The Outlet

by Andy Adams

  CHAPTER VIII. EN PASSANT

  It was intentionally late in the day when we reached Dodge. My horse,which I was leading, gave considerable trouble while returning,compelling us to drive slow. The buyers repeatedly complained thatdinner would be over at their hotel, but the detective knew of a goodrestaurant and promised all of us a feast. On reaching town, we drove tothe stable where the rig belonged, and once free of the horses, Siringoled the way to a well-known night-and-day eating-house on a back street.No sooner had we entered the place than I remembered having my wagonin town, and the necessity of its reaching camp before darkness made myexcuse imperative. I hurried around to the outfitting house and foundthe order filled and all ready to load into the wagon. But Parent wasmissing, and in skirmishing about to locate him, I met my brother Bob.Tolleston had arrived, but his presence had not been discovered untilafter Seay reached town. Archie was fairly well "organized" and hadvisited the hotel where the buyers were stopping, leaving word for themof his arrival. My brother and Seay had told him that they had met,down the trail that morning, two cattle buyers by the name of Field andRadcliff; that they were inquiring for a herd belonging to Tom Coleman,which was believed to be somewhere between Dodge and the Cimarron River.The two had assured Tolleston that the buyers might not be back for aweek, and suggested a few drinks in memory of old times. As Archiewas then three sheets in the wind, his effacement, in the hands of tworounders like Dorg Seay and Bob Quirk, was an easy matter.

  Once the wagon was loaded and started for camp, I returned to therestaurant. The dinner was in progress, and taking the vacant seat, Ilifted my glass with great regularity as toast after toast was drunk.Cigars were ordered, and with our feet on the table, the fiscal agentsaid: "Gentlemen, this is a mere luncheon and don't count. But if I'mable to sell you my other two beef herds, why, I'll give you ablow-out right. We'll make it six-handed--the three trail foremenand ourselves--and damn the expense so long as the cattle are sold.Champagne will flow like water, and when our teeth float, we'll wash ourfeet in what's left."

  At a late hour the dinner ended. We were all rather unsteady on ourfeet, but the pock-marked detective and myself formed a guard ofhonor in escorting the buyers to their hotel, when an officious clerkattempted to deliver Tolleston's message. But anticipating it, Iinterrupted his highness and informed him that we had met the party; Iwas a thousand times obliged to him for his kindness, and forced on hima fine cigar, which had been given me by Bob Wright of the outfittingstore. While Siringo and the buyers passed upstairs, I entertained theoffice force below with an account of the sale of my herd, constantlyreferring to my new employers. The fiscal agent returned shortly, boughtsome 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 presenceof 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 askingme 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 foundmy brother, who was anxious to return to his camp for the night. But Iurged his seeing Siringo first, and after waiting in the latter's roomsome time, he burst in upon us with a merry chuckle. "Well, the draftwas paid all right," said he; "and this is Bob Quirk. Boys, things arecoming nicely. This fellow Tolleston is the only cloud in the sky. If wecan keep him down for a week, and the other herds come in shortly, I seenothing to thwart our plans. Where have you picketed Tolleston?" "Aroundin Dutch Jake's crib," replied Bob.

  "That's good," continued the fiscal agent, "and I'll just drop into-night and see the madam. A little money will go a long way with her,and in a case like this, the devil himself would be a welcome ally. Youboys stay in town as much as you can and keep Tolleston snowed deep, andI'll take the buyers down the trail in the morning and meet the herdscoming up."

  My brother returned to his camp, and Siringo and I separated for thetime being. In '84 Dodge, the Port Said of the plains, was in the fullflower of her wickedness. Literally speaking, night was turned into dayin the old trail town, for with the falling of darkness, the streetsfilled with people. Restaurants were crowded with women of thehalf-world, bar-rooms thronged with the wayfaring man, while in gamblingand dance halls the range men congregated as if on special invitation.The familiar bark of the six-shooter was a matter of almost nightlyoccurrence; a dispute at the gaming table, a discourteous word spoken,or the rivalry for the smile of a wanton was provocation for thesacrifice of human life. Here the man of the plains reverted to and gaveutterance to the savagery of his nature, or, on the other hand, was aschivalrous as in the days of heraldry.

  I knew the town well, this being my third trip over the trail, andmingled with the gathering throng. Near midnight, and when in the LadyGay dance-hall, I was accosted by Dorg Seay and the detective. They hadjust left Dutch Jake's, and reported all quiet on the Potomac. Seay hadnot only proved himself artful, but a good fellow, and had unearthed thefact that Tolleston had been in the employ of Field and Radcliff for thepast three months. "You see," said Dorg, "Archie never knew me exceptthe few days that I was about headquarters in Medina before we started.He fully believes that I've been discharged--and with three months' payin my hip-pocket. The play now is that he's to first help me spend mywages, and then I'm to have a job under him with beeves which he expectsto drive to the Yellowstone. He has intimated that he might be able togive me a herd. So, Tom, if I come out there and take possession of yourcattle, don't be surprised. There's only one thing to beat our game--Ican't get him so full but what he's over-anxious to see his employers.But if you fellows furnish the money, I'll try and pickle him until heforgets them."

