the outlet-第35部分

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ocation；　as　they　were　only　a　little　more　than　an　hour's　ride　from　Ogalalla。　There　was　no　time　to　be　lost；　and　as　we　hastily　gathered　around　the　old　man；　he　said：　〃Ride　for　your　outfits；　boys；　and　bring　along　every　man　you　can　spare。　We'll　meet　north　of　the　river　about　midway　between　Quince's　and　Tom's　camps。　Bring　all　the　cartridges　you　have；　and　don't　spare　your　horses　going　or　coming。〃

Priest's　wagon　was　almost　on　a　line　with　mine；　though　south　of　the　river。　Fortunately　I　was　mounted　on　one　of　the　best　horses　in　my　string；　and　having　the　farthest　to　go；　shook　the　kinks　out　of　him　as　old　Paul　and　myself　tore　down　the　mesa。　After　passing　The　Rebel's　camp；　I　held　my　course　as　long　as　the　footing　was　solid；　but　on　encountering　the　first　sand；　crossed　the　river　nearly　opposite　the　appointed　rendezvous。　The　North　Platte　was　fordable　at　any　point；　flowing　but　a　midsummer　stage　of　water；　with　numerous　wagon　crossings；　its　shallow　channel　being　about　one　hundred　yards　wide。　I　reined　in　my　horse　for　the　first　time　near　the　middle　of　the　stream；　as　the　water　reached　my　saddle…skirts；　when　I　came　out　on　the　other　side；　Priest　and　his　boys　were　not　a　mile　behind　me。　As　I　turned　down　the　river；　casting　a　backward　glance；　squads　of　horsemen　were　galloping　in　from　several　quarters　and　joining　a　larger　one　which　was　throwing　up　clouds　of　dust　like　a　column　of　cavalry。　In　making　a　cut…off　to　reach　my　camp；　I　crossed　a　sand　dune　from　which　I　sighted　the　marshal's　posse　less　than　two　miles　distant。　My　boys　were　gambling　among　themselves；　not　a　horse　under　saddle；　and　did　not　notice　my　approach　until　I　dashed　up。　Three　lads　were　on　herd；　but　the　rest；　including　the　wrangler；　ran　for　their　mounts　on　picket；　while　Parent　and　myself　ransacked　the　wagon　for　ammunition。　Fortunately　the　supply　of　the　latter　was　abundant；　and　while　saddles　were　being　cinched　on　horses；　the　cook　and　I　divided　the　ammunition　and　distributed　it　among　the　men。　The　few　minutes'　rest　refreshed　my　horse；　but　as　we　dashed　away；　the　boys　yelling　like　Comanches；　the　five…mile　ride　had　bested　him　and　he　fell　slightly　behind。　As　we　turned　into　the　open　valley；　it　was　a　question　if　we　or　the　marshal　would　reach　the　stream　first；　he　had　followed　an　old　wood　road　and　would　strike　the　river　nearly　opposite　Forrest's　camp。　The　horses　were　excited　and　straining　every　nerve；　and　as　we　neared　our　crowd　the　posse　halted　on　the　south　side　and　I　noticed　a　conveyance　among　them　in　which　were　seated　four　men。　There　was　a　moment's　consultation　held；　when　the　posse　entered　the　water　and　began　fording　the　stream；　the　vehicle　and　its　occupants　remaining　on　the　other　side。　We　had　halted　in　a　circle　about　fifty　yards　back　from　the　river…bank；　and　as　the　first　two　men　came　out　of　the　water；　Dou　Lovell　rode　forward　several　lengths　of　his　horse；　and　with　his　hand　motioned　to　them　to　halt。　The　leaders　stopped　within　easy　speaking　distance；　the　remainder　of　the　posse　halting　in　groups　at　their　rear；　when　Lovell　demanded　the　meaning　of　this　demonstration。

