13 - The Log of a Cowboy: Dodge

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter thirteen of The Log of a Cowboy by Andy Adams.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Dodge, at
Camp Supply, Flood received a letter from Lovell requesting him
to come on into Dodge ahead of the cattle. So
after the first night's camp above the Cimarron, Flood caught

(00:23):
up a favorite horse, informed the outfit that he was
going to quit us for a few days and designated
Quince Forrest as a segundo during his absence. You have
wide open country from here into Dodge, said he, when
ready to start, and I'll make inquiry for you daily
from men coming in or from the buckboard which carries

(00:45):
the mail to Supply. I'll try to meet you at
Mulberry Creek, which is about ten miles south of Dodge.
I'll make that town to night, and you ought to
make the Mulberry in two days. You will see the
smoke of passing trains to the north of the Arkansas
from the first divide south of Mulberry when you reach

(01:06):
that creek. In case I don't meet you, hold the
herd there and three or four of you can come
into town. But I'm almost certain to meet you, he
called back, as he rode away, Priest said Quince, when
our foreman had gone, I reckon, you didn't handle your
her to suit the old man when he left us
that time at Buffalo Gap, But I think he used

(01:29):
rare judgment this time in selecting a segundo. The only
thing that frets me is I'm afraid he'll meet us
before we reach the Maulberry, and that won't give me
a chance to go in ahead like a sure enough foreman.
Fact is, I have business there. I deposited a few
months wages at the Long Branch gambling house last year

(01:49):
when I was in Dodge and failed to take a receipt.
I just want to drop in and make inquiry. If
they gave me credit, and if the account is drawing interest,
I think it's all right for the man I deposited
with was a clever fellow and asked me to have
a drink with him just as I was leaving. Still,
I'd like to step in and see him again. Early

(02:13):
in the afternoon of the second day, after our foreman
left us, we sighted the smoke of passing trains, though
they were at least fifteen miles distant and long before
we reached the Maulbury. A livery rig came down the
trail to meet us to Forest Chagrin. Flood, all dressed
up and with a white collar on was a driver,

(02:35):
while on the back seat sat Don Lovell and another
cowman by the name of mc Nulta. Every rascal of
us gave old man Don the glad hand as they
drove around the herd, while he liberal and delighted as
a bridegroom, passed out the cigars by the handful. The
cattle were looking fine, which put the old man in

(02:56):
high spirits, and he inquired of each of us if
our health was good and if Flood had fed us well.
They loitered around the herd the rest of the evening
until we threw off the trail to Gray's and camp
for the night, when Lovell declared his intention of staying
all night with the outfit. While we were catching horses

(03:16):
during the evening, Lovell came up to me where I
was saddling my night horse, and recognizing me, gave me
news of my brother Bob. I had a letter yesterday
from him, he said, written from Red Fork, which is
just north of the Cimarron River, over on the Chisholm route.
He reports everything going along nicely and I'm expecting him

(03:38):
to show up here within a week. His herd are
all beef steers and contracted for delivery at the Crow
Indian Agency. He's not driving as fast as flood, but
we've got to have our beef for that delivery in
better condition, as they have a new agent there this
year and he may be one of those knowing fellows.

(03:59):
Sorry you couldn't see you, brother, but if you have
any word to send him, I'll deliver it. I thanked
him for the interest he had taken in me and
assured him that I had no news for Robert, but
took advantage of the opportunity to inquire if our middle
brother zac Quirk was on the trail with any of
his herds. Lovell knew him, but felt positive he was

(04:21):
not with any of his outfits. We had an easy
night with the cattle. Lovell insisted on standing a guard,
so he took Rod Wheat's horse and stood the first watch,
and after returning to the wagon, he and mc nultah,
to our great interest, argued the merits of the different
trails until near midnight mc Nauta had two herds coming

(04:43):
in on the Chisholm trail, while Lovell had two herds
on the western and only one on the Chisholm. The
next morning, Forrest, who was again in charge, received orders
to cross the Arkansas River shortly after noon and then
let half the outl come in the town. The old
trail crossed the river about a mile above the present

