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n　southern　Texas。　To　a　stranger　the　inference　might　be　easily　drawn　that　Lovell　was　in　his　employ。

As　we　were　expecting　to　receive　cattle　on　the　third　day；　the　next　morning　the　allotment　of　horses　was　made。　The　usual　custom　of　giving　the　foreman　first　choice　was　claimed；　and　I　cut　twelve　of　solid　colors　but　not　the　largest　ones。　Taking　turns；　the　outfit　roped　out　horse　after　horse　until　only　the　ten　extra　ones　were　left。　In　order　that　these　should　bear　a　fair　share　in　the　work；　I　took　one　of　them　for　a　night…horse　and　allotted　the　others　to　the　second；　third；　and　last　guard　in　a　similar　capacity。　This　gave　the　last　three　watches　two　horses　apiece　for　night　work；　but　with　the　distinct　understanding　that　in　case　of　accident　or　injury　to　any　horse　in　the　remuda；　they　could　be　recalled。　There　was　little　doubt　that　before　the　summer　ended；　they　would　be　claimed　to　fill　vacancies　in　the　regular　mounts。　Flood　had　kept　behind　only　two　horses　with　which　to　overtake　the　other　outfits；　and　during　his　stay　with　us　would　ride　these　extras　and　loans　from　my　mount。

The　entire　morning　was　spent　working　with　the　remuda。　Once　a　man　knew　his　mount；　extra　attention　was　shown　each　horse。　There　were　witches'　bridles　to　be　removed　from　their　manes；　extra　long　tails　were　thinned　out　to　the　proper　length；　and　all　hoofs　trimmed　short。　The　horses　were　fast　shedding　their　winter　coats；　matting　the　saddle　blankets　with　falling　hair；　and　unless　carefully　watched；　galled　backs　would　result。　The　branding…irons　had　been　altered　en　route；　and　about　noon　a　vaquero　came　down　the　river　and　reported　that　the　second　round…up　of　the　day　would　meet　just　over　the　county　line　in　Dimmit。　He　belonged　at　Los　Lobos；　and　reported　the　morning　rodeo　as　containing　over　five　hundred　beeves；　which　would　be　ready　for　delivery　at　our　pleasure。　We　made　him　remain　for　dinner；　after　which　Flood　and　I　saddled　up　and　returned　with　him。　We　reached　the　round…up　just　as　the　cutting…out　finished。　They　were　a　fine　lot　of　big　rangy　beeves；　and　Jim　suggested　that　we　pass　upon　them　at　once。　The　seller　agreed　to　hold　them　overnight；　and　Flood　and　I　culled　back　about　one　hundred　and　twenty　which　were　under　age　or　too　light。　The　round…up　outfit　strung　the　cattle　out　and　counted　them；　reporting　a　few　over　seven　hundred　head。　This　count　was　merely　informal　and　for　the　information　of　the　seller；　but　in　the　morning　the　final　one　would　be　made；　in　which　we　could　take　a　hand。

After　the　cut　had　started　in　for　the　ranch；　we　loitered　along；　looking　them　over；　and　I　noticed　several　that　might　have　been　thrown　out。　〃Well；　now；　said　Flood；　〃if　you　are　going　to　be　so　very　choice　as　all　that；　I　might　as　well　ride　on。　You　can't　use　me　if　that　bunch　needs　any　more　trimming。　I　call　them　a　fine　lot　of　beeves。　It's　all　right　for　Don　to　rib　the　boys　up　and　make　them　think　that　the　cattle　have　to　be　top…notchers。　I've　watched　him　receive　too　often；　he's　about　the　easiest　man　I　know　to　ring　in　short　ages　on。　Just　so　a　steer　looks　nice；　it's　hard　for　the　old　man　to　turn　one　back。　I've　seen　him　receiving　three…year…olds；　when　one　fourth　of　the　cattle　passed　on　were　short　twos。　And　if　you　call　his　attention　to　one；　he'll　just　smile　that　little　smile　of　his；　and　say；　'yes；　he　may　be　shy　a　few　months；　but　he'll　grow。'　But　then　that's　just　old　man　Don's　weakness　for　cattle；　he　can't　look　a　steer　in　the　face　without　falling　in　love　with　him。　Now；　I've　received　before　when　by　throwing　out　one　half　the　stock　offered；　you　couldn't　get　as　uniform　a　bunch　of　beeves　as　those　are。　But　you　go　right　ahead；　Tom；　and　be　sure　that　every　hoof　you　accept　will　dress　five　hundred　pounds　at　Fort　Buford。　I'll　simply　sit　around　and　clerk　and　help　you　count　and　give　you　a　good　chance　to　make　a　reputation。〃

