the outlet-第4部分

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le　coils　of　new　rope　of　various　sizes；　from　lariats　to　corral　cables；　and　a　sufficient　amount　of　the　largest　size　to　make　a　stack　of　hobbles　as　large　as　a　haycock。　Four　new　branding…irons　to　the　wagon；　the　regulation　〃Circle　Dot；〃　completed　the　main　essentials。

All　the　foremen　had　reported　at　the　ranch；　with　the　exception　of　Forrest；　who　came　in　the　next　evening　with　three　men。　The　division　of　the　horses　had　not　even　come　up　for　discussion；　but　several　of　the　boys　about　headquarters　who　were　friendly　to　my　interests　posted　me　that　the　older　foremen　were　going　to　claim　first　choice。　Archie　Tolleston；　next　to　Jim　Flood　in　seniority　in　Lovell's　employ；　had　spent　every　day　riding　among　the　horses；　and　bad　even　boasted　that　he　expected　to　claim　fifteen　of　the　best　for　his　own　saddle。　Flood　was　not　so　particular；　as　his　destination　was　in　southern　Dakota；　but　my　brother　Bob　was　again　ticketed　for　the　Crow　Agency　in　Montana；　and　would　naturally　expect　a　good　remuda。　Tolleston　was　going　to　western　Wyoming；　while　the　Fort　Buford　cattle　were　a　two…weeks'　later　delivery　and　fully　five　hundred　miles　farther　travel。　On　my　return　Lovell　was　in　the　city；　but　I　felt　positive　that　if　he　took　a　hand　in　the　division；　Tolleston　would　only　run　on　the　rope　once。

A　few　days　before　the　appointed　time；　the　men　began　thronging　into　headquarters。　Down　to　the　minutest　detail　about　the　wagons　and　mule　teams；　everything　was　shipshape。　The　commissary　department　was　stocked　for　a　month；　and　everything　was　ready　to　harness　in　and　move。　Lovell's　headquarters　was　a　stag　ranch；　and　as　fast　as　the　engaged　cooks　reported；　they　were　assigned　to　wagons；　and　kept　open　house　in　relieving　the　home　cocinero。　In　the　absence　of　our　employer；　Flood　was　virtually　at　the　head　of　affairs；　and　artfully　postponed　the　division　of　horses　until　the　last　moment。　My　outfit　had　all　come　in　in　good　time；　and　we　were　simply　resting　on　our　oars　until　the　return　of　old　man　Don　from　San　Antonio。　The　men　were　jubilant　and　light…hearted　as　a　lot　of　school…boys；　and　with　the　exception　of　a　feeling　of　jealousy　among　the　foremen　over　the　remudas；　we　were　a　gay　crowd；　turning　night　into　day。　But　on　the　return　of　our　employer；　all　frivolity　ceased；　and　the　ranch　stood　at　attention。　The　only　unfinished　work　was　the　division　of　the　horses；　and　but　a　single　day　remained　before　the　agreed　time　for　starting。　Jim　Flood　had　met　his　employer　at　the　station　the　night　before；　and　while　returning　to　the　ranch；　the　two　discussed　the　apportionment　of　the　saddle　stock。　The　next　morning　all　the　foremen　were　called　together；　when　the　drover　said　to　his　trail　bosses：

