the outlet-第45部分

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d　place　to　camp　on　the　head　of　Wolf　Creek。　It　will　probably　be　a　matter　of　ten　to　fifteen　days　before　the　quarantine　is　lifted；　and　we　are　enforcing　it　against　citizens　of　Montana　and　Texas　alike；　and　no　exception　can　be　made　in　your　case。〃

〃But；　my　dear　sir；　this　is　not　a　local　or　personal　matter。　Whatever　you　do；　don't　invite　the　frown　of　the　government。　Let　me　warn　you　not　to　act　in　haste。　Now；　remember〃

〃You　made　your　cracks　that　you　would　cross　this　quarantine　line；〃　interrupted　Ullmer；　bristlingly；　〃and　I　want　you　to　find　out　your　mistake。　There　is　no　occasion　for　further　words；　and　you　can　either　order　your　outfit　to　turn　your　cattle　east；　or　I'll　send　men　and　do　it　myself。〃

The　〃major…domo〃　turned　and　galloped　back　to　his　men；　a　number　of　whom　had　congregated　near　at　hand。　The　next　moment　he　returned　and　haughtily　threatened　to　surrender　the　cattle　then　and　there　unless　he　was　allowed　to　proceed。　〃Give　him　a　receipt　for　his　beeves；　Fred；〃　quietly　remarked　an　old　cowman；　gently　stroking　his　beard；　〃and　I'll　take　these　boys　over　here　on　the　right　and　start　the　cattle。　That　will　be　the　safest　way；　unless　the　gentleman　can　indemnify　us。　I　lost　ten　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　stock　last　fall；　and　as　a　citizen　of　Montana　I　have　objections　to　leaving　a　trail　of　fever　from　here　to　the　mouth　of　the　Yellowstone。　And　tell　him　he　can　have　a　bond　for　his　cattle；〃　called　back　the　old　man　as　he　rode　out　of　hearing。

The　lead　herd　was　pointed　to　the　east；　and　squads　of　men　rode　down　and　met　the　other　two；　veering　them　off　on　an　angle　to　the　right。　Meanwhile　the　superintendent　raved；　pleaded；　and　threatened　without　avail；　but　finally　yielded　and　refused　the　receipt。　and　dispossession　of　his　cattle。　This　was　just　what　the　quarantine　captain　wanted；　and　the　dove　of　peace　began　to　shake　its　plumage。　Within　an　hour　all　three　of　the　herds　were　moving　out　for　the　head　of　Wolf　Creek；　accompanied　only　by　the　quarantine　guards；　the　remainder　of　the　posse　returning　to　their　homes　or　their　work。　Having　ample　time　on　our　hands；　Sponsilier　and　I　expected　to　remain　at　Station　No。　1　until　after　the　10th　of　September；　and　accordingly　made　ourselves　at　home　at　that　camp。　To　say　that　we　were　elated　over　the　situation　puts　it　mildly；　and　that　night　the　two　of　us　lost　nearly　a　hundred　dollars　playing　poker　with　the　quarantine　guards。　A　strict　vigilance　was　maintained　over　the　herds　in　question；　but　all　reports　were　unanimous　that　they　were　contentedly　occupying　their　allotted　range。

But　at　noon　on　the　third　day　of　the　enforced　isolation；　a　messenger　from　Powderville　arrived　at　the　first　station。　A　troop　of　cavalry　from　Fort　Keogh；　accompanied　by　a　pack…train；　had　crossed　the　Powder　River　below　the　hamlet；　their　avowed　mission　being　to　afford　an　escort　for　certain　government　beef；　then　under　detention　by　the　local　authorities。　The　report　fell　among　us　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　Ample　time　had　elapsed　for　a　messenger　to　ride　to　the　Yellowstone；　and；　returning　with　troops；　pilot　them　to　the　camps　of　Field；　Radcliff　&　Co。　A　consultation　was　immediately　held；　but　no　definite　line　of　action　had　been　arrived　at　when　a　horseman　from　one　of　the　lower　camps　dashed　up　and　informed　us　that　the　three　herds　were　already　trailing　out　for　the　dead…line；　under　an　escort　of　cavalry。　Saddling　up；　we　rallied　what　few　men　were　available；　determined　to　make　a　protest；　at　least；　in　the　interest　of　humanity　to　dumb　brutes。　We　dispatched　couriers　to　the　nearest　camps　and　the　outer　quarantine　station；　but　before　a　posse　of　twenty　men　arrived；　the　lead　herd　was　within　a　mile　of　the　dead…line；　and　we　rode　out。　and　met　them。　Fully　eighty　troopers；　half　of　which　rode　in　column　formation　in　front；　halted　us　as　we　approached。　Terse　and　to　the　point　were　the　questions　and　answers　exchanged　between　the　military　arm　of　the　government　and　the　quarantine　authorities　of　Montana。　When　the　question　arose　of　indemnity　to　citizens；　in　case　of　death　to　native　cattle；　a　humane　chord　was　touched　in　the　young　lieutenant　in　command；　resulting　in　his　asking　several　questions；　to　which　the　〃major…domo〃　protested。　Once　satisfied　of　the　justice　of　quarantine；　the　officer；　in　defense　of　his　action；　said：

〃Gentlemen；　I　am　under　instructions　to　give　these　herds；　intended　for　use　at　Fort　Buford；　a　three　days'　escort　beyond　this　quarantine　line。　I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you　all　for　making　so　clear　the　necessity　of　isolating　herds　of　Texas　cattle；　and　that　little　or　no　hardship　may　attend　my　orders；　you　may　have　until　noon　to…morrow　to　drift　all　native　stock　west　of　the　Powder　River。　When　these　herds　encamp　for　the　night；　they　will　receive　instructions　not　to　move　forward　before　twelve　to…morrow。　I　find　the　situation　quite　different　from　reports；　nevertheless　orders　are　orders。〃



