Chapter VIII. En Passant

by Andy Adams

　　It was intentionally late in the day when we reached Dodge. Myhorse, which I was leading, gave considerable trouble whilereturning, compelling us to drive slow. The buyers repeatedlycomplained that dinner would be over at their hotel, but thedetective knew of a good restaurant and promised all of us afeast. On reaching town, we drove to the stable where the rigbelonged, and once free of the horses, Siringo led the way to awell-known night-and-day eating-house on a back street. No soonerhad we entered the place than I remembered having my wagon intown, and the necessity of its reaching camp before darkness mademy excuse imperative. I hurried around to the outfitting houseand found the order filled and all ready to load into the wagon.But Parent was missing, and in skirmishing about to locate him, Imet my brother Bob. Tolleston had arrived, but his presence hadnot been discovered until after Seay reached town. Archie wasfairly well "organized" and had visited the hotel where thebuyers were stopping, leaving word for them of his arrival. Mybrother and Seay had told him that they had met, down the trailthat morning, two cattle buyers by the name of Field andRadcliff; that they were inquiring for a herd belonging to TomColeman, which was believed to be somewhere between Dodge and theCimarron River. The two had assured Tolleston that the buyersmight not be back for a week, and suggested a few drinks inmemory of old times. As Archie was then three sheets in the wind,his effacement, in the hands of two rounders like Dorg Seay andBob Quirk, was an easy matter.Once the wagon was loaded and started for camp, I returned to therestaurant. The dinner was in progress, and taking the vacantseat, I lifted my glass with great regularity as toast aftertoast was drunk. Cigars were ordered, and with our feet on thetable, the fiscal agent said: "Gentlemen, this is a mere luncheonand don't count. But if I'm able to sell you my other two beefherds, why, I'll give you a blow-out right. We'll make itsix-handed--the three trail foremen and ourselves--and damn theexpense so long as the cattle are sold. Champagne will flow likewater, and when our teeth float, we'll wash our feet in what'sleft."At a late hour the dinner ended. We were all rather unsteady onour feet, but the pock-marked detective and myself formed a guardof honor in escorting the buyers to their hotel, when anofficious clerk attempted to deliver Tolleston's message. Butanticipating it, I interrupted his highness and informed him thatwe had met the party; I was a thousand times obliged to him forhis kindness, and forced on him a fine cigar, which had beengiven me by Bob Wright of the outfitting store. While Siringo andthe buyers passed upstairs, I entertained the office force belowwith an account of the sale of my herd, constantly referring tomy new employers. The fiscal agent returned shortly, bought somecigars at the counter, asked if he could get a room for thenight, in case he was detained in town, and then we passed out ofthe hotel. This afforded me the first opportunity to notifySiringo of the presence of Tolleston, and I withheld nothingwhich was to his interest to know. But he was impatient to learnif the draft had been accepted, and asking me to bring my brotherto his room within half an hour, he left me.It was growing late in the day. The sun had already set when Ifound my brother, who was anxious to return to his camp for thenight. But I urged his seeing Siringo first, and after waiting inthe latter's room some time, he burst in upon us with a merrychuckle. "Well, the draft was paid all right," said he; "and thisis Bob Quirk. Boys, things are coming nicely. This fellowTolleston is the only cloud in the sky. If we can keep him downfor a week, and the other herds come in shortly, I see nothing tothwart our plans. Where have you picketed Tolleston?" "Around inDutch Jake's crib," replied Bob."That's good," continued the fiscal agent, "and I'll just drop into-night and see the madam. A little money will go a long waywith her, and in a case like this, the devil himself would be awelcome ally. You boys stay in town as much as you can and keepTolleston snowed deep, and I'll take the buyers down the trail inthe morning and meet the herds coming up."My brother returned to his camp, and Siringo and I separated forthe time being. In '84 Dodge, the Port Said of the plains, was inthe full flower of her wickedness. Literally speaking, night wasturned into day in the old trail town, for with the falling