the outlet-第29章

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s；　the　ranchman　of　the　South　could　raise　one　third　more　calves　from　an　equal　number　of　cows。

The　weather　continued　hot　and　sultry。　Several　times　storms　hung　on　our　left　for　hours　which　we　hoped　would　reach　us；　and　at　night　the　lightning　flickered　in　sheets；　yet　with　the　exception　of　cooling　the　air；　availed　us　nothing。　But　as　we　encamped　one　night　on　the　divide　before　reaching　the　Smoky　River；　a　storm　struck　us　that　sent　terror　to　our　hearts。　There　were　men　in　my　outfit；　and　others　in　Lovell's　employ；　who　were　from　ten　to　twenty　years　my　senior；　having　spent　almost　their　lifetime　in　the　open；　who　had　never　before　witnessed　such　a　night。　The　atmosphere　seemed　to　be　overcharged　with　electricity；　which　played　its　pranks　among　us；　neither　man　nor　beast　being　exempt。　The　storm　struck　the　divide　about　two　hours　after　the　cattle　had　been　bedded；　and　from　then　until　dawn　every　man　was　in　the　saddle；　the　herd　drifting　fully　three　miles　during　the　night。　Such　keen　flashes　of　lightning　accompanied　by　instant　thunder　I　had　never　before　witnessed；　though　the　rainfall；　after　the　first　dash；　was　light　in　quantity。　Several　times　the　rain　ceased　entirely；　when　the　phosphorus；　like　a　prairie　fire；　appeared　on　every　hand。　Great　sheets　of　it　flickered　about；　the　cattle　and　saddle　stock　were　soon　covered；　while　every　bit　of　metal　on　our　accoutrements　was　coated　and　twinkling　with　phosphorescent　light。　My　gauntlets　were　covered；　and　wherever　I　touched　myself；　it　seemed　to　smear　and　spread　and　refuse　to　wipe　out。　Several　times　we　were　able　to　hold　up　and　quiet　the　cattle；　but　along　their　backs　flickered　the　ghostly　light；　while　across　the　herd；　which　occupied　acres；　it　reminded　one　of　the　burning　lake　in　the　regions　infernal。　As　the　night　wore　on；　several　showers　fell；　accompanied　by　almost　incessant　bolts　of　lightning；　but　the　rainfall　only　added　moisture　to　the　ground　and　this　acted　like　fuel　in　reviving　the　phosphor。　Several　hours　before　dawn　；　great　sheets　of　the　fiery　elements　chased　each　other　across　the　northern　sky；　lighting　up　our　surroundings　until　one　could　have　read　ordinary　print。　The　cattle　stood　humped　or　took　an　occasional　step　forward；　the　men　sat　their　horses；　sullen　and　morose；　forming　new　resolutions　for　the　future；　in　which　trail　work　was　not　included。　But　morning　came　at　last；　cool　and　cloudy；　a　slight　recompense　for　the　heat　which　we　had　endured　since　leaving　Dodge。

With　the　breaking　of　day；　the　herd　was　turned　back　on　its　course。　For　an　hour　or　more　the　cattle　grazed　freely；　and　as　the　sun　broke　through　the　clouds；　they　dropped　down　like　tired　infantry　on　a　march；　and　we　allowed　them　an　hour's　rest。　We　were　still　some　three　or　four　miles　eastward　of　the　trail；　and　after　breakfasting　and　changing　mounts　we　roused　the　cattle　and　started　on　an　angle　for　the　trail；　expecting　to　intercept　it　before　noon。　There　was　some　settlement　in　the　Smoky　River　Valley　which　must　be　avoided；　as　in　years　past　serious　enmity　had　been　engendered　between　settlers　and　drovers　in　consequence　of　the　ravages　of　Texas　fever　among　native　cattle。　I　was　riding　on　the　left　point；　and　when　within　a　short　distance　of　the　trail；　one　of　the　boys　called　my　attention　to　a　loose　herd　of　cattle；　drifting　south　and　fully　two　miles　to　the　west　of　us。　It　was　certainly　something　unusual；　and　as　every　man　of　us　scanned　them；　a　lone　horseman　was　seen　to　ride　across　their　front；　and；　turning　them；　continue　on　for　our　herd。　The　situation　was　bewildering；　as　the　natural　course　of　every　herd　was　northward；　but　here　was　one　apparently　abandoned　like　a　water…logged　ship　at　sea。

The　messenger　was　a　picture　of　despair。　He　proved　to　be　the　owner　of　the　abandoned　cattle；　and　had　come　to　us　with　an　appeal　for　help。　According　to　his　story；　he　was　a　Northern　cowman　and　had　purchased　the　cattle　a　few　days　before　in　Dodge。　He　had　bought　the　outfit　complete；　with　the　understanding　that　the　through　help　would　continue　in　his　service　until　his　range　in　Wyoming　was　reached。　But　it　was　a　Mexican　outfit；　foreman　and　all；　and　during　the　storm　of　the　night　before；　one　of　the　men　had　been　killed　by　lightning。　The　accident　must　have　occurred　near　dawn；　as　the　man　was　not　missed　until　daybreak；　and　like　ours；　his　cattle　had　drifted　with　the　storm。　Some　time　was　lost　in　finding　the　body；　and　to　add　to　the　panic　that　had　already　stricken　the　outfit；　the　shirt　of　the　unfortunate　vaquero　was　burnt　from　the　corpse。　The　horse　had　escaped　scathless；　though　his　rider　met　death；　while　the　housings　were　stripped　from　the　saddle　so　that　it　fell　from　the　animal。　The　Mexican　foreman　and　vaqueros　had　thrown　their　hands　in　the　air；　steeped　in　superstition；　they　considered　the　loss　of　their　comrade　a　had　omen；　and　refused　to　go　farther。　The　herd　was　as　good　as　abandoned　unless　we　could　lend　a　hand。

