the outlet-第8章

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　two　full　days　in　advance；　located　a　safe　route　to　the　westward。　Had　we　turned　to　the　other　hand；　we　should　have　been　forced　into　the　main　trail　below　Fredericksburg；　and　we　preferred　the　sea…room　of　the　boundless　plain。　From　every　indication　and　report；　this　promised　to　be　the　banner　year　in　the　exodus　of　cattle　from　the　South　to　the　then　new　Northwest。　This　latter　section　was　affording　the　long…looked…for　outlet；　by　absorbing　the　offerings　of　cattle　which　came　up　from　Texas　over　the　trail；　and　marking　an　epoch　barely　covering　a　single　decade。

Turning　on　a　western　angle；　a　week's　drive　brought　us　out　on　a　high　tableland。　Veering　again　to　the　north；　we　snailed　along　through　a　delightful　country；　rich　in　flora　and　the　freshness　of　the　season。　From　every　possible　elevation；　we　scanned　the　west　in　the　hope　of　sighting　some　of　the　herd　which　had　followed　up　the　main　Frio；　but　in　vain。　Sweeping　northward　at　a　leisurely　gait；　the　third　week　out　we　sighted　the　Blue　Mountains；　the　first　familiar　landmark　on　our　course。　As　the　main　western　trail　skirted　its　base　on　the　eastward；　our　position　was　easily　established。

So　far　the　cattle　were　well　behaved；　not　a　run；　and　only　a　single　incident　occurring　worth　mention。　About　half　an　hour　before　dawn　one　morning；　the　cook　aroused　the　camp　with　the　report　that　the　herd　was　missing。　The　beeves　had　been　bedded　within　two　hundred　yards　of　the　wagon；　and　the　last　watch　usually　hailed　the　rekindling　of　the　cook's　fire　as　the　first　harbinger　of　day。　But　on　this　occasion　the　absence　of　the　usual　salutations　from　the　bed…ground　aroused　Parent's　suspicion。　He　rushed　into　camp；　and　laboring　under　the　impression　that　the　cattle　had　stampeded；　trampled　over　our　beds；　yelling　at　the；　top　of　his　lungs。　Aroused　in　the　darkness　from　heavy　sleep；　bewildered　by　a　bright　fire　burning　and　a　crazy　man　shouting；　〃The　beeves　have　stampeded！　the　herd's　gone！　Get　up；　everybody！〃　we　were　almost　thrown　into　a　panic。　Many　of　the　boys　ran　for　their　night…horses；　but　Clay　Zilligan　and　I　fell　on　the　cook　and　shook　the　statement　out　of　him　that　the　cattle　had　left　their　beds。　This　simplified　the　situation；　but　before　I　could　recall　the　men；　several　of　them　had　reached　the　bed…ground。　As　fast　as　horses　could　be　secured；　others　dashed　through　the　lighted　circle　and　faded　into　the　darkness。　From　the　flickering　of　matches　it　was　evident　that　the　boys　were　dismounting　and　looking　for　some　sign　of　trouble。　Zilligan　was　swearing　like　a　pirate；　looking　for　his　horse　in　the　murky　night；　but　instead　of　any　alarm；　oaths　and　derision　greeted　our　ears　as　the　men　returned　to　camp。　Halting　their　horses　within　the　circle　of　the　fire；　Dorg　Seay　said　to　the　cook：

〃Neal；　the　next　time　you　find　a　mare's　nest；　keep　the　secret　to　yourself。　I　don't　begrudge　losing　thirty　minutes'　beauty　sleep；　but　I　hate　to　be　scared　out　of　a　year's　growth。　Haven't　you　got　cow…sense　enough　to　know　that　if　those　beeves　had　run；　they'd　have　shook　the　earth？　If　they　had　stampeded；　that　alarm　clock　of　yours　wouldn't　be　a　circumstance　to　the　barking　of　the　boys'　guns。　Why；　the　cattle　haven't　been　gone　thirty　minutes。　You　can　see　where　they　got　up　and　then　quietly　walked　away。　The　ground　where　they　lay　is　still　steaming　and　warm。　They　were　watered　a　little　too　soon　yesterday　and　naturally　got　up　early　this　morning。　The　boys　on　guard　didn't　want　to　alarm　the　outfit；　and　just　allowed　the　beeves　to　graze　off　on　their　course。　When　day　breaks；　you'll　see　they　ain't　far　away；　and　in　the　right　direction。　Parent；　if　I　didn't　sabe　cows　better　than　you　do；　I'd　confine　my　attention　to　a　cotton　patch。〃

