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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/12281-0.txt b/12281-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6547b62 --- /dev/null +++ b/12281-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6699 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12281 *** + +[Illustration] + + + + +CATTLE BRANDS + +A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories + +by ANDY ADAMS + + +1906 + + + + +TO MR. AND MRS. HENRY RUSSELL WRAY + + + + +Contents + + + I. DRIFTING NORTH + II. SEIGERMAN’S PER CENT + III. “BAD MEDICINE” + IV. A WINTER ROUND-UP + V. A COLLEGE VAGABOND + VI. THE DOUBLE TRAIL + VII. RANGERING + VIII. AT COMANCHE FORD + IX. AROUND THE SPADE WAGON + X. THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA + XI. THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG + XII. IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS + XIII. A QUESTION OF POSSESSION + XIV. THE STORY OF A POKER STEER + +“The Passing of Peg-Leg” and “A Question of Possession” appeared +originally in _Leslie’s Monthly_, and are here reprinted by permission +of the publishers of that magazine. + +BRANDS + +[Illustration] + + + + +CATTLE BRANDS + + + + +I +DRIFTING NORTH + + +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. + +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. + +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 _Hat_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“Now that Mexican would never think of betraying the banker, his old +friend and patron, his _muy bueno amigo_. 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.” + +“What guard are you going to put me on to-night?” inquired old man +Carter of Baugh. + +“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. + +“Colonel,” added Baugh, “why is it that you never tell that experience +you had once amongst the greasers?” + +“Well, there was nothing funny in it to me,” said Carter, “and they say +I never tell it twice alike.” + +“Why, certainly, tell us,” said the cattle-buyer. “I’ve never heard it. +Don’t throw off to-night.” + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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:— + +“‘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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“Haven’t you got one for us?” inquired the cattle-buyer of Baugh. “This +is no time to throw off, or refuse to be sociable.” + +“Well, now, that bank robbery that you were telling the boys about,” +said Baugh, as he bit the tip from a fresh cigar, “reminds me of 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. + +“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!’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“At the trial he never tried to hide his past, and you couldn’t help +liking the fellow for his frank answers. + +“‘Were you ever charged with any crime before?’ asked the prosecution. +‘If so, when and where?’ + +“‘Yes,’ said the prisoner, ‘in Texas, for robbing the mails in ’77.’ + +“‘What was the result?’ continued the prosecution. + +“‘They sent me over the road for ninety-nine years.’ + +“‘Then how does it come that you are at liberty?’ quizzed the attorney. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘What did you do then?’ asked the attorney. + +“‘Well, I went back to Texas, and was attending to my own business, +when I got into a little trouble and had to kill a man. Lawyers 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.’ + +“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?” + + +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. + + + + +II +SEIGERMAN’S PER CENT + + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“That won’t save you from getting hit with a cheque for your time when +the snow begins to drift,” commented Stubb. + +“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.” + +“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. + +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.” + +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?” + +“In a day or two,” answered the foreman. “Why?” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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?” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +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. + +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.” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +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. + +“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.” + +“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. + +“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?” + +“Yes, you’re powerful lucky. You’re alive, ain’t you?” said Stubb, +rubbing salt into his wounds. + +“Now, my dear Stubby, don’t get gay with the leading lady; you may get +in a bad box some day and need me.” + +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. + +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.” + +“What is it?” asked the other two, in a chorus. + +“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.” + +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.” + +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?” + +“Dot ish my name, sir,” said the man behind the bar. + +“Could I see you privately for a few minutes?” asked Baugh, who himself +could speak German, though his tongue did not indicate it. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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.” + +“Mr. Baughman, vill you not haf one drink mit me?” said Seigerman, as +he led the way towards the bar. + +“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.” + +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.” + +“You can haf any room in mine house, Mr. Baughman,” said Seigerman. + +As Baugh was about to leave he once more impressed on Louie the 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. + +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.” + +“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. + +“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?” + +“Well, as I have until to-morrow to think it over, I’ll try,” said +Stubb. + +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. + +“Let us retire to the rear room for a few moments of conversation, if +you have the leisure,” said Baugh. + +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. + +“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. + +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.” + +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?” + +“Shentlemens, I’ll dry do,” said Louie, “but you will not dake a drink +mit me once again, aind it?” + +“No, thank you, Mr. Seigerman,” replied Stubb. + +“He gave me a very fine cigar yesterday; you’ll like them if you try +one,” said Baugh to Stubb. “Let it be a cigar to-day, Mr. Seigerman.” + +As Baugh struck a match to light his cigar, he said to Stubb, “I’m +coming up to stop with Mr. Seigerman to-morrow. Why don’t you join us?” + +“I vould be wery much bleased to haf you mine guest,” said Louie, every +inch the host. + +“This is a very home-like looking place,” remarked Stubb. “I may come +up; I’ll come around Sunday and take dinner with you, anyhow.” + +“Do, blease,” urged Louie. + +There was a great deal to be said, and it required two languages 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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +Louie drew a long breath, and it seemed that a load had been lifted +from his mind by these last remarks of Arab’s. + +“How many men are there in the Strip?” asked Arab of the others. + +“On all three divisions of the last round-up there were 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.” + +“Hold on a minute, aren’t you a trifle high on your estimate?” asked +Stubb, the conservative, protestingly. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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!” + +“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?” + +“Shentlemens, how can I refuse to be one sheriff? The cattle-mens must +be protec. I accep.” + +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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“Very well, then,” said Stubb, “I waive my objections for sociability’s +sake.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +III +“BAD MEDICINE” + + +The evening before the Cherokee Strip was thrown open for settlement, a +number of old timers met in the little town of Hennessey, Oklahoma. + +On the next day the Strip would pass from us and our employers, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“‘Why won’t you count with me?’ he demanded. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘Don’t you know, sir, that I’m in authority here?’ retorted the +foreman. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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. + +“‘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?’ + +“‘No, sir, it won’t. What’s got into you boys?’ questioned the foreman. + +“‘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. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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.’ + +“‘Must I continue to listen to these insults on every hand?’ hissed the +medicine man, livid with rage. + +“‘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. + +“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. + +“‘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.’ + +“The point-men smiled at Pink’s orders, and one asked, ‘Are you ready +now?’ + +“‘All set,’ responded Pink. ‘Let the fiddlers cut loose.’ + +“Well, we lined them up and got them strung out in shape to count, and +our point-men picking out a favorite rise, we lined them 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?’ + +“‘Thirty-three six,’ was the answer. + +“‘Why, you can’t count a little bit,’ said Californy. ‘I got +thirty-three seven. How does the count suit you, boss?’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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.’ + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“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. + +“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 _segundo_ 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.’ + +“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.’ + +“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.’” + +“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?” + +“It is quite a long time between drinks,” remarked Joe, rising, “but I +didn’t want to interrupt Ace.” + +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.” + +As we strolled out into the street, Joe inquired, “Ace, where will I +see you after supper?” + +“You will see me, not only after supper, but all during supper, sitting +right beside you.” + + + + +IV +A WINTER ROUND-UP + + +An hour before daybreak one Christmas morning in the Cherokee Strip, +six hundred horses were under saddle awaiting the dawn. It was a clear, +frosty morning that bespoke an equally clear day for the wolf _rodeo_. +Every cow-camp within striking distance of the Walnut Grove, on the +Salt Fork of the Cimarron, was a scene of activity, taxing 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“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?” + +“Yes; we’re going to have egg-nog at our camp to-night. Come down.” + +The boys were being told off in squads of ten, when a suppressed 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. + +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. + +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. + + +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. + +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. + +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?” + +“He’ll weigh twenty pounds,” said Reese, ignoring the question and +holding the gobbler up for inspection. + +“If you were a vealy tow-headed kid, I’d have something to say to you, +but you’re old enough to be my father, and that silences me. 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.” + +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. + +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 _pasear_ through that thicket once and you’ll come out a +defender of the faith.” + +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. + +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 _siesta_ from the warm, sunny +slope of a sand dune, they made an effort and did break the cordon, but +not without a protest. + +As they came out of the sand dunes, heading straight for the line, all +semblance of control was lost in the men. Nothing daunted by 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _muy docil_. +We’re going to peel them and will meet you at the ford.” + +“Who gets the turkey?” some one asked. + +“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.” + + + + +V +A COLLEGE VAGABOND + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?” + +“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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +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.” + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + + + + +VI +THE DOUBLE TRAIL + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +So before Stubb had even time to unsaddle his horse, he was approached +to know the history of these two trails. + +“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.” + +“But why not now?” said Lucy, his curiosity aroused, as keen as a +woman’s. + +“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.” + +“But why not tell me?” said the young man. + +“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.” + +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. + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“Then he wilted and inquired, ‘Do you think I can cross if it swims +them any?’ + +“‘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. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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. + +“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.’ + +“‘That’s all right,’ he retorted, ‘but don’t forget what I told you +yesterday, and let it be enough said.’ + +“‘Well, let’s put the cattle in,’ I urged, seeing that he was getting +hot under the collar. ‘We’re burning daylight, pardner.’ + +“‘Well, I’m going to cross my wagon first,’ said he. + +“‘That’s a good idea,’ I answered. ‘Bring her up.’ Their cook 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. + +“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. + +“‘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. + +“‘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.’ + +“Assuming an air of superiority he observed, ‘You seem to have forgot +what I said to you yesterday.’ + +“‘No, I haven’t,’ I answered, ‘but are you going to stay all night +here?’ + +“‘I certainly am, if that’s any satisfaction to you,’ he answered. + +“I got off my horse and asked him for a match, though I had 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,— + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“‘That will depend,’ said he. + +“‘Depend on what?’ I asked. + +“‘Depend on whether we are willing to let you,’ he snarled. + +“I gave him as mean a look as I could command and said tauntingly, +‘Now, look here, old girl: there’s no occasion for you to tear 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.’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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!’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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?’ + +“‘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?’ + +“‘Yes, sir,’ he answered. ‘Are all three dead?’ he then inquired. + +“‘Dead as heck,’ I told him. + +“‘Well, we are certainly in a bad box,’ said he meditatingly. ‘But +won’t you all ride over to our wagon with me? I think our fellows are +pacified for the present.’ + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.’” + +“But why did you take them back to the sand-hills to bury them?” cut in +Lucy. + +“Oh, that was Big Dick’s idea. He thought the sand would dig easier, +and laziness guided every act of his life. That was five years ago, +son, that this lower trail was made, and for the reasons I have just +given you. No, I can’t tell you any more personal experiences to-night; +I’m too sleepy.” + + + + +VII +RANGERING + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +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.” + +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. + +“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!” + +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. + +“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?” + +“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. + +“Good long shot, little man,” said the sergeant, “and you may have the +choice of cuts, just so I get a rib.” + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +“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.’ + +“‘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?’ + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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!”’ + +“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?” + +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.” + +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. + +“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?’ + +“‘I did, yer Honor,’ was the prisoner’s reply. + +“I suggested to the court that the prisoner be informed of his rights, +that he need not plead guilty unless he so desired. + +“‘That makes no difference here,’ said the court. ‘Gentlemen, I’m 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.’ + +“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?’ + +“‘Jerry McKay, your Honor.’ + +“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.’ + +“‘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.” + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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! + + +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. + +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. + +She was his sister. + +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. + +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. + + + + +VIII +AT COMANCHE FORD + + +“There’s our ford,” said Juan,—our half-blood trailer,—pointing to the +slightest sag in a low range of hills distant twenty miles. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“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. + +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. + +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,— + +“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.” + +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.” + +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?” + +“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 +_supremely happy_.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +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. + +“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 _pasear_ over into Mexico on our own account. + +“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 _muy grande_. +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“As night set in we approached the _carsel_. 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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“I don’t reckon that captain had any scruples about taking his share of +the prize money, did he?” inquired Gotch. + +“No, I never knew anything like that to happen since I’ve been in the +service.” + +“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. + +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“How long ago was that?” inquired Orchard. + +“Quite a while ago,” replied Dad. “I ought to be able to tell exactly. +I was a youngster then. Well, I’ll tell you; it was during the +reconstruction days, when Davis was governor. Figure it out yourself.” + +“Speaking of the disagreeable side of this service,” said Happy Jack, +“reminds me of an incident that took all the nerve out of every 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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +“Who are you?” demanded Root. + +“A detachment from Company M, Texas Rangers,” was the reply. + +“If you are Rangers, give us a maxim of the service,” said Dad. + +“_Don’t wait for the other man to shoot first_,” came the response. + +“Ride in, that passes here,” was Dad’s greeting and welcome. + +They were a detachment of fifteen men, and had ridden from the 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. + + + + +IX +AROUND THE SPADE WAGON + + +It was an early spring. The round-up was set for the 10th of June. The +grass was well forward, while the cattle had changed their shaggy +winter coats to glossy suits of summer silk. The brands were as +readable as an alphabet. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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.” + +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.” + +“Who is it?” inquired “Mouse” from over near the hind wheel of the +wagon, where he was applying the hemp to the horses’ ankles. + +“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.” + +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. + +“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?” + +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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“Do you remember,” said Babe, “when I dissolved with the ‘Ohio’ outfit +and bought in with the ‘LX’ people?” + +“When you what?” repeated Edwards. + +“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.” + +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. + +“Have you ever been back in old San Saba since we left?” inquired +Edwards after a long meditative silence. + +“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.” + +“What ever became of the O’Shea girls?” asked Edwards. “You know that I +was high card once with the eldest.” + +“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?’ + +“‘Don’t you remember when we were in Italy,’ said one of the girls, +trying to refresh her memory. + +“‘Oh, yes, now I remember; that’s where I bought you girls such nice +long red stockings.’ + +“The girls suddenly remembered some duty about the house that required +their immediate attention, and Jed says that he looked out of the +window.” + +“So you think I’ve lost my number, do you?” commented Edwards, as he +lay on his back and fondly patted a comfortable stomach. + +“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!” + +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?” + +“Oh, he’s drifting about,” said Edwards. “Mouse here can tell you about +him. They’re old college chums.” + +“Raneka was working for the ‘-BQ’ people last summer,” said Mouse, “but +was discharged for hanging a horse, or rather he 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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“‘Let’s go back,’ said Bill to his pardner, ‘and at least leave our +card. He might not like it if we didn’t.’ + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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.’” + +“Seems like I remember that fellow Wall,” said Bradshaw, meditating. + +“Why, of course you do. Weren’t you with us when we voted the bonds to +the railroad company?” asked Edwards. + +“No, never heard of it; must have been after I left. What business did +you have voting bonds?” + +“Tell him, Coon. I’m too full for utterance,” said Edwards. + +“If you’d been in this country you’d heard of it,” said Coon Floyd. +“For a few years everything was dated from that event. It was like +‘when the stars fell,’ and the ‘surrender’ with the old-time 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. + +“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.’ + +“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.’ + +“‘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?’ + +“‘No, I don’t,’ said the druggist, ‘and I’ll see that my cousin here +doesn’t.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“‘Hold me responsible, gentlemen,’ said the druggist, with a profound +bow. ‘Come with me, Cousin,’ he said to the Anti. + +“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.’ + +“‘Is—is—is the four o’clock train the first out?’ inquired the new +cousin. + +“‘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. + +“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. + +“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?’ + +“‘I am, sir.’ + +“‘Unfortunately, I am not. Will you kindly excuse me, say ten minutes?’ + +“‘Certainly, sir, with pleasure.’ + +“‘There are ladies present,’ he observed. ‘Let us retire.’ + +“On my consenting, he turned to the offended dame, and in spite of 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.’ + +“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. + +“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?” + +“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.’” + +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?” + +Edwards meditated until Mouse said, “He’s thinking about little St. +John, the fiddler.” + +“Oh, yes, Patsy St. John, the little glass-blower,” said Edwards, 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. + +“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.’ + +“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.” + +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. + + + + +X +THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +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.” + +“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. + +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. + +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. + +“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?” + +“There is no hope from that source.” + +“Is there any hope from any source?” + +“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.” + +“Is this possible?” asked Don Ramon excitedly. + +“The color of gold makes a good many things possible.” + +“I would gladly give all I possess in the world for one hour’s 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.” + +“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. + +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 _monte_ 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. + +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:— + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +“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?” + +“If time were given him, possibly. Can I send him such a letter?” +pleaded Don Ramon, brightening with the hope of this new opportunity. + +“It would be impossible at present. The consent of all interested 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.” + +Thus the days wore on. + +The absence of the band, except for the few who guarded the prisoner, +was policy on their part. They were receiving the news from the 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“Yes, defend your dastardly act if you can,” said the chief. + +“Capitan,” said the man, making obeisance and tapping his breast, +“there is an oath recorded here, in memory of a father who was 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. + +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. + +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.” + +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?” + +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.” + +“Your answer to that, Don Ramon?” asked the chief. + +“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.” + +“You shall have it,” replied the chief, “and on its success depends +your liberty or the consequences.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“Are you the son of Don Ramon Mora?” asked the bandit. + +“I am,” replied the young man; “won’t you dismount?” + +“No. I bear a letter to you from your father. One moment, 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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +“Yes, it is Agua Dulce.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _Casa primero_. + +It was late in the day when the lieutenant awoke to find Don Ramon, +Jr., ready to welcome and join in furnishing any details unknown 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. + +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 _monte_—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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +XI +THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _pastor_ +who gave them a description of the robbers. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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:— + +“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.” + + + + +XII +IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS + + +There was a painting at the World’s Fair at Chicago named “The Reply,” +in which the lines of two contending armies were distinctly outlined. +One of these armies had demanded the surrender of the other. The 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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“If you are satisfied that he is a sooner,” said Miller, “he has to +go.” + +“Well, he is a lying sooner,” said Edwards. + +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.” + +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?” + +“I certainly do,” was the reply. + +“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. + +“Yes, let me,” responded several. + +“Which limb will be best?” inquired Mouse. + +“Take this horse by the bits,” said Edwards to one of the boys, “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.” + +“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.” + +“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?” + +“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.” + +“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?” + +“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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +“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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“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.” + +“But supposing we are busy when it takes place,” said Mouse, “then +what?” + +“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.” + +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. + +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?” + +“No, I have a few other things to attend to first,” answered Miller. + +We took the wagon with us to carry our bedding and the other plunder, +driving along with us a cow and a calf of Jack’s, the little “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. + +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.” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“Oh, you look all right,” said Edwards. “You would look all right with +only a cotton string around your neck.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +XIII +A QUESTION OF POSSESSION + + +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 _might_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“What do you fellows want here?” demanded young Gray, as Ninde and his +posse rode up. + +“We want these horses,” answered the sheriff. + +“On what authority?” demanded Gray. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?” + +“I’ve got to have these horses, sir,” answered Ninde. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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.” + +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. + + + + +XIV +THE STORY OF A POKER STEER + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?” + +“No; yearlings will be worth fourteen dollars next spring. He’s a first +calf—his mother’s only a three-year-old.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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 _poker steers_.” + +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.” + +“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.” + +“My sire was born in Ireland and is living yet,” retorted Bold Richard. +“Cut the cards, young fellow.” + +“The proposition is yours—cut first yourself.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _pilot wheel_. 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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12281 *** 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 diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..80ed8b9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #12281 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12281) diff --git a/old/12281-0.txt b/old/12281-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..62141a6 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12281-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7074 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Cattle Brands, by Andy Adams + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Cattle Brands + A Collection of Western Camp-Fire Stories + +Author: Andy Adams + +Release Date: May 6, 2004 [eBook #12281] +[Most recently updated: June 30, 2023] + +Language: English + +Produced by: Leah Moser and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATTLE BRANDS *** + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CATTLE BRANDS + +A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories + +by ANDY ADAMS + + +1906 + + + + +TO MR. AND MRS. HENRY RUSSELL WRAY + + + + +Contents + + + I. DRIFTING NORTH + II. SEIGERMAN’S PER CENT + III. “BAD MEDICINE” + IV. A WINTER ROUND-UP + V. A COLLEGE VAGABOND + VI. THE DOUBLE TRAIL + VII. RANGERING + VIII. AT COMANCHE FORD + IX. AROUND THE SPADE WAGON + X. THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA + XI. THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG + XII. IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS + XIII. A QUESTION OF POSSESSION + XIV. THE STORY OF A POKER STEER + +“The Passing of Peg-Leg” and “A Question of Possession” appeared +originally in _Leslie’s Monthly_, and are here reprinted by permission +of the publishers of that magazine. + +BRANDS + +[Illustration] + + + + +CATTLE BRANDS + + + + +I +DRIFTING NORTH + + +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. + +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. + +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 _Hat_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“Now that Mexican would never think of betraying the banker, his old +friend and patron, his _muy bueno amigo_. 