consideration a saving in wages. In a two days' run they would
lay down the cattle farther on their way than we could possibly
drive in six weeks, even if the country was open, not to say
anything about the wear and tear of horseflesh. But Don Lovell
had not been a trail drover for nearly fifteen years without
understanding his business as well as the freight agents did
theirs. After going over a large lot of other important data, our
employer arose to take his leave, when the agent of the local
line expressed a hope that Mr. Lovell would reconsider his
decision before spring opened, and send his drive a portion of
the way by rail.

"Well, I'm glad I met you, gentlemen," said the cowman at
parting, "but this is purely a business proposition, and you and
I look at it from different viewpoints. At the rate you offer, it
will cost me one dollar and seventy-five cents to lay a steer
down on Red River. Hold on; mine are all large beeves; and I must
mount my men just the same as if they trailed all the way. Saddle
horses were worth nothing in the North last year, and I kept mine
and bought enough others around Dodge to make up a thousand head,
and sent them back over the trail to my ranch. Now, it will take
six carloads of horses for each herd, and I propose to charge the
freight on them against the cattle. I may have to winter my
remudas in the North, or drive them home again, and if I put two
dollars a head freight in them, they won't bring a cent more on
that account. With the cattle it's different; they are all under
contract, but the horses must be charged as general expense, and
if nothing is realized out of them, the herd must pay the
fiddler. My largest delivery is a sub-contract for Fort Buford,
calling for five million pounds of beef on foot. It will take