” +</p> + +<p> +About the ranch it seemed lonesome without Jack. It was like coming home from +school when we were kids and finding mother gone to the neighbor’s. We always +liked to find her at home. We busied ourselves repairing fences, putting in +flood-gates on the river, doing anything to keep away from camp. Miller himself +went back to see Jack within ten days, remaining a week. None of us stayed at +the home ranch any more 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 we had given +him. When we buckled down to the summer’s work the gloom gradually left us. +There were men to be sent on the eastern, western, and middle divisions of the +general round-up of the Strip. Two men were sent south into the Cheyenne +country to catch anything that had winter-drifted. Our range lay in the middle +division. Miller and one man looked after it on the general round-up. +</p> + +<p> +It was a busy year with us. Our range was full stocked, and by early fall was +rich with fat cattle. We lived with the wagon after the shipping season +commenced. Then we missed Jack, although the new cook did 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 the wagon went in after supplies, though we often +came within sight of the stabling and corrals in our work. +</p> + +<p> +One day, late in the season, we were getting out a train load of “Barb Wire” +cattle, when who should come toddling along on a plow nag but Jack himself. +Busy as we were, he held quite a levee, though he didn’t give down much news, +nor have anything to say about himself or the crops. That night at camp, while +the rest of us were arranging the guards for the night, Miller and Jack prowled +off in an opposite direction from the beef herd, possibly half a mile, and +afoot, too. We could all see that something was working. Some trouble was +bothering Jack, and he had come to a friend in need, so we thought. They did +not come back to camp until the moon was up and the second guard had gone out +to relieve the first. When they came back not a word was spoken. They unrolled +Miller’s bed and slept together. +</p> + +<p> +The next morning as Jack was leaving us to return to his claim, we overheard +him say to Miller, “I’ll write you.” As he faded from our sight, Miller smiled +to himself, as though he was tickled about something. Finally Billy Edwards +brought things to a head by asking bluntly, “What’s up with Jack? We want to +know.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, it’s too good,” said Miller. “If that little game-legged rooster hasn’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 here special to see +when we could best get away. Wants every one of us to come. He’s built another +end to his house, double log style, floored both rooms and the middle. Says he +will have two fiddlers, and promises us the hog killingest time of our lives. +I’ve accepted the invitation on behalf of the ‘J+H’s’ without consulting any +one.” +</p> + +<p> +“But supposing we are busy when it takes place,” said Mouse, “then what?” +</p> + +<p> +“But we won’t be,” answered Miller. “It isn’t every day that we have a chance +at a wedding in our little family, and when we get the word, this outfit quits +then and there. Ordinary callings in life, like cattle matters, must go to the +rear until important things are attended to. Every man is expected to don his +best togs, and dance to the 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. +This outfit must do themselves proud. It will be our night to howl, and every +man will be a wooly wolf.” +</p> + +<p> +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 out two strays and a +cow or two, and sent them to the horse pasture at the home camp. It was getting +late in the fall, and we figured that a few more shipments would end it. Miller +told the owners to load out what they wanted while the weather was fit, as our +saddle horses were getting worn out fast. As we were loading out the last +shipment of mixed cattle of our own, the letter came to Miller. Jack would +return with his bride on a date only two days off, and the festivities were set +for one day later. We pulled into headquarters that night, the first time in +six weeks, and turned everything loose. The next morning we overhauled our +Sunday bests, and worried around trying to pick out something for a wedding +present. +</p> + +<p> +Miller gave the happy pair a little “Flower Pot” cow, which he had rustled 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 in our pasture. Mouse gave Jack a +four-tined fork which the hay outfit had forgotten when they left. Coon Floyd’s +compliments went with five cow-bells, which we always thought he rustled from a +boomer’s wagon that broke down over on the Reno trail. It bothered some of us +to rustle 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 the bride’s +tootsies, and several colored sheepskins, which we had bought from a Mexican +horse herd going up the trail that spring. We killed a nice fat little beef, +the evening before we started, hanging it out over night to harden. None of the +boys knew the brand; in fact, it’s bad taste to remember the brand on anything +you’ve beefed. No one troubles himself to notice it carefully. That night a +messenger brought a letter to Miller, ordering him to ship out the remnant of +“Diamond Tail” cattle as soon as possible. They belonged to a northwest Texas +outfit, and we were maturing them. The messenger stayed all night, and in the +morning asked, “Shall I order cars for you?” +</p> + +<p> +“No, I have a few other things to attend to first,” answered Miller. +</p> + +<p> +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 “Flower Pot” cow, and a +beef. Our outfit reached Jack’s house by the middle of the afternoon. The first +thing was to be introduced to the bride. Jack did the honors himself, +presenting each one of us, and seemed just as proud as a little boy with new +boots. Then we were given introductions to several good-looking neighbor girls. +We began to feel our own inferiority. +</p> + +<p> +While we were hanging up the quarters of beef on some pegs on the north side of +the cabin, Edwards said, whispering, “Jack must have pictured this claim mighty +hifalutin to that gal, for she’s a way up good-looker. Another thing, watch me +build to the one inside with the black eyes. I claimed her first, remember. As +soon as we get this beef hung up I’m going in and sidle up to her.” +</p> + +<p> +“We won’t differ with you on that point,” remarked Mouse, “but if she takes any +special shine to a runt like you, when there’s boys like the rest of us +standing around, all