glance. "Well,
she's working," said he, "and I'll probably have some word for you late
this evening. Yes, one of the local attorneys for your friends came in
and we figured everything up. He thought that if this office would throw
off a certain per cent. of its expense, and Reed would knock off the
interest, his clients would consent to a settlement. I told him to go
right back and tell his people that as long as they thought that way,
it would only cost them one hundred and forty dollars every twenty-four
hours." The lawyer was back within twenty minutes, bringing a draft,
covering every item, and urged me to have it accepted by wire. The bank
was closed, but I found the cashier in a poker-game and played his hand
while he went over to the depot and sent the message. "The operator has
orders to send a duplicate of the answer to this office, and the moment
I get it, if favorable, I'll send a deputy with the news over to the
North Fork. Tell Reed that I think the check's all right this time, but
we'll stand pat until we know for a certainty. We'll get an answer by
morning sure."

The message was hailed with delight at Bob Quirk's wagon. On nearing the
river, Morris rode by way of the herd to ask the deputies in charge to
turn the cattle up the river towards his camp. Several of the foreman's
men were waiting at my brother's wagon, and on Morris's return he
ordered his outfit to meet the beeves the next morning and be in
readiness to receive them back. Our foremen were lying around temporary
headquarters, and as we were starting for our respective camps for the
night, Lovell suggested that we hold our outfits all ready to move out
with the herds on an hour's notice. Accordingly the next morning, I
refused every one leave of absence, and gave special orders to the
cook and horse-wrangler to have things in hand to start on an emergency
order. Jim Flood had agreed to wait for me, and we would recross the
river together and hear the report from the sheriff's office. Forrest
and Sponsilier rode up about the same time we arrived at his wagon, and
all four of us set out for headquarters across the North Fork. The sun
was several hours high when we reached the wagon, and learned that an
officer had arrived during the night with a favorable answer, that the
cattle had been turned over to Morris without a count, and that the
deputies had started for town at daybreak.

"Well, boys," said Lovell, as we came in after picketing our ho