the outlet-第27部分

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s　altogether　too　soon　to　shout。　To　his　anxious　inquiries　I　replied　that　his　very　presence　with　the　herd　was　a　menace　to　its　successful　handling　by　the　Mexican　outfit。　He　should　throw　all　responsibility　on　the　foreman；　or　take　charge　himself；　which　was　impossible　now；　for　an　outfit　which　will　sulk　and　mutiny　once　will　do　so　again　under　less　provocation。　When　my　curtain　lecture　was　ended；　the　owner　authorized　me　to　call　his　outfit　together　and　give　them　such　instructions　as　I　saw　fit。

We　sighted　our　cattle　but　once　during　the　afternoon。　On　locating　the　herd；　two　of　my　boys　left　us　to　return；　hearing　the　message　that　the　rest　of　us　might　not　put　in　an　appearance　before　morning。　All　during　the　evening；　I　made　it　a　point　to　cultivate　the　acquaintance　of　several　vaqueros；　and　learned　the　names　of　their　master　and　rancho。　Taking　my　cue　from　the　general　information　gathered；　when　we　encamped　for　the　night　and　all　hands；　with　the　exception　of　those　on　herd；　had　finished　catching　horses；　I　attracted　their　attention　by　returning　the　six…shooter　taken　from　their　corporal　at　noontime。　Commanding　attention；　in　their　mother　tongue　I　addressed　myself　to　the　Mexican　foreman。

〃Felipe　Esquibil；〃　said　I；　looking　him　boldly　in　the　face；　〃you　were　foreman　of　this　herd　from　Zavalla　County；　Texas；　to　the　Arkansaw　River；　and　brought　your　cattle　through　without　loss　or　accident。

The　herd　changed　owners　at　Dodge；　but　with　the　understanding　that　you　and　your　vaqueros　were　to　accompany　the　cattle　to　this　gentleman's　ranch　in　the　upper　country。　An　accident　happens；　and　because　you　are　not　in　full　control；　you　shift　the　responsibility　and　play　the　baby　act　by　wanting　to　go　home。　Had　the　death　of　one　of　your　men　occurred　below　the　river；　and　while　the　herd　was　still　the　property　of　Don　Dionisio　of　Rancho　Los　Olmus；　you　would　have　lost　your　own　life　before　abandoning　your　cattle。　Now；　with　the　consent　and　approval　of　the　new　owner；　you　are　again　invested　with　full　charge　of　this　herd　until　you　arrive　at　the　Platte　River。　A　new　outfit　will　relieve　you　on　reaching　Ogalalla；　and　then　you　will　he　paid　your　reckoning　and　all　go　home。　In　your　immediate　rear　are　five　herds　belonging　to　my　employer；　and　I　have　already　sent　warning　to　them　of　your　attempted　desertion。　A　fortnight　or　less　will　find　you　relieved；　and　the　only　safety　in　store　for　you　is　to　go　forward。　Now　your　employer　is　going　to　my　camp　for　the　night；　and　may　not　see　you　again　before　this　herd　reaches　the　Platte。　Remember；　Don　Felipe；　that　the　opportunity　is　yours　to　regain　your　prestige　as　a　corporaland　you　need　it　after　to…day's　actions。　What　would　Don　Dionisio　say　if　he　knew　the　truth？　And　do　you　ever　expect　to　face　your　friends　again　at　Los　Olmus？　From　a　trusted　corporal　back　to　a　sheep…shearer　would　be　your　rewardand　justly。〃

Cederdall；　Wolf；　and　myself　shook　hands　with　several　vaqueros；　and　mounting　our　horses　we　started　for　my　camp；　taking　the　stranger　with　us。　Only　once　did　he　offer　any　protest　to　going。　〃Very　well；　then；〃　replied　GG；　unable　to　suppress　his　contempt；　〃go　right　back。　I'll　gamble　that　you　sheathe　a　knife　before　morning　if　you　do。　It　strikes　me　you　don't　sabe　Mexicans　very　much。〃

