d spoke of his mission, admitted
deprecatingly that he had taken a little ride south and west that
afternoon, and if it was not too much trouble he would like to look
over our beeves on the north of the Nueces in the morning. He showed
no enthusiasm, but acknowledged that he was buying for shipment, and
thought that another month's good grass ought to put our steers in fair
condition. I noticed Uncle Lance clouding up over the buyer's lack of
appreciation, but he controlled himself, and when Mr. Orahood expressed
a wish to retire, my employer said to his guest, as with candle in hand
the two stood in parting:--

"Well, now, Wayne, that's too bad about the cattle being so thin. I've
been working my horse stock lately, and didn't get any chance to ride
the range until this wet spell. But since the screw worms got so bad,
being short-handed, I had to get out and rustle myself or we'd lost a
lot of calves. Of course, I have noticed a steer now and then, and have
been sorry to find them so spring-poor. Actually, Wayne, if we were
expecting company, we'd have to send to the ferry and get a piece of
bacon, as I haven't seen a hoof fit to kill. That roast beef which you
had for supper--well, that was sent us by a neighbor who has fat cows.
About a year ago now, water was awful scarce with us, and a few old cows
died up and down this valley. I suppose you didn't hear of it, living
so far away. Heretofore, every time we had a drouth there was such a
volunteer growth of fallow-weed that the cattle got mud fat following
every dry spell. Still I'll show you a few cattle among the guajio brush
and sand hills on the divide in the morning and see what you think of
them. But of course, if they lack flesh, in case you are buying for
shipment I shan't expect you to bid on them."

The old ranchero and the buyer rode away early the next morning, and did
not return until near the middle of the afternoon, having already agreed
on a sale. I was asked to write in duplicate the terms and conditions.
In substance, Las Palomas ranch agreed to deliver at Rockport on the
coast, on the twentieth of May, and for each of the following three
months, twelve hundred and fifty beeves, four years old and upward.
The consideration was $27.50 per head, payable on delivery. I knew my
employer had oversold his holdings, but there would be no trouble in
making up the five thousand head, as all our neighbors would gladly turn
in cattle to fill the contract. The