登陆注册
5378400000073

第73章 THE LITTLE MISSOURI(1)

A week later we crossed the Belle Fourche, sometimes called the North Fork of the Big Cheyenne.Like its twin sister on the south, it was a mountain river, having numerous affluents putting in from the Black Hills, which it encircled on the north and west.Between these two branches of the mother stream were numerous tributaries, establishing it as the best watered country encountered in our long overland cruise.Besides the splendid watercourses which marked that section, numerous wagontrails, leading into the hills, were peopled with freighters.Long ox trains, moving at a snail's pace, crept over hill and plain, the common carrier between the mines and the outside world.The fascination of the primal land was there; the buttes stood like sentinels, guarding a king's domain, while the palisaded cliffs frowned down, as if erected by the hand Omnipotent to mark the boundary of nations.

Our route, after skirting the Black Hills, followed up the Belle Fourche a few days, and early in August we crossed over to the Little Missouri River.The divide between the Belle Fourche and the latter stream was a narrow one, requiring little time to graze across it, and intercepting the Little Missouri somewhere in Montana.The course of that river was almost due north, and crossing and recrossing it frequently, we kept constantly in touch with it on our last northward tack.The river led through sections of country now known as the Bad Lands, but we found an abundance of grass and an easy passage.Sponsilier held the lead all the way down the river, though I did most of the advance scouting, sometimes being as much as fifty miles in front of the herds.Near the last of the month we sighted Sentinel Butte and the smoke of railroad trains, and a few days later all three of us foremen rode into Little Missouri Station of the Northern Pacific Railway.Our arrival was expected by one man at least;for as we approached the straggling village, our employer was recognized at a distance, waving his hat, and a minute later all three of us were shaking hands with Don Lovell.Mutual inquiries followed, and when we reported the cattle fine as silk, having never known a hungry or thirsty hour after leaving the North Platte, the old man brightened and led the way to a wellknown saloon.

"How did I fare at Omaha?" said old man Don, repeating Forrest's query."Well, at first it was a question if I would be hung or shot, but we came out with colors flying.The United States marshal who attempted to take possession of the cattle on the North Platte went back on the same train with us.He was feeling sore over his defeat, but Sutton cultivated his acquaintance, and in mollifying that official, showed him how easily failure could be palmed off as a victory.In fact, I think Mike overcolored the story at my expense.He and the marshal gave it to the papers, and the next morning it appeared in the form of a sensational article.According to the report, a certain popular federal officer had gone out to Ogalalla to take possession of two herds of cattle intended for government purposes; he had met with resistance by a lot of Texas roughs, who fatally shot one of his deputies, wounding several others, and killing a number of horses during the assault; but the intrepid officer had added to his laurels by arresting the owner of the cattle and leader of the resisting mob, and had brought him hack to face the charge of contempt in resisting service.The papers freely predicted that Iwould get the maximum fine, and one even went so far as to suggest that imprisonment might teach certain arrogant cattle kings a salutary lesson.But when the hearing came up, Sutton placed Jim Reed and me in the witness-box, taking the stand later himself, and we showed that federal court that it had been buncoed out of an order of injunctive relief, in favor of the biggest set of ringsters that ever missed stretching hemp.The result was, I walked out of that federal court scot free.And Judge Dundy, when he realized the injustice that he had inflicted, made all three of us take dinner with him, fully explaining the pressure which had been brought to bear at the time the order of relief was issued.Oh, that old judge was all right.I only hope we'll have as square a man as Judge Dundy at the final hearing at Fort Buford.Do you see that sign over there, where it says Barley Water and Bad Cigars? Well, put your horses in some corral and meet me there."There was a great deal of news to review.Lovell had returned to Ogalalla; the body of Tolleston had been recovered and given decent burial; delivery day of the three Indian herds was at hand, bringing that branch of the season's drive to a close.But the main thing which absorbed our employer was the quarantine that the upper Yellowstone country proposed enforcing against through Texas cattle.He assured us that had we gone by way of Wyoming and down the Powder River, the chances were that the local authorities would have placed us under quarantine until after the first frost.He assured us that the year before, Texas fever had played sad havoc among the native and wintered Southern cattle, and that Miles City and Glendive, live-stock centres on the Yellowstone, were up in arms in favor of a rigid quarantine against all through cattle.If this proved true, it was certainly an ill wind to drovers on the Powder River route; yet I failed to see where we were benefited until my employer got down to details.