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.” + +“What guard are you going to put me on to-night?” inquired old man +Carter of Baugh. + +“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. + +“Colonel,” added Baugh, “why is it that you never tell that experience +you had once amongst the greasers?” + +“Well, there was nothing funny in it to me,” said Carter, “and they say +I never tell it twice alike.” + +“Why, certainly, tell us,” said the cattle-buyer. “I’ve never heard it. +Don’t throw off to-night.” + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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:— + +“‘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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“Haven’t you got one for us?” inquired the cattle-buyer of Baugh. “This +is no time to throw off, or refuse to be sociable.” + +“Well, now, that bank robbery that you were telling the boys about,” +said Baugh, as he bit the tip from a fresh cigar, “reminds me of 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. + +“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!’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“At the trial he never tried to hide his past, and you couldn’t help +liking the fellow for his frank answers. + +“‘Were you ever charged with any crime before?’ asked the prosecution. +‘If so, when and where?’ + +“‘Yes,’ said the prisoner, ‘in Texas, for robbing the mails in ’77.’ + +“‘What was the result?’ continued the prosecution. + +“‘They sent me over the road for ninety-nine years.’ + +“‘Then how does it come that you are at liberty?’ quizzed the attorney. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘What did you do then?’ asked the attorney. + +“‘Well, I went back to Texas, and was attending to my own business, +when I got into a little trouble and had to kill a man. Lawyers 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.’ + +“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?” + + +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. + + + + +II +SEIGERMAN’S PER CENT + + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“That won’t save you from getting hit with a cheque for your time when +the snow begins to drift,” commented Stubb. + +“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.” + +“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. + +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.” + +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?” + +“In a day or two,” answered the foreman. “Why?” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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?” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +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. + +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.” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +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. + +“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.” + +“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. + +“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?” + +“Yes, you’re powerful lucky. You’re alive, ain’t you?” said Stubb, +rubbing salt into his wounds. + +“Now, my dear Stubby, don’t get gay with the leading lady; you may get +in a bad box some day and need me.” + +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. + +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.” + +“What is it?” asked the other two, in a chorus. + +“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.” + +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.” + +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?” + +“Dot ish my name, sir,” said the man behind the bar. + +“Could I see you privately for a few minutes?” asked Baugh, who himself +could speak German, though his tongue did not indicate it. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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.” + +“Mr. Baughman, vill you not haf one drink mit me?” said Seigerman, as +he led the way towards the bar. + +“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.” + +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.” + +“You can haf any room in mine house, Mr. Baughman,” said Seigerman. + +As Baugh was about to leave he once more impressed on Louie the 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. + +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.” + +“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. + +“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?” + +“Well, as I have until to-morrow to think it over, I’ll try,” said +Stubb. + +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. + +“Let us retire to the rear room for a few moments of conversation, if +you have the leisure,” said Baugh. + +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. + +“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. + +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.” + +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?” + +“Shentlemens, I’ll dry do,” said Louie, “but you will not dake a drink +mit me once again, aind it?” + +“No, thank you, Mr. Seigerman,” replied Stubb. + +“He gave me a very fine cigar yesterday; you’ll like them if you try +one,” said Baugh to Stubb. “Let it be a cigar to-day, Mr. Seigerman.” + +As Baugh struck a match to light his cigar, he said to Stubb, “I’m +coming up to stop with Mr. Seigerman to-morrow. Why don’t you join us?” + +“I vould be wery much bleased to haf you mine guest,” said Louie, every +inch the host. + +“This is a very home-like looking place,” remarked Stubb. “I may come +up; I’ll come around Sunday and take dinner with you, anyhow.” + +“Do, blease,” urged Louie. + +There was a great deal to be said, and it required two languages 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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +Louie drew a long breath, and it seemed that a load had been lifted +from his mind by these last remarks of Arab’s. + +“How many men are there in the Strip?” asked Arab of the others. + +“On all three divisions of the last round-up there were 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.” + +“Hold on a minute, aren’t you a trifle high on your estimate?” asked +Stubb, the conservative, protestingly. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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!” + +“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?” + +“Shentlemens, how can I refuse to be one sheriff? The cattle-mens must +be protec. I accep.” + +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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“Very well, then,” said Stubb, “I waive my objections for sociability’s +sake.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +III +“BAD MEDICINE” + + +The evening before the Cherokee Strip was thrown open for settlement, a +number of old timers met in the little town of Hennessey, Oklahoma. + +On the next day the Strip would pass from us and our employers, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“‘Why won’t you count with me?’ he demanded. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘Don’t you know, sir, that I’m in authority here?’ retorted the +foreman. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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. + +“‘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?’ + +“‘No, sir, it won’t. What’s got into you boys?’ questioned the foreman. + +“‘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. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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.’ + +“‘Must I continue to listen to these insults on every hand?’ hissed the +medicine man, livid with rage. + +“‘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. + +“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. + +“‘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.’ + +“The point-men smiled at Pink’s orders, and one asked, ‘Are you ready +now?’ + +“‘All set,’ responded Pink. ‘Let the fiddlers cut loose.’ + +“Well, we lined them up and got them strung out in shape to count, and +our point-men picking out a favorite rise, we lined them 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?’ + +“‘Thirty-three six,’ was the answer. + +“‘Why, you can’t count a little bit,’ said Californy. ‘I got +thirty-three seven. How does the count suit you, boss?’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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.’ + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“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. + +“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 _segundo_ 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.’ + +“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.’ + +“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.’” + +“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?” + +“It is quite a long time between drinks,” remarked Joe, rising, “but I +didn’t want to interrupt Ace.” + +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.” + +As we strolled out into the street, Joe inquired, “Ace, where will I +see you after supper?” + +“You will see me, not only after supper, but all during supper, sitting +right beside you.” + + + + +IV +A WINTER ROUND-UP + + +An hour before daybreak one Christmas morning in the Cherokee Strip, +six hundred horses were under saddle awaiting the dawn. It was a clear, +frosty morning that bespoke an equally clear day for the wolf _rodeo_. +Every cow-camp within striking distance of the Walnut Grove, on the +Salt Fork of the Cimarron, was a scene of activity, taxing 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“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?” + +“Yes; we’re going to have egg-nog at our camp to-night. Come down.” + +The boys were being told off in squads of ten, when a suppressed 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. + +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. + +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. + + +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. + +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. + +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?” + +“He’ll weigh twenty pounds,” said Reese, ignoring the question and +holding the gobbler up for inspection. + +“If you were a vealy tow-headed kid, I’d have something to say to you, +but you’re old enough to be my father, and that silences me. 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.” + +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. + +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 _pasear_ through that thicket once and you’ll come out a +defender of the faith.” + +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. + +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 _siesta_ from the warm, sunny +slope of a sand dune, they made an effort and did break the cordon, but +not without a protest. + +As they came out of the sand dunes, heading straight for the line, all +semblance of control was lost in the men. Nothing daunted by 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _muy docil_. +We’re going to peel them and will meet you at the ford.” + +“Who gets the turkey?” some one asked. + +“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.” + + + + +V +A COLLEGE VAGABOND + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?” + +“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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +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.” + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + + + + +VI +THE DOUBLE TRAIL + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +So before Stubb had even time to unsaddle his horse, he was approached +to know the history of these two trails. + +“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.” + +“But why not now?” said Lucy, his curiosity aroused, as keen as a +woman’s. + +“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.” + +“But why not tell me?” said the young man. + +“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.” + +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. + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“Then he wilted and inquired, ‘Do you think I can cross if it swims +them any?’ + +“‘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. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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. + +“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.’ + +“‘That’s all right,’ he retorted, ‘but don’t forget what I told you +yesterday, and let it be enough said.’ + +“‘Well, let’s put the cattle in,’ I urged, seeing that he was getting +hot under the collar. ‘We’re burning daylight, pardner.’ + +“‘Well, I’m going to cross my wagon first,’ said he. + +“‘That’s a good idea,’ I answered. ‘Bring her up.’ Their cook 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. + +“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. + +“‘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. + +“‘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.’ + +“Assuming an air of superiority he observed, ‘You seem to have forgot +what I said to you yesterday.’ + +“‘No, I haven’t,’ I answered, ‘but are you going to stay all night +here?’ + +“‘I certainly am, if that’s any satisfaction to you,’ he answered. + +“I got off my horse and asked him for a match, though I had 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,— + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“‘That will depend,’ said he. + +“‘Depend on what?’ I asked. + +“‘Depend on whether we are willing to let you,’ he snarled. + +“I gave him as mean a look as I could command and said tauntingly, +‘Now, look here, old girl: there’s no occasion for you to tear 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.’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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!’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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?’ + +“‘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?’ + +“‘Yes, sir,’ he answered. ‘Are all three dead?’ he then inquired. + +“‘Dead as heck,’ I told him. + +“‘Well, we are certainly in a bad box,’ said he meditatingly. ‘But +won’t you all ride over to our wagon with me? I think our fellows are +pacified for the present.’ + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.’” + +“But why did you take them back to the sand-hills to bury them?” cut in +Lucy. + +“Oh, that was Big Dick’s idea. He thought the sand would dig easier, +and laziness guided every act of his life. That was five years ago, +son, that this lower trail was made, and for the reasons I have just +given you. No, I can’t tell you any more personal experiences to-night; +I’m too sleepy.” + + + + +VII +RANGERING + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +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.” + +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. + +“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!” + +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. + +“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?” + +“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. + +“Good long shot, little man,” said the sergeant, “and you may have the +choice of cuts, just so I get a rib.” + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +“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.’ + +“‘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?’ + +“‘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.’ + +“‘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!”’ + +“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?” + +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.” + +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. + +“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?’ + +“‘I did, yer Honor,’ was the prisoner’s reply. + +“I suggested to the court that the prisoner be informed of his rights, +that he need not plead guilty unless he so desired. + +“‘That makes no difference here,’ said the court. ‘Gentlemen, I’m 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.’ + +“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?’ + +“‘Jerry McKay, your Honor.’ + +“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.’ + +“‘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.” + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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! + + +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. + +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. + +She was his sister. + +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. + +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. + + + + +VIII +AT COMANCHE FORD + + +“There’s our ford,” said Juan,—our half-blood trailer,—pointing to the +slightest sag in a low range of hills distant twenty miles. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“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. + +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. + +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,— + +“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.” + +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.” + +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?” + +“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 +_supremely happy_.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +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. + +“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 _pasear_ over into Mexico on our own account. + +“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 _muy grande_. +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“As night set in we approached the _carsel_. 