the outlet-第13章

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necessity　requiring　its　purchase　only　three　or　four　times。　And　like　a　climax　to　a　week　of　sore　trials；　when　we　were　in　sight　of　Red　River　a　sand　and　dust　storm　struck　us；　blinding　both　men　and　herd　for　hours。　The　beeves　fared　best；　for　with　lowered　heads　they　turned　their　backs　to　the　howling　gale；　while　the　horsemen　caught　it　on　every　side。　The　cattle　drifted　at　will　in　an　uncontrollable　mass。　The　air　was　so　filled　with　sifting　sand　and　eddying　dust　that　it　was　impossible　to　see　a　mounted　man　at　a　distance　of　fifty　yards。　The　wind　blew　a　hurricane；　making　it　impossible　to　dismount　in　the　face　of　it。　Our　horses　trembled　with　fear；　unsteady　on　their　feet。　The　very　sky　overhead　darkened　as　if　night　was　falling。　Two　thirds　of　the　men　threw　themselves　in　the　lead　of　the　beeves；　firing　six…shooters　to　check　them；　which　could　not　even　be　heard　by　the　ones　on　the　flank　and　in　the　rear。　Once　the　herd　drifted　against　a　wire　fence；　leveled　it　down　and　moved　on；　sullen　but　irresistible。　Towards　evening　the　storm　abated；　and　half　the　outfit　was　sent　out　in　search　of　the　wagon；　which　was　finally　found　about　dark　some　four　miles　distant。

That　night　Owen　Ubery；　as　he　bathed　his　bloodshot　eyes　in　a　pail　of　water；　said　to　the　rest　of　us：　〃Fellows；　if　ever　I　have　a　boy；　and　tell　him　how　his　pa　suffered　this　afternoon；　and　he　don't　cry；　I'll　cut　a　switch　and　whip　him　until　he　does。〃



CHAPTER　V。　RED　RIVER　STATION

When　the　spirit　of　a　man　is　once　broken；　he　becomes　useless。　On　the　trail　it　is　necessary　to　have　some　diversion　from　hard　work；　long　hours；　and　exposure　to　the　elements。　With　man　and　beast；　from　the　Brazos　to　Red　River　was　a　fire　test　of　physical　endurance。　But　after　crossing　into　the　Chickasaw　Nation；　a　comparatively　new　country　would　open　before　us。　When　the　strain　of　the　past　week　was　sorest；　in　buoying　up　the　spirits　of　my　outfit；　I　had　promised　them　rest　and　recreation　at　the　first　possible　opportunity。

Fortunately　we　had　an　easy　ford。　There　was　not　even　an　indication　that　there　had　been　a　freshet　on　the　river　that　spring。　This　was　tempering　the　wind；　for　we　were　crippled；　three　of　the　boys　being　unable　to　resume　their　places　around　the　herd　on　account　of　inflamed　eyes。　The　cook　had　weathered　the　sand…storm　better　than　any　of　us。　Sheltering　his　team；　and　fastening　his　wagon…sheet　securely；　he　took　refuge　under　it　until　the　gale　had　passed。　Pressing　him　into　the　service　the　next　morning；　and　assigning　him　to　the　drag　end　of　the　herd；　I　left　the　blind　to　lead　the　blind　in　driving　the　wagon。　On　reaching　the　river　about　the　middle　of　the　forenoon；　we　trailed　the　cattle　across　in　a　long　chain；　not　an　animal　being　compelled　to　swim。　The　wagon　was　carried　over　on　a　ferryboat；　as　it　was　heavily　loaded；　a　six　weeks'　supply　of　provisions　having　been　taken　on　before　crossing。　Once　the　trail　left　the　breaks；　on　the　north　side　of　the　river；　we　drew　off　several　miles　to　the　left　and　went　into　camp　for　the　remainder　of　the　day。　Still　keeping　clear　of　the　trail；　daily　we　moved　forward　the　wagon　from　three　to　five　miles；　allowing　the　cattle　to　graze　and　rest　to　contentment。　The　herd　recuperated　rapidly；　and　by　the　evening　of　the　fourth　day　after　crossing；　the　inflammation　was　so　reduced　in　those　whose　eyes　were　inflamed；　that　we　decided　to　start　in　earnest　the　next　morning。

The　cook　was　ordered　to　set　out　the　best　the　wagon　afforded；　several　outside　delicacies　were　added；　and　a　feast　was　in　sight。　GG　Cederdall　had　recrossed　the　river　that　day　to　mail　a　letter；　and　on　his　return　proudly　carried　a　basket　of　eggs　on　his　arm。　Three　of　the　others　had　joined　a　fishing　party　from　the　Texas　side；　and　had　come　in　earlier　in　the　day　with　a　fine　string　of　fish。　Parent　won　new　laurels　in　the　supper　to　which　he　invited　us　about　sundown。　The　cattle　came　in　to　their　beds　groaning　and　satiated；　and　dropped　down　as　if　ordered。　When　the　first　watch　had　taken　them；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　sit　around　and　tell　stories。　Since　crossing　Red　River；　we　had　slept　almost　night　and　day；　but　in　that　balmy　May　evening　sleep　was　banished。　The　fact　that　we　were　in　the　Indian　country；　civilized　though　the　Indians　were；　called　forth　many　an　incident。　The　raids　of　the　Comanches　into　the　Panhandle　country　during　the　buffalo　days　was　a　favorite　topic。　Vick　Wolf；　however；　had　had　an　Indian　experience　in　the　North　with　which　he　regaled　us　at　the　first　opportunity。