"That's so," said he; "I forgot to tell you boys that when Reed and I went back to Ogalalla, we found Field, Radcliff & Co.

buying beeves.Yes, they had bought a remuda of horses, rigged up two wagons, and hired men to take possession of our 'Open A'

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 大漠鹏程

    大漠鹏程

    传说金鹏墨剑是最凶的神器,被石砥中得到,石砥中厌倦江湖的腥风血雨,欲遁而不得,只身向大漠遁去……
  • 异能种田奔小康

    异能种田奔小康

    谁说穿越一定要穿成公主王妃,就算成为一个小小的农民,咱也能称霸天下。衣食住行,咱笼断了食,照样想怎样就怎样。穿越成没爹没娘的孩子孩子多口粮又少亲戚不管事只凭嘴上说弟弟又太小,只能靠自己幸亏咱有异能,种田种花一手抓“那菜,赶紧长啊,还指着你们去卖钱呢!”司徒木莲双手叉腰,手指一点。场景一:“丫头啊,你家没有大人,这有了钱财二叔帮你保管。”司徒颖笑眯眯的说道。司徒木莲也是笑眯眯的回答:“二叔啊!咱人虽小,但钱财还是能够保管好的。倒是二叔你家的钱,要是相信我的话,我倒可以帮你保管,要不然也是给别人花。”司徒颖听到木莲的话,气得七窃生烟,自家钱财哪能让外人管。场景二:“莲姐儿啊,城东李家的儿子长得那叫俊啊!和你般配得不得了呢!”木莲的姑母,盘腿坐在炕上,磕着瓜子边吐瓜子皮边笑着说道。“那可不是,城东李家的儿子,到现在都分不清爹娘是哪个,媳妇儿讨来是用什么的。姑母啊,我想我是等不到他七老八十了,要是你愿意的话,可以考虑考虑。”木莲悠哉的拿着书讽刺道。场景三:“只要你想要什么我都可以给你。”东方祺看着眉目如画的人儿,眼角眉梢都荡漾着温柔的笑意。“只要一生一世人,与你并肩看太阳升起落下,与你就这样偕手一起共白头。”木莲看着紧握的手,眉眼弯弯的笑道。推荐好友文:掳妃司徒平安我的妈咪不好卖:
  • 重启飞扬年代

    重启飞扬年代

    人到中年的吴涛,常常想到,如果能够重新站在那个命运抉择的十字路口,他一定会选择另外一条路,开启一段精彩飞扬的人生。这一天真的来了,一夜之间重生回到1995年,那年填报中考志愿的当口,面对那张笑靥如花的俏脸,他欣欣然地做出了梦寐以求的选择。未来究竟是坦途还是荆棘密布,只有走过才知道。让我们跟着吴涛一起上路,看看会经历怎样的诗和远方。
  • 太上戒经

