the outlet-第49章

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he　way；　claiming　government　beef　recognized　no　local　quarantine。　The　herds　were　not　over　thirty　miles　to　the　south；　and　expectation　ran　high　as　to　results　when　an　attempt　should　be　made　to　cross　the　deadline。　Trouble　had　already　occurred；　where　outfits　respecting　the　quarantine　were　trespassed　upon　by　three　herds；　making　claim　of　being　under　government　protection　and　entitled　to　the　rights　of　eminent　domain。　Fortunately　several　of　the　herds　on　the　immediate　line　had　been　bought　at　Ogalalla　and　were　in　possession　of　ranch　outfits　who　owned　ranges　farther　north；　and　were　anxious　to　see　quarantine　enforced。　These　local　cowmen　would　support　the　established　authority；　and　trouble　was　expected。　Sponsilier　and　I　widened　the　breach　by　denouncing　these　intruders　as　the　hirelings　of　a　set　of　ringsters；　who　had　no　regard　for　the　rights　of　any　one；　and　volunteered　our　services　in　enforcing　quarantine　against　them　the　same　as　others。

Our　services　were　gratefully　accepted。　The　next　morning　we　were　furnished　fresh　horses；　and　one　of　us　was　requested；　as　we　were　strangers；　to　ride　down　the　country　and　reconnoitre　the　advance　of　the　defiant　drovers。　As　I　was　fearful　that　Field　or　Radcliff　might　be　accompanying　the　herds；　and　recognize　me；　Sponsilier　went　instead；　returning　late　that　evening。

〃Well；　fellows；〃　said　Dave；　as　he　dismounted　at　the　quarantine　camp；　〃I've　seen　the　herds；　and　they　propose　to　cross　this　dead…line　of　yours　as　easily　as　water　goes　through　a　gourd　funnel。　They'll　be　here　by　noon　to…morrow；　and　they've　got　the　big　conversation　right　on　tap　to　show　that　the　government　couldn't　feed　its　army　if　it　wasn't　for　a　few　big　cowmen　like　them。　There's　a　strange　corporal　over　the　three　herds　and　they're　working　on　five　horses　to　the　man。　But　the　'major…domo's　the　whole　works；　he's　a　windy　cuss；　and　intimates　that　he　has　a　card　or　two　up　his　sleeve　that　will　put　these　quarantine　guards　to　sleep　when　he　springs　them。　He's　a　new　man　to　me；　at　least　he　wasn't　with　the　gang　at　Ogalalla。〃

During　the　absence　of　my　partner；　I　had　ridden　the　dead…line　on　the　north。　A　strip　of　country　five　miles　wide　was　clear　of　cattle　above　the　boundary；　while　below　were　massed　four　herds；　claiming　the　range　from　the　mountains　to　the　Powder　River。　The　leader　of　the　quarantine　guards；　Fred　Ullmer；　had　accompanied　me　on　the　ride；　and　on　our　return　we　visited　three　of　the　outfits；　urging　them　to　hold　all　their　reserve　forces　subject　to　call；　in　case　an　attempt　was　made　to　force　the　dead…line。　At　each　camp　I　took　every　possible　chance　to　sow　the　seeds　of　dissension　and　hatred　against　the　highhanded　methods　of　The　Western　Supply　Company。　Defining　our　situation　clearly；　I　asked　each　foreman；　in　case　these　herds　defied　local　authority；　who　would　indemnify　the　owners　for　the　loss　among　native　cattle　by　fever　between　Powderville　and　the　mouth　of　the　Yellowstone。　Would　the　drovers？　Would　the　government？　Leaving　these　and　similar　thoughts　for　their　consideration；　Ullmer　and　I　had　arrived　at　the　first　quarantine　station　shortly　before　the　return　of　my　partner。

Upon　the　report　of　Sponsilier；　Ullmer　was　appointed　captain；　and　lost　no　time　in　taking　action。　After　dark；　a　scout　was　sent　to　Camp　No。　2；　a　meeting…place　was　appointed　on　Wolf　Creek　below；　and　orders　were　given　to　bring　along　every　possible　man　from　the　local　outfits　and　to　meet　at　the　rendezvous　within　an　hour　after　sun…up　the　next　morning。　Ullmer　changed　horses　and　left　for　Powderville；　assuring　us　that　he　would　rally　every　man　interested　in　quarantine；　and　have　his　posse　below；　on　the　creek　by　sunrise。　The　remainder　of　us　at　headquarters　were　under　orders　to　bring　all　the　arms　and　ammunition；　and　join　the　quarantine　forces　at　the　meeting…　place　some　five　miles　from　our　camp。　We　were　also　to　touch　at　and　command　the　presence　of　one　of　the　four　outfits　while　en　route。　I　liked　the　determined　action　of　Captain　Ulimer；　who　I　learned　had　emigrated　with　his　parents　to　Montana　when　a　boy；　and　had　grown　into　manhood　on　the　frontier。　Sponsilier　was　likewise　pleased　with　the　quarantine　leader；　and　we　lay　awake　far　into　the　night；　reviewing　the　situation　and　trying　to　anticipate　any　possible　contingency　that　might　thwart　our　plans。　But　to　our　best　reasoning　the　horizon　was　clear；　and　if　Field；　Radcliff　&　Co。's　cattle　reached　Fort　Buford　on　the　day　of　delivcry；　well；　it　would　be　a　miracle。

