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illing　to　dispossess　me　of　my　property　in　favor　of　a　ring　of　government　thieves；　and　on　only　hearing　one　side　of　the　question；　then　consider　me　in　contempt。　I'll　gladly　go　back　to　Omaha　with　you；　but　you　can't　so　much　as　look　at　a　hoof　in　my　possession。　Now　call　your　troops；　or　take　me　with　you　for　treating　with　scorn　the　orders　of　your　court。〃

Meanwhile　every　man　on　our　side　had　an　eye　on　Archie　Tolleston；　who　had　gradually　edged　forward　until　his　horse　stood　beside　that　of　the　marshal。　Before　the　latter　could　frame　a　reply　to　Lovell's　ultimatum；　Tolleston　said　to　the　federal　officer：

〃Didn't　my　employers　tell　you　that　the　old　would　defy　you　without　a　demonstration　of　soldiers　at　your　back？　Now；　the　laugh's　on　you；　and　〃

〃No；　it's　on　you；〃　interrupted　a　voice　at　my　back；　accompanied　by　a　pistol　report。　My　horse　jumped　forward；　followed　by　a　fusillade　of　shots　behind　me；　when　the　hireling　deputies　turned　and　plunged　into　the　river。　Tolleston　had　wheeled　his　horse；　joining　the　retreat；　and　as　I　brought　my　six…shooter　into　action　and　was　in　the　act　of　leveling　on　him；　he　reeled　from　the　saddle；　but　clung　to　the　neck　of　his　mount　as　the　animal　dashed　into　the　water。　I　held　my　fire　in　the　hope　that　he　would　right　in　the　saddle　and　afford　me　a　shot；　but　he　struck　a　swift　current；　released　his　hold；　and　sunk　out　of　sight。　Above　the　din　and　excitement　of　the　moment；　I　heard　a　voice　which　I　recognized　as　Reed's；　shouting；　〃Cut　loose　on　that　team；　boys！　blaze　away　at　those　harness　horses！〃　Evidently　the　team　had　been　burnt　by　random　firing；　for　they　were　rearing　and　plunging；　and　as　I　fired　my　first　shot　at　them；　the　occupants　sprang　out　of　the　vehicle　and　the　team　ran　away。　A　lull　occurred　hi　the　shooting；　to　eject　shells　and　refill　cylinders；　which　Lovell　took　advantage　of　by　ordering　back　a　number　of　impulsive　lads；　who　were　determined　to　follow　up　the　fleeing　deputies。

〃Come　back　here；　you　rascals；　and　stop　this　shooting！〃　shouted　the　old　man。　〃Stop　it；　now；　or　you'll　land　me　in　a　federal　prison　for　life！　Those　horsemen　may　be　deceived。　When　federal　courts　can　be　deluded　with　sugar…coated　blandishments；　ordinary　men　ought　to　be　excusable。〃

Six…shooters　were　returned　to　their　holsters。　Several　horses　and　two　men　on　our　side　had　received　slight　flesh　wounds；　as　there　had　been　a　random　return　fire。　The　deputies　halted　well　out　of　pistol　range；　covering　the　retreat　of　the　occupants　of　the　carriage　as　best　they　could；　but　leaving　three　dead　horses　in　plain　view。　As　we　dropped　back　towards　Forrest's　wagon；　the　team　in　the　mean　time　having　been　caught；　those　on　foot　were　picked　up　and　given　seats　in　the　conveyance。　Meanwhile　a　remuda　of　horses　and　two　chuck…wagons　were　sighted　back　on　the　old　wood　road；　but　a　horseman　met　and　halted　them　and　they　turned　back　for　Ogalalla。　On　reaching　our　nearest　camp；　the　posse　south　of　the　river　had　started　on　their　return；　leaving　behind　one　of　their　number　in　the　muddy　waters　of　the　North　Platte。

Late　that　evening；　as　we　were　preparing　to　leave　for　our　respective　camps；　Lovell　said　to　the　assembled　foremen：　〃Quince　will　take　Reed　and　me　into　Ogalalla　about　midnight。　If　Sutton　advises　it；　all　three　of　us　will　go　down　to　Omaha　and　try　and　square　things。　I　can't　escape　a　severe　fine；　but　what　do　I　care　as　long　as　I　have　their　money　to　pay　it　with？　The　killing　of　that　fool　boy　worries　me　more　than　a　dozen　fines。　It　was　uncalled　for；　too；　but　he　would　butt　in；　and　you　fellows　were　all　itching　for　the　chance　to　finger　a　trigger。　Now　the　understanding　is　that　you　all　start　in　the　morning。〃