I’ve got to say is, her tastes must be a heap sight sorry +and depraved. I expect to dance with the bride—in the head set—a whirl or two +myself.” +</p> + +<p> +“If I’d only thought,” chimed in Coon, “I’d sent up to the State and got me a +white shirt and a standing collar and a red necktie. You galoots out-hold me on +togs. But where I was raised, back down in Palo Pinto County, Texas, I was some +punkins as a ladies’ man myself—you hear me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, you look all right,” said Edwards. “You would look all right with only a +cotton string around your neck.” +</p> + +<p> +After tending to our horses, we all went into the house. There sat Miller +talking to the bride just as if he had known her always, with Jack standing +with his back to the fire, grinning like a cat eating paste. The neighbor girls +fell to getting supper, and our cook turned to and helped. We managed to get +fairly well acquainted with the company by the time the meal was over. The +fiddlers came early, in fact, dined with us. Jack said if there were enough +girls, we could run three sets, and he thought there would be, as he had asked +every one both sides of the creek for five miles. The beds were taken down and +stowed away, as there would be no use for them that night. +</p> + +<p> +The company came early. Most of the young fellows brought their best girls +seated behind them on saddle horses. This manner gave the girl a chance to show +her trustful, clinging nature. A horse that would carry double was a prize +animal. In settling up a new country, primitive methods crop out as a matter of +necessity. +</p> + +<p> +Ben Thorn, an old-timer in the Strip, called off. While the company was +gathering, the fiddlers began to tune up, which sent a thrill through us. When +Ben gave the word, “Secure your pardners for the first quadrille,” Miller led +out the bride to the first position in the best room, Jack’s short leg barring +him as a participant. This was the signal for the rest of us, and we fell in +promptly. The fiddles struck up “Hounds in the Woods,” the prompter’s voice +rang out “Honors to your pardner,” and the dance was on. +</p> + +<p> +Edwards close-herded the black-eyed girl till supper time. Not a one of us got +a dance with her even. Mouse admitted next day, as we rode home, that he +squeezed her hand several times in the grand right and left, just to show her +that she had other admirers, that she needn’t throw herself away on any one +fellow, but it was no go. After supper Billy corralled her in a corner, she +seeming willing, and stuck to her until her brother took her home nigh +daylight. +</p> + +<p> +Jack got us boys pardners for every dance. He proved himself clean strain that +night, the whitest little Injun on the reservation. We knocked off dancing +about midnight and had supper,—good coffee with no end of way-up fine chuck. We +ate as we danced, heartily. Supper over, 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 of weariness. Miller, noticing it, ordered the Indian +war-dance as given by the Cheyennes. That aroused every one and filled the sets +instantly. The fiddlers caught the inspiration and struck into “Sift the Meal +and save the Bran.” In every grand right and left, we ki-yied as we had +witnessed Lo in the dance on festive occasions. At the end of every change, we +gave a war-whoop, some of the girls joining in, that would have put to shame +any son of the Cheyennes. +</p> + +<p> +It was daybreak when the dance ended and the guests departed. Though we had +brought our blankets with us, no one thought of sleeping. Our cook 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 the incidents of the night previous, +and we all felt that we had done the occasion justice. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap13"></a>XIII<br/> +A QUESTION OF POSSESSION</h2> + +<p> +Along in the 80’s there occurred a question of possession in regard to a brand +of horses, numbering nearly two hundred head. Courts had figured in former +matters, but at this time they were not appealed to, owing to the +circumstances. This incident occurred on leased Indian lands unprovided with +civil courts,—in a judicial sense, “No-Man’s-Land.” At this time it seemed that +<i>might</i> graced the woolsack, while on one side Judge Colt cited his +authority, only to be reversed by Judge Parker, breech-loader, short-barreled, +a full-choke ten bore. The clash of opinions between these two eminent western +authorities was short, determined, and to the point. +</p> + +<p> +A man named Gray had settled in one of the northwest counties in Texas while it +was yet the frontier, and by industry and economy of himself and family had +established a comfortable home. As a ranchman he had raised the brand of horses +in question. The history of this man is somewhat obscured before his coming to +Texas. But it was known and admitted that he was a bankrupt, on account of +surety debts which he was compelled to pay for friends in his former home in +Kentucky. Many a good man had made similar mistakes before him. His neighbors +spoke well of him in Texas, and he was looked upon as a good citizen in +general. +</p> + +<p> +Ten years of privation and hardship, in their new home, had been met and +overcome, and now he could see a ray of hope for the better. The little +prosperity which was beginning to dawn upon himself and family met with a +sudden shock, in the form of an old judgment, which he always contended his +attorneys had paid. In some manner this judgment was revived, transferred to +the jurisdiction of his district, and an execution issued against his property. +Sheriff Ninde of this county was not as wise as he should have been. When the +execution was placed in his hands, he began to look about for property to +satisfy the judgment. The exemption laws allowed only a certain number of +gentle horses, and as any class of range horses had a cash value then, this +brand of horses was levied on to satisfy the judgment. +</p> + +<p> +The range on which these horses were running was at this time an open one, and +the sheriff either relied on his reputation as a bad man, or probably did not +know any better. The question of possession did not bother him. Still this +stock was as liable to range in one county as another. There is one thing quite +evident: the sheriff had overlooked the nature of this man Gray, for he was no +weakling, inclined to sit down and cry. It was thought that legal advice caused +him to take the step he did, and it may be admitted, with no degree of shame, +that advice was often given on lines of