the outlet-第49部分

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sed　to　disturb　them。　Splann　reported　not　over　half　a　dozen　sore…footed　ones　among　them；　having　grazed　the　entire　distance　from　Little　Missouri；　giving　the　tender　cattle　a　good　chance　to　recover。　I　held　a　circle　of　listeners　for　several　hours；　in　recounting　Sponsilier's　and　my　own　experiences　in　the　quarantine　camps；　and　our　utter　final　failure；　except　that　the　opposition　herds　had　been　detained；　which　would　force　them　to　drive　over　twenty　miles　a　day　in　order　to　reach　Buford　on　time。　On　the　other　hand；　an　incident　of　more　than　ordinary　moment　had　occurred　with　the　cattle　some　ten　days　previous。　The　slow　movement　of　the　grazing　herds　allowed　a　great　amount　of　freedom　to　the　boys　and　was　taken　advantage　of　at　every　opportunity。　It　seems　that　on　approaching　Beaver　Creek；　Owen　Ubery　and　Runt　Pickett　had　ridden　across　to　it　for　the　purpose　of　trout…fishing。　They　were　gone　all　day；　haying　struck　the　creek　some　ten　or　twelve　miles　west　of　the　cattle；　expecting　to　fish　down　it　and　overtake　the　herds　during　the　evening。　But　about　noon　they　discovered　where　a　wagon　had　been　burned；　years　before；　and　near　by　were　five　human　skeletons；　evidently　a　family。　It　was　possibly　the　work　of　Indians；　or　a　blizzard；　and　to　prove　the　discovery；　Pickett　had　brought　in　one　of　the　skulls　and　proposed　taking　it　home　with　him　as　a　memento　of　the　drive。　Parent　objected　to　having　the　reminder　in　the　wagon；　and　a　row　resulted　between　them；　till　Splann　interfered　and　threw　the　gruesome　relic　away。

The　next　morning　a　dozen　of　us　from　the　three　herds　rode　into　the　post。　Fort　Buford　was　not　only　a　military　headquarters；　but　a　supply　depot　for　other　posts　farther　west　on　the　Missouri　and　Yellowstone　rivers。　The　nearest　railroad　connection　was　Glendive；　seventy…six　miles　up　the　latter　stream；　though　steamboats　took　advantage　of　freshets　in　the　river　to　transport　immense　supplies　from　lower　points　on　the　Missouri　where　there　were　rail　connections。　From　Buford　westward；　transportation　was　effected　by　boats　of　lighter　draft　and　the　regulation　wagon　train。　It　was　recognized　as　one　of　the　most　important　supply　posts　in　the　West；　as　early　as　five　years　previous　to　this　date；　it　had　received　in　a　single　summer　as　many　as　ten　thousand　beeves。　Its　provision　for　cavalry　was　one　of　its　boasted　features；　immense　stacks　of　forage　flanking　those　quarters；　while　the　infantry　barracks　and　officers'　quarters　were　large　and　comfortable。　A　stirring　little　town　had　sprung　up　on　the　outside；　affording　the　citizens　employment　in　wood　and　hay　contracts；　and　becoming　the　home　of　a　large　number　of　civilian　employees；　the　post　being　the　mainstay　of　the　village。

After　settling　our　quarantine　bills；　Sponsilier　and　I　each　had　money　left。　Our　employer　refused　even　to　look　at　our　expense　bills　until　after　the　delivery；　but　urged　us　to　use　freely　any　remaining　funds　in　cultivating　the　good　will　of　the　citizens　and　soldiery　alike。　Forrest　was　accordingly　supplied　with　funds；　with　the　understanding　that　he　was　to　hunt　up　Sanders　and　his　outfit　and　show　them　a　good　time。　The　beef　foreman　was　soon　located　in　the　quartermaster's　office；　and；　having　been　connected　with　the　post　for　several　years；　knew　the　ropes。　He　had　come　to　Buford　with　Texas　cattle；　and　after　their　delivery　had　accepted　a　situation　under　the　acting　quartermaster；　easily　rising　to　the　forenianship　through　his　superior　abilities　as　a　cowman。　It　was　like　a　meeting　of　long…lost　brothers　to　mingle　again　with　a　cow　outfit；　and　the　sutler's　bar　did　a　flourishing　business　during　our　stay　in　the　post。　There　were　ten　men　in　Sanders's　outfit；　several　of　whom　besides　himself　were　Texans；　and　before　we　parted；　every　rascal　had　promised　to　visit　us　the　next　day　and　look　over　all　the　cattle。

The　next　morning　Bob　Quirk　put　in　an　early　appearance　at　my　wagon。　He　had　passed　the　other　outfits；　and　notified　us　all　to　have　the　cattle　under　convenient　herd；　properly　watered　in　advance；　as　the　post　commandant；　quartermaster；　and　a　party　of　minor　officers　were　going　to　ride　out　that　afternoon　and　inspect　our　beeves。　Lovell；　of　course；　would　accompany　them；　and　Bob　reported　him　as　having　made　a　ten…strike　with　the　officers'　mess；　not　being　afraid　to　spend　his　money。　Fortunately　the　present　quartermaster　at　Buford　was　a　former　acquaintance　of　Lovell；　the　two　having　had　business　transactions。　The　quartermaster　had　been　connected　with　frontier　posts　from　Fort　Clark；　Texas；　to　his　present　position。　According　to　report；　the　opposition　were　active　and　waging　an　aggressive　campaign；　but　not　being　Western　men；　were　at　a　disadvantage。　Champagne　had　flowed　freely　at　a　dinner　given　the　night　before　by　our　employer；　during　which　Senator　Aspgrain；　in　responding　to　a　toast；　had　paid　the　army　a　high　tribute　for　the　part　it　had　played　in　reclaiming　the　last　of　our　western　frontier。　The　quartermaster；　in　replying；　had　felicitously　remarked；　as　a　matter　of　his　own　observation；　that　the　Californian's　love　for　a　horse　was　only　excelled　by　the　Texan's　love　for　a　cow；　to　which；　amid　uproarious　laughter；　old　man　Don　arose　and　bowed　his　acknowledgment。