CHAPTER　XVI。　CROSSING　THE　NIOBRARA

The　parting　of　the　ways　was　reached。　On　the　morning　of　July　12；　the　different　outfits　in　charge　of　Lovell's　drive　in　'84　started　on　three　angles　of　the　compass　for　their　final　destination。　The　Rosebud　Agency；　where　Flood's　herd　was　to　be　delivered　on　September　1；　lay　to　the　northeast　in　Dakota。　The　route　was　not　direct；　and　the　herd　would　be　forced　to　make　quite　an　elbow；　touching　on　the　different　forks　of　the　Loup　in　order　to　secure　water。　The　Rebel　and　my　brother　would　follow　up　on　the　south　side　of　the　North　Platte　until　near　old　Fort　Laramie；　when　their　routes　would　separate；　the　latter　turning　north　for　Montana；　while　Priest　would　continue　along　the　same　watercourse　to　within　a　short　distance　of　his　destination。　The　Buford　herds　would　strike　due　north　from　the　first　tributary　putting　in　from　above；　which　we　would　intercept　the　second　morning　out。

An　early　start　was　the　order　of　the　day。　My　beeves　were　pushed　from　the　bed…ground　with　the　first　sign　of　dawn；　and　when　the　relief　overtook　them；　they　were　several　miles　back　from　the　river　and　holding　a　northwest　course。　My　camp　being　the　lowest　one　on　the　North　Fork；　Forrest　and　Sponsilier；　also　starting　at　daybreak；　naturally　took　the　lead；　the　latter　having　fully　a　five…mile　start　over　my　outfit。　But　as　we　left　the　valley　and　came　up　on　the　mesa；　there　on　an　angle　in　our　front；　Flood's　herd　snailed　along　like　an　army　brigade；　anxious　to　dispute　our　advance。　The　point…men　veered　our　cattle　slightly　to　the　left；　and　as　the　drag…end　of　Flood's　beeves　passed　before　us；　standing　in　our　stirrups　we　waved　our　hats　in　farewell　to　the　lads；　starting　on　their　last　tack　for　the　Rosebud　Agency。　Across　the　river　were　the　dim　outlines　of　two　herds　trailing　upstream；　being　distinguishable　from　numerous　others　by　the　dust…clouds　which　marked　the　moving　from　the　grazing　cattle。　The　course　of　the　North　Platte　was　southwest；　and　on　the　direction　which　we　were　holding；　we　would　strike　the　river　again　during　the　afternoon　at　a　bend　some　ten　or　twelve　miles　above。

Near　the　middle　of　the　forenoon　we　were　met　by　Hugh　Morris。　He　was　discouraged；　as　it　was　well　known　now　that　his　cattle　would　be　tendered　in　competition　with　ours　at　Fort　Buford。　There　was　no　comparison　between　the　beeves；　ours　being　much　larger；　more　uniform　in　weight；　and　in　better　flesh。　He　looked　over　both　Forrest's　and　Sponsilier's　herds　before　meeting　us；　and　was　good　enough　judge　of　cattle　to　know　that　his　stood　no　chance　against　ours；　if　they　were　to　he　received　on　tbeir　merits。　We　talked　matters　over　for　fully　an　hour；　and　I　advised　him　never　to　leave　Keith　County　until　the　last　dollar　in　payment　for　his　beeves　was　in　hand。　Morris　thought　this　was　quite　possible；　as　information　had　reached　him　that　the　buyers　had　recently　purchased　a　remuda；　and　now；　since　they　had　failed　to　take　possession　of　two　of　Lovell's　herds；　it　remained　to　be　seen　what　the　next　move　would　be。　He　thought　it　quite　likely；　though；　that　a　settlement　could　be　effected　whereby　he　would　be　relieved　at　Ogalalla。　Mutually　hoping　that　all　would　turn　out　well；　we　parted　until　our　paths　should　cross　again。