    太上戒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 见习死神日记

    见习死神日记

    每一个灵魂背后,都有一个雷同的故事。成为灵魂的他,她,它的故事会是怎样呢?(其实每一章基本都是一个小故事)
  • 兔仙

    兔仙

    就因为不小心摔了一下宠物店那只奇怪的大肥兔,我就这样穿越了?还有没有天理?无情的苍天啊,为什么还偏偏要让我受这一飞来横箭?我想拔出腿上的这支箭......为什么?我浑身都是雪白的茸毛?还有这小小的爪子?我穿越成了一只兔子?就是面前这个臭男人,射了我一箭?该死的,还说我可爱,非要把我带回家。晚上才能现人形,莫非我是传说中的兔妖?见到我睡在他床上,竟以为我是投怀送抱的青楼女子?为了保住自己的清白,只能对他说我是兔......仙,反正他也没见过真正的神仙嘛。他总是恐吓我不许离开,欺负我是只手无缚鸡之力的兔子.......他去青楼是他的自由,可以不用带上我啊!害我被无端非礼,又成了他相好的眼中钉,被挟持,还差点被破身,真是怎么倒霉怎么来。轻浮,风流成性,这就是我对他的印象。这样的花花公子,再好看我也不要。我要逃离他的魔爪,为什么每次都不成功?比起他,我觉得神医哥哥又儒雅,又正派,关键是还......害羞。是我喜欢的型啊!我相信神医哥哥更适合我啦!他一直年糕一样扒着我做什么,管他是什么十三王爷,他竟要我使出所谓的法术,帮他报仇?我要是会的话还在古代混什么?早回现代快活去了。我的兔仙身份到底要怎么保住呀?那个神神秘秘的银发帅哥又是谁?他说有办法让我摆脱兔子身,但是他提出的这个条件是不是太苛刻了?......可以换一个吗?还有一些人物,现在暂时还不能亮相,敬请期待.vip会员群56307675,敲门砖,你的Vip会员名称。视频http://m.wkkk.net/p_m.wkkk.net。。感谢小珊珊所做苏的新作:海棠妃,在左栏列表可点击。希望大家可以像支持兔仙一样,支持苏的海棠,鞠躬!
  • 那些渐行渐远的爱情

    那些渐行渐远的爱情

    这个世间,无论是否亲人,有爱,便不会寂寞。谢谢命运赐我们不相尽同的忧喜哀乐,谢谢于千万年间千万人间千万种相遇之间的这一场遇见……书中融合了爱情、亲情、友情等,对当下都市女白领们的小资情调作了细腻、感人、真挚的抒发和阐释,知己般倾听她们的心声,闺密般大慰这批女人的情愁之苦。这些情感和执着,如静静的花溪潺潺,温润着我们在劳碌生活中日益冷漠的心,亦如花香洇染,如片云微度,走过成长的迷茫,有一种感动和感悟悄悄落在心间,分明清晰。
  • 棋神传说

    棋神传说

    江湖暗流汹涌,棋坛人才辈出,鼎盛之世,谁是英豪,天之大道,不在于修,重过于悟。大道无形,武学可悟道,乐理可悟道,夏鹏是一个棋痴,他是如何通过围棋感悟神之道呢!竞技作品是冷门,不过本书的围棋描述只是媒介,重点写的是修道,一本带有黄易风格的悟道之作,天道是什么呢?棋道?人道?世道?情道?皆通天道。
  • 盛世溺宠:总裁,求放过

    盛世溺宠:总裁,求放过

    论找老公哪家强,请到秦家找秦漠。论找腹黑老公哪家强,请到秦家找秦漠。论找腹黑且深情老公哪家强,请一定去秦家找秦漠!当有一天传出标准好老公的秦漠已经和某不知名女人领了红本本时,全世界都炸了。“请问您的夫人叫什么?”秦漠勾唇,语气温柔,“姜长情,与之长情。”“混蛋!”某女咬牙切齿。“嗯?我喜欢听你说我混蛋。”
  • 密林中

    密林中

    21世纪初的上海,二十岁的阳阳觉得自己与周围的一切格格不入,她在地下文学论坛、里弄咖啡馆与边缘音乐会里寻找着同类。十年过去,大部分的文艺青年被无益的幻觉耗干,生活一路走向沉闷,也有少部分人获得了命运的垂青,获得了世俗的成功。从什么时候开始,人生于阳阳而言更像是漫游在黑漆漆的密林,不再期望能遇见另一位伙伴。她曾深刻地爱过一个浑然天成的天才,也在最迷惘失落时陷入与一个已成名中年作家的关系。然而她并不想成为谁的女友,她想成为的是艺术家本人——单独地,直接地,以正面强攻的姿态,面对整个外部世界……在这部小说中,周嘉宁以冷峻穿透的笔触,勾画出一幅21世纪初文学青年的精神流浪简史,独具一种忧郁气质。