the outlet-第24部分

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　permission；　after　our　work　was　over；　to　patronize　the　sutler's　store　and　buy　knick…knacks　from　the　booths。　There　was　always　some　little　money　amongst　soldiers；　even　in　prison；　and　I　was　occasionally　furnished　money　by　my　messmates　to　buy　bread　from　a　baker's　wagon　which　was　outside　the　walls。　Well；　after　I　had　traded　a　few　times　with　the　baker's　boy；　I　succeeded　in　corrupting　him。　Yes；　had　him　stealing　from　his　employer　and　selling　to　me　at　a　discount。　I　was　a　good　customer；　and　being　a　prisoner；　there　was　no　danger　of　my　meeting　his　employer。　You　see　the　loaves　were　counted　out　to　him；　and　he　had　to　return　the　equivalent　or　the　bread。　At　first　the　bread　cost　me　ten　cents　for　a　small　loaf；　but　when　I　got　my　scheme　working；　it　didn't　cost　me　five　cents　for　the　largest　loaves　the　boy　could　steal　from　the　bakery。　I　worked　that　racket　for　several　months；　and　if　we　hadn't　been　exchanged；　I'd　have　broke　that　baker；　sure。

〃But　the　most　successful　scheme　I　worked　was　stealing　the　kidneys　out　of　beef　while　we　were　handling　it。　It　was　some　distance　from　the　wharf　to　the　warehouse；　and　when　I'd　get　a　hind　quarter　of　beef　on　my　shoulder；　it　was　an　easy　trick　to　burrow　my　hand　through　the　tallow　and　get　a　good　grip　on　the　kidney。　Then　when　I'd　throw　the　quarter　down　in　the　warehouse；　it　would　be　minus　a　kidney；　which　secretly　found　lodgment　in　a　large　pocket　in　the　inside　of　my　shirt。　I　was　satisfied　with　one　or　two　kidneys　a　day　when　I　first　worked　the　trick；　but　my　mess　caught　on；　and　then　I　had　to　steal　by　wholesale　to　satisfy　them。　Some　days；　when　the　guards　were　too　watchful；　I　couldn't　get　very　many；　and　then　again　when　things　were　lax；　'Elijah's　Raven'　would　get　a　kidney　for　each　man　in　our　mess。　With　the　regular　allowance　of　rations　and　what　I　could　steal；　when　the　Texas　troops　were　exchanged；　our　mess　was　ragged　enough；　but　pig…fat；　and　slick　as　weasels。　Lord　love　you；　but　we　were　a　great　mess　of　thieves。〃

Nearly　all　of　Flood's　old　men　were　with　him　again；　several　of　whom　were　then　in　Forrest's　camp。　A　fight　occurred　among　a　group　of　saddle　horses　tied　to　the　front　wheel　of　the　wagon；　among　them　being　the　mount　of　John　Officer。　After　the　belligerents　had　been　quieted；　and　Officer　had　removed　and　tied　his　horse　to　a　convenient　tree；　he　came　over　and　joined　our　group；　among　which　were　the　six　trail　bosses。　Throwing　himself　down　among　us；　and　using　Sponsilier　for　a　pillow　and　myself　for　footstool；　he　observed：

〃All　you　foremen　who　have　been　over　the　Chisholm　Trail　remember　the　stage…stand　called　Bull　Foot；　but　possibly　some　of　the　boys　haven't。　Well；　no　matter；　it's　just　about　midway　between　Little　Turkey　Creek　and　Buffalo　Springs　on　that　trail；　where　it　runs　through　the　Cherokee　Strip。　I　worked　one　year　in　that　northern　countrylots　of　Texas　boys　there　too。　It　was　just　about　the　time　they　began　to　stock　that　country　with　Texas　steers；　and　we　rode　lines　to　keep　our　cattle　on　their　range。　You　bet；　there　was　riding　to　do　in　that　country　then。　The　first　few　months　that　these　Southern　steers　are　turned　loose　on　a　new　range；　Lord！　but　they　do　love　to　drift　against　a　breeze。　In　any　kind　of　a　rain…storm；　they'll　travel　farther　in　a　night　than　a　whole　outfit　can　turn　them　back　in　a　day。

