The belt was not noticeable, but in making the ride that day, my hand involuntarily went to my side where the money lay, the action never escaping the notice of Sponsilier, who constantly twitted me over my nervousness.And although we were tired as dogs after our long ride, I awoke many times that night and felt to see if my money was safe; my partner slept like a log.
Several cowmen, ranching on the lower Powder River, had headquarters at this outpost.The next morning Sponsilier and Imade their acquaintance, and during the course of the day got a clear outline of the situation.On the west the river was the recognized dead-line to the Wyoming boundary, while two camps of five men each patroled the dividing line on the north, drifting back the native stock and holding the through herds in quarantine.The nearest camp was some distance east of Powderville, and saddling up towards evening we rode out and spent the night at the first quarantine station.A wagon and two tents, a relay of saddle horses, and an arsenal of long-range firearms coinposed the outfit.Three of the five men on duty were Texans.Making ourselves perfectly at home, we had no trouble in locating the herds in question, they having already sounded the toesin to clear the way, claiming government beef recognized no local quarantine.The herds were not over thirty miles to the south, and expectation ran high as to results when an attempt should be made to cross the deadline.Trouble had already occurred, where outfits respecting the quarantine were trespassed upon by three herds, making claim of being under government protection and entitled to the rights of eminent domain.
Fortunately several of the herds on the immediate line had been bought at Ogalalla and were in possession of ranch outfits who owned ranges farther north, and were anxious to see quarantine enforced.These local cowmen would support the established authority, and trouble was expected.Sponsilier and I widened the breach by denouncing these intruders as the hirelings of a set of ringsters, who had no regard for the rights of any one, and volunteered our services in enforcing quarantine against them the same as others.
Our services were gratefully accepted.The next morning we were furnished fresh horses, and one of us was requested, as we were strangers, to ride down the country and reconnoitre the advance of the defiant drovers.As I was fearful that Field or Radcliff might be accompanying the herds, and recognize me, Sponsilier went instead, returning late that evening.
"Well, fellows," said Dave, as he dismounted at the quarantine camp, "I've seen the herds, and they propose to cross this dead-line of yours as easily as water goes through a gourd funnel.They'll be here by noon to-morrow, and they've got the big conversation right on tap to show that the government couldn't feed its army if it wasn't for a few big cowmen like them.There's a strange corporal over the three herds and they're working on five horses to the man.But the 'major-domo's the whole works; he's a windy cuss, and intimates that he has a card or two up his sleeve that will put these quarantine guards to sleep when he springs them.He's a new man to me; at least he wasn't with the gang at Ogalalla."During the absence of my partner, I had ridden the dead-line on the north.A strip of country five miles wide was clear of cattle above the boundary, while below were massed four herds, claiming the range from the mountains to the Powder River.The leader of the quarantine guards, Fred Ullmer, had accompanied me on the ride, and on our return we visited three of the outfits, urging them to hold all their reserve forces subject to call, in case an attempt was made to force the dead-line.At each camp I took every possible chance to sow the seeds of dissension and hatred against the highhanded methods of The Western Supply Company.
Defining our situation clearly, I asked each foreman, in case these herds defied local authority, who would indemnify the owners for the loss among native cattle by fever between Powderville and the mouth of the Yellowstone.Would the drovers?
Would the government? Leaving these and similar thoughts for their consideration, Ullmer and I had arrived at the first quarantine station shortly before the return of my partner.
Upon the report of Sponsilier, Ullmer was appointed captain, and lost no time in taking action.After dark, a scout was sent to Camp No.2, a meeting-place was appointed on Wolf Creek below, and orders were given to bring along every possible man from the local outfits and to meet at the rendezvous within an hour after sun-up the next morning.Ullmer changed horses and left for Powderville, assuring us that he would rally every man interested in quarantine, and have his posse below, on the creek by sunrise.
The remainder of us at headquarters were under orders to bring all the arms and ammunition, and join the quarantine forces at the meeting- place some five miles from our camp.We were also to touch at and command the presence of one of the four outfits while en route.I liked the determined action of Captain Ulimer, who I learned had emigrated with his parents to Montana when a boy, and had grown into manhood on the frontier.Sponsilier was likewise pleased with the quarantine leader, and we lay awake far into the night, reviewing the situation and trying to anticipate any possible contingency that might thwart our plans.But to our best reasoning the horizon was clear, and if Field, Radcliff &Co.'s cattle reached Fort Buford on the day of delivcry, well, it would be a miracle.