ofdarkness, the streets filled with people. Restaurants werecrowded with women of the half-world, bar-rooms thronged with thewayfaring man, while in gambling and dance halls the range mencongregated as if on special invitation. The familiar bark of thesix-shooter was a matter of almost nightly occurrence; a disputeat the gaming table, a discourteous word spoken, or the rivalryfor the smile of a wanton was provocation for the sacrifice ofhuman life. Here the man of the plains reverted to and gaveutterance to the savagery of his nature, or, on the other hand,was as chivalrous as in the days of heraldry.I knew the town well, this being my third trip over the trail,and mingled with the gathering throng. Near midnight, and when inthe Lady Gay dance-hall, I was accosted by Dorg Seay and thedetective. They had just left Dutch Jake's, and reported allquiet on the Potomac. Seay had not only proved himself artful,but a good fellow, and had unearthed the fact that Tolleston hadbeen in the employ of Field and Radcliff for the past threemonths. "You see," said Dorg, "Archie never knew me except thefew days that I was about headquarters in Medina before westarted. He fully believes that I've been discharged--and withthree months' pay in my hip-pocket. The play now is that he's tofirst help me spend my wages, and then I'm to have a job underhim with beeves which he expects to drive to the Yellowstone. Hehas intimated that he might be able to give me a herd. So, Tom,if I come out there and take possession of your cattle, don't besurprised. There's only one thing to beat our game--I can't gethim so full but what he's over-anxious to see his employers. Butif you fellows furnish the money, I'll try and pickle him untilhe forgets them."The next morning Siringo and the buyers started south on thetrail, and I rode for my camp on the Saw Log. Before riding manymiles I sighted my outfit coming in a long lope for town. Theyreported everything serene at camp, and as many of the boys weremoneyless, I turned back with them. An enjoyable day was beforeus; some drank to their hearts' content, while all gambled withmore or less success. I was anxious that the outfit should have agood carouse, and showed the lights and shadows of the town witha pride worthy of one of its founders. Acting the host, I paidfor our dinners; and as we sauntered into the street, puffingvile cigars, we nearly ran amuck of Dorg Seay and ArchieTolleston, trundling a child's wagon between them up the street.We watched them, keeping a judicious distance, as they visitedsaloon after saloon, the toy wagon always in possession of one orthe other.While we were amusing ourselves at the antics of these two, myattention was attracted by a four-mule wagon pulling across thebridge from the south. On reaching the railroad tracks, Irecognized the team, and also the driver, as Quince Forrest's.Here was news, and accordingly I accosted him. Fortunately he waslooking for me or my brother, as his foreman could not come inwith the wagon, and some one was wanted to vouch for him ingetting the needed supplies. They had reached the Mulberry theevening before, but several herds had mixed in a run during thenight, though their cattle had escaped. Forrest was determinednot to risk a second night on that stream, and had started hisherd with the dawn, expecting to camp with his cattle that nightwest on Duck Creek. The herd was then somewhere between thelatter and the main Arkansaw, and the cook was anxious to securethe supplies and reach the outfit before darkness overtook him.Sponsilier was reported as two days behind Forrest when thelatter crossed the Cimarron, since when there had been no wordfrom his cattle. They had met the buyers near the middle of theforenoon, and when Forrest admitted having the widow Timberlake'sbeef herd, they turned back and were spending the day with thecattle.The situation demanded instant action. Taking Forrest's cookaround to our outfitting store, I introduced and vouched for him.Hurrying back, I sent Wayne Outcault, as he was a stranger toTolleston, to mix with the two rascals and send Seay to me atonce. Some little time was consumed in engaging Archie in a gameof pool, but when Dorg presented himself I lost no time inexplaining the situation. He declared that it was no longerpossible to interest Tolleston at Dutch Jake's crib during theday, and that other means of amusement must be resorted to, asArchie was getting clamorous to find his employers. To mysuggestion to get a livery rig and take him for a ride, Dorgagreed. "Take him