and
pricing them. We spent a week at the capital city and met all the
trail drovers living there, many of whom expected to put up herds for
that year southeast on the Colorado River. "Shanghai" Pierce had
for some time been a prominent figure in the markets of Abilene and
Wichita, driving herds of his own from the extreme coast country. But
our market required a better quality than coasters and Mexican cattle,
and we turned back up the country. Before leaving the capital, Major
Hunter and I had a long talk with my merchant friend over the land
scrip market, and the latter urged its purchase at once, if wanted, as
the issue afloat was being gradually absorbed. Already there had been
a noticeable advance in the price, and my partner gave me no
peace until I bought, at eighteen dollars a section, two hundred
certificates more. Its purchase was making an inroad on my working
capital, but the major frowned on my every protest, and I yielded out
of deference to his superior judgment.

Returning, we stopped in Bell County, where we contracted for fifteen
thousand two and three year old steers. They were good prairie-raised
cattle, and we secured them at a dollar a head less than the prices
prevailing in the first few counties south of Red River. Major Hunter
remained behind, arranging his banking facilities, and I returned home
after my outfits. Before leaving Bell County, I left word that we
could use fifty good men for the trail, but they would have to come
recommended by the ranchmen with whom we were dealing. We expected to
make up five herds, and the cattle were to be ready for delivery to
us between the 15th and 30th of March. I hastened home and out to the
ranch, gathered our saddle stock, outfitted wagons, and engaged all
my old foremen and twenty trusty men, and we started with a remuda
of five hundred horses to begin the operations of the coming summer.
Receiving cattle with me was an old story by this time, and frequently
matters came to a standstill between the sellers and ourselves. We
paid no attention to former customs of the country; all cattle had
to come up full-aged or go into the younger class, while inferior or
knotty stags were turned back as not wanted. Scarcely a day passed but
there was more or less dispute; but we proposed paying for them, and
insisted that all cattle tendered must come up to the specifications
of the contract. We stood firm, and after the first two herds were
received, all trouble o