Chapter XII. Marshaling the Forces

by Andy Adams

　　Both herds had watered in the Smoky during the afternoon. Thestranger's cattle were not compelled to go down to the crossing,but found an easy passage several miles above the regular ford.After leaving the river, both herds were grazed out during theevening, and when darkness fell we were not over three milesapart, one on either side of the trail. The Wyoming cowman spenta restless night, and early the next morning rode to the nearestelevation which would give him a view of his cattle. Within anhour after sun-up he returned, elated over the fact that his herdwas far in the lead of ours, camp being already broken, while wewere only breakfasting. Matters were working out just as Iexpected. The mixed herd under the Mexican corporal, by movingearly and late, could keep the lead of our beeves, and with theabundance of time at my disposal we were in no hurry. The KansasPacific Railroad was but a few days' drive ahead, and I advisedour guest to take the train around to Ogalalla and have a newoutfit all ready to relieve the aliens immediately on theirarrival. Promising to take the matter under consideration, hesaid nothing further for several days, his cattle in the meantime keeping a lead of from five to ten miles.The trail crossed the railroad at a switch east of Grinnell. Iwas naturally expecting some word from Don Lovell, and it was myintention to send one of the boys into that station to inquirefor mail. There was a hostelry at Grinnell, several stores and alivery stable, all dying an easy death from the blight of thearid plain, the town profiting little or nothing from the cattletrade. But when within a half-day's drive of the railway, onovertaking the herd after dinner, there was old man Don talkingto the boys on herd. The cattle were lying down, and rather thandisturb them, he patiently bided his time until they had restedand arose to resume their journey. The old man was feeling infine spirits, something unusual, and declined my urgentinvitation to go back to the wagon and have dinner. I noticedthat he was using his own saddle, though riding a livery horse,and in the mutual inquiries which were exchanged, learned that hehad arrived at Grinnell but a few days before. He had left CampSupply immediately after Forrest and Sponsilier passed thatpoint, and until Siringo came in with his report, he had spentthe time about detective headquarters in Kansas City. Fromintimate friends in Dodge, he had obtained the full particularsof the attempted but unsuccessful move of The Western SupplyCompany to take possession of his two herds. In fact there wasvery little that I could enlighten him on, except the conditionof the cattle, and they spoke for themselves, their glossy coatsshining with the richness of silk. On the other hand, my employeropened like a book."Tom, I think we're past the worst of it," said he. "Those Dodgepeople are just a trifle too officious to suit me, but Ogalallais a cow-town after my own heart. They're a law unto themselvesup there, and a cowman stands some show--a good one againstthieves. Ogalalla is the seat of an organized county, and thetown has officers, it's true, but they've got sense enough toknow which side their bread's buttered on; and a cowman who's onthe square has nothing to fear in that town. Yes, the whole gang,Tolleston and all, are right up here at Ogalalla now; bought aherd this week, so I hear, and expect to take two of these awayfrom us the moment we enter Keith County. Well, they may; I'veseen bad men before take a town, but it was only a question oftime until the plain citizens retook it. They may try to bluffus, but if they do, we'll meet them a little over halfway. Whichone of your boys was it that licked Archie? I want to thank himuntil such a time as I can reward him better."The herd was moving out, and as Seay was working in the swing onthe opposite side, we allowed the cattle to trail past, and thenrode round and overtook him. The two had never met before, butold man Don warmed towards Dorg, who recited his experience insuch an inimitable manner that our employer rocked in his saddlein spasms of laughter. Leaving the two together, I rode on aheadto look out the water, and when the herd came up near the middleof the afternoon, they were still inseparable. The watering over,we camped for the night several miles south of the railroad, themixed herd having crossed it about noon. My guest of the past fewdays had come to a point requiring a decision and was in aquandary to know what to do. But when the situation had beenthoroughly reviewed between Mr. Lovell and the Wyoming man, myadvice was indorsed,--to trust implicitly to his corporal, and beready to relieve the outfit at the Platte. Saddles wereaccordingly shifted, and the stranger, after professing aprofusion of thanks, rode away on the livery horse by which myemployer had arrived. Once the man was well out of hearing, theold trail drover turned to my outfit and said:"Boys, there goes a warning that the days of the trail arenumbered. To make a success of any business, a little commonsense is necessary. Nine tenths of the investing in cattle to-dayin the Northwest is being done by inexperienced men. No otherline of business could prosper in such incompetent hands, andit's foolish to think that cattle companies and individuals,nearly all tenderfeet at the business, can succeed. They may fora time,--there are accidents in every calling,--but when the tideturns, there won't be one man or company in ten survive. I onlywish they would, as it means life and expansion for the cattleinterests in Texas. As long as the boom continues, and foreignersand tenderfeet pour their money in, the business will lookprosperous. Why, even the business men are selling out theirstores and going into cattle. But there's a day of reckoningahead, and there's many a cowman in this Northwest