(05:05):
town of Dodge City, Kansas. So when we changed horses
at noon, the first and second guards caught up their
top horses, ransacked their war bags, and donned their best toggery.
We crossed the river about one o'clock in order to
give the boys a good holiday, the stage of water
making the river easily fordable. Mc cann. After dinner was over,

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drove down on the south side for the benefit of
a bridge which spanned the river opposite the town. It
was the first bridge he had been able to take
advantage of in over a thousand miles of travel, and
today he spurned the cattle ford as though he had
never crossed that one. Once safely over the river, and
with the understanding that the herd would camp for the

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night about six miles north on Duck Creek, six of
our men quit us and rode for the town in
a long gallop before the rig left us in the morning.
Mac Nulta, who was thoroughly familiar with Dodge and an
older man than Lovell, in a friendly and fatherly spirit,
seeing that many of us were youngsters, had given us

(06:12):
an earnest talk and plenty of good advice. I've been
in Dodge every summer since seventy seven, said the old cowman,
and I can give you boys some points. Dodge is
one town where the average bad man of the West
not only finds his equal, but finds himself badly handicapped.

(06:32):
The buffalo hunters and rangemen have protested against the iron
rule of Dodge's peace officers, and nearly every protest has
cost human life. Don't ever get the impression that you
can ride your horses into a saloon or shoot out
the lights in Dodge. It may go somewhere else, but
it don't go there. So I want to warn you

(06:54):
to behave yourselves. You can wear your six shooters in town,
but you'd better leave him at the first place you
stop hotel, livery or business house, and when you leave town,
call for your pistols, but don't ride out shooting omit
that most cowboys think it's an infringement on their rights
to give up shooting in town. And if it is,

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it stands four. Your six shooters are no match for
Winchester's and book Shot and Dodge's officers are as game
a set of men has ever faced danger. Nearly a
generation has passed since McNulta, the Texas cattle drover, gave
our outfit this advice one June morning on the Mulberry.

(07:37):
And in setting down this record, I have only to
scan the roster of the peace officials of Dodge City
to admit its correctness. Among the names that graced the
official roster during the brief span of the trail days
where the brothers ed Jim and Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp,
Jack Bridges, Doc Holliday, Charles Bassett, William Tillman, Shotgun Collins,

(08:03):
Joshua Webb, Mayor A. B. Webster, and mysterious Dave Mather.
The puppets of no romance ever written can compare with
these officers in fearlessness. And let it be understood, there
were plenty to protest against their rule almost daily during
the rain season. Some equally fearless individual defied them, throw

(08:27):
up your hands in surrender, said an officer to a
Texas cowboy who had spurred an excitable horse until it
was rearing and plunging in the street, leveling. Meanwhile, a
double barreled shot gun at the horseman. Not to you,
you white livered s of a b was the instant reply,
accompanied by a shot. The officer staggered back, mortally wounded,

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but recovered himself, and the next instant the cowboy reeled
from his saddle a load of buckshot through his breast.
After the boys left for town, the remainder of us,
belonging to the third and fourth Guard, grazed the cattle
forward leisurely during the afternoon. Through cattle herds were in

(09:11):
sight up and down the river on either side, and
on crossing the Mulberry. The day before, we learned that
several herds were holding out as far south as that stream,
while Macnulta had reported over forty herds as having already
passed northward on the trail. Dodge was the meeting point
for buyers from every quarter. Often herds would sell at Dodge,

(09:33):
whose destination for delivery was beyond the Yellowstone. In Montana,
herds frequently changed owners when the buyer never saw the cattle.
A yearling was a yearling, and a two year old
was a two year old, and the seller's word that
they were as good or better than the string I
sold you last year was sufficient. Cattle were classified as Northern, Central,

(09:57):
and Southern animals, and except in the case of severe
drought and the preceding years, were pretty nearly uniform in
size throughout each section. The prairie section of the state
left its indelible imprint on the cattle bread in the
open country, while the coast, as well as the piney
Woods and black Jack sections did the same, thus making

