beeves, and they had agreed to look them over, provided they
arrived before the 15th of the month. He further assured me that
the parties were mere figureheads of The Supply Company; that
they were exceedingly bearish on the market, gloating over the
recent depreciation in prices, and perfectly willing to fatten on
the wreck and ruin of others.

It was long after midnight when the consultation ended.
Appointing an hour for showing the herd the next day, or that one
rather, Tussler and I withdrew, agreeing to be out of town before
daybreak. But the blaze of gambling and the blare of dance-halls
held us as in a siren's embrace until the lights dimmed with the
breaking of dawn. Mounting our horses, we forded the river east
of town and avoided the herds, which were just arising from their
bed-grounds. On the divide we halted. Within the horizon before
us, it is safe to assert that one hundred thousand cattle grazed
in lazy contentment, all feeding against the morning breeze. Save
for the freshness of early summer, with its background of green
and the rarified atmosphere of the elevated plain, the scene
before us might be compared to a winter drift of buffalo, ten
years previous. Riding down the farther slope, we reached our
camp in time for a late breakfast, the fifteen-mile ride having
whetted our appetites. Three men were on herd, and sending two
more with instructions to water the cattle an hour before noon,
Tussler and I sought the shade of the wagon and fell asleep. It
was some time after midday when, on sighting the expected
conveyance approaching our camp, the cook aroused us. Performing
a rather hasty ablution, I met the vehicle, freshened, and with
my wits on tap. I nearly dragged the detective from the livery
rig, addressing him as "Charley," and we made a rough ado over