country whowill never see his money again. Now the government demand is ahealthy one: it needs the cattle for Indian and militarypurposes; but this crazy investment, especially in she stuff, Iwouldn't risk a dollar in it."During the conversation that evening, I was delighted to learnthat my employer expected to accompany the herds overland toOgalalla. There was nothing pressing elsewhere, and as all theother outfits were within a short day's ride in the rear, hecould choose his abode. He was too good a cowman to interferewith the management of cattle, and the pleasure of his company,when in good humor, was to be desired. The next morning a horsewas furnished him from our extras, and after seeing us safelyacross the railroad track, he turned back to meet Forrest orSponsilier. This was the last we saw of him until after crossinginto Nebraska. In the mean time my boys kept an eye on theMexican outfit in our front, scarcely a day passing but what wesighted them either in person or by signal. Once they droppedback opposite us on the western side of the trail, whenCedardall, under the pretense of hunting lost horses, visitedtheir camp, finding them contented and enjoying a lay-over. Theywere impatient to know the distance to the Rio Platte, and G--Gassured them that within a week they would see its muddy watersand be relieved. Thus encouraged they held the lead, but severaltimes vaqueros dropped back to make inquiries of drives and thewater. The route was passable, with a short dry drive from thehead of Stinking Water across to the Platte River, of which theywere fully advised. Keeping them in sight, we trailed alongleisurely, and as we went down the northern slope of the divideapproaching the Republican River, we were overtaken at noon byDon Lovell and Dave Sponsilier."Quirk," said the old man, as the two dismounted, "I was justtelling Dave that twenty years ago this summer I carried a musketwith Sherman in his march to the sea. And here we are to-day,driving beef to feed the army in the West. But that's neitherhere nor there under the present programme. Jim Flood and I havetalked matters over pretty thoroughly, and have decided to switchthe foremen on the 'Open A' and 'Drooping T' cattle until afterOgalalla is passed. From their actions at Dodge, it is probablethat they will try and arrest the foreman of those two herds asaccessory under some charge or other. By shifting the foremen,even if the ones in charge are detained, we will gain time and beable to push the Buford cattle across the North Platte. Thechances are that they will prefer some charges against me, and ifthey do, if necessary, we will all go to the lock-up together.They may have spotters ahead here on the Republican; Dave willtake charge of your 'Open A's' at once, and you will drop backand follow up with his cattle. For the time being and to everystranger, you two will exchange names. The Rebel is in charge ofForrest's cattle now, and Quince will drop back with Paul's herd.Dave, here, gave me the slip on crossing the Texas Pacific in thelower country, but when we reach the Union Pacific, I want toknow where he is, even if in jail. And I may be right there withhim, but we'll live high, for I've got a lot of their money."Sponsilier reported his herd on the same side of the trail andabout ten miles to our rear. I had no objection to the change,for those arid plains were still to be preferred to the lock-upin Ogalalla. My only regret was in temporarily losing my mount;but as Dave's horses were nearly as good, no objection was urged,and promising, in case either landed in jail, to send flowers, Iturned back, leaving my employer with the lead herd. Beforestarting, I learned that the "Drooping T" cattle were in advanceof Sponsilier's, and as I soldiered along on my way back, rodeseveral miles out of my way to console my old bunkie, The Rebel.He took my chaffing good-naturedly and assured me that his grayhairs were a badge of innocence which would excuse him on anycharge. Turning, I rode hack with him over a mile, this being myfirst opportunity of seeing Forrest's beeves. The steers werelarge and rangy, extremely uniform in ages and weight, and ingeneral relieved me of considerable conceit that I had the bestherd among the Buford cattle. With my vanity eased, I continuedmy journey and reached Sponsilier's beeves while they werewatering. Again a surprise was in store for me, as the latterherd had, if any, the edge over the other two, while "The Apple"was by all odds the prettiest road brand I had ever seen. I askedthe acting segundo, a lad named Tupps, who cut the cattle whenreceiving; light was thrown on the situation by his reply."Old man Don joined the outfit the day we reached Uvalde," saidhe, "and until we began receiving, he poured it into our foremanthat this year the cattle had to be something extra--muyescogido, as the Mexicans say. Well, the result was thatSponsilier went to work with ideas pitched rather high. But inthe first bunch received, the old man cut a pretty littlefour-year-old, fully a hundred pounds too light. Dave and Mr.Lovell had a set-to over the beef, the old man refusing to cuthim back, but he rode out of the herd and never again offered tointerfere. Forrest was present, and at dinner that day old manDon admitted that he was too easy when receiving. Sponsilier andForrest did the trimming afterward, and that is the secret ofthese two herds being so uniform."A general halt was called at the head of Stinking Water. We werethen within forty miles of Ogalalla, and a day's drive would putus within the jurisdiction of Keith County. Some time was lost atthis last water, waiting for the rear herds to arrive, as it wasthe intention to place the "Open A" and "Drooping T" cattle atthe rear in crossing this dry belt. At the ford on theRepublican, a number of strangers were noticed, two of whom rodea mile or more with me, and innocently