Around　the　camp…fire　that　night；　the　day's　work　was　reviewed。　My　rather　drastic　treatment　of　the　corporal　was　fully　commented　upon　and　approved　by　the　outfit；　yet　provoked　an　inquiry　from　the　irrepressible　Parent。　Turning　to　the　questioner；　Burl　Van　Vedder　said　in　dove…like　tones：　〃Yes；　dear；　slapped　him　just　to　remind　the　varmint　that　his　feet　were　on　the　earth；　and　that　pawing　the　air　and　keening　didn't　do　any　good。　Remember；　love；　there　was　the　living　to　be　fed；　the　dead　to　bury；　and　the　work　in　hand　required　every　man　to　do　his　duty。　Now　was　there　anything　else　you'd　like　to　know？〃



CHAPTER　XII。　MARSHALING　THE　FORCES

Both　herds　had　watered　in　the　Smoky　during　the　afternoon。　The　stranger's　cattle　were　not　compelled　to　go　down　to　the　crossing；　but　found　an　easy　passage　several　miles　above　the　regular　ford。　After　leaving　the　river；　both　herds　were　grazed　out　during　the　evening；　and　when　darkness　fell　we　were　not　over　three　miles　apart；　one　on　either　side　of　the　trail。　The　Wyoming　cowman　spent　a　restless　night；　and　early　the　next　morning　rode　to　the　nearest　elevation　which　would　give　him　a　view　of　his　cattle。　Within　an　hour　after　sun…up　he　returned；　elated　over　the　fact　that　his　herd　was　far　in　the　lead　of　ours；　camp　being　already　broken；　while　we　were　only　breakfasting。　Matters　were　working　out　just　as　I　expected。　The　mixed　herd　under　the　Mexican　corporal；　by　moving　early　and　late；　could　keep　the　lead　of　our　beeves；　and　with　the　abundance　of　time　at　my　disposal　we　were　in　no　hurry。　The　Kansas　Pacific　Railroad　was　but　a　few　days'　drive　ahead；　and　I　advised　our　guest　to　take　the　train　around　to　Ogalalla　and　have　a　new　outfit　all　ready　to　relieve　the　aliens　immediately　on　their　arrival。　Promising　to　take　the　matter　under　consideration；　he　said　nothing　further　for　several　days；　his　cattle　in　the　mean　time　keeping　a　lead　of　from　five　to　ten　miles。

The　trail　crossed　the　railroad　at　a　switch　east　of　Grinnell。　I　was　naturally　expecting　some　word　from　Don　Lovell；　and　it　was　my　intention　to　send　one　of　the　boys　into　that　station　to　inquire　for　mail。　There　was　a　hostelry　at　Grinnell；　several　stores　and　a　livery　stable；　all　dying　an　easy　death　from　the　blight　of　the　arid　plain；　the　town　profiting　little　or　nothing　from　the　cattle　trade。　But　when　within　a　half…day's　drive　of　the　railway；　on　overtaking　the　herd　after　dinner；　there　was　old　man　Don　talking　to　the　boys　on　herd。　The　cattle　were　lying　down；　and　rather　than　disturb　them；　he　patiently　bided　his　time　until　they　had　rested　and　arose　to　resume　their　journey。　The　old　man　was　feeling　in　fine　spirits；　something　unusual；　and　declined　my　urgent　invitation　to　go　back　to　the　wagon　and　have　dinner。　I　noticed　that　he　was　using　his　own　saddle；　though　riding　a　livery　horse；　and　in　the　mutual　inquiries　which　were　exchanged；　learned　that　he　had　arrived　at　Grinnell　but　a　few　days　before。　He　had　left　Camp　Supply　immediately　after　Forrest　and　Sponsilier　passed　that　point；　and　until　Siringo　came　in　with　his　report；　he　had　spent　the　time　about　detective　headquarters　in　Kansas　City。　From　intimate　friends　in　Dodge；　he　had　obtained　the　full　particulars　of　the　attempted　but　unsuccessful　move　of　The　Western　Supply　Company　to　take　possession　of　his　two　herds。　In　fact　there　was　very　little　that　I　could　enlighten　him　on；　except　the　condition　of　the　cattle；　and　they　spoke　for　themselves；　their　glossy　coats　shining　with　the　richness　of　silk。　On　the　other　hand；　my　employer　opened　like　a　book。