Los　Lobos　was　still　an　open　range。　They　claimed　to　have　over　ten　thousand　mixed　cattle　in　the　straight　ranch　brand。　There　had　been　no　demand　for　matured　beeves　for　several　years；　and　now　on　effecting　this　sale　they　were　anxious　to　deliver　all　their　grown　steers。　Dr。　Beaver　informed　us　that；　previous　to　our　arrival；　his　foreman　had　been　throwing　everything　in　on　the　home　range；　and　that　he　hoped　to　deliver　to　us　over　two　thousand　head　from　his　own　personal　holdings。　But　he　was　liberal　with　his　neighbors；　for　in　the　contingent　just　passed　upon；　there　must　have　been　over　a　hundred　head　in　various　ranch　brands。　Assuring　him　that　we　would　be　on　hand　in　the　morning　to　take　possession　of　the　cattle；　and　requesting　him　to　have　a　fire　burning；　we　on　coming　opposite　the　camp；　we　turned　off　and　rode　for　our　wagon。　It　meant　a　big　day's　work　to　road…brand　this　first　contingent；　and　with　the　first　sign　of　dawn；　my　outfit　were　riding　for　Los　Lobos。　We　were　encamped　about　three　miles　from　the　corrals；　and　leaving　orders　for　the　cook　to　follow　up；　the　camp　was　abandoned　with　the　exception　of　the　remuda。　It　was　barely　sun…up　when　we　counted　and　took　possession　of　the　beeves。　On　being　relieved；　the　foreman　of　Los　Lobos　took　the　ranch　outfit　and　started　off　to　renew　the　gathering。　We　penned　the　cattle　without　any　trouble；　and　as　soon　as　the　irons　were　ready；　a　chuteful　were　run　in　and　the　branding　commenced。　This　branding…chute　was　long　enough　to　chamber　eight　beeves。　It　was　built　about　a　foot　wide　at　the　bottom　and　flared　upward　just　enough　to　prevent　an　animal　from　turning　round。

A　heavy　gate　closed　the　exit；　while　bull…bars　at　the　rear　prevented　the　occupant　from　backing　out。　A　high　platform　ran　along　either　side　of　the　branding…chute；　on　which　the　men　stood　while　handling　the　irons。

Two　men　did　the　branding。　〃Runt〃　Pickett　attended　the　fire；　passing　up　the　heated　irons；　and　dodging　the　cold　branding…steel。　A　single　iron　was　often　good　for　several　animals；　and　sometimes　a　chuteful　was　branded　with　two　irons。　It　was　necessary　that　the　work　should　be　well　done；　not　that　a　five　months'　trip　required　it；　but　the　unforeseen　must　be　guarded　against。　Many　trail　herds　had　met　disaster　and　been　scattered　to　the　four　winds　with　nothing　but　a　road　brand　to　identify　them　afterward。　The　cattle　were　changing　owners；　and　custom　decreed　that　an　abstract　of　title　should　be　indelibly　seared　on　their　sides。　The　first　guard；　Jake　Blair；　Morg　Tussler；　and　Clay　Zilligan；　were　detailed　to　cut　and　drive　the　squads　into　the　chute。　These　three　were　the　only　mounted　men；　the　others　being　placed　so　as　to　facilitate　the　work。　Cattle　are　as　innocent　as　they　are　strong；　and　in　this　necessary　work　everything　was　done　quietly；　care　being　taken　to　prevent　them　from　becoming　excited。　As　fast　as　they　were　released　from　the　chute；　Dr。　Beaver　took　a　list　of　the　ranch　brands；　in　order　to　bill　of　sale　them　to　Lovell　and　settle　with　his　neighbors。

