the outlet-第57章

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　main　Missouri。

This　was　the　situation　on　the　morning　of　September　15。　As　we　returned　to　Sponsilier's　wagon；　all　the　idle　men　about　the　camp　joined　our　cavalcade；　and　we　rode　down　and　paid　Forrest's　outfit　a　social　visit。　The　latter　were　all　absent；　except　the　cook；　but　shortly　returned　from　down　the　river　and　reported　the　opposition　herds　to　be　crossing　the　Missouri；　evidently　going　to　camp　at　Alkali　Lake。

〃Well；　I've　been　present　at　a　good　many　deliveries；〃　said　Quince　Forrest；　as　he　reined　in　his　horse；　〃but　this　one　is　in　a　class　by　itself。　We　always　aimed　to　get　within　five　or　ten　miles　of　a　post　or　agency；　but　our　friends　made　a　worthy　effort　to　get　on　the　parade…ground。　They　did　the　next　best　thing　and　occupied　the　grazing　where　the　cavalry　horses　have　been　herded　all　summer。　Oh；　their　cattle　will　be　hog…fat　in　a　few　days。　Possibly　they　expect　to　show　their　cattle　in　town；　and　not　trouble　the　quartermaster　and　comandante　to　even　saddle　upthey're　the　very　kind　of　people　who　wouldn't　give　anybody　trouble　if　they　could　help　it。　It　wouldn't　make　so　much　difference　about　those　old　frontier　officers　or　a　common　cowman；　but　if　one　of　those　young　lieutenants　was　to　get　his　feet　wet；　the　chances　are　that　those　Washington　City　contractors　would　fret　and　worry　for　weeks。　Of　course；　any　little　inconvenience　that　any　one　incurred　on　their　account；　they'd　gladly　come　all　the　way　back　from　Europe　to　make　it　rightI　don't　think。〃

While　we　were　discussing　the　situation；　Bob　Quirk　arrived　at　camp。　He　reported　that　Lovell；　relying　on　the　superiority　of　our　beeves；　had　waived　his　right　to　deliver　on　the　hour　of　high　noon；　and　an　inspection　of　the　other　cattle　would　be　made　that　evening。　The　waiver　was　made　at　the　request　of　the　leading　officers　of　Fort　Buford；　all　very　friendly　to　the　best　interests　of　the　service　and　coiisequently　ours；　and　the　object　was　to　silence　all　subsequent　controversy。　My　brother　admitted　that　some　outside　pressure　had　been　brought　to　bear　during　the　night；　very　antagonistic　to　the　post　commander；　who　was　now　more　determined　than　ever　to　accept　none　but　the　best　for　their　next　year's　meat　supply。　A　well…known　congressman；　of　unsavory　reputation　as　a　lobbyist　in　aiding　and　securing　government　contracts　for　his　friends；　was　the　latest　addition　to　the　legal　forces　of　the　opposition。　lie　constantly　mentioned　his　acquaintances　in　the　War　Department　and　maintained　an　air　of　assurance　which　was　very　disconcerting。　The　younger　officers　in　the　post　were　abashed　at　the　effrontery　of　the　contractors　and　their　legal　representatives；　and　had　even　gone　so　far　as　to　express　doubts　as　to　the　stability　of　their　positions　in　case　the　decision　favored　Lovell's　cattle。　Opinion　was　current　that　a　possible　shake…up　might　occur　at　Buford　after　the　receipt　of　its　beef　supply；　and　the　more　timorous　ones　were　anxious　to　get　into　the　right　wagon；　instead　of　being　relegated　to　some　obscure　outpost。

It　was　now　evident　that　the　decisive　issue　was　to　occur　over　the　delivery　of　the　contending　herds。　Numerous　possibilities　arose　in　my　imagination；　and　the　various　foremen　advanced　their　views。　A　general　belief　that　old　man　Don　would　fight　to　the　last　was　prevalent；　and　amidst　the　discussions　pro　and　con；　I　remarked　that　Lovell　could　take　a　final　refuge　behind　the　indemnity　in　hand。

〃Indemnity；　hell！〃　said　Bob　Quirk；　giving　me　a　withering　look；　〃what　is　sixty…five　thousand　dollars　on　ten　thousand　beeves；　within　an　hour　of　delivery　and　at　thirty…seven　and　a　half　a　head？　You　all　know　that　the　old　man　has　strained　his　credit　on　this　summer's　drive；　and　he's　got　to　have　the　money　when　he　goes　home。　A　fifteen　or　twenty　per　cent　indemnity　does　him　no　good。　The　Indian　herds　have　paid　out　well；　but　if　this　delivery　falls　down；　it　will　leave　him　holding　the　sack。　On　the　other　hand；　if　it　goes　through；　he　will　be；　financially；　an　independent　man　for　life。　And　while　he　knows　the　danger　of　delay；　he　consented　as　readily　as　any　of　us　would　if　asked　for　a　cigarette…paper。　He　may　come　out　all　right；　but　he's　just　about　white　enough　to　get　the　worst　of　it。　I've　read　these　Sundayschool　stories；　where　the　good　little　boy　always　came　out　on　top；　but　in　real　life；　especially　in　cattle；　it's　quite　different。〃