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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“I don’t reckon that captain had any scruples about taking his share of +the prize money, did he?” inquired Gotch. + +“No, I never knew anything like that to happen since I’ve been in the +service.” + +“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. + +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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +“How long ago was that?” inquired Orchard. + +“Quite a while ago,” replied Dad. “I ought to be able to tell exactly. +I was a youngster then. Well, I’ll tell you; it was during the +reconstruction days, when Davis was governor. Figure it out yourself.” + +“Speaking of the disagreeable side of this service,” said Happy Jack, +“reminds me of an incident that took all the nerve out of every 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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +“Who are you?” demanded Root. + +“A detachment from Company M, Texas Rangers,” was the reply. + +“If you are Rangers, give us a maxim of the service,” said Dad. + +“_Don’t wait for the other man to shoot first_,” came the response. + +“Ride in, that passes here,” was Dad’s greeting and welcome. + +They were a detachment of fifteen men, and had ridden from the 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. + + + + +IX +AROUND THE SPADE WAGON + + +It was an early spring. The round-up was set for the 10th of June. The +grass was well forward, while the cattle had changed their shaggy +winter coats to glossy suits of summer silk. The brands were as +readable as an alphabet. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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.” + +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.” + +“Who is it?” inquired “Mouse” from over near the hind wheel of the +wagon, where he was applying the hemp to the horses’ ankles. + +“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.” + +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. + +“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?” + +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. + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“Do you remember,” said Babe, “when I dissolved with the ‘Ohio’ outfit +and bought in with the ‘LX’ people?” + +“When you what?” repeated Edwards. + +“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.” + +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. + +“Have you ever been back in old San Saba since we left?” inquired +Edwards after a long meditative silence. + +“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.” + +“What ever became of the O’Shea girls?” asked Edwards. “You know that I +was high card once with the eldest.” + +“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?’ + +“‘Don’t you remember when we were in Italy,’ said one of the girls, +trying to refresh her memory. + +“‘Oh, yes, now I remember; that’s where I bought you girls such nice +long red stockings.’ + +“The girls suddenly remembered some duty about the house that required +their immediate attention, and Jed says that he looked out of the +window.” + +“So you think I’ve lost my number, do you?” commented Edwards, as he +lay on his back and fondly patted a comfortable stomach. + +“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!” + +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?” + +“Oh, he’s drifting about,” said Edwards. “Mouse here can tell you about +him. They’re old college chums.” + +“Raneka was working for the ‘-BQ’ people last summer,” said Mouse, “but +was discharged for hanging a horse, or rather he 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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“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. + +“‘Let’s go back,’ said Bill to his pardner, ‘and at least leave our +card. He might not like it if we didn’t.’ + +“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. + +“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.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“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.’” + +“Seems like I remember that fellow Wall,” said Bradshaw, meditating. + +“Why, of course you do. Weren’t you with us when we voted the bonds to +the railroad company?” asked Edwards. + +“No, never heard of it; must have been after I left. What business did +you have voting bonds?” + +“Tell him, Coon. I’m too full for utterance,” said Edwards. + +“If you’d been in this country you’d heard of it,” said Coon Floyd. +“For a few years everything was dated from that event. It was like +‘when the stars fell,’ and the ‘surrender’ with the old-time 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. + +“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.’ + +“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.’ + +“‘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?’ + +“‘No, I don’t,’ said the druggist, ‘and I’ll see that my cousin here +doesn’t.’ + +“‘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.’ + +“‘Hold me responsible, gentlemen,’ said the druggist, with a profound +bow. ‘Come with me, Cousin,’ he said to the Anti. + +“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.’ + +“‘Is—is—is the four o’clock train the first out?’ inquired the new +cousin. + +“‘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. + +“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. + +“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?’ + +“‘I am, sir.’ + +“‘Unfortunately, I am not. Will you kindly excuse me, say ten minutes?’ + +“‘Certainly, sir, with pleasure.’ + +“‘There are ladies present,’ he observed. ‘Let us retire.’ + +“On my consenting, he turned to the offended dame, and in spite of 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.’ + +“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. + +“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?” + +“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.’” + +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?” + +Edwards meditated until Mouse said, “He’s thinking about little St. +John, the fiddler.” + +“Oh, yes, Patsy St. John, the little glass-blower,” said Edwards, 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. + +“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.’ + +“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.” + +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. + + + + +X +THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +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.” + +“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. + +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. + +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. + +“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?” + +“There is no hope from that source.” + +“Is there any hope from any source?” + +“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.” + +“Is this possible?” asked Don Ramon excitedly. + +“The color of gold makes a good many things possible.” + +“I would gladly give all I possess in the world for one hour’s 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.” + +“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. + +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 _monte_ 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. + +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:— + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +“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?” + +“If time were given him, possibly. Can I send him such a letter?” +pleaded Don Ramon, brightening with the hope of this new opportunity. + +“It would be impossible at present. The consent of all interested 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.” + +Thus the days wore on. + +The absence of the band, except for the few who guarded the prisoner, +was policy on their part. They were receiving the news from the 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“Yes, defend your dastardly act if you can,” said the chief. + +“Capitan,” said the man, making obeisance and tapping his breast, +“there is an oath recorded here, in memory of a father who was 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. + +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. + +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.” + +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?” + +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.” + +“Your answer to that, Don Ramon?” asked the chief. + +“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.” + +“You shall have it,” replied the chief, “and on its success depends +your liberty or the consequences.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“Are you the son of Don Ramon Mora?” asked the bandit. + +“I am,” replied the young man; “won’t you dismount?” + +“No. I bear a letter to you from your father. One moment, 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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +“Yes, it is Agua Dulce.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _Casa primero_. + +It was late in the day when the lieutenant awoke to find Don Ramon, +Jr., ready to welcome and join in furnishing any details unknown 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. + +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 _monte_—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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +XI +THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _pastor_ +who gave them a description of the robbers. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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:— + +“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.” + + + + +XII +IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS + + +There was a painting at the World’s Fair at Chicago named “The Reply,” +in which the lines of two contending armies were distinctly outlined. +One of these armies had demanded the surrender of the other. The 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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“If you are satisfied that he is a sooner,” said Miller, “he has to +go.” + +“Well, he is a lying sooner,” said Edwards. + +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.” + +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?” + +“I certainly do,” was the reply. + +“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. + +“Yes, let me,” responded several. + +“Which limb will be best?” inquired Mouse. + +“Take this horse by the bits,” said Edwards to one of the boys, “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.” + +“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.” + +“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?” + +“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.” + +“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?” + +“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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +“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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +“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.” + +“But supposing we are busy when it takes place,” said Mouse, “then +what?” + +“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.” + +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. + +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?” + +“No, I have a few other things to attend to first,” answered Miller. + +We took the wagon with us to carry our bedding and the other plunder, +driving along with us a cow and a calf of Jack’s, the little “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. + +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.” + +“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.” + +“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.” + +“Oh, you look all right,” said Edwards. “You would look all right with +only a cotton string around your neck.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +XIII +A QUESTION OF POSSESSION + + +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 _might_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“What do you fellows want here?” demanded young Gray, as Ninde and his +posse rode up. + +“We want these horses,” answered the sheriff. + +“On what authority?” demanded Gray. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?” + +“I’ve got to have these horses, sir,” answered Ninde. + +“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. + +“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.” + +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. + +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.” + +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. + + + + +XIV +THE STORY OF A POKER STEER + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?” + +“No; yearlings will be worth fourteen dollars next spring. He’s a first +calf—his mother’s only a three-year-old.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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 _poker steers_.” + +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.” + +“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.” + +“My sire was born in Ireland and is living yet,” retorted Bold Richard. +“Cut the cards, young fellow.” + +“The proposition is yours—cut first yourself.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _pilot wheel_. 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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATTLE BRANDS *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Cattle Brands<br/> + A Collection of Western Camp-Fire Stories</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Andy Adams</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: May 6, 2004 [eBook #12281]<br /> +[Most recently updated: June 30, 2023]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Leah Moser and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATTLE BRANDS ***</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 style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATTLE BRANDS ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ +concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cattle Brands + A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories + +Author: Andy Adams + +Release Date: May 6, 2004 [EBook #12281] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATTLE BRANDS *** + + + + +Produced by Leah Moser and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +CATTLE BRANDS + +A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories + +BY + +ANDY ADAMS + +1906 + + + + +TO MR. AND MRS. HENRY RUSSELL WRAY + + + + +CONTENTS + + I. DRIFTING NORTH + + II. SEIGERMAN'S PER CENT + + III. "BAD MEDICINE" + + IV. A WINTER ROUND-UP + + V. A COLLEGE VAGABOND + + VI. THE DOUBLE TRAIL + + VII. RANGERING + + VIII. AT COMANCHE FORD + + IX. AROUND THE SPADE WAGON + + X. THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA + + XI. THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG + + XII. IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS + + XIII. A QUESTION OF POSSESSION + + XIV. THE STORY OF A POKER STEER + +"The Passing of Peg-Leg" and "A Question of Possession" appeared +originally in _Leslie's Monthly_, and are here reprinted by permission +of the publishers of that magazine. + + + + +BRANDS + + [Illustration:] Bar X bar. + + [Illustration:] Ohio. + + [Illustration:] Barb wire. + + [Illustration:] Hat. + + [Illustration:] Apple. + + [Illustration:] Diamond tail. + + [Illustration:] Iowa. + + [Illustration:] Johnson & Hosmer + + [Illustration:] United States.[1] + + [Illustration:] "Sold."[1] + + [Illustration:] Dead tree. + + [Illustration:] Tin cup. + + [Illustration:] Snake. + + [Illustration:] Bar Z bar. + + [Illustration:] Running W. + + [Illustration:] Three circle. + + [Illustration:] Two bars. + + [Illustration:] Broken arrow. + + [Illustration:] Four D. + + [Illustration:] Turkey track. + + [Illustration:] Owned by "Barbecue" Campbell. + + [Illustration:] L.X. + + [Illustration:] "Inspected and condemned."[1] + + [Illustration:] Spade. + + [Illustration:] Flower pot. + + [Illustration:] Frying pan. + + [Illustration:] Laurel leaf. + + [Illustration:] X bar two. + +[Footnote 1: These three belong to the United States Government.] + + + + +CATTLE BRANDS + + + + +I + +DRIFTING NORTH + + +It was a wet, bad year on the Old Western Trail. From Red River 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. + +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. + +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 _Hat_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"Now that Mexican would never think of betraying the banker, his old +friend and patron, his _muy bueno amigo_. 