  The next morning Siringo and the buyers started south on the trail, andI rode for my camp on the Saw Log. Before riding many miles I sighted myoutfit coming in a long lope for town. They reported everything sereneat camp, and as many of the boys were moneyless, I turned back withthem. An enjoyable day was before us; some drank to their hearts'content, while all gambled with more or less success. I was anxious thatthe outfit should have a good carouse, and showed the lights and shadowsof the town with a pride worthy of one of its founders. Acting the host,I paid for our dinners; and as we sauntered into the street, puffingvile cigars, we nearly ran amuck of Dorg Seay and Archie Tolleston,trundling a child's wagon between them up the street. We watched them,keeping a judicious distance, as they visited saloon after saloon, thetoy wagon always in possession of one or the other.

  While we were amusing ourselves at the antics of these two, my attentionwas attracted by a four-mule wagon pulling across the bridge from thesouth. On reaching the railroad tracks, I recognized the team, andalso the driver, as Quince Forrest's. Here was news, and accordingly Iaccosted him. Fortunately he was looking for me or my brother, as hisforeman could not come in with the wagon, and some one was wanted tovouch for him in getting the needed supplies. They had reached theMulberry the evening before, but several herds had mixed in a run duringthe night, though their cattle had escaped. Forrest was determined notto risk a second night on that stream, and had started his herd with thedawn, expecting to camp with his cattle that night west on Duck Creek.The herd was then somewhere between the latter and the main Arkansaw,and the cook was anxious to secure the supplies and reach the outfitbefore darkness overtook him. Sponsilier was reported as two days behindForrest when the latter crossed the Cimarron, since when there had beenno word from his cattle. They had met the buyers near the middle of theforenoon, and when Forrest admitted having the widow Timberlake's beefherd, they turned back and were spending the day with the cattle.

  The situation demanded instant action. Taking Forrest's cook around toour outfitting store, I introduced and vouched for him. Hurrying back, Isent Wayne Outcault, as he was a stranger to Tolleston, to mix with thetwo rascals and send Seay to me at once. Some little time was consumedin engaging Archie in a game of pool, but when Dorg presented
himselfI lost no time in explaining the situation. He declared that it was nolonger possible to interest Tolleston at Dutch Jake's crib during theday, and that other means of amusement must be resorted to, as Archiewas getting clamorous to find his employers. To my suggestion to geta livery rig and take him for a ride, Dorg agreed. "Take him down theriver to Spearville," I urged, "and try and break into the calaboose ifyou can. Paint the town red while you're about it, and if you both landin the lock-up, all the better. If the rascal insists on coming back toDodge, start after night, get lost, and land somewhere farther down theriver. Keep him away from this town for a week, and I'll gamble that youboss a herd for old man Don next year."

  The afternoon was waning. The buyers might return at any moment, asForrest's herd had no doubt crossed the river but a few miles abovetown.

  I was impatiently watching the boys, as Dorg and Wayne cautiously herdedTolleston around to a livery stable, when my brother Bob rode up. Heinformed me that he had moved his camp that day across to the Saw Log;that he had done so to accommodate Jim Flood and The Rebel with a camp;their herds were due on the Mulberry that evening. The former had stayedall night at Bob's wagon, and reported his cattle, considering the dryseason, in good condition. As my brother expected to remain in townovernight, I proposed starting for my camp as soon as Seay and hisward drove out of sight. They parleyed enough before going to unnervea saint, but finally, with the little toy wagon on Tolleston's knee andthe other driving, they started. Hurrahing my lads to saddle up, we rodepast the stable where Seay had secured the conveyance; and while I wasposting the stable-keeper not to be uneasy if the rig was gone a week,Siringo and the buyers drove past the barn with a flourish. Taking aback street, we avoided meeting them, and just as darkness was falling,rode into our camp some twelve miles distant.