〃Our　camp　was　on　the　Salt　Fork　of　the　Cimarron；　and　late　in　the　fall　when　all　the　beeves　had　been　shipped；　the　outfit　were　riding　lines　and　loose…herding　a　lot　of　Texas　yearlings；　and　mixed　cattle；　natives　to　that　range。　Up　in　that　country　they　have　Indian　summer　and　Squaw　winter；　both　occurring　in　the　fall。　They　have　lots　of　funny　weather　up　there。　Well；　late　one　evening　that　fall　there　came　an　early　squall　of　Squaw　winter；　sleeted　and　spit　snow　wickedly。　The　next　morning　there　wasn't　a　hoof　in　sight；　and　shortly　after　daybreak　we　were　riding　deep　in　our　saddles　to　catch　the　lead　drift　of　our　cattle。　After　a　hard　day's　ride；　we　found　that　we　were　out　several　hundred　head；　principally　yearlings　of　the　through　Texas　stock。　You　all　know　how　locoed　a　bunch　of　dogies　can　getwe　hunted　for　three　days　and　for　fifty　miles　in　every　direction；　and　neither　hide；　hair；　nor　hoof　could　we　find。　It　was　while　we　were　hunting　these　cattle　that　my　yarn　commences。

〃The　big　augers　of　the　outfit　lived　in　Wichita；　Kansas。　Their　foreman；　Bibleback　Hunt；　and　myself　were　returning　from　hunting　this　missing　bunch　of　yearlings　when　night　overtook　us；　fully　twenty…five　miles　from　camp。　Then　this　Bull　Foot　stage　came　to　mind；　and　we　turned　our　horses　and　rode　to　it。　It　was　nearly　dark　when　we　reached　it；　and　Bibleback　said　for　me　to　go　in　and　make　the　talk。　I'll　never　forget　that　nice　little　woman　who　met　me　at　the　door　of　that　sod　shack。　I　told　her　our　situation；　and　she　seemed　awfully　gracious　in　granting　us　food　and　shelter　for　the　night。　She　told　us　we　could　either　picket　our　horses　or　put　them　in　the　corral　and　feed　them　hay　and　grain　from　the　stage…company's　supply。　Now；　old　Bibleback　was　what　you　might　call　shy　of　women；　and　steered　clear　of　the　house　until　she　sent　her　little　boy　out　and　asked　us　to　come　in。　Well；　we　sat　around　in　the　room；　owly…like；　and　to　save　my　soul　from　the　wrath　to　come；　I　couldn't　think　of　a　word　that　was　proper　to　say　to　the　little　woman；　busy　getting　supper。　Bibleback　was　worse　off　than　I　was；　he　couldn't　do　anything　but　look　at　the　pictures　on　the　wall。　What　was　worrying　me　was；　had　she　a　husband？　Or　what　was　she　doing　away　out　there　in　that　lonesome　country？　Then　a　man　old　enough　to　be　her　grandfather　put　in　an　appearance。　He　was　friendly　and　quite　talkative；　and　I　built　right　up　to　him。　And　then　we　had　a　supper　that　I　distinctly　remember　yet。　Well；　I　should　say　I　doit　takes　a　woman　to　get　a　good　supper；　and　cheer　it　with　her　presence；　sitting　at　the　head　of　the　table　and　pouring　the　coffee。

