number, frequently making the office a lucrative one.

Once the object of his call was made clear, I warmed to our
guest. If the rate allowed by law was enforced, it meant an
expense of over a hundred dollars for a certificate of inspection
covering both herd and saddle stock. We did not take out
certificates in Medina on the remudas as a matter of economy. By
waiting until the herd was ready, the two would be inspected as
one, and the lower rate apply. So I urged the deputy to make
himself at home and share my blankets. Pretending that I
remembered him well, I made numerous inquiries about the ranch
where we received our herd the year before, and by the time to
turn in, we were on the most friendly terms. The next morning I
offered him a horse from our extras, assuring him that Flood
would be delighted to renew his acquaintance, and invited him to
go with us for the day. Turning his horse among ours, he
accepted and rode away with us. The cattle passed on the evening
before had camped out several miles from the corrals and were
grazing in when we met them. Flood and the Doctor joined us
shortly afterward, and I had a quiet word with Jim before he and
the inspector met. After the count was over, Flood made a great
ado over my guest and gave him the glad hand as if he had been a
long-lost brother. We were a trifle short-handed the second day,
and on my guest volunteering to help, I assigned him to Runt
Pickett's place at the fire, where he shortly developed a healthy
sweat. As we did not have a large bunch of beeves to brand that
day, the wagon did not come over and we branded them at a single
shift. It was nearly one o'clock when we finished, and instead of
going in to Los Lobos, we left the third guard, Wayne Outcault,
"Dorg" Seay, and Owen Ubery, to graze the cattle over to our