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." + +"What guard are you going to put me on to-night?" inquired old man +Carter of Baugh. + +"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. + +"Colonel," added Baugh, "why is it that you never tell that experience +you had once amongst the greasers?" + +"Well, there was nothing funny in it to me," said Carter, "and they +say I never tell it twice alike." + +"Why, certainly, tell us," said the cattle-buyer. "I've never heard +it. Don't throw off to-night." + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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:-- + +"'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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"Haven't you got one for us?" inquired the cattle-buyer of Baugh. +"This is no time to throw off, or refuse to be sociable." + +"Well, now, that bank robbery that you were telling the boys about," +said Baugh, as he bit the tip from a fresh cigar, "reminds me of 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. + +"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!' + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"At the trial he never tried to hide his past, and you couldn't help +liking the fellow for his frank answers. + +"'Were you ever charged with any crime before?' asked the prosecution. +'If so, when and where?' + +"'Yes,' said the prisoner, 'in Texas, for robbing the mails in '77.' + +"'What was the result?' continued the prosecution. + +"'They sent me over the road for ninety-nine years.' + +"'Then how does it come that you are at liberty?' quizzed the +attorney. + +"'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.' + +"'What did you do then?' asked the attorney. + +"'Well, I went back to Texas, and was attending to my own business, +when I got into a little trouble and had to kill a man. Lawyers 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.' + +"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?" + + * * * * * + +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. + + + + +II + +SEIGERMAN'S PER CENT + + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"That won't save you from getting hit with a cheque for your time when +the snow begins to drift," commented Stubb. + +"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." + +"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. + +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." + +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?" + +"In a day or two," answered the foreman. "Why?" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +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." + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +"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." + +"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. + +"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?" + +"Yes, you're powerful lucky. You're alive, ain't you?" said Stubb, +rubbing salt into his wounds. + +"Now, my dear Stubby, don't get gay with the leading lady; you may get +in a bad box some day and need me." + +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. + +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." + +"What is it?" asked the other two, in a chorus. + +"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." + +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." + +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?" + +"Dot ish my name, sir," said the man behind the bar. + +"Could I see you privately for a few minutes?" asked Baugh, who +himself could speak German, though his tongue did not indicate it. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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." + +"Mr. Baughman, vill you not haf one drink mit me?" said Seigerman, as +he led the way towards the bar. + +"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." + +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." + +"You can haf any room in mine house, Mr. Baughman," said Seigerman. + +As Baugh was about to leave he once more impressed on Louie the 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. + +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." + +"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. + +"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?" + +"Well, as I have until to-morrow to think it over, I'll try," said +Stubb. + +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. + +"Let us retire to the rear room for a few moments of conversation, if +you have the leisure," said Baugh. + +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. + +"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. + +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." + +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?" + +"Shentlemens, I'll dry do," said Louie, "but you will not dake a drink +mit me once again, aind it?" + +"No, thank you, Mr. Seigerman," replied Stubb. + +"He gave me a very fine cigar yesterday; you'll like them if you try +one," said Baugh to Stubb. "Let it be a cigar to-day, Mr. Seigerman." + +As Baugh struck a match to light his cigar, he said to Stubb, "I'm +coming up to stop with Mr. Seigerman to-morrow. Why don't you join +us?" + +"I vould be wery much bleased to haf you mine guest," said Louie, +every inch the host. + +"This is a very home-like looking place," remarked Stubb. "I may come +up; I'll come around Sunday and take dinner with you, anyhow." + +"Do, blease," urged Louie. + +There was a great deal to be said, and it required two languages 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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +"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." + +Louie drew a long breath, and it seemed that a load had been lifted +from his mind by these last remarks of Arab's. + +"How many men are there in the Strip?" asked Arab of the others. + +"On all three divisions of the last round-up there were 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." + +"Hold on a minute, aren't you a trifle high on your estimate?" asked +Stubb, the conservative, protestingly. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"Shentlemens, how can I refuse to be one sheriff? The cattle-mens must +be protec. I accep." + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"Very well, then," said Stubb, "I waive my objections for +sociability's sake." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The warm sun and green blades of grass suggested springtime. The +boys had played the rle 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +III + +"BAD MEDICINE" + + +The evening before the Cherokee Strip was thrown open for settlement, +a number of old timers met in the little town of Hennessey, Oklahoma. + +On the next day the Strip would pass from us and our employers, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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.' + +"'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.' + +"'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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"'Why won't you count with me?' he demanded. + +"'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.' + +"'Don't you know, sir, that I'm in authority here?' retorted the +foreman. + +"'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.' + +"'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.' + +"'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 Jos saddle, and was called +Californy. The boss asked him to help him count the herd. + +"'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?' + +"'No, sir, it won't. What's got into you boys?' questioned the +foreman. + +"'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. + +"'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.' + +"'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.' + +"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.' + +"'Must I continue to listen to these insults on every hand?' hissed +the medicine man, livid with rage. + +"'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. + +"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. + +"'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.' + +"The point-men smiled at Pink's orders, and one asked, 'Are you ready +now?' + +"'All set,' responded Pink. 'Let the fiddlers cut loose.' + +"Well, we lined them up and got them strung out in shape to count, +and our point-men picking out a favorite rise, we lined them 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?' + +"'Thirty-three six,' was the answer. + +"'Why, you can't count a little bit,' said Californy. 'I got +thirty-three seven. How does the count suit you, boss?' + +"'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.' + +"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.' + +"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. + +"It was over two weeks afterward when Pink said to us, 'When we strike +the Santa F 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.' + +"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. + +"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 _segundo_ 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.' + +"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.' + +"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.'" + +"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?" + +"It is quite a long time between drinks," remarked Joe, rising, "but I +didn't want to interrupt Ace." + +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." + +As we strolled out into the street, Joe inquired, "Ace, where will I +see you after supper?" + +"You will see me, not only after supper, but all during supper, +sitting right beside you." + + + + +IV + +A WINTER ROUND-UP + + +An hour before daybreak one Christmas morning in the Cherokee Strip, +six hundred horses were under saddle awaiting the dawn. It was a +clear, frosty morning that bespoke an equally clear day for the wolf +_rodeo_. Every cow-camp within striking distance of the Walnut Grove, +on the Salt Fork of the Cimarron, was a scene of activity, taxing 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"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?" + +"Yes; we're going to have egg-nog at our camp to-night. Come down." + +The boys were being told off in squads of ten, when a suppressed 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. + +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. + +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. + + * * * * * + +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 rechoing +up and down the valley of the Salt Fork. + +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. + +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?" + +"He'll weigh twenty pounds," said Reese, ignoring the question and +holding the gobbler up for inspection. + +"If you were a vealy tow-headed kid, I'd have something to say to you, +but you're old enough to be my father, and that silences me. 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." + +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. + +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 +rechoed 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 _pasear_ through that thicket once +and you'll come out a defender of the faith." + +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. + +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 _siesta_ from the warm, +sunny slope of a sand dune, they made an effort and did break the +cordon, but not without a protest. + +As they came out of the sand dunes, heading straight for the line, +all semblance of control was lost in the men. Nothing daunted by 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 mle 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. + +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 _muy docil_. We're going to peel them and will meet you at the +ford." + +"Who gets the turkey?" some one asked. + +"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." + + + + +V + +A COLLEGE VAGABOND + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?" + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +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." + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + + + + +VI + +THE DOUBLE TRAIL + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +So before Stubb had even time to unsaddle his horse, he was approached +to know the history of these two trails. + +"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." + +"But why not now?" said Lucy, his curiosity aroused, as keen as a +woman's. + +"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." + +"But why not tell me?" said the young man. + +"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." + +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. + +"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. + +"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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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.' + +"Then he wilted and inquired, 'Do you think I can cross if it swims +them any?' + +"'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. + +"'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.' + +"'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. + +"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.' + +"'That's all right,' he retorted, 'but don't forget what I told you +yesterday, and let it be enough said.' + +"'Well, let's put the cattle in,' I urged, seeing that he was getting +hot under the collar. 'We're burning daylight, pardner.' + +"'Well, I'm going to cross my wagon first,' said he. + +"'That's a good idea,' I answered. 'Bring her up.' Their cook 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. + +"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. + +"'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. + +"'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.' + +"Assuming an air of superiority he observed, 'You seem to have forgot +what I said to you yesterday.' + +"'No, I haven't,' I answered, 'but are you going to stay all night +here?' + +"'I certainly am, if that's any satisfaction to you,' he answered. + +"I got off my horse and asked him for a match, though I had 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,-- + +"'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.' + +"'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.' + +"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. + +"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.' + +"'That will depend,' said he. + +"'Depend on what?' I asked. + +"'Depend on whether we are willing to let you,' he snarled. + +"I gave him as mean a look as I could command and said tauntingly, +'Now, look here, old girl: there's no occasion for you to tear 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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"'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.' + +"'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!' + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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?' + +"'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?' + +"'Yes, sir,' he answered. 'Are all three dead?' he then inquired. + +"'Dead as heck,' I told him. + +"'Well, we are certainly in a bad box,' said he meditatingly. 'But +won't you all ride over to our wagon with me? I think our fellows are +pacified for the present.' + +"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. + +"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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"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.'" + +"But why did you take them back to the sand-hills to bury them?" cut +in Lucy. + +"Oh, that was Big Dick's idea. He thought the sand would dig easier, +and laziness guided every act of his life. That was five years ago, +son, that this lower trail was made, and for the reasons I have +just given you. No, I can't tell you any more personal experiences +to-night; I'm too sleepy." + + + + +VII + +RANGERING + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +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." + +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. + +"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!" + +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. + +"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?" + +"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. + +"Good long shot, little man," said the sergeant, "and you may have the +choice of cuts, just so I get a rib." + +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." + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"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.' + +"'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?' + +"'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.' + +"'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!"' + +"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?" + +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." + +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. + +"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?' + +"'I did, yer Honor,' was the prisoner's reply. + +"I suggested to the court that the prisoner be informed of his rights, +that he need not plead guilty unless he so desired. + +"'That makes no difference here,' said the court. 'Gentlemen, I'm 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.' + +"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?' + +"'Jerry McKay, your Honor.' + +"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.' + +"'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." + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +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 rle 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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! + + * * * * * + +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. + +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. + +She was his sister. + +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. + +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. + + + + +VIII + +AT COMANCHE FORD + + +"There's our ford," said Juan,--our half-blood trailer,--pointing to +the slightest sag in a low range of hills distant twenty miles. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"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. + +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. + +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,-- + +"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." + +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." + +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?" + +"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 _supremely happy_." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +"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 _pasear_ over into Mexico on our own +account. + +"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 _muy grande_. +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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"As night set in we approached the _carsel_. 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"I don't reckon that captain had any scruples about taking his share +of the prize money, did he?" inquired Gotch. + +"No, I never knew anything like that to happen since I've been in the +service." + +"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. + +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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"How long ago was that?" inquired Orchard. + +"Quite a while ago," replied Dad. "I ought to be able to tell exactly. +I was a youngster then. Well, I'll tell you; it was during the +reconstruction days, when Davis was governor. Figure it out yourself." + +"Speaking of the disagreeable side of this service," said Happy Jack, +"reminds me of an incident that took all the nerve out of every 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. + +"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. + +"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 seoritas. 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +"Who are you?" demanded Root. + +"A detachment from Company M, Texas Rangers," was the reply. + +"If you are Rangers, give us a maxim of the service," said Dad. + +"_Don't wait for the other man to shoot first_," came the response. + +"Ride in, that passes here," was Dad's greeting and welcome. + +They were a detachment of fifteen men, and had ridden from the 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. + + + + +IX + +AROUND THE SPADE WAGON + + +It was an early spring. The round-up was set for the 10th of June. +The grass was well forward, while the cattle had changed their shaggy +winter coats to glossy suits of summer silk. The brands were as +readable as an alphabet. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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." + +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." + +"Who is it?" inquired "Mouse" from over near the hind wheel of the +wagon, where he was applying the hemp to the horses' ankles. + +"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." + +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. + +"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?" + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"Do you remember," said Babe, "when I dissolved with the 'Ohio' outfit +and bought in with the 'LX' people?" + +"When you what?" repeated Edwards. + +"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." + +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. + +"Have you ever been back in old San Saba since we left?" inquired +Edwards after a long meditative silence. + +"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." + +"What ever became of the O'Shea girls?" asked Edwards. "You know that +I was high card once with the eldest." + +"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?' + +"'Don't you remember when we were in Italy,' said one of the girls, +trying to refresh her memory. + +"'Oh, yes, now I remember; that's where I bought you girls such nice +long red stockings.' + +"The girls suddenly remembered some duty about the house that required +their immediate attention, and Jed says that he looked out of the +window." + +"So you think I've lost my number, do you?" commented Edwards, as he +lay on his back and fondly patted a comfortable stomach. + +"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!" + +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?" + +"Oh, he's drifting about," said Edwards. "Mouse here can tell you +about him. They're old college chums." + +"Raneka was working for the '-BQ' people last summer," said Mouse, +"but was discharged for hanging a horse, or rather he 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"'Let's go back,' said Bill to his pardner, 'and at least leave our +card. He might not like it if we didn't.' + +"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. + +"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.' + +"'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.' + +"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.'" + +"Seems like I remember that fellow Wall," said Bradshaw, meditating. + +"Why, of course you do. Weren't you with us when we voted the bonds to +the railroad company?" asked Edwards. + +"No, never heard of it; must have been after I left. What business did +you have voting bonds?" + +"Tell him, Coon. I'm too full for utterance," said Edwards. + +"If you'd been in this country you'd heard of it," said Coon Floyd. +"For a few years everything was dated from that event. It was like +'when the stars fell,' and the 'surrender' with the old-time 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. + +"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.' + +"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.' + +"'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?' + +"'No, I don't,' said the druggist, 'and I'll see that my cousin here +doesn't.' + +"'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.' + +"'Hold me responsible, gentlemen,' said the druggist, with a profound +bow. 'Come with me, Cousin,' he said to the Anti. + +"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.' + +"'Is--is--is the four o'clock train the first out?' inquired the new +cousin. + +"'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. + +"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. + +"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?' + +"'I am, sir.' + +"'Unfortunately, I am not. Will you kindly excuse me, say ten +minutes?' + +"'Certainly, sir, with pleasure.' + +"'There are ladies present,' he observed. 'Let us retire.' + +"On my consenting, he turned to the offended dame, and in spite of 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.' + +"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. + +"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?" + +"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.'" + +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?" + +Edwards meditated until Mouse said, "He's thinking about little St. +John, the fiddler." + +"Oh, yes, Patsy St. John, the little glass-blower," said Edwards, 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. + +"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.' + +"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." + +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. + + + + +X + +THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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, Seor 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." + +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." + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +"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?" + +"There is no hope from that source." + +"Is there any hope from any source?" + +"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." + +"Is this possible?" asked Don Ramon excitedly. + +"The color of gold makes a good many things possible." + +"I would gladly give all I possess in the world for one hour's 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." + +"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, seor, +don't despair, for I feel there is some hope," concluded the bandit. + +The family of Don Ramon were uneasy but not alarmed by his 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 _monte_ 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. + +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 +Seora 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:-- + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"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?" + +"If time were given him, possibly. Can I send him such a letter?" +pleaded Don Ramon, brightening with the hope of this new opportunity. + +"It would be impossible at present. The consent of all interested 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." + +Thus the days wore on. + +The absence of the band, except for the few who guarded the prisoner, +was policy on their part. They were receiving the news from the 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"Yes, defend your dastardly act if you can," said the chief. + +"Capitan," said the man, making obeisance and tapping his breast, +"there is an oath recorded here, in memory of a father who was 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. + +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. + +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." + +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?" + +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." + +"Your answer to that, Don Ramon?" asked the chief. + +"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." + +"You shall have it," replied the chief, "and on its success depends +your liberty or the consequences." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 Seora Mora. It +was just two weeks since Don Ramon's disappearance, a fortnight of +untold anguish and uncertainty to his family. + +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. + +"Are you the son of Don Ramon Mora?" asked the bandit. + +"I am," replied the young man; "won't you dismount?" + +"No. I bear a letter to you from your father. One moment, seor! +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, seor." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +"Yes, it is Agua Dulce." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 Seora 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. + +The seora 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 _Casa primero_. + +It was late in the day when the lieutenant awoke to find Don Ramon, +Jr., ready to welcome and join in furnishing any details unknown 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. + +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 _monte_--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. + +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. + +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. + +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 rentered 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. + +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. + + + + +XI + +THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The climax of this night's run was through the Grand Caon 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. + +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. + +As the train left the caon 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _pastor_ who gave them a description of the robbers. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 F 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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:-- + +"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." + + + + +XII + +IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS + + +There was a painting at the World's Fair at Chicago named "The Reply," +in which the lines of two contending armies were distinctly outlined. +One of these armies had demanded the surrender of the other. The 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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"If you are satisfied that he is a sooner," said Miller, "he has to +go." + +"Well, he is a lying sooner," said Edwards. + +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." + +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?" + +"I certainly do," was the reply. + +"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. + +"Yes, let me," responded several. + +"Which limb will be best?" inquired Mouse. + +"Take this horse by the bits," said Edwards to one of the boys, "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." + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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." + +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. + +"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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"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." + +"But supposing we are busy when it takes place," said Mouse, "then +what?" + +"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." + +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. + +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?" + +"No, I have a few other things to attend to first," answered Miller. + +We took the wagon with us to carry our bedding and the other plunder, +driving along with us a cow and a calf of Jack's, the little "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. + +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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"Oh, you look all right," said Edwards. "You would look all right with +only a cotton string around your neck." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +XIII + +A QUESTION OF POSSESSION + + +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 _might_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"What do you fellows want here?" demanded young Gray, as Ninde and his +posse rode up. + +"We want these horses," answered the sheriff. + +"On what authority?" demanded Gray. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?" + +"I've got to have these horses, sir," answered Ninde. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +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." + +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. + + + + +XIV + +THE STORY OF A POKER STEER + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?" + +"No; yearlings will be worth fourteen dollars next spring. He's a +first calf--his mother's only a three-year-old." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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 _poker steers_." + +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." + +"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." + +"My sire was born in Ireland and is living yet," retorted Bold +Richard. "Cut the cards, young fellow." + +"The proposition is yours--cut first yourself." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _pilot wheel_. 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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Cattle Brands, by Andy Adams + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATTLE BRANDS *** + +***** This file should be named 12281-8.txt or 12281-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/2/8/12281/ + +Produced by Leah Moser and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/old/12281-8.zip b/old/old/12281-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c7614c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/old/12281-8.zip diff --git a/old/old/12281.txt b/old/old/12281.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..54bca59 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/old/12281.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7288 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Cattle Brands, by Andy Adams + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cattle Brands + A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories + +Author: Andy Adams + +Release Date: May 6, 2004 [EBook #12281] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATTLE BRANDS *** + + + + +Produced by Leah Moser and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +CATTLE BRANDS + +A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories + +BY + +ANDY ADAMS + +1906 + + + + +TO MR. AND MRS. HENRY RUSSELL WRAY + + + + +CONTENTS + + I. DRIFTING NORTH + + II. SEIGERMAN'S PER CENT + + III. "BAD MEDICINE" + + IV. A WINTER ROUND-UP + + V. A COLLEGE VAGABOND + + VI. THE DOUBLE TRAIL + + VII. RANGERING + + VIII. AT COMANCHE FORD + + IX. AROUND THE SPADE WAGON + + X. THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA + + XI. THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG + + XII. IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS + + XIII. A QUESTION OF POSSESSION + + XIV. THE STORY OF A POKER STEER + +"The Passing of Peg-Leg" and "A Question of Possession" appeared +originally in _Leslie's Monthly_, and are here reprinted by permission +of the publishers of that magazine. + + + + +BRANDS + + [Illustration:] Bar X bar. + + [Illustration:] Ohio. + + [Illustration:] Barb wire. + + [Illustration:] Hat. + + [Illustration:] Apple. + + [Illustration:] Diamond tail. + + [Illustration:] Iowa. + + [Illustration:] Johnson & Hosmer + + [Illustration:] United States.[1] + + [Illustration:] "Sold."