down the river to Spearville," I urged, "andtry and break into the calaboose if you can. Paint the town redwhile you're about it, and if you both land in the lock-up, allthe better. If the rascal insists on coming back to Dodge, startafter night, get lost, and land somewhere farther down the river.Keep him away from this town for a week, and I'll gamble that youboss a herd for old man Don next year."The afternoon was waning. The buyers might return at any moment,as Forrest's herd had no doubt crossed the river but a few milesabove town.I was impatiently watching the boys, as Dorg and Wayne cautiouslyherded Tolleston around to a livery stable, when my brother Bobrode up. He informed me that he had moved his camp that dayacross to the Saw Log; that he had done so to accommodate JimFlood and The Rebel with a camp; their herds were due on theMulberry that evening. The former had stayed all night at Bob'swagon, and reported his cattle, considering the dry season, ingood condition. As my brother expected to remain in townovernight, I proposed starting for my camp as soon as Seay andhis ward drove out of sight. They parleyed enough before going tounnerve a saint, but finally, with the little toy wagon onTolleston's knee and the other driving, they started. Hurrahingmy lads to saddle up, we rode past the stable where Seay hadsecured the conveyance; and while I was posting the stable-keepernot to be uneasy if the rig was gone a week, Siringo and thebuyers drove past the barn with a flourish. Taking a back street,we avoided meeting them, and just as darkness was falling, rodeinto our camp some twelve miles distant.My brother Bob's camp was just above us on the creek, and a fewmiles nearer town. As his wagon expected to go in after suppliesthe next morning, a cavalcade of fifteen men from the two outfitspreceded it. My horse-wrangler had made arrangements with thecook to look after his charges, and in anticipation of the daybefore him, had our mounts corralled before sun-up. Bob'swrangler was also with us, and he and Levering quarreled all theway in about the respective merits of each one's remuda. A matchwas arranged between the two horses which they were riding, andon reaching a straight piece of road, my man won it and alsoconsiderable money. But no matter how much we differed amongourselves, when the interests of our employer were at stake, wewere a unit. On reaching town, our numbers were augmented byfully twenty more from the other Lovell outfits, including thethree foremen. My old bunkie, The Rebel, nearly dragged me frommy horse, while Forrest and I forgot past differences over asocial glass. And then there was Flood, my first foreman, underwhom I served my apprenticeship on the trail, the same quiet,languid old Jim. The various foremen and their outfits were awareof the impending trouble over the Buford delivery, and quietlyexpressed their contempt for such underhand dealings. QuinceForrest had spent the evening before in town, and about midnighthis herd of "Drooping T's" were sold at about the same figures asmine, except five thousand more earnest-money, and the privilegeof the buyers placing their own foreman in charge thereafter.Forrest further reported that the fiscal agent and the strangershad started to meet Sponsilier early that morning, and that theprobability of all the herds moving out in a few days was good.Seay and his charge were still absent, and the programme, asoutlined, was working out nicely. With the exception of Forrestand myself, the other foremen were busy looking after theiroutfits, while Bob Quirk had his wagon to load and start on itsreturn. Quince confided to me that though he had stayed on DuckCreek the night before, his herd would noon that day on Saw Log,and camp that evening on the next creek north. When pressed forhis reasons, he shrugged his shoulders, and with a quiet wink,said: "If this new outfit put a man over me, just the minute weget out of the jurisdiction of this county, off his horse he goesand walks back. If it's Tolleston, the moment he sees me andrecognizes my outfit as belonging to Lovell, he'll raise the longyell and let the cat out. When that happens, I want to be in anunorganized country where a six-shooter is the highestauthority." The idea was a new one to me, and I saw the advantageof it, but could not move without Siringo's permission, whichForrest had. Accordingly about noon, Quince summoned his mentogether, and they rode out of town. Looking up a map of FordCounty, I was delighted to find that my camp on Saw Log was but afew