第19章 MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS(4)

"Yes, I know where they are," said he, snappishly, "but that's all the good it does me.They crossed the railroad, west, at Sweetwater, about a week ago.I don't blame Quince, for he's just trailing along, half a day behind Dave's herd.But Sponsilier, knowing that I wanted to see him, had the nerve to write me a postal card with just ten words on it, saying that all was well and to meet him in Dodge.Tom, you don't know what a satisfaction it is to me to spend a day or so with each of the herds.But those rascals didn't pay any more attention to me than if I was an old woman.There was some reason for it--sore-footed cattle, or else they have skinned up their remudas and didn't want me to see them.If I drive a hundred herds hereafter, Dave Sponsilier will stay at home as far as I'm concerned.He may think it's funny to slip past, but this court isn't indulging in any levity just at present.I fail to see the humor in having two outfits with sixty-seven hundred cattle somewhere between the Staked Plain and No-Man's-Land, and unable to communicate with them.And while my herds are all contracted, mature beeves have broke from three to five dollars a head in price since these started, and it won't do to shout before we're out of the woods.Those fool boys don't know that, and I can't get near enough to tell them."I knew better than to ask further questions or offer any apologies for others.My employer was naturally irritable, and his abuse or praise of a foreman was to be expected.Previously and under the smile of prosperity, I had heard him laud Sponsilier, and under an imaginary shadow abuse Jim Flood, the most experienced man in his employ.Feeling it was useless to pour oil on the present troubled waters, I excused myself, rode back, and ordered the wagon to make camp ahead about four miles on Elm Creek.We watered late in the afternoon, grazing thence until time to bed the herd.When the first and second guards were relieved to go in and catch night-horses and get their supper, my employer remained behind with the cattle.While feeding during the evening, we allowed the herd to scatter over a thousand acres.Taking advantage of the loose order of the beeves, the old man rode back and forth through them until approaching darkness compelled us to throw them together on the bedground.Even after the first guard took charge, the drover loitered behind, reluctant to leave until the last steer had lain down; and all during the night, sharing my blankets, he awoke on every change of guards, inquiring of the returning watch how the cattle were sleeping.

As we should easily pass Abilene before noon, I asked him as a favor that he take the wagon in and get us sufficient supplies to last until Red River was reached.But he preferred to remain behind with the herd, and I went instead.This suited me, as his presence overawed my outfit, who were delirious to see the town.

There was no telling how long he would have stayed with us, but my brother Bob's herd was expected at any time.Remaining with us a second night, something, possibly the placidness of the cattle, mellowed the old man and he grew amiable with the outfit, and myself in particular.At breakfast the next morning, when I asked him if he was in a position to recommend any special route, he replied:

"No, Tom, that rests with you.One thing's certain; herds are going to be dangerously close together on the regular trail which crosses Red River at Doan's.The season is early yet, but over fifty herds have already crossed the Texas Pacific Railway.

Allowing one half the herds to start north of that line, it gives you a fair idea what to expect.When seven hundred thousand cattle left Texas two years ago, it was considered the banner year, yet it won't be a marker to this one.The way prices are tumbling shows that the Northwest was bluffing when they offered to mature all the cattle that Texas could breed for the next fifty years.That's the kind of talk that suits me, but last year there were some forty herds unsold, which were compelled to winter in the North.Not over half the saddle horses that came up the trail last summer were absorbed by these Northern cowmen.