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ange；　Lord！　but　they　do　love　to　drift　against　a　breeze。　In　any　kind　of　a　rain…storm；　they'll　travel　farther　in　a　night　than　a　whole　outfit　can　turn　them　back　in　a　day。

〃Our　camp　was　on　the　Salt　Fork　of　the　Cimarron；　and　late　in　the　fall　when　all　the　beeves　had　been　shipped；　the　outfit　were　riding　lines　and　loose…herding　a　lot　of　Texas　yearlings；　and　mixed　cattle；　natives　to　that　range。　Up　in　that　country　they　have　Indian　summer　and　Squaw　winter；　both　occurring　in　the　fall。　They　have　lots　of　funny　weather　up　there。　Well；　late　one　evening　that　fall　there　came　an　early　squall　of　Squaw　winter；　sleeted　and　spit　snow　wickedly。　The　next　morning　there　wasn't　a　hoof　in　sight；　and　shortly　after　daybreak　we　were　riding　deep　in　our　saddles　to　catch　the　lead　drift　of　our　cattle。　After　a　hard　day's　ride；　we　found　that　we　were　out　several　hundred　head；　principally　yearlings　of　the　through　Texas　stock。　You　all　know　how　locoed　a　bunch　of　dogies　can　getwe　hunted　for　three　days　and　for　fifty　miles　in　every　direction；　and　neither　hide；　hair；　nor　hoof　could　we　find。　It　was　while　we　were　hunting　these　cattle　that　my　yarn　commences。

〃The　big　augers　of　the　outfit　lived　in　Wichita；　Kansas。　Their　foreman；　Bibleback　Hunt；　and　myself　were　returning　from　hunting　this　missing　bunch　of　yearlings　when　night　overtook　us；　fully　twenty…five　miles　from　camp。　Then　this　Bull　Foot　stage　came　to　mind；　and　we　turned　our　horses　and　rode　to　it。　It　was　nearly　dark　when　we　reached　it；　and　Bibleback　said　for　me　to　go　in　and　make　the　talk。　I'll　never　forget　that　nice　little　woman　who　met　me　at　the　door　of　that　sod　shack。　I　told　her　our　situation；　and　she　seemed　awfully　gracious　in　granting　us　food　and　shelter　for　the　night。　She　told　us　we　could　either　picket　our　horses　or　put　them　in　the　corral　and　feed　them　hay　and　grain　from　the　stage…company's　supply。　Now；　old　Bibleback　was　what　you　might　call　shy　of　women；　and　steered　clear　of　the　house　until　she　sent　her　little　boy　out　and　asked　us　to　come　in。　Well；　we　sat　around　in　the　room；　owly…like；　and　to　save　my　soul　from　the　wrath　to　come；　I　couldn't　think　of　a　word　that　was　proper　to　say　to　the　little　woman；　busy　getting　supper。　Bibleback　was　worse　off　than　I　was；　he　couldn't　do　anything　but　look　at　the　pictures　on　the　wall。　What　was　worrying　me　was；　had　she　a　husband？　Or　what　was　she　doing　away　out　there　in　that　lonesome　country？　Then　a　man　old　enough　to　be　her　grandfather　put　in　an　appearance。　He　was　friendly　and　quite　talkative；　and　I　built　right　up　to　him。　And　then　we　had　a　supper　that　I　distinctly　remember　yet。　Well；　I　should　say　I　doit　takes　a　woman　to　get　a　good　supper；　and　cheer　it　with　her　presence；　sitting　at　the　head　of　the　table　and　pouring　the　coffee。