Fresh　horses　were　secured　at　dawn；　and　breakfast　would　be　secured　en　route　with　the　cow　outfit。　There　were　a　dozen　large…calibre　rifles　in　scabbards；　and　burdening　ourselves　with　two　heavy　guns　to　the　man　and　an　abundance　of　ammunition；　we　abandoned　Quarantine　Station　No。　1　for　the　time　being。　The　camp　which　we　were　to　touch　at　was　the　one　nearest　the　river　and　north　of　Wolf　Creek；　and　we　galloped　up　to　it　before　the　sun　had　even　risen。　Since　everything　was　coming　our　way；　Sponsilier　and　I　observed　a　strict　neutrality；　but　a　tow…headed　Texan　rallied　the　outfit；　saying：

〃Make　haste；　fellows；　and　saddle　up　your　horses。　Those　three　herds　which　raised　such　a　rumpus　up　on　Little　Powder　have　sent　down　word　that　they're　going　to　cross　our　dead…line　to…day　if　they　have　to　prize　up　hell　and　put　a　chunk　under　it。　We　have　decided　to　call　their　bluff　before　they　even　reach　the　line；　and　make　them　show　their　hand　for　all　this　big　talk。　Here's　half　a　dozen　guns　and　cartridges　galore；　but　hustle　yourselves。　Fred　went　into　Powderville　last　night　and　will　meet　us　above　at　the　twin　buttes　this　morning　with　every　cowman　in　town。　All　the　other　outfits　have　been　sent　for；　and　we'll　have　enough　men　to　make　our　bluff　stand　up；　never　fear。　From　what　I　learn；　these　herds　belong　to　a　lot　of　Yankee　speculators；　and　they　don't　give　a　tinker's　dam　if　all　the　cattle　in　Montana　die　from　fever。　They're　no　better　than　anybody　else；　and　if　we　allow　them　to　go　through；　they'll　leave　a　trail　of　dead　natives　that　will　stink　us　out　of　this　valley。　Make　haste；　everybody。〃

I　could　see　at　a　glance　that　the　young　Texan　had　touched　their　pride。　The　foreman　detailed　three　men　to　look　after　the　herd；　and　the　balance　made　hasty　preparations　to　accompany　the　quarantine　guards。　A　relief　was　rushed　away　for　the　herders；　and　when　the　latter　came　in；　they　reported　having　sighted　the　posse　from　Powderville；　heading　across　country　for　the　twin　buttes。　Meanwhile　a　breakfast　had　been　bolted　by　the　guards；　Sponsilier；　and　myself；　and　swinging　into　our　saddles；　we　rounded　a　bluff　bend　of　the　creek　and　rode　for　the　rendezvous；　some　three　miles　distant。　I　noticed　by　the　brands　that　nearly　every　horse　in　that　country　had　been　born　in　Texas；　and　the　short　time　in　which　we　covered　the　intervening　miles　proved　that　the　change　of　climate　had　added　to　their　stability　and　bottom。　Our　first　glimpse　of　the　meeting…point　revealed　the　summit　of　the　buttes　fairly　covered　with　horsemen。　From　their　numbers　it　was　evident　that　ours　was　the　last　contingent　to　arrive；　but　before　we　reached　the　twin　mounds；　the　posse　rode　down　from　the　lookout　and　a　courier　met　and　turned　us　from　our　course。　The　lead　herd　had　been　sighted　in　trail　formation　but　a　few　miles　distant；　heading　north；　and　it　was　the　intention　to　head　them　at　the　earliest　moment。　The　messenger　inquired　our　numbers；　and　reported　those　arrived　at　forty…five；　making　the　posse　when　united　a　few　over　sixty　men。

A　juncture　of　forces　was　effected　within　a　mile　of　the　lead　herd。　It　was　a　unique　posse。　Old　frontiersmen；　with　patriarchal　beards　and　sawed…off　shotguns；　chewed　their　tobacco　complacently　as　they　rode　forward　at　a　swinging　gallop。　Beardless　youths；　armed　with　the　old　buffalo　guns　of　their　fathers；　led　the　way　as　if　an　Indian　invasion　had　called　them　forth。　Soldiers　of　fortune；　with　Southern　accents；　who　were　assisting　in　the　conquest　of　a　new　empire；　intermingled　with　the　hurrying　throng；　and　two　men　whose　home　was　in　Medina　County；　Texas；　looked　on　and　approved。　The　very　horses　had　caught　the　inspiration　of　the　moment；　champing　bits　in　their　effort　to　forge　to　the　front　rank；　while　the　blood…stained　slaver　coated　many　breasts　or　driveled　from　our　boots。　Before　we　met　the　herd　a　halt　was　called；　and　about　a　dozen　men　were　deployed　off　on　each　flank；　while　the　main　body　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　cattle。　The　latter　were　checked　by　th