This　old　man　was　a　retired　stage…driver；　and　was　doing　the　wrangling　act　for　the　stage…horses。　After　supper　I　went　out　to　the　corral　and　wormed　the　information　out　of　him　that　the　woman　was　a　widow；　that　her　husband　had　died　before　she　came　there；　and　that　she　was　from　Michigan。　Amongst　other　things　that　I　learned　from　the　old　man　was　that　she　had　only　been　there　a　few　months；　and　was　a　poor　but　deserving　woman。　I　told　Bibleback　all　this　after　we　had　gone　to　bed；　and　we　found　that　our　finances　amounted　to　only　four　dollars；　which　she　was　more　than　welcome　to。　So　the　next　morning　after　breakfast；　when　I　asked　her　what　I　owed　her　for　our　trouble；　she　replied　so　graciously：　'Why；　gentlemen；　I　couldn't　think　of　taking　advantage　of　your　necessity　to　charge　you　for　a　favor　that　I'm　only　too　happy　to　grant。'　'Oh；'　said　I；　'take　this；　anyhow；'　laying　the　silver　on　the　corner　of　the　table　and　starting　for　the　door；　when　she　stopped　me。　'One　moment；　sir；　I　can't　think　of　accepting　this。　Be　kind　enough　to　grant　my　request；'　and　returned　the　money。　We　mumbled　out　some　thanks；　bade　her　good…day；　and　started　for　the　corral；　feeling　like　two　sheep　thieves。　While　we　were　saddling　up　　will　you　believe　it？…　…her　little　boy　came　out　to　the　corral　and　gave　each　one　of　us　as　fine　a　cigar　as　ever　I　buttoned　my　lip　over。　Well；　fellows；　we　had　had　it　put　all　over　us　by　this　little　Michigan　woman；　till　we　couldn't　look　each　other　in　the　face。　We　were　accustomed　to　hardship　and　neglect；　but　here　was　genuine　kindness　enough　to　kill　a　cat。

〃Until　we　got　within　five　miles　of　our　camp　that　morning；　old　Bibleback　wouldn't　speak　to　me　as　we　rode　along。　Then　he　turned　halfway　in　his　saddle　and　said：　'What　kind　of　folks　are　those？'　'I　don't　know；'　I　replied；　'what　kind　of　people　they　are；　but　I　know　they　are　good　ones。'　'Well；　I'll　get　even　with　that　little　woman　if　it　takes　every　son　in　my　war…bags；'　said　Hunt。

〃When　within　a　mile　of　camp；　Bibleback　turned　again　in　his　saddle　and　asked；　'When　is　Christmas？'　'In　about　five　weeks；'　I　answered。'do　you　know　where　that　big　Wyoming　stray　ranges？'　he　next　asked。　I　trailed　onto　his　game　in　a　second。　'Of　course　I　do。'　'Well；'　says　he；　'let's　kill　him　for　Christmas　and　give　that　little　widow　every　ounce　of　the　meat。　It'll　be　a　good　one　on　her；　won't　it？　We'll　fool　her　a　plenty。　Say　nothing　to　the　others；'　he　added；　and　giving　our　horses　the　rein　we　rode　into　camp　on　a　gallop。

〃Three　days　before　Christmas　we　drove　up　this　Wyoming　stray　and　beefed　him。　We　hung　the　beef　up　overnight　to　harden　in　the　frost；　and　the　next　morning　bright　and　early；　we　started　for　the　stagestand　with　a　good　pair　of　ponies　to　a　light　wagon。　We　reached　the　widow's　place　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　against　her　protests　that　she　had　no　use　for　so　much；　we　hung　up　eight　hundred　pounds　of　as　fine　beef　as　you　ever　set　your　peepers　on。　We　wished　her　a　merry　Christmas；　jumped　into　the　wagon；　clucked　to　the　ponies；　and　merely　hit　the　high　places　getting　away。　When　we　got　well　out　of　sight　of　the　housewell；　I've　seen　mule　colts　play　and　kid　goats　cut　up　their　antics；　I've　seen　children　that　was　frolicsome；　but　for　a　man　with　gray　hair　on　his　head；　old　Bibleback　Hunt　that　day　was　the　happiest　mortal　I　ever　saw。　He　talked　to　the　horses；　he　sang　songs；　he　played　Injun；　and　that　Christmas　was　a　merry　one；　for　the　debt　was　paid　and　our　little　widow　had　beef　to　throw　to　the　dogs。　I　never　saw　her　again；　but　wherever　she　is　to…night；　if　my　prayer　counts；　may　God　bless　her！〃

Early　in