justice if not of law, in the Lone Star +State. There was a time when the decisions of Judge Lynch in that State had the +hearty approval of good men. Anyhow, Gray got a few of his friends together, +gathered his horses without attracting attention, and within a day’s drive +crossed into the Indian Territory, where he could defy all the sheriffs in +Texas. +</p> + +<p> +When this cold fact first dawned on Sheriff Ninde, he could hardly control +himself. With this brand of horses five or six days ahead of him he became +worried. The effrontery of any man to deny his authority—the authority of a +duly elected sheriff—was a reflection on his record. His bondsmen began to +inquire into the situation; in case the property could not be recovered, were +they liable as bondsmen? Things looked bad for the sheriff. +</p> + +<p> +The local papers in supporting his candidacy for this office had often spoken +of him and his chief deputy as human bloodhounds,—a terror to evil doers. Their +election, they maintained, meant a strict enforcement of the laws, and assured +the community that a better era would dawn in favor of peace and security of +life and property. Ninde was resourceful if anything. He would overtake those +horses, overpower the men if necessary, and bring back to his own bailiwick +that brand of horse-stock. At least, that was his plan. Of course Gray might +object, but that would be a secondary matter. Sheriff Ninde would take time to +do this. Having made one mistake, he would make another to right it. +</p> + +<p> +Gray had a brother living in one of the border towns of Kansas, and it was +thought he would head for this place. Should he take the horses into the State, +all the better, as they could invoke the courts of another State and get other +sheriffs to help. +</p> + +<p> +Sixty years of experience with an uncharitable world had made Gray distrustful +of his fellow man, though he did not wish to be so. So when he reached his +brother in Kansas without molestation, he exercised caution enough to leave the +herd of horses in the territory. The courts of this neutral strip were Federal, +and located at points in adjoining States, but there was no appeal to them in +civil cases. United States marshals looked after the violators of law against +the government. +</p> + +<p> +Sheriff Ninde sent his deputy to do the Sherlock act for him as soon as 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 there any desire on the part +of Gray to conceal them. +</p> + +<p> +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, herded by night. Things +went on this way for a month. In the mean time the deputy had reported to the +sheriff, who came on to personally supervise the undertaking. Gray was on the +lookout, and was aware of the deputy’s presence. All he could do was to put an +extra man on herd at night, arm his men well, and await results. +</p> + +<p> +The deputy secretly engaged seven or eight bad men of the long-haired variety, +such as in the early days usually graced the frontier towns with their +presence. This brand of human cattle were not the disturbing element on the +border line of civilization that writers of that period depicted, nor the +authors of the bloodcurdling drama portrayed. The average busy citizen paid +little attention to them, considering them more ornamental than useful. But +this was about the stripe that was wanted and could be secured for the work in +hand. A good big bluff was considered sufficient for the end in view. This +crowd was mounted, armed to the teeth, and all was ready. Secrecy was enjoined +on every one. Led by the sheriff and his deputy, they rode out about midnight +to the pasture and found the herd and herders. +</p> + +<p> +“What do you fellows want here?” demanded young Gray, as Ninde and his posse +rode up. +</p> + +<p> +“We want these horses,” answered the sheriff. +</p> + +<p> +“On what authority?” demanded Gray. +</p> + +<p> +“This is sufficient authority for you,” said the sheriff, flashing a +six-shooter in young Gray’s face. All the heelers to the play now jumped their +horses forward, holding their six-shooters over their heads, ratcheting the +cylinders of their revolvers by cocking and lowering the hammers, as if nothing +but a fight would satisfy their demand for gore. +</p> + +<p> +“If you want these horses that bad,” said young Gray, “I reckon you can get +them for the present. But I want to tell you one thing—there are 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 this pasture to-night, they might consider you a +horse-thief and deal with you accordingly. You know you are doing this by force +of arms. You have no more authority here than any other man, except what men +and guns give you. Good-night, sir, I may see you by daylight.” +</p> + +<p> +Calling off his men, they let little grass grow under their feet as they rode +to town. The young man roused his father and uncle, who in turn went out and +asked their friends to come to their assistance. Together with the owners of +the sixty head, by daybreak they had eighteen mounted and armed men. +</p> + +<p> +The sheriff paid no attention to the advice of young Gray, but when day broke +he saw that he had more horses than he wanted, as there was a brand or two +there he had no claim on, just or unjust, and they must be cut out or trouble +would follow. One of the men with Ninde knew of a corral where this work could +be done, and to this corral, which was at least fifteen miles from the town +where the rescue party of Gray had departed at daybreak, they started. The +pursuing posse soon took the trail of the horses from where they left the +pasture, and as they headed back toward Texas, it was feared it might take a +long, hard ride to overtake them. The gait was now increased to the gallop, not +fast, probably covering ten miles an hour, which was considered better time +than the herd could make under any circumstances. +</p> + +<p> +After an hour’s hard riding, it was evident, from the trail left, that they +were not far ahead. The fact that they were carrying off with them horses that +were the private property of men in the rescue party did not tend to fortify +the sheriff in the good opinion of any of the rescuers. It was now noticed that +the herd had left the trail in the direction of a place where there had +formerly been a ranch house, the corrals of which were in good repair, as they +were frequently used for branding purposes. On coming in sight of these +corrals, Gray’s party noticed that some kind of work was being carried on, so +they approached it cautiously. The word came back that it was the