the outlet-第23章

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iet；　but　suggested　we　move　camp　soon　or　the　cattle　would　become　restless。　He　listened　very　attentively；　and　promised　that　within　a　few　days　permission　would　be　given　to　move　out　for　our　final　destination。　The　morning　were　the　quiet　hours　of　the　town；　and　when　the　buyers　had　received　and　gone　over　their　large　and　accumulated　mail；　the　partners　came　over　to　the　Dodge　House；　looking　for　the　fiscal　agent；　as　I　supposed；　to　close　the　trade　on　Sponsilier's　cattle。　Siringo　was　the　acme　of　indifference；　hut　listened　to　a　different　tale。　A　trusted　man；　in　whom　they　had　placed　a　great　deal　of　confidence；　had　failed　to　materialize。　He　was　then　overdue　some　four　or　five　days；　and　foul　play　was　suspected。　The　wily　detective　poured　oil　on　the　troubled　waters；　assuring　them　if　their　man　failed　to　appear　within　a　day　or　two；　he　would　gladly　render　every　assistance　in　looking　him　up。　Another　matter　of　considerable　moment　would　be　the　arrival　that　morning　of　a　silent　partner；　the　financial　man　of　the　firm　from　Washington；　D。　C。　He　was　due　to　arrive　on　the　〃Cannon　Ball〃　at　eight　o'clock；　and　we　all　sauntered　down　to　meet　the　train　from　the　East。　On　its　arrival；　Siringo　and　I　stood　back　among　the　crowd；　but　the　buyers　pushed　forward；　looking　for　their　friend。　The　first　man　to　alight　from　the　day　coach；　coatless　and　with　both　eyes。　blackened；　was　Archie　Tolleston；　he　almost　fell　into　the　arms　of　our　cattle　buyers。　I　recognized　Archie　at　a　glance；　and　dragging　the　detective　inside　the　waiting…room；　posted　him　as　to　the　arrival　with　the　wild　look　and　blood…shot　optics。　Siringo　cautioned　me　to　go　to　his　room　and　stay　there；　promising　to　report　as　the　day　advanced。

Sponsilier　had　camped　the　night　before　on　the　main　river；　and　as　I　crossed　to　the　hotel；　his　commissary　pulled　up　in　front　of　Wright；　Beverly　&　Co。's　outfitting　store。　Taking　the　chances　of　being　seen；　I　interviewed　Dave's　cook；　and　learned　that　his　foreman　had　given　him　an　order　for　the　supplies；　and　that　Sponsilier　would　not　come　in　until　after　the　herd　had　passed　the　Saw　Log。　As　I　turned　away；　my　attention　was　attracted　by　the　deference　being　shown　the　financial　man　of　the　cattle　firm；　as　the　party　wended　their　way　around　to　the　Wright　House。　The　silent　member　of　the　firm　was　a　portly　fellow；　and　there　was　no　one　in　the　group　but　did　him　honor；　even　the　detective　carrying　a　light　grip；　while　Tolleston　lumbered　along　with　a　heavy　one。

My　effacement　was　only　temporary；　as　Siringo　appeared　at　his　room　shortly　afterward。　〃Well；　Quirk；〃　said　he；　with　a　smile；　〃I　reckon　my　work　is　all　done。　Field　and　Radcliff　didn't　feel　like　talking　business　this　morning；　at　least　until　they　had　shown　the　financial　member　their　purchases；　both　real　and　prospective。　Yes；　they　took　the　fat　Colonel　and　Tolleston　with　them　and　started　for　your　camp　with　a　two…seated　rig。　From　yours　they　expect　to　drive　to　Forrest's　camp；　and　then　meet　Sponsilier　on　the　way　coming　back。　No；　I　declined　a　very　pressing　invitation　to　go　alongyou　see　my　mixed　herds　might　come　in　any　minute。　And　say；　that　man　Tolleston　was　there　in　a　hundred　places　with　the　big　conversation；　he　claims　to　have　been　kidnapped；　and　was　locked　up　for　the　last　four　days。　He　says　he　whipped　your　man　Seay；　but　couldn't　convince　the　authorities　of　his　innocence　until　last　night；　when　they　set　him　free。　According　to　his　report；　Seay's　in　jail　yet　at　a　little　town　down　the　road　called　Kinsley。　Now；　I'm　going　to　take　a　conveyance　to　Spearville；　and　catch　the　first　train　out　of　there　East。　Settle　my　bill　with　this　hotel；　and　say　that　I　may　be　out　of　town　for　a　few　days；　meeting　a　herd　which　I'm　expecting。　When　Tolleston　recognizes　all　three　of　those　outfits　as　belonging　to　Don　Lovellwell；　won't　there　be　hell　to　pay？　Yes；　my　work　is　all　done。〃

