the outlet-第47章

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orward　in　clear　view　of　the　impending　meeting。　It　was　evident　that　Forrest　would　be　the　first　to　reach　the　freight　road；　and　would　naturally　hold　it　while　his　cattle　were　crossing　it。　Bitt　when　this　also　became　apparent　to　the　bull　train；　the　lead　teams　drove　out　of　the　road　and　halted；　the　rear　wagons　passing　on　ahead；　the　two　outfits　being　fully　a　mile　apart。　There　were　abont　twenty　teams　of　ten　yoke　each；　and　when　the　first　five　or　six　halted；　they　unearthed　old　needle　rifles　and　opened　fire　across　Forrest's　front。　Once　the　range　was　found；　those　long…range　buffalo　guns　threw　up　the　dust　in　handfuls　in　the　lead　of　the　herd；　and　Forrest　turned　his　cattle　back；　while　the　bull　train　held　its　way；　undisputed。　It　was　immaterial　to　Forrest　who　occupied　the　road　first；　and　with　the　jeers　of　the　freighters　mingled　the　laughter　of　Sponsilier　and　my　outfit；　as　John　Quincy　Forrest　reluctantly　turned　back。

This　incident　served　as　a　safety…valve；　and　whenever　Forrest　forged　to　the　lead　in　coming　down　the　Little　Missouri；　all　that　was　necessary　to　check　him　was　to　inquire　casually　which　held　the　right　of　way；　a　trail　herd　or　a　bull　train。

Throughout　the　North；　Texas　fever　was　generally　accepted　as　a　fact；　and　any　one　who　had　ever　come　in　contact　with　it　once；　dreaded　it　ever　afterward。　So　when　the　devil　was　sick　the　devil　a　monk　would　be；　and　if　there　was　any　advantage　in　taking　the　contrary　view　to　the　one　entertained　by　all　drovers；　so　long　as　our　herds　were　free；　we　were　not　like　men　who　could　not　experience　a　change　of　opinion；　if　in　doing　so　the　wind　was　tempered　to　us。　Also　in　this　instance　we　were　fighting　an　avowed　enemy；　and　all　is　fair　in　love　and　war。　And　amid　the　fumes　of　bad　cigars；　Sponsilier　drew　out　the　plan　of　campaign。

〃Now；　let's　see；〃　said　old　man　Don；　〃tomorrow　will　be　the　25th　day　of　August。　I've　got　to　be　at　the　Crow　Agency　a　few　days　before　the　10th　of　next　month；　as　you　know　we　have　a　delivery　there　on　that　date。　Flood　will　have　to　attend　to　matters　at　Rosebud　on　the　1st；　and　then　hurry　on　west　and　be　present　at　Paul's　delivery　at　Fort　Washakie。　So　you　see　I'll　have　to　depend　on　two　of　you　boys　going　up　to　Glendive　and　Miles　and　seeing　that　those　cow…towns　take　the　proper　view　of　this　quarantine　matter。　After　dinner　you'll　fall　back　and　bring　up　your　herds；　and　after　crossing　the　railroad　here；　the　outfits　will　graze　over　to　Buford。　We'll　leave　four　of　our　best　saddle　horses　here　in　a　pasture；　so　as　to　be　independent　on　our　return。　Since　things　have　changed　so；　the　chances　are　that　I'll　bring　Bob　Quirk　back　with　me；　as　I've　written　Flood　to　help　The　Rebel　sell　his　remuda　and　take　the　outfit　and　go　home。　Now　you　boys　decide　among　yourselves　which　two　of　you　will　go　up　the　Yellowstone　and　promote　the　enforcement　of　the　quarantine　laws。　Don't　get　the　impression　that　you　can't　do　this；　because　an　all…round　cowman　can　do　anything　where　his　interests　are　at　stake。　I'll　think　the　programme　out　a　little　more　clearly　by　the　time　you　bring　up　the　cattle。〃

The　herds　were　not　over　fifteen　miles　back　up　the　river　when　we　left　them　in　the　morning。　After　honoring　the　village　of　Little　Missouri　with　our　presence　for　several　hours；　we　saddled　up　and　started　to　meet　the　cattle。　There　was　no　doubt　in　my　mind　but　that　Sponsilier　would　be　one　of　the　two　to　go　on　the　proposed　errand　of　diplomacy；　as　his　years；　experience；　and　good　solid　sense　entitled　him　to　outrank　either　Forrest　or　myself。　I　knew　that　Quince　Would　want　to　go；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　to　get　out　of　working　the　few　days　that　yet　remained　of　the　drive。　All　three　of　us　talked　the　matter　of　quarantine　freely　as　we　rode　along；　yet　no　one　ventured　any　proposition　looking　to　an　agreement　as　to　who　should　go　on　the　diplomatic　mission。　I　was　the　youngest　and　naturally　took　refuge　behind　my　years；　yet　perfectly　conscious　that；　in　spite　of　the　indifferent　and　nonchalant　attitude　assumed；　all　three　of　us　foremen　were　equally　anxious　for　the　chance。　Matters　remained　undecided；　but　the　next　day　at　dinner；　Lovell　having　met　us　before　reaching　the　railroad；　the　question　arose　who　should　go　up　to　Miles　City。　Dave　and　Quince　were　also　eating　at　my　wagon；　and　when　our　employer　forced　ah　answer；　Sponsilier　innocently　replied　that　he　supposed　that　we　were　all　willing　to　leave　it　to　him。　Forrest　immediately　approved　of　Dave's　suggestion。　I　gave　my　assent；　and　old　man　Don　didn't　qualify；　hedge；　or　mince　his　words　in　appointing　the　committees　to　represent　the　firm　of　Lovell。