horses. +</p> + +<p> +Gray said to his party, “Keep a short distance behind me. I’ll open the ball, +if there is any.” To the others of his party, it seemed that the supreme moment +in the old man’s life had come. Over his determined features there spread a +smile of the deepest satisfaction, as though some great object in life was +about to be accomplished. Yet in that determined look it was evident that he +would rather be shot down like a dog than yield to what he felt was tyranny and +the denial of his rights. When his party came within a quarter of a mile of the +corrals, it was noticed that Ninde and his deputies ceased their work, mounted +their horses, and rode out into the open, the sheriff in the lead, and halted +to await the meeting. +</p> + +<p> +Gray rode up to within a hundred feet of Ninde’s posse, and dismounting handed +the reins of his bridle to his son. He advanced with a steady, even stride, a +double-barreled shotgun held as though he expected to flush a partridge. At +this critical juncture, his party following him up, it seemed that reputations +as bad men were due to get action, or suffer a discount at the hands of +heretofore peaceable men. Every man in either party had his arms where they +would be instantly available should the occasion demand it. When Gray came +within easy hailing distance, his challenge was clear and audible to every one. +“What in hell are you doing with my horses?” +</p> + +<p> +“I’ve got to have these horses, sir,” answered Ninde. +</p> + +<p> +“Do you realize what it will take to get them?” asked Gray, as he brought his +gun, both barrels at full cock, to his shoulder. “Bat an eye, or crook your +little finger if you dare, and I’ll send your soul glimmering into eternity, if +my own goes to hell for it.” There was something in the old man’s voice that +conveyed the impression that these were not idle words. To heed them was the +better way, if human life had any value. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, Mr. Gray,” said the sheriff, “put down your gun and take your horses. +This has been a bad piece of business for us—take your horses and go, sir. My +bondsmen can pay that judgment, if they have to.” +</p> + +<p> +Gray’s son rode around during the conversation, opened the gate, and turned out +the horses. One or two men helped him, and the herd was soon on its way to the +pasture. +</p> + +<p> +As the men of his party turned to follow Gray, who had remounted, he presented +a pitiful sight. His still determined features, relaxed from the high tension +to which he had been nerved, were blanched to the color of his hair and beard. +It was like a drowning man—with the strength of two—when rescued and brought +safely to land, fainting through sheer weakness. A reprieve from death itself +or the blood of his fellow man upon his hands had been met and passed. It was +some little time before he spoke, then he said: “I reckon it was best, the way +things turned out, for I would hate to kill any man, but I would gladly die +rather than suffer an injustice or quietly submit to what I felt was a wrong +against me.” +</p> + +<p> +It was some moments before the party became communicative, as they all had a +respect for the old man’s feelings. Ninde was on the uneasy seat, for he would +not return to the State, though his posse returned somewhat crestfallen. It may +be added that the sheriff’s bondsmen, upon an examination into the facts in the +case, concluded to stand a suit on the developments of some facts which their +examination had uncovered in the original proceedings, and the matter was +dropped, rather than fight it through in open court. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap14"></a>XIV<br/> +THE STORY OF A POKER STEER</h2> + +<p> +He was born in a chaparral thicket, south of the Nueces River in Texas. It was +a warm night in April, with a waning moon hanging like a hunter’s horn high +overhead, when the subject of this sketch drew his first breath. Ushered into a +strange world in the fulfillment of natural laws, he lay trembling on a bed of +young grass, listening to the low mooings of his mother as she stood over him +in the joy and pride of the first born. But other voices of the night reached +his ears; a whippoorwill and his mate were making much ado over the selection +of their nesting-place on the border of the thicket. The tantalizing cry of a +coyote on the nearest hill caused his mother to turn from him, lifting her head +in alarm, and uneasily scenting the night air. +</p> + +<p> +On thus being deserted, and complying with an inborn instinct of fear, he made +his first attempt to rise and follow, and although unsuccessful it caused his +mother to return and by her gentle nosings and lickings to calm him. Then in an +effort to rise he struggled to his knees, only to collapse like a limp rag. But +after several such attempts he finally stood on his feet, unsteady on his legs, +and tottering like one drunken. Then his mother nursed him, and as the new milk +warmed his stomach he gained sufficient assurance of his footing to wiggle his +tail and to butt the feverish caked udder with his velvety muzzle. After +satisfying his appetite he was loath to lie down and rest, but must try his +legs in toddling around to investigate this strange world into which he had +been ushered. He smelled of the rich green leaves of the mesquite, which hung +in festoons about his birth chamber, and trampled underfoot the grass which +carpeted the bower. +</p> + +<p> +After several hours’ sleep he was awakened by a strange twittering above him. +The moon and stars, which were shining so brightly at the moment of his birth, +had grown pale. His mother was the first to rise, but heedless of her +entreaties he lay still, bewildered by the increasing light. Animals, however, +have their own ways of teaching their little ones, and on the dam’s first +pretense of deserting him he found his voice, and uttering a plaintive cry, +struggled to his feet, which caused his mother to return and comfort him. +</p> + +<p> +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 after each nursing +during the day he attempted several awkward capers in his fright at a shadow or +the rustle of a leaf. Near the middle of the afternoon, his mother being +feverish, it was necessary that she should go to the river and slake her +thirst. So she enticed him to a place where the grass in former years had grown +rank, and as soon as he lay down she cautioned him to be quiet during her +enforced absence, and though he was a very young calf he remembered and trusted +in her. It was several miles to the