My　brother　changed　horses　and　returned　to　Sponsilier's　wagon。　Dave　had　planned　to　entertain　the　post　beef　outfit　for　dinner；　and　had　insisted　on　Bob's　presence。　They　arrived　at　my　herd　near　the　middle　of　the　forenoon；　and　after　showing　the　cattle　and　remuda；　we　all　returned　to　Sponsilier's　camp。　These　civilian　employees　furnished　their　own　mounts；　and　were　anxious　to　buy　a　number　of　our　best　horses　after　the　delivery　was　over。　Not　even　a　whisper　was　breathed　about　any　uncertainty　of　our　filling　the　outstanding　contract；　yet　Sanders　was　given　to　understand　that　Don　Lovell　would　rather；　if　he　took　a　fancy　to　him；　give　a　man　a　horse　than　sell　him　one。　Not　a　word　was　said　about　any　opposition　to　our　herds；　that　would　come　later；　and　Sanders　and　his　outfit　were　too　good　judges　of　Texas　cattle　to　be　misled　by　any　bluster　or　boastful　talk。　Sponsilier　acted　the　host；　and　after　dinner　unearthed　a　box　of　cigars；　and　we　told　stories　and　talked　of　our　homes　in　the　sunny　South　until　the　arrival　of　the　military　party。　The　herds　had　been　well　watered　about　noon　and　drifted　out　on　the　first　uplands；　and　we　intercepted　the　cavalcade　before　it　reached　Sponsilier's　herd。　They　were　mounted　on　fine　cavalry　horses；　and　the　only　greeting　which　passed；　aside　from　a　military　salute；　was　when　Lovell　said：　〃Dave；　show　these　officers　your　beeves。　Answer　any　question　they　may　ask　to　the　best　of　your　ability。　Gentlemen；　excuse　me　while　you　look　over　the　cattle。〃

There　were　about　a　dozen　military　men　in　the　party；　some　of　them　veterans　of　the　civil　war；　others　having　spent　their　lifetime　on　our　western　frontier；　while　a　few　were　seeing　their　first　year's　service　after　leaving　West　Point。　In　looking　over　the　cattle；　the　post　commander　and　quartermaster　were　taken　under　the　wing　of　Sanders；　who；　as　only　a　man　could　who　was　born　to　the　occupation；　called　their　attention　to　every　fine　point　about　the　beeves。　After　spending　fully　an　hour　with　Sponsilier's　herd；　the　cavalcade　proceeded　on　to　mine；　Lovell　rejoining　the　party；　but　never　once　attempting　to　draw　out　an　opinion；　and　again　excusing　himself　on　reaching　my　cattle。　I　continued　with　the　military；　answering　every　one's　questions；　from　the　young　lieutenant's　to　the　veteran　commandant's；　in　which　I　was　ably　seconded　by　the　quartermaster's　foreman。　My　cattle　had　a　splendid　fill　on　them　and　eloquently　spoke　their　own　praises；　yet　Sanders　lost　no　opportunity　to　enter　a　clincher　in　their　favor。　He　pointed　out　beef　after　beef；　and　vouched　for　the　pounds　net　they　would　dress；　called　attention　to　their　sameness　in　build；　ages；　and　general　thrift；　until　one　would　have　supposed　that　he　was　a　salesman　instead　of　a　civilian　employee。

My　herd　was　fully　ten　miles　from　the　post；　and　it　was　necessary　for　the　military　to　return　that　evening。　Don　Lovell　and　a　number　of　the　boys　had　halted　at　a　distance；　and　once　the　inspection　was　over；　we　turned　and　rode　back　to　the　waiting　group　of　horsemen。　On　coming　up；　a　number　of　the　officers　dismounted　to　shift　saddles；　preparatory　to　starting　on　their　return；　when　the　quartermaster　halted　near　our　employer　and　said：

〃Colonel　Lovell；　let　me　say　to　you；　in　all　sincerity；　that　in　my　twenty…five　years'　experience　on　this　frontier；　I　never　saw　a　finer　lot　of　beeves　tendered　the　government　than　these　of　yours。　My　position　requires　that　I　should　have　a　fair　knowledge　of　beef　cattle；　and　the　perquisites　of　my　office　in　a　post　of　Buford's　class　enable　me　to　employ　the　best　practical　men　available　to　perfect　the　service。　I　remember　the　quality　of　cattle　which　you　delivered　four　years　ago　to　me　at　Fort　Randall；　when　it　was　a　six…company　post；　yet　they　were　not　as　fine　a　lot　of　beeves　as　these　are。　I　have　always　contended　that　there　was　nothing　too　good　in　my　department　for　the　men　who　uphold　the　colors　of　our　country；　especially　on　the　front　line。　You　have　been　a　soldier　yourself　and　know　that　I　am　talking　good　horsesense；　and　I　want　to　say　to　you　that　whatever　the　outcome　of　this　dispute　may　be；　if　yours　are　the　best　cattle；　you　may　count　on　my　support　until　the　drums　beat　tattoo。　The　government　is　liberal　and　insists　on　the　best；　the　rank　and　file　are　worthy；　and　yet　we　don't　always　get　w