Seay　had　read　the　sign　aright。　When　day　dawned　the　cattle　were　in　plain　view　about　a　mile　distant。　On　the　return　of　the　last　guard　to　camp；　Vick　Wolf　explained　the　situation　in　a　few　words。　During　their　watch　the　herd　had　grown　restless；　many　of　the　cattle　arising；　and　knowing　that　dawn　was　near　at　hand；　the　boys　had　pushed　the　sleepy　ones　off　their　beds　and　started　them　feeding。　The　incident　had　little　effect　on　the　irrepressible　Parent；　who　seemed　born　to　blunder；　yet　gifted　with　a　sunny　disposition　which　atoned　for　his　numerous　mistakes。

With　the　Blue　Mountains　as　our　guiding　star；　we　kept　to　the　westward　of　that　landmark；　crossing　the　Llano　River　opposite　some　Indian　mounds。　On　reaching　the　divide　between　this　and　the　next　water；　we　sighted　two　dust…clouds　to　the　westward。　They　were　ten　to　fifteen　miles　distant；　but　I　was　anxious　to　hear　any　word　of　Sponsilier　or　Forrest；　and　sent　Jake　Blair　to　make　a　social　call。　He　did　not　return　until　the　next　day；　and　reported　the　first　herd　as　from　the　mouth　of　the　Pecos；　and　the　more　distant　one　as　belonging　to　Jesse　Presnall。　Blair　had　stayed　all　night　with　the　latter；　and　while　its　foreman　was　able　to　locate　at　least　a　dozen　trail　herds　in　close　proximity；　our　two　from　Uvalde　had　neither　been　seen　nor　heard　of。　Baffled　again；　necessity　compelled　us　to　turn　within　touch　of　some　outfitting　point。　The　staples　of　life　were　running　low　in　our　commissary；　no　opportunity　having　presented　itself　to　obtain　a　new　supply　since　we　left　the　ranch　in　Medina　over　a　month　before。　Consequently；　after　crossing　the　San　Saba；　we　made　our　first　tack　to　the　eastward。

Brady　City　was　an　outfitting　point　for　herds　on　the　old　western　trail。　On　coming　opposite　that　frontier　village；　Parent　and　I　took　the　wagon　and　went　in　after　supplies；　leaving　the　herd　on　its　course；　paralleling　the　former　route。　They　had　instructions　to　camp　on　Brady　Creek　that　night。　On　reaching　the　supply　point；　there　was　a　question　if　we　could　secure　the　simple　staples　needed。　The　drive　that　year　had　outstripped　all　calculations；　some　half…dozen　chuck…wagons　being　in　waiting　for　the　arrival　of　a　freight　outfit　which　was　due　that　morning。　The　nearest　railroad　was　nearly　a　hundred　miles　to　the　eastward；　and　all　supplies　must　be　freighted　in　by　mule　and　ox　teams。　While　waiting　for　the　freight　wagons；　which　were　in　sight　several　miles　distant；　I　made　inquiry　of　the　two　outfitting　stores　if　our　Buford　herds　had　passed。　If　they　had；　no　dealings　had　taken　place　on　the　credit　of　Don　Lovell；　though　both　merchants　knew　him　well。　Before　the　freight　outfit　arrived；　some　one　took　Abb　Blocker；　a　trail　foreman　for　his　brother　John；　to　task　for　having　an　odd　ox　in　his　wheel　team。　The　animal　was　a　raw；　unbroken　〃TL〃　bull；　surly　and　chafing　under　the　yoke；　and　attracted　general　attention。　When　several　friends　of　Blocker；　noticing　the　brand；　began　joking　him；　he　made　this　explanation：　〃No；　I　don't　claim　him；　but　he　came　into　my　herd　the　other　night　and　got　to　hossing　my　steers　around。　We　couldn't　keep　him　out；　and　I　thought　if　he　would　just　go　along；　why　we'd　put　him　under　the　yoke　and　let　him　hoss　that　chuck…wagon　to　amuse　himself。　One　of　my　wheelers　was　getting　a　little　tenderfooted；　anyhow。〃

On　the　arrival　of　the　freight　outfit；　short　shift　was　made　in　transferring　a　portion　of　the　cargo　to　the　waiting　chuck…wagons。　As　we　expected　to　reach　Abilene；　a　railroad　point；　within　a　week；　we　took　on　only　a　small　stock　of　staple　supplies。　Having　helped　ourselves；　the　only　delay　was　in　getting　a　clerk　to　look　over　our　appropriation；　make　out　an　itemized　bill；　and　receive　a　draft　on　my　employer。　When　finally　the　merchant　in　person　climbed　into　our　wagon　and　took　a　list　of　the　articles；　Parent　started　back　to　overtake　the　herd。　I　remained　behind　several　hours；　chatting　with　the　other　foremen。