river, and she was gone two whole hours, +but not once did he disobey. A passing ranchero reined in and rode within three +feet of him, but he did not open an eye or even twitch an ear to scare away a +fly. +</p> + +<p> +The horseman halted only long enough to notice the flesh-marks. The calf was a +dark red except for a white stripe which covered the right side of his face, +including his ear and lower jaw, and continued in a narrow band beginning on +his withers and broadening as it extended backward until it covered his hips. +Aside from his good color the ranchman was pleased with his sex, for a steer +those days was better than gold. So the cowman rode away with a pleased +expression on his face, but there is a profit and loss account in all things. +</p> + +<p> +When the calf’s mother returned she rewarded her offspring for his obedience, +and after grazing until dark, she led him into the chaparral thicket and lay +down for the night. Thus the first day of his life and a few succeeding ones +passed with unvarying monotony. But when he was about a week old his mother +allowed him to accompany her to the river, where he met other calves and their +dams. She was but a three-year-old, and he was her first baby; so, as they +threaded their way through the cattle on the river-bank the little line-back +calf was the object of much attention. The other cows were jealous of him, but +one old grandmother came up and smelled of him benignantly, as if to say, +“Suky, this is a nice baby boy you have here.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the young cow, embarrassed by so much attention, crossed the shallow river +and went up among some hills where she had once ranged and where the vining +mesquite grass grew luxuriantly. There they spent several months, and the calf +grew like a weed, and life was one long summer day. He could have lived there +always and been content, for he had many pleasures. Other cows, also, brought +their calves up to the same place, and he had numerous playmates in his gambols +on the hillsides. Among the other calves was a speckled heifer, whose dam was a +great crony of his own mother. These two cows were almost inseparable during +the entire summer, and it was as natural as the falling of a mesquite bean that +he should form a warm attachment for his speckled playmate. +</p> + +<p> +But this June-time of his life had an ending when late in the fall a number of +horsemen scoured the hills and drove all the cattle down to the river. It was +the first round-up he had ever been in, so he kept very close to his mother’s +side, and allowed nothing to separate him from her. When the outriders had +thrown in all the cattle from the hills and had drifted all those in the river +valley together, they moved them back on an open plain and began cutting out. +There were many men at the work, and after all the cows and calves had been cut +into a separate herd, the other cattle were turned loose. Then with great +shoutings the cows were started up the river to a branding-pen several miles +distant. Never during his life did the line-back calf forget that day. There +was such a rush and hurrah among these horsemen that long before they reached +the corrals the line-back’s tongue lolled out, for he was now a very fat calf. +Only once did he even catch sight of his speckled playmate, who was likewise +trembling like a fawn. +</p> + +<p> +Inside the corral he rested for a short time in the shade of the palisades. His +mother, however, scented with alarm a fire which was being built in the middle +of the branding-pen. Several men, who seemed to be the owners, rode through the +corralled cows while the cruel irons were being heated. Then the man who +directed the work ordered into their saddles a number of swarthy fellows who +spoke Spanish, and the work of branding commenced. +</p> + +<p> +The line-back calf kept close to his mother’s side, and as long as possible +avoided the ropers. But in an unguarded moment the noose of a rope 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. His mother followed him closely, but +she was afraid of the men, and could only stand at a distance and listen to his +piteous crying. The roper, when asked for the brand, replied, “Bar-circle-bar,” +for that was the brand his mother bore. A tall quiet man who did the branding +called to a boy who attended the fire to bring him two irons; with one he +stamped the circle, and with the other he made a short horizontal bar on either +side of it. Then he took a bloody knife from between his teeth and cut an +under-bit from the calf’s right ear, inquiring of the owner as he did so, “Do +you want this calf left for a bull?” +</p> + +<p> +“No; yearlings will be worth fourteen dollars next spring. He’s a first +calf—his mother’s only a three-year-old.” +</p> + +<p> +As he was released he edged away from the fire, forlorn looking. His mother +coaxed him over into a corner of the corral, where he dropped exhausted, for +with his bleeding ear, his seared side, and a hundred shooting pains in his +loins, he felt as if he must surely die. His dam, however, stood over him until +the day’s work was ended, and kept the other cows from trampling him. When the +gates were thrown open and they were given their freedom, he cared nothing for +it; he wanted to die. He did not attempt to leave the corral until after +darkness had settled over the scene. Then with much persuasion he arose and +limped along after his mother. But before he could reach the river, which was +at least half a mile away, he sank down exhausted. If he could only slake his +terrible thirst he felt he might possibly survive, for the pain had eased +somewhat. With every passing breeze of the night he could scent the water, and +several times in his feverish fancy he imagined he could hear it as it gurgled +over its pebbly bed. +</p> + +<p> +Just at sunrise, ere the heat of the day fell upon him, he struggled to his +feet, for he felt it was a matter of life and death with him to reach the +river. At last he dragged his pain-racked body down to the rippling water and +lowered his head to drink, but it seemed as if every exertion tended to reopen +those seared scars, and with the one thing before him that he most desired, he +moaned in misery. A little farther away was a deep pool. This he managed to +crawl to, and there he remained for a long time, for the water laved his +wounds, and he drank and drank. The sun now beat down on him fiercely, and he +must seek some shady place for the day, but he started reluctantly to leave, +and when he reached the shallows, he turned back to the