Chapter XXIV. Back to Texas

by Andy Adams

　　The nearest railroad point from the Blackfoot Agency was Silver Bow,about a hundred and seventy-five miles due south, and at that time theterminal of the Utah Northern Railroad. Everything connected with thedelivery having been completed the previous day, our camp was astirwith the dawn in preparation for departure on our last ride together.As we expected to make not less than forty miles a day on the way tothe railroad, our wagon was lightened to the least possible weight.The chuck-box, water kegs, and such superfluities were dropped, andthe supplies reduced to one week's allowance, while beds wereoverhauled and extra wearing apparel of the outfit was discarded. Whocared if we did sleep cold and hadn't a change to our backs? We weregoing home and would have money in our pockets."The first thing I do when we strike that town of Silver Bow," saidBull Durham, as he was putting on his last shirt, "is to discard tothe skin and get me new togs to a finish. I'll commence on my littlepattering feet, which will require fifteen-dollar moccasins, and thenabout a six-dollar checked cottonade suit, and top off with aseven-dollar brown Stetson. Then with a few drinks under my belt and arim-fire cigar in my mouth, I'd admire to meet the governor of Montanaif convenient."Before the sun was an hour high, we bade farewell to the BlackfootAgency and were doubling back over the trail, with Lovell in ourcompany. Our first night's camp was on the Muddy and the second on theSun River. We were sweeping across the tablelands adjoining the maindivide of the Rocky Mountains like the chinook winds which sweep thatmajestic range on its western slope. We were a free outfit; even thecook and wrangler were relieved; their little duties were dividedamong the crowd and almost disappeared. There was a keen rivalry overdriving the wagon, and McCann was transferred to the hurricane deck ofa cow horse, which he sat with ease and grace, having served anapprenticeship in the saddle in other days. There were always half adozen wranglers available in the morning, and we traveled as if underforced marching orders. The third night we camped in the narrowsbetween the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains, and on the eveningof the fourth day camped several miles to the eastward of Helena, thecapital of the territory.Don Lovell had taken the stage for the capital the night before; andon making camp that evening, Flood took a fresh horse and rode intotown. The next morning he and Lovell returned with the superintendentof the cattle company which had contracted for our horses and outfiton the Republican. We corralled the horses for him, and after ropingout about a dozen which, as having sore backs or being lame, heproposed to treat as damaged and take at half price, the remuda wascounted out, a hundred and forty saddle horses, four mules, and awagon constituting the transfer. Even with the loss of two horses andthe concessions on a dozen others, there was a nice profit on theentire outfit over its cost in the lower country, due to the foresightof Don Lovell in mounting us well. Two of our fellows who had borrowedfrom the superintendent money to redeem their six-shooters after thehorse race on the Republican, authorized Lovell to return him theloans and thanked him for the favor. Everything being satisfactorybetween buyer and seller, they returned to town together for asettlement, while we moved on south towards Silver Bow, where theoutfit was to be delivered.Another day's easy travel brought us to within a mile of the railroadterminus; but it also brought us to one of the hardest experiences ofour trip, for each of us knew, as we unsaddled our horses, that wewere doing it for the last time. Although we were in the best ofspirits over the successful conclusion of the drive; although we wereglad to be free from herd duty and looked forward eagerly to thejourney home, there was still a feeling of regret in our hearts whichwe could not dispel. In the days of my boyhood I have shed tears whena favorite horse was sold from our little ranch on the San Antonio,and have frequently witnessed Mexican children unable to hide theirgrief when need of bread had compelled the sale of some favorite horseto a passing drover. But at no time in my life, before or since, haveI felt so keenly the parting between man and horse as I did thatSeptember evening in Montana. For on the trail an affection springs upbetween a man and his mount which is almost human. Every privationwhich he endures his horse endures with him,--carrying him throughfalling weather, swimming rivers by day and riding in the lead ofstampedes by night, always faithful, always willing, and alwayspatiently enduring every hardship, from exhausting hours under saddleto the sufferings of a dry drive. And on this drive, covering nearlythree thousand miles, all the ties which can exist between man andbeast had not only become cemented, but our remuda as a whole hadwon the affection of both men and employer for carrying withoutserious mishap a valuable herd all the way from the Rio Grande to theBlackfoot Agency. Their hones may be bleaching in some coulee by now,but the men who knew them then can never forget them or the part theyplayed in that long drive.Three men from the ranch rode into our camp that evening, and the nextmorning we counted over our horses to them and they passed intostrangers' hands. That there might he no delay, Flood had ridden