We　intercepted　the　North　Fork　again　during　the　afternoon；　watering　from　it　for　the　last　time；　and　the　next　morning　struck　the　Blue　River；　the　expected　tributary。　Sponsilier　maintained　his　position　in　the　lead；　but　I　was　certain　when　we　reached　the　source　of　the　Blue；　David　would　fall　to　the　rear；　as　thenceforth　there　was　neither　trail　nor　trace；　map　nor　compass。　The　year　before；　Forrest　and　I　had　been　over　the　route　to　the　Pine　Ridge　Agency；　and　one　or　the　other　of　us　must　take　the　lead　across　a　dry　country　between　the　present　stream　and　tributaries　of　the　Niobrara。　The　Blue　possessed　the　attributes　of　a　river　in　name　only；　and　the　third　day　up　it；　Sponsilier　crossed　the　tributary　to　allow　either　Forrest　or　myself　to　take　the　lead。　Quince　professed　a　remarkable　ignorance　and　faulty　memory　as　to　the　topography　of　the　country　between　the　Blue　and　Niobrara；　and　threw　bouquets　at　me　regarding　my　ability　always　to　find　water。　It　is　true　that　I　had　gone　and　returned　across　this　arid　belt　the　year　before；　but　on　the　back　trip　it　was　late　in　the　fall；　and　we　were　making　forty　miles　a　day　with　nothing　but　a　wagon　and　remuda；　water　being　the　least　of　my　troubles。　But　a　compromise　was　effected　whereby　we　would　both　ride　out　the　country　anew；　leaving　the　herds　to　lie　over　on　the　head　waters　of　the　Blue　River。　There　were　several　shallow　lakes　in　the　intervening　country；　and　on　finding　the　first　one　sufficient　to　our　needs；　the　herds　were　brought　up；　and　we　scouted　again　in　advance。　The　abundance　of　antelope　was　accepted　as　an　assurance　of　water；　and　on　recognizing　certain　landmarks；　I　agreed　to　take　the　lead　thereafter；　and　we　turned　back。　The　seventh　day　out　from　the　Blue；　the　Box　Buttes　were　sighted；　at　the　foot　of　which　ran　a　creek　by　the　same　name；　and　an　affluent　of　the　Niobrara。　Contrary　to　expectations；　water　was　even　more　plentiful　than　the　year　before；　and　we　grazed　nearly　the　entire　distance。　The　antelope　were　unusually　tame；　with　six…shooters　we　killed　quite　a　number　by　flagging；　or　using　a　gentle　horse　for　a　blind；　driving　the　animal　forward　with　the　bridle　reins；　tacking　frequently；　and　allowing　him　to　graze　up　within　pistol　range。

The　Niobrara　was　a　fine　grazing　country。　Since　we　had　over　two　months　at　our　disposal；　after　leaving　the　North　Platte；　every　advantage　was　given　the　cattle　to　round　into　form。　Ten　miles　was　a　day's　move；　and　the　different　outfits　kept　in　close　touch　with　each　other。　We　had　planned　a　picnic　for　the　crossing　of　the　Niobrara；　and　on　reaching　that　stream　during　the　afternoon；　Sponsilier　and　myself　crossed；　camping　a　mile　apart；　Forrest　remaining　on　the　south　side。　Wild　raspberries　had　been　extremely　plentiful；　and　every　wagon　had　gathered　a　quantity　sufficient　to　make　a　pie　for　each　man。　The　cooks　had　mutually　agreed　to　meet　at　Sponsilier's　wagon　and　do　the　baking；　and　every　man　not　on　herd　was　present　in　expectation　of　the　coming　banquet。　One　of　Forrest's　boys　had　a　fiddle；　and　bringing　it　along；　the　festivities　opened　with　a　stag　dance；　the　〃ladies〃　being　designated　by　wearing　a　horse…hobble　loosely　around　their　necks。　While　the　pies　were　baking；　a　slow　process　with　Dutch　ovens；　I　sat　on　the　wagon…tongue　and　played　the　violin　by　the　hour。　A　rude　imitation　of　the　gentler　sex；　as　we　had　witnessed　in　dance…halls　in　Dodge　and　Ogalalla；　was　reproduced　with　open　shirt　fronts；　and　amorous　advances　by　the　sterner　one。

The　dancing　ceased　the　moment　the　banquet　was　ready。　The　cooks　had　experienced　considerable　trouble　in　restraining　some　of　the　boys　from　the　too　free　exercise　of　wha