An　inquiry　and　answer　followed　identifying　the　speakers。　〃In　pursuance　of　an　order　from　the　federal　court　of　this　jurisdiction；〃　continued　the　marshal；　〃I　am　vested　with　authority　to　take　into　my　custody　two　herds；　numbering　nearly　seven　thousand　beeves；　now　in　your　possession；　and　recently　sold　to　Field；　Radcliff　&　Co。　for　government　purposes。　I　propose　to　execute　my　orders　peaceably；　and　any　interference　on　your　part　will　put　you　and　your　men　in　contempt　of　government　authority。　If　resistance　is　offered；　I　can；　if　necessary；　have　a　company　of　United　States　cavalry　here　from　Fort　Logan　within　forty…eight　hours　to　enforce　the　mandates　of　the　federal　court。　Now　my　advice　to　you　would　be　to　turn　these　cattle　over　without　further　controversy。〃

〃And　my　advice　to　you；〃　replied　Lovell；　〃is　to　go　back　to　your　federal　court　and　tell　that　judge　that　as　a　citizen　of　these　United　States；　and　one　who　has　borne　arms　in　her　defense；　I　object　to　having　snap　judgment　rendered　against　me。　If　the　honorable　court　which　you　have　the　pleasure　to　represent　is　willing　to　dispossess　me　of　my　property　in　favor　of　a　ring　of　government　thieves；　and　on　only　hearing　one　side　of　the　question；　then　consider　me　in　contempt。　I'll　gladly　go　back　to　Omaha　with　you；　but　you　can't　so　much　as　look　at　a　hoof　in　my　possession。　Now　call　your　troops；　or　take　me　with　you　for　treating　with　scorn　the　orders　of　your　court。〃

Meanwhile　every　man　on　our　side　had　an　eye　on　Archie　Tolleston；　who　had　gradually　edged　forward　until　his　horse　stood　beside　that　of　the　marshal。　Before　the　latter　could　frame　a　reply　to　Lovell's　ultimatum；　Tolleston　said　to　the　federal　officer：

〃Didn't　my　employers　tell　you　that　the　old　would　defy　you　without　a　demonstration　of　soldiers　at　your　back？　Now；　the　laugh's　on　you；　and　〃

〃No；　it's　on　you；〃　interrupted　a　voice　at　my　back；　accompanied　by　a　pistol　report。　My　horse　jumped　forward；　followed　by　a　fusillade　of　shots　behind　me；　when　the　hireling　deputies　turned　and　plunged　into　the　river。　Tolleston　had　wheeled　his　horse；　joining　the　retreat；　and　as　I　brought　my　six…shooter　into　action　and　was　in　the　act　of　leveling　on　him；　he　reeled　from　the　saddle；　but　clung　to　the　neck　of　his　mount　as　the　animal　dashed　into　the　water。　I　held　my　fire　in　the　hope　that　he　would　right　in　the　saddle　and　afford　me　a　shot；　but　he　struck　a　swift　current；　released　his　hold；　and　sunk　out　of　sight。　Above　the　din　and　excitement　of　the　moment；　I　heard　a　voice　which　I　recognized　as　Reed's；　shouting；　〃Cut　loose　on　that　team；　boys！　blaze　away　at　those　harness　horses！〃　Evidently　the　team　had　been　burnt　by　random　firing；　for　they　were　rearing　and　plunging；　and　as　I　fired　my　first　shot　at　them；　the　occupants　sprang　out　of　the　vehicle　and　the　team　ran　away。　A　lull　occurred　hi　the　shooting；　to　eject　shells　and　refill　cylinders；　which　Lovell　took　advantage　of　by　ordering　back　a　number　of　impulsive　lads；　who　were　determined　to　follow　up　the　fleeing　deputies。

〃Come　back　here；　you　rascals；　and　stop　this　shooting！〃　shouted　the　old　man。　〃Stop　it；　now；　or　you'll　land　me　in　a　federal　prison　for　life！　Those　horsemen　may　be　deceived。　When　federal　courts　can　be　deluded　with　sugar…coated　blandishments；　ordinary　men　ought　to　be　excusable。〃