miles below the north line.Among the boys the day passed in riotousness. The carousing was anecessary stimulant after the long, monotonous drive and exposureto the elements. Near the middle of the forenoon, Flood and TheRebel rounded up their outfits and started south for theMulberry, while Bob Quirk gathered his own and my ladspreparatory to leaving for the Saw Log. I had agreed to remain onguard for that night, for with the erratic turn on Tolleston'spart, we were doubly cautious. But when my outfit was ready tostart, Runt Pickett, the feisty little rascal, had about twentydollars in his possession which he insisted on gambling awaybefore leaving town. Runt was comfortably drunk, and as Bob urgedhumoring him, I gave my consent, provided he would place it allat one bet, to which Pickett agreed. Leaving the greater part ofthe boys holding the horses, some half-dozen of us entered thenearest gambling-house, and Runt bet nineteen dollars "Alce" onthe first card which fell in a monte lay-out. To my chagrin, hewon. My brother was delighted over the little rascal's luck, andurged him to double his bet, but Pickett refused and invited usall to have a drink. Leaving this place, we entered the nextgaming-hall, when our man again bet nineteen dollars alce on thefirst card. Again he won, and we went the length of the street,Runt wagering nineteen dollars alce on the first card for tenconsecutive times without losing a bet. In his groggy condition,the prospect of losing Pickett's money was hopeless, and mybrother and I promised him that he might come back the nextmorning and try to get rid of his winnings.Two whole days passed with no report from either Seay or thebuyers. Meanwhile Flood and The Rebel threaded their way throughthe other herds, crossing the Arkansaw above town, their wagonstouching at Dodge for new supplies, never halting excepttemporarily until they reached the creek on which Forrest wasencamped. The absence of Siringo and the buyers, to my thinking,was favorable, for no doubt when they came in, a deal would havebeen effected on the last of the Buford herds. They returned sometime during the night of the third day out, and I failed to seethe detective before sunrise the next morning. When I did meethim, everything seemed so serene that I felt jubilant over theoutlook. Sponsilier's beeves had firmly caught the fancy of thebuyers, and the delay in closing the trade was only temporary. "Ican close the deal any minute I want to," said Siringo to me,"but we mustn't appear too anxious. Old man Don's idea was to getabout one hundred thousand dollars earnest-money in hand, but ifI can get five or ten more, it might help tide us all over a hardwinter. My last proposition to the buyers was that if they wouldadvance forty-five thousand dollars on the 'Apple' beeves--Sponsilier's cattle--they might appoint, at the seller's expense,their own foreman from Dodge to the point of delivery. They haveagreed to give me an answer this morning, and after sleeping overit, I look for no trouble in closing the trade."The buyers were also astir early. I met Mr. Field in thepost-office, where he was waiting for it to open. To his generalinquiries I reported everything quiet, but suggested we move campsoon or the cattle would become restless. He listened veryattentively, and promised that within a few days permission wouldbe given to move out for our final destination. The morning werethe quiet hours of the town, and when the buyers had received andgone over their large and accumulated mail, the partners cameover to the Dodge House, looking for the fiscal agent, as Isupposed, to close the trade on Sponsilier's cattle. Siringo wasthe acme of indifference, but listened to a different tale. Atrusted man, in whom they had placed a great deal of confidence,had failed to materialize. He was then overdue some four or fivedays, and foul play was suspected. The wily detective poured oilon the troubled waters, assuring them if their man failed toappear within a day or two, he would gladly render everyassistance in looking him up. Another matter of considerablemoment would be the arrival that morning of a silent partner, thefinancial man of the firm from Washington, D.C. He was due toarrive on the "Cannon Ball" at eight o'clock, and we allsauntered down to meet the train from the East. On its arrival,Siringo and I stood back among the crowd, but the buyers pushedforward, looking for their friend. The first man to alight fromthe day coach, coatless and with both eyes blackened, was ArchieTolleston; he almost fell