I reached my
destination the following evening, I was held up seven different
times. I got so used to it that I was happily disappointed every
shelter I passed, if some man did not step out and throw a gun in my
face.

"I had trouble to convince the cattle hunters of my experiences, but
the absence of any ammunition, which they needed worst, at last led
them to give credit to my tale. I was expected home within a week, as
I was to go down on the Nueces on a cow hunt which was making up, and
I only rested one day at the hunters' camp. On their advice, I took a
different route on my way home, leaving the mules behind me. I never
saw a man the next day returning, and was feeling quite gala on my
good fortune. When evening came on, I sighted a little ranch house
some distance off the trail, and concluded to ride to it and stay
overnight. As I approached, I saw that some one lived there, as there
were chickens and dogs about, but not a person in sight. I dismounted
and knocked on the door, when, without a word, the door was thrown
wide open and a half dozen guns were poked into my face. I was ordered
into the house and given a chance to tell my story again. Whether my
story was true or not, they took no chances on me, but kept me all
night. One of the men took my horse to the stable and cared for him,
and I was well fed and given a place to sleep, but not a man offered a
word of explanation, from which I took it they did not belong to the
vigilance faction. When it came time to go to bed, one man said to me,
'Now, sonny, don't make any attempt to get away, and don't move out of
your bed without warning us, for you'll be shot as sure as you do. We
won't harm a hair on your head if you're telling us the truth; only do
as you're told, for we'll watch you.'

"By this time I had learned to obey orders while in that county, and
got a fair night's sleep, though there were men going and coming all
night. The next morning I was given my breakfast; my horse, well
cuffed and saddled, was brought to the door, and with this parting
advice I was given permission to go: 'Son, if you've told us the
truth, don't look back when you ride away. You'll be watched for the
first ten miles after leaving here, and if you've lied to us it will
go hard with you. Now, remember, don't look back, for these are times
when no one cares to be identified.' I never questioned that man's
advice; it was 'die dog or eat the hatchet' with me. I mounted my
hors