I　fully　agreed　with　the　detective　that　Archie　would　recognize　the　remudas　and　outfits　as　Lovell's；　even　though　the　cattle　were　road…branded　out　of　the　usual　〃Circle　Dot。〃　Siringo　further　informed　me　that　north　of　Ford　County　was　all　an　unorganized　country　until　the　Platte　River　was　reached　at　Ogalalla；　and　advised　me　to　ignore　any　legal　process　served　outside　those　bounds。　He　was　impatient　to　get　away；　and　when　he　had　put　me　in　possession　of　everything　to　our　advantage；　we　wrung　each　other's　hands　in　farewell。　As　the　drive　outlined　by　the　cattle　buyers　would　absorb　the　day；　I　felt　no　necessity　of　being　in　a　hurry。　The　absence　of　Dorg　Seay　was　annoying；　and　the　fellow　had　done　us　such　valiant　service；　I　felt　in　honor　bound　to　secure　his　release。　Accordingly　I　wired　the　city　marshal　at　Kinsley；　and　received　a　reply　that　Seay　had　been　released　early　that　morning；　and　had　started　overland　for　Dodge。　This　was　fortunate；　and　after　settling　all　bills；　I　offered　to　pay　the　liveryman　in　advance　for　the　rig　in　Seay's　possession；　assuring　him　by　the　telegram　that　it　would　return　that　evening。　He　refused　to　make　any　settlement　until　the　condition　of　both　the　animal　and　the　conveyance　bad　been　passed　upon；　and　fearful　lest　Dorg　should　come　back　moneyless；　I　had　nothing　to　do　but　await　his　return。　I　was　growing　impatient　to　reach　camp；　there　being　no　opportunity　to　send　word　to　amy　outfit；　and　the　passing　hours　seemed　days；　when　late　in　the　afternoon　Dorg　Seay　drove　down　the　main　street　of　Dodge　as　big　as　a　government　beef　buyer。　The　liveryman　was　pleased　and　accepted　the　regular　rate；　and　Dorg　and　I　were　soon　galloping　out　of　town。　As　we　neared　the　first　divide；　we　dropped　our　horses　into　a　walk　to　afford　them　a　breathing　spell；　and　in　reply　to　my　fund　of　information；　Seay　said：

〃So　Tolleston's　telling　that　he　licked　me。　Well；　that's　a　good　one　on　this　one　of　old　man　Seay's　boys。　Archie　must　have　been　crazy　with　the　heat。　The　fact　is　that　he　had　been　trying　to　quit　me　for　several　days。　We　had　exhausted　every　line　of　dissipation；　and　when　I　decided　that　it　was　no　longer　possible　to　hold　him；　I　insulted　and　provoked　him　into　a　quarrel；　and　we　were　both　arrested。　Licked　me；　did　he？　He　couldn't　lick　his　upper　lip。〃



CHAPTER　IX。　AT　SHERIFF'S　CREEK

The　sun　had　nearly　set　when　we　galloped　into　Bob　Quirk's　camp。　Halting　only　long　enough　to　advise　my　brother　of　the　escape　of　Tolleston　and　his　joining　the　common　enemy；　I　asked　him　to　throw　any　pursuit　off　our　trail；　as　I　proposed　breaking　camp　that　evening。　Seay　and　myself　put　behind　us　the　few　miles　between　the　two　wagons；　and　dashed　up　to　mine　just　as　the　outfit　were　corralling　the　remuda　for　night…horses。　Orders　rang　out；　and　instead　of　catching　our　regular　guard　mounts；　the　boys　picked　the　best　horses　in　their　strings。　The　cattle　were　then　nearly　a　mile　north　of　camp；　coming　in　slowly　towards　the　bed…ground；　but　a　half…dozen　of　us　rushed　away　to　relieve　the　men　on　herd　and　turn　the　beeves　back。　The　work…mules　were　harnessed　in；　and　as　soon　as　the　relieved　herders　secured　mounts；　our　camp　of　the　past　few　days　was　abandoned。　The　twilight　of　evening　was　upon　us；　and　to　the　rattling　of　the　heavily　loaded　wagon　and　the　shouting　of　the　wrangler　in　our　rear　were　added　the　old　herd　songs。　The　cattle；　without　trail　or　trace　to　follow；　and　fit　ransom　for　a　dozen　kings　in　pagan　ages；　moved　north　as　if　imbued　with　the　spirit　of　the　occasion。

A　fair　moon　favored　us。　The　night　was　an　ideal　one　for　work；　and　about　twelve　o'clock　we　bedded　down　the　herd　and　waited　for　dawn。　As　we　expected　to　move　again　with　the　first　sign　of　day；　no　one　cared　to　sleep；　our　nerves　were　under　a　high　tension　with　expectation　of　what　the　coming　day　might　bring　forth。　Our　location　was　an　unknown　quantity。　All　agreed　that　we　were　fully　ten　miles　north　of　the　Saw　Log；　and；　with　the　best　reasoning　at　my　command；　outside　the　jurisdiction　of　Ford　County。　The　regular　trail　leading　north　was　some　six　or　eight　miles　to　the　west；　and　fearful　that　we　had　not　reached　unorganized　territory；　I　was　determined　to　push　farther　on　our　course　before　veering　to　the　left。　The　night　halt；　however；　afforded　us　an　opportunity　to　compare　notes　and　arrive　at　some　definite　understanding　as　to　the　programme　of　the　forthcoming　day。　〃Quirk；　you　missed　the　sight　of　your　life；〃　said　Jake　Blair；　as　we　dismounted　around　the　wagon；　after　bedding　the　cattle；　〃by　not　being　there　when　the　discovery　was　made　that　these　'Open　A's'　were　Don　Lovell's　cattl