My　brother's　words　had　a　magical　effect。　Sponsilier　asked　for　suggestions；　when　Bob　urged　that　every　man　available　go　into　the　post　and　accompany　the　inspection　party　that　afternoon。　Since　Forrest　and　himself　were　unknown；　they　would　take　about　three　of　the　boys　with　them；　cross　the　Missouri；　ride　through　and　sum　up　the　opposition　cattle。　Forrest　approved　of　the　idea；　and　ordered　his　cook　to　bestir　himself　in　getting　up　an　early　dinner。　Meanwhile　a　number　of　my　boys　had　ridden　down　to　Forrest's　wagon；　and　I　immediately　dispatched　Clay　Zilligan　back　to　my　cattle　to　relieve　Vick　Wolf　and　inform　the　day…herders　that　we　might　not　return　before　dark。　Wolf　was　the　coolest　man　in　my　employ；　had　figured　in　several　shooting　scrapes；　and　as　he　was　a　splendid　shot；　I　wanted　to　send　him　with　Forrest　and　my　brother。　If　identified　as　belonging　to　Lovell's　outfits；　there　was　a　possibility　that　insult　might　be　offered　the　boys；　and　knowing　that　it　mattered　not　what　the　odds　were；　it　would　be　resented；　I　thought　it　advisable　to　send　a　man　who　had　smelt　powder　at　short　range。　I　felt　no　special　uneasiness　about　my　brother；　in　fact　he　was　the　logical　man　to　go；　but　a　little　precaution　would　do　no　harm；　and　I　saw　to　it　that　Sponsilier　sent　a　good　representative。

About　one　o'clock　we　started；　thirty　strong。　Riding　down　the　Yellowstone；　the　three　detailed　men；　Quince　Forrest；　and　my　brother　soon　bore　off　to　the　left　and　we　lost　sight　of　them。　Continuing　on　down　the　river；　we　forded　the　Missouri　at　the　regular　wagon…crossing；　and　within　an　hour　after　leaving　Forrest's　camp　cantered　into　Fort　Buford。　Sanders　and　his　outfit　were　waiting　in　front　of　the　quartermaster's　office；　the　hour　for　starting　having　been　changed　from　two　to　three；　which　afforded　ample　time　to　visit　the　sutler's　bar。　Our　arrival　was　noticed　about　the　barracks；　and　evidently　some　complaint　had　been　made；　as　old　man　Don　joined　us　in　time　for　the　first　round；　after　which　he　called　Dave　and　me　aside。　In　reply　to　his　inquiry　regarding　our　presence；　Sponsilier　informed　him　that　we　had　come　in　to　afford　him　an　escort；　in　case　he　wished　to　attend　the　inspection　of　the　opposition　herds；　that　if　there　was　any　bulldozing　going　on　he　needn't　stand　behind　the　door。　Dave　informed　him　that　Bob　and　Quince　and　three　of　the　other　boys　would　meet　us　at　the　cattle；　and　that　he　need　feel　no　hesitancy　in　going　if　it　was　his　wish。　It　was　quite　evident　that　Mr。　Lovell　was　despondent；　but　he　took　courage　and　announced　his　willingness　to　go　along。

〃It　was　my　intention　not　to　go；〃　said　he；　〃though　Mr。　Aspgrain　and　Sutton　both　urged　that　I　should。　But　now　since　you　boys　all　feel　the　same　way；　I　believe　I'll　go。　Heaven　and　earth　are　being　moved　to　have　the　other　cattle　accepted；　but　there　are　a　couple　of　old　war…horses　at　the　head　of　this　post　that　will　fight　them　to　the　last　ditch；　and　then　some。　I'm　satisfied　that　my　beeves；　in　any　market　in　the　West；　are　worth　ten　dollars　a　head　more　than　the　other　ones；　yet　there　is　an　effort　being　made　to　turn　us　down。　Our　claims　rest　on　two　points；superiority　of　the　beef　tendered；　and　the　legal　impossibility　of　a　transfer　from　themselves；　a　corporation；　to　themselves　as　individuals。　If　there　is　no　outside　interference；　I　think　we　will　make　the　delivery　before　noon　to…morrow。　Now；　I'll　get　horses　for　both　Mr。　Sutton　and　Senator　Aspgrain；　and　you　see　that　none　of　the　boys　drink　too　much。　Sanders　and　his　outfit　are　all　right；　and　I　want　you　lads　to　remind　me　to　remember　him　before　we　leave　this　post。　Now；　we'll　all　go　in　a　little　party　by　ourselves；　and　I　don't　want　a　word　out　of　a　man；　unless　we　are　asked　for　an　opinion　from　the　officers；　as　our　cattle　must　argue　our　cause。〃

A　second　drink；　a　cigar　all　round；　and　we　were　ready　to　start。　As　we　returned　to　our　mounts；　a　bustle　of　activity　pervaded　the　post。　Orderlies　were　leading　forth　the　best　horses；　officers　were　appearing　in　riding…boots　and　gauntlets；　while　two　conveyances　from　a　livery　in　town　stood　waiting　to　convey　the　contractors　and　t