〃Boys；　I　suppose　you　are　all　anxious　to　get　a　good　remuda　for　this　summer's　trip。　Well；　I've　got　them　for　you。　The　only　question　is；　how　can　we　distribute　them　equitably　so　that　all　interests　will　be　protected。　One　herd　may　not　have　near　the　distance　to　travel　that　the　others　have。　It　would　look　unjust　to　give　it　the　best　horses；　and　yet　it　may　have　the　most　trouble。　Our　remudas　last　year　were　all　picked　animals。　They　had　an　easy　year's　work。　With　the　exception　of　a　few　head；　we　have　the　same　mounts　and　in　much　better　condition　than　last　year。　This　is　about　my　idea　of　equalizing　things。　You　four　old　foremen　will　use　your　remudas　of　last　year。　Then　each　of　you　six　bosses　select　twenty…five　head　each　of　the　Dodge　horses；turn　and　turn　about。　Add　those　to　your　old　remudas；　and　cull　back　your　surplus；　allowing　ten　to　the　man；　twelve　to　the　foreman；　and　five　extra　to　each　herd　in　case　of　cripples　or　of　galled　backs。　By　this　method；　each　herd　will　have　two　dozen　prime　saddlers；　the　pick　of　a　thousand　picked　ones；　and　fit　for　any　man　who　was　ever　in　my　employ。　I'm　breaking　in　two　new　foremen　this　year；　and　they　shall　have　no　excuse　for　not　being　mounted；　and　will　divide　the　remainder。　Now；　take　four　men　apiece　and　round　up　the　saddle　stock；　and　have　everything　in　shape　to　go　into　camp　to…night。　I'll　be　present　at　the　division；　and　I　warn　you　all　that　I　want　no　clashing。〃

A　ranch　remuda　was　driven　in；　and　we　saddled。　There　were　about　thirty　thousand　acres　in　the　pasture；　and　by　eleven　o'clock　everything　was　thrown　together。　The　private　horses　of　all　the　boys　had　been　turned　into　a　separate　inclosure；　and　before　the　cutting　out　commenced；　every　mother's　son；　including　Don　Lovell；　arrived　at　the　round…up。　There　were　no　corrals　on　the　ranch　which　would　accommodate　such　a　body　of　animals；　and　thus　the　work　had　to　be　done　in　the　open；　but　with　the　force　at　hand　we　threw　a　cordon　around　them；　equal　to　a　corral；　and　the　cutting　out　to　the　four　quarters　commenced。

The　horses　were　gentle　and　handled　easily。　Forrest　and　I　turned　to　and　helped　our　old　foreman　cut　out　his　remuda　of　the　year　before。　There　were　several　horses　in　my　old　mount　that　I　would　have　liked　to　have　again；　but　I　knew　it　was　useless　to　try　and　trade　Jim　out　of　them；　as　he　knew　their　qualities　and　would　have　robbed　me　in　demanding　their　equivalent。　When　the　old　remudas　were　again　separated；　they　were　counted　and　carefully　looked　over　by　both　foremen　and　men；　and　were　open　to　the　inspection　of　all　who　cared　to　look。　Everything　was　passing　very　pleasantly；　and　the　cutting　of　the　extra　twenty…five　began。　Then　my　selfishness　was　weighed　in　the　balance　and　found　to　be　full　weight。　I　had　ridden　over　a　hundred　of　the　best　of　them；　but　when　any　one　appealed　to　me；　even　my　own　dear　brother；　I　was　as　dumb　as　an　oyster　about　a　horse。　Tolleston；　especially；　cursed；　raved；　and　importuned　me　to　help　him　get　a　good　private　mount；　but　I　was　as　innocent　as　I　was　immovable。　The　trip　home　from　Dodge　was　no　pleasure　jaunt；　and　now　I　was　determined　to　draw　extra　pay　in　getting　the　cream　of　that　horse　herd。　There　were　other　features　governing　my　actions：　Flood　was　indifferent；　Forrest；　at　times；　was　cruel　to　horses；　and　had　I　helped　my　brother；　I　might　have　been　charged　with　favoritism。　Dave　Sponsilier　was　a　good　horseman；　as　his　selections　proved；　and　I　was　not　wasting　any　love　and　affection　on　Archie　Tolleston　that　day；　anyhow。