(10:19):
classification easy. Mc cann overtook us early in the evening. Anne,
being an obliging fellow, was induced by Forest to stand
the first guard with honeymen so as to make up
the proper number of watches, though with only two men
on guard at a time, for it was hardly possible
that any of the others would return before daybreak. There

(10:42):
was much to be seen in Dodge, and as losing
a night's sleep on duty was considered nothing in hilarious recreation,
sleep would be entirely forgotten. MA Cann had not forgotten us,
but had smuggled out a quart bottle to cut the
alkali in our drinking water, but a court amongst eight
of us was not dangerous, so the night passed without incident,

(11:05):
though we felt a growing impatience to get into town
as we expected. About sunrise the next morning, our men
off on holiday, rode into camp, having never closed an
eye during the entire night. They brought word from Flood
that the herd would only graze over to saw Log
Creek that day, so as to let the remainder of

(11:27):
us have a day and night in town. Lovell would
only advance half a month's wages twenty five dollars to
the man. It was ample for any personal needs, though
we had nearly three months wages due. No one protested,
for the old man was generally right in his decisions.
According to their report, the boys had had a hog

(11:48):
killing time, old Man Dawn having been out with them
all night. It seems that mc nulta stood in well
with a class of practical jokers, which included the official
of the town, and whenever there was anything on the
tapis he always got the word for himself and friends.
During breakfast, Fox quarter Night told this incident of the evening,

(12:13):
some professor, a professor in the occ cult sciences, I
think he called himself, had written to the mayor to
know what kind of point Dodge would be for a lecture.
The lecture was to be free, but he also intimated
that he had a card or two on the side
up his sleeve, by which he expected to graft on
the sum of the coin of the realm from the

(12:34):
wayfaring men as well as the citizen. The mayor turned
the letter over to bat Masterson, the city Marshal, who
answered it and invited the professor to come, assuring him
that he was deeply interested in the occult sciences personally
and would take pleasure in securing him a hall and
a date, besides announcing his coming through the papers. Well,

(12:58):
he was billed to deliver his lecture land last night.
Those old longhorns Macnulta and Lovell got us in with
the crowd, and while they didn't know exactly what was coming,
they assured us that we couldn't afford to miss it. Well.
At the appointed hour in the evening, the hall was packed,
not over half being able to find seats. It is

(13:18):
safe to say there were over five hundred men present,
as it was announced for men only. Every gambler in
town was there, with a fair sprinkling of cowmen and
our tribe. At the appointed hour, Masterson, as chairman, rapped
for order, and in a neat little speech, announced the
object of the meeting. Bat mentioned the lack of interest

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in the West in the higher arts and sciences, and
bespoke our careful attention to the subject under consideration for
the evening. He said he felt it hardly necessary to
urge the importance of good order, but if anyone had
come out of idle curiosity or bent on mischief, as
chairman of the meeting and peace officer of the city,
he would certainly brook no interruptions. After a few other

(14:06):
appropriate remarks, he introduced a speaker as doctor Jays Graves Brown,
the noted scientist. The professor was an oily tungued fellow,
and led off on the prelude to his lecture while
the audience was quiet as mice and grave as owls.
After he had spoken about five minutes and was getting

(14:28):
warmed up to his subject, he made an ascertation which
sounded a little fishy, and someone back in the audience
blurted out that's a damned lie. The speaker halted in
his discourse and looked at Masterson, who arose and drawing
two six shooters, looked the audience over as if trying
to locate the offender. Laying the guns down on the table,

(14:51):
he informed the meeting that another interruption would cost the
offender his life if he had to follow him to
the Rio Grande or the British possessions. He then asked
the professor, as there would be no further interruptions, to
proceed with his lecture. The professor hesitated about going on

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when Masterson assured him that it was evident that his audience,
with the exception of one skulking coyote, was deeply interested
in the subject, but that no one man could interfere
with the freedom of speech in Dodge as long as
it was a free country and he was city Marshal.
After this little talk, the speaker braced up and launched

