there had been a random
return fire. The deputies halted well out of pistol range, covering the
retreat of the occupants of the carriage as best they could, but leaving
three dead horses in plain view. As we dropped back towards Forrest's
wagon, the team in the mean time having been caught, those on foot
were picked up and given seats in the conveyance. Meanwhile a remuda of
horses and two chuck-wagons were sighted back on the old wood road, but
a horseman met and halted them and they turned back for Ogalalla. On
reaching our nearest camp, the posse south of the river had started on
their return, leaving behind one of their number in the muddy waters of
the North Platte.

Late that evening, as we were preparing to leave for our respective
camps, Lovell said to the assembled foremen: "Quince will take Reed and
me into Ogalalla about midnight. If Sutton advises it, all three of us
will go down to Omaha and try and square things. I can't escape a severe
fine, but what do I care as long as I have their money to pay it with?
The killing of that fool boy worries me more than a dozen fines. It
was uncalled for, too, but he would butt in, and you fellows were all
itching for the chance to finger a trigger. Now the understanding is
that you all start in the morning."

CHAPTER XVI. CROSSING THE NIOBRARA

The parting of the ways was reached. On the morning of July 12, the
different outfits in charge of Lovell's drive in '84 started on three
angles of the compass for their final destination. The Rosebud Agency,
where Flood's herd was to be delivered on September 1, lay to the
northeast in Dakota. The route was not direct, and the herd would be
forced to make quite an elbow, touching on the different forks of the
Loup in order to secure water. The Rebel and my brother would follow up
on the south side of the North Platte until near old Fort Laramie, when
their routes would separate, the latter turning north for Montana,
while Priest would continue along the same watercourse to within a short
distance of his destination. The Buford herds would strike due north
from the first tributary putting in from above, which we would intercept
the second morning out.

An early start was the order of the day. My beeves were pushed from the
bed-ground with the first sign of dawn, and when the relief overtook
them, they were several miles back from the river and holding a
northwest course. My camp being the lowest one on the North Fork,
F