Six…shooters　were　returned　to　their　holsters。　Several　horses　and　two　men　on　our　side　had　received　slight　flesh　wounds；　as　there　had　been　a　random　return　fire。　The　deputies　halted　well　out　of　pistol　range；　covering　the　retreat　of　the　occupants　of　the　carriage　as　best　they　could；　but　leaving　three　dead　horses　in　plain　view。　As　we　dropped　back　towards　Forrest's　wagon；　the　team　in　the　mean　time　having　been　caught；　those　on　foot　were　picked　up　and　given　seats　in　the　conveyance。　Meanwhile　a　remuda　of　horses　and　two　chuck…wagons　were　sighted　back　on　the　old　wood　road；　but　a　horseman　met　and　halted　them　and　they　turned　back　for　Ogalalla。　On　reaching　our　nearest　camp；　the　posse　south　of　the　river　had　started　on　their　return；　leaving　behind　one　of　their　number　in　the　muddy　waters　of　the　North　Platte。

Late　that　evening；　as　we　were　preparing　to　leave　for　our　respective　camps；　Lovell　said　to　the　assembled　foremen：　〃Quince　will　take　Reed　and　me　into　Ogalalla　about　midnight。　If　Sutton　advises　it；　all　three　of　us　will　go　down　to　Omaha　and　try　and　square　things。　I　can't　escape　a　severe　fine；　but　what　do　I　care　as　long　as　I　have　their　money　to　pay　it　with？　The　killing　of　that　fool　boy　worries　me　more　than　a　dozen　fines。　It　was　uncalled　for；　too；　but　he　would　butt　in；　and　you　fellows　were　all　itching　for　the　chance　to　finger　a　trigger。　Now　the　understanding　is　that　you　all　start　in　the　morning。〃



CHAPTER　XVI。　CROSSING　THE　NIOBRARA

The　parting　of　the　ways　was　reached。　On　the　morning　of　July　12；　the　different　outfits　in　charge　of　Lovell's　drive　in　'84　started　on　three　angles　of　the　compass　for　their　final　destination。　The　Rosebud　Agency；　where　Flood's　herd　was　to　be　delivered　on　September　1；　lay　to　the　northeast　in　Dakota。　The　route　was　not　direct；　and　the　herd　would　be　forced　to　make　quite　an　elbow；　touching　on　the　different　forks　of　the　Loup　in　order　to　secure　water。　The　Rebel　and　my　brother　would　follow　up　on　the　south　side　of　the　North　Platte　until　near　old　Fort　Laramie；　when　their　routes　would　separate；　the　latter　turning　north　for　Montana；　while　Priest　would　continue　along　the　same　watercourse　to　within　a　short　distance　of　his　destination。　The　Buford　herds　would　strike　due　north　from　the　first　tributary　putting　in　from　above；　which　we　would　intercept　the　second　morning　out。

An　early　start　was　the　order　of　the　day。　My　beeves　were　pushed　from　the　bed…ground　with　the　first　sign　of　dawn；　and　when　the　relief　overtook　them；　they　were　several　miles　back　from　the　river　and　holding　a　northwest　course。　My　camp　being　the　lowest　one　on　the　North　Fork；　Forrest　and　Sponsilier；　also　starting　at　daybreak；　naturally　took　the　lead；　the　latter　having　fully　a　five…mile　start　over　my　outfit。　But　as　we　left　the　valley　and　came　up　on　the　mesa；　there　on　an　angle　in　our　front；　Flood's　herd　snailed　along　like　an　army　brigade；　anxious　to　dispute　our　advance。　The　point…men　veered　our　cattle　slightly　to　the　left；　and　as　the　drag…end　of　Flood's　beeves　passed　before　us；　standing　in　our　stirrups　we　waved　our