(15:32):
out again on his lecture. When he was once more
under good headway, he had the occasion to relate an
exhibition which he had witnessed while studying his profession in India.
The incident related was a trifle rank for anyone to
swallow raw. When the same party who had interrupted before
sang out, that's another damned lie. Masterson came to his

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feet like a flash, a gun in each hand, saying,
stand up, you measly, skunk, so I can see you.
Half a dozen men rose in different parts of the
house and cut loose at him. As they did so,
the lights went out and the room filled with smoke.
Masterson was blazing away with his two guns, which so
lighted up the rostrum that we could see the professor

(16:19):
crouching under the table. Of course, they were using blank cartridges.
But the audience raised the long yell and poured out
through the windows and doors, and the lecture was over.
A couple of police came in later, so macnaultu said,
escorted at the professor to his room in the hotel,
and quietly advised him that Dodge was hardly capable of

(16:41):
appreciating anything so advanced as a lecture on the occult sciences.
Breakfast over, Honeyman ran in the Ramuda, and we caught
the best horses in our mounts on which to pay
our respects to Dodge. Forrest detailed rod wheed to wrangle
the horses for we intended to take Honeyman with us,

(17:04):
as it was only about six miles over to the
saw log. Quince advised that they grazed along Duck Creek
until after dinner, and then graze over to the former
stream during the afternoon. Before leaving, we rode over and
looked out the trail after it left Duck, for it
was quite possible that we might return during the night,

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and we requested mc cann to hang out the lantern
elevated on the end of the wagon tongue as a beacon.
After taking our bearings, we reined southward over the divide
to dodge. The very first thing I do, said Quince
Forrest as we rode leisurely along. After I get a
shave and a hair cut and buy what few tricks

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I need is to hunt up that gambler in the
long branch and ask him to take a drink with me.
I took the parting one on him. Then I'll simply
set in and win back every dollar I lost there
last year. There's something in this northern air that I
breathed in this morning that tells me that this is
my lucky day. You other kids had better let the

(18:08):
games alone. And save your money to buy red silk
handkerchiefs and soda water and such harmless Jim cracks. The
fact that the rebel was ten years a senior never
entered his mind as he gave us this fatherly advice,
though to be sure, the majority of us were his
juniors in years. On reaching Dodge, we rode up to

(18:30):
the right house where Flood met us, and directed our
cavalcade across the railroad to a livery stable, the proprietor
of which was a friend of Levels. We unsaddled and
turned our horses into a large corral, and while we're
in the office of the livery, surrendering our artillery, Flood
came in and handed each of us twenty five dollars

(18:52):
in gold, warning us that when that was gone, no
more would be advanced. On receipt of the money, we
scattered like partridges before a gunner. Within an hour or two,
we began to return to the stables by ones and twos,
and were stowing in our saddle pockets our purchases, which
ran from needles and thread to forty five cartridges and

(19:16):
every mother's son reflecting the art of the barber. While
John Officer had his blond mustache, blackened, waxed, and curled
like a French dancing master. If some of you boys
will hold him, said Moss Strayhorn, commenting on Officer's appearance.
I'd like to take a good smell of him, just
to see if he took oil up there where the

(19:37):
end of his neck haired over as Officer already had
several drinks, comfortably stowed away under his belt, and stood
up strong six feet too. None of us volunteered. After
packing away our plunder, we sauntered around town, drinking moderately
and visiting the various saloons and gambling houses. I clung

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to my bunkie, the Rebel, during the rounds, for I
had learned like him and had confidence he would lead
me into no indiscretion. At the Long Branch we found
Quince Forrest and Wyat round Tree playing the Faraoh bank,
the former keeping cases. They never recognized us, but were

(20:19):
answering a great many questions asked by the dealer and
look out regarding the possible volume of the cattle drive
that year. Down at another gambling house, the Rebel met
Ben Thompson, a Faraoh dealer not on duty and an
old cavalry comrade, and the two cronied around for over
an hour, like long lost brothers, pledging anew their friendship

