the outlet-第4章

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A　long　ride　brought　us　to　the　Atascosa；　where　we　stayed　all　night。　The　next　morning　we　separated；　Quince　bearing　due　east　for　Floresville；　while　I　continued　southeast　towards　my　home　near　Cibollo　Ford　on　the　San　Antonio　River。　It　had　been　over　a　year　since　I　had　seen　the　family；　and　on　reaching　the　ranch；　my　father　gruffly　noticed　me；　but　my　mother　and　sisters　received　me　with　open　arms。　I　was　a　mature　man　of　twenty…eight　at　the　time；　mustached；　and　stood　six　feet　to　a　plumb…line。　The　family　were　cognizant　of　my　checkered　past；　and　although　never　mentioning　it；　it　seemed　as　if　my　misfortunes　had　elevated　me　in　the　estimation　of　my　sisters；　while　to　my　mother　I　had　become　doubly　dear。

During　the　time　spent　in　that　vicinity；　I　managed　to　reach　home　at　night　as　often　as　possible。　Constantly　using　fresh　horses；　I　covered　a　wide　circle　of　country；　making　one　ride　down　the　river　into　Goliad　County　of　over　fifty　miles；　returning　the　next　day。　Within　a　week　I　had　made　up　my　outfit；　including　the　horse…wrangler　and　cook。　Some　of　the　men　were　ten　years　my　senior；　while　only　a　few　were　younger；　but　I　knew　that　these　latter　had　made　the　trip　before　and　were　as　reliable　as　their　elders。　The　wages　promised　that　year　were　fifty　dollars　a　month；　the　men　to　furnish　only　their　own　saddles　and　blankets；　and　at　that　figure　I　picked　two　pastoral　counties；　every　man　bred　to　the　occupation。　The　trip　promised　six　months'　work　with　return　passage；　and　I　urged　every　one　employed　to　make　his　appearance　at　headquarters；　in　Medina；　on　or　before　the　15th　of　the　month。　There　was　no　railroad　communication　through　Karnes　and　Goliad　counties　at　that　time；　and　all　the　boys　were　assured　that　their　private　horses　would　have　good　pasturage　at　the　home　ranch　while　they　were　away；　and　I　advised　them　all　to　come　on　horseback。　By　this　method　they　would　have　a　fresh　horse　awaiting　them　on　their　return　from　the　North　with　which　to　continue　their　homeward　journey。　All　the　men　engaged　were　unmarried；　and　taken　as　a　whole；　I　flattered　myself　on　having　secured　a　crack　outfit。

I　was　in　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　the　ranch。　There　had　been　nothing　said　about　the　remudas　before　leaving；　and　while　we　had　an　abundance　of　horses；　no　one　knew　them　better　than　I　did。　For　that　reason　I　wanted　to　be　present　when　their　allotment　was　made；　for　I　knew　that　every　foreman　would　try　to　get　the　best　mounts；　and　I　did　not　propose　to　stand　behind　the　door　and　take　the　culls。　Many　of　the　horses　had　not　had　a　saddle　on　them　in　eight　months；　while　all　of　them　had　run　idle　during　the　winter　in　a　large　mesquite　pasture　and　were　in　fine　condition　with　the　opening　of　spring。　So　bidding　my　folks　farewell；　I　saddled　at　noon　and　took　a　cross…country　course　for　the　ranch；　covering　the　hundred　and　odd　miles　in　a　day　and　a　half。　Reaching　headquarters　late　at　night；　I　found　that　active　preparations　had　been　going　on　during　my　absence。　There　were　new　wagons　to　rig；　harness　to　oil；　and　a　carpenter　was　then　at　work　building　chuck…boxes　for　each　of　the　six　commissaries。　A　wholesale　house　in　the　city　had　shipped　out　a　stock　of　staple　supplies；　almost　large　enough　to　start　a　store。　There　were　whole　coils　of　new　rope　of　various　sizes；　from　lariats　to　corral　cables；　and　a　sufficient　amount　of　the　largest　size　to　make　a　stack　of　hobbles　as　large　as　a　haycock。　Four　new　branding…irons　to　the　wagon；　the　regulation　〃Circle　Dot；〃　completed　the　main　essentials。

All　the　foremen　had　reported　at　the　ranch；　with　the　exception　of　Forrest；　who　came　in　the　next　evening　with　three　men。　The　division　of　the　horses　had　not　even　come　up　for　discussion；　but　several　of　the　boys　about　headquarters　who　were　friendly　to　my　interests　posted　me　that　the　older　foremen　were　going　to　claim　first　choice。　Archie　Tolleston；　next　to　Jim　Flood　in　seniority　in　Lovell's　employ；　had　spent　every　day　riding　among　the　horses；　and　bad　even　boasted　that　he　expected　to　claim　fifteen　of　the　best　for　his　own　saddle。　Flood　was　not　so　particular；　as　his　destination　was　in　southern　Dakota；　but　my　brother　Bob　was　again　ticketed　for　the　Crow　Agency　in　Montana；　and　would　naturally　expect　a　good　remuda。　Tolleston　was　going　to　western　Wyoming；　while　the　Fort　Buford　cattle　were　a　two…weeks'　later　delivery　and　fully　five　hundred　miles　farther　travel。　On　my　return　Lovell　was　in　the　city；　but　I　felt　positive　that　if　he　took　a　hand　in　the　division；　Tolleston　would　only　run　on　the　rope　once。