  My brother Bob's camp was just above us on the creek, and a few milesnearer town. As his wagon expected to go in after supplies the nextmorning, a cavalcade of fifteen men from the two outfits preceded it.My horse-wrangler had made arrangements with the cook to look afterhis charges, and in anticipation of the day before him, had our mountscorralled before sun-up. Bob's wrangler was also with us, and he andLevering quarreled all the way in about the respective merits of eachone's remuda. A match was arranged between the two horses which theywere riding, and on reaching a straight piece of road, my man won itand also considerable money. But no matter how much we differed amongourselves, when the interests of our employer were at stake, we were aunit. On reaching town, our numbers were augmented by fully twentymore from the other Lovell outfits, including the three foremen. My oldbunkie, The Rebel, nearly dragged me from my horse, while Forrest and Iforgot past differences over a social glass. And then there was Flood,my first foreman, under whom I served my apprenticeship on the trail,the same quiet, languid old Jim. The various foremen and their outfitswere aware of the impending trouble over the Buford delivery, andquietly expressed their contempt for such underhand dealings. QuinceForrest had spent the evening before in town, and about midnight hisherd of "Drooping T's" were sold at about the same figures as mine,except five thousand more earnest-money, and the privilege of the buyersplacing their own foreman in charge thereafter. Forrest further reportedthat the fiscal agent and the strangers had started to meet Sponsilierearly that morning, and that the probability of all the herds moving outin a few days was good.

  Seay and his charge were still absent, and the programme, as outlined,was working out nicely. With the exception of Forrest and myself, theother foremen were busy looking after their outfits, while Bob Quirk hadhis wagon to load and start on its return. Quince confided to me thatthough he had stayed on Duck Creek the night before, his herd would noonthat day on Saw Log, and camp that evening on the next creek north. Whenpressed for his reasons, he shrugged his shoulders, and with a quietwink, said: "If this new outfit put a man over me, just the minute weget out of the jurisdiction of this county, off his horse he goes andwalks back. If it's Tolleston, the moment he sees me and recognizes myoutfit as belonging to Lovell, he'll raise the long yell and let the catout. When that happens, I want to be in an unorganized country where asix-shooter is the highest authority." The idea was a new one to me,and I saw the advantage of it, but could not move without Siringo'spermission, which Forrest had. Accordingly about noon, Quince summonedhis men together, and they rode out of town. Looking up a map of FordCounty, I was delighted to find that my camp on Saw Log was but a fewmiles below the north line.

  Among the boys the day passed in riotousness. The carousing was anecessary stimulant after the long, monotonous drive and exposure to theelements. Near the middle of the forenoon, Flood and The Rebel roundedup their outfits and started south for the Mulberry, while Bob Quirkgathered his own and my lads preparatory to leaving for the Saw Log. Ihad agreed to remain on guard for that night, for with the erratic turnon Tolleston's part, we were doubly cautious. But when my outfit wasready to start, Runt Pickett, the feisty little rascal, had about twentydollars in his possession which he insisted on gambling away beforeleaving town. Runt was comfortably drunk, and as Bob urged humoring him,I gave my consent, provided he would place it all at one bet, to whichPickett agreed. Leaving the greater part of the boys holding the horses,some half-dozen of us entered the nearest gambling-house, and Runt betnineteen dollars "Alce" on the first card which fell in a monte lay-out.To my chagrin, he won. My brother was delighted over the little rascal'sluck, and urged him to double his bet, but Pickett refused and invitedus all to have a drink. Leaving this place, we entered the nextgaming-hall, when our man again bet nineteen dollars alce on the firstcard. Again he won, and we went the length of the street, Runt wageringnineteen dollars alce on the first card for ten consecutive timeswithout losing a bet. In his groggy condition, the prospect of losingPickett's money was hopeless, and my brother and I promised him that hemight come back the next morning and try to get rid of his winnings.

  Two whole days passed with no report from either Seay or the buyers.Meanwhile Flood and The Rebel threaded their way through the otherherds, crossing the Arkansaw above town, their wagons touching at Dodgefor new supplies, never halting except temporarily until they reachedthe creek on which Forrest was encamped. The absence of Siringo and thebuyers, to my thinking, was favorable, for no doubt when they came in,a deal would have been effected on the last of the Buford herds. Theyreturned some time during the night of the third day out, and I failedto see the detective before sunrise the next morning. When I did meethim, everything seemed so serene that I felt jubilant over the outlook.Sponsilier's beeves had firmly caught the fancy of the buyers, and thedelay in closing the trade was only temporary. "I can close the dealany minute I want to," said Siringo to me, "but we mustn't appeartoo anxious. Old man Don's idea was to get about one hundred thousanddollars earnest-money in hand, but if I can get five or ten more, itmight help tide us all over a hard winter. My last proposition to thebuyers was that if they would advance forty-five thousand dollars on the'Apple' beeves--Sponsilier's cattle--they might appoint, at the seller'sexpense, their own foreman from Dodge to the point of delivery. Theyhave agreed to give me an answer this morning, and after sleeping overit, I look for no trouble in closing the trade."