(20:43):
over several sociable glasses, in which I was always included.
There was no telling how long this reunion would have lasted,
but happily for my sake, Lovell, who had been asleep
all the morning, started out to round us up for
dinner with him at the Right House, which was at
that day a famous hostelry patronized almost exclusively by Texas

(21:06):
cowman and cattle buyers. We made the rounds of the
gambling houses looking for our crowd. We ran across the
three of the boys piking at a monte game, who
came with us reluctantly. Then, guided by level, we started
for the Long Branch, where we felt certain we would
find Forest and round Tree if they had any money left.

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Forest was broke, which made him ready to come, and
round Tree, though quite a winner, out of deference to
our employer's wishes, cashed in and joined us. Old Man
Don could hardly do enough for us, and before we
could reach the Right House had lined us up against
three different bars, and while I had confidence in my

(21:48):
navigable capacity, I found they were coming just a little
too fast and free. Si and I had scarcely drunk
anything in three months but branch water. As we lined
up at the eight House far for the final before dinner,
the rebel who was standing next to me, entered a
waiver and took a cigar, which I understood to be

(22:09):
a hint and I did. Likewise, we had a splendid dinner.
Our outfit with mc nulta occupied a ten chair table,
while on the opposite side of the room was another
large table, occupied principally by drovers who are waiting for
their herds to arrive. Among those at the latter table

(22:29):
whom I now remember, was Uncle Henry Stevens, Jesse Ellison,
lum Slaughter, John Blocker, Ike Pryor dun Houston, and last,
but not least, Colonel Shanghai Pierce. The latter was possibly
the most widely known cowman between the Rio Grande and

(22:50):
the British Possessions. He stood six feet four in his
stockings and was gaunt and raw boned, and the possessor
of a voice which, even in ordinary common could be
distinctly heard across the street. No, I'll not ship any more.
Cattle to your town, said Pierce to a cattle's solicitor
during the dinner, his voice in righteous indignation, resounding like

(23:13):
a fog horn through the dining room. Until you adjust
your yardage charges. Listen, I can go right up into
the heart of your city and get a room for
myself with a nice clean bed in it, plenty of soap, water,
and towels. And I can occupy that room for twenty
four hours for two bits. And your stock yards away

(23:34):
out in the suburbs wants to charge me twenty cents
a head and let my steers stand out in the weather.
After dinner, all the boys, with the exception of priests
and myself returned to the gambling houses as though anxious
to work over time. Before leaving the hotel, Forrest affected

(23:54):
the loan of ten from Round Tree, and the two
returned to the Long Branch, while the others as eagerly
sought out a monte game. But I was fascinated with
the conversation of these old cowmen and sat around for
several hours listening to their yarns and cattle talk. I
was selling a thousand beef steers one time to some

(24:16):
Yankee Army contractors. Pierce was narrating to a circle of listeners,
and I got the idea that they were not up
to snuff in receiving cattle out on the prairie. I
was holding a herd of about three thousand, and they
had agreed to take a running cut, which showed that
they had the receiving agent fixed. Well. My foreman and

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I were counting the cattle as they came between us,
but the steers were wild, long legged coasters and came
through between us like scared wolves. I had lost a
count several times, but guessed at them and started over.
The cattle still coming like a whirlwind, And when I
thought about nine hundred had passed us, I cut them

(24:59):
off and said, here they come, and there they go.
Just an even thousand by Gatlans. What do you make it, Bill,
Just an even thousand, colonel, replied my foreman. Of course,
the contractors were counting at the same time, and I
suppose they didn't like to admit they couldn't count a
thousand cattle where anybody else could, and never asked for

(25:21):
a recount, but accepted and paid for them. They had
hired an outfit and held the cattle outside that night,
but the next day when they cut them in the
car lots and shipped them, they were a hundred and
eighteen short. They wanted to come back on me to
make them good, but Chucks, I wasn't responsible if their