A　few　days　before　the　appointed　time；　the　men　began　thronging　into　headquarters。　Down　to　the　minutest　detail　about　the　wagons　and　mule　teams；　everything　was　shipshape。　The　commissary　department　was　stocked　for　a　month；　and　everything　was　ready　to　harness　in　and　move。　Lovell's　headquarters　was　a　stag　ranch；　and　as　fast　as　the　engaged　cooks　reported；　they　were　assigned　to　wagons；　and　kept　open　house　in　relieving　the　home　cocinero。　In　the　absence　of　our　employer；　Flood　was　virtually　at　the　head　of　affairs；　and　artfully　postponed　the　division　of　horses　until　the　last　moment。　My　outfit　had　all　come　in　in　good　time；　and　we　were　simply　resting　on　our　oars　until　the　return　of　old　man　Don　from　San　Antonio。　The　men　were　jubilant　and　light…hearted　as　a　lot　of　school…boys；　and　with　the　exception　of　a　feeling　of　jealousy　among　the　foremen　over　the　remudas；　we　were　a　gay　crowd；　turning　night　into　day。　But　on　the　return　of　our　employer；　all　frivolity　ceased；　and　the　ranch　stood　at　attention。　The　only　unfinished　work　was　the　division　of　the　horses；　and　but　a　single　day　remained　before　the　agreed　time　for　starting。　Jim　Flood　had　met　his　employer　at　the　station　the　night　before；　and　while　returning　to　the　ranch；　the　two　discussed　the　apportionment　of　the　saddle　stock。　The　next　morning　all　the　foremen　were　called　together；　when　the　drover　said　to　his　trail　bosses：

〃Boys；　I　suppose　you　are　all　anxious　to　get　a　good　remuda　for　this　summer's　trip。　Well；　I've　got　them　for　you。　The　only　question　is；　how　can　we　distribute　them　equitably　so　that　all　interests　will　be　protected。　One　herd　may　not　have　near　the　distance　to　travel　that　the　others　have。　It　would　look　unjust　to　give　it　the　best　horses；　and　yet　it　may　have　the　most　trouble。　Our　remudas　last　year　were　all　picked　animals。　They　had　an　easy　year's　work。　With　the　exception　of　a　few　head；　we　have　the　same　mounts　and　in　much　better　condition　than　last　year。　This　is　about　my　idea　of　equalizing　things。　You　four　old　foremen　will　use　your　remudas　of　last　year。　Then　each　of　you　six　bosses　select　twenty…five　head　each　of　the　Dodge　horses；turn　and　turn　about。　Add　those　to　your　old　remudas；　and　cull　back　your　surplus；　allowing　ten　to　the　man；　twelve　to　the　foreman；　and　five　extra　to　each　herd　in　case　of　cripples　or　of　galled　backs。　By　this　method；　each　herd　will　have　two　dozen　prime　saddlers；　the　pick　of　a　thousand　picked　ones；　and　fit　for　any　man　who　was　ever　in　my　employ。　I'm　breaking　in　two　new　foremen　this　year；　and　they　shall　have　no　excuse　for　not　being　mounted；　and　will　divide　the　remainder。　Now；　take　four　men　apiece　and　round　up　the　saddle　stock；　and　have　everything　in　shape　to　go　into　camp　to…night。　I'll　be　present　at　the　division；　and　I　warn　you　all　that　I　want　no　clashing。〃

A　ranch　remuda　was　driven　in；　and　we　saddled。　There　were　about　thirty　thousand　acres　in　the　pasture；　and　by　eleven　o'clock　everything　was　thrown　together。　The　private　horses　of　all　the　boys　had　been　turned　into　a　separate　inclosure；　and　before　the　cutting　out　commenced；　every　mother's　son；　including　Don　Lovell；　arrived　at　the　round…up。　There　were　no　corrals　on　the　ranch　which　would　accommodate　such　a　body　of　animals；　and　thus　the　work　had　to　be　done　in　the　open；　but　with　the　force　at　hand　we　threw　a　cordon　around　them；　equal　to　a　corral；　and　the　cutting　out　to　the　four　quarters　commenced。

The　horses　were　gentle　and　handled　easily。　Forrest　and　I　turned　to　and　helped　our　old　foreman　cut　out　his　remuda　of　the　year　before。　There　were　several　horses　in　my　old　mount　that　I　would　have　liked　to　have　again；　but　I　knew　it　was　useless　to　try　and　trade　Jim　out　of　them；　as　he　knew　their　qualities　and　would　have　robbed　me　in　demanding　their　equivalent。　When　the　old　remudas　were　again　separated；　they　were　counted　and　carefully　looked　over　by　both　foremen　and　men；　and　were　open　to　the　inspe