the outlet-第53部分

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　their　ranch　brands　as　belonging　in　Bee　County；　thus　identifying　them　as　having　escaped　from　Bob　Quirk's　herd；　though　he　had　previously　denied　all　knowledge　of　them。　The　cattle　world　was　a　small　one；　and　it　mattered　little　where　an　animal　roamed；　there　was　always　a　man　near　by　who　could　identify　the　brand　and　give　the　bovine's　past　history。　With　the　prospects　bright　for　a　new　owner　on　the　morrow；　these　two　wayfarers　found　lodgment　among　our　own　for　the　night。

But　when　another　day　dawned；　it　brought　new　complications。　Instead　of　the　early　arrival　of　any　receiving　party；　the　appointed　hour　passed；　noon　came；　and　no　one　appeared。　I　had　ridden　down　to　the　lower　camps　about　the　latter　hour；　yet　there　was　no　one　who　could　explain；　neither　had　any　word　from　the　post　reached　Forrest's　wagon。　Sponsilier　suggested　that　we　ride　into　Buford；　and　accordingly　all　three　of　us　foremen　started。　When　we　sighted　the　ford　on　the　Missouri；　a　trio　of　horsemen　were　just　emerging　from　the　water；　and　we　soon　were　in　possession　of　the　facts。　Sanders；　my　brother；　and　Mike　Sutton　composed　the　party；　and　the　latter　explained　the　situation。　Orders　from　the　War　Department　had　reached　Fort　Buford　that　morning；　temporarily　suspending　the　post　commander　and　his　quartermaster　from　receiving　any　cattle　intended　for　that　post；　and　giving　notice　that　a　special　commissioner　was　then　en　route　from　Minneapolis　with　full　authority　in　the　premises。　The　order　was　signed　by　the　first　quartermaster　and　approved　by　the　head　of　that　department；　there　was　no　going　behind　it；　which　further　showed　the　strength　that　the　opposition　were　able　to　command。　The　little　attorney　was　wearing　his　war…paint；　and　we　all　dismounted；　when　Sanders　volunteered　some　valuable　points　on　the　wintering　of　Texas　cattle　in　the　North。　Sutton　made　a　memorandum　of　the　data；　saying　if　opportunity　offered　he　would　like　to　submit　it　in　evidence　at　the　final　hearing。　The　general　opinion　was　that　a　court　of　inquiry　would　be　instituted；　and　if　such　was　the　case；　our　cause　was　not　by　any　means　hopeless。

〃The　chances　are　that　the　opposition　will　centre　the　fight　on　an　assignment　of　the　original　contract　which　they　claim　to　hold；〃　said　the　lawyer；　in　conclusion。　〃The　point　was　advanced　yesterday　that　we　were　intruders；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　the　government　was　in　honor　bound　to　recognize　its　outstanding　obligation；　no　matter　in　whose　hands　it　was　presented；　so　long　as　it　was　accompanied　by　the　proper　tender。　A　great　deal　will　depend　on　the　viewpoint　of　this　special　commissioner；　he　may　be　a　stickler　for　red　tape；　with　no　concern　for　the　service；　as　were　the　post　commander　and　quartermaster。　Their　possession　of　the　original　document　will　be　self…evident；　and　it　will　devolve　on　us　to　show　that　that　assignment　was　illegal。　This　may　not　be　as　easy　as　it　seems；　for　the　chances　are　that　there　may　be　a　dozen　men　in　the　gang；　with　numerous　stool…pigeons　ready　and　willing　to　do　their　bidding。　This　contract　may　demonstrate　the　possibility　of　a　ring　within　a　ring；　with　everything　working　to　the　same　end。　The　absence　of　Honest　John　Griscom　at　this　delivery　is　significant　as　proving　that　his　presence　at　Dodge　and　Ogalalla　was　a　mistake。　You　notice；　with　the　exception　of　Field　and　Radcliff；　they　are　all　new　men。　Well；　another　day　will　tell　the　story。〃

The　special　commissioner　could　not　arrive　before　the　next　morning。　An　ambulance；　with　relay　teams；　had　left　the　post　at　daybreak　for　Glendive；　and　would　return　that　night。　Since　the　following　promised　to　be　a　decisive　day；　we　were　requested　to　bring　every　available　man　and　report　at　Fort　Buford　at　an　early　hour。　The　trio　returned　to　the　post　and　we　foremen　to　our　herds。　My　outfit　received　the　news　in　anything　but　a　cheerful　mood。　The　monotony　of　the　long　drive　had　made　the　men　restless；　and　the　delay　of　a　single　day　in　being　finally　relieved；　when　looked　forward　to；　was　doubly　exasperating。　It　had　been　over　six　months　since　we　left　the　ranch　in　Medina；　and　there　was　a　lurking　suspicion　among　a　number　of　the　boys　that　the　final　decision　would　be　against　our　cattle　and　that　they　would　be　thrown　back　on　our　hands。　There　was　a　general　anxiety　among　us　to　go　home；　hastened　by　the　recent　frosty　nights　and　a　common　fear　of　a　Northern　climate。　I　tried　to　stem　this　feeling；　promising　a　holiday　on　the　morrow　and　assuring　every　one　that　we　still　had　a　fighting　chance。

