the outlet-第53章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　nearest　post；　and　if　Keogh　and　Buford　turn　them　down；　the　next　ones　are　on　the　Missouri　River；　and　at　that　distance　cavalry　couldn't　reach　here　within　ten　days。　Oh；　I　think　we've　got　a　grapevine　twist　on　them　this　time。〃

Sponsilier　sat　up　half　the　night　wording　a　message　to　our　attorneys　at　Fort　Buford。　The　next　morning　found　me　bright　and　early　on　the　road　to　Glendive　with　the　dispatch；　the　sending　of　which　would　deplete　my　cash　on　hand　by　several　dollars；　but　what　did　we　care　for　expense　when　we　had　the　money　and　orders　…to　spend　it？　I　regretted　my　absence　from　the　quarantine　camp；　as　I　was　anxious　to　be　present　on　the　arrival　of　the　herds；　and　again　watch　the　〃major…domo〃　run　on　the　rope　and　fume　and　charge　in　vain。　But　the　importance　of　blocking　assistance　was　so　urgent　that　I　would　gladly　have　ridden　to　Buford　if　necessary。　In　that　bracing　atmosphere　it　was　a　fine　morning　for　the　ride；　and　I　was　rapidly　crossing　the　country；　when　a　vehicle；　in　the　dip　of　the　plain；　was　sighted　several　miles　ahead。　I　was　following　no　road；　but　when　the　driver　of　the　conveyance　saw　me　he　turned　across　my　front　and　signaled。　On　meeting　the　rig；　I　could　hardly　control　myself　from　laughing　outright；　for　there　on　the　rear　seat　sat　Field　and　Radcliff；　extremely　gruff　and　uncongenial。　Common　courtesies　were　exchanged　between　the　driver　and　myself；　and　I　was　able　to　answer　clearly　his　leading　questions：　Yes；　the　herds　would　reach　Cabin　Creek　before　noon；　the　old　eagle　tree；　which　could　be　seen　from　the　first　swell　of　the　plain　beyond；　marked　the　quarantine　camp；　and　it　was　the　intention　to　isolate　the　herds　on　the　South　Fork　of　Cabin。　〃Drive　on；〃　said　a　voice；　and；　in　the　absence　of　any　gratitude　expressed；　I　inwardly　smiled　in　reward。

I　was　detained　in　Glendive　until　late　in　the　day；　waiting　for　an　acknowledgment　of　the　message。　Sheriff　Wherry　informed　me　that　the　only　move　attempted　on　the　part　of　the　shorthorn　drovers　was　the　arrest　of　Sponsilier　and　myself；　on　the　charge　of　being　accomplices　in　the　shooting　of　one　of　their　men　on　the　North　Platte。　But　the　sheriff　had　assured　the　gentlemen　that　our　detention　would　have　no　effect　on　quarantining　their　cattle；　and　the　matter　was　taken　under　advisement　and　dropped。　It　was　late　when　I　started　for　camp　that　evening。　The　drovers　had　returned；　accompanied　by　their　superintendent；　and　were　occupying　the　depot；　burning　the　wires　in　every　direction。　I　was　risking　no　chances；　and　cultivated　the　company　of　Sheriff　Wherry　until　the　acknowledgment　arrived；　when　he　urged　me　to　ride　One　of　his　horses　in　returning　to　camp；　and　insisted　on　my　taking　a　carbine。　Possibly　this　was　fortunate；　for　before　I　had　ridden　one　third　the　distance　to　the　quarantine　camp；　I　met　a　cavalcade　of　nearly　a　dozen　men　from　the　isolated　herds。　When　they　halted　and　inquired　the　distance　to　Glendive；　one　of　their　number　recognized　me　as　having　been　among　the　quarantine　guards　at　Powderville。　I　admitted　that　I　was　there；　turning　my　horse　so　that　the　carbine　fell　to　my　hand；　and　politely　asked　if　any　one　had　any　objections。　It　seems　that　no　one　had；　and　after　a　few　commonplace　inquiries　were　exchanged；　we　passed　on　our　way。

There　was　great　rejoicing　on　Cabin　Creek　that　night。　Songs　were　sung；　and　white　navy　beans　passed　current　in　numerous　poker…games　until　the　small　hours　of　morning。　There　had　been　nothing　dramatic　in　the　meeting　between　the　herds　and　the　quarantine　guards；　the　latter　force　having　been　augmented　by　visiting　ranchmen　and　their　help；　until　protest　would　have　been　useless。　A　routine　of　work　had　been　outlined；　much　stricter　than　at　Powderville；　and　a　surveillance　of　the　camps　was　constantly　maintained。　Not　that　there　was　any　danger　of　escape；　but　to　see　that　the　herds　occupied　the　country　allotted　to　them；　and　did　not　pollute　any　more　territory　than　was　necessary。　The　Sponsilier　Guards　were　given　an　easy　day　shift；　and　held　a　circle　of　admirers　at　night；　recounting　and　living　over　again　〃the　good　old　days。〃　Visitors　from　either　side　of　the　Yellowstone　were　early　callers；　and　during　the　afternoon　the　sheriff　from　Glendive　arrived。　I　did　not　know　until　then　that　Mr。　Wherry　was　a　candidate　for　reelection　that　fall；　but　the　manner　in　which　he　mixed　with　the　boys　was　enough　to　warrant　his　election　for　life。　What　endeared　him　to　Sponsilier　and　myself　was　the　fund　of　information　he　had　collected；　and　the　close　tab　he　had　kept　on　every　movement　of　the　opposition　drovers。　He　told　us　that　their　appeal　to　Fort　Keogh　for　assistance　had　been　refused　with　a　stinging　rebuke；　that　a　courier　had　started　the　evening　before　down　the　river　for　Fort　Buford；　and　that　Mr。　Radcliff　had　personally　gone　to　Fort　Abraham　Lincoln　to　solicit　help。　The　latter　post　was　fully　one　hundred　and　fifty　miles　away；　but　that　distance　could　be　easily　covered　by　a　special　train　in　case　of　government　interference。