comfort of the pool and +drank again. +</p> + +<p> +A thickety motte of chaparral which grew back from the scattering timber on the +river afforded him the shelter and seclusion he wanted, for he dared not trust +himself where the grown cattle congregated for the day’s siesta. During all his +troubles his mother had never forsaken him, and frequently offered him the +scanty nourishment of her udder, but he had no appetite and could scarcely +raise his eyes to look at her. But time heals all wounds, and within a week he +followed his dam back into the hills where grew the succulent grama grass which +he loved. There they remained for more than a month, and he met his speckled +playmate again. +</p> + +<p> +One day a great flight of birds flew southward, and amidst the cawing of crows +and the croaking of ravens the cattle which ranged beyond came down out of the +hills in long columns, heading southward. The line-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 their tails—a thing he had never seen sedate cows do +before—and stampeded off to the south. Of course the line-back calf and his +playmate went along, outrunning their mothers. They traveled far into the night +until they reached a chaparral thicket, south of the river, much larger than +the one in which he was born. It was well they sought its shelter, for two +hours before daybreak a norther swept across the range, which chilled them to +the bone. When day dawned a mist was falling which incrusted every twig and +leaf in crystal armor. +</p> + +<p> +There were many such northers during the first winter. The one mysterious thing +which bothered him was, how it was that his mother could 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 his coat had thickened until it was as heavy as +the fur on a bear, and he began to feel a contempt for the cold. But springtime +came very early in that southern clime, and as he nibbled the first tender +blades of grass, he felt an itching in his wintry coat and rubbed off great +tufts of hair against the chaparral bushes. Then one night his mother, without +a word of farewell, forsook him, and it was several months before he saw her +again. But he had the speckled heifer yet for a companion, when suddenly her +dam disappeared in the same inexplicable manner as had his own. +</p> + +<p> +He was a yearling now, and with his playmate he ranged up and down the valley +of the Nueces for miles. But in June came a heavy rain, almost a deluge, and +nearly all the cattle left the valley for the hills, for now 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 in his mouth. Then he took warning, +for he despised grass burrs, and that evening the two cronies crossed the river +and went up into the hills where they had ranged as calves the summer before +Within a week, at a lake which both well remembered, they met their mothers +face to face. The steer was on the point of upbraiding his maternal relative +for deserting him, when a cream-colored heifer calf came up and nourished +itself at the cow’s udder. That was too much for him. He understood now 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 ground was broken, and with +his feet pawed up great clouds of dust which settled on his back until the +white spot was almost obscured. The next morning he and the speckled heifer +went up higher into the hills where the 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. +</p> + +<p> +In the extreme range of the hills back from the river, the two spent the entire +summer, or until the first norther drove them down to the valley. The second +winter was much milder than the first one, snow and ice 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 on a little pasear over north on the Frio River. They +had met others of their kind from the Frio when out on those hills the summer +before, and had found them decently behaved cattle. +</p> + +<p> +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 as pretty a +two-year-old as ever roamed the Nueces valley or drank out of its river, and +the line-back steer had many rivals. Almost daily he fought other steers of his +own age and weight, who were paying altogether too marked attention to his +crony. Although he never outwardly upbraided her for it, her coquetry was a +matter of no small concern with him. At last one day in April she forced +matters to an open rupture between them. A dark red, arch-necked, curly-headed +animal came bellowing defiance across their feeding-grounds. Without a moment’s +hesitation the line-back had accepted the challenge and had locked horns with +this Adonis. Though he fought valiantly the battle is ever with the strong, and +inch by inch he was forced backward. When he realized that he must yield, he +turned to flee, and his rival with one horn caught him behind the fore +shoulder, cutting a cruel gash nearly a foot in length. Reaching a point of +safety he halted, and as he witnessed his adversary basking in the coquettish, +amorous advances of her who had been his constant companion since babyhood, his +wrath was uncontrollable. Kneeling, he cut the ground with his horns, throwing +up clouds of dust, and then and there he renounced kith and kin, the speckled +heifer and the Nueces valley forever. He firmly resolved to start at once for +the Frio country. He was a proud two-year-old and had always held his head +high. Could his spirit suffer the humiliation of meeting his old companions +after such defeat? No! Hurling his bitterest curses on the amorous pair, he +turned his face to the northward. +</p> + +<p> +On reaching the Nueces, feverish in anger, he drank sparingly, kneeling against +the soft river’s bank, cutting it with his horns, and matting his forehead with +red mud. It was a momentous day in his life. He distinctly remembered the +physical pain he had suffered once in a branding-pen, but that was nothing +compared to this. Surely his years had 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 to reach that country troubled him. He was a cautious fellow; he knew he +must have water on the way, and the rains had not yet fallen. +</p> + +<p> +Near the middle of the afternoon an incident occurred which changed the whole +course of his after-life. From his position on the knoll he witnessed the +approach of four horsemen who apparently were bent on driving all the cattle in +that vicinity out of their way. To get a better view he arose, for it was +evident they had no intention of disturbing him. When they had drifted away all +the cattle for a mile on both sides of the river, one of the horsemen rode back +and signaled to some one in the distance. Then