We　reached　the　post　at　a　timely　hour　the　next　morning。　Only　three　men　were　left　with　each　herd；　my　wrangler　and　cook　accompanying　us　for　the　day。　Parent　held　forth　with　quite　a　dissertation　on　the　legal　aspects　of　the　case；　and　after　we　forded　the　river；　an　argument　arose　between　him　and　Jake　Blair。　〃Don't　talk　to　me　about　what's　legal　and　what　isn't；〃　said　the　latter；　〃the　man　with　the　pull　generally　gets　all　that　he　goes　after。　You　remember　the　Indian　and　the　white　man　were　at　a　loss　to　know　how　to　divide　the　turkey　and　the　buzzard；　but　in　the　end　poor　man　got　the　buzzard。　And　if　you'll　just　pay　a　little　more　attention　to　humanity；　you　may　notice　that　the　legal　aspects　don't　cut　so　much　figure　as　you　thought　they　did。　The　moment　that　cattle　declined　five　to　seven　dollars　a　head；　The　Western　Supply　Company　didn't　trouble　themselves　as　to　the　legality　or　the　right　or　wrong；　but　proceeded　to　take　advantage　of　the　situation　at　once。　Neal；　when　you've　lived　about　twenty…five　years　on　the　cold　charity　of　strangers；　you'll　get　over　that　blind　confidence　and　become　wary　and　cunning。　It　might　be　a　good　idea　to　keep　your　eye　open　to…day　for　your　first　lesson。　Anyhow　don't　rely　too　strong　on　the　right　or　justice　of　anything；　but　keep　a　good　horse　on　picket　and　your　powder　dry。〃

The　commissioner　had　arrived　early　that　morning　and　would　take　up　matters　at　once。　Nine　o'clock　was　set　for　the　hearing；　which　would　take　place　in　the　quartermaster's　office。　Consultations　were　being　held　among　the　two　factions；　and　the　only　ray　of　light　was　the　reported　frigidity　of　the　special　officer。　He　was　such　a　superior　personage　that　ordinary　mortals　felt　a　chill　radiating　from　his　person　on　their　slightest　approach。　His　credentials　were　from　the　War　Department　and　were　such　as　to　leave　no　doubt　but　that　he　was　the　autocrat　of　the　situation；　before　whom　all　should　render　homage。　A　rigid　military　air　prevailed　about　the　post　and　grounds；　quite　out　of　the　ordinary；　while　the　officers'　bar　was　empty　and　silent。

The　quartermaster's　office　would　comfortably　accommodate　about　one　hundred　persons。　Fort　Buford　had　been　rebuilt　in　1871；　the　adobe　buildings　giving　place　to　frame　structures；　and　the　room　in　which　the　hearing　was　to　be　held　was　not　only　commodious　but　furnished　with　good　taste。　Promptly　on　the　stroke　of　the　hour；　and　escorted　by　the　post　adjutant；　the　grand　mogul　made　his　appearance。　There　was　nothing　striking　about　him；　except　his　military　bearing；　he　was　rather　young　and　walked　so　erect　that　he　actually　leaned　backward　a　trifle。　There　was　no　prelude；　he　ordered　certain　tables　rearranged；　seated　himself　at　one；　and　called　for　a　copy　of　the　original　contract。　The　post　adjutant　had　all　the　papers　covering　the　situation　in　hand；　and　the　copy　was　placed　at　the　disposal　of　the　special　commissioner；　who　merely　glanced　at　the　names　of　the　contracting　parties；　amount　and　date；　and　handed　the　document　back。　Turning　to　the　table　at　which　Lovell　and　his　attorneys　sat；　he　asked　for　the　credentials　under　which　they　were　tendering　beeves　at　Fort　Buford。　The　sub…contract　was　produced；　some　slight　memorandum　was　made；　and　it　was　passed　back　as　readily　as　was　the　original。　The　opposition　were　calmly　awaiting　a　similar　request；　and　when　it　came；　in　offering　the　papers；　Congressman　Y　took　occasion　to　remark：　〃Our　tender　is　not　only　on　a　sub…contract；　but　that　agreement　is　fortified　by　an　assignment　of　the　original　award；　by　and　between　the　War　Department　and　The　Western　Supply　Company。　We　rely　on　the　latter；　you　will　find　everything　regular。〃

The　customary　glance　was　given　the　bulky　documents。　Senator　Aspgrain　was　awaiting　the　opportune　moment　to　attack　the　assignment。　When　it　came；　the　senator　arose　with　dignity　and；　addressing　the　commissioner；　attempted　to　enter　a　protest；　but　was　instantly　stopped　by　that　high　functionary。　A　frozen　silence　pervaded　the　room。　〃There　is　no　occasion　for　any　remarks　in　this　matter；〃　austerely　replied　the　government　specialist。　〃Our　department　regularly　awarded　the　beef　contract　for　this　post　to　The　Western　Supply　Company。　There　was　ample　competition　on　the　award；　insuring　the　goveminent　against　exorbitant　prices；　and　the　required　bonds　were　furnished　for　the　fulfillment　of　the　contract。　Right　then　and　there　all　interest　upon　the　part　of　the　grantor　ceased　until　the　tender　was　made　at　this　post　on　the　appointed　day　of　delivery。　In　the　interim；　however；　it　seems　that　for　reasons　purely　their　own；　the　grantees　saw　fit　to　sub…let　their　contract；　not　once　but　twice。　Our　department　amply　protected　themselves　by　requiring　bonds；　and　the　sub…contractors　should　have　done　the　same。　That；　however；　is　not　the　matter　at　issue；　but　who　is　entitled　to　deliver　on　the　original　award。　Fortunately　that　point　is　beyond　question；　an　assignment　of　the　original　has　always　been　recognized　at　the　War　Office；　and　in　this　case　the　holders　of　the