〃Jealous　of　each　other；　ain't　you？　Very　well；　I　want　these　herds　grazed　across　to　Buford　at　the　rate　of　four　miles　a　day。　Nothing　but　a　Mexican　pastor；　or　a　white　man　as　lazy　as　Quince　Forrest　can　fill　the　bill。　You're　listening；　are　you；　Quince？　Well；　after　the　sun　sets　to…night；　you're　in　charge　of　ten　thousand　beeves　from　here　to　the　mouth　of　the　Yellowstone。　I　want　to　put　every　ounce　possible　on　those　steers　for　the　next　twenty　days。　We　utay　have　to　make　a　comparison　of　cattle；　and　if　we　should；　I　want　ours　to　lay　over　the　opposition　like　a　double　eagle　does　over　a　lead　dime。　We　may　run　up　against　a　lot　of　red　tape　at　Fort　Buford；　but　if　there　is　a　lick　of　cow…sense　among　the　government　representatives；　we　want　our　beeves　to　speak　for　themselves。　Fat　animals　do　their　own　talking。　You　remember　when　every　one　was　admiring　the　fine　horse；　the　blind　man　said；　'Isn't　he　fat？'　Now；　Dave；　you　and　Tom　appoint　your　segundos；　and　we'll　all　catch　the　10：20　train　west　to…night。〃

I　dared　to　risk　one　eye　on　Forrest。　Inwardly　I　was　chuckling；　but　Quince　was　mincing　along　with　his　dinner；　showing　that　languid　indifference　which　is　inborn　to　the　Texan。　Lovell　continued　to　monopolize　the　conversation；　blowing　on　the　cattle　and　ribbing　up　Forrest　to　see　that　the　beeves　thenceforth　should　never　know　tire；　hunger；　or　thirst。　The　commissaries　had　run　low；　Sponsilier's　cook　had　been　borrowing　beans　from　us　for　a　week　past；　while　Parent　point…blank　refused　to　share　any　more　of　our　bacon。　The　latter　was　recognized　as　a　staple　in　trail…work；　and　it　mattered　not　how　inviting　the　beef　or　venison　might　be；　we　always　fell　back　to　bacon　with　avidity。　When　it　came　time　to　move　out　on　the　evening　lap；　Forrest's　herd　took　the　lead；　the　other　two　falling　in　behind；　the　wagons　pulling　out　for　town　in　advance　of　everything。　Jack　Splann　had　always　acted　as　segundo　in　my　absence；　and　as　he　had　overheard　Lovell's　orders　to　Forrest；　there　was　nothing　further　for　me　to　add；　and　Splann　took　charge　of　my　〃Open　A's。〃

When　changing　mounts　at　noon；　I　caught　out　two　of　my　best　saddlers　and　tied　one　behind　the　chuckwagon；　to　be　left　with　a　liveryman　in　town。　Leaving　old　man　Don　with　the　cattle；　all　three　of　us　foremen　went　into　the　village　in　order　to　secure　a　few　staple　supplies　with　which　to　complete　the　journey。

It　can　be　taken　for　granted　that　Sponsilier　and　myself　were　feeling　quite　gala。　The　former　took　occasion；　as　we　rode　along；　to　throw　several　bouquets　at　Forrest　over　his　preferment；　when　the　latter　turned　on　us；　saying：　〃You　fellows　think　you're　dd　smart；　now；　don't　you？　You're　both　purty　good　talkers；　but　neither　one　of　you　can　show　me　where　the　rainbow　comes　in　in　rotting　along　with　these　measly　cattle。　It's　enough　to　make　a　man　kick　his　own　dog。　But　I　can　see　where　the　old　man　was　perfectly　right　in　sending　you　two　up　to　Miles　City。　When　you　fellows　work　your　rabbit's　foot；　it　will　be　Katy　with　those　Washington　City　schemersmore　than　likely　they'll　not　draw　cards　when　they　see　that　you　are　in　the　game…　When　it　comes　to　the　real　sabe；　you　fellows　shine　like　a　tree　full　of　owls。　Honest；　it　has　always　been　a　wonder　to　me　that　Grant　didn't　send　for　both　of　you　when　he　was　making　up　his　cabinet。〃

The　herds　crossed　the　railroad　about　a　mile　west　of　Little　Missouri　Station。　The　wagons　secured　the　needed　supplies；　and　pulled　out　down　the　river；　leaving　Sponsilier　and　myself　foot…loose　and　free。

Lovell　was　riding　a　livery　horse；　and　as　neither　of　us　expected　him　to　return　until　it　was　too　dark　to　see　the　cattle；　we　amused　ourselves　by　looking　over　the　town。　There　seemed　to　be　a　great　deal　of　freighting　to　outlying　points；　numerous　ox　and　mule　trains　coming　in　and　also　leaving　for　their　destinations。　Our　employer　came　in　about　dusk；　an