ver, provided
they arrived before the 15th of the month. He further assured me that
the parties were mere figureheads of The Supply Company; that they were
exceedingly bearish on the market, gloating over the recent depreciation
in prices, and perfectly willing to fatten on the wreck and ruin of
others.

It was long after midnight when the consultation ended. Appointing an
hour for showing the herd the next day, or that one rather, Tussler and
I withdrew, agreeing to be out of town before daybreak. But the blaze
of gambling and the blare of dance-halls held us as in a siren's embrace
until the lights dimmed with the breaking of dawn. Mounting our horses,
we forded the river east of town and avoided the herds, which were just
arising from their bed-grounds. On the divide we halted. Within the
horizon before us, it is safe to assert that one hundred thousand cattle
grazed in lazy contentment, all feeding against the morning breeze. Save
for the freshness of early summer, with its background of green and the
rarified atmosphere of the elevated plain, the scene before us might be
compared to a winter drift of buffalo, ten years previous. Riding down
the farther slope, we reached our camp in time for a late breakfast, the
fifteen-mile ride having whetted our appetites. Three men were on herd,
and sending two more with instructions to water the cattle an hour
before noon, Tussler and I sought the shade of the wagon and fell
asleep. It was some time after midday when, on sighting the expected
conveyance approaching our camp, the cook aroused us. Performing a
rather hasty ablution, I met the vehicle, freshened, and with my wits on
tap. I nearly dragged the detective from the livery rig, addressing him
as "Charley," and we made a rough ado over each other. Several of the
other boys came forward and, shaking hands, greeted him with equal
familiarity. As two strangers alighted on the opposite side, the
detective took me around and they were introduced as Mr. Field and Mr.
Radcliff, prospective beef buyers. The boys had stretched a tarpaulin,
affording ample shade, and Parent invited every one to dinner. The two
strangers were rather testy, but Siringo ate ravenously, repeatedly
asking for things which were usually kept in a well-stocked chuck-wagon,
meanwhile talking with great familiarity with Tussler and me.

The strangers said little, but were amused at the lightness of our
dinner chat. I could see at a glance that they were n