r mutual protection. By cooeperation we could present a united front
to our enemies, the usurpers, and defy them in their nefarious schemes
of exacting tribute. Other ranges besides ours had suffered by fire
and fence-cutters during the winter just passed, and I returned to
find my fellow cowmen a unit for organization. A meeting was called at
the agency, every owner of cattle on the reservation responded, and an
association was perfected for our mutual interest and protection. The
reservation was easily capable of carrying half a million cattle, the
tribes were pleased with the new order of things, and we settled down
with a feeling of security not enjoyed in many a day.

But our tranquil existence received a shock within a month, when a
cowboy from a neighboring ranch, and without provocation, was shot
down by Indian police in a trader's store at the agency. The young
fellow was a popular Texan, and as nearly all the men employed on the
reservation came from the South, it was with difficulty that our boys
were restrained from retaliating. Those from Texas had little or no
love for an Indian anyhow, and nothing but the plea of policy in
preserving peaceful relations with the tribes held them in check. The
occasional killing of cattle by Indians was overlooked, until they
became so bold as to leave the hides and heads in the pasture, when
an appeal was made to the agent. But the aborigine, like his white
brother, has sinful ways, and the influence of one evil man can
readily combat the good advice of half a dozen right-minded ones, and
the Quaker agent found his task not an easy one. Cattle were being
killed in remote and unfrequented places, and still we bore with it,
the better class of Indians, however, lending their assistance to
check the abuse. On one occasion two boys and myself detected a band
of five young bucks skinning a beef in our pasture, and nothing but my
presence prevented a clash between my men and the thieves. But it
was near the wild-plum season, and as we were making preparations
to celebrate that event, the killing of a few Indians might cause
distrust, and we dropped out of sight and left them to the enjoyment
of their booty. It was pure policy on my part, as we could shame
or humble the Indian, and if the abuse was not abated, we could
remunerate ourselves by with-holding from the rent money the value of
cattle killed.

Our organization for mutual protection was accepted by our enemies as
a fin