asked numerous but leadingquestions. I frankly answered every inquiry, and truthfully, withthe exception of the names of the lead foreman and my own.Direct, it was only sixty miles from the crossing on theRepublican to Ogalalla, an easy night's ride, and I was consciousthat our whereabouts would be known at the latter place the nextmorning. For several days before starting across this aridstretch, we had watered at ten o'clock in the morning, so whenFlood and Forrest came up, mine being the third herd to reach thelast water, I was all ready to pull out. But old man Doncounseled another day's lie-over, as it would be a sore trial forthe herds under a July sun, and for a full day twenty thousandbeeves grazed in sight of each other on the mesas surrounding thehead of Stinking Water. All the herds were aroused with the dawn,and after a few hours' sun on the cattle, the Indian beeves wereturned onto the water and held until the middle of the forenoon,when the start was made for the Platte and Ogalalla.I led out with "The Apple" cattle, throwing onto the trail forthe first ten miles, which put me well in advance of Bob Quirkand Forrest, who were in my immediate rear. A well-known dividemarked the halfway between the two waters, and I was determinedto camp on it that night. It was fully nine o'clock when wereached it, Don Lovell in the mean time having overtaken us. Thiswatershed was also recognized as the line of Keith County, anorganized community, and the next morning expectation ran high asto what the day would bring forth. Lovell insisted on stayingwith the lead herd, and pressing him in as horse-wrangler, I senthim in the lead with the remuda and wagon, while Levering fellinto the swing with the trailing cattle. A breakfast halt wasmade fully seven miles from the bed-ground, a change of mounts,and then up divide, across mesa, and down slope at the foot ofwhich ran the Platte. Meanwhile several wayfaring men were met,but in order to avoid our dust, they took the right or unbrandedside of our herd on meeting, and passed on their way withoutinquiry. Near noon a party of six men, driving a number of loosemounts and a pack-horse, were met, who also took the windwardside. Our dragmen learned that they were on their way to Dodge toreceive a herd of range horses. But when about halfway down theslope towards the river, two mounted men were seen to halt theremuda and wagon for a minute, and then continue on southward.Billy Tupps was on the left point, myself next in the swing; andas the two horsemen turned out on the branded side, theiridentity was suspected. In reply to some inquiry, Tupps jerkedhis thumb over his shoulder as much as to say, "Next man." Iturned out and met the strangers, who had already noted the roadbrand, and politely answered every question. One of the twooffered me a cigar, and after lighting it, I did remember hearingone of my boys say that among the herds lying over on the head ofStinking Water was an "Open A" and "Drooping T," but I was unableto recall the owner's or foremen's names. Complimenting me on thecondition of my beeves, and assuring me that I would have time towater my herd and reach the mesa beyond Ogalalla, they passed ondown the column of cattle.I had given the cook an order on an outfitting house for newsupplies, saying I would call or send a draft in the morning. Anew bridge had been built across the Platte opposite the town,and when nearing the river, the commissary turned off the trailfor it, but the horse-wrangler for the day gave the bridge a wideberth and crossed the stream a mile below the village. The widthof the river was a decided advantage in watering a thirsty herd,as it gave the cattle room to thrash around, filling its broadbed for fully a half mile. Fortunately there were few spectators,but I kept my eye on the lookout for a certain faction, beingwell disguised with dust and dirt and a month's growth of beard.As we pushed out of the river and were crossing the tracks belowthe railroad yards, two other herds were sighted coming down tothe water, their remudas having forded above and below ourcattle. On scaling the bluffs, we could see the trail south ofthe Platte on which arose a great column of dust. Lovell waswaiting with the saddle stock in the hills beyond the town, andon striking the first good grass, the cattle fell to grazingwhile we halted to await the arrival of the wagon. The sun wasstill several hours high, and while waiting for our commissary tocome up, my employer and myself rode to the nearest point ofobservation to reconnoitre the rear. Beneath us lay the hamlet;but our eyes were concentrated beyond the narrow Platte valley ona dust-cloud which hung midway down the farther slope. As wewatched, an occasional breeze wafted the dust aside, and thesinuous outline of a herd creeping forward greeted our vision.Below the town were two other herds, distinctly separate andfilling the river for over a mile with a surging mass of animals,while in every direction cattle dotted the plain and valley.Turning aside from the panorama before us, my employer said:"Tom, you will have time to graze out a few miles and camp to theleft of the trail. I'll stay here and hurry your wagon forward,and wait for Bob and Quince. That lead herd beyond the river isbound to be Jim's, and he's due to camp on this mesa to-night, sothese outfits must give him room. If Dave and Paul are still freeto act, they'll know enough to water and camp on the south sideof the Platte. I'll stay at Flood's wagon to-night, and you hadbetter send a couple of your boys into town and let them nosearound. They'll meet lads from the 'Open A' and 'Drooping T'outfits; and I'll send Jim and Bob in, and by midnight we'll havea report of what's been done. If any one but an officer takespossession of those two herds, it'll put us to the trouble ofretaking them. And I think I've got men enough here to do it."