〃There　isn't　any　trouble　nowadays；〃　said　he；　lighting　a　cigarette；　〃with　these　blanket　Indians　on　the　reservations。　I　had　an　experience　once　on　a　reservation　where　the　Indians　could　have　got　me　easy　enough　if　they　had　been　on　the　war…path。　It　was　the　first　winter　I　ever　spent　on　a　Northern　range；　having　gone　up　to　the　Cherokee　Strip　to　avoidwell；　no　matter。　I　got　a　job　in　the　Strip；　not　riding；　but　as　a　kind　of　an　all…round　rustler。　This　was　long　before　the　country　was　fenced；　and　they　rode　lines　to　keep　the　cattle　on　their　ranges。　One　evening　about　nightfall　in　December；　the　worst　kind　of　a　blizzard　struck　us　that　the　country　had　ever　seen。　The　next　day　it　was　just　as　bad；　and　BLOODY　cold。　A　fellow　could　not　see　any　distance；　and　to　venture　away　from　the　dugout　meant　to　get　lost。　The　third　day　she　broke　and　the　sun　came　out　clear　in　the　early　evening。　The　next　day　we　managed　to　gather　the　saddle　horses；　as　they　had　not　drifted　like　the　cattle。

〃Well；　we　were　three　days　overtaking　the　lead　of　that　cattle　drift；　and　then　found　them　in　the　heart　of　the　Cheyenne　country；　at　least　on　that　reservation。　They　had　drifted　a　good　hundred　miles　before　the　storm　broke。　Every　outfit　in　the　Strip　had　gone　south　after　their　cattle。　Instead　of　drifting　them　back　together；　the　different　ranches　rustled　for　their　own。　Some　of　the　foremen　paid　the　Indians　so　much　per　head　to　gather　for　them；　but　ours　didn't。　The　braves　weren't　very　much　struck　on　us　on　that　account。　I　was　cooking　for　the　outfit；　which　suited　me　in　winter　weather。　We　had　a　permanent　camp　on　a　small　well…wooded　creek；　from　which　we　worked　all　the　country　round。

〃One　afternoon　when　I　was　in　camp　all　alone；　I　noticed　an　Indian　approaching　me　from　out　of　the　timber。　There　was　a　Winchester　standing　against　the　wagon　wheel；　but　as　the　bucks　were　making　no　trouble；　I　gave　the　matter　no　attention。　Mr。　Injun　came　up　to　the　fire　and　professed　to　be　very　friendly；　shook　hands；　and　spoke　quite　a　number　of　words　in　English。　After　he　got　good　and　warm；　he　looked　all　over　the　wagon；　and　noticing　that　I　had　no　sixshooter　on；　he　picked　up　the　carbine　and　walked　out　about　a　hundred　yards　to　a　little　knoll；　threw　his　arms　in　the　air；　and　made　signs。

〃Instantly；　out　of　the　cover　of　some　timber　on　the　creek　a　quarter　above；　came　about　twenty　young　bucks；　mounted；　and　yelling　like　demons。　When　they　came　up；　they　began　circling　around　the　fire　and　wagon。　I　was　sitting　on　an　empty　corn…crate　by　the　fire。　One　young　buck；　seeing　that　I　was　not　scaring　to　suit　him；　unslung　a　carbine　as　he　rode；　and　shot　into　the　fire　before　me。　The　bullet　threw　fire　and　ashes　all　over　me；　and　I　jumped　about　ten　feet；　which　suited　them　better。　They　circled　around　for　several　minutes；　every　one　uncovering　a　carbine；　and　they　must　have　fired　a　hundred　and　fifty　shots　into　the　fire。　In　fact　they　almost　shot　it　out；　scattering　the　fire　around　so　that　it　came　near　burning　up　the　bedding　of　our　outfit。　I　was　scared　thoroughly　by　this　time。　If　it　was　possible　for　me　to　have　had　fits；　I'd　have　had　one　sure。　The　air　seemed　full　of　coals　of　fire　and　ashes。　I　got　good　practical　insight　into　what　hell's　like。　I　was　rustling　the　rolls　of　bedding　out　of　the　circle　of　fire；　expecting　every　moment　would　be　my　last。　It's　a　wonder　I　wasn't　killed。　Were　they　throwing　lead？　Well；　I　should　remark！　You　see　the　ground　was　not　frozen　around　the　fire；　and　the　bullets　buried　themselves　in　the　soft　soil。

〃After　they　had　had　as　much　fun　as　they　wanted；　the　leader　gave　a　yell　and　they　all　circled　the　other　way　once；　and　struck　back　into　the　timber。　Some　of　them　had　brought　up　the　decoy　Indian's　horse　when　they　made　the　dash　at　first；　and　he　suddenly　turned　as　wild　as　a　Cheyenne　generally　gets。　When　the　others　were　several　hundred　yards　away；　he　turned　his　horse；　rode　back　some　little　distance；　and　attracted　my　attention　by