alle man that he's better entitled to the work
than the Dimmit inspector, and he'll wait until the herd is ready to
start. Now, you handle the one, and I'll keep the other as my guest.
We must keep them apart and let them buck each other to their hearts'
content. Every hoof in your herd will be in a ranch brand of record; but
still the law demands inspection and you must comply with it. I'll give
you a duplicate list of the brands, so that neither inspector need see
the herd, and if we don't save your employer a hundred dollars, then we
are amateurs."

Everything was pointing to an auspicious start. The last cattle on the
delivery were equal to the first, if not better. The sky clouded over,
and before noon a light shower fell, settling the dust in the corrals.
Help increased as the various bunches were accepted, and at the end of
the day only a few over two hundred remained to complete our numbers.
The last contingent were fully up to the standard; and rather than
disappoint the sellers, I accepted fifty head extra, making my herd at
starting thirty-four hundred and fifty. When the last beef had passed
the branding-chute, there was nothing remaining but to give a receipt
to the seller for the number of head received, in behalf of my employer,
pending a later settlement between them.

Meanwhile competition in the matter of inspection had been carefully
nursed. Conscious of each other's presence, and both equally anxious for
the fee, the one deputy was entertained at my camp and the other at Los
Lobos. They were treated courteously, but given to understand that in
the present instance money talked. With but a small bunch of beeves to
brand on the starting day, the direction in which the herd was allowed
to leave the bed-ground would be the final answer. If west, Dimmit had
underbid Lasalle; if the contrary, then the departure of this herd
would be a matter of record in the latter county. Dr. Beaver enjoyed
the situation hugely, acting the intermediary in behalf of his guest.
Personally I was unconcerned, but was neutral and had little to say.

My outfit understood the situation perfectly. Before retiring on the
night of our last camp on the county line, and in the presence of the
Dimmit inspector, the last relief received instructions, in the absence
of contrary orders, to allow the herd to drift back into Lasalle in
the morning. Matters were being conducted in pantomime, and the players
understood their parts. Our gue