第8章 ORGANIZING THE FORCES(3)

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 Ilack, 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, Iturned 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 us aside and said, "Tom, you and Quince clear right out of here and I'll settle this matter.Arch, there's your remuda.Take it and go about your business or say you don't want to.Now, we know each other, and I'll not mince or repeat any words with you.Go on.""Not an inch will I move until I get another horse," hissed Tolleston between gasps."If it lies between you and me, then II'll have one in place of that gray, or you'll get another foreman.Now, you have my terms and ticket.""Very well then, Archie; that changes the programme entirely,"replied Lovell, firmly."You'll find your private horse in the small pasture, and we'll excuse you for the summer.Whenever a man in my employ gets the impression that I can't get along without him, that moment he becomes useless to me.It seems that you are bloated with that idea, and a season's rest and quiet may cool you down and make a useful man of you again.Remember that you're always welcome at my ranch, and don't let this make us strangers," he called back as he turned away.

Riding over with us to where a group were sitting on their horses, our employer scanned the crowd without saying a word.

Turning halfway in his saddle, he looked over towards Flood's remuda and said: "One of you boys please ride over and tell Paul I want him." During the rather embarrassing interim, the conversation instantly changed, and we borrowed tobacco and rolled cigarettes to kill time.