None　of　the　other　trail　bosses　had　seen　anything　of　Lovell's　other　herds；　though　they　all　knew　him　personally　or　by　reputation；　and　inquired　if　he　was　driving　again　in　the　same　road　brand。　By　general　agreement；　in　case　of　trouble；　we　would　pick　up　each　other's　cattle；　and　from　half　a　cent　to　a　cent　a　head　was　considered　ample　remuneration　in　buying　water　in　Texas。　Owing　to　the　fact　that　many　drovers　had　shipped　to　Red　River；　it　was　generally　believed　that　there　would　be　no　congestion　of　cattle　south　of　that　point。　All　herds　were　then　keeping　well　to　the　westward；　some　even　declaring　their　intention　to　go　through　the　Panhandle　until　the　Canadian　was　reached。

Two　days　later　we　came　into　the　main　trail　at　the　crossing　of　the　Colorado　River。　Before　we　reached　it；　several　ominous　dust…clouds　hung　on　our　right　for　hours；　while　beyond　the　river　were　others；　indicating　the　presence　of　herds。　Summer　weather　had　already　set　in；　and　during　the　middle　of　the　day　the　glare　of　heat…waves　and　mirages　obstructed　our　view　of　other　wayfarers　like　ourselves；　but　morning　and　evening　we　were　never　out　of　sight　of　their　signals。　The　banks　of　the　river　at　the　ford　were　trampled　to　the　level　of　the　water；　while　at　both　approach　and　exit　the　ground　was　cut　into　dust。　On　our　arrival；　the　stage　of　water　was　favorable；　and　we　crossed　without　a　halt　of　herd；　horses；　or　commissary。　But　there　was　little　inducement　to　follow　the　old　trail。　Washed　into　ruts　by　the　seasons；　the　grass　on　either　side　eaten　away　for　miles；　there　was　a　look　of　desolation　like　that　to　be　seen　in　the　wake　of　an　army。　As　we　felt　under　obligations　to　touch　at　Abilene　within　a　few　days；　there　was　a　constant　skirmish　for　grass　within　a　reasonable　distance　of　the　trail；　and　we　were　early；　fully　two　thirds　of　the　drive　being　in　our　rear。　One　sultry　morning　south　of　Buffalo　Gap；　as　we　were　grazing　past　the　foot　of　Table　Mountain；　several　of　us　rode　to　the　summit　of　that　butte。　From　a　single　point　of　observation　we　counted　twelve　herds　within　a　space　of　thirty　miles　both　south　and　north；　all　moving　in　the　latter　direction。

When　about　midway　between　the　Gap　and　the　railroad　we　were　met　at　noon　one　day　by　Don　Lovell。　This　was　his　first　glimpse　of　my　herd；　and　his　experienced　eye　took　in　everything　from　a　broken　harness　to　the　peeling　and　legibility　of　the　road　brand。　With　me　the　condition　of　the　cattle　was　the　first　requisite；　but　the　minor　details　as　well　as　the　more　important　claimed　my　employer's　attention。　When　at　last；　after　riding　with　the　herd　for　an　hour；　he　spoke　a　few　words　of　approbation　on　the　condition；　weight；　and　uniformity　of　the　beeves；　I　felt　a　load　lifted　from　my　shoulders。　That　the　old　man　was　in　a　bad　humor　on　meeting　us　was　evident；　but　as　he　rode　along　beside　the　cattle；　lazy　and　large　as　oxen；　the　cockles　of　his　heart　warmed　and　he　grew　sociable。　Near　the　middle　of　the　afternoon；　as　we　were　in　the　rear；　looking　over　the　drag　steers；　he　complimented　me　on　having　the　fewest　tender…footed　animals　of　any　herd　that　had　passed　Abilene　since　his　arrival。　Encouraged；　I　ventured　the　double　question　as　to　how　this　one　would　average　with　the　other　Buford　herds；　and　did　he　know　their　whereabouts。　As　I　recall　his　reply；　it　was　that　all　Nueces　Valley　cattle　were　uniform；　and　if　there　was　any　difference　it　was　due　to　carelessness　in　receiving。　In　regard　to　the　locality　of　the　other　herds；　it　was　easily　to　be　seen　that　he　was　provoked　about　something。

〃Yes；　I　know　where　they　are；〃　said　he；　snappishly；　〃but　that's　all　the　good　it　does　me。　They　crossed　the　railroad；　west；　at　Sweetwater；　about　a　week　ago。　I　don't　blame　Quince；　for　he's　just　trailing　along；　half　a　day　behind　Dave's　herd。　But　Sponsilier；　knowing　that　I　wanted　to　see　him；　had　the　nerve　to　write　me　a　postal　card　with　just　ten　words　on　it；　saying　that　all　was　well　and　to　meet　him　in　Dodge。　Tom；　you　don't　know　what　a　s