The　appeal　was　not　in　vain。　Detailing　four　of　my　men；　and　leaving　Jack　Splann　as　segundo　in　charge　of　our　cattle；　I　galloped　away　with　the　stranger。　As　we　rode　the　short　distance　between　the　two　herds　and　I　mentally　reviewed　the　situation；　I　could　not　help　but　think　it　was　fortunate　for　the　alien　outfit　that　their　employer　was　a　Northern　cowman　instead　of　a　Texan。　Had　the　present　owner　been　of　the　latter　school；　there　would　have　been　more　than　one　dead　Mexican　before　a　valuable　herd　would　have　been　abandoned　over　an　unavoidable　accident。　I　kept　my　thoughts　to　myself；　however；　for　the　man　had　troubles　enough；　and　on　reaching　his　drifting　herd；　we　turned　them　back　on　their　course。　It　was　high　noon　when　we　reached　his　wagon　and　found　the　Mexican　outfit　still　keening　over　their　dead　comrade。　We　pushed　the　cattle；　a　mixed　herd　of　about　twenty…five　hundred；　well　past　the　camp；　and　riding　back；　dismounted　among　the　howling　vaqueros。　There　was　not　the　semblance　of　sanity　among　them。　The　foreman；　who　could　speak　some　little　English；　at　least　his　employer　declared　he　could；　was　carrying　on　like　a　madman；　while　a　majority　of　the　vaqueros　were　playing　a　close　second。　The　dead　man　had　been　carried　in　and　was　lying　under　a　tarpaulin　in　the　shade　of　the　wagon。　Feeling　that　my　boys　would　stand　behind　me；　and　never　offering　to　look　at　the　corpse；　I　inquired　in　Spanish　of　the　vaqueros　which　one　of　the　men　was　their　corporal。　A　heavy…set；　bearded　man　was　pointed　out；　and　walking　up　to　him；　with　one　hand　I　slapped　him　in　the　face　and　with　the　other　relieved　him　of　a　six…shooter。　He　staggered　back；　turned　ashen　pale；　and　before　he　could　recover　from　the　surprise；　in　his　own　tongue　I　berated　him　as　a　worthless　cur　for　deserting　his　employer　over　an　accident。　Following　up　the　temporary　advantage；　I　inquired　for　the　cook　and　horse…wrangler；　and　intimated　clearly　that　there　would　be　other　dead　Mexicans　if　the　men　were　not　fed　and　the　herd　and　saddle　stock　looked　after；　that　they　were　not　worthy　of　the　name　of　vaqueros　if　they　were　lax　in　a　duty　with　which　they　had　been　intrusted。

〃But　Pablo　is　dead；〃　piped　one　of　the　vaqueros　in　defense。

〃Yes；　he　is；〃　said　GG　Cederdall　in　Spanish；　bristling　up　to　the　vaquero　who　had　volunteered　the　reply；　〃and　we'll　bury　him　and　a　half…dozen　more　of　you　if　necessary；　but　the　cattle　will　not　be　abandonednot　for　a　single　hour。　Pablo　is　dead；　but　he　was　no　better　than　a　hundred　other　men　who　have　lost　their　lives　on　this　trail。　If　you　are　a　lot　of　locoed　sheep…herders　instead　of　vaqueros；　why　didn't　you　stay　at　home　with　the　children　instead　of　starting　out　to　do　a　man's　work。　Desert　your　employer；　will　you？　Not　in　a　country　where　there　is　no　chance　to　pick　up　other　men。　Yes；　Pablo　is　dead；　and　we'll　bury　him。〃

The　aliens　were　disconcerted；　and　wilted。　The　owner　picked　up　courage　and　ordered　the　cook　to　prepare　dinner。　We　loaned　our　horses　to　the　wrangler　and　another　man；　the　remuda　was　brought　in；　and　before　we　sat　down　to　the　midday　meal；　every　vaquero　had　a　horse　under　saddle；　while　two　of　them　had　ridden　away　to　look　after　the　grazing　cattle。　With　order　restored；　we　set　about　systematically　to　lay　away　the　unfortunate　man。　A　detail　of　vaqueros　under　Cederdall　prepared　a　grave　on　the　nearest　knoll；　and　wrapping　the　corpse　in　a　tarpaulin；　we　buried　him　like　a　sailor　at　sea。　Several　vaqueros　were　visibly　affected　at　the　graveside；　and　in　order　to　pacify　them；　I　suggested　that　we　unload　the　wagon　of