intotown the evening before and secured a wagon and gunny bags in which tosack our saddles; for while we willingly discarded all other effects,our saddles were of sufficient value to return and could be checkedhome as baggage. Our foreman reported that Lovell had arrived by stageand was awaiting us in town, having already arranged for ourtransportation as far as Omaha, and would accompany us to that city,where other transportation would have to be secured to ourdestination. In our impatience to get into town, we were trudging inby twos and threes before the wagon arrived for our saddles, and hadnot Flood remained behind to look after them, they might have beenabandoned.There was something about Silver Bow that reminded me of Frenchman'sFord on the Yellowstone. Being the terminal of the first railroad intoMontana, it became the distributing point for all the western portionof that territory, and immense ox trains were in sight for thetransportation of goods to remoter points in the north and west. Thepopulation too was very much the same as at Frenchman's, though thetown in general was an improvement over the former, there being somestability to its buildings. As we were to leave on an eleven o'clocktrain, we had little opportunity to see the town, and for the shorttime at our disposal, barber shops and clothing stores claimed ourfirst attention. Most of us had some remnants of money, while mybunkie was positively rich, and Lovell advanced us fifty dollarsapiece, pending a final settlement on reaching our destination.Within an hour after receiving the money, we blossomed out in newsuits from head to heel. Our guard hung together as if we were stillon night herd, and in the selection of clothing the opinion of thetrio was equal to a purchase. The Rebel was very easily pleased in hisselection, but John Officer and myself were rather fastidious. Officerwas so tall it was with some little difficulty that a suit could befound to fit him, and when he had stuffed his pants in his boots andthrown away the vest, for he never wore either vest or suspenders, heemerged looking like an Alpine tourist, with his new pink shirt andnappy brown beaver slouch hat jauntily cocked over one ear. As wesauntered out into the street, Priest was dressed as became his yearsand mature good sense, while my costume rivaled Officer's ingaudiness, and it is safe to assert two thirds of our outlay had gonefor boots and hats.Flood overtook us in the street, and warned us to be on hand at thedepot at least half an hour in advance of train time, informing usthat he had checked our saddles and didn't want any of us to get leftat the final moment. We all took a drink together, and Officer assuredour foreman that he would be responsible for our appearance at theproper time, "sober and sorry for it." So we sauntered about thestraggling village, drinking occasionally, and on the suggestion ofThe Rebel, made a cow by putting in five apiece and had Officer playit on faro, he claiming to be an expert on the game. Taking the pursethus made up, John sat into a game, while Priest and myself, afterwatching the play some minutes, strolled out again and met others ofour outfit in the street, scarcely recognizable in their killing rigs.The Rebel was itching for a monte game, but this not being a cow townthere was none, and we strolled next into a saloon, where a piano wasbeing played by a venerable-looking individual,--who proved quiteamiable, taking a drink with us and favoring us with a number ofselections of our choosing. We were enjoying this musical treat whenour foreman came in and asked us to get the boys together. Priest andI at once started for Officer, whom we found quite a winner, butsucceeded in choking him off on our employer's order, and after thechecks had been cashed, took a parting drink, which made us the lastin reaching the depot. When we were all assembled, our employerinformed us that he only wished to keep us together until embarking,and invited us to accompany him across the street to Tom Robbins'ssaloon.On entering the saloon, Lovell inquired of the young fellow behind thebar, "Son, what will you take for the privilege of my entertainingthis outfit for fifteen minutes?""The ranch is yours, sir, and you can name your own figures,"smilingly and somewhat shrewdly replied the young fellow, and promptlyvacated his position."Now, two or three of you rascals get in behind there," said old manDon, as a quartet of the boys picked him up and set him on one end ofthe bar, "and let's see what this ranch has in the way ofrefreshment."McCann, Quarternight, and myself obeyed the order, but the fastidioustastes of the line in front soon compelled us to call to ourassistance both Bobbins and the young man who had just vacated the barin our favor."That's right, fellows," roared Lovell from his commanding position,as he jingled a handful of gold coins, "turn to and help wait on thesethirsty Texans; and remember that nothing's too rich for our bloodto-day. This outfit has made one of the longest cattle drives onrecord, and the best is none too good for them. So set out your best,for they can't cut much hole in the profits in the short time we haveto stay. The train leaves in twenty minutes, and see that every rascalis provided with an extra bottle for the journey. And drop down thisway when you get time, as I want a couple of boxes of your best cigarsto smoke on the way. Montana has treated us well, and we want to leavesome of our coin with you."