informed me that there were three, one belonging
to Bob Houston, another to Major Corouthers, and the third to a man
named Murphy, the total loss amounting to about two thousand cattle.

From this same range-man we also learned our location. Camp Supply lay
up the North Fork some sixty miles, while a plain trail followed up the
first bottom of the river. Wishing to avoid, if possible, intersecting
the western trail south of Dodge, the next morning I left the herd to
follow up, and rode into Camp Supply before noon. Lovell had sighted me
a mile distant, and after a drink at the sutler's bar, we strolled aside
for a few minutes' chat. Once I had informed him of the locality of
the herd and their condition, he cautioned me not to let my business
be known while in the post. After refreshing the inner man, my employer
secured a horse and started with me on my return. As soon as the flag
over Supply faded out of sight in our rear, we turned to the friendly
shade of the timber on the North Fork and dismounted. I felt that the
precaution exercised by the drover was premonitory of some revelation,
and before we arose from the cottonwood log on which we took seats, the
scales had fallen from my eyes and the atmosphere of mystery cleared.

"Tom," said my employer, "I am up against a bad proposition. I am
driving these Buford cattle, you understand, on a sub-contract. I was
the second lowest bidder with the government, and no sooner was the
award made to The Western Supply Company than they sent an agent who
gave me no peace until they sublet their contract. Unfortunately for me,
when the papers were drawn, my regular attorney was out of town, and I
was compelled to depend on a stranger. After the articles were executed,
I submitted the matter to my old lawyer; he shook his head, arguing
that a loophole had been left open, and that I should have secured an
assignment of the original contract. After studying the matter over, we
opened negotiations to secure a complete relinquishment of the award.
But when I offered the company a thousand dollars over and above what
they admitted was their margin, and they refused it, I opened my eyes to
the true situation. If cattle went up, I was responsible and would have
to fill my contract; if they went down, the company would buy in the
cattle and I could go to hell in a hand-basket for all they cared.
Their bond to the government does me no good, and beyond that they are
irresponsible. Beeves