orts from the convention,
and on the suggestion of a friend I began to skirmish around for a
second case of bitters. There were only three drug stores in the
town, and as I was ignorant of the law, I naturally went back to the
druggist from whom I secured the first case. To my surprise he refused
to supply my wants, and haughtily informed me that one application a
day was all the law permitted him to sell to any one person. Rebuffed,
I turned to another drug store, and was greeted by the proprietor, who
formerly ran a saloon in Dodge. He recognized me, calling me by name;
and after we had pledged our acquaintance anew behind the prescription
case, I was confidentially informed that I could have his whole house
and welcome, even if the State of Kansas did object and he had to go
to jail. We both regretted that the good old days in the State were
gone, but I sent around another case of bitters and a box of cigars,
and sat down patiently to await results. With no action taken by
the middle of the afternoon, I sent around a third installment of
refreshments, and an hour later called in person at the door of the
convention. The doorkeeper refused to admit me, but I caught his eye,
which was glassy, and received a leery wink, while a bottle of bitters
nestled cosily in the open bosom of his shirt. Hopeful that the signs
were favorable, I apologized and withdrew, but was shortly afterwards
sent for and informed that an exception had been made in my favor, and
that I might cross the river at my will and pleasure. In the interim
of waiting, in case I was successful, I had studied up a little speech
of thanks, and as I arose to express my appreciation, a chorus of
interruptions greeted me: "G' on, Reed! G' on, you d----d old
cow-thief! Git out of town or we'll hang you!"

With the trail a thing of the past, I settled down to the peaceful
pursuits of a ranchman. The fencing of ranges soon became necessary,
the Clear Fork tract being first inclosed, and a few years later
owners of pastures adjoining the Double Mountain ranch wished to
fence, and I fell in with the prevailing custom. On the latter range
I hold title to a little over one million acres, while there are two
hundred sections of school land included in my western pasture, on
which I pay a nominal rental for its use. All my cattle are now
graded, and while no effort is made to mature them, the advent of
cotton-seed oil mills and other sources of demand have always afforde