the outlet-第47章

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or　headquarters；　and　particularly　if　Bob　Quirk　came　through　with　one　of　the　purchased　herds；　he　was　to　be　given　the　marble　heart。　One　outfit　loose…herded　the　new　cattle；　the　other　two　going　home；　and　about　the　middle　of　the　month；　my　brother　and　The　Rebel　came　trailing　in　with　the　last　two　herds。　I　was　delighted　to　meet　my　old　bunkie；　and　had　him　remain　over　until　the　last　outfit　went　home；　when　we　reluctantly　parted　company。　Not　so；　however；　with　Bob　Quirk；　who　haughtily　informed　me　that　he　came　near　slapping　my　cook　for　his　effrontery。　〃So　you　are　another　one　of　these　lousy　through　outfits　that　think　we　ought　to　make　a　fuss　over　you；　are　you？〃　I　retorted。　〃Just　you　wait　until　we　do。　Every　one　of　you　except　old　Paul　had　the　idea　that　we　ought　to　give　you　a　reception　and　ask　you　to　sleep　in　our　beds。　I'm　glad　that　Parent　had　the　gumption　to　give　you　a　mean　look；　he'll　ride　for　me　next　year。〃

The　month　of　October　finished　the　shipping。　There　was　a　magic　in　that　Northern　climate　that　wrought　wonders　in　an　animal　from　the　South。　Little　wonder　that　the　buffalo　could　face　the　blizzard；　in　a　country　of　his　own　choosing；　and　in　a　climate　where　the　frost　king　held　high　revel　five　months　out　of　the　twelve。　There　was　a　tonic　like　the　iron　of　wine　in　the　atmosphere；　absorbed　alike　by　man　and　beast；　and　its　possessor　laughed　at　the　fury　of　the　storm。　Our　loss　of　cattle　during　the　first　winter；　traceable　to　season；　was　insignificant；　while　we　sold　out　over　two　hundred　head　more　than　the　accounts　called　for；　due　to　the　presence　of　strays；　which　went　to　Buford。　And　when　the　last　beef　was　shipped；　the　final　delivery　concluded　to　the　army；　Don　Lovell　was　a　quarter…million　dollars　to　the　good；　over　and　above　the　contract　price　at　which　he　failed　to　deliver　the　same　cattle　to　the　government　the　fall　before。

As　foreman　of　Lovell's　beef　ranch　on　the　Little　Missouri　I　spent　five　banner　years　of　my　life。　In　'89　the　stock；　good…will；　and　range　were　sold　to　a　cattle　syndicate；　who　installed　a　superintendent　and　posted　rules　for　the　observance　of　its　employees。　I　do　not　care　to　say　why；　but　in　a　stranger's　hands　it　never　seemed　quite　the　same　home　to　a　few　of　us　who　were　present　when　it　was　transformed　into　a　cattle　range。　Late　that　fall；　some　half…dozen　of　us　who　were　from　Texas　asked　to　be　relieved　and　returned　to　the　South。　A　traveler　passing　through　that　country　to…day　will　hear　the　section　about　the　mouth　of　the　Beaver　called　only　by　the　syndicate　name；　but　old…timers　will　always　lovingly　refer　to　it　as　the　Don　Lovell　Ranch。





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