That　no　undue　advantage　should　be　taken；　Lovell　kept　tally　of　every　horse　cut　out；　and　once　each　foreman　had　taken　his　number；　he　was　waved　out　of　the　herd。　I　did　the　selecting　of　my　own；　and　with　the　assistance　of　one　man；　was　constantly　waiting　my　turn。　With　all　the　help　he　could　use；　Tolleston　was　over　half　an　hour　making　his　selections；　and　took　the　only　blind　horse　in　the　entire　herd。　He　was　a　showy　animal；　a　dapple　gray；　fully　fifteen　hands　high；　bred　in　north　Texas；　and　belonged　to　one　of　the　whole　remudas　bought　in　Dodge。　At　the　time　of　his　purchase；　neither　Lovell　nor　Flood　detected　anything　wrong；　and　no　one　could　see　anything　in　the　eyeball　which　would　indicate　he　was　moon…eyed。　Yet　any　horseman　need　only　notice　him　closely　to　be　satisfied　of　his　defect；　as　he　was　constantly　shying　from　other　horses　and　objects　and　smelled　everything　which　came　within　his　reach。　There　were　probably　half　a　dozen　present　who　knew　of　his　blindness；　but　not　a　word　was　said　until　all　the　extras　were　chosen　and　the　culling　out　of　the　overplus　of　the　various　remudas　began。　It　started　in　snickers；　and　before　the　cutting　back　was　over　developed　into　peals　of　laughter；　as　man　after　man　learned　that　the　dapple　gray　in　Tolleston's　remuda　was　blind。

Among　the　very　last　to　become　acquainted　with　the　fact　was　the　trail　foreman　himself。　After　watching　the　horse　long　enough　to　see　his　mistake；　Tolleston　culled　the　gray　back　and　rode　into　the　herd　to　claim　another。　But　the　drover　promptly　summoned　his　foreman　out；　and；　as　they　met；　Lovell　said　to　his　trail　boss；　〃Arch；　you're　no　better　than　anybody　else。　I　bought　that　gray　and　paid　my　good　money　for　him。　No　doubt　but　the　man　who　sold　him　has　laughed　about　it　often　since；　and　if　ever　we　meet；　I'll　take　my　hat　off　and　compliment　him　on　being　the　only　person　who　ever　sold　me　a　moon…eyed　horse。　I'm　still　paying　my　tuition；　and　you　needn't　flare　up　when　the　laugh's　on　you。　You　have　a　good　remuda　without　him；　and　the　only　way　you　can　get　another　horse　out　of　that　herd　is　with　the　permission　of　Quince　Forrest　and　Tom　Quirk。〃　〃Well；　if　the　permission　of　those　new　foremen　is　all　I　lack；　then　I'll　cut　all　the　horses　I　want；〃　retorted　Tolleston；　and　galloped　back　towards　the　herd。　But　Quince　and　I　were　after　him　like　a　flash；　followed　leisurely　by　Lovell。　As　he　slacked　his　mount　to　enter　the　mass　of　animals；　I　passed　him；　jerking　the　bridle　reins　from　his　hand。　Throwing　my　horse　on　his　haunches；　I　turned　just　as　Forrest　slapped　Tolleston　on　the　back；　and　said：　〃Look…ee　here；　Arch；　just　because　you're　a　little　hot　under　the　collar；　don't　do　anything　brash；　for　fear　you　may　regret　it　afterward。　I'm　due　to　take　a　little　pasear　myself　this　summer；　and　I　always　did　like　to　be　well　mounted。　Now；　don't　get　your　back　up　or　attempt　to　stand　up　any　bluffs；　for　I　can　whip　you　in　any　sized　circle　you　can　name。　You　never　saw　me　burn　powder；　did　you？　Well；　just　you　keep　on　acting　the　d　fool　if　you　want　a　little　smoke　thrown　in　your　face。　Just　fool　with　me　and　I'll　fog　you　till　you　look　like　an　angel　in　the　clouds。〃

But　old　man　Don　reached　us；　and　raised　his　hand。　I　threw　the　reins　back　over　the　horse's　head。　Tolleston　was　white　with　rage；　but　before　he　could　speak　our　employer　waved