of
all charge, until quarantine was lifted. But I suggested, instead, that
they send three or four men with their horses and blankets, leaving the
remainder to be provided for by the local committee. In my two days'
ride, over fifty volunteers were tendered, but I refused all except
twenty, who were to report at Glendive not later than the morning of the
6th. On my return to the railroad, all arrangements were completed and
the outlook was promising. Couriers had arrived from the south during
my absence, bringing the news of the coming of the through Texas cattle,
and warning the local ranches to clear the way or take the consequences.
All native stock had been pushed west of the Powder and Yellowstone,
as far north as Cabin Creek, which had been decided on as the second
quarantine-line. Daily reports were being received of the whereabouts of
the moving herds, and at the rate they were traveling, they would
reach Cabin Creek about the 7th. Two wagons had been outfitted, cooks
employed, and couriers dispatched to watch the daily progress of the
cattle, which, if following the usual route, would strike the deadline
some distance south of Glendive.

During the next few days, Sponsilier and I were social lions in that
town, and so great was our popularity we could have either married or
been elected to office. We limited our losses at poker to so much an
evening, and what we won from the merchant class we invariably lost
among the volunteer guards and cowmen, taking our luck with a sangfroid
which proved us dead-game sports, and made us hosts of friends. We had
contributed one hundred dollars to the general quarantine fund, and had
otherwise made ourselves popular with all classes in the brief time at
our command. Under the pretense that we might receive orders at any time
to overtake our herds, we declined all leadership in the second campaign
about to be inaugurated against Texas fever. Dave and I were both
feeling rather chesty over the masterful manner in which we had aroused
the popular feeling in favor of quarantine in our own interest, at the
same time making it purely a local movement. We were swaggering about
like ward-heelers, when on the afternoon of the 5th the unexpected again
happened. The business interests of the village usually turned out to
meet the daily passenger trains, even the poker-games taking a recess
until the cars went past. The arrival and departure of citizens of
the place were noted by every o