This　old　man　was　a　retired　stage…driver；　and　was　doing　the　wrangling　act　for　the　stage…horses。　After　supper　I　went　out　to　the　corral　and　wormed　the　information　out　of　him　that　the　woman　was　a　widow；　that　her　husband　had　died　before　she　came　there；　and　that　she　was　from　Michigan。　Amongst　other　things　that　I　learned　from　the　old　man　was　that　she　had　only　been　there　a　few　months；　and　was　a　poor　but　deserving　woman。　I　told　Bibleback　all　this　after　we　had　gone　to　bed；　and　we　found　that　our　finances　amounted　to　only　four　dollars；　which　she　was　more　than　welcome　to。　So　the　next　morning　after　breakfast；　when　I　asked　her　what　I　owed　her　for　our　trouble；　she　replied　so　graciously：　'Why；　gentlemen；　I　couldn't　think　of　taking　advantage　of　your　necessity　to　charge　you　for　a　favor　that　I'm　only　too　happy　to　grant。'　'Oh；'　said　I；　'take　this；　anyhow；'　laying　the　silver　on　the　corner　of　the　table　and　starting　for　the　door；　when　she　stopped　me。　'One　moment；　sir；　I　can't　think　of　accepting　this。　Be　kind　enough　to　grant　my　request；'　and　returned　the　money。　We　mumbled　out　some　thanks；　bade　her　good…day；　and　started　for　the　corral；　feeling　like　two　sheep　thieves。　While　we　were　saddling　up　　will　you　believe　it？…　…her　little　boy　came　out　to　the　corral　and　gave　each　one　of　us　as　fine　a　cigar　as　ever　I　buttoned　my　lip　over。　Well；　fellows；　we　had　had　it　put　all　over　us　by　this　little　Michigan　woman；　till　we　couldn't　look　each　other　in　the　face。　We　were　accustomed　to　hardship　and　neglect；　but　here　was　genuine　kindness　enough　to　kill　a　cat。

〃Until　we　got　within　five　miles　of　our　camp　that　morning；　old　Bibleback　wouldn't　speak　to　me　as　we　rode　along。　Then　he　turned　halfway　in　his　saddle　and　said：　'What　kind　of　folks　are　those？'　'I　don't　know；'　I　replied；　'what　kind　of　people　they　are；　but　I　know　they　are　good　ones。'　'Well；　I'll　get　even　with　that　little　woman　if　it　takes　every　son　in　my　war…bags；'　said　Hunt。

〃When　within　a　mile　of　camp；　Bibleback　turned　again　in　his　saddle　and　asked；　'When　is　Christmas？'　'In　about　five　weeks；'　I　answered。'do　you　know　where　that　big　Wyoming　stray　ranges？'　he　next　asked。　I　trailed　onto　his　game　in　a　second。　'Of　course　I　do。'　'Well；'　says　he；　'let's　kill　him　for　Christmas　and　give　that　little　widow　every　ounce　of　the　meat。　It'll　be　a　good　one　on　her；　won't　it？　We'll　fool　her　a　plenty。　Say　nothing　to　the　others；'　he　added；　and　giving　our　horses　the　rein　we　rode　into　camp　on　a　gallop。

〃Three　days　before　Christmas　we　drove　up　this　Wyoming　stray　and　beefed　him。　We　hung　the　beef　up　overnight　to　harden　in　the　frost；　and　the　next　morning　bright　and　early；　we　started　for　the　stagestand　with　a　good　pair　of　ponies　to　a　light　wagon。　We　reached　the　widow's　place　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　against　her　protests　that　she　had　no　use　for　so　much；　we　hung　up　eight　hundred　pounds　of　as　fine　beef　as　you　ever　set　your　peepers　on。　We　wished　her　a　merry　Christmas；　jumped　into　the　wagon；　clucked　to　the　ponies；　and　merely　hit　the　high　places　getting　away。　When　we　got　well　out　of　sight　of　the　housewell；　I've　seen　mule　colts　play　and　kid　goats　cut　up　their　antics；　I've　seen　children　that　was　frolicsome；　but　for　a　man　with　gray　hair　on　his　head；　old　Bibleback　Hunt　that　day　was　the　happiest　mortal　I　ever　saw。　He　talked　to　the　horses；　he　sang　songs；　he　played　Injun；　and　that　Christmas　was　a　merry　one；　for　the　debt　was　paid　and　our　little　widow　had　beef　to　throw　to　the　dogs。　I　never　saw　her　again；　but　wherever　she　is　to…night；　if　my　prayer　counts；　may　God　bless　her！〃

Early　in　the　evening　I　had　warned　my　boys　that　we　would　start　on　our　return　at　ten　o'clock。　The　hour　was　nearly　at　hand；　and　in　reply　to　my　inquiry　if　our　portion　of　the　beef　had　been　secured；　Jack　Splann　said　that　he　had　cut　off　half　a　loin；　a　side　of　ribs；　and　enough　steak　for　breakfast。　Splann　and　I　tied　the　beef　to　our　cantle…strings；　and　when　we　returned　to　the　group；　Sponsilier　was　telling　of　the　stampede　of　his　herd　in　the　Panhandle　about　a　month　before。　〃But　that　run　wasn't　a　circumstance　to　one　in　which　I　figured　once；　and　in　broad　daylight；〃　concluded　Dave。　It　required　no　encouragement　to　get　the　story；　all　we　had　to　do　was　to　give　him　time　to　collect　his　thoughts。