〃Tom；　I　think　we're　past　the　worst　of　it；〃　said　he。　〃Those　Dodge　people　are　just　a　trifle　too　officious　to　suit　me；　but　Ogalalla　is　a　cow…town　after　my　own　heart。　They're　a　law　unto　themselves　up　there；　and　a　cowman　stands　some　showa　good　one　against　thieves。　Ogalalla　is　the　seat　of　an　organized　county；　and　the　town　has　officers；　it's　true；　but　they've　got　sense　enough　to　know　which　side　their　bread's　buttered　on；　and　a　cowman　who's　on　the　square　has　nothing　to　fear　in　that　town。　Yes；　the　whole　gang；　Tolleston　and　all；　are　right　up　here　at　Ogalalla　now；　bought　a　herd　this　week；　so　I　hear；　and　expect　to　take　two　of　these　away　from　us　the　moment　we　enter　Keith　County。　Well；　they　may；　I've　seen　bad　men　before　take　a　town；　but　it　was　only　a　question　of　time　until　the　plain　citizens　retook　it。　They　may　try　to　bluff　us；　but　if　they　do；　we'll　meet　them　a　little　over　halfway。　Which　one　of　your　boys　was　it　that　licked　Archie？　I　want　to　thank　him　until　such　a　time　as　I　can　reward　him　better。〃

The　herd　was　moving　out；　and　as　Seay　was　working　in　the　swing　on　the　opposite　side；　we　allowed　the　cattle　to　trail　past；　and　then　rode　round　and　overtook　him。　The　two　had　never　met　before；　but　old　man　Don　warmed　towards　Dorg；　who　recited　his　experience　in　such　an　inimitable　manner　that　our　employer　rocked　in　his　saddle　in　spasms　of　laughter。　Leaving　the　two　together；　I　rode　on　ahead　to　look　out　the　water；　and　when　the　herd　came　up　near　the　middle　of　the　afternoon；　they　were　still　inseparable。　The　watering　over；　we　camped　for　the　night　several　miles　south　of　the　railroad；　the　mixed　herd　having　crossed　it　about　noon。　My　guest　of　the　past　few　days　had　come　to　a　point　requiring　a　decision　and　was　in　a　quandary　to　know　what　to　do。　But　when　the　situation　had　been　thoroughly　reviewed　between　Mr。　Lovell　and　the　Wyoming　man；　my　advice　was　indorsed；to　trust　implicitly　to　his　corporal；　and　be　ready　to　relieve　the　outfit　at　the　Platte。　Saddles　were　accordingly　shifted；　and　the　stranger；　after　professing　a　profusion　of　thanks；　rode　away　on　the　livery　horse　by　which　my　employer　had　arrived。　Once　the　man　was　well　out　of　hearing；　the　old　trail　drover　turned　to　my　outfit　and　said：

〃Boys；　there　goes　a　warning　that　the　days　of　the　trail　are　numbered。　To　make　a　success　of　any　business；　a　little　common　sense　is　necessary。　Nine　tenths　of　the　investing　in　cattle　to…day　in　the　Northwest　is　being　done　by　inexperienced　men。　No　other　line　of　business　could　prosper　in　such　incompetent　hands；　and　it's　foolish　to　think　that　cattle　companies　and　individuals；　nearly　all　tenderfeet　at　the　business；　can　succeed。　They　may　for　a　time；