because some of the men
had on only ordinary coats, and the drizzling rain seemed determined
that the fire should not blaze high.

Before they had finished eating we heard a shot, followed by a regular
medley of dull booms. The men were in their saddles and gone in less
time than it takes to tell it. The firing had ceased save for a few
sharp reports from the revolvers, like a coyote's spiteful snapping.
The pounding of the horse's hoofs grew fainter, and soon all was still.
I kept my ears strained for the slightest sound. The cook and the boss,
the only men up, hurried back to bed. Watson had risen so hurriedly
that he had not been careful about his "tarp" and water had run into
his bed. But that wouldn't disconcert anybody but a tenderfoot. I kept
waiting in tense silence to hear them come back with dead or wounded,
but there was not a sound. The rain had stopped. Mrs. Louderer struck a
match and said it was three o'clock. Soon she was asleep. Through a
rift in the clouds a star peeped out. I could smell the wet sage and
the sand. A little breeze came by, bringing Tex's song once more:--

"Oh, it matters not, so I've been told,
How the body lies when the heart grows cold."

Oh, dear! the world seemed so full of sadness. I kissed my baby's
little downy head and went to sleep.

It seems that cowboys are rather sleepy-headed in the morning and it is
a part of the cook's job to get them up. The next I knew, Herman had a
tin pan on which he was beating a vigorous tattoo, all the time
hollering, "We haf cackle-berries und antelope steak for breakfast."
The baby was startled by the noise, so I attended to him and then
dressed myself for breakfast. I went down to the little spring to wash
my face. The morning was lowering and gray, but a wind had sprung up
and the clouds were parting. There are times when anticipation is a
great deal better than realization. Never having seen a cackle-berry,
my imagination pictured them as some very luscious wild fruit, and I
was so afraid none would be left that I couldn't wait until the men
should eat and be gone. So I surprised them by joining the very
earliest about the fire. Herman began serving breakfast. I held out my
tin plate and received some of the steak, an egg, and two delicious
biscuits. We had our coffee in big enameled cups, without sugar or
cream, but it was piping hot and _so_ good. I had finished my egg and
steak and so I told Herman I was ready for my cackle-be