The　work　moved　with　alacrity。　As　one　chuteful　was　being　freed　the　next　one　was　entering。　Gates　closed　in　their　faces　and　the　bull…bars　at　the　rear　locked　them　as　in　a　vice。　We　were　averaging　a　hundred　an　hour；　but　the　smoke　from　the　burning　hair　was　offensive　to　the　lungs。　During　the　forenoon　Burl　Van　Vedder　and　Vick　Wolf　〃spelled〃　Flood　and　myself　for　half　an　hour　at　a　time；　or　until　we　could　recover　from　the　nauseous　fumes。　When　the　cook　called　us　to　dinner；　we　had　turned　out　nearly　five　hundred　branded　cattle。　No　sooner　was　the　midday　meal　bolted　than　the　cook　was　ordered　back　to　camp　with　his　wagon；　the　branded　contingent　of　cattle　following　in　charge　of　the　first　guard。　Less　than　half　an　hour　was　lost　in　refreshing　the　inner　man；　and　ordering　〃GG〃　Cederdall；　Tim　Stanley；　and　Jack　Splann　of　the　second　guard　into　their　saddles　to　take　the　place　of　the　relieved　men；　we　resumed　our　task。　The　dust　of　the　corrals　settled　on　us　unheeded；　the　smoke　of　the　fire　mingled　with　that　of　the　singeing　hair　and　its　offensive　odors；　bringing　tears　to　our　eyes；　but　the　work　never　abated　until　the　last　steer　had　passed　the　chute　and　bore　the　〃Open　A。〃

The　work　over；　a　pretense　was　made　at　washing　the　dust　and　grime　from　our　faces。　It　was　still　early　in　the　day；　and　starting　the　cattle　for　camp；　I　instructed　the　boys　to　water　and　graze　them　as　long　as　they　would　stand　up。　The　men　all　knew　their　places　on　guard；　this　having　been　previously　arranged；　and　joining　Dr。　Beaver；　Jim　and　I　rode　for　the　ranch　about　a　mile　distant。　The　doctor　was　a　genial　host；　and　prescribed　a　series　of　mint…juleps；　after　which　he　proposed　that　we　ride　out　and　meet　the　cattle　gathered　during　the　day。　The　outfit　had　been　working　a　section　of　country　around　some　lagoons；　south　of　the　ranch；　and　it　was　fully　six　o'clock　when　we　met　them；　heading　homeward。　The　cattle　were　fully　up　to　the　standard　of　the　first　bunch；　and　halting　the　herd　we　trimmed　them　down　and　passed　on　them。　After　Flood　rode　out　of　this　second　contingent；　I　culled　back　about　a　dozen　light　weights。　On　finishing；　Jim　gave　me　a　quiet　wink；　and　said　something　to　Dr。　Beaver　about　a　new　broom。　But　I　paid　no　attention　to　these　remarks；　in　a　country　simply　teeming　with　prime　beeves；　I　was　determined　to　get　a　herd　to　my　liking。　Dr。　Beaver　had　assured　Lovell　that　he　and　his　neighbors　would　throw　together　over　four　thousand　beeves　in　making　up　the　herd；　and　now　I　was　perfectly　willing　that　they　should。　It　would　take　two　days　longer　to　gather　the　cattle　on　the　Los　Lobos　range；　and　then　there　were　the　outside　offerings；　which　were　supposed　to　number　fully　two　thousand。　There　was　no　excuse　for　not　being　choice。

On　returning　to　Los　Lobos　about　dusk；　rather　than　offend　its　owner；　Flood　consented　to　remain　at　the　ranch　overnight；　but　I　rode　for　camp。　Darkness　had　fallen　on　my　reaching　the　wagon；　the　herd　had　been　bedded　down；　and　Levering　felt　so　confident　that　the　remuda　was　contented　that　he　had　concluded　to　night…herd　them　himself　until　midnight；　and　then　turn　them　loose　until　dawn。　He　had　belled　a　couple　of　the　leaders；　and　assured　me　that　he　would　have　them　in　hand　before　sun…up。　The　cook　was　urging　me　to　supper；　but　before　unsaddling；　I　rode　around　both　herd　and　remuda。　The　cattle　were　sleeping　nicely；　and　the　boys　assured　me　that　they　had　got　a　splendid　fill　on　them　before　bedding　down。　That　was　the　only　safe　thing　to　do；　and　after　circling　the　saddle　stock　on　the　opposite　side　of　camp；　I　returned　to　find　that　a　stranger　had　arrived　during　my　brief　absence。　Parent　had　fully　enlightened　him　as　to　who　he　was；　who　the　outfit　were；　the