w, but the colonel here thinks it's an 'O.' I happen to
know the cow and the brand both; she came into the herd four hundred
miles south of here while we were watering the herd in the Nueces
River. The 'Q' is a little dim, but it's plenty plain to hold her for
the present."

"If she's a 'Q' cow I have no claim on her," protested the stranger,
"but if the brand is an 'O,' then I claim her as a stray from our
range, and I don't care if she came into your herd when you were
watering in the San Fernando River in Old Mexico, I'll claim her just
the same. I'm going to ask you to throw her."

"I'll throw her for you," coolly replied Fox, "and bet you my saddle
and six-shooter on the side that it isn't an 'O,' and even if it was,
you and all the thieves on the Concho can't take her. I know a few of
the simple principles of rustling myself. Do you want her thrown?"

"That's what I asked for."

"Throw her, then," said Flood, "and don't let's parley."

Fox rode back in to the herd, and after some little delay, located the
cow and worked her out to the edge of the cattle. Dropping his rope,
he cut her out clear of the herd, and as she circled around in an
endeavor to reenter, he rode close and made an easy cast of the rope
about her horns. As he threw his horse back to check the cow, I rode
to his assistance, my rope in hand, and as the cow turned ends, I
heeled her. A number of the outfit rode up and dismounted, and one of
the boys taking her by the tail, we threw the animal as humanely as
possible. In order to get at the brand, which was on the side, we
turned the cow over, when Flood took out his knife and cut the hair
away, leaving the brand easily traceable.

"What is she, Jim?" inquired Fox, as he sat his horse holding the rope
taut.

"I'll let this man who claims her answer that question," replied
Flood, as her claimant critically examined the brand to his
satisfaction.

"I claim her as an 'O' cow," said the stranger, facing Flood.

"Well, you claim more than you'll ever get," replied our foreman.
"Turn her loose, boys."

The cow was freed and turned back into the herd, but the claimant
tried to argue the matter with Flood, claiming the branding iron had
simply slipped, giving it the appearance of a "Q" instead of an "O" as
it was intended to be. Our foreman paid little attention to the
stranger, but when his persistence became annoying checked his
argument by saying,--

"My Christian friend, there's no use ar