It　rained　on　the　afternoon　of　the　9th。　The　courier　had　returned　from　Fort　Buford　on　the　north；　unsuccessful；　as　had　also　Mr。　Radcliff　from　Fort　Lincoln　on　the　Missouri　River　to　the　eastward。　The　latter　post　had　referred　the　request　to　Keogh；　and　washed　its　hands　of　intermeddling　in　a　country　not　tributary　to　its　territory。　The　last　hope　of　interference　was　gone；　and　the　rigors　of　quarantine　closed　in　like　a　siege　with　every　gun　of　the　enemy　spiked。　Let　it　be　a　week　or　a　month　before　the　quarantine　was　lifted；　the　citizens　of　Montana　had　so　willed　it；　and　their　wish　was　law。　Evening　fell；　and　the　men　drew　round　the　fires。　The　guards　buttoned　their　coats　as　they　rode　away；　and　the　tired　ones　drew　their　blankets　around　them　as　they　lay　down　to　sleep。　Scarcely　a　star　could　be　seen　in　the　sky　overhead；　but　before　my　partner　or　myself　sought　our　bed；　a　great　calm　had　fallen；　the　stars　were　shining；　and　the　night　had　grown　chilly。

The　old　buffalo　hunters　predicted　a　change　in　the　weather；　but　beyond　that　they　were　reticent。　As　Sponsilier　and　I　lay　down　to　sleep；　we　agreed　that　if　three　days；　even　two　days；　were　spared　us；　those　cattle　in　quarantine　could　never　be　tendered　at　Fort　Buford　on　the　appointed　day　of　delivery。　But　during　the　early　hours　of　morning　we　were　aroused　by　the　returning　guards；　one　of　whom　halted　his　horse　near　our　blankets　and　shouted；　〃Hey；　there；　you　Texans；　get　upa　frost　has　fallen！〃

Sure　enough；　it　had　frosted　during　the　night；　and　the　quarantine　was　lifted。　When　day　broke；　every　twig　and　blade　of　grass　glistened　in　silver　sheen；　and　the　horses　on　picket　stood　humped　and　shivering。　The　sun　arose　upon　the　herds　moving；　with　no　excuse　to　say　them　nay；　and　orders　were　issued　to　the　guards　to　break　camp　and　disperse　to　their　homes。　As　we　rode　into　Glendive　that　morning；　sullen　and　defeated　by　a　power　beyond　our　control；　in　speaking　of　the　peculiarity　of　the　intervention；　Sponsilier　said：　〃Well；　if　it　rains　on　the　just　and　the　unjust　alike；　why　shouldn't　it　frost　the　same。〃



CHAPTER　XXI。　FORT　BUFORD

We　were　at　our　rope's　end。　There　were　a　few　accounts　to　settle　In　Glendive；　after　which　we　would　shake　its　dust　from　our　feet。　Very　few　of　the　quarantine　guards　returned　to　town；　and　with　the　exception　of　Sheriff　Wherry；　none　of　the　leading　cowmen；　all　having　ridden　direct　for　their　ranches。　Long　before　the　train　arrived　which　would　carry　us　to　Little　Missouri；　the　opposition　herds　appeared　and　crossed　the　railroad　west　of　town。　Their　commissaries　entered　the　village　for　supplies；　while　the　〃major…domo；〃　surrounded　by　a　body…guard　of　men；　rode　about　on　his　miserable　palfrey。　The　sheriff；　fearing　a　clash　between　the　victorious　and　the　vanquished；　kept　an　eye　on　Sponsilier　and　me　as　we　walked　the　streets；　freely　expressing　our　contempt　of　Field；　Radcliff　&　Co。；　their　henchmen　and　their　methods。　Dave　and　I　were　both　nerved　to　desperation；　Sheriff　Wherry；　anxious　to　prevent　a　conflict；　counciled　with　the　opposition　drovers；　resulting　in　their　outfits　leaving　town；　while　the　principals　took　stage　across　to　Buford。

Meanwhile　Sponsilier　had　wired　full　particulars　to　our　employer　at　Big　Horn。　It　was　hardly　necessary；　as　the　frost　no　doubt　was　general　all　over　Montana；　but　we　were　anxious　to　get　into　communication　with　Lovell　immediately　on　his　return　to　the　railroad。　We　had　written　him　from　Miles　of　our　failure　at　Powderville；　and　t