ten
thousand beeves, as a sub-contractor on the original award to The
Western Supply Company." The post commander, an elderly, white-haired
officer, rode over and smilingly said: "Now, look here, my Texas friend,
I'm afraid you are borrowing trouble. True enough, there has been a
protest made against our receiving your beeves, and I don't mince my
words in saying that some hard things have been said about you. But we
happen to know something about your reputation and don't give credit for
all that is said. Your beeves are an eloquent argument in your favor,
and if I were you I wouldn't worry. It is always a good idea in this
Western country to make a proviso; and unless the unforeseen happens,
the quartermaster's cattle foreman will count your beeves to-morrow
afternoon; and for the sake of your company, if we keep you a day or two
longer settling up, I don't want to hear you kick. Now, come on and go
back with us to the post, as I promised my wife to bring you over to our
house this evening. She seems to think that a man from Texas with ten
thousand cattle ought to have horns, and I want to show her that she's
mistaken. Come on, now, and not a damned word of protest out of you."

The military party started on their return, accompanied by Lovell. The
civilian attaches followed at a respectful distance, a number of us
joining them as far as Sponsilier's camp. There we halted, when Sanders
insisted on an explanation of the remarks which had passed between our
employer and his. Being once more among his own, he felt no delicacy
in asking for information--which he would never think of doing with his
superiors. My brother gave him a true version of the situation, but it
remained for Dave Sponsilier to add an outline of the opposition herds
and outfits.

"With humane treatment," said Dave, "the cattle would have qualified
under the specifications. They were bought at Ogalalla, and any of the
boys here will tell you that the first one was a good herd. The market
was all shot to pieces, and they picked them up at their own price. But
the owners didn't have cow-sense enough to handle the cattle, and put
one of their own gang over the herds as superintendent. They left Cabin
Creek, below Glendive, on the morning of the 10th, and they'll have
to travel nearly twenty miles a day to reach here by noon to-morrow.
Sanders, you know that gait will soon kill heavy cattle. The outfits
were made up of short-card men and dance-hall orname