〃Yes；　it　was　in　the　summer　of　'73；〃　he　finally　continued。　〃It　was　my　first　trip　over　the　trail；　and　I　naturally　fell　into　position　at　the　drag　end　of　the　herd。　I　was　a　green　boy　of　about　eighteen　at　the　time；　having　never　before　been　fifty　miles　from　the　ranch　where　I　was　born。　The　herd　belonged　to　Major　Hood；　and　our　destination　was　Ellsworth；　Kansas。　In　those　days　they　generally　worked　oxen　to　the　chuck…wagons；　as　they　were　ready　sale　in　the　upper　country；　and　in　good　demand　for　breaking　prairie。　I　reckon　there　must　have　been　a　dozen　yoke　of　work…steers　in　our　herd　that　year；　and　they　were　more　trouble　to　me　than　all　the　balance　of　the　cattle；　for　they　were　slothful　and　sinfully　lazy。　My　vocabulary　of　profanity　was　worn　to　a　frazzle　before　we　were　out　a　week；　and　those　oxen　didn't　pay　any　more　attention　to　a　rope　or　myself　than　to　the　buzzing　of　a　gnat。

〃There　was　one　big　roan　ox；　called　Turk；　which　we　worked　to　the　wagon　occasionally；　but　in　crossing　the　Arbuckle　Mountains　in　the　Indian　Territory；　he　got　tender…footed。　Another　yoke　was　substituted；　and　in　a　few　days　Turk　was　on　his　feet　again。　But　he　was　a　cunning　rascal　and　had　learned　to　soldier；　and　while　his　feet　were　sore；　I　favored　him　with　sandy　trails　and　gave　him　his　own　time。　In　fact；　most　of　my　duties　were　driving　that　one　ox；　while　the　other　boys　handled　the　herd。　When　his　feet　got　wellI　had　toadied　and　babied　him　sohe　was　plum　ruined。　I　begged　the　foreman　to　put　him　back　in　the　chuck　team；　but　the　cook　kicked　on　account　of　his　well…known　laziness；　so　Turk　and　I　continued　to　adorn　the　rear　of　the　column。　I　reckon　the　foreman　thought　it　better　to　have　Turk　and　me　late　than　no　dinner。　I　tried　a　hundred　different　schemes　to　instill　ambition　and　self…respect　into　that　ox；　but　he　was　an　old　dog　and　contented　with　his　evil　ways。

〃Several　weeks　passed；　and　Turk　and　I　became　a　standing　joke　with　the　outfit。　One　morning　I　made　the　discovery　that　he　was　afraid　of　a　slicker。　For　just　about　a　full　half　day；　I　had　the　best　of　him；　and　several　times　he　was　out　of　sight　in　the　main　body　of　the　herd。　But　he　always　dropped　to　the　rear；　and　finally　the　slicker　lost　its　charm　to　move　him。　In　fact　he　rather　enjoyed　having　me　fan　him　with　itit　seemed　to　cool　him。　It　was　the　middle　of　the　afternoon；　and　Turk　had　dropped　about　a　quarter…mile　to　the　rear；　while　I　was　riding　along　beside　and　throwing　the　slicker　over　him　like　a　blanket。　I　was　letting　him　carry　it；　and　he　seemed　to　be　enjoying　himself；　switching　his　tail　in　appreciation；　when　the　matted　brush　of　his　tail　noosed　itself　over　one　of　the　riveted　buttons　on　the　slicker。　The　next　switch　brought　the　yellow　'fish　'　bumping　on　his　heels；　and　emitting　a　blood…curdling　bellow；　he　curved　his　tail　and　started　for　the　herd。　Just　for　a　minute　it　tickled　me　to　see　old　Turk　getting　such　a　wiggle　on　him；　but　the　next　moment　my　mirth　turned　to　seriousness；　and　I　tried　to　cut　him　off　from　the　other　cattle；　but　he　beat　me；　bellowing　bloody　murder。　The　slicker　was　sailing　like　a　kite；　and　the　rear　cattle　took　fright　and　began　bawling　as　if　they　had　struck　a　fresh　scent　of　blood。　The　scare　flashed　through　the　herd　from　rear　to　point；　and　hell　began　popping　right　then　and　there。　The　air　filled　with　dust　and　the　earth　trembled　with　the　running　cattle。　Not　knowing　which　way　to　turn；　I　stayed　right　where　I　wasin　the　rear。　As　the　dust　lifted；　I　followed　up；　and　about　a　mi