left."

At a late hour the dinner ended. We were all rather unsteady on
our feet, but the pock-marked detective and myself formed a guard
of honor in escorting the buyers to their hotel, when an
officious clerk attempted to deliver Tolleston's message. But
anticipating it, I interrupted his highness and informed him that
we had met the party; I was a thousand times obliged to him for
his kindness, and forced on him a fine cigar, which had been
given me by Bob Wright of the outfitting store. While Siringo and
the buyers passed upstairs, I entertained the office force below
with an account of the sale of my herd, constantly referring to
my new employers. The fiscal agent returned shortly, bought some
cigars at the counter, asked if he could get a room for the
night, in case he was detained in town, and then we passed out of
the hotel. This afforded me the first opportunity to notify
Siringo of the presence of Tolleston, and I withheld nothing
which was to his interest to know. But he was impatient to learn
if the draft had been accepted, and asking me to bring my brother
to his room within half an hour, he left me.

It was growing late in the day. The sun had already set when I
found my brother, who was anxious to return to his camp for the
night. But I urged his seeing Siringo first, and after waiting in
the latter's room some time, he burst in upon us with a merry
chuckle. "Well, the draft was paid all right," said he; "and this
is Bob Quirk. Boys, things are coming nicely. This fellow
Tolleston is the only cloud in the sky. If we can keep him down
for a week, and the other herds come in shortly, I see nothing to
thwart our plans. Where have you picketed Tolleston?" "Around in