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Jim Crow outfit lost the cattle along. Early in the evening,
Flood advised us boys to return to the herd with him,
but all the crowd wanted to stay in town and
see the sights. Lovell interceded on our behalf and promised
to see that we left town in good time to
be in camp before the herd was ready to move

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the next morning. On this assurance, Flood saddled up and
started for the saw log, having ample time to make
the ride before dark. By this time, most of the
boys had worn off the wire edge for gambling and
were comparing notes. Three of them were broke, but quince
Forrest had turned to tables and was over a clean

(26:25):
hundred winter for the day. Those who had no money
fortunately had good credit with those of us who had,
for there was yet much to be seen, and in
Dodge in eighty two it took money to see the elephant.
There were several variety theaters, a number of dance halls
and other resorts, which, like the Wicked, flourished best under darkness.

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After supper, just about dusk, we went over to the stable,
caught our horses, saddled them, and tied them up for
the night. We fully expected to leave town by ten o'clock,
for it was a good twelve mile ride to the
saw Log. In making the rounds of the variety theaters
and dance halls we hung together. Lovell excused himself early

(27:11):
in the evening, and at parting we assured him that
the outfit would leave for camp before midnight. We were
enjoying ourselves immensely over at the Lone Starred Dance Hall
when an incident occurred in which we entirely neglected the
good advice of mc nulta, and had the sensation of
hearing lead whistle and cry around our ears. Before we

(27:31):
got away from town. Quince Forest was spending his winnings
as well as drinking freely, and at the end of
a quadrille gave vent to his hilarity in an old
fashioned comanche yell. The bouncer of the dance hall, of course,
had his eye on our crowd and at the end
of a change took Quince to task. He was a

(27:54):
surly brute, and instead of couching his request in appropriate language,
threatened to throw him out of the house. House Forrest
stood like one absent minded and took the abuse. For
physically he was no match for the bouncer, who was
armed moreover and wore an officer's star. I was dancing
in the same set with a red headed, freckle faced

(28:16):
girl who clutched my arm and wished to know if
my friend was armed. I assured her that he was not,
or we would have had notice of it before the
bouncer's invective was ended. At the conclusion of the dance,
Quince and the rebel passed out, giving the rest of
us the word to remain as though nothing was wrong.

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In the course of half an hour, priests returned and
asked us to take our leave one at a time
without attracting any attention, and meet at the stable. I
remained until the last and noticed the rebel and the
bouncer taking a drink together at the bar, the former
apparently in a most amiable mood. We passed out together

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shortly afterwards and found the other boys mounted and awaiting
our return. It being now about midnight, it took but
a moment to secure our guns, and once in the saddle,
we rode through the town in the direction of the herd.
On the outskirts of town we halted, I'm going back
to that dance hall, said forrest and have one round

(29:19):
at least with that horror herder. No man who walks
this old earth can insult me as he did, not
if he has a hundred stars on him. If any
of you don't want to go along, ride right on
the camp. But I'd like to have you all go.
And when I take his measure, it will be the
signal to the rest of you to put out the lights.

(29:40):
All that's going come on. There were no dissenters to
the program. I saw at a glance at my bunkie
was heart and soul in the play, and took my
cue and kept my mouth shut. We circled round the
town to a vacant lot within a block of the
rear of the dance hall. Honeyman was left the whole
the horses. Then, taking off our belts and hanging them

(30:03):
on the pommels of our saddles, we secreted our six
shooters inside the waistbands of our trousers. The hall was
still crowded with the revelers when we entered, a few
at a time, Forest and Priest, being the last to arrive.
Forrest had changed hats with the rebel, who always wore
a black one, and as the bouncers circulated around, Quince

(30:25):
stepped squarely in front of him. There was no waste
of words, but a gun barrel flashed in the lamplight,
and the bouncer, struck with the six shooter, fell like
a beef. Before the bewildered spectators could raise a hand,
five six shooters were turned into the ceiling. The lights
went out at the first fire, and amidst the rush