[1] + + [Illustration:] Dead tree. + + [Illustration:] Tin cup. + + [Illustration:] Snake. + + [Illustration:] Bar Z bar. + + [Illustration:] Running W. + + [Illustration:] Three circle. + + [Illustration:] Two bars. + + [Illustration:] Broken arrow. + + [Illustration:] Four D. + + [Illustration:] Turkey track. + + [Illustration:] Owned by "Barbecue" Campbell. + + [Illustration:] L.X. + + [Illustration:] "Inspected and condemned."[1] + + [Illustration:] Spade. + + [Illustration:] Flower pot. + + [Illustration:] Frying pan. + + [Illustration:] Laurel leaf. + + [Illustration:] X bar two. + +[Footnote 1: These three belong to the United States Government.] + + + + +CATTLE BRANDS + + + + +I + +DRIFTING NORTH + + +It was a wet, bad year on the Old Western Trail. From Red River 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. + +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. + +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 _Hat_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"Now that Mexican would never think of betraying the banker, his old +friend and patron, his _muy bueno amigo_. 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." + +"What guard are you going to put me on to-night?" inquired old man +Carter of Baugh. + +"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. + +"Colonel," added Baugh, "why is it that you never tell that experience +you had once amongst the greasers?" + +"Well, there was nothing funny in it to me," said Carter, "and they +say I never tell it twice alike." + +"Why, certainly, tell us," said the cattle-buyer. "I've never heard +it. Don't throw off to-night." + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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:-- + +"'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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"Haven't you got one for us?" inquired the cattle-buyer of Baugh. +"This is no time to throw off, or refuse to be sociable." + +"Well, now, that bank robbery that you were telling the boys about," +said Baugh, as he bit the tip from a fresh cigar, "reminds me of 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. + +"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!' + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"At the trial he never tried to hide his past, and you couldn't help +liking the fellow for his frank answers. + +"'Were you ever charged with any crime before?' asked the prosecution. +'If so, when and where?' + +"'Yes,' said the prisoner, 'in Texas, for robbing the mails in '77.' + +"'What was the result?' continued the prosecution. + +"'They sent me over the road for ninety-nine years.' + +"'Then how does it come that you are at liberty?' quizzed the +attorney. + +"'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.' + +"'What did you do then?' asked the attorney. + +"'Well, I went back to Texas, and was attending to my own business, +when I got into a little trouble and had to kill a man. Lawyers 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.' + +"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?" + + * * * * * + +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. + + + + +II + +SEIGERMAN'S PER CENT + + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"That won't save you from getting hit with a cheque for your time when +the snow begins to drift," commented Stubb. + +"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." + +"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. + +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." + +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?" + +"In a day or two," answered the foreman. "Why?" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +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." + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +"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." + +"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. + +"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?" + +"Yes, you're powerful lucky. You're alive, ain't you?" said Stubb, +rubbing salt into his wounds. + +"Now, my dear Stubby, don't get gay with the leading lady; you may get +in a bad box some day and need me." + +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. + +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." + +"What is it?" asked the other two, in a chorus. + +"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." + +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." + +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?" + +"Dot ish my name, sir," said the man behind the bar. + +"Could I see you privately for a few minutes?" asked Baugh, who +himself could speak German, though his tongue did not indicate it. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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." + +"Mr. Baughman, vill you not haf one drink mit me?" said Seigerman, as +he led the way towards the bar. + +"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." + +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." + +"You can haf any room in mine house, Mr. Baughman," said Seigerman. + +As Baugh was about to leave he once more impressed on Louie the 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. + +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." + +"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. + +"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?" + +"Well, as I have until to-morrow to think it over, I'll try," said +Stubb. + +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. + +"Let us retire to the rear room for a few moments of conversation, if +you have the leisure," said Baugh. + +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. + +"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. + +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." + +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?" + +"Shentlemens, I'll dry do," said Louie, "but you will not dake a drink +mit me once again, aind it?" + +"No, thank you, Mr. Seigerman," replied Stubb. + +"He gave me a very fine cigar yesterday; you'll like them if you try +one," said Baugh to Stubb. "Let it be a cigar to-day, Mr. Seigerman." + +As Baugh struck a match to light his cigar, he said to Stubb, "I'm +coming up to stop with Mr. Seigerman to-morrow. Why don't you join +us?" + +"I vould be wery much bleased to haf you mine guest," said Louie, +every inch the host. + +"This is a very home-like looking place," remarked Stubb. "I may come +up; I'll come around Sunday and take dinner with you, anyhow." + +"Do, blease," urged Louie. + +There was a great deal to be said, and it required two languages 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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +"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." + +Louie drew a long breath, and it seemed that a load had been lifted +from his mind by these last remarks of Arab's. + +"How many men are there in the Strip?" asked Arab of the others. + +"On all three divisions of the last round-up there were 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." + +"Hold on a minute, aren't you a trifle high on your estimate?" asked +Stubb, the conservative, protestingly. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"Shentlemens, how can I refuse to be one sheriff? The cattle-mens must +be protec. I accep." + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"Very well, then," said Stubb, "I waive my objections for +sociability's sake." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The warm sun and green blades of grass suggested springtime. The +boys had played the role 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +III + +"BAD MEDICINE" + + +The evening before the Cherokee Strip was thrown open for settlement, +a number of old timers met in the little town of Hennessey, Oklahoma. + +On the next day the Strip would pass from us and our employers, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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.' + +"'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.' + +"'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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"'Why won't you count with me?' he demanded. + +"'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.' + +"'Don't you know, sir, that I'm in authority here?' retorted the +foreman. + +"'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.' + +"'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.' + +"'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 Jose saddle, and was called +Californy. The boss asked him to help him count the herd. + +"'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?' + +"'No, sir, it won't. What's got into you boys?' questioned the +foreman. + +"'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. + +"'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.' + +"'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.' + +"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.' + +"'Must I continue to listen to these insults on every hand?' hissed +the medicine man, livid with rage. + +"'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. + +"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. + +"'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.' + +"The point-men smiled at Pink's orders, and one asked, 'Are you ready +now?' + +"'All set,' responded Pink. 'Let the fiddlers cut loose.' + +"Well, we lined them up and got them strung out in shape to count, +and our point-men picking out a favorite rise, we lined them 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?' + +"'Thirty-three six,' was the answer. + +"'Why, you can't count a little bit,' said Californy. 'I got +thirty-three seven. How does the count suit you, boss?' + +"'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.' + +"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.' + +"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. + +"It was over two weeks afterward when Pink said to us, 'When we strike +the Santa Fe 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.' + +"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. + +"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 _segundo_ 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.' + +"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.' + +"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.'" + +"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?" + +"It is quite a long time between drinks," remarked Joe, rising, "but I +didn't want to interrupt Ace." + +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." + +As we strolled out into the street, Joe inquired, "Ace, where will I +see you after supper?" + +"You will see me, not only after supper, but all during supper, +sitting right beside you." + + + + +IV + +A WINTER ROUND-UP + + +An hour before daybreak one Christmas morning in the Cherokee Strip, +six hundred horses were under saddle awaiting the dawn. It was a +clear, frosty morning that bespoke an equally clear day for the wolf +_rodeo_. Every cow-camp within striking distance of the Walnut Grove, +on the Salt Fork of the Cimarron, was a scene of activity, taxing 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"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?" + +"Yes; we're going to have egg-nog at our camp to-night. Come down." + +The boys were being told off in squads of ten, when a suppressed 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. + +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. + +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. + + * * * * * + +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 reechoing +up and down the valley of the Salt Fork. + +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. + +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?" + +"He'll weigh twenty pounds," said Reese, ignoring the question and +holding the gobbler up for inspection. + +"If you were a vealy tow-headed kid, I'd have something to say to you, +but you're old enough to be my father, and that silences me. 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." + +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. + +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 +reechoed 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 _pasear_ through that thicket once +and you'll come out a defender of the faith." + +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. + +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 _siesta_ from the warm, +sunny slope of a sand dune, they made an effort and did break the +cordon, but not without a protest. + +As they came out of the sand dunes, heading straight for the line, +all semblance of control was lost in the men. Nothing daunted by 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 melee 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. + +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 _muy docil_. We're going to peel them and will meet you at the +ford." + +"Who gets the turkey?" some one asked. + +"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." + + + + +V + +A COLLEGE VAGABOND + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?" + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +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." + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + + + + +VI + +THE DOUBLE TRAIL + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +So before Stubb had even time to unsaddle his horse, he was approached +to know the history of these two trails. + +"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." + +"But why not now?" said Lucy, his curiosity aroused, as keen as a +woman's. + +"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." + +"But why not tell me?" said the young man. + +"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." + +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. + +"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. + +"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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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.' + +"Then he wilted and inquired, 'Do you think I can cross if it swims +them any?' + +"'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. + +"'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.' + +"'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. + +"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.' + +"'That's all right,' he retorted, 'but don't forget what I told you +yesterday, and let it be enough said.' + +"'Well, let's put the cattle in,' I urged, seeing that he was getting +hot under the collar. 'We're burning daylight, pardner.' + +"'Well, I'm going to cross my wagon first,' said he. + +"'That's a good idea,' I answered. 'Bring her up.' Their cook 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. + +"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. + +"'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. + +"'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.' + +"Assuming an air of superiority he observed, 'You seem to have forgot +what I said to you yesterday.' + +"'No, I haven't,' I answered, 'but are you going to stay all night +here?' + +"'I certainly am, if that's any satisfaction to you,' he answered. + +"I got off my horse and asked him for a match, though I had 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,-- + +"'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.' + +"'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.' + +"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. + +"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.' + +"'That will depend,' said he. + +"'Depend on what?' I asked. + +"'Depend on whether we are willing to let you,' he snarled. + +"I gave him as mean a look as I could command and said tauntingly, +'Now, look here, old girl: there's no occasion for you to tear 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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"'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.' + +"'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!' + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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?' + +"'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?' + +"'Yes, sir,' he answered. 'Are all three dead?' he then inquired. + +"'Dead as heck,' I told him. + +"'Well, we are certainly in a bad box,' said he meditatingly. 