history of this case shows that the
opposition has no regard for the rights of others, and it is up to us to
try and teach them that a love of justice is universal. Personally,
I'm nothing but a frontier lawyer from Dodge, but I'm the equal of any
lobbyist that ever left Washington City."

Alkali Lake was some little distance from the post. All three of the
herds were holding beyond it, a polite request having reached them to
vacate the grazing-ground of the cavalry horses. Lovell still insisted
that we stand aloof and give the constituted authorities a free,
untrammeled hand until the inspection was over. The quartermaster and
his assistants halted on approaching the first herd, and giving them
a wide berth, we rode for the nearest good point of observation.
The officers galloped up shortly afterward, reining in for a short
conversation, but entering the first herd before the arrival of the
conveyances and their escort. When the latter party arrived, the nearest
one of the three herds had been passed upon, but the contractors stood
on the carriage seats and attempted to look over the cordon of troopers,
formed into a hollow square, which surrounded them. The troop were
mounted on chestnut horses, making a pretty sight, and I think they
enjoyed the folly and humor of the situation fully as much as we did.
On nearing the second herd, we were met by the other boys, who had given
the cattle a thorough going-over and reported finding two "Circle Dot"
beeves among the opposition steers. The chances are that they had walked
off a bed-ground some night while holding at Ogalalla and had been
absorbed into another herd before morning. My brother announced his
intention of taking them back with us, when Sponsilier taunted him with
the fact that there might be objections offered.

"That'll be all right, Davy," replied Bob; "it'll take a bigger and
better outfit than these pimps and tin-horns to keep me from claiming
my own. You just watch and notice if those two steers don't go back with
Forrest. Why, they had the nerve to question our right even to look them
over. It must be a trifle dull with the GIRLS down there in Ogalalla
when all these 'babies' have to turn out at work or go hungry."

Little time was lost in inspecting the last herd. The cattle were thrown
entirely too close together to afford much opportunity in looking them
over, and after riding through them a few times, the officers rode away
for a consultation. We ha