into the arms of our cattle buyers. Irecognized Archie at a glance, and dragging the detective insidethe waiting-room, posted him as to the arrival with the wild lookand blood-shot optics. Siringo cautioned me to go to his room andstay there, promising to report as the day advanced.Sponsilier had camped the night before on the main river, and asI crossed to the hotel, his commissary pulled up in front ofWright, Beverly & Co.'s outfitting store. Taking the chances ofbeing seen, I interviewed Dave's cook, and learned that hisforeman had given him an order for the supplies, and thatSponsilier would not come in until after the herd had passed theSaw Log. As I turned away, my attention was attracted by thedeference being shown the financial man of the cattle firm, asthe party wended their way around to the Wright House. The silentmember of the firm was a portly fellow, and there was no one inthe group but did him honor, even the detective carrying a lightgrip, while Tolleston lumbered along with a heavy one.My effacement was only temporary, as Siringo appeared at his roomshortly afterward. "Well, Quirk," said he, with a smile, "Ireckon my work is all done. Field and Radcliff didn't feel liketalking business this morning, at least until they had shown thefinancial member their purchases, both real and prospective. Yes,they took the fat Colonel and Tolleston with them and started foryour camp with a two-seated rig. From yours they expect to driveto Forrest's camp, and then meet Sponsilier on the way comingback. No; I declined a very pressing invitation to go along--yousee my mixed herds might come in any minute. And say, that manTolleston was there in a hundred places with the bigconversation; he claims to have been kidnapped, and was locked upfor the last four days. He says he whipped your man Seay, butcouldn't convince the authorities of his innocence until lastnight, when they set him free. According to his report, Seay's injail yet at a little town down the road called Kinsley. Now, I'mgoing to take a conveyance to Spearville, and catch the firsttrain out of there East. Settle my bill with this hotel, and saythat I may be out of town for a few days, meeting a herd whichI'm expecting. When Tolleston recognizes all three of thoseoutfits as belonging to Don Lovell--well, won't there be hell topay? Yes, my work is all done."I fully agreed with the detective that Archie would recognize theremudas and outfits as Lovell's, even though the cattle wereroad-branded out of the usual "Circle Dot." Siringo furtherinformed me that north of Ford County was all an unorganizedcountry until the Platte River was reached at Ogalalla, andadvised me to ignore any legal process served outside thosebounds. He was impatient to get away, and when he had put me inpossession of everything to our advantage, we wrung each other'shands in farewell. As the drive outlined by the cattle buyerswould absorb the day, I felt no necessity of being in a hurry.The absence of Dorg Seay was annoying, and the fellow had done ussuch valiant service, I felt in honor bound to secure hisrelease. Accordingly I wired the city marshal at Kinsley, andreceived a reply that Seay had been released early that morning,and had started overland for Dodge. This was fortunate, and aftersettling all bills, I offered to pay the liveryman in advance forthe rig in Seay's possession, assuring him by the telegram thatit would return that evening. He refused to make any settlementuntil the condition of both the animal and the conveyance hadbeen passed upon, and fearful lest Dorg should come backmoneyless, I had nothing to do but await his return. I wasgrowing impatient to reach camp, there being no opportunity tosend word to my outfit, and the passing hours seemed days, whenlate in the afternoon Dorg Seay drove down the main street ofDodge as big as a government beef buyer. The liveryman waspleased and accepted the regular rate, and Dorg and I were soongalloping out of town. As we neared the first divide, we droppedour horses into a walk to afford them a breathing spell, and inreply to my fund of information, Seay said:"So Tolleston's telling that he licked me. Well, that's a goodone on this one of old man Seay's boys. Archie must have beencrazy with the heat. The fact is that he had been trying to quitme for several days. We had exhausted every line of dissipation,and when I decided that it was no longer possible to hold him, Iinsulted and provoked him into a quarrel, and we were botharrested. Licked me, did he? He couldn't lick his upper lip."