tle more
capital, which seemed my opportunity, and the upshot was that we formed
a partnership, for good or for ill, which lasted for many years (over
twelve), but which was never financially successful. Considering my
entire ignorance of cattle affairs, and having abounding confidence in
my two partners, I agreed to leave the entire control and management in
their hands.

It was about this time (1883) that I was fortunate enough to meet at
Fort Sumner the then great Western celebrity, "Billy the Kid." Billy was
a young cowboy who started wrong by using his gun on some trivial
occasion. Like all, or at least many, young fellows of his age he wanted
to appear a "bad man." One shooting scrape led to another; he became an
outlaw; cattle troubles, and finally the Lincoln County War, in which he
took a leading part, gave him every opportunity for his now murdering
propensities, so that soon the tally of his victims amounted to some
twenty-five lives. The Lincoln County New Mexico "War," in which it is
believed that first to last over 200 men were killed, was purely a
cattleman's war, but the most terrible and bloody that ever took place
in the West. New Mexico was at that time probably the most lawless
country in the world.

Only a month after my meeting Billy in Fort Sumner he was killed there,
not in his "boots," but in his stockings, by Sheriff Pat Garret. He was
shot practically in his bed and given no "show." His age when killed was
only twenty-three years. There were afterwards many other "kids" emulous
of Billy's renown, because of which, and their youthfulness, they were
always the most dangerous of men.

Our senior partner, not satisfied with New Mexico, went out to Arizona
for a look round, liked the prospect, and decided to locate there, so we
moved out accordingly. Arizona (Arida Zona) was at this time a
practically new and unoccupied territory; that is, though there were a
few Mexicans, a few Mormons and a great many Indians, a few sheep and
fewer cattle, it could not be called a settled country, and most of the
grazing land was in a virgin state.

My partner had bought out a Mexican's rights, his cattle, water-claims,
ranches, etc., located at the Cienega in Apache county, near the
head-waters of the Little Colorado River. To close the deal part payment
in advance had to be made; and to ensure promptness the paper was given
to my care to be delivered to the seller as quickly as possible.
Accordingly I trav