the line-back steer saw +something new, for coming over the brow of the hill was a great column of +cattle. He had never witnessed such a procession of his kind before. When the +leaders had reached the river, the rear was just coming over the brow of the +hill, for the column was fully a mile in length. The line-back steer classed +them as strangers, probably bound for the Frio, for that was the remotest +country in his knowledge. As he slowly approached the herd, which was then +crowding into the river, he noticed that they were nearly all two-year-olds +like himself. Why not accompany them? His resolution to leave the Nueces valley +was still uppermost in his mind. But when he attempted to join in, a +dark-skinned man on a horse chased him away, cursing him in Spanish as he ran. +Then he thought they must be exclusive, and wondered where they came from. +</p> + +<p> +But when the line-back steer once resolved to do anything, the determination +became a consuming desire. He threw the very intensity of his existence into +his resolution of the morning. He would leave the Nueces valley with those +cattle—or alone, it mattered not. So after they had watered and grazed out from +the river, he followed at a respectful distance. Once again he tried to enter +the herd, but an outrider cut him off. The man was well mounted, and running +his horse up to him he took up his tail, wrapped the brush around the pommel of +his saddle, and by a dexterous turn of his horse threw him until he spun like a +top. The horseman laughed. The ground was sandy, and while the throwing +frightened him, never for an instant did it shake his determination. +</p> + +<p> +So after darkness had fallen and the men had bedded their cattle for the night, +he slipped through the guard on night-herd and lay down among the others. He +complimented himself on his craftiness, but never dreamed that this was a trail +herd, bound for some other country three hundred miles beyond his native Texas. +The company was congenial; it numbered thirty-five hundred two-year-old steers +like himself, and strangely no one ever noticed him until long after they had +crossed the Frio. Then a swing man one day called his foreman’s attention to a +stray, line-backed, bar-circle-bar steer in the herd. The foreman only gave him +a passing glance, saying, “Let him alone; we may get a jug of whiskey for him +if some trail cutter don’t claim him before we cross Red River.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Red River was the northern boundary of his native State, and though he was +unconscious of his destination, he was delighted with his new life and its +constant change of scene. He also rejoiced that every hour carried him farther +and farther from the Nueces valley, where he had suffered so much physical pain +and humiliation. So for several months he traveled northward with the herd. He +swam rivers and grazed in contentment across flowery prairies, mesas and broken +country. Yet it mattered nothing to him where he was going, for his every need +was satisfied. These men with the herd were friendly to him, for they +anticipated his wants by choosing the best grazing, so arranging matters that +he reached water daily, and selecting a dry bed ground for him at night. And +when strange copper-colored men with feathers in their hair rode along beside +the herd he felt no fear. +</p> + +<p> +The provincial ideas of his youth underwent a complete change within the first +month of trail life. When he swam Red River with the leaders of the herd, he +not only bade farewell to his native soil, but burned all bridges behind him. +To the line-back steer, existence on the Nueces had been very simple. But now +his views were broadening. Was not he a unit of millions of his kind, all +forging forward like brigades of a king’s army to possess themselves of some +unconquered country? These men with whom he was associated were the vikings of +the Plain. The Red Man was conquered, and, daily, the skulls of the buffalo, +his predecessors, stared vacantly into his face. +</p> + +<p> +By the middle of summer they reached their destination, for the cattle were +contracted to a cowman in the Cherokee Strip, Indian Territory. The day of +delivery had arrived. The herd was driven into a pasture where they met another +outfit of horsemen similar to their own. The cattle were strung out and +counted. The men agreed on the numbers. But watchful eyes scanned every brand +as they passed in review, and the men in the receiving outfit called the +attention of their employer to the fact that there were several strays in the +herd not in the road brand. One of these strays was a line-back, +bar-circle-bar, two-year-old steer. There were also others; when fifteen of +them had been cut out and the buyer asked the trail foreman if he was willing +to 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 in my country we call +strays like them <i>poker steers</i>.” +</p> + +<p> +And so there were turned loose in the Coldwater Pool, one of the large pastures +in the Strip, fifteen strays. That night, in a dug-out on that range, the home +outfit of cowboys played poker until nearly morning. There were seven men in +the camp entitled to share in this flotsam on their range, the extra steer +falling to the foreman. Mentally they had a list of the brands, and before the +game opened the strays were divided among the participants. An animal was +represented by ten beans. At the beginning the boys played cautiously, counting +every card at its true worth in a hazard of chance. But as the game wore on and +the more fortunate ones saw their chips increase, the weaker ones were +gradually forced out. At midnight but five players remained in the game. By +three in the morning the foreman lost his last bean, and ordered the men into +their blankets, saying they must be in their saddles by dawn, riding the +fences, scattering and locating the new cattle. As the men yawningly arose to +obey, Dick Larkin 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 take one of his +poker steers.” +</p> + +<p> +“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 you my bar-circle-bar +steer.” +</p> + +<p> +“My sire was born in Ireland and is living yet,” retorted Bold Richard. “Cut +the cards, young fellow.” +</p> + +<p> +“The proposition is yours—cut first yourself.” +</p> + +<p> +The other players languidly returned to the table. Larkin cut a five spot of +clubs and was in the act of tearing it in two, when Tex turned the tray of +spades. Thus, on the turn of a low card, the line-back steer passed into the +questionable possession