'But +won't you all ride over to our wagon with me? I think our fellows are +pacified for the present.' + +"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. + +"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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"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.'" + +"But why did you take them back to the sand-hills to bury them?" cut +in Lucy. + +"Oh, that was Big Dick's idea. He thought the sand would dig easier, +and laziness guided every act of his life. That was five years ago, +son, that this lower trail was made, and for the reasons I have +just given you. No, I can't tell you any more personal experiences +to-night; I'm too sleepy." + + + + +VII + +RANGERING + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +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." + +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. + +"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!" + +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. + +"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?" + +"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. + +"Good long shot, little man," said the sergeant, "and you may have the +choice of cuts, just so I get a rib." + +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." + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"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.' + +"'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?' + +"'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.' + +"'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!"' + +"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?" + +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." + +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. + +"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?' + +"'I did, yer Honor,' was the prisoner's reply. + +"I suggested to the court that the prisoner be informed of his rights, +that he need not plead guilty unless he so desired. + +"'That makes no difference here,' said the court. 'Gentlemen, I'm 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.' + +"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?' + +"'Jerry McKay, your Honor.' + +"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.' + +"'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." + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +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 role 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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! + + * * * * * + +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. + +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. + +She was his sister. + +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. + +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. + + + + +VIII + +AT COMANCHE FORD + + +"There's our ford," said Juan,--our half-blood trailer,--pointing to +the slightest sag in a low range of hills distant twenty miles. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"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. + +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. + +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,-- + +"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." + +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." + +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?" + +"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 _supremely happy_." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +"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 _pasear_ over into Mexico on our own +account. + +"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 _muy grande_. +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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"As night set in we approached the _carsel_. 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"I don't reckon that captain had any scruples about taking his share +of the prize money, did he?" inquired Gotch. + +"No, I never knew anything like that to happen since I've been in the +service." + +"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. + +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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"How long ago was that?" inquired Orchard. + +"Quite a while ago," replied Dad. "I ought to be able to tell exactly. +I was a youngster then. Well, I'll tell you; it was during the +reconstruction days, when Davis was governor. Figure it out yourself." + +"Speaking of the disagreeable side of this service," said Happy Jack, +"reminds me of an incident that took all the nerve out of every 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. + +"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. + +"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 senoritas. 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +"Who are you?" demanded Root. + +"A detachment from Company M, Texas Rangers," was the reply. + +"If you are Rangers, give us a maxim of the service," said Dad. + +"_Don't wait for the other man to shoot first_," came the response. + +"Ride in, that passes here," was Dad's greeting and welcome. + +They were a detachment of fifteen men, and had ridden from the 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. + + + + +IX + +AROUND THE SPADE WAGON + + +It was an early spring. The round-up was set for the 10th of June. +The grass was well forward, while the cattle had changed their shaggy +winter coats to glossy suits of summer silk. The brands were as +readable as an alphabet. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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." + +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." + +"Who is it?" inquired "Mouse" from over near the hind wheel of the +wagon, where he was applying the hemp to the horses' ankles. + +"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." + +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. + +"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?" + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"Do you remember," said Babe, "when I dissolved with the 'Ohio' outfit +and bought in with the 'LX' people?" + +"When you what?" repeated Edwards. + +"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." + +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. + +"Have you ever been back in old San Saba since we left?" inquired +Edwards after a long meditative silence. + +"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." + +"What ever became of the O'Shea girls?" asked Edwards. "You know that +I was high card once with the eldest." + +"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?' + +"'Don't you remember when we were in Italy,' said one of the girls, +trying to refresh her memory. + +"'Oh, yes, now I remember; that's where I bought you girls such nice +long red stockings.' + +"The girls suddenly remembered some duty about the house that required +their immediate attention, and Jed says that he looked out of the +window." + +"So you think I've lost my number, do you?" commented Edwards, as he +lay on his back and fondly patted a comfortable stomach. + +"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!" + +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?" + +"Oh, he's drifting about," said Edwards. "Mouse here can tell you +about him. They're old college chums." + +"Raneka was working for the '-BQ' people last summer," said Mouse, +"but was discharged for hanging a horse, or rather he 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"'Let's go back,' said Bill to his pardner, 'and at least leave our +card. He might not like it if we didn't.' + +"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. + +"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.' + +"'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.' + +"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.'" + +"Seems like I remember that fellow Wall," said Bradshaw, meditating. + +"Why, of course you do. Weren't you with us when we voted the bonds to +the railroad company?" asked Edwards. + +"No, never heard of it; must have been after I left. What business did +you have voting bonds?" + +"Tell him, Coon. I'm too full for utterance," said Edwards. + +"If you'd been in this country you'd heard of it," said Coon Floyd. +"For a few years everything was dated from that event. It was like +'when the stars fell,' and the 'surrender' with the old-time 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. + +"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.' + +"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.' + +"'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?' + +"'No, I don't,' said the druggist, 'and I'll see that my cousin here +doesn't.' + +"'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.' + +"'Hold me responsible, gentlemen,' said the druggist, with a profound +bow. 'Come with me, Cousin,' he said to the Anti. + +"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.' + +"'Is--is--is the four o'clock train the first out?' inquired the new +cousin. + +"'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. + +"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. + +"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?' + +"'I am, sir.' + +"'Unfortunately, I am not. Will you kindly excuse me, say ten +minutes?' + +"'Certainly, sir, with pleasure.' + +"'There are ladies present,' he observed. 'Let us retire.' + +"On my consenting, he turned to the offended dame, and in spite of 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.' + +"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. + +"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?" + +"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.'" + +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?" + +Edwards meditated until Mouse said, "He's thinking about little St. +John, the fiddler." + +"Oh, yes, Patsy St. John, the little glass-blower," said Edwards, 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. + +"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.' + +"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." + +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. + + + + +X + +THE RANSOM OF DON RAMON MORA + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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, Senor 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." + +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." + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +"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?" + +"There is no hope from that source." + +"Is there any hope from any source?" + +"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." + +"Is this possible?" asked Don Ramon excitedly. + +"The color of gold makes a good many things possible." + +"I would gladly give all I possess in the world for one hour's 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." + +"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, senor, +don't despair, for I feel there is some hope," concluded the bandit. + +The family of Don Ramon were uneasy but not alarmed by his 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 _monte_ 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. + +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 +Senora 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:-- + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"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?" + +"If time were given him, possibly. Can I send him such a letter?" +pleaded Don Ramon, brightening with the hope of this new opportunity. + +"It would be impossible at present. The consent of all interested 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." + +Thus the days wore on. + +The absence of the band, except for the few who guarded the prisoner, +was policy on their part. They were receiving the news from the 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"Yes, defend your dastardly act if you can," said the chief. + +"Capitan," said the man, making obeisance and tapping his breast, +"there is an oath recorded here, in memory of a father who was 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. + +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. + +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." + +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?" + +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." + +"Your answer to that, Don Ramon?" asked the chief. + +"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." + +"You shall have it," replied the chief, "and on its success depends +your liberty or the consequences." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 Senora Mora. It +was just two weeks since Don Ramon's disappearance, a fortnight of +untold anguish and uncertainty to his family. + +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. + +"Are you the son of Don Ramon Mora?" asked the bandit. + +"I am," replied the young man; "won't you dismount?" + +"No. I bear a letter to you from your father. One moment, senor! +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, senor." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +"Yes, it is Agua Dulce." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 Senora 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. + +The senora 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 _Casa primero_. + +It was late in the day when the lieutenant awoke to find Don Ramon, +Jr., ready to welcome and join in furnishing any details unknown 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. + +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 _monte_--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. + +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. + +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. + +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 reentered 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. + +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. + + + + +XI + +THE PASSING OF PEG-LEG + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The climax of this night's run was through the Grand Canon 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. + +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. + +As the train left the canon 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _pastor_ who gave them a description of the robbers. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 Fe 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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:-- + +"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." + + + + +XII + +IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS + + +There was a painting at the World's Fair at Chicago named "The Reply," +in which the lines of two contending armies were distinctly outlined. +One of these armies had demanded the surrender of the other. The 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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"If you are satisfied that he is a sooner," said Miller, "he has to +go." + +"Well, he is a lying sooner," said Edwards. + +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." + +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?" + +"I certainly do," was the reply. + +"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. + +"Yes, let me," responded several. + +"Which limb will be best?" inquired Mouse. + +"Take this horse by the bits," said Edwards to one of the boys, "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." + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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." + +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. + +"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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"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." + +"But supposing we are busy when it takes place," said Mouse, "then +what?" + +"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." + +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. + +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?" + +"No, I have a few other things to attend to first," answered Miller. + +We took the wagon with us to carry our bedding and the other plunder, +driving along with us a cow and a calf of Jack's, the little "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. + +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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"Oh, you look all right," said Edwards. "You would look all right with +only a cotton string around your neck." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +XIII + +A QUESTION OF POSSESSION + + +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 _might_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"What do you fellows want here?" demanded young Gray, as Ninde and his +posse rode up. + +"We want these horses," answered the sheriff. + +"On what authority?" demanded Gray. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?" + +"I've got to have these horses, sir," answered Ninde. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +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." + +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. + + + + +XIV + +THE STORY OF A POKER STEER + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?" + +"No; yearlings will be worth fourteen dollars next spring. He's a +first calf--his mother's only a three-year-old." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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 _poker steers_." + +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." + +"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." + +"My sire was born in Ireland and is living yet," retorted Bold +Richard. "Cut the cards, young fellow." + +"The proposition is yours--cut first yourself." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _pilot wheel_. 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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Cattle Brands, by Andy Adams + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATTLE BRANDS *** + +***** This file should be named 12281.txt or 12281.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/2/8/12281/ + +Produced by Leah Moser and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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