the ranch of this enemy of live stock.

Together my foreman and I planned for starting an improved herd of
cattle. A canon on the west was decided on as a range, as it was well
watered from living springs, having a valley several miles wide,
forming a park with ample range for two thousand cattle. The bluffs
on either side were abrupt, almost an in closure, making it an easy
matter for two men to loose-herd a small amount of stock, holding them
adjoining my deeded range, yet separate. The survival of the fittest
was adopted as the rule in beginning the herd, five hundred choice
cows were to form the nucleus, to be the pick of the new ranch, thrift
and formation to decide their selection. Solid colors only were to be
chosen, every natural point in a cow was to be considered, with
the view of reproducing the race in improved form. My foreman--an
intelligent young fellow--was in complete sympathy, and promised
me that he would comb the range in selecting the herd. The first
appearance of grass in the spring was agreed on as the time for
gathering the cows, when he would personally come to the Clear
Fork and receive the importation of bulls, thus fully taking all
responsibility in establishing the improved herd. By this method,
unless our plans miscarried, in the course of a few years we expected
to be raising quarter-bloods in the main ranch stock, and at the same
time retaining all those essential qualities that distinguish the
range-raised from the domestic-bred animal.

On my return to the Clear Fork, which was now my home, a letter from
my active partner was waiting, informing me that he and Edwards would
reach Texas about the time the list of awards would arrive. They had
been unsuccessful in fully stocking our beef ranch, securing only
three thousand head, as prices were against them, and the letter
intimated that something must be done to provide against a repetition
of this unforeseen situation. The ranch in the Outlet had paid us a
higher per cent on the investment than any of our ventures, and to
neglect fully stocking it was contrary to the creed of Hunter, Anthony
& Co. True, we were double-wintering some four thousand head of cattle
on our Cherokee range, but if a fair allowance of awards was allotted
the firm, requiring northern wintered cattle in filling, it might
embarrass us to supply the same when we did not have the beeves in
hand; it was our business to have the beef.

At the appointed time the buck