CHAPTER　XX。　ON　THE　JUST　AND　THE　UNJUST

The　quarantine　guards　returned　to　their　camp。　Our　plans　were　suddenly　and　completely　upset；　and　not　knowing　which　way　to　turn；　Sponsilier　and　I；　slightly　crestfallen；　accompanied　the　guards。　It　was　already　late　in　the　evening；　but　Captain　Ullnier　took　advantage　of　the　brief　respite　granted　him　to　clear　the　east　half　of　the　valley　of　native　cattle。　Couriers　were　dispatched　to　sound　the　warning　among　the　ranches　down　the　river；　while　a　regular　round…up　outfit　was　mustered　among　the　camps　to　begin　the　drifting　of　range　stock　that　evening。　A　few　men　were　left　at　the　two　camps；　as　quarantine　was　not　to　be　abandoned；　and　securing　our　borrowed　horses；　my　partner　and　I　bade　our　friends　farewell　and　set　out　on　our　return　for　the　Yellowstone。　Merely　touching　at　Powderville　for　a　hasty　supper；　we　held　a　northwest；　cross…country　course；　far　into　the　night；　when　we　unsaddled　to　rest　our　horses　and　catch　a　few　hours'　sleep。　But　sunrise　found　us　again　in　our　saddles；　and　by　the　middle　of　the　forenoon　we　were　breakfasting　with　our　friends　in　Miles　City。

Fort　Keogh　was　but　a　short　distance　up　the　river。　That　military　interference　had　been　secured　through　fraud　and　deception；　there　was　not　the　shadow　of　a　doubt。　During　the　few　hours　which　we　spent　in　Miles；　the　cattle　interests；　were　duly　aroused；　and　a　committee　of　cowmen　were　appointed　to　call　on　the　post　commander　at　Keogh　with　a　formidable　protest；　which　would　no　doubt　be　supplemented　later；　on　the　return　of　the　young　lieutenant　and　his　troopers。　During　our　ride　the　night　before；　Sponsilier　and　I　had　discussed　the　possibility　of　arousing　the　authorities　at　Glendive。　Since　it　was　in　the　neighborhood　of　one　hundred　miles　from　Powderville　to　the　former　point　on　the　railroad；　the　herds　would　consume　nearly　a　week　in　reaching　there。　A　freight　train　was　caught　that　afternoon；　and　within　twenty…four　hours　after　leaving　the　quarantine　camp　on　the　Powder　River；　we　had　opened　headquarters　at　the　Stock　Exchange　Saloon　in　Glendive。　On　arriving；　I　deposited　one　hundred　dollars　with　the　proprietor　of　that　bar…room；　with　the　understanding　that　it　was　to　be　used　in　getting　an　expression　from　the　public　in　regard　to　the　question　of　Texas　fever。　Before　noon　the　next　day；　Dave　Sponsilier　and　Tom　Quirk　were　not　only　the　two　most　popular　men　in　Glendive；　but　quarantine　had　been　decided　on　with　ringing　resolutions。

Our　standing　was　soon　of　the　best。　Horses　were　tendered　us；　and　saddling　one　I　crossed　the　Yellowstone　and　started　down　the　river　to　arouse　outlying　ranches；　while　Sponsilier　and　a　number　of　local　cowmen　rode　south　to　locate　a　camp　and　a　deadline。　I　was　absent　two　days；　having　gone　north　as　far　as　Wolf　Island；　where　I　recrossed　the　river；　returning　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　valley。　At　no　ranch　which　was　visited　did　my　mission　fail　of　meeting　hearty　approval；　especially　on　the　western　side　of　the　river；　where　severe　losses　from　fever　had　been　sustained　the　fall　before。　One　ranch　on　Thirteen　Mile　offered；　if　necessary；　to　send　every　man　in　its　employ；　with　their　own　wagon　and　outfit　of　horses；　free　of　all　charge；　until　quarantine　was　lifted。　But　I　suggested；　instead；　that　they　send　three　or　four　men　with　their　horses　and　blankets；　leaving　the　remainder　to　be　provided　for　by　the　local　committee。　In　my　two　days'　ride；　over　fifty　volunteers　were　tendered；　but　I　refused　all　except　twenty；　who　were　to　report　at　Glendive　not　later　than　the　morning　of　the　6th。　On　my　return　to　the　railroad；　all　arrangements　were　completed　and　the　outlook　was　promising。　Couriers　had　arrived　from　the　south　during　my　absence；　bringing　the　news　of　the　coming　of　the　through　Texas　cattle；　and　warning　the　local　ranches　to　clear　the　way　or　take　the　consequences。　All　native　stock　had　been　pushed　west　of　the　Powder　and　Yellowstone；　as　far　north　as　Cabin　Creek；　which　had　been　decided　on　as　the　second　quarantine…line。　Daily　reports　were　being　received　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　moving　herds；　and　at　the　rate　they　were　traveling；　they　would　reach　Cabin　Creek　about　the　7th。　Two　wagons　had　been　outfitted；　cooks　employed；　and　couriers　dispatched　to　watch　the　daily　progress　of　the　cattle；　which；　if　following　the　usual　route；　would　strike　the　deadline　some　distance　south　of　Glendive。

During　the　next　few　days；　Sponsilier　and　I　were　social　lions　in　that　town；　and　so　great　was　our　popularity　we　could　have　either　married　or　been　elected　to　office。　We　limited　our　losses　at　poker　to　so　much　an　evenin