of Dick Larkin. The Cherokee Strip wrought magic in a +Texas steer. One or two winters in its rigorous climate transformed the gaunt +long-horn into a marketable beef. The line-back steer met the rigors of the +first winter and by June was as glossy as a gentleman’s silk tile. But at that +spring round-up there was a special inspector from Texas, and no sooner did his +eye fall upon the bar-circle-bar steer than he opened his book and showed the +brand and his authority to claim him. When Dick Larkin asked to see his +credentials, the inspector not only produced them, but gave the owner’s name +and the county in which the brand was a matter of record. There was no going +back on that, and the Texas man took the line-back steer. But the round-up +stayed all night in the Pool pasture, and Larkin made it his business to get on +second guard in night-herding the cut. He had previously assisted in bedding +down the cattle for the night, and made it a point to see that the poker +three-year-old lay down on the outer edge of the bed ground. The next morning +the line-back steer was on his chosen range in the south end of the pasture. +How he escaped was never known; there are ways and ways in a cow country. +</p> + +<p> +At daybreak the round-up moved into the next pasture, the wagons, cut and +saddle horses following. The special inspector was kept so busy for the next +week that he never had time to look over the winter drift and strays, which now +numbered nearly two thousand cattle. When the work ended the inspector missed +the line-back steer. He said nothing, however, but exercised caution enough to +take what cattle he had gathered up into Kansas for pasturage. +</p> + +<p> +When the men who had gone that year on the round-up on the western division +returned, there was a man from Reece’s camp in the Strip, east on Black Bear, +who asked permission to leave about a dozen cattle in the Pool. He was alone, +and, saying he would bring another man with him during the shipping season, he +went his way. But when Reece’s men came back after their winter drift during +the beef-gathering season, Bold Richard Larkin bantered the one who had left +the cattle for a poker game, pitting the line-back three-year-old against a +white poker cow 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 steer +went home with Reece’s man. There was a protective code of honor among +rustlers, 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 necessary information. +</p> + +<p> +The men from the Coldwater Pool, who went on the eastern division of the +round-up next spring, came back and reported having seen a certain line-back +poker steer, but the bar-circle-bar had somehow changed, until now it was known +as the <i>pilot wheel</i>. And, so report came back, in the three weeks’ work +that spring, the line-back pilot-wheel steer had changed owners no less than +five times. Late that fall word came down from Fant’s pasture up west on the +Salt Fork to send a man or two up there, as Coldwater Pool cattle had been seen +on that range. Larkin and another lad went up to a beef round-up, and almost +the first steer Bold Richard laid his eyes on was an under-bit, line-back, once +a bar-circle-bar but now a pilot-wheel beef. Larkin swore by all the saints he +would know that steer in Hades. Then Abner Taylor called Bold Richard aside and +told him that he had won the steer about a week before from an Eagle Chief man, +who had also won the beef from another man east on Black Bear during the spring +round-up. The explanation satisfied Larkin, who recognized the existing code +among rustlers. +</p> + +<p> +The next spring the line-back steer was a five-year-old. Three winters in that +northern climate had put the finishing touches on him. He was a beauty. But +Abner Taylor knew he dared not ship him to a market, for there he would have to +run a regular gauntlet of inspectors. There was another chance open, however. +Fant, Taylor’s employer, had many Indian contracts. One contract in particular +required three thousand northern wintered cattle for the Fort Peck Indian +Reservation in northeast Montana. Fant had wintered the cattle with which to +fill this contract on his Salt Fork range in the Cherokee Strip. When the +cowman cast about for a foreman on starting the herd for Fort Peck, the fact +that Abner Taylor was a Texan was sufficient recommendation with Fant. And the +line-back beef and several other poker steers went along. +</p> + +<p> +The wintered herd of beeves were grazed across to Fort Peck in little less than +three months. On reaching the agency, the cattle were in fine condition and +ready to issue to the Indian wards of our Christian nation. In the very first +allotment from this herd the line-back beef was cut off with thirty others. It +was fitting that he should die in his prime. As the thirty head were let out of +the agency corral, a great shouting arose among the braves who were to make the +kill. A murderous fire from a hundred repeaters was poured into the running +cattle. Several fell to their knees, then rose and struggled on. The scene was +worthy of savages. As the cattle scattered several Indians singled out the +line-back poker steer. One specially well-mounted brave ran his pony along +beside him and pumped the contents of his carbine into the beef’s side. With +the blood frothing from his nostrils, the line-back turned and catching the +horse with his horn disemboweled him. The Indian had thrown himself on the side +of his mount to avoid the sudden thrust, and, as the pony fell, he was pinned +under him. With admirable tenacity of life the pilot-wheel steer staggered back +and made several efforts to gore the dying horse and helpless rider, but with a +dozen shots through his vitals, he sank down and expired. A destiny, over which +he had no seeming control, willed that he should yield to the grim reaper +nearly three thousand miles from his birthplace on the sunny Nueces. +</p> + +<p> +Abner Taylor, witnessing the incident, rode over to a companion and inquired: +“Did you notice my line-back poker steer play his last trump? From the bottom +of my heart I wish he had killed the Indian instead of the pony.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12281 ***</div> +</body> + +</html> + + diff --git a/12281-h/images/cover.jpg b/12281-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4c18288 --- /dev/null +++ b/12281-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/12281-h/images/img01.jpg b/12281-h/images/img01.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..40672f0 --- /dev/null +++ b/12281-h/images/img01.jpg |