  The buyers were also astir early. I met Mr. Field in the post-office,where he was waiting for it to open. To his general inquiries I reportedeverything quiet, but suggested we move camp soon or the cattle wouldbecome restless. He listened very attentively, and promised thatwithin a few days permission would be given to move out for our finaldestination. The morning were the quiet hours of the town, and when thebuyers had received and gone over their large and accumulated mail, thepartners came over to the Dodge House, looking for the fiscal agent, asI supposed, to close the trade on Sponsilier's cattle. Siringo was theacme of indifference, but listened to a different tale. A trustedman, in whom they had placed a great deal of confidence, had failed tomaterialize. He was then overdue some four or five days, and foul playwas suspected. The wily detective poured oil on the troubled
waters,assuring them if their man failed to appear within a day or two, hewould gladly render every assistance in looking him up. Another matterof considerable moment would be the arrival that morning of a silentpartner, the financial man of the firm from Washington, D.C. He was dueto arrive on the "Cannon Ball" at eight o'clock, and we all sauntereddown to meet the train from the East. On its arrival, Siringo and Istood back among the crowd, but the buyers pushed forward, looking fortheir friend. The first man to alight from the day coach, coatless andwith both eyes blackened, was Archie Tolleston; he almost fell into thearms of our cattle buyers. I recognized Archie at a glance, and draggingthe detective inside the waiting-room, posted him as to the arrival withthe wild look and blood-shot optics. Siringo cautioned me to go to hisroom and stay there, promising to report as the day advanced.

  Sponsilier had camped the night before on the main river, and as Icrossed to the hotel, his commissary pulled up in front of Wright,Beverly & Co.'s outfitting store. Taking the chances of being seen, Iinterviewed Dave's cook, and learned that his foreman had given himan order for the supplies, and that Sponsilier would not come in untilafter the herd had passed the Saw Log. As I turned away, my attentionwas attracted by the deference being shown the financial man of thecattle firm, as the party wended their way around to the Wright House.The silent member of the firm was a portly fellow, and there was noone in the group but did him honor, even the detective carrying a lightgrip, while Tolleston lumbered along with a heavy one.

  My effacement was only temporary, as Siringo appeared at his roomshortly afterward. "Well, Quirk," said he, with a smile, "I reckon mywork is all done. Field and Radcliff didn't feel like talking businessthis morning, at least until they had shown the financial member theirpurchases, both real and prospective. Yes, they took the fat Coloneland Tolleston with them and started for your camp with a two-seatedrig. From yours they expect to drive to Forrest's camp, and then meetSponsilier on the way coming back. No; I declined a very pressinginvitation to go along--you see my mixed herds might come in any minute.And say, that man Tolleston was there in a hundred places with the bigconversation; he claims to have been kidnapped, and was locked up forthe last four days. He says he whipped your man Seay, but couldn'tconvince the authorities of his innocence until last night, when theyset him free. According to his report, Seay's in jail yet at a littletown down the road called Kinsley. Now, I'm going to take a conveyanceto Spearville, and catch the first train out of there East. Settle mybill with this hotel, and say that I may be out of town for a few days,meeting a herd which I'm expecting. When Tolleston recognizes all threeof those outfits as belonging to Don Lovell--well, won't there be hellto pay? Yes, my work is all done."

  I fully agreed with the detective that Archie would recognizethe remudas and outfits as Lovell's, even though the cattle wereroad-branded out of the usual "Circle Dot." Siringo further informedme that north of Ford County was all an unorganized country until thePlatte River was reached at Ogalalla, and advised me to ignore any legalprocess served outside those bounds. He was impatient to get away, andwhen he had put me in possession of everything to our advantage, wewrung each other's hands in farewell. As the drive outlined by thecattle buyers would absorb the day, I felt no necessity of being in ahurry. The absence of Dorg Seay was annoying, and the fellow had doneus such valiant service, I felt in honor bound to secure his release.Accordingly I wired the city marshal at Kinsley, and received a replythat Seay had been released early that morning, and had started overlandfor Dodge. This was fortunate, and after settling all bills, I offeredto pay the liveryman in advance for the rig in Seay's possession,assuring him by the telegram that it would return that evening. Herefused to make any settlement until the condition of both the animaland the conveyance had been passed upon, and fearful lest Dorg shouldcome back moneyless, I had nothing to do but await his return. I wasgrowing impatient to reach camp, there being no opportunity to sendword to my outfit, and the passing hours seemed days, when late in theafternoon Dorg Seay drove down the main street of Dodge as big asa government beef buyer. The liveryman was pleased and accepted theregular rate, and Dorg and I were soon galloping out of town. As weneared the first divide, we dropped our horses into a walk to affordthem a breathing spell, and in reply to my fund of information, Seaysaid:

  "So Tolleston's telling that he licked me. Well, that's a good one onthis one of old man Seay's boys. Archie must have been crazy with theheat. The fact is that he had been trying to quit me for several days.We had exhausted every line of dissipation, and when I decided that itwas no longer possible to hold him, I insulted and provoked him into aquarrel, and we were both arrested. Licked me, did he? He couldn't lickhis upper lip."