rmined to interest Mr. Hunter if it took a whole month. And
thereby hangs a tale.

The native Texan is not distinguished for energy or ambition. His
success in cattle is largely due to the fact that nearly all the work
can be done on horseback. Yet in that particular field he stands at
the head of his class; for whether in Montana or his own sunny Texas,
when it comes to handling cattle, from reading brands to cutting a
trainload of beeves, he is without a peer. During the palmy days of
the Cherokee Strip, a Texan invited Captain Stone, a Kansas City man,
to visit his ranch in Tom Green County and put up a herd of steers to
be driven to Stone's beef ranch in the Cherokee Outlet. The invitation
was accepted, and on the arrival of the Kansas City man at the Texan's
ranch, host and guest indulged in a friendly visit of several days'
duration. It was the northern cowman's first visit to the Lone Star
State, and he naturally felt impatient to see the cattle which he
expected to buy. But the host made no movement to show the stock
until patience ceased to be a virtue, when Captain Stone moved an
adjournment of the social session and politely asked to be shown a
sample of the country's cattle. The two cowmen were fast friends, and
no offense was intended or taken; but the host assured his guest
there was no hurry, offering to get up horses and show the stock
the following day. Captain Stone yielded, and the next morning they
started, but within a few miles met a neighbor, when all three
dismounted in the shade of a tree. Commonplace chat of the country
occupied the attention of the two Texans until hunger or some
other warning caused one of them to look at his watch, when it was
discovered to be three o'clock in the afternoon. It was then too late
in the day to make an extensive ride, and the ranchman invited his
neighbor and guest to return to the ranch for the night. Another day
was wasted in entertaining the neighbor, the northern cowman, in the
meantime, impatient and walking on nettles until a second start was
made to see the cattle. It was a foggy morning, and they started on
a different route from that previously taken, the visiting ranchman
going along. Unnoticed, a pack of hounds followed the trio of
horsemen, and before the fog lifted a cougar trail was struck and the
dogs opened in a brilliant chorus. The two Texans put spurs to their
horses in following the pack, the cattle buyer of necessity joining
in, the chase