up by Scandinavian immigrants. The representative
of the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas, when opportunity offered, enumerated
every disaster which had happened to any herd to the westward of his
line in the past five years. The factor of the International was equally
well posted.

"Now, Mr. Lovell," said he, dumping a bundle of papers on the table, "if
you will kindly glance over these documents, I think I can convince you
that it is only a question of a few years until all trail cattle will
ship the greater portion of the way. Here is a tabulated statement up to
and including the year '83. From twenty counties tributary to our line
and south of this city, you will notice that in '80 we practically
handled no cattle intended for the trail. Passing on to the next
season's drive, you see we secured a little over ten per cent. of the
cattle and nearly thirty per cent. of the horse stock. Last year, or for
'83, drovers took advantage of our low rates for Red River points, and
the percentage ran up to twenty-four and a fraction, or practically
speaking, one fourth of the total drive. We are able to offer the
same low rates this year, and all arrangements are completed with our
connecting lines to give live-stock trains carrying trail cattle a
passenger schedule. Now, if you care to look over this correspondence,
you will notice that we have inquiries which will tax our carrying
capacity to its utmost. The 'Laurel Leaf' and 'Running W' people alone
have asked for a rate on thirty thousand head."

But the drover brushed the correspondence aside, and asked for the
possible feed bills. A blanket rate had been given on the entire
shipment from that city, or any point south, to Wichita Falls, with one
rest and feed. Making a memorandum of the items, Lovell arose from the
table and came over to where Jim Flood and I were searching for Fort
Buford on a large wall map. We were both laboring under the impression
that it was in Montana, but after our employer pointed it out to us at
the mouth of the Yellowstone in Dakota, all three of us adjourned to
an ante-room. Flood was the best posted trail foreman in Don Lovell's
employ, and taking seats at the table, we soon reduced the proposed
shipping expense to a pro-rata sum per head. The result was not to
be considered, and on returning to the main office, our employer, as
already expressed, declined the proffered rate.

Then the freight men doubled on him, asking if he had taken into
con