(30:46):
of men and the screaming of women, we reached the
outside and within a minute were in our saddles. All
would have gone well had we returned by the same
route and avoided the town, but after cross seeing the
railroad tracks, anger and pride having not been properly satisfied,
we must ride through the town. On entering the main

(31:08):
street leading north and opposite the bridge on the river,
somebody of our party in the rear turned his gun
loose into the air, the rebel and I were riding
in the lead, and at the clattering of hoofs and
shooting behind us, our horses started on the run. The shooting,
by this time having become general. At the second street crossing,

(31:30):
I noticed a rope of fire belching from a Winchester
in the doorway of a store building. There was no
doubt in my mind but we were the object of
the manipulator of that carving, And as we reached the
next cross street, a man kneeling in the shadow of
a building opened fire on us with a six shooter.

(31:50):
Priests reined in his horse, and, not having wasted cartridges
in the open air shooting, returned the compliment until he
emptied his gun. By this time every officer in the
town was throwing lead after us, some of which carried
a little too close for comfort. When there was no
longer any shooting on our flanks, we turned into a

(32:11):
cross street and soon left the lead behind us. At
the outskirts of town, we slowed up our horses and
took it leisurely for a mile or so, when Quince
Forrest halted us and said, I'm going to drop out
here and see if anyone follows. Us. I want to
be alone so that if any officers try to follow us,

(32:31):
I can have it out with them. And there was
no time to lose in parleying, and as he had
a good horse, we rode away and left him on
reaching camp, we secured a few hours sleep, but the
next morning, to our surprise, Forrest failed to appear. We
explained the situation to Flood, who said that if he

(32:52):
did not show up by noon, he would go back
and look for him. We all felt positive that he
would not dare go back to town, and if he
was lost, as soon as the sun arose he would
be able to get his bearings. While we were nooning,
about seven miles north of the saw log, some one
noticed a buggy coming up the trail. As it came nearer,

(33:13):
we saw that there were two other occupants of the
rig besides the driver. When it drew up, Old Quince,
still wearing the rebel's hat, stepped out of the rig,
dragged out his saddle from under the seat, and invited
his companions to dinner. They both declined when Forrest, taking
out his purse, handed a twenty dollar gold piece to

(33:34):
the driver with an oath. He then asked the other
man what he owed him, but the latter very haughtily
declined any recompense, and the conveyance drove away. I suppose you, fellows,
don't know what all this means, said Quince, as he
filled a plate and sat down in the shade of
the wagon. Well, that horse of mine got a bullet

(33:56):
plugged into him last night as we were leaving town,
and before I could get him the duck creek, he
died on me. I carried my saddle and blankets until daylight,
when I hid in a draw and waited for something
to turn up. I thought some of you would come
back and look for me sometime, for I knew you
wouldn't understand it. When all of a sudden here comes

(34:17):
this livery rig along with that drummer, going out to jetmore.
I believe, he said. I explained what I wanted, but
he decided that his business was more important than mine
and refused me. I referred the matter to Judge Colt,
and the judge decided that it was more important that
I overtake this herd. I'd have made him take pay, too,

(34:39):
only he acted so mean about it. After dinner, fearing
a rest forrest took a horse and rode on ahead
to the Solomon River. We were a glum outfit that afternoon,
but after a good night's rest, we were again as
fresh as Daisy's. When mac cann started to get breakfast,
he hung his coat on the end of the wagon

(35:00):
rod while he went for a bucket of water. During
his absence, John Officer was noticed slipping something into Barney's
coat pocket, and after breakfast, when our cook went to
his coat for his tobacco, he unearthed a lady's cambric handkerchief,
nicely embroidered, and a silver mounted garter. He looked at

(35:21):
the articles a moment, and, grasping the situation at a glance,
ran his eye over the outfit for the culprit, but
there was not a word or a smile. He walked
over and threw the articles into the fire, remarking, good
whiskey and bad women will be the ruin of you
varmints yet end of chapter thirteen.