lined to be beaten just at this stage of the game--the end of this
frightfully exhausting and most momentous trip, or to be balked and
bluffed by these two raw bone, belligerent termagants, and lose the
fruits of my thus far assured success-- I wanted to make a clean "sweep
up" of my trip, and, in order to do so--_I must have those carbines_,
now that I felt I was so close to them-- So I swung around to other
tactics--or, rather _Grand Strategy_-- "If you don't produce those
carbines from their places of concealment, which I know to be here or
about your premises, I shall be compelled to search your ranch"-- This
last shot hit hard-- More and more abuse, coupled with more threats of
what the "old man" would do to me. The climax had now come-- I could not
see my way clear to bluff any longer-- I felt that I must act at once
and decisively-- "Corporal Charlton, call the men at once-- Search this
ranch thoroughly-- If necessary rip up the floors, and turn over the
"_loft_"; ransack all of the out buildings, but be careful that you do
not injure these _ladies_" (?) "If they resist or try to use any guns,
treat them as you would 'he' _men_; jump on them, and securely rope
them--and don't let them get 'the drop' on you-- You take charge of the
job and see that it is well done"-- His steel-blue eyes flashed-- My
musketeer Corporal--"d'Artagnon"--sprang at it with a relish-- He had
heard, and been the object--of much of the abuse of these scolding
viragos-- The ranch was thoroughly searched--the "rough-neck" women
offering no resistance except with their bitter tongues which shot off
the vilest sort of "_Billings gate_"-- It was without avail. The
carbines were evidently concealed at some point distant from the house--
As we were about to leave--the women, unconquered--again spat out-- "If
the 'old man' wuz heah he would lick you uns out o' yer boots". Here was
a fine chance for another bluff. I walked up to them, and in my most
impressive manner gave here this decisive Coup d'Etat-- "_If your old
man doesn't deliver those carbines into Fort Richardson by 10 o'clock
to-morrow morning--I will bring this same detachment out here with a raw
hide lariat and hang him to that oak tree_"-- They had seen me ransack
the ranch, they had known what that threat of hanging meant in the
reconstruction days among the "bad men"--the "gun men" and desperadoes
of the far South West-- They showed signs of wilting--and I departed,
inwardly cursing t